i got the coolest mushroom tea + lemonade idk what its going to taste like i have no idea what kind of tea it is im going to be honest i bought it solely for its great packaging it looks so cool

Opinion on Ral Zarek now being an Otter in both meanings of the word?

rant time i talked about this on Twitter a bit yesterday but it's so fucking stupid. like it's kinda cute that Bloomburrow has the kingdom hearts lion king world "if you go here you're an animal while you're here" thing, but also the only thing we were really told about Bloomburrow leading up to it was "there will be no humans on the plane". so we're all like oh shit, cool, sounds like it's gonna be its own unique thing without a bunch of Dudes You Know in it since there's no humans in it, right? we can finally escape the cycle of banal, tropey sets that are mostly just "Characters From Magic's History Dress Up In Costumes" (MKM, Cowpokez, NEO, Capenna) but nope. of course not. if you planeswalk/omenpath to bloomburrow, you turn into a furry! now watch them sell secret lair packs of fur-tfed planeswalkers, because of course every set needs to be a vehicle for a bunch of stupid gimmicky Products™️ they can sell to gamers with extremely loose wallets

oh, yeah, and alongside this announcement was that they're cutting off printing of portuguese cards. it's not the Biggest deal since I've heard firsthand in non-English speaking countries that they usually just end up using the English cards anyways (gee I wonder if this has anything to do with the globalization of American culture lol no problems there). but they only decided to cut off the printing of portuguese (and simplified chinese) cards because they're facing a 2% drop in profits this year... because of all the stupid royalty fees they're paying on their dumbass Universes Beyond crossover bullshit lol

i've loved Magic since i started playing in high school, but as of late that love has been waning a good bit. the game is so bogged down by corporate product shilling bullshit. every card needs 900 alternate arts. 900 alternate borders. every set needs a hideous alternate card treatment. every set needs 56 different kinds of booster packs. no more Block-format releases, no more core sets, just products, products, products, products.

i used to be a big fan of Commander/EDH, but ever since it really caught on and Wizards/Hasbro decided "well, this is the most popular gamemode, we now need to design the entire game around it" and it kinda completely ruined commander imo. what was once a gamemode about running weird, niche interactions and building something with a unique flavor or playstyle now boils down to "well, just pick one of the 92849634796782435678 legendary creatures they've been printing for the past few years and run all these extremely pushed commander staples they keep printing" and it just ain't fun anymore. gotta sit down at the table and look at entire Doctor Who decks and Transformers cards and Tomb Raider cards and etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc. Commander tables are just fucking billboards now lmao

it's very clear WOTC/Hasbro has no idea what to do now that they did the Giant Multiverse-Ending Threat of the Phyrexians in All Will Be One. much like the marvel movie franchise which MTG has been so emulating for years now (AND HAS EVEN SIGNED A FUCKING CROSSOVER DEAL WITH AS OF LAST YEAR, SEE YOU IN 2025 THANOS COMMANDER DECK), we're at the period where they're just throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks, twiddling their thumbs with these boring, tropey sets, all the while drowning players in a deluge of alternate arts, secret lairs, crossovers, etc. a common complaint among magic's playerbase is that nowadays they're literally selling too much shit. preview/teasers season for one set will immediately be followed by previews and teasers for another set. there's no time for anything to breathe it's just buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy buy.

anyways stop giving hasbro money, print proxies and play magic for free :)

hi uh I was wondering if you could maybe write an Indian reader x Bakugou? Indian weddings are a lot different than American ones, and I just think it would be really cute to see him get along with relatives of a different culture maybe, like him in Indian clothes, eating Indian food ( I know he likes spicy food so that’s up his alley) and maybe even learning a certain language too. I speak Tamil, but the majority of India speaks Hindi so that would be cool too :D

[ Sounds good. I hope I did your request justice my dear, Queen Piranhadon. ]

It was an honor to meet Katsuki Bakugou, otherwise known as "Ground Zero", during your family's brief stay in Japan. The intricately woven designs embedded in the fabric of your vibrant and colorful outfit immediately caught his attention. "Tch and just what the hell are you supposed to be?" He demanded, not realizing the cultural difference between the two of you.

When you tell Katsuki about your culture, traditions, and home life, he wears a scowl the whole time. Yet, he does acknowledge that participation in the celebrations you mentioned would be interesting if only to boost his ratings.

"Eh? What's the matter?! What's with those damn looks!?" Your family initially feels intimidated by him, which is understandable given his personality. Even so, they are friendly and compliment him for his strong-willed nature.

Food wasn't necessarily one of his guilty pleasures, and he usually didn't compliment anyone, but the flavor combination of Indian food and spices like cumin, turmeric, and red chili powder had his tongue dancing. Yes, he enjoyed spicy food and began visiting your family frequently for more delicious home-cooked meals.

"What the hell kind of language is this!?" he snapped, quickly growing frustrated as you tried to teach him some basic phrases in Hindi. Despite his frustration, he enjoyed learning new things because he had the heart of an academic student beneath his tough exterior.

Despite your cultural differences, Katsuki was protective of you whenever you faced discrimination or prejudice because of your background and made sure to shut whoever up quickly. Usually, this was done with his fists.

"Don't laugh, dumbass!" He demanded. It never occurred to him that your family would make him a traditional outfit from your culture. You were delighted to see him dressed in a maroon kurta, a vibrant nehru jacket over the kurta, white churidar pants, and golden jutti shoes.

While he wasn't known for his humor, he appreciated that the two of you could joke about your cultural differences, such as how greetings in Indian culture usually mean a hug or a firm handshake, while greetings in Japanese culture usually refrained from touching each other.

"Oh, don't act so damn surprised dumbass..." Although he knew you'd have to return to your own life, he didn't want to leave your side. So instead, he surprised you on the day of your departure and informed you that he was also going to your home country, and there was no room for arguments.

Tanna Talk: This Week in the Rogue Trader (Video Game) AO3 fandom (March 24- 30 2024)

"Oh, yes, a dance was never just a dance. It was also a display of the soul. It was love, and war, and didn’t they say that all was fair in love and war ?" - Tapestry of Fate, Ch. 34.

Lots of new plot bunnies this week in the trenches. Anyway, this is user aylinvail reporting to you live over vox caster from the Starseeker Bridge.

Cool new fics

Maybe the fic did something new. Maybe it innovated. Maybe it's an entirely new concept we haven't seen yet. A non-comprehensive list.

Two sides of the same Aquila - An AU where the Warrant of Trade is held by two most incompatible individuals in the Koronus Expanse. A series of pivotal moments of their relationship where they need to learn to share the power, space and an Interrogator in order to make it out alive. BOY THAT IS FRESH @vitanithepure.

Eliminate - A fic about Epitaph and Calcazar telling Heinrix to kill you. Told in 500 brilliant bittersweet words. @pycnolite's masterclass in how to keep it short and sweet.

Omega von Valancius - OMG @pallysuune has finally brought us the first A/B/O RT fic. As an omega, Violet von Valancius wasn't fit to be the Rogue Trader, and everyone around her seemed to know it too. But no one was more vocal about it than her so-called-peer. Can her actions ever earn his respect, or will she forever be lesser in his eyes?

The First Engagement - I know, I know, but listen. Have you seen a Lord Captain Heinrix x Interrogator RT yet? No. Fits here. Anyway, if you wanted to see what Heinrix is like as a jackass who "summers" in Janus, here ya go.

Who updated?

Here are the longfics that updated this week.

Starseeker - Heinrix/RT intrigue rewrite of game events with Kunrad-related canon divergence. And a shoujo romance.

gossamer of starlight - RT/Yrliet. Yrliet watches her elantach's dynasty fall apart in slow motion. Non chronological.

Predator & Prey - RT/Marazhai. Aurelia von Valancius has a secret. Marazhai Aezyrraesh has a craving. They're perfectly matched opposites, so long as as they can overcome their differences.

Theatre of Hearts - RT/Nocturne of Oblivion arranged marriage. And from what I hear, getting really cultural difference-flavor of interesting.

Much ado about the Lord Captain - A Comedy of Terrors - RT/Heinrix. A retelling of Rogue Trader with tons of pining. A forest of pine trees. And smut.

Immortalium - RT/Heinrix. NEW! From @cawyden-gaming. The story follows Venria von Valancius on her journey of coming to terms with her past and present.

Iron Maidens - Multiship. An Iron Widow x Rogue Trader crossover.

Omnissiah Forgive Me - RT/Pasqal. Pasqal Haneumann owes his life to the Lord Captain, Kassard. When he joined the Lord Captain's retinue, Pasqal found he had got more than he had bargained for. For the Lord Captain was enough for Pasqal's faith to be shaken to its core.

My Knight So Daring - An Imperial Knight!Heinrix x noble!RogueTrader arranged marriage AU. And from what I hear, getting really hot.

Into Temptation - RT/Marazhai/Heinrix. Former Ministorum Priest now Rogue Trader Cassius Von Valancius must contend with his heretical desires for Marazhai. Matters become even more complicated as his feelings for Heinrix Van Calox deepen.

Edge of Daybreak Unbroken - RT/Heinrix. Heretic Rogue Trader gets brought back to the start of the game. Time travel shenanigans ensue.

Once we were - RT/Heinrix. A story following the events of the game, in which Imogene von Valancius allied her dynasty with Xavier Calcazar and brought peace and prosperity to the Koronus Expanse. But neither last long, and the line between hero and heretic is always blurred.

Domino Effect - Multi. Betrayal is terrible. It never comes from one's foes. But instead from those closest. It comes from a place of safety. Of love.

Addendums

they go here. for in case there are late night updates. im out of spoons bros.

@winkingvoid said: 

femmes can be venomous; i'm glad folks are finally talking about it more. it's gotten so harmful how much it's tainted the public queer/trans narrative it's still somewhat rare to see any non-femmes represented for more than a token I'd like to think times will change for the better <3

i mean. just to be clear my issue is not with people who consider themselves "femmes" (who, in my experience, are shitty in exactly the same numbers as people who consider themselves any other flavor of gender. some people are just shitty)

it's with the weird seesaw thing that continues to happen in queer/trans cultural spaces - having been out for almost 25 years i've seen it rock back & forth multiple times - where different gender groups go through periods of feeling underrepresented or unfairly treated within their communities & there's usually a big push for "centering" and "uplifting voices" then a period where that's like. the only people it's cool to hear from or talk about. followed usually by a backlash & a swing in the other direction! femmes vs. butches/mascs, trans men vs. trans women, etc. it's exhausting. & it's not as though it's not a real thing happening or like people don't have real reasons to be upset about who's "represented" or has social power, it's just that it's a miserable repeating cycle rather than a real examination of power dynamics with any nuance.

also imo it very rarely maps onto whatever's going on in mainstream culture/media with regard to queer & trans people. like it's always been hilarious to me that the standby is "butch lesbians are the cultural stereotype so we need femme lesbians in movies/tv/etc." but if i asked you to point to an actual butch on a big screen, lmfao. or the thing where most trans-focused mainstream media is still only ever about trans women, but in actual queer/trans spaces & orgs it's often heavily skewed towards trans men & transmasc folks now (which is a change that i also saw juuuust begin to happen in the mid-to-late 00s). ofc "representation" & "visibility" are double edged too & don't make people safe.

anyway as an extremely agender person who still can't escape getting shoved to one side by cis & trans people alike, i would love to see this shit even out eventually & i would love even more for people to just let go of the whole "war of the sexes" divisive nonsense, we literally do not have to reproduce that cishet dynamic in a "progressive" way :')

HIPSTER KENMA PART 2 WHEN PLEASEEEEE IM OBSESSED

nonni all caps ?? for hipster kenma ?? i thought this idea was an incredibly niche thing in my odd brain which would legit get like zero interaction, i straight up wrote it mostly for myself, so this is a v pleasant surprise (Ｔ▽Ｔ) also, this got longer than expected, but since you requested it with such enthusiasm, i wanted to add in a little extra detail as a treat for you ♡

+ hipster ! kenma . pt. 2 .

(+ part 1 ⇢)

+ hipster ! kenma who feeds his hairless sphynx cat gluten-free food, because he wouldn’t feed his cat a certain diet that he isn’t also on himself

+ hipster ! kenma who thinks much of the fashion industry’s antics are ridiculous for being so overpriced (and that some of their practices can be harmful to the environment), but will drop $375 bucks at a carefully curated, high-end, second-hand designer fashion shop in the arts district on a fresh pair of black jeans, ones that already come pre-ripped and are conveniently labeled as having a 'distressed' look. so edgy. clearly, who needs logical pricing when you can pay a premium to look like you've been through a barbed wire fence? + hipster ! kenma dislikes coffee, because not only is it so acidic on the PH scale, the entire culture surrounding the popular brew (–and yes, he really did call coffee, “the popular brew” when explaining this to you) is so aggressive in prevalent society, as it seemingly promotes an inherent overly capitalist mindset that is so patriarchal. instead, he opts for ~matcha with lion’s mane extract~ for better concentration and whenever he needs a pick-me-up. besides, he prefers things being more chill and calm anyway, and coffee makes him feel too jittery and whacked out + hipster ! kenma doesn’t actually have the best grasp on crypto or stock trading, but from believing and claiming he did, got yaku involved in also investing in that one reddit gamestop stock with him. unfortunately, due to a bad call of not pulling the shares out in time, they lost a considerable amount of money. L. but as short-tempered as yaku used to be, he’s mellowed-out in his older years and only blames himself in the end for even listening to hipster kenma in the first place. anyway it’s cool–when yaku came to visit town from russia, he got taken out by hipster kenma for an evening of partying, all drinks and party drugs on him, as a sort of apology for the risky financial loss—the night ended with the both of them on the floor crying together from reminiscing about past memories and ‘the good ole days’, sheesh + hipster ! kenma who sometimes seems like he hates you, but gets a bit of a kick out of you bringing it up, because whenever you do, he gets to playfully remind you he’s just in resting mode or deep in thought by making the same joke every time, “that’s just my cunty cat face” + hipster ! kenma who is prone to getting some pretty gnarly anxiety at times, so he takes these 15mg edible marijuana gummies to chill himself out. his favorite flavor of THC gummy bear from the packet you gifted him, and which he now regularly takes, is salted caramel and dark chocolate + hipster ! kenma will drag you to see an arthouse docufilm about the music history of video games with modular synthesizers, etc. at this little blackbox theater, complaining that those big blockbuster movie chains are ripping you off by charging way too much for mainstream crap, but then he proceeds to overpay for an overpriced, organic, effervescent, raw kombucha drink once you arrive at the little indie theater (he definitely thinks buying soda at the movie theater is beneath him, “the way i see it, if you want a soda at least make it, like, an actual appropriate setting, go to a carnival and have it with a corn dog.”)

+ hipster ! kenma loves street food. will take you to the local art walk/night market festivals once a month, fascinated by tasting all the different street food vendors and scoping out the community art scene, he’ll even end up treating you with a tasty treat every time from one of the booths. although he doesn’t particularly love overly sweet things, he will especially eat any sweetly-glazed savory snack that comes on a stick. one thing about him that you’ve come to appreciate though is that he doesn’t just gobble down his food, no, hipster kenma actually enjoys taking the time to savor what he consumes while giving insightful commentary on the food’s flavoring, etc. + hipster ! kenma who DIYs…many things, because he figures, let’s be honest, other people can’t be relied upon to make things correctly, not by his standards. especially when it comes to his computer, which of course he built himself: it has a fully transparent case so you can see right through to the whole display of all dazzling gear and deco inside of it, and in his words it had to be, “a state of the art custom loop with full liquid cooling”. you admit the inner flashing lights are pretty and the computer is definitely so decked out, that it's for sure one of the coolest things you’ve ever seen.

+ hipster ! kenma kinda has this weird thing that if he didn’t think of a cool idea for his twitch stream first after seeing it from another popular streamer, then he acts like it’s kinda inherently stupid, mentions how blasé it is to you and his friends, even if deep down he does find the idea interesting or appealing and probably, most definitely, would’ve adopted it himself 

+ hipster ! kenma who can oftentimes hold the belief that adopting a cynical and pessimistic outlook on life makes one more intelligent and analytical, even more sophisticated or enhances his overall cleverness of mind, sad + hipster ! kenma is hot. okay. in such an understated way, which all the more makes him hotter, though he’s not fully aware of his own appeal, or perhaps only mildly—actually attracts a fair amount of bitches when he goes out to the dive bars or local music shows, ones who aren’t intimidated by his sort of mysterious appearance or superior demeanor which is bound to come off a little pretentious, but in truth, he’s actually a bit insecure and shy about being approached so often and therefore tends to stay pretty silent when that happens, unsure of how to fully deal/cope with someone who is being so direct about their interest in him. ultimately prefers the slow get-to-know-you burn when it comes to any romance: a friends first, lovers later kind of thing + hipster ! kenma is incredibly observant, especially in social situations and mostly prefers to just take everything in, only speaking when he has something truly poignant to say … or when an opportunity strikes to completely, calmly, eviscerate someone’s inane or ignorant opinion, delivering a point so smooth, he’ll crush their shitty take all in a such a demure, cool, collected and resolute manner to the point where the dumbass person in question doesn’t even know they’ve been schooled and insulted by him until the roar of jeers and laughter from the surrounding crowd are heckling the unbeknownst fool, sick burn hipster kenma + hipster ! kenma only dares to wear brighter colors when at the beach and the item of clothing is a hoodie (proclaims it’s a light and breathable one though sooo he’s not sure what everyone is making such a fuss over when you, hinata, kuroo and the rest of your beach crew kick up some sand towards him while chiming in unison to urge him to, “take it off! we’re by the ocean, bruh!”) – the brightest colors of those hoodies ever worn at the beach are either a pale mustard, burnt amber, or white with possible cool textile designs. not only that, but he’ll stick to the shade beneath the large beach parasol playing on his nintendo switch, because listen, he isn’t about to get skin cancer on account of the toxic chemicals they put in sunscreen these days just so he can catch some rays (which of course, the sun could also give one cancer) + hipster ! kenma has these annoyingly long pretty dark lashes which are framed so nicely by his non-prescription clear frame glasses, and every so often you will playfully grumble to him about how unfair that is, since he’s a boy and doesn’t even care that he’s got them, then proceed to joke by asking him to give you some of those lashes since he doesn’t in fact need all of them for looks. he’ll respond by lightly chuckling and referencing that one Clockwork Orange film scene where the main character’s eyes are forced to remain horrifically clamped open, slyly suggesting, “if you can manage to get me in a position like that, then and only then, can you have them” but don’t bother, he continues, because you’ll never get past him~~ + hipster ! kenma who, no matter what he seems like on the surface, you know in the end that he’s undeniably ride or die for his friends, 10/10 will always always have their back, willingly giving them a hand without making a big deal of it + hipster ! kenma shelled out quite a hefty price on his ‘Beats by Dre’ headphones, even though as a self-proclaimed audiophile he knows they’re nowhere near being the best on the market, only bought them for the clout, and walks around town wearing them or for his twitch streams + hipster ! kenma secretly cries to bon iver, sufjan stevens, james blake, ryuichi sakamoto, erykah badu, nick cave and portishead when he’s alone + hipster ! kenma watches a looot of documentaries 

+ hipster ! kenma owns this cat shirt ↴ doesn’t wear it out in public though, only to bed, and has had it so long it’s already starting to fray at the sleeves and shoulder's seams:

+link2masterlist.

So, I have a lot of thoughts about Calyrex's relationship with Glastrier and/or Spectrier. Let's see if I can get them all down in one coherent post-

So off the bat, I have to say that their concept is really cool. The whole cavalry theme aside, there's definitely the big Wild Hunt motif at play. Interpretations of the Wild Hunt's legend vary by culture, but in one version (the Britain one??), King Arthur is the leader of it and it's more so emphasized as being a faery event than of ghosts or demons. Considering how Calyrex is viewed as a king and has heavy fae vibes, I'm sure it's all intentional.

Onto the main topic: their relationship itself as its depicted in-game. The story doesn't go TOO in-depth with the beginning, but it's at least implied that Calyrex subdued the horse the first time for the sake of Freezington's villagers. Since, the horse stampeded there and devoured their crops because it could. "Strength" is the only language the horse seemingly speaks, as Calyrex won its respect & loyalty just by overcoming it in battle.

Naturally, that's further proven to be the case since they literally ditch Calyrex once he loses too much power from the peoples' loss of faith. I guess the horse's loyalty is VERY shallow and superficial then? Which is funny. They did portray Glastrier/Spectrier as being arrogant and belligerent in nature throughout the story; calling them bullies n' such.

But, there's something real interesting about mounting and controlling something (or someone) you can assumedly understand & communicate with. That's like if you took a friend or acquaintance and started treating them like...a horse. Obviously that's pretty dehumanizing, but it takes a different shape for Calyrex and the horse(s). I'm sure they're genuinely intelligent, but they are still pokemon - a "beast". Meanwhile, I portray Calyrex as a fae, and it's 1000% in his nature to treat someone else as being beneath him - no matter how polite he might seem. He definitely has the condescending flavor of benevolence.

Calyrex treats Glastrier / Spectrier well sure, but he is the master and they are the loyal steed. There's a clear power dynamic at play between the two of them. Even more so, there are some things in-game that support the idea Calyrex can literally manipulate the horse's mind. He does have to keep their loyalty, but where does genuine loyalty stop and the bewitching spell-esque nature of the Reins of Unity begin?

Some might say there's some slavery vibes present, rightfully so, and others might say it's a symbiotic relationship. There's other details in canon that support the latter too, because their "fusion" empowers both Calyrex and the horse to new heights. They're strongest together instead of seperate. There's also the fact that their "fusion" is only possible thanks to a human weaving the Reins too, and by doing that, Galar as a whole gets a strong protector and entity who can cause plantlife to grow en masse.

So, I guess it depends on how you choose to interpret it all. Regardless, never forget that the horse can just up and leave Calyrex in the dust if they think he's a loser because he's gotten too weak lol F to the short king-

National Pancake Day

A day so nice they made it twice — September 26 is the year’s second National Pancake Day! Get those hotcakes on the griddle, it’s time to prepare some pancakes! Pancakes are an old staple, dating back to Ancient Greece. Since then, many varieties have been created across the globe. In Britain, France, and other parts of Europe, their pancakes (or crepes) are thin and often served with a sweet or savory filling. In Indonesia they consume pancakes known as “serabi”, which are made with rice flour and coconut milk. In Uganda pancakes are made with bananas. These are just a few of the many different variations across the globe. All are delicious and worth celebrating on National Pancake Day! Whichever style of pancake you prefer, get ready to enjoy a stack of them on September 26!

WHEN IS NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY?

National Pancake Day occurs twice a year, and the National Pancake Day on September 26th is actually the second iteration of the holiday.

Of course, IHOP’s National Pancake Day is more than just an excuse to fill up on the floury treats—IHOP also partners with a number of charities that help children battling critical illness, with donations on the day going straight to the charity of your choice.

National Pancake Day Activities

Get cookin’!

Pancakes for dinner!

Make pancake art

It may seem obvious but there's no better way to celebrate National Pancake Day than to whip up some pancakes (and lots of 'em). You can make fluffy pancakes, crepes, sweet or savory flapjacks, or try a new recipe. You can make them with your friends or your kids. No matter what pancakes you choose to make, have fun and enjoy a large stack of them!

If you’ve never had breakfast for dinner, specifically pancakes, you are missing out! Celebrate National Pancake day by whipping some up for your evening meal. Typical sweet pancakes are great for dinner when paired with bacon, sausage, and eggs, but savory pancakes are great for an evening meal too! Get creative and make the perfect pancake dinner!

Pancake art has become a trendy lately with creative minds like Nathan Shields posting their fun flapjacks on YouTube. It may take a few tries, but you can make cool pancake art too! There are tutorials online on how to get it just right, but it involves adding batter to the pan at different places and at different times (thus the color difference throughout). You can divide up your batter and add food coloring to each to make your pancake art colorful if you like! Oh, and don’t forget to make your pancake art in mirror image so when you flip it over it’s facing the correct way. It may sound a little tricky but it’s so much fun!

Why We Love National Pancake Day

There are many different types of pancakes

Pancakes are versatile

They make us happy

With so much variety in the pancake world, there are endless ways to enjoy these flavorful flapjacks. Some are thin and some are fluffy. Some are made with fruit and some are made with vegetables. Some are sweet and some are savory. Every country or region seems to have their own take on pancakes and they are loved in every culture. With so many varieties, there are endless options to keep breakfast (or any meal) new, delicious, and exciting!

While pancakes are generally seen as a breakfast food, they don’t have to be! Pancakes are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert! Breakfast for dinner is always a delicious idea, but you can have them any time of day! Indulge with pancakes for dessert with fruit, chocolate, whipped cream, and more! There’s no limit to when and how you can enjoy your pancakes and that’s one thing we love about them!

There’s no denying that pancakes are a comforting food that make us feel good. We enjoy them as children and adults and they are a beloved staple in many culture. The smell of them alone can make us feel content, reminding us of lazy Saturday mornings waking up to a pancake breakfast and a hug from mom. It’s a happy food, and happy food makes for happy tummies!

Source

Okay after marinating on it (no pun intended) for a few days my (perfectly subjective) opinion of The Menu (2022) is this:

Things I liked: The strongest element of the writing imo is that there is a proper story happening alongside the social themes. A lot of contemporary screenwriting seems to be under the impression that political/social commentary needs to be written as like a 1:1 allegory, which is totally cool when done well, but with less-than-stellar writing it tends to come across as kinda hokey. The Menu does a good job imo of putting together an interesting story without using the social allegory as a crutch to get from Point A to Point B. Like if you were kept on an island you couldn't leave to serve the extremely wealthy who don't appreciate what it does to you, you'd probably snap too. It's easy to understand why all the characters make the choices they do beyond the writing being "this character represents [X] and therefore they need to do this to make the allegory work". More contemporary screenwriters should try to approach allegory from this direction!

Things I did not like: It's sooo obvious that the writers have a background in writing for late night talkshows. While a lot of the humor is pretty strong, some of the jokes just don't land the way I would have liked. What is or isn't "funny" is a pretty subjective standard so I get that not everything will appeal to everyone, but there is a certain particular Flavor of neoliberal late night humor that just makes me roll my eyes. Like basically just boiling some shitty cultural thing down to "Isn't that annoying? That's just the way things are though". Sometimes the horrible things about living in America are more than just "annoying"!! This is turning into a tangent but the residual late night talkshow flavor of the writing was a little irritating and distracting.

There was also something about the overall Style of the film that felt a little more like trying to be like other movies than its own thing. Like there were only a couple moments that I felt were too much like this, so I'll chalk it up to tv writers/director still figuring out how they want their feature film work to differ, but I definitely felt like I wanted it to be More than it was in certain respects. Like as beautifully shot as it was, there's a difference between being a Yorgos Lanthimos Ari Aster-like, and having its own direction inspired by those kinds of movies.

I'm gonna wrap this up cuz I'm talking in circles but that's the gist I thought it was pretty good but I wish it was better check it out

Ok, now I’m starting to think we’re following the same twitter circles because I saw that yesterday too! ✋😂 Definitely gave me pause to see Scara on there when he’s such a goddamn BRAT, which I admittedly do like but that doesn’t make for much of a daddy. Xiao didn’t belong on there either, you’re right, and at this point I’m genuinely convinced your average twitter user doesn’t understand the actual meaning of any word ever, because the gross misusage is legit out of control over there. I’ve long since given up the discourse lifestyle (or so I tell myself cmdkxmse) but some of the stuff I see truly tests my patience for fandom culture nonsense, as well as my self control to keep my mouth shut 😂

The bizarre obsession they have with “minor coded” characters is absolutely one of those things - for example, did you know that there were people trying to insist both Layla AND professor Faruzan are children? Truly, I wish you could’ve seen my face. 😭 Venti is easily the worst offense tho, I’m right there with you on that. It just doesn’t make sense from any perspective but honestly they probably deserve a medal for all the mental gymnastics they had to do to reach that asinine conclusion. He’s just as much of an old man as Zhongli is. His line at the end of the wine festival about feeling like some kind of grandpa should’ve been proof enough of that. lmao

((Zhongli IS my favorite Archon at least partially because he’s dad, daddy and grandpa all rolled into one 😂 but Venti fits the bill too, just in a different flavor. I’m low key convinced there’s some kind of correlation between that and the fact they’re the last remaining two of the original seven buuut I digress))

I like Nahida a lot too, she ended up being way more likable and charming than I originally thought she’d be but yeah, I’m SO ready to move on and delve deeper into the Deshret mystery instead. 👀 Somehow or another there are people who seem to have actually fallen for Al-Haitham’s bio insisting he’s the most normal, plain and unremarkable person to ever walk Teyvat and they’re starting to give up on the their theories but … if anything I think that just made him look all the more suspicious. lol Normal individuals don’t typically have to go out of their way to ensure they continue to appear normal. It’s very … Yoshikage Kira of him. 😂😂😂 Even if he’s not connected to Deshret (unlikely imo, given Cyno and the priest) I’d say he’s still got something going on behind the scenes and I can’t wait to find out what it is. Frankly tho I’m just so eager to go back to the desert again. It’s easily my favorite area in the game so far and also the Golden Slumber quest was just 10 out of fucking 10 imo. I need to know everything, see everything, experience everything. I also miss Dehya … a LOT. *sniffle* What do I have to do to have her top me? 😭

i follow almost nobody on twitter who posts like actual non-art things but the algorithm does like to show me discourse and lore posts (which . . . ok i won't complain about the second but the FIRST)....

GOD he was so . . . he was so grandpa in the whole of the wine event, i love him so much. he is so fun and lovely and also so melancholy at the same time. venti my beloved.

THE CONSTANT INSISTENCE THAT ALHAITHAM IS JUST A NORMAL NORMAL GUY DOING NORMAL NORMAL THINGS IS THE MOST SUSPECT THING ABOUT HIM. please. i don't like the desert very much (i hate the underground and i liked the first half of the desert quest but i am just avoiding doing the second because it's much less fun with less npcs to hang out with), but hopefully the apparently qol update we're getting that tells you the difference between underground and overground teleports will help there! mondstadt is my favourite region followed by inazuma (though the inazuma archon quest . . . oof). i am however extremely excited about SANDWORMS. i just think they will be cool!

Finally got around to my 2022 book recs list. I read 55 books last year, which is fantastic considering grad school and all that stalled my fun reading for a long time. Obviously I read The Locked Tomb series and I think you should too. Other than that, it's almost all manga and romances on this list. That was my escapism vibe last year, but it's also what the readers in my library enjoy so it's what I'm happy to keep up with.

In vaguely the order I read them, last year's faves are:

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories--I read the entire Folk of the Air series over December/January and it's all great but this novella was my favorite. Holly Black continues to be the best at fairies. I loved how the two characters in the central romance are desperately feral in their own way. This one will make little to no sense without the context of the whole series, and so I reccomend the whole series. It's about an angry human girl who grows up in Fairyland, the dilettante fairy prince who hates her, and all the amoral fairy intrigue and violence that being part of a high court entails.

In the Dream House--I don't normally read memoirs but this has such an intriguing cover. I didn't expect to be taken for a ride through deep feelings about queerness, gender, latinidad, trauma, historiography, relationships, and just like, being a person who occupies space. It's about the author's abusive relationship, yes, but also it's poetically and ruthlessly about her as an entire person.

Alexis Hall--not a book but a rather prolific romance author. Mostly mlm romances, but he runs the gamut in terms of genre and content. I particularly enjoyed Pansies, where a guy goes back to his small hometown after recently coming out and ends up falling for and trying to make amends to the kid he bullied a bit in high-school. How to Bang a Billionaire looks like it's meant to be a Fifty Shades ripoff but its actually really good BDSM with a sub who's knowledgeable and just having a fun time, but the dom has some heavy trauma that I don't know everyone would be down for so heads up. He also has a couple novels that have become very popular recently, so I expect we'll be seeing him a lot. Overall, I appreciate that all of his protags have way more going on than just the relationship, but also the relationships do have genuine chemistry.

Boys Run the Riot--a short manga series about a Trans high-schooler who wants to start a streetwear brand with his friends. It brings up different aspects of queerness and queer culture in Japan, which is really cool.

From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler--my husband gifted me a copy because it's one of my favorite childhood books and I'm so happy to say it still holds up even a good sixty years later. A girl convinces her brother to run away to the Met and they become caught up in a mystery surrounding a recent acquisition. The kids are smart as heck but still very much kids and E.L. Konigsburg's writing style has always felt very cozy to me.

Totsukuni no Shoujo/The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil a Rún-- we've established I enjoy fairytales where the fae get to be properly monstrous. This is another manga series, this time about a little girl in a cursed forest who is taken in by a creature she calls "Teacher". He tries to care for her and keep her from becoming cursed herself. Charming, a little spooky, a little sad, and very gorgeous.

Perfect World--a manga series where an able-bodied interior designer reconnects with an architect childhood friend who is now disabled and uses a wheelchair; they fall in love, work together to create accesibly designed buildings, and navigate both his specific disability and being disabled in Japanese society at large. A ton of research obviously went into this series, but more importantly a lot of heart.

Wherever is Your Heart-- novella. Anita Kelly writes some good-ass queer romance of all flavors but this one is particularly noteworthy in being butch4butch and having protagonists in their late forties. It's fairly short and sweet, but you don't need much more than that to enjoy it when June finally works up the courage to ask the bartender at her favorite bar on a date.

And the best book I read in 2022:

House of Leaves-- so this is a book about a guy transcribing an academic work written by different guy about a documentary filmed by another guy about moving into a house with his family. It's also about narratives within narratives, the relationship between reading and the reader, and the relationship between the storyteller and the story. It’s a love letter to academic analysis and a scathing critique of academic analysis. It's actual posmodernism. It's a damn good horror novel. It's an experience. It's a book that 100% could never work as anything other than a book. People will tell you it's a hard read but it's not! You just have to engage with it and think about it a little. Read it! It's great!

Going off a few of your earlier questions, what's your general take on localization? How do you think localization should be handled when a severe cultural difference comes up in the script? Also, do you think game localizers should opt for what River City Girls Zero did in offering a more literal translation of the script alongside a more localized version?

A "Literal vs. Casual" translation option is pretty smart. I didn't know River City Girls Zero did that. One of the leads of River City Girls had a weird interaction on twitter and then nuked their account over it, which looked suspicious as hell to me so I kind of shut off my interest for that game series.

To me, localization is about taking material from one culture and getting it to make sense for another culture. While you should preserve the original culture to some extent (since that's part of the source material's identity) you need to make sure it's not overwhelming or alienating to the target culture, too.

If you are localizing to maintain the language structure of the source material, you're doing it wrong. If you're localizing and have to put subtitle notes explaining jokes or references, you're doing it wrong. Maintain the flavor and maintain the identity but otherwise make the viewing experience as seamless as humanly possible. Translate the intent, not the exact words.

I think people who favor literal translations get all bent out of shape about the word "intent" because it's a fuzzy definition and can create a slippery slope. To that I say: most writers probably aren't as precious about their choice of words as literal translators are. I have written over 7500 posts for this blog, literally millions of words, probably even billions, and I would say that less than 1% of everything I've ever written was me slowly choosing my words with care. It usually doesn't matter that much. It can, sure, but only a very small percentage of the time. It's okay to exercise some wiggle room and use some artistic license. It won't be the end of the world.

How do you think bad anime dubs even happen? Because somebody licenses the show, rewrites the scripts, asks the original production studio "is this okay?" and the studio just shrugs and goes "yeah whatever." They don't care as much as you think they do.

And then you'd hit situations like Ghost Stories where the original scripts were damaged, lost, or otherwise deemed unusable, so the studio went "Eh, just make something up."

A lot of literal translators nowadays seem to be carrying a torch from the days of anime and game translations that don't really exist very much anymore. I grew up in that era, too. The DiC dub of Sailor Moon, the early days of Saban/Ocean's Dragon Ball Z, the time Fox Kids literally tried to turn Escaflowne in to a Saturday Morning Cartoon...

Or all those JRPGs that turned alcohol in to "juice" or "tea" or "rootbeer" at the bare minimum.

I get it. I was there. I know what an awful, stressful, stupid era it was. But people get weird and bent out of shape about censorship, because they're being told it's something they could have, but aren't allowed to have. Censorship ignites a jealousy about what's on the other side of the fence, even if censorship can be legitimately helpful at times.

So we get these militant people who only want everything that's pure, raw, uncut, uncompromised, and maintaining as much of its original shape as it can, even when that strips a thing of most of its mainstream appeal because it's barely comprehensible by most people.

And it starts to feel like elitism. A secret handshake between people who have taught themselves to understand things like "You are my nakama."

But it's all performative! The war is over! You can relax now! But some people never will, I guess. Some people will always think they're too cool for "mainstream appeal." Some people like the secret handshake, and want to protect it.

That's not who I am.

 Let's Dive into Astrology: A Beginner's Guide to the Cosmic Connection

Introduction

Hey there, fellow stargazers! Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered about the mysteries hidden in the twinkling stars and planets? If so, you're in for a treat! We're about to embark on a fantastic journey through the world of astrology, where we'll learn about how the positions of celestial bodies can reveal cool insights into our lives.

What is Astrology?

Astrology is like a secret code that helps us understand ourselves and the world around us. It's all about the idea that the movements and positions of planets and stars can influence our personalities and the events in our lives. So, if you've ever wondered why you're the way you are, astrology might have some answers for you!

Astrologers use something called a birth chart (or natal chart) to decode the messages hidden in the stars. This chart is like a snapshot of the sky at the moment you were born, and it can tell you all sorts of things about yourself.

The Story of Astrology

Astrology is super old, like ancient-civilizations-old! People have been using astrology for thousands of years. From the Greeks to the Egyptians to the Mayans, it's been a part of cultures all around the world.

One of the most famous astrology books ever is called the "Tetrabiblos" by Claudius Ptolemy, an ancient Greek smarty-pants. This book laid the foundation for what we know as Western astrology today.

The Zodiac: The Starry Lineup

At the heart of astrology is something called the zodiac, which is like a celestial belt in the sky. This belt is divided into 12 equal parts, each linked to a specific constellation. These constellations are like the backdrop where the Sun, Moon, and planets seem to move throughout the year.

We've got 12 astrological signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Your sign is determined by where the Sun was when you were born.

Elements and Modes

Astrology gets even more interesting when you break it down into elements and modes:

1. Elements: There are four elements—Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. These elements are associated with different signs and add special flavors to each sign's personality.

2. Modes: Modes come in three types—Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. They describe how each sign likes to get things done and how they handle change.

Your Birth Chart

Creating your birth chart is like making a map of the sky when you were born. It shows where the Sun, Moon, planets, and their angles were at that special moment. Astrologers use this map to understand your unique traits and life's journey.

Your birth chart tells you all sorts of cool stuff about yourself, like your strengths, weaknesses, and what your purpose in life might be. It's like having a cosmic guidebook just for you!

Practical Uses of Astrology

Astrology isn't just for fun; it has some practical uses too. It's an awesome tool for self-discovery. By looking at your birth chart, you can learn about yourself and make better decisions in life, from choosing a career to handling relationships.

Astrology can also help with relationships. By comparing birth charts, you can see where you and your friends, crushes, or even family members might connect or clash. It's like having an instruction manual for understanding people better!

Conclusion

Astrology is a super fascinating and ancient practice. It helps us connect with the stars and understand ourselves and the world around us in a whole new way. In this beginner's guide, we've barely scratched the surface of this amazing world. As you dive deeper into astrology, you'll discover more about yourself and the incredible cosmic connection we all share. So, get ready to explore the mysteries of the universe with astrology as your guide! 🌌🔮✨

June 5- Musashi University

  It was cool to interact with Japanese university students today. I appreciated the lecture that the professor gave because it made the conversation with other university students a lot easier. I enjoyed the conversations that we were able to have in the group I was in. I found a few things in common with some of the other students like where we worked and our favorite music genres/artists. During our lunch break, Naomi, Sumi, and I got to talk to one of my group members more. It was nice getting to know her more outside of the activity and learning that she hopes to work abroad and come to Florida one day. The tour around the university was also nice and we got to learn a bit more about the history of the university and its’  other schools. After we were dismissed, I ended up going back to Ginza to explore some more stores with Sumi. We also walked passed a Taylormade store and walked through there. I thought it was interesting to see that store there since my brother, dad, and I all golf using that brand’s products. I didn’t buy anything since most things were too expensive or big to bring with me. I was also finally able to go to the Japanese-Peruvian restaurant with Bianca and Sumi! The food there was delicious and I would go there again. I was happy that they had vegetarian options so I ended up having a quinoa salad, a potato dish, and aguaymanto sorbet. The sorbet was my favorite because it had a mostly sweet but slight tart flavor that I loved. I really enjoyed today mostly because I was able to connect to other  students around my age both inside and outside the classroom. Hopefully, I can do another study abroad opportunity before I graduate!

     For my group’s discussion topic, we were given Topic A, which mostly focused on immigration and its’ effects. We leaned in the same direction for all the answers that we gave to the discussion. It was interesting to see them reflect on Japan’s strict immigration laws when answering the question on how a nation’s borders may affect culture and tradition. They believe that with Japan’s current laws, the country’s culture and tradition won’t really change due to the lack of external influences from foreigners that would contribute to such change.

     For the question about need of passports and other identification, we all said the same thing in that they will always be needed to be able to identify someone and where they are from. We mostly discussed this topic in an emergency context, such as if someone was involved in an accident or another form of crisis that may have occurred.

    We weren’t able to discuss the last question about how languages will be affected if national borders didn’t exist, but I still want to answer it since it’s a question that I seen a few times in different contexts. I don’t believe there would be one universal language if borders were to disappear because language will always vary between people in some way. Even if there were a universal language that existed it would eventually be split up into various dialects and create other languages.

Diary of a Junebug

Dango and jasmine lemonade at Orchid Bay

There’s nothing more relaxing than sitting on a picnic blanket working on a knitting project and listening to the waves on a warm and breezy evening.

The past couple days have been busy with the Sunburst Orchid Garden Festival, a fun-filled event that’s worth checking out if you’re in the area. Alida and Karin are participating in the festival by selling knit accessories like shawls, hats, and socks. They’re representing a charity called Star Angels, which is dedicated to helping families who lost a child due to SIDS. All proceeds will go directly to research.

Yarn is a pretty big thing at this festival so that’s where indie dyers and designers flock to. Although that’s what the festival’s mainly known for, there’s also a good mix of other interests like gaming, cooking, and stationery.

Even if you’re not too interested in the artsy stuff, they say the festival’s worth staying for the food. The dango and jasmine lemonade are two local favorites and I have to say, they live up to the hype! They also have a bunch of other stands full of street foods from all kinds of different cultures. It sounds ambitious, but they suggest trying all the food they have so you won’t miss out. I’m glad to say that we succeeded in doing that and it was totally worth it.

It was also cool seeing them make the dango. The way they move so efficiently, so fluidly - it was fun to watch! You definitely need good speed and coordination skills in order to keep up with demand. The texture of the dango is just right and the pretty pastel colors add to the experience.

Jasmine lemonade’s an interesting combination, something I’d never thought to consider. After all, lemonade is tart and jasmine is floral, so it’s a little hard to imagine how those two flavors can pair each other. The result is a well balanced and refreshing drink that’s slightly sweet, tart, and with the right amount of floral. I heard that the amount of jasmine is just right that even if you’re not too into floral flavors, which is why it’s popular.

Along with the camp, Hamilton, Lei, Tina Jo, and Marty are here too, as well as Alida and Tina Jo’s son Orion. Tina Jo and Alida were a bit worried about bringing Orion to the festival since he’s a baby and might get overwhelmed but so far he’s on his best behavior. Not only he’s adorable but he’s also very easygoing and happy. Parenthood has been going well, especially with family helping out.

Though now that Orion’s beginning to become a little more mobile, Alida and Tina Jo are worried that they won’t be able to keep up with him. A valid concern, especially since both of them are visually impaired. Marty serves as their eyes so he does his best to be vigilant. Hamilton knows from experience with her parents that support and assistance are very important so she’s been a great help too. It’s safe to say that they’re all in good hands.

The others say it’s kinda unexpected but also not surprising that Marty and Lei have now become good friends. Their personalities are said to be quite different, which is why it’s unexpected, but they also have a lot in common, the main thing being that they act as eyes for their sisters, who they are very close to. Both of them also place a lot of value on family and are known to be loyal.

According to Marty and Hamilton, Lei wants Karin to move in with him and their uncle in Charcoal, except he hasn’t said it outright. Karin knows how her brother works and she’s touched that he cares so much about her but she’s content with living alone for now. As long as she can get around without too much trouble, she wants to try being independent. Since she married so young - straight out of high school - she never really had a chance to be out on her own until she and Malcolm separated.

As expected, Karin struggled a bit with her newfound independence. It was the loneliness that got to her and she struggled with that. For pretty much her whole life up to that point she was being taken care of by someone - her parents, brother, husband - so she had never really learned how to be comfortable with her own company. Part of that also had to do with her extrovert nature as well.

So far, she’s learned a lot about herself, mostly in terms of her upbringing. While her parents meant well, they were kinda overprotective of her since her vision started failing. Even now there’s still a part of them that kinda sees her as vulnerable and helpless, something that’s still a bit of a sore spot for Karin. She wonders if maybe that’s part of the reason why they were fine with her marrying young. They weren’t also too keen on her and Malcolm deciding to end their marriage, though that’s more because of old fashioned values. In short, she loves her parents but they don’t always see eye to eye on a lot of things, especially when it comes to running her life.

Like she said before, while splitting up with Malcolm was a tough decision, it was for the best. They’re still good friends, nothing’s gonna change that, but sometimes people just drift apart. They’ve been through a lot together and they wouldn’t trade that for anything. Karin said the only thing they really regret is that it just wasn’t meant to be.

During their marriage, Karin and Malcolm had a son, Cory, who died from AIDS at two months. The year before, Karin had a miscarriage at 13 weeks. After dealing with those two losses, Karin was hesitant to try again even though she and Malcolm wanted kids. She admits that she still does want kids but is also still afraid, which is understandable.

Krista understood Karin’s fear as she went through a similar road before finally having Hamilton. She also had a miscarriage early on, followed by losing a daughter and son due to unlucky genes. They had wanted a big family but fate was being cruel to them and that takes a toll. If I recall correctly, I think she and Zachary went through genetic counseling, which was how Krista heard about Star Angels back when it was starting out.

Sometime after, Krista became pregnant again and everyone was kinda holding their breath about it until they were absolutely sure that everything was going to be okay. I was really young at the time but I vaguely had a feeling that something was off. I think it was Charlie who said that Krista and Zachary were finally able to relax a little when Hamilton turned one and was in good health.

Karin had a rough time with Cory’s death and blamed herself for what happened. Malcolm tried his best to help but he was grieving too. Lei also tried to get through to her as well. Krista  was the one who pulled her up and dragged her to a support group. Of course, she resisted at first. Then she realized that she couldn’t wallow in grief anymore and finally reached out.

Through the support group, Karin, Malcolm, and Krista found out about Star Angels. Since then they’ve been involved with the charity with Karin being a representative. The charity means a lot to her so Karin participates in most of their events whenever she’s available. Next month, Star Angels will be doing a lecture at a hospital and Karin will be one of the speakers there.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about Star Angels and I think it’s good that Karin’s able to take her grief and channel it into something good. SIDS is a terrible thing to go through and we still don’t know why it happens. At least in recent years there has been some breakthroughs, though nothing concrete yet, but it’s something.

Comfort and Frills has worked with various charities and this is their first time with Star Angels. When Alida found out, she was the first to volunteer because she knew that Karin would be there too. She designed the hats they’re selling, most which were knit by her. Of course, we all bought a hat to show our support.

The festival was a lot of fun! Karin and Alida were pretty busy so we didn’t really have time to catch up until after. I ended up buying a lot of yarn, which is not unexpected. Besides, they’re all from indie dyers so once it’s gone, it’s gone. I ended up buying sweater quantities as I try to be intentional when it comes to that. I won’t buy yarn unless I have a project in mind and I find that has been helpful. There’s a bunch of patterns I’ve had my eyes on so that has also influenced whether I should buy the yarn or not.

After all, I’m not gonna spend a lot of time and money knitting something if I’m not gonna get a lot of wear out of it. The way I see it, making knitwear is sort of an investment. I guess it’s what they call intention. The reason why so many people are getting into knitwear - and fiber arts in general, I guess - is to get into the idea of slow fashion. Like I said, if you put a lot of time and effort into making something, you’d better get some damn good use outta it. So far, I’ve been making good on that - almost everything I’ve knit the past year have been worn a lot and they’re still holding up well.

So now I’ve got a lot of new projects to look forward to and I’m hyped for that. There’s a lot of sweaters, pullovers, and cardigans that I want to make. I want to try drop shoulder, I want to try fisherman’s rib or brioche (still unclear on whether those are the same or not), I kinda want to try those intricate cables - there’s a lot I want to do.

Stationery was also a must for me as there’s also a lot of artists there too. If Daisy Jane did booths, she’d fit right in here. But she’s not too interested in doing craft fairs and events, which is fair as those are a lot of work. Cheyenne attended a few events back in the day and while she really enjoyed being there and meeting other artists, it took a lot out of her. Kati felt the same about craft fairs too as she was told that it was pretty much her only option (they were wrong, by the way). While it did give her the boost of confidence she needed and introduced her to a lot of wonderful people, the stress wasn’t worth the hassle.

I got a journal, obviously, with the cover made from an old vinyl record, which I think is cool. I’m also a fan of the record, Constellations by Akiko Blue, an underrated artist whose life and career was sadly cut too short. The paper’s also made from recycled material and it feels like it’s good quality. It’ll be interesting writing in this journal so I’m looking forward to it.

And I also got stickers, washi tape, and some brush pens. All a mix of different things - florals, neutrals, fanart. The brush pens I’m interested in because of the colors - a lot of browns and grays, something I’ve been gravitating towards in my journal spreads. I just feel like those colors are versatile, which means I can get a lot of use out of them. That’s another factor I think about when it comes to buying stationery, especially pens and markers.

In between the yarn and stationery I checked out the food stands with the others. There was a lot, but it wasn’t too overwhelming so it was possible to try everything and not feel overstuffed afterwards. The dango and lemonade serve as good palate cleansers. All the food was good, my favorite being the takoyaki.

Not only takoyaki’s good but I also really like watching people make it. There’s just something so satisfying about the way they pour the batter and then do the thing with chopsticks. You just pour the batter, use the chopsticks to clean it up, turn it over, repeat the process, and then it turns into a little ball. Like, how? I feel like if I attempted it I’d be too slow so the batter would turn out messy and instead of cute little balls I’d get uneven blobs. They’d probably still taste good but it won’t look as nice.

After the festival, we headed to Alida and Tina Jo’s place and hung out there for a bit. Tina Jo had to leave early to put Orion to bed as he was getting a little fussy so Marty dropped them off. He took a lot of good pics of the festival and will send them to us.

Read on AO3

You don't Should Be A giant Company To begin Gfuel

The GFuel brand isn't just any gaming energy drink but is the official energy drink for esports. In the past few years, GFuel has changed from a pure gaming energy drink into a complete lifestyle and way of gaming. Which such a huge brand and wide variety of flavors, which is the most appealing GFuel flavor? An Introduction To GFuel The GFuel gaming energy drink invented by Gamma Labs in 2012. The company was founded in 2012 providing energy drinks in powder form that claimed to improve the gaming experience and make you a better player. Since then the company has transformed into an entertainment brand. GFuel is not just an energy powders, which are available in over 35 flavors, but also offers cans that directly compete with major brands such as Bang Energy, Monster or RedBull. In 2016 Gamma Labs went a step beyond other brands of energy on the market, by offering a caffeine free alternative to their energy drinks. GFuel Hydration claims to still give you the benefits of concentration while enhance your gaming experience , while cooling you down during the entire day. This has opened up a whole new market to GFuel. Children who were not permitted or advised to drink GFuel due to its caffeine, are now able to become part of the GFuel culture. If g fuel parent company 'd want to know more about the difference between GFuel's energy formula and the hydration formula of GFuel, you can check out the article below or the video below. What is the best GFuel Flavor for 2021? GFuel currently comes in more than 35 flavors, and getting the perfect GFuel flavor for you is an uphill task. I am currently working on a playlist to test each flavor of GFuel, if you're looking for particular flavors, you can find that collection on YouTube channel here. At the time of writing this article, summer is fast approaching, and that is why I believe that a refreshing cold Gfuel is the ideal choice. If you love lime and fruit, but you are not looking for anything that is too sweet, GFuel Cherry Limade is the best choice. This flavor goes well in cold water with lots of ice and will keep you fresh in the hot summer while not overwhelming you with too much sweetness. Another excellent option to try is the GFuel Hype Sauce. Hype Sauce is an Lemon Raspberry mix and similar to Cherry Limade it is refreshing and fruity with a bit of a tart taste due to the raspberry. If you're looking for a very neutral flavor that you know you will enjoy without taking any risks, GFuel Peach Ice Tea is your best GFuel flavor in 2021. Gamma Labs absolutely nailed this flavor, making it one of the most sought-after GFuel flavors. We've all had Peach Ice Tea at restaurants or purchased it from the local supermarket and are aware of what to expect. This makes it a very secure choice for those who are familiar with GFuel. But what if you're looking for something sweeter on the side? GFuel Strawberry Kiwi or GFuel Battle Juice are the ideal choices. Both flavours live up to their claims, are refreshing and leaving you with a sweeter taste as Hype Sauce or Cherry Limade do. There are plenty of amazing GFuel varieties, but this is the best GFuel flavor you can buy in 2021. GFuel Star Fruit is without a doubt the most flavor Gamma Labs has brought to the market. The flavor was created by collaborating with the renowned Call of Duty Content Creator Noisy Butters just a couple years ago. GFuel Star Fruit is the perfect balance with tang, tart and sweet making it the best GFuel flavor for this summer and , in my opinion, the most delicious flavor of all time. If you have the chance to try this flavor or if this is your first time trying the GFuel flavor, you won't be disappointed. Which GFuel Flavors to stay away from Although GFuel does have a lot of fantastic flavors and the majority of flavors you won't be dissatisfied, there's two flavors that you need to avoid. The first one is GFuel Sour Faze Berry. It seemed appealing to me as I was looking for a sour GFuel flavor. The flavor's design and label caught my eye. However when I tried the flavor I was rather dissatisfied. In contrast to a bitter taste, I was met with the sweet taste of berries. While the taste overall isn't bad however, it is in conflict by the label that states it is a sour flavor. Gamma Labs seems to have missed the flavor on this one and therefore I can't recommend it. GFuel Pewdiepie flavor was very popular when it first came out but I was not thrilled. Apart from sweetness, I couldn't smell anything other than sweetness. If you're seeking something sweet to add to your water, then GFuel Pewdiepie flavor is perfect for you. If you have additional questions about GFuel, you can tweet me under the username luk_german. Or check out my full playlist on YouTube. Playlist. The question is, in the end, is G-Fuel bad for you? check the article Does G-Fuel Hydration Benefit You? Gfuel Hydration is a substance generally thought to be to be safe. It is not a source of caffeine, but its lead warning is still in place. Is G-Fuel Actually Healthy? G Fuel is made of natural ingredients and is packed with vitamin A and antioxidants.

Is G-Fuel bad for you? If you're over eighteen and healthy, G-Fuel is like an extremely powerful energy drink packed with antioxidants. If you're underage, pregnant or diabetic or an illness that affects thyroid hormones or serotonin levels it is recommended to consult your doctor first. Is G-Fuel safe? G Fuel allegedly contains more than the "safe harbor" daily dosage of lead. It is believed to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harms. In California's state law, there is no known level of exposure that is considered safe, especially in children. Does G-Fuel have lead? In April 2018, Gamma Enterprises settled a $10,500 suit with the California's Environmental Research Center over lead contamination in their G Fuel products. 18 of the samples of G Fuel were found to contain a high amount of lead that warning labels were mandatory, as per the state's Proposition 65. Is G-Fuel sold at Walmart? Yes Gfuel is sold at Walmart and Walmart.com Does G-Fuel work? G FUEL is an Natural Energy Drink Formula created by Gamma Labs. ... In fact, our first customer was an experienced professional eSports athlete who was looking for an immediate boost in Energy, Focus, and Endurance and without the use of toxic chemicals or other additives commonly found in Energy Drinks. Does G-Fuel pose a risk to children? However it is there is a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics has advised the consumption of energy drinks "should not be consumed by kids or teens," because of their stimulant-rich content. "They're being advertised to, while they're gaming, while they're not in front of their parents, it's almost like a free for all," Dr. Schneider declared. Does G-Fuel have caffeine? How much caffeine is in G FUEL? There's about the same amount of caffeine present in G FUEL that you would discover in a large glass of coffee (140 to 150 mg per serving). If you are hypersensitive to caffeine, look into our caffeine-free G Fluid Hydration Formula. Is G-Fuel good?

It tastes pretty good. I have a strong threshold for caffeine, and it provides me with a good boost. Is G-Fuel a drink that is marketed as energy drinks? G FUEL is an Natural Energy Drink Formula created by Gamma Labs. Our initial goal was to create an entirely clean, natural, and healthy alternative to sugar-laden Energy Drinks. ... Even though sugary Energy Drinks contain a lot of unknown chemicals, G FUEL is clean. What's G-Fuel? G FUEL is a Natural Energy Drink Formula created by Gamma Labs. Our original objective was to develop an entirely clean, natural, and healthy alternative to sugar-laden Energy Drinks. What we were after was A healthy, natural Energy Drink which would meet even the high standards of the most active and busy lives. In fact, our first client was an elite eSports athlete who was looking for to see a rapid increase of Energy, Focus, and Endurance; without the use of toxic chemicals or additives in sugary Energy Drinks. You can visit Team Gamma to see all the athletes who have since become professionals and are now awestruck by G FUEL. Who is the owner of G-Fuel? G FUEL Drink Formula is an encapsulated caffeinated drink mix sold by Gamma Labs, based in West Babylon, New York. Does gfuel have sugar? G FUEL is gluten-free, sugar-free, and packed with tons of antioxidants and B-vitamins. Like any caffeine-based product, moderation is key. Does gfuel expire? Does G FUEL Energy Crystals have an expiration date? Yes. All G Fuel Energy Crystals have an approximate "best when used by" date of 2 years. Does gfuel cause you to die? Does GFuel cause death? Gfuel is a substance that is thought to be safe, however; as with everything in life, the dose is what causes the poison and if you were to consume 1000 servings of Gfuel all at once that is, in fact, what would be fatal. If you follow Gfuel's recommended usage, which you can find on the label and their website, Gfuel is not a killer. Gfuel where can I buy it? You can buy it online or in big Markets Is gfuel fda approved? G FUEL Energy Drink Formula powder is supplement, not a medication. ... But, you can rest assured knowing G FUEL is produced in FDA-certified facilities and is 100 percent FDA compliant. Do Gfuel tubs come with scoops? Yep. All Tubs come with an Scooper inside. 1 scoop = 1 serving. Can gfuel give you cancer? G Fuel allegedly contains more than the "safe harbour" daily dose of lead. It has been proven to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harms. As per California's state laws, there is no known amount of lead exposure considered safe, especially in young children. Why is shipping gfuel so costly? Free shipping standard on all orders that exceed $50.00 using promo coupon code "FREESHIP" at checkout. A minimum purchase value of $50.01 before coupon application required for free shipping to be applicable What year was the date of the genesis of Gfuel? G FUEL Drink Formula Was founded in the year 2012, and it is now a brand of caffeinated drinks sold via Gamma Labs, based in West Babylon, New York. Are shakers made of gfuel dishwasher safe? Yes, 16oz capacity, leak-proof design, dishwasher safe, also BPA free! The GFUEL shakers are available in many different styles pertaining to our influencers, gamers, and athletes. Should i purchase gfuel? If you're looking to try the latest Energy Drink & Supplement, it is possible. Are carbonated gfuel cans in gfuel? G FUEL originally released as a caffeinated powder intended to be mixed with water . It has expanded its line of products that include non caffeinated form of the powder, a carbonated version in the form of a container, powdered hydration formula and a pop rock-like version that comes in tubes. Does gfuel have any effect? G FUEL is a Natural Energy Drink Formula created by Gamma Labs. ... It is a reality the first client was a professional eSports athlete looking for an immediate boost on Energy, Focus, and Endurance and without the usage of harmful chemicals or additives found in typical Energy drinks.