#I was digging in my instagram story archive and found this

[gmaybe666]

i found the exact moment when my brain broke 2 years ago

[thefugitivesaint]

I initially found this wonderful leaf art by the Japanese artist Lito from a post over at kottke. According to the artists' profile, he's self-taught and makes a leaf cut each day as a way to focus his ADHD into a more calming and positive channel. Each leaf cutout is designed to tell it's own story. Lito started using leaves after seeing the work of a Spanish leaf-cutting artist (the Spanish artist in question went unnamed). I've been meaning to make a post related to silhouette art, having collected a bunch from various archives and then this work came into my life. I dig it. I also dig the fact that the medium is transitory, the leaves aren't permanent and what is created does not endure (at least, in the physical sense). It's some delicately crafted, aesthetically pleasing pieces that I'm happy to pass along. The artists' instagram page

[accio-victuuri]

Sugar Rush : August 2023 CPNs

As with all other CPN posts that involve this lovely pairing, everything in here is speculation/interpretation based on popular concepts in the fandom. facts are also mixed in as well + events that happened before. This is not meant to “deceive or lie” to anyone. If it wasn’t clear, posts like this or similar to it are for cpfs only — and even other cpfs are encouraged to pick and choose what they believe in depending on what makes sense to them. You have to know some of the “lore” in this fandom to appreciate it, or be in that mindset wherein bjyx is probably/possible to be real.

These monthly round-ups, especially for August, have additional commentary and cpns that I didn’t share as an individual post for a variety or reasons. So there may be something “new” here for you.

Enjoy all the sugar! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

• rumor/cpn : XZ anonymously booked 26 cinema screenings in chongqing for yibo’s movie. the funny thing is there was a comment that if they find anonymous screenings for condor heroes movie in henan ( yibo’s hometown ) , they will join the bjyx supertopic 😂😂😂

this could be a different person but we cpn that it’s xz who booked since it’s in CQ. also whoever this was booked premium tickets and not discounted.

no one “released” a rumor or anything, some fans just noticed this while booking their tickets and found it interesting.

• another round of bottled joy cpns, this time around wyb’s alleged renewal with them on september and so much more

• reasons why we think the 26th bday letter post was from xiao zhan

• clues in the bday instagram post art

• fake rumor of wyb’s script having drawings

• XZ’s work week around WYB’s birthday

• Bottled Joy bday greeting to Yibo + Chen Shuo’s bracelet

• A cpf said yibo looked at their phone because her phonecase was a photo of wyb and xz. but again, this is not the proper behavior — following him around and shoving your phone in his personal space. I do not take this as candy, but for archiving purposes, it’s here.

• Unintentional matching 😂😂😂😂

• WYB plays card with Chongqing people 🃏

• Fake stories from paparazzi(s) who “followed” the boys back in 2018/19

• 8/11/2023 Rio Livestream candies

• 8/13/2023 LRLG 🍓🥝

• Yes please, drop more photos and do more similar captions with posts that are days or a week apart 👀

• throwback : the best bottled joy cpn

• 8/13, WYB allegedly drove and went to XZ’s LOCH shoot. You may see some photos and videos that is allegedly the proof but you can’t even see the driver’s face. There’s also some talk that “WYB” was wearing a motorcycle helmet so there will be no chance people seeing him. I don’t know what to think. I understand how exciting it is, how hilarious that people even speculate about this and the fact that cpns like this is dangerous. i would hate for melon/yxh accounts to pick this up and get them in trouble. We already heavily speculate that they visit each other on set because or some clues we see — no need to dig and investigate too much. 🙏🏼

• In the morning of 8/17, Paparazzi were saying XZ and his co-star from the past are not real and have no chance. This went on #1 HS. As expected, XZS pulled some mild sweets. 18:33! YIBO ZHAN ZHAN!

YBO updated minutes later. But my favorite would have to be their second update with 22:30 AI AI ZHAN!

• WYB became the first spokesperson for Pokemon Trading Cards, this is wonderful cause we know how they are big fans of it. I’m happy seeing them basically be the face of brands that they have always loved ( like chanel and gucci for example )

• 8/20/2023 YBO vlog candies 🧁🍭

• Yibo’s signature hand gesture confirmed to mean “wang”

• Qixi Festival number games

There is also some conversations that said XZ was not seen going to work that day. He & WYB could be working on Ad materials and other things, but that means they can go back home earlier. They don’t need a full day to spend Qixi together, tho that would be nice too. They just need time to be together on this romantic day. Maybe we will get more details in the months to come but we wish them all the happiness! 💕

• A new BTS on XZ sort of complaining about WYB/LWJ not looking at XZ/WWX with “yearning” as he walks away. This is so hilarious to me cause it’s so on point on what we have seen from XZ. He may be the calm & poised XZ to everyone but with WYB, he can act spoiled. He can demand more and be frank. The way he wants WYB/LWJ to show the kind of devotion he expects is just— why? why????? and you have WYB who will willingly spoil him and grant his every wish. ✨ A true example of XZ wanting the love WWX/LWJ have to happen to him too.

• similar “trick” of twirling a cloth by their fingers & how different they are

• revisiting the bts of XZ saying he prefers WYB with no makeup on ( he was just stating a universal truth that wyb is handsome even when he is bare faced )

• wool/felt doll cpn

• 8/25 XZS and YBO similarity

• revisiting the blurred background in ZZ’s mirror selfie 📷

• A wedding gift of t-shirts signed by the boys

• WHITE COUPLE SUITS! ☺️

• This month, I saw 2 questionable videos going around related to them. I do not endorse spreading these videos around but i can’t help that it pops up on my weibo feed and fans really have different etiquette when it comes to this. But i have to say that it should be a genera rule to not promote these proxy shooting because it’s too invasive. If they are hiding, we should not be the ones exposing them. They are already working enough as it is to keep their privacy. Please do not ask me for the video. I am mentioning it here for archiving purposes only.

One video is from WYB’s shoot of Luoyang, Lele & YanYan were assisting another guy aside from WYB with an umbrella. Why would they do that? We know the hiding by umbrella ploy was used before, like in SDC 3. So are they using the same tactic to protect this friend when he is visiting the crew?

Second one is at a hotel. Video is allegedly from a 🍤, they were more interested with XZ but they filmed WYB was also in the same hotel. XZ went in without any luggage too.

The videos are not clear at all, to the point that you can’t provide this as evidence in court that “based on this video it’s clearly wyb or xz” , so take it with a grain of salt.

• ZZ draws poker cards

• The start of everyone’s love for the AU pair Shengyang x Chen Shuo! This Sunshine couple! ☀️ These two are so passionate about their dreams, one with art and other w/ dancing. Their smiles. Their positive disposition. How can you not love them???

There is also the observation that SBMS premieres 9/1, conveniently when all the activities for Summer Movies, which includes OnO is done. This is not the first time this year that their projects were not released within the same period. It feels too much of a coincidence. This drama will be done in a month so i don’t know if WYB’s Bright Road can still squeeze in it’s airing before the year ends, tho i’m not optimistic cause drama licensing is tricky. Before LOCH gets released Spring Festival 2024. No matter what happens, All I know is BXGs are booked and busy!

• SOMEONE OPENED A WEBSITE THAT INCLUDES a very detailed timeline analysis of the BTS. If you’re into that and wanna go back & take a look then please do. It’s so interesting! Doing a day by day timeline of the BTS and events that happened, with photos and videos is tedious work so this is such a treat! 💕

-END. See you next Month!

Note : if you plan to reblog this post. Please do not tag it as “Wang Yibo” or “Xiao Zhan” because this does not belong there. It’s specifically for CP audience and tagging it on individual name will expose it to people who are not.

➡️➡️ (2023 previous posts) Jan-June / July

[i-am-still-bb]

Treat for 22/10:

One of them is a modern witch and an owner of a famous potions recipe blog. The other one is a bit of a fanboy / just trying not to get his eyebrows synged off…

A/N: Originally conceived as an AU of The World Next Door. That had me stuck though. So we have this. But it still has similar elements, age gap, instructor/student dynamic, etc.

—

Fili drummed his fingers on the walnut conference table. One. Finger. At. A. Time. Focusing on how there were pits in the wood and some scratches in the varnish beneath his fingertips.

“Do you have any ideas?”

The silence following the question stretched on a beat too long and Fili knew he was supposed to answer. “Can you rephrase the question?”

“Enrollment numbers are dropping.”

“I’d noticed.”

“We need better student engagement and retention. Do you have any ideas? You are the most junior member of staff.” That last part was a thinly veiled dig and threat.

Fili shrugged, brushing off the words, “We could try putting some stuff on social media, teasers, sneak peeks, behind the scenes stuff. Stories about how potions and other magic sometimes go awry.”

Frowns appeared on the tenured track professors’ faces as soon as the words “social media” had left his mouth. This is why he rarely spoke up during these things. He kept his head down, did his research, lectured, and quickly attended conferences and published. 

Alice, the other young faculty member, specializing in potions that assisted in the growing of plants, clapped her hands. “My students would love something like that,” she grinned. “And I think it would do them good to see us as human, to see that we also make mistakes and singe our eyebrows and armchairs off.”

The department head looked skeptical. “It is an ‘interesting’ idea,” Fili could hear the air quotes around the word. “I think one of you younger people should be in charge. And as Ms. Yu is already assisting the Archives in their project then it should be you, if you don’t mind.

Fili did mind. Very much in fact. 

“It shouldn’t take that much time, maybe an hour a week,” the Head continued. 

And that was how a decade later Fili found himself spending more time on social media (Instagram, TikTok, and the like) promoting the university more broadly and the potions department specifically. 

He had asked for an assistant and was denied. 

It was fun. 

Sometimes. 

But other times he was just answering basic questions, or telling people “NO! ABSOLUTELY DO NOT MIX THOSE THINGS TOGETHER!” and then hoping that they actually listened.

Most of the time he was typing up replies, proofreading, posting, recording response videos, without paying much attention to the usernames that came across his screen. Sometimes there was one that would strike him as particularly ridiculous or clever; he would screenshot it, crop it, and save it to a special folder on his computer. He did the same with responses that made him give up home for humanity. 

But then there was one user, K.O.A.K., who asked questions that often made Fili pause and wonder and sometimes his only response was “I don’t know” even after he did some research and some serious thinking. 

They had a video chain going back at least six months at this point. 

Fili’s videos were well-lit against a carefully chosen background from a tripod; all courtesy of a performing arts student who interned for him for a semester. Really, she had bullied him into letting her do an unpaid internship. She was a double major and she said that the content of his videos were fantastic, but everything else was tragic. 

So now part of Fili’s large office / workspace was permanently set up for filming videos.

K.O.A.K.’s videos were probably worse that Fili’s had started out as. He always held his phone which sometimes made Fili nauseous while the user tossed ingredients into a travel sized cauldron that sat on a stove that had a single burner and plugged into a wall outlet. The wooden table it sat on was scarred from mishaps and frequently littered with ingredients, snacks, dust, and the occasional iced coffee cup of varying fullness. 

K.O.A.K. never showed his face. 

His hands featured in nearly every video. Sometimes his bare feet (which Fili had scolded him for, “What if you spill [insert potion here]? Or it boils over?” K.O.A.K.’s only response had been laughter, and to show off a fairly impressive old scar on his shin from just that thing happening) appeared. 

Fili shared tricks for making a potion that temporarily improved hand dexterity. “Roast the willow root before cutting it into thin 1 inch strips.”

K.O.A.K.  responded with a video demonstrating the differences between his original potion, one following Fili’s tip, and then one where he had added some olive oil to the foil packet before roasting, and then had roughly minced the root. 

Fili amended his notes.

He toyed with the idea of sharing his phone number as they starting talking about more than just tips and tricks for potions. But decided against it. This account operated in an official capacity. And it was probably bad enough that he was carrying on personal conversations through it. 

But he did notice that the twinge of excitement he got when he saw a notification form K.O.A.K. was the same as the one he would get early on in a new relationship. He had more than a little bit of a crush. It was merely academic, or so he told himself. He did not often get to talk about potions with anyone else.

—

Direct Messages between You (Prof.Durin) and K.O.A.K.

You: Why don’t you have a degree in this? You’re better than some of my grad students.

IDK.

You: You should apply to Erebor’s program. 

I don’t think they’d take me. I never took those ridiculous tests.

You: I’ll get them waived.

… I may not have finished secondary school

You: I’ll see what I can do.

—

Fili dismissed the class early. The first day of a new semester was always short. Most of his students were out of their seats and out the door before Fili had finished wiping down the whiteboard. Except for one. He was standing by the lectern, backpack slung over one shoulder.

“Did you have a question?”

The student shook his head. “I just wanted to introduce myself.”

Fili consulted his attendance sheet for a moment, “It’s Killian Oaks, right? If you would prefer something else, I can certainly do that. I just don’t have a note from the college about anything like that for you.”

“It is. But that’s not how you’d know me.”

Fili frowned in thought, one hand splayed over his papers on the desk. There was the niggle in the back of his brain that told him he was missing something.”

“You’d know me as . . .”

--

Taglist: Everything: @silvermoon-scrolls Fili/Kili: @dubhlachen

[gyllenhaalstories]

hey @/just-just-gyllenhaal! you blocked me before i could share my answer on your post “calling me out” for simply adding credits on a photo you shared that was originally posted by a photographer who asked for her photos not to be stolen and/or posted without credits. as a content creator myself, it’s hard to wrap my head around the idea that crediting someone is a bad thing, so let’s clear things up a little!

this has gotten quite long so... long story short, don’t repost & don’t steal & always credit original creators! 😊

i think it’s clear that, as a content creator, i value the importance of crediting the original posters as much as possible. whether it’s for gifs, photos, a fic or even the ideas i share with my friends, i try to credit everything i can. i still credit the creator of a divider i have used for years and on every single of my fics. i used to get my gifs for my fics out of google image until i realized how harmful it is to creators. after that, i learned and improved myself and i sourced my content respectfully. i credit the original creators even if they deactivated or it took me tons of redirects to find the original poster (i even went back and added the credits to old fanfics of mine as soon as i found out who made the gifs!). i also make sure to use MY OWN content before everything else. i have invested hours into creating fuzzy & blurry gifs so i can use them and share them on here! reposters and people who steal content are absolutely everywhere and impossible to control. they’re on tumblr, twitter, instagram, pinterest. you name it, you’ll find stolen content at the most random places. i have had my gifs stolen and reposted too, it’s awful. i managed to get some of them taken down, but it’s a struggle to open social media and just hope someone did not take the gifs i took hours to create and post them without credits, or even worse, claim it as their own.

 the website you used is a gold mine, so much is uploaded there and i’m sure i’m not the only one who enjoys seeing old & new photos you get from iheartjakemedia. it’s always cool to see photos of jake in the tag. well, was cool, since i’m blocked now, but details. the website did NOT credit the original owner which is bad. however, the photo has circulated on twitter, instagram AND tumblr where people have given proper credits to amy kaplan by tagging her, writing her username or crediting her in text form. it is possible you did not see the original photo! in that case, i don’t see how being informed of the original creator was such an awful action on my part. my caption was also very respectful, i only repeated the photographer’s desire to not have her content posted without credits.

there are not many members of the jake fandom on tumblr, it’s nice to respect each other and it’s sad i won’t be able to share the archives you post and the updates to my blog and help them circulate around. i have appreciated your work, you’ve been digging in some very old photo albums and you have shared photos a lot of us have never seen. also, you have posted photos on which you asked not to have them reposted since you said they were yours. with that piece of information, i can only assume you understand the importance of crediting original creators (... although you have stolen people’s content and blocked them for rightfully calling such a behaviour out too but i won’t get into that).

i was respectful and simply shared the credits of a photo which is a habit a lot of people should learn so we can make sure to always credit the original creators when it’s possible. if you believe i was at fault for crediting the photographer, then that’s how you see things. i will keep on crediting original content creators and hopefully you will too!

here are some screenshots to verify my claims!

this is the tweet by the original photographer! amy kaplan wrote: “Don’t steal my photo, K thanks”.

you told me to “check before accusing people” so i am giving you the same advice so you can check before stealing people’s content. maybe it was a mistake, maybe it was not. either way, i can see you were not happy that i simply added the credits without accusation or any mean intention.

you can also find this photo on her instagram.

like i said, it’s sad that i won’t be able to enjoy and reblog your posts which i have done a lot ever since i have learned about the existence of your blog. as a long time tumblr user and, again, a content creator, i am aware of the importance of reblogs and showing support to other users by reblogging their posts. i’m sorry if i post more of your content through queued photosets, they were queued prior to being blocked by you.

alright that’s it for me, i hope you have a nice day! <3

[emmalee-olive]

I saw a girl who’s instagram I frequently indulge in. A friend of a friend. A girl I have never personally conversed with but her life is one I aspire to have. At least in the realm of instagram stories. Her life seems to be littered with fortune. Beautiful clear skin, models, remains consistent and anonymous in her demeanor. 

She has mastered the art of being one dimensional. A thing I could only dream of doing. Flattening myself time and time again has proved to be a useless endeavor that leads to the flattening of all other aspects of my life. One could assume it is one’s uniqueness that gives them peace of mind. This is farther from the truth and in fact requires an intense and rigorous amount of brain-training. The concentrated removal of shame from one’s thoughts. 

While this seems like a dig at her, it of course, is not. I am envious. I imagine that when you get to know her she becomes more fleshed out, I’m sure her beauty is found deeper than the surface. I bet she would lend you a dollar, or listen to a story. I bet she loves to pet the cats she posts on her stories. 

I understand as an adult that her instagram story archive is not an extensive study of herself. I understand it is a curated beautiful combination of photos that she wanted to present herself as. 

I also understand that I could do this myself. I did for a time. My life as of right now lacks beauty. It lacks fortune. I cannot subtly post about my beautiful apartment, I live with my mother. I can’t post about my picturesque job, I’m a receptionist. 

You only need to consider my last observation to make a conclusion. And that is that my obsession with her is a reflection of my insecurities. OF COURSE!!! The judgement you pass on others is the judgement you fear will be passed to you. What an original observation. 

this is not an original observation. It is a lesson learned from a study of one’s self. All young girls must at one point realize this about their judgement. It is a creature outside of themselves that feeds on their own thoughts. A hungry beast which thrives on naivety. 

Only recently have I sat down with this beast and questioned its motives. Now it is a background train of thought as I move through my day. 

Now that I have maintained my beast a reasonable amount I focus on bigger things like the joy of being alive, the gift of breath. The gift of a hot americano to stay. 

Its not easy to sit and say that I have found joy in mundane, that I have found joy in general. I have found only a glimpse. I have yet to truly move in the direction I think will make me happy. Although I understand that change is imminent and I will be shown a new path very shortly, I also understand that I am afraid to step back into the dark. Back into the space which holds these beasts. 

The dark is the unknown it is not that my future has ensured pain, it does, maybe not at the degree to which I experienced it previously, but it will have pain. It is that I must understand that there will also be joy, I am not totally stagnant. we grow in ways outside of the linear fashion. We grow exponentially, we grow in cubes, we grow in cos or sin. 

I know stepping back into this darkness of the unknown, that I will once again see a glimpse of joy, of hope. I must take a risk, a leap of faith and trust that fortune will be found in areas where it is meant to be found. 

As for this girl and her instagram, I wonder what she finds joy in. I wonder if maybe she recognized me as well. I wonder how hard it is for her to keep a straight face as she makes eye contact with others. Maybe it’s not a conscious act. Maybe it is. I find coldness in first impressions absurd and I find the absurd to be a beautiful fact of life which drives us towards a triumphant end. 

To hope and to all the things in between. 

[camplofi]

186 - Download While You Can

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

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Connect with Camp Lo-Fi via social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Outer Dark by Wizard Of Loneliness [Business Casual] (CC-BY-SA) (2024)

2.  Unfolding by A. Billi Free & Uncle_EL [Eye Mija Productions] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2020)

3.  Evil by Coldreavers [Trippin' The Rift] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2011)

4.  Invade Your Soul by Lavoura [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2011)

5.  spring by king britt presents scuba [Unfoundsound] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2008)

Most of my waking moments are spent thinking about music appreciation, sonic curation, and media preservation:  not only as separate concepts, but also regarding how they intersect.  I recently came to the realization that it's awfully strange that I don't talk about these things more often on the show.  And then some strange occurrences in the world of music, podcasting, and online archiving took place over the past month.  Suddenly, I had the perfect excuse to express some observations and concerns about it all while sharing some Creative Commons selections with the listeners.

Spotify removing over 500 podcast episodes from their platform because of music isn't surprising, but the fact that the podsafe episodes weren't spared is what's annoying me to no end (particularly considering that this is happening while they continually devalue music and the artists that create it via payout pittances for single and album streams).  There was also a story about hundreds of thousands of online hip-hop mixtapes disappearing almost overnight without explanation.  If that weren't enough, a recent cyberattack knocked the Internet Archive offline in October, but staff have been providing weekly updates via their blog as services are restored slowly but surely.  (For those that need the Cliff Notes version of what's been going on with the Internet Archive, check out this four-minute clip from Fireship's YouTube channel.)

Seeing as how the Internet Archive is one of my go-to sources for Creative Commons licensed music, I had to incorporate a handful of CC cuts into the show to help move things along.  "Evil" by Coldreavers is a hidden gem found while digging through the Archive, a brooding piece of downtempo that features a first-hand account from a jilted lover.  Released through the Trippin' The Rift netlabel about 13 years ago, it sounds like it hasn't aged a day (and I really need to find out who's responsible for the vocals on this one).  Meanwhile, "Invade Your Soul" is jazz-infused electronica from São Paulo, Brazil's Lavoura.  The stuttered patterns of the programmed drums have a broken beat feel and I fell hard for this cut right away.  Then there's the infectious pop of "Outer Dark" by Wizard Of Loneliness.  Between the bright organ sounds, the punch of the snare pads, and the hazy vocals, it's a winner right out the gate.  It's just one of many ridiculously catchy tunes being released by the Business Casual label this year and a great example of why I keep coming back to that label to hear more.

The combined forces of producer Uncle El and vocalist A. Billi Free are responsible for "Unfolding," one of those cuts that feels grounded and airborne at the same time.  It's left-leaning hip-hop with a lyrical bend towards peeling back personal layers and allowing for growth and vulnerability.  The show closes out with some ocean floor deep techno courtesy of master curator, producer and professor King Britt.  "Spring" is a song that he recorded under his Scuba moniker for the Philly Time! compilation released on the Unfoundsound netlabel back in 2008.  

This episode represents a slight departure from the usual order of things around these parts, but I feel really good about this one.  It could be the start of a new structure for future episodes.  By all means, please let me know your thoughts on this one and thank you so much for listening.

Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops from EJ Flavors and Thad Reid.

Other key info: BSOTS show #175 - Does Music Belong In Podcasting? BSOTS show #182 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi:  The First Nine Years BSOTS on Bondfire Radio broadcast archives Libsyn's The Feed podcast episode no. 277 Hip-Hop Can Save America - Exclusive: Datpiff Hip-Hop Mixtape Archive Disappears Overnight 2024 Black Podcasting Awards Ceremony Netwaves

The content of this show has been released under a CC-BY-SA license.  All works within this show retain their original releases.  See the show notes at bsots.com for more information.

Another BSOTS podcast episode for the people...

[bloomdigital]

Alright folks, it's the last post of my Tumblr takeover. On Monday our preordering campaign will be done and I will be back to being a lowly writer, scrabbling for words in the dirt, my fingers anxiously picking at adjectives and adverbs.

I found this post as I was digging around in the ancient LongStory Tumblr archives and thought it'd be fun to tackle these questions again as a way of saying "adios." It's been an absolute pleasure, thanks for all your support for LongStory 2, we're so excited to share it with you!

MJ LYONS: WRITER AND SCRIPT COORDINATOR

What’s your favourite part about working on LongStory 2?

I started doing some writing on LongStory 2 for episodes 2-5, but I came on as script coordinator because our amazing narrative lead, Heather, is all out working on [redacted secret game]. I got to learn a lot about QA and playtesting getting episode 1 in shape, and it also turns out that when I'm left to my own devices with scripts I take 'em and run. My favourite has been writing Hanna, especially taking the Surfboard Boys gag and running with it. I'm pretty sure it was originally supposed to be a total throwaway line, but I convinced the team to put in a "Surfboard Boys fan" variable, and now there's deep Surfboard Boys lore. Radical.

Why do you think a game like LongStory 2 is important?

Social progress is, unfortunately, not a straight line. It's always two steps forward and one step back. I think we're seeing that a lot these days. It'd be easy to say it's "just in the States," but Canada's facing anti-trans bills, my home province of New Brunswick was one of the early adopters of discriminatory legislation. F***, allow me to say, that. It's easy to feel scared or hopeless, so writing an explicitly pro-LGBTQ, trans- and non-binary-celebratory game that brings players, especially young people, joy is exactly the kind of thing I want to do with my life. In the immortal words of my favourite writer, Ursula K. Le Guin: "Resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art, the art of words." Let's all keep fighting for what's right.

You can also follow MJ here on Bluesky and Instagram :)

BECOME A BACKER BY PREORDERING LONGSTORY 2 NOW AND RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF LONGSTORY 1! THREE DAYS TO GO!

MICHAEL LYONS: WRITER

What’s your favourite part about working on LongStory?

My favourite part working on LongStory is definitely writing the dialogue of Weasel Height’s resident enormous, feathered sweetheart, Turkeyhawk. Completely unplanned, another writer and I ended up having Turkey quote 19th century poets in our episodes. I think that says a lot about our magical, humungous, flightless darling.

Why do you think a game like LongStory is important?

I identify as queer and I’m from a small town, so I had no access to any stories about LGBTQ people or relationships until I was well into high school. When I first played LongStory I remember thinking, “I wish I had this game when I was younger.” It’s so exciting to work on a game like that, and I hope young queer or trans kids will play it, see themselves in the story and know they’re not alone.

You can also follow Michael here on Tumblr and on Wordpress  :)

[pod-together]

Day 7 Reveals!

Till Scurvy Do Us Part [text, audio]  (Our Flag Means Death (TV)) written by crowreys_wormstache, performed by Flowerparrish Summary: They were just all being so… nice? Not that they weren’t nice to Jim normally, but there was something in their eyes – this sort of knowing look. Jim couldn’t stand when others clearly knew something they weren’t let in on. And there was still no sign of Oluwande. OR Olu has a surprise for Jim and the crew does a terrible job at keeping it secret. like I didn't walk in willingly  (陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)) written by remiges, performed by deepestbluesky Summary: She'd married Qingheng-jun because she didn't want to die, and yet the marriage is also what almost ended up killing her. It's funny, if she thinks about it for too long. Ready to be wrong  (Check Please! (Webcomic)) written by DesignatedGrape, performed by Amanita_Fierce and HowOldAreWe Summary: Kent flops onto his bed in his sister's tiny office-slash-guest room and pulls out his phone, his fingers bringing him to Whiskey’s Instagram seemingly of their own accord. Unsurprisingly, there are no updates, and his tags are the usual stale mix of photos from the Leafs’ official account and pictures from random fans trying to get Whiskey’s attention. Kent growls at himself. This is his fucking vacation, and he is not going to spend the entire time moping and hanging out with his sister. He exits Instagram and pulls up Grindr, instead. It only takes a couple minutes of scrolling before his thumb screeches to a halt. The photo is just a faceless torso, but he’d recognize his own tattoo work anywhere. A compass, half of it dissolving into dust. A little less detailed than usual so that it could be finished in a couple of hours. C, 24. 4.2 miles away. --- Or, Kent and Whiskey unexpectedly find themselves in the same city again. Lost and Found  (Star Wars Legends - All Media Types) written by Spiraling, performed by Dr_Fumbles_McStupid and litra Summary: When Feemor and Obi-Wan go on an archaeological dig to some Sith ruins, there's more active danger than they were anticipating. a love that won't sit still  (Check Please! (Webcomic)) written by vocatives, performed by Aliteralgarbageheap Summary: It must be a boozed-up mistake, because there is simply no universe in which he, William Poindexter, has fallen in love with  Derek-fucking-Nurse. The soul mark on Dex's hand, however, tells a different story. Those Who Walk the In-Between Places and See Unseeable Things  (Gundam Wing, Addams Family - All Media Types) written by AngelSelene, performed by Hangebokhan Summary: As long as there have been people, there have always been those who are other, who walk in the in-between places, and who see the unseeable things. Those people are often attracted to great events, and so, in the After Colony years, they are once again. You Tick All My Boxes  (EXO (Band), VIXX) written by XiuChen4Ever, performed by cheshiretears Summary: Cat hybrid Minseok is grateful for his best friend and his favorite human. Even if one is rather lumpy and the other is rather loud. Wet & Wild  (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) written by BardicRaven, performed by Aether Summary: Quark tries another money-making scheme for the Bar. It goes about as well as you'd expect. A.K.A. 'These aren't (quite) the lobes you're looking for, Quark.' Crossroads Bargains ��(The Magnus Archives (Podcast)) written by Spiraling, performed by Koschei_B Summary: It's over. Jane Prentiss is dead Tim and Jon are injured. All the archive team wants to do is rest and regroup. Tim offers his flat. And that moment of impulsive kindness changes everything. A Real Boy [text, audio]  (Our Flag Means Death (TV)) written by trinityofone, performed by SweetPollyOliver Summary: Frenchie convinces Stede to hire the cursebreaker. Stede can see the logic in it: a way to cleanse the ship after all their troubles, clear the air between the reunited crews. “A little vibe adjustment,” Frenchie says. See This Heart Flow  (Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)) written by Robin_Fai, performed by riverdaze Summary: Victor was one of the few competitors in the figure skating community who was public about his creature heritage. He was part fae and proud of it. It was different for Yuuri. He knew that his own identity was something that people feared. He had been hiding his whole life. Variations  (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, A Stitch in Time: Andrew J. Robinson) created by BardicRaven and RisalSoran Summary: Color, like Truth, comes in an infinite variety of variations, each with its own unique shape and form.

[theirloveisgross]

on how i became a larrie

Posted to the Larry Stylinson reddit on May 08, 2021. I guess this was my first acknowledgement that I was in too deep. And so happy I was. 

Okaaayyy, hello. I hope this is okay to post, I just need an outlet.

So, what made me finally open a reddit account? These two men. Yup. Because I needed to feel some sort of reassurance that I'm not crazy.

First of all, I was never a 1D fan. Knew of them, respected people that liked them, but their music was not to my taste and I wasn't part of the demographic they were trying to target, I think. Zayn and Harry were the only ones I knew by name. In the last couple of years, I've become more and more aware of Harry as an individual in the mainstream who loves to challenge ideas in the way he presents himself, and I admire him for that. Last year some friends showed me the Lights Up music video, then Watermelon Sugar, then Golden... And I was digging how ambiguous he was.

However, I THINK what triggered my obsession for this man was his performance at the Grammys. I was mesmerized by his voice, his dancing, his outfit, his demeanor, everything! So I started listening to Fine Line, and then his first album. Then my Instagram explore page got flooded with photos and videos of him, and I was absolutely okay with it. I love how incredibly funny he is on stage. I'd spend hours just watching fan videos from concerts.

THEN... Enter Louis. As a FYI, I love stories about men who are vulnerable and open with each other, who let their guards down, who have tension, I always have (has anyone seen the show Merlin? That was probably when I knew I loved seeing two men acting like that, it makes me so giddy). I watched some videos of early-days Harry and Louis and my thoughts were "omg, of course they totally absolutely genuinely seriously obviously had something going on!". But these two are not fictional, so sometimes I do feel a little... guilty? I don't know, it's like I'm invading? But at the same time, these are all public interviews, concerts, videos. Anyway, this guilt trip is another story though.

I believed they had something, but they didn't anymore, they grew apart, that was it. It happens. But THEEEEEEN (because I couldn't have enough) I started watching cosmicleeds' Larry Timelines on YouTube and my brain just went didjskjdhuwnekdbjdbiasmxjanxnidcidnoa.

There are way too many coincidences, right??? Some things I've gone out of my way to see if they're actually real or just people desperately trying to make it work, and I've found the latter is the case, but most things... dude. It's just too many.

For example, the Umbro shirt, to me, was one of the biggest things in recent years. It still is, because I truly find it hard to believe that they both went and bought the same fucking shirt on separate days and places, etc. The thing is that people claimed that it was "ONE OF A KIND", but if you look at the posts made by both Louis and Harry's fashion archive Twitter accounts, they link to two different websites. So yeah, it was not one of a kind shirt but a very very rare one. I do still believe it's the same shirt and they share it, tbh, but there's also a 7% probability that they both own a shirt each.

I also want to say I'm now on the Louis train too. I love his lyrics so much, didn't click with his music at first, but by loving the lyrics I just started vibing with his sound. Currently obsessed with Miss You; I just think it's the perfect song to his days of "clubbing everyday and behaving like a rebel" and it definitely gives me the vibes of "I don't want to be doing this, help", like...

Such a good time I believe it this time

Just like that and I'm sober I'm asking myself, "Is it over?"

Boy... I meaaan.

I think I'm done. Thanks for (maybe) reading! I'm glad I'm here now. :)

[wayward-mikaelson]

Centuries Twelve

Word Count: 1363

Pairing: Reader x Dean

Characters: Reader, Dean, Sam, Rowena, Cas, Jack, Michael, and Hezekiah

About: A new lead is found on Hezekiah. Michael has a new vessel.

Warnings/Trigger Warnings: Language, Angst, Michael’s new vessel (I pictured this vessel super fucking hot so yeah it’s a warning. sue me) 

A/N: With this gif, let’s pretend that the boys are at the other end of the table so when the Michale in his new vessel comes in that’s the greeting he gets.

*18+ Content. If you are younger than 18 please scroll/move along. I do NOT want to risk my account being thanosed. 

**Please DO NOT copy and paste my work anywhere else WITHOUT my permission and WITHOUT giving me the proper credit. I work too hard on my stories and would hate for them to be stolen.

***This work is also posted on my Instagram, WattPad, and Archive Of Our Own. Links are in the pinned post on my profile. Please go show it some love over there.

****Go follow my other accounts: Instagram, Twitter, WattPad, and Archive Of Our Own

*****Requests are CLOSED

Forever Tag List: @hobby27​ @donnaintx​ @myinconnelly1​ @elansaidaris​ @magssteenkamp​ @440mxs-wife​

Dean/Jensen Tag List: @akshi8278​ @sandlee44​ @squirrelnotsam​

My Masterlist

My Supernatural Masterlist

Story Masterlist

Chapter Eleven

My Favorite Fics

It's been two days and there is still no sign of Michael.

Dean tells me the bind removal was successful and that Michael hightailed it out of here with only the words "I'll be back." But I didn't really care, I mean, I did care in someway. He was a ticking time bomb without that bind to me. He could literally kill thousands upon thousands of people. I pray that he found his way to the bottom of the ocean and if that were the case, then so be it then. A door on my life will finally be closed for good.

After Rowena undid the bind and after Michael ran off, Dean told me that it too another twelve hours for me to wake up. And when I did wake up apparently I was still under the influence of that powder that smacked me in the face back at the house. I don't remember much of what happened but I guess that Rowena had been prepared for it cause according to her, I drank a sleeping potion and was out again for the night.

When I woke up again, I was feeling normal.

Now, I sit in the bunker kitchen twirling the spoon in my soup round in circles. Chicken noodle soup. From a can. Once things are back in order and Hezekiah is gone for good and maybe Michael too, I will have to get this kitchen back in order. Making homemade soups and dinner again like the good old days.

"Oh, you got that look on your face," Dean steps into the kitchen. He stops when he see me. The outfit he's wearing, although super normal, is super hot right now. "Whats on your mind?"

Sitting back from the bowl of soup, "Just the possibility that we might hear of a nuclear bomb going off and killing thousands. Plus, I'm not eating this." I push the bowl away from me.

Dean looks a little heart broken when I say that. "I made that and it was all we had. Sort of been busy to go out on a supply run. But no worries, I'll eat and I'll take you to get a greasy burger while we go for that supply run."

I smile and reach across the table and move the soup. Dean looks at the empty space and then at me. "You want to know what I really want?"

Dean swallows whats in his mouth. "And what's that?" He raises an eyebrow knowing what's about to happen and go down.

I get and walk around the table. As I do, Dean pushes the chair he's sitting in away from the table and leans back with his one eyebrow still raised. "Hmmm," I straddle his lap and slowly run my hands up his chest to the top button of his shirt. "I was thinking, something quick. Something pleasurable. And just maybe, something a little naughty."

I feel Dean's member get hard under me. A low growl is heard deep within his chest and came out as a small groan. Dean wraps his arms around me and in the next minute he's pushing me up on a wall next to the coffee bar and knocking a few things off it. My legs are tightly wrapped around him while he pins my arms above my head while his lips attack mine. Nipping and bitting at whatever bare skin he can.

Dean releases my arms and pushes my legs off him. He takes both his hands and grips the neckline of my shirt and rips the fabric in half all the way down to the bottom. Dean looks me over and smirks. "No bra?"

"Nope, I hate those things with a passion today."

Dean licks his lips and attacks mine again before kissing, nipping and bitting his way down to my neck. Down between my breasts as he takes hold of both and gives them a gently but firm squeeze. Down to the button of my jeans. I look down and see his raised eyes looking into mine. Waiting for permission to go on.

"Well," I say softly. "What are you waiting for?"

Dean smiles big and as soon as he gets the button undone, Sam comes walking into the kitchen.

"I heard something fall in here, are you guys-" Sam's voice is cut off by what he sees. I quickly cover myself in my ripped shirt as Dean stands up and positions his body in front of mine. "You know there is something called a room, right? I'm going to just pretend I didn't see what was going to happen."

"Yeah well, you should have just done that in the beginning instead of interrupting." Dean takes his button up off and hands it back to me. I grab it and quickly put it on.

"Well sorry for being concerned for your well being," Sam snaps back. "No worries though, I'll let you get back to it."

I peek around Dean, "Sam, you kind of killed the mood."

Just then, we hear the bunker door open. The three of us walk towards the war room of the bunker where we can hear whoever came in walking down. When we get there, we see a talk blonde hair man in a grey suit walking down the stairs. As he's fixing the cuff links on his sleeves,  Dean steps in front of me and pulls out his gun. Sam does the same. I look down to make sure the button down shirt I now wore was actually fixed.

"Who are you?" Dean asked firmly. "How did you get in here?"

"How did you find the place?" Sam adds.

I peek around Deans side and see the man look up and make eye contact with me. His eyes are a piercing blue. The way he looks me over, feels oddly familiar. But I've never seen this man before in my life. "YN," His voice is smooth and not deep. He straightens his body and holds himself high just like...

"Michael?" I whisper walking around Dean. Dean tries to pull me back but I push his hands away. "Is that..you?" I ask tilting my head to the side.

"Yes," he replies taking a step towards me. I feel my back tense up. "I'm sorry, I should have found a way to contact you but I didn't have your numbers or stuff for a simple spell."

"What poor bastard said yes to let you in?" Dean steps beside me and I can feel the the tension in his body.

Michael looks down and smiles. "Ah yes, Gillian Branson. He was an accountant until he was hit by a truck. I found him dying in the the ambulance and told him he will no longer be in pain if he let me in. And with the promise that he will see his lost wife in Heaven."

"Is he, still in there?" Sam asks lowering his gun and putting it away. I look next to me to see Dean still has his gun in his hands. I touch his hand to assure him it's okay. He gently pushes my hand away.

"Sadly, he passed on after he said yes and after I entered him. So it's just me in here." Michale pulls a chair out and sits down.

"Oh, who is this handsome fella?" Rowena walks into the war room and her eyes get wide as she looks over Michael.

"Michael and his new meat suit," Dean finally puts his gun away.

"Oh, such a lovely pick," Rowena walks around Michael. Feeling his shoulders and muscles. "Firm, this lad used to work out. You can hold down a woman with those." Michaels eyes snap over to me. My stomach starts to feel tight. I don't know if it's Michaels vessel stirring something up because his new vessel is pretty attractive, or the way Michaels dig deep into mine trying to find something buried.

"Rowena, you're drooling too much," I say startling the witch out of her day dream.

"Alright," Rowena gives Michael one more rub down before walking away. "I'll get the things for the spell to make his vessel stronger and last longer."

Michaels eyes never leave mine. "Perfect, because I know where Hezekiah is. We can end this tomorrow night."

[justmeinfact]

Chapter 7 of my story “Home is where I am”.

The story of Maxence and Axel, how they met and fell in love, as it should be. But also the story of finding yourself, as you need to do.

This is also the story about how Skam France season 3 came to life, and you will for sure recognize fun facts from the casts interviews, Instagram updates, twitter and Skam France - projections!

This is real life fiction, do not read if you do not approve!

_________________________________________________

Maxence’s small coffee table is filled to the brim with yellow post its, drafts from notebooks and a ridiculous amount of pens. Digging yourself into the spectrum of true love called for a different location than the house the production had rented for the rehearsals. Home felt safer.

Maxence casually leans back into the not to big sofa in the equally small but central apartment. He is dressed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt today and somehow his hair looks even wilder than the day before. Axel has never seen a hair like his.

“So -”, he says, biting on the tip of one of those pencils. “When did you know you had fallen in love?”.

Axel, who sits on the other end of the sofa, with one of his legs slumped up next to the backrest to better see Maxence thinks about it.

“I don’t know if it starts there,” he says.

“What do you mean?” Maxence asks and drops the hand holding the pen.

“The interest comes first, doesn’t it? You meet somewhere and suddenly you see only that person. You don’t know anything about her but she just stands out in all of the blur, no matter how many other people are there. It can be something she says or the way she looks. Something she projects maybe. It’s like a clench in the stomach.”

“And what happens?”

“You lock eyes. In the best of worlds she looks back. So you hold your gaze.”

“Why?”

“Because you can’t look away. You want more. Know more, be more. It’s like a sudden thirst.” Axel is looking straight at Maxence now.

Maxence chips his chin up a little bit and then lowers it slightly, at the same time as he slowly blinks once, then widening his eyes. His pink lips opens just a little bit. Their eyes locks.

Axel can feel his heart thump.  Holy shit, is all he can think.

“Did I get it?”, Maxence asks after a moment, with a small smile.

“You did”.

*

“Where are my fucking cigarettes?”. Maxence dives into the pile of stuff on the table, messes about which means most of the papers ends up on the floor and turns up again with a package of smokes and a lighter. “Found them!”.

[kingspoetrysoc]

Interview with Dan Bisset

Dan Bisset is an Irish first-year Classical Studies with English BA student at King’s. They wear a lot of hats: Dan is a poet, writer, actor, musician, singer and a social justice activist. They have proudly taken on the title of SJW and attempt to reclaim that name. Dan is currently working on a poetry cycle entitled Whole New World in conjunction with the King’s module Writing Race, Writing Gender. The poems in the collection are self-published and can be found at their Instagram @danbpoetry. The King’s Poet’s Jaylen Simons talks to Dan about their writing and how they are finding their voice through poetry.

How did you come to write poetry, and what are your feelings about it?

This is a difficult question. Poetry has invariably always been a big part of my life. I’ve been playing music since I was three, so rhythm and musicality have always been pretty natural to me. I started with Irish Traditional Music, which has a distinct amount of rhythm to it since it’s primarily dance music. It has various time signatures, rhythmic patterns and metres, and I think growing up with this musicality has impacted me strongly. Words and lyrics came later, and I think from my engagement with singing in a church choir. Church was all about music for me – I’m not religious – so being enveloped in the music and Lyric in different languages especially, really impacted me. The day I first decided to write poetry – as opposed to lyrics for music –  was the first day I posted to my Instagram, November 2019.

Poetry comes in little pieces. As I go through life, I collect fragments and bits of inspiration and mash them together, adapting and improvising when necessary for the writing. I write from experience and from things that resonate with me. Recently I’ve tried to write and sit down and come up with ideas – it’s worked for my Whole New World cycle; writing to deadline and submission. My journey started with moments of insomniatic inspiration as a result of quarantine and the exhaustion I was feeling.

That makes me think of Ruth Stone, and what she’s said about poetry being out there and something that has to be committed to the page and controlled on the line, or it’s gone. Is there anything from your modules that has inspired or guided your writing? 

Absolutely! I think about things I want to write, thinking that it can be a poem, but that I need the right tools. I started with an idea 99% of the time, or I’ll see something in the street or anywhere and think it would be a good title. In the Whole New World cycle I've been experimenting and playing with my studies. The cycle is specifically for this poetry for the Writing Race, Writing Gender module in English. We looked at Charles Bernstien’s experiments in writing to push ourselves. I took that on and made some poetry I’m very proud of. Being able to submit my poetry for grading – something I do as a hobby has been a dream come true! If we were allowed to do that for all assignments, I would.

Can you tell me a bit more about Whole New World? How has that been for you?

It has been emotional. As a trans person, it’s forced me to look inward and question my own beliefs, both as a poet and as a person. For example, when you say ‘trans woman’, what do you think of? Who are the people that come to mind? Who are the people that should come to mind that maybe don’t? Writing has given me a type of agency; the pen is mightier than the sword. Who is going to inspire me and has inspired me throughout my life? I have also had to represent a beautiful, multifaceted, multicultural community and do that in a tactful and nuanced way and make sure I’m not overstepping. In Track 9, for example – the title taken from Solange’s Don’t Touch My Hair – I wrote about the beauty of trans hair; Munroe Bergdorf, an English model and trans activist; and Emma Dabiri, an Irish-Nigerian writer. I had to consider the double meaning that hair has for women of colour. I also considered my own relationship with my hair and worked with titles taken from YouTube when you put in ‘trans hair’.

In terms of the poetry I write, Whole New World was a way for me to unpack a lot of the gender trouble I was having. Quarantine has been a time of self-discovery and the time when I came out to myself. I was also thinking a lot about SOPHIE – the late Scottish musician – and her music, and its direct affect on me. Whole New World has taught me about the trans person I want to be, for and on the behalf of other people. Through my writing I’ve also had to reconcile my identity as an Irish person, especially as we are starting to lose our connection to our culture. I’ve also had to think about being an immigrant and coming to the UK, a place that traditionally has been hostile to Irish people. My poetry has been a catharsis for me and my trauma and a way for me to articulate things. Whole New World has been a way to also think about happiness as well.

Do you have any tips for writers and for writing poetry?

The Notes app on your phone is going to be your best friend. I’ve mostly written through the Notes app, or digitally. I also screenshot what I write so I can come back to it and work on it further later. I write, review and then either refine the piece and post, or I’ll reuse any ideas for other projects and poems. Poetry can be written anywhere – the District Line, the doctor’s office. No matter how mundane or beige a poem may seem... Write it down! You never know if it could be used to form a wonderful tapestry of work. If you also write about things that interest you, you’ll never run out of things to write. Basically, write about things you enjoy and make a conscious effort to write down the things you enjoy. You can also take whatever image you have in your head and subvert it. If you’re thinking about a bird in a tree, tell the story from the point of view of the branch, not the bird. Play with the normal and make it extraordinary. 

You share work via social media and have a poetry Instagram, @danbpoetry. What do you think about Instapoetry and self-publication?

I think the digestible nature of it is interesting. It can also be insidious – like for example, Rupi Kaur taking the work of another poet. I don’t post all of my work, I save some of it and may use some of my work for other projects in the future. I’d love to self-publish even one copy of Whole New World – possibly more depending on interest.

I think there are definite benefits to using social media. Instagram was first designed as a catalogue and archival space. Instagram has been changed obviously with the rise of influencers and things. I primarily use it as a way to document my poetry so that I can go back and look at my work and how it’s developed. It’s also a great way to share poetry generally, in a lowkey way. Instapoetry is always accessible and people can view it in their own time. They are also more likely to engage and respond and give feedback too because of this.

Our generation and young people generally have a totally different view of poetry now – it’s all very academic and its definitions are more stringent. Having poetry online offers another view, one that maybe isn’t so geared towards Shakespearian sonnets or the poetry of the Victorians for example. The writing has changed too so we don’t necessarily think about writing in a strict metre and rhyme. Narrative for me has become very important, as has telling stories in a substantial and tangible way  – as substantial as writing on a screen can be! The poetry is also shorter; my poetry is usually on one slide.  I think about if that’s important and about how it will look visually on my feed. At the same time posting to Instagram means you can disregard the branding and the form, and how strict poetry has become, and focus on the writing and writing lots – writing with passion! Poetry can just be poetry. The abolition of poetic forms really excites me. Why would I not want to try something new? 

Things change, attitudes change and approaches to writing change and that’s okay. Your writing style can evolve. That’s part of the beauty of Instagram actually, archiving your work there and seeing the physical change in your poetry. It’s important to me that I don’t keep changing my work, and to keep this journey of mine intact  – as cliche as that sounds. Keeping it genuine. It’s important to look at narrative especially.

What are your thoughts of writing as an Irish person and even on Seamus Heaney, and Joyce?

Heaney is tough, and I say that with as much love as I can as an Irish person. He is THE poet of Ireland in my opinion – you can talk about Keats, you can talk about Wilde but I think that Heaney is great. Irish people know Heaney for his poems about the Irish spirit, for example Digging or Mid-term Break, rather than his adaptations of Archaic texts such as his Beowulf. Heaney’s work is more than Beowulf, which I think is a testament to how writing changes. We can see this in Heaney. He did not only write a version of Beowulf, taking inspiration from the ancient world and from history like a type of Ulysses-Joyce figure; he also wrote about peeling potatoes as well – a universal Irish spirit if you ask me. His work is also so very evocative and meaty. Mid-term Break for example changes your expectations: “Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,  Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple, He lay in the four-foot box as in his cot. No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear. A four-foot box, a foot for every year.” 

We expect the poem to be about a big strong man but it’s actually about a 4 year old kid. I bawled when I first heard it. It definitely speaks to this subversion of expectation.

You study Classics and English like me (!) so I wondered what you think about it – studying the two together? Classical writers like Homer and Ovid are doing this same thing with changing approaches to poetry. Would you mind discussing that further as well?

Absolutely, Classics and English go so well together; I wish more universities offered it. I knew when I was making my applications that I had to study both together. Studying the two together is so engaging. Homer was absolutely changing ideas in his day. I find nothing better than a reworking of ancient texts, be it feminist or queer, or any other lens of reading – I love it! Homer is a transgressive; it’s a thought provoking image. How he transcended everything – literature, philosophy, art etc. Homer was the Lady Gaga of his day, you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing his influence, he basically invented the idea of the polis – in literature – single handedly. I just think classical literature has so much to offer us, as does classical poetry. Things like the elegiac love poetry of Sappho have just as much angst as poetry does today. 

[kentonramsey]

The Sneakers You Should Be Searching for, According to 8 Aficionados

I fell into my first sneaker wormhole while working at Outdoor Voices on a collaboration with Hoka One One on their Clifton 4. We loved the old Hoka styles from the early 2000s and found that an easy way to dig through the archive was actually by hunting around on eBay. The Hoka One One Stinson became my go-to search. (“Hoka One One Stinson Lite” and “Hoka One One Stinson Tarmac” if you want to get really specific.) Something about the now-discontinued running shoe was charming: colorful and chunky, like a Jolly Rancher made for running.

Aqua Blue Hoka One One Running Shoes

$29.99 Shop Now

Grey and Pink Hoka One One Running shoes

$110.99 Shop Now

Pink and White Hoka One One Running Shoes

$49.99 Shop Now

Blue Hoka One One Running Shoes

$106.00 Shop Now

After the Hoka wormhole came the Newton obsession. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Newton Running shoes offered a sleeker, cleaner look compared to the chunky Hoka. They had a much slimmer sole, which made me feel like a “serious runner” and looked smart enough to wear with a dress. I love the blocky color combinations older Newtons have. Poshmark seems to oddly have a good selection of used Newtons starting at $25. (Like these, these or these….) If freshness is your thing, you can find some good ones on eBay, too, by filtering the condition to “New with box.”

Orange and Yellow Newton sneakers

$25.00 Shop Now

Yellow Green Newton sneaker

$34.99 Shop Now

Pink Newton sneaker

$69.00 Shop Now

Purple and Green Newton sneaker

$90.00 Shop Now

Purple Newton sneaker

$39.00 Shop Now

Aqua Newton sneaker

$14.99 Shop Now

So, those are my current obsessions, but of course I could always use more. So I talked to a handful of leading sneaker aficionados about the vintage styles they love the most right now.

Alexis Quintero

LA-based creative Alexis runs the excellent vintage shop Fruta de Dulcé and has collaborated with and designed for Nike.

“I’m a huge vintage sneaker enthusiast. I love to pick colorful old sneakers and mix them into my wardrobe. My fave over the years have been Nike Rifts. I love this pink pair—the split toe is super comfy.”

Pink Nike Rift sneaker

$89.99 Shop Now

Gold Nike Rift sneaker

$99.95 Shop Now

Oatmeal Nike Rift sneaker

$119.99 Shop Now

Helen Kirkum

View this post on Instagram

Found my upcycled my old neon Converse. Remember buying these when I was 12 on a school trip to Paris and writing ‘Helen’s Sneakers Are Orange’ on the foxing tape. When I found them last year, I remembered how much I loved them and wanted to give them new life _____________________________ tag your upcycling sneaker projects using #sneakersculpture and i’ll round up some of my favourites each month. ______________________________ #HelenKirkum #helenkirkumstudio #sneakersculpture #sneakers #remastered #sneaks #kicks #kicksoftheday #customsneakers #upcycled

A post shared by Helen Kirkum | Sneakers (@helenkirkumstudio) on Aug 12, 2020 at 7:00am PDT

As the director of the Helen Kirkum Studio in London, Helen makes bespoke sneakers using discarded materials—some of which come courtesy of Traid, a local recycling center.

“The most underrated vintage sneaker is the one you already own I’ve never been a sneakerhead, but one thing I’m sure of is that we have a deep connection to our own personal products, especially footwear and sneakers. The marks and memories on your shoes are what makes them unique and beautiful, and no one knows how important they are and how special those memories are except you. That’s why they’re underrated.

I recently upcycled one of my pairs of Converse, [a pair] I’ve had since I was 15—I paid homage to the shoe but gave it a new life. On the foxing tape it says, ‘Helen’s shoes are orange.’ I remember writing that all those years ago, and that story lives on in the new shoe I created.”

Jazerai Allen Lord

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I don’t think I ever posted this one but it was a favorite. #bts with @reebokclassics for #IAMW inline. #tbt

A post shared by Jazerai Allen-Lord (@nerdlikejazzy) on Feb 20, 2020 at 2:49pm PST

Jazerai is a creative strategist, sneaker designer, and founder of TrueToSize, a brand strategy agency. She’s currently featured on Quibi’s “You Aint Got These” by Lena Waithe.

“The Nike SB Avengers in purple are one of my favorite SB releases. They were released in 2005, so I wouldn’t technically consider them vintage, but they’re one of the few dope colorways of the silhouette that have been left alone (and not retroed).

Not only are they from the Pink Box era of Nike SB—which is arguably one of the most definitive periods—they came in a few different styles, using different leathers, and the pinstriping is so beautiful.”

Purple Patent Nike Dunk SB Dunk Avenger sneaker

$470.00 Shop Now

Colin Meredith

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Sitting still for @gradycmitchell yesterday

A post shared by Colin Meredith (@colin__meredith) on Mar 9, 2020 at 6:32pm PDT

Designer Colin Meredith describes himself as the “pickiest shopper in the world, so I try to make everything I can, my way.”

“These 2004 Nike Shox. If we’re talking vintage sneakers, then I probably have to choose a Nike. I feel like Nike was really at its strongest during the late ’90s to early 2000s, design-wise and in colorways. This is a really nice colorway, with a little pop of color, but paired with quieter tones, in a tasteful way. I also love the futuristic/soft lines. I feel like the ’90s vision of the future was really fun. Similar styles here, here and here.”

White and Orange Nike Shox men’s sneakers

$39.95 Shop Now

Orange Nike Shox men’s sneakers

$26.94 Shop Now

Livestrong Nike Shox sneakers

$45.00 Shop Now

Yellow and Silver Nike Shox sneakers

$50.00 Shop Now

Ida Broen

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A post shared by Ida Broen (@idabroen) on Feb 6, 2020 at 8:00am PST

Ida is an Oslo-based PR and creative consultant who loves to connect people and create.

Most underrated vintage sneakers? Nike Air Dual-D: a sporty, cool, and simple shoe with amazing details.

Silver and Red Nike Air Dual-D sneakers

$22.95 Shop Now

“I love finding shoes that no one else has. I spend so much time researching old archives and books to find the best sneakers. A little tip: If there’s a model you like this season, look it up and try to find the old models on eBay—I don’t wanna think about how many hours I’ve put into finding sneakers on eBay. They’re so much more fun and more authentic.”

Mellany Sanchez

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@vanityfair Thank you for the loving portrait @emrophoto at @procell shop

A post shared by Mellany Sanchez (@mellanysanchez) on Oct 16, 2019 at 2:10pm PDT

Mellany is Drake’s stylist and a Vogue alum who also previously led creative direction at Kith.

“The Nike Air Max 180. This style isn’t the most obvious choice from the Air Max series, but it has had numerous reentries onto the market after its initial release in 1991. It’s absolutely the most comfortable of the vintage runners, and what I love about that [is] it’s so easy to style with trousers, denim, or with a leg showing and a strong sock—they look especially good with a tightly ribbed white crew sock.

Nike Air Max 180 Ultramarine sneakers

$300.00 Shop Now

When you wear it with a good trouser, it has that great look of the New York woman who switches from trainers to heels on the way to the office. I’ve named mine the ‘corporate runners.’ They’re sort of everywhere—one eBay search shows me they’re not too difficult to find, and I’d suggest starting your collection off with the original ultramarine colorway.”

Jess Lawrence

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Just in case in you wanted to find me in the dark

A post shared by Jess Lawrence (@jessylaw) on Sep 28, 2018 at 2:11am PDT

London-based streetwear enthusiast and sneaker-lover Jess is the social media manager at Vogue Business.

“The Reebok Insta Pump Fury—I hardly see anyone with them on their feet, nor hear many conversations about them. They came out in 1994, a year after I was born, and they’re synonymous with classic Reebok—they never go out of style, thanks to its streamlined and chunky aesthetic.

Black and White Reebok Instapump Fury men’s sneaker

$99.95 Shop Now

They’ve been brought back a few times over the years. I have the pair that was part of a collab with a sick Copenhagen store, NAKED. I’ve also had the all-white originals and the neon-green colorway.”

Sergey Velsin

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Andy Warhol and New Balance 730. 1983. Photo by Brownie Harris – – #newbalance730 #nb730 #andywarhol #nbarchive #trainerspotting

A post shared by Trainer Spotting (@trainer.spotting) on Apr 8, 2020 at 9:45am PDT

Sergey is the author of the Trainer Spotting Instagram, dedicated to historic sneaker moments.

“New Balance 730 is one of the most underrated breakthrough sneakers of the 1980s. It was released in 1981 and became the first shoe from a category we now call ‘luxury sneakers.’ It was consciously expensive—it was marketed for ‘doctors, lawyers, and CEOs’ rather than for athletes, and it was probably the first shoe to be advertised as ‘limited edition.'”

The post The Sneakers You Should Be Searching for, According to 8 Aficionados appeared first on Repeller.

The Sneakers You Should Be Searching for, According to 8 Aficionados published first on https://normaltimepiecesshop.tumblr.com/ The Sneakers You Should Be Searching for, According to 8 Aficionados published first on https://mariakistler.tumblr.com/

[laffinandlovin-blog]

emotion, the wheel.

lonely. 

It’s not the best feeling I’ve got on my emotion identification wheel that I found online to help me better understand more precisely what I’m feeling.  It falls under the “Sad” category and umbrellas the “Isolated” and “Abandoned” feelings.  Isolated.  #nailedit

https://imgur.com/tCWChf6

So I did what I sometimes do when I’m starting to feel sad in a social setting.  I use my dogs as scapegoats (today, the 4th of July was believable since Ella started reacting stressfully to the poppers earlier today).  Or I blame my anxiety which is well-known among my group of close friends and say it’s time to go. 

Today, coming home was a quick “Bye, Everybody.”, and hopped into my car.  I usually listen to music but I felt the tickle.  You know, the one in your eyes when your nose starts to drip.  That one.  The, “Here they come.” itch.  Damn tears.

So, I abandoned the music and asked Siri to play “If You Feel Too Much” by Jamie Tworkowski, the founder of the organization @twloha​ .  Something about hearing him speak his words, the words he bravely put out into the universe that somehow found me and millions of others makes me feel less isolated and more valued.  It was only about a 15 minute commute home once I made the decision to switch from music to Jamie and I let the tears fall as I heard the words his friends shared and how they see and value his presence in their lives and in this world.  

I recently had the privilege of having a friend gift me two different experiences that gave me the opportunity to see how she viewed me.  She gave me a gift, a canvas pouch with a quote by Maya Angelou that states, “My wish for you is that you continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness.  Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart.”  I was touched by this gift.  It isn’t a quote I had seen before but it is certainly one I would see and wish that someone would think of me and not just me thinking I could never be that good.  She also responded to an Instagram post I put on my story about a bride who had pulled over to help a victim of an auto accident- a nurse still in her wedding dress and all.  She said it seemed like something I would do.  I’ve only known Jenn for less than a year and she has already become someone I value professionally and personally and even more so when the two intersect.  She’s real, she’s got spunk, and she’s got my back and I know it and I trust it.  She’s a feeler (as am I) and a hugger (that of which I am not).  I keep finding myself surprised that I continue to find good people after college (my closest friends from JMU are basically like the Olympics gymnastics team- I’m obsessed with them).  Then I met my Boston family.  The mostly Craig’s Lists and friends-of-friends with whom I grew into adulthood.  Then, I get friends like Jenn, Alyssa, Lindsay, Sophie, and Joe.  

And then there’s Jamie.  We’ve met a few times and we have a few mutual friends.  I’m just not sure he knows the impact he has had on my life but I sure hope he takes my word for it.  I’m not cut out for the dream job that is available at his organization right now because my professional experience is in inner-city teaching as a special education teacher, yet my emotional experience is in writing.  

As a kid, I never quite felt like I “fit” in my family.  I’m wicked emotional. My mom has to turn off “Lassie” before the end of the show because I would cry every time she waved hew paw “Goodbye” at the end of the show. That is a fact. As an adult, I know that I don’t “fit” in my family.  And it’s starting to be okay.  I learned in 2009, while studying abroad in Florence, that I didn’t just think that I was a good writer but that my family had no idea that I could write (despite having kept a journal since I was 12- circa 2000).  I wanted so badly for my family to know me, for anyone to truly know me.  (Friends and family responses to my first email home while being abroad in Spring 2009.  These words reminded me that I needed to share them if I wanted family and friends to know this about me. These words are old, but I’m inspired by them to dig deep and get back to the place where I can use my experiences to help others):

“You are such a beautiful writer, it's hard to not get lost in your descriptions of Italy, your travels, and your at times, difficult, emotions you are going through over there!  “

“I'm slightly embarrassed to say this but I teared up when I read your e-mail. It was absolutely beautiful!”

“What a great e-mail......You have convinced me you should become a writer.”

“You are absolutely amazing and I enjoyed reading your e-mail so much.  I really think you should look into a career in writing because I was able to picture everything you wrote and you wrote it in such an elegant way. “

“I miss you Rachel.  I am sooo proud of you.  I am so excited for you.  I am in amazement of you.  You have taught me so much... and you continue to, with each email.  THANK YOU! “ 

“I never knew you were such a good writer.  Have you considered a career in writing?”

“wow rach, what a writer you are.  you are quite the intelligent, sophisticated young lady, i was so impressed!!”

I needed to go into those gmail archives more than I knew when I first searched the topic.  Thankful that I wrote all those years ago and it still gives me fuel to continue a decade later.

While listening to the foreword of Jamie’s book tonight, I learned that my writing began a long time ago, just as he realized upon reflection that his had as well.  The time has come to jump back in.  Just like his new company “Needs an Ocean,” I need my words.  I need them in my heart and in my head.  I need them in pen on paper and strung together by keys on a screen.  And I do indeed need the ocean.  It’s where I wrote at night when we spent the summers at the Jersey shore.  It’s where I’d cry my eyes out, not knowing then, but sure now that I was learning that I was facing depression while watching the reflection of the moon dance on the ocean.  We all need our thing.  Right now, I need sleep.

Sleep well, friends.

ps.  I certainly didn’t proof read this.  Not a strength of mine.  Patience for editing my own work  is a not a virtue I possess.  

[easyfoodnetwork]

From the Strategist: Everything You Need to Start Fermenting at Home

The best books, salts, and tools to kickstart a vegetable preserving hobby, from the Strategist

It’s very likely that your fridge has never been fuller than it is right now. Sure, you’re going to the grocery store less, but you’re buying more when you would on a typical shopping trip. Most produce — vegetables, in particular — has a tendency to go bad if you don’t use it quickly. One very easy way to extend the shelf life (and allow you to go even more time between grocery runs) is with fermentation.

Fermentation involves allowing the naturally occurring bacteria on fruits and vegetables to thrive and produce lactic acid, which helps preserve them. The most common examples of this are sauerkraut and kimchi, but as Michael Perrine, founder of rejuvenation and detox clinic Vitality NYC says, almost any vegetable will do as long as it’s hardy. “Cabbage, carrots, beets, and other roots ferment really well,” he says. “I suggest using them as a base even if adding other veggies.” Perrine is one of seven experts we asked — including chefs, cookbook authors, and a professional sauerkraut-maker — for advice on everything you need to become a modern preservation-minded homesteader. Here’s how to get started fermenting at home.

Salt

Photo: retailer

Light Grey Celtic Sea Salt

Sherpa Pink Gourmet Himalayan Salt

ILA Sonoma Sea Salt

The foundation of lactic fermentation is salt, which, according to Perrine, “creates an environment where lactic-acid bacteria will completely take over the medium destroying all the bacteria, molds, and yeasts.” There’s a bit of a divide on what salts to use, however: Kathryn Lukas, founder of Farmhouse Culture and co-author of The Farmhouse Culture Guide to Fermenting, prefers high-quality, plain sea salt. “I like a higher sodium fluoride salt, like Sonoma sea salt, because it’s really, really high in sodium chloride,” she says. “Some of these other salts, like Celtic sea salt or Himalayan sea salt, can be as low as 90% sodium chloride and the rest are minerals.”

Perrine is in the latter camp, saying that he likes to use Celtic sea salt and Himalayan for not only the mineral flavor they lend but the health benefits of adding those minerals to a ferment. “I find a ratio of two teaspoons of salt per pound of vegetable to be perfect,” he says. Either way, look for the most natural salt you can. “Make sure that there are no additives, no anti-caking agents, no bleach, or anything like that,” says Lukas. “That’ll screw up the fermentation quickly.”

Jars

Large Biscotti Jar

Next comes the equipment, which costs little more than a jar of premade kimchi. If you’re not quite sure you want to fully commit, David Zilber, head of fermentation at Noma in Copenhagen, says feel free to purchase a biscotti jar, which you can store in a dark cabinet during the fermentation process. “They’re much simpler to find,” he says, plus “they’re durable, they’re machine-washable, and they look as gorgeous as a fancy ceramic crock.” And if you give up on fermenting, you’ll end up with a very nice looking jar.

Mini Kimchi Jar

German Made Fermenting Crock Pot

If you want to keep your ferments on your kitchen counter, though, you’ll need a crock that keeps out the sunlight. Amelie Kang, the chef and owner of Sichuan dry-pot restaurant MáLà Project in New York City, is a fan of “jellyfish” pickle jars. “After pickling, you can close the jar by putting the cap bowl upside down and then pour water into the curve, creating the perfect seal.” she says.

E-Jen Premium Kimchi, Sauerkraut Container Earthenware Brown 1.7L

Chefs Dave Park of Jeong in Chicago and Kevin Fink of Austin’s Emmer & Rye, meanwhile, are evangelists of the E-Jen Kimchi container. “It’s one of my favorite containers to ferment in,” Park says. “It’s really useful because it has an insert that essentially creates a vacuum to press down your ferments. It has an inner ring where you can either burp your ferments or keep it airtight. It’s definitely one of the most useful containers I’ve found.”

They’re also perfect for when you want to start fermenting dairy. “These crocks are great for producing cultured butter or yogurts and other items that have a higher probability of rancidity,” says Fink. “The lack of light penetration makes checking them more necessary, but the end product is more stable.”

Complete Mason Jar Fermentation Kit

Or you can just click one link and be done. “I like to refer people to culturesforhealth.com to order one of their kits,” says Perrine of Vitality NYC. “They also have gallons and lids for 16-ounce ball jars because I always say you may as well go big so you can do it less often. Cultures for Health makes it easy enough though to get everything at once.”

Handbooks

Photo: retailer

The Noma Guide to Fermentation

Photo: retailer

The Art of Fermentation

Fermenting can be as simple as salt, cabbage, and a jar you can burp or as complicated as a multi-ingredient kimchi. If you’re not quite sure where to begin, though, there’s plenty of literature out there to get you inspired. Park of Jeong turns to two books.

“I really like these books because of the detailed information they provide,” Park says. “The Art of Fermentation contains a lot of general knowledge of all the different fermented products of the world in a very relaxed manner and helps you understand how you might be able to start making all of your fermented projects. The Noma Guide to Fermentation digs deeper into the science and details of some major ferments, such as shoyu, vinegars, and miso. It is more technical and precise, with things like temperature control, humidity levels, and bacteria.”

Photo: retailer

Wildcrafted Fermentation: Exploring, Transforming, and Preserving the Wild Flavors of Your Local Terroir

And if you really want to get outdoorsy, Sandor Ellix Katz, the aforementioned author of The Art of Fermentation, heartily endorses Wildcrafted Fermentation by wild-food researcher Pascal Baudar, which was published in March. “Pascal is a culinary visionary, experimenting with what he finds outside his home and in nearby forests and using it for its flavors and as fermentation starters,” Katz says. “He’s taking fundamental fermentation processes and applying them in innovative and exciting ways.”

Tools

Ozeri ZK14-S Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale

Canning Funnel

Sur La Table Non-Skid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 3

Once you have all your fermenting equipment, it’s time to get started. Sauerkraut maker Kathryn Lukas says you need just three key tools: A small scale to weigh your vegetables, which determines how much salt you’ll use. (“You can get one for $20,” Lukas says.); a large stainless steel or ceramic bowl; and a canning funnel, which helps prevent overfilling your fermentation vessel. “And then a knife and a cutting board for cutting the vegetables into smaller pieces,” Lukas adds.

Photo: retailer

4-Pack of Fermentation Glass Weights with Easy Grip Handle for Wide Mouth Mason Jar

If you’re using a jar or other large container, you’ll need to make sure the fermenting produce is kept away from open air, which can carry yeast, mold, and other bacteria that you don’t want in your ferment. The solution: Glass or ceramic weights. “Their purpose is to keep all the food you’re trying to ferment beneath the water line,” Zilber of Noma told the Strategist back in 2018. “If they’re not packed down nicely in the jar, there’ll be lots of air. A good weight that’s heavy enough and fits the jar nicely without getting stuck on the sides is very important.”

6 Pack 0.94 Inch Blue Painters Tape

And then it’s just a matter of waiting. “I find most ferments to be finished in 10 to 14 days,” says Perrine. “The temperature is the determining factor. If it’s very warm, fermentation will happen faster, while cold temperatures slow it down.” Just keep in mind that the longer you let the ferment go, the funkier it will get. “The real fermentation connoisseurs say the best flavor is achieved at cooler temperatures for long periods, as long as 20 to 30 days,” he continues. “This allows different types of bacteria to take over, creating a more pleasing flavor. All that’s to say, label and date your ferments. I always forget when I made it and have to check my Instagram Story archive to figure it out.”

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2LPqRNH https://ift.tt/3cS8NhN

The best books, salts, and tools to kickstart a vegetable preserving hobby, from the Strategist

It’s very likely that your fridge has never been fuller than it is right now. Sure, you’re going to the grocery store less, but you’re buying more when you would on a typical shopping trip. Most produce — vegetables, in particular — has a tendency to go bad if you don’t use it quickly. One very easy way to extend the shelf life (and allow you to go even more time between grocery runs) is with fermentation.

Fermentation involves allowing the naturally occurring bacteria on fruits and vegetables to thrive and produce lactic acid, which helps preserve them. The most common examples of this are sauerkraut and kimchi, but as Michael Perrine, founder of rejuvenation and detox clinic Vitality NYC says, almost any vegetable will do as long as it’s hardy. “Cabbage, carrots, beets, and other roots ferment really well,” he says. “I suggest using them as a base even if adding other veggies.” Perrine is one of seven experts we asked — including chefs, cookbook authors, and a professional sauerkraut-maker — for advice on everything you need to become a modern preservation-minded homesteader. Here’s how to get started fermenting at home.

Salt

Photo: retailer

Light Grey Celtic Sea Salt

Sherpa Pink Gourmet Himalayan Salt

ILA Sonoma Sea Salt

The foundation of lactic fermentation is salt, which, according to Perrine, “creates an environment where lactic-acid bacteria will completely take over the medium destroying all the bacteria, molds, and yeasts.” There’s a bit of a divide on what salts to use, however: Kathryn Lukas, founder of Farmhouse Culture and co-author of The Farmhouse Culture Guide to Fermenting, prefers high-quality, plain sea salt. “I like a higher sodium fluoride salt, like Sonoma sea salt, because it’s really, really high in sodium chloride,” she says. “Some of these other salts, like Celtic sea salt or Himalayan sea salt, can be as low as 90% sodium chloride and the rest are minerals.”

Perrine is in the latter camp, saying that he likes to use Celtic sea salt and Himalayan for not only the mineral flavor they lend but the health benefits of adding those minerals to a ferment. “I find a ratio of two teaspoons of salt per pound of vegetable to be perfect,” he says. Either way, look for the most natural salt you can. “Make sure that there are no additives, no anti-caking agents, no bleach, or anything like that,” says Lukas. “That’ll screw up the fermentation quickly.”

Jars

Large Biscotti Jar

Next comes the equipment, which costs little more than a jar of premade kimchi. If you’re not quite sure you want to fully commit, David Zilber, head of fermentation at Noma in Copenhagen, says feel free to purchase a biscotti jar, which you can store in a dark cabinet during the fermentation process. “They’re much simpler to find,” he says, plus “they’re durable, they’re machine-washable, and they look as gorgeous as a fancy ceramic crock.” And if you give up on fermenting, you’ll end up with a very nice looking jar.

Mini Kimchi Jar

German Made Fermenting Crock Pot

If you want to keep your ferments on your kitchen counter, though, you’ll need a crock that keeps out the sunlight. Amelie Kang, the chef and owner of Sichuan dry-pot restaurant MáLà Project in New York City, is a fan of “jellyfish” pickle jars. “After pickling, you can close the jar by putting the cap bowl upside down and then pour water into the curve, creating the perfect seal.” she says.

E-Jen Premium Kimchi, Sauerkraut Container Earthenware Brown 1.7L

Chefs Dave Park of Jeong in Chicago and Kevin Fink of Austin’s Emmer & Rye, meanwhile, are evangelists of the E-Jen Kimchi container. “It’s one of my favorite containers to ferment in,” Park says. “It’s really useful because it has an insert that essentially creates a vacuum to press down your ferments. It has an inner ring where you can either burp your ferments or keep it airtight. It’s definitely one of the most useful containers I’ve found.”

They’re also perfect for when you want to start fermenting dairy. “These crocks are great for producing cultured butter or yogurts and other items that have a higher probability of rancidity,” says Fink. “The lack of light penetration makes checking them more necessary, but the end product is more stable.”

Complete Mason Jar Fermentation Kit

Or you can just click one link and be done. “I like to refer people to culturesforhealth.com to order one of their kits,” says Perrine of Vitality NYC. “They also have gallons and lids for 16-ounce ball jars because I always say you may as well go big so you can do it less often. Cultures for Health makes it easy enough though to get everything at once.”

Handbooks

Photo: retailer

The Noma Guide to Fermentation

Photo: retailer

The Art of Fermentation

Fermenting can be as simple as salt, cabbage, and a jar you can burp or as complicated as a multi-ingredient kimchi. If you’re not quite sure where to begin, though, there’s plenty of literature out there to get you inspired. Park of Jeong turns to two books.

“I really like these books because of the detailed information they provide,” Park says. “The Art of Fermentation contains a lot of general knowledge of all the different fermented products of the world in a very relaxed manner and helps you understand how you might be able to start making all of your fermented projects. The Noma Guide to Fermentation digs deeper into the science and details of some major ferments, such as shoyu, vinegars, and miso. It is more technical and precise, with things like temperature control, humidity levels, and bacteria.”

Photo: retailer

Wildcrafted Fermentation: Exploring, Transforming, and Preserving the Wild Flavors of Your Local Terroir

And if you really want to get outdoorsy, Sandor Ellix Katz, the aforementioned author of The Art of Fermentation, heartily endorses Wildcrafted Fermentation by wild-food researcher Pascal Baudar, which was published in March. “Pascal is a culinary visionary, experimenting with what he finds outside his home and in nearby forests and using it for its flavors and as fermentation starters,” Katz says. “He’s taking fundamental fermentation processes and applying them in innovative and exciting ways.”

Tools

Ozeri ZK14-S Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale

Canning Funnel

Sur La Table Non-Skid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 3

Once you have all your fermenting equipment, it’s time to get started. Sauerkraut maker Kathryn Lukas says you need just three key tools: A small scale to weigh your vegetables, which determines how much salt you’ll use. (“You can get one for $20,” Lukas says.); a large stainless steel or ceramic bowl; and a canning funnel, which helps prevent overfilling your fermentation vessel. “And then a knife and a cutting board for cutting the vegetables into smaller pieces,” Lukas adds.

Photo: retailer

4-Pack of Fermentation Glass Weights with Easy Grip Handle for Wide Mouth Mason Jar

If you’re using a jar or other large container, you’ll need to make sure the fermenting produce is kept away from open air, which can carry yeast, mold, and other bacteria that you don’t want in your ferment. The solution: Glass or ceramic weights. “Their purpose is to keep all the food you’re trying to ferment beneath the water line,” Zilber of Noma told the Strategist back in 2018. “If they’re not packed down nicely in the jar, there’ll be lots of air. A good weight that’s heavy enough and fits the jar nicely without getting stuck on the sides is very important.”

6 Pack 0.94 Inch Blue Painters Tape

And then it’s just a matter of waiting. “I find most ferments to be finished in 10 to 14 days,” says Perrine. “The temperature is the determining factor. If it’s very warm, fermentation will happen faster, while cold temperatures slow it down.” Just keep in mind that the longer you let the ferment go, the funkier it will get. “The real fermentation connoisseurs say the best flavor is achieved at cooler temperatures for long periods, as long as 20 to 30 days,” he continues. “This allows different types of bacteria to take over, creating a more pleasing flavor. All that’s to say, label and date your ferments. I always forget when I made it and have to check my Instagram Story archive to figure it out.”

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2LPqRNH via Blogger https://ift.tt/3cSYry3