#FOUNDERS RETREAT <3 BRING THE KIDS <3

[eclipsecrowned]

pov it is summer 1983.

a certain doctor is informing the earl that he has spent too long cooped up in his private studies, not enough time spent entertaining his guests on this fool's holiday. starts rolling the old man away. the locks on this wheelchair are not working. damn it, marcus, the hell are you doing? they are approaching the grand staircase of the estate. marcus is forced to generate his own entertainment with his host. bon voyage, oswell--

a young girl is left to fend for herself in her own family home. she only just closes the door before one of the blondes can hit her with a genuine weapon. her eyes dance around the room. keeping one foot firm against the door as the boy on the other side screams his frustration, danae drags the nearest antique desk over to block the entrance. darting for the window, she throws it open, only to be summarily maced by the female half of the woesome twosome. she lashes out blindly and feels the sweet relief of a connecting blow. they are on the first floor. she can't fall that far. all vicious preteens involved will survive.

the other earl is having a lovely tea time with the far younger wife of one of his late father's associates. they are discussing mutual interests, their children, and stocks within the company. the beautiful young woman thinks it's nice to have someone to actually meet onher own level, she does care for james, but he gets so lost in his work. the earl nods along sympathetically. mentally, he is formulating how best to cuckold the bastard he knows killed his father, he knows it wasn't a lab accident. this is a game of wits and if he does win, it will be because he's the only one playing. upstairs is the sound of a gunshot. the old men are stroppy today. somewhere deeper in the mansion he hears his own daughter shriek out in rage. the twins can handle themselves. it's fine.

the only one actually having a good time on this farcical vacation is the kindergartner. she has liberated 'danny's' record player and has put on a bowie vinyl. ev*lyn is grooving down the hall as absolute hell breaks out across the mansion. she is happy, serene, at peace, in her lane, thriving, flourishing, getting her money up.

[dkehoe]

Are you gearing up for a vacation this summer? There are some great book releases in June, just in time for you to grab one or two and take them with you! These are the books I’m really looking forward to reading. #5 BOOK RELEASE If you like romances with a hint of magic you should pick up an Ashley Poston novel. Most recently she’s had big hits with The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip. A Novel Love Story’s synopsis seems to fit this magical realism genre. I can’t wait to sit on a beach and dip into this book! Synopsis: Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what. But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel… Because it is. This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story. Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending. Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book. Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own. Click this link to purchase this book!* A Novel Love Story #4 BOOK RELEASE The best-selling author of The Sun is Also a Star and Everything Everything, Nicola Yoon’s newest novel One Of Our Kind gives me a ‘something’s wrong in the burbs’ vibe. Synopisis: Jasmyn and King Williams move their family to the planned Black utopia of Liberty, California hoping to find a community of like-minded people, a place where their growing family can thrive. King settles in at once, embracing the Liberty ethos, including the luxe wellness center at the top of the hill, which proves to be the heart of the community. But Jasmyn struggles to find her place. She expected to find liberals and social justice activists striving for racial equality, but Liberty residents seem more focused on booking spa treatments and ignoring the world’s troubles. Jasmyn’s only friends in the community are equally perplexed and frustrated by most residents’ outlook. Then Jasmyn discovers a terrible secret about Liberty and its founders. Frustration turns to dread as their loved ones start embracing the Liberty way of life. Will the truth destroy her world in ways she never could have imagined? Thrilling with insightful social commentary, One of Our Kind explores the ways in which freedom is complicated by the presumptions we make about ourselves and each other. Click this link to purchase this book!* One Of Our Kind *Amazon associate- if you purchase a book through one of these links I’ll receive a small stipend. #3 BOOK RELEASE I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this novel and enjoyed it tremendously. Another women in STEM romance with sizzling heat and intellectual smarts. Great characters and plot too! Synopsis: Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down. Eli Killgore and his business partners want ...

[s4rainbows]

Back at it again with this whole challenge stuff.

This Challenge is half “Survive this”, half Legacy, and based around the various stages the main group in the TV Show “The Walking Dead” went through. You don’t need to have watched it to play this challenge, but many requirements will feel arbitrary if you haven’t. Since these aren’t really, uh, generations, I will refer to the individual parts of this challenge as “Stages” Packs required: Outdoor Retreat, Seasons, Eco Lifestyle, Get Together, City Living, Discover University, Get to Work

The Setup:

- You will need either Triplis’ “Kids Quit School” mod ot MCCC to make quitting school possible. - Create your founder and any number of other survivors in CAS, Two of these additional survivors need to be children. - Use your own physical dice or find an online dice roller, you will need that!

General Rules:

- It’s the Apocalypse, so buy mode is heavily restricted. You can’t just go to Ikea and buy  new couch! You will need to use the fabrication and handiness skills to make furniture! Some Random Events and generational rules may allow you to get stuff otherwise

- You may only cook with ingredients you have! If you play this after the release of Cottage Living, use the Lot Challenge!

- You will always play off the grid!

- The monetary cost of crafting is considered “materials”. You can "barter” for materials by using the selling table from City Living, or sell furniture and stuff you scavenged, thus “dismantling” it and salvaging it.

- Any children you have aside from the two you create in CAS automatically suffer a -2 penalty to all rolls they perform, on account of being children. 

- Randomized townies you encounter are generally considered zombies. (or WaLkErS of you don’t wanna use the evil Z word). If they engage you in conversation, consider it an attack and roll a d20, adding 1 for every two levels of fitness the Sim in question has. Below a 15, they get injured in the scuffle and are out of comission for the rest of the day. Below a 10, they get infected and die

- Pregnant and elderly Sims cannot perform any chores or other survival tasks and suffer the same -2 penalty as children!

- Every ingame week, roll on the random events table!

- Play with normal lifespan!

Stage 1: The Atlanta Survivors Camp You just survived the Apocalypse’s initial outbreak and you are settling with a small group outside a large city. However, calamity soon threatens your little sanctuary.

- Move your household anywhere with freerealestate, then take a vacation on the campground lot in Granite Falls.  - Set your money to 5k and start your grind. When you can no longer extend your vacation, your camp gets overrun and you are forced to flee. Roll Fitness checks for each member of your group and disable/kill accordingly. - If your founder dies in this, appoint a new one from the surviving sims

Stage 2: Hershel’s Farm After getting out of the overrun camp and having a little happening at the CDC, you are back on the road and lose one of your two kids in a run-in with a horde. Worse, even, your other kid gets shot and is badly injured! Thankfully, you are offered help by a small family on a nearby farm.

- Kill of one of your two CAS-created kids. Sorry, Sophia! - The other CAS-created kid is now injured for the rest of thi stage and can’t help you out or build skills. - Move your sims to one of the lots south of the Chalet in Windernburg (Or Henford on Bagley if Cottage Living is out!)  and build a little farmhouse big enough to accommodate four sims, with a small vegetable garden and 2 power generating and 3 water generating items. -Create four Sims that “own” the farm and help you out. One of them has to be an elder! - Two weeks into this stage, the farm will, unfortunately, get overrun and also set on fire. Do your fitness rolls for everyone and run for your life.

Stage 3: The Prison Again, you are on the run, but there’s a little shimmer of light at the end of the tunnel - an abandoned prison! Now, you just need to like... reclaim it.

- Build a Prison, or download one from the gallery! - Cheat one of your sim pregnant, if you don’t have a pregnancy yet. - Reclaim the prison! Make Fitness rolls for each level + the outside. - After your pregnant Sim gives birth, kill her. Sorry, Lori! - Create a rival 8-sim household and put your sims in a club, and their rivals in one too. Have  “fight (other club)” as one of the activities, then have them visit you and... start... a gathering... ;)

Stage 4 The Prison 2, Electric Boogaloo You defeated Woodbury! ... or did you? Well, you don’t really have time to deal with it right now, because there is a deadly strain of influenza wrecking your community. 

- Start placing ads for roommates. Those are the former Woodbury people you took in! - Every Time someone gets one of the GTW illnesses, roll your d20. Below a 10, they die to the sickness. Kill them, and roll fitness for one of your household sims, since the dead turn into walkers! - Three weeks into this stage, your friend, the Governor of Woodbury, comes back with a fresh new group he roped into his nonsense. Roll Fitness checks and book it. (also kill the Governor. RIP in pieces)

Stage 5: Terminus From bad to worse, you’re on the run again, and split up this time. Divided we fall, huh? Good thing there’s this totally not ominous set of markers leading you to a place called Terminus. I’m sure nothing bad will happen there.

- Split your Household and surviving roommates and pop them all into different empty lots. Play a week with each of them (aging off here, this is meant to happen simultaneously!) and roll on the random events table until you have eight sims left in total. Hope you weren’t attached to any of them. - Put them back into the same household again, and create yet another rival club to beat up. That rival club is Terminus. Surprise, the group with the name meaning “Death” was bad! - Switch to your Terminus household and “invite” your sims over, then lock them in the basement, true sims style. Go downstairs and start a club gathering. Keep an eye on them, every time someone loses a fight, kill them. Do this until you have either 5 good guys left or all of Terminus is dead.

Stage 6: Alexandria and The other blokes You got away from the humanitarians and were invited into the community of Alexandria. Thing are finally looking up again!

- Move to a 50x50 lot and build a little “village” with gardens, energy production and everything you might need. - Create two more 8-sim-households on similar situations and create clubs for them, with the activity to be friendly with yours! These two households will be Hilltop and The Kingdom. - Make one of the Evergreen Harbor Community Spaces a marketplace and frequent it! - Stay in this stage for four weeks!

Stage 7: The Saviour War Things just couldn’t stay okay, could they? You ticked off a horrible cult-of-personality-type organization called the Saviours, who now start their reign of terror against you.

- Create another household and club meant to be mean to you, Hilltop and the kingdom. Make their Leader a magnificent bastard and give that one plot armor. Narrative Immunity! - Host a little multi-club gathering and roll a d8 twice. Look at your own household portrait lineup and kill two of your sims whose portrait position corresponds to your rolls. - Take your strongest fighter, aka the highst fitness stat, aka Daryl Dixon and put them into their own household, to take them out of the equation for a while. They’re the Saviours’ prisoner now! - Congrats, you have been promoted to vassal state. The Saviours demand five of every crop you produce. Don’t hav enough to feed your people? Sucks to be you! - Stay in this stage for 4 weeks, then bring back your poor fighter, and kill off half of the Saviours, add the rest to your household and Kingdom & Hilltop. Their Leader must survive! Keep them in your basement from now on and visit them regularly to gloat.

Stage 8: The Whisperer War Finally, some stability. Oh, whats that? New enemy faction, and this one of even worse? Fantastic.

- Cease communication and trade with Hilltop & Kingdom for two weeks, Then hold a big party! - ...during said party,  kill 12 total sims from each faction. - Create a new rival faction called the Whisperers. Make their two leaders, Alpha & Beta, level 10 in fitness. - Hold weekly brawls with the whisperers. Kill every fight loser, but replenish the Whisperers losses. There’s no end to their forces! - Give Alpha a daughter and take her in after your first clash with them. - When you resume trade, roll a D20 every time you travel away from your lot. Below a 10, your travel party gets attacked by the Whisperers! Roll Fitness checks for every Siim traveling. - Remember the Saviour leader? Yeah, they’re doing better. Have them befried one of your household’s children, and gradually integrate them into your community. - After an additional 4 weeks of this, send your redeemed Saviour leader over to the Whisperers and befriend them. They’re a spy now! - Survive another week, then ply s the Whisperers and attack Hilltop! Move the survivors into your main household. - After this attack, your spy strikes and kills Alpha. Put them back into your household, then gear up for a big fight! - Cheat “Roughhousing ecouraged” in your NAPs, then gather all surviving characters along with the Whisperers and fight!

Did you survive this? Well, until season 11 comes out, that’s as far as we go. You can continue playing with the Random Events and general ruleset!

RANDOM EVENTS:

D20: 1.  There’s a drought. Sell all your stored water and reset your money back down 2. Zombie Attack! Roll Fitness and kill accoridngly! 3. Electric whoopsie-doopsie. Sell your stored electricty and set your money bck down 4. Roving bandits! The next time travel, all your traveling sims lose their inventory contents! If they had none, kill one of them! 5. Baby Boom! Get one fo your Sims pregnant 6. Other Survivors! Roll a d4 and add the resulting nuber of sims to your household! 7. Tragic accident! Kill a random sim 8. Extra Ammo! Every Sim gets a +1 to their next fitness roll! 9. Thunderstorm! Your Sims may not leave their lot for this week! 10: Supply thief! select a random sim and hoard food for this week. At the end of the week they get found out nd either killed or exiled! 11. Breach! Your wall has a breach! Reduce your funds by 150 to fix it. If you don’t have that much, kill a random sim in the resulting zombie incusrsion! 12. Illness! There’s a flareup of the deadly flu from the prison! Play with this Stage’s rules (regarding the illness) for this week! 13: Re-roll! 14. Sabotage! Your fabricator and woodworking table cannot be used this week! 15. Zombie Attack! Roll Fitness and kill accordingly! 16. Lost Child! You find a random child, adopt one! (cheat the money for the adoption) 17: Feast! Your Sims make the poorly informed decision to par-tay! Delete all the stored crops you have. 18. Horde! It’s too dangerous to leave the fortifications right now! Suspend all travel this week. 19. Foraging! Cheat yourself enough money and buy a seasonal seed packet that corresponds to this season! 20. Re-Roll!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Free markets

Last autumn, I ran the most successful audiobook crowdfunding campaign ever, raising nearly $270k with ATTACK SURFACE, the third Little Brother book:

http://attacksurface.com

As successful as the campaign was, the delivery was a nightmare. Part of that was down to some pretty poor digital distribution tools on my fulfilment partner's side, but the real problem was mobile devices and their operating systems.

The earliest mobile devices made it very simple to synch and listen to audio you downloaded from the internet. Just plug in your Ipod, wait a few minutes and unplug it, and you'd have all your music synched and ready to listen to.

That's no longer true. If you download a zip file of MP3s to your laptop and want to transfer them to your phone or tablet to listen to on the go, the process involves many, many steps, and it baffled hundreds of my backers, who found themselves stymied by the complexity.

Of course, it's rare that we get digital assets by downloading them direct to our devices or transfering them from laptops - these days, it all comes through an app and "just works." So why not deliver everything via app?

For the same reason I had to do a Kickstarter, as it turns out. The market for audiobooks is monopolized by Amazon, through its Audible division. Audible has a mandatory DRM policy.

To sell a book through Audible, you have to let Amazon wrap it in its proprietary "digital lock." That lock can only be removed by Amazon - if I give you a tool to liberate my audiobooks, I commit a felony under Sec 1201 of the DMCA, and can go to prison for *five years*.

Locking my customers to Amazon forever is not good for my future. Amazon, after all, is notorious for squeezing its suppliers, and while we authors associated with major publishers aren't yet in the vice, indie audiobook authors are.

Amazon has stolen tens of millions of dollars from indie audiobook authors, who are also contractually forbidden from withdrawing their books from Audible:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/11/03/somebody-will/#acx

Amazon hasn't exercised forbearance for us "big name pros" out of respect for our stature - we've been spared this wage-theft thus far because they know our publishers are powerful enough to push back. But Amazon gains power daily, and once they can squeeze us, they will.

I'd sell my audiobooks through Audible if I could. My agent tells me that not selling through Audible cost me enough to pay off my mortgage and probably pay for most of my kid's college education. But I've turned down that money, because I WON'T lock my readers to Amazon.

Economists have a name for the extra money that companies like Audible are able to extract from buyers and sellers by dint of owning a choke-point in the market: this money is called "economic rents," and Audible is a "rent-seeker."

The founder who builds a factory and the workers who make it function all contribute something to its product. The landlord who owns the dirt underneath it contributes nothing, but still extracts rent, raising prices and lowering wages and profits.

Adam Smith railed against rents, describing markets as "free" when they were *free from rents*, not free from regulations. For centuries, a "free market" was a market where buyers and sellers operated without interference from rentiers, not regulators.

This is the subject of my latest Locus column, "Free Markets," which makes the connection between Amazon's rent-seeking on audiobooks and the reason I couldn't deliver my audiobooks by app.

https://locusmag.com/2021/03/cory-doctorow-free-markets/

The short answer? If you sell stuff through an app on either of the major mobile app stores, then Google and Apple require you to use their payment processors and pay 30% for the privilege.

Apple recently cut its app tax to 15% for some sellers, but the actual cost of processing a payment is 0.5-3%. It's ironic that two of the most aggressive corporate tax-evaders in the world are levying a 30% tax on anyone who uses mobile devices.

But it's not merely ironic, it's fatal. One of the audiobooks I sold in my crowdfunder was the Random House audiobook of LITTLE BROTHER; which retails for $20. I get a 20% wholesale discount on it (I make $4/copy). If I sold that book to you on an app, I'd *lose* $2/copy.

Which brings me back to the massive regression in ease-of-use for downloaded media on mobile devices, the massive retreat in usability from the first Ipods to their distant descendants in our pockets today.

It's possible that this is a coincidence. Maybe the fact that unusable web-downloads corral sellers into using app stores and handing over 30% commissions are just a coincidence.

But maybe not. Maybe mobile devices intentionally suck as download devices because wrecking the once-functional download workflow makes billions for the mobile duopoly.

I crowdfunded an audiobook to escape Amazon's rent-seeking, only to get caught in the rent-trap of Googple. Once we dreamt of free markets, where buyers and sellers could transact without rentiers sticking their hand in the till.

Today, we have *unregulated* markets that are anything but free. Sure, the ferryman is free to buy out the bridge company and shut it down, and force all the other ferry services out of business and then charge merchants 30% vig to reach the market.

But the "free market"? It's nowhere to be found.

[guiltysecretpasttime]

Adversity

A fanfic story

Overview: Lin and Tenzin are both at the height of their respective careers – she with the Metalbending Police and he with the Air Nation. Questions about their future begin to arise and things come to a head when Lin responded to an emergency call. Would her job take them from each other forever? Eventual HEA. Non-canon compliant, AU. (Notes at the end of the post.)

Chapter 1

Lin was once again pulling a double shift, finishing up this month’s crime stats report that needed to be filed at city hall tomorrow. Aside from having the routine meeting at city hall, tomorrow also marks Lin’s first ninety days as the chief of police.

She lightly rubbed a crick at her neck as she proofread the document.

Having taken over the Republic City Police Department when her mother, the metalbender Toph Beifong, stepped down, Lin Beifong recognized that taking on this responsibility goes beyond upholding the family legacy.

She pushed on, double checking the figures. Hoping that this was enough at least to keep the council contented. While some of the council members saw her growing up, she knew they were going to be fair as in all their dealings. However, the rest of the members were likely to be more difficult with her, with the mistaken notion that they needed to compensate for the perceived bias of the city founders. It also did not help that her mother was not as charismatic as the other founders.

Lin sighed tiredly as she pulled out another case folder; she had her work cut out.

-------------

Tenzin frowned deeply at his bowl, as though the stew his mother prepared offended him greatly.

His sullen mood was out of place amidst the boisterous laughter of his family at the dinner table. On another day, he would have eaten his sea prune stew with gusto. Tonight, he should have done so as well, given that his mother went all out with the dishes as the extended family was present.

Bumi, his eldest brother, arrived two days ago on shore leave. His uncle Sokka, meanwhile, landed at Air Temple island that afternoon, in preparation for tomorrow’s council meeting.

His uncle continued to regal the table with stories, getting more and more exaggerated as the night wore on. His father, the Avatar Aang laughed accordingly at the right moments, encouraging the stories further. Beside Sokka, his wife Suki held his glass upright without skipping a beat as he pounded on the table in emphasis on how heavy the imported cabbages were in the Southern Water Tribe. Tenzin’s sister Kya chatted their aunt’s ear off at her other side.

It was a lovely meal indeed and the company was not so bad either. In fact, Tenzin was looking forward to this family dinner. The week was ending and it was particularly challenging one.

He had a long session with the new Air Acolytes earlier and he had a vague impression that they were not taking him seriously as they would his father. He just wanted to have a relaxing night with the family and Lin.

Granted, Lin was practically family. But it was her that Tenzin was specifically anticipating to spend time with that night. He had a lot of things on his mind but he knew Lin’s presence would help tamp down his worries.

Katara noticed her son’s preoccupation as the dinner went on. Every couple of minutes or so, Tenzin would look up at the doorway, as though expecting someone. As the night went on, his mood turned sour.

Presently, he attempted to stab the sea prune with his spoon.

“Tenzin, dear, would you like a fork?” Katara called out, lightly touching his arm, startling him from his reverie.

“Wha-?” Tenzin was drawn out of his thoughts, as the stew splashed on his robes when the prune slipped from his utensil.

“Fork? Or a knife?” His mother held out a small table knife to him. “Is something bothering you?” Katara had an inkling on what (or rather who) was on his mind. “How was the session today?”

Tenzin shrugged but took the knife. “It was fine, mother.” He wanted to share his misgivings about the air acolytes but did not want his siblings to overhear. “We were able to start and end on time.” Lame as it was, that was the only positive outcome of that meditation session.

“That’s good to hear,” Katara took a bite of her own stew. “They are from the Southern Air Temples, right? How is the restoration going on from their end, did they share anything about it?” She intended to draw him away from his obviously stormy ruminations.

Just as Tenzin was about to respond, Sokka suddenly turned his attention to mother and son. “Heeey – I knew I forgot something! Where’s Lin?”

Tenzin grew uncomfortable as the table went silent, each person looking at him expectantly. He cleared his throat as he loosened his collar. “She’s still at the precinct, I believe.” He did not miss Katara and Aang share a look but he chose not to acknowledge it.

“That young lady is working too hard,” Sokka run his hand at his beard. “On the other hand, look at her sister Suyin, with two kids at the age of twenty-four. I mean, sure they’re both productive, if you get what I mean. Am I right?” He elbowed his wife, looking for affirmation. Suki looked nonplussed. So he leaned to his other side, elbowing Bumi instead, who gave him a thumbs up.

-------------

Finally, at half past eleven in the evening, Lin found herself unlocking the door to the apartment after satisfactorily completing the documents in time for tomorrow’s meeting.

“Tenzin, I’m home.” She called out, as she took off her boots and removed her armor. “I’m sorry I’m late.” She pulled her long black hair from the bun it was in the whole day. “Had to finish up some paper-.” She finally realized she was alone. “Work.”

The dark and empty room puzzled her but she ignored the unease that crept and proceeded to the bathroom to wash her face.

Seeing the empty space where she and Tenzin kept their toothbrushes and toiletries, Lin cursed.

She just realized she forgot something tonight.

-------------

After somewhat successfully averting the disaster called Sokka’s big mouth by introducing dessert, Katara followed her youngest child who excused himself to the patio once dessert was served. She studied his stiff posture as he gazed at the distant lights of Republic City.

“Son, is everything okay with Lin?” Katara was not one to beat around the bush. “She’s not in trouble, is she?”

Tenzin shook his head quietly. “She’s fine, Mother.” He really did not want to discuss his relationship right now.

“Don’t mind Sokka,” Katara plodded on. “He’s just probably excited to hear about more grandchildren within our group. You know how he doted on Iroh when Zuko used to bring him over.” She smiled in recollection how Sokka had pranced around with the toddler on his back, pretending to be a dragon.

“Iroh is just a couple of years younger than me.” Tenzin grumbled, not liking where the conversation was headed.

Katara waved him off. “You were well in your teens by then – a far cry from toddling little Iroh.” Seeing no further comment coming from her companion, she gestured to the side buildings. “Do you want me to call on the Air Acolytes to prepare Oogi tonight? I had them bring him to the barns as I thought you’d be staying overnight. They can easily prepare him for your quick trip back to Republic City though.”

“No, it’s fine.” The tall airbender was starting to hate that word: fine. “Oogi’s probably resting already. And I haven’t decided yet if I’ll stay tonight,” His equanimity would be sorely tested should he see Lin now.  “I can always borrow a glider to get back to the mainland.”

“Well, if you’re sure,” His mother gave him a side hug. “You know your father and I are always here for you and Lin, right?”  She felt him nod. “Don’t stay out too late – it’s a bit chilly these nights.”

-------------

Lin fought with herself as to whether she should drop a call to Air Temple Island at this time. She wanted to speak to Tenzin. Correction: she needed to apologize for forgetting about the family dinner.

Seeing that it was almost midnight with no hint of Tenzin or Oogi in sight, Lin decided to risk waking the household up.

“Pick up, pick up,” Lin murmured as she heard the phone ringing.

-------------

Unbeknownst to her, the raucous cacophony made by a drunk Sokka, Bumi and Kya drowned out other noises within Aang’s house.

Rolling his eyes as he saw Bumi throwing back a large tankard, Tenzin decided to retreat to his bedroom to bid his time before going home to Lin. There was no way he would allow himself to be dragged into Sokka’s drinking game, which was likely to happen should they see him crossing the threshold to glide away. With a highly skilled waterbender in said drinking group, he did not want to take any risks of possibly being pulled into the ocean at this late hour.

-------------

With fatigue eventually overcoming him, Tenzin barely felt the mattress shifting nor did he feel the bed dip with the weight of another person joining him. He sighed sleepily as he curled closer to the source of warmth beside him.

-------------

Note:  Hello to my lone reader! So here’s my trial in creating a Linzin fanfic (cross-posted in archiveofourown too). I’m hesitant to post something online but it felt nice to share it with you. Not sure if this plot has already been done, or if this is a familiar trope already, but just the same I’ll be posting it here as I’ve started to rediscover the fandom recently. I’ve been fascinated by the Linzin pairing and I wanted to give it a shot. There was something very poignant about them and while I’m a sucker for angst, I wanted to try to give it a try to give them a happy ending. This is also non-canon compliant, obviously. Let me know what you think! 😊

==

Other chapters here:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

[pixeleaf]

When trouble at home rises you don’t take more than a minute to plan your escape to venture the great world you’ve barely seen. You hitch rides with strangers to travel as far away as possible, only to find yourself in the middle of nowhere. You set up camp for the night and wait for the sun to rise to start the next chapter of your big adventure...

The sun rises and you are woken up by an unfamiliar face. You have been sleeping on someones property! You choose not to run away and hear them out. They offer you the chance to build up a town and become mayor in the empty area instead of contacting authorities. You’d do anything to not have your parents involved and agree to the deal without realizing what you are getting yourself into...

Welcome to the It Takes A Village Challenge!, a blend of a few challenges I’d like to try but without all the different saves. The main aspect of this challenge follows the settler challenge, thats right folks you get to put your building and sim-making to the test to create a world of fun and random characters! Your townies can even have an ongoing theme! Speaking of themes, the second part to this challenge follows the Sim Crossing Challenge! When you thought the settler challenge was enough you now get to fill up a museum with collectibles and befriend those neighbours you just created! And last but certainly not least we have the differences in the family challenge making an appearance to give all your generations a chance to explore what the game has to offer with the various personalities and lifestyle choices!

Lets recap, this challenge is a mix of the Settler Challenge, Sim Crossing Challenge and Differences in the Family Challenge, and why not throw in my own twist of the beloved My Sims game.

Goals • Build and populate your world, and lift all restrictions. • Fill up an empty Museum with every collectible there is to find, make friends with your neighbours and upgrade your home over time. • Learn and explore the sims 4 with different generation goals, personalities and careers. • Overall have fun with it!

Setting up • Life span is your choice! • Aging on or you can set up goals to age sims. • Create a single sim (and you can create their future partner!). This is your founder. They can have any aspiration or traits but you might prefer relating both of them to your generation goal. • Bulldoze all lots or add this save to your game and build your townhall/museum wherever you would like it to be or download this one! • Turn off fill empty homes in game options. • You must use all or almost all your money building and furnishing the house. You can also use this money to buy books and seeds. The point is that you must not have any money when you start the game. You can also use a money cheats to reduce it.

Rules • You can’t keep any of the money a sim brings with them when moving in. • Sims can have as many children as you want (I like to use an online dice roller) • Choose the heir based on whatever method you prefer as long as they are the child of your founder/previous heir. • Your founders/heirs children must move out when they turn into young adults.  • Start collecting! you can sell any collectibles you want to help with money but remember you need to fill up your museum over the generations. • The next generation starts once your current founder/heir has completed their generations goals.

Populating Your World The only residential and communities lots you should have in the beginning are: • The Museum • 2 residential lots with a family size of 1-2 sims • Your chosen lot to start the challenge on

Rules for adding families: • When you are allowed to add a family, you can create them or download them. Roll the dice to determine the number of sims within the household (1 to 6).

Different ways to populate your world: • Have babies! • You can use your Charisma skill to persuade people to join your colony: You can add one family for every sim in your family who has reached level 5 in Charisma. • You can also attract people by hosting great parties. You may add one family for every type of party for which you’ve got a gold medal. You can only invite people who live in your colony to your parties, you can’t invite homeless people! • Improving the services and the infrastructure in your colony will also make people move into your community. You may add one family for every community lot you add.

Restrictions and how to lift them School There is no school in your colony. Requirements for lifting this restriction: • There must be at least twelve people living in your colony (your family included). Medicine Hospital births are not allowed and woohooing may always lead to a pregnancy (roll the dice! 1 means you need to pick the interaction Try for baby instead, and if you roll 2-6 you can just pick Woohoo). You can always choose to Try for baby if you want to. Requirements for lifting this restriction: • There must be at least three different community lots in your colony Electricity There is no electricity yet. You may not use the computer, the TV, the radio etc. (You may use the fridge, however). Requirements for lifting this restriction: • There must be at least four different community lots in your colony AND one of the sims in your current family must have 6 skill points in Handiness Careers You may not have a normal job as there aren’t any companies or infrastructure. Careers are therefore not allowed, but you may use other means to earn money (painting, collecting, gardening, fishing etc.) Requirements for lifting this restriction: • There must be at least five different community lots in your colony • There must also be at least thirty people living in your colony (including your family) ADDING COMMUNITY LOTS When a community lot has a certain cost, you can either pay for that lot or try to fill the other requirements, in which case you won't have to pay anything. If you decide to pay, just use a money cheat to reduce your money by the required amount. A church / a wedding venue / some other nice place for your colony to gather and meet each other This should preferably be the first public building or venue that you create. There are many nice choices in the Gallery (under General), but you can also build it yourself. Just remember not to make it too modern! Unlocking requirements: -Cost: 5000 simoleons OR your heir must have 6 skill points in Handiness A café, a restaurant or a bakery Unlocking requirements: -Cost: 5000 simoleons OR your heir must have 6 skill points in Gourmet cooking A pub or a bar Unlocking requirements: -Cost: 5000 simoleons OR your heir must have 6 skill points in Mixology A library Unlocking requirements: -Cost: 5000 simoleons OR your heir must have 6 skill points in Writing A concert hall or a lounge Unlocking requirements: -Cost: 5000 simoleons OR your heir must have 6 skill points in Guitar, Violin or Piano A park Unlocking requirements: -Cost: 5000 simoleons OR your heir must have 6 skill points in Gardening A nightclub Unlocking requirements: -Cost: 5000 simoleons OR your heir must have 8 friends outside the current family A gym Unlocking requirements: -Cost: 5000 simoleons OR your heir must have fully completed their aspiration (it doesn’t matter which aspiration he / she has)

Collections Needed for your Museum • Frogs: 25 • Fish: 22 • Crystals: 20 • Metals: 20 • Elements: 15 • Postcards: 14 • Fossils: 16 • Microscope Prints: 12 • Space Prints: 15 • Aliens: 10 • Space Rocks: 5 • MySim Trophies: 20 • Masterpieces: at least 10

+ More • Get to Work Geodes: 6  • Outdoor Retreat Insects: 21  • Dine Out Experimental Food Prints: 20 • Kids Room Voidcritter Cards: 20  • City Living Snow globes: 15  • City Living City Posters: 15  • Cats and Dogs Feathers: 12  • Jungle Adventure Ancient Omiscan Artifacts: 16  • Jungle Adventure Omiscan Treasures: 13  • Gardening

Its best to collect these in relation to your sims generations goals. Ex: Generation Two would be the best time to get all the collectibles in space as you won’t get a chance to go out again with another heir.

Generation One: Gardener Helping the mayor to start up a community doesn’t give you a lot of job options, you decide to let mother nature run her course as you live off the land to gain an income to support your future family and community. Aspiration: Angling Ace, Freelance Botanist or Outdoor Enthusiast Objectives • Complete aspiration • Your garden is your job, have a garden with all plants. • Master gardening skill • No babies before marriage

Generation Two: Rocket Scientist Growing up under the same roof of a family of botanists and mother nature enthusiasts, you decide to take a different route with science and follow the stars and explore what is beyond the earth you have grown up on. Aspiration: Nerd Brain Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Get to level 10 of Space Ranger or Interstellar Smuggler career • Master rocket science skill • Fall in love with an alien and have alien babies (optional)

Generation Three: Musician You wanted something different from your parents and grandparents science-influenced lifestyle, so you follow your creative heart and made art! You choose to move to the big city where all your dreams can come true.  Aspiration: Musical Genius or Party Animal Objectives:  • Complete aspiration • Get to level 10 of the Musician branch of the Entertainer career • Master a Musical Instrument skill • Get married to a sim who has the Music lover trait and have at least one child

Generation Four: Love Doctor With your parents focused on their music and careers, you didn’t get a lot of attention growing up. Because of this dysfunction, you looked for love in all the wrong places and inherited the career-focus your parents had, but this time the twist is you heal other people’s heart to replace the emptiness in your own. Aspiration: Serial Romantic Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Get to level 10 of the Medical Career • Master charisma skill • Divorce twice, have children with 3 different sims. 

Generation Five: White Picket Fence “I always dreamed of a white picket fence” With the unsteady lifestyle you grew up in, you chose to break the cycle and promised yourself that you will one day have a big happy family with a white picket fence. Family means everything to you and you won’t allow your children to go through the same experiences as you. Aspiration: Big Happy Family, Super Parent or Successful Lineage  Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Open your own business • Master any skill • Marry one sim and have 3 or more children

+ Optional: A Man’s Best Friend A family isn’t complete without a fuzzy four footed friend! Aspiration: Friends of the Animals Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Master Pet training and/or Vetrinarian

Generation Six: Bad Seed There was something about you. You were different from the others. Could it have been you were smothered by your parents, since they did have such high expectations of you, or were you just born that way. Either way, things are going to change around here, for an evil better.... Aspiration: Chief of Mischief or Public Enemy Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Get to level 10 of the Criminal career • Master mischief skill • Marry an evil sim and have only one child

Generation Seven: Good Cop ”I won’t end up like you! I won’t! You were their perfect child, and you dislike it, even more so when you realized that your parents were criminals. Now you’ve sworn to take your parents down, no matter what. Aspiration: Aspiration is your choice! Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Get to level 10 of the Detective career • Master logic skill • Get married and have more than one child

Generation Eight: Computer Genius You took an admiration in your parents career... or more so some of the things their perpetrator’s could do with a computer and the internet. You started to teach yourself the ways of cyber-space and all the possibilities and outcomes you could achieve.  Aspiration: Computer Whiz Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Get to level 10 of Tech Guru career • Master programming skill • Fall in love with another tech-y sim and have babies

Generation Nine: Fitness is Key You watched your parent(s) sit around all day in front of a computer, you wanted something different. Something that would fulfill your interest in body-involved activities, not just ones that challenged the mind. You chose to try out school sports through your childhood and be as active as you can be as grew into a young adult, testing yourself to break your limits. Aspiration: Body Builder Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Get to level 10 of the Athletic career • Master fitness and/or wellness skill • Find a partner similar or opposite to you and have a child or children

+ Optional: Adventure is Waiting! You wanted to expand your mind and body into one and experience the biggest challenge of your lifetime to travel and explore the world, completing adventures and quests! Aspiration: Jungle Explorer or Archaeology Scholar Objectives: • Master Selvadoradian Culture and/or Explorer Skill

Generation 10: Creative Mind Aspiration: Best-selling author or Painter Extraordinaire  Objectives: • Complete aspiration • Get to level 10 of Painter or Writer career • Master writing, painting and/or photography skill • your choice for lifestyle!

That’s pretty much it! It will probably be an intense challenge so relax, have fun and don’t stress over it. You can lessen your goals if you want or change some areas of the challenge to make it easier. Thanks for reading and feel free to tag me if you decide to try out this challenge!

Goodluck and Happy Simming!

xoxo Pixeleaf

[joonie-beanie]

Oh, Baby (Namjoon x Reader) Pt. 20 (Final)

[Pt 1] [Pt 2] [Pt 3] [Pt 4] [Pt 5] [Pt 6] [Pt 7] [Pt 8] [Pt 9] [Pt 10] [Pt 11] [Pt 12] [Pt 13] [Pt 14] [Pt 15] [Pt 16] [Pt 17] [Pt 18] [Pt 19]

Pairing: Namjoon/RM x Reader Rating: M Genre: Smut/Mafia-ish AU

Words: 6,324

Summary: You were only supposed to have seen him twice. Only twice, no more, but now you’re getting dragged into situations you never wished for and Namjoon just keep showing up.

A/N: I’ll keep my somewhat sentimental Author’s Note for the end. For now, read on, and I hope you all enjoy~

“Good evening, and welcome to the 5 o’clock news. Tonight, we’ll be running a special news report on the two murders that occurred 5 days ago, at Jeon Enterprise’s Seoul location.”

You and Jungkook pause, looking up at the television hanging on the wall of the student lounge. Around you, others pause in their studying, attention turning to the male newscaster on the screen.

“I’m sure as many of you have heard, the CEO and founder of Jeon Enterprises himself was one of the victims—the other being a previously prevalent figure in the mafia, a man known by the name Jaehyuk. The murders took place on the night of the Jeon’s annual charity ball, and according to the official police report which was finally released just last night, it seems that Jeon and Jaehyuk ended up being killed by each other’s parties.”

Jungkook meets your hesitant gaze—a look of should we get out of here?—but Jungkook simply shakes his head and turns his attention back down to the pile of Psychology homework on the table in front of you. After having missed nearly two weeks of class, the two of you have a lot to catch up on.

Simply wanting to get all this work done as soon as you can—you turn your attention away from the report and continue reading through the questions of the assignment you and Jungkook are currently working on.

“From what we know, Jeon was shot first, in his private suite up above the main ballroom area by one of Jaehyuk’s subordinates, who had snuck into the ball along with him. When a staff member of the event heard the fired shot, this staff member pulled the fire alarm in hopes that everyone would evacuate the building and no one would be further injured.

“Following this, one of Jeon’s security staff found Jaehyuk attempting to escape through the rear exit—away from the main crowd—and Jaehyuk was forced to retreat back into the ballroom until, subsequently, the guard ended up firing two rounds when the man presented a gun and refused to be taken into custody.”

“What about Jaehyuk’s party? Someone shot Jeon, correct? Where did his men go?” another news reporter butts in, arms crossed and brows furrowed. The male summarizing the police report shuffles some papers around in his grasp.

“According to the guard who was later tracked down to give his statement, Jaehyuk’s men were not around when he found Jaehyuk attempting to leave the scene. His best guess was that Jaehyuk’s men bolted as soon as things started to take a turn for the worst.”

“Sounds like something the mafia would do,” a third personality speaks up, clearly more easy going than the other two. “Get the job done and abandon their boss to fend for himself.”

“Is the security guard the only account the police are going off of?”

“No, the police say their report is mostly based off what was observed by the staff member who pulled the fire alarm, and two other individuals who had been attending the party, and had been the last to leave the ballroom.”

“And who are these witnesses?”

Despite your effort to focus on the task at hand, you end up quickly reaching to grab your cellphone, which is splayed across the table beside your notes, as the screen flashes to life. A new notification—a text, to be precise.

You pause as you note the contact from which you’ve just received a message. Your heart goes through a small cycle of hope and dread—and then you finally open it.

“Due to the mafia involvement in this crime, as well as a request from Jeon Enterprises Board of Directors to keep their identities private, at the time we have no names or faces to put to the accounts this report is based off of.”

Your eyes scan the message—a simple two words, but tears well in your wide, surprised eyes, and you turn the device to face Jungkook. When he doesn’t notice, you reach over and pat his arm repeatedly, the boy looking at you, confused, until he notices that you’re holding up the message for him to read.

Min Yoongi:

He’s awake.

Jungkook’s eyes flit to you, and you both look shocked, but can’t help it when smiles break out across your faces.

Grabbing your papers, you both hurriedly begin packing your bags, and luckily the news report is interesting enough to keep all eyes from turning to the two kids who suddenly look like they’ve forgotten about their shift at work and are trying to haul ass.

“Speaking of witness accounts” the more easygoing personality speaks up. “I heard the camera footage from the hotel that night was destroyed, which is why the police are trusting these three witnesses so much.”

You and Jungkook stand up, grabbing your bags and you, your crutch, and bustle out of the study room—but the sound of the report follows you. It’s as if all of Seoul has tuned in to listen.

“Indeed, when returning to the hotel to retrieve the footage from the night of the crime, not only was the tape destroyed but a majority of the security hub, in whole, had been damaged to a nearly unrepairable state. Many believe this is likely where Jaehyuk’s men may have disappeared to—another possibility—but without the tapes we can’t say anything for sure. Right now, all we can do is trust in the words of the people who actually saw these events occur first-hand.”

“Seems suspicious to me,” the second, least convinced reporter grumbles, but the main reporter simply straightens out his papers again.

“Whatever you may think or feel, this is the official report the police have released to the public, and with two bodies identified, the witness accounts, and a request from a mourning family to simply let things be, this case has been closed.”

Jungkook hits the button for the elevator, taking your bag off of your shoulder and slinging it over his own. You nudge him with your hip, all smiles, and Jungkook can’t help but grin.

After a few seconds, the elevator arrives and the two of you step inside, descending down to the 1st floor of the building. When the double doors slide open, the report is still ongoing.

“However, speaking of the future of Jeon Enterprises, tonight Jeon Junghyun, the eldest son of the family, will be holding a public conference to explain the next stages of their business. Of course, all of us here at the station are praying for the mourning family, and wishing them well during any changes that may come their way.”

“Hey there, slow down,” Jungkook comments as you hobble ahead, a little reckless with how much weight you’re putting on your injured leg. “Jin hyung is gonna be pissed if we get there and you’re bleeding through the bandages. You know he’s not gonna let you leave later without checking on your wound.”

“Jungkook, I know I’m smiling right now, but I’m also this close--,” you lift your fingers and show him how they’re extremely close to touching, “—to crying too, so unless you want me to start sobbing in public, right here, and make you look like an abusive boyfriend or something of the sort, just let me be.”

Jungkook laughs, holding the door open for you as you both make your way outside.

“Don’t let Namjoon hyung hear you say that, he’ll beat my ass.”

At that, you laugh as well.

A minute later, having made it to the nearest parking lot, Jungkook pulls out his keys and unlocks his car—the tail lights flashing. After Jungkook’s brother had come up from Busan, he’d immediately greeted Jungkook with a hug and proceeded to grant him more freedom than his father had in years—which included the use of a car, so he would no longer need to be carted to and from school, like some kind of trapped child of royalty.

Jamming his keys into the ignition, Jungkook revs the car to life, carefully glancing around as he backs out of the spot. You, too, keep watch out the passenger window as he drives. It’s not that you don’t trust him, but simply that Jungkook hasn’t had much experience driving due to his father’s old-school ways.

Leaving campus grounds, the two of you venture into the main part of the city. Avoiding the skyscrapers and the hub of businesses at the city’s center, you instead stick near the edge of town, traversing the slightly congested streets until a familiar building comes into sight.

Jin’s apartment.

Pulling into a parking space, Jungkook turns the engine off and then glances over at you as his hand moves to undo his seatbelt. He can spot how anxious you are—and it’s not all negative—but it’s obvious that your emotions are being pulled in so many directions. However, he chooses to say nothing—at this point you just need to see him—so instead he simply steps out of the car and moves around to make sure you safely make it over the curb.

Side by side, the two of you make your way into the building, taking another elevator ride up to Jin’s floor. Jungkook’s the one who knocks on the door, and you take a deep breath which fails to help calm you.

After a few seconds, the handle twists and the door is pulled open. Jin, a medical mask draped around his neck, smiles at you both.

“That was quick. Yoongi said that he’d text you as he was leaving, but that was seriously fast. Are you sure you didn’t see him on your way out?”

“Haha, hyung, always so full of jokes,” Jungkook rolls his eyes, and Jin laughs at himself, motioning you both inside. You shed your shoes in the doorway, and then pause, eyes turning up to the doctor. Feeling your stare, Jin blinks and turns his attention to you.

“Do I need to step into some kind of disinfectant chamber first? If I bring outside diseases in will he die within minutes?”

Jin hides his smile behind his hand.

“Like I’ve told you already—he’s stable. He came out of his coma about 20 hours ago, but I had to make sure his wound and vitals were alright before letting anyone know.”

“Wait, so you’re saying he’s already been awake for almost a day?!” you say in surprise, and Jin holds up his hands.

“Things can change sometimes, I didn’t want to make a false announcement and have you all on my doorstep only for there to be more bad news.”

“I guess that’s understandable,” Jungkook mumbles considerately, and Jin huffs. He poses his hands on his hips, looking down at you both.

“Let me remind you, he’ll still need to rest for a while. He’s not 100%. He’ll need therapy for his right arm, and may never have the same mobility in it again. Chronic back problems, blood clots, finger numbness…these are all possibilities with this kind of injury,” Jin explains, and then pauses when he sees your and Jungkook’s faces falling.

“But…the important part is that he’s alive, and he’ll be fine otherwise. There’s no longer any immediate threat to his life.”

At that, the two of you sigh with relief and Jin smiles fondly, lifting a hand to card it through his hair.

“He should still be awake, if you want to go in and see him.”

“Can I?” you ask, hopeful and nervous at the same time. Leaning onto your crutch, you glance over at Jungkook. He shrugs, throwing his hands behind his head.

“You need some time alone with him, and I’ve got an hour or two left before I need to leave. Don’t worry about me, I can talk to him when you’re done making-out, or whatever.”

You blush, reaching over to smack him. He laughs, and Jin does too, until he suddenly pauses, eyes turning serious.

“Ok, but really,” he says, leaning forward and sternly putting a hand on your shoulder. “I know how he is—but he can’t have sex or do any strenuous activities for a while longer yet, so--!”

“Oh my god! I hate you guys!” you blush, ducking down and moving past them. “He just woke up from a 4 day coma, all I want to do is make sure I’m not dreaming!”

“Just go,” Jin says, waving you away, and you huff but continue into his home. Familiar with Jin’s apartment by now, you weave through the living room and then turn down the hall, continuing forward until you’re stood in front of the closed door that Namjoon is currently behind.

Following the night of the ball, you’d awoken to Jungkook’s sullen face, and he had explained to you exactly as Jin had explained to him. Namjoon had survived surgery to remove the bullet, but due to the delay of immediate treatment, the trauma had exceeded the amount his body could handle, and he had fallen into a coma.

Jin had explained that the chances of him never waking up were very small, and more than likely he would naturally wake up from it in a few days, once his body had begun to heal from the wound. This news, to say the least, had been bitter sweet. Namjoon was ok, but…not exactly.

Luckily, to all of your relief, as the days passed Jin had reported seeing improvements in his condition, and finally after 4 days he’d woke up. Still injured, still needing more treatment, but alive, and that’s what mattered.

Biting your lip, your eyes wander down to the handle of the door, and you hesitate to turn it. Sure, you want nothing more right now than to rush inside and confirm with your own eyes that Namjoon is alright. The last time you’d seen him he’d been surrounded by beeping medical equipment helping to keep him alive, and now…

Now…

“Y/N?” you hear him call, and you freeze, startled. “You’re there, right? I can basically sense your anxiousness,” he chuckles softly. “But…I’m okay. You can come in.”

Taking a deep breath, you reach forward and grip the handle, pushing the door openly slowly. In the white sheeted bed, Namjoon is sat up, blonde hair black at the roots, the right side of his bare chest wrapped with fresh dressings.

You meet his eyes, and relief floods you. Tears tickle your lashes as they threaten to overflow, and Namjoon smiles at you fondly, however—

His eyes move down as he spots your crutch, and then the leg that you’re keeping the weight off of. Smile dropping, he looks up at you again, hand raising to point at the injury.

“What’s that?”

You blink. “What’s…what?” you look down at your leg, which had been injured the night of the ball. “Did you…not…know?”

Namjoon scowls, sitting up straighter as he attempts to yell over your shoulder.

“WAS THIS SOMETHING JIN SHOULD’VE TOLD ME ABOUT BUT CHOSE NOT TO?!”

Jin’s response is immediate and full of sarcasm.

“SORRY I WAS TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR MY PATIENTS HEALTH AND NOT TELL HIM ABOUT A MINOR INJURY HIS GIRLFRIEND GOT BECAUSE IF I DID I KNOW THAT HIS BLOOD PRESSURE WOULD SKYROCKET.”

Rolling your eyes, before Namjoon can think of anything to shout back, you reach behind you and shut the door. When you turn around, Namjoon is pouting. You breathe a laugh.

“What’s with that face?”

Sighing, Namjoon raises his good arm, as if waiting for you to walk up and hug him. His soft side makes your cheeks flush happily, and you limp forward, gently sitting on the edge of the bed and wrapping your arms around him. The hug is almost feather light, but you don’t want to risk messing up any of his healing wounds.

“Are you okay?” he asks you when you lift your palm to cup his cheek. Smiling, you shake your head.

“Compared to what you went through my injury is nothing, Namjoon.”

“Still,” he frowns, placing his hand on your thigh and looking down at your leg. “What happened?”

You sigh. “After you were shot by Jeon, we all went back to the ballroom, and when our guard was down Jaehyuk woke up. He tried to shoot you when he saw you were already injured, so I yelled out, and I guess he redirected his anger towards me. I just got grazed!” you quickly add in when you see his face darken. Huffing, you smack his thigh, and he jumps in surprise.

“Jaehyuk is already dead, you idiot. Don’t go getting all angry planning your revenge or whatever.”

“The guy fucking held you captive for a week and then shot you, I’m allowed to be mad at him, even if he’s dead, okay?” Namjoon huffs, and you roll your eyes again, but nonetheless stroke his cheek and lean up to kiss him.

Your eyes shut, and Namjoon raises his good arm, his palm cradling your jaw as he deepens the kiss. There’s no sense of demand, no want to drag the gesture further or deeper. It simply is a kiss shared between two people who at the moment feel nothing but love, and relief.

“Are you actually okay?” he whispers against your lips, thumb stroking your skin as he pulls back, and you frown.

“I…I’m fine. I just…want to get away from everything that happened last week, that’s all.”

“I understand,” Namjoon nods, and then sighs. He angles his head back, eyes locking on the ceiling.

“I also kind of…understand if you don’t want to be with me anymore. I thought that…you know, after the last ‘date’ we had that I could make it work—that we could make it work—but…of course, as soon as I’d thought that you’d been kidnapped. This is all my fault. I know it, and I’m pretty sure you know it too. I want to protect you with all of my power, from now on, but I…I don’t know what will happen. I can’t promise that—”

“Hey,” you interrupt, placing your hand atop his own. He glances down, watching as your fingers intertwine with his, and then looks up to see your kind smile.

“I haven’t given up on you yet, Kim Namjoon…,” you squeeze his hand, eyes turning slightly sad. “Since the beginning of all of this…it’s been…a rocky ride, hasn’t it? But…I can’t say I regret any of it. Of course I never wanted to be shot, and kidnapped and dragged into all of this, but along the way I made friends, and I met you, and fell for you and…you risked your life trying to get me back. You…didn’t have to do that, Namjoon…”

“I really did,” he responds, lips pressing to the crown of your hair as you hunch over, shoulder shaking as you attempt to fight off the tears that continue to flow whenever you think about your fresh wounds.

“There was absolutely no way…no way in hell that I would’ve just let you go like that. I was prepared to die that night if I had to, but I’m honestly glad I got off with just a bullet wound and a short comatose…imagine dying and never getting to see your cute face again, oh man.”

“You’re outrageous,” you sniffle, free hand lifting to wipe at your eyes and nose, and Namjoon smiles.

“So…are we still giving us a chance then? And don’t say yes because you feel obligated since I came to rescue you, or something like that. I’m a changed man—no longer about that petty love. I want the real thing, ya know?”

“I fucking hate you, just shut up already,” you laugh, and Namjoon decides that kissing you again is the only way to properly get himself to stay quiet.

3 hours later, in a conference hall within the same building the crime had occurred, Jeon Junghyun steps up to a podium, hundreds of reporters lining the room.

Off to his side is his little brother, Jeon Jungkook, and a few other executives from their company. All have their arms politely crossed in front of them, faces void of emotion, and as Junghyun adjusts the microphone, the entire room hushes.

Glancing up, a small smile breaks out on his handsome face.

“This is a little strange, isn’t it? You’ll have to forgive me if I say something unusual, typically it’s my father that handles these kinds of things.”

A few people laugh before realizing why it is his father isn’t around anymore, and the laughter quickly dies.

“No, it’s okay,” Junghyun says, “it’s important to find humor in things and to be able smile at during times like this. While our family and company may be mourning the loss of a CEO, partner, and father, we plan to continue moving on and bettering ourselves in the best way we can.

“That being said,” he shuffles some papers around, “today I have chosen to hold this press conference, with the main intent being to inform the public of what our company will be doing next, following this terrible occurrence.

“Succeeding the dead of my father, and the realization that he may have been tied to the mafia in some way, which resulted in his untimely death, our company plans to continue digging and making sure to rid any illegal connections and ties that had been crafted due to my father, without any of the rest of us having been aware. This will likely be a timely process, but in order to regain the trust of the public and our stakeholders, as the new CEO of the company I promise to absolutely do my best to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. Our company seems to have strayed from our beliefs without my knowledge, but with my father’s passing comes the opening for a multitude of changes, and as a company we plan to make the best of this opportunity.

“For now, seeing as we are still grieving the recent loss, I don’t have any major progress to report. Our company and its employees will be taking a short time more to mourn before returning to our regular business. Once that occurs, a team will be put together to locate and crack down on any illegal activities that may be tied to our business. With all of this being said, I have no other news to report.”

Immediately hands fly into the air, reporters shouting questions at the new, young CEO of the company. A member of Junghyun’s team steps up, asking calmly for reporters to quiet down, and stating that Junghyun will answer only a handful of questions before leaving.

Off to the side, Jungkook watches with silent admiration as his brother handles the press and their questions better than he ever could. While Junghyun was originally the heir to the company as the eldest son, due to some ethical differences between him and his father, Junghyun had been moved to handle the Busan branch, with the title of heir being passed to Jungkook—the son still at home, and still at Jeon’s mercy to shape into the ideal child.

To both Jungkook and Junghyun’s relief—having had a fairly good relationship their entire life—Jungkook ended up having a spirit and a defiant personality perhaps ever stronger than Junghyun, which left their father unable to brainwash either one of his sons into being the perfect heir.

As soon as Jungkook had learned of his father’s betrayal of Namjoon, and had begun scheming with Namjoon’s crew to rescue you, he’d brought up the idea of contacting his older brother. Also opposing of his father’s reign, Junghyun had agreed to take care of the aftermath so long as their father ended up being killed on that night.

While things hadn’t gone exactly as planned, it was nothing Junghyun couldn’t handle, and he’d kept his promise—taking care of the security tapes, paying off guards to act a part in the lie you’d told the police, and keeping your, Hoseok, and Jungkook’s names away from the press. He never mentioned the possibility of Namjoon, Yoongi, Taehyung, or Jimin being at the ball. He had tied up any loose ends, and somehow managed to keep suspicion low at the same time.

If not for his brother, Jungkook’s not sure where he’d be right now. Or any of you, for that matter.

“Guess I’ll have to get used to that more,” Junghyun sighs as he steps into the elevator alongside Jungkook. It’s just the two of them, the press conference having ended a short time ago.

Jungkook watches his brother as the elder loosens his tie.

“You never did like public speaking, did you?”

“Mostly because I never got to say what I wanted when dad was around,” Junghyun mumbles, and then pauses, staring a Jungkook with squinted eyes.

“I figured you don’t care, but…you’re not like…secretly super upset by dad dying and me talking shit about him, are you?”

Jungkook actually snorts. “I was the one who watched him get shot. And if you don’t recall, the last thing he did before dying was beat me and disown me, so.”

“Ahh, that’s right. Truly an asshole until his last dying breath.”

When the elevator arrives on the top floor, the two step out together and head into the penthouse. However, as they kick their shoes off on the landing, Junghyun hums thoughtfully.

“How’s Namjoon doing?”

“Oh, I forgot to mention it, with the conference going on and everything, but he woke up from his coma yesterday,” Jungkook informs him. “I guess he’ll need some physical therapy to get his shoulder and arm back in working order, but other than that Jin hyung says he’s doing well.”

“That’s good. You should give me his number soon, so I can contact him. Once he’s back in commission I’m thinking about asking him for a partnership.”

Jungkook almost falls on his face. “Didn’t you just say downstairs that you plan to revamp the company and cut all ties with the mafia?!”

Junghyun blinks innocently, posing a hand on his hip and turning to face his younger brother.

“I do plan to do that, but I also know without the underhanded method dad has been using for years, our business would be in a bit of a pinch. So, we weed out all the illegal partnerships, cut ties, and then once the public has commended us for our efforts, we give all our business to Namjoon instead. After all, he saved you, and your friend, right? The girl I met when I arrived in Seoul? Dad betrayed him, and I’m sure Namjoon will lose business if anyone finds out he’s been injured, so I figure forming a partnership with him will be in both of our best interests.”

“Oh my god…you…,” Jungkook says, stunned. His brother, in the end, is just as conniving as his father. At least this time Jeon Enterprises and RM Investment Corporation will finally be on the same side.

3 months later

Namjoon has you up on the kitchen counter of his apartment, panties on the floor and his face between your thighs when your phone begins ringing. You groan in disappointment, the fingers you have tangled in his now-brown hair tugging at his roots, asking him to let up so you can answer the call.

However, Namjoon only reaches around you and takes a handful of your ass in both his palms, dragging you farther forward so he can keep your clit trapped against his mouth. You moan, gripping his hair tighter as your orgasm inches closer and closer. You don’t want him to stop either, but you may need to take this call.

“Babe, it could be Yoongi,” you breathe shakily, pleading with him, and with a sigh Namjoon loosens his grip on you and pulls back. He licks his wet lips, dark eyes staring up at you and hair handsomely disheveled. Your pussy throbs at the sight of him, and you really don’t want to get up to take this call, but—

With the number of rings allotted before the call goes to voicemail quickly approaching, you hop off the counter and bustle towards where your phone is resting on the kitchen table.

“Hello?” you answer, a little breathless, and you smooth the apron you’re wearing down against the front of your thighs.

There’s the sound a car door slamming followed by a small curse. You blink, worry filling your chest.

“Yoongi oppa?”

“Oh, you picked up. Thank god.”

The car starts up, and the tires squeal a little as Yoongi races away from where he had been parked.

“I need you to remind me where it is I’m supposed to drop this package for Junghyun. I’m not familiar with their Busan locations yet, and I accidentally left my papers at Minnie’s apartment.”

“Cute,” you comment, and you almost hear Yoongi roll his eyes.

“If you could hurry up that’d be nice too,” he speaks as you move to kitchen island counter, where multiple business papers are scattered over the surface. “The dumbass security guards Junghyun sent with me bitched out before they got the entire shipment, so I had to sneak back into warehouse and grab the last box. Unfortunately, another company was moving in their own shit as I was there, and, long story short, they saw me. I don’t know if they’re coming after me or not yet, but I’d just like to get the fuck out of here.”

“I got you…,” you mumble, trapping your phone between your shoulder and ear as you quickly sort between the documents. As you do so, Namjoon quietly sneaks up behind you, and when his hands grip your ass tightly, you accidentally gasp into the receiver.

There’s a beat of silence on the line as your cheeks flush, and Yoongi realizes what’s going on.

“Were you and Namjoon having sex when I called?” He almost groans, scowling disdainfully at his phone. “Seriously, Jin only told him 2 weeks ago that his wounds were finally healed enough for him to start having sex again. Have you gone to class at all since then?”

“Of course I have!” you respond, embarrassed, and try to press your thighs together as Namjoon’s hand moves to cup your pussy, his lips pressing soft kisses against your neck and shoulders. Your bite your lip to keep from moaning as two of his fingers slide into your soaking walls.

“Here I f-found—stop it, oh my god—I found the address, can you pull it up on GPS?”

Yoongi pulls away from his phone, squinting at his screen, and clicks on the speaker button before moving to open up his GPS app.

“Can you put me on speaker?”

“Y-Yep,” you stutter, leaning your elbows forward to rest against the counter top. Behind you, Namjoon grins, continuing to fuck his fingers into you.

Yoongi sighs, peeved.

“Namjoon…I know…the last 3 months have been hard for you…but while I’m trying to get directions from your girlfriend on an assignment I’m doing on your behalf, can you maybe like…chill, for two fucking minutes.”

The only response Namjoon gives him a noncommittal hum, and Yoongi gives up.

“Y/N, the address please.”

You tell him hurriedly, listening as Yoongi punches the numbers and letters into his phone and confirms that it’s a legitimate address.

“Thanks, I’ll let you two get back to it.”

“This is all because of Namjoon, not me--,” you begin to say when all of the sudden Namjoon reaches his free hand past you and presses the ‘End Call’ button with a simple, “bye hyung!”

With that taken care of, Namjoon immediately gets back to what he’d been doing before. His hand slips beneath your apron, moving to fondle one of your breasts. He tugs and pinches at your taut nipple for a short while, soaking in the sounds you make for him, until suddenly both of his hands leave you. Instead, he begins pressing kisses to the curve of your spine, and you hear him rustling with the belt on his jeans.

“Why can’t you just control yourself for 3 minutes,” you laugh, resting your cheek against the cool tile of the tall island. Namjoon grabs your hips, canting them backwards, and you feel the head of his cock rub between your folds. “It’s not like you didn’t orgasm for 3 months, I gave you handjobs and blowjobs…”

“It’s so not the same,” he says indignantly, groaning as he pushes his cock between your walls. “Besides it’s not like Yoongi cares—just consider this payback for we walked in to find him and Jimin—”

“You’re so petty,” you interrupt him, but reach one of your hands back, grabbing onto his forearm. “Anyway, stop talking and just fuck me already.”

“Your wish is my command, babe,” he grins, and the reaches forward, shoving your hips back against him. He starts off at a moderate pace, listening as you moan at every thrust. You brace yourself up on your forearms, pressing your ass back to meet him half way, and Namjoon curses.

“Fuck you have no idea how hard I got just from eating you out,” he growls, and you gasp when he suddenly loops an arm around your torso, just beneath your breasts. His other hand lifts to your neck, fingers curling around it and pressing into the spots he knows will make your head light and pussy throb.

“N-Namjoon,” you moan as you’re forced to arch your spine, at his complete mercy as the new position simply allows him to plow up into you. And he takes full advantage, rattling your body with each jolt of his hips. Your mind begins to go white with bliss, eyes fluttering shut and lips parting in a moan that isn’t quite vocalized.

Namjoon feels your pulse racing against his fingertips, and your pussy tightens around him. The sensation causes him to groan, his orgasm, so, so close, and he leans forward until his lips caress the shell of your ear.

“Are you gonna cum for me, baby?”

“C-Can I?” you stutter, head swimming as your pleasure spikes, and Namjoon grunts in affirmation, his mouth sinking down to the crook of your neck.

“Yes, cum now. I’m right there,” he admits, teeth nipping your flesh, and with a broken moan your orgasm hits you. Your walls pulse around his throbbing cock, and Namjoon hisses, his seed spilling into you as his fingers fall from around your neck.

Sated, warm breaths fill the room, and Namjoon brings both his arms up to hug you from behind. His lips press small kisses behind your ear, and you giggle.

Wiggling in his hold, you turn to face him, and move your arms to drape around his neck. You smile at him fondly, cheeks flushed.

“I love you,” you say, and Namjoon’s heart flutters. Three words he never gets tired of hearing from you.

Leaning down, he kisses you properly.

“I love you too, babe.”

At that moment, again, your cellphone buzzes. This time it’s a text message, however, and from Jungkook nonetheless. Without opening it, you already know what it’s about.

“Ah! I’m late!” you hiss and bolt for the bedroom, Namjoon shamelessly watching your ass as you run out of the kitchen. “This is all your fault!”

“Mine?” he quotes, moving to lightly clean himself up before he pulls his pants back over his legs.

“Yes, yours! I’m supposed to be downstairs right now so I can meet Jungkook and goo to the study group on campus with him!”

“Oh, that’s tonight?” he wonders aloud, and reaches over to check the date on the home screen of your phone. “Huh. I guess it is.”

“Asshole,” you grumble, stumbling out of the bedroom now dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt, your backpack flung over one shoulder. You stop in the kitchen to snatch up your phone, kissing Namjoon on the cheek.

“Your punishment is cleaning the dishes by yourself. I should be home by 10.”

“Wow, harsh,” he pouts, turning to watch you as you slide to the entryway and force your shoes onto your feet. You laugh.

“You’ll survive~ You big baby.”

Namjoon rolls his eyes, and then remembers something.

“Jimin may be over when you get back. He said something about dropping off a report and planning a move, or something like that.”

“No Hobi or Taehyung?”

“Tonight is the night Hoseok typically goes out drinking with Jin. And Taehyung isn’t back from Mokpo yet.”

“Ah, that’s right. Well, if I don’t see him tell Jimin I said hi,” you respond, and with one last smile in Namjoon’s direction you turn and open the front door. It slowly creeks closed behind you, and Namjoon leans back against the counter, eyes wandering to the patch of white ceiling above his head.

Never in his life did Namjoon imagine he would reach a point of feeling so happy, and fulfilled like he does now. What had started out as a misunderstanding and a coincidental second meeting had turned into series of events that had inflicted upon Namjoon an array of emotions he had never expected to feel. Confusion, anger, sadness, relief…you had gone through so much no thanks to meeting him, yet here you were, months down the line, in the beginning stages of sharing your life together.

His enemies had become his friends. His business was busier than ever, and despite the lifelong pain that would continue to accompany his healing wound, it was all worth.

“Oh, baby,” he sighs, contentment soaking into the fiber of his very being as he imagines your cute face within is mind, and he smiles.

Definitely, definitely worth it.

 ~おしまい~

Date Started: January 22, 2016

Date Ended: January 18, 2018

Total Word Count: 84,943

A/N: Hey, thank you guys all so much for taking the time to read this series. A lot changed since I started writing it. Oh, Baby started as a one-shot that turned into a series solely based on the fact that so many people asked for there to be more. I had my ups and down with the series--there were periods where I didn’t update it for a long time--but I made it to 20 chapters, like I originally intended, and hopefully you guys enjoyed them all :’)

Officially, this is the last chapter of Oh, Baby. If there are questions you have, or loose ends that you want answers to, feel free to send me an ask! I’d be happy to answer any questions about the series that come my way. So don’t hesitate to ask! :) (I also made a Q&A post with some ideas of questions to ask, in case you’re not sure what to say, but want to know more ^^)

Again, thank you all so much. I hope you enjoyed it.

[jodybouchard9]

Crave a Canopy Bed? Modern Spins on This Dramatic Style

Getty Images

A canopy bed sounds like a lavish piece of  furniture that you’d encounter in an old country inn while away on a romantic weekend. But why not bring this dreamy style home?

“It’s a true luxury to wake up in a fabulous four-post canopy bed, which is my go-to choice when designing a master bedroom,” explains Roxy Te, CEO and founder of Society Social. “It’s the perfect focal point for a larger space.”

Adding a canopy bed to any room can make it feel like a special retreat. And when you add sweeping drapes on each side? Swoon!

Canopies are also an ideal way to create a themed look for your kid’s room—and get your tot excited to go to sleep.

“A kid’s canopy is practically a must because getting them to sleep is hard enough, but if you create this special bed, tucking in becomes that much more fun,” adds Te.

But picking the right canopy bed, and size, should be done with care. Here’s some help with styles and scale to home in on the right choice. Sweet dreams!

What size canopy bed will fit in the room?

Have 10-foot ceilings? You’re good to go with a canopy in your bedroom. For the rest of us, scale matters, so get out your measuring tape and make sure your pick will fit with at least 3 or 4 inches of clearance to the ceiling.

“Make sure to take into account light fixtures, ceiling fans, and windows in the space to avoid any issues with installation,” advises Dessie Sliekers, an interior designer with Slick Designs.

Keep in mind that chunky posts with heavy fabric will loom large in a small bedroom, so stick with slender poles and sheer (or no) panels if you have less space.

Photo by JS Interiors LLC 

What style canopy bed works best?

Canopy beds don’t need to be a flurry of ruffles and tassels. Instead, choose chic lines like the style below ($1,399, West Elm), and then leave it bare or add simple linen panels.

“Skip decorative drapes if you favor an unfussy design or you’ve chosen a particularly striking four-poster canopy bed that shines on its own,” points out Te.

Opt for an acorn finish or pebble gray.

West Elm

That said, if you crave some fancier trimmings, that’s definitely on trend.

“Canopy designs are ready for the rise of the ‘grandmillennial‘ style,” says Te, who urges homeowners who love the look to bring on some tape trim, a small ruffle, or chintz to complete the look.

A pale pink tufted-velvet headboard and footboard on this canopy option below ($1,191, Wayfair) will cradle bed-readers and sleepers alike.

Matte black steel is an excellent foil for pink velvet.

Wayfair

Modern farmhouse lovers will be thrilled to learn that canopies work for this style, too.

“Canopy beds are typically a more formal, ornate style of bed, but recently they’ve gained popularity in a variety of styles, including modern farmhouse, which tends to feature a simpler version,” says Sliekers.

One to try: This Shaker-style comes in four subtle, neutral finishes ($1,699, Pottery Barn).

You can remove the canopy top if you tire of the look or move to a small bedroom.

Pottery Barn

Not sure you love the usual four-poster style of bed? Try a barrel-vaulted option in a guest or kid’s room. This one below ($1,299, Crate & Kids) comes in twin and full sizes. You can experiment with the full canopy style by cascading the fabric of your choice from above.

Upgrade your tween’s room with this lofty design.

Crate&Kids

For kids, go beyond fairy princess looks

Not every kid’s canopy bed has to channel Barbie or Bob the Builder. Let go of these tired cartoony looks and pick something better. One to try: This simple twin bed ($390, Wayfair) with an arched rooftop looks playful but not cutesy.

Want to save some cash? You don’t need to invest in a four-poster twin bed, notes Te, since you can simply curtain off a regular bed or craft a cornice to hold fabric to hang from a wall or ceiling.

White and gray shades suit both boys and girls.

Wayfair

The post Crave a Canopy Bed? Modern Spins on This Dramatic Style appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

[architectnews]

The biggest architecture and design stories of 2020

Next up in our review of 2020, editor Tom Ravenscroft takes a look back at this year's most-read stories, including several responses to the coronavirus pandemic, a pair of inflatable latex trousers and Bjarke Ingels' plan to redesign Earth.

January – China building 1,000-bed hospital in 10 days to treat coronavirus

The most-read story in January was a sign of things to come as the reports that a 1,000-bed hospital was being built at breakneck speed in China became news around the world.

Named Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital, the prefabricated, temporary facility was built to treat the growing number of people infected in Wuhan. It was completed in just over a week.

Find out more about the temporary hospital ›

February – Harikrishnan's inflatable latex trousers create "anatomically impossible" proportions

In February, before coronavirus came to dominate architecture and design news, our most-read story was about inflatable latex trousers.

Designed by Harikrishnan for his graduate collection at the London College of Fashion, the collection of billowing latex trousers were made from of up to 30 individual latex panels.

Find out more about Harikrishnan's inflatable latex trousers ›

March – Coronavirus offers "a blank page for a new beginning," says Li Edelkoort

By March the coronavirus outbreak had become a pandemic and was impacting people all around the world. In response to the disruption and lockdowns that were accruing trend forecaster Li Edelkoort made a series of predictions about its impact on the world.

Edelkoort said that the pandemic was "a blank page for a new beginning", in an interview that would become Dezeen's most-read story of all time.

Find out more about Li Edelkoort's prediction ›

April – Dyson devises 44 engineering challenges for children during lockdown

As many parents faced the challenge of entertaining their children during country-wide lockdowns, our most-read story in April was a series of activities created by Dyson to entertain children in isolation.

Alongside Dyson, British architecture studio Foster + Partners published a series of challenges for kids and furniture company IKEA designed six play houses that could be built with its products.

Find out more about  Dyson's challenges ›

May – Adidas launches reusable face mask called Face Cover

Adidas was among a number of companies to design and release a face mask this year in response to the coronavirus. Made from a breathable recycled material, the reusable face mask was one of the fastest products the sportswear brand has ever developed.

"The entire process from ideation to production was less than one month," its lead designer said in an interview with Dezeen.

Find out more about the Face Cover ›

June – Eight key projects by Christo and Jeanne Claude

Following the news of artist Christo's death, we rounded up eight key projects by the Bulgarian artist and his late partner Jeanne Claude.

The artist, who was best known for wrapping buildings in fabric died of natural causes at the age of 84 in his New York City apartment.

Find out more about Christo's key projects ›

July – Grimshaw unveils design for HS2 ventilation shaft disguised as barn

July's most-read story was about a ventilation shaft for the UK's new HS2 high-speed railway that was disguised as a barn.

Designed by British architecture practice Grimshaw, the Chalfont St Peter Ventilation Shaft will be clad in zinc and bronze and provide air and emergency access to a train tunnel through the Chiltern hills.

Find out more about the HS2 ventilation shaft ›

August – Xiaomi launches world's first mass-produced transparent TV

In August, Chinese electronics company Xiaomi revealed a see-through television. 

Billed as the world's first transparent TV, the Mi TV LUX uses transparent organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology, which eliminates the need for backlighting.

Find out more about the transparent TV ›

September – Zaha Hadid Architects reveals design for skyscraper on world's most expensive site

UK architecture studio Zaha Hadid Architects' plan to build a sinuous 36-storey skyscraper on the world's most expensive site in Hong Kong was the most-read story in September.

The skyscraper will replace a multistorey car park alongside the Bank of China Tower by IM Pei that was purchased by developer Henderson Land for HK$23.3 billion ($3 billion) in 2017.

Find out more about the world's most expensive site ›

October – Masterplanet is Bjarke Ingels' plan to redesign Earth and stop climate change

BIG founder Bjarke Ingels once again hit the headlines in October with his redesign for the Earth.

Named Masterplanet, the concept was designed to "prove that a sustainable human presence on planet Earth is attainable with existing technologies".

Find out more about the Masterplanet ›

November – Ten home kitchens that use colour to make a statement

In November we began a series of stories that brings together visual inspiration for the home, with this roundup of colourful kitchens being one of the most popular.

Other pieces in the series included eight cosy living rooms, thirty bathrooms designed by architects and seven bedrooms with statement walls.

Find out more about home kitchens that use colour ›

December – Natalie Dionne raises Forest House I on three-metre stilts for better light and views

Designed by Canadian architect Natalie Dionne, this forest retreat in southeastern Quebec was the most-read story in December.

The largely wooden house was raised up on stilts to meet the level of the surrounding rocky landscape.

Find out more about Forest House I ›

The post The biggest architecture and design stories of 2020 appeared first on Dezeen.

[technoqueers]

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2019-11-27

Happy Holigays from TQ! For the first time since sending out the guide v.1, we're going into hibernation for a bit and taking a break! Feel free to email us if you’d like ideas for where to go out, or just check RA! If you'd like to peruse past editions of the guide, they're posted on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Stay in touch, stay warm, and hope to see y’all on the dancefloor in the new year! 💗

How Charlene Incarnate Inherited the Legacy of NYC’s Drag Scene // “That’s what gay people are good at,” she acknowledges, “being audience members and contributing energy.” “We saw the shuttering of every space [queer folks threw] parties in, every space that wasn’t a typical gay dive bar. They’re all gone now.” The artist grieves both her home [Casa Diva] and the community it provided, and the fact that spaces like hers are “even rarer or nonexistent in the neighborhoods that [queer folks are] still occupying.”

“Taking drag out of nightlife is like taking it out of queerness,” Charlene says, adding that drag “happens in the spaces that were left to us.” How Papi Juice Became the Most Important Party in New York City // In 2013, Oscar Nuñez and fellow DJ Adam Rhodes were tired of going to parties catering to white, cisgender gay men — and were thus inspired to create a party that centered queer and transgender people of color. “We are part of a legacy of people who have been doing similar work for years,” Rhodes explains. “Seeing colleagues emerge and get bigger has been amazing. I love that there are more parties that are specifically serving our people. They’re creating spaces where we can be celebrated in all of our beauty and diversity.” Rare photos of New York’s iconic club kids // We were able to set an example for the everyday kid who was coming from the outer boroughs, and maybe it would give them permission to be a little more liberated within their own lives and within their own context. This was very valuable. The real tragedy when they closed all of the mega clubs in New York was that a number of creative people lost job opportunities. That’s why New York really suffered culturally when the nightclub industry was targeted and wiped out because all of a sudden people couldn’t pay their rent or sustain their art practices. That was a really sad moment for New York culturally. Masked balls and gay uprisings: Queer Maps is a guide to 150 years of LGBTQ history // The tool launches at a time of growing concern about the disappearance of queer bars in cities across the country – LA’s last remaining lesbian bar closed in 2017. It honors world-famous institutions alongside little-known haunts that quietly thrived during eras when being gay was criminalized and dangerous. Saatchi exhibits and BBC Four docs: why is 2019 so nostalgic for 80s rave? // These events were communal and often lawless. They were not happening with anyone’s permission but instead were reactions to the prevailing currents of their time. Deller’s film analyses rave’s role in the traumatised aftermath of the miners’ strike. Rave, he proposed, was “a death ritual marking the transition of Britain from an industrial to a service economy”. Techno Titan Carl Craig Commissioned for Sound Project at Dia:Beacon, Five Years in the Making // Craig—part of a fabled lineage for a legacy of techno music that was born and bred in Detroit—said he drew connections between his hometown and Dia:Beacon’s setting in a former factory that had been abandoned for years before it was transformed in an art-world destination. More to the floor: the decade the dancefloor was decolonised // Perhaps partly helped by the global panopticon of the internet, DJs and producers combine everything from the weighty syncopations of footwork to the sparse, percussive rolls of gqom and euphoria of hard trance, until the key compounds are almost unrecognisable – and then add their own distinctive local flavour. The result is a simultaneously global and local sound, and cross-continental collaborations are making it even more cosmopolitan. First Floor #13 – Where Have All the Anthems Gone? // More and more, what matters is contextualizing an artist within a larger socioeconomic and sociopolitical backdrop. Writers and editors obviously still consider the music, but they’re now also thinking about stuff like identity, representation, privilege and structural discrimination, and while that rubs some people the wrong way—particularly the “it should just be about the music” crowd—I don’t see it as a problem. Leave Your Body at the Door: How ketamine became the drug of choice for our dissociated moment. // In the 1980s and ’90s, the growth of rave culture brought it onto New York dance floors and it became a staple of the club kid scene, prompting the first wave of ketamine trend pieces. “Whether it’s a gay all-nighter, or at a hard techno rave patronized by young, white out-of-towners, the picture is invariably the same. Come 3 a.m., the dance floor is littered with those wasted on ketamine,” Muzik Magazine wrote in that same 1998 article. But in 2019, once-fringe elements of rave culture have bled into the mainstream. EDM is elevator music, banker bros and leather-daddies share bumps at Bushwick warehouse events, Silicon Valley has invaded Burning Man, and the wellness world has turned the drugs of the ’60s counterculture into productivity boosters for start-ups. As rave culture has rebranded, ketamine has pivoted with it. Today’s K users are bringing the drug beyond the dance floor: to chilled-out bar nights and tech-world salons, New-Age wellness retreats and quiet nights at home. NYC Votes To Ban Flavored Vaping Products // New York became the first major city in the country to ban all flavored vaping products on Tuesday. The ban is expected to take effect in July. The crackdown also comes amid an outbreak of vape-related lung disease that's killed dozens of people nationwide, including at least two New York City residents. Researchers with the Center for Disease Control have linked the sickness to vitamin E acetate, which is commonly used in black market THC vaping products.

Wednesday

11-6 // parka presents Trust Exercise: Courage @ Market Hotel // The theme of the night is Courage as a reminder of the courage it takes to trust and be vulnerable. We forget that not everyone celebrates the holidays the same way and many have had to sacrifice a lot to move away from home.

10-3 // Thanksgiving eve with justin strauss and juan maclean @ Black Flamingo 10-4 // Marcellus Pittman All Night @ Nowadays // The Detroit don is back to bless us with another marathon set. 10-4 // pure immanence XL @ Bossa // 10-11: Pure Immanence, 11-12:20: Night Doll, 12:20-1: perrX (live), 1-3: quest?onmarc, 3-4: Pure Immanence 10-4 // OD: Yurk \ Skyshaker \ WILHELMINA \ Christy @ 444 Club

Thursday

10-4 // ADAM X & MÆDON @ Bossa 10-4 // Bermuda /\ Thanksgiving night @ Venus in Furs

Friday

10 // ELSEWORLD: Juan Atkins, Noncompliant, Lauren Flax & More @ Elsewhere // 🌎🛸 HALL 🛸🌎 Juan Atkins, Noncompliant, Relaxer (live), Lauren Flax 🌎🛸 THE LOFT 🛸🌎 Cultivated Sound and Friends: Maŕa & Chamberlain Zhang, 夜露四苦4649 [ Haruka Salt & Yuri Mizokami], LOKA $5 off presales

10-4 // Room To Live presents sold and DJ Wawa @ Newtown Radio // sold (Chicago, smartbar, Groove Cafe), DJ Wawa, Room To Live residents 10-4 // Soul 2 Seoul Do Black Friday @ Mood Ring // Tag Team, Back Again, Back by unpopular demand, The original Blasian Super Duo. Chung & Turtle All Night 10-4 // Technofeminism @ Bossa // BORED LORD (LA), AKUA 10-4 // Blazej Malinowski [Live] + Mary Yuzovskaya @ Public Records // Polish-born DJ Blazej Malinowski brings his knack for deep + atmospheric techno to the Sound Room for a live performance. Having released records on Semantica, TGP, SIlent Season + many more, expect a tripped out, mesmerizing set with Monday Off founder, Unter regular, and vinyl-only DJ Mary Yuzovskaya kicking things off and closing the room. 10-4 // Working Women and Martyn @ Nowadays // Nowadays resident DJs Nina, Nicely and Voices, aka Working Women, are teaming up with 3024 boss (and Ostgut Ton, Brainfeeder, Ninja Tune, Hyperdub, Warp and Aus Music alum) Martyn. 10-5 // Stenny, rrao, Only Child, Significant Other Plus Lagasta, Jacques Renault, Boys' Shorts @ Good Room // Stenny is an essential producer in driving forward the sound of Ilian Tape. A versatile, adventurous and tough approach allow for constant forward momentum and a truly unrelenting energy on the dancefloor.

Saturday

10-5 // NEW YORK TRAX x VOITAX @ BASEMENT // In partnership with the forward-thinking, Berlin-based, record label Voitax, New York Trax brings 4 massive live acts for its Basement debut. Makaton LIVE, Swarm Intelligence LIVE, Brenecki LIVE, Deflector LIVE, Cressida, Paàl

10-4 // XXxBORED LORD x NYCxXx @ Mood Ring // ୧༼ಠ益ಠ༽୨ bored lord, pauli cakes, phoneg1rl, nk badtz maru ୧༼ಠ益ಠ༽୨ 10-4 // FIT Siegel / DJ Fire / DJ Healthy @ Bossa 10-4 // Soul Summit Music All Night Long @ Black Flamingo 10-5 // Perel, L&L&L + Lost Soul Enterprises with L. Sangre, R Gamble @ Good Room // Perel will be joined by L&L&L Record Club. Lost Soul Enterprises takes over the Bad Room with party residents L.Sangre and R Gamble. LSE is a party and label focused on mutant sounds past and present: wave, electro, body music, and all things in between. 10-5 // Shelter 002: Timmy Regisford, Francis Harris + Special Guests @ Public Records // Crossing generations of fans in New York, Timmy Regisford joins Public Records music director and partner Francis Harris for a monthly affair in the Sound Room with one question in mind: How deep is your love for House? 11 // Occupy the Disco @ Elsewhere (Zone One) 10-7 // Dee Diggs, Posi-Track and DJ Bone @ Nowadays // For this soiree, HalfMoonBK's Dee Diggs is teaming up with Fermented Frequency's Posi-Track and the inimitable DJ Bone. Good luck leaving before daybreak.

Sunday

3-9 // The Carry Nation All Day @ Nowadays // Nita Aviance and Will Automagic have been working together as the Carry Nation for the better part of a decade. During that time, they've lit up clubs, lofts and warehouses the world over and released music on Nervous, Classic Music Company and W&O Street Tracks.

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[northamptoncouplestherapy]

At NCCT, we are dedicated to the leading research, techniques, and methodologies in couples therapy. To that end, we regularly seek out the expertise of colleagues with specializations in complementary fields, such as private practitioner Stephen J. Bradley, LICSW, LMHC, who offers insight on unique relationship dynamics through a trauma-informed lens.

Stephen has postgraduate training in Narrative Therapy from the Family Institute of Cambridge and is trained in the work of Dr. Bruce Perry and the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics through the Child Trauma Academy in Texas. Presently, he is certified Phase II/TTT in that model and has partnered with NCCT from 2014-2018 as a Couples Therapist.

Earlier this month, we reached out to Stephen to gain a deeper understanding of childhood trauma and its impact on romantic relationships, a topic Stephen has extensive experience in from his 25 years of treating adults, children and families. He is especially passionate about working with children and families who have experienced trauma.

Our goal in this interview was to identify the unique role trauma plays in romantic relationships and to offer tools to support couples struggling with its legacy. As expected, Stephen provided a wealth of information on the subject. Below are the key takeaways, organized in a Q&A format.

1. Stephen, what exactly is ‘trauma’? How would you definite it, and how can we recognize the role it plays in our relationships?

Trauma comes in many different forms and can move across generations. Many families we work with have experienced direct physical, mental or emotional trauma. Or, they have witnessed varied types of trauma, such as physical conflict, domestic violence, external stressors and also systematic oppression based on gender, race or sexual orientation.

From birth through age 3, we are just forming our relational templates — what we use to guide our interactions with others — in the context of a caregiver relationship. These templates are where the trauma piece most often comes into play. If a person experiences trauma in the history of their attachment relationships, it can have a significant impact on their future relationships, particularly with their romantic partners.

As we make that emotional bond with a romantic partner, the attachment we form will activate our initial relational templates. If we experience traumatic events in the course of those early relationships, we are more vulnerable to having those early traumas “activated.” At its most intense, this can sometimes result in experiencing connection with a loved one as “threatening” emotionally, rather than comforting.

2. From your experience, what is the most important lesson that both couples and parents can learn regarding trauma?

So much of the work we do in couples therapy involves the part of our brain that is most relational. Generally, we can think of the brain as having “older and newer” parts which have developed evolutionarily.

The older parts of our brain include the brainstem, which regulates basic functions like breathing and our heart rate, and the cerebellum, which is where our stress response system lives. The newer parts include the limbic system, the source of our relational and connection abilities and the cortex, the most abstract, complex thinking part of our brain.

Ironically, the parts of our brain that are most relational are structurally close to the part of our brain that controls our stress response system. What is the reason for this? The most prominent threat to human beings is other human beings.

If I were to ask the average person to think of a time when they were in an argument and the next day thought to themselves, "I can't believe I said that; I can’t believe I lost my cool,” almost everyone would be able to name at least one instance when this occurred. Why? When our stress response system is activated, the first parts of our brain to shut down are the newer parts of our brain, the cortex and the limbic system. Our ability to think clearly and connect is hindered. When those go, we are more likely to come from a place of fight or flight.

According to Dr. Perry, the Founder of The Child Trauma Academy in Texas, we actually become "dumber" the more upset we get. In other words, we lose our ability to be our best, most caring and effective selves with our partners. For people with a history of childhood trauma, a strong fight/flight/freeze response can result.

Also, people who have experienced interpersonal trauma, abuse or neglect as children are more likely to have a sensitized nervous system. They are more likely to get upset and can take longer to cool down. This can leave people who’ve experienced trauma feeling a deep sense of shame - thinking they are “bad” or “wrong” somehow.

However, this is neither true nor is it a helpful way to think about traumatic experiences. In fact, Oprah and Bruce Perry , did a segment on 60 Minutes on Treating Childhood Trauma.

One key takeaway was a shift away from the ‘what is wrong with you’ mindset towards the ‘what happened to you’ line of thinking.

We work with couples to help them recognize when their stress response is being activated, but we are also careful not to blame them. We help them see that it is understandable and natural for them to have that response given what they've experienced.

3. What does it mean to regulate ourselves or to avoid ‘dysregulation’? And how can we bring ourselves, and our partners, back into a more calm state?

Most of us have a good idea of the kinds of activities that help us feel calmer, less stressed. We remind people to do more of those things, such as spending time in nature, dancing, doing yoga, walking their dog, listening to music or exercising. These are all self-regulating activities that reduce the chance of our stress response system being activated. They help us to be more functional, attentive partners.

Then there is co-regulation, which interestingly occurs first between a parent and an infant. As infants just coming into the world, we don't know how to self-regulate and depend on the adults around us to do that for us. Coregulation can involve anything from a massage or back rub to a deep conversation where there is meaningful listening.

4. Do people who have experienced childhood trauma struggle with closeness? Is there a limit to the amount of connection survivors of trauma can accept from their partners?

Yes, in some ways, having childhood trauma in your past can create obstacles to intimacy in a partnership. In other words, the level to which one feels comfortable with their partner can be negatively impacted by their past experiences.

Imagine a stranger comes up to you who you have never met and engages in a lengthy conversation with their nose just an inch from your face. That would probably activate your inner alarm system, right?

Most people in this situation would agree this feels “too intimate” and may leave us feeling confused, defensive or upset. For children who have experienced trauma, however, it doesn’t take a stranger to activate their inner alarm bells. It can be someone they know well, such as a teacher approaching them in class.

When partners come together, this can become a real conundrum. It can become stressful for people who have experienced abuse or neglect. So, we help them apply the brakes and ask questions like, "What happens to you when your partner looks you in your eye? What happens to your body? Do you feel connected, distant, stressed, anxious?"

We work to reduce their stress levels and increase their levels of connection. We also recommended activities that are side-by-side, rather than face-to-face, such as going for a walk or cooking a meal together. Just taking the time to smell the spices and feel the textures of the vegetables can be effective. It's basic, uncomplicated stuff that we are well-wired to do anyway. But these are things that tend to go missing.

5. Is it ever too late to address the effects of childhood trauma?

No, it's never too late to treat childhood trauma. However, the impact of the treatment will vary depending on the level of intensity needed, the timing and type of treatment that is provided.

There are a number of evidence-informed models for addressing trauma, including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We are also seeing a lot of great work being done with body-oriented approaches, such as Somatic Experiencing, mindfulness-based approaches to therapy and therapeutic yoga.

6. What can parents do to reduce the amount of trauma their children experience?

One thing we know for certain is that kids whose parents engage in conflict in front of them, particularly with no repair, have much higher levels of stress, especially if we're talking about birth parents. They will feel like two parts of themselves are at war with each other. They feel everything physiologically.

The first, and most important, thing to do is to take any dysregulated conflict out of the purview of kids. This can be especially difficult during the early years of parenting when we see the greatest number of separations happen.

It's understandably, a very stressful time for the relationship, and there’s a lack of time for each other. We spend so much time tuning into the infant's needs that we forget we as adults need attention too, along with the sense of connection and meaning that comes from coregulation.

To learn more about dysregulation, coregulation or how to overcome any obstacles to intimacy in your relationship, visit us online at northamptoncouplestherapy.com. We offer private, intensive 2-Day and 3-Day couples retreats, marriage retreats and weekly couples therapy sessions. We also have new extended hours and team members to meet a growing demand for expert, research-based couples therapy in the New England area and across the US.

[awesimz]

Hi guys, welcome to my Sims 4 “Differences in the Family Tree” legacy, which came about solely because my Sims 3 game keeps shitting out on me and I have finally run out of fucking patience, lol. TS4 runs so much faster on my PC anyway, and while I do miss the open world aspect, I can’t deny there’s something very pleasing about not lagging 24/7, lmao. This legacy has also been paired with the mini challenge “Runaway Teen”, but it’s pretty much only relevant during this episode so it’s not that big of a deal. I honestly just wanted more of a challenge.

At the moment, the only expansion pack I have is City Living, and the only game packs I have are Parenthood and Outdoor Retreat. 

Now, without further ado, let’s begin our little story :)

Meet Serah, our founder. After growing up in a household that was extremely controlling to the point of near suffocation, she ran away as a teen to finally find freedom from her oppressive parents. It was a spur of the moment decision, and while Serah desperately craved independence, she also wasn’t aware how hard it would be to strike out on her own. She crossed a few towns before finally settling down in Willow Creek, attempting to keep under the radar so that her parents wouldn’t find her and bring her back home.

Unfortunately, keeping under the radar meant that she couldn’t enroll in school, and because she couldn’t enroll in school, it meant her future job prospects were going to be very limited. More than that, being on any kind of pay roll could put her name back in the system, which would make it easier for her parents to find her. Therefore, Serah figured her best bet was to attempt to live off the land.

It... was probably going to take awhile until she started catching anything of quality though.

At least she looks pleased with herself.

She started her garden on a little patch of land she found on the outskirts of town though, knowing she would have to do more than fish to get by. (Also the damn thing is her LTW and the entire basis of the first part of this legacy challenge, so there’s that haha).

She also started digging up what she hoped were ‘treasures’ every chance she got, because right now she was sleeping on benches outdoors or couches in karaoke clubs and lbh, that shit was hell on her back.

Also it’s kinda just plain sad.

The park was easily Serah’s favorite place to hang out though, as it had not only all sorts of ways to make money, but it also gave her an opportunity to socialize with teens her own age.

Cassanda: So you’re, ah... not from around here, right? I haven’t seen you in school.

Serah: Yeah, I’m just passing through. My family’s moving to the city, but we stopped here to visit my grandparent’s first. It’s all pretty boring, which is why I’m hanging around here.

Lies.

She didn’t need Cassandra going home and telling her parents she met a homeless girl though.

Okay listen some of these frogs are actually worth a pretty penny, I’m surprised.

Which is why she can finally afford...... a bed, a trash can, and two whole walls. lmao.

GIRL YOU ARE IN PUBLIC WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Also side note - is there a way to make them stop walking around in towels after showering at the gym cause this is ridiculous. Manually having to change her myself is tedious. 

Lola: Hey so... my friend Cass tells me you’re just here visiting your grandparents, right?

Serah: Yeah, I think I’m only gonna be here for a few more---

Lola: Oh, come on, don’t lie to me! I live near where you’re camping out, you know! I saw you when I was taking one of my long walks to get away from the crushing despair that will soon be my future, and you definitely weren’t visiting any one. In fact, you looked like you didn’t want to be seen.  Serah: Alright... fine. But if I tell you the truth, you can’t tell anyone. Swear? Lola: Swear.

Serah: So basically my parents are soul-crushing assholes that won’t accept that their child could be anything less than what they deemed to be fit, so I got the fuck out of dodge. I’m dirty, I’m poor, and I will probably never have a real job as long as I live, but fuck it, at least I have my freedom. Lola: ...Wicked.

Yeah, sure, if you enjoy living in poverty it’s totally cool, lol.

The next day, Serah received some visitors.

Serah: Uh... hi?

Serah: Listen, not to be rude - especially since all of you are pretty hot - but if any of you guys’ parents find out about me, I’m seriously fucked. Ya’ll are drawing way too much attention to me right now. Lola: Girrrrrrl, don’t even worry about it; this side of town is our regular hangout; a bunch of teenagers chilling on one lot won’t make anyone bat an eyelash. They’ll just think we found some abandoned shack to make into some kind of silly ‘clubhouse’ or something.  Cassandra: Wait, what do you mean, ‘find out about you’? I thought you were just passing through. Serah: *sigh* Never mind. And it’s not a--! Okay, maybe it is a bit of a shack.  Cassanda: ......I’m still confused. Lola: That’s not a surprise.

Serah: Hey! You though, you look fabulous; and slightly less crazy than everyone else that just wandered into my sad excuse for home. Save me?

Malcolm: Oh honey, if you only knew. But no, just count yourself lucky that people give enough of a shit about you to come by. Not all of us have that.

Serah: Uh, hello? Me, standing right in front of you, offering for you to stay and chill for a bit. There are literal actual shits being given right now. I mean, I might not know you, but fuck it, I don’t really know anyone really in this neighborhood, and if I’ve just gained some sort of posse we need a token gay guy. Malcolm: I’d take offense to that if it wasn’t so disastrously true. You all are in some serious need of my wisdom anyway, and this desperate bisexual vibe you’ve been giving off needs an actual direction. I have a friend of a friend that might be interested. Give me a minute. Serah: You know... I’d be offended too if ‘desperate’ wasn’t entirely accurate. I really need to get laid; it’s been a hard af week.

Serah: Oh... okay, wow. You’re pretty.

Serah: You wanna go to the Romance Festival with me? I know that’s forward as fuck, but I don’t know how to play coy, so. Tanvi: I kind of like the direct approach, honestly. Sure, I’ll go.

Serah: What is this, exactly? Tanvi: Idk, probably drugs. 

Tanvi: You are... pretty fucking hot though. Malcolm said you had this homeless, idgaf rocker chick-chic vibe going on, but it’s so much more than that. Serah: I’m smooth af, I know.

Tanvi: *chuckles as she gets her hands kissed* Sure, we’ll go with that.

She is a bit though, isn’t she? Haha. Then again, they were drinking romance drugs or whatever the fuck they ingested to get in the mood, so really it’s just like they were both roofied. Nice things to give to kids, there, EA.

One of my favorite things about festivals coming into town though is that all of the flowers and produce have regrown themselves and are able to be stolen harvested, which gives Serah a nice little boost to her wallet.

Which means she can get two more walls and an actual toilet! Yay!

She’s getting better at fishing too, which I’m glad for.

Oh! And look what she found! I wasn’t paying much attention to where she got it from because she was on a digging/fishing spree through the park and I didn’t notice it in her inventory until she came home, but I’m excited. I’ve never had a cow plant in any of my games before.

Eric: Hey, you look to be about my kid’s age; maybe you know him? His name is Blake.

See, and this is why we do not socialize with adults; not even when stopping by the vendors to get something to eat.

Serah: *nervous laugher* Uhhh, actually I’m home schooled, sir. So no; pretty sure I don’t know your kid.

Eric: Ah, well that’s okay. You know, me and my wife thought about home schooling our Blake, but then we realized we didn’t want to spend that much time with our kid. It’s gotta be hell on your parents, yeah? Always having you hanging around? Never having a break?

Serah: No offense, but you sound like a shit parent. Eric: That’s what the gremlins in our house say too, funny enough. Serah: Errrrrrrr....

Girl, just gtfo. Lol. 

Anyway, we give you this brief interlude while Lola crashes Serah’s pad again to give you... her garden! It’s getting bigger :)

Lola: Giiiiirl, I just had the best idea. Serah: What is it?

Lola: Camping trip partyyyyyyy!!!! You in????? Come on, tell me you’re in; it’s not like you have anything better to do; let’s be fair. 

Serah: Uh, aren’t ya’ll in school still? Lola: Seriously? We graduate in two days; that’s the whole reason I want to throw this! Like a ‘coming of age, one last time to get completely hammered and make bad decisions party.’

Lola: I know you didn’t go to school with us, but everyone loves you. Actually, everyone kind of loves you more than me.... so I’m gonna need you to make the call, k? Also btw I think everyone’s caught on to your lie of ‘just passing through’ since it’s been awhile and you’re not only still here, but still hanging out at this shit shack. I don’t think anyone cares though, so just call for me? Serah: .........Fuck it.

Serah: Malcolm? Grab everyone; we’re going camping this weekend.... Yes, there will be showers there, calm down. But also don’t bring hair gel; it’ll probably attract mosquitos or some shit. Also you’ve probably caught on to the fact that I’m homeless by now, so can you bring a tent? I’m poor af, clearly.

And so they all went camping, and had a pretty good time. The truth did eventually come out to all of them though, and everyone promised not to say anything. Even though they were all about to become adults soon and it probably did not matter as much after that, Serah still worried that should her parent’s find her, even as an adult, that they’d drag her back home by her hair.

Anyway, they not only had the good, wholesome kind of fun....

...But they also had the decidedly less wholesome kind as well.

(I think Malcolm had one too many to drink, haha).

Lola: Sooo... you gonna do it this weekend or not? Serah: Do what?

Lola: Make it official with Tanvi, obviously. You’re blind as hell if you haven’t noticed that she’s been waiting. Serah: Wait, seriously?

Serah: I mean, you really think I should? I live in a shack and I garden for a living; that’s not exactly setting her up for an adulthood filled with glamour. Lola: You idiot, she doesn’t care about that. Just go talk to her.

Serah: So you know you’re like... so pretty, right? And down to earth, and... and a whole lot of other stuff that I don’t want to list out cause I’m gonna sound stupid.

Serah: But do you think you maybe.... wanna be my girlfriend? I know I’ve got a shit future ahead of me, being uneducated and all, but I’m hoping that’s not something you really care about right now because if you do I don’t got a Plan B, so.

Tanvi: *laughs softly* You idiot, I don’t care at all about that. Of course I’ll be your girlfriend.

(Well, Lola hit it right on the money, didn’t she?)

Awww :)

Of course they gotta take that obligatory FB photo so they can update their relationship status with a pic, lmao.

Serah: Consummate the relationship with me? Tanvi: I thought you’d never ask.

Right when she got home she aged up too! Welcome to Young Adulthood, Serah; hopefully it’s more stable than your teenage years.

Also all that fishing and gathering on the trip allotted her the bare necessities, yay!

...But oh, honey, I think it’s time to hit the gym. lol.

TBC....

[meditativeyoga]

7 Reasons Every Yogi Should Try Traveling Alone

Ever imagine taking a trip alone, yet have trouble shooting? Taking a solo trip could be difficult-- and also really feel selfish with the common a laundry listing of obligations that monopolize daily life. Travel can be the best reset switch to push you outside your convenience area and also blend up your routine. Even top yoga teachers, that invest a lot of the year taking a trip to lead teacher trainings, retreats, as well as workshops, need a little solo adventure from time to time. So we asked them regarding the worth of traveling alone for yogis. Several of their solutions could surprise you. (And also, select up travel-perfect pranayama, poses, meditations and also pointers for a based, motivating experience on the roadway.)

1. It offers you permission to concentrate on yourself.

Perhaps most apparent, yet additionally crucial: Stepping away from the day-to-day work, and also releasing those you leave creates area for you to support and also concentrate exclusively on yourself. "My husband, friends and family are the most effective, however when I'm with them I'm constantly worried regarding their well-being and also can not appear to manage that propensity," states Colorado Institution of Yoga exercise creator and instructor Gina Caputo. "Solo journeys are the only time I'm entirely liberated from that worry. As well as if you go somewhere that the wifi is weak or non-existent, also far better! It gives me an opportunity to deeply nurture myself."

Gina Caputo's travel tips:

' Purchase a fantastic pair of noise-cancelling earphones, always have a multiple-use canteen to remain hydrated and also stay clear of alcohol. If you want to sleep, attempt a CBN (cannabinol) spot instead.'

2. You're a lot more available to new friendships.

Not having a pal to count on can be terrifying at initially, however traveling alone can encourage you to open your heart to brand-new individuals you fulfill. "I normally like business on my experiences, but would certainly recommend anyone flight solo for a yoga exercise resort," claims Kathryn Budig, instructor and also writer of the brand-new book Aim True: Love Your Body, Eat Without Anxiety, Nourish Your Spirit, Discover True Balance!. "I claim this since I have actually seen timid, worried students walk away with friends after a mere week. The resort setup is an important location to attach as well as produce long lasting bonds."

Kathryn Budig's best travel posture:

' Malasana! I enjoy this posture pre- and also- blog post travel as it launches my reduced back from being in cramped chairs and relaxes my hips from grouchy hip flexors.'

3. You get to see who you are, with no support.

Stripping away outside resources creates an excellent chance to removal internal. "You reach sign in with yourself completely," states Vinyasa 101: The Principles of Yoga exercise instructor Eddie Modestini. "You start without any friends, no acquainted foods, smells, or places. All there is, is you. In this kind of environment you obtain to taste your truth and also have the room for incredible representation. It gives you the opportunity to assess exactly what is and also determine the direction that you have to expand in."

Eddie Modestini's favorite poses as well as pranayama:

' To stay based, integrate mild pranayama methods throughout your day. Find some location silent to rest or exist down pleasantly, and also method Viloma Pranayama on breathing. Breathe in one 3rd of the way, time out, then one more third, pause, as well as the last third. Full a slow, smooth or even exhalation out. Kick back as long as you can and find comfort in every area in your body. You can pause 3-5 times on the inhalation as long as it's comfortable. Exercise this for 5 mins each day to strike the reset switch.' ( Note: To see this pranayama, have a look at the India Video on our Facebook page, where Eddie's educator Arun shares this technique.)

I love Virasana, when I am really feeling worn down in my legs, and Sirsasana to focalize my consciousness. (Tip: Sirsasana needs to be come before by Downward Canine and is a great asana to exercise in the personal privacy of your resort area.)'

4. It scares you.

Yes, you review that right-- fear can be a good idea if you harness it. "Taking a trip alone can be daunting, or even frightening, and also that's specifically why I prefer to do it," says teacher as well as blog writer Caitlin Turner, aka @GypsetGoddess. "It supplies a remarkable area for me to discover how strong and capable I really am. As I effectively issue address and also navigate unforeseen situations alone, I understand that there are couple of things worth truly hesitating of and an entire world available to uncover."

@GypsetGoddess's packing tip:

If you deal with traveling stress and anxiety or homesickness, bring your pillow with you. "I find that despite exactly how challenging my day is, just how unpleasant the bed is, or exactly how far from home I really feel, recognizing that I a minimum of have my very own comfortable pillow constantly appears to help," she says. "If taking a trip with your cushion seems as well troublesome, then transport your inner kid as well as bring a packed animal or little covering to cuddle with. If cuddles typically aren't your point, a perfumed candle from house could make points feel a bit a lot more familiar too."

5. It can solidify personal transformation.

If you have actually simply undergone a major life shift, traveling alone could assist you absorb, process, as well as convert that experience right into a brand-new direction. "I want to take solo trips after times of huge personal makeover, or I'll add a day or two throughout of a training to simply be alone, hear and also link to myself," states Pillars of Power trainer Leah Cullis. "This area permits me to absorb my experiences, discover my feelings, integrate my knowings, and also pick exactly how I wish to progress."

Leah Cullis's travel tip:

Take your journal all over and compose as high as you can. "I journal every morning as well as evening, and also as long as I could in between. On solo trips I try to be as silent as feasible and also take the time to go internal. I create to secure my experiences, vision progressing, share new affirmations and also objectives, as well as to just track exactly what I see as well as listen to along the road."

6. It's liberating!

It's easy to keep ourselves boxed right into the way of thinking that we have (" my" country/language/customs and also the "other" is anyone/thing different from us). "In the United States, we often tend to be a little America-centric: we anticipate everyone to talk our language, to provide the foods we're utilized to, making us feel risk-free," says teacher and also founder of Embodied Understanding, LLC, Bo Forbes. "This is our survival impulse, however it also limits us. When I'm educating in the U.K., Europe, or the Center East, I usually take a trip solo. It's disjointing and also yet, exceptionally releasing on all degrees. I surrender a little a lot more to the culture, to the means traveling could break me open as well as subject the inmost variation of myself. Solo travel aids me really feel that feeling of interdependence, it chips away at my concepts of 'self' as well as 'other,' helping me realize that we are all one.

Bo Forbes's digestion meditation and also pointers:

' Travel is exhausting to the worried system. It constantly hits me in my 'stubborn belly brain'. The brand-new regimen, various food, and anxiety of being displaced adjustments things in the intestine microbiome. For me, this means stomach discomfort, lowered prana, and digestive system distress. And since the state of our stomach brain likewise impacts state of mind as well as immunity, every little thing could go a little haywire. I sign in with my stomach every few hrs to make certain I'm not tightening without realizing it. Generally, I'll do something like this Embodied Stomach Meditation. Sometimes I do balanced job in my inherent core muscular tissues, as well as adhere to that up with some stamina structure. An everyday must-do is a Piriformis launch making use of yoga exercise treatment spheres. As well as I'll finish up with an abdominal massage therapy to launch connective tissue, which additionally promotes vagal tone as well as constructs anxiety strength.'

7. It's even more like yoga exercise than you think.

When you really go, you'll most likely recognize that traveling alone as well as exercising yoga by yourself typically aren't so various. "When I fell for yoga exercise it had not been due to the fact that I wanted to do complicated poses," claims instructor and blogger Jacqueline Smyth, aka @TravelingMats. "It was due to the fact that every single time I tipped into my floor covering, I found out something new regarding how I turned up on the planet. Every one of the 'I can not do this', or 'I ought to have the ability to do that's', the ego, and also the judgment appeared. But exactly what my practice gifted me was the understanding around those restrictions that I had established for myself. When I found out to be a lot more mindful, I obtained the option of revealing up as who I wished to be. Traveling alone does the similar thing. The even more you venture right into the unidentified, the much more pieces of on your own you discover in the process. Layer by layer, you get to drop in love with parts of the world, and also much more significantly components of on your own that I guarantee you really did not also know existed."

@Travelingmats' traveling meditation:

' My favorite best reflection tip is super easy, and also constantly accessible. Three actions: Close your eyes. Calmly say to on your own as you take in: I am breathing in. As well as calmly claim to yourself as you breath out: I am breathing out. Easy? It transforms your breath into a meditation unifying your body as well as mind.'

[socalsojourner]

30 Best Things To Do in L.A.

(From the post on Curbed LA Website) There are so many kid-friendly places to see in Los Angeles, where do you begin? As the second-largest urban region in the United States, LA offers families more activities and adventures than many small countries, but that doesn't mean they are all worth the time.

Sure, you could spend a week at Disneyland, but that's not really what the city is all about. Take some pointers from the locals and see Los Angeles County as they do: Full of vibrant cultural opportunities, art, amazing outdoor spaces, and yes, even public transportation.

The weather in LA also means that a family vacation is worth the trek at any time of year. With moderate temperatures year-round, the city is a dream for kiddos who love to run and play outside in the sunshine. And even in places that are designed for kids—like Griffith Park or the children's garden at the Huntington—adults will find plenty to pique their interest.

Whether you're age two or 62, behold, the 30 best destinations in Los Angeles for families and kids.

1. Descanso Gardens

1418 Descanso Dr La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011(818) 949-4200

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If you're looking to beat the heat, this bucolic retreat is just the place. Full of lily ponds, roses, and leafy trees, Descanso Gardens lets kids roam free and explore the natural world.

Don't miss the Enchanted Railroad, daily story times, and the family-friendly concerts in the summer.

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2. Kidspace Children's Museum

480 N Arroyo Blvd Pasadena, CA 91103(626) 449-9144

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With 3.5 acres of interactive exhibits including an indoor imagination workshop, an ant colony climbing structure, and an interactive greenhouse, the Kidspace Children's Museum is one of the top destinations for LA kiddos.

Don't miss the outdoor Arroyo Adventure area, where children can learn about ecosytems by climbing a giant hawk's nest, building dams, and exploring a mud kitchen.

Pro tip: Bring a change of clothes, towel, and water shoes; things can get messy.

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3. Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden

301 N Baldwin Ave Arcadia, CA 91007(626) 821-3222

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Hop on the free shuttle from the Gold Line and head to the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden for gorgeous mini-hikes and a variety of hands-on activities.

Kids love the roaming peacocks, bookworms story time, and the family adventure classes offered monthly. Older amongst us will recognize the house used in the 1970′s - 1980′s TV show, “Fantasy Island,” and the bell tower where Herve Villechaize (”Tattoo”) rang the bell and shouted “Da Plane, Da Plane!” (see picture above)

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4. Griffith Park

4730 Crystal Springs Dr Los Angeles, CA 90027(323) 665-3051

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Griffith Park has something for everyone, whether it's hiking to the Hollywood Sign, exploring the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, searching the sky at the Griffith Observatory, or taking a ride on the historic merry-go-round.

But one of our favorite things to do is to take the kids to the Griffith Park Pony Rides, where for $3 a ride, children can choose from slow, medium, or fast ponies. Griffith Park also boasts three different train rides: a larger locomotive operated at the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad, a smaller train rolling out of the Travel Town railroad, and the L.A. Zoo Choo Choo train.

Pro tip: Local parents flock to The Trails Cafe for picnic-style seating and plenty of pastries and sandwiches.

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5. TreePeople

12601 Mulholland Dr Beverly Hills, CA 90210(818) 753-4600

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Located on 45-acres of Goldwater Canyon Park in the Santa Monica mountains, TreePeople offers nature trails and experiential education with the goal of teaching kids environmental stewardship.

Daily admission is free, but check the website for special events like moonlight hikes, group dog walks, and native plant walks.

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6. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

1151 Oxford Rd San Marino, CA 91108(626) 405-2100

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The Huntington consists of an extensive library of rare books, three separate art galleries, and a botanical garden that covers more than 120 acres.

Kids will love exploring the desert, Japanese, rose, and Chinese gardens while a conservatory provides middle-school-age students exhibits on botany. But for the little ones (2 to 7 years old), the Helen and Peter Bing Children's Garden is not to miss.

Children can splash in the water, explore a fog grotto, climb through a prism tunnel, and even dance in a circular rainbow room.

Pro tip: Bring a swimsuit or change of clothes to take advantage of all the fun.

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7. El Capitan Theatre

6838 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028(818) 845-3110

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Families love the old El Capitan Theatre, a glittering example of cinema that opened in 1926 on Hollywood Boulevard.

Beyond hosting "Tiny Tot Tuesdays" for parents with toddlers, the theater also adds something extra to any film experience. Expect to see Disney cast members, live singing, and the delighted faces of children as streamers and confetti fall from the ceiling.

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8. Los Angeles River

570 W Ave 26 Los Angeles, CA 90065(323) 221-9944

Despite a long history of neglect, the LA River is in the process of a revitalization that aims to reconnect the river with the vibrant urban core it passes through.

From biking, picnicking, fishing, horseback riding, and even kayaking, the LA river has it all (except swimming). Rent bikes from from Spoke Cafe and pedal down to the Frog Spot where you can listen to live music, drink beer, and wander down to wade into the river.

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9. Time Travel Mart

1714 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026(213) 413-3388

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Older kids will get a kick out of the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a time travel-themed retail store with the slogan, "Whenever you are, we're already then."

Run by 826, the founders of the Superhero Supply store in Brooklyn and the Pirate Supply Company in San Francisco, the Echo Park version sells humorous gifts from the past, present, and future.

The front of the store boasts its quirky collection, while the back houses the non-profit tutoring center where 20 to 30 students receive instruction each day.

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10. Echo Park Lake

751 Echo Park Ave Los Angeles, CA 90026(213) 847-0929

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Located in central Los Angeles with a stunning view of Downtown, Echo Park Lake is a favorite destination for strolling, fishing, and picnicking. But the best part is the pedal boats available for rent.

For just $5 per kid and $10 per adult, you can paddle around the lake for up to an hour.

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11. Los Angeles State Historic Park

1245 N Spring St Los Angeles, CA 90012(323) 441-8819

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After being closed for more than three years, this Chinatown park has reopened with a whole new look. Families will love the new perks of a $20 million renovation: A stunning pedestrian walkway, picnic areas, wetlands, a public fruit orchard, and an elevated lookout point.

Even better, the park’s also added a ranger station and a welcome center with the always-important bathrooms.

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12. La Brea Tar Pits & Museum

5801 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036(213) 763-3499

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The La Brea Tar Pits boast the worlds most famous ice age fossil site conveniently located in the Miracle Mile district.

Kids can take an excavator tour of the tar pits to see what the scientists are digging up, then head into the museum for exhibits on the Ice Age or a 3D film showing how animals become trapped in tar.

There's also a fossil lab where budding scientists can see what happens after fossils are extracted from the tar. Pack a picnic and have lunch in Hancock Park, right in the middle of all the tar pit action.

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13. Los Angeles County Museum of Art

5905 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036(323) 857-6000

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As the best art museum for kids in the Los Angeles area, LACMA delivers on top-notch art in a family-friendly environment.

Start in the spacious Modern Art galleries on the second floor of the Ahmanson building, burn off energy in the LACMA sculpture garden, see the illuminating Urban Light sculpture, and don't miss the Boone Children's Gallery for painting and story time.

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14. Grand Park

200 N Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012(213) 972-8080

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Located in Downtown Los Angeles, between the Music Center and City Hall, the 12-acre Grand Park is an urban oasis complete with fountains, tons of green space and drought-tolerant landscaping, and bright pink benches.

Kids will love the splash pad and the whimsical playground that looks like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.

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15. Aidan's Place at Westwood Recreation Center

1350 S Sepulveda Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90025(310) 473-3610

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One of the city’s best accessible playgrounds, Aidan’s Place is a great spot when the weather gets warm thanks to a series of misters connected to the play equipment.

Children of all abilities can play in a sand castle, ride a zip line, and enjoy a fully-accessible pretend airplane cockpit. On the hottest of days go early or late; a lack of shade can keep the playground hot.

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16. Angels Flight Railway

350 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90013

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If you have kids who love old-timey transit, it doesn’t get any better than Angels Flight—a tiny railway that climbs up and down Bunker Hill in Downtown Los Angeles.

The two train cars are 116-years-old, and, after nearly four years of laying dormant, they just started running again. The short ride costs $1 each way.

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17. The Los Angeles Public Library

630 W 5th St Los Angeles, CA 90071(213) 228-7000

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Book lovers beware: You might want to stay in the children's section of the Downtown public library forever. Wander amongst the stacks, enjoy the rich wood shelves, gawk at the colorful California history murals, or opt for one of the many story times.

Older kids will like the computer zone and the young adult section that contains a well-curated list of recommendations.

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18. The Last Bookstore

453 S Spring St Los Angeles, CA 90013(213) 488-0599

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As California's largest used and new book and record store, the two-story Last Bookstore is part Harry Potter wonderland, part sci-fi spectacle, and part artist loft.

It's been called everything from LA's best bookstore to one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

Hit the kids section on the first floor and then take a stroll through the "Labyrinth" on the second floor, a quirky area of used books organized by color that even features a book tunnel.

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19. Hauser & Wirth

901 E 3rd St Los Angeles, CA 90013(213) 943-1620

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This recently opened, 116,000-square-foot complex in the Arts District is one of six Hauser & Wirth art centers located around the world devoted to contemporary art and modern masters.

Kids and parents alike will enjoy the art and the amazing indoor and outdoor spaces, and the onsite restaurant is not only kid friendly, it also boasts 12 rare-breed chickens that are sure to delight the younger crowd.

Not feeling a sit-down meal? Bring your own lunch and picnic in the garden.

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20. CicLAvia

525 S Hewitt St Los Angeles, CA 90013(213) 355-8500

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If you happen to be in Los Angeles during a CicLAvia event, drop everything and take the kiddos to this virbant car-free street festival.

Working with the city, CicLAvia temporarily opens streets to all Angelenos to bike, walk, skate, dance, and play. Free to the public, it's a giant, family-friendly party that turns streets into parks.

While the route varies each event in order to explore different parts of the city, during each CicLAvia you can expect friendly people, fun costumes, and a really good time. Check the website for upcoming dates.

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21. Annenberg Community Beach House

415 Pacific Coast Hwy Santa Monica, CA 90402(310) 458-4904

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For any parent who wants to take the hassle out of a beach day, grab a few beach chairs at the Annenberg Beach House.

Located at Santa Monica State Beach on 5 acres of oceanfront property, the beach house was originally a private mansion with 100-plus rooms and a marble swimming pool; it was designed by architect Julia Morgan, and developed by William Randolph Hearst, for his mistress, actress Marion Davies, in the 1920′s.

Today, no membership is required to enjoy a splash pad, children's play area, gallery, historic pool, and guest house. Older kids will also love the beach volleyball courts and soccer fields, which are a must-do in the winter.

While the pool is only open from May to October, the beach house runs Pop Up Pool Days throughout the year and offers beach amenities year round.

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22. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

900 W Exposition Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90007(213) 763-3466

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This natural history museum impresses with more than 35 million objects, some as old as 4.5 billion years. But while the exhibits are stunning and the dinosaurs are massive, the museum also delivers on the little things, like tiny chairs for tiny people.

Check out the rotating exhibits and don't miss the Nature Lab, a hands-on science lab with live animals and touchable specimens suitable for kiddos of all ages.

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23. California African American Museum

600 State Dr Los Angeles, CA 90037(213) 744-7432

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Located on the eastern end of Exposition Park, near Downtown, the California African American Museum aims to showcase under-represented artists of color. Ever-changing exhibits give kids a taste of the arts, and a robust family program hosts mixed-media workshops for all ages on select weekends.

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24. California Science Center

700 Exposition Park Dr Los Angeles, CA 90037(323) 724-3623

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Kids like the IMAX theater and the rotating exhibits at the California Science Center, but the real draw is the space shuttle Endeavour on display in the Samuel Oschin Pavilion.

The museum is in the process of building Endeavour a new home, but in the meantime you can still see the NASA shuttle that traveled to space 25 times between 1992 and 2011.

Note that timed reservations are required to see Endeavour on weekends, holidays, and high attendance weeks.

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25. Tongva Park

1615 Ocean Ave Santa Monica, CA 90401(310) 458-8310

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Santa Monica's $42.3 million Tongva Park opened in 2013 to rave reviews, especially given the 6.2 acre park's stunning transformation from parking lot to ideal outdoor space.

Designed by James Corner Field Operations, the people behind New York's High Line, the park boasts 18-foot observation decks, winding walkways, rolling hills, and expansive lawns.

Don't miss the playground and splash pad in the southeast quadrant of the park.

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26. Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

1600 Ocean Front Walk Santa Monica, CA 90401(310) 393-6149

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Run by the nonprofit Heal the Bay, this under-the-radar aquarium on the Santa Monica Pier is home to 100 species of marine animals and plants.

Kids rave about the interactive exhibits, the mesmerizing "moon jellies," and watching aquarium staff feed the horn and swell sharks.

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27. Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park

1727 E 107th St Los Angeles, CA 90002

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Just off the busy 105 Freeway, the Watts Towers are 17 interconnected sculptures that stand up to 100 feet tall.

Designed by Sabato Rodia, an Italian immigrant who built the structures from 1921 to 1954, the towers are a great draw for kiddos and parents alike.

Children under 12 are free on the guided tour (adults cost $7), and there are also art classes and exhibitions in the nearby art center.

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28. Aquarium of the Pacific

320 Golden Shore #100 Long Beach, CA 90802(562) 590-3100

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With more than 11,000 animals in more than 50 exhibits, the Aquarium of the Pacific offers way more than a few fish in a tank. Kids can get up close with a penguin, touch over 150 sharks in Shark Lagoon, and feed colorful birds in the Lorikeet forest.

Pro tip: Consider reserving a spot in the Animal Encounters to feed a sea lion or other creatures.

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29. Battleship USS Iowa Museum

250 S Harbor Blvd San Pedro, CA 90731(877) 446-9261

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As the West Coast’s only battleship open to the public, the USS Iowa Museum lets kids explore maritime history in an interactive way. Kid-friendly tours show all the exhibits on board, and a must-do scavenger hunt is a highlight.

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30. Children's Book World

10580 Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064(310) 559-2665

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Kids and adults alike will love this cozy book store with more than 80,000 titles and loads of interesting stuffed animals and educational toys. Find your way using the helpful age-appropriate sections and check the website for story hours.

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[zur-en-arrhbatman]

Because I’m bored, I thought that it would be fun to tackle Avengers: Age of Ultron. While it is still quite a good movie, there are elements that could be better about it. So I thought it might be interesting to write my own version of it.

Firstly a bit of house-cleaning: though this part might be a bit controversial. Avengers: Age of Ultron was filmed from February of 2014 to August of 2014. There have been a few commentaries (mainly from Joss Whedon himself) that felt that the whole process of the film was a bit rushed, causing a finished product that was not as good as it could be. 

Ant-Man began filming in August of 2014 and was completed in December of 2014 with some pick ups in April of 2015. The film was under production since before Iron Man came out in 2008, so I think it would be fairly easy to switch the release date of the two films - in this version, the events of Ant-Man precede the events of Age of Ultron. This will become more relevant later. 

Next, I feel that the movie did not properly tie together the events of the previous movies: Tony Stark had destroyed all of his suits in Iron Man 3, the whole Thor: The Dark World might as well have not happened, The Winter Soldier is probably the most influential element on Age of Ultron. 

My thinking is this:

We open on Asgard, as the twins previously introduced at the end of The Winter Soldier break into the Asgardian vault and steal a precious artifact (an Infinity Stone, perhaps with Quicksilver foolishly pulling it off of a partially completed Infinity Gauntlet, hinting at Loki still working for Thanos). They are accosted by Loki (appearing as Odin) but they are able to beat Loki (see the Worf Effect) and return to Earth with their stolen treasure. 

Loki (”Odin”) commands Thor to retrieve the Infinity Stone, sending him to Earth to recruit the Avengers. Thor seeks the help of Tony Stark after he discovers that SHIELD is gone and can’t help him. They discover that HYDRA has teamed up with the remnants of AIM (from Iron Man 3) and intend to reverse engineer the tech to create a superweapon (as supervillains are wont to do). 

Tony is still retired from. the events of Iron Man 3, but he plays a bit of tech support for Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye as they assault the HYDRA/AIM compound. They are soundly defeated by Baron von Strucker and his super-powered henchmen (Extremis soldiers, led by Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver). 

The Avengers retreat to Avengers tower to lick their wounds, with Tony bringing up “Project Ultron” with Banner as a solution to their problems. It’s clear they’ve argued about this before - but Banner accedes when Quicksilver runs by the tower to prank the group to rub in their face that they were defeated by them. 

Back at the HYDRA compound, it’s clear that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are chafing under HYDRA command, but they are being forced to work for them. Tony and Bruce boot up Ultron, with Steve angry and comparing Ultron’s programming to “Project Insight” (a Winter Soldier reference). Ultron goes after the HYDRA compound, straight up murdering Baron Von Strucker even as Tony tries to shut him down. 

Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch refuse to kill Ultron, instead using the opportunity to put Strucker out of his misery. Ultron himself is crippled from Stark and Banner’s attempts to shut him down. Feeling empathy for the fallen robot, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver take Ultron and escape from the HYDRA compound just as Tony Stark arrives with the Avengers and finds that Ultron has escaped. 

Steve is angry at Tony, but decides that the fault of one team member is the responsibility of the whole team (him taking responsibility for Ultron sets up the conflict in Civil War later - Tony would rather not take personal responsibility). Tony isn’t very sorry, vowing to shut down Ultron for good (throw in some Frankenstein’s Monster parallels for good measure). Bruce Banner is ashamed at having created a death machine as he feared (it gets old with him feeling guilty about being the Hulk, lets say he’s over it in this one and give him a different sort of man pain). 

Black Widow tells them to get their shit together and the group deduces that the new villain trio has escaped with the Infinity Stone. They figure that Ultron must want to construct a new body. We get a scene with the Twins road tripping with Ultron, who is portrayed almost like a baby, but there are hints at his darker nature. They arrive at a prison (sent there by Ultron) and the twins break in to break out “a friend���. 

The Avengers arrive and fight the twins, with Tony Stark going in (still no armor, remember) to get the prisoner - a return cameo by Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer - hereby dubbed the second smartest man in the MCU. Ultron intends to take Hammer hostage and force him to build him a new robot body. The Twins are defeated by the Avengers, but Tony loses Hammer as Ultron hacks into one of Hammer’s suits of armor (that he had been secretly building to escape prison) and leaves with Hammer hostage after a conversation with Tony (more Frankenstein parallels here).

The Avengers return to their tower once more and are met by Hank Pym. He gives the rallying speech that Fury gave in the real life Age of Ultron. He reveals that Ultron is based off of programming that he did for SHIELD back in the 1980s, which eventually developed into Project Insight. He tries to assuage Banner’s guilt and also offers his resources to help defeat the robot. The group are joined by Ant-Man and the Wasp (two original founders of the Avengers pre-dating even Captain America and definitely important additions before you add anyone else) . 

Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver catch up to Ultron, finding that he has tortured Hammer into constructing him “the perfect body”, now powering himself with the Infinity Stone. The Twins are suitably squicked out as they realize this isn’t a joyride anymore but a genocidal death robot. They try to fight Ultron but are nearly killed - they go to the Avengers and tell them what’s up. Cap tries to get them to join but they definitely don’t want to fight Ultron. 

Tony finally builds a new suit of Iron Man armor and the Avengers as a whole suit up to go fight Ultron, who has used his programming (which includes data from SHIELD) to take Hawkeye’s family hostage so that he can set a trap to kill the Avengers. Now we can rework in those lines about “Wait you have a family?” and some character focus for Hawkeye going into the final moments of the film. 

Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Cap successfully rescue the kids while the rest of the Avengers team goes after Ultron (so we can have a scene with the Issue #1 line up of the Avengers) With the revelation that Hawkeye has a family we can finally add on top of the romantic tension there had been between Cap and Widow in The Winter Soldier. 

Once the kids are safe, the Avengers all band together to take down Ultron, rip him to pieces and take the Infinity Stone back. Through his communications back home, Thor has begun to suspect something awry with “Odin” and decides not to take the Infinity Stone back to Asgard, but to somewhere else that is safe. Banner (feeling guilty about creating Ultron) offers to tag along as extra protection. 

Tony Stark reaffirms his status as Iron Man and promises that he and Cap will protect Earth together in Thor and Hulk’s stead, but it’s clear that there is already some tension building between the two heroes (once again foreshadowing Civil War). 

In the end credits we have Thanos threatening Loki, taking the partially completed gauntlet, and sending a henchman (perhaps a GotG alum) to go after Thor and the Infinity Stone (setting up Thor: Ragnarok). 

[scottfoundation]

FROM FOSTER TO FAMILY...

With a focus on developing inner health, Arizona foster kids begin their journey of finding their true selves at the Tao Healing Center

CHANDLER, AZ.  The Tao Healing Center is preparing for some very special guests as a group of foster kids with the Scott Foundation take steps towards developing their inner health and emotional well-being.  This Saturday, April 29th from 1:00 - 3:30 pm, thirty-six foster kids participating in a Young Adult Masterclass Program are preparing to make the world better than they found it as they become our next generation Thought & Service Leaders.  Turning pain into something positive, these kids, ages 14 to 17, each have a very clear vision and dream that is motivated by the tragedy in their own young lives.

In service to the kids, Tao Wellness Guides will help them learn how to release physical and emotional tension so they can move forward in a positive way. Each foster child will receive a very special gift of healing tools, which were generously donated by the Earth Citizen Organization and DHL Express.  The afternoon will be filled with personal growth activities that will help them see the change in their physical bodies and emotional energies.  

The Tao Healing Program is led by Chun Shim who is the Manager and Teacher of the Tao Healing Center as well as the Regional Coordinator for Sedona Mago Retreat in Central Arizona. She has been a Master Healer, Teacher, Workshop Trainer, and Holistic Life Consultant for individuals and groups for over two decades. Facilitating various workshops and retreats, Chun Shim educates people on how to connect and heal their physical, energy and spiritual bodies.

In 2016, Chun Shim and Colleen Walski, Author, Founder & CEO of Scott Foundation, partnered to create a specialized program to grow Thought & Service Leaders through the Scott Foundation Young Adult Masterclass Program. Working together with caring businesses and individual community members, the focus of this 3 to 4-year program is to fulfill the individual young person’s social-emotional well-being, dreams, education, and work-learn experiences, and safely transition them to independent living through experiential and emotional learning.  

The Tao Healing Center is operated by Tao Fellowship, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes spiritual awakening, self-realization, and natural healing of body, mind, and spirit in the tradition of Tao.  The Center brings people together from all different cultural, religious and political backgrounds to develop their personal strength, inner wisdom, healthy body and healing energy.  The mission of the Tao Healing Center is to provide guidance and education to people who seek an open-minded, integrative, and practical spiritual direction for changing their lives and creating a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. 

Scott Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that produces year-round experiential programming that highlight, inspire and educate at-risk youth and kids in foster care on the importance of physical, mental, and emotional well-being through hands on experiences that nurture social skills, problem solving, and independence; maximizing potential and a sense of belonging and community.  Serving at-risk youth and kids in the Arizona foster care system for 10 years, their mission focuses on developing inner wealth.  They believe in making the world a more peaceful and loving place by emotionally teaching kids to make better choices through selfless service.  

The Healing Preparation Session will take place at the Tao Healing Center at 1840 W. Chandler Blvd., D-7 Chandler, AZ 85224 (on the NE side of Chandler Blvd. & Dobson Rd.).  The Tao Guides from the Center will be in attendance to help guide the kids through the practice.  

To learn more visit TaoHealingCenters.org

or call Rachel at 602-538-8923.

Scott-Foundation.org |  TaxCredits4AZFosterKids.com 

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