#Hotel Influenza.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: Lexical Blends

A lexical blend - takes two lexemes which overlap in form, and welds them together to make one.

Lexeme - the smallest contrastive unit in a semantic system (run, cat, switch on); also called lexical item.

Some longstanding examples & a few novelties from recent publications:

motor + hotel = motel

breakfast + lunch = brunch

helicopter + airport = heliport

smoke + fog = smog

advertisement + editorial = advertorial

Channel + Tunnel = Chunnel

Oxford + Cambridge = Oxbridge

Yale + Harvard = Yarvard

slang + language = slanguage

guess + estimate = guesstimate

square + aerial = squaerial

toys + cartoons = toytoons

breath + analyser = breathalyser

affluence + influenza = affluenza

information + commercials = infomercials

dock + condominium = dockominium

NOTES

Enough of each lexeme is usually retained so that the elements are recognizable.

In most cases, the second element is the one which controls the meaning of the whole.

Example: "brunch" is a kind of lunch, not a kind of breakfast – which is why the lexeme is brunch and not, say, "lunkfast".

Similarly, a "toytoon" is a kind of cartoon (one which generates a series of shop toys), not a kind of toy.

Blending increased in popularity in the latter half of the 20th century, being increasingly used in commercial and advertising contexts:

Products were sportsational, swimsational, and sexsational.

TV provided dramacons, docufantasies, and rockumentaries.

The forms are felt to be eye-catching and exciting; but how many of them will still be around in 2050 remains an open question.

Source ⚜ Word Lists ⚜ Notes & References

[nihildenial]

Per Aspera Ad Influenza by nihil-denial

Papa Emeritus IV/Dewdrop/Swiss

Warnings: None, For all Ages

Tags: Sickfic, hurt/comfort, sharing a bed, dorks in love

WC: 4,052

It’s not often that human illnesses affect the demonic entities that play in the band Ghost. They are powerful, elemental beings stuffed into carbon-based forms of meat and bones and blood, but even the connections to the Underworld doesn’t save them from the viruses of humanity.

Papa Emeritus IV, a.k.a. Copia to those closest, was only half-infernal and was much more likely to fall ill while Ghost toured the world.

Mountain Ghoul was always ready with herbal teas and salves for whatever caused the singer to feel sick. It bonded Copia and the Earth Ghoul closer together since Mountain was already the heartbeat of the band.

This time, Copia wasn’t the one who needed a caring hand.

“Dewdrop! Stop hogging the bathroom!” Swiss pounds on the tour bus door after the fourth time the Fire Ghoul had slipped out of the living area to lock himself inside the small room. “I gotta piss and if you don’t finish, I’m gonna pee in the kitchen sink!”

Finally, there was a flush and the noise of the sink running. The overhead vent turns off just as the long-haired Ghoul opens the door and slips under Swiss’ arm. “Sorry,” He grumbles.

Swiss watches him unsteadily climb directly into his assigned top bunk and quickly shut the curtain. An uneasy feeling climbs up Swiss’ spine. Unlike the other Ghouls, Dewdrop almost never discloses when he’s feeling under the weather.

He thinks that Dew is scared they’re going to see him as weak.

Swiss momentarily disregards his need to pee. He steps over to the wall of bunks and carefully pulls back one of the panels where Dew puts his head. The Fire Ghoul’s typical Fireball-esque scent is a bit sour, but what’s causing it is immediately apparent.

None of the Ghouls are due for their heats until the next month during the Samhain, and as far as Swiss can tell, none of their pack have noticed Heat symptoms despite them being stuffed together on a bus.

“Fuck off,” Dew immediately turns onto his other side to escape his view. A little cough escapes his tightly-shut lips.

“Hey, I just wanted to see if you were feeling alright,” The Multi-Ghoul moves a strand of pale, blond hair off Dew’s pillow. “Sorry I rushed you.”

Dew’s body curls up tighter under his blanket. “I’m just tired. I’m trying to sleep before the ritual.”

“You sure? It’s okay if you’re sick.”

Dewdrop just nods, pressing more into his pillow.

Swiss knows a dismissal when he sees one. He’s not going to get any more out of the Fire Ghoul without a fight erupting between them. He sighs and closes the black out curtain.

Copia appears in the hallway just then, opening the door to the small bedroom at the back of the bus. “Good morning Swiss,” He says softly. He’s always aware of the possibility of his Ghouls resting in the bunks.

“Good morning, Papa,” Swiss glances at the closed curtain before meeting Copia’s mismatched eyes.

Copia follows and quirks an eyebrow. “Everything alright? Did Dew kick you out of bed again?”

Swiss opens his mouth but closes it when he realizes how Dewdrop could hear them. That would definitely cause an argument. He shakes his head and allows Copia to slide past him in the hallway. “Everything’s fine…I think.”

-

The last handful of hours before the group’s destination was spent packing their things to transition quickly to the hotel after the night’s ritual. Nobody wanted to pack their bunk after a three-hour performance.

Dewdrop is quiet, staying to himself except for when Papa calls them all to the living room to prep them about the venue. He clears his throat in the way an old lady would, though black tendrils of soot and smoke come from under his fist.

Thankfully, tonight was a stadium most of them had played on while Copia was a Cardinal, so they only had to catch Phantom and Aurora up to speed on the backstage layout.

The tour bus pulls up behind the large venue and the group is ushered off and into the building as cameras and people try to get shots of them.

Copia lets out a steadying breath as they’re guided to the three dressing rooms. ‘Still not used to all the cameras, heh,” He says to Dew quietly walking beside him.

Dewdrop shrugs and flips a chunk of hair over his shoulder. He escapes into the green room before Copia begins his usual spiel of how long they have until curtain.

The singer looks to the Multi-Ghoul for an explanation, but Swiss can only answer with a shrug. “Please make sure everything is alright with him,” Copia says quietly to Swiss as the group disperses.

Swiss takes the words into his heart and ignores the setup area for him to apply his black face paint. He beelines for the locked bathroom door, seeing that Phantom, Rain and Mountain are still filing into the room.

He knocks.

“Just a fuckin’ minute!” Comes the annoyed call from inside.

The Multi-Ghoul sighs. He decides to take the vanity closest to the bathroom and begins the process of tying up his locs to fit under his helmet. He’s able to get dressed, apply makeup, and even put on his tall boots before Dewdrop is stumbling out.

The small Ghoul’s t-shirt and jeans are soaked in sweat. His scent has somehow soured even more than it smelled earlier, resembling a rotten cinnamon plant. He takes the last vanity open, between Swiss and Mountain. He doesn’t say anything and begins his usual routine.

Mountain notices immediately. It would be impossible not to be in this small room. “You usually don’t sweat this much Dew.” He reaches a hand out to press against the Ghoul’s gray forehead when Dew recoils like Mountain is a stranger.

“Hey! Watch where you’re fucking touching!” He snarls, fangs bared.

“I’m just worried—”

“Worry about your own damn self for once, Mountain! I’m not sick, I’m not sweating more than usual, and I’m fucking fine.” A small plume of smoke curls from his mouth as he coughs into his fist. He avoids their concerned gazes in the connected mirrors, mopping his forehead with his t-shirt and changing into his Impera uniform.

Swiss watches uneasily. He can’t watch too much, or the Fire Ghoul’s anger will be directed towards him, but if he doesn’t watch enough, he’s scared he’s going to miss a tiny detail that will explain why Dew is feeling this way.

Kevin sticks his head through the doorway and calls for them to head backstage.

Dewdrop is just finishing putting his hair in tight plaits and pulling his balaclava over his head. He’s the last to leave, his right shoe still untied.

Ashley meets them at the backstage entrance, her checks over Copia’s sparkly outfit already completed. She rakes a keen eye over the eight Ghouls, her gaze landing on Dewdrop’s disheveled appearance. She crouches before he can, tying his shoes with ease. She also tightens the strap under his chin for his helmet, pausing so she can get a look at his eyes.

His mismatched blue and red eyes are bloodshot, teary and he has a miserable expression visible even as his face is covered.

She shakes her head, pulling away. “If you need something, just head backstage where Papa goes,” She says as low as she can. Ashley is that close to them to understand all the strange rules the Ghouls have with each other, but she can tell when one of them isn’t up to snuff (especially a Ghoul that usually holds himself with the utmost confidence). Whatever it is, it’s too late to deal with now.

He nods, gives her a grateful smile, and heads out on stage behind his packmates.

-

Copia notices something is really wrong right before the encore.

The house and stage lights have gone down so Copia can slip into his red encore jacket, and he takes a quick second to meet the gazes of each Ghoul as they trade instruments for the last three songs.

Everyone is tired but has the usual glow of excitement. Except for Dewdrop.

Kevin exchanges guitars with the Fire Ghoul and Dew immediately goes back to his mark rather than passing by Copia.

Thankfully, Dew is the last Ghoul back on, so he can catch up with him. His mic is back on the stand so there’s no need to worry about if the crowd can hear them over their cheers as Rain holds a bass note over the arena.

“Dew, you don’t look so hot,” Copia has to shout. The Ghoul looks more sweaty than usual and the smoke around his helmet isn’t the usual white of Swiss’ joints. It smells acrid, like a wildfire taking over a vineyard of sour grapes.

He shakes his helmet. “I’m fine. Stop worrying.”

“Swiss looked like there was something bothering you—”

Dewdrop’s eyes are blazingly visible through the goggle lenses. “I’m fine, Papa. Let’s just finish the fucking concert and get to the hotel, okay?!”

Copia’s mouth snaps shut at the angry tone from his most beloved Ghoul. He wants to figure this out, but this is neither the time nor place for it. The crowd is actively getting louder in front of them as their eyes adjust to the lowlighting. “We’re talking about this after,” Copia squeezes Dewdrop’s shoulder before heading to center stage as the lights come back up.

Kiss the Go-Goat is first on set and Copia uses it to his advantage. When he saunters over to the Fire Ghoul to swing a hand between his legs and hug the Ghoul’s thigh, Copia focuses on his gut instinct to feel what’s going on with Dewdrop.

He smells like sweat (of course, they’re performing) and a soured, high smell far off from his typical scent. Copia doesn’t have enough time to ponder it anymore as he releases Dew’s legs and moves back to his position.

They finish the three encore songs and line up together for final bows. Swiss makes sure to press himself on Dew’s left when he puts himself on the end of the row.

They bow once.

They bow twice; and when their heads face downward, Dewdrop sneezes so hard his helmet shakes and the white covering for horn pops off.

An echo of ‘bless you’ and ‘gesundheits’ come from the fans at the barrier. Dewdrop uses his dirty guitar rag to wipe under his mask as the group makes their way backstage. It further smears the sweaty black face paint and rubs on the conditioning oil from the fretboard.

Mountain’s sharp ears detect the latest cough and suddenly there’s a large hand grasping Dew’s shoulder and stopping him from fleeing into the bathroom. “Dewdrop.”

“Let me go, motherfucker,” Dewdrop snaps nasally. It draws the attention of the rest of the Ghouls and even Copia. “I’m fine!”

“No you aren’t. You’ve been coughing, sneezing, and now even your voice sounds stuffy,” Swiss steps forward.

Dewdrop glares at him through his goggles. “Stop prying!”

Rain uses his most gentle voice, one that never fails to tame the Fire Ghoul’s brattiest episodes. Maybe it’s just their connection as Water Ghouls that makes Dewdrop fold so easily to his voice. “Droplet, we just want to make sure you’re okay. You don’t look healthy and I’m concerned you’re neglecting yourself.”

“Neglecting myself? Like a pathetic little kit? No way. Like I told this brute of an Earth Ghoul, I’m perfectly fine and strong.”

“I didn’t say anything about your strength,” Rain says.

Dewdrop’s helmet passes over all eight concerned gazes, even Ashley and Kevin standing a bit away with the rack of guitars. “Fine. I’ve been sick with some pathetic little human cold for the past couple nights and it hasn’t gone away and now I’m going to ruin the tour so thank you very much for exposing this.” His lower lip wobbles and the heartbreaking sound of a sniffle comes from under his mask.

Copia cocks his head, “Why would this ruin the tour?”

“I see those posts from artists that cancel shows because one of the players is sick. I see the disappointed comments from fans, the loss of revenue,” The Fire Ghoul snaps.

“Dew, we don’t have another ritual for three days. That’s plenty of time to use Quintessence and medicine to heal you. Not to say you should’ve worked through this illness without any help, but you’re a Ghoul. There are plenty of ways we could’ve given you rests on stage,” Copia rubs Dewdrop’s back.

Dew makes a noise close to a whimper. “Can we just get to the hotel already?”

Copia guides Dew back to the male Ghoul’s dressing room. Once seated, Dew bats away Copia’s hands. “Go pack up, Papa. I can do this on my own.”

The singer hesitates until Swiss and Mountain give him a nod. He leaves with one final squeeze to Dew’s arm.

Swiss takes a knee in front of the Fire Ghoul’s chair. “Give me your foot.”

“I don’t need to be babied just because I’m sick.”

He shrugs, “Maybe I just wanna suck your toes. Gimme.”

Dew can’t help the small laugh that comes at the tail-end of his smoke-filled cough. He lets Swiss quickly unlace and undo his boots, setting them aside. Socks, then helmet, hood, and wig cap are next. Rain steps up behind him and lets down the blonde braids, undoing them but tying a loose ponytail to keep the hair off Dew’s sweaty forehead. He wipes off the grease and makeup with a cloth while Swiss unbuckles Dew’s waistcoat.

He’s stripped and put in sweats, a shirt, and flip flops then ushered onto the tour bus without lifting a finger. Ashley and the Ghouls clear the dressing room and pack things under the bus.

With everyone packed up, the group settles on the bus for the two hour trip to the hotel. They would’ve gotten one closer, but this one is perfectly between this arena and the next stadium.

Dew accepts a to-go tumbler of tea from Mountain and retreats to the Earth Ghoul’s bunk for snuggles until they arrive.

-

Hotel rooms are usually split with three Ghouls to a room, with one of them sharing with Copia. This time the schedule was Swiss, Dew, Copia; Cirrus, Cumulus, Rain; and the last room being Mountain, Phantom, Aurora.

Copia doles out the key cards and looks to where Dew is sitting on a lobby couch with Phantom pressed into his side. “Mountain, would you come with me to the store to get some medication?”

“All of us want to come!” Aurora proclaims from her place between Cirrus and Cumulus. “We want to make sure we get the right medicine for Dew.”

The singer sighs, knowing he can’t resist the Ghouls’ puppy dog gazes, even while still helmeted. He waves them towards the elevators, “We need to change first. There’s no need to drag cameras and paparazzi around.” He eyes the waiting crowd by the hotel entrance.

They agree and pile into the mirror-encased elevator. Dew sags against Mountain’s strong grip, falling asleep standing up until he’s wracked with a smoky cough. Thankfully all of their rooms are grouped together on one of the higher levels, so there’s not many other guests that will bother them (or be bothered by a bratty, sick Fire Ghoul).

Everyone splinters off to unpack and change. Copia holds open the door for Swiss and Dewdrop, then wrangles their three suitcases inside. “I think a shower will do you good. That’s what helps me,” He nods to the spacious bathroom.

Dewdrop must be really bad off to not complain and simply walk in and start the shower.

Swiss shoots Copia a worried look.

Copia sighs, stepping into the bathroom, “Dew, what are your illness symptoms? Swiss will stay here with you while we go to the store.”

“You don’t need to risk the paparazzi for me--” He tries.

“Nuh uh, we’re getting you medicine. Symptoms, please.”

He can see the outline of Dew standing under the steamy spray through the frosted curtain. “Cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches.”

Copia types them into the text field to send to Mountain. “Good, good. Do you like a certain flavor of electrolyte drinks?”

“Red.”

He pauses typing the next message. “What the fuck kind of flavor is red?”

“I don’t know the name, it’s just fucking red,” Dew snaps.

Copia sighs, “Okay, I’ll figure out whatever the hell that means. Anything else?”

It takes a moment, but just over the rustle of the shower and the sound of Swiss watching tv comes the timid request, “...Can I have some beef jerky?”

The Anti-Pope’s posture softens. He has to remember that through all the brattiness and backlashing is a scared Ghoul who believes he’ll be sent away if he’s too sick to perform. “Of course. I’ll change and then we’ll get you things to make you feel better, alright?”

Dew pokes his head around the shower curtain. “Thanks, Papa.” He looks like a pathetic, drowned rat.

Copia presses a kiss to his wet forehead. It leaves a smeared gray stain. “Oops. Good thing you’re in the shower,” He grins.

Those mismatched red and blue eyes cross as he looks up to his forehead. An affectionately pissed off frown crosses his lips. “Get out, you old perv. I’m trying to jack off.”

Copia laughs and shuts the bathroom door as he leaves. “I think the shower is helping him.”

Swiss looks over from where he’s sitting on the corner of the large king-sized bed. There’s a documentary about some type of ocean animal playing on the tv. “Snappy?”

“A bit, but less than earlier.” Copia hefts his suitcase onto the stand and pulls out one of his favorite red Adidas track suits. He changes and does his best to ignore the amber eyes hungrily watching him. He wipes off his papal paint with a makeup remover wipe. He pulls on his “Dad” sneakers and holds out his arms for Swiss to look him over.

“Congrats, you look like a douchebag father and not a compassionate Satanic pope,” Swiss snickers. The shower turns off. “Shoo, I want Dewdrop cuddles.”

Copia grabs his wallet and leaves with a smile on his face.

-

Tiffani has seen a lot of bullshit during her time as a night clerk at the CVS on Azalea Avenue. She isn’t fazed by anything anymore, and the police that would respond to her getting robbed are hanging out in the Bojangles parking lot next door. Tonight is another boring, muggy night at her part-time summer job.

She doesn’t even look up when the doors shuffle apart for a visitor. However, when she hears the large amount of chatter, she looks up just to see that it’s not a full group of gang members coming to hit this CVS like the one on the other side of town last month.

It’s a gang…but not one that’s going to rob her.

Coming through the doors are the weirdest group of people she’s ever seen. There’s a normal looking white dude in a tracksuit, then six people dressed in all black with steampunk-inspired goggle helmets. They vary in body size and height, but all of their helmets are identical.

They shuffle inside, looking around at the signs hung over each aisle.

Suddenly, they’re all looking at her as the normal guy approaches the counter. “Scusi , miss, where do you find illness medicine?”

Well, he looks normal until she sees that he has one normal green eye and one that is devoid of an iris, simply a black pupil in a sea of white. His nervous demeanor makes her a little less freaked out, but the odd name for cold medicine brings that feeling right back. Is this guy human?

“Like for the flu?” She asks dumbly.

The guy looks to the tallest of the cult members, who nods. “The Influenza, yes.”

She points to aisle ten, “It’s down at the far end.”

The guy waves his cult members in that direction. As they walk away, Tiffani can hear them chirp and chatter to each other in the same way cats do when they see birds out a window.

It takes them only a few moments before the group is heading back towards the counter, a pack of Sudafed and Mucinex medication in the tallest cult member’s hands. In two of the shorter, possibly female members’ hands are a total of eight different colors of Gatorade, then three large packs of beef jerky in the skinniest member’s hands.

Tiffani actually gets a bit excited because buying Sudafed means she’ll have to check one of their IDs. Maybe she’ll get a name and can look these guys up to see what weird cult they’re a part of.

The white guy takes the medication from the helmeted guy and sets them on the counter. The others set theirs too.

She scans them both. “Can I see a form of ID?”

His eyebrows furrowed together. “ID? Why does medicine require a driver’s license?”

“People use Sudafed to make meth, so the store requires us to make sure people aren’t buying too much,” She says and takes his offered identification.

STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS

Copia Samael Emeritus, IV

Born June 6, 1970

Height 5’11”

Eye color L BLIND, R GRN

So he’s not wearing contacts, he just has a blind eye. He’s just some dude.

He pays for the medicine with a credit card that has a design of an upside down cross with a semicircle around its intersecting lines.

“Do you want a bag?” She asks. It’s a lot of things for them to carry.

The tall cult member behind him coughs out an immediate, “NO.”

“Yes, it’s better to not use single-use plastics, no thank you, dear,” The human man says. He takes the two boxes of medication and the long receipt from her. The others come forward and grab their respective items, then shuffle off towards the exit.

Tiffani is immediately pulling out her phone texting her best friend as soon as the doors shut behind them.

Dude I think I just saw aliens!!!

-

“We’re back!” Copia calls as he opens the door to his shared hotel room. The Ghouls shuffle in and place their items at the foot of the bed, acting as if they were special offerings to an altar like they do at the Ministry.

Dew blinks awake from his spot pressed into Swiss’ collarbone. “Hey guys,” He croaks.

Mountain rounds the side of the bed, cracking open a Fruit Punch-flavored Gatorade and one blister pack of Sudafed. “Here, Firelilly. Sip carefully.”

“Shit we forgot tissues!” Aurora cries. “I was supposed to grab them! I’m so sorry, Dew.”

The Fire Ghoul gives her a weak smile after he swallows the pills. “It’s okay, Rory.”

Copia puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We can get them delivered to the front desk. No worries, it’s been a long day for everyone. Please rest. I’ll see all of you at breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant at 9:30am tomorrow morning.”

They all give some sort of comfort touch to the Fire Ghoul and separate to their own hotel rooms. Copia kicks off his shoes and strips down into just his VVLGARI shirt and briefs. He puts all the medicine and drinks on Swiss’ nightstand, then climbs into bed, sandwiching Dewdrop between them.

“Come here, piccolo,” He says softly. “I’m not upset that you’re sick, and you’re most definitely not going to be banished. Soon, we’ll be back at the Ministry and Aether will tell you how brave you are, just like I am right now.”

Dewdrop sniffles (whether from illness or tears, he won’t comment), and carefully nestles into Copia’s chest. Swiss brackets him from the other side.

Swiss’ connection to Quintessence will keep Copia from getting sick and his fireside will help the medication to sink into Dew’s Fire energy.

Tomorrow he should be feeling one step closer to his normal self, but for tonight, Copia enjoys the way Dew clings to him, safe and vulnerable.

“I love you, Papa,” Dew whispers.

A soft purr vibrates through his chest from the mingling contentment of his Ghouls.

“ Ti amo , Dew and Swiss.”

.

View incredible fanart of this fic here!

[mac-lilly]

BTTMW4 recap

Well, here we go ...

General

As most of you heard, last year's con, BTTMW2, with 14 guests was a fucked-up fiasco. This one ... wasn't anywhere near as bad.

(Though, tbf, there was no way for a con to be worse than last year's edition. Even the DI staff said that.)

There was better communication and fewer delays. And the cast didn't look like they were about to keel over any second.

There were even actual JATP panels! On both days! With all of the cast being present! All the time! And they actually got to talk about their show and other projects.

After three years, there wasn't much new information. The cast talking about the props they received (in Owen's case: stole) from the set was the most interesting thing.

Though Charlie talking about how he got sent to community theater bc he kept playing air guitar at his hockey games was so freaking adorable. And it felt so Luke.

The party ... and the "JATP concert"

So, while BTTMW4 was a fantastic experience in general, the party was a huge disappointment.

We already had a bad start. One of my friends is in a wheelchair, and the main access to the room was via a few steps. What kind of genius idea was this, DI?! It took them quite a few minutes to figure out how to get her down to the room. On the way back, I followed her. It was like an escape game.

So, yeah, not the ideal start.

And it didn't get much better. After last year's experience, I stayed away from the food. As cute as it looked, I wasn't keen on getting a Sunset Curve experience again.

Now the "JATP concert"

Well, it wasn't a "JATP concert". It was mostly Madi performing her own music. The closest we got to a JATP concert was her singing along to "Stand Tall" - the song was playing while the cast entered the room.

It was obvious that the guys didn't want to get on stage and sing. That's absolutely understandable. But then DI shouldn't have advertised it as a JATP concert. There were people who paid €220 for this party just to see the JATP concert. I'd be fuming if I had paid for that. (Please, don't get me wrong. Madi has an amazing voice. Unfortunately, her music doesn't do it any justice. And the terrible playback made it worse.)

So, anyway, yeah, not a good concert. The party got slightly better after the concert. Brenna D'Amico saved the party by getting on stage and doing group karaoke with the fans.

Random thoughts and occurrences:

Owen saying that this year was the first time he didn't get a gift for Nikolaus was heartbreaking

Owen with his giant emotional support candy cane - adorkable

The Chowen meeting room was exactly as messed up as a friend and I predicted - two independent conversations in one room: The French fans chatting with Charlie and the rest of us talking to Owen in English. (How the French girls actually understood Charlie's archaic French - no clue. Magic.)

I got nervous when I gave Charlie his ghosties. He squeezed the bag, noticed the content was squishy, and asked if he should keep his dog away from it ... RIP Ghosties - they'll be Koa's snack.

The ones who actually looked into their bags (Sacha, Madi & Owen) said they liked the ghosties.

We got a video message from Kenny, saying he's working on some theatre productions. (I really hope he didn't ditch us bc of Zac's star on the Walk of Fame, though.)

The hotel charged €14 for a footlong sandwich. WTF?! I didn't buy one, but I kinda want to know what was on this sandwich. €14 ... even at overpriced train station shops, I get 3 sandwiches for the same price. The hotel was pretty fancy, though.

Today is Bart Johnson's (Coach Bolton) birthday. At the closing ceremony, right after DI said again that it would be the last con, he got a birthday cake, and he was asked to make a wish. So he said: "BTTMW5"! The faces of the DI bosses were priceless.

Honestly, it looks like DI might cave and do another edition. But who knows.

Fun fact: While my souvenir is COVID, all my friends got influenza. WTF?!

There are probably more things to talk about, but my brain is too foggy to come up with more stuff. So that's what you get for now.

[imzsuzsis-blog]

"Second place again... I hate this whole thing."

"Lando, since you've been coughing, not so much, but we're scared of girls inside."

“Shut up!!! You know how shitty it was when I was out, sometimes one kicker, sometimes the other. Because they were really bothered by the loud noise my car made."

I sat and coughed on my cell phone to see what the news was about me.

"They're starting to screw me up again!!! What the fuck are they talking about, Martin's girlfriend? Huh? I only get a fucking jacket out of my closet because it was windy.”

I grimaced and hit the table with my palm, and yes, you felt that too, it was very embarrassing.

"No, stop it, it's embarrassing, please."

I pursed my lips, stood up and started to support the wall and caressed my growing belly to finally calm down.

"Girls, don't worry, no more loud noises, the day is over."

I looked down and inside I knew I shouldn't be here, I should be somewhere else, but not here, because this belly is already too big to sit in a car, but there is a big trial, Pato can't be here and we don't know how long I will compete.

"Pato, you have to live there."

I muttered sadly to myself and looked at Loki, who was talking to the object of my deception, Oscar. I would have liked to have gone there, but I froze at the sight because I knew I was committing a crime by cheating on Loki, with Oscar, and all this was due to the fact that I was kidnapped.

I was sitting next to Lando in the car, we were late again as usual, the formula 3 will soon be on the track, we're fucking late, Pato wrote that he's already in Vegas at the airport hotel if there's a problem, he'll be there in Silverstone with his sister if he can.

"Lando, is everything okay?"

"Not really... My throat hurts so bad I can't even swallow a cup of tea."

He said very sad and with a cup of tea in his hand.

"Relax, Pato wrote somewhere in Vegas, he's in an airport hotel, he'll come as he can."

"Calm down, calm down... Don't say shit... It's like Bia sitting in my place, you bastard."

"Deep air Lando, think about it, you picked it up somewhere and now your throat hurts. It could be vocal chorditis, I had it a few years ago."

"If it was, I wouldn't be able to speak, stupid."

"tonsillitis?"

"Maybe, but if it's more serious, I'd take my tonsils out, you fucker."

He got angry next to me and then ran away with a plastic cup of tea and drank it while doing so. In his eyes, I've become the rotting scumbag he can beat on the track today, both in the sprint and the time trial.

"Ahh, hello, are you Loki?"

I turned around and a completely different guy than Lando was standing in front of me.

,,Yes me... Ohh You are Oliver's brother..."

,,I am interested..."

,,No, he is not pregnant by me, but by Ollie Bearman"

,,Thanks, but..."

,,Ah...According to my last information, Magui is currently in Portugal. "

"It's not her, the little bitch doesn't even excite us, I'm happy for her if she's hung up on the family and doesn't want to get on them and other celebrities, the money-seeking bitch."

"Is it the (cold) Influenza?"

"No, why is he dating a guy who is even older than him, who isn't even famous yet?"

“ It doesn't bother me, but the media, as I see it, does... “

“That my younger brother is not dating a celebrity..."

I looked at my cell phone, which was full of it. That Lando Norris is not dating a model, social media, singer, athlete or actor. But with someone whose occupation is mundane and earns little in comparison. I put my phone down and hugged Oliver with tears in my eyes because everyone was a jerk to us, I love being a teacher and I wouldn't leave my job for any money. Not even when they write about us.

"Loki, he's my brother... Everything... I'm still talking about the Spanish Grand Prix and last week... Fuck you..."

I held my mouth and cried. Idiot teens record my every fucking move and put it on fucking TikTok without my permission. I've reported and banned several such fucking accounts there. Due to invasion of privacy and harassment. But unfortunately, most fake profiles and they are powerless against it. As with Insta, I don't dare leave the house anymore, even if Amanda strongly recommends it to me.

"Lando, Lando, I have already reported and banned such things, not only on TikTok. But Insta is also, and yes, most of the fake profiles are from somewhere in Africa. Or from parts of America who just want to parasitize or abuse your name. Because they know if you don't have ASD and they love to take advantage of that."

——————————————-

The reality

Lando, snoring and for some reason in his nightgown, crossed his arms and slept soundly, I couldn't get it together and I was dreaming wild things again. I took his arm off me, got up and went to the window and yawned and looked out, but I couldn't see anything except the dark sky and the constellations. I started sipping my water, this stupid dream prepared me for him and Oscar to fight over a competition, stupidity. Lando also got up and blinked at me, he couldn't speak, not only his team doctor and the pilots' doctor told him, but also in the hospital. He has vocal chorditis, but unfortunately he is forced to speak because his profession has to somehow communicate with the press.

"My dear, don't speak, you know you need to rest your vocal cords."

I went back to him unfortunately, he was still coughing as bad as before, he was taking the medicines prescribed by him, which they said a pregnant man could take, but it was of no use to him.

"Would gargling be good?"

I kissed his forehead and felt that his stupid fever was not going away.

"Siri, Amanda!"

I told him in despair, afraid that it was a big problem.

"hospital, Loki, you two may have done everything, but how dangerous was it for the girls..."

I couldn't believe it, we touched our foreheads too, and he too burst into tears when he heard the word hospital. Until now, we only used homemade prakits so that the girls would be well and survive the whole nine months, but not now. He caressed my face while crying and shaking his head he coughed into his other forearm, much uglier than before.

"I have viral pneumonia and I was expecting the news."

I bit my lip, I think it was like that for Loki, how could he have told him that I have Covid again.

"Loki, there's no problem working on it so that you can... Sorry... compete, if my brother isn't here, they'll sit here instead of me, and at the next grand prix... Sorry... Pato will go instead."

"Lando, this is bullshit. Oliver is a simulator racer, they will just find someone who can take your place while you will be a guest of a nearby hospital from tonight."

He hugged me and showed me the ugliest cough in the world and looked down.

"Next time... I'm sorry... But Bia is there."

I saw that it was going to be a gas, he closed his eyes, opened them and passed out.

[laskaboy]

Ma possibile che a me viene di nuovo la voglia di 🧹 proprio ora che devo partire per lavoro e stare una settimana fuori in hotel con i colleghi? Una settimana intera a casa per l’ influenza e zero voglia manco di guardarmi nello specchio…boh vabbè È veramente paradossale 😒

[nsomniacsdream]

So one of the mods in valhelsia is minecolonies, which gives you the chance to be "governor" of a newly formed colony town. They're randomly sprinkled around rhe map, abandoned towns you can revitalize, or you can stake your own claim somewhere. I went with the former because I found one that was a beautiful vineyard with bees buzzing around and coconut crabs swarming the beach it fronted. I'm quite enjoying it, but some of the mechanics are annoying. Like you can't do any of the reno or building yourself, you have a designated builder villager, and they're both the dumbest and slowest person in the world. My builder has been digging out huge patches of dirt just to lay it right back down (and he only works one block per second or so, so it adds a pretty significant amount of time on balance). There are guards you equip and can train to protect your village, and they have patrol areas, but the pathing somehow always has all of my guards clustered on the exact opposite side of tge village any time it's attacked. Also, the resource requirements for anything above the most basic builds are prohibitive (at least for the design packs it's loaded with, there may be 'cheaper' builds, but not in this version). And my biggest pet peeve, illness. One of my dudes got influenza and spread it to every single other person, and then when I started healing them, they would be reinfectwd within 5 minutes. I finally got a hospital built to automate rhe healing, and all of them would get healed and then catch it again on their way back to their job. Increasing your population requires building an entire house for every additional person. And for the people staying in the Tavern (basically a long term hotel for your starter villagers), they spend every free moment of time following you around complaining they don't have a house. I really like figuring out how to manage the supply lines to eventually make the village self sustaining, then I can start working on the create mod and learning how to use steam punk stuff. Also, there's oil so I can eventually use compression engines. I'm not sure for what, since I still haven't seen any sign of support for moving items or blocks beyond trains. I would love to have regularly mobile sailing ships. Either fishing boats or pirate vessels to raid other villages would be cool. And as always, I'm having a great time with my friends playing together. The valhelsia team made a great modpack, and minecolonies is very intricate so I can forgive the sometimes poor pathing and finicky building requirements.

[gracie-bird]

Gstaad, Switzerland, February 1969: PRINCE RAINIER TAKES A PICTURE OF PRINCESS GRACE AND LITTLE PRINCESS STEPHANIE: Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, accompanied by their children Albert, Caroline and Stephanie, were spending their winter holidays in this lovely Swiss winter resort. They arrived by helicopter from Geneve and went to a cottage near the Park Hotel. They had much hoped to find fine weather but the princely family was surprised by a snowstorm which lasted for three days. Later, the weather permitted the family to ski and skate a little. Meanwhile, Caroline was suffering from influenza and when she hoped to accompany her brother Albert and her little sister Stephanie, the doctor said: "No, darling, you must remain in bed". so, the family went out in four: Rainier, Grace, Albert and Stephanie. If the weather improves the family will remain a few days at Gstaad and return to Monaco. If a snowstorm came up again, they would probably leave Gstaad earlier than they expected.

[askgregoryhouse]

Hello Gregory, what's something you loathe that isn't related to the hotel?

"Something not related to the hotel? You sure gave me a stumper, didn't you? Hee hee hee..."

"Oh, I'm just kidding. Don't give me that look. This place is just wonderful, really."

"If I had to pick anything, it'd have to be that darned influenza or whatever that's going around! I swear, I always fall terribly ill when I have important business to attend to! Try balancing all of this nonsense with pneumonia at my age."

[thedemonoracle]

Mini English Lesson: Portmanteaus

a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example motel (from ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’) or brunch (from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’).

A portmanteau is a type of literary device. It’s often mistaken for a compound word but is linguistically different since portmanteaus don’t combine two complete words (like “firefighter”). Instead, portmanteau words blend parts of two distinct words.

Lewis Carroll describes the idea of portmanteaus in his book Through the Looking-Glass:

“Well, ‘SLITHY’ means ‘lithe and slimy.’ ‘Lithe’ is the same as ‘active.’ You see it’s like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.”

The word portmanteau itself is an appropriate embodiment of this word form, since portmanteau, which is French for porte (“to carry”) + manteau (“cloak”), describes a suitcase that opens in two halves. Portmanteaus “carry” both meanings of their word pairs.

Words that are actually portmanteaus: (under the cut)

1 advertorial (advertisement + editorial) – an advertisement that takes the form of a written editorial

2 affluenza (affluence + influenza) – unhealthy feelings of entitlement or lack of motivation experienced by wealthy people

3 alphanumeric (alphabetic + numeric) – consisting of letters and numbers

4 animatronics (animation + electronics) – the electronic animation of puppets or similar figures to create lifelike effects

5 anklet (ankle + bracelet) – jewelry designed to wrap around the ankle

6 athleisure (athletic + leisure) – comfortable clothing that can be worn for exercise or as casual, everyday attire

7 biopic (biography + picture) – a biographical film

8 Bollywood (Bombay + Hollywood) – the Hindi film industry based in Mumbai

9 Botox (botulism + toxin) – an injectable drug that uses a strain of botulism to treat signs of aging on the skin

10 brainiac (brain + maniac) – a highly intelligent person

11 breathalyzer (breath + analyzer) – a device used to analyze a person’s breath for their blood alcohol content or to detect viruses

12 Brexit (Britain + exit) – the withdrawal of Great Britain from the European Union in 2020, after voting to leave in a 2016 referendum

13 bromance (brother + romance) – a close platonic relationship between two male friends

14 brunch (breakfast + lunch) – a meal that takes place between breakfast and lunch hours

15 carjack (car + hijack) – theft of an automobile using violence or intimidation

16 celebutante (celebrity + debutante) – a wealthy person who receives media attention akin to that of a celebrity

17 chillax (chill + relax) – to calm down

18 cosplay (costume + roleplay) – an art or practice where people dress as fictional characters

19 cyborg (cybernetic + organism) – a creature with human features created using mechanical components

20 dumbfounded (dumb + confounded) – astonished or utterly speechless

Works Cited:

[cristoreysol]

Más AITANA..pues destacó de las 10 cosas esenciales que lleva cuando viaja..aparte de una LINTERNA [dice que le vino muy bien al irse la LUZ en COSTA RICA país del que destacó que mi padre estuvo a finales de los 70 montando en CANAL 13 o SIN_ART así como les vendió un sistema de radiocomunicaciones MOVILES anti_CATASTROFE o por si se cortan..y donde me llevo en agosto 2005 cuando se sumergio NEW ORLEANS enseñándome en el VUELO una camiseta NEGRA de IKER CASILLAS del REAL MADRID y el cd PAJAROS EN LA CABEZA de AMARAL que incluye EL UNIVERSO SOBRE MI y RESURRECCION ..como regalos para los hijos de BELISARIO SOLANO ex_presidente de CANAL 13 y ex_ASAMBLEISTA como su MUJER..así como que volví en 2009 cuando el VIRUS H1N1 o INFLUENZA que dijeron que salio del pueblo de LA GLORIA en VERACRUZ transmitiendolo un cerdo a una niña..yendo al hotel CARIARI donde hable con un CUBANO corredor de BOLSA afincado en DALLAS que estaba en el JACUZZI de AGUA VOLCANICA y al agacharme para escucharle se me cayó el móvil del bolsillo de la camisa y le hize bucear jaja..por lo que se estropeó la posibilidad de hacer fotos con la tarjeta pero si funcionaba en la memoria donde estaban las que hice en el VATIKANO como fue a mi padre frente al monumento Funerario de ALEJANDRO VII rodeado de las 4 VIRTUDES como PRUDENCIA, JUSTICIA, CARIDAD y LA VERDAD que es una mujer semi_desnuda que ABRAZA EL SOL y pone el pie en la BOLA DEL MUNDO sobre INGLATERRA simbolizando que quería frenar el ANGLICANISMO que fundó la REINA VIRGEN O ISABEL I que nunca de caso ni tuvo hijos pero empezó la conquista de AMERICA DEL NORTE ..y sin olvidar que mi padre estuvo invitado en el PALCO DEL BERNABEU cuando hicieron un homenaje por el 68 cumple de OSCAR ARIAS, 2 veces presidente de COSTA RICA y premio NOBEL DE LA PAZ por intermediar entre LA CONTRA y los SANDINISTAS..fotografiandose con su hermano RODRIGO ARIAS , Francisco PACHECO ex presidente ASAMBLEA DE COSTA RICA y DI STEFANO en un partido contra el NUMANCIA famoso por su resistencia a ROMA]..y que lleva 3 CAMARAS asi como CONDONES [cosa que creo se deberian USAR mas en vez de tanto vicio y consumo , idolatria y malos rollos de todo tipo en los que se basa en gran medida la musica]..la NOVELA romantica "NOSOTROS EN LA LUNA" de la que dice QUE LE GUSTARIA ESTAR DENTRO DE ELLA y que se la QUEMO EL SOL DE COSTA RICA..así que no se que pensara el estar dentro de MI NOVELA jaja..

La verdad es que es un encanto de CHICA..pero luego como TODAS son muy PESADAS jaja

P.D. Sigo sin creerme el ALUNIZAJE y porque no han vuelto tras 50 años con lo que avanzo la TECNOLOGIA.

[nursingwriter]

Communicable Disease/Community Nursing 2003 SARS Outbreak In November 2002, the first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was reported in the Guangdong Province in China (Lau and Peiris, 2005). Over the next few months, SARS cases were reported in over two dozen countries in Asia, South America, Europe, and North America (CDC, 2004a). The biggest concentration of SARS cases appeared in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Canada (Totura and Baric, 2012). By July of 2003 the epidemic had been controlled through health measures. Overall, there were 8,096 confirmed SARS cases with a mortality rate of 9.6%. SARS Etiology and Clinical Presentation SARS is a respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus infection, a virus consisting of a protein capsule containing an RNA viral genome (Totura and Baric, 2012). Believed to transmissible between humans through respiratory aerosols and physical contact, the febrile disease initially presents with a cough and sore throat. These symptoms are consistent with the virus entry point being respiratory ciliated epithelial cells. What distinguished SARS from seasonal influenza is that most patients developed pneumonia (CDC, 2004a) and approximately 25% progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (Totura and Baric, 2012). The elderly were most susceptible to developing ARDS (50%) and ARDS patients had a mortality rate over 50%. ARDS in SARS patients was characterized by pulmonary edema, severe hypoxia, an immune infiltrates in the lungs. Further worsening of the disease led to multiple organ failure and then death. SARS Epidemiology Using retrospective serological analysis, the first index SARS case was traced to an adult male in Foshan, just west of Guangzhou (Zhao, 2007). He was hospitalized on November 12, 2002 and had infected his wife and three other relatives. The first confirmed case of SARS was a chef working in Shenzhen and he was hospitalized on 15 December, 2002. As a result, seven hospital staff and one patient were infected. During the end of December and the beginning of January, atypical pneumonia cases sprang up throughout the Pearl River Delta surrounding the main city of Guangzhou. The SARS case map in the Pearl River Delta region between mid-November 2002 and mid-January 2003 does not indicate a clear spread pattern, but only isolated cases. However, it was clear that all cases were west of the capital city, Guangzhou, an area undergoing rapid economic development, including a blossoming trade in exotic animals. Beginning about mid-January, the number of SARS cases increased 5-fold (Zhao, 2007). The relatives of infected individuals and hospital staff began to be infected at an alarming rate in China. A patient traveled to Hong Kong and stayed in a hotel, where it is believed he infected hotel guests and staff (Figure 1). This event is believed to be the primary one leading to the global spread of SARS to Singapore, Taiwan, Canada, and Europe. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE/COMMUNITY NURSING COMMUNICABLE DISEASE/COMMUNITY NURSING 9 Figure 1: Spread of SARS during 2003 Global Outbreak. Left Panel: the initial spread through the Pearl River Delta region to Hong Kong. Right Panel: Once SARS had arrived in Hong Kong, it then spread to Taiwan, Canada, Europe, and the rest of China. Researchers retrospectively identified the likely zoonotic reservoirs of the disease by examining the epidemiological data of the infected individuals in the Guangzhou region (Zhao, 2007). The increasing affluence of the western Pearl River Delta region had fostered an increased in trade in exotic animals for pets and restaurant fare. Of the 10 independent index cases occurring in this region, at least six had handled animals. Serological tests of a number of animal species, including chickens, pigs, snakes, bats, monkey, ferret, rabbit, cats, and rats revealed no virus or were inconclusive; however, experiments with palm civets and raccoon dogs revealed that these species were very efficient in transmitting the disease through saliva. Retrospective testing of civet farm workers in the region revealed that 40-78% were seropositive for SARS. The implications of this result are that most individuals infected with SARS from wild animals remained asymptomatic. The SARS genomic sequencing studies also revealed that the civet-derived virus was not very pathogenic, but once the virus has begun to replicate in human hosts, it quickly became virulent (Zhao, 2007). Once this pattern was revealed, the Chinese government instituted a permanent ban on wild animal markets in the Pearl River Region. This resulted in a dramatic decline in SARS seropositivity in animal and restaurant workers, from 25% in 2003 to 5% by mid-2004. Based on the above epidemiological analysis, my community would not be the source of a future SARS outbreak because a wild animal market does not exist. However, given the global nature of travel in the modern world the threat of SARS in my community is not zero. SARS could emerge again in Asia or anywhere wild animals are handled. There are a number of zoos and wild animal parks across the United States that could be a source of SARS. While quarantine procedures and serological testing will probably prevent such an event from occurring, the smuggling of exotic animals in the United States does occur. Luckily, the virus needs time to adapt to a human host before it becomes virulent enough to cause severe disease and spread rapidly through human hosts. With the world now on guard against another SARS outbreak, the chances are increased that infected individuals will be tested and quarantined before the disease can spread. SARS Reporting Since researchers have shown that SARS infections resulting from human to human transmission are much more pathogenic than SARS infections from animal reservoirs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have established different reporting guidelines for each route of transmission (CDC, 2004b). The two reporting categories are atypical pneumonia in the absence of a SARS outbreak anywhere in the world and atypical pneumonia during a SARS outbreak somewhere in the world. In the absence of a SARS outbreak anywhere in the world, patients with radiologically-confirmed cases of pneumonia or ARDS should be reported to health authorities as suspected SARS if they have certain risk factors. These risk factors include travel to China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan or close contact with anyone who has traveled to these locations within the last 10 days. Although no SARS cases have been reported in these locations since 2004, the banned wild animal market may have transitioned to a black market. Another risk factor is working in a profession with an increased risk of SARS exposure, such as healthcare workers and laboratory personnel doing research studies on the SARS virus. Finally, any patient in a geographic location where a cluster of undiagnosed atypical pneumonia has emerged should be considered a suspected SARS patient until proven otherwise. For example, two healthcare workers who develop atypical pneumonia in the same facility would represent a SARS cluster until laboratory tests proved otherwise. Since the family in the vignette has confirmed SARS and a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases have emerged in the community, this would shift the reporting method to the second category. First, the hospitalized patients should be isolated and droplet control procedures implemented immediately (CDC, 2004b). Since the family members have confirmed SARS, the treating physician is required to immediately report the laboratory results to the state and local health agencies by telephone (CDC, 2004c). This will in turn trigger a response to confirm the SARS diagnosis, identify all persons who may have come into contact with the SARS patients in the last 10 days, and implement isolation procedures for confirmed and suspected SARS patients. The local and state health departments in turn will report this information to the CDC. Since a confirmed cluster of SARS cases has emerged, CDC guidelines require that the CDC be notified by telephone as well. The CDC will in turn notify the World Health Organization that a SARS outbreak has occurred in the United States. Management of Respiratory Patients during Poor Air Quality Events Outdoor air pollution represents a significant risk for premature death for all people, but during short-term increases in air pollution patients suffering from respiratory and cardiovascular disease will disproportionately visit emergency rooms and be admitted to hospitals due to respiratory and cardiovascular distress (reviewed by Abelsohn and Stieb, 2011). The primary outcome of increased air pollution levels for patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart disease, is an exacerbation of symptoms and increased mortality. The symptoms that can develop can include pulmonary inflammation, obstruction, infections, and allergic symptoms. For cardiovascular patients, heart rhythms, blood pressure, vascular tone, and clotting activity can be altered. Overall, these symptoms are consistent with an air pollution-induced increase in systemic inflammation. The main pollutants of concern are ozone, particulate matter (Read the full article

[kilo1118]

I lifted the lid on the large stainless steel buffet container at the Holiday Inn in Mayfield Heights. I bring a food storage container on business trips, and take breakfast to work with me each morning. Eggs! Pounds and pounds of them. They may have technically been yellow but they looked gold to me. How could hotels still pull this off with the current high price of eggs? The problem is that we Americans allow ourselves so few breakfast options. I can only count three: French toast, which is made with eggs, yogurt, which no one really likes, and eggs. The large metal serving spoon likely held an egg and half per scoop. I placed two spoonfuls into my container, then a third. Semaglutide injectable be damned! As I pulled out of the hotel's parking lot, I thought about the chickens who produce the eggs we consume. They all deserved a raise, I thought. With the average price of a dozen eggs soaring to $4.95, it only seemed fair to me that the birds should share in this economic boon. A good chicken union might net them upwards of 30% of the retail value. I did the math, believe me, that's a lot of chicken wealth. We are told that avian influenza (bird flu) is the cause of the current high egg prices. This had me thinking that these poor birds were doomed. Like a horse gallop virus, or a bunny hop virus, birds flying appears inevitable, it's kind of baked into their DNA. I suppose, we humans did wear masks for a year or more during the height of the Covid pandemic, so birds will just have to make sacrifices of their own. Though, it might get pretty crowded on earth if the Aves are all grounded for a time. The concern now I am told is cross-species contamination. As I drove to the office I shivered at the thought. I was no longer so concerned with the high number of horse fatalities attributed to those who refused to abstain from galloping; instead I envisioned a world of Avian flu infected Pegasuses and what they might do to my windshield.

[steedemedical]

Top Benefits of Using Active Air Purifiers in Medical and Home Settings

If there’s one thing the COVID-19 pandemic taught us, it’s to be more conscious of the air you breathe. You might think you’re safe because you’re at home or in the hospital, but germs, viruses, and allergens are still present and could cause illnesses. Good habits like washing your hands and covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough can help mitigate the spread of disease. But if you want to fortify your defenses even further, use an active air purifier.

Active air purifiers generate 10 times more OH radicals than regular purifiers, so they are more effective at cleaning indoor air and keeping it sanitized. The OH radicals are regenerated further after the initial disinfection, allowing the device to cover an area of up to 120 square meters. As such, these purifiers are ideal for medical settings like clinics as well as for homes.

Not just bacteria and viruses

One of the key features of an active air purifier is that it strips off the hydrogen atom from viruses and bacteria. It works on volatile organic compounds (VOCs), too. Removing the hydrogen atom from these airborne substances destabilizes their structural integrity, rendering them harmless.

Wide coverage

Indoor air is actually more polluted than outdoors. The enclosed space traps pathogens inside, making them easier to breathe and spread. High-quality active air purifiers like the AirVaccine 015+ cover up to 120 square meters of indoor space, making them practical for various settings, including commercial spaces, hotels, laboratories, and apartments.

Infection control

AirVaccine 015+ is an active air purifier that has been meticulously tested by Korea Conformity Laboratories. The findings show its ability to remove 99.9% of bacteria like E.Coli and 98.03% of Influenza Type A viruses like H1N1. Additionally, it’s proven to eliminate 95% of VOCs and 99.4% of Vaccinia viruses like Smallpox.

Breathe safe and clean air at home or in your clinic.

Get an active air purifier from Steede Medical, a top medical equipment supplier in the US. They carry the AirVaccine 015+ and related products to help you get the most for your air purifier, including replacement cartridges.

[micro961]

Matilde G lancia il Singolo Pop “Ti Voglio” con un sensuale Tocco Latino

Matilde G, la talentuosa cantante pop italiana e residente a Singapore, ha da poco pubblicato il suo nuovo singolo "Ti Voglio". Prodotto in Svezia, questo brano pop dal ritmo energico mescola sapientemente influenze latine, creando un sound vibrante, sensuale e irresistibile.

"Ti Voglio" mette in luce l’inconfondibile stile di Matilde G, che fonde testi in inglese e italiano, conferendo alla canzone un tocco magico e originale. Il brano è un’espressione dinamica del desiderio e delle complessità emotive, catturando l’essenza dell’amore e delle sfide di una relazione passionale. Il ritornello, con l'iconica frase "Ti voglio", racchiude tutta l’intensità del brano, trasmettendo il forte desiderio al centro della storia.

Parlando del suo nuovo lavoro, Matilde G ha dichiarato: “Questa canzone riflette le complessità dell’amore e del desiderio. Ho voluto creare qualcosa che fosse allo stesso tempo universale e personale, mescolando inglese e italiano per darle un tocco speciale”. Ha poi aggiunto: “Lavorare su 'Ti Voglio' è stato un viaggio entusiasmante. Gli elementi latini danno al pezzo un’energia che adoro”

Il video musicale di "Ti Voglio", diretto da Pvrple e girato in Italia, amplifica le vibrazioni sensuali e affascinanti della canzone. La performance di Matilde G è magnetica e potente, capace di catturare l’attenzione del pubblico con la sua presenza ipnotica e il suo sguardo espressivo.

"Ti Voglio" rappresenta l'inizio di un nuovo capitolo per Matilde G, che esplorerà ulteriormente il bilinguismo e le influenze latine nella sua musica pop. I fan possono aspettarsi nuovi brani che mescolano elementi culturali diversi, evidenziando l’unicità di Matilde come artista.

Chi è Matilde G

Matilde G è una giovane cantante pop italiana di 19 anni, autrice, pianista e performer. Cresciuta tra diverse culture, ha trascorso parte della sua infanzia in India e negli ultimi cinque anni vive a Singapore, città che ora considera casa. 

La sua infanzia è stata segnata dalla solitudine e dall'incomprensione dovute alla diagnosi tardiva di ADHD, trovando nella musica il suo rifugio e conforto. Oggi, Matilde spera che le sue canzoni possano dare lo stesso sostegno agli altri.

La carriera musicale di Matilde si distingue per la sua passione, creatività innata e un'educazione musicale rigorosa, che l’hanno portata a collaborare con produttori multiplatino e artisti vincitori di Grammy, nonché ad esibirsi su palchi prestigiosi. Nonostante la giovane età, ha già conquistato il pubblico globale con esibizioni in Italia, Singapore, Giappone, Maldive, Malesia, USA e UAE, ricevendo ampi consensi.

Tra le sue performance più importanti a Singapore spiccano "Matilde G in Concert" a “Scape”, la "Formula 1 Grand Prix 2023", il concerto "Make Noise" dell'Hard Rock Cafe nel 2024 e il Music Matters Live 2024. 

Lo scorso anno, Matilde è stata premiata ai “MUSIVV Award” di Dubai come miglior cantante residente fuori dal Medio Oriente, confermando il suo potenziale artistico e la sua crescente influenza sulla scena musicale internazionale. 

La sua collaborazione con gli Hard Rock Hotels nel Sud Est Asiatico come ospite speciale sottolinea ulteriormente il suo talento. 

Con dodici brani originali all’attivo, Matilde ha accumulato oltre 25 milioni di stream e visualizzazioni in 180 paesi. Le sue canzoni raccontano esperienze di vita e emozioni personali, come il tradimento (“Hypocrite”), le relazioni a distanza (“7Oceans”), la lotta contro la depressione (“Fighter”), il giudizio della società (“None Of Your Business”) e la sua esperienza con l’ADHD (“My Instincts Are Tragic”). 

Oltre a scrivere e produrre con artisti internazionali, lavorando con team di Los Angeles e Svezia, Matilde cura personalmente i concept dei suoi video musicali, considerandoli una parte essenziale della sua attività artistica. Attraverso di essi, cerca di rendere la sua musica più accessibile al pubblico. Il suo interesse per la moda e il make-up riflette la sua volontà di dettare tendenze, piuttosto che seguirle.

Nonostante non ami particolarmente i social media, Matilde riconosce la loro importanza per la sua carriera e li gestisce con grande dedizione, raggiungendo oltre 500.000 follower e distinguendosi come una delle artiste più visualizzate su "Year On TikTok Singapore 2022”. 

Comparsa in importanti testate, TV e radio come Billboard Italia, Billboard Vietnam, MTV USA, MTV Asia, MTV Japan, Dubai1TV, CNA e KISS92, Matilde G continua ad ampliare la sua presenza artistica, affermandosi come una stella emergente nel panorama pop internazionale.

Per maggiori informazioni, interviste o richieste media, contattare

info@matildeg.com  https://linktr.ee/MatildeG

[hospitalitymanagement]

The Future of Hospitality Management: Emerging Trends and Predictions

The hospitality industry is going through an incredible transformation as a result of technological advances, changing consumer preferences and an ever-changing global climate. As we approach an era of post-pandemic, the hospitality industry is embracing creative strategies to deal with new opportunities and challenges following the outbreak. This article will focus on emerging trends and future projections impacting the management of hospitality. This article offers professionals with information and students who are enrolled in the hospitality management diploma in Kolkata valuable suggestions to ensure the successful completion of their diplomas in hospitality management.

Sustainable practices in the hospitality industry 

Sustainable practices are becoming more critical in hospitality management since people are increasingly aware of their impact on the environment when selecting hotels and services that are less prone to environmental impact. Hotels and resorts worldwide have implemented eco-friendly practices, such as efficient lighting, water conservation strategies, and waste management programs, to offer guests more sustainable services and lodging. Sustainable sourcing methods, such as the production of sustainable foods, are being adopted, which means that hospitality professionals need to be aware of these practices to incorporate them successfully into their operations. They should also be informed of how they can integrate sustainability practices into their businesses when suitable.

The Rise of Smart Hotels

Technology has transformed the hospitality industry, so smart hotels have been at the forefront of this change. Through IoT technology, such as key-free room access and voice control, which offer guests a personalized guest experience, such as keys-free entry into rooms, as well as voice-activated control, smart hotels can provide ease of use and comfort to guests. However, the hospitality manager must keep track of the advancements to integrate them into their daily routine.

Personalization and Guest Experience

The idea of personalizing experiences has become a fundamental part of the modern expectations of guests in the industry of hospitality, in which guests are now expecting personalized experiences based on their preferences and needs. CRM and data analytics let hotels collect and analyze the data of guests to offer more customized services, ranging from personalized rooms to special promotions, that improve the level of satisfaction and loyalty of customers.

Wellness and Well-being

Wellness and well-being have gained more importance after the spread of COVID-19. Many travelers are now focusing on their mental and physical well-being and are seeking health-related facilities and services offered by hotels. Hotels have responded by offering wellness classes, spa treatments, and healthy food options to draw and retain guests. Integrating wellness into the hospitality industry is becoming more critical to drawing and retaining guests.

Extended stays and remote work 

The swine influenza epidemic has also prompted remote workers, which has led to an increase in extended stays at hotels and resorts. Today, professionals can work anywhere and at any time, which requires hotels to provide amenities explicitly designed for workers who work from home, like comfortable workspaces, high-speed internet, and extended-stay plans. Hotel managers must adjust to the changing times by establishing conditions that allow remote workers to work from anywhere.

Increased Hygiene and Safety Protocols

It's difficult to quantify the importance of hygiene and safety guidelines in the industry of hospitality, with guests demanding higher standards of safety and cleanliness protocols. Hotels are now implementing strict cleaning protocols, screenings that do not require contact, and health screening programs to guarantee guests' health. Hotel managers need to be updated with the most efficient practices and effectively communicate their security protocols to guests in order to ensure their safety.

Integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Augmented as well as Virtual Reality Technologies in Hospitality AR and VR technology are entering the hospitality industry, resulting in thrilling and immersive experiences. AR technology could enhance guests' stay by providing real-time information and virtual tours. VR allows staff to train by using simulations. Both technologies offer innovative ways for guests to be engaged and improve the efficiency of operations.

Emphasis on Local and Authentic Experiences

Most travelers want genuine local experiences that enable them to comprehend the rich culture of a country and its heritage. Hotels and resorts offer an immersive travel experience by creating experiences that highlight regional cuisine, traditions, customs, and other tourist sights. Through close collaboration with local communities and businesses, hospitality establishments can provide unforgettable and unique experiences, highlighting the significance of having cultural proficiency and a connection with the community when operating hospitality establishments. This is a sign of the importance of having an artistic background as a benefit in hospitality management.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the hospitality industry AI has transformed many elements of management, including customer service and revenue optimization. Chatbots and virtual assistants powered by artificial intelligence provide 24/7 support to customers; AI algorithms can optimize pricing strategies based upon demand patterns. By harnessing the power of AI, hospitality professionals can enhance operational efficiency and improve guests' experiences.

The Future of Hospitality Education

As the hospitality industry grows and expands, so do its requirements and qualifications for future professionals. The establishments that provide hospitality management certifications in Kolkata, like the top hotel management institute in Kolkata, have their programs adapted to meet the evolving demands of their guests. Students learn sustainable methods, new technology, and personalized customer experiences in these courses, giving them the benefit of staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the field and becoming successful in today's market.

Predictions for the Future

Sooner or later, hospitality will likely continue growing due to innovation and changing consumer habits. Here are some forecasts for its future growth

Increased Adoption of AI and Automation: A greater adoption of AI and automation will help the process, reduce expenses, and enhance customer service. AI plays a vital role in the process of making decisions and delivering personalized services.

A greater emphasis on safety and health. Hygiene and safety regulations are of vital importance and will continue to be enhanced to ensure the security of guests.

Sustainability is the norm for the industry Standard for the Industry: Sustainable practices will become the norm in hotels when they begin investing in environmentally friendly technology and initiatives that meet the ever-growing demand of customers for sustainable travel.

Enhancing the application of intelligent technology for hotels: Adopting the Internet of Things and other technological advances will improve the quality of guests' experiences while ensuring their convenience.

Expand Remote Work Facilities The hotel will always offer remote workers more facilities, such as specific workspaces, high internet speeds, and extended stay plans.

Experiential Travel. Tourists are looking for authentic and immersive travel experiences. Accommodations must offer innovative experiences in the field of culture.

Growing The Wellness Tourism Market: Wellness tourism is expected to increase as more hotels integrate wellness programs along with amenities and wellness-related services.

Incorporates VR and AR: AR and VR technologies are expected to grow in popularity, providing new methods for customers and businesses to connect while improving the experiences of guests.

Conclusion

The future of management in hospitality is bright, offering numerous opportunities to expand and innovate. Students and hospitality professionals will gain by staying abreast of the latest trends and staying current in the constantly evolving industry. The colleges offering hospitality management in Kolkata and the best hotel management schools play a significant role in shaping the future leaders of this field by providing students with the skills and abilities needed for successful careers. Changes in technology, sustainability, and guest expectations have brought about a critical period of transformation for the hotel sector. If they know how to adapt to the changes, hotel managers can easily navigate this transition.