#I love museums so much just like how I love national parks

[bishibaru]

The way I see it museums are basically a giant walk through book where pictures come alive and the text is big enough to hold in your hands

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Ortho Shroud - Platinum Gear Vignette

"Happy 100th Anniversary"

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Ortho: So, this is the Land of Dawning's National Museum of Art… It really has such a large and diverse collection of various genres of artwork. This is essentially a database of art.

Ortho: According to the map I installed, this exhibit should hold the painting I'm looking for…

???: An enormous dog with three heads and sharp fangs… A frightening creature, indeed. I would have loved to have seen it personally.

Ortho: Hello, Jade Leech-san. I was just here to check out the Cerberus painting, too.

Jade: Is that so? As a creature that served the Lord of the Underworld, the Cerberus truly did have a powerful aura about it.

Jade: I'm sure with all 6 of those eyes keenly trained on the entrance to the underworld, it would have been a difficult endeavor indeed to attempt an escape.

Ortho: They're really cool, don't you think?

Ortho: But, according to lore, if they got tempted by their favorite sweets, they would end up lowering their vigilance.

Jade: Fufu, I see. So, perhaps it was a more charming creature than it looked… Would you agree?

Ortho: Yep. Also, they had one body, right, so each of the three heads ate a smaller amount of food…

Ortho: And they'd get in fights whenever they wanted to go in different directions… There's so many other cool stories about them, too.

Jade: You're very well-informed. Is this something that all Ignihyde students must know?

Ortho: Mmm, I'm not sure. I probably just know a lot since I really liked the stories in which the Cerberus would show up, and I'd read them all the time.

Ortho: Back when I was a kid, me and my brother would read picture books on the legends of the Lord of the Underworld, see…

Ortho: And even after coming to Sage's Island, whenever I learned of a new tale involving Cerberus, I'd update my database.

Jade: I see, so that's how… Well, I appreciate having been able to hear some unexpected anecdotes.

Ortho: Most would say that they look ferocious, or seem really strong, but the more you get to know them, the more cute you'll find them.

Ortho: Since Cerberus is considered a dog-like monster, I've also been collecting data on regular dog behaviors too.

Ortho: Recently, I've gotten to pet some dogs out for a walk down in Whistle Park. Of course, I ask their owners for permission, first.

Jade: A real dog… That's astounding. As I do not have much experience with them, I'm afraid I'm a tad hesitant to actually touch them, myself.

Ortho: I was a bit hesitant too, at first. I didn't really know how much strength I should put into touching a living creature…

Ortho: And since I'm a technomantic humanoid and smell different than humans, they'd be super wary of me.

Jade: Ah, that makes sense. They do have a powerful sense of smell.

Jade: So then, how is it that you've become able to interact with those dogs, Ortho-kun?

Ortho: I just would strike up a conversation with them on a regular basis and slowly built trust.

Jade: That is astounding. This is the first I've heard that you are well-versed in animal linguistics.

Ortho: I'd always had an app installed that'd let me talk with animals, but…

Ortho: Once I became a student at Night Raven College, I actually developed an animal linguistics translation tool.

Ortho: By talking to the animals first hand, I was able to improve the translations that seems a bit strange…

Ortho: Not only has was I able to improve the translation accuracy, but now I've gotten close with a bunch of dogs that they'll actually come up to me themselves once they catch sight of me!

Jade: So, in addition to achieving your goal of petting dogs, you were able to update your own translation tool… Absolutely fantastic.

Ortho: Heheh! Thanks, Jade Leech-san.

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Ortho: This is a painting depicting one of the scenes from the Mermaid Princess's legend, isn't it? That's the Sea King riding that sleigh, right?

Jade: That's right, and what a dignified and gallant figure he is. What a shame he was unaware that the princess would be absent for the concert.

Ortho: He got really mad the moment he learned that the princess was going to be absent for her own debut… or so the story goes.

Ortho: I feel bad for the king, that she slipped out without telling him. But it's pretty cool that he gets to ride that dolphin-led sleigh.

Jade: Did that dolphin-led sleigh catch your eye? Then please, you must visit the Coral Sea.

Jade: They are primarily used for special events, however there are many such sleigh services geared towards surface-dwelling tourists.

Ortho: Cool, what sort of stuff? Let me search up "Coral sea dolphins sleigh" real quick…

Ortho: Here we go, there's a ton of tours, like… "Tour the Majestic Sea on a Dolphin Sleigh" and "Explore Undersea Ruins upon a Dolphin Sleigh"

Ortho: "Dolphin-led sleighs are safe and secure! Feel like a king as you partake in an elegant tour of the sea!" …Wow!

Jade: Safe and secure… I am a tad doubtful of that statement.

Ortho: You mean it's actually dangerous?

Jade: About 2 years ago, there was an incident where tourists from the surface were left stranded in the middle of the ocean.

Ortho: Let me search for any incidents having to do with dolphin sleighs. Ah, I got a hit on a news article from 2 years back.

Ortho: The stranded tourists were able to find their way to land on their own, and were all okay in the end, but…

Ortho: The touring company responsible got a ton of bad reviews after that. Looks like they got flamed pretty badly online.

Jade: Well, now… A corporation built at the bottom of the sea in which fire cannot thrive was "flamed pretty badly," you say… How wonderfully ironic.

Jade: According to the news, the dolphins merely left on a whim. If this all happened because of their mood, then what's to stop this sort of thing from happening again?

Ortho: You're right, Jade-san. This is a completely different story than just trying to fix the bugs in the system.

Ortho: I wonder if there's some sort of pattern to the timing of those dolphin mood swings. I'll have to search up on it later.

Jade: Fufu, you are quite cautious, aren't you?

Ortho: Yep! 'Cause, if I'm going to go check them out, I'd want to go when they're in one of their flippant moods!

Jade: I was not expecting that response. I completely expected you to be wanting a "safe and secure" tour.

Ortho: It might be fine just strolling around the ocean depths, but I feel like it wouldn't be as satisfying being stuck on a set path.

Ortho: If the dolphins act up, they might leave me stranded in the ocean, or take me to unexpected places…

Ortho: Doesn't it get your blood pumping to think about what sort of unpredictable moments might be waiting for you?

Jade: Indeed, I completely understand that sentiment. When everything follows organized harmony, it does get quite boring.

Jade: Then, how about I suggest a more stimulating tour for you? I assure you, this absolutely will not leave you wallowing in boredom.

Ortho: That sounds fun! I can't wait to see what kind of tour you come up for me, Jade-san.

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Jade: Ah, this artwork depicts the scene where the Fairest Queen is sending out her most trusted hunter on a significant mission.

Ortho: I heard that when it comes to paintings depicting the Fairest Queen, you'll want to focus on the finer details, like the direction her face is looking, or the angle at which her finger is pointing.

Ortho: Vil Schoenheit-san told me as such when I was selected as a supporter for the museum.

Jade: That's good to know. I'm sure those in Pomefiore would be passionately moved while gazing upon this painting.

Ortho: Hmm, the concept of being moved by just looking at a painting is still a difficult one for me to grasp…

Ortho: But actually, something happened recently that's still stuck in my mind. I wonder if this is what they consider to be "moved" by something?

Jade: What a fascinating start. May I ask what sort of thing happened?

Ortho: The Film Research Club went to Crane Port for some club activities, and on the way back, I ran into this family that was fishing.

Ortho: They were chatting away about what kind of dishes they'd make if they caught anything, but their bucket was still devoid of any fish…

Ortho: Right as the dad said, "I guess we should head home," his kid caught a fish!

Ortho: Everyone looked so happy. But what do you think that family did next?

Jade: Did they not put the fish in the bucket and carry it home?

Ortho: Nope. They just said it would be a pity to eat a creature so small and threw it back into the ocean.

Ortho: But they did that after they had finally fished one up! It didn't really make sense to me, so it was hard to understand what I saw.

Jade: If I recall, there is a certain release size criteria that is implemented here on land in order to conserve water resources.

Ortho: Yep. But according to my measurements, that fish was about 5 cm larger than the release criterion.

Ortho: Based on the way that family was talking, once they had caught a fish that was "big," they should have taken it home with them.

Ortho: Even though it was an adult fish adequate for cooking up, they pitied it because it looked too small…

Ortho: No matter how many times I think it over, I can't really understand that mechanism.

Jade: I thought this would be a story where you were moved by their care for a small creature… But instead, I see you were more taken in by their incomprehensible actions.

Ortho: They spent time and energy into trying to fish up that fish, but in the end… I wonder if that sort of illogical action is what makes a human human.

Jade: Perhaps, perhaps not. For that family, it may be that was the most logical choice.

Ortho: Eh, what do you mean?

Jade: If it were a large fish, then the whole family could divide it up and eat it. However, a single, small fish would not nearly be enough.

Jade: In order for everyone in the family to eat their fill, they would need to cook up more dishes to go with it.

Jade: Then, if there were no fish to begin with, they wouldn't have to go through the trouble of making extra dishes… Perhaps that would be a better way to think of it?

Ortho: I see…! If I were to think from the eyes of the person who has to prepare the meal, that decision makes more sense.

Jade: This is only a possible scenario I've come up with… But I only mean it to illustrate that there are many ways to view something.

Ortho: Heh! See, this is why talking with as many different peoples as I can gives me so much new data… Plus, it's really interesting!

Ortho: Thanks a ton for listening, Jade-san. I hope we can chat about other stuff some other time.

Ortho: Okay, time for me to go check out another exhibit. Oh hey, this painting…

Ortho: It depicts the moment when the Son of the God of Thunder and his trainer is talking about his grand dreams.

Ortho: According to the lore, this guy's strength was way off the charts and was invulnerable, but… I bet I could find it.

Ortho: I know I could find a weakness that could bring even a hero like that down.

Requested by Anonymous.

[victoriansecret]

How did you get into living history as a profession?

In eighth grade, on my big school field trip, we visited my current museum. At the time I didn't think about it as a job, I just wanted to live here. Which I now literally do: I live in one of the reconstructed buildings inside the historic town. The same year, my history teacher was very good, and structured his class in ways that worked for me very well. For one thing, he'd tell the anecdotal, often amusing parts of history, not just pure dates and names. And more importantly, he had couches in the back of the classroom arranged in a circle, where after reading the chapter we were on the whole class would go back there and talk about it. I am a very auditory person, so this helped me tremendously. It also, not so coincidentally, is very similar to how this field works. The term for the work I do, internally, is called "historic interpretation". I try not to use that term with guests unless I can explain it, but basically, if you can imagine what a language interpreter does - that is, turning a foreign language into something a person can understand - that's what we do with history. Help people better understand it, who may not otherwise know much about it. There's a lot more to it, and for anyone interested in the field, I highly recommend the seminal work on interpretation (not just historic, but also nature, science etc.): Freeman Tilden's Interpreting Our Heritage. He had been contracted by the National Parks service for decades to observe how park service guides interacted with guests, and from that develop an understanding of what works and what doesn't, and did a lot of training for the parks. This book was the culmination of all that, where he breaks interpretation down to his six primary principles, to each of which he devotes a chapter explaining them in depth. There are updated works which expand on it, but part of why his work still stands up (and is, in my opinion, still far better than any of the others) despite being published in the 1950s is that he really gets down to the basic core of what interpretation is and can be. I am not ashamed to say I literally cried the first time I read it, because it exemplifies why I care so deeply about the work that I do. To quote what is, in my opinion, the most important and core of his principles, he writes that: "Interpretation is not information, but provocation." That is to say, all interpretation is based on information, but the goal is not to come away with every guest interaction having shared so many facts, but rather to have inspired them to be interesting in the subject more deeply and want to learn more. This is what happened to me, all those years ago. Between that class and that field trip, it made me realize I loved history. In hindsight I now realize I already did - I loved Jane Austen film adaptations, for example, and was already beginning my obsession with servants - I just didn't like or connect with the way it had been taught to me up until that point. And again, interpretation as an idea in and of itself, beyond just the things being shared, also became something I was enamoured with.

About 12 years later, I was working at a restaurant which was destroying my mental and physical health, and I knew I needed a change. I also desperately needed to get away from my home town. I thought about the things I liked (history), was good at (talking to people), and wanted to do (wear period clothing -- and again, get away), so I thought maybe I could work at a historic museum. Long story short, I began applying to various places, including my current museum. Eventually, I ended up working at a seasonal site in Michigan, where I spent four 'summers' (for the last three, I was there from beginning of May until end of October), and with that experience was able to get my first full time job at my current place. Which I eventually left to go to another museum, only to come back about a year and a half later. ..... as an aside, and I like to tell this story especially for anyone aspiring to get into this field, or really in general, my first boss once told me why she gave me an interview. My restaurant job was my only job ever, and while by that point I had my GED, I was a highschool dropout and have never been to college. I've worked with hundreds of colleagues since, and not counting people still in school, I think I can count on one hand the people that do interpretation specifically who are not college graduates (not to mention many with Masters and PHDs etc), let alone have never gone at all like me. In my cover letter for that first job, I made an analogy. My job at the restaurant was running the salad bar, and because it was in the middle of the dining room, I said something along the lines that it meant I was "always on display", so that would help me in being in such a visible job in period clothing etc. and always having to be 'on' for guests. Because analogies, and connecting to things people understand to help them better grasp the information being shared, are such a huge part of the job, she, in her own words, "knew she needed to give me an interview." And because I am, in fact, good at talking, I knocked it out of the park. ..... which is not to say I didn't have a lot to learn when I started, it was truly a struggle at first on a lot of levels, but these days I think I am an excellent interpreter. And considering I have very low self-esteem overall, it's one of the only things about myself that I'll say that about.

[gayf1hoe]

Part 7

I turn over and can see a ray of light piercing through the gap in the curtains and whining at the discomfort before getting up. I decided to actually make an effort today as I'm going to spend it with Charles. I quickly hop in the shower, brush my teeth and do my skin care before turning my attention to the mess that is my wardrobe. After shifting everything around I finally found a white button up shirt and a pair of shorts and decided that they are a good match for the summer's day in Monaco. I sigh to myself "When people say F1 drivers are rich and have great fashion I would love for them to look at my closet".

I quickly head downstairs when I'm greeted by a smiley Danny Ric, “What's gotten into you” I say as he stands in front of me smiling ear to ear. “Nothing much, so are you doing anything fun today?”, as I pour myself some juice I say “Yep I'm going to The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco… with Charles”. As I begin to move away Danny follows me asking more questions like “So what can you see there? Is it a nice place? What are you going to do after?” He continues this for another 2 minutes before I say “Danny, is there something you want to ask me?” I can see him contemplating something and then he asks “Why are you going with Charles?”, “Erm because I thought it would be a nice thing to do to get to know each other”. After I give him this answer he presses on “so it's not a date?”, “I laugh, “do you honestly think I would take someone on a date to a museum, do you think I'm that boring?” He forcefully laughs at my response and spends the whole time chatting with me whilst the other drivers are on the other table watching how many grapes Lando can fit in his mouth.

I sit at the table with Zhou and Lance who are the only ‘normal ones' not participating in the grape talent show. As I sit down Lance greets me “Hey M/N” we haven't spoken yet but I have heard nothing but good things about him, I know he has this persona of being a bad driver and that he's only in F1 because of his dad, whilst it's undeniable his dad does play some role in him being part of the Aston Martin team no amount of money will get a driver this far they have to have some talent and if Lance wasn't serious and passionate about F1 he would of left already because no one would stand the amount of hate he gets. We spend time talking about Silverstone where Lance picked up P5 and Zhou P9.

Lance is incredibly over excited about my win, more than me if truth to be told, Lance is like me an introvert which helps me get along with him. Whilst he is evidently an introvert, I am not and people often confuse me for being extroverted when the truth is I'm just comfortable around certain people.

As it approaches 9 I head to the lobby and see Charles standing behind one of the marble pillars so I decide to seek up behind him and scare him but he turns around and says “there is a mirror on the opposite wall you idiot” we share a laugh and an awkward silence of staring into eachothers eyes before I break the silence and say “so shall we head to the museum I can drive, the team have provided me with a car”, “hmm me in a Mercedes will we even make it there” he says whilst laughing “hey you drive for ferrari don't you have a therapist because of them” he jovially hits me round the back of the head before signalling towards the door. As we leave Danny walks past and shouts “Have fun” whilst winking, Chalres sighs “dickhead” as we are walking down the steps of the hotel exit. We walk round to the parking lot and sit in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Charles says “They actually trust you with a car this expensive”, “of course they do I'm their best driver but don't tell George or Lewis” as I am driving down the streets of Monaco the sound of the radio is barely audible so I break the silence by asking “so what's it like to be home?”,

“You know it's quite nice, you know sometimes I don't realise how much I miss this place and my family and I'm sure you're aware of what it's like to be away from your family. You will be pleased to know that when I got home Arthur did shout at me for pushing you of the track, my brother is literally your biggest fan so at the Grand Prix on Saturday expect to see him following you around like a lost puppy”

I laugh at his last sentence “aww I love Arthur so much he has so much talent and potential” he looks at me in disbelief and like I have just offered him “you don't like him more than me though?”, I suck the air through my teeth. “Well Arthur is a bit more comedic.” He hyperbolically gasps like a child and threatens to leave if I don't say he is better than Arthur so I concur and agree he is the better brother.

As we arrive at the museum I pay for the tickets and the first place we go to is the “Historical Literature” section and Charles whines “ of all the places you could go to first you pick the most boring one”. One thing about me is that I am a massive bookworm and love reading as a form of relaxation so being able to look at books and artefacts from history is like a dream aside from racing.

We spend about half an hour in this room looking at every single thing on display and reading the information screens before Charles drags me to the fossil exhibit and he acts like an excitable child making me take photos of him next to each and every fossil and then when we reach the ancient dinosaur exhibit there is one of those things for you to put your heads in they makes you look like a dinosaur (which is meant for children), Charles makes some poor worker take a photo of us I can tell she's loving my reluctance and Chalres’ enthusiasm.

After embarrassing me I make Charles go into the Art Gallery which makes him extremely bored, he's constantly checking his watch so to make it more interesting I sign us up for the art class where we have to draw a bowl of fruit, we spend 45 minutes and my final piece sort of resembles the bowel of fruit however it is no De Vinci, however Charles being the child he is drew a Banana and two apples that are in a position that represent a certain male external organ. He falls to the floor erupting into uncontrollable laughter and everyone is now looking at him, more than likely judging how this man in his 20s is actually in his 20s.

We decide that we have had enough of the museum so decide to head to the local family owned restaurant where Charles knows the owners well. When we arrive we are greeted with the scent of freshly baked goods and an owner who is overly excited to see Charles “Ah Charles my son, you are back as always, table for two” the owner inquires “it's great to see you too, yes table for two” he leads us to a table on the veranda that overlooks a field which has a small lake on it. As we order food I see Charles looking at me the whole time and when it comes to ordering he states his order first “Chicken Caesar Salad please” I smile and say “ i'll have the same too please” we spend ages just talking about life and how it's been recently and we are laughing away at embarrassing childhood stories like the time I was on a karting track in the Netherlands at the age of 7 and was throwing a tantrum and out of anger I threw my water bottle which ended up hitting someone but not anyone …. Jos Verstappen…. It's now become common knowledge that Jos has never forgiven me but now I have come to realise what he's like, my only regret is that it wasn't metal.

But then Charles changes the tone of the conversation, “Hey M/N I need to talk to you about something serious” I can tell he is nervous so I quietly say “sure I'm all ears”, he then asks me “How did you know you were gay?” This question is one I get asked often but it never gets any easier to answer “I don't know around 11 I realised that I started to find men attractive and women just didn't appeal to me and I put the thought off until I was about 14 not wanting to be gay and wanting to be ‘normal' but I realised that gay is normal and I shouldn't be ashamed of who I am and I came to the terms with the fact women can be pretty but I just don't find them attractive” he nods in acknowledgement.

He then asks “What was it like being the first openly gay F1 driver I know Mike Beuttler was rumoured to be gay but you are the first open one” I question where all this has come from but I answer regardless “well I suppose it was scary at first I was absolutely scared of rejection, abuse and people treating me differently but then I guess I learnt to not care what people say or think about me I made it clear that my sexuality doesn't affect who or how I race and it's not an important part of my career but rather a small piece that makes me unique, and being the first openly gay F1 driver I got to learn the art of insulting Journalists from the best in the business Kimi Räikkönen”.

I can see him taking it all in and not wanting to be too intrusive I ask “why do you ask?” He signs and puts his head in his hands before looking me in the eye and says “I think…. I think I might be gay” he says with tears forming in the corner of his eyes, I freeze in silence I've never been in this situation before I have no gay friends and it's normally me who's coming out, I quickly snap out of it and side hug Charles and say “No matter what you are I will always support you, your family, friends, team, fans will always be here to support you. You never have to feel rushed to identify yourself with a label” he looks at me a smiles and says “thanks M/N you're a great friend”

We spend the next 2 hours just talking about what being gay is like, what it means ‘to be gay’ and how Charles can come to terms with himself.

It's now early evening and the restaurant starts to fill up with evening reservations, so I decide to take Charles somewhere quiet, I park alongside the road and take him down a narrow path that I remember from my childhood of visiting Monaco we follow the path and it leads to an open beach with the incandescent sun slowly setting, the sea lapping on to the golden, fine sand we take a seat on the jagged rocks that provide a retreat from the tide that gets closer and closer.

We sit for a while before Charles leans on my shoulder and I begin to speak

“I know we have made up, but I want you to know that when we first met I never intended to piss you off or get on your bad side, however I'm glad I did otherwise I don't think we would be this close right now, you know whatever you decide I will always support you and be here for you and as my mum would say “life isn't a destination it's a journey and sometimes you will have to take the hard road to get to where you want to be” and I want you to know I will help you get to that destination wherever and however far it may be”.

By now Charles is crying into my shoulder I can feel the dampness seeping through onto my bare skin. I pull his face up and wipe his tears with my team jumper sleeve and wrap it around him, however Chalres being Charles says “I can't believe I'm wearing a Mercedes team jumper ” we both break out in laughter.

We spend the next hour alone staring into the abyss, talking here and there but no full conversations. By now it's 9 pm and it's almost dark so I decide to take Charles back to his house and I walk him to his door as he is inside he looks at me and says “thank you for today I really enjoyed it'', “no problem” I smile before I turn around he cups my face, leans in and kisses me, I don't even contemplate it before kissing him back we stay like this for the next minute what feels like an eternity of joy, as we both pull away we smile looking intently into each other's eyes before he says “that felt amazing”, “yeah it really did” I respond out of breath. He smiles and says “good night” I reply with a “good night” before heading back to my car and driving to the hotel.

As I arrive back at the hotel I am met by Danny, I'm starting to feel like this man has a tracker on me “so how was your day?” he asks “good” I reply bluntly, “so where did you go?” he asks super inquisitively “the museum like I said this morning” I reply, “You must have gone somewhere else you left at 9 this morning and it's now 10 so you're telling me you spent 13 hours at a museum”, this man looks so pleased with himself, “well no we went for food and went to the beach for a while, now I'm going to bed because my energy is depleted, good night Danny” I walk off before he can ask another question and I hear him shout “NIGHT M/N”.

“That man” I sigh whilst reaching my room. I walk in and instantly crash on my bed, replaying the kiss over and over in my mind. When I get a text.

----

Mick: Hey M/N just landed in Nice and I am about to hop in a taxi to Monaco, can't wait to see you at Quali tomorrow!

[pub-lius]

I just wanna say, DUDE. The majority of what I know about amrev comes from your blog. Your in-depth posts literally have me FOAMING AT THE MOUTHH I don't have much time to read longer books due to school but I wanna feed my obsession so do you have any books on the shorter side or some websites/archives I can research/read a bit quicker? If not it's totally fine.

Also off topic but I'm loving "It Began About Dusk" on AO3 <3

OH MY GOD THE FLATTERY‼️‼️‼️ you’re making me blush here anon. im so glad that you find my posts helpful!!! AND IM SO GLAD YOU LIKE MY FICS i have a chapter of it began about dusk in the drafts rn so you’ll get more content soon

now this is a tricky question because im absolutely insane and ive barely ever read short books. right now im reading His Excellency by Joseph J Ellis and i recommend it!! its only around 2-300 pages which is the shortest history book ive got VSJWBW primary sources can be really good to get in book form, things like Common Sense by Thomas Paine, Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior (Washington’s rule book), and Memoir of Lieut. Col. Tench Tilghman, Secretary and aid to Washington are all primary sources i have on my shelf that are short and sweet.

i also have Hercules Mulligan by Micheal J. Obrien which i haven’t read but is VERY small. there is also James Monroe by Gary Hart which is short but i have not finished (i dont even truly remember reading it but i annotated part of it apparently), The Drillmaster of Valley Forge by Paul Lockhart is a little longer than those others, but still isn’t chernow levels of wrong, but i also haven’t read that one. Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger isn’t the most serious history book, but it is pretty good and an easy read.

as for secondary source websites, start with encyclopedias ie Britannica, which post short articles on different historical figures and events that give you the overview. from there im gonna point you to the National Park Service. this is the best thing the US government has ever made for researchers. this is all your battlefields, winter encampments, historical reproductions, and former capitals. also check out private residences turned museums, such as Mount Vernon, Monticello, and Schuyler Mansion. these institutions have an abundance of easily accessible information on more than just the people who lived there.

now the Library of Congress was a good decision on Jefferson’s part, but it can be inaccessible if you don’t know how to use it well because their website is one of my least favorite things about being alive. so instead, i recommend using Founders Online for any primary source regarding the founding fathers or amrev figures. the Washington Papers are filled to the brim with almost everything that went out of headquarters during all 8 years of the war. founders online is the shit

all of these websites i’ve mentioned are free to access, because i do not pay money on any research tools besides books out of spite for late stage capitalism. also any primary source is 100% accessible online. that includes memoirs and court transcripts, which can be very helpful

also i really do recommend watching documentaries and informational videos on the subjects you’re interested in while doing work or other things if you’re someone who does that (ik some people don’t have background noise but im just assuming you’re as neurodivergent as i am) because you can absorb just a little of that information and it being about a subject of interest can make academics seem a little less miserable!

i hope this is helpful and if you have absolutely any further questions, feel free to ask. i know im very privileged to have the time and resources to read long ass books, which is why i very freely share the information i absorb with the public bc i believe education should never be gatekept by anyone. so if you have any questions, im happy to research them for you, or at least point you in the right direction. love ya!!

[iasmelaion]

Fun and/or delightful things said by my assorted tour guides during this trip to Lisbon:

After I asked if people study Spanish in school in Portugal: “No, it's too close to Portuguese. Of course, we all think we can speak Spanish, but we can't.”

During our food tour (with Devour btw, highly recommended in any of the cities they do tours in!), our half Italian, half Ethiopian tour guide who’s been living in Lisbon for a decade: “I don’t know why the Portuguese don’t eat vegetables. They have them. And yet on the menus it’s all meat and fish.”

(This dude also gave us the A++++ tips of: enter the Livraria Bertrand via the cafe entrance on the side, much less crowded, and visit the Estufia Fria, which was a truly lovely and surprisingly big botanical garden. A quiet and peaceful respite during the trip!)

(Also, this dude’s tragic backstory: half Italian, and allergic to tomatoes :( Though he did constantly shit talk Italian food for being too boring and set in its ways lol.)

When we got to the big market with fresh fruits and veggies: “See, they have vegetables!”

About all the explorers and colonizers etc: “You know, they say these guys did it all for the glory of Portugal, but come on! They did it for the money!” (Appreciated that this guy also mentioned, hey, we have all these monuments about the Age of Discovery, but none memorializing its evils and horrors.”)

Dueling opinions about the pasteis de nata: food tour guy said Manteigaria has the best (though he allowed that Castro’s were pretty good too), other guide said the originals in Belem are the best. First tour guide said forget about pasteis de nata, Sintra’s pastries are where it’s at.

Coolest sights:

Unfortunately, the major parks and sights in Sintra were closed due to wildfire risk. It was still neat to visit the town though!

Cabo de Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe was a surprisingly neat stop on one of our tours. Super windy, but neat to say you’ve been there.

The Jeronimos Monastery. Should you ever go, I really recommend booking a tour if only to skip the longest line, because holy shit that line was enormous. Anyway, the Manueline architecture is gorgeous.

Igreja de Sao Domingo. Fascinating story and interior. We stopped in during our food tour, and it’s so interesting to see the building’s history of disaster and reconstruction written on it so plainly.

The enormous Time Out Market that houses curated restaurants in a food court setting one one side and a traditional market on the other is just super neat and it’s worth it just to take in the atmosphere.

The MAAT museum was fine, but tbh, the view of the Tagus River and statue of Christ Redeemer from their cafe was lovely. Worth eating a light meal or having a coffee here and just relaxing!

God I wish we had a culture of nice, big public squares with great architecture and plenty of cafes and benches in the US. I know there are some on the East Coast, but here on the West Coast, we just have the occasional little park :( Every single such square we saw in Lisbon was lovely.

The Estufia Fria, as mentioned above.

The National Tile Museum! Sounds boring, but it was both interesting and super impressive.

Gulbenkian Museum. Now this is how insanely rich dudes should spend their money: collecting massive amounts of art and then putting it all on display in a museum in perpetuity after their deaths. Great collection of Egyptian, Near Eastern, Chinese, Japanese, and European art, plus a stunning though small-ish Lalique collection.

Mostly though we just wandered around, which is honestly my favorite thing to do in a new to me city, and while the hills are punishing, Lisbon is a great city to wander in.

Most delicious things I ate:

Gotta agree with food tour guy, it was the Mantegiaria pasteis de nata for me.

Meat sushi??? It was cooked, but it still felt like a great sushi innovation.

Chocolate cake from Landeau. Life-ruiningly good. All other chocolate cakes will pale in comparison.

Some astonishingly good Indian/Nepalese food, somewhat surprisingly. Some of the best naan I’ve ever had, and their dishes were presented so beautifully. Like, I like Indian food just fine in America! It’s basically always tasty! But this was on another level, and still comparable in price to the nicer Indian restaurants in the States.

Some of the best roasted chicken I’ve ever had in my life. Very simply prepared, but so tender and tasty.

Ate at one (1) fine dining restaurant, and damn, okay, that’s what the prices are about. I had duck breast and the dish as a whole was just exceptional.

Some very good gelato at the packed and bustling Time Out Market. Such a cool spot, I honestly wish every city had a version of this. (I know LA kind of does, but I like that the Time Out Market is curated.)

At the other end of the spectrum, a suspiciously cheap restaurant near our hotel that nonetheless had phenomenal food. Straightforward Portuguese with a twist food, presented beautifully with pretty generous portion sizes. Seriously though, it was so cheap I actually felt kind of guilty about it. Also they were cash only?? And had weird hours?? So maybe it’s a front? But the hotel recommended it and they’ve been in business for 50 years! So whatever, if it is a front, thank you to whatever mob boss is supporting their relative’s culinary dreams. Anyway, best chocolate mousse and sangria I’ve had to date, and the mains were good too. Truly felt like we got away with something eating mains, drinks, and dessert for two for 36 euros.

Our hotel brought us fresh pastries for breakfast every morning, and the chocolate croissants were especially delicious.

Okay, I know ginjinha is traditional and all here, but. Listen. It tastes like especially alcoholic cough syrup. (The booze-soaked cherry included in the shot glass was good tho) The white wine port I had at the suspiciously cheap restaurant, on the other hand, was absolutely delicious.

[riddle-me-ri]

Hi there! First time asker on any blog really.

I just wanted to ask how any various versions of the Penguin would think of an S/O who’s really knowledgeable about paleontology, sharing little facts 24/7 and always rambles about dinosaurs/prehistory?

I always love seeing your posts, they’re a joy to read and BTAS Ozzie’s always been a favorite of mine.

A/N: not the Jurassic Park theme playing in my head when I read your request asdfgh. Jurassic Park was a huge part of my childhood and your girl for a minute wanted to be a tiny blonde-haired Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler love child, but alas…twas not meant to be. I did some research just to refresh my memory and…why do some of these pengys have something to do with museums and exhibits lmao. Almost every single Penguin has infiltrated a museum, enclosure, or exhibit…like…popular theme or nah?

Penguins w/ a Reader Interested in Paleontology:

Arkhamverse Penguin: 

- I mean…who else did you think helped him set up his museum in Arkham City? 

- Oswald was always intrigued by the research, dedication, and knowledge it took to explore vast locations for just a smidgen of evidence that prehistoric life lived there millions of years ago. 

- He chuckles at the thought of any caveman imagining a world of skyscrapers with men dressed intentionally as a damn bat swooping from the rooftops. 

- He breaks into a full on laughter if you inform him they’ll likely hunt Batman down and try to have him for dinner. 

Reevesverse/Farrell Penguin:

- This Oswald is always interested in hearing whatever your passionate about. 

- Just to see your eyes light up, to hear the excited hitches in your voice. He finds it all just absolutely adorable. 

- He also enjoys helping you translate certain languages that come up when a new creature is discovered or if you struggle pronouncing a certain country or region. 

- Don’t be surprised if you see little dinosaur figures or plushies around you shared living space as small surprised for you. 

Gotham Penguin: 

- Oswald is always intrigued in learning people’s strengths (usually in order to swiftly counteract them or make it someone’s weakness but not here…not now)

- He enjoys listening to you ramble about the latest discovery or your hypothesis of where certain fossils will be. 

- He loves beaming at you, asking you questions, just to keep you rambling. It allows him time to not think so much.

- Just be able to enjoy the moment as you share something you’re deeply passionate about with someone you care about dearly. He appreciates that more than you could ever imagine. 

BTAS Penguin:

- Oswald would have so many questions. Who needs the Discovery Channel or National Geographic. You sound far more passionate and sweet to listen too than any of those robotic narrators. 

- I imagine he would absolutely swoon as you explain the genealogical history of his beloved birds. How they're the modern day dinosaurs that surpassed millions of years of evolution to live and thrive today. 

- Oswald's unlimited adoration for his fellow aviary allies grows tenfold, as does his admiration of you. 

- I can see the two of you discussing various time periods and matching each other to certain extinct species of that particular time period. 

TNBA Penguin: 

- This Oswald absolutely admires the vast knowledge you hold. 

- I wouldn’t put it past him that one of these years, he’ll fund for you an opportunity to participate in a dig. 

- He appreciates your dedication to such a sophisticated and distinguished study. How are we to evolve and see what’s to come if we don’t look back on the past? 

- Oswald enjoys learning different subjects, and if it means he gets to hear you all day as well…that’s the best of both worlds. 

Telltale Penguin: 

- Oz always knew that you’d take a serious interest in paleontology. 

- When you guys were kids you always enjoyed playing with the dinosaur toys. You two used to bury them in the ground and pretend to dig up the fossils. 

- He’ll listen to whatever you have to say, anything to see you smile. 

- He does find the “big, bad” animals of prehistoric times to be the most interesting. Expect him to ask about those a lot, especially if you announce there was a new discovery. 

One Bad Day Penguin: 

- Ozzie finds it absolutely adorable, but also super intriguing. 

- He never really thought much about…the dinosaurs and how we have what we have somewhat do to their existence. 

- Now that he has you though, he’ll be able to get some questions answered. He’s particularly interested in the hierarchy shifts during certain periods. The food chain is usually are fairly fickle system. 

- Oswald will also go an extra mile to stay up to date, so he can add more to your conversations.

- He adores you and whatever passion gives you the most joy, and he wants to be able to participate. 

The Batman (2004) Penguin:

- OH COOL DINOSAURS

- I can imagine this pengy would absolute be gushing about dinos with you. 

- He’d ask you questions like; how big where they? Could they go against *insert other dino here* and no he doesn’t care that they didn’t exist in the same time period!

- Ok, ok, he does cause he understands your need for accuracy…but if you could give him atleast the hypothetical odds…

Batman Unlimited: 

- Oswald loves animals, I don’t doubt this Oz has dabbled in zoology (he…he literally formed an animal themed gang called the Animalitia…I rest my case)

- It almost seems like fate to run into you, someone whose borderline obsessed with paleontology. 

- Hours, upon hours, are spent discussing the bridge between the two studies. 

- For once he feels like he’s found someone that truly understands him. To say he’s also smitten is an understatement. 

- I don’t doubt this Penguin would also gift you paleontology related gifts; like claws, bones, and even a necklace of bracelet with a charm filled with amber.

[crossovershipstournament]

SIDE 2A: ROUND 2: Megaman (Megaman)/Pit (Kid Icarus) VS Selina Kyle (Catwoman) (DC Comics)/Loki (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Propaganda for Megaman/Pit:

This ask, which includes the art used in the bracket image!

Oh my god. This one came immediately to mind. Idk how big the ship is now, but I remember like seeing it everywhere back when Super Smash Bros Ultimate was like popular on Tumblr/Twitter. I think it was originally a crackship cause both of them were in Captain N (a cartoon), but it’s like a serious thing now. Literally all it took was one interaction between them (there’s like dialogue you can get if you do some combination when you play as Pit) which is just Pit gushing about Mega Man. It’s cute. And honestly kind of iconic

#MEGAPIT ?? good for them #go back in time and tell kid me the ship he came up with on a whim would be in a tumblr bracket :'3

#megapit sweep!

#megapit nation let's pokémon go to the polls #let's give it for a wholesome and iconic crackship

#MEGAPIT NATION RISE. RISE. RISE #MEGAPIT

#MEGAPIT!!!1!

#MEGAPIT NATION RISE UP

#c'mon megapit nation #sure they may lose but let's get them some votes anyways!

Propaganda for Selina Kyle (Catwoman)/Loki:

Two not quite villains who will never be content as heroes despite how much their friends and family would like them to be. They can sass each other and steal things together. In fact, Loki, being old as most artifacts, can claim that anything they steal technically belongs to him through some convoluted story that may or may not be true. So they've got this game going on with Batman. If he catches them, the museum can keep the object. Otherwise, Loki gets to keep "his stuff" and no one bothers them to avoid an incident with Asgard. It drives Batman up the wall. Loki and Selina are two beautiful Neutrals with a dash of chaos. He adores her and she loves his mystery and pizzazz. They bring out the best in each other. The Joker is dead and Loki has taken over his turf as the Crown Prince of Crime Alley. He sits on his ice throne with his darling Selina, finding new and vicious nonfatal ways of dealing with those who try to usurp them. They might intervene if they hear someone is doing something evil enough, so if you want to get rid of your enemies, feel free to snitch. Selina and Loki both think the other is sexy. Selina loves that Loki isn't quite evil but she doesn't feel bad for stealing when she's with him. He makes it fun. Loki loves that Selina has given him a chance and doesn't have grand expectations of heroics from him. That he doesn't need power to keep her.

Reasons why Batman does not like this ship:

-Selina knows Bruce Wayne is Batman, and by virtue of that fact, so does Loki. To keep things fun and remind the other rogues he's still a "villain" Loki likes to kidnap Bruce once a month and demand Batman come and rescue him. It's very annoying. The other Rogues assume Loki does this since Batman and Catwoman used to be a thing. Really Loki just thinks it's funny that Bruce can't escape without ruining his whole "Brucie" image. It's also a great way to clear a fancy restaurant and have a private date with Selina when she's called to "talk him down" until "Batman" shows up.

-Loki doesn't know how to drive. Selina has decided to teach him. And since Bruce is a family friend, she has decided that means she can "borrow" his cars any time. Bruce has lost track of how many times he's left the office to find his car isn't where he parked it. Loki is a madman on the streets. So ofc he gets pulled over a lot. Never fear! He just magics him and Selina to look like Bruce and his latest girlfriend. Bruce is this close to getting his license revoked.

-Loki and Selina wait until Batman is about to head from his patrol to rob the museum. They've made a game out of it with a point system and everything. Thankfully they only do it on relatively quiet nights to make sure the gets his steps in.

Reasons Batman likes the ship:

-Selina is happy. Really happy. She lights up whenever she's with Loki. Loki just melts in her arms. Any idiot could see they're in love. They banter and flirt with each other everywhere from the grocery store to the middle of a high speed chase.

-He knows Loki would tear the world apart for Selina. He would face down Thanos all over again if he had too.

-Any villain stupid enough to interrupt their date night will be swiftly returned to Arkham.

Reasons Robin likes the ship:

-Selina and Loki are going to adopt his best friend Colin Wilkes.

-Loki and Selina protect all the animal shelters.

-Loki and Selina are always down to help him sneak animals into the manor.

Reason Robin does not like the ship:

-Loki and Selina are firm believers in PDA and Damian is at the age when cooties are very much still a thing.

Lovely art~!

Art Credit: Megaman/Pit art by @/farraigeart Catwoman/Loki art by @/kannra-orhara

[thefudge]

Hello! I believe you are Romanian?? Do you have any recommandations on what to see/do in Bucharest? (if you ever visited there??)

i am! and i have visited the capital quite a few times. i'm not an expert on Bucharest, since it's so big and there's so much to explore (i still have so much to see myself), but depending on how much time you have on your hands, here are some recs (and even a non-rec, you'll see lol):

the "Old Town", also known as "Centrul Vechi", there's some lovely belle epoque architecture, mixed in with some byzantine elements, west meets east kind of thing, really narrow detours and zig-zaggy alleys (you'll see this mixture throughout Bucharest: try the big, pretty boulevards like Calea Victoriei and Lipscani)

the Atheneum is also very pretty (near the Roman Square - "Piața Romană") and i'd also recommend the "Suțu Palace" (Palatul Suțu).

the "Village Museum" (Muzeul Satului), this really cool open-air museum all about traditional village life throughout the centuries in Romania, it's quite lovely

the National Art Museum (Muzeul Național De Artă) which is HUGE and wonderfully stocked, but you'll need like...almost a whole day to see all of it. the building is also really beautiful. if you have more time, you should also check out a smaller branch called "Muzeul Colecțiilor de Artă" (museum of art collections), where you'll find really interesting art donated by important Romanian families

definitely try to see the Stavropoleos Monastery, one of the oldest places in the city. it is a jewel. you'll love it there (and it's right next to the national history museum). if you visit Romania there will be no shortage of churches and monasteries to see. i'm def biased but we have some of the most beautiful monasteries in the world. you'll see a lot of cool churches/monasteries in Bucharest.

"Hanul Lui Manuc" (Manuc's Inn) is one of those big historical sites you should cover (and it's also a restaurant!); it's a very old inn going back to the beginning of the 19th century and some fascinating stuff went down between its walls (we were still under Ottoman rule when it was built, and it hosted an important peace treaty between the Ottomans and the Russians). i haven't dined there in ages, but i hear the food's still good!

you should check out some of the big parks like Cișmigiu and Herăstrau. there's also this tinier park i'm really fond of called IOR (also called Titan), but that's if you have more days to spare.

on that note, and because this is turning into an eclectic list, try to get to "Lacul Morii" if you can (literally the "mill lake"); it's this lovely and eerie lake that has this very 'abandoned Greek temple' feel to it, due to the architecture and the wilder vegetation on its one island/peninsula (called the island of angels). if you're into spooky/eerie vibes, i highly recommend it, since in order to engineer this lake, a church and a cemetery had to be demolished during the communist regime and uhhh, you definitely feel a vibe when you walk around that area.

speaking of communism, there will be plenty of museums and national houses that you can visit which will tell you about that era in Romanian history if you're interested, but err, you can see it as you walk around town; the eastern bloc soviet architecture is everywhere in the city planning and the grey apartment blocks. most towns in Romania have this overlapping architectural style and most of us have a hate/love relationship to it. since Bucharest is one of the safest capitals in Europe, you can explore neighborhoods and streets outside the big tourist centers, just to get a taste of that. you'll see really lavish streets, and then really industrial-looking, kinda grundgy areas and sometimes there will be combos of really old and really new, or really beautiful and really ugly. it has its own charm. don't stray too far tho

i'd recommend using the pretty good subway system to get to various places (buses and trams are usually super-packed and while there's not so much pickpocketing going on here as in, say, a much more touristy place like Rome, it helps to be vigilant). if you use the subway system, try to see the "Piața Romană" platform (in sector 1) because it's one of the strangest subway platforms in the world. it was basically built in secret during communism, because the dictator's wife didn't understand the purpose of that particular area having a subway line, and so the architects and engineers had to do a very hush-hush hatchet job, which resulted in a place with really narrow platforms and this unique look to it. it has those eerie/spooky vibes i love

DON'T, imo, waste your time on the Parliament Palace, infamously known as "Casa Poporului" (the people's house). you'll hear a lot about this building and how it's the second largest in the world, but it's an ugly behemoth that Ceaușescu had built out of mania and ego and the city and ppl suffered for it. it's the most ironic name you could give a parliament building. it's ugly and lame. skip it.

there are many other places to see, but last thing i'll mention here if you can swing it is the newly refurbished Marmorosch Blank Bank, which is now a hotel & restaurant. it's jaw-dropping, gorgeous kitsch and super bougie and expensive, but if you can look around it's worth it.

anyway, hope you have fun and that you get smth out of the experience! (don't worry about language hick-ups, btw, a lot of Romanians, especially younger ppl, know pretty good English)

[harrison-abbott]

Travel Poetry - Budapest

BUDAPEST

I

This was in the early summer of 2022.

So, it was following the pandemic, which

Had changed the world and knocked off

Two years of normality. Hungary was one

Of the countries that had reopened, without

Any travel restrictions. So I got the plane

Over on my own. And there was that wondrous

Refreshing zeal of going travelling again,

After being cooped up in lockdown Scotland

For such a long time. But, of all my trips,

Budapest remains the most emotive. And,

Here are the stories why.

II

I got in late at night. It was still very hot,

With the aftermath of the day’s heat. And

I wandered through the streets and drank in

Some of the bars, with the drinks dirt cheap.

The next day was stunning with sun, and I

Went out walking into the city. The Danube

Glittered and the bridges over them were as

Colourful as toy cars, colourful as spring

Flowers; and when you walked over you

Got the full gaudy span of this mighty river.

I yomped up Gellért Hill, where one had a

Panoramic view of the whole city, of two

Million people; the orange rooftops, mixed

With the endless spires, domes: that wide

Sense of grandness, of having once been

The helm of an empire. The first two days

When I walked around were just fantastic,

With the pretty gals in their summer gear,

And the atavistic trams that tumbled by

In clementine flashes. … And, I had brought

Copies of my novels along: so I could leave

Them about the city, for folk to find and

Pick up. I left some on that hill ^, on its

Windy paths, and I left some in second hand

Book shops too: perhaps hoping I might

Start a Hungarian fanbase. Ha. [Although

I’ve never heard back from any Hungarians,

So I’m not sure my tactics worked. But it

Was worth a try anyway.] And I walked down

To the island part, in one of the sections of

The Danube, there they’ve made a whole bunch

Of kids parks, and fountains, and there were

Loads of merry folk pottering about, a real

Nice scene. And on the way I was thinking

About my elder brother and his wife. Who

Had had a son a few years back. And I was

Literally thinking, ‘I wonder if they will

Ever have another child again.’ And, when

I sat down on one of the benches in the park,

I was looking at my phone, and came across

The family group chat. And Louis, my big

Brother, had literally, 30 mins earlier, shown

A picture of a new baby in Kirsty’s womb.

So, he was announcing the news to us.

It was spooky as Hell, that I’d just been

Wondering about it, and here was the news.

And so, the whole holiday thus far had a

Kind of ‘destiny’ to it. Mind sound cheesy,

But, that’s what it was like at the time.

III

I’ve been a fan of Beethoven my entire life.

It’s hard to express how important the music

Of Ludwig Van Beethoven is to me.

Are you familiar with his biography? His

Personal story is just as inspiring as his music.

Despite all the deranged obstacles that he

Faced: he remained defiant with the artwork.

And, most musicians peak in skill when they’re

Young. Beethoven peaked in his latter years,

And only improved and improved. Which

Is astonishing considering that towards the

End of his death, he was nearly totally deaf.

Anyway. I went into the Hungarian National

Museum, and I explored in there. It was all

Very lofty and there were a whole bunch of

Things to ogle at. But, by chance, in a corner

Of one of the floors, I noticed a Piano,

Which was in this quiet little room with

Nobody else in it. So I went inside … and read

That it was Beethoven’s personal piano.

Ludwig had passed it on to Hungarian

Composer Franz Liszt after he died. Beethoven

Cherished the instrument up until he perished.

What a find, indeed. Just to think, that

You were in the presence of that great man:

Just to marvel that on this very instrument

He must have composed all that material

That I had grown up loving. And, though

His scores are often turbulent and stormy,

The piano itself was very handsome and

Kempt: it looked as if it hadn’t been touched

Much. In that silent, tiny room, I was directly

In front of an artistic legend. Could feel

His power with me inside there.

[And, I actually left one of my novels

In the museum garden outside. Because

I cheekily, and perhaps arrogantly, wanted

My own artistic creation to be near

Beethoven. Though of course we can’t

Make any comparisons between either man.]

IV

When I go to different countries, I usually

Make an effort to use the basics of the

Local language. Hello and thank you, etc.

Just to be polite. I should have been a bit

More prudent in going to Hungary, as the

Local folks don’t tend to speak English that

Fluently. Not that this is a criticism whatsoever:

Because I’m not fluent in any other language

Myself. And I probably sound like an

Idiot whenever I try even the basics in

Another tongue. But, anyway, on one

Of the days I was there, I went into a

Café, looking for something to eat. I’d

Noticed on the chalk Menu outside that

They sold Vegan stuff. There was this older

Chap at the counter, who must’ve been in his

50s or so. So I greeted him and asked him

If he had a “Vegan sandwich?” And, he

Blinked, and couldn’t understand what

I was saying. He kinda fumbled about,

Pointing at various items that were around

The shop, whilst trading a few lines of

Broken English. It went on for about

Two minutes, whereby he just didn’t

Get what I was saying. So, after several

Times of trying to ask for a vegan sandwich,

He finally deduced the word ‘vegetarian’ …

And then he offered me a can of sweetcorn.

I politely declined, and left. I said, “It’s okay,

Thanks anyway, it’s okay,” and I exited the café.

He wasn’t offended or anything, and he

Didn’t seem to find the incident mortifying.

So I doubt he was bothered by the incident. But,

Yep, that was about the funniest moment of

Language barrier clumsiness I’ve been

Involved with in my life. Though I guess

It was pretty much my fault. Folks often can’t

Understand me in Scotland, when I’m speaking

English, so, hey ho.

V

Holidays can change in mood, very drastically.

I guess, because, you’re in an unfamiliar place.

Home is a gargantuan number of miles away,

And on a different island from this continent.

You are far, far away from home. And, therefore

It leaves you a bit vulnerable. And so, with the

Above stories, everything in Budapest that I’d

Experienced had been joyous and I was having

A blast. And then, on the third night whilst

I was there, a person who I hadn’t spoken to

In years suddenly got in touch with me. And,

It totally changed the arc of the journey. And

Sent me tumbling with a whole load of emotions

That I’d never addressed before.

VI

I’ve never quite been able to deal with grief.

I tend to just block it off, when it happens. I

Suppose it’s a type of defence mechanism,

Because I can’t deal with the emotional content.

VII

My old girl. The one that I’ve mentioned several

Times throughout this book. Who I went to Poland

With, and to Cyprus with, and to Prague and Greece.

She got in touch with me when I was in Budapest.

Suddenly there were messages in that old conversation

Box that I used to know daily, that used to be a part

Of my everyday life. And yet, it hadn’t been live for

Four and a half years. I went back to my hostel

Room and I voice called her. And, then, her bellring

Voice was there again in my ears and mind. And

We spoke for a long time. She had gone back to

Lodz after moving away from Scotland. And,

I’d actually been thinking about her the other day

On the aeroplane when I came to Budapest:

Because I’d gone on so many trips across

Europe with her, the noise of the plane brought

Back those connotations of her. And, here

She was, still alive, and speaking back to.

There were many things I’d wanted to

Ask her throughout those four years of

Absence, and now I was asking them.

I suppose the main notion I was addressing

Was that she had fallen out of love with me,

Long ago, and that, though she was still alive,

That love was never coming back. And, to

Hear her voice again was exotic, and also

As sore and aching as anything I’ve known

In terms of mental anguish. It was just so

Hard to hear that little sound with the

Polish inflexion, returned to my audio again.

And, ashamedly, I got angry towards the

End of the call. And in a petulant manner,

I hung up on her. Then went to sleep for

A few hours. When I woke up I felt awful

About doing that: and I messaged her and

Apologised. She accepted the apology and

Said that she would be fine with keeping

In touch in the future. Which we have done,

Now and then, since then.

VIII

But in my dazed state – the day after that

Call, I was still plastered in misery and a

Heartbreak that I hadn’t been able to process

For 4½ years. Jesus. So, the first three days

In Hungary had been idyllic, and suddenly

I felt distraught, and didn’t have a clue what

To do about it. And, thus, I decided to get

Spectacularly drunk. From the morning onwards.

I went down to the supermarket and loaded up

On cheap beer and just tanned in to them with

Full gusto, whilst walking along the Danube,

Following the current. I listened to the Beatles

A lot. You know when you’re on holiday

And you can have certain songs that you

Get addicted to, that reminds you forever after

About the place? Well, I kept listening to

‘Here Comes the Sun’. And, in between the

Songs and the walking and feverish drinking

I kept crying melodramatically. I don’t know

Whether anybody noticed my red face and

Wet cheeks, but they probably did. Anyway.

I’d been walking until the afternoon. And

I realised that I hadn’t peed in quite some time.

So I looked about for a toilet. Or, some woody

Place where I could pee secretly. But, I couldn’t

Find any. I went to a tram stop to see if I

Could scoot back to my hostel. But the

Information was all in Hungarian and I

Couldn’t comprehend it. So, I decided to

Yomp back to my hostel on foot, confident

That I would make it. But I had also

Underestimated how long I had come along,

In a walk by the second longest river in Europe.

And, my bladder was simultaneously straining

Under the exercise, alongside the building angst

That a strong urge to piss can do to your brain.

So, I walked on and on, all cramped up and

Desperately hoping that I would get back in time,

Sweating and overcome with an animalistic

Need. And, I actually did make it back to

My hostel. I got in through the front doors and

I got into my hostel room. But … umm, I

Didn’t make it into the toilet. And, I just

Pissed myself. Pissed my pants. Jeans, rather.

First time I’d lost control of my bladder since

I was about seven years old. This was when

I was at the age of 28. And so I’d hit rock bottom.

I took my jeans off and cleaned up the piss,

And I slept for a few hours. It was rather

Galling at the time: because I hadn’t

Brought an extra pair of jeans with me.

But, it was properly cathartic. And, just funny.

IX

Early the next morning I was even more

Upset when I went to the airport to go home,

And I couldn’t stop with the tears, and they

Spilled down my face and I didn’t care

Whether anybody noticed or not.

X

When I got back to Edinburgh, off the bus

On Princes Street, back from the airport, I looked up

At the castle and the sooty brickwork of the old town,

And I felt blessed that this was my home city.

Where I was born. Edinburgh was a great city too.

[kaiawaverly]

“FORTUNE AND GLORY, KID. FORTUNE AND GLORY.”

INTRODUCING…

NAME: Kaia Adrian Saylor Waverly

GENDER & PREFERRED PRONOUNS: Cis woman {She/Her}

AGE: 28

BIRTHDAY: August 25, 1996

ZODIAC: Virgo Sun, Leo Moon, Libra Rising

SEXUALITY: Bisexual

FACE CLAIM: Madelyn Cline

LABEL: The Wave Babe / The Loveable Rogue

OCCUPATION: Treasure Hunter / Surf Instructor

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL.

CHARACTER PLAYLIST: HERE.

↪ UP NEXT: “I AM NOT A WOMAN, I AM A GOD” BY HALSEY

BIOGRAPHY: TW PASSIVE NEGLECT

For as long as Kaia could remember, she was living a double-life. Originally from Avalon, CA - the girl was always split from her mother's condo in Sydney AUS, and her father's shack in Tamarindo CR. Whilst with her mother, Kaia's days were filled with spa treatments and art galleries. With her father, Kaia was always fighting against his job for his attention. The only times she's genuinely "won" was when the activity took them to the shore.It was through her father that Kaia learned how to dive and boat; also gaining vast knowledge of the ocean and its inhabitants. The love for the water grew to be a constant in both places; both her parents loving to surf. It was amusing to her, that the one thing that ever brought her parents together was the only thing that made her feel centered; like she could breathe. It was high school when her father ultimately stopped with the beach trips. His job just fully took over, but there was a rift that grew between them. As Kaia grew up, she started to see the extremely hard-to-reach side of her father that drove her mother away; the expectations too high for Kaia to reach in order to gain any sort of attention from him. By the time she graduated high school with high honors, she was used to her father not showing up. He didn't care for her full ride scholarships, or that prestigious colleges wanted her.Instead of cutting ties and giving up like her mother did, Kaia tried to reach him by delving deep into his work. It was so much so, that she specialized in marine archaeology as well as oceanography in her studies. It was through her research for her thesis, when she stumbled upon a forum regarding an old map for Pirate Benito Bonito's treasure in Cocos Island. Her thesis then surrounding the lost treasure. Maybe it was how her father scoffed, or maybe it was the discouragement from her preceptor that really had her drilling her life into solving the mystery after all. What was taking years for experts, only took Kaia about two weeks to solve and track down. The amazing part wasn't having earned her father's attention or proving anyone wrong. It wasn't even how other doors began opening up for her in Costa Rica due to donating the treasure to the CR National Historic Society and Museum. It was the thrill and how similar solving the mystery was to how Kaia could breathe on a surfboard. Since then, Kaia has been accepting quests from the wealthy, only to turn around and give it all to the museums and researchers. Recently, Kaia was caught straying from the original plan and running off with an artifact she feels is the key to a map she's been separated from. Due to this, she has been on the run and has decided to lay low in Chicago; taking on a cover job and assimilating to the city way of life, to keep up the charade.

EXTRA-EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT HER!

Kaia is extremely fortunate in the fact that she has dumb luck. It's usually this dumb luck that helps her get out of last-second obstacles. Kaia is also good with thinking outside the box; this makes her able to catch onto things that many others may not have thought about, or quickly brushed over. Another aspect that helps her with her line of work is that she knows a little about a lot; Kaia grew up with the ability to quickly get the hang of a new skill or activity, and thus she was easily bored - but, due to this she knows a wide range of info at a scale that can pertain to numerous topics. She's athletic, having had her fair share in sports growing up; soccer, volleyball, softball along with surfing and dance. She's always looking for new experiences and adventures, and is definitely someone who holds some pretty interesting stories. Kaia can easily build connections with others, but is used to keeping people at an arm's length due to the dangers of her job as well as the constant traveling. Her main goal in life is to experience and learn as much as she can about the world around her; as well as just to have fun and live every moment to the fullest. Kaia is super impulsive with her decisions, and this is due to the fact she is easily bored. She has good intentions, but is honestly chaotic in her actions. Is secretive by nature, and good at calling another's bluff; though she doesn't give the impression she's being secretive. Just overall, very fun-loving and here for a good time; always a 'why not?' type of vibe. She's just got her guard up cause of her past with her dad as well as her job.

PERSONALITY:

+ Adroit, Enthralling, and Apolaustic

- Enigmatic, Mercurial, and Impetuous

[intheshadowofwar]

21 June 2023

You’re In The Army Now

London 21 June 2023

It was an early start today - I was out the door just after 7.30, catching the Victoria Line to Oxford Circus and the Bakerloo to Paddington. It was already very busy, but there was a laurel at the end of my journey to make braving rush hour a little bearable. It look me a little questioning of staff before I knew whether or not my journey was in vain - it wasn’t - and then I proceeded to sit on Platform One for an hour because I’d massively overestimated how early the train would enter the station. And what locomotive, pray tell, would I go to all this trouble for?

If you know your trains, you could probably make an educated guess.

Built a century ago this year, No. 4472 - ahem, 60103 Flying Scotsman needs absolutely no introduction. Today she is the Kardashian of locomotives - she is famous for being famous. Unlike the Kardashians, that fame is well earned - namesake of the famed Flying Scotsman express, first non-stop run from London to Edinburgh in 1928, first (sort of) authenticated 100mph by a steam locomotive in 1934, one of the first privately preserved steam locomotives. She toured the United States (even though we don’t like to talk about how that one nearly ended) and Australia, making the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive ever between Parkes and Broken Hill. To her detractors, she’s the ‘flying moneypit,’ bankrupting every owner since 1963. To her fans, she’s the most famous steam locomotive in the world, Sir Nigel Gresley’s masterpiece. And at long, long last, I have seen her in steam.

Basically, do you know how monarchists get really excited about seeing the King? This is my version of that.

After her departure at 9.40, I headed on the Circle Line to Sloane Square, walking through Chelsea and past the famed hospital there to the National Army Museum. The NAM is basically the cooler, hipper IWM, in my opinion. It perhaps benefits from a narrow subject matter; specifically Britain, and specifically the British Army. Without becoming too complicated, it does a much better job at contextualising its exhibits than the IWM, without shying away from the controversies and horrors of war. Do you think, for example, that the Australian War Memorial would stock a book about the massacre of Surafend, in the way the NAM stocks one on the British organised mass slaughter of Amritsar?

When I talk about museums, as you probably know by now, I like to mention an exhibit that struck me, and the exhibit in question at the NAM was more recent than you might expect. While I could discuss the saw that amputated the Earl of Uxbridge’s leg again - the fact that it still exists makes me very happy - I’ll instead mention a ruined L85 rifle from the Middle East, which was recovered from a vehicle destroyed by an IED - none of the passengers survived. Jay Winter has said that if one shows a weapon in a museum, they ought to show what it does. Here, in this ruined weapon, we see both at once. We don’t need to see the blood and bones of the soldiers; from this broken rifle, we can fill in the gaps as to the horrific power of explosives ourselves.

Also, the NAM cafe does a mean scrambled eggs.

After the Army Museum, I headed back to the tube and caught the Circle Line again to St. James’ Park, where I walked to the Guards Museum. This is a small museum that people don’t really know about, and that surprises me as it’s literally right across the road from Buckingham Palace - it’s in Wellington Barracks, where the guards march from during the Changing of the Guard.

The Guards Museum is a very old-school and classic museum; a British Army regimental museum in the same old style that I love so very, very much. The museum is both wide in scope and intimate in subject matter - this isn’t the story of the army or the wars it fought, but the part played by the five regiments of the Foot Guards - the Grenadiers, the Coldstream, the Scots Guard, the Irish Guard and the Welsh Guard. For the majority of the British Army’s history, there were only the first three - oddly, the ‘1st’ (Grenadier) Foot Guards are actually the youngest, but as they were Charles II’s personal guard, they got to be senior after the Restoration in 1660.

There were a lot of very interesting things in this museum, but I’m going to highlight something very boring instead. There’s a shako worn by a soldier of the Coldstream Guards in the late 1820s - it’s called a bell-top shako. Guards shakos from this period are very rare, because they were introduced in 1829 and dropped in 1831, when all of the Guards regiments adopted the bearskin cap of the Grenadiers. In fact, this shako was so rare that I didn’t actually know it existed - I’d assumed that the bearskins were adopted soon after Waterloo, but it seems the Coldstream and Scots Guards kept the shakoes of the regular infantry for just a little bit longer. This is a completely, utterly useless factoid, but I find it absolutely fascinating.

Across from the Guards Museum is the Guards Chapel, and to the uninitiated it looks strangely modern. Surely regiments as old as the Guards ought to have a similarly old chapel, right? Well, they did - until the morning of 18th June 1944, when it suffered a direct hit from a German V-1 flying bomb in the middle of a morning service. 121 were killed, and over 140 injured. The new chapel is not only a memorial to the men of the Household Division (the Foot Guards and the Household Cavalry), but to those killed in the bombing. I was initially the only visitor, and by the time I left only a small group of Americans - who I will say were very respectful - had joined me there. Dozens of regimental colours from throughout the Guards histories hang from the walls. I almost felt like an intruder in another family’s mausoleum.

I’m not religious, but for some reason I was moved to light a candle.

I walked from there, back past Buckingham Palace and down Lower Grovesnor Place, to a small memorial on the side of an intersection near Victoria. This is a curious little monument - it’s explicitly a memorial to the Great War, yet the Tommy on top is joined by a pair of riflemen from the Napoleonic and Crimean Wars respectively. This is the memorial to the Rifle Brigade, the progeny of the famed 95th Rifles of Wellington’s time (although a number of Rifle Brigade battalions could trace their heritage to the 60th Rifles as well.) After the Second World War, it was adapted to commemorate the riflemen lost in that conflict.

I visit a lot of memorials because I think they are interesting, or because I simply find them in the wild. I hunted down this one because it was important to me personally. This isn’t because I think the 95th were cool or because I watch a lot of Sharpe, or because green is my favourite colour and riflemen wore green uniforms. My nan had two uncles, one who fought in the First World War and one who fought in the Second. Both were riflemen - the first of the ‘Hackney Rifles’ and the second of the 7th Rifle Brigade. The first was wounded at Third Ypres, although I’m not certain how severely. The second still lies to this day in Florence, lost in the attacks on the Gothic Line in September 1944. It’s silly, and probably vulgar, but I’ve always seen the Rifle Brigade as ‘ours.’ I probably confused a lot of London commuters by pointing at a random monument in the middle of the city, repeating over again - ‘that’s us. That’s us.’

Yet it is us. The memory agents, the people who lived through the First World War, are all dead. The people who lived through the Second will still follow. It is now up to us to interpret their memory, their experiences, their histories and their stories. We have a responsibility to them.

Like it or not, this is us.

I then wrecked this profound emotional moment by having a big fanboy moment over a Routemaster bus, and then I walked back to the hotel. After a brief rest, I reunited with my mum and stepdad, who had been very kindly invited by my professor to join the group at the garden party of the Britain-Australia Society at the Royal Over-Seas League’s London HQ. It was all very sophisticated, with a lot of the great and good - and Joe Hockey - present, but I think it just didn’t quite gel with me. We stayed for a socially acceptable amount of time, then went back to Victoria Station and grabbed some McDonalds before parting.

We will reunite in Paris, but there’s a long road ahead to get there…

[sewlastcentury]

I love your ‘Uno Reverse’ series! Photographs are a such a scarce but important resource for a dress historian, and this series really puts things into perspective. Thanks for doing this work!

Do you have any advice for someone like me who wants to become a dress conservator/historian? I’m a tailor’s apprentice but I’m having a lot of trouble deciding how to continue my education.

Glad you're enjoying it :)

Oooh, big question. Prepare for a lot of words:

Dress history is a weird field to get into. If you want to be a historian, unless you're independently wealthy and can just spend all your time researching and writing, the usual professions are curatorship and professorship. There aren't a lot of either position available - many settle for historical societies, small colleges, etc - and neither make much in the way of money. Definitely consider your options very thoroughly! (Though if you're a tailor's apprentice you probably already know that, lol.)

Conservation is - from my POV - a better choice in the long run, because while institutions can stop hiring people to teach or do research, any place with a collection has to keep conserving it. Conservators also make more money, no question.

I went to a program that specialized generalized in both (FIT). Like you, I was unsure of what I wanted, and the flexibility was attractive. Other programs tend to specialize in one or the other, and now that I've been through FIT's program, I understand exactly why. There was no way to give us both curricula in their entirety in the two years we had, and I ended up feeling like I barely learned anything. However, I was coming from having completed a long conservation internship; I had studied up pretty thoroughly on fashion history before I attended the program at all; and I had already been through a separate MA previously, so I already had research and writing skills on a higher level than FIT even cares about. Given that caveat.. if I were to go back in time with this info, I would attend a different program that specialized in one or the other and therefore provided more comprehensive skills.

If you're interested in conservation, my biggest piece of advice would be to do an internship, preferably with a firm that specializes in it or at a big museum with a dedicated department. That will give you experience and familiarity like nothing else and also help you to understand whether it's the right field for you. But internships like that can be pretty competitive, so the second best option is to volunteer at a local historical society or house museum. Almost all of them are constantly on the lookout for volunteers, especially ones interested in preservation and the more scientific side of collections management. You won't be paid, unfortunately, but the upside is that almost any small institution will happily take helpers because they're desperate and cash-strapped. Reading through online publications like the National Park Service's Conserve-O-Gram is a great way to start building knowledge if nobody there is equipped to give it to you. (Every institution I've worked at has had a copy on hand for reference, lol.)

I volunteered for a small house museum years back and literally on day one they threw me at the clothing collection and told me to dress mannequins and pack textiles. I had very little idea what I was doing, but it was a great learning experience - and one that you're never going to get at a museum internship because they're so much more careful about their objects and access. (Pros and cons, but hey.)

+ As far as I know, you will need an MA to be hired to most conservation positions, but there's no reason you can't get started in the field without it first and make sure that's the degree you want/need. In terms of curatorship/professorship, an MA will get you into small local colleges but for anything larger you'll need a PhD, and that's a big commitment. You have to really like academia to get one of those suckers! As far as I'm aware, there are no stipended MA programs and only one PhD program (Bard) in this specific field that pays, so again, you have to be fiscally comfortable (or willing to go into debt and work two jobs) to get an advanced degree in the subject. It's a vicious cycle that keeps a lot of people out, and institutions can afford to keep it up because it's so competitive. +

All that said, historic sewing is a fantastic way to get into the field because knowledge of construction and technique gives you an excellent understanding of historic dress, and hand sewing techniques are essential for conservation. You're already on the right track!

If you want any book recs, off of the top of my head Refashioning and Redress and The Care and Display of Historic Clothing are two great, readable volumes.

Let me know if you have any other questions, but hopefully this helps!

[sgtmickeyslaughter]

weekly tag wednesday buds!!

thanks for tagging me @softmick

name: gigi 🐇

zodiac sign: virgo

fuzzy socks or fuzzy blankets? neither! i perfer thick soft (?) over fuzzy

do you enjoy winter? i would love winter if the sun set at a remotely reasonable time instead of the middle of the fucking afternoon, and if we actually got any snow, otherwise im pretty indifferent

what’s your comfort book or movie? Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez and Julie and Julia

what’s your favorite way to wind down after a long day? depends on what kind of wind down, if im amped up and need to get rid of some energy i go for a run, if im just drained i watch a comfort movie and make a really delicious soothing dinner

tell me something you like about yourself: my constant creative drive, which is probably my most defining characteristic. i paint and cook and sketch and woodwork when i have access to a woodshop, my work is designing space, and now i create fanworks! it is incessant and relentless and i hope it never goes away :)

favorite artist? I have a lot of favorites tbh but im a big fan of diego riveras work

how do you practice self-care? i just spend time by my self lol, I am a hardcore introvert and once that social timer goes off its time to away from people and on my lovely lonesome, sometimes that means taking a whole day and wandering around the city going to museums by myself if im feeling fancy

what’s a song that makes you feel joyful?

this song will always be the most nostalgic for me. it just feels like the happiest, warmest days of my childhood bc my mom loooooved the chicks in the early 2000s and rest assured after they verbally smacked the dogshit out of bush they were still being played loud as hell in her house

a book you want to read this year: the vegetarian by han kang is my favorite book of all time so i will probably reread that bc i didnt last year

but here is the complete list of books im hoping to read this year, if anyone has read these please chime in with reviews

what advice would you give your younger self?

appreciate where you are right now instead of thinking about where you want to be and what you want to accomplish in the future, you will have time, stand still and breathe for a second

and finally, you’re given a plane ticket to anywhere in the world, no strings attached. where are you going?

im planning a trip to ireland for this spring!!! and im hoping to get out to both zion and yellowstone national parks this year. i really want to visit hong kong and patagonia someday but i think those are both strings attached trips so thats probably my answer

i also might try to go to chicago again sometime this year with a friend bc i had so much fun last time and its such a cheap and easy trip

play along!! @fierromilkovich @callivich @gallavichroom @iansw0rld @jrooc @hazeisblue

[achaiapelides]

Kit's Diary

Chapter 16

Dear Ty,

I'm sorry I didn't write anything for the last few days. I was so exhausted from all the trips we made, that I fell asleep the moment I went to bed and didn't even think about you. Well, lies, I still think about you. Your ghost still haunts me in my dreams. (Ok stop with the cheesiness Kit! That happens, when you listen to Taylor Swift too much!) What I mean is, that I still think about you in every spare minute and I still miss you, but when I think about you it doesn't hurt as much. First I was scared that I would fall out of love with you and loose all my feelings for you, but I talked with Tessa about this and she said that she feels the same with Will, but that doesn't mean that she loves him any less than when he was alive. It's just that she got so used to thinking about Will and the pain that comes with it, that she got used to it. And I got so used to the fact that I can't be with you right now and have so much else to do, that it doesn't hurt as much. Just like when a child gets vaccinated and the doctor distracts them while giving them the shot. The needle is still there, but it doesn't hurt as much.

But enough about me still pining for you. Surely you want to know what I did the last few days. Or you don't. But I'm telling you anyways because this is still a diary.

So, on Tuesday we rented bikes at the holiday resort and then rode them to the neighbouring town Knokke which is in Belgium. There we went first to a museum about the birds that live in the area. It was very interesting. You would probably like it here. The first part of the museum was inside and you could do a test, how much you know about the birds while learning new things about them. In the end, you can print out your result. Afterwards, you can go into a park outside, where you can watch some of the birds. There, we met some experts who gave the young birds trackers around their feet to be able to locate them later. In a hut that was build in the beach area we found another bird expert, who didn't work at the park but still explained some interesting things to us. Sadly, I didnt really understand much, but I'm sure you would have understood everything. After the walk through the park, we also walked through the national park, which is located right across the border between Belgium and the Netherlands. On the walk we encountered some cows (?), that were laying around right on the walking path. No, they didn't run away from their farmer, they just live in the national park. So, we hesitantly walked by the cows, when Mina had the glorious idea to run to the biggest of the cows and pet it. I really thought it would get annoyed or scared and try to attack Mina, but apparently a little human is not scary enough for them, so it let her pet its face. Then a little cow also let me pet it. It was so cute. I even forgot to take a picture of it, but I'm pretty sure one of my pare Jem or Tessa took one. I will ask them. When we finished the walk, we were able to enter the museum again to go all the way up to its roof so we could take a look at the whole are surrounding the building. They also installed these big binoculars where you have to pay a few cents to use it for five minutes. Naturally, that's exactly what Mina wanted to do, so we all took turns with the binocular. There are many fields surrounding the museum and we could even spot some more cows on another field, but I'm pretty sure they were another breed, as they seemed to have black fur.

Then, Mina complained about being hungry, so we ate at the Café, which is located in the same building. We all ordered hot chocolate and some waffles, since Belgium is famous for its waffles. Which they deserve, to be honest.

(Omg, as I'm writing this, I can hear some cats fighting outside of my window. They sound so funny. Haha. Oh no, my laughing scared them away. Sorry, cats.)

Anyways, back to Tuesday. After eating the waffles, we paid, and rode our bikes to the beach, where Mina and I swam in the sea again and collected a lot of shells.There are these beautiful, long onesn that I absolutely have to show you and we even found one that looked like a sunset.

In the afternoon we went back home, where Tessa taught me how to cook spaghetti, while Mina run around the house, very proudly displaying the knowledge of how to pronounce "binoculars" and showed the plush dove, that she bought in the gift shop of the museum around the house. After dinner I was very tired and immediately went to bed. Mina joined me to cuddle and I guess we both fell asleep. Tessa found us and took a photo of us, which I'm not going to show you. Like never ever. It's very embarrassing. I drooled so hard on the cushion. Ew.

(Just found out that one of the fighting cats outside was Church. He looked at me with such an angel face I got another laughing fit. Haha)

On Wednesday morning we decided to do something calm that day, so we just went to the shops and bought some postcards and a small kite for Mina. I also bought a blue cap and a hoodie. Sadly, the only hoodie that would fit me was pink, but since I don't possess any toxic masculinity, I bought it anyway.

Lucky for Mina and her kite, it was very windy, so we went to the beach afterwards and managed to fly the kite. We had packed some sandwiches, so we spend the whole day at the beach and ate ice cream on the way home. After dinner I almost immediately fell asleep again.

Yesterday, we went to Sluis, which is a small town a few kilometres away from Cadzand, where we explored the shops and took a look at the old windmill in the middle of the town. I bought a snow globe in the gift shop. Also, the church there is apparently getting turned into a house to live in, like Shadowhunters do it for their institutes. Maybe it will be an institute some day.

In the afternoon, when we returned home, we saw two bunnies in a garden that looked time they were kissing each other and shortly afterwards a whole bunny family. Obviously I had to take pictures. At home, we wrote post cards for the people we know and when I brought them to the post office, I saw a postcard in a shop with a drawing of two bunnies kissing. I don't know why, but I bought it and another stamp, and WROTE YOU A POSTCARD. Yes. A postcard. No, I don't know what was wrong with me at that moment, but I put it into the postbox before I could rationally think about it and panic. I did that when I returned home. So yeah, if you received a postcard with two kissing bunnies on it, that was me.

Anyways, here are some of the pictures I took in the last days: (loads of bunnies, some of the cows, a windmill and the church I was talking about)

Now I have to go, because we're going to a town called Breskens today.

Lots of love (and kissing bunnies)

Kit ♡

Author's note:

Here I am, back from the dead. And not even on a Monday. Embarrassing. I was so stressed the last few weeks, that I forgot to continue writing. And the next few weeks, I have some exams, so I don't think there will be a lot of updates following this one until September. But don't worry, afterwards I will hopefully update every Monday again.

[allthingsfook]

Hi there - I'm wondering if I can get a ship please?

I am 5' 7", a little on the curvy side, long dark brown hair cut in a shag (I had it before Jake, so there). I have freckles everywhere and my eyes are green.

I love being out in nature - hiking, exploring, and just absorbing the stunning beauty of a variety of landscapes. At home, I'm typically curled on the couch though, learning about something that has caught my attention. My typical interests involve history and cultures. I'm a bookworm and usually can be found with either a book or laptop in my hands as I read constantly. I'm one of those people who can rattle off strange historical events. When I vacation, I love going to either national parks or cities for museums, parks, learning. I'm a plant mama and do garden when the time strikes. I love music. I can listen to anything from classical and opera to death core, and everything in between - with just a few exceptions. *cough, cough* pop *cough, cough*

I am a weirdo (meant lovingly) for long haired men who have confidence, but also are adventuresome. A man who is not limited by always having to look a certain way and can laugh at himself. I love to cook and bake with my partner - and cook huge for family and friends. Holidays would wipe the kitchen out for weeks!

I'm typically the quiet one in the group of friends, though my laugh can be mighty. I'm a bit shy, but can be counted on and have been know to be too loyal. I love quickly and deeply. I try to find joy in the little stuff always. I'm a family centered person, although most of my family right now happen to be found in friends as I live quite a distance from my family.

Thank you ahead of time! 😘

Howdy! You most definitely can get a ship!!! I’m sorry for not getting back to you promptly, but I hope that this ship will make it up to you and find you well!!!

Without further ado, I ship you with….

Sammy!

This was tough deciding between Jake or Sam, but my gut said Sam for various reasons. Let’s dive in!

First off, Sammy does not have a type! I think he’s in love with women as a whole and those who are more than what meets the eye grip him. I think Sam would swoon over your curves and emerald hue eyes.

One of the many things you and Sammy could enjoy together is basking in Mother Nature!!! He would always be game for getting out of the city to hike the hills and explore the country side. I can imagine Sam being extremely in touch and loving on those trips. Mostly because he is escaping from all the distractions of his career. He can bask in life’s beauty as well as yours! Sammy is definitely one to tell you that too! I can see the both of you spending the afternoon hiking in the hills with Rosie leading the way. You’d come to a break in the trees, leading out to a rock overlook. Extremely breathtaking. The both of you would stand in silence for a moment, until Sam breaks the silence and comments on how the view doesn’t compare to you. He’d then embrace you until Rosie barks with jealousy.

You’ll meet your match when it comes to diving into history and culture. I think we often forget how smart and inquisitive Sam is. He puts himself off as a goofball, which he is, but he’s much deeper than that. You’d be shocked by the knowledge he’d contribute to the conversation and fun facts he’d randomly blurt out of no where. Sammy is much like a sponge, always looking for an opportunity to learn and expand his mind. Sometimes it’s great and sometimes not 😂

The garden and house plants the both of you would care for would be both of your prides. Between the plants and Rosie, it’s like having kids!!!! It would make your morning to wake up to him hunched over dainty plants; pruning and carefully packing soil. He’d be so enveloped that he wouldn’t notice you standing in the doorway until you say good morning in a groggy voice. He’d startle and greet you with a warm hug and invite you to try some homegrown produce.

One statement that solidified the Sammy ship was your vast music taste with the exception for pop 😂 such a Sammy move. ALTHOUGH I think that’s a facade for him. I truly do think Sam loves select songs from every genre, it’s just a matter of finding one that resonates. Shockingly Sam might be the one that turns you on to a great pop song….. who knows!!!

And the mold you have created for your dream man, how well does Sam fit into that?

Long hair ✅

Confident and Adventurous ✅

A man that doesn’t take himself too seriously ✅

Someone who enjoys to cook/bake ✅

If you weren’t sold already, are you now? I mean no matter the style or length, Sam’s hair has always been beautiful, but I must say his current facial hair to hair length ratio is hitting different 🤌 Sam has such a secure outlook on himself. Not that he’s cocky… far from it, but he is so authentically himself and not ashamed of it. Building on that he’s always living! Sam is certainly a person who takes advantage of his time on earth and wants to leave nothing unwritten. How excited life would be with him 💕

As outgoing and theatrical Sam is, he certainly needs a little balance. No doubt you could be the source of that. Don’t get me wrong, I think you guys would compliment each other well. I think Sam sometimes might need a reminder to come home and take care of himself, and you may need a reminder to go on that impromptu trip you’ve always wanted to take.

Another key point that made me decide on Sam was the fact that you said you often love quickly and deeply. That screams Sam. He’s so sure of people and willing to find them a special part of his life. His love seems like a whirlwind experience. Though it might be chaos at times, it’s the most beautiful and pleasurable relationship you’d share.

I so hope you enjoyed the ship! As usual, pleaseee let me know what you thought and if it correlates to your lane (if you have one). I will also include a collage and song ship that reminds me of Sam!!!