#also i have lots of places that make eggs in the uk

[queerflesh]

I’m too shy to dm but I’m in Canada

-🥚 anon

awhh u dont need to be shy if u wanna dm!! but i understand hehe

so i dont know of toooo many shops based in canada, and i dont know what the shipping rates are like from the us to canada but ill give u the canadian shops i know and then a couple us ones just in case ☺️

this shop is based in canada and have a nice selection of eggs BUT they seem to be a lil pricey

https://www.lovehoney.ca/sex-toys/love-eggs-jiggle-balls/kegel-exercisers/p/lovehoney-main-squeeze-single-kegel-ball-30g/a32947g58423.html

if you want a cheap option and aren’t too bothered is they Look like eggs, lovehoney is always good for kegal balls!!

this place has some egg shaped plugs but not actual fully insertable eggs it seems, but etsy in general is an amazing place to look! try searching ‘kegal egg’ or ‘fantasy egg toy’ etc

in terms of US stuff then there r lots, but a couple examples:

(its technically not an egg but like? its made of body safe silicone and is the right shape so..)

sorry for not that many examples!! i looked for A While but honestly couldnt find many. if i were u then id have a look on etsy and also searching twitter for ‘fantasy toys’ is a good way to find companies that might make eggs!

[beloved-child-of-the-house]

so i'm writing an 8th year fic and h&d are taking a muggle studies class together in which they read one of shakespeare's plays, and i'm trying to write a final project (for which they are partners) but like. hogwarts academics don't seem all that uhhhhh rigorous to me (like we see the students complaining about having to write a foot of parchment which is essentially ONE PAGE HANDWRITTEN) and i'm a little worried that my assignment is too rigorous.

it involves a lot of like. thinking analytically and using your imagination wrt the motivations of people unlike yourself, and that's not rlly something they do much at hogwarts as far as i can see. BUT it is muggle studies, and like. they could definitely all use some practice at those skills, following the recent implosion of their society.

[just-a-ghost00]

Pick a kpop song and I'll tell you who is having naughty thoughts of you [18+]

Minors do not interact. This is part 1 of a series of 3 posts. We will try to get a bunch of details that will help us identify this person. This will be a lengthy reading, so I may have to publish several posts. If that's the case, I will write down the link to the other parts so that you don't get lost.

Slow it down make it bouncy ~

Threads of fate oracle cards | The Void, Underworld, Patience, Fate

This person may be someone you share a very special connection with. One that is very intimate, and that doesn't mean that you necessarily had physical contact with this person. You are very close with this person, closer than you've ever been with anyone else because you know things about each other that no body knows. That's the intimacy I'm talking about. Another thing I am picking up on is linked to the egg represented on the fate card. It reminded me of the drama series "Alchemy of Souls". In the series, Naksu/Mudeok and Jang Uk share a "private joke" about birds and their eggs. Jang Uk compares Mudeok to a fragile egg that was left alone at the top of a tree and that needs to be taken care of and protected at all costs to be able to survive and see the light of day. Thus, he compares himself to a surrogate bird mom charged of watching over that egg until it can soar high in the sky. This comparison may be significant to you and this person. The dynamic of the two characters overall may be similar to the one you share with this person. Jang Uk and Naksu/Mudeok both need each other desperately at first and their relationship is mainly one based on a mutual accord to take advantage of the other's position and skills, as they're aware they have no other option but to cooperate to reach their personal goals. But the more the plot progresses, the closer they get and the more special their bond becomes. With the combination of Void, Underworld and Patience, I really get that vibe of two people that were forced by external circumstances to meet each other and learn to cooperate because they have a common destiny. In doing so, they have to learn patience and to face their shadows while keeping their relationship hidden. This feeling of secrecy comes off very strongly. If you know this person, you may not be in contact with them at the moment and whatever happened between the two of you is a secret that both of you share. I also got the message that either one of you could be a psychic. The purpose of that person then may be to awaken the other's psychic potential. We will get further details with two different decks to see if these intuitions are further confirmed. In terms of zodiac signs, I was mainly picking up on Scorpio but there may be other signs that come up later on in the reading.

White Numen Tarot cards | page of swords, 7 of cups, 2 of cups, page of pentacles, knight of wands, Black Numen, back of the deck Moon

In terms of zodiac signs, we have the following being represented : Scorpio, Cancer, Leo, Pisces, Gemini, Virgo. I am getting a clearer picture of who this person could be and what is going on between you. I am shown that they are close to you in age and in energy. Their path and maturity when it comes to their spirituality is similar to yours. This is a person that tends to mirror you. You could have met this person at a time in your life where you were feeling a bit lost or unsure about your future. This was a turning point in your life and it was also the case for this person. I get a perfect place perfect timing vibe from this spread. You or they may be a student. You learn a lot from each other. Though you are very similar, your differences allow you to grow drastically and question your beliefs. This is a person that you may feel very attracted to on a physical level. This person may have several centers of interest that keep them busy. You may be contacting them a lot using social media. You could have met them through travelling or they could come from a different culture. With the energy of the Moon I get the message that this person may have brought a lot of old stuff to the surface when you met them. Fears you thought you had overcome. Worries about the past and future. They could also be someone you dream about a lot and/or a person you met at night. This person definitely is linked to you through the force of karma. Your souls knew of each other before. As for the type of bond you share, I feel like putting a label on it wouldn't be relevant. What you need to know is that this meeting happened for a reason and that you felt it coming. You knew right away that this person would play an important role in your journey, and they probably felt it too.

Crystals oracle cards | Meteorite, Citrine, Moonstone, back of the deck Tourmalined Quartz

First of all, I feel compelled to mention the colors that were associated with these cards. Soft browns, beige and pastel purples/pinks seem to be relevant. What comes first to mind is how soft this person can be. I will know focus on each card individually as some details on those caught my attention.

Meteorite - Connect to your "star stuff" : this card mentions that meteorite comes in three forms and that people who may need to work with their energy are "children of the stars". The majority of the messages revolved around cosmic and galactic energy. This made me think that this person could spend a lot of time stargazing or looking at the clouds as a way to feel connected with you. And you may be doing the same. The other thing I was picking up on is that maybe your souls come from the same original place. If you believe in concepts such as starseeds, light language and such, this may resonate with you. I also thought of Saint Exupery's The Little Prince.

Citrine - Manifest your masterpiece : this card revolved around dreams and artistic endeavors, of doing everything in your power to manifest your wildest dreams. So you and this person may have a common creative project that you work on, a common goal or dream that you talked about. This may be the secret we were mentioning in the beginning. (I also heard "in the beninging" from that meme lmao so maybe you share a lot of private jokes and memes)

Moonstone - Find your natural rythm : this card mentioned travelling as well as star gazing. So your person may travel a lot in their daily life. It's a stone ment to increase empathy and intuition among other things. So it wouldn't be surprising if this person was a healer in blooming, a natural empath. I also got the message that they were incredibly sensual. Taurus energy came in strongly here.

Tourmalined Quartz - Restore your perfect light : with this card I was told that your person is often surrounded by a lot of people whom may not have the best intentions towards them. A lot of people look up to them but also envy them and wish for them to fail. Your person may be struggling with impostor syndrome as well as social anxiety.

All these cards combined lead me to believe that the person we are talking about is someone that is quite popular and radiates a lot of light and love around them. They have a pure heart and soul, are very loving and generous but may face a lot of backlash and challenges, because their light tends to trigger people's shadows. This may be something that questioned them and made them think they were a bad person, or that maybe they deserved to be treated badly. This may be something that you have struggled with as well. Which would explain why your paths crossed.

In another reading, we may be enquiring about the content of this person's thoughts and maybe why you met them. I hope that this reading was insightful and helped you figure out who this person was. I would be more than happy to get your feedback in the comments. Stay tuned to get the tea about this person ~

Mr. Rover, I'm coming over ~

Threads of fate cards | back of the deck The Void, Death, The Alchemist, The Explorer

This is really interesting. Your energy may be tied to group 1 as well. If you hesitated between the two groups, you may want to check out group 1's reading. With the Void card, I am told that you are not in contact with this person. They likely live at a distance from you. Sometimes, you may feel like you and this person are worlds apart and that there is no way you could understand each other. Yet, you do. You are polar opposites. And everything may look like you wouldn't match. However, this person gets you like no other. With this spread I am picking up on fixed sign energy mainly, especially Scorpio and Aquarius, as well as Pisces. The Alchemist card makes me think that this person could be a tarot reader or at least they are interested in forms of divination. Butterflies and stars seem to be relevant to this connection. The Explorer card denotes an energy of being restless, feeling like you don't belong where you are and wanting to broaden your horizons. Both you and this person may have connected over the feeling of being different from the rest of your community, of feeling like where you are isn't what's meant for you and more is waiting elsewhere. Of feeling like your body is too small for you. Like you are not truly comfortable in your skin and wish you were something or someone else. You both may have struggled with anxiety and severe depression. You both may have gone through a dark night of the soul. You both are good manifesters and have big ambitions. You both tend to uproot belief systems and push yourselves beyond your limits because you have a deep desire and need for expansion. You could have met this person while travelling, this travel could have been an unconscious one. Meaning, you could have met this person in the 5D before you met them in person. For some of you, you don't know this person yet. But you feel them energetically. Especially, if you practice meditation or lucid dreaming. We will get further information with two more decks. Hopefully, this could confirm what we've been talking about for now. I also get the message that both of you could have the capacity to communicate with spirits/ghosts. Another thing that could have brought you together could be the passing of a person. This is very specific, but for some of you I get the message that the spirit of a loved one interfered in your favor to get you to meet this person. They did so with the hope that it would help you cope with their passing.

White Numen Tarot cards | back of the deck High Priestess, Queen of cups, 8 of pentacles, Hierophant, knight of pentacles, 9 of wands, White Numen

Taurus energy is heavily present here, as well as Leo and Scorpio. So fixed sign energy definitely. With the High Priestess, this person is definitely into the occult and likely to have psychic abilities. This is a person that gives off a very mysterious vibe. They are very secretive and closed off, they mind their own business and don't share their secrets with just anyone. They are very protective of their space because they just know how people's envy can sometimes affect the outcome of their manifestations. This person is highly intuitive and sensitive. They are caring and nurturing. A natural healer. They have a lot of feminine energy that they gladly share. They are dedicated, hard working, patient. This is a person that doesn't give up easily. The word "failure" is not a part of their vocabulary. This person is determined to win and learn no matter what. This person is aware that whatever outcome they get, they will always be victorious one way or another. This is a person that is traditional but also very spiritual, they are well educated and incredibly wise. They could be a teacher or a mentor of some sort. They are extremely cautious and may sometimes be slow to act. But you can be sure that whatever this person does, they will reach their goal. They like to create and work with the Universe. They follow their path slowly but surely, one step at a time and make sure that they learn their lesson. This is a person that understands how the Universe works and goes with the flow. They are not afraid to take a turn or face struggles because they know that at the end of the day, they will get what's right for them and meant for them. They have a lot of confidence and inner knowing that allows them to navigate life peacefully. People could say that this person is married to their work because of how dedicated they are. They are loyal to a fault and are not the kind to abandon people out of the blue. They are very respectful of others and always try to include everyone. This person is also naturally beautiful and sensual. They instantly make you feel safe and understood. You may have met this person in a work or educational setting. Again, for this group I am getting a very fated meeting. Your energies were aligning way before you met. And this person may have consciously manifested you into their life.

Crystal oracle cards | back of the deck Epidote, Libyan Gold Tektite, Malachite, Kunzite

Right off the bat I get a very charming, exotic vibe from this person. Most of these stones are mined in hot countries, especially African ones. The colors also felt very sensual. They kinda reminded me of Egypt and Cleopatra specifically. This person could be a history nerd. They could be of African descent. I will focus on each card individually to point out certain details that caught my attention.

Epidote - Upgrade your version of you : this stone is mentioned as the "get what you give" stone. Which highlights this person's spiritual nature and generosity. This is a person that works on themselves a lot, that constantly tries to be better and do better. They have a bit of a workaholic attitude.

Libyan gold tektite - Banish your "blahs" : this stone forms in the Sahara desert. So this person could have North African to Central African origins, especially Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt. This peron is goal oriented and pretty stubborn. When they have something in mind, it's hard to get them to change their point of view. Sometimes this person can exhaust themselves pretty quickly because of how hard they work. They tend to work extremely hard at a high frequency very early on and thus burn their energy very quickly.

Kunzite - Open up your love channel : they have trust issues because of past relationships. They tend to be hard on themselves and blame themselves for past failures when in reality they were not responsible for what happened. They tend to put others' needs first and forget their own. This person is very loving and can sacrifice themselves in the name of love.

Malachite - Claim your success : this person is humble. They may tend to bring themselves down or attribute their success to others because they may feel like they don't deserve recognition. They have a very altruistic nature. They are very creative but have a hard time following through with their ideas. They tend to be all over the place sometimes, especially if they've been giving a lot of their time and energy to others.

With the combined energy of all these cards, I picture a woman with a motherly nature, that tends to be the mom of the group. Someone very discreet and quiet that always encourages others and shows affection through acts of service. Someone that can do benevolant work just for the sake of giving. A person that is very sensitive to people's struggles. The kind of person that would cry seeing an animal being hurt and out in the streets. The kind of person that would give out their clothes and money to a person in need. A person that was raised in a religious household and taught to never look down on people and never forget where they came from. Someone from a modest family that rose up to success through their hard work and strong inner belief. A person that has a strong moral compass and lives according to their principles, regardless of what people may think of them. Someone that, because of this mentality, tends to be alone and has a hard time connecting with other people.

I'm the charmer ~

Threads of fate oracle cards | back of the deck Paradox, Love, Self Love, Play

The person we are talking about is someone that may confuse you a lot. With this Paradox card, I get a Star vibe from it, which reminds me of Aquarius. So this person could have Aquarius as one of their main signs. This also tells me that you could have met this person online or if you met in person, your main mean of communication is the Internet. I also get the vibe of someone being a bit popular and very busy with their work and hobbies. This person could be very active on social media and thus investing in many projects with different people. The spread also gives me a feeling of two friends walking on the line of romance. The lines may be blurred with this person. At some moment you may feel like they only perceive you as a friend but other times things they say or do may make you question their feelings for you. And this could actually be because this person is feeling the same toward you. I feel like both of you aren't sure of what the other means to you and what you want out of this connection. This could be a FWB situation or just a mutual crush that both of you kind of ignore for some reason. Peacocks and dolphins may be significant signs. Overall, I get the vibe that you and this person get along very well and have a lot of fun with each other. No matter the distance or the time spent apart, whenever you see this person again or interact again, it always feels like you never really were separated. It's like the last time you spoke was yesterday, even if you may have been in a no contact situation for decades. The affection you have for each other is never dying off. I get a very good vibe from this spread and this person. This is someone who's intensions are pure and loving. I kinda get a starcrossed lovers vibe from this group. But more importantly, I feel like the main reason why this person is special to you is beacause they are a part of your soul tribe. This is someone that uplifts you and supports you no matter what, though you may be complete opposites and have different opinions about the world. This person just respects you deeply and appreciates you for who you are. I pick up on a lot of affection and gratitude for each other. It's like both of you only truly feel at peace with one another. Not only does this person give you love but they also gently nudge you into loving yourself more instead of constantly nurturing others. When both of you are interacting, a lot of healing is happening. One thing that may really help you identify this person, I feel, is that this is someone you share a lot of laughter with. You may have a lot of private jokes, secret codes that only you know of, memories of deep conversations that you couldn't have had with anyone else. Honestly this really gives me a best friends to lovers vibe. I also pick up on Pisces energy.

White Numen tarot cards | back of the deck Judgement, Hierophant, Emperor, 2 of pentacles, 5 of pentacles, 5 of swords, 2 of wands

Before I dive in any further, I wish to point out that while I shuffled the deck cards kept falling in big groups and it felt like the energy was all over the place. This gave me the impression that there may be several people that are thinking of you. So if you were drawn to different piles, this may be a confirmation that this is your case. Also I felt like one person specifically was doing their best not to think of you but it's just something that they can't help. If this person ends up thinking of you despite their resistance, then things get out of control and they feel like they can never get their composure back again. In terms of Zodiac signs, we have Scorpio, Taurus, Aries mainly. For some of you I think your exes could be potentially among the people that think of you. Whether those were just friends or actual lovers. I feel like many people who may not have manifested any sign of attraction for you ar now reminiscing about you and wishing that they had given you a chance. Which to me is further confirmed by the spread. With he Judgement card and the combination of the cards, I am given a message that this person or these people could be coming in and out of your life lately and some of them may be trying to find an opportunity to express their attraction. I particularly pick up on the energy of someone you may have had a fallout with because of external circumstances, that is now realizing how much you mean to them and wanting to come back into your life. This person I feel misses the feeling of being with you and more importantly they feel like their chance was stolen from them. Like something happened that prevented them from truly giving your relationship a chance. Like, for example, let's imagine you moved into a city and met a person. Things were going well and this person developped feelings for you. When they were about to reveal their feelings to you, you announced them that you were moving out of the city because of your work. This kind of feeling. For some, it could even be that you got into a relationship with someone else before they could even confess their feelings to you and they were cut short by that. Out of respect for you, they chose to remain silent but now they just can't hold it in anymore. This is someone that envisioned a future with you and wanted to commit to you, but they may have taken a long time to find the courage to make the necessary adjustments in their life to enable this connection to flourish. Another possibility is that your faith or your family were a main obstacle in your connection, which caused you to separate ways.

Crystals oracle cards | back of the deck Smoky Quartz, Sapphire, Labradorite, Herkimer Diamond

First of all, I picked up on very specific details that may not resonate with everyone. One person may be a smoker. One person may have a pet cat or a pet dog. One person may have blue eyes.

Smoky Quartz - Arm your spiritual warrior : this is a stone that speaks about protecting your energies from energy vampires and people that may stand in your way. So maybe the person we're talking about may have been someone that wasn't always good to you.

Sapphire - Find your tranquil place : this stone speaks about freeing yourself from the judgmental opinions of you others may have as well as grudges you may hold. So this person could have helped you with your self confidence over the years but they could also have hurt you in other ways. This may be a person you have mixed feelings about because of your common past.

Labradorite - Protect your magic : Canada may be significant. Pisces is coming up again with this card. This person may have helped you with reconciling with love and romance. They may also have helped you realize your own worth.

Herkimer diamond - Power wash your energy : this is a cleansing crystal. Despite its name, it is not a diamond. This person may thus have been someone that you mistook for something they were not. People may underestimate or overestimate this person. They could be someone that enjoys travelling or you may have met them while travelling. New York may be significant to some of you.

With all that being said, I feel like many energies are being mixed within this group but the overall vibe seems to be that most of the people we're talking about are people from your past that you may not be in contact with anymore on a daily basis. Some of them you may not even suspect of having such thoughts about you. You may be happy that some of them are not in your life anymore but others you may miss and wonder about.

[humbledragon669]

Lockdown Episode Write Up P1 – tableaus

Introduction

So, first things first, just in case you haven’t seen it, or want to see it again, you can watch this little bonus episode here. It takes place between seasons one and two and consists of a series of static “tableaus” with a voiceover of a telephone conversation between Crowley and Aziraphale. In truth, I think its purpose was largely to serve as a public service announcement for people to contribute to the “Stay At Home” campaign that the UK government had enacted as part of its Covid-19 prevention/reduction efforts, though I’m sure it was also a bit of fun to make for the anniversary of the book, and probably gave Michael, David, and some editing crew something to do for about an hour or so. The script never mentions Covid-19 directly, but I think we can assume (given the timeline between the seasons) that the time setting is 2020, May 2020 to be exact.

Despite the fact that it’s less than 4 minutes long (including opening and closing credits), there’s actually quite a lot to say about this sweet little thing (I’m going to call it a minisode from this point on – yes, I know that word has particular connotations for season 2, but we’re not there yet, so minisode it is). I don’t think there’s much linking the dialogue with the images (apart from the cake sequence), so I’ve broken this write-up down into tableaus and dialogue, because there are just as many Easter eggs (maybe more) to be had from the tableaus as there are from the script. Some of the later tableaus are reiterations of earlier images, so I’ve bundled them together where I can for brevity. I have also only commented on the items in the tableaus that can be clearly seen and aren’t out of focus.

This part of the write-up will address just the tableaus, with the dialogue addressed in a separate write-up. As a final bit of uniquity, I’ve placed tableau #12 at the end of the write-up as it’s a wider shot of a lot of the objects we see in other images, so anything left not yet addressed can be done there. Right, housekeeping done, let’s get stuck in shall we?

Tableaus

Tableaus #1and #18

Contents:

A plate of sushi, complete with chopsticks

Multiple piles of books (unfortunately I can’t discern what any of them are).

A drawing of Aziraphale.

What looks like the edge of a map – this will be covered in a later selection of tableaus.

Nothing too cryptic in this compilation of objects – it’s fairly obvious from them and the effects on Crowley’s voice that we (the audience) are in Aziraphale’s bookshop. The sushi and the books are pretty obvious connections to the angel, but I don’t think we’ve known him to be an artist (and a pretty good one at that) before now. The one thing I will say about the use of a plate of sushi in this first tableau is that it makes for a nice parallel to the opening of season 1 – the first time we see Aziraphale in the present day, it’s in a sushi restaurant.

Tableaus #2 and #17

Contents:

A G.K. Chesterton book.

A drawing of Crowley.

A plate of Welsh cakes (links into the cake sequence).

An old map of Oxfordshire – this will be covered in a later selection of tableaus.

A magnifying glass, presumably for looking at the map with.

Alright, now we’re getting into some neat little Easter egg territory. I’m fairly sure there is a reference in the book somewhere to Chesterton being one of Crowley’s favourite authors, but I’m not sure where. It is singled out in the dedication in the front of the book though, so it must be in there somewhere. And then there’s the drawing. It’s very difficult to tell, but in tableau #2 it looks like it might be the other half of the drawing we saw of Aziraphale. Which would mean that drawing is of the two of them together. Drawn by Aziraphale. In a very romanticised way. As much as I really want to believe that, we can see in tableau #17 that this isn’t the case. It’s a nice mental suggestion though.

Tableau #3

Contents:

More books.

A steaming mug (presumably of cocoa).

The objects here are pretty innocuous. The mug is the same one that we see Aziraphale using in season 1 when he sits down to look at Agnes Nutter’s book (and we see it used again in season 2, but we’re not there yet).

Tableaus #4 and #11

Contents:

A bottle of Courvoisier (cognac).

More books.

A glass, presumably containing Courvoisier.

I can’t quite work out what the text on the spine of the uppermost book is – all I can make out is ???WEN ?????YSON – so if anybody has worked this one out I’m all ears (I did Google for all of about two minutes). As far as the Courvoisier is concerned, I have assumed that’s what Aziraphale and Crowley are drinking at the end of episode one, although it comes from a decanter and there’s no bottle in sight (and in fact the Script Book stipulates that they’re drinking whiskey at this point), so an assumption is all it is. I can’t think of any other times that our hero pair drink hard spirits together in season one, but I’m happy to be corrected.

Tableau #5

Contents:

A stack of books, including:

Homer’s Iliad, Vol. II.

Something by G.K. Chesterton published by The Bodley Head, possibly Orthodoxy.

Forbidden Rites: A Necromancer’s Manual of the Fifteenth Century, by Richard Kieckhefer.

Collected Verse, by Hilaire Belloc.

The Club of Queer Trades, by G.K. Chesterton.

A framed picture. The image in the frame is part of this work, described as a woodcutting of witches and devils dancing in a circle from 1720.

Alright, let’s take a look at those books. First up, Homer’s Iliad, specifically Vol. II in this instance. Honestly, I tried to do a bit of research about what this book might contain, but I got bored within reading the first paragraph of the summary, and I have never read the classic poem in its entirety. Don’t get me wrong, I love to read (I mentally inhale books if given the chance), but I have always struggled with classical literature. If anyone can sum up what this volume is about in three sentences (instead of the three long paragraphs I found), I’d very grateful. For now, let’s just say it’s about the Trojan war, specifically the setting of the scene for that coming war. Maybe that’s a subtle reference to the events to come in season 2, but it feels like a stretch.

 There are two Chesterton books in the pile. Given that Chesterton is supposedly Crowley’s favoured author, I find it interesting that Aziraphale has so many of the author’s works lingering around within reach. Has he pulled these out of his collection to gift/lend to Crowley? Or is he reading them purely because he knows that Crowley likes the author? Has he placed them there to make the demon feel at home when he’s at the bookshop? Whatever the reason, there’s perhaps something to be said about the choice of these particular books. The first, Othodoxy, is a companion book to Chesterton’s earlier work, Heretics, which was a collection of essays refuting non-religious beliefs and defending Christianity. Chesterton described Orthodoxy as an account of his personal journey to embracing Christianity and its values, including the concept that biblical paradoxes are actually essential for satisfying the human need for conflict. Bit of a mouthful all of that, isn’t it? Pretty sure it ties it rather nicely to the ideas put forward in both seasons that Heaven and Hell must both exist in order for free will to be effective. I think. I don’t think I’m wording that very well, but you probably get the message. On the other hand, The Club of Queer Trades is a much lighter book of short stories, each one detailing a case taken on by a private detective agency that involves someone who has an unusual occupation. These occupations include a raconteur (someone who tells anecdotes in an amusing way), a vicar, a professor who insists on dancing, and a Lady who refuses to be rescued. Seems like there are quite a few similarities between those descriptions and a certain angel to me…

I find the next book, Forbidden Rites: A Necromancer’s Manual of the Fifteenth Century, to be an interesting one for Aziraphale to have on hand. This is said to be a collection of medieval magic, along with a commentary. It perhaps fits in with Aziraphale’s penchant for books of prophecy, but its contents seem a bit too practical for that.

The final book that I was able to identify in this pile is written by a gentleman I admit I had never heard of before – Hilaire Beloc. I found it difficult to identify what the contents of Collected Verse might be, but the author himself is referred to as one of the Big Four of Edwardian Letters, alongside H.G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, and… G.K. Chesterton. So perhaps that’s the reason for this book’s inclusion.

Moving on to that picture. Being of Pagan background, that image is one that I have seen many times in my life. The full image shows a circle of four women and four demon-like creatures dancing together, apparently created in 1720. It was doubtless used as propaganda to justify and document the witch hunts that took place during this time in history. This feels like an especially odd object for Aziraphale to have, particularly as it’s framed. He of all people would know that the events depicted in the image were nonsense, and none of the figures in it are recognisable as anyone in particular, so why has he singled it out for such reverence?

I’m sure there’s probably a lot more analysis that could be done on these items and how they tie in to the Good Omens storyline and sub-text, but this was only meant to be a quick write up of a minisode that’s less than 4 minutes long, so if anyone wants to take up the mantle on that one, you’re more than welcome.

 Tableau #6

Contents:

A preserved butterfly in a bell jar, held in place with what looks like a clockwork mechanism.

I don’t think I have much to say about this object except… huh? My initial thought about it is that this thing is ODD. I know people do preserve butterflies in jars, but I’ve never seen one with a cog literally threaded through the wings. I actually spoke to a friend of mine about who’s a qualified etymologist (she studies bugs) and she’d never seen one either. She did manage to tell me that the butterfly in question is called an “autumn leaf” or “leafwing”, which originates in Asia. None of which really helps me understand what this thing is doing here. What is its purpose? Why does Aziraphale have it? IT’S JUST SO WEIRD. Any ideas about this one welcome, because I can’t get my head around it.

Tableau #7

Contents:

A copy of Orthodoxy, open at a page of an essay entitled “The Ethics of Elfland”.

So firstly this would seem to confirm my supposition of the G.K. Chesterton book published by The Bodley Head. I will confess, I haven’t read the whole essay pictured, but you can do so here if you so choose. No, I skipped ahead to the end to see if I can get a feel for what the subject of this particular essay was. In doing so I found the following quotes:

Thus ends, in unavoidable inadequacy, the attempt to utter the unutterable things. …magic must have a meaning… …the proper form of thanks to it is some form of humility and restraint: we should thank God for beer and Burgundy by not drinking too much of them.

The first of those you can just about make out in the tableau, and I’m not surprised that this particular piece of prose has been selected by the editor – the is the very definition of something being “ineffable”, is it not? That which cannot be uttered? The quote about magic seems to me a very obvious link to Aziraphale’s penchant for magic, and that last quote about exercising restraint around good food and drink?

It’s the very antithesis of Aziraphale, so it’s interesting to apply this philosophy to his relationship with God (and Heaven in general).

Tableaus #8, #14, and #15

Contents:

An old map of Oxfordshire.

A magnifying class (presumably for looking at the map).

A plate of cakes (links into the cake sequence).

A newer looking (probably OS) map of Lower Tadfield, annotated with spiralling lines centred on the village.

An open book.

I can’t quite make out what the book is in tableau #15. No matter, the presence of the maps is plenty interesting enough. I think it’s likely that the older map is the one we see in the back room of the book shop:

The newer map is one that I feel like we’ve seen in the show at some point, but I can’t find it. I have a sneaking suspicion that it belonged to Anathema, and that the lines plotted on it are ley lines that have readjusted themselves in light of Adam’s emerging power. If that is the case, I’d quite like to know how and why Aziraphale has Anathema’s map. More importantly, I’d like to know if the presence of these maps in the bookshop is because the angel is still keeping an eye on the ex-Antichrist. Perhaps he’s just looking over his research for nostalgia. Maybe he just hasn’t tidied up properly for a while. Personally, I think there’s probably a reason he still has them – might be something for season 3? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Quick side note: the map explicitly states Lower Tadfield, but Adam’s home is never referred to in this way in the show, only the book.

Tableau #9

Contents:

A piece of paper with Crowley’s full name written on it in cursive script.

A wax seal stamp with what looks like some sealing wax, smouldering.

Now this is a curious one! When I first saw it, I thought it was supposed to be Crowley’s signature, but it’s pretty obvious that this must be Aziraphale’s hand when we compare it with the demon’s request for holy water:

So the next thing I wondered was what Aziraphale was doing “faking” Crowley’s signature. I don’t think that’s right either though, which leaves me with two other possibilities. Firstly, that the paper we see is an envelope, which has been addressed with Crowley’s name. This would fit with the use of the sealing wax, but I can’t explain why Aziraphale would be writing a letter to Crowley, or why he would be sealing in this antiquated way. I know the angel is a little behind the times, but he knows how to pick up the telephone, so I don’t think he’d be writing letters, particularly given he would have to leave the bookshop to post it, and in case you’ve forgotten, this minisode is supposed to be encouraging us to STAY AT HOME. And let’s not forget the addition of the title “Esq.” at the end of Crowley’s name. It’s a pretty outdated term now, and would certainly look out of place if used, even if it was on a letter.

The second possibility is that this is the writing from the drawing of Crowley, providing a description of the subject. This feels more appropriate than the letter explanation, although it does mean that the wax and accompanying stamp become somewhat meaningless. This explanation might also go some way to explaining the title that Aziraphale has given to Crowley, and actually fits quite nicely with the romanticised style applied to the portrait.

Tableau #10

Contents:

An armillary sphere.

I didn’t know what this was, other than something to do with astrology/astronomy, so I had to Google. Turns out they were historically used to predict/calculate and map celestial movements. Taking this into account, this seems like a strange thing for Aziraphale to have, though it would feel right at home in Crowley’s apartment. But. I did a bit more digging, and it turns out that the image of an armillary sphere has been used in classical paintings of saints to represent the presence of Heaven.

Mind. Blown.

Tableau #13

Contents:

Satanism and Witchcraft, by Jules Michelet.

Magic: An Occult Primer, by David Conway.

As with Forbidden Rites, both of these books seem like very strange books for Aziraphale to have at hand. The first of these two books, published in 1862 (!), is widely regarded as being one of the earliest known publications sympathetic to the history of witchcraft, although nowadays it is considered to be largely inaccurate in its facts. The second is a practical guide and introduction to magic rituals. Whilst I can see how Aziraphale’s interest might extend to the former as far as research goes, perhaps into Agnes Nutter’s history, I cannot imagine why he would have need of a guide for how to conduct Pagan rituals. Answers on a postcard.

Cakes

There is a sequence of cake images that falls between tableaus 13 and 14. These tie directly into the dialogue at this point in the minisode, so I’m going to cover them in the part of this write up given over to the dialogue.

Tableau #16

Contents:

A flickering flame.

I don’t think there’s much to say about this particular tableau. I have assumed that this is a candle burning, but it is rather difficult to make out. You’d expect to see the shape of a candle underneath the flame if that was the case, and the burning wick looks distinctly unlike one you would see on a candle, but I have nothing else to draw on for this so “candle” is what I’m going with.

Tableau #12

As a reminder, I’m only looking at the things in this tableau that I haven’t covered elsewhere in this write up.

Contents:

Piles of books, which include:

Several more G.K. Chesterton titles.

A copy of Pilgrim’s Progress.

The Lore of the Land, by Jennifer Beatrice Westwood.

Unfortunately, I can’t make out the titles of the majority of the books in this image. The book on the right of the tableau, The Lore of the Land, is a charming sounding little thing about the legends found in all the different counties of England. Whilst I can’t see an immediate link to the Good Omens storyline, I quite like the idea that Aziraphale and/or Crowley are responsible for the vast majority of the entries in that book! On the other hand, Pilgrim’s Progress has a much clearer connection to the themes and ideas of the show, detailing one man’s life journey through life and his relationship with his faith. What we don’t get any indication of is whether Aziraphale would have this on hand because of his ability to relate to it, or whether it’s simply because it’s considered to be one of the most significant works of theological fiction in all history.

I already covered the creepy mechanical butterfly in a previous tableau, but there is something extra in this image that we can now make out – there’s a plaque on the bottom of the jar. I can’t make all of the writing out, but I think part of it says it’s a science award. Where from and what for I can’t read, and I can’t see what the mechanism is powering or anything in the base of the jar. Still seems like a weird thing for Aziraphale to have if you ask me!

Pre-credits message

What a perfect way to end this little treat. Not just a tip of the hat to the ending of season one, but a message of hope for everyone watching in what was a very dark time in recent history. I’ve no doubt that there was a lot of comfort had from these four minutes of film when it was released, and not just because the fans for this show are deeply invested in its development. This single line seems to convey so much of what couldn’t be said in words (or images), and I’m not about to try here, so I’m going to wrap this part up and move on to the dialogue in the next one. As always, comments, questions, discussion: always welcome 😊

[pure-ablution]

What are your favourite ingredients, spices, just food stuff over all?

The two most-used spices in my kitchen are saffron and paprika. I think that these spices are horribly misused and misunderstood, so here is my little guide to using them properly and making the most of their gorgeous colour and flavour.

Saffron is a very expensive spice (unless you grow it yourself, which is actually quite easy to do!) and so you really want to make sure that you’re getting the absolute most out of what little amount you’ve managed to acquire. Buy the smallest amount of the highest quality you can afford—there’s a lot of fake and tampered-with saffron on the market these days! The highest grade of saffron available is called ‘Super Negin’, and this is what will give you that characteristic deep red colour. I have my family send me saffron from home, but if I run out, then I like to buy the saffron offered by the brand Sara Saffron. I also have some English-grown saffron in my kitchen cupboard, and I’d like to try growing my own at some point.

To properly use saffron, take a couple of threads—make sure that your storage container is properly sealed, and shut it quicky again after opening—and grind them to a powder by hand, using a pestle and mortar. Then, put an ice cube or two into a bowl with the saffron, and let the ice melt at room temperature, at its own pace. This is the best way to bring out the natural colour and flavour of the saffron, and works much better than the ordinary method with hot water. You can then use this saffron water to flavour almost anything, from rice and stews all the way to ice cream (bastani).

Paprika is a very powerful and pungent spice, and it always makes me so sad to hear people say that it’s tasteless! It’s one of the most flavourful spices in my cupboard, and being engaged to a Hungarian means that I use it in almost every dish I make. Paprika is made in many different places and comes in many different styles, and I have an entire shelf dedicated to the different styles made in Hungary, but I mostly use pungent (csípős csemege), sweet (édesnemes), and hot (erős) varieties in my cooking. Alajos prefers his paprika smoked, which isn’t traditional in Hungary, and he has vast industrial-sized quantities of his favourite brand shipped over to the UK, but if we ever (God forbid) run out, then I buy from the brand Rubin, a high-quality producer with a UK stockist.

To get the best out of your paprika, you need to toast it a little, but not fully scorch it. The easiest way to do this, I find, is by sautéing onions or garlic in a little hot oil, adding your paprika, and then almost immediately dousing it with whatever sauce you’re cooking with so that it doesn’t burn. Of course, this only really works with stews, soups, and other such dishes, so in other cases, I bloom it in a very small amount of oil, or toast it dry. Experimentation is important here, and there’s no real hard rule, other than that paprika needs to be toasted or bloomed in some way to release its true pungency. It can be added to pretty much anything savoury, from traditional goulashes to sandwich spreads and as a garnish on eggs or salads.

[joeyclaire]

bandersnatch rewatch

taking place in 1984 uk could be an allusion to the book 1984, which is about government surveillance and has themes of rape, encountering one’s deepest fear, and thought crimes, and also takes place in the uk

the 1980s setting also implies negative cultural attitudes around homosexuality

stefan likely takes clomipramine, an ocd medication that used to come in orange and red capsules, but when i looked up side effects i couldn’t find anything that matched

camera angles in early scenes suggest stefan has already thought about killing his father pre canon (especially the way he eyes the ashtray, which he always uses to kill peter and the player doesn’t prompt him to use it)

what is the significance of the bandersnatch book originally belonging to stefan’s mother? perhaps it’s just to hint as early as possible towards her being dead, especially since she apparently never read it

i wonder if the glyph graffiti is there to imply others have had similar experiences or just to foreshadow? the davies case appears to be popular considering even thakur knows his story and a documentary and true crime book were made about it

colin condemns pre-rolled for having strychnine and then. takes lsd? which also sometimes has strychnine? dunno the significance of that but it’s definitely intentional

the colin games being named after metalhead and nosedive don’t appear to be alluding to the episodes for any particular reason other than being easter eggs, but black mirror does easter eggs relating to other episodes just for the sake of it a lot

this has been said but the first ending really is the closest to a happy ending. stefan is very young and brand new to game development and bandersnatch is his very first game; he would have had the opportunity to learn and grow from his failure if he was willing to take the bad review on the chin but since that ending is so unsatisfying the story refuses to allow that

the doors of perception, which thakur references and misattributes to timothy leary, is an autobiographical account of a drug trip and the insights experienced during the trip, foreshadowing the later lsd scene

timothy leary was a psychologist and author who advocated for psychedelics, more lsd scene foreshadowing

i’m defrostin mince :-)

“i think dad thought it was sissy” more gay coding

the rare stefan pov shots are often very shaky

looked up the other true crime books by the lives of jerome f davies, all appear to be made up

stefan’s house is shaped like the glyph

making plans for nigel is so on the nose

picking between the compulsions is why i’m so confident the player is a manifestation of his ocd

pax on the lsd is interesting, no idea what it’s meant to mean though?

colin has a poster for philip k dick’s ubik, a book with themes of cooperate espionage

if you have stefan jump a bus with A NEW CLEAN START drives past

peter appears to have a degree for neuropsychology? but i can’t read the second degree at all

parallels between stefan and his father/davies and his wife

not much to say on program and control route other than it seems to have the most foreshadowing out of all the endings

sex is almost always inherently violent on black mirror, which is why it makes sense that when haynes flirtatiously suggests they add “a little more action,” stefan attacks her (also cause he’s gay)

after chopping up the body stefan doesn’t leave it in his house forever, he hides it in a bag in the nearby woods, also stefan was arrested at 21 meaning two years after the events of the episode

the credits rolling in the pearl ending seems to imply it is the “true” ending (or most true)

[havinganormalone]

Independent Sex Toy Creators

Since Etsy is being a little bitch and banning sex toys, I wanted to make a reference list of independent sex toy creators. This is by no means exhaustive- literally thousands of sellers are getting screwed by this nonsensical puritanical bullshit- this is merely creators that caught my eye as people I might want to spend money on at a future date. I will be avoiding Etsy for even sfw purchases in the future, since this policy is out of hand and is going to disproportionately impact queer, trans creators. Because that is the way these things always work. Anyways, here's a list of artisans I don't want to lose.

Fantasticocks: Makes monster dildos, ftm strokers, eggs, and other goodies. I have bought from here, and am always in love with the pours- offers UV reactive stuff. Ohio based.

Odyssey Toys: They make some THICK boys. Firm grinders you can strap to things, inflatable knots, plugs. A lot of tentacles and a more old school swords and sorcery feel. UK based.

Chillow Fantasy: Makers of the Penis Fly Trap. Silly, memey sex toys. Michigan based.

Kreature Toys: They sale dildos that have a suction hole for fuck machines. Monster dildos. Michigan based.

Kinky Kreatures: Monster dildos. Sells knot sheaths and grinder gloves, as well as more standard toys. Australia based.

Frisk Toys: Ejaculating dildos. UK based.

Love Smiths: Monster toys, from dildos to butt plugs, with a wide variety of creative strokers. France based.

Okova: Sells tail plugs, including things like devil tails, horse tails, fox tails, etc. A very white variety, from whimsical to realistic, with good quality fur. Ukraine based.

Where is Willy: Specialist shop for FTM packers/strokers. Has strap on harnesses. Also has a line of binders in the works. Poland based.

TranZWear: Packers and stand to pee devices, medial grade materials, an emphasis more on utility than sex. Also sells binders, boxers for packing, and pumps. California based.

Xenocat Artifacts: Alien inspired toys, like double knotted dildos or tentacles. Also has furry explicit body pillows. Bought from them at a furry convention and the person in the pup hood working the booth was helpful and actually bothered to ask my pronouns, something that almost never happens to me (people assume I am she/her).

Primal Hardwere: Has sheaths, inflating dildos, and molds for gelatin eggs. More old school leather culture feel. US based. They made my favorite toy, a glow in the dark knotted sheath.

Tails of Fantasy: Tail plugs on a branch that is designed to have a more realistic placement than your typical tail plug. Also sells collars and ears. New York based.

Naughty Indulgence: Cheaper end sex toys and glass toys. Veteran owned.

BonBDSM: Silicone tail plugs, hoods, furred harnesses, medical fetish play. Thailand based.

FetFashions: Sells clothing that says things like Breed Me, Daddy, Slut, etc. The sort of thing etsy is trying to ban, so it's good to know a place that will do this.

These might be safe under the new TOS, as they are non-insertable BDSM gear, but at this point avoid shopping on Etsy whenever possible.

LeatherBond: Floggers, whips, restraints, all boasting made from real leather.

The Latex Store: Sells latex penis sheaths as well as some inflatable gags and other latex clothing.

Wruff Stuff: Animal hoods- of the puphood variety, but with a much wider selection, including pig, dragon, fox. Made of a neoprene material. I own one, it is more breathable than leather, and the design draws the eye. UK based.

Creative Kink: Paddles, canes, knives- both dull and sharpened. Pennsylvanian based.

Once again, this list is by no means exhaustive, and is mostly meant for my own personal reference. However, if you have a sex toy creator and you want to promote their stuff, feel free to drop a reference in the reblogs.

[rosiewitchescottage]

A Kenyan British lady and her Nigerian British husband. They give a beautiful description of why they want to preserve the Britain that they traveled to become a part of.

You can come here and practice any religion. We have a stated value of mutually respecting different faith, cultures etc.

But notice this is 'Mutual' respect, that goes both way.

If there are people who refuse to render you respect for respect, then most of us will be on your side.

All that we ask is that people come here free to practice their own faiths, but whilst respecting the Christian foundation on which our country has been built.

Bring and practice your culture, along with your religion. As long as it doesn't violate any of our laws, we're fine with it.

All we ask for is to respect our native culture. And yes, we do have a culture

. We have foods and drinks that have a British (English, Welsh, Scots, N irish character) Try them out. They may not be spicy. But they do have their own tastiness.

We have loads of music, stretching back through centuries by home grown composers and performers.

Books, plays poetry - You've heard of Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Keats? All British, and there are plenty more.

Folklore and fairy tales - We have four different countries, with their own myths, legends, folklore and fairy tales.

I highly recommend them all.

We love a celebration as much as anyone. Look at how we celebrate Christmas. Think of December as a month long festival of light, music, stories, food, drink and lots of good will. Check out The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Cambridge. You can get it on BBC Radio 4 from Christmas Eve onward.

Easter - Parts of the country have their own customs from the beginning of Lent onwards.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Races, Egg Rolling

Not sure why Maypole's are here in the Easter section. It's more usually at the beginning of May, the Pagan festival of Beltane, heralding the early days of Summer.

Morris dancing seems rather silly. But it's fun and began as a Spring fertility dance.

Cornwall - Some Cornish people want to be separate from England, some don't. But they're still British, either way

The Countryside - It's not racist. If you live here, it's yours to love and take care of too.

Go and visit, no one's going to stop you. See this gorgeous landscape that we need to take care of and protect.

Our History. - It's there for us to learn from, not to judge.

Some terrible things were done in our past.This is true

So, we find ways to not let it happen again. Most British people are fine with that.

Guess what. All but the tiny but worst percentage of people think this slavery is disgusting.

We don't want to fall into that trap again, so yes, let's keep learning about it.

But also we should learn the full history of slavery thousands, and I do mean many thousands of years ago. Jewish slaves taken to Babylon.

And the worst part? That history isn't over, how about we make up for our part in slavery in the past, by fighting slavery going on right now.

British Empire - Yes, it had some advantages. But that came at the price of a country not being allowed the freedom to rule itself, and that sucks.

So, I think most Brits are happy that it ended. The Commonwealth is a group of independent, self governing nations, that chose to keep the British Monarch as Head of State.

Are there improvements that can be made? I'm sure there are plenty. Let's work on that, rather than focusing on the problems of the past. We can make the present and future better. But the past is what it was.

British Heroes - Were these people paragons of virtue? Err No! They were people, imperfect just like us.

But we celebrate them today, because they did something extra special that helped our country.

Try learning about them. Yes, the bad as well as the good. But remember that it's not the bad that we celebrate them for, so why would we be ashamed of what made them human?

Look at what they did, and even if you can't celebrate them too. You'll at least see why many of us do.

A great speech dear Madam and Sir.

I'm delighted to call you and your children my compatriots.

[notwiselybuttoowell]

In Europe, Pringles has 34 active flavours in seven can sizes (one of which is called “David” for reasons no one can explain). Not all of these flavours are available in every European country – prawn cocktail only really sells in the UK and Ireland, while bacon is found in most places except Belgium, the Netherlands and strongholds of vegetarianism Austria, Denmark and Sweden. Salt and vinegar has spread everywhere except Norway and Italy. “They don’t have the habit of doing vinegar on their crisps; they just eat them plain with salt,” says Julie Merzougui, lead food designer at Kellanova. If an employee in Italy wanted to explore bringing salt and vinegar to the market, they could – they’d simply have to ask. As of yet, they haven’t.

Multiple times a year, Pringles releases limited-edition flavours known internally as “insanely accurate analogues” – Merzougui and Peremans come up with these for Europe. “People think we have the dream job,” Merzougui says (she has dark hair, round glasses and an easy laugh, a personality akin to an experimental flavour – perhaps a chorizo Pringle). Peremans, who has worked at the company for 26 years, has a salt and pepper beard and a Salt & Shake personality. He speaks quietly and pragmatically, but has a subtle playful streak: “My young son, he wants to become my successor.”

Like Lay’s, Pringles starts with data – in Asia, the company uses a Tinder-like tool with 200 consumers at a time, asking them to swipe left or right on potential flavours. Lucia Sudjalim, a senior Pringles developer in Asia, says she does a lot of “social media listening”, observing trends among influencers and bloggers. Kellanova also uses AI, which Merzougui says can predict trends up to 10 years in advance. Things aren’t always this sophisticated though – both Lay’s and Pringles also look at what’s on the shelves in countries they want to break into, copying flavours and identifying gaps to fill.

Yet just because the world wants a flavour doesn’t mean it’s made. In December 2020, scotch egg sales soared in the UK after Conservative ministers ruled the snack a “substantial meal” (providing punters with an excuse to be in the pub under Covid-19 lockdown rules). Peremans was challenged to make scotch egg Pringles and pulled it off; Merzougui says they tasted “really authentic”. Ultimately, however, the potential order volume was not high enough to justify a production run. (This, incidentally, is why it’s hard to get Salt & Pepper Pringles in the UK, even though they’re delicious.)

Another unreleased flavour was part of a collaboration with Nando’s that petered out for reasons Peremans is unsure about. Sometimes, logistics get in the way: the perfectly blended seasoning might clog the machines or create too much dust, causing sneezing fits in the factory. Belgian legislation mandates that every seasoning has to be put through a dust explosion test – it is set alight in controlled conditions to ensure it won’t blow up.

Inside the plant, manager Van Batenburg shows me giant cube-shaped bags of seasonings that arrive ready to be cascaded on to the crisps. At the end of his video presentation, he made a passing comment that rocked my world. We were talking about other crisp companies, big name competitors. “In essence,” he said, “they’re using the same seasoning houses we do.”

I leave Belgium with the names of three seasoning houses Pringles work with. At home, I discover that their websites are obscure – they speak of flavours and trends, but don’t even mention Pringles. I haven’t so much stumbled upon a conspiracy as been invited into it, but I am still shocked. After two months’ cajoling by the Pringles team, two representatives from a seasoning house agree to speak – but only on the condition of total anonymity, in line with their contractual obligations.

“It’s quite secretive,” food scientist Reuben admits via Zoom, wearing a pink shirt and a thoughtful expression (the only crisp I can compare him to is a Quaver). “Everyone has their own crown jewels that they protect.”

As a marketer, Peggy has always found the company’s secrecy “strange”. She speaks clearly, in a way that is reminiscent of a teacher or a steadfast multigrain snack. “It’s always been a bit of a puzzle to me … I was like, ‘Why aren’t we shouting about this?’ But I was told, ‘Oh, no, we have to keep it very quiet.’”

This is because – just as Van Batenburg hinted in Belgium – the seasoning house Reuben and Peggy work for provides flavours for Pringles and Lay’s, as well as other brands. When asked whether their clients know, Reuben says, “They do and they don’t.” “It’s just not really talked about,” Peggy adds. However, this doesn’t mean that a Salt & Vinegar Pringle is flavoured with the same seasoning as a Salt & Vinegar Lay’s. In fact, the seasoning house is strictly siloed to guarantee exclusivity. Reuben’s team work on the Pringles account; the team making flavours for PepsiCo is in an entirely different country. “So the recipe, if you will, of the Pringles salt and vinegar can’t be seen by the other team,” Reuben says.

[annachronisme]

I want to start a rewrite of TLOTTC with a bit of pre canon ducktales element, like I saw a few fics elements of the tlottc where the whole caballeros things happens before Donald has to take care of the eggs and I give you : What if it was after.

Della disapeared leaving him to take care of the eggs + he had a fight with Uncle Scrooge leaving him truly alone to raise children

First go round he's living in a house juggling jobs after jobs and he's having a hard time because kids are hard? Daisy's also asking a lot from him(Im not a fan of daisy soooo) and he tries his best, he really does but it's not really enough and it all goes down bad on his birthday since Daisy makes a surprise visit and now he has to go get her at a shady place, plus his boss' screaming down at him and bref the plot goes like in canon with the added bonus of the triplets and when the house burn down and Daisy broke up with him He has a huge meltdown so when the letter comes he's relieved maybe the situation will goes up now etc

He's less optimistic when he sees the state of the cabana (is that what they call it ? I started watching when babysitting and wasn't fully focused on it plus I watched the FR version) and when he mets José and Panchito both being also in on the inheritance he feels all the optimism leave him because no way can all three (well six) of them can find an agreement when they are all completely broke.

April May and June are wonderful babysitters

Xandra and Ari are NOT

They NEVER takes the kids on any adventures (they may or may not be aware of the adventures depending on how old they are)

José and Panchito co parenting the triplets is doing something to my 'found family' soul alright?

Panchito and José taking turns with the triplets (in baby case) when they get fuzzy at night after seeing how exhausted Donalds gets (even more so when he once fell asleep in the middle of a fight)

just the regular life of three legendary adventurer raising three (or six and more depending who you including in there) children while fighting evil

Donald not trying that much to get back with Daisy because he doesn't have time for that plus José and Panchito are being reaaaaaaaaaaaaally nice uk .... And Daisy didn't really like that

nothing in the plot changes besides that the three caballeros are raising three to six ducking together and acting like they've been married for years before that

I don't even know if I prefer them being eggs at first and then hatching or if they already hatched but just barely so.

[abbadoabbadon]

just things I've seen in random places online and found it weird / interesting and maybe others will as well

In 2015-2023

Josh Peck gets married

Drake has a meltdown on twitter about not being invited causing a slew of drama

A "source" claims that Dan Schneider was invited to the wedding but take that with a grain of tiny tiny tiny salt.

The very next day after the news broke that Josh did not invite Drake to the wedding Dan posts a weird throwback behind the scenes photo from Drake and Josh of Drake where in the scene he is preparing egg yolks for cooking.

Attention was drawn back on "An Open Secret" in an article about the struggle it took to even get it out for people to watch

The Daily Mail UK wrote an article about Brian Peck, openly calling him a registered s/o pedophile and bringing up An Open Secret in the article.

Drake Bell is in a movie called Cover Versions

Josh is a member of the David Dobrik friend group on youtube around this time because it was before David Dobrik was outed for "allegedly" nearly getting someone killed while filming one of his videos

Josh actually made a number of videos with Drake during this period of time despite the fact that Josh claims they hadn't spoken in 15 years prior to Bell's outburst on twitter.

A zoey101 reboot was announced at an anniversary event, Alexa Nikolas was not invited to reunite with the cast, Dan Schneider was there.

Speaking of Alexa, 2018 was when she formally and publicly called out Nickolodeon and Dan for toxic sets and an environment that was unsafe to children.

Neds Declassified actors call Alexa out and imply she's just dramatic and making shit up

A formal investigation into Dan Schneider was launched in 2018, by the end of that year he was "quietly" let go and allegedly they gave him a lot of money upon his departure

Drake Bell starts releasing new music in mid 2018, he is interviewed by PEOPLE magazine, in this time period he does a lot of press, like actual press, not podcasts like he does now as he claims that no actual news places will have him as an interview.

Also in 2018, Brian Robbins stepped down as CEO of Nickolodeon and Butch Hartman (Fairly Odd Parents) left the network as well.

Josh has a baby with his wife, in late 2018, he publishes a photo on Instagram of Drake hanging out with the newborn.

Billboard music magazine interviews Drake on his new music

Jane Doe calls the cops and files a report against Drake Bell.

Drake cancels all upcoming concerts and shows during the length of the investigation.

Drake goes through this investigation and in the mean time he is still trying to release music, it is assumed at this time his finances were not good due, there is a rumor about a Drake and Josh revival in mid... to late 2019?

There is a rumor based on a Mexican meme where his fans from Mexico started calling him Drake Campana (which is bell in spanish), this happens in 2020 so I think it's funny that people claim that he changed his name and fled to Mexico in 2021 when these things happened before that, and another one is the talking point that people say Josh was distancing himself from Drake because of the child endangerment charge but the wedding incident was in 2017. Years prior to the public 2021 case.

There are social media posts about Drake Bell "changing his name to Campana after finding musical sucess in mexico", in 2020.... before the "fled to mexico" rumor started. There were also multiple articles stating that Drake Bell changed his name and moved to Mexico, rebranding himself based on the fact that his music was more popular there.

Drake promotes his "Lost Album" in early 2020

In late summer 2020, Drake's ex comes forward with allegations about domestic violence

Around this time, Dan Schneider allegedly has his lawyers try to get into contact with Alexa

COVID stuff puts a hamper on a lot of things, Drake starts doing at home instagram live singing sessions.

Dan had announced in early 2020 something about a project he was working on and that he was ready to get back to making shows.

Josh Peck distances himself from David Dobrik during this period due to allegations against David from multiple people, another person in the vlog squad was accused of SA so that probably didn't make Josh wanna stick around

A ton of articles pop up about Drake changing his name and moving to mexico, it stops being about him finding an audience for his music and people start to speculate it's because of allegations from his ex.

This starts to spread like wildfire on twitter and other social media platforms.

a pretty damning NYT article about Dan Schnider is posted online. noting that Dan does not update socials often anymore and is rarely seen out in public, the project he was working on in 2020 seemed to have not worked out.

Information regarding Drake's arrest come to light in 2021, the allegations against him from Jane Doe also come to light and the internet goes wild over it, tons of gossip articles and youtube channels post about it.

a 2021 article comes out about Dan, he responds to allegations of misconduct on the sets of his shows.

Kimmy Robertson hangs out with Brian Peck, shamelessly uploading a photo of them together.

The Jane Doe case is closed when Drake accepts the charges of child endangerment / attempted, and sending "texts of a sexual nature" to a minor (just putting it in quotes because that's how his defense said it)

Although the case is closed, the internet does not and start to make memes and calling Drake a predator, pdf, r*pst on any and all social media he has.

Alexa Nikolas takes legal action against her ex for SA, she also continues to call out Dan and nickolodeon, earning her a reputation from others as "overreacting" and "dramatic"

Sloan makes a video about Drake Bell, talking about the 2021 allegations but also bringing up Brian Peck, heavily "hinting" in his video that Drake is the John Doe from the 2003 case

Drake tries contact with Sloan to get the video removed, Sloan makes a bunch of weird videos about how he's being threatened and intimidated, he does not remove the video, he makes more videos on Drake and the 2021 allegations as well as bringing up the allegations from his ex(es)

Josh Peck and Drake Bell's on again off again "feud" shows up in the form of Josh claiming they hadn't talked in 15 years and that he "Had a tony soprano moment" at the VMAs in 2017, claiming he says "go apologize to my wife" regarding the wedding drama from 2017. Drake and his then wife Janet have one episode of their podcast discussing this and the failed D&J revival.

in 2022 Drake Bell was spotted in flordia allegedly huffing in the car with his baby in the back seat (oof dude wtf)

Alexa Nikolas amidst the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial drama starts doing her livestreams about exposing SA and more in hollywood.

Drake Bell gets more news stories surrounding his "odd behavior" and online spaces are still calling him a r*pist and p*do,

In 2023 Amanda Bynes has a mental breakdown and flags a car down to call 911, she is placed on a psych hold.

A few weeks later Drake Bell goes missing in Malibu, the police start looking for him and consider him to be "in danger" as some of these articles allege that he had sent upsetting text messages to his mother, and when he wasn't answering his phone, his brother calls the cops.

It's revealed that he was texting his mother, upset about things regarding his child visits as he and his wife had broken up some time before this but decided to co parent their son.

He is seen several times huffing in his car

There are screenshots from alleged conversations by Drake in his own discord, talking about how he's tired of being called a r*pist and that it'll never end.

His wife files for divorce officially

At this point he checks himself into rehab.

.

[tctteredwings]

[charlie cox, cis man, he/him, new york state of mind!  ) – Is that AIDAN ADAMS I spotted in new york city? rumour has it they’re 40 born on JANUARY 13th and have been in the city for 16 YEARS! I think I’ve seen them around MANHATTAN and working as a PSYCHIATRIST!  They’re really known for A SMILE EVEN ON THE DARKEST OF DAYS, COMFY WORN IN SHIRTS, QUIET MOMENTS JUST LISTENING but that’s for you to judge.   I hope they like the city!

IN A NUTSHELL; comfy worn in shirts, a smile even on the darkest of days, a slightly annoying sense of positivity, quiet moments just listening, the scent of freshly mown grass, constant organisation, movie soundtracks on a vintage record player.

tw: brief mention of arson

Name: Aidan Adams Nicknames: Ade Age: Forty DoB: 13th January 1984 Occupation: Psychiatrist Romantic/sexual orientation: Heteroromantic/heterosexual Birthplace: Essex, UK

IMMEDIATE FAMILY.

Parents: Carl & Samantha Adams Siblings: Two younger siblings Children: Mandy Adams ( 10 ) Pets: A service dog named Bella

ABOUT.

As far as everyone was concerned, Aidan was a perfectly normal and healthy baby when he was born, it was only a couple of months later that alarm bells began to ring. He wasn’t registering anything properly, gaze drawn to sounds, but not much else.

It took time, but in the end, he was diagnosed as partially sighted, something his parents worried about, yet he wouldn’t when he was old enough to really understand what was going on.

Ade wasn’t one to let anything stop him, something that became apparent early on in life. His upbringing was all over the place, complete chaos, and still, he managed to stay positive throughout, ups and downs be damned.

He set his sights early on upon a career that would lead to helping people. Being a doctor, at least in the medical sense, was out of the question, so his ambitions turned to the brain. 

Making his way through school, he left with exemplary grades, getting to the exact point that he needed to be at. 

University was more difficult. Out in the real world, he found his disability harder to deal with, the understanding he’d found throughout school not quite so easily found. But he got there, he worked his way through it, found friends and explored parts of his life he’d never really had a chance to.

On a fleeting visit back home, he found himself caught up in disaster, his family home set ablaze for reasons he did his best not to think about. He avoided all of it, his life was complicated enough, it didn't matter to him what his father was up to behind the scenes and so that was when he left for good. It was easy to walk out, with the combination of his disability and the fact he was set to graduate soon with crazy grades, his family were happy to leave him alone in the end.

One thing he had made sure to do, however, it keep in touch with his two younger siblings. The three were extremely close growing up and that wasn't about to change.

Aidan graduated with a degree in medicine a year later, immediately moving his path to psychiatry. He knew it was a long road ahead, but it was important to him. He also made the move overseas, settling in New York City, a small place in Staten Island to begin with.

Along the way, he made other important decisions, one of those being to have a child. They landed in his life at thirty via surrogacy ( a best friend quite happy to help ) and an egg donor. Mandy quite quickly became his life outside of work.

He also found love, even if it wasn’t to last. They cared deeply for one another, helped each other through several years of their lives, and then parted ways again, remaining friends of course.

Since then he’s opened his own mental health practice in Manhattan, his business only going from strength to strength over the last couple of years. 

Ade has partial sight in his left eye and none in his right, so his vision is severely restricted. He can see, but not a lot, and will always wear sunglasses when outside as his eyes are ridiculously sensitive to sunlight

He has a service dog, named Bella, who goes most places with him — he can get around himself without incident usually, but she does help him, particularly when in very busy areas and he can’t keep up with everything. When he's at home, however, he gets around no problem, knowing his apartment inside out. It's the same with his practice.

Has a ridiculously large collection of flannel shirts, it’s a rare day when you see him without one on. 

[serendertothesquad]

Seren's Studies: Odd Squad UK -- "Planes, Trains, and Oddmobiles" Episode Followup, Part 2

We continue on with the second half of our transportation journey. One down, two to go.

Below the break!

"OddRail" is just as silly of a name as "OddAir"! And the name "Ocomotive" is funny too.

Oh man, they aren't even trying, huh?

Awwwww Onom...keep strokin' that ego. You might get the fur off of it eventually.

AHAHAHA THIS GUY'S KNOWN FOR HIS WEIGHTLESS SUITCASES THAT AREN'T TOTALLY WEIGHTLESS????

Look, I don't like eggs either, but these are in what look to be pretty sturdy suitcases. I think you're safe, Conductor.

All right, I'm starting to see what this is now.

It's "Worst First Day Ever" but far more contrived and with a lot more worldbuilding.

No guesses for which episode I prefer more.

I'm also starting to see that this is where Orli and Ozzie play the violins.

And to be honest, I can already see where this is going and I will reiterate that they need to take a tip or two from Or- ohhhhh wait no she played the harp.

...Well, never mind then.

"Stop! What are you doing?"

"You made it look so easy."

OZZIE YOU SCHMUCK. W H Y . MAN GET YOUR ASS BEHIND THE ROCK AND LET ORLI PLAY DAMN IT.

But of course. You can't eat 'em if they're not down on the ground and convulsing in pain a little.

Or dead. That too.

The sheer idiocy of this man to go from "IT'S GONNA EAT YOU?!?!?!" to "oh that's pretty cool actually"...God, I love him.

Had to do a quick Google to find out if conductors were called something else in the UK. Turns out, they're known as "train managers".

So close, but no cigar.

I honestly love how this is the Odd Squad equivalent of when a character talks to their TV and it talks back to them.

...Okay, the name kinda sorta fits. BUT STILL.

THIS IS AGENT OPSTAIRS??????

Behold: the names get even stupider with "Odd Buses".

Because it's bad enough the kid has to be stuck in a little cube all day.

*long deep sigh*

I didn't think I'd have to make up some kind of a "Stupidest Math Lesson" award, but this is cutting it close.

...No. I lied. This is taking the top fucking spot. If you had kept it at 3 pounds it would have been so much better.

"Everyone makes mistakes."

"Thank you."

"Too bad we won't be making any more because we'll be eaten."

"...Oh."

"Yeah, didn't think about that, did you?"

"It doesn't matter that it's not full," he says, as I shake my head because we're nearly at the end of the episode and we don't have time for another contrived shit conflict.

The existence of a second book that should be read when you've been eaten by a Huggle Monster implies that an agent is eaten whole and then sits in the stomach as they are taken through a long and painful digestive process.

And frankly, that would make for a much more interesting episode than what we got. I mean if Catch Teenieping had an episode where most of it took place in the stomach of an animal...

I...WHOT. HEHH???????

I'M SORRY THEY HAVE NEW SHIELDS NOW????? NEW S H I E L D S ?!?!?!?!

AND THEY LOOK LIKE THEY ARE MADE OUT OF THE WORST FUCKING PLASTIC WHAT THE F U C K GO BACK TO THE METAL ONES.

...WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT??????????

BRO HOLD UP. OMAR WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU D O I N G MAN. STOP WITH THE DRUGS. STOP IT. STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHP-

NNNNNNNGH HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGH OH FINE FUCK YOU. ONE POINT. THESE ARE COOL HOW CAN I NOT.

I mean...at the very least, Orli and Ozzie can ride back with Onom...but they all have to pay because he used up the free tickets.

My God, we went from cool shields to more contrived shit in less than a few minutes and I hate it.

Ahhhh bless him.

On a side note, how many agents do you guys think try to bypass the weight limit rules by storing suitcases in their hammerspace spines? Betcha it happens more often than you'd think.

Well look, on the plus side, I don't know why he's complaini- ohhhh because he has to take the suitcases back doesn't he.

And your credits for this episode. Nothing really of note, but I did think Ockpit's name was spelled with two T's at first.

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

Overall, despite being an Onom-focused episode, this was a swing and a miss, which is pretty standard for Omar at this point. The weight limits were a solid way to introduce the math lesson, now that I think about it, but the final one with a two-pound weight limit outright killed it for me just for the sheer contrivance. Had some funny moments, and the shield upgrade was a nice touch, but those were not enough to save it, unfortunately. I'm better off watching an episode like "Worst First Day Ever", which handles the lesson well with a callback and some neat backstories, plus focus on a side character.

Anyway, next up will be "Part of the Furniture", where Orli struggles to fit in at her new precinct when we're nearly at the end of the season. I dunno, can we blame PBS for this one? Out-of-order airing or something?

Seren out!

[theestudentwriter]

A New Beginning (The Uni Experience)

Hi! As you can tell from the title, I am currently a humble first year university student. I’m studying in a uni within the UK specifically pursuing English Literature (no, I’m not going into education afterwards). This page/ blog is particularly for those who are considering to enter a UK university but don’t know what to expect. I’m here to give the more personal insight from one student to another.

Enjoy The Summer while You Can

I remember my days before moving in. I did the expected academic path of primary school, high school, sixth form, and now university. I didn’t think much of it until the day before my move in happened. After applying, it felt like moving to a new place was ages away. But it was only until the day before my move-in date that everything began to feel real.

The summer before university is the last summer you can spend without much worry. You have an environment you are familiar with and a family to provide and pay for things. You may even go on family holidays every so often on half terms. But once you hit university, you will have to learn about doing things for yourself like cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I have met various people throughout my life and only a few know how to cook more than just eggs on toast for themselves. More of those people were incapable of knowing how to iron clothes or fold laundry. It is rather shocking how many people don’t know how to do basic chores. Perhaps it is a matter of privilege or the lack of perspective on how important it is to sustain yourself.

My first bit of advice from a first year is to enjoy the summer while you can. Be free but also teach yourself something. With all the free time you have in summer, there are so many things you can do to get ahead of both the future and looking after yourself.

Meet The People

It is safe to say that you will meet some interesting people in uni. People in the student halls, course, or society/ club will all have their interests and certainly some unique qualities. I am fortunate enough to meet some good friends the moment I moved in to my flat. I’ve met wonderful people and I’m thankful they’re not insane party animals and somehow we’re all weird enough to get along.

Moving to university is one hell of a task and it can be daunting for those who have to leave a lot behind like family and friends. However, your flatmates and other first year students are in the same spot. And for those who are looking a fresh start, it’s an amazing feeling when you move to an unfamiliar. New people, new places, new city too. Whatever happens, the people you meet you will meet may teach something useful or really funny. I learnt about freezing bread and long life milk from one of my flatmates. The little moments you have will be the ones you remember when looking back. You might do something amazing, embarrassing, or something downright stupid. But all those moments when looking back will make great stories for when you visit your family and friends.

When you’re thinking of socialising, you don’t have to throw yourself into the deep end on the first day. Talk to the people in your flat and join social events – the best being Freshers Fayres, subject inductions, and events hosted during Freshers Week. Put yourself out there so you can ground yourself in order to see what kind of people you will be surrounded by for the next few years.

Yes, It Costs That Much

This may be the biggest section because there is a lot to cover. I’m telling you now, and God I wish someone taught me sooner, but budgeting is a key skill for living in university. Even with the student loans I applied for, it wouldn’t be enough on a per month basis. For the longest time, talking about money has been an unconscious social taboo specifically from the older generation AKA the ones who taught us most things. Not only that, accommodation costs can be a lot and that’s assuming your utility bills come with it. I’m aware certain universities will charge your accommodation fee and the bills separately which, in a world of inflation with very little money, seems very daunting. Quite frankly, it is.

Another aspect to consider is when your student loan will come in. It isn’t always guaranteed on the first day of university. Applied late or early, you might go days without money which means you will need additional support from family, or anyone who can provide you financial aid, savings from a job, or a side hustle. As I am currently writing this, I’m still waiting for mine and it’s been a whole week relying on financial support provided by my family. Beyond these options, there are universities which offer employment which are called “campus jobs”. I highly recommend it for those who can balance their social, personal, academic and work life but it’s hard to catch up with everything when you’re first starting out. Generally, it isn’t advised due to the potential workload shock and trying to adapt to university in general.

When applying for university, I suggest researching what they offer outside of education if you can afford a little more time for money. Most universities, if not all, have a facilities to support students which includes financial support. If not, look for a side hustle (that is legal) to do on your own terms. On top of this, learn how to budget please. Do not spend your student loans on things you don’t immediately need. Here are some examples to take priority when dealing with student loans:

Student Hall cost

Groceries

Laundry

Personal amenities (e.g skincare)

Fuel for vehicle (if you drive)

Bus & Taxi

Leisure

Say “No” To Initiations!

This is a rather niche topic as, from what I know, initiations in university societies are an older concept. Affectionately referred to as “hazing” or “ragging”, it’s a form of initiation via very humiliating and potentially dangerous activities under the ruse of “team bonding”. Think Pitch Perfect or any early 2000s American movie set in a college. Although they are not as common, that isn’t to say they no longer exist. Societies like sports clubs or more elite groups may do these. The worst part to this is that there is no law that outright says that hazings are illegal but certain activities done during society initiations can be sketchy.

From the format I’ve made for this article, I’m used to putting personal anecdotes relating to the topic right about now. But as of yet, I have not come across any personally. I doubt literary societies would do anything remotely dangerous. Naturally, I tried digging around for examples on the ever-so-wise internet and asked my older sibling about it. But the accounts and examples of hazings were so gross and grotesque that I think it would break any form of ToS so I will leave it up to your imagination. Even the one told to me about a rugby society when my sibling was in university is a violation in its own right.

From this part alone, my entire point is be careful in societies. Although hazings are a less common occurrence in the UK, they are still happening especially amongst the sport clubs. If you ever come across one, run away and don’t look back. Report the club and let the university handle it.

What Am I Getting At?

A lot of what I have stated outlines the good, the bad, and the ugly truths about beginning university. It’s already been a week into my first year and yet I’ve experienced more than I expected. This page is for those who are thinking about university. One thing I can tell you know is that, if you do choose to go to university, I promise it will be one of the greatest days of your life. You will be able to start anew, choose your friends, and explore to see what the world has to offer you. Don’t be limited to your home town or city. Explore as far as you can and you might uncover new things you may not have known about yourself.

Be free for yourself and get yourself out there.

[bopinion]

2024 / 24

Aperçu of the Week

"It is an old German disease that by pointing to the best of tomorrow, one does not do the good of today, and the bad of yesterday remains."

(Klaus Töpfer, former German Environment Minister and long-time Executive Director of the UN Environment Program, died last week at the age of 85)

Bad News of the Week

Biologically speaking, humans are just one of many vertebrates. And yet we consider ourselves to be the "crown of creation" - in other words, something better. And reserve basic rights for most other vertebrates. After all, they are "only" animals. I don't want to start talking about cruel animal husbandry or the ruthless repression of habitats here, even if this receives too little attention. Instead, I would like to talk about a species that would not exist in this form without human intervention: Pigeons.

Most of the populations that live in our cities today can be traced back to pets that were released into the wild. And have since been reviled as "rats of the air". And at the same time highly stylized as a symbol of peace, innocence and loyalty. Their phenomenal sense of orientation with the help of their magnetic sensory perception makes them clearly superior to us humans, at least in this respect.

Due to a lack of natural predators, pigeon populations are getting out of hand in some places (at least in the estimation of the top vertebrate). One proven effective method - albeit relatively costly - is the construction of pigeon lofts in which their eggs are replaced with plaster eggs. The inhabitants of Limburg, a town with a population of almost 40,000 in Hesse, evidently find this too laborious.

In a sensational referendum, the majority of Limburg residents opted for a, well, rather radical method of population reduction: a falconer is to lure the animals into a crate, stun them with a blow to the head and kill them by breaking their necks. Creepy. And quite medieval. But Limburg already existed in the 10th century. It's a shame that civilization there hasn't developed in line with the times in all areas.

Good News of the Week

There have been many international summits in the last few days. Including a meeting of the G7 in Italy. There was one real highlight that all participants were able to agree on - despite many differences in day-to-day political business. Namely, further support for Ukraine. This time it is less about the promise of military support and more about cash. Specifically, Russian money. State assets that are also held in accounts in the USA, Germany, Canada, France, the UK, Japan and Italy - and have been frozen since the start of the war against Ukraine.

Legally (as if that were the point) the assets obviously cannot simply be confiscated. But money continues to "work" even when it is frozen. By earning interest. And apparently Russian money earns a lot of interest. Because the G7 is now using the interest from frozen Russian state assets to finance a Ukraine aid package worth USD 50 billion. And money can be used in more ways than weapons. Because it can not only be used to buy ammunition. It can also be used to buy medicines. And pay bus drivers. And rebuild destroyed schools. Who knows, maybe there will soon be a "Vladimir Putin Primary School" in Kharkiv. Because he not only bombed it, but also rebuilt it with his money.

Personal happy moment of the week

I play Wordle. In English and German. And I score quite good. But winning at the second try is pure luck. But it's nice anyway, when you are called "Genius!". Even if it's just by an algorithm. There are weeks when this is enough for the personal happy moment.

I couldn't care less...

...that the UN Security Council has come out in favor of the plan for a ceasefire in Gaza. Because if any country gives a shit besides the US what the UN thinks or says, it's Israel.

As I write this...

...the European Men's Football Championship is underway. And Germany is dreaming of another "summer fairytale". When Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup, a special, light atmosphere prevailed for the four weeks of the tournament, in which it was easy to forget the hardships of everyday life. Especially now, in this culmination of crises, that would be pleasant again. Even if it doesn't fundamentally change anything.

Post Scriptum

The AfD (Alternative for Germany / Alternative for Germany) member of parliament Petr Bystron - yes, as you can see from the name, there are also xenophobes with a migration background - is under investigation for money laundering and bribery. These must now be dropped, at least for the time being. This is because Bystron was elected to the European Parliament in second place on the AfD party list. And therefore enjoys immunity. At least until it is officially withdrawn at official request. It is absurd that legislators, of all people, should be above the law. Even if it is just a formality.

[emblematicemblazer]

Worldbuilding and theories of Engagem

The cuisine

The dishes of Lythos seen to fall into three categories:

Cheap and easy to cook peasant dishes

Desserts and treats.

Inspired by the other kingdoms.

The cheap and simple peasant dishes could be because of the lifestyle of the clergy who chose to live a simple life and not splurge on luxuries. Since Lythos and The Somniel rely on donations they are careful with how to use money and resources. Some of the dishes might have been necessary during the first war with Lord Sombron because of the lack of resources. The meals could also be precautionary, just in case they cannot rely on trade and fertile land forever. 

The Peasant Dishes:

Peasant Bread - This dish refers to a rustic style bread that has few ingredients, doesn't rise and is easy to create. The is used because it has greater nutritional value and is more filling than wheat. The tends to prefer cold and rainy places to grow so I wonder if the eye used is imported from Brodia or Elusia.

Mutton Stew - This dish is inspired by Irish stew or Welsh Cawl. Elusia is the UK without Scotland (I will explain why in future chapters) and the stew is likely to be a recipe imported from there. It is a dish using cheap ingredients, sometimes leftovers and is traditionally fed to people in bulk. 

Very Veggie Stew - This dish is inspired by Stovie. A stovie is a Scottish dish made with potatoes and leftovers. This recipe likely came from Brodia.

Cod Dip - This dish is inspired by Brandade De Morue which is a local speciality of Nîmes in Southern France. In the old French language of occitan 'Brandade' comes from the word 'brand's which means to shake. Brandade De Morue literally means 'Shaken Cod.' It is a fishy mash dish. The recipe could have done from Firene.

Pickles - The pickles Clanne loves are an important way to preserve fruit and vegetables.

Desserts

Croissant - This is not strictly a dessert but I consider it a celebratory dish. The Croissant shape is a crescent which is the same shape as the island of Lythos. The croissant is more difficult to make and uses a few luxury ingredients such as butter. I believe this dish was created by the Firense as a dish to honour The Divine Dragon because of the shape and more upper class nature of the dish in mediaeval times.

Hot Crepe - This dish is inspired by Crepe Suzette. The fancy and celebratory version could include alcohol so that it could be set ablaze (flambeed). A peasant version would remove the alcohol and just use local fruits.

Berry Custard Tart - This dish is inspired by egg tart. This dish has religious roots. In the 18th century monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in Santa Maria de Belem used to use Egg whites to search nuns' habits. Using white eggs leaves a lot of leftover times which were made into egg tarts. I wonder if the people of Lythos used white whites in the same matter.

Peach Sorbet - This dish is a mixture of ice and fruit juice. The peach is locally grown and the ice would have been stored in caves or ice cellars. 

Apple Beignet - People who eat this dish are eating a 'nun's fart'. This dish is made from pâte à choux and called pets-de-nonne, which means 'nun's fart' in French. Cheap filling pastry made with local fruits.

Chocolate Orange - This dish is inspired by glacé fruit coated with chocolate. This would have been an expensive, luxury dish. The chocolate would have been imported from Solm and sugar would have been a higher price item. 

International inspiration

Due to Lythos receiving visitors from the surrounding countries, it is likely that recipes were shared and exchanged by guests. Nobles would have their favourite dishes and request that the cooks of Lythos make them.