#Warming Up: How Climate Change is Changing Sport

[xtruss]

The Olympics Have A Dirty History—Literally! But A Green Sports Movement Is Pushing For Change, Eager To See If Paris Will Be Different.

— July 20, 2024 | By Madeleine Orr, University of Toronto | Foreign Policy

The wind blows a plastic bag past the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, in Beijing on January 23, 2008. Guang Niu/Getty Images

In April 1929, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) met in Lausanne, Switzerland, to grant the hosting rights for the 1932 Winter Olympic Games. The United States was the frontrunner, and seven U.S. candidate sites showed up to bid: Bear Mountain and Lake Placid, New York; Denver, Colorado; Duluth, Minnesota; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Lake Tahoe and Yosemite Valley, California. For many small mountain towns, this would be their shot to generate the investment dollars needed to build new winter sport infrastructure and secure a strong tourism industry in a very economically fragile time—the start of the Great Depression.

This article is adapted from Warming Up: How Climate Change Is Changing Sport by Madeleine Orr (Bloomsbury, 320 pp., $25.20, May 2024).

Godfrey Dewey, vice president of the exclusive Lake Placid Club (and son of the inventor of the Dewey Decimal Classification System for library books) was the lead administrator of the town’s bid. Dewey made a series of lofty promises—chief among them, a new Olympic sliding track for bobsled. Then-New York Gov. (and later U.S. president) Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote letters in support of the project, turning the small New York town into a frontrunner.

It all seemed promising, until Lake Placid secured hosting rights and things got messy.

Dewey’s planned bobsled run was to be on the Lake Placid Club’s site, within the protected Adirondack Forest Preserve. The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks led a legal complaint in New York State courts, claiming that the project went against the “forever wild” clause of the state’s constitution, which maintains that state lands “constituting the forest preserve…shall be forever kept as wild forest lands.”

The U.S. four-man bobsleigh team shoots a curve on the run at Lake Placid, New York, on February 16, 1932. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

A two-year legal battle ensued. Environmental activists routinely protested and made noise in the press. Eventually, the New York State Court of Appeals held that a statute authorizing the construction of a bobsled run, requiring the destruction of 5,122 trees, was unconstitutional. Dewey and the organizing committee were forced to find a location elsewhere. They settled on a site just outside the Forest Preserve boundary.

That kind of pressure from environmental groups has never gone away. In nearly every Olympic host city since, there has been what sport sociologist Jules Boykoff calls the “NOlympic movement”—organized groups of people who do not want these large, damaging events to come to town. Over time, these movements gained momentum and media attention, eventually reaching Olympic decision-makers and creating public pressure to effect positive green change. But this process would take decades.

A lone celebrant views a tally board at the Denver Olympic Committee victory headquarters in Colorado on November 7, 1972, after voters rejected funding of the 1976 Winter Olympics. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Fast forward to 1970. Denver was awarded the hosting rights for the 1976 Winter Olympics. It was billed as an ideal opportunity to celebrate the United States’ bicentennial and Colorado’s centennial anniversaries. But it took less than a year for the Games to be met with major dissent from local politicians. Months after the hosting rights were awarded to the city, State Rep. Bob Jackson told the Associated Press, “We ought to say to the nation and the world, ‘We’re sorry, we are concerned about the environment. We made a mistake. Take the Games elsewhere.’”

Dick Lamm, another state representative, told Ski Magazine, “Every time I ask a question about ecology, the Olympic people tell me, ‘Don’t worry, we are going to take care of that.’ But a state which has never taken down as much as a single billboard to improve the environment is not going to run an Olympics which the ecologists would like.” By 1972, the city withdrew from hosting and the Games were moved to Innsbruck, Austria, which had held the event in 1964 and had most facilities ready to go.

Germany also saw environmental groups put pressure on—and ultimately shut down—the Olympics over environmental concerns. In 1983, the mayor and local tourism director of Berchtesgaden announced a bid for the 1992 Winter Olympics. Almost immediately, a local citizens’ initiative was organized against it, and successfully campaigned to shut down the bid. That edition of the Winter Games was hosted by Albertville, France.

Amanda Shuman, a historian at the University of Freiburg, has been studying how the Berchtesgaden citizens’ initiative was contextually different from those that preceded it in other countries. She and I work together through the Sport Ecology Group, so I called her to get the background story.

“The early 1980s were a unique time for the environmental movement in Germany. Acid rain was at the top of everyone’s mind because Der Spiegel, the country’s biggest magazine, decided to run a series of exposés on forest death with pretty aggressive headlines like ‘The Forest is Dying,’” Shuman said. “At the same time, the newly formed Green Party rode that wave of public concern into their first seats in Parliament. Environmental groups watched this happen and were emboldened to act on different issues because there was more visibility and political support for their work.”

Shuman argues that historically, anti-sport development efforts went against the political grain, as politicians routinely used sporting mega-events as a platform-building opportunity. But in 1970s Colorado, and again in 1980s Germany, there was some degree of political support behind anti-Olympics campaigns.

The opening ceremony of the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in Norway on February 12, 1994. Pascal Rondeau/AllSport/Getty Images

Despite repeated involvement and pressure by environmental groups to slow, move, or shut down sport development and big events through the 20th century, it wasn’t until the 1990s that sports organizations took up the mantle of environmental action themselves.

In 1992, the same year that the word “sustainability” entered the global lexicon at the United Nations Earth Summit in Brazil, the IOC was facing challenges with the perceptions of the Olympics following the Albertville Winter Games, which were dubbed an “environmental catastrophe” in the local news given the extraordinary distance between the different venues. The event was so spread out geographically that athletes and spectators drove through the mountains from one town to the next, clogging up the roadways and polluting an otherwise quiet area of France.

After Albertville, the IOC knew it had to act to strengthen its reputation on environmental issues and align more closely with growing global concerns about the climate. It’s still not clear whether the IOC has succeeded at improving its record or reputation on environmental work.

The 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, are viewed as the first attempt to create a “green” Olympic Games. It was a tall order. After the environmental wreckage at Albertville, local activists in Lillehammer forced the organizing committee to adapt their hosting plans based on environmental concerns. The changes included a redesigned speed-skating rink that minimized impacts on a nearby bird sanctuary, a plan to prioritize the use of renewable building materials, energy-efficiency upgrades for facilities, and a recycling program at all venues.

The 1990s were a supercharged decade for sustainability across all sports, not just the Olympic Games. In 1993, the National Football League in the United States launched their NFL Green campaign, which has seen every subsequent Super Bowl implement waste management and nature restoration projects. In 1994, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) created its Sports and Environment Program to promote environmental awareness through sports and sustainable design principles in sports facilities and equipment manufacturing. Also that year, the Centennial Olympic Congress of Paris named the environment a “third pillar” of the Olympic charter, alongside sport and culture.

Later in the 1990s, the UNEP worked with the IOC to develop an “Agenda 21” for the Olympic Movement based on sustainability guidelines created by delegates at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio. (The document’s publication was sponsored by Shell.) The IOC committed itself to promoting sustainability among its 206 member nations and 30 governing bodies for winter and summer sports, and to require sustainability plans from the hosts of its marquee events. This is only a commitment to “encourage” sustainability, though, not to mandate it. The IOC does not control operations among its members. Despite these ambitions, the process of implementation has been a roller-coaster, with several sharp turns off-course.

For the first 20 years of the green sports movement, from about 1992 to 2012, the focus was on operational improvements: reducing waste, switching to energy-efficient lighting, using less water, and measuring carbon footprints. These efforts were impactful. Consider how much toilet paper is used in a stadium with hundreds of toilets—it’s a lot. Finding a toilet paper provider that uses recycled paper instead of fresh forests is a meaningful improvement.

The washroom inside the National Aquatics Center, where swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming Olympic events were held, in Beijing on January 28, 2008. Feng Li/Getty Images

Or think about the water savings that can be achieved by implementing an irrigation system that cuts water use from 60,000 liters per night to 50,000. In one year, the facility will reduce its water consumption by more than 4.1 million liters. That’s enough water to fill three Olympic-size swimming pools. But these efforts can be hard to communicate to fans and do little to leverage sports’ sizeable platform to inspire fans to act on climate change and build popular support for action.

A 2021 study published by Martin Müller and colleagues at the University of Lausanne developed a model to evaluate the environmental sustainability of Olympic Games hosted between 1992 and 2020. It found that Salt Lake City in 2002 was the most sustainable, while more recent iterations in Sochi, Russia, in 2014 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016 were the least sustainable. Part of the challenge for the IOC is that each host country is operating within its own sets of definitions, limitations, and government priorities, so sustainability often takes a back seat to tourism development and growth plans.

Cyclists ride over a road sign demarcating a Paris 2024 bike lane along the Rue de Rivoli in Paris on July 3. Julien De Rosa/AFP Via Getty Images

Some of the Most Exciting Work on Sustainability is Coming Out of the Paris 2024 Olympic Committee, which promises a carbon-positive Games. The French capital has banned non-essential through traffic from its city center effective in 2024, making 5.4 square miles of the city straddling both sides of the Seine much greener and cleaner. They are also adding bike lanes and bus routes, and 95 percent of the venues will be existing facilities or temporary builds, so only two new builds are needed. We haven’t seen anything better than this. Still, there will be loads of tourists (it’s Paris, there are always tourists), so the organizers have committed to offsetting all remaining emissions.

I have been outspoken in recent years about how I don’t think it’s possible to have a carbon-positive Olympic Games—and that this language is misleading and potentially detrimental to the broader movement. It’s great to see the ambition to be very low-impact, but “carbon-positive” is just not realistic in the context of an international sporting event with hundreds of thousands of tourists and participants.

Overall, though, the green sports movement is decidedly on the right track. Reflecting on the progress to date in the United States, environmental scientist Allen Hershkowitz—once dubbed the “Godfather of Green Sports”—said in a podcast interview in 2021, “I think, actually, over the last 10 years, the sport and sustainability movement has been one of the most effective sectors in the environmental advocacy world, especially in North America, where our government has been outright hostile to environmental progress.”

From where I’m standing, it’s clear a lot more has been happening in green sports in recent years. The sector is moving forward, and moving together. Now we have to pick up the pace.

— Madeleine Orr is an Assistant Professor of Sport Ecology at the University of Toronto. She is the Founder of the Sport Ecology Group and the Author of the recent book Warming Up: How Climate Change is Changing Sport.

[distantlaughter]

Nico Rosberg talks Pizza Guilt & AC/DC

Originally written 13 August 2015 by Marc Chacksfield for ShortList.com (x)

Mercedes F1 racer Nico Rosberg on pizza shame, pre-race rituals and having Muhammad Ali over for tea.

What’s your driving like in everyday life?

I take it easy – I have the race track to go crazy. I really like driving classic cars, and I have a 1970 [Mercedes] Pagoda at home. But driving a classic car fast is still within the speed limit – it just feels fast.

You’re German-born – what about on the autobahn?

I don’t spend much time in Germany, as I live in Monaco, but of course on the autobahn I’ll push it. I know for all car fans, one of their dreams is to go to Germany and go really fast on the autobahn.

What’s the best thing about living in Monaco?

[Nico’s agent] No tax! [Laughs] That’s not… well, that is the best thing, I suppose. But, equally as good is, erm… it’s just such a wonderful place to live. You’re right at the sea, the climate is great and the quality of life is amazing.

What music are you into?

I listen to whatever the current things are. For example, I went to a Coldplay concert last year at the Royal Albert Hall, which was amazing. Then I went to AC/DC. So it depends.

Any non-motoring hobbies we should know about?

I’m into fashion, whether clothes, jewellery or watches. Sports – I like cycling. And backgammon. I’ve played Bernie [Ecclestone]. He’s never beaten me, but we’ve only played two games.

Do you have a pre-race ritual?

I play soccer. Keepie-uppies with my physio. That gets me warmed up and ready to go.

Any superstitions?

Once in a while, whenever I’m wearing a charm bracelet, such as karma beads from Thomas Sabo, if I happen to be on pole when I’m wearing that, it becomes my lucky charm… until I don’t win.

What’s the F1 Christmas party like?

At our Christmas party there are 3,000 people. We have 1,300 employees and everybody brings family and friends. There’s music, live acts, shows. It’s incredible to see the amount of people involved building these two racing cars.

What’s your tipple?

Baileys. On the rocks. My labrador, Bailey, is named after it. Which flavour? Always original.

You’ve known your teammate Lewis Hamilton since you were kids racing go-karts. What can you tell us about him, aged 15?

He hasn’t changed much. His private life has changed, obviously, because he didn’t have the wealth he now has – as he came from quite a simple background. Other than that, there’s no difference.

He wasn’t dating a Pussycat Doll back then, though?

Well he’s not doing that now either, is he? [Laughs]

If you could go back, what advice would you give yourself?

To myself? Listen to my parents more. Because they’re always a good guide, and it’s difficult for teenagers to listen to them, but five years later you look back and think, “Ah, yes, my parents did say that. Damn, I should’ve listened.”

Aside from winning the F1 World Championship, what are your goals for this season?

A healthy daughter being born this month. It’s an exciting time for us.

Will you be on track by day, knee deep in nappies by night?

I’m gonna be hands-on. But how it’s gonna change my life, how much they’ll travel with me – I don’t know.

What’s your earliest memory?

Ayrton Senna driving through the tunnel on TV in Monaco – I could hear the sound as I was sleeping in my bed. It woke me up on the Saturday morning, and then switching on the TV and seeing him in his yellow helmet. It was 1988, I was three years old.

You’re pretty good at this driving lark, but if you could be a professional at another sport, what would it be?

Tennis or soccer. Or golf, actually. I was watching the British Open at St Andrews, and that was really fascinating. So at the moment I’d love to be good at golf.

What’s your favourite food?

Italian – pizza and stuff. Which I’m not allowed to eat, because I have to stay away from gluten. I’m on a permanent diet, so I can’t eat anything like that. Even off-season I can’t have it, as the diet’s increased my wellbeing – although, of course, I’ll have the odd day off and go for a pizza. It’s not 100 per cent strict.

Do you have any home comforts that are always in your suitcase?

I write in a diary, actually, adding any interesting discussions I’ve had throughout the day, or anything that comes into my mind. Just looking back three months, I think, “Wow! No way! I was doing that?”

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?

Yep. Checking into a hotel in Geneva last year they said, “Hello Mr Hamilton.” I answered, “Actually I’m Rosberg, but I can understand – we look similar, so it’s easy to confuse us.”

Have you ever had a ‘normal’ job?

I enrolled to study aeronautics at Imperial College London. But then I took a gap year and didn’t go, because the racing was going so well. I also played tennis when I was young, for the Monaco team.

Finally, who’d be your dream guests at a dinner party?

I know the answers already: Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, my wife and… Fangio. Juan Manuel Fangio, the Mercedes driver from the Fifties.

[l00na24]

I Got Your Six - Chapter 5

Warnings: Death, some things won't be 100% accurate to reality and are written that way for the sake of the story

Word Count: 9k

A/N: Hello 🤗 First of all I wish everyone a happy new year even if it's a bit late but I hope all of you are doing well and had a great start into the new year! 🥰 I am so sorry it took me sooo long to finally get this chapter finished (after changing it about a million of times because I wasn't happy with it lol), which I had wanted to get out before Christmas but unfortunately I got sick for a few weeks and then real life stuff came up right after 😓 But now it's here and I hope you enjoy reading it with things turning up a notch 😋 And don't worry, the next one won't take that long because I'm already on it! 😉

Also a little part of this chapter was inspired by the original Triple Frontier Script which I totally recommend you to read if you haven't already!

7 days later, 4 PM, Brazil, Jungle (at Lorea’s house)

It was a humid warm and cloudy day when I crept through the various green plants that surrounded me. The typical climate you would expect in a jungle.

Exotic birds occasionally flying high above the treetops and filling the wild and untamed nature with their chirping or insects buzzing around between leaves big enough to cover my body entirely, some smaller ones with the similarity of palms that fit perfectly in the spaces between together with other, more colorful plants or bushes on the ground. Meter long lianas hanging from above that were winding themselves along the branches of some big trees like snakes.

If I wouldn’t be here for a mission, I would take my time admiring every little detail and the peaceful, quiet and yet a tad mysterious atmosphere with the slight fog floating around.

The calm before the storm.

How the ridges of the Andes, completely covered in green nature and shrouded in banks of clouds, ominously greeted us at our arrival. Like they would be announcing a bad omen that was in the air.

Normally I wouldn’t be faced much by anything when it came to a mission besides the flying part but this time I’d been restless as soon as we were on our way to the destination Santiago had given me when I called him a few days ago.

My gut was screaming at me to not do it, to turn as fast as we could and fly back instead but it was too late and I wouldn’t leave them alone in this. I never backed down from a mission. No matter what. And I’d never forgive myself if I did now.

It had been the first warning.

My team and me nearly got caught in the crossfire of some criminals and the local police on our way to the friendship bridge, the signature element of the Triple Frontier, that connected Paraguay to Brazil over the Parana River.

We were slowly driving through the outskirts of Ciudad del Este, the second largest city of Paraguay and a literal hotspot for any crime imaginable thanks to the Triple Frontier connection, the biggest part being the smuggling of a lot of dangerous things. You could practically see on every corner you turned, that the criminals were ruling this place. My trained eyes spotting them from miles away out of the car window next to me or the guns some people were carrying with them, hidden beneath their clothes in hopes nobody would notice, even if they were way too obvious. Drug dealers selling their stuff openly on the street without a care as if it would be an everyday business. The poorest of the poor together with other citizens weaving through the thick traffic between cars.

You should think we would actually change something with our work but looking at this, I understood what Santiago had meant. Nobody was giving a shit about government or authority here, they had their own laws and the police were only bystanders, not able to do anything and probably not even bothering anymore or corrupt to the core.

Just as we were crossing an intersection, suddenly loud sirens started to blare in the distance and only seconds after a sports car nearly crashed with us when it flew by in high speed, the police following close behind.

“Alex! Watch out!” I shouted from the right backseat when I saw it speeding directly at us.

“Oh fuck!” As fast as he could, Alex hit the brakes. The force of it jolting us forward in our seats as we came to an abrupt stop just enough that the car only lightly grazed our front and didn’t crash into us.

In the middle of the chaos that broke out with people screaming and madly running around and vehicles on the street trying to get out of the way, I saw the windows of the sports car rolling down and persons with assault rifles leaning out of them to shoot at the police car.

“Get down! Put your heads down!” I raised my voice even louder before I heard the first shot being fired and made myself as small as I could.

The bullets were flying everywhere, one piercing through our windshield and almost hitting my shoulder if I hadn’t ducked to the side in my seat.

“Is everyone okay?” Luc asked from the passenger seat in the front and immediately looked over to Alex and then behind to me and Mick in the backseats.

“Yes.”

“Yeah.”

The boys breathed out after everything seemed to be back to normal like nothing happened and people resumed their ways. The bullet hole the only reminder of what had just transpired.

“What the fuck is wrong with these people?!” I let out with irritation.

“I think they had a slight disagreement with each other.” Mick commented from the left.

That had been the second warning we ignored.

Stalking like a panther through the thick foliage of the jungle, I moved forward to the spot I was supposed to be and grabbed my TAC-50 that was slung around me as I came closer.

When I looked through my scope, a set of two big, black eyes ogled me and I looked up confused, spotting a little black and white patterned gecko sitting in front of its lens on my sniper.

What the heck?

“Hey there, little guy. You should be careful, you could get yourself hurt.” I said and inspected him curiously.

He held eye contact when his tongue darted out and ran along his mouth before he carefully moved across the upside of my gun, over the scope to its long rear where he laid himself flat on his stomach, his tiny feet spread wide from his body and blinked a few times at me and slightly tilted his head.

“You better get down there.” I told him and slowly moved my hand that wasn’t holding the gun to him.

Without moving he still sat there, not letting me out of sight. After another moment of studying me with his big, round button eyes he got up and came toward my hand. Stopping for a moment right in front to look, before carefully climbing with his sticky, nub-like toes onto it.

He was running all over it, in my palm and between my fingers, stopping at some point and dragging his little pink tongue along my skin.

“Did you… just lick me?” I asked him surprised, staring at the little reptile who didn’t seem bothered by me.

He only looked back innocently before he started to advance up my arm to my shoulder.

“Oh, no, no, little guy! You can’t go there!” I slightly panicked, not wanting him to touch or come close to the part of my body that was forbidden to everyone.

Thankfully he stopped as if he understood what I was saying and changed his direction. Moving over to my other shoulder along my front and looking from there at me once he had reached it.

“Let’s get you somewhere more comfortable, hm?” I asked and held my hand at him again, so I could put him on one of the plants around me, waiting till he was back in my palm.

I let him climb on one of the lianas hanging down in front of me.

“Watch your six, little guy.”

Following his movements along it until he turned upside down and looked back at me before I turned around and continued onward. At least a nice surprise for a change.

Brushing past some large ferns, I made my path through the wilderness with a watchful eye on the ground to not fall over tree roots or for any other kind of danger and made sure to take slow steps to not cause any unnatural movement that potentially could be spotted.

As I reached my spot, I got in position hidden behind a wall of leaves and cocked my sniper to inspect the rest of the area around the house after I had done a full circle of observation.

“I don’t like this.” I spoke into the com I had placed on my in dark and light grey tones camouflaged gear.

“What’s your concern?” Alex’ voice crackled through my earpiece.

“Looks too easy.”

“Did you expect a heavily fortified fortress out here in the middle of a jungle?” Mick asked chuckling.

“Considering the millions of dollars he’s supposed to have and that he’s one of the top tier pieces of shit here, yes, that would be my first expectation if I’m honest.” I retorted while letting my sight wander around through the scope, not spotting much besides some guards hanging around in a few corners with submachine guns strapped to them.

“You aren’t wrong. I estimated with more defense measures too, looking at his profile. But let’s check what we’ve gathered so far.” Luc suggested, wanting to hear what we had detected during our surveillance so he could start thinking about possible tactics at how we would approach this.

“Guards on all sides of the house in groups of two to max three, no protection and armed with SMG’s. Three right, left and rear side, two front, potentially more inside. Lots of spots all around the house where we could easily slip in without a problem except the front. There’s a long, unprotected driveway, ending with a couple of concrete jersey barriers on the sides and a steal gate. Could be breakable with a car I would guess, if you manage to destroy the barrier that comes out of the ground when the gate closes but that would alert everyone, which rules it out as possible option. The only real “danger”, if you wanna call it that, is the machine gun in a sort of tower behind it. 50 caliber, that would shred you before you come even close. I would need help from one of you to take both guards out undetected if we do this the ‘silent way’.” I explained my observation.

“I could give you a hand. There’s a small waterway from my position leading in your direction, would be a matter of seconds to get to you.” Alex confirmed.

“Perfect.” I answered before continuing. “I’ve also seen some surveillance cameras around. We will have to either destroy them when we approach, or we have to look inside the house for a security room to deal with it. They didn’t seem to give a shit about aiming them at the crucial spots, but I would like to take care of them, so we don’t have to worry about it later.”

“They are not looking like the newest ones there are. Don’t wanna know where he got them from, but it will be enough if we take care of the hard drives.” Mick brought in his opinion. His expertise as the best engineer we had in Delta gave us a huge advantage with any tech or gadgets we had to deal with in our missions or other unconventionalities.

“Also, we have high fences extending around the house in a radius of probably twenty to thirty meters. We won’t be able to climb over, but we could cut through them. I’m actually surprised they aren’t charged with electricity.”

“If I were him, I wouldn’t want my kids getting roasted, that’s probably the reason.” He had a point. I had seen them playing outside and some toys laying around but I doubted that it was why.

“The less time we need the better.” Luc pointed out, reminding us that we would have a time window we had to keep in mind once we were in.

“Look what we have here... Someone’s got some little toys.” Mick’s amused voice came through the com again.

“What is it?” The tone he used set off alarm bells in my head. Something was wrong.

“Ground sensors.”

Well, shit.

“The lethal kind?” I inquired with a hint of worry and scoped the area more wary a second time and focused on every detail I could find but spotting none of the mentioned sensors. They must be hidden underneath the plants.

“Hard to say but I don’t wanna find that out.” He answered thoughtfully when he inspected the object on the ground more closely with his trained eyes.

“Any way we can deactivate them?”

“Negative. Not without setting them off.”

“Copy that. Eyes up and on the ground then. Be careful where you’re going.” I spoke sternly, not wanting my team to have an unpleasant encounter that could end potentially deadly and risk the mission before it even started.

The theory with his kids was off the table with that but now we had an explanation why he wasn’t using electricity. Lorea probably thought it would be enough to rely on the sensors and I guessed, he hadn’t even wasted a thought about the possibility of some highly trained and lethal delta force soldiers attacking him or figuring out his location in the first place. Very bad mistake.

But it didn’t make our situation any better, knowing we practically walked around in a minefield. I had to hope the other guys would spot the objects in time and not run into one by accident, not having the possibility to communicate to them what they were about to walk into without revealing myself. They didn’t know we were here and I wanted to keep it this way till we were done with the recce.

“We’ve got company now, boys and girls.” I heard Luc shortly after through my earpiece upon spotting the arrival of the five ex-delta soldiers we had been waiting for. Their timing was just great… note the sarcasm.

“Make sure none of them notices the slightest trace of you and get your comms ready.” I ordered in the serious tone as their captain, wanting to avoid getting detected by any of the boys at all costs.

“Copy.” The three men of my team answered in unison.

I lowered my weapon and slung it back around me with its strap, reaching into a pocket on the backside of my vest and pulling out the com I had requested for me and my team from Santiago, so we could listen their conversation, putting it in my other free ear. They couldn’t hear us unless we used the manual trigger of the mic, which me or my teammates wouldn’t dare to touch and continued to use our own to communicate with each other.

Hearing their line crackling to life, I left my position and disappeared back into the thick foliage.

“So what's this guy got against banks? At least a safe.” Will’s deep voice reached my ears and sent a shudder down my spine that halted my movement for a moment. It felt weird to hear their voices after so long. I needed to get used to them again.

“The house is the safe.” Santiago answered cryptical. What was that supposed to mean?

“Got any idea what he’s talking about?” Alex questioned through our com and spoke out what I was asking myself.

“No clue.”

“Feels like he didn’t tell you everything.” Mick threw in skeptically, emphasizing the most important word in his sentence. Everything. Santiago better didn’t withhold any important information we should have known about before.

Carefully ducking underneath some low hanging branches, the quiet rustling of plants caught my attention and I looked alarmed around. It didn’t come from me but who- or whatever it was that made them was close.

The only thing I saw was a backwards cap in green camouflage moving through the greenery of the jungle and I knew who it was. I stopped dead in my tracks and didn’t dare to breathe or even blink. Ben had no clue I stood directly behind him when he moved by, not more than a thin wall of leaves separating us. His sudden closeness speeding up the beat of my heart in an instant that was pounding loudly in my ears and I prayed he couldn’t hear it. Keep your god damn composure, Y/N! Don’t panic.

Fuck. Did he have a compass which seemed to always lead him to me?

His hand was not a mere inch away and nearly brushed my belly. I’d be so, so fucked if he was able to sense me. Please don’t let him notice. Only this time.

Thump-thump.

Thump-thump.

Thump-thump.

After a few beats of him deciding it was a good idea to stop and stand right there in front of me and I thought I’d die from my heart jumping out of my chest, he finally started to walk away and gave me an actual chance to get some desperately needed air into my lungs again. I swear, this man was the death of me, in more ways than one.

This was waaay too close.

My eyes had grown at least double their size as I followed his path till he was out of sight, not making any kind of motion or noise yet for fear he could pick up on it and discover who was here with them.

“I'm at the gate.” I let out a sigh of relief when I heard his still well too familiar rough voice speak through their com that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. If someone would have told me, I’d ever be relieved not having to be near him… Nothing could have been more wrong…

“This looks like everything was done about 82% right. They got all the toys out here, but these cameras aren't even aimed at the weakest breach point.” Ben continued and repeated in his own words what I had observed before, showing clearly why both of us were the experts at reconnaissance.

“Someone’s got some knowledge there too, huh?” Mick indicated, somewhat surprised there was someone else ‘as good as me’ as he would put it, in this field.

We had been the perfect team… And now we were standing on opposite sides.

Deciding to stay silent, I put more distance between us when I was sure he would be far enough away and went with fast but still calculated steps in the other direction. I didn’t want to have another close encounter with him.

“Your girlfriend's making her normal money drop?” Tom’s voice joined in and halted my steps a few meters after once again. What were they talking about now?

“Yeah.” Santiago answered him directly like they were talking about the weather, despite knowing that we could hear their conversation. “She's prepared to record the inside of the house.”

Girlfriend?... Wait a minute…- His so called ‘informant’ was his girlfriend?! And he had the nerve to not tell me before all of this?! He just had dug his own grave.

I was sure my teammates didn’t take this new information any different. I could already imagine how their brows would knit together and their jaws would clench at the revelation.

Santiago had unknowingly managed to turn our team against him before they even had the chance to meet with his move. The fact that none of them felt like speaking up about it told basically everything already. Good luck for him to get out of this.

“Pope...” The person using his callsign was Frankie but it sounded a bit off. Was that concern I heard? What was worrying him? Everything should be fine, I made sure of that before they arrived. Besides… My thoughts went back to the discovery we had made not long ago. Damn it. He didn’t accidentally set off one of the sensors, did he?

“Pope, I have kids over here. Does he have kids living in here with him? 'Cause that's gonna make things a whole lot more complicated and is not what I signed up for.” He shared his discovery over the com and thankfully not confirmed my suspicion but reminded me of what would be another part on my personal task list which I hadn’t wanted to think about yet. If Fish had known what he signed up for… maybe he would’ve had considered his options better.

I continued my way with quick strides through the jungle while I listened, passing by the gate in the distance with enough space to not get noticed and reaching the spot on the left side of the house where I had originally begun my observation round.

“The family's not the problem. They're the answer.” The addressed man replied without the slightest concern. What was it with Santiago and his cryptic sentences?

“Why?” Frankie wasn’t the only person who liked to know.

“Church.” Santiago simply answered. “Lorea's very devout. Every Sunday morning, he sends three guards to the 6 AM service. When they get back, he sends the rest of the team, along with his family, into town to mass. That leaves him and three guards in that house, and that's our window.” He elaborated and I could only shake my head at what I heard. I wouldn’t give them a chance to escape and not finish the mission properly, he could totally forget that. I didn’t care how many guards Lorea had in his house, ten, twenty, it didn’t matter. We would have the army with us too, which would be way enough to wipe them out for good. Not that my team and I could handle it on our own. I didn’t understand why he was making such a fuss about the damn family. There was definitely some business we had to discuss later.

“Why would he do that?” Will inquired, which wasn’t really surprising. He always was someone for details. Too bad he didn’t pay attention to them when he actually should have.

“Worried about someone taking his kids. And he never leaves his money.” These would be the least of his problems very soon…

“Also, I don't think he believes anyone actually has the balls to come out here and rob him.” Santiago added bluntly. That was another way to put it, except ‘rob’ was the wrong word for what we’d be doing. Let me correct, what they’d be doing. My team wouldn’t get involved with the money the guys would confiscate together with the army after we were done. So was the plan. But I didn’t like how he said it and the feeling it caused in my gut.

“It's probably cause it's a stupid idea.” At least Will had some common sense. Yes, it absolutely was. It was the stupidest idea on earth to be exact.

The sound of a car approaching had me drawing my sniper in a flash, holding it steady with both hands and looking out at the driveway through some trees and bushes from my higher position. A black van came into view that slowly approached the barrier at the gate where it stopped. The guard not standing behind the machine gun walked up to the passenger side.

“Pope, I got your girlfriend coming up right now.” Ben announced at the same time.

“Y/N, do you have the safety of your gun on?” Mick joked into the com right after, who had been uncharacteristically silent, already knowing what my reaction would be and wanting to check up on me.

“Maybe I accidentally switched it off.” My voice dropped lower, with an underlying threat behind it my boys were familiar with, while aiming through the scope of my TAC-50 at the woman’s head. It would only take a little pull on the trigger…

I inspected her nearer and got slapped in the face with the bitter truth that I couldn’t compare to her, and it was obvious why Santiago seemed to have a liking in this woman. She looked attractive with her tanned skin, the dark brown, shoulder long, wavy hair and dark eyes. And I bet the rest of her body looked just as good. Something I wouldn’t ever come close to…

“Holy shit. She is beautiful, man.” My blood ran cold at Benny’s next words and something broke inside me. He should have kept his damn mouth shut. The grip on my weapon tightened with my fingers wrapping themselves like snakes around it that were about to choke their victim to death.

Don’t let it get to you. Just ignore all the shit they��re talking. He’s not worth it! None of them are worth it!

“He doesn’t know that the most beautiful woman is already here.” Alex threw in quickly, trying to lessen the damage but he had no clue that what Ben said had fueled my wrath already to a dangerous level. He only tried to lift the situation and make me feel better, knowing about my insecurities that got much worse after what I had been through, but this was something even he couldn’t fix. Only one person could have done that and he wasn’t here anymore… because of me.

Fuck him. Fuck all of them. I wouldn’t give them even the slightest chance to hurt me.

Thank god the van drove past the gate a moment later before I couldn’t resist the temptation to shoot her and the driver anymore. My index finger hovering dangerously close over the small part of the gun that could decide between life and death in a moment’s notice if I wanted.

“I got an execution about to go down over here.” As if sensing my mood for satisfying the craving I felt, Will spoke through their line, adding greatly to the need for shedding blood. Did I hear execution?

“Are you at the tennis courts?” Santiago wanted to know and I looked around if I could see the mentioned place from my position to follow what was happening there but to my disappointment it was out of my sight.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah, that's his spot.” He confirmed. Of course Lorea would kill others for his sake, people like him were all the same. He wasn’t the first and surely wouldn’t be the last.

“Anyone have sight on it?” I spoke into the mic, in hopes one of my boys would be close by and could give more detailed information about the situation.

“Positive, I do.” Alex answered while watching Lorea with a guard next to him getting ready to kill the unfortunate souls that were kneeling on the ground with bags over their heads. He had also found the blonde person lurking behind the small brick wall not far from him who must be one of the ex-delta soldiers, watching through the free spaces in between what was about to unfold.

“How many?” I inquired after his response, meaning the number of people the drug lord was about to kill.

“Four.” Too many. I would make sure to pay it equally back to him. He wouldn’t hurt someone ever again after we would be finished with him.

“Man, this guy really takes his business way too serious.” Mick commented with a snort when multiple shots of a gun filled the atmosphere. It wasn’t meant as disrespect toward Lorea’s victims but more his own way to cope with what we had to experience in our job and to not let it get to him. The complete opposite of me.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

“One more reason to get rid of him.” The grip on my sniper hardened even more at the thought of how many people had died because of him. How many lives he had taken for all the blood money. This guy was practically begging to be killed. A shame I couldn’t do it right now.

“Why is she doing this?” Frankie wondered as he saw the dark-haired woman and a few men getting out of the van and entering Lorea’s house with some bags, bringing their line back to life after it went silent for the time of the execution, everyone probably listening the sound of bullets delivering death and leaving nothing but corpses behind.

“She hopes I can get her little brother out of jail.” As if it hadn’t been enough to hear that she was his ‘girlfriend’ but to also find out she was doing this for Santiago to get her brother back on top of it… This was the culmination of it all. How did he even wanted to do that? If her brother was involved with Lorea, there was no way he could get him out legally. Or was he simply playing her so she agreed to help him? Like he tried with me also with leaving out what I heard since they arrived? He had chosen the wrong person.

“Tell me he isn’t fucking serious?!” Our engineer let out in vexation, being careful to not speak too loud and give himself away to the person with a cap he had in sight while he looked over the entrance area of the house where the van had stopped not a minute ago.

“I guess he ‘forgot’ to mention those little details, right?” Alex was just as pissed off, the kind where he questioned himself if he should shoot first and ask questions later or the other way round.

“He should pray I won’t find him right now.” Mick threatened afterwards, directly voicing out what his Spanish brother had hidden behind his words.

“You should give him a chance to explain himself and not make any assumptions already.” Luc spoke up, surprising us with his calmness and how he wasn’t on the side of his brothers. Sitting still on his spot on the other side of the house and following the guards’ movements while also keeping a careful eye on two of the ex-delta soldiers laying on top the massive concrete wall underneath some plants.

“What the fuck, man?! How can you defend him?! There is no god damn room for assumptions because everything is fucking clear! We need to have a talk after this!” His friend shot back with a growl.

It would be an exhausting drive back… Releasing some air and not wanting to take part in their conversation to fuel the tension that already had manifested itself with my own emotions, I focused back on the other boys.

“Did you put him in jail?” I heard Ben asking the most obvious question, silencing and distracting my three men from their heated discussion. I wouldn’t be surprised at this point if Santiago did.

“Not really.” There we go. So he had something to do with it. He might be able to fool the others but not me.

“I'm guessing that's putting her at some risk.” Tom pointed out and a sarcastic chuckle left me. It was putting her at the risk of vanishing from the face of this earth as soon as I got my hands on her.

“Man, I almost forgot why I got out of this business. Shit gets so dark so quick.” Frankie shared his thoughts, not knowing how true his words actually were and hitting the nail on the head. Explaining why I was as I was and bringing back painful memories. Nothing would come close to what I had to experience.

My knuckles turned white from the force I was gripping my weapon with now, teeth grinding hard against each other and shutting my eyes to force the unwelcomed thoughts away before they had a chance to get through.

Keep breathing slowly. You’re not going back to that place. You’re over it.

“Oh, shit, we got ground sensors here, boys.” Benny suddenly announced alarmed over their com when he found himself near the dangerous little object that blocked his way.

“Did you hit one?” As soon as Santiago had asked his question, my focus completely relied on them, tensely waiting for an answer and cursing under my breath that of course it had to be him out of the five to get himself into this situation.

“I don't know, I'm not sure.” With concern heavy in his voice and face Ben answered, uncertain if he had activated it or not and quickly taking a look around to check if he had been detected but everything seemed normal until Fish’s warning hit his ears.

“Benny, I got two guys on motorbikes coming your way.” He informed the younger Miller when he watched them speeding down the driveway in the direction of the gate where Ben was crouching deeper into the bushes covering him.

The urge to eliminate the enemy grew with every passing second and I considered starting the mission early. They wouldn’t get anywhere near him. I wouldn’t allow it. They’d be dead before they knew it.

With him already in my sight from my place across, I switched off the safety of my sniper once again. Making sure he was unharmed and nobody would come too close to him and discover where he was hiding.

Will left his position right after, following back the way he came through the small waterway around the area toward his little brother.

“Hold tight, Benny. I'm trying to get out there to cover you.” He told him, the protectiveness as his big brother coming to the surface. Moving as fast as he could till he got in position behind a small tree on the opposite side of the gate and aiming his pistol underneath its branches toward the newly arrived guards.

I shifted my view to the gate when I heard the sound of motorbikes approaching, noticing Will at the edge of my scope. Shutting out everything to not get distracted from the threat at hand and taking in controlled breaths to keep the heavy weapon steady while looking at the guys getting off their bikes, ready to shoot at any wrong movement or getting closer to Ben’s position.

“A stock boy job at Walmart's starting to look pretty good right now, boys.” It wouldn’t be Ben if he didn’t make one of his comments in his current situation, holding his pistol low but ready to use if needed. He was unaware that me and his brother had him covered from both sides of the gate and nobody would have an actual chance to harm or get to him without being killed. It kind of was like a déjà vu.

For a long moment they stood there, talking to the other guards. Thankfully not showing any signs that they were alarmed or actively searching for Ben. With a wave of a hand from one of them they got on their motorbikes again and drove back where they came from.

“I'm clear. They're coming back to you.” Ben confirmed to Frankie and watched them retreating, putting the gun back in the waistband of his jeans and relieving all of us with his words.

“Let's get the fuck outta here.” Will ordered into their com, keeping his hand weapon aimed on the men until they were out of sight. He had seen enough and didn’t want to push their luck any further, it had already been a close call with his brother and there was no reason to risk another encounter. The intel they had gathered should be enough to make a plan.

“Two retreating on my position.” I informed my team, watching both Miller brothers leave and disappearing into the jungle. Lowering my sniper and allowing my muscles to loosen up after I made sure my surroundings were safe.

“Positive, two as well here.” Luc responded first.

“Affirmative. One on me.” His friend Mick validating the same after.

“That’s all of ‘em. Alex, you clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Copy. If y’all are, I’ll meet you at the car. Be careful out there, boys.” I instructed before heading to where we had parked and took the earpieces out. Not looking forward to what awaited me…

35 Minutes later, 6:18 PM, Brazil

A bump in the road we were driving along woke me rudely from my nap when my front made contact with the car door to my right side I had leant to in my sleep. Startling me awake with the force of the impact.

A very faint “Sorry!” rang through the car.

“Can’t you drive more careful? If you continue like this, you gonna wake her up!” Alex complained annoyed from the left backseat, taking a look beside him in the dark of the car to ensure their girl was getting some much-needed sleep.

“I’m very obviously trying my best here. It’s not my fault this road is absolute shit. How is someone supposed to drive safe here anyway?” Mick complained back and shot his friend a glare through the rearview mirror before looking back at the road and giving Luc a glance on the way in the passenger seat.

“We’re in the middle of nowhere, you won’t find any better ways out here. I’m afraid this is the best we can get, gentlemen.” Luc declared with a chuckle.

“Still was a mistake to let him drive.” Alex grumbled lowly, not agreeing with the choice they had made earlier because he had enough experience with his recklessness at times. Especially with driving.

“If you think you can do it better, go ahead, pen-, pem-? Whatever you call asshole in Spanish.” Mick challenged him, struggling to find the word he was looking for because his knowledge of his friends’ second language was very limited or rather nonexistent and slowing their vehicle.

“It’s called pen-de-jo, dumbass. And we all know I’m a better driver than you.”

“Who almost caused an accident when we came here? Hm?”

“Seriously?! It wasn’t my fault some crazy people were having a fucking chase with the police!”

“Whatever you say, bud.”

“If you keep going like this and not lower your volume, it won’t be the movement of the car who’ll wake her up.” Luc clarified, sending a look their ways that didn’t require any further words.

With a slight groan I came to and opened my eyes slowly, noticing the lack of daylight.

“Great job, Mick. Look what you’ve done! You woke her up!”

“It certainly wasn’t me!”

With an eyeroll Alex shifted his head in my direction and gave me a smile.

“Hey, sleepyhead.” He greeted me softly, his hand searching mine and giving me a light squeeze while caressing the back of it with his thumb. A ritual my boys always did when we were out on a mission, to assure me I was safe and in the present while I was waking up out of my half sleep.

“Hey. What’s… happening?” I answered groggily and looked at him with barely opened eyes, giving a squeeze back.

“Nothing you have to worry about. You okay?” He asked, letting me take my time to get more conscious and inspecting me.

“Mhm. As best as I can be.” I saw it in his eyes when I nodded at him that it wasn’t the answer he’d been waiting for, even if he did an excellent job at not showing any changes in his facial expression and maintaining the smile on his lips for my sake. Giving me a final caress with a bit more pressure before retreating his hand.

“Welcome back.” Mick’s cheerful voice broke our moment and my sight went to the front of the car. Realizing night had settled in with the headlights illuminating the earthy path ahead and the instruments inside being our only light source, now that I was more awake.

“How was your little nap?” Luc turned around in his seat to face me.

“You know how it was.” I told him right away, every person in the car aware of the fact that my sleep was screwed for good with permanently fearing to have another nightmare yet again when I allowed myself to rest. But of course it didn’t keep them from asking anyway.

“Sorry by the way if we woke you.” Came it from the driver’s seat, a brief side eye meeting mine while Mick took one hand off the steering wheel and rubbed the back of his head in a guilty manner.

“You didn’t.” I assured, not wanting him to feel responsible for something he wasn’t the reason of.

“And for earlier… I didn’t mean to be an ass.” He added more quietly, exchanging another look with me, the memory of our “chat” before the drive in his mind that hadn’t gone like probably all of us had intended it to. But on the other hand, they had gotten a chance to release some steam and cool off which mattered the most for me, not blaming them at all about their complaints and voicing them out loud. Taking in every last word and feeding the side of me that lived from it, that didn’t know anything else and used what I bottled up within me as its catalyst to cause the fatal havoc it was meant to do. To make the world burn for what had been done.

“There’s nothing you’d have to apologize for, Mick. And aren’t you an ass all the time? At least to Alex?” I tried to lighten the mood and draw the attention away from me.

“Whoa! Now that’s just cruel, Y/N! You can’t say something like that when I just apologized!” Our driver let out in his usual overdramatic way, going along with it. Making his friends laugh heartfully, mostly about his reaction but also my words. The joyful sound wrapping around us like a comfortable, warm blanket in the winter. Only that its warmth wasn’t enough to reach my cold, dead soul. It would never be enough to bring it back to life ever again.

Another precious moment between us I should enjoy but couldn’t, with the inability to feel the same happiness as them - or any at all. Faking a small smile to not ruin the entire situation because I didn’t want them to have to deal with me more than they already had to, like the constant loneliness I felt even if they were always around me.

“Totally deserved.” The Spanish man next to me nodded in agreement and fixated his brother in front of him with a wide smirk.

“Keep going and I throw you out of this car myself, then you can see for yourself how you get there.” A finger pointed in his direction as a warning sign before Mick had to focus on driving again and put his hand back on the steering wheel.

“Why do I have the feeling I missed something important?” I asked in confusion, suspecting there was more to their talk than I knew and switching my sight between the boys.

“Oh trust me, you didn’t miss anything, Y/N.” Luc laughed to himself, the other two starting to snicker along him.

“Okay…?” Coming across my lips in more a question than a normal pronunciation. Despite my curiosity I decided to not dig further and leave it at that. It was probably just another banter of theirs like usual. Looking a last time between them before I shifted my view out the window into the night and silence falling over us with only the faint tune from the radio playing in the background.

A few miles later when I couldn’t stand the quietness anymore, I leaned forward in my seat over the center console as far as my seatbelt allowed it and grabbed the inner edges of the front seats with my hands.

“How long till we’re there?” My nervosity getting the best of me because the previous silence grew too loud for my head and I couldn’t keep the thoughts in it no longer from running wild, threatening to overwhelm me.

“We still have a bit to go. You can take another nap if you want.” Luc answered and looked over to me from the side.

“I’m not tired.” I quickly refused his suggestion, as everyone expected, because it had become a common thing over the last 2 years and they were used to it by now.

“Y/N… Then at least try to get a bit more rest, please. You know-” He tried to reason like a parent with their child who was too stubborn to follow their instruction, but I interrupted him before he could finish what I had to hear too many times already: “You know he wouldn't want you to put yourself in danger.”. Who the fuck cares?

“I don’t wanna hear it.” A well-meant advice to drop what he was going to say.

I had decided to walk this path with no looking back till the end, whenever that would be. There was nothing waiting for me anyway. It was like I had been stuck somewhere along the way and got lost in search for something I had known once but wouldn’t find again, left alone in the shadows with nothing more than misery, sadness and deafening silence as my companions, the only remains of a life before that had stopped existing.

With a heavy sigh I sat back in my seat and busied myself with the sight out the windshield, not wanting to continue the conversation we’d had so many times before like the words he wanted to use.

“Can we not-” I instantly stopped midsentence when I saw a hooded figure appear out of nowhere in the shine of the headlights that stood on the side of the road, directly facing us.

I wasn’t sure what it was but the feeling hitting me in this very moment I couldn’t place - something both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time - had me sitting up straight immediately.

“Mick, stop the car! Stop the car!! Now!” I yelled when we drove past it, my eyes glued to where the figure had disappeared behind us in the night and hands pressed hard against the glass. Startling the boys with my sudden change and the urgency in my voice.

“What? Why? Did I hit an animal or somethin’?” He asked as confused as his brothers, all looking at me now with big question marks in their faces.

“Just stop it already!” I urged impatiently, not caring to elaborate and wanting to get out as fast as possible.

“I’m on it! What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

Before they got an answer, I was out as soon as we came to a stop in the middle of the road with only the person I saw in mind and ran back through the dark to where I had seen it. Shouts of my name erupting from behind me when the three quickly followed and ran after me.

“Hello? Is anyone here?” My raised voice filled the night, loud enough to be heard for a few meters distance but I got no answer or any sign that somebody was there.

“I know you are! Come out and show yourself! I won’t hurt you, I promise!” After nothing happened and I didn’t want to wait any longer I spoke up again, opting for a different way to get the person to reveal itself but it turned out the same as my first attempt. Looking in every possible direction in hopes of finding what I was searching for.

Multiple cones of flashlights lighting up my surroundings more and more from behind announced my team’s approach very soon after but I was too focused to pay them any mind for now.

With hands crossed over each other, raised pistol in one and a flashlight in the other held next to it, how they had been trained to, so they could shoot at any possible threat lurking out there while still being able to see, they closed the distance between us with fast steps and in their tactical formation with Alex on the left side, Luc in the middle and Mick on the right to cover as much ground as possible.

“Can you tell me what the hell this is all about?” Taking in a defensive stance, Mick came to a stand next to me and let his eyes roam around to make sure no danger was in sight before they landed on me, displaying his obvious discontentment about my careless action.

“They were here.” I answered without looking away from the spot I had been staring at, still clinging on to the false hope of the person showing up.

“Who?” He questioned confused, not understanding what I meant and being more concerned about my safety since I wasn’t wearing a bulletproof vest or a weapon.

“The Person. They were right here.” Repeating my words, assuming he would catch on, I tore my gaze away and toward him. Noticing Luc and Alex next to us and the handguns they carried with them. “And put your guns down.”

“Well, I don’t see anyone. Are you sure?” Taking another attentive glance around at my words, he followed my instruction and lowered his pistol slowly after he spotted nothing but grass.

“What Person?” Alex asked from the other side while doing the same as his brothers and loosened his stiff posture.

“That stood on the side of the road looking at us.” I elaborated a last time with slight agitation, not getting why they asked all these unnecessary questions when they must have seen the person too.

Luc, Mick and Alex exchanged a troubled look with each other.

“There wasn’t anyone.” Luc said after a short pause.

“But…- No…- They were standing right here…! I swear!” Denying his words and pointing at where the person had stood, I took a few steps forward, letting my sight wander through the dark once more and staring at the earthy ground in front of me in total disbelieve after I still found no evidence that someone had been here only minutes ago. This couldn’t be true… I knew what I saw… I wasn’t making it up…

“Hey, we believe you, okay? If you say you saw someone, you did.” Alex assured, stepping before me and searching my eyes. The other two not wasting time and appearing at my sides, forming a half circle.

“How did they look like?” Luc changed the direction of our conversation, deeming it a good choice to distract me from the thoughts he practically could see swarming my head and make sense of what I was saying.

“Their… clothes were all black… with a hood over the head. And… the lower half of the face… was covered with a black mask.” I stuttered out. “I know how this sounds but I swear to you I didn’t imagine it!” Seeking the boys’ eyes for reassurance that I wasn’t going mad and my mind didn’t make up things that weren’t there when I just had literally described what we normally wore on our missions.

But it was hard to miss the doubt in them which hurt me more than I wanted to admit to myself when I realized my mistake, not allowing my expression to show I had noticed and quickly cutting off our line of sight to avoid getting more upset and revealing my emotions. I shouldn’t have told them.

“Did you notice anything else? Or were you able to identify the person?” A vertical shake of my head was all I gave Luc, feeling a surge of rage rush up that I didn’t pay closer attention to the person’s face, so I would have known who it was and if they were real but everything had happened too fast and caught me right off guard.

“What’s the plan here then? Are we going for a search?” Mick wanted to know, switching from expectantly looking between us four and checking our surroundings from time to time.

“I don’t see any footprints but if somebody was here they couldn’t have gone too far.” Our Spanish man moved his light around, emphasizing he wasn’t completely dismissing it. His way of telling me he didn’t think I was crazy.

“We surely would have noticed anyone by now - and I’m not saying I don’t believe you,” Coming up with the fact none of us could dismiss, Luc stepped into his role amongst our team and I could feel his observing gaze that hadn’t left me since his arrival. He noticeably changed the pitch of his voice while adding his own assurance into the sentence - a smart move, to ensure I would be listening. “But we won’t find much in this high grass with only our flashlights at this time of day. Also don’t forget we still have a good few miles to go and I doubt we wanna be too late.”

“As much as I agree with you, but I’m not comfortable leaving without knowing if we’re being followed-”

“Luc’s right. It doesn’t make sense to try and find someone in the middle of the night, Alex. And I said we’d be there.” I countered him with a defeated sigh, not having the nerves to argue with my boys about the actual existence of the person but wanting to ease at least his worry that was an ever constant of the trio below the surface since certain things had happened all of them never fully recovered from and wouldn’t. Another thing I was the reason of.

“I mean it won’t do any harm if we take a quick look, right? I’d feel better if we do. And let’s be honest here, none of us gives a damn about being late.” Mick suggested, not passing the opportunity to add one of his blunt comments.

“It’s just a waste of time, forget it. Let’s go and get this over with as fast as possible.” To make this decision wasn’t easy for me but it was the most rational in the current moment. Swallowing down my increasing anger. If things continued like this, I would need an outlet soon because I could only hold it in for so long until I had to release it.

Casting my view for a moment toward the sky in hopes of finding some relief, my mood dropped further when I saw nothing but clouds plunging the stars in their darkness to snuff out their light, like they were foreshadowing what was to come. Not deeming me worthy of the only thing bringing me some little kind of comfort for what I was about to do.

Averting my eyes, I turned around and started to walk back to the car.

“Wait! Y/N!” Alex tried to stop me and was hot on my heels.

“I already told you we’re not searching!” I let out angrily and sped up my steps.

“I swear to god, this woman…” Mick huffed out quietly before he and Luc got moving too, earning an amused snort paired with a smirk from his brother next to him.

“That’s why we love her.” He patted him a few times on the shoulder. “And you wouldn’t want it any differently.” Luc added after a short distance without looking back, following their captain and Alex who was making some gestures with his hands and arms on her side only to be ignored.

“I hate when he’s right…” The last member of the team started to catch up in a sprint.

From afar a hooded figure in black was watching them…

If I had at least understood my third and final warning.

A/N: I want to thank every single one of you who gave this story a chance in the last year and supported it so far, no matter if it was through a like, a lovely comment or a reblog! Each one means the world to me and is greatly appreciated and a huge motivator, regardless how small it is! And I hope I can continue to bring you more enjoyment in the future with it! ❤️

You can definitely look forward to the ultimate clash that's bound to happen which we are approaching with careful steps! Maybe in the next chapter already? 😱

If you enjoyed feel free to reblog, like and comment! 🥰

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[terrence-silver]

I don't think Terry Silver likes the snow, but what if his partner adores it? Does he join her outside?

I think he abhors it too.

Man's hot blooded. Relishes in the warm sun. Hot climates. Jacuzzi lounging. Cold poolside cocktails. Palm trees. Beaches, private or otherwise (but, especially private). He likes sweat, tropical weather conditions and he likes it searing. While California has it's vast share of mountains and diversely cool to temperate zones, that sort of thing, well, is not exactly his cup of tea, although you could bet your ass Mr. Silver owns winter resorts he undoubtedly never or seldom uses purely because he can, as a mere status symbol. A colossal Manor in Aspen or Switzerland that stays locked all year round and that's the collective envy and sore spot of everyone breaking their asses to own something Terry doesn't even care to ever utilize or enjoy? Why the heck not. It amuses him how pissed off people get about it, him having a ten million dollar mansion that just sits there...empty...purely because he doesn't want to compromise on changing climates.

Extreme winter sports on the other hand?

Contradictively enough, I can see Terry rather enjoying and excelling at those, purely because he pushes himself to excel at everything he touches like someone out to collect achievements and accolades, be it in martial arts, playing an instrument or skiing, for example --- something he quite literally does with a smile on his face, absolutely in control and far so than most trained professionals while he's on a Snow mobile, hanging off of rock climbing equipment, perched up on skates, on paragliders, soaking in saunas, bathing in ice cold streams for the disciplinary hell of it and relishing the adrenaline like someone hitting a ketamine high. Chances are, he tried an extreme winter sport with a narcotic shooting up the blood in his veins purely for the thrill of it. Not to mention, he looks fantastic in custom made and commissioned winter sport's wear and gear that undoubtedly costs a fortune!

So, if beloved likes snow? The winter?

That's a pleasure he gives them.

He gives them anything they want and they seldom even have to ask for it, if ever. They want the keys to his winter resort estate over the season? Done! It's theirs! They should take it! It's his gift to them and he insists that they have it! He won't take 'no' for an answer! They want to spend time out there? Arranged! He flies them out with a helicopter and has a full waiting staff on stand by that's more than happy to actually be doing something out there for a change seeing as how Mr. Silver never comes down from LA. Beloved wants Terry joining them for some winter fun? Why not. He takes time off specifically for the relish of it. Terry Silver can always give beloved the chase of their life through a snowed in patch of forest, fuck them in front of a roaring fireplace on a polar bear pelt and then sweat it out in a private steam room, hoping they'll be snowed in long enough for him to have beloved all to himself as a hostage up here.

The options and opportunities are endless.

[kittyit]

What an incredible topic for getting the general public and some people who may not be interested to think about climate change. You got this incredibly grizzled old guy hired by the yankees being like the children won't be able to play baseball outside. They even have a woman on there who just wrote a book. kind of loving this angle

[witchpussy42069]

Financially Fucked and Dealing with Climate Change (Tips On How To Survive Wildfire Season):

I'm not an expert, I'm just poor and the trees are on fire again❤️. Please reblog/add on your own tips or any information regarding fire safety, smoke safety, health, etc.

Before we get to how to clean the air, let's start with how to keep yourself safe. I can tell you to stay inside and avoid being out in all that smoke, but most of us are selling our souls to corporations and have jobs we have to go to. bummer.

1. Masks

Anyways, the ideal mask for this would be an N95, but a scarf or any kind of mask will also help you a little. Significantly less effectively than an N95 but it's better than no mask. Definitely wear while out and about, and consider wearing inside depending on how the air is in your home. Wash regularly if you're using a reusable mask or a scarf.

2. Washing

When you get home after being outside, take a shower and change your clothes. Wash all those pollutants out of your clothing, wash all the smoke particles off of your skin, and moisten up that air!! You're gonna want the air wet, I'll explain why in a minute. Not so wet that mold could begin to grow in your house though, to be clear.

3. Stay away from chemicals

Your lungs are tired. You've been working all day, breathing polluted air all day, your throat is sore and your head is killing you. You know what WON'T make you feel better? Breathing in the fumes of bleach, Lysol, Febreze, ammonia, etc. when you need to clean, stick to white vinegar or lemon juice, or something else natural, since you can't ventilate the house with all that smoke outside.

4. Honey & Ginger

Inevitably, your throat is sore and your head hurts. Honey and ginger will help you with that. Tea would be perfect. Peppermint tea will help too, any warm liquid with honey in it actually. Ginger is full of antioxidants, honey is full of probiotics, and mint soothes the throat and mouth.

5. Limit Excersize

Isn't excersize supposed to be good for my lungs? Yeah, it is. But your lungs are already working overtime just to survive the smoke with minimal damage if possible. So don't put extra strain on them now. Wait until the air is clear to play any sports or do any strenuous excersize.

6. Water (pt. 1)

Drink sooooo much water. Drink all of the water. And then drink even more water. Your body has this magical way of flushing out toxins and magically healing just by drinking water, and by magical I mean very scientific. I'm not a scientist tho, or a doctor, but its something something about kidneys and the liver idk, just drink water...

7. Public Places

Maybe a window in your home is broken. Maybe the vents don't work. Maybe you don't have a home. Whatever the reason, public spaces are a safe bet if you need somewhere to go with filtered air. City hall, libraries, and malls are all good options. Don't stay by the doors, especially if there's lots of people going in and out and smoke is wafting in. Go find somewhere away from unsealed windows and doors that doesn't smell or look hazy.

Okay, that's all I know about that. I'm not an expert. Now we're gonna talk about ways to clean ur air WITHOUT BUYING AN AIR PURIFIER, BECAUSE SOME OF US ARE POOR GOD DAMN IT. I cannot count how many results on the internet have told me to just buy an air purifier. I am EXTREMELY POOR 😎

Ways to clean the air in your home from wildfire smoke with things you probably either already have or can easily acquire:

Water(pt. 2):

Good ol' plain ol' water. I'm not a scientist, so forgive me for my lack of perfect articulation, but basically water absorbs smoke particles. Makes em clump together and coagulate so they're not just floating everywhere in the air. Also, as the water clings to the pollutants, it cools them down, which causes them to fall to the ground/floor. So unless you're army crawling everywhere, this is something to look into. Just get a spray bottle and mist water everywhere, aiming for just, like, the air and stuff. Or get a bowl of water and leave it to sit out and absorb toxins throughout the day. Maybe don't drink the water afterwards, but you can use it to water your plants. And speaking of plants~

Plants:

plants are your best friends when it comes to cleaning the air! We all know they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, but did you also know that some of them absorb mold and smoke particles from the air too? Well you do now! A list of plants that are especially good at cleaning the air include, but are not limited to:

-Aloe Vera

-Rubber Plant

-Any kind of Ivy (pothos, english, etc)

-Bamboo! (Cat safe)

-Snake Plant

-Spider Plant (Cat safe)

NASA on spider plants:

Yeah spider plants are amazing. I want 20.

Baking Soda:

Baking soda works much like activated charcoal in this scenario, what with its ability to absorb so many impurities! And baking soda's best buddy in every 5th grade science project ever, white vinegar, can help you out too! Leaving a bowl of baking soda out, or leaving a bowl of white vinegar out, will deodorize the air; but it's not just making things smell less horrible, it doesn't just mask scents, it absorbs and 🔥ELIMINATES🔥them.

__________________________________________________

Okay now everybody say thank you Tay Tay!! And thank you Mr Bezos!! And thank you to alllll the other beloved private jet owners and billionaires❤️ now I don't have to wear my mittens anymore, teehee🤭

__________________________________________________

Anyways reblog and add on your own tips for fire season safety!

[nsewell]

Sending three because of Ava/Nat indulgence, feel free to take as few as many as you like: 8, 29, 40

8. sunbathing, 29. sweat, 40. pet

Brazil, 1976; Ava comes back from reconnaissance to find the long breadth of Nat in a Caravaggio spread on the private balcony of their suite. The weather is mild, a sweet, tepid spot between two extremes, but bearably warm for the sensitive skin of a vampire. It’s a relief from the Nordic climate the Agency has kept them in for the past four months and her companion is taking advantage of it and the rare lull between missions - sunbathing in a drawstring one piece that flatters the cutting line of her broad shoulders. There’s a drape of sheer fabric around her hips and Nat will tell her later that it’s a sarong, when Ava goes to take it off her. For now, she’s turned on her side in a lounge chair with a book beneath her palms that she’s giving her undivided attention.

Nat belongs here in the sun and afternoon air, in defiance of the legends that confine their kind to cold and shadow. She seeks it out often enough and she’s never said anything but Ava thinks it’s because she’d had enough of the latter, in the cloistered life that had come before.

“Is that a new bathing costume?” Ava asks as she stands in the doorway, arms crossed and her sunglasses pulled down; behind their shade she’s admiring all the open planes of her.

Nat smiles at her over her shoulder without surprise, and says in her most patient voice, “They’re called swimsuits now.”

“Seems a needless expense.” For someone who doesn’t like to swim is the addendum that Ava leaves off. She doesn’t need to say it. The unspoken dialogue between them has flowed seamlessly since their fifth or so decade together.

“You don’t like it?” Nat rolls to her stomach and pets down the toweled space beside her in invitation and Ava accepts willingly, settling her muscled weight. “I thought it was a fitting gift to myself. I haven’t bought one since the fifties and styles have changed.”

Ava has never bought a ‘swimsuit’ so she wouldn’t pretend to know. Her sports bra and athletic briefs have always served their utilitarian purpose, and before that, nudity had been a nonissue when bathing in streams and lakes. She doesn’t swim for leisure.

“I didn’t say that,” Ava replies, and after some deliberation, stoops and presses her mouth to the tawny skin between Nat’s shoulder blades that will never accumulate sweat or burn in the harsh rays. Her lips are instantly warmed. Nat sighs contentedly and shifts closer until her back is pressed against Ava’s chest, where she lingers. “I only find it unnecessary,” Ava tells the divots of her spine.

“Ah, I see,” Nat muses, flipping a page in her book with the attention they both know she’s abandoned. “So you would prefer it off of me?”

Ava blanches, sits up straight and then stares down at Nat who is looking back with those attractive, downturned eyes of hers rather too innocently. “You seem very intent on putting words in my mouth today,” Ava tells her, straight faced.

Nat’s back tremors with a low, resonant chuckle. She reaches to brush the sunglasses up and over the tight crown of Ava’s hairline and Ava allows her to anchor her touch there, stroking the hard knot at the base of her head. “Only because you seem to fall short of them. They’re not wrong words are they?”

Ava raises a thick brow and nearly almost laughs. “No. You know me too well.”

Then, Morgan’s voice from the adjacent balcony, and were they not so taken with each other they really would have noticed her sooner; if not from the cigarette smell then by the grey plumes she sends to the breeze: “Just how many words do you need to make the pass that it would look nicer on your floor? For fucks sake.”

[tkachuktkaching]

Matthew Tkachuk talking on life in Florida as top destination in the NHL

You’ve had a lot of time to chill. What the hell have you been up to?I’ve been hanging out and going to the beach a lot. I’ve taken a few quick trips. One of the perks of living in Florida is you have the ocean right there. It’s super good for your body and mind to go in there—it’s pretty peaceful in there. I’ve gone out a couple times for dinner. But mostly I’m just staying quiet at the house.

Obviously, I’m using everything in the basket to try and win it all here. 

Oh, I went to the Heat game the other night! I got to see Game 6 and sat with Charles [Barkley] and Shaq for a little bit.  

How fun was it to guest on Inside the NBA and witness that legendary Charles and Shaq energy up close?

It was awesome! It all happened last minute—literally that morning I was asked if I wanted to come to the game and talk with Charles and Shaq. Hell yeah! Let’s do it. But what was really cool was talking to those guys off camera. That’s when we were really talking. Hockey, sports, golf, just talking about everything, getting to pick their brains, and learn about stuff I don’t really know about was super entertaining. 

The idea of playing hockey in Florida always has this kind of funny connotation. It’s a relatively new franchise, you’re playing in warm weather in the south, it’s a very opposite idea of what most people have in their head when they think of the NHL. But you’re making it all sound pretty great.

It’s the top destination in the NHL. When you look at it—this is my opinion, and I would say most people’s opinion—the top two destinations in the league right now are the Florida teams. Third would probably be Vegas. It’s funny how that’s who we’re playing in the Final. People probably don’t look at Florida as the biggest hockey market, but Tampa’s won all these Cups recently and been to a bunch of Finals, the Panthers had some good runs before I got here, and when you go out West, Vegas has been right there at the top. Dallas has been right there too. These warmer climate markets aren’t the same as Toronto or Montreal, but the success that everyone’s had down here is no secret.  

When I chose to come here, the number one reason was to be on a competitive team, compete for championships year over year, right behind that was the way of life. But you’re not just coming here to live the Florida life, you’re coming here to win. It’s just a perk that you get to live in Florida on top of all that. My life has changed so much since coming [to Florida]. The lifestyle has been unbelievable. The way I’m able to live down here is insane. It doesn’t get better, anywhere. Playing in the U.S., having these opportunities with people like Jimmy Butler and Charles Barkley, having way more nationally-televised games, competing for the Stanley Cup, that’s made not only myself but everyone on the team more of a name than we were before. 

Have you become a boat guy since moving to Florida?

I have not. I’ve gotten as far as a few jet skis. I’m not a boat guy. I like to go on boats, but I don’t want to drive a boat. No chance I could park it. 

Quotes from an interview Matthew did before the playoff final started Via gq.com

Photo taken during the All Star Weekend via floridahockeynow.com

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | To All A Goodnight (Hess, 1980)

Contains a horrifying scene where a science nerd, the morning after getting laid, starts talking about football. Given that this character manages to bag a chick who looks like a darker haired Annette O'Toole and then starts macking on the main chick, you'd think his character arc would be an inspirational one, but the drastic change in his personality from man of science and knowledge to football bozo instead suggests a Faustian bargain has been made. Yeah, I was more into trivia than sports growing up, why do you ask?

The best part of this is without a doubt the performance by Judith Bridges, who starts off jokingly talking with an Atlantic accent, then starts talking with it for real and then... well, to say anything more about what happens to her would be a spoiler. But she very much marches to her own beat, seemingly divorced from the kind of movie she's in. One wonders if she just decided to do her own and director David Hess just accepted it. One wonders if she was beamed in from another dimension into this modest little slasher. It seems she only has a handful of IMDb credits, so the latter theory is more likely. Beaming into our dimension every few years, or perhaps even decades, to spread a little joy and return to her home.

And yes, this is directed by THAT David Hess. I won't pretend that he's one of the great actor-turned-directors, although he manages a few choices, like a fade to red after the reveal of a corpse, that along with Bridges' performance and the odd soundtrack, push this very, very slightly into accidental avant garde territory. Given how fearsome a performer he can be, one wishes he stepped in front of the camera, but at least we get cinema luminary Harry Reems appear in a small role as a pilot (who is treated rather rudely by the main characters for some reason). One also wishes he paid off one character's boast about "five years of karate and a black belt", but alas there are limits to this movie's weirdness.

As a Christmas slasher, this certainly has Christmas lights and a killer in a Santa suit, but the setting is in too warm a climate (there are palm trees) to capture the Hot Cocoa vibes I want from these things. That being said, the dead air of these early slashers feels very cozy to me, and with all the scenes of characters walking around the darkened house, and with a couple of neat kills, I had a pretty good time. Most movies don't even have one kill using a crossbow. This one has TWO. You can't argue with those savings.

[thatflowerjazmin]

Is becoming so hard. Everything has become so hard. Living used to be so simple. So natural. So me. But now, for some reason, I cannot feel like there is life in me. I cannot even feel like me. My head has stopped dreaming, and for someone like the child I used to be that looked impossible. I used to be so easy. Happiness used to be so easy. Because everything could make me feel happiness Like sleeping. Sleeping used to make me happy When I was asleep I dream and dream and dream. In my bed, with my warm sheets protecting me from the cold of the night. I love to sleep as much as I love to wake up because even when I was awake I manage to keep dreaming in my head, I dream of everything. Of the girl, I was going to be when I turned fiveteen.

Fiveteen used to be a special age But when it came it passed as fast as a train. I was not the girl I dreamed about. I did not have the things I wish to have. I was stuck in the same way but in different places. Nothing did change. Lie. Something did change: I became more aware. I became more aware of my surroundings I became aware of the climate change Of the Earth dying Of my family falling Of my girlhood trying to be stoled by men twice my age I became aware of the cruelty. I became aware of the problems. But hey! I was still a dreamer. I was an optimist back then. I dream about changing things now. I dream about how I could fix the planet. How I could fight for my rights.

How I could move on from where I was.

To find something lighter. Something better. Something that I have not found. Then, I turned sixteen. And where I came from, when you turn seventeen you need to go to university. You need to choose a career. You need to leave school and all your friends there. Is like being pushed off your nest.

The thing is that I have been aware of this all my life But was until I turned sixteen that I realise how close it was. I did not have more time to lose. I have one year only. I needed to stop dreaming and start thinking. Thinking of ways to make my dreams come true. But just in that moment, when I needed the most of my optimistic self, my head stopped. I could not dream. I could not think. I don't even know how I was breathing. But then, My thoughts came back. But this time, they were not the same. Insecurities. Those shadows fly from my inner hell until my head. That plague burned  my brain like fire in the woods. It destroys everything and plays with what is left.

So now, aware, incapable of dreaming, and insecure, my head became fragile. Not like a snowflake. Like a World War II bomb. It was just a matter of time until... I give up. There is no reason to keep trying. I can't do it. I can't be who I dreamed to be. There are only four ways in this world to be successful: Born rich, Be talented, Be smart, and be pretty. I am poor. I don't even have my own bedroom because I share it with my mom. I am not talented. The only talents that pay well are sports and musical talent, and the only art that I know to do is write bad poems about sad childhood. And I cannot even turn them into songs because I sing like an old truck. I am not smart. Not enough. I hate maths and all in life has to deal with maths. I am definitely not pretty. That was the first thing I knew when I was a child. I was ugly. People say it. I was yellow, I looked sick, and my hair was disgusting so I wear the same style for years. I was too skinny. With a long neck and a big head that makes me look like a lollipop and not in a good way. Then, when I became a teenager I feel like I need to be more skinny. I hate pimples. and the way I smile. I hate my boobs and how everyone seems to not see past those two. So yes, I give up because I did not see anything good in me. Anything good to turn my life into something nice. The only thing that my eyes could catch was how they were hundreds of kids from my city that have the lives that I want That makes me angry Why they can have that? Why do those girls have small chests and thinner bodies? Why their bodies are considered elegant and mine vulgar? Why boys don't look my way? Why they can be so pretty and be good at maths? Why can be so talented and have a nice family to talk to? Why their dads never left? Why their friends are sweet to them? Why do they have money to spend? Why do I have to watch how they live the life that I want? Is not fair. I cannot play this game when I am competing with them. and that is funny because I am not competing with them. I can't compete with people that are on another level than me. No matter how hard I try. How much I fight. I never rise to that level of life. That is why I give up. That is why I write this poem. To show the reason why I am going to die. Because I want to be great or nothing. And if nothing will be disappointing so death will be Praying while I am dying so I reborn in a life better than this.

[greypetrel]

🙤 Unusual OC Associations 🙧

Raina Hawke

Tagged by @demandthedoodles , thank you very much here's the trash raccoon!

Seasoning: Dried chilli pepper. Spicy, wholesome, you have to like it tho. Won't ever forget having eaten it, tho.

Weather: The variable time in Northern Europe, when five minutes it rains, the next the sun shines up and it's warm, the next is windy, you have absolutely no idea how to dress (from the POV of a southern european).

Colour: Cardinal Red. She may be a fully unhinged purple Hawke, but she dresses in red. Black, because she'd say it's elegant. And it's suddenly the ABC cafè, big Grantaire vibes.

Sky: A sunny, midday sky, the sun scorching but a lot of puffy clouds are sweeping by in quick wind. It may rain, it may not, take the umbrella and hope.

Magic power: Confusion hexes that are very effective but backfire.

House plant: Chenille. It's unassuming when it's dormant, but when it starts to bloom, it pops in red fuzzy catskins that will attract attention. It's a fast grower that will need to be pruned or invade your house. In the right climate condition it will be a perennial. Not everyone's taste, but you notice it..

Weapon: A bowie knife. Versatile, useful, you can cut your meat, use it as a tool or stab your enemies, your choice.

Subject: Engineering, mechanics. Something that needs study, yes, but also a lot of handywork to be applied at.

Social media: Twitter. Twitter, and starting flames on purpose. She probably have a shared account with Varric, they engage in fights and troll people for funsies. She should not be on social media.

Make-up product: A good old thicc, bold eye pancil, and cherry red lipstick. Go bold or go home.

Fear: Failure. She won't engage in anything if she's sure it will fail or she won't be up to it.

Ice cube shape: Ok, here it's either something trash and obnoxious, like skulls, or teddy bears if she knows that Merrill will come around, or flakey ice cubes without a shape because why bother, it's ice.

Method of long distance travel: The quicker the better. Plane, high speed trains... She'd be the one with the yellow sport car with flames and three unpaid penalties for speed excess she still needs to pay but always forgets to. (Garrett's the one who drives)

Art style: Fauves, bright colours and bold shapes. Or Russian Futurism.

Mythological creature: A griffon. It's noble, it's a mixed beast, do not cross by any means. Will get weak for scritches.

Piece of stationery: A bright red pen with sparkly ink that smell like strawberry. You don't know why you bought it because you never use it, it's obnoxious and tacky, but at the same time... It was too trash to leave in the store.

3 emojis: 🤟🍻🔪

Celestial body: A meteor.

Tarot card: Knight of Wands (Upright: action, adventure, fearlessness || Reversed: anger, impulsiveness, recklessness ) and Death ( Upright: transformation, endings, change, transition, letting go, release || Reversed: fear of change, repeating negative patterns, resisting change, stagnancy, decay

Reply by telling me your favourite guilty pleasure song if you want to be tagged!

[nyinginyi]

5 Super Simple Exercise Tips

With each New Year comes the determination to begin exercising. Perhaps even you made a promise to add more exercise into your day. If your efforts at exercising are not going as well as you had planned, take a look at these tips. They might help get you back on track.

Tip #1 – Do Something You Enjoy

Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours at the gym peddling away on a stationary bike. It doesn’t mean you have to spend money on exercise gadgets you will likely never use, either. Anything you do to get your body moving is going to be better than doing nothing. Walking is an easy exercise that you can do just about anywhere, in any climate. Situbondo Bike riding, dancing, gardening, weight lifting, swimming, playing a favorite sport, house cleaning and even playing in the yard with your children are just some of the ways you can add exercise into your daily routine.

Tip #2 – Schedule Time for Exercise

As you would a meeting or a doctor appointment, sometimes the only way to make time to exercise is to put it on your daily schedule. We’ve all got busy lives and we’re often so busy taking care of others that we never seem to make time for ourselves. Once exercise becomes part of your daily To-Do list, you’re more likely to do it. Some people have only a certain time during the day available for exercise while others will have to vary the time each day. Some people need a nudge and for them, exercising with a friend is a good solution. Choose whichever way works best for you. Just remember to actually go and do it!

Tip #3 – Remember that Exercise Can Energize

Even though you might feel too tired to exercise, give it a try anyway. You might be surprised to find how energized you feel while you’re at it and afterwards, when you’re finished. Exercise is a great stress-reliever too and if you know anything about stress, you know that it is one of the body’s biggest energy-sappers.

Tip #4 – Don’t be Afraid to Mix it up

Like anything that is done over and over again, exercise can become mundane. When you get bored with exercising, you’re less likely to keep at it. To keep from getting bored with your workout routine, change it. If you’re tired of walking, try cycling. If you’re into weight lifting, try alternating this with cardiovascular exercises throughout the week. Go bowling or play a game of tennis once in a while, and if you find you enjoy these types of activities, join up with a team.

Tip #5 – Always Begin by Warming up

Regardless of the type of exercise you choose, it is very important that you begin each session by warming up your muscles. Stretching helps prevent damage to muscle tissue and it gets your blood flowing. It gets your heart pumping, too. Just five minutes is all it takes to get your exercise session off to a good start.

[itscarshub]

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt LIVE: Latest score and updates as Alejandro Garnacho strikes inside 60 seconds

Man Utd will ‘suffer for a long period’ in bid to win games: Ruben Amorim From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Manchester United will seek their first win under Ruben Amorim as their new manager takes charge at Old Trafford for the first time. The hosts welcome Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt to Old Trafford in Amorim’s first Europa League game looking to get their stuttering campaign back on track. While the Portuguese coach’s opening fixture against Ipswich brought a new system and new approach, many of the same failings that led to the sacking of Erik ten Hag remained apparent as Manchester United ceded an early lead to be held at Portman Road. Their visitors tonight begin the fifth round of fixtures in this revamped league phase a point ahead of Amorim’s side, though may have one eye on Sunday’s decisive Eliteserien fixture against relegated Lillestrom. Victory there will secure a fourth title in five years for the club, who play their home games inside the Arctic Circle and should thus have few qualms with a chilly Manchester night. Follow all of the action from Old Trafford in our live blog below:

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt LIVE

- Manchester United host Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League | Live on TNT Sports - Ruben Amorim takes charge of his first fixture at Old Trafford - Manchester United XI: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Antony, Ugarte, Mount, Malacia; Garnacho, Hojlund, Fernandes. - Haikin; Wembangomo, Gundersen, Bjortuft, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Brunstad Fet; Zinchernagel, Helmersen, Hauge. - KICK OFF! - GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 Bodo/Glimt (Alejandro Garnacho, 1 minutes) Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 3 minutes Wow. Neither side had even had time to settle into shape before that opener, but it is, as expected, a 3-4-2-1 from the hosts, with Antony at right wing-back and the returning Tyrell Malacia on the left. Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 20:05 GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 Bodo/Glimt (Alejandro Garnacho, 1 minutes) Another lightning-quick start and Manchester United lead within a minute! What is Nikita Khaikin doing? The goalkeeper sashays over a back pass under pressure from Rasmus Hojlund, allowing the striker to close in further and pinch possession from him inside the Bodo/Glimt box. Hojlund is tugged back by the goalkeeper but Alejandro Garnacho is on hand to sweep up the pieces and knock home into the vacant net. Remarkable! Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 20:02 KICK OFF! The healthy contingent of travelling Bodo/Glimt fans provide the backing track as Manchester United get the action underway.

(Getty Images) Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 20:01 Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt Out the players come, warming the legs as Ruben Amorim fixes his best blue steel for the considerable number of assembled snappers grabbing a shot of the new Manchester United manager. Belgium’s Lawrence Visser is our referee this evening. Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 20:00 Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt Ruben Amorim sought to downplay the impact of this being his first home game tonight, insisting that he was fully focussed on getting a win. But it is nonetheless an opportunity to take in the history and stature of the grand old club which he now leads.

(Manchester United via Getty Imag) Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 19:55   Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt You can see from Ruben Amorim’s selection tonight that he doesn’t yet have the personnel that he will surely desire to operate his preferred system. Assuming it is a back three, all of Noussair Mazraoui, Antony, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes are probably in what one would describe as less-than-natural roles. But we’ve seen tactical ideologues turn makeshift options into genuine difference-makers before - can any Manchester United players stake a claim to their new boss tonight? Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 19:45 Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt Bodo/Glimt would appear to have had no issues getting to and inside Old Trafford tonight, but the Norwegian club have already dealt with a bit of Uefa tomfoolery in the Europa League this year... Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 19:35 Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford debut comes with burning Manchester United question A week has served as a crash course in managing Manchester United for Ruben Amorim. There was the hope and disappointment, the flying start at Ipswich and the underwhelming draw of a team held by one of lesser talent, acquired for lesser resources. There was the initial indication of how bright the spotlight shines, of the blend of football and celebrity that United tend to attract. Before Amorim had got a win, he had an apology from Ed Sheeran after the pop star gatecrashed his post-match interview at Portman Road. It was not necessary. “Sometimes you overcomplicate things,” said the Portuguese, aware such artificial controversies did not come his way in his homeland. “It was nothing, a simple thing to say hello to one of the commentators. And I was with Roy Keane, who is a real star.” Richard Jolly28 November 2024 19:25 Ruben Amorim expecting tough test against Bodo/Glimt “I’m expecting a very good team,” the Manchester United manager said of the Norwegian visitors on match eve. “They can win the league this week I think, they run a lot and that’s a very good thing for us at the moment. We need to improve that, so we know that in this game we have to run a lot. They have some special players in the wingers, they can play on the pockets very well and they have aura of winning games and this is also because they’re winning all the time. I’m expecting a very intense game, a very good game and I hope to see different things. Improve some things we didn’t do so well in the last game, so it will be a good game.” Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 19:15 Bodo/Glimt team news Perhaps with more than one eye on Sunday’s potentially title-securing league clash, Bodo/Glimt make five changes from their weekend win. Bodo/Glimt: Haikin; Wembangomo, Gundersen, Bjortuft, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Brunstad Fet; Zinchernagel, Helmersen, Hauge. Harry Latham-Coyle28 November 2024 19:05 Source link Read the full article

[greenwaybrews]

Are you Winter Adventure Ready?

Well this week has brought the arrival of Winter to Ireland and in true form it has come in with a bang! With the colder weather here to stay for the next few months, it’s time to think about whether you’re ‘Winter Adventure Ready’ or not?

Those of you native to Ireland are only too familiar with the joys of changing climates and winter in Waterford is no exception. While we’re always enthusiastic about keeping up your exercise regime, continuing to be outdoorsy all year round; it’s important to ensure you’re prepared for the challenges that the winter weather can bring. We’ve put together a few tips to help ensure you’re winter-ready!

- Check for weather warnings

Storms are no stranger here in Ireland and so it’s always a good idea to check the weather before planning a trip to ensure you’re not putting yourself or your family in danger. The last thing anyone wants is to miles and miles from home on a cycle with your children when a storm hits

- Thermal layers

Purchasing some good quality thermal layers is an investment you won’t regret. Thermal base layers can make the world of difference in colder temperatures and help keep you comfortable in harsh winter conditions. This can be tricky for kids who are constantly growing and you don't want to keep purchasing expensvie ones - fear not! Dunnes Stores have base layers from just €12.00 for children in an array of colours. They'll come in handy for not just winter walks but for those colder Saturday mornings playing sports matches!

- Cyclists;

Check your bike is winter ready. This includes making sure the tyres have good threads, that there's enough air in the tyres, that the brakes are working, you’ve a working light on your bike, a bell and a high vis jacket. Here's a little video on bike safety for winter

- Hi-vis jacket

is very handy for walkers and cyclists alike to ensure you’re seen in those dark evenings. This is especially important for children who can have a tendancy to run ahead - they need to be seen by cars, cyclists and foot traffic alike. The RSA usually give one per customer for free while stocks last - they can also be ordered via their website below

- Head torch

A head torch will come in handy when walking in areas with poor visibility. This can be hugely helpful on areas where there might be uneven footing. This are usually adjustable headbands so will suit both adults and children and most of them nowadays are rechargable via usb

- Shoes

Be smart with your footwear choice, do they have good grip? Are they waterproof? Last thing anyone wants to do is be out with wet socks, I think we can all agree how miserable it feels. Make sure you’ve some thermal socks on and some waterproof boots or shoes with grip

- Hand-warmers

Whilst these are not a necessity, I can tell you from first hand experience that these little things are an absolute godsend in the winter… especially with children

- Thermos flask

How nice is a warm sip of tea or coffee when out and about in the colder temperatures? We recommend bringing a thermos flask with you on your day out. These are a hit with all the family, be it hot blackcurrent, soups or tea and coffee- you’ll be glad you brought it! Here at Greenway Brews we can fill up your thermos with soups, teas coffees or blackcurrent for the smallies. There are adorable kids ones available for purchase from Mummycooks.ie

We recently did a blog post on flasks which you can find here

- Black-ice awareness

Be wary of black ice in colder temperatures, especially if you're cycling. When you slow down, use your brakes so that the brake lights warn drivers behind you. ice that often looks like a harmless puddle or is overlooked entirely. Watch out for black ice, especially in sheltered / shaded areas on roads, under trees and adjacent to high walls

- Proper gloves

Invest in some decent gloves for both yourself and your children. It will make a huge difference when out and about if your little ones hands aren't cold. As we all know, it can be the ruination of a nice day out if your child has cold hands! Mount Warehouse has a great selection of good quality gloves for both adults and children

- Prep your Pets

Pet matter too! Is your pet winter ready? Don’t forget about your furry friends- are they prepped for winter when you take them for their walk? There’s plenty of things we can do to make our extended family members more comfortable in the cold weather. We have an informative blog post on this coming soon

[sunaleisocial]

How climate change will impact outdoor activities in the US

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/how-climate-change-will-impact-outdoor-activities-in-the-us/

How climate change will impact outdoor activities in the US

It can be hard to connect a certain amount of average global warming with one’s everyday experience, so researchers at MIT have devised a different approach to quantifying the direct impact of climate change. Instead of focusing on global averages, they came up with the concept of “outdoor days”: the number days per year in a given location when the temperature is not too hot or cold to enjoy normal outdoor activities, such as going for a walk, playing sports, working in the garden, or dining outdoors.

In a study published earlier this year, the researchers applied this method to compare the impact of global climate change on different countries around the world, showing that much of the global south would suffer major losses in the number of outdoor days, while some northern countries could see a slight increase. Now, they have applied the same approach to comparing the outcomes for different parts of the United States, dividing the country into nine climatic regions, and finding similar results: Some states, especially Florida and other parts of the Southeast, should see a significant drop in outdoor days, while some, especially in the Northwest, should see a slight increase.

The researchers also looked at correlations between economic activity, such as tourism trends, and changing climate conditions, and examined how numbers of outdoor days could result in significant social and economic impacts. Florida’s economy, for example, is highly dependent on tourism and on people moving there for its pleasant climate; a major drop in days when it is comfortable to spend time outdoors could make the state less of a draw.

The new findings were published this month in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, in a paper by researchers Yeon-Woo Choi and Muhammad Khalifa and professor of civil and environmental engineering Elfatih Eltahir.

“This is something very new in our attempt to understand impacts of climate change impact, in addition to the changing extremes,” Choi says. It allows people to see how these global changes may impact them on a very personal level, as opposed to focusing on global temperature changes or on extreme events such as powerful hurricanes or increased wildfires. “To the best of my knowledge, nobody else takes this same approach” in quantifying the local impacts of climate change, he says. “I hope that many others will parallel our approach to better understand how climate may affect our daily lives.”

The study looked at two different climate scenarios — one where maximum efforts are made to curb global emissions of greenhouse gases and one “worst case” scenario where little is done and global warming continues to accelerate. They used these two scenarios with every available global climate model, 32 in all, and the results were broadly consistent across all 32 models.

The reality may lie somewhere in between the two extremes that were modeled, Eltahir suggests. “I don’t think we’re going to act as aggressively” as the low-emissions scenarios suggest, he says, “and we may not be as careless” as the high-emissions scenario. “Maybe the reality will emerge in the middle, toward the end of the century,” he says.

The team looked at the difference in temperatures and other conditions over various ranges of decades. The data already showed some slight differences in outdoor days from the 1961-1990 period compared to 1991-2020. The researchers then compared these most recent 30 years with the last 30 years of this century, as projected by the models, and found much greater differences ahead for some regions. The strongest effects in the modeling were seen in the Southeastern states. “It seems like climate change is going to have a significant impact on the Southeast in terms of reducing the number of outdoor days,” Eltahir says, “with implications for the quality of life of the population, and also for the attractiveness of tourism and for people who want to retire there.”

He adds that “surprisingly, one of the regions that would benefit a little bit is the Northwest.” But the gain there is modest: an increase of about 14 percent in outdoor days projected for the last three decades of this century, compared to the period from 1976 to 2005. The Southwestern U.S., by comparison, faces an average loss of 23 percent of their outdoor days.

The study also digs into the relationship between climate and economic activity by looking at tourism trends from U.S. National Park Service visitation data, and how that aligned with differences in climate conditions. “Accounting for seasonal variations, we find a clear connection between the number of outdoor days and the number of tourist visits in the United States,” Choi says.

For much of the country, there will be little overall change in the total number of annual outdoor days, the study found, but the seasonal pattern of those days could change significantly. While most parts of the country now see the most outdoor days in summertime, that will shift as summers get hotter, and spring and fall will become the preferred seasons for outdoor activity.

In a way, Eltahir says, “what we are talking about that will happen in the future [for most of the country] is already happening in Florida.” There, he says, “the really enjoyable time of year is in the spring and fall, and summer is not the best time of year.”

People’s level of comfort with temperatures varies somewhat among individuals and among regions, so the researchers designed a tool, now freely available online, that allows people to set their own definitions of the lowest and highest temperatures they consider suitable for outdoor activities, and then see what the climate models predict would be the change in the number of outdoor days for their location, using their own standards of comfort. For their study, they used a widely accepted range of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) to 25 C (77 F), which is the “thermoneutral zone” in which the human body does not require either metabolic heat generation or evaporative cooling to maintain its core temperature — in other words, in that range there is generally no need to either shiver or sweat.

The model mainly focuses on temperature but also allows people to include humidity or precipitation in their definition of what constitutes a comfortable outdoor day. The model could be extended to incorporate other variables such as air quality, but the researchers say temperature tends to be the major determinant of comfort for most people.

Using their software tool, “If you disagree with how we define an outdoor day, you could define one for yourself, and then you’ll see what the impacts of that are on your number of outdoor days and their seasonality,” Eltahir says.

This work was inspired by the realization, he says, that “people’s understanding of climate change is based on the assumption that climate change is something that’s going to happen sometime in the future and going to happen to someone else. It’s not going to impact them directly. And I think that contributes to the fact that we are not doing enough.”

Instead, the concept of outdoor days “brings the concept of climate change home, brings it to personal everyday activities,” he says. “I hope that people will find that useful to bridge that gap, and provide a better understanding and appreciation of the problem. And hopefully that would help lead to sound policies that are based on science, regarding climate change.”

The research was based on work supported by the Community Jameel for Jameel Observatory CREWSnet and Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab at MIT.

[jcmarchi]

How climate change will impact outdoor activities in the US

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/how-climate-change-will-impact-outdoor-activities-in-the-us/

How climate change will impact outdoor activities in the US

It can be hard to connect a certain amount of average global warming with one’s everyday experience, so researchers at MIT have devised a different approach to quantifying the direct impact of climate change. Instead of focusing on global averages, they came up with the concept of “outdoor days”: the number days per year in a given location when the temperature is not too hot or cold to enjoy normal outdoor activities, such as going for a walk, playing sports, working in the garden, or dining outdoors.

In a study published earlier this year, the researchers applied this method to compare the impact of global climate change on different countries around the world, showing that much of the global south would suffer major losses in the number of outdoor days, while some northern countries could see a slight increase. Now, they have applied the same approach to comparing the outcomes for different parts of the United States, dividing the country into nine climatic regions, and finding similar results: Some states, especially Florida and other parts of the Southeast, should see a significant drop in outdoor days, while some, especially in the Northwest, should see a slight increase.

The researchers also looked at correlations between economic activity, such as tourism trends, and changing climate conditions, and examined how numbers of outdoor days could result in significant social and economic impacts. Florida’s economy, for example, is highly dependent on tourism and on people moving there for its pleasant climate; a major drop in days when it is comfortable to spend time outdoors could make the state less of a draw.

The new findings were published this month in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, in a paper by researchers Yeon-Woo Choi and Muhammad Khalifa and professor of civil and environmental engineering Elfatih Eltahir.

“This is something very new in our attempt to understand impacts of climate change impact, in addition to the changing extremes,” Choi says. It allows people to see how these global changes may impact them on a very personal level, as opposed to focusing on global temperature changes or on extreme events such as powerful hurricanes or increased wildfires. “To the best of my knowledge, nobody else takes this same approach” in quantifying the local impacts of climate change, he says. “I hope that many others will parallel our approach to better understand how climate may affect our daily lives.”

The study looked at two different climate scenarios — one where maximum efforts are made to curb global emissions of greenhouse gases and one “worst case” scenario where little is done and global warming continues to accelerate. They used these two scenarios with every available global climate model, 32 in all, and the results were broadly consistent across all 32 models.

The reality may lie somewhere in between the two extremes that were modeled, Eltahir suggests. “I don’t think we’re going to act as aggressively” as the low-emissions scenarios suggest, he says, “and we may not be as careless” as the high-emissions scenario. “Maybe the reality will emerge in the middle, toward the end of the century,” he says.

The team looked at the difference in temperatures and other conditions over various ranges of decades. The data already showed some slight differences in outdoor days from the 1961-1990 period compared to 1991-2020. The researchers then compared these most recent 30 years with the last 30 years of this century, as projected by the models, and found much greater differences ahead for some regions. The strongest effects in the modeling were seen in the Southeastern states. “It seems like climate change is going to have a significant impact on the Southeast in terms of reducing the number of outdoor days,” Eltahir says, “with implications for the quality of life of the population, and also for the attractiveness of tourism and for people who want to retire there.”

He adds that “surprisingly, one of the regions that would benefit a little bit is the Northwest.” But the gain there is modest: an increase of about 14 percent in outdoor days projected for the last three decades of this century, compared to the period from 1976 to 2005. The Southwestern U.S., by comparison, faces an average loss of 23 percent of their outdoor days.

The study also digs into the relationship between climate and economic activity by looking at tourism trends from U.S. National Park Service visitation data, and how that aligned with differences in climate conditions. “Accounting for seasonal variations, we find a clear connection between the number of outdoor days and the number of tourist visits in the United States,” Choi says.

For much of the country, there will be little overall change in the total number of annual outdoor days, the study found, but the seasonal pattern of those days could change significantly. While most parts of the country now see the most outdoor days in summertime, that will shift as summers get hotter, and spring and fall will become the preferred seasons for outdoor activity.

In a way, Eltahir says, “what we are talking about that will happen in the future [for most of the country] is already happening in Florida.” There, he says, “the really enjoyable time of year is in the spring and fall, and summer is not the best time of year.”

People’s level of comfort with temperatures varies somewhat among individuals and among regions, so the researchers designed a tool, now freely available online, that allows people to set their own definitions of the lowest and highest temperatures they consider suitable for outdoor activities, and then see what the climate models predict would be the change in the number of outdoor days for their location, using their own standards of comfort. For their study, they used a widely accepted range of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) to 25 C (77 F), which is the “thermoneutral zone” in which the human body does not require either metabolic heat generation or evaporative cooling to maintain its core temperature — in other words, in that range there is generally no need to either shiver or sweat.

The model mainly focuses on temperature but also allows people to include humidity or precipitation in their definition of what constitutes a comfortable outdoor day. The model could be extended to incorporate other variables such as air quality, but the researchers say temperature tends to be the major determinant of comfort for most people.

Using their software tool, “If you disagree with how we define an outdoor day, you could define one for yourself, and then you’ll see what the impacts of that are on your number of outdoor days and their seasonality,” Eltahir says.

This work was inspired by the realization, he says, that “people’s understanding of climate change is based on the assumption that climate change is something that’s going to happen sometime in the future and going to happen to someone else. It’s not going to impact them directly. And I think that contributes to the fact that we are not doing enough.”

Instead, the concept of outdoor days “brings the concept of climate change home, brings it to personal everyday activities,” he says. “I hope that people will find that useful to bridge that gap, and provide a better understanding and appreciation of the problem. And hopefully that would help lead to sound policies that are based on science, regarding climate change.”

The research was based on work supported by the Community Jameel for Jameel Observatory CREWSnet and Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab at MIT.