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ayzrules · 3 years

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Pick one important location in your story and write a longer description of it from one of your character’s perspectives.

probably will be easier to read on my sideblog { here } due to font issues in my main. w/ @artless-whimsy

[THE BURNING PLAINS.]

“How does anything live here?" one of the angels asks, squinting up against cutting rays of harsh sunshine, golden and bright - so, so, bright, and burning jagged shards of glass-sharp light and smothering heat into every grain of sand, every molecule of air, coiling tightly into flesh and fur alike and choking out all the moisture.

“In the darkness," Mai says simply, recalling long-eared jackrabbits, burrowing kangaroo rats, cunning coyote kits; all the creatures that came out after nightfall, chittering and chattering and chirping. "And with the storms."

[SHADOW.] i. The sun hangs heavy in the sky, shining and still; the heat scorches and shimmers, slithers and simmers. There is no escape, save for the darkness.

ii. In the windswept desert, the golden light from above bleeds the earth dry and the sovereign in the clouds is nothing but a faraway dream. The creatures in this land of stinging sands and singed sunshine are wily and stubborn: they live, despite it all.

iii. Some call the Borderlands a wasteland, barren desolation seared over with dust and sand, but Mai would beg to differ. The kingdom in the clouds is bright with glory, gleaming with pearls and moonstone and otherworldly in its perfection. It is a realm that is more dream than reality, a land of blinding, brilliant divinity that glitters hard and sharp, like gemstones shattering over silk. But the kingdom above is no more alive than the smooth marble statues standing vigil over their sacred temples; nothing dies and nothing changes and there is no life, not in any way that matters.

Because: how can something have life, without death?

iv. Crawling centipedes and chuckling roadrunners and venom-dripped scorpions make a home in the Borderlands, where the light does nothing but burn, piercing straight to the bone. The flowers and birds and butterflies that meet the unforgiving heat and icy indifference of the desert with nothing but cleverness and cunning and an iron-forged determination to survive are more alive than anything from the kingdom above could ever hope to be.

v. Twilight falls over the hills, soft like ash; when the sun slips fully below the horizon, the night fills with chirps and cackles and snarls and screeches. Satin whispers and silken starlight murmur through the dust and shadows, and silvered moonglow shines out from behind the drifting clouds.

vi. In the Borderlands, the darkness is life. Anyone who does not know it now will come around, one way or another.

[SALVATION.] i. Dark clouds gather in the west, roiling and restless: they are bruises of dust and water vapor, blooming over the sky like deadly nightshade. Thunder growls over the land, a heaven-bound panther stalking its prey, and the mortals fear its wrath. Mai is not so foolish: in the desert, the swirling thunderclouds rumble with promises of rain and reprieve. It murmurs like a lullaby to her ears.

ii. The heat is stifling and silent. The air is dry as bone and poised like a hissing rattlesnake the moment before it strikes: all is quiet. All is still.

iii. The storm shatters the skies open as jagged daggers of lightning rend the world in two, furious and white-hot and roaring, incandescent like sunlight and starfire. Unrest rolls over the hills and chaos spirals across the desert. Mai feels it like singing steel piercing through velvet darkness, sending beams of silver-spun moonlight ricocheting into the night

iv. She breathes it in, lets it fill her veins. Chaos is power, and the demons are there when rain falls, when volcanoes erupt, when tectonic plates shift and collide. They bring the end of the world for an earthworm, a forest, an entire species, all so that angels can coax mud and mountain and life out of it all - because the angels are there when seedlings bloom into trees, when weeds and wildflowers wander into fire-struck desolation, when ash-green lichens and spring-soft mosses meander their way through the cracks and crevices of land scraped rock-barren by receding glaciers to begin anew. It’s a painstaking equilibrium between order and disorder, chaos and harmony, and the desert balances on the knife’s edge, dangling over the abyss. Here, the line between life and death is sharp and quick.

v. Sometimes, the storm-dark air is too dry, and the rain that glides downward with gravity mists away into nothingness before it ever has the chance to splatter clumsily across the ground. Lightning lances over the earth instead; it catches the tangled tinderbox of hardy desert shrubs on fire, and the blustery winds gusting across the hills only fan the flames higher.

vi. Other times, the rain falls doggedly toward the parched dirt, stubbornly defying the hissing heat and arid air and all the other forces of the universe that threaten to smother out every last bit of moisture. Then, all the desert rejoices.

[STARFALL.] i. The angel falls down, down, down in a radiant burst of glory-golden light: like sun-charred lightning striking the ground, or a meteor hurtling through the sky, bright and incandescent with molten mesosphere. The horizon lights up like a comet, and the moon is haloed in singing embers.

ii. A shock of celestial fury tears over the hills, setting all the desert alight in a rain of starfire. The flames that scorch the land are dying stars, shimmering with divine wrath: blazing, brilliant, and burning themselves to dust.

iii. The fire flashes and flickers over low-lying grasses and snarls of woody vegetation, devouring everything in its path as the air glimmers with heat and dances with ash. When it finally goes out, weeks later, there is angel-glass skidded in saw-toothed ribbons over the earth: ignited divinity and stinging sand fused into shimmering nuggets of pearlescent stone, the glory-gleam of paradise melded with the harsh, smoldering heat of the Borderlands. It glitters moon-pale and silver-searing under the darkness of the desert night

iv. Holy things burn demons, and angel-glass is no exception. Even so, Mai cannot bring herself to look away. She crouches down and closes gloved fingers around a small shard of the lustrous stone, running her thumb over the surface and feeling all the layered ridges and the bubbles of trapped air: breaths of lightning-charged atmosphere fossilized into eternity.

v. The wind swirls viciously around them, howling a sandstorm into ash-dark twilight. The angel’s eyes shine like falling stars under the scarlet-scorched light of the Gate; when she wraps an arm around Mai’s waist and presses a steadying hand into the bloodied shreds of ivory silk and ruffled star-shine clinging to her shoulders, Mai burns, molten divinity filling her veins and flooding through her un-beating heart. Wild desert marigolds and berry-sweet birds of paradise burst to life inside of her, drowning the hard steel and lancing moonlight of her ribcage in petaled brilliance.

vi. When their lips come together for the first time, the air hisses and crackles and catches on fire all around them, soft like morning dew and bright like sunbeams flaring over the stratosphere, setting mud and mountain and sky and sea ablaze in sparking flashes of gleaming gold and liquid amber.

Mai has never felt more alive.

#my art #run devil run #wrc #mai #shanmai

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perseusjackson-jasongrace · 4 years

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Empires on the Horizon VI

Jason is a CEO: Part VI

Here’s my masterlist for the next part and my other stuff

TW: not really overt but there is mention of NSFW activities.

every story has a

beginning

middle

and end

not necessarily in that order

-Tim Burton

“Annabeth Chase, my favourite impulse-controller,” Jason smirked, pulling his friend into his chest for a hug.

Her grey eyes sparked with mirth, “What do you want you troublemaker?”

“I find it offensive that you think I’m a troublemaker. We all know it’s your boyfriend that gets us into a mess.”

“Lies and propaganda,” She raised a brow, “You two are in a committed relationship with hullabaloo.”

He gave her a wide-eyed look, “Hullabaloo?”

“I’ve been spending way too much time with Percy,” She sighed.

He burst out laughing, “Who in this day and age says ‘hullabaloo?’”

“Percy discovered the word when we were in high school and thought it was the most hilarious thing he’s ever heard. He used to say it all the time.”

Jason shook his head amusement dancing on his lips, “So why did you want to meet me? I thought you’d be with Leo today since you’ve been out of state all week.”

They collapsed onto his couch. Annabeth tucked her feet underneath her and he propped his on the ottoman. When they settled down, she finally looked at him.

“Yea,” She pinched the bridge of her nose, “He had to go into work today because the part-time lecturer couldn’t make it for classes.”

“What’s going on? Why do you look so…” He had never been good at finding the words that matched the emotion, “So frustrated?”

“I’m not,” She gave him a weak smile, “I’m not. I just miss him.”

“You saw each other last night, didn’t you? He picked you up for the airport?”

“Yea but we haven’t gotten the chance to talk. I don’t know how to–, I just miss him.”

“Hey,” He grabbed her hands, “Take a deep breath. We have all the time in the world.”

Neither of them had quite figured out how to handle emotions, how to express them. It was an ongoing frustration when he and Luke were dating. Annabeth and Leo had learned how to read each other after all these years; four years of friendship and three years of dating had cemented that bond, had it running core deep. But him and her still couldn’t quite get the words out on their own.

“I miss his presence,” She breathed, “We saw each other last night but I was exhausted, and it was late. He practically had to carry me from the car to our bed and then he left early this morning. We just haven’t had the chance to catch up, to exist together yet.”

He held her close, let her head fall onto his shoulder.

“Being away from him is like losing a limb or being thrown into the deep end of the pool when you don’t know how to swim, like walking through darkness. You know what all of those have in common?” She looked up at him, grey eyes lined with tears.

“What?”

“Emptiness, the absence of something vital.”

“I think,” He tilted her chin up, caught the storm in her gaze, “I think you are lucky to have someone who makes saying goodbye so hard.”

“Did you just quote Winnie the Pooh at me?”

He winced, “Yes?”

She dissolved into laughter, “Really Jason? Winnie the Pooh?”

“What?” He gave her an indignant look, “It’s a good quote, and better than anything I could have come up with.”

“You are something else.” She managed to rein in her amusement, “What’s been up with you?”

“Nothing exciting,” He shrugged.

“Nah uh Mister,” His friend gave him a look, “Leo tells me you met a lady? What happened to my cousin? And how did you meet her? Do you have a picture?”

“Alright,” He chuckled, “Slow down. I don’t have a lady; we’ve been on one date. Next one is tomorrow. Your cousin and I didn’t get to exchange numbers at the dinner and I’m sure you know he’s now seeing Reyna. Thalia introduced Zoe and I, she’s a vet at the Conservatory and no I do not have a picture.”

“I hope you know all that information gave me a ton more questions.”

He rolled his eyes, shoving her shoulder lightly, “Let’s get some coffee going and maybe bring out the choc chips and then you can harass me with your endless curiosity.”

“Hey, this curiosity is what made us friends.” Her voice followed him as they walked to kitchen, where she promptly hoisted herself onto the countertop and plucked a cookie from the jar.

“As far as I understand it was Leo’s dumbassery that made us friends.”

“Yea, but without my curiosity I wouldn’t have bothered to check why a skinny, curly-haired, Latino was cursing a blue streak underneath the table.”

“I still think we should be crediting Leo because if he hadn’t gotten his foot stuck in my backpack and tripped thereby falling underneath our table it wouldn’t have been me and you who helped him.”

“Oh gods,” She giggled, “We really were a chaotic bunch weren’t we?”

“Nothing has changed Chase,” He handed her a steaming mug of coffee, “We just have less opportunities to be chaotic now.”

“I used to be so excited to grow up, but all my years have escaped me, have sped by me faster than bullets and I’m not yet grown.”

He leaned across the counter, bringing his cappuccino to his cheek, “I don’t think we ever really are. We’re just an accumulation of all our years before now. I am still one and two and ten and twenty.”

Annabeth looked at him then, caught his gaze in her grey eyes, “When did you get so wise?”

“Guess I’m spending too much time with you.” He winked, “Now please help me find something to wear for tomorrow. Zoe is taking me somewhere in nature and she says I should be prepared for a little exercise.”

“Are we talking a walk in the park or a hike up Blood Hill?”

“I don’t know she said it was a surprise and I don’t get any more information than wear clothes you can move in a little.”

His friend smirked at him, “Sounds steamy?”

“I’m pretty sure sex requires clothes off, not on, t least to some degree.” He rolled his eyes.

“Mhmm, okay. All i’m saying is make sure you pack a condom, or multiple.”

“We are not having- we will get arrested for public indecency.” He grumbled, pushing her shoulder, “So get your mind out of the gutter Chase.”

Her laugh was bells and beauty. “Come on then Mr Grace, let’s go raid your closet.” She held out her hand for him to help her off the counter, and the two blondes disappeared into his room.

***

Jason took a deep breath, letting his nerves find their space in his chest, stomach, lungs. He didn’t like walking into things when he didn’t have all the information; ergo surprises were avoided as much as possible.

A knock at his window pulled him from his mind.

“Are you going to come out? Or do you want to have a car date?” Sparkling dark eyes and a bright smile peered at him through the glass.

“I’m coming,” He laughed, grabbing his wallet and keys before opening the door.

“Hello Jason,” She stood on her toes and looped her arms around his neck. He folded his arms around her waist, catching the soft hints of juniper berry and clove that was purely her.

“How are you?” They pulled away.

“I am nervous,” He admitted, “I don’t like surprises.”

“Yes I did imagine so, I am not fond of them either, but this one was a necessity as it needs an explanation.”

“Well I hope I dressed okay?” He gestured towards his jeans and loose white tee.

“It’s perfect.” She looked him up and down, her eyes flashing, “Now come on, we only have the place for a couple hours.”

“Hold on,” He moved to his trunk, “These are for you,”

“Oh Jason,” She gasped softly, taking the flowers from him, “These are– Who is your florist because these bouquets are unbelievable?”

He ducked his head, attempting to hide his reddening cheeks, “I choose them myself.”

“Well, your taste is exquisite,” She smiled up at him and he knew he had picked perfectly. Sunflowers because the dress she wore on their first date was liquid sunlight. And red roses because she was beautiful, poised, regal, just as they were.

While she admired the bouquet, he took the time to note their surroundings. They seemed to be on some sort of field, school or farm he didn’t know. A small wooden marquee sat a few meters away, but it was unoccupied which meant they were alone out here.

“Okay,” Zoe started, “So I don’t know how weird this is going to be to you, but I figured I’d get all my secrets out before you’re in too deep.”

“I’m starting to get mildly suspicious,” He raised a brow quizzically.

“Don’t worry I don’t plan on murdering you. I could probably take you in hand to hand combat but for someone of your size, drugs or poison would be the better method.”

He blinked at her, “You spend a lot of your time wondering what the best method for murder is?”

“This is not going well,” She giggled, “I don’t plan on killing you. I brought you here so we could practice some archery.”

“That does not make me feel even remotely better.”

She slugged his shoulder, mirth bouncing in her eyes, “I’ve been doing archery since my first year at varsity and I thought it’d be cool to share it with you.”

“Oh,” Was his eloquent reply, and then, “Well I’m honoured, thank you.”

“Don’t get too sappy on me, I’m only willing to go easy on you in the practice trials.”

“This implies a competition of some sort?”

“Of course. One question answered to whoever gets bullseye or as close to it.”

“I feel like I’m at a serious disadvantage here,” He pouted at her.

“I wouldn’t say that. I’ve only been doing it for nine years,” She smirked.

He groaned, waving his hands, “Oh gods, I see I’m going to be bared to the bone after this.”

“Don’t worry Grace you get to torture me on our next date.”

“Be prepared Nightshade because after this set-up I am not going easy on you.”

“I certainly hope not,” Fire danced in her eyes.

He narrowed his gaze, taking a single step towards her, “Is that a challenge Miss Nightshade?”

“Aren’t scared of a little heat, are you?” She mirrored him, closing the distance.

“Bring it on,” His words were nothing but exhales and anticipation.

Their noses brushed, eyes of midnight and electric storms pinning each other to the world.

“Ready to learn?” She breathed.

“Ready to be taught.”

“Okay,” She stepped away, taking a deep breath before moving to the table that he now noticed had two metal bows and various arrows.

“You’ll get the thirty-pound bow and large arrows to start. Hopefully you don’t need anything heavier because I did not ask for the thirty-four.” She frowned, “Okay some rules. Never have your arrow nocked until you’re on the firing line. Don’t collect arrows until everyone is done shooting. Don’t hold your bow sideways, you will hit someone. Do not under any circumstances pull the string back while there’s no arrow.”

“Got it.” He nodded.

“Cool, you’re gonna do great!” She clapped her hands, excitement radiating from her every movement. “Let’s get you equipped so you don’t end up with string-snapped wrists or a raw thumb.”

And then she was handing him all sorts of equipment, guiding him so everything fit where it was supposed to. Her hands, calloused and small, brushed over his as she adjusted the arm guard and made sure the thumb flap was correct. She explained how to stand, moving his feet and angling his shoulders until she deemed it good enough.

“Okay, let’s do some shooting.”

“I’m ready!” He smiled at her, hoping his own excitement was evident.

“Don’t worry about hitting bullseye, just choose a spot on the target and try to get all your arrows to land in the same place.”

He nodded, rolling his shoulders and moving to stand in position.

“Since it’s just us I’m going to forego formalities, so began shooting Grace.”

He had a clumsy start, arrows falling short of the target, or flying far over it, but Zoe was patient, adjusting and helping him each time.

“This is…” He stared in wonder at the arrow he had managed to bed inches away from the center. ‘I can understand why you enjoy it.”

“Great because now it’s time for Question and Arrow.”

“Fun,” He chortled, “You come up with that?”

“Yes, I thought it was rather clever.”

“Oh it is, I never expected anything less doctor.”

She snorted at him, “Ready to see the queen take her throne?”

“Please Your Majesty,” He bowed low, gesturing to the field.

She laughed and took her stand at the line, adjusting herself and making sure the sight on her bow was at the right level. She took an arrow from the stand in front of her feet, placed it on the string with trained casualness and looked over her shoulder at him. Her smiled was wicked.

She lifted the bow, pulled the string taut and fired the arrow. Before he had time to see where it had landed, she was already nocking her second one, and moments later her third.

He blinked, stared between her bright eyes and the three silver arrows now embedded in the small red circle fifteen meters away, and adjusted his pants.

She smirked, “How was that?”

“Possibly the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” He breathed.

“Ready to answer some burning questions?”

“If I say no will you keep shooting?”

She raised a brow, “Hot and bothered, are you?”

“No thanks to you,” He growled.

She pulled him to the line, “I’m glad you’re taking to it so nicely.”

“I think I’m taking to you,” He grabbed her wrist, pulling her flush to him.

“You don’t even know me?”

“After that little display I’m half willing to marry you on the spot.”

She laughed and shoved away from him, “You’re a special breed Mr Grace. Men do not usually fall into marriage ideas after seeing a woman shoot arrows.”

“Then they are not men.” He frowned, “And besides, anyone with aim as accurate as yours has many, many advantages.”

“Questions Grace,” She took a step back, amusement and… something else passing over her face.

“Right okay,”

So they stood to the line and fired. Her a question him an answer. Then an arrow. A curse as she hit the center and he missed the target completely. Another question, answer, arrow. Question, answer, arrow.

Until two hours had blurred by and Jason had confessed to three college pranks, horrible braces in high school, and the weirdest fear of bricks. She had taken pity on him and answered her own questions after he kept losing their little battle. He knew she regretted her college days because she had wasted them studying, knew she was as gorgeous in high school as she is now, and her weird fear was thunder.

“This was great Zoe, thank you.”

“Thank you,” She beamed at him, “For not thinking I’m weird, or for dismissing this.”

He wrapped his arms around her, speaking into her neck, “I think this may be the coolest second date I’ve ever been on.”

“Really?” She lifted his head, tugging at his hair until they were staring at each other.

“Really.” He smiled softly, “I did not know archery could be so…”

“Grounding?” She offered.

“Yes, and exhilarating.”

“I don’t know if I can put into words how much it means to me to hear you say that.”

“I was thinking,” He stroked his fingers down her side gently, “Since you didn’t get to do the typical college things maybe I can plan the next date?”

“Sounds like a dream, what are you thinking?”

“Drive-in theatre? I’m fairly sure ‘When the Stars Burn Out’ is playing.”

She nodded, eyes wide with excitement, “I’ve always wanted to go to a drive in! When?”

“Give me a couple days to plan but how does Wednesday sound?”

“Perfect.”

He cupped her cheek, memorising the constellations in her eyes, the soft lines around her mouth that told you she smiled often, and the lines between her forehead that told you she frowned often too.

“You are divine.” He exhaled.

“Are you going to kiss me?” Was her reply.

He grinned, wild and undaunted, “Happy to.”

And then their lips were meeting, soft and steady. The world fell away, became swirls of colour and sound, became the background of a Monet, became life. And oh gods, Zoe’s hands may be rough with the proof of living, but her lips were softer than petals, than clouds. He held back a groan at her nails scraping his neck gently.

Reluctantly they pulled apart, resting their foreheads against each other.

“Wow,” She whispered.

“Indeed,” He chuckled.

It was that kiss, lingering spice and the smell of beginnings that followed him into his apartment later. Rolled down his skin as he took a shower. Fluttered behind his eyelids as he finally collapsed into bed. That kiss that marked the beginning.

--------------------------------------------------------------

HOW MUCH DO WE LOVE ZOE? Very much because Ciara just projects onto her??!?!????!!??!! oops.

Tags (if you want to be added to/ taken off the tag list just let me know, all my channels of communication are open):

@lesbian-peanuts

@queen-of-demons-and-hell

@msdrpreist

@sparkythunderstorm

@nishlicious-01

@lucyisblue

@leydiangelo

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beyondthetemples-ooc · 4 years

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Music asks!

Saw this one going around all over my dash, but all the ones I wanted to ask had already been asked, and I didn’t want to reblog it without having something to send. :S

https://benedictervention.tumblr.com/post/118886934220

Though I could easily answer Evanescence and Tarja for every one of these, I like to challenge myself, so I’m going to try sticking to One Answer Per Artist! (You can only have limited videos in a text post, so I’ll post embedded videos for songs I really want to show off, and the rest will be linked.)

1: A song you like with a color in the title Blue Eyes - Within Temptation [x]

2: A song you like with a number in the title Design Your Universe - A New Age Dawns pt. VI

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3: A song that reminds you of summertime EdenEcho - Kamelot (”...dressed in summer white...”)

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4: A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about Soulcrusher - Xandria [x] (”Searching for someone to pay Darwin's price, laughter echoes while you savor my cries..I can’t forget it, the pain and the dirt that I had to swallow...You’ll never get it, the tears of the past are the hate of tomorrow...Working so hard for respect, but it all was in vain; no one would help little chaps picked half-dead...tears will run dry to hate...Do you really wonder when sometimes revenge is on you?” it’s so perfectly accurate that i often skip it because i just, Don’t Want to Think About Her.)

5: A song that needs to be played LOUD The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance of course! [x]

6: A song that makes you want to dance Caramelldansen - Caramella Girls (I think??) [x] (I know, I know, but I can't hear it without Wanting to Do the Thing. besides, it’s just a really fun song.)

7: A song to drive to I don't drive, so I don't have Any Feeling Association yet... maybe Tokyo I'm On My Way, by Puffy AmiYumi? [x] ”We’re racing down the highway, that’s always on our mind...Our hands are out the window, the miles are counting down, just waiting for the moment when we get back in town.”

8: A song about drugs or alcohol Bittersweet Nightshade by Magica (probably??) [x] “Your poison berries put me in ecstasy...Take me to the moon, swing me to the sun! Sing with me the tune, bewitching everyone...”

9: A song that makes you happy (Asdfdngh, there are SO MANY? But let's see, by a band I haven't listed yet...) My Demons - Starset [x] “Take me high, and I’ll sing, oh, you make everything okay. We are one and the same, oh you take all of the pain away. Save me if I become my demons... I know you’re watching, I can feel you out there... Fight forever, don’t let me go!”

10: A song that makes you sad Down to Nothing - Siddhartha Menan [x] (”Another dollar, another day. I could use change, from this repetitive charade. It reads like a book, it’s got me hooked, but I can’t find the last page. I’d rather find an escape...” All the lyrics, actually. This is the song from the carnival montage in Justice League vs. Teen Titans, but the editing really did NOT do this song justice!)

11: A song that you never get tired of Whatever I'm hyperfocused on! Right now it's Serene (by Tarja), I've listened to it and sang it a total of 20+ times in the past 72 hours.

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12: A song from your preteen years Whisper - Evanescence [x]

13: One of your favorite 80’s songs Under Pressure - Queen + David Bowie [x]

14: A song that you would love played at your wedding (I don’t want to be married, really... way too much money. Maybe a modest handfasting at most, but I don’t know what songs I’d play. It would depend entirely on the other person.)

15: A song that is a cover by another artist Outcast - Alex Dalliance (covering First Class Trash)

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16: One of your favorite classical songs Does Danny Elfman’s classical style count, or are we talking like, classical epoch songs? Ooh, better question: does opera count? Because frick, the swooping soprano pure-vocalization always Gets Me in Pamina’s aria from The Magic Flute! (Call me mainstream but listen, there’s a REASON Mozart is this popular!) [x]

17: A song that would sing a duet with on karaoke (??? I don't know enough duet songs for this! Closest I've got is Bring Me to Life, and I like it better as a solo song. 8F Maybe Phantom of the Opera? i doubt that’s on many karaoke machines though, heh. Well, any Puffy AmiYumi song is teeechnically a duet song?)

18: A song from the year that you were born Livin' On the Edge - Aerosmith [x]

19: A song that makes you think about life (Any song I relate to? But also...) Sound of Silence - Disturbed cover [x]

20: A song that has many meanings to you Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish [x]

21: A favorite song with a person’s name in the title (....mmmh. I don't have any Favorite Song with a name..... “Jillian” by Within Temptation reminds me of one of my closest and oldest friends, though! It’s a repeat band but that’s literally the only song with a name that I Really Like.) [x]

22: A song that moves you forward My Little Phoenix - Tarja [x]

23: A song that you think everybody should listen to (??? I recommend songs for people individually.)

24: A song by a band you wish were still together Papercut - Linkin Park [x]

25: A song by an artist no longer living (Is Andrew Lloyd Webber still alive? Because I’d use This Is the Moment.)

26: A song that makes you want to fall in love Somebody - Nickelback [x]

27: A song that breaks your heart Failure - Breaking Benjamin [x]

28: A song by an artist with a voice that you love Stardust - Xandria

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#music #rhs music #questions list #music meme #answers list

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pearcar93-blog · 5 years

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Is Autoimmune Paleo The Best Diet For Hashimoto’s?

Recently, I got an email from a reader asking me how I manage to not feel guilty when indulging in the foods I love. She had recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and was trying to figure out what diet was right for her without turning her life completely upside down.

It wasn’t an easy note to answer. Because there’s no simple antidote to guilt and food shame, otherwise I would surely write you a how-to on the subject. I find that the most useful answer is knowing you’re not alone in feeling it.

If you’ve read The Wellness Project, then you know it took me far longer than the year at hand to get my healthy hedonism mindset under control. There were so many should not’s when it came to the diet piece. So many contradictions. So much confusion.

When I cross-referenced the prevailing anti-inflammatory diets, the no-no foods listed on my yellow legal pad included the trio from my vice detox—alcohol, caffeine, and sugar—along with the big eight allergens: dairy, wheat, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, fish, and soy. Some recommend no eggs, seeds, beans, legumes, or grains of any kind.

Many only advocate animal protein if its wild, grass-fed, free-range or organic. And others said no animal protein at all. Add nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and eggplant) and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage Brussels sprouts and, yes, kale) for thyroid sufferers and it starts to feel like all that’s left are organic blueberries not flown in from Chile.

One of the flagpole diets I came across was AIP, otherwise known as Autoimmune Paleo. The books that promoted it unequivocally said that all autoimmune peeps would benefit.

While knowing that most autoimmune diseases are more alike than different, I struggled to see how so much restriction could be necessary for everyone. And then inevitably felt guilty about the food groups I didn’t manage to eliminate.

Eventually, I came to understand that my initial instincts were right. I just didn’t have the clinical practice to back them up. Which is why I asked Jill Grunewald, as the second post in her HashiPosse series, to break it down. Below she explains what autoimmune paleo is, why it’s not necessarily the right answer for those of us with Hashimoto’s, and when it might be time to give it a try.

If you’ve been wondering about AIP or found yourself confused about who falls under its umbrella of efficacy, I hope you’ll give this post a read!

Jill’s approach is very similar to my own in the 4 Weeks to Wellness Program. For those looking for some support trying out an elimination diet, finding your trigger foods, or slowly on-boarding to a healthier lifestyle, I highly recommend joining me for the fall session!

Enrollment is officially open. You can find out more here.

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

Is AIP The Best Diet for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

If you’ve been tuned into the thyroid and Hashimoto’s (autoimmune hypothyroidism) community, you’ve likely heard of (or tried?) a Paleo or Autoimmune Paleo diet (AIP).

There are varying twists, but generally, with Paleo, you’re eating what’s believed to be what our ancestors ate: meat (grass-based/pastured), fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, eggs, unrefined coconut and olive oil, and animal fats like ghee, lard, and tallow. According to some, fruit is off limits. Others only support eating berries.

Most notably, the paleo lifestyle excludes grains (including corn) and legumes (including soy), dairy (although some allow grass-fed), sugar, caffeine, and oils derived from seeds and grains, which can be high in inflammation-promoting Omega-6 fatty acids. Some claim no eggs and others say no starchy vegetables because they can’t be eaten raw.

An AIP diet, often recommended for those with autoimmune conditions, is similar to Paleo, but in addition to the above exclusions, eschews nuts, seeds, eggs, dairy, nightshade vegetables, and generally, fruit.

These diets have become the “prescription” for any manifestation of autoimmunity, but may not be the answer for everyone.

I see merit in these approaches in some circumstances, but I’m wholeheartedly skeptical of removing whole food groups from your diet, even for people with autoimmunity. This skepticism is thoughtful, based on years of taking a different approach that’s not so restrictive, and seeing my clients get the results they’re seeking.

I do have some “restrictions” around grains and legumes, which has always been to largely limit flour-based products and eat true whole (intact) non-gluten grains, in moderation, because it’s true that a diet heavy in grains can be inflammatory and lead to weight gain and blood sugar issues.

Legumes/beans are a great source of plant-based protein, but I recommend not making legumes the sole protein of any meal, unless you can truly handle them without digestive distress. Even some who don’t have autoimmune conditions can have a difficult time digesting legumes (i.e. those with SIBO or IBS who may find relief on a low FODMAP diet).

My Essential Thyroid Cookbook contains chapters called “In Defense of Grains” and “In Defense of Legumes” that highlight the research of Justin Sonnenburg, PhD and Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford and the author of The Good Gut, co-authored by his wife Erica Sonnenburg, PhD. They’ve been trailblazers in discovering how the fiber in grains and legumes improves the health of our gut microbiome, our digestive “mini ecosystem.”

Likewise, Dr. Susan Blum, author of The Immune System Recovery Plan, regularly mentions quinoa, amaranth, millet, teff, buckwheat, various types of rice, and also legumes as part of her healing program.

Just in the last year or so, I’ve witnessed many functional medicine/functional nutrition experts sing the praises of moderate intake of properly prepared grains and legumes.

AIP Isn’t For Everyone

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in early 2008. At that time, the popularity of the Paleo diet hadn’t crested.

Given that 70-80 percent of our immune system is in our digestive tract, I did the gut-healing Elimination Provocation diet—a version similar to the one I share with my clients today. It’s a temporary diet and excludes nuts—but not seeds, grains, or legumes, with the exception of peanuts (which are technically legumes) and soy (also a legume).

Within a few months, my Hashimoto’s was managed—without the use of thyroid hormone replacement drugs. Over those next couple of years, prior to the popularization of the AIP diet, the vast majority of my clients had the same success—plummeting antibodies and alleviation of their hypothyroid/Hashimoto’s symptoms.

Considering this, it’s difficult, in my opinion, to rationalize a highly restrictive diet in all circumstances, for everyone with autoimmunity.

I prefer a flexible Paleo diet or a “Paleo template,” in the context of the Elimination Provocation diet. Flexibility is key—it gives people more of a feeling of control and “I can do this” vs. “I have to do do this.”

Stress = Antibodies

Many who’ve tried strict Paleo and/or AIP diet have expressed feelings of stress and frustration at the highly restrictive nature of these diets—and some have seen increased antibodies, worsening of symptoms, and confusion about how long to eat this way. (I worked with many of these “AIP refugees,” as I call them.)

Some thrive on (and love) the AIP diet and I’m not here to disregard its merits! But often, it’s a two-steps-forward-two-steps-back situation. The stress that ensues—at least for some people—isn’t conductive to the healing that needs to take place.

There’s enough evidence showing that stress increases antibodies. It’s even said to be a trigger for the onset of autoimmune diseases. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, “Stress worsens the autoimmune response.”

While some may be directly affected by grains and legumes, others can get their autoimmunity managed while continuing to eat small amounts of these foods—as long as other dietary triggers are investigated vis a vis an Elimination Diet.

At the beginning of this post, I said that I see some merit in an AIP diet right out of the chute in some circumstances. In addition to the foods excluded in the Elimination Provocation diet, I recommend the exclusion of grains, legumes, and seeds, in two circumstances: when the symptoms of autoimmunity are so painful and distressing as to cause life-altering circumstances or when a simple Elimination Diet hasn’t proven successful.

According to Chris Kresser, a long-time Paleo proponent, autoimmunity expert, and author of The Paleo Cure, “The belief that ‘everyone’ will benefit from one particular dietary approach—no matter what it is—ignores the important differences that determine what is optimal for each person. These include variations in genes, gene expression, the microbiome, health status, activity levels, geography (e.g. latitude and climate), and more. When it comes to diet, there is no one-size-fits-all approach.”

Hopefully you can see that I’m not anti-AIP. Given that there are equally effective and also flexible approaches to gut healing and immune modulation that tend to dovetail more easily with our busy lifestyles, I feel that it’s in many people’s best interest to start with a less restrictive approach, which is also conducive to sticking with the healing protocol and getting the results wished for!

Jill Grunewald, HNC, Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, and founder of Healthful Elements, is a thyroid health, Hashimoto’s, and alopecia (autoimmune hair loss) specialist and co-author of the #1 best selling Essential Thyroid Cookbook, of which this post is adapted from (the chapter, “Why This is Not Another Paleo or AIP Cookbook”).

Source: https://feedmephoebe.com/autoimmune-paleo-diet-hashimotos/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

0 notes

skinflesh97-blog · 5 years

Text

Is Autoimmune Paleo The Best Diet For Hashimoto’s?

One of the flagpole diets I came across was AIP, otherwise known as Autoimmune Paleo. The books that promoted it unequivocally said that all autoimmune peeps would benefit.

If you’ve been wondering about AIP or found yourself confused about who falls under its umbrella of efficacy, I hope you’ll give this post a read!

Enrollment is officially open. You can find out more here.

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

Is AIP The Best Diet for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

If you’ve been tuned into the thyroid and Hashimoto’s (autoimmune hypothyroidism) community, you’ve likely heard of (or tried?) a Paleo or Autoimmune Paleo diet (AIP).

These diets have become the “prescription” for any manifestation of autoimmunity, but may not be the answer for everyone.

Just in the last year or so, I’ve witnessed many functional medicine/functional nutrition experts sing the praises of moderate intake of properly prepared grains and legumes.

AIP Isn’t For Everyone

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in early 2008. At that time, the popularity of the Paleo diet hadn’t crested.

Considering this, it’s difficult, in my opinion, to rationalize a highly restrictive diet in all circumstances, for everyone with autoimmunity.

Stress = Antibodies

Source: https://feedmephoebe.com/autoimmune-paleo-diet-hashimotos/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

0 notes

butaneplate02-blog · 5 years

Text

Is Autoimmune Paleo The Best Diet For Hashimoto’s?

One of the flagpole diets I came across was AIP, otherwise known as Autoimmune Paleo. The books that promoted it unequivocally said that all autoimmune peeps would benefit.

If you’ve been wondering about AIP or found yourself confused about who falls under its umbrella of efficacy, I hope you’ll give this post a read!

Enrollment is officially open. You can find out more here.

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

Is AIP The Best Diet for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

If you’ve been tuned into the thyroid and Hashimoto’s (autoimmune hypothyroidism) community, you’ve likely heard of (or tried?) a Paleo or Autoimmune Paleo diet (AIP).

These diets have become the “prescription” for any manifestation of autoimmunity, but may not be the answer for everyone.

Just in the last year or so, I’ve witnessed many functional medicine/functional nutrition experts sing the praises of moderate intake of properly prepared grains and legumes.

AIP Isn’t For Everyone

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in early 2008. At that time, the popularity of the Paleo diet hadn’t crested.

Considering this, it’s difficult, in my opinion, to rationalize a highly restrictive diet in all circumstances, for everyone with autoimmunity.

Stress = Antibodies

Source: https://feedmephoebe.com/autoimmune-paleo-diet-hashimotos/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

0 notes