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peppersonironi · 3 years

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12, 21, 19

(Is this late? Oops. Sorry!)

12: Favourite character to write about this year

Stephanie Brown, easy. She's my spirit animal, so I might be doing a touch of projecting, but I honestly don't care. She's just pure chaos in the best way. Some of my favourite lines that I've written are for her. Such as:

"What's up bitches? I brought donuts!"

"My waffles await!"

"FEAR ME!"

"Welcome to Steph’s Glitter Bomb Palace, Where Snitches get Stitches™! So don’t tell Bruce or I’ll sic Jason on you."

She's also the character I've gotten the most comments on. People really seen to enjoy how I write her!

A close second would be Duke Thomas. Bliss, a fic I wrote for the 2020 Duke Week, was one of my favourites! Or maybe Damian? His dialogue just comes easy to me.

21: Most memorable comment/review

the batfamily exist:

everyone: is,,is that allowed?

On Code Orange (Batfam/Young Justice Crossover)

*Or*

I have wanted to read a DCU/MCU crossover for a VERY long time. This story is such a delight. Your characterisation (and for me an introduction to The Signal) was fascinating in the extreme. I loved the game playing and the fact that I could watch (open-mouthed) as Bruce Wayne enjoyed childlike fun with his children and Alfred(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) was the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake. I look forward to your updates in a way that you wouldn't believe.

On Batfam/Avengers Crossover

19: Any new fics to start next year

Oh boy. So many. You know what? Here's a list. It'll be good to get these ideas out. Plus, you guys can tell me what you'd rather see first!

Gen/just Batfam

Crack fic based off this piece of dialogue (came from a convo between my sister and I): Tim reached forward and poked Duke's face. "You're right!" He exclaimed. "You really *do* squish like a block of wood!" Duke Centric.

Based on THIS Incorrect Quotes. Talia moves into the Manor because she's sick of Ra's. Featuring a bunch of good mom!Talia.

Based off THIS Incorrect Quotes. Jason runs for President as Red Hood. I have so many ideas! This'll be really fun.

Loosely based on THIS post. It explores Jason and Cassandra's relationship, and how it evolves.

Duke Thomas Big Bang Fic (can't say much, but it'll be great!)

Platonic (need to be certain you understand that. There were some misconceptions w/ my Discord server) Slow Burn between Tim and Damian. At the beginning the absolutely despise each other. But over time they realise their own insecurities, and how they don't actually hate the other. And by the end they fully admit and embrace their being brothers.

Reverse Robins with Damian as the oldest (I made THIS post talking about it a while back. But I've highly revised it.)

Reverse Robins with Duke as the oldest (I wrote THIS fic, but I think I want to change this into a series!)

Cassandra as Batman. Stephanie as Catwoman. Carrie Kelley as Robin.

5 Times Bette Kane was the mastermind behind the batkids' pranks without Bruce's knowledge, and 1 Time her brilliance was brought to light.

5 Times Duke thought that he couldn't possibly get any more siblings and 1 Time he met the cousins (AKA: Duke meets the extended family)

Birdflash

Birdflash in the JL/JLU universe (based off that one hexagon by @novaviis ! Super fun!). The league is inviting potential members to the Watchtower one day. Except Wally wasn't there during the choosing of said members. So he's completely shocked when his husband Nightwing shows up. They have to act like they don't know each other, which basically involves Dick flirting his butt off with Wally, Wally trying desperately to remain professional, Bruce digging in the corner, the rest of the League in varying degrees of disapproval and confusion (at least a couple have seen Wally's wedding ring. So that adds a while 'nother layer).

Young Justice soulmate au. Dick, and eventually everyone else, knows that Wally is his soulmate. Wally is oblivious. Lots of pining and angst in this one. Slow burn to an extent (depends on how long I make it). But definitely a happy fluffy ending in sight!

Batfam Meets Young Justice

THIS fic.

Duke gets yeeted into the YJ universe, and promptly passes out. He wakes up in the Watchtower, and breaks out of the confinement the Team has set up for him. Pulls shenanigans (some unwittingly) and used his powers. The Team and JL are confused, and panicking. Because this guy keeps muttering things about the Batfam. And he has a bat on his chest.

The Team break into some ancient temple after getting info on a new Supervillian plot. They find purple clothed woman draped across a throne. She talks, and they panic, as she knows all their secret identities. The only one who isn't, is Tim. He looks bored. Alternatively: Steph needs Tim's credit card to take his sister out on a date, and absolutely refuses to text.

While the Team is on a mission to stop Lady Shiva, a dimensional portal opens up and spits out a strange Robin (Damian) and what seemed to be a female Batman (Cass as Black Bat). This new dynamic due promptly defeats Lady Shiva and all the goons. The Team is freaked out, and 'apprehends' the dimensional anomalies, bringing them back to the Watchtower. Where the due promptly break and and start chaos. Featuring "Toxic" by Britney Spears. I will not explain why.

The Watchtower gets a sudden emergency message from the Batcave. They accept, to find a stranger calling himself Signal panicking about Robin being missing. They all look at Tim, who ignores them, and says that he doesn't know where Robin is. Some naming shenanigans occur.

(Not sure if this fits here, oh well) Set in Season One, Bruce is tired of Clark's attitude towards Superboy, and adopts the clone himself. Not sure how far this'll go, but at least goes through Dick's time as Robin. (Based on THIS Tumblr post)

(Also iffy on placement) a continuation of one (not sure which? Probably Damian as older) Reverse Robins fics. It's a retelling of Season One of YJ, with Dick as Robin. Nightwing (Damian) feels protective of his brother, and so takes on the role Black Canary had in the show, training the Team. But as time goes on, he ends up being more of a big brother to the group. Cameos from the rest of the Batfam as well! And an Identity Reveal (including finding out Dick and Dami are brothers) at the end!

Batfam Meets the Justice League

Cass takes over being Batman for a bit, because Bruce was an idiot and broke his leg. This happens to line up with when the Justice League reach out to the Dark Knight, in order to extend an invitation to the league. They eventually meet Bruce as Batman, and are confused as to why he is so tall. And male.

Joyfire

Lian accidentally reveals her three parents' relationship by calling Bruce 'grandpa' over dinner.

Museum Heist

THIS fic

Operation: Seduce Nightwing. Based on a post for an ATLA ot3, Wally and Artemis realise silumaneously “Hey, we kinda have the hots for Dick” and decide together to see if he likes them back. Which involves a heck ton of over the top flirting, and shenanigans. The Team is sighing on the sidelines at their idiocy. Dick is internally combusting and thinking “Do they like me back? I’’m not sure.”

5 times Dick and Wally fought over being the middle spoon, and one time Artemis had had enough.

Set in Season 3 (but ignores some canon), Bart is kidnapped by some mad scientist obsessed with the Speed Force. The Team mobilizes, and gets Bart back from the evil base. But when they get there, they find Wally West freed from the Speed Force. He and Artemis reunite, and everyone is happy. They prepare to leave. Then the Pick-up Squad arrive in the bioship, and Dick gets out. Everyone is expecting Dick to give Wally a hug, because hey, he's his best friend! What they weren't expecting was him to run forward and pull the speedster into a passionate kiss. They go back to the Watchtower, and some more stuff happens.

Soulmate AU where the first thing your soulmate says to you after they fall in love with you is tattooed on your body.

Post Season Two Get Together. Starts with Artemis living with Dick as opposed to Will. Might be Slow Burn? (They come pretty close to kissing) Eventually Wally comes back. Arty and Wally are back together. They both live in the same house as Dick, for convenience. Then some more Slow Burn happens. Maybe some Birdflash moments. Arty tells Wally she kinda had a thing for Dick. Wally admits the same. Maybe a touch more Slow Burn. They Eventually get together.

Batlantern

AU where Bruce met Hal back when he first came back to Gotham. Fic goes through how their relationship evolves over the years (up until current time, when Damian is 13). I'm considering a relationship reveal with the Justice League.

Hal's interactions with Bruce's kids.

Green Lantern Corp acting protective of Hal when Bruce comes to Oa. This was an ask that I got, and I'm holding off on writing it till I get as much into on the GL's as possible, as all I know if their characterization comes from that animated series, and Guy Gardener's (Hilarious!) parts on Young Justice.

Marvel

Like 3 different versions of the Peter Parker Field Trip to Stark Tower Trope.

2-part Crossover with the Batfam (they exist in the same universe), where the Avengers go to a Wayne Gala, and interact with the family. The second chapter involves them heading out the next night to try and contact Batman.

THIS fic.

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fratresdei · 3 years

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How to Create Sacred Space

Sacred spaces are some of the clearest examples we have of humanity’s active involvement in cultivating the Sacred. Within sacred spaces, the lines between “what is ‘just people’ and “what is ‘purely divine,'” are, blessedly, blurred to indistinction.

For example, when humans build temples, they often believe that holy presence resides within it. However, there is no delusion that the temple was not built by human hands. That reality is in fact celebrated! Within sacred space we are free to relish in our participation, or co-creation, of divine presence in our world. This power we possess does not detract from the mystery of sacred space, but is something to cherish. If we have the power to construct and nurture sacred space, that says a lot about our standing in the universe.

So, what constitutes a sacred space? The answer could include many possibilities: perhaps you have a favorite quiet spot in your place of worship or out in nature. Maybe you grew up with a shrine or altar in the home, or you may be seeking to curate and maintain a space for yourself. The space may be hidden away where only you can access it, or out in the open where you spend most of your day. There may be objects that represent deities, loved ones, prayers or intentions present. It could be a clear, clean space, empty of clutter, where the mind and spirit feel free to declutter as well. Your sacred space may simply be your own body. While the size and structure of a personal sacred space may vary, the core is the same: a place that has been set aside for contemplation or communion with the divine. The beauty of a sacred space, like many facets of spiritual life, derives from the meaning it carries for you.

To help illustrate the many variations and nuances of a sacred space, Fratres Dei Spiritual Direction Contributor Saint Gibson @stgibsonofficial and Communications Manager Caroline Crook @yourfavoriteauntcarol (yours truly), have each shared a picture of our own sacred spaces and described the contents therein.

Saint’s Space

There are a number of sacred spaces scattered throughout my house; the rose-scented Our Lady of Guadalupe candle and collection of crystals in my bedroom, the shelf where my fiancé and I remember our departed ancestors with little photos and trinkets, and the font of holy water affixed to the wall by the front door. But the most prominent sacred space in my home is the altar table set up in the living room, underneath a gilded icon of the Madonna and child.

On it, I keep all my candles and figurines representing the saints and angels, and some beloved keepsakes, like dried flowers, gifted rosaries, and letters from friends. The plate in the center of the altar features a painting of the last supper and is used for offerings: generally water, and sometimes alcohol or milk depending on whether or not that's appropriate to the petition or the day on the church calendar. My household celebrates both the Christian holidays and the pagan wheel of the year, so the decorations on the altar change out with feast days and seasons. The candles around the offering plate change, but there's always a sacred heart of Jesus and a Mary mother of God burning away, and usually a Saint Jude and a Saint Joseph as well. I burn a rainbow candle to remember the queer saints of the church both known and unknown, and to ask for God's protection on LGBTQ+ people worldwide.

My patron saint is the archangel Uriel, patron of confirmation in the Episcopal church and of poets and scholars widely. My golden Uriel figurine presides over his side of the altar, along with a figurine of the archangel Raphael, my fiancé's patron. We've got all sorts of talismans and charms representing the four archangels, and we have a fiery red candle for the archangel Michael that stands looped in a necklace featuring a ward against the evil eye. A golden pietà, my fiancé's greatest thrift store find, watches over all the candles. We've also got a colored figurine of the Infant of Prague standing proudly over a photograph of my fiancé and I. That's because the very first letter my fiancé ever sent me was a photograph of the Infant when he was traveling abroad, and we like to think he watches over us.

There are prayer cards littered about, and I often find myself reaching for Saint Ignatius of Loyola or Saint John the Revelator in times of need. We also usually keep incense burning in a metal cauldron that's always stuffed full of salt and ashes. Frankincense, rose, and lemongrass are my favorites. There are also many taper candles that I've saved from trips to other churches or from sung masses on Michaelmas and Christmas Eve.

I've been curating sacred space in every dorm room and apartment I've lived in for years, and this is by far my most favorite space yet. There's enough room to stand while you pray and move items around, but it's small enough that I could pack up everything on the altar into one box if I needed to. The table stands right between the living room and the kitchen, in the heart of the home, and it makes me feel like blessings are being disseminated from the altar to every room in the house. It's a way to keep a little bit of divinity always within arms reach, incarnate in rosaries and candles and bottles of holy water. With my altar nearby, I feel prepared for any spiritual celebration or crisis, and I know exactly where to retrieve up my spiritual tools when the occasion calls for it.

Caroline’s Space

Let’s call my sacred space an acoustic version of what a sacred space can be. It’s only a few months old; yet another quarantine project. Cluttered? Yes. Often mistaken as just a shelf for all my candles? Also yes. But it serves my spiritual life in ways that I personally find intuitive and accessible.

Of the three bookshelves in my apartment, this one is in a central spot in the living room, facing the couch. It’s part of the space and rhythm where most of my daily life takes place. Especially during quarantine when my brain fog is even worse than normal, it’s nice to be able to naturally glance over at this shelf and quickly check in with its contents.

Said contents are 95% candles. Whenever I need to set aside some time for an intentional, spiritually fulfilling practice (whether prayer, yoga, reading, writing, or just a break from social media) I light a candle. On days of significance (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) or to pray for a loved one, I’ll light a smaller tealight candle in the centerpiece and let it burn for the day.

The remaining 5% is all gifted, bought or found objects from friends and family members. The centerpiece is a candle/incense holder one of my oldest and dearest friends gave to me. There is a glass dish of crystals, shells and sharks’ teeth, all collected over the years between Florida and DC, with family and friends. The glass bottle in the corner was a gift from a friend’s wedding last summer, and I keep that filled with rainwater or holy water, depending on what’s at hand. There’s a crystal seashell towards the back that was a gift from my late grandmother. Each of these objects, to me, represents the many connections, joys and loves in my life. I’m also part magpie, so it’s nice to have a place where these odds and ends I collect can be 1) on display, 2) out of the way.

Other objects come and go, as I like to place items on this shelf that symbolize what’s on my heart at the time. Coins, written turns of phrase, scraps from old clothes, photos of loved ones, etc. Occasionally the odd tarot card, if I’m looking for a stronger visual.

For years this surface was just part candle repository, part please-God-do-not-forget-to-return-these-library-books shelf. It had a vague purpose, and certainly held things that are important to me, but not in an especially meaningful way. The act of curating this space -- choosing that shelf, cleaning it up, deciding what to place where, and maintaining it over time -- has been a source of calm, inspiration, and reflection. It’s still a work in progress though; I have a holly wreath I place around the centerpiece during the holidays, and am looking into getting a wreath to celebrate each season in the year. To, you know, help me remember that time is still passing in quarantine (I want to say April was… two weeks ago?)

If you feel so inclined, we would love to hear from you as well: what does a sacred space mean to you? What sacred spaces have you cultivated or visited?

If you’re curious about cultivating your own sacred space with the help of an expert, book your first free virtual session with Fratres Dei Spiritual Direction in the comments.

Saint offers tarot readings that are affirming, insightful and welcome to all. Check out Holy Roots Tarot using the link in the comments.

February 18, 2021 | Denver, Colorado

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alienog · 4 years

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Discord SS Gift!

So I’ve taken part in a secret santa event on Discord and heres the gift for my recipient! I’ve never written a self insert/in second person before so this was also a challenging and exciting exercise!

Doppio/Diavolo/Reader, Hanahaki..AU I suppose.

It’s a hard thing to remember now, what his face looked like. How his eyes shine or even how his voice sounds, bent over you as you struggle to breathe. The way you cling to life makes his expression fall from that of a deeply sickening smile to a slow disappointed boredom. You’re taking too long, and he makes sure you know it with a soft click of his tongue counting down the seconds. He’s not the same Doppio you remember, sweet as lemon pie and to your knowledge up until now, wouldn't hurt a fly. His brother however, he was the one you had been wary about. Your wrongness sat like rancid betrayal in the pit of your stomach.

At first you didn't believe it when you started coughing up flower petals. The idea of such a thing was ludicrous and only something you'd ever heard of in passing online. It wasn't real and so you didn't pay any mind to its concept beyond your macabre imagination.

There were Tulips that summer. Much to your delight, the garden park had cultivated yet another section in their greenhouse as they seemed to do every year and you were excited to be able to sit amongst the young flowers and sketch out a budding idea. It struck you as a little off the way that they suddenly grew new flowers seemingly overnight, but the wary unease of uncertainty was overshadowed by the whelm of joy that followed at having an excuse to go back there.

You were excited because the owner of the garden, the groundskeeper, the cultivator, was a very fine looking man who looked a lot younger than he actually was. When you first lay eyes on him, with his pink hair tied back in an intricate braid, a mass of bangs pushed to the side of his face, and an apron tied tightly around his waist, you allowed a passive thought on his looks but nothing more.

Not until you started to frequent the place to take in each new flower that started to appear. He approached you first, his smile warm and inviting. He asked, with his hands wringing a rag between them, what you were working on.

“Just an idea I saw online,” You answered politely, though you preferred to be alone and you tried to make that clear by saying nothing else.

“Could I see it?”

Despite your inclination to decline, you instead smiled and nodded. It’s only the nice thing to do, being in his space anyways. So you let the sketchbook in your hands lower enough so he can see what's been etched into your mind and scratched to the page with careful practice. The picture itself is a simple bust surrounded by elegant flowers, all of which inspired from the garden, their stems hooked through one another and bloomed into petals flushed a deep red.

He seemed to take well to it with a hint of a smile curving the edges of his mouth.

“It's beautiful,” He says, “In a dark kind of way.”

You offer a slight smile in return and he can feel the shift in mood. He gets shy just then and awkwardly nods again.

“Sorry..I didn't mean to disturb you.”

You reassured him, falsely, that it's no trouble because in truth his slight interruption wasn't that big of a grievance. He was polite enough to back off when you didn't seem interested in being disturbed. Maybe some other time when you’re not engulfed in your work, but for now he left you be and kept his distance in the days to come.

The second time he approaches you was on the first day you no longer have your sketchbook. Having finished with the piece you were working on you decided it would be nice to just enjoy the flowers instead of having your nose to the grindstone. He greeted you politely upon your arrival and when he noticed you were wandering by yourself that's when he struck up a conversation. Light, nothing that said you had to stay committed to it if you desired to leave or even be by yourself and you're thankful for that but you don't mind this time. In fact, he seemed quite nice.

He introduced himself as Doppio and you gave him your name in return. He smiled, wide this time, enough to crinkle the corners of his eyes and told you that name wasn’t what he expected, which caused an eyebrow of yours to raise.

“Yea?” You say.

“Oh, I just..well..”

Then the smile fell, and he got a bit nervous again, his hands wringing a towel in a faint attempt at “cleaning” them of imaginary dirt.

“I promise I’m not trying to be creepy, you just come in here a lot and I just wondered what your name was because I didn't know what to call you so..I just started making some up.”

You laughed at that, just enough to make a sound, and his whole demeanor visibly relaxed. He went on to explain that it was just passive curiosity. Tending to flowers all day every day got a little monotonous sometimes and he didn't have much to think about on the average day. Your silent company had kept his spirits up the past couple of weeks.

This first encounter, you don't talk about much. He’s very clearly nervous about something and on one hand you hope he doesn't see you as too intimidating but on the other you can already sense the feeling he’s exuding and you’re ready to just tell him you're not interested, simply because he looks rather young for you.

When you find out he’s actually thirty three you have a hard time processing that. Of course, you didn't think he’s lying. It was an oddly specific age for him to just be making it up, and what would he stand to gain by lying? Your affections you suppose. It’s no secret to you he’s trying to get closer to you. He’s not exactly subtle in his body language and you’ve done this song and dance long enough to tell when a guy is trying maybe a bit too hard. Before, you brushed it off to a young boy's crush, but now that you know how old he really is, you don't mind so much. You even allow yourself to be flattered and maybe entertain a passing interest.

In the weeks following you go to the garden just as much as you would if you had a project you were working on. Only now it was just to see the plants and as time passes you admitted you do like seeing the gardener around more often than not.

The first time you actually instigated the conversation he looked taken by surprise, his light freckled face lit up with a familiar smile and you fall into conversation more like old friends than awkward acquaintances. It’s not until later he admitted he was waiting for you to reciprocate. He doesn't say it, but you knew he couldn't quite loosen up without knowing for certain he wasn't bothering you.

You’re the one to ask for a first “date”. It was more just going out to drinks to talk more, but no matter what way you phrased it in your head it sounded like you were asking him on a date, and in the back of your mind you knew you didn't actually mind if he thinks of it like that. To see his eyes light up just from you asking is enough to make you smile.

The night went by quicker than you expected, better too. You talked for hours and you found he’s actually quite fascinated with horror movies and he complimented you on your art. At least, what you’ve shown him of it which up until now has been three things. Still, he says he loves the darker tones and the themes you explore. He knew his stuff much to your surprise.

After that night you had two more like it, though in varying locations. A walk by the pier and a night at an actual restaurant which ended with him walking you home because you may have ordered one too many drinks. You weren't paying attention, just having a good time with him and he left you at your door with a peck on the cheek, but you knew you wanted more than that. If he was ready, you were and in your more inebriated state you lean in for a quick kiss. You don't linger too much, don't make it strange, and he accepts it as pink dusts his cheeks. You thought things were going well.

He said a goodbye to you before heading off and you felt a flutter in your chest. With a warmth in your cheeks you unlocked the door and head inside for the night. It's not until later, when you’ve almost settled in that you don't remember taking your keys out of the door. You huffed at yourself and got up. Sure enough there they are dangling from the doorknob and out of the corner of your eye you noticed there was something on the ground by your door. A square of thick tanned brown leather. A wallet. You bent down to pick it up and flipped it open to confirm your suspicions. With slight apprehension of trying to find Doppio so late you reassured yourself that it's better you give it back than wait and not have enough time tomorrow. He was probably worried sick wondering where he must have left it.

The lights, installed amongst the flowers, were on inside the greenhouse when you made it to Doppio's doorstep. You were about to knock on the door when you noticed everything was off except for one glaring porch light under which you stand. For a moment you stood there, stuck between wondering whether he was asleep or out in the garden even this late at night. The lights were probably on at all times right? That made the most sense. He must have been sleeping.

But, even when you turned your back on the house and started to head down the steps you think how it wouldn't hurt just to check. You’d rather not force him to have to go through a whole day without his ids and credit cards.

The overgrown grass bent beneath your feet as you moved towards the greenhouse. You were wary about making too much noise despite the fact you had barely anything on you besides the clothes on your back, which made barely any noise at all. You can't help this creeping sensation that you weren't supposed to be there. It’ll just be a peek inside, just in case, you told yourself.

Through the glass, smudged from use, you didn't immediately see anything, just the flowers, their heads bowed towards the paths that ran through the building. With a sigh, you released the tension you held in your back and realized you had nothing to be worried about. There was nothing but the expected plants.

You were about to go again, you even turned away to walk back to the street, when you suddenly heard a crash, much like pottery shattering, and a string of heavy deep curses. It didn't sound like Doppio at all. Not that he wouldn't swear, you’re sure he probably did, like most people, even if you couldn't imagine it. Now you’re on alert. Was there someone trying to break into the greenhouse? You crouched down out of instinct and crept back to the glass. There was nothing going through your head that was rational. You know there's really nothing you can do on your own. You should really just call the police, but you didn't want to cause a scene. What if it’s not what you think?

You weren't really in the right mind to be making these kinds of decisions, but that didn't stop you from going up to the door of the greenhouse and testing to see if it's locked and you were somewhat surprised when it is. The door, as it’s pulled, squeaked from the rust setting into the hinges. You hear someone shuffle and freeze in place. You had no idea what you were doing but you were determined nonetheless and even though it's your fear that grounded you you’d like to think you would stand your ground no matter what.

“Hello?” The voice, definitely not Doppios, it’s much too deep, sounded unconcerned by your presence. For a moment you were unsure whether to answer or to back away and pretend you’re not there at all but before you can make a decision you’re already speaking.

“Hello?” You said back, “Hi, can I help you?”

You asked as if you own this place, but you’re running under the assumption this person is not meant to be here. From around the corner stepped, backwards, a man with long pink hair draped over his shoulders and piercing green eyes. In his hands he held a few pieces of the broken pot.

“Shouldn't I be asking you that?’

“I don't know, should you?”

It sounded like he laughed when he exhaled through his nose and he smiled, though the way he does has you unnerved.

“Okay, let's start over then. My name is Diavolo, I tend the grounds here, you?’

You hesitate but do give him your name in the end. Having said he tends the grounds, and you having no evidence to disbelieve him, you feel an embarrassed warmth spread across your cheeks. You swallow that feeling though and focus on why you really came here.

“You know Doppio then?”

“Very well.” He says.

"You live with him?"

"You could say that."

“Then can you give this to him?”

You pulled the wallet out of your pocket and took a step closer, letting the door close behind you with its shrill squeals but you didn't get any closer. You don't know what it is but you couldn't help but feel scrutinized under this man's gaze. He was looking at you with a familiarity, as though you should know who he is, but you know for a fact you’ve never met him before in your life. His grin made you unsure about getting any closer, though whether that's because of the vibes he's giving off or because you were both alone out in a garden this late at night, and so you held out the wallet to at least keep him at arm's length.

“I’ll make sure he gets it, don't worry.” He said and you knew, in the back of your mind, that he must have meant it sincerely, but you couldn't help but feel put off by his dangerously low tone.

It’s later, when you asked Doppio about it, you learn that they’re brothers, but you rarely, if ever to your knowledge, saw them together.

Three full weeks after the run-in with Diavolo you started to get more serious about how you feel for Doppio. He was sweet and he respected your boundaries when you set them. Nothing was official at the moment, but you wondered if maybe it could be? It was no more than a passing thought one morning while you’re out walking and the next day you start to feel under the weather. You had a slight shortness of breath and there was an ache in your chest, dull enough to continue life as normal but always just on the back of your mind. At first, you thought it was just congestion. Perhaps you had a cold coming on soon. If that was the case then you hoped it hurried itself up and got itself over with sooner rather than later. To your displeasure, it didn't. In fact, the ache worsened along with the shortness of breath to the point you really started to wonder what's going on. You tried to google it, to no avail.

On the day you thought to go to the doctor to get looked at, you woke up with a much duller pain, but it was still just as hard to breathe. You moved into your bathroom, the tile cold against your bare feet, and looked in the mirror. Nothing seemed outwardly wrong with you, but that doesn't mean anything.

You opened the cupboard to take the tiny plastic cup off the Nyquil and got some water from the sink. Anything to help ease the sudden swell in your throat. You downed that little cup and though it wasn't not easy, you swallow. The effect wasn't instant, but you were surprised when the swelling eased up. Now it was no more than a tickle in the back of your throat and you coughed to try and see if you could dislodge the rest of this bizarre blockage. Through bouts of coughing, hacking, you felt something shift in the back of your throat and you spat into the sink. It felt odd to say the least. Almost solid as it came out of your mouth and you looked down into the sink.

Drops of blood caught your attention first, then as you looked closer you noticed these small purple petals, crumpled up and scattered in the sink. You picked one up between your thumb and forefinger. It’s supple texture is slicked with blood but it is undeniably a flower petal.

Your heart was in your throat suddenly. You werent sure what to make of this. The hanahaki disease, that's what it was called right? That was supposed to be fake. Just an interesting idea to think about. Not something real? The petals in the sink beg to differ. You’re frozen, one hand still clenched on the side of the sink, screaming internally to do something about this. But what? What do you do to treat a fictional ailment? Who do you call? When you looked online again, in a little less of a frantic panic, you come up with nothing. All accounts of the disease had been disproven and the general speculation is that it was entirely the figment of one's imagination.

Well, if it is, you begged your imagination to stop, because it was making it hard to breathe and you were worried what might happen if it’s allowed to continue. If it was affecting your real life it had to be real. The only “cure” they say is for the person you were pining after to love you back and you internally scoffed at that. That didn't apply here. There wasn't anyone you’re pining after, no. So you’ve been on a few dates with Doppio, and you liked him a lot, but it's not unrequited love..is it?

Your heart sunk from your throat all the way to your stomach and your eyes narrowed. You were unsure now. Was he just lying all this time? Or is it something else? You couldn't even believe you’re entertaining the idea that this could be real.

The first thing you thought to do is call Doppio. Come clean. Maybe you guys could talk about this and it would all just blow over like a bad dream. You sure hoped so but you don't hold out too much. He was not picking up and you felt the tickle in the back of your throat again of the encroaching illness.

Everything's hazy but you remember the panic starts to set in backed by a rational anger and frustration at your current predicament. You remember getting into your car after one too many missed calls and just driving over there. You know where he is of course. You’re not sure he ever leaves the garden unless he’s with you.

You remember your harsh and hurried footsteps up to the door to the greenhouse. The place wasn't open yet, it was far too early, but you know that the door isn’t locked. There's nothing to steal. With a harsher force than necessary you fling open the doors, your panic well contained on your face. You don't let anything show. Only your more labored breathing gives away the facade.

“Doppio?” You call out over the sound of the sprinklers, but there's no answer and you scour the place to no avail. Your only other option is his house.

All it takes is one knock for him to answer, his smile still bright as though he knows nothing and for a moment you want to believe it. You want to buy into his sweetness again. But the nagging growth in your throat serves as a constant reminder why you’re here.

“Can I come in?” You ask, though your voice is chewed up and raspy. You’re clearly struggling and his face falters while he steps aside.

“Are you okay?” He asks, “Do you need water?”

You start to say yes but you cough and have to spit another petal onto the floor. Doppio, who almost turned towards the kitchen, looks at you.

“Oh.” He simply states, “Faster than I expected. A bit easier too... It’s rare, very rare, unless you know what you're doing. Did you know that each person has their own type of flower?”

As he’s speaking you feel something in your chest tighten and it grips your throat. You feel the need to cough the blockage away again, but no matter how much you try nothing changes. Leaning against the wall with one arm you’re gasping and Doppio raises your chin for you to look into his eyes. He’s certainly not the Doppio you remember. His eyes have changed color, they hold much more malice than they ever did or you ever imagined they could. They remind you of his brother.

“I wonder what's yours." He says and bends down to pick up the petals you've coughed onto the floor. He holds them up as if inspecting them in the light. "

You'll make a wonderful addition. We haven't had irises yet.” He says with a glance back to you.

It's then your worst fear becomes realized and everything runs through your head at once. Fear, regret, anger, so much anger at letting yourself get into this mess as your body fails itself. You’re going to suffocate, there's no doubt in your mind. You fall to your knees, practically retching up petals. At the same time you appear among the list of the missing, a beautiful new section of irises has opened up in the garden much to another person's delight.

#jojos bizarre adventure #Jojo Part 5 #doppio x reader #diavolo #fanfic

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guerilla935 · 4 years

Text

My Favorite Games That Made Me Care About How I Looked

I’m very self conscious about the way I look in video games. Not only is it normally very easy to change an outfit or get a haircut in a video game it also says something about how I’d like to be perceived, especially in an online game. There are a lot of games that allow their players to express themselves in a lot of really fun and unique ways and I think that it’s really special when you get to celebrate a style that you would never get to portray in real life. These games that I am about to talk about are all games where I was able to look at my character and feel some ounce of pride at something that I had created. Some full disclosure for these images, I pulled them from official gaming outlets and developer blogs but none of these that you are seeing are my original characters. If anyone would like to request to see any of my characters from these games (or any other games!) I would be happy to go and grab screenshots of those characters.

Grand Theft Auto Online

This is a pretty easy choice for most people. I chose specifically GTA Online over any GTA game or Red Dead game because I think the really special part about this is its setting. Your image is not only your character and your outfit in GTA Online but also your car, your house, and your business. There are a lot of different places to choose to call home and there are a lot of things to get “invested” into. For example, my good friend mojo5 runs a night club and wears suits and spends a lot of time gambling at the casino. That’s a character that would be different than mine who dresses and acts like a street racer. It gives your character a kind of personality and back story that is hard to achieve in other games. I have always kind of considered Grand Theft Auto Online to be a modern MMO of sorts, a playground. And as much as it is a huge lobby where you wait to start activities, it is also a sprawling city-space where you can essential live, make money, create this fun fictional life for yourself. And as far as fashion goes, the outfits, the cars, and the real estate help you shape that fantasy. Basically, I can tell you that I spent way more time customizing my character than I spent in actual activities in Grand Theft Auto Online.

Saint’s Row Series

I love Saint’s Row. It is very similar to the last entry in this article but has this unique and goofy style that makes a lot of things okay that I would never do to my GTA character. In Saint’s Row I can have a neon blue Mohawk wielding a 10 foot melee weapon that is designed to look like something extremely unmentionable while driving a night rider space car that is also a tank and it’s totally fine because in the next cut scene you are about to fight Roddy Piper in Keith Davids nightmares. The games are incredibly wild and I love how I can let loose with a lot of different styles, and in the same way that I feel like I am creating my gritty street racer in GTA, I can make my goofy crime lord super hero secret agent in Saint’s Row. I think specifically in Saint’s Row 2 I took it a little more seriously because the tone of the game is a little more serious than the other entries however I have a specially place in my heart for how wacky each game allows me to be.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

You knew we couldn’t just not talk about Animal Crossing: New Horizons. With the current situation, the Animal Crossing community is insanely huge. I cannot avoid the heap of Animal Crossing videos and screenshots all over social media. On my island of Sandover Village, I am patiently awaiting the Able Sisters to set up shop so that I am able to put in codes from everyone else’s custom designs that I’m seeing on twitter. That is because I have on my phone a stockpile of sweatshirts, sweaters, robes, and hats that I am actually really excited to show off in game. I tried to create some of my own but I am not one of the gifted seamstress’s that there seems to exist on the internet. I am not very far into Animal Crossing but by looking at other peoples games I know that I have only scratched the surface of my options in the game. I have to commend Nintendo on the amount of individualization that the design pro feature gives to its players. I have never seen a game give players the option to design their own clothing and it makes the social experience of the game feel so fresh.

Dark Souls III

One of the most badass games that I have ever played as far as character design is concerned is Dark Souls III. When I put on a new set of armor I sit in awe of how it looks because I can see each tiny tear in the cape, every dent in the helmet, and the wear and weight of the armor. I was dragged through this game by some friends (because I could never in a thousand years have the patience to beat it by myself) and I followed them to every cursed swamp and death crypt because I wanted to see every weapon and every armor set. You look absolutely ghoulish in every armor set and I love it to death. This game allows so much in the way of customization and I think it helps that almost every gear set is good enough to get you through the entire game and that allows you to play with a lot of different looks and game play styles. This game is tough, really really tough, but you look really good even when you die.

Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2 is a really special online shooter. I think in the month that I played this game religiously the thing that kept me playing was coming back to the stores to see what kind of clothes were in stock and what kind of items I could steal off the players in the lobby. I think that the developers of Splatoon 2 knew that the players were in it for the threads because every reward for playing the game was most likely a piece of clothing. The clothing options kind of vary from academy prep to Patagonia camp wear to skater outfits. And it comes together in this very hipster overall aesthetic that blends really naturally. The game features a mechanic that I really like wear you can walk up to anyone in the online lobby and look at what their wearing and order it. By the time I logged on the next day I had (a noticeably weaker version of) the exact same item but it really makes you feel like anything you see, you have access too which is really cool. And the ordering of the items kept me coming back to play every day.

Final Fantasy XIV Online

I’ve heard it said many times that the real end game content of Final Fantasy XIV Online was the glamor and housing systems, and for most people they aren’t wrong. I will never stop being surprised at the outfits that players can put together in this game. I have seen millions of players in my 750 hours in Eorzea and I have not seen two characters look the same. The customization options are really limitless and I truly believe that. I played a healer mage and in my time at max level I had outfits that made me look like a cowboy, a thief, a fox spirit, a grim reaper, and even one that made me appear like a real healer mage. The clothing options throw a Final Fantasy twist on every kind of style that they set to replicate. So even though all the outfits can be wacky they never feel out of place in the world. If you want a game that you can make almost 50% just about customizing your character and taking it out to the town to show it off or in big raids to flaunt your style then this might be your game.

Pokemon Sword And Shield

Pokemon is still trying to get it right but Sword and Shield is Game Freaks best attempt at trainer customization. The clothing options in the game are very European, well, they have always been that way but they are ESPECIALLY European in this one. Probably the greatest customization offered is the hair which in the world of anime characters is the most important one. I loved designing my character in this game but it was just so brief because shopping in this game is so boring as most clothes in the actual stores are very samey which makes the act of shopping pretty boring most of the time. I would roll up to a new town really excited to see what kind of stuff they had in the shop but it was just new colors for the same weird duffel bag that your character had already. Note that the game is mostly about the Pokemon so they really didn’t have to put any trainer customization in the game to make it a good game but they did a half decent job putting this much customization in the game and I feel like it’s going to keep getting steadily better the more times they implement this feature into their games. Big plus, you can design your trading card in the game and it is the most adorable thing and feels like a huge payoff to have a cool card if you’ve put a lot of effort into your trainer.

Soul Calibur VI

So I haven’t actually played Soul Calibur VI, I bought the game and went immediately into character creation and started making my own roster of fighters that I ended up using maybe once or twice and moving on from. The character creator in this fighting game is really special. So the idea is that you choose a character that already exists and you keep their move set and fighting style but change how they look and immediately the things that came out of the community were hilarious. Some are kind of terrifying but they come shockingly close to being somewhat recognizable. For me it almost comes down to that being someone who is unfamiliar with the cast of Soul Calibur VI I cannot tell the difference between actual characters from the game and characters frakensteined together in the character creator. As on of the most fun character creators I’ve ever used I think it’s at least worth googling what other people have created.

God of War (2018)

The newest God of War introduced something that we never got in the older games and that was the ability to change out what Kratos was wearing. While it was important in the game to maximize his stats, it also made you look cooler and cooler as the game went on. I wouldn’t say that you have a lot of options of things to wear in this game but I always felt bummed when I picked up something with relatively low stats that looked amazing. Later on the armor sets become more like trophies for completing hard tasks. The design of each piece of armor is really intricate and amazing to look at and while you can’t just pick whatever you want, I really wish that you could.

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

In the Reaper of Souls expansion pack a new vendor was added to Diablo III that changed the way that I looted in the game. The vendor was called the mystic and she would make a piece of gear look like any other piece of gear of the same type. This meant that I could look amazing all the time without sacrificing strength. The way that the database of appearances you could pick from expands over time gave so many options that I couldn’t decide at some points. The coolest armor in the game was now accessible at any time. And the armor in Diablo III looks tight, sometimes I would argue that unless you pick some unique stuff it doesn’t make that big of a difference because of the isometric point of view in the game but it is really fun to have an added layer of customization in Diablo.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

So this is actually a section dedicated to Nexus Mod Manager because Skyrim in itself doesn’t actually have a whole lot of variations in the ways you can dress. But with the powers of modding you can now do absolutely anything and there are a whole group of 3D modelers out there getting you immersive and lore friendly items that make you look a whole lot cooler. The wonderful world of modding can turn kind of creepy very fast, a lot of very suggestive mods are out there and a lot of very inappropriate things so you know, a fair warning. It’s incredible when you can make it work and keep it from getting to the level of ultimate Skyrim. You can change and add clothes and weapons, add hair styles, and even add entire races into the game. Sometimes though I really believe that I like browsing mods a lot more than I like actually playing with them but I found that it is really satisfying to download a mod like Immersive Armors and see just how much it changes how diverse the selection of armors that not only you but everyone in the game now wears can be.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

So I believe that some other previous Zelda titles had the ability to change Links outfit but never to this extent. What I think is the coolest part about the clothing system in this game is that you wear certain clothes to survive certain climates but you can also forget all that and make a yummy meal instead that lets you be warm wearing the desert clothes in the snow. The amount of armors that you can amass in this game starts off kind of underwhelming but becomes really fun and interesting and serves all sorts of fun fan service for fans of the series. This game doesn’t have the versatility and variety of some of the other games in the series but any game that lets you cross dress to sneak into a city of warrior women is credited for its costume design in my book.

League of Legends

I have spent a shameful amount of money on skins. I hate League of Legends and I hate most of the business practices of Riot Games but their skins just look good. I can appreciate when someone I don’t like makes something good and they consistently pump out awesome looking skins that are frankly worth the money if you play the game regularly. Back when I played this game daily I put up way too much money, even I think about 18$ just on a skin that changed colors when you typed a specific command. Anyways that’s really all I have, there aren’t a lot of games where I like the skins, especially the fact that they are mostly behind pay walls but League gets a pass I suppose.

Destiny Series

I used to be really into playing a specific game mode in Destiny named Iron Banner. I played a lot of it in Destiny and a good portion of them in Destiny 2. When you played enough Iron Banner in a year you were able to collect an armor set to commemorate the achievement. Almost all the cool armor in Destiny has purpose to it. Not only do you get to decide how you look but it also is you showing off the fact that you completed a raid, were really good at sparrow racing, or kicked major ass in the crucible. Each armor was recognizable and everyone knew what it meant. I think that is what makes the customization in Destiny so rewarding, its that it is in itself an actual reward for completing hard tasks that not everyone will be able to complete.

Code Vein

Out of all the anime games I’ve played I think what stands out to me the most is that their character creators have all been really bad. This is where Code Vein really shined. Code Vein has this dystopian vampire aesthetic that is really unique and allows for a lot of ways to make cool characters that fit into the look of the game. I don’t think that what they’ve done here is completely new but they have this style that is exciting to play with. Making a revenant is fun and builds this anticipation for the rest of the game. I also respect the games decision to allow you to make modifications to your character after the game has started which is not something that most games would allow. Code Vein has these cape’s that you can wear to gain abilities and those are cool to add onto your outfit but I don’t think that it outshines what the character creator has done here. It’s a niche thing I guess but if you have always wanted to make your own anime vampire then this is it.

A Persona

I really like making characters for a reason. I think a lot of the escapism of video games hinges on me placing myself into the character on the screen. That’s why I love what you can do in games like Animal Crossing that is all about creating exactly what you want and Final Fantasy XIV Online where you get to exist and share in a world as a persona of sorts. Being able to customize a character in a video game does not make that game good or bad, but I think that when you are given the option the developer is given an opportunity to make it a very special experience and allow you to be unique within a community of people online. And the internet has made that sharing of characters really special, allowing everyone to see how unique of an experience you can have with a game by beating it with “your character”.

Special Shout Outs For Stylish Games And Characters

SSX series being dripping in 90s style

Also NBA Street Vol. 2 for the same reason

Persona 5 for being the most stylish game ever

Halo because space marines rock extra style points

Katana Zero for being badass and 80s neon will always be in style

Specifically Graffiti Mario in Super Mario Sunshine he had flair

Samurai Legend Musashi for having a stylish game case but being a horrible game

Devil May Cry just for existing

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the-red-wulf · 4 years

Note

What do you think the modern Lannisters have been doing during quarantine and how have they not murdered each other yet (assuming they're all stuck in the same house)

Oh, I love this!!

To start, in a modern world I don’t imagine they would be stuck together which means that they are likely left to their own devices for entertainment. If they were stuck together they would have likely ventured to Casterly Rock so that while they’re together, they aren’t together.

Tyrion has likely already set up routine ‘Drizly’ and grocery deliveries so that his supply of wine is never ending. He is a novelist, so working from home and avoiding the world is nothing terribly new to him. He is using the lockdown as motivation to finally work on that sequel he’s been meaning to tackle. In his ‘spare’ time he has also begun a complicated redesign of his in-penthouse library, cataloging everything and ordering those books that he needs online. Occasionally he will log into places like reddit and engage in AMAs, spirited debates and arguments in various subreddits, just to keep his mind sharp and in touch with his readers and the current events. But for the most part, he is, in my mind, perfectly content to sit back and watch the world burn while he curls up with a good book and bottle of wine.

Cersei has, by now, become a well-loved social media influencer. Beauty, fashion, interior design, you name it! After all, designers have been gifting her clothing and accessories for years, why not put them to work making her some cash during lock down? Her work as a fashion editor has prepared her for this--and her overflowing closet demands it. Blogs, reviews, social media ‘looks of the day’ and even selling on poshmark (because some things are simply too hideous to keep and she can use the petty cash to replenish her wine), she is wheeling, dealing and making herself a household name. Soon others look to her for harsh, unflinching opinions on current trends and brands are turning to her to help them with sales in this down economy. Her livestreams are packed with viewers and questions and she holds virtual court like the queen she is. She is building her empire without a single apology.

And Jaime, well Jaime would be the wild card. I think that he would be the first one to grow restless in lockdown. While Tyrion is aloof and Cersei can’t stand most people, Jaime is such a social, outgoing charmer, I think he would get bored quickly. It is fortunate that his golden retriever, ‘Selmy’ is there to keep him company--and become the subject of many a vlog and social media post. Perhaps he would engage in a troll war or two with friends Bronn and Sandor on Twitter or Instagram. He would, of course, be Tywin’s right hand man in terms of business, so he would spend most his days catching up on emails and putting out ‘remote’ fires. When he isn’t bouncing from zoom call to zoom call, checking in on all the Lannister Corp employees, I am torn between saying that he would begin using YouTube and other DIY videos to teach himself new skills (like karate and cooking) or if he would suddenly decide that it was time to learn home improvement to work on his surroundings, all with varying results that he would share on social media.

Thank you so much for this! I loved it and hopefully it made you smile!

To everyone else, feel free to comment with your thoughts on this! :D

-<3 TRW

#tyrion lannister #jaime lannister #cersei lannister #lannister lockdown #modern lannisters #ask

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externally-upset · 5 years

Note

1-100

Alright going all in I see. Let's do this

1. I mainly use Spotify

2. I try and keep it clean but somehow always winds up messy

3. I've got brown eyes

4. y'know I've got a really generic name but I do like it. Why, I have no idea

5. I'm currently single

6. Scatterbrained, happy, adventurous

7. I've got natural black hair

8. So I don't drive because it actually hurts my leg to drive. Also I can't sit still for longer than 5 minutes

9. I shop everywhere that has toys lmao. I'm a toy collector so I'll go anywhere that has em

10. I don't really have a style. I try and live my life as cozy as possible

11. I don't really have a favorite social media account

12. I have a full/queen size bed

13. I've got lots of siblings. In all, I've got 6 sisters and 2 brothers, but some are step family. I've got 1 bio sister and 1 bio brother, both younger than me.

14. I've been looking into moving to Washington recently, but I think I'd rather travel the world than settle down somewhere, for now at least

15. I don't use the filters myself so I can't speak on that

16. I don't use makeup so I don't have a fave brand to talk about

17. I shower everyday, I get really sweaty so I gotta

18. I don't have like a definite fave TV show. It varies from month to month. Although this summer it was Nisekoi, which is an excellent anime

19. I wear a size 11.5/12 shoe

20. I'm 5'11

21. I wear almost strictly sneakers

22. I don't go to the gym, I should though. I really should

23. Dream date would be to have one lol, um I guess to go up to the mountains together and star gaze or something to do with the mountains. I just enjoy being outside

24. Too much to count 💸💸 lmao jk I've got $60

25. Ain't wearing any but if someone came through right now, I'd put some black ones on

26. I had four, but my mom stole 2 of them

27. I was working in drywall for awhile but I hopped out of that and am currently applying to places. I specifically was a taper, so like when drywall is put up in the house, there are gaps between the pieces put up. I covered those gaps up, all over the house. It doesn't seem like a lot but when you've got 15-20 feet ceilings, it gets hard

28. I've got quite a lot of friends and I love them all

29. I've know I've done bad stuff that others remember me for but I can't think of anything

30. Oh man I loooooove lavender scented candles. Lavender scented anything is the best

31. I honestly can't think of any boy names that I like

32. 3 girl names: Sochi, Lavender, and Laurie, which is actually the name of one of my best friends

33. Anthony Hopkins is my favorite actor by far

34. Fave actress is definitely Meryl Streep, I fell in love with her when I first saw the Devil Wears Prada years ago and it just snowballed from there

35. My celeb crush is either Bonnie Wright or Jessica Keenan Wynn

36. Fave movie has gotta be The Great Mouse Detective

37. I used to read a lot, not so much anymore. Of everything I've read though, Christine by Stephen King has been my favorite read

38. Everyone wants to say brains are more important and they are, but unfortunately in the world we live in money rules over all

39. I used to be called Chancho but not any more

40. I've been to the hospital more times than I'd like to think. I had a heart condition that flared up in high school so I spent a lot of time at the hospital. I'm still not even sure what it was and am sure the doctors made it up to take my money

41. TOP TEN SONGS:

Beauty and the Beast - Angela Lansbury

Beauty and the Beast - Celine Dion, Peabo Bryson

Higher - Creed

Eres Mi Droga - Intocable

Crossing Field - LiSA

Don't Blink - Kenny Chesney

Junkhead - Alice In Chains

Your Decision - Alice In Chains

Losing A Whole Year - Third Eye Blind

Forever Halloween - The Maine

42. Nah, no meds for me

43. I think I have an oily skin type

44. Biggest fear is leaving those I love behind when I pass along to the next life

45. I don't know how many kids I want

46. I always have my hair either in a bun or braided

47. I live in a medium sized family home

48. My grandma has been and always will be my role model

49. It was being told how wise I am

50. Last text I sent was to my homeboy, telling him "this school shit is wack"

51. I was 6 years old when I found out Santa wasn't real

52. A nice Truck is my dream car or maybe a souped up Subaru, with an anime wrap for shits and gigs

53. I'm cool with smoking weed, but no cigarettes and only smoke outside, don't need my stuff to smell

54. Yeah, I'm here in college, but I don't like it

55. Rural areas by far. I've always wanted my own farm

56. I wanna be a high school history teacher and that requires a degree, so that's why I'm in college

57. I don't like the shampoo and conditioner from hotels, don't like the way they feel. That being said, yes I'll take them

58. I've got freckles but you can barely see them unless were face to face

59. Yes and no. It really depends on my mood. I try to take more smiling pictures now

60. I've got quite a few, mostly memes though

61. Of course I've peed in the woods, with the amount of times I've been hiking and camping with no bathroom in site, you gotta

62. I watch almost strictly cartoons, if we're being completely honest

63. Chicken nuggets smack, no matter where they're from

64. If it calls for it, honey. If not, then sweet and sour sauce

65. Alright, so it depends where I'm at. If I'm home alone, just my underwear. If there are people here, shorts. If I'm at someone else's house, I wear whatever I have on

66. Never participated in a spelling bee in my life

67. My hobby is collecting. I've been collecting things since I was a kid. I've switched between many things in my life. I've gone from Wrestling figures, to sports cards, to vinyl records, to Funko Pops. I actually collect a little of everything I've mentioned now

68. I can't draw for shit

69. I don't play any instruments, although I've tried learning how to play the Ukulele

70. Last concert was seeing Four Year Strong and Seaway like 2 years ago

71. I prefer tea over coffee

72. I guess Starbucks as I've never had Dunkin before

73. Marriage sounds nice, but I don't need to. Like if I'm dating someone and they said they don't wanna get married, I wouldn't have a problem with it. As long as we're in love, that's all that matters

74. Aha, I'm not answering this one

75. If ever I get married, I don't know what the last name situation is gonna be

76. Burgundy and blue look absolutely fantastic on me

77. Yeah there are a few people I miss

78. I always sleep with my door closed and my closets too

79. I belive in ghosts, although I prefer to call them spirits. Used to see them frequently as a child, still do sometimes

80. Biggest pet peeve is when people try to tell me what to do. Not like suggestions but actually tell me what to do. Irritates me to no end

81. Last person I called I think was my Dad, but that's because I couldn't find him in the store

82. Black Cherry Vanilla is the best but no one sells it anywhere

83. Golden Oreos are pretty damn good so I'll go with those

84. If I have to choose, probably rainbow sprinkles

85. Just a plain white tank top

86. My phone background is a picture of Ricky from Trailer Park Boys saying "Man, maybe I am gay."

87. I can be outgoing, it kinda takes a bit for me to open up though

88. I fucking love when people play with my hair

89. My neighbors across the street are very nice, but next door neighbor is a dick, always judging shit

90. I usually wash my face in the mornings

91. I used to get high a lot, not so much anymore, although I'd really like for that to change

92. I spent a good portion of this year drunk, so that's a problem. I actually only started drinking when I turned 21 last September. Never been hungover either, so I've been blessed

93. Last thing I ate was some chips

94. "Thank you to the miracle that we are able to meet in a dirty and ugly world, even like this" My Song - Girl Dead Monster. This is from Angel Beats and these are rough English translations

95. I prefer winter over summer, but spring is my fave season

96. I love night time, always will

97. I will always pick dark chocolate over all other chocolates

98. September is my favorite month, not because it's my birth month, but it's the one month where everything feels right

99. I'm a Virgo

100. Last person I cried in front of was my homeboy Mason, albeit I was drunk as fuck and don't remember it but he does. Says I scared him

Goddamn that took forever, but I did get over being bored, so bless you Anon

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mairzymarzipan · 5 years

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Night of the Full Moon Character Reviews- Classes

It’s about time I finally get on this. I’ve been wanting to start these reviews for a while, but personal stuff came up, and then worries about the future of my blog. But things are finally sussing out so- why the fuck not now?

And naturally I’ll be talking about the characters. Other folks are talking about gameplay itself and strategy, but I kind of love these characters. Some of them have really fucked up stories. There seems to be some translation weirdness(this is actually a Chinese game), but I feel like there was a love when crafting these stories. I’ll just talk about mechanics when I feel it’s important for the plot.

And who better to start with the heroine herself?

Night of the Full Moon is sort of a cross between a TCG and a roguelike. The cards you stumble on, the events that happen and the people you meet are randomized each time. It takes place in a magical forest on the edge of a village. Said forest is cursed and everybody knows it. It always snows, and those affected by the curse in it can never leave. On a full moon night, cursed people lose their minds, apparently, and attack you even if they might not usually. The more times you play through, the more about the story is revealed.

You play as Little Red Riding Hood, an orphan(???) raised by her grandmother. When your grandmother disappears, it’s your job to march into this forest on a full moon night to find her.

There are currently six classes to choose for your little cloaked heroine: Lady Knight, Ranger, Nun, Little Witch, Magician and Apothecary.

“Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother relied on each other for a living, and was often bullied by boys. As a result, she did not have many happy memories of her childhood. However, she had to learn to use her brain and her fists to survive.”

Spoilers, but the knight class is the only one you can play for free. Yeah, sorry, this game has some DLC so, your mileage may vary. The knight class is fun to play, though. It involves using your weapons and armor and combining your armor with cards that hit for a lot of damage. You may feel a little annoyed when the witch pharmacist keeps offering you useless mana potions, though.

I just don’t really have much to say on the story of this timeline itself. I do like the idea of a person learning self defense specifically bc of bullies, but something about this wording bums me out. Her being defined as being a victim is kind of a downer.

Knight Red does not(afaik, feel free to correct me) have any class-specific interactions with any of the enemies. Yeah- some of these classes will get an extra choice when they defeat a certain enemy, if their dialog is triggered. It’s by chance, though.

And yeah. Most of the art depicts Red with anime white hair. I like to imagine the art of her on the cards is her as a little kid and then she dyed her hair as a teen.

🛡️🛡️ Two shields. Serves it’s purpose but kind of the most bare. Considered this is the only non-dlc class, that seems a little lame. Why not just make Knight, Ranger and Witch free and make the others dlc?

“Little Red Riding Hood has long been the only girl who dared to go into the forest with hunters. Over time, she became more agile and earned more gold from her prey. Perhaps one day she will achieve her dream of building her grandmother a house, no longer cold and hungry.”

Now this appeals to me a bit more. And- don’t worry. It’s clearly in the intro that her and Grandma have a place to live- but it’s probably a shitty apartment with a shitty landlord or something.

But this is a Red who has more agency. She’s defined by her hobbies instead of how other people treat her. Not that her life is any piece of cake. I do like that mention about trying to make money, bc this is one of the classes where you can attain the ‘steal’ card, where can get a little extra money when you fight people.

Ranger Red gets a class-specific interaction with the a hunter who has a particularly harsh backstory. I’ll get to him tomorrow. I like to imagine this guy took Red under his wing a lot when she was younger, too.

The ranger class involves a lot of chain reactions, finagling things so your turn is longer and then potentially hitting for a lot at the end if made your turn long enough. It’s in my top three favorites.

🏹🏹🏹 Three bow and arrows. Some cool characterization and legit a fun class to play.

“The king Little Red Riding Hood does not like to use violence to solve problems. “Injuries of the body are far easier to treat than those of the heart and spirit.” This is Little Red Riding Hood’s motto. Perhaps this is the reason why she is more understanding than others.”

Nun Red was initially interesting to me because...well, spoilers, but it doesn’t take many playthroughs to realize that the people involved with the church are kind of like the biggest bad. There are other big bads, but they’re kind of the shittiest people? And a person kind of has to be involved with a church to be a nun.

But that might not be the case. She really kind of plays more like a cleric. Her moved involve healing herself and praying. Her special interaction is also not with a member of the church but rather somebody who may be described as a pagan. Also, your Grandmother fucking hates the church, so I really doubt she’d let her grandmother become an actual nun. Nah, ‘Nun’ Red seems to represent an old faith that the villains have been trying to eradicate.

That being said, despite avoiding violence, I don’t have a lot to go on with this Red’s personality. Ok so, she’s really nice? I assume she’s poor like all the other Reds, but doesn’t seem to care about that. Like the Knight, she just kind of comes off as too passive.

Gameplay wise, she’s my least favorite. A healer makes sense if other people are in your party who can hit, but Red is alone. It’s very difficult to get her to wield damage and fights go on for a long time. It’s just, boring and frustrating. For that reason, I’ve giving her just 🙏🏻 one set of pray hands. Petty, I know, but that’s how I play.

“Even though the study of black magic is strictly prohibited in town, Little Red Riding Hood’s curiosity cannot be suppressed. What’s more surprising is that the witch has great patience in her guidance of the girl.”

Oh, yes, here we go! Probably the most interesting Red story wise. Spoilers again, but remembers those multiple Big Bads I mentioned? Well the Witch is one of the biggest of the bads...that is, unless you think that Pharmacy Witch and Apple Witch are different people. Then who knows which one in her tutor. My headcanon is that they’re the same person using a shapeshifting, so...

But yeah, to have a character who was trained by one of the main villains then go back and take on the evil in the forest makes for a pretty fun story. Yes, yes, it’s every video game twist, but give me this. Also this Red is driven, not by her shitty living situation, but simply by curiosity. She thinks magic is weird and cool and wants to know everything about it, and she’ll break the town laws and go into the woods to just to learn. That’s pretty neat!

This description, along with some facts about said Witch also lead to some pretty important headcanons about the ur-story but...I’m going to wait to talk about those when I talk about the Apple Witch.

Witch Red is kind of just, a wizard. You can be an elemental generalist, or you can focus one of the three elements, or you can stock up your mana up just to hammer people with it later. The difficulty is often picking a strategy early enough and finding the cards you need to make it work. The class specific encounter is with a mage who has a similar deck so- it fits.

She gets 🔥🔥🔥🔥 four fireballs. Great for story and headcanons, but her class isn’t one of my favorites to play. As I said: petty.

“As a descendant of the Hope family, Little Red Riding Hood discovered a strange bond between her body and cards when she was very young. She sought to cover up this supernatural phenomenon and magic became her best excuse.”

There is a lot of unpack here.

“A descendant of the Hope family” is another thing I’ll talk about when we get to the Witch. This class is...kind of meta? I had assumed up until seeing that that everyone wasn’t really carrying around physical cards but rather they represented attacks. What does it mean if Magician Red has power over cards themselves? Does she warp reality to mess with people’s attacks? Spoilers but no, unless you have a card that wipes out mana/attack pts.

Also, it’s wild to me that Red was born with this super power, but it was soooo scary that she told everyone that it was magic. Yanno, the thing that’s been established as illegal. What exactly is it that Red is capable of doing, and why is it so frightening? The description doesn’t reveal much.

You can either use a lot of traps with her or you can bank mana to make combos with your poker dart card. Both are pretty fun. Her special encounter is with a robotic stage magician who is actually pretty awesome. Also he probably didn’t train her, because he’s kind of new to the area.

She gets 🃏🃏🃏 three playing cards. Fun class to play, and he beginnings of an interesting character, but too confusing for me to latch onto.

“Little Red Riding Hood has been filled with curiosity for the natural world ever since childhood, and enjoys performing strange experiments. To care for her aging Grandma, she secretly learned how to concoct cheap potions from the crazy apothecary.”

Personality wise, Apothecary Red seems to have a lot in common with Witch Red, with the natural curiosity. The nature of the ‘strange experiments’ is a little dubious, though. Are you talking ‘let’s see what happens when I mix these two chemicals’ or ‘let’s see what happens to this frog if i stick it in a blender’ strange? Apothecary Red may or may not be some kind of sadist.

The fact that she willingly hangs out with the other Apothecary does not help her case in that respect. Dude is kind of a jerk but more on that later. Worth noting, though, is that she only works for the guy for money, but does her ‘strange experiments’ on her own time. She seems to be self taught and feels like she’s lowering herself working for this guy.

Her playstyle supports the notion of this Red being a jerk. You can set people on fire and they’ll burn for a little while, or you can slowly drain their life force, or you can blow up your own stuff in their face, causing damage. It’s...actually really fun! Especially you have the right weapons to set up chain reactions.

The apothecary is who you have a special interaction with, and even then she seems to be unimpressed by him.

Anyhoo, I’m go ahead and give this girl 💥💥💥💥💥 five explosions. She’s definitely a sadistic heroine, but that’s what makes her fun!

WEREWOLF RED WEREWOLF RED WEREWOLF RED???

So, this is the teaser image for the ‘coming soon’ class. I’m hoping it’s indicative of what’s to come and not just a generic plate. It looks like a girl with an axe with a werewolf growing out of her back which...is actually a concept that’s already canon, so yeah. Anyhoo I am so pumped about this. You interact with so many monsters in the story, it’s about time you get to be one.

🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺 five potential werewolves!

Ok, so there you go. This post is going to be a little different as we’re talking about one character in different timelines and also we didn’t touch on voice acting. Hopefully that gives you an idea of the game without skipping ahead too much. Next we’ll talk about some of the people mentioned here, as well as a few others.

#mairzy posts #night of the full moon #notfm #character reviews #classes #lady knight #ranger #nun #little witch #magician #apothecary

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travelonlinetipsofficial · 3 years

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Things to Do in Fall: Attractions in Tampa

New Post has been published on https://www.travelonlinetips.com/things-to-do-in-fall-attractions-in-tampa/

Things to Do in Fall: Attractions in Tampa

As the hot and humid Tampa summer makes way for the cooler and dryer weather of fall, the locals head outdoors. Lower temps and smaller crowds make it more comfortable to visit many outdoor attractions, but it’s still warm enough for northern visitors to enjoy an extended summer. In addition, there are plenty of traditional fall activities to enjoy from corn mazes to horror parks. To help you find the best activities of the fall season, 10 Best has put together a list of the top 10 options to choose from.

Without the crowds and daily downpours, it is more fun to visit Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Enjoy a warm, sunny fall day riding the rides and exploring the animal park. If you visit on select dates between late September and early November, you can also pay an extra fee to experience their popular Halloween attraction, Howl-O-Scream.

There is plenty to do with the wee ones as well. One great option is the Fox Squirrel Corn Maze, recently voted 6th best corn maze in the country by a USA Today 10 Best reader’s poll. The kids will love the hayrides, sweet treats, and exploring the best corn maze around. With stalks reaching 10 feet high, the adults might have to be careful not to get lost!

Photo courtesy of Skye Rodgers

To see the natural beauty of Florida without having to drive very far out of town, Hillsborough River State Park is your best bet. Located upriver from downtown Tampa, in northeastern Hillsborough County, this is one of Florida’s oldest and most popular state parks. The list of things to do here is expansive, starting with both full-facility and primitive camping. Canoes and kayaks can be rented to go down the river. In contrast to most segments of the Hillsborough River which are very slow-moving, the river here has a rare section of fast-moving water with Class II rapids. There are also numerous picnic areas, a public pool, and numerous hiking trails where, if you’re lucky, you will be able to spot some native Florida wildlife.

Recommended for Things to Do in Fall because: Fall’s arrival means its time to get outside and enjoy cooler temps and dry trails at Hillsborough River State Park, just minutes from downtown.

Skye’s expert tip: For fun, take a spin on a rented tandem bike. There is a rental/gift/coffee shop deep in the park beside the large pool.

Read more about Hillsborough River State Park →

Coast Bike Share provides a convenient and environmentally-friendly transit option in Tampa’s most popular neighborhoods. With bike hubs located in downtown, Hyde Park, and Ybor City, visitors can grab a bike and explore many of the city’s most popular attractions. To get started, simply visit the website and sign up for a membership. Short-term visitors can get a pay-as-you-go hourly membership, while longer-term visitors may wish to select a monthly membership which includes one free hour of riding per day. While you won’t win any races, the cruiser style bikes are sturdy, safe, and vandalism resistant.

Recommended for Things to Do in Fall because: Enjoy exploring Tampa by renting a bike from Coast Bike Share that offers convenient access via multiple hubs and reasonable rates.

Skye’s expert tip: Download their app on your smartphone for a map of all the bike hubs and how many bikes are currently located at each hub.

Read more about Clearwater Beach →

Photo courtesy of Fox Squirrel Corn Maze

Even in Florida, there are opportunities to get out and enjoy traditional fall activities. One of Tampa’s favorites is the Fox Squirrel Corn Maze located just out of town in nearby Plant City. Recently named 6th best corn maze in the country by a USA Today 10 Best Reader’s Poll, this fun event offers families a wide range of activities to celebrate the season. In addition to the hugely popular corn maze and pumpkin patch, the event offers a hayride, horse & pony rides, pumpkin painting, air brush tattoos, sand art, butterfly experiences, and arts and crafts. Food vendors are also on site providing a wide variety of snacks, treats, including cupcakes, kettle corn, boiled peanuts and shaved ice.

Recommended for Things to Do in Fall because: The Fox Squirrel Corn Maze offers visitors the opportunity to escape from the city and celebrate the season with traditional fall activities.

Skye’s expert tip: Make sure to bring cash because while credit cards can be used for entry, many vendors accept only cash and there is no on-site ATM.

Read more about Fox Squirrel Corn Maze →

Photo courtesy of Skye Rodgers

Scream-A-Geddon is a nationally recognized haunted house attraction in a remote area just north of Tampa. But this isn’t your garden variety spooky house, this is full-fledged theme park of horror. With seven elaborate scenarios to experience, there will definitely be something here to scare the pants off you and your friends, including interactive attractions…if you dare. Fight back with some zombie paintball if you want to get in on the action yourself, however, there is an extra charge for this attraction. In between scares, take a load off on the Monster Midway and enjoy a snack and a beer while you catch your breath. Stop by the concession and pick up some marshmallows to roast over one of the several fire pits. This attraction is open select weekends in September, and every day from October 1 through Halloween. Regular admission prices vary between $24.95 and $47.95 depending on the day you go – buy through their website to save $5 off each ticket.

Recommended for Things to Do in Fall because: One of the country’s top-rated scares, Scream-A-Geddon is located just outside of Tampa and is guaranteed to have you running home to mummy.

Skye’s expert tip: Wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty and take along some bug spray. This is an outdoor attraction in a rural area.

Read more about Scream-A-Geddon Horror Park →

Beloved by locals and visitors alike, ZooTampa at Lowry Park has been voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the country by Parents Magazine and is a five-time winner of the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. The 56-acre nonprofit zoo is home to 1,300 animals and emphasizes regionally endangered species and those in similar climates. All of your favorites are here, including African species like giraffes, rhinos, and hippos, Asian animals like lions and tigers, as well as animals native to Florida, such as various species of alligator and crocodile. Once they’ve made their way around to all of the animals, the kids can play in the Australian-themed children’s area that includes rides and other games. Going in the morning is a good idea, especially in the summer. Not only do you avoid the heat, but the animals also tend to be more lively.

Recommended for Things to Do in Fall because: Fall brings cooler temps for visitors to ZooTampa, and kids will love being scared by family-friendly Creatures of the Night, weekend evenings in October.

Skye’s expert tip: Reservations are no longer required to visit Zoo Tampa during the day, however the Creatures of the Night attraction does require advance tickets and reservations.

Read more about ZooTampa at Lowry Park →

Photo courtesy of Skye Rodgers

Wild animals and wilder rides await visitors to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The 335-acre Africa-inspired theme park’s six infamous roller coasters, 2,000-plus animals and entertaining live shows provide truly unforgettable thrills. There is something for kids of all age at this world-class park. Adventure lovers can brave SheiKra, a floorless dive coaster with a 200-foot, 90-degree plunge while animal enthusiasts might enjoy hand-feeding kangaroos at Walkabout Way or enjoying majestic views of free-roaming giraffes, zebras and white rhinos on the Serengeti Railway. Be prepared to walk in order to explore all areas of the park. There are several restaurants and numerous vendors throughout the park to keep you fueled on your journey.

Recommended for Things to Do in Fall because: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in fall means cooler temps, Bier Fest, a beer-inspired food festival, and terror-filled nights at Howl-O-Scream on select dates through Halloween.

Skye’s expert tip: Admission prices vary and there are a variety of packages to choose from. To get the best deals, make sure to buy your tickets in advance and online.

Read more about Busch Gardens Tampa Bay →

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hot-mysticc-mess-blog · 6 years

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RFA+ Minor Trio Pile O’ Christmas Head Canons

A nice responsible writer would have parsed out several ideas and spaced them out throughout the month to provide you a fun and cohesive festive experience, but you have me and so you get this on Christmas Eve Eve Eve

Yoosung

Gets super flustered at the idea of kissing you under the mistletoe

Misses so many opportunities to actually kiss you because of it

Spends all night one night leading you awkwardly toward the mistletoe at a family party

ALL THE DECORATIONS

You guys even decorate his LOLOL chair with a wreath on the back

For Yoosung, Christmas means spending a lot of time with his family

You guys spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at his parents' house and both of you end up helping make dinner and tidying up for when all the cousins arrive

He likes to pretend he enjoys the snow, but he just likes the idea of snow.

The two of you go out to make a snowman after the first snowfall and he helps for the first ten minutes before he gets cold and just becomes the person who brings things out from inside

Drinking hot cocoa together on the couch while you watch Christmas movies makes him very happy

Seven makes a joke about you wearing Santa lingerie, and Yoosung spontaneously remembers it several times throughout the day. He turns BEET RED every. single. time.

Jumin

First: He is that guy who points out that Jesus’ birthday was not in December and that Christmas primarily functions as a secular holiday to promote commercialism. This is basically canon

He really likes kissing you, but is generally wary of putting kissing plants among large groups of people

So the first couple years you’re together, he puts up mistletoe in the doorway to his bedroom and is just careful to make sure no one but you and him ever get caught under it together

The office does not get decorated for Christmas

No, you cannot...well, maybe you can put the tiny Christmas tree in his office

Totally lets you put the tiny Christmas tree in his office

He is more lenient about the penthouse, especially if it makes you particularly happy, but his preference is just put up one large Christmas tree and decorate it with an elegant theme, all matching ornaments, single strand of white lights

You can win him over by getting him a Christmas ornament with vertical stripes

Things get really busy around the holidays, but if you ever mention you like snow you will be whisked off on a Christmas vacation up to a ski resort

He owns the cabin, he is mediocre at skiing, but he never goes up to do anything with it.

Jumin Han, much like Valentine’s Day, takes Christmas as an opportunity to shower you with expensive gifts

He, on the other hand, has everything and is very uninterested in Christmas gifts. He usually asks that you give him a handwritten letter instead

Which you do. He also appreciates any other gift you give him, of course, but what really makes him happy is if you give him something extra that you made yourself.

Then he loves and cherishes it forever, to the point of being ridiculous.

Jaehee

You put a secret sprig of mistletoe in the storage closet as a cute Christmas joke

...she just never took it down

Christmas drink specials!

Her personal favorite is gingerbread coffee

She likes Christmas decorations but prefers simple ones like white lights and snowflakes

The cafe gets decorated for the holiday season, but usually, just with paper snowflakes the two of you stayed up late to make and some blue tinsel

Never really had any good Christmas memories, especially not of picking out a Christmas tree

You guys get a fake tree. It’s more cost-effective and better for the environment

The two of you get a simple set of ornaments for the tree, and pick out a couple of fun personalized ones

The tree looks a little bare the first year, but you promise that the two of you will collect more each year

And you do. Every year you get more ornaments, as gifts, or from the occasional trip to the supermarket. Every year putting up the tree becomes a trip down memory lane

The coffee shop is doing well comparatively, but you two are still short on money. So, you two both exchange one, small, meaningful gift every year and just enjoy each other’s company

“This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” she says every single year.

Zen

Loves mistletoe

Is genuinely a little weird about it

Takes you to places that specifically have mistletoe, guides you to the mistletoe

Put up a sprig in his usual rehearsal studio so he could show you off to all his castmates

Likes to decorate a little, and will help you decorate if that’s what makes you happy, but prefers it to look nice

It doesn’t need to be color-coordinated like Jumin’s penthouse, but it can’t be a complete disaster

How many ridiculous winter ClickChat filters are there for to take selfies with? There’s an equation for it and it’s the number of selfies Zen takes divided by four

Zen goes to A LOT of holiday parties in December as he gains more and more popularity. As much as he loves parties, these are by far his favorite because he’s allowed to bring you with him.

Zen likes to take you for walks when it snows or shortly after, so the two of you can enjoy the scenery together

Nothing makes him happier than having you by his side on Christmas Day

“I finally get to spend Christmas with my girlfriend and my family, all wrapped up in one beautiful package.”

Saeyoung

It takes you a long time to get Saeyoung into the Christmas spirit

He spends most of the season depressed about it. You try not push him.

Instead, when he’s having a bad day, you bring him treats and offer to snuggle.

It makes him feel a little better.

Over the years, he is willing to get more into Christmas, especially with Saeran there and surprisingly receptive to celebrating.

Saeyoung and Saeran like to watch the old movies and mock them

Saeyoung also gets unreasonably invested in the bad Christmas rom-coms, but his favorite movies are the Home Alone series.

You guys start out with the tiniest little fake tree from the store, and you convince him to buy tiny ornaments for it (not that you have to do too much convincing, those things are adorable)

He SHOWERS Saeran in Christmas presents, and you do everything you can to help him.

You all order take-out on Christmas and eat it all together while playing Cards Against Humanishness

Sometime during the month you also make sure to have a day out, Saeran, Saeyoung and you go to the zoo in the morning (Saeran really likes looking at all the animals), in the afternoon you guys go ice skating, and you finish the evening with ridiculous Christmas carol karaoke

For Saeyoung, it’s really important to him that Christmas is about family. His real family, the people who work hard to love and care for each other no matter what, the people it took him years to find.

Saeran

You teach Saeran everything about Christmas, but you make sure to let him know he doesn’t have to get you a gift

He’s been through a lot and you want to make sure his first real Christmas is all of the fun and as few of the stresses as possible

You marathon Christmas movies. He spends the entire month of December basically glued to the TV screen

He finds it frustrating that Santa’s lore varies depending on the movie or show

He and Saeyoung are in agreement that Santa is super creepy and probably a spy

You still sneak out of the bedroom on Christmas morning and put out an extra present for each of them.

They still don’t believe it was from Santa, but Saeran gives you a soft smile.

You and Saeyoung as Saeran what he would like for Christmas dinner. You all ended up having ice cream.

Saeran is torn between being edgy and wanting warm cozy sweaters.

His favorite present is a black sweater with a skull on it you bought him one year

During one of his first Christmases post-Mint Eye he put coal in Saeyoung’s stocking

He thought it was the funniest thing he had ever done

V/Jihyun

“Oh MC, it looks like we’ve been caught under the mistletoe.” He presses a loving kiss to your lips

That’s about it. He’s pretty normal when it comes to mistletoe

Takes you to Midnight Mass at a new favorite church he had to find after his ex-fiancee became a cult-starting man

You also have to sit through an awkward family dinner, but that’s far less meaningful for both of you

Is more than okay with decorating however you want and, though he’s better than he used to be years ago, reminds you of that more often than is really necessary.

If you ask what he wants though, he’ll inevitably end up with a tacky Santa Statue and one of those Precious Moments figurines nativity scenes

He prefers a real tree because he really likes the way it smells. He’s super attentive about watering and caring for it.

Has been fretting about your gift for the last month and a half. Jumin is starting to get frustrated

Will not sing Christmas carols, but thinks it is the cutest thing he has ever seen when you do it

Does a Christmas portrait of you, and you use it as the photo to send out for the RFA’s Christmas cards

Vanderwood

He ignores the mistletoe. Unless you make a fuss about it, he will not acknowledge the mistletoe. If you make a fuss about the mistletoe, he will begrudgingly let you kiss him

Secretly enjoys it if you give him a quick kiss when you pass under a sprig, though

Really, doesn’t acknowledge most Christmas decorations, unless it’s something like a huge light up tree or strange snowman blow up on top of a building you see as you drive down the highway, then he spares a brief glance of disgust

Will put up small amounts of Christmas lights if you ask. It’s not that he doesn’t like them, they’re just...so much work.

He found the perfect Christmas gift for you 8 months ago while on a mission and has been hiding it with his emergency flee-the-country cash and all his alias paperwork

He does his best to try and be home for Christmas every year, but just in case, he always insists you make Christmas Day plans with the RFA and just comes with you if he happens to be home.

Vanderwood both a) happens to be really good at building gingerbread houses and b) happens to really like making them

You two usually clear off your dining room table and make them together.

Is partial to gingerbread tea

For the most part, he views Christmas as a holiday for you. If his December turns out poorly, then it’s just another month. Unlike him, you have a light in your eyes still. There’s a part of you that sees magic in Christmas, and he wants to keep that part safe.

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notesfromcenter · 6 years

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Motherhood: A Consideration of Moderation

“Why is your wife so intense?” asked my husband’s class of graduate students. He had just finished describing my response to their request of a pre-discussion lecture on a particular text. I admit I had a strong reaction, but one I am still willing to defend. Students should learn how to confront material, formulate questions, and through discourse come to meaning. (I have a favorite line from the movie State and Main: “Everybody makes their own fun. If you don't make it yourself, it isn't fun. It's entertainment.” Analogously, there’s no passivity in learning.) Even if knowledge can be conveyed, wisdom can not. My husband reported my outrage (which is a hyperbolic way of stating my case, but I suppose it makes for a better story.) Their response is not an unfamiliar one. I often have strong, and I’m not proud to say, black-and-white responses to situations. Not that my responses don’t respect a gray area, but they do so in a decidedly adamant way.

It has occurred to me that having recently been pregnant and having a baby have noticeably tempered this tendency. For example, my dietary habits. A vegetarian for 27 years, I now eat meat. All meat. I especially love steaks and hamburgers. I fed my son grass fed steaks just today for breakfast. As I considered these facts this morning, both my so-called intensity and this laissez-faire approach to my new diet, it occurred to me that they bear a relationship between the ongoing theme of one vs many that has emerged over and over again in the quest for femaleness and identity more generally. Provisionally, I considered whether the domain of femaleness is generated in part by the bodily entanglement required by motherhood.* I suppose it is trite to talk about how a mother shares her body with someone else in pregnancy, and even to talk about a so-called fourth trimester (and beyond), which I now fully understand. My selfhood is indeed moderated, quite literally by someone else’s. I am not me. Not entirely at any rate.

A friend recently remarked that it must be exhausting being a mother, the constant consideration of another being’s needs. Although I am certainly exhausted, my relationship to my son’s needs is not one of active consideration any more than I consider what I’d like for dinner. I won’t draw the comparison between the consideration of my own respiration, or better yet, my heartbeat, because his needs are not quite so automatic, but they are firmly in the territory of sustenance, of biological imperatives. There is a diffusion of identity, of ego, that comes with sharing your body with someone else. Extending it into autonomous space inhabited by another will, another ego.

I’m sure there are plenty of examples of this physical extension. As I sat in a group Vipassana meditation session, I marveled that someone else’s sneeze, across the room, should send such waves of feeling through my body. It really is as simple as an adrenaline rush from being startled. But, regardless of how I describe it to myself, the bottom line is that I’m very affected by others, who are ostensibly outside of myself.

I continued this musing as I walked my four dogs this morning, baby strapped to my chest. I experienced the slow growing rage that accompanies these walks, the subtle sensory onslaught, the gauntlet of perils that besiege the springtime morning. So let my description to follow sound less like a rant and more like an meditative investigation of my bodily response to this routine. It begins trying to leave the apartment, gathering the coats, definitely the baby’s and sometimes all four dogs. A process no one is particularly keen on, making the challenge of lifting everyone’s spirits while completing tasks they’d rather not, all the more daunting. So it’s coats, baby carrier, leashes, bags for poop, house keys, and cell phone. I try to time this so that there is minimal time for either animals or baby to grow cranky from overheating while finishing the rest of the routine. I also try to minimize the number of squats I do holding a twenty pound baby, for fear of an increasingly long day ahead. Then, it is getting down the five flights of stairs and two doors (heavy ones that open towards me and threaten closing on dog tails and noses.) All of this trying to watch my steps amidst a tangle of leashes. I cannot see ahead of me as I step out of the door, not onto a landing, but down another short flight of steps, often occupied by neighbors sitting and trying to enjoy their morning when I come, pack in hand, bursting towards the sidewalk propelled by four urgent bladders. The wild card: will I happen upon a passing dog inciting this already precarious circus act into complete chaotic lunging, barking, and frantic snapping tethered only by the deep breathes as I attempt to keep my balance and some semblance of equanimity. Now, if all of this goes as smoothly as possible, it is none-the-less accompanied with the kind of hypervigilence that knows, bodily, how tenuous any calm. The rest of the mile and a half journey is about the same. A woman passes by, “You’ve got a lot going on,” she remarks. A not uncommon observation. (Although, thank you to the young woman who remarked to her friends, that lady is the MVP - she’s got four dogs and a baby!) Varying degrees of weather related events punctuated by squatting to pick up dog feces in what I’ve learned is called a hell strip, although, if I want to be more romantic about it, I could refer to as the road verge. When it is permanently littered with dog feces, cigarette butts and other trash in various states of matter, and I squat (remember that twenty pound, squirming baby), four dogs attached, clothing skimming the ground, it kind of feels more like a hell strip to be honest. I’ll give you one more image, congestion, both human and canine, on both sides of the sidewalk approaching as I maintain this delicate balancing act. I try to take refuge in traffic to let others pass as I wait to resume our morning walk on the sidewalk. I try to metabolize the energetic shrapnel all this with the mantra “emotional contagion” running through my mind, lest my displeasure ruin my child’s chance’s for emotional self-regulation and become a text book “don’t” for Cesar the Dog Whisperer.

This is a portrait of my body. Fully dispersed by 9 AM.

Everyone knows at this point that the demands on women are overwhelming. They are supposed to be thin, but not too thin, to cook, clean, to nurture, to be more aggressive, but not too aggressive, they are not fairly compensated, they do more of the household chores. Maternity care and family leave is abysmal. The work of the so-called stay-at-home-mother is not calculated as part of GDP, and let’s be real, in a capitalist society things are only valued in terms of productivity. This we already know. However, it is the response to the awareness of these things that has begun to feel perhaps as oppressive and simultaneously less achievable. The counter-demands, if you will. We are called to love our bodies as they are, to care about health and not appearance, to embrace imperfection, and to generally act in consciousness of the double standards, the oppression. Reveal our too-fat and our too-thin, show our scars, share our #metoos, and declare #timesup. Any lack of self-acceptance, self-care, self-esteem, or self-advocacy is just another way we can fail. On top of it all, it has been proven that practicing gratitude is how mentally strong people lead healthier lives. If we fall from this high wire, it is surely through our selfishness and mental weakness.

As a palliative, there’s the endless babble about how to find, or more accurately, how to achieve (our character is hence invoked and our success or failure measures our very integrity) the ever-elusive ‘balance.’ Now, let me throw out a suggestion: balance is not desirable. I contend we actually already have balance and we hate it. That’s because balance is a state of perpetual tension. As my grandmother used to say, “think about it.” What we want is actually integration. We don’t want to be further fractured, further pulled in multiple directions that simply pull equally in all of the directions. What we want is to be integrated. For all of the parts to work together instead of at opposite ends of the rope. Is it easier to stand on one leg or two? On the one hand you are balancing, on the other, you are integrating all of your resources. Even our zen is preposterous: Be here, now. Live in the present. Don’t forget to make the maximum contribution to your 401K, your IRA.

There is one final, perhaps ultimate demand: Forge an identity. If my identity is actually moderated by this fundamental dispersion, this inexorable confluence of mutually exclusive imperatives, identity is truly a Sisyphean joke.

Last Saturday, I sat in a group Vipassana meditation. Afterwards, there was a speaker, he said, “the path is not ‘be here now,’” but instead “the path is suffering, this [Vipassana] is a way out.” Finally, the resonance of truth.

Where does that leave me but to embrace my bodily reality for its implicit wisdom. Surely there is power in the invisible extension into space that has become the special place relegated to women, if not by nature then surely by nurture. It seems increasingly important to inhabit that space rather than retreat into a singular, if visible, entity.

*Femaleness does not require motherhood, nor does bodily entanglement require pregnancy. Table the subject. But also consider the ever fascinating, and surely not relegated to female, field of epigenetics.

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tipsycad147 · 5 years

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What Can You Learn From Marie Laveau About Magic?

SL Bear

Much of modern witchcraft is just that, modern. Things like crystal magic, tech witchcraft, and sigil crafting are not ancient by any stretch of the imagination. For many of us, this onslaught of new can leave us feeling disconnected from our roots and from our predecessors. For any witch looking to deepen their craft, our collective history can be an invaluable tool. Learning about magic wielders from centuries past can give us a sense of connection, inspire us, and help to transform out practice in ways we might not expect.

In the same spirit, today we’re going to be looking at the mythos of one of North America’s most famous magical women. There are more than a few witches practising in Louisiana but there is only one Voodoo Queen.

Marie Laveau has reached mythical status in New Orleans, and her gravesite was once the most visited in the US. It’s called the “Wishing Tomb”, and visitors scrawl three X’s on its walls with charcoal and chalk in an attempt to summon Marie and ask for her help. Marie signed all her legal documents with an X and by inscribing this on her tomb three times, they call her forth by the name she used herself. To this day, people say that Marie will grant your wishes when you visit her tomb, especially if you leave behind some of her favourite offerings — white rum, candy and cash. People travel to New Orleans from all over the world to call on this priestess and ask for her favour. Even in death, Marie Laveau’s power is revered.

In life, she was a humanitarian and a deeply religious woman. She attended to patients suffering from cholera and yellow fever during an outbreak in her city. Where others were afraid to go, Marie went, changing the clothes and bedding of the sick and treating them with her knowledge of herbal medicine and Voodoo. She is also attributed with bringing an end to public executions in Louisiana, though of course, as with all legendary people, the stories vary. As it’s told, Marie Laveau was witness to a double-execution by hanging of two white men found guilty of murdering a young slave. As the executioner tightened the nooses around their necks, the sky turned a terrifying red and a lightning storm hit out of nowhere. Confusion struck the crowd, but when they looked back at the condemned men, the two nooses swung empty. The men had somehow slipped free and fallen through the trapdoor, still alive. These men were eventually hanged, but the crowd was convinced it had just witnessed Marie’s incredible power and was sure the storm was an act of some infuriated god. Whatever really happened that day, the people were incensed, and public executions were banned in Louisiana soon after. Louisiana was the first state in the Union to ban them, and many attribute this to the Voodoo Queen.

In her city, when you needed help, supernatural or otherwise, Marie Laveau was where you went to get it. Her healing powers were renowned, but she could also get you out of a jam. Doubters attributed Marie’s skill to her connections. She held sway over judges, officials and lawyers who bent to her will in legal matters. Others, who swore by Marie’s cures, recognised her true power and named her Queen of Voodoo. One of the most famous stories surrounding Marie is how she came into possession of her house on St. Ann Street. According to the gumbo ya-ya, a rich white man came to Marie Laveau for help when his son was arrested (with much evidence against him). Marie agreed. She went to St. Louis Cathedral and knelt in prayer with three hot peppers in her mouth as a show of her devotion and sacrifice. She left the peppers underneath the judge’s chair and when he dismissed the case, the father awarded Marie with the house she lived in until her death. Naturally, people debate whether it was voodoo that saved the youth or Marie’s privileged information from the police and a personal relationship with the judge, but either way, the boy walked free and Marie’s social and political power in New Orleans grew stronger.

Marie was born free to a white man and creole woman and was raised by her grandmother, Catherine. Her situation was unique at the time because her father claimed her and put a house in her name, giving Marie more rights at the time than most people of colour. Her first husband, Jacques Paris, mysteriously disappeared a year into their marriage, and soon after Marie (now self-styled as the “Widow Paris”) began working as a hairdresser. She heard all the latest gossip from her affluent white clients and their slaves, who divulged priceless secrets. Marie fell in love with a white man, Jean Louis Christophe Duminy de Glapion, and had five children (or possibly 15, depending on the source). Laws against interracial marriage prohibited the two from marrying, so Jean Louis publicly changed his race, posing for the rest of his life as a free man of colour, and he and Marie were allowed to enter into a common-law marriage.

Marie was a devout Catholic for her entire life and had a close relationship with the progressive pastor of St. Louis Cathedral, Pere Antoine, who was famous in his day for helping Voodoo women, single mothers, and children. He performed wedding ceremonies for interracial couples and Marie guided many to his church. She was a student of the Ursuline Order of Nuns, who taught Marie catechism and about spirit possession in Christianity — the Holy Spirit in particular. As for her voodoo, she supposedly learned from John Bayou, or Doctor John, who taught her how to make her infamous gris-gris bags. Though to many, the practice of witchcraft and religion seem to be fundamentally divided, Marie Laveau disagreed and drew heavily from Catholicism in her own teachings, even encouraging people to go to church and worship the Virgin Mary. Moses, in particular, was a huge influence on her. Moses spoke with angels and spirits, taught his people to build altars, and eventually led them to freedom — things Marie also incorporated into her craft and beliefs. In the streets, Marie recited The Creed, Our Father, and Ave Maria, prayers that ended with the French phrase “ainsi soit il”. This translates verbatim to “so be it” and ainsi soit il became the Voodoo equivalent of “amen.”

It can be difficult researching Marie Laveau because it’s hard to separate fact from myth. One story says that Marie Laveau was rejuvenated by magic, that her Voodoo was so strong that one day she was seen to be much younger than her true age. Another story says this was just her daughter, Marie Laveau II, who picked up the torch when Marie became too old. In 1946, Robert Tallent, who was researching Voodoo for his book Voodoo in New Orleans, cast Marie and her followers in a terrible light, claiming they slaughtered animals, swore oaths to the devil and were part of a Satanic cult. This, fortunately, was later condemned as a racist caricature of Voodoo in the south. Unfortunately, this book was widely popular and it still influences many inaccurate ideas about Voodoo and Marie Laveau in public consciousness.

While these inconsistencies make writing about her a little confusing, they’re also what makes learning about her so much fun. She was an exceptionally bright woman who cared about her community. She knew exactly how to succeed in her world, playing to her strengths and earning a fantastic, larger-than-life reputation. But Marie Laveau was not a fraud. She believed deeply in her practice and faith and was generous about giving back and taking care of the people around her. She helped the people so much, they still call on her, almost 140 years after her death… if she really died, that is.

The Generous Queen Spell

Marie Laveau will forever be known as a powerful woman, but people don’t flock to her grave to pay respect to an almighty witch. They come to her in death for the same reason they came to her in life: She was generous with her gifts. She helped the poor, women, slaves, and she helped the rich, too. Everyone who came to her was treated the same.

This spell both pays homage to Marie Laveau and asks for her intercession with a problem.

What you will need:

White candle

Black candle

A chilli pepper

Red lipstick

Any piece of gold

An offering of your choosing

A prayer card of the Virgin Mary (or Marie Laveau herself, if you prefer!)

A snake charm of some kind (a drawing or printout of a snake will do just fine)

To begin, you’re going to set up an altar for Marie Laveau. Set up the white and black candle side by side with the prayer card upright against them and light the candles. The chilli pepper will go next to the black candle and the snake charm will go beside the white. Place the piece of gold before the prayer card. Your offering will be right in front of you, and between the offering and the altar, when you’re centred, use the lipstick to draw three X’s on whatever surface you’re working on (best to work on a smooth surface you’ll be able to easily clean!).

Now, recite this spell three times, and as you do push your offering over the three X’s.

“Dearest Marie, who reigns supreme,

Beyond the iron gates of New Orleans.

Accept my gift, if you will,

And grant my wish, Ainsi soit il.”

https://thetravelingwitch.com/blog/what-can-you-learn-from-marie-laveau-about-magic

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dclatestnewsacademic · 5 years

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Trip to South Africa

This trip has been such an amazing experience and I will never forget it. It was my first ever overseas trip and I had so much fun learning about the wildlife and the Gumbi tribes’ culture as well as just spending time with the other students. One of my favorite parts of the trip was the home stay where small groups of us stayed with families in the nearby Gumbi tribe village. We learnt so much about the Gumbi people and how they live.

Through learning about the conservation aspects of the reserve as well as learning about all of the different parts that hold together the ecosystem I feel as if I can better appreciate all living creatures.

Our daily free times were spent in a large group playing cards – quite a good break from the tech!

We would sit outside and enjoy the view whilst playing a sometimes very competitive game of cards – it pretty much ended up being a tournament which Nick kept score of.

I also really enjoyed the singing of “Bohemian Rhapsody” over and over and over and over and over etc…….. Queen was definitely a huge hit on the trip, aside from “Bohemian Rhapsody”, another firm favourite was “Don’t Stop Me Now” and how could I ever forget “I’m Gonna Be” by the Proclaimers! These songs will always remind me of special times, competitive card games and great people in the most beautiful place in the world.

The home stay…. I wasn’t sure what to expect; I didn’t know how difficult it would be to communicate with the Gumbi people or our chaperones; I wasn’t sure how involved we would be.

I really did not have to worry…….

The home stay turned out so much better than I could ever have imagined. We were warmly welcomed and I felt truly at home. The villagers and our chaperone were so friendly and easy to talk to. We managed to play some really fun games with the children – even though there was a language barrier – through some super amazing gesticulation and help from our chaperone in translation, we had a great time.

I found that overall, the village was quite large however many of the homesteads were within walking distance of each other. Each homestead had many resident animals such as dogs, chickens, goats and cows.

One of my highlights from the home stay was when we attempted to mud plaster a house! The houses in the village are built by putting logs into the ground like posts and then wire is wrapped around the posts on both sides. In between the wires there are rocks and the whole structure is covered in mud. Mud is used because it keeps the house cool even when the weather is hot, but it has to be re applied before every summer and that is what our job was. First we had to go out and collect the mud, then pick out the weeds, mix it with water until it made a paste type substance and then we used our hands to cover the house in glorious mud. We all managed to get ourselves suitably covered in it – what an amazing memory.

I loved learning how to cook the local cuisine of the Gumbi people whilst we were staying with them. We were set the task of cutting vegetables whilst our chaperone prepared the chicken and cooked the maize for our meal of chicken stew and maize. I thoroughly enjoyed helping out and it made me feel really at home in the village. I also look forward to attempting to recreate this incredible meal as I brought home the recipe.

Finally, I had some amazing friends that were always there for me on the trip. On the first night, when the tent Devika and I shared was infested, Ali and Liv offered for us to sleep in their tent. On night watch when I was practically asleep, Devika was there keeping me awake. Aishwarya and Sanny built up a friendship that probably would have never existed without this trip. There were so many other things that I don’t have enough space to mention but these friendships are lifelong bonds that will never break.

This trip meant so much to me, it was really a once in a lifetime experience. I enjoyed every second of it, except maybe the bees in the shower and finding giant spiders in the bathrooms. I even came home with the souvenir of tick bite fever! The trip has really made me realize how even if you don’t have much, you can still be the happiest person in the world. That lesson will stick with me forever and it will always remind me of the people that I met in the village.

Thank you so much to Miss Dibble, Miss Romans, the Somkhanda trip guides and Zulu villagers for this unbelievable, once in a lifetime experience.

Amelie Mayne 9SBR

South African Conservation Safari

On the conservation safari we learned a lot about the ecosystems in South Africa, and the way the conservation and anti-poaching teams can protect and preserve the area. We also learnt from the native tribesmen and guides about the traditional uses for the plants we were seeing. For example on the first day we went on a bush walk, and we encountered a plaster bush that is used by the locals to help with clotting wounds, to slow the bleeding.

We also learnt the difference between the white and the black rhino. The white rhino is a grazer, and has a wide jaw which is where the name white came from, a communication error between wide and white. On the other hand black rhinos have a hooked jaws and are browsers. Because of the varied diets of the two species, they can be identified from their dung, black rhino dung contains twigs and leaves, and they are cut at 45 degree angles due to the unique digestive tract. On the other hand white rhino dung contains long thin grass fiber, and this makes dried dung of both species extremely useful for starting fires. We also learnt that rhinos are one of the animals that will wallow in mud, along with warthogs, wildebeest and elephants. This is useful to know if you see mud smeared on a bush near a waterhole, and using the height of the marks and the knowledge about which animals wallow, you can work out which animal made the mark. To find the age of the mark, and therefore how far away the animal is, you can check how wet the mud is, and the wetter it is, the closer the animal is.

Some of the animals that we saw every day on the game drive were the impalas and the nyalas, and although they looked very similar, it was crucial that we could tell them apart for the game count and other conservation activities. Nyalas have a distinctive brown (female)/dark grey (Male) coat with white stripes running vertically from the back to half way down the side. On the other hand both male and female impala have a brown coat, and the only distinguishing features are the horns (only males have horns).

On the trip we also learnt about the habits of certain animals, and a great example of this were the elephants. The very first thing that we learned about the elephants, were their favourite trees to uproot to get at the leaves. One of the elephant’s favourite tree is the red ivory tree, so called because of the distinctive red core of the tree, the elephants on the reserve also enjoyed eating the fruit from the marula tree, and this is the only way that marula seeds can germinate, by passing through the digestive system of an animal. We also learnt about the uses of the marula tree leaves in traditional culture. The leaves can be used to predict the gender of an unborn baby, and this is thought to be because marula trees have different gender specimens.

Another traditional use of a plant is the use of the buffalo thorn tree leaves to bring the spirit of a deceased family member home if they died away from home. The person using the leaf to collect the relative had to communicate with the leaf as if it was the relative, and they are not allowed to speak to anyone, otherwise they have to start again.

Nicholas Reynolds Year 9

See more photographs in our Flickr photo album

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galbraithneil92 · 4 years

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Crystal Reiki Jewelry Marvelous Cool Tips

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Reiki Healing Music With 24 X 3

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Reiki Learn In Hindi

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#Crystal Reiki Jewelry Marvelous Cool Tips #Reiki Healing Retreat

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growlegalweed-blog · 5 years

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Conversations in Cannabis: The Hemp Renaissance with Chad Frey

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AUTHOR: Glenn Johnson

PUBLISHER: CANNABIS LAW REPORT

Over the past few weeks I’ve had a chance to speak with Chad Frey and get to hear more about his journey in the role of COO and Co-Founder of Cannabis CRE Capital as well as his role as CEO of Attilah, whose wholesale model aims to engage a New Hemp Renaissance. Our conversations have been a frank and honest discussion of the dizzying wild west of a market we’re riding through.

Chad explains, “At Cannabis CRE Capital, our main focus is to take the legwork out of sourcing lending options in order to provide our clients with additional capital, higher margins, and the additional cash flow to engage in new ventures tailored to future business plans.”

Attilah, he continues, is a simple, transparent platform “for supplying wholesale cannabidiol to everyone.” The company is “founded on principles of quality, integrity and client education, we are leading the charge towards CBD accessibility and affordability for the masses. We specialize in retail (brick and mortar) sales solutions for quality CBD brands and provide a platform to expand your business solutions in today’s emerging hemp marketplace.”

When impassioned, Chad can speak at warp speed on a range of topics with a great depth of nuance and knowledge—from what makes a successful investment pitch to the importance of building a good team from the start, to Hemp in Kentucky and Cannabis in California, and all the legislation in between.

As the market is moving and evolving quickly before our eyes, we’ve discussed how we both bring our passion of what we do best to this new category and how he’s adjusted his own business practices to fill the necessary needs he see’s as opportunities.

Q–If we do things right, what are top three steps to take when we look at Hemp, CBD and marketing in the next six months?

At Atillah we believe in transparency, simplicity and quality, I think the number one step to take is education across every vertical.

1-–Educate the consumer, really talk to the end user on everything about what this product does.

2–Bring Products to demographics: Be Specific about what (and who) your product demo is. A lot of people see the dollars signs and are rushing to get to market, with no real plan. If you’re trying to market to multiple platforms it’s difficult to resonate, be strategic.

3–Regulation. Its upon us to set the standards. If we want to look at scale like the adult beverage industry, we have the opportunity to set the standards for how this business should operate. For CBD, we also have to say what its not, that is not psychoactive, that it’s not a poison, we need to showcase how it can positively affect an end user by proper regulations and a healthy legislative process.

When you look at who’s done what in the market to regulate it, Utah did it right–if you’re going to have a CBD product you need to register with the agriculture committee. They’re making sure the consumers are safe, they’re doing it right.

When we look into the structure of what the NYC Department of Health is saying recently–they haven’t taken any products off the shelves because they can’t because of the FDA Q/A forum that’s happening now.

Q– There’s a lot of miseducation and ignorance in the market too, much of the recent CBD stories on the news made it sound like the CBD in NYC was coming from Cannabis, not Hemp. Marketing and messaging is a blur right now, would you agree?

Yes, we see from recent surveys that 23% of the market doesn’t even know what the product is or the difference between Hemp and Cannabis. Many still only think of CBD as the same as marijuana.

In terms of industrial hemp however–we see a spread of business that’s differentiating itself by virtue of what market you’re doing business in. If you’re focusing on the textile side of Hemp and are just harvesting the plant as a whole–they’re not worried about where CBD is in the zeitgeist per se. There are opportunities to build important legacy brands in industrial Hemp too.

Q– Regionally speaking, is there a Market that you’re most interested in?

California is what brought us into this, where we will be moving forward, the world’s 4th largest GDP, 2.62T dollars, equal to the United Kingdom. We want to be a globally focused brand.

Q– What are challenges are you seeing in California?

A–sticker shock, and B–we see taxes that are cutting into profits.

They have complex legislation in California, a dual licensing structure, you need a local license, then you have zoning, it’s a lot of money to do business there. We try to provide the best education we can to our clients. We don’t want to see any business fail.

They’re super stringent, there was no testing done before, the FDA is trying to get a basic feel what the market is like in terms of Hemp and CBD. California is falling into the pit with the FDA, waiting on the FDA to say it can be a supplement, like Hemp Seed Oil, which is already GRAS (generally regulated as safe) and there’s a lot of friction pulling back and forth right now. When you look at Ginseng for example, there are some false altruistic attributes that exist on a widely accepted supplement.

Q– It’s hard to navigate the industry from a Marketing perspective today…

It’s very difficult to find the right avenues in marketing right now, it’s an evolving dynamic place. It’s important to go more for the target market you’re interested in speaking to, but the options of what’s allowed to get your message out varies so widely. Adwords is a hot point, as is Facebook and the fact that drop shipping off Shopify you can’t process credit cards. It’s a challenging space to do business.

We educate people when they are ready, a lot of people are coming into the space we provide all the resources and solutions when they are ready to come into the space…from retail to extraction, the whole plethora.

I think its important that we are associating ourselves with the OG’s in Hemp. We look at different ways that we can assist in the market, we need to be taking some of it off their plate and find synergies for new leaders in the hemp industry to evolve.

Our relationships are really built on this. From the US Roundtable, to the US Hemp Association and Vote Hemp with Eric Steenstra who’s facilitated pro-hemp legislation passage in more than 39 states, to Joe Hickey and his history and the Kentucky Hemp Association.

Q–Which area of the market is most exciting to you today?

Industrial hemp is exciting, it’s been a great grass roots market over the years and we’ve been practicing with a lot of players there since 1992. From soil health to paper, and products like Bio Fuels and Hempcrete– the industrial uses of hemp are endless. The benefits are remarkable too, from carbon emissions to soil remediation and how it heals the earth and produces such a quality product that’s been subjugated for the last 50 years.

CBD is of course in there as well, look at John Rouloc and Nutiva: Been in the category since the late 90’s, the largest hemp producer, on a food scale, stepped down to take a position in CBD. He’s highly focused on healthy soil and production–regenerating the soils damaged by pesticides. From what we’ve seen in the last 50 years–in two harvests you can have healthy soil again after two years–it’s a product that’s necessary now more than ever.

Our outreach with Attilah is targeting retail sales sourcing, wholesale oil supply, white/private labeling, and consumer-facing apps to get more CBD/hemp education in the hands of everyday consumers in order to change the landscape and depiction of hemp, that’s the renaissance.

In PART II of The Hemp Renaissance: We continue the conversation around the business of business and the18th Century Kentucky connection that will lead us into the 21st Century.

About CHAD FREY

At Cannabis CRE Capital, our main focus is to help our clients obtain the right funding for the right job. Focusing exclusively on the cannabis industry, we are here to provide access to new lending solutions, banking options, and equity specifically designed for cannabis-based real estate financing, new developments, refinancing and investment opportunities.

https://cannabiscrecapital.com/

Founded on principles of quality, integrity and client education, Attilah is leading the charge towards CBD accessibility and affordability for the masses.

https://www.attilah.com/

About Glenn Johnson

I am a Marketing, Branding and Communications Consultant w/ experience in high-touch luxury consumer marketing in the travel/hospitality, wine/spirits, fashion/beauty/grooming and Cannabis categories. My talents include Branding & Brand development, Business Building, Strategy and Brand Storytelling. I excel in working with Founders, funders, start-ups, and small brands.

Previously I was co-founder & moderator for the Creative Mind Salon series hosted at Soho House NY w/ industry innovators, creatives & decision makers from fashion, film, photography, music and digital industries which provided IRL intelligent discourse amongst highly-curated leading edge creatives. Connect with me on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-johnson-8018944/

MARKETING / MATTERS

A Cannabis Column with a Marketing & Branding point of view, including Q & A articles, “Conversations in Cannabis,” with industry innovators across the spectrum of start-ups, founders and brands doing business in the Cannabis category.

I can be contacted at [email protected]

#Cannabis #Chad #Conversations #Frey #Hemp #Renaissance

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