Fifteen Minutes of Scrawl

After a rant about James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, a few friends suggested I start a podcast about why you shouldn't name your kids after certain people. Season 1 would be the presidents. Here are some (often editorialized and varying in importance) bullet points I'd go over for the second 15 presidents. To be clear, this doesn't mean you shouldn't name your kid like Chester or Arthur, but naming them Chester, Arthur, or Chester (A.) Arthur with the INTENT to honor a president is not advisable IMO. Abraham Lincoln Suspended habeas corpus (15,000 people were detained without charges) So, the Emancipation Proclamation ONLY freed enslaved people in the Confederacy and then the 13th amendment still allows for enslavement as punishment for a crime Secession and the Civil War broke out under his watch Supported "assimilation" of Indigenous peoples Approved the largest mass execution in U.S. history President during the Sand Creek Massacre Murdered (like, ye...

Time for some confrontations.  Loren...I'm bored Is...Georgi going to explain the man with burning coals and a rake? (He finally does) Wow they won't let Georgi talk Matt, you are stupid Jasmine, I agree Matt is being a bit weird, but, also, your daughter will not care what clothes you put her in Oh, Jasmine, I'm so sorry Lake Placid was a scary movie, Jovi I'm unclear as to how Brandon and Julia go from here to happily expecting a baby Well this whole thing with Georgi is uncomfy In Georgi's confessional, he has aged Gino's uncle is a bit too much for me Jasmine, maybe you and Matt should go to therapy Yes, I want Jovi to cryptid-hunt Yara is funny and right Jovi...I don't think Yara finds this funny Is Gino really using a calculator that isn't on his phone or computer? And, Gino, how much did sharing Jasmine's nudes cost her? Next time Libby and Andrei arrive in Lake Placid Next time Julia reunites with Brandon Next time Georgi and Darcey reunite (...

After a rant about James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, a few friends suggested I start a podcast about why you shouldn't name your kids after certain people. Season 1 would be the presidents. Here are some (often editorialized and varying in importance) bullet points I'd go over for the first 15 presidents. To be clear, this doesn't mean you shouldn't name your kid like George or Washington, but naming them George, Washington, or George Washington with the INTENT to honor a president is not advisable IMO. George Washington Enslaved people (yes, he did seem to eventually feel bad about it, but like, that doesn't change the fact that he enslaved people) No joke, at one point he met with the leader of the Iroquois Confederacy and he CLAIMS (I'm always suspicious when white people say stuff like this) that the leader gave him a name that meant "devourer of villages" (which his great grandfather apparently was also given?)--THIS IS A BAD SIGN Enforced ...

Not too too long ago, I purchased  The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Worldbuilding Guide: Prompts and Activities to Create and Customize Your Own Game World  by James D'Amato  and it, and going whale watching, inspired me to create a new D&D world. So here we go! I'm going to use prompts from the book to begin crafting this world, but not all posts will be from there. You can  read part 1 of my planning here ,  read part 2 of my planning here ,  read part 3 of my planning here ,  read part 4 of my planning here ,  read part 5 of my planning here ,  read part 6 of my planning here ,  read part 7 of my planning here ,  read part 8 of my planning here ,  read part 9 of my planning here ,  read part 10 of my planning here ,  read part 11 of my planning here ,  read part 12 of my planning here ,  read part 13 of my planning here ,  read part 14 of my planning here ,  read part 15 of my planning here ,...

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Not too too long ago, I purchased  The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Worldbuilding Guide: Prompts and Activities to Create and Customize Your Own Game World  by James D'Amato  and it, and going whale watching, inspired me to create a new D&D world. So here we go! I'm going to use prompts from the book to begin crafting this world, but not all posts will be from there. You can  read part 1 of my planning here ,  read part 2 of my planning here ,  read part 3 of my planning here ,  read part 4 of my planning here ,  read part 5 of my planning here ,  read part 6 of my planning here ,  read part 7 of my planning here ,  read part 8 of my planning here ,  read part 9 of my planning here ,  read part 10 of my planning here ,  read part 11 of my planning here ,  read part 12 of my planning here ,  read part 13 of my planning here ,  read part 14 of my planning here ,  read part 15 of my planning here ,...

Original prompt: if "blog" hadn't caught on as the term of choice, what other words might be contenders? These are in no particular order.  e-log e-diary e-journal e-mag(azine) e-rag YouWrite YouLog YouJournal YouMag Youbook Facelog Logbook Caplog WebMag Webook (Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy) Photo by Nadiia Ganzhyi on Unsplash  

Time for some meetings. Aw I'm sorry Jonathan Jonathan, Chloe having a safety net is not a bad thing Luke, I don't think you're in a financial place to get married Anthony, you could've expressed it differently This is a gross place to buy kitchen equipment from Oop a burn from Jenny I'd be so annoyed if I was Greta I feel bad for Luke's dad Wow Jonathan and Chloe have not discussed basic household things Manon and Anthony's son must be so overwhelmed Manon is not okay Next time Chloe doesn't even know how to boil eggs Next time Chloe doesn't even seem to know how to stove Next time I'm probably going to cry when Greta says bye to Hazel Next time Anthony has not learned French Next time Manon does not have faith Next time Madelein and Luke can't agree on if Luke sent money... ...which seems like it should be a checkable thing Next time looks good Can't wait! (Prompt by me) 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way , TLC  Promotional image source

Original prompt: If you had to evacuate your home because of a natural disaster, what three things would you take with you? Why?  This list assumes I have all the basic supplies I need. Also, these are in no particular order. Hoban External hard drives Phone charger Tiger Kitty IDs My locket At least one book My senior yearbook Velma's ashes My dad's ashes At least one alligator item One of my dad's flannels  My D&D dice Deck of cards My The Chicks  hoodie (Prompt provided by Amelia Sacco) Photo by Nyok Wirya on Unsplash

Time for some difficult family dynamics. Matt, calling Jasmine's pregnant belly a beer belly isn't great Matt, your mom IS going to find out Jasmine, you were using male pronounds first Matt, let Jasmine be a vegan Stacey and Florian land and go straight to a dance studio? This dancing is hilarious Yara, are hair masks that common? Seems like Brandon and Julia did not have the kids talk before marriage I love that Georgi looked up what the red veil was for and then wondered why he doesn't get protection I love Yara's Barbie-esque ski outfit Yes, Julia, get the hotel freebies Brandon, if you hear what Julia is saying, you'll hear that she's unhappy and wants to find herself (he seemed to get it after she did the phone battery metaphor) Haha Matt keeps naming things he finds beautiful about Jasmine that their baby might have, but Jasmine keeps being like "no, lol, that was surgery" I'll be honest, I'm having trouble seeing this baby's face Br...

By the time this is posted, I should be there! These are in no particular order Take a photo with the Mothman statue Dip into the airbnb's hot tub Try Mothman-shaped food See fall foliage (well, it'll be ALMOST fall) Buy Mothman earrings Visit the Mothman Museum Go on the Mothman tour Listen to live music Attend a talk about Mothman Put one of the McElroy podcasts on Purchase something from the Mothman Museum Read about Mothman Snap some photos of me and my friends Decide whether I want to attend the Mothman festival again Have a memorable time with friends (Prompt by me) "Mothman Statue" by Seclusive Nature . Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International .

I feel like this choice is easier for me than I expected. Yes, there are things I'd like to change in my past. Who doesn't have regrets or, at least, things they think they could've done better? And, yes, sometimes it would be reassuring to have knowledge of what's to come and/or exciting to skip past some parts of life, but shouldn't all of life be lived? So, I say that I'd choose to live in the present. Yes, I am struggling with many things at the moment, but those struggles will shape who I will become. How would I understand myself in the future if I didn't live through the now? Plus, there are a lot of good things too. Like my family, my friends, my dog, my plants, and even keeping up this blog.  Also, I am working on things, and that work will also shape who I will become and what I'll do with my life. Yes, lots of terrible things are happening now, but how can I be one of the helpers if I just skipped over it?  Yes, there are ways my life could be...

Not sure what's happening this episode as last episode only had a season preview. Jenny, I'm not sure this is cooking Wow so Jenny didn't even salt the pasta water, huh? Why on Earth would the family open a cafe together? Jonathan, don't you have a fiancé (not a girlfriend)? Wow so Chloe and Jonathan should just not be together I want Manon to be happy Madelein...dump Luke Greta is a cat lady and Matthew is a model boat boy Greta...you just passed the bar? Why move? And you have to leave Hazel? Jenny, you need to learn SOME Hindi (especially if you're gonna run a cafe) Also, Jenny, how do you think you'll be able to run a cafe if you don't get up early in the morning? Manon and Anthony (honestly, I'm not sure on her husband's name) do seem to really be in love Chloe, Jonathan's cheating is now discussed on camera...you have to tell her somehow Sumit's whole family is so stressed Sumit's brother shouldn't leave his job Greta's dad ...

Original prompt: If you could, what is the one thing you would change about your past? These are in no particular order. Go to therapy earlier Start anti-anxiety meds earlier Reach out to people earlier when I needed help Say the comebacks I dream about Ask out more guys Take more risks Be less focused on grades Act with more kindness to myself and others Visit those moments I cringe about and act differently Try to get my dad help earlier Be more judicious with my money Speak up for myself more Find healthier coping mechanisms earlier Be more forgiving when I make mistakes or poor choices Bond with my brother deeply even earlier (Prompt provided by Amelia Sacco) Photo by Andy Beales on Unsplash

Time for some big news? Brandon, are you gonna tell this lady that Julia's dad only speaks Russian? Ah Betty did one gesture successfully So...Jasmine is pregnant, yes? Loren, you're not helping your case So Kara and Guillermo are breaking up Wow this is tough to watch them both just cry Jovi...don't lose the dog Gwen misses Jovi, Yara, and Myla Ah so Jovi didn't check with Yara first...cool Well, given that I know Brandon and Julia are expecting, I'm glad to see them happy Welp, there it is...Jasmine is pregnant Wow I didn't expect Brandon's dad to be on Julia's side Okay, Julia, I'm usually on your side, but you should've registered your feelings with Brandon in prviate first before telling his parents and yours Loren, I think it's weird that you delete messages days later Loren, you don't get to be private people when you keep going on reality TV Wow it's really sad to have Jasmine watch Gino go Okay, Gino, Jasmine did love you Nex...

Original prompt: Assuming your life is a story and you're the author, what does your happy ending look like? These are in no particular order. Having a loving relationship with my child A loving and meaningful romantic relationship Creating a loving, lasting, and meaningful community An educated life Publishing at least one book A meaningful mental health journey Lasting creative works A loving home Genuine attempts to make the world a better place A plan for my loved ones after my passing Embracing myself A beautiful plant collection Lots of read books A set of traditions to pass down Some risks taken (Prompt provided by Amelia Sacco) Photo by Liana S on Unsplash

I can't remember all the details of a conversation that transformed my life, but I do remember pieces of it. I was at one of my favorite casual restaurants with my mom and stepdad, and I must've been about 15 (definitely in high school, but not very far in). I can't remember how we'd gotten onto the topic, but my mom brought up teens experimenting with alcohol. She said something to the effect of: "You know why I worry about you doing this, right?" I nodded, and suddenly it all clicked. My dad was an alcoholic. I must've subconsciously been aware of this beforehand--after all, wasn't he always drinking something whenever I saw him?  But he didn't fit what the TV version of an alcoholic was. He was never violent towards me or my brother. He held down a well-paying and highly respected job. He didn't pass out drunk in front of me. He didn't do silly jigs while slurring ridiculous words while drunk. In fact, had I even seen him drunk? At that ...

Original prompt: Which character from a book or movie would you most like to meet, and why? These are in no particular order.  Penelope Featherington/Bridgerton from the Bridgerton  book series by Julia Quinn (how did she get so bold with her writing?) Parker from the Leverage book--and TV--series by various authors (honestly, I'd love her to teach me how to lockpick and dodge lasers--not to really  steal, but just like as a party trick) Persephone from the  Lore Olympus  series by Rachel Smythe (I want to give her a hug and talk to her about the balance of power and sweetness) Nimona from Nimona by ND Stevenson (Nimona is just so cool) Katie from The Hallowed Ones duology by Laura Bickle (I would love to discuss faith, love, and what it means to be human with her) Carmilla from Carmilla  by Sheridan Le Fanu (this is assuming I can't be turned into a vampire, but I'd love to do an Interview with the Vampire -style interview with her) Belle from A Christmas ...

I am terrified of heights. I can get a little nervous even watching videos that involve extreme heights. I can get nervous on a ladder (even if I'm not at the top). I get nervous about deep water because, to me, it's the same thing as heights (an abyss below).  So, it should come as no surprise that I would never go skydiving. I have said before that to get me on a roller coaster, you'd have to have a gun to my head. But I've said to get me to go skydiving, you'd have to have a gun to a loved one's head. Like if it was just my life, bye. That's how scared I am of skydiving. How do people do it? Yeah, yeah, yeah it's a rush! I don't get rushes for things people often say you should get rushes for (e.g. working out), so I don't think this would translate to me. Honestly, I'd probably just pass out (which seems like a very bad thing to happen if you're FALLING FROM AN AIRPLANE). Now, I'm not saying that people who want to go skydiving sh...

Maybe a mother/daughter trip is in my future? These are in no particular order.  Swamp tour with gators (New Orleans?) Salem, MA Ghost tour (New Orleans? Chicago?) Cryptozoology Museum Pompeii, Italy Cemetery tour (New Orleans? Chicago?) Cork, Ireland Cahokia Powell’s, Portland, OR Selexyz Dominicanen, Maastricht, The Netherlands Athens, Greece Livraria Lello, Porto, Portugal Honesty Bookshop, Hay-on-Wye, Wales Northern Ireland Madrid, Spain (Prompt by Dante Gonzalez) "Swamp Tour" by JoanDragonfly . Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic .

Season premiere!  Dramatic opening There are too many words in this home Chloe with the grand entrance Wow she relaly is 23 So, why isn't Jonathan moving to the states? I'm loving Manon so far Benjamin is a cutie I love that Jenny and Sumit are still going Jenny, do you still not speak any Hindi? Madelein looks like a child Luke is a bad dancer Luke, you're too old for Madelein Why do I get the feeling that Luke has not researched if he can stay in Colombia Luke is so bad with money I want the best for Manon So Sumit's mom doesn't like either of her dauther-in-laws I would think more like Manon Anthony...you're not fluent in French? How are you going to get a job? Luke, the snake shoes are worse Lol Madelein has strong feelings about the color brown Madelein is aware of the debt but still wants a helicopter for the wedding? To be fair, Luke's dad, what money is Luke earning in the US? I can't remember why Sumit doesn't come to the US So far, Sumit...

I'm sure I'm forgetting some! These are in no particular order.  Venice, Italy Ghent, Belgium San Francisco, CA Salem, MA Barcelona, Spain Dublin, Ireland Madison, WI Lahore, Pakistan (I was there just under a week, per my records) Upstate New York New York, NY Andorra la Vella, Andorra Amsterdam, The Netherlands Nashville, TN Rome, Italy Beverly Shores, IN (Prompt by Dante Gonzalez) Photo by Kit Suman on Unsplash

Time for some fights. Four legged Betty...sure HOW HAS BETTY NOT LEARNED THAT JULIA DOESN'T WANT BETTY INVOLVED? Wait Andrei read text messages without Libby knowing? This is so uncomfy Ms. Gwen is smarter than Jovi (no surprise) I'm glad Jasmine feels good about taking her rings off Yes, that is real fire Ho boy so Matt throws down "You look very...cultural" Darcey, if you haven't poope din weeks, you should see a doctor Georgi has sweet parents Gino's nephew is hot Dana rocks Oop Kara has tipped from giggly buzzed to sad tipsy/drunk Betty is not helpful Okay I don't need to be here for this dirty Darcey talk I feel bad for Julia Okay I fully expected Matt's announcement to be he hasn't been exclusive Also, move to Florida, Jasmine Ho boy, Kara and Guillermo are doomed Yeah I'd be mad if I was Libby Next time Betty is annoying Next time the wind is against Julia's plans Next time Andrei and Libby aren't okay Next time Alexei and Loren ...