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pxper-cranes · 9 months

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Simon Petrikov and the Mortifying Ordeal of no longer being the Ice King

Something something about how Simon Petrikov is forced to live in a world where he inherently doesn’t fit in because of his inability to connect to the nature of Ooo and everyone that lives there. When faced with the chance of reconnecting the ‘madness’ to fit in and unburden himself again of all his complex emotions as Simon, he still is at a crossroads because of all the sacrifices and struggles it took to become himself again after Betty lost herself to save him. He doesn’t want to make her sacrifices meaningless, and he’s constantly forced to face what *she’d* think. Simon cant become Ice King without forsaking the him that she fought tooth and nail for, but if he honours her sacrifice to being him back, he has to remain in the sort of limbo that he’s in right now, being kind of but not quite a part of Ooo, literally an antique of a bygone era, and not part of that madness.

Helping Fiona and Cake then in a way offers him a kind of easy out of his suffering by allowing him to make a martyr of himself. Through sacrificing his mind and becoming Ice King he can save them and their world and make it better in Fiona’s eyes, and just has to push through the no doubt traumatising ordeal of facing the mental prison of being Ice King again, which has terribly affected how he is now. He’s been told to cherish his identity as Simon Petrikov after losing the crown, but now he has no real place in the world. By helping Fiona and Cake he gets to lose himself again, and by association all the terrible loneliness and isolation as well as all his grief about Betty, and this way he doest have to suffer the consequences. He probably believes its a selfless sacrifice but it’s inherently not to all the people who he would be leaving behind, everyone who would lose him, some for a second time.

Even still he has a level of disconnect with those people in his life. I’d suspect he cant really relate to those people that easily after going through such a big change, and even those who saw the Simon through the Ice king the Simon that exists now isn’t the same as the one before the crown. Current Simon is constantly holding the baggage of having been the Ice King, and through the most recent episodes of Fiona and Cake he’s being forced to see himself through those same twisted lenses over and over through each universe they travel to. There cannot be a Simon Petrikov without the burden of knowing that he was the Ice King and still feeling the effects that has had on him and those around him.

And of course he brings up the ship of Theseus That’s literally about taking everything that made something up originally, replacing it and then testing to see how much of the original figment still remains intact. Like how much of its original integrity is still remaining after it’s lost all of it’s pieces. In a way, Simon’s gone through that thrice now; firstly, the loss of himself and being condemned to being Ice King, then Betty’s sacrifice and finally the realisation of his dissociation from Ooo after becoming Simon again.

He has now become intrinsically separated from other people of Ooo by nature like even other humans like Finn or the island people, who have lived their entire life in this kind of world, and so its easier for them to fit in, but Simon is from before Ooo, before the madness. At least as Ice King he can feel like he is a part of the world, but as Simon, he’s lonely in a way that he could never have been before because now he knows that there is other ways to perceive and experience the world and people around him, but he’s fundamentally unable to tap into it like he could before. But, if he chooses that he’s unable to revel in it because he would inevitably lose himself to the crown all over again. Its a catch 22. If he becomes Ice King again, he reintegrates as part of Ooo and the madness, but Simon can’t be in control of that or reap the benefits, or he can stay as he is, lonely and detached and chained with grief for both Betty and the men he has been, *both of them*.

IDK my guess is that the end of the show will have Simon try to sacrifice himself to make Fiona’s world magical again by becoming Simon but she’ll convince him not to because she’s come to accept the normality of her old life and Simon is forced to try and accept himself and realise his support systems through Ooo and learn to find himself again or something idk I’m not in the writers room.

So sorry about all of this being so long and unedited I just watched the new episodes and started rambling into the microphone so I wouldn’t forget my ideas. Sorry for the long sentences and bad grammar and how I no doubt kept repeating my points over and over. Idk I just have a lot of thoughts about this little guy and his situations.

#rambles #adventure time #fiona and cake #ice king #betty grof #simon petrikov

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thursdayisbetterthanfriday · 3 months

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Simulations of Cybernetic Meadows - Recreating Life

Part 1 - History of Technology

The New Yorker recently put out a great article, covering the modern day conversations we're having about how "lifelike" AI systems are:

It's a great article, which covers a lot of modern discourse around the last 25 years around how we've attempted to make "lifelike" machines. In an age of incredible speed and velocity in progress, we often forget how things have ended up this way. If you look, it turns out the quest for lifelike machines has been going on for a lot longer than people might suppose.

1st Century Antiquity - Age of Inquiry - The Mortal Hephaestus:

When people think of lifelike robots, they often jump to the robots of the 20th century. The past, however, is deep and full of secrets for those who know where to look.

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Hero of Alexandria was a master craftsman, and mathematician, famous for one of the world's first steam engines, and Heron's formula for calculating the area of a triangle. He also created some of the first known humanoid automata.

This video is slightly misleading, as it shows a combination of his efforts, and that of another, but Hero himself was able to create moving automata that used weights as potential energy to drive wheeled devices around a room. The Herakleidon Museum does also have videos recreating his original mechanism.

The Greeks were, in particular, prolific in their creation of automata which mimicked life.

18th Century - Artisanal Age - Dreams of Automata

The writer is a mechanical automaton, created in 1770, by the aritst Pierre Jacquet-Droz. It is a marvel of early engineering, using a series of what are called "cams" to direct a machine in the shape of a child to write sentences.

It combines the mechanical aspects of writing, with the aesthetic appearance of a child, in order to create a work of art. It is also one of the first programmable machines, using a series of replacable letters to change what words are written.

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But machines with lifelike qualities are not just limited to human motions. Master British automata makers John Joseph Merlin and John Cox created an astoundingly lifelike rendition of a swan in 1773, which preened its feathers, and caught fish from a pond.

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Both of these devices were driven by the creation of advanced clockwork, and machining technologies. As with today's semiconductor revolution, clockwork started off the size of rooms until it was progressively miniaturized into the palm of your hand.

While the 18th century artisans and mechanists were able to create wondrous mechanical motions, they were not truly able to replicate the mechanics of "thinking". The writer is one of the few examples of programmatic "thinking", but cannot independently operate.

20th Century - The Cybernetic Age - Adaptation and Evolution:

The advent of thermodynamics, and the rise of electronics, led to new means by which to create "living machines". In the 20th century, it also led to differing approaches to simulating life, such as cybernetics and expert systems. Walter Grey's tortoise robots are a great example of the cybernetic attempts to create complex behaviours by using simple rules in the form of both a light and touch sensor.

This robotic tortoise was able to exhibit very lifelike behaviours and reach goals without explicit instructed programming, such as with The Writer automaton.

This is a key "adaptation" and evolution from the concept of an automaton. Whereas automatons had simulated the mechanics of life though motion and muscle, robots such as the tortoise started to simulate the mechanics of thought through electronic wiring and circuitry.

The rise of the integrated circuit, and transistor, has been key to allowing modern automata/robots to reach advanced levels of ability unthinkable in pre-modern times.

Shakey represents another branch of 20th century robotics, the expert system, led by ideas similar to the 19th century automata, but updated exponentially. By using several sensors, Shakey was able to navigate around rooms and create internal representations of the rooms it was in, in order to perform objectives.

21st Century - Age of Artificial Neural Networks - Memory and Thought:

Similar to the age of automata, we have entered another age of biomimicry, this time using Artificial Neural Networks. Instead of attempting to replicate the mechanics of actions, we are instead attempting to replicate the organic mechanics of thought. One of the key ideas behind life is that it is self-sustaining - it operates all on its own. 18th/19th century automata weren't able to do this and 20th century automata/robotics did to a certain extent, but were often still viewed as machines with function.

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Sony's AIBO represents a more "lifelike" kind of design - where the entire system is driven by "curiosity" rather than by specific instruction. While it posseses some subroutines, similar to its 20th century counterparts, it surpasses them in how it can also adaptively learn new behaviours to better suit its surroundings, both in practical settings (finding its way around) and social settings (recognising people, and interacting with them in a socially "successful" way). The fields of reinforcement learning and artificial neural networks allow for complex behaviours to be simulated for the first time. Sony's AIBO is an excellent example of this in practice, with the robotic dog able to learn through positive reinforcement verbally, or via tactile methods, to promote certain behaviours.

It can even use computer vision capabilities to recognise specific users on sight, as well as allowing it to create its own internal model of the world around it. Much like the 18th to 19th century automata, AIBO also attempts to replicate the actions of life itself, with its design, and actions, replicating that of a puppy or small dog. Unlike the automatons of old, however, the use of tactile, vision and sound sensors allow its form to play some function in its operation aside from aesthetics.

Cybernetic Meadows - The Future?

As we endow robotics systems with ever greater ability, how will we interact with them in the future, and how lifelike will they truly become? Humanity has always, in some form or another, sought to replicate life itself through the medium of art and engineering. Only in time will we see the results.

#robotic #robot #robotics #automata #automaton #ai #ai research #ai development #ai developers #history of science #cybernetic #cybernetics #Youtube

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pearl-kite · 10 days

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Making more progress on trunk, black bits are all black again, working on oiling the slats. Photo updates under a cut:

Using Minwax Tung Oil, this was the first coat on two slats before I remembered to take a pic. I'm planning on 4-5 coats, gets it a little glossy and very nice. Advice for how long to wait between coats is all over the place online. The Minwax bottle says 24 hours between coats (um. no.) and some sites say as little as half an hour. Apparently there's a problem with consistency in the tung oil and "tung oil" industry.

I've also started using the rub'n'buff on the embossed tin, and I'm torn. At first I really liked the antique gold, kind of rosy, but I ended up liking the brighter, yellower tone of the grecian gold. But... it doesn't cover as well. Which is kind of the point. Because this is one of the sides:

Yikes, poor tin. BUT, with some antique gold:

(I'm not worried about taping off the handles because they need to be replaced anyway. Somehow.)

But I prefer this color:

But it looks so much more splotchy, you can see where it's not covering the tin, especially in the creases from the embossing itself. I might try doing the antique first and layering the grecian on top, which I experimented with a bit next to that handle. It doesn't look bad, but it's twice the work.

It FEELS close to done, because of how much better it is already, but I've probably got another month to go. I really cannot wait, I'm getting antsy about it and want it done last week.

Reminder of what this thing looked like when I bought it:

#BEST case scenario would have been to keep the tin unpainted but that one side removes it as an option #also found out minwax tung oil doesn't actually have. any. tung oil in it. how is that legal?#feeling a little cheated v_v #but it looks good at least. just grumpy at the false advertising :/#those pics of the sides with the rub'n'buff are not oiled yet either #so it'll be a bit before I see what the rub'n'buff looks like next to the finished slats

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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 2 years

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I kinda want to know about really random things in the twisted world, like basic household appliances, etc. I'm probably wrong but the blastcycle (?) that Deuce owns runs on magic right? What about other vehicles and/or technology? Is there a magic toaster out there?? Do they still have plumbing issues or can that also be fixed with magic? It's very useless, mundane stuff but I'm still curious

I do think it's fun to think about how things might be different in another world, but I actually don't think some world lore is as mystifying as we think it may be 😅 Twisted Wonderland may be a world of magic, but I'm pretty sure they have (mostly) normal household appliances and objects.

There is definitely a cross that exists between magic and engineering (something Ignihyde students sometimes mention), but it seems to be a specialization and not the norm or the replacement for normal tech. Some items, like phones and cars, seem to work the same as they do in the real world (without magic), as Malleus, a creature who struggles with using technology and predominantly relies on magic to get by, has issues getting accustomed to them. He mentions in the Scalding Sands Fireworks event that he is shocked that people use cars to travel instead of flying, which seems to imply that little to no magic is used in the operation of cars.

Keep in mind that it seems that a vast majority of the human population isn't capable of magic (I believe only 1 in 10 people can use magic), so it's likely that most products and services made are to cater to the magicless rather than those capable of using magic (ie they wouldn't require magical input to be of use). Yes, items can be enchanted in advance by actual magic users to grant magical properties so that even non-magic users are capable of using them (think of magicless MC's ghost camera or NRC's talking portraits), but it seems that these items are considered rare or antiques. In other instances in which magic is cast upon inanimate objects, it serves a certain purpose that usually wouldn’t be possible without magic (ie harvesting mandrakes, changing the color of apples, etc.).

In the case of magical wheels (not going to use blastcycle, I don't like the localization name 🤡), they are stated to run on magic, but they also contain magic-infused batteries so that even non-magic users can ride them. However, some features (it’s not explicitly said which features) are limited if the rider does not power the magical wheel with their own magic. Deuce says in episode 5 that it is dangerous for beginners to ride a magical wheel, which implies that a certain degree of skill is needed for it.

I think here, this rule applies: “just because you can doesn’t mean you should”. What’s the point of making lots of products which require magic for its full potential to be realized? It doesn’t make sense if most of the people you’re marketing this product to cannot make use of it. Another thing to consider is that it would be... plain unwise to just slap on “you need magic to use this”? That alienates a large part of the customer base and adds an unnecessary production step that may overcomplicate things. Like... what exactly makes an enchanted food processor better than a non-enchanted one??? Or an enchanted toaster from a non-enchanted one??? They perform the same exact function, and they’re both technically “automated”.

ASDHYUBASDBASIVDSA ACTUALLY, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT????? I-Is magic here actually a metaphor for companies in the real world that needlessly add Wifi/Bluetooth capabilities or an app to everything... even the things that don’t need it?????? (I remember seeing that one high-tech saltshaker that needed to connect to Wifi to play music as it measured out the exact amount of salt you needed it to dispense for your meal????)

As for professions... I think there would definitely need to be some specialties to account for magic (like I’m sure there are lawyers that specialize in magical malpractice or whatever, and there are confirmed to be magical healers, which I assume are like real world doctors, PAs, nurses, etc., and magic policemen that work on specialized cases). However, I don’t know if there would be magical plumbers, simply because plumbing problems don’t necessarily need magic to clear up. There probably are plumbers that happen to be able to use magic, but I don’t think resources would be dedicated to making a specialized magic plumbing squad (unless you’re telling me that Twisted Wonderland has plumbing issues that can only exclusively be resolved WITH magic). I think part of the problem is that magic is hinted at to be very “temporary”/not long lasting (especially in episode 5), so it’s not like it’s a quick or a permanent fix for every issue people might have.

Twisted Wonderland probably experiences a lot of the same problems we have in the real world. It’s just that some of those problems are more quickly resolved or addressed using magic, while other things (again, like magical medical ethics) are further complicated by it.

#twst theory #twisted wonderland theories #twst theories #Malleus Draconia #Deuce Spade #twisted wonderland theory #notes from the writing raven #question #spoilers #Kalim Al-Asim

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casspurrjoybell-17 · 8 months

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HEART'S FATE - CHAPTER 59

*Warning Adult Content*

What does it mean to come home?

In Martin Hunter's experience, it depends who's waiting for you there.

As a kid, getting out of school and going home meant relief, playing with his brothers and sisters, delicious food cooked by his mom or dad, the comforting drudgery of homework and the promised reward of video games or his favorite cartoons.

As an adult, home became a place of anxiety.

Would Elena be waiting for him?

What sort of mood would she be in?

What might she have said or done to the kids in his absence?

Martin's greatest fear, on the rare occasions when he was away for any extended amount of time, was that he would come back to find them gone.

Now, as his partner, Skylar West parks their rental car in front of their house and four small figures burst from the front door and race across the lawn to greet them, coming home is pure joy.

********

Back on the private island, Shanti had promised to visit Martin's family before returning to her own realm and let them know that all was well.

Miguel's wolf, too, had visited his father once more in a dream, in which he told him how proud he was of him and how he had saved them all.

After that, however, there had been only a few phone calls from hotel rooms, which Martin kept short to avoid ridiculous fees.

Speaking of fees, as soon as Shanti disappeared into the sea, leaving them behind on the island, reality had caught up to Martin and he had a minor panic attack over how on earth they were going to get home with no passports and no money.

Fortunately, Skylar had been wrong about himself.

He had lost his ability to transform, to swim like a fish and breathe water instead of air but he had not lost his siren's Voice.

A quick trip to the U.S. Consulate in Palermo and they had everything they needed, which was proof enough that Skylar's Voice retained it's unnaturally persuasive power.

One does not simply walk into the U.S. Consulate, announce that one has no identification of any kind, request a replacement passport and expect to be accommodated speedily.

With their papers in hand, they'd visited a few reputable dealers of antiquities and a jeweler or two and exchanged some Mer-salvaged treasures and pearls for cash.

Thus equipped, they were set to travel in style.

Skylar led Martin on a meandering tour up through Italy, across the top of Spain and into France, where they followed the western coast, keeping mostly to small towns.

Finally they struck inland for Paris and from there caught a first-class flight to San Francisco.

They rested there for a day, visiting the Museum of Modern Art and Fisherman's Wharf, before renting a comfortable car and heading for home.

They could have made the drive in a day but Skylar had one last place he wanted to visit, the beach near Bodega Bay where they'd camped with the kids, where they bonded and where Skylar first made contact with Natalis and his 'father.'

Skylar said he wanted to watch the sun set over the ocean one more time before he bid the sea goodbye for a while and to give them the closure of coming full circle through their strange ordeal.

"Will you miss it?" Martin asked, as the last gleam of the sun slipped beneath the rim of the horizon, where a thin band of lavender-hued mist separated a dark sea from the turquoise and tangerine sky.

They'd parked at an overlook atop a bluff at a place called Duncan's Landing.

Below them was the little cove in which they'd made love.

"The sea will always call to me," Skylar said.

"As a siren song in my blood. There will be times I can't ignore it, when I feel I must go mad if I cannot hear the waves and feel the salt spray in the air. Then I will answer it and come to a place such as this, to soothe my soul. But I won't stay long and I hope I will not be alone."

Martin leant against him and closed his eyes, letting the sea saturate his senses, the rhythmic roar of waves and the buffeting wind against his skin, carrying with it the occasional cool kiss of salted mist.

"Sounds a bit like being a wolf. After a while our human skin starts to feel too tight and we long for freedom and release, the simplicity of a wolf's mind, wild as the sea but devoid of human thought."

"Hmm. I wonder what would happen if you bit me," Skylar mused.

"Would I become like you or turn out a scaly mer-wolf monster? Or would I become something else entirely?"

Martin pulled away from him in surprise and Skylar laughed.

"A question for the future, maybe."

"Maybe."

Martin leant against his mate again, looping an arm around his waist and filling his lungs with sea air.

Personally, the less magic, mayhem and mystery in his life, the happier he'd be.

At least for a while.

Martin suspected that between Flora, Miguel, Nico and Rio, he had some mayhem in his future, at least and probably plenty of magic and mystery, too.

They'd spent a last night alone together, at a little bed-and-breakfast 'the rainbow flag flying from the porch of which told them they'd be welcome' before completing the last leg of their journey and arriving home.

********

"Daddy."

Smiling so hard his face hurt, Martin is tackled to the ground and buried beneath a miniature dog pile.

The kids haven't been this glad to see him in a long time and it reminds Martin how fast time flies.

When Flora and Miguel were younger, they loved to run all the way across the school's playing field to greet him at the end of each day.

They'd meet in the middle and he'd pretend to be knocked off his feet, then roll around in the grass while they smothered him in 'attack' kisses.

Pretty soon, he'll be cheering them on as they graduate high school.

First dates, first jobs, first cars, first loves, tears sting his eyes at the thought of how much he could have missed and how grateful he is to be here now.

"Why are you crying, Daddy?" Nico asks, concern pinching his little brow.

He'll be a handsome one when he grows up, a real heartbreaker, for sure.

"I'm just happy, sweetheart," Martin says, catching his breath and drawing him and Rio into a hug.

"I'm happy to be home."

At his back, Skylar kneels and rests a hand on Martin's shoulder where he sits on the ground.

"Me, too," Skylar says.

"Are you gonna stay this time, Mr. Sky?" Rio asks, tears streaking his own cheeks.

He's the most empathetic of the four and cries easily.

Martin glances at him over his shoulder and Skylar smiles at him.

"Yes, I'm here to stay."

********

"What about Papa Sky," Skylar asks later that night as they lie in bed together.

It had been a full day of catching up with the family, especially Martin's brother Noah and his partner, Ambrose, who while they offered to look after the kids again any time they needed, seemed glad enough to be rid of them after three weeks.

"They could still call me 'Mr. West' at school, if you like."

Martin laughs into his pillow, half drunk with lingering jet lag and the sheer relief of lying in his own bed.

Despite his best efforts, Skylar hadn't been able to get Nico and Rio to drop the Mr. from before his name.

"Sounds good to me," Martin says, rolling to face him.

Skylar leans in and kisses his lover .

"You taste like the sea," Martin says.

Skylar draws back.

"The 'sea' contains quite a wide variety, my dear. There's everything from the beach at low tide to the freshest zephyr on the open waves."

Martin smiles, touching the end of his nose to Skylar's.

"The latter, definitely."

"You taste like... Well, you taste like toothpaste and mouthwash," Skylar says.

"Utterly mundane, adorable and perfect."

"Better than dog breath," Martin grins.

Skylar snorts.

"Go to sleep, my beautiful, wonderful, wolf-hearted man. Tomorrow, we start anew and we have everything ahead of us."

********

It takes a while but day by day, peace returns to their lives.

For Martin, true peace comes to nest in his heart for the first time, for which he is more grateful with each passing day.

If Skylar isn't beside him when he wakes, Martin hears him in the shower or downstairs making breakfast for the kids.

And each night, they fall asleep in each other's arms, knowing that each breath they take together is a gift.

Skylar returns to work for the school but rather than art 'he confessed he couldn't remain an objective judge when it came to the children' he coaches swim team.

Meanwhile, Martin returns to my role as a stay-at-home dad, for the moment.

Not everything is roses, disappearing from the face of the known earth for several weeks comes with consequences, as his agent duly informs him.

The publisher dropped him, apparently, due to his lack of ability to meet their deadlines and the offer of an advance has been withdrawn.

For once in his life, Martin is not worried.

Money is meaningless to Skylar, he can literally scoop it from the sea... 'Or his family can, anyway'.

He is not about to rely on him for everything or stop doing his share but he's also okay with letting Skylar take care of him, at least for a little while.

Because at long last, after everything, Martin is finally willing to believe what everyone's been telling him all along.

He fucked up in the past but he doesn't have to let the past define him.

He's more than the sum of his failures and he deserves something good.

He deserves a break.

So, he embraces it.

He throws himself into long overdue home repairs, take notes for a new book inspired by their trip through Europe and shower the kids in as much attention as they'll tolerate.

Martin let the past go.

At least, until the past comes knocking, literally in the form of his ex-wife Elena, almost a month to the day since our return.

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ink-fireplace-coffee · 2 years

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Clay River Manor

Warning: long post ahead!

@rose-bookblood kindly gave me the opportunity to gush about this amazing house from my wip: Is The Blood Thicker? and I will!

You know damn well I will!

Because of potential spoilers, I cannot give you a detailed description of how the House would look like and "behave" depending on which candidate is the heir/ess; but I can explain you more in deep how Clay River works and some fun facts of the old Heir/ess

I think the first thing to take into account, is that the best thing to compare Clay River Manor to, is Casita from Encanto. So, picture Casita but make it a mansion.

And now erase that from your mind, and just keep the basics.

Unlike the other magical house, Clay River does not "have a conscience". It's a house, not a person. It does not have personality, or can talk to you or "help you". Sad as it is, Clay River is not alive.

With that out of the way, I can now explain what is exactly the House. Clay River was enchanted when Lawson Da Ville first having it constructed. He wanted the House to be able to answer to the Heir/ess, to protect them and their family should the time come, and he wanted the Heir to feel like Clay River was not only a house, but another part of them.

That is why, Clay Rirver "adopts the personality" of the Heir/ess. Because it is like it's a part from them. Not in the way that "oh the Heir/ess can idk open the windows and maybe turn the stairs into slides at will!" The Heir/ess cannot control the House. it doesn't work that way.

But if the Heir/ess wants someone to listen to them, the House will make it happen. If they feels cold, the House will turn the heat on. If the Heir/ess is sick, the House is not sick but maybe a chicken soup starts cooking.

The rooms and floor plan also change slightly. Not the bedrooms or the common rooms like the dining room or the parlor or the kitches (although the decorations and furniture sure can); but everything else.

When Margaret was alive, for example, even though she was not the Heiress, Crawford was, and he loved her so much and she loved music. So Clay River had a music room done.

Crawford himself loves preserving archives and reading and having antiques, so the library is currently the biggest room of the House. His office is filled with nautical decor in memory of his parents.

So for example, imagine you were Heir/ess of the Da Ville's. First of all, congrats! You guaranteed a good life for your family for another 50 to 60 years if everything goes well :)

The master bedroom would change according to your personal taste, and so would the office. If, for example reading is not as important for you, the library would resize itself accordingly or even disappear, and would be replaced by whatever else you feel fitting (from drawing rooms to an indoor pool, a home cinema or an at home gym with a rock climbing wall and everything!)

The decor would also change. Not the parquet floor, but the rugs, lightning, curtains, pictures (except the Da Ville's ones) and other knick knacks like jars or flowers.

There's only one part of the House that is "for Clay River". And that is the secret passageways. The Heir/ess have no control over them and cannot open the doors like with every other room or make them appear. The House deserves to have some secrets too, after all.

I honestly do not know what else you could be curious about, so i'm gonna leave it here and if you have questions about it, I'd be more than happy to answer them!!!

#wip:¿tls?#wip:itbt?#places: clay river manor #thanks again rose for being excited about this and asking me to elaborate!!!

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omends · 1 year

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myk runs ( and lives above ) his own shop: Devil Hound Books & Antiques. its in the name, he sells books, antiques, and magically attuned objects as well as offers his services as a witch, mostly spell crafting and warding, sometimes divination. his side business and "profession", however, is procuring magical books and artifacts.

anyway, have some facts about his shop

it will appear in random locations around the world. its primary residence is in london, with a secondary residence in seattle, but can show up anywhere.

it has incredibly strong wards, to both prevent hostile magic and contain the magical energies within the shop. any kind of magical capability will be suppressed upon entering the shop; myk can, of course, provide exceptions for his clients, but in general no magic except his is allowed on the premises.

it has a communication spell that allows myk to understand anyone who enters the shop, even if they are speaking a language he doesn't personally know.

it kinda has a bigger-on-the-inside vibe ? it's very cozy and enclosed to fit lots of books and antiques. for supernatural and magical beings, tho, the shop will actually adapt in appearance to fit their preferences / expectations !

it exists within its own pocket dimension. it can only be traveled to through accessing is from the outside entrance, wherever that may be, or via myks own portal, to which he will sometimes provide a key to those he trusts.

it cannot be stolen from. any items removed from the premises without being unwarded by myk will a) immediately teleport back to its place in the shop and b) be replaced in the persons possession by an object of no value.

all items are warded, both to prevent stealing and ensure they aren't damaged. you never have to worry about knocking something off a shelf and breaking it in his shop, it is literally impossible.

the shop sign and all related logos depict a black dog with red eyes holding a lantern. the doorknob is a dogs head, and the key to the shop and myks personal portal is a lantern keychain.

#° meta discussion !#《 ° myk ; meta 》 welcome to the storm / i am thunder ; welcome to my table / bring your hunger

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xiiistoleti · 1 year

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Alexa tried to ignore the fear running through her as she knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Melchior said lazily from inside the drawing room.

"I, uh, have a thing I need to talk about with you," she said, opening the door and stepping in. "Sir," she quickly added.

Melchior was sitting at his desk in a very in-between shape, whatever form he wanted to take didn't quite set in yet. He glanced at her, correcting something on his leg.

"Well?" He urged her when she didn't speak.

"It's, uh," she started, blushing in anxiety, her heart beating way faster than she wanted it to. Calm down, she thought, stress won't help you.

"Whatever it is, you can say it," Melchior sounded strangely docile. At least it would sound strangely for someone who only knew him as a sadistic monster.

"I... I heard that you wanted to start travelling, right?" She attacked the topic from another angle to prevent just standing there in stupefaction.

"You heard right. Why?"

"Well... uh..."

"Oh, spit it out already!" Melchior rolled his eyes impatiently.

Alexa took a deep breath.

"Iwanttoquitbecausei'munboundableandidon'tfeelgoodworkingforyou," she spat out very quickly.

Melchior was silent.

"I- I'm sorry, I mean, there's reasons, I can explain--" she stuttered, her fear catching up with what she just said.

"No."

"Well that's what I thought you would say but--"

"No, you don't have to explain."

This time it was Alexa who fell silent, her mouth hanging open, unsure of what she should even do.

"You were always just a temporary replacement of your, ahem, late father," he said dispassionately. "You have your talents, but you were never really what I was looking for in a szlachta," he continued. "Which is to say, I was considering firing you myself."

Silence.

"...I thought... I... Well, I thought you would threaten to kill me or something," she sputtered out, her legs shaking with the adrenaline suddenly going down.

"Why?" He asked shortly, piercing his eyes into her.

"Well, uh, because... of all the display of possessiveness... I saw from you in the past week? And because you already did threaten to kill me, five years ago, when you thought I was the one who contacted the hunters?"

"Well, that was not true though, was it?"

"What's with the sudden mercy?" She asked angrily, confused as to what was happening. "I thought you were some ancient monstrosity and proud of it, or whatever--"

"Would you like me to change my mind?" Melchior hissed, vexed, but quickly calmed down. "I am not ancient. I'm barely an antique. Three hundred and eighty-seven is not much at all..." He seemed like he wanted to end that sentence somehow, but he just trailed off.

"So... Am I to understand that you're just gonna let me go like nothing happened after you literally blew up a train to get Jain back when he wanted to leave?" She did not want to believe his words, even though this was literally the best case scenario.

"I am not obsessed with you," he shrugged and picked at the place on his leg he was previously correcting, frowning at something he apparently couldn't get quite right.

"Well, uh... Thank... you?... I guess?" She looked at the door behind her. "So, uh. I'll probably start. Packing and shit."

Melchior raised his hand.

"You are to stay until I leave for my travels. This should take no more than a month. Then you are free to do as you please, although I cannot guarantee that whatever you have on your mind will end well for you," he concluded rather ominously, but didn't elaborate.

"Uh... Yeah, I guess that's a good arrangement. I... I'll have more time to arrange something... for myself, basically," she agreed.

"Good. Is there anything else?"

"Uh, no, I don't think so. I'll... get going. To my room, I mean." She started making her exit slowly. Melchior didn't answer, instead focusing on his leg once again.

She spent the rest of the night feeling like she just ran a mental equivalent of a marathon, texting Honorata to prove she was not dreaming.

#(ooc: does this still qualify as a drabble if it's almost 700 words long.)#(anyway.)#(cant roleplay with myself so i just wrote a scene.)

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anotheruserwithnoname · 2 years

Video

youtube

This educational film from way back around 1940 is absolutely fascinating on a number of levels. the film, “Dial Comes to Town”, reminds us about how technology has marched on. The dial phone was everywhere and common as late as the 1990s, but you have people today who not only have never seen one up close, they wouldn’t know what to do with it if they did.

But this also reminds us how people are sometimes hesitant if not scared to adopt new tech, especially if it’s something they cannot avoid using. You don’t need to understand how Netflix works in order to get on with your life. But you do need to know how to use the modern-day phone, and increasingly it’s becoming more difficult to survive without Internet (just ask Canadians who were forced offline for a day back in July when one of our big ISPs went down; the country all but ground to a screeching halt and we could end up with new communications laws as a result). Now rewind 80 years and imagine the response as everyone’s telephones were gradually switched over to the new style.

This short film (about 20 minutes) was meant to be shown at community meetings, schools, and as a “short subject” before a main feature in cinemas. It starts out with an elderly man who doesn’t understand why the old-style phone system (which require you to make a request directly to an operator who you wanted to call) had to be replaced (apparently they literally were going door to door replacing the old models, or updating them with dials as shown in the opening credits). Most of the film is a simulated town meeting where a guy representing Bell Telephones explains why the change and then a Miss White gives an exhaustive (and intentionally repetitive) demonstration of how to make a phone call.

I find Miss White absolutely fascinating. Aside from the fact she looks like she should have been a glamorous movie star (sadly, the actress is not credited and her name has been lost to history, suggesting she may have been either a teacher or a Bell employee recruited for the film). At times, she’s outright hypnotic in her repetition of the phone’s workings. Almost makes me want to go to the antiques mall and buy an old rotary phone because she makes dialling sound so ... appealing. Hell, I’m tempted to ship Miss White and that big phone prop; some of their interactions border on NSFW! LOL!

One has to wonder who Miss White was and what became of her. She is so earnest here, one can imagine her hoping that this might have been her big break in films. It’s possible she did go on to do other work in entertainment, but for whatever reason her name (along with that of the other performers in this short) has not been recorded. None of the archives (this film is public domain) seem to have this info.

(Just be careful watching this with headphones and volume up. Miss White’s voice may be appealing to the ear, but the early generation dial tone sound, which is heard frequently during her demonstration, is most certainly NOT. It sounds like a rejected sound effect from Eraserhead.)

#historic films #telephones #classic cinema #educational films #miss white #who is miss white?#miss white x phone prop #dial comes to town #old technology

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candgelectricinc · 2 months

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Explore Some Benefits And Tips To Find The Licensed Residential Electrician In Krum, TX

Any room's mood and environment are greatly influenced by lighting, which is perhaps the most valuable resource in the modern world. However, choosing the best light electricians can take time and effort because there are many different types, shapes, and sizes. Electrical issues at home could compromise your food supply, employment, and even some medical equipment. Although electrical repairs aren't common for homeowners, you'll likely need them eventually.

It is better to trust a professional electrician in such a situation. The only safe option is to hire a C & G Electric for your Licensed residential electrician in Krum, TX, to handle the problem for you, even if you have a friend who is somewhat knowledgeable about wiring or if you wish to attempt solving the problem yourself.

The Importance Of Local Residential Electricians Krum TX

Electrical safety is crucial for many spaces, including commercial places, residential homes, and more; in a residential home, kids and elders are around everywhere, and any electrical mishaps can lead to serious circumstances for everyone. Faulty wiring, antiquated electrical systems, and overloaded circuits are all potential sources of electrical risks that might have disastrous effects.

This is where the expertise of local residential electricians in Krum, TX, comes in. These experts utilize their training to safeguard us from possible damage; they are more than just employees. Their dedication to safety and in-depth knowledge of electrical systems make them invaluable members of our communities.

There is a greater demand for electricity, and older homes with antiquated electrical systems typically require more maintenance. Local residential Electricians in Krum, TX, can range widely, from simple fixes like swapping out switches to more involved fixes like rewiring the entire house.

Your home might not be able to handle the increased electricity demand that comes with having more time and gadgets for working from home. You might even require more outlets for your home office. A licensed residential electrician in Krum, TX, can fix all of these issues and provide a risk-free environment in your home.

Benefits Of Hiring a Licenced Electrician For Your Residencial Needs

As discussed, electrical safety is important for everyone; likewise, hiring a well-licensed electrician is also important to ensure the relevancy and quality of their work. A licensed electrician knows every aspect of electrical damage well and qualified manner. Let's explore some benefits of hiring a licensed residential electrician in Krum, TX:

Safety: Even though you may not be aware of them, licensed electricians are aware of the risks and hazards associated with electrical work. Don't put yourself or your friends in danger—a fast internet search cannot replace the years of education and training certified electricians have received.

Knowledge: Licensed electricians possess certified expertise in their industry as a result of their schooling. It implies that your repairs won't be done the first time incorrectly and will instead be free of mistakes you'll have to rectify later.

Insurance: Since licensed electricians are covered, any unforeseen accidents or injuries will be paid for. When an electrician is in your home, you may feel secure knowing that you won't be responsible for any unused charges from the repair.

Permits: Strict codes and regulations must be followed by buildings, and electricians are well-versed in what is and isn't permissible when it comes to a home's wiring. The permits and fines related to electrical wiring are often overlooked by homeowners who attempt do-it-yourself repairs, which might cost them much more in the long run.

Conclusion

Hiring the Best residential electrician in Krum, TX, depends on the nature of your issue and how quickly you need it resolved when deciding when to employ an electrician. However, hiring a qualified electrician is the only reliable source for electrical repairs. C & G Electric is confident that hiring one will result in long-term savings of both time and money, and you can rely on our expertise instead of sacrificing quality by hiring an unlicensed electrician.

#residential #electrician #Krum #Texas

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noro-noro-noro · 4 months

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oh yeah forgot to write anything down when I first got up bc I overslept..definitely had long dreams...

summary: 1. juice spilled on me 2. ants 3. my mom's house replaced with the natural museum. nature. 3. somewhat well known science & engineering youtuber william osman left his green apple watch & blue PSI meter behind somewhere & i found it

but rn i only remember thst i was wearing this one orange ling sleeve shirt thati have & somebody backed into me and spilled soda all over me right before I had to give a speech or tour of some kind.

i remembered more & came back. me & this older lady & then a young girl maybe 6 or 7 were shrunk down to walk around in the yard. i was wondering how small we were & if other small animals wouldn't think we were prey? & then the 6 year old got devoured by fire ants. it was really messy & not clean. they went like in layers. outer layers of skin, then the meat. in osme places down to bone. most weren't. she screamed for a while before blood got into her tubes & out of her organs & then she was eaten all up except for blood. pretty horrific. there were like juicy-looking & inch long fire ants infesting the next dream too.

the next part had like a antique museum in the place of my mom's house, and my sister and I had snuck in as tour guides in training maybe but we were actually there to come to heist of sometime and we're waiting for the senior tour guide to leave us alone so we can start. however even though she was like late 60s-70s, she was pretty quick on the uptake & didn't leave us alone, instead she told us that we would have to prepare a speech about this one artist's work that they kept in this cabinet as like a trial run. fortunately we had met the artist in the last dream I had, maybe not today but she was there and she was talking to us about like her work and why she did things the way she did, so that was great! her work focus on florals and insects, and she was cross stitching them or putting them on bowls? I don't know.

anyway after this, several old people were lining up to here our speech about this artist, including some of my aunts from my mom's side. don't forget there were ants everywhere. One of them was walking along the driveway when there was like a weird quadruped animal trying to drag the stick that had a huge beehive on the end of it. it was a small animal like the size of like one of those little white bitch dogs, and it ran off as we approached, but there was definitely a big ass beehive on that stick, and apparently empty of bees? I don't know, my mom picked it up and was walking around with it stuff. there were also some seeds my sister accidentally planted in the front yard and they had some kind of importance I didn't remember what that was, they grew extremely fast into trees. they had kind of a yellow and reddish glow to them and I'm going to assume that was part of the special importance of the seeds. anyway we had like a time lapse overnight of the seeds growing up to be like 15 feet tall treat little trees already. this was important for some reason.

in the next part of the dream it started off me watching science and engineering YouTuber William Osman doing a video on his channel where previously he was damaging public property mostly brick walls with like shrapnel guns?. anyway this is the follow-up to that video where I assume some government official had contacted him and told him hey you cannot be doing that dude make it right or you're going to have to pay you to fine or go to jail or something like that I don't know this is my assumption I don't actually know what happened behind the scenes based on the second video. which one is turning his holes and craters in the wall and stuff into like modern art installations? like you know when you see those things that just have fancy labels on them like dandelion growing through cracks with a little label next to it and people like haha cute. sliding these plastic things over them and then filling them with like hot metal like a bit like a cool shape? I mean I assume it's not plastic to give you that was really hot metal. and there was also like a little booklet at the top and he set up a neat thing for when the booklet slot was empty it would like tilt back into the machine and then pop back out with more booklets in it out.

anyway then after the video ended I was in that area, around the time of his like convention or whatever that he's trying to get going, will not trying because it's exceeded last year so the convention thing that you did have going except this was a hotel near it where I was also supposed to be meeting some of those old people from the second dream to discuss something or other I don't know. I was walking around and I saw that thing to go away from the video how does this booklet thing work anyway the camera angle didn't show very much in the videos I'm going to like push it into back out to see what it does, and then this green watch and like blue handheld PSI meter we're on top of the machine and I was like oh I remember seeing those on his wrist from his YouTube videos. should I like try and contact him through his giant discord server or have one of his mind contact him in case you still in the area and you can come back and get them? nah that's too much effort I will just leave it with the hotel receptionist and then drop a message in the server or something like that after I've done this meeting.

meeting with the old people was completely unremarkable. don't remember a single thing about it. as I was getting up to go the YouTuber himself was like in the lobby like yo are you the one who dropped this off? and I was like yeah that's me I'm just glad they got back to you again, I recognize them from YouTube video ,and he was like awesome thank you so much! if you want I can like sign your shirt or whatever and I was like okay sure. I was wearing some kind of dark green t-shirt that I've never owned in real life, and my only other article of clothing at the time was the really fancy shirt that I had to wear to the meeting that I immediately changed out of afterwards, so I was like yeah just I don't know sign this shirt or whatever except he couldn't find out like a way to do it somehow? at one point he like picked me up and shook me above his head like I'm in a goblin and he was trying to dump all the items out of my inventory but it didn't work. in the end I was just like you can just sign something and give it to me and I'll be like wow my memory of when I helped a kind of famous person that one time, so he signed the release form that he had to do to get his stuff back from the hotel and handed that to me okay great.

then I was trying to put that piece of paper fold it up between my laptop, but suddenly all of my laptops were weird! they could fold up really small! they had broken pieces of sticking out! and there were multiple of them that I had to sort through to be like which one is actually my laptop? why are these also small and flimsy? where's my laptop I had stickers on it and everything? in the end I found one that I think was it so I put the piece of paper between the lid and the keyboard to make it not fold up so much. I think that pretty much it, there might have been a little more but like if I find it I'll come back and edit this again. bye

#dreams

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steamexperts · 5 months

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Deep Cleaning Carpet Service

Vacuuming and spot cleaning keep carpets looking good, but to get the best results, you need a professional deep cleaning. Regular deep carpet cleaning removes embedded dirt, helps stains release and keeps manufacturers' warranties intact.

When choosing a carpet cleaner, read reviews and check if the company is bonded and insured. They should also use cleaning fluids that will not void your warranty.

Deodorizing

Carpet fibers often trap more than just dirt; odors can also linger in them. Home carpet cleaners can sometimes remove surface odors, but professional-grade carpet deodorizing treatments are more effective at removing stubborn odors.

If you have pets, it’s a good idea to vacuum more frequently and use CRI Seal of Approval cleaning products designed to eliminate pet stains and odors. But regular vacuuming and spot removal should not replace periodic deep cleaning, which helps extend carpet life and keep colors vibrant.

During the deep cleaning process, you should make sure your carpet is completely dry. You can help speed up the drying process by opening windows and doors, and using circulating fans. You should also make sure you move any furniture that can be moved. This will help your carpet get the cleanest possible finish.

Stain Preventatives

Stains can tarnish the appearance of carpets and create a nauseous odor. A professional cleaning service uses products that break down stains, remove dirt and extirpate odor without damaging the carpet fibers.

Water-soluble stains like tracked in mud and most food and beverage spills can be treated with water-based spotters. Greasy stains and organic stains that come from stubborn food and beverage colorants require an oxidizing agent, such as hydrogen peroxide. Protein stains from blood, feces or vomit need a protein digester or enzyme treatment.

To prevent brown spots and odors from reappearing after the cleaning process, vacuum the carpet thoroughly before and after it’s cleaned. Vacuum it again after the carpet is dry to pick up soil that wicks back to the surface as the carpet dries. This prevents the soil from becoming embedded in the carpet and causing new stains.

Preparation

Getting rid of dust and grit on carpets and rugs extends their life. However, regular vacuuming and spot removal is not enough to remove all of the embedded debris. A deep cleaning carpet service removes heavier soil, restores buoyancy and brightens colors, while reducing odors.

It is essential to clear the floor area as much as possible before a professional cleaner arrives. Items like shoes, bags and clutter can be tidied away or taken out of the room completely to give the professionals more space to work.

It is also a good idea to put glass and fragile items away from coffee tables, side tables and cabinets to prevent them from falling or breaking during the cleaning process. If you have antiques, collectables or heirloom pieces that cannot be removed, ask the professional to use extra care around them. Similarly, it is a good idea to place aluminum foil squares or wood blocks under furniture legs to prevent rust and staining on the wood when it gets wet.

Cleaning

When regular vacuuming and spot cleaning aren’t enough, the next step is a deep clean. This washes carpet fibres, removes deeper dirt and stains, and helps prolong the life of a carpet. This is especially important for rental properties, where a stain in a carpet can affect the renter and reduce the amount of money they are willing to pay.

A good carpet cleaner will also offer a carpet protector. This keeps dirt, oil and other contaminants from bonding with the fibres and makes them less likely to absorb future stains.

In addition to carpet cleaning, some companies will also offer services for upholstery, air ducts, and tile and grout. Some will even provide mold mitigation, water damage restoration, and fire damage restoration. Homeowners should look for a company that is bonded, insured and licensed to perform these additional services. They should also check out customer reviews to see what other clients have said about their experience with the company.

#carpet deep cleaning #deep carpet cleaning #deep cleaning carpet service #deep carpet cleaning sydney

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adonaihardware1234 · 6 months

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Transform Your Home With Antique Brass Door Handles Manufacturer - A Touch Of Vintage Charm

With the timeless beauty of door handles manufacturer, upgrade your home beautifully. These eye-catching and elegant pieces will add a different touch of vintage charms to your home and doors.

With the feature of durable and high-quality craftsmanship, these are designed to last longer. These brass door pulls are not only functional home improvement but are statement pieces.

This brass door fits every taste and aesthetic look from minimalist styles to intricate designs and sleek looks. This is the right time to transform your house look and elevate your cheap door handles today.

Benefits of antique brass door pulls

Given below are a few benefits that the antique brass door consists of which are as follows:

1. Easy maintenance: As it is believed that the antique brass door pulls consist of high maintenance, but the case is vice-versa. The reality is the opposite of it. The brass door pulls used to décor your house consists of low and easy maintenance. All the brass door pulls ask for is a regular wipe-down with the help of some mild soap or soft cloth. This wipe down helps them to retain their shine and elegance and also helps in preventing tarnishing. This helps them to look as good as brand new.

2. Versatility: These brass door pulls not only consist of longevity and durability but also contain versatility. There are many different types of styles and designs that this brass door consists of. Also, these brass door pulls come in a broad spectrum of variations such as from contemporary design to the traditional design; there is nothing that these brass door pulls cannot fulfill. Therefore, as a result of the features of these brass doors, it gives the users a seamless incorporation. The overall décor of your place is achieved with the help of this antique brass door.

3. The antique charm: Another important factor to consider is the charm for sure. The charm that these brass door pulls consist of is unmatchable and irreplaceable. There is nothing better than these brass door pulls when it comes to elegance and sophistication. If you wish to get a professional old-world charm to your house, these brass doors are your go-to option. These brass doors cover up the flaws that may overlooked. You can blindly invest in brass door pulls if you wish to add a special touch of timeless historical vibe to your house. The statement “old is gold” suits perfectly on the brass door pulls. Since it helps you to make sour house look luscious and prestigious.

Conclusion

To wrap it up, to add a special touch to vintage and elegance and charm to your new or old house or property, nothing is better than antique brass door pulls which are also a part of functional pieces.

With the usage of intricate design and warm tones you can easily replace your mundane door into a statement piece. This can only be possible with the help of the application of brass door pulls.

These brass doors help to bring a special touch of elegance and sophistication. This adds a touch of nostalgia as well.

So, what are you waiting for? With the help of brass door pulls transform your old house into a tally new house with a special touch of elegance and vintage with never fades out of style.

#door handles manufacturer

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shalenabdzhilka · 7 months

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The Ship of Theseus

The classic version of the Theseus Ship Paradox, first posed by the Greek writer Plutarch, is a thought experiment that asks the question: if all the parts of the ship are replaced, piece by piece over a period of time, is the ship still the same ship when every piece has been replaced? If not, at what time does it become a different ship?

Well, I believe that if at least one part is replaced by another material, then the object ceases to be itself. Is it correct to say that this object is no longer the same one that existed before?

It will still perform its function, but its primary composition will change.

A change in the material for the boat, be it a different wood or a different fabric for the sail, changes the boat.

I will give an example.

There is an antique chair worth 5000₴. If any part of the chair is replaced, it will lose its value as an antique. Of course, it will still be possible to sell it, but for much less money. People value things that are well preserved more than things that are well restored.

(Maybe it stems from the desire to "feel history" on some emotional level, which you cannot do to the full extent if you look at a "new thing" that has not passed through decades of history)

John Locke thought otherwise

He suggested the sock scenario. If a hole is formed in a sock and a patch is applied to it, it will remain the same sock. Also, it will work as long as all the material of the original sock is not replaced by patches.

Then the sock becomes different after being made entirely of a different material. Again, the shape doesn't change, but it's not the same sock, it's a different color, contains a different material, and so on. Not primary, but the same sock.

In the 17th century, British philosopher Thomas Hobbes perfected the paradox. He asked what would happen if the original planks of the boat were put together and used to build a new ship. Will it be the same ship?

I do not think so. Despite the honed skill to create an identical item, it is not enough to reconstruct the item with high quality. You can try, but the object will not be the same as before. Masters will miss some minor details, because of which the object will no longer be considered the former.

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus tried to solve this paradox by taking a river as an example. "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." No one can step into the same river twice, because the water in the river is forever changing. This makes sense because the water in the river is in constant motion. Even rain partially changes the composition of the river.

In addition, Heraclitus says that man himself also changes with time.

I think Heraclitus is referring specifically to consciousness. Among other factors, it is the easiest and at the same time the most difficult to change. The ease lies in the fact that it does not require physical effort, it is enough to sit down and think. The difficulty is that to change your beliefs, you need to admit that you lived with "wrong" beliefs for a certain time. Although there may be no such thing as "right" or "wrong" beliefs, a person chooses what is right for them. However, its choice will depend on the culture, experience, and ethics of the period.

We can only say for sure that during life, depending on several factors, a person's worldview will change from time to time.

And when the outlook changes, so does the course of decision-making. Yes, this is not a radical change, but it cannot be denied that it happened. Therefore, looking at a version of ourselves a few years ago, we may feel shame or irritation for previous actions, realizing that now we would not have made the decisions we made then.

Going back to the subject of the Ship, I don't think the ship has changed completely, nor is it the same. This is just a new version of the ship (a kind of ship of Theseus 2.0), which is built according to the same scheme and performs the same functions.

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darius-dues · 7 months

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November 3 -- Everyone's a Critic

Once Darius was able to get his scroll connected to Mundus internet, he had no problem in making his presence known. All of the below are canonically posted on Yelp.

Aldi (Next Town Over)

1/2 I cannot even begin to describe the harrowing and frankly awful experience this damnable hellhole provided. But for the sake of warning others, I will do my best. First of all, despite being reassured that the trip to Next Town Over (terrible name, by the way) would be a short one, it was anything but. The distance is far enough that walking would be all but a fool's errand, so secondary transportation is required--in this case, a bus, which was a wholly unpleasant struggle in and of itself. Not only were the timetables inscrutable, but I had to wait an entire 27 minutes just for it to arrive, plus an additional 9 minutes for the trip itself. I have extreme doubt of the cleanliness of this bus apparatus, as patrons shuffled in and out without their seat or any surfaces they had touched being wiped down. All of this was doubled on the way back. Once I arrived, I found that the structure and flow of the shoppe was not conducive to an efficient shopping experience. One might imagine, for instance, that goods would be separated according to a grouping of some kind, such as food, toiletries, amenities--instead, I found that everything was thrown to the wind with little thought at all. To buy a week's worth of vegetables, a carton of eggs, and sugar, I had to go to three different sections in vastly separated corridors with no rhyme or reason to how anything was placed. When I finally, mercifully, gathered what I needed, I was met with the most shocking offense of them all. Instead of being greeted by a shopkeep to complete the transaction, I was instead shuffled along to a series of automated devices that were meant to do it for me. Now, I have my thoughts on the Mundus desire to take the humanity out of everything for the sake of "efficiency", but there are some things that just cannot be replaced. A shopkeep is the heart of an establishment that connects with customers and facilitates the vitally crucial aspect of maintaining the relationships that allow a business to thrive. To cut that off at it's very source is an affront to everything it means to run a shop in the first place. It's a disgrace, and everyone at Aldi should be ashamed. Luckily, a kindhearted patron was able to assist in completing the transaction. So I suppose in a very roundabout way, the technology is fostering relationships between their customers, even if it's at the cost of the business itself. I would never recommend this place to my worst enemy. Be warned, dear reader, of a grocery store that is woefully located, dishearteningly ineffective, and utterly soulless. If I could give 0 starts, I would.

Mad Hatter's Tea Shoppe

★★★ I was recommended this establishment by a stranger, claiming that the drinks served here were better than those that could be provided by a machine. While that is a very low bar to clear, the Mad Hatter does this adequately. I had a ginger chai, which was flavorful and rich, though dulled down by the disposable cup it was served in. For the time it took to brew, I was hoping the quality would be higher. Still, one of the better establishments in town.

Whosits and Whatsits Antiques and Trinket Shoppe

★★★1/2 I went to this shop hoping to find an enchanted item that would help my palisman in the transition to a majority Mundus town. The selection was few and far between, and the overall cluster and layout of the shop made finding the appropriate wares difficult. I could not imagine how someone without keen perception would be able to tell the difference between a magical and non-magical item. However, the shopkeep was personable, relatively knowledgeable, and most importantly--present! That in itself deserves earns an extra half star.

Queen Bee

★★ I cannot speak for Mundus fashion trends, but I found the selection of clothing at this shop to be quite bland, with little flare or anything that could even be bothered to draw my attention. More , the prices were completely outrageous. While I was offered a "birthday discount" from the shopkeep, anything worth looking at had price tags in the hundreds. While the service was decent, the stock left much to be desired. Perhaps only for those with money to burn and nowhere important to be.

From Farm to Table

★★★1/2 From the name, I had assumed this establishment would be for groceries, and I went in with the hopes that it would perform better than its competition. I was surprised to learn this wasn't the case, as the wares included clothing, jewelry, and furniture. The price point is the most notable, as everything comes more cheaply than I have found everywhere else. However, you are getting what you pay for. Much of the stock is of poor quality, with cheap materials and used items. The shoppe itself has gone above and beyond to curate an aesthetic and pleasant atmosphere, which has been shockingly lacking thus far. That, in combination with admirable service, elevates it, despite its unremarkable selection.

Pizza Planet

★ Ever since I arrived in England, I have heard nothing but overflowing praise for pizza. Particularly, I was told by my students that Pizza Planet was the best place to go to try this mysterious but highly sought after cuisine. I entered the establishment and was met with a frankly overwhelming and unnerving experience. In between the strange lighting, off-putting atmosphere, and cacophony of sights and sounds, I found it extremely distracting in not only procuring but also eating my meal. Perhaps that played a part in my judgment, but I found that the food was not at all reminiscent of the extreme hype that was given. The messy nature of its consumption was wholly unpleasant and the taste left much to be desired. The thickened layer of grease that coated the top certainly did no favors to it or myself. I was beginning to wonder if my students had perhaps played a prank on me until I came to this page and once again found high praise, which is extremely confusing and disturbing. I can only chalk this up to a Mundus delicacy.

Garden Grove

★★ As a sorcerer, I have found it hard to find shoppes that accommodate for our highly specific needs. I went to Garden's Grove hoping to find what I needed for an intricate potion and was left disappointed. While they do provide certain magical flora, the selection left much to be desired. I was told by the apologetic shopkeep that stock was down due to the closing of the forest, and that usually they would have more to offer. I would contend that any business should consider the value of partnering with external vendors, particularly ones with exports that cannot be found anywhere else.

Al's Comic Barn

★ I'll admit, it was the name that drew me into this shoppe. Again, on my quest for a decent grocery store, I thought perhaps a barn would sell locally sourced produce or animal products, maybe even a bit of the advertised humor. What I discovered was not that, at all. I cannot find the words to describe what the titular Al is selling. Certainly nothing of value or import, as I've never once seen these products in my lifetime. Will have to assume these are Mundus oddities not meant to be understood by those outside of the lifestyle.

Swynlake Rock Shoppe

★★★1/2 In a Mundus majority town, there are not a lot of shoppes that cater to the needs of sorcerers. In that regard, this establishment felt like a breath of fresh air. Not only was I able to find what I needed, but I was also able to place orders for other materials in the future. The shopkeep was actually knowledgeable in a way that was encouraging and relieving. However, the layout of the shoppe was highly cluttered and ineffectual to the experience, thus losing half a star. At the very least, I will be returning.

Moon Market

★★★★ In comparison to what I am used to, this market does not particularly stand out. However, in comparison to the local competition, Moon Market is by far the only acceptable answer to the question of where one must get their groceries. In between the wide selection, fresh stock, appropriately placed goods, and actual customer service, the shoppe goes well and beyond what one might find in certain lesser establishments. As one shopkeep to another, I praise the staff of this business for a job well done and will be returning for all of my future needs.

#swynwrimo #swynwrimo2023 #hes completely insufferable

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