Ma'am, I really can't stay

OK. OK.

I know that even the original is not as terrible as it appears (even if the "say, what's in this drink?" is pretty bad), and it is mostly about what society expects us to do vs. what we want.

That said, I enjoyed this modified version (John Legend ft. Kelly Clarkson) because, although for her it is the same mental process (aka "f*** what people think!"), the guy in here is pretty cool. He understands that she is saying "no" because of societal impositions but still respects her decision, waiting for her to process the situation without being pushy.

I divided her (and his side) with parentheses.

(And, spoiler alert, Murry, the *UBER driver* too)

I really can't stay (Baby, it's cold outside)

I've got to go away (but, I can call you a ride)

This evening has been (I'm so glad that you dropped in)

So very nice (time spent with you is paradise)

My mom will start to worry (I'll call the car and tell him to hurry)

My daddy will be pacing the floor (wait, what are you still livin' home for?)

So, really, I'd better scurry (your driver, his name is Murray)

But maybe just a half a drink more (oh, we're both adults, so who's keepin' score)

What will my friends think? (I think they should rejoice)

If I have one more drink? (It's your body and your choice)

Oh, you really know how (your eyes are like starlight now)

To cast a spell (one look at you and then I fell)

I ought to say, "No, no, no, sir" (then you really ought to go, go, go)

At least I'm gonna say that I tried (well, Murray, he just pulled up outside)

I really can't stay (I understand, baby)

Baby, it's cold outside

I simply should go (text me when you get home)

Oh, I'm supposed to say no (mmm, I guess that's respectable)

This welcome has been (I feel lucky that you dropped in)

So nice and warm (but you better go before it storms)

My sister will be suspicious (well, gosh, your lips look delicious)

My brother will be there at the door (oh, he loves my music, baby, I'm sure)

My gossipy neighbor's vicious (I'm a genie, tell me what your wish is)

But maybe just a cigarette more (oh, that's somethin' we should probably explore)

I've got to get home (oh, baby, I'm well aware)

Say, lend me a coat (oh, keep it, girl, I don't care)

You've really been grand (I feel good you touched my hands)

Don't you see? (I want you to stay, it's not up to me)

There's bound to be talk tomorrow (well, they can talk, what do they know)

At least there will be plenty implied (oh, let their mind do this, and-)

*Ma'am, I really can't stay*

Baby, just go

It's cold, baby

It's cold, baby

But, oh, I don't wanna go

It's cold outside

The Wise Chirstmas of the Past

Santa, tell me if you're really there
Don't make me fall in love again
If he won't be here next year
Santa, tell me if he really cares
'Cause I can't give it all away
If he won't be here next year.

There are no rules

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Cosplay Essence

Motivational Poster

And she is

The Pumpkins Season

El Día de los Muertos

Into the bold space

Humanity: the bright side

Never too old

You never win

Near the rack, you want to be baobab.

But baobabs don't know the color of the wheat fields.

Somebody That I Used to Know

"Now and then, I think of when we were together,
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die.
Told myself that you were right for me,
But felt so lonely in your company.
But that was love, and it's an ache I still remember.
You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness.
Like resignation to the end, always the end.
So when we found that we could not make sense,
Well, you said that we would still be friends.
But I'll admit that I was glad it was over."

What the oracle says

What a strange thing it is, to love and to lose.

To share your soul with another, and then to part ways.

To see them in the world, but not to know them.

To feel the bond that once was, now broken.

To be strangers, after being lovers.

How can we forget so easily what we once felt so deeply?

How can it be?

That's the moral of the story

"So I never really knew you

God, I really tried to

Blindsided, addicted

Felt we could really do this

But really I was foolish

Hindsight, it's obvious

Talking with my lawyer

She said, "Where'd you find this guy?"

I said, "Young people fall in love

With the wrong people sometimes"

Some mistakes get made

That's alright, that's okay

You can think that you're in love

When you're really just in pain

Some mistakes get made

That's alright, that's okay

In the end, it's better for me

That's the moral of the story"

Not that Target

Dear Republican Representative,

I tell you a secret.

I was queer waaaaaaaaaay before Target rainbow collections.

AI means LOVE

You never know who you will meet, or what moves they will make.

You have to be flexible, adaptable, and sometimes daring.

You have to trust your intuition, but also your logic.

You have to be willing to lose some pieces, but also to protect the ones that matter.

You have to be ready for surprises, challenges, and opportunities.

And you have to remember that the game is not over until it’s over.

Sometimes, the most unexpected moves can lead to the most beautiful outcomes.

Shattered

“Bridger?”

“Yeah?”

“The one who helped you... Was it Kanan Jarrus?”

Ezra froze and stared at the Chiss in disbelief. “How…?”

“So it was him.” []

Ezra became very still feeling the Chiss’ inquisitive gaze. What did Thrawn expect him to say? That, yes, that was Kanan? That he had somehow transcended death?

“I mean no harm. I’m just… curious about it,” Thrawn told him.

“He won’t come again,” Ezra said with a serious tone.

“I see. His will is not your own, I understand,” Thrawn nodded and continued walking.

“You are getting better, understanding the Force,” Ezra again wasn’t sure if he was too happy about that.

“I understand the evidence that was laid before me, although…” there was a slight hesitation in his voice. “The fact that one’s consciousness could survive is…” Thrawn trailed off.

“Quite something, uh,” Ezra chuckled tiredly.

“Indeed.”

Ezra could have left it there, but he felt a nudging that the conversation was not quite over yet. “Kanan told me… the Jedi believed that when someone dies, they become one with the Force. And they are always with us.”

“Even Chiss?” Thrawn asked calmly looking ahead.

“Even Chiss,” Ezra said.

[From "Last Known Trajectory" by @soulnova_alizrak]

~

My heart.

It was there. Just one second ago.

Protected.

Safe.

And then just a sentence.

“Even Chiss?”

And it is shattered.

~

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to eat alone,” Thrawn said. “There’s a bistro where Thrass and I used to meet. I’d like to spend my last evening on Csilla remembering him.”

[From "Lesser Evil" by Timothy Zahn]

~

[Photo: stunning Thrass and Thrawn print by @blackmonitor_official]

6 million Bridget Jones points

Oracle

(H)ours

Hours continuing long, sore and heavy-hearted,

Hours of the dusk, when I withdraw to a lonesome and unfrequented spot, seating myself, leaning my face in my hands;

Hours sleepless, deep in the night, when I go forth, speeding swiftly the country roads, or through the city streets, or pacing miles and miles, stifling plaintive cries;

Hours discouraged, distracted—for the one I cannot content myself without, soon I saw him content himself without me;

Hours when I am forgotten, (O weeks and months are passing, but I believe I am never to forget!)

Sullen and suffering hours! (I am ashamed—but it is useless—I am what I am;)

Hours of my torment—I wonder if other men ever have the like, out of the like feelings?

Is there even one other like me—distracted—his friend, his lover, lost to him?

Is he too as I am now? Does he still rise in the morning, dejected, thinking who is lost to him? and at night, awaking, think who is lost?

Does he too harbor his friendship silent and endless? harbor his anguish and passion?

Does some stray reminder, or the casual mention of a name, bring the fit back upon him, taciturn and deprest?

Does he see himself reflected in me? In these hours, does he see the face of his hours reflected?

Lungimiranza

Amethyst remembrance

I held a Jewel in my fingers—

And went to sleep—

The day was warm, and winds were prosy—

I said ”Twill keep’—

I woke—and chid my honest fingers,

The Gem was gone—

And now, an Amethyst remembrance

Is all I own—

Êtes-vous sûr que c'est une bonne idée?

“Have you found an exit?”

“No,” Anakin admitted between clenched teeth. “But don’t worry—I’ll figure out something.”

“Perhaps this will help.”

Frowning, Anakin looked over toward the other cell.

And watched in amazement as a thick, two-meter-long cord slithered through the air vent and landed in a heap on the floor.

“Where’d you get this?” he asked as he stepped over and picked it up. It was made of thin strips of cloth, braided together, with a slipknot at one end.

“I made it from the fibers of my clothing,” Thrawn said.

“Nice,” Anakin said. He’d heard the muffled sound of tearing early on in their imprisonment, but the outfits they’d taken from the 'Larkrer' were a little tight and he’d assumed Thrawn was just making himself more comfortable.

~

Ah!

The good times when Thrawn made a cord out of his (borrowed) *tight* clothes and was (probably) half naked for the rest of the adventure...

[Yes, yes. Deep content this week]

~

When in a post I feature myself wearing some kind of nerdy clothes, I always feel that the photo is not actually worthy to be published in the feed.

Week after week, I try not only to show something never or seldom shared before but also to compose the image in a new and unused way.

The photographic results vary, but the mere attempt is and will be my pride and joy.

Back to the point (because I am physically unable to refrain from digressing), every time I want to feature some clothes, I struggle to find anything gripping. I did some aerial shots that I love in the past, but I still prefer to display the garment worn.

Lacking the courage to ask friends or partners, even if I would truly ADORE it (taking shots of fellow humans is my greatest passion), the unavoidable conclusion is a boring selfie. Sorry.

Three paragraphs to tell that I am not particularly excited about this photo, even if this crop t-shirt from @afanof____ is utterly divine.

Romcom

“I appreciate your willingness to share” Thrawn said. “One may learn a great deal about a people by the stories they tell of others”

“And?” Vanto asked. The wrinkles return. His head turns slightly to his right.

“I do not understand”

“I ask what you have learned about humans” Vanto said. His eyes narrow slightly.

“I misspoke. Apologies. I meant to say I could learn about one person, you, from the stories you choose to tell”

“And what have you learned about me?” Vanto asked. His eyes return to normal size. His vocal tone lowers in pitch.

“That you do not wish to be here. [] You wish to return to your numbers and inventory lists []”

“Fascinating. [] What I don’t know is why you care”

“Why I care about what?”

“Why you care about me” Vanto said. His eyes narrow again. His tone returns to the lower pitch. “You’ve been studying me—don’t think I haven’t noticed. You ask me to tell you one of the legends I learned as a child, then you ask about my home or background or childhood. Always small questions, always delivered very casually. What I want to know is why” He folds his arms in a crisscross pattern across his chest.

“I am sorry” Thrawn said. “I meant no harm. I was merely interested in you, as I am interested in everything about your Empire”

“But why me?” Vanto asked. “You never ask about [] any of the other senior officers. Or even about Emperor Palpatine or the Imperial Senate”

“They are not connected to my immediate survival” Thrawn said. “You are. [] You are my translator. You hold my words in your hand, and their meanings” []

“Krayt spit” Vanto said. He makes a snorting sound through his nose.

“Forgive me?”

“I call krayt spit. [] You speak it as well as I do. Probably better—you don’t have a Wild Space accent people can make fun of. []”

“What is meant by krayt spit?”

“It’s a slang term for nonsense” Vanto said. The left corner of his lip twists upward. “Especially nonsense that the speaker knows is nonsense”

“I see. Krayt spit. I will remember that”

~

I survive on coffee and slow-burn romcoms.

And this *is* one of them.

[Checking each other imperceptible physical reactions!

The hate/love game!

The final grandiose declaration!]

Melting the divine

He opened one eyelid and nearly jumped out of his skin when he was met with four beady eyes staring back at him.

"I told you not to disturb Eli," came Thrawn's voice, gently chiding, and the yellow lizard was plucked up with a squeak. Eli turned around to see the Chiss holding the lizard high and close enough that it could play with his nose.

"Humans need six hours of sleep to function optimally," Thrawn was warning it, even as it evidently paid no attention to his words or the commanding tone of his voice. "If you disturb Eli again, I am going to have to leave you with Bridger, or keep you in an enclosure for the night. We don't want that, do we?"

*I kind of want that*, Eli thought, but sat up on the bed with an agreeable smile. Annoyed as he was with Thrawn for choosing a thrice-damned lizard over him the previous night, he couldn't deny that it was criminally endearing to watch the usually stoic, serious Chiss former Grand Admiral melt like chocolate the moment the diminutive ysalamir did anything cute.

Thrawn, thankfully, set the lizard down on the floor where it scampered off and went underneath the curtains, and turned his glowing red gaze on Eli.

Eli grinned. "Good morning."

~

Stars, I did it again.

Shame, shame, shame on me.

I even already shared this excerpt in my captions before.

And, still, after all this time, here it goes uncredited.

I wouldn't say I like that AO3 is not indexing the actual content of the stories, so I cannot search for it, as instead, Google allows me to do with books.

Dear author, I am so incredibly sorry!

I promise I will credit you as soon I find you.

I can (partially) compensate for my offense, acknowledging instead the lovely art of this charm by iovitus (on Etsy).

Back to the quote, I can actually hear Thrawn's low, calm, warm voice (yes, yes, I know it's Marc's) while he addresses the cute ysalamir in the most charming tone.

And, folks, I find that it is kind of a capital crime that we will never witness him and Ezra, after months of hilarious banter, finally bonding, heart-shaped eyes and all, over an irresistibly adorable uber-fluffy pup from whatever remote planet they are stranded in.

But we can dream.

[or open AO3]

Still here

“All these years, and you still remember that?”

Thrass shrugged. “It made an impact on me.”

“It’s really not that important,” Thrawn warned.

“You’re my brother, and my friend,” Thrass countered. “If it’s important to you, it’s important to me.”

~

If it’s important to you, it’s important to me.

And it is.

It is.

I'm sorry I was absent during the last month or so.

Missing all your posts and shares.

But I thought of you. A lot, actually.

How this community truly saved me and cherished me.

During COVID and hard times.

So I'm back, with a little giveaway.

[I will "officially" post it on Thursday]

As you know, @pocketimaginaire just finished publishing a very lovely paperback edition of the Ascendancy Trilogy, including the astonishing art by @magali_villeneuve

They are simple mass-market French editions, sent to me by Amazon with not such a high care.

[And I am sorry for it]

But they are unique in the US, in a way, especially if you loved these stories and characters.

Thank you for being here.

Still.