Random Rambles

Because seriously wtf is up with almost every cafe closing by 2 or 3pm.

A cafe I stopped by today is open from 7am -3pm for breakfast and Lunch.

But they stop providing take-away drinks at 11 30am.

Seriously wtf! 🤯

Its like people aren't allowed to want coffee after 3pm. Or to leisurely sit in a cafe after work, or in the early evening to have a drink and a muffin or something light to eat and unwind from the day. Or simply have a change of scenery from their job or their own 4 walls. 😡

Its bullshit!

And I'm totally pissed off about it! 😆

This is a genuine, frustrated rant about the fact that in a large, metropolitan city many (almost all) cafes (and restaurants) are still operating with hours harking back to the 1980's, cafe's closing by 3pm, restaurants only offer early dinner services and push you out by 9.30pm.

It's 2025 ffs!

All I want is the option to have a couple of nice chill cafes open until late (like 10 or 11pm) where I can stop by, get a decent drink and maybe a snack and enjoy the atmosphere for an hour or so.

If cafes in Nz can do it, wtf can't or won't cafes in Australia where the population is much larger, the diversity and the customer want does exist.

Aussie has a huge drinking (alcohol) culture and there are many pubs open until late and all year round. But there are very few to almost no options for people who don't want to go to a pub (or an expensive restaurant).

C'mon Australia its time to grow up, provide more options and later opening hours.!

All I want is option to have a late afternoon / evening coffee& chill in a cafe. 🥺

Ps: The other frustrating thing about cafe culture here is that almost every time I ask for Lactose free milk and if the cafe doesn't have it, they will rattle off every other milk option like a song. Then wait expectantly for me to choose one of the other options.

😊

Oops, this has turned into a bit of a comparison and a wish list for the show. Unintended, but I can't be bothered to make a 2nd post. So enjoy.

I've now read 7 of the 8 books in the Bridgerton Sibling series, plus Violet's little additional story. Just Gregory's left.

So far, I've enjoyed each Siblings story.

My favourite is Romancing Mr Bridgerton. Of course.

It has some good humour, I liked how Colin found out about LW, and while he was emotionally confused, tortured etc, it was expressed kinda differently than in the show... like he didn't fully shut himself off from Pen emotionally in the book, like he does in the show.

Idk. Its just different. There are definitely things in the show I liked way more than the book. like how Pen takes control of sharing her secret identity.

Also I think the visuals of the show help in building the world and the emotions. Plus the acting of all the cast, but especially Luke N and Nicola In season 3 was phenomenal.

I like the books, but I think I love the show more.

I love Penelope's character. Both in the books and the show.

I also really like Lady Danbury; in the books she's got a bit more humour and has more interaction with most of the family and others in the Ton.

POLIN

I love the friends to lovers story. How well Colin and Pen know each other and how playful they can be together. Yes, I'm aware this is explored more in the show than the book. But there's elements of this in the book too.

I love Pen and Eloise's friendship. I also think theres a lot more to be explored in this relationship dynamic in the show. Especially after how they ended S2 and most of S3 went. I hate how they just brush over the challenges and suddenly everything is all better and they're best friends again. Some Friendships aren't that simple.

Francesca's book... I struggled with.

It took me at least 5 goes to get through the first half of the book.

The posturing and back and forth emotional conflict between Francesca and Michael was so drawn out. And I know it has purpose to the story, but God it annoyed me.

However, I enjoyed the second half of the book more. And even though I guessed the ending, it still made me cry. It was sweet.

There's definately some plot lines that I hope will be explored for Fran's story in the show when they get to her season. Especially communicating to her mother about grief and loss.

AND UNPOPULAR OPINION:

I really struggle to see how they're going to translate some of Fran's key story elements into a queer narrative. Id prefer if they stuck to the OG dynamic for Fran.

Im all for queer side stories in Bridgerton, but personally, NOT for the main characters. Simply because they're based on books that have clear, well developed stories and plots.

I also kinda find it annoying how Fran's introversion has been translated in the show, especially in S3. But again, that's MY opinion.

Hyacinth's book was cute, some good humour. I enjoyed some of the character development. I loved the friendship between Hy and Lady D.

I would like to see it done a bit differently in the show. Ie, I'd love to see Hy have more connection with Pen and Pen more connection with Lady D.

I did find the end a little... anti-climatic. Without giving away spoilers, that fact that it took 20plus years for something to happen truly annoyed me.

Also I wanted more plot around how some the conflicts were settled or addressed. It felt like Julia Quinn kinda rushed the ending, having put so much time and energy into building the characters and the story.

So I'm interested to see how Hyainth's story will get translated onto the screen.

I don't know if reading the books has helped build the Bridgerton world in my imagination or just increased my expectations for the show.

I read the first book years ago before the show was a twinkle in Shondaland's eyes. Then after season 1 have read almost all the books.

At the end of the day, I've enjoyed the books. They're a quick, easy read, light-hearted fluff. Which is nice when there's so much heaviness hanging around.

As for the show:

I want more, lots & lots more! 😁

More family and sibling scenes. I want to see the chaos of a large loving, competitive family as well as the trials and tribulations of navigating society, managing estates, keeping themselves out of trouble etc. Growing pain's. Violet being a doting grandmother, trying to cajole her children and grandchildren.

Violet and Lady D friendship. Violet and Lady Featherington working out how to get along as in-laws.

More Feathering sister chaos, because they're halirious and brilliant characters in the show, with their husbands of course.

Pen coming more and more into her own strength, navigating the complexities of her relationship with her mother and sister.

Pen being drawn into the chaos of the Bridgerton Siblings, especially their games and competitions- Pall Mall, charades etc.. being comfortable & confident.

Polin as parents. All of the siblings as Parents, their different personalities would make for some funny & dynamic family and society moments.

Always more Polin.

More Lady D, More Violet (those motherly moments with her children and I'd love to see more of Violet and Pen's relationship).

More Queen Charlotte and Brimsley.

More romance, emotional intimacy, sexual tension, sexual chemistry, etc. Of course, its not Bridgerton without the sex scenes... but sex scenes with purpose, that build the story and or relationships, not just gratituious.

I could go on. Lol

More

More tea

More romance, love, intimacy (including emotional vulnerability and intimacy)

Complex, dynamic characters, especially in the female characters.

More Please, lots& lots more 😁😇

Its such a big world with characters who have depth and individual stories that could be explored for years, not just through the main sibling stories, but also through side series just like they did with Queen Charlotte.

So please Shondaland, Netflix, the TV gods, don't ever stop making Bridgerton or Bridgerton Spin-offs.

And for the love of God, please get faster at filming, producing and releasing seasons.

The 18months - 2+years between seasons is so frustrating.

My life as a series of unfortunate events

This weekend features:

A very nasty gastro bug which had me vomiting so hard I think I've bruised my ribs. Its hurts to breathe, to move, to walk, to laugh.

Today is the first day I've been able eat in 4 days. Thank God for gluten free deli crackers and chicken broth.

Oh can't forget the blinding migraine adding to the nausea. 🤢

And the pissed off cat because I can't move to play with her.

Poor princess furball. 🐈

Back - still fkd - work still deciding if they'll cover the injury because it happened while working.

Ankle- not broken, but severely sprained. Doctor estimates 3-6months to heal. Still can't walk properly. 😴

Yay me, life is grand atm .... NOT

I'm sure people think this is all made up. But this year has been a constant one shit event after another. Who wants to make shit like this up... unless your writing a dark comedy, its a little too twisted.

The universe and I are not on great terms at the moment. But Im hopeful that this is the last event in my comedy of errors and I can focus on healing and recovering and getting back to everyday life.

I have shit to do, goals to work on!

Don't believe everything you see, ask questions, critique, find different sources & make an informed decision based on ALL the information you have.

Changing your mind is ok too, especially when more information becomes available

So I've been alive long enough to see some truly fkd up stuff over the years. Especially when it comes to media and paparazzi behaviour and how anything and everything about famous peoples lives becomes fodder for a magazine headline (these days a social media post).

The media behaves like a toddler on a sugar high, oscillating from mood to mood so rapidly that it makes your head spin if you don't take a break.

These days when media happens so fast, it can be difficult to know which way is up, let alone find some element of the truth in whatever it is they're trying to sell.

So, just to help my own brain work through the nonsense we keep seeing with Lukola, I asked Google a couple of questions and here was its answers:

Are famous people treated unfairly by the media?

The media sometimes makes a small thing into a big fuss which is the worst thing about them. They do not care about a celebrity's privacy they just want breaking news or any sort of news for their respective channel without the concern of the celebrity or about how they'll feel about the news.

Is media of famous people supposed to be positive?

No, media coverage of famous people isn't expected to be consistently positive. While some media outlets may aim for positive portrayals, the media landscape is diverse, and coverage can be critical, negative, or even sensational, depending on the celebrity, the event, and the media outlet's agenda. Celebrities are human and prone to mistakes, and the media often focuses on both the good and the bad, which can include scandals, controversies, and personal struggles. 

Here's a more detailed look:

Positive Coverage:

Some media may focus on a celebrity's achievements, charitable work, or inspiring stories, aiming to create a positive image. 

Negative Coverage:

This can include criticism of a celebrity's actions, behavior, or personal life, often focusing on scandals, controversies, or perceived flaws. 

Neutral Coverage:

Some coverage may be purely informational, focusing on news about the celebrity's work, projects, or public appearances without taking a strong stance. 

Sensational Coverage:

This type of coverage often focuses on drama, gossip, and controversy, aiming to generate attention and engagement, regardless of the truth or accuracy. 

Impact of Media:

Celebrity media can significantly influence how the public perceives and interacts with celebrities, shaping their image, career, and public perception. 

So here are my thoughts:

Its been a mantra in the entertainment industry for a long time, 'any PR is good PR.' However, we know that's not necessarily true. Media can make or break a person's public perception and have detrimental impacts on their career.... sometimes

For actors, celebrities, musicians etc PR is purposeful. Its entirely niaeve to think that PR is only supposed to be for good.

Examples:

Britney spears: when she lost the plot, she was all over the media. While this did, for a time, impact her career, she survived and as time passed we learnt more about what was occurring bts for Britney.

Mylie Cyrus and several other young actors who came of age in the public eye all had similar experiences of perceived public meltdowns, or simply disappeared from the public eye all together.

Mylie continues to thrive in her music career while other left the industry for a ehilenor entirely.

Johnny Depp and the Amber Heard trial...Johnny continues to have a career in acting.

Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen rumours floating around for years about all their misdeeds. Did nothing to derail their careers, infact made them more common household names.

Robert Downey Jr: was a typical 'bad boy' in the 90's & early 2000's. All the publicity he got did not derail his career.

Then look at what the Media and Paparazzi did to Princess Diana.. need I say more.

Even some of the OG celebrities and actors always had insane media attention good, bad and otherwise.

Ie, Marilyn Munroe, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean Marlon Brando. Etc.

There is a theme: Media is purposeful.

So while we're frustrated, we KNOW that this is PR for the purpose of misdirection, & confusion. To get the fans to have their little freak outs and spend the next few hours or days analysing the photos while most likely Nic and Luke are travelling to a nice sunny spot for a well earned holiday.

To keep us distracted, analysing PR pics and arguing with each other so of course they're going to throw us more random pics and or clips of the adjacents because they know we're waiting and watching and eat that shit up like candy.

Let's be real, we've been conditioned to thrive on drama.

And Nic is a 'shit stirrer'

They know we're watching and waiting. Whatever is going on bts, we know or deeply believe the adjacent stuff is nonsense. But they are obviously navigating some complicated stuff in the background and only in THEIR timing will we see more of the truth.

At the end of the day:

Be true to your beliefs. Yes research, analyse, ask questions, but do not give up hope.

We know what we know and what we saw... That is what's real. Everything else is distraction.

So it seems that one of the Captains of the HMS Lukola has gone on a blocking spree today.

Im confused, concerned and frustrated.

Yes, I was one who has been unceremoniously blocked. I have not done or said anything unkind to or about this person or their blog.

In fact, I very much love their blog, but it seems that because I liked another Captains blog, that was reason enough to block me.

In no way is this meant to offend anyone, but I am just curious why the blocking spree occurred? 

Today's incident has also made me think a little deeper about the fragility of this little corner of the world.

Until today I loved this little corner of the world where I can connect with like minded people and be a part of a community that has an unwavering belief in Lukola despite the mainstream PR narrative and the constant battering from jakolas and other ships trying to tear it down.

However, if the community is so fragile that those of us on the HMS Lukola cannot like different bloggers viewpoints and engage in curious, thoughtful, objective and respectful conversations that get us thinking outside the box about what may or may not be occurring BTS and in public then how are we going to survive?

A huge part of this community and why I joined it and enjoyed it so much is because of the communitys curiosity and depth of belief in Lukola.

The ability of many, Captains and ship-mates alike to unpack what we see publicly, questioning and respectfully challenging the PR narratives, collating crumbs, analysing sm posts, etc and calling out the trolls and blatant bullying behaviour with kindness and respect has kept the ship afloat through many rough waters.

BUT...

if those steering the ship are so reactive and fragile, then trolls and bullies like jakeholes and the red devil become insignificant and do not need to continue throwing stone's when we are tearing down our community from within.

The reactiveness of blocking followers for the simple act of liking other blogs creates a sense of bitterness within the community. As well as a deep troubling sense of sadness that some people in this community feel they have to block followers simply for liking other blogs.

It speaks of a fragility within the Lukola community that I thought had been worked through. 🧐

The ship has weathered many storms, taken hit after hit from other ships and trolls, that I thought had only strengthened the resolve and determination of those that lead the ship.

Captains who have used their blogs to both encourage sooth and reassure the battered and the bruised shipmates.

But when a Captain uses their weapons against the shipmates without warning, without conversation, it makes me question how stable this ship really is and why they feel the ship has to separate into fractions in the first place. Simply because someone's curiosity or broader thinking doesn't align on the same day, in the same moment as anothers is not a justifiable reason to block a bunch of followers.

I thought this ship was built of stronger stuff and that the HMS Lukola encouraged objective, critical thinking and open-mimded conversation as long as it was respectful.

Maybe I was wrong because the reactiveness I've seen today makes me question how truly stable, fair and objective this ship actually is.

And I worry that if we continue being so reactive, tearing each other down from within then eventually (or sooner rather than later) there will be no ship left. Just little lifeboats and dingys afloat in the tumultuous seas of the Lukola fandom, left to fend off the vultures, snakes and sharks and navigate the stormy waters alone.

That thought makes me feel really sad..especially given how much the ship has weathered to date. 😭

I get that we all have bad days, believe me, my life recently been a shit storm filled with unfortunate events piling on top of each other and weighing me down so heavily that some days I can barely breathe let alone be a functional human being. But that doesn't give me the right or justification to be mean, unkind or cruel to the rest of the world, whether that in person or within the shit fest of the internet.

The bigger message

While it may seem that one or two people are trying to protect their space for whatever reason, and they have every right to do so. The bigger picture sends a stronger message to the Lukola community as a whole, that even the act of liking or engaging with different theories about Lukola is completely unacceptable to some of the captains and if you are perceived to not align 100% with that person's views you are going to be pushed off the plank into the shark infested waters without even an opportunity for parley.

Im an individual who likes to question, to analyse, to look at different viewpoints and theories and make up my own mind. I think critical thinking has been essential to stay firmly seated on the HMS Lukola.

I'm 1000% super glued to the viewing deck. But that should not mean I cannot engage with the viewpoints of other Lukola's for the risk of being thrown overboard.

Thats not a community I want to be a part of.

This fandom and Lukola community has been one of the few things that has kept me going through the shitstorm of my life and now it feels like even this is falling apart and that thought breaks my heart.

One of the reasons I started this blog was to have a safe space to ramble about my thoughts and opinions of random shit that happens in my life and of things I see happening in general everyday life that I want to talk about but don't have space to share irl.

I havent really done that very much because...

I've been busy,

I'm a chicken,

I'm shy and introverted and

I'm used to keeping A LOT to myself,

I find it really hard even in the anonymity of a space like this to be truly open.

So I'm taking a chance to be brave with this ramble

Life has felt hard the last few weeks, here's why:

Like many people, my life has been a roller coaster and I've spent most of my adult life working to heal from my fucked-up childhood and create a different life, a better life. And in many ways I have and continue to build a better life, one free of the repeatitive cycle of trauma and abuse that is the highlight reel of my of my life.

Navigating adult life is challenging at the best of times, never mind adding in the complexities of trying to find a way through life with a boatload of psychological and physical trauma. Overall I thought I had been doing pretty good..

Then...Over the last few years I'd hit some pretty big roadblocks, which included a rapid exit from a living arrangement with a very toxic, unhinged narcissist, being in-between jobs and having to find a place to live because my lease expired and other random stuff happened all at the same time... well that was all really stressful and of course added to the fuckery of my life. But with a lot of hard work and determination I managed to sort my life out.. AGAIN. 😪

I got a new job, a place to live etc etc and everything seemed like it was settling down. And then some crazy shit happened with my work...

For the most part I love the work I do, but its fast paced, sometimes high risk and demanding physically, mentally and emotionally. Add to that a toxi work culture with managers who are bullies and narcissistic... well it turned into a recipe for disaster. This storm of bs bought up The Cracken from the ocean floor with my Pandora's box of trauma... stuff that I thought I had negotiated over the years... but oh boy, was I wrong!

Anyways, after spending most of the last 18months dealing with the dregs of my life trauma that unexpectedly and most unwelcome got hauled up from the bottom of the ocean floor, I'd gotten to a much healthier place again.

But my life is never that simple, oh no, the universe likes to keep me on my toes and added in a bunch of health stuff to wade through. A serious concussion, serious dental issues, flare up of an auto-immune disease, to name a few. Yep fine I got through that and was on the road to recovery again and wham, another physical health issue / injury, that again spiralled in to several other physical health events /issues. Lots of medical appointments (expensive), time off work and of course mental distress because ... trauma.

Fml

Trauma is one of those things that even when you think you've dealt with it and you're doing good in your healing journey something random can happen in your life and that trauma brick comes back to hit you in the face again.

Its a nasty little fucker that pops up when you least expect and taunts you.

So that's where my mental health has been the last few weeks.

I've been on and off work with a back injury and nerve damage and my over active brain has been going round in circles, over thinking and over analysing anything and everything. Which has been made worse by being in a lot of physical pain for the last month.

The childhood stuff has come back with a new angle just to keep me sufficiently stressed and distressed.

The thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, of not being enough, being a disappointment, letting people down (work, friends, etc), the challenges physically and emotionally of still having to find a way to function and go to work when I'm feeling like crap because I have bills to pay, responsibilities, to clean the house, cook, maintain the garden etc all feels very overwhelming and at the same time I'm pissed off with myself for being injured and for being distressed about all this crap.

I have amazing friends, but its not healthy or appropriate to share the deepest darkest depths of my trauma with them.

I need to respect their boundaries... and yes I've had these discussions with my friends and while they're supportive. Its not ok to unleash Pandora's box on them. They don't have the skills to help me process that shit and nor should I burden them with that responsibility. thats 100% not ok.

This is stuff that needs to be unpacked with skilled and trained professionals because they are trained to work with trauma.

Giving friends and family the headlines or the gossip reel is fine, but everyone sees and experiences the world differently and for people that have been blessed to not experience such horrific trauma, its totally not ok put that on them because all it does is vicariously traumatise them. That's not safe or healthy imo!

Anyways,

The last few days have been rough, my injury is getting better but its been slow and painful and I've felt weak in lots of different ways.

Emotionally, I've been a bit of a mess; lots of crying, not sleeping, comfort eating, not eating, lots of swirling thoughts, feelings and memories etc.

Like everything else I've been through, the one thing I do know is that I will recover from this and continue my journey of healing from my trauma.

While it sucks when you're in the middle of it, I know that I will come out of this stronger within myself , less hurt and more resilient to take on whatever the universe throws at me next.

Some days its easy and smooth and everything just unfolds with ease. No over analysing, no bumps in the road. These are the days where even if its busy, you still finish the day with a smile and sense of accomplishment.

Other days, its hard to get out of bed and go to work, or have a shower, or do simple things. These are the days when you wake feeling emotionally drained.

Some times they're accompanied by a tornado of thoughts and or memories and everything feels overwhelming, over stimulating... too much.

Life is weird, fk'd up in all its beauty. And taking it one day at a time helps, because eventually you can look back and see the changes, the growth and recognise the hard work and preserveance was worth it to create a different life, better than being stuck in the perpetual cycle of trauma, drama, chaos.

Learning to be kind to myself in my process.

I love their wedding dance.

Im also a little annoyed at how the scene was edited, constantly moving to other characters and focusing on Fran... I think it took away some of the magic of this scene. however they kinda made up for it by giving us the BTS of Lukola rehearsing the dance. And the way he caressed her face, especially during the rehearsal 🥰🔥.

I also really wish they had begun to kiss before the Queen interrupted them.

Such a beautiful Reel to Real moment too.

In both the actual scene and the BTS there is so much thought, energy, emotion being exchanged between the two. The love, the longing, the trust they have in each other, seeing each other not only as friends, but as lovers and partners. Then there's both trepidation with the LW drama, but also a sense faith and assuredness that because they love each other they can work through their challenges.

I think there's also a sadness, especially in Pen, she's finally got the man she has loved forever, but their wedding is tainted with drama because of LW as well as a sense of longing from both of them, not just sexual longing, but longing for the depth of intimacy they both want and need and had a taste of at the beginning of their 'swift' engagement.

I also love how they are completely connected with each other and everything around them melts away.

I can't help but be obsessed with Polin with such fabulous scenes.

Also the ability of N & L to really understand and deconstruct their characters to such depth that they were able to give us these incrediblely nuanced characters.

There are far too many moments that are Polin perfection, but this one, the ball at the end of Ep 3, s3 is one of my favourite emotional moments.

I mean the acting skill from both Luke and Nic to be able to convey so much emotion and thought with almost no actual speech was just incredible.

The longing and yearning from both of them. .Colin is so close to confessing. the first time I watched I was biting my nails and almost in tears... the emotions leapt out of the screen.

The depth of emotion that flashes across Pen's face in this scene, the anticipation, the yearing, the hopefulness, then sheer frustration, disappointment and devastation that Colin can't or won't find the words.

Colin's longing, the fear of rejection, worry of altering their friendship forever, the inner turmoil that he can't speak his truth, the jealousy when Debling interrupts. I think in this scene he also realises his time to confess is limited but his own anxieties and insecurities show through and take over rendering him speechless and then devastated that Pen walks off with Debling and appears to enjoy his company. #Colin my wife Bridgerton

Honestly, their individual and collective acting skills is what makes Polin so fabulous and I don't think it would have hit the same with any other actors playing these roles.

Scenes like this are what keeps me coming back to Bridgerton and Polin and Lukola...

I know this isn't about Lukola, but this scene also shows how well they read and play off each other and the Reel to Real connection. 🤌

I swear I woke up tired.

I don't feel rested or like I had a weekend at all. 😭

Last week was long, busy, chaotic and so was my weekend.

How the heck did I get to Monday (now Monday night) and I still feel knackered and drained! I'm so tired I can actually see the dark bags forming under my eyes, yet woek is so busy that I barely have time to stop and think about it... which is perhaps a good thing because if work wasn't busy I'd likely fall asleep.

Im so tired im not sure which way is up, let Lone what day it is.

Im so tired, my tired is tired lol.

How and why is this what we live for as adults in today's society... to continually and repeatedly exhaust ourselves into such a state that basic functioning feels like too much stimulation too much effort and overwhelming.

The expectations of people to constantly 'perform' are ridiculous, unattainable, unrealistic... and yet, we continue to put ourselves in these positions... often through perceived necessity... but necessity for what or for whom?

Realistically we don't need to live this way to be overwhelmed over stimulated, over stressed over anxious.. yet we do.. to pay our mortgage or rent to pay whatever bills we have, to save or pay off holiday, cars, and other random debt or bills or expenses..

I completely lost where this thought was going... so im going to try and stop thinking and instead try something novel... sleep. Lol

Its been almost a year since S3 was released and I'm still enjoying my favourite couple, Polin and noticing something different every time I watch a scene.

For the theme of the day I love this moment.... the gentle way Colin notices Pen's trepidation and takes her hand is so sweet.

The little moments between Polin speak volumes about their connection, the depth of their friendship, how well they know and understand each other.

Its their foundation of friendship that makes them the best partnership and couple IMO.

This is NOT a place for the fickle minded, undecided, confused or easily led!

Im talking life in general, but also for those who are fans of Bridgerton and or Luke & Niolca.

Honestly, the Bridgerton ride has been a long game from the beginning. For those of us that enjoyed season 1 and hunkered down in anticipation for season 2 and then season 3, and now we eagerly await season 4 with high hopes and expectations.

We know its taken years between seasons, years for fans to develop hyperfixated admiration, joy and expectation for one special couple's relationship to develop.

And yet we still have to contend with the fickle minded, the impatient, the confused and undecided who oscillate like yo-yo's from one side of the ship to the other making the firmly sat shipmates queasy with their ever constant to and fro.

These fickle, confused, undecided seem emotionally immature as they have frequent tantrums and melodramatic meltdowns at those who have spent time and effort analysing, researching and collating crumbs for the rest of us to enjoy. It makes me wonder if they're actually using their brains (if they have brains at all) as their pitiable confused cries get louder when there is another carefully crafted sighting of Luke and or Nicola and their 'acquaintances' in the wild, trying to disrupt the smooth sailing Lukola.

In the last two weeks we've seen:

Lukola together: the beautiful display of love care, affection, adoration at the SAG awards.

Nic at JD's play - stalked by creepy McStalker (who needs to get a life or a psyc assessment and a straight jacket cos that shit is creepy af and not acceptable.)

Luke with 🐜 looking absolutely miserable

Im sure there's more, but these are the ones my tired brain can think of right now.

I've had a couple of shit weeks so im going to be a little petty and say:

Since finding the Lukola ship on tumblr, it has been a little spark of joy to my wearisome days and gives me something to look forward to at the end of endless, long, difficult, draining days at work.

So I really wish the fickle minded would just fuck off!

From what I've seen on other blogs, the realistic, rational, well researched, carefully analysed firmly sat shippers. I have decided that this latest round of carefully crafted PR and pap pics (and creepy McStalker nonsnese) is that they're testing the fandom and hard core shippers to see how many they can they try and coax to leave the ship and or jump to one of the other ships.

It seems that the other ships hit sandbars some time ago and are listlessly being pounded against the rocky shore taking on water, while the shipmates aimlessly try to pail out the water with leaky buckets.

Another words, at the SAG awards many more than just Bridgerton Fans and Lukola shippers witnessed the magnetism, light and love that Lukola have for each other and this has only increased people's awareness of their connection; increasing the spotlight not only on their work but on them individually and as a perceived couple. Furthermore, the SAG awards made it abundantly clear to those with eyes and brains that their connection doesn't even compare to their interactions with their 'acquaintances'.

Like many others have said, the latest PR and pap pics are damage control, illusion, distraction... a test to see how far they can push the fandom and how the fandon will react.

Or as much as the fandom watches them I am 100% certain that they have a team of people watching the fandom. They are smart, well connected, tech savvy and if Nic and or Luke aren't, they have skilled people around them that are.

Whatever 🐜 game is, many have grown tired of it and worked out a pretty solid theory of what may be going on.

Tbh the girl just needs to let go, move on, get her manicured nails dirty and do some hard work to earn whatever perceived industry recognition she thinks she is entitled to. (None, imo because she does not seem to have done Jack shit to earn any recognition and obviously hasn't put in the work to develop her skill or profile). Perhaps her young age prevents her from the life lesson that anything worth having is worth the hard work to achieve said goal, no matter the industry. Or perhaps she just thinks that the world owes her and she is entitled to receive recognition simply for existing. (Grow up and fuck off).

Initially I was annoyed by JD, he carries an energy in pictures and Vids I saw that didn't sit well with me, but I've softened a little. I still don't think he's more than a good friend and perhaps is receiving some industry mentoring and guidance.. people say he has talent. I haven't seen enough of his stuff to comment.

(Of the 4 episodes I've seen of Renegade Nell, I loved Louisa Harland but found JD's character very stereotypical and unoriginal for that type of genre program).

Its clear to me that JD is a friend, nothing more.

So back to my original point:

The fickle, the confused, the undecided and or easily led need to grow up. Stop jumping on every silly little well planned pap pic or nonsense bs from Creepy McStalker, DM or whatever pathetic low-rent gossip rag is posting inconsequential bs about Luke, Nic, JD or A.

Pick a side

Stay on your own ship

Stop being ass-hats and leave the firmly sat Lukola shippers alone.

Lastly, stop being so reactive, fans, shippers, whoever you are, take a breath, get some oxygen into your brain, let those brain cells connect to form realistic, coherent, rational thoughts before running off to abandon ship or throwing slurs at others.

Just because this is the internet, doesn't give anyone the right to behave like ass-hats.

Karma always come back around.

This is a ship that is sailing steadily, however slowly toward the horizon. The firmly sat shipmates cannot be moved unless there is a direct statement from Lukola their teams or a (highly unlikely) pap pic of the two (or 2 plus BN) together.

Now go re watch B1 / B2 and especially B3, or the WT on YouTube or any other interview with Nicola and or Luke or BIG Mood (fkng brilliant in my opinion), or Derry Girls, or listen to the Bridgerton Podcasts or What A Barb podcast or read some fanfictions or a book or go find another fandom if you don't have the heart to find a solid seat on the Lukola.

🚢🎤

Its officially Autumn / Fall in Australia, however the current temperate at almost 4pm In Victoria is an ageverage 34 degrees celcius. Thats 93.2 Fahrenheit.

While its not obnoxiously hot and uncomfortable, I just need to have a little whinge that I'm 1000% over summer and have been longing for some autumn and winter weather since... well since summer began 😁

You see the thing about the weather in Victoria and let's be honest, most of Australia is that its god-forskaken unbearably, ridiculous hot for most of the year.

To me it feels like the ridiculous heat starts usually somewhere around mid October and doesn't end until late March - April, with the odd splattering of more moderate days, im talking 20-25 degrees, and the occasional rainy day. But an average summer day is anywhere between 32 and 48 degrees.

Seriously last week it went from a morning low of like 11 degrees to a high of 38. Wtf? A few weeks earlier it went from a low of 19 to a high of 46. Its insane.

This summer like every summer I have lived in this weird little corner of the world there have been days or what have felt like weeks where the temp soared into the high 40's and didnt drop below 30 overnight for days, making life VERY uncomfortable.

Take the last 3 weeks and the next 10 days average temperature 28-32. 😴😭 not unbearable, but continuously hot.

It just feels like living in a sauna for months and months with no ending. (melodramatic I know, but this is my whinge-fest) 😉

Bring on Winter!

Rain, cool breezes, autumn leaves, coziying up on the couch with a hot drink, a blanket and a good book or netflix and the cat curled up beside me, comfort food - hearty soups and stews, my favourite knitted jumper.

Don't get me wrong, a bit of sunshine is lovely, a nice walk on the beach or even a swim, picnics and BBQ's, etc. but seriously wtf was the universe thinking when it decided that places like Australia would have such ridiculously hot summers, because let's be honest, its fkng crazy making and winter doesnt really get that cold here.

Unless you live close to the mountains or somewhere desert like in the middle of nowhere, even Winters feel rather moderate. .we get like maybe a total of 2 or 3 weeks, where it really feels cold. But Melbourne isn't really cold. Imo.

I feel I must qualify my whinge-fest by clarify that im not a native of Melbourne or Victoria.

I grew up in the South Island of New Zealand where summers for the most part were moderate and beautiful and enjoyable and Winter was fucking cold. Not Canada or Minnesota or Iceland cold, but cold. Its close to the Antarctic, so the icy southerly wind could rattle your bones, the snow in the cities and on the Southern Alps is a beautiful sight and snowflakes falling and blanketing the streets in white is a magical thing to watch.

I've lived in Australia a long time and have still not been able to acclimatise to the insanely ridiculous, unbearable hot and unable to function and imo fucking horrible summer heat.

So bring on Winter!