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starr-fall-knight-rise · 4 years

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Humans are Space Orcs, “Tanana.”

This was super fun to write this morning. A little bit funny, and I always enjoy hurting Adam a little, accept in a fun way this time no angst.

Hope you guys like it :)

Just a little bit closer.

The small creature looks on innocently munching on a crop of moss. It has four large eyes, two on either side of it’s head, six legs and is about the size of a small to medium-sized dog. It has really long ears, and if it stays still long enough, it’s going to be my dinner.

I scoot closer over the rock arm raised to the low ready, the spear clutched tight in my right hand.

The creature lifts its head.

Shit, it must have heard me. In my panic, I make a decision out of haste and throw the spear. It goes wild and clatters across the stone. The Drev rabbit takes off, and I am left standing stupidly in the middle of the open field weaponless and looking like a jackass.

“Tsa din dasdarish darat?”

I nearly leap out of my skin, turning around to find Hijan standing a few meters behind me near a coiltree.

“Shit, hijan, do you really have to sneak up on me like that.”

The old drev looks at me in amusement. I Know she doesn't understand most of what I am saying, but somehow I think she still gets it.

“Zha deengan.” I say, one of the first phrases I learned how to use. Being able to say I’m hungry is very important in any foreign language.

She tilts her old wizened head at me, “tsa tin danehanish ee dengish?” You were going to kill and eat that?

I shrugged, “Yid zha deengan.”

She crosses her arms, a habit she’s picked up from me, “ene tsa deengan datadish zha dadee sa deeng datahaik.” IF you were hungry I would have given you food.

I sigh, she wouldn’t get it, but still she walks over and hands me a miss twist. I call them that because of their distinct shape, kind of purple and in a strange sort of spiral. When you dry them out they are crunchy like chips though not particularly salty.

I munch absently on the weird plant? Fungus? And she absently plays with my hair. I try to shrug her off, but she’s a lot like my mother in the way that she won't let me be. I am about 100% sure she thinks I am one of her Drevlings. Which has caused a bunch of interesting changes in my life as of recently, not one of which was her decision that I wasn’t colorful enough.

Apparently Drev see humans a lot differently than we do. They can see the way the UV light interacts with our skin. She describes thousands of little spots which turn into swirling stripes. When I asked her to describe the color she said it was similar to turquoise or blue, though I obviously can’t imagine it.

Makes me jealous as hell though.

However, she said my “Carapace” wasn’t colorful enough. When I asked her what she was on about she clearly meant my hair and my nails, which are made up of similar stuff to the Drev carapace.

Long story short, I now have green hair and nails.

Yeah yeah, laugh all you want, but whatever the hell she put in my hair is not coming out. And when I say green, I am not talking like a nice moss green or forest green. I am talking like the color you paint your new Lamborghini kind of electric green.

Not to say that I haven't had my nails painted before, but never this color, and never in tandem with bright flaming green hair. Don’t know why everyone associates me with the color green. I would say it was only my second or third favorite color. Either way, I look super weird as of late, green hair green nails, no shirt, no shoes, and a slowly expanding five-o-clock shadow.

You know I am not a big fan of beards, mostly not a big fan of them on me, but I forgot to bring a razor, so in that department I am kind of fucked.

I mildly wonder if she is going to make me dye my beard green when it finally grows in.

She makes me grab my spear, grabs me by the hand and drags me back towards the village. She doesn’t let go of my hand. I don’t try to fight her, she is stupidly strong, and despite being a grown ass adult, I am apparently her child now.

The other drev find her adopting me very, very funny, but at least now that she has they don’t call me dazhit anymore. The last time someone called me a bitch in front of her, she kicked the crap out of them. I thought it was pretty funny personally. They danced around the circle like a loon expecting her to be weak in her old age, and she just stood there then jabbed them in the throat with the butt-end of her spear when they weren’t expecting it.

I laughed so hard I cried.

Ever since, they have treated me with a little more respect.

We make it to the village, and with one hand she pushes me off towards the training grounds as if to say, “Go join the other kids.”

I sigh and roll my eyes but go.

The last time I tried to skip out she almost had my hide.

I go at her bidding meeting up with the others who are around my height. Hijan watches sometimes, and she has made it very clear that the kids deserve to get the shit beaten out of them. I don’t like it much, but these kids don’t seem bothered when you knock them around. In fact, most of them like it.

I think our trainer is a bit mad that I can actually fight.

I smile to myself

Now that I do fight, I am at the top of the class.

The kids think I cheat, difference is I have different training than they do, and a lot more experience in combat despite what the Drev seem to think.

“Tanana! Naktan ts adon.” Tanana, my nickname, or my drev name I guess means alien. Hijan doesn’t like the name much, so she calls me tsata which means gift. Personally I am pretty flattered she thinks that about me.

I walk into the circle at our leader's orders and Dark ‘the other kid’ steps into the circle across from me. He’s an ugly little shit, and I’m not just saying that. He’s a dick to me on most occasions. When our teacher isn’t looking sometimes I make fun of his coloring, that usually shuts him up. I should probably feel bad for making fun of a kid, but I really don’t. He's a dick and everyone knows it.

Problem is now he has a bit of a vendetta against me, and is pretty hell-bent on putting his spear through my throat.

Good thing we only fight in hand-to-hand combat these days.

“Aleeshazh!”

The kid does not wait till the end of go before he is charging at me hands wide Some of these kids are under the impression that guarding your center is like…. Dishonorable or something. They would be wrong because even Drev now it’s stupid to come in arms wide open. However, at this point I’ll take what I can get.

I dodge past two sets of arms and come in sharply towards hims middle. He has reach on me, so I go in close and brutally aim for what I am hoping is his liver, if Drev have them. My single punch has him staggering back across the circle gasping.

The teacher does not look happy.

I feel kind of smug.

Of course the little brat won’t give up, I’ll give him that, he isn’t a quitter, and charges for me again.

He’s making this too easy,

I wouldn’t call myself a martial arts master or anything in the slightest, but before he knows what’s happening, he’s on the ground with my legs across his chest. I pin his lower arms with my right leg squeezing his upper arm between both. I have tight hold of his wrist, and just as he begins to squirm, I slowly place upward pressure on his elbow by arching my hips upward.

If I wanted to I could snap the joint.

Damn I love a good arm-bar.

He squirms and squeals for a couple of minutes as I continue to apply pressure until the teacher eventually tells me to knock it off.

I let go and he frowns at me. He doesn’t approve, but there isn’t uch he can do. My move wasn’t against the rules or anything.

He looks at me for a long moment eyes narrowing at my unconcealed expression of pride, and a hint of smugness.

I can see he wants to wipe the look off my face, “zha jasti tsa jej atatchan teeya dzhalakat.”

I grin, “Of course I am too skillful for children. Surprised it took you so long to see that.”

He does the drev equivalent of a frown. I know he can understand most of what I am saying, unlike others, but I think it still annoys him when I speak English.

Tough luck bro, my mouth goes way faster than my brain, its one of my worst qualities. If it didn’t I’d speak Drev More, but for now it was going to take practice.

“Ene tsa ditan atatchan juhkee tsa tehish zheengat s dzhal.”

Well shit.

His if you are so skillful than you can fight with the adults was not an encouraging statement.

I honestly hadn’t meant that to come out as dickish as it did, but now I was definitely already regretting my decision to be a smug bitch.

Guess that is what karma does to you.

I see Hijan at a distance, watching as I am dragged over to the next training field. The Drevlings follow at a distance chirping to themselves excited to see me get my ass beat.

We come up over the rise just as one of the training circle is in session.

Two Drev go at each other with spears so hard sparks are flying. Their feet cut tears in the moss as they push each other across the stone. As we come up one of them is hit in the head so hard they are knocked completely out of the circle.

“Dazhit.” I mutter

Our teacher and their teacher stop to speak at each other. I can see them staring at me pointing and speaking quietly with each other.

The older class adjusts themselves and looks on in great interest.

I don’t know these guys well, but I am pretty sure I am about to know the butt of their spears pretty well.

I sigh and shoulder my own spear, which…. Is significantly shorter than everyone else’s.

I’m not self-conscious.

“Tanana daeen hajish.”

I walk over as ordered my spear still over one shoulder.

“Tsak nantan tarik.” Your new teacher

I lower my head, “Tarik”

She seems amused and motions towards the circle, “Tanana ts adon. Zha nin tsa tehish darat zhegingi jastat.” get in the circle, I want to see what you can do.

Oh, great.

I do as told stepping into the circle as she calls one of her students forward. She’s a light colored Drev, the color of cream/orange rose petals. I am pretty sure the Drev would consider her pretty…. Did I mention that she’s at least two feet taller than me?

Well she is.

She rams her spear butt into the dirt, and I swallow hard.

The Tarik waves a hand and we begin to circle.

I hold my spear like they taught me, though I am much better at hand-to-hand combat. We test each other for a minute moving forward and back, watching each other’s guard. Of course, she strikes first though.

I dodge out of the way quickly, expecting to come in and wrap her across the back of the knees, but she spends around and blocks me at the last moment. We connect together so hard that my hands go almost immediately numb.

She brings the butt of her spear around, and I am just barely able to duck under it. She comes at me again, and I step back as the spearhead slices past my chest.

My eyes go wide as I stare at my almost evisceration.

I barely look up in time to block her fro the side.

The hit makes my bones hurt.

I flick my spear up trying to catch her in the face, but she knocks me away with impunity.

She has me backed against the edge of the circle.

She doesn’t expect me to make it out. Too bad I have seen way more action movies than she has. As she cuts over me, I slide under the cu on my knees skidding over the rock and past her into the center of the circle.

She turns to find me and barley blocks my strike.

I’m doing pretty good.

This isn’t so bad.

That’s when the kid gloves come off, and she strikes me so hard and fast I can barely raise my spear to block her. A vicious second later she comes in with the killing blow, or the crippling one.

Did you know you can knock someone out by hitting them hard enough in the liver?

Yeah I didn’t know that either, apparently the body sense major trauma and is just like nah fam I am not about that life. The vagus nerve gets activated too.

So there I am lying on the moss and the dirt curled up in a ball trying not to vomit or pass out.

I can hear that little gremlin Naktan laughing in the background.

God I hate him.

And I am in SOOO much pain. I am pretty sure my liver has been ruptured pretty sure I am going to die right here on the face of the planet.

I groan, “Hijan… help…. hijan .”

Yeah yeah practically crying for my mother like a wuss. I know no need to point it out

But guys, I am dying. Or at least I am pretty sure I am.

Luckily for me she shows up and eventually the others leave. I can feel her running a hand through my hair, which would be nice if I wasn’t pretty sure I was dying

Turns out though, I wasn’t dying, I am just pathetic

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cicici03 · 4 years

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Just Listen- Chapter 3

2:45 p.m.

Trevante was waiting for the kids in the carpool line, which they did not get out of school until 3:30. With this day being horrible due to the fact of the argument with Cierra this morning. Tre has just been thinking about what happen to his relationship with his wife. He thought of all the possibilities.

Did it start after the Golden Globes? When she felt pressure to go to the Globes because of Tre wanting his wife there? Or when that crazy extra from Tre’s movie was stalking them both?

As he was wrapping his head around his thoughts, his phone started to ring. He picked it up out of the cup holder seeing it was his Momma. With this day, seeing his momma calling him made him smile.

“Hey Momma.”

“Hey Trevante, how you are doing my love.”

Tre sighed, “I am doing okay momma. How about you?”

“Well I’m not doing okay because my baby sound like he is tired, drained, and upset.”

With his mom reading him like a book, Tre just started bawling. Taken aback from her son outburst, Momma T said “Baby it’s okay. Let it out. It is better to let out than in.”

“Momma I just don’t understand! We were happy. Everything was perfect and now it is like we hate each other so much. Momma literally, we argue everyday and Jakob and Mia know that we are. Mia even suggest we get a divorce this morning!” shouted Tre spilling out tears of anger and sadness.

It hurt Momma T seeing her son like this. It even hurt worst because she knew Cierra felt the same way because Cierra called her today around noon. “Well baby, you know the happiness of that relationship. Fight for it! I know it just seem like you need to sit. Well baby that is what the devil wants you to do. Jesus always come right on time! Believe it!” exclaimed Momma T in the security line.

“What yall people looking at. You see that I am trying give my son the word. Now thank you for listening and turn your damn heads the other way.” Momma T said while pointing the phone at the people around her.

Trevante laughed at his momma. He finally got something that he needs all day: peace. He was going to fight till every fiber in his body was gone for his marriage. However, he knew it had to be a two-way street.

“Momma thank you, you almost done with TSA?” Tre questioned while starting up the car due to it almost being time for the kids to come out of the school. “Yes baby, I just got out!” said quickly by Momma T.

“Tina! Tina!” Tre heard a voice that sound of all too familiar. “Hey Tre, I see Cierra’s family right at the same gate. Hey girl.” Momma T said distort because she was hugging all of Cierra’s family.

“Hey Tre, I can’t not wait to see everybody. Cannot wait to see my beautiful grandkids. Also, why haven’t my daughter been calling me? I hope that means you knocking her up with one more grandchild.” A sweet, deep country voice of Cierra’s mom, Lisa, said while speaking into the phone.

“Well we can not wait to see you too Momma Lisa. Is everybody coming this year?” Tre said while looking for the kids.

“You already know it! About 50 of our family members are coming! I know the Rhodes family is definitely going to show out.” Lisa said while sitting down by her husband Mark.

“Yes ma’am! Cierra and I are happy to be hosting the Rhodes- Mitchells Family Reunion.” Tre stated with happiness knowing that their family gone be here for the next week. One thing Tre knows is that Cierra will make sure we look truly happy so nobody in the family knows.

Finally spotting the kids and honking them down, he stated “Momma Lisa I finally see the kids. So, I talk to y’all when you get home tonight.”

“Okay baby, I cannot wait to see y’all too!” exclaimed Momma Lisa ending the call. Just as she ended it, the kids open the door. With Amya and Jakob sitting in the back and Mia sitting in the front, the dark cloud this morning seems to have been lift off.

“How were my babies first day of school!” Tre asked excitedly looking at his children. Jakob and Mia gave him a mean mug for calling them babies. However, Amaya had the brightest smile on her face.

“Daddy it was amazing! I got to do art, talk to my friends, which one of them got a bad suntan and looks a mess. Also, Daddy you know Mia got a boyfriend. He is not that cut-!” before Mia could finish, Mia threw a piece a paper at her. Jakob was dying laughing, throwing his hands all over the place.

“Can you shut up you little brat! You need to just mind your business. Oops, I forgot you do not have none. Dad can you please not tell momma,” exclaimed Mia while looking at her phone then her dad.

Tre looked at his oldest child and daughter, Mia, she acts just like Cierra even though they both say they do not. “First of all, don’t talk to your sister like that because that is your family,” Tre said with a sterned voice looking towards the road, “Second, my baby should not be having no boo thang. She should be keeping that head in those books. You know next year, you and Jakob going to be in high school.” Before Mia could even speak, Jakob cut her off.

“Dad, you don’t have to worried about me. Cause this man have all his shit together,” shouted Jakob while cutting off Mia.

As Tre stopped at the red light, both him and the girls look at him crazy.

“Oops, sorry for the cuss word,” he said with a small smirk turning his head out the window, so he did not see their stares. As Tre turn around to go through the light, his phone started to ring.

“Mia, can you see who it is?” Tre stated while trying to get over in the other lane. Mia looked at the phone seeing, Babygirl, a picture of her mom and dad kissing at there wedding. She looked at her dad, him being oblivious to it, and saw that he was drained.

Her mom and dad never fought like they have fought like they have these pass few months in her 13 years of life. “It is momma, dad,” she quietly said to her dad. Even though she thought she said it quite enough, so Jakob did not hear it, he heard it. Tre looked at his son in the mirror and saw the just so happy kid turn sad.

As Mia handed the phone, Tre did not know what mood Cierra could be in. “Hello,” Tre quietly stated. “Tre I just have one question. Why is my whole family and yours is coming to LA today.” Cierra said calmly while heading home with Angelo, who was coaching her on bringing on the topic.

“Cierra this was plans months of go. Remember, when you went on that trip on my birthday. ,” Tre rigidly said to Cierra, bringing up memerioes of that day. Cierra held her tongue back and roll her eyes because Tre didn’t have to bring it up.

“Okay Tre, am I on speakerphone.” Cierra stated while driving with Angelo giving her thumbs up for not saying something smart.

“Yes Cierra.”

“Okay, I need to talk to everyone about something. I know this morning was very upsetting for everybody at home. I would like to first apologize to Jakob. Baby, I’m sorry, your cousing Angelo really made me upset because he almost broke a deal.” Cierra explained to the kids and Tre without telling the true reason she was upset.

“ I am not proud that I ignored you baby. I love you baby and your sisters. Sometimes momma makes a mistake and she made a big one!” Cierra cried with tears in her eyes and the mascara was not waterproof. Angelo even had to take the wheel because she let the wheel go.

The kids and Tre were very surprise. If you knew Cierra, she does not apologize for nothing even when she knows it is her fought. Just as Tre pulled through the gates of the community, Jakob stated “Momma I know that you didn’t mean it. Plus, I kind of need you to apologize to you too.”

“Baby there is nothing to apologize for.” Cierra said while pulling into the gated community as well.

“Well momma I really need to apologize for this.” Jakob nervously said. As Tre pulled into the driveway, he decided to keep the car running to see what Jakob about to say. On the other hand, Mia knew exactly what he about to say.

“Then what is it baby.” Cierra stated following this slow car. Also, Angelo knew exactly what he was about to say. If this boy tells Cierra, his ass is going be heading on home to Jesus Angelo thoughted.

“Well…. you know that plate the Obama’s gave you at their house.” Jakoob stammered while not looking at the eyes that were staring at him. Tre knew this was about to be WW3 up in the Rhode’s household.

“Yes, I do.” Cierra silently whisper with curiosity in her voice. Well let me go on and plan this boy Homecoming service because his butt is gone Mia thoughted.

Just as Cierra was pulling in the driveway by Tre’s car, Jakob shouted “Momma I broke it! It was an accident. I was joking around with my friends on the phone when washing the dishes. Then all sudden, it walks out of my hand and just fell to the floor. Momma I really don’t know why it would jump.”

“Ah shit.” Tre sighed under his breath knowing that he about to meet his maker.

Tre, Mia, and Amaya look out left and saw Cierra’s Mercedes Benz. Everybody was waiting for Cierra to speak.

Angelo on the under hand was looking at Cierra and he knew that look. Angelo rolled down his window and look dead at Tre.

“You probably want to tell your son that he is about to meet his maker.” Angelo mouthed to everyone in the car. While Jakob was looking out the other side of the window waiting for his momma to answer.

“ You probably wants to run to your room Ja Ja.” Amya whispered to her brother. If Amaya knew that he should run, he should run. Jakob look out the window everybody was looking out of and he saw his momma looking right at him.

Jakob yank the door open and ran through the back gate. However, his momma was right not so far behind him.

“ Oh lord, mommy is going to kill him.” Amya shouted.

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

Why was Cierra calling Momma T ? Was Tre trying Cierra when bringing up the trip? The most important question: IS JAKOB GOING TO MEET HIS MAKER TODAY?

This was just a little chapter because baby some details are going to be spill tea every where in the next chapter!!!!!!!!!

Taglist: @l-auteuse @munteanhore @twistedcharismaaa @19jammmy @ljstraightnochaser

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stone-man-warrior · 3 years

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February 2, 2021: 12:48 pm:

=====================================================

https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1356683815176003587

“... this is not the time to come to the United States, we need the time to put in place an immigration process (inaudible mumbling) people can be treated humanely”

The thing is, USA was founded on immigration, nearly 250 years ago.

The Biden Administration says USA has not figured out how to do humane immigration yet.

I suppose there is still some time to figure out how to do humane immigration. Maybe they will get started on that soon. Psaki does not say that any policy making will be done, what she said was, they need more time. The message is that there is no time, I was wrong with initial statement about supposing there was some time.

By deduction, according to the Biden administration, the past two-hundred-fifty years or so, has all been inhumane migration policy and process, the foundation on which USA was born.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF3yN8Cj_rE

youtube

Biden says he wants to buy a vowel.

(V = B)

Vanna White and Pat Say Jack are selling ampersands on a competing syndicated game show.

==================

1:33 pm:

If you studied this account, then you can easily read that episode of Beat the Clock.

It’s guest, contestants, stupid human tricks, host, studio audience, advertised product prizes and announcer, wardrobe... the whole thing, contains a language that spells out instructions to use rectally holstered nitrous oxide gas as weapon, to “clean the country”, while capturing the children at “the mouse hole”, Disneyland. It further spells out that those who try to use a typewriter to contact a big brother (police) are to be killed. There are instructions to use Thompson Machine guns and baseball bats for rounding up victims into a bottleneck trap where they are killed.

That is only one episode, of only one game show.

Joe Biden wants to buy a vowel. He needs time, he says. 250 years was not enough to create a Home of the Brave, Land of the Free.

It’s the home of the Captive Ignorant, and land of the Week Cowards.

Home of the Tyrants, Land of the Dictators.

Home of the Dead, Land of the not quite Dead yet.

=======================================

1:57 pm:

Vowels = A; E; I; O; U; and sometimes Y.

Vowels = a; e; i; o; u; and sometimes y.

“AE, I O U.” is a complete sentence.

Arts & Entertainment, I owe you.

You could do a Cracker Jack Decoder Ring decode on it, see where it leads.

I don’t want to do that at the moment.

Gnosis is in here somewhere:

“I before E, except after C” is bullshit Gnosis, it was put into circulation to help keep people stupid, it never works, is a lie, part of the Russian Mother Hoax SDA nanny British Still training, was mainstreamed.

Biden wants to by a Vowel ...

Y is the one he is looking for.

A “splitter”. Has one input, binary output.

Backwards, it channels two inputs into a single, bottle-necked, output.

Biden is looking for “A Loaner”. (study this account to learn about the “Loaner Sword”)

The Psaki Tweet is about buying time, in a game show, so it’s a Vowel where V = B, a “Loaner Sword w/loaded Bowel”

(I’m on the Left today, poised to run the Jesus Gauntlet soon, I have no help, people will die, either I will be killed, or I will defend, and others will be killed when I begin to run the Jesus Gauntlet. There are no helpful people, I will be outnumbered by about 125,000:1. The Gauntlet includes a mandated bottleneck is part of the Jesus Gauntlet, specially designed, all worked out more than three months ago, is in place, I know it’s there, the Gauntlet makers at Biden HQ put it there, so they have the advantage of a highly controlled environment in the Bottleneck. I have the advantage once confined within it, that’s how I roll)

Biden buys a Vowel, on a loaner, at the Bottleneck.

“AE, I O U.”

That is out in the open.

The Y, is what is hidden.

I suggest nsa put their big boy pants on, the Y is not there for me, it’s there for nsa. - - -

2:11 pm:

nsa should learn everything there is to know about “Roll Reversal” acting technique. Soon.

The entire premise of contemporary terror scenario is based on Roll Reversal.

Extreme complication.

Example:

There is a stake out. nsa is watching activity at a location, trying figure out W T actual F is going on.

The terror bastards are connected to the nsa leadership, they know exactly where the stake out is happening, who the individuals are, what equipment they have, who and what the focus of the investigation is, and, they also know the names and address, personal contact information of the nsa extended family, and more. They had all of that information before the airplane they rode in, landed at the airport, because SAG is TSA, and also is ATC, and also is Port Authority, ATF, DHS, and FEMA.

That is how they know so much ahead of time.

The terror takes advantage of the stake out with use of Roll Reversal actor/terror/assassin special operatives.

So, while nsa has listening capability, SAG has better equipment.

SAG assassin will knock on the door where a subject of investigation lives. They are dressed in some kind of special attire, could be a Gumby costume, or a business suit, or any thing that is not just regular street clothes.

That person knocks at the door, knowing that nsa is listening, the door opens, and that is when Roll Reversal begins. The assassin at the door says: “Why are you wearing a Gumby costume?” to the person that opened the door, who is wearing some appropriate clothing for lounging at home.

That, and some more supportive dialogue is spoken by the one that knocked at the door wearing the Gumby costume. The one who lives there is being gassed with nitrous at the door at the same time, and no matter what that person says right then, all the nsa stakeout people are going to hear is an offensive statement, like “get the fuck out of my house you asshole!”.

There is enough confusion and time to kill the victim, who lives there, then take off the Gumby suit, and put it onto the dead victim, and in that five minutes of activity, the assassin becomes the victim, takes the place of the one who lives there, clothing is switched. The assassin is wearing comfortable lounging attire beneath the Gumby suit.

At the end of five minutes, there is a dead person wearing a Gumby suit, and a person who claims to live at that house wearing comfortable clothing that is expected to be worn by someone at home.

The stake out celebrates that the subject was able to defend against the Gumby.

The stake out members are killed at the celebration dinner, and awards ceremony they have for doing great detective work, by the real Gumby, Pokey, and the contents of many books where the Gumby crew picked up some friends, D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers show up at the police academy awards banquet, they bring Alice hidden inside of a decorative cake, at Wonderland, for takeover of their whole ship.

Don‘t forget that one of the first things Alice does, is she looks into a mirror. That, is planted symbolic Roll Reversal jargon that goes back a long way, so when I said contemporary terror scenarios, I mean the kind that began with invent of electronic broadcast and recording technology.

Look into a mirror and you see a reversed image of the self.

“Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the (insert the words of a marked victim here) of them all?”

The terror pirates become the marked victim before the victim is killed, and they do that intentionally while knowing the public safety people are watching them do it.

===

That is a simple Roll Reversal, a standard one, for simple targeted marks, it works when you consider that the entire stake out neighborhood is fogged with nitrous oxide/Medazolam gas mixture before the Gumby shows up at the victim/subject’s door, and Gumby’s crew has better, more advanced surveillance equipment than does the nsa stake out.

===============================

3:22 pm:

Do reversal on the reversal, put the pirate ship into the bottle:

You have to put the whole fleet of pirate ships into separate bottles:

Otherwise they use this kind of thing when they capture the nsa:

It’s not like it has not been going on for centuries, it’s that no one likes to think about it, that the Christians might not be all that great and innocent after all. It’s much easier to look at Muslim goat farmers who drive old Toyota trucks in the desert.

=====

3:41 pm:

“I before E except after C”

“Eye beef or Eeeee, accept aft, or sea”

♣ “Choose to take one for the team, or we toss you overboard, Laddy”

♦ “But why?”

It’s the vowel Biden is looking for. I’ve been playing this game my whole life, I am not taking one for the team, I am not going overboard.

Those are the rules.

The Y goes off into another direction also. Only they know what way it goes. It’s all prearranged. The Gauntlet is set, the actors have rehearsed their lines, done dress rehearsal many times, are prepared.

They have nitrous gas, medazolam gas, “Boutique airborne gasses”, ones that produce symptoms such as sea sickness symptoms, laxative symptoms, vertigo symptoms, long term exposure makes a rash, itching, blurry vision... many symptoms, they have advantage if knowing of presence of the gas, while either knowing and using wind speed and direction, or with a controlled environment where the air conditioning is directed in favor of optimum result and minimal risk to pirates.

If nsa has not done their own research with medazolam, that is a big mistake.

It’s not possible to remember what happened while exposed to medazolam gas. not even the murderous pirate can remember what they did when they kill in bulk.

The pirates took over the hospitals, they have access to all of the surgical grade anesthetic gasses, in bulk, and all obtained above board, not in the alley.

Truck loads of gasses. Freight train cars filled with anesthetic gasses, releasing as it goes along the tracks, with wind speed and direction used as a timing device, while on the way to the mill.

The propane truck you see, may not be filled with propane.

Five and ten gallon tanks fit into the trunk of a car, releasing along the freeway, on a Jesus Gauntlet, makes the car you are driving begin to suddenly accelerate because nitrous oxide is rocket fuel.

Pedestrian pirates hang around at places where dangerous curves and other difficult traffic conditions already exist. When the government leaders and news media Fauci fans, When “The Burk’s of the Hathaway in the Shire”, say “Flatten the Curve” they are saying “Flatulate at Dead Man‘s Curve”, there is one in every town. It means to do freeway fogging at the known dangerous traffic conditions.They also use the “Round-a-Bout” circular intersections to say the same thing in the Twitter news.

It makes people either crash, or pull over to see what is wrong with the car, or pull in to a service station COVID Take Test Center, or, it make a speeding ticket waiting to happen when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are stalking the victims from the Freeway median with RADAR gun.

I learned all of this the hard way, so you won‘t have to when I enplane and spell it all out, but no one will send any help, they still trying to figure out how to spell Ceiling, Receive, and Receipt.

There is a town called Ashland Oregon at I-5 Exit 19.

There, is the center of all things Shakespearean. They have a theater there that is dedicated to only Shakespeare plays. The place is famous for providing free broadband Optical Highspeed Internet to every inhabitant, Gnome Chompsky is the city’s unadvertised mascot, it’s the heart of everything “Democrat” in Oregon. Ashland is famous for Birkenstock Sandals worn with socks, where they are called “Jesus Sandals”. It’s OK to wear them in Ashland, with socks, but anywhere else, is a one way ticket to the Jesus Gauntlet.

Deborah Birkenstock's, with socks.

It’s a signature artifact that was left behind in real time, of the Twitter Time Warp terror, when the current Twitter feed time line, a time line that is more than ten years old, was first presented in Oregon as Beta Twitter, Donald Trump was president in Oregon in 2008, Joe Biden was already president, in 2008, when viewed from Oregon on Beta Twitter. Fauci, Burk, all of Corona Virus, those two Red Cross navy hospital boat stories, and most of what we see on twitter today, already took place in Oregon in 2008 and there about, at a time before the 2009 public national roll out of Twitter. They played the same time line from all of the networks as is presented now, on fast forward, at a rate of about ten years of Twitter time line presented within two years.

I was a Beta Twitter Verified Account holder at the time. They kicked me out when I used the platform to try to reach some help in a failed national security situation in Oregon that remains a failure today.

Nancy Sinatra, and Patricia Arquette were among the first to come to my home to find out why I was exposing truth on Beta Twitter.

Hillary Clinton was not far behind those two, and she wound up with a big hole in her tongue from a red hot poker heated with a Thermite welder by her thugs in my front yard. It all went sideways when they tried to poke me with it.

Birkenstock's with socks is a Ashland Oregon artifact left behind from that time.

I-5, Exit 19 Shakespeare Capital of Oregon, Ashland.

Teva Sandals are another of the “Jesus Sandals” where it marks a victim simply by wearing the sandals. Those are TV and Audio entertainment sponsored murder hit identifier tools, they go back a long way.

In Oregon, you need specific acceptable products. Some examples are simple ones... for watering your lawn or garden, you need a “Fan nozzle” for the hose, any other kind of nozzle is “Forbidden“, you will marked for takeout if seen using anything other than a “Fan nozzle”. Evert household is required to have a cleaning supplies container:

Has to be that kind, and the supplies in it are also specific.

It has to be stored under the kitchen sink, no where else is allowed.

There used to be people who came door to door to make sure everyone complied with “The Rules”.

You must keep a small plastic grocery shopping bag on the kitchen counter top for your trash, no kitchen trash cans allowed. Those door to door people were checking to see the contents of the trash in the bag.

They took away all of the kitchen sharp knives, only butter knives were allowed.

They took away peoples tools, anything sharp was taken by those people in around 1997-1998.

They came with Thompson machine guns to do the checking for what they called “Contraband”, which could be a steak knife, or the wrong nozzle for the garden hose, or the wrong place where the cleaning supplies are stored.

You need this kind of garden water can. Any other kind is “Forbidden“.

The families were instructed to simply be outside, to water the garden, when told to do so. Presumably that was done when national security investigated terror reports that were coming in, so, when they arrive, all they see is people enjoying a fine spring day, doing some gardening.

There are hundreds of specific items that people of Oregon were forced to have, and unlimited things that were “Forbidden“ and taken away by the Thompson brigade. Those people later became Pacific Power Corporation, and wound up taking over the entire Rocky Mountain Power Corporation.

I always defended when those people came to my house. My family was held in captivity as a result, they would have killed all of us, but I have useful skills that I was forced to perform design and technical drawings for them, some of that work is on Boeing airplanes in the cockpit instrument clusters, and signage throughout the airplanes.

I designed a lot of guitars and guitar parts for Dean Zelinsky, Zakk Wylde, and Eastwood Guitars while held captive at gunpoint, literally at gun point while doing design work.

“Do what we say, or we kill your children“

I already had seen hundreds of students killed at the schools, so I did what they asked me to do.

Much of the Walgreen‘s Pharmacy signage was created at my house while held captive. I created the Tesla Logo,

Those are some of the designs I was forced to create.

The Christian terror machine is way bigger than anyone will recognize. Public Safety personnel are always standing right on top of the thing they are looking for, always, right on top of Mt. Everest, they see a pebble on the ground, and begin investigating the pebble, when it’s the mountain they are standing on that is the source of the terror.

Don‘t let that Saudi Oil fool you, that is a rebranded British Petroleum product label.

Don‘t be fooled by the Huawei label, that is Hong Kong and Hollywood in bed with together, is not China. Hong Kong is Little London.

==========================================

5:52 pm:

My makeshift Blue-Tooth detection meter is pegged, is flatlined with solid and continuous tone, is loud. There are terror bastards communicating nearby wide open and continuous.

================

7:36 pm:

Those machine gun wielding terror soldiers who took over Boeing and became Pacific Power Corporation, who held me and my family captive and forced me to make graphic designs, technical drawings, and invent a whole bunch of products, had this in 1998:

Seagate FreeAgent Desk external hard drive. I think the one they had, in 1998, was three terabytes.

This one shown is 1.5 terabytes.

These were not publicly available until around 2008, ten years later, but that is the thing that I had to transfer the files to after creating the art. I was not allowed to keep any of the work I did, and they took the hard drive away with each machine gun visit.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Seagate-FreeAgent-Desk-Hard-drive-1-5-TB-external-desktop-3-5-USB-2-0-7200-rpm-silver/10575416?irgwc=1&sourceid=imp_Q%3Ay1QS3ikxyLU2QwUx0Mo36eUkEW0vXv20fW2g0&veh=aff&wmlspartner=imp_2003851&clickid=Q%3Ay1QS3ikxyLU2QwUx0Mo36eUkEW0vXv20fW2g0&sharedid=&affiliates_ad_id=566719&campaign_id=9383

The terror army is ten years ahead of everyone else with the technology they have, because they hijacked all of the major technology innovators, they hold back the emerging technology, especially to stay ten years ahead of global security agencies.The new tech is kept secret, used by the pirates. While US military is left behind with old tech, the terror bastards have tech advantage, they have stuff that no one outside of their club has seen before, and don’t even know that such tech exists. You have to keep in mind that US Military contracts the equipment needs they have to civilian technology innovators to develop what they need, so, when the hijacked companies are approached, they don‘t provide the latest whiz bang tech to the US Military, yet they go ahead and develop next level technology to keep for themselves.

nsa is ten years behind the enemy. Write that down with your Brother Typewriter, so you don‘t forget when the medazolam kicks in.

======================================

9:14 pm:

I took a walk to the mailbox, I did not go outside at all yesterday.

It’s 35 degrees and quiet.

There was a bright flash of light, as lightning looks, was on the ground about at where the I-5 freeway onramp 66 is at, where the ODOT Maintenance yard is about one and one half miles north east from here. There was There was a bright flash of light, as lightning looks, was on the ground about at where the I-5 freeway onramp 66 is at, where the ODOT Maintenance yard is about one and one half miles north east from here. There was no noise associated with the bright flash.

There is some familiar terror communication done with a rope light at the Offensive Monroe Surveillance Travel Trailer. The message is “Serpent”, or “Chinese Dragon“, or perhaps “Sea Serpent”. I suppose it could be a “Welsh Dragon”, if so, that could be a Shane Welsh signature, from SDA Green Jello terror cell. I thought he was dead, but could have healed from his wounds. Shane looks similar to Marylin Manson without makeup, and dresses in GQ sort of clothes, usually walks with a cane, but no limp. It’s all been done many times before, so, the same terrorist is there announcing a signature with a rope light arrangement as is there from time to time. There are many signature statements made by many terror soldiers or terror cells to remember, I know of a few identities, but hardly any names of the individuals who use items arranged a particular way to say who they are. All of the terrorists go to the same church, so they are all informed about signature terror cell statements made with ordinary objects. I know of one individual who leaves a empty wine bottle on a picnic table if a table is available, if no table, then a table will be arranged somehow, with the empty wine bottle on it, so others know that Rod was there, who has an accomplice he calls Norton.

Shane Welsh and his accomplice Zachary White are both experienced and highly skilled computer hackers who have written some of the bugs that are installed into the Google Gmail, and more. They specialize in tiny little computer bugs that are used in association to non computer related things that are done by the county courts terror cell. They also specialize in installing invisible key stroke recorders, where everything a person types is sent to Google or Centurylink, or others. Value Added Malware, is what they do.

It’s notable that at the very instant that I did a Bing search for the Seagate FreeAgent Desk Hard Drive, with Shane Welsh in mind, I received a text message from Pain Specialists of Southern Oregon. Part of the significance is with a collage class called “Help Desk”, where Shane and Zack both got their hacking training from twenty years ago, and, that FreeAgent disk is a Encryption specific disk called FreeAgent Desk. I know there does not seem to be much connection to anything, but they are pirates, and the thing is called “Sea Gate Desk“. Do math. Pain Specialists of Southern Oregon has been trying to kill me with each visit there for about six years, I have killed all of the fake doctors and staff in defense over that time frame, and now, there are no remaining original staff at the Pain Specialists. I keep trying to get national security to follow me there to see what happens, but no one will send any help. It’s more likely that the investigative people would trust the terror bastards that run the Pain Center of Southern Oregon, try to set up shop inside the place, and that is not going to work, they are walking into a den of lions that look like little mice. It’s a fools folly when it comes to US national security. Pain Specialists closes at 4:00 pm most days, yet the text came at 7:08 pm. The previous phone message they left was on a Sunday... it’s a “doctors office”, they are not famous for working on Sundays or “after hours” (after Owe’rs).The text came from the wrong phone number: 888-513-2443, it’s supposed to be: 541-779-5228. The whole place has changed to new management as of around September or October 2020 when Paul Leppert, the last remaining terror doctor there, was killed in defense, it’s documented on this account somewhere. Shane and Zack run with a heavy gal by the name of Katie, who I have seen wearing a nurse outfit at Pain Specialists of Southern Oregon. She is a murderous terror soldier the same as all of them are. All of the real doctors have been dead for twenty years, and now all of the replacement fake terror soldier doctors are all dead, but no one is interested in sending any help of the caliber that is required, US Military caliber is required for solving problems in Oregon, given that the entire population of the state has all been killed and replaced with Canadians.

Zachary White is presumed to have been killed in defense a few months ago along with Shane Welsh. I don‘t get a death certificate sent to me when I defend myself, so, I really have no way of knowing that a terrorist survived being run through with a sword, or loses a limb, or eye, or other body part while I was defending. Zach White should not be confused with Zakk Wylde, that is a different terror soldier. Zack White is about 45 years old, white, about 6′ 0″ tall, has short auburn or light brown hair, has a prominent mole on his cheek, is about 185 pounds, does not drive a car, rides a bicycle, last known address is the eastern most corner (nearest to the freeway of that corner) house at A St. and Beacon Dr., used to live near at the nearest house to the sewage treatment plant that is over by All Sports Park side of town. Zack is known for having “Partner” experimental surgery victims, the experiments that did not work, Zack has access to those kind of victims. They don‘t look like human beings anymore by the time Zachary White is given one of them. I have one of his old vehicles in my front yard, a Datsun Truck, 1985 I think. He dropped it off here about 17 years ago and it’s been parked here since.

There is a terror cell that uses two orange cones as their signature. I am pretty sure that they are from the house on Monument Drive, a single tax lot, with two houses on it, a log truck parks there, lots of junk in the front yard, is owned by one of the County Judges. Specifically the house directly across Monument is the one that uses two orange cones as a signature marker when they do take out work. That is about 1000 feet away from where that flash of light came from, best guess.

The mail contained more Carpenters Union mail. This one has the fake logo on it, is fake at least as far as a temporary arrangement to say a message. My read on it now is that the Carpenters Union in Los Angeles is in league with the Google/YouTube Logo BHM terror event I looked at yesterday. The contents of the envelope look authentic, but could be fake.

My electric bill is enormous, that came today also.

A advertisement from Gentle Dental was also in the mailbox: 541-299-9116 to scheduled a fast and painless extermination and cleaning.

There are new lighting conditions across Russell Road from Chapman’s, where a very bright red light was installed about three years ago, it’s one of many red lights that have been placed around the area. The red lights serve as camouflage for sniper red laser light at random times. The mark gets used to seeing the existence of a red light in the distance, it becomes a normal thing to see, then, they shut that off one day, and a sniper takes position there were the red light is known to be at, so, when the sniper’s laser is activated, there is nothing out of the ordinary if the mark happens to see the red light in the distance. The change in lighting there is a additional porch light, or other glow of a lightbulb in a place where usually there has been only the red light. So, over time, three additional white, incandescent looking bulbs have been placed there near that red light, to the left, from my view.

Around here, every tiny lightbulb is a communication tool, even if there are no microphone transmitters hidden in them. Even small solar garden lights say something simply by being there.

The telescope at Monroe’s that has been pointing at my gate from about fifty feet away has been turned about 15 degrees counter clockwise, is level, points at nothing specific, as I step through the gate, it’s pointing at me. Before, it was pointed at my gate lock. no one ever uses the telescope, it’s an expensive looking thing, is outside in all weather, gets turned on it’s tripod on occasion, rarely changes location.

I see no changes in the Monroe yard for about two weeks. Before that, many changes happening daily, and that Google assassin that I photographed had been there for a few months. The only noticeable change I can see in the dark is that rope light. Two nights ago, a wall mounted lantern was being used as communication to others from the Monroe Surveillance Trailer, where for the past three years or so, there has been someone stationed at the trailer waiting to take a shot at me as I walk by, or to come into my house as I am at the mailbox.

That trailer was put there by people I recognized as people who are scouts at the Walmart parking lot. A older white man in his sixties, white hair, big red late model Dual wheel crew cab pick up with 5th wheel towing capability. The trailer is a 5th wheel style, modern, with pop-outs, about 35 feet.

Two trash cans remain at the corner from Monday trash day, a small one from Freeberg, and a large one from Deitrick. Both are black, or dark grey, there is 20 feet between the two, the larger one is placed at a optimum shooting position, where there is illusion, and range considerations toward my driveway. Terror soldiers get inside of the trash cans to shoot at me from time to time.

That’s all for mail run.

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nagsale · 4 years

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10 Genius Packing Hacks Every Traveler Should Know

SO LONG, SUITCASE STRUGGLES!

Who doesn't hate packing? You roll, you fold, and you cram into corners—yet somehow, regardless of how hard you are trying, your stuff never seems to suit quite right. And once you do finally get your suitcase zipped (even if you had to take a seat on it), there's still that nagging fear that you simply forgot something essential. the great news is, we've rounded up the simplest space-saving tips from Reddit's OneBag community, a web forum "dedicated to the art of minimalist packing," to ease your woes. So read on, and erase your stress with these packing hacks!

1 Create a customized packing list

There's nothing worse than checking your bag and getting whacked with a fee because it's just a couple of pounds over the load limit. Luckily, one Reddit user has found an answer with LighterPack, a free website that helps you visualize your packing list. Here's how it works: You enter each item's weight and quantity (organized by category) and it creates a graph that shows you exactly what's weighing you down. you'll even convert from pounds to kilograms in one click, which is convenient when you're traveling on international airlines. Other Reddit users commented that it is also an enormous help when packing gear for an extended hiking trip.

2 suit your toiletries in creative containers

Just because your favorite hair product or toothpaste comes during a certain container doesn't suggest it's to remain there. believe it. If you are going away for one week, does one need three months' worth of moisturizer? the solution is not any. If one among your essential products takes up tons of space, get creative and see if you'll repurpose a smaller container (like an Altoid tin). as an example, Reddit user @joeyyacono's downsized his three-ounce pomade jar into an empty chapstick tube. Pro tip: you'll also buy a group of TSA-approved travel bottles, organized by color.

3 Wash your clothes with shampoo

If you are going on an extended trip (or one with many dirty, outdoor activities), there is no avoiding the very fact that you simply will get to do laundry. To avoid lugging around a bathtub of detergent, Reddit user @plaid-knight suggests substituting it with shampoo and multi-tasking by washing your clothes while you're within the shower. They also recommend investing in odor-resistant fabrics like merino wool: "My socks [and T-shirts] are merino wool and may be worn for days without smelling." Another genius tip? Bring lace undergarments, which may air dry within minutes.

4 Compress your stuff

A few objects seem impossible to compress: bulky backpacks or deuterium oxide bottles, for instance. However, there are some ingenious solutions. Reddit user @SeattleHikeBike swears by the Osprey Stuff Pack, which folds down into a small, pocket-sized bundle. He also writes, "Those super light shopping bags like ChicoBags are really handy." Pro tip: Collapsible water bottles—such as Vapur, Hydaway, or Nomader—are ultra-portable as they fold or flatten to suit in your bag.

5 Use a packing cube as a carry-on

You've organized your bag to the purpose where it's sort of a game of Tetris, with each item fit perfectly in its spot. But that lasts for an entire three seconds once you dig through it to seek out something you would like. Reddit user @gilmergirl wrote, "I've sometimes used a packing cube. Put all in-flight supplies in one cube, pull it out once I board, put it back once I land." If you do not have a packing cube, she writes that she also uses a Baggallini crossbody tote or a Timbuk2 messenger bag, "which stands up perfectly under an airline seat and keeps everything exactly where I put it." Another Reddit user, @SeattleHikeBike, adds that Tom Bihn makes an excellent packing cube bag also.

6 Bring a zippered pillowcase

You won't believe how versatile an easy pillowcase is often during your travels. Reddit user @laurensomm wrote, "It won't take much space, but if you bring along one while traveling, you'll pack your coat inside. Boom: Instant pillow." Another Reddit user added that it doubles as a laundry bag also. And if you've got a linen pillowcase, it could act as a tremendous towel alternative, too!

7 Arrange clothes by category

Sometimes packing smart is a smaller amount about conserving space and more about saving precious time. Packing cubes or other organizers can assist you quickly sort through your stuff—without leaving a messy mountain of garments on the ground. "They're my drawers once I travel," writes Reddit user @mug3n. "It's nice to tug a cube out and know, oh hey, this one only has tops, or this one only has socks/undies."

8 Wear a belt

It might appear to be an unnecessary item, but a belt is well worth the peace of mind. Reddit user @FrantaB writes, "Even though many of us can't stand it, I still use [a] hidden belt anywhere I travel." they could be a touch corny, but money belts are lightweight and may be worn on the plane, taking over no extra space in your luggage. Plus, you'll feel secure that your credit cards and documents are safe from pick-pockets.

9 wear comfortable walking shoes

As any road warrior will tell you, reliable footwear is more about function over fashion. Reddit user @ft_wanderer writes, "I have had amazing experiences with Crocs (I know… hear me out). they tend to form shoes that are incredibly lightweight and may look dressy. Nobody would ever suspect the brand." and do not forget to wear your clunkiest kicks on the plane rather than wasting space shoving them in your bag.

10 Leave items that you simply can find abroad

A few things are better-left reception. Consider the objects that your hotel may already provide: soap, hairdryers, towels, and so on. Reddit user @weekendedition wrote that rather than buying an upscale travel-sized beard trimmer, he prefers to travel to a barber, where there's "always chill people with great stories." Reddit user @mind_the_gap agrees, "This is one among my favorite things to try to once I travel… I'll draw a crowd at the barber when I'm on the road and talking about this trip or that one."

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justanothercinemaniac · 7 years

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Epic Movie (Re)Watch #196 - The Walk (2015)

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: Yes.

Was it a movie I saw since August 22nd, 2009: Yes, #382.

Format: Blu-ray

A note from the original poster:

September 11th, 2001 was a tragic event in not only American history but human history and its events still effect many. I decided to watch The Walk on September 11th because it takes something which primarily has sad memories around it (the World Trade Center) and focuses on a joyful memory instead. Philippe Petit accomplished a feat of pure joy and heart, changing what the towers were to people before they even opened. On a day like 9/11 I know I need to remember that there is good AND there is bad. The Walk is the film equivalent of a happy memory of a late loved one which is why I watch it on this day. I understand that there are those of you who just need to mourn on today and I respect that. The reason I am posting this recap today instead of tomorrow is because in case there is anyone out there like me - someone who needs a happy memory of something that ended in tragedy - they can read it today. I hope that makes sense. And to all those who are struggling with today and what it means to them, know that my thoughts are with you and that I hope you are getting through today as best as you can.

1) One of the very first things Philippe says becomes representative of the entire story.

Philippe: “I do not say this word, death…Instead I say the opposite word: life.”

This is a film about the World Trade Center, even if it’s not about 9/11. But as I mentioned in my note above it is joyful. It is not death it is life, something which permeates every scene and every decision Philippe makes. From the scene where he & Annie are playfully shaking the wire to simulate rough weather conditions, to him jumping around naked on the rooftop, all of it shows such intense LIFE and I think that is just wonderful.

2) The framing device of Philippe on top of the Statue of Liberty telling his story with New York in the background distracted me a little upon first viewing. But you quickly get used to it and I think the framing device works. Primarily because it allows the film to use Philippe’s voice at its strongest.

3) I’ve never fully understood the movie’s decision to start in black and white. The reds and blues are in color which is maybe because these are the colors which are strongest on the French and American flags? But then the color returns in Philippe’s visit to the dentist’s office and a part of me understands why (it’s here where he first learns about the Twin Towers). But also I feel that would’ve been more effective if they’d waited to bring color back into the film when Philippe actually SAW the towers as opposed to entering the dentist’s office. I just don’t fully understand it.

4) Joseph Gordon Levitt as Philippe Petit.

The majority of this film is carried on the character of Philippe and therefore the performance of whoever plays him. He narrates EVERYTHING. His voice is the voice of the film. The action is entirely motivated by his dreams, his actions. He IS the story really, meaning you had to have a strong actor play him. And Gordon-Levitt does absolutely amazingly in the part. Any sense of ego or self washes away because you don’t feel like you’re watching an actor give a performance. You feel like you’re watching Philippe. The actor is able to be incredibly optimistic, positive, occasionally stubborn/arrogant, funny, vulnerable, heartfelt, confident, and genuine in every one of these aspects. He balances the traits of Philippe perfectly which is important in a film about wire walking (see what I did there?). Balance is key. Overplay Philippe’s optimism, he’s naive. Overplay his arrogance, he’s a jerk. Overplay his humor, he’s a clown. But Gordon-Levitt doesn’t overplay any of it but balances it out absolutely perfectly.

5) According to IMDb:

Philippe Petit himself personally trained Joseph Gordon-Levitt how to walk on a tightrope. When the training started, Petit predicted that Gordon-Levitt would need no more than 8 days of training to be able to walk on a wire alone, which came true.

6) Charlotte Le Bon as Annie.

The fact that Annie is able to respect Philippe’s circle (something very important to him as performer) and his craft while also being incredibly mad at him shows an immediate understanding between the two. Le Bon is wonderfully genuine in the part, breathing similar life into Annie that Joseph Gordon Levitt breathes into Philippe. She’s wonderful, genuine, heartfelt, and feels real when the character could’ve easily devolved into a Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope. And her connection/chemistry with Gordon-Levitt is very honest. You are immediately invested in their relationship.

7) This is very telling of the way Philippe sees his art.

Philippe [about when he walks between the towers]: “My performance will not just be a show. It will be a coup.”

This could easily have come off as pretentious, like Philippe is just talking a big game. But through the writing and definitely through Gordon-Levitt’s performance the audience understands that this is honestly how Philippe sees it. He’s not just saying it to brag, to be a grand artist, he just knows that’s what he’s doing and that’s a lot of fun to watch.

8) Ben Kingsley as Papa Rudy.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ben Kingsley give a bad performance in a movie. Have I seen him in bad movies? For sure, the guy’s prolific. But I’ve never seen him bad IN a movie. He always fully embraces the part that makes it feel alive and Papa Rudy is no different. But the best part about Papa Rudy is the relationship that he and Philippe have. They bicker A LOT but you come to understand that this bickering comes form a place of concern and (dare I say it?) love for each other. It becomes a wonderful father/son relationship which is one of the most important in Philippe’s life and Kingsley’s portrayal helps the audience understand why.

9) Philippe’s anger at his first failure (falling into the lake, “which is more like a swamp.”) is a wonderful flaw that I really appreciate. Philippe is a very proud person and sometimes he lets this pride get in the way of his relationships with others. But more so it motivates him and he’s able to put that pride aside when it really matters.

10) The Notre Dame wire walk.

youtube

This brief but important scene is honestly a wonderful early appetizer of the hope and satisfaction which marks this film and Philippe’s character when he goes out on the wire during the film’s climax. It doesn’t reach that same level of amazing, but few things do. More on that later.

11) I keep bringing this up, but I love that Philippe is portrayed honestly. His flaws, his pride, even his occasional wavering from the task he has set himself upon. The panic upon actually seeing how freaking tall the Twin Towers are is a very honest reaction of someone who wants to do a high wire act up on those towers.

12) The respect that this film pays to the World Trade Center is very strong. We see them as Philippe sees them: beautiful and representative of the opportunity to do something great. They are not some dark shadow that casts over the rest of the film. They’re not sad. They’re amazing and they’re real. The filmmakers put such work into reconstructing the towers for the film that you don’t even think of it as a film set. It’s their way of remembering it and I think that’s just beautiful.

13) Be honest, we all have this friend. Heck, some of us ARE this friend.

Philippe [after Jean-Louis says he’s mad]: “Yes! You love me because I am mad!”

14) Honesty is the best policy, kids.

Philippe [after a TSA agent asks him what he needs all the wiring fire]: “I am going to hang a high wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center and walk on it.”

TSA Agent [after a beat]: “Ha! Good luck!”

15) Philippe’s spy work is a wonderfully lively montage which covers what might otherwise be a very boring part of the film. He’s basically collecting data but it’s so fun we forget that’s what he’s doing.

16) Steve Valentine as Barry.

I have been a fan of Steve Valentine’s ever since I was a kid and he was in “I’m in the Band” on Disney XD. He is a wonderful character actor who is honestly pretty criminally underused in Hollywood. If you just watched this you’d have no idea he is naturally English, that his American accent isn’t real. Valentine’s part might be small compared to some of the other cast members but he uses it well and is INCREDIBLY memorable. I freaking love this guy.

17) And this is the moment you fell in love with JP, Philippe’s newest accomplice.

JP [after Philippe tries to have a private conversation with the others in French and JP responds to it in French]: “Oh you guys thought you were the only ones who spoke French in New York City.”

18) Look, I really like Ben Schwartz. And he’s very good in this film. His character just doesn’t do much. He’s more of a bump in the road (and later pain in the ass) than a developed character. He’s good in the part though, I just always want more of Ben Schwartz.

19) The pre-coup jitters EVERYONE is having is very realistic, especially Philippe’s considering the fact he’s going to be the one on the freaking high wire 110 stories high. The way he refers to the crate with the wiring as a, “coffin,” is very telling. This entire night before is when Philippe is at his shakiest. Not at his most vulnerable though. That’s when he’s on the wire.

20) I’m always surprised by how quickly this movie gets to the day of the coup. Less than half way through and they’re already sneaking around the World Trade Center. I think that’s really smart and honestly organic. It doesn’t stretch the first act longer than it has to.

21) Philippe and Jeff waiting it out.

This is a nice and organic moment to slow down the pacing of the scene, the pair waiting for a guard to leave. I’ve mentioned this before, but Tension doesn’t come from speeding up the scene as much as it does slowing it down. Jeff’s particular fear of heights is very strong here, providing a moment of character analysis for Philippe even as that fear momentarily infects him. It’s just a very nice small moment.

22) So usually when I’m posting about a film I’ll recite the line, “A coincidence that gets the character into trouble is plot.” There are a lot of coincidences and little mistakes which up the conflict and tension of the movie, except here’s the thing: The Walk is based on a real life event with a very popular documentary about it. So the stuff with the nail in Philippe’s foot, the arrow missing its mark, etcetera, that all happened. That’s not an invention. It calls to mind an observation made by Mark Twain: “Truth is stranger than fiction.”

23) A part of me wishes I had seen this film in 3D, because knowing Robert Zemeckis he probably played with the idea of depth beautifully while they’re up on the World Trade Center. But 3D costs money and I was in college at the time (I still am as I write this too, I just decided to say it in past tense).

24) The Mysterious Visitor.

It’s 2017, do we have any idea who this guy was!? Some guy randomly shows up on the tower of the World Trade Center the same day Philippe is going to do his wire walk, says nothing, and leaves. I have two theories about this:

He was a jumper who stopped when he saw other people were up there.

He’s a time traveller from the distant future who wanted to witness Philippe set up his high wire, writing himself into history.

25) I haven’t talked about it yet, but Alan Silvestri’s score for this film is absolutely beautiful. It perfectly stirs the emotion of peace and hope in the film’s audience that Philippe has when he’s on that highwire. I think the main theme for this film is one of the most underrated in movie history because it gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. Here, have a listen.

26) The Walk.

A climax in a film is typically the moment of greatest tension, but for The Walk it is the moment of greatest euphoria. The moment of greatest joy. No film brings about such a total peace within me as this one does when Philippe takes his first steps onto the high wire accompanied by Alan Silvestri’s amazing score. The extended sequence of MULTIPLE wire walks works beautifully. Yes there are hiccups, there is conflict (a bird, the cops), but more than anything else the sequence conveys to the audience a feeling of one-hundred percent satisfaction and beautiful peace as Philippe is out on his high wire. I’ve seen this film multiple times but this scene always ALWAYS gives me goosebumps and gets me teary eyed. It is beautiful and inspiring and hopeful and just plain moving. I love it with all my heart in a way where I don’t love many films this way. I get such a fountain of euphoria bubbling up inside me and I just ride that wave until the closing credits. It’s amazing.

Philippe [after getting off his wire, to the cops]: “My name is Philippe Petit, I am a wire walker!”

27) There is a line earlier in the film from New Yorkers about how they hate the towers, how they look like giant filing cabinets. And to show you how effective a simple act of pure joy can do, I refer you to this line.

Barry: “They’re different because you walked up there. You know, every New Yorker I talk to now says they love these towers.”

28) There could not be a more perfect closing line to this film.

Philippe [about a visitor’s pass to the World Trade Center]: “And you know this pass I was given? Well, these passes they have a date on them, a date when they expire. But on my pass Mr. Tozzoli he crossed out the date and he wrote on it (small beat), “Forever.”

I have seen 507 different movies in theaters since August 22nd, 2009. I have only ever cried in the following movies (including moves before that day): Bridge to Terabithia, Room, The Imitation Game, and The Walk. I get teary in movies, sure, but the tears usually stay in my eyes. Not in The Walk though. This last line gets me every single time, even today when I watch it. And it goes back to what I wrote at the start of this recap: this movie is a joyful memory that is tied to a tragic event. It is impossible to ever talk about the World Trade Center without remembering all that was lost and all the pain of September 11th, 2001. But this film is able to respect that and still relate a tale of such sheer joy. This movie taught me that the most powerful emotion in the world is a joyful sadness. And I will always be grateful that it did.

The TL;DR version of this is basically note #28, but I’ll repeat why I love this movie anyways. The Walk is beautifully. Wonderfully acted with this incredible story about joy about something (the World Trade Center) that has become such a tragic thing in human history. It makes me cry every single time and it is absolutely one of my favorite movies ever. For those of you struggling with today who took the time to read this whole thing, I truly hope it helps. And for those of you struggling who just scrolled to the end: I hope today was as good as it can be and that tomorrow is better.

#The Walk #Philippe Petit #World Trade Center #Joseph Gordon Levitt #Robert Zemeckis #Epic Movie (Re)Watch #September 11 #Steve Valentine #Charlotte Le Bon #James Badge Dale #Ben Schwartz #Ben Kingsley #Movie #Film #GIF

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tsartistry · 1 day

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I've been rotating this fanfic idea in my head for weeks like a rotisserie chicken

#the trials of apollo #the kane chronicles #percy jackson and the olympians #lester papadopoulos #pjo apollo #apollo pjo #niobe #trials of apollo #fanfic idea #tsa does art sometimes

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tsaturdaymorning · 4 years

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#tsa watches mega man #mega man ep 1 #tsa does art sometimes #ruby spears dr wily #ruby spears dr light

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tripstations · 5 years

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Check your luggage or carry on? Readers have their say

(CNN) — Forget “Lord of the Flies.” If you want to see nature red in tooth and claw, lock a bunch of humans inside a pressurized tube for eight hours and see how quickly they divide into factions.

With check-in travelers on one side and carry-on devotees on the other, it’s a darn good thing weapons aren’t allowed in the airplane cabin.

We asked CNN Travel readers to tell us where they stand the on the great luggage debate, after two CNN staffers laid out the pros and cons.

Your answers were impassioned, thoughtful and informative. We had close to 500 responses, and they divided into three camps.

Check-in enthusiasts were the biggest group, at 37%, carry-on aficionados made up 33% of the feedback, and 30% of people said, “it depends on the trip.”

See what readers had to say below. (Responses have been edited for brevity).

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

Check-in fans love that they can glide hassle-free throughout the airport and say that it takes a lot of the stress out of traveling.

“I work for an airline and travel frequently. I try to pack light but always check in my bag, even if it is carry-on size, as I hate carrying luggage through security and the airport.” (Alketa).

Weight expectations

When traveling for long periods or to a cold climate, it’s difficult to squeeze all your goods into a carry-on. Also, plenty of travelers have special requirements — medical equipment, baby strollers, canes, you name it — and pared-down packing simply isn’t an option.

Then there’s the simple fact that some of us are bigger than others. “I am a pretty big guy and those rinky-dinky carry-ons just don’t cut the mustard for me.” (English on Delivery, Japan.)

Unfair policy

Many people have physical difficulties which simply prevent them from reaching up to put luggage in an overhead bin.

“Forcing the disabled, height-challenged and elderly to pay for a checked bag is discriminatory.” (Terry Schumann, Sylva, NC.)

“What to do when you’re a disabled person who must carry extras and/or replacement items in case something important is lost or broken? Two different airlines broke my rolling walker and I had to use a cane (tucked into checked luggage) until I found another. Airlines very, very often refuse to help.” (Austin, Texas.)

Liberate our legs

A common frustration of those who’ve checked in their bags is then being asked to put their carry-on bag under the seat in front in order to make room for carry-on passengers’ suitcases in the overhead bin. “Not only is this uncomfortable, but I’m potentially smashing anything in there with my feet,” Says Nick from Suburban Chicago.

Free the aisle

Our readers hate it when people block the aisle while loading or unpacking bags. “The overhead hassles (not to mention competition) are annoying at best and life-threatening at worst,” says Jim Steele, pointing out that it can hinder an emergency evacuation.

Check in and avoid the line

“I can afford to just wait out the boarding zone calls. I bide my time until all the overhead crammers are on, and finished (protecting my head from those people trying to catapult their carry ons above me).” (Lesley Peter, Yucatan, Mexico).

People love Southwest

Southwest Airlines is adored by some fliers for its check-in bag policies.

AFP/Getty Images/File

A lot of readers travel with checked luggage for free thanks to credit cards linked to airlines. There was also a huge amount of love for Southwest Airlines.

“I really wish that fewer airlines ripped people off with baggage charges, and more were like Southwest with their two free checked bags. If you’ve ever flown on Southwest you know that there’s plenty of overhead bin space and boarding goes faster even on a full flight because people can check a bag without paying through the nose.” (Dave Sturtz, Gold Hill, Colorado.)

Traveling for business

“In the past, carry-on was the smart business traveler move, but now EVERYONE has a carry on. Now you join the fight for overhead space, the hell that is the TSA check, and the dreaded wait in a unorganized line when they have gate-check.” (John Gibson, Omaha NE.)

Packing light and re-using clothing isn’t an option when you’re “trying to make an impression in a business environment. When your schedule is crammed, then you pack the same, leaving nothing for chance.” (Judith Ganes, Panama City, Panama.)

Gate check-in: The case for and against

“Any time I fly, I pack a carry-on. Once I reach the gate, the staff inevitably asks for volunteers to check their bags — for free (and I gratefully indulge).” (Jessalyn Goodman, Cincinnati, OH.)

“With low-cost airlines, there’s always a chance your carefully packed carry-on luggage gets thrown into check-in at the counter.” (Dr. Gopinath, Hyderabad, India.)

“The airlines have forced the current AWFUL situation. Most people know they can gate-check their carry-on for free, so now the gate area functions like the check-in counter used to, and the jetway is now like baggage claim. It’s crowded, slow, stupid, and just a terrible experience.” (Andrew, Madison, WI.)

Rhonda Howard from Chicago: “My vote is that everyone has to pay for their luggage… or no one does.” (Rhonda Howard, Chicago).

Checked luggage weight is important

“Pilots need to figure luggage weight into the weight and balance of the aircraft. Check your bags, give the pilots the data they need, keep a baggage handler employed, save your back, board with ease and slow down.” (Gina from Maryland, retired flight attendant.)

Keep calm and carry on

Sometimes checking those bags is the only option.

Getty/ Alexander Hassenstein / Staff

Show me the money

“I refuse to pay extra for something that was once free.” (Erika Orejola Orange, Ca.)

Save time

Carry-on aficionados love that they can arrive at the airport in extra-squeaky time and skip out quicker too. It can also make it easier to make a tight connection.

“E-tickets plus no check-in queues and no baggage claim let me shave at least an hour of airport experience each way. That’s worth every bit of inconvenience I have in needing to carefully fold my clothes.” (Stephen, UK).

Flexibility

“When flights are canceled/delayed, and you stand in line to be rebooked, they will often ask ‘Do you have checked baggage?’ If you are only holding a carry-on, they have more flexibility in re-routing your flights.” (Quin Wetzel, Cincinnati, OH.)

Derek from Florida got stuck in a bag-drop line for more than an hour and, having missed his flight, was put on standby. “I did not end up making it to my destination, as all flights were full. At least my checked bag had a nice visit to St. Louis, while I stood waiting standby at the airport.”

Board early

However, passengers said they had to board early — either by getting in line, buying priority boarding, or having airline status — if they were to be certain of getting their bags in the bin.

“The simple fact is that the higher your status on the airline the sooner you get on the plane. The low status/no status passengers will be checking their bags at the gate.” (Art, USA).

Take back control

While check-in fans love feeling liberated from their bags, carry-on devotees say they enjoy feeling in control of where they and their luggage are going and when. Smart packers had plenty of tips to offer, from ziplock bags to packing cubes to solid conditioner for hair.

“Wear your nicest outfit on the plane. In addition to saving a lot of space, you tend to get treated better.” (H. Green, Chicago, IL.)

Paring down

“With a checked bag I usually end up with clothes/shoes I never touch, and realize when unpacking that I really didn’t need them.” (Sandy Tello, Houston.)

“It’s easier to navigate once you arrive at your destination. As a 5’1 solo traveler it’s not feasible for me to drag a suitcase nearly as big as me around cobblestone streets, subways and buses.” (Heather Shank, Louisville, KY.)

Keep luggage lovely

“Luggage is so pretty when you first buy it. By the time it’s made one trip in a cargo hold, it floats down the little conveyor belt in a baggage claim with dents, black marks, scrapes, and broken locks.” (Allison, Houston, TX.)

Precious things

A lot of people — especially those with expensive camera equipment or vital medication — like to keep everything close by.

“Whatever indifference airlines have towards their passengers, multiply it for their luggage.” (Joshua Mellin, Chicago.)

“On the rare occasion I have checked a bag and been separated from it, it’s nice to know I won’t die in some strange place without clean underwear.” (Chip Brown).

Once bitten, twice shy

“After you have had luggage not show up (in some cases never getting it back) numerous times you just ensure you will have it at your destination by carrying it on.” (Gail).

The squeezed middle

Around a third of people who responded said that there were a range of factors affecting their decision to go check-in or carry-on: price, duration of trip, time of year, whether they were packing gifts and so on.

And the main thing everyone had in common? A call for consideration for one’s fellow passengers.

Obey the rules

“I am enraged at the size of carry-ons people bring onto planes.” (Charlotte, Fairfax, VA).

“I had an experience in which a guy broke the luggage bin trying to close the door on an oversized case. It cost over an hour of delay to repair the bin.” (Mark A. Butterworth, Muscatine, IA).

Don’t hog the bins

“Unfortunately, there are passengers who have seats near the back of the plane who like to stow their carry-ons closer to the front so they don’t have to deal with them in the narrow aisles. Common courtesy would dictate that everyone place their carry-on in the compartment over their seat.” (Jim from Germany.)

Charge for carry-ons?

“I think airlines should charge for carry-ons and make checked bags free, to streamline boarding and deplaning.” (Frank Perch, Philadelphia). Diane in

“I would vote for seat-assigned, strictly size limited overhead compartments which cost money to book.” (Ruech, Munich.)

“The challenge these days is knowing what airline allows what. Gone are the days when virtually every airline had the same rules.” (Ken McLeod, Ayrshire, Scotland.)

An alternative

“I send my baggage with Federal Express etc to my hotel and back in a sturdy aluminum case. That way you can take anything.” (Fran Gerber).

The post Check your luggage or carry on? Readers have their say appeared first on Tripstations.

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talbottomann-blog · 5 years

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Maria Ali: Artist Questionnaire

Jenifer Bryan

I wanted to do my Artist interview on Jenifer Bryan, a photographer who enjoys working with her hands, especially with historical processes. She currently resides in Texas, and has a BFA in Fine Arts Photographer, and Communication Design from Texas State University-San Marcos. She states that she has been crafting and working with her hands since she was little, as she spent majority of her childhood sewing, crocheting, and doing embroidery with her grandmother. She works with a wide range of creative mediums, including cyanotype, which inspired me to ahead and interview her.

A few of her works can be seen throughout the page. I hope her works inspire you as much as they’ve inspired me!

More can be seen at her website at: https://www.lucybluestudio.com

More photographs can be seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lucybluestudio/collections/72157644329812376

1. Why cyanotype? What inspired you to delve into the world of cyanotype, and how long have you been doing this? I understand it takes 3x the amount of time (taking the photo, editing and printing on pictorico, and finally letting it bathe in the sun), so why go through this tedious process? What about is different from traditional forms photography, do you think?

I didn't pick up a camera until 2003, which to you probably seems like a long time ago LOL but I was in my late 20s and decided to go back to college. My friend wanted me to take the school summer program in Italy with her and one of the credits was for photography so I figured I'd better learn.

The next semester after the trip, I took an Alternative Photography class. Back then, all it did was frustrate me even though it appealed to my need to get my hands dirty. Digital printing doesn't have the same satisfaction even though it can actually take just as much time to get right as any of the historical processes. It's just fiddly in a different way. I was actually majoring in Fine Art Photography and in Graphic Design and my design teachers were insanely picky about prints. I'd argue more than my photography teachers.

Anyway, after that class, I dabbled in cyanotypes at workshops or friends' events but didn't touch anything beyond digital for years. I'd argue that the historical processes are just as traditional as silver prints. They were the stepping stones after all. I think that with cell phones pretty much being cameras now and most images never becoming physical prints, that historical processes offer a lovely balance. I amuse myself when I turn a cell phone image into a cyanotype. Anyway, I ramble a bit but I think I answered that question :)

2. Cyanotype on fabric with embroidery is something I have been delving into recently. In fact, bought 7 new embroidery hoops, 100+ pack of floss, and am using an old bed sheet as fabric. What tips do you have for a newbie with little to no experience in embroidery? What type of fabrics do you personally use in your cyanotype, and through your experience, what works best? I notice you also use felt, have you ever considered incorporating that into your cyanotype works?

My biggest advice starting down the cyanotype/embroidery road is to use natural fabrics. Make sure that bedsheet is cotton. I would also probably spray or soak the chemicals as opposed to brushing. Fabric takes a lot.

As far as the embroidery, I looked up stitches on Pinterest at first. My aunt taught me to cross stitch when I was a kid and my grandmother taught me to sew. I had some basics already. Now I sometimes just wing it. My French knots still have issues if I'm not paying attention. Felt is so easy to play with. I always seem to straddle the line between art and craft. I was actually about to make a cyanotype embroidery with a felt backing as a banner.

3. I notice that you also have so many passions, including embroidery, cooking, jewelry making, and painting. You truly are multi-talented. What made you pick up photography, cyanotypes no less?

ADD. Seriously, I like to learn new things and I hate not being good at something so not mastering cyanotypes, vandykes, gums, tintypes, and the other techniques we learned in class bugged me. I think I answered why I picked up photography in the first section :) Cameras always intimidated me so I wouldn't touch them until I got talked into it. Italy is a great motivator. And for the longest time, I made every excuse I could to only shoot digitally. For some reason, I was already versed in Photoshop and I was convinced film was a pain in the butt. Now, I only shoot digitally when I travel because I have had too many rolls have issues after going through the security machines. TSA agents can get salty when you ask them to hand check your film.

My preference is to shoot with my 1950s Rolleiflex 3.5f. Once I got addicted to film I started noticing other people making prints that were obviously not just a typical print. I hate to say it but the Lomography website had me looking for alternatives to what everyone else was doing. Save me from people that think leaving dust on your negatives and printing it shows "authenticity." Ack.

At this point, I also started going back to Belize to help a friend work on her project. She was recreating the Mayan methods for making pottery. Whole other discussion but as I was helping her grind clay and pigments and going that far into a craft it made me look at my photography differently. I wanted to get into making images at that level. But I didn't start with cyanotypes again like I did in class. Someone posted a salted paper print somewhere and it had this dreamy quality I couldn't get out of my head. That is like chasing paper airplane in a wind storm LOL. So finicky. Even with the same negative, same paper, same chemicals, your prints sometimes just don't work. But wow, they look so wonderful. I wandered back into cyanotypes after needing a break from salt prints. I think salt prints made cyanotypes seem much easier. And at first that was the appeal. But the wonderful thing about cyanotypes is they are also more flexible.

I did salt prints on wood and other substrates, covered them in wax, played with them, but cyanotypes can be worked with wet. That blew my mind. Wet cyanotypes are an addiction of another kind. I've been waiting all winter and now through this rainy season to be able to do them again.

4. I absolutely love your cyanotype portraitures. Any tips on how to get my own photos to look like yours, with the right tonalities? What camera do you use to take your photos (film or digital)? If you use film, how do you develop your them? I have read that it’s important to under contrast your photos, are there any other tips to getting them just right?

I use a light meter with my film camera but once I get a reading or two I kind of just shoot. With my digital I can see what I'll be getting on my screen so I still shoot manually but I can adjust as a shoot easily. I send my film off to get developed. I have 3 dogs. I hate dust. Not a good thing for a home darkroom.

The historical printing can be done here easily but keeping dust off my negatives is too hard if I do the developing, too. I do scan my film negatives myself but photoshop all the dust out. I'm sure some people would be annoyed at my workflow but in the end, the image is all that matters. Everything is just a tool. I mix and match digital and analog to suit my needs. What is "just right" changes. I do what I like and don't worry much about anyone else. But I never stop looking at how to push myself further and learn something new.

5. Do you think from cyanotypes, you could possibly delve into other forms of alternative processes? Are you open to the idea of branching off into, say, photograms or photogenic drawings?

Technically, a cyanotype is a photogram ;) I've done lumens, salt prints, transfers, wet plate, and liquid light. I need to try gums again. I remember those being particularly difficult for me.

I'll always be trying something new but cyanotypes will always appeal to me. They are so simple, which is why most people start there with alternative processes. But they can also do so much. They are truly only limited by your imagination.

I've dumped almost everything from my pantry onto my prints to add color or tone them. I've layered negatives and found objects, done multiple exposures, manipulated the shape of the chemical application to become part of the image. These aren't original things. I'm in several active groups that encourage sharing and trying each others' techniques. One person does one thing and another takes it and transforms that into something new and the next person takes it further. It's fun to watch and participate in. It's a great substitute for the classroom.

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tachyonpub · 5 years

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Tachyon tidbits featuring Peter Watts, Peter S. Beagle, Jacob Weisman, Jo Walton, and Jeff VanderMeer

The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web.

Peter Watts, Jacob Wesiman & Peter S. Beagle (photo: Jill Roberts), Jo Walton (Ada Palmer), and Jeff VanderMeer (Kyle Cassidy)

Lela E. Buis, on their eponymous site, praises Peter Watts’ THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION.

So, this is pretty brilliant. I see the book advertised as hard SF, and it does have that feel. In the acknowledgements, Watts notes that anything this far in the future is basically “handwavium,” but that he made serious efforts at research to make it sound like it was real science. He’s made that rare effort, real projection of what humanity might be up to millions of years into the future, and actually managed to produce the traditionalist’s sense of wonder about the vastness of Spacetime. The characters and setting here are well-developed, and the plot has a lot of depth. Item of note, Eri is an Africa group of the Igbo people, and their founder was supposed to come to earth in a spacecraft to teach civilization to the people.

Five stars.

Erika Franz, on her eponymous site, delivers a critique and analysis of Peter S. Beagle and Jacob Weisman’s World Fantasy Award winning THE NEW VOICES OF FANTASY.

All of this brings me to Weisman and Beagle’s respective introductions. Weisman’s comes first. He writes that all of the works in the collection are published after 2010 and reveals that Beagle’s last anthology, THE SECRET HISTORY OF FANTASY, published in 2010, “explored the merging of genre fantasy and so called mainstream markets into a new form of literary fantasy. This anthology constitutes something of a sequel, leaping ahead to examine the work of a brand-new generation of writers working along similar lines.” It is, and I am paraphrasing loosely here, unabashed signal boosting of a new cadre of writers, most of them racking up awards as the collection was being compiled.

In all of this, I am leaving out Carmen Maria Machado’s “The Husband Stitch,” playing on campfire tales and tellings of casual horror between men and women; Brooke Bolander’s lovelorn tornado seeking to impress and love a human woman who’s struggles to be normal and fit in only leave her disappointed; Max Galdstone’s modern Dracula story, an oddly charming Dracula story—as opposed to a charming Dracula, thank God; and Amal El-Mohtar’s mysterious, mystical story of love as it is when written out for us; plus so many more.

In the end, I appreciate this new fantasy a great deal—I even write it sometimes. It is made up of different cultural norms that are still real even if I am a stranger to them. It is queer. It’s peopled with women. It is told by individuals with names I have known how to pronounce since preschool and ones I suspect get flagged unjustly by TSA for extra harassment when flying. It is interesting and different and exciting, whether it is being published in “literary” lit mags or “genre” lit mags. I’m here for it.

Voice actor C.S.E. Cooney relates their excitement about being asked to co-narrate the audiobook version of Jo Walton’s STARLINGS.

In fact I might have said, very solemnly, that it would be my honor, and that Jo Walton is one of the scions of our genre.

Yes, I said “scion” to the casting director. I don’t know what came over me. JO WALTON!

So, come the end of December 2018–the 26th to be exact–I commuted my usual three hours to the studio in Old Saybrook, and spent three intensely delicious days mouth-deep in Walton’s prose.

One of my favorite things about STARLINGS is that it is less like your typical single-author short story collection and more like a writer’s workshop–tool box, wood shavings, concept art and all–spread out in front of you for your pleasure and perusal. Structure experiments, POV experiments, form poetry, a play, short stories that were more like extended jokes, short stories that might have been the seeds of novels, and some stories that cut so deep they are with me still.

I felt like the collection was an act of generosity on the author’s part, as if Walton were telling us: “Here are some things I made. Here’s a bit about how I made them. Hey, isn’t this poem fun? And yes, Cooney, I’m afraid you DO have to narrate a 90 minute play with GREAT DOZENS of mythic characters ALL by yourself, just as if you were Mel Blanc in a Looney Toons cartoon–have FUN!”

Okay, maybe she didn’t say that last bit. Maybe that was more what my brain said to me. Maybe a little TOO gleefully, truth be told.

The National Book Foundation announced that Jeff VanderMeer is one of the judges for their 2019 award.

On March 13, the National Book Foundation announced the opening of submissions for the 70th National Book Awards. The Foundation also announces its 25 judges for this year’s Awards, in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Young People’s Literature, and Translated Literature, a category added in 2018, to be awarded for the second time in 2019.

“Serving on the judging panels for the National Book Awards is no small undertaking, and one that must be approached with the utmost care and enthusiasm,” said David Steinberger, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Book Foundation. “We have full confidence that these 25 exceptional readers all bring the necessary expertise and acuity to a tradition of excellence as the National Book Awards enters its 70th year.”

This year’s judges include writers, booksellers, academics, editors, critics, and translators from across the country. Panelists include National Book Awards Finalists and Longlisted authors; a winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence; recipients of Guggenheim Fellowships, a Windham-Campbell Prize, a Whiting Award, a Michael A. Printz Award, and a National Magazine Award; directors of literary organizations; professors, bookstore owners, and librarians.

<snip>

Fiction panel: Dorothy Allison, Ruth Dickey, Javier Ramirez, Danzy Senna (Chair), Jeff VanderMeer

For more info on THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

For more info about THE NEW VOICES OF FANTASY, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover art by Camille André

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

For more info on STARLINGS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

#peter watts #jacob weisman #peter s beagle #jo walton #jeff vandermeer #lela e buis #the freeze frame revolution #review #erika franza #the new voices of fantasy #c s e cooney #starlings #national book award #national book foundation

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noordinarytravel · 5 years

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13 Ways to Cut Travel Costs

2019 is upon us and I see a lot of social media posts about traveling more in 2019. I also see a lot of posts about paying off debt and saving more money. You may think traveling more and saving money are mutually exclusive but, in reality, it doesn’t have to be that way.

If you haven’t traveled much before or if you are new to travel altogether, there are some cost cutting strategies that have helped me and my clients achieve the goal of more travel. With the money you save, you can either travel more or you can travel better. The choice is yours.

Use a Travel Agent

Yes, I said use a travel agent. The great thing about using a travel agent or consultant is that they have access to suppliers that don’t work with the general public. They can help find you great deals, especially packages, that have perks that add more value to your travel dollars. They can also identify the best times to travel to spare you unnecessary spending as well as nerve wracking crowds.

If you have special needs, they can help make sure you have suitable accommodations or even special needs equipment ensuring you have the best travel experience possible. There’s nothing worse than traveling to some fabulous destination and then finding out there are some things that will keep you from truly enjoying your vacation.

Be Flexible

When I say be flexible I don’t mean that you should compromise your standards or settle for something that will not make you happy. What I mean is traveling on a different day, taking a red-eye flight, or staying a few miles from your intended destination could save you a ton of money.

Stay a few miles from your destination and use public transportation to get to your target to save on hotel expenses. We utilize this strategy quite a bit and, not only do we save a lot of money (sometimes a few hundred dollars!), but we also get to know unknown neighborhoods and towns that we ended up loving.

Travel Off Season

Traveling during peak season when everyone else is traveling is one sure way to spend more than you really need to. Prices are driven up due to supply and demand: everyone else is competing for the same flights and hotels as you. Sometimes moving your travel plans just a couple of weeks is enough to save big time.

For the Caribbean, consider the early part of the year since summer is full of family travelers when the kiddos are out of school. For Iceland, consider traveling outside of the Northern Lights Season. For NYC, don’t go during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Consider when it is busiest for your intended destination and then go at another time of the year. You will potentially save yourself a ton of money.

Prioritize

Unless you have an infinite amount of time at your intended destination, I recommend prioritizing tours and attractions. Make the most of your travel dollars by seeing the things that drew you to the destination to begin with. You may have ten attractions and tours on your list but realistically only have time for six of them. See the things that matter most to you and you will ensure you the best time possible and you won’t walk away feeling disappointed because you missed something you really wanted to see.

Check Out Unknown Destinations

This one ties into being flexible. When we went to Greece, our intended destination was Athens however we did not stay in Athens. Instead, we stayed in Alimos which is less than 10 miles from Athens and were able to secure a fabulous 3 bedroom/2 bath condo across from the beach for $200 per night. It was walking distance to the beach, stores, and several restaurants and all it took was a quick Uber to get to the ancient monuments we wanted to see.

Yes, we spent an extra $30 - $50 for Uber on the days we wanted to go Athens but we easily saved $100+ per night in accommodations. We prioritized and grouped attractions and tours so that we could do multiple in one day and limit the number of Uber rides we needed. In addition, we were able to spend some time on some beautiful beaches that were otherwise not on our radar.

Vacation Rentals

This one goes back to a previous article I wrote about how to decide between hotels and vacation rentals (i.e. Airbnb) for your next trip. My first consideration is the price of a hotel vs the price of a vacation rental. If you are traveling with your family or with a group, the price of a vacation rental with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms may very well be less expensive that getting multiple hotel rooms.

Upside to a vacation rental? Shared living space means you get more quality time together. Downside? You miss out on daily housekeeping, benefit of the hotel concierge, and the 1-to-1 ratio of bedrooms to bathrooms. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing a bathroom with members of your group, this is likely not the best option for you.

Use Public Transportation

This is a no brainer but still worth mentioning. Using available buses and trains is absolutely less expensive that using cabs or Uber. A multi day Hop-On-Hop-Off bus is also an alternative plus you oftentimes get a narrated tour of the city. It will take some research on your part to determine the stops and stations you need but the cost savings can be significant, especially if you are traveling alone or as a couple when you have less opportunity to defray the costs.

Watch for Deals

Two words: flash sale. If you are not airline loyal, flash sales will save you a bunch of money. If you aren’t familiar with flash sales, they are sales that come up quickly and with a short lifespan. There are limited number of seats for the flash sale so you have to act fast.

A couple of years ago we went to Ireland, Italy, and Greece and we took advantage of round trip airfare to Dublin for $450 per person. Yes they were economy seats but we then upgraded to premium economy so that we had a few more creature comforts for the long flight. It was absolutely worth the quick action on our parts. The downside is that flash sales don’t pop up for all destinations or for all departure cities. You have to keep an eye out and be ready to pull the trigger when it does happen.

In addition, watch for hotel promotions that could include daily breakfast, free upgrades, or free nights with a minimum nights stay. If you are a member of rewards program for a certain hotel chain, you may be eligible for members only rates and specials as well.

Frequent Flier Programs

If you are airline loyal, this will work well for you. If you go where the deals are, it will take you longer to get to having enough miles for a free flight but it can still work. You have to pay attention to the fine print because using miles may not apply to all routes, seat categories, or there may be black out periods. In addition, your miles may expire after a certain amount of time or you may have to fly every 12 months to keep them from expiring. Read the fine print so you know how to best take advantage of the program!

Travel Credit Cards

Travel credit cards are the ones that give you travel perks including earning miles, have an annual travel credit, or credit for TSA pre-check or Global Entry. They may include car rental or travel insurance when you use your card for car rentals or airfare purchases, access to airport lounges, and they may even offer roadside assistance. Make sure you are familiar with the benefits of your card so you can avoid purchasing items and services unnecessarily.

I have a Delta American Express card that I use for EVERYTHING. I use it at the grocery store and to pay bills, and then I pay it off each month. I earn miles for all transactions which I plan to use on a future trip. Again……read the fine print so you know how to best earn and use your miles.

Travel Insurance

I cringe when I think back to the trips I took many years ago in which I had no travel insurance. I was seriously taking a huge chance on things working out as well as the did. If you travel often, an annual policy may work well for you.

Travel insurance is not just for accidents or medical emergencies. Depending on the policy and coverage you select, it may also cover trip delays, lost luggage, or cancelled flights and tours. It may also cover trip cancellation due to weather events or terrorist threats and attacks. Again…….it all depends on the policy and coverage you select.

There have many times in which we had flights delayed for various reasons, luggage was put on the wrong flight, and once my kiddo’s was wheelchair lost. The point is you never know when something may happen and having insurance will help you replace those items, pay for hotel rooms if you get stranded somewhere, or even help if you lose your passport on your trip.

Cook Your Own Meals and Pack Snacks

We prefer to stay in vacation rentals because we love having a full kitchen. Yes, we go out to eat during our trips however we save money by cooking dinner at least a couple of times during a 7 night period and we fix our own breakfast on most days. It is such a simple thing to do too. It can be as simple as grabbing some frozen waffles or fruit and yogurt at a nearby grocery store or making a full breakfast that keeps us full til dinner.

While at the grocery store we grab snacks that we can throw into our backpack and eat on the run. We can spend $10 - $20 on a few snacks that keep us on move until we are ready to have a nice dinner. It is a little harder to implement this strategy if you don’t have access to a kitchen but grab some snacks for breakfast and you are good to go.

Free Tours and Museums

It has been my experience that most big cities have free walking tours and/or museums with free admission. A lack of an admission price does not mean there is a lack of quality. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you find in the freebies.

We went to Cuba in 2017 and stumbled across an amazing art museum that I never saw in travel guides. It had free admission but did have a couple of boxes posted in different areas to accept donations. It ended up being on of my favorite places! Keep your eyes open for this hidden gems!

Certainly you don’t have to employ all of my recommended strategies. Using even just a couple of them will help you save money. We prefer to use our savings by traveling better (upgrading flights or cruise ship staterooms) but you may choose to use that money for an additional trip. Whatever it is that means the most to you……just do it! You will have greater satisfaction from your travels and get the most for your hard earned money!

Make the most of 2019!

Annette

#Save money #travel #International Travel #Travel insurance

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jasonnettle · 7 years

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Here’s How you Know You Have a 15 Month Old.

1) Sesame Street is on and your child leaves the room and you continue to watch it for another 45 minutes.

2) You realize Disney and Sesame Street owns you.

3) You’re really good at guessing other children’s ages down to the month and day.

4) You don’t even think twice about putting their half eaten food, snot or used baby wipes in your pocket if you’re on the move.

5) Going to the grocery store is a 4 act play.

6) Going anywhere else is a 5 act play.

7) You can compile 16,000 steps on your Fitbit by noon if you’re in charge of keeping them out of trouble.

8) You roll your eyes at people who are disgusted by dirty diapers.

9) Things that your child does that completely freak out non-parents are “just another” Tuesday to you.

10) You pray that every day isn’t the day that your child begins to grab their feces.

11) You can walk through a room and positively identify every item in the room that will end up in your child’s mouth. The answer is everything.

12) You look like an idiot walking through a room and picking up every single thing on the floor that is invisible to a non parent’s eye because you know that it is the only thing your child will pick up and eat within 2 seconds of seeing it.

13) You can have the house spotless and your child will destroy it in about 3 minutes. Then you will clean it again, and the child will prove to you that they can destroy it in less time.

14) You have mastered the art of being a magician because you see your child’s eye dart to something that they should not touch or grab and you will make that said item disappear before they put 100% of their attention on it.

15) Your partner becomes the magician’s assistant because you grab the said item and slide it behind your back to their back while keeping the child occupied with a safe toy.

16) Between Elmo, a pillow, a million dollars, a pen, and fisher price toys, the child will always pick the pen to see how fast they can run through the house with it in their mouth.

17) Your Christmas tree is only decorated from the top to about halfway down.

18) When the Mother walks out the door, the child will run to it, collapse and perform a breakdown that can only be compared to Meryl Streep in Sophie’s Choice. When the Father leaves, the activity the child is engaged in is more important, which is most likely eating cat hair off of a remote control.

19) If there are 10 toys out and you begin cleaning up and put one toy away, the child becomes most interested in that toy at that time and will go get it to simply put it back on the ground and then decide they need to go get the hairbrush in the back bathroom and bring it out to the living room and stick it in the Christmas tree.

20) Each parent starts an internal tally of all the things they have done that day in order to guilt the other into dealing with the screaming child at that time.

21) A parent may be found tossing toy across the room and have the child “play fetch” in order to get them away from what the parent is doing at that time, which most likely trying to keep their sanity.

22) The child always comes first.

23) If a child wants something off of your plate, even though they have the exact same thing on theirs, you will give it to them.

24) If a child is throwing a tantrum and you begin to imitate them, sometimes they will stop and look at you as if you’re an idiot.

25) When going through TSA at the airport, you might not be upset that you look like a member of ISIS just so you get frisked and get away from the fussy baby for 5 minutes.

26) You use examples from every single day in your acting class because a child a 100x better actor than anyone “trying” to be.

27) You stop feeling guilty about posting your child on Facebook because you’re worried about the grandparents and family’s happiness more than those who are “annoyed”

28) You’ll never go to Target again without strolling through the children’s clothes section.

29) There is no other heart attack inducer that if the child walks into another room and you realize it’s been quiet for 2 minutes.

30) Everything is Minnie.

31) There are numerous times you believe your child is an absolute genius. When a child sees a sock and picks it up and “tries” to put it on their foot. Or when they say “baby” but then call everything they see a baby. Or when they grab an iPhone and try to swipe everything, which is really hurting your wife’s tinder dating.

32) They look like they are drunk 24 hours a day. Whether it’s walking, putting on clothes, eating, trying to use a spoon, picking up a toy and using it, talking, etc. They are 100% doing it exactly like someone who is sitting at the bar at 3am.

33) You might finally understand what “Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease” and “Scarlet Fever” are.

34) When they laugh, life is perfect.

35) You realize that Father’s Day should not exist but Mother’s Day should be celebrated twice.

36) You thank the universe every day that your child still doesn’t understand depression, being judged, judging, rejection, the need to make money or anything else that paralyzes adults.

37) You say “No” and “the name of your child more times in a day than anything else.

38) You start to feel guilty because you don’t want your child to go through life always feeling they’re going to get in trouble.

39) You can’t enjoy your own snacks while watching TV because if your child sees them, they’ll want iy and nothing you eat is safe for a child so then they throw a tantrum, and you’re left hungry.

40) Your child will watch a video on the iPad and then hit the home button and cry for it to be back on, and then you’ll put it back on and they’re so happy and in 5 seconds, they hit the home button again and it disappears and they scream until you put it back on and they’re happy and this routine lasts as long as you can process how ridiculous your life has become.

41) You go out on dates with your spouse and you talk about your child and watch videos of them.

42) Your cats hate their life now.

43) You beg for them to be able to tell you what they want but you know when they start talking, it will be a whole new set of problems.

44) They start to imitate you and that’s when things start getting scary. But they treat they’re baby dolls like you do them and they give it their pacifier , and try to feed it, and lay it down and hug it and pat it on its back.

45) They want hugs and kisses all the time and that’s pretty freaking awesome.

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topfygad · 4 years

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Flying With Kids? Follow These Tips For a Stress-Free Flight

Travel experts offer advice for your next family vacation. | By Heather Greenwood Davis

Family Time From The Experts | POSTED ON: January 22, 2020

A young traveller prepares for take off. Photo by: picture alliance / Contributor/ Getty Images

Air travel as an adult requires patience and fortitude. The combination of long lines, surly agents, and cranky passengers can make even the most seasoned traveller question their vacation decisions. Add a toddler to the mix and it can feel like you’ve just doused the whole experience with lighter fluid and lit the match.

Travel and lifestyle expert Natalie Preddie weighs in: Her sons, Charlie, age two, and Jamie, 10 months, have already travelled to almost a dozen countries between them. “Once, Charlie didn’t want to sit in his seat and screamed every time we took off and every time we landed,” she recalls. “We had two flights that day.” When flight attendants stepped in to help, he “howled like he was being tortured. It was awful.” By the time they arrived at their layover and were met with an hour-long customs line, both mom and son were in tears.

The stress of flights does not help the parent or baby, notes Kimberly Tate, travel writer and podcaster at Stuffed Suitcase and Vacation Mavens. This mom of two cautions that kids often take their emotional cues from adults. “If you are stressed and angry, they’re going to pick up on those emotions. If you remain calm and act rationally, they’ll likely try to do the same.”

It’s the kind of information that most parents only learn along the way. There is no manual for how to keep your kids’ first flights easy, but with every travel hiccup comes a chance to do it better next time.

Preparing for take off? We canvassed travel experts and pro parents for tips to help make your next family flight as stress-free as possible.

Before you fly

Get seats together (even if you have to pay for it): While some airlines will help at the gate, your safest bet is to do it yourself. “If you don’t see seats together when you buy your tickets, call the airline immediately to see what an agent can do for your family,” says Tate. Also, consider paying for that extra seat for your toddler if you can afford it. Yes, kids under age two can fly free, but not all kids do well on a lap. A seat opens up the possibility of using their car seat on the plane, a space they already know. Consider coughing up the cash for comfort.

Practice before departing: “Look at the planes beforehand,” suggests Preddie. “Normalise the experience as much as possible.” Role-play life at the airport (lining up to walk through security) and on board (mimicking the sound of the seatbelt sign before sitting quietly) at home. Tate also suggests checking out library books or kids shows where flying is a part of the story. She explains, “Helping prepare your toddler for what’s going to happen can help them feel more in control during the experience and can help them find the cues as to what’s going on, so they’re not stressed or worried by the new experience.”

Ask questions: Social media means access to your airline or TSA is easier than ever before. Use it to your advantage. If you have something that you want to bring with you and you’re not sure, snap a photo and send it off to them for pre-approval.

At the airport

Burn off energy: On the plane, tight aisles and restrictive seat belts force everyone to be still. While you have time and space, let kids run. Look for children’s spaces in terminals where they can bounce and climb. Matt Villano, a writer focused on family travel, recalls killing time at an airport by walking his daughter around under the guise of looking for a princess in the terminal. “Finally, we found this old lady who said she was the princess. [My daughter] could not believe it. It was pretty awesome.”

Board first or last: Most airlines will offer a chance to board ahead of general passengers, but taking them up on that offer is up to you. If you’re travelling solo and trying to manage a toddler, boarding first with time to stow your bag and settle in might make sense. But if you’ve got a second adult with you, consider letting them board with the bags, while you maximise the time your little one can run free.

Limit the layover: Even the best airports will grow tiresome. Try to limit time in between flights to whatever is necessary. One parent suggests that the sweet spot for layovers in the airport terminal is under three hours. If your layover is longer than eight hours, you should consider booking an airport hotel room.

On the flight

Make allies: “When you board the plane, be sure to smile at the flight attendants and even mention if it’s your little one’s first flight,” suggests Tate. “They might have a special surprise to give them and it gives them a heads up that your child is a new traveller.” Flight attendants are often the extra hands you’ll rely on during the flight if you need a bathroom break or to reach a baby bag. Treat them with care.

BYOE (Bring Your Own Entertainment): Villano packs mini swag bags for each of his girls; these may include new pens, markers, and stickers—perfect for creating art on the fly. (An easy activity: Construction paper folded and ripped into strips with tape to create paper chains. At the end of the flight, they’re gifted to the flight attendants.) Preddie makes sure she packs a surprise new toy or two on board. Both swear by having extras of everything (snacks, diapers, wipes, clothes—for everyone) on board. “When you think you have enough, bring more,” says Villano.

Put on a show: Even parents who limit screen time at home should reconsider on a long flight, says Preddie. “Don’t be a martyr. Use it.” Stockpiled episodes of your child’s favourite show could buy you the in-air respite you need. Make sure to have headphones that will fit little ears and peak at a low volume, as well as all the cords you need to keep things charged.

Set the stage for naptime: Want the kids to sleep? Make it feel like bedtime. Let them change into their pyjamas ahead of the flight, bring their favourite stuffed animal, and pull out their blanket or book. The more things feel familiar, the better.

Keep it clean: The last thing you want to bring home is illness. Villano says he travels with Clorox wipes to disinfect the areas where the girls will be sitting. “And never trust a toddler with an airplane cup,” he says. Make sure you’ve packed a cup with a lid to prepare for turbulence.

Wait for the signal: Air pressure can be painful for kids, but parents often jump the gun in offering a soothing aid (such as a pacifier, bottle, or breast). “Sometimes an airplane will taxi for a long time, thereby using up all the milk and water before leaving the ground,” one mom shares. The best advice is to wait for the captain to say “flight attendants prepare for take off.” Then encourage the child to swallow to relieve ear pressure.

To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller India and National Geographic Magazine, head here.

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