This is mainly a place to reblog whatever takes my fancy, with the very rare bit of personal stuff.
Fifty-something person with one or two issues. Very confused.
Reblogged from shamelesstwolf  16,921 notes
feralfux:
“Stop buying toys and gear from Am@z0n. Support LITERALLY ANYONE ELSE instead.This is a repost from my old blog–with updates! Here is a massive list of recommendations of shops across the board. I put an emphasis on queer- or...

feralfux:

Stop buying toys and gear from Am@z0n. Support LITERALLY ANYONE ELSE instead.

This is a repost from my old blog–with updates! Here is a massive list of recommendations of shops across the board. I put an emphasis on queer- or women-owned/focused shops but not all have been vetted or verified. Starred (***) shops are ones I have personally shopped at or my friends recommend. I focused on quality materials and reasonable (but not always cheap) pricing.

You have no excuse to be buying sex toys off of Am@z0n when all of these shops exist. Most Etsy shops offer free shipping on purchases over $35!

GENERAL

Shops that sell a variety of toys, tools, and gear

STANDARD TOYS

Shops that sell realistic or standard-shaped toys

FANTASY TOYS

Shops that sell fantasy-themed or non-standard toys. Alternatives to B@d Dr@g0n.

LEATHER

Shops that specialize in leather tools and gear

NON-LEATHER

Shops that specialize in leather alternative gear and tools–vegan friendly!

LINGERIE

Shops that sell lingerie and other undergarments

Reblogged from nudityandnerdery  209,263 notes
petermorwood:
“froginakettle:
“nonlinear-nonsubjective:
“I hope you don’t mind, but I slowed the gif down because that is a FANTASTIC move.
”
this is the kind of shit that gets described as “quickly disarmed him” in writing and truly doesn’t do it...

petermorwood:

froginakettle:

nonlinear-nonsubjective:

I hope you don’t mind, but I slowed the gif down because that is a FANTASTIC move.

image

this is the kind of shit that gets described as “quickly disarmed him” in writing and truly doesn’t do it justice

Something which appears frequently in the comments is how much the disarmed sword wobbles in flight.

TL;DR - it wobbles because it’s a practice weapon, far more flexible than a real sword.

For safety reasons HEMA practice longswords are both blunt and flexible, while not being so flexible it can’t correctly beat, block or deflect.

This is a “Feder” (meaning “feather, or more correctly “quill / nib”), a training sword from the later Middle Ages into the Renaissance.

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The wide section above the hilt adds realistic weight and balance while keeping the working part of the blade thin and bendable.

A sword with “realistic” flex, i.e. not much at all, would be much more dangerous than a flexy one in a move like this one:

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Originally posted by longswordsinlondon

Here’s a better example of why practice swords need to flex so much. The attack is another thrust to throat, but the attack blade bends much more on impact.

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Originally posted by longswordsinlondon

(Sorry the GIF isn’t clearer; its bright background washes things out, but the arc of the blade is visible against that distant tree.)

I have a feeling this was accidental.

Look at the attacker’s feet; they skid in the grass so he finishes the move about six inches closer than he meant to. That means there’s more body-weight behind the thrust and his point hits harder than it should, hence the impressive bend.

That same skid-augmented impact with a more rigid blunt wouldn’t have been much fun even through a padded gorget, while a live blade - sharp point, sharp edges, stiff blade - would probably go right through mere padding. The thrust, which in-period was meant to stop an enemy literally dead in his tracks, might well do exactly what it’s supposed to…

Modern sport weapons, though more lightweight and flexy than HEMA kit, can cause bruises despite protective jackets. Hits like the ones in this pic…

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…can do this.

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So - a wobbly sword may look funny in flight, but is safer to get hit with.

Safer-ish, at least. :->

Reblogged from glendathegoodone  18,124 notes

glendathegoodone:

mathcat345:

seymour-butz-stuff:

intheheartofman:

  1. “No matter how angry you get, you try and remain calm. If you raise your voice even a little — regardless of what you say or how you say it — you are instantly labeled an ‘angry Black woman’ and judged wrongly, even when you’re right.”
  2. “My mother taught me to ALWAYS ask for a bag and receipt, no matter how small the purchase, or you can be accused of stealing.”
  3. “As a Black woman in a predominantly white area, I make a point of approaching staff first in stores when I walk in. I ask an innocuous question in a friendly, high-pitched voice, even if I don’t need anything. They seem to feel safer around me and do not follow me around when I do that first.”
  4. “As a Black woman, I usually keep my college jacket in the car. If I have to go to the emergency room, I’ll receive better treatment if doctors see that I have a higher education.”
  5. “I’m from Louisiana where they still have 'sundown towns.’ Avoid them at all costs, but if you have to pass through at night, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS so that you don’t have to stop.”
  6. “I am a Black woman, relatively new to my mostly white neighborhood. When I take a walk for exercise, I always walk in the middle of the street, not too close to houses on either side. I wear reflective gear and avoid staring too closely at any of the houses. I often think of Ahmaud Arbery while I’m walking.”
  7. “I was taught to be an overachiever because no one expects a Black woman to be smart and well-spoken. I’m not expected to have a voice in anything, and many are shocked when I do. They are astounded when I can verbalize my thoughts and opinions in multi-syllable words. Melanin and ovaries do not cancel out intelligence and reason.”
  8. “As a Black man, my father taught me, when being pulled over by the police, to pull your insurance and registration out of the glovebox and keep it ready on your seat. That way, you do not have to reach in the glovebox when the police are at your window.”
  9. “Never EVER put your hands in your pockets while walking around a store. If you don’t want to give them a reason to follow you around or call the police, your hands need to be visible at all times.”
  10. “As a Black man, never get into an elevator with a woman alone. Always wait for the next one.”
  11. “Something I know I have to be careful of in public (as a person mixed with white and Black) is remembering which parent I’m with and how to act. This is called code-switching. I have to make sure I act okay so I’m not labelled as 'ghetto’ with my mom or 'white-washed’ with my dad.”
  12. “No matter how cold or windy it is, my hood stays off, and my earbuds/headphones stay off my ears.”
  13. “As a Black man who loves hip-hop, I often have to censor the music that I listen to so I won’t be judged as a 'thug.’”
  14. “As a Black man, if there is a white woman in line, you stand back far enough so you cannot touch her by mistake or be accused of touching her.”
  15. “Knowing that I’ll be followed when shopping in high-end stores, I have product-related questions prepared for when they invariably ask me if I need assistance. Replying with 'No thank you, I’m just browsing’ makes their suspicion jump, and suddenly, I have an unofficial entourage. I’m a college-educated Black man about to turn 40, but I still have to play these sorts of silly games. It can be very exhausting.”
  16. “As a Black woman who works a swing shift and gets off work at 11 p.m., I will not take off my badge until I get inside my garage. I need to have a layer of protection to prove I’m not up to no good in case I get pulled over.”
  17. “When meeting with executives or high-ranking officials where appropriate attire would be business casual for others, I wear full business attire. I’ve found that when I dress more formally, I receive more eye contact, head-nodding, and enthusiasm during conversations. This happens consistently.”
  18. “I work in the hospital. Any time I get a patient out of bed, and they ask me to move their purse, I make sure it remains in their sight as I move it. I also hope that it’s a room with a camera, just in case any discrepancy comes up.”
  19. “Don’t wear any jewelry/sunglasses of the brand where you are shopping in-store. As a Black woman, I’ve had an employee rip Gucci shades off my head (they were mine) and tell me not to stretch the merchandise.”
  20. “Never let your kids play with toy guns.”
  21. And finally, “I find myself begging to get adequate medical care for the autoimmune disease and pain I deal with. Pain in Black folks is viewed much differently than in white people. It blows my mind how a lot of people don’t realize that Black people get the short end of the stick in healthcare.”

These make my stomach hurt, that people have to do these things in order to be as safe as possible when they travel through everyday life.

That I don’t think of these situations shows my privilege. I want the world to be better.

Years ago as a federal worker I was chosen to take an executive leadership course with other federal workers from across the country and different agencies. A white guy from Indiana started at me in awe for more than six weeks because he had NO idea a black woman could be erudite!

I remember when Anita was testifying on Clearance Thomas, my white couldn’t believe how educated and “well-spoken” she and other black citizens were. White colleagues were “astounded.” 🫤

lowcountry-gothic:

Corey Alston (Mount Pleasant, SC)

“​​My name is Corey Alston. I’m a fifth generation Sweetgrass Basket Weaver. I currently run the family business in the Charleston City Market. Sweetgrass Basket Weaving has been a major part of the Gullah Geechee Culture dating back to days of Enslavement. This coastal art form has been recognized as South Carolina State Handcraft and has been known to be kept alive the longest along Sweetgrass Basket Makers HWY of South Carolina. This skill is one of the rare arts of our country that is founded nowhere else in America. Gullah Sweetgrass Baskets are a national treasure.

“​​Being chosen as one of the artisans of Mt. Pleasant does not only bring awareness to my skill set and my culture as a Gullah Geechee representative, but in collaboration with Acres of Ancestry raises awareness of the unjustifiable treatment that Black and minority farmers have endured. The more that this topic is brought to the forefront, the more that our nation’s leaders will see that treating white farmers one way and then treating Black farmers another way will not be accepted. I applaud Acres of Ancestry for working tirelessly on making sure that everyone understands what our elder farmers are going through.

“​​These two Sweetgrass Baskets are called ‘Poppa’ and ‘Big Momma.’ It took six months to complete ‘Big Momma’ and four months to complete ‘Poppa.’ They both measure 36 inches tall.”

​​—Corey Alston, fifth generation basket weaver and cultural preservationist from Mount Pleasant, SC, Artisan Statement