#and i’ve had art block kms

[w4rabii]

this is sooo bad mbut i need to post more.. style practice i GUESSS…….

i have some uh. more stuff in the works.. i have a dj guy i made hes cool and OH MY LORD. theres stuff about warabi too that i have yet to finish its gonna be so good im gonna fuckinf COOK oh man

[proshippers-against-censorship]

I have a confession. I stopped talking to one of my good friends a few months ago because of the things they were drawing and posting on their side twitter account.

Me and my friend were both pretty deep into Hazbin Hotel when the first season dropped a few months ago. They’d send me their art sometimes over the years, but I’d never seen them post any of it on any of their accounts I was following them on. I suggested they should start an art account a few times in the past, but they always brushed it off.

Imagine my surprise when I stumble across one of those pieces they sent to me in private posted on Twitter. I forgot I was still logged in on my private account, and I realized that page had my main blocked. I scrolled through their art for a minute and very quickly realized why they had me blocked on my main. Most of the things they were posting there was NSFW art of Lucifer and Charlie (father and daughter), some of them of Charlie as a little girl talking about how sexy she was as a child and how Lucifer should have molested her. I’ve been very vocal about my disgust with similar art/accounts to them and I guess they blocked me preemptively, but forgot about my priv.

I confronted them about the account and they confirmed that it was them, and they said they just think it’s hot. I blocked them instead of responding. I haven’t talked to them since, and I don’t plan on it. It really hurts losing such a good friend, but I genuinely can’t look at them the same anymore. Knowing the things they’re into, I don’t feel comfortable being around them at all.

I know obviously this isn’t directed at me, but I still feel so betrayed. This isn’t the person I was such good friends with, or anyone I would’ve talked to at all if I would’ve known, and they knew I wouldn’t take it well considering they went out of their way to keep it from me. I feel like none of the fun memories we had together were even real, because I never would’ve even talked to them if I knew.

I’m very firmly against censorship and harassment over fiction, which is why I blocked them instead of responding. They have the right to post it I guess. But the fiction someone posts/enjoys completely changes the way I look at them. I can’t be friends with someone like this, and it hurts. I’d complained about loli shit to them many, many times, and every single time, they agreed with me. I’d say “just scrolled past porn of (insert underage character here), night ruined, gotta kms” and they’d say “yeah lmao ew.” I get why they didn’t, but I wish they would’ve just said “actually I think it’s hot” a long, long time ago instead of keeping it a secret. At least then I would be losing an acquaintance instead of one of my best friends.

Perhaps you should consider why they did not trust you enough to be honest and open if you two were the best of friends.

[chososcamgirl]

HIHIHI IYA DAILY CHECK IN HRUUU⁉️

IVE BEEN LACKING ON MY TUMBLR ASKS LATELY BCUZ IVE BEEN GETTING MORE SUN IN (due to recent events) BUT IM HEALING AND THINGS ARE MAKING PROGRESS 🤗🤗 IM SOSOSO SORRY I HAVENT CHECKED IN ON U RECENTLY BUT IM GOING THRU UR PAGE RN AND TRYING TO CATCH UP🙏💯 (UPDATE ME ON ANYTHING/EVERYTHING THATS HAPPENED 🙏🐺)

IM TAKING A BREAK FROM SCHOOL RN BECAUSE I NEED TO MEET CERTAIN CONDITIONS TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK ON CAMPUS 😭😭 AND I MIGHT NOT BE ON TUMBLR AS MUCH SO HERES MY DISC (mikikoo.o) AGAIN IM SO SO SOOO SORRY FOR NOT CHECKING IN AND STUFF I PROMISE IM TRYING TO BE MORE ACTIVE 😔💔

I STARTED WATCHING MOB PYSCHO AND ITS SO GOOD OMG⁉️⁉️ TBH WHEN I GOT BACK INTO ANIME I THOUGHT I WOULD ONLY WATCH JJK BUT NOW IM GETTING INTO OTHER SHOWS🤗🤗

AND I GOT BACK INTO ARTTTT YAYYYY CUS I HAD A HUGEEE ART BLOCK BEFORE BUT IM GLAD IM DRAWING AGAIN 🙏🙏

ALSO YES I KNOW ANON IS OFF CUS THIS IS AN ALPHA ANON REVEAL 😈🐺 ALSO I WANNA GET INTO POSTING STUFF BUT IDK WHAT TO POST 😔💯

SO EXCITED FOR SJAP WEEKENDDDD OMFJENEBDNEJEBE ‼️‼️ BUT MAKE SURE UR NOT TOO TIRED ITS OKAY IF WERE EDGED 💗💗🤗

ALSO HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL PURPLE EYED ONIGIRI SPEAKING BF TOGE 🤗💗🤤

SORRY THIS ONE IS SO SHORTTTT ‼️‼️💯 ILL MAKE SURE TO DO A LONGER ONE TMRW + I BELIEVE I HAVE ONE IN UR INBOX⁉️⁉️ UNLESS I FORGOT TO SEND THAT ONE 😔😔

ALSO AOTD… NONE TODAY 😭😭 SORRY I REALLY NEED TO KEEP MY ASKS UP TO DATE 😔😔😔

QOTDDDDDD WHAT ARE U GONNA BE FOR HALLOWEEN??? (Idk if I did this one alr or not if I did then sorry 😢💔)

OKOK I HOPE U HAVE A VERY VERY SKIBIDI AMAZING DAY SIGMA ILYSMMMM TAKW CARE🤗🤗🤗 #BLESSUP😇‼️

MIKO!!! <333

hi lovely i meant to answer this last time but i completely forgot and the ask ended up glitching😭 hi hello how are you angel i hope you are well!! <3

btw NEWS GUYS!! miko is alpha anon🙂‍↕️ if you can’t tell already… HOORAY!! another anon revealed!!! i’m so glad you’re healing and taking precautions on getting better lovely! i’m so glad you’re here with us again :) ERM SO!!!! i’ve just been working LITCH that’s it. my life is so boring atm i honestly just want to start uni so i can have something more FULFILLING but omg i’m meeting up with my long distance friend VERY SOON so i’m sosososo excited like i miss her BAD😭 it’s been 551 days since we last saw eachother 💔

OOOOO okay i’ll add you on discord after i send this ask but that’s totally okay!! do what you need to do to get better🙂‍↕️ we’ll definitely talk more on there too! OOOOO mob psycho is def on my list after i finish aot and bsd🙏 i wanna start demon slayer again TOO rahhh so many things to do!!!! YAY FOR ART BLOCK BEING OVER!! blocks in general SUCK but the relief after is SO GOOD🗣️🗣️🔥 WHOOP i’m glad you can post pictures now.. heh… 😈

IM SUPER EXCITED FOR SJAP WEEKEND AND SJAP HALLOWEEN!!! i’m like shaking in my boots.. DONT WORRY ITS DEF GETTING POSTED THIS WEEK🤫🤫🙇‍♀️ also i litch missed my favs birthday too😓 the ONE day i wasn’t on tumblr it was his birthday KMS💔💔 HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY THO KING!! UR FINE!! DONT STRESS!! also i do not believe i have any other of ur asks in here 😭 UNLESS MY INBOX IS GLITCHED OUT BUT I’LL DOUBLE CHECK!!!

AOTD‼️ I AM DRESSING UP AS MAXINE MINX !!!! i am sososoos excited for it to debut i did a practice run and god it looks so fire HBY🫵

ILY TOO MIKO/ALPHA!!! <33 HAVE A SUPER SKIBIDI DAY😏😏

[loverofpiggies]

My Planetary kickstarter is about to begin!

Click through for a link to follow it, so you’ll be notified when it begins!

Hey guys! I’m going to launch a kickstarter Wednesday, March 10th, with some designs I’ve been working on in secret for a while! I’m a big astronomy nerd, and before doing full time art, my plan was to be an Astronomer. Although that didn’t pan out, my love for Astronomy never stopped, and I’ve spent the last few months designing, and redesigning enamel pins, based on each of the planets! (It’s taken a while, art block and all that, but I’m proud to say they’re done!)

To advertise the kickstarter, I’m revealing information of each pin as the days count down! Starting from the closest planets to the sun, to the ones farthest away! Of course, you can see all my designs on my kickstarter page, but I’ll still happily reveal them daily for you! 8 of 8 are now done! All that’s left? Is tomorrows kickstarter! But lets take a moment to learn about Neptune, shall we?

Info About Neptune!

Neptune is the farthest planet from the sun, and was discovered in an incredibly unique way! This was the only planet discovered by mathematical prediction, then by observation. Uranus's orbit had unexpected behaviors, causing scientists to believe another planet must be out there, effecting Uranus's gravity. Then, Neptune was observed from the mathematical predictions, and bam!! Neptune was exactly where the math said it would be! It's so far away, you can't see it with just your eyes.

Unlike Uranus, Neptune has very active visual weather patterns! Not only that, but Neptune has the strongest sustained winds of any planet in the solar system, with speeds as high as 1300 miles per hour!! (2100 km/h!!). Neptune has 'dark spots', comparable to Jupiter's great red spot, and photos of high altitude clouds have been taken as well! Neptune also has a ring system so thin and fragmented, the 'rings' are just called arcs.

Neptune is very, VERY far away, taking about 165 earth years to make a full orbit around our Sun. Could you imagine a year lasting over 60,000 days, instead of the 365 we're used to? That's a normal year, on Neptune!

Check out the Kickstarter here! Click ‘Notify me on launch’ to get an email when it’s available!

[aleijaiiiii]

Hey

I've been busy so haven't had time to write this out but it's best I do it now.

Several of them have me blocked which is why I've chosen to make a post rather than dm.

----

Hi.

You probably heard of me, but if you haven't, keep scrolling. This isn't relevant to you. This isn't relevant to anyone except those I hurt back in 2020.

To the group chat - I'm sorry I sent you those videos. No idea what came over me, but I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have done it and I hope you're doing better.

To the mods of Clownery - I'm sorry for harassing you and having my friends harass you when you just wanted to spread awareness and keep people safe. That was wrong and I'm sorry for doing that.

To the anons that genuinely tried to help - sorry for ignoring you and just saying whatever. You were trying to help and I didn't listen. And I mean the anons who told me I was wrong and tried giving me advice, NOT the anons who attacked me and told me to kms. I still despise you guys.

To the people I stole art from - I'm so sorry for that. I shouldn't have done it. It was very wrong of me and I'm sorry.

To anyone I triggered when not tagging properly - I'm so sorry. I hope you're ok now, I really do.

To all my exes - I'm sorry I was a toxic partner. I'm a new person now and I like to believe ive gotten better. I hope you've found someone who makes you happy.

To anyone I hurt with the multiple other things I haven't listed, I'm so sorry for what I did to you. All of you.

xoxo

- Aleia (who now goes by Jaidyn)

[kat-katsuki]

Failed Attempts | Iwaizumi x Reader Oneshot

Word Count: 3162

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

He carried a vibe around him. And it's intimidating. He's really quiet and focused in class, but he's not the best student. He's quite popular with the boys, but for some reason girls just never really notice him, especially not when he's always around that guy. Iwaizumi Hajime is someone I'd classify as an undiscovered gem. Girls don't seem to see his charm, and they never seem to notice the bright light he's capable of giving off.

As always I sit at the back of class, glancing constantly at the raven haired boy as he scribbled things down into his notebook during math. I've noticed him since the first day I met him, back in our first year of high school. I sat right behind him, but I never talked to him.

He's always busy, I noticed. He's either reading something, talking to someone, or going somewhere. I see him so often, even outside of class. I'd see him on my way to club, he'd be heading to his own club. I'd see him on my way home; he only lives a few blocks away from me. Even though I see him so often, I never actually sat down and talked with him...

Oikawa-san is pretty friendly, he'd greet me whenever we walk by each other in the hall. And whenever I am greeted by Oikawa-san, Iwaizumi would also nod at me. Even though that's a typical 'oh I noticed you' response, every time it happens I somehow get super happy. I don't know what makes him so interesting to me. To be honest I just enjoy watching him completely destroy other boys in arm wrestling, or produce a god-like record in running 1 km, or even be asked to join all the sports team. Around my second year of high school I realized I want to talk to him. It was the first day of our second semester and god granted me this golden chance. First day of the semester we get new seats, and I happened to sit right next to him, to his left. "Good morning Iwaizumi-kun," I greeted, and thank god my voice didn't crack.

"Oh, hi," Iwaizumi replied. Say something, start a conversation, I told myself.

"Long time no see," I made out.

"Mmhm, long time no see," he replied. Good job, great way to start a conversation, I slapped myself in my head. It didn't take me long to realize that Iwaizumi, despite being the vice captain of the volleyball team and always surrounded by boys, is actually quite the introvert. He enjoys his silence, and he likes lone time, which I heard from Oikawa. I'm not really familiar with either of them, but if I had to say who I'm closer to, it'd definitely be Oikawa. He walked with me from class to my club a few times, just to tell me how sad he is that the coach doesn't let him play due to his injuries.

Of course, my attempts to talk to Iwaizumi didn't stop there. After class, I wanted to invite him to eat lunch with me. But the moment I opened my mouth, "Iwa-chan, let's go eat lunch together!" Oikawa called out from the other side of the room. And then all the other volleyball team members would miraculously show up. I nodded my head, Okay, guess that's that. In the end, I ate lunch with my other friends.

From time to time I'd see him in the halls or on the street, but he always seem like he's in a hurry to go somewhere, so I couldn't really bring myself to interrupt his journey. There was once I saw him down the hall on my way to the cafeteria, and since it was lunch time and he was alone I figured I'd invite him to lunch. "Hey, Iwaizumi-kun!" I greeted. "Where are you headed?"

"Oh I'm going to the teacher's office," he said.

"Oh, is that so, well have fun, I guess," I waved and left. Yeah.....so much for inviting him to lunch.....

A few weeks later, after my club activities, I'm in the art club by the way, I saw Iwaizumi walk out of his club room with Oikawa, ready to go home. I was so ready at that time. I gathered up my courage. Today is the day. Today I'm going to ask them if we could walk home together. Then I could talk to Iwaizumi. "Hey! You guys heading home too?" I called out.

"Oh hey!" Oikawa noticed me and waved back, big smile on his face. Bless him for his friendliness. I know people call him a playboy, or whatever, but to me he is a god given blessing, my key to approaching Iwaizumi.

"Oikawa, I'm gonna go to Kitagawa right now, I'll see you tomorrow," Iwaizumi said. I stood there speechless. If I remembered correctly, Kitagawa Daiichi is the middle school the two came from, but what business does Iwaizumi have with his middle school? Especially at eight in the evening!

"Okay, I'll see you then!" Oikawa waved at his best friend.

"Bye!" I said to Iwaizumi. He shot me a faint smile. Although it was just one out of courtesy, it killed me inside out. God why is he so handsome? And that smile of his...just unfair! And I watched him leave...again....

"So, wanna go home together? We're in the same direction right?" Oikawa offered.

"Oh yeah, sure!" I replied instantly, hiding my disappointment. To be fair, Oikawa is fun, definitely someone I enjoy being around. He knows how to start a conversation, and is really open and funny. He's slightly arrogant, but that only adds to his charm. I totally understand why girls like him, not just for his face. Either way though, I only see him as a pretty cool friend.

This leaves me wondering, why is it so hard to talk to Iwaizumi?! Every time I see him, he's there and then he's gone, off to do something. It's not that I don't try to talk to him, it's just I don't want to be obvious and I don't want to be rude. When he's talking to someone else, I can't just go in and invite myself into the conversation just to talk to Iwaizumi.... No.... I can't.

Originally I was interested in him as a person, and a possible love interest, since you know...I'm interested. However at this point he just became a challenge I wanted to overcome. I'm actually the type to try to overcome anything I find an obstacle, and at this point I just want to sit down and talk to him, in a real conversation about things like what he likes and what he does on his free time, things like that. I won't be satisfied with things like 'oh isn't the weather nice' NO! I'm. Going. To. Talk. To. Iwaizumi. Period!

Of course, what I decide and what I do doesn't quite line up on the same page....

"Hey~..... Akane-chan!" I walk past Iwaizumi who was in a conversation with Matsukawa, from class 1, and greet my friend from middle school. Akane-chan and I haven't talked much since high school started so she was surprised to hear me call out to her out of the blue, but we ended up chatting up on our lives and catching up. In the end we even ate lunch together and decided to hang out more often. Wow...I even tightened my relationship with an old friend.... And I still haven't talked to Iwaizumi....

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. Now, we were in our third and final year. I'm at the stage where if we see each other we'll say hi and bye. That's an improvement....right? At least now he says hi to me without me initiating it.... But then he turns and leaves soon after that, and goes where he needs to go.

"Why are you so obsessed with Iwaizumi? In my point of view I think Oikawa is much better looking," Akane asked during lunch. We were sitting in the courtyard, eating our bentos. Yes, I actually became much closer to her due to my failed attempt of talking to Iwaizumi, she knows this now.

"I don't know, I just can't seem to stop. Ever since day 1 I've been trying to talk to him and fate just doesn't want me to apparently!" I said. "Plus, I don't see Oikawa that way. He's cool and all but not my type. I like someone more... Interesting."

"Like Iwaizumi."

"Well......yeah?" I nodded in an unsure way. Now that I think about it, I wouldn't quite describe the boy as interesting. Sure he's got some quirks, but they're quite typical for a boy, and plus since he's always with the oh so great Oikawa Toru, he just seems kinda plain if you think about it. However, despite all that, he always leaves me wondering what's on his mind. I'm always thinking about where he's going next, where the place that takes him away from me is. I'm always questioning how he's going to respond to my next attempt to talk to him. Iwaizumi Hajime is the boy that keeps me on the tip of my toes. "Yeah," I decided. "Yeah, like Iwaizumi."

"Honestly, I don't even know what to say," Akane chuckled. "Good luck I guess?"

"To be honest I don't even have any hope for a chance with him. I just want to fucking talk to him! Is that so hard?!" I groaned.

I even started going to his games. Seijou is quite the volleyball powerhouse so plenty of our students go to watch the volleyball game. I made it my own duty to go watch his games whenever I can. I gotta say, he really looks best when he's in that volleyball jersey. I love seeing him in that number 4. The way he jumps into the air and smashes down the ball with those muscular arms, whoa. The more I watch him the more obsessed I get. Next time I see him I'm definitely going to say something about his performance in the game.

"Hey Iwaizumi-kun, I saw your game. You were great!" I would say to him.

"Thanks! Hey I didn't know you like volleyball?" he'd say back to me.

"Well, yeah I'm actually quite the volleyball fan, but I don't know much about it."

"Wow, you should watch our practice some time."

"I'd love to. Maybe we could walk home together after your practice and you can tell me some more about volleyball?"

"Sure!"

Yes, that's how it's going to work.

The next day I walk into class, he hasn't arrived yet. I sat my stuff down and started replaying my conversation in my head. And finally, the door slides open and a familiar raven haired boy walks in. His had dark circles under his eyes and he seemed to drag himself into the classroom. I hesitated, but I still went up to him and said, "Iwaizumi-kun, I saw your game yesterday. Great job!"

"Oh, thanks," he said and then went to his seat. O...kay...... Not how I imagined it would go. It seemed kind of inappropriate at the time to continue the conversation, so I just decided to go back to my seat. That was embarrassing....

I just can't seem to find the right time and way to talk to him.

Then came what seemed like the chance of my life. Akane and I were sitting in a cafe on the weekend, staring at the menu, and that's when we heard a pleasant voice, "Hey you guys are here too!" Oikawa and Iwaizumi walked over to us from the cafe front door. Of course it was Oikawa greeting us.

"Hey! What a coincidence!" Akane said, excitement in her voice. I could guess the reason behind her excitement. She was probably happy for me, and this god given chance. Knowing that I'd probably screw it up, she was determined to grab this chance for me. "Sit with us! Here for lunch?" Bless her.

"Yeah! Come on Iwa-chan," Oikawa and Iwaizumi sat down at our table. Akane invited Oikawa to sit on her side, leaving Iwaizumi to sit with me. Oh my god..... This is my chance! But what do I do?! I haven't planned anything beforehand...

"Hey, Iwaizumi-kun. Fancy seeing you here!" I mustered out.

"Yeah, didn't think I'd see you here," he replied nonchalantly. Okay, how am I going to respond to that?

"Um, yeah, I actually quite like this place. I come here occasionally," I said.

"Let's order something to eat," Oikawa said. I was thankful for the fact that Oikawa was here. Even though he always seems to take Iwaizumi away when I want to talk to him, he always seems to get me out of an awkward situation with Iwaizumi.

"Actually, I'm not hungry, I'm gonna go now," Iwaizumi stood up.

"Eh? But Iwa-chan, you were the one who was complaining about how hungry you were!" Oikawa said. My eyes widened and I turned to Iwaizumi, who was now towering over our table, cheeks slightly flushed.

"Shut up! Well I'm not hungry anymore, I'll leave now," Iwaizumi said. Huh? But why? Is it because I'm here? Does he not wanna be with me? Is that why he leaves every time I talk to him? Before I could ask him, he started walking out the cafe. I opened my mouth to call his name, but instead I just looked at Akane. According to her later on when I asked, I looked like it was the end of the world at that time.

"Go after him!" she shouted at me, as if it was the obvious thing to do like brush your teeth in the morning. Instantly, I dashed off. I ran out the cafe and sprinted towards Iwaizumi. The familiar silhouette looked unnaturally painful to me. I'm so used to seeing him turn his back on me, but this time, I didn't want to stare at him from behind anymore.

"Iwaizumi-kun!" I shouted as I finally grabbed him by the edge of his sleeve. The boy's dark brown eyes widened at me and my actions. "Are you leaving because of me?! Do you dislike me?!" Now his face went blank in disbelief. Suddenly, he was the one who became flustered.

"No! No! Of course not! You're great! How could I dislike you!? I just thought you'd like it if I left you with Oikawa," Iwaizumi said, violently shaking his hand, signally no.

"What? Why would you think that?!" I demanded, slightly appalled by the idea.

"Well, don't you like him?"

"No! What makes you think that?"

"I mean, all girls do. And he seems to like you quite a bit. You guys talk to each other a lot. He even mentions you during practice sometimes. I figure you guys are-"

"Hold it! Hold it! I don't like Oikawa any more than a friend! In fact the person I like is you, not him!" I just blurted things out like an idiot. I quickly slapped my hand over my mouth when I realized that I just confessed to him, out of the blue. That was the thing I swore I wouldn't do. I'm supposed to get to know him, have him get to know me and get him to like me and then confess when I'm sure of his feelings for me. Ugh. Now I just ruined it. Goodbye my chance of ever being together with Iwaizumi. He thinks of me as a creep now.

However, Iwaizumi's reaction was out of my expectations, as always. Instead of showing disgust and horror, his face was flushed red with embarrassment and surprise. He placed a hand in front of his face, as if to hide the blush on his cheeks, but unfortunately the shade has already reached his ears and neck. "O-Oh..." he mustered out after a while. Oh? I just confessed to you and you say 'oh?' I thought. "Um...I'm sorry..." Great, now he's gonna reject me. "I didn't know. I guess I'm kind of clueless when it comes to this..." Ugh...please just reject me already don't keep me hanging. "Um...is it okay if we get to know each other a little bit better first?"

"Huh?" I asked, confused.

"I think I should get to know you better...before I give you a reply," Iwaizumi said, face still red as a tomato. I think that's so cute. "Is that okay?"

"Y-...Yes! Yes of course!" I nodded violently. "I'd love that!"

"O...Okay," he seemed to be getting more and more embarrassed at the moment.

"Iwaizumi-kun, could it be...this is your first confession?" I asked. Jackpot. His ears were literally emitting steam now. A smile made its way to my lips. I was already enjoying this side of him. I want to get to know him more, to see more sides of him. "Then, maybe we can start with lunch together?"

"A-Alright...." he nodded.

For the record we didn't go back to the cafe with Akane and Oikawa. We completely forgot about them and decided to go somewhere else, somewhere more....private. With that, we began to talk regularly, exchange texts, and I'd come to watch his practice and games with him noticing.

As if we were always that close, Iwaizumi and I started calling each other by first name basis. And we'd eat lunch together, go home together (with Oikawa) and even hang out on weekends. To be honest I was kind of satisfied with the way we are. Even if in the end he told me he didn't see me as a lover, I'd still be okay with it. Of course, if he said yes and became my boyfriend, I'd be happier than a mouse with cheese.

And so the day came. It was the December 23rd, Friday. I walked out of club that day after school, and there he stood, in front of my club room, as if waiting for me. "Hajime," I called out. He looked up, brown orbs meeting mine. His look told me that he was serious. At that point my heart dropped a little. I knew today was the day. It was the day that would decide whether we'd stay as friends, or god would answer my prayers. I gulped.

"I'm here to give my answer to you," he said to me.

"I'm ready," I told him.

He walked up to me, each step he took made my heart feel heavier and heavier. My breathing literally stopped when he was finally in front of me. He towered over me like a wolf over a rabbit. It was to be expected from a volleyball player such as himself. At that moment, however, he looked the most intimidating out of all the moments I've seen him. A breath, and he parted his lips. I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut, bracing myself for what is to come.

"I love you, __________."

A/N: If you like my story, feel free to checkout my wattpad account!

https://www.wattpad.com/user/midnight0406

[taeslovehandles]

i thought i was the only one that hates the fact that anyone can just create a new account . Someone i know say a lot of stuff ( including my mental health problems ) and wishing me death and then i found she actually create another account to stalk me and from time to time try to befriend me ? like it makes me feel like i cant trust anyone - 🎂 anon

Oh my god hun! I am so sorry you had to go through that. *hugs* I've had similar issues but definitely not that bad.

Back when I was in highschool I had this one friend.. well 'friend' that I knew online. We often wrote and had fun until I got some account that started to insult me and write shit about my art on all the websites I posted my art on. So I got really upset.

Turns out it was that friend all along. She literally worte me that I was her best friend while writing me to kms the same day just with another account.

You know why she did it? Jealousy. Cause she thought I was better in art than her and she hated that. She befriended me to get free art and stuff so she didn't need to pay. That still hurts me today. That someone can be so cruel.

Another thing is like... If I block someone, I do this for a reason. That means: I do not want to interact with you anymore.

Having someone that keeps making new accounts to anon ask me shit about unlocking them or just in general sending me asks really, really bothers me. Don't do that? Don't overstep my boundaries. Jesus.

I will tolerate one ask, but after not getting an answer and me blocking AGAIN. Don't send me 2 more!?? What the f-ing hell.

[morethanboomtschk]

Alan Oldham: The Art of Techno Futurism

Alan Oldham is just that – a forward thinking futurist and former radio jockey whose work has long fused the not-so-distant worlds of art and music. Creating illustrations under his own name and spinning under the moniker DJ T-1000, Oldham’s status as a sci-fi visionary has made him one of the most unique and important figures to come out of the Detroit techno movement. “Detroit techno, in my view, was originally about futurism,” he says. “Futuristic black music. Look no further than Juan Atkins for that. A lot of old sci-fi movies and TV shows portrayed a future that had no blacks in it. Detroit techno was a statement that black people would be around in the far future. You can also connect Sun Ra and Mothership Connection-era Parliament/Funkadelic to that aesthetic.”

In the tradition of Sun Ra’s Arkestral manuevers and P-Funk’s explorations of funk’s outer limits, Oldham brings forth elements of science fiction, cultural awareness, higher levels of consciousness and even mythology to forge a sensibility from a future state of existence – with nods to realism interwoven. He believes those talents are innate. “I'm a natural,” says Oldham. “I had an art class in high school, but that's about it. I've been drawing since I was born.” His style – sharp, angular, forward and revolutionary – reflects both the evolution of his craft and his consistency. “My style has matured a bit, especially with my move to paintings,” he says. “But essentially, it's the same as it's always been.”

Oldham began his artistic career as a comic book illustrator, writing for small companies such as Hot Comics, Amazing Comics, Renegade Press, Caliber Comics and a few others. “I started out like everybody else, trying to draw superheroes and trying to get in at Marvel or DC by aping their basic style,” he recalls. “I came up with my own rip-offs of characters, then a few originals of my own. But once I stopped trying to draw like other people, I was able to get in on the indie comics scene of the late ’80s. Anime and manga influences were coming in. It wasn’t so much the basic Marvel or DC styles anymore. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles famously came from that scene, so it was a gold mine back then. Anybody could do anything and it would sell. You could come out with a black and white comic and sell 50,000 copies. We did over 15,000 on Johnny Gambit #1.” - Johnny Gambit is an indie comic book Oldham created at Visual Noise, a studio he put together in the late ‘80s as a place to ink and letter the comic. The name was recently resurrected for an art show Oldham mounted at the Record Loft in Berlin, where he is currently based. Yet in 1986 in Detroit, Derrick May took notice of Johnny Gambit and Oldham’s advanced illustrative style – and he introduced Oldham to the developing techno sound stemming from the Motor City.

“When I went to Wayne State University years ago, there was a place on campus called Student Center,” Oldham remembers. “We all used to hang out there between classes. Some semesters I had long gaps between day and evening classes, so I was there a lot. I was drawing Johnny Gambit at the time and I would have my art supplies with me. Derrick May used to work at this video arcade right off campus on Woodward, and lived a block away from WSU, so I began to run into him. I had known Derrick since we were kids, by the way. Like 10-11 years old. Anyway, he was coming through Student Center when he saw me working on Johnny Gambit. He said he was starting this new label and he asked me to do the label art for it. He offered me $50 for both sides, so I did the designs. $50 was a lot of money in 1986. The record turned out to be ‘Nude Photo’ b/w ‘The Dance’ and it turned out to be very famous.”

It would become the first of dozens of album illustrations for the Detroit techno community. “Derrick had this buddy who needed a logo for his label called KMS,” says Oldham. “So he brought Kevin Saunderson down to Student Center one day, and I met him. I ended up doing the first KMS logo, the one that’s on ‘Truth of Self-Evidence,’ ‘Bounce Your Body to the Box,’ etc. And it just went on from there.” - Oldham was landing gig after gig. In 1987, one of those gigs brought him to a different world: radio. An intern at WDET (a Detroit Public Radio station) the summer prior, he was then offered his own show, which was aptly called “Fast Forward,” holding true to Oldham’s futuristic approach to life. “Fast Forward” had become Detroit’s first-ever all-electronic radio program and ran between 1987-1992. Oldham had a graveyard shift initially – 3 AM to 6 AM – but his audience was vast, as he played everything from classic favourites to burgeoning techno beats from colleagues and friends.

Some of the music given to him for his radio show was from Jeff Mills and Mike Banks, who had just formed Underground Resistance, and they recruited Oldham for yet another gig – this time in the area of public relations for the newfound collective. “Jeff Mills was another childhood friend,” Oldham describes. “Mills lived down the street from this kid I used to draw with. This kid’s dad had this high-rise at 1600 Lafayette that we used to gather at to play Monopoly every week and Jeff was in the group. Years later, Jeff had hooked up with Mike Banks to form UR. By this time, I had my radio show on WDET, and they used to feed me reel-to-reels and white labels to play on the air.

“By 1991, UR was getting stronger and they needed PR help. I minored in English and learned to write press releases in school, so I started doing that for UR for gas money. We were all crammed into Banks’ mom’s basement. Rob Hood was in the group, too, designing flyers, pasting up stuff. This was pre-Mac, of course.”

Oldham’s involvement with Underground Resistance led to his introduction to DJing. “When Jeff left UR in ’92 and they had an Australian Tour all lined up, Banks asked me to be the replacement tour DJ,” he says. “Everybody had code names in UR, so that's when DJ T-1000 was born. I went at it with gusto, ’cause it was my big break. And that was that.” - However, the development of DJ T-1000 also led to the temporary demise of Oldham’s comic illustrations. “Once I got into DJing and traveling every weekend and making music, doing comics took a back seat,” he says. “But with the slow demise of the music business as I once knew it, I’m back to the first love, making comics and art again.”

His travels and constant connections resulted in Oldham creating art for an impressive roster including Derrick May, Miss Djax, Ben Sims, Richie Hawtin, Astralwerks, Third Ear Recordings, Opilec Music, Steve Bug, Cisco Ferreira (The Advent), Delsin Records, AW Recordings and many others. “Because of my work for Djax-Up-Beats, robots have become a theme in my artwork,” Oldham says. “People know me for that, so I decided to continue the theme in my big canvases. Big booties, stiletto heels, spaceships and robots.” Oldham’s art garnered international attention through the DJs and labels, especially in Europe, where there was (and still is) a deep fascination with Detroit techno. “When I started emphasizing on doing gallery shows in Europe, the techno art got even more popular,” he says. Although he felt something special stirring out of the Detroit techno movement, Oldham knew his calling was overseas. “All that interest from Europe… for me, just the chance to get out of Detroit and see the world and make so many international friends was a very big thing, and still is,” he says.

Today, Oldham travels the world showcasing his art, as well as his music. He continues to spread the futuristic message of Detroit techno on an international level through his talents. “My number one goal with both my art and music is to impact my audience in a positive way,” he says. “No negativity, just mood and cool. I’ve got paintings hanging in people’s homes and studios, and my music in their iPods. I want to push my aesthetic out there and leave my mark.”

This article was published on the Red Bull Music Academy website in November 2014. Written by Ashley Zlatopolsky.

[cosmosogler]

busy, preparing for the hurricane. but i got everything necessary done today. tomorrow i’ll try to clean up the apartment a bit so i’m not stuck in a miserable hell hole for days, if it comes to that. i also want to trundle around for a little while outside to fill out my 25 km pokego thing, but that won’t even take an hour. 

the fire alarm went off three times yesterday / today. in the afternoon i grabbed arthur and went out and spent five minutes hanging out in the yard with some neighbors. the second time at was 8:40 pm and i had food in the oven so i was really grouchy about standing outside holding arthur for 20 minutes. a car blocked the fire truck from pulling down our road because they didn’t pull to the side to let the truck pass, which was really good!! arthur was pretty Done with the whole thing, but he didn’t try to push out of my arms or anything. my neighbors all loved him, a couple asked to pet him and stuff. i think he was too overwhelmed to enjoy the attention though. 

i woke up at 6 am for basically no reason after having trouble falling asleep. i was scratching behind arthur’s ear when the alarm went off again. this time i remembered to at least grab my phone along with my keys and arthur... i met some more neighbors while we stood outside blinking dazedly up at orion in the dawn sky for another 25 minutes or so. by the time i got arthur back up to the apartment my arms were really sore. i only dozed, after that, until 8:30. then i got up and ran my errands... 

then at 4 i went to writing club! the semester’s started back up, so club is running again. i was... really, honestly surprised at how happy ian, cristian, and jillian were to see me. jason was there too, but none of the other regulars from last semester. i think raul moved away... my one comic stan hahaha. 

but there’s another guy now who likes to draw comics!! i gave him my email and he said he was trying to put together a group for scheduled drawing time. he was reluctant to call it a club because he is as much of a student as i am (previously, but not now). and there’s some other people who are super into their own projects, and just about everyone had something they were actively working on, so we didn’t spend any time getting people started with the general collab project. it was just as well, for me... i don’t have very much fun with that. it can be fun, just wild spitballing, but enough people have jumped to rape jokes that i’m really wary when we get on that topic. we had a really good turnout this week. i hope most of them come back. we broke it off early because the weather was looking spicy and none of us wanted to get caught in the hurricane’s fringes already reaching over the state. it ended up not raining, but god it really felt like it was going to all day. 

i keep thinking about it... they called me the mvp multiple times... when i came in and told them i would be late most fridays because of my work schedule they said they were just happy to have me, they didn’t know what they were going to do without me. i was... taken aback. i’m. glad i decided to go back. i’ve gotten that from a couple people lately, it feels strange... they like talking to me, my story’s really good, stuff like that. 

it’s been weird because this is, like, exactly the kind of compliments that i thought would make me feel really good? but my brain isn’t doing the corresponding good mood. maybe there’s just a delay. it’s not even that i feel like anyone is lying... it feels like i am just unable to regard the comments as real? like “oh those don’t count.” even though, logically, i know they do, and they should. it’s tiring. 

i’ve been dealing with an art block the last couple days. it’s just for the story really. i just can’t make myself even want to work on it. i’ve been poking at some other digital bits and a short story in the meantime, and i’m not having any trouble with those, if i can get started. i want to finish up my birthday picture tomorrow and then i won’t push myself more than that. i might open the music program and see what that’s about... keep myself busy and stuff. 

i don’t know what will make me feel motivated again. a few new readers have been super nice. i thought that would help, but it didn’t, much like my general mood. i’m hoping it’s just a time thing. i know i’m stressed about a lot of stuff... i really really want to start working, i just need one pay check to come in so i can make my october rent, and then i’ll be a lot more financially stable, and it’ll be golden. i hope. 

[printmakersopenforum]

Pleased to share PrintCamp 2018 (June 2 - 10) at Printmakers Open Forum participant info - In alphabetical order by last name...Next up Jennifer Manzella Website: http://www.jlmanzella.net/ On her work: Working mainly in print media and drawing, I create artwork that recalls landscape tied in with the idea of place, home and shelter. These images are often constructions from actual places in my past travels as well as found images that have been transformed through various drawing and printmaking processes. What she will be doing at PrintCamp: Lately I’ve been more interested in layering imagery I’ve been using transparent base in my relief inks with multiple block processes and monoprints. What I’m really interested in working on at Print Camp is learning how to better integrate a few processes into a single series. For Print Camp my focus wouldbe about combining relief, screen printing and possibly a litho process. I’m very comfortable in relief and screen printing at this point butit would be great to add a process such as lithography. I have a lot of experience as an artist and an educator, I’ve been teaching printmaking, foundations and drawing classes for over 10 years so I have plenty of experience but I’m really eager to learn from others. I’ve done a few residencies (Haystack) in the past and worked out of other professional print studios (Lower East Side Print Shop, Zea Mays) and I always learn so much when I work closely with other artists in these intensive settings. I am really good at working around others and enjoy the communal environment of printmaking studios. Plus I really like camping! Skill Share Presentation at PrintCamp: I would love to share an on-going project that I’ve been working on for the past year. Currently I’m working on a series of tiny copper etchings that are influenced by abandoned and empty building lots in the city of Philadelphia. The city has changed drastically since I had lived here fifteen years ago. I’ve been observing how the influx of people moving from other places along with the real estate market has shifted the poverty line in an ever-changing game of gentrification. My interest lies in recording this shift. Some of these lots have been cared for and have become green spaces within these marginal neighborhoods while other lots are representative of years of neglect. My plan is to create 100 of these small etchings inspired by an exhibition of small Rembrandt etchings I saw a few years ago at the Georgia Museum of Art. I could discuss my process and technique behind this series. Resume: EDUCATION The University of Georgia, Masters of Fine Arts in Printmaking, 2007 The University of Georgia Study Abroad in Cortona, Italy, Graduate Assistant, 2005 The University of Massachusetts Boston, Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, 1998 TEACHING EXPERIENCE 2016–Present Adjunct Instructor of Art, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA 2013 - 2016 Lecturer of Art, The University of North Georgia, Gainesville, GA 2009-2012 Full-time Instructor of Art, Gainesville State College, Gainesville, GA 2007-2009 Adjunct Instructor of Art, Gainesville State College, Gainesville, GA 2007-2009 Adjunct Instructor of Printmaking/Foundations, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 2005-2007 Teaching Assistant, Instructor of Record, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA Summer 2005 Teaching Assistant, The University of Georgia, in Cortona, Italy SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND PROJECTS 2018 City Revealed; Public Installation, East Market, National Real Estate Devt, Philadelphia 2017 Structurally Sound, Random Tea Room, Philadelphia, PA 2010 City Walls Mural Project, Sponsored by Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn, NY 2007Time Spent Sleeping; Time Spent Awake, Eyedrum Gallery, Atlanta, GA 2006 The Nature of Things, Lamar Dodd School of Art, Athens, GA 2005 Temporal Landscapes, Hot Corner Gallery, Athens, GA SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2018 Vibrant Affects, Jefferson Hospital – In Liquid Exhibition, Philadelphia, PA 2017 New Prints/Winter, Juried Exhibition, International Print Center New York, NYC, NY UGA Alumni Show, Gallery 72, Atlanta, GA Southworks, Oconee Cultural Center for the Arts, Watkinsville, GA Works on Paper- NJC 2017, LBI Foundation of the Arts & Sciences, Long Beach Island, NJ Transferred Impressions, Black Moth Gallery, Ardmore, PA 2016 Tiny Universe Two / Invitational Exhibition, Gallery@ Hotel Indigo, Athens, GA Out of Print – BYO Group show, B-Square Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Landscape, Sense of Place, SITE: Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY Killing the Cure, Random Tea Room, Philadelphia, PA An Elegant Statement, Asheville Bookworks, Asheville, NC Lyndon House 41st Annual Juried Exhibition, Athens, GA Southworks, Oconee Cultural Center for the Arts, Watkinsville, GA SCHOLARSHIPS/WORKSHOPS/GRANTS/RESIDENCIES 2017 Zea Mays Printmaking, Wood Engraving workshop with Barry Moser 2016 Barnes – de Mazia Certificate Scholarship, Barnes Foundation, 2016-2017 Haystack School of Crafts Technical Assistant Scholarship, June 11th –June 24th, Deer Isle, ME Best in Show 2D Award, Southworks, Oconee Cultural Center for the Arts, Watkinsville, GA 2015 Haystack Open Studio Residency, May 31st – June 12th, Deer Isle, ME Haystack Workshop/Japanese Woodblock Prints – June 28th – July 11th, Deer Isle, ME BYO Print, Studio Residency, July – August, Philadelphia 2014 BYO Print, Studio Residency, July 9th - August 8th, Philadelphia, PA 2013 Rebecca Thompson Stonington Residency, July 1st – 31st, Stonington, ME 2012 Lower Eastside Print Shop, Studio Residency, June 15th - July 31st, New York City, NY 2011 Lower Eastside Print Shop, Studio Residency, July 1st -31st, New York City, NY 2010 Brooklyn Arts Council & Metrotech BID, City Walls Mural Project, Brooklyn. NY 2007 Andy Warhol Foundation Grant, Eyedrum Gallery, Atlanta, GA 2005 Teaching Assistantship, Lamar Dodd School of Art UGA, Athens, GA 2005 Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Study Abroad Scholarship, UGA, Athens, GA Cortona Stipend Scholarship, UGA, Athens, GA COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS AND ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE 2017 Volunteer for International Southern Graphics Council Conference, Terminus, Atlanta GA March 15th – 18th 2016 Volunteer for Mural Arts Philadelphia, September – November 2017 2014 Contributing researcher on an upcoming article about the El Camino Santiago with anthropologist Dr. Joseph Manzella. Walked the pilgrimage route called the Camino Frances approximately 700 kms 2014 Installation Technician on Advice From the Oceans/ Athens Celebrates Elephant Six Exhibition, ATHICA, Athens, GA 2006 Biked from Portland, Maine to St. John, New Brunswick in Canada approximately 500 miles. 2003 Thu-hiked the entire Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine – 2, 173 miles

[bites-kms]

Christmas Around the World

I’ve been waiting for almost a year to finally post this! Who knew that a year later, I would be finishing this post from Oxford St, surrounded by live Christmas carols and decorations that might blind the tourist eye. 

Regardless on where you are or what you believe in, Christmas is always a special happy time to celebrate together with whom you love the most. Perfect occasion to drink and eat delicious feasts and fall into a food comma until the next day. Wasn’t that was resurrection was about? :D <3 

I had the chance to spend December in different continents and countries, yet only 2 times I’ve spent Christmas away from home: one in HCMC and another one in Madrid. 

So... how do people experience the most joyful time of the year around the globe?? 

Southern Hemisphere - Hot Sunny Summer A) Uruguay - Montevideo & Punta del Este :: Home Lovely Home

Imagine this: 34 degrees Celsius, sunny beaches with mainstream, snowy decorations on every corner. Heavy, caloric food, heritage from cold Christmas spent in Italy or Spain, where our main ancestors have come from. Green countryside postcards and the white, sandy beaches are the Uruguayan equivalent of a snowy pine wood. Still, Santa, or as we call it, Papa Noel, wears the same winter outfit. 

At home is always about the “mesa” service. It’s a ritual. My Dad loves to do it and he is the greatest host when it comes to cuisine “alla Tocchetto”. When I was little, I remember helping him with el Nono while eating some of the charcuterie while preparing it, before going to Church o “Misa de Gallo”, the ceremony performed on the Christmas Eve, with my Mom, la Nona and Aurora. The best part of the Misa is that after it, Christ was already born so I was able to open my presents earlier than 12 o’clock - hence, earlier than anybody else!- and at midnight we only concentrated on staring in awe the great fireworks.

As a second dish, we usually have lechon or cold pigglet, with potatoe salad. Of course, we had turron, an almond and honey pie, as well as digestives and drinks, just enjoying them all-together. Sometimes, my godfather Beto also joined.  

Over the last 10 years or so, we changed the setting to Punta del Este, where we started renting the penthouse of this little wonderful boutique hotel and had bbqs and a privileged views of the ocean and the peninsula. Although is summertime, you can always count on experiencing some wind in Punta, so we were always wrapped in blankets or wearing a light sweater. 

Life happens and suddenly the guests at the table became less, with more empty seats, but with the same spirit and love. Those chairs were replaced by life long lasting friends like Henry & Carmen, once my lovely Turkish roommate Ayse joined, and it was a special occasion since it was her first and only Christmas at the time. I’m really looking forward for this 2017 Christmas since I haven’t been in Uruguay in December since 2015, whilst the year before I’ve spent it in Australia and Vietnam. 

Western Europe:: The tradition begins  A) Spain: Madrid & Galicia & Barcelona 

Last year was the first one that we spent it all together abroad, destination: Spain. There wasn't much to do in Madrid on the night of the 24th as we were expecting, but we did have two wonderful surprises: 1) we did our first DIY Christmas Sweater and 2) we discovered the amazing comfort food of “Migajas de Navidad”, meaning bread crumbs with everything else you can find: chorizo, meat, beans and veggies. 

B) England - London 

Stylish, classy, British. I had the chance to be there last weekend and it was the biggest snowstorm of the last 4 years! You could actually appreciate the white scenery across urban London, and that’s not common at all. Hot chocolate, warm mulled wine with cinnamon and pieces of fruit, as well as Pret-a-Manger soups are some of the British delights that keeps you warm during this wonderful time. Listening to random Christmas carols or singing for charity is something quite common on London Streets - cresting along lasting memory and stealing you a smile every single time. 

C) Portugal - Lisboa & Porto 

This is Christmas with Saudade. The Portuguese feeling of nostalgia is present in every food and on every corner. The lights are on but dimmed or faded out a little, with multiple Christmas Markets around, and the traditional Bolo Rei.

It was quite nice to arrive to our Airbnb and received, under a beautiful Christmas tree, three little gifts. We had such nice hosts and the location were superb: quite close to Praca de Pedro in Lisbon and a few blocks away from the main square in Porto. Such a lovely stayed and magical eve.

South East Asia:: Humid and Joyful  A) Singapore - Singapore 

Another hot and sweaty Christmas. In the humid weather, creating a cool atmosphere is more than necessary. Modern Christmas Markets, in-store Christmas carols, full-on decorated avenues and what they call a “Christmas Wonderland” is ready to transmit the coziness of the most wonderful time of the year! The key stars of Singapore are Gardens by the Bay displays, with each year’s unique proposal -one year they even scheduled a live show of snow fall!- and Orchard Road, the most important and fashionable street where Christmas presents and purchases are made. Each store competes with each other to get the most amazing decoration, therefore more likes and pictures shared on Instagram, creating a wonderful and cheerful avenue where shopping becomes a North Pole visit. 

B) Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City 

I’ve spent a very unconventional Christmas here in HCMC. I went to church to respect my home traditions, went back home, walking down Hai Ba Trung. I exchanged gifts with my couple and I kinda received a wedding proposal in return. It was a very joyful moment. We hugged each other very closely and went to have dinner to this wonderful place we truly liked, I cant remember the name at the moment, but I do remember the amazing little red tea tiramisu served in a little plant pot. It was a Thai Place. We carried our little champagne bottles downtown and greet the passing by people with a “merry chismas” - the way they pronounced it. Every Vietnamese in Saigon was out driving around, taking pictures of the crazy motorbike scene of that night, having a very merry moment. 

Northern Hemisphere - The B Side::: Where the real magic happens  

A) Russia -  Moscow & St Petersburg 

I went to Russia during December and experienced the snowy magic of the ex USSR, but didn’t have the chance to experience Christmas Night itself over there. I guess Orthodox Christmas may vary a little bit from what one is used to,  but I’m sure it would be amazing too.

I did had the chance to ice skate in front of the GUM, the amazing and huge commercial store located right next to Lenin’s mausoleum on The Red Square. It was quite a magical experience yet it made me think a lot. Everything was very Christmasy, very “Coca-Cola” if you’d like, since they do have this special Santa guy as well. Oranges are the Ortohdox symbol of prosperity and good luck that’s why they put it over the tree (same as the offerings done in Lunar ew Year in South East Asia). Chocolates, packed in a very unique, Russian way that resembles Russian architecture style tiles, are also served as treats for kids and adults alike. 

It was such a nice experience, drinking the warm mulled wine, riding a wonderful carrousel, singing Volga-Volga, remembering my Nono and toasting on his name. You feel the new Russian vibe but there’s something graceful and elegant about their Czarist past they can’t get rid of and you feel like a princess, waiting for Anastasia to show up and gossip about the past ballet or opera show. 

Shopping malls are also quite fantastic - and when it comes to discounts and trends, Russians know their stuff. 

B) Finland - Rovaniemi 

When hitting north, you better go big or go home. I went to Rovaniemi, in the highest, Northern part of Finland, on my way to Lapland. It was nice to make a stop there, not only to experience the Article Circle crossing line, but also and mainly because you can experience there real house of Santa Claus. Remember when you were a kid and you ended up taking pictures of yourself in every mall with a very dubious looking Santa? Well.. in this one, you can actually get the original picture after all!

You can visit Santa’s workshop and experience how the gifts are being made by the Elf team and you can learn the different Christmas traditions from around the globe. There’s an amazing souvenir shop where you can actually get your passport stamp by “the North Pole / Santa’s Workshop” but they getting more and more picky about that, since they don’t dare to stamp your actual passport anymore with a fake “country”. Yet, make sure to bring postcards or notebooks and get those stamps instead!

Bites & KMs Tip:::: SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE!::::

You can also experience the deers and hopefully, if you are lucky, you can meet - or eat- Rudolf! There is a beautiful restaurant shaped as a tipi hut, North Pole style of course, where delicious feasts are being served. Don’t lose your time and go straight to the deer or even bear meat, you won’t regret it!

C) Sweden - Stockholm

If you imagine a white, snowy perfect Christmas, I bet Sweden and Stockholm is what’s on your mind and trust me, it will surely surpass your expectations. 

My lovely Sverige. Saint Lucia’s weekend is by far the most festive one and the one you should not miss! Same week as the Nobel Prize ceremony, Saint Lucia is a very typical Swedish Tradition, where carols and candles are being lighted in honor of this Saint. They also do a very picturesque procession in Gamla Stan and in Skansen. The lovely Christmas Markets, with their handcrafted art and food are a delight you shouldn’t miss. Try some mulled wine to warm you up while watching the amazing city lights, making it even more charming than usual, rising up its splendor.

D) New York, New York - Mariah Carey’s Kingdom 

It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year. With the incredible 5th Ave window displays, the fantastic and traditional Saks megastore decoration, as well as the Rockefeller Christmas Tree lightening, New York is fantastic during this time. All the parks around Manhattan and Brooklyn have Christmas Markets where to find delicious treats, fantastic gifts and charming people sharing the Christmas spirit. Macy’s and all the department stores play “All I Want for Christmas is You” and it’s the anthem for December. It makes me so happy. Download the Spotify playlist and enjoy Mariah, Wham! and Michael Bluble non stop.  

Wherever you experience it, whatever you believe in, I do tend to agree with the song that says “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” since, regardless of the gift and shopping stress, family business and menu planning discussions, people are happier, people are more united, and people are having a blast with the one they love. So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Bites &Kms, with love <3

[2wheelrubbertramp]

Poco A Poco

   I’ve reached a personal milestone : this will be my first blog entirely written on the keyboard of my “smart phone”. So grab your seats, and hold on kids : 2 Wheel Rubber Tramp is back !     This newest installment comes to you from the back roads and crowded  highways of Colombia and Ecuador, where I’ll be cycling for two months.  Now, before we start I would like to make an Honorable Mention to the great people and nation of Cuba, where I did a 1,000 mile, one month bike tour of in 2016, but neglected it horribly on this blog.  My apologies.  The nation and people are amazing and their friendliness, generosity, and strength in dealing with continuing to exist after 60  years of crippling sanctions and low-level war from the US is hearthwarming.     Now,onto South Amerika.   This entry of my rubber tramping adventures begins in Bogota, Colombia - the capital city - 8 million people living 8,000 feet up on top of the Andes Cordillera Oriental  range. Bogota is a city constantly on the move : in the street and on the sidewalks. If you want to move, then you must follow the maze of humans winding through each other.  Before I began my ride, I’d wanted to spend a few days in Bogota. I’d booked a bed at at Chocolate Hostel in the Candaleria neighborhood of the city. A bit of a stereotype, as it’s where many gringos land when they come to the city.  However, it’s also in the center of the city and the oldest and most beautiful part of Bogota.  I immediately did not regret it.     I spent 5 days in Bogota, walking from one end of the city to the other for 8 or 10 hours a day.  My favorite thing to do in large foreign cities is simply to walk, take photos, visit museums, and learn about where I am.  I am a life time student of history , culture and political movements.  These things and the natural beauty of our planet earth are the passions that have driven me to see the world all these years, preferably slowly and  by two wheels.    I visited several museums in Bogota : the Military Museum (Museo Militar), which did an excellent job of not mentioning a single war crime committed by the army during the last 30 years of the Drug War; the Gold Museum (Museo De Oro)- I’m not a fan of gold. I don’t get excited by gold.  It’s a shinny metal to me, that’s it. But the Gold Museum was much more than that.  It tied the history of gold in Colombia to indigenous cultures and ceremonies and the art of hand-making gold pieces,and jewelry by indigenous cultures.  Last was the National Museum (Museo Nacional) , which also had several exhibits on indigenous cultures in Colombia and their contributions to modern Colombia.     One of the things I enjoy doing when I travel is learn as much about the culture I’m in while I’m there so I read as much as possible about them and visit historical landmarks and museums.  Cuba was no different.  I’m a history nerd.  I’m also a nerd about seeing the world through a perspective and lens is not Western or Colonialist,  so I appreciated that these museums showed that perspective.     In my daily walks around Bogota I tried to get a feel for the city.  The aguacate sellers with their speakers on repetitive blast, the hundreds of displaced  homeless wanderers and beggars sleeping on sidewalks and hustling spare change, old Colombian men gathered in circles shouting above the traffic.  The traffic, the endless and ongoing traffic and the the thousands  bicyclists who maneuvered through it.  Bogota has hundreds of miles of bike paths and the most bikers I’d seen outside of a Western country.  And better bikes than any city I’d been to in Asia.     There was the wealthy side of the city in the north that was talked about in the guidebooks, with it’s expensive shopping malls and dance clubs, yet no mention of the millions living in crumbling poverty in  the neglected south side of the city.  Everyone had a hustle - and many hustled on the street - selling jewelry, karaoke, gum. Whatever put food in their mouths.  Always people on the street.      Things I wanted to happen in Bogota before I left , didn’t . I wanted to see some live music but it seemed like all the shows were north, 80 blocks away.   I wanted to stock up on Cumbia vinyl but shipping it home cost half my plane ticket. I know - first world problems in the ‘developing world’.     I left Bogota on a high note : Ciclovia Day - each Sunday when major streets are blocked to traffic and thousands of families come out onto the streets on bikes, roller skates, skateboards and on foot.  I followed the trail on one of the bike paths that led me out of the city, my cargo biked loaded with too much food and too many bike parts.       8,000 feet up I began my decent down the Occidental range of the Andes, through suburbia and factorylandia,  stopped for lunch in the first town outside Bogota - Fakatativa and by nightfall I’d found a forgetful hotel in the town of Alban.     Next morning I woke at 5am ready to get off this mountain.  I knew there’d be another.  And another after that.  Fuck, all of Colombia was mountains where I was and I’d decided a long time ago I hated biking over mountains yet here I was, 8,000 feet and going down.  But every biker knows - what goes down, must come up. So for now, I was just enjoying the beauty and the view on Day 1 of the ride.  From up here you could see across the valley, cut through by the Magdalena River and my future: the long haul up the Andes Cordilleria Central range. 13,000 feet up peaked with volcanos in the Los Nevados National Park coming in at 17,000 feet.  Snow capped and feeding 37 rivers . That’s what I’d be facing in the days to come.     Day 2 was also merciful : coming down out of the Occidentals into the town of Cambao I road another 50 kms (30 miles) of flat, tree-lined road.  I found a spot for the night in Armero at a gas station that doubled as a hotel. On the map, it’s labeled “Armero Tragedy” and later I was to find out why: 20+ years previously one of the volcanos in Los Nevados erupted, killing 20,000 people in Armero.  All that was left now was this gas station at a crossroads and the now ghost town of Armero half a mile away.     From Armero I rode to Mariquita. And from there it started to hurt.  Only my 3rd day of riding, and I was to begin an ascent that took me took me 50 miles uphill into the Andes Cordilleria Central range , cresting at 4,000 meters (13,100ft). I loaded up on some tamales before the climb but it wasn’t much help. The traffic was rough- two lane mountains roads with an unending stream of semis, buses, motorbikes,and diesel fumes. I was already having to walk before the end of the day, I found it so hard to breathe. I hadn’t done a bike trip this hard in 2 years, since Cuba, and so I was still acclimating, and not doing it very well.  By nightfall, I’d gone only ten miles up.     There were no hotels up here so I just posted up in front of someone’s home on the side of the road.  There was no bushwacking to be had : the hills were too steep so I had no woods to go into so I was stuck on the side of the road, exposed to traffic and fumes. The family who’s home I put my tent in front of was nice enough to pro-active give me permission. The man there had been on crutches for 9 years and still didn’t know what was wrong with him ! ugh. And it was a hard night : a pouring rain soaked me inside the tent and a never ending parade of headlights, horns, and air pollution kept me on edge.  Many of the families who live on this road sleep within feet of this every night.  There is no quiet.  I never heard silence for more than 30 seconds while on this stretch.  I can’t imagine what spending your life living next to a freeway does to your psyche.      Day 4 : the view is spectacular.  I can see miles and miles down the length of the  Andes. Forested mountain sides with cloud banks blowing in around me. Shacks made of tar paper and wood hanging on the sides of cliffs, and families with two cows and several chickens.  Colombian rural poverty. For some, this well paved road only brought more noise and danger. Every has a dog and every dog chases you as you pass by.  The air is so thin I can only go 100 meters at a time before I feel like I’m going to have a hear attack and have to rest.        Poco a poco - little by little, I keep telling myself.  The beauty of these mountains makes up for the fact that it takes me an hour to go half a mile. I just can’t do it, but have no choice.  I have to rest every 3 minutes, the air is so thin. Periodically, there’ll be a home that sells cheese and instant coffee and bananas and I’ll stop and catch my breath. Everyone gives me the thumbs up - they know I’m crazy. But all these fools coming from Bogota take the night bus and miss the unending miracles of these mountains so I count my suffering as the trade-off for this rare treat.     That said, when I arrive in the small , regional town of Fresno I hunt around for a bus that will take me and the bike.  I still have 84 kms (50 mi.) to my endpoint: the city of Manizales, and don’t believe my lungs can take it. But all the buses are too small and so I have two options left : ditch the bike and end this bike tour 5 days in or sick it up and keep going - Poco a poco.  I go with poco a poco.     I start each day at 5am. The sun sets at 5pm, so I have a solid 12 hours of daylight to get as far as I can.  On a flat road, I could do 80 miles a day but up here at 10 or 12,000 ft I’m clocking in 25 miles on a good day.  As far as humans go - everyone is generous and helpful and encourage me along the way. No one tries to stop or discourage me.  I’m not the first Crazy Gringo on this mountain top.  I just wish they wouldn’t constantly try to murder me out of neglect with their blocks of metal on wheels. That’s all.  I spend another wet night behind a guard rail.  My books are getting wet, most of my clothes, the tent. It’s a mad house.  I pray for 430am when the sun starts to peak out and I can crawl my cold, wet as out of the tent.      Day 5 and I’m still in paradise.  Cloud banks drift in and out through out the day. Cows,hang by hoofs on the sides of bright green slopes. I can’t stop staring. The fact that this is actually three different mountain ranges - the Occidental, Central and Oriental Andes that stretch for 4,500 miles - the longest mountain range in the world.  It’s as long as NYC to Los Angeles and then LA to Houston. So I’m really just absolutely nothing up here.  I’m completely insignificant and matter not at all.  That’s just how incredible this one tiny part of the planet called Earth we live on is.  Ya know, for some perspective.     And by the end of the 5th day, I’d finally made it to that 13,100 foot point, which meant the entire next day was my sweet , sweet reward of 20 miles of pure, raw freedom. AKA in biker language : All. Down. Hill. 

[lethaderr-blog]

Have you heard of ?

I have to admit that I’d never heard of . I’ve heard about the gritty and grandiose port city of Marseille, also in the South of . However, is nothing like what I imagined. There’s no over the top glitz or glamour like you’d associate with the South of . has a laid back vibe. Quiet, peaceful, incredibly charming.

Nestled in the Languedoc-Roussillon coastal region of southern , probably isn’t on your radar. But, it should be. You can certainly escape the crowds here. East of Béziers and southwest of Montpellier, is not only on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea (well, technically it faces a large lagoon called the Étang de Thau), but it’s also at the southern entry point of the Canal du Midi.

I had the opportunity of starting my luxury barge cruise aboard the Athos in . Once I boarded the barge and had a glass of wine with my fellow passengers, I decided to walk around and explore the village of on my own. The next morning, we woke up in and participated in a couple of activities.

You can easily visit in a day. However, you can choose to extend your holiday by going to the beach at Plage, about 3km outside of Ville. Whether you decide to book a hotel in or visit from a canal cruise, you’re certain to be charmed and enchanted by this beautiful little town. Here are 5 reasons to visit .

The Port is Beautiful

port was originally founded by the Romans (the ancient road, Via Domitia was nearby) as a rest and recreation area. There are lots of small sailboats docked along the edge of the water, right in town. Walk from one end of the boardwalk to the other. You’ll reach a small lighthouse. Stare out to the deep blue waters and faraway coastlines. Definitely go for a stroll around the port region.

There are numerous restaurants and cafes by the water with idyllic little patios. Sit by the port with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee with the sun shining over you and a gentle breeze flowing through your hair. Sounds amazing, right? The prices here are much cheaper than other ritzy areas of the South of . There aren’t nearly the amount of tourists here – it’s a mix of local residents and visitors from houseboats on the Canal du Midi.

It’s easy to make little discoveries around the port, a protected heritage area. There’s an interesting work of public art, vine-covered buildings, the cutest small boats, and palm trees everywhere. I enjoyed watching people take their little dogs for walks along the waterfront or engaging in pleasant conversations. Everyone seemed very relaxed and at peace.

The Village is So Charming

I think my favorite aspect of visiting the village was wandering around town. I walked up and down each street and narrow alleyway, admiring the colorful rows of houses. There are so many small gardens, even if it’s just a few planters lining a railing or flower pots on a balcony.

The middle of the village lies within the old town walls. This was a fortified village until the 18th century. There haven’t been any new buildings constructed in the village since the 17th century. Some of the homes here date back to the 12th century. It really has remained mostly unchanged as centuries have passed, making it like walking through a living museum.

I wandered all over the village, many times not encountering another soul. I was so surprised that there really weren’t any other people around as I admired this charming place. I’m so used to crowds of people whenever I travel, but barely had any tourists, let alone a crowd of them.

La Maison Noilly Prat

The main attraction in is La Maison Noilly Prat, a vermouth company. Noilly Prat makes their vermouth using traditional methods dating back over 200 years. I definitely recommend taking a historic guided tour, which are available daily in French, English, and German. It’s incredible that their methods haven’t changed much since 1813.

We took a tour through the giant barrel cellar, Chai des Mistelles. This indoor cellar was built in the 1850s, containing gigantic wooden vats. They age Mistelles wines for up to 12 months in these huge barrels.

Next, we were led outdoors to a place called L’Enclos. We discovered hundreds of barrels sitting out in the sunshine. It’s quite amazing that these dry white wines are left to the elements to age for 12 months. I’ve never seen anything quite like it!

Eventually, we went to another room indoors where the dry white wines, mistelles, and a combination of 20 dried herbs and spices are blended and macerated to create Noilly Prat. The recipes are closely guarded secrets. However, there was a display of some of the spices that go into each variety of Noilly Prat (there are four in total).

Eventually, we tasted each variety of Noilly Prat. I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of hard alcohol, but I can appreciate the interesting methods behind this one. After a small tasting, we went to the larger (and beautifully designed) tasting room for a Noilly Prat cocktail. There’s also an outdoor courtyard where you can enjoy your cocktail beneath an umbrella or out in the sunshine. It’s worth a trip to La Maison Noilly Prat, even if you aren’t in love with liquor. Its history is very intriguing and the property is stunning.

A Game of Pétanque

Have you heard of petanque? I didn’t know anything about this game before my Athos cruise. Thankfully, our tour guide, Mathieu, taught us how to play. Pétanque (boules) is similar to bocce, but played with metal balls on a gravel surface.

Essentially, you divide into two teams. One person throws the “piglet”, a smaller ball that becomes the target. Players try to throw their metal ball the closest to the piglet. Then, you can try to hit your opponents’ balls out of the way as a part of the strategy.

In the South of and , it’s common to gather your friends together to play a game of petanque. We played petanque while sipping glasses of rosé. It’s the perfect spring and summertime activity. While you might have to gather your own group together and bring your own set of boules, maybe you’ll make some friends in who will challenge you to a game. Regardless, I hope you have the chance to play petanque. It’s a lot of fun!

Cruise the Canal du Midi

is at the southern entry point of the Canal du Midi. The Canal du Midi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a fascinating history. This 360 km network of waterways links the Mediterranean and the Atlantic through locks, bridges, and tunnels. The Canal du Midi was constructed between 1667 and 1694.

If you have your own boat or you’re sailing on a barge cruise, you might stop at for a day or two like I did. Once you set sail on the Canal du Midi, your relaxing vacation from continues on the water. There’s nothing like drifting down the canal, admiring the gorgeous scenery. It’s a very slow and restorative way of life.

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[cyber-zombiee]

well, that's my uni work finally completed after a stupid amount of time. in all fairness though, i've had a bout of creators block when it came to doing my 3D stuff so i couldn't really do anything for a few days until i sorted myself out - that even went for art because i was planning on making up for lost time with my inktober pieces but it never worked out. soo yeah, because i'm finally free from uni work for a few days i'm gonna be drawing about 10 days worth of pieces out, and while it'll be a bitch to upload them all (it's gonna take forever kms, uploading isn't the main problem, it's writing everything out and tagging tbh) i'll finally be up to date and i'll also be able to try and do a proper Halloween piece just in time for Wednesday - because i haven't done one in years

[broadwayandshakespeare]

Sunday in New York!

Our alarm went off around 7am, and we reluctantly dragged ourselves out of our beds. We got dressed, packed up, and went downstairs to check out. We were at a diner down the street by 8am, we ate some good food, and then we set out on our second day in NYC.

As we were headed to our first destination we passed the Penguin Random House building, and yes, I fangirled. The lobby was so cute! Books lined the walls in bookcases, illuminated by light, and a small sitting area in front of a large reception desk. Off to the side were the elevators. Oh how I wish I could work in that building (or, at least for that company). Anyways, our first real destination was the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Julliard. I wish I could’ve gone to the ballet, or to see the New York Philharmonic, or an opera, but alas, when you’re only in New York City for 36 hours, there’s only so much you can do.

After that, we walked up 8th Ave along Central Park until we reached the Museum of Natural History. We were looking for Ben Stiller, or a live T-Rex, or a miniature Owen Wilson, but unfortunately we didn’t find them. We got there around 9:45, so the museum hadn’t even opened yet. There were people waiting to get inside. We decided to continue on our journey.

We walked across Central Park and found the Great Lawn, and had an amazing view of the New York City skyline to the south. They put up fences around the lawn because it was newly seeded and they obviously want the grass to grow, but I just wanted to run across the field. I just wanted to be Amy Adams singing and running with my arms spread wide like I didn’t have a care in the world. I guess the park people had a different idea.

We walked to the Guggenheim Museum, and as much as I wanted to go in, the line to get in there was insane. As was the line to get into the MET (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). That line was basically the length of the entire block, so that was a hard pass for Peyton and I. The wind was also really brutal out on the streets, so we walked back into the park and walked south. We found the famous boathouse restaurant, the Bethesda fountain and terrace, and then the Mall and Literary Walk

down the middle of Central Park. Seeing all those places was really cool. We also found the iconic bridge with a perfect view of the famous Plaza Hotel. We didn’t go inside, but I can see why people are so obsessed with June weddings at the Plaza.

By this point, me feet feel like they’re going to fall off, but I know Peyton and I want to see so many things before we leave, so we axed the idea of walking everywhere and hopped on the subway down to the 9/11 Memorial. We saw the new World Trade Center, and then we arrived at Ground Zero. It was a chilling experience. I was disgusted with the amount of disrespectful tourists I saw. “Let’s selfie and smile and pretend like thousands of lives weren’t lost on this very site.” Assholes (oh… sorry, did I say that out loud?)

As Peyton and I wandered further south, we walked back over to Broadway and found ourselves at Trinity Church. We walked inside, and damn, it was beautiful. It smelled old and smelled of incense and I loved it. There’s also a plaque on the ground where Queen Elizabeth II stood when she visited New York and Trinity Church in 1976. We realized after we returned home that Alexander Hamilton is buried in the cemetery at Trinity Church, as are two of the Schuyler sisters (just more to tie into the show we saw the previous day).

We ran into the Charging Bull statue as we walked further down Broadway, and then we made it to Battery Park at the very tip of the island. When Peyton and I first thought about doing this trip in April, we never thought we’d be able to do all the stuff uptown, midtown, and downtown, but somehow we did it. We could see the Statue of Liberty from the park, but we decided against the ferry out to see it up close (they cost too much).

Our feet were protesting, so we hopped back on the subway and made our way over to Washington Square Park. If I tried hard enough, I could pretend I could hear August Rush playing his guitar off to the side of the park.

At this point, Peyton and I had crossed off everything on our list of things to do. We were really hungry, friggin tired, and I probably would’ve been in less pain if I sawed off my feet. But somehow we thought we could walk the 25 blocks back to 34th street. We walked a few blocks, and then called it quits. We found the nearest subway entrance and got on the train, riding it all the way back to Penn Station. After getting lost in the station (it’s so massive) we bought pizzas for lunch, and ate them super quickly. Like, I’ve never eaten a pizza that fast before. We also grabbed a dozen Krispy Kremes for the travelling we were about to do.

We bought tickets for the NJ Transit back to the airport, and once we got there we camped out in the food court before heading through security. I had a nap, then we watched a bit of National Treasure (inspired by Trinity Church, of course) and decided we should probably go through security. Belongings in the bins, shoes off, and scanned in the body scanner, they waved us through and wished us safe travels. It pays to be a friendly Canadian sometimes. Now this is where we started hitting more bumps in our trip.

I got an email saying our flight was delayed an hour (from 8:30 to 9:30). Honestly, not a big deal, but we were really tired and we just wanted to get back to Toronto and to my house to sleep. They’d delayed the flight because of high winds, so the earlier flights were running late, which then pushed our flight back. Around 7:15pm they send me another email saying the plane is now delayed to 9:45pm. Ugh, fine, whatever. Peyton and I went to sit at a restaurant and we shared some food, and then we went back to sit at the gate.

The next email I got said the flight wouldn’t be leaving until 10:05pm. At that point, someone at the gate came over the speaker system and said, “Attention those who are flying Porter this evening. We’ve been delayed several times because of the weather, but the plane should be arriving around 9:40pm. Billy Bishop airport closes at 11pm, due to the city curfew. If you don’t make it to Toronto by 11pm, you will be diverted to Hamilton Airport and will be shuttled back to Toronto by bus. So, because of this, when the plane arrives, please be ready to run onto the plane and get ready for an immediate takeoff. We really want to try to get to Toronto on time.”

So, the plane arrives at 9:40pm. The few passengers from that flight walk off the plane, and we can see flight attendants running around behind the gate doors. Flight attendants run back on the plane, and then they start rushing us all through the doors to the plane. The doors were closed at 9:46pm. That is the quickest I’ve ever seen a plane board, and every seat was occupied. They went through the safety information very quickly, and then we were moving away from the building and down to the runway. We were taxiing to the runaway at 57 km/hr (that’s the fastest I’ve ever seen a plane taxi before). We also had the quickest takeoff ever. It’s like “oh, we’re speeding up, speeding up, oh god we’re already off the ground, holy crap.”

At 10:50pm the pilot spoke to the passengers and told us that we were either landing at Billy Bishop right at 11pm, or we’d be diverting to Pearson Airport. Either way, they weren’t going to take us to Hamilton. His exact words were “We’ll make it happen.”

At exactly 11pm, our wheels touched down at Billy Bishop airport. We all clapped for the pilots. They made the typical 75 minute flight, like, 55 minutes. The flight attendants were really snotty, probably because they were stressed about making the landing on time, but at least the pilots did a good job.

Peyton and I made it back to my house around 11:45ish and fell asleep almost immediately. When I woke up the next day, my feet were swollen, one of my eyes didn’t really want to open, I had a pounding headache, and I couldn’t stop coughing. I called in sick to work, Peyton caught a bus back to London, and I went back to sleep for another six hours (and still woke up with a pounding headache).

It was such a crazy weekend, but ohmygod I would do it all over again if I could. The thing I’ve dreamed about for my entire life finally became a reality, and I still can’t believe it. Peyton and I have already talked about going back, so we can actually visit those museums that we didn’t really have time to see this time ‘round.

New York, I love you ❤

Let’s Hear It For New York (Part 2) Sunday in New York! Our alarm went off around 7am, and we reluctantly dragged ourselves out of our beds.

[houstonblog]

Day 25 & 26 Date: Mon, June 19 & Tue, June 20, 2017 Start: Lezama, Spain Stop: Hotel Ilunion, Bilbao, Spain Distance (Official – Personal App): 11/520 –  18/606 km Elevation Gain/-Loss/Cumulative Total: 300/-370/7475 mt (984/-1214/24524 ft) High Temp: 35 C – 95 F 

https://vimeo.com/234583011

Very short day.  So, started later than normal, when most other people got up.  Long stretch on sidewalk along a busy highway followed by one steep hill/mountain and ended with a long walk thru Bilbao before getting to center of town.  There is a point where you turn a corner and get a really good view of Bilbao stretched out in front of you.  this picture doesn’t do it justice but . . .

Entering Bilbao, Spain

I’ve booked a hotel for two nights but get there so early that they don’t have any rooms ready.  I drop of my pack and decide to wander around but it is just too hot and end up spending some time at a cafe.  I realize that there is a Decathlon within walking distance and I decide to check it out for a sleeping bag liner.  It’s going to continue to get hotter the further I go and especially once the trail moves away from the coast and I want to switch out my sleeping bag for a liner.  Decathlons is a large sporting goods chain in Europe.  While it would not be out of the ordinary in the US, it stands out in Europe for their large variety and cheap, for Europe, prices.  I want the cheapest one I can get because I already have two expensive ones, back home.  DUH!  I find one.  It is a really ugly gray but it’ll do.

Bilbao, Spain

I head to the hotel and check in.  When I unpack, I realize my black shorts are missing.  They are really cheap shorts from Academy but I like them.  I have not been in my pack since this morning.  I know I had them last night because I had them on.  So, must have left them in last night’s albergue.  This really pisses me off as I consider myself to be very careful.  I have a system when I pack and unpack, which I tend to follow religiously.  I think about heading back to Decathlon for another pair.  But I really like these shorts.  The front desk tries calling the albergue but no one answers.  They don’t open until later in the afternoon.  Financially, it makes no sense but I get a cab and run back to the albergue.  I have the cab wait.  She is just opening up when I get there and, sure enough, she has my shorts.  I’m back to the hotel within half an hour.  The cab fare cost more than the shorts but I am pleased with getting them back.

Bilbao, Spain

One of the things I’ve noticed about Bilbao, at least the central portion where I am, is the amount of construction going on.  It’s all renovation of existing buildings.  You see a lot of cranes, scaffolding, roll off dumpsters blocking streets and sidewalks and buildings clad in meshing.  The walkway along the river looks new and are lined with colorful apartments, recently renovated or in the process.  Bilbao is going thru a metamorphosis, changing from a gritty industrial city to a more touristy and artsy/fartsy.  A concerted decision that the city made when they funded the Guggenheim Museum.  A gentrification that is probably going to price a lot of people out of the market.

Puppy, 1992 by Jeff Koons @ Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

The reason I had decided to spend an extra day was to visit the Guggenheim.  I didn’t realize that it was closed on Mondays until it was too late to change my plans.  I could buy tickets online but decided I would head their before they opened and take my chances.  I got there pretty early but a line to enter was already forming.  There were two lines – one for people who already had tickets and the other for people needing to buy tickets.  There was a long line for the former and no one in the latter.  Sometimes the counter intuitive works.  I was first in line and in lickety split.

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The art work is good and the sculptures are great but the true star is the building.  I took a lot of pictures but none of them really do justice to the building.  So, if you ever find yourself in Northern Spain, the Guggenheim in Bilbao is worth the price of admission.

I bought a couple of postcards and a couple of mugs at the museum, which I mailed home.  I also mailed my sleeping bag to Ivar in Santiago.  It’s cheaper to mail it within Spain and pay for storage at Ivar’s vs. mailing it back to the US.  Also, Ivar’s a good guy and I want to support everything he does for the camino.

Cantina Mexicana, Bilbao, Spain

When heading to the hotel, yesterday, I had come across a restaurant called Mexican Cantina.  A burrito sounds great.  It doesn’t open for dinner until 7:30.  I get there at 7:30 but it doesn’t really open until 8.  The picture, above, was taken at around 8:15 pm.  I’m the only one in there.  I order something that looks like a burrito.  On the menu it’s called something else.  First of all, it is tiny.  About the 1/3rd the size of a Chipotle burrito.  Last year, I had been told by a restaurant in Madrid that Spaniards aren’t used to spicy and you have to ask for it.  So, I told the waitress to bring the heat.  Not only was it not spicy but the sauce actually had a sweet taste.  Imma stick with the pintxos.  Chipotles would make a killing in Europe.

And, finally, here’s a gratuitous picture of a church.

St James Cathedral, Bilbao, Spain

Day 25 & 26: Bilbao Day 25 & 26