what if capitalism is making the one job i thought was possible for me feel unattainable not because i haven’t literally been doing it since age 13 but because it’s not well paid enough so until you get into a higher position you have to work multiple jobs and i knew that i always knew that but. fuck. why is adulting going to be so exhausting. what if this really is the best time of my life? being a depressed college student? what if it’s downhill from here?

Talk to me anyway you please? Nah... have fun loosing the entire staff along with the juiciest of juicy contracts.

This is a super throw back but it still brings a smile to my face. Also, my writing sucks so please excuse the grammatical errors.

I was a rink rat growing up. The only day I wasn’t in the skating rink were the adult and gay nights (calm down, it was the 90’s and that’s literally what it was called). Friday night, Saturday morning and night along with Sunday morning and night I was there. Hell, I didn’t even leave between the morning and night sessions. I even went Tuesday nights as well! I was serious too. I dove deep into speed skating and not trying to toot my own horn but I was pretty good and well known.

Anyway, I’d been going to this specific skating rink for years and knew EVERYONE. One day, It was right before I started 7th grade, the owner came up too me and asked me to go out onto the rink floor and tell some kids to slow down. I did and came back and he asked me how would I like to make $7.50 and hour to which I responded “do I also get in for free?” He laughed and said of course. BOOM! First job and I wanted to be there anyway so it was the biggest win-win of all time for me. To say I loved it was an understatement and I did everything besides work the snack bar. DJ, skate counters, floor guard, janitor, hype man... you name it and I did it. It was some of the greatest times of my life. So much fun and the owner was super awesome. Also, we were paid under the table so getting an envelope full of cash every week just felt like a bonus for having fun. To me it wasn’t a job, it was pure fun. It also helped that all my friends were regulars as well.

A few years go by and the owner sold to another guy who we will call Tim. Tim could be an absolute nightmare to work for. He changed the entire dynamic of the place and everyone felt it. Now, this skating rink was POPULAR and extremely old. Lots or people all over the city knew of it. My mom and aunt skated there when they were kids if that tells you anything.

Someway or another the new owner set up and juicy deal that had the rink started making a shitload of money! On Saturday night from 7-11 it was skating per usual but from 11-2ish/3ish is was a club. A local hip hop station came in there with local label Swishahouse and turnt the place upside down for those few hours. Every week and the place was POPPIN. There must have been over 2k people in there on average and at $20 per person it adds up quick plus the snack bar would NEVER stop turning out food and drink. We were making stupid money. Bonus! We also found some good stuff when cleaning up as well. Money, knives, weed, jewelry... It was awesome.

So Tim has it made but sometimes he would fly off the handle for little things. All of us weren’t sure what his deal was but he would explode out of nowhere and start talking all kinds of nonsense. I’d started to have enough because we all had worked there for many years WITHOUT ISSUE. One night he went too far..

I don’t like being called outside of my name. It’s a respect thing. My own mother didn’t do it and he for sure wasn’t. For context I was in 10th grade now. One night he was in some kinda mood and for whatever reason was taking it out on everyone. I don’t remember the exact situation but he started freaking out on me at about 11:30PM. Now, Slim Thug and Paul Wall were in the building that night so the place was extra packed. Waaaay more that usual (I’m sure we were braking all kinds of fire marshal rules lol). He went ballistic and called me every name in the book while I just stood there with rage building up in me. I’d had enough. For years this place ran flawlessly and everyone loved us so he really didn’t have a good reason to treat us in the manner he did. My plan was formed. I immediately gather everyone else that was working and we all decided that enough was enough. It was time for a lesson.

I assembled the entire crew and well all quit on the spot. ALL OF US. That meant nobody to serve food, clean, help the swishahouse people, or just carry out general things that needed to be done when 2-3k people were in the building. He was stunned, his tone changed and he became very sweet. We weren’t having it. As an additional fuck you I called the other two people that were off and they showed up to quit as well. Tim had already reached out so he assumed they were showing up to work. Nope. We left him with zero workers on the absolute busiest of busy nights and boy did it implode. He couldn’t find anyone to work so the place went to absolute shit that night. The on duty officer told him he needed to figure something out or he was going to close it down without workers. Well... he didn’t. It closed down that night and apparently without staff it got nasty. People started having sex, smoking, trashing the place and all kinds of stuff. Shortly after the radio station and label took their business elsewhere and not long afterward the place closed down. He lost his entire investment. This was very bitter sweet for me because I loved the place but he ran it into the ground. The building is still standing and I would LOVE to bring it back to its former glory but my pockets are deep enough yet. Maybe one day.

TLDR: New skating rink owners treated employees horrible so we all quit at the same exact time to leave him stranded. He lost a big contract with a local radio station and popular record label which cost him big money. Rink closed down shortly after.

(source) story by (/u/JawShoeWaah)

The Eruption of Mount Pinatubo

Mount Pinatubo, a volcano, located in western Luzon, Philippines, erupted in 1991 (for the first time in 600 years) and caused widespread devastation. Mount Pinatubo is located about 55 miles (90 km) northwest of Manila and rose to a height of about 4,800 feet (1,460 m) before its eruption.

After two months of emissions and small explosions, a series of major explosions began on June 12. These explosions reached a peak on June 14-16, producing a column of ash and smoke more than 19 miles (30 km) high, with rock debris falling the same distance from the volcano. The resulting heavy ashfalls left about 100,000 people homeless, forced thousands more to flee the area, and caused 300 deaths.

Effects on agriculture:

Many reforestation projects were destroyed in the eruption, with a total area of 150 km2 (58 sq. mi; 37,000 acres) valued at 125 million pesos destroyed. Agriculture was heavily disrupted, with 800 km2 (310 sq. mi; 200,000 acres) of rice-growing farmland destroyed, and almost 800,000 head of livestock and poultry killed, destroying the livelihoods of thousands of farmers. The cost to the agriculture of eruption effects was estimated to be 1.5 billion pesos.

Many farmers near Pinatubo began growing crops such as peanuts, cassava, and sweet potatoes, which are quick-ripening and could be harvested before the threat of lahar floods during the late summer rainy season.

Local economic and social effects:

In total, 364 communities and 2.1 million people were affected by the eruption, with livelihoods and houses being damaged and destroyed. More than 8,000 houses were destroyed, and a further 73,000 were damaged. In addition to the severe damage sustained by these communities, roads and communications were damaged or destroyed by pyroclastic surges and lahar floods throughout the areas surrounding the volcano. Total losses in 1991 and 1992 alone were estimated at 10.6 and 1.2 billion pesos respectively, including damage to public infrastructure estimated at 3.8 billion pesos (c. US$92 million, or $173 million today, adjusted for inflation). School classes for thousands of children were temporarily suspended by the destruction of schools in the eruption.

The eruption of Pinatubo severely hampered the economic development of the surrounding areas. The gross regional domestic product of the Pinatubo area accounted for about 10% of the total Philippine gross domestic product. The GRDP had been growing at 5% annually before the eruption but fell by more than 3% from 1990 to 1991. In 1991, damage to crops and property was estimated at $374 million (or $702 million today), to which continuing lahar floods added a further $69 million (or $126 million today) in 1992. In total, 42 percent of the cropland around the volcano was affected by more lahar floods, dealing a severe blow to the agricultural economy in the region.

What To Do Before, During, And After Volcanic Eruption:

BEFORE THE EXPLOSION:

Evacuate immediately if you live or are staying within the radius of affected areas. Long before the explosion, affected areas would have been given a warning to evacuate the premises by local government units.

Stay tuned to national news and your local community’s channels to be on top of the situation and stay informed with local safety plans and evacuation areas. Whether it’s through local radio, TV news, or official social channels of news outlets, make sure that you’re getting reliable information from trusted sources and not potentially dangerous misinformation from hoax accounts.

Charge your electronics. Keep your mobile devices and power banks charged in case of power interruptions.

Prepare a go-bag in case of evacuation. This should include:

A mask per person (N95 or makeshift)

Copies of personal documents

Phone and powerbank

Flashlights and batteries or candles and matches

3 gallons of potable water per person

3 days worth of non-perishable food

Hygiene and sanitation items

First aid kit and maintenance medication

Extra cash

     5. Know disaster hotlines and other emergency hotlines

National Emergency Hotline: 911

Philippine National Police: 117

PHIVOLCs – (02) 8426-1468 to 79

Philippine Red Cross – 143 or (02) 8790-2300

Bureau of Fire Protection – (02) 8426-0246

National Disaster Risk Reduction And Management Council (NDRRMC) – (02) 8911-5061 to 65 local 100

DURING A VOLCANIC ERUPTION

Use an N95 dust mask to protect yourself from pulmo-respiratory injuries and diseases. If these are unavailable, use a damp handkerchief or makeshift one from an old t-shirt.

Protect your skin and eyes with proper clothing and glasses or goggles. Ashfall is sharp and abrasive, so don't rub if any comes into contact with your skin or eyes.

Secure your pets inside your home. Fine, volcanic ash is harmful for them too.

If you are outside, seek cover immediately in case of rock or ash falls.

If you are inside, stay tuned to the news to keep informed of recent developments. Close all doors and windows. Dampen curtains to keep fine particles from coming through.

If you are driving a vehicle, pull over and stop if there is a heavy ashfall.

Cover food and water containers to avoid contamination with ash.

Wash all utensils thoroughly before eating. Fine ash particles may have settled on them.

Stay away from rivers or streams to avoid lahar flow.

AFTER THE ERUPTION

Do not leave your home or indoor shelters until notified by the local government that it is safe to do so. Evacuate to safer grounds only when notified.

Keep a watchful eye on your kids or loved ones who may be tempted to go out to see what's going on outside.

Wear protection. Use masks, glasses/goggles, long sleeves, pants, and shoes when clearing out ash to protect your lungs, skin and eyes.

Clean your gutters and roof with water after clearing out the ash to prevent corrosion.

Wait for further announcements from LGUs or national news related to the volcanic eruption.

Stay safe everyone!

People’s Memories During the Eruption:

It was the birthday of my wife when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991. We were busy preparing for the scheduled dinner party. We had just begun preparations when darkness came, making us think it was already 6 pm, causing us great worry. I turned on the TV to check out the PBA game. Only then did we find that it was only around 11 am. The party started on time. The men were at the open terrace with wine and pulutan, kilawin, roasted pig, and chicken, among others. By almost 9 pm, we were wondering why all the parked cars were now painted white? We found out that all the cars were covered with ashfall. When we went back to our table, all the pulutan was also covered with ashfall. We had to finish the party early. Twenty years have passed and I still have my ashfall collection, taken from the rooftop of my car. - Joe Nacilla

I would say that the Mt. Pinatubo eruption was the closest Manila ever was to having snowfall, but instead of snow, we experienced volcanic ash. I remember coming that night from my date with my ex-girlfriend, now my wife, when I felt something in my hair. It had ash, as in large amounts of ash, turning my hair literally gray. The next day, I picked her up at UST after her nursing board exam, and commuted around Manila (which looked like a desert covered with volcanic ash) to what we call our “Ash Day Date”. We celebrate that day every year, up to now, as it happens to be our engagement day. To many, the eruption might have been tragic, but for me and my wife, it was the start of a relationship now sealed in marriage for 20 long years. -  Bong Nebrija

As long as I see remnants of our house in Bacolor, Pampanga with only the second floor and the attic showing, the bad memories of Pinatubo will forever be etched in my mind. What once was a very beautiful house with a wide garden full of ornamental plants, and an orchard is now old and neglected. It is where I spent my childhood days. Nowadays, the people of Bacolor live elsewhere in different parts, many in resettlement areas, others in nearby provinces, and some abroad, but on some occasions, many still try to visit their roots. The Pinatubo eruption erased our town from the map. -  Rose Leobrera

It has been 20 years since Mount Pinatubo erupted. Time sure flies. Everyone woke up one morning surprised to see everything covered by fine white sand, which was difficult to wash off. For a time, there was panic-buying in the supermarkets. Then, news of the devastation trickled in through the media. The eruption was so extensive that the dust from Pinatubo caused the world temperature to drop. Thousands perished, and the government continues to waste billions on dikes and dredging, despite recommendations from experts to just move the affected residents to another place. -  Robert Young Jr.

It was a Saturday and I was at the office till 3 in the afternoon. When I got out of the building, it was almost dark. People on the street were covering their heads with handkerchieves. When I got to the street, I felt wet sand hitting me. The following days, we watched over television the devastating effect of lahar, burying some Zambales and Pampanga towns, with many people with their livestock and homes being carried away by lahar flood. Soon, many natives (Aetas) were lining up city streets, begging for food and shelter. -  Germi Sison

What I’ve learned:

The thing that I've learned from this eruption is we should always be aware and prepared at all times. We don't have an idea of what will happen in the future. At least if we are aware and prepare, we can get through to all calamities.

Resources and References:

https://www.britannica.com/science/volcanism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_eruption_of_Mount_Pinatubo

https://coins.ph/blog/what-to-do-volcanic-eruption-tips/

https://www.philstar.com/inbox-world/2011/06/23/698683/what-are-your-memories-1991-mt-pinatubo-eruption

This might sound a little strange but how much does it usually cost to go to Gallifrey One? I can't find the prices on the website and thought you might know.

Not at all! I can only answer from my personal experience as I’m from the UK who has travelled to Gallifrey One twice now so it may vary for you depending on your budget and where you’re from. My friend who I travelled with this year has also done a Gallifrey one guide which I will post below;

Gallifrey One tickets for next year are on sale on April 13th.  

The first step is, of course, get a ticket. Even if you don’t manage it at the point of initial sale for any reason (remember the contends to sell out in 24 to 48 hours), all is not lost; the con operates a ticket transfer policy which gets going late in the year, and ends typically about a week before the con. Sellers post in the Facebook group for the event, and buyers contact them with an expression of interest. Tickets cost about £80 dependent on the exchange rate. Both times I have been, I have operated a “buy ticket now, worry about getting there later” policy. You do not need to immediately get a flight booked as soon as you get a ticket.Full-price flights can cost as much as £600-700 economy, but there are many opportunities to as much as halve this to £350-400 in airline sales, or if you have a credit card that gives you Avios (what used to be known as Air Miles), which can be used towards your flight. Air New Zealand and Aer Lingus are often the cheapest options, and people who have flown with them report good things. If you are travelling from elsewhere in the UK than London, and are an inexperienced flyer, British Airways offers a hassle-free experience of your domestic and international flight leaving from the same Heathrow terminal (Terminal 5) Remember to apply for your ESTA from the US Department of Homeland Security in good time. This is part of the Visa Waiver scheme for non-US citizens and everyone must have one that comes from a country participating in the scheme. It costs a nominal fee of about £30, and most of the airlines prompt you to do it as part of the booking process. Be aware it takes about 20 minutes to complete. They do tend to ask you some personal questions (your social media usernames). It is better to tell them everything for a hassle-free process, but this is a matter of personal choice.Hotels. The Marriott is expensive outside of the con-block rate. When the block goes online it sells out in literally seconds. Normal price for the Marriott is 230 USD a night. I have not managed to secure a room at the Marriott either time; have a backup plan, there are many excellent options a short walk away. The Crowne Plaza is only one block from the Marriott and is reasonably priced at 900 USD for 5 nights for 2 people – around £368 each. The Hilton is highly rated by con-goers next door, the Renaissance Marriott is next to the Crowne Plaza and is more basic. Cheaper options are to be had further away. Almost all hotels offer free airport transfer buses directly outside the International Terminal. Note it is not really practical to stay downtown and travel in, the subway is on the other side of the airport. There is an extension being built on the other side of the Marriott though whether it will be ready or convenient for next year I am unsure.Eating does not come cheap and you must remember that tax is not usually included in prices shown on menus, nor is a gratuity for which a minimum of 15% is the norm. A pizza in one of the hotels will cost between 17 and 20 USD before tax. If you are on a budget and have the arms and legs for it, visit Target or CVS and stock up on essentials. Eating in hotels is most expensive (though if you want to minimise your time away from the con is often a good idea), but fast food options exist close to the Marriott, with Subway, Carl’s Jnr and Denny’s all close by. Denny’s is due to be demolished soon (everyone was surprised it was still standing this year). In-n-Out Burger has several branches less than a mile away. For breakfast at Carl’s or Denny’s, reckon on about half of hotel prices (15 USD vs 30 USD)Travel around the city is remarkably cheap. A 10 USD subway travelcard will take you a long way. Hollywood with the Chinese Theatre and Walk of Fame are almost right outside Hollywood Highlands subway. Santa Monica is well worth a visit if the weather is favourable, with its iconic pier and glorious miles of clean beach. Other con matters. Autographs and photos are slightly cheaper here than the UK, often you will pay in USD what you would normally expect to pay in pounds, and even then, the very biggest guests will charge typically no more than around 40 – 45 USD. Evening receptions, where you get to have drinks with the stars rotating around tables for a couple of hours, are 95 USD. Diamond passes are around 235 USD, but are excellent value – multiple photos and autographs, often green screen, a free gift or print, and an hour-long meet and greet. Lines are not as long as in the UK and very well organised, so those wanting an auto or photo will certainly be seen. If you buy more than one Diamond Pass, you should certainly consider a Tardis Tag which was 795 USD this year, but gets you all of the big guests, plus any others that are Showmasters, rather than con-sponsored guests. Note that there are also Kaffeeklatsch (coffee morning) sessions, which last an hour, and offer a chance of talking to one of the less popular stars for an hour as part of a group of a dozen. These are free, and were done on a ballot process this year. As Simon has pointed out, your con ticket gets you so much more than a normal con. There 5 panel rooms including Program A in the main hall, and they operate all day, every day – ever wanted to learn circular Gallifreyan in a classroom? Now’s your chance. Most rooms keep going until 7p.m. and even then there are evening events taking place with quizzes, comedy sketch shows, karaoke and more until midnight in some circumstances. And of course, there is LobbyCon. The Marriott Lobby is the main socialising and hanging out area, where friends gather throughout the day, evening and into the small hours. The guests often hang out in the Lobby with each other (and if you know them from previous events, often, you), and in the evenings, the atmosphere is wonderfully friendly. Finally, ribbons. Ribbons are humorous or sometimes just direct quotes from the show, printed on fabric, with a small adhesive strip on the top. They stick to each other so you wind up with a long roll of them as you exchange them for those other people have brought with them. They are an excellent way to socialise, make new friends, and enjoy the con – there are ribbon exchange meets throughout the con, but often people also exchange ribbons in LobbyCon too. Its huge fun and I would recommend it as part of the con experience. As a guide, I paid around 100 USD for 250 ribbons this year and traded all of them by Sunday lunchtime. Ribbons Galore and PC Nametag are two of the most popular companies. Note that they charge a design setup fee, and then a unit price per ribbon. The unit price goes down as the quantity goes up, so play with the quantities a little to see how many you can get for what money – once you get up above 250 ribbons or so, you wind up getting more of the same design for free effectively. The big “but” here is delivery, which is horrendously expensive to have them shipped to the UK. If you have a kind friend in the US who will accept delivery and bring them to the con, then great, but the other alternative, is to have them shipped to your hotel, for which the hotel will charge you a nominal fee (5 – 20 USD), and pick them up from the concierge on check-in.Ticket: 80 GBPFlights: 350-400 GBPHotels: 350-400 GBPFood and subsistence: 45 USD per day (budget) 80 per day (expensive)Autos and Photos: vary on the person, say 150 USD, plus diamond passes and evening receptions for the more extravagant.Travel: 40-50 USDRibbons: 100 – 150 USDSo yes, Gally can be done for around about a thousand pounds, but a budget of 1500 GBP will make it a much more comfortable experience where you have to worry less about running out of cash. But be warned. Once you have done it, you may never want to miss it again, and you may never look at cons the same way again!

Positive Week

This past week, I have spent only 2 out of 5 work days in the lab. I have otherwise been at some course in centre city (it’s about an hour away).This has been a good change of pace for me and tbh it just kind of pushes back the work I need to be doing but I think it is a much needed break.

Also a good chance for me to socialise — as I live outside of city centre, it is usually a lot of time/effort for me to get into the city. I have to plan for it. But spending all day here for the course, I was able to do things I would not have otherwise been able to doTuesday afternoon during the lunch break, I ran all over the city going to pharmacies trying to find T which apparently ran out of stock in all of France. I didn’t get all that I needed but it was enough so that was awesome. I won’t have to worry about that again til May.

Thursday, I had the chance to use my lunch break to change my transportation plan from monthly unlimited to what I should have had to begin with: pay as you go. I seldom use public transport since I usually just use my bike. I would have saved about 20€ a month which is nothing to shy from. But I won’t look at sunk costs I spent hat I could have saved. Just nice knowing that starting in May I will start saving money from this change ^^ I should have changed it many months ago (like a full year ago), but again, life came up and it’s hard to juggle everything I have going on. I’m just happy that in the future, I will not be spending unnecessary money on this

Tuesday evening I met up with Delphine. We just sat around and chatted for a bit - it was really low key. She was catsitting for a few days and I got to hang out with a super adorable and nice black longhair kitty (named Negro lmaoooo so they just call him bébéchat) Anyhow it was super super low key but it always just puts me in a good mood to see her. Later that night I went to the bar to a regular meetup type deal and chatted with some new folks I have not met before. Also relatively low key but it was just nice. ^^ Wednesday was a very inefficient day hahahh. (Monday was super super efficient- I worked essentially nonstop from 9am-7pm barely stopping for food. But I was on a good roll. Wednesday was not so efficient hahahh. But that’s okay.) crashed Wednesday night at 8:30pm and had a first long sleep in a week, which was good and my body needed it.Thursday back to the course — but it was a new course! Actually by the same instructor! I had not originally signed up for it but wanted to attend. And she said that she was looking for more students so I was welcome! Which was cool! Upside: I get to complete this course and add like 18h more to my training repertoire, it is in English so it’s easy for me, I am already familiar with the instructor, etc. downside: I still have some administrative stuff I need to sort out in centre city but I literally don’t have the time unless I take a vacation day to get it done, but I feel like I have too much work rn to try to take any day off in the next two weeks. This is my visa and residence permit thing. I needed to have done this two weeks ago hah. But anyhow. It was good that I got in this course - and how!

So there were two girls in this course also, one of whom talked to me (she’s very very talkative) and it was awesome! which is not very typical of a French person, but she did and it was awesome. (She is also fluent in German!)Anyhow the course was very cool and frankly I just felt good about the interactions. ÚwÙ Thursday evening, I had the second to last operation for my tooth surgery shitPutting in the anchor — it was back close to where I live which is 1hr away. So I hopped back on the tram then bus and made it there, got it done (it was fast!!) and it was only 19h20. There was some thing I had in my google calendar in centre city I thought I couldn’t go to cuz of the dentist thing but it was at 19h30, and honestly knowing French people, people always arrive fashionably late. So if I hopped right back on a bus/Tram from the dentist, I could get back to centre city by ~8pm so I did just that

The thing in my google calendar was at the Maison de Chercheurs, but my lab was having an outing elsewhere. So I figured okay, i would go to the one with the people from my lab. Tbh it wasn’t super great for me but also I’m still super glad I went cuz at least it completely eliminated FOMO, and honestly almost everyone was there. Like 20+ people. I hardly talked to anyone, but I was present. I did chat a little bit and the little I talked was fun. I think it was rly good I was there too cuz also I talked with the Portuguese intern who was there (she doesn’t speak French, so it was tough for her. There is only one other non francophone and he is Italian but Luca was there as well.) so she was rly alone and I’m glad I was there at least to chat with her occasionally. Anyhow it was good even if it wasn’t gr8, but I’m still very very glad I went(  Plus since I had been working so much on my own this whole week - and last - I had hardly had time to see folks in the lab)  So then Friday. Was tired waking up having only slept some 5 hours, but what was off to a tired start turned into a really good day.I didn’t pay too too much attention in the course today (had trouble focusing bc tired hah) but then around lunchtime, he girl who sat next to me yesterday (and her friend with whom she works — same cohort) invited me to lunch with them For some reason my student restaurant card doesn’t work here in centre city, so I couldn’t really pay the food things here (I was ready to pay a more expensive price with my bank card or cash but I don’t think they accept either), but one of the girls covered me. Albeit it’s only like €3, but still. (Whereas I think it’d be like 6€ idk)So I had lunch with them - chicken, fries, a dessert, and appetizer ! Good shit! And had a chance to talk to them about some stuff too so that was cool. It’s just rly nice talking with folks and meeting/getting to know new people.

Was late coming back (got scolded by the instructor), but it’s also okay. We worked on an activity where we essentially pretended to be journalists and interviewed one another about our thesis projects and I sat next to and worked with/interviewed this new girl who spoke a very fluent English! And !!!!!!! It was amazing ??????Idk you know when you instantly just click with someone And then like when that happens you kind of ?? Keep clicking ????Like repeatedly as the interaction continues, you just kind of keep clicking multiple times and it never seems to rly stop and you’re just like ??? God??? I rly get you?????? It was like that with her and it was too coolLike someone else in the class actually called out my name to tell me to lower my voice cuz I didn’t realise I was speaking too loudly — I was just ??? Really excited and enthusiastic???!?Anyhow it was just rly awesome and I was like “actually can I get your contact info later bc I would really love to talk”And we kind of had a chance in this mock interview to give each other mini professional life stories (like life stories but only what is pertinent to our professional work track I guess) and idk it was rly coolSo anyhow at the very end of the course I was getting ready to ask her to exchange contact info but she asked me firstLike literally as I was opening my mouth to ask, she was like “actually if you don’t mind—“ and I thought it would have to wait but then she straight up asked me for my contactsAnd so we sort of excitedly parted waysI considered going to the administrative building afterward (closes at 16h30 — it was 16h45 already by now) to see if I might catch someone ask they’re leaving, but also it takes like ten minutes to walk there so I decided against it in the endI was heading back to the classroom building figuring I could just spend 1.5-2hours chilling on discord or twitter while changing my phone and waiting until 18:30 cuz I told someone I’d get a drink with him later that evening. But when I turned around, the other girl was there and she waved and walked over and we chatted some more. Like where are you headed? Just going back home. You live in centre city? Yeah just around the corner. So I offered to walk her home cuz I have no other plans for the next two hoursShe asked if I had seen Les Machines (I had), and she admitted that since coming to Nantes in October (she is from Le Mans just a few hours northeast ), she hasn’t actually gone out and seen much. She bought the new assassin’s creed so she’s just been going home and playing video games all night lolBut she asked if I was down to just walk around and I’m like ?? Absolutely?? I love walking??I suggested the park, which is honestly beautiful - esp on a beautiful day - so we proceed to take the ugliest ass most inefficient route to walk there. But it was okay cuz we kinda just talked the entire time so it was fine.She’s rly rly cool and anyhow we got to the park and just continued talking while walking in the park. Eventually after hanging out with some goats, we saw there was another girl from the same course, who had her husband and her kids with her. So we just stood around and chatted for like another hour or so

Eventually it was 18h30 so I was like huh should probably meet up with that guy I said I’d get drinks with, so we headed in that general direction while still talking. Passed by a... spontaneous mini local food market? So I sent the message to the guy to come over cuz there’s something going on here. And the girl and I awkwardly accidentally walked out of the market cuz it’s rly rly small and takes about 30 seconds to walk through, and we’re just trying to decide what to do. Get a coffee? (She’s Muslim so no alcohol - also I seldom drink and I don’t prefer it). Or a kebab?  She wasn’t hungry but also admitted she didn’t have money on her, and I told her not to worry - my treat. We ended up going back to the tiny food market and I got us both some granola and fruit leather? As a snack cuz she wasn’t rly hungry. But that way we could sit around and chat and munch while waiting for my other friend to show He eventually came and we walked around together but then the girl left (said she had to go home, but tbh I think she had a fear she might have been imposing?)Anyhow I ended up walking and talking some more with the other friend (Canadian guy) and we ended up in some restaurant (oops my bad I thought it was a bar— he likes beers and said he wasn’t that hungry, so a little awk that this turned out to be a restaurant). But anyhow, he got some beers and I got a sausage platter to share for us.And we spent the rest of that night kind of just sharing life experiences and discussing doctorate struggles and remarks about French culture and our experiences and anecdotes and shitIt was just a really really good night

8 Steps to Success: How to Plan Your Trip Abroad

8 Steps to Success: How to Plan Your Trip Abroad

So now that you have officially decided to travel abroad, for work, school, vacation, or otherwise, it is time to start planning your trip!  For most people, the planning process is the most difficult and time consuming part of travelling, since everything feels like a make-or-break decision.  Plus, looking at different prices, customer reviews, and pictures can all be very overwhelming.  With the right planning process, however, your trip and preparation should go fairly smoothly! However, it is important to keep in mind that even with all the planning and preparation in the world, some things are going to go wrong, and that is okay.  Just remember to stay positive, stay focused, remember the end-goal of enjoying the whole trip, and learn to have fun with the little set backs!   With all of that being said, here my 8 Steps to Success to plan your perfect trip abroad!

Step One: Pick a Destination Sometimes picking the one place (or the series of places) you definitively want to go to will be such a tough decision it will make your head spin.  Personally, making the decision of where exactly to go is always very difficult for me, because I want to everywhere and see everything, but here are some of my ideas on how to narrow down your choices.

1. Weather So right now you are stuck between a summer in Italy, Ireland, or Australia.  Maybe one of the first things you should look at is the weather for each destination, and see which one fits the idea you had in mind for the trip.  Obviously, Ireland is going to be a bit cooler and rainier than Italy and Australia, where you can expect dry heat, which may end up swaying your decision.  If you want that heat, and to go see beaches and lakes, then narrow down your choices between Italy and Australia.  However, if you think the cooler climate better suits your needs, go with Ireland!

2. Time of Year Similarly to weather, the time of year can play a key role in deciding where you want to go.  If you want to go to the Dominican Republic to try and learn more about the culture while also enjoying the beach, maybe stay away from April travels to avoid spring breakers.  Plus, different places have cheaper flights during different times of the year, which is super important if you are trying to save (some) money while planning your trip, which we will get more into in Step 2.

3. Recommendations So you looked into the weather, you checked to see when are the best times to visit your choices, you compared prices, and you still cannot seem to decide on one place.  My biggest recommendation, would be to ask for a recommendation!  Friends and family that have already travelled to a destination will probably have a lot of stories and insights on the different countries they have been to, and the experiences they had.  Maybe they found out the hard way that the locals in one part of town are always looking to scam tourists, or the discovered a hidden gem of a coffee shop on the outskirts of downtown.  No matter what they have to say, your friends and family are always a great resource while trying to figure out where to go.

Now, obviously these three tips are not anywhere near all-inclusive, and you are still going to struggle to pick your final destination, but maybe this gave you a better idea of how to start researching.  With that being said, research, ask for recommendations, and good luck!

Step 2: Book a Flight Booking a flight for your travel experience can be very scary, trust me, I’ve been there. You’re probably scared the booking will not actually go through, that you will end up paying more than you should, that there will be additional hidden fees once you get to the airport, among other things. These are all valid fears, and the best way to combat them is to plan and be diligent about doing your research. Here some general tips to help you out:

1. Research cheap airlines There are a lot of cheap airlines out there, like eDreams and Spirit, but you have to be very careful when using them. Most of these cheaper options include minimal amenities: you will probably have to pay extra for any undercarriage luggage, for any food and/or drink during the flight, for overweight luggage, etc. While the airline is not technically trying to trick you (emphasis on technically) you still need to be very careful about reading the fine print of what is all included in your plane ticket, and plan accordingly.

2. Compare cheap airlines to typical airlines Although the above cheaper flights may originally seem like the better deal, add up all of their fees and compare the total price to bigger airlines like United Airways or Iberia. Sometimes, after everything is added together, the prices are almost the same. The bigger airline will always be a little more expensive, but for free unlimited drinks on your 18-hour flight, it might be worth it!

3. Compare One-Way versus Round-Trip Flights Sometimes it can be cheaper to buy two one-way tickets. Other times it can be cheaper to buy one round-trip ticket. Just research and compare prices to make sure you are getting the best deal!

4. Use a Search Engine or Travel Agent For some people, booking the flight with you own research is too daunting a task. And that’s okay! Websites like kayak.com or travelocity are great tools to help you compare different flights. And if you’re willing to shell out a little extra cash for a travel agent to save time and additional stress, there’s no shame in that either!

Booking a flight is scary, but hopefully, with these tips, the process goes a little easier. Just remember: research and compare costs!

Step 3: Find Lodging Once you have you flight booked, it’s time to start looking for your home for the trip! Depending on what kind of trip you plan on going on, you’ll want to stay in different lodgings. If you plan to go all-out for a dream vacation full of food, drinks, and pool time, an all-inclusive resort is the way to go. With an all-inclusive hotel, all of your food, drinks, and typical amenities are included in the fees for your stay. On the other hand, if you literally only need a place to sleep, and are planning on being out and about, exploring wherever you are, a hostel or airbnb may be the right option for you. Hostels and airbnbs can be very similar in price, drastically cheaper than hotels, and offer only the basics so you can save money to spend elsewhere. When I took my weekend trip to Paris, my friend and I stayed in a hostel, and it was perfect for us since we wanted to see all of the city in one weekend, and didn’t care about a fancy hotel. Of course, if you are in between being completely spoiled at an all-inclusive resort and living off of the basics like in a hostel or airbnb, a regular hotel is always an option. Mid-priced hotels are everywhere, and you should have no problem finding something in your price range, with whatever necessities you see fit to have provided for you. My biggest tip while looking at places to stay is to make sure you find yourself a good location. Sure, things will be cheaper the farther away they are from the downtown areas, or the beaches, or the beautiful destinations, but then you will need to figure out how to get to these places. Often times, having to walk an hour every morning, or take a taxi every day, can add to monetary and time expenses, making these cheap and further out locations less of a good deal. Obviously, the best places to stay are going to be more expensive as you move towards the center of the tourist areas, so just try your best to find a happy medium. Be close enough that getting where you want to go isn’t its own mini-trip, but also don’t break the bank for a central location. Finally, make sure you look up lots of reviews for wherever you decide to stay. The pictures may look great, but pictures can always be deceiving. Plus, the hostel may say “great location”, but that’s a very open description and could simply be puffery. Additionally, you want to make sure that wherever you decide to stay is safe. If there are no reviews, do not stay there. If the review says it’s very cheap, but in a bad neighborhood, try looking for something else. Never let saving a few dollars out your safety at risk, it’s really not worth it. Other than that, once again, just research everything, find a place that fits your specific needs, be safe, and start getting excited!

Step 4: Plan Your Excursions So you finally decided on where you want to go, you booked your flight, and are ready to start planning everything you want to do during your trip! In my opinion, this is the best and most fun part of the planning process. Again, the biggest thing you need to do is research. Utilize google, social media, friends and family, and anything else you can think of to look up where you should go, try, and see. Once you have a few places and things to do in mind, look them up specifically to see if there are any guided tours or direct transportation programs to get you there. Or, if you have a little known coffee shop on your docket, just look it up on a map so you can find it yourself! This part of planning your trip should be fun and fairly stress free, so try not to take it too seriously (except for those trips you need to book a reservation for), and remember to leave yourself time to explore. A lot of times you will find the coolest places and have the best experiences from being spontaneous, and just seeing where the journey takes you! So, my advice in a nutshell: research, make a game plan, book everything that needs to be done in advance, and try not to over-plan!

Step 5: Figure out Transportation Planning your preferred method of transportation throughout your trip is super important. There are plenty of different options: rent a car, bus tickets, train tickets, public transit, taxi, Uber, etc. In my opinion, you should probably stay away from renting a car and driving yourself, just because you likely aren’t familiar with the different rules and regulations of driving in a different country; but if you are, go for it! During my trips, I tend to opt for the public transportation option. A lot of times you can buy a pass for a lot cheaper than any of the other options, and then you have free reign of the city you chose to visit. Another important thing to remember is how you plan to get from the airport, to your hotel/hostel/airbnb/etc. Airports are usually pretty far out of the city, and I think that taking a taxi straight out of the terminal to your host location is the easiest route to take. Sure, it can be a little expensive, but you know that you will make it from Place A to Place B, without the stress of figuring out a bus or train station. A good thing to keep in mind about taking a taxi from the airport: there is usually one flat rate to ride in a taxi to your lodgings, so be sure to know if the airport you are in follows this typical European rule so you know you are paying a fair price. For example, in Athens, Greece it was 50 € to go from the airport to anywhere in Athens, and I saw similar situations everywhere I went in Europe. So, take a taxi to your home for the trip (if you’re like me) and then get some kind of public transportation pass (again, if you want to just do what I did). Once you have the pass, make sure you keep a map of all the routes with you, since you probably won’t have Wi-Fi to look up which stop and at what time you need to be there. From there, you should be fine to get to wherever you need to go! My last piece of transportation advice is to plan out bigger weekend trips you want to take as far in advance as possible. Spontaneous trips are incredible, I planned a weekend in Paris on Tuesday and left on Friday, but the planning and execution of the plan will probably go a lot smoother if you are little more prepared than I was. Just follow all of these same steps, and maybe take a bus or train instead of a flight if it’s cheaper, and you’ll be good to go!

Step 6: Pack For an all-inclusive packing list of everything you need to study abroad, or to take with you on a long trip, take a look at my first first blog post!

https://btravelledblog.tumblr.com/post/174197818437/all-inclusive-study-abroad-packing-list-from-the

Step 7: Make a Checklist Make a checklist of all of these things, any other little things you can think of, even stuff you need to buy for your trip, and once something’s done, you get to check it off! You can even make a list of everything you have to do to execute your plan, like I did, but sometimes my list making can be a little excessive, so it’s all up to you.

Step 8: Travel Finally, go on your trip, take lots of pictures, make lots of memories, and have lots of fun!

“Things You Learn in Boston AA” excerpt from Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace

(This bit of David Foster Wallace’s masterpiece Infinite Jest occurs around page 200 of 1000. It was the moment I knew I would be able to finish the whole book and still remains one of my favorite parts. I have put some of my favorite lines in bold. Footnotes at the bottom.)

If, by virtue of charity or the circumstance of desperation, you ever chance to spend a little time around a Substance-recovery halfway facility like Enfield MA’s state-funded Ennet House, you will acquire many exotic new facts. You will find out that once MA’s Department of Social Services has taken a mother’s children away for any period of time, they can always take them away again, D.S.S., like at will, empowered by nothing more than a certain signature-stamped form. i.e. once deemed Unfit—no matter why or when, or what’s transpired in the meantime—there’s nothing a mother can do.

Or for instance that people addicted to a Substance who abruptly stop ingesting the Substance often suffer wicked papular acne, often for months afterward, as the accumulations of Substance slowly leave the body. The Staff will inform you that this is because the skin is actually the body’s biggest excretory organ. Or that chronic alcoholics’ hearts are—for reasons no M.D. has been able to explain—swollen to nearly twice the size of civilians’ human hearts, and they never again return to normal size. That there’s a certain type of person who carries a picture of their therapist in their wallet. That (both a relief and kind of an odd let-down) black penises tend to be the same general size as white penises, on the whole. That not all U.S. males are circumcised.

That you can cop a sort of thin jittery amphetaminic buzz if you rapidly consume three Millennial Fizzies and a whole package of Oreo cookies on an empty stomach. (Keeping it down is required, however, for the buzz, which senior residents often neglect to tell newer residents.)

That the chilling Hispanic term for whatever interior disorder drives the addict back again and again to the enslaving Substance is tecato gusano, which apparently connotes some kind of interior psychic worm that cannot be sated or killed.

That it is possible, in sleep, for some roommates to secure a cigarette from their bedside pack, light it, smoke it down to the quick, and then extinguish it in their bedside ashtray—without once waking up, and without setting anything on fire. You will be informed that this skill is usually acquired in penal institutions, which will lower your inclination to complain about the practice. Or that even Flent’s industrial-strength expandable-foam earplugs do not solve the problem of a snoring roommate if the roommate in question is so huge and so adenoidal that the snores in question also produce subsonic vibrations that arpeggio up and down your body and make your bunk jiggle like a motel bed you’ve put a quarter in.

That females are capable of being just as vulgar about sexual and eliminatory functions as males. That over 60% of all persons arrested for drug and alcohol-related offenses report being sexually abused as children, with two-thirds of the remaining 40% reporting that they cannot remember their childhoods in sufficient enough detail to report one way or the other on abuse. That you can weave hypnotic Madame Psychosis-like harmonies around the minor-D scream of a cheap vacuum cleaner, humming to yourself as you vacuum, if that’s your Chore. That some people really do look like rodents. That some drug-addicted prostitutes have a harder time giving up prostitution that they have giving up drugs, with their explanation involving the two habits’ very different directions of currency-flow. That there are just as many idioms for the female sex-organ as there are for the male sex-organ.

That the little-mentioned paradox of Substance addiction is: that once you are sufficiently enslaved by a Substance to need to quit the Substance in order to save your life, the enslaving Substance has become so deeply important to you that you will all but lose your mind when it is taken away from you. Or that sometime after your Substance of choice has just been taken away from you in order to save your life, as you hunker down for the required AM and PM prayers, you will find yourself beginning to pray to be allowed to literally lose your mind, to be able to wrap up your mind in an old newspaper or something and leave it in an alley to shift for itself, without you.

That in metro Boston the idiom of choice for the male sex-organ is: Unit, which is why Ennet House residents are wryly amused by E.M.P.H. Hospital’s designations of its campus’s buildings.

That certain persons simply will not like you no matter what you do. Then that most non addicted adult civilians have already absorbed and accepted this fact, often rather early on.

That no matter how smart you thought you were, you are actually way less smart than that.

That AA and NA and CA’s ‘God’ does not apparently require that you believe in Him/Her/It before He/She/It will help you.(59) That, pace macho bullshit, public male weeping is not only plenty masculine but can actually feel good (reportedly). That sharing means talking, and taking somebody’s inventory means criticizing that person, plus many additional pieces of Recoveryspeak. That an important part of the halfway-house Human Immuno-Virus prevention is not leaving your razor or toothbrush in communal bathrooms. That apparently a seasoned prostitute can (reportedly) apply a condom to a customer’s Unit so deftly he doesn’t even know it’s on until he’s history, so to speak.

That a double-layered steel portable strongbox w/ tri-tumblered lock for your razor and toothbrush can be had for under $35.00 U.S./$38.50 O.N.A.N. via Home-Net Hardware, and that Pat M. or the House Manager will let you use the back office’s old TP to order one if you put up a sustained enough squawk.

That over 50% of persons with a Substance addiction suffer from some other recognized form of psychiatric disorder, too. That some male prostitutes become so accustomed to enemas that they cannot have valid bowel movements without them. That a majority of Ennet House residents have at least one tattoo. That the significance of this datum is unanalyzable. That the metro Boston street term for not having any money is: sporting lint. That what elsewhere’s known as Informing or Squealing or Narcing or Ratting Out is on the streets of metro Boston known as ‘Eating the Cheese,’ presumably spun off from the associative nexus of rat.

That nose-, tongue-, lip-, and eyelid-rings rarely require actual penetrative piercing. This is because of the wide variety of clip-on rings available. That nipple-rings do require piercing, and that clitoris- and glans-rings are not things anyone thinks you really want to know the facts about. That sleeping can be a form of emotional escape and can with sustained effort be abused. That female chicanos are not called chicanas. That it costs $225 U.S. to get a MA driver’s license with your picture but not your name. That purposeful sleep-deprivation can also be an abusable escape. That gambling can be an abusable escape, too, and work, shopping, and shoplifting, and sex, and abstention, and masturbation, and food, and exercise, and meditation/prayer, and siting so close to the Ennet House’s old D.E.C. TP cartridge-viewer that the screen fills your whole vision and the screen’s static charge tickles your nose like a linty mitten.(60)

That you do not have to like a person in order to learn from him/her/it. That loneliness is not a function of solitude. That it is possible to get so angry you really do see everything red. What a ‘Texas Catheter’ is. That some people really do steal—will steal things that are yours. That a lot of U.S. adults truly cannot read, not even a ROM hypertext phonics thing with HELP functions for every word. That cliquey alliance and exclusion and gossip can be forms of escape. That logical validity is not a guarantee of truth. That evil people never believe they are evil, but rather that everyone else is evil. That it is possible to learn valuable things from a stupid person. That it takes effort to pay attention to any one stimulus for more than a few seconds. That you can all of a sudden out of nowhere want to get high with your Substance so bad that you think you will surely die if you don’t, and but can just sit there with your hands writhing in your lap and face wet with craving, can want to get high but instead just sit there, wanting to but not, if that makes sense, and if you can gut it out and not hit the Substance during the craving the craving will eventually pass, it will go away—at least for a while. That it is statistically easier for low-IQ people to kick an addiction than it is for high-IQ people. That the metro Boston street term for panhandling is: stemming, and that it is regarded by some as a craft or art; and that professional stem-artists actually have like little professional colloquia sometimes, little conventions, in parks or public-transport hubs, at night, where they get together and network and exchange feedback on trends and techniques and public relations, etc. That it is possible to abuse OTC cold and allergy remedies in an addictive manner. That Nyquil is over 50 proof. That boring activities become, perversely, much less boring if you concentrate intently on them. That if enough people in a silent room are drinking coffee it is possible to make out the sound of steam coming off the coffee.That sometimes human beings have to just sit in one place and, like, hurt. That you will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realize how seldom they do. That there is such a thing as raw, unalloyed, agendaless kindness. That it is possible to fall asleep while having an anxiety attack.

That concentrating intently on anything is very hard work.

That addiction is either a disease of a mental illness or a spiritual condition (as in ‘poor of spirit’) or an O.C.D.-like mental disorder or an affective or character disorder, and that over 75% of the veteran Boston AAs who want to convince you that it is a disease will make you sit down and watch them write DISEASE on a piece of paper and then divide and hyphenate the word so that it becomes DIS-EASE, then will stare at you as if expecting you to undergo some kind of blinding epiphanic realization, when really (as G. Day points tirelessly out to his counselors) changing DISEASE to DIS-EASE reduces a definition and explanation down to a simple description of a feeling, and rather a whiny insipid one at that.

That most Substance-addicted people are also addicted to thinking, meaning they have a compulsive and unhealthy relationship with their own thinking. That the cute Boston AA term for addictive-type thinking is: Analysis-Paralysis. That cats will in fact get violent diarrhea if you feed them milk, contrary to the popular image of cats and milk. That it is simply more pleasant to be happy than to be pissed off. That 99% of compulsive thinkers’ thinking is about themselves; that 99% of this self-directed thinking consists of imagining and then getting ready for things that are going to happen to them; and then, weirdly, that if they stop to think about it, that 100% of the things they spend 99% of their time and energy imagining and trying to prepare for all the contingencies and consequences of are never good. Then that this connects interestingly with the early-sobriety urge to pray for the literal loss of one’s mind. In short that 99% of the head’s thinking activity consists of trying to scare the everliving shit out of itself. That it is possible to make rather tasty poached eggs in a microwave oven. That the metro-street term for really quite wonderful is: pisser. That everybody’s sneeze sounds different. That some people’s moms never taught them to cover up and turn away when they sneeze. That no one who has been to prison is ever the same again. That you do not have to have sex with a person to get crabs from them. That a clean room feels better to be in than a dirty room. That the people to be most frightened of are the people who are the most frightened. That it takes great personal courage to let yourself appear weak. That you don’t have to hit somebody even if you really really want to. That no single, individual moment is in and of itself unendurable.

That nobody who’s ever gotten sufficiently addictively enslaved by a Substance to need to quit the Substance and has successfully quit for a while and been straight and but then has for whatever reason gone back and picked up the Substance again has ever reported being glad that they did it, used the Substance again and gotten re-enslaved; not ever. That bit is a metro Boston street term for a jail sentence, as in ‘Don G. was up in Billerica on a six-month bit.’ That it’s impossible to kill fleas by hand. That it’s possible to smoke so many cigarettes that you get little white ulcerations on your tongue. That the effects of too many cups of coffee are in no way pleasant or intoxicating.

That pretty much everybody masturbates.

Rather a lot, it turns out.

That the cliche ‘I don’t know who I am’ unfortunately turns out to be more than a cliche. That it costs $330 U.S. to get a passport in a phony name. That other people can often see things about you that you yourself cannot see, even if those people are stupid. That you can obtain a major credit card with a phony name for $1500 U.S., but that no one will give you a straight answer about whether this price includes a verifiable credit history and line of credit for when the cashier slides the phony card through the register’s little verification-modem with all sorts of burly security guards standing around. That having a lot of money does not immunize people from suffering or fear. That trying to dance sober is a whole different kettle of fish. That the term vig is street argot for the bookmaker’s commission on an illegal bet, usually 10%, that’s either subtracted from your winnings or added to your debt. That certain sincerely devout and spiritually advanced people believe that the God of their understanding helps them find parking places and gives them advice on Mass. Lottery numbers.

That cockroaches can, up to a certain point, be lived with.

That ‘acceptance’ is usually more a matter of fatigue than anything else.

That different people have radically different ideas of basic personal hygiene.

That, perversely, it is often more fun to want something than to have it.

That if you do something nice for somebody in secret, anonymously, without letting the person you did it for know it was you or anybody else it’s almost its own form of intoxicating buzz.

That anonymous generosity, too, can be abused.

That having sex with someone you do not care for feels lonelier than not having sex in the first place.

That it is permissible to want.

That everybody is identical in their secret unspoken belief that way deep down they are different from everyone else. That this isn’t necessarily perverse.

That there might not be angels, but there are people who might as well be angels.

That God—unless you’re Charlton Heston, or unhinged, or both—speaks and acts entirely through the vehicle of human beings, if there is a God.

That God might regard the issue of whether you believe there’s a God or not as fairly low on his/her/its list of things s/he/it’s interested in re you.

The the smell of Athlete’s Foot is sick-sweet v. the smell of podiatric Dry Rot is sick-sour.

That a person—one with the Disease/-Ease—will do things under the influence of Substances that he simply would not do sober, and that some consequences of these things cannot ever be erased or amended.(61) Felonies are an example of this. As are tattoos.

59. NA= Narcotics Anonymous; CA = Cocaine Anonymous. In some cities there are also Psychadelics Anonymous, Nicotine Anonymous (also, confusingly, called NA), Designer Drugs Anonymous, Steroids Anonymous, even (especially in and around Manhattan) something called Prozac Anonymous. In none of these Anonymous fellowships anywhere is it possible to avoid confronting the God stuff, eventually.

60. Not to mention, according to some hard-line schools of 12-Step thought, yoga, reading, politics, gum-chewing, crossword puzzles, solitaire, romantic intrigue, charity work, political activism, N.R.A. membership, music, art, cleaning, plastic surgery, cartridge-viewing even at normal distances, the loyalty of a fine dog, religious zeal, relentless helpfulness, relentless other-folks’-moral-inventory-taking, the development of hard-line schools of 12-Step thought, ad darn near infinitum, including 12-Step fellowships themselves, such that quiet tales sometimes go around the Boston AA community of certain incredibly advanced and hard-line recovering persons who have pared away potential escape after potential escape until finally, as the stories go, they end up sitting in a bare chair, nude, in an unfinished room, not moving but also not sleeping or meditating or abstracting, too advanced to stomach the thought of the potential emotional escape of doing anything whatsoever, and just end up sitting there completely motion- and escape-less until a long time later all that’s found in the empty chair is a very fine dusting of off-white ashy stuff that you can wipe away completely with like one damp paper towel.

61. The Boston AA slogan w/r/t this phenomenon is ’You Can’t Unring a Bell.’

Whitehorse, Yukon Territory - May 19, 2018

While I was Yukon I had full intention to post my journal entry before leaving but like me bringing my Jayne hat on this trip, it just didn’t happen. So this will be a mix me last week talking and me a week after reflecting. So lets begin.

(May 11)

Today is the first half of my first day of the city and I think I have already got most of the city now, maybe I am wrong but it is not a big fit. It is not a knock I expected it o be this way and wanted it to. I needed the quiet and the forest atmosphere. Could have done with less of the wind.

I forgot my Jayne hat which angers me to no end but it is a first world problem. I found I forgot it mid way to the airport. Got on the plane at 7 but it wasn’t until 8 when we got off the ground due to a broken toilet. We made it it to Kelowna 45 minutes later in what was supposed to be a in and out and instead it was another hour waiting for something else. I am assuming it was the same broken toilet.

We got off the ground again and it was a 150 min trip or so. One good thing was they fed us well, well better than westjet or air canada would on a trip less than 6 hours or so. We got a fruit and meat plate which was unexpected, a snack which was small but oh well followed by a warm cookie so I could not complain especially since I barely ate that day.

I finally got into Whitehorse at midnight to find the smallest airport I have been to in years that felt like it came out of the 80s w it hits warm colours but I liked that of course. It was just different coming from big or bigger airports elsewhere. Even St. John’s airport is twice the size of this one. I knew I needed a taxi. I normally don’t not trust or don’t like using taxis but given is as in a unknown place, it was midnight and I was tired it was required.  I checked that it would be a 13 dollar fare and the route didn’t seem to of air of a drive but it still wound up being a 20 dollar fare. Thankfully I was prepared for that.

I arrived in my room and found it to be excellent, very nice and clean. That being said I didn’t wind UFO falling asleep till 2 am. I woke up at 6 am and dragged another hour of myself before I showered and met the owner of the house. The house itself is very new in a new neighbourhood. Apparently it was once full of kids but they are all but one gone and that one hopes to be d one soon. In a great form of irony he is trying to apply to work for the department I am working for. I couldn’t and wouldn’t tell much since I have no power to sway but the mother told me he really wants to work for us and I told her if her. Son really wants to work for my department and has the education then he has a good shot. She is a nice woman and house is very nice, would probably be a awesome place. To stay in the summer but it is not quite summer yet as I would soon find out.

I walked out into the 9am to a never ending gust of wind but I quickly got what Whitehorse was about.  It truly is frontier city, that has always been its aesthetic and this city owns it as best it can while it does modernize. It felt like a fusion of the small towns patchiness of Bay Roberts with the industrial appeal of Edmonton.

I walked to the airport in 30 min from the house looking to go to the museums next door but they were both closed. I assume that this city is visited in the summer commonly and winter as well but not in fall or spring and it is still spring here. I then decided to walk tot he city centre because on the map it didn’t seem like that long of a walk. Well not long compared to other cities I have been to. 90 min later I finally reached the city Center after walking through sandy hills and beautiful made for hiking trails. I hoped to have a good breakfast but it was too late for that.

I went to the Main Street which it was literally, the city has one records tore in the area and it is a small one with records going for 50 bucks a shot, CDs for 20 bucks. Reminded me of the old days of Fort McMurray where all CDs cost 25 dollars while everywhere else south was at 20. That is the price of living north of regular civilization. The further away you are from civilization the more expensive things get.

I spent 30 dollars on fudge.......fudge! Not because it was expensive, I don’t know about fudge prices but I went into this Midnight Sun shop which seemed to have a makeshift amount of home madeish stuff, tourist stuff and.......fudge. They had a tray full of tasters and I had one, loved it.....tried another loved it and I think I tried all the different stuff. I am normally not a fudge guy, I cane at it but I guess it has only been until recently I have gotten into how creative many places are with it....so I bought 30 bucks in fudge.....so what....treat yo self!

A coworker recommended a cafe for me to go to but it is too late for breakfast food. As I am writing this I am on my 3rd beer at the Dirty Northern Bastard Public House. I had butter chicken fries and two Yukon made beers from a brewery that is good far from me to check out called Winterlong Brewery. The other I want to go to will have to wait till tomorrow. I could g o today but I want to go on the tour. I always wanted to go on a brewery tour but they were always expensive or not available. This seems doable but the tour starts in 20 min and it Isao 40 min walk from here, I know because I already walked it.

So Saturday the plan is to wake up and hit the two museums at the airport early then be in the brewery by 2pm for it’s tour then buy some beer and find somewhere to get writing. I knew I would be done exploring this city quick. The point was to find solitude or a portion of it to work on stuff.

Whitehorse has something that the others don’t and that is wilderness that surrounds and you are away from everything, something I can’t get in Vancouver or anywhere close. I don’t know if I will get that in Fort Mac 2 weeks from now but I know I won’t have time for writing in Fort Mac while I run a solo Corey This Is Your Life episode just for myself because I know only I am interested in my own past and preserving it because my greatest fear is forgetting things.

The day is still a child here but it is too early to get drunk so I want to hit the only  museum open today then find another place to watch the hockey game. The traditional Canadian accent is very strong here, I feel like the Canada culture is stronger here than it is in places like Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver. That is if you think in terms of the stereotypes; large wilderness, the accent, the sweet tooth, the hockey obsessed lifestyle and the beer.

May 12

Another day is done and in between those two days there was lots of walking that was done.

After I wrote the above I sent out to explore some more. I set out to find the paddlewheel boat and found I could not get it on it.

Walked back to the city center to go to the go to the city’s historical museum. Sadly it was under renovation but they still were open and changing 8 bucks.

After spending a hour there I went back to the bar to watch the Caps versus Bolts while I continued to dine on over priced bar food and beer but hey.....treat yo self! It was still good food.

By the time the game was over I felt it was time to head back to my room and figured hey it took 90 min to get here I should be able to get back no problem in the same time. I walked up the hill to where the airport was and figured well I already went one way, the other way don’t look too long....

3 hours later I finally got home with my legs completely shot, serves me right I think but thankfully a chat with a friend on my phone made the trek shorter plus I needed the alone time to talk to myself about the typical things.

I got off the bed today and immediately felt the effects of Friday’s walk around the airfield. Those effects I have felt all day. The plan was to go to the museum next to the airport then take a bus to the city center and do the brewery tour then head back to the house to watch the game. That didn’t happen.

The museum was awesome, it was the Beringia Interpretive Center and I think I was their only patron that day, they gave me the full tour and I got my full 6 bucks worth which was beyond worth it. I got to shoot a prehistoric arrow befor bows and arrows which make me want to try and build and shoot my own of it.

After that I had about 90 min to get to the brewery, so I went to the bus stop assuming that it should be around only to find it only runs once and hour. So I decided to do another stupid thing and that was to walk the way down there on basically one good foot. It did wind up being fun despite the fear of bears being around.

I finally got the brewery and drank my fill on a empty stomach, I think everyone knew my plight that day was to just get toasted. I went to wall mart to get my parents the rest of their Christmas presents because I like to get it early. I finally did take the bus which lead me back to at least ten min from the place I stayed but I needed food and was too lazy to cook so I wound up paying 50 dollars worth in fries and chicken finger just for nourishment and nearly passing. Out on their couch. I don’t think it was so much being drunk as it was exhaustion.

So here I am in bed and really to sleep at the early hour of 8 pm.

Tomorrow the plan is to check out and hit the last museum then sit in the airport and work on my writing till the plane gets in. 

May 13 (written on May 19)

The original plan for May 13 was simple; have a decent breakfast for the first time since I had been there, go to the transportation museum then wait it out in the airport till I left at 4:30 and got home just in time to have a decent night’s sleep............that did not happen and no one ever really gave a good reason. It was just that kind of a day. The first big issue I had that day was that i had bought two bottles of beer that I hoped I could bring with me on the plane. I found out that I couldn’t so I went into the bush to drink it. Not only was it warm but it wasn’t that great so I only really drank half of one bottle and two shots of the other and poured them out.

I went to the transportation museum which found up being a bit of a waste of money to me. It had a few nice things in it but nothing that I really cared for. I did get a pin out of it. Even though I did try to stretch my time at the museum I still had 3 hours before i had to check in. I went into the airport assuming like every other airport I have been it to it would have wifi but it didn’t I was also hoping that the concession stand would be open as it normally is to the hilt in every other place to get a fridge magnet (one of the few tourist things I collect at places because its cheap and it makes my fridge look cooler). Concession stand was closed, apparently it is only open for maybe a few hours between whenever flights come because not very many flights come in and out of Whitehorse. So I had 3 hours to kill and decided to walk across the street to the motel/resteraunt/bar that looked like it came straight out of the Klondike which struck my interest and it did not disappoint. Once inside it did have the look of a log cabin with 1970s decor. I ordered chicken fingers and fries with some Yukon Brewing beer. Realized they didn’t have wifi either so there you go but the food was good and I was able to relax. After an hour and a half of relaxing I felt i may as well just check in and wait it out and went across the highway again to check in.

I went to the check in place to find out that the plane did not arrive and that the flight has been moved to 9:30.............fuck. So much for having a good nights sleep.

By this time the concession stand was open because I think even they assumed my flight would in and maybe buy shit like I did, the fridge magnet. So I figured well I guess I will just take the bus back downtown and have a few beer then bus back since it takes only about 20 min to do it. I walked to the bus station to find out the bus was closed on Sundays. That is a new one for me and suffice to say I wasn’t that happy about it but how I seen it as long as I could get home I didn’t care. So I went back to the truck stop motel/restaurant/bar to the surprise of the waitress wondering why I am back. I told her my flight was pushed back 6 hours so I am basically going to be here for 6 hours. She had no problem, I ordered and drank more beer and had some of the best roast beef I have had in a long time.

Yes I ate a lot of meat while I was here, the reason is that I couldn’t find any real vegetarian options in this city, it is a small city. I got to watch yet another hockey game and get sufficiently buzzed and got back to the airport ready to take the plane out and so was everyone else who looked like they got kicked in the balls by Air North.

The flight from Whitehorse to Kelowna was fine; got a sandwich, snack and a cookie, I wish Air Canada/WestJet would do this but then I also do wish all air lines would stop trying to fuck you to but that is wishful thinking. I was originally supposed to sit beside this woman whom looked a little bit older than me and seemed to have a serious thorn up her ass. One look at me I think and she wanted no part sitting with me. I know I am not a good looking or a well groomed person but I did wash that day, my hands were clean and I knew I didn’t smell. She did look like a bit of a snob having a bad day but since the plane to Kelowna was half full she was able to sit by herself. When we arrived in Kelowna the flight itself was gonna be full, full of young kids coming from a hockey game. One kid could not stop saying “that’s insane” for someone realizing they would only get 2 hours sleep that night it was getting beyond annoying. The most annoying part though is the same thing that happened crossing Kelowna happened again but for no reason. We were basically on the fucking plane for at least 90 min even though they said it was just going to be a in and out thing. It wasn’t

Even more annoying was the snobby lady had to sit beside me and she did not look happy about it. At the time I really didn’t care but I was also antsy because we were not allowed to have our tablets or phones out for some ungodly stupid reason. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t do well with sitting still doing nothing for long so my leg was bopping and the lady for some reason didn’t like it even though it was not making noise and as far as I knew it was not making anything else move but she told me to stop. So with the push back of the flight, the needless wait in Kelowna, the “that’s insane” kid, nothing do and the snobby girl telling me to stop moving my leg really made me irritated. Part of me wanted to say no deal with it, we all got to deal with what is going on tonight but I said nothing. We finally got off the ground and we arrived in Vancouver at 1am with no way to get home but to pay a 30 dollar cab ride home and get home at 2am with only a chance at 3 hours of sleep.

That was my Whitehorse trip.

The days prior to my trip I decided on trying to do a grading system for the cities I have been to because I like to grade things, I am weird like that but I couldn’t entirely nail down the grading scale in a way that would be fair to all places because not all places are built to serve the same person but I felt that as I grade them I would take into account certain things. Maybe at some point I will back grade previous cities but I felt why not grade Whitehorse first, Fort McMurray would be more appropriate but oh well it has to start somewhere.

I decided make this similar to my 1-5 C rating system that I use with movies, music and books but while I want to keep those fluid its with cities where every C means something if that makes sense. With music, movies or books I am only really spending at most a day (with books maybe more but accumulating time is a day or so) with what I was rating so the grade is very simple. With a city and so many moving parts plus I am spending more than a day there in most cases I want to be more in depth in my ratings. Hopefully you will get it once I start, again this is just a test anyways.

There are five categories (5 Cs) I grade a city or place on.

C - Transportation/Transit - How easy is it for someone who don’t live there to get around without having to get a taxi. Is there transit, is it easy to use? Can one bike there and is it easy to obtain a bike? Can one get around well enough just by walking?

The best example of a city that would get a full C on this would be Köln or Berlin. Both cities are very walkable if you want, both cities have a very robust transit system to where you can bus or train anywhere you want. Both cities are pretty bikeable to if you want to do that. Unless you are going around in the middle of the night you can get around without a car.

Worst example would be Toronto even though they would sit get a half C because it is still a very bikeable city, transit can take you anywhere you want to go and get you there fairly quickly it is just very confusing to use and expensive.

C - Vibe - What is the attitude like of the city. When you are a stranger of the city its pretty easy to look like a tourist or a stranger. First impressions still are everything and they are to me when I am in a new place. Whenever I meet a tourist in Vancouver I always try to treat it like I am representing my country and my city because in many ways you are. How you treat a new person is telling how others are and if you ruin it for them their opinion often ruins the city for them.

I could use examples but I think this one is pretty self explanatory.

 C - Food - Originally it was going to be bread because normally every city at least in Europe does their own bread but North America basically just borrows from Europe so I decided to just make it food. This one is fairly fluid in one way its a grade of the distinct to local cuisine and in another way it is a grade on the food selection. I could still give a city a high grade if they only serve one kind of food as long as it is unique to their culture while I can give a high grade to another city not because they have a unique food style but because they have so many food options.

C - Things to do - Could be architecture, could be exploitability of the city. Basically how fun is it to get lost in the place. For a new comer would it be fun to just get lots and not have to worry about anything like boredom or getting mugged. How much fun can you have here is basically the grading here.

Best example of a god grade is Toronto, there is no way you can be bored there. There is just so much one can do and go and I spent almost 5 days there and I only scratched the surface. Example of a bad grading would be Cork, Ireland. Though to be fair I didn’t both really doing anything there because I was recovering from travel fatigue but looking into what the city had to offer there wasn’t very much.

C - Beer - Every city has their own beer in this day in any, either the city has their own or their country has their own unless we are in a 3rd world country or a very strict anti liquor country every city has their take on beer. One can have no brewery but if they have a great selection they helps, one could have a ton of excellent breweries but if none had great beer it may not mean anything. You want to win this grade have a great selection of good and affordable beer either by your own creation or by importing of other places. No beer, very little beer or expensive beer means bad grade.

So lets start with Whitehorse.

I give transportation a half C; while I was not a fan of how infrequent the transit was there coming around only once and hour and closed on Sundays but it does get you around if you know where you need to go and it gets you there no problem. This city is bikeable too as well as there are bike trails that get you to and from the city centre. Plus the city is small, you can walk from one end of the city to the other in around an hour, i am talking the main area not the separated areas but even then you could get from one end to the other walking. Transit is bare bones but you can get around if you need to.

Vibe I would give a full C; everyone I met here was nice and gracious to me. I did not meet one bad apple here (outside of that snob woman but I dont count here as a local). Given with how much of a mining city this place was and how being secluded from everyone else can often make you made or crazy Whitehorse people carry it extremely well, they carry it far better than Fort Mac people do/did that is for fucking sure. This is a easy grade to get from me, you would really have to have miserable people in your city to make me grade you low on this one.

For things to do I could give Whitehorse 2/3 of a C, I thought a half but it is not really fair. You can’t compare Whitehorse to Toronto, Paris, Berlin or so many other cities like that because those places are huge compared to Whitehorse. If I was to grade Whitehorse just on it as a city a half C would be me going soft on them because quite honestly you could do everything in Whitehorse in a day if you were just coming down for the museums, the city itself and the beer. A day would be enough to get the whole gist of it. I can see people getting bored out of their minds here if they had a city mentality. However Whitehorse brings something that those cities I mentioned don’t have; nature. Look at the landscape pictures I posted this city is surrounded by forest and hiking galore. Whitehorse was and I think will forever be a outpost type city where people come to get the stuff they need then head out to the wilderness to either unwinds or do whatever they wish. You can’t get that with many or any metropolitan cities. In Whitehorse it’s less than an hour away.

Food is where I would have to give it it’s lowest grade at 1/3. That does not mean there is bad food in Whitehorse, that is far from the truth because I had lots of good bar food in Whitehorse and the fudge was excellent. However there was not very many distinct choices for someone to eat. If I was a vegan eating here I would be hard pressed to find dishes I liked here, vegetarian it would be possible but still tricky to find places. There is some variety but compared to other places there is very little variety. But have fudge at Midnight Sun, it is fucking divine. Next I do come down I am definitely having the bison burger too.

Lastly is beer, I didn’t have high expectations because this city has 2 breweries and it is a small city again I thought of when I lived in Fort Mac which even then is probably not fair for them now since the beer industry has changed so drastically in Canada as a whole since I moved to BC (even Vancouver was nearly a Canadian or Kokanee place when i got here) but I was expecting not very much felt that the grading of this would depend on the beers of these two breweries. I would up being surprised; the liquor stores and bars for the most part (at least the Dirty Northerner Bar) had a great selection of beers. They had Toronto be dead to rights that for sure. I couldn’t go to the Winterlong brewery because that was too out of my way but I had most of their beers at the Dirty Northerner Bar and I liked them again better than Toronto. Yukon Brewery was no better, none of their beers really stood out to me though but their tour was great, service was great and for the most part all their beers were very drinkable. If they served that beer here I would feel more than comfortable suggesting a Yukon Gold or what not to a fellow beer fan to try. That is why I give it 3/4. A perfect grade would mean I would have to fall in love with their beer and while I had no problem flirting and having one night stands with their beer, that is as far as I go with them.

So in the end Whitehorse get 31/4 Cs on the Corey Scale which when compared to how I grade movies, music or books makes the city seem like it was ok but I don’t need to go there but in terms of how i grade cities I dunno I guess I think it makes it more harder for one to really have a perfect grade. To be honest I thought Whitehorse was a great city to visit to be honest. I would be more likely to go to Whitehorse than to Toronto or even Seattle and I didn’t mind Seattle. However there is not much for one like me to do there past two days unless I wanted to camp there but honesty I live in Vancouver which also has vibrant wilderness just an hour away so I would not need to go to Whitehorse for it. I would return for the beer, atmosphere, fudge and for what I feel the city brings best and that is an escape.

Its not your average tourist destination; if you come here a day or two is enough for the city, to get the most of the place it would be out in the forest. That is what operates this city and what it brings that other places don’t have. I would recommend this city, don’t let the weather scare you. Sure if you came in the winter time of course you are going to get the very cold weather but if that is your thing you will have just as much fun as you would coming in the summer like I sort of did. Whitehorse is cool and if you are looking for a place with a mix of city and wilderness with a whole lot of nice people and decent drink to be had then Whitehorse is worth checking out.

Next week will be my hometown which I haven’t seen in at least 10 years maybe more. It will be interesting to explore this city now as a man and not a boy or a teen. Shazbot nano nano

Safety Embers; Benverly College Au

@forstenbrough @trashmoutheds

"My heart burns there too."

Beverly traces her finger tips over the messy, light writing on the back of an old ass postcard. It was a little worn and tattered from all the years of hauling it around to interviews and tests, practically everywhere she went.

It made her feel safe.

The red haired beauty just started her freshmen year of college and honestly she needs all the help she could get. Her journalism classes were a living Hell, and her psychologies made her want to vomit. All they were doing was writing papers about the American Revolution and Beverly wanted to die.

Her legs dangled on the counter in the kitchen, in the same apartment her, Richie and Mike split. They all made the agreement to live together after all of them ended up on the same campus that year. Bill, Ben, Stan and Eddie were in the same city just studying elsewhere so it only made sense.

Smoke peered out of her lips and she groans, throwing her pencil across the room. Her phone went off, symbolizing another class project was posted online.

"My students! My apologies for the late posting, but I didn't give you an assignment today so it only seems fair!"

Eye roll.

"Your project is more creative. You are going to write or create something for a loved one. No format. Whatever you feel in your heart. It needs to express some type of emotion and make me feel something. This is worth fifty percent of your grade, and you have a week. BEGIN!"

She bangs her fist against the silver stove, "JESUS FUCK!"

Who was she even supposed to write to? She could write to Richie, who had been her best friend for a long time and kept her on her toes. But that felt wrong.

Bill, her technical ex boyfriend. They dated in high school for a month, a fake relationship to get Stan jealous and crawl into Bill's arms. Beverly was happy to help, and he always was her rock of sorts. But that felt wrong.

Mike, her BROTHER in her heart who taught her the beauties of the world and showed her the starts (literally taught her the constellations) and always welcomed her with open arms and a smile, she could write for him. Again.. weird.

Maybe Eddie, the only "mother" she's ever had, which is very ironic on multiple levels. He's always checking up on her, taking care of her when she's sick, being her only sort of "girl" friend. They fought once because he thought her and Richie were dating sopmore year and ever since they'd been close. She couldn't write for him.

Stan, who was so incredibly smart and kept her organised, probably the only reason she graduated. He also hated her once while her and Bill "dated", and now she tell him everything and in return he tells her everything. No. WRONG.

That left Ben. The guy that saved her from the CLOWN. The guy that was always peering at her down the hall and in all buying her the coffee beans she likes, that you have to order from Miami and cost like fifty bucks a pound. The guy that makes her smile so bright that it makes her mouth hurt. The guy that applied to college in Washington because she, Richie, Mike and what ended up to be all of the Losers did.

The guy that makes her feel the most safe. She couldn't write to him- but why?

"Because he'd laugh at my writing-" Beverly says as the front door opens.

Mike strode into the room carrying a few grocery bags and textbooks, a look of curiosity on his face.

"Who would laugh?"

She feels her teeth hug her lips roughly. Mike wouldn't tell Ben, she knew that. But at the same time... wouldn't he?

"Nobody," the red head snaps. "M' talking about this guy in my psych class, he would laugh at my final report."

The dark skinned boy smiles, dimples forming in cheeks and suddenly he starts laughing.

"What's so funny-"

"You! I'm not dumb, Richie told me about that assignment, he texted me he was going to pour his heart out to Eddie since their anniversary is in a month."

Beverly frowns, "What does that have to do with me?"

He smiles, "I know you, Bev. And I know about you and your feelings. I heard you on the phone with Eddie last night."

"Oh so you're stalking my conversations now?"

"Worry about that later! He's been waiting for you for years so what the hell is your problem?"

Mike was probably right. What was her problem? There was nothing wrong with this... right?

"Have you read any of his poetry! It's beautiful! It is so heartwarming that I CRY thinking about the fact that I can't listen to his thoughts and see all of his muses! His hands are soft and he always lets me borrow his sweatshirts even when he's only wearing a tank top under them because he is too FUCKING sweet! He smells like cherries and lemons and his hands are so soft. Almost softer than his words. How can I write him how I feel when I don't even know?"

She released a sob she'd been holding for months, Mike immediately wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her back.

"Hey hey shhh... it's gonna be okay, Ben loves you."

Beverly sighs, "I'm not enough for him, Mike. I'm a mess."

They sit there what feels like hours, even though she knows it's only been like five minutes. Mike slows her breath and she begins to calm down.

"It's a creative assignment."

"Hmm?"

The boy releases her, smiling wide and proud, "it's a creative assignment! You don't even have to write anything! Fuck, if you wanted to you could use magazine cut outs to describe your thoughts-"

They slowly make eye contact, the red head coming to the realization of what the other said. He was right it was a CREATIVE assignment, no ten page papers on dumb shit from the eighteen forties. It was all her. And if she didn't have to write her words the better.

"Do we still have that collection of magazines in the laundry room?"

***

It took all night, but she finally realized what she wanted and made it happen. Her and Mike dug through several magazines, from sex advice to food to teenage girl dressing issues. She needed all of it.

Beverly decided on a poem, because that was how he communicated his feelings with her over the years and now that she knew hers she could return the favor. There were pictures too, though, like pictures of coffee cups and baseball bats and books. All the things they liked together.

She glued the last word on the large, thick poster paper they found under Richie's bed (along some other questionable things she was going to ask Eddie about later) and sighed. This was it.

"He has to see it." She says, smiling and her hands shaking in anxiety.

Mike nods, "I'll take you to their place tomorrow, I have to go to drop off Stan's notes from math-"

"No. NOW."

He sighs, "Bev, it is three in the morning."

Her red curls bounce as she jumps out of her seat, "does it look like I give a shit? C'mon now or never!"

So they get in Mike's car and he drives as fast as he can and the whole time she is either screaming in her head or out of the window. She's finally doing it.

They pull up in the driveway of the duplex the boys live in, and while Mike begins to get out she is glued to the seat.

He notices and walks over to her side, opening her door. She still refuses to get out.

"You've got this-"

"What if he's over me? Or if he is done with me taking so long? Any girl would be lucky to have him ya know."

Mike nods, "and the only one he sees is you."

She smiles and takes his hand up, running to the front door and slamming on it with her palm. After a few bangs, she saw the living room light come on and the door open.

It was Ben, in a sweatshirt and pants, an open copy of How To Kill A Mockingbird in his left hand while the right help open the door. He had grown taller, and he started playing a few sports and building plenty in high school so a majority of his chubby went away but he was still stocky. He was wearing his glasses.

"Hello I-" his speach faltered before smiling. "Hey Bev... Mike, what's up?"

Beverly began breathing heavily, chest heaving and curls shaking in the wind. Words began to form but wouldn't come out of her throat.

Mike coughs, "Can we come in? We have a surprise for you."

Ben leaded them in, to where Mike proceeded to the restroom, not before winking at Beverly and gave her a thumbs up.

The boy in the room smiled again, "are you okay? Richie is in Eddie's room, if that's-"

"I came to see you, you goof." A blush arose on her cheeks.

She began to unroll the poster in her hand that had went unnoticed until that moment. It was crumpled from her squeezing it.

"W-what's that?"

Beverly smiles, "I made this for you. It's a... token of my affection." She winks for good measure.

Taking the paper from her hands, he looks over it. No look on his face.

The poem reads;

My heart is at home, safe

Safe in your words

In your arms

In your miles and miles of comfort

In your sweatshirts

And in you.

You keep me safe

Something I never knew could happen

It's a feeling I'm not used to

But yet, here I am addicted like a heroin addict

This was cheesy yes I know

But cheese is hot, and so is your safety

And my heart burns there too.

Ben stared at the paper, mouthing the words and refusing to look at the red head.

"It's stupid isn't it?" Beverly sighs, grabbing a cigarette from her pocket.

"I'm sorry, Ben, it's not-"

A tear rolled from under his frames that covered his eyes.

He stayed silent for a moment, thinking.

"Oh fuck it," he mutters before striding over to her, pulling the cigarette from her mouth and kissing her.

The kiss was soft, slow, and sweet. He tasted like coffee, and she tasted like cigarettes but they loved it. It tastes them.

Ben pulled away first, "what took you so long?"

"I didn't realize why my heart was burning and why you made me feel so safe."

They sit there in each other's arms, in the silence.

"That was the most beautiful thing I've ever read, Bev."

"Impossible, you go to the library every day."

He nods, "yeah, but nothing will ever be as beautiful to me as your heart. As you."

~~~~~

A/N: That was it!!! Thank you @forstenbrough for the prompt I really appreciate it! I'm sorry if it wasn't good but this was my first Benverly fic. If you have any requests my asks are always open!!!

India Newsletter 6

20.6.19

Hi folks,

I previously mentioned, tea, milk and sugar are continually boiled together and served that way. Coffee, milk and sugar are also usually blended and served together and it is often difficult to get black coffee or coffee with added milk. it is more unthinkable to add cold milk to hot coffee! Absolutely unimaginable and inicomprehensible!

A sign I saw here said "Tea will solve nearly all problems." Tea shops are everywhere and men especially seem to use them, often standing up to consume the hot liquid, smoking and chatting.

I am told that there are 1000 castes in Hinduism each having a different emphasis or practice. Then there are 30,000 Gods but three main Gods - Braham, Vishu & Shiva. (Braham was the creator, Vishu takes one through life and Shiva is the destroyer). I was informed by an ardent Hindu that nine god's representing each planets in our solar system were given colours thousands of years ago. Today we see those colours when we view the planets through a telescope! Then temples also build thousands of years ago in different areas (countries around the world?) supposedly all are in alignment (line-up).

Red paint is often applied to one's forehead (between the eye brows) usually at the temple or for females a removable spot called a bindi is used. I have heard several explanations depending on one's beliefs or understanding of their use - one being good luck, another to prevent people influencing or mesmerising one, a spiritual significance or adornment. Different colourepd inks & patterns are used depending on the god one follows.

Some women also use the dye in their hairline to show they are married.

Many homes don't have an iron so one can take their clothes to a shop or a trolley in the street where a person has a heavy, old, nonelectric, iron which literally has a fire - wood or charcoal burning in the base. The man I saw wouldn't permit me to take a photo - obviously camera shy but managed a shot elsewhere.

I continue to be an interest and curiosity to many who obviously haven't seen a white, Westerner before or up-so-close. I am usually looked up & down, people tell others facing the other way to look around or after I have been noticed the observer will do a 180 degree turn & continue their interest. I can be pleased that I am helping continue people's education or offended!

In Delhi, two motor bikes collided. One was carrying a pillion as-well-as a big bag of flour and a carton of cooking oil. Yes you guessed it, a large quantity of flour ended up on the road. The young speeding motor cyclist was called and came back to the scene. After a short altercation, the seeming offender just rode off. The enterprising goods carrier tore a flap off the carton and used it to scoop-up the flour and return it to the bag. The street was far from hygienic! That could be the same ingredients in my next roti or japati! You would hope the cooking process would kill the germs!

Water & other pipes are often above ground or just below the surface making them susceptible to damage and breakage. If there is a leakage, nothing doesn't seems to be done about it.

Water trucks with tanks can be seen regularly delivering water to the home or business.

Litre bottles of water are permitted to be carried on aircrafts where-as we are only allowed 100 ml of liquid in Australia!

In spite of that, other Indian airport security is much stricter. Firstly one requires a ticket to be permitted into the terminus. Then there is the first bag/luggage machine scanner, then an airline second machine finally a more detailed, demanding immigration machine scanner and secutity wand over and body pat-down test.

Traditional Indian women dress is a sari accompanied with a brightly coloured, light, almost see through synthetic shawl which covers the hair & if there is an older male around then it is pulled and covers the face as a mark of respect. Women sit on the floor or in the street in their beautifully coloured garments.

A few men wear the traditional outfit which is usally a white cotton? piece of material wrapped around the waist and pulled up in-between the legs resembling jodphurs a bit. Others will wear a piece of coloured material also around the waist hanging down to the feet. However, as it it so hot (mid 40 ) the bottom of the wrap-around is lifted up and again tucked into the waist to make a mini skirt.

Many men today wear Western clothes but it is expected woman will dress traditionally! However, many younger females are not wearing the shawl and wearing a dress (a Susie Wong or a moo-moo style) with the splits up each side and coloured tights under that.

Expression of feelings and relationships are also changing. An Indian friend in his thirties, had an arranged marriage. He has been married about nine years and has a child a little less about eight. He has never said to his wife that he loves her or given her a hug or kiss in public. This too is slowly changing with the behaviour of young people.

In the rural community where I stayed for a few nights we slept out in the open under the stars, on bedframes with rope or webbing attached or pulled across covered with a thin padded blanket and rock hard pillow. Most places where I stayed, the mattresses & pillows were really hard obviously so as to toughen one-up.

There are no windows because glass is costly so each room has an opening quite high up but was covered with metal preventing much needed light to enter. Therefore an electric light was needed all the time the room was used. Wooden shutters could have been s substitution to allow light and fresh air to penetrate and circulate.

Showers there were in public so one always bathed wearing their under-clothes. Even families do the same I'm told. A curtain was later added for me I take it or maybe to prevent them from having to see me!

Meals we eaten sitting cross-legged on the floor which becomes more difficult with age especially if one isn't used to doing so.

As I'm sure I mentioned, often at a home or at a meal, there is a dirth of uncooked fruit and vegetables.

I was introduced to Chaats which are an extremely popular snack throughout India. I had seen them made before and thought I wouldn't touch (eat) them. They are made of dough or thin, see-through batter in an oval shape and split open. It is filled with chutneys, tangy spices, onion, chilli (of course!) potato, chick peas etc together with a bowl of cold gravy. Every part of the order is man- handled with gives the term "food handling" a whole new meaning! The vendor will pick-up the chaat, dip it into a sauce, fill it will ingredients and serve about six on a side plate with the bowl of gravy. Purchasers keep returning for plates to be refilled. About 18 of these would cost a little over a dollar.

Henna paint is used by both men and women but more often females.

I was in a place called Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu, which is in S.E India on the coast. It has the widest and longest beach I have seen and the locals claim it is the longest worldwide.

Between the shore and water's edge, it is quite steep. Many, especially male teenagers and young men will remove their shirt or strip to the under wear and rush to the water's edge where they will revel in the experience. Some teenagers will hold hands and in a line, walk into the surf until the waves overtake them. Then the waves will return then to shore. They are so excited running along the shore, running into the water, diving over the shallow waves, twisting, throwing sand. No one swims or goes out further than they can stand usually to their wastes at the maximum. Most playing is on the edge. Even clothed families standing in the shallows don't mind getting wet! It all seems to be an unknown, unpredictable, exciting event holding each other or hiding behind someone! Cute to watch!

At night the beach comes alive with mechanical circus rides, fairy floss, food & drink stalls, horse riding, Zodiac card readers using parrots or hamsters to turn cards over for the one seeking their destiny disclosed etc Around nine pm or later all entertainment & food sales cease on the beach. If one remains at the water's edge too late, like 11:30, police will ask one to leave. Even though there are enormous spot lights similar to sporting grounds illuminating the beach they don't quite fully brighten the water's edge. Maybe 50-100 people spend the night sleeping on the beach, enjoying the cool night breeze in spite of the lights. However, others choose to sleep on the roads, footpaths, in carts anywhere even in the gutter at times.

A sign showing Christ and his sacred heart, a mosque & a Hindu god with writing in the local Hindu Nadii language was displayed in many places. When asked for a translation, I was told it was "Godmun" ? meaning no matter if one is Christian, Muslim or Hindu, one must not urinate in the street. However, this is not obeyed.

I saw a T shirt today stating "Disobey the Rules!" We don't need to be encouraged to do that do we? We are rebellious at best and at heart.

Well that's it for now.

Kind regards,

Russ

Could I request Ryuji "Bon" and confessing to his crush?

((Ok, this turned out cliché as fuck, like literally everything about this is cliché and I’m so sorry [not really all that sorry] lmfao. Also Bon is very OOC, so I apologize about that too, but like how he acts in this kind of fits him in a way I guess?? At least I can see it haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoy despite the overused tropes xD))

–

Today was the day. The day that he would finally confess his true feelings to you.

Bon had woken up confidently that morning, his mind set on telling you how he felt for you after having concealed his feelings for the entirety of your relationship. Truth be told, he had fallen for you at first sight, but he held back on telling you until after you two had become more acquainted with one another. He never did, however, find an appropriate opportunity to confess (mostly because he chickened out last minute and decided to shift the conversation elsewhere whenever he tried bringing it up).

Today would be different, though. The anticipation of telling you was eating him up and he wanted- no needed, to know if you felt the same way. Even if you didn’t return his feelings (which he was hopeful that you would, of course), he would feel better just telling you and getting it off his chest.

Bon had texted you earlier asking if you wanted to hang out for the day since it was the weekend and classes weren’t in session, to which you agreed. Of course he was elated once you sent a message back, but at the same time his confidence of confessing slowly deflated and his nerves seeped in. Thoughts of backing out from his confession flooded his mind, but he was extremely stubborn, as well as determined, to tell you.

“No,” he told his reflection in the mirror, sternly, “you will not back out of this today. You need to tell them how you feel.” He glowered at himself before sighing and getting ready to go out to the local park where you both agreed to meet up at.

Once he threw on a pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt, he slipped into the pair of tennis shoes that resided by his front door, then gathered up his wallet and phone and shrugged into his hoodie. He stepped out in to the cool fall air, locking the door behind him before he did so, then made the trek to the park. It didn’t take him long to arrive since he lived just a few blocks away, and he noticed you weren’t there just yet. He decided to sit on a nearby bench to wait for you.

Bon ran a hand through his hair as he thought about what the best way to confess to you would be. He thought about different scenarios he saw on TV he could possibly use, but ultimately decided each one he thought of was too corny and he would most certainly make a fool of himself if he were to act out any of them.

Growling slightly, he hunched over to rest his elbows on his legs and rub his temples with his fingers. “Why is this so difficult?” he pondered aloud, “Why can’t I just tell them…?”

“Tell who what?” came a voice from beside him, causing him to jump. Glancing up at the figure who stood before him, he noticed that it was you and relaxed a bit. However, it then clicked that you had heard his mumbling and his cheeks slowly turned a soft shade of pink.

“A-ah nothing, (Name), don’t worry about it,” he responded, rubbing the back of his head nervously and shooting his gaze off to the side, a slight pout on his lips.

Narrowing your eyes at the teen before you, you hummed a bit as you leaned closer to his face and tried to peer in to his eyes as a means to get more information from him. The sudden lack of space between your faces caused Bon to become even more flustered than he already was, which was quite the sight for you. And as much as you wanted to tease him, you knew better than to do so.

Your current method of trying to get Bon to confess the truth of his earlier statement only served to cause the poor boy to become even more flustered and he absolutely refused to look you in the eye, which was, if you were honest, quite out of character for your tough-looking friend. You sighed exasperatedly before straightening back up as he let out a visible breath of relief. You couldn’t help but to grin.

“So,” you began, shifting your weight from your right leg to your left, making Bon finally look up at you, “Did you plan on us just sitting on this bench all afternoon, or did you want to actually do something? Not that I would mind to do that, per se, but I figured you might want to go grab a bite to eat or something.”

“Y-yea, that sounds great,” he stuttered out while standing from the bench a little too quickly, “Let’s go to that little cafe down the street. I-if you’re okay with it, that is-!”

You chuckled. “Yes, Ryuji-kun, that’s fine. It’s actually one of my favorite places to go!” You shot him a warm smile with your eyes closed, head tilted slightly to the side, missing the deer-in-the-headlights look he gave in response. You then skipped off in the direction of the cafe while calling out over your shoulder, “C’mon Ryuji, let’s go!”

“S-so cute…” was Bon’s only thought as he stared in awe at you, feeling his heart beat rapidly in his chest and his cheeks grow warm for the umpteenth time during his exchange with you. After a moment or two of staring, he then followed after you, the blush still present on his features the entire way there.

–

You both arrived at the small cafe a few minutes later, and immediately went up to the counter to order your favorite snacks and beverages. As you were pulling out your wallet to pay, Bon shook his head and placed his hand on top of yours to stop you. “I’ll cover it, (Name), don’t worry about it.”

“Oh thanks, Ryuji! That’s very kind of you!” you beamed.

He blushed before grumbling out a “Yea, yea,” then handed over a few bills to cover the cost of the food to the cashier. After getting his change back and getting your food and drinks, he led you over to a small table off to the side in a secluded area where the two of you chatted about random things and enjoyed each other’s company in semi-privacy.

Bon, after a while, elected to just sit and listen to you chatter away, inputting his thoughts when needed, as his nerves started creeping up again. He was still very much determined to confess to you, but he couldn’t help but to be nervous. What if you rejected him? What would happen after that? He didn’t want to lose you completely, as you were one of the most important things in his life. You made him strive to be a better person and was always there for him when he needed you the most. A frown found its way on his lips, and you took notice almost immediately.

“Ryuji?” you called out, breaking him out of his reverie as concern swept over your features, “Is everything okay? I’m not boring you am I?”

Slightly panicking at that statement, Bon quickly replied, “No, no (Name), not at all. I’m just…thinking, is all.” He shifted his attention to the warm cup of coffee in his hands.

“Oh,” you leaned forward a bit on the table, pressing for him to continue, “What about?”

He grunted in response while he blushed, one of his hands shooting up to fiddle with one of his piercings. It was now or never he supposed. “A-about…us.”

You blinked, already assuming the worst. Bon had always told you had a bad habit of jumping to conclusions, to which you brushed him off each and every time he did so. “…What about us? Have I done something wrong? If I have, just tell me and I’ll fix it-”

His warm, calloused hands suddenly encased yours, and this time it was your turn to blush. “You haven’t done anything wrong, I promise,” he sighed before looking you in the eye, “Look, (Name), I’ve…I’ve really liked you for the longest time. More than just as a friend. I-I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to make things awkward between us, but…I needed to get this off my chest. I can only hope that you feel the same way as I do.” He could feel his heart beat, almost painfully so,  and his face felt like it was on fire as he awaited your response.

The silence that dragged on was unbearable, so Bon simply sighed and closed his eyes in defeat, withdrawing his hands from yours, “I-I’m really sorry, I know I’ve just made things really awk-”

A pair of soft lips against his forehead was honestly the last thing he expected from you. His eyes shot open just as you were sitting back down since you had to stand a bit and lean over the table to give him the short kiss. Gawking at you, he noticed that your cheeks were dusted a nice shade of pink and the sweet smile you donned on your lips.

“Ryuji, I-I’m so happy you feel the same way,” you said, grabbing one of his hands in both of yours. Your beautiful, (e/c) eyes sparkled as you continued on with your own confession, “I had a feeling you did by the way you acted around me, but I was too nervous to say anything in case I had misread your behavior.”

It took a moment for Bon to register this new revelation. Once he did, however, he didn’t bother to hide the gentle smile that grew on his face. “Well, if I had known that I would’ve confessed a long time ago.” You both chuckled.

Finishing up your drinks soon thereafter, you both left that cafe in high spirits. You couldn’t help but to feel the whole situation was a bit cliché, but honestly neither of you minded. You wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Capitalist Realism vs Virus Realism

Logic is often linked with reason. Where reason is the motivation behind an action, the reason why one does something, logic is a series of reasons that limit one another to form a suite of actions, or a general behaviour. It is a set of principles that underlies the general thinking behind that general behaviour. Logic, as with reason, is not universal. This tends to be generally understood of reason. For example, I might have a reason to want to leave work early while my manager has a competing reason for me to stay. This, however, is less understood of logic, which can also be said for rationality, also often linked with reason. But a rationale is just the consistent application of reason, and logic, as I already mentioned, is the sequence of reasons alongside and limiting one another. If a man accuses a woman of being irrational, it is more likely that that man simply fails to understand the logic underlying the reason for that woman’s behaviour. Logics compete, just as reasons do.

Returning to the situation between myself and my manager, it is not necessarily the case that our competing reasons belie competing logics. We might both wholeheartedly agree with the logic that to work hard at our company will benefit us both, and it’s just a deadly sunny day and I need to get out of the office in that given moment. It is more likely, however, that a manager, who will be on a higher pay scale than me-who needs to be managed, is operating from a different logic. The reason they want me to stay to work is informed by the logic of management in a capitalist enterprise. That is; ‘if I sit here and make sure he doesn’t move, he will eventually produce the service required by my manager, so that I might pass it along and continue receiving my sweet salary.’ Whereas my reason for wanting to leave early is more likely informed by an altogether different logic, such as: ‘this is such a menial shitty load of bollox of a job. There is literally no point in me staying here to produce this service because, as bad as it is, it would be even worse to eventually get that eejit’s job, despite the better pay.’

So if I get up and leave for the door and the manager jumps up, startled, and demands to know where I’m off to, and I tell him I don’t care about the job, that I’ve just got to go, he might try to explain the situation to me, according to his logic: ‘you must stay! I implore you! Who will produce this service if you’re not here for me to supervise you? You’re acting entirely irrational!’ This is of course wholly antithetical to the logic informing my reasoning. The conversation doesn’t get very far, as we bump heads until eventually my manager, failing to grasp my logic and in need of a higher rate of compliance for his logic to be seen through, fires me and I get to leave early. There is no universal logic. Logics can compete.

On March the 4th of this year, Italy had just closed its schools and universities due to having become the European epicentre of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic. With 87 known cases in the UK, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson had just told the nation that, as long as they were washing their hands for 20 seconds, people could greet others however they liked. During the weeks that followed confusion ensued with some baffled that the government hadn’t adopted Italy’s policies before the spread of the virus got much worse, and others keen to focus on the ‘it’ll be grand’ aspect of Johnson’s message. Johnson assured the nation that more stringent measures were not necessary as the science was sound, that the virus would spread through the population and only kill off the weak, while everyone else built up a natural immunity. On March 16th, the science reported in an online article on the Hoover Institute’s website that the standard model of spread was a gross overestimation, and that we should also be concerning ourselves with the impending economic shock.

But then, on March 18th, the science again reported, this time through a research paper published by the Imperial College London, that things were going to get very bad. In response, Johnson finally closes the schools. Two days later, pubs, restaurants and gyms are also ordered to close. A furlough scheme, allowing companies to temporarily lay off staff so they could stay home and the government would pay 80% of their wages, was announced. Then, on March 23rd, Johnson tells the nation to stay home, to only leave for food, medical reasons, essential work if it cannot be done from home, and for one hour’s daily exercise. In this five day period the world, for those living in the UK, changed dramatically. 43 people were reported to have died, but the figure stood at 11 000 in the wider world. The reality of the virus for the vast majority of people living in the UK was a vague and ambiguous puzzle playing out on their screens. It was largely happening elsewhere. There was, for at least some I guess, a sense that an enemy was imminent, and this feeling was, for me anyway, made even more surreal by Johnson’s u-turn with respect to policy.

It was as if the Prime Minister began employing a different logic to the one that informed his previous ‘herd immunity’ policy. In contrast to the stark Virus Realism of a policy of lockdown, many in the financial press were clamouring for us to consider the economy. On March 19th, the Wall Street Journal published a report highlighting the human cost of job losses, claiming that this cost would grow by the hour. It warned that 10 million jobs would be lost but, in case the reader wasn’t sufficiently tugged by their heart strings, the article counted this cost in lost dreams. This sentiment was ramified when, on March 23rd, the same day that Johnson delivered Virus Realism to the UK, the leader of the free world, Donal Trump announced to the business class that the cure cannot be worse than the problem, and that the US would be out of lockdown sooner rather than later.

On March 24th the Washington Post reported that Trump was coming under increasing pressure from business leaders, Republican lawmakers and conservative economists to reopen the economy. It also reported that Dr. Fauci, a lead member of the administration’s coronavirus taskforce, disagreed with this direction. Competing logics. Capitalist logic determines that today’s investments must be valorised tomorrow. That is, if I make an investment on March 22nd I require economic activity so that the economy grows and I can eventually cash out, having made a gain on my investment, otherwise known as profit. If, however, Boris Johnson effectively shuts down a large economic hub, otherwise know as the UK, on March 23rd, then the chances of valorisation become limited. Yes, I can read in the news that some people are ill and a few of them are dying, but if my capital doesn’t valorise, my competitors might outflank and then sink me. This is the logic of capitalism, the logic underlying the reasoning behind Trump’s plans to reopen the economy.

The logic of Covid-19, however, goes something along the lines of: ‘this host is literally killing itself to get rid of me. Perhaps I should try that eejit over there? Nope, just as hostile. Oh, they’re now dead. Ah, here’s their neighbour to check on them…’, and so on. This logic, or, the one derived from it that goes something like: ‘we must stop this virus from spreading and killing its hosts’, appears to be in direct competition with the logic of capitalism. On March 25th an article published by the Financial Times declared that shutting industry could inflict lasting damage on economies. On March 31st another Financial Times article reminded everyone that the UK’s gross domestic product would shrink £6 billion during each month of lockdown. And on the same day the BBC relayed the message from the World Bank that the 24 million people they projected to escape poverty now would not. From this two week snapshot of various policies and reactions in the media we get a sense of the competition between these two logics.

Another two weeks on and, on April 14th, the same day the IMF released their Global Financial Stability Report, (the same day, incidentally, that Johnson was released from hospital after having succumbed to the virus two and a half weeks earlier), the UK’s office for budgetary responsibility asked the British chancellor of the exchequer, Rishi Sunak, to begin reminding everyone of the primacy, after all, of the capitalist logic. Sunak, in his statement to the nation, declared that it was important to be honest with people about what was happening to the economy, stating that he would outline such before turning to the health figures. So, before turning to those health figures, Sunak took the time to assure the UK nation that the government had the economy in hand, and that it would be getting everyone back to work as quickly as possible, as soon as restrictions changed, to get business moving again and recover the economy. Then, on pivoting toward the health figures, Sunak gave us a direct glimpse down to the bone of the logic by saying the single most important thing we can do for the health of the economy is to protect the health of our people.

Remember, a logic is a sequence of inter-limiting reasons. In Sunak’s sequence of reasons why the government should act, the economy here comes first, as if people serve the economy, rather than that the economy serves people. Four weeks have since passed and, on May 10th, Johnson eased the lockdown to allow more people to travel to work, suggesting also that schools would soon re-open. This policy of easing lockdown comes at a time when Virus Realism appears to be subsiding. The rate of death linked with Covid-19 is reportedly lowering. The curve seems to have been flattened and the National Health Service managed not to collapse under the weight of its peak. It would appear then, that the government is now aware of what sort of numbers the health system is capable of, and must be confident it can maximise economic activity within the parameter of cases the country featured over the past two months.

I cannot say for sure that this is a conscious policy, of course, but given the virus logic, it at least does not appear to seek to minimise the death rate. And, given the logic of capitalism, the government is technically now aware of how to manage the case load for the NHS. When numbers rise once the economy restarts, the government will know when to cap this second wave and introduce lockdown measures again. The inevitable re-increase of the death rate will be a collateral factor to the continuation of the logic of capitalism and the need to valorise investments. It just so happens that, for those business leaders and conservative economists lobbying on behalf of the logic of capitalism, the virus logic affects them least of all. On May 1st a report was published on the Poverty and Social Exclusion website by the Office of National Statistics that displayed that the distribution of deaths linked with Covid-19 lay increasingly with those from the most deprived areas of England and Wales.

Irrespective of the logic of the virus, this is always the logic of capitalism. This distribution pattern is not too dissimilar for deaths not linked to the virus also. And this is an important point, but bear with me for a moment. A few days after the lockdown measures were announced, the NHS put out a call for volunteers. In the first 24 hours they received over half a million applicants. Mutual aid groups were quickly established across the country, and a poll, published on April 9th, stated that the British public valued the health and lives of its older population over even long-term economic considerations. Despite a government bent over the lap of the business lobby (as if they weren’t thoroughly involved in business themselves!) and thus operating under the logic of capitalism, these moments of selflessness illustrate an alternative reasoning among that government’s constituents. From this glimpse of reason, we cannot say what logic underlies it but what we can say, however, is that it doesn’t appear to be concerned too much with the logic of capitalism.

Why, though, was this not as blatantly apparent before the Covid-19 crisis? As above, the country’s death rate is dramatically asymmetrical in its distribution along degrees of deprivation, virus or no virus. Why in this moment do people suddenly seem motivated by human vulnerability? I would guess that this is perhaps because for a moment human vulnerability was honestly depicted in the mainstream media during the early phase of the crisis. Society’s comparable endemic vulnerabilities that existed before, and will exist long after unless things change, will not be sufficiently newsworthy as to inspire such levels of social solidarity once this is over. The mediated experience of the world people generally consume cannot help but affect profoundly the underlying logic to the reasons anyone does anything. This alongside, of course, the imposition of the logic of capitalism on most people to perform waged labour for most their lives just to survive.

It is not the case that people were indifferent and now they have suddenly found their calling. Its that the logic of capitalism determines what makes the headlines as investors in media require that the company they invested in experiences share price growth continuously. This pressure requires the company to opt for the sort of news that incites passion in the consumer, allows them to feel things, to sense life. It must be sensational. Constantly. If a media company was to report continuously on the sort of human vulnerability that might inspire social solidarity, its readership will flag, leading investors to cash-in and invest elsewhere. This competitive drive is the essence of the logic of capitalism, and in this way, one of many, it determines so much of our society.

Returning now to the articles mentioned above, published between March 19th and March 31st. In particular, the Wall Street Journal’s projection that 10 million will lose their jobs and their ability to realise dreams; Trump’s tweet that the cure cannot be worse than the problem; the Financial Times claim that shutting industry could inflict lasting damage on the economy; and the World Bank’s warning that the 24 million people they predicted would escape poverty this year, will no longer do so. The elements involved here are people and wealth, the relationship between them is determined by processes. Under capitalist logic the processes is: the people will slowly attain a share of the wealth by engaging in the economy (the economy that is served by people, not the one that serves people, as highlighted by Chancellor Sunak. This is the capitalist economy – the free market). Under competition with virus logic this logic comes to reason that: the people will not attain a share of the wealth as lockdown will disturb the free market. The elements remain unchanged: under lockdown or otherwise, the people exist; the wealth exists. Its just the interplay of logics that determine the relationship between them.

Under the competition imposed by virus logic, the transfer of wealth to the poor can no longer be achieved under capitalist logic because the prime value or reason determining the process that manages that relationship is the free market. In a capitalist economy the industry mentioned in the Financial Times article has developed an organic network of production, directed by free market price signals. In shutting industry down, the lasting damage the Financial Times alludes to is in the relationships between nodal points in that network, who, after some time, will have failed to perform that relationship and may no longer do so once the possibility arises once more. The quality of these relationships is based on the conditions of competition, the ones I mentioned previously that deliver such quality media companies. The extended logic, then, is that we cannot simply place element wealth alongside element people as this will disturb the free market as I just outlined it. To do so is illogical. But now, Virus Realism is disturbing this process and the poor people will have to suffer under the totality of that logic, as if this manner of distributing wealth is the best humanity could possible come up with.

In sum then, the quality of industrial relations, as we have seen, are not that brilliant. The process is so feeble that it is unable to withstand lockdown. Its ability to distribute wealth is negligent – why is everyone so poor to begin with? So why do we uphold its logic and the prime value of the free market economy? Because the class with power in society has invested in the process and they demand a return on it in both the near future and further down the line. Competing logics. What if instead of valuing the free market, instead of valuing the expansion of the economy that valorises invested capital, we swapped it for a new prime value? That of, not expansion, but distribution. We could outline an economy that serves people, rather than the other way round. We could build a production chain robust enough to adapt to crises such as this pandemic, so long as it relied on social rather than capital relations. It would no longer be an illogical act to simply place the existing wealth beside the people who need it.

Under this logic, if under it we had an actually free press, headlines would instead read ‘the 24 million people capitalists decided would gradually escape poverty this year will no longer do so as those capitalists have instead decided to withdraw their wealth from circulation because the government has suggested that people’s welfare is slightly more pressing than this economic nonsense’; or ‘people’s dreams shattered as capital is withdrawn from the economy due to fear and greed by the capitalist class’. There is no scarcity of wealth. There is no reason that we cannot distribute wealth evenly in society, where it is needed. There is no reason for this, other than the logic of capitalism.

‘When Can We Go to School?’ Nearly 300 Million Children Are Missing Class.

Students are now out of school in China, South Korea, Iran, Japan, France, Pakistan, some parts of the U.S. and elsewhere — some for only a few days, others for weeks on end. In Italy, all schools and universities will remain closed until March 15. Day cares and nannies are already overbooked. If you were a manager and many of your employees had grade school children, what, if anything, would you do to address this problem? Why? What are the ethics underlying your decision?

The coronavirus epidemic reached deeper into daily life across the world on Wednesday, with a sweeping shutdown of all schools in Italy and warnings of school closures in the United States, intensifying the educational upheaval of nearly 300 million students globally.

Only a few weeks ago, China, where the outbreak began, was the only country to suspend classes. But the virus has spread so quickly that by Wednesday, 22 countries on three continents had announced school closures of varying degrees, leading the United Nations to warn that “the global scale and speed of the current educational disruption is unparalleled.”  

Students are now out of school in South Korea, Iran, Japan, France, Pakistan and elsewhere — some for only a few days, others for weeks on end. In Italy, suffering one of the deadliest outbreaks outside China, officials said Wednesday that they would extend school closures beyond the north, where the government has imposed a lockdown on several towns, to the entire nation. All schools and universities will remain closed until March 15, officials said.

On the West Coast of the United States, the region with the most American infections so far, Los Angeles declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, advising parents to steel themselves for school closures in the nation’s second-largest public school district. Washington State, which has reported at least 10 deaths from the outbreak, has closed some schools, while on the other side of the country in New York, newly diagnosed cases have led to the closure of several schools as well.  

The speed and scale of the educational tumult — which now affects 290.5 million students worldwide, the United Nations says — has little parallel in modern history, educators and economists contend. Schools provide structure and support for families, communities and entire economies. The effect of closing them for days, weeks and sometimes even months could have untold repercussions for children and societies at large.

“They’re always saying, ‘When can we go out to play? When can we go to school?’” said Gao Mengxian, a security guard in Hong Kong whose two daughters have been stuck at home because school has been suspended since January.

In some countries, older students have missed crucial study sessions for college admissions exams, while younger ones have risked falling behind in reading and math. Parents have lost wages, tried to work at home or scrambled to find child care. Some have moved  children to new schools in areas unaffected by the coronavirus, and lost milestones like graduation ceremonies or last days of school.

“I don’t have data to offer, but can’t think of any instances in modern times where advanced economies shut down schools nationally for prolonged periods of time,” said Jacob Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.

In Hong Kong, families like Ms. Gao’s have struggled to maintain some semblance of normalcy.

Ms. Gao, 48, stopped working to watch her daughters and started scrimping on household expenses. She ventures outside just once a week and spends the most time helping her girls, 10 and 8, with online classes, fumbling through technology that leaves her confused and her daughters frustrated.

Governments are trying to help. Japan is offering subsidies to help companies offset the cost of parents’ taking time off. France has promised 14 days of paid sick leave to parents of children who must self-isolate, if they have no choice but to watch their children.

But the burdens are widespread, touching corners of society seemingly unconnected to education. In Japan, schools have canceled bulk food deliveries for lunches they will no longer serve, hurting farmers and suppliers. In Hong Kong, an army of domestic helpers has been left unemployed after wealthy families enrolled their children in schools overseas.

Julia Bossard, a 39-year-old mother of two in France, said she had been forced to rethink her entire routine since her older son’s school was closed for two weeks for disinfection. Her days now consist of helping her children with homework and scouring supermarkets for fast-disappearing pasta, rice and canned food. “We had to reorganize ourselves,” she said.

Online and Alone

School and government officials have sought to keep children learning — and occupied — at home. The Italian government created a web page to give teachers access to videoconference tools and ready-made lesson plans. Mongolian television stations are airing classes. Iran’s government has made all children’s internet content free.

Students even take online physical education: At least one school in Hong Kong requires students — in gym uniform — to follow along as an instructor demonstrates push-ups onscreen. Each student’s webcam provides proof.

The offline reality, though, is challenging.  Technological hurdles and unavoidable distractions  pop up when children and teenagers are left to their own devices — literally.

Thira Pang, a 17-year-old high school student in Hong Kong, has been repeatedly late for class because her internet connection is slow. She now logs on 15 minutes early.

“It’s just a bit of luck to see whether you can get in,” she said.

The new classroom at home poses greater problems for younger students, and their older caregivers. Ruby Tan, a teacher in Chongqing, a city in southwestern China that suspended school last month, said many grandparents were helping with child care so that the parents can go to work. But the grandparents do not always know the technology.

“They don’t have any way of supervising the children’s learning, and instead let them develop bad habits of not being able to focus during study time,” Ms. Tan said.

Some interruptions are unavoidable. Posts on Chinese social media show teachers and students climbing onto rooftops or hovering outside neighbors’ homes in search of a stronger internet signal. One family in Inner Mongolia packed up its yurt and migrated elsewhere in the grasslands for a better web connection, a Chinese magazine reported.

The closings have also altered the normal milestones of education. In Japan, the school year typically ends in March. Many schools are now restricting the ceremonies to teachers and students.

When Satoko Morita’s son graduated from high school in Akita Prefecture, in northern Japan, on March 1, she was not there. It will be the same for her daughter’s ceremony at elementary school.

“My daughter asked me, ‘What’s the point of attending and delivering speeches in the ceremony without parents?’” she said.

For Chloe Lau, a Hong Kong student, the end of her high school education came abruptly. Her last day was supposed to be April 2, but schools in Hong Kong will not resume until at least April 20.

A Burden on Women

With the closings, families must rethink how they support themselves and split household responsibilities. The burden has fallen particularly hard on women, who across the world are still largely responsible for child care.

Babysitters are in short supply or leery of taking children from hard-hit regions.

The 11-year-old son of Lee Seong-yeon, a health information manager at a hospital in Seoul, South Korea, has been out of class since the government suspended schools nationwide on Monday. South Korea has the highest number of coronavirus cases outside China.

Working from home was never an option for Ms. Lee: She and her husband, also a hospital employee, have more work duties than ever. So Ms. Lee’s son spends each weekday alone, eating lunchboxes of sausage and kimchi fried rice premade by Ms. Lee.

“I think I would have quit my job if my son were younger, because I wouldn’t have been able to leave him alone at home,” Ms. Lee said.

Still, she feels her career will suffer. “I try to get off work at 6 p.m. sharp, even when others at the office are still at their desks, and I run home to my son and make him dinner,” she said. “So I know there is no way I am ever going to be acknowledged for my career at work.”

For mothers with few safety nets, options are even more limited.

In Athens,  Anastasia Moschos said she had been lucky. When her 6-year-old son’s school was closed for a week, Ms. Moschos, 47, an insurance broker, left her son with her father, who was visiting. But if the schools stay closed, she may have to scramble for help.

“The assumption is that everyone has someone to assist,” she said. “That’s not the case with me. I’m a single mother, and I don’t have help at home.”

Even mothers able to leave affected areas have trouble finding child care. Cristina Tagliabue, a communications entrepreneur from Milan, the center of Italy’s outbreak, recently moved with her 2-year-old son to her second home in Rome. But no day care facility would  accept her son because other parents did not want anyone from Milan near their children, Ms. Tagliabue said.

The closings in Italy — which include day care in addition to schools and universities — are likely to create problems for parents nationwide.

Ms. Tagliabue has turned down several job proposals, she said, since she is unable to work at home without a babysitter for her young child.

“It’s right to close schools, but that has a cost,” she said. “The government could have done something for mothers — we are also in quarantine.”

Beyond the Classroom

The epidemic has shaken entire industries that rely on the rituals of students in school and parents at work.

School administrators in Japan, surprised by the abrupt decision to close schools, have rushed to cancel orders for cafeteria lunches, stranding suppliers with unwanted groceries and temporarily unneeded employees.

Kazuo Tanaka, deputy director of the Yachimata School Lunch Center in central Japan, said it scrapped orders for ingredients to make about 5,000 lunches for 13 schools. It would cost the center about 20 million yen, nearly $200,000, each month that school was out, he said.

“Bakeries are blown,” said Yuzo Kojima, secretary general at the National School Lunch Association. “Dairy farmers and vegetable farmers will be hit. The workers at the school lunch centers cannot work.”

To blunt the effects, Japan’s government is offering financial help to parents, small businesses and health care providers. But school lunch officials said they had not heard about compensation for their workers.

In Hong Kong, many among its sizable population of domestic helpers have been jobless as affluent parents have enrolled children overseas.

Demand for nannies had already dropped by a third when the outbreak began, because many companies allowed parents to work from home, said Felix Choi, the director of Babysitter.hk, a nanny service. Now some expatriate families have left the city rather than wait out the closings.

“Over 30 percent of our client base is Western expat families, and I’m not seeing many of them coming back to Hong Kong at this moment,” Mr. Choi said. “Most of them informed us they will only come back after school restarts.”

In the Accelerator over the Sea

In our oceans the scale of disasters is measured in millions, billions, and trillions, while solutions amount to single digits: individuals or institutions working to impact a chosen issue with approaches often both brilliant and quixotic. Putting such individuals in close contact with both whales and billionaires is the strange alchemy being attempted by the Sustainable Ocean Alliance’s Accelerator at Sea.

I and a few other reporters were invited to observe said program, a five-day excursion in Alaska that put recent college graduates, aspiring entrepreneurs, legends of the sea, and soft-spoken financial titans on the same footing: spotting whales from Zodiacs in the morning, learning from one another in the afternoon, and drinking whiskey good and bad under the Northern lights in the pre-dawn dark.

The boat — no, not that big one, or that other big one… yes, that one.

In that time I got to know the dozen or so companies in the accelerator, the second batch from the SOA but the first to experience this oddly effective enterprise. And I also gathered from conversations among the group the many challenges facing conservation-focused startups.

(By way of disclosure, I should say that I was among four press offered a spot on the chartered boat; Those invited, from penniless students to deep-pocketed investors, could join provided they got themselves to Juneau for embarkation.)

The picture painted by just about everyone was one of impending doom from a multiplicity of interlinked trends, and as many different approaches to averting or mitigating that doom as people discussing it.

What’s the problem?

In Silicon Valley one grows so used to seeing enormous sums of money expended on things barely categorizable as irritations, let alone serious problems, that it is a bit bewildering to be presented with the opposite: existential problems being addressed on shoestring budgets by founders actually passionate about their domain.

Throughout the trip, the discussions had at almost every occasion, be it looking for bear prints in a tidal flat or visiting a local salmon hatchery, were about the imminent collapse of natural ecosystems and the far-reaching consequences thereof.

Overfishing, rising water temperatures, deforestation, pollution, strip mining, microplastics — everywhere we looked is a man-made threat that has been allowed to go too far. Not a single industry or species is unaffected.

It’s enough to make you want to throw your hands up and go home, which is in fact what some have advised. But the people on this boat are not them. They were selected for their dedication to conservation and ingenuity in pursuing solutions.

Of course, there’s no “solution” to the million of tons of plastic and oil in the oceans poisoning fish and creating enormous dead zones. There’s no “solution” to climate change. No one expects or promises a miracle cure for nature’s centuries of abuse at human hands.

But there are mitigations, choices we can make and technologies we can opt for where a small change can propagate meaningfully and, if not undo the damage we’ve done, reduce it going forward and make people aware of the difference they can make.

Small fish in a big, scary pond

The trip came right at the beginning of the accelerator, a choice that meant they were only getting started in the program and in fact had never met one another. It also meant in many cases their pitches and business models were less than polished. This is for the most part an early-stage program, and early in the program at that.

That said, the companies may be young but the ideas and technologies are sound. I expect to follow up with many as they perfect their hardware, raise money, and complete pilot projects, but I think it’s important to highlight each one of them, if only briefly. The accelerator’s demo day is actually today, and I wish I could attend to see how the companies and founders have evolved.

Some accelerators are so big and so general-purpose that it was refreshing to have a manageable number of companies all clustered around interlinked issues and united by a common concern. If young entrepreneurs trying to change the world isn’t TechCrunch business, I don’t know what is.

The problems may be multifarious, but I managed to group the startups under two general umbrellas: waste reduction and aquatic intelligence.

But before that I want to mention one that doesn’t fit into either category and for other reasons deserves a shout out.

Coral Vita grows corals at many times their normal rate and implants them in dying reefs.

Coral Vita is working on a special method of fast-tracking coral growth and simultaneously selecting for organisms resistant to bleaching and other threats. The founder, Gator Halpern, impressed the importance of the coral systems on us over the trip, as did filmmaker Jeff Orlowski, who directed the harrowing documentaries Chasing Ice and Chasing Coral. (He gave a workshop on storytelling — important when you’re pitching a film or a startup.)

Gator is using a special method to grow corals at 50 times normal rates and hopefully resuscitate reefs around the world, which is awesome, but I wanted to put Coral Vita first because of a horribly apropos coincidence: Hurricane Dorian, the latest in a historically long unbroken line of storms, struck his home and lab in the Bahamas while we were at sea.

It was literally battering the islands while he was supposed to pitch investors, and he used his time instead to ask us to help the victims of the storm. That’s heart. And it serves as a reminder that these are not armchair solutions to invented problems.

If you can spare a buck, you can support Coral Vita and victims of Dorian in the Bahamas here.

Waste reduction

The other companies were addressing problems equally as destructive, if not quite so immediately so.

Humans produce a lot of waste, and a lot of that waste ends up in the ocean, either as whole plastic bags scooping up fish, microplastics poisoning them, or heavier trash cluttering the sea floor. These startups focused on reducing humanity’s deleterious effects on ocean ecosystems.

Cruz Foam is looking to replace one of my least favorite substances, Styrofoam, which I see broken up and mixed in with beach soil and sand all the time. The company has created a process that uses an incredibly abundant and strong material called chitin to create a lightweight, biodegradable packing foam. Chitin is what a lot of invertebrates use to form their shells and exoskeletons, and there’s tons of it out there — but the company has been careful to find ethical sourcing for the volume it need.

Cruz Foam’s chitin-based product, left, and Biocellection’s plastic reduction process.

Biocellection is coming from the other direction, having created a process to break down polyethylenes (i.e. plastics) into smaller molecules that are useful in existing chemical processes. It’s actually upcycling waste plastic rather than repurposing it as a lower grade product.

Loliware was in SOA’s first batch, and creates single-use straws out of kelp material — a timely endeavor, as evidenced by the $6M round A they just pulled in, and backlog of millions of units ordered. Their challenge now is not finding a market but supplying it.

Dispatch Goods and Muuse are taking complementary approaches to reducing single-use items for take-out. Dispatch follows a model in use elsewhere in the world where durable containers are used rather than disposable ones for delivery items, then picked up, washed, and reused. Kind of obvious when you think about it, which is it’s common in other places.

Muuse (formerly Revolv) takes a more tech-centric approach, partnering with coffee shops to issue reusable cups rather than disposable ones. You can keep the cup if you want, or drop it off at a smart collection point and get a refund; RFID tags keep track of the items. Founder Forrest Carroll talked about early successes with this model on semi-closed environments like airports and college campuses.

Repurpose is aiming to create a way to go “plastic neutral” the way people try to go “carbon neutral.” Companies and individuals can sponsor individual landfills where their plastics go, subsidizing the direct removal and handling costs of a given quantity of trash.

Finless Foods hopes to indirectly reduce the huge amount of cost and waste created by fishing (“sustainable” really isn’t) by creating lab-grown tuna tissue that’s indistinguishable from the real thing. It’s a work in progress, but they’ve got a ton of money so you can probably count on it.

Intelligence and automation

The technology used in the maritime and fishing industries tends toward the “sturdy legacy” type rather than “cutting edge.” That’s changing as costs drop and the benefits of things like autonomous vehicles and IoT become evident.

Ellipsis represents perhaps the most advanced, yet direct, application of the latest tech. The company uses camera-equipped drones using computer vision to inspect rivers and bodies of water for plastics, helping cleanup and response crews characterize and prioritize them. This kind of low-level data is largely missing from cleanup efforts, which gave rise to the name, which refers to both the peripatetic founder Ellie and the symbol indicating missing or omitted information

Ellipsis uses computer vision to find plastic waste in water systems.

For larger-scale inspection, autonomous boats like Saildrone are an increasingly valuable tool — but they cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and have their own limitations.

EcoDrone is a lower-cost, smaller, customizable autonomous sailboat that costs more like $2,500. Plenty of missions would prefer to deploy a fleet of smaller, cheaper boats than put all their hopes into one vessel.

Sea Proven is going the other direction, with a much larger autonomous ship: 20 meters long with a full ton of payload space. That opens up entirely new mission profiles that use sophisticated, large-scale equipment and require long-term presence at sea. The company has two ships now embarking on a mission to track whales in the Mediterranean.

Nets and traps are notoriously dumb, producing a huge amount of “bycatch,” animals caught up in them that aren’t what the fishing vessel was aiming (or licensed) to collect. Smart Catch equips these huge nets with a camera that tracks and characterizes the fish that enter, allowing the owner to watch and monitor them remotely and respond if necessary.

Meanwhile “dumb” traps can still be smarter in other ways. Stationary traps in stormy seas are often lost, dragged along the sea bed to an unknown location, there to sit attracting hapless crab and fish until they fall apart centuries from now. Blue Ocean Gear makes GPS-equipped buoys that can be tracked easily, reducing the risk of losing expensive fishing kit and line, and preventing “ghost fishing.”

Connectivity at sea can be problematic, with satellite often the only real option. Sure, Starlink and others are on their way, but why wait? A system of interconnected floating hubs from ONet could serve as hotspots for ships carrying valuable and voluminous data that would otherwise need to be processed at sea or uploaded at great cost.

And integrating all that data with other datasets like those provided by universities, ports, municipalities, NGOs… good luck getting it all in one place. But that’s the goal of SINAY, which is assembling a huge ocean-centric meta-database where users can cross-reference without having to sort or process it locally. Clouds come from oceans, right? So why shouldn’t the ocean be in the cloud?

Accelerator at Sea

The idea of commencing this accelerator program with a trip to southeast Alaska is a fanciful one, no doubt. But an influx of support for the accelerator’s parent organization, the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, made it possible. The SOA raised millions from the mysterious Pine and not-so-mysterious Benioffs, but it also made a deep impression on the founder of Lindblad Expeditions, Sven Lindblad, who offered not just to host the event but to attend and speak at it.

He joined several other experts and interesting people in doing so: Former head of Google X Tom Chi, Value Act’s Jeff Ubben, Gigi Brisson and her Ocean Elders, including Captain (ret.) Don Walsh, the first man to reach the bottom of the Challenger Depths in the Marianas Trench. He’s hilarious, by the way.

I met SOA founder Daniela Fernandez at a TechCrunch event a few years ago when all this was just one of many twinkles in her twinkly eyes, and it’s been rewarding to watch her grow a community around these issues, which have passionate supporters around the globe if you’re willing to look for them and validate their purpose. It’s not a surprise to me at all that she has collected such an impressive group.

The boat, departing from Juneau, made a number of stops at local places of interest, where we would meet locals in the fishing industry, whale researchers, and others, or hear about the local economy ecology from one of the boat’s designated naturalists. In between these expeditions we did team-building exercises, honed pitches, and heard talks from the people mentioned above on hiring practices, investment trends, history.

These people weren’t just plucked from from the void — they are all part of the extended community that the SOA and Fernandez have built over the last few years. The organization was built with the idea of putting young, motivated people together with older, more experienced ones, and that’s just what was happening.

In a way it was what you might expect out of an accelerator program: Connecting startups with industry veterans and investors (of which there were several present) and getting them the advice and exposure they need. There was a pitch competition — the “Otter Sanctuary” (you had to be there).

But there was something very different about doing it this way — on a boat, I mean. In Alaska. With bears, whales, and the northern lights present at every turn.

“For the first time ever, we brought together a community of ocean entrepreneurs from all around the world and allowed them to become fully immersed in the environment that they have been working so hard to protect,” said Craig Dudenhoffer, who runs the accelerator program. “It was amazing to see the entrepreneurs establishing lifelong relationships with each other and with members of the SOA community. It might seem counter-intuitive for a technology entrepreneur, but sometimes you have to disconnect from technology in order to reconnect with your mission.”

In a normal startup accelerator, and in fact for the remainder of this one, aspiring entrepreneurs are living on their own somewhere, coming into a shared office space, attending office hours, meeting VCs in their offices or at demo days. That’s just fine, and indeed what many a startup needs — a peer group, a focal point in space and time, goals and advice.

On the boat, however, these things were present, but secondary to the experience of, say, standing next to someone under the aurora. I’m aware of how that sounds — “it was an experience, man!” — but there’s something fundamentally different about it.

In an office in the Bay Area, there is an established power structure and hierarchy. Schedules are adjusted around meetings, priorities are split, time and attention are devoted in formal 15-minute increments. On the boat there was no hierarchy, or rather the artificial one to which we would cleave in the city was flattened by the scale of what we were learning and experiencing.

You’d be in a zodiac or pressed against the railing with your binoculars, talking about whales and the threat of microplastics with whoever’s next to you in a normal fashion, only to find out they’re a billionaire who you’d never be able to meet directly with at all, let alone on equal terms.

Sitting at breakfast one day the guy next to me started talking about hydrogen-powered trucking — I figured I’d indulge this harmless idealist. In fact it was Jeff Ubben and Value Act was investing millions in an ecosystem they fully expect to take over the west coast. This sort of encounter was happening constantly as people engaged naturally, acting outside the established hierarchies and power structures.

Part of that was the gravity of the issues the startups were facing, and which we were reminded of repeatedly by the impending hurricane, the hatchery warning of salmon apocalypse, the visibly collapsing ecosystems, and perhaps most poignantly by the changes seen personally by Don and Sven, who were been on the seas professionally long before I was even born.

“It’s like salmon eggs”

On the last night of the trip, I shared a glass of wine with Sven to talk about why he was supporting this endeavor, which was undoubtedly expensive and certainly unusual.

“From a business perspective, I depend on the ocean — but there’s a personal connection as well. I’m constantly looking for ways to protect what we depend on,” he began. “We have a fund that generates a couple million dollars a year, and we find different people that we believe in — that have an idea, a passion, intelligence. You meet someone like Daniela, you want to go to bat for them.”

“When you’re 21 or whatever, you have all these idealistic thoughts about making a difference in the world. They need support in a variety of ways — advice, finance, mentorship, all these things are part of the puzzle,” he said. “What SOA has done is recognize people that have a good idea. Left to their own devices most of them would probably fail. But we can provide some support, and it’s like with salmon eggs – maybe instead of one in a million surviving, maybe two, or five survive, you know?”

“Tech is a valuable tool, but it has to serve to support an idea. It isn’t the idea. Eliminating plastics and bycatch, making data more useful, putting sonar sensors on robotic boats, all very interesting. We need solutions, actions, ideas, as fast as we can, to accelerate the change in behavior as fast as we can.”

His earnest replies soon became emotional, however, as his core concern for the ocean and planet in general took over.

“We’re fucked,” he said simply. “We are literally destroying the next generation’s future. I’ve been with colleagues and we’ve wept over glasses of wine over what we’re doing.”

“I have two personalities,” he explained. “And most of my friends, associates, scientists have these dual personalities, too. One is when they look in the mirror and talk to themselves — that tends to be more pessimistic. But the other is the external personality, where being pessimistic is not helpful.”

“Something like this really activates that optimism,” he said. “At the end of the day young people have to grab their future, because we sure haven’t done a great job of it. They have to get out there, they have to vote, they have to take control. Because if the system really starts to collapse… I don’t think anyone even begins to understand the magnitude of it. It’s unfathomable.”

The Accelerator at Sea program was a fascinating experience and I’m glad to have taken part. I feel sure it was valuable for the startups as well, and not just because of the $25,000 they were each spontaneously awarded from the investors on board, who in closing remarks emphasized how important it is that startups like these and the people behind them are supported by gatekeepers like venture firms and press.

The combination of good times in nature, stimulating experts and talks, and a group of highly motivated young entrepreneurs was a powerful mixture, and unfortunately one that is difficult to describe even in 3,000 words. But I’m glad it exists and I look forward to following the progress of these companies and the people behind them. You can keep up with the SOA at its website.

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The Ultimate Guide for Hiking Torres del Paine’s W, O, and Q Treks

What is Torres del Paine?

Torres del Paine is a national park in southern Chile.  You can take day trips into the park sleep within the park hiking well-defined treks.  The park has ice fields, various types of glaciers,  lakes, expansive landscapes, and craggy mountains.  Please read our popular post about hiking the W-Trek by clicking here (this post has been featured in international magazines):

Extensive Hiking Information

Every day at 3:00pm a hostel and gear rental shop called Erratic Rock puts on a free lecture about hiking the W.  It is short and very informative with a Q&A session at the end.

Getting to the Park

Puerto Natales is the gateway city into the park.  You can arrange all your lodging, transport, gear rental, tours, etc. once you get to Puerto Natales.  However you may want to reserve your campsites/refugios several months in advance as popular spaces tend to book up.

Getting to Puerto Natales:  The two closest airports are Calafate, Argentina and Punta Arenas, Chile.  Flying into Punta Arenas from Santiago is a cheap option if you are already in Chile but for those traveling from Argentina Calafate is your best bet.  Although google maps will state the bus from Calafate to Puerto Natales is 3.5 hours, agencies will plan for 6 hours due to road conditions and a border crossing.  Busses from Punta Arenas are only a few hours and don’t involve any border crossings.  If flying into Punta Arenas a nice place to stay is Hotel Carpa Manzano.  You can also take a day trip to see the King Penguins with Patagonia Tours.  Punta Arenas also has a tax free area none as Zona Franca, which is just north of the city.  You can buy some travel equipment here at reduced prices.

Busses into Torres del Paine leave daily at 7:00am and 7:15am from the bus terminal and arrive in the park around 9am.  Busses will drop you off where you can buy entrance tickets (21,000 pesos but USD are also accepted—cash only).  Please bring your passports and all other reservations you have.  You can take a shuttle to central which is where most people start their journey.  You can also remain on the bus and get dropped off at the catamaran which will take you to Paine Grande (one-way/return tickets cost 20,000/30,000 pesos but USD are also excepted-cash only).

Comparing Various Hikes within the Park:

You can do day trips in the park but you’ll miss most of the park’s splendor and this should only be reserved for elderly or those unfit for hiking/trekking. 

W-Trek:  This is by far the most common and most people you meet in the park will be undertaking this 3 to 5 night trek within the park.  You’ll stay at Paine Grande and/or Refugio Grey, Cuernos or Frances, and Central or Chileano.  By completing the W-trek you will be able to see the three largest attractions in the park (glacier grey, mirador Britanico, and The Torres).  The hike will be a bit crowded so come prepared to share nature with hundreds of others.  The mess halls along this hike will be cramped, loud, and full of conversations about excited tourists and their plans for their time in the park

O-Trek:  The O-trek adds 4 additional nights to the W-Trek and takes you in a complete circle.  The campsites of Seron, Dickson, los Perros, and el Paso are much more remote and only a fraction of the size of those found on the W.  The amenities are fewer, options to buy food are limited, and the ability to access power is restricted.  However during my last trip into the park (in 2015) the O was even more rustic.  Only a few years back you had to carry your own food and camping supplies with you but now you can rent gear and buy warm meals along the way.  You’ll be hiking with a cohort of people that will all set up camp at the same campsites each night.  The 20 or so people that you will hike with will become your family for the next several days.  Although the hikes are long the overall pace seems to move more slowly.  Conversations are less about accomplishments and more geared towards experiences during the day.  If you’re looking for a backcountry type camping experience and more personal connections this hike is for you.

Q-Trek: This is the O-Trek with one additional day added—an extra 17km hike from the CONAF Administration building takes you to Paine Grande.  Although we started our hike from the CONAF Admin. Building please note they require you only hike south.  If you plan to break the rules and hike north, as we did, you will need to hitch a ride (or walk) to the starting point. You will be able to do this from the catamaran stop.

Trail Maps Along the Hike: Some are more accurate than other so don’t rely on them too much. Keep track of your own progress to estimate your hiking time and ETA and you’ll be better off. I’ve heard some people complaining that the posted estimated time was way too short while other commented on them being way too long.

Types of Lodging in the Park

Our first time in the park we reserved our spots almost a year in advance.  This time around we were able to book only a couple weeks prior.  We did need to delay our arrival several weeks to make things work out—also we were among the last 50 people hiking the O before the back circuit closed for the year (the O portion of the park closes April 1st).

Camping (gear carried with you): This includes your personal gear and/or any rented gear you arranged before arriving in the park.  This is your cheapest option and will cost you $8 to $20 USD per person per night (there are several free camp sites you can book through the CONAF website).  You will need to carry your gear with you from site to site.  You still need to reserve all campsites in advance.   Until recently this was the only way to hike the O circuit.

Camping (rented at campsite): You can rent full gear at every camp site.  You will get a 4-season tent, sleeping mattress, sleeping bag, and pillow.  You will pay between $40 to $60 USD per person per night.  You will not have to set up or take down any of the gear and everything will already be prepared for you upon your arrival at the campsite.

Shared Rooms/Domes: Only a few years ago this type of accommodation was unheard of outside the larger refugios along the main W circuit.  Now almost all sites offer this option.  You will be provided a bed in a dorm with 5 to 7 other people.  You’ll have everything you need to sleep comfortably.  You’ll pay between $55 and $110 per person per night.

Private Room: The only place to rent a private room is at the Torres Hotel and most people staying here are probably not doing the W trek.  You’ll pay hundreds of dollars a night for a room.

Getting Supplies in Puerto Natales

Do yourself a favor and spend at least 1 or 2 nights in Puerto Natales before you plan to head into the park, especially if you plan to hike the complete O circuit.  Getting everything prepared, packed, rented, and organized takes more time than you think.  We stayed at a lovely hotel called Hostal Los Pinos in the center of town which provided us quick access to the several grocery stores around town.

This time around we took with us most of our gear.  We picked up some loose ends at the duty free shops in Punta Arenas and only had to rent a camping stove.  Check out our ultralight camping gear in this short time-lapse video where we set up camp during our recent trip in the park.

I will not go into too much detail about the type of gear you should bring as you can read this advice elsewhere or hear it at the info session at Erratic Rock.  Take your time and shop around since prices can differ by magnitudes of 2 depending on where you buy/rent your gear/food.  There are places that sell only dried fruit and nuts and offer prices half of what you’ll find in other stores.  With the W it makes sense to rent gear but when you have to rent for almost 10 days it may start to make sense to buy gear and then try to resale after your travels.  Gear will also be cheaper in your home country (especially true in the US).

Packing Advice (Food)

We didn’t spend too much time worrying about the weight of our food when we hiked the W but this time around we were much more concerned.  We spent 10 days in the park and carrying that much food adds up.  In fact the majority of our weight on our backs at the start of our hike was food weight.  We found the following method to be immensely helpful.  We calculated how many calories we needed to consumer each day and counted out nuts, cookies, dried fruit, etc. into zip lock backs—1 for breakfast, 1 for snacks throughout the day, and 1 for dinner.  We also has a few extra snacks in our bags for good measure.  Counting calories is essential for 2 important reasons.  You need to eat enough when hiking and if you don’t bring enough food you will be spending hordes of cash at the refugios to keep your appetite at bay.  Conversely, if you bring too much food you will be carrying more weight than you need and you’ll quickly learn how heavy carrying 20 kilos 8 hours a day really is.  Consider this, if you brought only 4 ounces of extra food for each meal you would end up carrying and extra 7 kilos between 2 people.

Having food individually packaged also makes it easy to handle as you’ll want to hang your food up in the trees at most sites to keep the mice away.  At least 4 people had their bags and/or tents eaten through by enterprising mice.

 Food Ideas To Pack:

Cured meats and hard cheeses – these work great and will remain good your entire trip.  We ate our last bit of meat and cheese on day 9 and it tasted just as fresh as day 1.  The temperatures are low and you will not need to worry about spoilage.

Fresh fruit - should be avoided because of their low energy to weight ratio.   If you bring make sure to eat early on.

A liter of wine – I brought this to share with my table the first night of the hike.  This helped to form some lasting bonds that weren’t soon forgotten.

Peanut butter, jam, Nutella – spreads work great as they are basically pure energy and can make an unsavory cracker more delectable.

Dried fruit and nuts - will provide you with most of the nutrients you need and will help you in the much lacking fiber department when it comes to camping food.

Cookies, chocolates, and treats – this is your time to indulge.  Normally you want to avoid such calorie-rich foods, but when weight is your enemy make sure you stock up.

Teas and coffees – Drinking cold glacier water has its appeal but there is nothing like sitting down with a warm beverage after a day of hiking.

Powdered soups – these taste relatively good and cook up quickly.  I added rice noodles and whole wheat pasta to mine to add calories.  Make sure to drink plenty of water as these are incredibly salty.

Dehydrated foods – you can buy these in town but you’ll pay a pretty penny for them.  We met a couple of people on the trail that prepared their own.  If you want trail cred (like street cred but way cooler) whip out your own dehydrated fettuccini Alfredo.

Packing Advice (Gear)

Pack in a way that makes sense to you.  Nothing sucks more than having to riffle though your entire bag in search of a spare battery.  Keep like things together and think about when you will need things from your bag.  Does your teddy bear really need to be readily accessible?  Maybe that ourside pocket is better saved for a granola bar or toilet paper. Bring extra garbage bags to keep everything organized and dry.  Sleep with your phone, camera, and spare batteries at the foot of your sleeping bag to keep them warm (operating batteries at low temperatures shorten their life).  For this reason many hikers keep extra camera batteries in their pockets during the day.  As the park continues to modernize warm showers are becoming available almost everywhere so pack a quick-drying travel towel and single use soaps/shampoos to avoid having to buy them at the refugios.  A drop sheet under your tent will help keep you dry and compression bags will reduce the overall bulk of your gear.

Other Advice

Thanks to the thin ozone (aka hole in ozone) you’ll want to load up on sun lotion, hats, and glasses.  With very few acceptations you will not go more than an hour without a fresh water source so please leave your large water bladders/bottles behind.  Charging at refugios is now easier than ever so leave behind your power bricks.  Internet is available at most campsites along the W for those who still want to remain connected. Most importantly, try to enjoy the best scenery that Patagonia has to offer while you visit Torres del Paine National Park.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions about your trip to Torres del Paine.

Highway Star.

We woke up late & hurried to vacate the soccer field, before the mayor or the Guardia Civil came looking for us. I dropped the keys in the mailbox on the way out, and we walked for the third time to the bar, for a breakfast and a look at the map.

It’s a steady descent out of this high village, for the first little bit you follow along the road, but soon you’re back on trails and paths- most of it running a close parallel to the highway, the defunct railroad tracks, or both.

The walk is only 20 kilometers, so the missteps aren’t so dear as they are when you’re walking closer to 40. Losing a half-hour today would not be any great tragedy. The scenery was not the dramatic vistas of yesterday -mostly it was scrabbly grasses, guard rails, and the little head and legs peeking out above & below the giant backpack which assured me that Blanka was still in front of me.

On the Via de La Plata, I was either alone, or in a group whose language of choice hovered around Spanish, but down here on the Camino Mozarebe, my Spanish is not as good as Blanka’s, and her English is a damn sight better than my Spanish. Also, I don’t know two words of Hungarian. So by default, the official language of Equipo Contrario seems to be English, which allows me a little better expression, but gives me none of the practice I need in speaking Castilian.

There are moments when we can’t reach each other on a word of English, and find ourselves triangulating on our meaning with a piece of Spanish, but mostly we are bridging the gap, walking the same path starting from very different times & places.

When we’re at a fork in the road, I always look at the angle of the last arrow, and assume it was placed for visibility from the incoming path -while Blanka goes on gut feeling and extrapolation from a reversal of the written description of the stage. We’re both right about 50% of the time.

We cut across some brambles at one point, only to find the path we took great pains to reach intersect again with the road we just left, and the backwards arrows again reappeared. There are more brushes with civilization on this stage than on the way to Villaharta. At about the halfway point, there’s even a tiny village, where you can say hello to a couple of friendly mules, and get yourself a celebratory, half-way-there bottella of Cruzcampo, to lighten the second half of your trip. (I’m sure the endorsement checks will be coming in shortly) We did both things, and returned to the trail, finding it short for trail, and long for highway. I didn’t think too much when i saw the first army truck go by, but soon there was another, and two more, and then we were right on top of an army base.

“Todo Por La Patria” has a nice ring to it, as a slogan, but has an ominous tone in any language when you consider it literally. It’s been a long time since Spain has tried to take over the world, so as a collection of armaments, it was not anything that inspired great fear, only the unease and dread of the singular capabilities of each piece, and the legislation that dictated the need.

I haven’t been reading the news. It was a harsh reminder that outside of the Camino, things are still pretty sketchy, I’m in a bubble.

Cerro Muriano isn’t a proper town, apparently. It’s a population that is serviced by the greater government of the provincia de Córdoba. The northern half looks a lot like housing for the military base. Indeed, the break between the base and the town is hard to notice when you walk past it, you’ll just find yourself on streets with row houses all the same, and no pedestrians to speak of.

Villaharta was an authentic village, where everybody knows each other, because they are from there. And you get your information by asking people in the streets. We had to consult uncle google for some low-down in Cerro Muriano.

We’ve had longer days, but once in town, we were in no mood to run from one side to the other looking for the best lodging. There was a bar/hotel on the main road, but I thought it best to ask elsewhere, as they would certainly be looking out for their best interests, and would likely not be a fountain of information on other options.

The internet™ told us a story about a Dutch couple who ran a hostel in town, and also about something called a provincial hostel (perhaps because it’s not a proper city?). Upon finding this hostel, we were sure we’d found a paradise, an oasis -with shady green lawns & a swimming pool, & a locked gate & nobody answering the bell. I laid on the bricks & Blanka did the dirty work of checking the doors of all the buildings in the compound until the truth of the matter -that this is not a traditional hostel, but a facility for groups & retreats. They could not help us, except to tell us where sat the hostel of the mythical Dutch couple, which we found -abandoned & chained.

There was no remedy but to go & speak with the bar/hotel up on the main road. My feet were through with walking, and they were telling me this. The man at the bar said that he could let us have a room, but with a discouraging tone, and even a slight wince at the price he would have to charge. He told us that the Dutch couple had left town, but that next week, a new hostel would be opening up in the town -as if that had any bearing on our situation tonight.- Finally he recommended that we seek out the priest, who would possibly let us sleep on the floor at the church.

He really could not be bothered with us, and my immediate need was a chair and a beer, and to drop my backpack, so we went down the street to Casa Bruno. Chilling out on the terazza with the dirtiest dog in Spain, we pondered our position.

Blanka is the hardcore pilgrim of the team, while I’m the guy who reaches a point where the concept of chasing down the unknown whereabouts of an unknown priest in order to plead our case & await his verdict on whether we deserve a roof tonight is just a bridge too far. Especially since the cost of a hotel over here is often half the cost of my bar tab back in the states.

Back at the bar, the man behind the counter grimaced again when we told him we needed a room. He asked us if we’d looked for the priest. I said no. He actually didn’t want to go through the trouble of booking the room, and I began to understand him as we went to his computer to engage some sort of paperwork to do so. He started by sifting through a Hotmail inbox, looking for a procedure or something to allow him to book the room through an online service. His exasperation and resignation was exactly the same as my own whenever I find myself faced with a website update or purchase of any sort that requires setting up an account & a password.

Ultimately, he gave up on the computer & asked me for cash, at 2€ less than his original quote. We were safely housed.

–

After a shower, you’ll probably feel like going out on the town, but with no town to go out on, we found our supper downstairs. Some people are reasonable and eat salad, but I will eat Salmorejo every time it is an option. If you like the idea of a giant tube of meat, breaded & deep-fried, or just want a good chuckle, I can recommend the Flamenquin, which we also both partook of.

However, only one of us fell to food poisoning that night, and that’s the guy who didn’t touch the salad. Blanka had the look of a well-practiced rock star, lying on the cool tile floor. And with the power of youthful resilience, was professing to be back to 90% perfect first thing next morning.

Only one more road til we hit the city. 16 kilometers. Cake.