33 He/Him Practically a shitpost generator. Lots of different fandoms and ships. It's pretty gay in here. Also i have a shop now, check it out if you like coffee, reading, and/or D&D :) https://cantrips-coffee.myshopify.com/
(popular leftist voice) these right wingers are all sooo poorrrr and stupid. They are stupid because they are poorrrr, racism would never exist in my suburban area
Popular leftist voice: these right wingers must have brain damage. They must be bigots because they are literally reta suffering from blsck mold, or brain damage.
(popular leftist voice) you can tell this person is a Bad Person because they're fat and ugly, two traits which as we all know are inextricably linked to amorality
guy on the subway with one ear pierced, little gold hoop. other guy on the subway very quickly and subtly googling "which one is the gay ear". it is not the gay ear. visible disappointment on his face as he puts his phone away.
In case anyone hasn't heard, the cyclospora outbreak affecting tons of people in the US right now is coming from Taylor Farms produce. Best to stay away from bagged lettuce and prepared salads completely right now, but especially the ones mentioned in the screenshot:
Taylor Farms
Earthbound Farms
Little Salad Bar (Aldi)
Marketside (Walmart)
Kroger House Brand
Target private label greens
Costco salads and greens etc
Trader Joe's chopped salad kits and fresh produce
Fast food: McDonalds, Taco Bell, (Yum! Brands), Chipotle, Subway, Pizza Hut, KFC, Olive Garden, Top Golf, Red Lobster, Burger King, etc.
This is not the first time I've heard about a Taylor Farms foodborne illness outbreak. I stopped eating their salads after reading a description of the conditions in their facilities. Doesn't sound like they've improved anything.
We need a fully funded and staffed FDA, and regulations with teeth - and that's exactly what we don't have under Trump. To make things worse, the CDC is no longer tracking these outbreaks. We're on our own.
How to Fake It in Society by KJ Charles is m/m historical romance about a dashing con man and a man entirely out of his depths.
Itâs 1821. Titus Pilcrow makes paints for a living. Heâs quiet, kind, and seriously overworked. Abruptly inheriting a massive fortune courtesy of a dying elderly woman who is not about to let her murderous nephew inherit is both going to make his life easier and infinitely more complicated.
Enter Nicolas-Marc, Comte de Valois de La Motte. London Society believes he is the son of an infamous French noblewoman who stole a diamond necklace. In reality, Nico is an actor in an immense amount of debt with gangsters on his tail. His plan had been to marry a certain elderly woman, but someone beat him to the punch.
Titus becomes the target of every scammer in London. How is Nico to resist? Itâs a fair exchange, really. Nico can teach him how to be a gentleman, and in the process, secure a solution to his looming woes. It is a flawless plan, just so long as neither of them falls in love.
Read an excerpt from chapter one below.
Titus Pilcrow read the note with disbelief. Then he read it a second time in the hope he had misunderstood. It still said the same thing.
âYouâre throwing me out?â
âIâm not throwing you out,â Mr. Henry Morris said. âI am giving you notice that I have found someone who will pay a higher rent for the shop, and it is all of a piece that you must make me the villain for it. Have I not kept the rent absurdly low for years? Am I not entitled to earn my bread as well as you?â
âHow much more?â Titus demanded. âThat is, can I not match it?â The words gave him an instant qualm. His rent was not in fact low at all, and his work had never been greatly profitable. The raw materials were costly, and though people loved the quality of his products, they were less keen to pay for them.
âAn extra three shillings a week.â
âA week?â
âIf you have not the funds, thereâs really nothing I can do.â
Titus wasnât a shouter, and the thought of another argument with Henry made him feel sick, but he would have liked to shout and argue all the same. His throat was closing. âI have paid my rent in full, on time, for six years and youâre giving me a monthâs notice?â
âYouâre supposed to pay your rent on time; itâs hardly praiseworthy,â Henry said. âAnd if you had not treated me with such unkindness, always casting blameââ The familiar complaints went on, buzzing like bluebottles in Titusâs ears as he tried to think.
Henry had the right to raise the rent by whatever extortionate sum he chose. He was the landlord, the property owner, and money always flowed in the direction of those who already had it, like streams flowing down to a lake. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance, Titusâs father had often repeated to his four younger sons, but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
His shop was being taken away. This was calamitous.
The premises in Red Lion Street, a quite respectable address a little way off bustling Holborn, were small, the bullâs-eye windows rather obstructive of light, but it did for Titusâs needs. He ran Pilcrowâs Improved Colours, making up his cakes of watercolour paint and his oils, slept in the cramped back room amid sacks and boxes and a clutter of canvases, and tried not to be irritated by the jeweller with his family of nine who lived upstairs. He spent more of his time wrist-deep in noxious substances than he might have liked, but he found the work satisfying, and took pride in his reputation for supplying reliable, well-made colours. He spent untold hours in conversation with artists about shade and permanency, what pigments could not be used together, the minutiae of hard work and technical knowledge that underlaid inspiration and vision. Heâd built Pilcrowâs into something to be proud of.
And now his shop, his home, his income, his whole little world would be snatched from him, because heâd been fool enough to sleep with his landlord.
Henry Morris had taken over the management of the property from his father three years ago. He was a charming man, witty, lively, a sparkling talkerânot, perhaps, a very good listener, but Titus was used to letting people do all the talking. That suited Henry well, and his attentions had become marked. Theyâd had a few drinks, Henry had taken him to bed, and it had all been thrillingly far from Titusâs quiet routine.
It took a couple of months for the cracks to show.
The problem was that Henry wanted passion in his life, and any sort of passion would do. Sometimes he would fuck wildly, or make extravagant declarations of feeling, but on other days, which became more and more frequent, he was only happy making them both miserable. He would snipe and complain, then throw around accusations, insults, and verbal cruelties that escalated until Titus was finally provoked into protest, and then the onslaught would really begin. There would be tears, screaming, throwing things, breaking things. Afterwards he would weep, and say that his feelings and Titusâs lack of sensibility drove him to these extremes, and then heâd mope in a sad, distraught manner until Titus gave him the reassurance and apologies he needed. And it would be all love and flowers until Henry felt the urge to do it again.
Titus had spent an increasingly unhappy year buffeted by Henryâs alts and rages, bewildered, guilty, and unhappy, desperately trying to extricate himself from the affair without making things worse. He had finally said a firm No more a few months ago. Henry had not taken the rejection well, even by his standards. And here they were. Titus should probably have seen it coming.
In truth, heâd give a lot to get away from Henry, but this would cost him everything. He would have to pack up his pots and powders and poisons, find affordable premises in this horribly crowded city, advertise everywhere in the hope some of his customers would follow him. It would mean starting all over again. The prospect was appalling.
âHenry,â he said, trying to sound calm and reasonable. âPlease. Can we not find a compromise? I have been a good tenant for a long time. I can pay moreââ
âFive shillings a week more?â
âYou said three!â
âThatâs the other offer. You need to improve on it. We all have to work, you know. You canât expect to live on my goodwill after you treated me so callously.â
âIââ
Henryâs mouth curved in the smile Titus knew well, eyes glittering with gleeful anticipation, and Titus realised abruptly that he couldnât do this one more time, not even at the price of his shop. He simply couldnât bear it.
âAll right,â he said. âA monthâs notice it is.â
Henryâs mouth dropped open, shocked at the lack of resistance. âWhatâis that all? You canât even scrape together a few shillings? Or do me the courtesy of a proper farewell?â
âOh, yes, of course,â Titus said. âGoodbye.â
Henry reacted as poorly as might have been expected. Titus ignored the tempest; the scale of the disaster was such that he simply didnât have it in him to care for Henryâs reproaches.
He just stared through Henry as he raged, and felt a twinge of unkind satisfaction in watching him storm out, frustrated.
It didnât last. He had a single month to find new premises, and no idea what he was going to do.
He had come no nearer to a solution two days later when he went to call on Miss Whitecross.
She was one of his most lucrative clients: an elderly lady of immense wealth, and an amateur painter of limited talent who used supplies with wild abandon. As an artisan who put a lot of hard work into the colours she splashed about so wastefully, Titus found that somewhat grating. As a shopkeeper, he could only applaud.
Her latest order was for brown pink, vermilion, ultramarine, orpiment, and violet lake. It was a large and costly set of paints, and she would probably interrogate him on whether he had adulterated the vermilion with cheap red lead. Miss Whitecross was a suspicious woman who liked to feel that she was up to every rig and row. Titus had realised early on that her frequent accusations of dishonesty sprang rather from her own fears than any real doubt of him, and he had learned not to take offence. He feared he might struggle to find the necessary patience today, but he needed the money.
Her house was in Carey Street, not far from Titusâs shop. It was a wide and airy street that skirted the Inns of Court, a very pleasant address but decidedly not one for a fashionable lady. Miss Whitecross made no claim to that. Her father had made his money in manufacturing and she wore her lineage with pride rather than trying to disavow the taint of industry. She dressed and lived well, but she had never aspired to move westwards, where the height of the Ton was based, and her house was spacious without grandeur.
Titus pulled the bell. The door was answered by a worried-looking butler.
âHello, Mr. Thorpe. Is all well?â
âMr. Pilcrow?â the butler said blankly. âWhat is it?â
âIâve an order for Miss Whitecross. Is something wrong?â
âSheâs not well. You canât see her.â
Oh, no no no. It was a four-guinea order because of the expensive materials. He couldnât lose four guineas now. âIâm sorry to hear it, butâwell, it is a very big order. Would tomorrowââ
âNo,â Mr. Thorpe said, the word heavy. âShe . . . she had a fall yesterday. She went right down the stairs, and her hip is broken. It doesnât look good.â
âOh, heavens. Iâm so sorry.â Titus was, truly, for a woman he liked despite her obstreperous ways; selfishly, the loss of a good customer was one more blow in a week that was already quite bad enough. He glanced down at his expensive parcel with regret. The paints would last a little while in their bladders; perhaps he could find a buyer while also finding a new shop. His heart sank at the thought, but it couldnât be helped. âI wonât disturb you further. Please pass her my very best wishes, and I will pray for her recovery.â
âThank you, Mr. Pilcrow. Thatâs very genââ The butler stopped dead, mouth open.
âMr. Thorpe?â
âYes. Yes. Would you have a moment to come in? Just for a short while. I, uh, may be able to get you the money.â
âOh, donât trouble her with that now,â Titus said, heart overriding brain. âReally, her health is far more important.â
âPlease, Mr. Pilcrow,â Mr. Thorpe said, sounding positively urgent. âHalf an hour of your time, thatâs all. The mistress would want it.â
Titus followed him inside. It felt horribly intrusive, as though he were dunning a woman on her deathbed, but Mr. Thorpe had been with Miss Whitecross forever. If he thought it would make her feel better to pay a bill, he was doubtless right.
Mr. Thorpe showed him into the parlour and disappeared. He remained absent for so long that Titus began to feel quite uncomfortable. He didnât have anything to read or a pencil with which to scribble, so he sat, bored and uncertain, on a spindly chair too small for the well-sized room, surrounded by little tables bearing china vases and statuettes and dishes, and some truly dreadful watercolours on the walls, which he recognised as being perpetrated by his hostess.
The room had a good high ceiling, large windows. If it were his house, Titus would hang oils in here. Then he thought about Miss Whitecrossâs oil paintings and felt relieved she hadnât.
Well, it was her home so her taste ruled. And Titus could only respect a level of self-esteem that allowed its possessor to decide My work is worth displaying in the teeth of the evidence. He hadnât pinned a scribble of his to the wall since he was a child, making sketches and showing them to his brothers. That had been âdrawing attention to himself â or âgiving himself airs,â cardinal sins for the younger Pilcrows and strongly discouraged.
There were footsteps and muffled voices in the hall, but nobody came in. Titus wondered if heâd been forgotten. He wondered why Mr. Thorpe had felt it necessary to bring him in. He wondered about his shop.
Out by the end of the month. He wouldnât find new premises without closing up his current place and dedicating himself to the search, but that would cost him business he couldnât afford to lose. Maybe a fellow colourman might lend him an apprentice? But that would take time to arrange, and it would all need to be done so quickly, and he hated to be rushed. It flustered him, and he always seemed to do the wrong thing when he was flustered.
He had no choice. If he didnât find somewhere, he would soon have neither shop nor home.
What would he do if he couldnât find new premises in time? Where would he put his tools and supplies? He had friends who would give him a space to sleep, but he couldnât bring his many boxes of poisons and powders into peopleâs houses. He might have to sell off some of his stock or tools, but if he did that, clawing his way back would be even harder. Heâd seen all too often the frightening speed with which people could fall from comfort to destitution; one bad accident or stroke of misfortune could send you sliding inexorably downwards. The void was yawning beneath his feet.
He was wondering whether he could appeal to his brother for help, and if there was any chance the appeal would be heard, when the door opened and Mr. Thorpe came in.
The butler was wearing an extraordinary expression, something almost like excitement. âPlease come upstairs, Mr. Pilcrow. She wants to see you.â
âAre you sure?â
âPlease. This way.â
Titus gave a mental shrug and followed him. Perhaps Miss Whitecross wasnât so badly hurt after all. That would be good. The hope dwindled as he was admitted into her bedroom, where she lay with a lawyerly sort of gentleman sitting by her. The old ladyâs face was cut and bruised in a way that looked obscenely wrong on elderly features, and her skin was otherwise an unpleasantly pale grey-yellow shade, almost isabelline.
âMiss Whitecross,â Titus said. âIâm so sorry. How are you?â
âBad,â she said, voice thin. âDying. Murdered.â
âWhat?â
âLaxton tripped me,â she whispered. âMy nephew. At the top of the stairs. His foot between my legs. I fell.â Titusâs mouth dropped open. He looked round at the lawyerly man, who grimaced. Miss Whitecross caught that and glared at them both. âIâm not a fool. He tripped me, I tell you, and I fell and broke, rot these birdâs bones of mine. Heâll go unpunished for my murder, and be a rich man for my death. Damn him. Damn you all.â
Titus cast a desperate glance at the butler and the lawyer, but neither was looking at him. âAnd God rot the Laxtons, all of them,â Miss Whitecross went on, voice shaky but intent. âHis father made my sisterâs life a misery, and his son is like him as peas in a pod. I had such a scheme to spite himâit would have been a grand jest, but he got wind of it, and he killed me.â She paused there, gasping for breath, and finally got out, âAnd you fools are doing nothing!â
âWe have brought Mr. Pilcrow, maâam,â the butler said gently.
âErââ Titus said.
âYes.â Miss Whitecrossâs thin fingers were clutching spasmodically at her sheets. âPilcrow. Youâll scotch the snake for me. Youâre a gentleman born, ainât you?â
âYes? My father was rector of a parish in Gloucestershire, butââ
âAnd youâd like to be rich.â
âI beg your pardon?â
She glanced up at the lawyerly man. âTell him, Carnaby.â
He bowed in his seat. âMadam. Mr. Pilcrow, I am George Carnaby, Miss Whitecrossâs attorney. What she proposesâI must say, this is irregularââ
âGet on, fool,â the old woman croaked. âI might die while you talk.â
Mr. Carnaby sighed. âMiss Whitecross proposes that you marry her. Now.â
â. . . what?â
âYou will marry her, and become heir to the Whitecross fortune, without encumbrances or restrictions.â
âBut,â Titus said. âButâthe circumstancesââ
âIrregular, but I am happy to swear that Miss Whitecross is of sound mind.â
âAs am I,â Mr. Thorpe said strongly.
âHer reasoning for this action, is of courseââ
âHate,â Miss Whitecross said. âMy money will pass to the Laxton toad if Iâm not married. He can go to the devil and say I sent him. What about it, Pilcrow?â
âButâwhatââ
âDonât gibber,â she said with a feeble shadow of her usual acerbity. âWonât ask you to bless the marital bed. Not with my bones. Snap like twigs.â
Mr. Carnabyâs expression was indescribable. Titus groped for a response. âDonât you need a licence?â
âGot one already. I was going to make myself a lady, but the foolâs gone away, so fill in your name. Itâs your lucky day.â
Titus had no idea what she meant by that, but he was more concerned by âluckyâ in this context. âMiss Whitecross, please,â he said. âYouâve time yet. Youâre well cared for. Please donât give up.â
Her eyes met his properly then, faded and full of pain. âIâm dying, and we all know it. Help me, Pilcrow. Laxton broke my sisterâs heart and his son has broken my bones. Let me spite him and Iâll rest easier.â
Titus contemplated the proposal. To marry a woman close to fifty years his senior on her deathbed, for no better reason than money on his side and malice on hersâit was contemptible. Heâd be a laughing stock.
some people like to get mad at disability benefits because they think its unfair people who dont work get a payout from the government while they have to work 50 hours at the human suffering factory every week. but if you tell them "yeah that sucks i think you should also get a universal allowance and not have to work 50 hours at the human suffering factory every week" thats apparently the wrong answer.
ID: A screenshot of tags left on the tumblr post. They read "#it's actually kind of a reverse Chekhov's Gun #Chekhov's Gun says "If there is setup there must be payoff" #Asimov's Tail says "if there is payoff there must be setup" #and I think the tail is also important #a tail is not something you'd expect to see on a character unless explicitly pointed out #someone stepping on the tail not only reveals its existence but also tells us things about it #eg it's floor length sensitive and the character either can't or won't keep it out of the way of foot traffic #the upshot seems to be "acclimatise your audience to things they don't understand before you use them" #you don't need to explain how a gun on the mantelpiece works in the same way you need to explain how your protagonist's tail does" End ID.
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