#My mind was drawing so many blanks aaaa

[poppydedicant]

🌸 If you get this, answer with 3 random facts about yourself and send it to the last 7 blogs in your notifications, anonymously or not! Let's get to know the person behind the blog. 🌸

I honeslty have no idea what to say about myself. I truly have no big, interesting facts worth noting, but I'll think about some that could be remotely close.

When I was small, my mother and teacher discovered I was really good at patterns, despite not knowing what they were. I just went to take an exam at my kindergarten class, arrived to class late, was asked to mark the patterns and did it so fast, I finished before my classmates who had already been taking the test before me, with time to spare. That carried all throughout my life even though I did not dedicated myself to better that ability, so to speak. It is what has helped me go through life, basically -- a good example would be with exams, details I should remember and all that, I remember mostly by patterns than by anything else. My brain is really good at noticing leitmotifs in songs and other familiar rhythms because of it.

My native language is Latin Spanish (I've rambled enough about how I played XVI in that language and thoroughly enjoyed it/prefer it,) I learned English all throughout my life, ever since I was small. My mother encouraged us to learn both words in Spanish and English, to look for their meanings in the dictionary if we were lost, to watch shows and read in both English and Spanish and I am truly grateful for that now. I still have much to learn of both languages, for sure, but I am glad I've reached a point in which I feel comfortable talking to others in any of the two.

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Biotechnology. Even though my dream is to become an author, a lot of events that occurred during my time at university made me end up choosing to finish the career I had much more credits filled for at one point, which was Biology. I took Biotechnology because I was deeply interested in Immunology and, honestly, I still am. I don't regret my decision, I just wish I had the confidence and experience to be accepted in a job related to it.

[gofishygo]

mito mito mito hihi 😋

i’ve been having some thoughts n i felt like sharing w the class newayssss

so i was having bubble tea earlier and i started thinking,,,,what cod characters would like it? i feel like price def wouldn’t,,simon wouldn’t mind it but he does def think its too sweet and proper tea is superior and blah blah blah (i acc don’t know im kinda divided on that like i hc him as a sweet tooth but bubble tea,,,ehhh i feel like he wouldn’t like it all that much like he’d be all grumbly about it,,, idfk

johnny and gaz i think would like it lots ,,

i also think alex wouldn’t like it abd farah would (i js like hc farah as this secret softie ok leave me alone 😞)

but THAT got me thinking,,,, what other food preferences would they have ?? i think gaz would rlly like sushi (saw a fan art of him on a sushi date w the reader and i forgot who made it but ):$/:)/&!:!!!!! it was so cute) and i also think gaz would handle spicy food well ?? and he would like seafood in general methinks (tryna think of some select seafood items he wouldn’t like but im drawing a blank bc im vegetarian shusbssjnsuen)

idrk ab simon and johnny and price,,,,,,out of them 3, i feel like simon or johnny would have the biggest sweet tooth (they’re on like completely dif ends of the spectrum character wise but shh i js know it) but they all eat A SHIT TON like the food could be burned or too salty or smth but if they’ve js come back from a mission then they’re eating that shit UP. and asking for seconds. and thirds. they would still give u food feedback if it’s some other day tho

also johnny is extremely passionate about haggis. no i have never tried it yes i js know he is ok moving on

KONIGGGG hmmmm,,,, i have no fucking idea lmao i think? a lot of german cusine involves bread and stuff,,,so……………i think he’d have rlly bland meals idk

i’ve been rlly into keegan lately but i cant come up w anything for him aaaa

also gaz would be the only one who knows how to use chopsticks. the others would learn fast being in the military and all but gaz and chopstick skills js make sense???

ANYWAY im soso sry for rambling sm lmao this is a lot of words,,,,,and this isn’t a req by any means !!! js needed to hear ur thoughts bc food is js calling to me like “ok but would blank character like this” like. urgh. ok im done now i think but yeah food preferences for cod characters of ur choice

ALSO !!! THE IOS SHARK STICKERS REMIND ME OF U,,,,,look at them$:!!;&:!3 OK IM ACC DONE NOW BYE BEY MITO HIPE U DONT FALL ASLEPE READING ALL THAT

AHHH hi weebun !! ^^ i was literally having bubble tea with my sister like a few hours ago and when i checked the inbox n saw this i BOLTED !! sorry for never responding to this, i forgot inbox existed..,

notes: shittily wrote as this as a warmup/just general yap :> sorry for messiness and incoordination.., platonic, no warnings !! unless ur lactose intolerant idk

so you'll be jus chillin w the 141 on base and then say something like "boba is absolute gas shits better than normal tea" and of course, since the majority of the taskforce is british, you get absolutely fucking jumped for it. like- keep in mind, you say this price, the NUMBER ONE TEA AND BISCUTS DEFENDER, so you do end up getting toilet duty for a week with the explanation of 'uncordial behaviour.'

but after your deployment, you are the one to arrange where the 141 meet up. it's a little ritual you guys have developed to stay connected in between missions, one that makes your friendship seem a bit more real. sometimes the only thing that keeps your eyes open and heart pumping. and since you're an absolute fucking menace, you ask if you can meet around the heart of london- and then drag them all into the nearest bubble tea store you can.

-

price... doesn't end up liking it. takes a total of two sips, nearly chokes on the pearls, and then sets the cup down. he claims he's been around long enough to know that this- like many other foods, is probably some 'trendy millennial bullshit that'll disappear in a solid few', but that doesn't help ease the insane side eye that he gets from the cashier.

but to your surprise, ghost seems somewhat okay with it. his face doesnt really change (from what you can tell- his mouth is still hidden due to some face mask he put on), but he seems neutral, relaxed, even. he mutters something along the lines of how it isn't too bad, but it doesn't beat a cuppa- to which you chose to ignore, and how he'll probably just stick to having an earl grey in the mornings. but a few months later, you catch him at the same boba store, and you cant help but giggle to yourself.

soap fucking inhales the drink. its genuinely concerning, to say the very least. he seems to like.. unhinge his jaw like some kind of snake, and then inhales the whole drink in what you think is a millisecond. and since he's the only scotsman on the team- thinks the whole 'tea n biscuits' ritual his colleagues have is utter stupidity, so not only does he now FREQUENTLY drink boba because he likes it- he also drinks out of utter spite.

gaz is the only one with a seemingly respectable opinion about boba, unfortunately. he's had it before, multiple times- it appeals to his sweet tooth and is the occasional treat after long missions. but unlike you, gaz does not value peace, and seems to keep egging soap on in chugging unreasonable amounts of the drink. (and he doesnt mention it, as he does not want to face the same punishment as you did, but he thinks that bubble tea is sometimes, just sometimes better than his cuppa.)

masterlist (some of my other stuff is better promise)

[beachy--head]

Hi! I'm new to the Japril fandom (and I'm OBSESSSSSED with them T___T they're insane!!). I just wanted to ask if you have any japril fic recommendations <33

I really wanted to see more introspection on their feelings in-show and hear more dialogue and the loving speeches that other couples got (like imagine a scene where April talks to Arizona about how (while she is, ofc, her own person) Jackson's a big part of who she is and he's her safe space or something AAAA the pAIN ifl it was Jackson verbalizing the feelings more--correct me if I'm wrong tho!) Real bummer because this couple was the best *cries* so I'm trying to fill the canon void with fics. Anyway, yeah, thanks so much for your time and also I love love your writing!!!

Hi, and welcome to the Japril experience! You're in for loads of fun :)

I do have a lot of fics to recommend! Too many, in fact. I need to do a proper (and massive) recs post!

You can't go wrong with anything written by @japril12, @japrilfools, @rose-marie-rose, @trulisthetic, @japrilmusings, @doctorkepner , @aprilandjackson or @afarawayfellow , to name a few! You can also head to my bookmarks on AO3 or ff.net to find some of my favorites. As for your specific request, I'm drawing a blank right now, but I'm going to think about it and post some recommendations if anything comes to mind!

[razbotz]

there are. SO MANY good things i can say about this movie you gusy KNOW how much i lvoe big hero 6 im sure

like. grrrlrfhdbgbggrglrburg?

i cant think of much htough

like my mind is drawing a blank

maybe if i was being interrogated about this movie or someone said something bad about it that was SO WRONG and contradicted something in it nudge nudge wink wink

the tadashi is here scene meant so much to me and still does.

im starting to well up just thinking about it AAAA

please interrogate me on many thinngs regarding this movie i love being asked questions (...well for the most part)

Say something good about this movie!

[yeocult]

yes the drawings were amazing!! it's okayyy I will defeat them soon and make my characters stronger! so that I can finally finish floor 3 and get xiangling ;-; (but I finally got 9 stars on floor 1 and 2 so yay!)

mm yeah like one or two days heh ahhh just very exciting!

I impulsively did a 10-pull with pretty much all of my remaining primogems why am I like this nooo

ohh yeah I don't know if you already know this but there's a chibi revengers series on the official youtube channel with 2 minute episodes that come out every... monday early in the morning for you :)

and uhhh I actually read chainsaw man and finished it like a week ago 👉👈 I saw many posts before that from a few mutuals including you heh and turns out, I didn't actually understand who the chainsaw man actually was until I went and read the manga, because I thought he was born like that or something 😭 yeah and I saw that there's a part 2 that's going to be released in the future! very cool :D

++ is blue period good? I haven't read it yet but I've been planning to! ^-^

+++ do you collect manga :O

HI!! i hope u can get xiangling soon, she’s super cute hehe 🥰🥰 also lol i get urges to wish all the time...definitely not healthy but at least you can build up your pity!! STAY STRONG FOR YOIMIYA😭😭 ugh i’m so torn between the banners as well </3 why did they have to be back to back T_T

also i didn’t know they release it on youtube?? AAAA i’ll definitely be checking that out soon, tysm for telling me omg

ALSO! chainsaw man is definitely my top fav mangas, beside the storyline and characters, i love the art style so much!!

and yes i do collect mangas but my collection is weakkkk😭😭

here’s all i have (it bothers me how i’m missing demon slayer 12 >_<) but i recently just got chainsaw man (peep the left corner lol) and blue period!! it was so hard to get them since they’re always sold out where i live TwT wbu? do u own any collections?

SPEAKING OF BLUE PERIOD AAAAA OMG its great. like sometimes, i just stop reading and my mind goes blank...cuz of how relatable?? or how intense it is...but it’s definitely very good!! it’s all about art, and an artist’s journey + the struggles of being an artist. it’s very good, i love the art style as well!! if you get the time, you definitely should check it out. it doesn’t have much chapters out right now but the pacing is veryyyyy good tbh (not too slow or fast) :-)

[luxmentis]

“What is Rare Book School? Is that Hogwart’s for librarians?”

Normally confused by ‘library school’, most people don’t realize there is an additional resource for rare book professionals, librarians, and bibliophiles located at the University of Virginia. Yes, there is a school to learn about books, book history, and many other aspects about information management not necessarily available on the job or higher education routes. It is not a given.  I would say there a great privilege being able to attend RBS.  Many library staff, students, and trade / working professionals have limited budgets that does not allow for supplemental professional development, like myself.  There is a real desire for the specific training. I feel very indebted to the individuals who either donate money or are part of the development administration, so that I may attend, which is what I did, on scholarship.

As a continuation of my foundational training, I chose to take Rare Book Cataloging with Deborah J. Leslie, after mostly hearing positive things about the course, but I actually will *use* this material on a daily basis. I also want to mention that even though the course was geared toward DCRM-B (which for the non library catalogers or book trade) is a descriptive standard designed specifically for more in-depth and rigorous transcription and authoritative work for cataloging. Could this apply in the book trade? Of course! I have often found that while the level of cataloging in the book trade is generally subjective, I find it annoying when certain authorities are not supplied, especially for personal names, corporate names, and certain extent descriptions. I suppose as along as you are consistent, however, how impressive would your records look to a library cataloger if they adhered to DCRM-B/RDA?! With library quality transcription of early printed materials!

Same exercise goes for collation. I came back with an enlightened understanding of creating signature statements and the art of collation counting with a Buddhist methodology. It is very Zen counting pages. You hear the crinkle of 18th century chain lined paper, as you gingerly turn the pages. When I returned I wanted to dive right now. So I did! I’m currently working on an unnamed book on witchcraft and demonology from the 17th century. My working signature statement is looking something like this:

A4 B8-R8 chi1 Aa8-Ss8 [+Ss4.2, +Ss6.2] Tt8-Zz8 [-Zz8] Aaaa8 Note: (Ss4-7 blank)(Aaaa4-8 blank)

This is proving both challenging and exciting for the book, finding all sorts of opportunities for deeper notes and observations.  On the same level, I’ve discovered the copy is actually missing pages replaced with blanks, so geeky cataloging stuff, someone down the road would find interesting. In addition to, as a bibliographer and a bookseller these are critical and active nuances of printed materials that are hyper-important for collectors and undoubtedly, inventory illuminations.

The real veggie casserole dish (as opposed to meat and potatoes) for me was in addition to collegial nature of RBS was the opportunity to take some personal time out for independent research. Generally even on “vacation” [because you really never take a vacation as a bookseller], I tend to visit libraries, if just for the building sometimes. However, with purpose and a looming deadline for a presentation, I decided to spend some time in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at UVA.  I’m currently doing research for a paper I’m presenting in September on occult book plates, I’m affectionately calling “Hexlibris,” as opposed to “Sexlibris” which is another talk I could do on Satan and phalluses. #hexlibris #sexlibris [don’t steal, muggles] Anyway, I’m on the hunt for bookplates. Witchy, occulty, masonic, magical ones. I do know that UVA has a large collection of Cotton Mather books, rather “pamphlets” originally gathered by industrialist William Gwinn Mather and donated by Tracy W. McGregor. The books stayed in the family.

Cotton Mather’s bookplate is rather simple, a small white letterpress label with a simple decorative border, almost perfect for a Puritan. William G. Mather’s bookplate is illustrated with a drawing of the elder Richard Mather (Cotton Mather’s grandfather) engraved within a book looking rather John Dee-like. Above that image, an illustration of the Gwinn Mather estate.  The majority of the book contained the ex libris of William G. Mather or Tracy McGregor. Nothing especially metaphysical for my research, so I only looked at a few. There was one book, though, that piqued my interest more than the other I was familiar with titled: “Warnings From the Dead. Or Solemn Admonitions Unto All People; But Especially Unto Young Persons to Beware of Such Evils as Would Bring Them to the Dead” by Cotton Mather. ; In two discourses, occasioned by a sentence of death, executed on some unhappy malefactors. ; Together with the last confession, made by a young woman, who dyed on June 8. 1693. One of these malefactors …  I almost did not look at this book. 

The book was trimmed to fit the binding and was missing part of the title page, however there was enough information, including the publisher and subsequently the bookseller, to identify the correct copy.  So, as I started to leaf through the volume, (mind you the binding is glaringly tight, I propped the book gently with another foam the book cradle). I started with the flyleaves, endpapers, etc. I noticed on the front flyleaf an inscription: “Abigaill Faxson Her book” written in what appeared to be contemporary hand. This was noted in the record. When I turned the leaf, an autograph jumped out at me and I could not believe my eyes. Written in the same period handwriting was the name of “Abigaill Williams,” above that an inscription: “James Bradford is Read it out.” [see images] I returned to the print out of the record and did not see a note for the second set of inscriptions and autograph which baffled me.

Abigaill Faxson Her Book (sic) January

Title page

Abigaill Wiliams autograph and inscription

Why this might not mean much to most people, it sure as heck meant *a lot* to me. Partially as a cataloger, if I was doing DCRMB/RDA, I would certainly include the autographs and the inscription in the record, but more so as a researcher of early American witchcraft, c. 17th-18th century, this is huge.  Depending on your level of cataloging parameters, I think in this case, it might have been worth recording that information.

Basically, what this opens up for me is a research project on provenance. The questions I immediately want to know why the specific provenance and secondly, it is contemporary to the publication?  There is every indication that Cotton Mather given the subject matter of the sermon was adamant about saving the souls of damned youth guilty of crimes of lust and aberration. We know Mather had contact with Elizabeth Emerson, the young woman who murdered her newborn children in 1693 and was found guilty, executed, but we know Mather had an influence on her original non-guilty plea. He proselytized heavily on the salvation of young people’s souls.  Could Mather or “James Bradford” have read this sermon out to Abigaill?

Additionally, the front flyleaf provenance is also puzzling. “Faxson” is shown in a several genealogical records as a surname for the early part of the 18th century, but without further research, I’m not sure how far back. It is certainly not as common in the Boston/New England area as say, Bradford, Williams, Smith, etc. One clue would be to figure out who is this other Abigaill.

Note on spelling of Abigaill: I have seen so far colonial name spelling conventions for Abigaill spelled with two lls, however uncommon.

After 1693, Abigaill Williams was, for the most part, wiped from the obvious record of history. There are unsubstantiated claims she travelled to Boston and became a prostitute and died a few years later at the age of 17. While there is very little to go on about her life, at this point, this autograph in Mather’s sermon perhaps sheds light on a little more. Then again, the notations could prove very little and rather than piecing together something outlandish and speculated, I would let it rest. Yet, theory is what motivates research. Given my background and combined interests, this is an exciting springboard for me to continue searching for an explanation.  As a cataloger, I would hope that one day, notes will be added to the record reflecting a substantiated provenance. As a researcher, I would like to find Abigaill.

Best advice: Don’t be afraid to look on the “wrong” side of history.

-Kim Schwenk, Rare Book School 2018

Turning over a new leaf at Rare Book School, 2018 and the hunt for 'hex libris' "What is Rare Book School? Is that Hogwart's for librarians?" Normally confused by 'library school', most people don't realize there is an additional resource for rare book professionals, librarians, and bibliophiles located at the University of Virginia.