#[ re: clementine rose ]

[justdanceshipbracket]

ship bracket #1 is finalized!

the ships included are...

The Traveller x Si'ha Nova Grace x Ari Wanderlust x Jack Rose Wanderlust x Sara Brezziana x Mihaly Jack Rose x Brezziana Mihaly x Liza Friday Night Swan x Cygnus Captain Crimson x Plum Magma Princess x Frost Princess Bonnie x Clyde Ruben x Polo Beedabop x Video Killed The Radio Star Coach Liv x Blake Agent D x Captain Catastrofa Agent D x The Nurse Vespera x I Kissed A Girl Coach Panda x Rudolf The Bride x Rasputin Girlfriend Coaches Maybel x Panda Swaggy Carrot x Fix Rita Piña x Love Me Again Coach California Girls Coach x Hadri Boss Witch Coach x Felicia Clementine x Freyja Lillith x Alano Vester De Ville x Sacrifice BG Character Tyler x Lauren BTS Coaches [any combination] Agent D x Party Rock Anthem Coach Hea-Res x Dahlia

the bracket order:

voting will start on june 1st!

[amrv-5]

HELLO ! 3 & 26 👀?

HELLO ALLISON!!!! saved this one for last yaaaay and THANK YOU!!! For the ask!! and also sorry for the length had a realization about a recurrent image of mine in the answering process LOL

3. What are some tropes or details that you think are very characteristic of your fics?

Ouuugh LOVE this question. tricky… fascinating… a little self-conscious, too… get 2 know me thru my Recurrent Themes….. hope the general opinion’s good LMAO. 

I DO think I have very transparent recurring concerns, probably most centrally the theme (stated very directly in S2G2) “There were some things a person could fix, and others one had to live with the best they could.” Obviously, in my MASH fic, that theme tends to be doing the work of mitigating an underlying philosophical pessimism (hard, as Hawk frequently repeats, to feel good in a world where people frequently do bad) with the intentional search for joy and compassion at an individual level… and also, perhaps even more obviously, is trying to perturb a dominant ideology of cure particularly in re: Hawk—not upset the concept of cure, necessarily, but interrogate it, at least. 

In terms of more specific details / images that recur: quality/quantity/angle/shape/color of light is big, especially in Big Impact moments. I always seem to be giving somebody a big beautiful terracotta/clementine-orange sun to look at. Original fiction and fan fiction both has this as an enduring image for some reason. Lovvveee, also, light on the water, or lack of light on water, or shadows stretching over the water, blocking the light — lack of light below water, even. Light and the way it plays… Uhhhh I’d say I’ve got a transparent transcendentalist bent which frequently avails itself in the aforementioned light moments, but also in a tendency towards (???) what I guess I’ll call a universalizing moment. Lots of my work ends (or nearly ends) with a moment where the POV drags abruptly outwards to position the characters in the context of both lived experience and a broader global connection to humanity / earth / nature, etc. If this sounds insane I’ve got clearly identifiable examples: 

Aspirin or Sorrow: “Taxes, I guess,” he said, and when Hawkeye laughed, the sound whipped away with the wind, out over the Pacific’s shining sunlit surface and its submerged darknesses, where all manner of the alien and unknowable lurked.

S2G2: “West,” Hawkeye said, remembering flying over the Sea of Japan, wondering where, exactly, Henry’s plane had fallen, winging out over the Pacific, its vaulted darknesses, its crushed-glass glimmer spreading to the horizon as the sun set behind him, and, strangely, realizing it would soon enough rise again in front of him, feeling himself abruptly and frighteningly removed from the typical terrestrial cycle of time and place, moving above it all, above everything, as his plane flew through an ink void, no stars or moon or light, no sound but the droning of an engine taking him from one place to another. 

BJ tilted his head against Hawkeye’s, their temples aligned. Together they looked back along the Earth’s spin, falling endlessly east, movement predefined, inescapable. 

Sailed Calmly On: Soon he’d be seeing the last of Maine for a long while as their plane rose over the coast—he could already picture the shining gold networks of city lights in the dark dimming and then disappearing as they broke through the clouds and sailed above a sea of rolling nothingness, his father receding below and behind until they’d again be separated by the width of the continent. 

And so on. If anybody knows why I keep doing these things I welcome the insight. What else. Food and love, reading in parallel, domesticity being part and parcel with intimacy, uhh open windows for some reason, aural landscapes particularly with a focus on—wtf. Realizing in real time I mention rain/waves/showers in soundscape a lot, just as in all of the above little moments I mention the ocean / sea / coast / usually I talk about the Pacific… And two of my fics are partially themed around a poem about an unnoticed drowning. And Hawk, I’m remembering, both imagines swimming into the Muscongus Bay as a means to an end and refers to an emotional episode as a typhoon. Uhhh SCO's too-on-the-nose boat metaphor, and boat painting. Hawk's shadow on the water. Hawk and the riptide. I’m sure this recurs other places I’m forgetting. Huh. well THERE’S the real recurrent image I guess??? Water??? I don’t shut the fuck up about water ever I guess????

Hm. And that's me from the only triply-landlocked state in the union. The most water I saw in one place before college was at the YMCA. Odd.

Anyway. LMAO thank you this was fun!!!!! Also intrigued if anybody who reads this thinks I’ve covered the Marks of a Parker Original or if there’s something glaring (like the water, until the end) that I’m missing. 

26. Would you rather write a fic that had no dialogue or one that was only dialogue?

OH. also fascinating. I’m gonna say… I think at this moment I’d be more intrigued by a No Dialogue fic. Both because I think the play-format fic I did is close to dialogue-only, and because I think it’d be really fun to write something where all communication is nonverbal—how to imbue touch/action with meaning in a way that’s really legible in text without coming right out and explicating intent in the descriptions… I think it’d be fun to try!!! Picturing like. Some sort of vaguely sleepy PWP thing where everybody’s too tired to talk but there’s plenty of intentional movement and silent communication… ESPECIALLY interesting for Beejhawk, imo, ‘cause they so rarely go quiet….

[ashleysingermfablog]

Wk 16, 18th of June, 2024 Studio Work development

Studio Trials

Ashley Singer, trialling work on the studio floor, 2024, clementine casts in white candle wax with rind residue, 15cm long (each work to scale of a clementine)

Ashley Singer, trialling work on the studio window sill, 2024, ‘wild’ clay collected from a New Lynn clay deposit, clay cast in the shape of pansy and rose petals, also seen on top of a square of plaster and organic matter

Ashley Singer, candle wax mould of half an avocado pip, 2024, candle wax

Ashley Singer, trialling work on the studio floor, 2024, glass jam jar filled with the last of summer’s flowers preserved in candle wax and a keepsake flower dried ontop, wild clay avocado half cast

Ashley Singer, small groupings of casts in plastic containers for storage, 2024, mixed media and storage containers

My Reflection:

Taking this season (winter) as translatable into matter, I have introduced the organic material as un-preserved (I usually sun or air dry most of the vegetal matter) and have allowed some rot to grow in the rind of the clementine casts which I then re-treated and was able to cure the mould so it would only act as a pigment now on the rind and not progress further to show faithfully the way fallen fruit would rot during winter.

Keepsake definition: noun. keep·​sake is something kept or given to be kept in memory of a person, place, or happening. (Webster's Dictionary)

My partner and I traveled to new lynn and were able to get some clay from a worksite in bulk and store it in a very large bucket with a lid outside. Gathering clay directly from the earth in this amount was new for me, but since it all had to be removed from the site for building purposes I felt happy to collect en mass for the good use of the clay in my studio work. It requires a lot more moulding than the fine porcelain (kaolin) and each type has its own strengths.

I think the new lynn site clay type (having both grey and bright orange colouring) is some kind of stoneware/earthenware mix so it is interesting to use as it’s very plasticine-like. I think it works best when worked a lot and after removing all the stones and organic matter, the grey and the orange tones blend into a brown orange toned clay. The clay fits the best into the shape of smaller petals (unlike the kaolin and air dry white clay which worked best on bigger surfaces of Grandiflora like magnolias or lilies). It isn't as easy to scrap along the petals as it is fallible to cracking and is a lot coarser than the thinness of the more heavily refined kaolin I have also been using.

From a small couple of pots of pansy’s most of the impressions where made with the new lynn clay, pressing with my fingertips super gently and carefully on the petals as to not tear them and get the correct shaping for my cast. After pressing and smoothing the clay, I then peel it off of the cast and let the cast immediately sit in the sun on the windowsill to begin curing.

After a small amount of water has beaded onto the windowsill surface, I move the petal cast and wipe the water and place the cast back on the window ledge (and so forth for each cast). I have amassed a huge collection of casts over the year so far and have been storing them away in my plastic containers in my studio cupboard. This allows me to have an accurately built up picture of the seasons and when I come to installing be able to choose matter to show in groups of when they were made at the same time.

After a small amount of water has beaded onto the windowsill surface, I move the petal cast and wipe the water and place the cast back on the window ledge (and so forth for each cast). I have amassed a huge collection of casts over the year so far and have been storing them away in my plastic containers in my studio cupboard. This allows me to have an accurately built up picture of the seasons and when I come to installing be able to choose matter to show in groups of when they were made at the same time.

[dedicatedtodance]

National Dance Radio Airplay

For the week ending April 20, 2024

Never Be Alone --Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera -3

Happier --The Blessed Madonna feat/Clementine Douglas -2

Cutting Loose --Disco Lines, J. Worra, Anabel Englund -1

Lovers In A Past Life --Calvin Harris & Rag'N'Bone Man -6

I Just Need --Danel Allan feat/Lyrah -5

Make You Mine --Madison Beer -9

Lighter --Galantis, David Guetta, 5 Seconds of Summer -14

I'm Only Here For the Beat ---Madelline -4

Dance Alone --SIA feat/Kylie Minogue -10

Why Should I ---Z3LLA -7

Tell Me Who You Are ---Morgin Madison, Ryan Lucian, JAS. -12

Thinking 'Bout Us ---Dannii Minogue & Autone -13

All My Life ---Tiesto, Fast Boy -8

Shiver --John Summit & HAYLA -16

Whatever ---KYGO feat/Ava Max -20

Addicted --ZERB & The Chainsmokers feat/INK -17

Everything You Do --AFROKI, Afrojack, Steve Aoki feat/Aviella. -19

Young & Foolish ---Loud Luxury feat/Charlieonafriday -11

Heaven Or Not ---Diplo & Riva Starr feat/Kareen Lomax -24

Last Of Us --Gryffin feat/Rita Ora -18

Training Season --Dua Lipa -23

Houdini --Dua Lipa -15

Thank You (Not So Bad) --Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tiesto, W&W -22

Complicated --Luca Schreiner -28

The Way It is --Cheat Codes X Two Friends -29

Not Even Love ---Seven Lions, ILLENIUM feat/ASDIS -38

Da Da Dum --Baby Jane -34

Drums ---James Hype, Kim Petras -32

Forever (Stay Like This) --Armin Van Buuren -33

Weight Of The World --Bonnie X Clyde -44

Best Thing ---Timmy Trumpet -25

Rizz ---AYYBO --36

***I Don't Wanna Wait --David Guetta & One Republic -67

Murder On The Dancefloor --Sophie Ellis-Bextor -31

Little Bit Yours ---Galantis, Hannah Boleyn -21 >>>

Carry You --Martin Garri & Third-Party feat/Declan J Donavan -47

Ease My Mind --Switch Disco & AUTOGRAF -28

Water --TYLA -30 >>>

Body Moving ---Eliza Rose X Calvin Harris -35

Mas Que Nada --Oliver Heldens, Ian Asher, Sergio Mendez -40 >>>

Glow --San Holo feat/AU/RA -45

Buscando Money --Twenty-Six, Tayson Kry$$ -42 >>>

Feather --Sabrina Carpenter -39

Yes, And? --Ariana Grande -27 >>>

Nostalgia ---NOTD & Georgia Ku -43

We Ain't Here For Long --Nathan Dawe -41

Take So Long --ARTY feat/XIRA -48

Exes --Tate McRae -46

<>Saving Up --Dom Dolla -51

Off Switch --VASSY -49

***new on the chart <> re-entry >>>off next weeks chart

[wqbytop100]

WQBY

TOP100 for the week ending December 31. 2023

Dark Skies --A R I Z O N A -1 [#8 most played this week]

Other Boys --Marshmello, Dove Cameron -2 [#3 most played this week]

One On One --The Knocks, Sofi Tukker -5 [#14 most played this week]

U Miss Me --Vicetone -6 [#2 most played}

I'll Be There --Robin Schulz, Rita Ora, Tiago PZK -3 [#11 most played]

Spend The Night--BJ the Chicago Kid, Coco Jones -4 [#6]

You're Hired --NEIKED, Ayra Starr -7

<>Feels Like Us --GT_OFICE, Alwz Snny, Robie Rosen -(re-entry)

Summertime Friends --The Chainsmokers -21

Go Off ---Mike Candys -16

She's On My Mind --Romy -28

Dreamteam ---Galantis, Neon Trees -24

Kill Anyone --Two Feet, Ari Abdul -38 [#7]

See You Again--Vicetone, Anna Clendenning -10

AEIOU --PNAU, Empire of the Sun -13

Sorry Now-- A R I Z O N A -14

Stress You --Lucas Estrada, SUPER Hi -12

Good Morning ---Timmy Trumpet, Alie Farber, YOU -9

Wanna --Paul Dally -26 [#5]

Easy ---3LAU, XIRA -20 [#9]

Strangers --Kenya Grace -11

Diamond Therapy --Diplo, Walker & Royce, Channel Tres -18

You --Svidden, Seeb -23

Hangin' On --A R I Z O N A -8

Nevada --Vicetone, Cozi Zuehisdorff -19

How Do I Sa Goodbye -Adventure Club, Delaney Jane -27 [#4]

Both --Tiesto, 21 Savage, BIA -33

***Heart Still Beating --Nathan Dawe, Bebe Rexha -(new)

***Good In Goodbye --Frank Walker, Trivecta -(new)

DJ Play A Christmas Song --CHER -31

One Last Dance --Imanbek, Ali Gattie -17

The Geatest Thing Alive --Mark Knight, Green Velvet, James Hurr -32 [#15]

Run Free (Countdown) ---Tiesto, R3HAB -34

Wanna Dance ---Alle Farber, James Carter, VARGEN -29

Save My Love--Destiny Rogers -35

You Can Have It---Kungs, Victor Flash -39 [#10]

Ando High --Tom & Collins, AMEME -36 [#20]

Running In A Dream --Nils Hoffmann, Kosbo, Vancouver Sleep Clinic -49 [#12]

Fire --Alan Walker, YUQI, JVKE, (G)I-DLE -37 [#17]

Twisted --Laura Davidson -40 [#19]

More Baby --Chris Lake, Aluna -42

Jungle ---Alok, Chainsmokers, Mae Stephens -30

Boyfriend --USHER -43

At Your Worst --Calum Scott -44

Living In A Haze --Milky Chance -15

Drums --James Hype, Kim Petras -45

Superhero --Audien -41 [#13]

Water--Tyla, Marshmello -48

The Future Is Unknown --Adriatique, Delhia De France -50

Little Bit Yours --Galantis, Hannah Boleyn -52

I Got Nothing--MEDUZA, Ferreck Dawn, Clementine Douglas -69 [#16]

Dreaming---Marshmello, Pink, Sting -56

Ohh LALA --Idris Elba, Sasha GiGi -22

Light On--Markus Schulz, Sarah de Warren -54

Blur--KREAM, Marlo Rex -55

***Losing You--Gabry Pointe, Bshp, Joe Cleere -(new) [#18]

Fight My Demons --Yung Bae, Baarney Bones, Leven Kali, Diamond Pistols -57

***Still Got It Bad --Martin Jensen, MATTN -(new)

***Tears On The Dance Floor --Icona Pop -(new)

***Daydream --Will Swinton -(new)

The Tower --Future Islands -119

***Lil Boo Thing --Paul Russell, Galantis -(new)

***Thank You (Not So Bad) --Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike, Tiesto, Dido -(new)

Jumpstarter --Ship Wrek, DLMT -73

One With The Wolves --Robin Schulz -46

Yard Sale --Alex Warren -66

On My Way--Kaskade -68

Body Moving --Eliza Rose, Calvin Harris -71

RIP--Apashe, Vladimir Cauchemar -64

365--Biscuits -65

Tied To You --Elderbrook -25

Strangely Sentimental --Anabel Englund -53

Subterranean --Miss Monique, AVIRA, LUNA -58

What We Know ---Lucas & Steve, Conor Byrne -47

Bite Marks --Ari Abdul -60

Graveyard -- A R I Z O N A (Shoffy remix) -72

***Bring Me Home --Snakehips, LAUREL -(new)

***I Can't Be The Only One ---SERA. YouNotUs -(new)

30 Somehow --Nicotine Dolls -74

***Young & Foolish --Loud Luxury, Charlieonafriday -(new)

Whatever Come My Way --Felly -51

***Walk It Like I Talk It --Saucy Santana -(new)

In My Room --Medium Build -67

Dress Code --Mau P -61

Waiting For U --Laidback Luke, Ralphi (Jake Silva remix)

The Little Mushroom That Got Away --Sultan+Shepard, Lane8 -62

***Right Here --Bag Raiders _(new)

***Falling Behind --Sultan+Shepard, Panana -(new)

***Rainy --Dillon Francis, REI AMI) -(new)

Jealous ---Pascal Letoublon, IZKO, Jordan Rys -80

Waiting--LP Giobbi, Redfield, DJ Rae -83

Lost & Found --Gorgon City, DRAMA -76

Get Dirty --Return Of The Jaded, Tommie Sunshine -84

***I'm Just Ken --Ryan Gosling, Mark Ronson, Purple Disco Machine -(new)

A Year And Some Change --Seaforth -73

Elevator Eyes --Tove Lo -75

<>Girls Gone Wild --Mike G, G Easy, Offset -(re-entry)

<>Anything But Wet -- I_O Lights -(re-entry)

***Loved --Leslie Odom Jr - (new)

Tension --Kylie Minogue -83

Champagne Shit--Miss Monique, Latto, Quavo -112

<>You're So High (10 Years On) --Eli & Fur -(re-entry)

Feel It (Club Edit) -Jazzy -78

<>Rinse It --Devault

***Hungover --John Summit, Mathame, Camden Cox -(new)

***Pull You Closer --Sistek, Sadie Rose Van -(new)

***Front To Back --Deorro, Electric Polar Bears -(new)

<>I Love You Hoe --Odetari, 9lives-(re-entry)

***PI JANO--Box Car -(new)

Bad Tattoo --Jessica Baio -77

<>Disco En Egypte --Bon Entendaur -(re-entry)

Look At Me Dance ---ATRIP, Pote -(re-entry)

***Build A Boy---Emyln, Cloudy June -(new)

<>Carry Me Higher --The Blessed Madonna, Joy Anonymous -(re-entry)

Heat Rising --Pete Tong, Jem Cooke, Jules Buckley -108

Moonlight ---Laidback Luke, GATTUSO, Antrex -123

***Madness---Frank Walker, Sam Feldt, Zak Able, Gabry Pointe -(new)

***Give It To Me--Lucky Luke -(new)

***If You Only Knew --Alexander Stewart -(new)

Fever --Lewis Thompkins, Punctual, Hight -79

For an extended look at 121-150 look for this date and head to WQBY on Spotify

[thebeatgossip-blog]

Cutest non couple?

Clementine Rose @nottaclementine and Kurt Hummel @porcelainsongbird. They’re not together for obvious reasons, but they’re definitely those two kids gossiping in a room full of people. What or who are you whispering about, guys?

[houndofhecate]

Science & Magick: Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm

Melissa officinalis

As are many herbs, this one is also in the mind Lamiaceae family and is native to south-central Europe, the Mediterranean, Iran, Central Asia and is now naturalized in the Americas. Pictured above was harvested from a plant originally foraged from wild growth in Western Washington state (Pacific Northwest). This herb has a generous scent of lemon and mint and is beloved by bees in addition to humans for it’s flowers. It grows in clusters and spreads both vegetatively and by seed.  Stems will die off in winter but shoot up again in spring. 

Historical use in medicine includes several traditions. Into antiquity it has been recorded as used as a wine-infused liniment by the Greek physician Dioscorides. In the middle ages in Western Europe was used as a tea or external topical for treatment of the GI tract, nervous system and liver. Carmelite Water, itself has origins as far back as the 14th century then known as “Eau de Carmes” created by nuns in the 14th c from the Abbey of St Just. In 1826 a nun named Maria Clementine Martin made her own variation known as “Klosterfrau Melissengeist” . It is an herbal tonic/toilet water, similar to the more well-known Florida Water which contains several different ingredients and is popular still in Europe (image below). Carmelite Water is believed to have contained lemon balm in addition to gentian, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger and is presently used since the 1800s for cold and GI disorders.  There is also a long history of use in the Middle East, with reference to Azerbaijani folk practice of bathing in Lemon balm tea to support healthy skin.  It also has uses in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In current production today, in addition to Carmelite Water and similar products it can also be found in certain liquors including Benedictine and Chartreuse.

(image from LINK) 

Current herbal medicine considerations are numerous, often attributing Lemon balm to use for mood, cognition and indigestion. Modern medical research has been done primarily in the Middle East, Asia and Western Europe. Noted effects of Lemon balm include anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects, enhancement of cognitive capacity with regards to memory function, and even improve sexual dysfunction in women. There is additionally ongoing study with some evidence of improvement of cholesterol/lipid profile with oral supplementation and decreased cardiovascular inflammation. 

In ancient Greece the association is strong between Lemon balm and honey bees and ancient beekeepers would rub the hives with Lemon balm to encourage bees to come rest Lemon balm is in some respects believed to be associated with the goddess Aphrodite . Additionally there has been a long belief through the middle ages with belief in longevity attributed to the plant. It also represented sympathy in flower language. 

Modern symbolism and correspondence for attracting love, finding love, healthy sexuality, finding happiness and mental wellness all seem appropriate given the precedent from history and our current knowledge of this plant. If bees have important meaning to you it is also something to be considered to enhance a relationship with bees or associated magickal properties. Below are included a variety of recipes and sources if you’re interested in utilizing Lemon balm in your own medicinal  or magickal practices. 

Make Your Own Carmelite Water (from Mountain Rose Herbs - LINK)

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh lemon balm leaves or 1/4 cup dried lemon balm

1/4 cup dried angelica root

1 Tbsp. dried coriander seed

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon zest (about 1 small organic lemon)

1 tsp. (cassia) cinnamon chips

2 hole cloves

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 bottle dry white wine (or cold water)

Directions

Combine all the herbs and spices into a glass quart jar.

Pour the wine into the jar.

Stir well.

Cover with a lid.

Steep for 4 to 6 hours.

Strain through several layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter and compost the herbs.

Place the infused wine in an airtight container and chill for several hours.

Enjoy within 3 to 5 days.

A Relaxation Tonic (from Judy Griffin’s Mother Nature’s Herbal)

2 tbsp hops

2 tbsp chamomile flowers

2 tbsp lemon balm

1 tbsp spearmint leaves

1 tsp lavender leaves, chopped (or flowers)

DISCLAIMER:

Do NOT use any natural medicine without consulting your healthcare provider or researching the potential interactions it may have with your current medications or health conditions. It is also recommended that any essential oil used topically be tested in a small spot first and diluted so as not to irritate the skin. DO NOT use in lieu of other medical attention. For all consumption or topical application ensure that what you are using has not been treated with pesticides that can be harmful to humans. 

See other Science&Magick by me posts HERE

Images aside from that of the Kosterfrau belong to myself. 

SOURCES: 

Hiller, Sabine “Using Lemon Balm in the Kitchen”. Mayo News (LINK)

Klosterfrau website (Carmelite Water source) (LINK) - above image

Make your Own Carmelite Water (LINK) 

Kennedy DO, Wake G, Savelev S, Tildesley NT, Perry EK, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB. Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of single doses of Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) with human CNS nicotinic and muscarinic receptor-binding properties. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2003 Oct;28(10):1871-81. doi: 10.1038/sj.npp.1300230. PMID: 12888775.

Haybar H, Javid AZ, Haghighizadeh MH, Valizadeh E, Mohaghegh SM, Mohammadzadeh A. The effects of Melissa officinalis supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder in patients with chronic stable angina. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018 Aug;26:47-52. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.04.015. Epub 2018 May 19. PMID: 29908682.

Darvish-Mofrad-Kasani Z et al. “Effect of Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) on Sexual Dysfunction in Women: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study” Iran Journal of Pharm Res.  Winter 2018;17(Suppl):89-100. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5958328/ 

Alakbarov FU. “Aromatic Herbal Baths of the Ancients”.  HerbalGram. 2003; 57:40-49 American Botanical Council. Issue 57. Page 40-49. http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue57/article2449.html?ts=1606520284&signature=609cb7597faf1adb7b2341b804a22828 

Jones MW. “Lovely Lemon Balm”. Moon Maid Botanicals. (LINK)

[naturecpw]

Stop Throwing Out Your Used Tea Bags

They’re surprising useful. Here are 12 things they can do post-brew. - Shifrah Combiths

It feels so good to be able to do something with the things we’d normally discard. Coffee grounds as rose fertilizer and clementine peels saved for DIY candles come to mind, not to mention composting in general.

If you’re a regular or occasional tea drinker, you can add your tea bags to the list of garbage you shouldn’t throw out just yet.

Here are some ways to re-use them post brew:

Add a hint of flavor to rice or grains. Hang your used tea bags in boiling water to infuse your food with a touch of flavor. Think jasmine tea with rice or chai tea with oatmeal.

Protect house plants from fungal disease by re-brewing a used tea bag and using the weak tea (cooled) to water your plants.

Neutralize odors naturally. Spread dried tea leaves in stinky spots like the cat litter box or in the bottom of your garbage bags.

Make cleaning the fireplace safer and easier. Dump the damp contents of tea bags onto the ash to weigh it down before sweeping out the fireplace.

De-grease pots and pans. Soak hard-to-clean dishes in water with a used tea bag tossed in. The tea will help loosen stuck-on food and break up grease.

Add them to your bath. The antioxidants in tea are good for your skin and the gentle scent will add some aromatherapy to your soak.

Take the sting out of insect bites and sunburns. Using a cool compress will reduce pain and inflammation of the affected areas.

Make a hair rinse. Remove product buildup without using another product. Soak 3-4 used tea bags in warm water and pour it over your head after shampooing and conditioning as usual. Don’t rinse. Pro tip: Chamomile brightens blondes and black tea adds a coppery shimmer to brunettes, according to Housewife How-Tos.

Deodorize carpets by scattering the dried contents of several teabags over your rugs before you vacuum.

Depuff tired eyes. Place cool tea bags over your eyes, cucumber style. According to Chasing Green, the tannins in the tea leaves may reduce bags and dark circles.

Clean leather shoes by buffing with a damp teabag.

Wash stinky hands, using a tea bag as you would a bar of soap to help eradicate garlic, onion, or fish odors.

Shifrah Combiths has been writing professionally for twenty years. She loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/stop-throwing-out-your-used-tea-bags?utm_source=pocket-newtab

More Stories from Pocket 📷Six Things You Should Throw Out Immediately 📷The 30 Most Brilliant Cleaning Hacks of All Time 📷From Ketchup to Pineapples: The Food That Should Never Be Kept in a Fridge 📷30 Recipes with a Can of Chickpeas 📷Exactly How to Set up Your Bedroom for a Great Night’s Sleep 📷10 Simple Things to Make You Happier At Home 📷Your Mighty New Mindful Habit: Learn to Respond, Not React 📷7 Home Habits Scientifically Proven to Make You Happier

[theresidentnews]

“Moving On and Mother Hens” Press Release

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2

CHASTAIN’S DOCTORS ARE FACED WITH A MYSTERY ILLNESS

The Chastain staff works together to diagnose a mother-daughter pair who both come in with symptoms that make it difficult to determine their conditions. Devon deals with an unexpected visit from his mother and Conrad and Nic try to figure out the best time to tell everyone their big news. Meanwhile, Bell deals with an over-eager fan of his show who ends up needing treatment at Chastain and Mina makes a bold move when she realizes her visa is about to expire in the all-new “Moving On and Mother Hens” episode of THE RESIDENT airing Tuesday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (RES-404) (TV-14 D, L, V)

Cast: Matt Czuchry as Conrad Hawkins, Bruce Greenwood as Dr. Randolph Bell, Manish Dayal as Devon Pravesh, Emily VanCamp as Nicolette Nevin, Shaunette Renée Wilson as Mina Okafor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Dr. AJ Austin, Jane Leeves as Dr. Kitt Voss and Morris Chestnut as Dr. Barrett Cain.

Guest Cast: Denitra Isler as Nurse Ellen Hundley, Kerr Smith as Jacob Yorn, Carlacia Grant as Trinity Jolson, Tijuana Ricks as Clementine Jolson, Taylor Rose as Fiona Myers, Anna Khaja as Himaya Pravesh and Allie McCulloch as Dr. Gabbi Johnson.

[d-i-y--projects]

Stop Throwing Out Your Used Tea Bags

They’re surprising useful. Here are 12 things they can do post-brew.

Apartment Therapy   Shifrah Combiths

It feels so good to be able to do something with the things we’d normally discard. Coffee grounds as rose fertilizer and clementine peels saved for DIY candles come to mind, not to mention composting in general.

If you’re a regular or occasional tea drinker, you can add your tea bags to the list of garbage you shouldn’t throw out just yet. Here are some ways to re-use them post brew:            

Add a hint of flavor to rice or grains. Hang your used tea bags in boiling water to infuse your food with a touch of flavor. Think jasmine tea with rice or chai tea with oatmeal.

Protect house plants from fungal disease by re-brewing a used tea bag and using the weak tea (cooled) to water your plants.

Neutralize odors naturally. Spread dried tea leaves in stinky spots like the cat litter box or in the bottom of your garbage bags.

Make cleaning the fireplace safer and easier. Dump the damp contents of tea bags onto the ash to weigh it down before sweeping out the fireplace.

De-grease pots and pans. Soak hard-to-clean dishes in water with a used tea bag tossed in. The tea will help loosen stuck-on food and break up grease.

Add them to your bath. The antioxidants in tea are good for your skin and the gentle scent will add some aromatherapy to your soak.

Take the sting out of insect bites and sunburns. Using a cool compress will reduce pain and inflammation of the affected areas.

Make a hair rinse. Remove product buildup without using another product. Soak 3-4 used tea bags in warm water and pour it over your head after shampooing and conditioning as usual. Don’t rinse. Pro tip: Chamomile brightens blondes and black tea adds a coppery shimmer to brunettes, according to Housewife How-Tos.

Deodorize carpets by scattering the dried contents of several teabags over your rugs before you vacuum.

Depuff tired eyes. Place cool tea bags over your eyes, cucumber style. According to Chasing Green, the tannins in the tea leaves may reduce bags and dark circles.

Clean leather shoes by buffing with a damp teabag.

Wash stinky hands, using a tea bag as you would a bar of soap to help eradicate garlic, onion, or fish odors.

hifrah Combiths has been writing professionally for twenty years. She loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.

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https://getpocket.com/explore/item/stop-throwing-out-your-used-tea-bags?utm_source=pocket-newtab

[dogcopter]

2 for the gardener's lover, 5 for clusterfuck!

Hey thanks!!!

2. Which scene was your favorite to write re The Gardener’s Lover?

Pearl woke with a mouthful of rose petals. She hanahaki-hacked her way to the surface. The bush had climbed into her bedroom overnight. She scratched herself in three dimensions climbing out of it. Her skin stung all over.

She broke out. She fell into the bathroom. The toilet lid bowed with her weight. Thornshadows crawled down her wall like searching fingers.

“Pearl,” Rose whispered. Enchantment on her lips. Like her kiss on the surgery table. Or maybe the lab table. The kitchen table. The table in Greg’s trailer. It was a table whisper. Anywhere.

Pearl trembled.

“Let me in.”

“Rose,” Pearl said. “Why can’t I move on?”

I love pain (hence becoming a sucker for Pearl and Rose and their tragedies), and the particular pain of *locks oneself in the bathroom at 3am because the ghosts you’re avoiding can’t get to you in there!* (Just kidding can’t outrun your brain) is really dear to my heart

5. Did you make an outline for [title]? Did you stick to it? Re Clusterfuck (nsfw link, E-rated fic)

not at all that i recall! Just took concept and a couple mental images and let the muse sing it, only really needed a solo scene and a group scene.

What came first was a throwaway line of dialogue about flint and chert’s shattered gem support group in a shy rose au fic tho. Not an outline for the fic itself but the closest thing to a prompt besides the fusion meta thing.

“-r group at the last SA,” Amethyst was telling a clementine-orange gem with a faceted nose. “How’s that going?”

“Excellent,” the other gem said. “We meet every other week at Flint’s right now.”

“There’s a poster up in Yellow Diamond’s office,” said her partner, a tall blue quartz. “For the recently reconstituted, it says.”

[ericsonclan]

A Lack of Celebration

Summary: Brody decides to visit her family and share the news of her marriage.

Word Count: 2251

Read on AO3:

Brody felt her stomach twist and turn with the waves as Ol’ Kickass moved closer and closer to the docks. Her left hand shook while she held onto the silver wedding ring that dangled on the chain around her neck.The auburn pirate began to fidget with it as she tried to calm herself down. Her nerves were all over the place and her breathing wasn’t doing much better. It seemed like it would never end until she dealt with this reunion.

Over five years had passed since she left her hometown and now she was back. Hoping to reconnect with her family even for a moment and share her happiness in the path she had followed in her life with the Ericson Pirates. Sophie had decided to give her chance at happiness with her blood family a chance; that choice had played a bigger effect on Brody’s heart than the auburn had suspected. Maybe if she went there and showed her mom how happy she was then it would strengthen their bond.

“Hey. You doing okay?” Mitch asked as he made his way to stand beside her. His brow furrowed as he looked at her.

“Y-Yeah. I’m just a bit nervous.” Her voice shook as she tried to smile. “I haven’t seen my mom in a long time and now that we’re married...” She took a deep breath. “I wanna tell her in person. With my father out of town this is my best chance.”

Mitch nodded before taking her hand. His fingers gently wrapped around hers as he rubbed his thumb against the top of her hand to help soothe her nerves. “It’s going to be okay.” His voice was calm and comforting. “We’ve been through way tougher shit than this on the seven seas and we got through that. I’m sure your mom will be happy to see you again.”

Brody smiled warmly over at her love, giving his hand a quick squeeze as they watched the ship pull into port. The two quickly helped the others get the ship docked and after a few quick goodbyes they were off and heading out into town. The crew wished them good luck as they left, shouting encouraging words and advice until the couple was out of sight.

They slowly made their way through the town. Brody’s anxiety steadily grew as they drew closer to her old home, reaching a peak when she spotted her childhood home. It was a small brownstone house. A simple lawn covered the area around the house with a wrought iron fence in front. Leaves and vines that held small buds of purple flowers curled around the fence.

“You ready?” Mitch looked over at his wife with the gentlest smile. His eyes were concerned yet strong, determined that this would go well.

Brody took a shaky breath and gave a short smile to him before nodding. Her hand gave a quick rap against the door.

“Yes. Who is it?” A familiar voice called out.

“It’s Brody.”

The door quickly flung open revealing a middle-aged redheaded woman. She ran forward, wrapping Brody into a hug as she let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, you’re back!” She pulled away and studied Brody’s face, her hand ever so gently placed on her daughter’s face as she took in the face she hadn’t seen in years. “Come on in!”

She walked inside, guiding the two to a quaint room with a few places to sit. Books and different knicknacks covered the shelves and table. She motioned for them to sit down before getting some tea ready. Brody looked around the room. Nothing had changed these last few years - everything seemed the same. Except for the pile of letters she presumed were her own that she had sent home over the years.

It was such a staggering pile of letters. Brody felt her heart warm at the sight knowing that her mother had kept every single one she’d sent. As they drew nearer, she noticed that the paper of the letters was worn down and crinkled with dried splotches of ink. It was clear her mother had read and reread her letters.

“It’s been so long.” Her mother’s voice called from the kitchen.

“Yeah. It has been. Sorry about that. I was in the area so I’d thought I’d visit.” Brody’s voice tightened with nerves. She wasn’t sure how this conversation would go.

“Oh. You’re only here to visit?” Her mother’s voice was layered with disappointment. It was obvious that she had wanted this to be more than a quick visit.

Brody's heart rate quickened as she glanced around the room. Her blue eyes landed on a desk where she noticed a scroll with the warden’s seal laid beside it. It was a sight that she had seen many times in the past, a scroll that seemed to almost hold her future, laid out by her father and sealed with the symbol as his title as warden, the title she’d always been told she would one day take. It was a future she had dreaded and grown sick over.

The sound of the tray settling against the table drew her attention back to her mother who sat across the couch on a small armchair. Her green eyes stared at the two pirates in silence, holding a plethora of emotions that all fought for dominance in her gaze. “So… Who is he?” Her mother's eyes studied Mitch while she poured the tea. Her tone made it obvious that she was wary of him.

“Well.” Brody gently grabbed Mitch’s hand, intertwining it with hers. “He’s actually the reason I came back. I had to tell you in person.” She looked at Mitch with a loving smile. Her eyes made his heart melt as he looked deeply into them. “This is Mitch, my husband.”

The tea pot slammed down as her mother’s eyes shot up towards her. Brody looked at her mother’s shocked expression then down at the table. A thin hairline crack could be seen running across the frame of the teapot.

Her mother’s eyes fell upon the chain around Brody’s neck that displayed the silver ring. A thin frown pulled on her lips before it disappeared behind a friendly expression. “Your husband? He seems…” Her mother’s eyes darted slightly back and forth, her face scrunched as she tried to find something positive to say. “Nice.” Her voice sounded pleasant but her gaze said otherwise. “So,” She slid the teacup across the table to Brody, “Does that mean you two are settling down?” Her voice sounded hopeful. “Live here or in a town nearby?”

“N-No. We’re umm… going to continue life at sea. The group we run with has grown to be like a family to us and we enjoy traveling on the seven seas.”

“As pirates.” Her mother’s voice sounded sad and filled with judgement as she focused on pouring the next cup of tea. Sliding it across to Mitch, she looked up. “I thought after five years you would grow out of that phase, come back to your senses and live a normal life. A life like the one your father and I worked tirelessly to set in place.”

Brody’s eyes widened with shock before she looked away, her face downcast. “I hated my life here. Father wanted me to live a life he had planned out, not caring whether it was what I wanted.” Her gaze shifted upwards. “My anxiety overwhelmed me. It felt like I couldn’t breathe, that I was trapped with no escape as all eyes focused on me. Neither of you seemed to care though. All you wanted was for me to have the life that was set before me. But it wasn’t the one I wanted - so I decided to live my life.” Her hand tightened around Mitch’s who continued to rub circles into it. “I’m happy with the Ericson Pirates. When I’m with them, I don’t feel the burden of expectation, the weight of performing perfectly only to be judged by those around me. I’ve found acceptance and I found love. I thought you’d be happy for me.”

“Happy that you married a pirate?” Her mother’s voice swirled with disapproval. “Happy that you became the very thing your father fights to eradicate?” Her glare caused Brody’s stomach to turn as she felt tears prick her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, Brody. It's time you grew out of this phase and came home.”

“Now hold on a minute-” Mitch snapped, pausing when he felt Brody place her hand on his arm.

Brody suddenly stood up. “I just came to tell you about my marriage and share my happiness, but it's clear you don’t care.” Tears misted her vision as she rose up from her spot. “I should go.”

“Brody! Wait!” Her mother shot up from her spot, spilling her tea in the process.

“I’ll be sure to send you more letters.” With that Brody left, storming outside and making it out the door before bursting into tears. Mitch was right behind her, holding her arm comfortingly. Brody looked up at her husband as she wiped away tears. “I’m sorry, Mitch. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but...” she took a shaky breath.

“Hey. It’s okay.” Mitch put a hand on her shoulder, gently rubbing it. “Sorry that it went so shitty.”

“No, it’s…” Brody paused, frustration and sadness twisting in her stomach. “I just want her to like you. I wanted her to see that I’ve made a life for myself that I’m proud of.”

Mitch gave a sympathetic smile and was about to speak reassuring words when a familiar voice caused the couple to freeze.

“No! No! No! That’s unacceptable!” the warden huffed as he walked; two guards followed him on either side. Brody felt nauseous as her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. Her father wasn’t supposed to be in town.

“Come on, let’s get the fuck out of-” Mitch was cut off when the warden let out a loud gasp.

“Wardy!” His eyes widened in recognition before pointing towards them.

“Oh fuck.” Mitch whispered before grabbing her hand. “We need to leave.” Brody quickly followed his lead as they weaved through the alleyways towards the ship.

Brody’s father's voice rang out behind them as they ran. “Don’t just stand there! Bring my daughter back and get me those pirates!”

Brody’s throat felt dry as they drew closer to the ship, her legs burning.

“Louis! Get the ship ready - we gotta fucking leave!” Mitch yelled as he placed his arms round his wife’s hips and helped Brody onto the ship.

Louis’ face fell in panic before he turned to the rest of the crew. “Get ready to set sail!”

The crew quickly went to work. Violet swung down and helped Clementine and Ruby pull up the anchor while Omar and Aasim worked with the youngest pirates to prepare the rest of the ship to be in tiptop shape for sailing.

“Haul ass! Haul ass! Haul ass!” Louis yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth before joining in to help his crew get ready to leave. The ship drifted off as the warden stood on the docks, his guards barely missing tumbling over the ledge of the wooden dock.

“Wardy! Come back here!” His eyes suddenly widened when he looked at Mitch. “You’re the scum from the cell!” he spat with loathing. “You hooligan, get your grimy hands off my daughter!”

Brody felt her anger bubble over. A deep frown overtook her lips as she stared at her father. She wouldn’t be able to change his mind; her parents would never truly approve of her life. Each step of the way she had tried and each time they had fallen short. She was tired of it. The auburn pirate wanted a way to get back at her father.

“Hey, Father! Look at this!” Brody grabbed Mitch’s shirt, pulling him in for a kiss.

Her father yelled in disapproval as his face grew red with anger, but there was nothing he could do to stop her. Ol’ Kickass was already pulling out of the port.

Brody gave a cocky smile as she watched her father’s reaction. It soon disappeared though once the ship was far enough away for him to fade out of sight. The realization of what she had just done hit her and her face grew bright red. “I can’t believe I did that!”

“Holy shit! Mitch mumbled, a goofy smile on his face. “That was so fucking hot.”

Brody looked over at her husband with a playful smile as she nudged his shoulder. Mitch laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“You really are one of a kind, Brodes.” His teasing smile turned to one of pure adoration as he lifted up a hand and brushed back her hair. “You’re stuck with me till the end. Come hell or highwater, whatever shit life throws at us, we’ll get through it. As long as we’re together we're invincible!”

“Yeah, together,” Brody leaned into her husband’s touch as she placed her hand on top of his. The two stared deeply into each other’s eyes before they were pulled away by the sound of their crew. All of them had gathered around,  talking over each other and asking to hear how the day had gone. Mitch and Brody shared one more glance before they began to share details of the less than ideal but certainly memorable reunion.

[aures-rose]

Disclaimer: Very much and very little have happened since my last update. I broke my ankle last month and that’s kept me from really roleplaying and writing like I might normally in frequency, quality, and duration. Despite this, I have a lot to write since a lot of this happened before my incident. Anyways! To the entry!

Dear Diary,

So much has happened since my last entry! Where do I even start? I had my first practical potions lesson this year! Deputy Headmistress is teaching it, and she had a cauldron of a love potion called Amortentia. It smelled like firewood and the ocean and flowers, wisteria I think. Maybe lavender. Someone, I think it was Eve, said it smells like whatever you find the most attractive. So I guess I like campfires by the sea. Which makes sense actually, we always had that campfire under the pergola where Mother’s wisteria grew. Anyways, Eve and I brewed the Antidote to Common Poisons which seems like a useful thing to be able to brew. I didn’t even know I could brew, but I didn’t mess up!

After class, Eve and I went down to the campsite near Dumbledore’s grave and we hung out for a while. She told me how she and Marigold had talked about doing a group Halloween costume for the bash this year as plants that can be found in the forest. Eve really likes herbology you see and she got a book from her mum about different plants, I think she said they may have been Victorian plants, I can’t remember. She was talking about going as some kind of mushroom and I had the idea of being a rose, with a paper mache rose head on or something.

Later on I ran into Margo again. She was heading back to the common room and since I knew a shortcut through Lady Prudence, I showed it to Margo. I told her it really pays off to talk to the portraits in school and she said she’d have to talk to more of them. She invited me into the first year dorm where she was supposed to meet Venus- another first year. Venus was going to tell Margo a secret. Margo took me to their dorm and introduced me to Venus who seems really nice and likes plants. Her mum plays music too, piano I think she said. I promised to show her where the music room is sometime, a lot of first years seem to not know about it, I guess because we have no music professor this year. Venus and Margo both showed me their beds, Margo likes plants and Venus also likes stars! Then Venus told us she’d overheard a friend talking to a boy and she’d learned of a secret room through one of the portraits. She was supposed to show us the next day but I ended up being really busy. I’ll have to ask Margo to show me sometime. Also, I think I really like the name Venus. I know it’s a planet and a Roman Goddess, but I like it because how romantic it sounds.

Anyways, I had Herbology with Eve next. I really do hate Herbology. I mean, I like looking at flowers and plants but I just don’t get it. But in class we were collecting mushrooms from the edge of the forest. Venus asked me to partner with her but I’d already partnered with Eve so I had to tell her no. Eve and I talked about herbology for a while and mostly she picked all the mushrooms with these really nice scissors she had. After class, we sat in the courtyard and talked. We decided instead of going by the dock, we were going to sneak brooms and fly to a secret place on the castle which will become our secret place. We’ll bring supplies like blankets and stuff and we’ll hide out there for our sleepover.

We also talked about Ghoul Studies because it was going to be our next class. We talked about Professor Esper and how romantically he talks and also how he wears… a flower on his suit which Eve says represents mourning, or it did in Victorian times. I wonder if Professor Esper is mourning a long dead sweetheart from his days as a student. Wouldn’t that be romantic? In class the Head Boy, Elliott sat near us and we both told him we’d bet money on him with Nora for the TriWizard Cup. Professor Esper also had asked Eve to cast a spell and levitate all the homework to his desk but she couldn’t do it. She asked me for help and I was actually able to do it!

Then came DADA. Not the good DADA though. No. DADA with stupid Professor Vikander. Can you believe he took TWENTY POINTS from Gryffindor just because some boy’s spell backfired? That made me so mad! My blood actually started to boil, I swear! Actually, my hands did get really hot and so did my face and the edges of my eyes got real blurry like… I couldn’t help it and I ended up yelling at Professor Vikander. I… said some not nice things about how he didn’t care about his students and I wished I was a Hufflepuff because Professor Priaulx is better and actually cares. I can’t believe he let me get away with everything I said, really. Tom and Eve were trying really hard to calm me down and I think that’s the only reason I really left the class. It’s so embarrassing getting angry like that. I need to remember to take my calming drought always. Anyways, we were making our way down the tower and there was a crowd at the bottom. And in that crowd was the boy who’d lost us all those points. I couldn’t help myself! I tried to petrify him… from there it all went crazy. Everything happened so fast but Eve tackled me and my spell hit Talula I think. Elliott came down and pulled Eve off me and she explained she wasn’t attacking me, she was trying to stop me and then everything got even crazier!! I don’t remember everything that happened because Eve surprised me so bad and I started to feel really embarrassed and ended up crying. Eventually Professor Vikander came down and everything was still crazy but Talula gave me a calming drought bc the one in my backpack got shattered. Then Professor Vikander sent Eve and I to the Hospital Wing. I apologised to her there and she told me I had nothing to be sorry for and…. That Lex… Lex Ashworth had said something very cruel. He’d been talking to Aloy but he called her a fire flinging freak and… I mean… sure, he was mad at Aloy but… if that’s what Lex thinks of her… what about Talula? Or me? My family? I come from a line of fire flinging freaks even if I’ve never managed it myself…

After that, I kind of laid low for a while, avoiding everyone. Especially since… after that, my eye got even worse. I don’t know why but instead of two pupils, now there’s three. Am I doomed to just keep getting more and more? Will my other eye become freaky next? I don’t know what to do about it but I can’t keep ignoring it so I’ve been trying to do research on curses and what kind might have caused this. I plan on speaking to Professor Macauley about it as soon as possible and if he doesn’t have answers I’ll go to Professor Blightly and then O'Keeffe if she doesn’t. I have to figure this out and how to go back to normal or at least how to stop it.

Then it was announced there was going to be a fashion show. I don’t know anything about fashion and I don’t really care but Gwyn, my mentor, was running the meeting so I decided to go to support her. Somehow I ended up being chosen to represent our house in the casual category. I ended up wearing my red jumper dress with a white t-shirt, a red flower crown of flowers I don’t know what they’re called but they remind me of the Christmas flowers, red flags, my red backpack, and of course, my violin case. I also put stars on my face, because I like decorating myself. The fashion show was really scary honestly but Talula put some lipgloss on me and everyone was really supportive. It was scary walking on stage on front of everyone and I was afraid I’d like or fall off stage but I did it! And I never want to do it again! I’d watch it again though!

Talula also ran a club called Spark Club this month. Spark Club is where you can meet new friends or dates. I only wanted friends so I put that when I signed up. Somehow Talula pairs you with three people, I don’t know how, and you spend a few minutes talking and getting to know each other with the talk starter Tal gives you. My first pair was Bailey but I think he was late getting there so Margo and her match, Dana, who is a first year in our house talked to me for a little bit. Margo said I could be a model because of how tall I am but I definitely don’t want that. Eventually Bailey showed up and we talked about getting into trouble a little bit. My next pair was named Gage but he never showed up so I sat around and watched everyone else for a bit. Lastly, I was paired with Eve! Talula said we were too cute not to pair up and I told Eve it was destiny! She was talking to an older student named Romi Clementine. Romi is a fourth year I think and she’s really pretty, like a doll. She was even dressed like a doll in this frilly red dress. She said she liked charms and Homemaking Magic and that the Spark Club was a little too noisy for her which I totally get.

Oh, Eve also gave me a book at Spark Club. It’s called Coraline and she said she wanted us to choose characters from the book for our Halloween costumes instead. I’m going to start reading it tonight, just as soon as I finish writing in you. She said it was one of her favourite books and I think it’s nice to see what your friends like if you want to get close to them. She also said she’d like it if we all started a book club. So I’m going to read some of this and then maybe we can sit around and have a talk about it!

Oh! The Triwizard Tournament is closing in, I don’t remember if I told you but Hogwarts is hosting it this year. Saturday the other schools arrived. It was amazing. The Beauxbatons students are so elegant and graceful! They arrived in a blue flying carriage pulled by winged horses that were all golden! When their Headmistress stepped out she looked like an ice princess with all these feathers on her dress. Then the students came out with all this beautiful water magic and there were golden sparks and it was all amazing. The Durmstrang students were intimidating! It’s crazy to me to think that if Grandmother Banon had remained in Bulgaria, I could have been a Durmstrang student too. I couldn’t imagine that! They’re so serious and like… They arrived in a ship that came out of the lake, bursting through the ice alongside all these patronuses! The students came marching off the ship with these torches held over their heads and then the flames leapt from their torches and made this arc and the Deputy Headmistress came marching off. I don’t think anyone’s seen the Headmaster yet, apparently he wasn’t feeling well. 

There was also a HUGE feast where Headmistress O’Keeffe explained all the rules of the tournament, apparently you can only participate if you’re 17. Then she revealed the Goblet of Fire! It’s got these blue flames and it was super cool to watch. There’s also these blue flames around the Goblet which apparently keeps anyone under 17 from trying to put their name in. I wonder who will be chosen from each school… I can’t imagine being chosen for Hogwarts… I hope though… I hope one day I can be in the Triwizard Tournament. Could you imagine? Aures Truegarden, Triwizard Tournament Champion. I’ve heard some students talk about trying to sneak their names into the Goblet but I’m not ready and I know that. I’m still just a kid. But one day!

That’s almost everything, I think. The only thing left is to tell you I’ve found a new project! I’m going to try to learn a musical piece called The Devil’s Trill. It’s by Tartini. I was reading a music book and I found a story about it and really wanted to learn it after that. This composer, Giuseppe Tartini was having a hard time making money as a violinist. He decided he wanted to die- that’s sad isn’t it?- but before he did, he wanted the chance to dream for one last night. That night he dreamed of the devil! Or is it, a devil? Anyways, he told his friend,some French astronomer that he dreamed the devil came and asked him to be his teacher. At the end of their lesson, Tartini gave the devil his violin and asked him to play, to see how good the Devil was. The devil played so amazingly that it took Tartini’s breath away. How I wish I could play that well. Anyways, Tartini woke up with a jolly and jumped out of bed, immediately writing down the sonata and trying to catch what he’d heard in his dream. The Sonata became super successful! Everyone said that you could hear bells and chimes during the performance and that it felt like the room was getting smaller and smaller but Tartini said it was nowhere near as perfect as what he heard in his dream. I want to learn to play The Devil’s Trill and make people feel something. Anyways, I should start this book but… goodnight diary! Thanks for always listening!</p>

[dottie-wan-kenobi]

Here you will find 50+ songs that I feel embody Tim Drake in all his roles and moods, that define his platonic and romantic relationships, and also that I think he would sing (or cry to) in the shower.

Please don’t tag as batcest!!

Songlist under the cut:

Hard Times - Paramore | Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons | Heroes (we could be) - Alesso feat. Tove Lo | Burn The House Down - AJR | Don’t Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers feat. Daya | Don’t Play - Halsey | Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Fray | Icarus - Bastille | Needed Me - Rihanna | What I’ve Done - Linkin Park | Tell Me You Love Me - Demi Lovato | bellyache - Billie Eilish | Migraine - Twenty One Pilots | Fake Love - Drake | Six Feet Under - Billie Eilish | Flaws - Bastille | do re mi - blackbear | Bored - Billie Eilish | Rose-Colored Boy - Paramore | King of the Clouds - Panic! At The Disco | Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder | Secrets - P!nk | Teenagers - My Chemical Romance | Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash | Bad Blood - Bastille | The Last Of The Real Ones - Fall Out Boy | R.I.P. 2 My Youth - The Neighbourhood | Fake Happy - Paramore | Young And Menace - Fall Out Boy | I’m Not Okay (I Promise) - My Chemical Romance | Ain’t It Fun - Paramore | Afraid - The Neighbourhood | Gasoline - Halsey | Numb - Linkin Park | Ode to Sleep - Twenty One Pilots | come out and play - Billie Eilish | Apologize - OneRepublic | Tell Me Something I Don’t Know - Selena Gomez | I’m Still Standing (Cover) - Taron Egerton | I Found A Way - Drake Bell | Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger | Like Whoa - Aly & AJ | The Only Exception (Cover) - Michael Schulte | Skyfall - Adele | Creep (Cover) - Michael Schulte | Digital - Imagine Dragons | clementine - Halsey | Believer - Imagine Dragons | These Streets - Bastille | Told You So - Paramore | Mama - My Chemical Romance | HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON’T - Fall Out Boy | Alone - Halsey | Johnny Run Away - Tones and I

[dedicatedtodance]

National Dance Radio Airplay

For the week ending March 9. 2024

When We Were Young --David Guetta & Kim Petras -3

Houdini --Dua Lipa -1

Water --TYLA -2

Young & Foolish --Loud Luxury f/Charlieonafriday -5

Why Should I --Z3LLA -15

All My Life --Tiesto/Fast Boy -9

Cutting Loose --Disco Lines, J. Worra, Anabel Englund -14

Heart Still Beating --Nathan Dawe, Bebe Rexha -8

Happier --The Blessed Madonna f/Clementine Douglas -12

I'm Only Here for The Beat --MADELLINE -10

Past Life --Felix Jaehn & Jonas Blue -6

Little Bit Yours --Galantis, Hannah Boleyn -16

Krazy --VASSY -4

I Believe In Love --Peggy Gou f/Lenny Kravitz -17

Never Be Alone --Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera -22

Mwaki --Zerb, Sofiya Nzau -13

I Just Need --Daniel Allan -19

Saving Up --Dom Dolla -11

Drums --James Hype, Kim Petras -7

Lovers In A Past Life --Calvin Harris & Rag'N'Bone Man -25

Shiver --John Summit & HAYLA -23

Thinking 'Bout Us --Dannii Minogue & Autone -27

Murder On The Dancefloor --Sophie Ellis-Bextor -20

On My Way --Kaskade -18

Tell Me Who You Are --Morgin Madison, Ryan Lucian, JAS -24

Body Moving --Eliza Rose X Calvin Harris -21

Ease My Mind --Switch Disco & Autograf -26

Yes, And? --Ariana Grande -37

Dance Alone --SIA f/Kylie Minogue -31

No Man's Land --Marshmello f/Venbee -33

Whatever --KYGO with Ava Max -29

***Last Of Us --Griffin f/Rita Ora -52

Greedy --Tate McRae -28

Best Thing --Timmy Trumpet --34

Real Love --Martin Garrix & LLOYISO -38

***Make You Mine --Madison Beer -58

Forever (Stay Like This) --Armin Van Buuren -40

Peace Of Mind --Disco Lines, Ship Wrek & DAYA -44

Perfect (Exceeeder) (2024) --David Guetta, Mason vs P. Superstar -43

42 --Diplo & Maren Morris -41

Atmosphere --Fisher X Kita Alexander -39

Overdrive --Ofenbach -42

Take My Chance --MK -35m >>>

Future --Goodboys -47 >>>

Strangers --Kenya Grace -50 >>>

<>On My Love --Zara Larsson & David Guetta -55 >>>

***Nostalgia --NOTD & Georgia Ku -87

I'll Be There --Robin Schulz, Rita Ora, Tiago PZK -45 >>>

***Loneliness --Pet Shop Boys -51 >>>

***Not My Fault --Renee Rapp -60 >>>

*** new on chart <> re-entry >>>off next week

[wqbytop100]

WQBY [rankings]

TOP 100 for the week ending December 24, 2023

Dark Skies --A R I Z O N A -5 [#2 most played]

Other Boys --Marshmello, Dove Cameron -1 [#3 most played]

I'll Be There --Robin Schulz, Rita Ora, Tiago PZK -2 [#4 most played]

Spend The Night --BJ the Chicago Kid, Coco Jones -4 [#5 most played]

One On One --The Knocks, Sofi Tukker -13

U Miss Me --Vicetone -30 [#7 most played]

You're Hired --NEIKED, Ayra Starr -26

Hangin' On --A R I Z O N A -15

Good Morning ---Timmy Trumpet, Alie Farber, YOU -11

See You Again --Vicetone, Anna Clendenning -3

Strangers --Kenya Grace -12

Stress You --Lucas Estrada, SUPER Hi -21

AEIOU --PNAU, Empire of the Sun -7

Sorry Now ---A R I Z O N A -9

Living In A Haze --Milky Chance -18

Go Off --Mike Candys -6

One Last Dance --Imanbek, Ali Gattie -19

Diamond Therapy --Diplo, Walker & Royce, Channel Tres -8

Nevada --Vicetone, Cozi Zuehisdorff -22

***Easy --3LAU, XIRA - (new) [#18 most played]

Summertime Friends --The Chainsmokers -10

Ohh LALA --Idris Elba, Sasha GiGi -29

You ---Svidden, Seeb -28

Dreamteam --Galantis, Neon Trees -24 [#8 most played]

Tied To You --Elderbrook -14

***Wanna ---Paul Dally -(new) (#10 most played)

***How Do I Say Goodbye--Adventure Club, Delaney Jane -(new) [#6 most played]

<>She's On My Mind --Romy -(re-entry)

Wanna Dance --Alle Farber, James Carter, VARGEN -23

Jungle --Alok, Chainsmokers, Mae Stephens -25

***DJ Play A Christmas Song --CHER -(new) [#1 most played]

<>The Greatest Thing Alive --Mark Knight, Green Velvet, James Hurr -(re-entry) {#9 most played)

Both --Tiesto, 21 Savage, BIA -17

Run Free (Countdown) -Tiesto, R3HAB -90

Save My Love --Destiny Rogers -27

***Ando High -Tom & Collins, AMEME -(new)

***Fire --Alan Walker, YUQI, JVKE, (G)I-DLE -(new)

***Kill Anyone --Two Feet, Ari Abdul -(new)

***You Can Have It --Kungs, Victor Flash -(new)

***Twisted --Laura Davidson -

<>Superhero --Audien -(re--entry)

More Baby --Chris Lake, Aluna -20

Boyfriend --USHER -31

At Your Worst --Calum Scott -32

Drums --James Hype, Kim Petras -33

One With The Wolves --Robin Schulz -34

What We Know --Lucas & Steve, Conor Byrne -39

<>Water --Tyla, Marshmello -(re-entry)

<>Running In A Dream --Nils Hoffmann, Kasbo, Vancouver Sleep Clinic -(re-entry)

<>The Future Is Unknown --Adriatique, Delhia De France -(re-entry)

***Whatever Comes My Way --Felly -(new)

<>Little Bit Yours --Galantis, Hannah Boleyn -(new)

Strangely Sentimental --Anabel Englund -36

Light On --Markus Schulz, Sarah de Warren -35

Blur --KREAM, Marlo Rex -38

Dreaming --Marshmello, Pink, Sting -16

Fight My Demons --Yung Bae. Barney Bones, Leven Kali, Diamond Pistols -41

Subterranean --Miss Monique, AVIRA, LUNA -43

Bigger Than The Song -- Brittney Spencer -44

Bite Marks --Ari Abdul -48

Dress Code --Mau P -52

The Little Mushroom That Got Away --Sultan+Shepard, Lane8 -56

<>To Love Someone --Benson Boone -(re-entry)

<>RIP --Apashe, Vladimir Cauchemar -(re-entry)

<>365 --Biscits, Camden Cox -(re-entry)

<>Yard Sale --Alex Warren -(re-entry)

***In My Room --Medium Build -(new)

<>On My Way --Kaskade -(re-entry)

***I Got Nothing --MEDUZA, Ferreck Dawn, Clementine Douglas -(new)

***Lil Boo Thang --Paul Russell, Galantis -(new)

***Body Moving --Eliza Rose, Calvin Harris -(new)

***Graveyard -A R I Z O N A (Shoffy remix) -(new)

***A Year And Some Change --Seaforth -(new)

***30 Somehow --Nicotine Dolls -(new)

Elevator Eyes --Tove Lo -46

Lost & Found --Gorgon City, DRAMA -37

Following The Sun --SUPER Hi, NEEKA -40

Feel It (Club Edit) --Jazzy -96

Fever --Lewis Thompson, Punctual, Hight -50

Jealous --Pascal Letoublon, IZKO, Jordan Rys -74

Body Count --Jason Derulo -45

Waiting For U --Laidback Luke, Ralphi (Jake Silva remix) -55

Waiting --LP Giobbi, Redfield, DJ Rae -61

Get Dirty --Return Of The Jaded, Tommie Sunshine -72

Stranger On A Train --SUPER Hi -59

It's In My Head --Provoker -42

Smiley Water --Mike. -47

On My Love --Zara Larsson, David Guetta -49

Weird & Bizarre --Posh Chocolates -51

Vogue --Noize -53

From This Day On --Andrew Rayel, JES -57

Moon --Locklead -58

We Could Be Love --Hayden James, AR/CO -60

In My Zone --S.O. GIDI -62

De Selby Part 2 --Hozier -63

Dressed For A Funeral --Groupthink, Sunday Scaries -64

All Night --Charlie Houston -65

Down Like That --Bryson Tiller -66

The Beautiful Letdown --Switchfoot, Jonas Brothers -67

If Only I --Loud Luxury, Two Friends, Bebe Rexha -68