#<- gargles paint thinner

[lajulie24]

Again we have failed to die

(Excerpt from an upcoming chapter of One Half Won’t Do)

I’d hoped to maybe have the next chapter of this fake marriage fic ready in time for HanLeia Week, but I’m still working out a few parts. I did, however, have an excerpt that fit very well with the day 1 prompt of Commitment, featuring longtime HanLeia shipper and good friend Wedge Antilles. You can read the first chapters of One Half Won’t Do at AO3 here and at Fanfiction dot net here. Coordinates were set, hyperspace went streaking by, and finally Leia felt like she could relax.

“Hey General, got a question for you,” Wedge called from the galley of the small ship they’d used for the mission.

“Yes, Commander?” Leia asked, smiling a bit. Wedge had a way of using her titles that sounded more familiar and friendly than formal. She liked it.

“Would it be a terrible breach of protocol if we drank to a successful mission?”

Leia considered that. “I suppose one drink couldn’t hurt,” she answered. “We’re already in hyperspace.”

“Good,” he said, appearing with two small cups of amber liquid, “because if it was I was going to have to pretend to gargle with this or something.”

Leia laughed as he handed her one of the cups. It was whiskey; it didn’t smell like typical ship liquor, but she still eyed the drink a little suspiciously. “Not to worry,” Wedge assured her. “It’s not Janson’s brew or any of that paint thinner shit. I snuck a flask of the Whyren’s into my go bag.”

Leia smiled. “The essentials,” she said.

Wedge tipped up his cup. “Chakta sai kae,” he toasted. Health and grace.

“Chakta sai kae,” Leia returned, looking him in the eye during her first sip, as was Corellian custom. “Ree ni hav malprosperi al morhi.” Again, we have failed to die.

“He would teach you that one,” Wedge laughed at her toast. “Your husband’s turning you into a proper Corellian.”

“Mmm,” Leia replied, taking another drink. She tried not to frown at the mention of Han, the thought of whom mainly brought to mind how they’d left things before this mission, his angry frown as he’d tried to get her to discuss it. She knew, when it came down to it, that he probably wasn’t trying to control her, but she also knew that even in the unlikely event he stayed with the Alliance, she couldn’t limit herself to missions with him alone for the rest of her days. She was so tired of explaining herself to everyone else, she sure as hell didn’t want to explain herself to him; why the fuck couldn’t he just trust that she knew what she was doing?

Still, maybe she should have tried a little harder. That fight the night before this mission–Hells, Leia was probably going to be lucky if Han was still on base when she got back, much less still pretending to be married to her.

Wedge seemed to have noticed something in her response, because he was eyeing her carefully.

“Didn’t make up before you left?” he asked.

“Oh, no, it’s not– we weren’t–” Leia began.

Wedge just gave her a look. Great, we were that obvious.

“No, we didn’t,” she said, and suddenly Leia felt a little sad. More than a little sad, because now she was picturing her things back in her old quarters, a cold cot instead of Han’s warmth beside her in his bunk, chasing her nightmares away with a long night alone in the command center, the Falcon gone from the hangar.

She took a long drink of the whiskey to fight the thought of him, gone.

Wedge had gone quiet as well, and seemed to be studying her face.

“All right,” Wedge said, putting his cup down for a moment. “I’m not supposed to be giving you this kind of intel, but I think you need to hear it.”

Leia looked at him with curiosity.

“If Wes asks, I didn’t tell you a godsdamnned thing.”

Leia gave him her own look, like Since when I do tell Wes Janson anything?

“I’m listening,” she said.

“All right.” Wedge’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he spoke, his eyes focused on her.

“There were a lot of bets going around base, before you came back…married.”

“That’s not news.”

“Yeah well--most of the bets were like–” he looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment--“kriff or kill bets. Y’know, will-they-or-won’t-they? The commitment-type bets were much more of a long shot. Bigger payoff.”

Leia nodded. Interesting. But not terribly surprising, given what Chewie had already shared with her and Han.

“Some of us bet on those ‘cause some beings ‘ll bet on anything, just for entertainment.” Wedge picked up his whiskey and sipped it again. “A few of us–” like me, was the implication– “saw where things were going.”

Leia could feel her eyes widen slightly. There was the part she and Han were playing, and the feelings that she thought were just side effects of this whole charade, but Wedge was saying, what was he saying?

“He’s crazy about you, Lei,” Wedge said. “Has been for a while. He’s anything like me, that probably scares the shit out of him, too.”

He smiled gently. “I know you guys hit a bump, but y’know–it’s a bump. You two just work together. I can’t describe why exactly, but you do. You’re in it for keeps. You’ll work it out when you get back.”

Pretend marriage or no, Wedge’s words did strike a chord of rightness within Leia. Although in some ways, the prospect of what he’d just shared was even more scary than the thought that Han might be gone when they returned.

Still, it gave her some much-needed hope. Leia smiled, and sipped her whiskey. “Thanks.”

[qitwrites]

⬅ Previous || 29 || Next ➡

The thing that doesn’t make sense is the onigiri.

The Bakusquad are currently sprawled all over the common room couches, taking turns playing on the PS5. This is a normal sight, one that Ojiro has walked in on several times. There’s yelling, screaming, fingers poking ribs, and Bakugou kicking anyone that dares to touch his hair. The whole group is in a mad tangle of limbs, the audience yelling profanities while the people with the controllers (in this case, Sero and Kirishima) have a look of sheer determination painted on their faces as they race each other in an all too intense game of Mario kart.

And, in the midst of all this chaos, is a large plate filled to the brim with onigiri- perfectly shaped, delicious looking balls of rice wrapped in shiny seaweed.

When Kirishima loses to Sero a few moments later, the tape hero whoops victoriously as the redhead visibly deflates, groaning loudly and seemingly melting into the floor. Bakugou laughs out loud at the sight and pulls the plate right up to Kirishima’s face and says, “Take your pick, Red.” He sounds gleeful, and it makes a shiver run down the length of Ojiro’s spine.

Kaminari finally catches sight of him and waves him over, “Oji! Get over here man.”

Ojiro makes his way to the couch and sits at the very edge, watching as Kirishima sighs deeply and pulls out an onigiri at random. For someone that loves food, and especially rice, with a fierce sort of vengeance, Kirishima looks deathly pale and completely unwilling to eat. Ojiro waves at Kaminari to get his attention before pointing at Kirishima and going, “What is happening?”

“Just wait,” the electric blonde smirks, his eyes dancing with delight.

Ojiro watches the redhead inhale one last time before taking a large bite. He chews the onigiri for a moment before his face contorts in absolute horror and he yanks what can only be described as a spit bucket from the other side of the couch to his face, coughing the rice out violently.

“Oh fuck,” Bakugou gasps out in between peals of laughter, “he got the mayo banana. Fuck me, he got the worst fucking one.”

Kirishima’s gargling some water while the words Mayo-banana swirl around Ojiro’s head. Kaminari takes one look at him and giggles.

“We’re playing onigiri roulette,” Sero finally explains. 

He points at the plate of food. “Before we started, we filled a bunch of rice balls with the weirdest fillings we could think of. The only rule is that it has to be edible-“ “BARELY edible” “- yeah, well, if you need recovery girl at the end of this, you’ve probably gone too far. So, we play each other one-on-one, and the winner plays the next person while the loser eats an onigiri and sits out till everyone else has had a go.”

“So,” Ojiro says, his mind still stuck on what he just heard Bakugou say, “Kiri just ate a rice ball filled with mayonnaise and banana?”

Ashido giggles at that, and Kaminari turns to the redhead and asks, “How was it?”

Kirishima takes another generous sip of water before saying, “The texture is what screwed me. It was just, god, it was mush and then more mush, and so slimy, and then the rice-“

“Ok,” Kaminari squeaks, throwing his hands up in surrender, “That’s enough, thanks man!”

“You wanna join?” Ashido beams at Ojiro, offering him her controller.

“I’m good watching,” Ojiro says, scooting back subtly. Sero sniggers and makes room for Ashido to join him on the floor.

“You’re going down,” he taunts, and Ashido burns a small hole in the sleeve of his shirt before they start up the next game.

Pinky puts up a good fight, but Sero is a master at the game, and even with her well-timed kicks at his face, Ashido loses, and Bakugou is positively glowing.

Ashido picks another unassuming looking onigiri and takes a bite. She looks so confused for a moment before her face scrunches up in agony. She perseveres though, and even as Kaminari cries from how hard he’s laughing and Sero is recording the whole thing with shaky hands, Ashido flips them the bird and makes it a point to swallow thickly.

Kirishima leans in and takes a sniff, his own nose wrinkling as he asks, “Toothpaste?”

Bakugou laughs again, an ugly, grating sound that’s so unlike the boyish smile on his face. Ashido sticks her tongue out at the rest and says, “I happen to love mint, so joke’s on you.” She still slam dunks the rest of the onigiri in the spit bucket.

The next to go against Sero is Bakugou, who sits beside him heavily and snatches the offered controller. Gone is his carefree smile and ugly laugh, and in its place is his usual fierce competitiveness, except the stakes are so much higher than they’ve ever been in hero training.

The game is nail biting, to say the least. Bakugou doesn’t yell while he’s playing, and his concentration is so intense, it almost seems like he’s being sucked into the game. Even Ojiro finds himself cheering and yelling as the two desperately try to beat each other while trying to stay on the track in the first place.

When Sero wins by a margin that’s thinner than a strand of hair, Kirishima, in what can only be described as a move perfected after many recurring experiences, grabs the controller from Bakugou and hardens himself against the tiny explosions in the blonde’s palms, saving the controller. Bakugou lunges at Sero, a litany of curses tearing themselves out his throat. Sero has the biggest shit eating grin on his face, and Kirishima can barely hold Bakugou back as he shakes with laughter of his own. The blonde ends up with his back to Kirishima’s chest as he huffs something about assholes that cheat and the redhead gives him a pat on the shoulder before picking up the plate and offering it to Bakugou.

The blonde makes it a point to inspect each rice ball carefully before picking one up and giving it a sniff. He wrinkles his nose and finally takes a big bite, because he might be a sore loser but Bakugou is no coward.

He chews through his bite quietly and swallows, expressionless. And then he smiles, a wicked, horrible turn of his lips.

“Ha, assholes, I fucking win.” He turns the bitten side of the rice ball to face the group, and out pours a stream of red liquid.

Hot sauce, Ojiro notes just as the spice hits him in the eyes with enough force to warrant immediate tears.

“Shit, that’s actually hurting me,” Kaminari yelps, blinking rapidly.

“Yeah man, what the hell?” Sero says, sitting back on his elbows to get away from it. They all watch in horror as Bakugou takes another bite and smirks. Ojiro can see the sweat dotting his brow and they don’t miss how he rubs his nose with his clean hand, but all in all, hot sauce for Bakugou feels unfair, especially after the diabolical mayo and banana monstrosity.

“Man, how does he win even when he loses?” Kirishima whines, butting Bakugou’s shoulder with his head. The blonde sniggers again and sits back comfortably just as Kirishima tosses the controller to Kaminari.

Ojiro watches them takes turns and suffer. Kaminari, by some turn of fate, beats Sero in a game that just refuses to go in Sero’s favor. Sero ends up choking down a rice ball stuffed with a slimy squid and peanut butter mixture.

When Kaminari loses to Ashido, he happily eats a rice ball soaked in malic acid because his taste buds are immune to sour apparently. Ashido nearly throws up when she has to bite into a rice ball filled with jello and meat chunks after losing to Bakugou, and Bakugou turns an alarming shade of green when he eats one with durian and mustard. Kirishima had watched that one unfold in a mix of horror and fascination, torn between laughing and holding the spit bucket out for the blonde.

Midway through, Ojiro finds himself playing with them and he has to experience the hell that is jelly beans with cheese sauce and another onigiri that is filled with nothing but wasabi. So much wasabi that he feels fumes of heat trying to escape his nose as his eyes water for the rest of the evening.

When they finally call it a day, Ojiro somehow finds himself promising them that he’ll join the next time too, and he watches Bakugou stalk away, brainstorming more terrible food combos under his breath. He laughs and heads to his own room, nose still tingling from the wasabi, his own thoughts clouded with the worst foods he can think of. That’s when inspiration strikes.

Ojiro pulls his phone out and dials a number he’s known since forever. She picks up after 2 rings.

“What’s up kiddo?”

“Hey mom.” Ojiro’s smile turns wicked. “Talk to me about your pregnancy cravings.”

[wychelm]

applying for jobs more like *gargling paint thinner and riding a unicycle while the audience boos and tells me I'm a stupid ugly ape with no people skills*

[thedivinewaters-blog]

Everyday uses of Kangen Water

Introduction 

Kangen water is made using a home water ionizer called the Kangen Water machine. Kangen is a brand name owned by Enagic™ Corporation for ionized alkaline water made by their water ionizer. All water ionizers use electrically-charged plates to break down ordinary tap water into alkaline water, with essential minerals like calcium and magnesium in it, and they also make acidic water at the same time. Water ionizers make alkaline and acidic waters at the same time because of the process they use to ionize water is called Electrodialysis.

Electrodialysis – The process used to make Kangen water™

The electrodialysis process uses charged plates that are separated by an ion-permeable membrane to separate water into alkaline and acid halves. It does this by breaking down the mineral salts found in tap water. The most common mineral salts in tap water are calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate.

The charged plates cause the mineral salts in water to separate, the calcium and magnesium are attracted to the negatively charged plate, while the carbonate is attracted to the positively charged plate. Calcium and magnesium are both unstable in water, so they immediately combine with water molecules to form mineral hydroxides. The carbonate is drawn to the positively charged plate, where it combines with water to acidify it. The mineral hydroxides give alkaline Kangen water™ its alkaline pH and cause the surface tension of the water to decrease, which makes it easier for the body to absorb.

SKIN CONDITION REMEDIES:

Condition – Acne: 1. Rinse with pH 11.5 Strong Alkaline Water to remove excess oils from the skin. 2. Cleanse with non-soap cleanser and pH 4-6 Mild Acidic Water. 3. With a cotton swab dab pH 2.5 Strong Acidic Water on any active blemishes or broken skin. 4. Tone with pH 4-6 Water in a glass bottle with a fine spray mister. 5. Repeat morning and bedtime. 6. Tone multiple times per day to keep skin hydrated.

Condition – Eczema and Psoriasis: 1. Rinse with pH 11.5 Strong Alkaline Water to remove excess oils from the skin. 2. Cleanse with non-soap cleanser and pH 4-6 MildAcidic Water. 3. With a cotton swab dab 2.5 Strong Acid Water on any broken skin. 4. Tone with 5.5 Beauty Water in a glass bottle with a fine spray mister. 5. Repeat morning and bedtime. 6. Tone multiple times per day to keep skin hydrated.

Condition – Rashes and Burns: 1. Rinse with pH 11.5 Strong Alkaline Water to remove excess oils from the skin. 2. Cleanse with non-soap cleanser and pH 4-5 Mild Acidic Water. 3. With a cotton swab dab 2.5 Strong Acid Water on any broken skin. 4. Tone with pH 4-6 Mild Acidic Water in a glass bottle with a fine spray mister. 5. Repeat morning and bedtime. 6. Tone multiple times per day to keep skin hydrated.

Condition – Diaper Rash: 1. Cleanse with non-soap cleanser and pH 4-5 Mild Acidic Water & pat dry. 2. With a cotton swab dab 2.5 Strong Acid Water on any broken skin and let dry. 3. Hydrate the skin with pH 4-6 Mild Acidic Water in a glass bottle with a fine spray mist setting. 4. Repeat after each diaper change. Diaper rash begins with urine and feces that are too acidic. To prevent diaper rash begin by making certain that your baby is properly hydrated with pH 8.5-9.5 Alkaline Drinking Water. Next replace baby wipes with a container filled with soft cloths or unbleached paper towels and Mild Acidic Water. Use to cleanse diaper area each time you change your baby, pat dry and then apply a very fine mist to the skin. This assists in keeping the pH of the skin balanced.

Caution—Step Away From The Antiperspirant: Sweat is one of your body’s natural methods for ridding itself of toxins, so stopping that natural function can create a serious backlash in your lymphatic system. Odors are simply bacteria thriving in the dark, damp area. So to stop the odor simply mist with pH 2.5 Strong Acid Water. If you tend to sweat a lot keep a small spray bottle in your purse or desk drawer for occasional touch ups throughout the day.  

11.5PH WATER STRONG KANGEN

1. GOOD NIGHT SLEEP: Drink 1/2-1 ounce of 11.5 before bedtime to help release Melatonin for a great night sleep

2. EYE WASH: Rinse eyes with an eye cup. Upon removing the eye cup from its packaging, soak in Strong Acid Water (pH 2.5) for 1-2 minutes to clean and disinfect. Rinse the eye cup thoroughly with Strong Alkaline Water (pH 11.5) Fill the cup, following package directions, with Strong Alkaline Water (pH 11.5) Place cup firmly around one eye, keeping your eye open, tilt your head back and gently roll your eye as though you were attempting to look up, down, and from side to side. Continue this for approximately 1 minute. Now that you have completed one eye, toss the water away. Rinse the eye cup thoroughly with Strong Acid Water (pH 2.5) Repeat steps for your other eye. To maintain healthy eyes follow this protocol 1-3 times per week. When working to improve any eye condition, follow this protocol at least 2 times daily and up to 10 times per day.

3. GREASE IN EYE: Spray 11.5 as needed to soothe and heal eye.

4. MAKE UP REMOVER: Spray on eyes to dissolve and remove make up.

5. PUFFY EYES: Spray on to eyes to reduce puffiness.

6. HOT BATH SOAK: Use one gallon of 11.5 added right at the end of filling the tub. This replaces Epsom Salts or any other remedy. This works even better if you have the Anespa from Enagic.

7. ALLERGIES, COLD SYMPTOMS, SNORING: Use as a nasal wash when sinuses are plugged. Due to the reduction in inflammation of nasal passages this technique can also reduce snoring!

8. BUG SPRAY REPELLENT, SUNBURN, PAIN, BUG BITES, SWELLING: Spray or soak areas with towel soaked in 11.5 and keep wet by adding small amounts of 11.5 to the towel for a minimum of 30 minutes twice a day...better if one hour twice daily.

9. HEAT BURN, INDIGESTION, FOOD POISONING, STOMACH FLU: Drink ¼ cup FRESH 11.5 immediately followed by 25 ounces of 9.5 then do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes. Repeat the next day only if necessary.

10. ARTHRITIS, GOUT, MUSCLE SORENESS OR TISSUE INJURIES: Since high alkalinity draws out acids, you can utilize 11.5 to soak in to “pull out” acids associated with inflammation, injury and pain.

11. HANGOVERS & MIGRAINES: can prevent hang overs, as soon as feel migraine coming on, drink several oz.

12. CHEMOTHERAPY: Drink the water with chemotherapy. The benefits are that side effects are lessened, it reverses metabolic acidosis, and the antioxidants are good for any point on chemo. Put 11.5 on the skin twice a day for burns from chemo.

13. STROKE: Drink as much as able if feel a stroke coming on to provide potent alkalinity to overcome severe acidosis causing the stroke.

14. FRUITS & VEGGIES: Soak for a minimum of 5 minutes to clean off pesticides.

15. ICE CUBES: To help off-set acidic drinks.

16. RICE, BEAN, LEGUMES: Soak for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse clean with low flow 9.5.

17. MEATS: Soak all for 5 to 10 minutes for cleaning and tenderizing.

18. LAUNDRY SOAP: Use 1 to 2 quarts per load in place of laundry soap. Works beautifully for greasy smells like Fast-food Restaurant work clothes.

19. STAINS ON CLOTHES, RUGS, CARPETS: Use as a degreaser for any type of cleaning. Clean oil based stains by soaking the area and letting sit for 10 to 20 minutes and then blot out of carpets and wash if laundry stain as mentioned in step 17.

20. CLEAN OVEN, CLOGGED SINKS & TUBS, REPLACE 409 CLEANER & DRANO: Clean with a scratch pad. Replaces 409 cleaner when dissolving grease and grime in kitchen. Use instead of Drano or other chemicals for clogged sinks and bathtubs.

21. POLISH SILVER: Soak and polish.

22. PAINT THINNER: After using oil base paints, use to clean up.

23. USE INSTEAD OF “GOO GONE”: Removes greasy, gooey, gummy, sticky problems.

 2.5 PH WATER: STRONG ACID

1. KILL ALL MICROBES: Pre-rinse all fruits, vegetables and meat and let sit for one minute before soaking in 11.5. This will kill all microbes. Will also kill MRSA and infections.

2. DISINFECTING: Use for disinfecting anything.

3. ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAP: Use in place of anti-bacterial soap.

4. HARD WATER SPOTS & RUST: Clean hard water spots off of chrome and rust off of metal.

5. FACIAL LIFTING & TIGHTENING: Spray face and neck (not eyes) and rub skin upward until dry. Finish with Beauty Water to tone skin.

6. BRUSH & GARGLE, RESOLVE PERIODONTAL DISEASE & THRUSH, PREVENT ROOT CANALS: Wait one minute and then rinse with 9.5 water for 30 seconds to restore the natural pH. This procedure will prevent or resolve periodontal disease & thrush, & avoid root canals.

7. VOMITING: To stop vomiting take 1-2 Tbsp.

8. OPEN WOUNDS, BURNS, INFECTIONS, STOP BLEEDING, KILLS CANDIDA: Kills bacteria and pathogens. Use on cuts, scrapes to help stop bleeding. Clean twice daily until healed. Do not use any other ointments as they only attract microbes by keeping the area moist and sticky.

9. INFECTED SINUSES: Spray in nose 2x/day for 2 days. Wait 2 minutes, then flush with 11.5.

10. NAIL FUNGUS: Spray twice a day or soak.

11. PINK EYE: Spray infected eye several times thru the day and will clear up.

12. SORE THROAT, STREP THROAT, COUGH: Gargle 3-4 times per day or put in spray bottle and spray into throat.

13. POISON IVY: Spray on infected area as often as needed. Will slow down itching and dry up poison ivy much quicker.

14. FEVER BLISTERS, CANCER SORES: Spray or gargle to stop and dry up both.

15. MOLES & WARTS: If you see something abnormal on your skin you may want to soak a gauze pad on a band aid with the 2.5 and apply over the area. Change the band aid at least once a day. Often this process requires 30-60 days before seeing results.  

 "CLEAN WATER"

1. Drink with meals only if necessary.

2. Use for making baby formula.    

3. Drink with fast dissolving medication

" BEAUTY WATER "

*pH is similar to rain water*

1. FACIAL SOAP: Clean face twice a day. Spray after cleaning.

2. HAIR CONDITIONER: Spray hair after showering as this conditions your hair. Try not to use conditioner of any kind as this coats the hair.

3. TONE SKIN: Use as final rinse in shower or bath to tone and firm skin.

4. RASHES, DIAPER RASH: Spray on skin to soothe and heal rashes, including diaper rash.

5. PETS: Bathe pets for more lustrous coats.

6. PLANTS: Water indoor and outdoor plants for vigorous growth. Can revive dying plants.

7. EGGS & PASTA: Use to boil eggs and pasta.

8. FREEZING FOOD: Spray on foods before freezing including fish and shrimp so that foods do not lose their flavor.

9. ANTHOCYANINS: For washing and preparing fruits and vegetables containing anthocyanins: plums, grapes, cherries, strawberries, red cabbage, eggplant, soy beans, asparagus.

10. FABRIC SOFTENER: Use in rinse cycle during laundry. One gallon per load.

11. EYEGLASSES: Clean lenses.

12. REPLACE WINDEX: Replace all window and mirror cleaners with Beauty Water.

13. HARDWOOD FLOORS & CERAMIC TILE: For polishing and housecleaning: hardwood floors, ceramic tiles, etc.    

 8.5 PH WATER TO 9.5 PH WATER

1. SOUPS: Cook all soups with 9.5 water.

2. STIR FRY: Stir fry with 9.5 to steam.

3. WEIGHT LOSS: Drink before you snack and before meals...wait 30 minutes and eat meal or if still hungry eat snack... most people are so dehydrated that their thirst mechanism is so weak, that they think they are hungry.

4. GREY HAIR: Often can return original hair color.

5. VISION: Can improve eye vision.

6. SPIDER VEINS: Over time of drinking the water and cell repairing, spider veins can improve.

7. AROMA THERAPY/SPRITZER: Put any herb like rosemary or lavender in a spray bottle filled with Kangen water, let set for a couple of hours and use as a spritzer in your house for aroma therapy and an air freshener.

[catachan-jungle-fighter]

❤ - voice ♫ - singing voice

Voice: with how long he has spent in close range of fire, ash, explosions of strange materials, and his tendency to drink something that is more akin to paint thinner, John has a voice that can best be described as 'Gargling a mouth of Lho-stick ash and Rockcrete.'Singing Voice: when he tends to sing he tries to harmonize with his men, letting his rough voice join in with theirs, and he can sometimes sing clearly but otherwise he has a hard time singing without it sounding like a dying tech priest that has ran out of battery power.

[frogsandfries]

Feeling better

I'm hoarse from coughing so hard, a co-worker suggested an ACV gargle, which I've never heard of. But my dad bought me alkaselzer (sp), so I had a daytime one in the morning and in the afternoon used a nightime one, then had another daytime one this evening before work. So I'm coughing it all up, which is good. I'm also not blowing my nose at everything, which I'm also in favor of.

I'm deep in fantasies about my craft fair booth, even though I know it'll still be a while before I have enough beads to make a decent fistful of strings. I have fantasies of, like, tables laden with clusters of beads in various color palettes, but I would settle for a couple little boards on a table.

Today I was playing around with the bead roller, using even thinner pieces of paper, trying to see how big a bead I could make, then I experimented with how small I could go. I really love the really small ones, but they'll be tricky to paint, if I can't figure out a good dipping technique. Then I decided to groom some of my beads so they just looked better.

I'm kind of curious to see all of my dad's magazines shredded down and rolled into beads. I think if I tried that before selling a single bead, I might need a lot more than a couple French onion containers or some coffee creamer bottles. I mean, sure, I drink a lot of coffee, but it might end up being better to use even more modular, compact storage. I could line a shoebox with some reinforced plastic bag.... or maybe I'll just string and paint them as I go?

I was also pondering how I would paint them. I'm thinking, right now, about measuring out 36in or one meter of beads, then spacing them with knots and tying a rock on the end of the string. Then I would drop in the string of beads by the rock, drop my paint on the water, and pull the string out. The concern then would be whether the paint that would get on the string would be sloppy. Or I could just dip them one at a time.

It's funny, the bead roller produces a thread hole that is pretty acceptably sized, but I really like the thread hole I get from a needle. But I love the speed with which the bead roller produces beads--aarrgggghh!! I can't choose! Actually, no, I choose whatever's going to help me make more beads. People probably wouldn't want to mess around with beads that can only be strung with a needle anyway.

I dunno.... I was contemplating how this job wants us to work into Saturday morning, and it's really annoying because one of the markets I want to go to, and I would like to try going a few times, like at least once June, July and August. But vendors have to be in before seven, and it would take like, at the quickest, half an hour to set up. It would mean a lot to me if my sister could help and I could have the van set up nicely so the girls could have somewhere to play or nap, but I wouldn't count on her help solely because her whinebaby husband. But it's still good to have a fast, easy, but attractive setup.

So I was thinking just a nice, clean satin flat sheet, probably in black, some different size and style picture frames, and then have ideally different colors--black, white, primary, secondary, tetradic, complimentary, etc--on little binder rings, hung inside the frame.

I haven't actually worked out the mechanics of any of it. I'm thinking Velcro on the frames, maybe two pieces of Velcro at the top, four or six inches apart on every frame, so any frame can go anywhere. Then maybe....... eyelets? Button-holes? For the rings. Orrrrr.......maaaaaaaayyyyybbbbbeeeeeee...... some kind of thread or string loop? I'm debating on whether I should go for a freestanding model or tabletop. Either could expand. I'm probably going to sit and do transactions at a table anyway, so to get a foldup picnic table would be a natural investment. With a tabletop model, I guess I could start small, just a couple frames, with a couple loops. I haven't given much thought to how the beads would be on the loop. I think it depends--my knee-jerk response is a cow hitch, but a slipknotted extra tail would be more accessible. I was also thinking about doing like a tear-off strip? But that could be messy, or expensive. I could do pegs, though, and put the strings of beads on little tags?