#Ceremony Audiobook

[piratingconstellations]

listening to the thrawn audiobooks (thraudiobooks, if you will) has completely altered my perception of so many of the characters. thrass in particular. i liked him well enough before, but after hearing his fruity lil voice he is now literally my BESTIE

[librofm]

Short story collections I like: part 1

Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata

get ready to be uncomfortable with Society Changing Around You! because in these stories, some of the rules you thought were etched in stone have been turned on their head. People thinking about bodies in brand new ways! 

Tomorrow Factory by Rich Larson

Futuristic sci-fi but it’s about people living their little lives and the ways they interact with the technologies that are woven through their big world. “All that Robot Shit” is so funny and also sad.

[crazy-ache]

SJM, you ain't slick with your elucien references...

One of my favorite things about the way Sarah has set up Elucien so far is that she has put some of her favorite influences into their slow-burning set up. Specifically the deliberate use of pearls.

Fact: We know Lucien was inspired by Jamie Frasier from the Outlander series. And Sarah is a BIG fan of both Jamie and the series.

Jamie gifts Claire a pearl necklace on their wedding night.

Fact: We know Sarah is a huge fan of the book Jane Eyre. To the point, she's re-read the book many, many times and has listened to the audiobook several times as well.

She even gives us a big clue they're playing an influence with these two quotes.

[from Jane Eyre] “I have a strange feeling with regard to you. As if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly knotted to a similar string in you. And if you were to leave I'm afraid that cord of communion would snap. And I have a notion that I'd take to bleeding inwardly. As for you, you'd forget me.”

vs.

[from ACOWAR] “It felt … strange,” Elain breathed. “Like you pulled on a thread tied to a rib.” Lucien exposed his palms to her. “I’m sorry.” Elain only stared at him for a long moment. 

Mr. Rochester gifted Jane Eyre pearls during their first wedding ceremony (which she then rejected/ran away from for some time, but he clung to them in longing and love for her). Remember, this is a love story. When they're reunited, she accepts them this time, and they are married as husband and wife.

This is actually paralleled with Elain being avoidant to the pearl earrings at first, as she will not accept them until she accepts her new identity and her bond.

Side note: Jane wore a pearl brooch before she got the necklace. Much like Elain had the pearl ring and barrettes in the Hewn City.

I love seeing her literary influences show up in her set up Elucien. Last fun fact: my husband gifted me pearl earrings as a wedding gift. There is so much romantic symbolism of the pearl itself, the extravagance of the jewelry, and the historical association of jewelry with marriage and courting. I have a feeling the pearls will play a role in their book one day.

[atlaculture]

Hi! Do you have any thoughts on tea ceremonies in the Avatar universe or do you have any resources about tea ceremonies? It’s a massive rabbit hole and I can’t find a concise video on the social meanings (and admittedly long history) or an audiobook. (Is it silly that most of my info comes from anime and analysis of the Tale of Genji?)

Tea ceremony is definitely a field of study that is both expansive and deep. Unfortunately, it's not something I'm very knowledgeable about. I guess you could say it's not my cup of tea.

The best I can do is give you some general guidelines and details regarding tea ceremony:

Firstly, lets establish what tea ceremony is and isn't. We'll go with Wikipedia's definition: "Tea ceremony is a ritualized practice of making and serving tea (茶 cha) in East Asia practiced in the Sinosphere."

Other cultures (Mongolia, Tibet, etc.) also have very rich tea cultures as well, but it seems the emphasis in those cultures is on the context and ritual behind the serving of tea to someone, rather than the tea making process itself. I would distinguish these rituals as being more like tea rites. For the record, I just coined the term tea rite off the top of my head, and am making this distinction to narrow the research that needs to be done here. ^_^;;;

To clarify further, I would also say that wedding tea ceremony is really more an example of a tea rite than a tea ceremony, despite the name. Wedding tea ceremonies place emphasis on showing respect towards the parents, with tea-serving being the ritual that shows this appreciation. The focus is not so much on the brewing of the tea.

Tea ceremony traditions vary by nation and region. I would advise to pick a specific area's tea ceremony when integrating these practices into your story.

Chinese tea ceremony is known as gongfu cha (功夫茶) or "skillfully making tea". It's a sophisticated way of brewing and appreciating tea. This Wikipedia article details the steps of Chinese tea ceremony really well. It even details what materials should be used for all the tea accessories.

The Japanese tea ceremony Wikipedia article is also quite detailed. Compared to Chinese tea ceremony, Japanese tea ceremony seems to have a stronger religious/spiritual connotation, as it's very influenced by Zen Buddhism and Shintoism. There's more emphasis on what type of clothing should be worn and where the ceremony should be performed. Japanese tea ceremony is also unique for its use of "thick tea", powdered tea leaves brewed with a low ratio of water (matcha tea).

Last but not least, the Korean tea ceremony Wiki article. It doesn't seem to be as formal as Japanese tea ceremony, but it does seem to have a stronger religious connotation than Chinese gongfu cha, as many of the traditions developed in the Korean temples.

This video and its YouTube channel are great insights into the world of Chinese tea culture.

Also! Teapets are common in Chinese tea ceremony and they're really cute! You're supposed to pour tea over them for good luck ("feeding them") and they can be used to test the temperature of the tea.

As for how it could relate to ATLA, you could have the Earth Kingdom practice Chinese-style tea ceremony and the Fire Nation practice Japanese-style or Korean-style.

Air Nomads don't have tea ceremonies, per se, but Tibetan "tea rites" as I defined above.

The Water Tribe views tea more pragmatically, treating it as an herbal remedy.

So this is just my very surface-level, cursory knowledge of East Asian tea ceremony. I hope this post provides a bit more direction in your research journey. ^_^;

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

[romanticatheartt]

I haven't read acosf since exactly 2 years ago and I'm rereading acofas (listening to graphic audiobook) for some research purposes so this is only based on novella.

People always wonder why the Valkyries managed to win the blood rite, a ceremony in which only a few come back alive let alone gaining any title, the very ones who have been getting ready and training all their lives, while Emerie, Nesta and Gwyn became Carynthian, the highest title one could get after only training for a few months at that.

If you look at it, they might be right. Why did they win and not those Illyrians famous for their war skills and bloodshed? It is said that in the past 5 centuries, only a few have gained Oristian title let alone Carynthian.

The answer is exactly that: Bloodshed.

acofas ~ chapter 3

Most participants only try to eliminate the enemies they've made along the way of their training. Because as we know killing isn't illegal at blood rite and no one would bat an eye.

All the while Emerie, Nesta and Gwyn were trying to stay alive and keep each other safe. Their goal was to get out of there alive and when they reached Ramiel, they decided that they would win the whole thing, like how the Bat boys won long ago. Just like the Valkyries, they were separated, they found each other and killed for one another and they set their goal of touching that stone at the top of the Ramiel, not killing their enemies.

Everyone participates in this ceremony for different reasons and acts accordingly. If the Valkyries won the blood rite it was because they were trained by Cassian and Azriel, not some warlord who wanted to make conflict between them like they do between the Illyrians since childhood. Just like how they tried to do it with Bat Boys but they failed, their bond stronger than they anticipated.

note: this is what Rhys, Cass and Az are trying to fix. This unnecessary bloodshed which is brewed from the Illyrians themselves. (which I'm gonna talk about in another post)

[bomberqueen17]

sewing other things

OK so. I have talked about the Loftus Bralette so much on here that one could be forgiven for chuckling gently when i said I should sew other things. But I do actually have several other projects I've been wanting to work on. And i have actually cut some of them out.

Also when I was last at the farm my niece brought me some of her t-shirts and said "I really like this one can we cut it apart and re-sew it bigger so I can still wear it", and I remembered that her BFF's mom, who works at the farm twice a week doing the books and managing store inventory, owns a serger she didn't know how to thread, so I texted her to ask if I could borrow it and indeed she had accidentally unthreaded it and there was a stuck lever and needed me to fix it anyway, and maybe I mentioned that on here but I did actually make my niece a couple of tunics while I was last at the farm. Including hand-sewing a whole bunch of details on the last one while the family was driving on a road trip one weekend.

So I brought all that stuff home with me and was hoping to get to work on it this week. All I've sewn has been the bralettes but I still have today. We'll see what I can get done.

I measured Farmkid and she's ten years old so her shape isn't the same as that of an adult woman, but she's five feet two and like 130 lbs, and some of her measurements put her in a women's size 12. So. She expressed interest in a garment I wear frequently, a Studio Tunic from Sew Liberated. I printed off the pattern in a size 12 and have assembled it, but I'm stuck deciding what fabric to use for her. I should decide that today. She's ten, her favorite color is ostensibly yellow but she mostly wears pinks and purples, she's a grubby kid who wipes her hands on her shirt and always winds up with stains on the belly of her shirt still, and she wants this tunic I think largely so she can cram her tablet into the pocket and go climb trees while listening to audiobooks on speaker. So I want a bright color but not too pale, and I want a tough fabric but not unbreathable, and I'm just. Deciding, still.

Probably what I should do is use some undyed fabric I own, and then bring my supplies and let her tie-dye it. I have a couple other things I could tie-dye, or will by then. That would be a fun bonding activity. I don't know if I'll have time to do it this trip though. So maybe I'll postpone the project and ask her for help once she's on summer break. (Good luck catching her, kids these days have so many summer camps.) As a bonus I bet I could loop her BFF and BFF's Mom in on the tie-dyeing, they're both into that shit.

Hell we could do ice-dyeing, the farm has a 1000-lb ice machine that is very frequently turned on (weekly for the market, biweekly for chicken processing-- there could be ice available at pretty much any time lol).

So anyway. I know she wants me to make a tunic out of a trio of large-print cat shirts she's outgrown, and she wants to wear it for her 5th grade moving up day ceremony, and I looked at it while I was home but I haven't done it yet. I need to get my shit together.

What I might do is print off a size 12 version of the t-shirt pattern I own, it's just that it's designed for busty women because I'm a busty woman, and she's Not, yet (oh, she will be. soon. but not yet.) so I have to kind of. Well, I own a pattern for a swing tunic that's close to what she wants actually. Oh, I should just print that one off. (The joy of the Cashmerette Club subscription patterns is that you get all the sizes, 0-30, and I've now made a couple of them for smaller friends, because like. I mean I own the pattern! PDF patterns are so great because you can reprint them in the smaller size instead of trying to trace it off. I never ever got the hang of tissue paper patterns.)

Yeah here this one, the Wexford Top/Dress, would be easy enough to kind of carve out the bust curve a little and make it fit a kid, because it's not meant to be that fitted. I'll just sort of use that as a general guideline and then make the cut-out-and-patchworked t-shirts fit into that approximate silhouette. The way I made the other tunics for her, I just used a shirt whose neck and shoulders still mostly fit her. But these cat shirts she's thoroughly outgrown, so making a new neck/shoulder area would be best.

Orrrrrr.... I could use one of the zillion old t-shirts of mine that I've saved to cut up. The neck/shoulders of a fully adult-sized garment are no longer too big for her. That's easier.

I also have a bunch of garments I want to make for myself, as I don't seem to buy clothes much anymore (I can't bring myself to pay $40 for a dress off the clearance rack that won't fit me and will mostly be polyester and won't be that interesting and will pill the first time I wash it). The Club's latest pattern is a skort/shorts/skirt dealie, and I need more shorts all the time-- I've largely given up on underpants and just wear boxer-briefs or anti-chafe shorts and I just don't see the point now of wearing a pair of panties and then shorts over the top under my skirt. Like. Just wear the shorts! So being able to choose the materials and print and look of that would be pretty great. And the Cashmerette one is inseam-less, like my favorite anti-chafe shorts are.

So I have cut out a pair of just the shorts in a clearance cotton mesh from Dharmatrading, and I even have the correct elastic for the waistband, so that kind of rules. I will sew those up as soon as I get a chance. I would like to make several skorts as well, probably from synthetic ponte or something, but my ideal would be to get some decent merino/nylon jersey and do a few from that. You never see merino skorts but I would wear the shit out of those.

I also have a lovely underpants pattern from the Club from ages ago, and while I rarely wear underpants of that style anymore, I would like having some cute matchy ones to go with the bralettes. Also, I have a shitton of foldover elastic, and I suspect I could use foldover elastic in some of the bralettes I want to make, so I want to get proficient in its use, and there are directions for applying it in the underpants directions, and it seems like a good way to practice. So I cut a muslin of those from the same cotton mesh as the shorts, and just have to sew the pieces together.

I also want to make myself more pretty dresses, and I have parts of a new Studio Tunic for myself already cut out, but not the rest.

And I recently made myself the button-up shirt from the Club, I know I posted about it on here. And I wanted to immediately make myself several more, and I got out some fabric and prepared it and cut out one pattern piece and then ran out of time. So yesterday I finally cut out the rest of the shirt from this fabric, a print from Mood covered in tiny dinosaurs. So I have that all ready to go in a plastic baggie too, just waiting for me to have time to sit and sew it. (Once I do that, I would really like to make myself a dress version of it from the cool green not-quite-seersucker I got from that remnant bolt at Promenade Fabrics in New Orleans.)

AND. i also have resolved to make my BFF, the one in Rochester who I lived with for a bit in the pandemic, with the little kids-- MM-- I am going to make her a sloper, before I see her next weekend, or maybe while I see her next weekend if i don't get to it in time argh, and I am going to at least try that on her and figure out approximately what shape she is so that I can put together a master pattern for her to make herself dresses from. I took her measurements ages ago, and she's a 14CD bust, a 16 waist, and an 8 hip in Cashmerette's sizing, and so I think just making a sloper with those sizes all graded together will be a huge start. And then we can mildly tweak the fit for her frame, and-- the thing is, she's always buying custom dresses on Etsy because what she wants is very specific and not usually available in stores, and then the dresses come and don't fit her so she has to get them tailored, and then they were just made of cheap quilting cotton from Joann's so they wear out after she washes them a few times, and she's had to add on pockets anyway because they didn't have them.

So I just feel like if I could get her a paper master pattern that fit her... heck i could even just make her dresses if *I* had the pattern. It would be easier and more efficient. I could do the basic construction and then turn over the pockets and embellishments to her, which is what she does anyway. So that's my goal there, and we'll see if I can reach it.

Anyway. If only I didn't have to work at all and could just sew all the time. I am not the first person to say this, LOL.

I have a lot of irons in the fire but at the moment am trapped under a cat so those irons are not going anywhere.

[thesylverlining]

A wonderful update on the Indie Ink Awards front today! :D

1) Fancy new decal to put on CHAMELEON MOON: The Audiobook forever~

2) Awards ceremony is set for September 21st! I'm Simply Vibrating and so excited for everyone! <3

[whitelionspirit]

What gifts did the Bots give LL medic as part of the Conjunxs writes?

OH I am so glad you asked!!

I’ve already mentioned what Drift got LL medic here but I’ll expand on it here as well.

Drift was the first bot to give LL medic a gift he had special sized cybertronian medical tools made before he left the LL. They are wrapped in your favorite color on the handles.

It’s never really stated if someone has to do the same step as the other only that it’s more so a back and forth once one does one the other follows. Since the reader is human though they add their traditions into the mix.

So LL medic gifts Drift a ceremonial sword they craft themselves with some help out of a comet’s ore and engraves it in ancient cybertronian.

Rodimus’ gift is actually one of his personal sketch books. It had simple doodles to even detailed drawings and intimate thoughts about people he cares about, you, and himself.

After everything you both went through it was probably the one gift you kept private even from Drift and Ratchet who received their own sketch books from the speedster as well.

As Rodimus was the last one who became your conjunx endurae you gifted him the simplest of gifts but it meant everything to him. A home to always return to that Drift purchased on earth for you all to settle into and enjoy your lives. The lost light was a home yes, but this was a home he shared with his partners. It was your idea overall and he couldn’t be more greatful or in love with you.

Ratchet like Drift had something specifically made for you. Everyone in the medbay got into the habit to listen to audiobooks and discuss them in your free time together. Ratchet knew you were interested in reading books from Cybertron but couldn’t read the language. So he found ones you find of interest and transcribed them into your language to enjoy. You are always adding new ones and sharing them with your conjunxes.

You drew a portrait of the four of you for Ratchet that he cares with him constantly so he always has you all with him.

[lia-land]

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

5/5 stars

Spoilers*

I don’t think I can put into words how much I loved this book. A shorter review because I have nothing to criticise. This book is perfect.

I did go into it having seen spoilers that Feyre and Rhysand would be endgame, but I didn’t find that to negatively affect my reading experience. The build-up was amazing and I would gladly read another book entirely made up of the two of them exchanging magical flirty notes.

The twists, characters, and pacing are all so perfect and there was not one boring or slow chapter. I would especially love to see more of Tarquin and the Summer Court. I do feel bad about how Feyre, Rhys, and Amren deceived Tarquin, but it was for the greater good.

Chapter 54 and 55 are pure gold. Personally, I think the tension during the throne room chapter and the inn chapter are unmatched, but 54 and 55 were so satisfying to read after the build-up. I had the audiobook on when I got to 54 and 55 because I was getting ready to go out and I wish I had time to fully process everything. I love when a book has the power to change my mood. I’d seen spoilers for all of it, but it still had an effect, which is impressive. What I’d give to experience this book for the first time again…

I like Azriel, but I was so mad when his arrival robbed us of Rhys and Feyre going to buy lingerie together. Though, somehow, I think I preferred how that chapter ended. Something about Rhys sending her a vision of it was sexier than if it had happened, so I can’t even be mad anymore.

The cliffhanger!!! I hope we get a bonus chapter of Rhys and Feyre’s ceremony one day. It’s a need.

The only thing that would have made this book even better for me is if Rhys’ trauma from Under the Mountain was acknowledged more. It felt just slightly skimmed over. We get little glimpses through lines like ‘it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just your body reacting,’ but I think it’s an important aspect of Rhys’ recent history that should have been acknowledged. Not just in this book, but throughout the series as a whole (I’ll discuss this more in my A Court of Wings and Ruin review).

Also, the House of Wind is a bit of a plot hole because they make it clear that no one can winnow in. They can only fly in or take 10,000 stairs. If this is the case, how do all the people on Starfall get in? Surely they don’t all have an Illyrian plus one and didn’t go up the stairs in their formal attire. I’ll personally be overlooking that because the rest of the book is so good.

Importantly, I should note that the only reason I saw spoilers for everything is because I was so obsessed with Rhys and Feyre that I was reading short fanfictions about them while I was still reading ACOMAF, because I quite literally could not wait for them to finally get together and I also didn’t want the book to end too quickly. In hindsight, I don’t actually know if the plot is any good because I was far too invested in Rhys. The plot could be nonexistent and I’d still give this five stars for Rhys and his charms.

Infinite stars out of 5. This was exactly the kind of book I was expecting and more.

[valpoupdates]

AUGUST CALENDAR POSTING...

So much to see, so much to do, so little time ! Lucky for you, here in the Valparaíso Region, we keep track of it just for you ! Unless stated otherwise, these activities are optional. Residents do not have to take part in these if they don't wish to ! These can be used for threads throughout the month but new threads can't be started for these activities once the month is up. Please track the valpocalendar tag to stay updated month to month ( ©️ )

BUT FIRST ! A word from VALPOFM... Transmitting...

"Gotta be real, guys: being stuck in a tent at a snowstorm at El Carnaval De Invierno was not on my bingo card for July, and judging from the stats I'm looking at, I don't think very many of our listeners had a great month either. While we were all pleased to hear the newest tracks from both my sister Luna Dominguez-Herrera and great friend and ValpoFM co-host Tobias North, produced by the brilliantly talented Spencer Westin, some of you chose instead to listen to… a Nancy Drew audiobook ? Mountain lion growling noises ? Oi guëy, whatever. I'm Sebastián Herrera and this is the ValpoFM July 2024 playlist, made by residents- but listen: if you like real music, stay tuned later this month for a special session hosted by Salem West, because her new album drops soon. "

Casablanca Activities

August 1-30 : It’s not agosto, it’s aGATO!  This month, El Café de los Gatos is hosting a special adoptions in August event.  Every weekend, the cafe will be featuring different cats for adoption: staff will have poster boards made for each cat; they’lll be featured on staff’s social media; and the adoption fees will be discounted for those specific cats for the weekend.  Even if you don’t adopt, come spend an afternoon with some baked goods, sweet coffee, and feline friends.  We promise it’ll be a purrfect time!

August 3 : Inesperado celebrates International Blues Music Day with a live performance and a special dinner menu inspired by cuisine from the southern USA ( with a Chilean twist ! ). The special dinner and live performance will be from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM.  Tickets will cover the seat and the 13-course meal—and they’re going fast, so reserve your table now!

August 6 : Chile and Peru will be coming together for this year’s Global Grape Convention held at Isidora’s!  Major retailers and prominent organizations will be hosting conferences and open dialogue to discuss critical industry issues, provide the latest market information, and offer innovative solutions and strategic insights for sector opportunities.  The convention takes place from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, with an after-ceremony cocktail event from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM held at Agustín’s Jazz Lounge, and food catered by guest chef and famed Argentinian chef, Julieta Sáenz.

August 20 : Buen día, ¡Valparaíso!  Tune in at 9:00 AM today for a very special interview that you won’t wanna miss.  ValpoFM has quite a guest for you!  She’s beauty; she’s grace; she’s a star finding her place!  She’s Valpo’s very own Salem West ( @cybermuses ) and she’s here to talk to the ValpoFM AM hosts about her upcoming album, Moment! Pitchfork describes it as “a rare species of pop-soul that evokes a real sense of spiritual uplift.”  This album tells us we’re meant for more: we’re not just succeeding, we’re made for better things—and we’re excited to ask Salem what better things she has in mind.

August 31 : For Every Season sends their warmest regards and most sincere apologies to all those caught in the sudden and freak snowstorm back in July.  As the winter season comes to an end, the amusement park would like to extend a special invite to those trapped during that time ( and a discounted rate to the rest of the public ) for the last winter day of the season.  For Every Season welcomes you back with open arms; come back and make some snow angels!  Come back and make better memories!

Quilpué Activities

August 1 : It’s International Mahjong Day, and the Plaza de Sol invites all mahjong players, beginners and veterans alike, to their food court turned mahjong court!  From 11 AM - 5 PM, if you think you’ve got what it takes, come grab a seat and test your luck and skills!  If you’ve always wanted to play, now’s the time to learn, as there are several beginner tables with a knowledgeable player, ready to teach you the ropes.  If you’re just feeling peckish and wanting brunch and a show, come do a little bit of shopping, grab a meal from the 40+ food court vendors, and watch mahjong players do what they do best. Peace, love, and good luck to all!

August 15 : Los Fantasmas has scary stories, drinks, and ( potential ) ghosts—but you know what else they have?  A roller derby champion!  Los Fantasmas’ very own Poet Hawley ( @wishingbcnes ) leads the Los Fantasmas team in their very first roller derby competition!  The competition will take place from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM.  Tickets to compete and watch will go towards a charity of the winner’s choosing; winners also will receive free drinks at the most haunted bar in Valpo ( it is not transferable to other people; staff members retain the right to cut off drinks per their discretion ).  Do you think you have what it takes to win?  Are you going to be the jammer, or are you going to get jammed?  

August 19 : Cosmic Connections wants you to know that not only is this moon a full moon, but it’s a supermoon!  This is the ideal cosmic time to practice manifestation and invite positive change.  Intentions, goals, prayers, and wishes are more likely heard and supported by unforeseen forces during this time.  If you were ever to wish upon a star, you should make it during a supermoon—even better, make it with the professional, spiritual, and expert guidance of those at Cosmic Connections!

August 27 : You’ve heard of Taco Tuesday, but what about Tobacco Tuesday?  If you haven’t, swing through to Puro Chile and they can tell you all about it!  While you’re there, why don’t you take advantage of their Tobacco Tuesday sale?  Special discounted rates on stock as they’re trying to clear out for the season, a nice little BOGO, and some special strains you can’t find anywhere else except in the Jewel of the Pacific.

Valparaíso Activities

August 17 : Pequeños Eruditos will be celebrating Black Cat Appreciation Day by decking out the entire place with cat-themed decor and paraphernalia.  The children will learn all about cats ( from big ones to small ones! ), and there will be a fun photoshoot at the end of the day where kids can wear different colored cat ears.  Gift bags containing photos from the photoshoot, a cat plushie, building blocks, and a kids’ book ( La suerte de ser un gato negro ) will be given to each child. 

August 18-24 : Calling all ( amateur & local ) photographers!  Casaplan is hosting a photography competition, specifically for the beginner, the amateur, and the lover of photography.  The title and theme of the competition is A Mis Ojos: Paraíso.  For the entire week, submissions will be open to all Valpo Region photographers.  All entries will be judged and selected by a panel of expert photographers, and all selected photographs will be featured in next month’s public exhibit.  Send up to three ( 3 ) photographs to casaplan.submissions@gmail.cl.  ¡Buena suerte!

August 29-30 : Valpo Universidad presents TED Talk x Valpo, a yearly conference where students from all over Chile ( and some neighboring countries ) as well as a variety of organizations come together to exchange ideas on education, technology, business, and creativity.  This year’s speakers and topics range from quantum computers to the musicality in sign language to folklore—as Valpo's very own Luna Dominguez-Herrera ( @divinctions ) will be presenting their research and thesis: “The Earth’s Unseen Powers: Seasonal Pagan Ritual Magic in Popular and Unpopular Culture.”  From 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, come support your colleagues; come watch the next generation of academics, scientists, and creatives; come and learn about the world around you and the people most excited to teach you about it!  ( Snacks, appetizers, and beverages will be provided by the culinary department. )

August 31 : Ilustraverde is working with the Writer’s Org to make sure your manuscript is in tip-top shape.  From 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, several Ilustraverde Editors will be there to give a presentation on manuscript, writing, and submission tips; there will also be time carved out for a workshop with your fellow writers and with the editors; and lastly, there will be time to network while eating lunch provided by the culinary students of Valpo Universidad. 

Viña del Mar Activities

August 6 : Nido de Nomadas invites its hostel guests to a special community cookout!  From 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM, the hostel staff will be cooking caldillo de congrio, a delicious seafood concoction served in a bowl, and baking bread from scratch ( fun fact : caldillo de congrio was a Pablo Neruda favorite ! ).  Hostel staff encourage participation from their guests, but if cooking or baking isn’t your thing, you can still spend time with your fellow wanderers as board games will be provided— and, if you’re not a hostel guest, have no fear!  This event is open to the public, as tours of the facility will also be offered to prospective guests ( or to hostel guests and their friends ) all day.

August 23 : If you’ve got nowhere to be at 8:00 PM, come on down to 12 Pulgadas as Un Breve Concierto is being live-streamed!  You can’t make it in, but you can peek inside from the windows—and who’s the talent?  Why, none other than Valpo’s very own Salem West ( @cybermuses ), whose new album Moment is set to hit the shelves, digitally and physically.  Critics are already raving about her musical genius, writing that she “excels at striking a tone that’s classic, sexy, and understated . . . under a veneer of fantasy and metaphor, like how it still counts . . . as a dress even if it’s mesh.”  You heard it here first, folks, so cancel those 8:00 PM plans and come watch un breve concierto!

August 25 : Just because it’s winter time doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the local park!  Jardín Botánico invites you to spend a Sunday exploring the 370 acre national botanical garden with 2 clubs of your choice: The Bird Watching Club ( at 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM ) and The Foodies ( at 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM ).  There are a variety of birds that thrive in the Chilean winter, and the Bird Watching Club has put together a little bingo card to help you out.  Whoever gets a BINGO will receive 4 tickets to go to the Quilpué Zoo.  The Foodies will be working with a famous forager ( known for their informative and fun foraging TikToks ) to show members how to identify edible and poisonous plants, how to sustainably gather local plants, and how to prepare them.  The Foodies will be grilling for lunch, and all foraged foods will be part of the meal.  If neither of those clubs interesting you, maybe you’ll be excited to know that the Combi Coffee Stand is debuting two new drinks: La Avalancha, a sweet caffeinated concoction that’ll warm you right up, and The Snowman, a hot chocolate drink that mixes 3 high quality chocolates.

[honeybeeff]

any audiobook recs? I need s'more for listening at work. Fiction and nonfiction acceptable.

Recent enjoyed reads include: Our Migrant Souls - Hector Tobar, Your Driver is Waiting - Priya Guns, and Life Ceremony - Sayaka Murata

[theiconicmeghanmarkle]

“At this year’s ceremony the APA will also recognize audiobooks that not only captivated listeners but also became cultural phenomenons. This year’s inaugural APA Choice honorees include "Spare" “Fourth Wing,” “Never Finished,” “The Covenant of Water,” and “The Woman in Me.””

[cailynwrites]

Harry Potter Rec Fest Day 2 - A comfort fic

This @hprecfest prompt was difficult for me because HP fanfic is all comfort fics for me. No matter how angsty, how dead dove, it's all comfort food. So I interpreted this prompt as fics that I go back to again and again.

EVERYTHING by GallaPlacidia Pairing: Draco x Harry

GallaPlacidia has such a way of writing, particularly for Draco's voice. She also has an economy of prose that makes just about every line elicit either a laugh or an emotional "ooof". She took down all her work when she published a beautiful book last year, but it's still available if you search around (I know there's a reddit post dedicated to it). I recommend starting with either "Dad Says" or "The Bucket List" but don't stop until you've devoured them all.

BONUS: She also recorded many of them for a podcast. Her versions have also been taken down, but she has said she has no objection to them being shared around and they're easy to find with a little googling. She's so good at narrating them that I was seriously bummed that she didn't record her novel as well. I definitely think her recordings heavily influenced my Draco voice.

Remain Nameless written by @heyjude19-writing and podficced by @beatificbean and @etl-echo-audiobooks Pairing: Draco x Hermione Word count: 312,286 Length: over 24 hours Rating: E

Two HeyJude recs in two days. Sorry not sorry! I don't know if Jude considers this a magnum opus, but it's massive and has incredible character study and development and really languishes in the enemies to lovers pipeline (in a good way!). It's angsty but not too angsty, which is why it qualifies as comfort for me. It's also translated into about 6 different languages, so if you're learning Italian on Duolingo, challenge yourself with a novel length Dramione.

The audiobook version narrated by @beatificbean is *chef's kiss*. It's also available to listen to on Spotify! It was my intro to the ETL-Echo universe and she is so good at Hermione and especially at reading really hot smut. If you've got a long road trip coming up, this is the perfect accompaniment. She has also recorded some outtakes and one-shots in the same universe: "Ceremonials" (AO3, Spotify).

************************************************************************

And finally, my two little self-recs ...

wasps and honey by @swoontodeath - a Podfic Pairing: Narcissa x Hermione Word count: 10,305 Length: 1:12:12 Rating: M

This was the first Cissmione I ever read. I recorded it for @hp-bodiceripper but it's got a great cottagecore vibe too. @swoontodeath's Narcissa is so lovely and complex and her internal monologue as she gets to know Hermione is wonderful. Also available on Spotify on the @etl-echo-audiobooks one-shot feed.

Sesame Seeds and the Entire Spectrum of Human Emotion by @ronbinary- a Podfic Pairing: Draco x Harry Word count: 9528 Length: 1:03:07 Rating: M

This was also recorded for a fest. @lcdrarry is so much fun; it's really fascinating to see the way the authors fit HP characters into other movie plots. @ronbinary wrote an adorable take on "The Proposal" for @lcdrarry 2021 and I recorded it for the 2023 fest. This perfect little romcom features fake dating, sharing a bed, adorable Molly Weasley meddling, and a lot of time on a boat. Also available on Spotify on the @etl-echo-audiobooks one-shot feed.