#and making a note of when it deviates like 1-3 times on average

[magentagalaxies]

Kids in the Archive: Episode 8

welcome back to kids in the archive! the show where i highlight iconic kids in the hall sketches that i have procured the original scripts for and break down a behind-the-scenes comparison of script and screen

Previous Episodes: Episode 1 - armada finale ("do we make it?") Episode 2 - fran & gordon: the vacation Episode 3 - comfortable Episode 4 - cathy & kathi: is he? Episode 5 - danny husk: kidnapped! Episode 6 - trappers Episode 7 - sizzlers & the bank

on today's episode, i bring you the highly revised s3e17 sketch that is Darcy and Francesca!

i've always enjoyed this sketch - francesca fiore is one of my favorite scott characters and i really enjoyed both darcy pennell show sketches and i wish they did more. however the reason i'm showcasing it today is because this is the most any kids in the hall script has deviated from the final product out of the ones i've read so far. i've had scripts with a slightly different ending beat or a change in casting, but aside from the sketches that never made it into the show at all, this one presents the most interesting alternate universe where this aired as written, and raises questions about why these changes were made in the first place

Darcy's Personality

The first thing you'll notice in this script is that darcy pennell has a bit more of an edge. her opening song's lyrics reference mood swings and lithium (we stan a bipolar queen), she gets mad when she can't parse francesca's nationality, there's a line where she talks about having a thing for the tin man from wizard of oz, she even sits behind a desk! okay, the desk thing isn't that edgy, but that also shows us how the setup of this show differs as well, with darcy constantly calling to unseen camera men with increasingly ridiculous names.

a bit of this edge remains in the sketch that aired - like referencing the show's previous episode as giving makeovers to the women on death row (a line that was added since it does not appear in this script), or teasing the next episode as darcy joining the hell riders (which is still in this ending). however, these jokes are juxtaposed with the daytime-talkshow-positivity and mom-vibes darcy gives off otherwise. i think this works, both because the contrast makes both traits pop and because it plays to kevin's strengths. some of my favorite beats are not in this draft - while script-darcy pulls out popcorn to watch the clip, screen-darcy puts on nonfunctional glasses so she can get used to them. while script-darcy complains about subtitles, screen-darcy talks over the clip by saying "what a lovely wall!"

Francesca Fiore Lore

the sequence of darcy trying to parse francesca fiore's nationality is a bit more drawn out and includes specifics of francesca's global backstory:

personally, i like the final sketch's version of this conversation much better - quickly going back and forth setting up a country she's from and then denying being from that country. i also like the ending of the screen version's conversation better - where instead of getting mad, darcy is somehow able to grasp that francesca is somehow irish. however, this lore-dump is also interesting considering as this is only francesca fiore's second appearance. the first page of the text has to justify her as being "from hazy movie," the only sketch she's been in thus far.

The Censorship

by "the censorship" i don't necessarily mean the sketch itself was censored (or do i?), i mean that in the alternate universe this sketch provides, it's abundantly clear the theme of this sketch is censorship! sure, censorship is referenced in the final sketch (the clip of francesca's movie being cut, francesca's line "shoot shoot bang bang kill kill is fine, but show seven genital and everybody go crazy"). however, the script goes even farther.

after the clip concludes, darcy commiserates with francesca, saying any time she tries to bring up anything controversial, the camera just cuts to calming beach footage until she brings up hairstylists. then this happens:

following this, we have the same francesca line about violence being allowed but not sex, and darcy teasing her next episode.

so what do we make of this? well, the kids in the hall have always had issues with censorship from networks over the years, and the juxtaposition between censoring sexuality while allowing violence unfiltered has been part of scott's work for years. a decade after this sketch, he'd be taking on this subject again in his one-man-show The Lowest Show On Earth, whose poster (featuring scott with what appears to be semen on his face) would cause controversy, leading scott to comment on how if it was blood there would be no issue. interestingly, the topic of censorship became even more prevalent during the amazon prime revival decades later, because while scenes of sex and nudity were more acceptable, the third kind of censorship (censoring discussion of controversial topics, like darcy runs into) was even more prevalent. this topic is also going to be a staple of the buddy cole documentary, and i wonder what scott thinks of this alternate script

so why was the censorship commentary toned down? i have three theories:

a) they were censored (either the network didn't like their portrayal of the censors being met with violence or the violence was so gratuitous that it was not allowed on television) b) it was too expensive to shoot (a lot goes into filming a sketch like this - location, special effects, the cost of filming itself) c) it just wasn't that good

personally, as interesting as i find the kids in the hall's (specifically scott's) relationship to censorship to be, i'm inclined to go with the third option. this alternate ending makes a point, sure, but it's not as funny. i don't think i'd be returning to the sketch as much as i do if this script was the version that aired. even when looking at the youtube comments on this upload, the top comments are all referencing jokes that aren't in this draft. the darcy theme song, "what a lovely wall", and bruno counting the genitals in the clip are all iconic moments and as much as i love satire, i think these sillier moments make the satire itself stronger.

but i'm glad i have this look into what this sketch could have been, to make me appreciate the process.

[handwrittenhello]

i think its kind of ridiculous to think that homestucks are seriously using bots in this poll because why the hell would they bot this poll instead of the tumblrwoman poll which was the poll EVERYBODY in the hs fandom was actually making a big deal out of . also because im going to be real but i dont think anyone cares about polls enough to rig one? even the bayonetta/miku poll turned out to actually not be vriska voter fraud (most people in the homestuck fandom voted miku anyway) i think people are just unable to comprehend that a lot of people are still dormantly into homestuck & probably just saw vriska serket at the front of the trending disco elysium tag and thought it was funny. like oh my godddd no one cares enough about the outcome of this poll to bot it . somebody with a lot of followers probably just posted about it on twitter or something mundane like that its not that deep . a lot of people on tumblr have read homestuck its not extraordinary that a lot of vriska voters exist. disco elysium fans im sorry your blorbo is losing you’ll probably be back in the lead in a couple hours anyway all of you need to chill out‼️‼️‼️

answering only this ask about the cheating/botting, and no others, because i'm getting a lot of asks about it. congratulations, this contest has officially had all the fun sucked out of it.

here's data i've been collecting for every poll i've run. it's organized by votes the character received per round, then the total number of votes on that poll, for all five rounds. then there are two columns for totals.

the next five columns, Notes 1-5, are the number of notes on each poll. i've highlighted two posts that were circulated with a greater-than-average frequency even after the poll ended (the loki/JC one because people were memeing on JC, and then HDB/Howl one because it gained popularity following a popular blogger reblogging it.)

V/N is the votes to notes ratio for each poll. it was taken by dividing the number of votes when the poll ended by the number of notes on each post. one limitation is that this was not taken at the same time each day, and so older posts will have slightly higher notes. however, i believe this uncertainty isn't enough to discount the conclusions i'll come to.

i've highlighted vriska's V:N ratio in red at the top. as you can see, round vriska's V:N ratio wasn't even the highest; she beat kaeya alberich easily, and the comments in the notes reflected that.

in round 2, things started to get interesting. this is where i and other people noticed a sudden flip, but i didn't think much of it. she was up against izzy hands. izzy was leading all day, and when i queued the next day's poll and went to bed, izzy was leading by 60%. when i woke up, it had flipped to 53/47 in vriska's favor. it's not a HUGEamount, but it is a NOTICEABLE amount.

keep in mind that every single day, there have been other, closer polls, that hovered around 49-50-51 all day, and which also flipped at the end of the day, or remained 50/50 and could only be determined by tumblr. in these cases, the notes also reflect the split. these polls also never swayed more than one or two percent.

in round 3, when vriska faced zuko, there was a clear and immediate lead for zuko, with him leading by 80%. keep in mind that by this point, all 28 other polls i ran, besides vriska's the day before, never swayed more than 1 or 2% once a clear lead had been established.

this poll went from 80/20 zuko to 59/41 vriska. that's RIDICULOUS. the only way that's possible is if an OVERWHELMING amount of people voted vriska and NO people voted zuko. for such a thing to happen, this post would need to spread really rapidly, right? surely this post had tens of thousands of notes and comments!

the V:N ratio for round 3 is TWENTY-SEVEN to one. that's the most out of any poll. the standard deviation for the round 3 polls is 9.0, compared to 4.8 and 4.9 the days before. not to mention reading those notes also does not get us an overwhelming amount of comments rooting for vriska.

today has also been highly suspicious. it started out with an 85/15 lead for harry. i wouldn't necessarily expect it to hold exactly at that percentage, but the flip was immediate and drastic. you can see the trend being tracked on this post. not at all suspicious, right? also note that the comments all day have been 95% rooting for harry and maybe 5% for vriska.

please also look at the GRAND TOTAL column, which has reliably predicted the winners of future polls each day. vriska has received 49,064 votes over the course of the whole contest. harry has received 64,644. that's 24% more votes. and yet the poll is locked at 50/50?

and if this isn't enough evidence for you, then remember the tumblr sexywoman poll. it is a FLAT FUCKING FACT that those polls were spammed by bots. out of respect for their privacy i won't go into detail, but they outright admitted it.

TO CONCLUDE,

it's pretty fucking obvious that something is up, and although i admit that there's simply no concrete way of proving it, there would have to be a really standout explanation for this.

and besides this being super lame, it's also removed all the fun from this contest. it's a stupid tumblr poll that wins literally nothing, congratulations!

also, to everyone making death threats in the notes, BOTH SIDES, you've failed my secret challenge of not being rude which means i'm judging you personally. be fucking nice.

[feyburner]

hello mr feyburner sir i really want to get into baking but i am scared to mess up and recipes terrify me. i only know one simple sponge cake recipe that my mom taught me anyway point is what were the things you wished you knew before you started baking? i know it’s a lot of trial and error but would you let us know what to start with and how to not get completely overwhelmed by the fact that i am not immediately good at it…

(Also if u have a sponge cake recipe of yours i would love it!!!)

1.

The first step to being less scared is accepting that you are going to mess up. In fact, the more you bake, the more you will mess up; you can’t fuck what you’re not doing. There is no avoiding it. Sometimes your fuckup will be fixable. Sometimes it won’t be fixable but you can still eat the end result. Sometimes it won’t be fixable and also the end result is garbage, and now you’ve wasted 3 hours and a bunch of ingredients, and it is the most frustrating thing in the world. That is just how it goes. I’ve been baking since I was a kid, baking very regularly (like, averaging 1-2x per week) for 5-6 years now, and I fuck up all the time. I fully expect to keep fucking up on a regular basis until the day I die.

What years of practice have given me is not the ability to never fuck up—it’s the ability to understand why I fucked up, what I did wrong, and how to hopefully not do it again.

One of the most common things out of my mouth is: “This is good, but I know what I’ll do differently next time.”

Next time I’ll shape the dough tighter. Next time I’ll let it rise longer. Next time I’ll check for doneness earlier. And so on.

2.

Taste is subjective. Everyone’s kitchen is different and everyone likes different things. Some people want thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies and some people want thin, crispy ones. Some people like a very tight crumb on their sourdough bread and others want air holes so big you can’t butter it. There’s no such thing as a perfect recipe because the point of food is the person eating it.

This is why it’s so rewarding to learn basic techniques and basic baking chemistry as you go. Once you get more comfortable in the kitchen, you can start going off-book. “This looks great but I think I’m gonna want a chewier texture. I’ll use half bread flour and mix the dough a bit longer to really activate the gluten.”

3.

Don’t just pick a random recipe. Especially in the age of 1 million recipe blogs. I always, always read at least 4-5 recipes for the thing I’m trying to make. I read the reviews. I compare and contrast them. If you’re looking at 5 recipes for chocolate chip cookies and only 1 says to add kale, there’s a good chance that’s not the one you want to start with. You can experiment with it later—maybe kale is the secret to the best cookies ever!—but typically you’ll want to start with the standard and deviate from there.

I often take notes on the 4-5 recipes, noting not just differences in ingredient ratios but in technique as well. A good recipe blog will explain to you WHY you’re doing something a certain way. If it doesn’t explain, look it up! Reddit r/baking and r/AskBaking are super helpful. Often someone’s random comment is the reason I learn something incredibly useful that can be applied to tons of recipes.

(I love King Arthur Baking and America’s Test Kitchen for learning technique—the ATK cookbooks are some of my most-referenced. Sally’s Baking Recipes never lets me down for good old American basics. Serious Eats is also very informative, though their recipes are often overly complicated or finicky.)

Often, I won’t simply pick one recipe—I’ll use a little of Recipe A, a little of Recipe B. I did this for a brownie recipe that ended up going viral on Reddit/Youtube which was pretty funny. I don’t necessarily recommend combining recipes when you’re first starting out, but keep it in mind as you go.

No recipe is set in stone. You can always adjust it to your tastes, to what works for you in your kitchen. Make it a little less sweet, a little sweeter, a little denser, a little lighter. Whatever you want. That’s what technique, and understanding how ingredients interact with each other, is about—like artists who learn realistic anatomy but paint in abstract.

4.

It can be hard to compare multiple very similar recipes. This recipe says to use 3 cups of flour and 1/2 cup butter and this recipe says 2 cups flour and 1 cup butter—but Recipe A makes 12 cookies and Recipe B makes 24 cookies. (Or, Recipe A uses volume measurements and Recipe B uses weight.) What does that mean? How do you draw a meaningful comparison?

Math!

Baker’s percentages are your best friend. They’re super easy. Just pick one ingredient to be your baseline—typically flour. That’s 100%. Then calculate the ratio of each ingredient to your flour ratio to easily compare different ingredient amounts.

For example, from my croissant recipe:

500g bread flour

10g kosher salt

150g milk + 100g water, room temp (70°; microwaved 10-15 seconds)

50g white sugar

10g honey

10g active dry yeast

30g (2 Tbsp) butter, softened

+

309g (remainder of 3 sticks after -30g; 62%) butter for lamination, softened, sliced 1” thick

BAKER’S PERCENTAGES:

100% bread flour

2% kosher salt

50% hydration (milk + water)

10% white sugar

2% honey

2% yeast

6% butter

45-62% butter for lamination

How to calculate:

500g flour is my baseline 100%.

What percentage of 500 is 50 (50g sugar)?

50/500 = 0.1 = 10%.

It doesn’t work as well for volume measurements. But many recipes include weight and volume—and you can always convert volume to weight using tools like King Arthur’s Ingredient Weight Chart.

5.

Finally, start with the basics and build. Don’t attempt making a Napoleon or macarons right out of the gate. Start with simple, beginner’s recipes, look up techniques as you go, watch lots of videos, always try to understand the why. Baking is chemistry but it’s also art. It’s whatever you want it to be. Mostly it’s about the house smelling like cinnamon rolls.

*

In summary, you’re going to fuck up and that’s okay. Baking is beautiful, and there’s nothing like the satisfaction of pulling something incredible out of the oven. You will learn and improve as you go, like anything else. You will eat lots of ugly cakes and pastries. But taste is what matters anyway.

Good luck in your baking adventures. Feel free to ask questions anytime. I love sharing what little knowledge I have.

I don’t have a sponge cake recipe but I do have these cake recipes. Let me know how your sponge cake turns out. You got this! 🍰

[itmighthavebeenintentional]

Shadows And Pills - 1

Summary: Some people come away from the Battle of New York with scars and broken bones. Some come away with nightmares and years of therapy ahead of them. Some don’t come away at all. Alexa comes away with a shadow.

18+ ONLY, MINORS DO NOT PROCEED

Warnings: RAPE, Torture, Abuse, Self Harm, Negative Images of Psychological Services/Mental Health Professionals, Hallucinations, Stalking, Supernatural Horror, Prescription Drug Use and Eventual Abuse, Mental Illness, PTSD, Flashbacks of Violence, Flashbacks of Tragedy, Starving Oneself, Isolation, Physical and Mental Exhaustion, Denial, Self Neglect, Gaslighting, Mental Spiraling, Mental and Emotional Abuse

18+ ONLY, MINORS DO NOT PROCEED

Author’s Note: This is not a happy story in any sense, at any point. I could only write this at my lowest places, emotionally and mentally speaking, and I had a hard time coming back from it. This is dark, and it does not at any point get lighter. I relied heavily on my own experiences with mental struggles and took a few pieces here and there from my own experiences with mental health professionals. MY EXPERIENCES ARE MY OWN AND ARE NOT TYPICAL, NOT EVEN FOR ME. If you need mental help of any kind, please DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO GET IT. This story was an exercise in mental exorcism, in a sense.

For all the Loki lovers out there, I do not shine him anything like a good or redeeming light here. He is evil incarnate, more or less. I love Loki, I love good Loki and redeemed Loki and misunderstood Loki and just about every incarnation thereof. I needed a villain, and he fit the story.

Above all, please be kind. This was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever written, and it took me years to work up the courage to post it. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me or send me an ask.

Thank you to @thoughtslikeaminefield and @glassjacket . I would not have made it through this story and would honestly not be here today with the two of you. I will never be able to tell you how much you mean to me.

18+ ONLY, MINORS DO NOT PROCEED

Word Count: 1 - 3785; 2 - 3513; 3 - 1068

In Case You Missed It: ItMightHaveBeenIntentional’s Masterlist

...

Shadows and Pills

1

Some people come away from the Battle of New York with scars and broken bones. Some come away with nightmares and years of therapy ahead of them. Some don’t come away at all.

Alexa comes away with a shadow.

In the weeks following the disaster, the public equally lauds and decries the Avengers, but while their opinions are divided over the heroes, the villain is universally denounced as nothing short of Satan himself, and the city throws an actual celebration the day Thor takes Loki back to Asgard to face the justice of their people.

Alexa, having not turned on her television since the day she got home from the hospital, ignores the boisterous celebrants and goes about her shopping, earbuds firmly in place, frown lines now permanently etched between her eyes and around her pinched lips.

“Routine will help you through some of the worst days,” her therapist tells her during one session. “Something familiar and safe to retreat to when the flashbacks are the worst. Just give it a try,” he adds at her disbelieving grimace.

And so she sets a routine.

Morning Routine: wake up. Ignore alarm, lie in bed an extra thirty minutes or so. Shower. Pretend to eat breakfast. Take meds (this one she never skips or shirks). Find something to wear. Stare at it for another ten minutes. Eventually get dressed. Contemplate keys for another fifteen minutes. Leave the goddamned apartment already.

Her routine has varying results, although she does admit to her therapist that life is marginally more bearable with the routine than without.

“It’s nice to have something to look forward to for the next day.”

Her therapist can’t quite hide his grimace at her flat, deadened tone, but she’s not being sarcastic or rude. She finds that going to bed at night is a trifle easier when she knows what’s going to happen the next day.

“So, who are we up to today?” the doctor asks, switching the subject with awkward abruptness. It’s been six weeks since Hell came to New York, and during their twice-weekly meetings, her therapist suggests going through each of the people she saw die in front of her that day, to get closure...or say goodbye...or something.

Sometimes Alexa wonders whether he just wants to hear the details for his own perverse pleasure.

“Brenda.”

Alexa robotically begins to list the personal details she knows...knew...about her floor manager. Unlike the mail room intern she discussed at their last meeting, the list for Brenda goes on for a while. She’s worked with Brenda since she started at the company, learning most of what she knows about her current job from the woman.

Brenda was kind, sharply intelligent, and mothering to everyone under her supervision, and yet she did it in a way that didn’t make anyone uncomfortable. She balanced work and a family long and well enough to both receive regular promotions within the company and also, very recently, become a new grandmother.

The backs of Alexa’s eyes sting as she remembers the photo Brenda showed her not twenty minutes before part of the building collapsed on top of half the department. Her jaw locks as the scene plays before her eyes again, the explosions and shrieks of metal drowning out the shrieks of the people only five feet away.

She closes her eyes, but there’s no pause button to freeze the scene, no power button to shut the images off as she turns in her memory and runs, making it to the stairwell and slamming the door open, turning back and screaming for Brenda, straining her eyes through the smoke and dust and mountains of falling debris. Brenda is running, reaching for Alexa even though she seems miles away, and then one of the file cabinets is thrown over, propelled faster and harder than should be possible, and...and…

And then Brenda isn’t running anymore. Her outstretched hand, the only part of her that wasn't crushed by office furniture, spasms against the ruined carpet, as if it thinks it’s reached its destination and is grasping at its savior.

Alexa’s hand tingles, and her fingers lock into her palm, nails fitting easily into the little grooves she dug there weeks ago. No blood, she only dug that deep once, but the furrows remain as permanently etched there as the frown lines on her face.

Alexa struggles to take in a labored breath as her therapist watches her with the appropriate amount of professional, clinical sympathy and detachment.

“Do your counting,” he reminds her.

How could she forget? She counts to three once, letting a breath out at the end. She repeats the process twice more, ignoring her therapist’s brief flash of annoyance at her departure from his “system.” But, for once, he doesn’t ask her why she has to deviate from the standard one-to-ten method and just lets her do the goddamned counting in peace.

Small blessings.

“Have you had any flashbacks since our last session?”

She stares at him, letting her gaze rest heavy and disbelieving as she turns his question over. She’s been averaging about five flashbacks a day, triggered by everything from accidentally brushing a stranger on the sidewalk (Jim knocking past her to get down the stairs just as the door on the stairwell behind her explodes inward; more shrieking, then falling, then dark) to lifting a carton of cold milk from the shelf at the grocery (that impossibly cold hand grasping hers, pulling her up from the rubble, bringing her face to face with...something...something in the...shadows, it was so dark there, and…).

“Yeah. I’ve had some flashbacks since our last session.”

“What sort of coping strategies did you use?”

He’s not even meeting her eyes now, just getting notes down on that damned pad. The scratching of his pen grates into her bones, and Alexa grits her teeth as she glares.

One, two, three.

Breathe.

One, two, three.

Breathe.

One, two, three.

Breathe.

She slowly recites the list of strategies he suggested during a previous session, none of which have proven particularly effective at lessening the frequency of the episodes, but most of which she grudgingly admits provide some slight relief afterwards and allow her to refocus her mind on the present rather than dwelling in the memory.

“And the shadows?”

How can he get this wrong every time when he’s taking all those fucking notes?

“Still just the one.”

“Has it manifested in any other way? Asked you to do anything? Do you feel different in any way when you notice it?”

There’s a distasteful eagerness to his words that always turns Alexa’s stomach, and she has to physically bite into her tongue to keep from asking what kind of bonus he gets for each symptom she shows of different mental illnesses.

“It’s just there sometimes. I..” She hesitates, feeling vaguely nauseated from his questions, but she has to be honest, right? Because, ultimately, it’s his job to help her, and she’s never going to get through this by hiding symptoms. He can’t help fix her if he doesn’t know what’s broken, and he did suggest the routine, so, okay, he gets a pass for this one.

“I still mostly only see it before I’m falling asleep. I’ve started seeing it in the late afternoon, as well, not often, but sometimes. Always in shadows that are already there. It doesn’t talk or anything, doesn’t really have any face or form except for vaguely person-shaped, but it...it watches me. And it’s...denser than it was last week. More...it’s thicker than it was, like when you see wispy clouds kind of...gather and turn into storm clouds?”

He nods, his pen whizzing over the legal pad he records their session notes on. “So, you feel threatened by the shadow? Like it’s storm clouds gathering to...what? It feels menacing?”

But, like most of the questions Alexa fences in this office, this one isn’t easily answered.

“It feels like it’s watching me, waiting for something. I don’t know what. I don’t...I don’t know if it’s menacing, exactly. Like, it feels potentially dangerous, but I can’t tell if it’s for me. I don’t know. It’s just...darker and more there this week, but it doesn’t do anything, and I don’t feel different, and it doesn’t speak to me. I. Don’t. Hear. Voices.”

She clips off each word at the end of her rant separately and precisely, repeating her counting in her head, and she forces her breathing to even out. The doctor is just doing his job, he’s just trying to help, he’s supposed to ask these questions, it’s how he helps-

“Hmm. I’ll have to consider that between now and our next meeting. In the meantime, go ahead and move up to the next dosage step with your meds, keep it on the escalating schedule we set.”

You set, she thinks mutinously for a moment before internally shaking her head. She nods, biting her tongue once more. She’s going to have a permanent indentation there as well, at this rate.

“Any side effects? Itching, swelling, difficulty breathing? Any unreasonable lethargy or detachment?”

“I mean...I don’t really have anything to attach to at this point, so…”

He frowns at her again, and she wonders if he’s going to crank up her dosage two notches instead of one.

“Are you having what you feel are typical emotional responses to everyday stimuli? Have you laughed or smiled at anything yet? How long has it been since you emotionally felt anything besides the frustration and panic?”

And, somehow, this question is difficult, too. She struggles through, trying to find a balance between honesty and not making herself look like a complete failure who can't function in life. She doesn’t help her case when she admits she hasn’t followed many of his suggestions beyond establishing a routine.

“Not even exercising?” he asks, his disappointment palpable.

When she silently shakes her head, her lips pinched tight against his disapproval, he shakes his head with a sigh that sings of ultimate betrayal. Instead of berating her as usual, the doctor frowns and looks down at his notes, considering them silently. He clicks his tongue against his teeth for a moment before switching over to end-session mode, robotically delivering his closing remarks, his typical reminders to keep her meds on a strict schedule at the exact time every day, to avoid all alcohol and unprescribed drugs, to keep her diet as clean and unprocessed as possible, and to get plenty of exercise. Even this last bit is delivered with a sharply clinical detachment, as if she has driven him to the brink of her own psychoses by stubbornly refusing to accept his help.

There is a short, silent moment between them where they refuse to look at each other, the doctor perusing his notes once more while Alexa examines the wrinkles creased into her jeans from lack of folding. The doctor flips pages over in his legal pad and slaps the cover shut sharply, breaking the standoff with one last, dismissive comment.

“Routine, Alexa. Stick to the routine. If it’s what brings you comfort, if that's the one thing you’re taking away from these sessions that actually helps, then stick with it. I’ll see you Thursday afternoon.”

….

Her afternoons vary, according to her therapy schedule. Her sessions take roughly an hour and a half, so that’s one block of time she doesn’t have to try and fill. On the days she isn’t having her skull cracked open, she can sometimes force herself to work on the files her company sends her way. Grunt work, brainless stuff that any first-year intern could do, but it keeps her on the payroll and covered by health insurance until the doctor clears her to return to the office.

Not that there’s an office to return to yet.

Grocery shopping for food she’ll pretend to eat later, making excuses to stay out of the apartment a little longer each day, watching the shadows of the buildings grow darker and longer until the sunlight disappears from the streets.

And the other shadow, the darkest of all, thick and solid against the brick and stone, pacing her, keeping track as she wanders through the broken city blocks. Sometimes she walks a little faster, pretends to not notice the black spot. Sometimes she pretends it’s keeping her company. With the most conversation she’s had in weeks taking place in her therapy sessions, she occasionally finds the imaginary company of her shadow stalker to be more pleasant than menacing.

Occasionally.

Eventually, though, she and her chimerical companion head back to the silent, encroaching walls of her apartment to begin the night routine.

…

Night Routine: laundry. Pretend to eat dinner. Shower. Finish laundry. Clean already clean kitchen. Another shower (on the bad days, the ash and debris won’t wash off). Rearrange already arranged closet. Braid hair. Take meds, do not skip, no matter how much they screw up her sleep, because they help. They do. Settle into bed. Stare at the wall. Adjust pillows. Re-settle. Stare at the shadow. Start to drift off, slide into a flashback, scream back to full consciousness. Watch the shadow. Doze. Awaken from a fucked up nightmare she can only partially remember. Repeat ad nauseum.

Really, if Alexa could just skip the nights and go straight into morning, that’d be great. Mornings are tedious but tolerable. Afternoons are blurry and tense, especially therapy days, but nights…

Nights just won't shut down.

The drugs are partially responsible, the doctor has told her multiple times. The medicine can either make sleeping more difficult, or it can act like a sedative, dragging and holding her down. Honestly, she’s getting kind of mixed results. It’s difficult to stay awake, easy to slip under, but then she can’t stay asleep for very long, jerking back to consciousness in something close to full panic, unable to figure out if it’s the drugs or the dreams that’s pushing her to the edge.

Because the fucked up dreams...well, that’s all on her and her broken brain. She stopped bringing up the dreams in therapy after the first couple of weeks of sessions. The doctor seemed hell bent on steering Alexa towards the possibility that she was experiencing waking hallucinations, but there’s no way she could possibly be awake for all this shit. Maybe some of the flashbacks, but not…

Not…

Her brain isn’t that broken.

No. No, she can tell from the way she jerks to consciousness afterwards, she knows she’s asleep. Yeah, she’s unstable and has flashbacks, but she’s not delusional. They’re dreams.

Every night.

About…

Something.

Okay, sometimes she can remember. Sometimes the meds dull her down so much she forgets what day it is, but sometimes she can hold on to a detail or two. Cold, slender fingers, impossibly strong. A flash of bright blue that sends nausea racing through her entire body (who knew your toes could feel nauseated?) or a glimpse of bottle green that, conversely, thrills her to her soul. A smooth, velvet voice that penetrates every layer of her being, down to the deepest recesses. Darkness descending...a sense of dreadful awe…

And sometimes she can remember every unhinged detail with a terrifying clarity that she will never even consider mentioning to the therapist. Not if she likes her jacket sleeves to fit properly.

There’s honesty, and then there’s idiocy.

The shadow is larger tonight. Taller, a little broader, definitely denser. She would say looming, even, but it’s not quite that large.

Not quite.

She stares at it openly, no longer trying to avoid acknowledging its presence. What's the point? The doctor knows about it, and it’s not like she’s talking to it. She’s not that far gone yet. And she hasn't lied to the doctor, either. The shadow does watch her, like it’s waiting, gathering. Convalescing. But it hasn't ever talked to her.

She does not hear voices.

She yawns and rolls her shoulders, left then right, sliding a little lower in bed, searching for a cooler place between the sheets. Movement catches her eye, and she looks up as the shadow shifts, leaning left then right, and seems to…

Grow?

No, it’s never moved before. She’s pretty sure she’s never seen it move, but now it pulses and raises up, stretching-

No. No. Sourceless shadows don’t move. They don’t grow, they don’t shift, they don’t-

The shadow stretches upwards abruptly, definitely looming now, and Alexa hits the wall behind the bed, scrambling backwards in a blind panic as she realizes the shadow isn’t growing.

It’s coming closer.

Her breathing speeds up, but her limbs are heavy and dull with narcotic stupor. The foot of her bed darkens as the shadow creeps even closer, and she opens her mouth to protest, to scream, to say something, but her tongue is numb and stupid with the acrid, coppery tang of fear and pharmaceuticals, and she hates, hates this kind of dream where she can’t speak, can't move and she can barely breathe, and...and…

The shadow reaches out, stretches over her foot and slides up her calf in a clammy, viscous caress that tightens on her knee and pulls her several inches down the bed as her throat closes.

Do not shrink from Me. It is not your fear I crave, but your adoration. Come to Me, allow yourself to move past the fear and embrace what I wish to grant you.

Horror, deep and instinctual, floods her veins. Alexa feels the voice more than hears it, and it awakens an ancient fear that finally, though futilely, awakens her drugged limbs. She claws at her sheets uselessly as the shadow moves over her, a freezing oil slick that oozes against her skin as if her blankets and clothes weren’t even there, sending shivers to the very marrow of her bones as her gorge rises, and she chokes on the bile that singes the back of her throat. She can’t fight, can’t move against this intangible force, but neither will her terror let her sink past the fear to blissful unawareness.

Give over. Let go of your stubborn fear that tethers you to this useless reality. Allow Me entrance, and I will grant you the relief you seek. Release your grip on the world that cares nothing for you, and I shall bestow upon you the peace you so desperately crave.

Her skin raises in gooseflesh everywhere the shadow crosses, and her stomach turns as it squeezes its way up her torso, her chest, her throat, slipping over her lips in a sick parody of a lover’s caress. She opens her mouth - to scream, to breathe, to do something - and the shadow plunges inwards, invading her mouth, her throat, coating her inside and out with a thick, glutinous sensation that leaves her mouth hanging obscenely open, tongue thrashing, while her mind screams useless denials.

Submit to Me what you see I can easily take, give Me My due. Give over, drown in Me, and I will save you from this miserable existence.

And she is drowning, the air pressed from her lungs as a dark heaviness settles solidly over her. Her arms are forced over her head, and she is strung out on her twisted sheets, writhing under the weight of the shadow as it presses over every surface, against every entrance. No matter how she strains, her legs are gradually forced apart. The darkness’s lack of speed is affected, some barely functioning bit of her brain whispers to her; it could take her as swiftly as it cares to and is only moving slowly because it wants her to suffer, wants to taste her anguish. She has no chance against the shadow, she can’t even touch it, really she could just save herself the anxiety and fear and just-

NO.

She twists as hard as she can, but the shadow simply moves with her, flows over her, waits until she takes another breath, and then surges between her thighs, driving her torso off the bed with the force of its thrust. Every cell in her body locks, not in pain, but in complete revulsion. And then again, and again, cruel in the thoroughness of its violation, covering and saturating every crevice of her being, coating and tainting everything it touches.

Wrong, can't...stop, stop, stop, wrong, can’t...God, please…

You cannot rely on yourself, on your own mind for proper guidance. Let Me protect you. Let Me save you from yourself.

How long...minutes...hours...years...just stop, please…please-

The alarm clock shrieks right in her goddamned ear, and she can breathe and move and scream and goddammit, she fucking hates those dreams that send her careening onto the floor, scrambling for cover when she can’t even remember what she's running from.

Her morning routine is already in shambles. There’s no ignoring the alarm clock today. A morning shower maybe, to wash off the sticky aftermath of night sweats, definitely, but no lying about, staring at the walls in a sleep-daze. Definitely washing the sheets tonight, too.

She surveys what she can see of her bed from her crumpled position on the floor in front of the closet and sighs. Must’ve been a hell of a nightmare to tear up the covers that badly. She thinks for a moment of trying a little harder to remember, to recall some piece of the dream, but then her stomach flips over, and she summarily rejects that idea in favor of caffeination and medication.

She allows herself another few minutes on the floor, waiting until her respiratory and heart rates return to a less alarming pace before climbing to her quivering knees. The shadow darkens the far corner of the room, as innocuous as always. Though she doesn’t know why, she can’t help an involuntary flinch when she first sees it. It’s not normally present in the morning, at least, she doesn’t think so...well, she can't remember the shadow being so dark in the mornings, at least. But...

She clears her throat against the thickness that seems to coat it suddenly, and readjusts her plan to include a glass of water before she starts in on the coffee. She realizes after another long moment of staring that her hands are trembling along with her legs. Her jaw clenches, and she knows she’s being ridiculous. It’s a damned shadow. It just sits there. It’s a minor manifestation of a mild psychosis secondary to major psychological trauma. It’s just a damned dark spot; it doesn’t change, doesn't want her to do anything, and it definitely doesn’t fucking talk to her.

She. Does. Not. Hear. Voices.

…

Up Now: 2

[ahiijny]

an interesting thing I learned today was that global warming might result in a negative leap second sometime in the future

(admittedly the earth's rotation is affected by lots of complicated factors so it might not be that clear-cut, but anyway)

so you may be thinking 'but leap seconds are like a single second? so short! who's going to notice?'

well tbf the impact from these leap seconds is going to be most strongly felt by high precision things like GPS or NTP servers whatever (and the poor devs who have to maintain the software lol) but leap seconds have historically caused unexpected problems in financial markets and all sorts of websites and servers as well, so...

in any case, I find all this really fascinating and pls bear with me while I nerd out a bit about this :P

so normally speaking, the Earth's rotation should be gradually slowing, because the pull of tides from the Moon and so on (though there are other influences too, like fluid flow in the outer core, the movement of Earth's crust, etc. so it's all very complicated)

until recently, the length of a day has been about on average 1-2 milliseconds longer than 24 hours (note that there are seasonal variations though).

1-2 milliseconds may not seem like much, but it adds up over time!

in fact, it's the job of the IERS to monitor the difference between UTC (universal coordinated time) and earth's rotation angle (UT1), and decide when to insert a leap second to prevent them from drifting too far apart

the current version of UTC (as defined by the ITU) requires the difference between UTC and UT1 to be no greater than 0.9 seconds. The IERS typically inserts a leap second when the difference grows to 0.6 seconds.

HERE'S A GRAPH

see, the difference between UTC and Earth's actual rotation angle keeps drifting. UT1 keeps falling behind UTC, so those vertical lines are every time the IERS inserted a leap second, to bring UTC and UT1 back closer together

since UTC is ticking faster than UT1 bc of Earth's rotation slowing, we typically need to insert positive leap seconds for when UTC gets too far ahead

positive leap seconds take the form of an extra time second 23:59:60, which happens at the same instant UTC everywhere around the world

historically, we've needed to insert a leap second every 1-2 years or so

it's not very regular tho, bc the Earth's rotation can vary in unpredictable ways. Even earthquakes and the filling of the three gorges dam had a detectable effect on the Earth's rotation.

but what's this? if you look back up at the graph above, you may notice that the graph seems to flatten out near the end there. Why's this happening?

here's ANOTHER GRAPH (with tiny text sorry)

the squiggly green line here shows the deviation in length of day relative to a SI day (i.e. 86400 SI seconds). Look for the ±0 ms baseline on the left vertical axis.

in the 1970s Earth's rotation was in the range of 1-2 ms longer than an SI day

but recently the length of a day has been shortening, and in 2020, there were a large number of days where the length of a day was actually slightly less than 86400 SI seconds! (mostly by less than a millisecond, but still)

2020 had 28 of the shortest days on record since 1960, and days in 2021 are predicted to be even shorter (note that the difference is on the order of milliseconds... but stillllll)

this is actually why we haven't seen any leap seconds recently. The previous one was in 2016. In fact this is the first time since 2003 when we will have had a 256 week period without leap seconds

and this in fact might cause some GPS systems to bug out hehe. In the widely used gpsd package, there was a recently reported bug "GPSD time will jump back 1024 weeks at after week=2180 (23-October-2021)". This bug happened bc the code author wrongly assumed that leap seconds would be more frequent :3

and if the Earth continues to speed up like this, the IERS may need to insert a negative leap second at some point in the future, to bring UT1 and UTC back closer together

this would take the form of the UTC clock going from 23:59:57 to 23:59:58 and then skipping directly to 00:00:00.

in the history of UTC there has never been a negative leap second, so needless to say software ppl aren't too excited at the prospect of this happening :3

so what's causing the earth's spinning to unexpectedly speed up?

there's been some research that suggests changes in the density and circulation of ocean temperature rises might result in a net transfer of mass to higher latitudes. but the predicted time deviation doesn't fully explain the changes we currently see

there's also the idea that ice melt results in water running downhill, resulting in a redistribution of mass closer to its axis of rotation

but at the same time, a redistribution of ocean mass to the equatorial latitudes would result in mass going farther away from Earth's axis of rotation

or maybe it's just Earth's crust and magma and stuff doing weird things again, who knows!

the Earth's rotational axis isn't static either; it can shift, and that might also change the effective rotational inertia

it's probably a complicated combination of a whole bunch of factors

but anyway, why do we even have leap seconds?

well the main motivation for leap seconds was when we switched from solar time to atomic time around the 1950s-ish. So before our clocks became accurate enough to tell the difference, we just said "yo, a second is 1/86400 of the time it takes for the sun to go all the around the sky, by definition" and that's good enough! the length of a day can vary by a few milliseconds from year to year but we wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

but gradually timekeeping precision requirements grew so eventually in 1967 a second was defined to be "9,192,631,770 periods of the something something something caesium atom" which was way more precise and good for atomic clocks but bad for keeping the clocks in sync with the sun

so the concern was without leap seconds our atomic-clock-based timescale would drift relative the sun and then eventually we'd have solar noon when our clocks said midnight and vice versa

I mean, sure, that probably wouldn't happen for thousands for years, but procrastination is bad, ok?

but still admittedly leap seconds are somewhat controversial and there's plenty of Discourse™ about this, esp. in academic circles and stuff, so if any of you into that kind of thing here's one possible starting point :3

anyway some ppl have made some code to make predictions based on IERS bulletin A, so based on the latest Earth rotation measurements as of 29 July 2021, and whole bunch of (and I quote) "very large, probably unjustified assumptions"...

expect a negative leap second in the ballpark of June 2029 :3

[seiin-translations]

2.43 S1 Chapter 1.7 - Young Yunichika

7. (COOL BUT WORST) PLAYMAKER

Translation Notes

1. The term used here, 球威, means “pitcher’s stuff”, which basically refers to how effective a pitch is at being the pitch it’s supposed to be

2. Refers to the popular myth/saying/action that writing the character for “person” on your hand and then pretending swallowing it will relieve stress

3. Some neat wordplay here. アタッカー並み means on par with an attacker, but 並みのアタッカー means average attacker

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He felt like he could see Haijima’s smug face painted on the raised set. It was after the opponent blocker fell for the decoy in front of the net and jumped. Kuroba jumped in from behind the decoy with a back-row attack. From the point of view of the opponent blocker, a new shadow suddenly shot out from above the decoy’s head. This was the combination they were best at, called a pipe attack, and it should have been already analyzed by the opponent, but it felt great to be given a face of astonishment that said, “How did you appear there!?” every time. This is the moment when I’m the coolest one on the court.

Haijima’s sets were completely different than his senpai setter’s sets from last year. Kuroba still couldn’t explain it in theory, but even though his senpai’s sets were a big arch that “went up and fell down,” Haijima’s sets “didn’t fall down.” The ball was thrown “straight” to the place where it could only be reached by stepping in the fastest, jumping the highest and swinging his arms at the highest point. If he didn’t stop it, it would just whoosh past him. In practice, he constantly missed the timing and missing the ball, which ended into arguments. While he became reckless everyday, desperate to stop the ball next time for sure—a strange phenomenon occurred today.

As long as he jumped and swung his arms with all strength, the ball would be there. The sets fitted into his hands so cleanly, like they were sticking to his hands, that there was not even a millimeter of deviation. All he had to do was to add power and hit it out with a nice feeling. He cut through the gaps in the opponents’ defense, who were unable to take a step, and landed after seizing the ball with his eyes until it pierced the court. “Yes!” he pumped his arm into the air, still on his knees.

“Yuni!”

“You were so cool!”

While his gathered teammates messed up his hair, he searched for Haijima. He caught a glimpse of Haijima, who was always on the outside of circles like these. Haijima smiled thinly and nodded.

The rotation moved once, and Kuroba came up to the front row right after he did a back-row attack in the back row. When Haijima went down from the front row to serve in exchange, they exchanged a low high-five as they passed each other.

July 26th. The first round of the boys’ volleyball division for the Prefectural Middle School Summer Games, taking place on the two courts of A and B in the Suzumu City Municipal Gymnasium. In the first game on Court A, Monshiro Middle already took the first set. For the second set, the other side came close in the middle of the game because of a disordered receive, but they didn’t allow them to form a comeback and extended a wide lead again to close out the set. It was a three-set match, so if they took this set, they would have a straight-set win.

Haijima moved back considerably in the service zone, almost to the wall, and got into the serve position. He put the ball in his left hand and extended his arm straight out in front of him. His narrow eyes were narrowed even more sharply and he stared at the other side of the net with a fixed gaze. For a moment, the stands that were cheering loudly fell deathly silent. Everyone held their breaths at the clear, intimidating something Haijima was clad in.

Taking just one second to lightly adjust his breathing, he tossed the ball up high without any perceivable jump and hit a powerful jump serve from a beautiful, textbook-like form. The gym became filled with cheers that bordered on roars once again.

But it was a bit too long. It’s out—Kuroba could see it in his eyes, but there was no time for the receiver to avoid it. The ball bounced up all the way to the ceiling with such tremendous power (1) that the receiver nearly fell over.

Ah——.

His body moved naturally before he could think about it, and he jumped. Above the net, he caught hold of the ball that returned directly and knocked it down to the opponent’s court.

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

Since sixteen schools participated in the first round, the passages behind the gym were crowded with players in jerseys of all sorts of colors, teachers, and management staff.

“Somehow while I was in a daze…”

“We won!”

“With a team of only eight people!”

“Yuni, you reacted well to that direct one.”

“Well, I guess. For some reason, I feel like I can see the ball really well today. Also, when I see the opponent’s faces, I somehow know what they’re gonna do.”

“What the hell’s that, that sounds cool. I’m falling for you!”

“We should have talked to the girls from class more. All I could hear was the moms’ voices.”

“Agh, I was switching the moms’ voices with the girls’ voices in my head, but you just dragged me back to reality!”

Having finished their match in good time, everyone was still in good spirits, and there was a constant stream of excited chatter. It seemed that the match that started at the same time in Court B was carried over to the third set, so muffled cheers and the sound of the ball bouncing could be heard. When he wondered why this extremely stupid conversation never ended, he realized that it was because Haijima wasn’t there to chop through the mood. He was supposed to be with them when they left the court, but…

Their advisor, who had said he was going to drop by the management headquarters, came back just then.

“Sensei, do you know where Haijima is?”

“He went back inside. The second match in Court A is about to start soon. He said that he’s going to go watch it since it’ll decide who we face in the second round.”

“Eh…He didn’t have to go alone.”

If it’s for our next opponent, then shouldn’t we all go scouting them out, not just Haijima? A tinge of dissatisfaction sprouted in his heart as he thought that he should have at least called out to them.

“Didn’t Haijima want to give you guys a break because he was worried? You’re fine now, but if you get too excited, you won’t enough energy for the second round.”

Haijima worried about them? It was a phenomenon that seemed like it wouldn’t happen even if the heavens and earth were turned upside-down. It was exactly a phenomenon. It was equal to a natural disaster that only happened once every few hundred million years or so.  

But, it was true that playing two games in one day was unfamiliar terrain for them. Although everyone seemed to be in good condition right now, it was hard to predict how tired they would be in the second game.

“But, you know, I knew Haijima had volleyball experience, but I didn’t expect him to be that good. Even when I stopped by the headquarters earlier, teachers from other schools kept coming up to me and asking who that player was.” 

“Hey, what about me? They didn’t ask about me?”

“Hmm? They didn’t.”

“Tch. My efforts always get overshadowed by Haijima.”

When he pouted and grumbled that, he was soothed with “You’ve got this from now on.”

“Keep this up for the second round. Don’t get too worked up about it and just have fun with everyone.”

He thought he was in good form and stood out quite a bit, but he guessed that Haijima’s skill was so outstanding that his own level wasn’t enough to leave an impression. He couldn’t believe that he was getting noticed by the volleyball team advisors from other schools, who was probably much more discerning than their own advisor.

“We’re gonna win”—Haijima was extremely confident, but at the same time, he was a realist. He never gave lenient assessments to himself or others, and he wasn’t the type of guy who would say soft and easy effort goals like “It would be nice if we could win.” He said that back then because he had a serious expectation that was possible.

He had a feeling now that it really might not be a dream if Haijima was there.

If they won four times, they won the championship. They had already cleared one match. Three more to go.

We can…reach it…?

I want to win, he thought. I want to win next time too. And after that. And then if we win after that—. When he heard it in June, he felt a lot of bewilderment, but now for the first time, he definitely wanted to win. His heart began to beat fast.

***

Right when they entered the venue since the time for the second round’s official practice was approaching, cheers similar to an angry roar rose up, and the entire team leaned back in the same direction despite themselves.

A horizontal banner—which wasn’t there in the first round—with the words “Monshiro Middle School Boys’ Volleyball Team” written with excessively good handwriting was hanging from the second-row bleachers. And next to that, there was a square flag with “Spread your wings! Kuroba UNIVERSE!”

His face turned hot.

“Wow. Yuni’s cheering squad is amazing.”

“It’s like we’re at Koshien.”

His teammates were more taken aback and put off rather than being jealous. Their parents formed a small cheering squad for the first round, but it was just a modest thing where they cheered for their children on the spot, with no bells and whistles or anything else. The huge cheering party that newly appeared completely swallowed that up, sounding their megaphones loudly and as for his relatives, they were shouting in voices that couldn’t be called refined.

“…That’s Grandpa’s writing.”

On a pure-white cloth, the words “Monshiro Middle School Boys’ Volleyball Team” were written in bold, stirring letters like a rampaging dragon in all black ink. Come to think of it, when he went out this morning, his mother was in a hurry making phone calls to here and there. It would have been better if his family had just come here modestly instead of taking the time to organize something like that and be late for the first round.

The other one, “Spread your wings! Kuroba UNIVERSE!”, had a black background and decorated with sparkly gold tinsel, and it was a lot more lowbrow than his grandfather’s single brush stroke. Right above where that deathly embarrassing flag—which he thought of as more like harassment—was hanging, he saw Itoko shouting into a huge megaphone. …If she had the time to prepare that, she could have come for the first round. You should have seen that really nice back-row attack in the first round.

Yorimichi…didn’t seem to have come. He couldn’t spot him as far as he could see. He was sure he would have heard that there was a game today through Itoko.  

“Oh, Haijima, your grandma came. I wonder if my mom also invited her.”

He tugged on Haijima’s uniform and whispered that into his ear. “Huh…” Haijima didn’t look all that happy as he looked up at the stands, straining his eyes as a wrinkle formed between his brows.

“Can’t see her.”

“Right there. She’s above ‘team.’”

“Even with contacts, my eyes aren’t as good as yours. It’s fine.”

He immediately gave up and returned his eyes to the court.

“Concentrate, Kuroba.”

He said in a low tone. He can see Haijima’s consciousness narrowing and condensing. As though saying that the world he needed only existed inside that nine-by-eighteen-meter court, he raised his awareness by shutting out outside gazes and cheers. He could feel that the power of his concentration that made his skin tingle just by being next to him.

“Y-Yeah. Got it.”

Kuroba responded vigorously with all his might, but even if he took his eyes off the stands, he couldn’t get rid of the feeling of being surrounded his relatives’ faces, faces, faces from 360 degrees.

The rotation started with Haijima on the right back as the server and Kuroba “diagonal” to him on the left front. The rotation was made so that Haijima, who was strong at serving, got to serve as much as possible, and either one of the tall Kuroba and Haijima was always in the front row. There were six people, so there were three pairs of players connected by diagonal lines, and one’s partner was called one’s “diagonal.” The diagonal relationship was always maintained even when the rotation moved. However, when he became absentminded, he sometimes lost track of his current position, which was quite confusing.

Back-row players weren’t allowed to jump up to block, and they could only spike by doing a back-row attack from behind the attack line (the line three meters from the net).

As though saying that victory went to the one who made the first move, Haijima smashed in a jump serve with all his might from the very beginning. A jump serve was hit with a lot of force, and consequently had a high risk of error. In practice games, Haijima used a low-risk jump float serve, but right when he wondered what he was going to do in the official match today, he was actively using a jump serve.

Regrettably, it went behind the end line and was out, giving their opponent their first point, but the air in the opposing court was frozen for a moment.

“Don’t worry about it!”

His teammates called out to him, but Haijima didn’t seem to care about the mistake in the first place and unashamedly responded lightly with one hand, staring over the net with a brazen expression as though that was his substitute for a greeting. Even though it didn’t result in a point, he had successfully planted the seed of fear in them that made them think, “What would happen if that had gone in?”—Their amount of experience was different by one or two orders of magnitude. And more than anything, the fearsomeness of Haijima was that he had such nerves of steel.

Haijima was making the game in a literal sense. As a setter, he didn’t just set up his teammates’ offensive, but also controlled the mood in the opponent’s court. He of course knew that the difference between their amounts of experience couldn’t be filled in overnight, but he felt strangely impatient.

He felt like it took an awfully long time for his own first serve order to come around. He impatiently waited for the rotation to move, and when he went down into the service zone and was about to receive the ball,

“…ba! Kuroba!”

Haijima’s voice burst into his ear, and he jumped. He was so out of it that he didn’t hear him, as though there was a membrane around his head. He looked and saw Haijima pointing to the right position of the front row with an unusually anxious look on his face.

The color drained out of his face. The rotation was wrong. He was in the front row for one more time. Nagato, who was in the original service order, was standing confused in a halfway place.

“S-sorry.”

“No, it’s my fault too. I thought I got it wrong when Yuni moved back…”

He talked to Nagato and hurried back to his defensive position. Haijima was about to go to him to say something, but the whistle prompting Nagato to serve sounded. The cheering squad was noisy in the stands, probably because they didn’t understand why the server was suddenly changed.

Something’s wrong…I can hear the voices from the stands well, but the voices on the court are distant. He almost felt like he was standing in the bleachers right now, not on the court.

He felt the rotation was moving quickly, contrary to earlier. His sense of time wasn’t stable. The wrong service order came around this time, and he ran to the serve zone and received the ball. He stood facing the net and took a deep breath to try to calm down, but couldn’t breathe in deeply.

Haijima’s first jump serve suddenly replayed in his mind. Kuroba also practiced the jump serve. He was getting able to hit the ball squarely more and more, and practice could be exhilarating sometimes. It would no doubt feel good to carry out that kind of thing successfully in a game. He would be able to show the cheering squad his good points, but of course his accuracy was not yet usable, so he made sure to do a jump float serve as usual…

Huh? Which foot do I usually step forward with? What’s the timing for the toss? What’s ‘usual’?

His usual way of doing things had completely slipped out of his mind.

Beep—.

The whistle sounded.

He didn’t immediately understand what the signal meant. Something was wrong. His own court was in a panic. After the referee showed the opposing team’s score, he made an “8” sign with his fingers.

An eight second violation!?

The spectators were buzzing once again about the point loss that was difficult to understand to the layman’s eye. If you didn’t serve within eight seconds after the whistle sounded, your opponent scored. It wasn’t like he didn’t hear the first whistle. And yet, he himself had absolutely no idea why he made such a basic mistake.

Haijima made a hand gesture towards the bench, and the advisor, who received it, hurriedly requested a timeout.

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

“You’re nervous, aren’t you.”

Haijima poked him above his heart with his fist. He didn’t seem angry, but he was definitely fed up. A series of careless mistakes that had nothing to do with the play itself.

“Do you have stage fright or something?”

“Ugh… I’ve never really been in a situation where I’ve gotten stage fright, so I don’t know.”

Was he nervous? He was aware that he was overly concerned with unnecessary things. During the first round, he was able to see the court so well and concentrate on his own task. He knew what he should do without thinking about it and his body moved. It was as if he was being made use of by being incorporated as a part of the organic matter that was the game Haijima finished weaving. He wasn’t displeased with that at all; rather, he felt euphoric. And yet, after they entered the second round, that feeling suddenly stopped, his field of vision abruptly narrowed, and only the voices in his mind increased.

Haijima sighed at him.

“Write down ‘people’ and swallow it.” (2)

“Can’t, can’t you give better advice?”

“I’ve never been nervous. I could tell you all about play, though.”

He felt like he was being shown the disparity between them again. “Can’t be helped, Yuni. If that many of my relatives came, I’d get nervous too. Don’t worry about mistakes.” Though everyone else encouraged him, the sigh Haijima alone had given him weighed heavily on him.

The thirty second timeout went by in the blink of an eye. In the end, he noisily dashed back to the court without putting his feelings in order.

Anyways, there was nothing to do but to recover from here. Right when he moved back to the rear, he immediately got a gesture for a pipe attack from Haijima. It was a fast back-row attack from the middle using the center’s A-quick as a decoy, which was the source of their points in the first round. The shocked face of the opposing blocker who was drawn in by the decoy and jumped at it when he jumped in from over the center’s head was so satisfying—.

“!?”

This time he kept blocking. The do-or-die expression of the opposing blocker appeared from the other side of the net that was like a towering wall, blocking the course. How—!? The ball crashed straight onto the block and was knocked down onto his own side. While falling on his behind from the excess momentum, words such as “What?” came out of his mouth.

As he let his mind wander for a moment and stared at the opposing court, where there were fervent roars, from beneath the net, his teammate was held out in front of him. After he borrowed that hand and stood up, he reflexively drew back his hand when he saw that it was Haijima.

“Sorry.”

An apology slipped out of his mouth. For what? Getting blocked? Drawing back his hand?

“It’s fine. There was no helping that. They’ve already guessed that you’re the only one who could hit it properly. We should have marked them thoroughly.”

Haijima seemed to have accepted the former’s apology. His eyes never left the opponent’s court, where they were exchanging high-fives and celebrating, and spoke quickly. If the only decent hitter was Kuroba, and he was marked for it…then what were they going to do?

Haijima gave him a sharp side glance. He looked fed up again.

“I told you not to let it show on your face… Shake off the guy blocking you as much as possible. However, don’t think you’re not being marked, stay calm and watch the block. I told you about straight and cross. They’re not at a level where you can’t get rid of them.”

Well, from Haijima’s level, middle school volleyball in a rural prefecture like this would seem like a piece of cake. The prefectural finals in a place like this was probably the same size as a subdivision preliminary in Tokyo. It was no consolation for him, as it only deepened his inferiority complex.

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Haijima scattered his sets to other attackers, but Kuroba always had a block on him whether he hit or not. The opponent seemed to think that as long as Kuroba was suppressed, the rest of the team couldn’t hit too hard, so they could respond with receives. Unfortunately, it was an effective strategy.

Although the team was able to score some modest points with Haijima’s skillful direction, they still were unable to score consecutively due to the lack of a decisive blow. The seesaw game where stress accumulated continued. No, in terms of overall team morale, the flow was completely on the other side. There were more and more situations where the receives were so disordered that even Haijima had trouble covering them, and when he couldn’t get the set, the rest of the team couldn’t do anything.

Far from regaining his composure, Kuroba was experiencing the sensation of gears steadily becoming less and less aligned. Even though his mind was panicking, his body wouldn’t work together with it. It was like his head and body were doing on their own thing on this side and the other side of the court. While his spike success rate had decreased, moreover, at the beginning there were many times where he would slam the ball into a block and get shut-out, and it became noticeable that he was making the mistake of getting it caught in the net himself, let alone hitting the ball into the blocking.

“Just stop looking at the blocks. It’s better not to. Don’t think about avoiding them, just hit it where it’s easy to hit.”

Haijima pulled on his uniform and whispered that, but he was only extra confused by the change in instructions. Didn’t he say “Watch their blocks” earlier?

Did my jump power go down? Aren’t my legs getting tired? The instant he realized that this is what it was to play two games in a day, his body suddenly became heavy. Are my knees okay? Don’t I feel more burdened than usual? He suddenly started to worry about the growing pains that should have been unrelated to this. What if that thing that hurts so much I couldn’t sleep at night hits me during the match? What do I do? What do I do? What do I do——?

Haijima was saying something from his diagonal position to him. But he couldn’t hear his voice. He could probably hear him physically, but his heart was blocking his ears. Listening to Haijima’s just reasonings now was of no use whatsoever.

Do you, who's completely disconnected from nervousness or agitation, have the words that I want, the words that will help me? I don’t think so.

He didn’t remember at what point—Haijima turned away with a look of resignation on his face. Ah, if Haijima has given up, then this was already a complete loss, he thought.

For some reason, only a small click of his tongue and the word “useless” reached his ears without being cut off.

***

“Get in line, Yuni.”

It was only when Nagato called out to him that he realized that the game was over. A smattering of applause came down from the stands. When he absentmindedly looked at the score board that was still standing on the court, he saw that the set count was 2-0, and the winner—Monshiro Middle School.

…Wait, what? Did something…happen…? I have almost no memory of touching the ball…

Even when he looked over the faces of his teammates standing in a line along the end line, he didn’t actually feel like they had won at all. Were these really the faces of a winning team? The atmosphere was not as merry as it had been when they won the first round, and everyone looked somewhat apathetic and subdued. And maybe it was just his imagination, but the applause from the stands seemed like it was just done out of politeness.

When he was about to line up next to Haijima, who was standing there with his expression erased, he recalled it along with the flashbacks of some scenes—it was all Haijima's doing.

Haijima’s play changed after that tongue click and badmouthing.

The jump serve was of course incredible, but Haijima’s original domain was at the net. At the net, the control of the ball was not passed over to anyone—neither opponents nor even his own teammates. Rather than entrusting the set to the attacker, the cases where he hit the ball by himself by performing dumps increased dramatically. A dump was a surprise attack where the setter pretended to set the ball and returned it to the opponent’s court with their left hand, but the power of the dump released from the left hand of the ambidextrous Haijima was not confined to the level of a surprise attack. He smashed it into the opposing court with the same power as an attacker spiking with all of their strength. It should have temporarily made the opponents agitated and close the score gap considerably.

However, it was from there that Haijima showed his demon-like true power. When the opponent marked his dumps and started to block it, he switched from hitting hard to deliberately hitting the ball lightly at the head of the block where they jumped with power in preparation for a strong hit to make it drop to his own side. He pulled off the feat of getting down low to pick up the rebound that gently dropped down without a moment’s delay and swinging it to a nearby teammate with an underhand pass and the instructions “Give it to me!” This time, he used his right hand to smash the ball that was set to him by his panicking teammate into the opponent’s side.

The venue was stunned by the powerful spike that was on par with an attacker’s, or even stronger than an average attacker’s (3), and even the referee’s whistle was a beat late.

How was he able to do that…? It was technical, but more than that, what kind of nerves did he had that enabled him to play in a way that overturned the foundation of team sports like that in front of people?

To be honest, Haijima, you’re…disgusting.

When he heard “Thank you,” he hurriedly matched them in a small voice and bowed. For an instant, he felt as if the shadow of Haijima standing next to him broke out of its human shell and swelled up into a warped shape, and a shiver ran down his spine.

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[eloarei]

The possibility of sexual reproduction in super mutants (Fallout essay, 1669 words)

The goal of this essay: to support my hypothesis/headcanon (and fanfic plot, *cough*) that super mutants in the Fallout universe (primarily Fallout 3) would be capable of sustaining romantic/sexual relationships, and may be able to sexually reproduce. The TL;DR of it? Fallout is sci-fi, crazy science is a mess, and life finds a way.   Fallout is a popular video game series which has undergone multiple development and management changes since its inception, and therefore has varied lore, which sometimes contradicts itself from one game to the next (or even within games). Furthermore, though many aspects of the lore are well accepted by the community, much of it seems to have been designed to be ambiguous, lending the world a sense of realism, and safeguarding the writers from having to retcon (as much of) their previous work in the next installments.   Chief among ‘well-accepted’ lore are the details about the super mutants. Generally large, green, and violent, super mutants were created by exposing humans to the FEV, or “Forced Evolutionary Virus”, or a derivative of it. They completely lack sexual dimorphism (meaning that males and females appear the same), and are sterile. 

  Many fans (including myself) have not played the original pre-Bethesda Fallout games, so I will be focusing primarily on the mutants from Fallout 3, the “Vault 87 variant”, but addressing how previous and subsequent games’ lore might tie in. All knowledge of previous games is pulled from Wiki.   My hypothesis (headcanon) is that some mutants (among them Fawkes) would be capable of sustaining romantic/sexual relationships, and possibly producing offspring.   The commonly accepted reasons why mutants (especially Vault 87 mutants) cannot reproduce: 1. Scientific notes found in Vault 87 detail the process of transforming a human into a mutant. They state that the subjects lose “most of their visible female/male indicators”, “transforming them almost to an asexual state”. 2. No evidence for super mutant reproduction has ever been reported or rumored. 3. According to the Wiki, “Mariposa mutants” (from the earlier Fallout games) are stated to be sterile.   This leads to the reasonable conclusion that “V.87” mutants are not capable of reproducing. But let me state several more pieces of lore: 1. Vault 87 did not use the same strain of FEV (the original strain) that Mariposa used (in previous games). They used a variant for their EEP (“Evolutionary Experimentation Program”). They also used a different method of introducing the virus. While Mariposa apparently dipped their subjects into vats, Vault 87 exposed their subjects to an aerosolized virus. 2. Mariposa mutants are said to have retained primary sexual characteristics (penis/testicles, vagina/uterus), and are implied to be as interested in sex as normal humans are. 3. The FEV virus supposedly works best on human subjects with the least amount of radiation damage. (4. Related to a tangent, but V.87 mutants are said to continuously increase in size and decrease in intelligence as they age, resulting in dangerous super mutant behemoths.)   Now let us look at the specific example of the mutant character Fawkes, from Fallout 3. LW (“Lone Wanderer”, the player character) finds him in Vault 87, where he has been imprisoned for some time. He begs you to release him in exchange for his assistance. Fawkes (a name he gave himself) is unique in his interest/ability to speak properly, and in his lack of aggression. He claims that the other mutants imprisoned him for his differences, and that he trained his mind by reading on a computer console. He wears a tattered vault suit, and mentions a vague memory of seeing Vault 87 when it was still clean and full of humans in vault suits, indicating that he has lived there since before the vault’s failure, which is implied to have been fairly early on. It is generally accepted that he was born before the bombs fell, making him over 200 years old.   This brings me to my tangential ‘lore point 4’, which says that old super mutants become large and dumb. Fawkes is of average size (for a mutant), and above average intelligence, though he is likely one of the oldest mutants in existence. Therefore, the lore about behemoths cannot be entirely true, rendering much of the other lore less reliable. Alternately, both points can remain true if we take into account ‘lore point 3’, which says that the “best” super mutants (the most intelligent, most correct mutants, made as they were apparently intended to be) come from subjects without radiation damage.   If this is the case, and Fawkes was born pre-war, it explains his intelligence and lack of aggression, as well as his stable size. It does not, however, explain why supposedly all of Vault 87’s initial experiments turned stupid and hostile, creating a potential plot hole. We may then have to accept that too much is unknown (and was unknown by the scientists as well) about the entire process, and what exactly about the EEP virus differed from the initial FEV.   Returning to the argument about why super mutants cannot reproduce, let me address the ‘commonly accepted reasons’: 1. Subjects lose “most of their visible female/male indicators”, “transforming them almost to an asexual state”.   ---The issue here is largely in wording. First and foremost is “visible indicators”. Humans have something called “sexual dimorphism”, which means that you can tell male and female apart visually, without looking at genitals. Things like breasts, facial hair, basic body shape, and even voice are indicators, differences which many species do not have. Losing visible indicators most likely means this loss of sexual dimorphism. Furthermore, the note says “most”, implying that some visible indicators remain. The remaining indicators are likely to be genitals, as nothing else seems to remain.   The phrase “asexual state” is complicated, but the most important part is “almost”. To say that they have transformed to seem ‘almost nonsexual’ is not a very scientific statement, and probably not backed up by any further research. The fact that the scientists could barely get the subjects to cooperate (to the point where most of their subjects were euthanized) implies that they were unlikely to do any careful study of the subjects’ genitals, let alone their hormonal state or sexual inclinations.   Furthermore, even scientists are capable of making mistakes or failing to properly understand the complexities of the results of such experimental efforts. The few paragraphs of data to be found on Vault 87 terminals is by no means a comprehensive report of a wide clinical study. 2. No evidence for super mutant reproduction has ever been reported or rumored.   --- Frankly, there isn’t much to say about this. A lack of anecdotal evidence certainly implies that such a phenomenon would be very uncommon, but not that it is impossible. 3. According to the Wiki, “Mariposa mutants” (from the earlier Fallout games) are stated to be sterile.   --- According to the Wiki, “FEV perceives gametes as damaged DNA and corrects them”, gametes being reproductive cells such as sperm and eggs. “Correcting them” likely means returning the ‘missing’ chromosome, to return the haploid gametes to a regular diploid cell. If sex cells were diploid, that would result in an offspring with 92 chromosomes (if both parents were mutants; 69 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) if one was human), which would “probably die” before birth. It can be assumed that this is true for Mariposa mutants, who were apparently otherwise capable of romantic/sexual relationships, and likely would have reproduced if possible. However, due to the unpredictable and unknown nature of the EEP virus, it is possible that this does not apply to mutants who originated from Vault 87.   Even if V.87 mutants do have diploid sex cells, it is not completely impossible that reproduction could occur. Rare cases have shown supposedly-sterile mules to be able to reproduce, because their gametes decided to contribute only the chromosomes received from one of their parents. While a ‘properly functioning’ FEV should stop such randomness from occurring, the experimental nature of the virus does not necessarily guarantee such an outcome.   Ultimately, the answer largely comes down to that: the unpredictability of the FEV virus. The FEV (and its EEP variant) have seemed to produce consistent, hardy, and homogenous results for over 200 years, but the existence of several unexplainable outliers (such as Fawkes) heavily implies that it is not immune to failure or change, for any of a variety of reasons, including but not limited to: human subjects’ natural immunities; improper administration of the virus; or the virus’ natural evolution. After all, if FEV is truly a virus, then it is a living thing, and living things naturally desire to propagate.   The fact that Fawkes is already an outlier compared to his V.87 brethren makes it statistically likely for any other FEV deviations to occur in him as well. Such hidden deviations may already be contributing factors to his uniqueness (and the uniqueness of the few other non-aggressive mutants).   In conclusion, the extremely experimental nature of the FEV and EEP virus (and the relative lack of scientists able to continue study as time passed), as well as the chaotic nature of the Fallout universe, make it difficult to say that any scientific or biological feat is truly “impossible”. The hardiness of the wasteland’s mutant creatures combined with the standard biological imperative to survive and to propagate paints an optimistic picture for the possibility of reproduction for any creature, and the many remaining “human” qualities shown by Fawkes and other non-aggressive super mutants could potentially indicate those subjects’ likelihood of advancing their species through natural means.   Most notably, the possibility of such a thing remains especially because of the sci-fi sandbox in which they live, where rules are at most implied, and often changed for entertainment purposes. But even within the constraints of what we know of the Fallout Wasteland, super mutant reproduction stands a slim but non-zero chance, and mutants conducting romantic/sexual relationships is not at all improbable (only statistically unlikely).  Thanks for reading! Have a shameless plug: I write sappy Fawkes/Lone Wanderer romance fics on AO3! 

[tigerkirby215]

5e Seraphine, the Starry-Eyed Songstress build (League of Legends)

(Artwork by Jennifer Wuestling. Made for Riot Games.)

I mean I’m going to have to build her eventually, right? Honestly Tasha’s Cauldron comes out tomorrow so I may as well take a bit of a cheat day and make a build for the new champ. I mean I still have to and pick out a bunch of spells so at least I’m doing that?

Samira build is going to come out sometime in the year 3587 lol.

GOALS

Lookin' for a song in everything I meet! - Seraphine is a stage performer, rallying the whole crowd into song to make it loud and proud!

You're all breathtaking! - Seraphine can unite everyone around her with shields and heals. COUGH SONA COUGH.

Sing it with me! - When the time comes Seraphine can bring the whole world closer together! Good thing she isn’t mute.

RACE

I would really love to do a funny joke and say that Seraphine is a Tiefling or an Orc or something but no: she’s a Human. I can’t even justify any of the Eberron races so we’ll just be going for good ol’ Variant Human.

As a human you can increase two ability scores of your choice: pump up your Charisma and Dexterity to keep fit and beautiful. You can also learn a skill of your choice and for hearing so strong you can hear the voices of a dying nation inside your special necklace take Perception proficiency. You can also take any language of your choice so I’d suggest one that fits with your group, or whichever one you think is Korean. Actually I think Seraphine sung in Chinese which also made people mad? Man Riot can’t stop making her controversial, huhn?

But of course the main appeal of Variant Human is the free feat at level 1. I think Alert is pretty good for mimicking super sensitive hearing. Along with a +5 bonus to initiative you can’t be surprised nor can you be snuck up on. Being able to hear everyone has its perks, huhn?

ABILITY SCORES

15; CHARISMA - If you’re gonna get the crowd to adore you you’ve gotta look the part.

14; CONSTITUTION - I don’t care if Seraphine is a squishy midlane mage we simply don’t need anything else more. Feel free to swap this out with a different stat if you want better roleplay but worse health.

13; DEXTERITY - You need to be able to keep your balance on a moving platform as well as be able to dance along with the K/DA crew.

12; WISDOM - Seraphine’s big thing is being able to hear the emotions of everyone. Knowing what makes people tick is Insight, which is a Wisdom skill.

10; INTELLIGENCE - Seraphine is just your average, everyday girl. Ditzy and a little clueless.

8; STRENGTH - Seraphine can best be described as “petite.” Muscles in the chest hurt your nice soprano.

BACKGROUND

Now you may not know this but Seraphine is a singer, which is a type of Entertainer. As an Entertainer you get proficiency in Performance (obviously) and Acrobatics as well as a music instrument of your choice (Indie Seraphine plays guitar so grab a Lute) and a Disguise Kit, so maybe you can disguise the fact that you’re a copy of So...

Being the premier superstar of Piltover means that you get to tour around a lot By Popular Demand. You can perform in exchange for a place to stay, and doing so will get people to notice you! "Music helps you keep your head up."

(Artist unknown. Blame LoL Wiki. Artwork made for Riot Games.)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - BARD 1

YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT SERAPHINE IS A BARD. As a Bard you get proficiency in three skills as well as three instruments! Choose whatever instruments you want (you mostly sing, and the majority of magical instruments are Lutes anyways which you’re already proficient in) (my secret advice? Pan Flutes and Horns have a few magic instruments) but for your skills take Insight to hear the crowd, Persuasion to rally the crowd, and Arcana to learn why your magic crystal is screaming.

You also get Bardic Inspiration! Seraphine talks about being inspired so she can inspire others, and you can inspire your allies with a d6 to add to Attack Rolls, Saving Throws, and Skill Checks!

But of course Bards are spellcasters with Spellcasting too! You can learn two cantrips from the Bard list: Prestidigitation will let you get some special effects on stage and Vicious Mockery doesn’t have to be mockery... It would just be a lot cooler if it was.

You also learn four spells from the Bard list: Comprehend Languages will let you understand everyone’s song, and Faerie Fire will let you light up their life. On the more unnerving end Dissonant Whispers will let folk listen to your crystal, and Detect Magic will let you tell exactly what kind of magic you’re hearing. That’s weird: why is the Hextech crystal radiating Necromancy?

LEVEL 2 - BARD 2

Second level Bards are Jack of All Trades, being able to add half their proficiency bonus to any skill check. Because you see the rhythm in everything! Additionally you get Song of Rest, helping your friends take a break and recover more health during short rests.

But most importantly you get another spell! Another way to cheer someone up is to give them a good laugh, and Tasha’s Hideous Laughter will make them do just that! Maybe they’re laughing about the fact that Riot keeps insisting your not a copy of Sona? Oh don’t worry the jabs at Seraphine as a character are just gonna keep coming.

LEVEL 3 - BARD 3

Third level Bards get Expertise in two skills: choose Insight to hear the souls of both cities, and Performance because... yeah duh. You don’t become famous in a day.

But much more importantly you get your choice of Bard College, and for the rich and fabulous the College of Glamour will make sure everyone loves you! You can now officially captivate the whole audience (up to your Charisma modifier) with your Enthralling Performance, charming them and making them idolize you and defend you on Twitter. To both shield your allies and speed them up with Surround Sound Mantle of Inspiration takes a Bonus Action to give them Temporary Hitpoints and let them take a reaction to move out of danger. Yeah this was pretty much on a silver platter for me so I figured I’d take it.

You can also learn another spell and for an effective Beat Drop take Hold Person, rooting them in place for long enough that your ADC can do their magic.

LEVEL 4 - BARD 4

4th level comes with your first Ability Score Improvement. Charisma is pretty much everything for us now so pumping that up would be helpful!

You can also learn another spell and another cantrip! For your cantrip Dancing Lights will let you light up your stage and also pulls double duty by letting your dumb human eyes see in the dark. As for leveled spells Suggestion is a more direct form of emotional manipulation, suggesting actions for the other person to take. These actions can’t be directly harmful or against what the character would normally do, but “you should buy my $30 release skin” is a fairly ordinary request, right?

(Picture from Seraphine’s Twitter. Yup Seraphine is definitely real.)

LEVEL 5 - BARD 5

5th level Bards get Font of Inspiration, allowing their Bardic Inspiration to come back on a Short rest instead of a Long rest. This is great because your Bardic Inspiration die also increases to a d8, increasing your Mantle of Inspiration Temp HP too!

You can also learn third level spells but the keyword here is can because I’m actually going to stick at second to take spells like Calm Emotions. Man you’ll never guess what this spell does.

While Calm Emotions is a nice spell feel free to deviate from my builds as you see fit. Like seriously a temporary ceasefire is nice but so is a huge Fear cone.

LEVEL 6 - BARD 6

6th level Glamour Bards can make people dance like they have a magical instrument from Ionia. Mantle of Majesty lets you Concentrate on a not-spell once per Long Rest and get the ability to cast the Command actual-spell as a Bonus Action for one minute. Command lets you make one word commands at your enemy as long as they can understand you and you aren’t asking them to do something harmful to themselves. So commands like “Dance!” “Sing!” and “Cheer!” are all viable (though perhaps not effective in a teamfight.)

You can also add another spell to your spell list but again the third level Bard spells aren’t too enticing to me, so take Enthrall to make sure they concentrate on you and you alone.

Oh and you get Countercharm, letting you use an action to give allies against Frightening and Charming effects. Or they could buy some Tenacity. Or you could get a Paladin.

LEVEL 7 - BARD 7

7th level Bards get 4th level spells and Confusion will get the crowd mixed up in the noise, resulting in a cacophony that would sound like unbearable noise to most. Because it is unbearable noise. But at least your friends can fight them in the madness.

LEVEL 8 - BARD 8

8th level Bards get another Ability Score Improvement. Do you know what’s helpful for a class based entirely on Charisma? Maxed out Charisma!

You know what else is helpful? Charm Monster, so you can talk to any crystal scorpions that might be looking for their family. I mean, assuming the Brackern speak human.

(Picture from Seraphine’s Twitter. Yup Seraphine is definitely real.)

LEVEL 9 - BARD 9

9th level sees your Song of Rest increase to a d8. Does this ability scale really poorly? Yeah kinda.

At least you get 5th level spells now. If you want some high notes that’ll dance around you Animate Objects will let you make a bunch of tiny objects to hit your foes! Honestly at this point all the Enchantment spells become uhhh... evil? So we have to go for a different school if we want “good” spells.

LEVEL 10 - BARD 10

10th level Bards get Expertise in two more skills: Persuasion will help you shift the hearts of a nation. Take whatever skill you want as your secondary one since it honestly doesn’t matter too much. (I personally opted for Perception.)

But more importantly it’s Magical Secrets time! This will let you get any spell from any class’ spell list and add it to your own! Most of the time when you get this feature you want to grab some stuff at the max level you can cast but I’m actually going to go down to third level for some support and buffs! For a healing aura around you take Aura of Vitality from the Paladin spell list. To quickly charm a crowd Incite Greed will force everyone to be charmed by you as they want to see your 50 dollar Brackern Corpse... I mean Hextech crystal.

Along with your two Magical Secrets you also get another cantrip. Message is always good to keep plans in team chat.

LEVEL 11 - BARD 11

11th level Bards get 6th level spells like Otto's Irresistible Dance, which forces everyone to get into the rhythm! It’s much harder to fight when you’re dancing: it’s like being stunned! Good thing only you can force a stunning dance on enemies.

LEVEL 12 - BARD 12

12th level Bards get an Ability Score Improvement but now that your Charisma is maxed you can grab Inspiring Leader to rally everyone together for an awesome performance!

(Artist unknown. Blame LoL Wiki. Artwork made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 13 - BARD 13

13th level Bards see their Song of Rest increase to a d10, and this is the point where I make a joke about Song of Rest scaling poorly.

You at least get 7th level spells, and because none of these really fit Seraphine I’m going to suggest Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion for a K/DA stage. But again I need to remind people that I’m picking options for RP and you’re welcome to build the character however you want. Take what you think will be useful and make your own song!

LEVEL 14 - BARD 14

14th level Eloquence Bards have Unbreakable Majesty! As a Bonus Action you can put on your Ultimate Skin to force enemies to make Charisma saves if they try to attack you. If they fail, they’ll target someone else! This is a great way to keep the damage off you since you don’t exactly have great HP or AC. Do remember that it only lasts for a minute though, but you can get it back at the end of a Short or Long rest.

Additionally you get two more Magical Secrets! If you want to sing to enemies far and long (but maybe not Wide) Gravity Fissure is a Dunamancy spell that forces everyone in a line to take a massive amount of damage and be pulled to the center of the spell.

Now that you got your ultimate the world is honestly your oyster. My recommendation to get a crowd to put their hands up would be Chain Lightning, but that’s more because the spell is good than because it fits Sera.

LEVEL 15 - BARD 15

15th levels get their maximum Bardic Inspiration die of a d12! This also means that your Mantle of Inspiration will now give everyone 15 temporary hitpoints! "Harmonize!"

LoL Wiki doesn’t let me link to voice lines anymore and that’s a true crime.

And hey; 8th level spells! If you want to make some Gamers™ mad about your “cash grab” Twitter account just inflict them with Feeblemind so they can spam pictures of Skarner like the marketing department gets to choose what the champion designers make. Because remember: even if Seraphine isn’t real the people pretending to be her are, so don’t be an ass please!

LEVEL 16 - BARD 16

Who likes ASIs? We haven’t used our hyper-sensitive hearing enough so take the Observant feat for a +1 to Wisdom and a +5 to passive Perception and Investigation. And the ability to pick up on lyrics by reading people’s lips!

Are there more useful feats? Yeah, but we build for character here. If you want a powerbuild check out Reddit.

(Picture from Seraphine’s Twitter. Yup Seraphine is definitely real.)

LEVEL 17 - BARD 17

17th level Bards get to pretend that Song of Rest is a good ability! It’s a d12 now so I’m sure it’s useful now that your party all have around 100 HP!

But you finally get access to your mythical 9th level spells! Honestly all the options are great for a girl who has everything, but I’m going to go for the fun Music Video option of True Polymorph. Turn Akali into a dragon! Turn Evelynn into a demon! Turn Skarner into a battery! The possibilities are endless! (Unlike the #BrackernRights memes.)

LEVEL 18 - BARD 18

18th level Bards get their last two Magical Secrets. This is also the last two spells you’ll be getting so better make them count! Of course the best way to make a spell count is to Wish for anything. With this you can finally unite Piltover and Zaun, as long as you believe enough! Or you can bring back Skarner’s family...

For something a little more in-character and a lot more immediately practical: Mass Heal is the perfect Catch-22 to negate any burst. A burst of 700 HP to everyone is never not useful for a bit of Redemption.

LEVEL 19 - BARD 19

19th level Bards get their last Ability Score Improvement: we have an uneven Wisdom score thanks to our last Feat so eh. May as well take Resilient Wisdom for better saving throws and even scores.

LEVEL 20 - BARD 20

20th level Bards have Superior Inspiration! When you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use. That is literally how the ability is worded. I mean, okaaaaay? At least you can spam Mantle of Inspiration a little more?

FINAL BUILD

PROS

Whole world hears me now! - You’re a full caster with no multiclassing! 9th level spells: no strings attached! You’ve even got a nice spread between Concentration spells and Non-Concentration spells, as well as both utility and combat spells.

Everyone fights to be heard; I'll fight to listen - Being a Bard means you’re good at just about everything, and particularly good at a select few things. 29 Passive Perception? +17 to Persuasion?

We've only just met and I'm already inspired - Who would’ve guessed that a Support class built to support well would be a good support? You’ve got charms, heals, and CC a plenty along with Inspiring Leader to bolster everyone before a battle and Mantle of Inspiration to keep everyone moving with the music!

CONS

Stage fright? Never heard of it - A lot of your BADDEST™ toys are locked behind big spell slots. You’ve only got two 6th level slots, and just one 9th level slot despite having three different 9th level spells to choose from. Again feel free to build your spell list however you want as I just picked what fit in character.

Pretend it's a big rehearsal - Your DEX is meh, your CON is meh. 140 HP isn’t godawful but it isn’t great when you’ll likely have 14 AC at best with Studded Leather. You know what’s really hot right now? Tattoos. See if your DM’s a cool dude who’ll pass you a Rare Barrier Tattoo from Tasha’s to essentially get Medium Armor! Elven Chain is also nice and pretty.

Joy's too quiet without sorrow on the downbeat - I don’t want to make two points related to your stats but they’re the only thing that’s really hurting in this build. Your only good stat is Charisma: and everything else ranges from meh (+2 in DEX / WIS / CON) to bad (0 in INT, -1 in STR.) While you’ll still be able to roleplay with Jack of All Trades skills your Saving Throws hurt. Your concentration is bad and anything heavy will break your petite spine in two. Luckily INT saves aren’t common but anything Strength or Constitution based will quickly put an end to your performance.

Uniting the world in song isn’t easy, but if anyone can do it it’s you. Harmonize, move with the rhythm, and unite everyone through song. There’s nothing you can’t do, and no one can bring you down down down down down down. Well, except perhaps an angry crystal scorpion monster and his army of Twitter followers.

(Artist unknown. Blame LoL Wiki. Artwork made for Riot Games.)

[phcking-detective]

💘

💘 reunion kiss

***

Nines truly did not mean to spy on his boyfriend. It is simply a matter of coincidence.

1) He always orders any coffee or food from an online app that allows him to pick it up when the order is ready, without speaking to a cashier.

2) He always lingers outside of the establishment in order to minimize the chances of anyone inside speaking to him.

3) He always prioritizes Gavin’s voice, physical form, and heart rate above all other sources of input.

These three facts coincide to form a situation in which he is aware of Detective Gavin Reed waiting in line at the coffee shop inside, while Nines himself stands outside where the human cannot see him. And as an android, of course, he can hear the conversations inside the coffee shop as easily as if they were right next to him.

But he is not spying.

He is possibly [eavesdropping], but there is no way to remedy the situation without entering the coffee shop, possibly inviting conversation from [strangers], and also ruining the surprise.

So Nines remains outside and listens to Gavin place his order. His usual caramel frappe, double shot of espresso, extra caramel to compensate, with whipped cream. All is as it should be.

Except then his boyfriend also orders the newly-added thirium-based coffee drink. It seems Tina must have snitched to him that Nines wrapped up his case early. That is the problem with confiding in humans. They get drunk or sleepy or excited and reveal [secrets].

The cashier tells Gavin how much the order will be, and he pauses in the act of opening his wallet. He sighs deeply, then mutters for her to take off the caramel frappe.

Multiple error notifications scroll across Nines’s HUD. He deletes them only by reminding himself that he has already pre-purchased a caramel frappe, double shot of espresso, extra caramel to compensate, with whipped cream, and an additional drink would be redundant.

But still. If he had not already deviated, observing his boyfriend sacrifice his own coffee to get him one would likely have [yeeted] him into it directly.

u @ station?

tina told me ur back bitch

have surprise

Nines observes Gavin text him, then stare at his own phone while waiting for a reply. He texts back, and his human smiles before he can even have possibly read the reply.

I am omw to your location. I will join you inside shortly.

Gavin’s order gets called first, and he is too distracted by retrieving the coffee to note the coinciding call for Mr. Bunting. Nines will explain the [joke] of his cover identity for the now-completed case at a later time. For now, he enters the shop in time to watch Gavin notice the other coffee also sitting on the counter, unclaimed. It is an interesting experiment in self-control as his boyfriend stands frozen, clearly debating if he’s enough of an asshole to steal someone else’s caramel frappe.

Except then he reads the additional notes on the receipt stuck to the side, his head snaps up to scan the shop, and he spots Nines immediately.

He is a very good detective, even quicker on the uptake when it is not 7:14 am.

Nines claims the caramel frappe from the counter, then immediately holds it out for Gavin, who still clutches the thirium-coffee.

“You asshole,” Gavin says.

“Decaying meatsack,” Nines replies.

They swap drinks and leave the coffee shop. They even make it as far as Gavin’s truck in the parking lot before Gavin shoves his own coffee into Nines’s free hand, then crowds him up against the side of the truck.

“You asshole, you phcking asshole.”

He steps up on the rail beneath the passenger door in order to bring himself (nearly) to Nines’s height, hands stabilizing himself on the android’s shoulders for balance.

Then they are kissing.

Nines [likes] kissing, even if he does not yet feel confident reciprocating. Even as a deviant, the oldest, most ingrained thought patterns take precedence, and it is difficult to convince his system that his mouth may be used for kissing rather than [biting] or [verbal reports].

Gavin very much likes kissing him. He gives him short, quick kisses in between mumbling “miss you, missed you, so phcking much” and “baby, baby, my pretty baby.”

He gives him slow kisses and sucks on his bottom lip, kissing that drop down to his jaw and his neck. Rough kisses and bites against the skin there.

Nines holds their coffees, stands still, and vibrates like a jet engine. He [likes] being kissed.

“Can we be twenty minutes later?” Gavin asks, nipping at his earlobe.

“No,” Nines answers.

Gavin whines once, kissing that spot right along his jaw line. Nines preconstructs an alternative plan.

“I will order you a sub sandwich for lunch.”

“M’I supposed to fuck a footlong, huh?”

“It takes you seventeen minutes on average to consume a spicy Italian sub,” Nines says, doing his best to concentrate while Gavin does his own best to ruin that by sucking hickeys into his neck.

“So, how many minutes leftover on my lunch break for us to fuck?” he asks.

“Forty-three.”

He feels the human grin against his skin.

“Welcome home, babe.”

***

(a bunting is a type of reed bird. Nines taking Gavin’s last name like that airplane girl snatching gif: THAnk you.)

[itmighthavebeenintentional]

Shadow And Pills - Part 1 Preview

Summary: Some people come away from the Battle of New York with scars and broken bones. Some come away with nightmares and years of therapy ahead of them. Some don’t come away at all. Alexa comes away with a shadow.

18+ ONLY, MINORS DO NOT PROCEED

Warnings: RAPE, Torture, Abuse, Self Harm, Negative Images of Psychological Services/Mental Health Professionals, Hallucinations, Stalking, Supernatural Horror, Prescription Drug Use and Eventual Abuse, Mental Illness, PTSD, Flashbacks of Violence, Flashbacks of Tragedy, Starving Oneself, Isolation, Physical and Mental Exhaustion, Denial, Self Neglect, Gaslighting, Mental Spiraling, Mental and Emotional Abuse

18+ ONLY, MINORS DO NOT PROCEED

Author’s Note: This is not a happy story in any sense, at any point. I could only write this at my lowest places, emotionally and mentally speaking, and I had a hard time coming back from it. This is dark, and it does not at any point get lighter. I relied heavily on my own experiences with mental struggles and took a few pieces here and there from my own experiences with mental health professionals. MY EXPERIENCES ARE MY OWN AND ARE NOT TYPICAL, NOT EVEN FOR ME.

Extra thanks to @glassjacket and @thoughtslikeaminefield for not only helping me through this story but also through those dark moments. I wouldn’t be here without both of you. Period. And thank you, @glassjacket for your guidance and textwork on the image. 💙

If you need mental help of any kind, please DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO GET IT. This story was an exercise in mental exorcism, in a sense.

For all the Loki lovers out there, I do not shine him anything like a good or redeeming light here. He is evil incarnate, more or less. I love Loki, I love good Loki and redeemed Loki and misunderstood Loki and just about every incarnation thereof. I needed a villain, and he fit the story.

Above all, please be kind. This was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever written, and it took me years to work up the courage to post it.

18+ ONLY, MINORS DO NOT PROCEED

Word Count: 1 - 3785; 2 - 3513; 3 - 1068

In Case You Missed It: ItMightHaveBeenIntentional’s Masterlist

Shadows and Pills: Part 1 Preview

Some people come away from the Battle of New York with scars and broken bones. Some come away with nightmares and years of therapy ahead of them. Some don’t come away at all.

Alexa comes away with a shadow.

In the weeks following the disaster, the public equally lauds and decries the Avengers, but while their opinions are divided over the heroes, the villain is universally denounced as nothing short of Satan himself, and the city throws an actual celebration the day Thor takes Loki back to Asgard to face the justice of their people.

Alexa, having not turned on her television since the day she got home from the hospital, ignores the boisterous celebrants and goes about her shopping, earbuds firmly in place, frown lines now permanently etched between her eyes and around her pinched lips.

“Routine will help you through some of the worst days,” her therapist tells her during one session. “Something familiar and safe to retreat to when the flashbacks are the worst. Just give it a try,” he adds at her disbelieving grimace.

And so she sets a routine.

Morning Routine: wake up. Ignore alarm, lie in bed an extra thirty minutes or so. Shower. Pretend to eat breakfast. Take meds (this one she never skips or shirks). Find something to wear. Stare at it for another ten minutes. Eventually get dressed. Contemplate keys for another fifteen minutes. Leave the goddamned apartment already.

Her routine has varying results, although she does admit to her therapist that life is marginally more bearable with the routine than without.

“It’s nice to have something to look forward to for the next day.”

Her therapist can’t quite hide his grimace at her flat, deadened tone, but she’s not being sarcastic or rude. She finds that going to bed at night is a trifle easier when she knows what’s going to happen the next day.

“So, who are we up to today?” the doctor asks, switching the subject with awkward abruptness. It’s been six weeks since Hell came to New York, and during their twice-weekly meetings, her therapist suggests going through each of the people she saw die in front of her that day, to get closure...or say goodbye...or something.

Sometimes Alexa wonders whether he just wants to hear the details for his own perverse pleasure.

“Brenda.”

Alexa robotically begins to list the personal details she knows...knew...about her floor manager. Unlike the mail room intern she discussed at their last meeting, the list for Brenda goes on for a while. She’s worked with Brenda since she started at the company, learning most of what she knows about her current job from the woman.

Brenda was kind, sharply intelligent, and mothering to everyone under her supervision, and yet she did it in a way that didn’t make anyone uncomfortable. She balanced work and a family long and well enough to both receive regular promotions within the company and also, very recently, become a new grandmother.

The backs of Alexa’s eyes sting as she remembers the photo Brenda showed her not twenty minutes before part of the building collapsed on top of half the department. Her jaw locks as the scene plays before her eyes again, the explosions and shrieks of metal drowning out the shrieks of the people only five feet away.

She closes her eyes, but there’s no pause button to freeze the scene, no power button to shut the images off as she turns in her memory and runs, making it to the stairwell and slamming the door open, turning back and screaming for Brenda, straining her eyes through the smoke and dust and mountains of falling debris. Brenda is running, reaching for Alexa even though she seems miles away, and then one of the file cabinets is thrown over, propelled faster and harder than should be possible, and...and…

And then Brenda isn’t running anymore. Her outstretched hand, the only part of her that wasn't crushed by office furniture, spasms against the ruined carpet, as if it thinks it’s reached its destination and is grasping at its savior.

Alexa’s hand tingles, and her fingers lock into her palm, nails fitting easily into the little grooves she dug there weeks ago. No blood, she only dug that deep once, but the furrows remain as permanently etched there as the frown lines on her face.

Alexa struggles to take in a labored breath as her therapist watches her with the appropriate amount of professional, clinical sympathy and detachment.

“Do your counting,” he reminds her.

How could she forget? She counts to three once, letting a breath out at the end. She repeats the process twice more, ignoring her therapist’s brief flash of annoyance at her departure from his “system.” But, for once, he doesn’t ask her why she has to deviate from the standard one-to-ten method and just lets her do the goddamned counting in peace.

Small blessings.

“Have you had any flashbacks since our last session?”

She stares at him, letting her gaze rest heavy and disbelieving as she turns his question over. She’s been averaging about five flashbacks a day, triggered by everything from accidentally brushing a stranger on the sidewalk (Jim knocking past her to get down the stairs just as the door on the stairwell behind her explodes inward; more shrieking, then falling, then dark) to lifting a carton of cold milk from the shelf at the grocery (that impossibly cold hand grasping hers, pulling her up from the rubble, bringing her face to face with...something...something in the...shadows, it was so dark there, and…).

“Yeah. I’ve had some flashbacks since our last session.”

“What sort of coping strategies did you use?”

He’s not even meeting her eyes now, just getting notes down on that damned pad. The scratching of his pen grates into her bones, and Alexa grits her teeth as she glares.

One, two, three.

Breathe.

One, two, three.

Breathe.

One, two, three.

Breathe.

She slowly recites the list of strategies he suggested during a previous session, none of which have proven particularly effective at lessening the frequency of the episodes, but most of which she grudgingly admits provide some slight relief afterwards and allow her to refocus her mind on the present rather than dwelling in the memory.

“And the shadows?”

How can he get this wrong every time when he’s taking all those fucking notes?

“Still just the one.”

“Has it manifested in any other way? Asked you to do anything? Do you feel different in any way when you notice it?”

There’s a distasteful eagerness to his words that always turns Alexa’s stomach, and she has to physically bite into her tongue to keep from asking what kind of bonus he gets for each symptom she shows of different mental illnesses.

“It’s just there sometimes. I..” She hesitates, feeling vaguely nauseated from his questions, but she has to be honest, right? Because, ultimately, it’s his job to help her, and she’s never going to get through this by hiding symptoms. He can’t help fix her if he doesn’t know what’s broken, and he did suggest the routine, so, okay, he gets a pass for this one.

“I still mostly only see it before I’m falling asleep. I’ve started seeing it in the late afternoon, as well, not often, but sometimes. Always in shadows that are already there. It doesn’t talk or anything, doesn’t really have any face or form except for vaguely person-shaped, but it...it watches me. And it’s...denser than it was last week. More...it’s thicker than it was, like when you see wispy clouds kind of...gather and turn into storm clouds?”

He nods, his pen whizzing over the legal pad he records their session notes on. “So, you feel threatened by the shadow? Like it’s storm clouds gathering to...what? It feels menacing?”

But, like most of the questions Alexa fences in this office, this one isn’t easily answered.

“It feels like it’s watching me, waiting for something. I don’t know what. I don’t...I don’t know if it’s menacing, exactly. Like, it feels potentially dangerous, but I can’t tell if it’s for me. I don’t know. It’s just...darker and more there this week, but it doesn’t do anything, and I don’t feel different, and it doesn’t speak to me. I. Don’t. Hear. Voices.”

She clips off each word at the end of her rant separately and precisely, repeating her counting in her head, and she forces her breathing to even out. The doctor is just doing his job, he’s just trying to help, he’s supposed to ask these questions, it’s how he helps-

“Hmm. I’ll have to consider that between now and our next meeting. In the meantime, go ahead and move up to the next dosage step with your meds, keep it on the escalating schedule we set.”

You set, she thinks mutinously for a moment before internally shaking her head. She nods, biting her tongue once more. She’s going to have a permanent indentation there as well, at this rate.

“Any side effects? Itching, swelling, difficulty breathing? Any unreasonable lethargy or detachment?”

“I mean...I don’t really have anything to attach to at this point, so…”

He frowns at her again, and she wonders if he’s going to crank up her dosage two notches instead of one.

“Are you having what you feel are typical emotional responses to everyday stimuli? Have you laughed or smiled at anything yet? How long has it been since you emotionally felt anything besides the frustration and panic?”

And, somehow, this question is difficult, too. She struggles through, trying to find a balance between honesty and not making herself look like a complete failure who can't function in life. She doesn’t help her case when she admits she hasn’t followed many of his suggestions beyond establishing a routine.

“Not even exercising?” he asks, his disappointment palpable.

When she silently shakes her head, her lips pinched tight against his disapproval, he shakes his head with a sigh that sings of ultimate betrayal. Instead of berating her as usual, the doctor frowns and looks down at his notes, considering them silently. He clicks his tongue against his teeth for a moment before switching over to end-session mode, robotically delivering his closing remarks, his typical reminders to keep her meds on a strict schedule at the exact time every day, to avoid all alcohol and unprescribed drugs, to keep her diet as clean and unprocessed as possible, and to get plenty of exercise. Even this last bit is delivered with a sharply clinical detachment, as if she has driven him to the brink of her own psychoses by stubbornly refusing to accept his help.

There is a short, silent moment between them where they refuse to look at each other, the doctor perusing his notes once more while Alexa examines the wrinkles creased into her jeans from lack of folding. The doctor flips pages over in his legal pad and slaps the cover shut sharply, breaking the standoff with one last, dismissive comment.

“Routine, Alexa. Stick to the routine. If it’s what brings you comfort, if that's the one thing you’re taking away from these sessions that actually helps, then stick with it. I’ll see you Thursday afternoon.”

….

Her afternoons vary, according to her therapy schedule. Her sessions take roughly an hour and a half, so that’s one block of time she doesn’t have to try and fill. On the days she isn’t having her skull cracked open, she can sometimes force herself to work on the files her company sends her way. Grunt work, brainless stuff that any first-year intern could do, but it keeps her on the payroll and covered by health insurance until the doctor clears her to return to the office.

Not that there’s an office to return to yet.

Grocery shopping for food she’ll pretend to eat later, making excuses to stay out of the apartment a little longer each day, watching the shadows of the buildings grow darker and longer until the sunlight disappears from the streets.

And the other shadow, the darkest of all, thick and solid against the brick and stone, pacing her, keeping track as she wanders through the broken city blocks. Sometimes she walks a little faster, pretends to not notice the black spot. Sometimes she pretends it’s keeping her company. With the most conversation she’s had in weeks taking place in her therapy sessions, she occasionally finds the imaginary company of her shadow stalker to be more pleasant than menacing.

Occasionally.

Eventually, though, she and her chimerical companion head back to the silent, encroaching walls of her apartment to begin the night routine.

........

The rest of Part 1 coming soon.

If you would like to be added to or removed from a tag list, please let me know.

[why-this-kolaveri-machi]

we’re partners in this.

so titans 2.12 was mostly about (awkwardly) moving pieces around to get them in place for a grand finale. it was great! but also awkward. but great! let’s talk about it, if you don’t mind:

SPOILERS ahead.

1. i apologise for going off on a tangent right off the bat, but i just had this weird bit of insight about this show’s universe and it’s kind of hilarious. so you know those clickbaity articles about titans fucking up its worldbuilding by having its characters be so blase about protecting their superhero identities? (screenrant and cbr have inundated my newsfeed. oh good lord the pain. the agony.) maybe that’s just how It’s Meant To Be. batman and robin have been around for at least a decade and a half; the big bat’s likely been around for longer. the justice league is a sophisticated organisation with connections, representation and influence on worldly affairs. no doubt there has been countless battles and alien invasions--to the point where superheroes have become so ingrained in public life that their identities are semi-public knowledge but Nobody Gives A Shit. it’s like asking folks about their local legislators--people are aware that they exist and perform a Function in society and that a minimal amount of research would reveal who they are, but most aren’t keen on/interested in doing that. as a result, keeping up a secret identity isn’t the priority it used to be. and That’s Fine! the titans universe is its own beast with its own internal mechanics and as long as it’s internally consistent, let it deviate from its comic origins as much as it wants to.

oh typical emmram, i can hear you say. scrambling for explanations to excuse careless writing and plot holes. well, dear Strawman I Just Made Up, you may be partially right--there was a time when i would’ve waved my ‘the author is dead’ flag, but (i like to think) i’ve matured since then. but also: have you considered that plot holes aren’t really plot holes if you can successfully use what’s been established about a story’s universe to explain them away and that it’s significantly more fun? 

with this background in mind, i can appreciate more than ever that titans plays out more like an intense, soapy family drama (with perhaps higher stakes than your average soap). this was never a show about a bunch of disparate heroes coming together and finding purpose in order to defeat a common enemy. this was always about a bunch of kids who grew up in a world where vigilantism and superheroing and magic and alien invasions are just an accepted part of life, and the deeply dysfunctional ways they keep coming together and pinballing away, over and over again. there’s no point where each of the characters have definitely Gotten Over Their Issues so they can all gather together to defeat the big bad; it’s why this late in the game we can have rachel looking for people to connect to and relate with that aren’t a series of adults who claim to protect her but only keep her in the dark; hank at the bottom of a self-destructive spiral; dick barely picking himself up from rock bottom, and kory falling apart at the seams. 

so anyway, that’s it on this edition of Emmram Tries To Give A Grand Unifying Theory of Titans; let’s move on to the actual episode.

2. rose’s story could’ve been so good, you guys. actually you know what, scratch that (she types, on a computer while having 20+ years’ experience in knowing how to use the backspace key), it’s a great story that got muddled in the process of the show trying to tell a number of great stories all at once. this season has been inexorably building up to dick grayson becoming nightwing, using his unreliable narration to build up suspense as we see him battle personal hangups and the fallout from literal decades of trauma to gain a sense of equilibrium and a renewal of purpose (it can be argued that even now, on the cusp of actually putting on that dang costume, he hasn’t really learned anything--but i’ll get to that later). if this is the main story that this season is trying to tell, then taking two gigantic detours for episode-long flashbacks and building up to jericho’s death as much as they did makes perfect sense. it also makes sense to set slade up as a foil to dick, in that they are both caught up in their heads and make self-absorbed decisions to protect their ‘children’ but dick comes through with the realisation that that’s a crock of bullshit. 

but that’s not the case, is it? there are so many things going on at once but they’re all orbiting around this throughline of ‘dick becoming nightwing’ and so we only get the barest glimpses of some relatively complex character motivations and development going on with the others. 

2.25. in this episode’s flashback (we’re still getting flashbacks! in literally the penultimate episode of the season! god i have never wanted to take a red pen to anything more) we come to a number of weighty realisations: the extent of rose’s powers, her feelings of otherness, her desire to connect with her father so that she doesn’t feel alone in her otherness, how desperate she is to connect with him--so much so that she’s willing to throw away her entire life and undergo physical mutilation in service of his revenge plan--and how...learning exactly how her brother died and... being with jason??? made her change her mind??? ok that last one’s a bit muddled, but i’ll try and make sense of it.

as far as i can see, there are four big turning points in rose’s story so far:

a) that moment in the car when slade invites rose to join him and reveals that he’s basically been funding her ‘normal’ middle class life till that point. i can imagine how destabilising that realisation might be to rose, and why she might think going along with slade, no matter how weird and how abrupt, is how she’s going to live a life true to who she is

b) but imagine actually being taken in by the titans, being given shelter and support and succour by a group that her father had described as ruthless and manipulative. i can imagine her still being on board with slade’s plan, but maybe the reason she didn’t do all that she could’ve possibly done while at the tower to sabotage the titans might be because she’s actually interacting with these people, and while they might be a Hot Mess, they aren’t actively cruel or vindictive. i wish the show had woven in more scenes of rose interacting with the others, of her learning intimate things about their pasts, of her bonding with the younger titans’ struggle with their own ‘freakish’ natures. rose hardly seems to have any presence at all after her intro episode, and that’s a pity.

c) dick’s confession about what actually happened with slade and jericho. it’s more complicated than she was lead to believe--her father was actually complicit in her brother’s death. it’s a very confusing moment for rose, who’s already (probably) feeling the first stirrings of guilt, unsure, really, about her devotion to the father and brother that she’s known only for a little longer than the titans themselves, and slowly coming to the sick realisation that slade used her as a pawn in his game against the titans. 

d) jason latching onto rose is understandable--he saw her as the only person making the effort to connect with him when he was feeling vulnerable and rejected by almost everybody else. jason practically bleeds a need for connection and acceptance. i don’t think rose anticipated that jason would come with her, or be as attached to her as he is--but she sees in him a sensitive and struggling soul baring his heart to her, and in herself the kind of deception and secrecy that she’d originally wanted to rebel against. so she finally comes clean with him, and thinks they should help the titans against her father.

i mean. i might be making some assumptions (actually i’m making a lot of assumptions, to be fair), but i’m just trying to work with what the show’s given us, which is... not insubstantial, but haphazard enough that it’s easy to forget that rose exists sometimes. 

3. i fell asleep right after watching this episode for the first time, and apparently at some point before actually sleeping i appear to have had some kind of Great Insight about it because in the notes app on my phone i typed in “dick bruce concept of justice” with no further explanation.

i’ve spent the better part of this evening trying to retrace my train of thought, and i think it went like this: essentially, i was curious that dick was so broken up about jericho dying that he banished himself to a five year long lonely journey to seek penance that ended with him voluntarily getting himself arrested, but didn’t seem all that cut up about zucco dying or basically ordering the deaths of the scientists at the asylum in 1.07. betraying jericho and the older titans’ trust in him is a far greater burden on him than being responsible for the death of people who have wronged him or hurt the people he loves. but this is also a man who has internalised batman’s mission and ethos for the better part of his life, so he can’t actually come out and admit that. instead the two things come together to form one conclusion: he killed jericho, and he must be punished for it. 

(i also imagine locking himself away in prison was a result of growing up under the influence of batman--who responded to trauma by embarking on rigorous, brutal, solitary journey of penance and extreme self-discipline. batman doesn’t ask for help. batman goes to the batcave and rides it out.)

so when dick finally breaks himself out of jail, it isn’t because he’s come to a great realisation about his self-destructive behaviour (although he’s aware of it on some subconscious level); it’s because he realised the thing he was punishing himself for didn’t actually happen. he hasn’t really learnt a lesson. to be fair, he would need some pretty intensive therapy to untangle the things running through his head, so it seems quite believable that this is the way he gets back on his feet in time to be nightwing.

4. i know people think that the conversation between rachel and kory was awkward, and uh, it kinda was a little bit, but it makes sense that they can talk like that to each other. rachel wants to protect dick but feels confident enough with kory to lash out at her; kory is unafraid to be vulnerable or sad around rachel which just feeds into the trust that rachel has in kory. i don’t know, i thought that conversation was a nice way to both re-establish this dynamic and give some insight into what kory’s feeling.

5. god, mercy graves--a family woman!--tenderly wiping the blood off gar’s chin after having turned him into her own personal killing machine is just... so unsettling on so many levels.

5.5. it continues to KILL me that gar had so much faith in the titans right up to the very moment he had his fucking skull opened up and his brains messed with against his will: an undeserving loyalty to a family who took his easygoing acceptance of their shitty treatment of him at face value and essentially threw him to the wolves. how do you even start recovering from this? i feel like we’ve gone past the point where a few heart-to-hearts could help.

6. man, hank spiralling the way he did was too brutal to be anything but deeply uncomfortable. i’m sure the teenager who bought hank’s suit from him was supposed to inspire hank and remind him of his place and purpose as a titan, but it came off as kind of a cruel joke. hank has been putting his body out on the firing line over and over and over again, and his lesson is to be told that he isn’t putting himself out there enough? yikes.

7. stu and lily and their collective disdain for dick grayson’s drama are my new favourite characters on the show and deserve their own damn spin-off. MAKE IT HAPPEN DC

[knight-engale]

I have finally redone Sakura! She’s my oldest student OC and is b a b y

Bio under the cut!

★ Sakura Himekawa ★

"Anything you can do, I can do better! Watch!"

■ Name || Sakura Himekawa ■  Japanese Name || 姫川 桜 ■  Rōmaji || Himekawa Sakura ■  Alias || Mimick (ミミック Mimikku) ■  Epithet || none yet ■  Nicknames || Copy-cat (Bakugo), Kiki (family), Kura (public nickname) ■  Birthday || May 5 ■  Age || 15-16 ■  Gender || Female ■  Height || 5'4 (165cm) ■  Hair Color || Pink ■  Eye Color || Blue-green ■  Blood Type || AB ■  Quirk || Copy Eye ■  Status || Alive ■  Occupation || Student ■  Affiliation || U.A. High School ■  Fighting Style || Varied ■  First Appearance:

Manga: TBD Anime: TBD

■  Portrayal:

Ja: Kana Asumi Eng: Kate Higgins

◣ A b o u t ◥

███ Short Introduction

Sakura Himekawa is a first year student at U.A. High School, training to be a Pro Hero. She is part of Class 1-A.

███ History

Sakura is the only child of a florist and minor Pro Hero. Her Quirk manifested at age 3 and was incorrectly identified for about six months, as she only copied her father's Quirk. It wasn't until she copied her uncle's Quirk one day that he Quirk was reevaluated.

When she was 5, Sakura's parents died suddenly when her mother's flower shop was attacked by a relatively powerful villain. Sakura was sent to live with her maternal grandparents. Her grandparents, however, ultimately proved to be unfit to care for her. When Sakura was 10, custody was transferred to her Uncle Yukio, who she continued to live with until moving in to the U.A. dorms.

She enjoyed watching Yukio, who was a moderately successful Pro Hero now, train, and loved to hear stories from his job. She decided to become a Pro Hero to emulate him. Eventually, though, her motivation morphed into wanting to get rid of villains so that no one would have to experience the same sort of childhood trauma that she had.

◣ A p p e a r a n c e ◥

███ Appearance

Sakura is of about average height, with a moderately curvy figure. She has pink hair that falls just past her shoulders and large blue-green eyes. Her eyebrows are particularly thin. At school, Sakura wears the typical U.A. girls' uniform. Sakura's casual attire is heavily influenced by vintage American clothing, consisting of vintage blouses, high-waisted pants or shorts, and mid-20th century style dresses. Her wardrobe is very versatile and can be easily adapted to cold weather with jackets and leggings. Sakura's hero costume appears rather simple, consisting of long grey gloves, a high-collared grey and white leotard, and grey thigh-high boots. However, the material her costume is made of is very durable, as it needs to withstand any possible Quirk side-effects. In the winter, she switches the leotard for a unitard.

███ Personality

At first glance, Sakura seems to be rather introverted, often keeping to herself and observing instead of interacting. However, once she's warmed up to someone, she is very bubbly and outspoken. She enjoys being around people with lots of energy, even when she isn't feeling particularly energetic. She could be described as an ambivert, with her mix of introverted and extraverted tendencies; while she enjoys being around lots of people, she is also perfectly fine to be by herself, and finds both activities to be energizing. Sakura is very sensitive and caring toward her friends, and could easily be considered a mom friend. She has a strong sense of loyalty and duty. She finds satisfaction in making sure the people around her are cared for. She is also good at time management, making sure to have enough time to do everything she plans to do in a day. This trait pairs well with her studiousness, and as a result she is a wonderful student. As in all things, Sakura has her weaknesses. She often worries about how she is perceived by the people around her, and gets stressed if she thinks she comes off as clingy or overbearing. As such, she can be inflexible at times, stubbornly refusing to do things outside of the social norm. She also gets particularly stressed when forced to deviate from a plan and dislikes improvising, even when necessary. It should be noted that her inflexibility doesn't usually apply to combat situations. She is susceptible to criticism, and becomes defensive and hurt when people, especially loved ones, criticize her. Furthermore, her naturally affectionate and selfless nature can sometimes be overwhelming to others, and can also lead her to neglect her own well-being.

███ Likes

✔ ice cream ✔ pastel colors ✔ music ✔ spicy food ✔ fantasy RPGs ✔ reading (especially fluffy romance) ✔ drawing

███ Dislikes

✘ villains ✘ running in to Yukio at school ✘ hot weather ✘ loud noises ✘ being babied by adults

◣ A b i l i t i e s ◥

Overall Abilities:

Photographic Memory: A pleasant side-effect of Sakura's Quirk is that she has an impeccable memory, allowing her to recall what she's studied with perfect or nearly perfect accuracy.

███ Quirk

Copy Eye (アイをコピー Ai o kopī): Sakura can copy and store any Emitter Quirk by watching a target and studying how they use their Quirk. The longer she studies a Quirk, the longer she can use it. For example, if she studies a Quirk for three minutes, she can use it for three minutes. She can store one Quirk at a time for up to 12 hours, starting from when she finishes studying a Quirk, and doesn't need to use it all at once. She can only copy Quirks if she understands what the Quirk does, and at least part of how it works. If she misunderstands a Quirk, or doesn't know how to activate it, she can't copy it. She must also keep her physical limitations in mind while picking and using Quirks; while she has remarkable endurance, her body is not adapted to handling every Emitter Quirk, and she might not be able to handle side effects. Overextending herself while using a copied Quirk will result in her suffering that Quirk's side effects.

███ Stats

Power: 1/5 F

Speed: 2/5 D

Technique: 3/5 C*

Intelligence: 4/5 B

Cooperativeness: 5/5 A *Technically, her technique stat varies depending on her familiarity with the Quirk she's using.

◣ B a t t l e s & E v e n t s ◥

TBD

◣ M i s c e l l a n e o u s ◥

███

Relationships

Leave a comment with your OC and we can discuss a relationship!

Class 1-A: Most of the class (friends), Seiyo Ametsuchi (SweetSummerCourier) (friends)

Class 1-B: Neito Monoma (rrrrrivals), Natsuka Aozora (friends)

Faculty: Faculty: Yukio Sasaki (uncle), Hizashi Yamada (honorary uncle), Shota Aizawa (honorary uncle)

Pro Heroes: See above

Love Interest/s: Izuku Midoriya (crush, but it's not like they're official)

███ Trivia

Her favorite Quirks to copy are Erasure and Voice.

She's bi-curious. What can you say, Yaoyorozu is pretty cute

Her first and last names means "princess of rivers" and "cherry blossom", respectively.

If being a Pro Hero falls through, she wants to be a secretary or Hero Agency manager.

███ Quotes

"Can I borrow someone's Quirk? I need to blast Mineta into the sun."

"Oh, hi there! I'm Sakura, but you can call me Kura if you want."

"I can't hand out right now, sorry. I need to study."

Original template (c) dre-tama | modified by Phantom-OtakuRef sheet template (c)

Reference template (c) Iya5RT

BNHA (c) Kohei Horikoshi

Sakura, artwork (c) knight-engale

[thewoodleighresidences124]

Buying Property With Super Money - Tips To Invest In House Overseas

The Woodleigh Residences Balance Units

The average person puts in numerous years at work, going through the actual daily grind, just to ensure that he or she can raise a family after which retire in relative comfort and ease. Many people nurture the desire settling down in a pleasant overseas destination where they can take pleasure in the fruits of their labors. But many people are beginning to consider purchasing foreign countries in order to increase their returns. As a result, there is certainly growing interest to find out buying property with super money, both overseas and inside the country. Stock markets should attractive places to invest cash because of extreme fluctuations. In fact, there are so many advantages to car parking investment property in superannuation cash that many people are rushing in it without considering all the facts.

The buying property with extremely funds, whether within the nation or abroad, can be quite a complex one especially since there are numerous rules and regulations concerning it. However, using a super fund or perhaps a self managed super account (SMSF) to buy property is normally a good idea because it enables individuals to plan for their golden years without needing to dig deep into their cost savings. After all, which person more than likely want to buy an investment property abroad without reducing his or her throw away income? Another advantage of employing this route is that one's individual borrowing capacity will not be impacted. Further, the income which comes from this investment is going to be free of income tax once the wholesale real estate flipper cross 60 years of age.

The thought of buying property overseas is very a popular one because of a couple of reasons: - Some international destinations offer a relaxed atmosphere as well as pleasant climate all the all year round, enabling people to enjoy a excellent quality of life. It is therefore easy to find renters in these places.

- Continual global crises have led to extremely low real estate costs in certain attractive destinations

-- Some countries offer unique packages to induce unusual citizens to invest in property generally there, thereby ensuring that the best possible offer is available.

- Some of the very popular destinations offer excellent leasing returns of around 15% with a very high rate associated with occupancy, ensuring that the investment decision is extremely profitable

There are a few items to be considered when buying overseas house in superannuation funds. Actually the rules that govern exactly how super funds and SMSFs can invest abroad need to be followed very scrupulously because any deviations will attract fines. Apart from this, there are many commercial elements that also have to be taken into consideration because the attraction of a apparently sweet deal can make individuals act incautiously.

If you wish to purchase property with super resources then you have to ensure that: : The ownership by a very fund is recognized by the nation in which you wish to buy home.

- You can demonstrate that this sole purpose of the purchase is to provide retirement advantages for the members of the finance. The investment will have to conform to the Sole Purpose test.

rapid You or any other person in the fund cannot reside in the property in question under any kind of circumstance

- The property involved has not been bought from anyone associated with any of the trustees. However , please be aware that this rule does not use in the case of commercial properties.

instructions The investment, in property or home or anything else, is handled efficiently in order to ensure that members' retirement benefits are strengthened.

- Any costs related to managing the investment ought to be kept to the absolute minimal and should also appear to be affordable. Be prepared to have these costs scrutinized during an annual review. As a matter of fact, it is best to check with a person's auditor before incurring virtually any expense ostensibly in connection with controlling the investment. The best sort of this expense is visit a foreign destination in order to examine the property or sign up the tenant.

Since there are quite a few limitations applicable to super pay for loans to buy property, you are doing need to be aware that the investment can pay for any renovations towards the property but it cannot take out a loan for this reason. Also, loans are not available for building construction. Choice stands to reason that you should only buy a property after factoring in these types of costs. However , is that expenditures such as

An important point to become noted: The good news is that property associated expenses such as repairs, insurance coverages, taxes and even depreciation tend to be tax deductible.

Buying Industrial Properties Overseas

Many people would rather focus on commercial and not homes when they consider buying international property in superannuation finances. Commercial properties are easier to handle and tend to have longer rents. These are very important factors once the property is overseas because you won't have the resources to tend the investment. The various kinds of commercial properties that traders look at are shopping things, offices, supermarkets and the like. Still these commercial investments get a few drawbacks as well.

1 ) Commercial property values are extremely sensitive to economic variances

2 . They depend greatly on location

3. Whole commercial property developments may fail to take off, affecting the particular values of each unit these people contain, irrespective of how it really is maintained

If you decide to go typically the SMSF route then you'll certainly need to get assistance with managing this because of the need to comply with several laws and regulations. This can take up a lot of your time and money to cope with, something that most people do not have to extra. It is best to deal with a financial consultant who has a great deal of encounter managing these funds, particularly with regards to buying property within a foreign country. You should also obtain assistance from a really good realtor within the place where you want to buy residence so that you do not park your hard earned dollars in a place where it may be lost.

References Residence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residence

[jason1255-blog1]

The Field Army teaches you how to read a map (illustration) For a long time, people only understand the recognition and mastery of map user FA on the level of text and pure graphics. This kind of square FA is relatively abstract, and there is no FA and terrain environment for comparison and reference, so it will be difficult to understand. Today, I will throw aside those boring textbooks and introduce to you some self accumulated square FA for map recognition in the form of illustration, hoping to make great progress in the future How to correctly identify the map in outdoor activities is helpful for us to have a rough understanding of the map.

It should be noted that what I have shown is an obsolete military map without military and important objectives. I will not show the full picture of the map here. First, let's take a look at what a 1:50000 military map looks like. The map consists mainly of contour lines and shows the altitude of the commanding heights. In short, the areas with high contour density are steep slopes. The sparse area is gentle slope, easy to walk. The dotted line in the figure is the path sign. The distance between the squares on the map is 2cm. According to the scale conversion, we can know that the time distance is 1000 meters. Don't look down upon these squares. Their functions are not small, which will be introduced in detail later.

It can be seen that the north elevation is not straight, and the elevation is not straight. The mountain in the East is circular, with sparse contour lines and gentle slope, which is suitable for hiking. In the figure, the yellow point is a gentle slope with sparse contour lines; the blue point has dense contour lines and steep slope, and the left side is blueThe location of the point is the valley terrain, and the two yellow points below the map are the top of the mountain and saddle respectively.

Mountain topography map in the figure, the contour lines around the mountain in the yellow circle are dense, which indicates that the terrain around the mountain is relatively steep and straight, it is difficult to climb, and it should be avoided when walking. The contour lines in the green circle area in the figure are relatively sparse, indicating that the terrain around the mountain is gentle slope, which is suitable for walking through.

According to the terrain and landform, I have drawn two hiking routes according to the mountain situation (topography) in the map, I have drawn two hiking routes the blue line is relatively straight, but it has to cross a relatively steep slope, so the walking intensity is higher the green line is relatively far away, but the route is relatively gentle terrain, so hiking is relatively easy

how to measure and determine the direction

how to measure and determine the direction The angle between the short pink line parallel to the longitude in the map and the straight lines in the map is the azimuth angle (green) between the origin and the destination. The specific square FA is: place the compass horizontally at the place of origin on the map, and parallel the compass due north scale with the map meridian. Turn the left and right to adjust the map so that the compass pointer returns to 0 degree (due north scale). At this time, the map azimuth adjustment is completed Yes, we can measure the azimuth of the destination. To illustrate, the measured azimuth should be calibrated at the origin position, so as to correct and adjust the direction of travel at any time during the travel. In outdoor activities, you can draw the longitude and latitude lines on your existing ordinary map according to the measured correct orientation and converted scale soil distance before you set out. These grids can locate your activity area in blocks and delineate your vision in a certain rangeWithin the enclosure, it is not interfered by other factors and moves in blocks (sections) to better ensure the accuracy of the route and reduce the probability of wrong judgment of terrain and landform. According to the drawn longitude and latitude grid and scale, we can calculate the walking distance. This is also one of the steps of making a simple map.

The map I'm showing you today is a military map. Some friends will say, why do you want that military map to fool us? Yes, why do I use this kind of special map that ordinary people can't touch. This is because it can better introduce how the topography and landform are displayed on the map, and it is easier for us to understand and understand. Another purpose is to hope that in the future outdoor practice, you can pay attention to the geographical environment and other topographical features of your hiking. If you are interested, you can also draw the geographical and geomorphic route of the area you are hiking through according to the map mode, so as to provide convenience for future generations. At present, some large-scale contour lines made by individuals or non management parties have appeared. Recently, it is said that Sichuan Province has a officially published contour map, which is a great good thing for outdoor sports groups. With it, it can help lost friends to get out of the predicament relying on their own map knowledge and Fang FA.

Map and compass understanding and use map is an indispensable tool in our life, from the market to sell a variety of different functions of the map, such as County, city map, street map, amusement zone map, global map Wait, howeverFor outdoor activities, especially mountaineering, the most needed map is contour map, which can show all kinds of terrain on the surface, such as mountains, valleys, dangerous or gentle slopes, cliffs or cliffs.

The basic mark of contour map is to connect the points with the same surface height into a loop, and directly project them to the plane to form a horizontal curve. The loops of different heights will not coincide. Unless the surface shows cliffs or cliffs, some lines are too dense to overlap. If the surface line is flat and open, the distance between the curves is quite wide The datum line is based on the average tide level line of sea level. There are instructions for making signs at the bottom of each map for users' convenience. The main illustrations include scale, map number, map sheet joint table, legend and azimuth angle. 　        Scale is a symbol that must be marked on a map. It shows the proportional correlation between the actual distance on the surface of the earth and the distance shown on the map. For example, 1 / 100000 of the map represents 1 cm, i.e., the actual distance is 1 km, and 1 / 50000 map means 1 cm, that is, the actual distance is 500 m. for the accuracy of maps with different scales and the actual distance, the scale is small The map accuracy of the ruler is high. Scale and actual distance conversion table map scale field distance (meters) map distance (CM) 1:25000100041:50000100021:10000010001 map number is the number representing the name of the map. Maps of different scales are coded with their own system codes, which are based onLatitude and longitude are defined so that each map can be closely joined. The azimuth deviation angle indicates the relationship between the North (the earth's north pole), the magnetic north (the magnetic needle shows the North), and the grid north (the map indicates the North). At the same time, the year-on-year magnetic variation value is also noted at the bottom of the figure. When we use the compass to indicate our position and then compare the map, we can quickly know where we are and where we are going next Terrain changes.

The legend is to explain the meaning of various symbols on the map. The symbols that most climbers will pay attention to are triangle point, collapse wall, river, lake and slope. Contour map and terrain analysis I. types of contour lines When we look at the contour map carefully, we will find that there are two kinds of lines for drawing the map. This is designed for the convenience of users to read. The thick line is called the gauge curve and indicates the altitude. The distance unit between the measured curves is 0.2cm. The fine curve is called the head curve. It is between the count curves and has the function of convenient terrain analysis. There are four first curves between each two curve So the distance between each line is 0.04 cm. 2. Blind spots of contour lines the higher the scale, the worse the precision of the map. The reason is that the actual distance between the contour lines is too wide, which makes the terrain in this space unable to be clearly distinguished, resulting in blind spots. Taking one out of 50000 maps as an example, the actual distance between each curve is 20 meters (equivalent to the height of a seven storey building). 3. Slope gradient is one of the most easily recognizable terrain features on contour mapFor example, the narrower the distance between curves, the steeper the slope, the wider the distance between the curves, the slower the slope. 2. The uniform distance between the curves indicates that the section is of equal slope. If the distance between the upper and lower parts is less than the distance below, it means that the section is concave slope, and on the contrary, it is convex. The calculation of concave slope and convex slope is based on the formula of trigonometric function method, formula: tan-1 (vertical distance ＋ horizontal distance) = angle. Take 1 / 50000 map as an example: the relationship between slope, actual distance and curve spacing. (slope) θ = tan-1n / M Table 2: slope, slope condition and walking degree slope condition: walking degree: 1 ° to 5 ° gentle hillside, easy to walk on 5 ° to 15 ° gentle slope, easy to walk on 15 ° to 25 ° semi steep slope, 25 ° to 30 ° steep slope, 35 ° to 45 ° steep slope, 45 ° to 90 ° cliff and cliff. Drawing and reading contour maps When we buy a contour map, we must see whether it completely covers our intended activity area. Usually, we have to buy and piece together two or four maps. Usually, we will not carry the original map to the field. We (1) give priority to photocopying and re pasting the map of the predetermined activity area; 2) read the map carefully to distinguish the main and branch edges (i.e. the line connecting the two mountains) ）(3) draw the main edge lines, streams, streams, and mark the scheduled routes and campsites with different color fluorescent pens; (4) use transparent tape to book maps and activitiesThe travel plan is fully bonded and sealed, so it is convenient to carry and has waterproof function. Compass operation compass is an indispensable tool for mountaineering. Its basic function is to use the earth's magnetic field to indicate the north direction. It must cooperate with the map to find the relative position of the ball to understand its position. At present, there are many types of compass on the market. In this paper, according to the transparent bottom compass which is widely used in mountaineering, it is called forest compass for short, and describes how to use the compass for orientation. The compass return to zero operation is a very important pre operation to use the forest compass. Its steps are: 1. Place the compass horizontally. 2、 The North zero scale outside the ring is overlapped with the position of the pointer in the ring indicating the north. In this way, the operation of returning the north pointer to zero is completed. Target azimuth: when measuring the azimuth angle of the target, the north of the site must be parallel to the north of the grid on the map, and then point to the red line of the north arrow to aim at the target, read out the angle between the target and the grid north, and correct the azimuth deviation angle of the map, which is the target azimuth angle. *0b "[-} 0t'e5 the main destination of using map and compass is that the user should know the relevant position and terrain change between himself and the destination and be able to mark it on the map. This method uses the known points of two maps to measure the target azimuth angle of the unknown point of the other map, and the extension line of the two target azimuth angles must intersect at this unknown point. FieldSurvival technology manual field first aid kit in the wild, no one can predict what will happen. A first aid box can prolong your life, so be sure to carry it with you: an aluminum or stainless steel lunch box - not only for packaging, but also for cooking utensils. The inner surface of the box cover is also a signal reflecting plate thin and strong plastic cloth used to maintain body temperature, prevent the heat from losing too fast, prevent moisture or as tarpaulin waterproof match - the fire must be kept well, and can be sealed with film box big candle - lighting, fire making and increasing warmth multi purpose knife - still in use? Compass whistle - for help a small bag of salt, candy, multivitamin adhesive tape patch or emergency bandage, prick removal needle and thread bag pick out foreign body to mend clothes prevention and treatment of blisters you must have experienced a long journey with worn-out feet, blisters, and pain every step. Now let this painful feeling leave you completely: prevention: it's better to wear shoes that are used to running in with your feet, cotton or thread socks that absorb sweat. Place a band aid in advance where blisters can easily form. If conditions permit, you can buy a bottle of spray to prevent foaming in the store (mainly to reduce friction). Once has worn out the blister, first of all, the liquid in the bubble should be discharged. Prick a hole on the surface of the blister with a sterilized sewing needle, put the liquid out of the blister from the top, then smear the wound and its surroundings with disinfectant such as iodine and alcohol, and finally wrap it with clean gauze.

Prevention and treatment of heatstroke in summer, the mountain area is humid and windlessThe main symptoms of heat stroke are headache, dizziness, irritability, strong and powerful pulse, murmur of breathing, body temperature may rise above 40 ° C, and skin is dry and red. If not treated in time, people suffering from heatstroke may lose consciousness quickly, and the degree is very deep, which may lead to accidents therefore, before climbing in summer, it is necessary to prepare drugs for prevention and treatment of heatstroke, such as shidishui, Qingliang oil, Rendan, etc. In addition, should also prepare some cool drinks and sunglasses, sunshade hat and other heatstroke equipment. Once someone heatstroke, it should be moved to a cool and ventilated place as soon as possible. The clothes should be soaked with cold water to wrap the body and keep it moist. Or keep fanning to dissipate heat and wipe the patient with cold towel until the body temperature drops below 38 ° C the heatstroke person should be conscious, half of the sitting position should be allowed to rest, and the head and shoulder should be supported if the heatstroke person has lost consciousness, he / she should be allowed to lie on his / her back Through the above treatment measures, if the body temperature of the heat stroke person has dropped, they should be covered with clothes and have a full rest. Otherwise, the above measures should be repeated and sent to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible The main symptoms of heat syncope are: feeling exhausted, but restless, headache, dizziness or nausea. Pale,The skin feels cold and wet. Breathing fast and shallow, pulse fast and weak. It may be accompanied by muscle convulsions in the lower extremities and abdomen. Body temperature kept normal or decreased in order to avoid heat syncope, some climbers with weak system should pay special attention to avoid excessive physical exertion activities, pay attention to rest rhythm and maintain physical strength in summer mountaineering activities. Drink more salt containing water or drink, even if the electrolyte loss in the body is supplemented in case of heat syncope, the patient should be moved to a cool place as soon as possible. If the patient is conscious, he should be allowed to drink some cold boiled water slowly. If the patient sweats a lot, or has cramps, diarrhea, or vomiting, add salt to the water (1 teaspoon per liter). If the patient has lost consciousness, he should lie down in a lying position, rest fully until the symptoms are relieved, and send him to the hospital for further treatment

how to deal with snake bite when taking part in outdoor activities, resting or passing through grass, stone crevices, dead trees, bamboo forests, stream banks or other dark, humid and humid places where snakes inhabit, don't be scared to death. First of all, we should judge whether it is a snake bite. usually, we can judge whether it is a snake bite by observing two large and deep teeth marks on the wound. If there is no tooth mark, and there is no local pain, swelling, numbness and weakness within 20 minutes, it is a non-toxic snake bite. Just clean, stop bleeding and bandage the wound. If possible, they can be sent to the hospital for injection of tetanus needle. the main symptoms of being bitten by poisonous snakes are as follows: in case of hemorrhagic snake venom, the wound is burning and swollen, and there are purple spots and ecchymosis around the woundThere are blisters, plasma blood exudates from the wound, skin or subcutaneous tissue necrosis, fever, nausea, vomiting, bleeding of the seven orifices. There are blood phlegm, hematuria, decreased blood pressure, pupil narrowing, cramps and so on. The victim may die within 6-48 hours after being bitten. If it is neurotoxic snake venom: wound pain, local swelling, drowsiness, dyskinesia, ptosis, mydriasis, local weakness, swallowing paralysis, stuttering, drooling, nausea, vomiting, coma, dyspnea, and even respiratory failure. The injured person may die within 8-72 hours generally speaking, the symptoms gradually appear 10-20 minutes after being bitten by a poisonous snake. After being bitten, fighting for time is the most important thing. First of all, you need to find a cloth strap or long shoelace and tie it close to the upper part of the heart for 5-10 minutes to relieve the spread of toxin. But in order to prevent limb necrosis, relax for 2-3 minutes every 10 minutes. The snake venom on the wound surface should be washed repeatedly with cold water. Then take the tooth mark as the center and cut the skin of the wound into a cross with a sterilized knife. Then squeeze with two hands, pull out the cupping, or cover the wound with 4-5 layers of gauze, suck with gauze across the mouth (there should be no wound in the mouth), and try to suck out the venom from the wound. Take jieshedu tablets immediately and apply the powder around the wound. Try to slow down the movement of the injured and send them to the nearby hospital for treatment. (if you are not sure what kind of snake venom it is, you should kill the snake and take it to the hospital)

how to deal with bee sting stay away from the grass and bushes, because they are often home to beesIt is better to wear light colored and smooth clothes, because the bee's visual system is very sensitive to the movement of dark objects in light background if someone mistakenly provokes the bees to attack, the only way is to protect their head and neck with clothes, run backward or lie down in place. Do not try to fight back, otherwise it will only lead to more attacks if you have been stung by a bee, you can pick out the bee sting with a needle or forceps, but do not squeeze it to prevent the remaining toxin from entering the body. Then use ammonia water, soda water and even urine to smear the stung area to neutralize the toxicity. Can be soaked in cold water towel applied to the wound, reduce swelling and pain. Finally, go straight to the hospital

tips for dealing with rainy days put the map in a place that is easy to take, such as a raincoat pocket or top bag of a backpack, and do a good job of water splashing prevention. If you have glasses, please wear a baseball cap with a protruding front brim and then a rain cap, so that you can have a better view. Wear rain gear immediately in case of rain. Don't wear it because the rain is small. It's too late to wear it again when you are drenched in water! Two section raincoat is suitable for rain gear. Rain pants are supported by sling to prevent sliding. Rain gear should always be placed in a convenient place, such as the side bag, top bag or top of the main bag. Short Leggings prevent rain from slipping from the trouser legs into the inside of the boots. Recording in the rain is a hard job. You can use sealed plastic bags to pack notebooks to prevent water. There is a notebook on the market to prevent paper from being soaked in water or ink. Remember, the skin that is wet and cold and exposed is much closerThe skin with wet and cold cotton cloth is for heat preservation. No matter how much the backpack manufacturer boasts of its water resistance, it is necessary to put a waterproof cover on the outside of the backpack. The clothes and sleeping bags in the backpack should be wrapped with waterproof bags or plastic bags. The hard shell fresh-keeping box can be used to hold fragile and damp food, medicinal materials, negative films or matches.

1. Dome mound: the contour line indicates loose, close to the loop line, and refers to the surrounding lowlands or independent hills close to the highlands. 2. Cone shaped hill: the contour lines form a circular line, the closer to the height, the more dense it is. It is more common to see in mountainous areas, like a cone. 3. Hilltop: near the steep slope of the top of the mountain, the slope suddenly flattens and protrudes like a person's forehead. The contour line from then on to the top of the mountain indicates that this part is particularly wide and bends downward. 4. Slope concave land: the low and narrow land on the slope, or the low and shallow part of the plain extending into the highland. It is usually flowing through and separated by ridges on both sides, and its shape is very similar to that of a valley. 5. Steep wall: the end of edge line is broad and steep, called steep wall. It is common near river valley or coast, where contour lines are particularly dense. 6. Shoulder: the upper or lower part of the ridge appears steep, but the middle part is gentle and flat. It is called the shoulder. The contour line indicates that the middle part is particularly wide. 7. Ridge: it is a long and narrow highland with steep sides. The top may be flat, broad or in the shape of knife edge. The slopes on both sides may be uniform, or one side is sharp and straight, and the other side is gentle. It is often found in broad and flat areas. In addition, if the terrain is higher and longer than the surrounding area, it can also be regarded as a ridge. The contour line indicates that the ridge is formedOval line. 8. Depression: located on a narrow, lower part between two mountains, the river flows from this side to the back, and there is no clear difference between the two sides. Generally, the two sides are wide and gentle inclined to make it easy to cross the depression. Both sides of the saddle are relatively narrow and precipitous. It is usually rarely used to make contour map of mountain crossing road to show the depression and bend upward from the low ground. 9. Saddle part: it is also the low and shallow part between the two mountains on the ridge, but it is slightly higher than the depression. If the terrain of saddle is narrow and deep, it is used as a road across both sides of the ridge, it is called mountain pass. 10. Crisscross ridge: in a young river valley, when the river is curved, the edge lines on both sides will protrude to the concave part of each other, forming a hacksaw shaped, protruding edge line. The slope of the concave edge line is gentle, and the concave edge line is steep. The contour line represents the protruding edge line, which bends downward slightly away from the river bank. On the contrary, it indicates that the concave ridge bends downward close to the bank. 11. Cliff: it is a high and nearly vertical rock surface, which is formed by erosion and faulting. It is found both inland and coastal areas. Contour lines indicate the place where the wall is erected. Many contour lines may overlap together, but there are also special symbols.

Understanding and use of map and compass Map is an indispensable tool in our life. We can sell maps with different functions from the market, such as county and city map, street map, amusement area sketch map, global map, etc. However, for outdoor activities, especially mountaineering, the most needed map is contour map, which can display various terrain of the surface, such as mountains, valleys, dangerous or gentle slopes, cliffs or cliffs It can be shown.

The basic mark of contour map Contour map is to connect the points with the same surface height into a loop, and directly project them to the plane to form a horizontal curve. Loops of different heights will not coincide. Unless the surface shows cliffs or cliffs, some lines can be too dense to overlap. If the surface line is flat and open, the distance between the curves is quite wide, and its datum line is the average of sea level According to the sea tide level line, there are instructions for making signs under each map for users' convenience. The main illustrations include scale, map number, map sheet joint table, legend and azimuth angle. Scale is a symbol that must be marked on a map. It shows the proportional correlation between the actual distance on the surface of the earth and the distance shown on the map. For example, 1 / 100000 of the map represents 1 cm, i.e., the actual distance is 1 km, and 1 / 50000 of the map represents 1 cm, that is, the actual distance is 500 m, The accuracy of small scale map is higher. Scale and actual distance conversion table map scale field distance (meters) map distance (CM) 1:25000100041:50000100021:10000010001 map number is the number representing the name of the map. Maps of different scales are coded with their own system codes, and they are made in the unit of longitude and latitude, so that each map can be closely linked. The azimuth angle is between due north (Earth's north pole), magnetic north (magnetic needle shows North), and grid north (map indicates North)At the same time, the year-on-year magnetic variation value is also noted at the bottom of the map. When we use the compass to indicate our position, and then compare the map with the map, we can quickly know where we are and know the next direction to go and the surrounding terrain changes. The legend is to explain the meaning of various symbols on the map. The symbols that most climbers will pay attention to are triangle point, collapse wall, river, lake and slope.

Contour map and terrain analysis When we look at the contour map carefully, we will find that there are two kinds of lines for drawing the map. This is designed for the convenience of users to read. The thick line is called the gauge curve and indicates the altitude. The distance unit between the measured curves is 0.2cm. The fine curve is called the head curve. It is between the count curves and has the function of convenient terrain analysis. There are four first curves between each two curve In this way, the unit of distance between each line is 0.04 cm. Table (1) shows contour lines of various scales. Table 1: actual distance between contour lines of map actual distance of unit contour line actual distance scale curve head curve 1:50000100m20 meters 1:2500050 meters 10 meters 1:1000025 meters 5 meters 2. Blind spots of contour lines The higher the scale, the worse the precision of the map. The reason is that the actual distance between the contour lines is too wide, which makes the terrain in this space unable to be clearly distinguished, resulting in blind spots. Taking one out of 50000 maps as an example, the actual distance between each curve is 20 meters (equivalent to the height of a seven storey building)Degree). 3. Slope Slope is one of the most easily recognizable terrain features on contour map. We can understand the slope of each mountain peak by observing the map roughly. For example, the narrower the distance between curves, the steeper the slope, the wider the distance between curves, and the slower the slope. 2. The uniform distance between the curves of peaks indicates that the section is equal slope. If the distance between the upper and lower parts is less than the distance below, it means that the section is concave slope, otherwise it is convex. Concave slope convex slope slope calculation is based on trigonometric function method calculation formula, formula: tan-1 (vertical distance ＋ horizontal distance) = angle. Take 1 / 50000 map as an example: (Table 2 and table 3), the relationship between slope, actual distance and curve spacing. (slope) θ = tan-1n / M Table 2: slope, slope condition and walking degree slope condition: walking degree: 1 ° to 5 ° gentle hillside: easy to drive; 5 ° - 15 ° to walk on gentle slope; 15 ° - 25 ° to walk on semi steep slope; 25 ° to 30 ° steep slope; 35 ° to 45 ° steep slope; 45 ° to 90 ° cliff; cliff to be climbed with equipment; table 3: slope represented by 1 / 50000 map The relationship between actual distance and map slope actual vertical distance (m) map display distance (mm) 5 ° 204.610 ° 202.215 ° 201.520 ° 201.130 ° 200.745 ° 200.4 when we purchase contour map, we must see whether it completely covers our scheduled activity areaUsually we don't take the original map to the field. We (1) give priority to photocopying and re pasting the map of the predetermined activity area; (2) read the map carefully to distinguish the main and branch lines (i.e. the line connecting the two mountains), streams, slopes, cliffs, and collapse walls; and (3) draw the main edge lines and streams with different color fluorescent pens (4) use transparent tape to seal the map with the plan of the activity, which is convenient to carry and waterproof.

The compass is an indispensable tool for mountaineering and hiking. Its basic function is to use the earth's magnetic field to indicate the north direction. It must cooperate with the map to find the relative position of the ball to know its position. At present, there are many types of compass on the market. In this paper, according to the transparent bottom compass which is widely used in mountaineering, it is called forest compass for short, and describes how to use the compass for orientation. The compass return to zero operation is a very important pre operation of using forest compass. Its steps are as follows: first, place the compass horizontally. 2、 The North zero scale outside the ring is overlapped with the position of the pointer in the ring indicating the north. In this way, the operation of returning the north pointer to zero is completed. Target azimuth: when measuring the azimuth angle of the target, the north of the site must be parallel to the north of the grid on the map, and then point to the red line of the north arrow to aim at the target, read out the angle between the target and the grid north, and correct the azimuth deviation angle of the map, which is the target azimuth angle. Field on your order positioning The main purpose of using map and compass is that the user should know the relative position and terrain change between himself and the destination and be able to mark it on the map.

This method uses the known points of two maps to measure the target azimuth angle of the unknown point of the other map, and the extension line of the two target azimuth angles must intersect at this unknown point. When we see an unknown mountain in the distance and want to know the exact location of the peak, we can use this method. 1. We give priority to mark our position point (point a) on the map and measure the target azimuth of the unkn

own peak (point C). 2. When we travel best baseball cap a certain distance to another known point (point B) on the map, we can measure the target azimuth of the unknown peak. 3. By drawing the extended lines of two target azimuth angles on the map, we can draw the intersection point of the two lines, that is, the unknown peak (point C). Example 2. When we lose our way or want to know where we are on the map (point C), we first look around the surrounding terrain peaks and select two target points (points a and b) that can be clearly marked on the map. In this way, we can measure the target azimuth of the known points (points a and b). At the same time, the intersection point of these two azimuth extension lines is our location point (point C).

Looking for water source if one day, when you are on the top of a high mountain and travel through the vast forest all day, and the water is exhausted and thirsty, and there is a sea of forest before, and there is no water source after that, how can you use your wisdom to obtain itWater needed? I believe you may not have this experience, but if you experience it, can you find water immediately? Where is the water source? Unless you're in a desert, it's easy to find water sources, and alternative water for plants is everywhere. As long as you have a deep understanding of plants, sharp discrimination and observation, you can get them by beating your hands. First of all, ordinary water sources: 1. Groundwater: for example, snow melting in high mountains, streams, rainwater infiltrating into the ground, ponding in valleys and depressions, mountain springs flowing out of rock joints, etc., can be regarded as groundwater. Such water sources are easy to obtain, and only need to pay attention to disinfection. 2. Ground water: including muddy water, rain water, dew, etc., and its collection method is as follows: muddy water: firstly, the grass is made into a cone-shaped straw implement about one foot long, and the water is put into the filter volume, and the bottom is filled with a container, filtered for several times, and then it can be drunk after disinfection. Rainwater collection: when it rains, dig a hole in the big tree trunk and insert a bamboo tube. The rainwater will gather and flow along the tube, and the bottom can be filled with a container. If there is no sharp tool to dig the hole, a long cloth strip can be used to wind along the trunk of the tree, and the length of the cloth should be left to allow the rain water and the rain cloth to be introduced into the container. Dew collection: the use of metal plates, placed in the open at night, to be collected when the condensation of water droplets. Or you can collect stones and dig a shallow pit about three feet in diameter on the ground, and spread a canvas (or paper, clothing, potato leaves and other products) on the ground, and then arrange the stones on the chess board to form a V-shaped shape about three feet high. The dew will accumulate in the canvas along the stone and remove the stones the next day to get 3-5c. C. and then disinfect and drink it. 3. If it meets the ground or the earthWhen the water source is dry, or the water source is not clean and can not be drunk, alternative water can be found on plants. The collection method is later: water tree: if the tree has large volume, wide leaves and many fruits, the tree body contains abundant water. As long as you dig a hole in the trunk with a sharp tool, water will flow out. However, it should be noted that when digging a hole, water can only be obtained after sunset. Shuiteng: distributed at 800 meters below the stream bank, wet area. Cut the stem into a section, that is, water flows out. After the flow is exhausted, cut a section about a foot a year above it, and the water flows out at the source. Cactus: all kinds of cactus are rich in water, cut off the top, the juice is from the incision, and then smash the shell and pulp to suck the pulp through the straw. However, if the juice is found to be milky white, do not drink it because it may be toxic. Wild cane: as long as you dig a hole in the trunk, the water will flow out. If there is no other method, the wild banana is also the best plant alternative water. Palmolive: this method is more time-consuming. Cut down the trunk, cut off the top, and put it on the ground obliquely. Take a section of the stem every eight hours and get about five to eight cc of water a day. Bamboo: for example, thick bamboos, Dendrocalamus latiflorus, Guizhu, mengzongzhu, etc., the stem wind contains a little moisture, and the dried bamboo stem contains more moisture, so it is convenient to take after rain. Only pay attention to whether the water in the tube is clean. Coconut: immature small coconut can be eaten, ripe coconut fruit, its juice quench thirst cool incomparable. It can treat constipation and dyspepsia. Wild loofah:Cut off the stem and root, collect it in a container, or wrap the incision with a plastic bag and take it back the next day. About 5-6 cc of water can be obtained. 4. The other can also get water by using the guidance of animals. There must be water source nearby where animals are found. Secondly, we should also pay attention to whether the water source is clean. The general method of monitoring is to spit out saliva on the water surface. If it disperses rapidly, you can drink it. If it can not be gathered, the water must be unclean and must be disinfected before drinking.

Common disinfection methods: 1. Boiling method. 2. Iodine disinfection method: add 8.2% iodine to 1000cc in medicine box. 3. Tablet disinfection: the ordinary first-aid box should have such drugs, and two pieces of drinking water disinfection tablets should be added in 1000cc water.

Water and life The functions of water include: 1. Transporting blood; 2. Removing wastes; 3. Too low water content in the body will damage the renal function; 4. Digestive and metabolic system. The purpose of sweating is to regulate body temperature and maintain body temperature; while breathing is to maintain lung moisture. In a single day, each person weighs about 1.5 to 2 liters of water per kilogram, that is, ordinary people consume 3 to 4 liters of water every day, and drink more before going to bed Water helps digestion. The amount of water loss per person in a single day is about 3 to 6 liters, and 1 to 2 liters is urine However, diarrhea will cause an amazing loss of 25 liters of water. The amount of water evaporated from breathing will be 1 to 2 liters per person in a single day. If the weather is dry, there will be more evaporation of 1 to 2 liters of perspiration. If you work hard, you will have 1 to 2 liters of sweat per hour, which is equivalent to carrying 40 POUThe amount of sweat that NDS's backpack walked. If the water supply is insufficient, you will have slight headache and fatigue. If you fail to supplement only 1.5 liters of water, you will lose 22% of your endurance and 22% of your oxygen intake (from the cardiopulmonary function test). If you use less than 3-4 liters of water, your endurance will be reduced by at least 50% and your oxygen intake will be reduced by 25% (oxygenuptake). At this time, the urine is dark yellow, so it is better to camp because people are dehydrated State, its symptoms are loss of judgment, irritability, increased pulse speed, exhaustion.

Dehydration symptoms of human body 1. Mild: dry mucosa, slight thirst, normal pulse speed, dark yellow urine 2. Moderate: mucous membrane is quite dry, thirsty, pulse speed is fast but weak, urine is dark yellow. 3. Severe: the mucous membrane is quite dry like paper, thirsty, drowsy, with fast but weak pulse speed, shortness of breath, no urine and tears, shock and pale skin. The absorption of cold water is higher than that of warm water. When the amount of sweat on the slope is very high, it should be supplemented at any time, mainly depending on the color of urine. Generally, the best way to consume water for mountaineering is 250cc every 15 minutes. Even if the stomach peristalsis is slow, increasing 6-8 sugars (especially glucose, sucraseormaltoxtrin) can provide heat and improve physical condition. Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium will be lost with sweating. You can drink sports drinks without supplement to maintain body balance. Of course, salt has this functionBut can not eat too much, some drinks are not suitable for drinking, such as: alcohol: will force cells to release water, coffee is diuretic, juice is too sweet. Generally, 3.5G sodium chloride + 1.5g KCl + 20g sucrase + 2.9g trisodium citrite / l can be used to prevent dehydration. drinking about 0,5 liters of water every morning. The duration of exercise was 250 CC / 15-20 min. More water is needed in snow season and high altitude. Avoid frequent drinking, coffee and tea. According to a review of energybar published in December 1994, Snickers is considered to be the best and cheaper in terms of price, weight, carories, carbos, protein, fat, favorsand flavor of 17 kinds of energybars. Nutritionists suggest that if you carry a 50 pound backpack and walk for 6-8 hours a day, the best amount of action is high carbohydrate and low-fat food, because 60-70% of heat energy is carbohydrate, and 30 or less is fatty food. During the first 20-30 minutes of a person's exercise, the glycogen in the muscle starts to provide the energy needed. Of course, the blood sugar part of the blood helps. When the glycogen in your liver drops, the homorone in the blood begins to changeAfter 90 minutes, blood sugar and fat changed from the main contributor to drink 6-7% carbohydrate beverage, which was better than high concentration of sugar water. This involved osmotic pressure and the degree of acceptability of stomach, which caused stomach cram, nausea and vomiting. In summer, the average healthy person loses nearly seven liters of water every day, so it is the best suggestion to eat about six grams of salt a day.

How to sleep comfortably whether you are using a newly purchased sleeping bag or a sleeping bag that has been used for a long time, how to make yourself sleep comfortable is the first priority. Remember: the sleeping bag does not heat or heat itself, it only slows or reduces the body's heat release. The best way is for the body to store more heat energy. The external environment factors will affect the comfort of sleeping stay away from the bad environment: the tent can increase the temperature by about 30 degrees when it is located in a comfortable position. The camp should not be located at the bottom of the stream, because it is a cold air gathering place, and do not camp on the ridge ridge line, leeward side or forest, or use sleeping bags or digging snow holes. Puffiness of sleeping bag: the new sleeping bag will be slightly less bulky and less warm when it is used due to being squeezed in the sleeping bag cover for a long time. It is better to spread out the sleeping bag to make it fluffy after setting up the tent. Of course, the better the sleeping bag is after a long time of standing. material: the heat insulation coefficient of each kind of mattress is different, which can isolate the heat released from the bottom layer of the sleeping bag. Yes, different seasonsIn case of snow season, it is better to choose a full-length and solid sleeping pad or an automatic inflatable sleeping pad, and then put the backpack, main rope or other items under your feet. Complete waterproof: any damp sleeping mat will be unbearable and uncomfortable. If there is no waterproof sleeping bag cover, you can replace it with a large garbage bag. When the tent is soaked in water, the wet items can be placed inside. Between the external curtains or the corner of the inner tent, away from the sleeping bag. In bad weather, water droplets will gather in the inner tent. Therefore, the window of the tent must be slightly slit to ventilate the tent. When the rain passes, it must be taken Out and sun sleeping bag, if snow period, then directly spread in the tent. Wear enough clothes: mountain guides once said that if you don't sleep with all your clothes on, it means you're wearing too many clothes. It's better to wear a hat because half of the body's heat dissipates from the head. Satiety: food is the fuel. Don't empty stomach or empty oil depot before going to bed. Eat some high calorie materials before going to bed. At the same time, adequate water is very important for the metabolic function of human body. When you feel tired and wake up from thirst, or when you want to drink water, you should drink more water. The urination frequency is about four to five times a day. The urine should be transparent. If it is yellow, the body is still dehydrated State, Warm up: the sleeping bag will not maintain and produce heat energy. Do not drill into the sleeping bag immediately after going to the camp. It is useless to have a good and enough dinner and hot drinks, and then walk in the moonlight for a while. Warm up and sleep with the standard of not sweating. No matter what kind of sleeping bag is used, it will still be uncomfortable in a humid environment and has poor thermal insulation Outside the Gore Tex sleeping bagIt can ventilate the water vapor from the body. Even if there is little water in the tent or living in a snow cave, it is still comfortable. However, the plastic products will not ventilate, causing the sleeping bag to be wet. Generally, the head of the sleeping bag will be dirty. It is better to wash the sleeping bag by hand, use neutral detergent or special feather cleaner. There should be no residual detergent in the sleeping bag during the cleaning process. Clean the sleeping bag dry and use a washing machine It is not recommended to use. It should be dried for several days before collection. In particular, the feather sleeping bag should be kept beating to prevent it from agglomerating. After the activity, the sleeping bag should be hung and dried immediately. Do not put it in the sleeping bag cover for a long time. It will squeeze the feather or fiber. It is better to put it in a large bag or in a wardrobe. Try not to dry the feather sleeping bag, which will cause the natural grease of feather Wash it out, unless you send it to a special store.

Sleeping in the open Sleeping in the open is a kind of light and light way that doesn't need too much materials and equipment. It is usually divided into planned and unexpected situations. Some climbers use the similar Spartan way to sleep in order to achieve the goal in the shortest time. However, it is quite uncomfortable to have to sleep in the unexpected situation without plan, which may cause injury, bad weather or get lost The way of sleeping out is to plan carefully and carry enough equipment, food and clothing. Even if the emergency sleeping is not as planned, they can get through safely. They can use sleeping bags or simple tents. In case of sudden emergency, the backpack can be used to put the backpack into the lower body, and the raincoat can cover the rest of the body. It is acceptable to sleep outdoors at low altitude because it can make a fire to cook some hot drinks, and it will be more comfortable and there is no need to bring too much clothesHowever, most of the outdoor sleeping is not so comfortable. For rock climbing, you must ensure your own safety and the stability of the equipment. Then you should take off your wet boots, change into dry socks and clothes, or do not let the snow stay on your body. If you want to take off the snow at any time, loosen the belt or think that it will hinder the blood circulation of the body, put on enough clothes It depends on your own field experience, physiological conditions, psychological factors. The best choice of camp is to stay away from water sources, grasslands, footpaths and other campers. The campsite should be inclined so that it is easy to drain. It is not necessary to dig drainage ditches. It should be at least 50 meters away from water sources (lake side, stream side, etc.) to avoid polluting water sources and try not to camp in valleys. It will be very cold There are hills or hills and other protuberant terrain.

Tips for camping The tent should face south or southeast to see the early morning sunshine. The camp should not be located on ridge or top of the mountain. At least there should be a groove. Do not set up beside the stream. So it won't be too cold at night. The camp should be located in sand, grassland, or rock debris ground with good drainage. It is not necessary to dig drainage ditches, stones and tree trunks to replace camp nails. It is better to find a camp with trees to cover the wind. Don't make a hasty decision to use the camp post. don't rush to work. If you want to finish the covering in the shortest time, it may cause cracking of the camp post or loosening of the metal ring. It is better to carry a section of aluminum alloy pipe with a length of three inches for standby. Climbing boots are not allowed to be put into tents. Mud or small stones on the bottom of the boots will pollute and wear. If the bottom layer enters the inner tent, you must take off the raincoat and wet clothes to avoid wetting other items, especially sleeping bags,Keep the interior dry and refuse to live with people who behave badly in the future. Before folding the tent, dry it in the sun and then wipe it. In the snow season, you can use the snow to wipe it. Don't dirty the sleeping bag, or turn the tent upside down to dry and wipe it. The lighting system in the tent can carry candles, which is light and convenient to carry. However, gas lamp is the mainstream at present. When you leave the tent for a whole day, you'd better spread your sleeping bag on the sleeping mat and let the sun shine for a while. Fuel oil, main rope and other climbing equipment can be placed in the corner of the tent. Avoid cooking in the tent. The resistance of the tent to fire is very weak, especially if the interior is full of inflammables, such as jackets, sleeping bags, etc., it is better to cook between the internal and external tent, or use a 6x6 inch triple plywood as the bottom. All doors and windows must be fully opened and ventilated to avoid moisture gathering on the inner wall of the tent. During preheating, the flame can not be controlled. During cooking in the tent, the fire should be strictly controlled No one is allowed to sleep or get sleepy. The sleeping bag must be put away to avoid flooding the tent. Kerosene stove is forbidden because it will have a pungent smell. At the same time, the stove must be moved out of the tent after the fire is turned off, so as to avoid that the inner tent is full of irritating and suffocating smell. After the construction of the camp, the articles that are not needed to be used should be put into the tent cover again. If the joint of the camp post is loose, it must be tightly pasted with adhesive tape. If some part of the tent is lost, the tent can not be combined. After daily maintenance after the end of the activity, it is better to clean immediately, if the weatherIt is not allowed to take it out and wipe it once, dry it in the air, hang it in a ventilated place as far as possible on weekdays, and do not seal it. It will not feel moldy when used in this way. If you want to have a good dream in the mountain area, even if the bad weather will not have any problem, it is better to strengthen some joint points, such as corners, camp column joints, etc.

Different manufacturers have the same design for camp nails, ranging from six to eight inches, T-shaped, I-shaped or half moon shaped, or even spiral shaped camp nails. For hard ground, rock or snow, of course, the trunk or branch near the camp, and the root of the tree can easily be used as camp nail. During camping, the backpack should be closed tightly to avoid food theft by small animals. After nightfall, the backpack cover should be used. Even in sunny weather, dew will still wet the backpack. In snow season, the backpack can be used as the door of the snow cave. If walking or crawling in the woods or shrubs, it is more suitable to load the backpack and lower the center of gravity. The empty backpack can be placed under the feet and put outside the sleeping bag to insulate the cold surface If it is too dirty, you can clean the backpack with neutral detergent, and then put it in a cool place for air drying, but avoid exposure to the sun for too long, because ultraviolet rays will damage nylon cloth. During the exercise, basic maintenance should be paid attention to. If the backpack is scratched, it should be repaired immediately. Thick needle and thread are specially used to sew the cushion, which should be sewn firmly. Nylon thread can be used Cut off with fire.

camping knowledge do you also want to adjust the formula of work life, and then use the holiday to throw into the nature? And the easiest way to get into nature is to camp, not to mention camping life, you can stay away from boredomHustle and bustle of the city, you can also change the monotonous and boring rest, when the holiday, you will have a new life impulse. What is camping? Camping refers to living overnight in the mountains with props prepared by ourselves instead of relying on mountain houses, hotels and other artificial equipment. In the past, camping was the most common term used in scouting and military activities, while it generally refers to the wild. In nature, the free activity centered on sleeping is called camping. However, it still has many forms and methods, which are not the same. What's more, it can be widely recognized as camping, which is as big as the night stay of the army or as small as one person camping. Camping is very interesting, but safety is the first factor, and the following points must be paid attention to: 1. We should try our best to set up tents on hard and flat ground, not on river banks and dry river beds. 2. The entrance of the tent should be leeward, and the tent should be far away from the hillside with rolling stones. 3. In order to avoid the tent from being flooded in the rain, a drainage ditch should be dug under the roof side line. 4. The four corners of the tent should be pressed with big stones. 5. Keep the air circulation in the tent and prevent fire when cooking in the tent. 6. Before going to bed at night, check whether all the flames have been extinguished and whether the tent is firmly fixed.

quickly "settle down" when we choose a good camp and prepare to camp, we should first set up public tents. In the downwind part of the camp, first set up a cooking tent, set up a stove, burn a pot of water, and then successively set up in the upwind place for public useEquipped warehouse tents live in peace with their own camping tents. When the whole camp tent was set up, the water was boiling, ready to drink and start cooking. In addition, don't forget to set up a simple toilet in the downwind, far away from the water source, so as not to use it in a hurry.

outdoor toilet when participating in outdoor activities, we often camp in the field. When we arrive at the destination to build a camp, it is very necessary to build a simple outdoor toilet. Outdoor toilets should be located downwind of the camp, slightly lower than the camp, and should be far away from the river (at least 20 meters away). The best way is to dig a rectangular pit about 30 cm wide, 50 cm long and about half a meter deep, and put some stones and fir leaves (to eliminate the smell). Three sides should be enclosed with plastic cloth or packing box and fixed well. The open side should be leeward. Prepare some sand and a shovel in the toilet, and prepare a piece of wood or cardboard. After defecation, the excrement and toilet paper should be buried with some sandy soil, and the toilet pit should be covered with wood or cardboard to eliminate the odor and maintain hygiene. In addition, a more obvious sign board should be set up outside the toilet so that others can see whether the toilet is being used in a distance. When the camp is over, bury the toilet pit with sand and mark it to tell other people who take part in the field activities.

Ice axe: the length of the ice axe is holding the ice axe, the arm is vertical, and the height of the axe tip and ankle is the same. The best length of ice axe rope is to make two rope rings, one is wrist rope ring, the other is buckle safetyThe rope ring of sling is not easy to lose the ice axe in the climbing process, and it has a more secure fulcrum. 2. Ice claws: the early belt type ice claws were very troublesome and time-consuming to bind. At present, the latest type of ice claws is the quick button type. This type of ice claws is quite easy to put on and take off. Wearing the ice claws must be carefully and firmly bound to avoid falling off and causing danger. The claw tips of the ice claws should not be too sharp, nor can they be sharpened. The snow in Taiwan is relatively wet, so it is easy for the ice claws to walk due to shoes If you fall down due to snow between the bottom and the claw, you can tap the ice claw with an ice axe to let the snow fall, or install a snowboard at the bottom of the claw to prevent soft snow from adhering to the claw easily. 3. Safety harness: when purchasing safety harness, it is better to choose a size larger after fitting, because snow climbing will wear at least three to four pants. 4. Shackles: one safety type shackle and three left and right uninsured shackles are prepared for each person. Safety ring: use an uninsured hook ring to tie a Prussian rope ring. The rope loop is a double fisherman's knot. The rope length shall not exceed the knee and shall be fastened to the waist side of the safety harness. D-ring: carry an uninsured D D-ring to a convenient place for rescue and erection of pulley. 5. Brake: the brake, also known as the downer, should not be too small. A wide 8-shaped ring is better. 6. Climber: the climber is erected on the main rope. It can only be pushed forward but not backward. It is a sharp tool for the rope team to climb high. The climber must be fastened to the user's safety belt with Prussian rope, but the rope length shall not exceed the knee. 7. Prussian rope rings: two for each personA Prussian rope about two meters long with a double fisherman's knot at the end. Snow clothing complete snow equipment and selection of suitable snow equipment are very important for snow climbers. Choosing the wrong equipment or missing any one of them will have a significant impact on the life in the snow. If it is serious, it may lose a valuable life. The basic snow equipment is divided into snow clothing and snow climbing equipment. I. snowstorm clothes and trousers: the outermost clothing is necessary for snow activities, which has the function of wind and snow resistance. The best material is Gore tex. no matter what type of shirt you buy, you must attach a hat to protect your head. The suspender type snow pants are the most effective way to prevent the snow and ice from running into the inner layer of pants when falling down. 2. Warm coat: Feather coat or pile material coat is better. 3. Lining: shirt or sweater. The sweater with loose collar is better and suitable for sleeping at night. 4. Innermost layer: the underwear is made of P.P. material to keep warm. 5. Change clothes: use two to three sets of clothing and spare clothes. Clothes need not be taken too much. If the clothes are worn for a long time, the inner layer of clothes will leave the cuticle layer of skin off and lose the function of keeping warm. Socks: wear two pairs, short and thick. 7. Insole: put wet insole into sleeping bag or feather coat to dry at night. Avoid wearing wet insole the next morning to avoid frostbite of toes during climbing. 9. Mountaineering shoes: the sole of the shoes should be thicker, and when the shoes are not worn, they should be placed in a moisture-proof bagIn addition, the shoes should be renewed after a long overseas expedition, because it is easy to oxidize without wearing the upper for a long time, so it is better to use double boots in snow. X. Leggings: wearing Leggings first and then snowy pants can not only improve the heat preservation effect of about 5 ℃. In action, the shoe cover can also be prevented from being hooked by branches and snow falling into the leggings. 11. Hat: there are three layers of hat: the inner layer is a hood for skin protection, the middle layer is for keeping warm, and the outermost layer is made of Gore-Tex, which has the function of preventing wind and snow. It is commonly known as "master hat". 12. Cold proof gloves: there are basically two kinds of gloves. One is the wool gloves with two fingers. The inner layer is insulated, and the outer layer is resistant to wind, wind and snow. It is convenient to move. The other is P.P. glove, which is light and convenient and has heat preservation effect. Therefore, it is recommended to take several pairs of spare gloves. Wearing these two kinds of gloves at the same time is the most warm method. Sunglasses or Sunglasses: in Taiwan, because the snow condition is not very good, you can use sunglasses with colored lenses. If you go on an overseas expedition, you need to use sunglasses into sunglasses. The sunglasses should be dark, such as dark green, which can prevent ultraviolet rays. The sunglasses should be light and windproof, but the lenses should be prevented from breaking due to freezing. Snow blindness usually occurs after 8 hours, and the duration of snow blindness depends on the intensity of ultraviolet light. 14. Head lamp: there are many kinds of head lamps. It is better to use the lamp cover and switch. This kind of lamp is convenient and light and easy to carry. The backup battery and light bulb should be carried more.

FieldClothing when it comes to clothing, it seems that it has always been "Luobu cabbage, each has his own love". Most people are used to reflecting their own personality through clothing. However, the clothing for outdoor activities should not only reflect the personality, but also consider its practicability. In our daily life, some of us have had this experience: when a group of good friends go on an outing, you spend a long time thinking about what to wear. As a result, you try the mirror again and again, and finally choose a beautiful dress. As soon as I got up early, I got a lot of applause, but the final result was very bad. You can't have fun with your friends and you're embarrassed by your beautiful clothes. Clothing for outdoor activities should be loose, comfortable, wearable and casual. Even in midsummer, try to avoid short dress up, girls do not wear skirts, boys do not wear shorts. This is mainly considering that there are many kinds of insects in the wild. You don't want to be their delicious food. In addition, whether it's climbing mountains or drilling trees, plants with thorns will also be merciless to your skin. If you don't want to be a "flower melon", you should try to reduce the exposed part of your skin. Close fitting clothes, should choose soft and sweat absorbing cotton products, avoid nylon fabric. In spring and autumn, a loose cotton or wool coat or a windbreaker is enough. Here's to talk about windbreaker. Windbreaker is a very popular outdoor clothing in the world at present. It is usually made of waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex fabric, which has good wind making and heat preservation performance. The most important thing is that this kind of high-tech products can't get through the rain and produce sweatThe magic effect of raw steam. Most of these windbreaks are made into loose short hooded windbreaker styles with bright contrast colors. The waist size is adjustable, which is convenient to wear and is conducive to outdoor activities. If you add a pure wool sweater or outdoor special grab sweater, you can resist the cold below zero. Of course, to activities in alpine areas, such as climbing mountains of more than 7 kilometers, you also need to prepare a good down jacket. The wear resistance of trousers is very important. For general outdoor activities, jeans are a good choice. But be careful not to wear jeans that are very tight and short in the crotch, which will make you inconvenient to move, and also very painful to sit and lie down. Loose jeans and cotton casual pants will give you comfort and chic. As for the special field activities, such as windbreak pants and rock pants for mountaineering, I will not describe them in detail here. Also, don't forget to wear a hat with a brim.

Outdoor sports, which is English for outdoor sports, covers a wide range of contents, from general outing or hiking to mountaineering, rock climbing, mountain bike (MTB), rafting, paragliding, etc. Therefore, there are many kinds and styles of outdoor activities clothing, such as mountaineering windbreaker and breeches, skiing also has a special one-piece ski shirt. But according to the function of these clothes, they can be roughly divided into three categories, namely, the three layers from the inside to the outside, which are usually called the inner layersClothing, warm layer clothing and coat layer clothing. First of all, talk about the requirements of outdoor sports on clothing. The first requirement is waterproof, which is a very basic requirement. Secondly, windproof performance, because sports such as mountaineering, skiing or gliding are carried out in the environment with high wind speed. In order to maintain body temperature, windproof performance is very important. At the same time, there are some demanding requirements, such as the air permeability of clothing, which can make the wearer keep dry and comfortable. In addition, the wearability of clothing can not be ignored. In order to adapt to these special and demanding requirements, outdoor sports clothing from the inside to the outside of the three layers came into being. It is not necessary to wear these three layers on all occasions, but the three layers can be combined or used alone to cope with a complex environment. The early outdoor clothing materials used natural materials, but with the development of science and technology, most of the outdoor clothing use advanced artificial materials. Only a few natural materials with irreplaceable superior performance, such as down, have been preserved. Due to the strict requirements of materials for outdoor sports clothing, only a small number of high-tech advanced village materials are used in modern outdoor sports clothing. The inner garment is somewhat like the autumn clothes and trousers we usually wear. This kind of clothing is usually worn close to the body. Its main function is to keep the body dry and keep warm. The material of inner garment is made of some materials with strong water conductivity, such as Coolmax of DuPont company in the United States. These materials have unique quick drying property, and some materials can be washed for 10 minutes~It will dry in 15 minutes. After sports, a lot of sweat will accumulate in the inner layer of clothes, which will easily catch cold and cause cold, and also cause frostbite in mountaineering or polar exploration activities. This kind of material can solve this problem to a great extent. Thermal insulation layer clothing includes down, chemical fiber and cotton clothing. These clothes are usually used in winter or in cold areas. Down is still recognized as the best insulation material. We know that the reason why down can keep warm is that it has the characteristics of air preservation, so the thermal performance of down clothing mainly depends on the down content and down filling amount. Down content refers to the proportion of down and feather in down. The higher the down content is, the better the thermal insulation and compressibility of clothing are. For example, the "osoka" down jacket worn by the China South Korea joint mountaineering team climbing the Japanese peak of qiongmu gang in Tibet last year has more than 85% down. Down filling amount refers to the weight of down filled in clothing, which is directly related to the thermal performance of clothing. Although chiran's down content and down filling increase, the price of clothing will also rise. Compared with down, the price of man-made fiber cotton is much cheaper. Although the overall performance is still unable to compare with down, some properties can not be achieved by down. For example, the thermal insulation performance of water soaked man-made fiber material is obviously better than down. Five hole or seven hole cotton of DuPont company, Thinsulate fiber cotton of 3M company and polarguard3d / HV cotton are common in various outdoor clothing. ReturnThere is a category of clothing between the thermal layer and the inner layer. These are jackets and vests made of fleece material. It is said that compared with wool of the same weight, the former has better thermal insulation than the latter. The perspirability of fleece material is also very good, but the disadvantage is that it can not be directly worn in some places, and a windproof coat must be added. The combination of fleece jacket and windproof and rainproof jacket has become a very popular way to wear in outdoor sports. Coat layer clothing is also known as full-function coat, which is the most important and classic part of outdoor sports clothing. They are in the style of short windbreaker or corset jacket, and most of them have hats. The inner two layers of clothing need to rely on this layer to make up for, such as insulation layer clothing wear resistance is poor, the fleece jacket wind resistance is not good. There are many unique features in the design of this kind of clothing. For example, wear-resistant oxford nylon cloth is applied to the abradable parts of the shoulders or elbows of these clothes. A layer of glue is pressed on the seams of the clothes to prevent the rain from getting into them. A zipper is added under the sleeves of the clothes, which can be opened and ventilated during sports. All these designs bring great convenience to users. It is worth mentioning that these kinds of clothing are made of waterproof / breathable materials. As long as the materials marked with the words "waterproof / breathing" are more or less waterproofQigong can. Gore-Tex material produced by w.l.gore company in the United States is famous in the world and has a long history. The "osoka" series mountaineering windbreaker is made of polycreathane waterproof and breathable material, with excellent performance. The so-called waterproof and breathable material refers to that the inner layer of cloth is coated with a layer of gum, and there are many holes with diameters between the water molecules and the steam molecular diameters, which can discharge water vapor, but the rainwater can not penetrate, which solves the contradiction between waterproof and air permeability. It is the emergence of these new materials that has brought great changes to outdoor sports. It is unimaginable that human beings can challenge the world's highest peak in winter or rainy season. American thorthface outdoor clothing enjoys a high reputation in the world. Although the history of osoka series outdoor clothing is relatively short, its quality is also quite excellent. Many kinds of clothing of thorthface brand are processed and produced by livico company, which produces orsoka brand clothing. The price of outdoor clothing is higher than that of general sportswear, but its function or durability mostly exceeds people's expectation, and most of them are worth the money. At present, more and more people like traveling, mountaineering, rock climbing and other outdoor sports, but many people do not realize the importance of outdoor clothing. In fact, for a climber, a windbreaker with good heat preservation and wind proof and air permeability is more important than the safety belt or ice pick in many cases. At present, there are some high-quality outdoor clothing on the domestic market, so outdoor enthusiasts may as well have a try.

Detailed introduction of outdoor sports clothing "Outdoor sports" is English for outdoor sports. It covers a wide range of contents, from general outing or hiking to mountaineering, rock climbing, mountain bike (MTB), rafting, paragliding, etc. Therefore, there are many kinds and styles of outdoor activities clothing, such as mountaineering windbreaker and breeches, skiing also has a special one-piece ski shirt. But according to the function of these clothes, they can be roughly divided into three categories, namely, the three layers from the inside to the outside, which are usually called the inner layer clothing, the warm layer clothing and the outer layer clothing. First of all, talk about the requirements of outdoor sports on clothing. The first requirement is waterproof, which is a very basic requirement. Secondly, windproof performance, because sports such as mountaineering, skiing or gliding are carried out in the environment with high wind speed. In order to maintain body temperature, windproof performance is very important. At the same time, there are some demanding requirements, such as the air permeability of clothing, which can make the wearer keep dry and comfortable. In addition, the wearability of clothing can not be ignored. In order to adapt to these special and demanding requirements, outdoor sports clothing from the inside to the outside of the three layers came into being. It is not necessary to wear these three layers on all occasions, but the three layers can be combined or used alone to cope with a complex environment. In the early days, natural materials were used in outdoor clothing. However, with the development of science and technology, most of the outdoor clothing materials are made of advanced man-made materialsThere are a few natural materials such as down which have irreplaceable superior performance have been preserved. Due to the strict requirements of materials for outdoor sports clothing, only a small number of high-tech advanced village materials are used in modern outdoor sports clothing. The inner garment is somewhat like the autumn clothes and trousers we usually wear. This kind of clothing is usually worn close to the body. Its main function is to keep the body dry and keep warm. The material of inner garment is made of some materials with strong water conductivity, such as Coolmax of DuPont company in the United States. These materials have unique quick drying property, and some materials can dry after 10 ~ 15 minutes. After sports, a lot of sweat will accumulate in the inner layer of clothes, which will easily catch cold and cause cold, and also cause frostbite in mountaineering or polar exploration activities. This kind of material can solve this problem to a great extent. Thermal insulation layer clothing includes down, chemical fiber and cotton clothing. These clothes are usually used in winter or in cold areas. Down is still recognized as the best insulation material. We know that the reason why down can keep warm is that it has the characteristics of air preservation, so the thermal performance of down clothing mainly depends on the down content and down filling amount. Down content refers to the proportion of down and feather in down. The higher the down content is, the better the thermal insulation and compressibility of clothing are. For example, the "osoka" down jacket worn by the China South Korea joint mountaineering team climbing the Japanese peak of qiongmu gang in Tibet last year has more than 85% down. Down filling amount refers to the weight of down filled in clothingAlso directly related to the thermal performance of clothing. Although chiran's down content and down filling increase, the price of clothing will also rise. Compared with down, the price of man-made fiber cotton is much cheaper. Although the overall performance is still unable to compare with down, some properties can not be achieved by down. For example, the thermal insulation performance of water soaked man-made fiber material is obviously better than down. Five hole or seven hole cotton of DuPont company, Thinsulate fiber cotton of 3M company and polarguard3d / HV cotton are common in various outdoor clothing. There is another category of clothing between the thermal layer and the inner layer: jackets and vests made of fleece material. It is said that compared with wool of the same weight, the former has better thermal insulation than the latter. The perspirability of fleece material is also very good, but the disadvantage is that it can not be directly worn in some places, and a windproof coat must be added. The combination of fleece jacket and windproof and rainproof jacket has become a very popular way to wear in outdoor sports. Coat layer clothing is also known as full-function coat, which is the most important and classic part of outdoor sports clothing. They are in the style of short windbreaker or corset jacket, and most of them have hats. The lack of two layers of clothing need to rely on this layer to make up for, like insulation layer clothing wear resistance is poor, graspPlush jackets are not windproof either. There are many unique features in the design of this kind of clothing. For example, wear-resistant oxford nylon cloth is applied to the abradable parts of the shoulders or elbows of these clothes. A layer of glue is pressed on the seams of the clothes to prevent the rain from getting into them. A zipper is added under the sleeves of the clothes, which can be opened and ventilated during sports. All these designs bring great convenience to users. It is worth mentioning that these kinds of clothing are made of some waterproof / breathable materials. As long as the materials marked with the words "waterproof / breathable" are more or less waterproof and breathable. Gore-Tex material produced by w.l.gore company in the United States is famous in the world and has a long history. The "osoka" series mountaineering windbreaker is made of polycreathane waterproof and breathable material, with excellent performance. The so-called waterproof and breathable material refers to that the inner layer of cloth is coated with a layer of gum, and there are many holes with diameters between the water molecules and the steam molecular diameters, which can discharge water vapor, but the rainwater can not penetrate, which solves the contradiction between waterproof and air permeability. It is the emergence of these new materials that has brought great changes to outdoor sports. It is unimaginable that human beings can challenge the world's highest peak in winter or rainy season. American thorthface outdoor clothing enjoys a high reputation in the world. Although the history of osoka series outdoor clothing is relatively short, its quality is also quite excellent. Many kinds of clothing of thorthface brand are produced by ossoka brand clothingIt is processed and produced by livico company. The price of outdoor clothing is higher than that of general sportswear, but its function or durability mostly exceeds people's expectation, and most of them are worth the money. At present, more and more people like traveling, mountaineering, rock climbing and other outdoor sports, but many people do not realize the importance of outdoor clothing. In fact, for a climber, a windbreaker with good heat preservation and wind proof and air permeability is more important than the safety belt or ice pick in many cases. At present, there are some high-quality outdoor clothing on the domestic market, so outdoor enthusiasts may as well have a try.

Wind resistant posture when the climber is unable to move forward when encountering strong wind gusts, the climber must use the windward posture to ensure that he or she can survive the bad weather for a short time. Action: open your legs, straighten your knees, insert the ice axe forward into the snow to form a triangle between the two feet and the ice axe. Press the body downward. Hold the ice axe hand tightly to hold the axe blade, and the other hand is flat against the snow surface, with the mouth of the ice axe facing outward and close to the handle of the axe.

Mountain and snow slope in order to avoid losing direction, save physical strength, and improve the speed of travel, we should strive to have roads that do not cross the forest and climb over the mountains, while there are roads that do not take paths. If there is no road, you can choose to travel on the longitudinal ridge, ridge, hillside, edge of rivers and streams, as well as the terrain with high trees, sparse forests, large gaps and low grass. In general, do not walk in deep ravines and canyons, where the grass is luxuriant and where vines and bamboos are interwoven. Try not to walk in the beam, not in the ditch, not in the horizontal. We should follow the principle of big strides, so should the mountains. If you increase the stride, three steps and two steps, a fewTen kilometers down, you can take a lot less steps and save a lot of physical strength. As the saying goes: "not afraid of slow, afraid of standing.". When you are tired, use relaxed slow walking to rest, do not stop, standing for one minute, slow walking can walk out of dozens of meters. Mountain walking, often encounter a variety of rock slopes and steep walls. Therefore, rock climbing is the main skill of mountaineering. Before climbing the rock, we should carefully observe the rock, carefully identify the rock quality and weathering degree, and then determine the climbing direction and route. The most basic method of climbing rock is "three-point fixation", which requires that the climber's hands and feet can cooperate well. After two hands and one foot or two feet with one hand fixed, move other points to make the body center of gravity gradually rise. When using this method, it is necessary to prevent jumping and jumping, and to avoid two points moving at the same time, and must be stable, light and fast. According to your own situation, choose the most appropriate distance and the most stable fulcrum, do not stride, grasp, pedal too far points. Grass slope and gravel slope are the most widely distributed among mountains. In the mountains below 3000 meters above sea level, except for cliffs, most of them are grass slopes and gravel slopes. Climb the hillside below 30 degrees and go straight up. Lean forward slightly, landing on the ground with all the soles of your feet, bend your knees, and keep your feet in a figure of eight. Don't walk too fast. When the slope is greater than 30 degrees, it is more difficult to climb in a straight line. Because the wrist joints of both feet are not easy to extend, it is easy to fatigue; the slope is large, the gravel is easy to roll and slide. Therefore, "zigzag" ascending method is generally adopted. That is, according to theThe "zigzag" route runs horizontally and obliquely. When climbing, the legs are slightly bent, the upper body leans forward, the inner toes are forward, the whole soles of the feet are on the ground, and the outer toes are slightly turned out. When passing through the grass slope, pay attention not to grab trees and climb grass vines, so as not to pull off and make people fall. When walking on the gravel slope, pay special attention to the steadiness of the feet and light lifting of the feet to avoid the gravel rolling. If you are not careful, you should face the hillside immediately, open your arms, and straighten your legs (toes up), so that the body's center of gravity moves upward as far as possible, so as to reduce the sliding speed. In this way, we can try to find the climbing guide and support in the sliding. Never sit facing out, as it will not only slide faster, but also roll easily on steep slopes. When traveling in mountainous areas in rainy season, low-lying areas, such as valleys and rivers, should be avoided to prevent mountain torrents and landslides. In case of thunderstorm, you should immediately go to the nearby low-lying land or dense bushes, do not hide under tall trees. Big trees often lead to landing thunder, causing people to be struck by lightning. In case of lightning protection, metal articles should be temporarily stored in an easy to find place. Do not take them with you. You can also find low-lying places. In case of severe weather such as wind, snow, fog and strong wind in the mountain area, you should stop walking, avoid under the cliff or in the cave, and wait until the weather improves. Don't overestimate your physical strength when you are traveling in mountainous areas. When you are tired, you should have a good rest. Don't take a rest until you're exhausted. It's not easy to recover your strength, and you can't lift yourself again. The correct way is to stride for a while, then relax and walk slowly for a while, or stop to have a rest and adjust breathing. Don't unload the gear when you are standing and restingBackpack, can support a wooden stick under the backpack to reduce the weight of the body. If the weather is cold, don't sit on a stone to rest. The stone will quickly absorb the body's heat. When climbing glaciers and snowy slopes, you should be careful. There are many cracks on the glacier. The most serious threat to people is the crevasses at the edge of the icefall area and the foothills, especially the hidden cracks covered by snow. When passing through the crack, several people should act in groups and connect each other with ropes. The distance between two adjacent people is 10 ~ 12 meters. Those who lead the way in front of them should often detect the real and the virtual. People in the back must step on the footprints of the people in front of them, which is safer. When you cross the ice bridge on the crack, you should crawl forward. We should pay attention not only to crack prevention, but also to prevent snow from collapsing. At the junction of snow and snow mountain slopes, the snow is often very deep and must form groups when moving. When crossing the snow bridge, the one who opens the road will detect the virtual and real situation of the snow bridge, and then pass through the ground. If the snow is very soft and must pass through, it should crawl. When climbing a snowy slope with great slope, you must stand firmly on both feet before moving. Step forward, step on the snow with your forepaws, step on steps, and then move your back foot. If you slip, lie prone immediately to prevent slipping. When climbing the glacial snow slope, we should walk less where there are cracks. When marching on the snow, you should pick the hard place. Go hot, do not use ice and snow to quench thirst, suddenly swallow ice and snow, easy to get laryngitis. If you are thirsty, you can gargle with melted ice and snow, and try not to swallow it into your stomach. Water will increase the burden of human circulatory organs and affect your physical strength. When walking on the soft snow for a long time, take big strides and shorten the time in the snowTime to walk. When walking, you should first step back a little bit, then lift your feet up and stride forward. Foot back is to make the snow shoes in front of the room to move forward can also play the role of blowing snow. When walking on steep slopes, you should step on the inner edge of snowshoes and try to avoid leaning towards the outer edge. When the snow is very hard, take off your snowshoes and walk. When walking in the valley, it should be close to the center line of the valley to avoid rolling stones on the hillside. Don't get close to the snow eaves, let alone walk under the snow eaves, so as to avoid triggering avalanches. A snow eaves extending downwind to a ridge or cliff. The windward slope is gentle and easy to form snow eaves, while the steep slope of about 45 degrees is not easy to form. Special attention should be paid to areas with variable wind direction and different slopes on the side of edges. Mountain action, avalanche is a huge disaster. In May 1957, Ding Xingyou, the first mountaineering martyr of new China, died in an avalanche on Gongga mountain. In January 1991, a Sino Japanese joint mountaineering team composed of 17 people was killed by an avalanche in Meili Snow Mountain between Nujiang River and Lancang River in Northwest Yunnan Province. Avalanches are caused by sound, vibration, falling rock or snow, and wind. Avalanches usually occur on slopes with small snowballs rolling down, slopes with cracks in snow, slopes with snow eaves, steep slopes without trees of about 36 ~ 42 degrees, large slopes, convex slopes, and slopes in the South and southwest to cover new snow with old snow and soft snow due to rising temperature. Generally speaking, it will be sunny the next day after the new snow, and the snow avalanche occurs at 9-10 o'clock in the morning. When passing through the avalanche dangerous area, you should pay attention to: loosen the harness in advance, in case of necessityWhen the release of large backpacks and other equipment, to protect the freedom of movement. Remove the wind and snow cap that hinders vision and hearing, and detect avalanche symptoms as soon as possible. Avoid crossing dangerous snow slopes. Avoid shooting and other acoustic vibration. Avoid falling and other actions that impact the snow surface. If you are involved in an avalanche, you should swim bravely and repeatedly in the moving snow flow to try to float to the surface of the snow flow. Since it is difficult to move hands and feet after the avalanche stops, try to float out of the snow surface during the movement of the snow flow. When buried in the snow, let the saliva flow out of the mouth, look at the direction of the flow, determine whether you are upside down, and then try to save yourself.

Looking up at the sky, you can predict the weather changes from the sky color, cloud types, wind conditions, and the convergence of the sun, moon and stars. This is called cloud observation and sky recognition. Weather has a great influence on outdoor activities. Accurately grasp the weather changes, you can smoothly carry out and spend the field life. If the morning glow does not go out, the sunset will travel thousands of miles; if the weather is relatively stable, it indicates that the weather will be fine, and the morning glow will be full, and there will be a great possibility of rain. Cirrus clouds appear in the sky, that is, the clouds appear pure white horsetail shape, but gradually become dark, which means that it is sunny in the eyes, but it may rain one day later. The sky appears disorderly cloud, that is, the cloud layer is dark and thick, which indicates that there will be thunderstorm and strong wind. There are thin cirrus clouds in the sky, like white stones on the beach. It may rain after half a day.

Spring night, hazy, but the sky appears in the dark chaos of clouds, like waves of the sea, representing several hoursIt will rain later. Halos appear around the moon or the sun, and the next day is neither wind nor rain. If there are no more clouds around the mountain top, people's feeling of depression will be reduced, which means that it will not rain in the short term.

（2） From the behavior of animals to identify the weather

signs of good weather

1. In the morning, the sparrow calls to show that the weather is fine. Sparrows are very sensitive to the weather changes, and the better the weather is, the louder the call is.

2. A rising skylark's call indicates a fine day - the brisk call of a Skylark from a distance proves a fine dry weather.

3. On a sunny day, the temperature is low in the morning, so that the water vapor in the air condenses into small water droplets, which twinkle on the spider web. Usually, it won't rain.

The signs of rain are the signs of rain.

In addition, there are several kinds of ants:

1. Ants cross the road - ants who dig holes on the ground will drown when it feels like rain, that is to say, they will flee before the rain.

2. Earthworm out of the hole - the ground is moist and soft, and the earthworm will climb out of the ground, indicating that it is going to rain.

Other signs of rain are swarms of mosquitoes, rain ants and cats washing their faces.

（3） In the morning, before the sun goes out, look at the eastern black clouds, such as chicken head, dragon head, flag, mountain peak, chariots and horses, stars, fish, snake, Ganoderma lucidum, peony, or purple and black gas running through, or on or off the sun, there is rain on the main day, mostly at 13-17 o'clock.

2. At night, look at the color of the moon, blue or red,There was thunderstorm on the main day and the next day. Around the moon there are white clouds forming a round light, or as big as the wheel (halo), the main wind. The so-called "solar halo is rain, moon halo is wind, where there is lack, where there is wind.". On the other day, "the moon faints while the wind blows, and the foundation moistens and rains". The foundation moistens, that is, the pillar base stone has water droplets oozing out, and the Lord has rain some day. Combined with the modern situation, some people have summed up the "sudden heat generating wind and pipe moistening and generating rain", that is, if there is sudden heat storm for several days, there must be strong wind in one or two days, and there are water droplets seeping out on the water pipe. If it still seeps after wiping off, there will be rain in one or two days.

3. The stars twinkle, the wind must make. The white clouds cover the big dipper for 2-4 hours. In summer, moss grows on the bottom of the water, and the water is indigo blue. When the water is muddy or fragrant, the main rain will come. When it rains, it is hard to clear up in one or two days.

4. On the seventh and eighth day of the first month of the lunar calendar, the north wind will surely send out. The third day of February, the Qingming Festival of March, the summer solstice of April, and June 12 of the lunar calendar are mainly cloudy or rainy.

5. To the East, the wind blows yellow; to the south, the rain drifts; to the west, water drips; to the north, the wheat is dried. Although the east wind is the main rainfall, in the Huangmei season, it is sunny when it blows east wind. The north wind often rains in autumn, but it is sunny when the north wind blows in autumn night.

Due to the different geographical location and natural conditions, we should make a comparative judgment based on our own experience and local conditions while referring to the above experience.

（4） Mountain weather

the weather in the mountains in spring

the mobile high pressure and low pressure pass most often in April, and the weather change is very intense, and the temperature is warm every dayThe temperature in the mountains will suddenly turn cold. After entering may, the average change cycle is three to five days, and the cycle lasts until the last ten days. It turned rainy under the cover of clouds and fog.

In summer, where the weather in the mountains is

there is plum rain, if the plum rain lasts for nearly a month, it will enter the most stable season in the four seasons of the year. The outdoor activities are selected in the month after the end of Meiyu. Due to the vast territory of our country and the time of entering plum varies from place to place, the travel time should be selected according to the actual situation. In summer, there are often thunderstorms in the afternoon, which come very quickly. Special attention should be paid to prevent it, and even hail may occur.

The weather in the mountains in autumn

typhoons are still frequent in late summer and early autumn, and there are autumn rains in October. The temperature in the mountains begins to drop and the mountains are ready for winter. The temperature changes greatly, and sometimes there are signs of severe winter. Most of the days are getting shorter and shorter.

The weather in the mountains in winter

as soon as the winter type atmospheric pressure appears, it turns into a severe winter, and there are often underground storms for many days. The temperature in the daytime is warmer because of sunshine, but it turns cool at night, and snow occasionally occurs on the mountains. In winter, the most dangerous is the cold current, which can make the temperature drop ten degrees and cause severe frostbite.

Winter climate change has a certain cycle, so it is best to engage in outdoor activities in the warm sunny days.

2、 Field direction judgment

in the field activities, such as geological investigation, mountaineering, hiking, exploration, tourism, etc., in order to prevent getting lost and correctly determine the location and direction, it is necessary to master the positioning and lateral methods. In nature, some animals have a sense of directionInstincts, such as pigeons, some members of human beings also have this ability, but most people do not have or only have this potential. Therefore, the direction of the field mainly depends on experience and tools.

There are many methods to determine the direction and position in the field. Several common methods are introduced here.

Place the compass or compass horizontally to center the bubble. When the magnetic needle is still, the black end marked with "n" refers to the north.

In addition to measuring the north to the outside, the compass or compass can also measure the specific orientation of a certain target. The method is to open the compass to align the collimator with the target, or align the 0-scale on the dial with the target, so that the target, 0-scale and magnetic midpoint are on the same line. After the compass is horizontally stationary, the scale referred to by the N-end is the azimuth from the measurement point to the target, for example, the N-end of the magnetic needle points to 36 degrees. Then the target is 36 ° north by east of the measurement position.

Although it is simple and fast to use compass or compass to identify direction, it should be noted that:

1. Keep horizontal as far as possible;

2. Do not be too close to magnetic materials;

3. Do not mistake the S-end of the magnetic needle as North, resulting in 180 ° direction error;

4. Master the magnetic declination angle of the active area for correction. How to identify directions in the field?

（1） Using the sun

in a clear day, we can easily know the East and the West according to the sunrise and sunset, and then we can judge the direction, but it can only be roughly estimated. There are several methods for more accurate measurement:

1. The time of watch direction finding is half to the sun, 12 refers to the north ", which is generally between 9 am and 4 pmQuickly identify the direction, with half of the time pointed to the sun, 12 degrees is the north, such as 14:40 PM, half of the time is 7:20, then the clock to the sun, then 12 refers to the north, or put the watch flat, the hour hand points to the sun, the reverse extension direction of the bisector of the hour hand and the 12 hour degree is the north; or put a watch, put a stick vertical Stand in the center of the watch and rotate the watch so that the shadow of the stick coincides with the hour hand. The bisector between the hour hand and the 12 hour degree is the north.

It must be noted that: (1) when judging the direction, the watch should be flat; (2) it should not be used around noon in the area between the south latitude and the north latitude of 20 ° 30 ', that is, the longitude of the standard time shall prevail, and one hour shall be added for each 15 ° east direction, and one hour shall be subtracted from 15 ° to the West.

2. In sunny days, a stick is erected on the ground. The shadow of the stick moves with the change of the sun's position. These shadows are the shortest at noon. The line connecting the ends of the stick is a straight line, and the vertical line of the line is north-south.

Draw a series of concentric circles on a 50 × 50cm drawing paper. The radius of the concentric circles increases by 1cm. Nail it on the flat plate and fix it horizontally. Insert a 12-15cm long thin steel needle or needle into the center of the circle vertically. When the position of the sun changes, the end points of the shadow always intersect with the concentric circles, plot these points, and then connect the two straight lines on the same circle, and connect the midpoint of these lines with the center of the circle. This line is the north-south line, and the direction of the top of the arc is the north.

（2） Night stars

when nightAccording to the North Star and the Southern Cross, the direction can be judged.

1. Polaris

Polaris is located in the north sky, and its exposed altitude angle is equivalent to the local latitude, so we can quickly find Polaris. It is usually determined according to the Big Dipper (big bear) or w (celestial queen).

The Big Dipper star is seven bright stars, which are shaped like a spoon. When the two β's of the spoon head are connected to α and extend about 5 times, it is Polaris. When you can't see the Big Dipper, you can look for the North Star according to the w star, that is, the constellation Cepheus.

The constellation Cepheus is composed of five bright stars, shaped like the letter "W". The opening direction of the letter is about twice the width of the opening, and the distance is Polaris.

2. The Southern Cross Star is sometimes seen in the south of 23 ° 30 ′ n. It is composed of four bright stars, which are similar to the character of "ten". At the lower right of the star, the Southern Cross is due south at four and a half times the length of the line between the two stars.

（3） Characteristics of ground features and plants

sometimes some features and plant growth characteristics in the field are good direction indicators, and increasing this knowledge can help you quickly identify directions.

1. Features of features

houses: doors generally open to the south, especially in the north of China:

Temples: they usually open to the south, especially the main buildings in the Temple group

outstanding features: the base of the north side is moist and may grow low mosses.

You can also identify directions from ants' burrows. Because most of the openings of the mother ants face south; in places where there are many rocks, you can also find a striking rock to observe, and the rock is covered with greyThe mossy side is the north side, and the dry and bare side is the south side.

2. Plant growth characteristics

generally, the north side of the slope, low ferns and vines are more developed than the sunny side.

The branches and leaves on the sunny side of a single plant are more luxuriant, and the trunk of the North shady ground may grow moss.

Many tree trunks in the north of China have clear rings on their trunk sections. The rings on the south side are sparse and those on the north side are more compact.

（4） Shadow clock method

on a flat ground, vertical placement of 1 meter long vertical trunk. Mark the position of the shadow of the tree, mark the top with a stone or a tree stick (a in the picture) 15 minutes later, and then mark the new projection position of the top of the trunk on the ground (B in the picture). The line between the two points will give you an east-west direction - the West first. The north-south direction is perpendicular to the connecting line. This method can be used in any latitude and longitude, at any time of the day, except that there must be sunlight. It can be used to detect the direction of your movement

(5) a piece of iron wire (sewing needle can) repeatedly rub with silk in the same direction, which will produce magnetism, and it can indicate the north pole when it is hung up.

3、 Map and compass understanding and use

map is an indispensable tool in our life. There are various maps with different functions, such as county map, city map, street map, amusement zone map, global map, etc However, for outdoor activities, especially mountaineering, the most needed map is contour map, which can show all kinds of terrain on the surface, such as mountains, valleys, dangerous or gentle slopes, cliffs or cliffs, etc.

(1) how to use it when traveling abroadMap

how to use a map when traveling abroad

when going out, you should always consult the map. There may be several situations of routes not recorded on the map. First of all, it may be a new road completed after the map is issued. The road can be divided into two types, namely, the newly built road, the landslide can not pass through and the other access road. This kind of road is completely opened up by manpower. The indicators and paint signs along the road are set up perfectly. From the appearance, you can know all kinds of conditions of the route. Rest areas or local residents adopt new routes for convenience. Information on the route will also be provided. If you can confirm the route to your destination according to the signpost, you may as well choose the route with ease.

Secondly, it may be the path leading to the river, the shortcut to the rest place, the shortcut opened by the activity itself, etc. The indicators set by these paths are easy to be neglected if they are not paid attention to, and there are many cases in which there are no signs at all. Once you break into these paths, after all, they are different from ordinary people's roads and have no idea where they lead to. Therefore, it is inevitable to feel uneasy.

As the path leading to the river has no way to go once it reaches the valley area, so try to walk a section and you can identify it. In order to ensure the safety of field workers, signposts should be set up in the near way to rest places. However, some outdoor activities also set them up by themselves. That kind of road, different from the regular road, is rarely well renovated and can be felt as if it was just opened up. It may even go straight up a cliff, pass through a cliff, or pass through a dangerous area. If you don't want to be in a dangerous situation, and there's no big difference in time,We should abandon the shortcut and choose the right route.

Finally, even if the map is detailed, it is often due to various restrictive factors. Therefore, the routes not recorded on the map are not limited to the above-mentioned shortcut roads, and the well-built roads are also omitted. Therefore, in order to avoid missing the road signs, we should also ask the owners of nearby houses or other activities carefully for identification.

There are also some special routes which are easy to be broken by mistake, and these roads can not be recorded on the map. If you do not pay attention to them, sometimes it will lead to great danger. If you find it wrong, you should take the opportunity to make a decision and resolutely turn back. Never try to be brave. These routes include:

trails used during snow cover periods, which are different from summer roads in that there are more straight climbing parts and pass through many difficult places such as valleys. Because winter is completely frozen, it's easy to climb. In addition, the red cloth strips or flagpoles used in winter, and traces of climbing spikes on rocks and tree roots can be found.

What are the characteristics of the roads opened up for the victims? It must feel unnatural when you see it. Because most of the roads lead to cliffs or valleys. There are many dangerous places, and there are still knife edges cut during rescue and hook marks on the cliff.

The roads used for logging or high-voltage line erection projects are also well built and easily confused with mountaineering roads. However, most of them are far away from the normal route and have logging or engineering equipment.

（2） The basic mark of contour map

contour map means that the surface height is the sameIf there is a flat and open hillside on the surface, the distance between the curves will be quite wide, and its datum line is based on the average tide line of sea level, which is made under each map The main illustrations include scale, drawing number, map sheet joint table, legend and azimuth angle.

Scale is a symbol that must be marked on a map. It shows the proportional correlation between the actual distance on the surface and the distance shown on the map. For example, one hundred thousandth of the map represents one centimeter, that is, the actual distance is one kilometer, and one-fifth of the map represents one centimeter, that is, the actual distance is 500 meters. For maps with different scales and the actual distance, the accuracy is small The accuracy of the scale map is high.

Map number is the number representing the name of the map. Maps of different scales are coded with their own system codes, and it is made in the unit of longitude and latitude, so that each map can be closely linked.

The azimuth deviation angle indicates the relationship between the North (the earth's north pole), the magnetic north (the magnetic needle shows the North), and the grid north (the map indicates the North). At the same time, the year-on-year magnetic variation value is also noted at the bottom of the figure. When we use the compass to indicate our position and then compare the map, we can quickly know where we are and where we are going next The terrain changes.

The legend shows the meaning of various symbols on the map. The symbols that most climbers will pay attention to are triangle point and collapseWalls, rivers, lakes and slopes.

Contour map and terrain analysis

types of contour lines

when we look at the contour map carefully, we can find that the lines drawn on the map have two kinds of thick and thin lines, which are designed for the convenience of users to read. The thick lines are called the count curve and indicate the altitude. The distance between the measured curves is 0.2cm, and the fine curve is called the head curve. It is between the two curves, which is convenient To analyze the function of terrain, there are four head curves between every two curves, so that the distance between each line is 0.04 cm.

Blind spot of contour line

the higher the scale, the worse the precision of the map. The reason is that the actual distance between the contour lines is too wide, which makes the terrain in this space unable to be clearly distinguished, resulting in blind spots. Taking one out of 50000 maps as an example, the actual distance between each curve is 20 meters (equivalent to the height of a seven storey building).

Slope

slope is one of the most easily recognized terrain features on contour map. We can understand the slope of each mountain peak by observing the map roughly. For example, the narrower the distance between curves, the steeper the slope, the wider the distance between curves, and the slower the slope. If the distance between the peaks is less than the distance below, it means that the section is concave, otherwise it is convex.

Drawing and reading contour maps

when we buy contour maps, we must see whether they fully cover our predetermined activity areas. Usually, we have to buy and piece together two to four maps. Usually, we will not carry the original maps to the field. We (1) give priority to Photocopying and re pasting the maps of the scheduled activity areas; (2) we will not take the original maps to the wildRead the map in detail to distinguish the main and branch lines (i.e. the line connecting the two peaks), streams, slopes, cliffs, collapsed walls and other topographical features; (3) using different color fluorescent pen to draw the main edge lines, streams, and mark the scheduled route and camping site; (4) using transparent tape to completely seal the map and the scheduled itinerary plan, so it is convenient to carry and has waterproof function.

（3） The compass is an indispensable tool for mountaineering and hiking. Its basic function is to use the earth's magnetic field to indicate the north direction. It must cooperate with the map to seek the relative position in order to know its position.

At present, there are many types of compass on the market. Here, we will describe how to use the compass to orient according to the transparent bottom compass, which is the most widely used in mountaineering.

(1) the return to zero operation of compass

the operation of returning compass to zero is a very important pre operation of using forest compass. Its steps are: 1. Place the compass horizontally. 2、 The North zero scale outside the ring is overlapped with the position of the pointer in the ring indicating the north. In this way, the operation of returning the north pointer to zero is completed.

Target azimuth: when measuring the azimuth angle of the target, the north of the site must be parallel to the north of the grid on the map, and then align the red line of the North compass to the target, read out the angle between the target and the grid north, and correct the azimuth deviation angle of the map, which is the target azimuth angle.

(2) field positioning

the main destination of using map and compass is that the user should know the relevant position and terrain change between himself and the destination and be able to mark it on the map.

(3) directional line intersectionThis method uses the known points of two maps to measure the target azimuth angle of the unknown point on the other map respectively, and the extension lines of the two target azimuth angles must meet at this unknown point

example 1. When we see an unknown mountain in the distance and want to know the exact position of the mountain peak, we can use this method.

1. We give priority to mark our position point (point a) on the map and measure the target azimuth of the unknown peak (point C).

2. When we travel a long distance to another known point (point B) on the map, we can measure the target azimuth of the unknown peak.

3. By drawing the extended lines of two target azimuth angles on the map, we can draw the intersection point of the two lines, that is, the unknown peak (point C).

Example 2. When we lose our way or want to know where we are on the map (point C), we first look around the surrounding terrain peaks and select two target points (points a and b) that can be clearly marked on the map. In this way, we can measure the target azimuth of the known points (points a and b), and the intersection point of the two azimuth extension lines is our location point (point C).

4、 Water is the basic condition for human survival, especially for outdoor explorers and field workers. So, how to find a drinking water source in the field?

in fact, the sources of water are very extensive, as long as you pay attention to observe, you can find drinking water sources.

Listen

with sensitive auditory organs, pay more attention to the foot of the mountainWhether there is the sound of running water from mountain streams or waterfalls in mountain streams, cliffs, basins and valley bottoms, whether there are frogs and waterfowl calls. Especially in the early morning or foggy morning, because the air contains more water molecules and negative ions, so the sound can spread far away. If you can hear the water, you can drink it directly. But we should pay special attention to the sound of the wind blowing leaves as the sound of running water, which will lead you astray, get into trouble, and may get lost.

Smell

through the nose, smell as wet as possible, or the smell of soil and grass brought by the wind. Then look for water in the direction of the smell. Of course, this must have certain training quality and experience accumulation.

Observation

with rich experience and knowledge, we can also find water sources by observing animals, plants, meteorology, climate and geographical environment. According to the terrain (geographical environment) to judge the level of groundwater level.

For example, there is often groundwater at the foot of the mountain. The groundwater level is high in low-lying areas, rainwater concentration areas, and the downstream of the reservoir. In addition, under the dry river bed, at the lowest place outside the bend of the river, water can be found by digging down about 2 meters. However, there are a lot of slurries, which need to be purified before drinking. In addition, you can also stand at the height of the mountain to observe the surrounding environment and see if there are rivers, rivers, waterfalls, reservoirs, etc. in such places, you can also find drinking water sources

according to the climate and the dry and wet conditions of the ground

for example, in the hot summer, the ground is always very humid, under the same climate conditions, the ground is not dry and hot for a long timeThe water level is high; in autumn, there is water vapor rising on the surface, and there is often gauze like mist in the early morning, and the dew is heavy at night, and the ground is wet, which indicates that the groundwater level is high and the water is sufficient; in the cold winter, when there is frost at the cracks on the ground surface, the groundwater level is also relatively high; the groundwater level is in the places where the thawing is early in spring, the place that is frozen late in winter, and the place where the melting is fast after snowfall High.

Looking for water source according to plant growth

Where cattail, Salix psammophila, Malacca, golden needle (also known as yellow flower) and water mustard grow, the water level is relatively high, and the water quality is good; where there are gray vegetables, Penghao, and shaliwang, there is also groundwater, but the water quality is not good, with bitter or astringent taste, or with rust; in early spring, when other branches have not sprouted, there is only one branch that has sprouted, and there is groundwater; in autumn, the same One of the other leaves has already withered and yellow, and a single leaf is not yellow. There are underground water. In addition, it is also found in the areas of water, such as poplar, sycamore, willow and salt. In addition, in the dense forest valley, there will be streams flowing out.

Looking for water sources according to the activities of animals and insects

in summer, mosquitoes gather and fly into the cylindrical shape, and there must be water in the places where frogs, big ants and snails live; in addition, the routes of swallows flying and the places where they build nests with mud are all places with water sources and high groundwater level. What's more, quails fly to the water in the evening and fly back to the water in the morning; turtledoves fly to the water source sooner or later, which also indicates where the water is.

Looking for water sources according to weather changes Where there is a rainbow in the sky, there must be rain; under the dark cumulonimbus clouds with thunder and lightning, there must be rain or hail; there must be water in the valley where there is always heavy fog; it can also alleviate the urgent need by collecting dew water

directly taking water from plants

in the southern forest, there are wild plantain, also known as immortal banana. The core of this plant contains a lot of water. As long as you cut it quickly from the bottom with a knife, clean liquid will drip out of the stem core, and you will have water to drink. It is suggested that the tender core of Musa edulis can also be eaten, and it can satisfy the hunger when the food is cut off. In addition, there is a kind of bamboo. There is water in several diabolo festivals near the root. Shake those old, yellow bamboo stems. If you hear the sound of water inside, cut a small slot at the bottom of the second bamboo joint with a knife, and pour out the water inside to drink. If you can find Pueraria lobata, grapevine, Schisandra chinensis and other vine plants, you can also get drinking water. In addition, drinking water can be obtained from the trunks and branches of birch, elm and other trees when the trees are about to sprout in spring. Note: do not drink those vines with emulsion or irrigation, tree juice, toxic.

In addition, drinking water can also be obtained from aloe, cactus and their fruits. Coconut, guava, pineapple, sugarcane, and the stems of immature Cymbidium and agave also contain a lot of water.

It is suggested that the drinking "water" obtained from plants is easy to deteriorate. It is better to drink it immediately and not to store it for a long time.

The above method is effective in water shortage in the field. However, simply relying on the above methods to find water is not long-termIt is not suitable for a large number of people or too long time. As far as safety is concerned, I hope friends are better not to stay away from the water for a day or two, and not to go into the jungle alone. Because in nature, the ability of people who leave the group is extremely weak.

When you are extremely tired and thirsty, when you find the water source, it is better not to drink too much immediately. You should purify and disinfect the water source according to the environmental conditions at that time, so as to avoid poisoning or disease caused by drinking water.

（2） Do you know how to make a fire?

Fire can contain death and increase vitality. It can not only cook food, but also has a wider range of uses: the fire releases heat to generate warmth, which can save heat loss in the body; it can dry clothes; smoked meat can keep fresh for a long time; fire can scare away dangerous wild animals; smoke can drive away pests; in addition, it can also forge metal tools and sharpen sticks. Therefore, it is necessary to learn to make a fire under any conditions and in any place.

1. Under normal circumstances, lighters and matches are the most important ignition tools. Drop wax on the match before departure to prevent it from becoming damp. If the match is wet, rub it in your hair, and the hair will generate static electricity to dry it. In addition, remember that a small candle can last for a long time with the minimum energy consumption, and the candle is a good combustion promoter.

2. Use convex mirror: the strong sunlight can generate enough heat to ignite the fire through the convex mirror. Magnifying glass, telescope or camera convex mirror can replace convex mirror for you.

3. Battery fire: the spark emitted when connecting the positive and negative electrodes of the battery in the vehicle, flashlight or radio with wires can be used to ignite the fire.

4. Drilling wood to make fire: This is a simple fire making technique, but it needs a lot of practice. When a hard spindle shaped wood is used to drill holes on a cork base, fine sawdust will fall at first, and then the friction will become hot. In order to drill the wood easily, the hard spindle shaped wood is often wrapped on the self-made wooden bow to accelerate the rotation speed and ignite the fire as soon as possible.

Ignition and practical application of fire:

the first thing is to find out the combustible igniters, such as dead grass, birch bark, pine needles, resin, twigs, paper, cotton, etc.

The second is to pick up and carry dry firewood: dry and non decayed trunk or branches should be selected for dry firewood. As far as possible to choose pine, oak, oak, birch, locust, cherry, apricot and other hardwoods, burning a long time, fire, charcoal. Do not pick up firewood close to the ground. The wood close to the ground has high humidity and is not easy to burn.

The next step is to clear up a sheltered, flat space away from dead grass and dry wood. Place the lead-in in in the middle, gently put fine pine branches, fine dry wood, etc., and then set up larger and longer firewood, and then ignite the igniter. According to the local conditions, the fire can be designed as cone, star, "and" shape, side-by-side, roof shape, ranch shape and so on. It can also be used to prop up dry firewood with stones or under the cliff, lean the dry firewood on the rock wall, place the introduction below and ignite it. Generally, a pit with a diameter of about 1m and a depth of about 30cm is dug at the shelter. If the groundIf it is hard to dig a hole, you can also find some stones to form a circle. The size of the circle depends on the size of the fire. Then put the introduction object in the middle of the circle, put some dry wood on it, and light the lead-in object to ignite the dry wood to form a campfire. If the dry wood has not been ignited when the igniter is about to burn out, the igniter should be added into the gap of the dry wood until the dry wood is burned, instead of re erecting the firewood for ignition.

It is better to light a campfire near the water, or prepare some soil, sand and stone, moss, etc. beside the campfire for timely fire fighting.

5、 Camping knowledge

correct selection of camping sites and familiar with how to build simple and strong tents are the skills that must be possessed by field survivors. This chapter describes a variety of tent construction methods, from the simplest shelter to a simple shelter suitable for long-term living.

（1） Where to build a tent

if you are in a high open area, move down; if you are in a low humidity area, move up. The ideal location should be a high place that can be protected from wind and rain, and not be threatened by falling rocks or avalanches. The density of hot air is less than that of cold air, so cold air often accumulates at the bottom of valley. When the temperature is low, it is easy to form wet fog and frost. In some areas, there are many platforms along the hillside to receive rainwater, where it is relatively humid. The rest of the hillside is relatively dry.

The ideal location should also be close to the water source and there are sufficient available trees nearby. Don't put your tent too close to the water source, which will easily be disturbed by mosquitoes, and the sound of running water will interfere with your judgment, and the danger will not be detected, orThey missed the rescue team.

We should find the height that the maximum flow of flood on the river bank can reach - the mountain stream can turn into a turbulent current within a few minutes after the rainstorm, and the water level can rise by five meters in an hour! In the open land, the flood may even exceed the river course. Torrential rain from nearby mountains and rivers can easily turn into rolling floods without any warning. Flat enough space for rescuers to pick out.

Look up to see if there are beehives around and if there are dead trees that may fall in the next storm. To stay away from the isolated tall trees, it may become the target of lightning. Being on the edge of a forest allows you to see what's going on around you. Tents can't be built on the path that wild animals often run - because you don't want the animals that are looking for food to be your guests, and maybe a group of wild animals that go to drink water will step down your hard-built tent in an instant. But tents can be built where there are traces of humans.

In hot, humid weather, swarms of mosquitoes can be the most terrifying thing for campers. This situation will be more serious at night when there is no wind, so when choosing a campsite, you should pay attention not to choose the dead water pool, the dense grassland and any place where there may be water, which is the breeding place of starfish mosquitoes. In addition, mosquitoes don't congregate in ventilated areas, so it's a good idea to choose a place where the wind blows on a muggy night, such as between two hills, or a ventilated tunnel. Return to the windy night in a windy night, shouldThe tent should be set up in a leeward. However, in many cases, the weather during the construction of the camp is very calm, so we should make a forecast of the weather changes. In windy weather. As much as possible, tents should be placed in undergrowth or in big rocks. In a storm, the first thing to consider is not comfort. It's about whether the site you choose can ensure the safety of the tent. Flat terrain in the strong wind is not a good choice.

Places not suitable for setting up tents:

1. Windy hilltops (move down the mountain to look for leeward places).

2. The bottom of the valley and the unfathomable caves - quite wet, and if the weather is clear during the day, there may be frost at night.

3. Hillside and flat land - easy to gather moisture.

4. The mountain mouth leading to water source is often the only way for wild animals to drink water. In particular, the construction of the whole camp is particularly important for a certain scale of field camp, which can be divided into the following steps:

1. Site leveling: clean the selected tent area, remove stones, shrubs and other things that are easy to pierce the tent, and fill the uneven areas with soil or grass.

2. Site Division: a complete camp should be divided into tent camp area, fire area, dining area, entertainment area, water area (washing), sanitary area and other areas. The fire area should be downwind, and the tent should be destroyed by fire star. The dining area should be close to the fire area for cooking and dining. Activities and entertainment areas should be in the downwind of the dining area, in order to prevent the dust from polluting tableware and other things. WeiThe living area should also be downwind of the active area. The water use area should be divided into upper and lower sections of the stream and its river. The upper section is for drinking water and the lower section is for domestic water.

3. Construction of tent camp area: if there are several tents in the tent camp area, attention should be paid when arranging tents: the tent doors should be opened in one direction and arranged side by side. There should be a certain distance between tents.

4. Construction of fire dining area: dining is usually the same as using fire. The best place to cook is the place with soil and stone ridges, so as to dig a stove and build a stove. The firewood collected by everyone should be stacked outside the area or in the windward place. It's better to have a lawn around the dining area, and a big flat stone can be used for the dining table, or it's on the ground.

5. Construction of health area: the health area is a convenient place. If you only stay for one night, you don't need to dig and build a pit. You can specify a convenient place for men and women. If the length of stay is more than two days, it should be excavated and built. The temporary toilet should be built in the place with dense trees, so there is no need to pull the curtain. Everyone's defecation should be carried out in the built sanitary area, instead of being full of mountain solutions and killing the scenery.

6. Construction of entertainment area: as long as the entertainment area is flat, and clear up the stumbling and meeting things in the site. Sometimes when playing some games, you should pull a protective rope in a designated circle to avoid accidents.

6、 Knowledge of shrubbery crossing (1) understanding of shrubbery makes hiking dangerous and difficult. Shrubbery covers cliffs, boulders and canyons, causing danger to people; and shrubs are also rope traps.

Shrubbery grows in humid areas, low latitudes and subalpine areas with few trees. The rivers that often change the river course are unfavorable to the growth of big trees, but they are very suitable for the dense growth of shrubbery. When the erosion Valley is hit by an avalanche in winter, all the shrubs are covered by snow, but as soon as the summer comes, their heads are exposed without any injury and new shoots are spit out.

Climbers prefer old forest or open line to young forest. The thick branches and leaves of the old forest block the sunlight and inhibit the growth of shrubs. But shrubbery can be seen everywhere in the young forest. When a forest destroyed by forest fire, storm, or deforestation revives, it will grow thick shrubbery, which is most difficult when it reaches seven meters (twenty feet).

Wind blown trees, avalanche fans, and debris left behind by logging are harder to get through. These messy debris can make the speed of travel slow, such as cochlear pupil, it is better to change a route. The dense and intertwined Western Cedar climbs the cliff and rock area, forming another obstacle.

If you have to fight the Bush, the following measures can reduce the difficulty. Find the shortest path through the shrubbery. Walking on long, straight fallen logs. Push and pull away the branches of shrubs, step on the lower branches, and lift or climb the higher branches for passage. When you encounter steep terrain, use strong branches as a place to grab.

But it's better to avoid the bush. Here are some tips for avoiding shrubbery:

try to make the most of the mountain path. It's easier to walk a five mile path than to cross a one mile bush.

Consider traveling during the snow covered Bush season. Some valleys are covered with snow and ice in May. It's goodLet's go, but the snow melts in July.

Avoid avalanche tracks. For long valleys, it is better to go south or west, and the frequency of avalanches is low. When climbing the valley wall, you should pass through the woods between the two avalanche routes.

The target is the dense forest, because usually the Shrubs under the big trees are sparse.

Walk on the gravel or snow, don't walk beside the shrubbery.

Look for hunting trails. Animals usually find the best way to go.

It is dry and has no shrubs, and the bottom of streams and valleys is often full of shrubs.

If one side of the stream is covered with shrubs, please check whether it is better to walk on the other side.

If the route is parallel to the stream, it is considered to enter the river directly. The stream bed may form a tunnel in the Bush pile, which is easy to walk, but must wade. The dry stream bed is ideal, but in deep canyons, streams may be blocked by fallen trees or form waterfalls.

If the route is parallel to the valley, consider climbing directly to the forest line or plot line, and choose the route higher than the shrub.

If there are cliffs on both sides of the valley, walk to the foot of the cliff, and a flat and open corridor will be formed under the cliff.

（2） Br >

, what kind of thrilling experience do you think of in the jungle?

Before starting a trek in the jungle, we must be fully prepared to face severe challenges and unforeseen dangers. So, what kind of weapons do you need?

FirstFirst of all, you should remember several important safety tips:

when you see a leopard, don't run away immediately, but walk towards it, shouting and clapping. When encountering dangerous snakes, such as boa constrictors, Bungarus multicinctus and lance headed snakes, they must escape quickly. Avoid most insects - most of them have special defense systems, and it's much smarter to live with them in peace than to fight first. If spiders and scorpions climb on you, just brush them off gently. Patting them can lead to biting. Learn some defensive techniques from aborigines, such as applying garlic to your body to drive away bugs and snakes. To survive in the jungle, you don't need the chores of chocolate, soda, or CD player, and your Aboriginal guide will ask you to drop them.

Guides know that to survive, you only need four basic elements - water, food, shelter and fire.

Water: spring water, river water and lake water can be used as water sources. But don't forget the water vine. They can be found everywhere in the tropical rain forest. In many cases, the river water and lake water are not drinkable. But the water vine is always full of sweet slurry. Just cut off a meter long section with a knife and drink the liquid out of it. The big leaves of tropical plants can be used to collect rainwater or dew. You can also make a special solar distiller to collect drinking water. When you are not sure about drinking raw water, you can boil the water or add iodine tablets to the water to kill parasites and other bacteria. Don't carry water purifiers or other things. They will increase your burden in practice, a few days later Filter elementIt will be blocked by impurities or oxidized by substances in water.

Food: you can take some rice, coffee, tea and sugar when you leave, but the jungle, especially the tropical rainforest, is full of bioactive compounds, many of which can be used as natural food. Like potatoes and taro. There are many guinea pigs without tail spines in the jungle, which is a kind of delicious food. Its meat taste is similar to beef. Caiman (South American alligator) tastes good, can be smoked or roasted to eat, squeeze some jungle lemon juice on the meat will be more delicious. In addition, fishing in the stream, often can harvest such delicious as barbed tailed sunfish. The nutritional value of green vegetables is incomparable. You can pick the heart of water spinach from the palm leaves. It is very delicious, which can be eaten raw or cooked with poultry into a pot of fragrant "chicken soup".

Shelter: among the three elements of life support, shelter is the easiest to obtain. With the wide leaves and branches of palm trees, a simple "rat tail" waterproof shelter can be built quickly to shelter against rain. If you frame them with more branches and tie them together with vines, you can make more elaborate triangular sheds, which will be enough for you to settle down when the night comes or the rain falls suddenly.

Fire: it is very important to make a fire in the jungle for heating, cooking and boiling water. Indigenous people often carry kindling, but for people from modern cities, carrying a hot lighter, such as a magnesium lighter or a hexane lighter, is enough. Finally, it's best to prepare a pair of high quality when you startHis boots, a Raincloth and a military mosquito net. If you can also bring a sharp machete, which can be used as a defensive weapon as well as a tool to cut down trees for food, you will have another guarantee for your journey to the jungle.

7、 Can you walk in the wild?

The introduction of outdoor sports should start from walking. Walking is one of the most basic human skills. Walking is the simplest sport, regardless of the site. Take a trip to the wild and enjoy the taste of cutting through the thorns and thorns, and you will have a lot of fun.

The length of walking time and the speed of walking depend on the individual's physical ability. Walking for a long time, it's better to walk at a constant speed.

When you go uphill, keep your steps small and steady. If the ascent is too steep, you can go zigzag. When you go downhill, don't destroy the original rhythm of walking. You should walk in a down-to-earth manner. Tie the laces tight, especially at the ankle, so as not to top the toe. When passing the suspension bridge, the suspension bridge is easy to sway, and it is better to cross one by one. If there is a fear of heights, look forward and keep the rhythm. When crossing a single wooden bridge, change your steps to the outer "eight" character, and look at the front one or two meters. The speed of passing should be determined according to the length and width of the single wooden bridge. If the single tree bridge is narrow and long, you should be careful and keep balance. When crossing a river, it's best to go together. You should first understand the depth of the river. When the river is deep, other routes should be selected; the river water is shallower than the thigh, and it can be waded across the river in summer or spring and autumn, but barefoot is not safe. When it's cold, you should choose the dry stones in the river, pay attention to the stability of the stones and their own balance。

A long march requires proper rest. Generally, March for about an hour and rest for 5-10 minutes. Because everyone's physical fitness is different, the rest depends on the individual situation. Don't stay still when you have a rest. You should do some relaxation exercise, drink some water and eat some snacks.

8、 (1) preparation for typhoon prevention

the prerequisite for typhoon prevention is to be informed of typhoon warning in advance and fully prepare Countermeasures before the typhoon comes. People are very vulnerable to typhoons. It is suggested that if necessary, they must stay in the surrounding population areas for help. Typhoons often cause disastrous consequences, such as muddy roads, landslides, broken trees, flooding, and so on, which cannot be resisted by individuals.

Windproof, rainproof and cold proof are the basic principles of typhoon prevention. If there is no such place, you should choose the place where there is no risk of landslides or floods. For example, high ground, rock or forest are safer places for refuge. If you must continue to move forward, you should also bend down and do not rush to the rain, damp clothes will take away body temperature, resulting in physical imbalance. In case of strong wind, try to lie down on the ground to escape from the forest, not under the dead trees.

（2） Lightning avoidance is one of the most terrible natural disasters to the people who live in the field. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid lightning strike. If there is a temperature difference of more than 20 degrees between the mountains above 3000 meters and the ground, lightning is easy to occur.

Lightning is easy to hit high objects and metal objects, so when lightning occurs, we should try to lower the posture and escape into the low-lying or hole. On top of treesThe ground with a 45 degree angle can rely on trees to avoid direct lightning strikes (absolutely not allowed to lean on trees), so it can be safely avoided. Try to throw the metal objects or copper plates on your body at a distance.

In order to ensure safety, when you are on the top of a mountain or feel dangerous, you should move to a low-lying area immediately. Distant mines may come by surprise or fall directly from the surrounding clouds. Therefore, once there is a sign of thunder and lightning, we should not wait and see to be brave and take refuge in a safe place as soon as possible.

In our life, we can encounter many disasters, and many disasters are inevitable. Many disasters will bring us huge property losses, even the cost of life. So how can we avoid all kinds of disasters as far as possible, or how to protect ourselves in the face of disasters.

[maximumtreeearthquake]

GRAPHICAL ANALYSISIf we set fit_reg=False then this line will remove which is shown below: The total number of countries with employment rate is 166.

Here, it is clearly shown that on an average, 58% employment rate is there in different countries. The standard deviation is about 11%, suggesting that there is quite a bit of variability from country to country in terms of the employment rate living in different countries.

3. Female Employment Rate:

Now we will plot the same set of values by using the “distplot” command in python.

The following code is added to our program

UNIVARIATE GRAPHICAL ANALYSIS

After analyzing the variables numerically, we will shift our domain to graphical approach.

I have chosen three variables that is, incomeperperson, employrate and femaleemployrate

1.Income per person:

We will investigate this data by 2 ways, Categorical Count Plot and Distributive Plot.

Categorical Count Plot:

To plot incomes by converting into categories, we will first cut the range of incomes into four intervals. The first interval is from 0 to 5000, second is from 5000 to 15000, third is from 15000 to 25000 and last is from 25000 to 82000.

The frequency table obtained is shown below

And the graph obtained for these counts is:

This proves that our numeric interpretation of this variable was correct. Out of 183 countries, 111 have per person income between 0 and 5000. Also, just 22 incomes lie between a great range of 25000 and 82000.

Distributive Plot:

Now we will plot the same set of values by using the “distplot” command in python.

The following code is added to our program:

The graph obtained against this code is shown below:

This automatically generated graph over equally distributed range also depicts loudly that more countries exist with lesser per person income. The bars are higher in the starting phase and start decreasing gradually as we move right. The bars disappear after 40000, showing that not much countries are there with average income more than 40000.

2. Employment Rate:

Now we will plot the same set of values by using the “distplot” command in python.

The following code is added to our program:

The graph obtained against this code is shown below:

Description of Employment rate:

We make use of .describe() method to show the result in more clear way:

The input for this is,

The output is

The total number of countries with employment rate is 166.

Here, it is clearly shown that on an average, 58% employment rate is there in different countries. The standard deviation is about 11%, suggesting that there is quite a bit of variability from country to country in terms of the employment rate living in different countries.

Conclusion:

Comparing employrate and femaleemployrate, on an average employment rate is more than female employment rate among different countries.

Bivariate Graphical Analysis

Now we move to the final step of our research, the bivariate analysis of our variables. From the previous observations and explanations, we are expecting to see a relationship between all the variables (employment rate and female employment rate), (income per person and employment rate) and (income per person and female employment rate).

1. Bivariate graphical analysis for employment rate and female employment rate:

To obtain the final plot between both these variables by using “seaborn.regplot”, add the following code to the program:

The graph obtained by the above code is:

If we set fit_reg=False then this line will remove which is shown below:

In this scatter plot, the data points follow the linear pattern quite closely. This is an example of a very strong relationship.

Therefore, there is strong relationship between employrate and femaleemployrate.

2. Bivariate graphical analysis for income per person and employment rate:

To obtain the final plot between both these variables by using “seaborn.regplot”, add the following code to the program:

In this scatter plot, the points also follow the linear pattern, and predicts that the income per person lies more in between 10000 and 20000 for employment rate, few people have income in between range of 20000 and 30000, while less people have income in the range of 30000 and 40000, only 1 person has income range around 50,000 among different countries.

3. Bivariate graphical analysis for income per person and female employment rate:

To obtain the final plot between both these variables by using “seaborn.regplot”, add the following code to the program:

The output is

In this scatter plot, the points also follow the linear pattern, and predicts that the income per person lies more in between 10000 and 20000 for female employment rate, few people have income in between range of 20000 and 30000, while less people have income in the range of 30000 and 40000, only 1 person has income range around 50,000 among different countries.

Conclusion:

The total number of countries with employment rate and female employment rate is 166 that is, number of countries having employment rate and female employment rate are equal in counts but the countries may be different.

Comparing employrate and femaleemployrate, on an average employment rate is more than female employment rate among different countries.

The standard deviation for employment rate is about 11% and for female employment rate is 15%, suggesting that there is quite a bit of variability from country to country in terms of the employment rate and female employment rate living in different countries.

Now, when we look at the scatter plot of employment rate and female employment rate, the data points follow the linear pattern quite closely which shows that they have very strong relationship.

Therefore, we conclude that there is strong relationship between employrate and femaleemployrate.

For employment rate and female employment rate, it is predicted that the income per person lies more in between 10000 and 20000 for employment rate and female employment rate, few people have income in between range of 20000 and 30000, while less people have income in the range of 30000 and 40000, only 1 person has income range around 50,000 among different countries.

1 note

Jul 4th, 2020

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MY FIRST PROGRAM

import pandas as pd

import os cols = [‘age_afm’, ‘consumer’, 'h_often_12m’, 'h_often_5beer_12m’, 'edu’] def read_data():  # this function reads the wanted subset of the data and renames the coloumns  col_wanted = ['S1Q4A’, 'CONSUMER’, 'S2AQ5B’, 'S2AQ5G’, 'S1Q6A’]  data = pd.read_csv(’/home/data-sci/Desktop/analysis/course/nesarc_pds.csv’,                     low_memory=False, usecols=col_wanted, )  data.rename(columns={'S1Q4A’: 'age_afm’,                       'CONSUMER’: 'consumer’,                       'S2AQ5B’: 'h_often_12m’,                       'S2AQ5G’: 'h_often_5beer_12m’,                       'S1Q6A’: 'edu’}, inplace=True)  return data “'pickling data makes it easy to not having to loud the csv file every time we run the  script so the pickle_data and get_pickle are for that ”’ def pickle_data(data):  data.to_pickle('cleaned_data.pickle’) def get_pickle():  return pd.read_pickle('cleaned_data.pickle’) def the_data():  ““"this function will check for the pickle file if not fond  it will read the csv file then pickle it  ”“”  if os.path.isfile('cleaned_data.pickle’):      data = get_pickle()  else:      data = read_data()      pickle_data(data)  return data def distribution(var_data):  "“"this function will print out the frequency  distribution for every variable in the data-frame   ”“”  var_data = pd.to_numeric(var_data, errors='ignore’)  print(“the count of the values in {}”.format(var_data.name))  print(var_data.value_counts())  print(“the % of every value in the {} variable  ”.format(var_data.name))  print(var_data.value_counts(normalize=True))  print(“———————————–”) def print_dist():  # this function loops though the variables and print them out  for i in cols:      print(distribution(the_data()[i])) print_dist()

1 note

MY  FIRST PROGRAM

In my previous blog I talked about suicide. As we all know suicide among teenagers and youth continue to be a serious problem. To find out about my questions I carried out a program to find out the frequencies about- how many times they thought of committing suicide? How many times they tried? How many times they succeeded?

The program is as follows-

In output I got the frequencies table of how many times –

* Thought of committing suicide

* tried to commit

* ties you succeeded

Frequency Missing = 204

DATA MANAGEMENT

*Assignment 3 **

IDE used- Jupyter NoteBook

Dataset - Gapminder

Variables used :

alcconsumption(alcohol consumption),

suicideper100th(suicide per 100 thousand persons),

employrate (percentage of persons employed in a year).

Research Questions :

(1)Does alcohol consumption leads to suicide?

(2)Does unemployment linked to alcohol consumption?

Selecting Required columns for which we want to work on:

As our main question revolves around suicide so using describe function to know stats of the column. Clearly, 75% data is less than 12. So taking data sor more than 12 and creating a copy of this.

Data Management-  

Our columns contain quantitative values and not categorical like 0 or 1. So classification is done on percentile and creating ranges.

Data Management of alcohol consumption :

Here , data is managed by percentile using sub_copy where suicide>12(mentioned above). Also frequency and percentage_frequency has been found out.

Data Management for Suicide:

Original data is classified using bins into 5 ranges for better further analysis.

Using original ‘data’ instead of sub_copy to classify suicide into percentile

and finding out frequency and percentage of it.

Data Management of Employ Rate:

Using bins =5 to get a overall idea of quantitative data.

Based upon analysis ,creating empgroup function to divide data into different categories.

Finding frequency and percentage of it.

Summary of data management results of all the 3 variables/columns.

1.  For the alcohol consumption rate, I grouped the data into 4 groups by quartile pandas.qcut function.

Almost every percentile is highly dependent on alcohol consumption is linked to high suicide rate .

2.  For the suicide rate, I grouped the data into 4 groups by quartile pandas.qcut function.

75 percentile data is linked to high suicide tendency. As we verified above where 75% suicides are greater than 12(using describe function).

3. For the employment rate, I grouped the data into 5 categorical groups using def and apply functions: (1:32-50, 2:51-58, 3:59-64, 4:65-83, 5:NAN).

The employment rate is between 51%-58% for people with a high suicide rate.

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Introduction to Statistics - Brain Mentors

Statistics is one of the major branches of mathematics and stats is one of the biggest reasons behind the success of Data Science, because the methodologies and techniques statistics provides are very helpful for Data Scientist in daily life. Statistical Analysis plays a major role in life cycle of data science.

Definition: Statistics deals with the methods which helps us to gather, analyze, review, and make conclusions from the data. Statistics is used when the data set depends on a sample of a larger population, then the analyst can develop interpretations about the population primarily based on the statistical outcomes from the sample. Like mean, median, mode, range etc.

It comes into the role when a user wants to see the insight of data or wants to find out hidden patterns and it is used in almost every field and department like:

·       Weather reports

·       In Sports to show players and teams performances

·       In TV Channels to perform analysis on TRP

·       Stock Market

·       Products Based Companies

·       Disease and their impact

From very small to very large, each company need statistics to evaluate their growth and how their products perform in market. Let’s see few examples of statistics:

So, these was the few examples of statistics that how everything is being shown to us with the help of graphs and graphs are the best way to show data to users.Before we talk about statistics, first we need to understand data and its different types.

Data and its types:

Categorical Or Qualitative : Categorical data is a type of data which represents categories. Data is divided into two or more categories like gender, languages, cast or religion etc. Data can also be numerical (Example : 1 for male and 0 for female). Here numbers do not represent any mathematical meaning.

Nominal : Type of data that has two or more categories without any specific order. Nominal values represents discrete units and used to label variables that do not have any quantitative value.

Examples :

·       Gender – Male and Female

·       Languages – Hindi, English, Chinese

·       Exams – Pass, Fail

·       Grades – A, B, C, D

Ordinal : Type of data that has two or more categories but they have a specific order. Ordinal values represents discrete and ordered units. So it is almost similar to nominal data but they have some specific order.

Examples :

·       Movie Ratings : Flop, Average, Hit, Superhit

·       Scale : Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree

Numerical Or Quantitative : Numerical data represents continuous type of data which has a mathematical meaning and measured in a quantity.

Interval : Interval type of data represents data in equal intervals. The values of interval variable are equally spaced. So they are almost similar to ordinal type of data but here data could of any continuous range.

Examples :

·       Temperature – Generally temperature is divided into equal intervals like 10 – 20, 20 – 30, 30 – 40

·       Distance and speed could also be given in equal intervals

Ratio : It is interval data with a natural zero point. When a value of any variable is 0.0 then it means there is none of that value. Suppose you are given temperature and it is 0 degree, so it is valid because temperature could be 0 degree. But if I say that your height is 0 ft then it doesn’t mean anything.

 Let’s Dig into Statistics

Statistics is also divided into 2 major categories :

·       Descriptive Statistics – Presenting, organizing and summarizing data

·       Inferential Statistics – Drawing conclusions about a population based on data observed in a sample

   Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive Statistics helps to find out the summary of data and tells us the value that best describes the data set. It also tells how much your data is spread and scattered around from its average value or mean value. You can also find out minimum and maximum range of your data.

  Descriptive Statistics is broken down into :

Measure of Central Tendency (Mean, Median, Mode)

Measure of Variability / Spread (Standard Deviation, Variance, Range, Kurtosis, Skewness)

 Measure of Central Tendency

Here we can describe whole dataset with a single value that represents the center of its distribution. There are 3 main measures of central tendency : Mean, Median and Mode.

I know most of you are already aware of simple arithmetic mean but there are few more types of mean that you should learn about. Different types of mean :

·       Arithmetic Mean

·       Weighted Mean

·       Geometric Mean

·       Harmonic Mean

 Relationship b/w AM, GM and HM

 Measure of Variability

Measure of variability describes how spread out a set of data is. We can observe how widely data is scattered when we have large values in the dataset or how data is tightly clustered when we have smaller values in the dataset. It tells the variation of the data from one another and gives the clear idea about the distribution.

 The spread of a data is described by a range of descriptive statistics which includes variance, standard deviation, range and interquartile range. Here the spread of data can be shown in graphs like : boxplot, dot plots, stem and leaf plots. The measure of variability tells how much your data is deviated from its standard or in simple terms we can say that how much data is far away from center point or from average value.

Note : We are not going in depth of measure of central tendency or measure of spread. Soon there will be a separate blog for these topics. Here in this blog we are just having introduction to statistics

 Probability Distributions

You might have heard the term probability a lot of times earlier and might have studied in schools or colleges as well. There were few common examples when we used to learn probability like probability of head or tail when we coin the toss or probability of getting a 6 if roll the dice.

Definition : Probability Distributions are the mathematical functions from which we get to know about the probabilities of the occurrence of various possible outcomes in an experiment. There are different types of probability distributions like :

•        Bernoulli Distribution

•        Uniform Distribution

•        Binomial Distribution

•        Normal Distribution

•        Poisson Distribution

•        Exponential Distribution

•        T-Distribution

•        Chi-Squared Distribution

I have just written few of the most popular ones. There are few more types of distributions. Note : We are not going into details of these distributions right now, because each distribution needs a separate blog. So in upcoming blogs we will see these distributions one by one.Here in this blog we are just having introduction to statistics.

 Inferential Statistics

Inferential Statistics is used to make conclusions from the data. Generally here we take a random sample from the population to describe and make inferences about the population.

Inferential statistics is used a lot in data analysis field. We conduct different types of test on random samples from a given set of data and get to know about the effect of the product. Inferential Statistics use statistical models to help you compare your sample data to other samples or to previous research. Most research uses statistical models called the Generalized Linear model and include :

·       Student’s t-test

·       ANOVA (Analysis of variance)

·       Regression Analysis

 Inferential Statistics includes :

·       Hypothesis Testing

·       Binomial Theorem

·       Normal Distributions

·       T-Distributions

·       Central Limit Theorem

·       Confidence Intervals

·       Regression Analysis / Linear Regression

·       Comparison of Mean

So this was a introduction to statistics and its different types.