#ALSO I LOVE THE CLOTHIER APPRECIATION

[madamplague]

YOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I LOVE IT WHEN RANDOM GAMES I PLAY HAVE NEAT LITTLE REFERENCES!!!

[asktranquilrahab]

The court was gathering in the palace throne room. His children of distinction, stretching six generations from his first-chosen to their grandchilders'. Easily near two hundred of several occupations across his terrority brought before him. Rahab sat on his throne fashioned of two arched sea serpents and bowed to frame his cushioned back and seat.

The Fourth Lord under the Emperor looked at each face. Several he memorized and knew. Others were new. It has been as such for the past several centuries. The old slain by politicking, arrogance, and just foolishness to be replaced by the ambitious, the worthy and the deviant. He watched it all. The only reason of allowing the vices was...

Rahab hated to admit it was the mere disdain of it all. He expect his fledglings to be proper and worthy of his gift. To see those willing to dishonour him, it will come sooner or later their punishments before his true sons and daughters. Next to him, on a step down from the palaquin was one such. Isaac was also surveying the courtroom before he looked onto his father of tutelage and adoption.

He said nothing, only a bow of loving respect. Rahab nodded in greeting as he gestured, allowing his fae-son to enjoy his fellow clansmen.

As if to replace him was the First. Lord-Admiral Solomon strode with his naval swagger, his rich blue-and-golden trimmed coat floating from his broad shoulder. His mortal age remained etched and intimate with that grand beard and mustache, tricorn hat removed in respect.

"Good evening, my great sire. Wise and tempered as the sea,' he said with his accented grandieur. Behind him were a few of his officers, who stepped just a few paces back before coming onto their knee before their sire. He bowed more gracious and low in utter submission and love. 'I come from the Great Southern Sea, bountiful of gifts onto you but none could hope to match your graciousness. I hope the nights have been fair onto you, especially as the new blooms of our world stirs."

And the mentioned treasures were carried by slaves, bowed yet strong from their lifetime of tethering ropes, pulling the deck-works and serving to the demanding Solomon and his fleet. The great chests could easily crush a man, but each one was carried by six easily filled to their brim with gems, coins, trophies and others. Rahab appreciated the gesture that his Lord-Admiral delivered, even if he personally had no need of them. They served better as additions onto the Rahabim jewelers and clothiers.

"I thank you, Solomon. My dearest captain of captains. My First and Closest of truth. Please,' he said with his talons flexed. 'Rise and stand with your peers. Place your gifts where all may marvel."

"As you wish, my king." Solomon said, putting his hat on and commanded with a swirl of hand to his thrall while his officers did as ordered, joined among the others.

Rahab withheld the need to sigh. He looked over again, almost seeming to search for someone but none seemed to grab his eye. Only to stand up, his long silk robes flowing over his shoulders and arms as he opened his arms. "Soon, my children. It will be our clan's most treasured of months. Where the beginning of life is said to be for Nosgoth. Where the long nights of Winter surrender for the newest of life. Life that we now control. Where the waters are diverted and directed by our hands. Where the dams hold back for our kindred. Where the great roads had been made. Where the lakes grow greater for ours. Where we became Nosgoth's great carvers whilst my brother's stacks freed us from the Sun."

He took a moment. "When we claimed this land for our dominion. When the human kingdom that once ruled became ours."

The sound of the vampires nodded and agreed without saying anything, daring not to interrupt or divert their patriarch's thoughts. His armored fingers flexed a bit as his azure eyes glown like electricity a moment. "Our month is to come. Several will rise from their evolution and many more to enter their own rest. we shall celebrate in a feast of blood and games. To see our gifts true and the Empire reminded why we of the Fourth Clan remain under our Emperor's grace. You are the Children of Rahab. You are the Rahabim and you are the serpents to claim the lives of His enemies, with beauty and finesse. We are grace. We are everlasting..."

And the Rahabim clapped in rising approval and agreement, followed with their glasses filled with sanguine.

[the-sunlit-earth]

Your Morrowind graphics look sooo beautiful! Do you have a list of the mods you used? I'd really appreciate it if you could share it!

Sure! I'd be happy to share my setup =)

My modlist is cobbled together from various modding guides, suggestions by friends who've played Morrowind, and my own personal preferences as I've played and come across things I felt like changing (like the pond scum lol!).

I tried to leave out most mods that had zero to do with Graphics/changes you can see in the world, and I also tried to keep my descriptions short, though if you were only asking for a simple load order then I apologize, oops!

The Engine

MGE XE (this is absolutely vital for those distant views/awesome light and water shaders and other features!)

Morrowind Code Patch (needed for bump/reflection maps to look right!)

Meshes/Textures/Overhauls

Morrowind Optimization Patch (improves performance/fixes some mesh errors!)

Patch for Purists (squashes so many bugs while avoiding unnecessary changes!)

Intelligent Textures (full AI upscaled/hand-edited texture pack of the game, excellent as a base if you plan to add on more targeted replacers later!)

Enhanced Water Shader for MGE XE--OR--Krokantor's Enhanced Water Shader Updated: (depends on which version of MGE XE you're using; if 0.13.0 you'll want the Updated version, and if earlier you need the older one. 3 shades of water to choose from; improved caustics, foam, ripples, underwater effects; and no more weird immersion-breaking moment when you would previously tilt the camera just beneath the surface and it would suddenly be perfectly clear. Absolutely gorgeous water!)

Animation Compilation-Hand to Hand Improved Without Almalexia Spellcasting (idk if this counts, but it does fix the Visual of that weird vanilla running animation!)

Better Bodies and Westly's Pluginless Replacer (a friend told me to get Robert's bodies, but BB is also very good and seems to be the most widely used + many mods need it, like Julan!)

Pluginless Khajiit Head pack (prettier kitties!)

Improved Argonians (better looking lizard-friends!)

Children of Morrowind (adds realism by having kids running around your towns!)

Julan, Ashlander Companion [v3.0 at bottom of this page] (ok not a graphics mod, but will add much immersion to your game, so I will shill for him anyway!)

Vibrant Morrowind 3.0/4.0 (this one I actually don't have installed yet, but I love the way Vivec looks in the screenshots!)

abot Water Life (adds aquatic creatures/things like algae and coral to make Morrowind's waters more alive!)

Vurt's Corals (found on Vurt's Groundcover page; adds gorgeous corals and new water plants!)

Vurt's Ashlands Overhaul (can choose between gnarly trees or vanilla-style!)

Vurt's Groundcover (gorgeous animated grass and vegetation that differs for each region!)

Vurt's Solstheim Tree Replacer II (more realistic trees and snowy pines!)

Vurt's Bitter Coast Trees II (5 additional unique trees!)

Vurt's Bitter Coast Trees II Remastered (mesh fixes/optimizations for the trees!)

Vurt's Leafy West Gash II (more trees, and optional rope bridge texture!)

Vurt's Ascadian Isles Tree Replacer II (v10a recommended for better-sized trees without clipping issues; TREES!!)

Articus Bush Replacer for Vurt AI Trees II (new model for bush tree + bark retexture!)

Vurt's Grazeland Trees II (really cool palms and Baobab trees!)

Vurt's Mournhold Trees II (beautiful animated cherry blossom trees!)

I Lava Good Mesh Replacer (better lava mesh, has no flickering with effects like steam!)

Remiros' Minor Retextures - Mist (much nicer spooky mist in Ancestral Tombs!)

Unto Dust (adds atmospheric floating dust motes, kinda like in Skyrim barrows!)

Graphic Herbalism MWSE (improved meshes and Oblivion-style harvesting!)

Glow in the Dahrk (windows transition to glowing versions at night!)

Ashfall (super awesome and very configurable Camping/Survival/Cooking/Needs mod!)

Watch the Skies (dynamic weathers/weather changes inside/randomized clouds etc!)

Seasonal Weather of Vvardenfell (weather changes throughout the year!)

Taddeus' Foods of Tamriel (adds Ashfall compatible foods and ovens for baking!)

More Wells (add-on for Ashfall/more immersive since access to water is pretty important!)

Diverse Blood (because not everything should bleed Red when you poke it with a spear!)

Lived Towns - Seyda Neen (adds more containers/clutter to make it feel more lived-in!)

Better Waterfalls (adds splash effects/water spray, better running water texture!)

Waterfalls Tweaks (resized water splash to blend better!)

Dunmer Lanterns Replacer (smoother/more-detailed-yet-optimized lanterns + paper lanterns!)

Telvanni Lighthouse Tel Vos (fits in perfectly with Azura's Coast region!)

Telvanni Lighthouse Tel Branora (very atmospheric, works well with surroundings!)

Palace of Vehk (Vivec's Palace feels lived-in instead of sad and empty!)

Ships of the Imperial Navy (immersive addition to Imperial waterfront areas!)

Striderports (gives caravaners some shelter and comfort while standing there all day!)

Illuminated Palace of Vivec (decorates palace steps + shrines with devotion candles and flowers left by followers!)

Scum Retexture - Alternative 2 (better looking pond scum in Bitter Coast region!)

Full Dwemer Retexture (I went with Only Armor/Robots/Weapons; nice high quality retex!)

Blighted Animals Retextured (I chose Darknut's 1024; blighted animals have their own sickly textures now!

Vivec Expansion 3.1 Tweaked Reworked (adds a hostel/many wooden walkways to Vivec on the water!)

Atmospheric Plazas (Vivec's plazas now have weather/sunlight! Be sure to use MCP's Rain fix to keep it from pouring as if there's no roof!)

Gemini's Realistic Snowflakes (more organic texture with more depth!)

Severa Magia DB fix (makes hideout actually appropriate to Dark Brotherhood!)

Starfire's NPC Additions (more populated towns and settlements!)

Hold It (adds items for NPCs to hold and carry, based on their class; very immersive!)

Suran-The Pearl of the Ascadian Isles (I went with White Suran Complete package; stunning retexture that also adds docks/waterfront!)

Atmospheric Delights (a more fitting mood inside the House of Earthly Delights!)

Guars Replacer-Aendemika of Vvardenfell (pluginless makeover for our scaly friends!)

Silt Strider by Nwahs and Mushrooms Team (great new model+textures for these cool bug-buses!)

Skar Face (giant crab manor in Ald-ruhn gets claws and legs!)

Armor/Clothing

Redoran Founders Armor (Redoran councilors stand out in this cool set!)

Morag Tong Polished (bug fixes/Armor Replacer/restored cut content for the faction!)

Rubber's Weapons Pack (several unique weapons/shields get distinct models!)

Yet Another Guard Diversity (generic copypasta guards now have variation!)

Better Silver Armor (adds missing pieces of silver armor to make full set!)

Royal Guard Better Armor (pluginless armor replacer for the Royal Guards!)

RR Mod Series Better Silt Strider Armor (cooler bug men in your Ashlander camps!)

Armored Robes NPC Compilation (some Ordinators/Mabrigash/others will wear distinct robes of their station!)

Full Dragonscale Armor Set v1.3a (adds the missing pieces to make the set complete!)

Mage Robes (robes for every magic school, many MG members will wear their respective ones!)

Quorn Resource Integration (lore-friendly armor/creatures added to leveled lists to be encountered in game!)

Better Clothes (non-segmented clothing replacer to fit Better Bodies!)

More Better Clothes (additional shirts that were missed in the first one!)

Better Clothes Complete (fixes many problems and 1st person clipping issues for BC!)

Better Clothes Retextured (high-res retextures for nearly all base game clothes!)

Hirez Better Clothes (3 shirts retextured in high quality!)

Better Morrowind Armor (BB compatible armor replacer!)

Dark Brotherhood Armor Replacer (changes DB armor to look more like concept art!)

Bonemold Armor Replacer (much nicer-looking Bonemold armor!)

Westly's Fine Clothiers of Tamriel (very high quality clothes that you will see many NPCs wearing too!)

Orcish Retexture v1.2 (beautifully done armor retexture!)

Daedric Lord Armor (much improved Daedric set, very fierce!)

Ebony Mail Replacer (awesome new model+tex that changes it to actual chainmail!)

I use Wrye Mash to install my mods, though I think a lot of people use MO2. Haaa, now that I've made this list I have the strong urge to just run around Morrowind taking even more screenshots =)

[diversetolkien]

hi! do you mind sharing your thoughts about the jedi order as well, like an order? like not in regards to their abysmal treatment of anakin- more like in regards to their cultural/religious tenants and how they operate? i find your meta really interesting and would love to hear your thoughts abt this :] have a good day!

I absolutely do not! 

Lots of this is headcanon based on how I see the Jedi use the Force, so beware. I also may’ve repeated myself on several instances because I wrote this over a span of two days. 

In general, I absolutely love the Jedi order. I love the peace and love they promote amongst their Order, as well as the general structure of their order. I’ve combined my own whack religious beliefs in this headcanon, so enjoy! 

(Putting it under a cut because it’s long)!

First—they acknowledge the Force as it’s own entity. This often borders the line between worship. And, while it’s a heavily debated subject, I personally see nothing wrong with them having this relationship with the Force. The Jedi themselves are a personification of the Force, or at least channels of the Force that constantly bend to its will. They have formed a culture around its use of them, and allow themselves to be used to its will, untainted. How is this not worship?

And if they aren’t worshiping it, what are they doing? This can also be my background as someone who practices ancestral practices coming into play—but worshiping something isn’t always a bad thing. At it’s core it means to acknowledge and appreciate. That’s what the Jedi do.

But at that, the Force can also serve as a practice. Because Jedi clearly do practice their own cultural practices. And here’s a great time to insert that Jedi do not make you throw away your own culture. Ahsoka and Shaak-Ti wear the Akul teeth, implying that they had to go back to Shili and fight the Akul, as part of their traditions. Plo wears his claw coverings and his mask, which are adorned with symbols from his family, he was also a Baron Do sage in Legends. Barris Offee can be seen praying to that statue in her room. If you are a Jedi and only practice the Jedi teachings, it’s probably because you didn’t have a culture to begin with, which is the case for some people.

That said, the Jedi culture is very multi-cultural.  And appreciate other perspectives and personifications of the Force from different species. All gods and energies are personifications of the Force to the Jedi (which explains Mace’s reaction to Mother Talzin). 

But back onto practice—they are very liberal with their teachings, and there’s an honest spectrum as to how ‘Jedi’ you are. For some Jedi, the way of the Force clearly mirrors a more strict religious practice, for others, it’s more of a practice that you can add onto your own. It’s like a spirituality. Not only that, but there’s no real punishment for taking the Force and it’s meaning into your own hands, because the Jedi are awesome about understanding that the Force means different things to everyone. They don’t impede on your relationship with the Force.

 The lightsabers also play way more of a ritualistic role than just being used for combat. When the Jedi say their sabers are their life, it’s also their literal relation/parallelly to the Force. They used primarily in defense. Lightsabers aren’t supposed to be offensive, which is why the Jedi rarely kill unarmed enemies. Like their sabers, the Jedi’s use of the Force is highly defensive, and despite being able to use their Force to kill people, they stop when it’s not necessary. Jedi are like, the lightsabers of the Force. 

If the Jedi are to have anything even remotely similar of mass or a unified prayer, it’s typically meditation. Meditation is as close as a Jedi can get to the Force, which is why it’s so emphasized. It’s more than just ‘calming down’ or gaining energy back, it’s how they work on and tend to their relationship with the Force. Their relationship to the Force is also seen as a very personal thing, thus there’s not too much judgment on how one pursues it. 

In general, this is why the Jedi stay out of other Jedi’s business--of course there’s the nagging and annoyance (Quinlan and Obi-Wan being the biggest examples), but the Jedi Order typically understands that one’s relationship to the Force is different for all, so they don’t try to police how one follows it. 

The Jedi also have a heavy emphasis on Light, which to them is representative of the Light Side. This is why their architecture allows for so much light. To them, Light is a personification of the Force at its purest form. It should also be said that the Jedi do not actually “believe” that there is a Dark Side of the Force, at least not naturally. Any “dark side” is a manipulation of the light side, and thus not natural. 

The Jedi are also entirely self-sustaining, from clothiers, to teachers, to doctors, to farmers, to livestock--they make everything they have for themselves, and also provide it to the public. The Jedi don’t waste, and anything they don’t need typically goes to the lower levels of Coruscant. Small ‘temples’ are established down there, and often Jedi will work with individuals who need help from the lower levels. 

The Jedi Order also has holidays--or special days they celebrate to celebrate not only moving up in the Order or a transition of a position, but general historical days. And I think the Jedi is more open to the public then we typically believe, as, canonically, there are people in the temple that aren’t Jedi. 

Padawans are technically seen as adults in the Order, or at least old enough ot make adult decisions and take on adults responsibilities. In fact, as soon as they become Padawans and are at certain ages, they are given tasks that older Jedi would be given. 

Phew...those are some of my headcanons XD When I do have more, i’ll write them out! If i waited any longer, you wouldn’t have gotten this. I’ll update it occasionally! 

[autonomystic]

Christopher Hill, The World Turned Upside Down: Radical Ideas During the English Revolution, 1972:

In addition to, or expressing, these class tensions, there was a tradition of plebeian anti-clericalism and irreligion. To go no further back, the Lollards carried a popular version of John Wyclif's heresies into the sixteenth century...Lollard influence survived in a popular materialist skepticism which makes one ‘feel appreciably nearer to the age of Voltaire than is normal in the 16th century.’ A carpenter in 1491 rejected transubstantiation, baptism, confession, and said men would not be damned for sin; in 1512 a Wakefield man said ‘that if a calf were upon the altar I would rather worship that than the...holy sacrament...The date was past that God determined him to be in form of bread.’ The clergy, an earlier Lollard had declared, were worse than Judas, who sold Christ for thirty pence, while priests sold masses for a halfpenny. The commons, said another, ‘would never be well until they had stricken off all the priests' heads.’ ...K. V. Thomas has collected a number of similar examples under Elizabeth and the first two Stuarts - denial of the resurrection, of the existence of God (very common in the diocese of Exeter at the end of the sixteenth century) or the devil; all things come by nature. He emphasizes how wrong it is to describe all such fifteenth· and early sixteenth-century expressions of irreligion as ‘Lollardy,’ and expostulates with embarrassed historians who dismiss them as the products of drunks or madmen. 

Such men tended to be called Anabaptists or Familists by their enemies. These names - familiar enough on the continent - were very loosely applied in England: most of our evidence comes from hostile accounts in the church courts. The essential doctrine of Anabaptism was that infants should not be baptized. Acceptance of baptism - reception into the church - should be the voluntary act of an adult. This clearly subverted the concept of a national church to which every English man and woman belonged: it envisaged instead the formation of voluntary congregations by those who believed themselves to be the elect. An Anabaptist must logically object to payment of tithes, the ten percent of everyone's earnings which, in theory at least, went to support the ministers of the state church. Many Anabaptists refused to swear oaths, since they objected to a religious ceremony being used for secular judicial purposes; others rejected war and military service. Still more were alleged to carry egalitarianism to the extent of denying a right to private property. The name came to be used in a general pejorative sense to describe those who were believed to oppose the existing social and political order. 

Familists, members of the Family of Love, can be defined a little more precisely. They were followers of Henry Niclaes, born in Münster in 1502, who taught that heaven and hell were to be found in this world. Niclaes was alleged to have been a collaborator of Thomas Münzer [sic] in insurrection at Amsterdam. The Puritan divine John Knewstub said of him: ‘H.N. turns religion upside down. He buildeth heaven here upon earth; he maketh God man and man God.’ Like Francis Bacon, Familists believed that men and women might recapture on earth the state of innocence which existed before the Fall; their enemies said they claimed to attain the perfection of Christ. They held their property in common, believed that all things come by nature, and that only the spirit of God within the believer can properly understand Scripture. They turned the Bible into allegories, even the Fall of Man, complained William Perkins. Familism was spread in England by Christopher Vittels, an itinerant joiner of Dutch origin. In the 1570s English Familists were noted to be wayfaring traders, or 'cowherds, clothiers and such like mean people'. They believed in principle that ministers should be itinerants, like the Apostles. They were increasing daily by 1579, numerous in the diocese of Ely in 1584, also in East Anglia and the North of England. They were particularly difficult for the ecclesiastical authorities to root out because - like many Lollards before them - they were ready to recant when caught, but not to give up their opinions. The Family of the Mount held even more subversive views. They were alleged to reject prayer, to deny the resurrection of the body. They questioned whether any heaven or hell existed apart from this life: heaven was when men laugh and are merry, hell was sorrow, grief and pain.

[realityhelixcreates]

Lasabrjotr Chapter 30: The Winding Road

Chapters: 30/? Fandom: Thor (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Warnings: None Relationships: Loki x Reader (Someday) Characters: Loki (Marvel), Reader, Brunnhilde, Thor Additional Tags: Post-Endgame: Best Possible Ending (Canon-Divergent), On The Road, Horse With A Side Of Extra Horse, Bills Bills Bills, Let’s See If You Can Guess Based On Descriptions Exactly Where New Asgard Is, Summary:  Who’s ready for a road trip?

This was only the second time you'd gotten out of the city, and the countryside was just as beautiful as the first time. So very different from the tall, orderly cornfields of home, that went on and on for untold miles of green, or even from the wild roadside margins, with their riot of luscious weeds. The plants here formed a dense carpet, confettied with colorful wildflowers, which climbed up the nearby mountainsides. Here and there, patches of tall lupines towered over their shorter brethren like miniature forests.

Endless ranges of mountains rose on either side, the river running sluggishly through the wide valley they created. Heading north from the city, you quickly came into contact with evidence of human habitation in the form of small farms, and a paved road that followed the river off into the distance.

The party had been forced to ford the river in order to reach that road, as it did not cross the water, but Loki had spared you with what you considered a tremendous feat of magic, teleporting both you, and sweet Acorn across the slow river, safe and dry. He didn't even break a sweat, and if you had wondered before about the upper reaches of his strength and speed, you were now in deep wonder about the limits of his magic.

You wondered briefly if any of those mountains were volcanic before Thor began to sing.

“When the sun shines through the summer

I find my thoughts turn to another

To a shining city

Writ in poetry witty

Whom I miss like an absent lover.”

You stared at him. Where had that all come from?

Loki seemed to be contemplating something.

“Is it the ocean?” Saldis asked. Thor shook his head.

“A reflection?” Borgliot ventured.

Oh, it was a guessing game! This was another thing right out of the fantasy stories; the proud and poetic warrior king.

“It's the moon.” Loki said.

“Yes! That makes it your turn.”

Loki thought a moment.

“O' sing of the Sapphire Brand

Living as Loki's right hand

Our two links we clasp

Like Jormagand grasps

it's tail, to encircle the land.”

Heat crept up your neck to wash across your face. That was really obvious.

“So...I'm guessing that's me?” You asked.

“Very good, my dear. You know what that means, don't you?”

“M-me? My turn?” Oh heck, you hadn't signed up for this. What did you say? How did you rhyme? What subject did you pick?

This was Loki's revenge for your teasing about the cinnamon rolls, you just knew it. Wracking your brain for a rhyme, you were only able to blurt out the first idea that came to your mind.

“Stories told before bed

It's supposed to be all in my head

But myth became real

Now I'm left to deal

With the path my saviors have tread.”

You lost the tune partway through, but got some applause anyway. Loki looked especially pleased, and you felt a spark of pride in yourself for having kept up.

“Could it be me?” He asked.

“Well, not exactly...”

“She said 'saviors' plural, you smarmy boy.” Brunnhilde interrupted. “She means us. The gods, the myths and stories we represent.”

You nodded. “Yeah, that's where I was going.”

“Oh.” Loki said with some indignation. “Well then, I suppose it must be the General's turn now.”

“Sure is! So, let's see...

Viewed with envy, but never with scorn

Shining long before I was born

But something eternal

Can still be burned all

to dust; even gods have to mourn.”

Nobody ventured a guess, but even you knew what she was talking about.

Asgard.

How did they stay alive and sane through all this? Even though you'd lost your home, you were still on the same planet, at least. There were still other humans all over the place. You'd been taken in, and given what you needed, accommodated, and even fawned over a little bit.

They had nothing. If things didn't work out, there was no old country to go back to. There was no other nation of Asgardians to emigrate to. They had to do whatever it was they did to survive.

What did they do? You hadn't asked how they afforded the materials for the city they were building, or for the food, or the electricity. Just how were they making their money? Loki had said they had enough for day to day affairs, but how?

That familiar feeling of money-anxiety weaseled it's way back into your mind. How much was this costing? How much were you costing? These dresses? This serpent brooch? Loki's promise to take you around and get you some toiletries and things for yourself; whose sacrifice was paying for that?

How did you pay it back?

Eventually, the riddle song game started up again, but you didn't venture any more guesses. Just listening to their voices was enough; their rhymes and subjects giving some greater insight into the things they liked and valued. For Saldis it was mostly objects, for Bogliot, places. For Thor, nature and traveling, and for Brunnhilde, the comforts of home and civilization. For Loki, most surprisingly, it was people. The people closest to him, the people he had known in his life, friends and family. He went through every member of the party, in more or less impertinent rhymes. You couldn't help but focus on how he had started with you.

It was very sweet of him to make sure you were involved.

                                                                           ******

Hours down the road, Thor turned Sleipnir down a short detour. All of the other horses followed him without the slightest command, reinforcing your guess that Sleipnir might be a god among horses. You'd have to ask later.

The group clattered up to a small complex, away from the road. You could just barely make out the sound of braying sheep before a few excited people rushed out of the nearest building, and began making a great fuss.

They seemed to know Thor, who dismounted, and greeted them, letting one take Sleipnir's reigns. The great horse graciously allowed himself to be led away, and the rest of the party began to dismount.

“-avail themselves of some of your feed, we would greatly appreciate it.” Thor said. “We have many hours to go, and mountains to cross, and we will need every bit of their strength. We also would eat, at your lovely cafe.”

The people agreed readily, though they viewed Loki with some concern. All of his earlier playfulness bled out of him, leaving him a pale, grim presence among the grinning and grateful Asgardians.

You stepped forward, legs wobbling from the hours spent riding, and allowed yourself to fall against him. He glanced down at you in mild concern.

“I'm not used to being on horseback for such a long time.” You said. “'Fraid my legs are a bit weak.”

He offered his arm without further explanation, and you took it with appreciation. As you had hoped, the chivalrous display of tender helpfulness towards another human being seemed to change the way the owners of this place looked at him.

It was a petting zoo, about the last thing you expected to find nestled into the lofty mountains. But Iceland, though a land full of tourist-attracting beauty, didn't necessarily have too many stops that would appeal to children. Looking out the window of the little cafe, watching the little lambs and goat kids frolicking together, you could imagine that this was a welcome respite for excitable children from the waterfalls and valleys that so captured their parents imaginations.

You found the animals compelling as well, envying their innocence and boundless energy. You were handed a menu, finding the offerings to have been helpfully translated into several languages, English among them.

You ordered a mocha and a hot lamb sandwich in a slightly hushed voice, trying hard not to side-eye the animals outside. It wasn't as if they could hear you, and it was very unlikely that any of their animals ended up on the menu, but it still seemed a little insensitive.

Loki also opted for a coffee, while Thor and Brunnhilde naturally ordered whatever alcohol was strongest. If the 'weak' crystal mead was any indication, the most powerful libations of man wouldn't so much as give the Asgardians a buzz, but maybe they'd like the taste.

Saldis and Borljot however, dared to try something new to them; Soda pop. They simply couldn't stop giggling about the bubbly sensation of the carbonation, though Borgliot declared it “Too sweet by far!”

Watching the others eat, it occurred to you that Asgardians all seemed to have huge appetites. Perhaps it had something to do with their different physical attributes. The denseness of their skin and muscle, the heaviness of their bones, it all probably required a great deal of nutrition. But if they were going to be eating like this the whole week...

“Where does the money come from?” You wondered aloud.

Thor paused in eating, never quite expecting your questions.

“Well...” He began. “Multiple avenues, actually. First of all, though the less than adoring crowds outside the city today might attest otherwise, there are a great many people in this world who look upon us charitably. We receive many donations of useful things; clothes and cloth, dishes, kitchen utensils, books, pencils and paper, and a great many other things, which lessen our daily costs. Otherwise, some of our scholars have been offering Asgardian language and history courses at the local schools, and our weavers, clothiers, and artists are facing a growing demand for their works. When the city is closer to being finished, we will open for tours. And, of course, I am a member of Earth's primary defense force, which pays well on it's own, not even taking into account the merchandise.”

“Oh, you mean the calendars?” You asked.

“What do you know about the calendars?” Loki asked, mildly scandalized. “Oh, you own one, don't you?”

“Uh...well...I did.” You admitted. “I doubt Dad would have saved it, even if he did manage to get some of my stuff.”

“What calendars are you talking about?” Saldis asked.

“Uh, well...They're sorta like...Do you know what a pin-up is?”

She shook her head.

“Well, they're...pictures that are kinda risque, but not outright...you know...pornographic.”

“Oh my.” Saldis said, and you ducked your head in embarrassment. “And you owned one of these?”

“I, uh, I owned the whole set. What?” You griped defensively. “I like the Avengers, and the calendars are kind of a hot commodity.”

Thor snorted with laughter.

“Well, I don't own them anymore! I hope they didn't just get thrown away.” It would be a shame if no one else was enjoying shirtless Iron Man, with his mysterious glowing heart, working on his suit. Or Shirtless Captain America, grease smeared artfully on his hands and face, fixing an airplane. Or any of the other shirtless pictures of various heroes, in teasing poses. Even the king...

Should you be bashful about that? Having seen the king like that?

“What picture did you leave on?” Loki asked suspiciously.

“It was May...Yeah, that Was Captain America, and some puppies.”

“Of course...” He said sourly.

“Why do you care? Were you in it?”

“Of course not! Do you really think I would debase myself so, as to participate in such a..a burlesque?”

“He's in next years.” Thor said conspiratorially. “We put him in a jail cell and handcuffed him to the bars.”

Loki went bright red in the face at Saldis' gasp, and Brunnhilde's bray of laughter.

“I-it's for Asgard...” He stammered. “All the proceeds come to us...I only did it for the sake of the people. It's not like I enjoyed it.”

“It's true.” Thor teased. “He complained the whole time.”

“I've got to get one of these calendars!” You declared.

“You'll do no such thing!”

“You can't stop me.”

“I very well can!”

“I'm going to get two.” Brunnhilde said. “And if you won't allow her to get her own, I'll give her one of mine.”

“Why must you torment me so?” Loki adopted a put-upon pout.

The rest of the meal passed in companionable jokes and conversation, though Loki continued to pout a little. No doubt he disliked being embarrassed in front of the likes of Saldis and Borgliot, but you figured nobody could be purely dignified all the time.

Never mind that this all could be considered your fault for bringing up the calendars, or even asking about finances in the first place.

                                                     *****

Soon enough, you were on the road again, all stomachs pleasantly filled.

“How many illicit photos do you think they took?” Brunnhilde asked. “You gonna charge them?”

“No, we ate most of their food, after all.” Thor said. “And besides, how would we even prove it? Confiscate and search their phones? Asgard is not a police state, and neither is Iceland.”

“Did they take pictures of us?” You wondered. “I didn't notice.”

“Not us, though they might have.” Brunnhilde answered back. “Sleipnir.”

���We tried to take him to a few horse shows, to drum up some quick cash.” Thor explained. “Of course, he was disqualified immediately. However, many people were eager to pay for pictures, so we didn't go away empty handed. There were even a few offers to put him to stud. If those offspring are found viable, we may have a very lucrative source of income indeed.”

“Oh wow, I'll bet!” A whole new breed of multilegged horses running around...The horse world would be turned upside down and shaken about!

Then again, hadn't Loki said that his Leynarodd was related to Sleipnir? She did look like a paragon of horse-kind, large and beautiful, but she had the normal number of legs. Perhaps functional polymelia was not a dominant trait.

A few hours later found you deep within a terrain that was unusual to both Iceland and Iowa: Forest. A lovely forest of pale, slender birches and furry-looking spruces, the understory a magical blanket of flowers. It was straight out of a fairytale; you half-expected to spot an elf peeking out from a particularly lush patch of blossoms.

But that was silly. Elves didn't exist.

Just gods. And aliens. And killer robots. And green rage giants. And century old, cryogenically preserved super soldiers. And wizards. And ghosts. And magic stones that could reshape the universe.

You continued looking for elves.

Leaving the forest behind, the road took a rather sharp turn, as a series of lazy switchbacks took you suddenly up the mountainside. As the air grew thinner and colder, you drew your cloak closer and leaned over Acorns neck. Even in summertime, you found the air a bit chilly. Back home, you would be sweltering, seeking the refuge of an air-conditioned indoor environment. Here, there hadn't been a single day where the sun had caused you to sweat, even though it graced the sky day in, day out.

The higher you rose, the more pronounced the chill became, wind cutting through all your layers of clothing, burning your ears. At your first tooth-rattling shivers, a thick, velvety, leaf-green cape was dumped over your head. You wrapped it tight around you, peeking out from the makeshift hood, to give Loki a grateful smile.

He remained as regal as ever, though now bared to the wind, which teased his sable hair.

“If you begin to feel faint, say so immediately.” He urged. “The air is thinner up here, and it may affect you. We will need to see to you as soon as possible, if you begin to grow weak.”

You agreed without any argument. You and Tara had once gone on a hiking vacation in the Rockies once, and you knew exactly what altitude sickness felt like.

These mountains didn't rise quite high enough to truly take your breath away, but the altitude did cause a painful pressure in your ears, Loki noticed you gritting your teeth and tried to stop the whole expedition to fuss over you, but you flatly refused.

“It'll go away once we get lower.” You said, deflecting his insistence that you stop. Maybe the discomfort was making you irritable, but you found his fretting to be annoying. You were already well aware that you were the weak link here, but you would not be responsible for slowing the group down over something as simple as temporary, manageable pain.

But on the other hand, maybe he was as worried about putting you back in that murderer's presence as you were. This man wanted to kill you! If any of a number of things had gone differently, he might have succeeded.

How many times might he have replayed the scenario in his mind? If you had died in his arms that day, what would he have done? Would he have returned your body home, or buried you here? Would he have hunted your killer down? Did he care enough back then? Would he have mourned? And what would the magical bond between you have done to him if you had died? He didn't even seem to know.

But you were going to die long before Loki did, so there was no way to avoid it: He would find out eventually.

You shook your head, trying to clear the morbid thoughts as well as the painful pressure. This was no time! That was the future, and you couldn't know what would happen. Besides, you were nearly at the top.

As you crested the mountaintops, and began down the other side, you were overtaken by the glorious view of the glittering fjord, sprinkled with ships and bordered by a thick band of green farmlands. In the distance you could barely make out the city. It seemed so small from here. It didn't even fully cover the inward edge of the fjord, lying clustered all on an outcrop on one side, surrounded by even more verdant farms.

A killer lay in its midst. You were headed right for him.

[karenp1969]

Wait and See, Miss Eliza -Meg’s musical AU challenge

** I do not own Eliza Dolittle or Professor Higgins; they are the property of George Bernard Shaw/Alan Lerner (Pygmalion/My Fair Lady). Caleb and Tris are the property of Veronica Roth. ** Eliza waited anxiously for her first pupil, a young man called Caleb. In the year since she had left Professor Higgins’ home, she had spent countless hours studying the English language and human speech. She felt confident that she could teach phonetics as well as her former teacher, if not even better. “After all, I shan’t need to be cruel to my students to teach them to speak properly,” she told herself. Caleb was nervous. He had encountered Miss Dolittle outside the pub, where she had been speaking with her father (certainly a lady such as she would never set foot inside such an establishment), and she had told him he would fare better if he could speak and act correctly; she wagered she could help him gain proper employment if he were more refined. It would increase his confidence, she had told him, as well as his employability. But Caleb was not entirely convinced. While he was very smart, he had been brought up in the poorest section of the city, and had received only the most basic public education – the “bare bones” of reading, math, history, and science. What music or art he knew was from the few phonograph records and paintings in his childhood home, where he still lived. There had been little “refinement” in his education or manners, as his parents had passed away and his sister, Tris, lived in another part of the city. Caleb was not sure how Miss Dolittle was going to refine him, and he was very nervous as he made his way to her flat in the center of the city.

He arrived on the doorstep of a lovely old brick building and rang the bell for the first-floor apartment; the door was presently answered by a grandmotherly woman with a welcoming smile. “Good afternoon, young man. May I help you?” “Um, yeah, is Miss Dolittle here?” Caleb answered. “Are you expected?” “She told me to come over at two, so I guess she expects me.” “May I tell her who has asked for her?” “I’m Caleb.” This woman seemed really nice, but she sure talked funny! “Please wait here; I shall let her know you have arrived,” the woman replied. Caleb couldn’t quite get over the formal way she spoke.

As he waited, Caleb looked around the apartment; there were works of art everywhere: tapestries and paintings on the walls, vases and busts on tables, and incredible carpets on the floor. Even the wood floors were artistic. He had never seen such lovely décor anywhere – not even in books. He was in awe. Soon he heard a voice say, “Good afternoon, Caleb, and welcome. It is lovely to see you again, and thank you for arriving on time,” Miss Dolittle’s voice was pleasantly feminine, without being shrill or too high in pitch. Caleb turned to face her. “Hey, Miss Dolittle. It’s nice to see you, too.” “Try your greeting again, please, Caleb; you are much too informal. We are not yet well-acquainted enough to be this casual in conversation.” “Uh, sure. How about, ‘Hello, Miss Dolittle. It’s a pleasure to see you again’?” Caleb responded. “That is not bad, although still not quite formal enough. Try this instead, please: ‘Good afternoon, Miss Dolittle, it is a pleasure to see you again’.” Caleb repeated her sentence, and Eliza was satisfied for the moment. “Caleb, I am going to help you learn to speak properly, so that you will not only pass for a gentleman, but will actually behave as one and, in time, become one. Do you agree to apply yourself to these lessons so that you may improve your speech, as well as your prospects?” “Sure, Miss Dolittle. It can’t hurt, can it? I haven’t been able to find a decent job since I finished school. I’ve been living on what little my parents left, along with a little help from my sister here and there. I can’t continue that forever.” “Please understand, Caleb, that if you undertake this challenge, I shall expect you to heed my instructions without question or complaint. I will not be cruel, but I will demand that you apply yourself and put forth your best efforts at each lesson. In return, you will stay here in my home until your education is complete; at which time, I will help you obtain a job before I send you on your way. You will learn to speak and act correctly, to dress well, and to appreciate the arts, and the appropriate way to treat others. Do you still agree?” “Yes, Miss Dolittle, I agree. I would like to learn all those things.” “Very well, Caleb; your education has begun. My housekeeper, Mrs. Johns, will provide all your personal needs; the clothier nearby will help us outfit you in gentlemanly attire. We shall get started immediately. Please allow Mrs. Johns to measure you for clothing and shoes; then into the shower with you.” “Wait, Miss Dolittle; may I ask a question?” “Certainly, you may. What is it?” “How did you learn all this?” “I was an experiment and wager between my teacher, Professor Henry Higgins, and his friend, when I was a flower girl in a poor and dirty part of the city. They taught me, dressed me, and made me a lady.” “And now you teach the same,” Caleb said. “To be honest, Caleb, you are my first pupil. However, I am confident that I know it well enough to teach you and make a gentleman of you.” “Fair enough.”

Mrs. Johns showed Caleb to a very nice room with an attached bathroom, and measured him as Miss Dolittle had asked. She left the room and Caleb turned on the shower as hot as he could bear. He stepped under the spray and stood there, allowing the hot water to relax his muscles as it washed the city’s dirt and grime from his body. When he finished a half-hour later and stepped into the bedroom, a very nice suit was laid out on the bed. It was a perfect fit. He returned downstairs in search of his benefactress, but was met by Mrs. Johns instead. “Where’s Miss Dolittle?” he asked. “She will be along presently, Master Caleb. Please make yourself comfortable. Supper will be served in fifteen minutes; I hope you are hungry.” “I’m starving! What are we having?” Mrs. Johns recited the menu for Caleb, and it sounded delicious: chicken and potatoes with an abundance of fresh vegetables, and even frozen custard for dessert. It had been ages since Caleb had had anything sweet. When the housekeeper announced dinner, she showed Caleb to what was to be his seat at the table, where Miss Dolittle joined him after only a moment. She stood by her chair expectantly, although Caleb couldn’t imagine what she was waiting for. She cleared her throat. Caleb tried not to stare at her, and he didn’t want to ask why she didn’t sit down; he had a feeling that this was a test of some kind. Eliza cleared her throat again, “ahem.” Finally, Caleb caught on. He stepped around the table and pulled out her chair for her to be seated, then helped push the chair back in. Eliza thanked him, and he returned to his seat. Mrs. Johns served the food, and Caleb began eating ravenously – he picked up the chicken with his fingers, took enormous bites, and barely swallowed one mouthful before taking the next bite. Eliza cleared her throat again. Caleb looked up, disbelieving that even the way he ate was going to be first scrutinized, then changed; it seemed that his teacher was intent on just that. “Caleb,” she said gently, “a gentleman does not eat with his hands and chews his food carefully and thoroughly before swallowing; he also swallows one bite before taking the next.” “Oh, I am sorry, Miss Dolittle; I am just so hungry!” “Obviously. Let us begin again. First, place your napkin on your lap. And please do not forget to make use of your cutlery. Take smaller bites.”

So began Caleb’s education. However, he often disappointed his teacher because he was sometimes slow to grasp her instructions about grammar, syntax, or manners. Then came the day when she had him repeating the same sentence repeatedly. “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain” over and over and over again. He was thoroughly sick of rain, Spain, and Miss Dolittle! He had a tune in his head, however, and began putting words to it:

“Wait and see, Miss Eliza, wait and see. You’ll say ‘sorry, Caleb, please forgive me.’ But I’ll laugh, say ‘see ya later,’ then throw a rotten tomater! Wait and see, Miss Eliza, wait and see.” He laughed at his little ditty, but continued to apply himself. He was unaware that Eliza had overheard him.

At dinner, she asked him to repeat the sentence to her, and he groaned inwardly, but did as she asked. Of course, he was unable to recite it to her standard, and she repeated it to him with the correct pronunciation. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand what he was saying, she told him; rather, that his accent and rate of speech made him difficult to understand overall. “So I’m a poor city kid who talks too fast?” he asked her. “Essentially, yes. You must learn to slow down your speech and focus on your pronunciation. I know you are becoming tired and frustrated, but please try again. This time, listen to the manner in which I speak the sentence, and try to copy it.” Caleb listened carefully, and watched Eliza’s mouth move as she spoke. Then he tried again: ��the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.” Silence. He repeated it, a little faster this time. “Perfectly done!” cried Eliza, “I suppose there will be no need for rotten ‘tomaters’ after all,” she continued with a grin. Caleb blushed, then took Eliza’s hand and danced her around the room as he sang his silly ditty again.

@meganlpie

[wildlyhardphilosopher-blog]

puppy training for kids | potty training dogs

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puppy training for kids | potty training dogs

9 See also BOBO Shiba Inu If you can’t walk the puppy outside right away — perhaps she hasn’t had all of her vaccinations yet — then you need to create an acceptable space for her to go by using puppy pads. You also need to crate train her so that she doesn’t have the run of the house. Uploaded 2 weeks ago At spcaLA, we limit our group classes to between 4 and 8 dogs. This “semi-private” setting allows you to work with spcaLA’s expert trainers to set you and your dog up for a lifetime of happiness. Not only are spcaLA group classes affordable, but our techniques focus on positive reinforcement and fun with your dog! This can help keep your dog safe when his curiosity gets the better of him, like if he smells something intriguing but possibly dangerous on the ground! The goal is to teach your pup that he gets something even better for ignoring the other item. Until what age do puppies usually need a play pen, the layout of our house means we can’t ‘puppy proof’ a room? When To Start And Stop Using A Schedule And Diary? Step 1: 952-476-2023 Equipment needed: Nothing but stacks of old newspapers! A very cost-effective method. I think you’ll agree with me when I say: 1- Get your dog on a schedule. Feed him at set times (what goes in on a schedule, will eventually start to come out on a schedule as well!), walk him at set times and take him out to do his business at set times. This makes it easier for the dog to know when he will be able to relieve himself, which can get him holding it better in the meantime. Like PageLiked Earthquake Tracker Learn the basic skills that all “civilized canines” should know Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply Other product-related feedback Story Tools Conformation showing Find a Hospital Go from Training A Puppy To Walk On A Leash An older dog that has developed this behavior should not be treated as above but should be referred to a professional trainer/behaviorist. Puppy Problems? What Issues Are You Having With Your Puppy, Right Now? … You may have an unexpected visitor or need to visit A&E in an emergency. Whatever the reason, there just WILL be times you cannot supervise your puppy. Set a watch alarm or timer to remind you of potty breaks. Schools My mission is to help you have a wonderful relationship with your dog. Learn how to teach good manners, to decode canine behaviors, and have a really great time. Total Care Bark Control Also check out: ↑ http://www.hartz.com/Dogs/Training_and_Play/Training/how_to_housetrain_your_dog.aspx Search Rover Blog Other Ways Life Skills For Puppies Greenies PILL POCKETS Soft Dog … For this reason, it’s not as effective as crate training and will take longer, certainly resulting in more ‘accidents’ along the way. ABOUT US You cannot punish a dog after the accident has happened. Most dogs only follow one step of causality, that means what “happened right before this moment.” If you come home and scream or get upset at your puppy for having an accident inside, all your puppy knows is that you came home and were mad at him or her. Research shows that dogs do not feel guilty. This study investigated 14 dogs. The dogs had the option to disobey their owners and eat the treat or not. The owners did not know if the dog ate the treat or if the scientist took the treat away. Even if the dog did not misbehave, he still “acted” guilty when the owner was upset. The research showed that the so-called guilty look was a response to cues from the owner rather than the appreciation of a misdeed.

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fbq('track', 'ViewContent', content_ids: 'dogtraining.dknol', ); Shop All 9. Obedience Training For Puppies Learning About Sirius Puppy Training Cat food by brand Annual Report Be patient. If nothing happens after 10 minutes or so, come back in, keep the dog on leash and go back out 10 to 15 minutes later. Repeat as needed. For the past 16 years, I have been teaching puppy kindergarten and adolescent-dog classes at The Canine Connection, my training center in Chico, California. The number of graduates of my classes is likely more than 1,000 puppies – but it feels like I’ve answered client questions about potty training at least a million times. What’s one more time, if it helps someone live more happily and harmoniously with their new dog or puppy? Starmark (5) Shop Petrainer 998DRU Remote Controlled Dog Training Collar System “All of my complaints were brushed off or disregarded,” the former employee told Patch. “It’s beyond bothering that I’ve turned in all my evidence to animal control and nothing came out of everything I sent it.” Another option for those with unfenced yards is to have a chain or tie-out to keep your dog close to home when you’re not outside with him. Start the on-leash part of his potty training as outlined above. Bioactive Recipe Dog Training & Behavior Ten Dog Care Essentials Pup-Peroni Original Filet Mignon & Bacon Flavor Dog Snacks, 25-Ounce You’ll have a different word like ‘walkies‘ for other more fun times outside and your dog will eventually learn the difference and set their expectations of their time outside accordingly. Ingenuity Awards A den (a crate or bed = den) within a confinement area Submit No longer boarding cats Appreciate and love your Dog when he does it right! A little encouragement will work wonders for your Dog. Problem solving Pro-Sense (1) Login 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds Stay Pets at Home is the UK’s largest pet supplies store. From toys and bedding to tailored food and in-store veterinary clinics, it’s the first place to go for any pet need. Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days Kindle Edition Find Your Community How to potty train your puppy Stage 3 Wirehaired Pointing Griffon 5.2 Understanding Advanced Dog Obedience and Canine Good Citizenship Jump up ^ Clothier, Suzanne (2009). “Relationship Based Approach to Training”. Retrieved 2 December 2012.[permanent dead link] And when it comes to house training, you’re going to love schedules and routine too! While you’re housetraining your puppy, you’ll need a place to put them when you can’t be watching for accidents. This confinement space should be comfortable, with soft bedding, water, and toys, and have a floor that’s easy to clean up or potty pads in case of an accident. Up your game by using a crate for short periods of time. For ease of use, I recommend simply keeping a written diary with good old-fashioned pen and paper. Hill’s® Prescription Diet® k/d® + Mobility Canine Puppy Training: How to Housebreak Your Puppy In Just 7 Days (puppy training, dog training, puppy house breaking, puppy housetraining, house training a puppy,) Our technique and philosophy No Command pop-up content starts All Ears Reading® As temperatures rise, follow our guide to keeping your dog safe and having fun in the summer sun… Heatstroke in… We will introduce you to the way dogs think and learn. We will focus on basic cues like sit, down, stay, off, drop-it, walking on a loose leash, plus much more. We will discuss common behavior challenges and provide management and training solutions. Please, no dogs the first night of class, humans only! 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Dogtra Company (2) Copyright © 2018 · Puppy In Training · Privacy Policy· Sitemap · 10:00 AM: Walk/water When can I start potty training? Let us see how……. Teach your puppy to be gentle when interacting with people. He must not nip or chew on people’s hands. If your dog is older than 16 weeks and has already developed some unfavorable potty habits, it is still very possible to train them using this method. The results might take a few days (or weeks) longer to see, depending on the dog. Read More Rules & Regulations Home Labrador Puppies Articles How To Potty Train A Puppy Automatic Litter Boxes I can’t figure out why she waits to get back inside to go when we have just taken her out, and we always praise her for going outside, but ignore it if she goes inside. Any ideas? Our Service Area crate train puppy | how to train my puppy crate train puppy | training puppies not to bite crate train puppy | training puppy not to bite Legal | Sitemap

[sirsparklepants]

I'm working very hard not to name prices, currency, or towns in this fic, and I hope y'all appreciate my efforts to only moderately step on canon. :P Finally, 1700 words in, some hints of the pairing.

-

Geralt didn't think about it much over the next week. The little mystery had caught his attention, and now it was solved. He took a couple of small contracts for the kinds of monsters that always appeared on the edges of small human settlements, the kind Jaskier had seen him tackle a hundred times. No ballad material here, just enough gold to fill their bellies and replenish their supplies. That was how it was sometimes. Should have been most of the time, but Geralt kept tumbling ass-first into high and mighty bullshit the likes of which a Witcher should really only encounter once a decade, maybe. Jaskier was more used to that part of Witcher work, and it didn't take much longer for him to start unsubtly hinting that perhaps larger towns would have more excitement and larger purses. (Hinting for him, anyway, which mostly meant saying it outright, but not yet progressing to rhyming his demands and then putting them to music.)

"I'd love to go somewhere with a decent tailor, too," Jaskier was saying. "These clothes are all right, I suppose, but I think between what I've managed to save on our little trip and what I can earn in a town or two - or a city! - I can afford to dress in the manner in which I'm accustomed again."

Geralt frowned. "What happened to your old clothes?" he asked. Last time he'd seen Jaskier, that red doublet with the scale pattern pressed into it had been immaculate. Geralt's adventures were hard on clothes, but Jaskier had gotten very good at rescuing both his outfits and his instrument over the years.

Jaskier laughed. "You didn't think these came cheap, did you?" he asked, waving his wrists in illustration. "I had to find a professional who could stick a needle in my wrists but leave the arteries and tendons alone, not to mention the nerves in my tongue!"

"You sold it?" Geralt asked. "But…" He certainly wasn't an expert on clothing, but there had been enough time in markets with Jaskier and Yennefer both, talking to the leatherworker as whoever he was with had increasingly animated discussions with the clothier a few stalls down, that he'd picked up some things. One of them had been the cost of the kinds of fabrics that Jaskier favored, and Geralt thought the material alone would cover the cost of his jewelry twice over.

"But my jacket alone was three times the worth of the work?" Jaskier finished for him. "Well, it was, yes, but if I wasn't playing, I did have to eat. Nothing much for the first week, which helped. I hoped by the time I ran out of money, I'd also have run out of melancholy and I could play again. And look!" He gestured grandly at the forest around them. "So it is!"

"Luck," Geralt said, looking back down at the sword in his lap.

Jaskier sniffed. "Excuse me, it is not luck. It's the sheer force of my sparkling wit and radiant personality, that you felt deprived without my company and had to make amends for your grievous error in casting me aside."

Geralt actually laughed at that, a short bark. He hadn't said it, not in so many words, but they both knew it was true.

Jaskier grinned at him, and then made a strange face at him, as if he was sticking out his tongue without actually doing so. It was punctuated by a little click of metal, and Geralt realized that he'd tapped the bar in his tongue against the backs of his teeth, as a little punctuating noise of triumph. Geralt gripped the polishing cloth a little harder.

gold (always believe in your soul)

I would like to note that, despite the way this begins, this is a piercing kink fic, NOT A SELF HARM ONE. After I finished The Witcher I had a dream about Jaskier with piercings and all my best ideas come to me in dreams, so I went with it. I’m writing this in snippets in the reblog chain because that’s just how I roll these days, I guess. Title from Spandau Ballet.

-

It takes two and a half weeks of nothing but the sounds of birds, beasts, and his own voice talking to Roach for Geralt to admit that he missed company. Not company right then - he was perfectly happy spending weeks and months in relative solitude with just his horse, as he always had been. No, he missed the prospect of knowing he’d run into a friendly face, one truly happy to see him, sooner rather than later. It was months or years between his run-ins with other Witchers, and for most of his life this had sustained him. Yennefer and Jaskier had ruined that.

There was nothing to be done about the situation with Yennefer - not now, not until she was ready. She’d curse him if he tried. But Jaskier was a softer touch, and human - and Geralt’s offense had been less great. Perhaps if he tried, he could gain back the prospect of at least one person on the road who genuinely cared for him on the road. If Jaskier refused and rejected him, well, he’d be no worse off than he was now, just down a bit of time. No scathing songs about the teeth of the White Wolf and how he’d turn them on monster or man alike had reached Geralt’s ears. Perhaps more importantly, neither had a tragic ballad about the softness of the White Wolf’s cock. So there was some hope. He turned Roach’s nose to the nearest town of a decent size to begin making inquiries.

It takes ten days for him to track down Jaskier. By the eighth, he was becoming increasingly worried that perhaps the bard’s bedroom antics had finally prompted someone to violence Jaskier couldn’t recover from, as no towns in his widening spiral had news of a bard in flashy clothes with songs of adventure. No one had seen his fine elven lute. A barmaid in a small farming settlement - almost too small to be called a village - did remember a man of Jaskier’s description passing through, at least.

“He sang, and one of our local boys played the dulcimer,” she said. “Powerful voice, and right lovely. But he didn’t play the lute, I would have remembered that. And his clothes were colorful, but no silks or anything, sir.”

“Did he say where he was headed?” Geralt asked. It was the first lead he’d gotten, so he’d follow it.

“There’s a much larger town two days’ walk south,” she told him. “He asked if the road was clear, and whether we were likely to get a rain this time of year.”

Geralt thanked her and was on his way. If it was Jaskier, he was acting strangely, but he found himself hoping it was, anyway.

It was him, Geralt found, when he tracked him down in the second tavern he tried. There was a bit of a scene, and it was a good thing there was a third tavern down the road for them to get a drink in, but in the end Geralt apologized, and after some yelling and, perhaps, some tears, Jaskier forgave him and agreed to join him again, at least until Geralt found a monster truly worthy of a new ballad.

And everything would have been as good as it gets for a Witcher - Jaskier even was dressing a little more practically - except to Geralt’s sensitive Witcher nose, the man always smelled faintly of blood.

[fashioncurrentnews]

Timeless Classics, Twinning with Him in Leather Jackets

Timeless classics, both for him and us… a great leather jacket!

I know it sounds cheesy, but we love twinning!  We have similar leather jackets, trench coats, and shearling jackets.  For the shearling jacket, I bought the mens version and tailored it to my frame.  That’s how much I loved it!  We have similar taste in fashion, so we end up shopping for each other quite often and getting similar styles so we can have these fun twinning moments!

His leather jacket is by Schott NYC and it’s truly a timeless piece.  The brand is over 100 years old, and in 1925, Schott NYC was the first clothier to put a zipper on a jacket.  It’s also one of the first clothing brands to create a leather motorcycle jacket in 1928.  Talk about classic!  And this Schott NYC leather jacket is all types of fun… Epaulets with star details, front angled zip pockets, snap flap coin pocket, fully lined with thick quilted lining, and more!

My faux leather jacket is from BLANKNYC (highly rated, under $100).  The brand is a little over 10 years old and this particular piece is one of my favorites.  I’ve had this jacket for over 3+ years now and it’s still my go-to piece.  It’s tailored perfectly at the waistline and has an asymmetric drop collar that I love!

It’s so much fun learning about these brands!  Nordstrom is still my first destination to learn, browse, and shop for mens pieces.  I appreciate that they offer classic and contemporary brands for mens, and that they offer tailoring services in every store to make sure the pieces fit perfectly.  An inch or two off the bottom and/or a tad bit shorter on the sleeves can make a huge difference on a jacket or coat!

Happy holidays everyone and I hope you enjoy this twin styling and photo story.  Hope you had a great weekend and thank you so much for reading!  And special thanks to Nordstrom for partnering on this post!

– HIS OUTFIT –

Jacket | SCHOTT NYC leather jacket Sweater | Bonobos henley Jeans | Rag & Bone slim straight leg jeans Shoes | Frye boots Accessories | Ray Ban sunglasses

– HERS OUTFIT –

Jacket | BLANKNYC faux leather jacket (highly rated, under $100) Sweater | Leith classic v-neck sweater Jeans | J Brand high waist jeans Shoes | Christian Louboutin booties Accessories | Dior bag & Stila ‘Fiery’ lip color & Ray Ban sunglasses

The post Timeless Classics, Twinning with Him in Leather Jackets appeared first on Wendy's Lookbook.

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[smellallthesmells]

Wrist-sniffing wench

From a young age, I have always been a very scent dominated person. My earliest memories of waking with my grandmother and grinding fresh coffee beans for my grandfather’s morning cup. The smell of her opening up the spice cupboard would send gentle waves of cinnamon, all spice, paprika, nutmeg and sugar over my toddler sized body. The opening of the foil coffee bag filled my nose with warm, dark, french blended beans, and the grinder itself turning it to a softer, more palatable version. I didn’t like the taste until I was close to twenty, but as a three-year old, this morning ritual was one I insisted on participating in just for the smells.

Most every family member had a distinct scent, but it was my grandparents with whom I associated the most comforting fragrances first. My grandfather wore something like Old Spice, I cant say for sure, but I know it was a warm masculine musk combined with the starch my grandmother used to iron his shirts and pipe tobacco. My grandmother always smelled of sandalwood and white musk. Though she once visited a perfumery in New Orleans and when she came back, it is said I told her she smelled of “noodles.” I still come across perfumes and soaps that remind me of her here and there. 

My first own fragrance was that of Tinkerbell cosmetics. A bright pink package with a fairy on it that was sold at Strawbridges and Clothier usually with a nail polish and compact along with the cologne. I wish I could properly bring it back to my mind, but I only remember what it smells like when I come across something else which is close. If anyone out there has it, I would love to smell it again. I am told a certain BPAL perfume is similar, so after i get ahold of it, i will review it here and compare it with my memory.

I have begun this blog for a place to jot down my love stories and ideas about the world of fragrance. It is an art that is under appreciated and held hostage by marketing campaigns. My happy place is a story-telling sniff. I don’t plan to make this more than it is. I am just a brain attached to a nose. Someday I wish to return to a perfume house I visited in Paris some years ago and create something. I also wish to source raw ingredients and build a perfume from the ground up. For now, I will appreciate the artistry of others and smell amazing.

[dailykhaleej]

Making the minimize, Brunch – THE BUSINESS TIMES

IN the sea of “business casual”, the place quick trend guidelines and Silicon Valley tech-heads set the scene in denims and hoodies, the man (or lady) in a tailor-made swimsuit stands out. And in recent times, these in the tailoring commerce have loved a renaissance of types. Rising demand for all issues customized-made and bespoke has helped develop the area of interest enterprise of tailors.

A brand new technology of snappy dressing has additionally led many youthful clients to have their outfits made to measure by expert clothiers. But in Singapore, these craftsmen come up in opposition to one very prosaic impediment – the warmth. Singapore is scorching, all 12 months spherical, and it is no surprise that casuals are first to return to thoughts with regards to what to put on on this tropical metropolis-state.

Even when the event requires it, formal apparel takes a again seat. At weddings – and a few enterprise conferences – T-shirts and denims aren’t unusual. At work, “dress down Friday” is quick changing into “dress down everyday”, and sensible informal is now the on a regular basis company uniform.

And in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Singapore’s close to-lockdown, which has additionally turned the house right into a office, should certainly have given it added impetus.

Whereas that is excellent news for producers of casual put on, from Bermuda shorts to denims and T-shirts you purchase off the rack, native menswear tailors is not going to be happy to listen to it.

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Already, like many small-time operators, these individuals who customized-make fits, jackets and formal workwear are amongst the hardest hit in enterprise in the present disaster.

“Our orders have dropped by more than half because of Covid-19,” stories 33-year-outdated Tulsi Kamath, the co-founding associate of Excellent Apparel.

This was in early March, earlier than tighter restrictions have been imposed on companies and motion. With clients now saved indoors and retail companies just about suspended, her gross sales would have come to a standstill.

If the keep-house order ultimately results in a change to informal put on for good in the office, when issues return to regular, it is going to be a double whammy for the native tailors.

But, whereas some might not survive it, the viral nightmare will cross – maybe in a 12 months when a vaccine is discovered. And the solar will rise once more to remind the survivors that they nonetheless face an unfriendly local weather.

Even now in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it hasn’t slipped Kevin Seah’s thoughts. “Compared to bespoke tailors in Europe especially, our problem is the weather we have,” he tells you.

“In Europe, people require clothing for four seasons,” provides Mr Seah, who owns menswear tailoring store Kevin Seah Bespoke in Bukit Merah. “Here we have a dress-down work culture. Our men don’t wear a suit to work. It’s the weather, which is our main problem.”

Tailoring, which Wikipedia defines as “the art of designing, cutting, fitting and finishing clothes”, thrives on formality. But, whereas it makes a person seems sharp, a proper swimsuit or jacket on him is most uncomfortable in the tropical warmth.

Again in the day

Nonetheless, there was a time when menswear tailor outlets have been present in almost each nook of Singapore – and visiting them was an everyday factor males did. These have been the days earlier than prepared-to-put on shirts and pants hit the outlets, says Dylan Chong of Dylan & Son, a second-technology bespoke tailoring outfit.

He remembers visiting his dad’s tiny outlet on Shenton Method then: “People went there to make trousers for work. They even made the shorts they wear at home.”

The 1960s, 1970s and even the early 1980s have been “the golden age of tailoring” in accordance with the 39-year-outdated. This, after all, got here to an finish when off-the-rack attire conquered retail shops and the tailoring commerce was relegated to the ranks of a sundown trade. Many, together with Mr Chong’s father, have been lowered to doing alteration work – making changes to the prepared-to-put on that clients introduced in for becoming.

But, companies like banks, retail chains, airways and safety businesses proceed to demand tailor-made uniforms. Their frontline employees, crew and guards must look sensible {and professional}. CYC nonetheless has a large slice of this enterprise at this time, in accordance with its managing director Fong Lavatory Fern.

In reality, issues appear to be trying up now. New tailoring outlets have popped up in recent times, many in or close to the Central Enterprise District (CBD), the place their clients work.

“When I first started (10 years ago), there were only two or three tailors near us,” remembers Mr Chong whose workshop is situated on Telok Ayer Avenue. “Now I can count nearly 10.”

New clients, particularly the younger, are rediscovering males’s tailoring, because of the Web which can also be fanning the revival of conventional craftsmanship. This has inevitably led the enterprising and passionate amongst them to open their very own outlets.

Ms Kamath, who arrived from India to settle in Singapore, was amongst them. She arrange Excellent Apparel together with her husband, who nonetheless has a day job, in 2014, after spending 4 years studying the ropes of the commerce.

Matthew Lai, who fell in love with menswear road trend “since young”, took the plunge at the tender age of 25. He labored two years in the tailoring enterprise earlier than hanging out on his personal, teaming up with Dylan Chong to begin KayJen Dylan (KJD).

Lots of the newcomers are graduates of the LaSalle Faculty of the Artwork and “disciples” of Thomas Wong, the doyen of the tailoring commerce (see sidebar). They undertaking knowledgeable and polished picture – and are savvy in exploiting social media to advertise themselves.

When assembly shoppers, Mr Chong and Mr Lai put on a jacket and tie. Their workshop is in a first-rate locale and it has been executed up by dear inside designers.

The brand new breed of tailors name themselves bespoke garments specialists. Versus the make-to-measure practitioners who depend on pre-present patterns, a bespoke creation is solely unique and distinctive to the consumer.

It takes in particulars like the “abnormalities”, if any, of the buyer’s physique construction, his posture and the manner he walks, explains Mr Lai who focuses on the made-to-measure aspect of the enterprise, whereas his extra skilled associate concentrates on the bespoke half.

The materials that bespoke tailors work with – cotton, wool, cashmere, linen – bear well-known names from the trend world – Loro Piana, Ermenegildo Zegna – they usually typically come from the UK and Italian mills that are identified to provide high-high quality supplies.

And it exhibits in the costs. Dylan & Son’s bespoke fits value S$2,600 upwards, whereas KJD’s make-to-measure ones begin at S$1,500. A two-piece bespoke swimsuit made at The Prestigious, the workshop Mr Wong runs, is no less than S$6,000.

Come full circle

Whereas their numbers have risen, the presence of the bespoke tailors is hardly seen. No large signal hangs at their door that claims “Tailor”. Dylan & Son sounds extra like a regulation observe than a tailoring outfit.

The outlets could also be in the CBD, however most aren’t at road stage the place there’s extra visibility.

Dylan & Son’s 1,000-square-foot workshop is at the high of an obscure and dim pre-struggle three-storey walkup shophouse. The title stamped on the metallic plate at the backside of the stairs is so tiny that it is simple to overlook.

That is not as a result of they wish to convey an impression of exclusivity. Most tailoring specialists merely cannot afford a greater web site in the CBD – they usually cannot deal with many purchasers.

“We’re a small operation and the service we offer is very personal,” Mr Chong explains.

Stroll-in clients is not going to be entertained. “It’s strictly by appointment,” he says.

Tailoring would not make you wealthy, in accordance its practitioners. On high of the lengthy years it takes to grasp the expertise, the lack of pecuniary attraction has turned many bold younger males away from the commerce, they are saying. The tailors that BT spoke to declined to offer monetary particulars, however claimed to make sufficient to cowl prices.

But the payback will be satisfying. “Tailoring is not a lucrative business, but it still provides enough to put food on the table and a bit of fun,” Mr Lai says. He will get plenty of kicks from making good garments for appreciative clients. “There’s much satisfaction there.”

For Mr Seah of Kevin Seah Bespoke, who has wished to be in the commerce since he was 14, tailoring fulfils a teenage dream: “I can’t imagine doing anything else besides designing and making clothes.” Mr Seah, who at 45 is amongst the oldest of the new breed, nonetheless sees himself in tailoring in the subsequent 10 years. “We can grow into a bigger business, specialising in making other beautiful products. Quality tailoring will never die,” he says.

Ms Kamath has grown Excellent Apparel from a two- to a 25-men sturdy operation, with the most important tailoring work executed in India. She has the ambition to take it to different nations. “We see custom-made tailoring making a comeback,” Ms Kamath says. “People are again going to tailors.”

CYC, whose VIP shoppers embrace the late ex-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, is proof that tailoring is right here to remain.

Began in 1935 by Mrs Fong’s grandparents, who have been expert tailors from Shanghai, the shirts specialist had expanded into producing prepared-made shirts in the 1970s, however rising labour prices later put an finish to that enterprise.

When Mrs Fong, a educated accountant, took over the reins of CYC in 1993, its administration system was in a “dinosaur” state. She launched computerisation in the firm, sharpened CYC’s advertising technique and polished its model. In 2005, coming full circle, she steered CYC into the customized-tailor-made fits and pants enterprise.

“We’re working with a very well-established production house in Malaysia,” says Mrs Fong, who’s now in her 60s. “We lack skilled craftsman in Singapore.”

Which is a giant concern for Mr Wong, who’s dedicating himself to coach and groom tomorrow’s tailors. The LaSalle Faculty of the Arts, the place he teaches, can also be getting ready to supply a full diploma course in menswear tailoring. That is excellent news for the commerce’s future.

“There’ll always be a need for tailored clothing because there are many different body shapes which can’t fit into standard size clothing,” Mrs Fong provides.

Grooming tomorrow’s tailors

The doyen of the commerce worries that tailoring might die with the passing of his technology

WHEN grasp tailor Thomas Wong is requested why he nonetheless practises tailoring at his age, when he is already instructing it, his reply is that this: “If I don’t work, I will be teaching my students history, old things. If I work, I can teach them new things, new techniques.”

He’s, in reality, additionally holding two jobs doing each – splitting his time lecturing at the Lasalle Faculty of the Arts in addition to working at The Prestigious, his tailoring workshop.

However the 73-year-outdated, who nonetheless retains a full head of hair although the hair is popping gray, is trim and appears match sufficient to hold on for an additional 5 to 10 years.

Mr Wong clothes as you’ll anticipate a grasp tailor to decorate – well. For the interview in his workshop, at the high of a 3-storey pre-struggle shophouse in Boat Quay, he dons a stylishly tailor-made blue pinstripe pants he made years in the past, which continues to be trying good, matched with a hand-made blue-checkered lengthy-sleeved shirt, a present from his college students, and a purple tie.

When Mr Wong lifts his proper hand, the sleeve withdraws to disclose a Vacheron Constantin gold watch – an indication of success.

The person has outfitted highly effective politicians and enterprise tycoons, together with former Indonesian vice-president Adam Malik, and Shaw Vee Meng, boss of the Shaw Organisation in Singapore.

A doyen in the tailoring group, not simply in Singapore but in addition in neighbouring nations, Mr Wong was twice elected to go the Singapore Grasp Tailor Affiliation and stays honorary president of the Federation of Asian Grasp Tailors.

Just lately he was additionally invited to assist improve India’s tailoring expertise.

“Tailoring requires deep knowledge,” he says. That’s, a deep information of materials in addition to clothes design and development. It takes years to amass it, in accordance with him.

It takes even longer to grasp the expertise of tailoring – like stitching, reducing, hemming and stitching.

“Tailoring is very tedious,” Mr Wong continues. Ending a single swimsuit jacket alone, he says, includes 240 steps and greater than 80 hours. “No short cuts,” the perfectionist says.

In his 1,000-square-foot workshop, with solely the assist of stitching machines, Mr Wong and his “disciples” work solely with their palms to provide pants which prices S$2,600 a pair, jackets priced at S$5,000 apiece and fits that go for S$6,000-S$8,000 and up.

That is no small change. But it isn’t unusual for VIP shoppers to splurge as much as S$30,000 and extra every time they drop by.

Mr Wong was solely 16 when he went into tailoring, however his expertise and starvation to study have been recognised from the begin. Many well-known tailors took him below their wing.

“I’m still learning,” he says. However what actually bothers him lately is that the tailoring craft might die with the passing of his technology.

The Prestigious, which Mr Wong operated for 13 years earlier than closing it in 2012, was relaunched in 2014 to groom tomorrow’s bespoke tailors.

His proteges are his former college students at LaSalle. “I want them to be able to do everything,” he explains. “To cut and make shirts, trousers and jackets.”

Three years after its comeback, The Prestigious was named the finest new entrant to the retail scene by the Singapore Retailers Affiliation.

“It wasn’t about making money,” Mr Wong provides. “I want to train a new generation of tailors and breathe life into the industry.”

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[suppersanchez]

How to Design the Perfect Custom Made Wedding Ring

One of the best aspects of the jewelry industry these days is the potential to personalize portions in step with your particular specs, especially, wedding and engagement earrings. If you're the kind of man or woman who hates having something this is the same as a person else, a custom-made ring is the proper choice for you. Nothing says, "I Do" as a marriage ring filled with personality does.

The first element you want to do before even considering a custom-made ring is to determine your accomplice's flavor in jeweler. This is of path, you're opting to embark down the traditional course and surprise her with the ring and an offer. Assuming that you are, it is time to place your detective cap on and subtly discover what type of ring fashion your destiny fiancee adores as to no longer ruin the surprise.

Gain angle about specific ring styles via taking note of your co-employees rings, what your pals are sporting, and via exploring numerous rings store stock. If you want, take pix of the rings or bring a small notepad with you so that you can jot down a quick sketch of the designs which you think she would really like.

Image Credit Researching designers which you appreciate is also an street to go down for notion.

When creating something unique, the most important task is narrowing down the expression you want the hoop to painting. Translating your emotions into an object may be quite taxing at the non-artistic attitude. However, help your self accomplish this through writing down qualities which you love and admire approximately your companion. How do these phrases make you sense? Manifest the ones emotions into your wedding ring design.

As you design the engagement ring, preserve the wedding band layout in mind. The  rings should supplement one another. You don't want a platinum gold engagement ring paired up with a silver wedding ceremony band. You can choose to have the 2 rings fit together like puzzle portions and after the marriage, have the earrings soldered together.

Most respectable jewelers will offer you a reasonable and honest charge to create your custom masterpiece, but be organized to figure this greater provider into your wedding price range. Purchasing a custom-made ring versus a equipped-made version take greater time and making plans to perform and could commonly fee a bit more. Remember, custom jewelry are hand-assembled from many unique complex elements.

Leave yourself enough time to layout the ring that you feel is best. You need your accomplice to feel the ring is best too, when she receives it. Designing a custom-made engagement ring isn't something to be rushed. You will need time to investigate rings, provide you with a layout, and find the proper jeweler for the job.

Finding the proper jeweler to create your custom ring ought to now not be performed swiftly. Ask your friends and circle of relatives for referrals and do a chunk of online studies. Working with a private jeweler is a higher alternative than going to a department save or franchise save. The purpose being, a personal jeweler works with you in my opinion and a department keep commonly has a liaison that works with you.

Always sense at ease speaking your thoughts to the jeweler. If you don't inform them precisely what your custom imaginative and prescient is, they won't know and you may become with a piece of jewelry that doesn't in shape your dream. However, be open to the jeweler's enter as she or he is an expert and knows what patterns paintings well collectively.

When working with a private clothier, ensure to ask them approximately their regulations and warranties. Inquire about the appraisal file and make certain the right facts is indexed on it so you are able to insure your custom wedding ring.

Laurie Sarah Designs is a successful jeweler this is primarily based in Los Angeles, CA. Just as each relationship does, proprietor Laurie Sarah started her enterprise out slowly and over time molded the organization into something exquisite. After meeting up with a renowned diamond setter, Laurie Sarah began designing and developing rings for her very own customers, making every piece a private token of love.

[realityhelixcreates]

Lasabrjotr Chapter 8: Don’t Kick That One Out

Chapters: 8/? Fandom: Thor (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up

Warnings:

Relationships: Loki x Reader (But not yet)

Characters: Loki (Marvel), Thor (Marvel), OFC, Andsvarr

Additional Tags: Post-Endgame: Best Possible Ending, Loki is Educational, Andsvarr is a Fanboy, Loki is Considerate, Brunnhilde Ships It

Summary: Loki is a Responsible Prince, who makes an effort to keep mistakes from repeating. Loki is a Responsible Prince who teaches Reader further in the the ways of history and magic. Thor and Brunnhilde have taken notice of how much of a Responsible Prince Loki is trying to be.

You awoke from dreams of other worlds to be faced with another tasty breakfast and a new set of clothing. You really hoped it was Saldis or Roskva bringing your clothes now, as there were various underthings among them that the men that were suddenly in your life simply did not need to know about. There were also some aspects of your new garments that you weren’t entirely sure on how to go about wearing, but you’d be hanged before you went to ask Loki to help you dress yourself. You were not a child; you didn’t need anyone’s help to put your own clothes on, least of all his.

The dark green dress was easy enough. It was somewhat shapeless, soft and comfortable, but clearly not new. There was wear in the shoulder and neck areas, and the hems and sleeves had clearly been shortened to fit your stature. They’d hidden the hasty alterations with a wide black ribbon, woven with a dark yellow braid pattern. Somehow, the fact that it wasn’t brand new made you more comfortable with wearing it. It would be so much easier and cheaper for these already busy people to simply recycle old clothes for you.

The loose drawstring trousers and thick socks that went under the skirt were very welcome. Your feet had been cold since yesterday, and there was no rug on the floor of your room.

You noticed with some surprise that your apron from work had been altered with decorative ribbon as well, and was clearly meant to be worn with the rest of the ensemble. You had seen some people out in the encampment who had been wearing overdresses that looked a bit like aprons. Maybe the Asgardian clothiers had though that’s what your apron was. You put it on like you always did. You’d grown so used to wearing it. Now it looked so lovely, with its simple ribbon addition, it was like you’d never seen it before.

Now you were confronted by the objects you weren’t as sure about. A braided yellow and green sash that you sincerely hoped was a belt, because that was how you were wearing it. A triangular piece of cloth that you thought might be some kind of mini cape. It looked warm and fluffy, and Loki had said he’d get you a coat. Maybe this was the best he could find? It draped over your shoulders easily enough.

There was a pair of oval pins, decorated with knotted snakes, a length of yarn braid strung between them. They were obviously meant to be worn as a connected whole, so you held them against various parts of your body, trying to guess where they looked best. You settled for pinning them to your sash belt. A pair of fingernail clippers and a tiny, cylindrical sewing kit with a single needle and spool of thread wrapped around a toothpick inside, both hung from short chains attached to hooks. You hooked them through the braided belt, tied the warm shawl around your shoulders, and stepped out into the library.

Loki was there, nibbling on some toast, leafing through a yellowed journal filled with odd-looking runes; like lines with tally marks on them. He seemed to be attempting to transliterate them into his own runes, in his notebook.

“What do they say?” You asked. Could you learn to read these things?

“They are descriptions of an artifact the writers were searching for. It had been used against them in war, and they believed it had been left behind when their enemies withdrew. They never found it.”

“Who were they?” You wondered. “I’ve never seen writing like this.”

“How many kinds of writing have you really seen?” Loki asked, slight mocking in his tone. You, who are poor and uneducated, how much could you know? Was that what he meant?

“Well, I’ve got the internet.” You pointed out. “I’ve at least seen words, even if I couldn’t read them.”

“Very well then, from where does this come?” He scribbled a few letters.

“I think that’s Greek? I can’t read it.” His pen moved again. “An Asian language. Probably Chinese? I can’t read that either, and I’m not good at telling them apart. I just know there’s a lot.”

“And these?”

“Those are the same runes you always use. So…Viking, I guess?”

“They are Asgardian in origin.” Loki explained. “Brought here and taught to the ancestors of your people, likely at about the same time this writing was.” He tapped the yellow page, with its strange, stick-like runes. “But these are not the same as what humans came to use. Humans did not learn Asgardian, they simply adapted our writing to their own purposes. Your kind is very good at doing things like that.

But this writing did not catch on as well as ours did. It seems to have disappeared and resurfaced several times over the centuries. That’s simply to be expected, I think, because the originators of this language, the Alfar, are a rather aloof people, and so their customs simply didn’t travel as far as ours did.”

He finally looked up at you, and another almost-smile tugged the corners of his mouth.

“You nearly got it right.” He said, almost praising. Then he casually reached out and unfastened the pair of pins from your belt. You made a startled sound, stepped back, but he bid you stay still while he re-pinned them in their proper place; at the shoulder straps of your apron. Your face burned at the closeness, and at the fact that you hadn’t known how to wear simple jewelry, and you looked away.

This sparked some amusement in him.  “You want to look proper when I parade you out in front of the guards, don’t you? You know, when I tell them all ‘hey, you know that obvious human that’s been following me around? Don’t kick that one out’.”

You brightened right up at that. You would get to meet some new people, and see more of the building. You had grown familiar with Loki’s rooms, and with the medical area, but other than that, you had no grasp of your surroundings.

How tiny your world had become.

Evidently there had been word of your coming. The yard outside the guardhouse was stuffed full of people in full armor and horned helmets. They were lined up in flawless order, each with a spear, and a beautiful round shield. They looked ready to take on anything.

“Gotta admit.” You whispered to Loki. “I’m super impressed.”

“It doesn’t take much, does it?” He quipped, then quickly raised his hand to shush you. “This is but a tiny remnant of the force we could once field. While it’s likely we won’t need a great army any time soon, it’s still a mere shadow of what we used to have. Almost half of them are new recruits as well. Not fully trained. It takes more than armor to make einherjar,  _____.”

“They didn’t…they didn’t come back? After you set the universe right?”

He shot you a quick glance.

“I mean all of you.” You amended. He hadn’t even been there. He’d been dead.

“They died before all that, I’m afraid, not because of Thanos. And this is all that’s left. They aren’t wasted though. Rather than battle, they are dedicated to the protection of the city and the people. And now you.”

People gathered in the street as Loki stood before the neat rows of guards, and addressed them in a ringing voice that filled the area. You couldn’t understand, but he placed his hand on your back and pushed you forward, and you heard your name among the flow of words. Knowing why you had come in the first place helped you get the gist of what he was saying.

Of course, he could be saying any kind of insulting thing, and you wouldn’t know. The guards-Einherjar-wore helmets that entirely covered their faces, and could betray no expression, and when you turned to the people gathered on the sidelines, you saw only a mix of adoration and distaste. It seemed Loki was a figure controversial even among his own people.

Or perhaps that disapproval was aimed toward you; a stranger, a human, standing at the side of their prince.

“Hold out your hand.” Loki ordered. “Let them see the mark, so they can recognize that, even if they do not remember your face.”

You held your hand up high over your head so they could all see.

“And if any of you were looking for an excuse to learn more Midgardian languages, may I suggest the challenge of English? For it is all she speaks, I’m afraid. You are all dismissed to your duties.”

With the dismissal, most of the guards left, either to their patrols, or back into the guardhouse. Some removed their helmets to converse with each other. The young guard from Loki’s rooms approached with a small smile.

“Yuu, stae?” He asked shyly.

“Yes.” You told him. “For some time, at least.”

“Guud. So I will…” He trailed off, looking for words, speaking to Loki with a searching tone.

“Ah. Andsvarr here wishes to convey to you his dedication to your personal protection.” Loki said, lips pursing in clear amusement. Andsvarr continued speaking. “He considers it an honor to see to the well-being of the first human resident of Asgard.”

“Oh. Uh, can you tell him that I appreciate his efforts?”

Loki obliged, and the young guard-Andsvarr, you would remember-beamed brighter than his armor. He was called away by another guard, whom you assumed must be his superior.

“No doubt you’ll be able to convey your appreciation without my help soon enough.” Loki said. “He’s proven to be a fast learner.”

“Are humans considered exotic or something?” You wondered. “Because the whole world is full of us. We aren’t exactly rare.”

“Oh, that’s not exactly it. There are a set of Asgardian that isn’t terribly fond of humanity as a concept. And then there is a set that wishes to adapt to our new circumstances as quickly as possible and, perhaps hastily, has decided to welcome humans with open arms. Andsvarr is one of the latter, but he comes from a family that is the former. And so he has embraced this new life with extra vigor.”

“Oh. Is that why you don’t allow any other humans in? Because some of your people don’t like us?”

“There are several reasons.” He offered you his arm, which you slowly and hesitantly took. You’d only seen that gesture in fairy tale movies. “Most of the area is a construction site. You don’t just let random people onto construction sites, do you? Why?”

“It’s dangerous.” You answered obligingly as he led you away, carefully avoiding areas where large amounts of dust were being kicked up. “People who don’t know what they’re doing could get hurt. Okay, that’s fair.”

“And maybe not every human in that camp out there is what they say they are. We have enemies. I have enemies, for what I’ve done. Thor has enemies, among the less kind of your species. And of course, there are the humans who feel threatened by outsiders, or who are jealous, or who are violently opposed to the theological questions we represent. Any such person could prove dangerous to us. Harm our citizens, or sabotage our work.

Also, at the risk of sounding dismissive, worshippers and admirers are simply too much trouble for now. While the prospect of worship is gratifying, we have so much to do at this point in time that we simply cannot have unvetted people running around underfoot. This is all for their safety, as well as ours. And yours. Just because the guards know who you are now doesn’t mean you can go wandering off wherever you want. Most of us have no idea how fragile Midgardian bodies are, compared to our own. There is still too much potential for an accident.”

That was annoying. The prospect of being cooped up all the time was driving you nuts, and it hadn’t even happened yet!

“Maybe you should put me in some of that armor.” You joked. He pretended to be mulling it over.

“You couldn’t even put those brooches on correctly.” He teased. “I can’t expect you to even know what a ‘pauldron’ is, much less how to wear it.”

You huffed. “All right, fine. I don’t know what that is. But you could show me, and then I would.”

“How about I show you more magic instead?” He offered. Part of you was elated. Magic was amazing! But the other part remembered the day before just a bit too vividly. Magic was also frightening.

“Can we not do what we did yesterday?” You asked. “That kinda fried my brain.”

“We are going to have to continue with the experiments, I’m afraid. But you won’t come to harm.”

The courtyard he led you too was lovely, and would be even lovelier, once it was finished. Loki had blankets and bread brought out and sat you down with him, like you were having a nice picnic. He took your hand and spread out your fingers.

“Did it hurt yesterday?” He asked, fingertips brushing the brand. It tickled.

“Well, not exactly. Not pain. Or not what I call pain. It was just too much, that’s all. It was like all the things that come with pain, without the pain part?”

He nodded slowly. “The power is probably circumventing your pain receptors altogether. That might be an involuntary defense mechanism, allowing your body to redirect the magic through the least damaging channels. Possibly partially converting or absorbing it?” He was barely speaking to you at this point, more like he was simply thinking out loud. “Definitely using a portion of it somehow, to maintain health through our closeness.”

Closeness indeed. You were both out in the open, for all to see, sitting cross-legged together on a blanket, heads close, holding hands. Anyone who saw you would get the wrong impression. How could they not?

“Will you let me join with you again?” He asked. You flinched. Did everybody in this city need to work on their phrasing? It seemed he mistook your expression, quickly adding, “I will not let there be a repeat of yesterday, don’t worry. We will be careful.”

“Geez. I guess so. What is the goal though?”

“Like yesterday, I want you to try to push the energy back down. Try to push it into me, through the link. You won’t hurt me, so push as hard as you like.”

You spent several hours practicing and experimenting with moving the energy back and forth. It was truly exhausting, for all that you never even moved from that spot. Loki explained the fatigue as being like exercising a whole new set of muscles that you had never used before, and it certainly felt like it.

When it got too much, he would let you take a break, leaning your head against his shoulder so you could wolf down the bread, while he slowly stroked your shoulders and back. The familiarity of it put you on edge. You wanted the comfort very badly. The past few days had been very stressful, and all you’d been able to do was let it sweep you along. You wanted someone to hold you for a moment, but you weren’t really sure you wanted it to be him. You didn’t have anyone else in mind, but he was, in some part, the center of half a year of suffering, and responsible for uprooting you from everything you had ever known, and setting you adrift. Even though he had vowed to take responsibility for it all, you weren’t sure you wanted it to be him.

When you resumed, the energy was easier to handle, and you could work a bit longer before weariness took over. You thought it must be because you were less tense for the work of his hands. He worked you until you couldn’t do anymore, until you movements trembled and your words came slow and thick, then he lay you down on the blanket to sleep while he compiled his notes.

It was evening before you awoke to Andsvarr calling softly through the door that it was dinnertime. You rolled out of bed to brush your hair and smooth your clothes-which you were very glad to find still on. You grabbed the pad of paper Saldis had left for you and scribbled ‘English Language Books’ for her to find.

Dinner felt awkward. Loki was still being casually tactile, and everyone seemed to notice but him. You probably should have said something, but for all the sleeping, you were still tired, still letting yourself be swept along.

When you were escorted back to bed, you fell right back asleep, and found yourself dreaming of golden spires and flying ships.

                                                                            *****

“Loki, may I speak to you?” Thor asked. Loki could hear concern and confusion in his voice. What was it this time?

“And what have I done to perturb you now brother? I do believe I have behaved myself adequately, at least for a few hours or so.”

“You’re getting pretty handsy with that woman.” Brunnhilde pointed out, punching his arm lightly. “Good for you.”

“It’s not like that!” He insisted. “Touch stabilizes the energy within her. It allows her to push herself further, to remain strong for longer, and mitigates magic fatigue. Bjarkehild, you know, the head healer? We all found this out together.”

“Oh, and I’m sure you put up such a fight.” She teased. “Oh no, I’ve got to get all cuddly with the cute little mortal girl, whatever shall I do?”

Loki heaved a martyred sigh. “Not you too.”

“What?” Brunnhilde shrugged. “She’s cute. Whatever. You lucked out.”

“I am bound against my will to a magical dilemma, which has forced me to bring mayhem into an innocent woman’s life.” He said gravely. “Luck has not favored me for years. I just want to do it right this time. Do something right, anyway.”

“Loki.” Thor said. “However you want to do this-“

“Yes, I know. ‘Be careful’. Now if you will excuse me, I believe I will get some rest as well.”

He listened at your door for a few moments, just to make sure everything was all right, then retired to his own room.

He dreamt of home.

[cartzypage]

Timeless Classics, Twinning with Him in Leather Jackets

Timeless classics, both for him and us… a great leather jacket!

I know it sounds cheesy, but we love twinning!  We have similar leather jackets, trench coats, and shearling jackets.  For the shearling jacket, I bought the mens version and tailored it to my frame.  That’s how much I loved it!  We have similar taste in fashion, so we end up shopping for each other quite often and getting similar styles so we can have these fun twinning moments!

His leather jacket is by Schott NYC and it’s truly a timeless piece.  The brand is over 100 years old, and in 1925, Schott NYC was the first clothier to put a zipper on a jacket.  It’s also one of the first clothing brands to create a leather motorcycle jacket in 1928.  Talk about classic!  And this Schott NYC leather jacket is all types of fun… Epaulets with star details, front angled zip pockets, snap flap coin pocket, fully lined with thick quilted lining, and more!

My faux leather jacket is from BLANKNYC (highly rated, under $100).  The brand is a little over 10 years old and this particular piece is one of my favorites.  I’ve had this jacket for over 3+ years now and it’s still my go-to piece.  It’s tailored perfectly at the waistline and has an asymmetric drop collar that I love!

It’s so much fun learning about these brands!  Nordstrom is still my first destination to learn, browse, and shop for mens pieces.  I appreciate that they offer classic and contemporary brands for mens, and that they offer tailoring services in every store to make sure the pieces fit perfectly.  An inch or two off the bottom and/or a tad bit shorter on the sleeves can make a huge difference on a jacket or coat!

Happy holidays everyone and I hope you enjoy this twin styling and photo story.  Hope you had a great weekend and thank you so much for reading!  And special thanks to Nordstrom for partnering on this post!

– HIS OUTFIT –

Jacket | SCHOTT NYC leather jacket Sweater | Bonobos henley Jeans | Rag & Bone slim straight leg jeans Shoes | Frye boots Accessories | Ray Ban sunglasses

– HERS OUTFIT –

Jacket | BLANKNYC faux leather jacket (highly rated, under $100) Sweater | Leith classic v-neck sweater Jeans | J Brand high waist jeans Shoes | Christian Louboutin booties Accessories | Dior bag & Stila ‘Fiery’ lip color & Ray Ban sunglasses

The post Timeless Classics, Twinning with Him in Leather Jackets appeared first on Wendy's Lookbook.

Timeless Classics, Twinning with Him in Leather Jackets published first on https://medium.com/@GoShopSingapore

[jamikaheffner]

Timeless Classics, Twinning with Him in Leather Jackets

Timeless classics, both for him and us… a great leather jacket!

I know it sounds cheesy, but we love twinning!  We have similar leather jackets, trench coats, and shearling jackets.  For the shearling jacket, I bought the mens version and tailored it to my frame.  That’s how much I loved it!  We have similar taste in fashion, so we end up shopping for each other quite often and getting similar styles so we can have these fun twinning moments!

His leather jacket is by Schott NYC and it’s truly a timeless piece.  The brand is over 100 years old, and in 1925, Schott NYC was the first clothier to put a zipper on a jacket.  It’s also one of the first clothing brands to create a leather motorcycle jacket in 1928.  Talk about classic!  And this Schott NYC leather jacket is all types of fun… Epaulets with star details, front angled zip pockets, snap flap coin pocket, fully lined with thick quilted lining, and more!

My faux leather jacket is from BLANKNYC (highly rated, under $100).  The brand is a little over 10 years old and this particular piece is one of my favorites.  I’ve had this jacket for over 3+ years now and it’s still my go-to piece.  It’s tailored perfectly at the waistline and has an asymmetric drop collar that I love!

It’s so much fun learning about these brands!  Nordstrom is still my first destination to learn, browse, and shop for mens pieces.  I appreciate that they offer classic and contemporary brands for mens, and that they offer tailoring services in every store to make sure the pieces fit perfectly.  An inch or two off the bottom and/or a tad bit shorter on the sleeves can make a huge difference on a jacket or coat!

Happy holidays everyone and I hope you enjoy this twin styling and photo story.  Hope you had a great weekend and thank you so much for reading!  And special thanks to Nordstrom for partnering on this post!

– HIS OUTFIT –

Jacket | SCHOTT NYC leather jacket Sweater | Bonobos henley Jeans | Rag & Bone slim straight leg jeans Shoes | Frye boots Accessories | Ray Ban sunglasses

– HERS OUTFIT –

Jacket | BLANKNYC faux leather jacket (highly rated, under $100) Sweater | Leith classic v-neck sweater Jeans | J Brand high waist jeans Shoes | Christian Louboutin booties Accessories | Dior bag & Stila ‘Fiery’ lip color & Ray Ban sunglasses

The post Timeless Classics, Twinning with Him in Leather Jackets appeared first on Wendy's Lookbook.

from Wendy's Lookbookhttps://www.wendyslookbook.com/2018/12/timeless-classics-twinning-with-him-in-leather-jackets/