#It was a decent message overall considering i cried about the whole thing

[bybdolan]

wish i could be angry without feeling bad

[fatesdeepdive]

Entry 50: Oops! All Supports Volume #8

The portal babies are going to be weird. Most of their Supports are going to come from the OAS entries. Add it onto the pile of close to thirty Birthright Supports I didn’t get to. Also, because this is Entry 50 and I hate myself, I’m doing twenty different Supports today instead of ten. God help me. I’m already a few days behind and this won’t help.

Support: Mana/Sophie

C: Kana manages to befriend Sophie's horse Avel, despite Avel normally being horrible.

B: Kana and Sophie see a burning building and Avel happily allows Sophie to ride him so she can save people.

A: Kana and Sophie discuss how Avel is loyal to Sophie, despite his assholeness, and will follow only her into battle.

S: Kana gets friendzoned.

Review: Not bad. Avel being a good horse when the chips are down is great. Also, this is the second time Kana’s been friendzoned. Poor kid.

Support: Corrin/Hinata 

C: Corrin finds Hinata training. Corrin is surprised, because they heard Hinata was lazy.

B: Hinata beats Corrin in a duel, so Corrin runs laps to get stronger.

A: Hinata reveals that he trains so hard because he lost a fight to Takumi once and wants to beat him.

S: Hinata does the promise to protect blah blah blah I like you blah blah thing.

Review: Not necessarily awful, but very generic and lacking any spark to make it stand out.

Support: Mitama/Shiro

C: Shiro finds Mitama sleeping outside. He wakes her and she heads to her room so she can take another nap.

B: Shiro explains that falling asleep on a battlefield is dangerous, Mitama explains that she's ensuring she's fully rested for battle.

A: Shiro takes a nap outside. Mitama agrees to stop sleeping outside as much.

S: Shiro asks Mitama to be his girlfriend.

Review: Very shallow. Mitama is somewhat amusing, but other than that this is completely forgettable.

Support: Dwyer/Selkie

C: Dwyer is woken up by Selkie chasing a bird.

B: Selkie gurts herself climbing a tree. Dwyer, not wanting to ignore a not-ugly lady in distress, tends her wounds.

A: Dwyer tries to convince Selkie to stop hurting herself. Selkie drags him off to go frolic.

S: Dwyer decides to tend to Selkie's wounds for the rest of his life. Selkie decides they should get married and claims she planned this from the beginning.

Review: A fun, cute fluff Support.

Support: Azura/Saizo

C: Saizo tells Azura that she doesn't trust her because she's from Nohr.

B: Saizo injures himself protecting Azura. Azura tends to his wounds. Saizo notices a scar on Azura and Azura explains that some noble children beat the shit out of her when she was a kid. Again, who the fuck thought it was a good idea to bully the violent sadistic king's stepdaughter?

A: Saizo apologizes for forcing Azura to relive painful memories. Azura says he only has to say thank you and that she wants him to be her ally.

S: Saizo offers Azura a magic salve that can heal any scar. He doesn't use it because his scar is important and also HE'S A MANY MAN AND NOT A DELICATE LADY. Azura says she loves him despite the sexism.

Review: A very good Support that gives good characterization to both Azura and Saizo.

Support: Felicia/Takumi

C: Felicia runs into Takumi while carrying the laundry. Literally. Takumi grumpily helps her clean it up.

B: Takumi tries to yell at Felicia to be careful, she ignores him and talks about her hometown. Takumi insinuates there's a problem with how Felicia was raised and apologizes when she calls him out.

A: Takumi keeps an eye on Felicia to keep her from messing everything up. Felicia cries. Takumi praises her for being a hard worker.

S: Takumi asks Felicia to tell him about her village, because he likes her and she cares about it.

Review: Not bad, but could have had a bit more lore about Felicia’s village or had Takumi play a more active role.

Support: Kaden/Mozu

C: Kaden has a fatty piece of meat, which he doesn't want to eat because it's unhealthy. Mozu offers to cook the fat off. Kaden offers to split it.

B: Mozu makes a really good soup. She compares Kaden to a little kid for being impatient.

A: Kaden guts a fish, which makes Mozu think he's wise and mature. Sure, why not. Mozu says he's like a brother to her, because this game didn't have enough pseudo-sibling fucking.

S: Mozu says Kaden is everything she wants in a man.

Review: Overall, a fairly mediocre Support lacking a consistent throughline.

Support: Kagero/Setsuna

C: Setsuna is tasked with delivering important messages during a battle and forgets them, so Kagero is ordered to help Setsuna become a better messenger.

B: Kagero gives Setsuna sentences to repeat back to her. Setsuna forgets them immediately because she has the memory of a goldfish.

A: Kagero comes up with a better solution: babysitting Setsuna to make sure she doesn't fuck up.

Review: An overall decent Support. Although it raises one big question: who the hell thought it was a good idea to make Setsuna a messenger? They’re the real idiot in this army.

Support: Azama/Subaki

C: People have begun saying Azama and Subaki are training together. This angers Azama, who hates Subaki for pretending to be perfect. Subaki doesn't mind.

B: Azama goes on a hike and finds Subaki training alone so other people won't see him get tired.

A: Azama explains that the difference between them is that Subaki cares what other people think about him and Azama just doesn't give a shit.

Review: Overall a bit bland. Also how did the training rumors start? Part of me feels like this is an “oh my god they were roommates” scenario.

Support: Hinoka/Jakob

C: Jakob finds Hinoka training and praises her courage and fighting skill. Hinoka says she used to be trained in formal princess behavior, but through all that away to spend more time training. B: Jakob offers to train Hinoka in etiquette again. Hinoka ends up remembering everything anyway. A: Jakob explains that war is more than battle and courtly training is just as important. S: Jakob says he loves Hinoka. Hinoka points out how sudden this is, and Jakob offers to leave and come back later. They get together.

Review: Wow that romance came out of nowhere. They even point it out! Aside from that, this Support is very lackluster. It avoids all conflict by having Hinoka not have anything to learn and leaves Jakob without any development.

Support: Hisame/Kiragi

C: Hisame acts subservient and loyal to Kiragi. Kiragi asks him to treat him like a friend, similar to how Takumi and Hinata act. Hisame rejects this, saying Hinata should treat his betters with respect. Also they mention that Takumi and Hinata bathe together, which is interesting.

B: Kiragi says that they don't have to be master/servant just because their fathers are. Hisame suggests that they play shogi to become friends.

A: The two of them have fun playing shogi. Hisame acknowledges they're friends now.

Review: This one is interesting, analyzing that Hinata doesn’t really act like the retainer of a prince. Kiragi just wanting to be friends with Hisame is nice, and Hisame acting like an actual medieval person is interesting. I do wish this Support, and the game as a whole, had more analysis of class divides, though.

Support: Setsuna/Silas

C: Silas is attacked by an enemy archer. By an enemy archer, I mean Setsuna, who fell into a pit and fired arrows out to get his attention.

B: Setsuna does it again, almost injuring her fellow soldiers. Setsuna blushes while talking to Silas for...some reason.

A: Setsuna falls in a pit and accidentally kills a bunch of enemies while firing arrows.

S: Silas proposes. Halfway through the proposal, Setsuna falls into a pit. Silas rescues her and she immediately does it again.

Review: This is a fun Support. Setsuna being more willing to shoot Silas than ask for help is relatable. Setsuna taking out enemies by accident and wandering off in the middle of a confession is hilarious. Also, between this and the Kagero Support, I’m starting to think Setsuna is a liability.

Support: Midori/Shigure

C: Midori shows Shigure her herb garden. In the middle of it is a pretty flower bub that Midori likes.

B: Shigure helps Midori garden.

A: The flower blooms; Midori says it's a rare flower that is a symbol of happiness.

S: Shigure tells Midori to stay out of battle because he can't bear to see her hurt. When Midori refuses, Shigure instead vows to protect her throughout the war and after.

Review: This one had a surprisingly good S-Rank. I like the idea of Shigure being paranoid about his loved ones getting hurt because he’s already lost his entire village. Unfortunately, other than that, this Support is fairly bland.

Support: Asugi/Dwyer

C: Dwyer somehow manages to beat Asugi in a fight. Asugi challenges him to a rematch and Dwyer leaves to take a nap.

B: Asugi spies on Dwyer all day to find out how he trains. Dwyer does nothing but nap. Dwyer reveals that Jakob beat fighting skills into him as a kid so he doesn't have to train anymore.

A: Asugi challenges Dwyer to a baking contest. Dwyer forfeits before it even begins.

Review: Not bad. Dwyer completely shutting Asugi down out of laziness is fun.

Support: Hinata/Rinkah

C: Rinkah watches Hinata fight. She tells him it's a miracle he isn't dead, considering how sloppy he fights.

B: The two of them spar. Hinata is surprisingly powerful, but Rinkah matches him hit for hit. Rinkah decides to mix Hinata's moves into her one fighting style. A: Hinata and Rinkah fight again, drawing.

S: Hinata asks Runkah to take him to the Flame Tribe...as her husband.

Review: Fairly mediocre. I’ve seen a dozen sparring Supports already and this one lacks anything new.

Support: Jakob/Takumi

C: Takumi asks Jakob to help him train in secret. Jakob says no.

B: Corrin orders Jakob to help Takumi. Takumi snipes arrows off Jakob's head like William Tell.

A: Jakob tells Takumi that his need for others to recognize his skill is immaturity.

Review: Goddamn, Takumi. There are better ways to train than accidentally killing your sister’s retainer! Other than that this is mediocre; Jakob calling out Takumi’s immaturity is nice, but it isn’t built up properly.

Support: Caeldori/Hisame

C: Caeldori and Hisame are tasked with cleaning a shed together because they're the only competent soldiers. Caeldori brings up her respect for her father and Hisame changes the conversation.

B: Hisame explains that he doesn't respect Hinata because Hinata is a moron. Caeldori is disgusted by the idea of not respecting her father.

A: Caeldori apologizes for being forceful. Hisame says that he actually hates Hinata because he's jealous of Hinata's laid-back attitude.

S: Caeldori and Hisame get together because they're smarter than everyone else.

Review: Contrasting their differing views towards their fathers is nice, but the idea that Hisame is jealous of Hinata is ridiculous.

Support: Kiragi/Selkie

C: Kiragi and Selkie race through the woods and notice a group of suspicious men hanging around.

B: Kiragi saves Selkie from the men, who are poachers.

A: Selkie criticizes herself for being too trusting. Kiragi it wasn't her fault and that her kindness is one of her best traits.

S: Kiragi apologizes for allowing Selkie to be captured in the first place and asks Selkie to date him so he can protect her.

Review: Look, follow up to Selkie’s Paralogue! Kiragi being heroic is nice, but Selkie is a bit of a damsel in distress in this one.

Support: Fana/Midori

C: Kana has a sore throat. Midori's medicine doesn't work.

B: Midori tries new medicine. It still doesn't work.

A: Midori realizes Kana needs dragon medicine.

Review: That was a bunch of nothing. I think this is the shortest Support line I’ve read, and damn is it forgettable.

Support: Corrin/Hana

C: Hana is mean to Corrin because Corrin made Sakura sad by being kidnapped. Sakura isn't very smart.

B: Corrin asks about Hana's family, who are also Samurai, and says they apreciate Hana's ambition because they didn't have any when isolated. Hana mentions that her inspiration is her father, a samurai who prerished honorably protecting Sumeragi. Corrin says that dying in and of itself shouldn't be respected. Hana gets mad and storms off.

A: Corrin explains that Hana shouldn't throw her life away because it would make Sakura sad.

S: Corrin says he actually wants Hana to keep living because he has feelings for her. Protect eachother yada yada yada.

Review: I’m torn on this one. It gives backstory for Hana and at least tries to say something meaningful about dying in battle, but the C-Rank has Hana act ridiculous.

[jasperlion]

TAGGED BY: stolen from @cavaliant​ im sorry dusk i keep nicking your memes TAGGING:  _(┐「ε:)_

—    BASICS.

▸     IS    YOUR    MUSE    TALL    /    SHORT    /    AVERAGE ? Average, despite his lineage. Much is owed to the famine, which stunted his growth, since he grew up a commoner and thus was hit hard by the absence of food during his preteen/teen years. As an adult, however, he’d get a final sudden growthspurt before he stops growing completely, so he’d be kind of tall.

▸      ARE    THEY    OKAY    WITH    THEIR    HEIGHT ? Yes, although at the moment he keeps wondering if his mother was short or something, considering the beast of a man who was his father.

▸      WHAT’S    THEIR    HAIR    LIKE ? Fluffy and wild, often windswept, although it tends to fall into ‘place’, if by that you mean sticking out constantly. At the very least, he can quell the top, but the rest has a mind of its own. It’s very soft, though.

▸     DO    THEY    SPEND    A    LOT    OF    TIME    ON    THEIR    HAIR     /    GROOMING ? Not at all. He’s given up on taming his hair, so a quick brush in the mornings before he slips on whatever he’s got to wear (headband at first, later on crown) is all he really puts an effort into. And it’s minimal at best.

▸      DOES   YOUR   MUSE   CARE   ABOUT   THEIR   APPEARANCE   /   WHAT    OTHERS    THINK ? While he can get a little self-conscious in formal environments, he generally doesn’t care much as long as what he wears is practical. He tends to feel more shy or ‘dumb looking’ the more formal things he wears, and it’ll take a lot of getting used to before he treats it like business as usual. In general, ‘so long as I’m decent/presentable, it’s fine’ is his motto, something that probably frustrates his more noble savvy friends.

—    PREFERENCES.

▸     INDOORS    OR    OUTDOORS ?  Outdoors ▸     RAIN    OR    SUNSHINE ?  Sunshine ▸     FOREST    OR    BEACH ?  Forest ▸     PRECIOUS    METALS    OR    GEMS ?  Neither, metals are more useful practically, though, so he might lean in that direction. ▸     FLOWERS    OR    PERFUMES ?  Flowers ▸     PERSONALITY    OR    APPEARANCE ?  Personality ▸     BEING    ALONE    OR    BEING    IN    A    CROWD ?  Mood and crowd dependent, if he likes the people he’d definitely prefer the crowd, but if he feels overly uncomfortable around them he might favor being alone. ▸     ORDER    OR    ANARCHY ?  A little mix of both, he needs order to function but prefers spontaneous action to planned action on the dime. He does try to hold back and make plans/make sure things are in order if it’s important, though. Keyword is try. ▸     PAINFUL    TRUTHS    OR    WHITE    LIES ?  Painful truths, although for a while he tried to shield himself with (not so white) lies simply because it’d mean that a person he trusted wasn’t lying to him. ▸     SCIENCE    OR    MAGIC ?  He tends to mix the two and they are intricately related back home. ▸     PEACE    OR    CONFLICT ? Peace, definitely.  ▸     NIGHT    OR    DAY ?  Either works, although he used to prefer the day while he lived in the village simply because of daily tasks. ▸     DUSK    OR    DAWN ?  Both. ▸     WARMTH    OR    COLD ?   Physically he likes cooler environments, but warmth is comforting and familiar as well. ▸     MANY   ACQUAINTANCES    OR    A    FEW    CLOSE    FRIENDS ?  Both ▸     READING    OR    PLAYING    A    GAME ?  Both

—    QUESTIONNAIRE.

▸      WHAT    ARE    SOME    OF    YOUR    MUSE’S    BAD    HABITS ? He tends to jump to conclusions with little evidence, mostly out of thinking he’s heard enough, and it’s something he needs to work on.  He’s also bad at holding back his emotions, be it anger, happiness or sorrow, and can be far too open with them whenever present. On that note, he does tend to hide personal feelings from people he doesn’t know well, despite his words that there’s nothing wrong with them, when it comes to specific topics that hurt him which he feels he has to push aside for the overall better. In trying to hold close his ideals that feelings are important and Mycen’s words that he has to push them behind him for more important things, it can confuse him on how to act or what to say. Alm tends to overwork himself so he can sleep, or otherwise turns to doing too much of something similar to tire himself out. It can lead to straining himself too much. While he believes it’s important to apologize if you’ve done wrong, his perception of when it’s his turn to apologize and when he needs to be apologized to can be easily skewed by other’s words rather than keeping a cool head and thinking of the situation as a whole. It can lead him to apologize for things he does not need to apologize for.

▸      HAS    YOUR    MUSE    LOST    ANYONE    CLOSE    TO    THEM ?      HOW    HAS    IT    AFFECTED    THEM ? While he did lose soldiers in the battles with Desaix and Rigel, although they were mostly not those close to him — it still hurt him to lose them, to have to bury them, and with his high empathy it’s not hard to imagine he’s felt guilt over the sacrifices they’ve ended up making along the way, intentional or not.

Berkut and Rudolf were not close to him, and neither were Fernand and Rinea; far from it, they were distant as could be. Even then, Alm felt for them, felt for those around him who lost them, and felt Rudolf and Berkut’s loss intricately and personally due to their blood relations. Rudolf’s death is already complex enough, in the man being his father, not having fought back, and having planned for this to happen — but Berkut’s felt a little worse. It could have been preventable (and how? he asks himself that a lot), it was someone he killed fully knowing they were relatives, and the man had lost his sanity only to then beg of him to finish it all when he regained it. It’s made a lot of uncomfortable, terrible feelings well up that he feels he can’t even address because he doesn’t deserve his own peace. That, in itself, was the message that Mycen’s words transferred to him, no matter how well-intentioned. He lost his family to his own hands, and how he feels about it is quite complex and terrifying.

The one that hurt him the most, however, was Celica. Like Rudolf, he himself did the deed, but unlike Rudolf... she was as close as could be in his heart. Despite the fact that she returns to him, and thus does not truly die, for a few minutes she truly was dead. He mourned her, he wept for her, and he has this memory to remember and think of for the rest of his life. The memory of how it felt to stab her, the memory of her dying breaths, and of how it felt to hold a corpse. It haunts him, and so does the guilt — it’ll never go away, no matter how necessary or how she managed to return, unlike everyone else. It doesn’t stop that it happened, that he did kill her, and the fact that it likely left adverse effects in her for the rest of her life. 

▸      WHAT    ARE    SOME    FOND    MEMORIES    YOUR    MUSE    HAS ? The games he played with his friends in Ram, reading stories together, memories of Gray returning with little gifts for everyone from outside the village, seeing Kliff again after he left for school, playing with Celica in the flower fields, whenever he and Celica read stories late into the night, training with his friends, training with Mycen, the stories Mycen would tell him about his days as a Knight, hanging out with everyone in the Deliverance on down times during the war and thus befriending them, receiving mentorship from them as well, meeting Celica again in the balcony (despite the fight, it’s something he will always remember fondly), little shenanigans he used to get up to in Ram, receiving praise from those he looked up to in the Deliverance...

▸     IS    IT    EASY    FOR    YOUR    MUSE    TO    KILL ? He gets no joy from it and he dislikes taking lives unnecessarily, but for Alm it’s almost second nature to kill his enemies. In the battlefield, it’s you or them, and while at times he’s regretted it more than he usually does, it doesn’t stop the fact that he has a steady hand when he does the deed. Alm is a warrior trained by a warrior from Rigel first and foremost, and what he knows best how to do is how to fight and, by association, kill.

▸      WHAT’S    IT    LIKE    WHEN    YOUR    MUSE    BREAKS    DOWN ? Alm is pretty sorrowful when he breaks down, less leaning to violence and more towards emotions in general, especially the negative. He becomes a lot more reactive and a lot less introspective, especially if what has caused the upset is something he doesn’t understand the reasons for. He asks questions, he cries, he gets even more upset when he cannot get the answer, and he... feels. A lot. Only rarely would this lead to violent actions on his end, but it can lead to anger, either to the cause or himself.

▸      IS    YOUR    MUSE    CAPABLE    OF    TRUSTING    SOMEONE    WITH    THEIR    LIFE ? He trusts others with it far too easily, and while it used to not bother him, well... things have changed.

However, he’s more than capable of trusting others with his life, and even more capable of giving his life for someone or a cause to see it through. While he’s by no means suicidal, he has the mindset of a soldier; he will do what he must.

Still, it’s usually others who trust him with their life by putting him in a leading position, which he finds strange.

▸      WHAT’S    YOUR    MUSE    LIKE    WHEN    THEY’RE    IN    LOVE ? Alm’s been in love for a long time, honestly, so it’s easy to tell how he is when it happens. He’s just more affectionate towards that person, will embrace them and generally hold them close. He likes to stick by their side, speak with them often, and thinks of them and their safety often. He holds their words to his chest and, if he upsets them, it will weigh heavily on his mind if he’s unable to apologize or stop it right away. Capable of thinking about a situation and realize where he messed up, he is sincere in his apologies (although, as mentioned before, at times his perception of where he messed up might heavily lean in favor of the other person, apologizing for things he didn’t necessarily do wrong as well — hopefully his partner helps clear that up for him, he won’t be able to see that without help).

Gentle and caring, he’s not one to just show affection in one way, instead doing so even with the barest of actions. Deliberate forehead touches, gentle cheek caresses, soft embraces, etc. He takes great care with his actions with the person he’s in love with.

It’s relatively easy to tell who it is, too. He’s very attentive and close to his friends, of course, and leans to physical affection for all. However, with the person he’s in love with, it’s always more thoughtful and mindful, always lingering and considerate.

He’s just a giant fluffball with them, basically.

[the-archangel-of-salt]

The Final Review of Fairy Tail - NaCl Robot brings out the Reciepts

Yeah sorry for the delay...life happened

This was it. This was the final chapter of Fairy Tail..ever. I honestly cannot help but feel absolutely nothing.

The chapter began quite nicely - Lucy FINALLY finished writing her book and actually earned an award for it. APPLAUSE LUCY!

AND of course we cut to the scene that basically SUMS UP EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH FAIRY TAIL AS A WHOLE. In the rowdy guild, do you see any differences to let’s say...the first introduction of the guild? Ships...yeah I guess. New characters previously not present in chapter two; yup. Makarov in a chair; yup. Anything else? No? The problem is that there is hardly any difference except for some minor changes between chapter 545 and chapter 2. It is the same rowdy guild as we remember. And from my point of view, considering the events that supposedly occured since these two chapters, the growth and maturity which the guild as a whole should of experienced is not present. Natsu, our main lead could easily be switched with natsu from chapter two and we will struggle to find a difference. An ending is meant to tie plot threads and show the difference in the growth of our Main Cast in comparison to chapter one. And Fairy Tail failed in that standpoint. There are no lasting negative consequences for Fairy Tail/Good guys - so what was the point of these 500+ chapters?

(Oh yeah, I totally did not miss Chelia’s now-regained ability to do magic when Ultear CLEARLY stated that she would never would be able to do magic again.) 

The read from there for me was alright till - the sexism monster literally started tap dancing on my screen. Why did Mashima turn an all-girl guild of baddasses into nothing more then exploitive pin-ups for some men to drool over? Why? What sort of end and conclusion does it give them? What changes did they underwent during the course of the story that is showcased in this one panel? You had ONE JOB Mashima. And yeah I am including Gray’s out of character comment in this too. What you mean it is different for guys. I have two scars that I received outside of my control - what exactly makes my body incapable of proudly displaying scars? 

And now Gray is possesive - I don’t know about you all but a quick google search reveals that isnt exactly healthy...this is mostly for you Juvia. 

The chapter continues on dumping ship possibility - totally the friendship message that Fairy Tail preached. 

And we don’t get a closure for the Spriggans. What happened to them? Are they dead? Are they on vacation at Ember Island? What about the aftermath of the war on Alvarez’s economy and politics? No civil war? No...reprocussions for Zeref’s all out war which used the WHOLE military? Yeah....open up any history textbook and you will see that such drastic losses don’t go unnoticed. 

Moving on, has Erza ever brushed her hair? Is Lucy implying Erza never took care of her hair. Forget Acnologia, Fairyheart, and Zeref - the true superpower of the universe in Fairy Tail is Erza’s hair. What a twist! 

And...apparently you can grow up from a baby into an adult in one year if you happen to be the reincarnation of Zer/vis. Honestly though, if we saw their interactions as one year olds, it would have been 100x cuter + I might have cried and forgotten my other criticisms. Missed opportunity there Mashima. Like honestly, who doesnt want to see baby M and baby Z interacting? (And why is Mavis so puny - there is no curse to make her have a body of a 13 year old...Mashima you are creeping into the super dark grey area again) 

AND Natsu again breaks the rules of privacy and being-a-decent-person and just hanging out in Lucy’s apartment uninvited again...Sighhhhhhh

And Natsu is still an asshole - dismissing Lucy’s actual heartfelt speech about being with him...even after he abandoned her. At this point I swear assholism is a dominate gene in the Dragneel Family - Zeref had it and Natsu still proudly carries the torch. I hope you don’t reproduce. 

One thing I can appreciate though is the open-ended ending. Far better then any weddings. 

Also apparently Fairies don’t have tails...man I wish this was an actual plot point. 

Well, I guess this concludes Fairy Tail, honestly reviewing this manga has been fun and I think I will pick up reviewing as part of this blog in the future. 

Comments and FRIENDLY discourse are welcome. 

And critique of my reviewing skills overall^^

[i-amusemyself]

All the stationary.

Ahhhh ty!!! I can’t tell if you wanna know that much bc you gaf or not though.....

Paranoia aside imma overshare either way!! *finger guns*

gel pen: when are you most comfortable?

I mean, I have anxiety so that just doesn’t happen much lmao! My first thought though was when I visit my favourite place, a little corner of a field with amazing views where I’m always on my own. I love it there.

ballpoint pen: tell me about the day you’ve just had

The day I’ve had was hell, so I’d rather relive yesterday.

Yesterday I woke up and binge watched supernatural; actually remembered to eat for once then was actually motivated enough to do revision. I got into hysterics over a tumblr post so quickly decided it was a day I should be avoiding hella emotional stuff....10 minutes later I was watching the last ever episode of prison break and sobbing uncontrollably at every word. In the afternoon I went out but not before losing my phone which was exactly where I left it. By that point though I was so late I had to speed walk at least 2 miles to the next village, where of course my friend arrived flanked by two pretty decent looking guys. I honestly looked like a tomato with water retention issues at that point so I’m sure that was a fabulous first impression. Then we got over to our revision session at the library early so went to the pub instead which was a dream; didn’t get any alcohol though because you can’t revise biology while hammered. Believe me. Then I stayed up late enough to get my ass whooped last night but it was so worth it because even though it turned into some sort of snapchat contest, I was laughing my ass off the whole time it was amazing. 

That enough of a day for you?fineliner: what’s your greatest achievement?

I used to train with the england basketball team, and I played for East Midlands. That was a pretty cool experience.highlighter: what are your best qualities?

Jfc, plural? Idk! I’m pretty motivated? And I always make an effort to tell the truth (if its good, otherwise I keep my mouth shut).

greylead: what is something you want to try for the first time?

Being attractive. Being loved. Need I go on? Oh and also giant zip-lining.felt-tip: describe your aesthetic

My bedroom looks like an ikea showroom lmfaooo so whatever that is. Weird architecture and cacti and random objects in neat little storage places.

But equally like, overgrown graveyards mixed with roses and anything black. Depends on my mood.crayon: your earliest childhood memory

Treading on a bee and having to have the sting removed from my foot lmao

scrapbook: something from your childhood that makes you smile

............um??

Okay there was this one time we found an old camera in the loft. I must’ve been 3 since my dad was still there. Anyway we all went out in the garden and it was such a normal little family thing, but it’s the only time I ever remember that happening. It’s got my parents waving and looking happy and me sticking my head out from inside a little wendy house grinning and it’s so cute. It’s the sort of thing I wish I’d had more of.

sketching pad: describe yourself from a stranger’s point of view

A lanky thing approaches. It has a stereotypical lesbian haircut, bad eyesight and appears to have given up on all things fashionable. It’s shy and awkward, so makes you feel extremely uncomfortable too. It appears to be reasonably friendly, but occasionally says things that don’t make a single bit of sense before desperately looking around the room looking for more small talk inspiration. You’re overall impression is it’s a pretty boring human being, probably totally harmless, but would be incredibly easy to replace.notebook: what’s your favourite quote?

I have a couple of little quotes I remind myself of on a daily basis, ranging from song lyrics; “darling you’ll be okay” and “the sun will rise and we will try again” to “pick your fights” and “you gotta give a bit of yourself to get something in return”. I kinda live my life by those.paper: what kind of book would you write?

I have absolutely no idea! I can’t see myself ever having the motivation to write a book.stapler: out of all the people you know, who do you think you are closest to?

My best friend @only-slightly-dangerous who literally knows me so well it’s scary! She can literally message me out of knowhere and know from 3000 miles away if I’m in pain.glue stick: what do you look for in a lasting relationship/friendship?

I can’t be dealing with people that lie or are fake or whatever. So definitely honesty. Also people just being themselves and not being afraid to be weird or whatever, because that’s when I relax a bit lmao! I guess a decent sense of humor too? And someone that doesn’t mind you asking questions or whatever. Idk. Sometimes you just click with people without being about to put it down to a specific characteristic.tape: tell me about your longest friendship

It wasn’t very long. 

I mean I had “friendships” through all of primary school but that doesn’t really feel like it counts. Secondary school? The first girl I made friends with and was really close to for 5 years is now like,,, someone I honestly can’t even stand to hear about soooruler: what line will you never cross?

I could never cheat. eraser: what do you consider to be your biggest mistake?

I’m not sure. Maybe not standing up for myself more at school and at home. There have been occasions where it would have been totally reasonable but I just shut up and let shit happen so I’ve spent a lot of time beating myself up about that stuff.

Also, and I know I shouldn’t but, I still spend a lot of time thinking about a boy at our school who killed himself and I never knew him but I still wonder if I could have done anything.scissors: ever had a bad break-up?

Nothing hella nasty but I don’t really talk to any of my ex’s at all.calculator: list fifteen things that make you happy

Lmaooo I’ll do my best!! Okay so music; concerts; friends; seeing other people laughing; making people laugh; stand up comedy; hella good art; hearing people tell stories; sitting and listening in the middle of knowhere; thunderstorms; exploring; helping people; good food; the sound of rain on the roof; cuddling and tumblr.protractor: an unpopular opinion/angle you have on an issue

Pinapple is good on pizza.sticky note: something about yourself you’d like to change

I feel like I have no personality so like,,,I wish that could be better. I wish I was pretty. Or attractive or whatever. Oh and I wish I could sing those hella high notes because I feel sorry for the neighbours atm.stamp: a date that’s special for you and why

25th March because that’s the day my life changed just enough for me to carry on.bookmark: a book that means a lot to you and why

I always just say Numbers, but honestly it was the first ever book I cried at and I feel like it helped me understand the world a little more.folder: describe your family

How long do you have? I mean, it’s quite a small family but I’m not that close to any of them. Most of them are just pretty conservative living in little nuclear families. I didn’t used to get on too well with my dad but we’ve got a lot closer. I still don’t get on with my mum very well though bc she’s abusive. welp. whiteboard: tell me your plans for tomorrow

I’m gonna die a slow, painful death by revision and then recover when I go to my dad’s and walk Borris.blackboard: tell me about a memory that has affected who you are today

All those memories are locked away in a place I can’t get to and I think it’s best to keep it that way for now.

A low key one is probably when a friend once told me nobody cared about me or what I had to say and I’ve basically been mute in most social situations since XDpinboard: what are you focusing on in your life right now?

Exams. A level exams. Just one more month and I’m freeeee!!!tablet: tell me your plans for the future

Start a fresh life at uni and get this degree. Then who knows? I’ll probably go and get another degree and I’m pretty sure I’ll end up doing medicine.stencil: who are your role models?

I don’t have very many. Kaitlyn Alexander for sure, because they really helped me understand who I am and start to accept it. Also Luke Cutforth because I love his YouTube channel but also a lot of things he’s done related to mental health have been helpful and I relate a lot.envelope: tell me a secret

I’m going to my end of year prom in a shirt and tie and I haven’t told anyone yet and I’m scared shitless. I’m still gonna do it though!!

[miasswier]

miasswier’s ultimate glee ranking: no 111

111. The Rhodes Not Taken

Written by: Ian Brennan Directed by: John Scott

Overall Thoughts: A huge part of why this episode is so low on the list is because it basically encapsulates all about Glee in season one that I disliked. The message overall message is that Glee club has a star, and without that star they can’t win. When that star leaves, instead of encouraging one of his other kids to rise up Will brings in an outside star to take her place. Considering how many underdeveloped characters they had at this point in the show, bringing in a whole new one-episode character and focusing so intensely on her just wasn’t a smart move. Finn doesn’t come off as likeable at all in this episode, and once again Will is playing the bad teacher. Thankfully there is a silver lining in that Rachel mostly redeems herself from how awful she acted in Preggers. But other than that…

What I Like:

There’s a few funny moments. Emma telling Will that it’s a long shot for them to win Sectionals without Rachel, while a completely incorrect statement (ND wins two sectionals without Rachel, after all), is hilariously delivered.

April teaching Mercedes and Tina to shoplift meat in their vaginas.

Kurt telling Mr. Schue that he worships April after she gives him alcohol and porn – and walking around school with the porn proudly on display. Oh, honey.

“Oh Bambi, I cried so hard when those hunters killed your mommy.”

Rachel standing up to Finn and telling him that he was a piece of shit for manipulating her the way he did. She’s right, he should have just talked to her instead of using her feelings for him to his advantage. It’s actually a really mature moment for Rachel (even if I think the slap was unnecessary)

While I have my frustrations (mentioned below) with how this was executed, I do think it was big of Rachel to come back and admit that being friends with everyone was more important than being a star. I mean, it’s kind of undermined by the fact that she instantly goes out and is, well, a star, but you know. It was a nice sentiment, and you can see a lot of growth between Preggers and this episode.

What I Don’t Like:

While I don’t mind April as a character, it is frustrating to get an episode totally focusing on the bettering of a guest star so early on in the season. While they did bring her back every now and again, it still sets a weird tone for the whole episode. Which leads me to…

The message of this episode. I hate how in season one Will is so goddamn focused on Finn and Rachel being the Stars of Glee Club to the point where he literally ignores the other kids. And the worst part? Everyone else plays into it! When April leaves not only does Mr. Schue never say that the show much go on, and they’ll figure something out, but none of the kids suggest it either. It’s just assumed that they have to cancel the second number because their star isn’t there, until another star comes to take her place. Why didn’t Mr. Schue ask Tina or Quinn or Santana or Brittany to take April’s solo? Why didn’t he have Mercedes step into April’s role and have Santana take Mercedes’s? There was no attempt to figure out how to continue, it was just “bummer, we’ll have to tell everyone that we’re sorry but it’s not happening”. Yikes.

As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t like the execution of this at all, and while I do think it was big of Rachel to come back, the way it’s played is kind of shitty. She acts like she’s doing something as a favour to everyone, but she’s still singing the lead. She still gets the solo. She’s still in the spotlight. She’s doing them all a favour by allowing them to continue swaying in the background. It’s not even all Rachel’s fault. From how she was talking, I get the feeling that she would have come back even if Mr. Schue acted like a real teacher and moved people around to make the number work, and therefore she didn’t have a solo. It just sucks that they didn’t give her the opportunity to really be selfless (which I can tell was her intentions)

Will continuing to tell the whole goddamn world about Quinn being pregnant. This is the man we’re supposed to see as Finn’s father figure? Ugh.

Finn using Rachel’s feelings for him to advance his own situation, especially considering his doing so involved him cheating on his pregnant girlfriend. I KNOW that the baby isn’t his, but he thinks it is, and it was still shitty to flirt with Rachel and take her out on a date and basically imply that he doesn’t know if things will last with Quinn when he’s literally doing all of this to make sure things last with Quinn. It was shitty to Rachel, and it was shitty to Quinn, and I’m glad Rachel called him out.

April sleeping with high school guys/talking about being attracted to high school guys. Glee, seriously, this is a grown-ass woman, and these boys are 15-16. That’s really disgusting.

Songs

Maybe This Time: I think my biggest problem with this one is that I find that April sounds so much better than Rachel. It doesn’t feel like “look at these two equally talented women” it feels more like “damn look at how much we upgraded!!!” I mean, come on. It’s Kristen Chenoweth. Don’t try and compare a high school sophomore to her, even if that high school sophomore is played by a 23-year-old Lea Michele. Come on.

Alone: I like the original version of this song, and April sounds awesome in it, but Will… ugh. It’s not even like I’m not a particular fan of Matthew Morrison’s voice, I just get so frustrated with Will. He’s a bad character, and the fact that so much of season one is focused on him is just annoying. But like, overall it’s a decent number.

Last Name: By this point I was tired of hearing April sing. Come on, she’s sang more than Artie, Tina, Mercedes, Kurt, Quinn, and Puck at this point, all of whom have been canonically established to have amazing voices. Honestly I spent most of this number watching Quinn spin around in her cowboy outfit. Girl looked cute as fuck. Again, Kristen Chenoweth has an amazing voice. She’s literally incredible. But she’s very clearly a single-episode character at this point, so giving her three songs out of four really feels like overkill.

Somebody to Love: I really like this number. Even if I didn’t like how they got to it, I do enjoy it. It’s really fun, it’s upbeat, and the group sounds amazing. They’ve really come together for the first time since Don’t Stop Believing. It’s a great end to a lackluster episode.

Overall Thoughts: Watch it for the Rachel character development, but skip all the stuff with April and Will. Honestly, April isn’t that important to the overall plot of the show (aside from her donation in 1x16 but honestly even that doesn’t ultimately make much of a difference over the course of the show), so skipping her scenes doesn’t matter. Actually, just find a video with all the non-Will scenes of this episode and you’ll get a moderately good episode.

[flyingwithicloud]

My first crashpad experience

There’s something about an elder woman coming in and taking care of you that makes you want to cry, or just anyone in general taking care of you without asking for anything in return. Truth be told, there’s been a handful of rough times since I first learned about having to move to New York. The number of times I’ve cried since then has been twice, surprisingly. I’ve managed to hold myself together and keep it in for the most part. 

I usually don’t make it public or known when things are hard for me. There’s a level of stubbornness in me that wants to prove I can take care of myself and be independent. Sometimes I do need help, but I’m always hesitant to ask because I just don’t want to be a burden or an inconvenience. 

There was a similar time during my college career when I was also in a pretty good place in life. A lot of people were happy for me and proud of me for achieving the things I did and getting to where I got. I was happy to be in my position at the time and proud of myself too. While people were happy for me, there weren’t a lot of people happy with me. That is I felt kind of alone and isolated like no one could relate to me. 

But then someone did relate to me. A good friend of mine took it upon herself to check up on me one time. She was frank with me and told me that when she was in my position, she had actually felt pretty lonely and isolated, but no one knew. In that instant, I just broke down and the tears just kept rushing out. I had no idea she was feeling like that when she was in my position, and I hadn’t told anyone how I was feeling either. The fact that she took it upon herself to check up on me and take care of me meant a lot to me. 

Even though it’s hard for me to show I’m struggling, I think it’s important to show a little vulnerability so that those who are interested in getting into the industry can fully understand what it entails. I have been looking for a decent place to stay since learning I had to move to New York. It’s been a very difficult search, quite frankly, especially who those are not familiar with living in a big city and the other inconveniences that come from it. However, do keep in mind that not everyone’s experiences are the same. Mine differs greatly from some of my classmates assigned to the same domicile. If you do go into the industry, you could have an entirely different experience than me so don’t let this one experience of mine discourage you!

The week between graduating training and moving to New York, I spent every day looking through multiple crashpad websites, FB renters groups, Trulia, reached out to acquaintances and friends, and messaged several people advertising that they were looking for roommates or someone to take over a lease. I truly did not have a place to live in New York and it was kind of scary. 

That week of in-between passed and I arrived in New York. My first four days, the company had provided a hotel for me, and that was to be the only time that the company will provide housing for me for relocation purposes. I spent some of those four days checking out crashpads and still contacting people looking for roommates. I went to this one crashpad to check out the place and I was pretty horrible by what I saw. It was filthy and disorganized. The kitchen was sticky and messy. There were bunkbeds in the bedrooms and multiple in the living room area. The mattresses were unlined with sheets or any type of protection and had stains on them. The worst part was how utterly disgusting the bathroom was. There was one time in college that I felt like I was living inside a trashcan because of this ongoing issue that one of my roommates caused that one of my pledge sisters let me sleep at her place. I also cried at that time because I was grateful of her for taking me in. Anyways, the level of grossness in this crashpad was a whole different level. The whole time I was touring this crashpad, the landlord was actually on the phone with me, giving me the tour through call. I was trying my best to keep my tone neutral and disgust hidden. She ended our call with “I’m sorry if the place may seem a little messy for you, but this is actually one of the cleaner crashpads you’ll find. They others are typically filthier!” After that tour, I was thinking to myself “What have I gotten myself into?” And so, I spent the remainder of my time in the company-provided hotel until it was the day for me to leave on my IOE (initial operating experience--kind of like my first trip to shadow a flight attendant instructor then show my proficiency). 

For my IOE, I got flown to Denver from La Guardia and I stayed in the nicest hotel room I had ever experienced. It was a four-star hotel with an amazing breakfast set up in the morning. At this point, I was thinking “Okay, this is actually pretty great. I’m kind of homeless, but it’s okay. I’ll figure something out.” I completed my IOE, which was a four-day trip. Every night I stayed in a different hotel provided by the company.  

After my IOE, I flew home for a day, still no luck at finding a place to live in New York. My friend who had graduated training my with me told me about this crashpad she found, which will end up to be my current crashpad for the month. I contacted the landlord immediately and scheduled to move in the next day after I fly back to New York. I know it was dumb of me to sign up for a place I hadn’t even toured or seen, because the last time I did something like that, I regretted my decision and had to stay there for a whole year. However, I was desperate and it was only for the month of October, so I was going to make it work.

This crashpad that I am temporarily residing in is convenient that it is close to the airport. The area is also relatively quaint and peaceful--as peaceful as it can get considering it is New York and there are still always cars honking and people yelling at each other on the streets. I actually enjoy walking to the market and admire the cute little houses down the streets. Many of them are all decorated for Halloween. The leaves have changed colors. The sight is truly fall and I love it!  

What I don’t love is my crashpad. Crashpads are typically just a place that a bunch of airline crewmembers share, but aside from my roommate, everyone else living here are not... It turned out that in the past, there were a lot more crewmembers that lived here. There was also a tenant that wasn’t a crewmember was stealing some of the flight attendant’s stuff while they were away. That tenant was kicked out, but the crew members also stopped living here, so now this place has a few “regular” tenants, myself and my roommate, and different airbnb guests that come in and out. There was also one guy that was staying here for short amount of time that kept stealing food. He eventually got kicked out. Well, I wasn’t here when it all went down, but the story is...he called the cops for something stupid and the cops just laughed at him. Then he had the cops called on him. The cops supposedly came and took him to the psych ward because he would talk to himself in the mirror. Overall, he was just a pretty weird guy. 

The first impression I got from this place had already started bad when I first got here, so that should have been my first red flag. My friend did warn me that it was a little weird because no one else were crewmembers, but once again, we were really desperate considering the super short notice we received to relocate to New York. Anyways, I had contacted the landlord and told him I was interested in renting. He told me he had a room with two beds available that I would be sharing with my friend. Great. At least we would have our own room. Right? Wrong. The day I was supposed to move in, the room that he had told me would be mine and my friend’s had someone else staying on the bottom bunk. He told me to just neatly move all his things out into the living room. I did not want to get into any drama with this guy that I haven’t even met, so I told him “It’s okay. I can still in one of the other empty beds for the night and wait until that guy moves out after you talk to him about it.” I technically still didn’t have my own place to stay that night even though I had already paid for it. It sucked, but  still I was thinking it’s okay. I can still make this work. Things are going to work out. It’s okay. 

The next day, I was already assigned my first official trip. It was a three-day trip. When I came back from my trip, I still had one day left of reserve. The guy--the man, actually, that was previously staying in the room rented out for my friend and I had moved out. That was the day I kind of met the other “regulars” living in the apartment. The man introduced himself to me and kind of tried to jokingly lecture me about getting him kicked out of his room. It told me it was my fault that he had to leave his room but said he was still going to leave his belongings in the closet regardless, and that was the end of our conversation... I was not comfortable at this place and I had a full week off, so I packed my things, showered, and headed to the airport so I could just wait for my early flight home the next morning.

For me, I never have and I still don’t deal with unwanted interactions with men very well. I just don’t know what to do. I kind of shrink back and I freeze. Living in this crashpad, if I have to be here, I stay in my room all day. However, because that man still leaves his belonging in mine and my roomate’s room, he comes in and out. Every time he does, he says things like “You have a beautiful smile. You should smile more. You should work less because it makes you smile less.” and every time he saw me, he would tell me to smile. One time, I was alone and he came up and said I should go to Manhattan with him the next time I’m off and he’ll show me around. I don’t know this man. He’s basically a complete stranger so I was very uncomfortable and I just said “Sorry, I work a lot so I probably won’t have time.” 

Last week, I was unlucky to be on reserve for 5 days and not get called out for my whole reserve period so I would have to face him every day when he came in and out of our room. There was one day that every time he came in to grab something, he would ask me to go somewhere with him, and I would say “Sorry, I’m on call. I need to be here so I can be ready to leave anytime they call me.” He did it so much that day that I eventually pretended to be sleeping every time he knocked on the door to come in. I told my roommate and she told another tenant living at the apartment, who then told the landlady. The landlady came to take out his belongings the next day because he shouldn’t have even been using our room to begin with once he was told to leave it.  

She was so sweet about it. She kind of speaks broken English so we have limited communication. She tried to tell me not to worry about him and that she had made it clear to him that my roommate, myself, and the other tenant that my friend spoke to were all like her little girls. It was reassuring. I was so grateful and thankful. 

The next day, my roommate left for work super early in the morning. Later the man barged in with his belongings again to keep in our room. He didn’t noticed that I was in the room at first. Once he did, he declared “I know you girls don’t like me being in here, but this is just the way we live,” and continued lecturing me about how it was my fault that the landlady came and removed his things. That was outright rude. I was completely appalled, and things just got even more uncomfortable in an already uncomfortable place. 

The following day, I got assigned a trip. The day after I went home to Oklahoma for one day. I came back to New York and all the man’s belongings were completely out of the room. I guess at some point while my roommate and I were gone, the landlady came back in and removed his belongings again. I don’t know what went on while we were gone for her to do that, but it was nice of her. Ever since the first incident of removing his things, she always makes it a point to check in on me when she stops by to visit or clean the place. Every time, she gives me a hug and calls me her little girl, which kind of hits a soft spot because it’s so nice and reassuring to have someone watch out for you and take care of you. She came and did that yesterday. I was having a bad day, also scared to leave my room in case I run into that man and he yells at me again. After she came in to check up on me and made sure the heater was working so I would be warm, I cried and I just kept crying and crying. This marks the second incident that I cried for since becoming a flight attendant. Other than that, it’s been sort of good.  

On the bright side, I have found a new place to stay for November. I can not express to the landlady how grateful I am of her for looking out for me and taking care of me, but I can’t live in this place any more. I’m scared all the time. I sleep on the top bunk so that I could have some sense of safety and during the day, even though it’s a hassle to climb up and down, I still sit in my top bunk in the corner so I can feel somewhat safe. 

The first time I cried since becoming a flight attendant was during one of the times I was leaving Oklahoma, going back to New York, and my flight had been delayed for 3 hours so I missed my connection from DTW to LGA, which was the last flight back to New York for the day and it was so late that everything was closed. I knew I would have to sleep in the airport for the night. My mother messaged me during my flight from OKC to DTW. I didn’t want to tell her that I was going to have to sleep at the airport in Detroit, that I was dreading going back to my New York apartment, and that I was actually having a hard time because I didn’t want her to worry so I spent the whole flight crying. I know that sounded really sad, but I overcame it. I figured my way through. We also have a pretty nice crew lounge at the DTW airport with a sleep room. There’s even a gym and a shower area, so I spent the night there and flew out the next morning. Everything was good. I was fine, and hopefully things are only going to get better from here! 

[alettertotheuniverse-blog1]

Crystal Beach Resort, Zambales: Is it Still Worth All That Hype?

Hi. I’m back!

Everything’s been going really well lately which I think, has a lot to do with getting used to just letting a lot of shit go and making decisions based on what would bring me more peace, if you get what I mean. 

This is probably my healthiest mental and emotional state (hahaha!) – considering that some issues (old and new) are still asking for my attention at the moment, but I think I’ve learned to just let things run their own course.

So there’s not much drama and reflection going on in this article, unlike the past ones. Which I’m not complaining about, to be honest, ‘cause that’s obviously how we want life to be. :) 

Anyway, sidenote, I feel kind of bad for not getting through all the messages from the Facebook page. I created that without a solid plan or system and I didn’t expect for me to actually be talking to people outside the blog so, I’ll work through that. I’ll try to be as detailed on every article to save everyone’s time.

Plus, I still can’t construct a decent article regarding the whole of my Thailand trip, so… I’m dodging that - yet again - by telling you about my recent beach trip to Crystal Beach Resort, San Narciso, Zambales.

It’s a place I’ve been wanting to go to since last year. There were a lot of almosts but the plans never materialized. And I was okay with them not pushing through because last year, there was such hype about the place that I kept expecting for it to be overcrowded or worse, overrated.

But I was fortunately wrong, you guys! The hype is still real! *woot woot*

We went on a weekend and opted for an overnight stay. We tried to call in earlier that week to reserve a room but their whole month was fully-booked. Still, the whole place is so spacious that it doesn’t feel cramped at all.

I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t get a glimpse of their rooms/huts though as I heard you can experience glamping here which I haven’t tried yet, but you can check out their website for photos and accommodation rates.

So here are the deets:

How to get there:

Make your way over to Victory Liner’s bus station in Cubao and get on the bus bound for Iba Zambales (via SCTEX). Our ticket was for the 11am trip but got chance passenger seats for 9:00am, so it’s nice to be early. (P280)

It may be best to tell the ticketing person that you’ll get off at San Narciso as I think the fare is more expensive if they charge you for Iba.

Get off San Sebastian Church, San Narciso, Zambales.

Ride a tricycle straight to Crystal Beach Resort. (P15/person. Up to 4 pax.)

Total: P295.00 from Cubao.

Time it took: around 4-5 hours. Easy-peasy.

Going back to MNL:

There may be an easier way I don’t know about but here’s how we did it:

Get on a trike going back to San Sebastian Church (P15/person still)

Take a bus going back to Olongapo bus station. (P70)

From there, take a bus bound for Victory Liner’s Cubao Station. (P250? **I may update this once my travel buddy replies to correct me ‘cause I can’t – fortheloveofme- remember how much it was exactly but I think it’s around P250, so there.)

Total: Around P335

Time it took: around 5-6 hour I’d say. The route taken by the bus was longer… plus, traffic.

Roundtrip fare total: Around P630.

Rates and Whatnot:

As per the resort’s site, the day tour fee costs P195.

For an overnight stay like ours, we paid P750 at the reception. This includes being allowed to pitch your own tent, buffet-style breakfast meal stub, and toiletries (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo).

They’ve ran out of tents for us to rent but no worries, because the locals around the resort (a lot of them, you don’t even have to look far) offer tent rentals for P600 a night/good for 4 pax. There were 3 of us, so we split that to P200 each.

With the tent we borrowed, we were told to just leave it at the resort after use and the owner will retrieve it himself. No need to look for him to return the tent before leaving, so that was easy.

Overall, for an overnight stay for 3 people, we paid a total of P950 each.

By the way, there’s a corkage fee of P50/bottle for alcoholic drinks.

I’m not sure if there’s a parking fee, sorry. But I don’t think so. There are loads of areas where you can park your car too. There were even cars parked at the campsite and still, the place doesn’t feel cramped.

Food:

You won’t go hungry at all as they sell food and drinks inside and outside the resort.

Dishes ranging from sandwiches to full meals cost around P50 – P400 inside the resort.

We tried out the pizza (P300) and fries (P50) while chilling by the beach and it was worth the price.

A bottle of San Mig Flavored beer and a can of San Mig Light costs P70 each. If I remember correctly, a bottle of Smirnoff costs P90.

Always watch the sunset by the beach with beer and food. Always. Or else, what are you even doing with your life?

There are carinderias outside the resort as well which are less expensive if you want rice meals and if you want to bond with the locals.

I recommend you try the chicken and pork siomai (P10/3 pieces), plus gulaman (P10), sold just outside the gate. Help ate out. Also, it’s delish.

There are sari-sari stores outside the resort, if you ever need to buy anything. You can buy also souvenirs easily.

What is there to do here?

The waves are meant for surfing. If you are looking to float around the waters calmly (this person is me), this is not the place to do it as the waves are raging. You also may want to keep a close eye on your kids if you’re bringing them, as the waves can easily swallow them whole. But no worries, there’s a lifeguard on duty and they only allow everyone to swim in safe areas or else they’ll call you out, using their megaphones, for your own safety.

Anyway, back to surfing. It costs P200 to rent out a board and learn how to surf with a one-on-one tutor. Yes, the tutor comes with the package. You can’t opt to do it alone.

There’s also a place that offers henna tattoos and massages (you have to book one at the reception area). I’m not sure how much these costs.

At night, there’s bonfire and acoustic music near the beach, so it’s the perfect ambiance to relax and reflect, and get your feels on, if you’d like.

There are also obstacle courses and playgrounds around the site, in case you get bored and want to run around. A volleyball tent also is readily available for those who want to play.

As I said, I came here to just chill and I’m not the sporty type so I’m not sure if renting a volleyball costs something. And I was so busy chillin’, I forgot to ask - sorry (but also not that sorry, ‘cause I was happy being lazy on the sand.)

What Else:

You don’t have to worry about bathrooms and shower rooms. It’s not crowded and it’s clean and there are several of them near the beach and camp sites, so wherever you are perched, there’s a nearby restroom/shower area for sure. No, you don’t have to pay to use it.

You may also charge inside the restaurant, but if you don’t want to stay there just to look after your gadgets, you may head over to reception and they’ll charge and look after it for you for P20 so that you can freely do your own thing. Don’t forget to keep the receipt, of course.

There’s WiFi, but only in the reception area. Cell reception around the beach isn’t so bad though.

Pet friendly? Yes. But I read somewhere, while doing research that pets aren’t allowed inside the rooms.

I think that’s about it!

Overall, if you want a relaxing-but-not-boring kind of getaway, the kind that we all want, Crystal Beach has that for you. They’ve got everything covered. It’s hassle-free and comfortable so that you won’t have to stress over anything. Hence, a chill, worry-free, fun-under-the-sun kind of stay.

Kudos to the great staff keeping this place awesome!

Chillin’ like a villain,

N

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Links:

Crystal Beach Resort’s website (for rates and reservations): http://www.crystalbeach.com.ph/

Crystal Beach Resort’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/crystalbeachresort/

This blog’s Facebook page (over 8k now, huhu I cri. Thanks, ya guys!): https://www.facebook.com/alettertotheuniverse/

Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/niksm_/

Let me know where it’s best to go next! Always looking out for suggestions.