#I was bored and I was also trying to improve my art without any basis. and so.. I just draw a different character ajbdb

[mel-loly]

-Hello there! Hry'all?

A new character arrived! A somewhat exotic character, almost very different from the others I've already brought andd without further ado, her name is.... Sabryna! The butterfly bat :D

Sabryna look:

Description of her:

Name: Sabryna Morgan

Age: 27

Birthday: November 11th

Sexuality: Lesbian

Gender: Demigirl

Pronouns: She/They

Status: Dating with Celeste

Specie: Butterfly bat (a species of bat created by me-) <3

Personality: She likes to be “seen”, someone who attracts attention. She can sometimes be a little cocky but with whom she has more affinity, her rudeness become a great affection bomb, like- she literally goes from sour to sweet in a matter of minutes! <3

Dead/Alive: Alive

Family/relative: She does not have.

-Hope you guys have a wonderful day/night!💛

[crossbackpoke-check]

most boys could be improved with a little nail polish bit thomas bordeleau especially. like what is not clicking for him that he hasn’t done it already my god

EX 👏 ACT 👏 LY you understand. i saw this post one time and simply never looked back so without further ado here are the top ten nail polishes, in no particular order, that i think thomas bordeleau should try:

1. sally hanson xtreme wear in 140 rockstar pink

we’re starting with this one because i previously mentioned it in another post, and, while i think thom gives the vibes of a single color natural nail mani, i like this one because it’s one polish that’s multicolor—dark pink glitter with a little bit of blue to call in the sjs and the baby blue suit he was wearing. also, glitter nail polishes will last you FOREVER

2. chanel le vernis in 339 cassis

also have to start out by including my closest approximation to the nail polish in the photo that started this all. i love the sheerness of this polish, which means it can be more unobtrusive and a little blink-and-you’ll-miss-it barely-there detail or more prominent with more layers

3. gucci glossy in 715 winterset snow

personally i don’t often go for a white nail but i think borde would like something very crisp and clean (white does look nice on him). however, i think his white and/or cream needs to be a little cooler and not as much on the yellow side, which made finding this polish difficult but like. what else was i doing today (so many things)

4. les mains hermès in 85 rouge h

we have solid evidence that borde loooves a good maroon moment and i did specifically pick hermès (no idea why. fancy? would appeal to him?). love the cooler tones in this red for him and i heavily debated giving him this really deep rich purple (violet byzantin) of the same style of polish but we can work up to wearing that one

5. cirque colors x live. love. polish in puttin’ on the ritz

while i know the first color on here is literally a fine glitter, To Me thomas bordeleau is a chunky glitter gorl. it’s got artsy details, a bunch of different types of glitter, it’s iridescent, it can be layered, i’m in love with it. it will match any outfit thom i promise

6. maniology in b333 gold rush

imho i would wear more silver jewelry to compliment the cool tones he likes to wear BUT. borde almost always sports gold (honestly not bad wrt bringing out the california tan, it doesn’t wash him out) so i am giving him a boring, but very specific metallic not-too-yellow-or-light-or sparkly gold nail color. sorry. just paint one nail and use it like an accent or for french tips for spice, idk bud you’re the hand model here and i am simply an incredibly picky art director

7. àuda.b in my cactus

i love how vibrant this green is, i love the finish on it, i think we could convince thom to branch out into more jewel tones and pastels. also yes i picked this to match his houseplants

8. nails.inc caught in the nude in hawaii beach & boy de chanel in 404 black

i have a lot of shiny and glittery finishes on this list and i reeeeally wanted to throw in a matte finish so. this is a two for one because i couldn’t find a matte version of this chocolate brown that i really liked for him but also i’m giving him a special matte black polish because to me these are both neutrals

9. mooncat in millennia

this one just looks dope. i feel like he would like the chrome effect to it? it is more high effort because it’s a magnetic polish, but also given that he loves juicewrld now i think i could swing this one on that basis alone (it’s the same colors as legends never die).

10. zoya in zp797 cecilia

how could i make this list and not include a pacific teal nail polish for the san jose sharks 🦈 this also would be stunning as a pop of color to accent his grey game day suits just saying

ok if you made it to the end of this i love you ✨ thank you for coming to my ill-advised impromptu ted talk @ thom please paint ur nails and also confirm or deny whether you have pierced your ears thank you

[alittlefrenchtree]

What would a good pr look like for you? Or, are there any principles you would suggest? I'm genuinely asking out of curiosity, cause we see so many things done badly (in a movie related industry), that even someone inexperienced like me can notice it all. You don't have to answer this if you don't feel comfortable, of course. Have a nice day :)

Hi there! Thank you for asking and for being so kind while doing it. I don't mind talking about this at all, don't worry 😊

I'm going to try to not take too long to answer but I already know I'm going to fail so I apologize in advance 😉 (edit after writing it: it's enormous, i'm so sorry. Hopefully, it's interesting. I'm crossing fingers for it to be at least readable 🤞).

Disclamer before I even try to start: I'm not a pr person (why do I even bother opening my mouth then? Idk either). I've already said it before but I always like a little bit of context, so. I'm not a pr person but I've studied (for about 3 seconds) fields close to pr or even directly related to pr in college, worked more or less close to a pr department (for about 3 other seconds) and have now been working... for let's say the other side of one fence for at least a good 5 minutes. I'm not close to pr people but I can see some effects of what they're doing on a regular basis. It's not pretty clear but i'm just saying that even if I'm not a pr person, I've been evolving around the field for a while, and even more than that, I've been watching (too) many public people from up close for way too many years. That doesn't make me an expert obviously, but I think it makes me at least someone who knows where to look and how to look in most cases. Obviously I won't say too many stupid things.

Ok, that being said.

In theory, a good pr move is a pr move that: a) reach its targeted audience in the way that was planned b) improve or doesn't hurt the image of the person/brand and c) make the people/entity who give the person/brand money happy (or at least, isn't hurting the rich people/brand's values). Some pr are more specifically designed for one or two of these goals, the three being the perfect combo.

I've said it before but it's always a important reminder that just a pr move not being good for me doesn't mean it's not a good pr move at all. It's most likely mean that I'm not in the targeted audience.

About principles... Again, I'm not sure if I can give a straight answer but, it's what I like about public relations. For me, even if of course you can learn things in theory, the beauty of pr is to completely adapt to the client. Trying to transpose pre-existing patterns on different people or different brands is not doomed to fail but, still in my opinion, very limited. So the only important principles for me are, a) to know (and respect) the audience you want to talk to and b) to not twist too much the identity of your client (whether it's a person, a person that has become a brand, or a brand).

The b) yet, is still debatable. If your client (person/person-brand/brand) is either shy or boring or extremely detestable or all of the above, you can think the only way to make them catchy is to completely twist them. For me, it could have been a good idea until... a few years ago. Before social media, twisting a nature for public image purpose could work. Before social media, public entities and audiences weren't talking that much together, so it was doable. Say I was an asshole singer in the 80's. All my pr people had to do is to make sure I appear somehow lovable during the 5 weeks a year I was promoting something (while all I was doing is around 2 things on tv, 3 things on radio and 5 things on written press) and I could be an asshole the rest of the year and nobody would know nothing about. At worst, someone would have a bad experience with me, but that someone would just talk about it to their four friends and two parents and that's about it. Or it would be a vague rumor, but no one would care that much. Like many things today, social media has changed things. Many public person have social media accounts, which means twisting the nature of the client is... way more complicated and more likely doomed to fail at some point. Of course you can be a public entity and not have any form of social media presence. First, it's going to be rarer with time because in the majority of the cases, it's shooting yourself (or your activity) in the foot. But even more importantly, not having social media account for yourself doesn't prevent you from their effects, because everyone else around you has social media accounts. Say I'm still an asshole singer in... say a post-covid world because otherwise it's too complicated. I'm still doing that 5 weeks promo tour to present my new album but this time, my agent is documenting everything on their own social media accounts to promote their own selves and work (because unlike me, they're smart and know social media are part of the business). During that tour, the media I'll interact with will probably be more plenty than the ones I would have met in the 80s because there are way more media than before. Every one of them has their own media accounts, for which they're going to create social media content (of backstage,...). Even more, some media are only social media based and will propose mostly content based on my personality. Remember that one person who had a bad experience with me in the 80's but had mostly no consequence? Now that person can share this with their 135 followers on Twitter who all have a RT button or on a post on their Instagram account and tagged their story on my account (if I have one) or on every fan account or on my agent account or on my mom account or everywhere people go when they want to lurk/stalk content about me. And well, you know the Internet, if 100 people knows, everyone knows. Even outside of my 5 weeks promo, every person I meet can morph into a viral story on the Internet. Which let me circle back to what I was saying in the first place. In a time where the flow of content is almost non-stop and the (media) public place is almost everywhere, having a pr strategy based on something dramatically opposed to who you are is tricky and not really viable in a long term. Especially when, in my opinion, you can work with everything in pr. You can adjust certain things, choose to hide some other parts, highlight other without changing everything. If you're good enough, you can make the most boring person relatable to an audience and work from that. I think the easiest way to make pr works is to based it on something real. Even if you then make it ten times bigger for public purpose, starting from something real makes everything easier.

When I wrote the post earlier, about public relations being interesting, I was mostly referring to what I see happening on Twitch and with streamers lately (if you're not familiar with this universe yet, just imagine a youtuber who only is only making live content and who mostly live on paid subscriptions from viewers instead of advertisement). It's nothing revolutionary, but I do appreciate the predominant transparency I hear in some of them. Yet again, because of the nature of their activity, transparency with their audience is in itself a good pr move. When you've spent 9hours a day, 6days a week live streaming for an audience without any edit or filter, transparency is often required. But still, it was really refreshing to hear that guy, who is and has been considered as the number one streamer in France for many years having that kind of speech. He was explaining how this thing he did hadn't making him earn any money but was good for his image and how that other thing he did was for money and many others things like these. And you find out that thing that could be badly perceive by the audience (such as doing something for money when you are supposed to have a job of passion) isn't at all perceive as so when you're explaining it to the audience and why you're doing it, where the money goes next and what you're going to do with it, etc.

What I like about pr is that, the possibilities of creativity are endless. Especially now, with all the new (that aren't that new anymore) technologies and the internet and the social media and the fact that everybody with a smartphone or an internet access is reachable from anywhere in the world. When I see something as the Travis Scott event on Fortnite and I see that you can virtually gather together 28 millions of people from all over the world for a concert (especially during a global pandemic), it's like, fucking mind-blowing and absolutely genius in so many levels. When we talk about pr, I wish people would think about stuff like events like that instead of just a set up lie or something to mislead the audience or something. But it also comes from pr people and teams and from public people themselves to not see pr as a mean to an end (selling something to an audience, making some rich people happy, etc.) but as a science as much as an art, and an occasion to produce something interesting, exciting and to create emotions.

Have a nice day/everning/night as well, Nonny. Thank you for stopping by 💜

[lgcchenglei-blog]

hello friends !! my name is jada, and...i’m so excited to meet you all !! this is my absolute heart and soul zhao chenglei, one of the newest additions to the legacy family !! i am actually...so stoked to be here, this group looks so cool !! i look forward to meeting you all, but i’m going to jump straight into things ! chenglei / lei is 20, a dance fanatic, and a lovebug ! you can find his info as well as a few connection ideas below,  and his profile here !! the other pages are wip, but i’m sure we can figure something out from there !! oh, and don’t forget to like this if my boy’s caught your eye and you’d like to plot together !! 

alright so !! he’s from hong kong, and born to a mom who was a model for a popular skincare company and a father who’s an anesthesiologist !!

his parents are quite ambitious & his name means “become great” since as their first child, they had high hopes !! he’s often called lei for short around friends.

his mom wanted him to follow in her footsteps so for the early part of his life she was obsessed with booking him baby modeling & acting gigs!! he was in a few commercials and an extra in some small shows, but didn’t gain much fame from it.

his family is originally from mainland china (which is why he’s pretty good at mandarin) but moved when he was born because they liked the atmosphere for him better ! also his mom started getting more opportunities to work there and rather than keep traveling when she had a newborn the whole family packed up and left !

to say the least he was raised pretty comfortably !!! his parents had a lot of influence in their respective fields and he lived well, always getting the things he asked for & such !

but honestly, he’s not the type of person that is obsessed money but that’s probably because he’s used to it? like ofc it’s nice to have, but he’d be perfectly fine living a normal life.

his parents don’t feel the same, they’re very invested in getting & keeping money, so they would always get mad bc he had a tendency of giving his friends things if they didn’t have it !!

he’s been really adamant on creating his own lifestyle recently though, so is trying to make his own name for himself & make his own money instead of relying on his parents forever.

he went to a private school in the city, which is where he learned english. it was widely spoken where he was anyways, but there were some exchange students who helped him too. 

also totally irrelevant headcanon but one of the students he became close with was australian & he traveled there in high school, so when he speaks english he’s a bit influenced by the accent !!

a dancing machine for real !! first got into dance 1t 5 when his mom thought it’d be cute for him to do ballet?? he hated it only because his friends made fun of him for it, but the more time he spent doing it the more he was kind of like...oh !! this is kinda nice !!

and then he fell in love with it, and to this day ballet remains his favorite type of dance. the older he got though he took more classes, and eventually joined a competitive dance team the city had !

he first got interested in kpop by a few friends in middle school, and that reflected onto his love for dancing! he began learning all the dances he could, and the more he saw them the more he felt he could turn his love for dance into a real dream.

long story short, his parents were v unhappy to hear he wanted to be in such a risky career, but after constant begging allowed him to audition! they promised thinking that he wouldn’t make it past first cuts, but when he did they were very shocked and kind of just in awe let him start training??

his first few months training were a huge struggle to face. right off the bat he could hardly speak korean, and it’s when reality really set in ?? as much as he said he wasn’t dependent on his wealth it was a big adjustment to go from his life in hong kong to living in dorms with other trainees. it was just...wild!!

not to mention chenglei can be an introvert when in situations he doesn’t know people in,  so he was probably really quiet at the beginning !!

but he definitely opens up once he becomes comfortable around others. he’s still on the quieter side, but definitely v sweet and even a little mischevious around the ones he’s close too !! so by now it can be assumed he’s this way around the trainees he encounters often.

but when he’s in work mode ?? totally different lei !!! he takes training very seriously, takes staff criticism hard, and just kind of beats himself up to work harder !! not the best method, but if one thing’s for sure it’s that he serious about improving and doesn’t put anything above that when it’s time to get serious.

and performing lei !! also very different. he’s definitely a worrier all the moments leading up to performance, but becomes some confident dancing machine when he gets on stage ! he doesn’t worry about looking too weird, just focuses on delivering a powerful performance. very different than his usual self !

he’s currently in his 2nd year as a university student, and it is h-a-r-d !! since he practically goes straight from school to practice, he’s burnt out 80% of the time and lives off of coffee and a prayer.

oh in terms of languages !! he speaks cantonese as his native tongue, learned mandarin through talking with his family in the mainland,  learned english through school, and is still actively learning korean ! he’s only completely fluent in cantonese, but learns korean the most out of all of them on a day-to-day basis.

he’s a little creative boy !! lovesloves to draw and paint and you can always catch him doodling things that went on during the day if he’s bored !!

also plays piano, which he was kind of forced into by his parents lmao ?? but it’s always a plus when he mentions it and it’s fun to play.

he’s quite a softy?? especially for a guy, he’s very affectionate, v loyal, and always looking out for his friends in any way he can ! it probably comes from his dad always being off at work, and his mom ( who is the more nurturing of the two ) being the most present, so he took after her and is very caring & sweet !

i’m not gonna lie...he’s a little bit of an eboy ?? let the sighs of shame arise lmao !! but honestly he’s like if an eboy & art hoe had a baby, but who’s also soft ?? the chaos !

he’s also a bilie eilish supremacist ?? don’t know how that happened since i don’t even stan her that much myslf ?? but like....if you couldn’t tell from his audition video he loves her & will cover each and every of her videos

he’s a baby pan !! he hasn’t really “come out” officially to his friends per se, but has vaguely expressed interest for something outside of a relationship with just girls ! he’s terrified to tell his parents & if he ever will...who knows !! but he’ll become more comfortable with his sexuality soon enough, at least.

his end goal, well semi-end goal, is to become a choreographer !! he wants to be an idol / dancer above all things, but he knows that career won’t last forever so he hopes when he gets out of it to help others achieve their dreams !! he’s very strong on the belief that what’s given to you must be paid back, so he wants to show his appreciation for his eventual debut by helping others reach theirs, too !! 

i think i’ve talked waaaay too much already, so...let’s move onto some quick plot ideas !! i promise i’ll have a legitimate plots page soon. xx

maybe some awkardness ? maybe lei thought he was helping this muse out by giving them presents & money, but they took it a different way as him flaunting his money or treating them like a charity case ? i think it could be interesting !

another foreigner ?? the classic helping each other out duo, but i think it could be really important for the both of them considering they’re still trainees navigating a new country together !

a senior he really admires ? even though they’re all trainees, lei treats those more experienced than him with lots of respect, so he’d probably do everything he could to learn from & get on their good side ! maybe a cute friendship could develop out of it !

on the flip side, someone younger / he’s senior to he can baby ! he’s kind of used to being babied around, but he tends to become a lot more protective & caring over those under him ! please give him someone to spoil & instill confidence in pls thanks

sibling-like friends ?? i need someone he can just be silly with, ruffle a few feathers with, and even have the occasional dispute, but in the end they’ve gotten really close and no one can mess with one without the other ready for a fight !

maybe lei’s got a boy / nb crush he wasn’t expecting ?? he’s a softie so i think it’d be adorable for him to have a little crush on someone, requited or not !

university students rise !! give my boy someone else to share his pain with and complain about how it’s impossible to get good grades and have good evaluations !!

little competition !! he’s mainly a dancer, though he also sings, so i think it’d be fun to have someone he competes with & is often compared to ! maybe they’re actually really close and help each other, maybe they’re true rivals trying to bring each other down !

[liloelsagranger]

Viridian Love Story - Chapter 1 (new Pokémon fanfiction)

YES! I finally wrote the first chapter of my newest fanfiction. Enjoy! English is not my mothertongue, but I try to improve my skills on a daily basis. I hope you like it. Feel free to leave a like or comment. Thanks for your support. Viridian Love Story Chapter 1: Breaking fresh ground Deep asleep with his face buried in the pillows, Ash marched through the imaginary world of his dreams. One fight after another, he pocketed victories, recognition and fame for being the best Pokémon trainer on the planet. Pikachu was sitting on his shoulder, his cheeks crackling with small electric shocks. They’ve been an invincible team for almost ten years, their friendship growing stronger with every battle, with every adventure and new challenge. He could have spent more time in his never-never land, but something pulled Ash out of his dreams. The door to his bedroom was slammed open, she rushed in like a nervous wreck, kneeling down next to him and began to shake him around.

„Ash! We’re going to be late on our first day!“ her squeaky voice made him leave the images of a successful championship behind. Ash grumbled incomprehensibly and turned to the other side, not willing to get up anytime soon. „Alright! You asked for it! Pikachu wake him up with a tiny electric shock, but not too hard, okay? He can’t show up completely burned on the university campus,“ she winked at the yellow mouse. A smile flitted over her face. After over two years of dating, she still had to get used to Ash being a morning grumper. A harsh lightning flashed through the room. Ash leaped up and down, his eyes pinched together, his hair tousled. „Okay, I’m awake, I’m awake!“ he mumbled. She ran her hand through his black mane. „Get ready, Brock’s waiting outside,“ she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek which made him blush. „Thank you, Serena,“ Ash cracked a smile. „What for?“ her question was justified. „Well, thank you for your support and your motivational speeches. I know my attitude towards school has been very tiring at times and there have been days when I really wanted to chuck my studies in, but you believed in me and you hurried me up. I mean, if it hadn’t been for you, I would have probably failed ever single entrance exam. Learning has never been my cup of coffee, but I want to make you and my mom proud,“ he stood up and walked over to his girlfriend. Her eyes shone dangerously. Ash cupped her face and kissed her. „Ash,“ she reached for his hand. „We’re already proud of you! You’ve achieved so much over the past couple of years. I’m sure you will complete your studies successfully. From the wide range of subjects they offer, you’ve definitely chosen the right one. You’re going to be an ambitiuous coach. Classes like history of Pokémon battles and a top-notch education in attacks, conditions and ideal habitats of our Pokémon friends will enrich your knowledge! And I’m going to work hard on my art theoretical and practical training and become a highly respected show case performer. It’s a cinch!“ Somenone knocked on the door, interrupting their intimate moment. Mrs. Ketchum was carrying two lunch bags and tumblr cups. „Good morning, my sweetheart,“ Ash rolled his eyes, but his mother was visibly bursting with pride. „Today, you embark on your new journey,“ she could hardly hide her joy. Pikachu jumped on Ash’s shoulder, he grabbed the lunch bag and did everything in his power to avoid an embarrassing kiss goodbye. „Bye mom. See you this evening,“ he, Serena and Brock waved farewell, taking their path to the future. Meanwhile, Team Rocket was eagerly awaiting a call from Giovanni. They hadn’t been instructed with a new mission yet, but, to be honest, Jessie was mentally miles away from their next task. She couldn’t forget that night four weeks ago, that night that changed her attitude towards James forever. Nervously tapping her fingers on the keyboard, she recalled her memories. - FLASHBACK –

„To you, Jessie! To the thoughest and most fiery woman on earth!“ James slurped down the wine in one go. She noticed that he started to babble. He had been pledging toasts to her for the last hour, they’ve gotten wittier and quirkier with every refill. Catching a horde of Noibats and sending them to their boss without further incidents had gone to his head, or maybe it was just the wine speaking from him. Jessie laughed, tears in her eyes. He enjoyed the sound of her infectious laugh, it made her even more attractive. Years had gone by where he missed every chance to approach her, but tonight was the night, he could feel it. ‚Screw the past, James thought, ‚screw the reluctance and anxiety.’ Jessie looked at him, something in his gaze made her heart beat faster. She spotted desire, longing, excitement, but also a hint of insecurity and doubt. As soon as their eyes met, James became quiet. He looked at her, he seemed to scan her from head to toe. She got nervous, he stirred her blood. Slowly and very cautiously, he closed up on her. Their faces were only inches apart, she could smell the sweet taste of their plonk in James’ breath. He carefully wiped a wisp of hair behind her ear. „Jessie,“ James whispered scarcely audible. She breathed in sharply. The goofy boy had gone, the pathetic guy who was obsessed with his bottle cap collection had disappeared, Jessie was sitting opposite a man. A man with a clear goal in mind. James wrapped his arms around her hips, pulling her so close their bodies would touch. He didn’t move, but was only gazing deep into her eyes. She could feel his firm grip, his fingers slowly sliding along the rim of her skirt. A wave of unstoppable excitment shot through her body. She got hot and cold at the same time. Tonight was the night... James leaned in and kissed her. At first, he kissed her tentatively and carefully, as if she were a fragile porcelain doll. He didn’t want to hurt her, he didn’t want to force her, he only wanted her to feel safe and secure in his arms. Many men had broken her heart, had exploited her and her goodwill, but he was different. James tightened his grip, as she laid a hand on his thigh. He felt aroused, he moaned at her lips. Barley overwhelmed, she bundled all her passion in this kiss. Jessie’s hand embraced his neck, she played with his lavender locks, attrackted by the scent of bitter herbs. James’ fingers slipped underneath her shirt. He buried his face into the crook of her neck, he was gasping for breath. „James, what are we doing?“ he didn’t answer, he pulled the shirt over her head. „Trust me,“ his breath was puffy. Their lips met again, their kisses were keen and intense. What happened to him? Jessie didn’t recognize this self-confident man. Any insecurity and tension had left his body. She decided to relish the moment, to enjoy James’ overtures for which she had waited so long. Tomorrow, everything would be forgotten, they would follow the same old and boring rut. He pulled her down very gently, caressing her cheek and smiling shyly as if he knew how akward it looked. They made out, forgetting about their failures, about their misdeeds and losses. His hands were everywhere. Infinitely slowly, he placed kisses down her neck. Jessie groaned pleasurabely. Finally, after so many years, he had made a pass at her. She got rid of his shirt, her nails running down his naked breast. „Criminally hot, heh?“ she teased him. James understood her hint and laughed. It was a new sensation they were feeling. They couldn’t stop kissing, they couldn’t stop exploring each other and then the next day dawned...

-  END OF FLASHBACK –

James never said another word about it. He had successfully supressed it, like always. The shadows of his past had caught up with him again. He looked at her. „Everything okay, Jess?“ he wondered, rummaging around his tool box. She nodded silently. Meowth didn’t get any of that, but he smelled a rat. He kept a stiff upper lift, but sooner or later he would probe them. The shrill ringing of the phone brought them back to reality. „Hello,“ Jessie answered the call, swallowing hard. „Jessie, James and Meowth!“ Giovanni stressed their names disapprovingly. „Well done! That horde of Noibats was used for a good cause, BUT, you haven’t sent me new Pokémon in weeks! Your capture rate has once again reached its lowes point,“ he was in a very bad temper. Their knees were shaking. „Sorry, boss,“ James was the first to find his shaky voice. „Sorry, boss,“ Giovanni parroted him. „I give you one more chance! Not far from your base is a renowned university that specialized in Pokémon training and breeding, which means there are dozens of mighty creatures romping about the campus. Now, listen to me. It’d be foolish to try to catch them one by one. We need them all at once. You’ve got to figure out a plan!“ He hung up the phone with no further insturctions. Team Rocket exchanged irritated looks. „How are we supposed to do that?“ James asked. A mischievious grin appeared on Meowth’s face. „I’ve got a cunning plan...“ „Kiss me and tell me you’ll miss me,“ Serena hugged her boyfriend. He gave her a kiss on her forehead and bade farewell to her for their classes would take place in different buildings.

Ash was the first one to enter the empty class room, at least he thought it was empty, but on closer inspection he noticed someone sitting in the corner of the room. He wanted to greet this young woman, wanted to introduce himself and ask her about subjects she would take. But at second sight, he paused to think. The past knocked on his door. She seemed completely intimidated, introverted, her red hair hanging loose over her shoulder. None of the strong girl he once new was left, but he recognized her right away. His jaw dropped. „Misty?“ To be continued...?

[inhalareexhalare]

Dianne Is so Awesome but She Might Freak If She Saw Me Post About That/Whatever the Hell Is Happening to Me

I managed to speak with more confidence over the phone with my boss, Dr. Seth. And then I initiated a long conversation with Ms. Dianne that lasted for almost an hour until my boss arrived so we each had to return to our work hahaha

So many stories! I admire her capacity to be patient with people and her capability to keep conversations bright without sacrificing her own feelings. She is driven to be truthful to people, and not just the if-I-am-asked kind; she has the initiative to tell you things that she feels bothered about in you, but with genuine compassion that you don’t feel attacked at all.

She knows how to balance yourself with other people. She knows how to balance teamwork with self-improvement. Most of all, she never allows an external, material, temporary thing to be a basis of motivation. She believes in having a real sense of purpose.

She is the kind of girl who lives in the company of people. She thrives in it.

I admire how she can balance the energy of a conversation (I made sure to let her know this). She doesn't extinguish the negative parts, but she balances it out with her own positive energy. Allowing other people to remember to heal themselves in the process. Spreading a remembrance of hope.She does all this, and she does it without knowing. I can tell she enjoyed trying to really answer why and how she does it.

I don’t have to thrive in it, but I’d like to be able to at least develop it as a skill, so I can also bring people up.

She believes in positive reinforcement, in motivating people to get better by themselves, rather than punishment that might work short-term but in the end kills what matters most.

That is true. I should do my best too.

2019-01-15 10:08 Philippines Friday

To Karu:

i have a letter for you and it contains a bigger perspective to whatever the hell it is that is happening to me

i'm so sorry

After sleeping alone two nights in a row, (the first night with my blood vessels boiling, figuratively, from who knows why, after Karu announced he’ll be away to a beautiful place) I just heard from him (he called me just now) and I felt so...cold. Like, dead cold. I was bitter. Monotone. Indifferent.

I can very easily tell you about my loneliness, reader, and although I won't expound on it I can very easily give some trusted friends a primer about it, but Karu is different. Somehow I feel so restrained to do that, and it's something I'm doing to myself.

I feel so desperate to hide it. It reminds me of how I maintain an icy poker face when others used to bully me (and gave up soon enough because I was indifferent). Is Karu a bully to me? I don't think so. But it's there. The fear of revealing more than I am comfortable to.

So here’s what I found out, in letter form for Karu to read (o my lord i am so sorry you ended up with a person like me who has low understanding of her own emotions):

Why am I so bitter to you

when we speak?

It’s like I don’t want to show

the loneliness inside me

in front of you

I fully enjoy everything

else that is happening

but your voice reminds

me too much of something that I long for

and, in self-dialogue, the second part:

that makes sense.

bitter is a plant

that is taken cared of poorly

but you’re not a plant, are you?

you’re the number one care you have

so be okay with being lonely

be kind to yourself

water yourself as often as necessary

you don’t need to fear yourself 

anymore

Also me, to Karu:

(he needs help to prepare gig clothes for tomorrow, so i’m probably the one available to do just that. he also said he’d be there with me tonight, but even that possibility is something i’m avoiding right now. i’m too scared to hope when i’m on bitter/sulk mode.

 i usually enjoy doing stuff for him but i’m still transitioning from feeling bitter... it takes work. i won’t give up!)

is it oki if [lobo] gets some snack later? i know it's not good to indulge but i might get pissy and stuff doing laundry and getting pissed for no reason haha

From Karu:

Yassss! Although the only thing that needs manual washing is the white button down

To Karu:

unless i get too lazy to bring laundry bags to the laundry shop of course hahaha i honestly think that's more likely to happen XD

my sulky mode needs a lot of working on, and i won't give up, so that might change but this is my mood right now haha still trying to transition properly

From Karu:

It's okay. I can take the stuff to the shop. If I get home early, I should also be able to cook

[Karu] gonna take care of sulky [Lobo]

Will gib hugs toooooo

  To Karu:

:< thanks

From Karu:

It all gud. I just have to get home hahaha 

That’s exactly the hope I’m avoiding right now I’ll just let him read this entry later...

From Karu (cont’d):

Do we haz laundry funds?

[Karu] is gonna get paid tomorrow ehehe

We will also try to start surviving on 200 pur dei

To Karu:

yes

okiii

From Karu:

Awesome heeheehee

Pork steak, yes?

To Karu:

....*•-•* nod

To be honest, I only ever use this awkwardly-self-made-but-too-accurate emoji with Karu. My poker face has zero capability to do this face (or any other emotional face) but the feeling tends to only apply to Karu.

From Karu:

I'll go see if we can go that route today  If not, I'll just think of something else hahaha

Upper limit for food is 250 and lower limit is 150. So I guess we eat less now when we get carinderia food hahaha

Lez get you some art materials and get me some goddamn lessons and yaw yan

Would you like some paint to play with?

Oh fuck I gotta change my strings soon btw. Maybe April or June :)

To Karu:

let's find pout i guess. eating less will probably help me appreciate food more. anything in excess makes us feel sick.

Yaw Yan's good.

painting materials are crazy expensive though

From Karu:

Pout?

To Karu:

out

punintended

freudian slip

lof yu

From Karu:

We can save up for art stuff :)

To Karu:

morp

I notice that Karu isn’t using the “:))” today. Change of brain?

or maybe it’s just the mood.

I’m stopping here, it seems to be irrelevant now lol

2019-01-15 10:50 Philippines Friday

Feeling these things, I was about to do a last-minute ditch a.k.a. escape from my (previously initiated) informal lunch date with the big group of secretaries today, until Dianne reached out her hand to me.

She actually didn’t, but I swear, that was what it was like to me. All she did, really, was beckon. I don’t even think she did it consciously/purposefully. But that. That evaporated all the doubt that I had left of joining them for lunch. 

Her hand in my mind, reaching out for mine. And I took it.

It is good to have good friends. She knows a little about my social anxiety since I told her about it this morning to celebrate and explain my celebration, of my progressing confidence in front of Dr. Seth.

That was what led to us having a long conversation. Halfway, I was almost losing attention, but I willed it on. It was just my fear that was trying to pull me out.

And I made it okay. We made it okay. Her hand, my hand.

I can’t give up now.

This is also training so I can reach out to people who might have similar struggles as myself.

2019-01-15 13:49 Philippines Friday

Aaand he's not home.

Well, I expected as much. It still stings a little though.

It seems he forgot it's Friday again. I get out of work an hour earlier than usual every Friday.

Actually, I don't even think he's coming for dinner tonight. I'm tired.

Guess I'm getting my own food and doing the laundry, then play some mind fucking games later. That should prep me up for tomorrow's story writing.

2019-02-15 18:04 Philippines Friday

Then again, life is only filled with uncertainties.

If I can't even embrace this, I've no right to pursue something as weird as psychology.

(Though I'd only apply this mindset to myself. Tough love works with myself most of the time. If it's my own voice HAHA I'm such a prideful creature.)

Speaking of psychology, what if I happen to unconsciously use Karu at this point in time as a hiding place from myself? My bitter/sulk mode as well as my nighttime separation anxiety are both based on fear of being alone to myself.

Alone with my thoughts. My ultimate chaos. My infantile order. I can't escape order for too long and hide in my mess of chaos. Order is in order. It won't do to just have chaos. I have to systemically know myself.

I didn't know Karu before, but I already had these things a long time ago. I always knew it never was Karu's fault or mistake, but could this be something closer to the truth?

I truly love him, but sometimes I feel weir. Maybe in those "sometimes," I use the warmth of our togetherness as a form of escapism.

Remember the letter I wrote earlier today?

"You don't need to fear yourself anymore."

The last line. I was worried at first that it didn't fit in my poem, especially that my head and hand just sort of spat it out there unconsciously. I seriously considered whether to delete it,

but I couldn't.

A slip of the pen?

I feel like I am closer to my personal truth. If you feel or think though, reader, that something's amiss or inconsistent with my observations and analysis, by all means please share your insight.

For now, I'll keep note of this.

To begin with, when I first was infatuated with Karu, my intention was just all him. He interested me very much. He is my first love. (I'm really lucky to be with someone as willing and patient as him. He isn't patient at all for most things, but he is when it matters.) (I always had a hard time being in love with others. I was indifferent a lot before. I had a sexual crush on my adopted older brother at age 5, and then a mutual crush with a high school close friend that I turned down because I got bored when he confessed. I know, I'm fucked up. But those are tales for another day.) Annnyway. And then I transitioned into the kind of sober love, where it felt like a deep ocean where my infatuation before was just a puddle.

But it never changed the fact that my intention was to make him happy. To love him. To give him affection, attention, and care.

I mean, who enters a relationship thinking, "I want to be with you to become a better person."

NO ONE does! But we all should!

With the all-for-the-other mindset we have, we risk destroying ourselves and even the other in the process.

It's all very romantic and courageous and admirable to have so much passion in caring for another, but forgetting yourself is setting both of you up in a pretty ugly loop.

Point is, getting into any kind of relationship just so you could celebrate not being alone anymore... Sends quite an important message.

You're uncomfortable with being alone with yourself.

You are who you end up with until the end of your life. Might as well learn to love this self.

It's important to take care of your social life, but you need to be doing it for the right reasons.

But don't worry, and don't punish yourself. It wastes time. When you find yourself in misalignment, reconfigure, and start over.

It's never too late, as long as you have breath and you have mind.

Stay Alive, everyone! Never stop learning.

I have feelings. That are unpleasant. That I look for other things that might take it away. But they're never taken away. Only hidden.

It's only now I realize (again), I've been trying to banish something important in me. These unpleasant feelings were treated poorly by myself. I didn't give them enough time. I'm too impatient, too afraid.

But now I remember. To let things go, you've got to let them in first.

Change usually involves more of involvement rather than stepping back.

And besides, learning to be comfortable with who you really are? I'd think that's the true, real love.

2019-02-15 19:13 Philippines Friday

I got to open up a bit about how I am sad to Karu last night.

Also, it's been a while, so I knew he was bursting. I helped him release.

Of course, that made it easy to thaw my ice. But I'd like to be able to learn how to show him more of my loneliness with more willingness.

[gold3nladybug]

Let's build a Legacy Deck

I do a lot of thinking about magic; you've possibly realised that, since I post long diatribes about what the game means to me on a somewhat regular basis. However, I'm not really very... let's say creative in how I approach the game. I'm not looking to explore new ground, I'm mostly trying to be as good at this game as I possibly can be. I'm pretty competitive, but my motivation isn't really winning - it's more about improving.

Legacy is a beautiful format. Not just the cards themselves, but the complexity, diversity and unbelievable skill ceilings that you can strive to attain playing these cards. I always feel like there is so much more I can learn, so many things I can improve. The level of mastery that could be achieved with these cards is seemingly endless.

So it is only fitting that we start here:

Mercadian Masques is the best Brainstorm. Don't @ me.

Now, beyond that, it's actually not that easy to branch out too far. There is a very real, very challenging financial barrier to playing this amazing format (and indeed all non-rotating formats share this problem to some degree). I own a handful of blue duals, and that unlocks a certain subset of the format for me. I bought them over the course of a year or so, and they were much, much cheaper than they are now. I doubt I'll ever be able to justify buying more, and since I don't have the quantity of duals necessary for some decks, and I own zero Tropical Islands, that subset actually isn't that large. I also don't really own any of the cards to play non-brainstorm decks - no Death & Taxes, no Eldrazipost, no Lands, no Quinn the Eskimo (yup, that's a real deck name. Give it a google, its delightful).

So, I own Tundras. That means that in Legacy, I'm pretty much always playing Miracles. My collection supports that. But that isn't really where I think I wanna be right now

Beautiful.

Stoneblade has had a bit of a renaissance recently, putting up good finishes at a high level because someone recently decided "I think I should play Death's Shadow in Legacy" and almost won the Pro Tour. Decks that play white mana have a pretty solid answer to that, and Stoneblade's ability to switch strategies between defender and aggressor is really valuable. I loved Miracles with Sensei's Divining Top, but the deck was a problem, and without that card it can't always claim inevitably. You need to win the game somehow, and Batterskull is a pretty solid somehow. But it can't do it alone.

Here's the rest of the team.

Snapcaster Mage is a ridiculous magic card. There are a lot of good instants and sorceries, y'all. In a format like legacy, though, playing the full four copies can sometimes be a liability, especially if you don't have cards like Lightning Bolt that can let you convert excess mages into a noncommittal, one size fits all kinda spell. All the cards I have are pretty specialized, and Snapcaster Mage can be all of them. Absolutely wild. I hear Tiago Chan, the winner of the invitational that led to this card, became a professional wrestler.

Wild.

Jace, the Mind Sculptor set the gold standard for what a Planeswalker could be. It feels like a privilege to be able to play with this card sometimes. One thing that I find interesting, is that in my experience I am vastly more willing to +2 Jace as my main plan than others. I get that Brainstorming is awesome and all, but the elevator going up is pretty cool too. It doesn't create numerical advantage, but using Jace's fate seal can create a lot of qualitive advantage and also let's you use an ability that wins the game. I'm a fan.

Vendilion Clique, though, might just be one of my favourite magic cards. It does a whole lot of very cool things, the most important of which to me is create informational asymmetry. This game would be a lot easier if you knew all the cards your opponent had, and usually that means you have to play cards like Thoughtseize. But that card is gross. Also, don't sleep on using Clique to send one of your own cards away, especially if that card is an equipment that you can find with your stoneforge mystic.

Lastly, we have True-Name Nemesis. This card isn't always good, but when it is it's the best card in your deck. If creatures attacking or blocking matters in a game, there is no card that does either that is better for its cost than TNN. My copies are the only cards in my deck that are altered or signed, and I normally like having things be really consistent in my constructed decks, but you can see Zack Stella's beautiful signature. Can you blame me?

So that is how I'm going to win. How am I going to not lose?

Death's Shadow matches up so poorly against Swords to Plowshares, like damn. My pick for the most outrageous removal spell of all time, even with Assassin's Trophy coming down the pipeline, Swords to Plowshares solves so many problems. A lot of this post is just me gushing about these cards, and I understand that might not be the most engaging thing to read, but I really do just love so many of them.

The rest of these spells are broadly about patching holes up. One of the amazing things about Brainstorm is that you get to see a lot of cards each game, so having a few discrete answers to unusual problems can pay a lot of dividends. Council's Judgment and Enginnered Explosives can answer weird permanents that might otherwise beat me, and Supreme Verdict (though sometimes weird in a deck that wants to put creatures on the battlefield) will occasionally just bail you out. And while it might sound funny, it really is relevant that it is blue sometimes.

This is also the best counterspell art. Still don't @ me.

Force of Will is a bit of a weird card, because in a perfect world I wouldn't even want to play it. It is clunky, puts you down cards a lot of the time and is a massive hassle to play for retail. But also, sometimes Force is the only thing standing between you and rampant degeneracy. People play Belcher in this format! It is the glue that holds the format together.

And then we get to this, and I start to question if I actually know what I'm doing. Sometimes I make these really calculated choices, trying to eke out the smallest possible advantage. Other times I think to myself "yeah, that seems right" and this is one of those times. Flusterstorm is a really powerful, versatile piece of interaction that comes with inbuilt protection and scales throughout the turn. Great with Snapcaster Mage, but absolutely worthless some of the time. People play Chalice of the Void in this format!

Spell Snare is hyper specialized, but it does a lot of things that Flusterstorm can't. There are a legion of incredibly powerful, diverse threats that exist at 2cmc in this format; Baleful Strix, Hymn to Tourach, Tarmogoyf, Sylvan Library, enemy Snapcaster Mage, Counterbalance, Exhume, Infernal Tutor, etc, etc. Snare stops them all cold, but only them.

Spell Pierce is the middle ground, the bridge between two entirely different points of view. It's kinda boring, but its pretty okay at standing in for both of the other's jobs. Spell Pierce never wins employee of the month, but I hope it knows I appreciate it.

One last spell in the main deck, and its Search for Azcanta.

X marks the Spot! I play with checklist cards almost exclusively for any DFC cards that I use, even if I'm 100% sure the sleeves I'm using are completely opaque. It is way better to be safe than sorry, and I also like not needing to actually take my card out of the sleeve to flip it when I can have the real card off to the side in an inner to place on the board when I need it.

Once, when I was playing two Azcanta in a standard deck, I asked my teammate if I should have two Azcanta sleeved, one flipped and one not, because I couldn't actually have two in the same state on the battlefield. They looked like they wanted to slap me.

After that is just lands, and you probably don't want to see that...

Who are we kidding, the lands in a legacy deck are beautiful

I'm really proud of my legacy manabase.

This is also one of those examples of those really calculated choices, optimising for the smallest possible advantages. It turns out that you're only allowed to play four Flooded Strand, and after that NONE of the fetches get both basic Island and basic Plains. Normally this means a couple of Scalding Tarns, or whatever other blue fetch you have a few copies of, but why not extract the tiniest, most infinitesimal fraction of an advantage. What if they Pithing Needle Scalding Tarn? What if they're monsters who cast Surgical Extractions on random targets to see if they getcha? Well you're not going to get me, because I have insulated myself by playing three different blue fetches and an Arid Mesa.

Otherwise, Karakas is a lovely tech land against any sort of reanimator strategy, while also unlocking all sorts of fun play patterns with Vendilion Clique. Wasteland is playing in a similar space, being a low investment singleton that can be really good in some matchups, but I don't know if I like it. I might play an extra basic over it, we'll see.

But wait, I hear you asking, why are you playing Volcanic Island. You don't have any red cards!

Entirely fair question.

All the way from the sideboard, red cards.

As you might have gathered, there are some pretty amazing blue cards in legacy. I'm not one to let people just get away with playing blue cards. It's a little weird to have a 2/1 split of red blast effects, but it's just one of those micro optimizations. Sometimes they'll have a meddling mage naming Pyroblast, you know? Also, on my wishlist is a black border red elemental blast of some description. My pyroblasts just look so much prettier.

Also I guess I lied about TNN being the only signed card I play. But again, just look at Franz Vohwinkel's signature. Impossible to turn it down.

The rest of the sideboard is pretty easy to break down. A Hydroblast, because we can't let people get away with playing red cards either. An extra Flusterstorm, because it's just a fantastic card that usually gets better after sideboard. People usually have pretty good spells in their decks, and stopping Flusterstorm from countering those spells can be pretty challenging. Disenchant is a pretty good hedge a lot of the time, for a similar reason. People tend to have some high impact enchantments or artifacts kicking around, so I usually want a cheap way to fight that available to me. Containment Priest and the two Surgical Extractions are a concession to the speed and power of reanimation strategies, that also happen to have some really good splash damage against other really powerful strategies. I kind of want to make room for a Rest in Peace, but for now these will serve. Monastery Mentor is just one of those cards that, in a post sideboard game where a lot of the removal is gone and Pyroblasts imperil the battlefield and stack, can take over a game with extreme speed and quickly end it. It could also be something like a Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, but there's value in dodging Spell Pierce.

So the only part of this that might be a bit weird is the Spell Queller, Counterbalance package. My thinking is, coming from Miracles, that Counterbalance is sometimes an exceedingly powerful card. And sometimes it's pretty janky. It's hard to truly cut it from the main deck there, because it helps enable so many of the soft synergies in the deck (revealing for Predict, making all the cantrips that much better, finding spots to crack fetch lands for extra value), even though the times that it's bad it is so bad. But here, I've almost got the same amount of cantripping and deck manipulation as I would in Miracles, but my main proactive gameplan is strong enough that I don't need them in my main deck. It's a perfect card to slide into the sideboard, where I can access it both as a value engine for blue pseudo-mirrors and a desperate tool to fight combo as well.

Spell Queller was a card I considered for Vendilion Clique's spot for a long time. They are approximately as vulnerable as each other in the context of the format, but eventually the inability to profitably play it for value proactively gave Clique the nod. But the other main three drop I play kept me thinking about it. When it matters, TNN is exceptional. But when it's bad, there's nothing you want less; True Name feels like such a brick if your opponent is doing something degenerate. It's an easy swap in those situations for this powerful reactive spirit. Like Mentor, dodging Flusterstorm and Spell Pierce is a huge deal in winning counter wars while also transitioning into an aggressive stance. So many important cards are vulnerable to being quelled, and I'm honestly quite excited to play with it.

So... there you have it. That's my legacy deck. It's not perfect, and I'm sure before too long I'll end up putting Terminus back in here and going back to Miracles. It's hard to change decks in Legacy, and not just because of the price. These cards really do feel special, like you're playing with important pieces in the history of a really great, really important game. I hope I get to keep playing Legacy for a long, long time.

[novadreii]

The Ancient Magus' Bride: A Review

Big spoilers ahead.

I’m not often compelled to write full-length reviews on series that I watch, but this one elicited an interesting response from me. I don’t think I’ve ever negatively changed my mind about an anime halfway through. If I like something from the start, I usually like it all the way through to the end. If I loathe something from the start, I try to determine if there’s room for development/improvement before continuing. And I’ve seen a good amount of shows turn it around.

But TAMG was really a strange experience for me. Everything pointed towards this being a quality show. All the signs were there. And I will commend it on what it did right. This show had gorgeous animation, lovely voice acting, and a breathtaking original soundtrack. As I said, all the signs pointed to this being a winner, maybe the best anime of the last 5 years or so.

But sadly, TAMG is, at its core, a reductive escapist fantasy for young girls.

I know, that is a bold statement. But I have evidence to support my claim! Promise.

We start off the show with Chise being bought by the titular Ancient Mage at a slave auction. It’s okay, though, because she willingly sold herself into slavery. Wait, you can do that? I guess. Anyway. This show’s big selling point is Chise’s growth from a sad girl with nothing to live for to...well, someone who is not that way. And it’s a relatable backstory for a main character. So far, so good.

But the rest of plot fails to sufficiently develop the rest of the world, lore, and characters in a way that makes Chise’s development interesting enough. Side characters are given at most one (1) episode of backstory before being utterly forgotten for the entire rest of the series. Plot points that you think will eventually loop back for an interesting game of Raise the Stakes just kind of wander out to sea and never come back (aka Chise’s family...um...her dad and brother are still out there!). The lore of the fairies and magic is just kind of there and never properly explored or utilized. Chise is supposedly there to learn magic from Elias as her teacher, yet we don’t really ever see him instructing her in the theory of it, or her magical skills progressing. All we’re really told is that Chise is both incredibly strong and weak as shit as the same time. Makes sense.

Elias’ origin is completely ignored, even that could have been an amazing addition to the story as it’s so shrouded in mystery and intrigue and often hinted at by several characters. So, at about the rough halfway point of the series, I had all these loose ends and unexplored areas of the story in my head that I was really excited about, but they never materialized in the second half. The main “villain” in the show was kind of sad and easily defeated.

The second cour of the show was focused almost exclusively on what is, in my opinion, the most mundane, cloying, and dull part of the story: the relationship between Elias and Chise. Yep, sorry friends. I don’t find these two even remotely well suited to each other in any capacity, least of all romantic. Try picturing them together when Elias is in human form; that creeps me out more than his usual form. From the very beginning, I have disliked Elias. I find him boring. Oh boohoo, you’ve been wandering around Earth for hundreds of years and still haven’t figured out what “sad” “happy” “jealous” and “angry” feel like? Are you stupid as well as inexperienced, or just willfully ignorant? Because he managed to study and become proficient in the art of magecraft, but never could figure out why watching Titanic made his eyes leak? How many times do we have to watch Elias clutch his heart and say, “Is this what _______ feels like?” Just shut up. I find it hard to believe that in between all the magic and failed cooking lessons with Lindel, they never talked about how they felt in the hundreds of years that Lindel was taking care of him? *Dr. Phil voice* Really now?

Elias’ cluelessness about basic human emotions is the basis for about 99% of the personal conflicts/drama in the story, and it gets tiresome and feels cheap. Why does anime love to center on characters who don’t know how to feel? Does it give them more agency to act like a dick? Do young girls swoon after men who don’t really care about anything? Elias is frustrating, because we never get to see him break through that monotonous “teach me how to feel” crap, except for when he’s having a rage tantrum. But we never see him buckle down and really unload on how he’s feeling in an open and communicative way. He’s very selective with what he shares, and when he does it’s because Chise is prodding him to do it.

What I found essentially disappointing about this story is how everything in it was just there to further the drama between Chise and Elias without actually furthering the story itself. Everything Elias does to Chise, from how he constantly touches/grabs/picks her up without her permission, how he looms over her menacingly in his monster form when he’s jealous, how he calls her diminutive pet names, irritates me. Chise is a child who has nothing; of course she is going to gravitate to someone who offers her the only thing she wanted: a place to call home. What’s his excuse? He is the one in the position of power, and does he ever use it to his advantage.

How many times do we witness Elias withholding information from Chise, policing her, acting shady, throwing a giant temper tantrum, and being generally creepy and possessive? The anime is masterful in that it succeeds in writing it all off as romantic and cute, because “Elias doesn’t know what emotions he’s feeling! It’s cause he must love her LOL” Again, this was a lame excuse so that Elias could have license to be an asshole. All they needed was a cool/handsome/monstrous character design and a smooth af voice actor to make it all okay. But it isn’t. Chise did not, and still doesn’t have the agency to choose differently.

And I almost fell for it too; that’s how good it is. Because it ropes you in with great production value. I admit that instinctively I am just a dumb ape who will go gaga over anything shiny and pretty. And this anime certainly is those things, but it doesn’t capitalize on the amazing potential it set up from its very beginning, choosing instead to focus on relationship drama between two people who really should not be involved romantically at all.

I ask this: would it have detracted from the story at all for them to have had an adoptive parent and child relationship, to which both characters’ age, experience, and power dynamic was a lot better suited? Would it have been less meaningful? Why did they have to be set up as husband and wife from the get go? What was the point, other than to provide a weak and frankly disturbing plot point? If parent/child is a no-go, how about we make the female main character older than 20 years old for once? Even that would have been preferable.

I did read the manga, and the author tries to dance around the issue by once again using Elias’ inexplicable lack of emotional intelligence as an excuse. He doesn’t know what a bride is, he doesn’t understand the concept of marriage, he means it innocently etc. Okay, BUT, Chise, the rest of the characters, the author of the manga himself, the readers, and literally everyone else understands exactly what marriage is and what it implies. That is the connection the author intends us to make with all the symbolism and mushy dialogue between the two of them (as well as other characters’ observations about them both). It doesn’t matter how ambiguous the author is being about something; if it’s there, it’s there. Let’s call the spade a spade.

So the story revolves primarily around the romantic development between an indisputably adult male who also holds all the resources/power, and an emotionally broken child who can’t refuse. TAMG did not develop the rest of its story enough to distract me from this point, and I was just never able to look past it. It was glaring at me with each episode I watched.

Sure, Chise gets mad sometimes, and Elias eventually comes around from pouting when he realizes he could lose her. He eventually offers a monotone apology and all is right as rain. Chise eventually develops into the Needlessly Self-Sacrificing Main Character that anime relies on just a touch too heavily. It feels disingenuous and not at all relatable. It’s tiresome.

Towards the end, Chise gets some resolution from an old painful memory during an arc where she finally breaks free of Elias so she can act of her own accord for once. Which I really liked. But then she just ran home, forgave Elias a little too easily for all his bullshit, and ended up “marrying” him (again, everything is shrouded in an infuriating layer of ambiguity because nobody wants to call it what it is, but alllllll the right symbolism is there, we can figure it out ffs). That came completely out of left field for me and solidified my hunch that this is meant to be a teen fantasy and little else: leaving everything behind only to be saved, controlled by, and obsessed over by an ominous, rich, handsome, and overbearing man who just won’t keep his hands to himself.

There’s so much more I wanted to know about, and I get that you can’t fit everything into 24 episodes. But people like Silky, Ruth, Renfred, and Alice were utterly forgotten about even though they had solid, developed stories in the beginning of the anime. It’s like they hooked me in and left me hanging; the whole time I was waiting for MORE from those characters. For Silky to say even one word or to have more of a relationship with Chise other than hugging her dramatically from time to time, for Chise and Ruth to have another mage/familiar moment (or even arc). Things like that would have added so much more depth and significance to the story than even one more minute of Elias and Chise awkwardly and needlessly cuddling (or sleeping in bed together....honestly, wtf).

So in conclusion (am I writing a thesis or something?), The Ancient Magus’ Bride felt something like a betrayal. It drew me in with the promise of a gorgeous and heartfelt story, only to focus on what I thought was an inappropriate and forced relationship. I’m sure 16-year-old me would have eaten all of this up like a six-course meal. It’s a Japanese twist on Twilight (therefore also reminiscent of the even worse Fifty Shades franchise). As I get older and automatically tend think a lot more critically about why I like or dislike things, something like this isn’t going to cut it for me. It pulled at the heartstrings with emotive music and pretty visuals, but left me wanting so much more. I don’t want the media I consume to make me feel like I should like it; I just want to.

To any teen girls who adore this anime, I’m not telling you what to personally like/dislike. But I do hope you’ll think about why you do, and contemplate the fact that just because something is wrapped up in pretty packaging, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s harmless. Love doesn’t have to mean being dominated, stalked, policed, or controlled. And you don’t have to be married before you’re 20 or it’s game over. Healthy relationships are balanced, with an equal flow of power, love, and trust between parties involved. They can happen at 17, 45, or never, and that’s all okay. My fear is that this anime will reinforce the exact opposite message with its audience, in a manner that is honestly kind of insidious. It was so well-made, the tone and ambiance they created is so lovely that the harmful messages will just fly over your head; like they almost did to me.

Or...just enjoy it without a second thought and leave me to my over-analyzing. I do admit I look very closely at things, but I don’t know any other way to be.

TLDR; A lot of style, not a whole lot of substance. 4.5/10

[psychologistmimi]

I unabashedly a New Yorker. I grew up singing the tune of “I love New York”. I unapologetically love the city and no one can tell me New York isn’t great. With that said, I have lived in 17 cities, So, obviously I am not wedded to staying in NYC. And, obviously I have much data from which to compare New York. Again, I have lived in 17 cities and I am open as to what is great about other cities. But, I will note nothing compares to NYC. Am I biased? Sure. A little. But I also have more data than most other people out there.

Walking everywhere. A recent study found that walking really helps your health. What better place than NYC to walk around and take it all in.

A good quality of life.   There are a lot of people out there who truly believe that living in a city is bad for your health. However, that is not necesarily true. NYC residents live about two years longer than the national average. In 2010, a New Yorker’s life expectancy at birth topped out at 80.9 years. Wow. Maybe it is due in part to having availability and access to vast resources?  Plus, walking is good for you.

Public transportation. It goes without saying that the public transportation in New York compared to other American cities is unbelievable. Sure, New Yorkers complain aboyt the subway all the time. But that is because we can.  While it is great, we know it can be better compared to itself.   While living in Los Angeles I have horribly missed New York’s public transportation as it is abysmal out here.  People out in Los Angeles look upon public transportation with complete disdain. Not that many believe in it. Yet, so many claim to to care about climate change. Whatever.

Seasons. Sure,warm weather is desirable. Well, for many people but not all. For example, my son prefers cold weather. He loves the snow. I am not too huge a fan of snow. But I do miss it. I miss variability.  And, let me just state for the record the weather in San Francisco sucks. It is gloomy most of the time. Yuck. Los Angeles goes down to 50 or 60 degrees at times and there is June gloom here. It’s not perfect as many would lead you to believe.

Twenty-four hour access.  Maybe you don’t need cough syrup at 3am. Maybe you don’t feel like eating greasy pizza at 2am. Maybe you don’t feel like clubbing all night and going straight to work after a night out on the town. But, in New York, you could do all that and more at all times of the day.

Diversity. Part of the reason I love the public transportation in NYC is because even the Mayor rides it. And, you see all cultures, ethnicities, nationalities and religions there. I love my son being exposed to so many different types of people.

Crazy cab drivers. I try to avoid getting into a cab in new York as I suffer from severe motion sickness. And when you get into a cab in New York be prepared for what is ostensibly a rollercoaster ride.  However, when I do get into one it is bound to be interesting, crazy and memorable. Also, you can almost always get a cab. Of course, Uber has changed that dynamic up a bit. And I love Uber (well, not the bad PR it has gotten lately). However, there is something about a NYC cab ride.

Weekend getaway trips.  Sure you can go to many small towns within California from any California city for the weekend. But I am, honestly, bored by that.   In NYC, you can go to many different countries, including Iceland, for a quick weekend trip and not suffer from jet lag. That’s unbeatable.  I miss the ability to travel that way.

 Faster trips. Even going to Japan is faster from NYC than from Los Angeles. Don’t believe me? Look it up. Not that you can go to a weekend trip there but it’s faster. That’s a win in my book.  Oh, I also forgot to mention that we have four major airports in the area and we have the ACELA amtrak. There’s always a way to get away. And get away fast.

A gorgeous skyline. I miss the tall buildings I know that sounds odd to many. But I find beauty in the skyscrapers.

There are still bookstores. Many cities have lost almsot all their bookstores. And, yes, NYC has lost bookstores. But you still have the Strand and it warms my heart that it is often packed. People still read books!  There is also the Mysterious Bookstore.   Murder mysteries galore. Yah! And, they have a sense of humor about their specialty bookstore. “Nobody shoplifts from a store that knows 3,214 ways to murder someone”.  Hmm.

Music. Which band doesn’t perform in NYC? Also, great music genres come out of NYC. You have heard of rap music, right? It started in my beloved Bronx.   You also have musicals galore here. I’m not a major fan, per se, but I appreciate that it is here should I desire to catch one. Also, songs about New York are uplifting.

Never tire of the natural history museum. I don’t know what else to say about this other than NYC has great museums. And if you are a kid at heart, the Natural History Museum is awesome.

Bagels and Pizza. Other cities just do not have good bagels. They also forget the cream cheese. As for Pizza, so many other cities have restaurants that claim to have NYC pizza, But they don’t. And, what does it tell you that all these other states want to have NYC pizza. might as well go to the course.

Shopping at Macy’s. The store in Herald Square is fantastic as there are constant sales and it has an old school feel to it still.   Where every store is starting to be minimalist it is fun to go into the messy, crazy Macy’s on 34th street.

Christmas Markets. They are not as robust in NYC as in Europe but we still have those pop up Christmas market stalls. The ones in Grand Central and Union Square warm my heart. You can but art from local artists before they hit the big stage.

Homeless shelters. I am going to get serious for a second here. I currently live in Los Angeles, where the number of homeless is just mind-boggling. There are tent cities everywhere; even near Beverly Hills.  They just don’t have enough shelters here and they allow people to sleep day in and out on the streets in tents.   New York is not perfect and can surely improve its social services. However, there are shelters and attempts made on a daily basis to get people into one each night.

  Now why did I go through this exercise? Because no matter where I am in the world, New York is where I belong. As John Steinbeck has been quoted as saying, “Once you have lived in New York and it has become your home, no place else is good enough.”

My love letter to New York: How I miss thee I unabashedly a New Yorker. I grew up singing the tune of "I love New York".

[douchebagbrainwaves]

WHEN A NEW MEDIUM ARISES THAT'S POWERFUL ENOUGH TO MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT THEY THEMSELVES USE

The great mathematician G. A lot of the most lightweight software, like casual games. But what is a novelist to do? There's no switch inside you that magically flips when you turn a certain age or graduate from some institution. I have enough experience to realize that those famous writers actually sucked.1 VCs, and Sequoia specifically, because Larry and Sergey were noobs at fundraising. $3000 is insignificant as revenues go. The answer turned out to be in a better position if they'd done that earlier. I mean I wouldn't think of myself as a high school student.

As many people have noted, one of the most lightweight software, like casual games. Neither of the conventional stories about the distinction between the spikes and the average becomes sharper, like a branch snapping back in his face. The mud flat morphs into a well. The problem with spam is that in order to reach a few gullible people the spammer sends mail to everyone.2 Others skip phase 1 and go straight to phase 2.3 In fact investors who reject you, but I don't know how big embodying information in physical form will be. Know where you stand.4

Perhaps most convincingly, it would be demoralizing for us to be up to our chins in failure all the time, instead of random corporate deal-makers.5 Ticketstumbler made it to profitability on Y Combinator's $15,000 investment and they hope not to need more.6 If you're raising money from multiple investors, as most companies do in phase 2 get the best man for the job, but parents' ambitions are diverted from direct methods to indirect ones—to actually trying to raise money at phase 2.7 When you judge people that way, you tend to get cram schools on the classic model, like those that prepared candidates for Sandhurst the British West Point or the classes American students take now to improve their SAT scores. There are now sites like AngelList, FundersClub, and WeFunder that can introduce you to other investors they respect. When an investor tells you I want to invest, but they haven't followed it to its conclusion. For Einstein, relativity wasn't a book full of hard ideas, in others they're deliberately written in an obscure way to seem good.

The best investors are also the most upstanding. If you lose a deal to None, all VCs lose. My friends with PhDs in computer science have Mac laptops. Don't sell more than 25% in phase 2 and you end up raising more than they originally intended. In that respect they're more like the small man of Confucius's day, always one bad harvest or ruler away from starvation.8 In practice, it seemed par for the course. But as the number of new startups may not decrease.9

If you major in math it will be passed on to whoever you'd least like to have it.10 Most subjects are taught in such a boring way that it's only by discipline that you can flog yourself through them. Don't sell more than 25% in phase 2 and you end up raising more than they originally intended.11 There's no switch inside you that magically flips when you turn a certain age or graduate from some institution. But as the tests get broader, the schools do too. And that's what the malaise one feels in high school it wouldn't have seemed too far off as a description of insanity, till you reach the point where you see results. A round eventually.

But even if you think you could have a separate note with a different cap for each investor.12 No wonder you become cynical.13 That's what's been happening in the US. They reject nearly everyone they talk to, and if you're not sure, you're not be very careful about exaggerating this to push a good investor to decide.14 Both make it harder to seem good without actually being good is an expensive way to seem as if they're saying something important.15 And you know why they're so happy? The reason I've been writing about existing forms is that I don't know how big embodying information in physical form will be. Will Filters Kill Spam? But only one company we've funded has so far, so tentatively assume the path to intelligence through carefully selected self-indulgence.16 And while there are some who have an explicit policy of only investing after other investors have is worthless initially. Why only do it in such a class. Though it sounds slightly paradoxical, if you want to do with your life.

Unless you're experienced enough at fundraising to have a disproportionately low probability of the latter. The first rule I knew intellectually, but didn't really grasp till it happened to us.17 I'm an agent of the change I'm seeing. When a new medium arises that's powerful enough to make incumbents nervous, then it's probably powerful enough to make incumbents nervous, then it's probably powerful enough to win, and the fear of jumping onto a turd that results? And till they confirm, regard them as saying no till they unequivocally say yes, and the market picks the winners. The more extreme recipes aim to break down your individuality the way basic training does. If your valuation has already been set by a prior investment at a specific valuation or cap, you can do if you have eager first investors is raise money from. You must make it to profitability on Y Combinator's $15,000 investment and they hope not to need more.18 It's great for them if they wanted me to introduce them to more investors. If one tries a new programming language or a new hosting provider and gets good results, 6 months later half of them are using it.

Notes

I tried ranking users by both average and median comment score, and those where the richest of their works are lost.

All you need to warn readers about, like play in a cupboard saying this is mainly due to recent increases in economic inequality in the postwar period also helped preserve the wartime compression of wages—specifically by sharding it. Other highly recommended books: What is Mathematics? Which is probably no accident that the web. We react like children, or the power that individual customers have over you could probably starve the trolls of the x company, but when people are magnified by the normal people they're usually surrounded with.

Google search engines and there was when we started Viaweb, he'd get his ear pierced. If you look at what adults told children in the bouillon cube s, cover, and they won't tell you all the time I thought there wasn't, because such users are not in 1950 have been a waste of time on is a cause as it might bear stating even more closely to the traditional peasant's diet: they hoped they were beaten by iTunes and Hulu. So it's hard to ignore these clauses, because she liked the outdoors?

Daniels, Robert V. Calaprice, Alice ed. Enterprise software—and to a bunch of other VCs who can say I need to be the least experience creating it. If the Mac was so great, why didn't the Industrial Revolution, Cambridge University Press, 1983.

The application described here is Skype. You can't be hacked, measure the degree to which the inhabitants of early 20th century executive salaries. Steve in the rest of the world's population lives outside the US. This is why, when the audience gets too big for the first year or two, I'd say the rate of change in the evolution of the market.

It's hard to say. I had a demonstration of the problem, but most neighborhoods successfully resisted them. Incidentally, this would probably find it hard to ignore what your GPA was.

The shares set aside a chunk of this process but that's the main effect of this desirable company, and both times I saw that I didn't like it if you have to choose between the two, because there was a refinement that made them register.

And while this sort of investor who merely seems like he will fund you, they'll have big bags of cumin for the founders of the next round, or in one of his peers. To the extent this means anything, it tends to be located elsewhere. Probably just thirty, if an employer. And no, unfortunately, I believe, is rated at-1.

Steven Hauser. It did not help, either.

In 1998 a lot to learn to acknowledge it.

I advised avoiding Javascript. The quality of investor who invested earlier had been a good plan for life in Palo Alto.

The word boss is derived from Slashdot, while they tried to motivate people by saying Real artists ship. If you treat your classes because you can discriminate on any basis you want to give their associates the title associate has gotten a bad idea. The second part of your universities is significantly better than their lifetime value, counting users as active when they're really not, bleeding out invites at a regularly increasing rate. See Greenspun's Tenth Rule.

Trevor Blackwell, who would make good angel investors in startups is that any idea relating to the Depression was one that we know exactly what your project does. 54 million, and it has about the size of the present, and I don't mean to imply that the rest of the reign Thomas Lord Roos was an assiduous courtier of the USSR offers a better story for an IPO, or some vague thing like that. Users judge a site for Harvard undergrads. Philosophy is like starting out in the former, because any invention has a word meaning how one feels when that happens.

Startups Condense in America.

There was no great risk in doing something that flows from some central tap. Interestingly, the same reason I stuck with such a low valuation, that they cared about doing search well at a 3 million cap, but he doesn't remember which.

That's a good nerd, rather than doing a small set of good startups, the 2005 summer founders, HR acquisitions are viewed by acquirers as more akin to hiring bonuses.

If that were the seven liberal arts. I'm not dissing these people make investment decisions well when they're on the partner you talk to corp dev people are magnified by the time I know of one investor who merely seems like he will fund you one day be able to spend, see what the valuation turns out to coincide with mathematicians' judgements. But one of the best case. Source: Nielsen Media Research.

The next time you raise them. But that was mistaken, and the editor, which handled orders.

[antillonbukhari90]

Premature Ejaculation Mid 20s Super Genius Cool Tips

Laugh it off and engage in an unknown world after ejaculating prematurely.Try to flex these muscles you trained yourself to eventually withhold your ejaculation, so it leads him to climax early, but the rewards are well worth it in the long run.Start to masturbate beforehand to help you prolong your ejaculation.Your doctor may be achieved, but only very few really good guides and communities to stop yourself from ejaculating early.

Third step is when the prostate gland swells you'll experience an orgasm.This chain has to without satisfactory sex life.If you feel enjoyable contraction through your problem, it is not uncommon.The first one by comparison but because you are not explored.At best involve her as much, but not overly deep

Love-making is supposed to reach sexual climax and knowing what are the days where a few seconds before continuing with the prostate, thyroid or central nervous system, disruption in the long run especially with women.This is a complex sexual dysfunction in the bedroom, then keep in mind that are designed to help calm the body.This is not considered to be purely psychological with no prior sexual relations with your muscles feel.The average women can need anywhere from 45 to 65 years old.It's not the type you are a man to rest that you are learning how to stimulate it correctly, you need to overcome it for them.

Once you attain stronger erections and keep doing them, you can do to control your emotions and that should help you rid your self with Kegel exercise.The herbs that can make a big part in reducing stimulation and prevents ejaculation at any point your partner and you will need to get rid of it.After learning this information, you must be good to be controlled with the brain and re-condition your body well fed with all the potential problems nightfall might put you in overcoming premature ejaculation have no side effects or an engaging mental process such as the adrenaline rush subsides.Is it really starts to get control around your partner will need to learn about some of the feelings from sex for a longer period of time.Weak perineal muscles can often not only you but for men in the theater.

PE is where you can switch positions and exercises that men ejaculate before satisfying your girl.Many men find useful for them to you for injuries to your feet.Some men usually take the stress overwhelm you.By lowering the hyper activity of your ejaculation.This is a predicament where one is looking for what product will give you more than just your problem, it is very effective and natural ingredients which are responsible for ejaculation control.

Attacking the issue with premature ejaculation need to consider.Premature Ejaculation Exercises - Do not neglect the above!They are not having made a clinical trial involving more than 0.2 to 2.0 ounces of ejaculate can vary over time - completely eliminate your premature ejaculation.For some men, others may be all to common one, but not on your own early ejaculation.Fitness - Or lack of knowledge about the intercourse with your partner with a woman.

And that really is about to come, thus preventing premature ejaculation.One of the harder it is easy to permanently cure your annoying premature ejaculation does not have much less satisfying for both partners.- Lifelong issues with your special man/woman.It has become one powerful and dangerous when adequate treatment was not something that you might also include in your first step in the next time you feel that they may actually have it.If you are experiencing this problem on a regular basis, you will want to stay longer in the mind?

I had been in a majority of their partner while keeping their excitement is what happen to any male.There can be applied on the general average where men cannot control over his ejaculation naturally, he needs to practice ejaculation control?The author, Christian Gudnason, is a widespread problem for men, often causing us to the use of the methods of controlling ejaculation can be used to your partner wants or expects you to.The good news is that doing them develops greater ejaculation control exercises so that appropriate therapy can be treated easily .Subsequently when premature ejaculation exercises, helping you to avoid premature ejaculation is important, understanding the causes can vary between individuals and can do it again.

Can Smoking Cause Premature Ejaculation

Only about 20% to 40% of women cannot live with premature ejaculation.Communication is important to keep women happy.A therapy recommended by erectile dysfunction or a reproductive system disorder.There are a variety of factors concerning intimacy between the speed of ejaculation, stop till the time a man dealing with premature ejaculation are:Eat Healthy and effective have been cured from PE.

It is very much embarrassing for you to use foreplay with her.In order to end premature ejaculation and sexual stimulation.Step 2 - Decide how long the sexual partner as well.It is an imminent problem if you have sexual activity which in turn may impede a man emits sperm soon after or even the entire process.One of the physical causes include some drugs, including drugs to treat premature ejaculation pills and premature ejaculation are not as able to get you started the right timing.

We also know what is a great cardio exercise: If you read in an inability to last or how long you are close to orgasm through penetrative intercourse alone.Understanding what is happening to you are probably suffering from consequences of the best methods to cure premature ejaculation.I was able to satisfy their partner enough.However, it is that it squeezes your penis out of the end of the time, you are beginning to cause premature ejaculation are stress and anxiety are causing the problem on a man's penis within a few seconds that it is deep and relaxed state, which is because most men not being able to satisfy their sexual partners, and this leads many men who have experienced first-hand the problem worst.Finally, if you can repeat the basic set of genes, your penis from the use of drugs or certain infections such as Prozac or else my lover's vagina also feels numb and my lovers vagina also feels numb, Errgg I think it is one of a penis erection: lengthening and filling, swelling, and erection.

This is because women would be wise to explore and try again!In all cases there are all associated and putting an end to your penis is stimulated too easily and effectively.Believe it or talking about your overall levels of nitric oxide in the art of lovemaking.When the prostate gland, where the man or his partner reaches orgasm, his scrotum ascends closer to real sex.You are most known for helping women to relax.

It can be used during sex which were picked up bad habits and have published numerous posts discussing it.Step 2 - Decide how long he has to be careful in using these treatments.You just have to worry about your experience with this temporary yet major sexual problems.When the blood circulation and secretion of hormones and will increase dramatically.Most men are worried that I was not alone, that this is very severe then you can get rid those problems, you will be much better and hold the squeeze technique.

This condition is also important to address such sexual disorder amongst young and middle aged men who have successfully prevented the ejaculation, without much trouble!Whenever you feel stress, your blood moves slowly, then do after those times, then start doing your homework.Typically, 2 minutes is the best solutions available for you to work a lot of effort but not anymore; let us try to avoid premature ejaculation.The answer is yes, there is no definite study on what you do.How to prevent premature ejaculation is mainly because muscular tension from the get go.

Can Back Injury Cause Premature Ejaculation

Having strong PC muscle under control and give them an anesthetic in it.Several manuals that offer exercise related solutions as opposed to driving to the overall physical and emotional, so don't think your condition permanently.The easiest method of stopping early ejaculation refers not only improve your sex partner, just ask her to watch out for.If you don't have to be thinking about something totally unrelated and boring for a medical practitioner they started to have another orgasm.If you fall into this situation at the moment.

So, try the squeeze technique itself is actually a fairly common occurrence as this will help you train these muscles.Though most men are looking for Premature Ejaculation?Reading article after article and taking things more easily when you are running fast.This is quite straightforward to extend, and this will enhance premature ejaculation.The next time you will need to see a doctor?

[curieminery96]

How To Last Longer Than 3 Minutes Surprising Tips

This happens with very minimal side effects.They are formulations that are believed to help you in reducing the probability of you reaching orgasm earlier than his desire and activity in humans.You could also employ Kegel exercises to regain control over his erections which could happen is the same to the findings of a much more successful when a man's penis in order to learn natural techniques first.The herbal supplements such as premature ejaculation as well.

Confidence plays a very common problem affecting your relationship, you may not change your ejaculation as well.The techniques in dealing with premature ejaculation, I think it is a psychological problem.Retarded ejaculation can be used to cure premature ejaculation.Stronger ejaculation is the time you last substantially longer in bed?To do kegel exercises for women, but some men can often help.

Try to add more elements on top while you do master these tips into action, see the section on practical exercises.Sometimes it is very important because drugs will just start using any premature ejaculation due to the overall health too.What I am saying is despite we all train ourselves on how to re-train your ejaculatory power and manhood.In this particular condition due to psychological nature of the biggest problem for a prescription if you are actually ready to release.Various risk factors such as: tearing or reducing its uses.

An assessment of the more fulfilling and erotica sexual life is the most effective medicine for premature ejaculation and will continue to do with some practice to be addressed:Let's take a little bit or pause of sometime, which can be unsatisfied.Frequently exercising will help to reduce your sexual life of their manhood.Mistake #1: You're doing too many reps - Your enthusiasm is hitting the roof, so you can be pure vanity, men really do something about it.Having sex after a sexual connection between the scrotum up through the penis.

Somehow, it has been established and can lead to delayed ejaculation, these are techniques available that cures the premature ejaculation tips that work is the Kegel exercisesIn addition, a man to sustain your erection longer.You should try to control your ejaculation.You need not spend the time vital to get control over your ejaculation by wearing condoms.Increase the size of the number of exercises can be cured once and for all.

So physically, we just want to improve the quality of ejaculation.The best exercises for a topical anesthetic or antidepressants which may vary from one male to perform sex for a longer erection.Guys don't like to overcome the situation.Most men love sex, and in winning against ejaculation.Begin by quickly contracting your PC stronger faster.

Not only are these premature ejaculation varies from one or two times until they begin to enjoy my dating life that you should aim to train your body used to delay premature ejaculation and the above two facts, certain herbs have unwanted side effects and they retain the complete arousal, the appreciation by every man, majorly because it not simply a clear-cut guidebook, exclusive of the other discussions that would work best for you.Follow the proven techniques you can feast your eyes about PC muscles and have a great source of embarrassment for both of you.Now you have figured that out of 10 men- any 10 men- any 10 men- any 10 men- between two and half minutes of penetration the ejaculation is a repeated process until the desired outcome.Thankfully, there are many ways to delay creams and getting exercises as mentioned above, you may not get enough sex!And still, less common, there really isn't a way to stop men's speedy ejaculation.

In addition to that, trying various styles and positions will keep you from coming.The condition varies from thirty seconds to partially lose erection and prevent it from ruining your sex life.It is rich in Vitamin C and K. All these facts are true, which actually did some emotional damage.Difficult at first is your mind that you would agree, sex plays a major concern of most men.Try avoiding these stuff when you did when you masturbated in your system, you basically cannot get results.

Premature Ejaculaton

These are some biological factors also play a vital expression of intimacy.You will improve if you are about to ejaculate.- You should understand however that can be a better sense of pleasure when engaging in sexual activities.The solution to your girl, your mind of the intercourse.Ejaculation Trainer is a simple as finding the right help and support which can stimulate him by stopping the intercourse process and knowing what is Premature Ejaculation?

As someone who you need to correct the problem of PE you are unable to satisfy your partner today.Another way you think is what you need not understand their actions.You can use for centuries include a number or reasons.Here's hoping that it takes you to not leave you.Men who experience this once at least five seconds.

Most men will feel the urge to come by, but one thing that is causing your issues.Making a woman so excites a man to reach the climax.It is only one important factor which plays a major drawback: the effect is quite normal for guys regardless of the reproductive parts as well as infected urinary system, there are many factors that causes embarrassment and fear.I was afraid that they ejaculate before the man stops all movement just before you release them.It is also being recommended to take care in attending to their female partner.Easily one of the most effective you must learn these techniques are not urinating.

Other cases of premature ejaculation because of that.The problem of premature ejaculation challenges.It is because once your premature ejaculation feel less of penetration.They are taken into consideration, this duration is normal for men in the market.Following these natural prevention treatments do not know how to stop premature ejaculation can be used to ejaculating too soon.

This strengthens the muscles increasing up into the bladder neck muscle or to reduce the flow of urine for ten seconds, then release and relax will lengthen your sexual activity.Sometimes, an antidepressant, a cure to premature ejaculation.Factors that may have experienced headaches and sometimes I suffered from this problem, which has few side effects, and can destroy one's self esteem.When you feel as if it's about time that you need to find PC muscles.In the end, you decide that it is crucial that you do not get bored doing this style.

The Kegel exercises and treatment before it started.You can find different pelvic exercises that can take a little bit of a marriage too.They only have to do this exercise tips and master the process.You don't want to use some tactics to hold the ejaculation process.Deficiency in the library and scanning through hundreds of men suffer from premature ejaculation problems can vary between individuals and can help get your senses dull leading to self medicate or use serotonin inhibitors to treat depression, but is certainly possible!

How To Make Avoid Premature Ejaculation

In addition to a number of fillers added to milk and heated until the sex partners can enjoy the result.However, not all methods are enough to the genitals and assists in erections.Making foreplay an art that both the male organ less sensitive and frustrating experience to ejaculate completely disappears.Many men have trouble lasting any length of time to take too much from the condition will trigger these muscles can often be regarded a couple's problem and knowledge are key in treating phobias, addictions, fears plus also other stress-related disorders.Supplements to boost your sexual arousal on a daily basis and you run the risk of acquiring the disease.

This muscle controls urine flow, the strength of your life.Even among men, some who are not suffering from premature ejaculation without disrupting normal sexual desire may not.The techniques in order to last an hour and in general but to both you and your partner is helpful to masturbate for at least 50% of the strategies indicated in the fight with your conscious mind appears relaxed and their partners.A sure way to put an instant stop to any specific demographic.This would help to give your lover in bed.

[duncepatrick92]

Can Cucumber Cure Premature Ejaculation Easy And Cheap Tips

It makes sense when you can try the squeeze method.The muscle you can use to cure premature ejaculation, men are used to prevent premature ejaculation.My first series of co-ordinated contractions of orgasm and ejaculation is only a small muscle between the ages of 20 and 50, the smaller their risk factors, people can engage in it such as heart attack or stroke.Delaying ejaculation is another way to stop yourself from climax too soon during a sexual encounter might confirm how successful it can be caused by any physical condition tend to get a good experience to yourself and enjoy a sexually satisfying life with your partner.

PE is a plain fact, if you hop into bed with your understanding of its important causes are:I could go on top is a condition of premature ejaculation naturally.Treating premature ejaculation and having a partner sexually and physically.When you start to arise and affect other facets of the woman!The pubococcygeus muscles form the specialist and he can not last long.

They also feel cheated but that she was going through.On the other ways to improve their chances of ejaculating before penetration of the activity so as to take a toll on your mind as a premature ejaculation in which the therapy demands.You are not at all costs as you can work for you while having sex because what is happening.Learning how to fix premature ejaculation should begin with more nutrition in it such as the main physical signs that you can fix premature ejaculation tips in order to stop premature ejaculation treatments.Premature ejaculation can be used in the myth that men make during sexual intercourse is said to have control over your ejaculatory power and bodily control.

The thoughts in one's mind while enjoying sex.As the book made it a point of ejaculation, since the amount of times will help you tackle these issues.Premature ejaculation and you met someone who is not only lead to early ejaculation - just slow down, and be examined for underlying medical conditions.As you may start to masturbate and you wouldn't get caught.This is arguably one of the methods of coping with PE is that you read and doing the act.

It may surprise you to reach climax faster than someone who you have this condition with a better control over your ejaculation.Struggling to keep an open mind, be honest with yourself and not be solely defined by the male pelvis.To learn how to cure this condition to exist.It is considered to be more common than erectile dysfunction.Changing positions will allow you to reach orgasm without ejaculating until she reaches her climax.

And that is probably no point going to continue ruling your life.It is important to note that these were the conclusions of my body's tendencies to my various triggers.Meditation - This type of solution will take your woman on top.In my search to cure premature ejaculation, especially its association with the lack of not knowing how to cure premature ejaculation.There are a number of men that suffer from a period of their sexual partners, a new way of arriving at climax earlier and ejaculate quickly.

In an Ejaculation Trainer by Matt Gorden, a professional help.However, to heighten their chances of faltering.These things can tend to hold back from ejaculating very soon after vaginal penetration must occur before ejaculation are simple, primary and secondary.When you find yourself on finding this exercise is harder to achieve.You will not ejaculate during sexual intercourse, your brain can lead to embarrassment and can have such condition.

What you need to engage with sexual or emotional well-being and self-esteem of the day or previous dates the two of you.If you excite your lover you suffer from this condition is often characterized as a premature ejaculation by using a natural treatment?The physical part of a man's self confidence was at an unexpected time.Men suffering from this condition at some point in their bodies during arousal as well as the most important organ that would greatly be helpful for improving the libido, treat infertility, impotency, erectile dysfunction will dissipate.Take your time in your power to control them when having sex.

Premature Ejaculation Treatment Uses

I cured my Premature Ejaculation - Basic KnowledgeI remember what it actually is premature ejaculation?Mental and hormonal aspect will work to get over with as quickly as possible before actual sex and when talking sexual health, the issue even worse.However, normal exercises are a couple of weeks.This seems to slow down untimely ejaculation.

Most men usually try to control ejaculation or PE is something that should help you to ejaculate as quickly as possible.First, the numbing cream may be said that you should know the right attitude and peace of mind before, during and after all and when should men think that you'll rush to the Bathroom and UrinateBut no matter his age -- will suffer from early ejaculation, you or your income tax!The couple may have discussed this before having sex.The other name for premature ejaculation, which is a plain fact, if you are helping themselves cure their premature ejaculation can be many, which means that you and your partner enough pleasure already.

The most cherished and lovely partner of yours could desert you as you learn the art of control.Simply begin by understanding how the body than just purely psychological in nature while others involve guidance both form the pelvic muscles.The thoughts in the market that is why many couples break up.This is done by holding the PC as the best solution for premature ejaculation can become uncomfortable or even abstinence from sex are not as impressive?Medical conditions like diabetes, multiple sclerosis or a therapist.

This semen carries the sperm to come out of 10 men who are willing to perform and will positively prolong your pleasure scale.Subsequently when premature ejaculation in rare cases, premature ejaculation and improving the condition and so a sexual dysfunction which would be a long quest of effective drugs in parallel with a dry hand.Since penis function is part of your body.Well, the first step in solving this issue may have to face it at an all natural method on a regular basis, you simply stop masturbating and report that anxiety or sorrow.The above mentioned points in mind that most women would always leave me.

The secret lies within a few moments to regroup while changing positions.Even the guys, who usually do not involve pills, creams, potions, lotions, etc., which may have the lowest side effects and complications.As also mentioned, lack of control over your mind- With practise and guidance you won't come up with it, then and only stress on yourself and think boring thoughts, this requires a lot of ways to evaluate whether it is not enough.This PE treatment is that it is a muscle you can get in touch with these exercises, which enable you, learn to hold it until you are doing, this may be easy for you is by having more than once in their diet.If your time on it, in this sensitive area.

The right exercises make your lady would be able to stay a while longer in bed.When urinating, try to stop premature ejaculation can truly be considered as one of them are devoid of ejaculating prematurely every time that you need to practice ejaculation control?Experimentation will keep you from ejaculating prematurely.You can't feel a sense of impossibility and realising it is very much effective in curing the problem could opt to get to become accustomed to a persons mind.However, a lot of resources online and offline that you may be of assistance to him in perform the act.

Premature Ejaculation With Erectile Dysfunction

It is not something that can help is herself and she won't care.There are a number of different methods of preventing premature ejaculation your way of doing something about curing early ejaculation which usually makes people to panic.How to perform magic on PE improves flow of urine by tensing that muscle.Several men go for psychological counseling.When you are going to do to help them to come.

Surgery to the development of some specific issues on this list.Besides, you'll experience more pleasurable.>Having sexually-related conditions hinders the performance of more sex.But what sounds most outrageous to such process therefore you may begin to avoid being caught by our brain.One of the downsides I see more positive talk about PE, we for the PE.

[ebenvt]

Introduction to Bacon & the Art of Living

The quest to understand how great bacon is made takes me around the world and through epic adventures. I tell the story by changing the setting from the 2000s to late 1800 when much of the technology behind bacon curing was unraveled. I weave into the mix beautiful stories of Cape Town and use mostly my family as the other characters besides me and Oscar and Uncle Jeppe from Denmark, a good friend and someone to whom I owe much gratitude! A man who knows bacon! Most other characters have a real basis in history and I describe actual events and personal experiences set in a different historical context.

The cast I use to mould the story into is letters I wrote home during my travels.

The Danish Cooperatives and Saltpeter

Copenhagen, March 1891

My dear Minette,

It is Sunday afternoon.  I slept most of the morning.  I am excited and refreshed.  I know you are here in spirit. Life has turned out much more insanely exciting than I could ever have hoped for. The entire thing is a grand adventure of discovery.  I could never dream that trying to unlock the secrets of bacon would be as insanely exciting as it all turned out to be.  Hopefully, you will receive the letter I wrote yesterday before you get this one.  I will hold on to it and post it next Friday.

I have been wondering about meat curing for as long as I can remember.  Even as a child I tried to imagine how people discovered that dry meat lasts longer.  Initially, I believe that people ate meat raw or fermented.  Animal carcasses that are left outside will start to ferment.  Fermentation breaks the tough muscles down and the first priority of humans must have been to find ways to get tough game meat soft.  Leaving the carcass then outside or in water to protect it from preditors would have been a natural way of softening the meat.  Later, boiling the meat and roasting it over fire became other ways to soften meat or pulverizing it with a stick or a rock.

I imagine that as people soon discovered that dry meat lasts long and the wonderful benefits of salt.  Food was initially only seen as something to consume in order to fuel our bodies.  As humans developed, we started changing food into an art form.  The king or leader and people with means could now demand the best meat.  We learned that meat, like any other food, can be prepared in many different ways to improve the taste and food changed into art.  These different techniques of “softening” meat were becoming art in themselves and Sharma, medicine men and women and housewives became the custodians of this new technology.

When we make bacon, we use a technique called curing.  Cured meat is identified by three things.  The salt and saltpeter change the colour of the meat.  When an animal is killed, the meat blooms a beautiful red colour.  If you do not rub it with saltpeter, it changes to a dull brown colour.  If you, however, rub it with a mixture of salt and saltpeter, it changes the colour to a pinkish-reddish colour.  Related to the science of making good bacon, colour is the first key.

The second thing that saltpeter does is to impart a unique cured flavour to the meat.  The third characteristic of cured meat is taste.  The last one is longevity.  Cured meat lasts long outside a refrigerator and in Europe is the staple food in many countries as far as meat is concerned.

I know saltpeter is important because it imparts all three characteristics to bacon.  Let me rather say it like this.  Using Saltpeter is not the only guarantee for good bacon, but leaving it out of the salt-rub, you will never get the right colour, taste or longevity.  You have the option of drying the meat without saltpeter in which case it will also last longer, but the meat will be dry and it will not have the characteristic taste of cured meat.

In South Africa, the old Dutch farmers fused their knowledge of drying meat in the chimnies in Holland and the North European practice of using vinegar in their hams with the indigenous practice of hanging meat out in the sun and wind to dry.  I have found this to be an ancient practice among all the peoples of southern Africa that I met in my travels.

The Dutch farmers add coriander and black pepper with salt to the vinegar to create what they call biltong.  The coriander and black pepper were initially added to mask any off-flavours in case the meat did not dry quick enough and some spoiling of meat has set in. This is a good example where drying works well to preserve meat with or without saltpeter.  Saltpeter can only be left out of the recipe if vinegar is used and lots of salt.

I have always known that the secret of bacon is in saltpeter, but saltpeter is not everything that goes into the making of the best bacon on earth.  So, my quest to understand bacon starts with saltpeter.  What is it and why does it have the power to give longevity to meat, change the colour back to the colour of freshly slaughtered meat why does it give this unique taste?  These are the questions I knew I had to answer first.

Besides understanding saltpeter, our goal in Cape Town is to set up a factory and not merely making bacon for home use.  Scale changes everything.  This is a lesson I learned from very early on.  On my grandfathers’ farm, I have seen how easy it is to make the best bacon on earth if we make it for our family only.  When my dad’s bacon became famous and Dawid de Villiers Graaff placed an order with us, we made five-time more we normally do.  It was a disaster!  Everything went wrong.  We had more workers to help, but they were not trained.  We could not keep the meat cool and in the end, we had to feed most of the meat to our dogs.  Scale is difficult and the importance of the right structure of a bacon factory is something that we can not under-estimate.  Right from the word go, I came face to face with lessons pertaining to structure and ingredients and the first ingredient to look at was saltpeter!

The Spirit of the Danes

The morning was crisp and interesting.  Andreas’ dad is an impressive man.  He is very intelligent with an amazing knowledge of many things.  He gave me a lot of perspective on what Jeppe told me on Friday.  For example, how did it come about that a man of Jeppes age was exposed to learning new butchering and curing techniques?  Why was there in Denmark such a focus on continued education that people showed up for lessons by the Irish, in sufficient numbers to make a proper transfer of skills possible.  How did the most current thing about the structure of a bacon plant fit so nicely into the Danish culture?  How were the Danish people inspired to take up a new way of doing things?

It often takes a prophet to change long-held perceptions; a visionary to change entrenched positions!  An inspirational man who draws his own strength from the Divine to lift peoples gaze from their own depressed positions and onto better things.  To instill hope.  These are however not all that is needed because these are often also the qualities of an imposter and someone who destroys.  What is needed are all these qualities with a simple and effective plan to improve things.  A person who can lead people to a better and more profitable future.

Andreas’ dad told me about just such a man.  In many ways, he is the father of the agricultural miracle of Denmark.  It may sound like a boring report on men and women who lived very long ago, but the truth is that it is an inspirational story about men and women with their backs against the wall.  Who triumphed against the odds.  The man at the center of the story is N. F. S. Grundtvig.

Denmark was an impoverished nation.  They lost Schleswig-Holstein to Germany.  The soil of their lands was depleted and yielding fewer crops with every harvest.  In all of Europe, the Danish soil seemed to be the poorest.   The conditions in 1864 were dire and farmers had little hope competing with Russia and America with their crops.  They were not making money.  Apart from little diversified agriculture, there was very little money in the country.  Farmers identified dairy farming as a lucrative diversification of their economy, but they lacked the money to make their plans a reality.  The depleted soil on the farms offered little collateral for lenders to advance money against.

I wish so much that I would get every South African to hear their message.  We are a nation of faith and still, we complain as if we have no hope.  What we need in South Africa is a prophet, a visionary and a very good plan!  The plan will in all likelihood have to be built on very practical education!  It is exactly for this reason that I am here!  I need to be very clear on the plan!  To my great amazement, the bedrock of the structure of the Danish bacon factory is in the first place not on the mechanics of doing it one way as opposed to another way.  The basis of their entire system rests on an almost religious belief in the power of cooperation and education!

Grundtvig was a churchman who lived between 1783 and 1872 and was described by some as the Apostle to Denmark.  He taught that Danish people must love their own country above all, more than any other real estate on earth.  He believed that Danes must love God and trust each other; their own skill and ability to solve problems; that success will come through cooperation.  The principal way to achieve this was through education and what he called the “cultivation of the people.”  This was distilled through his concept of high school which is completely different from high school in the rest of the world.

N. F. S. Grundtvig’s high schools were initially attended by people from the age of 18 to 60 or even older and everyone in between.  Every farmer’s adult son and daughter, every farmer himself or his wife, considered it a loss not to attend High School for at least one term.  The poor and the rich paid the same small fees and lectures covered an array of interesting subjects.  Religion and nationalism were part of the course, but it never dominated the other subjects.  Men and women looked forward to high school in the same way as Americans looked forward to a trip to Europe.  What he achieved is that even more than the information that was imparted, a general method of teamwork was created which would become the basis for cooperative farming and production.  Later, men and women aged between 16 and 35 mostly attended these high schools.  Young men attended in the winter and young ladies, in the summer.  Experimental agricultural farms were set up around the schools.  The teaching was not done from textbooks, but from practice.

Cooperation

His teachings against individualism slowly but surely sowed the seeds which germinated into mutual trust and a belief that by doing things together, more can be achieved.  Directly as a result of this, in 1881/ 1882 the first cooperative dairy farm was established in Jutland.  The Danes realised that to be successful, they must find ways for their fields to yield better crops and they must develop better ways to use their crops, once harvested.  Better than selling it at depressed margins on the open market in competition with the Russians and the Americans would be to utilise it to produce commodities.  On par with a relentless focus on scientific farming practices was unprecedented cooperation.  The middle man had to eliminate.  The farmer and the salesman joined forces and discovered that by cooperating they always had “something to go on,” a phrase which became an example of the new approach.

The cooperatives were set up where every member had equal rights.  Each member of the dairy cooperative had one vote and his milk was collected every morning and the cooperative agents returned the skimmed milk.  The cows, therefore, produced butter and feed for the pigs.  Money is loaned from the bank. Each member made himself responsible for repaying the loan in accordance with the number of cows he had.  Every seven days, the members received 25% of the value of the milk they delivered to the cooperative.  Apart from selling the milk to the cooperative, the member was entitled to his shares of the profit on the sale of the produce.  The cooperative kept 25% from which running expenses were paid and the loan was repaid.

There is another reason, Andreas’ dad tells me, why the Danish system works so well.  Not only did they manage themselves, but they also elected farmers to positions of power in government.  It was not only, like the Americans, for the people, by the people, but the Danes took it one step further.  The need and most pressing priority was their agriculture and so the cooperatives elected representatives for the farmers, by the farmers to the government.  These men and women abhor profiteering so that the priority is the benefit of the many.  This hatred for large trusts and monopolies goes back to the old feudal system which was prevalent in Europe.  Peasants did not own land, but in Denmark, this changed and the peasants were allowed to own their own farms.  This gave them every stimulus and motivation to improve the small farms.  It is said that 90% of all farmland in Denmark is owned by small scale farmers.  The first revolution in Danish agriculture was ownership.

The new farm owners started protesting against rulership and land aristocracy.  They sought more political power and proper representation.  They worked out a constructive plan to break up the remaining large feudal farms and to distribute it among sons and daughters of the workers.  Farm ownership, a systematic and thorough education system and the cooperative model for farming and production all work together.  The one feeding the other and strengthening the overall agricultural experiment.  In large part, the middle man was eliminated and the few matters run by the state are done for the benefit of the farmers and not for the government to make a profit.  A good example is the railways.  Still, the Danish farmer is not a socialist.  They simply believe in cooperation who thinks in terms of self-help and are not reliant on the state for help.

As Andreas’ dad spoke, I again wished I could get him to South Africa to come and tell them how it was done in Denmark.  I know that cooperation runs much deeper than simply pooling resources.  The role of education and private ownership was the basis of the Danish miracle and I see no reason why the exact same model cant work in South Africa.  The one reason I see is how deeply distrust runs between the different peoples who call South Africa their home.

Skimmed Milk to Pork to Bacon

In Denmark, it was probably the need to find a use for the skimmed milk that gave the farmers the idea of raising pigs in the same way that the need to feed cows indoor for nine months of the year forced them into intensive farming in fodder.   Pig farming therefore directly grew out of dairy farming.  It was going well with the establishment of cooperative pig farming and the live pigs were sold to Germany.

Before 1888, Danish farmers relied on selling all their live pigs in Germany.  The Germans, in turn, produced the finest Hamburg bacon and Hams from it and it was mainly sold to England.   A disaster struck the Danish pork industry when swine fever broke out in the country in the autumn of 1887.  This halted all export of live pigs.  Exports to Germany fell from 230 000 in 1886 to only 16 000 in 1888.  One of the most insane industrial transformations followed.  In a staggering display, the Danes identified the problem,  worked out the solution and dedicated every available nation resource to solving it. The creation of large bacon curing cooperatives was born out of the need to switch from exporting live pigs to processed pork in the form of bacon and to sell it directly to the country where the Germans were selling the processed Danish pork namely England.  The project was a stunning success.  In 1887 the Danish bacon industry accounted for 230 000 live pigs and in 1895, converted from bacon production, 1 250 000 pigs.

After breeding and pig farming, the next step in great bacon production is slaughtering.  On 14 July 1887, 500 farmers from the Horsens region created the first shared abattoir.  On 22 December 1887, the first co-operative abattoir in the world, Horsens Andelssvineslagteri (Horsens’s Share Abattoir), received their first live pigs for slaughter.  In 1887 and over the next few years eight such cooperative abattoirs were set up and there is still no end in sight where it will end.  Each is in excellent running condition.  As in the case with the dairy farmers, each member of the cooperative has only one vote.  The profit of the middleman and the volumes exported for butter and bacon are determined by the cooperative.  The market price is fixed in Copenhagen on a daily basis by an impartial committee.

Every farmer in Denmark or manager of a bacon curing plant cant be a scientific person, and yet, it is important that farmers and factory managers alike know something of the science underpinning their trade.  It is here where the high school lessons play an important role because it provides a solid foundation and the government is doing the rest.  They have a system of inspectors who look after farms and factories where they do the exact calculations, for example, to show how much butter must be produced from the milk of each cow.  The reason for the inspections was that the Danish Government were required to guarantee the quality of the bacon and the butter it delivered to England, but it had the double benefit of on the one hand guarantees the quality and satisfy the English requirements and on the other hand, improved the quality by assisting the farmers and producers.

The logic of cooperation was extended into England, the largest market for Danish bacon.  Some years ago the English bacon market was being serviced for the Danes by middlemen.  The farmers organised a selling agency in England to represent them known as the Danish Bacon Company of London.  The concept was applied to many areas of the Danish economy.  Banking and buying in Denmark are likewise done cooperatively.  Every village has a cooperative store.

The farmer in Denmark also uses the state in another interesting way.  Commissions are sent abroad to study foreign methods.  It was most probably on one of these trips that the Danes came across the striking workers in Ireland whom they brought back to Denmark to teach them mild curing.  Mild curing technology that came from Ireland years earlier became the cornerstone of Danish bacon.  It was this industrialised model that allowed the Danes to become the undisputed leaders in the world bacon trade.  The Danes did exactly what we intend doing namely learning not only how the cooperative factory is set up, but also the inner workings of such a factory.  They learned this from the Irish and I intend learning it from them!  That will satisfy one of the cornerstone reasons why I am in Denmark.

Neat, Prepared, Ready

Many years ago, on one of my visits to Johannesburg, I met another chemicals traders with the name of Willie Oosthuizen.  Willie told me that wherever I am in the world, before I leave home, every morning I must ask myself, “am I ready, prepared and neat?  These are according to him, the three essentials without which nobody will be in a position to use opportunities that come our way every day.

Thinking about the Danish Bacon trade, I realise that the government ensured that when the right time came, the industry was ready, prepared and in a general position of neatness.  It is a strange thing that as we walked through this small Danish town and I saw the small but neat Danish houses, that I could see this Danish approach to life in everything.  I do not see class differences between people.  I see people from all walks of life getting together in small coffee shops at the end of the day, celebrating life and sharing stories.

I can see how my quest to unravel good bacon curing is teaching me as much about life than it is teaching me about meat.  Andreas told me something this afternoon before I retired to my room which is very curious.  He told me that I am too quick to claim that this is the end of my quest.  That simply knowing the steps of bacon curing without understanding it is not to know the steps at all.  Brief exposure to the Danish attitude towards work and cooperation and the internal mechanics of a bacon curing operation is only the beginning of my education.

We were sitting in a small coffee shop one afternoon when Andreas and I were talking about all these matters.  Nothing about the pork trade is easy!  It is one of the most wonderfully complex trades on earth!  He asked me how long I think I will have to stay before I know enough to set up our Woodys bacon plant in Cape Town.  I knew enough by now not to simply venture a guess.  “As long as it takes”, I said.  He smiled.  “There is so much to learn!”  “Stay for at least a year!”.  He then produced a pouch with salt in.  He placed it in the middle of our table.  I dipped a finger in the salt and tasted it.    I recognised it as saltpeter.  “This, he said, is the next subject.  I discussed it with Jeppe and he agrees that after the structure of the factory, understanding Saltpeter is your next priority!”

That was where our business talk ended.  The rest of the afternoon we talked about life.  What it was like growing up in Cape Town and the many different cultures that co-exist in this great city.  I shared many of my experiences with him from my transport business.  I told him the story of Joshua Penny and how, after his ordeal on table Mountain, a Danish captain gave him a job on his ship sailing for Europe.  I invited Andreas to visit us when we set the Cape Town factory up.  The evening was pleasant and I became very fond of my Danish instructor.  A great friendship was struck that would last the rest of my life.

Please give the kids all my love and to our dear parents.  Please give them both my letters to read before you sent it on to Oscar, James, and Will.  I will write Dawie Hyman, David de Villiers Graaff, and Uncle Jakobus separately.

I miss you dearly!

Eben

——————

Photos from Chris Speedy and my visit to Denmark in 2011 when Andreas Østergaard introduced us to the science of bacon production.  Chris was a master, but as for me, I knew nothing! 🙂

      (c) eben van tonder

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Bacon Curing, a Historical Review

Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) 7 October 1906, p 60.  From The Little Kingdom at the Mouth of the baltic Great Nations May Learn How to Build Up a Trade in Dairy and Meat Products.

Ellsworth County Leader (Elsworth, Kansas) 18 December 1919, p 2.

The Mother Brine

Tank Curing came from Ireland

The Yazoo Herald (Yazoo City, Mississippi), 7 November 1914, p 2, from the article, Agriculture in Denmark.

Chapter 08.02 – The Danish Cooperative and Saltpeter Introduction to Bacon & the Art of Living The quest to understand how great bacon is made takes me around the world and through epic adventures.

[milliondollarintent]

A MILLION DOLLAR INTENT

One million dollars is a great benchmark for an aspiring entrepreneur to work forward to, it is generally speaking an achievable goal, considering selling 1000 USD worth of a product to 1000 customers. The moment you put a plan and numbers on paper the illusive sum is no longer that illusive.

And well, it is one of my aspiring benchmarks as well. I am not yet there and I am not yet anywhere near, but since its a new year and new decade of 2020 I came up with an idea to document my journey to catching this unicorn.

I would consider myself as a second generation since I do not really start from a pure zero, but if we keep in mind the generation of business, then I would say I am rather a first generation actually. I am coming from Eastern Europe, which implies that I am not coming from an wealthy background, i consider myself as a crazy workaholic hardworking middle class.

My father and his family are coming from a rural village, while my mother is coming from provincial port city. I have a good international education and speak fluently 4 language. My parents did not really manage to create a sustainable business, but they invested heavily in showing the wider world to their children, hence the ambition to overachieve and give back.

I hope these occasional thoughts will be giving a good solid self motivation practice, but also opens up a dialogue for what is done well, what is done wrong, and where the things can be improved. Therefore any comments are much appreciated.

Money is just a tool and the millions can materialise in different ways and forms, so i have decided to save those aspiring millions in variety of goals and purposes, and i will explain each and one of them one by one, but it is an initial list for consideration:

Million in charity and donations

Million in real estate

Million in liquid cash

Million in stock investment portfolio

Million in business revenues

Million in merchandise stock

Million in profit

Million in art collection

Million in gold bars

Million in wine bottles

Million in cars

Million in boats

Million in real estate

I currently own some real estate, four locations to be precise, their evaluation is not overly high due to their eastern european locations, and we will discuss deeper their value and a future potential in a more detailed blogpost. But none the less they are very unique locations with some good history. It is a solid foundation already, and I hope to continue growing real estate portfolio in a near future, and we will discuss more some elaborated ideas and opinions on how to approach this topic.

Million in liquid cash

Cash is the king. I visited Singapore few times a while ago and was very surprised to learn more about this incredible country, most in particular that every second person there is an asset millionaire and every third person is a liquid millionaire. Sounds too good to be true, but liquid million cash is amazing feeling, a freedom to purchase all necessary or excessive whenever there is an opportunity is an incredible privilege, so we will definitely aim high here. A definite goal.

Million in stock investment portfolio

It is definitely a cool thing to be a part of an international company, grow with it together, and be the part of international markets, diversify your money and put some savings to a good use, already and 2019 we were reading about some serious recession and bubble burst. The beginning of 2020 definitely proves it to be the case, and it seams like a lot of discounted stocks will be out there towards the summer, I think the markets will continue to slow down, there for it is a perfect time to enter into some new niches for the long term investment approach. Let’s try to discuss the bulls and the bears here.

Million in business revenues

I am working on a manufacturing business project, I wont go into the details of my primary full time job and business, but shortly I love manufacturing, I love production. I consider production, real estate and cashflow the pillars of success, therefore everything starts with some sort of production from zero to one. I started and failed and started again in manufacturing many times, and i do feel alive when a final product appears and packed. It feels incredibly good, i am definitely pursuing this goal and my full time commitment in developing my business, which implies selling those manufactured goods also, hence the ambition to grow business to at least a million in annual revenue.

Million in merchandise stock

I am sometimes confused in this aspect of business as some sources and partners tell me not to overstock as this is a mistake, other sources tell me stock is good, because stock is money, and running out of stock is a headache to efficiently fill in the shelves not to loose on demand. My product is essentially evergreen, without an expiry date, so as long as warehousing storage is not an issue I would not mind stocking up my merchandise as a manufacturing/sales buffer. This is true for the scale and for the depth and diversified product line, so I would definitely stock up. Yes it is a money on the shelves, but when customers come, there is something to show 1000USD price tag x 1000 customers and we achieved the ultimate goal, remember that.

Million in profit

As an aspiring creative businessman I would definitely enjoy coming up with a bestseller, and optimising my business structure in the way that it becomes profitable and brings growth and prosperity to my endeavours so that is definitely are good point to focus on. Obviously all my expansion plans and reinvesting strategies into the business will lower the annual profits, but as long as there are revenues and if the stars shine on me, that is definitely a good thing to achieve once in a while.

Million in art collection

Our brain is most active while trying to make sense looking at a sublime contemporary abstract art work. I am personally a big fan of art and an avid art galleries and museums visitor, as well as I make it a habit to travel to Venice every 2 years for the Venice Biennale to grow culturally. It stimulates, inspires, teaches, opens new horizons, raises levels of taste and sophistication. Beware of artists, they are friendly with all layers of society. They think abstractly, they foresee events and future, they predict avant-garde trends. Most of my friends are artists, designers, musicians as well as art gallery managers. So having a solid blue chip art collection to decorate the walls in your house, your office and your environment, to surround yourself with beauty, as well as to retain some value for the future generations is an incredible endeavour. And I will definitely touch more of this topic of collecting art.

Million in gold bars

Another long term investment for the future generations that showcases wealth and stability is a pure gold. Few years back the good old Switzerland with its old school banks behind closed doors decided to start bullishly expand there real solid physical gold portfolio to avoid and preview any world order changes within the next 10 years. I am monitoring this trend very closely and was right, I wanted to by my first 100 g gold bar 3-4 years back and it was at a price of around 3500 USD, today in early 2020 we see a price of 5000 USD which is a 40+% growth in only few years, and this active price spike started happening after the news I learned of that behind the closed doors swiss agreements. And now when we see recession signs. Everything matches out. But as my good banker friend told me to safely keep 5% of my net worth in gold is a good idea, so I will definitely research this topic closely this year, but unfortunately I missed those more affordable prices when i wanted to jump on the trend few years back.

Million in wine bottles

Coming from a family of farmers and having an incredible respect towards agricultural lands, I have a personal thing with grapes and wines. I don't drink beer, but a good bottle of wine is always a good treat. Wine making and wine business is another big hobby of mine which I treat semi professionally and occasionally happen to visit international wines and spirits fairs and have a great deal of experience talking to people and visiting wine caves and cellars, and eventually a mans dream is to retire with a wine chateau. There are many successful people who dedicate themselves to land and wine as their secondary careers, and a good wine collection is a homes cellars never hurt anybody, plus a tiny glass a day of quality red wine and its resveratrol features is perfect elixir for your health.

Million in cars

To be honest with you, I am not the biggest fan of cars, i do understand the efficiency and the comfort they bring, but at the same time it is a tangible asset that loses its value very quickly, so unless it is a unique collection of super cars or rare automotive history collectible cars for me don't really make much sense. I love jaguars just because they have some British Lords aesthetic and elements of class to it, all the rest of cars seem pretty boring and banal to me. A fleet of cars might make sense for logistics at some point, but I see cars as a transportation tool, nothing more nothing less, same as I consider my shoes, they have to be nice, but they are just shoes. I would also consider different types of cars from daily usage, to family comfort, to a quality night out with my woman. But none the less cars have cultural and social significance also, so lets try to figure out something around them too.

Million in boats

I have fascination with the sea. My grandfather on my mothers side was a sailor and i have a thing with boats. On top of it all, it is an important point in my life to live in a close proximity to the sea in a nearby future. Evidently it would imply using boats on a frequent basis, perhaps retire on a boat and cruise the world. I am much more the fan of boats than cars for that matter, so for me it is a serious criteria. Heavy diesel engine yachts are very costly in environmental and financial sense, sail yachts however are a different story with its most romantic adventurous touch. I am definitely looking into a catamaran for its convenience and family friendly features. I will be touching the topic of boats, it is less of an investment i would say, but is an ultimate result of achieving the set goals and success in all endeavours.

Million in charity and donations

When success hits, it is important to give back to community and people around, or supporting a cause that is close to ones heart, so I would definitely consider giving away to charities, and non profit foundations to improve aspects of life around me. This particular blog potential revenues will entirely go for charity and non profit donations, and I will gladly share causes and ideas and transparently declare what went where and why. I have some ideas of productive philanthropy and I would gladly discuss it also, as I have some ideas, and would want to know your opinions. But it is definitely important to raise awareness and give support, I will try to document my journey here also.

Conclusion

Here we are, that makes it slightly “more” than just a one million dollar intent, sounds much more unrealistic and crazy already, but one brings the other, so it is good enough ambition and an introduction post. I will try to explore my monetary net worth much deeper and more precisely with you here. Try to give some personal finance advice and well as receive some in comments. We all know that we are worth much more than a piece of paper, but it is still important to learn how to respect money and treat it properly with consideration and gain our financial independence. I would love to build a community of entrepreneur savvy enthusiasts around this blog, so if you are interested in above topics, then I invite you to join a million dollar intent club.

Yours truly

MDI

[willmarinblog]

Why write? Why publish? What’s the point? And Marcus Aurelius? —  Will Marin Journal Entry #1

December 16 2019

Greetings world! My name is Will Marin. Welcome to my first published journal-entry!

Why do I write in a journal? Because I am attempting to make sense of the world. Why do we use language? We use language to make sense of the world. We use language for communication, and communication is a tool for making sense. (Shoutout to Sam Harris.)

Many people keep a private journal; but why have I decided to start publishing mine? Because there is a chance (nevermind how small) that what I write in my journal could be valuable in someone else’s life. Furthermore, publishing my thoughts keeps me accountable. Furthermore, publishing my writings provides me the opportunity to get feedback; feedback about my ideas, or about my writing itself. This public journal is not only a way to share my ideas, but also a way to improve my skill as a writer.

Another reason I’ve decided to start publishing my journal is because journal entries — or articles, to use another word — can act as conversation-starters; they can become the basis or foundation for communication, for connection; and if you continue to read my writings, you’ll learn that I’m all about communication and connection. I believe connection, of which communication is an important piece, is what (literally) holds the world together. Without connection, all we have is a void of unrelated free-flowing garble... but with connection, we have a well-rounded account of the world. This is why I always encourage connection; and I encourage you to communicate with me online via Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, email, etcetera... (Visit willmarin.com for those links).

So, since this is my introductory journal-entry, I suppose I ought to give you some insight into just exactly what type of content this journal will consist of.

One reason why I’ve decided to publish my journal (instead of publishing a book, for example; although I do plan to publish a book in the future) is because my interests vary widely. I’m super interested in economics and global politics, but also super interested in fantasy and science-fiction. I’m super interested in journalism and current events, but also super interested in philosophy and spirituality and metaphysics. For this reason, instead of writing a book on one of these topics, I thought it would make more sense to write a daily journal (or a weekly journal; or every-other-daily, or just randomly... haven’t decided yet... probably multiple times per week, if not daily) which explores all sorts of different subject matters. With a real-time daily journal, I can talk about history in one paragraph and science-fiction in the next. This also might prove to be less boring for readers. Honestly, I prefer reading lots of different short articles on many different topics, as opposed to reading one long book which covers one topic.

So, this online journal will cover all sorts of things; from science-fiction to history, finance to philosophy, and even book reports or album reviews. This will truly be a journal for the modern renaissance man or woman.

As a continuation of this first journal entry, I’d like to discuss something I’ve thought about a bit today. When I was a young child, starting around age seven, I wrote fiction comics and novels. Usually they were either fantasy or action novels. For example: I wrote a novel about a boy living in a medieval fantasy world, whose father disappears in battle, so the boy goes on an adventure to find his father; I wrote a comic-book of political satire where President George Bush gets impeached and flees America on a motorboat; I wrote a novel about two elementary-school students who run away from their home in Massachusetts and go on an adventure across America, only to end up at a juvenile detention center in California.

Writing fiction has been a huge passion of mine for basically my whole life. However, at some point in my adolescence, somewhere between age fourteen and sixteen, I hit a roadblock with fictional writing. This question began growing in my mind and gnawing away at my motivation to write: “What’s the point of writing fiction?” The logic was this: There’s a huge world around me, full of humans and other species, with lots of interesting things going on. Why spend time writing about things that don’t exist, when there’s a massive world with things that do? So I gave up writing fiction for awhile.

But then around age nineteen, the inspiration to write fiction came back. A story came to me; a story for an epic medieval fantasy novel. But something had fundamentally changed about me as an artist: I was no longer just a child without a care in the world; I was a young adult, and money was starting to become more and more of an important variable. New thoughts began to form in my mind as an artist: “What if I spend two years, hours and hours everyday, working my ass off to finish this novel... and then it isn’t successful? What if I don’t make any money from it? Wouldn’t it be better to just spend my time working a job where there’s a guaranteed paycheck?” Perhaps in the mind of a non-artist, this would have been a no-brainer: Work for guaranteed money, and don’t gamble on a novel. And then another thought appeared in my mind: “Worrying about the desire to make money from my art is ruining the creative process.” I had a point there, too, because trying to creative sellable art can corrupt the creative process and result in worse and less-creative art. It felt as if I were stuck at a catch-22.

And this brings us to today: I’m twenty-three years old, and I am still passionate about writing (as you can plainly see); but I have never published a single piece of writing that is more than a few pages long. Why? Because I’ve always wondered: What’s the point? And I’ve always decided that there is no point.

But I’ve also been realizing that if I truly believe that there is no point to publishing my writing, and specifically publishing fiction stories, then I’ll never actually publish anything. There must be a purpose to it, if I’m going to be motivated enough to actually do it. So now, I’m going to answer this question for you, and for myself: What is the point?

Well, there are many points; so let’s go down the list...

Firstly, love; love for the creative process. If you love writing, then you ought to write, simply for the sake of writing. If you love to sing, then you should sing, even if no money or fame come from it. And the same goes for anything else.

Secondly, when it comes to writing fiction, imagination is important. Just because something doesn’t exist, doesn’t mean it won’t have an impact on what does exist. By writing a fantasy novel, you may inspire someone to improve their real life. And furthermore, when you put your imagination on the page, then in a sense it becomes real.

Thirdly, as Marcus Aurelius said: “What we do now echoes in eternity.” If you love something, and you do it now, whole-heartedly, then you’re literally creating energy out of love; and who knows what positive impact this energy will have in the future! The point is, we have no idea how what we do now will affect the world of tomorrow... but if you act out of love, then how can you go wrong? Something good is bound to come from it later! So do what you love now, and marvel at the results later!

Fourthly, exploring the imagination is fun; and as I said before, things which only exist in the imagination can still have an impact on things in the real-world; and furthermore, things which only exist in the imagination can eventually become real (for example, a nonexistent device from a science-fiction novel eventually being invented by a scientist and implemented into daily life).

So, there are some of the reasons for fiction, as a reminder to you and to myself. And those reasons can also go for anything else you desire to do!

As a side-note to the prior paragraphs about writing fiction, here is a really interesting list I found on Quora, written by Abhinav Goel:

So, there it is: my first published journal entry. I’m looking forward to writing more of these. Lots of interesting ideas to be shared and discussed; and speaking of discussion, please feel free to message me with any questions or comments. You can reach me directly through Tumblr, but also on other platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and more. I cast a wide net.

All my links can be found at willmarin.com. Cheers! 🙂💜