#North Japanese Hill Cherry

[drstonetrivia]

Chapter 7 Trivia

A-Hakone we will go, A-Hakone we will go, Heigh-ho, the volcan-o, A-Hakone we will go.

Senku seems determined to break all the pots even if, to me, it doesn't match up with what his goals are.

However I'm imagining whoever Tsukasa revived next was using pots crafted by Tsukasa's hand. (If they decided to remake any)

~80km, or about 17 hours of walking (at about 5km/hr), basically as the crow flies. Taiju could run it in 5 hours, going at 16 km/hr. They stop for one night and probably do the trip in two days.

The Tokyo <-> Hakone route becomes pretty important down the road.

With Senku's crude sextant, he just lines the sights up with the sun and reads the angle that way. A proper sextant has mirrors, so you adjust the angle until the horizon and sun are aligned in the view piece.

If we assume the sun rises at 5:30AM (it's currently around springtime), then 35,970 seconds later is 10 hours later, making it about 3:30PM.

Modern buildings simply aren't built to last thousands of years. Needs change, and thus things are only built to last ~100 years, so it makes sense that there's nothing left.

If you wanted to build something to last 3,700 years, check out the Great Pyramids for inspiration!

Interestingly, skyscrapers may last longer because of the amount of glass in them and the strength of the concrete. This is probably why Roppongi hills is still identifiable but people's houses aren't.

Obviously this doesn't account for severe natural disasters.

If they're in Kamakura, they did not go as the crow flies, and the whole trip becomes 94km (20 hours of walking).

Fun fact: if you visit the Great Buddha, you can peek inside the hollow structure from the back.

Bronze can last an incredibly long time. the Antikythera Mechanism survived for around 2000 years despite the seawater thanks to bronze's resistance to corrosion. Like Senku says, bronze will also leach copper into the soil, which can kill plants if there's a high amount present.

Prunus yedoensis is one of the most widely planted cherry cultivars, and they're all clones of the same plant. This works by grafting a branch onto another tree, making the "top half" a cherry tree, or alternatively just using cuttings.

The tree itself has a short lifespan.

These are Japanese Horsetail, better known as tsukushi. They're similar to asparagus in appearance and taste, but have hollow stems.

Senku needs one hand on his stick to check stability, so he holds his shoes in one hand. Yuzuriha can hold her shoes in both hands. Taiju needs both hands to hold all their stuff, so his are tucked into his belt.

I thought it was a nice detail :)

Nitric acid burns skin, so I assume RF would too, but Yuzuriha is saying it's cold? Is she talking about the stone feeling cold? If that part of her foot is fully stone, how is she walking if she can't bend her toes? Is it just a stone layer on top of skin?

I've got questions.

Detective Tsukasa is on the case! He seems to have some basic tracking knowledge, but more impressively he can predict Senku's moves very accurately using both his knowledge of science and possibly fighter's instincts. Senku doesn't stand a chance…

Hakone is in a volcanic region with lots of natural onsen and a view of Mt. Fuji to the northwest. This scene resembles Owakudani - a geothermic area north of Mt. Hakone, along the Hakone ropeway route.

Owakudani natural hot springs seem to range in temperature between 36.3 and 96.0°C. There's no telling what the exact temperature of the pool they chose is, but Senku obviously can't take the heat.

Senku uses the terms "gunpowder" and "black powder" interchangably. This isn't technically incorrect, as up until recently they were the same thing. Nowadays, we also have smokeless powder that can be used for the same purpose.

(Also, if you don't recognise the tune at the beginning of the thread it's "A-Hunting We Will Go", a folk song/nursery rhyme.)

Finally, several of these were taken directly from Caleb Cook's trivia, so credit where it's due.

[severewizardphilosopher]

Places to Go for Vacation

Introduction

Planning a vacation is an exciting endeavor, and the world is brimming with remarkable destinations to explore. Whether you're seeking natural beauty, cultural richness, adventure, or relaxation, there's a perfect vacation spot for everyone. In this article, we'll take a tour of some of the top places to go for vacation, each offering a unique and unforgettable experience.

1. Bali, Indonesia

Known as the "Island of the Gods," Bali is a tropical paradise with stunning beaches, lush rainforests, and vibrant culture. Visitors can explore ancient temples, enjoy water sports, and savor Balinese cuisine. Don't miss the tranquil rice terraces and the energetic nightlife in Seminyak.

2. Santorini, Greece

Santorini, an enchanting island in the Aegean Sea, is famous for its iconic white-washed buildings, crystal-clear waters, and dramatic sunsets. It's a romantic destination with breathtaking views, ancient ruins, and delicious Mediterranean cuisine.

3. Kyoto, Japan

For a taste of Japanese culture and history, Kyoto is a must-visit. This city is renowned for its traditional tea houses, stunning cherry blossoms in spring, and beautiful temples. Stroll through bamboo forests, participate in tea ceremonies, and admire the art of the geisha.

4. Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is synonymous with paradise. Its turquoise lagoons, overwater bungalows, and coral reefs make it a dream destination for honeymooners and water enthusiasts. Snorkeling, scuba diving, and relaxation are the order of the day.

5. Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany's rolling hills, historic cities, and delectable cuisine make it a favorite European destination. Explore the charming streets of Florence, sample world-class wines in Chianti, and savor the simple pleasures of life in the Tuscan countryside.

6. Maldives

The Maldives, a collection of over a thousand coral islands, is a tropical haven with luxury resorts and stunning marine life. It's an ideal spot for beach lovers, honeymooners, and those seeking seclusion in paradise.

7. Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel nestled in the Andes Mountains, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world's most iconic travel destinations. Hike the Inca Trail or take the train to witness this archaeological wonder.

8. New York City, USA

For the bustling urban experience, New York City is a top choice. Explore iconic landmarks like Times Square, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty. The city offers a vibrant arts scene, diverse cuisine, and endless entertainment.

9. Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is a city of breathtaking beauty, nestled between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean. Explore vibrant neighborhoods, visit the Cape of Good Hope, and savor South African wines in the surrounding vineyards.

10. Patagonia, Argentina and Chile

Patagonia offers awe-inspiring natural beauty with its glaciers, mountains, and remote wilderness. It's a dream destination for hikers, nature lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts.

11. Iceland

Iceland's dramatic landscapes include geysers, waterfalls, volcanoes, and geothermal springs. The Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle, and the Northern Lights are just a few of the attractions that make Iceland a unique vacation destination.

12. Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is a bustling and exotic city in North Africa. Explore the bustling souks, visit the historic medina, and relax in stunning riads. Marrakech offers a blend of tradition and modernity.

13. Sydney, Australia

Sydney, with its iconic Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, is a vibrant city with beautiful beaches, world-class dining, and a variety of cultural attractions. The city's coastal charm and natural beauty are hard to resist.

14. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is known for its lively Carnival, stunning beaches, and iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. Enjoy samba music, relax on Copacabana Beach, and explore the lush Tijuca Forest.

15. Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia, offering a rich blend of cultures, history, and architecture. Visit the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar for an unforgettable experience.

Conclusion

The world is a treasure trove of vacation destinations, each offering a unique blend of natural beauty, culture, history, and adventure. Whether you're drawn to tropical paradises, ancient cities, or remote wilderness, there's a place for every traveler to discover and savor. When planning your next vacation, consider the experiences that ignite your wanderlust and create memories that will last a lifetime.

[jzvacationrentals]

Denver Vacation: Exploring the Mile-High Magic

Nestled against the majestic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, Denver, the capital of Colorado, beckons travelers with a unique blend of urban sophistication and outdoor adventure. As a city that sits exactly one mile above sea level, Denver offers a captivating mix of cultural attractions, vibrant neighborhoods, and access to unparalleled natural beauty. This article delves into the essence of a Denver vacation, guiding travelers through the must-see attractions, diverse neighborhoods, and outdoor adventures that make a visit to the Mile-High City an unforgettable experience.

Discovering Downtown Denver:

16th Street Mall: Begin your Denver vacation by exploring the iconic 16th Street Mall. This bustling pedestrian mall is lined with shops, restaurants, and entertainment options. Hop on the free MallRide shuttle for a convenient way to traverse the length of the mall and take in the vibrant atmosphere.

Union Station: A historic landmark and transportation hub, Union Station has been revitalized into a chic space featuring restaurants, bars, and a boutique hotel. Grab a cup of coffee or indulge in a gourmet meal while enjoying the architectural charm of this Denver gem.

Denver Art Museum (DAM): Art enthusiasts will find solace in the Denver Art Museum, home to an extensive collection of American Indian, Western, and contemporary art. The unique architecture of the Hamilton Building is an attraction in itself, making DAM a must-visit cultural destination.

Colorado State Capitol: A visit to the Colorado State Capitol offers panoramic views of Denver and the Rocky Mountains. Climb the steps to see the distinctive gold-plated dome and explore the interior, including the Mile-High Marker on the 13th step, symbolizing Denver's elevation.

Denver Botanic Gardens: For a serene escape, head to the Denver Botanic Gardens. Explore themed gardens, including the Japanese Garden and the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory. The gardens host various events and concerts throughout the year, providing a peaceful retreat within the city.

Diverse Neighborhoods to Explore:

LoDo (Lower Downtown): LoDo is Denver's historic district, known for its red-brick buildings, trendy boutiques, and vibrant nightlife. Explore the microbreweries, art galleries, and the historic Union Station in this lively neighborhood.

RiNo (River North): RiNo has evolved into Denver's arts and creative hub. Murals, galleries, and avant-garde spaces define this neighborhood. Stroll through the Denver Central Market and experience the dynamic energy of RiNo's ever-changing art scene.

Capitol Hill: Capitol Hill is a bohemian neighborhood with historic architecture, eclectic shops, and a diverse dining scene. Take a walking tour to appreciate the well-preserved Victorian homes and immerse yourself in Capitol Hill's unique character.

Cherry Creek: Cherry Creek offers a mix of upscale shopping, dining, and outdoor recreation. The Cherry Creek Trail is perfect for a leisurely bike ride, while the Cherry Creek Shopping Center caters to those seeking high-end retail therapy.

Outdoor Adventures in and Around Denver:

Red Rocks Amphitheatre: Just a short drive from downtown, Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a geological marvel and an iconic music venue. Even if you're not catching a concert, exploring the amphitheater and hiking the surrounding trails provides a breathtaking experience.

Rocky Mountain National Park: Embark on a day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, located just over an hour from Denver. Hike, drive the Trail Ridge Road, and witness the awe-inspiring landscapes of alpine meadows, towering peaks, and diverse wildlife.

Denver Mountain Parks: Closer to the city, Denver Mountain Parks offer a variety of outdoor activities. Visit Genesee Park for buffalo viewing, hike at Lookout Mountain, or enjoy a scenic drive through the historic Lariat Loop.

City Park: City Park, adjacent to the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, provides a vast green space for picnics, sports, and relaxation. The park's centerpiece, Ferril Lake, offers stunning views of the city skyline against the backdrop of the mountains.

Culinary Delights in Denver:

Denver's Craft Beer Scene: Denver is renowned for its craft beer scene, with numerous microbreweries and taprooms scattered across the city. Take a brewery tour or simply explore neighborhoods like LoDo or RiNo to discover local brews and innovative flavors.

Farm-to-Table Dining: Embrace Denver's commitment to farm-to-table dining by exploring restaurants that showcase locally sourced ingredients. The city's culinary scene celebrates diversity, offering everything from innovative fusion dishes to classic comfort food.

Food Truck Culture: Denver's food truck culture adds a dynamic element to the culinary scene. Head to Civic Center Park or any of the city's food truck gatherings to indulge in a variety of international cuisines and innovative street food creations.

Denver Central Market: Located in the RiNo neighborhood, the Denver Central Market is a gourmet food hall featuring artisanal products, fresh produce, and a diverse array of culinary delights. It's a one-stop destination for food enthusiasts seeking a taste of Denver's culinary innovation.

Conclusion:

A Denver vacation unfolds as a journey through diverse neighborhoods, cultural landmarks, and breathtaking outdoor landscapes. From the vibrant streets of downtown to the tranquility of City Park and the majestic heights of the Rocky Mountains, Denver offers a myriad of experiences for every type of traveler. Immerse yourself in the Mile-High magic, and let the unique spirit of Denver leave an indelible mark on your travel memories.

[japanesepenguin]

Walkin' About the Suburbs: Trip to D2

Tumblr increased their photo limit per post. Now I don't have to split things into stupid chunks.

I told Akina that we live in the "North Olmsted of Japan" and I keep seeing similarities and now I can't un-see them. Prepare yourself for... Japanese suburbs.

Okay, so the goal of this trip is to survive 95+°F weather to walk an hour to D2 (a department store). The purpose was to compare their garden center with the one I normally go to.

So here's the view looking north after leaving the apartment. The thing on the left is our "river", the Shirako (白子川). It's 10 km long so... not substantial. Basically a deep concrete ditch.

Here's some older homes on the north side, and...

Some newer homes a short walk away.

The walk along the Shirako transitions between small streets and fancy sidewalks, so here's one of the better-looking sections.

The general idea was to walk north along the Shirako then turn east to walk along a green, park-like area. I decided to cut the corner of those two, so you could get a standard street view.

My cellphone camera likes to be funky, but here's a view walking through the park, heading east. It's long (in the direction we're heading), but pretty narrow (left-to-right in the photo).

We need to cut across the big street that parallels the park to the north to get to D2. So here's a big road... this is different from LA in several important ways.

And here's D2. Turns out (thankfully), their stuff is ~10% more expensive than the garden center I normally go to. They also don't have a clearance section, so I doubt I'll be returning.

Regardless, bought some ground cover. This was about $2.00 and contains just an obscene amount of seeds.

Yes. Did you miss these? We've got what I think is a snail and what's undoubtedly a bird.

By way of explanation: there's a big (rather famous) river to the north called the Arakawa. You've seen it a few times before. There's a canal thing that parallels it just to the south, which I walked along a bit.

But the view along it mostly looks like this.

But some of it later looks like this. That's a cherry blossom tree.

Another street view, looking north towards the Arakawa (the green hill-looking thing in the far distance is the levee).

Anyways, that's all... I'll end with some flowers.

[veena-world]

Top 5 Most Beautiful Places To Visit In Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto, Japan is filled with spots that are absolutely breathtaking. If you're looking to enjoy a trip that will leave you speechless and breathless, here are some of the most beautiful places in Kyoto that you need to visit.

Central Kyoto

Central Kyoto is largely composed of ancient buildings and temples, making it an ideal destination for tourists. Some of the most popular attractions in central Kyoto are Heian-Jingū (aka Heian Shrine) and Ginkaku-ji Temple.

Heian-Jingū, also known as Heian Shrine, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the heart of Kyoto. The shrine was founded by Emperor Shōmu in 794 and is dedicated to the gods of the eight directions. The shrine is said to be one of Japan's oldest religious shrines and is home to a large number of Important Cultural Properties.

Ginkaku-ji Temple, located in the Arashiyama district of central Kyoto, is one of Japan's most famous temples. The temple was built by Emperor Kammu in 836 and features a number of notable gardens, including the Cypress Garden and the Night Rainbow Garden. Ginkaku-ji also houses some of Japan's most renowned Buddhist artworks, including the Five Treasures (Kongōgon).

Arashiyama

Arashiyama is a popular tourist destination in Kyoto, Japan. It is home to the famous bamboo forest and arashiyama zoo. The area has a number of temples and shrines that are popular tourist destinations as well.

Kinkakuji

Located in the eastern part of Kyoto, Kinkakuji is one of the most well-known Buddhist temples in Japan. It was built in 1397 and is said to be one of the most beautiful temples in Kyoto. The temple is known for its exquisite wood carving and lattice work which are a sight to behold. The temple also houses a 17 meter high gold statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Tours of the temple are available daily from 9am to 4pm.

Gion

Kyoto is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. It's a city that blends history, culture and modern life together. It has many attractions to offer tourists, including its beautiful gardens and temples. Here are five of the best places to visit in Kyoto:

1) Gion district

Gion is the heart of Kyoto, and it's home to some of the city's most famous attractions. The district is filled with narrow streets, ornate palaces and traditional tea houses. It's also a great place to explore for those who want to see a bit of everything.

2) Arashiyama

Arashiyama is located just outside of Kyoto, and it's well worth a visit if you're looking for some stunning mountain scenery. The area is known for its bamboo forests, waterfalls and Buddhist temples.

3) Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle was once the home of Japan's Imperial Family. Today, it's one of the country's most important tourist destinations, and it offers visitors a unique perspective on Japanese history.

4) Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)

Kinkakuji Temple is one of Japan's most iconic landmarks and it features some of the country's finest goldwork. The temple was built in 1397 by Emperor Go-Daigo and it remains one of Kyoto's top tourist attractions today.

Eastern Kyoto

Eastern Kyoto is the area east of the Higashiyama and north of the Kaede hills, which are known for their cherry blossom trees. This region has a lot to offer visitors, from the beautiful temples and gardens to some of Japan's best seafood restaurants. Here are five of the most beautiful places to visit in Eastern Kyoto:

1. Kasuga Shrine - Kasuga Shrine is one of Japan's most famous Shinto shrines, and it's easy to see why. The shrine is surrounded by a beautiful garden filled with hundreds of cherry blossom trees. The shrine itself is home to many important Buddhist statues and paintings, as well as a large kami (Shinto god) statue.

2. Ginkakuji Temple - Ginkakuji Temple was built in 1393 by Emperor Go-Daigo, who wanted a place where he could meditate undisturbed. Today, the temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations. The temple buildings are covered in over 1,000 gold seals, making it one of Japan's richest temples.

3. Fushimi Inari Taisha - Fushimi Inari Taisha is one of Kyoto's most popular gods temples and it has good reason for it. The temple complex houses over 2,000 statuettes dedicated to Inari, including several sacred mountains that are believed to be home to his spirit. 

Admission to the temple is free for Looking to explore Kyoto? This city is full of history, culture, and natural beauty that you won't want to miss. Want to see the best of Kyoto in one day? Check out our Kyoto tour package! It includes a morning visit to the Gion district and a afternoon wander around the ancient capital. You'll also have time for lunch in a local restaurant before returning home.

[lastfrontierh]

Heliskiing Definition & Meaning

A in style product for groups up to four skiers or snowboarders who're eager for a full-day of skiing with a connoisseur picnic on the mountain. The Elite Charter supplies runs in a number of the most iconic terrain within the Southern Lakes region. Alpine Heliski has developed a comprehensive snow and avalanche administration system.

We had the best guides and simple transfers, and we liked each minute of the cherry blossom expertise. Stay in a secluded and modern styled Ryokan amongst the white birch trees of Hanazono Wood in Japan’s North Island. The Zaborin Ryokan was created to embody a recent expertise of Japanese traditions whilst providing a tranquil and distant Heli skiing setting for friends to meditate and reflect. Each guest house has genuine Japanese sleeping arrangements in addition to two non-public hot spring baths – one indoor and one open-air onsen for ‘forest bathing’. Both are filled with therapeutic mineral waters from a private volcanic spring.

At the end of the day loosen up in post-colonial luxurious and splendour, and re-fuel with scrumptious home made curry whereas snow leopards and monkeys prowl outdoors. The snow is famously dry and powdery and because of the excessive altitude and the situation, there may be plenty of it. Expect glaciers, bowls and powder fields to play around in every day. For extra epic off-piste powder riding, head somewhat further down the valley to St Foy, which is a small resort with more freeride than pistes. Sign up for the To the Mountains e-newsletter to receive expert-curated offers, trip guides and snow information.

In latest months, Bold, available for constitution with Hill Robinson, has also been spotted braving the cool Canadian waters. Silvertip is an incredible Heli skiing lodge positioned on the shore of Quesnel Lake B.C. We jumped on the opportunity to visit Silvertip in March 2016 as part of its reopening.

Take a half-day or single day trip and keep in the popular resort of Baqueira –Beret for good quality but cheap dining and a vibrant ambiance. March is a good time to book as there has been plenty of snow all season, however it is slightly hotter and the days are longer . Scott Dunn Private is centered on a deep understanding of the value Heli skiing of personal travel and what which means to you. Global adventure specialist EYOS organises heli-skiing journeys to the unspoiled Antarctic wilderness. Carlos Miquel is an expert at crafting superyacht heli-skiing itineraries in the region, together with South American Superyacht Support .

[shinsengumi-archives]

Hijikata Toshizo’s haiku poems

Here’s a list of all 41 of Hijikata’s haiku poems from his book “Hogyoku Haiku Collection” (豊玉発句集), along with translations for each one. 

The translations are based on japanese-wiki-corpus (English), fushigi-dono (Russian), WhiteWind (Japanese explanations) and shinsengumi.forumvi (Vietnamese). I tried to focus on the intended meaning rather than the literal translation.

Overall, he really liked to write about spring, plum blossoms, snow and kites 😅

Which one’s your favorite?

(Image from fushigi-dono)

文久三 亥の春 豊玉 発句 集 土方義豊 Bunkyu 3, Spring of the Year of the Boar Hogyoku Haiku Collection Hijikata Yoshitoyo (commentary)

さしむかふ心は清き水かゞみ My heart is pure as I face my reflection in the water (commentary)

(Image from fushigi-dono)

裏表なきは君子の扇かな A gentleman’s fan has no front or back (commentary)

水音に添えてききけり川千鳥 The cries of river gulls— accompanied by the sound of water (commentary)

手のひらを硯にやせん春の山 Mountains in spring— I use my palm as an inkstone  (commentary)

白牡丹月夜月夜に染めてほし White peony, on a moonlit night— hoping to be dyed in moonlight (commentary)

願うことあるかも知らす火取虫 Moths, full of desire, are taken by the flames (commentary)

露のふる先にのほるや稲の花 Dewdrops fall from the tips of rice blossoms (commentary)

おもしろき夜着の列や今朝の雪 In front of the snow this morning, lined up in their night kimonos— How funny! (commentary)

菜の花のすたれに登る朝日かな The rising sun shines through the bamboo curtain— of canola flowers (commentary)

知れば迷いしなければ迷わぬ恋の道 The ways of love, if you know it, you are lost, if you know it not, you will not get lost  (commentary)

知れば迷いしらねば迷ふ法の道 The ways of law, if you know it, you will get lost, if you know it not, you will still get lost (commentary)

(Image from fushigi-dono)

人の世のものとは見えず梅の花 Plum blossoms do not appear to belong in this mortal world (commentary)

我年も花��咲れて尚古し Every time the cherry blossoms bloom, I grow a year older (commentary)

年どしにおられて梅のすがた哉 Year after year, this crooked plum tree continues to bloom (commentary)

朧ともいはて春立つ年の内 How confusing, the first day of spring has arrived before the first day of the year (commentary)

春の草五色までは覚えけり The herbs of spring— I’ll remember only five alternative:  春の鶯五色までは覚えけり (source) The bush warbler in spring has learned to sing five notes (commentary)

(Image from fushigi-dono)

朝茶呑てそちこちすれば霞けり Steam from my morning tea, here and there, merges with the haze of dawn  (commentary)

春の夜はむつかしからぬ噺かな On a spring night, we were engrossed in carefree conversation (commentary)

三日月の水の底照る春の雨 The crescent moon shines from underwater— spring rain (commentary)

水の北山の南や春の月 North of the waters, south of the mountains, is the spring moon  (commentary)

横に行き足跡はなし朝の雪  In the morning snow, there are no footprints off the beaten path (commentary)

(Image from fushigi-dono)

山門を見こして見ゆる春の月 Looking beyond the temple gate— the spring moon (commentary)

大切な雪は解けけり松の庭 In the pine garden, my precious snow has already melted (commentary)

二三輪はつ花たけはとりはやす The first two or three blossoms cause so much celebration (commentary)

玉川に鮎つり来るやひかんかな In the Tama River, the ayu fish are coming, but it’s the Day of Mercy (commentary)

春雨や客を返して客に行  Spring rain— parting ways from a guest, I visit another (commentary)

来た人にもらひあくひや春の雨 A guest arrived and made me yawn— spring rain (commentary)

咲ふりに寒けは見へず梅の花 The plum blossoms do not look cold in bloom (commentary)

朝雪の盛りを知らす伝馬町 In the Tenma district, no one knows the beauty of morning snow (commentary)

丘に居て呑のもけふの(飲むのも今日の)花見かな I wonder if I'll be up on the hill drinking or just viewing the cherry blossoms today (commentary)

梅の花 一輪咲いても 梅は梅 A plum blossom, even if it’s only one, a plum blossom is a plum blossom (commentary)

(Image from fushigi-dono)

(井伊公君）ふりなからきゆる雪あり上巳こそ (Lord Ii) The snow that fell on the third of the third month has already melted (commentary)

年礼に出て行空やとんひたこ On the way to say my New Year's greetings, a kite flies in the sky above (commentary)

春ははるきのふの雪も今日は解 Spring is spring, and the snow that fell yesterday is melting today (commentary)

公用に出て行みちや春の月 I can see the spring moon on my way to official business (commentary)

あはら屋に寝て居てさむし春の月 It’s cold sleeping in this shabby house, the spring moon shines above (commentary)

(Image from fushigi-dono)

暖かなかき根のそはやあぐるたこ (ひか登り) In the warm air, next to a fence, a kite rises (commentary)

今日もきょうたこのうなりや夕けせん Today again and again, you could hear the buzzing of kites, until dinner was over (commentary)

うぐいすやはたきの音もついやめる A bush warbler sings, I look up from my cleaning (commentary)

武蔵野やつよふ出て来る花見酒 Go to the fields of Musashi, and get drunk admiring cherry blossoms  (commentary)

梅の花咲る日だけにさいて散 Plum blossoms bloom and scatter on the same day (commentary)

Sources:

English translations: https://www.japanese-wiki-corpus.org/person/Toshizo%20HIJIKATA.html

Photos + Russian translations + commentary: https://diary.ru/~fushigi-dono/?tag=5054930&n=t

Russian translations: https://morreth.livejournal.com/1280012.html

Photos + Vietnamese translations: https://shinsengumi.forumvi.com/t23-topic

Photos: http://www.toshizo.com/takara/toshi020.html

Photo: https://intojapanwaraku.com/editorgo/171083/

Art + Commentary: https://earlgreyimperial.bufsiz.jp/hijikata/tosizou000.htm

Commentary: https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1418506134

Commentary: https://ameblo.jp/rekijyo-doumei/entry-11511616596.html

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Yamata-No-Orochi: (Part 4) Erii

ITT: The Mic Drop Heard Round the World.

The sun woke you. Bright light shone through the windows, forming a halo around the curtains and projecting the shape of raindrops from the window onto the carpet. Mingfei had left shortly before you fell asleep of exhaustion and grief. 

You’d fought hard and rebelled against the world, but this last rebellion had taken you too far. Z raised, saved, and safeguarded you. But you refused to play his love game, and that was all it took to discard you. Caesar had been at your side, encouraging you to live all this time. But now that the clouds had gathered, and the darkness of the world surrounded you, he realized that, like Chance, life was not in the cards for you. And Chu Zihang? Well, he always was a sword at your throat.

Once again the world was laughing, mocking you with its silent game of keep away. Love? Syke! Happiness? Syke! Companionship? Syke!

You hated this world. Mingfei went to Erii’s room with the Desert Eagle. What was stopping you from planting your mind in the ground and tilting Tokyo into a rift in the Earth, like it was the undersea Takamagahara? To watch its towers topple, and its buildings burn would be a fitting end to a Godzilla movie.

The hotel phone rang, insanely loud. You reached over and picked it up. “Pizza Hut,” you mumble.

Lu Mingfei stammered for a moment. Then he laughed. “Hey. You, me, Erii road trip. Right now. I left some clothes for you.”

His voice over the phone, it sounded like Z’s. You are silent, mind completely inert, spirit aching. “Sure whatever.” You hang up.

You shower and pull a comb through your hair three times, leaving it to fall over your shoulders. You don't bother with jewelry or make up. He left you a pair of skin tight jeans and a shirt that said Wild Thing across the front. White ankle socks and blue low rise canvas sneakers go over your feet.

The phone rings again. Mingfei sounded breathless. “Come now! We have to go!”

You hang up the phone and dash outside. Mingfei is waiting for you in a cherry red porsche. Erii waves with bright enthusiasm from the passenger side as he gets out and folds the seat down so you can get in the back. “Erii this is my friend, MC, She’s sick like you.”

You startle. Mingfei just went out and said it. You hold out your hand and she takes it, examining your fingers with her dark red eyes. You were lighter skinned, but this girl was near transparent. She scribbled on a notepad. “Nice to meet you. You are very pretty.”

“Guys buckle up!”

Your seatbelt had just clicked when Mingfei down shifted and floored it. The engine let out a mighty growl and the car took off like a rocket down the street. But Mingfei was relaxed, with an impish, ‘catch me if you can’ sort of look. Something in your chest stirred awake.

Erii held up her notebook. “Sakura is the best, right?”

Her smile was so sly, not something you expected to see. “Oh yeah, he's awesome!”

Her nod was sassy, like, Damn Straight.

You look at him again. He was smiling like he was angry. He was acting recklessly. The buildings were a blur outside the windows. The car rumbled like a beast underneath you as the accelerator didn't let up. You weave through traffic like lightning and soon the police are tailing you with flashing lights.

If you thought you were going fast before you were mistaken. The car dug deeper, and it felt like you floated over the road. The police car faded into the distance, unable to keep up.

He pulls into a service station and pays the attendant way too much cash. “Where are we going?” You ask.

“It's a surprise!”

“Does MC like gum?” Erii held out a piece and you helped yourself. 

You lean forward. Erii was covered head to toe in clothing, despite the good weather. 

“MC said that Erii is not stupid, that Erii is smart. MC was right, you knew a lot about yourself. But MC was sad so I wanted to take her too.” Lu Mingfei was saying. “Because she cares for Erii and understands her.”

Erii looks at you for a moment. Then she wrote in her notepad, “Cheer up. Sakura is very lucky. Thank you for caring about me.”

Her expression was so earnest and happy. Did she really understand herself? You hold out your hands for the notebook and pen. You write, “I'm too sick so my friends are scared of me.”

She takes one look at the notepad and her eyes widen. She snatches it back and writes, “Erii is not scared, Erii will be your friend.”

“Please be my friend.” You say softly.

Erii reaches out and seizes your arm. Her face is serious and she nods. When you stop at the supermarket, she drags you along, purchasing snacks and a gigantic stuffed teddy bear. Erii was not interested in herself. She wanted to cheer you up! She understood beyond words the lifelong loneliness, the constant rejection, and growing up in a world that feared you. She forcefully shoves the teddy bear into your hands. And pulls you along. It's so big you can't see around it.

Her image blurs with that of Renata. If Renata had a chance to grow up, she would be this bold.

The bear is so tall it folds against the low ceiling of the porsche. You squeeze in next to it.

“MC is from Siberia. Where she is from, the sun doesn't set in Summer. And in Winter, it doesn't rise and lights dance in the sky.” Mingfei says as you take off again.

Erii swivels in a full body, “What?!” expression and you laugh. “It is true. It's exactly like that.”

“That is AWESOME!” She turns the notepad to you and then writes, “I want to visit your home!”

You recall your promise to Caesar to go dog sledding and feel a pang of regret. But your mind has already replaced Caesar on the dogsled and put Erii there. “Let’s go dogsledding!”

She looks confused.

“Here give me your notebook.” You draw a sketch of a dog sled pulled by a team of panting dogs.

If Erii’s eyes got any bigger they would fill her face. She wrote, “IS THERE SANTA IS HE THERE”

“I… no Santas not there, but we can pretend to be Santa.”

“MC is awesome!”

Before dusk, Lu Mingfei and you two ladies arrived in the town at the southwest end of Shikoku, which is more than four hundred kilometers from Tokyo. The Porsche sports car ran for a full four hours. The whole time Erii peppered you with questions about life in Siberia while Mingfei drove. She had the impression of a magical frostland full of sky and sea. Her sparkling impression was free of brutal reality. For four hours you spoke only of the beauty and wonder of the north. Erii’s notebook is filled with sketches of white quail, snow geese, cute arctic foxes, bears, seals, and whales.

    The open-air parking lot was empty. Lu Mingfei found a parking space to park the car, and opened the door to hear the tide. You could not see the sea. A large hill stood between you and the ocean. The waves sounded like reverberating between the sky and the earth.

    "The sea?" Erii wrote to Lu Mingfei, with excitement in her eyes.

Lu Mingfei nodded his head as an answer. 

Ah the ocean… maybe four hours ago you might have been upset to meet up with the water. Now you just laugh.

Erii looks at you curiously.

“Did you know I got to ride dolphins?”

Erii practically staggers. 

“If you're lost in the ocean, sometimes dolphins will rescue you.” You hook her arm in yours. “They're big and strong and won't let you drown.”

“MC knows so much.”

“Erii knows a lot about Erii’s world. I know a lot about mine.”

Erii nods and smiles.

Lu Mingfei pulled out the compass, opened the long-prepared map, and took you to the town not far away. The sign in front of the town reads Umezuji-cho. At this time of the year, the streets of Tokyo must be bustling with people, but in this small seaside town, there are no people on the streets, only a group of elementary school students in school uniforms passing by.

Mingfei seemed to be in a rush, but Erii dallied with you, asking questions and marveling at the tofu shop, or the batik store. More than once, Mingfei had to come back and usher you forward. He clearly had some sort of plan in mind.

You find out that he hurried was so you could catch the last mountain tram, which was built next to the town's shrine and had a 45-degree angle track that made a staccato sound as you climbed.

    On both sides of the track there are dense trees. These trees cover the track like thick clouds, and it is as if you are walking through a tunnel of ever-changing colors, a tunnel made purely of foliage and flowers.

Both you and Erii are stunned with wonder. You did not have such dense forests like this growing up. The air is full of birdsong and frogs and early season cicadas. You feel someone take your hand. Erii points to your face. A bright tear shone there like a pearl. You didn't know you had shed it.

  "Sakura is not Japanese, right? How do you know such a beautiful place?" Erii wrote in her little notebook.

    "I saw a drama made in Japan. This is a very famous scene from that drama. I saw that drama a long time ago."

    "What was the name of that TV series?"

    "Tokyo Love Story." Lu Mingfei wrote one stroke at a time.

 "I liked that Japanese drama so much that I searched the Internet for all kinds of information about Ehime Prefecture, and finally learned that the ending scene was filmed in Umezuji Town, and that the school and the separate stations in the drama were real. I had always dreamed of traveling to Umetsuji-cho and had done a lot of homework.”

You and Mingfei did not really know each other. You did not think he was this level of a romantic so you didn’t understand why Caesar would want to pair you two. Now it made a lot more sense.

Lu Mingfei took out a handkerchief and blindfolded Erii: "You will see a beautiful view when you untie the handkerchief later."

When he handed one to you, your jaw drops. “I can’t believe you.”

He doesn’t say anything, just ties your eyes. You feel his hand close around yours. You can’t see Erii’s expression. “Erii, I’m so excited. This is fantastic!”

You’re smiling, you can’t stop. The memories of the events of the days before roared like angry hordes of monsters in your mind, but Mingfei and Erii have shut the gates on them. His warm hand in yours, the rhythm of the sun's rays between the trees, the crunch of your footfalls on the trail, the constant sound of birds. It was all so soothing.

 You walk the decades old mountain mining path, a road with uneven stone patchwork. At the end of the road is a long closed mine. In order to commemorate the mine that raised the town, the residents of Umezuji Town donated money to build a wooden temple-style building over the entrance and exit of the mine. Each rafter is hung with carp flags for prayers, and various porcelain dolls are placed under the eaves. This is a local custom. If the town's family gave birth to a boy, they would come here to hang a carp flag, and if it is a girl will put a porcelain doll.

 “It's exactly the same as the Internet says." Lu Mingfei said.

The tracks of the mine car had long been rusted, and weeds grew among the sleepers. You followed the track to the edge of the cliff, and Lu Mingfei helped you to climb a rock that protruded from the cliff.

He pressed his hands on you and Erii’s shoulders and said, "Now you can take off the blindfold."

You untied your handkerchief. 

The sunset blooms full in your vision. The huge sun disc had touched the sea. Ten of millions of tons of seawater slowly swirled beneath your feet. The tide broke into white splashes under the black cliffs. The wind blew endless hectares of forest. The evening woods also look like the sea from a distance, a pale red sea, with thousands of treetops swaying with the wind, forming cascading waves. 

Small towns are distributed along the winding coastline, Lu Mingfei names of them one by one -- below the cliff is the town of Umezuji, a little farther away is the town of Yamamae, Tsukishita Castle Town and Matsuron Town, and further is beyond his knowledge.

    The town's small school was already empty, and the silent playground was empty.

    The Ferris wheel spins slowly but does not carry passengers. The Ferris wheel in Umezuji Town is only a miniature version, but it is magnified in the sunset, its huge shadow cast on the undulating sea of trees.

    On the track facing the sea, the yellow slow train rumbled through the small unoccupied station, which was enclosed by white railings with the signs "Umetsuji X" and "Tokyo X”. You wonder how long it had to wait for a nostalgic and romantic fan like Lu Mingfei. Music starts playing and you can't help but laugh in disbelief.

    Lu Mingfei had pressed play on the theme song of Tokyo Love Story. His phone was the latest and the speaker was good. You couldn't believe it. This nerdy little parrot boy and scared raccoon had somehow managed to comfort you completely. Outside the shadows of Caesar and Chu Zihang, he shined bright. Maybe being on a boat with him would be fun.

Erii held up her notebook. “The world is gentle.”

You look at her, expressionless. She was right. The world in its natural state was quiet and peaceful. You’d fallen asleep in violence and awakened in violence and pain. You didn't get to experience the romantic world like this very much. In your mind, you imagine Renata in her patchwork coat, sitting next to you. In your ears, she whispers. 

You open your mouth, “Make a wish!”

Mingfei turns to you in surprise but Erii follows along, pressing her palms together. You pray.

Renata. I am coming soon. Sorry it took so long.

You sat under the roof of the mine. Erii kept writing questions. Lu Mingfei answered one by one. This girl seems to have saved up a belly of questions, and now they all came out. Mostly they referenced Anime and Manga you have never heard of. That was Erii’s world, a world of cartoon fantasy. He confirmed or denied that reality, shaping and creating the world anew as you watched her listen intently. Lu Mingfei had taken to heart your words and was upfront and simple, not lying or trying to say things she wanted to hear. You nod in approval, your eyes serious. 

The sun gradually sank below the surface of the sea, the last afterglow scattered on the water. Half of the sun and its reflection form a complete circle.

   "So this is what the outside world looks like." Erii wrote to Lu Mingfei to see.

    "Yeah, that's what it's like, no Britannia Kingdom and no Celestial Organization… disappointed?" Lu Mingfei asked.

    "No, not disappointed, like this kind of world, this kind of world is very gentle." Erii used the word gentle once again. You repeated the word in your mind. Gentle. It echoes there. As if without the constant threat of death and adrenaline, there was just empty space.

   "I really like this world." As the sun is about to disappear, Erii wrote to Lu Mingfei. "But the world doesn't like me." Erii went on to write.

You stand up and move to the other side of her. You scoot as close as you can and rest your head on her shoulder. She hugged the huge bear and lowered her eyes like a cat that had done something wrong.

 "I'll be a problem for everyone and I've been a problem for Sakura." Erii wrote again.

  "I was too willful. So I ran away from home."

  "I should have gone back a long time ago but it's still a pleasure."

   "It's beautiful here, I should have known I should have come here on the first day. Thank you Sakura, MC, thank you.”

You lower your hand over hers as she’s writing.

"No."

Erii froze for a moment.

 "No." Lu Mingfei repeated.

Lu Mingfei cocked his head to look at her with a rare serious look: "Don't think you can know what the world is like by coming out to see it. I'm still confused after living in this world for more than twenty years. You've only run out for a few days and you think you understand?"

His eyes look at you too and you’re just as shaken as Erii. But he is right! You never set foot outside the Port of Black Swan and that was 20 years ago. You saw the whole world through that tiny lens and haughtily walked around like you owned the place. You judged others through that same view as well.

  "How big the world is depends on how many people you know, and for every person you know, the world gets a little bigger for you. There are many cities in this world. There are Tokyo, Paris, Cairo, London, Istanbul... but many of them are just names to you, you haven't been there and there are no people there you want to visit, so they don't really belong to your world. There are many, many more people in this world, but you don't know them, and they don't belong in your world. There are also lots of good food and fun and nice things in this world, but the world that really belongs to you is actually very small, just the places you've been and eaten and seen the sunset and the friends who will care if you live or die."

 "Whether the world likes you or not only depends on whether your friends like you or not. Everyone has a few really good friends. They like you, therefore, the world likes you."

The world… was not Tokyo, or Cassell or Hydra… The world was Renata, Caesar, Chu Zihang, Lu Mingfei, and now Erii. You turn your head back to Tokyo, unseen in the distance. How could you leave…?

“What is a good friend?" Erii wrote in her little notebook.

    "It's the kind of friend that's so crazy about that he'll believe in you no matter what, and he'll be with you no matter what.” Lu Mingfei growled low. "If the world really doesn't like you, then the world is my enemy."

    The moment these cold and arrogant words came out of his mouth, you seemed to hear a familiar cold laugh coming from behind you. The demon of the sad world sneering with all its mockery.

Together, you and Mingfei both jerked back, but behind you were only cherry blossoms mixed with fallen leaves swirling in a breeze, and there was no sign of Z. Lu Mingfei stared at you with wide eyes and you stared right back. His mouth opened. “MC. You… heard…?”

    "Wanted: a good friend." 

He turned back to Erii waiting for him with a small book up. 

    "I am your good friend, and you will have more good friends in the future." You say.

    "But as long as we are your good friends, how can we not like you?" He said softly.

She slowly crawled towards Lu Mingfei like a kitten, vigilantly figuring out his look. Lu Mingfei looks petrified and you cover your mouth with one hand while silently cheering, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

What did he expect? Even your heart was moving and you don’t even like him! Lu Mingfei is sitting here putting Kazama level moves on this girl and now that her arms are around him and her head is on his chest, he looks two seconds away from shitting himself. You ball your fist against your lips and swallow your laughter.

Clouds gathered in the distance and the sun had set, It was time to go. You would have to get up bright and early tomorrow to get on the boat to China. Your heart was relaxed again about Caesar’s decision. After all, he was just doing his best. If you died, you would go to rest. Caesar would be tormented for the rest of his days. He wasn't sending you on the boat to die. He wanted you to live. You still believed the omniscient Z. Leaving Tokyo was a death sentence. But you also believed Caesar had his own parallel script.

It was raining by the time the train came. You stand shoulder to shoulder on the platform. “Call me to wake me up tomorrow.” You say.

 Mingfei lowers his head and laughs.

“Oh you’re planning to oversleep? Once again I have to be the mature one.” You roll your eyes. 

The train splashes up to the platform and you make sure Erii has her ticket. She sits next to the window and stares outside. Much to your surprise, Mingfei sits you next to her. He gives you a fond smile and passes you a note.

  "Dear passengers, this train terminates in Matsuyama City. We are now about to leave Umezuji-cho station. The train is about to close......" A sweet female voice echoed in the carriage. 

The doors of the train close.

You open the note in your hand. The words make you squint.

You have to live.

You and Erii gasp at the same time. Mingfei is not on the train. The doors have closed. And he is not on the train!

You leap from your seat and pound on the glass door in front of the smiling Mingfei. “Where am I supposed to go?” You will miss the boat. You won’t go to China.

Your hands slowly slide from the glass. Erii is pressing her notebook urgently against it.

Lu Mingfei tapped on the window, "Someone will pick Erii up when you get to Matsuyama City. MC, find Ruri Kazama.”

    "Won't Sakura take me back to Tokyo?" Eriki took the small book and showed it to Lu Mingfei.

    "Your family won't like me." Lu Mingfei said.

    Erii hugged the furry teddy bear and lowered her head, her long hair like a colored cloak that enveloped both her and the bear.

    "Sayonara"  said Lu Mingfei.

    Erii nodded, finally realizing that this was their parting. The train ride to Tokyo will take several hours, but Lu Mingfei will not accompany her.

    Lu Mingfei's face was stern and he didn't say anything more. There was nothing more to say. This was the parting, his carefully designed parting. He NEVER agreed to the boat. He NEVER agreed to kill you. He had carefully pulled the wool over Caesar’s eyes and convinced you that he was going to dump you on the boat. You grinned and shook your head. But the train began to move before you could even think of a comeback.

[taboofables]

CP2077 OC ask game *:･ﾟ✧⚔️🤖🔮 [x]

PERSONAL.

1. what is their full name? do they have any nicknames? what are they and why did they get them? Vincent Laszlo Toth. Everyone just calls him V because he doesn’t like getting too personal. But if he feels comfortable around you he prefers to be called Laszlo. He’ll tell you himself  

2. how old are they? how long have they been living on their own? 28 as of 2077. He’s been living on his own for 10 years since he joined Arasaka

3. what are their astrology signs? sun/moon/rising. He was born on June 10th 2049, which makes him a sun Gemini, moon Libra and ascendant Virgo 

4. what tarot card from the major arcana would you associate with them? The Fool, the Hanged Man, Death

5. are they religious or spiritual in any way? Neither but his experience made him think of many things and he’s coming to a sort of spirituality in his own way 

6. which of the four elements would you associate with them? Fire for his inner strength and transformation through action 

9. which of the nine alignments are they? (lawful good etc) Chaotic neutral 

10. which of the myers-briggs personality types are they? ESTP

11. do they have any cyberware? is it cosmetic or is it weaponry/armor? Circulatory system: Second heart; Frontal cortex: Ex-Disk; Arms: Projectile launch system; Ocular system: Kiroshi optics; Cyberdeck: NetWatch Netdiver Mk.5; Integumentary system: Subdermal armor; Skeleton: Titanium bones, Bionic lungs; Legs: Fortified ankles 

12. what is their occupation? Arasaka’s personal lapdog? He’s not sure yet because he does a bit of everything but his competence in weaponry and hacking earned him a good score in the eyes of Saburo and Hanako Arasaka themselves. Sorry Goro & Oda 

13. if you were to choose a class for them, what would it be? Combat netrunner

14. what is their weapon of choice? M-179 Achilles precision rifle, Malorian Arms 3516 gun

15. what is their preferred vehicle or transportation of choice? Villefort Cortes Delamain no.21 & Yaiba Kusanagi CT-3X.  Depends on his mood and how fast he needs to arrive

16. how would you describe their style? He’s a shameless looter and wears only the best from his fallen enemies :)  But mostly it’s neomilitarism

17. are they a early riser or a night owl? Night owl. He can adapt but at any given chance he stays up late and wakes up late

18. share three songs you associate with them. Devils Got You Beat - Blues Saraceno Nu Disco Remix Limp Bizkit - Break Stuff Jonathan Davis - Walk On By

NIGHT CITY.

19. is your character from night city? if no, where were they born? what brought them to night city? if yes, what area of the city did they grow up? Charter Hill, Night City. It’s a corpo district, relatively new. Used to be a nice place until everyone with big pockets got the hots for North Oak. Now it’s just the most affordable comfort area for mid-level corpos

20. where do they currently live? describe their home. He currently resides at the Arasaka Family Compound outskirts of Tokyo. It’s a huge ass fortress in a feudal style, beautiful and old-fashioned. He has a simple but spacious room in a traditional Japanese style with a futon mattress. He loathes it & most of the people around but at least he gets fed well regularly, and he enjoys spending time in a cherry grove garden 

21. do they have any favorite spots around NC? A garden in the Glen, he found it refreshing

22. do they like to cook for themselves, or eat out? do they prefer restaurants or street food? and how do they feel about vending machine food? He doesn’t like vending machines and enjoys the food served at the Compound, even if it seems exotic to him. But occasionally he eats street food to remind himself of his past life

23. do they prefer the city or the badlands? Stone jungles all the way. He was born in the city and he doesn’t get the appeal of dirt, sand and wind

24. what gang/faction/corporation do they align with, if any? Arasaka. He always thought it was more promising than Militech despite his parents’ lectures. His fate within the company wasn’t always good but he worked hard to prove himself. In some twisted way it did pay off

25. which radio station(s) is their favorite? He switches between Pacific Dreams, Vexelstrom, Samizdat and Morro Rock

26. if they do merc work, do they have one dedicated fixer? if so, who? Not really but he enjoyed working with Rogue. Johnny was right, she is the best. Her charisma is unmatched

27. have they ever had run ins with the badges? He prefers not to attract attention even if he has corpo immunity

28. are they quick to help a stranger in need or do they prefer to stay out of other peoples business? Depends. If stranger seems to be innocent then he might, but if V smells they brought it on themselves he won’t lift a finger for them

29. do they have any favorite celebrities that frequent or live in NC? how would they feel meeting them? V isn’t into celebrities. His closest experience to meeting one would be abduction of Hanako Arasaka. It wasn’t part of the plan and at first he thought he screwed up even worse than before - she was his former boss’ daughter at the time and he was practically begging her for help. But for some strange reason she reached out to him more than once so maybe he wasn’t so terrible

RELATIONSHIPS.

30. is your friend a social butterfly or more of a loner? Not exactly a butterfly but certainly not a loner. He socializes well but currently the world of top-level managers makes him feel out of place. Not a lot of people to connect to and it’s suffocating

31. who are their closest chooms in NC? Jackie was. Now it’s Viktor Vector and Misty but he hasn’t seen them in a while

32. do they have anyone they would consider family? Judy and Panam as they went through a lot together and supported each other

33. what is/was their relationship like with their parents? They are Militech managers so they weren’t happy when he chose Arasaka. They don’t communicate ever since

34. do they have siblings? He has an older brother Andras ‘Andy’ Toth but he hasn’t spoken to him for a while either

35. how would you describe their relationship with their family? Estranged

36. who is their biggest enemy? At this point anyone The Arasakas point their fingers at

37. tell a short story about your character with their best choom. Not exactly a story but V regrets never telling Jackie how much he affected his life. Jackie was a real force of nature

38. do they have a love interest? if so, who? He might... But he’s completely oblivious to his feelings and she’s way out of his league. It’s Hanako Arasaka

39. are they in a committed relationship or do they date around? They’re not and they don’t

40. has your character ever been in love? if so, with who? Once, with another corpo girl at Arasaka long time ago. It didn’t work

41. do they believe in soulmates? No, he believes in luck and mutual efforts

42. do they believe in love at first sight? He heard about it but it never happened to him and he doesn’t believe he can fall for someone just seeing them for the first time. You literally don’t know them at all at this point. He believes that love is a mutual investment and work

43. describe their ideal date. At this point it might be something as simple as watching sakura trees blooming. Small pleasures of life

44. would your character ever get married? If he had more time to live then maybe, theoretically. If he could be with someone special and circumstances worked in their favor

45. what was your characters first impression of their partner(s)? Not a partner but rather a love interest. He thought that Hanako handled herself well given the overall situation, and even was arrogant as fuck. Maybe that’s why she impressed him, it left a mark on his memory. I mean, you kidnap someone and they pretty much insult you? Fuck yes, no gift wrap is required

46. are they open about their relationship or low key? how would other people feel about them together? They’re not in a relationship but if they would be then it’d definitely be low key. No one should know, otherwise it may create serious problems for both

47. share a headcanon about your character and their partner(s). He likes to take and touch things from her table when he’s pensive during their conversations. Occasionally he spouts self-made haiku when the mood strikes him and boy - he’s terrible at it

48. share three songs you associate with your character and their partner(s). Chris Isaak - Wicked Game Jonathan Davis - Basic Needs The Rolling Stones - Anybody Seen My Baby? Hikaru Utada - Heart Station

NSFW.

49. name three of your characters biggest turn ons. Nice derriere, beautiful eyes and maturity

50. name three of your characters biggest kinks. Not taking clothes off; Voyeurism; Footsie

51. do they like having multiple partners or do they prefer monogamy? When it comes to a relationship he’s fully committed but he hasn’t been in one for a long time

52. do they watch porn or braindances? Both but BDs beat porn. He doesn’t do it often though

53. would your character ever make an explicit braindance? No, he’s not interested and not in a position to make one

54. do they have any cybernetic enhancements that serve sexual purposes? No

55. do they have a preference for ‘ganic bodies or do they like modifications? He doesn’t care much as long as he likes the person. Organic bodies are soft and warm, they give different kind of sensations. But he’s not picky

56. name three of your characters biggest turn offs. Low IQ, overly sexual behavior, manipulations

57. what is their ultimate fantasy? or ““secret”“ kink? Don’t ask because he won’t tell you even if his life depended on it. It’s bending Hanako over her piano and giving her a hard fuck, and once they’re done it’s breathing heavily in unison against her neck, their hands holding each other, her golden fingers leaving bruises on his thighs afterwards

58. would they ever use any substances like aphrodisiacs, alcohol or drugs during sex? No, he prefers natural sensations. At least as long as his nervous system is working properly

59. what is their wildest sexual experience? He accidentally almost drowned once during sex in a bathtub

60. are they more submissive or dominant? Dominant

61. does your character need to have an intimate relationship with someone to have sex? or do they prefer being unattached? That depends on a situation. Intimate relationship heightens the effects but aren’t necessary to derive pleasure

62. has your character ever participated in group sex? No but he received invitations

63. do they like to sext or play over the holo? Yes, if there’s a appropriate time for it

64. has your character ever ghosted someone after a sexual encounter? Yes

65. how would they react if they were ghosted by someone they like after a sexual encounter? He’s already been ghosted by Meredith Stout and he doesn’t think it’s a big deal. It’s unpleasant but why focus on something that doesn’t work if you can find more opportunities?

66. do they prefer kink oriented sex or spontaneous passionate sex? If he had to choose then it would be the latter 

67. how do they get down on their own? quick and easy or do they have to romance themselves a little? Quick and easy, all he needs is imagination and a shower. Just don’t disturb him

68. in what outfit do they feel sexiest? how do they dress to impress? Anything that’s clean, fresh and comfortable to wear

69. do they like having music on while they have sex? share three songs they’d play while getting down. He never tried it with music but he’s always open to new experiences and suggestions

[matthewschueller]

The 16 Best Things to Do in Portland Oregon - From a Local

Why Visit Portland Oregon? Advice From a Local.

Portland Oregon is a quirky, eclectic mix of crazy personalities and stunning natural beauty. Every time we fly back into Portland, we’re stunned by the view of Mount Hood overlooking the emerald green forests surrounding the city. There’s no place like it, and it continues to surprise us. The city is filled to the brim with evergreens, top-tier restaurants, green spaces, bike lanes, and unique neighborhoods. Just an hour from the coast or the mountains, the options for hiking and outdoor activities are limitless.

Besides the fact that Portland is basically a city within a giant forest, it has an interesting way about structuring its neighborhoods. Throughout the sprawl of the city, there are tons of neighborhood centers, each with its own unique personality and feel. What we love most about Portland is its irreducible attitude about not giving-a-shit about what anyone thinks about it. Portland is super weird, and it’s proud of that fact. From Voodoo Doughnuts, Powell’s City of Books (the world’s largest bookstore), to Darcelle’s (our personal favorite), anything here is accepted and loved as is!

Above that, Portland is an incredibly gay friendly city. Many have asked where the gay district Is in Portland, but really, we think the whole city is kind of gay. It’s awesome, and we feel totally 100% free and comfortable no matter what part of the city we’re in. Skip down to the 16th list-item below to see a bit more about the LGBTQ+ community in Portland.

It’s no surprise that Portland has become a popular destination for people from all over, and we’ve had many friends and family members ask, “What should we do in Portland? What should we see in Portland? Where should we eat in Portland!?" Well, we are here to answer all of that HERE!

Here are The 16 Best Things to Do in Portland Oregon

1. Get Lost in Powell’s City of Books

Powell’s City of Books is an iconic destination in Portland. The bookstore is 4 stories tall and takes up an entire city block. It holds more books for sale than any other bookstore on earth. It’s enormous, and you can actually get lost in there (I have)! On the top level, there’s an isolated room full of first edition and signed books, including original print copies from series like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. It’s amazing.

2. Eat as Many Donuts in Portland as Possible

We’ve all heard of Voodoo Doughnuts, and while this is a staple of Portland’s quirky eccentric attitude, these aren’t the best donuts in the city. Don’t get me wrong, we love Voodoo, but there are a couple Portland donut shops that have risen up above the rest over the last decade.

Pip’s Doughnuts

For something a little more classic, head to Pip’s Original Doughnuts and Chai. Known for having some of the most delectable chai in the greater Portland area, Pip’s offers donut holes topped with classic and seasonal custards and cremes. Whether you come in the winter for a rich Banana Custard and Salted Nutella doughnut or a little closer to spring to enjoy their Meyer Lemon Pear Butter doughnut, you will always be able to pair them with a perfect chai or matcha.

Blue Star Donuts

Blue Star crafts its donut creations out of a brioche base from scratch and pair that with fresh fruits, herbs and spices, even liqueurs. Whether your in the mood for something fresh like their Meyer Lemon and Key Lime curd creation, something rich like the Chocolate Almond Ganache, or a classic Old Fashioned (of which there are three varieties), Blue Star has a myriad of flavors that stem from the surrounding area to tantalize your tastebuds.

3. Shop on Nob Hill’s 23rd Avenue

Perched on the North West side of downtown, 23rd Avenue holds some of the best cafes and restaurants of the city. Stroll down 23rd Ave. and grab a coffee at Barista, browse unique gifts at Paper Source, check out the view on Restoration Hardware’s rooftop or find your favorite crystals at the small pop-in shops along the way. 23rd Ave is a beautiful neighborhood full of ornate victorian homes. Walking around the area is a treat, and this is a prime area for good shopping. One of our favorite places to grab a pick-me-up is Tea Chai Te. We love sitting out on their outdoor balcony overlooking 23rd Ave.

4. Have a Scoop at Salt & Straw

Their first storefront opened on 23rd Ave. and now Salt & Straw is pretty well known throughout the West Coast. With intense and crazy flavors, Salt & Straw typically boasts a line out the door and around the corner. Try their famous Sea Salt and Caramel Ribbon, Honey Lavender, Pear & Blue Cheese, or seasonal varieties like Bone Marrow & Smoked Cherries or vegan Coconut Milk with Cashew Brittle & Pandan! Everyone is welcome and encouraged to try as many flavor samples as they’d like while standing in line. Try them all!

5. Enjoy the View at Pittock Mansion

Pittock Mansion is a famously beautiful mansion overlooking downtown Portland from Forest Park. You can catch one of the best views of Mt. Hood from there, and in the Spring, the rhododendrons around the mansion are kind of magical. It’s one of the must-see places to anyone visiting! Pittock Mansion is best to visit on sunny days in the Spring, but is perfect for photography all year around.

6. Sip Lots and Lots of Coffee

This one is without saying. Portland has great coffee. Obviously, you have to try Stumptown. Their coldbrew is unbelievable—like nectar-of-the-gods-good. It’s chocked full of caffeine, so sip slowly! Check out their iconic location in the Portland Ace Hotel downtown. The lobby of the Ace Hotel is an iconic photo spot and an even better place for people watching. Other favorite coffee shops include Ristretto Roasters, Never Coffee, Heart Coffee, Barista and Good Coffee; just to name a few.

7. Find Some Peace at the Japanese Gardens

In the hills over downtown, the Japanese Gardens holds acres of rhododendron, blossoming trees and small ponds surrounded by bamboo. It’s a peaceful place to spend the day just far enough away from downtown. With views of Mount Hood, the famous Japanese Gardens attracts tourists from all around the world.

8. Stroll Down Mississippi Ave.

Mississippi Ave. is lined with some of the best restaurants and bars of the city. It’s really active any night during any part of the year, and is always bound to bring a good time. It also has a ton of cute trendy shops and cafes. Hanging out there is one of our favorite things to do on any given weekend! The food cart pod on Mississippi Ave. has cheap and tasty options including Matt’s BBQ and Little Conejo Food Cart. Our favorite spot to grab a bite on Mississippi is ¿Por Qué No?. This hugely popular taquería serves some of the best tacos and guacamole we’ve ever had. Food isn’t the only thing that has us coming back to this neighborhood, the bars are the best. Our favorites include Prost! for beer, Interurban for cocktails, and Psychic Bar for one of the most interesting witchy atmosphere’s we’ve experienced!

9. Eat at the Food Trucks

Portland’s street food culture also has made a name for itself. In the summer, you’ll see everyone out biking down to the food carts to grab Koi Fusion, Chicken and Guns, or Nong's Khao Man Gai. There are so many food trucks in Portland, we could do a whole blog just on which ones to try… and there are a lot we can recommend. Our advice, try as many as possible during your visit. The food culture here is just as good in the streets as it is in the sheets... or restaurants, oops.

10. Explore the Alberta Arts District

Few spots are more classically Portland than Alberta Avenue. The arts district is filled to the brim with Portland grunge. Graffiti stained walls, independent and bustling coffee shops, food carts and enough weed to get the entire state high. You can find yourself wanting to stick around Alberta Ave. for a while. Head to this neighborhood to admire the graffiti art, go bar hopping, or try any one of the incredible restaurants. We recommend Pok Pok, Pine State Biscuits, Proud Mary’s and Bamboo Sushi to start!

11. Hike in the Colombia River Gorge and See Multnomah Falls

The Columbia River Gorge is home to some of Oregon’s most iconic natural wonders. Located just a 30 minutes drive from downtown, Multnomah Falls is the most popular natural tourist attractions in the state. The historic falls plummet from the foothills leading up to Mount Hood and is perfectly framed by the iconic stone bridge located just in front. It’s a very short walk from the parking lot to the falls, but for those looking for a hike, there is plenty of trail beyond the falls. The Colombia River Gorge is full of adventurous trails that will lead you up paths to find countless waterfalls and epic views of the gorge.

Here are a few of our favorite hikes and views:

Hike in Oneonta Gorge —

Oneonta Gorge is itself a scenic canyon located in the Columbia River Gorge. The U.S. Forest Service has designated it as a botanical area because of the unique aquatic and woodland plants that grow there. There are four major waterfalls on the Oneonta Creek as it runs through the gorge. Middle Oneonta Falls can be seen clearly from a footpath and is very often mistaken for the upper or lower falls. The lower gorge has been preserved as a natural habitat, so there is no boardwalk or footpath through it as such. Thus, Lower Oneonta Falls can only be seen by walking upstream from the creek's outlet. Getting to the lower falls can require wading through water that, in some places, can be chest-deep, depending on the season and the relative amount of snow-melt. Bring your waders if you want to see the iconic lower falls!

Hike to Latourell Falls —

Latourell Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls to access while still having breathtaking height and power. Access from Portland takes you first to the Bridal Veil exit off of I-84E and then a quick double-back toward the city along the Historic Columbia River Highway. Park your car at the small lot and walk about 0.5 miles down the trail until you reach the falls. There is a 2.4 mile hiking loop if you want to enjoy the scenery around the area even more, see the falls from above and hit a second viewpoint at the Upper Latourell Falls.

Hike to Angel’s Rest —

One of the closest hike’s to the Portland metro area with rewarding views of the Columbia River Gorge. This is a moderately paced hike with clear paths, good elevation gain and is an easy day trip from the city. Due to its proximity this can be a slightly busy trail but is very peaceful at the early morning hours. If you want to secure your parking spot and have a climb with little disturbances definitely arrive before 9am.

Take Pictures at Vista House —

Vista House was built in 1917 on one of the most beautiful scenic points along the Historic Columbia River Highway. Prior to the construction of I-84, this building was intended as a place of respite and relaxation for those traveling along the highway. There is still an espresso bar with snacks during hours of operation, but the main reason to stop here are the breathtaking views in all directions.

12. Take a Day Trip to Cannon Beach — Haystack Rock

On one side of Portland you have the mountains, but on the other side is the beach! An hour and a half West from downtown Portland is Cannon Beach. Perhaps just as a popular as the falls, every traveler must plan a day to check out the Oregon Coast. You’ll find impressively wide beaches with powerful waves, along with striking cliffs and rock structures jutting from the water, like the famous Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. Spend the day walking down the beach, sitting in the sun, and exploring the tide pools around the rocks. Pelican Brewing Co. at the edge of the beach is our favorite spot to hang out, grab a couple beers and watch the sun set over the historic Haystack Rock. We try to make it out to Cannon Beach at least a few times a year, we love it!

13. Drink All the Beers

Arguably, one of the best parts about visiting Portland is the sheer number and variety of breweries throughout the city. Honestly, you can make an entire trip centered around trying the beers here. We are regulars at 10 Barrel Brewing Co.’s rooftop bar in the Pearl District. We also love enjoying a local tap at Departures Lounge on the rooftop of The Nines Luxury Hotel downtown. Departures also has amazing sushi if you’re looking for a bite to eat! You’ll find us enjoying a local IPA but if hops aren’t your flavor try the local blondes, ale or stout! We have them all! Other great breweries to checkout are Deschutes Portland Brewery, Migration Brewing, Breakside Brewery, Rogue Brewery, Occidental Brewing, Baerlic Brewing, Ecliptic Brewing and many more!

14. Go Wine Tasting in the Willamette Valley

For every brewery in Portland there’s another winery outside the city waiting to help get your drink on. The Willamette Valley outside of Portland is known for its world class Pinot Noir. And really, the wineries are not far from Portland’s City Center. If you’d prefer to stay in the city, there are plenty of tasting rooms like Boedecker Cellars and Cerulean Wine. Our favorite wineries to visit just outside the city are Hawks View Winery, Domaine Drouhin, Brooks Vineyards, and Stoller Family Estate. Wander down to Willamette Valley Vineyards just an hour south of Portland for some of the best Pinot Noir the West has to offer. All of the above wineries have shipping available for those who’d like to bring some bottles home without the hassle of getting them through the airport.

15. Bar Hop around Portland and Drink the Night Away!

As a warmup, we’ve mentioned all the breweries and wineries to try around Portland. We’ve also mentioned some of our favorite bars along Mississippi Ave and the Alberta Arts District. Here are a few of our all-time favorite bars and shows around the city.

Scandal’s

This is our favorite gay bar to hang at. It’s a pretty relaxed bar, no fluff. It’s comfortable, not intimidating, and an easy place to grab a drink and relax. I love this place because of how welcoming it is, and the drinks are honestly super cheap!

Blow Pony

This is a hugely popular queer event held once a month in Portland. It is a riot, and things get crazy. For those up for a party, it’s worth coming to Portland just for this! Wear as little as you’d like!

Darcelle’s XV

Darcelle has a history with the city. As the oldest practicing drag queen, Darcelle and her girls throw a comedy show four nights a week that will leave you on the floor. We went here for our bachelor party and had one of the best nights of our lives. They are so sweet, take no shit, and will give you a show you’ll never forget. 

16. Celebrate Pride in Portland

We love walking down Harvey Milk Street downtown, popping into Scandal’s for a bit and having a drink with friends. Portland is a big city, but still feels kind of small. The community here is super personal and extremely friendly. I remember my first time at Portland Pride and how I essentially just felt an overwhelming sensation of belonging. It’s tight knit, and people really look out for each other. The gay bars are scattered throughout the city, so it isn’t dominated to just one section of town. The free-spirited, anything-goes mentality is something I’ve only also seen in places like The Castro or the West Village. There are two gay beaches, one at Sauvie Island and another at Rooster Rock, in the Columbia River Gorge. There are also a ton of community and sports groups like the Portland Frontrunners, who I run with every Tuesday and Saturday.

More to Explore

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[mhisadj]

For better or for worse, I have a job that is exempt - to a great degree - from the widespread need for isolation (in the world of news radio, the show must go on). However, I do get days off and thank goodness for that because my brain can only take so much constant pandemic talk.

So! I offer up ‘the ultimate music list’, something I started doing on YouTube last year. Maybe earlier. It’s a living list, it will never be complete. Anyway, listen to the way my music mind rambles! All songs listed on the other side of the keep reading line (not linked, you gotta do some of the work):

Seinabo Sey - I Owe You Nothing Janelle Monáe – Django Jane Janelle Monáe - PYNK Janelle Monáe – Make Me Feel Sudan Archives - Come Meh Way Sudan Archives - Come Meh Way & Wake Up | A Take Away Show St. Beauty - Not Discuss It Japanese Breakfast - Boyish St. Beauty - Caught Kali Uchis - After The Storm ft. Tyler, The Creator, Bootsy Collins Kali Uchis - Tomorrow (ft. Tame Impala) Kali Uchis - Dead To Me Kali Uchis - Body Language (Intro) Kali Uchis - Just A Stranger Kali Uchis - In My Dreams Kali Uchis - Flight 22 Sigrid - Strangers King Princess - 1950 Sigrid - Don’t Kill My Vibe Sigrid - Plot Twist Moonchild - The List Amber Mark - Way Back The Internet - Girl DeJ Loaf - Changes Erykah Badu - Window Seat Erykah Badu - Afro Blue M.I.A. - Matangi M.I.A. - Double Bubble Trouble M.I.A. - Paper Planes A Tribe Called Red - The Light II Ft. Lido Pimienta A Tribe Called Red - Sisters ft Northern Voice PRINCESS NOKIA - BRUJAS PRINCESS NOKIA - TOMBOY Solange - Cranes in the Sky Solange - Don't Touch My Hair ft. Sampha SZA - Broken Clocks SZA - Drew Barrymore SZA - Go Gina SZA - Prom SZA - Pretty Little Birds Sade - Flower of the Universe Sade - The Sweetest Taboo Sade - Paradise Sade - Turn My Back On You Sade - Smooth Operator Sade - Cherish the Day Erykah Badu - On & On Jill Scott - A Long Walk Erykah Badu - Tyrone (Live) Janelle Monáe - I Like That Christine and the Queens - Girlfriend Humble the Poet - H.A.I.R. Lush - Desire Lines Lush - Never-Never Rachel Sermanni 'Take Me Out' - Franz Ferdinand Cover Memory House - When You Sleep (Yours Truly Session) Sumner McKane - The Turncoat Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing - The Magnetic Fields (Sense8 Remix) (feat. Zoe Wise) Julia Holter - I Shall Love 2 Dua Lipa - New Rules [Initial Talk 80s Rules Remix] Lady Gaga - Venus (80s Synthwave Version) Ruelle - Take It All Kraak & Smaak Ft. Parcels - Stumble Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa - One Kiss Timecop1983 - Girl (feat. SEAWAVES) Aretha Franklin - Mary, Don't You Weep (Live at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church, Los Angeles, January 14, 1972) Sarah Vaughan - Misty (Live from Sweden) Ellie Goulding - My Blood (Kastle Remix) Darksynth Paradise - A NewRetroWave Mix | 1 Hour | Retrowave/ Darkwave/ Electro | Sudan Archives - Nont For Sale Christine and the Queens - 5 dollars Christine and the Queens - Doesn’t matter Christine and the Queens - The walker Christine and the Queens - Damn (what must a woman do) Christine and the Queens - Goya soda Christine and the Queens - The stranger Lone - Poltergeist Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - I Hear Voices Lost Years - Pressure Windows 95 Start-up remix Windows 95 Startup Sound (Slowed 4000%) Seoul - Silencer Blackwater Holylight - Willow Her's - Low Beam Here We Go Magic - Alone But Moving John Maus - Bennington AC Temple - Yield Lana del Rey - Summertime Sadness (SxAde Synthwave Version) Ariana Grande - "Into You"  80′s Remix Demi Lovato - Cool for the Summer   80′s Remix Fifth Harmony - Sledgehammer   80′s Remix Lady Gaga - Perfect Illusion   80s Remix Ariana Grande - Greedy [Initial Talk "90s state of mind" Remix] Happy Hippie Presents: Miley Cyrus & Ariana Grande - Don't Dream It's Over Mariah Carey - Touch My Body [Initial Talk 90s Splash! Remix] Dua Lipa - IDGAF (Initial Talk Remix) 憂鬱 - Sun Lady Gaga - Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?) Robyn - Honey Dolly Parton - Here You Come Again Floating Points - Nuits Sonores Sade - The Big Unknown Amanda Shires - Leave It Alone Crockett - City of Ghosts [Full Album] Toni Harper - "The Velvet Hammer" (stereo), 1959 Cristina - "Things Fall Apart" Dexter Gordon - What’s New Warren Zevon - Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead - Rochester, 1994 Le1f - Wut Katie Herzig - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These) Raymond Scott - "Boy Scout In Switzerland" - Quartet San Francisco (arranged by Robert Gilmore) Jan A.P. Kaczmarek - Aimee & Jaguar Main Theme Toni Harper - "The Other Woman"  Toni Harper - The meaning of the blues Vanessa - Upside Down Anna Ternheim - Summer Rain feat. Nina Kinert, Ane Brun, First Aid Kit and Ellekari Larsson of The Tiny Ella Fitzgerald & Bill Doggett ~ Rough Ridin' Eraldo Bernocchi, Harold Budd,Robin Guthrie - South Of Heaven (Winter Garden) Slum Village - Fall in Love (Instrumental) Shonen Knife - Twist Barbie Dave Berry - This Strange Effect Sarah Harmer - Basement Apartment The Original Stroll - February 1958 Gertrude Lawrence - My Sweet Gustav HOLST: St. Paul's Suite (III. Intermezzo, IV. Finale) Rumskib - Secrets Caterina Valente - Stranger In Paradise Borodin - Prince Igor - Polovtsian Dances Darshan Ambient - Mirage Girl Crisis - Smooth Operator Girl Crisis - Paranoid Mulatu Astatke's "Mulatu" Vivien Goldman - Launderette Jonatha Brooke - West Point Lesley Gore - You Don’t Own Me Matthew Schoening - Emotional Clockwork Molly Nilsson - Hey Moon Kate Bush - Cloudbusting (The Organon Mix re-edit) Stravinsky conducts Stravinsky FIREBIRD COMPLETE The Carter Family - Wildwood Flower Grimes - Vanessa Kenneth Bager Fr. one (...and I kept hearing) Land of Talk - It’s Okay Nite Jewel - Artificial Intelligence Geneva Jacuzzi - Clothes On the Bed Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood - Karma Police | Glastonbury Festival, Pilton UK (8/9) Maps of Norway - Traffic Simian Mobile Disco - Cruel Intentions Aerosmith - Crazy Bruce Kaphan - Undeserved Ending The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - "Everything With You" Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - Body Janelle Monae - "Tightrope" 5/18 Letterman Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler Ladyhawke - My Delirium Marion Cotillard & Franz Ferdinand - Eyes of Mars Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch (live) Kate Bush - Army Dreamers Tegan and Sara - Living Room Kate Bush - Cloudbusting Beatrice Eli - Girls NewRetroWave End of 2017 Mix - (The Future Beckons) - [80s/ Retrowave/ Outrun/ Retro Electro] Vaporwave / Chillwave - Ultimate Mix The Chordettes "Lollipop" & "Mr. Sandman" Sufjan Stevens - Tonya Harding Taylor Davis - Stranger Things Violin Medley STRANGER THINGS MEETS CLASSICAL GUITAR Grace Sings Sludge - Difficult To Love Satchmode - Happiness Part 1 River Whyless - Life Crisis Stefano Barone - Batman - Alexander Supertramp Bebel Gilberto - "Aganjú"(Ao Vivo) - Bebel Gilberto In Rio Katie Melua - Diamonds are Forever  Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away With Me Beulahbelle - You Only Live Twice (Living Room Version) Grimes - We Appreciate Power Meshell Ndegeocello - Sensitivity Kodacrome - Buckets Röyksopp - Remind Me Lizzo - Juice Lizzo - Truth Hurts Lizzo - Good As Hell Electrelane - To the East Electrelane - I only always think Sean Paul - Get Busy 憂鬱 - Azure Day (Full EP) 憂鬱 - Slow Suzanne Vega - Luka | The story behind the song Seoul - Real June Broken Social Scene on House of Strombo Show Big Boi’s Favorite Verse: Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” Cherry Glazerr - Nurse Ratched  Jan A.P. Kaczmarek - Aimée & Jaguar Mister Rogers Remixed | Garden of Your Mind Grant Green - Idle Moments Hole Reunion after 15 yrs. Teeth - Care Bear ST. VINCENT covers BIG BLACK at BOWERY BALLROOM NYC May 22 2011 Broadcast - Man is not a bird (Teac A-4010 s Reel to Reel) Billy May - So Nice (Samba De Verão) Pogo - Mellow Brick Road Anna Calvi - Jezebel (Attic Sessions 5) Anna Calvi - Joan Of Arc (Attic Sessions 4) Anna Calvi - Surrender (Attic Sessions 3) Anna Calvi - Sound & Vision (Attic Sessions 1) Anna Calvi - Wolf Like Me (Attic Sessions 2) Clementine - ALL BLUES Skip James - Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues Anna Calvi - Suzanne And I Total Slacker - Thyme Traveling High School Dropout Siouxsie & The Banshees- Metal (Elizabethan Suite 1977) Second Chorus (Charlie North Remix) The Castaways - Liar Liar Alex Gaudino Feat. Christal Waters - Destination Calabria Loose Ends - Hangin’ On a String Pizzicato Five - The Audrey Hepburn Complex Edie Brickell & New Bohemians - What I Am The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian The Human League - Love Action (I Believe In Love) The Human League - Don’t You Want Me The Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days PJ Harvey - Hanging in the Wire PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me PJ Harvey & Thom Yorke - This Mess We’re In PJ Harvey - We Float PJ Harvey - This Wicked Tongue PJ Harvey - A Place Called Home The Sundays - Here’s Where The Story Ends Flock of Seagulls - Space Age Love Song The Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way Hall & Oates - Out of Touch Hall & Oates - I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) Toto - Rosanna Toto - Africa Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels Philip Bailey, Phil Collins - Easy Lover Spandau Ballet - True Tears For Fears - Shout Sigrid - Don’t Feel Like Crying Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Souvenir The Jesus and Mary Chain - April Skies The Ocean Blue - Between Something and Nothing No Joy - Hollywood Teeth Tamaryn - Last Tamaryn - Softcore Tamaryn - Cranekiss Ashrae Fax - CHKN Echo & the Bunnymen - A Promise Ashrae Fax - Intexus The Motels - Only the Lonely Other Colors - Dark Things Bauhaus - All We Ever Wanted Was Everything George Clanton - It Makes the Babies Want to Cry Ben Howard - Nica Libres At Dusk Elton John - Bennie and the Jets Elton John - Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee) David Bowie - Life On Mars? Elton John - Someone Saved My Life Tonight  St Vincent Breaks Down Her Most Iconic Songs Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says (instrumental) Death Valley Girls "Disaster (Is What We're After)" A Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation Tame Impala - The Less I Know The Better Childish Gambino - Redbone De La Soul - A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays Choir! Choir! Choir! Sings David Bowie - Heroes Kishi Bashi - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) The 6ths - You You You You You Squirrel Nut Zippers "Put A Lid On It" Joni Mitchell - Help Me Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker - "Shadows And Light" Joni Mitchell - All I Want Joni Mitchell - Free Man In Paris Joni Mitchell - California Joni Mitchell - In France They Kiss On Main Street Joni Mitchell - Amelia Joni Mitchell - People’s Parties Joni Mitchell - For the Roses Joni Mitchell - The Hissing of Summer Lawns Joni Mitchell - Black Crow Joni Mitchell - Hejira Joni Mitchell - Coyote Joni Mitchell w/Peter Gabriel - My Secret Place Joni Mitchell - Down To You Joni Mitchell - Refuge of the Roads Joni Mitchell - Slouching Towards Bethlehem  Joni Mitchell - Shades of Scarlet Conquering Joni Mitchell - Cool Water (with Willie Nelson) Joni Mitchell - The Jungle Line Joni Mitchell - Song For Sharon Joni Mitchell - Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire Joni Mitchell - Night Ride Home Joni Mitchell - Taming the Tiger Joni Mitchell - Snakes & Ladders Joni Mitchell - Raised on Robbery Joni Mitchell - Jericho Joni Mitchell - Lakota Joni Mitchell - The Beat of Black Wings Joni Mitchell - You Turn Me On I’m A Radio (Live) The Delfonics - Ready or Not Here I Come Funkadelic - Maggot Brain Incredible Bongo Band - Apache The Stylistics - People Make The World Go Round Manual - Crockett’s Theme Jessica Pratt - This Time Around Jessica Pratt - Poly Blue Jessica Pratt - Baby, Back Jessica Pratt - Aeroplane Tony Allen - Stick Around Basia - Promises Basia - New Day For You Basia - Cruising For Bruising Basia - Drunk On Love Basia - Third Time Lucky America - Tin Man Weyes Blood - Andromeda Ladytron - Far From Home Ladytron - Deadzone Ladytron - The Island St. Vincent & Dua Lipa | Masseduction / One Kiss | 2019 GRAMMYs Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel (LIVE at the 61st GRAMMYs) Still Corners - The Trip Still Corners - Strange Pleasures FM-84 - Bend & Break Robyn - Send To Robin Immediately The Ultimate Kate Bush Experience - Shambush Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill Kate Bush - Hounds of Love [Full Album] Kate Bush - Babooshka Kate Bush - The Sensual World Kate Bush - Hammer Horror Kate Bush - Love and Anger Katie Lee - Stay as Sick as You Are America - You Can Do Magic Blonde Redhead - Magic Mountain Harry Nilsson - Gotta Get Up In These Streets Lorelle Meets the Obsolete - Unificado Sneaks - Ecstasy Linear Movement - Way Out Of Living Alex Lilly - Pornographic Mind Caribou - Melody Day (Four Tet Remix feat. Luke Lalonde Adem and One Little Plane) Def Leppard - Hysteria Sigrid - Sight of You The Charlie Steinmann Orchestra And Singers - It's Such a Good Night (Scoobidoo Love) Alice Coltrane - Blue Nile Les McCann - Roberta Pharoah Sanders - Astral Travelling  Pure Bathing Culture - Scotty Jamila Woods - EARTHA Patricia Barber - Too Rich For My Blood Mary Jane Girls - All Night Long LL Cool J - Around the Way Girl Keep Shelly In Athens - Bendable Absolute Jest: I. Beginning · John Adams · San Francisco Symphony · St. Lawrence String Quartet · Michael Tilson Thomas Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule the World Futurecop! - Fade Away (feat. NINA) Steve Gunn - New Moon Moving Panoramas - ADD Heart Elizabeth Barraclough - Don’t TV Me Klymaxx - Meeting In the Ladies Room Salt Cathedral - Go and Get It feat. Big Freedia & Jarina DeMarco Brian Eno - Ambient 1: Music for Airports [Full Album] Calexico and Iron & Wine - Midnight Sun Cate Le Bon - The Light Cate Le Bon - Daylight Matters Jack White at Château de Fontainebleau I A Take Away Show Tammy Wynette - Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad Stella Donnelly - Die Portishead - Sour Times Portishead at Roseland New York City Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cheated Hearts Warpaint - Disco//Very - Keep It Healthy  Jessica Pratt - Fare Thee Well Jessica Pratt - Here My Love Alvvays - Saved By A Waif Alvvays - Dreams Tonite Alvvays - Forget About Life Alvvays - Plimsoll Punks Tame Impala - Patience Godzilla: Old Rivals - Bear McCreary( Godzilla: King of Monsters Soundtrack) Alloy Tracks - Somewhere Over the Rainbow | Godzilla: King of the Monsters (Beautiful Trailer Theme) Girl Crisis - The Sign Siouxsie and the Banshees - Captain Scarlet Boards of Canada - Macquarie Ridge Tōth - Practice Magic And Seek Professional Help When Necessary (Full Album) Wyatt - Attention Fontaines D.C. - Hurricane Laughter (Darklands Version) Matthew and the Atlas - Counting Paths Matthew and the Atlas - Old Ceremony Sufjan Stevens - Love Yourself Computer Magic - Hudson Grizzly Bear - Mourning Sound Lana Del Rey - Doin Time Chastity Belt - Trapped Kero Kero Bonito - Make Believe Eberhard Weber - T. On A White Horse Endre Hegedus - VI. Golliwogg's Cake-Walk, Debussy: Children's Corner / Suite Bergamasque LCD Soundsystem - oh baby Dominique Young Unique - Throw It Down Leikeli47 - Money Santigold - Look At These Hoes Handsome Boy Modeling School - Holy Calamity (Bear Witness II) Perfume Genius - Slip Away DJ Shadow - "Nobody Speak" feat. Run The Jewels St. Vincent - Fast Slow Disco Marion Cotillard and Metronomy - Is She Really Going Out With Him Patti Smith - Gloria King Princess - Cheap Queen Ingrid Michaelson - Best Friend Kindness - Hard To Believe Kim Petras - Clarity Kim Petras - Another One Cowboy Junkies - Dreaming My Dreams With You Rihanna - Same Ol’ Mistakes Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You Sailors of Neptune - Car Song Photay - Outré Lux (feat. Madison McFerrin) Ella Fitzgerald - I’ll Never Be The Same Timecop1983 - My First Crush (feat. Trevor Something) Toro Y Moi - Cola The Cinematic Orchestra - Wait For Now/Leave The World (feat. Tawiah) Charli XCX & Christine and the Queens - Gone Hayley Kiyoko - I Wish Jambalaya Brass Band - Tumbao Frosty and the Diamonds - Destination Mars Plumb - Blush (Only You) Evanescence - Anywhere Courtney Barnett - Avant Gardener Christine and the Queens - Need You Tonight (INXS Cover) Dua Lipa - Be The One (80's Power Ballad Remix) Bomba Estéreo - Corazón Zola Jesus - Wiseblood (Johnny Jewel Remix) The Bangles - Going Down To Liverpool Trills - Hush King Princess - Prophet Emily Wells - I’m No Heroine Ariel Pink - Bubblegum Dreams Missy Elliott - Throw It Back Missy Elliott Performs 'Get Ur Freak On', 'Lose Control' & More | 2019 Video Music Awards Miranda Lambert - Way Too Pretty for Prison Miranda Lambert - The House That Built Me Miranda Lambert - We Should Be Friends Miranda Lambert - Mama’s Broken Heart Maya Hawke - To Love a Boy Flowers (Eurydice's Song) - (Anaïs Mitchell - Hadestown) Young Ejecta • Welcome To Love Kelis - Bossy ft. Too $hort Lindsay Lohan - Bossy Natalie Cole - Lush Life Grimes & i_o - Violence The Highwomen - Redesigning Women Lana Del Rey - Season Of The Witch Anita Carter - Ring of Fire Jack Hylton - Wedding of the Painted Doll Earth, Wind, and Fire - Fantasy DJ Boring - Winona DJ Boring - Goodbye Michael Rob Reich - Shimmytown Shuffle Sarah Vaughan - Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most King Princess - Playboy School of Pop Broken Social Scene - Anthems For A Seventeen-Year Old Girl Jenny Hval - Lions (feat. Vivian Wang) Minny Riperton - Les Fleurs Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov ‒ Procession of the Nobles Firebird - 13. Infernal Dance Of All Of Kashchei's Subjects Kylie Minogue - Dancing Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - All Hail Dracula! Jana Hunter | You Belong Here Bat For Lashes - The Hunger Bat For Lashes - Laura Zero 7 - Swimmers Tame Impala - It Might Be Time Hannah Williams & The Affirmations - Woman Got Soul Galantis & Dolly Parton - Faith feat. Mr. Probz The KLF - 3am Eternal The KLF feat. Tammy Wynette - Justified & Ancient Pet Shop Boys - What Have I Done To Deserve This Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls Til Tuesday - Voices Carry St. Vincent - Laughing With A Mouth of Blood Spice Girls - 2 Become 1 Tennis - Runner Giles Reaves - ‎"Sowelu (Wholeness)" Taeko Ohnuki - Sunshower (Full Album) 80s Japanese Fusion Summer Mix (Fusion Jazz, City Pop, Funk, Soul...) Tamaryn - Dreaming The Dark (Full Album) Swing Out Sister - Breakout Ayane Yamazaki - 眠りの理由 "Women Of Country Performance" | Live from CMA Awards 2019 Reba McEntire - "Fancy" | Live from CMA Awards 2019 Seal - Crazy Seal - Violet Tame Impala - Posthumous Forgiveness Richard Wagner - The Flight of the Valkyries The Black Angels - Yellow Elevator #2 Bonnie Raitt - Unnecessarily Mercenary Norah Jones - Flipside Genesis Owusu - WUTD Lana Del Rey - Mariners Apartment Complex 10,000 Hz Legend - Don’t Be Light Air Miami - See Through Plastic Kitchens Of Distinction - Margaret's Injection Sebastian Böhm - Blue Monday (Official "Wonder Woman 1984" Trailer Music) Primitons - All My Friends Heavens To Betsy – Waitress Hell Romania - Planes Dionne Farris - I Know CeCe Peniston - Finally Robin S - Show Me Love La Bouche - Be My Lover Stilz - Wavelength Tennis - Need Your Love The Fixx - One Thing Leads To Another The Fixx - Saved By Zero The Fixx - Red Skies The Fixx - Stand Or Fall Kajagoogoo - Too Shy Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good Howard Jones - Like To Get To Know You Well Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall In Love Information Society - What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy) Icehouse - No Promises The Spiral Starecase - More Today Than Yesterday Caroline Rose - Feel The Way I Want Frank & His Sisters - Mwanangu Lala KIRLIAN CAMERA - Blue Room Look Blue Go Purple | Cactus Cat Look Blue Go Purple | Circumspect Penelope Look Blue Go Purple - I Don't Want You Anyway The Bats | North By North Best Coast - Everything Has Changed Best Coast  - For The First Time War And Peace / Gab Is Stabbed · Joseph LoDuca Tashaki Miyaki - I Only Have Eyes for You (the Flamingos cover - Little Big Planet 3 OST) Angel Olsen - Who’s Sorry Now Anna Calvi - Love of my life | Empty Space #5 The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You Supergrass - Moving Supergrass - Late In the Day Supergrass - Richard III Panda Bear - Sequential Circuits Computer Magic - Be Fair Computer Magic - Fuzz Computer Magic - Spaces The Amazing - Tell Them You Can’t Leave Anna Calvi - Hunter Anna Calvi - Swimming Pool Carly Simon - Nobody Does It Better Duran Duran - Rio Duran Duran - Save A Prayer Duran Duran - My Own Way Anna Calvi - Eden Anna Calvi - Indies or Paradise She & Him - I Can Hear Music Soloist Mari Silje Samuelsen - Antonio Vivaldi - "Summer" from four seasons Vivaldi Four Seasons: "Winter" (L'Inverno), complete; Cynthia Freivogel, Voices of Music  Para One · Arthur Simonini-La Jeune Fille en Feu (Bande originale du film) Agnes Obel - The Curse (Berlin Live Session) St. Vincent - Los Ageless Billie Ellish - No Time To Die King Princess - Hit The Back (Dance Video) Men I Trust - Show Me How Lady Gaga - Stupid Love Agnes Obel - Fuel To Fire Beach House - Space Song Sufjan Stevens - Visions of Gideon Agnes Obel - Broken Sleep snarls - Walk In the Woods Dixie Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice (Live from MMXVI Tour) Dixie Chicks - Gaslighter Conspiracy of Owls - "Ancient Robots" Conspiracy of Owls - A Silver Song Sigrid - Home To You Tierra Whack – Unemployed Jenny Hval - Accident Caroline Polachek - So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings

[feitanswife]

Living in the PNW be like

(That’s Pacific Northwest, The upper left of America for all you normal fuckin people)

I’m sitting in my room listening to coyotes scream in my back fukin yard/pasture. This happens every night. I hope they don’t try to kill my neighbors dog again.

Said pastureland is actually a floodplain. There’s just a giant hole in the middle of this town and it floods sometimes but only like a few days at a time so people put animals there. I had a horse growing up and our neighbors have 2 plus a mule and up higher on the hill there’s some of those long haired cows and we watch their babies run around in the hill from our front window with binoculars cause that’s literally the most entertaining thing that happens around here.

Is it pouring down rain and cold as balls? Yes. Am I going to walk to the store to buy pizza rolls? Yeah. Am I wearing a coat with a hood or bringing an umbrella? Fuck no!

Literally every single house has at least 2 of these plants growing in their yard: lilacs, cherry trees, Japanese maple, or rodhedendron (98% sure I spelled that wrong but even my phone has no idea what I just typed)

Sometimes bald eagles and other large scary birds just show up and the crows beat the shit out of them and it’s kinda funny and kinda terrifying. I once had over a hundred crows in the trees around my house screaming their heads off cause a hawk pissed them off.

We all (on the western side of the mountains) have giant ass trees like 10 feet from our homes. No this is not safe. No we will not be doing anything about it. If our fuckoff crazy windstorms haven’t knocked the bitches over yet then they seem intent on sticking around.

We get winds high enough to tip over trucks like every other week in winter but like not in proper storms. Like it doesn’t rain, it’s not a tornado or a hurricane, it’s just Fuckin WIMDY. And they don’t cancel school for it either I was waking from one building to another for class and I had to brace myself against a wall cause the wind nearly blew me tf away!

Also we get annoying thunderstorms. Like you think it’s over but it never is! And it’s even worse on the east side, it sounds like the thunder is In Your Body. Shits gonna knock stuff off your tables.

The center of Washington is this massive fuckoff volcano that’s overdue for erupting and when it does it’s gonna wipe out over half the west side’s cities and absolutely no one is concerned. I’m especially not concerned cause I, like all the other smart people, am moving east where I can live in the middle of nowhere and live off subsistence farming with my gay colony from college.

There is a surprising amount of rednecks here. Like it’s a weird ratio. And there not like, normal ones either. It’s like they’re cosplaying what we all think of when we hear the words “North Carolina” or “Alabama” I’m talking all camo outfits at school and big fuckoff trucks with two American flags on the back and obnoxious bumperstckers and all the horrible opinions to match. A lot even talk with fake southern accents. It’s like the weebs of the redneck world.

Like excuse me Conner your family has lived in this county since the 1930’s and I’d fuckin know cause your grandpa went to school with mine and our dads worked together at the printing company before it moved to California and half the school can claim the exact same cause we’re basically one giant small town where everyone knows everyone and no one ever moves out! You’re not from Texas. No one believes you’re from Texas. Stop talking like a Hollywood born and bred actor being forced to play a cowboy!

[germaicanlady]

Happy Mother's Day!⁣ ⁣ Wishing you all well and hope you are healthy, wealthy and wise!⁣ ⁣ Hugs and love⁣ ⁣ Chrissie⁣ ⁣ The image tanken by your truly is a Prunus sargentii - Sargent's Cherry or North Japanese Hill Cherry which produces fruit that are not edible as far as I know. Some (or most) of these trees are also infertile and of no use to bees and other insects. They look beautiful for a short time in spring but look absolutely stunning!⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #mothers #mothersday #happymothersday #Muttertag #love #motherhood #mommy #mom #mum #mumma #madda #mother #Mutter #Mutti #Mam #family #momlife #mothersdaygift #motherslove #kids #parenting #children #moms #motherlove #women #mothercare #cherryblossom #spring #Kirschblüte #Frühling (hier: Worldwide) https://www.instagram.com/p/COp6MDVhTnI/?igshid=5o14jpyurcdi