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pawborough · 2 months ago

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August-September Post-Alpha Check In

Hello, everyone!

With the release of Alpha testing, we have in this update a retrospective on the test itself, a host of content from August, some lore drop, and word on where we are with Moontail and Leopard!

Let’s begin with some art!

Southern Romanovtsa

Users in our Discord participated in a community game to see the preproduction designs of our Romanovtsa variants. The Southern olive variant is done!

Design and illustration by Hydde

Crests

We’ve illustrated two more forum crests, Orchard Crest and Spectral Crest!

Design and illustration by Giulia

Currently, Demonic is being illustrated now!

Regal Set recolors

Regal set had its recolors done!

Black, grey, white, red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, purple, pink, and brown, recolors by Emma (@missbluefrost)

New Accessory: Gilded Crest

Next, preview of the design for the Gilded Crest, the sponsored accessory item from the individual who won our sweepstakes: Emma! (Not the one on our team)

KS sponsored by Emma, illustrated by Azarel

Harvest Logo

As promised, the Harvest logo was updated to better reflect the difference in the thematic stone and incense items.

This visual will slowly be updated in all our content.

Wheatley and Crowley

Take a peak at the newest progress on Whealtey and Crowley!

Leopard and Moontails Check In

As promised, we want to release these two things together. So where are we?

Moontails have all patterns but Leopard done.

Moontail wing colors, a mighty feat, are good to go, but we are currently working on perfecting the tail and whisker glow colors. Moontails will be utilizing the accent 1 color for their glow tint, much like the previous cat creator, and we’ve had to start from the ground up on accommodating all of our colors in a way that flatters the glow.

In addition, doing this work now will help benefit any glowing mystic breeds in the future... ;)

Here is an example of in-progress glow designs:

Thistle, Wisteria, River

Overall this breed is very robust in comparison to our other breeds, and it will be extremely rewarding to release all 3 wing types at once. With all the effort gone in, Moontails have certainly earned their place as a legacy breed.

Leopard

Leopard is all done! Sans Moontails, but they’re currently being worked on. Here is an in-progress example:

WIP by Asp

Though, we are wary of using the designated “tiger” palette for Leopard 100% of the time, as we worry this will create a washed-out look for the pattern in the majority of cases, so while we tool Moontail glows, we’re visiting altering Leopard spot colors.

As far as art goes as a whole, these two things are concurrently working alongside our main production push. A vast majority of our time is going towards icons or continuing accessory illustration. This will limit the amount of new content we can share, as it will just be the same items repeated several times over! However, we’re dedicated to taking the time to not only prepare our starter breeds, but to expand the breed compatibility for each accessory as soon as possible!

New Information on the land of Kotemara

New information on the continent known as Kotemara, which is the name for the giant landmass that users will be joining when they play PawBorough.

Kotemara is home to 7 Boroughs, which each have a capital, we're here to share the capital names for each!

Luna: Kotikansa Sol: Borheim Upper Abyssal: Tsuribari Lower Abyssal: Umiya Zenith: Felkin Harvest: Hillshire Cogwheel: New Brassgate The Metropolis: The Spire

But there's something else...

The Wastes

The magic of the geological deposits that Catfolk are currently studying and learning has ran rampant in large areas around Kotemara, influencing the localized flora and fauna. These areas are home to large, powerful, magical beasts roaming the land, colloquially called Wastebeasts. Plant life either dies out, save for hardy, shrubby grasses and sparse foliage, or overgrows and mutates into a magical nightmare.

All Wastebeasts are very dangerous and magically aggressive. Cats who brave the wastes seldom return home, and catfolk settlements bordering the wastes are frequently terrorized by Wastebeast attacks.

The Spire, the head magical academy in The Metropolis, has sworn to make studying and controlling the Wastes its top priority in magical research and modernization. But the latest achievements coming from The Spire have been little more than pithy advancements in magical products...

Independent organizations like Maven's Guild have cropped up around the Boroughs, with trained recruits helping scared cats cross the wastes, helping to fend off Wastebeasts from catfolk villages, and to assist with mundane errands.

As you learn about Maven and her organization, you'll discover more about her connection to the Wastes...

Alpha Retrospective

At the beginning of this month, we started dedicated Alpha testing. This was a challenging time, as we as a team have never before performed public-facing testing of this nature.

But we are jovial and positive behind the scenes, because we have learned a lot regarding our own application, our development tactics, user feedback tracking, user desires, and community support management. This test-run has given us beginning experience on how the full game will function with an active user base, and has allowed us to foster a more prepared understanding for not only server preparation, but all further development efforts.

In addition, the mass amounts of testing and QA reporting has truly helped to improve our development, as we can knock out and identify bugs much easier. We are thriving with this, able to swiftly chop and iterate upon any flaws found in the functionality. The flow of tickets means there’s always something to improve on, and we have burgeoned with this setup.

The warm and positive attitude from our testers has also helped to lift our spirits. We’re very open to the criticism and feedback we have received on the application thus far! In fact, we’re duly grateful that so many users have put in their valuable time and energy to both constructively and bluntly critique what we have. Earnestly, with no aggression nor sarcasm: It is stellar that we have users who care. It means that we have something which people love, and want to see improve, and we could not ask for better!

That being said, we were expecting more aggression and user vitriol than we actually received thus far, and it’s uplifted the spirits of our team in such a way that we’re real fired up!

Our biggest aspects we want to improve on going forward is:

Better user-side communication. This will come as we grow and can expand our team. Right now, only two individuals handle user tickets, and with one of them being myself, who also handles a great brunt of not only user-side updates, but also all development management, and it can cause swift and detailed user-side communication to suffer. This is certainly a problem! The infallible solution will be to hire more help once we have the resources, and for now we’ll do our best to structure the responsibility in a way which prioritizes communication more favorably for users in the coming future. We truly owe you all better! And we are very grateful that you are all so patient while we’re working this hard.

Better code management. In general, we’d like to see things come out the gate a little less breakable, and this is on us to improve. We’ve tightened our form, including running more tests before releasing updates or iterating, and we’re only seeing the application get stronger from here.

Staying vague on promising deadlines. Unfortunately, we did fall a month behind, and taking that into consideration, we're just not in a place to make sweeping promises on the timeline. We admit fault, and will learn from this. From here, we're going to err on the side of caution and simply take the time we need. It smarts that we have had so many roadbumps and delays, but what's important is that we are consistently making progress, and that the final product is robust and surpasses user expectation for fun and enjoyment. We're keeping our heads down and grinding on.

And here’s a summary of what we liked:

Even without a gameplay loop, users have frequently reported having fun interacting with the mechanics. This implies that there’s an inherent enjoyment to the setup, and is one of the best omens for longevity as a game that we could receive. It means that, at our core, we have an enjoyable game. That’s huge! We can only improve!

We’ve knocked out bugs fast. Users have been happy to see new iterations frequently released for testing.

Users are very eager to test, giving us detailed reports that improve our development.

In conclusion, this has been a hugely positive experience, and we’re excited to keep building and improving.

We’re hoping to run this test for a few more weeks while we do the following:

Nail down intended functionality of all working mechanics.

Iterate a few key functionalities: metamorphics, cross-team play, and potentially combat.

We’ll then close the test, with an announcement of such a week before closing, and take some time to rest, reflect, iterate on any important aspects of the game that we’re missing, and polish what we have with the most pertinent user feedback. After which, we’ll prepare for the opening of Closed Beta!

Here is an updated timeline to reflect how things are shaking out:

This will be cross-posted to our socials as we focus on updating them!

If I can provide a small update from myself, the project lead: Overall it’s been great, though I am personally working a lot. Between everything I do, I have been working myself to sleep most days of the week. Right now, I eat, I sleep, and I wake up to work on PawBorough, and many times I forgo the sleep part. So I have been extremely grateful for the positivity and patience from the user base, and I have to pre-emptively request a bit of grace and patience if I disappear for a time to get some rest.

But saying this, I stress that you all do not worry about me! I am completely alright! In fact I am very happy to be working, and I love it. I simply want to communicate the amount of dedication I have right now, ask for a bit of grace if I'm slow to reply to questions or tickets, and to give a big THANK YOU for the opportunity you all have given me to be doing this. I really could not be more in love with PawBorough, and so far I see a bright path for it to grow its wings and flourish as it improves. I hope all of our supporters and users feel this with me!

And from here, I am going to be taking this upcoming weekend away to rest. But we'll be back bright and squirrelly on Monday!

To summarize: We shared the Southern Romanovtsa, Regal set recoloring, 2 new crests, the Gilded Crest accessory, the updated Harvest logo, an NPC wip, a lore drop for longterm conflict, and our Alpha retrospective.

What to expect next update: Further asset and development updates. Check-ins for how Alpha is going, updated Borough descriptions to put on the site, and any further plans we'll have to share.

#virtual pet #paw borough #pet site #indie game #petsite #pet sim #art update #development update #pawborough #kickstarter update

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militantinremission · 6 months ago

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Vivek Ramaswami: The Perils of 'Race Neutrality'

Vivek Ramaswami's interview w/ Ann Coulter killed many birds w/ One Stone. Her blatant Racism & his acceptance of it spoke Volumes. Vivek has been pushing an Anti- Black Narrative for several years; I have personally said that he WILL become a victim of the Institutionalized Racism that he marginalized & dismissed. Ann Coulter is NO DUMMY! She tested his 'Race Neutral' stance from the start of the Interview. When she told him Point Blank that she agrees w/ him on many issues, but won't vote for him because he's 'Indian', Vivek didn't blink. He later commented that he 'respected her Courage to speak honestly'(???). THIS is what separates Black Americans from 'Brownfolk', & why ANY Black & Brown Coalition is just a pipe dream.

I have said a few times that Black Immigrants & Brownfolk don't have the same experience as Black Americans. We have an American Experience of Institutionalized Systemic Racism that has endured for Centuries. From the American Constitution, to Local Law, legislation has been put in place w/ the intent of marginalizing Black America as a Collective. For example: Property Taxes are lower & Insurance Rates are higher in Black Communities, compared to similar situations (same Property Lot size, same Vehicle) in Non Black Communities. This is by legislative design. 'People Of Color' don't share that experience. Like Irish, Italian, & Eastern European Immigrants, these Folks experienced a Period of 'Social Hazing' by the Mainstream, but are eventually included into American Society. They know Discrimination & Prejudicial Bias, but few experience the level of Systemic Racism that Black America faces daily.

Vivek Ramaswami's Case is worth noting. He's a 2nd generation American- a child of Brahmin Parents; both w/ Post Graduate Degrees (like Nimrata 'Nikki' Haley & Kamala Harris). He was born & raised in Ohio, attended Private School, & was able to amass Hundreds of Millions of Dollars at QVT Financial (managing their Biotech Division). By all accounts, Vivek is living The American Dream. His brief Public School Experience in Cincinnati has obviously affected his view of Black Americans. He has gone out of his way to slander the Black American Experience; marginalizing Our History & Our Struggle, but his Family arrived in the 1980s. He positioned himself in Conservative Politics & rose to prominence spewing Anti- Black rhetoric. Conservative News Media Outlets gave him a wave to ride, but he Wiped Out in the Iowa Primary.

Despite visiting all 99 Counties, Ramaswami received a meager Return on his Investment. Iowans liked his talking points, but weren't comfortable w/ his Religion (Hinduism) or his 'Brown Skin'. The conversations that his Wife had w/ Iowan Voters were cringe worthy! Many looked her in the eye & stated their mistrust of his 'dark complexion' & questionable Christian Values; this despite Vivek touting his Jesuit Education non-stop on the Campaign Trail. Black Americans (other than Sen. Tim Scott) would've been insulted, but Vivek & his Wife apparently took it on the chin. He dropped out of the Race after Iowa, & predictably kissed the ring of Donald Trump. Throughout his Presidential Bid, Vivek Ramaswami sounded like he was auditioning for the Office of Vice President more than President.

Donald Trump recently had an Event at Mar A Lago that Media is calling a 'Vice Presidential Sweepstakes'. Ramaswami was among those being considered. It appears that his interview w/ Ann Coulter was an effort to beef up his Social Capital among MAGA Republicans, but Coulter deflated his Trial Balloon before he could reach a proper threshold. I personally find it comical. Vivek got so wrapped up in his perceived White Privilege, that he didn't realize what he REALLY had was Anti- Black Privilege. He thought that his wealth put him in the Ballpark, but didn't realize that most Americans don't know much about Hedge Funds or Biotech. Vivek literally flew beneath the radar, but his glaringly Non- White features overshadowed his rhetoric.

Like most 'People Of Color', Vivek Ramaswami failed to understand that AmeriKKKa sees him & his demographic as nothing more than a 'Buffer Group'. Their arrogance & smugness towards Us, blinds them to the fact that they are tools of Benign Neglect Policies; set up solely for the purpose of marginalizing Black American efforts to exercise a Right of Expression... Middle Class & Poor Whitefolk are becoming aware of just how much money this demographic earns; i'm anticipating a pushback at some point. AmeriKKKa IS NOT a Democracy, it's a White Supremacist Capitalist Republic. In This Land, The Wealthy Rule & Wealthy Whitefolk (i e. WASPS) are at the top of the Totem Pole... To date, the average Asian American Family earns more than the average White American Family. Black America knows FULL WELL what happens when Whitefolk begin to think that a Non- White Population may B outperforming them. For their own sake, Latinx & Black Immigrants should pay close attention.

When We factor in the Sabre Rattling between The U.S. & China over Commerce & Taiwan, plus rising tension between The U.S. & Hindustan/ Bharat over alleged Election Tampering, there may B some blow back on Asian Americans; especially during a Time of Economical Uncertainty- think Japanese Americans during WW2... Chattel Slavery has provided Black Americans w/ a unique perspective that Immigrants don't have. Whitefolk regarded Us as Sub Human (3/5ths of Humanity), so they weren't discrete about their actions around Us. This gives Us an intimate understanding of HOW AmeriKKKa moves. We warned these 'People of Color' about the folly of Race Neutrality, as We warned Poor Whitefolk about the folly of choosing White Privilege over Progressive Politics 135Yrs ago (i.e. The Populist Movement). NO ONE took heed to Our Prophecy- that American Capitalism WILL come for them, once We're neutralized. As always, it's Profit over People.

-The pendulum swings both ways.

#Karma #RulesOfEngagement #NotMyPeopleNotMyProblem #ADOS #FBA #The13Percent #B1

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lemonluvgirl · 1 year ago

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At the Edge of the World with You

Wrote this for @waywardangel-wilds and @loungemermaid who said they were interested in an everlark survival story.

Here’s the first part. I don’t know when I plan on writing the second part, as I am still working on my submission for the TWHHA summer challenge 2023 I was actually hoping that maybe another writer might want to pick up this thread, and continue this. Maybe we could play pass the baton and have multiple people contribute to it??? Let me know what you all think. Also, just so everyone knows I have a reason for the age gap in the story and the description of Peeta's build. If anyone wants to know why DM me and I will tell you. Also this story is losely inspired by a survival story I recently read.

I was twenty-one and he was seventeen when our plane went down over the Maldives.

I wasn’t even supposed to be on that trip, the ticket initially belonged to my younger sister, Prim, but she caught a bad case of the flu and wasn’t going to get better in time for her departure date. She’d won the ticket in one of those sweepstakes giveaway contests months ago. When she found out she couldn’t change the departure and return flight dates she asked me to go in her stead. I had just recently broken up with my boyfriend of six years and I needed a change of scenery, or at least that's what Prim said when she gave me her all-expenses-paid vacation to a luxury resort in Malé and made me promise to get a tan and have at least one fling while I was in paradise for her.

I never even made it to the resort.

An unexpected thunderstorm threw our plane way off track in the last leg of our journey to the capital of the Maldives. The turbulence was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I’d flown on my fair share of flights. As the long-time girlfriend of a full-time officer in the U.S. Airforce I had flown all over the world to visit my boyfriend Gale when he had annual leave wherever he happened to be stationed at the time. But this storm was unreal. The sound of the wind pounding against the plane was terrifying.

You could hear the metal creak and groan, and with every bang and thud, it kept growing louder and louder with the occasional loud crack of booming thunder to break up the chorus.

Multiple passengers were screaming and crying and the sound of the storm just kept climbing higher and higher, building into a chaotic crescendo that frightened me down to my bones.

Captain Crane got on the intercom and ordered everyone to put on their life preserver jackets. By then even the flight attendants were freaking out and had stopped trying to calm the passengers. Instead, they were running around trying to get the emergency life raft inflated. They couldn’t seem to get the air canister to lock on correctly to the seal, they were too nervous and were holding the can the wrong way. I unhooked my seatbelt, intending to go over and help them. I collided with the skinny, pale teenager wearing a baseball cap that had been seated in the row across from me when I got into the aisle, who might have been trying to help the flight attendants like me or maybe was just panicking and trying to get away from the screaming redhead next to him.

That’s when the plane was buffeted by a particularly hard gust. We fell backward together, as the plane dipped. His extraordinary blue eyes locked onto mine and he might have murmured an apology but I was too preoccupied to hear. I shook my head and tried to move off him, but found myself caught by something. We struggled in a tangle of messy limbs and desperation, to right ourselves, but couldn’t. Until we could, and finally we separated and tumbled apart, him stumbling back into his seat next to the hysterical redhead, and me falling on my ass in the middle of the aisle.

Then the plane gave a great groan. It sounded horrific like the hundreds of feet of metal and plastic were being torn apart by the furious winds outside.

I knew then what was happening. I thought of my sister Prim who was waiting for the call I promised her I’d make when I landed safely in Malé. I thought of my two best friends, Johanna and Madge who were expecting texts and pictures of my vacation. I thought of Gale Hawthorne my former boyfriend of six years and best friend for half my life and wondered how he’d feel when he learned of my death.

I knew I’d never see or speak to any of them again, and tears instantly sprang to my eyes.

I looked down at my watch, in a moment of morbid curiosity, wanting to know down to the minute when I was going to die, and I’ll never forget how the minute hand switched over to midnight at the exact moment that lightning struck the plane.

The impact knocked me off my feet and the sound of shattering glass and twisting metal filled my ears as the plane was wrenched apart.

I experienced the strange sensation of being weightless for a second as the plane plummeted, then I was flying.

The last thing I saw before I hit the water was the wide-eyed, terrified look of the skinny blue-eyed boy who plummeted through the air alongside me.

His hand was reaching for mine when we both hit the water.

I blacked out for a large amount of time after the impact. It was midnight when we crashed and I regained semi-consciousness around mid-morning the same day.

The only early sensations I can recall from that time are disorientation, pain, and the coolness of the ocean water drenching my clothes and the buoyancy of the life jacket that helped keep me afloat.

I became more aware of time and things around me as the heat of the sun beat down on my face as I floated somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

At first, I was astounded I had survived the crash. Then, as my thoughts became clearer, I realized I needed to try and get myself out of the water and onto a piece of wreckage or something.

The warm waters in the archipelago of the Maldives were known to be infested with sharks at all times of the year.

That thought got my heart pumping and my blood racing.

Eventually, I was able to move.

I looked around and saw various debris from the plane bobbing or slowly sinking in the water.

I didn’t see any of the other passengers though.

I tried to call out but my voice came out a hoarse croak, and it hurt to even try to speak. I was sure I had hurt my throat during the crash somehow, and not wanting to make it worse, I gave up on trying to communicate for the moment.

I focused instead on finding a way out of the water.

I half swam, half doggy paddled my way over to a section of the ocean filled with more plane debris.

I tried to climb onto a section of what looked like the wing but it was too slippery and it capsized under my weight.

I grew frustrated and silent tears slipped down my face after my second attempt ended up the same as the first.

Then I heard it.

A faint groaning sound.

It came from my left, and was so quiet at first I thought I must have imagined it. Then it happened again. I spun in a clumsy circle trying to locate the source.

There was nothing around me but water and pieces of wreckage.

But no, I heard it again and then I saw it. Or, rather him. He was camouflaged, his torso and most of his face and head trapped under the dark navy blue seat cushions of one of the plane’s passenger chairs.

I swam over to him and pulled the seat cushions off of him.

He wasn’t conscious, and it took me two tries to fully wake him.

“What happened?” He asked when he finally opened his eyes and looked at me.

“Our plane crashed,” I said, in a hoarse whisper, looking him over, and finding his face and what I could see of his upper body mostly intact and healthy aside from some minor scrapes and bruises.

His eyes widened in realization, and I watched his expression shift, as the memory of the storm and crash came back to him.

“Are we the only ones who made it?” He asked, looking around, the seriousness of our situation dawning on him.

I shook my head.

“I don’t know. You’re the only one I could find.” I told him honestly. My voice was creaking, and my throat was dry, but talking wasn’t as painful as my initial attempts.

“Do you feel ok?” I asked.

“All things considered, yeah.” He answered.

“Good, because we have to get out of the water as soon as possible,” I told him as I started scanning the distance for bigger pieces of wreckage that we could use as a makeshift raft.

“Right, because of the sharks.” I heard the boy say but I was only half paying attention.

In my visual scan, I hadn’t been able to locate any more pieces of the plane but I was able to find something that was possibly better.

“See that right there?” I pointed to something south of us and the boy turned in the water to see where I was indicating.

“Yeah,” He replied, his nearly bald head bobbing excitedly, covered by only the faint hint of very light blond peach fuzz. The harsh sun practically glinted off his pale skin. He must have lost his baseball cap in the crash.

“We need to swim in that direction,” I told him seriously.

He looked over at me and nodded again. His blue eyes grew serious and determined as he fixed his gaze on the island in the distance.

I nodded, mostly to myself and then I started moving through the water. My entire body was sore, and it hurt like bitch to rotate my right arm, but I knew the stakes.

I would force myself to swim if it meant that I could reach safety and wait for a rescue plane, or maybe find a phone or help on the far-away beach.

“My name’s Peeta, by the way. Peeta Mellark.” I heard the young man call out, close behind me.

I exhaled, and without turning around, I answered his unspoken question.

“I’m Katniss,” I said, clumsily cutting through the water, swimming slightly parallel to the shore while inching closer to it at an angle.

“Katniss Everdeen.”

It took us over an hour to reach the shore. By the time we did, we were both exhausted.

Peeta, it seemed wasn’t as good a swimmer as me. He slumped on the sand, spitting and choking up half a liter of seawater.

The sun was brutal as it pounded down on our prone forms. I tried to say something, about how we needed to find shelter, but my mouth wasn’t working.

We must have lost consciousness for a while, because one minute I was resting my eyes, trying to catch my breath after having dragged myself out of the water, and the next I was waking up, hot, thirsty, and disoriented, the tide washing over my lower legs and the sun in a different position overhead than I remembered.

I was only able to help Peeta drag himself the rest of the way out of the water, as he too had collapsed and lost consciousness like me, due to dehydration and exhaustion.

I found a palm tree a few feet away and settled us under it, hoping the shade would at least help keep us awake and avoid us getting a third-degree sunburn.

Peeta’s fair skin was already lobster red everywhere he wasn’t covered with clothing. His eyes looked glassy, and his skin was clammy feeling. A minute or two after I moved him he vomited and passed out again.

I wondered if he had a concussion or heat exhaustion. I thought belatedly, that my sister Prim would know since she was a medical student. I wished I could ask her what to do, but she was thousands of miles away.

I tried to scan the beach for any sign of civilization but all I saw was a long stretch of empty sand to my left and right, and a dense-looking jungle behind me.

No sign of houses or human habitation anywhere I looked.

I tried to get up, thinking if I could walk that maybe I could find some help for Peeta and myself but I crumpled to the ground almost immediately, my body giving out on me.

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I prayed the young man next to me wouldn’t die after everything I had endured to try and save his life. I prayed I wouldn’t die either.

I knew I needed to find some branches and make a signal fire or something to attract attention from the planes I was sure would be out searching for us even this minute.

But ultimately, it was out of my hands. I wasn’t able to keep conscious. I wasn’t able to move.

The first evening and night passed in a terrible blur of helplessness.

The next morning we woke up, confused and in bad shape.

We were the only two survivors that we knew of out of the twenty-four people that we set out with from the German airport, en route to Malé less than forty-eight hours earlier.

We were just two people brought together by fate and disaster. And I knew we were in serious trouble if we didn’t find water soon.

I told Peeta as much, relaying the cold hard facts about dehydration and heat exposure to him. He grimaced, at the thought of moving.

His lips cracked and bled when he agreed to help me search the island for drinkable water. But he got up anyway.

We staggered and stumbled through the brush, heads pounding, tongues sticking to the roof of our mouths, hungry and thirsty unlike ever before.

The jungle was eerily quiet, except for the buzz of mosquitoes, and the sound of us walking.

They followed us in a dizzy cloud, biting and sucking blood from every exposed inch of skin they could safely reach.

I quickly lost count of how many I squashed and slapped off myself. After a while, I stopped bothering.

Peeta huffed and puffed his way through the dense foliage, his feet dragging every step and his sneaker-covered footsteps unnaturally loud.

I wanted to gripe at him to keep it down, scared of attracting wild animals, but I knew it wasn’t his fault.

He really did look awful. His skin was peeling in patches on his nose and cheeks and the tops of his head, where the sun had gotten him and his eyes still looked exhausted.

I probably looked only marginally better, having collapsed face down onto the sand the day before instead of face up like him.

My olive skin tone tanned rather than burned usually, but in the tropical sun, I had a feeling it wouldn’t matter. After a few hours of exposure, I probably would have gotten heat stroke or something close to it like Peeta.

We stumbled through the jungle for an inordinate amount of time, directionless and it was only when my knees started to give out that I realized my error.

We had gone too far and hadn’t kept track of the way we’d come. We were lost.

I said as much to Peeta, and he fell to his knees with a pained groan.

I clutched a tree, scrambling against the thick vines that grew around its trunk, fighting to stay vertical, but eventually losing that fight.

With a little sob, I sank down to my knees as well, mud coating my ripped jeans and seeping into the gaps.

It took a minute or two for the cold, wet feeling to register, but when it did, I gasped.

“Peeta, Peeta wake up.” I implored.

All I got was a little grunt in reply. Peeta was face down in the mud, seemingly passed out again.

“Peeta! WAKE UP!” I said, louder. I repeated myself until he answered.

“Noooo.” His voice was muffled against the ground, but he was awake again.

“Peeta, look. It’s mud.” I said, crawling in his direction.

“Yeah, it tastes awful.” Was the warbled response I got.

“Peeta, if there’s mud then there must be water nearby,” I said, more forcefully than before.

He picked his head up at that.

“Water?” He asked, voice full of longing.

“Yes, water. We just have to find it.” I told him.

He groaned, but moved a little, crawling forward like me on his hands and knees.

“Okay.” He said, looking over at me. His face was half covered in mud, but his eyes were more alert than I’d seen them since before our plane crashed.

“Okay,” He said again, more determined this time.

“Let’s go.”

It took us at least another five minutes to find the spring, as slow-moving as we were, but when we did we crawled in face-first and gulped mouthfuls until we couldn’t hold anymore in our stomachs.

We were lucky the water wasn’t stagnant, and that we found it when we did.

The mosquitoes swarmed us as we lay along the spring’s edge, and I was too exhausted to swat them away.

I heard some rustling next to me and looked over to find Peeta playing with the mud, gathering it up in handfuls and spreading it over his arms.

I blinked at him in confusion.

“You should do it too.” He told me and gestured to the mud.

I must have looked at him like he was crazy.

“It’ll help with the bugs and the sunburn.” He explained and I nodded, amazed that I hadn’t thought of it first.

Covering yourself in mud was an old hunting trick my father had mentioned when I was little. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten it.

I gathered up mud by the handfuls and started spreading it across my skin.

I looked over at my fellow survivor and cracked a faint smile. My first one since before the crash.

It took us two hours to make it back to the beach. I was dismayed at having nothing to use as a container so that we could take some water back with us, but there was nothing usable in the jungle. Just trees, vines, and mosquitoes. It was a long and tiring trek back, and by the time we reached the shore, the sun was beating down over our heads and the sand was scorching hot.

“Maybe we should’ve stayed in the jungle,” Peeta suggested, the layer of mud on his face already cracking in the blistering heat.

“No, we need to stay close to the shore. In case a plane comes by.” I told him in a weary voice.

My body felt better after having drunk enough water, but the heat and lack of food were making me lightheaded.

“Do you think they know where to look? I thought I heard the flight attendant say something about us being thrown off course before the crash.” Peeta asked, his voice sounded a lot smoother after having drunk water.

I contemplated his question. I had also heard the same thing but I didn’t want to give into fear or panic.

“I’m not sure. I just hope they’ll see the wreckage in the ocean and start searching the closest islands.”

“Well, every plane has one of those flight recorders right? They are outfitted with locator beacons and can transmit their locations for up to thirty days. Or at least, I think I read something like that.” He said, voice hopeful but unsure.

“No, I think you’re right. We were supposed to arrive yesterday afternoon. They’ve got to be searching for us by now, and the locator beacon thing will lead them right to the crash. They’ll zero in on us soon.” I said, letting out a sigh of relief.

Peeta nodded as we settled under the palm tree, eyes turned upwards, scanning the clouds.

“Do you think anyone else made it?” He asked after some time had passed and we remained watching the sky with anticipation.

“I’m not sure. It's entirely possible. The Maldives are made up of over 2,000 islands. And the flight attendants were working on inflating that emergency raft right before we crashed…..” I said, voice trailing off, unsure.

“Man, I really hope somebody else made it. That one flight attendant Octavia, with the long green nails, and the green eyeshadow,” Peeta said after I gave him a blank look when he said the woman’s name, I hadn't been paying close enough attention to learn anyone of my fellow passenger’s names, I realized, “she said this was her dream assignment. Working for a small company in the tropics. She was looking forward to spending her off time working on her tan.” He said as he looked out over the ocean solemnly.

“And the redhead next to me, Lavinia? She was flying out to her best friend’s destination wedding. She was going to be a bridesmaid.” Peeta added, voice soft and distant.

I swallowed down a lump that rose in my throat and fought back tears. I knew I couldn’t waste any of the precious water we had so painfully worked to obtain so soon.

“There were 24 of us on that flight. Twenty-four people with twenty-four stories. Each of them was filled with their own hopes and dreams. We can’t be the only ones left.” He said, voice so sad that I felt a pang in my chest from hearing his empathetic tone alone. I wondered for the first time who this young man next to me was. How did he end up stranded on what was looking more and more like a deserted island with me?

“You can’t think about all that right now Peeta. You need to focus on yourself. On surviving. We both do.” I said in a stern voice.

He regarded me for a long moment, and his big blue eyes didn’t appear the least bit chastised as I had expected, but instead, he seemed perplexed underneath the tiredness that blanketed his features.

“Ok, well, then why don’t you tell me about yourself, Katniss?”

“There’s not much to tell. I mean, we were on the same flight, headed to the same destination. Our plane crashed. We both ended up here. We’re both fighting to survive this insane situation.” I said in summary.

“Yeah, but you said we should focus on ourselves and our reasons for surviving. So tell me, what or who is waiting for you in Malé? What’s your reason for fighting so hard to live through this crazy circumstance we both find ourselves in?”

I was taken aback for a moment. He seemed almost too introspective for a what? A fifteen or sixteen-year-old?

“How old are you, kid?”

“I’m seventeen, turning eighteen in three months, so I’m not really a kid. Closer to an adult if you want to get technical about it. How old are you, Katniss? You don’t look much older than me.”

“I’m 21. But people often say I look young for my age.”

“You do.”

I shrugged. I’d heard it pretty much all my life. I blamed it on a combination of genetics that gave me shorter than average stature. I stood at 5’3 with a small frame (skinny with just enough curves to not be mistaken for a boy but not enough to look womanly).

I wasn’t about to continue that pointless line of conversation though. It didn’t really matter what our personal stories were or why we were headed to the Maldives. We had bigger things to worry about.

“Well, despite how old I do or don’t look, we’ve got to figure out a way to catch the attention of any planes that might be passing overhead. That means lighting a signal fire. So, as soon as you’re up for it we can each take turns looking for dry branches.”

“Why don’t we just both go at the same time? In case one of us gets lost?”

“Someone should stay behind in case a plane comes by, if nothing else we can try to flag them down by waving our arms, ineffectual as it may be. But if they are searching for survivors then hopefully they’ll be flying low enough to spot us. A signal fire though, would help them locate us from far away. We’ll just have to stay close to shore and only go about ten to fifteen paces into the jungle. Not far enough that we lose the sight of the shore.”

Peeta nodded and surprised me when he stood up.

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll go first.” He said quietly before walking away.

anyone who wants to jump in and continue the story feel free! @mega-aulover , @dandelionlovesyou @periwinckles @jhsgf82 @broken-everlark @pearlbeth @thesweetnessofspring @professionalfangrrl @sommmee

#everalrk #fanfiction #thg #thg fanfiction #survival #survival romance #forced proximity #modern au

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fearsomeandwretched · 2 years ago

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I felt like I shouldn't enter the capital one sweepstakes bc I have tickets to two shows but just saw someone who has 5 tickets entering 💀

#I still don't think I will #idk

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infinitesimalstarrlight · 14 days ago

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This is a probably-cringe post for something that I very much want to happen--something that is highly improbable to actually happen.

Still--here goes (I know it's long, but please read!):

This is my last ditch effort to try to see @taylorswift at the Eras Tour in Indianapolis this Sunday.

You might be asking: Why does it have to be there? Why does it have to be that day?

Honestly? Because my passport is expired & I haven't renewed it yet... And Sunday means I can pack & travel on Saturday, because tomorrow (Friday) I'm visiting a loved one in the hospital.

To be able to go would take a miracle because I can barely afford a $500.00 maximum ticket at this time & I still would need money for a hotel, lodging, travel to & from the city/hotel/airport/stadium. I live in the New England area & am currently only driving in a limited capacity, so a car rental is out of the picture.

Still, this is why I want to go & why I'm putting this out into the universe:

I started paying attention to Taylor Swift after the songs, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" & "I Knew You Were Trouble," but I became a full-fledged "Swiftie" after surviving a concussion & ruptured brain aneurysm 6 months apart in 2022. I remember listening to Midnights' tracks after coming out of my 3rd brain surgery in 6 weeks (January 19, 2023).

During my long & tedious recovery, I started going back through Taylor's Versions of her re-recorded albums. I spent time pouring over the lyric videos (one of my favorite things TS does). I fell in love with Midnights, TTPD, 1989, & fell in love revisiting folklore & evermore--really, most of the whole repertoire.

When the Eras tour stopped in the Boston area last year, I was living off a fundraiser my friends had started for me while I was in the neuro-intensive care unit & I wasn't quite ready to go to a show like that yet. And I was also waiting to be awarded disability (another unnecessarily overly long & tedious process).

I'm not naive enough to say that Taylor is perfect (no one is), nor am I happy about her silence on Gaza, nor do I align with her capitalist little heart (albeit a generous heart as evidenced by her sizable donations [that we know of] to food banks along her tour stops in various cities). In the first place, I don't really believe in perfection, silence, or capitalism. Secondly, as a voice hearer, I'm not in love with the harmfully simplistic & single-sided portrayal of voice hearing that pops up in her lyrics (as evidenced in that brilliantly playful & scathing song My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys: "Oh, here we go again./The voices in his head/Called the rain to end our days of wild").

However, as someone who has dealt with a lot of trauma & self-hatred, what I do love is how Taylor embraces the different eras of herself, which I find to be really healing. One of my closest friends is an original Swiftie from the Debut era & the whole Swiftie community (aside from the posing scammers) has been so welcoming & supportive & fun (I'm looking at you, @thediabeticjonasbrother& @agirlnamedally, as well as the Facebook group, Taylor Swift The Eras Tour New Orleans & Indianapolis 2024).

I'm grateful for Swifties. I love live music & I know seeing Taylor Swift perform so many of the songs I have come to love live with a bunch of other Swifties would be healing & empowering.

There's no way I can afford a $2000.00+ ticket from Stub Hub/other ticket resellers since I'm currently not able to work due to my ongoing recovery, so this idealistic (not naive) post is really my last hope of seeing Eras Tour live & in person.

I've had 3 people try to scam me into buying tickets. I've entered so many Eras Tour ticket sweepstakes I've lost count. I've filled out so many forms to buy face-value tickets from dedicated Swifties trying to get face value tickets into the hands of actual fans (thus avoiding scalpers, scammers, & bots), that I have also lost count.

I've looked forward to watching grainy, shaky live streams of the concert throughout the tour & this photo is from a YouTube livestream during one of the New Orleans shows. Thank you @taylorswift for not blocking livestreams 🤍

If anyone has a ticket, a hotel room, some airline miles, some Uber gift cards (do they do gift cards?), please let me know.

Scammers, don't you dare come at me.

Swifties, I'm right here.

@taylorswift @taylornation

#taylorswift #taylornation #theerastour #everlore #live music #idealistic not naive #voice hearer #trauma #healing #empowering #probably-cringe

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brookston · 4 months ago

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Holidays 7.22

Holidays

Ask An Archeologist Day

Attorney Day (Indonesia)

Beta Blucan Day

Blackfoot Daisy Day

Childbirth Education Awareness Day

Climate Emergency Day

Division 722 Day

Dornach Commemoration Day (Switzerland)

Family Tree Day

Festival of Boredom and Reveries

Fragile X Awareness Day

George Crum Day

Guelaguetza (Primer Lunes; Mexico)

Hammock Day

Health, Happiness with Hypnosis Day

IMF Day

International Childbirth Education Awareness Day

International Love & Gratitude Day

King Father’s Birthday (Eswatini, f.k.a. Swaziland)

Lendemain de l'Aïd el-Kebir (Mauritania)

Liberation Day (Guam)

Lion's Share Day

Majdanek Liberation Day

National Be A Good Teammate Day (UK)

National Flag Adoption Day (India)

National Intern Day

National Pajama Day

National Press Day (Azerbaijan)

National Sing from the Book of Mormon Day

National Sophia Day

National Squirt A Pigeon Day

National Thomas Day

National Water Coaster Day

One Piece Day (Japan)

Pi Approximation Day (a.k.a. Casual Pi Day; 22/7)

Preparedness Day

Qurbon Hayit Holiday (Uzbekistan)

Ranggeln (Germany)

Ratcatcher's Day (a.k.a. Pied Piper Day; UK)

Remington 722 Day

Ryegrass Day (French Republic)

Spooner's Day (a.k.a. Spoonerism Day)

Stilt Dance Day (Spain)

SNN 722 Day

Summer Leisure Day

Thulsa Doom Appreciation Day

Trae Day (Houston, Texas)

World Brain Day

World Day Against Open Pit Mining

World Fragile X Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Froot Loops Day

National BLT Sandwich Day

National Mango Day

Penuche Fudge Day

Independence & Related Days

Bohol Day (Philippines)

Claveria Day (Philippines)

Revolution Day (July 22nd Anniversary; The Gambia)

Sarawak Self-Government Day (Malaysia)

4th Monday in July

Hurricane Supplication Day (Virgin Islands) [4th Monday]

Festivals Beginning July 22, 2024

The Borderland (Alversjö, Denmark) [thru 7.28]

Corn Capital Days (Olivia, Minnesota) [thru 7.28]

Farnborough International Airshow (Farnborough, United Kingdom) [thru 7.26]

Supertoon International Animation Festival (Šibenik, Croatia) [thru 7.26]

USA Beer & Wine Ratings (San Francisco, California)

Feast Days

Abd-al-Masih (Christian; Saint)

Alexander Calder (Artology)

Aphrodisia (Ancient Greek bathing festival of Aphrodite & Peitho)

Aristo (Positivist; Saint)

Beginning of Leo (Astrology; Pagan)

Contemplate the Cosmos Day (Pastafarian)

Dabius (a.k.a. Davies) of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Edward Hopper (Artology)

James Whale Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Joseph of Tiberias (or of Palestine; a.k.a. Count Joseph; Christian; Saint)

Karl Marx Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Leo zodiac sign begins

Loch Ness Monster 1st Sighting (Everyday Wicca)

Markella of Chios (Christian; Saint)

Mary Magdalene (Christian; Saint)

Meneve, Abbot of Menat (Christian; Saint)

Neil Welliver (Artology)

Nohra (Maronite Church)

Pete Dexter (Writerism)

Ruthie Tompson (Artology)

S.E. Hinton (Writerism)

Tom Robbins (Writerism)

Vandrille (a.k.a. Wandregisilus; Christian; Saint)

Vaughn Bodē (Artology)

The Venusian (Muppetism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Dismal Day (Unlucky or Evil Day; Medieval Europe; 14 of 24)

Egyptian Day (Unlucky Day; Middle Ages Europe) [14 of 24]

Premieres

At Your Service (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1935)

Back to the Shack, by Weezer (Song; 2014)

A Balmy Swami (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1949)

Bikini Beach (Film; 1964)

The Bodyguard (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1944)

Captain America: The First Avenger (Film; 2011)

Crazy Drivers (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1955)

The Daily Show (Late Night TV Talk Show; 1996)

Friends with Benefits (Film; 2011)

Gallipoli, by Alan Moorehead (History Book; 1956)

Green Lantern: Beware My Power (WB Animated Film; 2022)

Ice Age: Collision Course (Animated Film; 2016)

The Inverted World, by Christopher Priest (Novel; 1974)

The Island (Film; 2005)

Hollywood Sweepstakes (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1939)

It’s Hummer Time (WB LT Cartoon 1950)

Jaws 3-D (Film; 1983)

Join Together, by The Who (Song; 1972)

Jungle Jingles (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1929)

Lolita (Film; 1998)

Marnie (Film; 1964)

Midnight Run (Film; 1988)

Mr. Mom (Film; 1983)

Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1938)

My Aim Is True, by Elvis Costello (Album; 1977)

Nope (Film; 2022)

North (Film; 1994)

Plan 9 From Outer Space (Film; 1959)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Film; 1954)

Star Trek Beyond (Film; 2016)

The Subtle Knife, by Philip Pullman (Novel; 1997) [His Dark Materials #2]

Weary Willies (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1929)

Today’s Name Days

Magdalena, Maria (Austria)

Lena, Magda, Magdalena, Miglena (Bulgaria)

Lenka, Magdalena, Manda, Marija (Croatia)

Magdaléna (Czech Republic)

Magdalene, Maria (Denmark)

Leen, Leena, Leeni, Made, Madli, Magda, Magdaleena, Mall, Malle (Estonia)

Leena, Leeni, Lenita, Matleena (Finland)

Madeleine, Wandrille (France)

Magdalena, Marlene, Verena (Germany)

Magdalena, Magdalene, Magdalini, Markella (Greece)

Magdolna (Hungary)

Lena, Lorenzo, Maddalena, Maria, Marylena, Menelaos (Italy)

Margita, Marija, Marika, Marina, Marisandra (Latvia)

Dalius, Magdalena, Mantilė, Marija (Lithuania)

Malene, Mali, Malin (Norway)

Albin, Bolesława, Bolisława, Laurencjusz, Maria Magdalena, Milenia, Pankracy, Wawrzyniec, Więcemiła (Poland)

Magdaléna (Slovakia)

Magdalena, María (Spain)

Madeleine, Magdalena (Sweden)

Mada, Madalina, Madalyn, Maddi, Maddie, Maddy, Madel, Madelaine, Madelein, Madeleine, Madelene, Madelina, Madeline, Madie, Madelyn, Mady (Universal)

Amaya, Magda, Magdalen, Magdalena, Magdalene (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 204 of 2024; 162 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of Week 30 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 16 of 28]

Chinese: Month 6 (Xin-Wei), Day 17 (Ding-Hai)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 16 Tammuz 5784

Islamic: 15 Muharram 1446

J Cal: 24 Red; Threesday [24 of 30]

Julian: 9 July 2024

Moon: 98%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 7 Dante (8th Month) [Aristo]

Runic Half Month: Ur (Primal Strength) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 33 of 94)

Week: 4th Week of July

Zodiac: Leo (Day 1 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Leo (The Lion) begins [Zodiac Sign 5; thru 8.21]

#calendar #Holidays

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persephonis-gardens · 2 years ago

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Not just that but the paratext surrounding the franchise can heavily influence how people go into the text, their feelings when reading it, and even their interpretation of subtext.

It's safe to say the films represented a massive uptick in the book's readership

A whole thesis paper can be written about the films and how they handle and mishandle the themes if the books and the inherent irony of adaptation of books about the spectacle of child mortality and war becoming itself a spectacle. I won't get into all the details here but it's likely a lot of people saw the movies before reading the books. Instead of going into those details I want to focus on some of the paratext at this time in the height of the franchise's popularity:

Here's Subway's Catching Fire promotional sweepstakes saying "have you ever wanted to participate in the child murder spectacle? Shop at Subway!"

After the first Mockingjay movie came out the messaging switched from "killing kids for sport is cool!" to "fighting in a civil war is fun!" Hasbrp released the Nerf Rebel line of toys, better known as "💖Nerf guns for girls🌷" which was meant to capitalize off of young girls who were fans of the Hunger Games franchise (as well as Disney's Brave, though the marketing is very obviously skewed towards one of these with the braids and bird wings and grungy graphics)

Really reminds me of the cheesy propaganda scene in Mockingjay like "JOIN. THE. FIGHT." that's clearly meant to be a parody of military propaganda but was absolutely taken way too self-seriously and even used in trailers for the film.

Finally there's the rise of YA Dystopia as a canonized genre and all the tropes that come with it in both literature and film. This was arguably made possible by the success of the Hunger Games franchise singlehandedly. While there are better and worse entries (each with their own butchered film adaptations) in the YA Dystopia genre, our associations with the genre as a whole sort of flies in the face of the Hunger Games' core themes

And the cultural shockwaves of that genre and its dissonant amalgamation of themes and aesthetics are still seen today in those shitty "the number above your head is how many breaths your allowed to take" "you can have one of 4 colors as your super power and I just got my color but it doesn't exist" tiktok videos.

Tldr, a lot of misreadings of the hunger games and "media illiteracy" is in large part due to THAT'S HOW WE WERE TOLD TO INTERPRET IT BY CORPORATIONS AND THE CULTURE INDUSTRY. All the marketing was focused on the cool bow and arrow fighting and becoming a victor and joining a rebellion and love triangles so THAT'S HOW WE WERE CONDITIONED TO ENGAGE WITH THE TEXT. The issue is capitalism and the ways it resists meaningful critique on a widespread scale through co-option and capitalist realism.

The Hunger Games 2023 Renaissance and Gen Z's "Bad Media Literacy"

So, not sure how it's going on other social media, but The Hunger Games – that will be referred to as THG in this little "essay" – is having a massive "renaissance" all over TikTok. And I've seen, more than once, unfortunately, people saying that Gen Z people have bad media literacy.

My issue with that is one specific argument. One about the people who have been genuinely surprised with nuances and details they didn't notice in the first they read it.

Which's such a stupid argument. Even more when, as I've seen, made by people who read the books as they came out and watched the movies as they came out. They tend to be in the younger side of the Millennials.

Do you know when Gen Zs were born? Here:

So, let's say the specific years are from 1995 up to 2013.

Here's when the trilogy was originally published;

As you see: a significant part of this generation couldn't read or wasn't even born when these books came out. That's how young this generation is.

But also, the oldest ones were between 13 and 16 as the books came out. It's unfair to expect that a 13-year-old will read THG and see the same subtext and nuances and have the same interpretation as people 18-and-above.

It's not bad media literacy that someone in their mid-to-late 20s is seeing things in a trilogy they've read ten or more years ago.

I, for example, read these books in 2013. They came out in 2010/1/2 in Brazil. I borrowed them from a classmate who had the money to buy them as they came out here. I was 15. Then got my hands on PDFs and read them in English later in the same year, I was 16. I never noticed a lot of subtext and nuances and shit when I read them ten years ago.

Both because of course I wouldn't, I was a teenager. And I read it as an escapism for some stuff. They were fun. I read the trilogy in a week – which's fast when you have school, schoolwork, almost all the home chores and the responsibility of taking care of an adult – and I wasn't looking for anything but a distraction. For a little bit of fun.

People roughly my age are seeing these videos and talks and are learning details and nuances they didn't before. It's fun, it's nice. I'm having a blast to re-read those books aware that they're more than what I thought they were back in the day.

Don't belittle people for not understand deeper and more mature topics when they didn't have the age and maturity to understand those topics.

#the hunger games #the hunger games renaissance #ya dystopia #capitalist realism #culture industry #fei's flowers

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hazeloscar6543 · 6 months ago

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Exclusive Offers Await: Participate in the Lowes.com Survey Today!

In today's consumer landscape, where every penny counts, finding ways to stretch your budget further is paramount. One such avenue for savvy shoppers is participating in customer surveys offered by retailers like Lowes.com. These surveys not only provide valuable feedback to the company but also offer participants exclusive offers, discounts, and even the chance to win exciting rewards. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the benefits of participating in the Lowes.com survey and how you can make the most of this opportunity to unlock savings and rewards.

Understanding the Lowes.com Survey:

Before diving into the benefits, let's understand what the Lowes.com survey entails. The Lowes.com survey is a feedback mechanism designed by Lowe's Companies, Inc., the renowned home improvement retailer, to gather insights from its customers. The survey typically covers various aspects of the shopping experience, including product selection, customer service, store ambiance, and overall satisfaction.

Participating in the Lowes.com survey is simple and convenient. Customers can access the survey through the official Lowes.com website or via receipt invitations received after making a purchase at a Lowe's store. The survey is typically brief and can be completed in a matter of minutes, making it easy for customers to share their feedback without consuming much time.

Benefits of Participating in the Lowes.com Survey:

Exclusive Offers and Discounts: One of the primary incentives for participating in the Lowes.com survey is the opportunity to unlock exclusive offers and discounts. These rewards serve as a token of appreciation from Lowe's for taking the time to provide valuable feedback. Participants may receive discounts on future purchases, special promotions, or access to limited-time offers not available to the general public.

Voice Your Opinion: Your feedback matters, and participating in the Lowes.com survey gives you a platform to voice your opinions and suggestions directly to the company. Whether you had an exceptional shopping experience or encountered areas for improvement, your input can influence future decisions and initiatives undertaken by Lowe's to enhance customer satisfaction.

Improving the Shopping Experience: By sharing your experiences and insights through the survey, you contribute to the continuous improvement of the shopping experience at Lowe's. Your feedback helps identify strengths to be celebrated and areas for improvement to be addressed, ultimately leading to a better overall experience for all customers.

Shape Future Offerings: Your preferences and suggestions play a crucial role in shaping future product offerings and services at Lowe's. By highlighting products you love, suggesting new features or categories, or providing feedback on existing offerings, you contribute to the evolution of Lowe's as a retailer that caters to the needs and preferences of its customers.

Enter Sweepstakes and Win Rewards: In addition to exclusive offers and discounts, participating in the Lowes.com survey may also give you the chance to enter sweepstakes or contests with exciting rewards. These rewards could range from gift cards to Lowe's merchandise to even larger prizes like home improvement packages or vacations.

Making the Most of Your Participation:

Now that we've explored the benefits, let's discuss how you can make the most of your participation in the Lowes.com survey:

Be Honest and Specific: When providing feedback, be honest and specific about your experiences. Whether positive or negative, detailed feedback helps Lowe's understand the nuances of your experience and take appropriate actions to address any issues or capitalize on strengths.

Check for Survey Completion Confirmation: After completing the survey, make sure to check for any confirmation message or validation code indicating that your feedback has been successfully submitted. This code may be required to redeem any rewards or discounts offered as a thank-you gesture.

Stay Updated on Rewards and Promotions: Keep an eye on your email inbox, the Lowes.com website, or official Lowe's social media channels for updates on exclusive offers, promotions, or sweepstakes resulting from your participation in the survey. Take advantage of these opportunities to maximize your savings and rewards.

Share Your Experience with Others: Encourage friends and family who shop at Lowe's to participate in the survey as well. By spreading the word about the benefits of participation, you not only help others unlock savings and rewards but also contribute to the collective feedback that drives improvements at Lowe's.

Conclusion:

Participating in the Lowes.com survey is more than just providing feedback—it's an opportunity to unlock exclusive offers, discounts, and rewards while shaping the future of your shopping experience at Lowe's. By sharing your honest opinions and experiences, you not only contribute to the improvement of Lowe's offerings and services but also stand to benefit from the perks and rewards offered as a token of appreciation. So, the next time you shop at Lowe's, don't forget to take a few minutes to participate in the survey and reap the rewards that await!

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giveawayplan · 7 months ago

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2024 Capital One All-Star Week Sweepstakes - Win An MLB All-Star Week experience

Eligibility: United States, 18+

This Sweepstakes Ends on April 30th, 2024.

#AllStarWeek #Sweepstakes #WinUltimateExperience #2024MLBAllStarWeek #CapitalOne #WinTickets

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ruksarsblog · 11 months ago

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What is the age criteria for Capital One Taylor Swift Sweepstakes?

Imagine winning tickets to a Taylor Swift concert with just a simple entry! The Capital One Taylor Swift Sweepstakes is an exciting opportunity for fans to experience live performances. However, to make the most of this chance, it's crucial to understand the age criteria associated with the sweepstakes.

Importance of Knowing Age Criteria

Before diving into the age requirements, let's explore why understanding them is crucial. Sweepstakes often have specific rules, and age restrictions are a key component. These criteria ensure that participants meet legal requirements and contribute to fair competition.

Official Rules and Regulations

To find information about the age criteria, one must refer to the official rules and regulations provided by Capital One. These guidelines outline every detail, from eligibility criteria to the mechanics of the sweepstakes.

Minimum Age Requirement

The minimum age requirement for the Capital One Taylor Swift Sweepstakes is a fundamental aspect. Generally, participants must be at least 18 years old to enter. This limitation ensures that entrants are legally competent to engage in such contests.

Eligibility Criteria

Apart from age, other eligibility criteria may include residency, citizenship, or account status. It's essential to carefully read and understand all eligibility factors to ensure compliance.

Understanding Sweepstakes Mechanics

Before delving into the age criteria, it's beneficial to have a basic understanding of how the sweepstakes work. Typically, participants are required to complete specific actions, such as signing up or using a particular service, to qualify for entry.

Taylor Swift Partnership

The collaboration between Capital One and Taylor Swift adds a unique flair to the sweepstakes. Understanding the partnership dynamics can enhance the overall appreciation of the event.

Promotional Campaigns

Capital One often runs promotional campaigns related to the Taylor Swift Sweepstakes. Exploring these campaigns provides insights into the sweepstakes' popularity and the excitement surrounding it.

Common Misconceptions

Misunderstandings about age criteria can discourage potential participants. It's essential to debunk common misconceptions and provide clarity on who can enter.

Legal Implications

Participating in the sweepstakes involves legal implications. Understanding the legal aspects ensures that participants don't inadvertently breach any rules or regulations.

Ensuring Compliance

To ensure compliance with age requirements, participants should verify their eligibility before entering. This step prevents disappointments and ensures a smooth entry process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is there a maximum age limit for the Capital One Taylor Swift Sweepstakes? A: No, there is no maximum age limit. However, participants must be at least 18 years old.

Q2: Can non-U.S. residents participate in the sweepstakes? A: Eligibility criteria may vary, but in most cases, U.S. residency is required. Check the official rules for specifics.

Q3: Are there alternative methods of entry for those under 18? A: Typically, alternative methods exist for those under 18, such as mail-in entries. Refer to the official rules for details.

Q4: How often does Capital One conduct the Taylor Swift Sweepstakes? A: The frequency of the sweepstakes may vary. Keep an eye on official announcements for the latest information.

Q5: What happens if someone underage wins? A: If a winner is underage, they may be disqualified. Ensuring eligibility is crucial to avoid such situations.

Benefits of Participation

Participating in the Capital One Taylor Swift Sweepstakes offers more than just a chance to attend a concert. Winners often receive exclusive perks, enhancing their overall experience.

Success Stories

To inspire potential participants, sharing success stories of individuals who have won in the past can create a sense of excitement and motivation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the age criteria for the Capital One Taylor Swift Sweepstakes is vital for a seamless entry process. By adhering to these criteria and being aware of the official rules, participants can increase their chances of winning this unforgettable experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can I participate if I'm not a Capital One customer? A: Yes, in most cases, being a Capital One customer is not a requirement. Check the official rules for confirmation.

Q2: Is there a limit to the number of times one can enter the sweepstakes? A: Entry limits may exist. Always review the official rules for specific information on entry frequency.

Q3: Are there any hidden costs associated with winning the sweepstakes? A: Typically, the sweepstakes cover expenses related to the prize. However, individual circumstances may vary.

Q4: How are winners notified, and what is the claim process? A: Winners are usually notified via the contact information provided during entry. The claim process is outlined in the official rules.

Q5: Can I transfer my winnings to someone else if I am unable to attend the concert? A: Transferability of winnings varies. Check the official rules for information on prize transfers.

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nwbeerguide · 1 year ago

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Publix Supermarkets and Taylor Sheridan's 666 Grit & Glory agree to 100-store trial.

Press Release

(Guthrie, TX-October 2023) The deep south is getting a taste of big ranch Texas, as Florida-based Publix Supermarkets plans to roll out a 100-store trial of Taylor Sheridan’s 6666 Grit & Glory line of premium beers, ranch water and vodka cocktails in select retail markets. The grocery giant just signed on to offer Grit & Glory products to customers in the Tampa and Orlando markets.

Publix Supermarkets joins other major retail brands offering the Grit & Glory line of beverages. A year after the brand’s launch, 6666 Grit & Glory products are a major hit with other national and regional retailers in 37 states including Kroger, Tom Thumb, Randall’s, Ralph’s, Marianos, Acme, Harris Teeter, Jewel Osco, Save Mart, Albertson, Target, Sprouts and HEB. A just-announced distribution agreement with Wal Mart will soon expand the brand’s presence nationwide to all 50 states, and 6666 Grit & Glory CEO Tom Larsen expects sales grow to $40 million in 2024, making it one of the fastest growing brands in the alcoholic beverage category. “We’re excited to expand and partner with Publix to make Grit & Glory products available to their customers in important markets like Tampa and Orlando,” said Larsen. “Publix is an iconic brand with an expanding footprint across the south—we know this trial is the start of something big.”

The “6666 Grit & Glory” brand was inspired by the famous Four Sixes Ranch, owned by Taylor Sheridan and David Glasser, creator and producer of the small-screen hit series “Yellowstone”. The 6666 brand’s swift emergence coincides with the buzz and popularity of Yellowstone and its ties to the Four Sixes Ranch as an integral part of the Yellowstone story line. The legendary 260,000-acre spread and its rich heritage serve as an important backdrop for the series, transporting the Yellowstone story and its characters from Montana south to Guthrie, Texas.

Sheridan and the Grit & Glory team plan to capitalize on the show’s popularity with co-branded promotions and retailer sweepstakes, including a just-announced sweepstakes with a walk-on role in one of Sheridan’s future productions focusing on the Four Sixes Ranch. The beverage line is just one more facet of Sheridan’s vision—making the Four Sixes Ranch a full circle brand offering products, entertainment and experiences to the public that resonate with the real flavors, textures and values of big ranch Texas and the authentic cowboy lifestyle. Known for producing prize quarter horses, cattle and hard-core cowboys for more than 150 years, the brand will soon add ready to drink cocktails to the product line up as they continue to build on the legacy of this iconic ranch. “With the shows, with the ranch, with Grit & Glory, I want people to get a sense of where the past and the future come together—it’s relatable. People get it and we want the Four Sixes to help tell that story.”

About Publix Supermarkets

With over 225,000 employees, Publix Super Markets is the world’s largest employee owned business. One of the ten largest volume supermarket chains in the country, Publix owns and operates 1,271 retail locations across the southeastern US. One of the best-performing companies in the grocery industry, Publix has continued to expand and open up new locations in recent years.

About Four Sixes Ranch

“Four Sixes” has been a working ranch dating to the 1870s. Now owned by hit series Yellowstone producers Taylor Sheridan and David Glasser, the 6666 ranch and its authentic western roots were the inspiration for the line of Grit and Glory craft alcohol beverages. The rich heritage of the legendary 260,000-acre spread is the backdrop for “6666”, transporting the Yellowstone story and its characters from Montana south to Guthrie, Texas. After purchasing the ranch, Sheridan and Glasser created the Grit and Glory line of beverages embodying the iconic brand and its storied past.

About 6666 Grit & Glory

Yellowstone creators Taylor Sheridan and Producer David Glasser partnered with L.A. Libations to create the Grit and Glory brand, a line of beverages and consumer products celebrating the iconic 6666 Ranch and the cowboy lifestyle. Amplified by the Yellowstone series, the “Four Sixes” and its authentic roots, Grit and Glory craft Pilsners, IPAs, Lagers, Ranch Waters and Ready to Drink Cocktails are resonating with beverage consumers and forging a connection the brand’s founders tapped into with the Yellowstone world and its 15 million fans.

#Taylor Sheridan #Yellowstone #Texas #TX #Publix Supermarkets #RTD #Ready to Drink #Craft Beer #Beer #Press Release #Four Sixes Ranch

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lina-oliva-review · 1 year ago

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Free Money, No Strings Attached: Unlocking Cash Rewards and Gift Cards-USA

Earning money, cash rewards, and gift cards for free typically involves participating in various online activities and promotions.

👉Start Earning From Today

Here are some legitimate ways to potentially earn money, cash rewards, and gift cards for free in the USA:

Online Surveys and Market Research: Sign up for reputable survey websites such as Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, or Vindale Research. These platforms offer cash rewards, gift cards, and other incentives in exchange for completing surveys and providing feedback.

Cashback and Reward Apps: Use cashback apps like Rakuten, Ibotta, or Honey when shopping online. These apps provide cashback or rewards that can be converted into gift cards or cash.

Online Shopping Portals: Some websites and browser extensions offer cashback or rewards for shopping through their links. Examples include TopCashback and RetailMeNot.

Refer-a-Friend Programs: Many online services and apps offer referral programs that reward you with cash or gift cards for referring friends or family members who sign up or make purchases.

Credit Card Rewards: If you have a credit card with a rewards program, you can earn points or cashback on your purchases, which can be redeemed for gift cards or statement credits.

Contests and Sweepstakes: Keep an eye out for online contests and sweepstakes that offer cash prizes or gift cards as rewards. Be sure to participate in legitimate ones.

Online Marketplaces: Consider selling items you no longer need on online marketplaces like eBay or Facebook Marketplace to earn extra cash.

Cashback Checking Accounts: Some banks offer cashback checking accounts that provide cash rewards for certain qualifying purchases.

Cashback Browser Extensions: Install browser extensions like Wikibuy or Capital One Shopping, which can help you find discounts and earn cashback on online purchases.

Online Affiliate Programs: If you have a website or a social media following, you can join affiliate programs and earn commissions for promoting products or services.

Participate in Loyalty Programs: Sign up for loyalty programs at your favorite stores and restaurants, which may offer discounts, cash rewards, or gift cards for frequent customers.

Review Products and Services: Some websites and apps offer rewards for writing reviews of products and services. Be sure to provide honest and valuable feedback.

Play Mobile Apps and Games: Some mobile apps and games offer in-game rewards or gift cards as prizes for playing and achieving certain milestones.

Online Freelancing: If you have skills like writing, graphic design, or programming, consider freelancing online and earning money for your services.

While these methods can potentially help you earn money, cash rewards, and gift cards for free, it's important to exercise caution and avoid scams. Always research and verify the legitimacy of the platforms and offers you choose to participate in.

👉Start Earning From Today

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vegasstylenc · 1 year ago

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Raleigh's Ultimate Vegas-Style Sweepstakes Extravaganza: Your Chance to Win Big!

Are you ready for an unforgettable night of excitement, glamour, and the opportunity to win incredible prizes? Look no further than Raleigh's Ultimate Vegas-Style Sweepstakes Extravaganza! Get ready to be dazzled by the lights, try your luck, and potentially walk away a big winner. In this article, we'll take you on a journey through this thrilling event and show you why it's a can't-miss experience.

Setting the Stage

Picture this: Raleigh, the vibrant capital of North Carolina, transforms into a mini Las Vegas for one incredible night. The setting is opulent, with glittering lights, stylish décor, and an electric atmosphere that rivals the famous Vegas Strip. The Raleigh Convention Center is the place to be on this special evening, and it's the perfect venue to capture the spirit of Sin City.

Games Galore

At the heart of the Vegas-style extravaganza are the games that will keep your adrenaline pumping. Whether you're a seasoned gambler or trying your luck for the first time, there's something for everyone. Blackjack, roulette, poker, and slot machines await your bets, offering a chance to win fantastic prizes. The thrill of the casino experience is right here in Raleigh.

Prizes Beyond Imagination

Speaking of prizes, you won't believe what's up for grabs at this sweepstakes event. The organizers have pulled out all the stops to ensure you have a shot at some truly extraordinary rewards. Luxury vacations, high-end electronics, designer fashion, and even cold, hard cash are just some of the amazing prizes waiting to be won. Imagine winning a trip to your dream destination or going home with the latest gadgets—all while having a blast.

Live Entertainment

But the Vegas-style extravaganza isn't just about gambling and winning prizes. It's a night filled with entertainment that will leave you speechless. Talented performers, including world-class magicians and awe-inspiring illusionists, will take the stage to captivate you with their mind-bending acts. Live music from top-notch bands and DJs will keep the energy high as you dance the night away.

Gourmet Dining

No Vegas-style experience would be complete without indulgent dining options. The Raleigh extravaganza delivers on this front as well. You'll have the chance to savor exquisite dishes prepared by renowned chefs, from delectable hors d'oeuvres to mouthwatering entrées and decadent desserts. Sip on signature cocktails or enjoy fine wine and champagne to enhance your evening even further.

Networking and Socializing

This event is more than just a night of entertainment; it's a fantastic opportunity to network and socialize with fellow attendees. Meet people from all walks of life, share stories, and build connections in a lively and welcoming environment. Whether you're attending with friends, colleagues, or going solo, you're sure to make new acquaintances and perhaps even strike up some valuable connections.

Supporting a Good Cause

While you're having the time of your life, remember that your participation is also making a difference. The Raleigh Vegas-Style Sweepstakes Extravaganza is often organized as a charity fundraiser, with a portion of the proceeds going to support local causes. So, as you enjoy the festivities, you're also contributing to the betterment of your community.

Dress to Impress

In true Vegas fashion, dressing up is highly encouraged. Think elegant evening wear, glamorous gowns, sharp suits, and sparkly accessories. Embrace the opportunity to show off your style and immerse yourself in the glitz and glamour of the event.

Tickets and Reservations

Now that you're eager to be a part of this Vegas-style extravaganza, you're probably wondering how to secure your spot. Tickets for this event tend to sell out quickly due to its popularity, so it's advisable to make your reservations well in advance. Keep an eye on the event's official website or local ticket outlets for updates on ticket availability and pricing.

A Night to Remember

Raleigh's Ultimate Vegas-Style Sweepstakes Extravaganza promises an unforgettable night filled with thrills, entertainment, and the chance to win big. Whether you're a seasoned gambler or just looking for a glamorous night out, this event has something for everyone. Mark your calendar, gather your friends, and prepare for a night of excitement and elegance right here in the heart of North Carolina.

Don't miss your chance to experience the magic of Vegas without leaving Raleigh. Get ready to roll the dice, spin the wheel, and dance the night away at the most dazzling event of the year. Raleigh's Ultimate Vegas-Style Sweepstakes Extravaganza is your ticket to a night you'll treasure forever, so seize the opportunity and get ready to win big!

#vegas style #vegas style sweepstakes #sweepstakes in raleigh #vegas style nc

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