solstice pine press solstice pine press
The hotel room window, melting with pink-neon-tinted rain, partially reflected Arcan’s glittering eyes Outside, swarms of umbrellas shuddered and swayed back and forth, the pleasure district no less active for the late hour.
Arcan placed a hand against the glass, and drew his palm down the surface, savoring the stuttering slide of his skin As he did, goosebumps shuddered to life, coating his bare chest and back. He bit his lip, cutting short a gasp.
“Arcan,” a deep voice whispered, just behind his ear. “Why don’t you come back to bed? They might see you ”
“They won't.” Arcan said. “Not with the lights off.” He raised his other hand, traced a star in the fog from his breath
“Ah,” said the voice, a little louder. “But the naked eye isn’t the threat, is it?” Arcan looked up, over the edge of the condensation where his finger still rested, and caught a glimpse of a shadow moving out of sight on the roof across the street Hurry
“Arcan, lover,” the voice said, curling into his head. A pale hand placed itself over his, its long fingers shading his own. “What is it that you want?”
“What do you mean, Suede?” Arcan said
“I mean, ” the hand pressed harder, pinning Arcan’s wrist against the window, “Think about it. How many times have we done this? Why do you insist on repeating this same cycle?”
“You are the last person that should be asking that ” Arcan lowered his hands, crossed them over his chest. An umbrella in the tide below stopped at the entrance to the hotel, followed by another, and another They all closed in unison, and Arcan felt a faint tremor as the front door opened and closed two floors down.
“Why?” Suede demanded, another pale hand sliding over Arcan’s stomach. “Can’t I ask questions?” A shout echoed from the hallway
“You know why,” Arcan whispered.
“And so do you, ” Suede hissed. “Admit it, Arcan. You play dumb, but here we both are.
Chasing Chased Always ”
Arcan turned, and faced the dark, empty room, bathed in faint light from the neon outside. The bed was unmade, sheets tangled. Shadows flitted across the slit of light beneath his door One such shadow stopped outside, and was soon joined by two others Arcan retrieved a vest and shirt from where they lay on the room floor, wrinkled and torn. He put them on, buttoning them over his sweat-slicked skin
“What is it you want, Arcan?” Suede’s voice slithered around Arcan’s heart, and he felt it quicken. “Tell me exactly what you want.”
“I want ” Arcan paused as the doorknob rattled “I want power”
“Yes,” Suede said. “I know. What else?”
“I want strength.” The door shuddered under a kick. “I want fury. ”
“Keep going,” Suede sighed
“I want rage.” Arcan felt his gut clench. “I want wrath. I want blood. ”
“Yes, yes. ” Suede said, panting. A pair of sinewy arms slid down the sleeves of Arcan’s shirt Those thin fingers peaked from the cuffs, curling into the spaces between Arcan’s own “I know, I know. What else?”
“I want ” Arcan closed his eyes as the door began to give, frame cracking “I want you ” His eyes shot open, pulse pounding in his ears, bile rising in his throat. “Give me all of you.”
“Why? Why should I? What will you give me?” Suede’s fingers clenched harder, nails drawing blood from Arcan’s palms “Tell me!” he shouted, causing Arcan’s ears to ring
“I will give you all of me. ” Arcan felt his pulse plummet, felt his goosebumps vanish, watched as the faint pink from the street faded to cobalt blue, fading into the background like a dream upon waking “As it has always been,” he continued, voice shifting, deepening “As it shall always be.” A smile split his face, and he felt golden euphoria flush his neck and cheeks.
“You see, Arcan?” Suede said. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” He ran his hands through his bedraggled, oily hair, slicking it back over his scalp
“Don’t gloat,” Arcan murmured, hugging Suede from behind. “It’s cruel.”
“Cruel?” Suede laughed “That’s nothing, watch this ”
The door splintered open, and three men in matching purple jackets rushed in, knives and brass knuckles glinting in the light. They surrounded Suede, two blocking the door, one the window
“Finally found you, fucker.” The one by the window spat on the floor. “You’re gonna pay for what you did to Fletch!”
“Hm ” Suede stretched, rolled his neck “Which one was that, again?”
The man roared, and his knife cut a shining arc through the air. Suede’s arm blurred, and the man flinched mid-swing, before falling to the ground.
“What the fuck, you good?” said one of the men by the door The man on the ground gurgled, a dark stain spreading from a ragged hole in his neck. He rolled over and looked at Suede with horror, choking on his own blood
“Ah, Fletch,” Suede said, letting a chunk of flesh slip from his blood-slicked fingers. “The
one I stabbed with the letter opener Or, was it a switchblade ?” He shrugged at the other men “So many to keep track of these days. What’s a fella to do?”
“You fuck!” They screamed and charged him. Time slowed, and Suede felt a hand curl around his neck
“Stop playing with our food,” Arcan murmured. “And get to work.”
Suede licked his lips. “Don’t blink,” he said, and his arms blurred once more.
Suede tromped down the stairs, whistling a tune. The halls were empty, the other tenants hiding or already seeking other lodgings, and the lobby held only the clerk, asleep at their desk
Suede trotted up and rapped his knuckles on the counter, and the clerk snorted and woke, blinking the sleep away.
“Wuzzit?” they said, propping a pair of glasses further up their nose “You need maintenance?”
“Nah, not me,” Suede laughed. “The room? Maybe. But I’m fit as a fiddle. No, I just wanted to check out ”
“Check out?” The clerk gave themselves a little shake, staring at Suede. “I don’t remember you checking in.”
Suede sighed “I imagine it was under the name ‘Arcan Lunit’ About two hours ago? Check your logbook.”
“Well, yeah, I see that name, but you don’t look like-” The clerk stopped short as Suede leaned over, going nose-to-nose.
“I don’t care what you think I look like. I paid when I got here, and this, ” Suede stabbed a room key into the wood of the desk, sinking it halfway up the teeth “Is now returned to you ” He straightened up, smoothed out his vest, and turned smartly toward the door. “See you never.” With that, he walked out into the night, pausing for only a moment to look up into the rain before vanishing into the crowd
The clerk shivered in their chair. They’d had a strange sense of deja vu when the tall man had come downstairs, but they’d never seen that face before. Or so they thought. Now, after that close-up look, the clerk had recognized something, some crackle of energy deep in the eyes They could almost see how the man might have slumped and hunched, might have drawn in his jaw instead of jutting it out, might even have worn baggy clothing to hide his musculature That would explain why the same man had stood so much taller, had looked so different, had had so much bulk he hadn’t before. The clerk heard a scream from upstairs, and picked up the phone to call the authorities As their hands shakily dialed, they recalled the man’s parting words See you never.
The clerk hoped he’d been telling the truth.
The Cutest Romcom is also a Dystopian Nightmare
Hello Everyone! This semester has been crazy busy and much more difficult than I expected I have been meaning to write something of substance for the Pine Press all fall but haven't been able to find the right subject or have enough time. This issue, I decided to say “fuck it you all can read my thoughts on WALL-E ” I hope you enjoy!
Released in the summer of 2008, WALL-E is a heartwarming tale of love and humanity told from the perspective of a hopeless romantic robot, WALL-E The film begins somewhere around the year 2805, 700 years after humans abandoned the Earth. Even after all that time the planet is still covered in trash, the rivers are filled with slug, the ground is dry sand, and the air is filled with dust Uninhabited aside from a few cockroaches and one little robot WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class). Once there were many WALL-Es, created by Buy N Large, to help clean the Earth but now there is only WALL-E WALL-E is shown to be curious and caring within the first few minutes of the film. While his programming instructs him to collect trash and compact it into near little squares he cannot help but investigate items he’s never seen and collect those which interest him WALL-E is especially enamored with a video cassette of the film Hello Dolly. WALL-E is also friends with a cockroach who he feeds twinkies and shelters from the frequent sand storms
One day a mysterious red dot appears while WALL-E goes about his day Being the curious robot he is, he follows and tries to catch the mysterious dot. This dot turns out to be a targeting system for a landing spaceship, something WALL-E had only seen in the many ads for BNL that play across the city It is from this ship that WALL-E first meets the love of his life EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator).
EVE has been sent to earth to find evidence of plant life, so the humans living on the Axiom, a spaceship built and run by BNL, can return home Thanks to WALL-E she is successful in this “directive,” promptly shutting down once she finds a plant Panicked, WALL-E cares for EVE until she is picked up by the ship that she arrived on. Which WALL-E then stows away on. EVE’s ship delivers the two robots to the Axiom where humans live on hover chairs with holographic screens projected in front of them at all times
WALL-E as a character is extremely sweet but also clumsy, anxious, and messy These traits combined cause WALL-E to create a lot of havoc on the ship including a multi-robot traffic accident, knocking a man out of his hover chair, forcing a woman to see the world without her screen, starting a robot prison riot/jail break, and forming a rebellion All of these actions were accidental and in pursuit of saving the robot he loved after knowing her for two minutes.
By the end of the film the Captain of the ship has realized his AI autopilot has been sabotaging his efforts to return to earth due to orders from BNL not to come back. The Captain, who has learned to love what the earth once was through the duration of the film, battles against the autopilot as EVE and WALL-E race to place the plant in a special machine that will send them back to earth. In most science fiction engaging with the topics WALL-E does the robots would be in on trying to return the humans back to earth but this is a love story The humans don’t
matter to WALL-E or EVE They only care about each other, EVE used to want to return the plant because it was part of her directive. Now she has a new directive, WALL-E. All of her actions are now to save WALL-E The film closes with EVE repairing WALL-E on earth, the humans forgotten, learning how to grow pizza on their own. Like any good romance, true love’s kiss brings our title character back and the two finally hold hands the way WALL-E has always wanted
WALL-E is an interesting film because it packs so many ideas into 97 minutes The main story is a romance That is how WALL-E sees his world As a robot with nearly no stakes in the welfare of the human species, of course it is. Many viewers will also see the environmentalist messages, namely that of pollution The world WALL-E lives in exists because humans created too much garbage but where did that garbage come from? At the time of its release a message missed by many, seemingly including the production company, was that of overconsumption, monopolies, and commodification of everything On a first watch, casual viewing one might assume the antagonist is Auto the ai autopilot but this is not the case. Auto is just doing what he was programmed to do He is following orders It is his creators that are the villains A long dead corporation who gained control of everything, including the government of the United States BNL owned everything in the city we see WALL-E inhabiting. They were responsible for convincing the public to consume to the point of destroying their ability to live on the earth any longer and instead of doing anything about it they fled They advertised their space cruise as a way to wait out the clean up but did very little to actually deal with the mess they made. Then when things became too hard they ordered Auto never to return Even when BNL was no longer being run by humans it was influencing the passengers of the Axiom 700 years later babies were being taught the ABC with sentences such as “B is for Buy n Large your very best friend.” and adults are surrounded by ads claiming a million things need your attention and consumption.
For its title character, WALL-E is a romantic comedy with wacky high jinx, for the humans it is a dystopian nightmare that they are blissfully unaware of until they are rudely awoken by a horde of fighting robots
heritage // muthaland
(I keep pushing back my medical transition
Thinking this is the last time they’ll see me
Wanting to leave a pristine memory
Of the girl I was, the bastard child of an exiled father
Clawing our way into their good graces
Before I tear it all down again
I just need to visit Grandpa’s grave
I just need to celebrate Grandma’s birthday
I just need to attend the festival of our family just this once
Just this last time before it’s all taken from me
Before my connection to the motherland is severed at the root
Rent apart before it could even properly grow
(My one connection is full of broken promises
About a home
About our language
About the village that was supposed to raise me
Sins of the father passed down again
This time branded on our throats
Neither of us can speak our mother tongue
And we’re caught in the endless tempest
Between a mourning winter and a longing summer
The people we’re supposed to be and the ones that we are
A forgotten lunch of fufu
Driving us apart
(I keep resigning myself to this fate But maybe there’s another way they can love me still, body changed as it is, settled amongst the yerenom yet sowing no fruit. Maybe they’ll recognize the palm prints of Mawu on my skin and take comfort in the soft twines of braids laid over the stretch of my shoulders. Maybe there’s a Ghanaian girl out there for me and my cousin comes out when I do and there’s some gay underground that pulls me in with warm hands. Maybe we can’t stand in the light today, but tomorrow we can link hands as the sun rises to kiss the land of warriors.)
There’saplaceIwanttogoto.
Prettystandarddesire,I’msure,thewanting-to-go-therething.Peoplegoplacesallthe time.Nextdoor,themall,outofthecountry,etc.
Speakingofoutofthecountry,I’vebeen.Madrid,2023.Sixweeksofstrugglingtodrink enoughwateranddrowninginthesheervolumeofchurchair.
Therewasalot,inMadrid.Funthings,jokingandlearningandthinkingweweretheshit becauseweaterisotto,hellyeah!Andthatplace,thesheerdensityofit,makesyoufeelsonice andsmall,youwouldn’tbelieve.Icouldsitinmyroomandclosetheopaquesun-shadesandifI hadanextrahourIcouldnapandnobodywouldmissme.
Ilikedthat.
Forallthattherewas,itgottoapointwhereitwasn’tenough.Ihadaboutofdepression, Ithink.Ihaven’tspokentoanytherapists,buttherewerethesetwoweekswhereeverythingwas underawoolblanket.Like,I’deatsomegazpacho,andI’dthinkabouthowitwassovery normal,soun-special.Orit’dbehotout,thesunfillingthecloudlessskyallbyitself,butnotas hotasthatothertime,youknow?
Thenitwentaway.Ididn’tmindit,strangely.Ispendsomuchtimeworryingbydefault, thosetwoweekswerelikegoingonvacation.Just…quiet.
Thetripwasn’tallfun,orallnothing.Arealmixedbag.Bagofthose,quéeslapalabra, dulces?Differenttypes.Spicyhot,mintcool,adashofbittercoffeeandmaybethreesours.
Icancountthesours,onmyhand.
Therewasanight,wherewewentouttothiscrazybar,LaChamplasorsomething.El Chapandaz!Right,sowewenttoElChapandaz,andtheyhavethisbatshitgimmick,wherethey pouradrinkfromtheceiling,fromstalactites,cuzthebarismodeledlikeacave,evenifit’sin
themiddleofthecity.Theypressabutton,anddowncomesthecremeliquor,andtheyputsome otherboozeinitandyougetLecheDePantera,PantherMilk.
Funny
Andtheothers,theyweretwodeepinanhour.ButIdon’tdrink,soIwasjustthere, tryingtobeapartofthings.Andthenightgotgoing,andIwasstilldry,andwouldbeforthe restofmylife,andtheywerehavingsomuchfunandIgotsotiredofpretendingthatIjustleft. Madrid,midnight.I’msureit’slivelyasallgetout,butnotwhereIwas,walkingback homepastquietresidentialareas,shoestoofunctionalandshirttoopractical,anditwassoquiet, andnobodymissedme.Icheckedmyphone,waitingforthemtoworry,soIcouldbeallcool andsayIwasheadingelsewhere.Notbacktothedorm,butelsewhere.Someplacefascinating. Andworthbeingalonefor.Theydidn’tnotice.
Itriedsinging,butpeoplekeptwalkingby,andI’mthetypeofsingerthatonlysings whennobodyelseisaround.Likethetreefallingintheforest.That’sme.Singingfornobody.I knowsomegoodsongs.Practicethemoften,bymyself.
AndthatplaceIwantedtogoto,itwasclose.Ijustneededtotakearightturn,as opposedtoawrongone.Ormaybesmilecharminglyatsomeonewalkingby.OrgobacktoEl Champanaz.ButIkeptwalking,stillsingingwhenIwassurenobodycouldhearme,untilI reachedthedorm.Inoddedtothedoorman,wenttotherecroom,andsatontheoldcouchin frontofthelightfromavendingmachine,andgotoutsomecoins,andstaredatthem.
Igottwothingsfromthevendingmachine.Somecookiesandsomechocolates.AndIsat thereandIlookedatmytwothingsandIthoughtofhowmuchspacetherewasinthisroomwith nobodyelsethere,andIcried.Notwell,mindyou.Icriedlikesomeonewhosucksatit,allsinus pressureandclosedeyes.ButIdid.
TheplaceIwanttogotodoesn’thaveanaddress.Itsitsintheslipofnightair,thescuff ofwalkingshoesonoldconcrete,thehumofasongwhileamopedgoesbycarryingtwopeople atonce.Itsitswiththosethingsthatarepartofaset,andwhenremoved,reachforthelight switch,tokilloffisolationbygoingwherenobodywillmissthem.
NATIONAL LGBTQIA+ HOTLINES
TRANS LIFELINE
Trans peer support hotline, divested from the police (will not call 911)
Phone: (877) 565-8860
translifeline.org
TREVOR PROJECT LINE
Support for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults under 25
Phone: (866)-488-7386
Text line: Text “START” to 678-678
Web chat line available on website thetrevorproject.org
NATIONAL HELP CENTER
Free, confidential support for all ages
Phone: (888)-843-4564
lgbthotline.org
24/7 crisis support
Phone: 988 or (800)-273-8255
Phone: (877)-360-5428
sageusa.org
MID-MI LGBTQIA+ RESOURCES
TRANS-ILIENCE
Map of healthcare resources in Michigan
https://www.trans-ilience.com/michigan-resources
SALUS CENTER
LGBTQIA+ Resource and Community Center
saluscenter.org
Email: info@saluscenter.org
Transfem Support Group, transfemsupport@saluscenter.org
Transmasc Support Group, nico@saluscenter.org
Nonbinary Support Group, nonbinary@saluscenter.org
GENDER AFFIRMATION PROJECT
trans-ilience.com/gap
Logistical and financial support for name and gender marker changes
MICHIGAN NAME CHANGE SUPPORT
Transpapers.lgbt
Name and gender marker change paperwork assistance
LANSING AREA AIDS NETWORK (LAAN)
Free and anonymous HIV testing, support, and resources for those living with HIV/AIDS
laanonline.org
PLANNED PARENTHOOD LANSING HEALTH CENTER
Sliding scale healthcare, sexual health resources, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on an informed consent basis
Phone: (517)-351-0550
Quorus ran his thumb over the lid of his locket as wind, heavy with ash and magical static, rippled his shimmering red robes behind him It was ten years since he’d first hung the little pendant around his neck, the familiar weight seeming to grow larger every day. He squinted against the setting sun, observing the corona generated by the stray radiation in the atmosphere, and grimaced at the number of rings
Four, with the fifth developing as we speak It’ll be weeks before we can zero any thaumiscopes.
He paused in his musing as a fireball soared past his head, thrown by a straggler left behind enemy lines, and waved a hand in their general direction.
“Guts Jubilee,” he muttered. The offending magician popped like a grape, barely able to scream before his overexcited internal organs erupted into the open air
Quorus sighed. Two millennia of thaumaturgical development, and these hacks are still tossing fireworks at each other. He picked his way across a mound of fresh earth, scooped from the field by a late golem that now lay smoking some distance away Flashes of light and bellowed spells continued around its titanic feet, a new bulwark across to fight over, to die for.
“Quorus!” A voice shouted from behind him He turned to behold Garmin Haghes, puffing along with his tweed cloak flapping along behind him, bald head shining with sweat. Quorus’ finger twitched, wondering how much trouble he would get in for giving Garmin a faux-hawk He decided against it, but picked out a color should the urge strike again
“What is it, Goblin?”
“You’re still using that nickname?” Garmin panted, catching his breath as a meteor burned from atop the golem’s belly, before being struck by a spear of light and shattering “It’s been decades since the Academy, for God’s sake!”
“Yet you’re just as dull.”
“All right, enough!” Garmin heaved a sigh. “I have news from Ulysses You’re needed on the Eastern flank.”
“Hm. What for?” Quorus looked toward the dusk-shrouded sky to the East, shading his face with his hand Pixie summon, a few creases in space-time, and…do I see cherubim? He watched a chubby angel-winged baby grab a screaming warlock from the ground, dodge a swarm of pixies, and disappear into the clouds. Not bad.
“They didn’t say specifically They did sound scared, though ” Garmin threw a glance upward as a thundercloud fought with a crash of harpies. “Might be nothing.”
“Doubtless it will be I’ll see about it ” Quorus clicked his heels together, and in a puff of ash stood on the horizon he had been looking at a moment before.
Immediately he felt the wards on his robe activate, automatically defending him from ambient curses A chorus of lesser Allegiance wizards stood before him, powering a rather shabby case of Theo’s Ankler. Admittedly, it was doing the job, sending regular thrums of energy into the ground, forcing the Republic mages trying to rally some distance away to stop frequently to heal shattered toe and heel bones But still, shabby
Quorus raised a finger, and the Ankler field went from hazy white to deep purple. The Republic forces within the effective radius dropped like flies, entire skeletons vibrated to dust, and an Allegiance captain turned around in disbelief
“Quorus Hagadasher, as I live and breathe!” The captain flicked the brim of his hat with expert precision “Captain Rubeus Jules, sir, at your service!” Jules was broad yet academic, muscles straining against sensible suspenders and an outer layer somewhere between a surcoat
and a robe. Quorus recognized the tang on the air as he skirted a pile of smoldering pixies and approached the gathered wizards: the Ankler belonged to the captain, originally No wonder it was shoddy Too much time in the gym
“At ease, Captain.” Quorus glanced at the cherubims as they circled overhead, weary of the Ankler’s fading resonance “I was told I was needed here Surely there is more for me to do then contribute to a simple Ankler?”
Captain Jules blinked. “Here, sir? I’m afraid I can’t say what that’s about, sir! We’ve got things pretty much covered, sir!”
Quorus looked around, noting the exhausted wizards, the dirt and blood coating their robes. Even Jules was covered in soot and missing half a pantleg. Quorus scowled as a cherubim dove, the Ankler dissipated fully now, and snapped his fingers Law of Water, he thought petulantly. The cherubim went rigid, swelled, and then froze into solid ice, shattering on impact with the ground Waste of my time
Then, he stopped cold.
His vision blurred, his mouth gaped, and the sound echoing across the field went tinny and distant In fact, every sense besides his sixth, that which could feel magic, fell into disuse as some…thing stepped into range, just out of sight over a hill to the north.
The wards on Quorus’ robe, until then pulsing gently with the background static of the recent battle, began to pound as both the frequency and amplitude of local magical radiation skyrocketed.
“Greater A’tuin!” Quorus bellowed, flinging both hands in front of him as the magical signature crested the hill A shimmering portal appeared and the head of a massive turtle burst from within, spiraling in midair.
And not a moment too soon. A bolt of pure magic not possible, and yet sizzled through the air, slamming into the turtle’s shell, splashing over and scorching its skin The Allegiance wizards sheltered by the spell cried out and stumbled away from the clash, while just outside the leeway the ground dried, buckled, then scoured into sand.
After a moment that felt like eternity, the blast abated. The turtle screeched as the beam fizzled out, its shell eaten almost fully through, before collapsing and vanishing.
Quorus’ hands shook, the fingernails cracked and burnt, his robes burned away up to the elbow Beside him, Jules blinked rapidly, on his hands and knees His eyes were murky white
“Quorus, sir?” Jules said, voice quavering. “What happened? Was that Binkey’s Orb-burst?” He waved a hand over his face, and the white thinned to a scummy gray “Ah, no, stronger than Binkey. Ha! Not exactly a high bar, that.”
The captain continued to stammer as the other wizards tripped and crawled vaguely in retreat, all of them blinded On the crest of the hill, a lone figure stood, and though Quorus was certain he was just frazzled it’s too dense, nothing is that dense, not even the Wellspring was that dense he felt their presence as an impossibly large blip, one that stretched the fabric of space-time with its mass, a hole punched into the crust of the Earth.
Pure magic, Quorus thought, remembering the way the energy had seemed to bend the light around it, the scream of reality as it forced its way through the air. No spell, no runes nothing He muttered healing cantrips, scrambling to repair the damage to his hands, but barely got through the first stanza before a second blast erupted forth, this one larger, broader, denser no no no no than before Quorus barely had time to whisper a desperate plea before the attack slammed into them, and he was burning, burning.
The oxygen in the air was gone in seconds, and as his lungs teetered on the brink of implosion, he slipped away into the dark
slasher
‘m in love w u w the blood inside of u my skins crawling like rats n i cant figure out why gotta think abt death to fend it off not my own cuz im not gonna die but pretty little bystanders and the star of a slasher film blood’s always made me happy based n gorepilled
Sometimes it’s not really adequate to call them dreams. These are moreso premonitions
Memories before they had even been made
Remembering the cadence of speech that had played In the back of my mind, it’s déjà vu A discussion I’d already been privy to And time after time it crops up again
Remembering places I never had been
The Green Woman
The lady of green Visited my dreams
And told me to pave a road to the sun
Every moon, every planet, every star has a name
And yours has more than one
The light is coming, The light is coming Good darling, though you don't know where
Your time is coming, Your time is coming
While the world may be unaware
I’ve blessings to shatter
Every strike that comes after
Should you be softer than what ails you
Divinity is trapped in the palm of your hand
To pay every debt you’re due
The light is coming, The light is coming Good darling, though you don't know where
Your time is coming, Your time is coming
While the world may be unaware
- Felicity Anderson
Pinecones
Sam and Harper for lending us some litter for our kitty - Sam Kitson, Phoenix
orion chefs for always making amazing meals - you know who you are - emily, orion
My house cooks, for being great at what they do! - Gavin, Orion
pinecones to mackenzie and james for hanging out during the election and also coming to the jug painting event, we love you guys!!! - ANGIE, VESTA
Pinecones to Maddie for always being so helpful - Emma, Bowie
Pinecones to aj bc what would we do without you! - Rachael, vesta
to all my wonderful housemates and the cats!!! <3 - rachel, beal
pinecones to the oakhill avenue squirrels for eating the face off our jack o lanterns - Mylee, phoenix
Pine cones to Jack for making bower so gosh darn beautiful and functional. He is the best at interior design- if you need help go to him - Chloe - bower
All of my little doctors at Phoenix, Everyone involved with local action - Clay Phoenix
angie/chris: you two have taken up such a beautiful role and space in vesta. I appreciate you dearly and I am so thankful to see yalls influence on the house. conner, I am so proud of the hard work you are doing ;). bec: thank you for being such a boss bro. like you do so much yet you slay down...keep it up babe. fat jimmy: youre just so cunt - aj, vesta
loren i love u dear - anna, from da raft
pinecones to sam and harper for letting us borrow cat litter for the kitty we had to emergency move in (and pinecones to everyone else for being understanding)! - avie, phoenix
Clay, Trent, and Eva for all their work on Phoenix Tron Party. (Submitted the Thursday before so knock on wood) - Jake and Phoenix
Shoutout Alex for letting me use his bike - Jason, PHX
Pinecones to all our lovely Beal babes - Lilly, Beal
Pinecones to the Beal members who got ice cream after the house meeting <3 - Saylor, Beal
Little cutesy baby pine cones for Saylor at Beal - Shelby, Beal
to everyone i love everyone. we all just trying our best. Xoxo - bec !!! bowa owa
to Divya for cleaning the ohaus fridges with me and being so so brave in the face of nastiness - abby ohaus
Lo for the crack brownies and Charles for the bomb pie - Teah New Comm
Shoutout Nina from Howland- you are the kindest person I know <3 - Eva, Howland
AJ for just being the best :0 - Georgia from Vesta
Grand Fir - Elliot, Phoenix Haus
Pinecones to pine trees for providing - Jonathan of Bower
pinecones to Charlotte at hedrick for being such a supportive queen, ily bae <3 - Isabella R, Hedrick
I want to thank Alex G and Noah for being awesome housemates. I’m gonna miss you guys a lot sounds of the shc
Plantasia - Sam Kitson, Phoenix
the suburbs - arcade fire - emily, orion
Lawnmower Man (ft Voiddweller) by KFC Murder Chicks - Myron, Orion
Merry-go-round of Life, Howl's Moving Castle - Gavin, Orion
Planet Caravan by Black Sabbath - Onyx- Bower
i am california -john craigie and gregory alan isakov - ANGIE, VESTA
silent hill 2 ost - akira yamaoka, twin peaks ost, by angelo badalamenti. chromakopia - t - AJ, Vesta
Lots of Tyler bc of chromakopia - Rachael, vesta
wet dream by wet leg - rachel, beal
wolves howling at the moon - Aidan McKeon, Bowie
anything we want-fiona apple - mylee, phoenix
Watermelon by John + Jane Q - watch the movie if you haven’t,, tis a silly time - Chloe - bower
Neko (DISH//) - Justin Mishina, Vesta
I DON'T TRUST U ANYMORE by Left at London solely for election reasons. The Ballad of the Witches' Road from Agatha All Along for queer witch reasons. (ik I'm evil for consuming Disney) - Clay Phoenix
I'd do it all again, Corrine Bailey rae - Divya, Orion
Anything jazz - anna, from da raft
MGMT, loss of life - Sam, Phoenix
Spud infinity -big thief - Eva, phoenix
suddenly - drugdealer & weyes blood - avie, phoenix
Creep by Richard Cheese - Jake and Phoenix
The Beth's - Max, Beal
Mama Werewolf - Brandi Carlile - Saylor, Beal
Pitch the baby, the Cocteau twins - Shelby, Beal
It Could Be Sweet by Portishead - bec !!! bowa owa
Ut og bade - Yellowroot rebecca, Howland
Playing god - polyphia - Teah New Comm
reincarnated - Kendrick Lamar - Georgia from Vesta
Samba - Gwen, Orion
Everything Goes On - Porter Robinson
Django Reinhart - Alex, Phoenix
Indigo d'souza - Jonathan of Bower
Radiators whistling and banging - no heat comes out. - Lucy, New Comm
Headlock by Imogen Heap - Graciela, Ferency
It's Been So Long - The Living Tombstone - Isabella R, Hedrick
Soft Meadow by Green-House
who in your house would you feel comfortable eating spaghetti with naked (NON-sexual. You must maintain conversation.) member submitted question
being naked would make the haus meal convos at Orion LESS weird - Ethan, Orion
My girlfriend Avie - Sam Kitson, Phoenix
myron. they inspire me to not feel shame - emily, orion
Prolly Tyler or Chad. We don’t know each other like that but I think the collective laidbackness would make it easier to hold a convo while eating spaghetti naked - Myron, Orion
Ethan - Gavin, Orion
low-key low-key.........I think I could maaaaaaaaaybe eat sketti with chris - AJ, Vesta
Trixie. - Onyx- Bower
honestly litteraly everyone, i think vesta could all eat spaghetti naked in the dining room and it would be chill - ANGIE, VESTA
Oh my god this is my fucking house's idea. I'd eat spagetti with the entire house platonically if I could. Definitely Fish, Sofi, and Ian for sure! - Emma, Bowie
Fish. - Aidan McKeon, Bowie
sam smith.. whether it’s my housemate or the celebrity i guess i’d be fine either way - mylee, phoenix
Nobody - Justin Mishina, Vesta
Aaron, my husband (haha losers I have an easy out get rekt) - Alexina Nelson (Prion)
Bec. - Chloe - bower
Anyone that consents. I would so be a naturalist if I found it more accessible and didn't have to worry about a bunch of old white people staring at me at the retreats. - Clay Phoenix
I would eat spaghetti naked w angie probably I think it would be silly, we would just be bros tbh. - aj, vesta
loren for sure - anna, from da raft
Harper, obviously - Sam, Phoenix
anyone because nudity isn’t awkward to me - avie, phoenix
My hausmate Alex has the superpower to make any situation not feel awkward. I would like to iterate that I don’t want to do this thing. - Jake and Phoenix
All the homies - Max, Beal
Everyone BUT Max - Lilly, Beal
Shelby, but I think I could do this with anyone in Beal - Saylor, Beal
If I had to pick one person probably Saylor but honestly everyone. I love eating in the nude + yap.Shelby, Beal
Jack - bec !!! bowa owa
sam or myron i think - abby ohaus
Honestly anyone Idgaf - Teah New Comm
Hannah and Lydia of Howland - Eva, Howland
Angie - Georgia from Vesta
Collin or Clay - Elliot, Phoenix Haus
It would have to be someone else who isn't cis. - Alex, Phoenix
Fish!!! - Emily, Bowie
Caleb, but with pizza. Spaghetti would make them uncomfortable - Jonathan of Bower
Willow the rabbit - Lucy, New Comm
no one - Isabella R, Hedrick
Aidan or Emily
Did you pick up a new skill during lock-down in 2020? Do you still use it four years later? member submitted question
I picked up a mental illness that i still use sometimes - Sam Kitson, Phoenix makeup, if that counts as a skill. i got much better at doing more costume-esque makeup, as i was already doing makeup for dance competitions - emily, orion
I started learning some,like, audio mixing stuff? Mostly just to make song mashups. I don’t rly use it much but I did make a mashup of Sail and Ivy by Frank Ocean for fun recently - Myron, Orion
Pen-spinning! - Gavin, Orion
I honestly did about 4 different crafts but I still crochet a lot! i love making things for friends and hats and gloves for winter - ANGIE, VESTA
Honestly I wasted days of time playing Overwatch and learned nothing - Emma, Bowie
Not a skill but I was hammocking constantly and I definitely don’t do it as much now - Rachael, vesta
foraging! varies with the season and how much time i have - rachel, beal
NOPE - Aidan McKeon, Bowie
yes, i can still cry on cue 4 years later <3 - mylee, phoenix
haha no - Alexina Nelson (Prion)
Watching tv 25/7 - Chloe - bower
TW: Hiding my mental crisises. I truly can't remember much of lock-down - Clay Phoenix
I got really good at studying effectively, then completely stopped trying - Divya, Orion
I learned how to play toccata and fugue in d minor by Bach on my shitty keyboard from memory, but that was it LMFAO(it was not good) - aj, vesta
No :/ - anna, from da raft
Playing Minecraft to drown out the bad emotions - Sam, Phoenix
i started doing makeup during covid (i wasn’t allowed to before) and i still do it now ig - avie, phoenix
That’s when I got good at chess, 1100 pre lockdown, 1500 post lockdown. - Jake and Phoenix
Yes - Jason, PHX
Nope just learned an my depression - Max, Beal
I went through a lot of hobbies my fav was looming and I don’t currently use it - Lilly, Beal
I was GRINDING on stardew valley. Getting real high and staying up late binging oo so good.
ADHD - bec !!! bowa owa
i got really good at making homemade bread pretzels!! havent made them in a while, but i know the skill is still there - abby ohaus
I made custom furbys and ran an instagram for them - Eva, Howland
NO - Georgia from Vesta
I picked up meditation which I still use now and it’s super helpful! - Gwen, Orion
Mountain Biking, it has became one of my favorite activities - Elliot, Phoenix Haus
I became far better at being aware of my environment because of all the walking I did around my yard listening to podcasts. I use this skill to inject whimsy into every day - Alex, Phoenix
Winged eyeliner - Emily, Bowie
I started learning to grow plants at the onset of the lockdown and now I study crop and soil science at MSU! - Jonathan of Bower
Got really good at among us. No, this skill is no longer useful :( - Lucy, New Comm
I practiced flexibility but it's all gone now ): - Isabella R, Hedrick
I learned I’m not female and I do use this skill for nefarious things
do you think your house stands a chance of winning the golden broom (award for the cleanest house)
HELL FUCKING NO - Sam Kitson, Phoenix
*insane uncontrollable laughter* - emily, orion
Absolutely not - Myron, Orion
Nah. - Gavin, Orion
Absolutely - Gabriel, Hedrick
nah ���� - ANGIE, VESTA
I think we stand pretty well. A reason I joined Bowie was because of the clean house! - Emma, Bowie
Nar but it’s okay vesta has many perks we love her - Rachael, vesta
we plan on it �� - rachel, beal
YES - Aidan McKeon, Bowie
No. - mylee, phoenix
Probably not - Justin Mishina, Vesta
Possibly - Alexina Nelson (Prion)
We WILL win the golden broom - no ifs ands or butts - Chloe - bower
I had hope but not so much recently but we got time to try - Clay Phoenix
......you know what, yeah I do. vesta can be gross but lets figure it out Haus >:)) - aj, vesta
Maybe - anna, from da raft
ABSOLUTELY NOT - Sam, Phoenix
GODDDD no - avie, phoenix
Yes, I think if we put all 29 of our heads together and put in some work, Phoenix 100% has the potential to egg every house and win by default. - Jake and Phoenix
more like cleanest housing corporation - Jason, PHX
We always win - Max, Beal
Hmmmmm we shall see - Lilly, Beal
Yes!! - Saylor, Beal
FUCK YEAH LETS GO BEAL!!! - Shelby, Beal
yes i genuinely do - bec !!! bowa owa
no lmao - abby ohaus
Lowkey yea I’ve seen worse - Teah New Comm
Yes that shit chore checked by Syd and I and we’re eating it up - Eva, Howland
Who else is gonna win it lmao - Yousif, helprick
Uhhh no maybe? Probably not - Gwen, Orion
I'd be surprised - Elliot, Phoenix Haus
As a facilities officer, no. This is partly my fault. - Alex, Phoenix
perhaps - Emily, Bowie
top 5 fr sure - Jonathan of Bower
No lol - Lucy, New Comm
i sure hope so - Isabella R, Hedrick
Yesssss
book recommendations (novels, comics, graphic novels, manga and comics are all welcome, just specify plz) member submitted
A clockwork orange and I'm thinking of ending things are my favorite books - Sam Kitson, Phoenix
the end of the f***ing world - emily, orion
Chainsaw Man (manga NOT THE ANIME), The Rook by Daniel O’Malley (book) and also the second book Stiletto - Myron, Orion
Dandadan, Yukinobu Tatsu - Gavin, Orion
The Bottoms- novel by Joe R. Landsdale - Onyx- Bower
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn - Gabriel, Hedrick
anything ali hazelwood!! she is a romance writer! also i would highly rec checking out the surplus store for books! (they have like brand new ones for $1 each) - ANGIE, VESTA
If you've ever read the Twilight books and not just watched the movies you'd understand - Emma, Bowie
fantasy: priory of the orange tree (SO well written with a LOVELY sapphic romance and complex characters), fiction: life and death of the Great Lakes (phenomenal book on the history of threats facing the Great Lakes!!) - rachel, beal
the encyclopedia of dog breeds (how can you not like a dog picture book???) - mylee, phoenix
My Deer Friend Nokotan - Justin Mishina, Vesta
Braiding Sweetgrass- very educational on indigenous knowledge tied into western science- in my opinion everyone should read it if your are interested in the subject of ecology and indigenous culture - Chloe - bower
Avoid Homestuck it got it's grips into me and now I'm planning out an entire storyline and am trying to stop myself from learning MS Paint and how to make a fan comic - Clay Phoenix
one piece like fr - anna, from da raft
warrior cat graphic novel (hear me out) - avie, phoenix
Watchmen - Jake and Phoenix
Down to earth manga on webtoons - Max, Beal
Snot girl (comic, by same guy as Scott pilgrim) - Lilly, Beal
Parable of the Sower - Saylor, Beal
David & Goliath by Malcom Gladwell (nonfiction psycology, its amazing) - abby ohaus
R.U. Screwed - bl webcomic. Very wholesome I love it. - Teah New Comm
Dandadan‼‼‼‼ Anime just came out too if you hate words - Yousif, helprick ACOTAR/TOG - anything Sarah J Maas, also very into Red Rising series if you want more sci-fi low spice adventure novel - Gwen, Orion
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - Elliot, Phoenix Haus
Lost in Ideology by Jason Blakely. An excellent "bird watching" tool for modern political ideology and a practical argument that ideologies are frameworks that alter the physical world to reproduce themselves. - Alex, Phoenix
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair - Jonathan of Bower
Death With Interruptions by Jose Saramago - Lucy, New Comm
House of Leaves, it’s a very weird psychological horror novel, infamously hard to read. - Graciela, Ferency
i can't read - Isabella R, Hedrick
Darbi, webtoon- gore warning, but fantastic story about a baby T. rex and his family. Vulgar, well written, and just being finished. I’ve been reading it since high school
what's your favorite animated movie?
Secret of the Kells - Ethan, Orion
Paranorman - Sam Kitson, Phoenix
can’t think of one right now, but i LOVED cars when i was in preschool - emily, orion
The SpongeBob Movie - Myron, Orion
Currently? Puss In Boots 2 - Gavin, Orion
The Corpse Bride - Onyx- Bower
Rango - Gabriel, Hedrick
princess and the frog!!!!! one of the only disney movies where the prince falls in love with the “princess” because she is hard working and does everything herself!!! - ANGIE, VESTA
Encanto - Emma, Bowie
Totoro - Rachael, vesta
CARS - rachel, beal
Surfs up - Aidan McKeon, Bowie
Doogal (2006) - mylee, phoenix
My Neighbor Totoro - Justin Mishina, Vesta
Ponyo - Chloe - bower
Literally impossible to choose just one. Recently been thinking about how I don’t think enough people appreciate The Book of Life (on my list of "the conflict would be resolved if people would just accept polyamory" media) but Spiderverse movies are my favs - Clay Phoenix
The Corpse Bride - Sam, Phoenix
trolls band together, lego movie, mr peabody and sherman (i have so many) - avie, phoenix
Up - Jake and Phoenix
How to train your dragon �� - Max, Beal
Kiki’s delivery service - Lilly, Beal
Moana - Saylor, Beal
Over the hedge is so underrated - Shelby, Beal
Howls Moving Castle - abby ohaus
Nimona is really good but my classic is Tangled - Teah New Comm
Bambi - Gwen, Orion
Spirited Away - Elliot, Phoenix Haus
I admit that I need to watch more, but from movies that I've seen I would say Caroline. - Alex, Phoenix
Does The Smosh Movie count? - Emily, Bowie
The Spongebob Squarepants movie - Jonathan of Bower
Mulan - Lucy, New Comm
Children of the Sea - Graciela, Ferency
hotel transylvania - Isabella R, Hedrick
Fantastic Mr Fox
best cheap place to eat out, member submitted
not a resturant, but Aldi is great for grocery shopping :)) - Sam Kitson, Phoenix
bell of tacos FS - emily, orion
Cheap is a myth in East Lansing but Tacqueria fire taco is so fuckin good - Myron, Orion
Rice Kitchen. - Gavin, Orion
Dumpster Dive!! - Onyx- Bower
University wiener - Gabriel, Hedrick
rice kitchen and lottee market - ANGIE, VESTA
Definitely Omi Sushi in East Lansing! If you go during lunch hours 11-3, you can get 3 different things for just like $10'ish! - Emma, Bowie
I like no Thai because I usually get a couple meals out of it so it feels worth my money - Rachael, vesta
Fleetwood diner - rachel, beal
nowhere :( - Aidan McKeon, Bowie
We got food at home - mylee, phoenix
Sapporo Ramen and Noodle Bar (317 M.A.C. Avenue) - Justin Mishina, Vesta
Sapporo (big bowl of soup is about 10-15 bucks) (definitely not influenced by me eating here as I fill this out) (the hakata modern and butter corn shoyu are my favorites) - Alexina Nelson (Prion)
Best place that has great food- Ozones Brewhouse in old town Lansing- but go with me or Logan so you can get discounts;)) - Chloe - bower
When someone is buying the meal for you - Clay Phoenix
YUM YUM BENTO - aj, vesta
Omi sushi - Sam, Phoenix
canes is pretty good for the amount you get/quality of food but i’m biased bc i work there - avie, phoenix
I really like Flashfood, but you gotta be comfortable with imminent expiration dates. - Jake and Phoenix
Ur mom - Jason, PHX
No thai - Max, Beal
Omi sushi if u order veggie rolls - Lilly, Beal
Kimchi Box - no place is that cheap anymore :( - Saylor, Beal
The Kung fu - Shelby, Beal
any gas station - bec !!! bowa owa
jalapeños in downtown lansing!! only open 9 to 2 though :// - abby ohaus
Popeyes - Teah New Comm
ihop - Eva, Howland
Subway - Gwen, Orion
Omi Sushi - $7 soup appetizer that's the size of whole meal - Elliot, Phoenix Haus
Just get a microwaveable or pre-heated egg burrito from a Sparty's and sit down somewhere. - Alex, Phoenix
ur mom - Emily, Bowie
Eating out cheap and for the best are a tough combo - Jonathan of Bower
Sushiya - Isabella R, Hedrick
No Thai is usually two meals for the small-stomached
favorite fall/winter dish, member submitted
Chili - Ethan, Orion
been fucking up buttered noodles and cheese bread - Sam Kitson, Phoenix
pumpkin bread >>> - emily, orion
Tomato soup and grilled cheese! - Gavin, Orion
Pumpkin Muffins - Onyx- Bower
Anything with apples in it - Gabriel, Hedrick
SOUP ALL OF IT - ANGIE, VESTA
All of my old Halloween Candy - Emma, Bowie
Pumpkin muff - Rachael, vesta
Acorn Squash - rachel, beal
pumpkin bread - Aidan McKeon, Bowie
nutmeg ginger apple snaps!!! - mylee, phoenix (recipe drop when??)
Apple pie - Justin Mishina, Vesta
any type of pumpkin dessert (no pumpkin spice anything though) - Alexina Nelson (Prion)
SOUPPPPP - Chloe - bower
Candied yams - Clay Phoenix
soljanka w bread. :333 - aj, vesta
does a drink count? bc if so caramel apple cider is so fire - anna, from da raft
Corn bread casserole - Sam, Phoenix
i don’t choose dishes based on the season so i’ll say my general favorite which is sam’s moms chicken tacos - avie, phoenix
The little paper plates shaped like Jack-O-Lanterns, always a classic. - Jake and Phoenix
Stuffing - Max, Beal
Anything with bri - Lilly, Beal
Soups!! I recently made chili - Saylor, Beal
Stuffed squash - Shelby, Beal
Squash Soup!!!11 - bec !!! bowa owa
butternut squash mac and cheese! - Rebecca, Howland
apple crisp! - abby ohaus
Sweet potatoes - Teah New Comm
Any pie - Eva, Howland
Mashed Potatoes - Georgia from Vesta
Pecan Pie - Gwen, Orion
Anything in the classic Americana breakfast canon (eggs, pancakes, waffles, omletes, etc.) - Alex, Phoenix
Acorn Squash soup - Jonathan of Bower
StoveTop stuffing - Lucy, New Comm
Acorn Squash with butter and brown sugar,,……
Aint nothinghere, nextpage!
Moving out?
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You’ll receive updates about upcoming alumni events and job openings with the SHC, see posts from past members about their time in the SHC (lots of cool historical photos and stories), and learn about opportunities for involvement in other co-ops
Looking for community events, support groups, and educational trainings for LGBTQIA+ people?
Check out the
408 S Washington Square, Lansing
Support Groups
Transmasc Support Group
Transfem Support Group
T.R.U.E.
For young people exploring their gender identity/sexual orientation
QTBIPOC Community Space
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Vintage Pride 45+
For older adults
Nonbinary Support Group
Queer Women's Support Group
Monthly Events
Gayme Night
Fiber Arts for Everyone
TTRPG Gayme Night Write Here 4 Queer (writing workshop)
Sex Ed for Everyone (educational group with a different topic each month)
FInd their event calendar, resources, and info about volunteering at saluscenter.org! In addition, If there's a group you'd like to start at the center, you can reach out to info@saluscenter.org
