Consent Is A Beautiful Thing.

remember how the blade of marmora was teaching keith that to be a valuable member of the war efforts he had to be willing to sacrifice his life. remember when he tried to do that. remember when they never addressed that ever again ever in the whole show

Love In Voltron

You should always be wary of things said in interviews, but one thing I absolutely believe is when LM and JDS said that one of the biggest themes within Voltron is love. I’m not talking about shipping or anything like that, just love in general and in all its forms.

I’m going to be looking at different kinds of love, and how, as far as we’ve seen on the show, it applies to them. There’s a tiny bit of speculation in spots too, because of course there is. This gets long, so it’s going below the cut.

Keep reading

All he can think is a supercut of other people’s letters they’ve quietly sent to each other. Words that went down in history. “Meet you in every dream … Keep most of your heart in Washington … Miss you like a home … We two longing loves … My young king.” One day, he tells himself. One day, us too.

Keith fell first and I can prove it.

Lance obviously deals with insecurity and his place on the team, especially being the middle child in a big family. He always had to fight for attention, and he seeks positive reinforcement from people. So when Keith starts depending on him to co-lead Voltron, Lance feels *a certain way* about it. And Keith is like easily impressed with Lance and his ability to strategize and calm a situation, and likes to tell Lance these things.

But on the other side of that; Keith, who has been bounced around from foster home to foster home and is used to people not really having time to deal with him, deals with his insecurities by isolating himself. Like with Shiro its better, but there is still an assigned role there that Keith is aware of. 

Enter Lance who refuses to leave Keith alone, no matter how much Keith walks away from him. Yeah he makes fun of his mullet and being “emo”, and Keith does indeed hate it, but it becomes such a constant in his life that Keith….likes it? Like its the first consistent thing he has. 

Even when the teasing becomes more playful. Keith always knows when to expect a “Hey there, Mullet.” or “Easy there, Black Parade”, and its nice to have that constant. 

So yeah, Keith falls first. 

Black women are just on another level

Books with Bisexual Characters

I’ve always been a book lover, and lately I’ve been taking note of some of the bi characters I meet along my journey. I thought I’d share some book recommendations.

First, In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan. I love this book so much—it’s honestly one of my favourites. It features a bisexual protagonist, Elliot Schafer, who goes across a wall into a magical, fantasyland and actively rebels against its war-like ways, choosing to draft treaties instead. He’s a snarky, grumpy, pacifist who has relationships with people of multiple genders throughout the course of the book. This book is super funny. Seriously, it made me laugh out loud on more than occasion. It also features truly phenomenal character development and explores the joys and trials of friendship between Elliot and his two best friends Luke Sunborn (the shy golden boy, born to a warrior family) and Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle (a bold elf whose society’s gender roles are completely flipped). Shenanigans ensue.

A quote:

“‘Why is language in the Borderlands so weird? Some of it’s modern, and some of it’s medieval, and I guess that makes sense with the influx of a certain amount of new blood to the training camp every year, but how do some words and phrases transfer, while others don’t? Why do you know the word ‘jerk’ and not the word ‘bisexual’?’

‘I guess people say the first word more,’ said Luke.”

Next, The Nevernight Chronicle by Jay Kristoff. This epic three book series features badass bisexual Mia Corvere. It’s dark, bloody and heart-breaking, with an endless series of twists. Mia’s parents were killed during their attempt to start a rebellion and her quest for revenge leads her to join a school for assassins. Follow Mia’s journey as she attempts to bring down the leaders of the Republic with her constant companion, Mister Kindly, the wise-cracking shadow-that-is-shaped-like-a-cat. I loved this series as well. It’s a very different tone from the recommendation above (don’t get attached to your faves!) and it’s marked as adult fantasy (be prepared for sex and violence), so be warned, but wow, is it a wild ride!

Books by Ellen Kushner!!! I recently discovered her and I’m in love. Ellen Kushner herself is bi and has a wife who is also a writer. The two of her books I’ve read so far are Swordspoint (published 1987!) and The Privilege of the Sword. Both are fantasy of manners with bisexual duelists as protagonists. Swordspoint features Richard St Vier, an elite swordsman, as well as his close companion (and lover) Alec, a sarcastic scholar with a mysterious past. The Privilege of the Sword is set in the future of the same world, featuring a young girl named Katherine (who I love with all my heart) as she’s called by her uncle to the city to embark upon a path nontraditional to a lady, that of a swordsman. Both are excellent and super fun!

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. Meet Lord Henry “Monty” Montague as he embarks upon a Grand Tour of Europe (the historical fiction version of a road trip) with his best friend Percy (who he’s hopelessly in love with) and his sister Felicity (who’s ace and has her own follow-up book which I also recommend – the Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy). Monty is charming, privileged, hilarious and the definition of a disaster bisexual. Follow along as the three of them stumble into hijinks and character development.

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. Our main girl Frances Janvier is a study machine whose only respite from academics is the fan art she draws for a podcast called Universe City. Then one day, the mysterious narrator asks her if she wants to collaborate. In a relatable turn, Frances is bi, but it’s just a part of her identity and the focus of the book is not a romance. Instead, it’s all about friendship and finding platonic soulmates and figuring out what you want to pursue in life. Alice Oseman’s writing is lovely and she tackles issues that feel very modern and relatable. I’ll also mention her webcomic (which you can find online for free) Heartstopper, which follows the romance between two boys Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson (and includes Nick’s bisexual crisis).

A quote:

“And I’m platonically in love with you.”

“That was literally the boy-girl version of ‘no homo’, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

 Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. Speaking of bisexual crises, meet Alex Claremont-Diaz, whose mother is the President of the United States. His long-time rival, Henry, is a prince of England, and after an incident involving an expensive cake, the two are forced to fake a bromance for the sake of international relations. Actual romance blossoms instead.

Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey. In the land of Terre d’Ange, the motto is “Love as thou wilt”. Phèdre is a bisexual courtesan who receives pleasure from pain. Another adult fantasy (published 2001!), our heroine trains as a spy and is increasingly entangled in a web of politics and plots.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. This series is well-known, but I love it! Maggie Stiefvater’s prose is atmospheric, littered with small details that reward a reread, and her character relationships are complex. This series is a gem full of magical realism. Here’s a shout-out to our bisexual boy, Adam Parrish!

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. Again, another popular book (part of a duology), but the hype is totally deserved! A diverse crew sets out on an impossible heist. Let’s send some love to two bisexual icons, Jesper Fahey and Nina Zenik!

A quote:

“If only you could talk to girls in equations.”

There was a long silence, and then, eyes trained on the notch they’d created in the link, Wylan said, “Just girls?”

Jesper restrained a grin. “No. Not just girls.”

 Those are some of my favourites that I’ve come across so far. Hopefully I’ll find some more! I’m always open to book recommendations, especially those that feature queer ladies :)

HUGE list of free (!!) books by black authors and revolutionaries. includes writings by toni morrison, james baldwin, assata shakur, angela davis, malcolm x, audre lorde and frantz fanon. 

Reblog this if you have or had derma- or trichotillomania. I need to figure out just how common these things really are.

Growing Citrus Trees from Seed: A Guide

Posted under the cut, as this guide is long! Pictures will be added later.

Step One - Preparing the Seeds:

Cut two lemons of any variety in half and remove the seeds. Throw away any “flat” seeds, as these are unfertilized and will not grow. 

Take the remaining seeds and gently rinse them with water. Then, using several seeds at a time, place them in your mouth and suck away the pulp from the exterior. 

Once the pulp has been removed, rinse them again well, and put them to the side.

Take two attached pieces of strong paper towel and thoroughly soak them with water. Bunch them into a ball and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Then, un-crumple them and lay them as flat as possible.

Take a sandwich or freezer bag (must be able to seal airtight), and place it next to the paper towels. Fold the towels to be just under twice the size of the baggie.

Place the seeds so they are not touching and have a few cm of space around them onto the paper towel, leaving half the towel empty. Then, fold the empty side over-top so that the seeds are sandwiched between two sides of paper towel.

Slide the paper towel into the baggie gently, doing your best to not shift the seeds. As you close the baggie, inhale most of the excess air so that it is sealed almost airtight.

Place the baggie in a warm location, where it will be 24 c or 75 f degrees or higher.

Check once a week for signs of mold. If mold appears, place clean seeds (do not keep the moldy ones) onto freshly prepared paper towel (same process as above) and into a new baggie.

Once the seeds have sprouted at least 1.5″ of root, they are ready to plant.

Step Two - Planting Seedling

Your seedlings should be planted 1″ deep root side down, into a 4″ pot (plastic or clay are both acceptable). Use cactus soil as your medium with 1″ of space between the soil line and the rim of the pot. Water until the soil drains from the bottom.

Place saran wrap over the top of the pot so that it is covered, and tape into place.

Keep your seedling in a sunny window, only removing plastic to water if the topsoil becomes dry. Keep soil moist but not soggy. Wait until it has sprouted 4 leaves to remove the plastic wrap, and remove the wrap at night to prevent shock.

Step Three - Year One

Your seedling should remain in it’s 4″ pot for about 12 months, or until it begins to become root-bound. Both a slow release and a water soluble fertilizer should be used, and should match or be close to a 3-1-2 ratio. Ensure the slow-release fertilizer is placed along the edges of the pot to prevent root burn.

If your home humidity is below 60%, thoroughly mist the seedling twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening. Ensure that your seedling is exposed to fresh, moving air - either by window (if appropriate temperatures outdoors) or fan. Stake the seedling if needed if it begins to grow diagonally.

When your seedling reaches 18″ in height, cut it back to 12″, cutting 1″ above a leaf node. Continue to cut back the stem and branches at 18″ to encourage a stronger trunk, more branching, and stronger roots until it is time to re-pot.

Growing Season (May - October)

Fertilize your seedling weekly with a water soluble fertilizer. Ensure that your seedling is kept in temperatures of 25 c / 77 f or higher, with 14-16 hours of direct sunlight. If sunlight is limited, supplement with a strong grow light kept 12″ above the highest point of the seedling.

Dormant Season (November - April)

Fertilize your seedling every other week with a water soluble fertilizer. Ensure that your seedling is kept in temperatures of 20 c / 68 f or higher, with 10-12 hours of direct sunlight. If sunlight is limited or weak (such as in the north), supplement with a strong grow light kept 12″ above the highest point of the seedling.

Step Four - Years Two & Three

At this point your seedling should be between 12″ and 18″ high, with several branches and the beginnings of a woody trunk. There should be visible roots at the bottom of the pot it is growing in, and the soil should be drying quickly between watering. If this is not the case, continue to let your tree grow before this step. Some trees are faster or slower than others, and impatience will harm your tree in the long run.

Taking care to not disturb the root ball, re-pot your tree into a 6″ diameter pot. This will be its pot until it is comfortably around 30″ - 36″ tall, or becomes root-bound again. Use cactus soil, and re-apply the slow release fertilizer if you have not already done so.

Allow your tree to grow 12″ at a time before pruning off 6″. This will continue to encourage an early bushy growth. Avoid pruning too often, even if growth is adequate, with at least 3-4 months between pruning, and 1-2 months delay after re-potting. Continue to follow the instructions above for fertilization, heat, and light requirements.

Once your tree has outgrown it’s 6″ pot, it is ready for a more permanent pot, between 10″ and 12″.

Bonus Tips

Your seedling will likely take 5-7 years before it fruits, and its fruit will likely not be the same or even very similar to the lemon you began with.

It’s a good idea to keep 2-3 trees at a time, as one may not fruit, or you may lose one to sickness or accidental neglect.

Citrus trees love acidic soil, so perform a soil test every 4-6 months to ensure the soil is adequate.

Allow soil to completely dry before watering again, and then water heavily to “flush” the soil.

Once the temperature is consistently above 10 c / 50 f both day and night, you can move your citrus tree outdoors for better sunlight. Do it incrementally to prevent shock (1 hour outdoors on day one, 2 hours on day two, etc).

only clinically insane mfs still obsessively ship Klance 😒 (it’s me i am clinically insane mfs)