okay. serious question. i know we're not allowed to have people help us write the stories. since this has a REQUIREMENT of adding a cover photo, for those of us not photoshop/uploading cover images savvy, are we allowed to get help with that?

Quote by Jen

Happy to, assuming we're organised enough, lol x

translation: ain't never gonna happen.

I have yet to write it. Stay tuned!

Quote by dlcalguy

Being patient is a pre-requisite to membership these days. This is a for-profit site being run like it's a high-schooler's hobby page.

don't blame the messenger. this is still just a volunteer gig for most the mods that most of you come into contact with. trust me, i do get it - it's frustrating, but people have a habit of going to the extreme when something like this occurs instead of just relaxing a bit and just asking questions and wait for answers. i mean, are people really dumping their (mostly free accounts) at the drop of a hat over this? Legit question, i think. anyways, we're looking for an answer too, so yeah, at least 24 hours of patience is being asked. Thanks.

Quote by fuzzy1954

As I read this Rach I thought of this

Rage Against The Machine

Killing In The Name

🍀

If this is inappropriate, just blame it on my irishness.

Barkeep more Jameson

we don't allow killing on Lush. even when the temptation is there

Quote by Seeker4

And they are "cleaning up" the Think Tank? Hope they've got their N95s and hazmat suits on. 😋 Did I miss something in there? Last I was in, it didn't seem any worse than usual.

nothing worse than usual. just a constant that really needs to be hosed down. right now we're debating on rebooting it or just nuking it. vote is pretty much 50/50. lol

we're sorting this out. Please be patient until after the dust clears. thanks.

Quote by KimmiBeGood

Thanks, Sprite I'm sticking with a dude

"dude", in our house, covers all genders, btw. i get in trouble with that a lot when i call someone a dude here. I'M FEMALE! yeah, right. dudes are females too.

Quote by KimmiBeGood

Hello, is anybody there? Yoooohoooooooooo I have a question.

Is the 2nd picture with gold glitter sprinkled about a dude or a dudette with short hair? The face looks kinda feminine, but I'm thinking dude

I'm maybe thinking that one, even though a nature setting is my preference. Gonna go outside my wheelhouse, I think.

either or. it's any gender you wish to write about.

Quote by Jen

No poems. Well, I mean write one if you feel inspired to do so, but not for the competition

how about if i write a poem and then write a flash based on the poem? i already have a title. that's all i really need, right?

does it gots to be a flash story and not a poem? asking for myself.

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

That's easy. Just place willing seals on the ice flow…

Or girls.

Bears are suckers for seals. And girls.

and donuts, or so the rumors go.

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

"FALL-ing in Love…or Lust", perhaps?

"how to hunt bears" actually. We're asking that the violence be kept reasonable though. grins

fyi, theme to the next contest is being discussed. thinking it will be announced soon.

everyone deals with it differently. the trick is figuring out what works and then doing it on a consistent basis. lol Martial arts is my go to. Tai chi tends to be meditative while Kung fu works out my aggressions and fills me up with a lot of endorphins from the physical activity. reading with a cat on your lap also works.

Quote by armagnac

Don't get sad, get organized! We do not get the rights we "deserve," we only get the rights we fight for. Vote medevial mothefuckers out of the congress and make it a federal law!

not everyone lives in the states on lush. not everyone here can vote.

i'd like to wish everyone a happy pride. celebrate it however you wish. be yourself. let the love flow. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Quote by KimmiBeGood

My heart breaks for my state and my country seeing so many affected and upset today. No matter your view, seeing so many upset should give you pause. Conservative Kentucky had a trigger ban in place. My chakra guy says we're in a period of chaos right now and have to go through it to get to a better other side. I'm just exhausted from the division and fighting too.

You are right, Bear, it will get worse and we will either end up in another Civil War between parties or learn to listen and extend love and compassion and understanding to each other before judgment.

My sis and I head out in the morning...

one of many that do. states where abortion will be outright banned now: alabama, arkansas, georgia, idaho, indiana, iowa, kentucky, louisiana, mississippi, missouri, N. Dakota, ohio, oaklahoma, S carolina, S dakota, tennesee, texas, utha, W virginia, and wyoming. next, btw, the right to contraception will be struck down as will same sex marriage. not paranoia. C Thomas has already announced the intention to scrub both rights from the law books and it will happen sooner than you think. i know what you mean about being exhausted by the fighting, but you either fight or simpl give up and accept that we are no longer the land of the free. as for love, compassion and understanding - they sound good - in theory, but in truth, when i'm told that i'm no longer allowed to be married to my wife? they're going right out the window.

fyi, Kimmi? i adore you. don't let my anger make you think otherwise, but understand that i AM angry and justifiably so.

Quote by DonnaCupcake

we are all host bodies now. Fortunately, i like girls. So goodbye to men for me.

i'm bi. that said, it's been in theory only for a long time now. edit that. used to be bi. no longer, even in theory.

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

Agreed – and it looks like things are going to get much worse, too.

read C.Thomas's statement in the aftermath of today's decision. Much worse isn't really exaggerating the coming carnage.

can we extend the deadline to September so I can finish my story?

Quote by JustPassingThrough

Interesting how both stories reflect on how messed up is the US, even if they show it in different ways. Fred Hampton seems more my speed, too, Rachel.

I am done with the comp. I can't seem to get away from the idea I have been struggling with almost since this comp was announced and I can't get it to come together. Too bad because I like the theme. Though maybe throwing in the towel will finally get that piece out of my brain so I can try something new. Not likely, though.

Somewhat meh day here. Weather was just iffy enough to discourage things like long walks or rides. In the end, we just got a few very light showers though At least I got my housework done and the car cleaned up.

Tailgater, please

i had an idea for the comp, even wrote a portion of it before realizing that is way too outside of the box to be a fair player as an entry. also, it comes dangerously close to being a sequel to something i've already written. i think i still want to finish it, but not as a comp peice. maybe sometime in 2022 even. lol yeah, Fred was a real hero. Marvin makes me kind of glad he didn't do worse and actually kill people. he seems capable of it. not really my kind of hero.

Quote by fuzzy1954

Donna, I think our friends here should read

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Heemeyer

And let them make their own options. Since this is much more than a story of "dumping raw sewage" Also it's interesting (to me) how you "tied" your opinions to Hitler, wild praires and AR 15's.

I'll just be on that wild prairie that you mentioned.

Fuzzy

I'd just as soon remember Fred Hampton. Deputy chairman of the Illinois chapter of the black panthers. Responsible for launching a free medical clinic and a free breakfast program for children despite being constantly monitored and harassed by the police and FBI. He also helped create what he termed a “Rainbow Coalition,” an alliance of the Panthers with other groups organized around racial, ethnic, or ideological affiliation. Bringing together groups that otherwise would have had almost no positive contact—including the Puerto Rican Young Lords Association, the Poor White Young Patriots Organization, and the Blackstone Rangers street gang—the Rainbow Coalition provided aid to low-income citizens by combining the member groups’ varied resources.

He unselfishly fought for others despite the toll it took on him personally. He was executed in his bedroom by a team of 14 cops while asleep. 100 shots were fired, all but 1 by the police. It's widely accepted that he was drugged at the time of the raid by an FBI informant. he was 21 years old at the time of his death. That's my idea of an American hero.

Quote by KimmiBeGood

Ooo, I haven't seen that movie and will have to check it out.

not a 'pretty' movie, btw - a LOT of drug use, but it's a brilliant film and should be on everyone's watch list.

Quote by KimmiBeGood

Poppin' to tell my fellow Star Wars groupies that Obi-Wan on Disney + is FANTASTIC, imo. Kimmi wants some of Ewan McGregor

i'm not really a huge SW fan, but we like Ewan here at Casa de Sprite so we watched the first two episodes and were very impressed!

straight outta Seattle.

and, in case we have any Stones fans in here...

we went to see amateur curling last night. it was fun. having only seen it on tv in the past i hand NO idea the lanes were as long as they were! grooving on Sky Cries Mary, a local psychedelic band - been around for a very long time - early 90s and have quite a few records out. i'm trying to figure out a way to join. lol

heart broken right now. RIP Fletch of DM.