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betweentheracks · 3 years

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Updates//Recent Inactivity

Hello all! This is me finally taking some time to sit down and offer up a rundown on how life is currently going as a means of explaining my inactivity. This is a personal post that is guaranteed to be both rambling and emotional so if that is not your cup of tea, I understand and happily advise you just skip over this post as it is not relevant to the actual content this blog was intended for.

EDITED: After reading this back I now realize this is really just me spilling the tea on my own life and is laughably dishy in details which is extremely not my usual stance on my personal privacy. But idk, it was cathartic so I'm leaving it as is despite the urge to redact 70% of what I say.

I'll start with the good news that I am officially out of lockdown and have remained COVID-19 free since my return home from the hospital. This also means my son finally was allowed to come home to me which is dazzling and exciting and also a little terrible too. He's at a precocious age where tantrums are the cool way to communicate and having been gone for so long completely thrashing his established routine has caused friction. He came home and his parent was not the same as when he left; is much weaker and less energetic than before, paler and shaky - but also there's the addition of my best friend having moved in to assist and take care of me/him while we all do our best to muddle through.

The readjustment has been rough and a lot of this week has made me incredibly thankful to have practically zero memory of how I was as a child. There have been injuries: I have been whacked in the face with the metal cover for a floor vent while dozing on the sofa instead of paying rapt attention to whatever silliness he was showing off to me, there was his complete dismissal of me asking him to stay back and away from the hot oven as I pulled lunch from it's fiery jaws only to then be faced with a toddler quickly approaching with his hand raised to touch so I naturally made a move to block him and in the process I let go of the oven door which slammed upward and clamped my arm tightly between it and the inside cavern of the oven while it was set to a roasty 400 degrees Fahrenheit - earning me a mangled arm with burns of varying degrees, and then we also had that fit where it seemed like a much more grand idea to scale the babygate cordoning the stairs and I had to rush up them to stop him from tumbling face first down two flights and of course did the falling all on my own and did it backwards then slammed painfully into the wall of the landing. This all happened within a 48hr time frame and makes me wonder why I am so catastrophically inclined.

I have bruises that range the majority of my spine courtesy of the wall and stairs, two minor first degree burns on my forearm that are in the shape of an equals and quite large despite the lack of actual pain I feel from them, and the underside of my forearm was instantly blistered then popped then melted down into a horrid glob of skin mush and sticky red-orange and is a second degree burn that I have been assured is no real cause for concern as long as I tend it with care. In all, I managed to escape my momjuries relatively unscathed and with a child that was scared senseless at having hurt his momma and is quick to listen and never stops cuddling me in the time since. Here's hoping he isn't significantly traumatized from this since exactly none of this is especially his fault and is due to my clumsy, accident-prone status in life.

So yes, The Toddler has returned home to me and after some happenings we have settled and are happy. However, his blast from the past father has suddenly just decided to reemerge after more than a year of radio silence and static and has slapped me with a custody petition. Hooray. While I have no worries on this matter due to my mother working for one of the top custody lawyers in the state and snagging him as my representation, and the utter lack of competency on my estranged baby daddy's end clearly being displayed in literally anything and everything the idiot does/says, I do have to now go through the overhaul of a custody case and that is just so weak and exhaustive. Not to mention the basis of his claims that I am not fit to raise a child are founded in my health concerns and the crazy work schedule I keep; ironically, my health is making it so that I have much less insane hours and makes this fairly moot but to each their own I guess. Also worth noting on this matter is that he only did this now because he was recently placed under penalty for child support back pay and nothing in this world matters to him like his money and this is his special way of getting one over on me for tampering with his meager earnings. (He's a wannabe musician - the soundcloud rapper sort, just so we are all on the same page here). If I thought for even a second this was a genuine desire to be an active and stable parent I would be a lot less pressed to act in favor of making it legally binding that he can only see him under a supervisory condition and share time evenly, but it just is not believable in the slightest.

So the thing is - my health is actually quite dismal presently. I'm due in for open heart surgery on the 8th of April and until then I have been doing my utmost to mind all the nagging I get from doctors, PT specialists, the surgeons that will be slicing and dicing me, and my in-family medical practitioner that sometimes remembers he is also my brother and not just an MD. But like, you guys, this surgery is terrifying and technically is two surgeries rolled into one. They'll be cracking my chest open and then stopping my heart while they lift it from where it sits sweetly unhinged and lopsided in my body and very finely shave away some of the excess muscle that has built up around the wall of my heart as well as some unfriendly scar tissue that has lingered since my last surgery years ago. Granted there is no accidental slip that nicks my ugly gargantuan heart and renders me as good as dead, once this first part is finished the other surgeon will need to be deft and very quick to place this ventricular assisting piece in the valve that has all but given up on functioning altogether and do so in the time remaining before the time limit for my heart being essentially unplugged from by body is up, which would also feasibly mean my death. Lots of exciting and terrible sounding consequences, am I right?

Well let's bear it in mind that I am just below 30 in age and therefore not duly experienced in the realm of facing down my own mortality via making all necessary legal arrangements and managing my affairs and assets so that, in event of my untimely death, the custody case still doesn't stand a chance of snatching my son away to the sad misfortune of being raised by a man that has stated openly he only has interest in his kids so far as what they can do for him/get for him in terms of benefit and that he would be unwilling to be hypocritical and never deter his children from drugs and a lifestyle of extremely questionable moral integrity and hygiene alike. Eugh. But I also have had to make sure there is a DNR in place just in case things go wrong during the operation, my will has also been finalized and notarized, all my savings and financial/material assets have been squared away to come into my child's inheritance when he is of age and, most importantly, a document that states clear and direct instructions for him to be placed in care of my mother or, if she is unwilling or incapable, he will be under custodial order and guardianship of my best friend whom he has always viewed as a pseudo-dad anyway. Legally binding and even in light of the paternity petition this document supersedes parental right by way of the provided evidence I have submitted to prove a lack of parental credibility. That's right, I spent days lowkey stalking and sleuthing about to capture what I needed to show this man for what he actually is and I have precisely zero guilt or shame for doing it; this is my child on the line and that means momma doesn't have to play by the rules of snitches getting stitches or whatever other scary street rules he tosses at me as idle threats. (He's done this routinely for all the years I have known him, and it is somehow both pathetic and hilarious because he knows for a fact that, if I wanted, I could throttle him in less time than it would take for him to form a rational thought between his drug soaked braincells - I was also a person of less than savory character not too long ago and can handle myself very well. But I digress because I am losing my track of thought.

After the surgery I will have so damn much PT and rehab, all of which will be specific to varying parts of my body that will need to be reworked and strengthened. Weeks, months of it really. This surgery is major and hits heavy enough that I will be in the hospital for at least 10-14 days just recovering from it without taking into consideration any number of complications that could pop up. Hell, if they get in there and find a situation worse than they currently have an understanding of in the limited capacity of cardiology tech can provide of such a gnarled beastly heart and realize they can't really do anything with it after all, I'll be added to the transplant list. I think this is more daunting to consider than the surgery, honestly.

In that way that doctors have about them, I was "comforted" by being informed that this was an inevitability and I would have been faced with this in a matter of years - less than a handful actually - but the way COVID-19 chewed through me sped it up. I'm sure my years of substance issues were also very helpful in this endeavor, but either way I still am unsure whether I feel better knowing this or not? Mostly I think I feel conflicted and hopeful tempered with the caution of life being super shady in the ways it has often brought me to the doorsteps of dying in situations that seem like odd chance. I also am gifted with being so capable in jinxing myself that I brought myself to COVID-19 ("The way life is going I'll probably square up with Rona next week or some bullshit." Positive test flagged within the following week) and also into labor ("Watch me go into labor on Labor Day since that would be the sort of universal pun that would strike my bad penny having ass." Indeed hatched my youngling on Labor Day of that year) by saying some things within the scope of my bad humor that instantly manifested as reality so I'm not taking any risks here lol.

The gist is that life is really stirring up the winds over here and so I haven't been online and posting anything that would make my blog valid in a fat minute. I do apologize for this and also for the fact that this post took me nearly a week to type up, but when things calm a little I will be back in full. For the time being I will be sporadic and do what I can when I can!

Thanks to anyone that read this mess all the way here! And a big thank you to all of you still supporting me!

#racks chats #entirely too long and too personal

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bytheangell · 4 years

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Let the Clichés Pour

(Read on AO3) (Based off of This Tweet that everyone kept sending to me because I used to waitress at an Olive Garden, so of course I had to turn it into an entire fic)) -------------- “I was going to break up with you anyway, I guess you just sped up the process.”

God, Camille was a bitch. Her words replay in his head over and over as he drives, looking for the first place he can find that’ll serve alcohol. He’ll take a corner store just as quickly as a five-star restaurant at this point, but he absolutely needs a drink. He should’ve known better, should’ve seen it coming the way all of his friends did, warning him constantly that Camille was no good, that she didn’t love him the way he loved her. Magnus suspected that to an extent, but he didn’t think she didn’t care for him at all.

She said she was working late, that they’d celebrate another day over the weekend. Magnus - because he loved her, and what a goddamn fool he was for that - took the day off to go to her apartment while she was at work and cook her a full three-course meal from scratch to have waiting for her when she got back. As a surprise.

The surprise was his when he heard her key turn in the lock and she tumbled in through the doorway with another guy attached to her lips. And her hips. And her--

No, he is entirely too sober to relive that moment. As if on cue he spots the sign for an Olive Garden and pulls off the road towards it. He doesn’t want to be alone and he doesn’t want to tell Cat and Ragnor just yet; they have a night out of their own planned and he doesn’t want to ruin it. He knows they’ll want to know and that there’s no way they’d let him deal with this on his own which is exactly why he decides to wait until tomorrow to break the news. Just because his Valentine’s Day is ruined doesn’t mean everyone else’s has to be, too.

The restaurant is packed. Magnus doesn’t know why he’s so surprised by the number of people who wait cramped in the too-small lobby since the weather outside is far too cold to wait anywhere else. Thankfully the host with the glasses who looks two seconds away from having a breakdown finishes his by-the-book greeting by adding that the seats at the bar are first-come, first-serve.

There’s a single chair open at the end of the bar and Magnus takes it, praying no one he knows will be here to see him. He’s given a polite but short “be right with you” from the bartender that, judging by the length of the paper lined with drink orders coming out of the printer next to her, maybe a bit longer than she’d lead him to believe.

“I’m in no rush,” he assures her. He’s eager to get alcohol in himself but, honestly, the sad truth of the matter is that he has nowhere else to be. He just needs to kill enough time where he isn’t alone, and he doesn’t foresee himself bursting into tears at an Olive Garden bar over the woman who broke his heart so he thinks he’s safe here. Safer than he’d be drowning himself in wine and ice cream alone in his apartment if nothing else.

“Why are there so many people on the wait?” The exasperated voice of a waiter floats over to him, the words directed at the female bartender who only laughs and shakes her head.

“It’s like this every year, Alec. I don’t know why you keep acting surprised,” she points out.

“The surprise is that people aren’t even trying to up their standards from a $9.99 unlimited soup and salad deal for a romantic night out. If one more person tries to get 4 samples of wine out of me to avoid buying a glass I swear to God-”

“Deep breaths, Lightwood. Take your samples, bat your eyelashes, and do what you do best.”

The waiter - Alec - rolls his eyes, and Magnus is left with the distinct impression this cannot possibly be what he does best. The bartender makes a few more drinks before she sighs at the orders still remaining and decides they’ll just have to wait, turning back to Magnus to take his order.

“Sorry about the wait,” she says, and he’s surprised to see she actually does seem apologetic despite clearly being swamped. “I’m Maia, what can I get for you?”

“Whiskey, neat. Make it a double. Best you got.” Because fuck it, he has about $400 worth of jewelry to return the next day so why not splurge a little on overpriced drinks.

“Waiting for someone?” The bartender asks him, and then immediately regrets the question when Magnus opens and closes his mouth wordlessly, frowning. He realizes that he’s been operating in such a daze since he left Camille’s apartment, ordering his heartbreak drink on instinct, that now that it sits in front of him the reality of it all crashes down on him.

“No, but I’m afraid that’s for the best.” He’s quick to recover with a smile, albeit a sad smile. If this were another setting on another day he might actually be the cliche who spills his guts out to the bartender. Instead it’s Valentine’s Day in a busy chain restaurant and the poor girl in front of him doesn’t have time to play therapist. “Thanks,” he adds, taking a very long sip of the drink.

She takes the easy out and turns back to the couple next to Magnus, leaving and coming back with an appetizer for them to share. There’s another bartender on the other end of the bar, Magnus observes as he continues to make quick work of his whiskey, a blonde male who’s doing more winking and theatrical bottle flipping than actual drink making, not that his patrons seem to mind. At least not the women; Magnus imagines he might be making an enemy or two out of the dates they’re there with.

It is a nice distraction, Magnus thinks, being surrounded by people, even if most of those people are couples. The best distraction of all, however, is the frustrated waiter when he’s right back at the side station where the servers go to pick up their drinks from the bar. Magnus has a clear view of him from where he sits and for the first time allows his eyes to dwell on a tattoo barely covered by the collar of his shirt, the scar in his eyebrow, and the way his hazel eyes widen in surprise as he laughs at something the girl next to him says.

“Seriously? A second proposal?” Alec says, shaking his head. “I refuse to believe anyone would want to propose here. There are a million better places! Like literally any other restaurant, for starters.”

“You’re just bitter because you’re still single,” Maia offers.

“No, I just have standards,” Alec counters. “For all the training we get here, nothing could’ve prepared me for the number of guys who think it’s completely acceptable to propose to their girlfriends in Olive Garden on Valentine’s Day.”

Magnus should be offended for probably being roped in with the ‘people without standards’ for spending his own Valentine’s Day here, technically speaking, but that isn’t the part that sticks with him. Alec’s single, Magnus notes - that’s his takeaway. Not that there’s even a hint of the waiter not being straight... and not that Magnus is going to ask out the first attractive person he sees, especially not on Valentine’s Day.

At least not with just one drink in his system.

Magnus gets Maia to refill his whiskey once more with things slowing down just enough that Maia swings back around with a basket of bread despite the fact that he told her he wasn’t hungry. “You’ll thank me later,” she says, eyeing the whiskey pointedly. “The bread is fresh, and I threw in a dipping sauce on the house. Just don’t tell my manager.” She gives him a wink and he wonders how sad he must look for her to be throwing bread and alfredo sauce at him for free.

Magnus finishes the whiskey and, instead of leaving, decides to switch to something a little lighter. It’s with a large glass of sangria that’s more fruit juice than wine, he’s sure, that Alec is back by the bar.

“They’re sitting on the same side of the booth, Maia,” Alec grumbles. “They spent ten minutes making out instead of eating and then complained the food was cold. I swear to God I’m going to commit a felony before the night is over.”

“Tell me before you do!” the blonde bartender chimes in, coming up behind Maia. “I’ll record it and put it on the internet so we can go viral!”

“Thanks for the support, Jace,” Alec says and rolls his eyes again.

Maia turns around, spots Magnus staring, and winces apologetically. “He’s not really going to commit a felony,” she says a bit nervously.

Magnus only laughs. “I wouldn’t blame him if he did. There’s a special place in hell for couples who sit on the same side of a booth.” He intentionally speaks just loud enough for Alec to hear him, and makes eye contact when Alec looks over in his direction to see who said it. Magnus winks at Alec who flushes and turns quickly to leave… too quickly, it would seem, as he runs directly into another server.

Magnus cringes at the sight of spilling drinks followed by the sound of breaking glass, watching a nearby busser spring into action to clean up the mess almost immediately.

“Shit,” Alec curses, looking back over at Magnus with a mixture of shock and mortification before shifting to look apologetically at Maia instead. “Can you-”

“Already remaking them,” she reassures him. “Go clean up, they’ll be done when you get back.”

Alec vanishes from sight and Magnus wishes desperately that he could do the same. Instead, he drenches some bread in alfredo sauce and works on sobering himself up enough to leave before he can do any more damage.

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

Alec is drenched. The only plus side is that the black shirts they wear hide the stains of wine and margarita, but no matter how much he wrings it out into the sink the wet fabric clings to him now and he’s pretty sure he’s starting to get drunk off the smell of the alcohol on him.

“What the hell was that?” Jace’s voice sounds behind him.

“An accident, Jace. People make them. You should know, you make plenty.” Alec glares, hoping his tone is enough to convey that this conversation is absolutely over. As if the night hasn’t been stressful enough before he made an absolute fool out of himself in front of the gorgeous guy at the bar-

“I’ve never seen you drop so much as a single fork, let alone an entire tray of drinks,” Jace insists. “What’s wrong?”

And I’ve never seen someone as gorgeous as that guy at the bar, Alec thinks to himself, and feels the hint of a blush creep onto his cheeks remembering the fact that the very same man saw the entire disaster that Alec just became.

Jace peers closer at him. “Are you blushing?”

Alec pushes past him without a response and goes back out to the bar, praying that Maia has his drinks ready so he can take them and leave as quickly as possible. With any luck, the guy at the bar will be gone.

Of course, luck obviously isn’t in Alec’s favor tonight. Maia still has two drinks to finish and the guy at the bar is definitely still there. Alec looks everywhere but at him while he waits, praying the dim ‘mood lighting’ of the restaurant can keep his embarrassment mostly hidden.

Jace goes back behind the bar, eyes glued curiously on Alec, and it doesn’t take him long to realize exactly where Alec is very pointedly avoiding. Jace smirks and Alec feels the panic flare up in his chest, giving him a warning glare and shaking his head, silently pleading with Jace to not do anything with the dots he just connected.

Still waiting on one last drink Alec is forced to watch in silent horror as Jace leans over to Maia and whispers in her ear. Maia looks up at him in surprise at first but then smirks.

“I will tip you out an extra 10% tonight if the two of you mind your own business,” Alec begs.

“I’m offended,” Maia says as she places the last remake on his tray. “When have I ever done anything that wasn’t entirely in your best interest?”

“15%?” He counters, ignoring her question.

“Save that money and buy the poor heartbroken guy at the bar a drink,” Maia suggests quietly dropping her voice low enough that the guy at the bar won’t overhear.

“He’s- why is he heartbroken?” Alec asks immediately, feeling conflicted over the idea. Who cares if he’s single if he’s also way out of Alec’s league?

“I’ll find out,” Maia says, and before Alec can stop her and say he doesn’t actually care enough for her to pry she’s already too far away for him to get her attention without also drawing attention to himself.

Busying himself as much as he can with every other possible thing he has to do, Alec saves his next round of drinks for last. The guy is still there, talking to Maia, and Alec has never been more concerned over a conversation he isn’t part of in his entire life.

“Maia?” he calls from the side station, and both she and the guy at the bar look over at him. His eyes are gorgeous, lined with black and tinted with shadow, and--

--and Alec’s staring. Shit.

Thankfully Maia makes her way over to hand him the two beers he needs, giving him something else to focus on.

“His name is Magnus,” she whispers. “And some coldhearted bitch broke up with him today.”

An ex-girlfriend. Not a total rule out, but not exactly helpful, and- no. No, he’s definitely not considering trying to make a move on a guy who just got dumped. That has to go against, like, every rule in the book.

“Stop. Just… it’s not going to happen. Let the poor guy sulk in peace.” And without another word Alec turns and heads back to his section.

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Magnus ends up ordering an appetizer and another drink. He doesn’t know why… or maybe he does. He didn’t intend on comforting himself with a surprisingly nice conversation with Maia and shameless eye candy in the form of a waiter, but it seems to be helping, so he decides to linger a little longer despite the fact that Alec refuses to look him in the eyes.

Until he does. Magnus doesn’t have to worry about embarrassing himself with staring because now it’s Alec’s turn to be caught surveying Magnus... until Alec realizes what he’s doing and goes back to complete avoidance. Magnus sighs and takes another sip of his drink.

When Maia turns back to Magnus she catches him watching Alec walk away and levels him with a knowing gaze.

“Can I help you?” Magnus asks her when she doesn’t turn away, only continues to watch him in silent consideration.

“Not me,” she says cryptically. “But perhaps there’s someone else…”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you could possibly be referring to,” Magnus insists, because like hell he’s about to get thrown out of an Olive Garden, borderline drunk, for harassment.

Maia only hums and goes over to whisper something to the blonde - Jace, Alec had called him - before they both snuck a not-subtle look back at Magnus.

Perhaps he should stop lingering after all.

Except Alec is back a moment later with something new to complain about. It seems innocent enough except for the fact Magnus swears Alec keeps glancing over to see if Magnus is looking, or listening. And though he keeps his gaze very intently on his phone he’s definitely listening.

“Can you believe she had the audacity to say they were in a hurry to make an 8:00 movie and then try to order a well-done steak?” Magnus overhears and glances at the time at the top of his phone screen. It’s 7:12, the restaurant is packed, and though he’s never worked in a restaurant a day in his life even he knows that’s never going to happen.

“I suppose we can’t all be blessed with kind, patient… handsome guests,” Maia says, just loud enough for Magnus to overhear, but he keeps his gaze resolutely on his phone, even as he hears Alec’s frantic whisper of “Maia!” in warning before he’s gone again.

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

“Just admit you think he’s hot,” Maia says, cornering Alec by the soups in the kitchen. He’s waiting for a plate of lasagna to come up in the window and really can’t leave to avoid her, not if he wants the lady with the ‘I’d like to speak to your manager’ haircut out of here before she can actually ask to speak to the manager.

“If I do will you drop this? Because yes, Maia, I think he’s hot. And that’s the end of it. He’s going to pay, and leave, and I’m going to be stuck refilling soup for at least another two hours, and then we’re never going to see each other again,” Alec snaps. He’s stressed enough with his tables and embarrassed enough from spilling those drinks everywhere that he can’t even humor the idea of flirting just then.

“Not even if I caught him staring at your ass as you walked away?” Maia offers in a sing-song voice.

Alec nearly chokes on nothing but air. “Did he really- no. No, I see what you’re doing, and it doesn’t matter.”

The lasagna comes up and Alec grabs it with his towel, taking the plate into the dining room with a smile that’s a little less fake at the idea that the guy at the bar might actually be a little bit into him, too.

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

Magnus is mid-sip when Alec appears to his right again, frantically waving over Maia. He’s so wrapped up in whatever it is he has going on that, Magnus notices with a hint of disappointment he’ll never admit to, he isn’t even ignoring Magnus on purpose this time, he’s just ignoring him.

“This night is my own personal hell,” Alec says.

“What is it this-” “I need two glasses of champagne for, you guessed it, another proposal. This is the third one tonight and I swear I’d have to offer up a blood sacrifice to get someone through the door tonight with the decency to tip even half of what they should for how entitled they all-” but Alec stops abruptly, looking past Maia to where Magnus sits, listening in eagerly.

He can’t help it. He’s just drawn to the sound of his voice, even if Alec is complaining just a tad too loudly about customers around, well, a customer - even though Magnus is certain he’s the only one paying him any attention. And he plans on tipping Maia very well for humoring him the past hour or so, so at least he knows he isn’t personally included in Alec’s rant.

Still, the moment Alec realizes Magnus heard all of that he falls abruptly silent.

“Anyway. Yeah. Two glasses with that stupid strawberry on it,” Alec mutters, suddenly very interested in the little order pad he holds in his hands. Magnus wonders if there’s a particular reason he seems to hate this job, or this holiday, or both, so much. He wants to ask, to get to know Alec a little better the way he had with Maia, and even Jace while the people lingering around the bar for drinks got tables and dispersed, leaving only Magnus lingering behind.

He wants to ask, but instead, he decides he should cut his losses before he gets shot down twice in one romantic holiday. Magnus isn’t sure he can handle that.

Plus, trying to flirt with someone who has to be nice to your face because they’re at work is just asking for trouble - the last thing he wants is to put the poor guy in a position where he feels like he has to act interested just to keep a customer happy. Magnus may crave some validation in his life right about then but he isn’t quite that desperate.

“I should take the check,” he says, loudly enough that Alec can rest assured Magnus will be on his way soon and no longer hovering about to distract him or eavesdrop on his conversations.

Maia nods, printing one out as she pours the champagne, dropping it in front of Magnus on her way past him to Alec. Alec takes a ring out of his pocket to put in one of the glasses and Magnus, against his better judgment, decides to grant himself one last longing glance before he leaves.

Alec decides to do the same, but even with Alec looking at him Magnus can’t help but let his gaze fall down to the ring in the glass, thinking of the ring he has waiting back in his own apartment, the one he was so sure he’d be using soon. He must look really fucking pathetic over those thoughts because the sudden look of sympathy Alec gives him is too much for Magnus to take. Yes, it’s definitely time for him to leave.

Except the moment he stands to leave he sways on his feet, entirely unaware of just how much he actually drank until he tries to move.

“Woah there,” Maia says, coming out from behind the bar to steady him. “Not to be that person, but, well-” it’s obvious she’s trying to find a nice way to say there’s no way she can legally let him go out to his car like this and Magnus spares her the trouble.

“No need. Sitting back down now,” he confirms, silently cursing himself. So much for getting out of their hair. Without another word Maia turns around to get him a water which he accepts gratefully.

There’s a high-pitched squeal of joy followed shortly by clapping. Magnus can almost picture the forced smile on Alec’s face and the exasperated eye-roll he’d seen countless times the moment his back turns to the happy couple. Then he feels a tap on his shoulder, which takes a moment for Magnus to register because he doesn’t know anyone on this side of town besides Camille, so he isn’t sure who he expects to see when he turns around.

....it certainly isn’t Alec.

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

Alec knows he crossed a line. Maybe two or three. Between the constant staring, the fact that he’s positive Maia and Jace have been trying to drop hints at Magnus about him all night or pry information out of him to give to Alec to use somehow, he’s positive there’s no way this ends well for him by the time Victor swings around to check in on how everything is going.

Or, worse, until Magnus takes the survey on those little table tablets and writes all about how his experience was tainted by the rude server who kept shit-talking every customer who came in through the doors. He thinks the guy is probably cool with it from some of his initial reactions but by the end of the night he seems less amused and suddenly Alec isn't so sure he can trust that gut instinct.

He has to fix this before it comes back to bite him - or worse, Maia or Jace - in the ass. Those reviews aren’t just for them, they go to corporate, and he’s seen people lose their jobs over less.

“Hey,” Alec starts, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Listen. I, uh, know you heard some of the stuff I was saying. I just wanted to say sorry. It was unprofessional, and I just- we have those stupid surveys and I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t say anything bad about Maia and the service because of me.”

This is, quite possibly, even more embarrassing than spilling an entire tray of drinks on himself, but he owes it to Maia even if she’s been annoying the entire night.

“I wasn’t even considering it,” Magnus says, and Alec’s shoulders slump in relief. “And don’t worry, I tipped your friend at least twice what my entitlement called for.”

Alec winces at the reference to his previous comment, but to his surprise Magnus is laughing. And, realizing he’s laughing, Magnus stops abruptly and looks twice as surprised as Alec.

“Sorry. I was just teasing. Honestly, I wouldn’t have the patience for a food service gig. If I were you I would’ve gotten fired around the second proposal.” Magnus pauses. “Actually, I was having a pretty shitty day and your running commentary made it a lot better. So thanks for that.”

“You’re, uh, you’re welcome,” Alec manages, because it isn’t at all how he anticipated this going. “Sorry you were having a bad day.”

“Thanks.” Magnus says. Alec knows he isn’t imagining the way Magnus’ eyes linger, the way he looks like he’s just on the brink of saying something else.

Alec wonders if he should say something else, anything else, to keep them talking. His voice sounds almost melodic and ALec never wants him to stop talking.

Unfortunately Simon comes running up to him at that exact moment. “Alec, table 34 is getting a dessert on the house and Victor has it waiting for you to take over. He’s been looking everywhere for you.”

“Better get back to the happy couple,” Magnus says instead of whatever else he may have been about to say a moment before. And just like that the moment’s gone, Magnus turns back around in his seat, and Alec is helpless to do anything other than force himself to walk back to the kitchen.

He drops the dessert off, gets coffee for another table, and tries to go about business as usual… but the entire time his mind keeps drifting back to the guy at the bar. He knows it’s stupid after making sure everything was fine to go back and risk crossing a line with a customer but he can’t help it. Alec turns and heads back out to the bar…

...only to find it empty.

Maia sees the disappointment on his face and shakes her head in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you finally decide to ask for his number after he leaves,” she says.

“No. Of course not. I was just… coming to check on you. And Jace,” Alec lies unconvincingly.

“Uh-huh,” Maia replies, sounding equally unconvinced. “So you wouldn’t be the slightest bit interested in the fact that he left his number on the back of the receipt?” Maia dangles a piece of paper up in the air expectantly, and Alec all but lunges for it. Scrawled above 10 beautiful digits is a note:

‘Hoped your friend might want this. If not, toss it and pretend this never happened for the sake of what little dignity I have left. -Magnus’

Alec beams at Maia. “I owe you!”

“After the tip he left? We’ll call it even.” Maia says with a wink.

Alec wastes no time pulling out his phone and pulling up his text messages.

A: Hey, it’s Alec. Your dignity is still very in tact.

M: Good to know.

A: Would it be too soon to ask if you’re free tomorrow tonight?

Alec hears his name being called but it only vaguely registers as he stares at the three little dots blinking at the bottom of the message in anticipation.

M: Unfortunately, I have a grand tour of ‘I-told-you-so’s tomorrow

Alec’s face falls. Maybe Magnus was just hoping for a booty call tonight, or-

M: But I can tell you all about it over coffee Sunday, if you’re free then?

Alec smiles through the breath of relief he lets out.

A: It’s a date.

#malec #magnus bane #alec lightwood #shadowhunters #maia roberts #jace herondale #people kept sending me this tweet i couldn't help it #elle writes a few deadbeat lines #long post

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The Chase Files Daily Newscap 5/7/2019

Good MORNING #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Tuesday 7th May 2019. Remember you can read full articles for FREE via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS) OR by purchasing by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

ALL SET – All systems are a go as thousands of 11-year-olds sit tomorrow’s common entrance exam – the 11-plus – officially known as the Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination (BSSEE), said Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw. She told Barbados TODAY this evening that her ministry has put all technical requirements in place to ensure a smooth flow of the four-hour exam, expected to be written by 3,382 primary school pupils – 1,766 males and 1,616 females. Bradshaw said: “The directive I have been given by the Chief Education Officer [Karen Best], is that everything is in place and ready to go for tomorrow. I want to wish first of all, the students who are sitting the examination well. “I know that many of them have had to attend extra lessons and would have missed on extra curricular activities. I pray that they would be relieved of the burden that they carried for some time as they prepared for this examination, come tomorrow.” Bradshaw reminded pupils who are registered to write the examination at 22 secondary schools across the island, to give of their best as they would any other examination or challenge they may have to face throughout their lifetime. She said parents and teachers must also remind students that the exam is another measure to assess them, to transition from primary to secondary school, and was not designed to make them uneasy or put them under unescessary pressure. “I just want to remind them that this examination does not define them, or determine how successful they will be in life. I know also that many of the teachers and parents have worked hard to prepare the students for the examination and this is a very important day for them also, as they too have sacrificed a lot to help the children to focus, and to give them the necessary support,” Bradshaw said. This year, 14 students have requested permission to write the examination at age 10. The ministry has also reported that 103 students have made requests to be deferred from writing the exam until 2020. Of those, 84 were granted permission to defer. Some 40 students have also been granted exemptions from writing the test. Additionally, there have been 106 special requests made by parents on behalf of their children, mainly for extra time, enlarged print and breaks for snacks. The BSSEE will also be taken by 142 non-nationals, who have met immigration requirements. As a result of the exam, the Ministry of Education has advised that there will be no classes for secondary school students tomorrow. The exam is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and finish at 1 p.m. (BT)

EMERGENCY SERVICES URGED TO PREPARE FOR GREEN POWER – As Barbados races to be totally green energy-dependent in just 11 years, fire chiefs are being urged to be equally urgent in upgrading the skills of first responders, who will be called upon in emergencies arising from this new technology. The president of the US-based, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Jim Pauley, explained that, even in countries where electric vehicles have become prevalent, many emergency responders are not equipped to deal with serious accidents involving these vehicles’ uncommon and complex electrical components. Pauley said: “An example of one area where we missed the indications upfront, was electric vehicles. These vehicles are very popular in parts of the world and are becoming very prominent in the United States. Alternative fuels are being used besides the normal petrol and that industry is scaling up, but nobody paid attention to the first responders.” Pauley, who delivered the keynote address as Caribbean Fire Chiefs’ conference opened this morning at the Accra Hotel, said that with the battery pack on a standard electric vehicle putting out close to 400 volts, the scene of an accident involving one of these vehicles was no place for guessing games. He told the fire chiefs: “What do you do when there is an accident involving one of these vehicles? How do you shut the power off? How does one extricate someone from a vehicle that has high-voltage wiring in places that you are not used to seeing them? “So, we have developed a programme for first responders, which teaches them about the variations of electric vehicles, the different elements of the car and what they need to avoid.” The firefighting expert said that components such as lithium batteries require specialised handling, as he warned those in authority against making the mistake of waiting until disaster strikes before taking action. He said: “This is an area that the fire service needs to update their skills on early in the process. So often in our history we don’t do those things until after the tragedy occurs and we see the gap. This is about identifying those gaps upfront.” He also warned that the emergency services must not only be ready to grapple with possible mishaps arising from the new technology at the domestic level but must be ready to take them on at an industrial level. “Along those same lines we also have to take to heart the energy storage systems,” Pauley said. “Just a few weeks ago in Arizona, the storage system facility for the electric company caught on fire, it exploded, ultimately blowing the heavy metal doors and eight firefighters were injured. We need to ensure that we are keeping up with technology.” Pauley said that the training must extend to electricians as well as those who install fire safety equipment. Since taking office last May, Government has been pushing its agenda for a green energy nation by 2030. The Mottley administration has introduced several renewable energy initiatives, including the introduction of electric vehicles into public transport. With much of the discussion focussed on fast-tracking the alternative energy sector, little has been said publicly about safety measures regarding this evolving technology. (BT)

FIRE SERVICE ‘TO BECOME FIRE AND RESCUE’ BRIGADE –The Barbados Fire Service is set to become a fire and rescue service in an upgrade of its half-century-old legislation and the integration of technology into firefighting, Minister of Home Affairs, Edmund Hinkson declared today. Reform and revision of the Barbados Fire Service Act of 1961 is top of the Government’s agenda, Hinkson announced before the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs’ (CAFC) conference as it opened at the Accra Beach Resort & Spa. The minister said: “We at the level in my ministry, with input from the management of the fire service and the association, are actively preparing a new legislative platform for the delivery of fire service in order to modernize and position our service in line with current practices in the profession.” He hinted that under a new law, the fire service would become a comprehensive fire management and rescue operation. This, he said, would allow it to ultimately be more responsive to the public’s demands in the 21st Century. The fire service’s appointments would fall under a Protective Services Commission, which will allow for a more effective regime for the personal advancement and promotion of fire officers, he declared. The Home Affairs Minister stressed that there was still a need to re-engineer the workflow processes of the fire service through the computerisation of its operations. He added that his ministry recognized the importance of embracing technology, and was “looking forward to assistance from the Ministry of Innovation and Smart Technology in that regard”. During his address, Hinkson left words of advice with the fire chiefs: “You must endeavour to better yourselves as leaders because you cannot take people where you have never been; and you cannot impart that which you do not know.” He also encouraged them to provide continuous training and development programmes for staff, recognizing that they were critical to the sustainability and growth of their departments. Hinkson further advised the fire chiefs’ association to seek partnerships and strategic alliances at a higher level, and become a voice on natural and man-made disasters similar to that of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. “You may also consider having your association forge partnerships through the Caribbean Association of Fire Fighters to establish the Caribbean Rescue Unit, comprising officers and medical personnel who will be first on the ground to execute any rescue operations and increase chances of survival and mitigate losses for those who have suffered losses in the Caribbean,” the minister said. The opening ceremony also featured the passing of the baton to Barbados’ Fire Chief Errol Maynard, who will now head CAFC for the next four years. The one-week conference, in which 15 Caribbean countries are participating, opened with a flag ceremony, and featured a cultural presentation from gospel artiste John Yarde. It continues tomorrow with a series of meetings and presentations, including one with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and the Pan-American Health Organisation. There is also to be a series of training sessions being conducted for participants in emergency management services, and an exhibition. (BT)

‘SAVE WATER’ AS DROUGHT WORSENS –The Barbados-based Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) Monday urged Caribbean countries to “closely monitor water resources and try to conserve as much as possible, at least until June/July” as the drought situation in the region worsens, the Caribbean Media Corporation has reported. In its latest Caribbean Drought and Precipitation Monitoring Network Bulletin, the agency said that there is a concern for most of the Caribbean that the short-term drought situation can impact agriculture, as well as the flow in small rivers and streams except in the vicinity of Cuba, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Cayman islands. “For longer-term drought that can impact groundwater, and large reservoirs and rivers concerns also extend to Jamaica and Cayman Islands. Most of the Caribbean should therefore closely monitor water resources and try to conserve as much as possible, at least until June/July,” it said. The institution said that for the current drought situation, Barbados, Martinique, St Lucia, United States Virgin islands have seen long-term drought developing, while shorter-term drought is seen in northern St Kitts. It said a shorter-term drought situation that lasts until the end of July is evolving in Dominica, French Guiana, Grenada, Martinique, St Martin, St Lucia, Suriname, USVI, while shorter-term drought might possibly develop in Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Antigua, Barbados, much of Belize, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Hispaniola, parts of Puerto Rico, St Kitts, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago. The institute said that a weak El Nino is expected to contribute to reduced rainfall up until May. For the first three months of this year, it reported normal to below normal rainfall was experienced in the islands of the Caribbean with Trinidad being “slight to severely dry, Tobago and Antigua moderately dry and Grenada slightly dry”. (BT)

SWAMP LIFE RESTORED – After a near three-year onslaught from untreated sewage prior to the construction of the new temporary outfall last December, the ecosystem of Barbados’ major wetland, the Graeme Hall Swamp, has almost returned to normalcy. This revelation was made by Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams, who told Barbados TODAY that Government has done considerable rehabilitation of the swamp and it was now left up to nature to take its course. “The rehabilitation of Graeme Hall is going really well. I would advise anyone to go down there and see for themselves because we all know what it used to look like. The fish are back, the birds are back, everything is back to how it was. There is no more smell and the swamp is being properly maintained,” said Abrahams. The minister further explained that in their efforts to rehabilitate the wetland, it was important that a balance was struck between man-made help and nature’s propensity to heal itself. “We are doing all we can do to get the swamp back up but the problem is that you can over-engineer things in an ecosystem. So, we have to be careful sending things in there to excavate. There are settled solids, so the swamp is not as deep as it was before. We could go in with an excavator and dig it out or we could wait for the rains and let the swamp naturally flush itself out,” he said. The ecological attraction came under threat during the worsening sewage crisis on the south coast. Some business owners and residents impacted by the spills took matters into their own hands and were resorting to dumping the effluent, which had pooled in their backyards for months, into the swamp. In addition, with blockages in the lines leading to the now decommissioned Needham’s Point system, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) was forced to temporarily mitigate the effluent spilling onto the streets of the south coast, by redirecting the sewage outflow through the canals of the swamp and into the sea. This had also resulted in the closure of Worthing Beach for several months. Following a visit to the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary a week after the Barbados Labour Party’s victory at the polls last May, Prime Minister Mia Mottley promised to allocate resources to rejuvenate the swamp immediately after a fix was found for the sewage crisis. In his recent interview with Barbados TODAY, Abrahams explained that while Government has kept its promise, the average Barbadian has a part to play in seeing the rehabilitation process through. In making this point, the minister pointed out that recent efforts to replenish fish stocks are being undermined by persons fishing in the swamp. “The fish were reintroduced as part of the ecosystem of the swamp to keep down mosquitoes. So, if people go and catch the fish before they have a chance to spawn, then the mosquito issue is going to come back. We are working hard to restore balance to the ecosystem and the fact that fish are in there alive and well means that water levels are coming back to where they were, so, we can’t have people tampering with what we are doing,” stressed Abrahams. (BT)

2019 ‘POSITIVE’ FOR TOURISM –The nation’s tourism promotion agency has declared 2019 to be a “positive” year for tourism despite tough challenges. The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc’s chief executive officer, William Billy Griffith, revealed that officials have projected a seven per cent increase in booked flight seats for 2019. Speaking to the media at the just concluded annual Connect Barbados conference, he disclosed that the destination, which attracts 1.3 million seats annually, has seen a 20 per cent increase in the US market, an eight per cent rise in Canada and a five per cent increase from the United Kingdom. Germany is expected to produce 21, 000 travelers starting on October 28 complements the agreement with Lufthansa Airlines. “It is not an easy road for tourism but we are going to be very positive about it,” Griffith said. He stated that there has been an increased interest in Barbados’ tourism product with the 14th year of Connect Barbados setting “record numbers” with over 90 overseas delegates and tour operators arriving from North America, Europe, United Kingdom, South America, and the Caribbean. Some 200 delegates participated in over 1200 meetings with local hoteliers and tour operators from May 1 to May 4. Held under the theme, “Breathing Power into Business Connections”, tourism industry figures and partners were expected to learn and experience the latest the island has to offer in service and product development. The BTMI CEO declared that despite the economic and infrastructural challenges the island has faced, it remains a popular destination to agents and operators. Griffith said: “Barbados continues to be an extremely attractive destination in spite of all the challenges, in spite of Brexit, in spite of all the macroeconomic challenges. “Barbados is a desirable destination for overseas visitors and the growth we have seen over the past few years is driven by demand and the demand has driven the increase in air seats and it has also driven the increase in hotel rooms as well.” While touching on the BTMI’s plans for further exploration of the US in the Midwest and West Coast markets, Griffith also revealed that the BTMI will be embarking on a major drive targeting the Barbadian Diaspora for Vision 2020. “We want to make a bigger drive with the diaspora as well. We are trying to do the Vision 2020 next year but it should not be about vision 2020, we should consistently be able to create packages and encourage the diaspora to Barbados as well,” Griffith told reporters. (BT)

‘UNFAIR’ DUTY-FREE MOVE – Route taxi owners are hopping mad over Government’s recent decision to grant concessions to ZMs whose owners sign on to the Transport Augmentation Programme (TAP). The move has left some ZR owners puzzled, as they have been calling for Government to grant them a similar concession for over eight years. During her address at Solidarity House on May Day, Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that ZMs taking part in the integration project would granted duty-free concessions towards a bus. Efforts to reach chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO) Morris Lee for comment proved unsuccessful up to press time. However, public relations officer of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) Mark Haynes told Barbados TODAY that he was still waiting on Government to see if all public service vehicles (PSVs) would also be granted duty-free concessions. “It is still on the table and we are waiting for Government to give us a definitive position on that matter,” Haynes said. “We have it before them in writing and we are just waiting for a reply. It has always been our position that the entire transport sector deserves duty-free concessions to replace an aging fleet,” he added, while pointing out that PSV’s transported over 80 per cent of commuters on the island. However, one irate owner told Barbados TODAY he was extremely disappointed by Government’s newest proposal. He said what was especially hurtful was the fact that during negotiations with Government they were told they would only be granted duty-free if they were purchasing electric vehicles. “It is upsetting that after struggling with old vehicles for all of these years and with a $2 bus fare that these new players are now being offered duty-free vehicles. It is an insult to owners who have been struggling for the past 12 to 15 years,” he said. “When we sat down and met with Government they told us we would not be getting any duty-free on diesel vehicles and that it would only apply if we bought electric or CNG (natural gas) vehicles, knowing full well that we would not be able to afford either of those as they are very expensive. “So to see these ZMs being told that they can buy a diesel vehicle duty-free if they sign on to the TAP is very hurtful,” the owner added. He complained that sourcing new vehicles was critical for owners of ZRs and minibuses due to the wear and tear associated with PSVs. Another owner told Barbados TODAY he was shocked when he heard the news and confused over why ZRs were continually being overlooked. “We were the first group of persons who had conversations with Government as it related to helping them out with the TAP and at no time was it ever put on the table that we would be given duty-free diesel vehicles. “But because very few of us have signed on to the project, a decision was taken to approach the ZMs and offer them duty-free concessions. That is completely unfair,” the owner contended. (BT)

WE WANT OUR JOBS BACK – Two former senior managers are fighting the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) to get their jobs back after they were made redundant several months ago. Lorna Mascoll, the former chief financial controller, and Patricia Inniss, the one-time manager of the Waste Water Division, are contending they were unfairly dismissed by the state-owned entity. They have called on the services of Senator Caswell Franklyn, leader of Unity Workers’ Union, as their representative in discussions with the Labour Department and the BWA. “If you are going to make people redundant or create posts, you have to go through Ministry of the Civil Service. That hasn’t happened and there was no consultation in respect of either dismissal,” Franklyn told the NATION regarding Mascoll and Inniss. At this stage, he wants the matter to go before the Employment Rights Tribunal with a view to both women being reinstated. (DN)

PRISON PICK STANDOFF – Minister of Home Affairs Edmund Hinkson and prison officers are at loggerheads over opposing positions for a nominee to represent them on the Prison Advisory Board of Her Majesty’s Prison, Dodds, St Philip. Minister Hinkson has made it clear that he, with the approval of Cabinet, requires that a member of the Prison Officers’ Association should sit on the Board to represent the officers’ interests. However, the officers are insisting that their longstanding consultant and trade union leader Senator Caswell Franklyn is their choice to look after their affairs on the board. In a letter dated March 12, 2019 signed by Estherphyne Holder on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and addressed to the president of the association, it was stated that the appointment would commence March 1, 2019 and end July 31, 2021. “I wish to inform you that the Cabinet, at its meeting on February 7, 2019, agreed that a member of the Barbados Prison Officers’ Association should be appointed to serve as member of the Advisory Board of Her Majesty’s Prisons Dodds for a period commencing March 1, 2019 to July 31, 2021,” the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by Barbados TODAY, read. The association president was also informed that he would be paid $120 per meeting and that his instrument of appointment was enclosed in the correspondence But in reply, the prison officers’ body rebuffed the minister’s nominee out of hand, telling him if it could not be Senator Franklyn, then forget it. “I write to inform you that Senator Caswell Franklyn has accepted our invitation to be the nominee to represent our interests on the Prison Advisory Board. The association therefore requests that you extend the normal courtesies to him as the nominee of the president of the association,” the correspondence, signed by secretary Paul Outram stated. That submission was followed up with another letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs dated April 17, 2019 dismissing the association’s nominee. “I am directed to inform you that the Barbados Prison Officers’ nominee, Senator Caswell Franklyn to sit as a representative on the Prisons Advisory Board, has not been accepted by the minister. Kindly note that the nominee must be a member of the Barbados Prison Officers’ Association. Please be guided accordingly,” the ministry insisted. In a comment this afternoon, Franklyn, an Opposition Senator and Head of the Unity Trade Union (UTU), while admitting that this was the first time a member of the Prison Officers’ Association would have been appointed to the board, suggested that it was not initially specified who the nominee should be. “We had a meeting with the minister and the board and we were able to put a lot of things on the table that surprised the minister and the board because the minister and the board had been misled for a long time. So the Chairman of the Board, Cecily Chase,QC recommended that the prison officers should be represented on the board. The minister agreed, and he issued the instrument [of appointment] saying the President of the Prison Officers’ Association or his nominee. There were no restrictions on who the nominee should be,” he stated. “Part of my instructions from the executive was that they would send nobody else. If they don’t take me, he could keep the seat. Those were my instructions from the executive,” Senator Franklyn stressed. But Minister Hinkson’s response was equally firm. “I have stretched out an olive branch to the prison association with the conflicts that they have with the management of the prison. I am asking for someone from the association…the executive. That is what it is and I have not been given that. If they don’t what to accept it, so be it,” he told Barbados TODAY this afternoon. (BT)

MURDER ACCUSED AT DODDS –The man allegedly responsible for the stabbing death of 27-year-old Anthony Nurse is on remand at HMP Dodds. The accused, 35-year-old Clifton Ricardo Lewis, of Stratford Hill, Pinelands, St Michael appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, May 4. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and will reappear in court on May 31. Police responded to reports of a stabbing incident at Stratford Hill around 5:45 p.m. on April 29. However, when lawmen arrived at the scene, Nurse had been taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by private vehicle where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries. (BT)

NO ONE TO SIGN BAIL FOR ACCUSED – A farmer who allegedly had 61 marijuana plants under cultivation was remanded to Dodds after he had no surety to post his bail. Twenty-eight-year-old Chad Rene Cadogan, of Lower Brighton, St George is also facing charges of possession, possession with intent to supply and possession with intent to traffic cannabis. The accused was not required to plead to the May 4 charges which were said to have originated in the District ‘B’ jurisdiction. There were no objections to his bail but he had no one to sign on his behalf. Cadogan will appear in the District ‘B’ Magistrates’ Court on May 9 to answer the charges. (BT)

MAN WARNED TO STAY AWAY FROM STORE – A 58-year-old man must be on his best behaviour for the next nine months. Magistrate Douglas Frederick imposed the bond on Bertram Russell Lynch, Bank Hall Cross Road, St Michael today after he pleaded guilty to loitering on the premises of Savings Plus Supermarket Incorporated trading as the Snack Shak on March 27 with cause to suspect that he was about to commit theft. Sergeant St Clair Phillips said Lynch, who is known to the court, had previously stolen “a set of chocolates” from the business and was caught on camera. He left the establishment that time by “walking in a blind spot” of the CCTV footage. However, he returned to the scene of his crime and was seen loitering and was detained by security and management. He was questioned and later arrested. “This is a year and a half that I ain’t get in with anything with the court. I working now . . . doing general work and plead with you to put a fine on me,” Lynch told the District ‘A’ Magistrate as he made a submission for leniency. The bond carries a three-month prison sentence if breached. “Try and stay away from the place,” the Magistrate Frederick warned as Lynch left the dock. (BT)

‘FOOLISH EXCUSES’ – There were sighs of disbelief today in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court as three accused were told that they would spend the next 28 days at Dodds awaiting their fate. They are 24-year-old Shamaine Alexander Hinkson, of Lower Brighton, St George; 29-year-old Adrian Renaldo Trotman and his 18-year-old brother Damario Addison Brathwaite both of Sargeant’s Village, Christ Church. The trio pleaded guilty to robbing Nathaniel Garnes, on May 2 of a $100 pair of earphones, a $50 wallet, a Barbados identification card and $5.50 in cash. Sergeant St Clair Philips says Garnes was making his way through Gateway Mall around 5:05 p.m. heading towards the Fairchild Street Terminal when he came across the accused who pounced on him and beat him about the body. The prosecutor revealed that Garnes suffered several blows to his face and received a contusion to the eye. The accused were subsequently identified, arrested and charged. Brathwaite had no substantial explanation for Magistrate Douglas Frederick only saying: “I had see people doing it”. Trotman meanwhile who was released from prison in 2018 said it was not his intention to commit the crime. “My little brother hold the fella and my friend hold he too. I didn’t know that my little brother had taken the man wallet and headphones so I get charge because I was there . . . . It wasn’t my intention to do it . . . . Honestly and truly I don’t want to go back to prison,’ Trotman explained. Hinkson also gave an explanation to the magistrate: “I ain’t take nothing from him I just plant a couple of slaps on him. He (Brathwaite) told me that the gentleman was in an altercation with him and looking to do him something. I just say since we together I would try to defend he. This is four years and some now that I wasn’t in any altercation with the law.” Magistrate Frederick pulled no punches in making his displeasure known. “Wunna have no reasonable excuse for doing this. Two big men letting a little boy get you’ll in this. Foolish excuses!” the magistrate stated. However Brathwaite’s brush with the law was not over as he pleaded guilty to unlawfully assaulting Tranikko Brown-Carter on February 12 as well as possession, possession with intent to supply, possession with intent to traffic and cultivation of 23 marijuana plants worth $195 on May 4. The illegal substance was found in drums and buckets when police executed a warrant at his house. “I was just trying out something,” Brathwaite told the magistrate in his defence. The three will reappear in the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on June 3 when they are expected to know their fate. (BT)

DEVASTATED – Members of the dance community in Barbados are devastated at the loss of one of the first official dance schools – The Barbados Dance Theatre. The faculty, located in Bishop’s Court Hill, St Michael has trained prominent dancers such as Michael Goring, Granville Garner, and Louise Woodvine. It was gutted on Saturday in an early morning blaze. Police and fire officers responded to the location around 6:30 a.m. along with two fire trucks, a water tanker and ten fire officers under the direction of Division Officer Erine Fields. The principal of the Barbados Dance Theatre Deborah Taitt-Cumberbatch said it was too early to put a monetary value on the loss of the insured facility but noted the destruction of possessions of immeasureable value to the dance community. “I would not know the value of the loss until I calculate everything with my committee. Right now, it is the first day that I have come back here to remove whatever I can salvage which was very little. Last night I started to write down the list of all the contents of the studio. We lost a baby grand piano, all of our costumes from over the years,” she said. Taitt-Cumberbatch said it was heartbreaking for her to watch the place where she was trained to dance go up in smoke. In fact, today as she picked up the pieces from the rubble it was an emotional time for her. “Heartbreaking. I am still not over it. I came back here today and it started all over again it is very devastating, very sad. It is many years and memories we have here in the Barbados Dance Theatre. All of the schools which you see out there all of the dance schools came out of the dance theatre,” she said. The school, which catered to approximately 100 students aged three to over 60 years old, will be temporarily relocated thanks to the kindness of schools and organisations who have offered their spaces at a reduced cost or in some cases free of cost. “We have been receiving very warm responses from various schools and organisations. We are trying to see how we can get our classes organised so they could be in these various spaces. We are trying to make a decision based on all the information given to us on where we would be using and go from there. We would have classes temporarily at these places until we rebuild which we are looking to do very soon,” she said. Artistic Director at the Barbados Dance Theatre John Hunte said he was saddened and shocked when he heard the Bishop’s Court, St Michael dancers’ home was on fire. “I quickly tried to figure out what was the new lesson to learn from this. It is a significant moment for us to reflect and remember the significance of the Barbados Dance Theatre and what it means for us. What it has done is create a moment for persons to come together to rebuild,” he said. Cultural Officer Dance at the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) Alicia Payne-Hurley said she shed tears when she heard the place where she was given her foundation as a professional dancer was in flames. “I got the call very early in the morning and it felt like the loss of a friend to be honest because of the historic value of the space as one of the front runners in dance in Barbados. She noted, “That space is where the most renowned Barbadian dancers would have touched at one point to take a class or a workshop. It is the loss of history. The type of documentation they would have on Michael Goring and Jerry Lavine…it is knowing that that documentation is gone forever. A building can always be replaced but the value of what was held in that building is a loss to us.” Taitt-Cumberbatch told Barbados TODAY that it was also too early to put a price on the cost to rebuild. “They just finished the forensics yesterday and we have to wait until they are given to us and we are supposed to be getting that from the fire chief, hopefully, in a couple of days. Our insurance company would have to send their people in to get an estimate. They have already been there but they have to go back to measure and look at our plan for building,” she said. (BT)

SEYMOUR NURSE PASSES AWAY – The cricket fraternity was thrown into mourning today when legendary Barbados and West Indies cricketer Seymour Nurse died at the Queen's Elizabeth Hospital after ailing for a long period. The affable Nurse, 85, was arguably one of the best and most attractive batsmen in world cricket in the 1960s. Wristy and artistic with wonderful discipline and powers of concentration, Nurse scored 2 523 runs and averaged 47.6 with six hundreds in just 29 Tests. A long-standing Government cricket coach at the National Sports Council, he also served as a Barbados cricket selector and a coach. Up until a decade ago, he freely shared tips about the art of batting to many of the present-day players at practice sessions before he was hospitalised. One of the first to break the news was another former Barbados and West Indies legend, Desmond Haynes. "My coach, my mentor. We all from the Holders Hill area love this man. We used to walk like Seymour, bat like him and try to talk like him. Thanks for everything you have done for me. May he Rest In Peace and rise in glory," Haynes posted on his Facebook page. Nurse leaves to mourn twin daughters Roseanne and Cherylanne Nurse. (DN)

MAJOR’S TRIBUTE – There was a somber mood at The Lodge School today as staff, students and old scholars viewed the body of Major Sam Headley, a stalwart of that institution. The body of the public servant pioneer in national security, who was instrumental in creating the Barbados Coast Guard, lay in state for two hours, this afternoon. Major Headley, 89, died last month, after ailing for some time. Principal Winston Dowridge, told Barbados TODAY that Major Headley, who became the first black head boy of the grammar school in 1947, was an integral part of the history of The Lodge School. “Throughout his life he contributed to the cadets at the school. There is a fund at the school in his name; the Major Sam Headley Fund, through which we seek to provide assistance for students who are in need. Every year when we commemorate the founding of the school, we always make sure that the students get the understanding of Major Sam Headley, the role he played at the school, and the contributions that he made to The Lodge School,” Dowridge said. His son, Dr Sam Headley, thanked those at the school who made it possible for his father to lie in state there, a place that he held close to his heart. “I know daddy would have appreciated this honour that was given to him. The Lodge School meant a lot to him. He came here as a little boy and had some tremendous experiences that shaped his life. “So much so that he would always talk about The Lodge School, and it meant a whole lot to him. So I am so thankful that my sister Pam and others here at the school made it possible to have his body here for the viewing,” Dr Headley said. Major Headley’s friend and prominent businessman Ralph Bizzy Williams, was among those who viewed the body. The funeral service and burial of Major Headley, will take place at Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens, Christ Church, tomorrow, starting at 10 a.m. (BT)

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where to buy affordable health insurance

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lindyhunt · 5 years

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The Best Things FASHION Editors Bought, Read and Watched in 2018

Come December, there’s nothing quite like looking back at a year gone by and reflecting on the various things that brought us joy. Here, FASHION editors share the favourite things they bought, read and watched in 2018.

Noreen Flanagan, Editor-in-Chief

The Best Thing I Bought This Year A pair of “Spectator-ish” two-toned shoes at a little shop I like to go to in Milan, called Marco. These shoes attract more attention than a golden retriever puppy when I’m out on the street. They even charmed Manfred Mugler when I interviewed him in Montreal in the fall for an upcoming feature. I walked in the room and he got up and started tap dancing in front of me after declaring he loved my shoes.

The Best Thing I Watched This Year I had to chance to catch Network on Broadway starring Bryan Cranston and former FASHION cover star Tatiana Maslany. In this age of #fakenews who doesn’t love to be in a theatre and be asked to yell out: “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

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All the news that's fit to print 📰 #NetworkBway

A post shared by NETWORK Broadway (@networkbway) on Dec 16, 2018 at 7:52am PST

The Best Thing I Read This Year I just finished reading Educated by Tara Westover. Like The Glass Castle—another fave—this memoir is a compelling and ultimately inspiring story about survival and re-invention. But more than that, it’s a testament to the power of knowledge and the importance of seeking out the truth.

Benjamin Reyes, Video Editor

The best thing I bought this year It’s hard to tell if I’ve become complacent or if Netflix’s good movie selection is getting more diminutive every year, but I was looking for a change. That’s when I discovered (a.k.a was Facebook-ad-targeted by…) a new streaming service called Mubi, which is a catalog of 30 foreign/indie/ciritically-acclaimed films constantly on rotation. While not every film is a hit, it’s been a great way to open myself up to new cinematic experiences.

The best thing I watched this year I’m a sucker for coming-of-age films so Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, Mid90s, definitely makes my list this year. In the counter-nostalgic vein of The 400 Blows or Dazed and Confused, it focuses less on story and more on causality, while giving precedence to world-building and atmosphere.

The best thing I read this year National Geographic’s “Planet or Plastic?” issue was one of the most impactful things I’ve read concerning our plastic consumption. The scientific articles are accompanied by hauntingly beautiful photographs, including collages made from plastics found in dead animals.

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Hey! I'm @zooeydeschanel and on behalf of @farmproject, I'll be guest curating the @natgeo Instagram feed throughout the day to help launch #PlanetorPlastic—National Geographic’s multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic waste that gets into the world’s oceans. Learn what you can do to reduce your own single-use plastics and take your pledge at natgeo.com/plasticpledge (link in bio). Doing so will not only benefit the thousands of marine animals that become entangled in or suffocated by plastics each year but will also contribute to the overall health of the planet’s marine ecosystems and all who rely upon them. Check the feed throughout the day to see more of the amazing pictures I’m posting.

A post shared by National Geographic (@natgeo) on May 17, 2018 at 5:00am PDT

Pahull Bains, Associate Editor

The Best Thing I Bought This Year I’d been wanting to add a Céline handbag to my collection for ages but it was only this year, after it was announced that the brand’s feminist creative director, Phoebe Philo, would be replaced by Hedi Slimane, that I decided to dip into my savings and nab a Philo-era bag for myself. I went with the classic ‘Belt’ bag in grey, and every time I swing it over my shoulder I feel like I’m carrying a piece of fashion history with me.

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CÉLINE & 24 SÈVRES // Belt bag • Delivery sneakers • Belted dress • link in bio

A post shared by 24 Sèvres • 24sevres.com (@24sevres) on Mar 15, 2018 at 9:15am PDT

The Best Thing I Watched This Year It’s a two-way tie for me between the independent film Mouthpiece and Nanette, a comedy special on Netflix.

Every year at TIFF, I watch dozens and dozens of films, up to five in a single day. Which means, by the end of the 10-day festival, it’s hard to keep track of which ones I loved or enjoyed the most. Despite that, there are always a few that stand out, usually the ones that deeply moved or intrigued me. This year, one of those films was Mouthpiece. Based on a play by two Toronto female playwrights, and directed by legendary Canadian filmmaker Patricia Rozema, the film focuses on a young woman in the days following the death of her mother, as she grapples with the fresh wounds of grief and also begins to reflect on the complex lineage of feminism she inherited from her mother. It’s a powerful, thought-provoking and deeply emotional film that stays with you long after you walk out of the theatre.

I am very late on the Nanette train, because this comedy special by Hannah Gadsby arrived at Netflix over the summer to massive acclaim and I only watched it, like, last week. After months of every single person in my social circle, not to mention all the culture critics I follow online, raving about it, I flicked it on thinking it would never live up to my expectations. But WOAH. By the end of Gadsby’s one-hour set, which was filmed live at the Sydney Opera House last year, I was in tears. Unlike any comedy set I’ve watched before—heck, unlike anything I’ve watched before—Nanette is a searing indictment of toxic masculinity, homophobia, and the self-deprecating practice of stand-up comedy itself. It’s funny, it’s clever, but it’s also heartbreaking in its honesty, and I genuinely think you will walk away a better human being for having watched it.

The Best Thing I Read This Year This year has been quite the rollercoaster for women. The Harvey Weinstein exposé last October set off a chain reaction, ushering us into a new year and a whole new world. A world in which women were DONE—done playing nice, done staying quiet, done following the rules of a misogynist system. Yep, women were angry. And Rebecca Traister, writer-at-large for New York magazine, captured the angry, righteous energy of the zeitgeist and distilled into a potent book. Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger traces not just how women’s anger is ridiculed—because it means we’re overemotional, unstable, and oh you know, hysterical—but also the ways it has shaped history, powered revolutions, incited change. The book’s release was fortuitous—a week after the Kavanaugh hearings, when women’s anger had reached boiling point—but its message is poignant and timeless.

Greg Hudson, Features Editor

The Best Thing I Bought This Year I know I spent my money on stuff other than rent, food, and energy drinks. And yet, I’m having some trouble coming up with one purchase that could rule all of my other purchases. I guess I’ll mention the Rolex Submariner I bought this fall. I got it for a steal of a deal, too. Only $60, when a Submariner usually goes for about $12,000. You just need to know where to shop. Like for instance, a random junk shop on Canal Street in New York City. And so long as you aren’t that familiar with real Rolexes, this one looks pretty good! (It feels like it’s made out of tin though.)

The Best Thing I Watched This Year You know when you hear a song, and you fall hard and fast, and so you listen to it on repeat for a week, until you’ve memorized every lyric and internalized every chord progression? That’s how I am when I find a TV show or movie that speaks to me. This year, I can’t count how many times I re-watched The Good Place and John Mulaney’s Kid Gorgeous stand up special on Netflix. It’s a little annoying, even to myself, that I can’t talk for more than three sentences without quoting one or both. But at least the quotes are forking hilarious.

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Hi, we're broken! #TheGoodPlace

A post shared by The Good Place (@nbcthegoodplace) on Nov 5, 2018 at 8:00am PST

The Best thing I Read This Year

As soon as I was done reading Motherhood by Sheila Heti, I wanted each of my sisters to read it. Heti’s novel (of sorts) is like having a conversation with a funny, brilliant thinker about the pressures women face and put on themselves. So naturally, I wanted to know what my four funny, brilliant sisters thought of it. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Hungover: The Morning After and One Man’s Quest for a Cure by Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall. Yes, he’s a friend. But as a friend I saw how challenging that book was to write, and I want everyone to see how sharp, wise, well-researched and fun the end product is.

Meghan McKenna, Associate Editor

The Best Thing I Bought This Year Nespresso pods. After 22 years of avoiding mocha chip ice-cream, tiramisu and Tim Horton’s Iced Caps, I — once a proud non-coffee drinker — was gifted a very fancy Nespresso machine. At the beginning of 2018, it was collecting dust on my counter top. In early spring, I decided on a whim to give double espressos a try. My reaction: WOW, why didn’t anyone tell me what I was missing out on?! I HAVE SO MUCH ENERGY NOW!!! And I’ve been starting my days with one ever since.

The Best Thing I Watched This Year I wanted to choose A Star is Born, but my colleagues told me that was too predictable. So then, I thought I’d choose another song-filled performance that moved me to uncontrollable tears in 2018: the Broadway musical Come From Away. But technically, that came out in 2016, so it doesn’t work either. So in this same spirit, I’m going with Mary Poppins Returns. I haven’t seen it yet, but I already know it’s going to be my favourite feel-good film of the year.

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You’re on the brink of an adventure! #MaryPoppinsReturns is now playing in theatres.

A post shared by Mary Poppins Returns (@marypoppinsreturns) on Dec 20, 2018 at 9:48am PST

The Best Thing I Read This Year We Are Never Meeting In Real Life by Samantha Irby. It’s a collection of essays, which means it is the kind of book I could keep in a miscellaneous tote bag and come back to various points throughout the year. The first essay is a faux application to be on The Bachelor, and in another, she recounts a romantic road trip to Nashville where she scatters her estranged father’s ashes. All of this to say, Irby is wildly funny and wholly unabashed, and for these reasons, you should already be following her across social platforms at @bitchesgottaeat and @wordscience.

Lesa Hannah, Beauty Director

The Best Thing I Bought This Year Thinx period underwear and a Keepcup for coffee to go. Both enabled me to put less garbage out into the world.

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Who loves Hi-Waist? 🤩 With two tampons worth of periof-proof protection plus shmexy mesh, there's never been a better time to Netflix and chill on your period 💆‍♀️

A post shared by THINX (@shethinx) on Dec 10, 2018 at 5:50am PST

The Best Thing I Watched This Year A Quiet Place: I’m not a horror movie watcher per se, but I randomly chose this on a flight and was curled in a ball from the moment it started. I didn’t finish it by the time the flight ended, so as soon as I checked into my hotel, I downloaded it because I HAD to finish.

RBG: The inspiring, ass-kicking life story of Ruth Bader Ginsberg should be required viewing for all. If you don’t walk out of this wanting to assume plank position then something is wrong with you.

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Attention #RBG fans! #RBGMovie is now available on iTunes! Link in bio.

A post shared by RBG (@rbgmovie) on Aug 3, 2018 at 8:18am PDT

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: Though I had to stomach Ricky Martin and Penelope Cruz’s weak performances, Darren Criss had me riveted as serial killer and scam artist Andrew Cunanan. Bonus points for the scene of him dancing to Devo’s “Whip It” in a red leather jumpsuit at an ’80s house party.

GLOW: Aside from the weird way it handled the AIDS plotline, season 2 was just as hilarious as the first. The inclusion of a Harvey Weinstein-esque incident was a reminder that this shit has been going on forever and thankfully Marc Maron’s Sam does the right thing and stands up for his gorgeous lady of wrestling. Also Annabella Sciorra’s ’80s look was nothing short of glorious.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Another show that was so consistently gut wrenching, it kept me curled in a ball. Elisabeth Moss was an absolute baller this season. And the scene where Moira successfully crosses the border and wipes away the dust on a license plate to have it reveal “Ontario” never made me more proud to be Canadian.

***Honourable mention With astoundingly terrible poofy hair and a smattering of rosacea on his cheeks, Matt Damon’s portrayal of Brett Kavanaugh during his testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Saturday Night Live was the balm I needed after an emotionally exhausting two weeks. It was an amazing send up of Kavanaugh’s OTT white male privilege outrage slash absurdly choked up description of his beloved calendars.

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americanteacherinqatar · 5 years

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When you think of Thailand, you probably think of Bangkok, partying, Lady-Boys, prostitution, eating Thai food, The Hangover or maybe you think of the many islands around it, beaches and James Bond. Well I just returned from my trip to Thailand but not for any of those reasons. I went because this year is about Self-Care. My girlfriend Jennifer saw an advertisement on Facebook for a wellness retreat BOGO deal, that means buy 1 get 1 free and we hopped on it. We made our reservations without hesitation and paid half. So for our Fall break, we flew to Phuket, Thailand.

We left on a Thursday night on a straight flight and 7 hours later we arrived on Friday morning. Phuket is 4 hours ahead of Qatar. We were met by our taxi driver sent from our resort- The Life Co Phuket Well-Being (you can see my review of the resort on viator titled: ). By the time we arrived I was really hungry because I slept through the second meal time on the flight. They couldn’t give us any food because we had not yet chosen our meal plan so they gave us an Energy juice instead. We received a tour of the grounds and an overview. Our body compositions were taken and we were taken to our room. We had a pretty view of the lake from our balcony and a nice rain shower head. We chose the daily green salad detox for the first two days of our stay so at noon and 6pm we were served large salads. In between those meals we received detox juices, supplements, alkaline water and all the soup (broth) we wanted. According to my body composition, I weighed 63.9 kg on arrival day.

Pretty but hard

my relax spot on the balcony overlooking the lake

The beautiful lake

daily schedule of events

eating area

Yoga Studio

Healthy Green salad twice a day

Day 2 began with Yoga with Wa, then we met with the resort Doctor who went over our body composition results with us. He offered to conduct all of these test on me for a fee, of course, for which I declined. Afterwards, we had our complimentary 60 minute massage, and it was divine. Following the massage, we used the Turbo Sonic machine- a vibrating machine that supposedly stimulates every cell in your body, before having an angel wash- a fancy name for a enema on a fancy machine.

Yoga with WA

me on the sonic machine

This is the angel wash machine that you sit on

This is where you sit and the tube goes in your butt

this is the where you can see everything that comes out of you

and this is where it goes.

I haven’t had an enema since I was a child and I just remember it not being very pleasant. My mom used to tell me to lie on the bathroom floor on a towel and she would stick this tube in my rear end and run water or something up there until I defecated all over the place. She often did these when I was constipated so needless to say I was not looking forward to performing one on myself. But daily angel washes are a part of the program and I intended to follow it to see the results. What I will say is that it was a very interesting experience and I was not looking forward to doing it again the next day but after seeing what came out of me, I was definitely on board with the angel wash. We sat in the steam room then the infrared sauna before spending some time in the pool. In the evening, we went to the Naka Market which was wonderful but torturous.

Naka Market souvenirs

loved this market

Sushi galore

There was food everywhere, all sorts. I really wanted to try some food from a country I’d never been to but I was on a strict diet and didn’t want to divert, however I did try a small piece of this very green fruit and it was amazing.

I wish I could remember the name of this fruit

This market convinced me that Thailand is a country I would revisit, and I rarely do repeat visits. We purchased some souvenirs before heading back to Life Co.

On day 3, we switched our plans to the master detox, which meant all juice and supplements. No Food! We received 5 shakes a day, Herbs and Wheatgrass juice, and as much herbal tea and soup broth that we wanted.

On this day, we followed our routine angel wash, steam room then infrared sauna. The angel wash was smoother than the day before. We took in some sun for tanning and relaxed. You are highly advised to relax on a retreat, especially since your calorie intake is much lower. On the master detox, our daily calorie intake was 500, my usual intake is around 1200-1500. But in true Jennifer and Kennesha style, we can’t sit still too long, so we participated in the Crossfit class with Wa. It was great. In the afternoon we went to a cooking class with the chef of the resort. He showed us how to make vegan wraps, apricot porridge and some dips, all vegan. We were able to sample only an edge of a spoons worth unfortunately because of our diet, but at least we left with some recipes.

In the evening we caught a taxi to Phuket Oldtown market. It was like Odundé in Philadelphia but with regular shops as well. There was live music, gifts to purchase and so much street food. Again, I felt some type of way that I couldn’t indulge. At one point, I just sat down salivating as I watched the people cook right in front of me. I hadn’t had any food all day and the smells were enticing. My weakness was all around me, seafood, huge shrimp, lobster, squid, mussels, you name it, it was there. I was really using will power and I was proud of myself. Jennifer and I were getting obsessed with weighing ourselves daily and were seeing impressive results, we rooted for each other, we could do it.

On Monday, I had a different kind of Enema, it’s called a HydroColon. This one is administered by a specialist and is much easier. You don’t have to do any of the work. The specialist and machine do it for you. Apparently, I was very full of gas which kept me pretty backed up. I’m glad they got it out. I think I was bloated because afterwards I felt super light and refreshed. My pounds were dropping and fast. We went down to the Nathon beach and walked around. There are plenty of little shops and spas across from the beach. We stopped in one and I got a Thai massage for 400 Thai Bhat, or 12 USD. The massage was good but the lady’s hands were moving so fast, it definitely wasn’t like the relaxing massages I’m used to getting. The massage at the resort was better but far too expensive for Thailand.

Day 3 of the master Detox was rough and we still had one more day on this program to go. Both Jennifer and I woke up not feeling well. I felt extremely weak, comparable to waking up with a terrible hangover without the nausea or how it feels when you’ve been sick for days and unable to keep anything down. I think the lack of food and drinks were taking their toll. Our sleep was always broken up with bathroom runs to urinate because of the supplements they were giving us and the amount of alkaline water we consumed in each day. Our bodies were definitely going through a change and I really wanted some food. We reported how we felt to the kitchen staff and they prepared us a special drink that included lime and ginger and some tea. We felt better after while. We participated in another food demo in the evening and a special workshop called Rebirthing or Breath Work (stop back for my post on Rebirthing, you don’t want to miss it).

The weather this time of year in Thailand is wonderful. The temperature each day was in the high 80’s with a cool breeze. It usually rained in the morning but cleared up by afternoon. On Wednesday it rained all day but we woke up feeling much better. It was the last day our master detox and we were proud of ourselves but honestly, we really wanted something to eat. The snacks that I purchased to take home were tempting me. But after stepping on that scale, I knew there would be no way I was cheating. I had lost a whopping 9 lbs. So instead of eating, we went to meditation and did yoga. Jenn had her Hydrocolon therapy and I another angel wash. She wanted me to be the guinea pig with the Hydro Colon therapy first. After I reported back she signed up to get hers done as well. We spent the day reading, and relaxing and it was amazing.

Thursday was our last full day and we were smiling from ear to ear because at noon, we would get food. Well sort of, okay technically salad is food but not the kind of food I wanted, but it was better than juice and water and by Wednesday I had decided I had had enough of broth and seasoning. I woke up early and caught the shuttle for a morning walk on the beach leaving Jenn in bed to rest because she was feeling dizzy. The beach was serene and the water cool. I took a short walk on the beach and in the water, then laid out a towel and read a few pages of Malala. I only read a few pages because I was too busy just being and watching families play with their little ones on the beach, and dogs walking up and down enjoying the morning sun, even a man prancing his horse back and forth. I wanted to soak it all in before it came to a pause. I was relaxed and at peace and 10 lbs lighter according to my new body composition report.

When I returned to the resort we enjoyed our last angel wash, and trip to the steam room and sauna. I swam a few laps in the pool after enjoying my salad which I only ate half because I wanted to save the rest to finish when I got hungry again, maybe I just wanted to savor it. Jenn and I took the beach shuttle early so that we could get another massage at a different place. This time this masseuses hands moved a little slower but boy was she heavy handed and apparently I needed this. She bent me and snapped me and gave me the deepest tissue massage of my life and afterwards I wasn’t even sore. We gave them a nice tip. To end our vacation we watched the sunset on the beach and a monkey playing in the tree before heading back.

Can you spot the monkey in the tree?

We ordered meals for the plane ride home to ease our way into regular eating again because our body had not worked hard in a week and it is not a good idea to put regular food back in right away. We satisfied our bill and packed up. On Friday morning we flew home and it sure felt good to eat that low calorie vegan food that the resort had prepared for us and to pick over the vegan airplane food.

This was the first vacation I had taken where I didn’t feel like I needed a vacation from my vacation. I don’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed and unstressed. Not worrying about if the food would be good or if the resort could cater to my vegan eating preferences was a relief. I’ll admit it wasn’t easy going 4 days with no food but I am proof that it’s possible with the right supplements and program. Within 7 days, we had only consumed 6 salads total and no other food. Jennifer lost 6 kilos and I lost almost 5. We met some wonderful people and had uncomfortable conversations (colonics lol) with them. What I wish to take from this- not my weight that I lost of course, but patience and self-confidence, peace of mind and tools to assist me with mindfulness and positivity. This entire experience was Amazing and I look forward to doing another retreat, perhaps with my hubby. I also look forward to returning to Thailand to island hop, party in Bangkok, and EAT! Would I go back to the Life Co Phuket well-being resort? NO, I would not, for several reasons, that you can read about in my review on Viator. However, I would try one of their other two resort in other places. I had a wonderful time there but some things are unacceptable by my standards.

I wonder how long I will keep the weight off. My goal was to be at 135 and I crushed that goal by 4 pounds. If I gain weight, which more than likely I will because as soon as I get back I’m back to working with my personal trainer weight lifting and resistance training, I hope that it’s muscle and I hope to only go back up to 135. I plan to be more conscientious of my carbs and timing of my evening meals. I don’t plan on being a health food fanatic but after this jump start to my body and cleanse I’m optimistic that I can maintain a healthy body, soul and mind.

Have you ever been to a health retreat?

The other Side of Thailand- 7 days of Detoxing in Phuket When you think of Thailand, you probably think of Bangkok, partying, Lady-Boys, prostitution, eating Thai food, The Hangover or maybe you think of the many islands around it, beaches and James Bond.

#detox #health retreat #Hydrocolonic #Master detox #Naka market #Nathon beach Phuket #Oldtown Phuket market #Phuket Thailand #The Life Co #The Life Co Phuket Well-Being #things to do in Phuket #things to do in Thailand #Yoga retreat

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jmuo-blog · 6 years

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New Post has been published on https://jmuo.com/the-best-santoku-knives-serious-eats/

The Best Santoku Knives | Serious Eats

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[Photographs: Vicky Wasik]

Whenever a newlywed couple asks me for advice on what kitchen knives to put on their registry, I always say the same thing: Avoid knife sets, which force you to overpay for less important knives, like paring knives and serrated knives. Instead, invest in two good primary knives. Two, because the couple will probably sometimes cook together, and they’re each going to need a blade that’s up to the task. One of those blades should absolutely be a good chef’s knife, a true workhorse of the kitchen. The other could be a second chef’s knife, but I think it’s fun to take advantage of the doubling-up to add a little variety. That’s why I say the second knife should be a santoku.

Our Favorites, at a Glance

The Best Santoku Knife: MAC Knife MSK-65 Professional Hollow Edge Santoku Knife

This santoku knife from MAC’s Professional line is an absolute pleasure to use, no matter the task. It’s lightweight, well balanced, sharp as can be, and comfortable to hold. It made perfect carrot cuts, broke down a chicken with ease, and filleted a whole fish as if it were a fish-shaped block of butter. It’s hard to know how much the “granton” hollows along the blade really help, but given how effortless this knife was to use, they may well be adding to the ease; at the very least, they’re doing no harm.

The Best Mid-Level Santoku Knife: Tojiro DP Santoku

Tojiro’s santoku knife held its own throughout the testing, butchering a chicken without trouble and filleting a fish perfectly, too. It feels a little chunkier in the hand than our top pick, and it cracked one slice of carrot before sailing through a dozen more slices without any problems. It’s a well-made knife, offering an excellent money-to-quality ratio.

The Best Budget Santoku Knife: Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Santoku Knife

For great performance at a low cost, Mercer is killing it these days, and its santoku knife is no slouch on either front. One of the most affordable knives we tested, Mercer’s blade outperformed many knives that cost more than twice as much. For the price, you might as well grab one—it’s the perfect knife for guests who want to be helpful in the kitchen, but whom you don’t trust with pricier blades.

What Is a Santoku Knife?

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Santoku knives have not been a part of Japan’s storied blade tradition for long. Instead, they were created in the mid-20th century as a home cook’s multipurpose knife—the name, in Japanese, translates to “three virtues.” Most sources say those three virtues are working with meat, fish, and vegetables, though I’ve seen at least one publication say the term may also refer to three different cutting techniques: slicing, dicing, and chopping.

The santoku would best be described as a Japanese-style knife with some Western characteristics. Traditional Japanese knives, for reference, tend to have a single bevel (also called a chisel bevel), in which the blade tapers to the edge on only one side. Japanese steel also tends to be harder than Western steel, meaning it holds an edge longer but is more prone to chipping; these knives don’t do well with honing steels and require more frequent trips to the whetstone to keep a good edge on them. Western knives, in comparison, usually have an even double-bevel edge geometry, meaning the fine edge tapers to a point from both sides like the letter v. Western steel also tends to be a bit softer, making it less prone to chipping, which means you have the option of being a little rougher with it. You can hack through bones and such (a big no-no with Japanese knives) and do quick touch-ups on the blade with a honing steel in between less frequent whetstone sessions.

A santoku combines those qualities: The steel is usually hard (although now enough Western knife-makers are in the santoku game that there are plenty of options made with softer Western steel), but the blade edge is often somewhere between a Japanese chisel design and a Western double-bevel. Today, you can also find a lot of santoku knives with an even double-bevel edge, from both Japanese and Western knife-makers.

Perhaps more important than any of these more technical specs is the profile of the santoku knife. On average, it’s shorter than most chef’s knives, with blades in the six- to seven-inch range. And, instead of the more dramatic curved blade on a Western chef’s knife, which allows for more effective rocking-chopping and -slicing, a santoku knife has a much flatter blade—it’s good for shorter, downward strokes.

The blade of a santoku is quite tall, giving it a bit of heft that such a short knife would otherwise lack, and its spine curves down significantly to meet the tip. This blade shape is sometimes called a sheep’s foot blade, which is fairly common for paring knives.

The Criteria: What We Look for in a Great Santoku Knife

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As we remind our readers in all of our knife reviews, there’s no one right answer for what the “best” knife is, since it’s a highly personal decision. What feels right in my hand may not be what feels right in yours. Still, there are some clear requirements we can set out that any good santoku knife should meet.

First, a santoku knife should be deadly-sharp right out of the box. I know—some knife experts out there are more than happy to get an otherwise excellent knife and put their own finishing touches on the edge to get it to peak sharpness, but those people aren’t your average home cook. As much as I’d love for everyone to learn to sharpen their own knives, the reality is that it’d be a miracle if most home cooks had their knives sharpened by a professional even once a year. The sharper a knife starts out, the more of a head start it’ll give the user before requiring an intervention.

Second, a santoku knife should be fairly lightweight and comfortable. The whole idea of a santoku knife is that it’s compact and deft, an easy knife for anyone regardless of how developed their forearms are. Some knife-makers are offering hulking santokus that weigh nearly as much as a larger chef’s knife, but that defeats the purpose of a santoku. If you want a big, burly knife, just buy a large German chef’s knife and be done with it.

A santoku should be comfortable to hold either by the handle or with a pinch-grip on the blade, and it should feel well balanced. To be clear, though, balance is not an absolute and easily measured quality; it, too, is personal. How balanced a knife feels in the hand depends on who’s holding it, how they hold it, and how they like the weight of the knife to rest in their hand.

Last, I think a strong argument can be made that a santoku shouldn’t be wildly expensive. It’s meant to be an all-purpose home cook’s knife, and, as such, there’s no need for it to reach the price point of more specialized, high-end knives. While I looked at knives up to $200 in price for this review, I ultimately couldn’t justify any of the options that cost more than $150. It’d be like paying $400 for a pair of sweatpants: It misses the whole point.

The Testing

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For this review, I tested 16 santoku knives from most of the major knife brands widely available in the United States.

I started my tests with a simple paper-slicing exercise to determine blade sharpness and weed out any that were too dull out of the box.

After that, I decided it’d be fun to put the santoku’s name to the test, using each knife to cut vegetables, break down a chicken, and fillet a whole fish. If a santoku really is a three-virtues knife, it should handle all of those tasks well, even if it doesn’t do so quite as well or as dexterously as knives specially designed for each of those tasks.

To finish my tests, I ran the blades through the paper-slicing test one more time, just to see if using them had noticeably dulled the blades.

Paper Test

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To start and end our assessment of each knife, we ran them through pieces of parchment paper, to see which knives could repeatedly slice their way through cleanly, without snagging, tearing, or catching on the paper at any point.

Since we were looking for knives that arrived with truly sharp blades, we disqualified any that repeatedly got caught on or messily tore the paper. After all the subsequent testing with vegetables, meat, and fish, we repeated this test with the remaining knives, just to make sure none had lost their edge after a short period of use.

Vegetable Test

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A santoku knife is an all-purpose knife, but without a doubt the task any new santoku owner will use it for most will be to cut fruit and vegetables—dicing onions and carrots, slicing tomatoes, mincing garlic, and so forth.

The most telling test is slicing tomatoes, a soft fruit with a slippery, taut skin, and carrots, which are dense, hard, and prone to cracking if split too aggressively. I ran the knives through both vegetables, slicing ripe farmers market tomatoes to see which knives could quickly bite into the skin and then slide through the tomato flesh without crushing it. Then I cut carrots a variety of ways: into thin rounds, into long sticks, and into slabs that I crosscut into matchsticks and then crosscut again into brunoise.

Any knives that had trouble with the tomatoes, or that repeatedly cracked the carrots instead of cleanly slicing through them, were disqualified. I also noted whether any of the knives felt difficult to control when I made precision cuts.

Meat Test

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To measure each santoku knife’s prowess with meat, I used each one to break down a whole chicken, then cut the meat into smaller pieces.

The santoku would never be my first pick for this type of task—the tall blade and lack of a true point make it less than ideal for butchering. But then, I own a large collection of knives, including lots of specialty blades. If I were a home cook with a limited number of options, it’d be nice to know that a santoku could get through the task with minimal difficulty.

Truthfully, they all did. All the knives that had made it through the early rounds of testing were sharp enough to cut through chicken skin without sliding, and they had no trouble slicing through the meat and cutting a path through joints. (The key is to cut through the ligaments holding the joint together and not try to brute-force your way through nearby bone.)

Fish Test

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Filleting a fish is a task few home cooks feel comfortable doing, but it’s one a good santoku should be able to accomplish. As with the chicken test above, a santoku wouldn’t be the first knife I’d grab if I had other, more specialized options nearby. But, as with the chicken, if some of these knives could do a better job with it than others, more power to them.

To find out, I bought a bunch of whole fish, mostly black bass, and got to work, first cutting off each fillet, then skinning and trimming it. Unlike with the chicken test, some real differences emerged here. Some of the knives that had done decently in the tomato and chicken tests failed to pierce the skin near the fish’s spine with ease; one slid off so abruptly that it easily could’ve slashed my hand had I not been holding the fish safely.

A handful of knives, though, were able to get through the skin in an instant, and then managed to separate flesh from bone.

How We Chose Our Winners

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The winners sailed through all the tests we threw at them, were comfortable to hold, felt well balanced and relatively lightweight, and were easy to control. They also offered good value at their respective price points.

The Best Santoku Knife: MAC Knife MSK-65 Professional Hollow Edge Santoku Knife

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MAC’s MSK-65 Professional Hollow Edge santoku is just a pleasure to use, no matter the task. It aced every test, cutting perfect tomato slices, gliding through dense carrots, butchering the chicken, and neatly filleting the fish. It’s often hard to tell for sure whether the hollow-ground divots along the blade, which are sometimes called “granton” and are intended to reduce drag during slicing due to less surface area coming in contact with the food, are effective. But the MAC sure seemed like it slid through the chicken and fish more easily than the other knives.

The knife has a comfortable handle of pakkawood—a composite material, made from both wood and plastic, that’s attractive yet durable—and a thin six-and-a-half-inch blade. Though it’s made in Japan, this knife features an even 50/50 blade geometry just like traditional Western knives, making it as well suited to lefties as to righties, and easier to sharpen for those who don’t know how to apply the different angles many Japanese blades require on each side.

The Best Mid-Level Santoku Knife: Tojiro DP Santoku

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Tojiro has long been one of my favorite mid-priced knife brands, offering excellent quality at a very reasonable price. This santoku knife doesn’t disappoint on either front—in fact, it’s one I’ve used regularly for years in the Serious Eats test kitchen (we purchased a brand-new knife for this review, though). It feels slightly chunkier and heavier than the winning MAC knife, but it’s still comfortable to hold and use.

In our tests, it performed excellently, except for one single carrot round that cracked midway through slicing, though all carrot cuts before and after that one misfire were fine. It performed well with the fish, making easy, clean cuts, and broke down the chicken efficiently. Like the MAC, the Tojiro is another Japanese-made knife with an even 50/50 double-bevel construction, making it easier to sharpen for those who don’t know how to deal with Japan’s more typical asymmetrical geometry. (This also means the Tojiro is good for both righties and lefties.)

If the Tojiro isn’t available, I also liked MAC’s Superior Santoku Knife, which is priced similarly and also performed well in all the tests.

The Best Budget Santoku Knife: Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Santoku Knife

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I’ve been increasingly impressed with some of Mercer’s offerings; in my chef’s knife review, it came out on top on the budget end of the spectrum. Here, too, it showed its strength—an incredibly affordable blade with excellent performance.

The knife has a textured handle made of Santoprene (a composite of plastic and rubber), giving you a sure non-slip grip even with wet hands. And, like the MAC, it has hollow-ground divots to reduce friction during slicing. I wasn’t able to notice any huge differences there, but they sure don’t hurt.

Given the fact that the Mercer did a commendable job with all the tasks I put it through, plus its affordable price point, this one seems like a no-brainer to add to the knife drawer. It’s the perfect knife to hand to guests in your kitchen, so you don’t have to worry about whether they’re trashing your pricier knives, and it’s good as a trial blade for those who want to test the santoku waters without too much commitment.

The Competition

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Here are notes on the other models we tested for this review:

The Wüsthof Pro Hollow Ground Santoku Knife felt too flimsy during carrot-cutting and had an edge that felt sluggish as it moved through the paper and vegetables.

Shun’s Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife performed well overall, but it felt a little on the heavy side, and it has a high price tag that didn’t deliver a clear performance benefit.

For whatever reason, Tojiro’s DP 7-Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife didn’t perform as well as the Tojiro that earned a recommendation here; it cracked carrots repeatedly and felt sluggish through the tomatoes.

Global’s Hollow Ground Santoku performed well overall, but it felt large and clunky; it also snagged several times during the paper test.

Victorinox’s 7-Inch Fibrox Pro Santoku Knife With Granton Blade was the runner-up for my affordable-santoku recommendation, but it couldn’t quite best the Mercer in price or performance. Still, it’s a good low-cost choice.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Zwilling J. A. Henckels Twin Signature 7″ Hollow Edge Santoku. It was a little on the large side for my taste, and it didn’t look to be of the highest-quality build compared with other knives at similar price points, but it performed well in the tests.

MAC’s Superior Santoku Knife performed well in all tests and is my runner-up in the mid-level category.

Messermeister’s Meridan Elite Kullenschliff Santoku Knife felt sluggish as it dragged through much of the food; for the price, I think there are better options.

The Zwilling J. A. Henckels Pro 7 Rocking Santoku Knife was on the heavy side, but made it through all these tests with ease. I liked the pointed top on it, which made working with the whole chicken and fish easier.

The Misono UX10 Santoku is a great knife, but it didn’t distinguish itself enough to justify the considerably higher price.

Wüsthof’s 8″ Santoku Hollow Edge Classic caught slightly on the paper and felt slow when slicing through the carrot.

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phooll123 · 6 years

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The Subaru Impreza 22B Was An

Insane Monster That Could Never Happen Today

If you’re in the U.S. and you’re a fan of fast Subarus, you should consider yourself lucky. Very lucky. If you want a brand-new WRX STI, you can just strut into your local Subaru dealership and buy one—provided you have the money. (Or at least a pulse and a marginally decent credit score. I see how you buy cars, America.) Sure, getting your hands on a new WRX STI Type RA could be a little trickier, but a WRX STI Limited shouldn’t be a drama.

We’re talking about a 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four engine with 305 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque, a manual gearbox with a proper handbrake, substantial Brembo brakes, and a user-controlled center differential. We’re also talking about a car that starts at $40,895 that’ll do zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds. Not bad at all. It wasn’t always this way, though. There was a time when very fast Subarus were a lot harder to come by, if they were sold in your market at all. And long before PlayStation games forced Subaru to sell the WRX stateside, there was the ultimate forbidden fruit—the mightiest street-legal Subaru ever, a car more rare and with even more racing heritage than some Ferraris. I am talking of course about the the giant-slaying 1998 Impreza 22B-STi.

(Full Disclosure: With the 22B this year celebrating its 20th anniversary, I asked Subaru Australia if I could get some time with the 22B it’s owned since new. They said yes, but with the car largely restricted to static display duties, I wasn’t allowed to drive it. At all. I’m as sorry as you are.) You see, 2018 is a big year for Subaru. It’s 60 years since the 1958 launch of its first series production car, the Subaru 360, and 30 years since the 1988 founding of its dedicated performance arm, Subaru Technica International—otherwise known as STI (or STi until 2006). Importantly, it’s also 20 years since Subaru released the 22B. For the uninitiated, while the first-generation Impreza WRX originally debuted in Japan in 1992 with a mighty 243 horsepower and 224 lb-ft of torque, the first WRX STi didn’t launch until 1994. Neither was available in the U.S. That would take another decade and a lot of help from video games.

Back in 1998, however, we had things better here in Australia, not to be mean about it. We had real Imprezas like the WRX Club Spec Evo 2, with its 2.0-liter-turbo spitting out 211 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque. These weren’t grocery-fetching sedans for cold-weather states—they were salutes to Subaru’s efforts in off-road racing with performance that the masses could enjoy.

The world was a different place back then. Presidential scandals were less terrifying, and four-second-range 0-60 mph times were the domain of road-legal weaponry such as the McLaren F1, Jaguar XJ220, Porsche 959, and Ferrari F40. And for a brief period, Subaru.

Still very much a small-time global manufacturer, Subaru wasn’t an existing supercar superpower like the brands mentioned above, but rather a humble, safe, bland option for those focussed on reliability. It wasn’t even a legit competitor to Honda or Volkswagen the way it is today. It did however, have a fair bit of momentum on its side. After making its World Rally Championship debut in 1980, Subaru had evolved its preferred combination of a turbocharged flat-four boxer engine and four-wheel drive, into a rally-winning trademark. Achieving varying degrees of success in preceding Leones, RX Turbos, and Legacys, by early 1998 Subaru was celebrating three consecutive WRC manufacturers’ titles in the Impreza and a WRC drivers’ title thanks to Colin McRae in 1995. Subaru’s domination of world rally couldn’t have come at a better time either, as the brand was also marking its 40th anniversary.

Exclusively finished in Subaru’s mandatory “74F” blue—known through the years as Sonic Blue, Rally Blue, 555 Blue Pearl, WR Blue, and WRC Blue—the 22B was an ultra-rare collection of unique elements, combined one time, with one goal in mind: ultimate performance. Unlike any other Impreza of the time, a larger-capacity turbocharged 2.2-liter flat-four engine, rather than a conventional 2.0-liter unit, was used to power the 22B. Apart from featuring a bigger bore and increased capacity, the 22B’s EJ22 engine was based on a closed-deck rather than an open-deck block, and was also home to a metal head gasket, forged pistons, sodium-filled exhaust valves, and hollow-stem inlet valves. With an 8.0:1 compression ratio and 7900 RPM factory rev limit, the engine was officially listed as having 280 horsepower at 6000 RPM and 267 lb-ft of torque at 3200 RPM. And it was fast as hell.

“Unofficially, because there is no official [0-60 mph] test, this car, unofficially, can pull, at that time, 20 years ago, [0-60 mph] in 3.9 seconds,” Subaru Australia chief engineer Hiep Bui told me. “Technically, this car is a rocket.” As you might expect, the car is truly beloved by the people within the company itself. To learn more about the car I went to meet with Bui and see Subaru Australia’s very own mint-condition 22B—a car with around 4500 miles on the clock. He speaks of it the way some people speak of their religious faith.

“Even though it’s 20 years on, [the 22B is] the statement that Subaru can punch above its weight,” Bui said. “Many years before it launched, not many people really can pronounce the ‘Subaru’ correctly. But since the launch of the 22B, it’s actually put it on the world map.”

Meeting at a suburban Sydney Subaru dealership, where the powers that be decided to have the car transported to, Bui was joined by Subaru Australia service and parts operation manager Sam Hill. Not just another Subaru employee, Hill—like Bui—is a genuine 22B maniac. “My heart skips a beat every time I see a 22B, whether it be in a showroom, or in our storage compound, or on the odd occasion when you see one in traffic,” Hill told me. “If you look at the way the car looks—particularly in that era—we didn’t have another two-door car that was anything like that. I think if this car was white or black or yellow, it wouldn’t have anywhere near the same curb appeal as that iconic blue with gold.”

“This here is a special car,” Bui said, “At that point in time, they said, we have a WRX, and we want something special—something that other people haven’t been able to achieve. It... showed that the engineers, if you give them a chance, there will be no limit. They can do a special edition, they can do a special car, and the car will last.” “I look at this car as a turning point or a line in the sand, to say this is what Subaru’s capable of to build,” adds Hill.

Compare the 22B to the latest STI and it’s easy to see how far the brand has come in 20 years. But it also highlights just how ahead of its time the limited production model was—only 400 numbered 22Bs were hand-built by STi, with another 25 unnumbered cars split between the UK and Australia, 20 and five, respectively.

That’s right. We Australians might’ve long yearned for Camaros, Corvettes, and F-Series Fords, but, in this case at least, we won out, with no 22Bs ever being officially sold in the U.S. “The 22B was the concept of, if I can use the expression, a wolf in sheep’s skin, because this may look normal, but it packs a punch in there,” Bui said.

So, while school kids argued over mega-dollar Ferraris, Jaguars, McLarens, and Porsches hitting 0-60 mph in 3.2 or 3.6 seconds, Subaru went ahead and built a car for a fraction of the price that, while perhaps not quicker, was at least fast enough to enter the debate. And in terms of production, it was just as rare. There’s a lot of ways it holds up today too, unlike many supercars from past decades.

For example, while a 2.5-liter 2018 WRX STI Limited also hits peak power at 6000 RPM, it delivers its maximum torque 800 RPM later than a 22B does. And although the new STI claims a 25 horsepower and 23 lb-ft advantage over its legendary forebear, the addition of various safety and technology paraphernalia—airbags, for example—means the modern four-door is 639 pounds heavier than its two-door ancestor.

Faster and lighter than a new STI then, with its WRC car-inspired blistered guards adding 3.1 inches to the car’s width, the 22B measures in only 1.0 inch narrower than its significantly younger counterpart. Its gold 17x8.5-inch forged-alloy BBS wheels are a whole 2.0 inches smaller in diameter than the dark gray multi-spoke items on the new STI, though they still house four-piston calipers and 11.6-inch ventilated discs up front and two-piston calipers and 11.4-inch ventilated discs out back. (Admittedly that’s a smaller setup compared with the WRX STI Limited’s six-piston fronts and two-piston rears, matched to 13.4- and 12.8-inch ventilated and cross-drilled discs).

Oh, and for context, in Oz at least, in 1999 a top-spec Subaru Impreza WRX STi Version V Coupe (with a 280 horsepower/260 lb-ft turbocharged 2.0-liter engine in it) would set you back AU$60,000. And for around the same money as a 22B—about AU$132,000—you could get yourself into a Jaguar XJ8 Sport, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, a 986 Porsche Boxster S, or an E36 BMW M3. If you’re half as obsessive as I am, it’s easy to totally nerd out over the 22B.

Its short-ratio five-speed manual transmission with hardened gears and lightweight twin-plate competition clutch; its uprated driveshafts and suspension bushes; its forged aluminium lower control arms, rose-jointed suspension links, inverted Bilstein shock absorbers, and Eibach springs; and its monster adjustable rear wing—the tallest ever fitted to a production Impreza to that point, and taller still than those fitted to the back of era-specific WRC cars.

You can spend hours picking out details and delving deeper into its hardware, but to really appreciate just what Subaru managed to do when it created the 22B back in 1998, and to understand why it remains as special as it does, think about it this way: Imagine visiting Jalopnik tomorrow and finding out that Subaru has announced a brand-new limited-edition version of the current STI. Now, it’s not cheap—in fact, it’s around double the price of any existing STI—but it’s got more than a handful of unique parts, it’s got only two doors, and, oh yeah, it’s got the performance to challenge the likes of the McLaren 720S, Ferrari 488 Pista, and Porsche 911 GT2 RS with a 0-60 mph time of around 3.0 seconds.

Seem likely to happen? Hardly. Even if Subaru wanted to build something that insane, do you really think it would or could? Hell no. And this, again, is the point. The 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B-STi remains as awesome today as it was when it was released not just because of its outright pace and ability, but because of just how unlikely its own creation was. For a brand the size and strength Subaru was 20 years ago to have even contemplated coming up with a car like the 22B is borderline ridiculous. So the fact that they bloody well built it, and built it well, will be forever impressive.

The other concrete sign of a car remaining properly special? It’s never, ever repeated. And as Subaru Australia told Jalopnik directly: “In terms of the future, we’re always open to new ideas from the factory, however the 22B was a unique and iconic vehicle and it wouldn’t do it justice to attempt to replicate the vehicle or its story.” So if there’s any justice in this world, there won’t be any milking this anniversary. No 22B-themed special editions that are just watered down versions of the original and slightly tarted up versions of the current WRX STI. That wouldn’t be right. That wouldn’t do the legend justice. You just don’t get that level of crazy twice in the same lifetime.

David Zalstein is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne, Australia. He’s a genuine spanner-spinning, petrol-sniffing car enthusiast, who sold a 9N Volkswagen Polo GTI daily driver and a hillclimb-spec S13 Nissan Sil80 to afford his new Holden Ute… but, you know, V8.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2GTB6Am

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lb-art-and-photo · 6 years

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Spring Break 2018: Restarting the Insane Abandoned Place Checklist.

When you can't go to the beach, you go to Savanna, IL. It is on the banks of the Mississippi River. Or you go to Harvey. There was standing water in a basement of an old power plant. Or is that just me?

I'm pretty sure it isn't just me. I might just be the only person you know who does it though.

After a great week with the kids, I had a little bit of time to go exploring. A long time ago, I wrote about eventually making my way to Thrillist's Most 28 Insane Abandoned Places in the Midwest. Here's the link if you need a refresher.

https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/chicago/the-28-most-insane-abandoned-places-in-the-midwest

I've been slowly checking these puppies off of my list. I have more to visit, but I am happy with my recent efforts. Ha.

These places can be checked off: 1. City Methodist Church in Gary, IN; 2. Damen Silos in Chicago, IL; 7. Joliet Correctional Center in Joliet, IL; 17. Searsboro Consolidated School in Searsboro, IA; 27. Alexian Brothers Novitiate in Gresham, WI; and 28. Solvay Coke & Gas Company in Milwaukee, WI (now demolished).

And after this last week, you can also add two other great spots: 5. Wyman-Gordon Power Plant in Dixmoor, IL and 13. Savanna Army Depot outside of Savanna, IL.

Exciting, I KNOW!

Both spots were definitely worth the research, planning, and in the Depot's case, a somewhat extreme effort, but both also came with a little risk-taking, so I guess what I am saying is that if you decide to go to either of these locations, make sure you research and think ahead.

So actually, I want to show a little of what I found at the Savanna Army Depot location, which I found to be surreal. Let me say that I have actually been a little … scared … to go to this site, mostly because of what it was used for and because of what I read about it from beginning my research of it over two years ago. I decided to go actually go for it and to try to experience it for a couple of reasons.

First:

It was Easter. I don't have the kids every year. I hate sitting around all day, so instead moping, I have decided these are perfect days to go to places I usually don't have time to hit up. I go early and take a long-ish trip to a place where I hope (and was correct this time) that I will be the only person around. This method of operation has it's advantages and disadvantages. The obvious advantage is that on holidays, most people are eating big meals with their families and friends, so it's a good time to explore a place that might usually be monitored carefully. The overriding negative is that if anything goes wrong and you're alone, you could be toast, especially without wireless service, WHICH I DID NOT HAVE FOR HOURS, and I have had service just about everywhere the last year or so. My provider is AT&T. Maybe it's different for other carriers. But this is doubtful. I was literally in the middle of nowhere. The good news is that I lived. So count that as a win for me.

Second:

I have a reason to go to some of these places now. I recently signed with a publishing company known for its photograph/history heavy titles. They are publishing a new series of books, "Abandoned America." I picked up Illinois and one other state. So, I have to get my a$$ going. The first draft is due July 31st for Illinois, and I know nobody thinks I have enough to do, so I added this little project onto my "to do" list. It's actually been a goal of mine to write a book - like my entire life - so this unsolicited opportunity came out of nowhere and actually fits with my love for exploring, history, writing, and photography. It also motivates me to get out and do something I love, and it's something I haven't made enough time for recently. It's also a valid reason to be exploring when explaining WHY I am at a location if questioned. It's exciting for me. And I want to thank my friends Dave, Chehalis, and Michael for helping me make some decisions regarding it. I'm so grateful. No idea how it will turn out, but I knew I needed to get to at least four more significant sites in Illinois in order for me to feel good about content, and this is one of them.

A Tiny Bit of History and Context:

This place is so interesting to me. I often don't understand how there are some places out there that still exist, especially massive places with hundreds of buildings that are left to disintegrate. This is one of them. I guess I do understand that cleaning this site up isn't necessarily a priority for the DNR, seeing as I read there is currently ONE full time employee overseeing the entire area. It makes sense because it is obvious that this is a place where not much money is flowing in effortlessly, and The Savanna Business Park is a little different than any other business park I have ever seen - no offense to anyone there. It's just the way it is. That's kind of unfortunate because the actual land sits overlooking the Mississippi River, and the land contains the largest natural dune system in the state of Illinois. It is 7.5 miles long and sits 70 feet above the river. The land is also known as the Lost Mound Unit of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. So far only around 3000 acres has been transferred, as the remaining acreage needs to be freed from environmental contamination and will be turned over when deemed safe. This could take forever though, because it is a long-term clean up plan, and the plan will supposedly be updated every 5-10 years through information gained by monitoring habitat, wildlife, and recreational use (www.fws.gov).

The Lost Mound is pretty intriguing too. It is this geographic oddity and is part of local folklore concerning a post-glacial hill set as the backdrop for the sand prairie found around it. Funny enough, "the mound did not appear on early maps of the region, however the lost 'mound' has since been found as is {now} featured on recent topographical maps" (www.fws.gov). This mound is super easy to find. It sticks up high above the rest of the land, although the area in general is hilly, and it is kind of oddly shaped and placed, but the land is aptly named, for sure.

Really quickly, the Savanna Army Depot had about 3 different titles from the time it opened in 1918 until the time it completely closed in 2000. It also had many different uses. This depot is often called the "Area 51" of the Army because of it's secret operations and missions, and because of it not being well known. It was also easy to confuse with other bases having "Savanna" or "Savannah" in their names. Savanna, OK; Savannah, SC; Savannah, GA … Savanna, IL? You get the picture. In basic terms, this place was used mainly as an ordnance, or a branch of the Armed Forces that deals with the supply and storage of weapons, ammunition, and other items related to that. This specific place was used to test and store different types of highly explosive and powerful ammunition such as 75 and 155mm howitzers, or short cannons that shoot on high trajectories in order to reach targets behind cover or within trenches. It was also used to produce, test, and ship out explosives during and after WWII. Later, it was also used as a U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center and School that provided technical, logistical, consulting, engineering, training, and other types of specialized services to the U.S. Department of Defense. HAD NO IDEA, right? There are lots of interesting little facts about this little known of place, but one that sticks out to me is that this Depot contained a plant that loaded bombs and explosives during WWII, including the that were used in General James Doolittle's raid on Tokyo in 1942. Also, this area contains over 400 steel-enforced, earth-covered igloos with up to 2000 square feet of storage underneath that were used to store such things as highly explosive ammunition, "mustard" gas, Ammonium Nitrate (actually over 260,000 tons of it for war reserves), and actually later and still today, data and computers. Crazy right? These are highly visible, all over the place, and are covered in grass so that they were undetectable by air.

Needless to say, this land is highly contaminated. Scary too, is that there are said to be unexploded devices in some areas. That's what scared me most. I wore a respirator because I knew of the contamination, yes. I have heard many of the unexploded devices are taken care of, but you know, after being there, I'm not so sure. There are still signs explaining what to do when you happen to come upon one. Backwater areas are also still closed to the public due to "unexploded ordnance" being present, so I stayed far away from that space. I know 1948 was a long time ago, but there was actually and explosion that left a 150 foot wide by 50 foot deep hole you can still find. The 4 ton door from that steel-enforced igloo was never found. That says a lot.

It really is a beautiful location on the edge of the River, and it only took me 2 hours and 10 minutes to get there. Easy drive.

I've seen many shots of this Depot from the outside, and maybe a few shots from the inside of a barrack or a mess hall, but I have never seen what I got into Sunday. I'm not saying to do it yourself. I was actually relieved to get home, as I felt like I was constantly pumping adrenaline. It started as a pretty boring expedition actually, since I couldn't figure out where to go to find what I was looking for, and then it got frustrating because I wasn't seeing what I wanted to photograph. But, after I kept searching just "one more time" or for "one more thing," I finally figured some things out, and without getting into the details of how I accessed these things, I can only say wow. I am glad I went, but I am just as happy to have finished exploring it. I wanted to do more, and I could have done more because I basically had access to all that I wanted in the end, but I felt like I needed to get out of there. One thing I have learned through all of this abandoned hunting is to not push my luck. A lot of it is based on instinct, and my instincts were telling me to get out and to go home. So although there is a lot more to see, and I have a feeling it is a lot more of the same of what I will show, there is still a little curiosity there. It is such a huge area; it's hard not to be curious about what else there is out there. But I am done. I saw enough, and it was worth it.

If you look at the link to this map below, I was all over the place, but many of the most interesting shots came from within the CL and CF Loop Roads. The entire area is over 14 miles long and over 2.5 miles wide, so I'm sure you can imagine how overwhelming the size is. The question for me was where to start.

https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=da2d1d2d-8124-46c5-9155-351f6031ba0c&cp=42.19038~-90.280748&lvl=16&style=h&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027

There is so much more history I have learned about this place, and it is really fascinating, but I'll save that for another time.

Here's the easier-to-get-to stuff:

A little more challenging and interesting ...

So far, it was ok. Interesting, but if I didn't know why it was interesting, a pretty far drive for some crumbling buildings. Until I searched the grounds for about an hour.

And then it got much better - on the outside and inside of the buildings.

This was an amazing place, but like I said, everything in me was telling me to leave. So I left the way I came. It was enough for me. I actually hope that someday this place is cleaned up properly. It is a beautiful area of Illinois, largely undisturbed, full of wildlife, and on a gorgeous riverbank. Maybe in the not-so-far future clean up will become more of a priority for the remaining 5000+ acres of land that can be transferred over once safe for public use.

#exploration #illinois #Art #history #abandoned #photoblog #abandoned photography

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