#anyways i kind of regret not making an 'extra' category on my last post for the sake of catching bits like these

[helmetjellyfish]

there wasn’t a convenient way to put this on my last post, but ryou notably refers to his mom as ママ (“mama”), as opposed to お母さん (“okaa-san”) or 母さん (“kaa-san”) which mahiro and koutarou use respectively when speaking to their mothers. it’s the same as what nagisa uses for nagiko and carries a more familiar/childish connotation.

[vampiremourning]

game/set

no ao3 link, the rest is under the cut. warnings for Adult Stuff that im not gonna tag bc i actually want people to see the post lmao

--

Sleeping with the boss is always less-than-a-good idea, in Bull's mind.

Not that she was technically his boss while they were still at Haven. It was more of an affectionate nickname, really--one that she'd pointed out made her feel strange to hear after he'd had his mouth between her legs for the third time that week.

Which was, he supposed, fair enough. She never struck his as the type who liked that kind of deference in bed anyway.

It was a working relationship and a professional friendship, nothing more or less. The fact that their physical compatibility seemed to match the way they fell in step together on the battlefield was merely an added bonus to the whole arrangement.

Isen was pretty, smart as a whip, had a filthy tongue when she wanted, and kept her body limber specifically for the purpose of enjoyable sex. An excellent fuck, all in all, and not something he could bring himself to easily regret even if the emotions got a bit muddied from time to time.

That bit was easy enough to ignore when she insisted he keep his hands otherwise occupied.

"Hey," he cuts the post-coital silence of the Inquisitor's quarters. "Don't think all that made me forget that you never answered my question earlier."

Isen hums from her perch on the edge of the bed, wiping herself down with a warm washcloth. Such a paradox that was--he'd been all over her moments ago, yet the act of cleaning up was where the line of intimacy was drawn.

"What question?" The reply is deliberately distracted.

Isen was all of those wonderful things off the list he kept tucked away in his head, but she was also stubborn and evasive in some of the most irritating ways.

He'd never really been able to back down from that sort of challenge.

"You know exactly what I mean," Bull says as he keeps his gaze trained on the curve of her spine. "Before the clothes came off--why did you want to get at me so bad back in Haven? Don't get me wrong, I know I'm good-looking and all, but you'd think you'd have gone for someone more like Cullen or something. I dunno."

She scoffs and turns her head just enough to make eye contact. "Cullen? Please. I'd eat him alive before he would even manage to fumble the laces on my trousers, and he knows it. Handsome by most standards, sure, but my own personal tastes..."

Isen pauses, giving him an open, suggestive leer, and Bull becomes instantly aware in that second that he'd be spending a good few more hours in this bed. He makes peace with it almost instantly.

"Well," she chuckles, turning back. "They've always been a bit more, mm, substantial, you might say."

"Substantial," he echoes, nudging her with his foot. "And that means what, exactly?"

"I'm attracted to power," she says simply with a shrug, feet finally hitting the floor so she could place the cloth back on the nightstand. "And I'm extra attracted to power that's attracted to me."

The last word is accompanied by an electric, hungry look in her eyes. It's the sort of look that sends a tendril of desire snaking down his spine and pooling in his gut.

"Not the answer you expected?" She asked, taking note of the lack of witty reply. When she sits on the bed this time, she's closer to his chest.

"Not really," he admitted. "Not the weirdest thing I've ever heard. I was thinking it was something more like 'I like tall guys.' That's pretty standard."

"That's a part of it," she replied. "Then again, most people have a decent amount of height on me. It's not exactly difficult to find in a person."

Bull made a noise of acknowledgement in his throat, opting to trail a hand over one of her naked thighs. A light scraping of nails caused a delightful trail of gooseflesh in its wake.

"You don't think you fit into that category?"

"Depends on how you're defining the word."

"Ah," she said, moving once more across the bed. This time, she's settling on his torso. A familiar angle, and a damn good-looking one too. "Well, I suppose that does vary, depending on the context, yes. Remove my magic from the equation--how much do you think it would take for you to overpower me?"

Her voice is low and beguiling, each syllable possessing an undercurrent of undisguised want.

Bull places his hands on her body--one on the waist, one on the hips--and not for the first time, he's aware of how breakable a body like that is.

"No magic?" He asks, only continuing once she inclined her head in affirmation. "Not much, if that's the case." It's an honest assessment. She's small and sinewy, built for light work at first glance. Bull's body is built for strength, through and through.

They're complimentary, but on a purely physical level, entirely unmatched.

"Exactly. Hence--I'm attracted to power, I'm attracted to you, I enjoy sleeping with people I find attractive. It's a simple succession of events."

She dips down after that to kiss him, hard and slow, allowing them both to indulge in wandering hands.

"And the second half?" He asked against her mouth.

"Second h--oh, the bit where I like it when power is attracted to me?"

"That'd be the one."

Bull pushes off the bed, moving into a sitting position. It's easier to add to the collection of bite-marks along her neck this way.

"Knowing you," he continues, grazing his tongue along a quickening pulse line, "it's not gonna be something simple like 'I'm into domination,' is it?"

Her laugh is breathy when he sinks his teeth down into flesh, and she digs her nails into his shoulders in kind.

"Well, at the base, probably. But for a more--ah!--intricate explanation, I get off on the mutual exchange. The struggle. Being able to meet someone as an equal, or fight for it--whichever ends up winning out. But yes," she sighs, courteously tilting her head back, "sometimes it's just nice to be the unexpectedly strong one in these exchanges."

"So not just having the world at your feet?" A nip at the jaw, then a steady descent down to her chest. "Some sort of psychological mind game-shit to make it more exciting?"

"Only with myself."  She suppresses a groan. "Self-serving. Ego-stroking. Simple vanity. A subheading of masturbation. Call it what you will."

His teeth find a nipple, and she jolts in response. All of that cleaning with the washcloth is proving to be nothing more than a waste of time. Ah well. He enjoyed the show while it lasted.

"Be honest, Bull--" said between heavy breaths, "--if you didn't think I could take care of myself, you wouldn't be here."

"That so?"

"Completely." Both of her hands on the side of his face, dragging him away from his focus on her chest. This kiss is more demanding, the force of it going right down to his cock.

"You might have the physical upper hand." Her smile is full of wicked promise against his skin as she reaches down between her own legs for a bit of preparatory work, still loose and slick from before. "No argument from this corner, but let's put the magic back into the context. All of the sudden, there's no clear winner anymore. Evenly matched. Anyone's game."

She moves her face away from his and locks eyes with him as she sinks down into his lap and begins to build up momentum. A gaze full of steel and challenge, clouded with lust and affection. It's a strange mix.

Fitting. They're a strange pair.

"That's what I get off on," she says with a hiss of pleasure as she begins to move. "And do you know--do you have any idea how difficult that is to find?"

He bends forward and bites down on her shoulder, the one with the scars. "Gonna tell me anyway," he murmurs, confident that his fingers will also leave their mark on her hips.

"Impossible," she says hoarsely. "Or damn near it. Someone's always holding back, and even if nothing comes of it, it's different. Intoxicating. Wholly addictive."

"Sounds like this isn't your first time in that position," he grunts when she kicks up the pace.

"I've only been here enough times to realize I'm completely weak to it. Not even remotely often enough for my satisfaction." Until now goes unspoken. The silent phrase is loaded in a way he isn't sure he wants to confront yet.

"Even though it compromises you?"

"The vulnerability is part of the excitement. It's not equal if that part's not there."

Isen's ability to hold a conversation while getting fucked good and proper is nothing short of impressive.

Bull expertly maneuvers her onto her back and looms atop of her with only minimal contact lost. He's pointedly aware of the fact that the only reason it was so easy is because she permit it to be. But he could fight for it, if the resistance was there. He could meet her halfway.

He was starting to understand what it was she was getting at.

"What's the difference, between getting hor for power or danger? Your definition makes it almost interchangeable," he points out, spreading her legs.

"At first glance," she agrees, regarding him with a thin veneer of patience as he settles between them. "Danger implies that the exchange of power is nothing more than an illusion. Let me ask you this; are either of us considered a danger to the other person?"

"Yes," he says with a groan, beginning to thrust, "and no. Depends on where the chips fall. Who gets the upper hand first. Who gets luckier."

"Exactly."

She is prey and predator all at once, wrapped up into a deceptively neat little package. He's more of the same--hunter and hunted, falling in and our of both categories with a fluidity that came so naturally you'd think it was innate.

Sleeping with your boss is, generally, a not-very-good idea.

Bull followed her once, months ago, and would do so over and over again to experience this dance once more. She was right. It was a nearly indescribable, ultimately bewitching feeling.

"You sure you never did any blood magic with me?" He asks after they've collapsed. "Didn't slip into my head and tie me to your will somehow?"

She's letting him clean her this time--she wants to be lazy and languid, and having him do the dirty work is the best way to indulge the feeling.

She grins. It's lacking the same sharpness from before, but full of contradictions nonetheless.

"Nothing like that, but I did sleep with you, and I'm told that it has basically the same effect on people. You might want to consider that."

"You weren't kidding about the ego thing from earlier, huh?" He asks with a dry chuckle.

"It's not unfounded. You do keep coming back, and with very little effort from me, might I add."

Well. She had him there.

"Besides," she says, stretching her arms over her head luxuriously. "I could accuse you of the same. Putting me under a ritual, slipping a cursed amulet into my pocket--it doesn't take much in the way of persuading from you to get my clothes off, you know."

"I'd say you had a point, but that's not the kind of crap I dabble in. Maybe I am really just that good."

Another grin. "Who's the vain one now?"

He wants to kiss her then, but the air has shifted. It's still easy and comfortable, but the time for demanding teeth and tongues has passed, and he's not sure there's room for anything else. Full of contradictions though the relationship might be, he has yet to see one that would leave a place for that sort of thing.

"You're the one who admitted to it, not me."

"Right. As if we're not simply mirroring back our own qualities ninety-nine percent of the time we're alone anyway."

The back-and-forth continues well on after they're both dressed and he's departed for his own quarters.

A game of contradictions, and one he's not sure he'll every have completely mapped out. How frustrating. How risky.

How wonderful it will be, to play until the winner is decided.

[comicsforever]

Best Of The Year - The 2017 Edition.

Welcome back to the yearly date of pointing out the best of the best for 2017. As always this a very personal post I decide to share with all of you, so you can discuss and agree/disagree with me. Or not. Do what you like. I’m not your father. Tumblr has been with me for a long time now and I still love the platform very much. It’s my personal space to show all the art I love or talk about the things I like with my select group of devoted followers. As always these are very personal picks. I watch closely the performance of certain releases all over the year and drop the best of the best in a list for you to check out if you haven’t. The usual categories are:

Best Comic Book Series

Best Comic Book Moment

Best TV Show

Best Movie

Album Of The Year

Videogame Of The Year

Action Figure Of The Year

So without further ado, let’s get on with it:

Comic of The Year: Batman (DC Comics)

Just two words define how good this comic has been over the past year: Tom King. The man does write a very different kind of Batman and man how this guy is enjoying himself in this book. DC hasn’t put a leash on him and we actually have some character development for Bruce the way we haven’t seen in years. I mean just take a look at the past 10 issues: Batman decides he wants a shot at happiness so he proposes to Catwoman, before she can answer they spend like 48 hour straight having sex as Bruce finally decides to confess his biggest regret since he donned the costume. After Selina hears it she goes for it anyway, before they can settle they have to deal with Thalia Al Ghul and Superman. Plus the comic is just chock full of great puns and great moments. Deadshot fights Deathstroke? You got it (the fight lasted 7 days straight if you are wondering). I’m looking forward to reading Batman through 2018. Hell Yeah indeed!

Best Comic Book Moment: Mr. Oz revealed as Jor-El. Action Comics #987 (DC Comics)

If you are not reading Superman right now you are missing out the original Superhero in some of the best stories that have been told with him for a long time. The original Superman has taken over the books and he has been merged with his N52 counterpart. The story of the DC Universe is being rewritten as misterios identity has subtracted 10 years out of the continuity of the multiverse. Superman has been trying to figure out just the hell is going while a shadowy figure is pulling the strings to get him closer to the truth. The mysterious Mr. Oz stands revealed as the master manipulator behind everything that has been going on in Superman’s life, but the shock doesn’t end there. It is revealed that Mr. Oz is none other than Jor-El, Supermans’ biological dad and he survived because a near-omnipotent force took him from the arms of his beloved wife while Krypton was being obliterated!

Best TV Show: The Punisher (Marvel Netflix)

Forget about the leftist-infested editorial comics division, Marvel is putting out their best stories on their TV shows. Agents of SHIELD and Marvel Netflix are offering us compelling character that we can care about without being shoved forced diversity. The Punisher is the one to stand out of the pack this year. The show is a love letter to a soldier’s after life when the war is done. PTS is the card played in the show and we get to see how each soldier deals with the hand that’s played to them. The cast is solid, the writing is compelling and the acting is good. I look forward to season 2!

Best Movie: a tie: Logan and Wonder Woman (20th Century Fox and Warner Studios)

One showed the last ride of the most resilient fighter of the X-Men in his last wheels. The other showed us the birth of a hero to an unknown grey world that she looks in black and white. Both where great films by their own merits. And it’s very hard to make a choice between them. For the first time in many years I feel Superhero films are putting out Oscar worthy material and while is a long shot they will be considered in the run, it’s great to see both studios go the extra mile to offer solid films for fans and casual viewers alike.

Album of The Year: Converge – The Dusk In Us

In a year where I was bombarded with weak hip-hop from every angle and “despacito” nearly made me kill myself, it was so great to have these guys back kicking ass like they always do. You can go wrong with metal baby! Actual music played with actual instruments!

Videogame of The Year: Injustice 2 (WB Games/ NeatherRealm Studios)

DC’s best of the best are back to beat the shit out of each other in the special engine developed by the same guys who developed Mortal Kombat. While the game features a solid gameplay and a ton of extra new features is the writing on it that makes it so awesome. Each character is ready to pop a quip to his/her opponent that fits right with their personality and backstory (if they have it)

Action Figure of The Year: Magneto (Amazing Yamaguchi/Revoltech)

I mean, come on. Just take a look at this guy. Not only he looks evil a shit, he has magnetic hands to steal your paperclips and he’s more poseable than a contortionist. He’s simply the best action figure of magneto ever released and he’s expensive as shit, but’s he’s totally worth every penny.

That’s all for this years folks! Let me know what you think in the comments section!

[thirtybefore30blogg]

Starting The List!!

Hello! It’s kind of hard to believe that this blogg has officially been “live” for a week now! I’m still overwhelmed by all the support that my friends and family have shown me through the beginning of this whole journey.

Over the last few weeks, I have had some friends bring up (on many occasions), that they want to know my list. As much as I want to share it with everyone. I am not. Not YET, anyways. So I have my “list” broken down into a set of categories. Which I will introduce to you as I do them. I don’t want to just post the full list as of yet, because I feel like that takes away from the journey of experiencing these things “with me”, if you will.

That brings me to the first official category; SELF CARE!!! Which is honestly something that I have failed at doing for longer than I care to admit. I am easily the type of person who will put someone else and their needs, before mine. While that sometimes isn’t a terrible thing; I also just can’t say NO to others. It is finally time to start putting in that care for myself, first.

As I am sure you are aware by now, the Coronavirus is basically taking over the world. While many businesses are closing their doors for the next two weeks, and a lot of people around me get to quarantine themselves to their homes; I work in hospitality role for a large company, that is actually giving us extra hours/overtime, to help out guests calling in. Don’t get me wrong–I’m not complaining. However, I do know that the next few weeks, to a month (hopefully not longer) are going to be INCREDIBLY stressful!!

This brings me to this new product that I got from Ulta. As seen in the photo above and to the right over there!  While doing some Birthday shopping with my Mom, I found a wonderful and we started talking about literally everything! He was super helpful and full of so much information. Now, I’m probably going to regret admitting this, but other than the occasional makeup remover wipes, I never used a face wash!

It is basically a mask. You put it all over your face for 45 seconds and wash it off! I have truly noticed such a difference in my skin. I’m obsessed! Be careful, because I have noticed if I leave it on longer than a minute, once you’ve washed it off and your face it dried, it might feel like your face is sunburned. That feeling does goes away. Especially when paired with the second product in the photo at the top!

The product to the left has become my new favorite thing!! It is a lotion. I used this on my face to help relieve my sunburn I got during my Birthday celebration week! I use it as a moisturizer before I do my makeup. I use it after I do my face wash. I even use it for lotion on my hands. I kid you not; my skin has never felt softer!!! I think it might be an understatement to say that I am obsessed with this product. Both of these products are made by First Aid Beauty and I highly recommend them!!

I’m sure you’re thinking; “really, this is your first list item”. I get it. I really do. If I’ve learned anything; it’s that self love and self care truly are the most important things. Mostly because if I can’t figure out how to do that properly for myself, then I can never expect proper love and care from anyone else. It truly is the little things in life. We are getting there. One step.. or blogg post.. at a time!!

I hope you enjoyed this. I also hope that you continue to follow the journey! If you try either of these products let me know! If you have any products you’d like to suggest, also let me know! Don’t want to miss any updates? Make sure you Like & Follow the Facebook and Instagram pages!! The YouTube channel is still a work in progress & hopefully coming soon!! As well as figuring out a posting schedule for both!

Talk to you again soon!

[rabbitindisguise]

Watercolors for Beginners (on a budget)

All these watercolor artists on YouTube have their favorite “expensive” brushes, meanwhile Jay Lee, who is an incredible artist, uses $4-5 dollar brushes. I’m not a fan of the cheapest ones still, like the $7 packs, because it’s hard for them to retain shape. The best brush for you- like writing software- is a brush you know well over a brush some artist in a fancy studio says Will Get Results. I think this is something that should have been obvious to me after learning photography equipment is more about skill than dollars once you get a DSLR or mirrorless, but enough about that. If you want to get into watercolor, here’s my advice a year in.

Materials

A standard round brush really is the most important brush- unless it isn’t. You can exclusively use flats, and it can add an interesting stylistic aspect to you work. But a round can do pretty much anything you ask from it. Generally, this brush is a size #8, #10, or a #12. If you splurge on anything at all, it should be your base brush, who will be with you for a very long time. Paint and paper are “consumables” so eventually they get used up, but a brush, even a ratty old one, is basically forever. Treat it well.

Some kind of large wash brush, like an oval brush, dagger brush, quill brush, or large flat brush. Or even thick, four inch wide, and slightly terrifying ones for wall sized large surfaces. Whichever one you pick, a large brush really does help give the smoothest washes and gradients for large areas.

Either a rigger brush, small round brush, small/medium flat brush, or even a fan brush. Riggers are good for detail and natural lines, fans for cool effects and lines, and flats for thick or thin lines. That said, these brushes do help certain styles. Riggers are excellent for naturalistic painters who like trees, and they’re also good for painting, well … rigging on ships. The fan is good for abstract, and the flat for geometric shapes specifically, but both of them have many more uses than just those. Rounds are the most multipurpose due to their influence on watercolor in the United States is, and a smaller size can be useful for detail work. All these different brushes fit into one category because they can do each other’s most important job, which is to make super thin lines.

Pans or tubes Don’t worry about cost because they’re about the same. Student grade is okay. I swear. If you’re not displaying your physical paper copies yet, relax. Lightfastness doesn’t exist on the internet. (Tip: learn Photoshop so that your watercolors will look good online, it will make a world of a difference.) If it helps to use the cheapest 7 pan set made by a crayon company so you actually paint, so be it. You’ll have to overcome your fear of using expensive materials eventually though, so student grade is a good medium between the two. Try and pick a brand that has both artist and student quality if you can afford it, so you can reuse pans if you pick that option.

Fluid, Canson, Arches, etc are some good name brands but explore your local art store or online options available cheaply (if you like goulash you can even use regular cardboard). Cold press is good for naturalistic subjects, absorbency, and texture. Hot press is smooth, less absorbent, and allows for re-wetting. Most people use coldpress, it has that classic watercolor look. There are also two main weights for paper, 140 lb which is often cheaper, and 300 lb which comes in higher qualities, often in large sheets. 140lb is best held down or in blocks, 300lb can be painted on its own, which is good for painting outdoors. You can also use the backside of both weights, 140 lb and 300 lb. Remember, this is LB as in pound. Some will say “300 series” or whatever. What’s really important is the weight, not the arbitrary classification by a company.

Fun stuff. Brushes that look weird. Metallic paints. Salt, water brush pens, saran wrap, natural sponges, and masking fluid. Water based ink. Complex mixing pallettes and jar systems to avoid having to get up mid-painting. Paint is supposed to be fun, or intellectually stimulating, or expressive, or whatever reasons you have for doing it in the first place. If making glorious paintings with three primaries in the woods using creek water in a cup sounds like a good time: ignore this next bit, and I respect you. If you’re trying to force yourself to do boring things because of online advice telling you to hammer the basics into your very soul before having fun, here’s the contradicting advice: have fun. It makes for better art, if nothing else.

TL;DR: moderately cheap paper is okay, to a point, which is the 140 lb minimum. Student grade paints are good for work you won’t display. You need three brushes, including a basic brush (#8 round is what I use), a detail brush (#4 rigger for me), and a wash brush (I have lots, even though I paint postcards, so definitely try to plan ahead for your standard paper size).

Extra information: having lots of brushes is really very fun- especially when you have some that you can mistreat. I don’t regret buying the other brushes at all. Go the cheap pack route if you haven’t figured out what “snappy” means, or shedding, or other qualities that makes good brushes good. Going cheap helps you appreciate the nuance of a better brush and gives you a good base, like downloading a basic texture pack for digital art, and something to scrub paint off pans with when they wear out.

I haven’t recommended any brands for a reason, which is there is a lot of brand loyalty among watercolor artists. Plus, I think you should do your own technical (lightfastness, qualities) and experiential (how does it Feel) judging. This is true of brushes, paper, and paint. If you’re totally lost on brushes, watch this video by witty gritty paper co, and this video by Liron, and this other video by Liron. For more research, there’s lots of science behind the quality of brushes, especially water uptake. ProArte is the only brand I know of using prolene synthetic material, which has better water uptake than standard synthetic, and you can find some packs online. I recommend the set with the rigger brush, because large wash brushes naturally hold a lot anyway. Oh, and synthetic is far cheaper than natural hair brushes. With paint and paper, sticking to name brands is a good guideline.

Again, one more time for emphasis. Take care of your brushes. Wet them a little while (Brush Experts™ recommend 30 minutes, I just do it at the same time I wet my pans) before you begin. Clean them thoroughly. Shape them to a point after use. Masking fluid can gunk up your brush, so be careful. Most importantly, don’t press too hard! Watercolor brushes are soft so that they can use the specific properties of water to carry pigment, and bending the bristles can disrupt that. Don’t drag them on the bottom of your water cups, don’t dig them down to the ferrules (the shiny metal or plastic bit) into your paper, and don’t scrape them along the paper unintentionally without enough water. Doing even a couple of these will drastically increase the lifespan of your brush.

Cost breakdown

About $15-20 on brushes, $35ish on paints, and as little as $7 on reasonably sized paper. It’s usually about .50¢ to $1 a sheet, and a pan set or set of tubes will last you a very, very long time. Many artists start using artist grade paints before they run out of student grade. This is about $62, which is a lot of money! So don’t be afraid of the absolute cheapest watercolors, but it’s important to fund your passions, too. You can absolutely start with one quality brush ($5 vs $20), tiny paper ($5), and decent student grade ($35) for $45 and still have everything you really need. Karia on YouTube should be coming out with more reviews, in addition to the ones already posted, on different cheaper materials that could help you save costs, too. Going to a store to avoid shipping helps on top of that, and gives you a chance to compare brush size vs your paper, and to see the different paint options next to each other.

A lot of this post was just me synthesizing information, so definitely check out the people below. These are free excellent watercolor tutorials, material reviews, advanced techniques, and more. I’m just starting in watercolor, but I remember being disappointed there wasn’t any guide on Tumblr on where to spend money and where you can save and still learn something. I hope this guide helps, in some way, to fill that gap, and it wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t had access to videos like these online.

Channel Recommendations

Jay Lee has fantastic tutorials at many levels of skill, mostly works with flowers and brighter colors. This channel is a good option for visual learners, and combines basic exercises with complex brushwork well. Also, this artist freehands, which means no outlining beforehand.

Liron Yanconsky doesn’t traditionally work in watercolor so there are fewer videos than than other content. Still, there are a lot of material and technical discussion, which was incredibly helpful when I was just starting. Liron mostly works with a natural pallette with landscapes. A special aspect of Liron’s paintings are the use of perspective. On top of that, there are multiple speedpaints to help with figuring out how light to dark works. This channel in particular is good for auditory learners, because he talks about everything from technique to mental blocks common to artists. Very interesting stuff, definitely subscribe.

Karia has a similar background to Liron, and the channel is much more low key. I especially like the cat visitors during the videos. The channel doesn’t really discuss much art wise, but still offers good content. Also, you can donate directly to Karia from the links in the description! Definitely consider it, based off all the hard to find comparison videos of paints.

TheWittyGrittyPaperCo is actually a company channel, run by Meredith, who is a self taught (through YouTube) watercolor artist. The channel has a fantastic overview of the basics, including materials, exercises, and other tips. A few specialized aspects are portraits and lettering. It’s also the kind of channel that talks about things that even google has a hard time answering- how much water, how to use new watercolor materials, legal things like reference photos, etc. I have used these videos the most I think, especially small tips buried in the longer videos, to improve my work. Like Jay Lee’s channel, there are tutorials for visual learners. I almost don’t need to subscribe because I revisit the videos so often.

Susan Harrison-Tustain is a watercolor artist from New Zealand who has some incredible instructional videos. Many of them discuss techniques that just aren’t that common on youtube. Susan even has her own brush series. Considering the information is usually found on DVDs, it’s worth at least one watch to learn terms and see specific effects.

Ekaterina Smirnova is another incredible artist. This channel includes tutorials, techniques, materials, and more. Many of these tutorials are freehand, and include both auditory information and visual information. There’s also videos in Russian. The channel updates regularly, but not often, so it would beneficial to subscribe if you like he videos.

That’s it! My inbox is open for anyone that needs help, there’s so much info I just couldn’t include because it was getting long enough already.

EDIT: I waaay over estimated the money for the paints. Cotman watercolors (a half decent beginner 12 color set) is only $13, making the basics cost only $23! I also forgot to mention a hand towel and ceramic plate to sacrifice to the pigments. The hand towel is for drying your brush to control water flow, and the plate is for mixing and diluting. Bought new, it would only be around $5 at most, but I'm assuming you might already have them.

[thehighestmountains]

after much disagreement with the best of davis food article that came out in the “california aggie” newspaper, i made my own version; however, much of an eating experience depends on what you order. retrospectively, i wouldve liked to order the crème de la crème or each restaurant’s specialty to have the most encompassing impression of a restaurant. so instead of a list of restaurants for various food categories, i decided to showcase my favorite, to-die-for foods around davis, so if you end up at a specific restaurant, youd know exactly what i recommend. these are all incredible, worthy meals i would eat any day anytime. 

i excluded some categories, such as indian (frankly, because raja’s tandoor, preethi, and kathmandu are all wonderful choices). additionally, for non-meal foods or drinks, t4 is my favorite boba/drink place (panda boba, grapefruit royal tea, elegant rose royal tea, honey peach smoothie), plus their toppings include agar pearls. davis beer shoppe features $6-9 flights aka beer sampling almost every night, and ive gone plenty of times for fruit beers (specifically loved an entire flight of ace beers). for ice cream, if you are cool with getting pricier ice cream, good scoop serves incredible flavors like garden party with edible flowers, but davis creamery is my go-to, especially because of spring-quarter bracketology. every week, you can go in and try two of their new flavors and vote (some incredible flavors from there are honey lavender and upside-down pineapple cake). also fat face popsicles at the davis farmers market sells some unique flavors (apricot lavender, sticky rice and mango are two). 

lastly, tea list is a great under-the-radar afternoon tea experience (we split 1 between 2 people and had unlimited strawberry tea). anyway, onward to the main categories!

froggy’s provides the best variety for all sorts of burgers, meats, and toppings you can get. any burger you order will be great, but ive had the pineapple burger. as for cheaper alternatives, habit grill’s portobello charburger does not replace the meat but actually adds portobello mushroom, and the rest of the charburgers are great too. for “american” food, which is kind of a catch all category, clam chowder at froggy’s is pretty cheap ($6) for a good soup, compared to say de vere’s. de vere’s, although pricey, makes THE BEST lamb sliders with raspberry jam and great buttered pretzel as an appetizer. our house is probably one of my favorite restaurants, as everything ive tried, albeit mostly appetizers, (we’ll go for a meal of appetizers, because their actual food items are $25+) has been amazing (brussel sprouts, home-made potato chips, lamb and pork meatballs, hand-pulled mozzarella and rosemary-grilled bread, grilled artichoke, beet salad - i crave this all the time). the salmon benedict for brunch at cafe bernardo is phenomenal, if you are a fan of lox on bagels. 

for chinese food, dumpling house is undoubtedly the best bang for your buck, best taste. i get the pork and chive dumplings, and cream cheese wontons. for general chinese take out type food, i have yet to try the gas station four seasons chinese food, hunan, or cheng du, as i eat almost exclusively chinese food in cupertino, but i tend to go to wok of flame by target (great string beans) and tasty kitchen (not good string beans, string beans is all you ever need right?). as for noodles, in the past, sunrise, hong kong cafe, and davis noodle city have provided wonderful noodle soups, but the last times ive been to all of those have been completely unsatisfactory, plain or just straight terrible (talking about you, davis noodle city. the reigning champion is chinese hometown restaurant with its beef noodle soup (super tender beef, filling, authentic taiwanese taste), plus an incredible ambiance. if for whatever reason, you cant make the 1 block difference to chinese hometown, red 88 serves great bbq chow mein. 

if i were to come back to davis for one meal, it very likely would be the crown jewel of this entire post, paesano’s fettucine arrostiti. i got this my second year at my very first time at paesano’s. since then, ive eaten this countless times. sometimes i try to stray from it, venture out by trying pork fusilli, caprese salad, brussels sprouts pizza, but almost every time, i regret not just getting the ole classic. if you go get this, and your friend is like well what am i supposed to get, the spicy creole is also incredible, or you can split the fettucine arrostiti for a dollar extra, get two breads, and still be very full. get u summm. *starts chanting fettucine arrostiti* *goes into a trance*

i forgot to put this into a category, but my second choice for “coming back to davis, have only time for 1 meal” would be shah’s halal food truck at the silo. its such a unique taste, you just cant beat it. 

quite highly debated, but i do prefer davis pinata over guadalajara. you pay a little more, but you get a fuller, more flavorful meal. i havent gotten carne asada fries from anyone else, but el burrito’s is super awesome. also, do not let el toro trick you with their tuesday or whatever day taco deal, you can do way better, and they do not provide free chips. 

davis has a plethora of buffets it is hard not to just get your moneys worth at a buffet. of the many (fuji, jusco - non-unlimited nigiri, nami), i think davis sushi has the best variety, ambiance, and they have this great seasoned sashimi mix. for non-buffet, huku has great taste, very aesthetic plating, unique combinations (sunshine has salmon, lemon, crab mix, roe), and far more reasonable prices than mikuni. ok, YAKITORI thooo. killer meats. get the 5 skewers and try all the different seasonings (salt, mustard, wasabi, soy, and barbeque, i think), as well as some other fun meats like beef tongue or chicken heart. brb mouth is watering. for my raw salmon fans, salmon salad is a good one.

its ridiculous how many thai restaurants are in davis, how many are on e street alone. for someone who thinks the traditional pad thai or pad see ew are too sweet, the pineapple fried rice from taste of thai is killer (soft cashews, plenty of pineapple, great tasting fried rice) as is the yellow curry from sophia’s thai kitchen. 

and thats all! there are definitely a couple of restaurants i havent tried (the previously mentioned chinese places, osteria fasulo, and zias delicatessen), but i feel like i have a really good grasp of all the foods davis has to offer, especially in less than 3 or 4 years, and have accumulated a solid list of favorites. if youve miraculously reached the end of this post, definitely comment or let me know whats been some of your favorite foods or restaurants in davis. 

[purplesurveys]

510

What was the brand of your first ever cell phone? It was one of the Nokias with a lime green screen and Space Impact and a super ancient version of Snake. What are your 3 favorite internet sites? Twitter, YouTube, and Reddit. Do you have a favorite pair of blue jeans? Describe them. They’re skinny jeans and high-waisted. I just borrow them from my sister though so I don’t get to use it a lot. :( What profession do you respect? All of them. Have you ever been the recipient of a practical joke? Sure. My mom once pulled a joke on me when I was about 8. I told her my hiccups wouldn’t stop; she didn’t mind it first, but then she tells me about how she received a call from my school saying someone had stolen some of the eggs from the cafeteria. Now, as someone who used to buy egg sandwiches in school, I was immediately interested haha. Soon enough my mom tells me that the school claims they saw me did it, so I started to panic and beg for my mom to cover my ass. I was absolutely scared and freaking out at the mall at that point, and I just wanted to be let off the hook from this random-ass egg fiasco.

She ends her entire spiel by saying, “Your hiccups stopped, didn’t they?”

Have you ever ate something you've dropped on the floor, if so what? I eat food off the floor when I drop them all the time, but there was one instance my siomai fell onto the ground that had a gravel finish. Immediate regrets. Would you consider being an Uber driver if you needed to make extra money? Yes. How do you know when you're in love, what's the main sign? I’ve only fell in love once, but the main sign for me during the time was that I began crying over them. Like just outright emotional, and I didn’t understand why. Turns out that not-understanding is just me trying to deny it. Have you ever gotten anything autographed, if so by who & what was it? I bought an already-autographed poster of AJ Lee. I dunno if that counts. Although, Andrew DID just have a meet-and-greet with another wrestler, Sheamus, last Tuesday. He said he had a print of Sheamus’ autographed for me. I don’t know if he was serious, but it would be so swell if it’s real. Do you prefer Walmart or Target? I haven’t been to either. What do you long for? A successful thesis. If you could be a personal assistant to anyone, who would it be? BEYONCÉ What is the most important thing you can do to improve yourself? Seeing a therapist would probably be the first, most obvious way to go. What makes it hard for you to keep your focus? The internet haha. Case in point: I planned to study a 33-page reading last night, but I kept getting distrated by notifications that came in my phone. Even if I tried to turn off the wi-fi, I’d turn it back on if I wanted to check for any new messages. After three hours, I was still only on page 9. Do you think society has become too PC (politically correct)? It definitely has, and I might be the only person on this hill but I’m kind of glad it has. I don’t mind a little or a lot of political correctness. PH isn’t a very progressive country in itself and you’d be shocked to find out just how many Filipinos still use a lot of backwards terms, so it’s healthy for me to know what the inoffensive words are. What tragic love story do you relate to? I don’t know if there’s any. Has your intuition or "gut" served you well? Its definitely had its ups. Back in 2015, coming home from school, I saw my mom’s car parked in our driveway. That NEVER happens. Immediately felt sick sick to my stomach and believed a grandparent had died. Not because my mom was sick and had to go home, not because my mom had an errand to run, but because a grandparent died. It was my grandfather (her dad) who died that day. What's the longest you've ever waited in line for something and what was it? My sister and I lined up for 8 hours outside the Mall of Asia Arena for our One Direction concert. The titanium section was first-come first-served, so we wanted to go in in early. SPOILER ALERT: arriving 8 hours before the concert – for One Direction for that matter – is late as fuck. Who is your favorite model? Taylor Hill or Kendall Jenner. What have you done that is out of character for you? Be head of the external affairs committee in my org. Literally the last committee I would have had signed up for. The job is everything I hate, until super super recently. Would you rather get a gift card or a gift that someone bought for you? As long as they thought of me while getting the gift, it’s immediately special for me. Who is the most visionary person in your life & how do they inspire you? My internship boss is so cool. She’s one of the smartest people I know and she has a really snappy sense of diskarte (Filipino word that’s hard to translate; think resourcefulness or mojo). She’s seen a lot and been through a lot, and I couldn’t help but look up to her during my stint in their company. How do you handle a betrayal? Cut the betrayer/s out of my life. What do you feel strong enough to protest about? Anything that aims to support or glorify the Marcoses. What's the biggest blooper you've never lived down? We were playing Heads Up! at a family Chrismas party several Christmases ago. My category was Filipino Christmas food – and mind you I’m not super familiar with all of them because I’m generally not a fan of Filipino rice cakes. Anyway, I name every food I know one by one, and I excitedly scream out “PUTO BIMBING” and I saw every single damn relative in front of me collapse and start having seizures and SCREAMING AT ME from laughing too hard. I swear they must have laughed in my face for like 3 minutes. Apparently, the right word is ‘puto bumbong.’ To this day I still don’t know why I blurted out bimbing, I’m literally laughing so hard right now just typing this down :((((( My family brings it up literally once every couple of months or so. This blooper is probably only funny for Filipinos, but still. If you owned a restaurant what kind of food do you want to serve? Gourmet burgers. What will we find if we look in the bottom of your closet today? You would see the books I was assigned to read in school, so that includes a copy of Holes, Number the Stars, Bridge to Terabithia, etc and all of my Shakespeares. All of my AJ Lee action figures are there too, as well as my signed poster of hers. There’s a bunch of other knickknacks in there. What kind of car did you learn how to drive on? The first car I ever tried to drive was my parents’ old Mitsubishi Lancer. I only drove it once because my trial drive drove my mom crazy. I passed my driving test in a Hyundai Elantra, which is honestly such a shitty car and I nearly failed the test because I simply didn’t work well with it. I mostly had to learn with my present car, my Mitsubishi Mirage. I was going to start college and had little time to practice, so when I had to start driving myself to school, that was my practice in itself. What is the best thing you have done just because you were told you can't? Be in a healthy, long-term relationship. My mom used to tell me all the time that no one will ever love me because of how disorganized I am. She meant it seriously, so it stung for many years and also affected the way I dealt with other people. Have you ever had to go to court or testify and if so what for? Nope. Do you believe in karma? It’s fun to fantasize about, but I don’t religiously or spiritually believe in it. Are you more worried about doing the things right, or doing the right thing? Doing the right thing. I hate getting in trouble. Do you believe in the term "Mother knows best?” To some extent, yes. Who is your favorite movie action hero? I was never big on the hero narrative in movies, or any text for that matter. What is one thing you can get in your hometown you can't get elsewhere? My grandmother’s cooking. How important are looks in someone you're in a relationship with? Like, a 4 out of 10. I almost went with dating Mike because he’s really intelligent, even though I found him 0% attractive. What freedom do you feel is not really free anymore? Social media. It used to be a place where we would just post updates, share music, talk to our friends, be goofy in general; nowadays if you fuck up on a joke you thought was harmless, it’d be so easy to end you for good. Also, people would EASILY shoot you down over an opinion that’s different from theirs. I dunno, I just think that we think it’s a ginormous free space for all when really, everyone’s just kind of out there to catch our asses when they see fit. What are you most thankful for? The people who never left. Do you have any favorite talk shows or talk radio programs without music? Not really. I’m a fan of several YouTube series/specials, but I don’t follow talk shows a lot. What was the last book you read? Do readings count? I had to read materials for my Contemporary Philippines class just earlier. What's your favorite online store? I don’t remember where I bought my coloring books from, but it’s either Shopee or Lazada. What band would you love to tour with or be a roadie for? Paramore.

If you were to throw a message in a bottle into the ocean, it would say? I dunno how I feel about that. I feel like it contributes to polluting the oceans more, so I’d rather not do it even if I can come up with a witty message. Do you have common sense or do you think people are lacking in it? Hahahaha it’s here and there. Sometimes I embarrassingly lack it. What's your favorite non-alcoholic drink? Salty Cream Chocolate milk tea from CoCo. How do you feel about thrift shops or flea markets? I don’t really go to those, but something similar we have is called ukay-ukay, which sells secondhand clothes. I’ve recently been converted as a fan after shunning them for a very long time, as all my new tops have been from ukay-ukays haha. What do you like to put gravy on? Fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Have you ever gone canoeing/kayaking? Yes! I did it in Palawan. It was breathtaking to do it there.  What one thing in particular makes you feel good about yourself? Knowing where I go to school, hahaha. What is priceless to you? Dogs finding their forever homes. What do you wait for discount sales to buy? Clothes, mainly. What is one thing you know about your family history you're proud of? I have a lot of amazing ancestors who were crucial to my country’s history, e.g. I’m related to one of the women who sewed the first Philippine flag, one of the diplomats who signed the Treaty of Paris (the treaty in itself is definitely not something to be proud of, but my relative is permanently etched in history nonetheless because of this), and one of my distant great-uncles published a nationalist history book that’s still being greatly relied on in the PH educational system and academe to this day. There’s a lot to be proud of, definitely. What 3 songs will always be found at the top of your playlist? I don’t have a permanent three-song set as my favorites will always change. But right now, it would be composed of Saw You In A Dream by The Japanese House, Pool by Paramore, and Outta My Head by Khalid and John Mayer. What is the craziest thing you've ever done for someone? When I was a freshie in college, I once drove for an hour and a half to visit Gabie for ten minutes. Do you keep a budget? I have to. If you could cast a spell on someone what spell would you cast and on who? For freeloader groupmates to help out in class projects. What makes you feel rested and refreshed? Uh. Sleep? Who depends on you the most? My parents, probably. Could you ever be someone's bodyguard? I doubt it. Pretty sure anyone could break my bones easily lol. Has one of your biggest fears come true? Nope. Is there anything about the opposite sex you just don't understand? A lot of things... Have you ever let your mom or significant other fight a battle for you? I’ve allowed Gabie many times because I was always just too weak, yeah. Did you create a checklist for your ideal spouse? Not really, but when I was in high school I had a stupid phase where I wanted my future boyfriend to be a certain name, because back then I thought that name was attractive LMAAAAOOOO.

If so, what were two things you wanted? He had to be named Gino (IT WAS A POPULAR FILIPINO NAME IN 2015 OK), and he had to be academically smart. This was before I realized I really really don’t like boys. Have you ever ridden on a subway or train an what did you like about it? I rode the train once when I had to do legwork for a journ class and there was no other way to get to the place than to commute. I rode with Jum because I have no idea how to commute alone. I remember liking the fact that it was cold and spacious in the train at the time I got in – then again, it was at a dead hour. I’m sure it’s nothing like that in reality. What song on your playlist gets played the most? I try to listen to all my favorite songs equally. Have you ever received a harsher punishment than you deserved? I don’t think so. Back when my mom used to ground me I used to think I was being abused and I felt so victimized lol. At 21, looking back, it turns out my rebel ass deserved to be whipped with a belt lmfao. Do you prefer sporty or academic members of the opposite sex? I prefer people I can vibe well with, regardless of their strengths and sex. Do you have to experience something to fully understand it? Yes. Has anyone in your family ever served in the military? My great-grandfather is a WWII veteran and a survivor of the Death March in Bataan. Finish the next line in your style: Roses are red, violets are blue... Why am I on Tumblr, when I still have much to do? :((( What embarrasses you instantly? Dropping stuff. Do you think you could be a firefighter, why/why not? No, but I did want to be one when I was young. Firefighters have to be insanely strong because they carry a lot of heavy stuff and...I’m just not...that. Also because I panic easily, and that’s certainly not a good thing in that line of work. Do you often read your horoscope? Never. I don’t care for mine. What current event are you tired of hearing about? Mmm I’m not sure. I kind of care about everything that’s happening in the world at the moment, especially with regard to Hong Kong. Are you a daredevil? Nah. What do you think should be censored? Homophobic / biphobic / transphobic shit. Are you related to anyone famous or historical, if so who? I already expounded on this quite a few questions back in this survey. Would you ever donate a kidney to anyone, and who? Yeah, to people I find really important. How do you encourage yourself when you go through hard times? It doesn’t last forever and I’ll be getting my own house in the next 8-10 years. Have you ever fired a gun? Nope. Do you think people, including yourself live up to their full potential? We should be, anyway. I try to. How are you different from most people? My left pinky is super crooked :( What is the main quality you think makes a great parent? The ability to apologize to your child and recognize that parents can make mistakes too. What creature do you admire for its ability to adapt? As much as I despise them, fucking cockroaches. Have you ever stayed up for an entire 24 hours, why? Nah. I just know I wouldn’t function properly if I did, and I’d be so cranky too. Who is a female role model in your life? I don’t have any. What childhood dreams have you neglected? Being an astronaut, a veterinarian, a writer, and a firefighter. How often do you reevaluate your life? I honestly don’t get the time to, which sucks. I’ve always thought of getting one of those 5-year journals that let you answer one question everyday for the next five years so that you’re able to see how much you mature in that time. It would be nice to have mini-reflections/evaluations everyday, but one copy of it is pretty expensive so I never got around to buying them. What's your favorite place just to hang out? Coffee shops. What do you have trouble seeing clearly in your mind? The future. What three things do you think of most of each day? The tasks I have to do, feeding my dog, and calculating the amount of sleep I’ll be getting at night. Would you travel to space if possible? YES. I’ve always said this has always been a dream of mine. Name a famous person you wouldn't mind for a business partner. Kylie Jenner.

[mysydneymemories-blog]

No longer do you have to feel left out or uncool for being sober

Anonymous? Hardly. No longer is the topic of sobriety confined to discreet meetings in church halls over plastic foam cups of lukewarm Maxwell House. For these New Abstainers, sobriety is a thing to be, yes, toasted over $15 artisanal mocktails at alcohol-free nights at chic bars around the country, or at "sober-curious" yoga retreats, or early-morning dance parties for those with no need to sleep off the previous night's bender. For these New Abstainers, sobriety is a thing to be, yes, toasted over $15 artisanal mocktails at alcohol-free nights at chic bars. Many will tell you they never had a drinking problem. They just had a problem with drinking. The 'Gray Area' The simple act of waving off wine at a dinner party used to be interpreted as a tacit signal that you were in recovery, "on the wagon," unless you were visibly pregnant or had known religious objections. That was fine if you identified as an alcoholic. But what about people like Ruby Warrington, 43, a British style journalist in New York who spent her early career quaffing gratis cocktails at industry events, only to regret the groggy mornings, stumbles and embarrassing texts that have long been considered part of the bargain with so-called normal drinking? Loading After moving to New York in 2012, Warrington tried 12-step programs briefly but decided that "Ruby, alcoholic" was not the person she saw in the mirror. Three years ago she started Club Soda NYC, an event series for other "sober curious," as she termed them: young professionals who were "kind-of-just-a-little-bit-addicted-to-booze." These gatherings featured panels on topics like "Sex, Lies, and Alcohol" as well as New Age icebreaker activities like "deep-eye gazing" and Kundalini disco. "It just felt to me like there was a huge gray area and a much wider acknowledgment now of the different categories of problem drinking," Warrington said. She wrote a book called Sober Curious that was published in 2018, started a podcast and has staged subsequent Sober Curious events for what she calls the "Soho House crowd" at places like the Kripalu wellness retreat in Massachusetts, where participants also engage in heart-baring, 12-step-style testimonials. Their fellow travelers band together at early-morning sober Daybreaker raves, held in 25 cities around the country. Loading Then there are the more than 18,000 Facebook followers of a nonprofit called Sober Movement, which promotes sobriety "as a lifestyle," who post smiling pictures of themselves cartwheeling in the surf or rocking ripped, beer-binge-free abs, appended with hashtags like #soberissexy, #partysober and #endthestigma. Online, sobriety has become "the new black," asserts a recovery site called, yes, Hip Sobriety. Some not willing to eschew liquor completely are trying what Rosamund Dean, Warrington's compatriot, called "Mindful Drinking" in a 2017 book: a half-measure approach to sobriety where you drink less and perhaps think about it more. "People invest so much of their identity in their lifestyle choices, and it's the same with drinking," Dean wrote in an email. "Everyone is either a wine-guzzling party animal or a clean-living health freak. Personally, I believe the middle ground is the healthiest place to be." 'Rules, No!' It started five years ago as a dare: go a month without drinking (a concept that has flourished in Britain and beyond, with Dry January). "As someone who doesn't really go on diets and cleanses, I didn't go into this challenge with the best attitude," said Lorelei Bandrovschi, 32, an erstwhile branding consultant in Brooklyn. "I was like, 'rules, no! Restrictions, no!'" A half-decade later, that challenge has become a second career. Bandrovschi runs Listen Bar, an alcohol-free bar open one night a month downstairs at Von, a bar in Manhattan. It's not that she is sober, exactly. "I do drink, but I also mostly don't drink," she said. Listen Bar promises a "rowdy" time, hard to imagine via an alcohol-free cocktail called a Ghost Me Maybe, consisting of grapefruit, rosemary and Thomas Henry slim tonic. Where is the buzz, to use that 1990s, Tina Brown, Manhattan-a-go-go word? People invest so much of their identity in their lifestyle choices, and it's the same with drinking. "'Buzz' is an interesting word, because we have so much buzz and hype from people being excited," Bandrovschi said. Anyway, Listen Bar tries to compensate for liquor-fueled abandon with activities like dominatrix lessons ($15) and a spinning "daredevil wheel" that prompts attendees to get out of their comfort zone by, say, trying a high-fashion catwalk around the room. On a recent night, the crowd skewed young and female, and the general vibe recalled an office holiday party, minus any leers from sloppy Sam in accounting. Dry Gets Juicy And while we're talking about today's options. ... It starts with a tingle of citrus, with notes of hibiscus and orange peel, then swells with a hint of syrupy bitterness, which, along with its blood-red color, calls to mind a negroni. In place of the familiar ethanol kick, though, High Rhode, the creation of a New York distiller called Kin, delivers licorice, gentian root and caffeine, along with Goop-ish additions like "nootropics" and "adaptogens" and a priceless mixture of sensuality and virtue. She calls her spirits "euphorics," and, in a sense, High Rhode is to liquor what CBD is to marijuana. "We weren't interested in making another bubbly water or a flavored 'mockery,' just as we weren't interested in drinking them at our favorite bars," said Jen Batchelor, 34, founder of Kin, issuing a subtle dig at the reviled term "mocktail.""We wanted to feel more, not less to wake up fresh and ready to take on the day, in full consciousness, clarity, peace of mind." She calls her spirits "euphorics," and, in a sense, High Rhode is to liquor what CBD is to marijuana: a buzz-free buzz, vaguely akin to a CBD "body high." (Imagine dropping an Advil with a mug of green tea in a warm bath.) Batchelor enjoys wine with a meal maybe once a month. "I'm pretty resolute in my decision to consume with intention or not at all," she said. But she is well cast to sell the idea of sobriety chic. An Ayurvedic herbologist and entrepreneur, Batchelor grew up in Saudi Arabia, where her father was a bootlegger who made his own sidiki (basically Gulf-style bathtub gin). These creators want to shatter the perception that alcohol-free booze alternatives are, by definition, "penalty-box in nature," said Bill Shufelt, a founder of Athletic Brewing, in Stratford, Connecticut. Started last year with a mission to create a nonalcoholic beer that would pass muster with actual beer snobs, Athletic features a head brewer and co-founder, John Walker, who won awards during his time with Second Street Brewing, a highly regarded craft-beer brand in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Shufelt said that three-quarters of Athletic's customers are not sober but rather belong to "a demographic we theorized was latent": light drinkers like athletes and harried parents who cannot spare the energy for hangovers. With beer sales sliding for five straight years, according to the Beverage Information Group, global beer brands are exploring alcohol-free as a potential growth area. This past winter Heineken unveiled 0.0, with a Now You Can advertising campaign showing responsible adults enjoying its no-buzz brews in work meetings or even while sitting behind the wheel. In January, Coca-Cola began test marketing a line of nonalcoholic cocktails, Bar None, with names like Bellini Spritz and Spiced Ginger Mule. And sober foodies need no longer feel left out for ordering a Diet Coke at critically lauded restaurants. Patrons at Cote, Daniel and French Laundry can order nonalcoholic substitutes for a negroni or a dark-and-stormy from Curious Elixirs, a new line of individually bottled alcohol-free craft cocktails. They are also available at nightclubs like House of Yes and Avant Gardner in Brooklyn (tagline: "shaken, not slurred"). "I've spent a lot of time in a lot of gin joints and been lucky enough to help start a few of them," said John Wiseman, a veteran of New York nightlife who started Curious Elixirs in 2016. "But it got to be that I was just drinking too damn much. So I cut back on booze dramatically and started tinkering in the kitchen." His Curious No. 3 blend is inspired by classic cocktails like the Bee's Knees and the Cucumber Collins but substitutes ashwagandha, the trendy plant-based Ayurvedic supposed stress reliever, for vodka or gin, along with mocktail staples like lemon or cucumber juice. Gin Is a Gendered Issue At a politically fraught time, clarity of the mind is a potent weapon, and the #MeToo movement has also helped give abstinence from alcohol an extra kick. We've come a long way from the early 2000s, when bawdy women of "Sex and the City" swilled rose-colored cosmopolitans as a symbol of female emancipation at last, the girls could party just as hard as the boys. Loading But these days, many women are citing sobriety as a pillar of their feminism. "The longer I am sober, the less patience I have with being a 24-hour woman the stranger who tells me to smile. The janitor who stares at my legs. The men on TV who want to annex my uterus," author Kristi Coulter wrote in a 2016 essay published on Medium. "I start to get angry at women, too," she added. "Not for being born wrong, or for failing to dismantle a thousand years of patriarchy on my personal timetable. But for being so easily mollified by a bottle. For thinking that the right to get as trashed as a man means anything but the right to be as useless." According to a federally sponsored 2017 study on alcohol use in the United States published by JAMA Psychiatry, high-risk drinking for women defined as consuming four or more drinks in a day on a weekly basis went from 5.7% to 9%, a rise of nearly 58%. For men, high-risk drinking went from 14.2% to 16.4%, a rise of 15.5%. (The study also observed a "generally much greater" increase in drinking among minorities and poor people, perhaps because of what they described as "increased stress and demoralization.") The #MeToo movement has created an opening for women to speak the truth, I see more being vocal about alcohol and substance-use issues. Beyond the health risks, the booze that flows freely at fraternity parties or holiday mixers has started to look to some women like a tool of oppression in the age of radical consent. ("Can drunk sex ever be consensual?" a recent CBS News article asked.) Students of history will note that women, like Carrie Nation, who famously smashed up taverns with a hatchet, led the temperance movement of the 19th century, which eventually set the stage for Prohibition in the 1920s. "Historically, women have been taught they can't express anger; we've been taught to internalize anger, pain, shame, because anger in a women has equated to crazy, has equated to being unlikable and undesirable," said Erin Khar, whose sobriety memoir involving heroin, "Strung Out: One Last Hit and Other Lies That Nearly Killed Me," will be published next year. Khar, whose has written about her mother's habitual drinking, has taken issue with the #MommyJuice memes that have proliferated on social media with harried women juggling the pressure of careers and family looking for salvation in goblets of chardonnay. To her, there is nothing funny about the idea that booze is somehow necessary to get through life, or one's due. "What the #MeToo movement has done is created an opening for women to speak the truth whatever that truth is," she said. "And I see more women being vocal about alcohol and substance-use issues." The New York Times Most Viewed in Lifestyle Loading https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/no-longer-do-you-have-to-feel-left-out-or-uncool-for-being-sober-20190617-p51ylf.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed