#also entertainment for the mutuals and followers and passing folks

[compuease]

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This one does involve lots of brainstorming and planning to arrange, but it's undoubtedly value it for the enjoyment factor alone. This kind of reactive "firefighting" winds up causing extra wasted time and team dysfunction which in flip cause more problems for you, the team leader. To persuade properly you should encourage your team by presenting them with a selection between one thing they need to achieve and something they fear dropping. Persuade and encourage individuals to communicate better and you will marvel why you did not do it that means from the beginning.

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[epickiya722]

Okay that recent image got me thinking. AFO probably holds grudges. Like really, really hard. Especially against the 2nd User. In fact, he probably hates him the most.

Just going off by the images, he sees Bakugou and is reminded of the 2nd. They're nearly identical in appearance and you know what else?

The 2nd User was a leader of the resistance against AFO. Bakugou declined joining the League of Villains and is currently fighting this war against AFO and the bad guys. Both the 2nd User and Bakugou opposed AFO.

Then there's their connection to OFA, more so Yoichi and Midoriya that makes them similar.

The 2nd User had intended to kill Yoichi, but saved him instead. Bakugou treated Midoriya like crap when they were younger and now their relationship is better. Ill intentions, but ah ha! Change of heart!

There's little about the 2nd, but what is shown kinda mirrors Bakugou. Because of that, AFO doing all he's done so far from kicking him around and now piercing his heart doesn't just seem being a complete evil ass. And he is an evil ass. All that torture was probably from a grudge, too. When AFO!Shigaraki said "corpse", he meant that. And you know what? And this is just me fanfic-ing here.

Could you imagine what that battle between 2nd User and AFO was like? I don't know if Yoichi died before or after the 2nd (and 3rd) User given they seemed to have lived around the same time, but I can imagine a scene where in their final moments before Yoichi dies, AFO probably killed 2nd in front of him and made sure his death was as cruel as possible similarly to the "you're gonna be a corpse when Midoriya gets here" scene.

What's insane to me is that AFO focused on the 2nd. The 3rd, too, was around to save Yoichi yet has he been brought up with such distaste in this chapter (this is a guess, again going by images)?

In fact, even with All Might AFO isn't as angry. Their last battle, AFO taunted him, teased him as he has done before with everyone else.

But the moment he gets to Bakugou, it's just pure undignified, torturous behavior. Bakugou who mirrors the 2nd enough for AFO to even think about him.

The 2nd had to do something else to have AFO have this grudge against him. He was the leader of a resistance and he saved Yoichi from him. Hell, I don't think the 2nd User is just the second person to have OFA, but also the 2nd person to oppose AFO.

He took his only family away and build a resistance against him. AFO does what he does with quirk exchanges and all that to have people be in indebted to him. He wants power. He had a lot of people convinced he could help him. And yet, imagine having this one person oppose you, build an opposing force and then cherry on the sundae? Take the only family you had left.

AFO has a deep grudge, he's gotta. A deep grudge against the 2nd.

Shoot, if Yoichi died first, imagine this. AFO probably killed 2nd User brutally because he'll probably think and say things like "He's my only family", "He was safe and you let him out", blaming the 2nd User. Remember, AFO still cared for his brother in his own sick twisted way. It's why he wants to take OFA to probably be reunited with him.

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

Hello! So, I mean, this might be out of the blue, ambiguous and crazy to answer (but it's something I think about a lot, and you touched upon it in a previous ask and would love your further perspective on!) but let's say, at the end of The Return of The King, Grima lived! What do you personally think his journey and path would look like from there?

Grima asks are never out of the blue - I always want them <3 Thank you so much for asking!!

--

man ok - well Grima at the end of ROTK is in a really dark place. Frodo, Gandalf et al first run into Grima and Saruman on the road near the misty mountains as the make their slow return journey from Gondor. 

As they (Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf) came out again into the open country at sundown they overtook an old man leaning on a staff, and he was clothed in rags of grey or dirty white, and at his heels went another beggar, slouching and whining. 

[...]

‘Get up you idiot!’ he (Saruman) shouted to the other beggar, who had sat down on the ground; and he struck him with his staff. ‘Turn about! If these fine folk are going our way, then we will take another. Get on, or I’ll give you no crust for your supper!’ 

The beggar turned and slouched past whimpering: ‘Poor old Grima! Poor old Grima! Always beaten and cursed. How I hate him! I wish I could leave him!’ 

‘Then leave him!’ said Gandalf. 

a man who has never been in an abusive situation in his life, clearly. 

‘One thief deserves another,’ said Saruman (to Merry), and turned his back on Merry, and kicked Wormtongue, and went away towards the wood. 

Great guy, Saruman. 

And the famous scouring of the Shire bit that everyone on here misremembers when it comes to Grima’s whole situation: 

But Frodo said: (...) But I will not have him (Saruman) slain. It is useless to meet revenge with revenge: it will heal nothing. Go Saruman, by the speediest way!’ 

‘Worm! Worm!’ Saruman called; and out of a nearby hut came Wormtongue, crawling, almost like a dog. ‘To the road again, Worm!’ Said Saruman. ‘These fine fellows and lordlings are turning us adrift again. Come along!’ 

[Saruman tries to stab Frodo as he leaves and Sam gets ready to shank a bitch. Frodo stops him saying: ‘...He is fallen, and his cure is beyond us; but I would still spare him, in the hope that he may find it.’ ...]

He (Saruman) walked away, and the hobbits made a lane for him to pass; but their knuckles whitened as they gripped on their weapons. Wormtongue hesitated, and then followed his master. 

‘Wormtongue!’ called Frodo. ‘You need not follow him. I know of no evil you have done to me. You can rest and food here a while, until you are stronger and can go your own ways.’ 

Wormtongue halted and looked back at him, half prepared to stay. Saruman turned. ‘No evil?’ he cackled. ‘Oh no! Even when he sneaks out at night it is only to look at the stars. But did I hear someone ask where poor Lotho is hiding? You know, don’t you Worm? Will you tell them?’ 

Wormtongue cowered down and whimpered: ‘No, no!’

‘Then I will,’ said Saruman. ‘Worm killed your chief, poor little fellow, your nice little Boss. Didn’t you, Worm? Stabbed him in his sleep, I believe. Buried him, I hope; though Worm has been very hungry lately. No, Worm is not really nice. You had better leave him to me.’ 

A look of wild hate came into Wormtongue’s red eyes. ‘You told me to; you made me do it,’ he hissed. 

Saruman laughed. ‘You do what Sharkey says, always, don’t you, Worm? Well, now he says: follow!’ He kicked Wormtongue in the face as he grovelled, and turned and made off. But at that something snapped: suddenly Wormtongue rose up, drawing a hidden knife, and then with a snarl like a dog he sprang on Saruman’s back, jerked his head back, cut his throat, and with a yell ran off down the lane. Before Frodo could recover or speak a word, three hobbit-bows twanged and Wormtongue fell dead. 

A sad end to a very sad life. 

-

So that’s the canon ending, obviously. A very neat, pat ending where all the baddies are dead, everyone who is broken will disappear into an asylum and/or die take a boat to the grey havens and life will move on. 

How nice. 

-

Alright, now for the speculation! My favourite thing. 

Assuming Grima lived, god knows what his journey afterwards would look like. He’s mentally (and physically) in a bad way after having been physically (and emotionally) abused and starved by Saruman for the last year/two years. Saruman may have lost his powers, but he’s still terrifying force to be reckoned with. I don’t know how much Grima would be capable of on his own in terms of survival. 

That said, Grima’s made it this far. He’s clearly got something in him that’s keeping him alive. Something in him wants to live. It might not know how to go about doing that, but it’s there, and that’s important. 

So he’s stabbed Saruman, A+ work. The hobbits don’t shoot him. The question is then: does he take up Frodo’s offer or does his fuck off into the wilderness. 

I can see him going either direction, honestly. But I suspect, given that he’s starving and in a bad way physically, I suspect he’d stay for a time. Now, considering what’s happened to him in the general vicinity of Bagend, I’m not sure how long Grima will stay, but I do think he’d rest there for a short while. Get a proper meal or two in him. Take a bath. That sort of thing. 

From there he could go to somewhere like Bree or Dale, take up a new name/new life and try and move on, as much as a person can in a world that has absolutely no support networks for people who have gone through bad shit. 

If he stayed for a longer period with Frodo? I could see Sam putting him to work. 

‘I need someone to help me garden.’ 

‘...I know about horses?’

‘Plants are easier, trust me.’ 

‘....Are they though?’ 

Considering the fact that Grima has been dehumanized (Worm; like a dog; cur) and treated as worthless/unworthy by one of the more powerful beings in Middle Earth - and one who was once Great! Who was once wise and wonderful! I suspect he’s going to have a difficult time accepting kindness? 

Frodo, of course, would be generous and understanding, because it’s Frodo and that’s the measure of man he is. Truly one of the nicest and most forgiving and tender people in the series. 

Aragorn said of Grima that if he walked out of Orthanc alive it would be too good for him. 

(Everyone is a lot meaner in the books. Funnier, yes, but also meaner. Then there’s the weird Faramir moment where he’s all up on that “Numenorian Blood Quantum Is Important” nonsense (tell that to your brother who has no blood of the Westernese in him...) There’s a lot of Oooof moments). 

Frodo, though, Frodo is one of the genuinely kind and loving people who would never think such cruel things about anyone. 

But back to Grima, I think the line Gillian Flynn wrote about how when you’re weaned on poison, it makes kindness seem like a cruelty is very relevant here. The first step to healing is allowing yourself to admit that you deserve to be healed, that you deserve love. That’s a very hard thing to allow, to acknowledge is something you are worthy of having. 

And so it would be difficult, for him, to accept kindness and gentleness from Frodo, or anyone else. But if he was doing something to “earn” it, that might make it more palatable. 

Which is a shame, since if there is anyone who understands the power and allure of the dark lord/Saruman etc. and how that can mess you up and contort you into someone you don’t recognize anymore, it’s Frodo.

-

Would Grima go back to Rohan? I don’t think so. Unless there were some wild, unexpected circumstances that brought him there, I truly don’t see him returning home. He’s torched that bridge pretty successfully - at least, I’m sure that’s how he sees it. 

Now if he did. If something Bat Shit happened - and he went back. It would be wild and very emotional.  

A Rider of Rohan, lost in the shire: I’m looking for a Mr Baggins? I understand he might know where Gandalf is? We sort of need some magic help in Rohan. 

Hobbit: Turn left at the end of the lane, go past Grubby Harold’s llama farm, stop at the intersection with the red sign, take the third exit of the roundabout, turn right, turn left, turn left again, take the second switch back up the hill, at the crest of the hill, take the path that turns left at the big tree that someone carved Fuck Lobelia into and that should get you close. 

Rider: 

Rider: Right. 

Rider eventually shows up, Grima’s out front updating Sam on some shit that Pansy Fielding said to Fardulf Braceblower, an ongoing war that has existed since the Dawn of Time. Sam is like “Please never stop telling me all the gossip, I live for this shit.”

Frodo: How did you hear about this? 

Grima: I might have set up an informant’s network but it’s solely to trawl for entertaining gossip.  

Rider approaches: Oh dear gods. 

Grima: 

Grima: Go get fucked, Gundahar. 

Sam: Friend? 

Grima & Gundahar: No. 

Anyway. The rider tells Frodo that he’s after Gandalf because XYZ is happening in Rohan and Eomer-king is annoyed and “wants it dealt with, preferably yesterday”. Grima knows what’s up because you know, resident Spook Master also he was spending a lot of time around a lore-filled Wizard. Might as well get something for the years of mistreatment. 

Gundahar: He’s not coming back to Rohan. 

Frodo: We’re going on a road trip, Sam. Let’s get packed. 

Sam: I’m so ready for this. 

Grima: But I’m not going back to Rohan. 

Gundahar: He’s not coming back to Rohan. 

Frodo: Too late, he’s coming with us. Neither of us can be left alone for too long or we go weird in the head. 

Merry: Oh we’re going to Rohan? Well, as a member of the royal court I’m coming. 

Gundahar: .... How is this happening? 

Grima: Hobbits, they move in herds. 

Pippin: WAIT FOR ME! 

Gandalf is UPSET that he has to travel with Grima. Grima says it’s mutual. He doesn’t like wizards. Especially wizards in white. He gets weird about hoarding food when Gandalf is around. 

Grima then has to visit Theoden’s grave and have a lot of emotions about everything and it’s a Lot.

I don’t think he’d stay, though. Either he’d go back with Frodo or he might go on to Gondor or out east or something. Travel for a while. 

- 

I’ve gone off on some tangents here. Ahem. 

But in general, I see his journey going in one of two directions: one where he fucks off after murdering Saruman and takes up a life somewhere else like Bree, or wherever, probably drinks too much and is miserable until he dies. 

The other is where he accepts Frodo’s offer and either just chills in the Shire being the resident gossip-monger and mischief maker (Frodo: NO MISCHIEF. Grima: we can make a little mischief .., as a treat?) or he accepts the offer, stays for a while to get back on his feet and shake off some of the darkness, then goes off to travel around. Maybe he settles somewhere, maybe he doesn’t. Regardless if he stays or goes, it is a better ending to his life than he probably hoped for or expected. 

And it shows the power and importance of kindness and love. Healing only happens if there is love and gentleness. And it’s terrifying - of course it is - but it’s so necessary. 

-

Ok I am so sorry for my dissertation on Grima. I love talking about him so much.  

Thank you!! <3 <3 

[mittensmorgul]

Can’t everyone use tumblr how they want?

YES!

This site is exactly what people make of it for themselves. That was the exact point of that post. The fact that people reacted negatively to it at all proves my point. Seriously.

I have a number of other anons that are clearly from people who don't actually follow me, and are only here in a reactionary fashion having seen it on someone else's reblog, or else heard about it in passing and decided the best reaction to an ultimately harmless and rather bumbling post was to take personal offense and bring anonymous hate to a stranger on the internet. (and at least one not-anonymous "go kill yourself" type comment on the post itself)

THAT was the point of making that post.

For people who might be new to this fandom or new to tumblr in general (or even for people who have been here for years), your experience here is exactly what you make of it. I haven't seen that sort of vitriolic kneejerk reaction to anything I've written or posted in years. That post touched nerves. So it was a bit of an experiment, and I'm sorry to everyone who experienced any of that negativity second-hand. NOBODY should be made to feel like shit when engaging with something that is supposed to be fun. But I've learned over the years that that's exactly what some people consider fun.

There are new people to this fandom since the absolute free for all of the weeks after November 5th. We all reveled in those weeks before the show collapsed in on itself two weeks later. It was like 15 years worth of Hiatus Blogging followed by... well... some of the worst genuine hurt and disillusionment I've ever experienced or witnessed inflicted on a fandom by a piece of media.

There have to be at least a few people who floated into this fandom during that emotional roller coaster who want to make sense of it all, who were at least curious enough about how a show could've brought the characters to that emotional moment in 15.18 before effectively ignoring it all and burning the entire 15 year narrative to nothing just two episodes later.

Some folks stuck around to dig through the ashes of fandom in search of carrion, and that's fine. Some have zero desire to ever engage with the show or the fandom beyond mocking it for ever having existed at all, and that is also fine! But some folks? They might be wondering why anyone ever saw anything in this narrative to begin with, and they might be interested in knowing that there is this vast collection of information available to them (funny that none of my self-righteous anons even mentioned those, outside of one pointing out that my phrasing introducing that section of links was easily interpreted as condescending... which... yeah... again that was the point, and no I will not edit that language. none of us are free from sin).

Tumblr hasn't "changed." It was always this way. This site is not a monolith. Fandom is not a monolith. Even smaller groups within fandom aren't monoliths. Things that are considered "tumblr standard etiquette" do not exist across this entire website. And even within the supernatural fandom, and even within the tumblr-destiel-portion of the fandom there aren't "rules" dictating how you interact with anyone. Well, the one specific rule we should all be able to agree on is that you don't bring hate to real actual human beings, and yet...

There has ALWAYS been the option to engage with fandom here on whatever level an individual chooses. And that hasn't really changed since the finale aired. Anyone who thinks that Tumblr or the fandom has "evolved" or "changed" has likely just fallen in with a different fandom bubble then they'd existed within before. None of the bubbles have actually popped or disappeared. But which one you experience is entirely your own choice. You curate your experience here.

That was the point, illustrated by the vast array of comments I actually got on that post, structured with a little bit of everything including "tumblr mom from 2014." Everything pisses some people off, you know? Even the perception that some stranger on the internet might dare to lay down an arbitrary "rule" that zero people actually have to follow. See what I mean?

Because if any of the people who kneejerked at it actually followed me, or knew me at all, they wouldn't have kneejerked. They would've seen the point.

So your experience is what you make of it here. There are resources for people actually interested in engaging with the narrative or the fandom or the history of it. People mock "tumblr moms" or "fandom moms" all the time, but there wouldn't ~be~ a fandom without the people who actually build those resources. I.e. adults with the time, money, and personal investment in actually sustaining the fandom, instead of running around with torches trying to burn it down at every new whiff of perceived ~drama~ to latch on to.

For example, all of the scripts we've been acquiring and sharing with the entire fandom free of charge. I know that the fandom bubbles who seize on those scripts like hungry vultures to cough back up out of context "gotcha" posts postulating whatever theory of the differences between script and screen will dredge up the most drama or outrage in their fandom bubble... they haven't even considered how those scripts were acquired and made available to them. To them, they are "leaks." They are gifts that fell out of the sky and landed in their laps. There isn't even the barest curiosity about their origins or relevance beyond whatever social nourishment they derive by making up stuff and spouting it out with unearned authority. It's sad. But if that's how they enjoy the fandom, it's nice to remind them that none of the fandom they cannibalize would exist without the rest of us, too.

Yes, even the people you disagree with. Even the people who ship the things you find disgusting or repulsive. Even people who have an entirely different experience to your own. Even the people who are only here for those gotcha posts.

Fandom is not by nature a nihilistic shitshow, or no fandom would survive the amount of drama the 1% try to bring to it. Here have a fanlore article about this phenomenon. Right now, in Supernatural fandom, it feels like more than 1%, but I promise it really is only 1%. They're just really loud. There's actually other avenues to participatory fandom available to anyone who chooses to find them. Parts of this vast fandom that aren't focused on that 1% of reactionary leg-chewing at every turn. None of them are (as the linked article confirms) truly 100% free of unnecessary drama or bad behavior (including ME, I mean I MADE THAT POST!), but on tumblr you can curate your own experience. Fandom actually can be fun without burning down the thing you claim to be a fan of, or attacking other real human people for having the audacity to exist on the internet in a way you might believe is out of touch or pathetic. Seriously, nobody deserves to experience that from anyone over a fucking television show. Like seriously, take a step back and examine your life and your choices at that point.

Tumblr was exactly the same as a fandom community when I joined as it is now. Throughout my entire time here, I've curated my own personal experience to exactly what I derive the most personal satisfaction from. During that time I have had numerous friends and mutuals lament that their personal experience had become so toxic, but they were afraid to trim those blogs from their dash for fear of having no content left to engage with at all. For years there have been follow lists and blog recs and people desperate to find a more "peaceful and fun" fandom experience. People grow exhausted and embittered when their entire experience of fandom is an emotionally draining drama train. It's like pandemic doom scrolling, but for the thing that should be a respite from that sort of mindset, something that's supposed to be entertainment. The show did enough to us all, we don't have to turn around and re-inflict it on each other day in and day out on tumblr dot com.

So if even one person saw my post and thought well shit maybe I actually want to engage with a wider swath of fandom and see what's there, after seven months of post-finale drama, this whole other region of fandom is still here, still being the curators of the archives, the creators of stories and art and meta and gifs and videos and actually caring about it all that will keep this fandom going long after the current round of exhausting drama inevitably plays itself out.

The amount of in-group language in the negative replies I got was unsurprising. It's like folks are living in an alternate universe that doesn't mesh at all with what I experience on this exact same hellsite. Almost like we exist in entirely different bubbles of fandom, with entirely different purposes for existing at all. Everyone on this hellsite gets to pick which bubble (or bubbles) to take up residence in. Some people simply forget that their personal bubble isn't the universal defining experience of this site. Unfortunately, I doubt my little disruption to their bubbles will actually make any of them see that, but you anon... I think you did.

You are highly encouraged to engage with fandom EXACTLY THE WAY YOU CHOOSE. You have the ultimate power in controlling your entire experience here. Tumblr and Supernatural Fandom on tumblr is not Just One Thing that everyone who wants to participate in must conform to one specific code of ethics or behavior to be part of. And that NOBODY has the right to tell anyone else they're doing it wrong (including ME! I am 100% including myself in this!).

It's not MY job to dictate how anyone else experiences this fandom, as much as it was not the job of the people who reblogged my post (which I did not personally shove into their eyeballs with a demand for compliance... how did any of those people even *find* my post?) solely to tell me how *I* need to change how I experience the fandom, you see? Don'tcha love hypocrisy!

But the point was made for those who care, and a lot of people got to update their block lists (I still don't block anyone, as I said I curated my fandom space here and generally don't follow folks that don't personally make me happy and enrich my life by engaging with their content. However other people choose to engage with *my* content (any of it, going back nearly 50k posts over the last decade) is their business entirely. Sometimes I just feel the need to draw out people who are all too eager to expose their own whole asses in public. Mission accomplished.

[mordoriscalling]

The Shrike and The Lark (pt.3)

Jaskier and Renfri are disaster twins ruling Creyden. When the Warlord of the North knocks at their door, Queen Renfri and King Julian are at an advantage - they know him. As in, they know him. (Inspired by the Warlord AU and “the heart is a winged beast”).

(Pt. 1) (Pt. 2)

Creyden, 1237

The morning following the feast, the monarchs of Creyden, their Royal Council and advisors meet with the White Wolf and his right and left hand.

“We come to you with a proposal of a non-aggression pact,” Lady Yennefer proclaims as soon as everyone sits down at a round table in the war room.

The King and the Queen have a wordless conversation with Lady Chancellor, a striking woman whose skin is nearly the colour of charcoal. After the three exchanges glances, Queen Renfri replies, “Creyden would find that treaty agreeable.”

The White Wolf inclines his head.

“We have prepared a draft,” the sorceress adds, presenting the scroll to the Solicitor-General.  

“I shall take a look at it now,” the Solicitor answers.

The man appears orderly in all manners, with his prim attire and neat white beard. He surveys each line of the pact thoroughly. As everyone waits for his verdict, the negotiations continue.

“We have another proposal, though,” Eskel states. “An alliance, if you’d be interested.”

The suggestion is met with bewilderment from Creyden’s representatives.

“What would the alliance involve?” King Julian asks.  

“Mutual profit, generally,” Eskel replies.  

“I’m afraid I can’t think of any ways in which our kingdom could bring profit to you,” the King admits. “The White Wolf’s empire seems to lack nothing.”

The Warlord of the North has so far conquered Caingorn, Kaedwen, half of Aedirn, and two-thirds of Redania. It’s an area exceedingly large and full of diverse resources; the White Wolf, ruling over such a territory, should not be in need of anything. With one exception, perhaps.

“Nothing but reliable access to ports,” Lady Yennefer answers.

The one-third of Redania that remains sovereign is the part of the country adjacent to the coast. The King of Redania was wise not to have surrendered it; sea grants some considerable advantages, after all. Creyden, especially after turning Kovir and Poviss into their vassals, has plenty of seashores to make use of.

“I see,” the King says slowly.

Again, the royals and their Council hold a silent debate by sharing telling gazes among themselves. When the matter is settled with nods, Queen Renfri speaks.

“What would the White Wolf offer in exchange?” she inquires.

“Many benefits come from the very fact of being the White Wolf’s ally,” Eskel answers.

“And just as many threats,” Lady Chancellor counters.

To this, the witcher retorts, “Yet I should think that the Warlord’s military support whenever the need arises, in the case of both internal and external conflicts, is a suitable compensation for that.”

Such a prospect is so tempting that King Julian does not consult anyone, giving an immediate response instead.

“It would be a profitable alliance indeed,” he agrees. “But how do we ensure that we keep our sides of the bargain?”

“There are ways,” Lady Yennefer replies. “Marriage, for instance. ”

Many people in the room still in unease. The royal advisors grow tense, while the White Wolf scowls formidably.

“Yen –” he gowls but then, wonder of all wonders, falls silent at the gesture of Lady Yennefer’s hand.

“Would this idea have Her Majesty’s consent?” the sorceress asks the Queen.

“Consent,” Queen Renfri scoffs. Her countenance transforms suddenly, shifting into a fury powerful enough to overthrow kingdoms. “Consent!” she repeats, measuring the sorceress with a deathly glare, “As if that ever mattered before –”

“My Queen,” King Julian interrupts, in a manner surprisingly stern. “While you have every right to your anger, don’t you think it’s unjust for Lady Yennefer to suffer it? I’m sure she had no malicious intentions.”

The Queen’s wrath seems to falter as her brother talks.

“My King is a voice of reason,” she admits. Addressing Lady Yennefer, she then states, “I said it only once to my advisors and I shall it only once to you: I will not marry any man. Ever.”

The sorceress accepts the answer with an inclination of her head. She eyes the Queen intently and Renfri watches her closely as well. Before it can turn into a staring match, however, Lady Chancellor speaks.

“What about the King?” she suggests. “Perhaps he could be to the Warlord’s preferences?”

“No,” the Warlord replies firmly, without missing a beat. “With all due respect to His Majesty,” he adds, in a tone not so respectful, “I have no interest in taking a consort.”

At that, King Julian gives a mirthless, mocking laugh. “You have no interest in it even though you need it?” he asks.

The White Wolf’s gaze seems as fierce as flames when it rests upon Julian. “My need to take a consort is small compared to my need to be certain that I can trust my consort with my life,” the white-haired witcher replies. “I want a partner who’ll hide nothing from me, or I don’t want a partner at all.”

A lot more seems to have passed between the Warlord and the King than the words that were said. There is hurt in both their expressions – hidden deep but still visible – and Julian appears mournful for some reason. The room is quiet and everyone regards the two rulers with curiosity. The silence is finally broken by the Solicitor-General.

“This draft is acceptable,” he declares, which is met with clear relief on both sides. “We could develop it into a binding pact, sign it, and then negotiate the terms and conditions of the alliance whenever the Warlord deems– ”

“Or,” King Julian interjects, “we could start working on the new treaty immediately.”

This time, it is the Warlord and his two advisors who are surprised.

“What is your urgency?” Eskel inquires.

“We expect a rebellion from Kovir and Poviss any day now,” Lady Chancellor reveals reluctantly. “When it happens, the Warlord’s support would truly be invaluable.”

The White Wolf, Lady Yennefer and Eskel look between each other.

“I’m aware that I’m asking a lot,” the King adds, “But I’m certain that we can compensate you for the haste somehow.”

“Let us consider it in private,” Lady Yennefer decides.

The White Wolf, his right and left hand then take their leave. After they do so, the Council debates the proposal of the alliance. It seems ideal almost, and the advisors are suspicious. They voice their concerns about the White Wolf’s motives, for it may as well be a ruse. With marriage out of the question, there is not an easy but reliable way to hold the Warlord to his word. If it were to be an alliance based solely on the belief in mutual profit, Credyen could have its ports taken over and be conquered in a matter of days.

Queen Renfri and King Julian, however, do not consider the threat possible, and their confidence in the White Wolf displeases the Council. In fact, many of them see it as yet another sign of how untrustworthy the twin monarchs are. Even in their own kingdom, they regarded as unstable, and uneducated in the matters of running a state. Having spent so many years in exile, Renfri and Julian are not believed to be fit to rule. Although the twins’ reign has been successful so far, their subjects do not feel secure under their leadership, and Lady Chancellor does not hesitate to remind them of it.

“I urge you to be more cautious, Your Majesties,” she tells them, “The trust you put in the Wolf will have a negative effect on your fragile popularity.”

“It will until it won’t,” the King retorts. “The Wolf is good to the common folk. It’s the nobles who spread the terrible tales of him, and they are just myths. Not a single grain of truth to them. With time, the Warlord will prove himself to be a valuable, faithful ally, and our nobles will have to stop wagging their tongues eventually.”

“But how can you know that, Your Majesty?” the Chancellor presses on, “How can you be so sure?”

“My brother reads into people’s nature with the ease he reads books,” Queen Renfri answers. “Has he not appointed all the positions at this court with each person perfectly fit for their role? Has he not predicted the decisions of the Kings of Kovir and Poviss with accuracy?”

These arguments are not refuted, for no one can deny the truth of them.

“I understand why you’re afraid of the Wolf plotting to conquer us,” King Julian says. “I believe it would soothe your fears to bind him to his promise in such a way that he wouldn’t dare attack us. There must be something, so please endeavour to find it.”

The advisors are still displeased but the King’s suggested solution has appeased them slightly.

Soon after, the monarchs dismiss the Council. King Julian and Queen Renfri stay in the room and break their fast together. Having no other engagements until later in the day, the twins then amuse themselves with a game of chess. As they play, Julian banters with Renfri, partly for entertainment but also in order to distract her. His sister knows his tricks, however, and beats him twice.

Shortly before the bell strikes noon, the Warlord and Lady Yennefer return to the war room.

“We have come to the decision,” the sorceress announces.

“What will it be, then?” Queen Renfri demands.  

The Warlord looks at no one but the King as he replies, “The new treaty.”

Read the rest on AO3

[advernia]

moved this over to a text post, hope u don’t mind anon! ( ᐛ )و

ANYWAY EEEEEE THANK YOU AND I’D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE!!!! o(*≧□≦)o tbh this headcanon is me 100% refusing to accept that post-route!alice just stays in red/black army hq as a… uh, maid??? cook??? cheerleader??? idk lmao but imo alice has a lot of potential with her canon profession lolol! okay so maybe they did her justice in kyle’s route bc she ends up as his assistant but as for other routes fight me cybird (ง •̀_•́)ง

context side a

i got the idea after reading fenrir’s dramatic end, where alice gets a job in cradle’s best confectionery (like wow lmao if only getting a job was that fast irl). anyway!!! i’d like to dream that alice does this for all routes + a month after the route events (sans kyle’s). you’d think she doesn’t need to get a job especially if her ikeman’s part of the red army, but she does this bc she wants to. and to feel less like a freeloader lmao. since the situation’s different with the neutrals, this isn’t much of an issue.

so, yay! she feels better about passing time productively + having her own lin to spend but tbh she doesn’t really buy much stuff???? eventually she saves up quite the amount that it becomes a problem - what could/should she do with that much cash????

tbh the idea to start her own business came from her boss lol…. it started from his objective assessment that she was good enough to open her own shop… eventually she starts entertaining the idea…. then she gets second opinions from friends + ikeman…. and she actually does it after much consideration?!??! her boss is shook, but he wishes her well anyway! he gets a free slice of cake whenever he visits the cafe lol!

so alice ends up with a cafe! since confectioneries were more on selling than service + she’s on her own now & has a lot of stuff to handle on her own, she becomes pretty busy and takes some time to adjust, but eventually she gets by! it’s tiring, but she enjoys her every day!

any of her extra profits she chooses to donate to various causes + she eventually ends up becoming some sort of sponsor to the armies with all her donations HELLA RAD ೕ(•̀ᴗ•́)

context side b

alternatively, in a common route scenario where amon still gets his ass kicked + alice stays in cradle but doesn’t fall in love with that one ikeman (no one falls in love…. not yet LMAO), she lives with the black/red army + works in a confectionery until she has enough to buy a home of her own. blanc + oliver + mousse have been secretly helping her scout around for a good place. it’s only when everything’s ready that she talks to the black/red army about her intentions.

get this - her general explanation goes this way: she starts off by saying that she’s very thankful that everyone has accommodated her and she’ll always be in their debt, but now that she’s living as an actual resident of cradle and no longer just a guest, she’d hate to impose on them any further. to boot, she’s not even an official part of the army + a soldier, so it may look odd that she’s still staying within army hq. stuff about reputation and pride, something like that.

the black army (see: seth) is sad about this, but they understand her sentiments and let her go. after a three-day long party. aaaaand of course, they’re more than willing to do any heavy lifting for her move + just anything in general - all she needed to do was ask!

the red army respects her decision as well, and they’re… more subtle in expressing their disappointment (how is jonah’s blatant frown even subtle lol). like the black army, they let her go + remind her that she can always ask them for help. 

so alice lives alone for a couple of months.... then the armies hear that she’s planning to open a cafe from blanc.... ha.... the black army totally helps her out with general recontrustion + repairs. she does not take no for an answer when she pays them for their work lmao. plus, they totally helped her out by giving her tours around the stalls on the central quarter market that give the best bargains + freshest produce! the flowers alice put up for decoration + plant outside her yard are always sponsored by canis major..... and seth drops by regularly to talk about trending aesthetics alice could adapt in the cafe!

the red army’s idea of helping her out with her cafe is to send her furniture + kitchen appliances + sets of tableware.... they’re gorgeous + simple but UMMMM????? alice literally panics about the kitchen, especially about the stove + oven bc it be so fine.... and expensive-looking.... but negotiating with lancelot + jonah is like talking to a brick + diamond wall so edgar + kyle + zero convince her to just take it lmao - it isn’t much, but lancelot gets a free drink & jonah a free mille-feuille each time they visit!

again: she donates to various causes + sends the black/red army a fair amount of her extra profits each month! she’d give more to the red army bc she still can’t get over their....... generous gifts and how much they probably cost lmao....... edgar stops her there though bc honestly..... do u think the red army needs more money??????????

the cafe

so why in central of all places? actually, it does make sense to set up a business there since it’s like the country’s central business district. but if i’d base it from alice’s general personality, i think she’d choose central bc that’s where every citizen of cradle; whether they be from red, black, or neutral territory, all gather together. in central, she can see every side living side cradle, not just red or black - and in a simple establishment like a cafe, something simple like food can bring all those different sides together.

she set up her cafe in central with the thought of helping in the efforts of bridging the gap between the armies + to have an actual experience of how it is to live as a citizen of cradle. technically she is one already, but sometimes living in cradle is really so different from living in london. it makes her feel displaced sometimes.

her cafe is probably somewhere close to blanc’s house or smth and u bet that blanc is very happy to have a pretty lady living close by/around his neighborhood lmao! but if you want to be serious about it, this is intentional on blanc’s part bc her safety isn’t exactly assured after the magic tower fiasco - disciple stragglers might come back for her, and since the whole of cradle already knows that she’s the alice the second, there may be other people/groups lurking around that are interested in her power......

in comparison to most cafes in central, alice’s place is relatively small - she doesn’t mind though, since she’s running the place on her own. the thought of expanding makes her doubt her capability of providing + distributing the same quality of service + attention she usually gives to a small crowd.

alice changes the cafe decors + scents according to each season!!! in general, she wants her cafe to have a homey, relaxing feel, doing her best to impart a feel of london + her hometown in her cafe. you’d think that seasonal redecorating would be a hassle, but magic makes that process very easy... once she learns about cradle’s unique holidays + festivals, she also redecorates + tweaks her menu in tune to the special day!

a variety of sandwiches + light meals such as pastas are on the menu now and then, but her cafe is well-known for the desserts. like the decor, the food + drink selection adjusts accordingly to the season.

her edge among her competitors is the fact that she’s from the land of reason - her techniques + use/handling of ingredients + and other assorted methods are quite different from that practiced in cradle since they have the advantage of magic. tastes, colors, textures, and even presentation end up differently. plus, she knows how to make various foods + sweets unfamiliar to cradle, so some of the stuff she makes are seen as novelty to the locals!

she does pay attention to what tastes of london are positively + negatively recepted in cradle though - from there she experiments or improvises her recipes, and seeks out feedback immediately.

following context side b, i’m all in for the romance with her ikeman developing here instead OH YEAAAH ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) it’s a lot more hectic tho since it’s an open playground and there are the.... common interferences..... coughsethcoughlokicough LMAO

also!!! following all the not-so-spoilery content of her + seth, i’ve recently been digging the idea of nojisha / rapunzel (localization ain’t being subtle anymore lol) working + possibly living in alice’s cafe too bc god knows that alice needs an actual girl friend among all that testosterone lmao!

rapunzel’s more of a waitress but is totally into designing whatever cakes + drinks + pastries alice has on the menu and on display… takes dibs in writing out the menu on the chalkboard as her chance to practice some pretty lettering… and also actively helps out alice in picking seasonal decors + packaging for the cafe!

on the sidelines rapunzel also keeps a close eye on alice bc… heh… them odd folks coming in for the foods but staying longer for the girl(s)… those red army officers dropping by more often even if they’re on patrol…. dudes from the civic center + other colorful characters talking so familiarly to alice…. yaaa~n! pick up the pace, onii-chan!!! lmao

depending on who’s the ikeman out for alice, rapunzel can and will cockblock, omfg...... she’ll totally stop if she sees that alice has mutual feelings for the guy but sometimes rapunzel really has impeccable, unintentional timing haha... seth hyde, what have u been teaching ur little sister smh (ಡ艸ಡ)

opening time: 6AM, closing: 7PM. accepts orders of wedding + birthday cakes, does not handle catering. for any inquiries, pls call....... (^ц^ )

other

alice’s cafe develops different reputations depending on who she ends up with LMAO........ local newspapers + cradle’s grapevine love her cafe and totally not bc they can get a glimpse of the red/black army chosen if they get their timing right haHA..... here’s a couple of examples:

if she’s with mousse, her cafe has quite the interesting reputation! while there’s a good selection of the local teas/coffees in her menu, there’s also a fair share of exotic blends with brief details about the country where the blend is from + how the beverage is prepared + possible tastes, written by no other than mousse himself! sometimes alice showcases some limited edition sweets + pastries made from an interesting mix of local and foreign ingredients + spices too......

if she ends up with a king, novels/tales + plays + songs/poems about royalty/nobility falling for the common worker (lancelot) or adventures of a hero and a maiden (ray) suddenly become a thing™….. the boom is especially huge in black/red territory, be it from nobles to commoners.... another common point??? there’s always a cafe referenced in there, a rendezvous point some way or another in the story… and it sounds veeeeery familiar, even if they switch the setting into a tavern/inn, hmmmm....

did you know that one cafe in central quarter is owned by alice the second, the woman who’s rumored to be the lover of cradle’s most notorious criminal + strongest wizard???? no???? are they really a thing??? do you think the stuff she sells in her cafe is fit is for consumption???? does she make those cakes herself or does she ask the wizard to make it through dark magic or are those smuggled goods??????? man, those cakes are damn good though!!!!!

newspaper headlines: students of cradle’s local boarding school promptly create a literal lake of tears in the central quarter after spending time and meeting a kind cafe owner who happens to really be their terror professor’s lover (side note: this article was removed upon the request of a certain mr. d.)

the sole exemption i have for this hc is kyle’s alice! she has her hands full + committing herself to being a doctor’s assistant so opening a cafe doesn’t cross her mind, but that doesn’t stop her from making treats now and then for their patients… in fact, becomes a thing among the children of cradle that if you be a good boy/girl who takes their medicine + shots from the redhead doctor without complaining, the pretty assistant lady will give you a tasty treat for being so well-behaved! (*≧▽≦)

[wewillwriteyou]

Friends Will Be Friends || Chapter 12

A few elements from the main plot: A very special group of friends: early days, drama, laughter, booze, success, rock stars life, girl power, friendship, love, sex, music, misunderstandings, some more drama, family. Pairings in the tags

Summary Chapter 12: Some time’s passed. The concert in Taunton,  December 1973. A new character may or may not appear

Word count: 3K

Warnings: Okay it’s mainly fluff and softness, BUT, you have to watch out the usual curse word or some bad language. Also, some little reference to sex and/or sexy times. It’s really small. You won’t even notice it.

A/N: Hi folks. Sooooo with this chapter, a new segment of our story opens up and it will take… a few chapters to complete. We really hope you’re enjoying this so far and we’d like to hear your honest opinion on it, lovesies 💖😏 So, please, as usual, if you like what you read, comment, like, reblog and share this with others! For everyone who follows and supports this story, thank you guys (you know who you are)! You are real stars! ⭐💗

“Thank you, Taunton!” Freddie’s voice cracked in the mic, as he shouted from the top of his lungs. The stage’s lights were illuminating his skinny silhouette, as he was bowed and nodded like a real diva. Brian approached him and goofily waved at the cheering crowd with a simple nod. On Freddie’s right side, John was bowing too, with a hand on his heart, still astonished by the number of people that were screaming and applauding them. Roger left his drum set, all sweaty and half-naked, and put his arms in the air, before throwing his drumsticks in the crowd.

In a matter of two years, the boys had come a long way; everything had changed after that concert at the Imperial College. A prestigious record producer had seen them perform and had decided to give them a chance. They had already recorded an album and travelled all around England. Every night a different place, the boys were tireless and had become real rock stars.

The four of them were now bowing all together, at the edge of the stage, while the people in the front row were trying to reach them, screaming and stretching their arms towards them.

In the backstage, far away from the spotlight of fame, the girls were applauding too, with their hearts full of love and proudness. Chelsea, Mel and Mary had been by their sides since the start and seeing them gaining the fame they deserved was always something touching and extremely beautiful.

During those two years, they had followed them on tour as much as possible and spent hours listening to their quarrels in the recording studio, on which song should have been put in the album. But everything, every sacrifice, every fight or argument and every sleepless night had been absolutely worth it because now all four of them had finally made their dreams come true.

The boys walked towards the backstage, still waving at the crowd.

“You did amazing, love!” Chelsea said, caressing Freddie’s arm as he was hugging and kissing Mary on the cheek. He didn’t have the time to thank her, because a pair of arms took her hips and lifted her from the ground. Chelsea screamed in amusement and, when her feet touched again the ground, she turned around to find John’s smiley face just a few inches away from her.

“And what about me?” he asked her, pulling her closer to hug her.

“You did amazing too, sweetheart” she chuckled in his arms and then pulled away to admire his outfit.

“What did I tell you, Mel? He looks great in this black and white suit” Chelsea gloated, smiling to her friend, that was now massaging John’s arm.

“I didn’t have doubts” she answered, tilting her head to her boyfriend and lifting an eyebrow in an accusatory way.  John rolled his eyes, but when he opened his mouth to speak, he was cut off by a squeaking, raspy voice, that was coming from Chelsea’s back.

“You have to thank me, for that. It was me that convinced the crew to hire the best stylist I’ve ever met” Roger was approaching them, with a towel behind his neck and his arms open to welcome his girlfriend in his chest.

Chelsea slightly blushed and ran to him, to hug him tight. Roger spun her around, while his arms were settled around her waist. Chelsea cupped his face with her hands and pulled him closer to kiss him softly.

“Actually, darling, I insisted on having this amazing lady as my personal stylist” Freddie stated, approaching the couple with Mary by his side. Roger completely ignored him, slowly pulling away from Chelsea’s lips. He then put his arms behind her shoulders to pull her closer to him.

“Before I got interrupted” John added, walking towards them, while holding hands with Mel “I was trying to say that I had never had doubts on your talent, Chel. I just had doubts about the choice of the clothes, because you know, they are a little bit–”

“They’re perfect my dear!” Freddie cut him off and John shook his head, an entertained smile forming on his face.    

“Well look at you, all cute and sweet. Can someone please help me with all these cables and stuff?” Brian’s voice recalled the attention of the group and they all turned around to see his curly brown hair bouncing, as he was trying to hold a lot of things in his arms.

Chelsea immediately reached him, when she saw he was about to make everything fall on the ground. She stretched her arms towards him and helped him, taking away from his hands a tangle of cables. Brian’s warm smile thanked Chelsea, who smiled back.

“You don’t have to be jealous, mate. I’m sure out there there’s a girl that’s waiting for you to come and tell her all about the physics stuff you so very much adore” Roger joked, giving Brian a pat on his shoulder. He rolled his eyes as an answer, used to Roger’s sense of humour.  

“I’ll help him with this. You can wait for me in the tour bus, baby” Chelsea said, turning to Roger. He smirked and leaned down to kiss her again. Brian looked away and Chelsea could tell he was visibly embarrassed by that moment, so she pulled away and winked at Roger.

“Okay, see you later, honey” he replied, giving her a soft slap on her butt as she turned around. Chelsea let out a tiny squeak and heard Roger’s giggle as he walked away with the rest of the band and the girls.

She followed Brian through some doors and corridors, elbowing between the people of the crew and she thanked the enormous mass of curly hair he had, because, if it wasn’t for that, she could have easily got lost in the confusion. They finally entered a little room and Brian pointed a dusty shelf; Chelsea put down the cables and helped him tiding up some pedals and other strings he still had in his hands.

“You know, letting grow your hair free and natural was the best decision of your life! I would’ve lost myself in this labyrinth if it hadn’t been for them” Chelsea stated, turning around to look at Brian while they left the room.

“Yeah, it doesn’t matter if I look like a poodle” he replied, making her laugh and shake her head.

“He’s treating you well, right?” Brian asked, as they stepped out of the little room and started to walk down the hallway. Chelsea looked up to him, as the height difference between them was more than evident, smiling for the cute question.

Brian had never been really talkative - not as much as Freddie or Roger anyway - but Chelsea had the chance to get to know him well during the last two years and she indeed enjoyed his company. They liked to walk together, going anywhere, sometimes without saying a word, just appreciating the comfortable silence that was always surrounding them.

Chelsea was usually the first to hear Brian’s new songs or riffs because he was convinced that she had a great ear with these things, as he used to say. And Chelsea never complained about that, on the contrary, she loved seeing him getting experimental in front of her, with his concentrated face as he made his guitar sing.

“Yes, you’d be impressed to see the gentleman he has become” Chelsea replied, always with a smile on her face. Brian noticed her dreamy expression and chuckled softly.

“Roger Taylor a gentleman? Are you sure we’re talking about the same Roger Taylor?” he teased to see her reaction. She raised an eyebrow and let out a sigh between the laughter.

“Yes, we are. He’s always so caring and sweet and…” Brian cut her off.

“And he’s always ready for a good sex-session I guess, am I wrong? You two are like bunnies” he joked, but Chelsea wasn’t expecting such a comment coming from Brian’s mouth, so she gasped in surprise.

“Mr May, I find this comment very inappropriate!” she joked back “and it’s none of your business. Although, I can’t say you’re wrong. But he’s a great boyfriend, I swear” Brian chuckled, seeing how her eyes always shined when she talked about him.  

“I can tell this. You look so in love” Chelsea flushed at those words.

“Is that so evident?” she asked him and Brian raised an eyebrow. Then nodded, closing his eyes to give more pathos to his non-verbal answer. Chelsea friendly pushed him, putting her hand on his shoulder and making him laugh a little.

“But hey, I’m sure it’s mutual because I’ve never seen Roger like that. With any girl” Brian widely smiled and looked down at Chelsea, who was still blushing. He noticed her pleased face and he put his long skinny arm behind her shoulder and Chelsea leaned her head on him, putting her arm behind his waist, as they kept walking.

They were about to leave the arena and reach the others in the tour bus when a female voice called them. They turned around and saw a girl running after them.

“Excuse me” she was breathless when she reached them, so she tried to recompose herself, putting a string of her hair behind her ear “I don’t want to be or sound obtrusive, but you are the guitarist of Queen, right?” she shyly asked, as a soft red colour started to expand on her cheeks.

When Chelsea didn’t hear any response from Brian, she looked up at his face to find him with his mouth slightly open and his eyes locked with the girl’s.

Brian was sure she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen; she had wavy hair, that had a strange and rare colour between brown and red. Her light blue eyes were staring at Brian and he felt his knees trembling. He knew he was being obvious, but he couldn’t help himself: she was gorgeous. The girl noticed the gaze he was giving her and she looked at the ground, clearly happy to receive his attention.

Chelsea felt like the third wheel of the situation, so seeing that Brian was still admiring her without saying a word, she gave him a little push and then replied.

“Yes, he’s the guitarist. The big Brian May” she smiled as she said this, receiving a deadly gaze from the tall boy.

“You were great before!” the girl complimented him “I’m Chrissie by the way” Chelsea tried to reach for her hand, but Brian pushed her away. He shook her hand, without breaking eye-contact. The girl understood that the entire situation was starting to get a little bit awkward, so she cleared her throat, before speaking again.

“I would like to know if it’s possible to meet the rest of the band”

“I’m so sorry, they’re already on the tour bus now” Brian finally spoke, but Chrissie seemed disappointed.

“Oh, okay. I just made everything that I could to be here tonight to meet the band, but hey, it seems like I’m always late. Thank you anyway, it was a pleasure meeting you two” she turned on her heels and started to walk away.

“Invite her to the after party!” Chelsea said between her teeth.

“What? I don’t even know her!” Brian replied, with his whole face red and blushed. Chelsea rolled her eyes.

“Listen to me, do you want to lose the chance to get to know this girl? I don’t think so! So tell her that tomorrow you have a concert in Peterborough and that after it there’s an amazing Christmas party! Be the man Brian!”

“I’m a man!” Brian shouted back.

“Then prove it!” Chelsea replied, crossing her arms on her chest. Brian looked over her shoulder and, after giving her one last gaze, he started to ran to reach Chrissie. Chelsea looked at him with a proud expression on her face, as he stopped her by the arm and started to talk with her. She nodded and left the arena, to give them a little bit of privacy.

She quickly walked in the parking lot, covering her face with the collar of her jacket. When she reached the tour bus she ran inside, feeling her nose already cold and surely red. Everything was dark and quiet, just a couple of peaceful, sleepy breaths was filling the air.

When her eyes got used to the dim light that surrounded her, Chelsea noticed that Freddie and Mary were sleeping, hugged into each other’s arms, on the not so comfy kind of sofa, how Fred himself used to call it, that was on her left. On the opposite side, there was the same kind of seats, arranged in a kind of semicircle, with a little table on the middle, where the guys used to play scrabble. And there she saw John, with his feet stretched over the end of the seat because he was too tall to properly lay there; on the top of him, with her head on his chest, Mel was sleeping peacefully.

Chelsea smiled when she walked over the little (and empty) cot that was near the tiny bathroom, because she already knew that Roger had probably argued with everyone to have the double sized bed that was situated in the back of the bus. When she slowly pushed aside the see-through curtains that gave a little privacy to the only “bedroom” of that mini house on four wheels, Chelsea saw her boyfriend already asleep.

She stopped there to look at him for a minute. He was sleeping shirtless, as usual, with his mouth open. He was laying on his tummy and Chelsea could see his back muscles relaxing under the blanket. She fondly smiled when she noticed that he had left on her pillow one of the shirts, knowing how she loved to sleep snuggling in his clothes. She was about to join him when she heard the door of the bus opening, followed by Brian’s voice, who was talking with the driver.

Chelsea turned around and, while she was approaching the curly boy curious as hell, the bus started to move and she almost fell on the ground. Brian heard her cuss and let out a soft laugh. When she looked up to him, he pointed at the cot and Chelsea nodded, already knowing what he was about to ask.

“Will it ever be my turn to sleep in that bed or…?” he asked, while he leaned down to take a beer from the little fridge in front of his crib. He offered one to Chelsea too and she accepted it, sitting beside him on the little cot.

“So? Are you going to tell me what happened with the girl of your dreams or do I have to beg you?” Chelsea questioned, lifting her bottle in the air. Brian shook his head and raised his beer to meet hers.

“Cheers,” he said after the toast and then they both took a long sip from the green glass bottle.

“I invited her to come to our concert tomorrow and then to the party in the hotel” Brian finally said, turning around to look at Chelsea in the eyes. She noticed that he still had flushed cheeks and a stupid smile on his face.

“…and?” she asked, but he scrolled his shoulders, making her pout “Oh c’mon Bri, not even a little kiss?”

“No. I like taking things slow” he replied with a touchy tone. Chelsea rolled her eyes and left her head fall against the window behind her. She sighed and took another sip of beer.

“At least did you discover something about her?”

“Just that she works as a hairdresser because she told me that she doesn’t know if she can come tomorrow because Peterborough is far from where she lives and she has to work. But nothing else” Chelsea looked him with a disappointed face.

“What?” he asked, wrapping his lips against the neck of the bottle, finishing the beer.

“You should have told her something! Flirt a little bit!” she replied. He rolled his eyes and shut her up with a movement of his hand. Chelsea chuckled noticing how pissed he looked, so she stretched her arm to put it behind his back.

“Hey, I’m sorry okay. The world would be a better place if there were more gentle and kind men like you around” she sincerely smiled to him and Brian returned the gesture, fondly grateful for her words. He was about to reply when a voice in the dark recalled their attention.

“After this philosophic statement, can you come to sleep and cuddle with your gentle and kind man? I didn’t almost throw hands with Freddie for that fucking bed for nothing” Roger was keeping the curtains open, standing in between with only his boxers on.

“You could have put on something” Brian commented, pointing at his half-naked body, while Chelsea was approaching him.

“I’m sure that someone here thinks differently from you” Roger replied, looking to Chelsea in a flirty way. She smirked in response and kissed him. She teasingly pulled away and walked past him, already taking off her clothes. Roger bit his lip and turned around to look at Brian with a proud expression on his face.

“You see. She’s such a bad girl” he said, pointing at her. Brian rolled his eyes and when he opened his mouth to say something, Chelsea’s bra flew in the air, hitting Roger’s face. Soon the panties appeared on the ground at his feet.

“You two are disgusting!” Brian almost shouted while he was laying on the cot when Roger quickly disappeared behind the curtains and the sound of Chelsea’s giggles filled the air.

“We know that” they replied in unison. Brian shook his head and hide it under the pillow when he started to hear more chuckles and not so subtle sounds coming from the ‘bedroom’. He sighed knowing it would have been a long journey.    

Chapters: ⤎ previous | next ⤏

A/N: Hello again! Hope you enjoyed this one 💗 we’re gonna tag the lovely people who read, liked and commented the previous chapters. If you want to be tagged in the next one, comment under this one or leave us a message. Our inboxes are always open for you beautiful people

Tag list: @littledarlingwellaway @its-a-metephor-brian@bohemiandelilah @onevisionliz@misshystericalqueen @loki-lover095@deakysgurl @inthelapofthe39 @starsoflovingness-wq@minetticatinwonderland @cairdes20 @friendswillbefriendsblog@o-holynight @trash-record-collection @please-stop-me-now@theappleofmybri @marvelsbunch

Cheers, folks! ✌

[captainkurosolaire]

LF Contacts : Captain Kuro Solaire

NAME: Captain Kuro Solaire AGE: 35 (Appears 29) - (’Temporarily Immortal’ Limited on deaths before next story-arc, or, life is dependent on another to pass.)

RACE: Seeker of the Sun, Miqo’te

GENDER: Male

SEXUALITY: Straight, Dom

MARITAL STATUS: Married/Poly/Open Relationship

SERVER: Balmung

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE ––––

HAIR: A slick jet black texture, Kuro’s hair is majority of the time unkempt with downward spikes often cascading across the sides of his face and more light spikes here and there, sometimes when grown-out it’s placed in a bandana and combed on the sides. Under rare occurrences the length of his hair can be lower then his shoulders and without being straightened leaving a shaggy and feral look. Often sporting an accompanied goatee, through more veteran experience and age has extended that further with a stubble to boot and long sideburns.

EYES: One eye is often left visible with an amber glow, while the other eye lays remained behind an eye-patch for a particular reason that is usually left in speculation to other onlookers.

HEIGHT: 6 fulms, 0 ilms.

BUILD: Built as a complete ultimate fighter. 

DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Scattered scars from a gash hidden underneath a leather collar from his first defeat and near end. To followed historical injuries to dragon claws swiped across his hip to rib nearing his chiseled abs, to lance wounds on his pec, bite-marks from a fanged creature nearly always adorned near his throat or shoulder-blade. Scratch marks from passion on his back. To matching fiendish talons shredding the opposing side of his rib-cage. With a gashed-cut draped across his right-eye. Lastly an X incision on his chest crossing over his upper-torso and halting near his shoulders to his pecs. This is all left to be seen as he’s often shirtless for all to see. Additionally, he’s got a tattoo on his forearm of runic engravings with summoner lettering’s that seem to be serving as a seal. Compass on his left-hand to prevent him losing memories of being a sailor that points in all four-directions. The south-seas etched above crossing over his bicep. Behind his back on left upper-most shoulder is the Goldbrand Crest. A forgotten ritual that has since been lost among the Crew as little carry it left but two-survivors him and another included.

COMMON ACCESSORIES: Talisman across his neck that has several link-pearls attached to a string with a feather which represents ‘freedom’,  the pearls mainly allow him to keep in-contact with crew-mates and a bundle of criminal orientated allies or other like-minded individuals he’s met in his travels with arrangements of companionship with many varying in uniqueness. A combat satchel attached to his belt that allow him quick accessibility to ‘Get out of dodge methods’ not to mention golden earrings the eye-patch of some sort always. With a very symbolic tricorne hat that is leather matching his often outfit of black leather and being ever mysterious and imposing a scoundrel aesthetic.

PERSONAL –––-

PROFESSION: Captain of the Goldbrand, navigation, commanding, claiming panties all over Eorzea and providing pleasure where others need the lesson or reminder. Along with a thief, smuggler, diplomat and a veteran sailor. He’s also a chaser of treasure from old relics to folktales passed on in Legends through very little evidence of the existences but scrolls & charts that he reads and plans out accordingly before attempting his plunder for fortune.

HOBBIES: Drinking, Ocarina, Women, Pleasure, More Pleasure, Even more Pleasure, Entertainment (Former Pleasure Dome worker as a Dancer and Escort.) Juggling, Acrobatics, Jury-rigging, Swimming, Teaching, Training, Mentor, Fighting, Fishing, Brawling, Working out. Exploring. Adventuring. Landing into Dangerous situations. 

LANGUAGES:  Fluent (Mostly) Eorzean, Xaelic, and Hingan, Pirate Tongue. (Working on venturing past his horizon to open trades and communications with beast-tribes for business escapades or other relationships.)

RESIDENCE: Ul’dah

FEARS: None. (Backstory behind that) Though not immune to psychological damage or other borderline issues in his mentality plus he’s got things that put him in discomfort as the following dictates. - Authority - Confinement - Rules - Fees - Harm to loved ones - Loneliness - Discrimination - Ribbons

RELATIONSHIPS –––-

SPOUSES: Ayla Moenwyb / Sivir Ka’vaul

CHILDREN: Bastard children all around, who knows you might be one. He’s often out there being ever the manwhore and shameless about the fact. So, just call him Daddy regardless.

PARENTS: Hoku Solaire (Father - Alive) Rokeia Solaire (Mother - Deceased giving birth to Kuro Solaire)

SIBLINGS: Unknown but Father was a former Nunh so would be reasonable to say there’s tons out there.

OTHER RELATIVES: Many unknown. Though Sol Akagane / Founding GB Captain Gark would be considered along with his OG Crew as Family in a more surrogate / adoption style way.

PETS: A list of women out there. ~ Oh, that kind of pet.... --- KY, Levi and Box.

TRAITS –––-

extroverted / introverted / in between

disorganized / organized / in between

close minded / open-minded / in between

calm / anxious / in between

disagreeable / agreeable / in between

cautious / reckless / in between

patient / impatient / in between

outspoken / reserved / in between

leader / follower / in between

empathetic / unemphatic / in between

optimistic / pessimistic / in between

traditional / modern / in between

hard-working / lazy / in between

cultured / un-cultured / in between

loyal / disloyal / in between

faithful / unfaithful / in between

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION –––-

SMOKING HABIT: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

DRUGS: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

ALCOHOL: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess

POSSIBLE HOOKS –––-

If your character keeps up to date with gossip or visits the ferry possibly heard of a pirate crew whispered about and a charismatic Captain that shows up from time-to-time stirs up trouble for the locals or swoons women in the residence.

Few Wanted warrants on him by this point but nothing overly grave but still enough to be sent to the gallows if captured with a lot of disturbances or complaints about public indecency potentially could even upset or have effected someone emotionally enough to slaughter instead of thinking twice about imprisoning.

If your character is also in the crime or shady organizations / dealings no doubt heard of inklings about him and often offers services to make smuggling deals across the Five Seas as this current-point or human trafficking. He’s also contributed in black-markets or to show up voluntary but his bravado can even potentially irk that who are the closest to him in nature.

If your character visits Ul’dah will often might see an encounter with him there and his ever showman and brazen self on display but he doesn’t have his payments ever overdue and has shown to be quite difficult to get out of the tavern by a legit reason outside of his exotic behavior mostly enforcing or provoking scuffles but pending and tricking others to take the fall while not fighting back depending on his cheery mood.

Isn’t without being imposed to battle, train, mentor anyone he sees with promise though his eye cannot help but glance at any woman as his greed isn’t that of gold and gil, but more of a carnal lust a whole different hunger entirely sees him think with the head between his legs instead of his actual noggin.

If your character is a prude, uppity, or a noble, You though can probably consider him rather riled up or anyone with governmental leverage or oozing ‘authority’ He can’t stand with anyone in SUPPORT or relation to those who supposedly have ‘political power’ he believes strongly in freedom and will often contest them. 

Hes dealt with voids and other relics so can be seen with other people unlike that are standard city-folk. But adventurers or other expediting travelers or mutual connections may have grumble his name out before. If there’s something to learn or culture to be taught to him then he’ll wish to learn it. He’s all about the social interaction and the moment made to leave behind memories with those of the denizens across Eorzea enough he’s faded and nothing but a fragmented set of syllables left off words of old as a tale in passing.

Hes participated in a few joining with Captaining of unlikely circumstances and a War among the Depths under a civilization buried under the Rohtano Seas where a massive criminal empire laid as many of his battles and advisories involve rivaling other pirate crews in a ‘robbin hood style’ of sorts, namely it’s out of creative story plots usually playing the other antagonist crews and giving them their own morale, roster, beliefs.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR ––––

Crew. Not just a crew, ‘The’ Crew select band of individuals to go to high heights of grander with. 

Creating stories with meaningful relationships. Friendships, Business Associates, Teachers, Students, Sparring Partners, Rivals, Long-term Romance Partners(Can be discussed/depends), Flings, Shorts, Playing ‘Villainous’ roles. Boosting credentials like Law enforcement etc. or joining with fellow corrupted figures.

OOCLY, I AM ––––

Bedridden (Sick) Usually takes some works around and patience but if that is tolerable and doesn’t see you packing, we’re going to get along well can already consider me your BFF for all the juicy topics.

Overly chill and outspoken along with communicative being my prime focus, though, don’t get me wrong I am always down to meet and learn of other peoples characters despite the image that may be seen!

I para-rp but do nearly ever format and style usually, I don’t go without matching my partner.

I plot with everything and genre just about though Dark/Romance/High-Fantasy/Fantasy/Erotic//Dramatic seem to be more where I often am seen engaging-in.

Nerd, +14yrs Dungeon Master / RPer / Former event runner /  Former Owners/Leaders for Discords and Linkshells / Tabletop Creator (Slacked off on that obv.)

I’m CST. But, can’t go on that. My health makes my sleep lately all over the place, I used to be a Vampire as nightly used to be my prime time but now I have no official time, I stick with. So, It’s a lame process to catch me.

YOU CAN CONTACT ME VIA ––

Twitter -  Captain Kuro Solaire

Tumblr - I try to follow everyone in FFXIV Community so should be able to DM me.

Discord: Kuro Solaire#0508

Ref Sheet - Captain Kuro Solaire

+18 F-list

(Branch out further more sometime)

[mosworldbusiness]

Multilink -  Financial Inclusion In Rural India.

Multilink is essentially providing access to basic financial products and services needed by vulnerable groups such as weaker sections and low-income groups at affordable costs in a fair and transparent manner.

In India, the Multilink drive has always been bank-led. There were initiatives such as creating co-operative banks, regional rural banks, post office accounts, nationalization of banks, NBFCs, MFIs, local area banks and the recent initiatives of Payments Bank and Small Finance Bank. These initiatives have made some valuable contributions to the inclusion push.

 But, the biggest policy initiative towards Multilink was made by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) when they allowed banks to utilize the services of business correspondents (BCs) to provide basic banking service to the customers. Use of technology played a vital role in this initiative.

This is the time when the term “Multilink” gained currency.

 Banks started deploying BC outlets in unbanked villages in collaboration with fintechs and distribution network owning entities. These BC outlets started opening bank accounts of the financially excluded people. 

Initially, there was criticism that most of the Jan Dhan accounts were lying unutilized with zero balance. At that time, it was true too. But now, things have changed substantially. There are around 450 million Jan Dhan accounts with an aggregate balance of INR 1.50 trillion. This means that there is an average balance of over INR 3,300 per account.

 As this initiative started growing in size, banks started seeing Multilink as a viable proposition and an excellent source of finding new market at the bottom of the pyramid: a market with huge growth potentials.

Enabling rural entrepreneurship

The business correspondent initiative: There are over 2.5 million BC outlets in the country and about 2 million of them are in rural India. These are owned and manned by local people, mostly the youth.

Most of them are poor and first time entrepreneurs. This is one single direct impact of Multilink on entrepreneurship in general, and rural entrepreneurship in particular. 

The need of cash in rural areas is being mostly met by the BC channel as banks are reducing the number of ATMs in rural and semi-urban centers because of their extremely high operational and maintenance cost. Migrant workers send money from metropolises to their relatives who go to the local BC agent to get the cash. The BC business will continue to grow as Banks are trying to move out most of their small transactions and products to their BC outlets.

Rural credit: Rural credit for agriculture and MSME–a major tool for financial inclusion–immensely helps rural entrepreneurship grow. MFIs and Small Finance Banks have done well in this field but their efforts are constrained by resource crunch. Their operations are also often quite localized. 

 The commercial banks have the financial resource but they do not have the reach. 

As a result, the share of rural credit in the overall credit from all the recognized channels hovers around 8-9 per cent although majority of Indians live in villages.But then, things have gradually started looking up. Now that almost the entire population has a digital identity through Aadhaar, and as e-KYC is a very convenient and user-friendly tool, the banks, including the private ones, have started venturing into the rural markets for increasing their lending portfolio.Banks are also using the services of BCs and companies with large distribution network for loan lead generation, creating more scope for rural self-employment.

Many Banks and NBFCs have tied up with fintechs for tech tools to onboard the rural entrepreneur seeking credit and also for follow up. Credit Information bureaus, use of AI and algorithms, etc. have also added to the confidence of banks and NBFCs.

Self-help groups

 Creation and financing of self-help groups/joint liability groups in rural areas is a significant Multilink initiative to create entrepreneurship among the rural poor, especially the women. During these times of pandemic, SHGs in around 400 districts have been making face masks to earn their livelihood. India has more than 10 million bank-linked SHGs and 90 per cent of these are women SHGs. These SHGs have 120 million members and their aggregate deposits  with Banks is more than INR 23,000 crore.

Some SHGs have also tied up with e-commerce sites to broaden their market. However, this is one area that requires more attention and better awareness.

An opportunity for e-commerce sites

Rural India is a huge reservoir of talent and innovative products. There is also a humungous market for handicraft, ethnic goods, native food items like pickles, folk art, etc. But the rural entrepreneur cannot access that market due to the lack of knowledge and infrastructure. E-commerce sector can play a big role in enabling the rural entrepreneurs to grow their business. It will be a win-win situation for everyone.

The difficulty of the e-commerce sites in reaching out to the far flung villages is understandable. However, the e-commerce businesses can easily access the rural markets by utilizing the services of some organizations which have already built a tech-enabled distribution network in even small tier-VI villages.

 Bringing other financial products to villages

There is a massive rural market for many financial products such as insurance, mutual fund, investment in shares, etc. But, even the most popular of these products, insurance, has a meagre 3.76 per cent market penetration in India. This number for the rural India would be abysmal. Now, some private insurance companies have started tying up with companies with a big distribution network to sell their products in the hinterlands. Similar scope exists also for taking the mutual fund and broking business. These initiatives have already started creating newer avenues for self-employment in rural geographies. 

Other payment products

There are many other payment products such as bill payments, recharge of mobiles, DTH and OTT, ticketing, etc., for which too there is a big rural market. The number of mobiles and internet connections has increased exponentially but people are still very hesitant to make payments themselves digitally. A study showed that a very large number of smartphone owners in India used their phones for entertainment but only a miniscule proportion used it for financial transactions. The growing number of such payment transactions through the “assisted mode” validates this. Selling these products/ services will remain a viable option for the rural entrepreneurs, especially for those who want to supplement their income from other sources.

Conclusion

The pandemic has affected the economy very badly. Unemployment has increased and millions of people have been pushed to deeper poverty. But, this is a passing phase. Things have already started looking up. Multilink has given a strong foundation to the economy by making more and more people self-reliant, giving a fillip to entrepreneurship across the country. This will benefit India immensely in the long run.

[avalonia-ffxiv]

Role-Play Connections / Seeking Contact!

Foreword

Hello!

This is something I’ve very much been looking forward to since I started this blog and this character - role-playing with so many interesting and awesome people; and boy let me tell you. I’m following hundreds of FFXIV blogs at this point, and seeing such cool and amazing content on my dash brings a huge smile to my face.

I also want to give a huge thank you for the support already given - This blog already has passed 90 followers and I am both honored by that and excited! (And a little nervous/terrified).

Without further adieu!

B A S I C  I N F O

Name : Lira Veralde Nicknames/Aliases : Fox de Avalonia

Age : Twenty-Two (22) Nameday : 32nd Sun of the 3rd Astral Moon

Species : Midlander Hyur/Elezen Mix

Gender : Female

Nationality : Dravanian (Formerly Ishgardian.)

Pantheon : Oschon, The Wanderer; Althyk, The Keeper

Profession : Researcher/Expeditionary; Aspirant Red Mage.

Prowess : Ranger; Red Mage (Novice.)

Appearance Notes:

- Slightly longer, pointed ears. (Elezen Blood.)

- 5′3 fulms.

- Curvaceous Build; Pale skin.

- In-game Model for most other references.

The Fox of Avalonia

Chasing the rumors of the Fox in the Forelands would give one an unexpected result. ‘tis no beast, but a young woman and her bow. Born originally in the Falcon’s Nest in Coerthas, her family fled Ishgard when she was but a girl; dragged to the west by her parents turned heretic. All a girl could do was adapt, and so she did - Until a Temple Knight raid caused her family to split apart. Lira’s path was south at the time.

Despite whatever may have occurred in her past, Lira’s a hearty young lass. A warm personality, festive and playful even. She’s inquisitive and curious to a fault, contrasting her obvious flaws; naive, brash and oft times too reckless.

Her weapon of choice is the bow, but aetheric affinity at a young age has always been prevalent in her life. Something she means to make manifest; by Taking the Red.

Hooks & Connections

Dravania/Ishgard (Friends/Rivals)

An open ended hook; for those of you who play either heretics or loyal Ishgardians - The end of the Dragonsong War and the integration of those who opposed the Church back in to Ishgard could make a very interesting scenario! I invite characters beyond those who are friendly to such. Is your character still hostile/opposed to former heretics? Perhaps even one of the Knights who destroyed the heretic hideout Lira resided in with her family? Conflict and strife are welcome, but I would never deny her fellow heretics and sympathetic Ishgardians!

The Ranger (Hunts/Mentor)

Does your character love the hunt and/or the bow? Are you keen to go beast/monster hunting? Are you an expert/master in the bow who seeks out someone to mentor? A perfect hook for those who wish to role-play out in the wild hunting monsters and bounties, or seek to mentor Lira in archery.

Taking The Red (Master/Apprentice) (Long Term)

This is a very important hook for Lira and her development! Which means this would be a long-term plot. I do intend for Lira to become a Red Mage, albeit with no intention of having it happen over night. For a long story arc revolving around magic and training, this is for the master/trained Red Mage! Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Void/Demon Hunting (Secretive/Long Term)

Lira’s curious nature has an ambitious edge to it. She knows little of the deep complexities of the Void; only the destruction and strife that demons cause across Hydaelyn. She’s intent to test her mettle in hunting down and destroying such entities. A dangerous, foolish endeavor. Is your character already involved in chasing down and destroying minions of the Void? This is for you! Even if your character is apprehensive about working with a young woman with little experience. (Rightfully apprehensive.) this hook is one of her seedier/darker plot-aspects.

Exploration/Expedition (Profession)

Treasure hunter? Dungeon crawler? Hiring folk for a leve that takes place far out in the wild or in dark caverns and abandoned castles? Lira’s eager to sign up. Her current main source of income is her bow and leves available, and those with exciting prospects of knowledge and artifacts are right up her alley!

Music & Dancing (Hobby/Friends!)

Lira’s main love as a hobby beyond archery and magic is dancing and music! She plays the violin and enjoys dancing without shy hesitation! A much more light-heart hook, admittedly, but if your character is part of a troupe or entertainment value, Lira would take happily to your character! Lira also enjoys a trip to the Gold Saucer!

Role-Play Preferences

- Role-play is my first and foremost aspect above PvE and PvP. (I enjoy both still ,of course.)

- Long/Short posts and anything in-between is fine! I’ll mirror what you prefer!

- In-Game preferred, but Discord is a fine option!

- Absolutely fine with mature themes; including violence/sexual themes. (With the obvious caveat of respect for boundaries of anyone involved.)

- Mountain Standard Time Zone! Afternoons/evenings/weekends are preferred!

Looking For Linkshells!

Linkshells involving the following themes:

Dravanian/Heretics

IC Red Mage Networks

IC Monster Hunting Networks

IC Void/Demon Slaying Linkshells

Contact

Feel free to drop me an Ask/Message here on Tumblr if you’re interested in creating connections! I’m happy to share my Discord or chat in-game as well!

Do -not- consider the list of hooks and linkshell preferences exhaustive. Would you like to propose something not listed, or suggest a role-play linkshell you really love! Please do! Do you want to reach out just to talk? I may be shy folk, but I love to talk to mutuals and people I follow! If you have any comments or critiques to help me better flesh out Lira, hearing from you would be stupendous! Now, all rambling aside.

Reblogs are helpful, but reading this is enough! Thank you!

I look forward to exploring Eorzea and Beyond with you!

[qrctrini]

                                              The Resilience of a People

Trinidad and Tobago became the first country in the world to declare a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery on August 1st, 1985. Just a mere century and a half before this date our African ancestors living here were granted the legal right to be free men and women. So though we may go about the hustle and bustle of our daily lives without paying much thought to the freedom in which we have to associate and assemble, to speak, to move about and to our own overall self-determination, it is not something which we should take for granted. For our ancestors less than 2 centuries ago, our everyday life today would be considered a utopian fantasy. As I sit and reflect on this today as a man of African descent who’s been able to enjoy a measure of professional success, the life I lead today is never something that I take for granted; I stand here today a benefactor of the literal back-breaking work and unimaginable sacrifices of African men and women who toiled, struggled, resisted and died for their freedom and who helped to secure mine. Resilience is often a main theme that comes to mind when I reflect on my blackness and ancestry.  It’s simply impossible to speak about being emancipated without talking about being enslaved – and it is impossible to talk about being resilient without a consideration of what you have been able to survive. The brutality of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade lasted over 400 years. From as early as the turn of the fifteenth century enslaved Africans were taken from Western Africa and brought across the Atlantic in unimaginably inhumane conditions to the Caribbean and North America to work on the plantations of the European planter class. As many of us are aware, the Middle Passage was a horrendous ordeal for these Africans. They were crammed below decks in handcuffs and leg irons. For anywhere between six weeks to three months enslaved Africans were treated as human cargo and packed like sardines in closed quarters below deck without any washroom facilities. Such was the mental toll of these conditions that many threw themselves overboard – choosing to die at the hands of the sea over enduring the hellacious conditions on board. Those who survived the dreaded middle passage were rewarded with a lifetime of slavery and brutality which they were to receive once they reached the shores of the Caribbean. They were treated as human cargo aboard the ships that brought them to our shores and reduced to chattel slaves during a lifetime of barbarous servitude. Notably, even when emancipation of slavery was formally attained in 1838, it followed the failure of the British abolitionist to sway public opinion enough for slavery’s abolition. Thirty four years after the abolitionists’ most significant victory to secure the abolition of the slave trade, it was the economic imperative of choosing free trade and obtaining cheap access to beet root sugar over the sugar obtained from Caribbean slave labour which ultimately spurred on slavery’s abolition. In other words, the freeing of enslaved Africans did not end the dehumanization of African people.

So today when we speak about the resilience of a people we are celebrating much more than the termination of the previous legal practice of enslaving African people. We are celebrating the resilience of a people who were uprooted from their birthplace; a people who lost their right to determine the course of their own lives; a people who were brutalised and treated less than human and, even years after the abolition of slavery, were treated as second class citizens; a people, who despite all of these historical and generational hindrances have been able to rise from the mire to make groundbreaking and lasting contributions to humanity; a people who have indelibly left their mark on every continent worldwide and who have infused societies with their rich cultural heritage passed on through their impressive oral tradition. As pleased as I am to be able to reflect in a ‘free society’, perhaps I may not have been able to do so in the comfort of this well-lit room without the help of Lewis Latimer. Latiner invented the carbon filament for the light bulb. It’s also genuinely difficult to imagine a world without the artificial heart peacemaker, invented by African American inventor Otis Boykin, without mobile refrigeration invented by black inventor Fredrick Jones or without blood banks invented by black innovator Charles Richards Drew. These are but a limited few of the black inventors I’ve chosen to highlight. More recently, and closer to home, in 2010 Trinidad Afro-Trini inventor Dr. Ronald De Four invented and received a patent for the De Four Back EMF Space Vector Resolver. His invention introduced a cutting-edge commutation technique for brushless DC motors, which now allows the motor to be self-starting. It is having a resounding impact in the appliances, automotive, aerospace, consumer, medical, computer and industrial automation industries as its energy-efficient capability will reduce the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, a by-product of burning fossil fuel and the key greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. There are many African personalities that have, the world over, contributed to science and technology, the arts, literature, sport and entertainment. As we as Trinbagonians reflect during emancipation day celebrations, it is important for us to also recognise our Trinbagonian African Heritage as a whole. In spite of attempts to impose a Eurocentric value system on enslaved Africans, the resilience of our African descendants shine through to this day, as evident in the African influence in carnival, our music, dance, language, food fashion and arts and craft. Though the French introduced carnival to Trinidad, enslaved Africans transformed the way the festival was celebrated through cultural expressions which represented acts of rebellion and mocked the colonial powers. The Engungun festival of Nigeria is reminiscent of the revelry, pantomime, street parades, music and masking that are seen at carnival; the moko jumbie, devil portrayal and even hat worn by the midnight robber are quite similar to characters played during the Nigerian festival. African influence can be seen in several of the folk dances of T&T including the Bongo, Shango, Limbo and Kalinda or, as we would call it, stick-fighting. The resilience of our fathers manifested itself in their creativity. In addition to the transformation of the festival of carnival, enslaved Africans used the pittance of food that they were given, in combination with the little crops which they planted, to make innovations such as callaoo, coo coo and oil down. Today Caribbean cuisine is world renowned for its unique flavour and distinctive style. And of course, we all know about the head wrap or head tie which is one of the more obvious styles brought directly to Trinidad and Tobago from Africa. It warms my heart to see my social media feeds proliferated with pictures of stunning head wrap styles.

Today, as we commemorate and celebrate our emancipation, I think it important to note that resilience and self-awareness are not mutually exclusive – in fact, the former can be informed by and spur on more of the latter. Dr. Joy Degruy, following from years of historical and psychological research, outlines in her book, Post Traumatic Slave disorder, a set of behaviors, beliefs and actions associated with multi-generational trauma experienced by persons of African descent that include undiagnosed and untreated PostTraumatic Stress Disorder in enslaved Africans and their descendants. Professor Selwyn Ryan in discussing the sensitive topic of the challenges that are peculiar to different ethnic groups in Trinidad and Tobago has in times past used the phrase “none without social sin.” I believe that it is important to understand that our resilience can shine a light on a difficult past and lead the way to a brighter future. As we reflect on the contribution of African people and our African heritage let us endeavor to commit to take the time to always build up our communities – understanding our tumultuous past, taking time to heal as well as celebrate in the present and securing our future through the commitment to continue to be a resilient people that inspire each other to push for better, and to, in the spirit of our forefathers, fight for more – for our continued emancipation.

[srseattlestreetnews]

Seattle Street News 53, The Krund Issue

City News:

Broken News—(by demmalition1)

Sitting in a small roadside diner, nice place with a retro 2020’s vibe called “Hindsight”. Throwback places are never really accurate, I can spot at least three memorabilia from the 1990’s in there, but no one else is giving a shit so why should I?  Food’s good though, plate of warm soy-shrimp with soy-noodles and real garlic, plate of real bruschetta, and some wine to wash it down. You’d think they’d have soy-burgers and beer, but I’m not complaining.

Seating’s good and the waitress is flirting with me trying to get those extra few percentage points on her tip, probably to cover for this month’s rent based on how hard she’s pushing it. I ignore her and flip through the AR news feeds trying to catch up on what I missed after finishing my last report. Seems like most of the debris fell into the ocean harmlessly, one or two pieces on the outskirts of Japan, and a few scattered pieces on the UCAS/Tir Tairngire border. Hopefully nothing to worry about, but I’m still on guard for anyone asking me if I’ve heard the good word of our Lord and Savior <prog.Monads.exe>.

Anyways, I’m getting off track here, let’s flip through the minor news here... Oh yeah...

Corporate News shill Meta RyRy has been kidnapped live on air!  That’s right folks, the persona of poison and corporate deceit has been deposed from his throne of lies in front of several thousand viewers. So far public reaction has been one of sadness and shock tempered by a solemn resignation of “it was bound to happen sooner or later”. I’m fairly certain a large percentage of active viewing participants were simply corp execs looking at their egregiously narcissistic ads or sniping other corps with insults, and are more dismayed at the loss of a soapbox than of the person reading off their corp scripts. Sure, some of this might’ve been useful or for the public good, but can you take a man seriously when he says that there’s no public health risk from the satellite debris or that a manastorm isn’t brewing until it’s too late?  Can you trust the man who constantly gave “the finger” to us at the SSN (including me personally on one occasion) or others who tried to help the SINless?

Frankly, I’m glad to see him go, he spread corp propaganda right up to the night of the “Concert Freefall” wherein the Seattle Metroplex marketplace lost a combined ¥200 billion in value overnight. That’s right, the shadow war between Horizon and Saeder-Krupp in which various other corps banded together finally came to a head. A joint concert held by both sides to promote unity was actually a cover for their more duplicitous actions involving multiple runner teams, industrial sabotage, and an all-out assault on both Horizon Media and SK-Aerospace. In its wake thousands will lose their jobs, even many executives at the top are not safe, as I hear the Corporate Court is taking action and reshuffling their decks as I write this. Expect to see many “Will Oppress Masses For Food” signs out in the streets in the following weeks.

So where does this leave us?  A corporate shill and his corporate lies have disappeared from the face of the Metroplex. Can’t say I’ll miss the propaganda, but the show did have a certain unabashed bravado in its brazenness, it was very entrancing and at times even humorous. The corps are hurting badly, but they will recover like they usually do. The SINless will continue to suffer in the short term until Governor Dzhugashvili’s progressive legislation gets passed.

But that’s that, there’s nothing to go back to. No system to salvage and the events that occurred over the past week are sure to galvanize many people in the coming months. Already there are fissures in the underground that are creeping to the surface, a new cracked and fragmented society awaits us in this brave new world of the damned.

All About Krund Yuste Alfonso!

Footage has recently leaked (See exclusive video HERE!) of the attack on gubernatorial candidate Krund Yuste Alfonso that occurred a few months ago at the Aztechnology Emerald City Fitness gym. I’m sure you all remember the incident! Krund Alfonso was running for mayor when a naked British troll accosted him in the shower room. At the time, Krund Alfonso insisted to the SSN (See Issue 36), that this was no attack at all, but a simple mix-up with an over-eager fan. But the video footage reveals that Krund Alfonso was downplaying what was clearly an attack. Although the footage we have does not give a clear look at the British troll nor the reported homeless dwarf, what we are seeing is a clear assault by an unknown assailant. The assailant wrestled with the candidate and then fled.

This video raises many questions that all of the citizens of the Metroplex should be asking. If Aztech, one of the most security and militarily powerful Megacorps can’t keep its execs safe in the most vulnerable of moments—naked in the gym—can any corp exec be safe? Is any gym safe from intrusion? Krund Alfonso, a kind and conscientious figure, clearly lied about the assault in order to protect Aztechnology’s reputation in light of their shamefully inadequate security. But why was Krund Alfonso really assaulted? And does this assault have anything to do with the fact that Krund Alfonso is currently missing and has been since the revelation that he was an Arislen clone? Where is Krund Alfonso now? Is it true the Horizon might know the answer and they are hiding that information from the rest of us? Why would they do that? What do they have to hide? The corps have been trying to distract the public from the disturbing implications of this news by bringing up other so-called stories that mostly consist of trying to attack their favorite scape goats: SINless runners, the heroes of the streets. Don’t fall for that! Keep your eyes on the prize! Speaking of prizes…

The video also revealed quite a few other things to the Seattle masses. One of the major things it revealed is that Krund Alfonso, ex UCAS marine, still cuts a dashing figure. People on the streets have said that he is the most physically fit ex-gubernatorial figure in decades, and everyone is talking about Krund Alfonso. Looks like there is a bit of a fashion war going on between two powerful forces over Krund Alfonso’s body. Sources tell me that both Spinrad Industries’s fashion division and up-and-coming fashion designer Arzu Kaprol want Krund Alfonso to model their fashions for the upcoming season. And why wouldn’t they? Krund Alfonso has become this season’s It-Boy. He is fit, he is polite, he cares about the SINless, he is a sex symbol, he is a mysterious Arislen clone…and more importantly, he is missing! Where is he? Was he kidnapped? After so many missing execs, is he another one?

People of Seattle, the corporations are clearly unsafe, not only to the SINless and the UCAS citizens, but also to their own citizens! Let your voices be heard! Tell Governor Dzhugashvili to pressure the Megacorps for more transparency. Let’s find out what the truth is! And let’s find out where Krund Alfonso has gone!

Keep your eyes open for Seattle’s own Troll and send in tips!

 Entertainment News

SpiceBOT Concert

Last week the SpiceBOT reunion concert co-sponsored by Saeder-Krupp and Horizon was a huge, if odd success. Tens of thousands of people crowded downtown to see the wildly popular band perform all their hits. The Metroplex was transformed into a SpiceWorld. In the Virtual, the Saeder-Krupp band concert was broadcast by Horizon Media. Except, halfway through the concert, Horizon’s media feeds failed, leaving people frustrated throughout the world. Saeder-Krupp’s new Media subsidiary heroically saved the day and was able to finish broadcasting the show for the grateful viewers. Good job SK! We all want to zig-ah-zig-ah.

 Features:

Once More 13--(by Breach)

War is a complicated thing, and the more recent the war, the harder it is to break down, especially in the space I have here at SSN. JackPoint compiled a 26-page dossier on the event and it still doesn’t cover everything, but the fallout of this one is big enough that I think we all need to understand it, even as removed as we are from the battleground here in Seattle.

The official declarations came in early 2072, though tensions had been building long before - Aztlan has ever been an expansionist empire, and has been long-stymied to the north by the mutual defense agreement between the CAS and PCC, so south it has looked, swallowing up the nations of Central America until it became once again stymied in South America by the Awakened State of Amazonia; the combined power of Hualpa and Sirrug was enough to curb even the mighty Aztechnology - for a time.

I’m going to leave out most of the details - get your hands on JackPoint’s Storm Front data file if you want those - but to give a broad overview, the war was between not just two nations, but two megacorporations as well; Aztlan and Aztechnology are virtually inseparable, the welfare of one being intrinsically tied to the other, but Amazonia had Corporate aid as well, from Aztechnology’s decade-long PR rival, Horizon.

The war was an actual war, have no doubt of that, but it was not fought solely in the jungles and streets of South America; it was fought also on the global stage, in the hearts and minds of the world.

Horizon won early victories, casting Aztlan as the villains and sullying the good press Aztechnology usually enjoys with the masses, leading to painful UN sanctions that still affect us all to this day (ever wonder why the price of soycaf went up? This is why.) But in the end, Aztechnology’s PR branch won out, because when you can trumpet the defeat of a Great Dragon, it’s pretty easy to get the people on your side.

The fact that Horizon couldn’t find any real evidence and had to trump up their charges instead - and that AZ could prove that - didn’t hurt either.

Sirrug. The Destroyer. A dragon so powerful he almost single-handedly crippled the Aztlan military and turned what might have been a brief border-conflict into an all-out guerrilla war - and the first Great Dragon since the alleged death of Feuerschwinge to be felled by metahumanity (perhaps the actual first, if some of the whispers I hear in the shadows are true.)

Sure, there were some border changes (the Free City of Bogota is no longer quite so free, Aztlan enjoys a few hundred kilometres more of Amazonian jungle, and Aztlan Texas belongs to the Pueblos now, giving Aztlan only one northern neighbour instead of two), but Sirrug’s the major fallout of the war, the big takeaway - the Great Dragons might actually be killable. Now, there’s debate over whether Sirrug is actually dead - his body was never retrieved - but he has not been seen since, and was at the very least severely wounded.

Aztlan may possess the technology to rival the Great Dragons themselves, and that’s going to have lasting effect on the world.

Questions about history? Ask Breach! breach.ssn@gmail.com

 Gang News:

There Has Never Been a Story of More Woe, Than This of JuL33T and her MEO

Tragedy! No one was able to get ahold of MEO and the worst has happened. Ancient Street Sam JuL33T, it turns out hadn’t died, but had taken a dose of Slab, insiders tell me that she has secretly married Chula MEO and used the Slab to fake her death and get out the gang life and set up a new happy-ever-after with MEO somewhere else. But MEO never got the message. He went to see her body, resplendent in her armor, chromed up cyber and katanas. There, holding her hand, MEO took the dose of Seven-7 he bought from you-know-who. He died immediately. But according to my insider, it wasn’t much longer after that JuL33T’s Slap wore off. Seeing MEO slain, she took her own life with the katana she was never without.

This tragedy could have been avoided. We need to stop the gang hostility in Puyallup.

 Corp News:

Horizon Kidnapping Technomancers

It seems that Horizon is at it again! Sources report that the Megacorp had been holding some Technomancers prisoner in the Metroplex biodome. These Technomancers were able to escape from their harrowing ordeal and make it to safety. Sources say that Horizon, in a fit of corruptions, bad sportsmanship, and the way they are prone to coverups, have been trying to deflect attention away from their unethical and illegal behavior onto some shadowrunners who, last I heard, were visiting family in Europe. Don’t let Horizon deflect! Demand to know if they are continuing their abuse of Technomancers!

 Seattle Street News is an independent activist news source released weekly on Tuesdays or Wednesdays

[Watch CorporateSINs on every Wednesday, 6pm PST or on Youtube at, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h11c7BLFQtc&list=PLHKocVDXoWBtzze1SGGUnU6KB5UFrDLFo]

[kendrixtermina]

Extra Typology Vol #3 - Part 4, A: The Self-Confident Style (Basics)

Self-Confident individuals aren’t hard to spot, for they stand out, seeming to naturally possess the often touted “can do” attitude so prized in modern society (at least/especially the American & american-influenced ones - though like the conscientious style it can be over-valued and over-tolerated at times)

Still: It is often said that many things in life (sucess, social skill, leadership, romance etc.) can be highly influenced by the right attitude, and in that regard, people of the self-confident style have a powerful natural advantage - These people know what they want and what they’re worth, which can result in a natural “star quality” born out of self-respect, self-regard and self-certainty - and the ambition to match. 

The Self-Confident style is one of the most goal-oriented styles out there (the Agressive style being another one), one of the most go-getting and one of the moast capable of turning idle dreams into real sucesses. It helps that they tend to be charming, socially smooth extroverts with a natural sense for politics -  know how to work and motivate crowds and get others to jump on their bandwagons.  

The Six Domains

Self

The central domain of this style and the one that imbues all others with their sense of power & importance - even when trying to describe this style’s characteristics, one finds that many of the relevant words refer back to the self: self-made, self-possessed, self-respect, self-reliance, self-fulfillment, self-enrinchment, self-asserting, self-starter etc. (Of course, on the negative side there’s also a host of similar, less flattering words, at least when it comes to less functional individuals: selfish, self-obsessed, self-agrandizing, self-important etc... )

Basically, these folks look out for number one, believe in themselves & approach life with the belief that they deserve their share of life - where other, perhaps equally qualified people might be led astray by doubt & setbacks, this type tends to mantain their optimism, and is prepared to work hard & endure hardship to get what they feel they deserve, & this belief provides structure, order & meaning to all other areas of their lives: If they want a luxurious house, they’ll do what is necessary to get it; If a partner treats them shitty, they won’t put up with it or hesitate to leave for greener pastures. 

Work

People with a pronounced Self-Confident trait are outgoing, high-energy, competitive & absorb data easily - they are good at seeing the big picture, making decisions, planning, setting priorities and delegating - if there’s something tha holds less interest to them, they are good at making use of other people’s strenghts - In other words, they are high-archievers and often good leaders. 

It helps that they have a natural instincs for politics in all areas of life, including the workplace - they tend to quickly recognize the power structure within any organization and are good at forming fruitful aliances. That said, another consequence of this is that they can get envious about those in power and, like their Aggressive brothers, may not be too sqeamish about attempting to ‘unseat’ them & making enemies- they’re the sort to get promotions through connections while hard-working but less self-promoting types (such as the Conscientious) get passed up as they keep their head too cloose to the grindstone to notice the power plays that could propel them up the ladder.

More often than not, Self-Confident types tend to work confidently & efficiently with other people, approaching work connections as another means to get ahead - if they have something to gain from a superior or authority figure, they will be deferientian and cooperative, and loyal subordinates will receive generosity, money, support and the occasional perk in return - even those they compete against might be valued as a yardstick against which to measure their own importance. 

Relationships

Self-Confident folks tend to be popular & attractive (as they’ll tend to value & work towards these traits) and besides, their sense of certainty in themselves & their project can draw others in - they’re good at being loved, take compliments and won’t get shy or embarassed if others show them attention & admiration.

Besides, they need to be needed and will work hard to get & mantain the loving admiration & validation of a person they are interested in - they know what to do to get your attention & “win you over” and are not above big romantic gestures. If your attention is something they want, they’ll pursue it much like all their other goals & whip out their charme.

There, however, also lies the difficulty: As they tend to value their ambitions & pursuits so highly they cannot be relied upon to sacrifice them & may lose interest in & turn away from a partner once the “conquest” in complete  - as they’re so strongly ruled by the domain of the self they might be unable to get an objective distance from their own thoughts & feelings and end up assuming that their loved ones feel & think the same as they do, & fail to notice relationship troubles or spousal unhappiness sneaking up on the - Although they appreciate what others do for them & thrive on their relationships, they are not naturally attuned to their partner’s needs. 

Despite this, they can take breakups & divorces rather hard and are actually very sensitive to rejection, though they’ll typically hide it beneath distractions and a charming facade. Once hurt, it can take them a long time to start something really serious again. 

They do best with a partner who is fairly independent, can take care of their own needs & continues to challenge, stimulate & impress them intellectually & physically. 

Emotions

Self-Confident individuals can have a temper, and when they’re crossed or slighted, they’ll most certainly show it. In addition, they can be envious of others whom they perceive as more sucessful than themselves. Usually, their success-orientation, political savyness & strong sense o self protect them from letting their less “admirable” feelings get the best of them, at least in public. 

Depending on the degree to which they are dominated by this trait, they may have some or much difficulty experiencing strong love in the unconditional, devoted sense, at least when they’re young & immature, they may go through a couple of divorces before they find something mutually satisfactory. 

That said, they can and do feel powerful attractions and emotional/sexual fulfillment. Their moods are characteristically optimistic, energetic & hyped unless they’re very far on the dysfunctional side. 

Self-Control

In general, self-control is strong in this style - their strenght in archieving goals reflects their self-discipline & ability to keep conflicted impulses at bay - when they slip up, it’s more from overconfidence than poor impulse-control - eg, they may do things like cheating, bribery & temper-tantrums only if and because they think they can get away with it. 

Worldview

In strongly self-confident types, there can be a tendency to se the world overly as their personal stage or only as it’s relevant to them, loing sight of their faults, vulnerabilities & their relative place in the sheme of things - which then bites them in the ass. 

In moderate quantities this can lead to a positive attitude toward the world as something they can “work with” & awareness of their importance in it. 

Life Choices

Leadership

Self-Confident inviduals are often gifted natural leaders who happily delegate not just the “dirty work” but responsible undertakings - unlike Conscientious Individuals, they are happy to allow their subordinates a lot of leeway as long as the job gets done. They’re quite effective at building an effective, highly motivated team with themselves at the center, though unlikethe Agressive style, they don’t necessarily insist on strict hierarchies as long as everyone acknowledges who’s boss. 

Such a team, however, will be geared toward archieving the goals of the Self-Confident leader, not the individual team members - start to criticize or compete with the Self-Confident leader, or encroach on their share of the credit and/or glory, and you’ll find yourself at the bottom of the heap - or out! - before you know what you did to derserve it. They thrive on competition & appreciate the same trait in others, but it’s very important to them to stay ahead of everyone else. 

If you get on their good side, however, they can make excellent mentors & pull strings on your behalf. 

Job Recomendations

If this is your dominant style, you would profit from following ambitions that lead toward leadership & the limelight. This style is common in entertainers, broadcasters, celebrities and politicians. 

In all cases, choose careers that involve working with and/or influencing others - this will make good use of your image-related instincts and besides, Self-Confident folks need to have people around them. 

(A/N: This even holds true for mbti introverts who are high in the self-confident style, at least if they’re not soc blind - I know one individual who, despite being an IN, occasionally feels a tad under-peopled on his working-from-home programmer’s job (otherwise a classic IN profession that makes good use of his skills & inclinations). That said, he grew up in a noisy asian megacity the likes of which Germany doesn’t really have. He’s trying to compensate this in his private life, but if you’re a full-blown ExxJ you should probably doing exclusively avoid isolated/autonomous work long-term )

Stress Sources

An often devastating stress source for Self-Confident people can be to be severely criticized, or worse, rejected. Despite the epinomous confidence & self-focus, they’re social creatures.  - as mentioned above they can be too busy being upset or resentful to actually course-correct & take measures to fix flaws or relationships. 

Parenting

In the best case, a Self-Confident parent can confer their “Star Quality” onto their children - they teach them to aim high & expect the best for themselves, offering a model of ambition, self-esteem, self-discipline and social sucess.

However, extremly Self-Confident parents may not recognize or credit their children’s individual differences, or step out of the spotlight long enough to let the children experience what it feels like to be the center of the universe on their own merits. Some children of extremly Self-Confident parents grow up to be good at giving love but feel unworthy of receiving it.

Of course, a non-self-confident parent or strenghts in some more other-directed styles (conscientious, devoted, self-sacrifing, dramatic etc.) may lead the parent to see things from the child’s point of view and steer clear of their predisposition toward a certain insensitivity to other’s emotional needs. 

Romantic Compatibility

Self-Confident individuals can make good, attractive & devoted mates, but a presequite for that is that their partner have a strong self-esteem and not require freqent assurances or understanding from their partner. 

Some personality styles that match up well with the Self-Confident personality style are those who get satisfaction out of taking the ‘giving’ part in a relationship, such as Devoted or Self-Sacrificing, but only when they aren’t too domineering & the individuals are healthy - otherwise, their individuality & needs might end up getting the shaft

Self-Confident people need to be needed & Sensitive folks can benefit from a strong & outgoing mate to provide navigate the social arena for them, so those styles cn be complimentary

The life-of-the-party, other-directed Dramatic style ight make for an exciting, mutually flattering match as long as the Dramatic’s need for reassurance isn’t too high

When two Self-Confident types powerfully attract each other, they may be headed for dramatic competition & either fly apart or end as one of those couples who fight a lot, but in mature, balanced individuals, it can also settle into a dynamic of mutual respect where everyone has their own ambitions & social circles to satisfy their needs. 

On the other end, styles that are highly likely to clash with the Self-Confident include Vigilant, Leisurely, Adventurous & Agressive - these styles will not be satisfied subordinating their desires & needs to another’s.

While they tend to get involved in deep relationships, Mercurial individuals tend to prove too emotionally demanding for the Self-Confident’s patience in the long run

Although a highly Serious person could bring the necessary steadiness to the relationship, the usually pessimistic outlook of this style tends to throw cold water on the Self-Confident’s inherent optimism, so this cobination hardly ever gets together in the first place

Specific Issues

Status, Image & Power

While their goals will vary from person to personand they’re just as likely to dream of becoming sucessful enterpreneurs as to own a fancy suburban house with a perfect family, their goals often tend to involve attaining high status: They want to be and/or have the best & can be materialistic - they want to be department heads of the best universities, to belong to the best clubs, live in the classiest neighborhoods, send their kids to the most renowned schools etc. - Some may mantain perfect bodies & buy fabulous clothing, others may desire political or academic renown & sit on the best & most renowned commitees, but whatever they aspire to, they want to be involved in the best, cuttting-edge version of it. 

This image-orientation isn’t necessarily insincere and can indeed be quite genuine in the sense that the status itself if what they want & enjoy, for its own sake. They seek to be, and often suceed in becoming what they believe they are to begin with: Important, deserving people. 

Soft Spots

By nature, Self-Confident individuals tend to be quite cognizant of & comfortable with their strenghts, however, the same isn’t necessarily true for their weaknesses - indeed, for people in which this style is very prominent, even the most constructive criticism can sometimes feel like barbed wire. 

While they usually remain cooperative & keep working to get good grades etc, there’s a tendency to resent & try to avoid criticism rather than processing, analyzing & understanding it, which may hinder the person’s ability to learn from it. 

[skerbango-blog]

The USAF Officer's Club, Continued

By SROD

Hello. 

Last time, I posted about some of the basics regarding the club. Now, I’ll go over some unique bits that impact the club now and in the future. 

Internal threats - the biggest is the perception of how the club fits into base life. As younger generations of troops came in, they didn’t embrace the tradition.

Also, some clubs gained a reputation as a place where older officers and retirees hung out & told the same war stories over and over. Some clubs would be quiet and underused even on Friday nights.

External threats - non-appropriated funds & the lack of them put constant pressure on clubs. NAF were earned by selling certain goods & services to military members and their families. Such funds were to support Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR). If a program, like a club, struggled to make budget, unwanted scrutiny & possible funding cuts could follow.

As mentioned before, entertainment options sprung up around many bases. Lots of troops want to party hard, without the threat of the boss watching. Strip joints, bars, diners, etc., gave troops all sorts of ways to spend their time and paycheck.

The Officers’ Wives Club - the wife of the Wing Commander was usually the honorary head of the OWC. Once I joined, my wife was automatically added to the OWC ranks. There were benefits, like fellowship and mutual support.

Sometimes, though, a certain wife would “wear” her husband’s rank. That is, she’d boss around the other wives as if they were a military unit. Not every wife wanted to endure that pressure. 

The Club Pool - invariably, once the pool opened for the summer, temptation was near. There was always some officer’s wife or teen daughter who was a bit more confident in her bikini body than the other wives. And, invariably, there was always some guy willing to flirt. That kind of stuff can quickly kill unit morale.

DUI After Work - I came in as DoD started to crack down on members getting DUIs while off-duty. Our base was one where on Friday nights they would station Security Forces (“air police”) just inside the base main gate. Of course they are gonna bag folk who just left happy hour. And, a DUI in one’s record was one way to get one passed over for promotion.

Drama - the clubs could be a hotbed for gossip. Also, I never saw a “key club”, but I’d heard fables about them sometimes being held at a club. In any event, the feeling that your Friday night buffoonery would be news on Monday made people wary of cutting loose.. 

Overall, I enjoyed many events in Officer’s Clubs at several bases. No matter where I went, I could count on a high-quality level of service.

I miss the camaraderie. 

v/r

[timeclonemike]

The Last Machine: The Culture

The setting is summarized HERE.

An overview of the Chimera Plague and its impact is located HERE.

Find a breakdown of the population demographics HERE.

The magic system is briefly explained HERE.

Common technology and industries are explained HERE.

Between the effects of the Chimera Plague, the loss of widespread communication infrastructure, the discovery and spread of magic, and the chaos involved in the formation of each community of survivors, there’s a lot about Lost Eagle Country and the people living in it that really stands out in comparison to The World That Was, when there are records available to compare things to.

Arts and Entertainment: Music plays a considerable role in every community when it comes to creative expression and art, followed by theatrics in the form of plays. Live entertainment is the norm. Most towns have a library of some sort where knowledge is preserved, but actual appreciation for contemporary literature is hard to find outside of Postville. Both Postville and Arcadia have museums dedicated to art and artifacts, but again, these are mostly used to preserve whatever can be saved from The World That Was, rather than providing reflections of modern sensibilities. Creative types are pushing to change this, but it’s too soon to tell if they will succeed.

Crime and Law: It’s impossible to get a bunch of people together in the same place and not end up with fights, arguments, theft and even murder. Different communities tend to form their own taboos, legal restrictions, and punitive measures; for example, the greatest punishment in the Dwarven Freeholds is exile, being completely cut off from all other Dwarves and their support, while for other communities the most serious response to criminal action is death. Out of necessity, these are reserved only for the most heinous of crimes, but again, different communities have different ideas about how heinous a given act is. The legal system has been simplified by all towns and settlements agreeing on a handful of common rights for inhabitants and visitors alike, such as the right to autonomy, right to security, and right of expression, but beyond that things get complicated very fast.

Economics: Lost Eagle Country relies on precious metals to mint their currency; specifically, an aluminum wafer called the Tab. Originally the actual trading post that stood where Postville eventually grew would use the tabs from aluminum beer and soda cans as markers, and would accept payment for debts in the form of various metals, including aluminum. The technology needed to create new aluminum metal from raw ore is incredibly complex and energy intensive, and the metal itself is both lightweight and resistant to corrosion, making it very useful as a medium of exchange in 2125. These coins are minted in the Lost Eagle Mint at Postville, and banks do exist in Postville, Romero, Arcadia and Elsie, but Millstone and the Dwarven Freeholds refuse to establish any sort of bank for ideological reasons.

Education: Every major town has at least one school. Not every town has the same lessons. Dwarven math and science leans towards engineering and geology, while in Millstone the scientific focus is based on biology and the weather. These schools also include information that is out of date or just completely made up, especially regarding the other communities of Lost Eagle Country and the people who live in them. Postville being the accidental melting pot that it is, it’s education is mostly free of such errors. Mostly.

Fashion: The first rule of clothing in Lost Eagle Country is that it lasts as long as possible. Hand in hand with that is that it has to be tough and durable. The second rule of clothing is that more pockets are better. Beyond those two foundations, fashions and styles are actually in a considerable amount of flux in 2125. Short sleeves and high ankle cuffs are currently popular in Arcadia, while long sleeves are the rage in Elsie. High collared vests are popular in Millstone, while Dwarves visiting from the Freeholds have low collars, or none at all. Wearing suspenders in Elsie will get you laughed at, wearing suspenders in Romero will get you whistles, especially if you can pull it off. Decorative buttons are suddenly incredibly popular with the youth, probably because the “useless” ornamentation drives the parents to distraction. It’s an absolute free-for-all, especially in Postville, so much so that no type of clothing or way of wearing it is particularly unusual or worth remarking on.

Government: In theory, Postville is the capital of Lost Eagle Country. It has the highest population, the most flexible industry, and the most money. In practice, Lost Eagle Country is less of a state than an alliance of city-states banding together for mutual advantage. As a result, the elected officials of Postville just make policies for Postville. This has done more to slow down any sort of mobilization of a defending army to fight the Invader than any other factor, as different communities balk at sending their own to die to protect the other communities. There is no “national” ideal or symbol that everyone has agreed to unite behind. For the most part, government itself exists at the town hall level, with city officials elected by some sort of secret ballot (and the occasional scandalous not-so-secret or rigged ballot) and topics tend to be debated loudly and extensively at public meetings.

Healthcare: The largest and most sophisticated hospitals can be found in Postville and Arcadia, where both the population and the technological sophistication are high enough to justify their presence. Clinics and individual doctor’s offices can be found most anywhere else. Treatment varies according to the specific nature of the ailment or injury, but a mixture of technological medicine and healing magic is common. Following an “incident” in 2031, no businesses or organizations comparable to health insurance companies exist in Lost Eagle Country, but there are organizations known as “Health Co-operatives” that ostensibly fill similar roles.

Military: Strictly speaking, Lost Eagle Country does not have a professional military. Which is unfortunate, because they need one to deal with the Invader, and they need it yesterday. Elsie has a lot of airships, ultralights and gliders, and Romero has a number of armed ships, but neither one is exactly a professional air force or navy. However, Postville does happen to be the home of several organizations that could bend their talents in a Martial direction, especially the Wizard’s Cooperative. While they wouldn’t be able to raise a very large standing army, or even a small one very fast, these organizations lend themselves easily to the creation of small units of high power and high mobility. Rather than trying to take and hold territory, these units would apply their particular expertise (magic, chemistry, explosives, hunting, theft, psychological warfare, and so on) to making the Invader’s forces regret their life choices. It remains to be seen if this strategy can be pulled off, and if it will be enough.

Prejudice: In theory, the ability of the Chimera Virus to randomize people’s DNA should have eliminated racism, sexism, and a few more isms, and finishing off the anti-vaccination movement as a grand finale. After all, why would anybody deliberately follow any sort of ideology that gave a certain category of people the short end of the stick, when there was a significant chance of waking up one morning in that category, getting that end of the stick? In practice, the various quarantine procedures reinforced the age old dichotomy of “Us Versus Them” and there’s only so much that mutual economic survival can do against that kind of mentality, especially among the older folks. In Postville, and more generally speaking in Lost Eagle Country as a whole, no single chimeric genotype really has a majority outside of its home town or original quarantine zone; even the population that has the highest percentage is still vastly outnumbered by the other five. Practical necessities of survival being what they are, gender roles are not particularly rigid outside of the Dwarven Freeholds, and even then the Dwarves that don’t live in the Freeholds themselves are more likely to pay lip service to those ideas, if any.

Religion and Faith: Almost no organized religion survived unchanged from The World That Was, and that can be more or less laid entirely at the feet of the discovery of magic in general and Necromancy in particular. Consequently, there are only three major religions with a significant presence in Lost Eagle Country. The first and most common is Ancestor Worship or Ancestor Communion, which relies on Necromancy to communicate with the spirits of departed family members. The second most common form of religion is Sun Worship, as passed down by the words of St. Carlin, Patron of Entertainers. The third most common religion is Reform Judaism; as it turned out, Sheol or She’ol was the closest that any Abrahamic religion got to accurately describing the afterlife. Postville has temples and shrines representing all three religions, as do Arcadia and Romero. It’s worth noting that the Mother Shrine for most organized Sun Worship is found at the summit of Mt. Humble, and not inside the town of Elsie itself.

[mamajeanetc]

India Part 4:  Rural Rajasthan

We finally got to sleep in a bit and enjoy a leisurely breakfast at our hotel before our 3 1/2 hour drive to our next destination.  Rajasthan, literally translated is “Land of Kings”.  Located in the northwest of India, it is the largest state by area -- over 132,000 square miles.  Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, so we’d already been in the state for a couple of days, but now we were going to spend a couple of days in more rural areas. Most of the drive was on toll roads -- divided highways that are in pretty good condition.  But the last several miles were on a two lane road from which we eventually turned onto a one lane dirt road.  Shortly, we saw a sign to our destination!

Toward the end of the 19th century a noble named Thakur Chhatra Singh decided to dam a seasonal stream flowing through his estate to create a large reservoir to harvest the monsoon rains.  It was an ambitious project and a great drain on his resources, but he followed through.  The dam was completed in 1890 and changed the dry scrub into prime agricultural land.  He invited farmers struggling to survive on parched land to settle around the reservoir. 

Fifteen years later the area had become a lush green oasis and an entertainment venue for sporting parties and dignitaries.  A luxury camp was set up for each of these events with high tea and exotic dinners a regular feature.  About 20 years ago Thakur Chhatra Singh’s great grandchildren decided to make Camp Chaatra Sagar a more permanent luxury camping destination.

Upon arrival we were given a welcome drink in the lounge and then shown to our tent: 

We sat on our porch 

and enjoyed a view of the lake:

We were told lunch would be served at 1:30 and when we arrived in the open air dining room we found one table near the lake set for us.  This resort closes for a few months during the monsoon and summer season and had just reopened the previous weekend.  We were the only ones there on a Tuesday, so we had incredibly attentive wait staff during our stay.  I can’t remember what all the dishes were, but they were all very tasty and everything was locally grown!

We spent the afternoon napping, reading, playing cards and watching birds through the telescope in the lounge.  Over 200 species of birds have been identified in the area. 

Tim was anxious to go for a run and I had talked to Raj, one of the owners when we arrived.  He suggested he go around 5:00 pm when it was not so hot and he would have about an hour and a half before it got dark.  He showed us how to get to a path that goes around the lake.  So, at 5:00 we both set out walking.  We saw a number of animals they call antelope -- they looked more like deer to us except they had longer tails. 

We also saw a turtle,

and lots of birds, including several peacocks. 

We split up after a while -- Tim wanted to run more and I wanted to end my walk with some yoga on top of a hill where Raj had told me I would have a good view of the sunset.  I was not disappointed.

From the other side of the hill I had a bird’s eye view of the lake and camp. 

We had a lovely candlelit dinner.  And it was not just our table that was candle lit -- there were little lanterns lighting the path from our tent to the dining room and all around the lounge and dining areas.  As the waiters served our food to the table Raj explained each dish -- again, everything was local and delicious! 

As we finished dinner we talked to Raj about our plan for the next day.  We had told Sanjeev that we wanted to enjoy more time here so not to pick us up before 11;00.  We decided to go for another walk/run before breakfast.  Raj said sunrise would be about 6:15 so he would send coffee and tea to our tent around 6:00.  And that’s just how it happened.  We enjoyed watching the sunrise as we enjoyed our early morning caffeine and “biscuits” (Americans would call them cookies). 

Fortunately Tim had the good sense to move the tray into our tent before we left on our runs.  When I cam back there was a chipmunk trying to get to those biscuits through the screen. 

After our runs, showers and breakfast Raj took us on a tour in his jeep of the local area.  We started at the fields closest to camp where they had just planted anise.  In the distance are fields of millet and cotton, and then the village.

We were intrigued by the slate fences in the area.  There is a lot of slate quarried in the nearby mountains and used for various types of construction (ie, the bathroom walls in our “tent” were also slate).   Raj conceded that these fences are significantly more expensive than the traditional fences made of mud and branches, but if a farmer has a bad year and needs cash, he can resell the slate.  So, the fences are kind of like an emergency savings fund. 

We next walked through a cotton field where there were several women picking cotton so we watched them work and chatted with them for a few minutes. 

Returning to the jeep, we drove on a dirt road through more fields toward the village.  We didn’t recognize most of the plants, but Raj knew what everything was and what would be planted next in a particular field that was being harvested.  Here lentils are being harvested.

As we approached the village we paused to allow a herd of cows walking down the road toward us turn into a field.  Raj explained that the 3 men with them do not own all the cows but are “contracted” by the village to herd the cows to the field in the morning and then return them to the village in the evening.  The cows are not branded or marked in any way, but everyone knows who each cow belongs to and the cows know where they live -- they’ll return to their houses when the men take them back to the village in the evening. 

We were bouncing along down the road, almost to the village, when Raj suddenly stopped and backed up a few yards.  A slight rustling and some movement just inside the fence had caught his eye as we passed.  We looked carefully, and saw a cobra!!  A rare sighting -- some folks live their whole life in this area without ever seeing one, so it was quite exciting.  When we returned to camp and Raj told his cousin and some of the workers they came and asked if they could see my picture. 

Entering the village we paused again -- this time for goats being herded into a yard! 

While we were waiting the daughter of the goatherder brought over a 2 day old kid for us to hold!

We arrived at the village primary school just as their day was starting. 

Most of the children were participating in morning assembly -- the primary students on one side of the porch and the upper primary on the other.  They first recited prayers to the goddess of learning and knowledge, and then a pledge to the state.  

There were a few kids in other parts of the schoolyard picking up trash and sweeping.  Raj explained that these jobs, as well as leading the prayers and pledge are assigned to students the afternoon before.  The students assigned to clean are supposed to arrive early.  When we had arrived Raj heard one of the teachers lecturing them because they had not arrived early and were missing assembly to do their chores. 

This is one of the classrooms:

And these are the “cafeteria ladies” preparing to cook lunch.

On the back side of the gate, where you see it as you leave the school, is this reminder of the 5 secrets to success.  I was surprised to see it in both English and the local dialect throughout the school, but Raj said the students are taught in both languages. 

Just outside the school gate was the community water source, where we saw several women filling big jars with water.  None of the houses in this village have running water so everyone comes here to get their water. 

We saw several women and girls carrying their water home on their heads. 

We walked through the village and saw a couple of local artisans.  The local potter was not home, but his son, who is learning his craft did a short demonstration for us and we were quite impressed with him!

There was no electric potter’s wheel here -- he uses the stick to get the wheel spinning then works quickly with the clay.  When the wheel slows down he grabs the stick and gets it going again. 

There was also a silversmith making jewelry

As we walked through the fields and village with Raj it was clear that he is seen as the patriarch.  Children and adults alike greeted him with a slight bow.  An elderly woman saw the jeep coming down the road and came out to chat with him.  He explained as we left that her 2 sons now live in Chennai so the whole village watches out for her -- he stops by at least once a week to check on her. When we saw these 2 boys playing outside their house Raj stopped and asked the older one why he wasn’t in school. 

The boy politely explained that his family had a special ceremony for a specific goddess the previous night that went very late and he didn’t get much sleep.  That was apparently an acceptable excuse.

We asked Raj how the local villagers felt about them building a “resort”.  He said initially the farmers were concerned about them letting the land around the lake go wild because they were afraid the animals would eat their crops.  But they hire all local people to work at the resort and purchase all their food locally, so it’s been mutually beneficial.  The current residents are the descendants of the farmers that Thakur Chhatra Singh invited to settle around the lake.  It is a self-contained community that has not changed a great deal in the last century. 

When we left Camp Chhatra Sagar around 11:00 a.m. we drove about 3 1/2 hours to Ranakpur Temple -- the biggest and most important Jain Temple in India.  After leaving the highway we drove through a couple of villages with narrow streets, and  buses headed the opposite direction as us! 

I held my breath as we passed . . . 

Tim slept through this close encounter!!  But I was very thankful for Mr. Singh’s driving skills and calm demeanor in a tight situation!!   And I was happy to arrive at the temple. 

Jainism is an ancient religion founded in India.  Today there are about 5 million Jains in the world -- the majority in India.  Followers of Jainism take 5 main vows:   1.  Non-violence;  they will not kill an insect and in addition to being totally vegetarian they will not eat root vegetables because if you’ve pulled out a root you’ve killed something that was living.  2.  Truth   3.  No stealing   4.  Celibacy for monks and nuns; chastity (faithfulness to one partner) for married people   5.  Non-attachment:  this includes psychological and material possessions -- no craving or greed.  Monks and nuns do not own any property or have any social relationships.  There is a more extreme branch in which the followers do not own (or wear) clothing.   It is confusing to me how Jainism compares with Hinduism and Buddhism -- they claim to be different yet some of the statues/artwork in the temple seemed quite similar.  Here are a few shots inside the temple: 

The ceiling in the entryway is decorated with a bearded man with 5 bodies representing fire, water, heaven, earth and air.

This particular temple is renowned for it’s 1144 pillars, each one intricately and uniquely carved. 

Fun fact:  Mahatma Ghandi’s mother was Jain.

Leaving the temple we drove about another hour to the village of Narlai where we would spend the night at the Rawla Narlai, a 17th century hunting retreat.   It was a lovely place to stay -- a combination of modern comforts and old world charm: 

As is customary in India, the walls of our room were covered with photos and portraits of local royalty past or present.  We never saw any landscapes or other type of artwork decorating hotel walls. 

We had time to go for a swim in the pool before getting ready for dinner. 

Rawla Narlai’s claim to fame (and the reason the travel agent talked me into a night here) is dinner at a 16th century stepwell.   When we returned to the courtyard at 6:00 p.m. as instructed we were served a glass of wine and then an elderly couple arrived to give shoulder/head/neck massages to each dinner guest (besides us there were 2 American families and a French family) while another man tied turbans for each of the men and gave each of the women a head covering. 

We then loaded into 2 open jeeps and drove about 15 minutes outside the village to the stepwell -- truly a unique and magical dinner setting.

Our table:

Drinks and several kinds of appetizers were served as one of our hosts took us, one couple or family at a time, to the far side of the stepwell to get a different view, 

There was also a gentleman playing a sitar (an Indian guitar) in the background, and we stopped for a moment to watch these 2 women making chapati (bread) for our dinner. 

After appetizers we had soup, and then the main course was served.  “Thali”, which means platter, is a traditional way of serving several small dishes on one platter.   Starting with the larger bowl on the left and going clockwise, the main ingredient in each dish is:  mutton, lentils, curd, okra, yogurt, and a local vegetable called kehzri.  There were also 3 types of chapati -- millet, corn and wheat.  It was all quite tasty. 

When we had arrived in the afternoon and seen this view from the balcony of our room 

we had immediately asked if there was a trail to get to the top of that rock -, which we soon learned is called “Elephant Mountain” or “Elephant Rock”.  Within minutes arrangements had been made for us to meet a guide at 6:00 so we could watch the sunrise from the top.  

On one side of the mountain there is a trail with 750 steps that gets you most of the way to the top.  Both Sanjeev and a guide from the hotel went with us, but went at a bit of a slower pace.  The view was absolutely stunning.  I stopped several times at various stages of the sunrise and have several great photos, but this is my favorite: 

This is why it’s called Elephant Mountain. 

There’s also a small temple on top, and a priest who lives there to take care of it.  A panoramic view from the top:

And proof that we were there! 

We climbed around on some rocks on top and enjoyed the views for awhile.  Then Tim, having just warmed up, decided to go down and run up again to get a bit more of a workout.  Our guide from the hotel had just caught up with us and had brought a thermos of tea and some delicious chocolate “biscuits”.  So, Tim left and I sat with the guide and Sanjeev by the temple, enjoying the views, the refreshments and conversing with this very kind and humble man. 

Originally from Johpur, a city on the western side of Rajasthan, he came to Narlai in 1991 to work at the hotel when it opened and has worked there ever since.  He has not had a single day of formal education in his life, but has picked up enough English working in the hotel to have a conversation and tell me a little bit more about the area.   The current population of Narlai is about 10,000 and there are 350 Hindu temples.  There are about 300 Jain residents and they have 11 temples.  And there are 5 or 6 Muslim families; they have 1 mosque.

After enjoying our tea break we made our way back down the mountain and waited for Tim, and then he took us on a little tour of the village.  Sadly, the point where the trail descends into the village has become the village dump.  There is no garbage collection here, muchless recycling, so people bring the garbage from their homes and dump it here. 

We passed another place in town that did not have as much trash, but certainly a few cows and pigs were finding enough to satisfy themselves. 

There’s a special little temple for the god of fertility in the village -- if you look closely you can see that he is endowed beyond anatomic reality!  Women who are having difficulty conceiving come here to honor him and ask for his blessing.  Apparently they’ve put a fence around him to protect the young eyes in the village, but it was clear that they all know what it’s about! 

As we approached there were several boys about 8-10 years old standing across the street waiting for the school bus.  When they saw me with my camera they came running over and one of them, with a grin and a mischievous twinkle in his eye told me I should open the gate.  Not knowing if that was culturally acceptable I said, “No, why don’t you open it for me.”  They all took a step back and giggled.  Then again encouraged me to do it.  We went back and forth a couple more times and then I moved on to catch up with Tim and our 2 guides (who had just kept walking), leaving the boys in giggles. 

We came to an intersection where looking to the right was the entrance to a Jain section of the village. 

And in the other direction was a Jain temple, 

There were brand new houses right next to falling down ruins. 

I noticed that most of the houses in the village had a metal gate which was closed, but the front doors were generally open.  I didn’t ask, but assumed that the doors are left open for air circulation, but the gates are there to keep the cows, pigs and goats from wandering in. 

This is a preschool right behind our hotel -- dark and drab, but full of active, happy children anxious to sneak a peek and wave at the people walking by.

I was taken aback by the contrast between the school and the hotel entrance which was maybe 20 yards away.  The difference between the “haves” and “have nots” in India is stark indeed!  It is at times uncomfortabe to see how the locals are living while we are enjoying clean, comfortable accommodations.  Yet, how many jobs does one nice hotel and restaurant provide for the locals?  It’s really the only game in town.