#Medical practice builder

[moderndentalofficelayouts]

Discover essential considerations for modern medical office design! Learn how to create a functional, welcoming, and efficient space that enhances patient experience and staff productivity. Explore the latest trends and best practices to transform your medical office. Visit our blog for more insights!

[newarcdental]

5 Best Tips For Improve Medical Fit-out in Sydney

New Arc Edge Fit-outs is committed to providing an exceptional dental clinic design and fit-out that meets all your patients and employees' requirements. We offer turnkey services to ensure your project is done on time and within budget, whether you're moving into new facilities or just searching for new clinic furnishings.

Whatever your clinic's size or budget, we have the knowledge and experience to get the job done. We have a whole crew of experts ready to tackle whatever problem you throw at us, from architects to plumbers to electricians to painters to cabinetmakers.

Our medical fit-out Sydney insurance is valid for a month. Unfortunately, returns or exchanges are not possible beyond 30 days from the date of purchase. Your item must be returned unused and in the same condition as you got it to be eligible for a refund. In addition, the item must be in its original packing. We need a receipt or other purchase verification form to process your return.

Refunds

If your return is approved once it has been received and reviewed, you will get an email from us. We will also let you know whether your refund was accepted. The refund will be handled, and a credit will be made to your credit card or original mode of payment within specific days after your application is granted.

Incomplete Or Overdue Refunds (If Applicable)

A refund should appear in your bank account within a few business days. Then it would help if you got in touch with your credit card company since it might be a while before your refund is posted.

New arc Dentistry is a national leader in the dental and medical industry, serving as a consultant and provider of design, fit-out, equipment sales, information technology, and services. This is because we place a medifit Fit-out premium on providing excellent service with our high-quality products. New arc Dental knows that a successful dental office requires durable, high-tech, well-repaired dental equipment. The staff here has years of experience fixing dental tools.

We are an Australian family-owned and -operated company dedicated to exceeding your expectations with the quality of service we provide to your organization.

Our Goal

We are at the forefront of dental advancement through creative approaches and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

The Core Principles That Guide Us

We work hard every day to maintain and improve our impeccable reputation. Always, always, we make the best possible assumption of goodwill. For extraordinary results, we enable exceptional individuals. We strongly emphasize giving back to the neighborhoods and households we support. We start every project by inquiring, "What does the client want?" and we constantly question, "Why?" to ensure that every step of the process is optimized. At last, WE CAN Laugh!

[space-invading-pigeon]

Steve Harrington's hero is his mother, who is kind and fierce and also off the rails crazy when she's pissed.

Steve's mom flushes his dad's heart medication if he doesn't speak to her with respect.

Steve's mom once put a body builder in the ICU because he called her baby boy a bastard child.

Steve's mom taught him how to knit and showered her only son in so much affection that in the one year she was traveling with his father, Steve was practically starved for affection.

Steve's mom offered to legally adopt Robin after the mall fire.

Steve's mom is the only lawyer/civilian to know what happened each time the Upside Down reared its ugly head.

Steve's mom arm has a standing Girl's Night with Wayne Munson (they watch football, drink, and gush over their teenage sons).

Steve's mom hugged Eddie when she was officially introduced to him and promised that she would treat him like a son for as long as he treated her baby right.

Steve's mom attacked Henry Creel during the final showdown and may have severed one of his arms; she doesn't quite remember but she does know that that Wheeler girl is twice as scared of her now.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - January 15, 2024

🎊 - As we embark on another journey around the sun, I am thrilled to bring you the first newsletter of the year, packed with inspiring, informative, and sometimes downright amusing stories.

1. Marijuana meets criteria for reclassification as lower-risk drug

Marijuana has a lower potential for abuse than other drugs that are subjected to the same restrictions, with scientific support for its use as a medical treatment, researchers from the US Food and Drug Administration say in documents supporting its reclassification as a Schedule III substance.

2. South Korea passes law banning dog meat trade

The slaughter and sale of dogs for their meat is to become illegal in South Korea after MPs backed a new law. The legislation, set to come into force by 2027, aims to end the centuries-old practice of humans eating dog meat.

3. After 20 years in a tiny cage, these 'broken bears' are finally feeling the grass beneath their paws

These bears, termed "broken bears" due to physical and psychological trauma from years of abuse, are treated at the Tam Dao rescue center with individually tailored diets, physiotherapy, and medical care. The bear bile trade, which involves extracting bile for traditional Asian medicine, has been illegal in Vietnam since 2005, but a black market still exists.

4. France just got its first openly gay prime minister.

Gabriel Attal is France’s youngest-ever prime minister at age 34 and the first who is openly gay.

5. Australian ‘builders without borders’ repairing war-torn homes and schools in Ukraine

Manfred Hin, a 66-year-old builder from Townsville, Australia, spent most of 2023 volunteering in Ukraine to rebuild homes and schools damaged by Russian attacks. Having contributed to over 50 house and a dozen school renovations, he worked with Ukrainian charity Brave to Rebuild, mentoring young volunteers and sourcing three tonnes of donated tools.

Inspired by Hin's story, Tasmanian carpenter Hamish Stirling also joined the efforts, learning Ukrainian, traveling to Europe, and volunteering for three months to help rebuild homes.

6. The age-standardized death rate from cancer has declined by 15% since 1990

The age-standardized death rate from cancer declined by 15%

Cancer kills mostly older people – as the death rate by age shows, of those who are 70 years and older, 1% die from cancer every year. For people who are younger than 50, the cancer death rate is more than 40-times lower (more detail here).

7. Germany Reached 55% Renewable Energy in 2023

In 2023, 55 percent of Germany’s power came from renewables — an increase of 6.6 percent, according to energy regulator Bundesnetzagentur, reported Reuters. Europe’s biggest national economy has a goal of 80 percent green energy by 2030.

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That's it for this week :)

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[robby-bobby-tommy]

Well, it's time for my hcs. (Mostly UM and KO)

Ultra Magnus has a terrible CPTSD. Sometimes he hears a plane and immediately transforms his hands into blasters. When he talks to someone he tries to continue the dialogue, but all his attention goes to figuring out the location of the enemy. (+ he has bad sleep schedule)

I'M also has a terrible case of 'bad things happen to bots when I leave them'. He doesn't like staying away from the battle, because he cares very much for his new found family. He isn't afraid of dying for the cause, but he doesn't want to lose anyone.

At the free time he has helped some Autobots make their battle skills better. Like he spared with Miko in Apex armor so she could practice her punches and also had classes for medics (Ratchet and KO). They didn't have blasters, which is disadvantage, but they figured out the way to fight almost as good as others.

Speaking of KO. He wasn't very welcomed at team at first, so he was watched very closely. Yet sooner or later they've warmed up to him. KO was a bit afraid at first, but seeing that they meant no harm, he came back to his sassy attitude.

Also KO has some appreciation problems. When he was a decepticon he had to earn the respect and after Shockwave came along he felt very replaceable. He wasn't thanked for his work half as much as he should. So when Ratchet thanked KO in 3 season he genuinely said "you're welcome".

But the moment he felt he was accepted into team prime was when OP didn't let him on some mission. It went like "Why can't I join?", "Knock Out, comrade, you aren't in need of another warrior, yet we may use the help of a second medic." "We can't just lose medics around. Too important." Ratchet adds. After like the whole team nods. And KO felt so appreciated

After that he became very close to Team Prime and (if they stayed on earth) to kids. When some bully is rude to Jack, KO would let Darby drive himself in school just to show off. He'd watch horrors with Miko, and even tell some interesting stuff abt Cybertronian culture, organism ect to Raf

Also he'd race with Bee and Smokescreen, but he is hella competitive. Like this scene in Avatar The Last Airbender, where Azula plays volleyball. "You'll never rise from the ashes of humiliation!" "Dude... It's not that deep bro.."

Oh, and he'd be very awkward with Smokey cuz like... He tried to open him up. But Smokey doesn't mind it, saying that they're even after he put KO in the wall

The other very strange relationship he has with Bulkhead. It's because of Breakdown. Bulkhead hated him and, as we all know, KO was in a relationship with him. Bulk ofc doesn't hold anything against KO for his relationship, yet they'd have a lot of different opinions on BD. They would talk a lot, finding out more about BD's past

And boy oh boy he had a wild one. Him and Bulkhead were born in the same class. They were builders, as Bulkhead said 'I can build stuff, I can break stuff. That's all.' Yet both of them wanted to do more good in the world, so they joined the Wreckers (before the war it was a gang that helped everyone in need and protected the weak), where they've met. Bulk and BD quickly became brothers in arms but the war seperated them

Once BD heard a broadcast of Megatron's ideas of reforming Cybertron and became a great supporter. He joined the decepticons cuz he thought it was his chance to make the world better. He was so blinded by Meg's promises that he thought this crimes were justified. Bulkhead was more observant, and felt something shady and was grossed out by bombings. But the thing that brought them apart and made them enemies was BD's betrayal. Early in the war Megatron was merciless and Wreckers mostly opposed him. Breakdown pledge allegiance to Megan. He wanted whole gang to join, but they refused and Big M wanted to destroy them all. Breakdown told the location of their hideout, and when Wreckers met there, they were greeted by pistols. It was a big fight, some lives were lost. After that BD went with Decepticons and Bulkhead with the Autobots. Now Bulk hated BD for his betrayal

KO never knew abt that cuz he met BD later. Knock Out was a doctor in one of the neutral cities, that were captured by Decepticons early in the war, and decided to join the "winning team" Just to survive

After all the talks Bulkhead started to respect KO more

Knock Out, Bee and Smokey regularly forcing the gang to go to the drive in theaters.

Arcee, June and Miko have a girls nights where they judge everyone

OP and UM are very close. To the point they're mistaken for brothers (they call each other that in private)

Ultra Magnus doesn't like to show affection in public, so when someone wants to hug him or smt like that, they always ask him to another room. Like after OP came back in season 3, Optimus said smt like "Ultra Magnus, old friend, for a word". And then they are just hugging in another room

Optiratch. Just them. Married. Conjux endura. That's all

Megatron, Soundwave and Shockwave are mean girls.

Megasound cuz you can't stop me. And Shocky just third wheeling his spark out.

Shockwave actually started to like Starscream when they were left on earth.

Agent Fowler and June dating, cuz they both deserve better

KO, Arcee and Ratchet form a widow club after the film.

KO and Arcee beat Arachnid's aft together.

That's all for now.

[fluffer5]

Humans and childrearing

My 3rd entry to humans are space orcs and dang am I seeing our species as the odd one out with all our quirks.

Again, my basis for this would be the movies and stories I've watched or read. So, most information I've got on alien child rearing center on quirks that can be considered as the constant for their entire specie. Like, a new behavior exhibited by the parent towards their young that doesn't conform to the norm is absolutely rare to the point that other parents or those who are old enough to care for a child would immediately go to rescue the youngling who seems to be in danger or in pain. Some who couldn't afford to keep the child would at least have this decency to put the child in foster care where someone could raise and shelter them till they're strong enough to leave or go on an adventure on their own.

Humans though? We're absurdly complex creatures with a malfunctioning sense of familial love on our youngs. We love them one moment, and hate them next. We'd be filled with adoration for this new life in our arms, then feel disgusted and annoyed at them for making too much noise, taking up too much time, taking up so, so much of us until this supposed guardian spirals down into the neglectful, angry person some kids know.

Of course, not everyone reacts that way. But it happens often enough that we have medical interventions, guidelines, and even agencies or social groups that deals with that particular problem.

There are parents or guardians who would hate this unknowing baby for killing their wife, sister, daughter, or mother in the process of their birth. There are mothers who would neglect and feel resentful of the precious bundle they gave birth to for taking up the attention of HER husband, HER family, even though she knows that it's wrong to feel that way with her baby. There are siblings who feel the ugly crawl of jealousy up their stomach, heart, and lungs to the point that they work towards sabotaging the growth and milestones of this new child they see as competition. Heck! There are parents who would continue to give birth even though they KNOW that they're not financially secure and their children might suffer from starvation or a sickness that they can't afford to pay off medicine.

The children? We grow up carrying the scars of survival. Be it visible or not, we have it.

Hearing this information upon opening the topic on how each race care for their young (each one giving the usual rearing they have in a clan and how they always pull out younglings who are more sickly and fragile to be given thorough love and care but never one that is nagging or suffocating because instincts and talent needs to be given time to develop), the Unified Intergalactic Council, one made up of elders, warriors, healers, historians, builders, star-readers, and other reknowned professions would stare baffled at the human representative with horror and worry.

"You say that your kind treasures your young but punishes you for the smallest mistake?" a healer asked looking confused and displaying anger through the minute movement of his brightly colored frills. "Punishment for not finishing food when the hatchling has declared that they are full?! And they had the gall to be offended for this young one for wasting precious resources?!"

"I was too young to question it," the human representative, Kara, relayed the information, not seeing the practice as… punishment, but more of an experience that most kids her age shared. "When I got old enough… Well, I never thought to revisit the wrongness of such practice again since I moved out of our house."

"Well, I, for one, am far concerned when you said some of your wars were fought by children? Did your leaders lose a part of their heads to think that children could fight for their battles? And you said some of those children were trained with the bares of skill and would learn most of it on actual live-combat?!" a veteran General was left in confusing garble and grumbles that is most probably a jumble of curses and profanities if she reads right into the indignant face of said General's wife, a War Strategist.

"I'm concerned for you, child," an old star-reader (their version of a prophet) gently laid their hand on her arm, eyes swirling with the birth of new stars and the death of others, their voice fluctuating from masculine to feminine, pitch becoming a scramble of highs and lows. "You have told us of the joys in your planet. How happy it is to be a Terran. How you love this deathworld even with its harsh seasons and mighty predators and lurking sickness. Yet now that we are speaking of caring for your young, you've been growing more upset, distant."

"Children are considered as gifts to all species," Kara would bitterly remark to them star-reader. "That's what you told me… That's what I've been told by the adult Terrans."

"What do you think then, child?" the star-reader asked even though they already know the sad truth of this youngling's life. And she is a youngling. Kara is 20 cycles old. Still so young since Terrans do not stop their brain development between their 30th or 40th life cycle. They shouldn't have pushed their children to this. Terran young should've been learning new skills and not rushing at that age… and yet….

"I think… I'm tired of working so hard for others and not living for myself. I'm tired of being not enough. I'm tired of having to give a piece of myself to everyone who needed me. I'm tired of being the eldest sibling, Myrtzhg. I'm tired of giving up a lot of opportunities I want because my mother, my bearer, would tell me to give these opportunities to my younger siblings! It's never me, Myrtzhg! And I'm so tired of thinking it never will!"

That was the exact same day the UIC panicked, trying to sooth the Terran youngling from their pent up emotions. Even the strictest of the council members had a mild panic attack when Kara full out wailed and didn't seem to be consoled by their usual Terran sweets and treats. They later learned that Kara got a message from her own bearer to hurry up and give them money because Kara's siblings need it for a celebration, even reprimanding Kara how should stop being such a greedy, ungrateful child.

Earth was but one intergalactic missile away from destruction if not for the swift swat to the head by a fuming Matron saying they should kidnap all the children and good parents first before blowing up the planet… Kara, of course the sweetheart that she is, disagreed to the plan.

[pippatis]

My second Starbound character is actually someone who has since been repurposed for one(or possibly more) of my comic stories. Still, I thought it would be fun to revisit her origins and incorporate some of the traits and family members I've given her since.

This is Rath, a member of the Nightar race. After playing the supposed hard-mode that was the X'i race, I chose something that was OP in comparison. Sue me.

Here's a summary of her story, as well.

.

Rath's family came from a very poor area of an already dangerous Dark world. Not long after she reached adulthood, her father, who'd previously been a prolific enough hunter to feed and care for the small group, suddenly passed away of a mysterious illness. Rath was forced to take his place. She'd practiced under him for long enough to become very skilled, but feeding her mother and two much younger brothers was still no easy task in such a place.

One day, a star traveler, a member of the Protectorate, arrived on her planet, and upon discovering her, wished to enlist her for a short quest. She agrees, knowing she'll be paid for her work, which would make her family's lives easier for at least a day. The traveler ends up being so impressed with her prowess, however, that he wants to bring her along on their travels. Rath refuses, adamant in her wish to stay and provide for her family. The traveler lets his invitation persist, but goes on his way for the time being.

Rath returns to the difficult life she's led for a while longer, but the traveler's offer sticks in her head. It could be a constant source of income, something she's never had the chance to have on her planet. She knew that the lives of her family could be made so much easier if she was able to find out how to procure food and other necessities elsewhere in the universe.

On the traveler's next visit back, Rath informs him of her change in mind, but on the condition that she be allowed to return and visit her family after each quest. He agrees and builds a teleport pad, placing it on the planet near her family's camp. He shows her that it can be used to return at will, from no matter the distance. Rath is ecstatic about this arrangement, and becomes much more confident in her decision.

Things were different while she lived on a ship with a like-minded crew, under the traveler who would become her captain. As the star-farers visited all sorts of planets and environments, she did in fact see how bad her family's quality of life had been. Of course, the work wasn't always easy either, but she never refused it. All that mattered to her was keeping her family safe and cared for, and she kept her word, visiting them after every single quest, bringing back food, clothing, and wealth. It wasn't a substantial amount, but it was still more than enough.

Eventually came the time where their captain would visit Earth. Instinctually, Rath knew something was wrong, and she refused to leave the ship and touch that world's grounds with the rest of the crew. All of the others left her behind to visit the rest of the Protectorate, but while they were there, the Ruin arrived.

The captain was the only one able to escape back to their ship, but was badly injured in the process. Unable to fly himself, the captain hastily attempted to teach Rath how to steer the ship so they could escape the dying planet. However, she ended up crashing them into a remote asteroid, far away.

Luckily the place was inhabited, and her captain was able to receive medical treatment, but he had been injured such that he was no longer able to travel the stars. Their ship, too, was all but destroyed, and Rath had no way to return to her family.

Knowing he would stay on this rock for the foreseeable future, the captain told Rath to scrap his destroyed ship and build her own, and that the builders here would help her on his word as a member of the Protectorate. He told her to take this ship and, hopefully, find her family again.

Rath had never truly been on her own before, even as independent of a hunter she was on her home planet. Still, she accepted, and was able to have the wrecked ship decommissioned. The captain had just enough money left to pay for the completion of the new ship, and was able to teach Rath the rest he knew about flying before she left, but she promised she would one day return and do the same for him that he allowed her to do for her family.

Eventually she tracked them down once again, and this time, she convinced them to join her on her travels and get away from the terrible land they'd called home for so long.

[seesaipepper]

Fang/Ginger Concept

This has been sitting in my docs for months so I might as well put the WIP on my blog! Hopefully I will have the juice to finish it this summer (-ω-  )💕

↓ Plot outline below: ↓

Ginger and Gust travel to Sandrock on the now-completed road from Portia in hopes of finding a cure for Ginger’s so-far terminal illness from the reclusive Dr. Fang, who has rumored success with curing, or at least alleviating symptoms for, mysterious and unknown illnesses. 

After meeting with Dr. Fang, Ginger is prescribed a strict regimen of medications. The medicine is unusual but very potent, and Ginger must also return each month (weekly in-game) for treatments as well. Ginger enjoys the bus rides to Sandrock—even though its sun is even harsher on her than Portia’s—and Dr. Fang is much less scary than his name sounds.

Fang has already started practicing speaking to his patients more clearly with the help of the builder and he tries his best to be friendly. Ginger is easy to speak to, and her voice is soft, so he doesn’t find himself on edge very often. Gust is very distrustful of Fang’s intentions outside of his treatment plan for his sister, but the medicine is helping, so he keeps his snark to a minimum.

(During one visit, since they arrive at night, Ginger and Gust are stuck in the saloon during a sandstorm the following day. It’s worrisome, because Fang was very specific on when Ginger needed to be given her next dosage, but they hope one day of difference won’t hurt. Fang arrives at the saloon that afternoon in his sandstorm hat—looking a great deal cooler than he is—to deliver it to her by hand. 

Ginger thinks he was really amazing to do something like that, but Fang is used to Sandrock’s cruel weather, and thinks nothing of it. Ginger offers to at least pay for his lunch, and Fang tries to refuse, until Gust insinuates it’s very rude to refuse hospitality that way. Fang is much more aware of social formalities these days thanks to his builder bestie, so he agrees to eat with them. Ginger talks to him nonstop for the entire meal.)

(They spend some time together each time Ginger visits, as he is her only acquaintance/friend in Sandrock, and she wants to tour the town and surrounding areas as much as she is allowed. There are cute things like parasol holding and talking (when Russo accompanies her on the trip instead of her brother), but little else. It’s very pleasant for both parties.)

Ginger begins to feel better, and her treatment changes to every-other month. It seems like an awfully long time after seeing the doctor so often the seasons previous, and she writes him a letter to check-in. Fang mentions this to the builder and she asks if he has written her a reply. He has not. The builder explains that it is good manners to respond to a personal letter like that, and Fang holds the builder’s opinions quite high, so he tries his best to formulate a response.

After a rough start, speaking in a written form turns out to be much simpler than talking in person. He tries to thoughtfully answer each of the questions Ginger asks him, and then gives the letter to Jasmine to send back to Portia. 

Upon her next visit, Ginger is elated that he wrote her back, and loves the idea of having a pen-pal in Sandrock. Fang has never heard of such a thing. Ginger explains, and Fang is reluctant, but agrees to always send a response if she writes to him. 

They begin to write to each other frequently, and Fang enjoys it more than he thought he would. It is simpler to say what is on his mind when writing, and he can always look back on what Ginger had said to make sure he understood correctly. Ginger is having a lot of fun with it, and sometimes includes little trinkets she made by hand. Fang doesn’t really know what to do with them, but supposes they are kind gestures and he should say thank you.

In a letter from the first of Spring (*for the dramatic effect), Ginger tells Fang that she sat out on her balcony and watched the sun rise, and stayed in its rays as they fell over the trees. Russo was so concerned when he found her doing that, but she had sat in tearful, happy awe for nearly fifteen minutes by then, just enjoying the feeling of the sun on her hands and face. She promises to not make a habit of it yet, but that she was so eager to see if she could. Fang is very happy to read that—he is always happy to see the positive effects his care can bring. 

The next visit, Gale accompanies Ginger and Russo to meet Dr. Fang for himself. He is his usual jolly self and thanks Fang deeply for his work that has brought his beloved daughter so much joy and energy. He invites Fang back to Portia for a small, expense-paid vacation as a show of thanks, and Ginger pushes hopefully for Fang to accept. He’s wary, but agrees to go. Ginger is so excited, and asks her father if she may spend the day with Fang while he visits with Mayor Trudy. Gale agrees to that as well, and takes Russo with him to let the young'uns have a nice playdate.

Fang and Ginger have an actual playdate, and do a few activities around town at Ginger’s request. Fang tells her about the Whack-a-Mole game instead of playing it, since neither of them are very athletic or aggressive, but he has played it with the builder once before. Mostly they walk around town and talk from sunset to evening, and after it is dark enough, Ginger asks Fang if there is somewhere safe in the desert to stargaze. 

He takes her out a ways (someplace with grass?), and they stargaze there for a while. They go from sitting to laying, and it would be obvious to anyone except for Fang that Ginger is crushing on him very hard. She moves in close enough to rest her head against his shoulder, and talks about how excited she is to show him around Portia. Fang is very surprised by the close contact, but it’s not unwelcome, so he doesn’t move away. He really has no idea what to do, so he just lays there like a bump on a log.

Once it’s officially late, Fang escorts Ginger to the inn, then heads home to pack a bag for his impromptu trip. X teases him a little bit about his date, but Fang tells him that the builder already explained the difference between playdates and dates to him. 

Come morning, Fang and X meet the Gale family at the bus stop, much to Ginger’s absolute delight. She takes his wrist to guide him into the bus, and along the way asks her father if she can pretty-please sit beside Dr. Fang for the ride back home. Gale can’t say no of course, and Ginger giddily ushers Fang into one of the bench seats with her. She offers him the window seat, and Fang asks if she prefers the window seat from the way she talks it up. She does, so Fang nods for her to sit there despite her insistence that she has landmarks to point out to him. He says he can easily see out the window from the aisle seat to see what she is pointing out, and Ginger thinks he’s very gentlemanly for it.

They spend the bus ride talking, mostly Ginger while Fang listens, and they arrive back in Portia in the late afternoon. The townies are very welcoming for the doctor that has helped their ailing sweetheart so much, and it’s a little overwhelming for Fang. Dr. Xu is very excited to meet him, and asks him in length about Seesaian medicine. Ginger is a little too soft-spoken to save Fang from being bombarded just yet, so Gale is kind enough to wave everyone off until the next day, “give the doctor some breathing room”, etc. 

Ginger is more than happy to take Fang back to the mayoral manor and show him around instead. She gives him a tour, shows him his room they made up for him, and then tells him when dinner will be ready if he’d like to rest before then. Fang definitely needs a lay-down after so much socializing, and takes her up on the offer. He lays in this giant fluffy bed and thinks about the stark contrast between his world and Ginger’s, but is too tired to think about it too much. After a short nap, he tidies up and goes downstairs for dinner as instructed.

Obviously Ginger made sure his seat was beside hers, much to Gust’s suspicion and annoyance. 

The next day Ginger happily shows Fang around town, and tries to not worry too much about the fact that her brother has accompanied them literally everywhere. It’s fun even though they’re not technically alone, but she still wishes she could get some time with just the two of them. Fang seems less comfortable with Gust’s hovering, mostly because Ginger doesn’t seem to notice at all Gust’s constant mad-dogging.

That night, Ginger sneaks out of the house with Fang, to show him the beach in the moonlight (a sight she’s very familiar with) and to spend some time talking without a chaperone. 

[whispersafterdusk]

Magnificent - ch 1

A long train ride at least gave him time to think and plan and make lists to keep himself organized as well as occupied -- they staved off boredom in the short term and in the long term made relocating no big deal. Heck, he was practically an expert at making lists now with how often he'd moved for his contracts and having pencil and paper in hand meant that at least the logistics part of moving wasn't so nerve-wracking.

This one was titled "Things to check" and was six lines of scribbled out and underlined AND circled words for emphasis: - best outerwear for protection -- heat exhaustion? - eye protection - where's the medical clinic -- IMPORTANT - grocer's - mail and telegraphs pricing - rail schedule and plenty of space under and around it to add notes or questions as they came to mind (though he was confident that there wasn't really anything else too vital to add - there was the 'day 1' stuff and the 'pick it up as I go' stuff, with the former being WAY more important to answer quickly).

When the world abruptly went dark he flinched at the sudden change - it was just a tunnel and they were through it as quickly as they'd entered it, which meant Sandrock was minutes away; he was dying to stretch his legs. Stuffing the note into a pocket of his shirt he slouched and let his fingers fidget with the strap of his backpack in his lap; he might be a pro at packing and planning but as he was carried closer to his destination he could feel his nerves creeping up as he started to consider the personal part of being in a new place - a social butterfly he was not, he had never grown into it like his mother insisted he would. What would his neighbors be like? Or his boss? Hopefully they'd at least all be tolerable, being as he was going to be here for a couple of years.

Huffing out a breath he straightened in his seat as the train began to slow. ((Continued below cut))

-----------------------------

It was marginally cooler this morning than it had been over the last week; Mi-an took that as a good sign - like the universe was pitching in to welcome their new builder - and quickly checked her sign to make sure her sweaty fingers weren't smudging the paint. Lindsay adorned the board and was thus far smudge-free, and a loud warning whistle had her looking up quickly as the train crossed the bridge and began to slow down on its approach to the station.

Behind her at the stairs came tiny pounding steps, and Jasmine bounded up beside her a moment later.

"Good morning, Mi-an! Oooh, who's Lindsay?"

"Hi Jasmine! Lindsay is the new builder! She should be on this train - Matilda asked me to meet her here, show her to the commerce guild, that sort of thing."

Jasmine clenched her fists and shook them a bit, grinning. "Can I help? I can give her the same tour I gave you! -- after I deliver the mail, though."

"Uh, sure! I don't see why not."

Jasmine grinned in anticipation and spun around to face the incoming train, clasping her hands behind her back and rocking back and forth on her heels as they waited. There was the usual loud hiss of steam and the screech of the wheels on the rails as the train lumbered to a full stop. Jensen announced its arrival and called out the time, then went to the passenger car and threw the door open.

----------------------------------

He waited for the other passengers to get up and leave before him -- he'd already come close to knocking one person down with his heavy duffel bag getting on the train so it seemed more polite and efficient to let everyone else disembark first, and this short time alone would help him get a handle on the jittery nervousness that had started growing after the trip through the tunnel.

With the train sitting still there wasn't any wind barreling in through the windows and it quickly felt like an oven inside. Such oppressive heat...he'd spent some years in Barnarock but this seemed worse, and it was going to be a big part of his life for the next three years; he supposed some blame lay in traveling in a long-sleeved shirt but he'd valued the pockets more than 'breathability' for the trip (he would NOT be making that mistake again on the train ride out of here) but, here he was, and he'd just have to suck it up and deal. Tugging the list free he added another bullet point and wrote 'approximate daily water needed' to the bottom before stuffing it and his pencil back into the pocket and finally standing to slip his backpack on and heft the duffel bag.

There was a slight breeze on the train platform that felt heavenly against his skin; a short, squat, bearded man waved for him to come out with a smile.

"Welcome to Sandrock! All passengers not continuing on are welcome to rest in the station or head into town proper by the stairs to your left! All passengers continuing on should expect to re-board in a half hour!"

He offered the man a nod and headed for the aforementioned stairs, pausing when he spied a small woman standing there next to a kid holding a sign with his name on it and watching the passengers walk passed with a growing look of confusion.

---------------------------

Hmm...no one's stopped... Maybe I didn't make the name big enough?

Mi-an glanced nervously from face to face - not that there were a lot of faces to look at, but not a single one of them so far seemed interested in giving her the time of day. Was it possible Matilda got the date wrong? Or maybe the builder had missed the train?

A tall, muscular man stepped off the train last, carrying a duffel bag that was large enough she could have easily fit inside it. His face was a little flushed and sweaty, his short brown hair already wet at the temples with little beads of moisture running down into his neatly trimmed beard, and his shirt sticking to his arms at the elbows. He stepped away from the passenger car's door and headed toward her and the stairs; no one else got off after him and Mi-an frowned as Jensen shut the door behind him. Uh oh...where was-

Her train of thought screeched to a halt as the man walked right up to her and stopped.

"Wow, you're big," Jasmine said beside her, craning her neck to stare up at the man.

A small smile flickered over his features as he shifted the duffel to his other hand, then held out the freed up one to shake.

He didn't look familiar...so what did he-- Mi-an looked between him and the sign and his hand. "Wait - YOU'RE Lindsay?" He nodded. "Oh...oh, uh, howdy then! Sorry, I was expecting..."

"Yeah, I uh...I get that a lot," he said softly.

He had a nice, light baritone that was more of a rumble at that volume and Mi-an hurried to shake his hand; it utterly dwarfed hers yet his grip was especially gentle.

"Isn't Lindsay a girl's name?" Jasmine asked - voicing what was going through Mi-an's head right that instant.

"I guess not always! Anyway, I'm Mi-an and this is Jasmine. I was asked to meet you so I could show you where the guild and city hall buildings are."

He nodded silently as he let go of her hand and jumped a bit as Jensen appeared at his elbow.

"Here you go, Jasmine - not much in today, I'm afraid," the conductor chuckled, handing over a small stack of envelopes to the girl.

"Thanks Jensen! I'll be back once I've delivered the mail!" she said.

Mi-an waved as the girl skipped off then turned back to Lindsay. "Off we go then!"

With him following along she headed down the steps and over toward the Commerce Guild where she could see Yan and Mason waiting for them outside. As they got closer she could see Yan eying them, confusion plain to see.

"Uh...Mi-an, who's this?"

"This is Lindsay," she answered, tucking the sign under an arm. "I guess Matilda didn't realize she'd hired a man, not a woman!" Turning her head she smiled encouragingly up at him; the height difference was absurdly obvious now that she was standing right beside him, and she could only imagine how easy all the heavy lifting that came with being a builder would be for him and felt the tiniest amount of jealousy as she turned her attention back to Yan who was staring blankly up at the man.

Lindsay offered a sheepish wave in response to the stare. "I'm used to the mistaken identity thing."

"Er... I...guess that's possible. Matilda must not have read that application too closely... AHEM -- howdy there, Lindsay!" he said, still staring up and trying to get his tone and expression under control - he looked like a child trying to size up an adult and Mi-an suppressed a giggle. "I'm Yan, President of the Sandrock Commerce guild! Pleased to make your acquaintance, yadda yadda yadda..." He trailed off then leaned in to Mi-an to hiss in her ear. "You're sure this is our guy? Gal? Whatever?"

"As sure as I can be," Mi-an whispered back, shooting Lindsay an apologetic - and awkward - look.

"Eh, right," Yan muttered, straightening back up and forcing a smile as he turned back to Lindsay. "I'll be overseeing you and Mi-an, but don't think of me as your boss! Think of me as more of a buddy that's your...surpervisor! And this here's Mason - he's retiring, hence, y'know, the whole reason for you being here and whatnot. Anyway!" He shifted to point back the way they'd come, finger jabbing out between the two builders. "See that workshop there on the other side of the tracks? Once Mason's left it'll be all yours!"

At the man's sudden troubled look Mi-an cleared her throat. "Don't worry - you can stay at the saloon. It's right over there," she hurriedly explained, gesturing to their right. He seemed to relax at that and again nodded without a word.

Yan opened his mouth and closed it a few times, mustache twitching. "--er, well Mason, got anything inspiring you want to say to our new builders?"

Mason hardly reacted to the question aside from suddenly looking a bit more tired and worn. "Uh, well...let's not get too friendly since I'm on my way out of here." He paused, looking Lindsay up and down silently before shaking his head and moving off toward the station - presumably to head home.

Mi-an looked from him to Lindsay and gave the newcomer a small shrug. "He's...a man of few words?"

"Yeah, he was always a bit awkward," Yan muttered. He huffed and straightened his hat, then jerked his head toward the Commerce Building. "Follow me, time for the official speech on how things work out here. You can worry about lodging later."

"Right," came the rumbling response.

Yan turned and sauntered off toward the guild building and Lindsay followed along behind, as did Mi-an - she'd probably already heard everything since she'd gotten here first but he hadn't said NOT to come with him...better to hear it all a second time than miss something important.

------------------------------

"Hey Mi-an! Who's your friend?"

The man he assumed was Owen greeted them as they walked through the door; Yan had finally talked himself out and let them go and Mi-an had suggested they stop at the saloon first so he wouldn't be carrying his things all over town.

"Hi Owen - this is Lindsay. He's our new builder and is going to need a room for however long Mason sticks around," Mi-an said, heading over to hop up on a bar stool.

Owen reached below the bar with a smile. "Let's get a room sorted right away so you can drop your bag off." He produced an iron key with a rumpled paper label attached with worn twine from beneath the counter and hurried toward the far end of the bartop. "Here you go - head up the stairs and you're in the middle room."

They met at the bottom of the steps and Owen handed him the key; Lindsay took it with a nod and smile and turned to head upstairs as directed -- just to be absolutely sure he checked the label and saw a barely visible 2 in faded blue ink, and there was a small brass 2 nailed to the frame of the middle door. The key smoothly turned in the lock and he stepped into a nice, dim, and cooled room where, with a deep sigh, he headed over to the bed and gently sat the duffel bag in the floor next to the little bedside table then plopped his backpack on top of it.

Care had definitely been taken to keep the room in good shape; it was one of the nicest places he'd been in - at least in the top three - and if he didn't have to go to City Hall next he'd happily towel all the sweat off then sink into that bed and take a nap. For now sitting on the edge of the bed and letting his nerves settle for a moment would have to do; Sandrock was about what he'd expected: not a lot of people, hot, dusty, a little worn down -- he felt a little out of place, as he usually did in a new region, and while he wasn't regretting his choice, exactly, he was starting to wonder at what kind of living he could eke out here. The smaller population of the town combined with the outlying tiny villages he'd seen dotting the map would probably all average out in the end -- fewer big jobs but lots of small ones, and while the small ones would pay the bills so to speak those types of tasks had always felt monotonous...oh well. Gols were gols; he'd primarily come out here for a change of pace anyway and the contract was only three years -- if Sandrock turned out to not be the place for him then he could move along as soon as his contract was up, like he'd always done.

There was a tiny bathroom that connected with the next room over; the inner door for that room was locked from this side - no idea if there was someone staying in there but after he'd wiped his face off with a damp cloth he flipped the latch open just in case (and then locked the door on his side, from within his room) then headed back down to the saloon proper, slipping the key into his pocket as he went.

Mi-an and Owen were chatting in low voices when he reached the bottom floor and she perked up, smiling over at him.

"Ready for City Hall?"

"Yeah."

"It's just up the street from here," she said as she walked passed him. "And I can show you where the general store is too."

That WAS one of the things on his list, at least. He gave Owen a quick wave and a smile, getting the same in return, and followed Mi-an back out into the heat.

---------------------------------

The sun really glared off all the windows and the street up here and there wasn't any shade at all either; if it wasn't for the fact that this balcony gave him a great view of all but the streets and upper part of Sandrock behind him Pen wouldn't regularly pick this vantage point for his morning watch.

He could see that weak little shopkeeper setting up for the day, and their bumbling Civil Corps members standing outside the sheriff's house talking about whatever it was they wasted time on. Matilda had just entered City Hall through the door beneath his perch, there was Heidi and what's-her-name, the shopkeep's sister, standing at the notice board talking. And then there was the little builder walking up the road toward him with an...absolutely...massive...beast of a man walking along beside her. Who the hell was THAT? He was almost as large as Pen was!

Almost. From here it was hard to gauge it precisely -- it was a good effort at coming close to comparing though!

But seriously. Who was that?

When they reached the steps he jumped off and landed all awesome-like right in front of them; the man jerked back with his hands half-raised, as though he'd been expecting a blow or something, and had a suspicious look to him when Pen straightened and brushed off the dust he'd kicked up with the landing.

"Stop right there!" he bellowed, eying the man. The man lowered his hands after a moment but was standing very still - like an animal cornered by a predator. "Who's this?"

It was Mi-an who answered him. "Um, hi, Pen. This is Lindsay, our second builder."

"Lindsay?" he repeated, squinting. This guy was a builder? Building things could give you a physique like that? "Builder? You're sure?"

"...yes?" Mi-an answered, looking confused. "Who or what else would he be?"

"Could be one of Logan's gang - I don't see how a builder can reach THESE gains just from swinging a hammer," Pen snorted, reaching out to prod at the man's bicep. "What's your work out routine? Protein intake?"

"Uh..." The man didn't actually answer, still looking like he was ready to bolt. Suspicious.

"Huh...? Why would I be walking down the street with a bandit?" Mi-an asked. "Matilda's expecting us in City Hall."

Pen huffed; how annoying - odds were if he held them up for answers Matilda would come looking. "Fine. But you-" he jabbed his finger into the builder's appreciably large left pectoral. "-if you ever see a man named 'Logan,' run. To me. So I can dish out justice to this criminal. And in the meantime I'll come by again later to hear about your exercise routine because clearly something more than building is going on here."

The builder looked between his chest and the prodding finger. "...all right?"

"Hehe...maybe you should become a builder then, Pen," Mi-an giggled awkwardly.

She ducked around him and the man stiffly followed her without taking his gaze completely off Pen as he moved; Pen watched, arms crossed, until they disappeared inside then heard a burst of laughter from his left.

Turning his head he saw Heidi and the- Amirah! That was her name, right - with their heads huddled together, laughing.

"And what's so funny?" he challenged, shifting to face them.

"It's nothing," Amirah replied, hiding her mouth briefly. "You needn't worry about it."

"Oh hoh, now that sounds exactly like something I should worry about - if I were the type to worry about anything," he grunted. "So, what's the joke?"

"It ain't a joke - you saw him, right? Did Mi-an say who he was?" Heidi asked.

"That...was our second builder," Pen answered slowly, eyes narrowing. She was getting at something...but what...

"Oh good, he's staying," Heidi grinned. "Can't wait to meet him. It's not often we get someone out here built like that."

"...wha- built like "that?" Him?" Pen sputtered. "Excuse me ladies but I am right here! AND I was here first!"

"That's true, but," Amirah said slowly, "I'm pretty sure he has you beat, oh mighty Protector."

Pen let his jaw drop open - were they blind? Lacking spacial awareness? ...teasing him? The audacity! "He absolutely does NOT, I assure you. Compared to me he's-- he's...skinny! A bearded stick! In dire need of protein and a proper regimen! He'll have to work A LOT harder if he wants to catch up to ol' Pen, pfuh," he scoffed. "Didn't anyone ever teach you two how hurtful it is to lie? Honestly."

Heidi folded her hands across her stomach, shrugging. "I wouldn't be too sure about that -- I'd estimate he has you by at least an inch across the chest, if not more, and a few centimeters in those biceps bare minimum."

"Again, hurtful. Lies." Sticking his nose in the air he flipped his cape out of the way and spun on a heel to stalk off, grinding his teeth at the tittering laughter behind him.

Who did those two think they were? Rude, is what they were! Hmmph. And now he was in a bad mood... He would definitely go find that builder later and those girls could think whatever they wanted -- no one was stronger than him in Sandrock. NO ONE.

-------------------------------

Amirah waited until Pen was well out of earshot before turning to Heidi. "So...exactly why did you want to rile up Pen like that?"

Heidi was laughing too hard to answer right away, rubbing away a tear that had gathered at the corner of her eye. "He slammed my door the other day and knocked four picture frames off the wall, which I then had to commission replacements for."

"Goodness. What was he even doing in your office anyway?"

"Going on about turning one wall of his room into a floor to ceiling mirror or something," Heidi answered, shaking her head. "I can't just change anything in the dormitory without the Church's approval, AND he had the nerve to complain about the price too."

Amirah sighed, crossing her arms then shifting to instead rest one hand against against her cheek. "Has he at least offered to pay for the frames he broke?"

"Nope," Heidi answered, tone flat.

"Lovely..." Amirah sighed in response.

"It didn't cost much and Mi-an got them done in a matter of hours so they've been replaced at least. That wall looks way too bare to not have something on it. ...but, on a more serious note, our new builder, huh?"

With a nod Amirah turned to look toward City Hall's door. "Mmhmm. I wonder where he's from... I should get back to my shop, however. Do let me know if you learn anything about him, though I'm sure I'll either hear from Mi-an or get to speak to him myself eventually."

Heidi gave her an affirmative nod then headed back into Construction Junction, being sure to carefully close the door behind her.

--------------------------

Though the saloon was busier when the builder came back Owen still caught sight of him holding the door open for a few people before heading up the stairs - he was a big man so even in a crowd he'd be hard to miss, and was just as easily noticeable when he came back down the stairs in a dry, short-sleeved shirt. As he sat down at the counter Owen gave him a little nod to acknowledge him before ducking into the kitchen to bring out table 3's order, hurrying by and in his periphery seeing Grace hand the guy a menu.

After dropping off the order and quickly tending to a refill Owen came down to that end of the counter, putting on his warmest smile. "Hey builder! Did Mi-an give you the grand tour?"

The man looked up from the menu. "Jasmine did, actually."

"She likes doing that - she's a good kid, helps out around town wherever she can. You hungry? Thirsty?"

"Both," Lindsay answered. "And sorry for not saying much earlier. New places make me a little...shy, I guess."

"Ah, no worries, and no need to be shy around here either! You'll find folks are pretty welcoming."

A small smile ghosted across the builder's face. "I figured that out already, yeah."

"Just to make it an official introduction - I'm Owen, owner of the Blue Moon Saloon. Welcome to Sandrock," Owen continued. He stuck his hand out and Lindsay accepted it, shaking with a gentle grip, and a familiar-looking tattoo on the man's inner forearm caught his eye. "-not to be nosy or anything but is that...?" Owen released his hand and Lindsay obligingly turned his arm to bring the tattoo fully into view; it was a pair of boxing gloves touching at the knuckles, with short length of visible 'arm' extending out passed the ends of the cuffs. There was a capital L on each arm segment, and a larger capital B in the middle overlaying where the two gloves were touching. "Haha, I thought I recognized that! Lucien Boxing League, right?" Owen laughed.

"Yeah. Was a member while I lived there. Seven years."

Owen leaned down to brace his hands on the edge of the bar, letting out a wistful sigh. "I haven't been to Lucien in an age... Stayed there for about ten months back when I was younger. The league is where I learned to box, in fact! I was only a member about six months before I moved on though. Do you still box?" A nod. "Well, hey, if you're ever looking for a sparring partner, just ask! I've got all the gear needed -- not really anyone but me around here who knows the rule sets and whatnot, though. Justice - that's our sheriff - sometimes is up for a few rounds but boxing isn't really his thing so he only knows the bare basics. It could be a lot of fun to have an actual challenge again!"

Lindsay smiled. "I'll keep it in mind." He held the menu up to him. "Special, and water, please."

"The special comes with yakmel milk, did you want water instead of that? Both?"

Lindsay considered a moment, glancing back at the menu before holding it out to him again. "Um...both, but make the water a small."

"You got it," Owen chuckled, tucking the menu away and heading off to the kitchen.

Stewed beef and potatoes, sandberry egg soup, and a tall glass of yakmel milk to wash it all down -- an easy order, and it didn't take long to cook. As he brought the dishes out he noted Mason taking a seat on the stool to Lindsay's left, hunching over and looking surlier than usual.

"Afternoon, Mason - the usual?" he asked as he set the plates down in front of Lindsay and then stepped aside to get out of Grace's way as she came over with the glass of milk and water. Mason grunted quietly and didn't look up from where he'd clasped his hands on the counter. That wasn't...entirely out of character for him lately, but something about it seemed a bit off all the same. "Er...everything all right?"

The old builder was silent for several more breaths before his hand darted out and snagged Lindsay's glass of milk; turning on the stool he stared Lindsay down with a stony expression.

"You shouldn't have come out here. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave on the next train."

Lindsay looked shocked as Mason stood and downed the entire glass of milk in a few large gulps before moving to the far end of the bar to take a suddenly vacated stool.

"I...uh..." Owen sputtered a little bit -- THAT was definitely not in character. "I'll...get you another drink..."

He slowly backed a few steps up toward the kitchen, eying Mason silently, then as he turned to head through the doorway he heard Grace reassuring Lindsay with a "maybe retirement is already getting to him -- can I snag you anything else while Owen's getting that milk?" The heavy kitchen door swung shut before he heard an answer - if there was one - and for a moment Owen stood just beyond the door, puzzling over Mason's foul mood.

The guy was getting to retire and move on to (literal) greener pastures, and it wasn't like he was being driven out of his home to do it or anything - HE'D chosen to retire and leave, and that place was his until he left. Heck, would Lindsay even be able to work with Mason still here? ...he wasn't trying to convince Lindsay to leave because he'd changed his mind, had he? If that were the case it would be better for everyone involved if he'd just be honest about it immediately so Matilda could help Lindsay figure out living arrangements...it'd be awful to uproot your life, come all this way on a promise of employment and housing, only to have the housing half - which also directly impacted your ability to work! - be ripped away at the last moment.

Regardless of the reason, someone would need to make up for that rudeness.

Owen quickly poured a second glass of milk and headed back out to Lindsay. "So, uh...hehe, sorry about that. Not sure what's gotten into him. But how about this: when you're done eating we can head over to a booth and have a sit down, chat a bit - Sandrock is pretty different from anywhere else in the Free Cities and I like helping folks acclimate however I can. I bet you've got a lot of questions."

Lindsay nodded (he had a full mouth - Owen probably could have timed that better) and Owen stepped away to settle up the bills with a few folks. He split his attention evenly between the remaining customers from the lunch rush, Lindsay, and Mason -- the latter was still sitting at the bar nursing his second glass of milk and looking less prickly but more...gloomy. If he got a chance Owen would try to talk to the man and see what was bothering him but when Lindsay was done he led the way over to the booth near the main door as Grace took care of clearing away the dishes.

"Not bad timing," Owen chuckled as they sat down. "Crowd is light enough that Grace can handle things while we chat. I know Sandrock can be a bit overwhelming to newcomers but lucky for you this old barkeep has been around for just a hair longer than a panbat's age! Perhaps I can shed some light on any subjects you're unfamiliar with, or answer any questions you've got about desert life."

Lindsay smiled faintly and reached a hand up toward his chest, then paused and glanced down. "...wrong shirt." He was silent a moment, thinking. "Does that tailoring shop I saw do custom orders for clothes? As stuff wears out I'll need shirts and pants that can hold up to work without cooking me and I don't usually find ready-made clothing that fits that criteria AND me all that often."

"Absolutely - just go see Vivi, she'll get you sorted out whether it's work clothing or otherwise. I can't speak for what you'll need for your builder duties but for casual stuff around town you'll want anything loose-fitting that breathes and long sleeves to keep from getting burnt to a crisp," Owen answered. "Hats really help keep you cool too."

Lindsay nodded. "I've lived in extremely hot climates before so I somewhat recall what's appropriate for day to day living - it really is just an issue of finding things in my size that can handle how rough a builder can be on fabric."

"Ah, I gotcha. Luckily Vivi does it all: custom orders from scratch, alterations, and stuff good to go right off the shelf in various sizes - possibly even yours, so no need to worry about that."

"Got it." Lindsay hesitated then; Owen waited until he continued. "Is it safe enough to go for walks and runs around here?"

"Here in town is pretty safe. I mentioned him before but our sheriff Justice and I go way back. He's one of the toughest guys around, his partner Unsuur is very reliable, and they get a lot of help from Pen with the Church-" he stopped as Lindsay winced a bit at the mention of Pen's name. "-I take it you've met Pen?"

"Yeah..." the builder answered quietly. "Thought he was there to pick a fight at first."

Owen laughed. "He's excitable and earnest, but he'd never purposely goad someone into an outright fight for the heck of it. Now, he will probably insist on taking you down to our showdown ring to teach you the basics of combat, which is going to seem like an excuse to fight and not get in trouble for it, but he does try to do his best to make sure people are prepared for the dangers around here - in his own way. I think you'll be fine though if you've been a boxer for seven years plus some," he added, chuckling.

That got a smile out of the man. "Understood. So town is safe, but what about elsewhere?"

"That's a bit trickier," Owen answered, sighing. "We've got dangerous wildlife around, the environment can be deadly if you're not prepared, and, well, you've probably heard about our bandit problem." Lindsay nodded. "The more infamous one is Logan. He used to be a citizen of Sandrock, then one day he just went crazy and blew up a building. I guess being out here in the desert makes some people lose their minds... Other than that, you'll mainly want to watch out for the rocket roosters, the rockyenarolls - they both attack in packs and flocks so if you see one always assume there's more somewhere nearby and just try to give them a wide berth. They usually don't attack unless you get close, at the least. Then there's the Geeglers. They're mutated lizards who seem bent on causing us trouble for some reason... And, of course, there's sandstorms. It's better if you just stay inside during one of those -- we've...we've lost a lot of folks to them over the years. Our mayor is out in the desert right now trying to stop the winds from blowing sand over what little greenery we have left."

The builder hummed thoughtfully, leaning back against the booth and propping an elbow atop the back of his seat, giving Owen a good view of how built the man was. Though he'd just warned him about all the dangers he didn't think he'd have much to worry about; boxing may not be the right kind of fighting style for all occasions but just being a big guy in general ought to be a bit of a deterrent to man and beast alike, not to mention the reflexes and reactions that came with practicing the sport. (Owen was already wondering if he'd come to regret asking him to spar in the ring - he'd better brush up on his skills if he didn't want to be embarrassed).

"I heard folks on the train fretting over whether they'd be able to afford water around here so how does that work?" Lindsay asked then.

"I'd think that's a bit of an overreaction, but you'll want to talk to Burgess over at Water World," Owen replied. "It's the tiny storefront over at the water tower's base, and Burgess runs it - he's a really nice guy, and will insist on helping you carry the water back to your place after you've bought it so don't feel bad about that. We're big on conserving water out here; we have to be. That oasis has been getting steadily smaller over the decades... Buy only what you need to fill up your tank, and check the filter weekly to make sure it doesn't need cleaning. I usually keep two or three spare filters on hand so I can rotate them out when I need to clean one of them."

"Are there ever any boil warnings?"

"Burgess will warn you if there's a boil warning in effect. We usually don't get those until toward the end of the month when the water in the tower is getting low and we need to start drawing off the oasis stores. We get the majority of our water from Portia and Atara and it gets filtered and treated before they ship it to us."

He was silent for a few breaths, clearly thinking. "...I think that's all I have for now. The rest I'll learn as I go."

Owen paused as Grace came over and set two glasses and a pitcher of water on the table between them. "You two look like you'll be here awhile," she said with a smile directed at Lindsay, who returned it but didn't comment.

"Thanks Grace, appreciate it," Owen chuckled before turning his attention back to the builder. "If you think of anything else feel free to ask. In the meantime, if you feel up to chatting still - no pressure at all! - do you mind talking a bit about yourself? I like getting to know my neighbors."

Lindsay smiled faintly. "You're a native Sandrocker, then?"

"Yep - born and raised and, aside from some traveling in my younger years, I've always been here. How about you?"

"My family is from Seesai, originally. We left when I was little and moved to Ethea, then to Barnarock. After I completed school I started out on my own: Tallsky, Lucien, back to Barnarock, then Highwind, then here."

"Barnarock, huh? Arvio and Amirah are from there. How's the weather compare?" he chuckled.

Lindsay shook his head, helping himself to the water. "My time in Highwind must have de-conditioned me when it comes to extreme heat. I didn't think Barnarock was bad until I got to Highwind and remembered what actual weather was like, and now I'm here and it's too hot again."

"I do get told a lot that we're hotter than Barnarock, it just means we all have to be mindful of the heat and our health. It's not so bad once you get used to it and learn how to manage." Suddenly the man tensed, eyes on something off to Owen's left. Turning his head slightly he spotted Pen having just walked through the front door, on his way to the bar. "-he's really not so bad," he said quietly. "A bit - ...ah, well, a lot - full of himself, but not someone you need to be afraid of."

"You'd be amazed at the number of times I've been sucker punched because some guy had to prove himself or whatever," Lindsay replied, eyes still riveted on Pen. "He definitely gave me that feeling earlier."

Owen looked back to him, blinking in surprise as that sunk in. "...really? People have just up and attacked you before?"

"Yeah. Growing up it was because I've got a 'girly-sounding' name. Then as I got older they were mostly drunks, or the newcomers to the league who thought they needed to make an immediate name for themselves by picking a fight with whoever they thought was the toughest in the room. But, yeah, really. You get to where you assume people walking up behind you or approaching you with, uh...with purpose, don't usually mean well."

"Well, I don't allow that sort of thing in the saloon - I've bounced my fair share of folks out of here for bad behavior - and Pen certainly won't do that."

"If you say so." With that Lindsay...didn't quite relax, not fully, but he at least looked away from Pen.

"-oh! Speaking of the league, was Sugar Pete still there when you were a member?"

The builder snorted in amusement. "Yeah, he was."

Owen let out a low whistle. "That man was ancient even back then... He'd have to be, what, almost 90 now?"

"Nearabout. Haven't heard that he's passed away so he's probably still sitting ring side yelling at the new blood."

With a laugh Owen shook his head. "He was a character, wasn't he? Did he name you or did you get to pick yours?"

"He did. You?"

"Yeah, he picked my name too," Owen replied, grinning. Ol' Sugar Pete...Lucien's boxing legend way back when and general terror to the newest members of the league, but there wasn't anyone more knowledgeable about the sport than him and though Owen had regularly gotten the tar knocked out of him at the start under Sugar Pete he'd eventually gotten competent enough to hold his own. "I ended up with Hotfoot." A slow smile crept its way across Lindsay's face at that. "I know, not exactly impressive. What'd you end up with?"

"Avalanche."

"...ah," Owen said.

Yeah, he was probably going to regret getting in the ring with him.

[moderndentalofficelayouts]

First impressions are crucial, and your dental waiting room is no exception. It sets the tone for your entire practice and can significantly influence a patient’s mood before their appointment, which can sometimes be stressful. Fortunately, there are many ways to make your front space more inviting and comfortable through thoughtful dental office design in Homer Glen.

1️⃣ Utilize Technology to Your Advantage

2️⃣ Create an Inviting Space

3️⃣ Be Mindful of Wait Times

4️⃣ Offer Free Wi-Fi

5️⃣ Provide Complimentary Water, Coffee, and Tea

Ensure your patients feel at ease from the moment they step in!

[newarcdental]

Dental Practice Builders For Healthcare Department

Healthcare is an ever-changing industry. Diseases are discovered, cures are created, and new ways of caring for patients and treating diseases are developed. As healthcare evolves, our facilities must evolve, too. Updating healthcare facilities doesn't mean continually constructing new buildings instead of the old but rather renovating what already exists to fit growing needs. A Dental Practice Builders project can seem overwhelming because the facility still needs to operate as usual for all who depend on its services. Consider the following advice to carry out successful hospital renovations that keep employees, patients, and the future in mind.

SIGNS YOU NEED RENOVATION

Renovating a hospital is no small task, but it can solve problems, improve conditions, and ensure the institution's longevity if your facility needs renovations. How do you know if it's time to renovate your hospital? Take these factors into account:

Layout: Are services crammed into spaces that create more significant inefficiencies?

Technology: Can needed technology be supported?

Condition: What condition is the building in? Is it a 'maintenance hog,' which runs costs up?

Value: Is the building's value lower than it should be?

Energy: How energy efficient is the building? Are resources being wasted?

Dental Practice Builders planning is a significant undertaking that requires collaboration, patience, and excellent communication skills. Use these tips for a smooth and prosperous renovation process.

RESEARCH AND CREATE A VISION

No matter the size of the renovation, it's critical to do your homework. Understand the facility's demographics, objectives, needs, and wants. Examine current programs and see what's failing or needs improvement. Identify goals for the project and determine what's driving the renovations. This initial research will allow you to create the perfect blueprint that details a plan to defeat the current system and workflow shortcomings.

CONSULT HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES

Who could have better input on what's working and what isn't than those who engage with the facility and its patients daily? Healthcare staff knows what areas flow and are easy to use. They also know where operations log jam due to inefficiencies and poor planning. Listen to employees so that mistakes are fixed instead of repeated. Employees can also be an excellent resource for determining what renovations may be too invasive or how to work around the invasiveness of necessary updates.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TEAM

As you select a team for your project, you've got to consider your budget, the nature of the renovations, and the timeline you have to work with. A team that works quickly may not have the best design abilities or be too expensive. Creating the perfect team for your project means you must pick a couple of the most important "must-haves" and build a team based on that. Chances are, many of the other secondary needs will still be met.

WORK IN PHASES

Completing a large-scale hospital renovation all at once is baffling. A renovation of that scale often costs far too much money, and the entire hospital can't be under construction. Don't rush the process or make promises that can't be kept. Instead, deploy phases of renovation. Do one thing at a time to do it well and keep distractions and invasions of space to a minimum. Work with a financial consultant, your team, and the hospital board to create a detailed hospital construction schedule that determines the phases of construction, how they'll be paid for, and when they can be done.

Whether you are just beginning the initial renovation plans or trying to decide if your facility needs an upgrade at all, one thing is clear: you've got to create a plan before you act. Hospital renovations are an enormous venture, and the healthcare industry is erratic.

[some-pers0n]

I wish there was more talk about Engie's character since I genuinely believe he's the most developed and complicated merc.

He comes from a lineage of engineers and builders, all of whom accomplished great things. His grandfather, Radigan, built the gunslinger, immortality machines, several guns of gadgets, etc and etc. Fred, his father, fought in the Gravel War and (probably most definitely) invented sentry guns, teleporters, and dispensers. He's got a name to live up to. He's a Conagher, dammit. He gets in with the whole RED/BLU debacle, kills people, builds practical tools and equipment, and upholds a legacy that Radigan set before them. That's what he was always told to do, no?

You can do a hell of a lot with just that concept alone, but it goes beyond that. Engie has a deeper personality than just the surface-level salt-of-the-earth caring Texan cowboy. He's often characterized as the 'sanest' member of the group (along with Heavy) when like...no??

I mean, we got the Gunslinger. I feel like this is one of the more interesting moments in the entire series, yet we don't even see it. It's only ever implied. Engie cuts off his lower right arm before then replacing it with a robotic version. It's a very drastic moment, one that characterizes Engie in a particular light.

Not to also mention how it's pretty easy to come to the conclusion that his sweet Texan exterior hides a more sinister and darker area. I personally think that, while there is some truth to the kindness, he generally doesn't care about most people and is just using his charm as a means to an end and to get something out of people. Engie is far from sane (just like the rest of the mercs), but yet he's always shown in that light.

Well, I can't really blame people for that assumption though. I feel like a good chunk of the reason why Engie isn't as 'understood' is because he doesn't really...have a lot of canon material. He's got his Meet the Team video, his role in Expiration Date, an entire comic (Loose Cannon), a couple appearances here and there in the side comics, and a relatively backseated role in the main comics as a partner to the Administrator.

He's...not really given too much, especially when compared to other characters like Soldier and Scout. He doesn't really have a 'moment' like the others (at least on screen). For example: Medic has the whole grafting souls and baboon uterus thing. Engie...doesn't got that. He's just sort of playing nanny to the Admin to make sure she doesn't die. It's sad. I wish there was more talk of him. He's a really fun and interesting character.

[mariana-oconnor]

The Norwood Builder pt 1

Definitely remember the name, but do I remember the story? That is the eternal question. Well, hopefully not eternal. It should be answered soonish.

“London has become a singularly uninteresting city since the death of the late lamented Professor Moriarty.”

Woe, my arch enemy who tried to kill me and very nearly succeeded several times (but who only appeared in one story) is dead. I don't know if this is more indicative of Holmes' character or ACD's lamenting 'look, I raised the stakes so high that time that I'm never going to be able to do that again'. Probably both.

“The community is certainly the gainer, and no one the loser, save the poor out-of-work specialist, whose occupation has gone."

Watson has literally told us twice that 1895 was insanely busy for you. You did a case for the pope. You dealt with that canary guy. Your melodrama is noted, sir.

At the time of which I speak Holmes had been back for some months, and I, at his request, had sold my practice and returned to share the old quarters in Baker Street. A young doctor, named Verner, had purchased my small Kensington practice, and given with astonishingly little demur the highest price that I ventured to ask—an incident which only explained itself some years later when I found that Verner was a distant relation of Holmes's, and that it was my friend who had really found the money.

Holmes really Did That, huh? Wow. Guy has no chill in so many ways. "Come and live with me, Watson, and give up your practice! I'm sure you'll find someone to take it on. What's that? A convenient buyer of whom I know nothing. Nothing at all. Any family resemblance is purely coincidental!"

As it opened there came a tumultuous rush into the hall, rapid feet clattered up the stair, and an instant later a wild-eyed and frantic young man, pale, dishevelled, and palpitating, burst into the room.

What does 'palpitating' mean when referring to a human person?

Ah, so just sort of shaking, then. I've never seen it used like that.

He became conscious that some apology was needed for this unceremonious entry.

I mean, he just entered the dramatic bitch house dramatically, I'm not sure he needs to apologise. You and Holmes do worse once a day and twice on Sundays. Let the boy be dramatic. He's probably earned it. He fits right in, anyway.

"I am the unhappy John Hector McFarlane.”

Once again, I see this and my brain immediately asks if there's a 'happy John Hector McFarlane' out there somewhere, just living his best life, not even palpitating slightly.

“I am sure that with your symptoms my friend Dr. Watson here would prescribe a sedative."

I'm sure he would rather prescribe brandy.

...it was not difficult for me to follow his deductions, and to observe the untidiness of attire, the sheaf of legal papers, the watch-charm, and the breathing which had prompted them.

OK, so Watson's doing really well at working out Holmes' thought processes from his conclusions.

But also, Freemasons really just walking around with their secret society symbol hanging from their watch chain? How is that a secret society?

"I am the most unfortunate man at this moment in London. For Heaven's sake don't abandon me, Mr. Holmes!"

Srsly, my boy is dramatic and he has found his people.

“Arrest you!” said Holmes. “This is really most grati—most interesting.”

Good cover. A+. No one noticed a thing.

“Here it is, and with your permission I will read it to you."

Odd decision to read the article rather than telling your own version of events. But I do love a dramatic reading.

And Watson, you're a bit slow with that brandy. Where is your medical expertise, did you sell it along with your practice to Sherlock's cousin?

"He has had the reputation of being a man of eccentric habits, secretive and retiring. For some years he has practically withdrawn from the business, in which he is said to have amassed considerable wealth."

How very Bilbo Baggins of him. This smells like a motive. I wonder if he has Sackville-Oldacre relatives.

"The police theory is that a most sensational crime has been committed, that the victim was clubbed to death in his own bedroom, his papers rifled, and his dead body dragged across to the wood-stack, which was then ignited so as to hide all traces of the crime."

They're really throwing all the information available out there to the public, huh? No concept of security or secrecy in Victorian London, oh no. We have to put all the dirty details in the paper for everyone to see.

"The conduct of the criminal investigation has been left in the experienced hands of Inspector Lestrade, of Scotland Yard..."

Oh hai, Lestrade!

"I knew nothing of this affair until I was in the train, when I read what you have just heard."

Yeah, that'll fuck up your morning and no mistake.

“‘Here is my will,’ said he. ‘I want you, Mr. McFarlane, to cast it into proper legal shape. I will sit here while you do so.’"

No pressure. Just write up this legal document in front of me. Also, it's a will mystery. I love a good will mystery.

"I found that, with some reservations, he had left all his property to me."

Of course he has, I knew he would from the moment you said he knew your parents. Also, this does nothing to make you less of a suspect.

Mr Oldacre is also a member of the dramatic bitch club, it seems. You couldn't just write out your will somewhere else. You had to get the beneficiary to write it out without even telling him he was the beneficiary? No one in this story has the slightest bit of chill.

"The will was duly finished, signed, and witnessed by my clerk."

This feels like a conflict of interest. I feel like the person receiving the inheritance shouldn't be the one to write up the will. I know that Mr Oldacre still had to read and sign it and there was a witness and everything, but it still feels weird.

"‘Remember, my boy, not one word to your parents about the affair until everything is settled. We will keep it as a little surprise for them.’"

I'm guessing that this is because the McFarlane parents have crucial information, such as 'he's a terrible person. we hate him. he will try to frame you for murder' or 'we have never met this man before in our lives'.

We are now getting into the familiar vibe of 'rich person coerces young not-rich person into doing things against their better judgement by promising them money'.

"He remarked that we must not disturb the housekeeper. He showed me out through his own French window, which had been open all this time.”

“It strikes me, my good Lestrade, as being just a trifle too obvious,” said Holmes.

I know I say that all the time, but I have the benefit of knowing that I am reading mystery fiction and therefore the most obvious solution is probably not the correct one. Holmes is just being contrary by saying it here. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred the obvious solution is going to be the correct one.

I agree that it would be a stupid move on Mr McFarlane's part, but even so you can't really fault Lestrade for following the evidence to this point.

“Why should the tramp burn the body?” “For the matter of that why should McFarlane?” “To hide some evidence.”

The obvious conclusion to draw here is that it's not Mr Oldacre's body. And he has buggered off somewhere quite merrily with the contents of his safe having suitably fucked over Mr McFarlane for as yet unknown reasons. Hope it wasn't a random passing tramp that he beat to death and burnt. Because that's a dick move. If you're going to kill someone, at least have a personal reason for it.

"I dare say that in the course of the day I shall drop in at Norwood and see how you are getting on.”

I assume after your trip to Blackheath? To see what the elder McFarlanes have to say about Mr Oldacre and if they've ever met him. Maybe had him bury someone in a wall or under a patio for them. Normal things.

I don't seem to remember this one, either. Man I really did not pay attention as a child, huh? Makes it more fun this time around, though.

[stargazer-sims]

More new hospital staff!

This is Molly Brightman. She's a licensed practical nurse, and the daughter of ER doctor, Dakota Brightman. She had a turbulent childhood, bouncing around from place to place due to her father's military career, and then spending a few years with her paternal grandparents during and after her parents' divorce. Eventually, her father was granted custody of her, and he was discharged from the Armed Forces soon after, and then they moved to Willow Creek for a fresh start in life.

Despite her history, Molly is outgoing and upbeat. She makes friends easily and is popular with her co-workers. She's a horse girl, and she loves everything to do with outdoor life.

Next, we have Laila Alhadi, registered nurse and paediatric nursing supervisor. (She's Victor's boss).

Laila always wanted to be a nurse, from the time she was a young child. Her parents encouraged her to pursue her education, and were extremely proud to see her graduate with a nursing degree. Laila and her husband Ali held off having children until after she graduated from university and got her first nursing job, and Laila is grateful that they waited as it gave her a chance to establish herself in the profession. Now, their oldest daughter is in university, and Laila encourages her just as much as her own parents encouraged Laila.

Nursing is Laila's passion, and she loves her job in paediatrics even though it's very difficult and can be heartbreaking at times. She knows she's doing good work, and takes pride in caring for children as well as offering support for their families. She's a team-builder and thinks of her nursing colleagues as extended family, and they in turn feel safe and comfortable going to her with just about anything.

This is Dr. Abigail Reid-Mayfield. Abbie is a paediatrician, and the long-time best friend of nursing supervisor Laila Alhadi. Like Laila, Abbie is a team-builder. She likes to think her department is the best run in the whole hospital (and she may be right!)

Outside of work, Abbie's favourite thing is food. She loves to cook and she absolutely loves to eat. She enjoys trying new restaurants, hosting dinner parties for her friends, and trading recipes with her colleagues. Her other pastimes include knitting and writing. She also likes to travel, and she's participated in medical exchange programs to other countries a handful of times, which were experiences she really found fulfilling and fascinating.

Abbie is married and has one son, who is currently in university, studying to be a teacher.

[paralaxpolarity]

"🇴​​🇺​​🇷​ ​🇲​​🇮​​🇳​​🇩​ ​🇮​​🇸​ ​🇪​​🇳​​🇷​​🇮​​🇨​​🇭​​🇪​​🇩​ ​🇧​​🇾​ ​🇼​​🇭​​🇦​​🇹​ ​🇼​​🇪​ ​🇷​​🇪​​🇨​​🇮​​🇪​​🇻​​🇪​, ​🇴​​🇺​​🇷​ ​🇭​​🇪​​🇦​​🇷​​🇹​ ​🇧​​🇾​ ​🇼​​🇭​​🇦​​🇹​ ​🇼​​🇪​ ​🇬​​🇮​​🇻​​🇪​." - Victor Hugo

THE BASICS

This is Daffy, using any pronouns albeit with a preference for they/them, writing in UTC-6/MDT or UTC-7/MST, depending on the timezone shenanigans. I write Kanti Jagx, who's the primary focus of this introduction, as well as 571401-TR/ "Tobs Ri", who's intro will be up shortly. To find starters or interactions for my characters, the format will be [characterfirstname]: starters or [characterfirstname]: interactions. This is a standard format across the blog for all musings, mirrors, etc., and as I start introducing these tags, I fully intend to make a directory, which will be linked HERE.

To get an idea of Kanti, I've included a bit of the app, specifically that first part!

[ lily gladstone, cis-woman, she/her] Look who just landed! KANTI JAGX, I sure hope you packed all you need. Perhaps you’re not worried as an ER DOCTOR of JAKARTA GENERAL. The city has plenty of spots for a 37 year old HEXTECH USER like you. You’ll be known in the city soon enough as THE DIPLOMAT, being EMPATHETIC and COMBATIVE.

MUSE STATISTICS:

Full Name: Kanti Jagx Kanti: An Indigenous North American Algonquian name meaning 'sings'. Jagx: A bit of a homebrewed name meant to tie back to the "jackers", or a type of builder who worked on support structures of early colonies. Nickname: N/A, call her Kanti or Doctor Jagx. Date of Birth: By the Earth calendar, Kanti was born on January 15th, 2368. Gender: Cis woman Pronouns: She/her Sexual Orientation: Bisexual Romantic Orientation: Biromantic Current Age: 37 Earth years. Modification: Hextech user Affiliation: She is unaffiliated with a set group, but is working at Jakarta General. Birthplace: New Jakarta, Mars Current Neighbourhood: Mawar District Occupation: She is an ER doctor and, as such, is determined to be as neutral as possible. Known Languages: Siksikáí'powahsin (home), Mandarin, Martian Sign Language, English, Filipino, Thai, Martian Pidgin, Japanese.

PERSONALITY:

STR: 10 DEX: 10 CON: 13 INT: 13 WIS: 15 CHA: 12

Positive Traits: Empathetic, patient, selfless Neutral Traits: Uninvolved, methodical, honest Negative Traits: Combative, contrary, proud Peeves: Late coworkers, slow walkers, pen clicking Fears: Public speaking, dogs, flying, failure. Skills: Hextech use, medical knowledge, Martian cultural understanding Goals: Moving to Earth, helping keep as many New Jakartan citizens alive as possible, making it through her next shift.

FAVORITES:

To say the past shift was shitty was like saying New Jakarta was a stressful place to live: accurate on the surface, but a gross oversimplification once you actually started digging into the situation. The street stunk like old fish and everything seemed coated in a damp layer, though whether it was a layer of water or grease was anyone's guess. Kanti didn't know and she had long-since stopped caring about such trivial matters. Her first solo shift was done and under her belt. The years of worry and anxiety could finally let up and yet, there she was, hands twisting in her shirt and nausea churning in her stomach, as if Kanti was just another medical student again, trying and failing to prove herself. Sure, her shift had gone well, but how many people didn't make it to today because she was still uncomfortable using hextech? It wasn't exactly like they got to practice with it in class, not with how much it cost to operate. But, as Kanti's father always said: "What's done is finished". There wasn't much she could do now, and so instead she sat huddled at a small street booth masquerading as a restaurant down in the slums. It was a hard place to find, but their fried noodles had been Kanti's favorite since she was a kid. She sat beneath the flickering neon and ate the noodles. At times, she even thought her parents were eating them with her. Kanti smiled. This, more than anything, was worth her work.

Likes: Mornings, sunshine, summer, cats, cooked fish, old movies, printed books, the smell of antiseptic, warm blankets, cool showers.

Dislikes: Late nights, rain, winter, dogs, pork, virtual reality games, audiobooks, smoke, the smell of the slums, cold floors, uncomfortable shoes

Hobbies: Reading, journaling, growing plants, and cooking

Habits: Chewing on the ends of pencils, popping her gum, chewing her fingernails.

One Cherished Item: A locket from her parents' wedding. It has a holo-photo of them as well as a recording of their laughter.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

So kinda medical question (not a “what do symptoms mean”, more a “what can I do to ease some symptoms I know the cause of at home”)

So I was at the gym yesterday and I was pretty much forced to do a exercise that was much more intense then I should have with no warmup or breaks (i literally wasn’t allowed these things because I was with a man whose practically a body builder and expects everyone to immediately be at that same level he is).

It’s the next day and I can’t walk, every few steps I take my legs almost give out and I have to support myself on a wall or counter. It’s also very painful since my legs are constant tingling and very tender, Unfortunately I have to do this same workout either tomorrow or the day after that (again I don’t have a choice to not). How can I make this pain and weakness go away quick enough to not fall and break something if I even attempt anything at the gym in 1-2 days

Why are being forced to—can’t you tell them you’re injured?? Drop a damn dumbbell on his foot, it doesn’t take much force to break those bones. (Ok don’t actually do that but still. Freaking people.)

Protein helps with rebuilding muscle, NSAIDs like aspirin or naproxen or ibuprofen help with inflammation and pain, hydrate a lot as well and try to rest your legs as best you can. And then tell this person your nurse friend says to piss off and let you get stronger in ways that work best for you, not them.