#Make your own post about the utility of spells for the nasty

[somecallmekay]

Like, imagine the possibilities of flirting as a caster. The utility of the spells. You're being gently pinned against the wall, them inches away from your lips, and you saying something to the tune of "if only we were somewhere more... private" and they smile, and without breaking eye contact a spell and everything around you two shifts as you get teleported to one of yours bedrooms. Slowly they glance towards the bed, look back, and grin. "You were saying?"

[prorevenge]

My aunt is a jerk, but gets her just desserts in the end

This is going to be a bit of a long one, and while I think it's worth it (or I wouldn't be posting it), I'll keep this as brief as possible. For those that just want the tl;dr I'll do my best to summarize at the end.

Back in the late 1980s my mother ("Nancy") was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological condition. My father was working long hours to put a roof over our heads and keep my mom seeing the best doctors, and eventually my parents realized that with two small kids and a body that was slowly but surely shutting down on her, she needed more help. We had an au pair for a while but it wasn't a great fit. There was talk of hiring a nursing company to provide in-home care but my mom's sister "Linda" very graciously offered to let us (my mom, my sister, and me) come live with their family, and that she would be happy to take care of her little sister. After a few months of working out the details my parents and my aunt and uncle agreed to the following:

- My dad would pay for construction of a large addition onto my aunt and uncle's home. This would be a fully separate home with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, and an unfinished basement.

- My aunt, who was unemployed, would be the primary caretaker for my mom for the foreseeable future. My aunt claimed that she'd care for her "until one of us dies" but I think we all expected it would be more like ten or fifteen years.

- My mom would have living rights to the addition until her death.

- Upon my mother's death, our claim to the addition would be relinquished and my aunt and uncle would own it outright.

In 1990 my mom, my sister, and I moved three hours away to live with my aunt and her family. (My dad stayed behind to continue working, and this separation did eventually result in a mostly friendly divorce.) Things went well enough at first, and within six or eight months the addition was built and we moved out of their spare room and into our new home. It would be a lie to say it was "massive", but it more than doubled the size of their house. We had our own exterior doors, our own heating and cooling, most every utility. Electricity and plumbing were shared, but I think that was about it. For the first eighteen months or so, my aunt mostly held up her end of the bargain, but soon after the cracks started to form. My uncle left my aunt in early 1991. Linda started getting lazy with my mom and consequently her health was suffering, so my dad hired a home nursing outfit to come in every day and care for her. Linda took this as permission to stop helping with anything at all. Mom soon became bedridden (not my aunt's fault, the disease is terrible) and couldn't leave the home, so Linda would do mom's shopping for her... but started buying more than just my Christmas presents or our groceries. A little at first, then a lot. Eventually my mom's credit card bills really caught my dad's notice. All told, we calculated that she had run up about $20,000 USD in purchases that were for either her or her kids. (This was in the early 1990s; according to the inflation calculator I just looked at, that's the equivalent of about $40,000 USD now.) My dad was working seventy hour weeks for the overtime so he could cover his own mortgage, repaying his 401k for the loan he took out to build the addition, and these massive credit card bills. By late 1993 there was a confrontation. My dad canceled the credit cards and said "you are spending me dry, I can't have surprise bills like these any more" and my aunt in turn said "get the fuck out of my house". Since it was an addition and not technically a separate home, and since my dad didn't have the money for an expensive legal battle, there was little we could do, living rights be damned.

Right at that same time, the house went into foreclosure. Linda had stopped paying the mortgage six or so months before (I'm fuzzy on this number, but it's in the ballpark) and the bank foreclosed. Linda didn't have the money to get current on the mortgage. My dad began making plans to buy the mortgage from the bank and take ownership of the whole property. Things were looking good on this front, and he told us that we'd be able to stay in our home (by this point I was twelve years old and had lots of friends, so I really did not want to move). His plan was that he would charge Linda a fair rent for her half of the house, we would continue to live in our half, and the door that connected the two halves would be forever locked, sort of like a duplex.

It's at this point that I need to introduce the last character to the story, whom I will call "Maria". Maria was the first wife of my mom's- and Linda's older brother. They had been married for a short time in the 1970s and Maria became very close with her new sisters-in-law. After she split from my uncle, she remained very friendly with both Linda's family and mine, and growing up I called her "Aunt Maria". Anyway, Linda now knows that my dad is planning on buying the house from the bank and she panics (makes sense, losing your home is scary). She calls anyone she can think of that will give her the money to get current on the mortgage, and Maria finally comes through and says "Yeah, of course I'll help you out." Linda calls my dad and gloats that she's not losing her house and reiterates that my mom, my sister, and I can move right the fuck out. My dad calls Maria and tries to convince her not to swoop in and save Linda's bacon: "a move is gonna be hard for the kids and extremely hard for Nancy, Linda has neglected Nancy and not held up her end of the bargain", etc. Maria says that she's committed to her decision. My dad gives one bit of advice that will wind up being very important: "Well then, don't just give her money to get current on her mortgage; she'll fall behind again soon enough, the house will still get foreclosed on, and you'll be out the money you gave her. Buy the mortgage from the bank instead and just charge Linda rent, that way you've at least got something for your money."

In early 1994, we move out of the addition. By early 1996, Maria rings my dad up. She did indeed buy the mortgage from the bank and now owns the property outright. Linda swore up and down that she would pay rent but lo and behold, she hasn't paid any rent over the last two years. Maria asked if my dad would be interested in buying the property from her. It was a bit of a stretch since he was paying for two homes (his, and the one I lived in with my mom and sister), but he put the money together and soon enough we owned the property in question. At this point, Linda is in touch with my dad and is no longer extremely nasty and threatening to him - she's as sweet as can be, promising that she will pay him rent and be a great tenant. My dad said "that's fine, you can rent the house, but if you miss a payment I will begin eviction proceedings immediately." They drew up a contract, signed it, and I think she made two rent payments before calling up and asking for more time. He told her "I'm sorry Linda, but if you don't have money in my hands by the due date spelled out in the contract, I am going to evict you." The date came and went, the money never showed up, and my dad gleefully began eviction proceedings. They knew my dad meant business and moved out on their own before the sheriff did it for them.

We owned the house as a rental property for several years, using the income to fund my mom's medical care. Despite being separated since 1990, my parents stayed married until 2002 so that my mom would have health insurance. My dad gave the house to my mom in the divorce settlement, and it was sold to pay for her care in a nursing facility, where she lived from 2000 until her death in 2009.

tl;dr - mom had a degenerative neurological condition, dad couldn't care for her and keep a roof over our heads, aunt offered to care for mom, dad built a large addition onto aunt's home with the understanding that we would live there (and that aunt would care for mom) until mom's death, aunt soon stopped caring for mom, aunt ran up huge bills on my mom's credit card, dad confronted aunt, aunt kicked us out, a few years later dad bought the house and kicked aunt out.

(source) story by (/u/daver3k)

[shy-magpie]

RQG 141

The wait is over! Skraak's gonna sober up soon and all signs point to upcoming boss fight. Will they end up with an army of captured Kobolds fulfilling the promise to make Skraak a general or are they going to spend the last episode on the island trying to remember who was tied up where? Patreon thanks have gotten more fun since I started recognizing names.

Alex sounds contrite about possible errors. Ben is honest about the social contract. Honestly these guys hold themselves to too high a standard sometimes. Oh everyone is doing Ben impressions, I love it when you can see they are really are friends Back to the elevator shaft Hamid and Zolf can fly without warning but are Cel and Azu going to be OK? Oh ladder is bad bad bad. Right not their first rodeo: Hamid and Zolf are talking out the plan. Zolf will scout? *scouts* *elevator ain’t moving* *reports* Regarding the text level of the ensuing conversation: Everyone is going to be tied together. No falling allowed. Hamid makes a case for Lightest First, Zolf was thinking Heaviest First. They go with lightest first. Eh I'm no hiker so not going to spend to much brain space on working out which order makes sense. Especially since none of them are allowed to fall, Alex. Subtext: Hamid sounds a little nervous about it but is in leader mode, not presenting an idea to his boss mode. Zolf sounds unsure how to take that level of the conversation but always did take Hamid's ideas seriously; even if only seriously enough to argue about rather than dismiss out of hand. As they discuss it Hamid sounds a bit more confident as Zolf takes it well. Zolf sounds frustrated but I think it's only on the level he explicitly said: this is going to suck and he would rather do it quickly, than have time for worry to really set in. I swear if they have Azu fall on someone like Bertie fell on Sasha; the way the last season of scripted shows do call backs to fan favorite episodes I'll never trust the dice are unweighted again. Eep, fatigue mechanics are starting now Yes having typing as an excuse to pause as they hit the bit we've been worrying about is nice. I don't want anyone to slip but I kinda need Zolf as Iron Man saving someone fan art. Ha Bryn just figured out they can work out how much time has passed by how often Zolf has to reactivate his boots. He clearly knows how much Ben will appreciate being used to add to the admin when he points this out. Oh this is going to be Planes Walking all over again, rolls every few seconds. I refuse to track the numbers, we had too many naturals in both directions. Tired climbing in the dark. Or not: Zolf lights a torch because Hamid can't cast and climb. Fatigued officially kicked in for Cel. Yeah we worried about this in the discord it is a Bad condition. Alex was going to soften it but Zolf has it covered? Well at least cover 7 times a day but there are only 5 of them unless sickened* or one of the other conditions comes up too. Zolf & Cel scene is fun. Rolls, trying to tune it out and just wait for the effects. Mood lightened by Ben rolling for fun. Skraak needs to be rolled for too. Of course Ben is the only one not sounding stressed at this. To be fair its a bit heavy handed by Alex standards to give us an NPC whose two main traits are endearing and vulnerable. Yes, yes, yes! Zolf is carrying Skraak in a little rope backpack! What is up with this design? I'm getting an overpowered kid vibe. Where is Alex going with this? Water reflections? Leaking hydraulics? Break right after pointing out that Hamid's armor is probably gone. Please tell me he can recast if there is something nasty down here. Ouch falling would have hurt even worse than expected. No Cel/Lydia, things that could have easily turned you into pâté are not cool. Alex has trained them too well to just open the door without a plan. Little Kobold Jeffrey's Tube hatch Skraak time. Yes, I know I said Alex was manipulating us, I never said it didn't work. Poor little guy is too cute. Ben admits Zolf would have cured his fatigue. Aquarium tunnel? For just the boss? Doesn't fit the military past and is a stretch for a school, did Yoshida have it added? how rich is this guy? Quick Hamid and Azu moment My respect for Shoin as an alchemist is going down.  Maintain your equipment: you're a mad scientist for heaven's sake. Going back to my “something is using Yoshida as a boogeyman” theory Sorry if this isn't up to my usual. Listening at home instead of waiting for work and I don't think I got 10 minutes in a row undisturbed. Anyway: set design/world building is wonderful. Light turns out to be natural phosphorus(?) from a thermal vent, because Alex world builds from the geothermal layer up. Never let it be said Alex doesn't give the people what they ask for. Thank you Alex and Helen for 15 octopuses and the rest of the table for making the Jurassic Park reference/background music. A pulpy fun scene that was indulgent even before a geeky reference right from my childhood? RQG is good to me Ship wrecks? Gotta be the Mechanical Squid from Dover! Zolf knowledge time Boats were sunk over the last decade? Hamid agrees with me! I am going to be smug even if debunked, at proof I'm thinking the same way as the players. I'm thinking dragging the boats here was just an easy way to be sure they got all the stuff they wanted before dumping the looted wrecks? Telling a machine to grab a boat and bring it back has to be easier than defining what loot it should take and what to dump. Genre savvy Zolf points out we will probably get an evil monologue explaining. Good bye nice safe tunnel. Utility is king in the new complex but no maintenance again? Been damaged without repair too? And has it's own power? Cel is also wondering about the maintenance. Azu points out the danger Cel is accidentally but actively making her more frightened. On a Watsonian level anyways. Lydia knows what she is doing. Literal fun-house is it, Ben/Zolf. The place was set up for the kind of nerdy party RQG fans would love then it was abandoned? But the food was fresh and the costumes were designed for the team? Locker, trap, and Helen gasp. Vial broken, was that what the potion puzzle with the costumes was for? Alex is merciful and reinforcing the "set up for a party years ago and abandoned in place" by the contents being too old to hurt the team. 3 years expired, is that when the party was? Zolf breaks the box because  he does not like puzzle games. It was the prize: 4 vials but also too old to use. The customization is discussed. Lydia has Cel accidentally point out the time skip accounts for a lot of the time element. Well half of it, but if we take 3 years as a solid date, that leaves 18 months before the times skip and I don't think The Rangers were formed over a year before that. Maybe minions who kept updating based on old orders? "Actually"? Alex?!? OK, Broken traps can be tagged on like that. Holy Hades, I was right: Corpse with a bolt through his head?  Gotta be Yoshida. Poor Bryn glitched on his own character name because of all the Salad jokes; honest to god we tease because we love. Ben lightens things back up. Wait hey Zolf's cure fatigue also covers poisons*, is Skraak no longer drugged? Also is he still tied to Zolf? I don't remember them taking him out of the rope back pack. Did a lunch time re-listen/edit of these notes, because the universe punishes me with interruptions if I try to break my ritual. Hope it helped more than made the tone even more confusing. *I could have sworn poisoned was one of the conditions cured by Calming touch (Zolf's spell). I listened while doing my edit pass on this post and I couldn't find it. Maybe that damned processing issue again: you know I can wrap my head around hearing a tone but not make out words; hearing a completely different word so clearly I don't know my ears/brain glitched? Pisses me off more than it presents an actual problem.

[jarienn972]

The Inbetween - Chapter Two

I want to thank everyone for all of the lovely comments I've received on the first chapter of this story. This was a bit out of my comfort zone but it has been so much fun to write this story for @cssns and I have to thank @kmomof4 and everyone else involved with this event for putting it together!

Thanks again to @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 for her wonderful artwork and a great spirit booster as well! (Pun intended)  Also adding a reminder that this story will contain a non-consensual spirit possession so if this is an issue for anyone, I'm again giving ample warning.  

I was able to get a quick update in this week due to a change in my days off at work and future chapters will be posted over the next few Wednesdays.

Also in AO3 and FF.net  Tumblr: Chapter One

And now, here's Chapter Two!

:Hearing her father's voice above the crackling static of the radio was as welcome as a muse to Emma's ears. Tyler Sprat and his friends has been found so they could all now go home. While she hadn't had much of a chance to explore the butler's quarters before receiving David's message, she was glad there wasn't a need to. Compared to the lavish decor of the mansion, this section was like the thrift-store knock-off, filled with cheap furniture and a decades-old television that still had a rabbit-ear antenna. In truth, it was probably the creepiest place she'd seen in the entire property because it was like stepping back into one of the many foster homes of her childhood, none of which she wanted to revisit.

She was simply anxious to rejoin her husband and father so they could put this night behind them. Pulling the door to the butler's quarters closed behind her, she hurried back down the corridor leading to the kitchen. Emma didn't linger in that room at all, pushing through the swinging doors into the square room, then she passed through the propped open door into the dining hall. She paused at the sideboard to replace the candelabra she'd borrowed. Perhaps it was her imagination toying with her again, but she swore there was a faint whiff of smoke in the air - even before she blew out the four candles she'd been utilizing. She dismissed the improbable thought while she flicked the power button on the flashlight, readying it to light her path back to the vestibule. She was exhausted and eager to go home, but the next sound she heard sent chills all the way to her core and ushered in a gut-wrenching sense of deja-vu.

She heard her father's voice - but this time, it wasn't coming through the radio. He was shouting, loud enough that she could hear him clearly, but it was precisely what he was shouting that terrified her - Killian's name.

Still searching for a way to gain access to the possible attic space above him, Killian was naturally surprised to hear the sound of David's voice on the radio, especially his announcement that the three adolescents had been located. Perhaps his weary mind was playing tricks on him, but Killian was certain that the faint, distant voices were continuing to call to him. Maybe not to him per se, but they were undoubtedly attempting to communicate with someone. They whispered to him in jumbled phrases: "Can you hear us?" "Is it this one?" He wasn't able to make sense of all their messages, but clearly his ears betrayed him if these disembodied voices did not belong to the lads and lass they sought.

No matter, he thought, closing the door to one of the bed chambers as he turned back toward the staircase. The youngsters had been found and were safe with David so their work here was done and he could now happily return to the ground level to rejoin his wife. If all went as planned, he'd be tucked back into his own bed within the hour, and since technically this was still Emma's shift, he'd leave the infernal paperwork to her.

As he threw a quick glance over the railing before descending the curving stairs, he could make out a beam of light from an electronic torch illuminating the vestibule below him. David was speaking to the three teens, apparently chastising them for their reckless decision to enter this dwelling, but it was at the sound of one of the boys responding to David's questioning that Killian took pause on the top step. The entire time he'd been on the second floor, Killian had been certain that he'd been hearing the voices of those adolescents, but listening to the the boy's voice now, it most certainly did not match any he'd heard.

If he hadn't been hearing the missing teenagers speaking, just whose voices had he been listening to?

Was there someone else trapped in this damnable mansion too? He knew the previous Author, Isaac, had once been imprisoned here. Were there others?

"Everyone accounted for?" Killian called down to his father-in-law before taking another step.

"Just waiting on Emma," David replied, "but the rest of the gang is all here." Killian nodded an affirmative, not that David could see the movement of his head. There was sufficient light provided by his lantern and David's modern torch for Killian to clearly make out the shapes of four individuals standing in the entryway. So, shrugging off his lingering doubt, he placed his hand on the banister to guide his way in the dark, and continued his descent.

But then he heard it again, a tiny wisp in his ear: "Need this one…" Who was talking to him? Killian asked himself, pausing once again halfway down the stairs. He rotated his head, glancing back toward the landing above him just as the unseen force struck. Before he knew who or what had hit him, he found himself tumbling down the remaining steps. Unable to grasp anything that would help him gain purchase, momentum carried him to the marble floor at the bottom. There was a shout of his name in those fleeting seconds, but Killian wouldn't recall hearing it as his head and body collided with the unyielding marble and he swiftly succumbed to unconsciousness.

Hearing her father shouting Killian's name sent a renewed shiver down Emma's spine - David rarely used Killian's given name and there was alarm in his voice. The combination spurred a sense of urgency that sent her dashing out of the dining hall, through the darkness of the corridor towards the entryway, running as quickly as she could without fear of colliding with furniture or walls in the dim light. Reaching the vestibule, she stumbled into Killian's broken lantern before recognizing the silhouettes of her father, kneeling at the bottom of the stairs, and those of the three teenagers hovering above, but she couldn't make out where her husband was until she passed the staircase.

It took her a moment to realize that David was actually kneeling beside Killian as her husband was sprawled out on the floor, and he didn't appear to be moving. "Killian!" she exclaimed, dropping to her knees next to her father, momentarily ignoring the three gawking teens who'd drawn them into this mess in the first place. "What happened?"

"I don't really know," David replied, shifting to his left so his daughter could move in closer. "One minute, he was asking if everyone was accounted for, and I said everyone but you was here. Next thing I knew, he stopped halfway down the steps and looked up toward the landing like something startled him, and then he fell. It was like his feet slipped right out from under him and he tumbled down those last eight or nine stairs and hit the floor hard."

"Are you kidding me?" one of the boys spoke up, although David wasn't really sure which one was speaking. However, what the teen was about to say was going to change their perception of everything that they'd experienced. "He didn't fall - something came up behind him and pushed him!"

"Pushed him?" Emma almost didn't believe what she'd heard as she tried to determine how severely her husband might be injured. "What do you mean? Who pushed him?"

"I can't really say it was a who. More like a what…" the boy continued. "I think it was the same shadowy blob we've been chasing all night…"

Shadowy blob? Emma tried to contemplate exactly the boy's description meant as her fingertips found a swollen bump at Killian's temple, figuring there would be a matching one on the back of his skull based on how he'd landed. "He's got a nasty bump here, but I can't see if there's anything worse because it's too dark."

"Hook's lantern is shattered so it won't help. I've got another flashlight in the truck though," David offered. "I'll go get it and I'll be right back." David stood and directed his attention back to the teenagers. "You three - you're coming with me so I can get you home before your parents worry any more."

"But we want to know what happens…" Aiden said, his eyes pleading to stay, but David was having none of this.

"You're going home and so are we - as soon as Emma can make sure Hook's okay," David stated. "Let's go." David gave Aiden a little shove towards the front door but it was Tyler who reached it first. The teen turned the glass knob, but when he tried to tug the door open, it didn't budge.

"Sheriff..., the door won't open," Tyler stated. "I think it's locked."

"From the inside? We didn't lock the door when we came in," Emma said as she glanced over suspiciously.

"It won't do anything," Tyler reiterated, anxiety creeping into his voice, fearing they might be trapped again.

"Maybe it's just stuck?" David suggested as he gave it a try, but he also failed to open the front door. "He's right. It won't open but it isn't locked. It's like there's a force field or something holding it shut."

"Or a protective spell?" Emma shuddered, instantly reminded of this mansion's history.

"We're trapped in this house again, aren't we?" Aiden groaned, his excitement over chasing ghosts in an abandoned mansion now fully dissipated.

"There has to be a way out," Emma assured them, although her gut kept trying to deny it. Her immediate concern though was for her husband's welfare. She suspected he had a concussion, but it was just too dark in here to get a good look. Her fingertips gently explored his head and neck, feeling for injuries and finding a wet, sticky substance matting his hair. Killian was bleeding, but she couldn't tell where it was coming from or how severe it was. "Damn…," she sighed. "We need more light. I can't see how badly Killian is hurt and I need to make sure we all get out of this miserable place. There are a bunch of big candle holders in the dining hall. I used one of them myself earlier tonight. Would someone go bring a few of them in here?"

"I'll go," David offered.

"I'll go with you, Sheriff Nolan," Angie chimed in. "We can bring twice as many that way."

"Alright then. We'll be right back," David promised.

"Thanks," Emma replied with the faintest of smiles before turning to the two boys. "You two - can you get a cell signal over by the door?" She dug her phone from her jacket pocket and passed it to Aiden. "If you get a signal, call your mothers so they won't worry…"

"Sorry, not getting a signal, Sheriff," Aiden responded as he returned the phone a minute or two later, just as David and Angie emerged from the shadows with candelabras in hand.

David rested his two candle holders on the stairs behind Emma while Angie placed hers on the floor. "Want to do the honors and light these up?" he asked Emma.

"I wasn't able to light them with magic earlier so - here…" Emma rummaged through her pocket for the lighter and then held it out for her father. "You'll have to use this…" Taking the lighter from her outstretched hand, David flicked it a few times to ignite the flame then hurriedly moved from candle to candle igniting the wicks. The flickering candlelight immediately brightened the room, enabling Emma a better view of Killian's bumps and bruises.

Regardless of whether Killian had actually been pushed or simply tripped and fell down the staircase, he'd struck his head hard. The swollen contusion that Emma had felt at his temple was already darkening to a purplish-red and was a fair indicator he'd struck more than just the marble floor. His right shoulder was contorted in an unnatural manner that suggested dislocation, most likely from a futile attempt to stop his descent. She still couldn't be certain whether he'd broken any bones, but his lingering unconsciousness was making her wary.

"Think you can heal him?" David inquired, interrupting her thoughts.

"Maybe…," Emma replied tentatively. "Hopefully...especially if we're stuck in here. My magic has been a little wonky though. I should have been able to light those candles earlier… What if I can't do it?"

"Let's worry about crossing that bridge if we come to it," David tried to encourage her with that old adage. Emma eked out a weak half-smile as she hovered her right hand over Killian's torso with her palm facing him. She closed her eyes to concentrate but she couldn't will the magic within her to come to the surface. She could feel the tingle of her powers just beneath her skin, but that was as far as they would reach. Something seemed to be draining the magic away from her right when she needed it the most.

"Damnit!" Emma exclaimed in frustration. Magic was failing her and she wasn't even sure why. Her gaze drifted downward to Killian's face as she lowered her hand to tenderly stroke his stubbled jaw, her touch trailing across his cheek and finally coming to rest on the patch of skin where his neck tapered into his shoulder. "I promise, we'll figure this out," she whispered to her husband's ear.

The last thing Emma would have suspected at that moment was that Killian, even in his unresponsive state, was about to provide the answer.

Killian remembered falling.

Perhaps he'd missed a step in the darkness and lost his footing, but then, no - he hadn't. He recalled that he'd paused and turned toward the voice in his ear and then he was tumbling down the staircase. He knew that his head was throbbing and his shoulder ached as if someone were trying to wrench it from its socket. Forcing his eyelids open, he also felt the twinge of discomfort in his left ankle and determined he would probably need David's assistance with some additional light to assess the damage. If it wasn't too bad and he could still put weight on it, he'd be content to hobble out of here and worry about the injured joint later, but if it was severely sprained or worse - broken, he would need Emma's assistance with a little reparative magic.

But it was as his eyes adjusted to the lighting, Killian began to realize that something was very different about his surroundings than before he'd fallen. First off, why was it so bright? Even if his lantern was still alight, it wouldn't be creating this level of brightness. Had he knocked himself out so severely that it was now morning? Second, why wasn't he hearing any familiar voices? He didn't hear Emma, nor could he hear David, which seemed highly improbable. If he'd been injured that severely, Emma wouldn't likely have strayed far from his side until he awakened - especially if he'd been unconscious for several hours.

A sudden trepidation enveloped him as he feared the worst - what if he'd broken his neck and was back in the bloody Underworld? But no, there wasn't a hellish red hue to this light and truthfully, he doubted that had he crossed over, his afterlife would still look like the vestibule of the Sorcerer's mansion. No, there was definitely something else afoot here, Killian thought as he struggled to sit upright, ignoring the protest of his battered skull.

All around him, there was a smoke-like haze which obscured the familiar details as he sought out the faces of his family or even those of the three adolescents they'd been tasked to rescue. Where were they? Certainly Emma wouldn't have abandoned him in this place…

"Captain Hook," Killian heard his title and moniker spoken clearly, the voice unknown to him. "We've been seeking someone like you for a very long time."

"Have you now?" Killian countered, his eyebrow lifting to match the smirk on his lips as he challenged the unseen speaker. "Well then, show yourself. I much prefer to be able to see those who address me."

"We're all around you, Captain," the disembodied voice stated, leaving Killian momentarily baffled until the realization struck him, his cockiness vanishing in an immediate recoil.

It was the light that he previously couldn't explain - the light emanating from these unseen beings he now sensed surrounding him.

"Who are you?" Killian demanded, his voice now wrought with a hint of fear as he tried to comprehend what had become of him. "What the bloody hell are you?"

"You've no need to fear us, Captain. So few exist who are able to see and hear us, which is precisely why we need your assistance."

"Assistance with what, pray tell?" Killian wanted to know, nearly certain that he must be hallucinating. The blow to his cranium must have been far worse than he'd originally believed. "What sort of game is this? And where are Emma and the others?"

"Still right here with us. They are merely on a different plane…"

"Different plane?" A confused Killian tried to wrap his weary brain around it all. Nothing was making sense. "What nonsense is this?"

"This is the inbetween," the being informed him. "The realm of souls trapped between the world of the living and the realm of the dead. These souls are left to linger as nameless, faceless spirits, unable to cross over. Most are cursed to remain here because their souls are incomplete and do not allow passage into the afterlife."

"Inbetween?" Killian's head was spinning as he contemplated the veracity of what he'd just heard. "Wait...are you telling me that I've died and became trapped here as well?"

"No, of course not. You remain among the living, merely in a comatose state in which we are able to communicate directly with you." The apparition's assurance wasn't exactly quelling Killian's unease. "You, however, possess a unique quality - you have crossed into the realm of the dead and were returned to the living. It has given you the ability to hear our disembodied voices and now, to see our unearthly form. We've been searching for someone such as you who could serve as our conduit to the living world so that we may inform them of our plight. We only wish to be freed from this form of purgatory."

"How would that be possible?" Killian wondered. "I've been to the Underworld, yes, but I found that the souls trapped there were encumbered by their own unfinished business. They don't generally have the intervention of the living available to them as I did. What do you believe is different about your situation?"

"Our souls were trapped in limbo because we all died here in this land without our hearts, and the magic that preserves those hearts prevents us from passing on."

Killian had to admit that he was surprised by the answer. He'd known that people whose hearts had been ripped out and crushed could pass into the Underworld - encountering some who would move on and others remaining eternally cursed, but he'd never imagined that a different fate might await those who had perished without their hearts within their bodies. He immediately thought of the dozens - maybe hundreds - of glowing hearts that Cora and Regina had collected over the decades of their respective reigns of terror. Were these illuminated beings now conversing with him just innocent victims of the Queen of Hearts and her daughter, the Evil Queen?

"How do you expect me to help you?" Killian asked, his mind wandering with far too many thoughts of how this conversation might even be possible. Was he really still laying in an unconscious heap at the bottom of the mansion's ornate staircase while his subconscious conversed with spirits of the dead?

"As I said, your unique ability to serve as our bridge to the living world allows them to hear us through you…" Before he could protest, Killian realized that the entity was encroaching on him, rapidly closing the distance as the light grew even more brilliant until it completely enveloped him, its presence seemingly blending into his own.

[tiny-personal-university-thing]

A Realistic Student's Guide to Surviving Finals

With finals rolling around - I'm sure we are all feeling the pressure. Here are just a few tips I hope will help you all during this stressful time in the semester.

Time Block Method ⏰

Find yourself a template online, here's one (x) or lay it out yourself. Block off times you know you will have time to study (you are home from class with no interruptions). You can get creative with it and use colors if you feel so inclined. This can just help you stay focused ahead of time. I'd say to go ahead and make it about a week or two out. It's similar to a 5 day study plan, but obviously will include all classes, time for meals, breaks, extra curricular activities, work, doctor's appointments, final projects, etc. Specify when you want to get things done.

Now, this technique doesn't work for everyone. Sometimes it doesn't even work for me because my schedule can get really crazy, and I just need to play it by ear. You know yourself best.

Pomodoro Technique 🍅

If time blocking one to two weeks in advance is not your style, you may find luck with the Pomodoro Technique.

You'll want to set a timer - perhaps on your phone (and then put your phone out of sight). Set the timer between 15-20 minutes during which you will work uninterrupted on your assignment/studying. Typically, when the timer goes off you will find that one of two things will occur: 1) you can work a couple more minutes and wrap things up or 2) you REALLY needed a break!

I actually love this method because when I sit down to study, I naturally feel a little drained after 20 minutes - so that's a good time to get up and stretch, send a quick text, check my social media real quick, or watch a short YouTube video. Whatever you need to do to decompress. Your prerogative.

Take It Slow 🐢

One chapter at a time. Don't overwhelm yourself by cramming 15 chapters worth of material in one sitting. Your brain is like an athlete - you don't want to overexert.

Create Your Own Study Guides📑

I always loved creating large study guides, complete with color-coded highlighting and diagrams. It's much easier to re-read notes that are written neatly (or even asthetically pleasing). Additionally, I've found that taking the time to highlight key material breaks up the monotony of taking copious amounts of notes.

Change of Scenery 🌻

If you find yourself restless while working in the same place you normally do - change it up. Go to a coffee shop, your school's library, a friend's place, or somewhere on campus. You might find that your motivation is rejuvenated.

Do The Task You are Dreading the Most F I R S T 🐸

Have a nasty, big research paper to write? Hate one subject in particular, and loathe studying it? Do it first. There’s a saying by Mark Twain, it goes something like “if the first thing you do in the morning is eat a live frog, you can go through the rest of the day knowing the worst is behind you.” Your worst task is the frog

Utilize a Study App. 📲

Personally, I love love love Quizlet. It's portable and easily accessible through your phone, laptop or tablet. So any moment you have some spare time you can pull up tried and true old Quizlet and have a little study sesh. Features included on Quizlet such as the "Match," "Test," and "Spell" functions can prove to be useful in a myriad of different classes.

I also hear Forest is great! 

Something similar that I love (because you can get free stuff) is Pocket Points; however, you do need to have your location services on and you will need to be on your campus to obtain points. Again, it just rewards you for staying off of your phone for extended periods of time. I used PocketPoints all the time my freshman year to buy free tanning sessions before the tanning place wised up and realized they were losing a lot of money.

Try Teaching the Material to Another 👩‍🏫👨‍🏫

Your dog. Your mom. Your brother. Your best friend. Your boyfriend (even if he isn't really listening). Your classmate(s). Reiterating the material in your own words helps you retain it better.

If no one is around to listen (or you don't feel like you can bring yourself to make them sit through your tiny lecture) stand in the mirror and pretend like you are giving your own TedTalk over the subject. It works for Sims, doesn't it?

Don't Shy Away From Services Provided by Your Institution 📚

So tutoring centers, writing centers, office hours, peer mentors, etc. These services are typically free to you because you have already paid for them via your tuition. Basically, you won't be paying out of pocket and you might as well get your money's worth! Additionally, perhaps hearing a challenging concept explained to you differently by someone who is not your professor may help you figure it out.

Remember Your Handy Dandy Planner 📒

Planners are life and it is never too late to utilize one, or forge the habit of using one.

I wasn't always a die hard planner gal; however, this semester using my planner religiously has changed my life. You can always go paperless too, perhaps with an Outlook calendar or the calendar on your phone.

Rest 💤

Sleep is C R U C I A L.

Eat 🍴

Three square meals and two snacks. Feed your brain.

Stay Hydrated. 💧

This means water, folks. Man cannot survive on coffee alone.I think Jesus said that.

Don't Neglect Hygiene or Self Care 🛀

Warm showers, long baths (maybe one with bubbles or a bath bombs), a skin care routine, painting your nails, shaving, doing a face mask, washing your hair etc. can all help you decompress when the going gets tough.

Also showering and bathing? Self explanatory.

Take Breaks When You Need To🌙

Again, do not study to the point where you feel like you are about to crack. Let your brain breathe. Let your body breathe. Sit on your balcony for a few minutes. Talk to a friend. De-stress, not distress.

Try Epsom Salt Baths to Relieve Tension 🛁

Epsom salt baths are life changing. Choose your salts based on what you need; they can be both energizing (wake up) and relaxing (so you can fall asleep).

Personally, I like to stay in a hot tub until I break a sweat. While soaking I may pull up a YouTube video to get the ultimate detox effect. With this being said, there may be some of you with health concerns that limit your ability to do something like this. Again, know yourself.

Ask for Help When You Need It ❗

Whether it's regarding material, or you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or stress severe enough to cause you frequent headaches/stomachaches - ask for help. You will probably find dozens of people that will gladly help you however they can- they just had no idea you were struggling.

Take Advantage of Extra Credit Opportunities (aka Become A Point Whore) 🏫

This might give you a little extra cushion if every point matters for you. 

Believe In Yourself and Remember That You Got This. ☀️

You have to believe that you are capable of doing this! You are intelligent enough, you are worthy enough, you are strong enough to do this. 

If you feel like this semester may not go as well as you anticipated, and you need a 465% on the final to get a C in the class - talk to an advisor. Figure out a plan for the worst case scenario so that you are not left scrambling and freaking out after the semester is over.

Be honest with yourself about where you fell short this semester. How can you improve for next semester?

Remember that mistakes happen. We all fail sometimes. Failure is a part of the path to success, yes, but the only time you really fail is when you stop trying. So don't stop trying.

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” -H. Ford

More Specific Posts:

Night Before Your Exam Pt. I

Night Before Your Exam Pt. II

Day of Your Exam

If your final is an essay look here or here 

Other Simple Study Methods

For Dead Day If You Want To Be Productive Without Studying

Academic Probation to the Dean’s List in One Semester is Totally Possible

To Remind You That You Are Not Alone - My {Formerly} Bad Student Story - Read if you struggle with chronic physical health and/or mental health + school

What are your favorite finals tips to study/stay focused/reduce stress? I encourage you all to comment and share what has worked best for you!

Happy studying, realistic students! Save the semester! 🌻☀️

[digimon-digital-adventures]

Digimon Spotlight: Thundermon

What’s this? It’s been a year and now it’s time to do another Spotlight because I’ve been neglecting things and been busy, but I did it guys! I’m sorry for the wait but I hope things are more worthwhile.

Note for everyone who isn’t in the Discord; 1.3 is mechanically done, there simply isn’t a PDF yet. This does include the TCG Tamer packet and the Tamer Qualities (although the latter two may require tweaking as the PDF comes out.) This spotlight will be using those mechanics, and if you want to find the new rules try this link:

Main book: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ltxa4nx_ghGl4LjI6WYrT47MDdS7dQVj2PWLVRt0fpw/edit?usp=sharing

TCG Tamers: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zp-E9SDgkRJromTB45jXwjzZM6RZcSEntT5xlMptILA/edit?usp=sharing

Tamer Playtest Packet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/181uzmwn94XqkKkTWomM3TbZCGd53sUJVUUFW8Geb-vc/edit?usp=sharing

Either way I put this off for a bit, but it’s time to enjoy a new spotlight. I’ll be only using the fluff from the direct lines from here on out, because I want to avoid redundancy with what I’ve posted. I’ll also be updating the spotlight catalog ASAP.

As per usual, artwork not mine, builds not final.

“Also known as the "Digimon Dynamo", it is conjectured to be a member of the Mamemon-species. Its tiny body has the properties of a magnet, and is always clad in electricity and discharging lightning.” - Thundermon’s Wiki page

There isn’t much about Thundermon’s personality or general environment, but going with what we know about the Mamemon-species, it’s safe to assume it has a generally friendly demeanor but it has a nasty side with immense destructive power.

This might also generally lead Thundermon to have a bit of a trickster or mischevious personality. This fits with it being a somewhat smaller species of Digimon with deceptive levels of power hiding behind its outer appearance. This can make for some really fun roleplay scenarios, similar to how the Icemon line works.

Evolutionary Line Ideas

Fresh: Leafmon, MetalKoromon, Botamon In-Training: Minomon, Koromon, Tsunomon Rookie: Elecmon, Kokuwamon, Kunemon, Toy Agumon, Thundermon* Champion: Thundermon, Mamemon* Ultimate: Mamemon, BigMamemon, CatchMamemon, MameTyramon, MetalMamemon Mega: PrinceMamemon, BanchoMamemon, TonosamaMamemon Burst: Various custom Burst Modes.

*While Mamemon may canonically be an Ultimate level Digimon, I feel like the line’s most direct evolutions have a bottleneck at the Champion stage. Since most of the other Ultimate-tier Digimon are a subspecies of Mamemon, it feels acceptable to potentially shift Mamemon down to the champion stage to avoid this. But be sure to talk to your GM about it.

“It digivolved in a harsh environment. Contrary to its cute appearance, it conceals a terrifying destructive power. With the exception of one Digimon, it is perhaps the most powerful class. The large hands attached to its small body are capable of turning into powerful bombs and detaching themselves. Its nickname is the "Smiley Bomber".” - Mamemon’s Wiki Page

“It exists as the boss of Mamemon. As a matter of fact, it's suggested that it is an aggregation of Mamemon. Since normal Mamemon are the same size as Rookie Digimon, they possess a degree of power that couldn't even be imagined from their appearance, but as its name suggests, BigMamemon is dozens or even hundreds of times the size of a Mamemon. However, the reason why a "Mamemon" is this size is still unclear. Its personality is extremely gentle, and it hates conflict and battle, so it is always playing with its Mamemon followers. The text on the soles of its shoes reads "BIG" and "MAME".” - BigMamemon’s wiki page

“A Mutant Digimon resulting from the evolution of Mamemon after it was fused with the data from a file management software. It has a serious personality and an uncompromising side, and seems to think that managing Digi-Eggs is its duty. It is also capable of walking without needing to float, by using its arm parts as legs.” - CatchMamemon’s wiki page

“It is a tiny Digimon feared as the "Small Tyranny" (Tiny Tyrant). It condensed Tyrannomon's data into its tiny body, pushing its ferocious nature and combat instinct to the surface, where they have strikingly manifested in its behavior. While its body may be tiny, rather than assaulting opponents en masse, it always acts by itself, swooping down on Digimon roaming its own territory without wasting breath on discussion, and always making a show of being the strongest in its domain. However, because its body is tiny, its territory is not very wide. With its physical strength condensed several hundred-fold into its tiny body, and its tenacious jaw that can crunch even super-hard armor, it possesses fighting strength that surpasses even that of gigantic Dinosaur Digimon.” - MameTyramon’s wiki page

It digivolved further in strength than Mamemon, who holds the alias of "Smiley Bomber". As usual, if one is deceived by its cute appearance, they will have a terrible experience. Nine-tenths of its body is mechanized, and it has the Psycho Blaster equipped to its left arm.” - MetalMamemon’s wiki page.

Thundermon and subverting expectations

Thundermon is one of those tiny Digimon who pack a real wallop, making it a really good way to mix a bit of humor in with your build without having to go full meme mode. If even Mamemon is only the size of the average Rookie, and judging by its appearance in Adventure 02, Thundermon is only about the size of someone’s eyeball at best. It’s tiny! This makes the damage it can dish out all the more amusing.

However you can take this in other ways besides size; giving the digimon an upbeat and carefree personality only to have it turn around and destroy the obstacles in its way. This can also make a wonderful partner concept; but don’t put too much into the idea of plowing your way through every encounter, a GM always has the ability to one-up a player’s Digimon.

“Having taken in data on the Net concerning a royal family, it is a prince of the Mamemon world. Partnering with KingEtemon, it plays the part of a mock royal family of the Digital World, and that's why it looks so gorgeous. Although its personality isn't awful, it was incited by KingEtemon and is convinced that it truly is a member of the royal family, and the embarrassing thing is that it considers even the "Royal Knights" to be its subordinates. Despite its appearance, the part that it boasts is its tremendous destructive power, since it is a Mega, after all.” - PrinceMamemon’s wiki page.

- no information given (BanchoMamemon)

- no information given (TonosamaMamemon)

Variants and Subspecies

Being an element based Digimon, Thundermon is a really easy Digimon to make variants of, although this list will also go over a few new Mamemon variants to boot.

Fireballmon (Red): this species of Thundermon emits shocking amounts of heat and flame despite its small size, and is significantly more aggressive than its normal Thundermon cousins. However, if Fireballmon aren’t careful they’re liable to wear themselves out much quicker than other variants, becoming exhausted and unable to produce much more heat. Many tamers who partner with Fireballmon will carry it in their pocket, where its aura of heat can keep the tamer warm even in the coldest environments. (+Accuracy, +Damage, -Armor, -Dodge)

Snowballmon (Blue): this type of Thundermon is the polar opposite of its red cousin; the Digimon is naturally cold to the touch and quite shy. It uses its tiny size to avoid conflict by hiding in crevices that only Digimon much weaker than itself could fit into such as Fresh and In-Training stage Digimon. However, due to living in the unforgiving arctic environment, Snowballmon are exceptionally hardy and able to go long distances through meter deep snow without tiring. Many Snowballmon also cover themselves in discarded furs similar to Gabumon, in order to stay warm in their icy environment. (+Health, +Armor, -Accuracy, -Damage)

Smokeballmon (Green): this variant of Thundermon repels intruders with its constant emission of toxic fumes. Very few Digimon can stand to be near the stench, with the exception of Digimon such as Numemon and Sukamon. And in the event that an opponent gets close enough to be a threat, Smokeballmon is capable of firing blasts of debilitating toxins from the Mame Blaster on its arm. (++Accuracy, -Armor)

SkullMamemon (Ultimate): A Mamemon whose body has worn down to almost nothing, it’s resorted to dark magic in order to keep moving its body, spells it stole from Wizardmon. This bouncing skull Digimon is no less dangerous for it, combining Mamemon’s terrifying offensive potential with the utility of a variety of magical skills.

JetMamemon (Ultimate): A Mamemon who appropriated technology from Andromon. In this case, a jetpack and a specialized cannon which fires hyper-compressed air at the opponent strong enough to dent Chrome Digizoid. JetMamemon combines terrifying melee potential with devastating ranged power and mobility.

BanchoMamemon: Burst Mode (Burst)

EmperorMamemon (Burst): through decades of diligent training and discipline, PrinceMamemon has gone through a terrifying change. Clad in shining armor, this variant of Mamemon rules its domain fairly, but without mercy to those who oppose its laws. Its optimistic and naive nature makes it very easy to manipulate, and many evil Digimon of shrewd nature have used an EmperorMamemon as a figurehead to further their own goals.

Building the line from Champion Up

Thundermon

Wound Boxes: 10 Stage: Champion Size: Tiny (+2 Agility, -2 Body) Speed: 11 (Jump 11/11)

Health: 5 Accuracy: 6 Damage: 5 Dodge: 5 Armor: 5

Body: 3 Brains: 8 Agility: 7 BIT: 2 RAM: 2 CPU: 2

Misc. Qualities

Speed Striker Optimization (1 DP) Armor Piercing Rank 3 (3 DP) Certain Strike Rank 3 (6 DP) Charge Attack (1 DP) Extra Movement: Jumper (0DP*) *For everyone not aware, Champion stage Digimon in the current version get a 1DP discount on their first purchase of Extra Movement.

Attack List

Thunderball [Ranged][Damage][Blast][Armor Piercing 6] Thunder Bomber [Melee][Damage][Charge] Thunderbolt [Ranged][Stun][Line][Certain Strike 3]

Build Breakdown: Thundermon is a solid all-rounder type Digimon. It doesn’t excel in any particular area of combat, it’s not incredibly durable but it’s not likely to go down in one hit either. It’s got a mixed bag of tricks to utilize; Thunder Bomber to deal some melee damage or reposition itself, Thunderball as your go-to attack for damage, and Thunderbolt to provide a bit of support in slowing down the enemy.

This means Thundermon is best to fill in the gaps for what your party needs at a given moment; if you need someone in the melee fray, it’s got an option, if you need to stand back and bombard the enemy at range, it’s got an option, and if you need to slow down an enemy, it’s got an option.

Just be careful: with the new rules you can only use a given attack once per round unless you’ve entirely run out of attacks.

Mamemon

Wound Boxes: 14 Stage: Ultimate Size: Tiny (+1 Agility, -1 Body) Speed: 10 (Jump 10/10)

Health: 6 (7) Accuracy: 7 Damage: 7 Dodge: 7 Armor: 5 (7)

Body: 6 Brains: 11 Agility: 8 BIT: 4 RAM: 3 CPU: 3

Misc. Qualities

Close Combat Optimization (1 DP) Flurry (3DP) Armor Piercing Rank 3 (3 DP) Certain Strike Rank 3 (6 DP) Charge Attack (1 DP) Extra Movement: Jumper (0DP*) Weapon Rank 3 (3 DP) Chrome Digizoid Weaponry (1 DP) Chrome Digizoid Armor (1 DP)

Attack List

Smiley Bomb [Melee][Damage][Armor Piercing 6][Weapon] Strike Upper [Melee][Knockback][Weapon] Buster Drive [Melee][Burst] One-two Rush [Melee][Charge][Certain Strike 3][Weapon]

Build Breakdown: Mamemon has entered the fray as a bruiser; a melee striker with some solid survivability, but it’s not exactly something you would want to be your main tank unless you entirely lack one for the fight.

It still has a bit of that utility that Thundermon had; it can cover a few more things than its main job, it’s specialized significantly better for melee combat now. With One-two Rush and Smiley Bomb with another free basic attack from Flurry, it can really dish out the hurt.

It has a few other tricks up its sleeve; if it has to push something back a bit for one reason or another, Strike Upper can be your saving grace, and if you’re surrounded by enemies, Buster Drive might be a good trade-off over the single target power of Smiley Bomb and One-two Rush.

BanchoMamemon

Wound Boxes: 19 Stage: Mega Size: Tiny (+1 Agility, -1 Body) Speed: 16 (Jump 16/16)

Health: 7 (9) Accuracy: 9  Damage: 9 Dodge: 9 Armor: 5 (9)

Body: 8 Brains: 14 Agility: 10 BIT: 5 RAM: 5 CPU: 4

Misc. Qualities

Close Combat Optimization (1 DP) Flurry (3DP) Armor Piercing Rank 3 (3 DP) Certain Strike Rank 3 (6 DP) Charge Attack (1 DP) Extra Movement: Jumper (0DP*) Weapon Rank 3 (3 DP) Obsidian Digizoid Weaponry (3 DP) Red Digizoid Armor (2 DP) Speedy Rank 2 (2 DP)

Attack List

Bukkomi Otokodama [Melee][Damage][Armor Piercing 6][Weapon] Strike Out [Melee][Knockback][Weapon] Senbon Dokkān [Melee][Burst] Golden Rush [Melee][Charge][Certain Strike 3][Weapon][Pass] Ougon Batto [Melee][Stun]

Build Breakdown: BanchoMamemon combines the best of both Thundermon and Mamemon; still taking that all-rounder statline that lets it be a solid frontline bruiser with supporting aspects. By taking a few ranks in Speedy it’s now got Thundermon’s mobility, and with Ougon Batto it has that stun potential. Golden Rush takes the place of One-two Rush, but this time Mamemon can use it for even more positioning potential with the Pass keyword. Other than that, it takes a very similar role of its lower stage, it just does it significantly better. It isn’t afraid to get into the middle of the fray, but on the other hand it doesn’t have the survivability to soak up hits like a proper tank.

Starter Pack: Bean Machine

The starter pack Bean Machine plays up on Mamemon’s cute outer appearance and devastating combat power by having it play a mix of defense and utility early on, then turning around and hitting the opponent as hard as possible. The goal is to keep your enemy on their toes if they know what’s coming, and make them underestimate you if they don’t.

Note: this is using the updated TCG Tamers Splat. In short, each card may only have a single negative quality now, deck sizes are cut in half, and some mechanics have changed. For anything more specific, please go check out the book!.

Digivice x1 (Common, Evolution)

Ruined Meal x2 (Common, Power) Delayed Reaction Rank 2 (-2 Rarity), Trick Shot (+1 Rarity), Assisted Boost (+1 Rarity) Applies Fear, +2 Accuracy. 

Bean Sprout x1 (Uncommon, Power) Iron Wall (-2 Rarity), Alias (+3 Rarity) +2 Dodge

Something Lost, Something Gained x1 (Uncommon, Power) Sacrifice Rank 2 (-4 Rarity), Potency Boost Rank 2 (+2 Rarity), Duration Boost Rank 3 (+3 Rarity)

Mamemon x1 (Rare, Attack) Last Stand (-3 Rarity), One-two Punch (+2 Rarity), Potency Boost Rank 3 (+3 Rarity) Grants: Smiley Bomber [Melee][Damage][Certain Strike 3][Armor Piercing 6][Weapon] (purchased Signature Move)

The deck has two ways to cycle through it, and both of them have to be thought through. After Digivolving to the Champion stage, you can either apply a Ruined Meal to an enemy, or use Bean Sprout on yourself. This will depend on who you’re fighting; if you want your opponent to not come anywhere near you, use Ruined Meal. If you know your opponent is definitely going to attack you and doesn’t have an AoE, you can also use Alias to get a free turn instead. Once that’s over, use Something Lost, Something gained to remove the rest of your deck and get a massive boost. Last it’s time to use Mamemon for a massive finish: with the previous bonus still active you’ll be hitting like a truck! Smiley Bomber’s Signature move status combined with your two normal attacks will put a dent in any opponent.

[icebreaker01]

Season 2 Predictions

Yeah, yeah, I know.  Why Season 2 predictions when season 2 is over?

Actually, I posted this over on site ‘runbyidiots’ (you figure it out) pre-E6.  I just wanted to add it to my page for the heck of it.

WARNING!!! Not many spoilers ahead, mostly predictions. But I’ve been known to be pretty accurate. (Please be aware the author of this article is a hopeless romantic and will not make a single apology for it.)

So, countdown at somewhere around 48 hours before we get our favorite little dictator with a heart back.  (Pauses to wave a Melanie Rules!!! flag.) When we last left our intrepid little explorer, Melanie was high-tailing it off that sinking ship.  I mean, honestly, the way Layton is mismanaging things, I think she stands a better chance at the research station. But that’s for another post. Folks, have you ever spent time alone?  I mean really A.L.O.N.E.?  Where you can sit in a chair and listen to a clock ticking? Now do it for 30 days.  You’re bound to start having a few issues. OK, granted, Melanie has things to do and she’s sort of a loner anyway.  And she’s good with imaginary friends.  I mean, she had Wilford as one for seven years, right? What I believe we are going to get here, after a stinking long dry spell (OK, it’s only been one episode, but it feels like F-O-R-E-V-E-R!) a lovely plate loaded down with Melanie Cavill insight handed to us in this episode.  The really good part is we are also likely to get treated to around 50 minutes of Jennifer Connelly doing what Jennifer Connelly does best.  Acting.  And all without the messy interruptions of a bunch of side dishes of ‘who cares’. Yes, folks, it’s time for a Melanie-centric episode! Folks, I am so excited about this episode I could run right over to the script writers and kiss each and everyone of them right on the lips! And on a quick side note, I would like to point out that the ‘Goodbye.  See you in a month.’ between Melanie and Bennett had all the spark of opening a can of peas. Meanwhile, over on the Melanie/Layton ‘Goodbye’ front........... Anyway......, So poor Melanie is setting up house at the research station.  We will forego nasty questions here like ‘Where is the power coming from?’  Maybe one of those sleds was a portable generator.  Or ‘Why, after seven years, do you expect one piece of useful equipment to be left?  What’s the back up plan if its under ten feet of snow?  What if you can’t get inside?’ (Sighes) Who knows?  I didn’t see episode two....or three.......or most of season one for that matter. But we do know that she did get in, as that she tapped that first weather balloon, and the previews for Episode 6 say so.

And speaking of which.... We weren’t given a lot in that preview.  It was, in fact, the most uninformative 21 seconds of my life.  Mostly we know Melanie has a nice little calendar on the wall, is counting down the days until that rolling train wreak Layton is turning it into returns, and occupies her free time hallucinating.  But we are also getting a lot of Jennifer Connelly acting screen time, so I don’t care.  Honestly, the woman could walk on stage, stand there for 50 minutes, walk off, and I would still give her a standing ovation. Moving on. Back on that sinking ship (AKA Snowpiercer), we have....a mess, folks.  Lets be honest.  Layton currently has more issues than National Geographic.  His top head shrinker/new age guru and author of ’The joy of kinky sex’ is gone, he just lost most of his repair crew (the Breechmen), his own people are likely to get blamed for this, since, although most of the murders seemed to be done when no one else was around, everyone still felt it necessary to wear masks, his favorite whining board is not around (AKA Melanie), and he’s off half the time playing the proud papa, which the general consensus is, he’s not. Honestly folks, I like Layton.  I really do.  But I swear, if he doesn’t pick that lady back up, I will personally kick his butt off that train, because he seriously needs some help.  And that help is spelled with every letter of that woman’s name. And can we PLEASE stop jumping all over poor Audrey, folks?  She did not desert.  Even though she has every right to. Audrey was given a job to do.  She didn’t get it done.  Walking back over to Snowpiercer, she sees all heck breaking loose and realizes she needs to stay because they need that comm link up now more than ever.  So she makes a perfect turn on those killer six inch heels, and bravely walks back into BA. Ruth, you get some polite golf applause for just staying put and lying to the passengers.  WHICH WAS, as I recall, something you sentenced your best friend to death for a few episodes back....hmmmmm, Ms. Wardell? Meanwhile, back at the ranch.....or in this case, the front of the train, poor Bennett and Javi are freaking out because there is no contact between Melanie and the weather balloon. (Bad spoilers ahead) Yes, folks, up until now it has been pretty much just a wrap up of Episode 5.  But here we go with predictions for Episode 6.  So if you don’t want to know (or don’t care), stop now. So poor Bennett and Javi are wondering what’s up with Melanie.  However, over in my little box of things I’ve dug up on the internet, there is mention of a new cast member coming in season 3. Archie Panjabi is joining the cast as Asha; a nice new playmate for Melanie. OK, if she is going to be Melanie’s new best friend, she’s no slacker.  Girl’s gotta have something going on upstairs because our girl Melanie only swings with the smart kids.

(Random act insert) (Hand goes up in the back) (Sighs)  Yes? (Random reader stands up)  Then why do you keep insisting she will go for Layton?  Half the time he is about two logs short of a fully loaded steam engine? Because she is not interested in his brains!  SIT! DOWN! (OK.  I’m done) Anyway...... Back to Asha.  If she’s a fairly intelligent person, and she was on the train, she would have shown up by now.  Because heaven knows, they need all the smart people up front they can get on this show. Hence, she has to come from off the train.

Now, Melanie going to the weather station and just pinging weather balloons just ain‘t much of an exciting story line, folks.  And they keep hinting all over the internet some big additional plot confusion is developing out of the weather station storyline.  If it does not, I will be leaving a whole lot of nasty comments on people’s webpages for misleading information. So, out at weather station BFE (Go look it up, folks), Melanie is going about her happy little work while she is also being observed.  The people watching her are subterranean dwellers who survived the freeze by going underground and utilizing thermal vents in the earth. Look, surely Wilford wasn’t the only person with a plan, right?  I mean, it looks pretty sad for the human race if he was, folks. So, after ascertaining what she’s there for, and is no real threat to them, Melanie finds herself surprise adopted (AKA kidnapped) by this new group.  They discover she from that colossal group of idiots on the train to nowhere and decide she is better off with them because she has all the qualifications to join them.  Namely, at least two functioning brain cells. Melanie, having decided that even dirt falling off of Snowpiercer lowers the general IQ level overall, feels she needs to get back to save her train. Meanwhile, this new little society isn’t all its cracked up to be and we have a potential season 3 deserter - Asha. Back at the ranch (Snowpiercer), Melanie barely makes her rendezvous with the train.  From the looks of the preview (and boy, was it a brief glimpse), there is a possibility Wilford will make an attempt to not stop the train for her.  Or that’s just me hoping for a big romantic rescue scene.  I mean, at this point I will take anything to get even a shred of hot romance on this show.  I would even take a romantic rescue with Javi leading the charge.  ANYTHING!

Where things are likely to go: 1.  Layton is just greasing the rails on heading down track to becoming the very thing he fought against. 2.  Yet another real world metaphor will be inserted courtesy of the Headwoods in paralleling their experiments with those of the Nazi’s and 'was it all worth it as people benefited from it'. 3.  No one else needs to die this season as that we just had a whole shiiiiii...........train car load of people die in Episode 5. 4.  The only real romance we will ever see in this story is likely to be Josie and Icy Bob.  And I’m good with that, because at this point I will take anything I can get.  I’ll even take the two Aussie’s, which are currently the only things firing up the engines on those two trains. 5.  The writers will finally stop back shadowing off of season 1 and come up with something original again.  Ruth having to do the very thing she accused Melanie of doing was the last one of those I am going to take, folks.  Just STOP IT! 6.  Alex will defect to Snowpiercer.  This was STRONGLY hinted at in previews.  That and it’s just so darned obvious. 7.  WIlford dies.....because I have to be right about something, and its a sure bet.  Sean Bean’s characters always die.

[cyberman128]

Plates”R”Us

Welcome to the introduction to this blog post. In an effort to write about cybersecurity at a technical level, I have devised a scenario in which I will role play as the head of the security department at a mid-sized company that sells plates and other ceramic dishes. I wanted to simulate a non-technical company that still has an IT department. With that in mind, below is a warning regarding potential phishing risks posed by the pandemic.

This document is meant to be read by the entire staff, IT personnel included. The wording must be clear and without jargon. Still it must delve into the technical aspects of what makes something like phishing or social engineering so dangerous.

One particular area of general interest to me in the cybersecurity landscape is the way information is disseminated to the end user. If an alert is too wordy or obnoxiously, it can frustrate or confuse the user. We need to be clear when securing, whatever the form. I hope you enjoy my writing and as always, feedback is welcome.

Hello Plates”R”Us Team,

The pandemic has changed everything about our lives, including how we work. However, one issue you might not be aware of is the pandemic’s power to bolster the antics of hackers and other malicious actors. These users want to steal money and/or private information and the pandemic provides an excellent opportunity to do so.

Increased levels of remote work has pushed our technical infrastructure to its limits, expanding our attack surface: the opportunity of potential attack for cyber criminals. Even disregarding the pandemic, the digital attack surface has exploded in recent years.

The so-called “Internet of Things” or IOT continues to grow. It may come as a surprise, but that smart fridge or electronic doorbell in your home has an internet connection and can provide attackers an odd entrance into your network. The lesson here is that if a doorbell can be a security risk, imagine the issues raised by entire organizations working remotely.

Here are some alarming facts to consider:

-According to ReedSmith back in March of 2020, as the full scope of the pandemic initially began to hit home, scamming rose by over 400%

-Palo Alto says that as of August 2020, over 1,700 covid related domains are registered every day

-To quote the FCC’s website, “Anyone calling or texting and asking you to pay for a vaccine is a scammer.” To reiterate the importance of this statement, it appears first on the page https://www.fcc.gov/covid-scams.

    Text messages can be particularly nasty. While you should exercise caution opening any file or link from an untrusted source as a general good habit, on a computer screen compared to a phone screen are entirely different levels of familiarity. After clicking a link from a text on impulse, the suspicious site name can get lost in the two inch long address bar. Mobile formatting is often iffy and it’s tempting to ignore a strange looking page, or file, brushing the oddities off as poor programming.

To lend believably to their phishing attempts, malicious users utilize relevancy and humanistic appeals to achieve emotional responses in their victims. While events like elections, natural disasters or local sporting events have always been ideal for attackers to exploit, the unifyingly captivating nature of the pandemic is uniquely enticing to attackers.

Practice skepticism and avoid sensationalism during the pandemic. Beware any solicitations for donations. We encourage helping the less fortunate, but make sure to vet the organization properly on your own instead of trusting a stray text or email. Look for spelling mistakes, missing images/graphics and eye-catching phrasing designed to lower your guard.

Hearing that restrictions are lifting, cases are falling, or vaccines are available in your area is what each of us dreams of hearing on a daily basis. If it sounds too good to be true, it just might be. Remember to be suspicious and verify integrity with the security team before proceeding with an untrusted link or file.

.pdfs and .docs are prime targets for attackers to lace with their malicious code. Don’t give them an opening. Security is not an assignment to be completed once and move on, nor is it just a department that exists at Plates”R”Us: it is a mandate and a mindset that we all must contribute to and uphold. 

Thousands receive the vaccine every day both here in the US and worldwide, but the pandemic is far from over. The restrictions put in place for our health and safety may last long into 2021, perhaps even into 2022. When we return to the offices is a question Plates”R”Us isn’t prepared to answer yet. Work as we know it has changed definitively and it’s our goal to maintain its security. You can do your part. Be suspicious and escalate anything out of the ordinary to the security team.

Thank you,

Cyberman128

[fantasticalscholar-blog]

Getting Started - Building a Character! ~ Part I

This is it folks! Here and here is where the magic starts! Kind of! But I can certainly say that Character Creation is one of my favorite parts of ANY RPG!

Most of this information can be found on starting on Page 9 of the FFD6 PDF. Meanwhile, if you want to find the place to fill out this information, the Character Sheet for FFD6 can be found on Pages 273 and 274, the last pages of the PDF. 

I’ll also include two images of the Character Sheet here for you to glance at so you can see what I’m talking about as I bring up certain attribute and stats.

Also, before we begin; this is the process used to create a 1st level Character. I’ll bring up how to create and start the game as a higher level Character, and what I do once a PC hits level 15.

The Biography and Cosmetics:

First up: the Bio! If you’ve ever played an RPG before, or have made an original character (OC), the idea of a Bio should be pretty familiar (not to be confused with the spell, Bio, which I can cover some other time).

Pretty much just communicate between GM and PC’s to determine what would make sense for your character. I’ll leave it at this for now, but I think if you’ve come to these pages you are probably pretty good at making character concepts.

Goals:

Next, I would suggest looking at Goals. Depending on how familiar you are with your world, Goals are the dreams of your character, and that which they wish to complete while they are in the mortal plane (normally within their lifespan). At any time, a character has three Short-Term Goals that, upon completion, award the player 2 Destiny Points, and one Life Goal, that, upon completion, awards the PC 5 Destiny Points. Destiny Points (DP) are an abstraction used by PC’s to do really cool stuff, and it is found on the character sheet, so we’ll talk about it in a bit.

For now, think about your Character; why are they the way they are? What do they want to achieve? How do they intend to, and withing a gaming session, does it seem possible to do so?

As I see it, goals are a really nice way to serve as milestones of a character’s progression through the story. They serve as nice reminders of  how your character perceives life, and how they should go about their adventure (or outright deny it).

 If, however, you’re not the kind to focus on very plot heavy things, it is my suggestion that you seek out Objective goals, or goals that have a numerical finish line (Slay 5 Behemoths, collect the 7 gems of power, capture and rule 3 cities). Subjective goals, though, can be very satisfying, if not slightly abstract, and are typically considered complete at the GM’s discretion. 

If a player desires to change out one of their uncompleted goal, I would personally advise a GM require the player to spend 2-3 points of destiny. Along with this, once a goal is completed, that slot has been used up, and may not be replaced with another goal. So, GM’s ; do not fret if a player decides to choose short-term goals that are completed within 3 sessions; they can only receive a total of 6 DP, and will not be able to replenish those slots.

With all this talk of Destiny, maybe now would be a good time to introduce the mechanic, though this will only be a brief description due to the mass of content being discussed on this post.

Destiny (DP):

Destiny Points (again, DP I’ll abbreviate), serve as a tally of a character’s influence on the world, and their ties to the meta-universe. DP is collected throughout the journey by many means, such as performing daring actions, defeating bosses, or even using some Job Abilities. Whatever the case, once collected, PC’s can expend their destiny to add additional dice to their rolls, change their Job, utilize powerful Limit Breaks, or even stave off encroaching death. I’ll talk about DP and a few other for it in another post, but for now; if a player is interested in earning some free DP, PC’s can acquire 1 DP  by writing down a quote or catchphrase their conceptualized character would use. I personally have also awarded a free DP by asking players to select a battle-theme for the character in question.

If you’re really curious about Destiny and don’t want to wait for another post from me, I’d advise looking at Page 110 in the FFD6 PDF.

Attribute Points (AP)

Many other Tabletop RPG’s like Pathfinder and DND utilize 6 distinct attributes to determine the stats of a PC; FFD6 only uses four, and each one can greatly impact a Character’s capabilities, no matter what their Job is. The Four Attributes are:

Power (PWR): Described in the manual as a representation of energy and strength, this applies to both mental will and physical might.

Primarily Used In: 

Calculating damage with most weapons in the Blade, Huge, Reach, and Brawl families.

Calculating damage for most Offensive Magic in almost all branches (Black, White, Time, and Blue Magic)

Calculating the secondary stat, Force

Resolve (RES): A measure of an individual’s physical toughness, and ability to endure corporeal (and incorporeal) punishment

Primarily Used In:

Calculating damage with weapons in the Huge* category (in my games I rule this anyway), and some in the Blade category.

Calculating and adding to the Character’s Maximum HP (Hit Points, Health Points, etc.) score.

Calculating the secondary stat, Force.

Dexterity (DEX): This stat is used to gauge an individual’s hand-eye coordination, aim, nimbleness, and agility.

Primarily Used In:

Calculating damage with weapons in the Range and Concealed families.

Calculating a character’s Avoid (AVD) stat.

Calculating the secondary stat, Finesse

Mind (MND): Points in Mind represent a character’s ability to absorb information, their connection to the mystical, prowess with magic, and if anything, their overall mental processing speed.

Primarily Used In:

Calculating damage with weapons in the Arcane category.

Calculating and adding to the Character’s Maximum MP (Magic Points, Mana Points, etc.) score [If Applicable]

Calculating the effect of Defensive or Healing Magic (Primarily White magic).

A First Level Character will have a total of  25 AP to put into these four stats as you desire. As stated in the PDF on Page 10, a 1st Level character cannot, in this step, put more than 10 AP into any one stat, and no stat may be at 0 AP. This calculation does not take into account any racial bonuses a GM may bestow upon a player, nor does it take into account Job Abilities or Starting Gear with Special Properties. Again, though, GM’s discretion.

From my personal experience, it truly is beneficial to have a more well rounded character in the end; with so much Equipment, Job Abilities, and Spells all relying on these four Attributes, it may not hurt to divvy up points. In that same breath, though, I’ve seen my own players devote a majority of their points into one or two Attributes, and the results are quite entertaining...

Secondary Attributes (Saving Throws):

Though not explicitly called so in the FFD6 Manual, Force and Finesse are both rolled very frequently for purposes often related to Job Abilities and inflicting/resisting Status Effects.

I will skip re-hashing the process of calculating Force and Finesse since those formulas can be found on Page 10 of the PDF; but, to quickly explain:

Force: A character’s Will Power and Brute Strength that can be used to stave off ill effects or muscle their way through an issue.

Finesse: A character’s Wit and Reaction Speed to something nasty. This can be used to quickly scheme up a unique solution to avoid a sticky ending, or to really play up ... whatever it is you’re doing.

Avoidance and Armor

In FFD6, a PC will have an Avoid (AVD) , Armor or Physical Armor (ARM, or PARM), and Magical Armor (MARM) stat.

With those familiar with Armor Class (AC), Avoid works similarly; if a monster attacks a hero, but their attack roll is not higher than the Hero’s AVD stat, the monster does not hit, and the Hero escapes damage. This can be determined by the Job a hero takes, as well as how high a Character’s DEX stat is. 

House rules can be used to determine what happens when an attack roll meets a character’s AVD stat (so say, a Wolf’s Bite attack roll is 9, and a character’s AVD is 9), though my players and I have agreed that Attacker wins.

PARM and MARM, however, are used when a Character is getting clobbered by a monster. Depending on the quality and type of Armor a PC is wearing, the damage a monster would inflict on the Character is reduced by these stats accordingly. Let me explain.

Tolkaz the Dark Knight is facing off against a Tonberry. The Tonberry attacks with it’s Kitchen Knife, which hits; the GM states that Tolkaz will be taking 100 points of Physical Damage.

Because the armor Tolkaz is wearing grants him a PARM stat of 50, and the Kitchen Knife attack deals physical damage, Tolkaz will spit in defiance, but take only 50 points of damage, which he subtracts from his Max HP stat.

However, if Tolkaz is wearing Heavy Armor, and the Tonberry casts Firaga on him, the Dark Knight can expect to be in a world of hurt. The GM declares Firaga will deal 120 points of Fire magical damage.

Heavy Armor is great for defending against physical attacks, but it’s contribution to the MARM stat is minuscule, providing only 20 points of defense for Tolkaz. In the end, our hero will sustain a total of 100 points of magical Damage, not taking into account elemental weaknesses or resistances.

I’ll hold off on explaining Armor types for now, but just know that it is typically through Armor and spells like Protect or Shell that can increase a character’s PARM and MARM.

~ ~ ~

This is quite a bit to take in, so I’ll go ahead and end the post here! When I’ll finish the second portion? Who knows!

Now that you have more familiarity with the stats, you’ll hopefully be able to start thinking about what sort of Role you’ll want to play in your campaign!

What does it mean to have a Role? Well... We can talk about it next time ;3

Ciao! ~ Ryan

~

Credit to Andres for having posted the image at the top of the page, though I believe the artwork was done for the FF III Soundtrack! You can find Andres’ original post here!

Credit to Dust for the creation of the Character Sheet for FFD6

[thepatchworkcrow]

I had been hoping to film part of my eighth YT Pagan Challenge video outdoors in one of my on-campus sacred spaces, but it seems the weather is just not willing to agree with me. So, so I can give you all a bit of a visual, this post will be jam-packed full of pictures of the places I was talking about in the video.

First thing’s first: my on-campus sacred spaces. I am blessed to be going to a university that is filled with small garden spaces and has a sprawling expanse of wooded ravines hugging along the side of campus. In my five years here, I’ve been able to find a number of places to relax, be one with nature, and perform a few rituals and magical workings in. Three of the major places where I tend to hang out and do my workings are the arboretum, the garden behind the religious center on campus, and a grove back in the ravines behind the art building.

In each of these spaces, I’ve found little places to leave offerings, quiet spots to sit and meditate, and have even done a few rituals there.

The arboretum is full of places to explore, and I admittedly spend a lot more time there than anywhere else. There’s a stump I’ve found a short distance off of the path that I use frequently for spell work, and have left offerings at over the past few years. It happens also to overlook a ravine in a pretty straight shot to the grove I’d found in the woods as well.

In the little garden behind the religious building on campus, there’s a statue of St. Francis that seems to have a presence and an energy all its own. I’ve made a habit of leaving little offerings in the hands of the statue whenever I go there to write, drum, meditate, etc.

And then, of course, there is the grove in the ravines. It’s just off the path, and was shown to me by a good friend who graduated a couple of years ago. It’s often where I go if I’m looking to communicate with the Wylde Hunt while on campus, and has been the site for a couple of rituals. There’s a large three-trunked oak that sits in its center, and there are a few places to sit in little nooks between its roots. I like this place because it is a little further away from the main part of campus, and therefore quieter. You can’t hear the bells from the clock tower and are a lot less likely to see people wandering by. There’s also a fantastic view of the stars on clear nights.

Aside from these natural spaces, I do tend to do much of my ritual / meditation / etc. within the safety (and warmth!!!) of my dormitory bedroom, as well. My room is almost always decorated with pictures that are sacred, beautiful, inspiring, etc. to me and I try to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for myself to live/study/rest/etc. in and for my friends to visit.

My altar space is situated by the window, which overlooks a little courtyard and the woods beyond.While I’m at school, this is the most sacred space to me, and I work really hard to keep it that way while I’m here.

Of course, when I’m home for winter / spring / summer break, I have places where I go to practice as well. Due to the nature of the space situation in my parents’ home, most of those places are outdoors.

In my own backyard, I am again blessed to have a great expanse of land full of trees and a big ol’ forest beyond. In particular, there’s a small grove hidden among a bunch of pine and cedar trees where I do some more private rituals, and then there’s Treebeard, a cottonwood tree where I leave offerings, prayer ribbons, etc. and spend time enjoying the space on the shady hill just beneath him.

I’m also blessed to have other little places of beauty within my hometown such as the local state park, my local witchy shop, and my aunt’s gorgeous and wild garden. These are places that really make me feel attuned to the energies of the universe and the natural world, and where I like to perform tarot readings, have debates about different witchy/spiritual topics, etc. with my friends.

And of course, there are a number of places in Michigan that have spiritual significance to me. The biggest one is the Boyne/East Jordan/Charlevoix area up in the northern part of our lower peninsula. Over the years, it has been a place full of childhood memory as well as shared memories and explorations with one of my best friends, Mark.

Being a pagan who follows a primarily Celtic path and lives within the United States makes it a little difficult to visit holy sites associated with my practice. There are, no surprise, remarkably few here in the states. There are Native American sacred sites, but because that runs along the slippery slope of what is culturally appropriative and what is respect for the culture and traditions associated with those sites, you’ll note that none of the places I’ve shared above are tied to those places. I was fortunate enough, four years ago, to visit the United Kingdom and places like Stonehenge, Avebury, and Glastonbury. These are memories that I hold really dear to my heart, and feel very privileged to have experienced in my lifetime.

Two of my very favorite memories from my trip to the UK came from my experiences on the weekend we went visiting various sacred sites. While in Chalice Well Gardens, I’d sat down by the well head to meditate and get away from the rest of the crowd of students I was with for a while, and man and his young daughter sat down alongside of me. The little girl had to have been about 4 or 5 years old at most, and as most 4-5 year-olds are, she was a little rambunctious and was bouncing around a bit. Rather than be upset with her, or harsh, I heard her father very calmly explain this was a special place, and saw (much to my amazement and admiration really) her nod in understanding, and sit down to meditate with him.

The second vivid memory I hold dear from that trip (as far as sacred space and that goes) occurred while we were in Avebury. It was rather late, the sun was setting, and we really didn’t have much time to spend there, but I remember it being a much more tangible feeling of presence there. Perhaps it was because we could actually approach the stones; maybe it was just the liminal time of day we were there or the place itself. I couldn’t quite say.

As we wandered about the stones, we saw an older gentleman with rather wild grey curls sitting at the base of one of the smaller stones. He had candles, incense, etc. and was using dowsing rods. The rest of our group gave him sort of a wide berth, and I (as the sort of unofficial pagan authority of the crew) stood a respectable and out-of-earshot ways off, explaining to my roommate that he was probably using the dowsing rods to look for ley lines in the area. He then turned to look at us and asked: “Have you two got good imaginations on you?” We were a little surprised, but answered that yes, we supposed we did. “Do you know where the word imagination comes from?” We honestly weren’t sure. “I. Magi. Nation. A nation of magicians. Merlin is one of my guides, you know.” He then proceeded to tell us this tale about Merlin performing his first magic trick in the stone circle in which we stood: he’d turned a friend invisible and was unable to turn him back again. He also told us about how the Druids had used that place as a place for their initiations. I wasn’t at all sure on the historical accuracy of those things, but in the moment, you sort of wanted to suspend your disbelief. Awen was flowing, and you could almost see what he was describing in your mind’s eye. He then looked at us again and said: “I get Druid from both of you.” I was a little shocked because, of course, I was. I told him so, and he simply turned, and went back to his business of dowsing as though it had never happened. And for the life of me, I swear no one else seems to have seen or heard him say these things but my roommate and I. That is no doubt a mystery and a feeling I will remember for quite some time.

And finally, the last part for this prompt: circle casting. I’ll be honest, I don’t perform circle casting in my own work. For one, I’ve been studying off-and-on with a Druid organization for some time that doesn’t utilize them in their ritual formats. But, more importantly I find them to be distracting and a waste of energy and time. Circles, to my understanding, function for a few general purposes:

To contain and thereby magnify energy raised during a working until it comes time to release it at the end of the ritual.

To protect the individuals within and the magical working from the influence of any nasty / negative energy.

To create a sort of liminal and marked out place in which a ritual can occur and entities (spirits, gods, whatever) may be more easily contacted.

However, as I’ve mentioned above, I don’t generally feel a need to do this. For starters, I always cleanse a place before I use it, and if appropriate might make small offerings to any outside spirits that might be poking about to say “Hey, please let me use this space for a bit.” I don’t perform rituals in places where negative energy is hanging about, and I certainly am confident enough in my own ability to raise and manipulate my own energy to not feel a need for the circle of protection, or the circle that focuses energy in an external space. I also work with many liminal deities. I think it’s very safe to assume I don’t need liminal space for them to get messages across. When I do a particular magical working, my own personal energy field acts in the way a circle might: raising, containing, and releasing energy for my working. It eliminates the need for a physical circle- which means less time/resources marking it out, and I don’t need to cut a door in it should I forget something (which I often do!). It also helps hone in my focus on the working at hand. I often find that by the time I draw and cast a circle, call the quarters, etc. I’m quite distracted from what I was originally intending to accomplish.

Please note, I’m not bashing on anyone who uses circles. They can be quite useful to one’s practice especially when you’re just beginning! I just don’t feel a need to use them.

And, thus concludes a very long blog post. Thank you for hanging in there and reading if you’ve made it this far.

Love and blessings to you all -Rachel

YT Pagan Challenge: Sacred Spaces, Holy Sites, and Circle Casting I had been hoping to film part of my eighth YT Pagan Challenge video outdoors in one of my on-campus sacred spaces, but it seems the weather is just not willing to agree with me.

[computech-tech-blog]

Guide To Computer System Security

Given that you’re reading this post, you’re currently linked to the Internet. You’ve most likely currently considered security on your computer system or network. Every day appears to bring brand-new hazards and it can appear quite challenging, however the essential thing is to have a good sense technique and to take a couple of fundamental preventative measures. 

   There are great deals of terrific tools readily available to assist and you do not need to spend a lot to get them. Here are some locations to have a look at: 

   BACKUPS 

   You’ll require some or all of the security tools noted below, however even then you can’t ensure 100% that you will not have an issue. One simple method to keep your crucial files is to burn them onto CD or DVD. 

   ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE 

   There’s a great deal of excellent anti-virus software application offered, both complimentary and for low expense. I ‘d advise opting for paid software application ... you simply never ever understand when you’re going to require to call a helpdesk which’s typically the distinction in between the complimentary things and the things you spend for. Norton, McAfee, AVG and others all offer anti-viruses software application that’s budget-friendly on a low budget plan. 

   An outright should have. Alright, you currently understood that, however I can’t worry too highly the value of having great, current anti-viruses software application. With brand-new risks and Viruses showing up every day it is very important to preserve upgrade memberships and download infection meaning updates as quickly as they appear. 

   FIREWALL PROGRAM 

   A firewall program is constantly advised to assist secure versus unapproved access to your PC. For a little number of PCs a software application firewall program is normally best and is the most convenient to deal with if you’re not an IT specialist. Do not discount rate hardware firewall softwares, particularly if you have a network with a lot of gadgets on it. 

   If you’re purchasing a specific business’s Antivirus software application it’s worth thinking about purchasing their incorporated AV and firewall program plan if they have one (if they do not then possibly you must attempt another person). It might well conserve you cash and be much easier to set up and keep. 

   Whatever you do, do not count on the Network Address Translation or package filter integrated in to your ADSL or Cable router. It likely will not suffice. 

   ANTI-SPYWARE SOFTWARE 

   , then spyware is going to discover its method onto your maker. A lot of it isn’t especially nasty, however the truly bad things can send out essential details like passwords, bank information or credit card numbers to individuals you truly do not desire to have access to that things. 

   Some tell-tail indications that you have a Spyware infection are: 

   - You’re getting pop-up advertisements all the time 

   Spy Sweeper frequently gets awards from computer system publications. 

   There’s some great complimentary software application readily available from Lavasoft called AdAware. Microsoft likewise have their own totally free tool for Windows users called Windows Defender. Amongst the paid-for Anti-Spyware software application Webroot’s. 

   - Don’t compose passwords down on paper or post-it notes. That’s a hacker’s preferred method to discover passwords if they have physical access to your workplace. 

   - Don’t get Web web browsers to keep in mind your passwords on shared makers or in workplace locations. If you log into a device that other users have access to then never ever utilize Windows or Web web browser systems that remember your account information. 

   Do not utilize simple to think things that a lot of individuals understand about you or can discover out. Simply utilizing a 1 rather of the letter i is no usage if it still spells out a simple to think word). 

   A growing number of individuals are accessing safe and secure websites for shopping, banking, and so on. Supplied you take reasonable safety measures it’s a terrific method to store. 

   - Use various passwords for various accounts. If you constantly utilize the exact same one and it’s jeopardized then somebody will have access to whatever. 

   Having various passwords to great deals of various accounts does make it harder to bear in mind them and it’s crucial that this does not lead you into bad routines. What do you do? 

   You might take a look at getting some password management software application. Naturally, Norton has a password supervisor, however other excellent choices consist of “Web Replay” from Deskperience or “PC Password Manager XP” from CPLab. 

   - Your default homepage or other settings in your web browser unexpectedly modification (particularly if you can’t alter them back). 

   - Your computer system is sluggish (there might be other factors for this, however it’s worth looking for spyware). 

   If you’ve been doing any online shopping you’ll be utilized to handling safe and secure websites. Whatever approaches these websites utilize to protect their servers or secure your traffic, if they’re accessed by passwords then you share a few of the obligation for the security on your deals. Here are a couple of suggestions on how to keep unauthorised users from accessing your accounts:. 

   PASSWORDS. 

   WHERE TO NOW? 

   You do not need to go out and purchase every piece of security software application right now. Prioritise a couple of to begin with (I ‘d recommend Antivirus and Firewall software application). Download trial variations so you can be sure you’re pleased with them prior to you part with your tough made money. 

   Take care on the Internet, however do not let it ruin your day.

[ces-inc-tech]

Guide To Computer System Security

Given that you’re reading this short article, you’re currently linked to the Internet. You’ve most likely currently considered security on your computer system or network. Every day appears to bring brand-new dangers and it can appear quite challenging, however the crucial thing is to have a good sense method and to take a couple of standard preventative measures. 

   There are great deals of terrific tools readily available to assist and you do not need to spend a lot to get them. Here are some locations to have a look at: 

   BACKUPS 

   You’ll require some or all of the security tools noted below, however even then you can’t ensure 100% that you will not have an issue. One simple method to keep your essential files is to burn them onto CD or DVD. 

   ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE 

   An outright should have. Alright, you currently understood that, however I can’t worry too highly the value of having excellent, updated anti-viruses software application. With brand-new dangers and Viruses showing up every day it is necessary to preserve upgrade memberships and download infection meaning updates as quickly as they appear. 

   There’s a great deal of great anti-virus software application offered, both totally free and for low expense. I ‘d suggest opting for paid software application ... you simply never ever understand when you’re going to require to call a helpdesk which’s typically the distinction in between the totally free things and the things you spend for. Norton, McAfee, AVG and others all offer anti-viruses software application that’s budget-friendly on a low budget plan. 

   FIREWALL PROGRAM 

   If you’re purchasing a specific business’s Antivirus software application it’s worth thinking about purchasing their incorporated AV and firewall program bundle if they have one (if they do not then perhaps you need to attempt another person). It might well conserve you cash and be much easier to set up and preserve. 

   A firewall software is constantly suggested to assist safeguard versus unapproved access to your PC. For a little number of PCs a software application firewall software is normally best and is the most convenient to deal with if you’re not an IT professional. Do not discount rate hardware firewall programs, particularly if you have a network with a lot of gadgets on it. 

   Whatever you do, do not depend on the Network Address Translation or package filter integrated in to your ADSL or Cable router. It probably will not suffice. 

   ANTI-SPYWARE SOFTWARE 

   , then spyware is going to discover its method onto your maker. A lot of it isn’t especially nasty, however the truly bad things can send out essential details like passwords, bank information or credit card numbers to individuals you truly do not desire to have access to that things. 

   Some tell-tail indications that you have a Spyware infection are: 

   - You’re getting pop-up advertisements all the time 

   If you’ve been doing any online shopping you’ll be utilized to handling protected websites. Whatever approaches these websites utilize to protect their servers or secure your traffic, if they’re accessed by passwords then you share a few of the duty for the security on your deals. Here are a couple of ideas on how to keep unauthorised users from accessing your accounts:. 

   - Use various passwords for various accounts. If you constantly utilize the very same one and it’s jeopardized then somebody will have access to whatever. 

   PASSWORDS. 

   There’s some excellent complimentary software application readily available from Lavasoft called AdAware. Microsoft likewise have their own complimentary tool for Windows users called Windows Defender. Amongst the paid-for Anti-Spyware software application Webroot’s. 

   Spy Sweeper routinely gets awards from computer system publications. 

   Do not utilize simple to think things that a lot of individuals understand about you or can discover out. Simply utilizing a 1 rather of the letter i is no usage if it still spells out a simple to think word). 

   Increasingly more individuals are accessing safe websites for shopping, banking, and so on. Offered you take practical preventative measures it’s an excellent method to store. 

   - Your computer system is sluggish (there might be other factors for this, however it’s worth looking for spyware). 

   You might take a look at getting some password management software application. Naturally, Norton has a password supervisor, however other great alternatives consist of “Web Replay” from Deskperience or “PC Password Manager XP” from CPLab. 

   Having various passwords to great deals of various accounts does make it harder to keep in mind them and it’s essential that this does not lead you into bad practices. What do you do? 

   - Your default homepage or other settings in your web browser all of a sudden modification (particularly if you can’t alter them back). 

   - Don’t compose passwords down on paper or post-it notes. That’s a hacker’s preferred method to discover passwords if they have physical access to your workplace. 

   - Don’t get Web internet browsers to keep in mind your passwords on shared makers or in workplace locations. If you log into a device that other users have access to then never ever utilize Windows or Web web browser systems that remember your account information. 

   WHERE TO NOW? 

   Beware on the Internet, however do not let it ruin your day. 

   You do not need to go out and purchase every piece of security software application immediately. Prioritise a couple of to begin with (I ‘d recommend Antivirus and Firewall software application). Download trial variations so you can be sure you’re pleased with them prior to you part with your tough made money.

[iteletypeonline]

Guide To Computer System Security

 If you’ve been doing any online shopping you’ll be utilized to handling protected websites. Whatever approaches these websites utilize to protect their servers or secure your traffic, if they’re accessed by passwords then you share a few of the obligation for the security on your deals. Here are a couple of pointers on how to keep unauthorised users from accessing your accounts:. 

   PASSWORDS. 

   - Use various passwords for various accounts. If you constantly utilize the exact same one and it’s jeopardized then somebody will have access to whatever. 

   - Don’t get Web internet browsers to bear in mind your passwords on shared makers or in workplace locations. If you log into a device that other users have access to then never ever utilize Windows or Web web browser systems that remember your account information. 

   WHERE TO NOW? 

   You do not need to go out and purchase every piece of security software application right now. Prioritise a couple of to begin with (I ‘d recommend Antivirus and Firewall software application). Download trial variations so you can be sure you’re delighted with them prior to you part with your difficult made money. 

   Beware on the Internet, however do not let it ruin your day.

Considering that you’re reading this post, you’re currently linked to the Internet. You’ve most likely currently considered security on your computer system or network. Every day appears to bring brand-new risks and it can appear quite difficult, however the crucial thing is to have a good sense method and to take a couple of standard safety measures. 

   There are great deals of fantastic tools offered to assist and you do not need to spend a lot to get them. Here are some locations to have a look at: 

   BACKUPS 

   You’ll require some or all of the security tools noted below, however even then you can’t ensure 100% that you will not have an issue. One simple method to keep your crucial files is to burn them onto CD or DVD. 

   ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE 

   There’s a great deal of great anti-virus software application offered, both totally free and for low expense. I ‘d advise choosing paid software application ... you simply never ever understand when you’re going to require to call a helpdesk which’s usually the distinction in between the totally free things and the things you spend for. Norton, McAfee, AVG and others all offer anti-viruses software application that’s budget friendly on a low budget plan. 

   An outright need to have. Alright, you currently understood that, however I can’t worry too highly the value of having excellent, current anti-viruses software application. With brand-new hazards and Viruses showing up every day it is essential to keep upgrade memberships and download infection meaning updates as quickly as they appear. 

   FIREWALL PROGRAM 

   A firewall software is constantly advised to assist secure versus unapproved access to your PC. For a little number of PCs a software application firewall program is normally best and is the most convenient to deal with if you’re not an IT specialist. Do not discount rate hardware firewall programs, particularly if you have a network with a lot of gadgets on it. 

   If you’re purchasing a specific business’s Antivirus software application it’s worth thinking about purchasing their incorporated AV and firewall program plan if they have one (if they do not then perhaps you need to attempt another person). It might well conserve you loan and be much easier to set up and preserve. 

   Whatever you do, do not depend on the Network Address Translation or package filter integrated in to your ADSL or Cable router. It probably will not suffice. 

   ANTI-SPYWARE SOFTWARE 

   , then spyware is going to discover its method onto your maker. A lot of it isn’t especially nasty, however the truly bad things can send out crucial info like passwords, bank information or credit card numbers to individuals you truly do not desire to have access to that things. 

   Some tell-tail indications that you have a Spyware infection are: 

   - You’re getting pop-up advertisements all the time 

   - Your computer system is sluggish (there might be other factors for this, however it’s worth looking for spyware). 

   - Your default homepage or other settings in your web browser all of a sudden modification (specifically if you can’t alter them back). 

   Having various passwords to great deals of various accounts does make it harder to keep in mind them and it’s crucial that this does not lead you into bad routines. What do you do? 

   Spy Sweeper routinely gets awards from computer system publications. 

   Increasingly more individuals are accessing safe and secure websites for shopping, banking, and so on. Offered you take practical safety measures it’s a terrific method to store. 

   Do not utilize simple to think things that a lot of individuals understand about you or can discover out. Simply utilizing a 1 rather of the letter i is no usage if it still spells out a simple to think word). 

   You might take a look at getting some password management software application. Naturally, Norton has a password supervisor, however other great choices consist of “Web Replay” from Deskperience or “PC Password Manager XP” from CPLab. 

   There’s some great totally free software application readily available from Lavasoft called AdAware. Microsoft likewise have their own totally free tool for Windows users called Windows Defender. Amongst the paid-for Anti-Spyware software application Webroot’s. 

   - Don’t compose passwords down on paper or post-it notes. That’s a hacker’s preferred method to discover passwords if they have physical access to your workplace. 

[dinoperryman94-blog]

Why The Dollar Will Acquire Tough Once more.

Go into the TollGate method that possesses the capability to make you tons of loan without all the difficulties of discovering from these things. In a world with raising understanding on mental health and wellness and its own significance, I'm rather stunned that Western couldn't care less regarding attempting to assist the anxiety fees from the trainees with a rest. You will certainly become even more comfortable using this weight transactions procedure to deliver even more power to your rest stroke. Some give me a quizzical appearance with a fifty percent smile waiting for me to confess that I was actually merely fooling. As a result if our company prefer our children to clean their pearly whites, our experts have to stop getting along (driving) to them to accomplish it. Even the variation of altering the study rest times to after Thanksgiving holiday will possess an impressive stress soothing impact. And also deep blue sea emotional dialogues must stop the break up are harder for men to deal with in comparison to merely leaving. She would not stop (nagging/trying to alter me/was clingy/wouldn' t give me room) however I couldn't tell her that or she would certainly possess wept. Religious beliefs makes use of the story of Jesus telling the abundant youthful ruler to go as well as offer each of his possessions and provide the earnings to the inadequate as well as come observe Him (Jesus). I simply like to know what to perform to cease this nasty curse/hex so I could get back on track again. When I am actually dealt with an apparently overwhelming job, and also I definitely carry out unknown exactly what to perform, I frequently hunt for assistance that might offer me an idea or create this less complicated to perform what I am actually aiming to accomplish. To quit the wear and tear frequent cleaning is actually needed or even the other substitute is actually to safeguard with carpets and also joggers. Prelate ADODO is definitely a blessed guy as well as i is going to certainly not quit releasing him since he is actually a terrific guy ... If you possess a trouble as well as you are looking for a true and also real spell caster to address all your problems for you. Recollect the bits of tune that the lyrics suggest, as well as locate the secret that matches your voice variety during that melody. Here's just what visitors have actually asked, along with solutions from Offer Me a Breather Bedroom & Morning meal staff and also other visitors. When you loved this post in addition to you would like to acquire more information regarding mountains of mourne lyrics (http://growing--slimmer11.info/) kindly stop by the web site. I possess lots of tools to help you set you free when you are prepared to break your harmful patterns of attracting unhealthful spirit mates. Find out all you may about interacting appropriately after the split, as well as more importantly, know just what you're heading to state when that call acquires made. For me likewise, i require offer on my own a breather to be along with my family as well as switch my mind off of help some while after that maintain going. Perhaps it was that wish for a breather that led me to introduce myself to the other gents in my ward as 'Dave: battle personal trainer as well as previous professional boxer', instead of as 'Daddy Dave: Church Priest'. This indicates if you consume an intricate carb, your body is going to malfunction that facility carb right into simple sweets and also essentially right into blood sugar which can be utilized for various functions. There are actually a ton of these study firms trying to find folks like you to give your viewpoint, as well as they are going to spend you cash for this. Most significantly, it doesn't cost a thing to sign up with. That is actually unfair that you were actually the only person to place the blame on the split. Consider likewise your partner. When I am actually confronted with a relatively overwhelming task, as well as I definitely perform not know exactly what to do, I frequently search for help that could give me a hint or create it easier to achieve what I am actually attempting to accomplish. To quit the damage frequent cleaning is actually required or the various other option is to defend along with rugs as well as joggers. After that, you show them regarding values and principles, and give them works out to establish these functionalities. Also that is actually crucial to recognize that despite the suspicions, over 70% from the chauffeurs that have chosen to provide that a try out actually obtained a lesser quote (through as much as 30%) for their car insurance developed by Progressive automobile Insurance coverage. As well as if you find your own self swamped by work without a rest in sight, give me a call. Prelate ADODO is actually actually a skilled guy as well as i will not cease publishing him considering that he is actually an excellent guy ... If you possess a trouble as well as you are trying to find a true and legitimate incantation caster to deal with all your issues for you. Recall the little bits of melody that the lyrics propose, and locate the secret that matches your singing range in that tune. And will definitely you permit on your own to simply Be Actually and also experience the affection that stays within your center - for you, for your lifestyle, for determining to offer yourself an all new instant where happiness has a place, where it fills out the area within your center as well as infects each one of you, in and out. Connect with Dr.Zabaza through email: zabazalogan @ or offer him a call on +2348182620374. I never ever use to care about spell casting in my whole entire life since i certainly never believed it will work but i aimed to provide this guy a chance as well as to my best unpleasant surprise, he performed his job and also this generated a positive outcome and also i managed to obtain my wife back. Therefore proceed: unwind for water, a bathroom check out, a quick stroll or even stretch, inspecting your phone for notifications ... the sky's excess. This is actually the only reference from Jesus talking to someone to lose hope each one of their riches. It is actually certainly not the treatment for cancer, but it could provide you a worthwhile, and also better yet an assessed company version that could give you the monetary independence we all should have. To crack fast, I followed the author's recommendations of happening a soft diet regimen as well as avoiding meat product, diary products, and also oily and spicy stuff for the first 2 times. Communication can break down as a result of a misunderstanding of these variations which could result in a whole host of concerns. Moreover starting a fast isn't a brain surgery; for lots of years, mostly all societies have actually utilized this in order to help get rid of the body of poisons, offer our digestive system body organs the option to invigorate and rejuvenate optimum function. The chart would certainly at that point suggest which bone tissues seemed to be the best and also the very least very likely to crack. Reviewing these satisfied quotes is actually merely the first step on becoming a real optimist.

[jenniestallcup-blog]

Partnership Advice Articles.

Mobile phone are swiftly becoming the GENERAL PRACTITIONER tracking gadget of choice. Customers will certainly be informed even when they appear in pictures uploaded by somebody they're not friends with-- they merely should have pals alike, as well as the image's target market" (Facebook's term for who can or can not see content) should be readied to everyone." So, a harasser who isn't really able to directly message their target might post a photo with them in it, probably Photoshopped to include a abusive or nasty joke, and also Facebook will acknowledge their face as well as ping that user, doing the harasser's work for them. There does not seem to be any type of clear dating app" language present instead it's more concentrated on pleasant encounters, i.e. Would you want to meet name this week?" The adjustments that would need to be required to transform this feature into a Tinder or Bumble-like applet don't take any kind of significant mental leaps though and dating might be a significant relocation for the business in the future. And by making it free to get in, the application has actually expanded from around 4,000 customers each game to more than 16,000 in a single week, with every person trying to getting a slice of the pool. After a year of making an effort, also on days when I seemed like huddling in the foetal setting, I developed a tight-knit gang of new close friends. Lately, a team of French shark scientists checked out whether gatherings amongst sharks can be discussed in social terms - that is, if they were relationships - or whether sharks inhabited the exact same room at the very same time merely as a result of overlapping house arrays or mutual food resources. I believe the story that I like to share, when you're talking about love letters, like the art of the love letter and handwriting, one point that occurs to me is we have specified handwriting as being meaningful and also indicating requiring time and the thoughtfulness and also an individualization of a note. Yet the dynamics of friendship do not always equate well right into a business partnership. If you have any sort of inquiries relating to where and how you can utilize visit the following website page, you could call us at our webpage. On a better note, the 53-year-old additionally mentioned the benefits of doing the track Smelly Pet cat, a ditty made famous by her Buddies personality, with Taylor Swift in 2015. Schwimmer was inquired about the opportunity of a Buddies get-together throughout an appearance on Megyn Kelly Today, and also his reply is bound to let down anyone wishing for a return journey to Central Advantage. While these automated buddy scripts are an ease, some MySpace users frown on a computerized method to being quized for a contact relationship, and also will certainly decline them if when they ought to come. The 2nd level of depend on requires more time, as the friendship needs to be checked. Some individuals on MySpace send out statements to every person on their friends listing. As a kid, I really did not have any type of good friends who weren't youngsters of my moms and dads' friends, as well as to be truthful, they were just people I had fun with. Two Seasons Greetings rhymes, a Christmas poem, a love poem, a Pleased Holidays poem, a wedding anniversary rhyme, and a New Years poem, all by Nicholas Gordon and also drawn from his popular verse Internet site, Rhymes completely free. Then he informed me that they need to cast a spell of return rear of love on him, they did the spell spreading on after 6 days he called me on phone, to forgive him that he still love me and that he did unknown what take place to him that he have to leave me, it was the spell i casted on him that brought him back to me once again. Facebook has been trying to resolve know the best method to allow you regulate the Information Feed without being complicated. Words With Pals 2 takes the head-to-head, word-building competitors of 2009's Words With Pals as well as includes a solo obstacle setting, a team-based lightning round setting, strategy-improving boosts, and an updated social thesaurus that includes 50,000 words. In the real world, shedding touch with individuals takes place normally and effortlessly, yet on Facebook, unfriending is booked just for breakups and also acts of malevolence. However with a great deal of controversy over what does it cost? phony information is shared on the site, and exactly how that might have influenced major political occasions like the EU vote in the UK and also the last United States basic election, Facebook is using its new goal declaration to spearhead a more proactive stance about exactly how and just what news and other information obtains shared on its platform. He says he now discovers it challenging to maintain relationships. It supplies all kind of tales it thinks might interest you, a different information feed motivating you to look further afield than just at just what your pals are sharing. For my own enjoyment, I shuffle them backwards and forwards the top-five pecking order, and also occasionally kick one out for a new friend, only to have to place them back in when I bear in mind that you can not make old pals. Yet Tim Harness, 54, and his child Josie, 18, are "good friends" on Facebook and perfectly happy. IMessages has actually already replicated more fun-loving conversation applications in a lot of ways, however video conversation is still very dull. You maintain the dish permanently as well as can use it a limitless amount of times in video game provided you have the sources. To add someone while you get on a video or audio conversation, faucet on the screen as well as choose the new add individual" symbol, after that touch on individuals you want to include. I anticipate the moment individuals invest in Facebook and some procedures of engagement will decrease. When any of your connections could come to be close friends, then it has actually gotten to the pinnacle of that connection. It is a meeting partnership that is shared by two individuals that respect each other, trust each other, as well as desire only the best for each various other. Mr Zuckerberg likewise warns the changes might strike traffic: Now, I intend to be clear: by making these adjustments, I anticipate the time people spend on Facebook as well as some actions of interaction will decrease.

[claritaridenour-blog]

OFSTED What Really Occurs When You Go In To Special Solutions?

Get all the monetization, posting and also social features along with a GameSalad PRO registration and unleash your video game's full capacity for $29/month! The technique enables Nintendo to cultivate and also release ready a solitary unit that can easily accommodate viewers who choose mobile and home-based video games, as well as is actually a strategy that makes good sense taking into account Nintendo's selection to merge its own handheld and components branches under one roofing system so the 2 groups can team up on its own next body back in 2013. The timetable appears to exercise, as well: Game from Thrones" star Liam Cunningham claimed at Sunday's Golden Globes that recording for Season 7 undergoes the end from February with recording for the upcoming time picking up in September. This book was a consistent showdown in between the upright MC as well as the venomous mean lady (as well as her group from nasty females). Now will be a happy times to bring up how everything heavy-handedness that owned me nuts likewise created guide very foreseeable (b/c DUH, naturally Wickedness Stepmother eliminated the Queen). Just so no one resided in any kind of doubt as what show they were seeing, the third incident of Activity of Thrones came barking out of eviction in unabashed Greatest Hits style. Once it's provided additional information, the video game received me. Yet certainly not at a suggest pre oreder. In shorts, Activity from Thrones was doing exactly what Activity of Thrones does absolute best - preparing our moral compass in a tailspin, to make sure that heroes and also villains increasingly looked identical. Off the experience in this book I would incorporate that initially there is actually a concept assuming had to create company designs given that you need to blend sensible and also intuitive thinking. . In incident eight of period five, Hardhome, Video game of Thrones customers were treated to a horrible Wildling bloodbath, courtesy of the Evening's King, the White Walker leader (participated in, as defined above, by Brake). Beyond that, the book was ONE HUNDRED% predictable, and also the procedures hired to overthrow the corrupting federal government were every bit as reprehensible as the federal government on its own. The PS3 Slim is actually 29cm large, 29cm profound as well as 6.5 mm, so it's actually a little bigger as well as fatter than the PS4. At Skybound Enjoyment's 2014 Interactive media Board at Comic-Con International: San Diego" in July 2014, Telltale Gaming Head of state Kevin Bruner and The Walking Lifeless maker Robert Kirkman declared that there are going to be a third time from The Walking Lifeless off Telltale! Rockstar's multi-million marketing series had actually been touted as the enfant terrible of the computer game industry by media doll professional Maximum Clifford. Intriguingly, it appears that Activity of Thrones writer George RR Martin located Valyrian steel on a the real world alloy called Damascus steel. If they fight with a concept, the activity may show the same principle in a various context or minimize the trouble degree until the student acquires it. That could seem like an art-house adaption of a J.G. Ballard unique, however the video game is absolutely beautiful to roam. This is actually because as soon as politics is available in the video game the really sense of the video game is actually shed. Although it is still in the initial stages, this study as well as numerous other researches propose that a part of young people might come to be more threatening after playing intense computer game. 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