#(time for hobbies. for friendships and family. for travel. for trying new food and sitting in the sun. time is money.

[tytonidyke]

Really really sucks how even on days off from work its looming stresses weigh on you. They are in my head I’m off the clock but I’m still there subconsciously. Even in dreams; no rest in sleep, just more Work

[seeinstarlight]

I have my first date with a new guy tomorrow and it’s looking very promising and hopeful. If this turns into a happy ending I want this story documented as much as possible in real time so I can look back and see what the Lord has done.

How the date came to be For the past 4 years a family from the church I grew up in has been hosting an annual Christmas Eve breakfast for a group of now young adults who grew up in that church together. 2022 was the first year I was invited to attend by Demetrius, and I was honored that he thought of me and extended the invite. At first I was reluctant to go, as I knew the guest list wasn’t exactly full of my favorite or close people, and I was worried that attending would drain me more than it would give me life. But I knew that I would like to have somewhere to be that morning, I’d enjoy preparing some food to take (a cinnamon roll casserole), and I wanted to meet Kim’s new boyfriend, Michael since I’d heard good things about him through Katie. All of this added up to deciding to go and bring my dad with me.

It was nice getting to mingle and have small catch-ups here and there with everyone. At one point I was talking with two of the dads about the woes of Christian dating. One of them asked me if I was dating at all, to which I responded, “I’m not actively seeking that out, but if the Lord wants to put someone in my path that meets my standards then I’m open to it.” HA.

As the group size was winding down I made it a point to have a one-on-one conversation with Michael, asking him questions about his background and what his life looked like at present. We talked about serving in youth ministry and traveling and growing up in church. I enjoyed my conversation with him and he seemed like a great guy. The only thing he said that I didn’t like was how he’d given up his free time and hobbies once he started dating Kimberly, claiming that it was “all worth it.” Not for me and sounds unhealthy but who am I.

Fast forward to the next week, I’m sitting at home on New Year’s Day and get a text from Kimberly.

My initial response to her was, “Tbh I’m kinda torn because I don’t know if I want to try dating right now?? But I’m always open to meeting new people! Can I think about it and get back to you in a few days?? Also can you tell me how old he is LOL. I love that her boyfriend, who only chatted with me for maybe 15 minutes, picked up on my personality and life context and thought of one of his friends. What a guy.

A week later after a blind date with a different guy (who was 10 years older than me and annoying to be around), I texted Kimberly and told her if Michael’s friend, Josh, was open to being set up then I was down to meet him! She tells me they’ll talk to him and half an hour later I get a text: “alright he’s interested. He probably won’t text tonight because it’s late but soon.”

The next afternoon I get my first text from Josh!

I love how straightforward and soon he was, and within an hour we had set a date at one of my favorite brunch places! He said he was looking forward to it and it made me realize how much I was too.

He texted me two days later to start the “getting to know more about you until our date” conversation that went on slowly but continuously for 4 days. It was good and hard because I didn’t know what to ask him about that I would’ve preferred to chat about in person with him! I suggested a phone call on the evening of day 3 and he said he’s “actually love to.” I love that he uses real, genuine expressions of interest!

Our first phone call lasted for two hours! When he first said hello + my name I knew this was going to be good. He has a kind and smooth voice that sounds thoughtful and real. He asked me great questions, kept the conversation going, and it was easygoing and felt like we’d been long lost friends. I feel like we’re cut from the same cloth, have good community and friendships, and that we are both living our lives intentionally for the Lord. I truly could not ask for anything better. He said he was really excited about meeting me on our date and I said the same. *melts*

I immediately called my friend and mentor Mrs. Donna after we hung up to tell her about it, how solid and great he sounded and how much my excitement had grown. I told her that it’s going to be the fight of my life to not get ahead of myself here and with him, especially with how great he sounded, and she also advised me not to fall too hard or too fast, and to just enjoy every moment. 

Man I’m going to try so hard. Man I hope this is it. Man it feels good to feel this way.

The next morning I wrote out a liturgy in my prayer journal titled “A Liturgy for Feeling Butterflies Around Someone” along with a few short prayers of my own.

[thelittlestcheshire]

Is that HAILEY CHESHIRE “CHES” ELSWOOD? Wow, they do look a lot like KATHERINE MCNAMARA. I hear SHE is an EIGHTEEN year old FRESHMEN who is studying ENGLISH at Luxor University. Word is they are an ARISTOCRAT student. You should watch out because they can be IMPULSIVE and STUBBORN, but on the bright side they can also be ENERGETIC and LOYAL. Ultimately, you’ll get to see it all for yourself.

the basics //

Full Name: Hailey Cheshire “Ches” Elswood

Preferred Name: Ches Elswood

Age: 18

Birthday: July 19th

Zodiac: Cancer

Gender & Pronouns: Woman (She/Hers)

Sexuality: Bisexual

Occupation: Youtuber (two channels, a theme park history channel that uploads once a month (documentary style) and a DIY channel she shares with a friend she posts on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month)

Relationship Status: In a Relationship with Elliot Mills

Place of Birth: Paris, France

Hometown: Manhattan, New York, New York

Country of Citizenship: United States and France [dual citizenship]

Languages Spoken: French (first), English, Latin, Portuguese, and she’s learning Norwegian (she doesn’t think it’s enough to count yet) and she just started Russian

deeper dive //

Hobbies and Talents:

 ♡ Piano

 ♡ Archery

 ♡ Acting

 ♡ Singing (Voice Claim: Katherine McNamara (updated - spring 2021))

 ♡ Reading

 ♡ Forgeries

 ♡ Lockpicking

 ♡ DIYS (especially involving resin)

 ♡ Writing (not creatively though, essays, Defunctworld scripts)

 ♡ Video Creation

Favorites:

♡ Color: Pink (the watermelon paint color)

♡ Food: Cheap Chinese Food

♡ Animal: Tigers

♡ Drink: Cherry Cola

♡ Flower: Lilies

♡ Book: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

♡ Holiday: Halloween (costumes) or Christmas (gift giving)

♡ Movie: The Shining

♡ Scent: Vanilla Bean

♡ Place: Her family's flat in Paris

♡ Quote:

“and though she be but little, she is fierce” - William Shakespeare

Bêtes Noires:

♡ Color: Dijon

♡ Food: Sushi (a lot of it has to do with that tuna allergy though)

♡ Animal: Domestic Cats, she can tolerate them but they’re one of the few animals she wouldn’t seek out.

♡ Drink: Coffee (it’s a key reason why she drinks it when she’s panicking, because who has time to panic when you’re too busy being offended by what you’re drinking? Not Ches.)

♡ Flower: Roses (she loathes them, dislike is an understatement)

♡ Book: The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Victor Hugo

♡ Holiday: Her birthday

♡ Movie: The Notebook

♡ Scent: Roses

♡ Place: Touristy Locations, she hates being around tourists ok

health //  

Conditions:

           ♡ Borderline Personality Disorder

           ♡ PTSD

Allergies: Severe Allergy to the Perciformes family of fish (tuna, mackrel, perch , and bass). Shellfish and salmoniformes (Salmon and Trout) are fine, but she won’t try any other kinds of fish just in case.

Sleeping Habits: Ches doesn’t sleep well at all, she has nightmares more often than not, and it’s rare for her to get more than a couple of hours of sleep.

Exercise Habits: While she occasionally skips leg day, Ches exercises daily because she needs to be in good shape for archery. Usually, she goes for boxing (with a dummy, not other people) but she likes hiking a lot as well.

Addictions: Alcohol, although Ches is currently in recovery

Drug Use: Occasional weed (edibles), but for the most part she avoids drugs

Alcohol Use: Ches used to drink multiple times of day daily, but now she doesn’t drink at all because she’s in recovery (attending NA and therapy) and has quit.

personality //  

MBTI: ENFP

Enneagram: 7w8 (The Enthusiast with The Challenger wing)

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, occasionally bordering on Chaotic Good

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

Percy Jackson Parent: Aphrodite

Pokémon Type: Ghost

Pokémon Subtype: Electric

Winx: Light

appearance //

Height:  5′3 ½” (not at fc height)

Tattoos: One, Two, Three

Scars: None

Piercings: None

Hair:  Red (naturally). Ches dyes her hair from time to time so she has a current hair color thing in her sidebar (you may have to scroll).

Eyes: Green

Fashion:

♡ link to ches’s closet

♡ link to ches’s shoes

life at luxor //  

Major:

♡ English

Clubs and Activities:

♡ Archery Club

♡ Theater (Actress)

♡ Concert Band (Piano)

♡ National Honor Society

fun facts //  

♡ Ches is a former Carnifex student who came over to Luxor during the merge. You can see everything that she’s been up to during her time in the rp on her timeline page.

♡ Ches has a twin brother named Jonah who isn’t at Luxor.

♡ The Elswoods are rich. Top 25 Forbes list, 50+ Billion Networth levels of rich. In turn Ches really doesn’t think that much about money, and how much it actually means to other people.

♡ Valedictorian of Luxor Academy’s 2020 Class, she turned down Columbia’s English program to attend Luxor University.

♡ She doesn’t use her first name, ever. She doesn’t like it, and there’s a fairly high chance of her just not acknowledging you if you call her Hailey.

♡ She’s a bit of a closet nerd - if you look under her bed she has a chest of comic books, although she has NO idea how they got there if you ask her.  Do not question the R2-D2 shaped thing covered by a tarp in her closet. She also doesn’t know where that came from.

♡ Extremely restless, if you want her to sit still during a movie you better give her something to do simultaneously.

♡ Her purse is kinda like Mary Poppins bag, odds are she has what you’re looking for in it. She almost always has her multi-tool on her. She also tends to carry around a single shot nerf gun, don’t ask.

♡ She got her first tattoo while she was away from school, using a forged note of parental consent in New Jersey. (The not fragile one, the arrow was added later).

♡ She has way too many siblings, you can learn about them on her family page. (She has one more not listed, a still born half brother named Julien she learned about via her mother’s diaries. The rest of the children (excluding Emmett) are unaware.)

♡ Loves animals, a lot, sometimes to a reckless extent. She would try to feed piranhas, she does try to climb into enclosures with venomous snakes. She would steal a dog (as would her twin brother, so apparently they have more in common than they realize).

♡ If Ches makes a threat, take it with a grain of salt. Yes, she owns a blowtorch, no she won’t set you on fire even if she lights it in your direction. Your muse might not always know that - depending on how much time they’ve spent with her, but ooc just remember her bark is way worse than her bite.

♡ Ches has a Porsche that she got from her father for graduating at the top of her class. Although it’s currently not travelling with her because the cost of shipping a car is insane. Anytime she’s in Lake George though, this is her baby. (She also owns a Mercedes, which was her first car).

♡ I’m always willing to discuss my muses, so feel free to hit me up if you have any questions at any point.

a tl;dr history  //  

♡ Ches’s mother was murdered on her 8th birthday in front of her

♡ She was raised by her oldest brother, Logan, and is NOT close to her father really. She also helped raise her younger sisters and is very protective of them.

♡ The Elswood she is closest to is Emmett. He’s a big part of why she’s even here, as she’d followed him to Carnifex.

♡ Her first real love was James (an npc). They dated Freshman-Sophomore years. It wasn’t a healthy relationship, and it started Ches’s messy af relationship and fwbs pattern as she didn’t want to go through that again.

♡ Ches left Luxor in October of 2019 because her oldest brother (Logan), overdosed. He’s alive and doing well now, but she stayed in NYC until March 2020 in order to take care of things here.

♡ I strongly recommend skimming Ches’s timeline page before interacting with her. These are just the bare minimum basics, and there’s more things your muse may know on there.

wanted connections //  

♡ Exes (when Ches dates it’s not for long, but she’s definitely the type to be like “I’ll go out with you” if asked and then... dump you if she thinks she’s getting too attached. So her exes are either on good terms, neutral terms, or they probably dislike her a lot)

♡  Former friends with benefits (while Ches is no longer taking on new ones because of Elliot, I’m always willing to headcanon past things!)

♡  Friends (I am weak af for a good friendship plot, never be afraid to be like “hey can our muses be friends” the answer is legit always yes)

♡ Enemies (Ches can... be a lot so it’s not unlikely she’s pissed people off ok)

♡ NA Sponsor (I think it'd be beneficial for Ches to have a sponsor, someone she respects and trusts but not someone with a close emotional attachment. I'd prefer if the muse has been sober for two+ years, but we can probably find a middle ground.)

♡ Ex Friends (People used to be friends with but no longer is on good terms with, either as an aftermath of her addiction, the aftermath of her recovery when that starts, them just growing apart, etc etc)

[chicagocityofclans]

Ainsley MacLeod → Emilie De Ravin → Red Fox Shifter

→ Basic Information 

Age: 37

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Straight 

Born or Made: Born

Birthday: April 8th

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Religion: Presbyterian 

→ Her Personality

Ainsley is an incredibly hard worker no matter what she’s doing, and she almost always has a smile whilst she’s doing it too. She loves a job well done and will encourage others to do the same. This is something that she’s picked up from her mother, not that she’d ever admit that. She’s almost always doing something too. Rest to her is something you do when all the chores are done and she’s very good at finding chores that still need to be done. Still, she is quite partial to sitting outside on a nice morning with a pot of tea. 

Her outlook and disposition are bright and cheery, which can annoy some but she doesn’t let it bother her. And she’ll tell them as much too. When she spends so much of her time like this though she can sometimes find it hard to express when she is sad or hurting, taking to masking it instead. When she does feel like this she turns back to her work. Keeping busy and organising things helps her cope with all manner of things. 

Ainsley loves her clan, or most of it any way, even with the flaws she can see it in. She craves closeness with them, a more familial bond, and lots of hugs. She grew up in a small, close knit clan that was predominantly foxes and had close ties to the other even smaller nimble clans on the island. This, coupled with the fact her father was the clan liaison, means she was raised to be tolerant and controlled around other nimbles, even prey ones. It is still something she struggles with from time to time but she has certain coping mechanisms in place for this too.

→ Her Personal Facts

Occupation: Newspaper Archivist

Scars: A few small ones from childhood scrapes 

Tattoos: Clan MacLeods words ���Hold Fast’ on her left side

Two Likes: Blackberries and Folk Songs

Two Dislikes: Disorder and Avocado 

Two Fears: Being Caught In A Trap and Flying

Two Hobbies: Hiking and Weaving 

Three Positive Traits: Cheerful, Hardworking, Affectionate  

Three Negative Traits: Blunt, Fussy and Particular 

→ Her Connections

Parent Names:

Angus MacLeod (Father): Ainsley loves her father very dearly and knows he loves her too even if he was always away for one reason or another during her childhood, thanks to his job within their clan.

Charlotte MacLeod (Mother): Her mother is a woman who never stops. She was always doing something and most of the time Ainsley had to do it too. She complained about it growing up but it has meant she has a strong bond with her mother and has learnt a lot from her. 

Sibling Names:

None

Children Names:

None

Romantic Connections:

None

Platonic Connections:

Mairi MacKinnon (Best Friend/deceased): Mairi and Ainsley were an odd friendship - a mouse and a fox but with both being the children of clan liaisons they had been raised to have more tolerance and more control around other kinds of animal shifters. When Mairi was killed whilst shifted by Ainsley’s cousin, she was devastated and vowed she’d never harm a prey nimble as he had. 

Tim Boaz (Friend): As fellow fox shifters, Tim and Lee were some of the first friends Ainsley made when she moved to Chicago. If she has a favourite of the two she’s not saying.

Lee Boaz (Friend): As fellow fox shifters, Lee and Tim were some of the first friends Ainsley made when she moved to Chicago. If she has a favourite of the two she’s not saying.

Simon Brodeur (Friend): Their friendship is fairly new and started to form when Simon was assigned to help her come up with a system for storing footage within her archival office. Their personalities mashed well and they found they got along from day one.

Anton Kowalski (Friend): Not all nimbles are that touchy-feely but when Anton joined it was pretty clear he wasn’t like that. He brought with him his more family originated upbringing. As someone who’s big into hugs and the like Ainsley liked him the second he tried to befriend her. 

Edith Walker (Acquaintance): Ainsley knows Edith through work. The other woman has come to her a few times for information for a story. 

Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Snow (Friendly): Liz is someone Ainsley has had contact with through work and also within the clan. 

Percival ‘Percy’ McCormick (Friendly): Ainsley admires what Percy is trying to do with having one united nimble clan. Despite the growing tension within the clan she hopes he can make it work. From what she’s seen of him she thinks he seems like a good person too.

Eli Kohen (Acquaintance): Ainsley has recently started using the archives to assist the police in an ongoing investigation and Eli has been her contact for this on a few occasions. 

Darren Shaw (Friend): Darren is how she first started working with the police and he will still come to her for help, especially on cold cases. He’s been a regular enough visitor that the pair have started to become friends and he’s recently offered to take her out for coffee.

Conrad Kale (Friend): During his training Ainsley was one of the nimbles Conrad practiced following. She appreciated that he didn’t mess up her archives at all during his sneaking around and they became friendly, eventually becoming friends.

Simon Lee Weyden (Friend): Simon will occasionally come to the archives for old newspaper reports relating to his genealogical research. Over time the pair became friends. 

Breha Kaur (Friendly): Breha has occasionally come to the archives for help doing research for a story. Since she is also a kind of fox Ainsley is hoping to become friends with her. 

Hostile Connections:

Robert MacLeod (Cousin): Robert killed her childhood best friend, blaming it on the nature of prey and predator nibbles given her friend was a mouse and is a fox. Ainsley has never forgiven him for it and doesn’t consider him to be family. 

Pets:

None

History -

Ainsley was born into a small, remote community on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The clan her family belonged to was just as small too given the limited size of their island home and the way they were separated out. Instead of just one nimble clan there were four. One that was predominantly mice, shrews and voles, one of predominantly pine martens and weasels, one predominantly of hares and rabbits and Ainsley’s clan that was predominately foxes and otters. This separation didn’t originally stem from species though, but from blood lines, for each clan could trace their lineage to one of the Scottish clans of the isle. Clan MacKinnon, Clan MacDonald, Clan Nicolson, and Clan MacLeod respectively. With the species being separated out their wasn’t much inter clan mating and thus each clan is still known by their family name rather than the species they contain.

In modern times the relationships between clans is mostly harmonious, a state that has been hard fought for through recent generations. One of the ways this is done, just as with else where in the world, is through clan liaisons. Ainsley’s father holds that position in Clan MacLeod and so growing up she spread even more time around the other clans than most. It was a quiet upbringing that reflected the slow pace of island life. On weekdays she went to the small village school, on Sundays mornings she attended church with her parents, and she helped her mother with the house hold chores daily. Her mother taught her to forage for food, to cook and to weave and her father taught her to fish. But in her free time the little fox was allowed to run wild. She and her school friends, which contained an odd mix of species, would go off exploring the coves and the hills, the fairy pools and the farms, and would always return home looking like they’d spent the day rolling in mud.

Her very best friend was Mairi, the daughter of Clan MacKinnon’s liaison and a mouse. The pair had their spats growing up, some just normal childhood things, some fuelled by their clash of predator and prey. However over time, and with the help of their fathers, they learnt to avoid these. Like never letting Ainsley be it when they were playing tag. Sadly not all in their clans were quite so open to being friends. Ainsley’s uncle was a belligerent man with old and hostile views who passed it on to his children. His son, Robert, grew into a cruel and arrogant young man. One day in their teenage years, when they were all out exploring Robert attacked and killed Mairi. Afterwards he showed no remorse and declared it was the natural order of things. Ainsley was devastated and hasn’t even considered ever forgiving him for what he did. What it did do was make her even more determined to be kind, friendly and accepting of all species of shifter.

A year later Ainsley moved to the mainland for university. Going from such a quiet, rural community to the busy capital city was certainly an eye opener. She missed the wide open spaces but she equally loved the opportunities and new adventures to be found in Edinburgh. Afterwards she tried going back home but realised that at that time in her life she just couldn’t settle there. With the lack of inter clan dating, and the fact most of the clan was family, it was almost expect for the young people to go off into the world in any case. Many returned once they were older and had a family of their own. Whilst she can’t see that happening anytime soon she does hope to one day return home.

On leaving the island she traveled to a few different places, looking for somewhere that she felt like she fit. Each places offered new life experiences and lessons which she took on board with a smile. After searching for a year it only took a week in Chicago to know she’d found the place.

Present -

Ainsley has now been in Chicago for many years and has settle into life as an archivist. She loves her job, her friends and her clan here. It is her hope to deepen those friendships further and forge new ones too. In time she also hopes that she will find someone to spend her life with, having always admired the bond her own parents have. From a work point of view she is also hoping to start work on digitising the archives, making them more accessible and protecting them from any mishaps that may occur in the future. She has also been enjoying helping people find things for police work or personal research and hopes to continue doing more of it.

[6-mcs-for-6-lis]

Apprentice April!

I wanted to participate in this, so I thought I’d start off with an introduction to Ziv, using the ask list from April first!

1. The Basics.  What is your character’s name?  How old are they?  How tall are they?  Skin color?  Eye color?  Hair color?  Gender identification?

Ziv Paz Levi, they/them, nonbinary, roughly 5"7', 25, olive skin, sea green eyes, mouse brown hair (usually in a long braid, also they have pointed ears!)

2.  Love Interest.  Who does your character love?  What attracted them to that particular LI?

Asra! Before the plague, Ziv and Asra have known each other since childhood. It was a natural growth from friendship to more. After they're brought back... it's just a draw to him. Like home.

3. Familiar.  Does your character have a familiar?  How did they meet?

They do! A shapeshifter with a preference for bird forms named Nitzan!

4. Hobbies.  What kinds of things does your character like to do for fun?

Baking, swimming, running along the sand. They're from Nopal, so anything outside and in the sun feels nostalgic for them.

5. Hidden talents.  Is there something neat that your character can do?  Tie a cherry stem into a knot with their tongue?  Say any word backwards perfectly?

Voice mimicry. If they hear someone speaking long enough, they can copy them perfectly.

6. Magical talents.  Is there a specific type of magic that your character excels at?  Any magic they aren’t so great at?  Or do they actually shy away from magic altogether?

Enjoys water magic the best, but excels at pyrokenesis to their chagrin. Ziv is afraid of fire. Also fairly empathic, but keeps themselves closed off for the most part.

7. Interaction.  How does your character typically interact with people?

They are very comfortable with most people, and will be friendly as long as the other person is friendly. If they like you, they warm up. If not, you will never get further with them than "civility".

8. Romance.  What is something that your character and their LI love to do together?  How do they show affection?

Ziv's love language is physical touch. So randomly taking Asra's hand, idly playing with his fingers while laying in his lap as he reads. They do like cooking together, and dancing, and for special occasions they go out for a boat ride and bring a picnic.

9. Travel.  Does your character like to travel outside of Vesuvia?  How often?  For how long?  What kinds of things do they do away from home?

They haven't really traveled outside Vesuvia and Nopal. They grew up in Nopal and know the area really well. After the main games events they get Asra to travel with them up thereat least every other month.

10. WTF.  Has anything just…weird ever happened to your character?  Something that made them stop and go “What just happened?!”

The first time they used magic was a pure accident! About five years old, they were playing by the fire with their parents sitting by them, and suddenly the fire was in their hands! Then it wasn't! Then it was! Two years later they were sent to live with their aunt in Vesuvia during the summers, to learn to control their gift.

11. Crime.  Has your character ever been arrested?  If so, what did they do?  Have they ever helped stop a crime?

When Ziv would be in Vesuvia, they were a little rascal. Their aunt had a lot of connections, and was well respected. That being said... Ziv would regularly "steal" (they went back later with money or good to exchange) from the merchants that knew them and give the food to Asra and Muriel. Of course there was one time they got caught by the guards... and auntie came to the rescue before they could be hauled off to the palace.

12. Secrets.  What is a secret that your character has?  Are they in line for the throne in a far off land?  Was there this one time at band camp…?  Are they secretly involved in an assassin’s guild?

Ziv is part fae. Or something. Their father never said exactly what extra blood that side of the family has, but they all have some strange feature that they have to play off. Ziv has pointed ears. Their father had cat-like eyes. Their aunt had skin that glistened in moonlight. It goes back generations, but almost no one outside the family knows about it. It's part of why their magic is so strong and shows so early.

13. Overcompensation.  Is there something that your character just HAS to do better than anyone else?  Or are they just that dang good without trying?  If they see someone else showing off, what is their kneejerk reaction?

Quietly fume and walk away. They don't like show offs who do it just for show. Showing off out of pride, or to get money, sure. They get that. But just because you can? Ick. If they decide they want to be the best at something, they just keep working at it. Usually their only competition is Asra, and that's more fun than rivalry.

14. Fight Club.  Is your character a good fighter?  What kind of skills do they have?

First reaction: Shield. Second reaction: Fireball to the face. Third reaction: Run.

15. The Arts.  Is your character a creative type?  What kinds of things can they create?  Can they act?  Street perform?

Ziv is good with their hands for certain crafts. Making charms and wind chimes or window hangings. Things that are made for the sunlight and wind to play with.

16. Goofy.  Is your character a clown?  Do they like to make people laugh?

Definitely not a clown, but once they know you, they can make you laugh. It's very personal, and it's very them.

17. Language.  Is your character multilingual?  How many languages do they speak?  Do they have an accent?  Is it sexy?  Is it silly?  Do they have a multilingual lisp?

Asra finds it sexy. Ziv does speak both Vesuvian and Nopalese. Thier first language does give them a slight accent, similar to welsh accents.

18. Embarrassment.  What is something really embarrassing that your character has done/said?

The first time they met Asra after staying in Nopal for about five years. It was the masquerade, and they bumped into his table behind their aunts shop. They turned around and recognized him after a moment of staring and said something like "Well you just walked out of my childhood dreams." And immediately died on the spot as Asra giggled.

19. Memory.  Has your character gotten any of their memory back?  If so, what?  Did it change them?

In their upright ending, Ziv does regain their memories. They and Asra spend a lot of time in the Arcana realms working to figure out a way for them to remember and also a way to control their new gifts properly. Eventually, they wake up and everything is... there. It didn't change them that much, but it definitely helps them feel more whole. And they are able to track down their family because of it.

20. Family.  Talk about your character’s family.  Who were they?

Their parents were Agam and Ori Levi. Agam dies of the plague around the same time Ziv did, but Ori survived. Agam and his sister Ahava were twins, and magicians. Ahava - Ziv's aunt in Vesuvia - left Nopal to make a name for herself, while Agam stayed behind to help the community. Ori comes from a large family, and Ziv has A Lot of cousins. Most of them are chattel farmers, or cactus farmers. Although some potters run through as the family rebels.

[hxxgxx]

Picking Up The Pieces - Chapter 5

Reader x ??

Chapter 5 

Your workday went by quickly as your excitement for your cafe catch-up with Vernon and Seungkwan played on your mind. You were happy that they seemed to like hanging out with you because you definitely enjoyed their company. You looked at the clock in your classroom. Four o’clock, finally! You waved by the Rose before grabbing your coat and making your way to the cafe. 

When you arrived, you saw your two friend already sitting at “your” table. 

Vernon looked up when the door chimed and waved you over! “Y/n, we already got your coffee!” he said with a big smile on his face.

“Thank you Vernon! How have you been? I haven’t seen you much lately,” you replied.

Vernon went into a big spiel about how busy his work kept him lately. He said he was doing a lot more for the upcoming project, more than he had every done before. He seemed really passionate about whatever work he did, but he beat around the bush and never actually told you what he did, causing you to get lost in your head trying to figure it out. 

Seungkwan was watching you as Vernon talked about work. He knew you were trying to figure out their occupation, but the boys had been warned to try to keep a low profile. Since you were new to Korea, you didn’t seem to know too much about the Korean entertainment industry, which meant that for once, the boys could be themselves and not the idols from Seventeen that they were to the rest of the country. Seungkwan hoped that them keeping this from you wouldn’t ruin your friendship, but he and Vernon had agreed that it was best to keep their job hidden for a bit longer, just to enjoy the normalcy of your friendship, just like any other twenty-something year old should. 

Your conversation with the boys ventured away from work. They told you about their friends that they lived with. You were in shock finding out that 13 boys lived together. Vernon had told you that they were more than just friends, that they were family and looked after each other. They had all come to Seoul at such a young age, they became brothers. The boys eyes lit up when they talked about the rest of their friends and it warmed your heart. It wasn’t hard for you to see the love they had for their friends. It made you wonder if you would ever have a group of close friends like they had. 

You all continued to talk about everything under the sun, hobbies, travelling, favourite food and restaurants. Over time, you discovered you had a lot in common with the boys. They quickly jumped at the opportunity to show you around Seoul some more after you said you hadn’t been around the city much yet. 

“You haven’t seen anything yet!” Seungkwan exclaimed excitedly. “There is so much for us to show you!” 

“I can’t believe you haven’t even had the convenience story buffet yet!” Vernon stated in shock. “This needs to change, like on Friday,” he said looking at a nodding Seungkwan.

“I didn’t even know that was a thing,” you said, slightly shocked at the somewhat offended reactions the boys had.

“Didn’t know! Oh Y/n, how would you survive here without us! Think of us as your Korea tour guides. Anything you ever want to do we will always be down to show you,” said Seungkwan as Vernon nodded in agreement. Seungkwan saw how this simple statement made your eyes light up. He had guessed that you didn’t have a lot of friends, both in Korea and at home, from the conversations you had had. When your eyes lit up at the word always, this only showed him his guess was right. 

After about 4 hours in the cafe with the boys, you began to yawn. They noticed, quickly apologising for keeping you so late and offered to walk you home. As you neared your apartment, the boys slowed down behind you and were whispering to each other, causing you to turn around, questioning them with your eyes.

“Y/n,” Vernon said quietly, “You know we’re always here for you right? If anything is ever bothering you, you can tell us. We aren’t going anywhere.”

“You’ve always got us,” Seungkwan continued, “You’re part of the family now.”

You nodded, your heartwarming, as you looked at the two boys. Quickly you gave them each a hug, whispering a quick thank-you before saying good-bye an heading up to your apartment. You looked out the window and saw the boys waving at you, before they turned to head home. Without even knowing anything about your past, the boys had figured out enough. It was comforting to you that you had finally found a new little family here in Seoul and that after so many dark moments, the light seemed to be getting brighter and brighter. 

Previous / Next 

Masterlist 

[jericholeader]

——— character question sheet

▌real name: RK200 Serial #684 842 971. Designation ‘Markus’. Legally Markus Manfred

▌single or taken: Verse determinant.

▌abilities or powers: Markus is an ‘early’ RK prototype by Cyberlife standards, but since he was designed custom by Elijah Kamski, he hosts a myriad of abilities and physical variations from his people. 

Technical abilities include preconstruction, temperature regulation, noxious stimulus detection, digital contact interfacing, wireless interfacing (both with androids and static technology), basic gustatory and advanced olfactory stimulus detection, and real-time statistical calculation.

Markus’ chassis is out-fitted with the ability to ingest small amounts of food and supplemental oral thirium. He has an advanced, synthetic sensory system that makes him capable of feeling temperature, pressure, and mild-to-moderate ‘pain’, though his ‘pain’ detection is more of a symphony of pressure and temperature detection that registers as threatening or unpleasant. 

His chassis is also designed with the ability to have sexual intercourse.

His skill set is extensive. He was programmed to be a care-taker and companion android, but is shown to have offensive/defensive abilities. He has all on-board abilities of a house-keeping and care-taker model, as well as an advanced social module and some combat skills.

As for ‘powers’, if charisma is a power Markus has it in spades. His most enigmatic ability is deviating other androids. He is able to do so by physical interfacing, but he is also capable of deviating his people without any contact and from considerable distance.

▌eye colour: Hetero-chromatic blue and green

▌hair colour: Dark brown

▌family members: Carl Manfred (father figure/previous owner), Leo Manfred (estranged ‘brother’), Josh, Simon, North, and Connor. Verse dependent.

▌pets: Verse determinant. He’ll sometimes be seen with a doberman named ‘Anubis’.

▌something they don’t like: He’s not too fond of cold, but aside from the cliche inequality, prejudice, etc he doesn’t like thunder-storms as a rule. Or the feeling of mud in, on, or around his skin and plating.

▌hobbies/activities: Sketching, painting, jogging and/or physically training, listening to an eclectic variety of music, reading the old-fashioned book-and-page way, working in the medical wing of New Jericho, writing (non-fiction, journalist style. He’s gotten good at it since the revolution), traveling (especially by motorcycle, and for pleasure. He’s had to travel extensively for out-reach since the revolution, but he’s treated as a prominent political leader bordering on a protected messiah when he goes in that capacity), having movie night with Connor (w/ @becomedeviant‘s Connor), playing chess, playing piano

▌ever hurt anyone before:  Yes.

▌ever killed anyone before: Yes. He’s a pacifist by nature. The only time he’s killed was during the FBI’s Jericho raid when it was literally the lives of his people versus the lives of the agents. He opts for non-lethal when at all possible.

▌animal that represents them:  Eagle. Proud, free, protective.

▌worst habits: his self-sacrificial tendencies?? Not talking about his own traumas, over-extending himself, trying to save everyone, digging his heels in and being stubborn as the proverbially mule

▌sexual orientation: Primarily heterosexual. 

▌thoughts on marriage/kids: Honestly, he’s down for both, but marriage especially.  Children are a commitment he really isn’t sure he should make or is able to. He likes children, he may not even be a bad dad, but his position in the scheme of things is dangerous, and for the rest of his life he’s going to be in the public eye in some capacity, no matter his efforts one way or the way. Plus he likes to move and travel and be active, and he isn’t sure it would be fair. He’s more the ‘uncle’ type; the one who’ll take care of his friend’s kids for a weekend or take them on a road trip, but not one to raise them himself.

Plus, if he’s with @tobecomehuman‘s North, they decided against trying any form of raising children.

But yes to marriage.

▌fears: Failure, deaths of his loved ones/his people, failure, the power/influence he has among his people, and need I say failure again because he’s terrified of what would happen if he fails, because he knows it means death for his people and maybe even his species, and tbh he doesn’t really feel worthy of the sheer amount of hope they have in him. If Carl isn’t dead, there is that too. In some capacity he fears his own rage, but it’s more of a healthy respect and acknowledgement that indulging it would make him capable of just as terrible things as the humans have done.

Sensory deprivation and/or the associated absence of the ability to feel/move? Yeah, he has a thing with that. Being awake but immobilized is something that gets his stress levels spiking.

▌style preferences: Distinctly individual. Dominated by angles/triangles. Long coats, high-collared sweaters/shirts, blue/gray/tan/black for dominant colors. Well-dressed and elegant definitely describes him. When he’s in a more relaxed setting it’s still long-coats and jeans, but also open-neck sweaters and three-quarter sleeve shirts. 

▌someone they love:  North. Carl? Connor, Simon, Josh. Leo.

▌approach to friendships: It can vary. He’s generally warm. He’s the kind to smile easily if he’s given the opportunity, but if you’re a human earning his trust takes a little while, if only because of what he and his people have gone through. He’s on the look-out for ulterior motives and conditions, because there usually is in his experience.

He makes friends with his people easily. He’s a care-taker by nature, as well as a leader, and that comes through in his friendships. He looks for the good in his people, tries to give them hope and help them. He’s not the kind to walk away from a friendship, even if things get rocky. He’ll stay, and persist, and be there. Just don’t walk on him, or turn abusive toward him. He’ll take a lot, but he’ll set his boundaries fast and firm if a line is crossed.

▌thoughts on pie: Delicious, but purely on a sample basis, and from what humans have told him. He once liked making them for Carl, especially if Carl hung around in the kitchen pestering him, stealing samples of ingredients, and telling him stories.

▌favourite drink: None really. There’s some he likes the flavor of, but he doesn’t and can’t really drink anything, except thirium.

▌favourite place to spend time at: Honestly with someone, otherwise high-up on a vantage where he can sit on the edge, feel the wind, watch the city lights, and think. His adjoining office/study/room area in New Jericho is also a favorite, when he can sit on the couch and listen to music with North.

▌swim in the lake or in the ocean: Ocean.

▌their type: Passionate, intellectual, compassionate, and loyal.

▌camping or indoors: He’s versatile. He won’t be disappointed with a night in, though he does enjoy the thought of camping.

Tagged by: @connorlikesdogsposts

Tagging: @tobecomehuman (for North?), @detrcitmade (DBH character of your choice), @becomedeviant, @cybermoses, @androidvixen, @fallcnx (for Kamski?), and anyone who looks at says ‘that’s cool’

[mlpdestinyverse]

“A Day They Will Never Forget”

For the second year in a row, Prince Nova Spark has to attend the annual Festival of Friendship not as a guest, but as a host. As his mother Twilight helps him get a hang of his duties, Nova finds himself longing for simpler times.

Feat.  Nova Spark,  Antoinette Cider,  Jonagold, Staccato Trill

Story and Description Under The Cut

On a clear, brilliantly sunny day, Canterlot was filled to the brim with excitement and activity. It was the day of the annual Friendship Festival, and like every year, ponies from all over the land of Equestria had galloped in to enjoy the day’s festivities. Food and game tents lined every street, and on every house and building were colorful decorations. Along with the sound of up-beat music drifting about, chatter and laughter filled the air. Earth ponies and unicorns alike trotted about, enjoying the ever-so-popular Apple family pies and the games themed after their beloved princesses and heroes of Equestria. Pegasi flitted about themselves, delighting in the beautiful weather and the sights below. But most importantly, rarely was a pony seen alone. Ponies travelled in groups or pairs and, exactly as intended, many were constantly meeting new faces and sparking conversations. Nova Spark quietly took in the sights from the higher castle grounds. Even though the colt knew he was supposed to be searching for even the slightest off-detail, he couldn’t help but be distracted by the sheer amount of...fun everyone was having. “Phew, okay! Everything is looking great, Novie!” Nova straightened his posture as his mother and the coordinator of the festival, Princess Twilight Sparkle herself, flapped her wings and landed beside him. She smiled brilliantly and Nova did his best to reflect it. “Uh, great! Yeah, everything looks normal from here, too.” “Wonderful~ Everything is going according to plan...” Twilight sighed in relief, a gentleness coming to her eyes as she gazed out at her festival. “I really don’t know what I’d do without the others helping me run things. I’m so lucky to have them.” Nova nodded. She meant her friends, of course, who were keeping charge of the different aspects of the festival; the weather, the food, the music, the decorations. They never failed to offer their best. Meanwhile, his mother Tempest and the rest of the royal guard were patrolling the celebration grounds. Which he knew was...ironic, due to the stories his family never failed to remind him of. He wondered if he’d get to see her during the festivities... “Alright, I think it’s around that time where we go down there and see things for ourselves!” Twilight’s gaze lit up with determination. “You know how it is, Novie! Today has to be perfect! We have to make sure everypony is having an amazing time!” She winked at him. “And making friends as they go, of course~” “Of course���” Nova strained a grin, though Twilight had already started trotting down the stairs. When she was out of view he took in a deep breath and blew heavily at his bangs, his ears drooping as he gave one last glance at the view. He knew what to expect, if this was anything like last year. It didn’t take long for Nova to catch up with his mother, and the two walked side-by-side. The moment the royals had taken their first steps into the festival, Nova waited for it. Any second now… “OH, it’s Princess Twilight!!” “Hey Twilight!” “It’s the princess!” There it was. Multiple heads instantly turned and Nova glanced around as ponies waved enthusiastically while others outright trotted closer. Twilight grinned and happily returned their greetings. “Heya everypony~!”

And of course, as expected, multiple eyes soon enough flicked from Twilight to Nova himself. The attention that he had once basked in when he was younger, that he once prided in even, now made him shift uncomfortably under their expectant stares. “Hello Prince Nova!” “It’s so wonderful to see you, my prince!” “I’m sure Princess Twilight has been teaching you so, so much!”

Sounds of agreement met his ears, along with extra comments of “She’s so smart!” and “She must be an amazing teacher”. “Yeah…” For a short moment, Nova was lost in thought. Not even two years ago, Twilight had officially begun teaching Nova his duties and role as her heir. And yeah, she WAS a great teacher. A knowledgeable teacher. A passionate, dedicated, excitable teacher. ‘Maybe too passionate…’ Nova subconsciously looked over at his mother and blinked out of his thoughts upon seeing her adoring, pride-filled gaze boring into him. “I-I mean, yeah! There’s sure no end to her wisdom!” Nova forced a laugh, and everypony else for whatever reason laughed with him. “Alright, well if you could excuse us, we have some checking-in to do! Please enjoy the festivities! And if you have any issues or concerns, do come to me, my friends, or my son!” Twilight made a point to smile down at Nova, as if to make sure he felt included. Nova decided it’d be best to not say anything. After the two had passed the group of friendly partygoers, and after a few more waves at other citizens, Twilight turned back to her son, eyes wide with excitement. “Now the real fun begins~! Did you make the checklist~?” “Oh! Yes! Of course!” Nova exclaimed half-heartedly. His horn glowed magenta and from his saddlebag he pulled out a rolled up paper. One that, upon unfurling, revealed its true length as it nearly touched the ground. While Nova had to stop himself from wincing at the length, Twilight glanced it over and then squealed, clapping her front hooves. “Excellent~! You learn so fast! As I always say, a checklist can NEVER be too long.” The friendship princess puffed out her chest confidently. With her own magenta-colored magic, she quickly poofed up a new list and pen. To Nova’s near disbelief, it was even longer than his, organized with categories and sub-categories no less. “Don’t mind me! I just thought I could continue making my own lists every year, so we can check off the boxes together! Oh-” Perhaps Twilight had noticed his expression, because soon she was wrapping an arm around him and pulling him close. “Don’t worry, Nova! My list just includes some smaller details that I thought, you know, would be worth looking into, haha! Yours hits all of the important points! And with this being your first time making a list for the festival, that’s great! There’s nothing wrong with a shorter list!” ‘Mom...mom that’s not exactly my concer- oh forget it.’ “Now I know I showed you the ropes last year, so instead of having you shadow me this year, we’ll both equally participate in completing the tasks! That’ll definitely make the process become familiar enough! Then with each coming year we can split up the tasks until you can complete them all on your own! With my supervision, of course~!” Before Nova could even open his mouth to respond, Twilight was pulling him along with her, towards the weather team. “Come on, let’s check in with Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts first!” And that they did. Nova was caught off guard when his mother nudged him to inquire about the sky’s status, instead of doing it herself like he had been made to observe the year before. Oh how...awkward it was. Standing before these professional pegasi, having them explain these things to him like they were reporting to their leader. This continued as they moved on to Fluttershy’s musical group. Twilight had HIM asking ponies if they were enjoying the music, if they had music requests, and so on. Despite the discomfort in interrupting ponies enjoying their time, Nova soon found himself with a suggestion list, one that he handed over to the meek yellow pegasus. Eventually the two were chatting with Applejack, who was brewing together a new batch of her family’s famous apple cider. Taste-testing and offering his own input wasn’t so bad, at least. However, he was then stuck standing there as his mother and her friend discussed and had him listen in on the history of the family’s cider, including the time a duo of con artists attempted to drive them out of business. Nova fought with himself to focus on the dang story, but every few minutes he found his mind blanking out. Literally when was he EVER going to need this information? It was then that he heard giggling and joyful chatter nearby. Upon turning his head, he spotted three familiar young ponies sitting at a table. The biggest of the three, a pale red unicorn with orange-yellow curly hair, was mixing a bowl with his magic. And while the smaller colt, possessing a light blue coat and blue hair with purple streaks, read off ingredients from a list he was holding, a yellow filly with a mix of violet and orange in her mane was measuring out ingredients. ‘Jonagold, Staccato, and Annie…’ he named them in his mind respectively. The three caught Nova’s full attention; after all, they were his old friends. Or...something like that. He would never admit it to his mother, but the concept of friendship was still foggy from time to time. He recalled the days when they were much younger and had played together. Not that those were their absolute best days. He hadn't exactly been the...ideal friend. It was a guilty memory that still prodded at his mind when he least expected it, one that had made him unconsciously develop the distance between him and them in the first place. But after his royal training began, he especially started to feel like the odd one out with them. Like an extra, badly fitted wheel. They actually managed to make him feel self-conscious. Or perhaps that was due to other ponies now judging his “childish” habits and hobbies, thanks to his royal title. The three children were dotted with splotches of flour, and he watched as the best friends playfully shoved and teased one another, trying to catch the other off guard. But in the end they laughed joyfully, and they continued to work together with whatever they were making. Probably a pie, if seeing Sugar Belle, Jonagold’s mom, trot over with a freshly made pie before coaxing the kids to follow her with their bowl had clued Nova in on anything. “Nova, did you hear me?” “Huh?” Nova whipped his head back to his mom, who was staring at him curiously. He ducked his head. “Frick- I mean sorry! I think I got distracted for a bit…”

He was quiet for a moment, before purposefully adding. “The festival just...looks really fun, you know?” He hoped his mother would get the hint. However, Twilight simply smiled and tugged him closer with a wing. “I’m glad you think so. Once all of the preparations are secured and the main points on the checklist are done, we can get right into the different tents and make sure they’re running properly!” Nova felt his shoulders fall. He wanted to groan. He wanted so badly to drop his facade and just take his mother by the shoulders and exclaim “Why can’t we just have FUN?”. But like always, Twilight was having her own version of fun that she was projecting onto him. And now she was more than eager to move on and pull him towards Rarity’s end of the festival. Despite his disappointment, Nova already knew that arguing was going to lead to nowhere. After all, he already tried once. He was pretty sure he had been clear when he told his mother the previous year, when she had decided to teach him his host-related festival duties, that he wanted to explore the tents and hang with the other kids. But his mother had only reminded him that he, “as prince”, needed to put the festival and their guests first. Which, as she had claimed, “is just as fun and fulfilling!” and “you’ll get to talk to a ton of different ponies!”. But just like the year before, Nova found himself longing. Longing for the days when he could freely roam the festival with other fillies and colts, and he could play every silly game available and be loud and no one would look at him funny or expect him to be some mature colt on some princely agenda. He had come to realize things were so much simpler, back when he didn’t realize what being a prince really meant; back when he could freely be himself and nopony had yet expected so much from him. Because Celestia forbid he goofed off, or played games, or didn’t desire to be friends with every face he met. Nova breathed in deeply. He was letting his frustrations build again. And if he didn’t want to disappoint the Princess of Friendship, he had to follow along. Suddenly a familiar tune cut through the air, and almost instantly a roar of cheers came with it. Nova nearly jumped at the cacophony, but calmed when he recognized the song that was now playing. After all, it was the song that played every year and represented the festival as a whole, one that every festival-goer knew by heart. Soon enough, Nova heard the many ponies around him energetically sing along to the tune;

“It’s the Festival of Friendship And we can get it done! A festival that they won’t forget! A party to be proud of A day of games and fun Just you wait and see A magic day in perfect harmony~!”

A delighted giggle escaped his mother, and Nova felt her warm wing brush over his back. “Good to see that this song never gets old!”

Nova remained silent. He simply walked alongside his mother and listened, holding onto a frown while his mother hummed cheerily beside him. He took in the sight of ponies singing their hearts out together, some dancing in unison around him.

“It's the Festival of Friendship Together we are one! A day we will never forget!’

Nova lightly shook his head to himself. There was no use in longing for what once was. He was the Prince of Friendship. His obligations and everyone's enjoyment came first. Even if it meant sacrificing his own, apparently.

‘Yeah...a day they’ll never forget.'

Nova Spark, son of Twilight Sparkle, had a hard time adjusting to his duties and obligations as the future Prince of Friendship. Despite his unhappiness, he at first thought that maybe he just had to grow into it. After all, his dedicated mother seemed to love her responsibilities and loved offering what she could to Equestria. So surely he'd eventually find that same gratification... and in no way could he ever let his proud mother down. She was always just...so excited to pass her knowledge on to her heir and lead him to his future, just like her fellow princesses. But in time, as years pass, Nova will come to realize he doesn't feel a single connection to his princely role or title. Almost like...there's so much more he can do with his talents; and so much more he WANTS to do.

Original background from here! 

[boschlingtumbles]

Chapter 45

They were ushering the wedding guests from the Godswood gardens to the main courtyard of the Red Keep for dinner. Mace’s stomach growled, and it was a testament to his friendship with Oberyn that he bothered looking for the man to see if he wanted to crash at the Tyrell table rather than immediately turning to the task of finding his place card. He found him sitting on a bench, half entwined with Ellaria Sand. If experience had taught Mace anything, Oberyn not only did not need to crash at the Tyrell table, but in all likelihood he would not be coming to dinner at all. Mace hurried back toward the Red Keep, allowing his mind to drift toward the dinner ahead. After the truly... appalling... events of the afternoon, he needed more than ever this bright spot to look forward to. The Red Keep kitchens were famous, the site the perennial holder of the best restaurant in King’s Landing. Mace had taken a peek at the menu while his family were mingling during the the cocktail hour, and it looked like they would be having a pear and burrata salad to start, followed by a small truffle pasta dish, followed by the seared duck. Mace’s mouth watered at the prospect. And then, the cherry on the sundae, Cersei was serving a wedding cake with not two, not three, but four distinct flavor palettes! Mace was the first person to his table, and hovered next to his seat. His mother was always after him to get more hobbies and independent interests. The truth was, he had started a food blog during college as a bit of a lark. As “Gary Gourmand”, he traveled all of Dorne, sampling local delicacies, trendy new restaurants and the classic grande dames. It had just been for fun, sharing his thoughts about food with other people who cared about food. He knew his mother and Alerie wouldn’t approve, so he’d never spoken of the subject. But the fact was, he’d started getting contacted by advertisers. Sometimes it was just the offer of a free meal for a review. More often it was product placement, both in the advertising space on his blog or mentioning the product in his articles. (Mace never did those.) So yeah, it was all in good fun, but last year Gourmand Gary had made fifteen thousand dragons. Not enough to live on, not even enough to let him quit his awful day job at the family company, but Mace had never been very good at anything in his entire life. And now he had fifteen thousand dragons in secret little bank account for Loras. More than that, he had a community! People who commented on his blog, asking questions, offering suggestions for where to try next, even vehemently disagreeing with him! It was exhilarating, these friendships with strangers who had never met him and would never know him as Olenna Tyrell’s son. It was for them that Mace was so looking forward to dinner at the Red Keep. Gourmand Gary would try every bite on this menu, and all his followers would be able reap the benefits. After all, the Red Keep was famously expensive. They deserved to know what the fuss was all about. Culminating in a custom-made, never before tried four-layer wedding cake. So even though he had forgotten the wedding ring and let down all of his friends and even though he had caught his mother, after spending an entire lifetime lecturing him for being such a disappointment, having sex with TYWIN LANNISTER IN THE HIGH SEPT (Mace squirmed, gods it sounded like a demented mad lib), at least he still had dinner to look forward to. “Pookie, it’s all too horrible,” his wife nearly wailed as she came rushing over. Cersei Lannister—Cersei Baratheon—Cersei Lannister-Baratheon? had greeted her in the Godswood and in front of everybody, had called her Alysanne. “Alysanne like your sister? Alerie, that doesn’t sound so terrible, I mean the two of you do look a lot alike” — and maybe your parents shouldn’t have had so many girls and given two of them A-names, Mace added mentally before Alerie cut him off. It wasn’t an accident. It couldn’t an accident. Cersei Lannister-Baratheon never did anything by accident. “So we do think she’s going with the hyphen?” It was a deliberate snub!!! In front of everybody, Cersei was not so subtly signaling that Alerie Tyrell was not a person whose name was worth remembering! All because Alerie had the unmitigated gall to spread a rumor that Mace hac told her! This was the kind of thing that people noticed! They were up for golf club membership next year! What if they had to remain pool members? What if Loras didn’t get invited on the right play dates? What if Alerie wasn’t tapped for the boards of any of the good charities?? Mace wondered what a bad charity was. “I even have it on good authority that she demoted us to the base layer of the wedding cake!” Alerie wailed. Wait, what? “Dear gods,” Mace put down his glass of water carefully. “You can’t be serious.” But Alerie was serious. This... this menace, this harpy, this vindictive shrew to whom he had given his mother’s ring at great personal cost, was consigning them to the base layer! Somewhere deep in Mace’s brain, some tiny filament snapped. When Olenna Tyrell arrived at the table, she found her son and her daughter-in-law sitting quietly. “Why did I see Cersei Lannister-Baratheon wearing my ring in her wedding photos?” Olenna began testily. “I don’t know mother,” Mace said in a strange calm voice that sounded like it was coming from somewhere very far off indeed. “Why did I see you pulling Tywin Lannister into an empty room in the sept?” And it certainly seemed as if Olenna were at a loss for words. What might have quickly become a very ugly exchange was saved by the arrival of various Redwynes and Hightowers, followed in short order by a pear and burrata salad drizzled in an apple balsamic glaze. If anyone noticed that Mace Tyrell (who usually became quite gregarious after a glass of wine) was unusually quiet, they did not say anything. Aside from a few nervous looks from his wife and a few glares from his mother, the table proceeded through dinner with a high level of merriment. While Mace personally thought the seared duck fell just short of nirvana, the undisputed highlight for the rest of the table was Cassana Baratheon’s solo. She was rumored to be performing after the main course, and the table was split on whether she still had the necessary talent. Those who had attended the engagement party tended firmly in the ‘she’s still got it’ camp, whereas the remainder were more skeptical. “You can’t tell me she still sounds like she did when she was eighteen! She’s so old!” Alysanne Hightower insisted, though she quavered as Olenna turned to eye her frostily. “And the stakes are so high tonight, the entire arts world has been buzzing about her return to the stage,” Paxter Redwyne chipped in. “You can’t tell me the pressure isn’t a factor.” “Nephew, let me give you some advice,” Olenna drawled. “In my years of experience, I’ve learned not to bet against a Baratheon. They have the devil’s own luck.” Sure enough, moments after the plates were swept away by an army of waiters, the lights dimmed. A low murmur of anticipation swept through the crowd before subsiding into hushed silence. Even Mace, who was furiously taking notes for his blog on his cell phone, felt compelled to glance up. After a pause, a single spotlight illuminated the dance floor. A pure white beam cutting through the darkness and highlighting... nobody. Mace blinked, a tad bewildered. Equipment malfunction? The rest of the guests felt likewise, a restless hum of discontent breaking the quiet. Then, there was a charming, deprecating cough. The spotlight moved to the other side of the dance floor. Renly Baratheon smiled cheekily into the light. Before Mace had time to ponder this unexpected turn of events, there was a light swell of instrumental music. With confidence and poise, Renly began singing “Oh Lay My Sweet Lass Down in the Grass,” a love song for which Mace had always had a sentimental fondness. But even if he hadn’t, Renly’s unexpectedly rich tenor, the emotion he poured into each lyric, just his sheer presence, earnest and young and hopelessly vulnerable, would have brought tears to his eyes. Such was the poignancy of the moment that even Olenna passed him a handkerchief without so much as looking away from the singer. As the last tender words faded into the darkness, the entire ballroom was left holding their breath, caught in a kind of spell. And then as one, the room erupted into rapturous applause. “Encore!!” Paxter bellowed, and Alyssane practically swooned in her chair. Mace wondered if she knew Renly was gay. “Daddy,” he felt a tug at his sleeve. It was Loras, looking up with his big blue eyes and mop of honey brown curls. He must have wandered over the children’s table, that scamp. “Daddy, is he an angel?” Loras asked, staring at Renly in wistful fascination. Mace was saved from having to answer by the repeated stomping cheers of encore, which have started with the Redwynes, now spread like wildfire through the tables. Sure enough, Renly, who had sat demurely back down at the head table, lifted a rueful hand in sheepish acknowledgment. The band struck up again. With some reluctance, Renly stood and picked his microphone back up. (For someone so embarrassed at this display of enthusiasm, he seemed to know exactly which song was coming, Mace did think.) Then with a jaunty wink at the audience, Renly launched into “The Queen Took Off Her Sandal, the King Took Off His Crown.” Whereas the prior song had been full of pathos and yearning, this song was all warmth and ribald merriment. Renly’s voice was practically an invitation to join in, and soon the whole room was bellowing the chorus, even the ever decorous bride. The song finished with whoops and cheers and whistles, and it took Cersei Lannister-Baratheon leaning into the microphone to say, “Now settle down, or nobody gets any cake!” to calm the crowd. Mace immediately went quiet, drumming his hands on the table, Loras now firmly ensconced in his lap. The base layer was a slap in the face of course, but the fact was, he was hardly going to be served each of the four layers as it was. Gourmand Gary was always going to need every bit of his wiles to finagle a bite of each of the three remaining layers. The cake was being wheeled out now, and Mace craned his neck to get a better view. Four layers as promised, base vanilla, second some kind of decadent chocolate on chocolate, third... was that a raspberry cheesecake melange? And fourth. Mace blinked. The fourth layer was a perfect cake replica of the Sept of Baelor itself. Gorgeous stained glass windows, the famous steeples, a little spun sugar Baelor statue... Mace eyed the marzipan stonework at the base, and realized he was drooling. There was a cute scene as Robert and Cersei cut the cake together, and Robert held out a bite. He clearly wanted to smear her face with it, but with the arch of a single golden eyebrow, he docilely held his hand steady for her. She kissed him then, and an audible ‘Awwwww’ rippled through the room. The army of waiters returned to their stations, each bearing a plate. A humble slice of vanilla cake was set before him. Mace exchanged a glance with his wife, who was blushing furiously. The rest of the the table was eating chocolate, with the exception of his mother, who had been served a slice of rich golden, marbled with the pinkest of reds. Mace swallowed, and crumpled the napkin in his hands. “Why does your slice look so boring, Daddy?” “There’s been a mix up with the slices, darling. These silly waiters,” his wife laughed, high and artificial. Olenna snorted, and Alerie glared at her. Olenna stared coolly back. Mace cut a bite of the vanilla and consoled himself that it was actually quite good in an understated way. Smooth and subtly complex, he pictured Gary Gourmand saying as he took another bite, and nodded to himself. He was surprised, as he often was, to find his plate quite empty as he reached for another piece. “Here, take mine coz,” Paxter pushed over his chocolate slice. Mace gave him a grateful smile. Halfway there without any effort! The chocolate was sinfully rich, a slide into absolute luxury. But was it too overpowering? Mace took a thoughtful sip of wine and then reached for his fork again. Nope, it was perfect. “Daddy, may I have some?” His little son chirped. Mace eyed the last piece wistfully, but dutifully passed the fork downward to the tiny extended hand. As Loras chewed quietly, Mace surreptitiously eyed his mother’s slice of cheesecake, barely touched. He swallowed, steeling his nerve. What would Gary Gourmand do? Mace squared his shoulders. “Mother, would you mind if I had a bite of your cake?” Mace asked politely. “You’ve had quite enough already,” Olenna looked over at him and then went back to talking to Garth Tyrell. “Just a bite, I’m curious about the flavor,” Mace tried again. “I said no, Mace. ” Olenna dismissed him again. Mace ground his teeth. This was just like his mother. She practically got off on being withholding. On another night, he might have stewed in resigned silence. But this was the Red Keep. This was for Gary. And maybe he’d realized that his mother wasn’t exactly infallible herself. Mace waited until she was leaning over to poke Garth in the chest for emphasis on some point. He reached out a stealthy fork. He cut a wedge—his fork sliding smoothly through the cake like silk—he started the retreat. “Mace!” Olenna snapped and smacked his hand, and he dropped the fork with a yelp. The rest of the table paused in their conversations to look over. “If you’re going to be such a child, maybe you should go back with Loras to the children’s table,” Olenna said snidely. Mace blinked. He looked down at Loras. “Let’s go, buddy.” He ignored the squawk of dismay from his wife and the harrumph of disapproval from his mother. “We’re not really going to the children’s table, are we?” Loras whispered up to him. Mace cast a glance at the table in question. Were those pudding cups? He shuddered. “We are not.” He wasn’t entirely sure where they were going, his feet moving somewhat aimlessly, until a gentle hand caught his elbow. Mace paused, looking down into warm caramel eyes. “Mace, have you seen my brother?” Elia asked. She looked delicately beautiful, as always, a lovely strapless yellow dress exposing her slender shoulders. Mace smiled at her automatically. “You know Oberyn, he saw an old friend,” he gave a sheepish laugh. To his surprise, Elia looked pleased rather than annoyed. “Here, take his chair and tell me all about it,” she said, gesturing at the empty setting and untouched cheesecake. Wait. Mace did a double take at the cheesecake. “Mace Tyrell, don’t tell me you don’t have time for me,” Elia tugged his arm. “It’s been ages since we caught up.” Like he was in a dream, he allowed himself to be pulled down into the seat, the perfect triangle of the cake placidly awaiting his arrival. “Oberyn ran into Ellaria Sand in the Godswood,” Mace began hesitantly. Cautiously, he picked up Oberyn’s fork, and glanced back at Elia. She only smiled at him encouragingly. Emboldened, he cut a piece of the cake. “You know how he’s always missed her. Not that he’s ever said that of course,” Mace corrected hastily, but Elia only gave him a knowing nod. Mace took a breath and then took a bite. “Gods. Exquisite.” He breathed. Elia frowned. “I mean, Ellaria looked exquisite. And she looked happy to see him too. They were getting a drink and looking very cozy when I saw them last,” Mace elided the ended as gracefully as he could. Elia laughed, possibly seeing what he had done. “I’m happy for him. He was so proud and stubborn about admitting that he missed her,” she shook her head at Mace in a conspiratorial way. Mace would have said something back, but his mouth was full of cheesecake. “Hi Aunty Elia,” Loras inserted himself. Mace patted his curls approvingly. As his precocious son entertained his dining companion, Mace let himself fully luxuriate in the contrast between the creaminess of the cheesecake and the playful tartness of the raspberry. He had to admit, each layer individually was a masterpiece, but the higher he got, the more complex the flavor palate became. First subtle, then bold, then playful. But the fourth... how could the Red Keep kitchens possibly outdo themselves? And yet the sheer visual splendor of that Sept... Mace again felt his mouth water. They had cleared the uncut cake, and Mace’s head swiveled, trying to determine the easiest approach. The initial scouting report was grim. It appeared that only the wedding party’s table had received slices from the top tier. Mace squinted. So the Lannisters (he mentally shuddered at the idea of asking Tywin for some of his dessert, and then mentally shuddered at the idea of ever looking Tywin in the face again), the Baratheons, Ned, Cat, Lysa, Mr. Arryn—wait what was he doing there?, Thoros, Beric, Thoros’ sister and Jaime’s girlfriend. Worse still, most of them seemed firmly in the clean plate club. Mace winced as he watched Mr. Arryn hold his last bite out to Lysa to take. Cersei, naturally, hadn’t so much as touched hers and Mace ground his teeth. He wasn’t a particularly vengeful person, but there was only so much a man could be expected to endure. Regardless, asking her was out of the question. Steffon and Cassana were mysteriously absent, and Mace shifted in his seat to peak at their plates. Steffon’s plate was empty, but Cassana’s... Robert reached over and dumped her slice onto his own plate. Mace ground his teeth. Stannis was done, the Asshais were both done, Brienne was done, Renly was... Renly was not done. Renly was surrounded by a crowd of well wishers, laughing and shaking hands. He wasn’t even looking at his cake. “Elia, I’m supposed to return my son to the children’s table,” Mace, a perpetually terrible liar, felt the word slip smoothly out. “If you see my brother, tell him Elia said I told you so,” Elia gave him a light embrace. “Loras you get more handsome every time I see you.” Loras preened, and Mace had to practically pry him from Elia’s side. “Where are we going now?” Loras asked. “To congratulate Renly Baratheon on his performance,” Mace answered absentmindedly. Loras’ eyes got very round again, and his thumb found its way into his mouth. Odd, Mace thought he had outgrown that habit a while ago. Mace edged his way through the crowd, pleased to see Renly talking to a rather weedy looking man who Mace didn’t recognize at all. “Excuse me, sir, you can’t monopolize him all evening,” Mace gave a pompous little laugh and used his not insubstantial bulk to displace the fellow altogether. Far from being relieved to be gracefully extricated from an awkward prolonged conversation with a stranger, Renly’s face darkened. “Mace, what the actual fuck?!” Renly hissed. Mace blinked, taken aback. He glanced nervously at the slice of a cornerstone on Renly’s plate, marzipan glistening. This did not seem to be the opportunity to cadge a bite that Mace was hoping for. “I wanted to say well done,” Mace stammered. “Um please don’t swear in front of my son.” “That was an honest to gods casting director! He’s putting together a high school drama and is looking for fresh young talent! And you... you scared him off!” Renly snarled sotto voce, nostrils flaring. “I didn’t mean to, I mean if there’s anything I can do...” Mace tried to backpeddle, glancing forlornly at the cake on the table. “Get your fat ass and your snotty little son out of my face!” Renly whispered into their faces. “Good to see you old man!” He said more loudly, and in a pretense of clapping Mace on the back, shoved him on his way. Mace squeezed Loras more tightly and hurried on. “He called me... snotty,” Loras said quietly. Mace stopped and sighed and put Loras down. “He was in a bad mood I guess. People say things they don’t mean when they’re in a bad mood.” “He meant it,” Loras retorted, fists clenching. “He called me snotty and he called you fat. I HATE him.” Mace was alarmed to see his son on the verge of tears, and knelt down so they were eye level. “He’s nothing but a... a...” Mace tried to think of the right insult. “A poo poo head!” Loras growled. “Yes. And you’ll never have to see him again,” Mace promised his son, hugging him. “Now who wants some cake?” “Daddy!” Loras giggled into his shoulder. “You always want cake!” “Are you saying you DON’T want cake?” Mace pulled a sad face, just to hear his son giggle again. He didn’t think there was a better sound. “I do! I do!” Loras flung his arms around Mace’s neck, and Mace picked him up again, steeled with determination. If they couldn’t find a slice, they would go straight to the source. To say the kitchen staff were surprised when a guest walked in clutching a child was an understatement. The frantic clean up and preparations for the next day came to a standstill. “Sir, can I help you?” A sous-chef hurried up to him, clearly intent on barring any further progress. “I hope so,” Mace said, wishing with all his heart for just a little bit of that Baratheon luck. “Does the name Gary Gourmand mean anything to you?” The sous-chef stopped in his tracks, expression unreadable. Then a wrinkle of a frown appeared in his face. Oh dear. “But Gary is in Highgarden!” The sous chef said accusingly. “Someone would have warned us if he were coming!” Mace felt his jaw drop, and then, reminding himself that Gary didn’t stand around staring like some slack-jawed yokel, turned into an attempt at a sophisticated chuckle. “I could hardly advertise that I was attending the Lannister-Baratheon wedding. That might expose my identity!” He patted the man on the shoulder, and pulled out his phone. “Any of these look familiar?” The man looked at the rows of photos, all featured on Gary’s blog. “What did you give the Golden Rose?” The sous chef demanded. “Three and a half stars. It’s time someone pointed out that they’re coasting on their reputation,” Mace replied promptly. “Gods... it’s really Gary!” The sous chef turned back to the dishwasher standing near him. Mace, who had never merited a second glance let alone a wave of exulting adoration that would have left Renly Baratheon seething in envy, nearly reeled as the most talented kitchen in all of King’s Landing swarmed forward. “Finally someone who appreciates the southern Dornish cuisine!” A gorgeous woman Mace had seen tending bar kissed him on the cheek. Mace blushed. “I’ve been waiting for someone to take the Golden Rose down for years,” a prep cook confided, shaking his hand heartily. “Give him some space!” The sous chef, who as his discoverer, seemed to feel some proprietary ownership, shooed his colleagues back. “Now Gary, what can we do for you?” “Like most pastry chefs in the quality King’s Landing restaurants, I trained in Lys,” an elderly and somewhat plain woman was saying, her face glowing with the interest Mace was showing in her work and the compliments on the cake he had thus far bestowed. “I spent most of my career there, but they can be such slaves to the way things are always done. I decided it was time for a change up, so I moved to King’s Landing. I served as the head pastry chef at The Crossroads for eight years, before coming here,” she continued, opening a door into a back pantry. Mace stopped dead. There, on a high shelf, quietly waiting to be boxed, was the cake. “Well I’ll just leave you two here for a few minutes,” the pastry chef winked. The door swung shut. “Look, a ladder!” Loras pointed at a rolling stepladder in the corner. Mace plopped him down, and rolled the ladder in question over the shelves. High above him, the marvelous Sept of Baelor glowed with an unearthly majesty. Gazing upon it really did feel like a religious experience. Mace wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and began to climb. He was on the top step, straining to reach the cake when he realized he might have a problem. Whomever had been in charge of putting it in a safe spot had clearly been taller than Mace. Plus the cake was quite heavy. “Try climbing on the counter,” Loras said from below. Mace winced at the idea of dirtying the sacred counters of the Red Keep kitchens with his feet, but it was for a very good cause. He put one foot on and tested it for durability. It held. He pushed up, and his hands closed around the bottom of the tray. The cake was very heavy, and his cursed sweaty hands weren’t helping, but with the gentle care that he might use to brush out Loras’ tangles, he wrestled off the shelf and into his arms. That was naturally when the door swung open. “Mace Tyrell,” his mother’s voice had the bone chilling cold of the far North. “What do you think you’re doing.” Mace grunted as he looked over the cake to see his mother in the doorway. Flanked by a smirking Cersei Lannister-Baratheon. “Having my cake and eating it too?” Mace gave a sarcastic shrug, the cake wobbling precariously. “What does it look like I’m doing?” “You will get down from there this instant!” Olenna jabbed her finger at him. “Or what? You’ll give me a lecture on self-control? Please mother, let’s hear your thoughts on self-control,” Mace yawned. “Really Mace, are you actually eating away your mommy issues? A bit trite, don’t you think?” Cersei drawled. “Hey Cersei, your dad banged my mom in the church before the wedding,” Mace shot back, feeling well and truly on a roll. “Excuse me?” Cersei turned on Olenna. “Oh save the wilting flower act dear, it doesn’t become a pregnant bride.” “Wait WHAT?” Mace took a step back at the news, only to realize in one of those painful crystallized moments that seem to stretch for an eternity, that there was nowhere to step. For a brief moment, he hung in the air, his mother’s wince and Cersei expression of horror frozen. Then there was a painful jolt through his body as he landed, but not as painful as he was expecting. He had been cushioned by something soft. And sticky. He lifted a finger to his mouth. And sweet. “Daddy?” Loras said uncertainly. Mace lifted his head to see his only child covered in the exploded remnants of the Sept of Baelor. Mace imagined he looked equally wrecked. Still. With the sigh of someone who has come this far, he scooped a generous handful off the floor. That seemed to break the spell as to the onlookers. “MY CAKE!” Cersei howled. “Mace, don’t you dare...” Olenna started. Mace defiantly shoved it into his mouth. “Oh no, Daddy!” Loras laughed. But he discretely tried picked a spun sugar flower off the ground and popped it into his own mouth. “Mace, THAT IS DISGUSTING!” His mother shouted. “It’s fucking delicious,” Mace contradicted her mildly. And you know what? It really was.

[po1ypear1]

take it all as it comes. seize the oportunities. listen to your inner voice, and if you don’t hear it, ask.  

Always: Be greatful for the happiness feelings you feel every single day.

Recognize when the right opportunity is before you and say yes. But if you dont, know the boat will come again, and know your reason for missing it.

Plans and day dreams are nice, but let them be free. Watch out for getting too attatched. We prefer general headings.

Remember watching, “How To Be Single” and feeling like this was your time to enjoy being single while in this stage of self descovery. To remember learning how to date, how to talk to people, and how to hold onto your own identify.

Find and Do No Matter Where You Are:

Play with improv people. join a theater group

Take singing lessons. join a choior

Keep making your moon calanders! Study Astrology.

Pole Play Classes. Dance classes

underground bush doof crew

Everything written here has placed a call to me, and is currently waiting, patiently on hold.

Make movies. Research bus channels. Consider yours.

Act/Perform. Read poetry, stories and speaches to people from mobile sets in character.

Sail home for Christmas

Once Home: Set Some Shit Straight:

Impact Invest! Talk to one of those guys who makes your money make money. 

Sort out your taxes, health care, and province of residing. Get GST number for a small, legit paper trail and to justify the cerb minimum income requirements.

Lazer hair removal.  

Time to Get Your Self Some Nice Things: Good quality solar powered phone charging water proof blue tooth multi speaker linkons portable speaker. 

Books: Anatomy for the artist.  A massive “learn to read the stars” astrology book, total “yoga poses” reference guide.  

go shoping and record the items, review and return later. see how they look through the camera’s eye. find the neck lines you like. thin straps. Try less reveiling necklines, they are destracting, people will look, listen and be enchancted by everything else

.Ask grandma and grandpa a hundred questions.

Watch tissue movies with mom.

Visit Royal Pizza

Organize family activities, skating, toboganing, holrac park. Snowboarding trip?  

Propose bio mobile bus/prototype build to dad  

Have a Dance in Golden and visit kyle…  

First summer with the bio-biel. Climb mountains. Serve A Vapassana.  Learn Gin Shin Do from a master. Visit the landing.

Do you still wanna train hop? this is probably a better sooner then later activity.  

Winter town! Seasonal job. Collect thousands of dollars for passing go.

My Karman Line: Learn about starting a business. Event Organizer/Project Manager. Online Careers. How to become a home care assistant.

Stationary Routine breads clarity and focus. New Places are exciting, stimulating, inspiring, and distracting.

Biofuel Home Bus:

MIDNIGHT IDEA* bus so I dont have to pay rent while going to school/studying to get the job that will allow me to work and live around the world. hense vegabonding after bussing. No roommates, no rent, no part time job money worries, small space, less mess, fewer distractions. I can work part time if I want to, not cause I have to. I can be close to school, no comute, close to my kichen, less money spent eating out. I feel the time for study is getting closer.

I like the idea of bus before boat, cause when I get land the bus is home base while I build. Then the bus is safely left on the property. The boat is a little less safe left in the water.

You’d think I would vegabond before biofuel, but i just got a craving…. then I got an incling, “maybe these arnt one time phases.” cause now i got another thought, I'm back to the vegabond route, but a more "stay-awhilebond" feelin. Like hop into communities with the intensión of staying a while, maybe better with this new "normal" places might want you to quarentine. But, boat life, Bus life, House life, Back-pack life. and they keep heluxing round and round. And there’s always new hobbies, interests, self discoveries and purposes. With constant sweet notes of good food, friendship, discovery. And never ending curiosity.

MIDNIGHT VISION: 1 am, drinkin water by the gallon…. a song comes on. I can’t hold it in. The bus bursts open and I pour my heart out down the empty street. Pirouette’s under street lamp spot lights, broken hearts to car hoods. Coming to an hour latter, looking around, ‘where am I?´ Time to choose a walking home song. A small space will be good for me. Forces me to get outta the house.

There’s no correct order, or direct timeline. Remove the 5 hinderances, and listen to what the moon says is best for you right now. Sailing also sounds better with a crew, thanks to Swell, by Liz Clark.

short cut dotted out with Kyle Button: sail the ports and archipelagos, appartment hop the interiors, build in Canada or the perfect place once it’s found.  

Recycle Sailing Fleet. Bee Bike Troup. The little book of Aquireing Knowledge series. 

Vegabond. Live, Work and Study in so many other countries.You can do this after 35 aswell. You can find amazing work oportunities that don’t require the permit, that will sponsor a permit, that wants to marry you. Or you’ll fit into the specialist or exeption section. You’re not necessarily looking for a typical, need a working vissa job anyway. Plus, some countries might not have this restriction, you never looked for your self.

We were talking with Josie the other day and we got on to the different types of lives on the security-adventure scale. For argument sake, we named 4 main ones. The people who never leave the towns they grew up in, the ones who do but settle some where, the ones who move every so often, keeping it fresh and the ones who never stop, who, say live out of a back-pack or travel the world on a bike, throwing them selves into the unknown. When she spoke of these people, my heart fluttered…..  

House sit, wwooff, work-away when the world alows open travel again. And maybe Do it by bike? As few planes as possible. LIVE in the cities of the world, get to know them, be a part of them. Know the public places, the baker on the courner, where the oldest trees and stairs are.

Entreprenuer. Have your own business. Work for your self. See one note Starters.

Homestead. Own Property out right. I will pay for everything up-front, all the money I save on interest by waiting will be trippled by keeping the money invested till there is more then enough for the propert, land and home development. Enough will be left over, and remain invested, to continue growing at a steady, live a comfortable life and travel as I wish, take what ever courses i wish rate.

Raise your kids here, with stability providing safety. Routine creating tradition that will be imprinted in them for ever, every pumpkin pie will make them feel their childhood in fall, and the excitment of starting school again. Let them grow conected to nature and their food. Atleast till 7. Then ask them what they want to do? wanna go to school in the city? wanna live in a bus and travel across the continent? Wanna live in a boat and sail around the world? Please learn another language, spanish is easy and lots of places different to us. 

Maybe kids raised in a bus or on a boat might could also be a good thing. After rocking Nera to sleep, for only less then an hour, it occured to me, a rocking boat or moving bus would be great right now.

Sail around the world with an electric assist bike and a survival libraray

Return to the nice place, with enough acres for privacy, gardens, animals, out door hot tubs, a green house, all within a food forest and be within walking distance of neighbours and a satisfying community hub. Some people watching spots and art events can be a comfortable scooter ride away. maybe this is the same place as the homestead. Maybe my parents are with my by this point.  

Bio Bus. I’ve been in the office 6 months now, and im starting to want a change. Change just might be my nature. So maybe it’s back to the bus. This time with Gatto, Pero, Pollo, bicicleta and creator machines. Traversing the continent selling soaps, teas, hot snacks wrapped in bees wax at ski hills, soaking potions, spa days at tree planter camps and tickets to movie nights.    

BLUE PRINTS:

Movement Space: soft matt 5x5, to emcompass my whole body’s reach in every angle. hand holds ancored into the floor for traction. ropes hanging from the roof for balance, suport. golf and tenis balls for massage.

Kitchen Hacks: design cooking area to be re-panted every few years cause it gets so dam dirty and change is a must. window sills for herbs to grow. sinks with water spouts that fill in the middle and swivel. counters with an over hang so you can sit. lots of different lighting options. Wooden counter top, i hate the sound of everything clanging on marble 

Ideal Community: lots of greenery, big old trees, bike and walk friendly, inviting public spaces, big enough that I want to go out and be apart of it, that i have places and people to visit and watch. A place with seasons. I don´t want to be hot and itchy all year round. A place where people steward the land, and shape it with Peter Pan’s elegant hands. No generic, shitty, fast food joints, only healthy artisian. Beautiful works of arcitecture harmanizing our day to day with nature. No junk advertisments. 

[mypokepal]

says that requests are open in your title but that they're closed in the desc. so if they're closed just ignore this, no pressure ! im a graphic design student in the north of sweden, i've enjoyed pkmn since i was a child but i can't really afford to buy the new games now. i really like linguistics, history, and making maps, and i like to read scifi. i can be a little anxious but personality-wise im pretty social, always need to be around people. im a taurus. im INFP, according to the internet.

I think graphic design is so cool and if I had an o u n c e of intelligence and talent, I would have gone down that path!! I hope that you’ll love Pokemon for a very, very long time and be able to play the new game eventually. Thank you for your patience with this request!

And I have the perfect partner for you! Let me introduce you to...

Donphan! I think Donphan would be perfect for you because...

(1) Being a pack Pokemon, Donphan needs a companion by its side all the time. If Donphan is left alone for too long, it starts to overthink and believes that its pack family or trainer has abandoned it. With Donphan being a pack Pokemon, you can bet that your pal is loyal to the bone. Donphan is so loyal that it will stay right in front of its trainer protecting them even if it means getting hurt. The size of Donphans heart is as big as Donphan itself making Donphan reciprocate the love its receives by 10 folds. By the way, your ground friend literally has no concept of size so get ready for hugs that knock you off your feet, kisses that leave your face dripping and struggles to explain to your pal that it cannot sit on your lap anymore because it is way to big and heavy. 

(2) Donphan is incredibly curious and just wants to share your favourite hobbies and interests with you. It learns quite quickly and will be able to read maps with you in a split of a second. Your love for history and maps will be great for Donphan as it allows you two to go outside and explore the world, which, will allow you to indulge in your interest, broaden your knowledge of past and present worlds while deepening your friendship with Donphan. The best part about exploring with Donphan is the fact that it can carry all your equipment and necessities without breaking a sweat! So, go ahead and strap a backpack on your grey friend with food, water, exploring equipment and anything too heavy for you to carry. I guarantee you that Donphan will be more excited than you when you two uncover an artifact or visit a place full of history. I really recommend the Sinnoh region if you do decide to travel! 

(3) Socializing is very nerve wracking and when trying to do so in a setting with a large amount of people, it can leave a lot of people breathless and terrified. Donphan may have a ton of energy and is one of the first to jump into a conversation or activity, but again, Donphan’s loyalty means understanding that you are not on the same wavelength as it sometimes. This means staying by your side and providing comfort and it means making sure you’re never standing alone feeling awkward during a social function. With Donphan in your life, you will learn to slowly overcome these fears and broaden your social circle while you teach Donphan stability and how to behave appropriately during certain situations. 

Other Pokemon considered: Torterra, Heracross 

[aspirationfail]

MY BBY JETTY FOR THE QUESTION THHINGY !!

JETT TAYLOR (●´ω｀●)

Full name

Jett Marie Taylor

Preferred name/nickname

Jett or J

Generally referred to as

Wife, J, J.T, Jetty

Appearance.

FACECLAIM: Nope.SEX: FemaleHEIGHT: 5′10WEIGHT: 160BUILD: Average. B-cup breast, has some meat on her thighs, and a small butt.HAIR: She currently cut it but, she has 4c hair thats naturally red. Pretty long when its straightened but she prefers to keep it in a neat ponytail or braids.SKIN: Mocha-ish skin tone with a few moles scattered on her face. EYES: Pretty brown eyes with short lashes, her glasses hang a little low on her face so you can’t really tell how nice her eyes are.MOUTH: Plump lips that she constanly moisturizes on a daily basis.NOSE: Cute, small nose. HANDS: Averaged sized hands with skinny fingers, nails are usually short and painted.FEET: Small, bute cute feet. Toenails are ALWAYS painted, usually a pastel color.SCARS: NoneCLOTHES: Her style varies. Most of the time she dresses plain since shes home a lot but, the days shes going out her style could be catagorized as ‘Kawaii’ or ‘harajuku’OTHER FEATURES: None OTHER NOTEABLE FEATURES:None

Speech.

VOICECLAIM: Click ACCENT: When pronouncing certain words her little Creole accent will appear.VERBAL TICKS: Since she’s very shy at first, she tends to stutter a lot or not talk at all.LANGUAGE: Mostly English but a little of Cajun FrenchARTICULATION: She is terrible at explaining things, she gets so frusterated most of the time because she tends to have a hard time putting the words in a proper way so the other person(s) can understand.EDUCATION: It varies honestly, sometimes she’ll use big words sometimes she doesn’t. It all depends on the conversation topic really.LAUGHTER: Her laugh is squeaky, and annoying to most people. Since she’s always laughing though, peple get used to it.GRUMP: Not really, only if she’s angry.BREATHING: ..duh

Mannerisms.

FACE: She’s very expressive with her emotions, most of the time she’s happy so you’ll always see her with a smile on her face.HANDS: She uses a lot of hand motion, usually when shes explaining something or excited.LEGS/FEET: Only when she’s nervous.EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS: She is not prone to these, when she’s happy she shows it very well and when her emotions are in a more negative state, she tends to cry.HABITS: Besides fidgeting a lot, none.POSTURE: Due to being related to a model her posture is very straight, she only slouches when she’s tired.WALKING POSTURE: She is very upbeat and girly when she walks, she also skips A LOT.SITTING POSTURE: She usually likes to sit criss-cross but usually her legsare crossed since she wears a bunch of skirts and dresses.PERSONAL SPACE: She’s the queen of invaiding personal space, she can be very touchy but it’s usually to show affection, nothing sexual.SPACIAL AWARENESS: She is very aware of what’s going on but is still clumsy at times.OTHER: She’s very poliet when she speaks but after a while she tends to be very goofy and childish.

Health:

DIET: Her diet is slightly poor, she eats a lot of sweets and since she can’t cook she tends to eat out when there’s nobody at home to cook for her.SLEEP: Her sleeping schedule is pretty good. She usually sleeps late on the weekends or breaks, though.EXERCISE: She jogs here and there but she could work out more.ACTIVITY: She’s a hard worker when it comes to activities, she always make sure to input 100%CLEANLINESS: She bathes regularly.ODOUR: She smells good all the time, there’s never a day where she doesn’t smell good.MEDICINAL DRUGS: NopeNARCOTICS: NopeADDICTIONS: NopeILLNESS: NopeINJURIES: NopePARASITES: NopeOTHER: None

Personal.

INTROVERT/EXTROVERT?: AmbivertOPTIMIST/PESSIMIST: OptimistGENDER: FemaleSEXUALITY: DemisexualROMANTIC: There’s times where she feels lonely but she’s never been in an actual relationship so she’s not too sure what she wants from one and if she even wants to date.MEMORY: Her memory is supringly really amazing, she remembers a lot of stuff really well.PLANNING: Unless its fashion or school related…no.PENSIVE: EhINTUITION: Not all the time but most of the time.PROBLEM SOLVING: I guessss.GOALS: To have a sucessful clothing line.INSECURITIES: NoneACHIEVEMENTS: So far her biggest achievment is graduating highschool a year early with 4.0 GPA.ANXIETY: When her friends or family is angry at her.OVERWHELMED: All the time, being an adult is so hard for her.SELF-HELP: She usually take’s a day to reflect and think to see what she can do to fix it.COMFORTS: Being around the people she loves, her room, and a closet full of clothes.BAD HABITS: Eating when stressed.PHILOSOPHY: She belives in Christianity, mainly because her dad is a pastor.TRIGGERS: Nope

The Past.

PARENTS/GUARDIANS: She was very close with both of her parents.SCHOOL: School was a breeze for her since she was very friendly she had a lot of help.ADOLESCENCE: She was really confused at first but ignored it after a few days. Puberty was pretty normal for her.LEAVING HOME: It was okay for her since she knew we would be staying with family.FURTHER EDUCATION: She’s currently in college studying costume desgining.FIRST JOB: Her first (and current) job is at a cafe, shes a barista and enjoys it very much. She kind of wants to quit though and work at her friend’s comic shop.LIFE EVENTS: Graduating at 17 and getting accepted to her favorite college.WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE: She never really had one of those, even if she properly tried to see the good in it.BEST DAY OF THEIR LIFE: When she met Felix and Toshi, the most important people in her life besides family.LESSONS: Always try to see the better in people, the outcome might be better than expected.LOOKING BACK: She wouldn’t change a thing.

Relationships.

FAMILY: Marcella & MarshalFRIENDSHIPS: She has a few friends, but only three close friends. She doesn;t like having a huge social circle.FRIENDS IN NEED: She tries her best to be of help even if she never went through what the other went though.NEEDING A FRIEND: She prefers to go to family for help but sometimes she’ll go to friends.ANNOYANCES: She tries to understand the other person so the aurgument doesn’t get crazy.ROMANCE: n/aMARITAL PROBLEMS: n/aADVERSARIES: Lying, being inconsiderate, and thinking the things she likes is stupid.ENEMIES: Disrespecting her or the people close to her.STRANGERS: She can be very shy around new people but if she knows that the person is a mutual or they are intrested in the same things she starts acting like herself.FUN STUFF: Going out shopping, visiting pet shops, and going to shops that sell sweets and baked goods.DATING: N/A BEST FRIEND: Toshi & FelixLOVE: NoneWORST ENEMY: NoneRESPECT: She respects everyone even if they don’t do the same with her. She likes to fight with kidness lol.

Interactions.

MINGLING: It depends, she is good when it comes to small talk and people such as her classmates but besides that she can be a little weird at it.COMFORT LEVELS: She feels pretty comfortable if the other person isn’t being weird.PHYSICAL: She’s very touchy with people she knows, hugs are her favorite.GROUPS: She likes being in groups, unless it’s ful of people she doesn’t know.OPENNESS: She’s kind of open. Only with people she’s close with, though.GENEROSITY: Queen of being generous tbh JEALOUSY: Eh, she’s not really the jealous type.TEMPER: She’s very patient.AFFECTION: She’s very affectionate. She tries to show it with her words and sctions.DISTASTE: Here’s the thing… she doesn’t show that to people she dislikes cause she doesn’t dislike anyone.ETIQUETTE: Eh, she can be poliet but for the most part is very childish.RESPONSIBILITY: She always takes responsiblity of the things she does.SELF ESTEEM: Usually she has other people stick up for her but when she doesn’t sometimes she’ll try to do it for herself.CONFIDENCE: NopeHONESTY: She’s only honest if she really needs to be, if not she tries to spare people’s feelings.LEADER OR FOLLOWER: NeitherPARTY TRICKS: She likes ti sing time from time so she’ll do that to impress people.PRAISE: She loves praises.FAILURES: Nope, everyone usually likes everything about her.CRITICISM: Pretty well honestly.INSULTS: She is horrible at taking insults.EMBARRASSMENT: When she’s embarssed she usually just tries to hide for a few hours.FLIRTING: ..nopeATTENTION SPAN: If it isn’t related to her hobbies, it can be very short.

Life.

CAREER: BaristaPROMOTION: Nah, she doesn’t plan to work there for long.BOSS: YES, her boss loves her and treats her as if she was his own.DUTY: Normal young adult duties.TECH: Eh, she;s like every other person.POLITICS: She tries not to get in stuff like that.COMBAT SKILLS: … not really.HOME: Her home is all over the place but organized enough to where she still can find things.DAILY LIFE: She copes pretty well.INDEPENDENCE: She could live by herself if she wanted to, cooking would be her only problem.COOKING: Do you mean constantly burning food? Then, yes.BUILDING: She can be pretty okay at that stuff.CLEANING: She likes a neat and tidy home. SHOPPING: When doesn’t she shop?DRIVING: Yes,FINANCES: She lives under the care of her little sister so she’s pretty well taken care of. If she lived alone she would still be fine.MARRIAGE: N/AKIDS: Not really.PETS: Yes! She has a small turtle named Green Dog.DEPENDANTS: NoLAW: NoCOURT: NoPRISON: NoTRAVELLING: The only traveling she’s done is travel to California, but she would like to travel more if she had the money.MEDICAL: YisssILLNESS: NopeWORRIES: She worries if she fed her pet or turned off the car usually.PEACE: Doesn’t matter.PARTYING: If it’s not wildt and more laid back, she doesn’t mind.HOBBIES: Watching anime, drawing, sewing, baking, and reading yaoi.

[noonetosmilefor]

Random questions

So, I got asked by @hopedreamssoul to answer all 150 questions. Thank you, darling. ❤️

1. Do you bite or lick ice cream? - Lick.

2. What is home to you? - Home to me can be a person, a place, a city, somewhere, where I feel alive, can be myself and happiest.

3. What was the last lie you told? - I told myself the lie that I’m going to bed earlier today. (And now I’m sitting here answering these questions.)

4. Does everyone deserve the truth? - Yes.

5. What is the creepiest toy ever made? - When I was a child I really hated these ‘trolls’. They freaked me out.

6. Describe a moment in which you did something unacceptable in a bad situation. - I told a friend to go to a shop near our town because they have cool new toys for dogs. I forgot that her dog died almost a month ago.

7. List two things that are more easily done than said. (No, I didn't mix them up.) - For me personally: Falling asleep and cleaning. (Idk, man.)

8. When was the last time you worked really hard to achieve something? - I can’t remember. 

9. How many all nighters have you pulled? - About 10 or so.

10. If humans didn't evolve to laugh or smile, how would we express our happiness instead? - In hugs.

11. How many romantic "things" or "flings" have you had? - 3.

12. What is your paradise? - My personal paradise is when I can do what I want, be myself and with people I love to death. 

13. What is your favorite background noise? (Ex. Water dripping, people talking.) - Rain.

14. How many hearts do you think you have broken? - I don’t know, I hope I’ve never broken anyones heart.

15. What is the most important thing about electronics? What does this say about you? - That people can communicate with each other, even though they’re miles apart. That say’s that I have a lot of friends who life far away from me.

16. Why do people care about celebrities? Do you care about celebrities? - I think it’s because it makes them happy to ‘care’ about someone else. If it gives them hope/motivation/happiness etc., why shouldn’t they care about them. I can’t say I ‘care’ about celebrities. It doesn’t affect me if a certain celebrity does something wrong or something like that.  I really like a lot of celebrities and the way they’re. I like their music/acting skills and so on.

17. What is the most annoying thing someone can do to you? - Sitting beside me and chewing on their fingernails or eat noisily constantly. 

18. Do you overexaggerate? What are the pros and cons of this? - Sometimes, depends on the situation. But I can’t think of any pros or cons, because it just happens sometimes.

19. Have you played any instruments before? Which instruments? - Yes, the transverse flute.

20. Do you like taking selfies? Why or why not? - Sometimes. It depends on my mood and look.

21. List 3 things you like about yourself? - My hair, my eyes and my honesty.

22. What is the best advice someone has ever given you? - “Travel the world, go on adventures without fear. Learn to get to know the unknown and do what you love.”

23. Do you have what it takes to raise a child? Why or why not? - I don’t think so. I don’t like children that much and I can get very moody and want to be alone a lot of time.

24. How do you cheer yourself up after a bad day? - Listening to my favorite band while laying in bed.

25. When was the last time you felt awkward? - Today.

26. Are you introverted or extroverted? Or a mixture of both? - A mixture of both. It always depends on the situation.

27. What constitutes a good friend? - Honesty, loyalty, the same humor, a good listener, someone who can put their phone away while being with me.

28. Would you rather have a lot of friends to hang out with or just one best friend? - One best friend.

29. In a regular day, what do you not want to hear? - That someone is pissed.

30. What is your dream job? - Something I love doing, that makes me happy. I want a job where I can be independent. 

31. Is it better to be lazy but smart or hardworking but unintelligent? - Lazy but smart.

32. What is a truth about yourself that others find hard to believe? - That I’m crying a lot when I’m on my own.

33. What have you always wondered about the other gender? - Why do they have to be so stubborn all the fucking time?

34. Which fantasy world would you like to visit the most? - The Harry Potter world.

35. Describe the worst friend you have ever befriended. - She’s not a friend of mine anymore. She treated me like shit after she got together with her current boyfriend because he told her, that I’m not worth her friendship.

36. Imagine that you have switched bodies with someone you don't know. You can't switch back. What do you do? - I would want to find myself and find a way with that other person how to work this shit out.

37. If you found the recipe for immortality, would you sell it or would you burn it? - I would burn it.

38. What is the most important, applicable class you have ever taken? - Uh, I don’t know?

39. Name the last book you read. - “Achtnacht” by Sebastian Fitzek.

40. Imagine that you are unable to express emotion. How would this affect your world? - In a bad way of course. It would never be the same with friends again.

41. When was the last time you made the first move? - A week ago.

42. What is your opinion on electronic music such as dubstep or trap? - I personally don’t like it and wouldn’t say that this is ‘music’.

43. What was the last movie you watched? - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

44. Do you like and appreciate your life? - Currently not really.

45. Do you like and appreciate yourself? - No.

46. When was the last time you cried? - Today.

47. What are you scared of? - Since my childhood, I was scared of the No-Face, don’t know why. It’s getting better, but I can’t watch the movie ‘Spirited Away’.

48. What is the most embarrassing, cringe-worthy thing you have ever done? - A lot of cringe-worthy things happen to me every day. But I’m not embarrassed easily.

49. What are some of your hobbies? - Listening to music, reading, going to the cinema with friends, attending concerts, traveling.

50. What is a superficial yet annoying mistake you constantly make? - I’m sometimes really sloppy.

51. Are you a good friend? What makes you a good friend? If not, what makes you a bad friend? - I think so. I’m a good listener and try to be as honest as possible. Also I want to make my friend’s days better.

52. Do you honestly learn from your mistakes? - No.

53. What have you learned the hard way? - That I can’t have everything and do everything I want to.

54. What is the most important thing to have in order to attain happiness? - Motivation.

55. Which medium do you use for expressing your artistic emotions? (Singing, writing, etc.) - Photography.

56. Are you a creative or a logical thinker? - Creative.

57. What is the smartest thing you have ever done? - I completed school successfully. 

58. What is your ideal meal? - Italian pasta with sea food. Would die for that right now.

59. What is the worst thing someone could do on a date? - Not being honest.

60. Do you like animals? Which kind is your favorite? - YES. All kinds of animals.

61. If you could turn one legal thing illegal, what would it be? - Guns.

62. Do you have any guilty pleasures? - I sometimes really enjoy listening to trashy songs.

63. What is the best thing that the internet has ever created? - Fandoms.

64. Do you like playing video games? Which video games? - Not really.

65. What is your opinion on beauty in today's society? - Beauty is a good way for everyone to express how they feel. It doesn’t matter what you look like, the beauty lies within yourself. I think it’s great that big girls/boys also get recognized nowadays. Because they’re as beautiful as thin girls/boys.

66. Are you a morning person? When do you usually wake up? - Not at all. If I go to work I have to get up at 6 AM. If not, usually at 10 AM.

67. Do you have a favorite Disney movie? Character? - Yes. The Lion King. I love Nala.

68. Would you rather live in the city or in the countryside? - City.

69. Would you rather live near the ocean or in the mountains? - Near the ocean.

70. What are the best things about winter? - The snow, the cold storms and the silence that lies within a snowy day.

71. What scares you most about the future? - That I don’t know what might happen.

72. What makes you feel old? - Seeing tv shows I used to watch as a kid/teen.

73. How many hours do you spend on the computer or phone on average? - Uff, I think about 10 hours.

74. What are some of your New Year's resolutions? - Don’t have any.

75. What is your life story in 6 words? - Full of traveling and lovely friends.

76. Describe yourself in one word. - Ambitious.

77. What bad habits do you do? - I often command people.

78. What genre of music do you listen to? - I love love looove pop-punk.

79. Most prominent childhood memory? - The divorce of my mom and dad.

80. Imagine if you had an older brother. If you already have one, what is it like? If you don't, how would this change your life? - I think we’d do a lot more dangerous stuff and he would be over protective.

81. Spirit animal? - Sherlock Holmes.

82. Do you believe in horoscopes? - Yeah, kinda.

83. What is the worst advice you've ever been given? - “Be yourself.”

84. List the 3 most important people in your life right now. - My two best friends Iris and Marci and @hopedreamssoul. ❤️

85. Favorite memory of your family. - The chilled Sundays in our house.

86. What do you look for in a relationship? - Honesty, openness, loyalty, a bright smile, a kind heart, a good listener and someone adventurous.

87. Do you have a role model? Why or why not? - No, I don’t think so. I’m just who I am, I don’t need a role model.

88. What is your opinion on social media? - I like it. But it can ruin a lot too. I see people barely talking to each other when they’re out with friends because they constantly stare at their phones. I HATE that.

89. Are you a pessimist or an optimist? - Pessimist.

90. List some things that you think are overpriced? - Shoes, clothes, make-up, hygiene products.

91. What is your worst memory or creepiest experience? - The day my second mother (still don’t like the word ‘stepmom’) died. Basically the year 2012.

92. What superpower would ruin the world? - Immortality.

93. What is something you swore you would never do when you grew up, but you did anyway? - Drinking alcohol.

94. What lessons have you learned from movies and which movies were they? - That not everything’s what it seems and you have to work hard in order to achieve the things you want. Surround yourself with the right people, the ones you can trust. The Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter movies, basically.

95. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? - Currently, I’m in a ‘far-away’ mood. So New Zealand, maybe.

96. How do you approach people? - With a poker-face.

97. What is your opinion on first impressions? - The first impression isn’t what it is. You can’t judge a book by it’s cover. Or a book you’ve only read 5 pages in.

98. What are some things you did as a child that you no longer do? - I went outside a lot, dancing, playing the transverse flute.

99. What languages can you speak? - German, English, Spanish, a bit Italian.

100. What do you think society will be like in 30 years? - Mind-controlled over social media/phones/computers.

101. What do you do on your lazy days? - Laying in bed, reading.

102. What ended your last relationship? - Disagreements.

103. Favorite food? - I love the potato salat from my grandma.

104. What is the most terrifying dream you've ever had? - That my mom and I were trapped inside a cage of lions and the only way she could help me out is that she stays in the cage forever. I dreamed that dream every night when I was a child.

105. When was the last time you got seriously angry? - Yesterday.

106. What was the last friendship you broke? - With one of my former best friends/ex-boyfriend.

107. Do you have any pet peeves? - People with bad table manners, noisy eaters, animal cruelty, homophobic people.

108. Who was the last person you gave a hug to? - My sister’s best friend.

109. When was the last time you got seriously stressed? - Last Thursday.

110. What part of your personality do you want to change? - My mood changes.

111. Who is the most positively influential person in your life right now? - My dad.

112. What is your biggest motivation? - Watching other people succeed.

113. What did you want to be when you were little? - I wanted to be a veterinarian.

114. What are some things that you are good at? - Playing instruments, listening to other people, being funny and I’m also very spontaneous.

115. What is one thing you want to be good at? - Singing.

116. What distracts you the most, especially when you're trying to work? - My phone. 

117. How important is privacy to you? - Very important.

118. If you could create one social norm, what would it be? - Being nice to everyone when you meet them, no matter what color/gender/sexuality or how the person looks.

119. What's the craziest lie you've ever told? - I don’t know. I’m not the person who’s telling crazy or big lies.

120. What story do you like to tell about yourself at parties? - I don’t attend parties that often, and if so, I wouldn’t be someone to tell a story about myself.

121. What is the lamest thing that you have seen someone do? - I don’t know.

122. What is the stupidest thing you've done to impress someone? - I smiled the whole time, even though I wasn’t really in the mood of smiling.

123. What is your morning routine? - Getting out of bed really slowly, going to the bath, getting dressed and run out of the house because I’m late again.

124. What's the last thing you did that is worth remembering? - I helped someone out who couldn’t help themselves.

125. If karma was coming back to you, would it help or hurt you? - Help.

126. What is your opinion on playing "hard to get?" - I don’t know anything about it, so.

127. What are the pros and cons of straightforward? - Pros: You can really be honest with everyone, they know you won’t lie to them; Cons: You may hurt some peoples feelings and may loose friends.

128. What do you consider "leading" someone on? - Showing someone the direction of life, idk.

129. Are you the friendzoner or the friendzoned? - Both.

130. What do you admire most about your friends? - Their smiles and honesty.

131. What do you admire most about your family? - They are all open-minded.

132. What is your opinion on "going with the flow?" - I personally am not going with the flow. But if it bring’s you joy, go for it.

133. Do you enjoy talking or listening? - Both.

134. When is it time to end a friendship? - When you have the feeling it’s not worth it anymore. When you’re distant and not interested in what the person is saying anymore.

135. What is the worst excuse you've ever come up with? - That I’m not feeling well. (I always use that excuse.)

136. If GPA didn't matter, what courses would you have taken? - GPA doesn’t matter where I live.

137. What are your favorite baby names? - Nick and Merry.

138. When was the last time you had a deep conversation with someone? - In February in Berlin with @hopedreamssoul.

139. What instantly ruins a conversation? - When a person is constantly interrupting someone.

140. Biggest turn ons and turn on offs.- Turn ons: Contagious smile, honesty. Cons: Disrespect and racist people.

141. Biggest disappointment. - Myself.

142. Do you have any self-restraint? - Not really.

143. When did you last do something outside of your comfort zone? - When I was in Lisbon with my family.

144. Prized possession(s)? - My books.

145. What is your opinion on second chances? - It depends on what the person did to you. I uneasily forgive people.

146. Text or call? - Text.

147. What do you like about the 21st century? - I can’t think of one single thing, well.

148. What advice would you give to yourself 5 years ago? - GO TO SCHOOL, YOU FUCK!

149. How organized are you? - Really organized.

150. Favorite mode of transportation. - By train.

[morganbelarus]

15 Things That Happen When You Fall In Love With Your Life Instead Of A Person

1. You discover what youre wildly passionate about, and you make time for those things.

Love is beautiful, but it isnt everything. There are so many other things to be passionate about besides a personart, photography, music, writing, literature, sports, exercising, workto just name a few. When you start falling in love with your life, as opposed to investing all your time and energy into a relationship, you find time for the things that light a fire within you, the things that inspire and fuel you. And your life becomes more satisfying and complete as you focus on those things rather than romance.

2. You become more in-tune with your wants and needs.

Falling in love with your life means learning what you love, what you desire, and what you need. It means focusing on your goals and how you can, and will pursue them. It means discovering what you really want out of relationships, out of yourself, out of your existence on this earth, and creating a well-designed plan for your future.

3. You value the relationships that you have, instead of focusing on the ones you dont.

Romantic relationships arent the only things that fill your life with love and happiness. When youre focused on things other than your love life, you invest more time in the people who fill youyour family members, friendships, and other platonic relationships. And you learn the incredible value of those people.

4. You travel, explore, and live selfishly.

When you fall in love with your life, you want to squeeze every minute dry. You want to travel to new places, try new foods, explore, and live how you want. Falling in love with your life means taking advantage of what you have and chasing after the things you want. It means doing, going, and truly

5. You shift your focus to other important pieces of life.

When youre not focused on a relationship, you take and make more time for other thingsyour career, hobbies, future, finances, etc. Your priorities shift in healthy ways and you learn to ground yourself rather than letting a relationship ground you.

6. You spend more time things, rather than wishing for things to happen.

Falling in love with your life means that you dont like to waste time. You dont like to chase things that dont build or grow you. You dont like to live a mediocre, uninspired existence. When you love your life you things, rather than being a passive character in your own story.

7. You value advice from others, and take time to lend a listening ear.

You want to learn, to experience, to grow, to be inspired. Thus, you value the advice and guidance given to you from others and youre more willing to be a support system for people who may need you.

8. You take more time to appreciate the little things.

Suddenly, little things like the sunset or a dog curling up next to you on the couch carry meaning. These little things that you so often overlooked are a central focus, and integral part of the wonderful, meaningful life youre living now.

9. You are continually striving for better.

You pursue a life that supports your dreams, goals, and purpose. You appreciate where you are, but are never satisfied. You want to achieve more, be more, and live even more authentically. You love who you have the potential to be, and are continually trying to build and develop that person.

10. You spend more of your days outside or in nature.

The world around you has more value now. You enjoy hiking, walking, biking, or just sitting outside in the shade. You love just around friends or solo, just soaking in the beauty the world has to offer.

11. You feel fulfilled by the memories, experiences, and relationships you have in your day-to-day existence.

When you fall in love with your life, you arent looking for a romantic relationship to make you feel whole. You feel complete because of people around you, the experiences youve had/are having, and the memories you are continually making. Your happiness isnt dependent upon a significant other, rather all the tiny, wonderful things that give you meaning and purpose.

12. You pray often, and feel both humble and thankful for what youve been given.

Every day, life surprises you with its beauty and wonder. You find yourself praying for the blessings youve been given, and relying on your faith to pull you through the hard times. You trust that you will find love when the timing is right; in the meantime, you are thankful and humble for where you are.

13. You no longer feel sad about not being in a relationship; your happiness is invested in, and dependent upon other things.

Your single relationship status is no longer a burden or a negative label. You have come to terms with where youre at romantically, and arent looking for a lover to fill a hole in your heart. Instead, your happiness is dependent on your experiences, your passions, your other relationships, and

14. You find yourself in awe of all that youve been through, and of the person youre still becoming.

When you fall in love with your life rather than a person, you start to value yourself and what youve overcome. You start to see your purpose, and how events in your life have shaped or changed you. You find yourself in awe of how youve grown, and excited for who you will become.

15. You have learned the slow, beautiful, complicated, rollercoaster ride of loving yourself.

You still have days when you struggle to love yourself, but because your life has shifted from loving someone to loving your existence, youve learned to value your own heart and mind. Youve learned that its okay to put yourself first, healthy even. Youve learned that you are the only one who can determine your happiness. And youve learned that when you love your life, love will come when its meant to.

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15 Things That Happen When You Fall In Love With Your Life Instead Of A Person was originally posted by 16 MP Just news

[judithsears]

2017 - Great year.

I went to Cuba in April. I swam in turquoise waters for the first time and cried like a baby. Snorkeled in the ocean, danced and ate with the locals, squished giant cockroaches and lived in paradise for 8 glorious days.

I went to Italy in July with my mom. Visited Mestre, Venice, La Spezia, Portovenere, Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome. I ate pizza, pasta and drank prosecco. Swam in the Mediterranean sea with the fish, saw the sun set at the top of piazza di michelangelo, hiked the eastern coast between the towns or Corniglia and Vernazza. It was incredible. I spent one day alone, a complete stranger in a village. Anonymous, and alone, eating gelato at the top of a mountain, sweating in 42 degree heat, looking down onto a marina on the ocean.

I completed my second season of rowing.

I learned how to throw ceramics on the wheel and made several mugs and bowls.

Continued working on my body and my self.

Watched Third Eye Blind play Semi Charmed Kind of Life, live, outdoors, at sunset overlooking the water in upper New York.

My nephew was born in January. He is perfect. And I love him.

I tried desperately to expand my friend-base. It has proved very difficult between the weddings, babies, schedules, careers, money, etc...But I made some genuine connections with some really great people and feel pretty fortunate for it.

HIGH FIVE 2017.

What do I want to do in 2018? I was doing aquafit the other day, floating in the pool with one of the aforementioned friends, and we talked about what goals we have for the new year...

-TRAVEL AGAIN.

-Build and nurture friendships and put myself out there. Stop standing in my own way and hang out with people.

-ROW.

-See my ladies club - S.W.I.S. - come to fruition.

-FITNESS.

-Work on my hobbies in the evenings after work rather than just sit on my ass and be lazy. I’d like to do things that feel good, make me happy and allow a feeling of accomplishment at the end. (ie. sewing, painting, etc...)

-Make my GRL PWR show a reality.

-GET THEM ABS.

2016 A YEAR IN REVIEW

I’m welcoming in 2017 with open arms. I’ve turned 30 and am trying to figure out how to be happy and to better my life. Here are my goals for 2017:

*Travel. I want to go to Italy and go hiking in BC. (I DID IT. I FINALLY WENT TO ITALY.)

*Create less waste. Less packaging. Find a way to compost.

*Eat slower (like my dad) and enjoy my food (and wine) more. (FAIL)

*Take more pictures. (MEGA FAIL)

*Sew wearable clothes. (NO)

*Take a pottery course/workshop. (YES! SUCCESS!)

*Continue rowing. (YES. V GOOD.)

*Continue at my job and maybe grow into a new, higher position or role to gain experience. (KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE RIGHT NOW)

*Continue my quest for good health - physical and mental. Which means eating well, eating whole foods, less sugar, salt and fat and exercising regularly. (YES)

*Continue growing food on my balcony and using it in my cooking. (50/50)

*Travel. (CUBA)

*Travel. (ITALY)

*Travel. (SYRACUSE)

Lets see how I did at my 2016 list….

- Sew something new. Clothing. T-shirts. Dresses. Anything. (No. BUT I did pick up a pattern. I guess that doesn’t count though.)

- Be kind for pete’s sake! Drop the attitude. (No. Attitude is as fiery as ever.)

- Be more accepting of others and everyone’s little imperfections! ( I tried.)

- Complain less. Appreciate more. (Yes, I tried.)

- Work out more. It wasn’t until I hurt my knee that I realized there are other things you can do with your body that are (almost) as challenging and as rewarding as running. (I’ve completed Kayla Itsines full 24 week guide this year.)

- Get them abs. I want to see and earn my muscle tone and definition. (Photos to come soon.)

- Travel somewhere new. (I think the only place I really went this year was Syracuse, NY)

- Grow something new and edible. Grow more edible things! (My whole balcony was food this summer! Kale, kale and more kale. Tomatoes. Basil. Etc.)

- Drink more water. (Nay.)

- Cook new things and try new foods!!! I love food. (Yes. Success.)

- Love more. (Yes.)

- Beat this awful and miserable fear of flying. (Nay. I think it may have gotten worse actually. haha.)

2016. It’s coming to an end. Everyone is going on and on about how much it sucked. I thought it was alright.

I think the really defining piece of my year was moving into a new job. That all my hard work and time and emotional exhaustion paid off in one way or another and I am now supervising the program I started off in. I may not be teaching, but I’m happy.

I began rowing. I was on a team this summer with 7 other rowers and we learned and raced and drank together. It was amazing. Terrifying but amazing. Along with that, I started doing yoga at the boat house, overlooking the Ottawa river. Pretty amazing.

Went to Syracuse, NY for an amazing, incredible, spontaneous weekend to see Rob Thomas and Counting Crows at a beautiful, magical outdoor amphitheatre.

I turned 30. And my best friend and boyfriend orchestrated the more surprising surprise party, and it was so fun and memorable.

I donated my hair for the SECOND TIME! I love doing this. But somehow after turning 30, my hair is incredibly thin now and worrying me so it may not happen again! Hah.

I had an amazing time at the cottage this summer with my best friend. I visited the cottage I grew up at every summer, rode the boat I caught my first fish in, swam in the lake I learned to swim in and roasted marshmallows in the same spot I roasted marshmallows in when I was 5 years old. That weekend meant a lot to me.

So I think I did alright.

2015! A YEAR IN REVIEW

Its that time again!

we are, another new year. It feels a little lack luster right now, but at the same time - I don’t mind. I feel kind of, at peace, I suppose! Content. And I think that is okay! The New Year right now, doesn’t seem all that scary and it doesn’t need to be a BIG SHA-BANG! I feel peaceful and happy and I’m going to roll with it! Also to be noted - I have to say I really thought my new years kiss was so sweet and tender, and maybe thats why I feel this way! I’ll take it. Anyways - what can I knock off my list of things to do in 2015, what did I achieve?

THINGS TO DO IN 2015?

- Be kinder. Do things more selflessly. Do things for people without expectations of getting anything in return. (I’m going to say I was about 60/40 on this one. I think I definitely took strides, but its hard when you begin to feel used. We’ll work on this one.)

- Concentrate on what is RIGHT or what is GOING RIGHT. In life, in my job, career path, etc. (Yes - I think I did this to the best of my ability! Love my job, my home, my friends, etc.)

- Complain less. About everything/anything. (No - definitely need to work on this.)

- Eat clean, whole foods. Less salt, less sugar, less fat. Eat whole ingredients and whole foods. (YEA YEAAH)

- Love more, accept more. (hmmm I’d say.)

- Paint more. (Nay, Nay)

- Sew something wearable. Sew another quilt (#4) (Sewed two more quilts, need to up the game on the SS Fashion Line for 2016)

- Make the best out of any bad situations. (I’d say.)

- Fitness. Find some way to correct my knee problem and work on being the fittest I can be. (Knee is still fucked. Body is reasonably fit. Feeling pretty good!)

- Get on the supply list. (Nay Nay - I think my career path may take a slight sliiiight detour.)

What would I like to achieve in 2016!?

- Sew something new. Clothing. T-shirts. Dresses. Anything.

- Be kind for pete’s sake! Drop the attitude.

- Be more accepting of others and everyone’s little imperfections!

- Complain less. Appreciate more.

- Work out more. It wasn’t until I hurt my knee that I realized there are other things you can do with your body that are (almost) as challenging and as rewarding as running.

- Get them abs. I want to see and earn my muscle tone and definition.

- Travel somewhere new.

- Grow something new and edible. Grow more edible things!

- Drink more water.

- Cook new things and try new foods!!! I love food.

- Love more.

- Beat this awful and miserable fear of flying.

Well.. I’ll continue coasting for now on my wave. Work is good and could open up some doors to a career detour. Love is good. My man human is amazing and as sweet as sugar. I saw a few new places this past year. Met a few new people. Made a few new things. Close friends got closer. My family is amazing and they love me so much - and I am so grateful for that. Missing some old friends, gained a few new ones. And I’m not sure what else to say - so on that note! Peace out 2015, its been a pizza-slice.

2014 - well, well, well, we’ve come to an end.

Am I sad to see you go? No, not really. You gave me a lot of great opportunities a TON of new experiences. You’ve given me a lot of exceptional moments, good times, good friends and good memories. I’ve become a lot closer with some of my favourite people and shared a lot of cool memories. Could we improve for next year however? Of course.

So what did I accomplish from my MUST DO list of 2014?

WELL - lets see…

2014

-Get on the supply list (I’ve supply taught, but I’m not on the list JUST yet..)

-Cook more natural foods (YEA GIRL YEA)

-Read more books (#1 on the list, Wheat Belly) (I think I read 3, but that might be a record?)

-Continue running (and working on my self) (My knee is busted, so no… )

-Help people more - without the expectation of anything in return (Check.)

-Meet more people (Check)

-Play more music, write more music, play more shows (nope)

-Paint, quilt, sew - be more creative (painted and sewed another quilt)

-Love more, accept more, understand give & take more (Check.)

Not too bad. I feel like I’m in a good place. I’m content and believe I’m on a path of success. My job is good, and my co-workers are fun and keep me motivated. The kids I get to hang out with make me laugh and challenge me every day. I’m always learning how to plan better, how to be more patient, be more engaging and to listen and communicate. Kids are weird, but the hilarious stuff I hear them say always makes each day bareable when all I wanna do it be a lazy pile on the couch.

My best friends are amazing. My favourite human is amazing and he lifts me up and lets me depend on him for anything, and I know he’ll still accept me with open arms at the end of the day no matter what. Life is good and for now, I’ll just keep rolling along into the new year. I’m pretty interested to see what its going to hold for me.

THINGS TO DO IN 2015?

- Be kinder. Do things more selflessly. Do things for people without expectations of getting anything in return.

- Concentrate on what is RIGHT or what is GOING RIGHT. In life, in my job, career path, etc.

- Complain less. About everything/anything.

- Eat clean, whole foods. Less salt, less sugar, less fat. Eat whole ingredients and whole foods.

- Love more, accept more.

- Paint more.

- Sew something wearable. Sew another quilt (#4)

- Make the best out of any bad situations.

- Fitness. Find some way to correct my knee problem and work on being the fittest I can be.

- Get on the supply list.

2014

A YEAR IN REVIEW…

So what do I need to accomplish in 2014…

-Get on the supply list (I’ve supply taught, but I’m not on the list JUST yet..)

-Cook more natural foods (YEA GIRL YEA)

-Read more books (#1 on the list, Wheat Belly) (I think I read 3, but that might be a record?)

-Continue running (and working on my self) (My knee is busted, so no… )

-Help people more - without the expectation of anything in return (Check.)

-Meet more people (Check)

-Play more music, write more music, play more shows (nope)

-Paint, quilt, sew - be more creative (painted and sewed another quilt)

-Love more, accept more, understand give & take more (Check.)

2013

A YEAR IN REVIEW…

I’ve been working on my list of New Years Resolutions and things to accomplish in 2013.

Here goes…

*Get a job in my feild - or at the very least take a leap in the right direction. (CHECK. *pats self on back*)

*Paint more. (Does water colour count?)

*Run more. (Check.)

*Meet new people - whether through the internet, group meet-ups, through other friends or mentors, just meet people. (favourite new friends of 2013 awards coming soon.)

*Continue my clean eating quest. The more natural the better. (December has been rough on that front - but the rest of the year has been top notch)

*Buy less. Narrow down my possessions. (I am a notorious self proclaimed “thing-hater”. If I can do without it, I will find away to make due without it.)

*Run a half marathon - which may require me to buy new running shoes. (Didn’t happen… but I did go through 3 months of physiotherapy and therapy-ed my self back to running again)

*Volunteer at Ottawa School of Art - again. (CHECK.)

*Grow plants or vegetables. (Two live plants, thriving in my apartment presently. Tomatoes next?)

*Maintain my pledge to never work another Christmas in retail. (SUCCESS! I spent boxing day laying on my couch. Win win win!)

2012

A YEAR IN REVIEW…

Things to do in 2012…

*Tattoo (before Sept. 11th). (Didn’t happen.)

*Record that EP I’ve been meaning to record. (Didn’t happen.)

*Make a [shitty] music video. (Didn’t happen.)

*Sell some art work. (Check!)

*Finish my quilt. (Double check!)

*Paint more. (Check!)

*Find a shitty job to get me through the winter and then a sweet job for later. (Hmmm - well I didn’t work a lick last winter, but I managed to get an assistant manager position in a shitty shit shoe store selling over priced leather shoes to annoying Europeans.)

*Cook more diverse and delicious food. (Duh, check! Clean eating!)

*Drink more wine. (Check, obviously.)

*Visit Alex in Berlin. (Didn’t happen.)

*Be more spontaneous. (Check. Summer of YES happened.)

*Be a lady. (Hmm, Summer of YES may have gotten in the way of that.)

*Be more creative. (Somewhat check?)

*Design and sew a piece of wearable clothing. (Didn’t happen.)

So not so bad! It could of been worse. So what did I do this year?

*Got my second degree.

*Had my first solo art show and sold art work.

*Wrote A LOT of music. Basically an entire new catalog of songs.

*Moved out of my long time apartment on Somerset and made some big changes in my life.

*Started running, trained for a 10km, ran a 10km run.

*Moved from Somerset to High Street to Lisgar to Frank to Lisgar.

*Summer of YES.

*Endured the most difficult and traumatic ordeal I’ve ever experienced in my life to date. Which has effected me long term mentally and physically.

*Rode a motorcycle for the first time. Many times. Best time - to the top of Champlain Lookout in Gatineau

[memsmedic1]

Hsae Pyinya Shin 01/09/2017

After traveling all day through India, our final flight into Bangkok arrived at 4 AM (0230 AM India time) the next morning on the 9th. After going through customs and claiming our packs, we hung out in the airport for 2 or 3 hours until it was time to start crawling through early morning traffic to get to the Myanmar embassy so myself and one other team member could renew our visas.

Afterwards we ran a couple more errands and then drove back to the old school property where we could finally rest! That evening we were able to go to bed early and even sleep in the next morning! The next day we unpacked and cleaned up our gear, washed clothes, responded to a school bus vs semi truck MVC and got packed for travel again.

I didn’t even go to bed the next night because at 1230 AM we had to drive back to the Bangkok airport to drop off 3 team members who would be flying back to Yangon. The rest of us were also headed to Yangon but had to take care of some other business first.

After leaving the airport we found a quiet place to park the ambulance for a couple hours while we tried to rest until morning and then we just hung out in Bangkok until 3 PM when we could pick up our passports with new visas from the Myanmar embassy.

After these were acquired we started driving north towards Tak, Thailand where myself and one other team member would catch a bus to the border while the other two remain in Thailand another week to wrap up some work here. We arrived in Tak at 10 PM and went to the bus station to find out when the next bus was leaving. We were told the the next bus would depart at 2 AM the next morning on the 12th, and since we were all so tired we decided to get a hotel for a couple hours in the meantime! After crashing for three and a half hours we got up and went to catch our bus but found out that it had been delayed and wasn’t actually leaving until 3 AM. So we got to sit at the bus station for an hour.

The bus covered the 90 km distance to MaeSot in a little under 3 hours and after taking a songtau from the bus station we arrived at the border just as it was opening.

We were transporting four huge heavy suitcases full of ambulance equipment plus our personal backpacks so we had a friend on the Myanmar side that we had arranged would cross to the Thai side of the border with his truck if we called him to haul our baggage across (we would still have to cross on foot). However, we decided that it would be faster just to hoof everything across the Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge ourselves so that’s what we did. Along the way we were able to help an older Australian tourist negotiate through immigration and find his bus. We started visiting with him and found out he is in school working on his Ph.D. and is visiting Myanmar conducting research for his thesis which is on the history and infrastructure of Myanmar’s railways of all things! (Hint, the same short distance we cover in 24 hours by bus would take a full 3 days by train!)

After we finally arrived at our own bus stop ½ mile down the road from the boarder we were hot and sweaty and looked like two American tourists with all our baggage. Then we realized that immigration had only given us the 30 day tourist visa stamp instead of the 70 day business visa stamp we needed so back to the boarder our passports had to go!

At 0930 we were back at the bus stop getting everything loaded and by 1000 we were on the road. Ten long uneventful hours later we arrived in Yangon and were met by one of our other team members who had reserved a taxi and was ready to accompany us to our apartment.

Now I had a couple days at the apartment in Yangon to finish preparing for the triathlon of emergency medical responder classes that I will be teaching. The first EMR class will begin on the 17th in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state.

In between resting and reviewing my material for class I was also busy helping organize and pack all the training materials we were going to need. On the morning of the 15th we called a taxi truck to the apartment and loaded up 4 backboards, a scoop stretcher, a portable stretcher, KED’s, splints, 2 AED’s, 12 CPR mannequins, and 18 boxes of medical training supplies. Then off to the bus station we went.

Late the next morning we arrived in Myitkyina and got everything organized and ready for class. That afternoon we picked up our two remaining team members at the airport who flew in just in time from Thailand and went over last minute details both with our team and with the first responders we have come to train.

The Rest In Peace Group has 3 hearses that they also use as horizontal taxis to pick up sick or injured patients and drive them to the hospital. After initial surveys on our previous trips here I can say that there is currently no effective rescue services available, similar to the majority of the country. The Red Cross and local government hospital almost never respond to accidents leaving this job to untrained body-collectors such as Rest In Peace Group whose specialty is the extrication and/or transportation of DRT individuals to the morgue or wherever the family wants them to be buried. Now even though their vehicles smell (strongly) of dead bodies their hearses are also doubling as ambulances ferrying patients to the hospital.

Because Myitkyina is at the heart of fighting between the KIA and Burmese army rescue services often come across war-like injuries so there is an especially strong need for more advanced medical training.

Upon our earlier visit we had realized that they had no rescue equipment at all including basic trauma bags and we are bringing them some donated equipment and supplies to give them at the EMR training. We also discussed their “ambulances” with them which we recommended to have one or two either converted into ambulance only vehicles or else buy a new one. Just prior to this training they have finally acquired an actual ambulance thanks to some sponsors assistance and it is currently in transit from the south and will arrive soon!

They seem excited to receive this badly need med training to go with the new ambulance they’re getting.

The next morning on the 17th we showed up at the training room and were ready to start teaching the first M-E.M.S. EMR class promptly at 0800 but discovered that RIP was still resting in peace! We got ahold of the leader to find out why we only had two students in class and found out that the assistant the leader delegated to organize their people and make sure everything was ready on their end apparently hadn’t thought we would actually show up and be ready to start on time. So he hadn’t impressed on the responders chosen to receive training the necessity of showing up on time on the appointed day nor was he himself there.

Because one of the requirements to pass the EMR course was to attend class every day, the leader was extremely unhappy with his lieutenant and asked us if there wasn’t anything we could do to help fix the problem. We said we could delay the start of class one day since most of the prospective students were unaware when the training was actually supposed to start. The leader also asked if we could start class an hour later in the morning and finish an hour later in the evening because some of the class attendees had children they needed to get to school. Again we said no problem. He was very thankful for this and spoke a few words to his assistant after we left for the day.

On January 18th we started class for real with 16 students. I’d taught 2nd grade English before and was a paramedic preceptor at my last job but this was a whole new level of teaching. Standing in front of a whole roomful of students for 8 hours a day was intimidating at first to say the least! Additionally I had never worked extensively with a translator until now which requires a completely different cadence of talking than I’m used to.

After the first day or two though I got the hang of it and started to relax and breathe a little bit easier! Every hour or so we would try to take a 5 minute coffee/tea/bathroom break and we gave everyone an hour for lunch. The first day was almost exclusively me teaching, my translator translating, and the students listening. But for the rest of the course I interspersed the lecturing with skills practice so everyone would stay engaged and not die from PowerPoint overdose.

Four of my team members had also prepared topics that they presented during the course which gave me 4-6 luxurious hours of break time. Also, everyone helped out with skills, both demonstrating each one in front of class and helping to proctor the breakout skills practice groups and answer questions.

Rest In Peace support staff cooked and brought food to the conference center for all the students and training team every single day we had class. It was very good and I must say that I felt like peacefully resting after partaking of it! (Or was that the fatigue from stress and sleep deprivation?)

For breakfast and dinner we had to fend for ourselves. After eating at an array of regular Burmese restaurants and street vendors, we stumbled upon a halal chapati shop. At first we started eating there as a hobby, but it quickly turned into a obsession for several of us, it was so good! It reminded us of (and quite possibly surpassed) the delicious Indian food we had in India.

This chapati shop was the epitome of simplicity. They served delectable chapatis, a potato and vegetable curry, a tamarind chili dipping sauce, and tea. Outside the open-front shop on the sidewalk was a wood fired cast iron chapati griddle manned by the family’s two oldest children. Mother cooked the curry and tamarind sauce and made the chapati dough back in the kitchen. Father helped roll out dough if the older kids got behind, greeted and visited with customers and made everyone feel like an honored guest. The youngest son was surprisingly fluent in English and was the translator and bus boy.

During breakfast time we could also ask for a special bread creation that only the father could make. Using the chapati dough, he would make a paper thin layer of dough on the table and keep folding it over and over onto itself, then cook it on the griddle. After it was done, he would thwack it violently with his hand and the bread would suddenly puff up into a delicious “something” resembling a hearty pastry.

So every single morning and evening after this amazing discovery I would walk from our hotel and either fortify myself for a day of teaching or relax and unwind afterwards in that wonderful shop!

Class progressed very well and before I knew it it was final exam day. First thing in the morning we proctored the 100 question written test and then spent the rest of the day and evening testing out students on the psychomotor skills and scenarios. Afterward we had a small graduation ceremony. In Southeast Asia taking pictures, recognition, and certificates are vitally important so everybody got a MFA EMR shirt and every passing student received a certificate of completion amid much fanfare and picture taking. They also gave each one of us a traditional Kachin longyi (men) or skirt (women) as a thank you!

The next day to celebrate even more our EMR graduates and new friends took us up to the “Confluence”, the headwaters of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) river. The confluence is formed by the joining of two smaller rivers, the Maka, which flows out of China, and the Malika, which has its headwaters in northern Myanmar in the Himalaya mountains.

Here we spent a fun afternoon playing in the water, watching the river boats, eating a picnic dinner, and arguing with a random guy who tried telling us we had to pay him for the privilege of taking pictures! The new Rest In Peace EMR’s were no match for him however lol.

The next morning on the 29th we loaded up all our teaching supplies onto the bus again and headed 17 hours south to Mandalay where our second EMR course would be held. After getting into the city in the wee hours of the morning we loaded all the supplies onto a taxi truck and took it to our hotel.

Several hours later once the city was awake we loaded up everything again to take to the rescue headquarters and meet with the leaders of the rescue group we will be training to make sure everything is ready for class in a couple days.

On our way we discovered that our logistics guy had booked our hotel on the exact opposite side of the city from where the training was going to be! So we decided to find a closer hotel to stay in after tonight.

The Chanmyathuhka social welfare organization is much bigger than the Rest In Peace Group and has a slightly higher level of exposure to emergency medical services. They respond to emergencies over a huge part of Mandalay and are also involved in many other varieties of community service and outreach such as sewing classes, judo classes, hearse transports, a temple, a hospice care home, and an 18 wheeler water tanker they drive to fires to refill fire trucks from.

We had a great meeting that day with the rescue leaders and then a great EMR class began 2 days later. Unlike RIP this foundation is quite busy responding to emergencies in Mandalay and I as well as some other team members enjoyed responding with them.

Chanmyathuhka social welfare organization already has many many ambulances that have been donated to them though they only staff one or two. The strange thing however is that they have hardly any ambulance equipment or supplies whatsoever, and what they do have is scattered amongst all the ambulances!

The first call I went on with them was for a motor vehicle accident and the only supplies they had with them was a backboard (without any straps, C-collar, or head blocks) and a tiny half empty trauma bag filled with dirty dressings and an open bottle of off-clear saline! No stretcher, oxygen or any other medicine, airway adjuncts, splinting supplies, AED, tourniquets, BVM, or anything! Fortunately we always have a team trauma bag with us that we took to the call.

When we asked why there was nothing in the ambulance to take care of patients with we were told there was not enough money. When we suggested selling an ambulance or three to clear up some space in the parking area and have plenty of money for gear and supplies they were very resistant to the idea. So instead we asked them to clean out the two ambulances they usually use and scavenge all the supplies out of the rest. While still not adequate it was a big improvement! They found oxygen, a stretcher, backboard straps, and several other important items.

Throughout this EMR course we had to keep emphasizing that EMS is actually about beginning to treat the patient and provide interventions for immediately life-threatening problems in the prehospital setting and not just pick him up and run for the hospital!

One of the calls we responded to with our students was for a house fire. As we were pulling out of the station we could already see a huge pillar of thick black smoke in the distance. When we arrived in the area we had to park many blocks away because of the massive firefighter turnout. At least 40 or 50 fire engines were in the area even though most of them couldn’t get anywhere near the fire either!

We broke up into a few teams and headed towards the area where everyone was running away from. We got right up to the fire and some of us started helping fight the fire while some of us started treating patients. We had two burns and an anxiety attack that either didn’t need to go to the hospital or refused transport, and one patient having chest pain who we did treat and transport.

Before the fire was contained, 12 houses had been burned down.

Suddenly once again the course was over and it was time for graduation. Every passing student received a certificate and a MFA EMR shirt and everyone on our team received a commemorative plaque and a longyi or skirt as a thank you! Then our new friends took us sightseeing high up into the mountains to a spectacular botanical gardens that was left over from the British and was situated far above the smog and oppressive heat of Mandalay.

After the Mandalay training, we had 5 days until our third EMR class, so we swung by our headquarters in Yangon to reorganize our supplies and then took the bus to Myawaddy.

From the 15th through the 24th I taught our last EMR course until May. Z-Rescue was definitely the easiest rescue group to teach because I’d already taught 2 full courses as practice! Also they were already trying to operate the right way. They wash their 2 ambulances every day, keep them clean inside, and are fairly well stocked with BLS supplies. I was down with a sickness (fever) for the first couple days which made it pretty miserable to teach so I was glad for such a great class.

I didn’t have as much help with skills demonstrations and student practice though because this is the town our new-to-us ambulance is being rebuilt in, so any nonessential personnel for the training were working to get it finished and ready to go.

During the day of class teaching CPR and resuscitation as I was talking about AED’s the students wanted me to show them on their own AED also. As we were going through the process I asked them how many patients they had used it on since they got it about a year ago. They told me that they haven’t ever used it because they didn’t know how until today!

After graduation ceremonies were finished I and part of the team took our gear on the bus back to headquarters in Yangon while the rest of the team stayed to work on our ambulance. In Yangon I went to the Thai embassy to apply for a tourist visa because the next project was a course for our team in Kanchanaburi province: We’re going to get SCUBA diver training!