adj., of or pertaining to pigeons

But early 20th century is full of the kind of Brideshead Revisited intense male friendships that toe the line between romantic and platonic in a way that’s kind of fascinating to me- and I do think that liminal weirdness really fits with Barney and his position in society and how he feels, especially, about his position in society. Like… He can’t even have a friend? He feels that there’s something weird and clingy and inherently wrong with him that forbids him from making sincere friendships even? Even though what he wants is perhaps a little bit different from what everyone around him would call friendship - but he doesn’t have the vocabulary or our kind of contemporary knowledge of sexuality to understand what he wants specifically let alone why he wants it.

So! Lots of debate in the club this week about Barney's moment of possessiveness here and whether it's charming or toxic.

For those who are rooting for a kdrama version of TBC, I think the answer is probably quite simple - that it's one of those red-flag moments that viewers see as adding some necessary spice to an otherwise green-flag character.

From a non-kdrama perspective, though - I agree with those who have mixed feelings about the moment.

While I personally wouldn't want my spouse making a decision like that for me, I think Barney's joking description of himself as "your tyrannous husband" goes a long way to defusing that. After all, at the time that TBC takes place, it would have been unremarkable for a husband to make this kind of decision on his wife's behalf (note that Allan Tierney didn't ask to wait for Valancy to come home so he could speak to her directly, or ask for Barney to give her a message; he explicitly asked Barney's permission to paint Valancy), and even so, Barney still has a self-awareness about it.

So I think I do read it as Barney having a gut reaction in the moment that takes him by surprise, and him feeling a bit sheepish when he describes it to Valancy later, because he's still not sure why he reacted so strongly.

There is another possibility, however. It's April or possibly early May when Allan Tierney asks to paint Valancy's portrait. The kind of fine-art portraiture that Allan Tierney would be doing would most likely involve several sittings for the model, with days or weeks in between each sitting. If Barney, like Valancy, has been counting on her living out her year but not beyond, then he's aware that she literally does not have time to have her portrait painted.

So it's possible that Barney shuts down Allan Tierney as a way of helping Valancy avoid having having to work out that math with herself - as part of their commitment to never mentioning her health.

Lee Mothes

"Potted Chicory

"12” wide by 24” high

"i'm so basic.....i just like a lot of butter or jam :(" (as though those are not god's best and most beloved condiments and his greatest gifts to mankind)

"FUCK health guidelines FUCK my cholesterol and most importantly FUCK diet culture i'll put a dumpster full of butter on my toast and not even GOD will stop me" (no notes. god would encourage this)

doxxing one's self by mention of polarizing regional delicacies (i am so curious about vegemite i must admit)

"does a grilled cheese count as toast?" (not for the purposes of this post)

"i don't like toast please don't kill me" (i appreciate the honesty but i fear this post is not for you)

people who put full ass meals on toast (based)

people who do not but eat toast as a full meal (based)

melty peanut butter (absolutely based)

"it's a guilty pleasure but...nutella 😳" (relieve yourself of fear and enjoy your dessert toast)

1. A lot of dudes. Just a ton of fucking people from beginning to end of the process.

2. Ancient people weren't stupid, they just figured shit out the same way we do: fuck around until you find out.

3. We're gonna plan this out and it's gonna take ten fucking years, and you will cope.

4. Sticks and string are surprisingly versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes, like moving stuff and making sure things are even and go in the spot you wanted to put them in!

No weekends

Child labor

Slave labor

"The king said to do it"

Fidenae Stadium Disaster of 27AD. A huge gladitorial stadium, built fast and cheap, collapsed and killed 20,000 people, as well as injuring many more out of the total audience of 50,000.

The Sagrada Familia was started in 1882. It is still not finished.

Mingun Pahtodawgyi was started in 1790 but a prophecy said the king who commissioned it would die when it was finished, so he stopped building it.

The Pyramid of Neferefre was never finished because Neferefre died early and his successor didn't bother.

Alai Minar was supposed to be twice the diameter and twice the height of Qutb Minar. Didn't get past the first storey, abandoned in 1316.

Bara Kaman, abandoned in 1672.

The Basilica of San Petronio was started in 1390. The main facade was never finished. In 1514, they hired a guy to construct the dome, but the pope ordered the "megalomaniac dream" halted.