#candle puerto rico

[culturesfinest]

Puerto Rico Candle - Boricua Pride Candle - Puerto Rican Soy Candle - Vela - Puerto Rico Souvenir 🌴🇵🇷 🏖️ .: Materials: 100% natural soy wax blend, 100% cotton wick and a glass jar .: One size: 2.8in × 3.5in (7.1cm × 8.9cm) .: Burning time: 50-60 hours .: Glossy permanent adhesive label .: Choose from five different aromatic scents .: Assembled in the USA from globally sourced parts .: NB! All scents have the same wax color **Puerto Rico Candle: Illuminate Your Space with Boricua Pride and Unparalleled Fragrance** Candles have the unique ability to transform any space into a warm and inviting haven, but a candle with a special touch can do so much more. The Puerto Rico Candle, with its unique fragrance and design paying homage to Boricua Pride, is an essential piece for those who want to bring a piece of the Island of Enchantment into their homes while enjoying an unparalleled sensory experience. **Celebrate Your Heritage with Every Glow** The design of this candle is a testament to love and pride for Puerto Rico. From the Puerto Rican flag to cultural symbols like the coquí, maga flower, and sun, every detail has been carefully selected to reflect the island's rich heritage and beauty. Whether you place it in your living room, kitchen, or any other corner of your home, this candle will serve as a constant reminder of the land you hold dear. However, what truly sets this candle apart is its unique fragrance, meticulously crafted to capture the essence of Puerto Rico. Each time you light the candle, you'll be instantly transported to the island, where the sea breeze mingles with the sweetness of tropical flowers and the aromas of criolla cuisine. It's like having a piece of Puerto Rico in your home, no matter where you are in the world. **Pure Soy Wax for a Cleaner Burn** The Puerto Rico Candle is made from high-quality soy wax, making it an eco-friendly and healthy choice. Soy wax is biodegradable and produces less soot than traditional paraffin candles, ensuring that you can enjoy the fragrance without worrying about indoor air pollution. Additionally, the cotton wick guarantees a clean and even burn, allowing you to fully enjoy the candle's scent. **Elegant and Durable Jar Design** The candle jar is designed to be both elegant and durable. The metal lid protects the fragrance and keeps the wax free from dust and contaminants. Moreover, the jar's design is so beautiful that once you've fully enjoyed the candle, you can repurpose it as a decorative or storage item in your home. It's a timeless piece that keeps on giving. **The Perfect Gift for Yourself or Loved Ones** The Puerto Rico Candle is more than just a product; it's a way to bring the essence of the island into your daily life and to show your love for Puerto Rico. It's the perfect gift for friends and family who share your appreciation for Puerto Rican culture or who yearn for the island from afar. It's also an excellent way to create a relaxing and comforting ambiance in your home, where every lit candle is a reminder of Puerto Rico's beauty. **A Fragrance that Soothes and Uplifts** The fragrance of this candle is gently enveloping, making it the perfect choice for unwinding after a long day or for creating a romantic atmosphere during a special dinner. It's also a detail that can add a unique touch to events and celebrations, infusing the aroma and spirit of Puerto Rico into any occasion. **A Celebration of Culture, Beauty, and Boricua Pride** The Puerto Rico Candle is a testament to love for the island and its rich heritage. Every time you light it, you'll be celebrating the culture, beauty, and Boricua Pride. Whether you're in Puerto Rico, part of the diaspora, or anywhere in the world, this candle will connect you with the essence of the island and remind you of the richness of Puerto Rican culture. In summary, the Puerto Rico Candle is a gift for the senses and the soul. Its unique fragrance and heartfelt design make it an essential addition to your home or a meaningful gift for those who hold Puerto Rico close to their hearts. Enjoy the warmth and aroma of the Island of Enchantment in your daily life with this special candle. Light it and let the magic of Puerto Rico fill every corner of your home.

[conejitamalax]

Trabajando con mis ancestros y guías hoy

🕯🙏🏾🇵🇷🤙🏾🍷🧠🌕🦋

[iwanttoswimintheswanepoel]

OG yacht girl

yacht girl vibe

-be the yacht princess traveling through cannes

-get invited by the wealthiest of the elite onto yachts with your friends and earn money

-meet eligible bachelors easily

-be a polarizing magnet for billionaires

-sip strawberry champagne out on the deck

-lounge around 150 million dollar yachts while eating exotic tropical fruits

-have an endless yacht crew jumping to make sure you’re comfortable and not lifting a finger

-always travel to exotic, tropical, travel destinations like the almalfi coast , santorini, sardinia, ibiza, miami, jamaica, rio de janeiro, bali, fiji, thailand, monaco, bora bora, dubai, portofino, hawaii (be mindful to the locals please), aruba, puerto rico, cancun & turks and caicos on somebody else’s expense.

-easily pick up foreign languages abroad and perfectly speak it to the locals

-lounge around the yacht in nothing but a tiny bikini and heels just cause

-always have safe trips. never do anything you don’t want to and have safe travels onboard.

-everything goes your way. if you’re not happy your billionaire friend will do everything in his power to see a smile on your face. but why would you not be happy being young, hot spoiled & rich on a attractive billionaire’s yacht???

-watching you relax on your billionaire friend’s yacht is their personal favorite. however watching you run around the beach sipping an aperol spritz with your peachy cheeks covered in sand is a close second.

-find a healthy mix between eating the mediterranean diet, shellfish, acqua panna, exotic fruits & eating bonilla a la vista patatas fritas, piña coladas and smoking cuban cigars

-have a luxurious romantic dinner every night on the water level extended deck with dimly lit candles just because

-besides your shopping sprees be sure to expect new lingerie, bikinis, investment bags, peonies & macarons to be gifted to you daily while your billionaire friend is out and about just thinking about you.

-have the same larger than life 2000’s party girl vibe as paris hilton

-you choose to go with both attractive and ultra wealthy billionaires because you’re the hottest of the hottest so you can have both

-stay in a top of the line yacht with all the appliances most can only dream of

-the yacht girl lifestyle is never scary you’re never put in danger and can leave whenever you want

-despite how great yachting sounds its just another typical day for you your life is normally so luxurious and fun

-you are easily the sexiest most expensive export out of your country ever summer

-make more in one night of yachting than a small countries GDP

-despite your well travelled expensive summer experience you also make sure to maintain your summer reading and investment’s

-locals are nothing but kind to the foreign pretty girl they see on the beach

-be the evening gem of the yacht club meet

-never girl rot you’re doing hot rich bitch shit everyday

-when you’re yachting life is reminiscent of 2010 frank ocean “super rich kids” vibes of pure luxury and blatant displays of wealth

-be endlessly energetic, flirty and playful

-you make people feel insatiable for your presence

-one sniff of your scent is like a lethal drug

-when you’re not on the yacht or on land you’re traveling by private plane to your next destination

-you’re gifted with the unique ability to find at least one naturally occurring pearl every time you eat oysters

-your voice is downright erotic and gets men to do whatever you want

miranda kerr dating history

-only date billionaires

-have your eye out for the perfect billionaire

-know how to play the game for your perfect billionaire mate

-you just might end up with the CEO of your favorite social media company if you keep up the yachting

-unlike miranda you would never have a baby with a lame

-don’t yacht just for fun and money, yacht because you’re looking for your future husband to make you and your future children live a life of leisure

miranda kerr beauty

-have gorgeous dimples (or dimple lol i only have one) that make rich men weak in the knees

-have doll like apple cheeks that make you look youthful

-look naive and impressionable despite your omnipresent sex appeal

-always have a full voluminous victorias’s secret bombshell blowout

-have a face that could easily make you the highest paid model… or yacht girl

-exude unmatched sex appeal

-have skin so hydrated and dewy from sipping straight from your coconuts

-have a perfect balance between downright wanton sex appeal and neoteny to easily manipulate just about anyone

general sprinkle sprinkle

-you’ve never dated a brookie

-even a brookie would sell his soul to see you on a yacht sunbathing in the south of France

-you don’t have to perform sexual favors (unless desired) on yacht’s, you’re simply invited to a tropical luxurious summer getaway

-be gifted a cartier 18K yellow gold 7 charm ankle bracelet so your favorite billionaire can stake his claim

-other billionaires are crawling to your feet with gifts to invite you to their yacht

-other yacht billionaires get so territorial when they see you dancing on the deck table across the bay

-give the billionaire you choose to yacht with even more status amongst the elite as you’re the most expensive yacht girl

-be paid billions just to enjoy yourself

-not even “queen of yacht girls” miranda kerr could make as much as you do yachting for a night

-you don’t pay for a damn thing. in fact the only thing in your delvaux bag is sun screen and hot sauce

-your billionaire friend can’t focus when he leaves to do business deals knowing you’re lounging in the tiniest tropic of c bikini

-your billionaire is waiting at your beck and call to feed you grapes from the vine while you read just to be near you

-sure you could hang out with the old wrinkled billionaires but the hot & sexy young ones want and pay even more for you

-have the face and body people immediately think of when they hear “billionaire wife”

-be the main source of envy from other yacht girls or girls fucking for free to hop on a low tier yacht

-master social dining etiquette (your fork will always give you away)

-your private flight or emirates first class suite ticket there? paid for. your summer wardrobe? paid for. your living expenses? paid for. your shopping sprees? paid for. none of which are paid for by you. you’re just expected to bring your pretty self to be a muse of sorts.

-have 100 million dollar yachts gifted to you for existing

-after you step foot onto the yacht your billionaire friend calls someone up to change the current printed name to yours (naomi lapaglia inspo)

-you yourself are a status symbol there’s no question a man is rich if you’re on his arm

-have a figurehead on the prow designed after you (lauren sanchez inspo)

-rich men literally spit out their 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grand Cru when they see you

-be the best seductress there ever was

-no one has more game or knows the game quite as well as you do

-billionaire men don’t mind if you’re manipulating them for your own gain they just want to be near you

-other yacht girls wouldn’t dare to approach your billionaire friend

-wealthy men are more than happy to give you all of their money just for being beautiful

-wealthy men literally feel haunted by your presence it evokes some sort of regency era longing. something for the books

-you are the ultimate prize

-men don’t care about your past as long as you’re not with someone else

-attract a chadlite billionaire that melts in your arms like frei malthus in hilda hurricane

-be gifted diamonds for every innocent kiss you give on the cheek

-unlike miranda kerr you don’t even have to make billionaire’s think you like them they just want the opportunity to be in your presence

-“a pearl necklace for your thoughts?”

summer beauty affirmations

-sex appeal seeps out of your pores you are the epitome of “walking sex”

-people on land watch you walk by as captivated as everyone in town was watching malena walk past

-have a summer essence like pamela anderson running across the beach in baywatch

-have sultry tan lines that give a forbidden fruit vibe when seen

-tan is as deep and as perfect as brooke shields in the blue lagoon

-manifest all of your desired swimwear

-have a rosy gold undertone to your skin that makes you look youthful and healthy

-have the most adorable naturally rosy cheeks

-have endless amounts of hermes oran sandals in every color

-be so stunning and alluring sirens wonder if you’re one of them

-look so exotic but no one can ever pinpoint from where

-look so erotic with fruit juice running down your chest and staining your luscious red lips

-look like you just walked out of a 2000’s summer edition of vogue

-be the beach beauty in passing no one ever forgets

-radiate even more sex appeal than an angel doing a victoria’s secret swimwear photoshoot

-have the ultimate bedroom eyes. one look from you with those pretty eyes is like a siren singing the sailors to their death

-(if desired for a lighter eye color green or blue) your eyes match the color of the sea’s you grace

-your defined cheekbones could cut a bitch but your dimple faced smile melts the iciest hearts

-thick & fluffy brooke shields/ taylor hill esque eyebrows

-look like you have naturally khol lined eyes

-you are forever in your peak. you’re gonna be sexy forever

-you embody the same endless beauty and femininity as ocean waves

-always be seen with an exotic flower in your long flowing locks on the beach

-have perfect pouty sensual red lips like rosie huntington whitley

-get asked what lip tint you’re wearing (you’re not wearing one…)

-manifest a luxury collection of sunglasses

-radiate the same beauty as christy turlington in “postcard from portofino” , vogue 1992

-anything you deem to be a personal imperfection is ceasing to exist

-when people see you they don’t understand how one person can be so sexy, exotic and unbelievably beautiful

-you’re beauty reminds people of a foreign sunset over the sea with rosy pink & orange hues

-have vanta black lashes that are super long and flutter soft and slow like a butterfly’s wings

-skin is naturally clear and rejuvenated look as if you’ve had a biologique recherche facial everyday (or maybe you have…)

-the salty ocean water washes away any skin impurities you have like a hydrafacial

-your glass skin & natural skin sparkles make your skin reminiscent of a porcelain doll’s

-manifest daily spa treatments, have your billionaire friend call the top specialist to the yacht for daily lymphatic drainage & skin treatments

-radiate the same energy as 2000’s euro summer clubbing songs

-your body is always well moisturized from even layers of sunscreen & body oil

-be out of this world gorgeous

-attract seashells, shell charms & jewelry

-maintain a thick fluffy 80’s voluminous blowout

-when people see you they think you’re a victoria’s secret model doing a photoshoot on the beach

-you’re devastatingly gorgeous

-you have a one in 8 billion sort of beauty

-you could easily be Miss Universe from beauty alone

-your pores are nonexistent

-there’s so many colors in your eyes from green, grey to blue with little specs of gold

-have a beauty that looks like you’re aware of ancient beauty secrets

-you become even more stunning with every second that passes

-the sun gives your hair a natural balayage

-hair is shiny like you used the oribe gold lust nourishing oil

-hair so shiny you’re fighting keratin treatment allegations

-your sexy aura reminds people of the song “candy shop” by fifty cent

-have an incredibly ultra feminine sexually dimorphic face

-your face is forever imprinted into men’s minds just from one glance

body affirmations

-have firm supple skin

-your skin is soft like butter cream

-your skin feels like silk

-easily obtain the best tan of your life

-be immune to sun burn

-tan like an early 2000’s Brazilian bombshell

-get a brazilian tan line spray tan

-have natural sparkles on your skin

-all body hair you don’t remove turns blonde and glimmers in the sun (ie: arms, happy trail)

-you’re naturally as hairless as a sphynx cat in your bikini area, underarms & legs

-your skin is immune to sun damage so you can sunbathe all day

-effortlessly maintain a summer body year round from 98-115 pounds year round (whatever you prefer)

-your body looks so healthy and filled out in all the right places

-always maintain a fresh russian mani pedi

manifest your desired summer body products

•sol de janeiro body oil

•vacation inc whipped spf 30

•body shimmer

•la roche posay thermal spray mist

��biologique recherche protection U.V. corps spf 50 sunscreen

-have long toned legs and a flat stomach

-have full round close set perky tear drop shaped boobs that look like they’re barely restrained by your bikini top (desired cup size)

-have a tall thin body

-workout on the extended deck of the yacht. not because you need to but because you want to. it helps that you’re flaunting that lithe sexy body to other billionaires along the way.

-all body imperfections (less than ideal proportions, discoloration, scars, loose skin, acne & scretch marks) are ceasing to exist

-even though you have your summer body all year round with no help needed, you know to maintain your upmost health through diet and exercise for the victorias secret fashion show in the fall

-your plump perky ass looks so enticing in your bikini bottoms

-your 0.7 WHR is mesmerizing but your plump heart shaped ass takes the cake

-your long supermodel legs are like rich men’s kryptonite

-hear “those legs” from drooling men daily

-your legs could easily stop a MAC truck

-tan easily and surprisingly fast

-tan like its UV 11 everyday

-be between 5’7-6’2

-have a thin hourglass body like candice swanepoel

-be fully immune to body odor

-have a natural yasmeen ghauri cat walk

-full hips that move as fluidly as shakira’s

-long swan neck that is immune to neck lines

-90° shoulders

-thin ballerina arms

-pretty size 6 arched feet

-divorced thighs

-small narrow rib cage

-20 inch waist

-all of your body fat is in your perky booty

-your body naturally emits the smell of acqua di parma blu mediterraneo by acqua di parma

-“it should be a crime how microscopic your bikini is”

-wealthy billionaires almost wish you put more clothes on for the sole sake of their own sanity

FAME

-have your desired level of fame for your desired career choice

-be the best dressed at cannes film festival red carpet

-you make so much money from your main job (modeling,acting etc) you only yacht for its eligible bachelors… the extra money is tempting too

-your hair naturally grows about 2 inches everyday just to give lara lieto on the cannes film festival red carpet

-meet your desired celebrities partying on yachts after the cannes film festival

-find out who other celebrity yacht girls are

-have the best paparazzi yachting pics

NSFW YACHTING

(like i said you don’t have to do sexual favors this part is if you feel sexually interested in your billionaire friend if not- you can subconsciously block all of these if you desire to not claim them if so it will not apply to you. if you chose to claim them there is extra protection bennies stay safe ily. again if you don’t want these bennies they simply won’t apply to you)

-have a healthy vagina

-have an optimal vaginal flora

-your PH never gets thrown off

-have optimal vaginal wetness from sipping on coconuts all day

-coochie is wet like you take your okra supplements

-get paid a couple mil more for the occasional “accidental” nip slip

-spending money on you literally makes men horny its like edging all day long

-trips to the dressing room “do you wanna see these clothes on me?” you can look but don’t you touch

-coochie smells & taste like sweet melons

-desired handsome billionaire has desired thoughts about your body

-get paid 20 mil more for allowing your billionaire friend to watch you enjoy your bubble bath with chocolate covered strawberries & Prosecco

-“when i’m with you all i get is wild thoughts”

-on the very rare chance that you do decide to sleep with your billionaire friend they make sure you’re left with a night you’ll never forget

-do your lovemaking on the deck overlooking the ocean under the night sky

-sacral chakra is properly functioning

-BE FULLY IMMUNE TO BEING 🍇D

-BE FULLY IMMUNE TO ATTRACTING PREDATORS

-BE FULLY IMMUNE TO ATTRACTING FAMILY

-RELEASE ANY AND ALL SEXUAL TRAUMA

[write4life13]

Welcome to my Ted Talk where I discuss how Sylvie Brett is NOT a SLUT!!

She was engaged to Harrison who emotionally abused her wanting her to fit into this doting wife lifestyle and so she left him and pursued her career as a paramedic.

Joe and Sylvie start off as friends and I think was initially draws her to Cruz is that he was different from Harrison so they give a relationship a try but figure out they are better off just friends and this is where we get the beautiful friendship of Joe/otis/Sylvie

She then has an on again off again related with Antonio but he’s in the middle of divorcing his wife so it ends up being messy. Which she knew going into it but she liked him so much she wanted to give their relationship a try. In the end they were at two different places in their lives and called it quits for good.

Her next relationship is with Kyle who is a good guy and someone she could have seen a life with if it didn’t change who she was. He wanted her to become a chaplains wife and stop being a paramedic which is something she’s good at and loves doing. I also feel like she ran from Chicago thinking it was the best thing after Otis died. There was so much pain but then she realized how much she missed the people who had become her family.

Grainger was someone she liked but in the back of her head she couldn’t get Matt out of her head after what happened in 9x02. She wanted it to work with Grainger but her feelings were too strong and Grainger picked up on it.

This is Matt’s spot officially like after I love you but we’ll come back to him later.

Dylan never made any sense to me why she decided to date him. He was the guy she wanted to move on from Casey with but after seeing Matt unexpectedly the feelings were brought up again and then she decided to adopt Julia so Dylan stepped away after noticing how she hasn’t moved on.

Now we are at Matt. Sylvie didn’t sleep with Matt the minute that the divorce was finalized and some people acting like that happened is  preposterous. They didn’t even kiss until SEASON 9 and even then Sylvie was thinking about his relationship with gabby by asking the question “if she came back would you leave with her” because she didn’t want to start a relationship with him if there was any chance of him still holding a candle for Gabby. Guess what? It was Matt that tried to fix things after that because he wanted Sylvie. It was Matt that chased her into the street to tell her how much he loves her and no one else. And yet I don’t see any of them placing any blame on Matt. It’s always “sylvie skank this” or “sylvie wh0r€ that”

If we’re counting that’s 7 guys in the span of 12 years. That’s normal. Sylvie didn’t sleep her way through the firehouse and she isn’t the backup plan because Matt can’t have Gabby. I’m sure Gabby is happy in Puerto Rico doing things that she loves and maybe she found love herself. Matt and Sylvie are happy together and sometimes you end up finding who you were meant to be with under your nose all this time but needed to grow as separate people to figure that out.

In conclusion Sylvie Brett is not a slut. Please move on.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk.

[apricitystudies]

what i read in may. 2023:

(previous editions) bold = favourite

class, race, & labour

blackbirding: families were ripped apart in the pacific — now, these women are working to reunite them (australia)

the not-so-hidden racism of nancy drew

i’m fucking agitated, are you going to murder me? (usa)

who owns the country? the secretive companies hoarding england's land

a gruesome severed fingertip tells a painful story about corporate japan

being an honorary white person doesn’t make us more powerful

gender, sexuality, & intersectionality

cocooning

‘fearless, stoic and attractive': a history of the state-sanctioned russian woman

i am a man, but i am not

chile's new law blazes trail for children of femicide victims

why foreign wives in south korea are vulnerable to domestic violence

politics & current affairs

the true cost of tuna: marine observers dying at sea

the abolitionists born after hurricane maría (puerto rico)

thailand’s opposition parties start alliance talks after voters reject military rule

how half a tonne of cocaine transformed the life of an island (portugal)

el salvador gangs: mass arrests bring calm but at what price?

after the fall (australia/afghanistan)

history, culture, & personal essays

how i left the far right (usa)

‘how do I prove my innocence?’ casting students as would-be cheaters eager to exploit ai tools is disheartening

the rape culture of the 1980s, explained by sixteen candles

i placed my first wager when i was 10. i’ve gambled more than $1 million since

the joy of sulk

missed calls

i asked chatgpt to control my life, and it immediately fell apart

[eatmangoesnekkid]

Make More Altars of Beauty—I used to do this when I lived in Atlanta and Cali, and yes those of healing mosquito bites from Tuscany. Plus how are you going to be a real life fairy and not be bitten by mosquitoes 🥰🫀🥰

What you don’t see in this video was a child walked up to the altar and talked to, sung to, and played with the flowers then took one. It was so super cute and I was peaking, blushing, and awww-ing. That sweet child.

I used to be a caregiver to a 4 year girl and I had my own cottage house on their property and one day she walked into my house in all her sass unannounced as resins and incenses were burning and the altars lit with candles and screamed a big loud scream “Auntie Indiaaaaa, it looks like a church in hereeee.” It was the most beautiful thing ever. 😅😅😂🌺🌹🌸💐🌻

And the refinement, detail, architecture and deep sense feeling of some churches are supremely beautiful especially those historical ones in places like Italy and GA. I have always wanted to sneak into a church and share the depth of intimacy in it. Omg! Of course no surprise. 😅

I have been secretly making altars of beauty all over the world since I lived in Atlanta back in 2010. I made altars of beauty many spaces and places including Iowa, Cali, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Bali, Greece, Costa Rica, Thailand, Italy, Brazil, and of course Amsterdam.

I never tell anyone, not even the Charming Lover💐. I just walk pass the altar and would be like “ooooh look, how pretty.” It was my secret covenant between me and the universe, me and God/dess.

I really want to say More altars of beauty, simple beauty, not the big ball gowns and shiny stuff, please. Our world needs to make contact with the direct power of real beauty. 😘And those mosquito bites from Italy—they will be gone soon🥲. A time was had fairying out —and you can’t be a fairy and not have mosquito bites ha!

I like having this little quiet secret covenant kept tucked 🥹but if 1 person is inspired to make a secret altar of beauty in their neighborhood or environment today, my god, how beautiful.

I know that love is enough to save us. And that the depth of raw beauty is one greatest portals and gateways. As I love to say “where there is beauty, there is God.”

But with love comes the art of war we have to learn to master.

“…but you can be the one to nourish life.”🫀that’s the mastery ooh

[mjalti]

those franz kafka letters are a big mood. how are you getting over your soul companion? i feel we are in similar situations where factors are keeping us from them, for the better but nonetheless a hard situation to get over. i feel like he’s my other soul half but i know i need to move on. it’s hard. i long for a scenario where we would work out.

that's a big question!

for me, I dont think of it as "moving on" but rather, moving forward. I have to kill the part of me that hopes for a scenario where we would work out by saying

if we are not together, then the reason must be worth the distance

if we wanted to make it work, we would have done whatever was possible in the timeframe where a solution was viable

these may not be true but they help me settle my heart: "they are not thinking of me. they will never think of me again. they do not love me in the way I need to be loved. If I was as important to them as I want to be to my partner, they would still be working on a resolution with me."

It isn't to say that anyone is bad; in my story, there are no villains. We are two separate wonderful, loving, compassionate, brilliant people who come from different life experiences, making choices based on how we deal with our hurts, our hopes, and our dreams. This is absolutely difficult but I'm glad that the universe heard me when I asked it to send me someone I would love so deeply that it would break my heart. Growth happens through the struggle, light gets in through the cracks.

What I've been doing is reorienting myself with work, school, working out, nutrition plans, and trying to prime myself to date other people. I don't know when--may be when I'm done with school, may be tomorrow-- that I'll go on a date but I know it needs to happen in order for me to de-emphasize this person in my heart. NOT to love them less, but to open myself up to another person being my romantic priority. I've been booking cosmetic adjustments, pottery classes, candle making classes, pure barre, hot yoga, treadmill workouts, creating my planner, and trying to figure out what to do---the week that my partner was supposed to visit will be difficult so I'm going to see if any of my friends are open to going to Puerto Rico or Savannah or New York or whatever. Filling my time with plans has been crucial in the evolution of Me ;^) and remember, this is YOUR story. Do not make it about THEM. Develop your character, your hobby or talent or even curiosity. Continue to become so deeply yourself that your light shines in your actions and accomplishments. Romanticize yourself -- imagine being the person that fumbled YOU!!! lol

Become obsessed with yourself and who she is becoming, outside of a romantic connection.

[nfumbewalk]

Thoughts of Palo Mayombe

Mama Chola

I am soooo confused. On one hand, I hate the patriarchal structure of Palo. On the other hand, it is a beautiful religion!?!? What the actual fuck? I've studied it for 14 years but I'm a neophyte. Every trabajo I've done has worked with NO nganga! No mambos or sacrifices, not even an addimú like in Ocha. I actually did do a food offering ritual once...the trabajo was a huge success. Lucero has a major sweet tooth! I used a red palm oil laced eclair! 😊 With fruit atop it. Then rum and cigar. Let it sit for three days while I prayed over it each day. Instead of taking it to a crossroads, my Tata said I could take it to the graveyard (another gateway place) and leave it. So I did. My client was very happy.

That wasn't my first success with Lucero. When my husband was applying for disability with the VA, I fervently worked with Lucero just using candles, cigars, bongo drums and my own mambos. I chanted and sang to Lucero for the VA to speed up and call us. It worked! Then for the VA to approve his claim, which we thought he'd only get 70% on. Nope! He got 100%!! Lucero!

It wasn't just Lucero. I worked with Cobayende for my health issues and got swift assistance - he got herbal offerings like pasote with burlap over at the old field...Zarabanda helped me with trabajos and got beef steak at the forest... and sweet Mama Chola granted my love workings for clients - she received flowers in the river and naranjas with honey...see, this is non-initiate work but it was effective for me but wouldn't work for other ppl.

Why? For one, I was oriented astrally by my dead Tata when he was living, 14 years ago. Then physically oriented in 2016, in Idaho, by another Tata. What's oriented? Being shown to the nkisi formally and introduced to their energy. You cannot do this yourself. I say this? Wow! Well - there is no mistaking someone else singing mambos in Congo language. There is a difference in energy. Its palpable! The orientation involves going to different areas, natural places like the forest, the graveyard, the train tracks, etc. You are introduced to the nkisi and spirits at each place. Zarabanda's power almost made me pass out. This Tata was energetically strong over me - he sensed my peaks and could call the nkisi's force right into my solar plexus, making me stronger than ever imagined. My dead Tata called energy to my third eye, which is part of why I'm so psychic. Why did these men do this to me? Are they helping or hindering?

My old old Palero friend Angel (from Mexico) told me that I hold the reins and other Paleros do not like this. He said that I have the true power over Tata's and I know that's why Angel No. 2 (Puerto Rico) doesn't engage me anymore. My dead Tata said I'd always be on the fringe, never be accepted because I'm learning his ways. Know the story about my dead Tata Antonio? Sure I told it.

I was in trouble with the Demonolators. I was phasing out of that religion. My depression was at its peak, I lost my mom. I was drinking. My mental imbalance was affecting my relationships with my fellow Demonolators, especially other High Priests and Priestesses like myself. I got destructive and injurious. Ppl started throwing energy around (not me). I reached out to my friend A. She somehow got the idea to hook me up with my dead Tata Antonio!

He took one glance at my photo and said: "Nooooo!" He got my number and called right away. He said that I was in major trouble. Those "Demon ppl" have been sending me MAJOR astral trash, malevolent black energy, more suicidal depression, homicidal thoughts and more! He told me he could cleanse me as I sleep, which he did. He gave me tools - basics like sleeping with water by the head and using cascarilla, coconut products and cigar smudging (no sage!).

He didn't start with Palo right away. He eased me in with Santería. It didn't take long though. His "fringe" format was loose but very dedicated and daily. I never stopped working. Daily ritual with intuitive notes. Every Friday, clean and reset boveda. Every Monday, Lucero's big offering. Other days for other nkisi! Siete Rayos...papa...Mama Chola...though Antonio was sure I was Centella's child.

Other readers have said no. Antonio always said that the dead own me and I am "at one with kalunga." Now I understand. Kalunga is a very very deep and powerful concept in Palo. A guy on YouTube finally explained it for me so I reiterate it. I call him "Palo Andy." He's a Gen X salt-of-the-earth guy who wouldn't like my "free wheeling" ways.

To explain: Every Palero/a knows and adores Madre de Agua as the sacred nkisi of the ocean. But it is known that there is something deeper, older, and much more vast in the ocean. And what is that? Another nkisi? No. Its kalunga. The many, boundless, dead. Think: How many have perished in the ocean? How many ppl put human remains in the ocean? So the ocean is one gigantic graveyard. The kalunga is the limitless dead - it is indescribable and it is beyond sacred to the Palero/a.

You may wonder why the dead are so sacred? Because they have the wisdom of what has come before us. They can see what will come to us. They carry the lineage. They will help us. And they care. Just a few!

So while I bitch about Palo, I still love it. Its my love of the dead. And nkisi. Oh well!

[digitaltechside]

Unveiling The Diversity Of Christmas Celebrations In The USA

Christmas celebrations are a Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25th. Like most people around the world, Americans have their own unique Christmas celebration customs and traditions, and they’ve evolved a lot over the years.

Today, most Americans mix religious and non-religious traditions with their family customs, often including food, decorations, and rituals from places where they or their family used to live. Turkey and ham are the go-to dishes for Christmas dinner all over the US, but if you’re from a certain area, you might also want to try some tamales, a roast goose, a red cabbage dinner, a crawfish dinner, a roast pork dinner, or a seafood salad with “seven fishes” on it.

In Southwest, on Christmas Eve, you can see luminarias—lanterns made out of brown paper bags filled with sand and lit by a candle. Lots of Mexican Americans are celebrating Las Posadas. It’s a procession that celebrates Mary and Joseph’s journey to find a place to sleep in Bethlehem.

Swedes celebrate St. Lucia, and there’s even a parranda in Puerto Rico where people go from house to house singing traditional songs and waking up their neighbors with their music.

Development Of The American Christmas

The Puritans in New England didn’t like noisy Christmas celebrations. The Massachusetts colonists briefly outlawed Christmas in 1659, but it was still celebrated in many parts of New England, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere in British North America. People dressed up as Santa Claus and went door-to-door, selling food and drinks. Christmas was still a workday in most of these areas.

Christmas has come a long way since the 19th century, when people started buying presents for babies and toddlers. This practice of “Christmas shopping” started to become more and more important financially.

Read More:-

[selchielesbian]

today is so hard emotionally. the pulse shooting left such a deep scar on our community; I don’t know a single lgbt person from central florida who didn’t either lose someone or know someone who was affected by the attack. I remember when I went up to visit the memorial on the first anniversary; I had brought a candle and some other offerings for KJ and to support my friends that were still living in Orlando. The mother and aunt of another victim saw me crying and immediately wrapped me up in their arms. We held each other and cried and cried and cried; the mother showed me pictures of her son—when he was a child, when he graduated high school. She showed me where they had buried him in Puerto Rico; his grave was on a cliff that overlooked the ocean. The hill underneath was covered in sunflowers. ‘He loved sunflowers,’ she told me. She told me she loved him, all she wanted was for him to be happy and safe. I don’t have the words to express how heartbroken that eight years later we are not any safer as a community and are in fact even more at risk of violence.

[astra-galaxie]

“An elephant?! That’s so cool! I like penguins!” - Milagros Santiago

Biographical information

Full Name: Milagros Santiago

Nickname(s): Mila

Gender: Female

Status: Alive

Age: 6 (season 3)

Birth: 2010

Race: Human

Nationality: Puerto Rican-American

Origin: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A

Residence:

McMurdo Station, South Pole

Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A (formerly)

Profession(s): Penguin Enthusiast

Family:

Alondra Santiago (mother) (deceased)

Unnamed father

Camila Martinez (adoptive mother)

Unnamed grandparents

Carmen Martinez (aunt)

Sanjay Korrapati (cousin)

Affiliation(s): McMurdo Station

Profile

Height: 3’5”

Age: 6 (season 3)

Weight: 40lbs

Eyes: hazel

Blood: A+

Hailing from Baltimore, Milagros Santiago is a young girl with caramel skin, hazel brown eyes, and bouncy curls of long black hair. With her favourite colour being purple, she wears a dark purple parka with matching boots, black snow pants, a lilac hat, scarf, gloves and darker lilac earmuffs.

Synopsis

McMurdo Station’s unofficial penguin expert, Milagros, is the adopted daughter of Camila Martinez.

She is a curious young girl who loves asking questions to learn about new things. She loves science and learning about biology, physics, chemistry, and weather patterns. But she's also a big fan of fantasy novels and can easily get lost in an imaginary world as she reads her favourite books.

Milagros lost her mother at a young age. She doesn't remember much about Alondra, but she remembers her singing lullabies to put her to sleep and having princess tea parties with her and Auntie Camila. She's lucky to have recordings of her mother, and her favourite ones are the videos of Alondra singing and dancing with her as they reenact the dancing scenes from fairy tale movies.

After Alondra passed away, it was just her and Auntie Camila in their little apartment. The place seemed cold and empty without her Mommy, but soon, their family became bigger. She and Camila moved into a rental house close to Camila's parents, and Milagros loved visiting her new grandparents. Her Mommy's parents also visit from Puerto Rico, and while she only sees them a few times a year, she still treasures their time together.

A few weeks after her sixth birthday, Camila announced that she had been offered a job in Antarctica and Milagros was invited to come along. Despite the cold weather, the girl was ecstatic to move to the South Pole. She couldn't wait to see her newest favourite animal, penguins, and make lots of new penguin friends.

Several weeks after moving to Antarctica and befriending the penguins, Camila informed her that Auntie Carmen and her team would be visiting them. Milagros was excited to show Carmen and her friends around the station and penguin reserve but was even more excited to meet her new cousin Sanjay.

After Camila had been cleared of murder, she and Milagros took the Bureau out to visit the penguin reserve. Milagros introduced the penguins to the team by name and taught the humans everything she knew about the animal. While she might still have a lot to learn, she felt proud of herself as she saw everyone smiling and listening to her ramble.

But after a few days, Auntie Carmen, Sanjay and the Bureau needed to leave. Milagros didn't want them to go, but she knew there were bad guys out there they needed to take down, so she didn't try to stow away on the plane. But she still made Auntie Carmen and Sanjay promise to take pictures and get her souvenirs from everywhere they visited.

Months later, near the end of The Darkest Hour, Milagros and Camila returned to celebrate the defeat of SOMBRA alongside the rest of the Bureau's family and friends.

Story Information

First appeared: Death Below Zero

Trivia

Inspiration for her came from Encanto. Her name means miracle (miracle candle), and her Puerto Rican heritage comes from one of the movie’s (also one of my favourite) music composers being of Puerto Rican descent (Lin-Manuel Miranda)

Her stuffed penguin, Pip, was a gift from Camila when she told Milagros they were moving to Antarctica. Milagros sleeps with Pip every night and claims he keeps her nightmares and the cold away

When living in Baltimore, Camila takes Milagros on weekly trips to the cemetery to visit Alondra’s grave. Milagros updates her mother on everything that happened during the previous week and sometimes brings along things to show the grave

Once they return from Antarctica, Milagros plans to bring her scrapbook to her mother’s grave so that she can tell Alondra all about her adventures and penguin friends

She loves dressing up as characters from her favourite movies, especially princesses. Sometimes Camila will dress in matching costumes

Mila hopes that she'll be able to convince Sanjay to dress up with her for Halloween so they can get extra candy for their matching costumes!

She enjoys visiting the beach to build sand castles, swim, play in the waves, and take the pets Camila fosters for walks

Whenever they have a new pet to foster, Milagros makes them a bow or bandana to wear. Each one uses a different combination of fabrics, so no two bows or bandanas are the same

Her favourite animals to foster are dogs, cats, birds, and lizards

She also likes when they get to pet-sit people's fish. It's fun to watch them swim around in the tank

She was born without the lower half of her legs from just below her knees. She has prosthetics to help her walk, run, swim and dance

Grandma Martinez makes her special socks/sleeves in fun patterns that fit over her fake legs to cover the boring metal and plastic

Her favourite ones are the flower pattern socks that make it look like her legs a wrapped in flowers and the sparkly ones because she likes the way they shimmer in the light

Disclaimer: Character design was created using Rinmarugames Mega Anime Avatar Creator! I have only made minor edits to the design! Background courtesy of CriminalArtist5

Links to my stories:

The Case of the Criminal (Ao3/Wattpad)

Killer Bay (Ao3/Wattpad)

Where in the World are the Killers? (Ao3/Wattpad)

[metaclektik]

DIVERSITY DOES NOT AND SHOULD NOT EXIST EVERYWHERE

The African Diaspora Understands This - Everyone else doesn't

There has been much debate within the Vodou circles, which I am a member. The question still remains as of yesterday, “Can whites and people not of the African Diaspora practice Vodou, Ifá, Santeria, Candomblé, Palo, Umbanda, or even American Voodoo?” All which are African based spiritual systems? Of course people feel entitled to indulge in anything they are mildly interested in but there are times where certain people should be shut out of certain things and traditional African religion is certainly one of those things. When Jenn and I were in New Orleans in the French Quarters, I was really taken back at the number of Voodoo shops, Voodoo museums and Voodoo tours being spearheaded by whites. Not a single Voodoo entity was owned or operated by a black face. I was equally cynical of the amount of revenue that was being generated from factory manufactured, “Voodoo Dolls,” key chains, trinkets, gimmicky magic candles, and palm readings. All of which is NOT African in origin but marketed and sold as African culture. These Voodoo tourist shops were managed by young white Goths with black painted nails, gaged earlobes and multiple piercings and they were asking, ‘ME’ if I needed help finding something! Of course what I asked for (Ṣàngó Oṣè - the double axe of Shango), they didn’t carry because THAT was too authentically African and too authentically Vodou. Perhaps we should have ventured further away from the tourists traps of the Quarters.

This is why people who are not of the African Diaspora should respectfully be locked-out of our sacred traditions. Our traditions become exploited, commercialized and monetized. Our traditions are converted into storefronts for wide-eyed, clueless looking non-Africans to wonder in, fascinated by our strange and scary, “Ooga Booga” traditions, purchasing our culture as “gag gifts” and curious and unexplained pieces of art. But in Yorubaland Nigeria, in Benin, in Ghana, in Burkino Faso, in Cameroon, in Brasil, in Cuba, in Puerto Rico, in Haiti, in Jamaica and in the Dominican Republic, this sort of disrespect of African and Afro-Cubano spiritual practices does not exist. One individual of the Voodoo circle I spoke with believed that the religion should be open to anyone who is sincere about the culture and willing to honor the spirits. He also believed that its okay for white people to practice traditional African religions as long as they come with a sincere heart. Vodou is NOT like Christianity or Buddhism where anyone can just walk in and join. It’s not about your heart, it’s about your blood. It’s not the lack of sincerity to the Gods that is the issue, it’s the legacy of that group of people that is the problem. It’s the history of waging war on African people, in the past and in the present, whether you personally took part in it or not. Everyone in the world benefitted from the exploitation of African people. Therefore, any traditional spiritual system or religion that doesn't have set protocols of security and exclusion isn't worth joining. And the more ancient it is, the more exclusive it has to be.

This is why Vodou is a CLOSED spiritual system. Even for Africans, there are certain rites, initiations and rituals to open the spirits up to even us. Many of us aren’t even granted access to these powerful energies because many of us have turned our backs on our gods for white saviors and little porcelain skinned Cherubs with curly blonde hair. And for decades of forced conversation at the threat of being flogged and castrated, we accepted our enslaver's God and never looked back. Vodou is an ancient traditional African cosmological system that finds a lot of its essence in honoring the ancestors and serving the Loas. We call this “sevi lwa.” And since the Loas (African Vodou spirits) are not the ancestors of Europeans, white colonizers and the white oppressors of African people, there is no reason to believe that the African spirits would respond favorably to the petitions of the very people who conquered Africa and slaughtered the African people. The idea itself is not only absurd but extremely arrogant of people to treat African people with so much disdain and disrespect and then turn around and have the audacity to perform Vodou rituals (poorly) and ask African spirits to grant them love and wealth.

The skeleton key is a sacred symbol of Lwa Esu Elegbara (Elegguá) and for a good reason. A key locks and unlocks doors. “Legba’s Key” unlocks the spiritual realm and opens the road for African people to communicate with the 400+1 lwas or Orishas (if he allows it). He doesn’t always grant permission (it depends on your approach). But one thing is for sure, there can be no communication with any spirit without first consulting with this very ancient energy which we call, Elegbara. and this ancient energy DOES NOT grant access to non-African people who are not of the African bloodline. True Vodouisants understand this and therefore they refuse to teach non-African people our deep secrets and initiation rites.

Vodou is strictly an African religion and African identity and it belongs to the African Diaspora! Some things we will happily share; Music, food, dance and even some aspects of culture. However, traditional and sacred African spirituality we cannot. Diversity does not exist here. Respect that and try not to guilt your way in or bully your way in. You are not entitled to everyone's culture and knowledge. It's not for you.

[brookston]

Holidays 7.25

Holidays

Act Like a Caveman Day

Antifascist Pasta Day (Italy)

Bayreuther Festspiele begins (Wagner festival; Germany) [thru 8.28]

Be Adamant About Something Day

Community Day (Galicia, Spain)

CTNNB1 Awareness Day

A Day Out of Time (Last Day of the Year; Mayan, Galactic)

Ebernoe Horn Fair (Sussex, UK)

Feed the Country Ducks Day

Festival of Picaresque Animality

Health and Happiness with Hypnosis Day

International AfroLatinx, AfroCaribbean & Diaspora Women’s Day

International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners

International Red Show Day

International Sop Rapping Over Vocals Day

John Knill Day (Cornwall, UK) [Every 5 Years]

Jumatul Bidah (Bangladesh)

Jumat-ul-Wida (India)

Merry-Go-Round Day [also 5.17]

Mugwort Day (French Republic)

National African American Hepatitis C Action Day

National Campus Press Freedom Day (Philippines)

National Carousel Day

National Clay Day

National Day of Galicia (Spain)

National Hire a Veteran Day

National Houston Day

National Schizophrenia Awareness Day (UK)

National Video Game Team Day

Occupation Day (Puerto Rico)

Rain of Black Worms Day (Romania)

Red Shoe Day

Republic Day (Tunisia)

Rosiland Franklin Day

Santiago Apóstol (Spain)

Test-Tube Baby Day

Thread the Needle Day

Traditional Palestinian Dress Day

World Drowning Prevention Day (UN)

World Embryologist Day

World IVF Day

World Youth Days 2023 begins (Lisbon, Portugal; Roman Catholic; until 7.31) [Varies; @Every 3 Years]

Food & Drink Celebrations

Candles on a Cake Day

Culinarian’s Day

Frozen Fruit Freeze Day

Indie Beer Day (Australia)

National Hot Fudge Sundae Day

National Wine and Cheese Day

4th Tuesday in July

Waterton-Glacier Science & History Day [4th Tuesday]

Independence Days

Abode of Heaven (Declared; 2018) [unrecognized]

Andany (Declared; 2017; Dissolved Sep. 2018) [unrecognized]

Commonwealth Constitution Day (Puerto Rico) 

Rathunis (Declared; 2011) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Anne (Eastern Christianity)

Christopher (Western Christianity)

Cucuphas (a.k.a. Cueufas, Cougat; Christian; Saint)

Feast of Formation of Saint Ann (Mother of the Virgin Mary; Byzantine Rite)

Furrinalia (Old Roman Goddess of Springs)

Glodesind (Christian; Saint)

Holbein (Positivist; Saint)

Hot Fudge Sundae Day (Pastafarian)

Ilyap'a Festival (Inca thunder god)

James the Great (Western Christianity)

John I Agnus (Christian; Saint)

Julian of Le Mans (Christian; Translation)

Magnerich of Trier (Christian; Saint)

Maxfield Parrish (Artology)

National Baha’i Day (Jamaica)

Nissen, Abbot of Mountgarret, Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Paul (Christian; Martyr)

Shylock Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Slippery Slim (Muppetism)

Thea and Valentina (Christian; Virgins)

Thomas Eakins (Artology)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

The Adventures of André & Wally B. (Pixar Cartoon; 1984)

Air Force One (Film; 1997)

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (Film; 2008)

Armor Wars (Film; 2025)

Back in Black, by AC/DC (Album; 1980)

Batman: The Killing Joke (Animated Film; 2016)

Broken Quest (Animated tV Series; 2013)

Caddyshack (Film; 1980)

China Grove, by the Doobie Brothers (Song; 1973)

A Chorus Line (Broadway Musical; 1975)

Drinking Buddies (Film; 2013)

Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (WB MM Cartoon; 1953)

Fame, by David Bowie (Song; 1975)

First Lensman, by E.E. "Doc" Smith (Novel; 1950) [Lensman #2]

Good Burger (Film; 1997)

Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (Film; 1962)

Justice League: Warworld (WB Animated Film; 2023)

Kill ‘Em All, by Metallica (Album; 1983)

Lara Croft Tom Raider: The Cradle of Life (Film; 2003)

Last Train to Clarksville, recorded by The Monks (Song; 1966)

Lego Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash (WB Animated Film; 2017)

Lucy (Film; 2014)

Maximum Overdrive (Film; 1986)

Paul’s Boutique, by The Beastie Boys (Album; 1989)

Porky’s Spring Planting (WB LT Cartoon; 1938)

Ruby Sparks (Film; 2012)

Seabiscuit (Film; 2003)

Step Brothers (Film; 2008)

The Tree’s Knees (WB LT Cartoon; 1931)

X-Files: I Want to Believe (Film; 2008)

Yes, by Yes (Album; 1969)

You Can’t Hurry Love, by The Supremes (Song; 1966)

Today’s Name Days

Jakob, Jakobus, Thea, Thomas, Valentina (Austria)

Ana, Yana (Bulgaria)

Beata, Jakov, Krsto, Valentina (Croatia)

Jakub (Czech Republic)

Jacobus (Denmark)

Jaagup, Jaak, Jaako, Jaap, Jako, Jakob, Jass (Estonia)

Jaakko, Jaakob, Jaakoppi, Jimi (Finland)

Jacques, Valentine (France)

Jakob, Valentine (Germany)

Anna (Greece)

Jakab, Kristóf (Hungary)

Cristoforo, Giacomo (Italy)

Jēkabs, Marika (Latvia)

Aušrinė, Jokūbas, Kristupas (Lithuania)

Jack, Jakob, Jim (Norway)

Jakub, Krzysztof, Nieznamir, Sławosz, Walentyna (Poland)

Jakub (Slovakia)

Jaime, Santiago (Spain)

Jakob (Sweden)

Jac, Jack, Jacki, Jackie, Jackson, Jacky, Jacques, Jimmie (Universal)

Coby, Colby, Diego, Israel, Jacob, Jacoby, Jack, Jackie, Jackson, Jaclyn, Jacqueline, Jacquelyn, Jacques, Jaime, Jake, Jakob, James, Jameson, Jamie, Jaquan, Jaqueline, Jaxon, Jaxson, Jim, Jimena, Jimmie, Jimmy, Kobe, Koby, Kolby, Santiago (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 206 of 2024; 159 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 30 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 16 of 28]

Chinese: Month 6 (Ji-Wei), Day 8 (Jia-Shen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 7 Av 5783

Islamic: 7 Muharram 1445

J Cal: 26 Lux; Fiveday [26 of 30]

Julian: 12 July 2023

Moon: 50%: 1st Quarter

Positivist: 10 Dante (8th Month) [Holbein]

Runic Half Month: Ur (Primal Strength) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 35 of 94)

Zodiac: Leo (Day 4 of 31)

[top-news-2025]

Almost All of Puerto Rico Loses Power on New Year's Eve

On December 31, 2024, Puerto Rico experienced a significant blackout, affecting over 1.3 million customers as they prepared to celebrate New Year’s. The power outage, which officials estimated could last 24 to 48 hours, was caused by a failure of an underground power line. Residents expressed frustration, with one man, Manuel, lamenting the timing of the outage coinciding with his birthday. While many are resigned to such incidents, which stem from the island's fragile power grid, others planned ahead, lighting candles or using gas stoves. The situation remains under investigation by Luma Energy, which manages power distribution.

[hcartcorruptcd]

RAINA ELYSE MARÍN survived another night. The town would certainly feel less safe without her close by. Not to mention, we can’t lose another HERBALIST, plus she’s only THIRTY-FIVE years old. Crazy to think, it’s been FIVE YEARS since her arrival, though in a place like OLBITUS, it can feel much longer. Good thing she’s staying at the RESIDENTIAL AREA. Almost like it happened yesterday, she still remembers PONCE, PUERTO RICO, and where she came from. It’s no secret, she was DRIVING BACK FROM A SPIRITUAL RETREAT when she came across the tree, and it’s still keeping her up at night. Truth be told, she’s awfully EMOTIONALLY INTUITIVE and GUARDED, but she’s survived this long. Well, it’s almost daylight again; maybe they'll play CHOREOMANIA by FLORENCE & THE MACHINE. Welcome to another night in OLBITUS, please don’t open the doors. (fitz, 27, he/him, est)

BASIC INFORMATION

NAME: Raina Elyse Marín

GENDER: Female (she/her)

NICKNAMES: Rai (pronounced like “rye”)

BIRTHDAY: September 5, 1989

AGE: 35

ASTROLOGY: Virgo Sun, Scorpio Moon, Cancer Rising

SEXUALITY: Lesbian

HOMETOWN: Ponce, Puerto Rico

BIRTHPLACE: San Juan, Puerto Rico

RELIGION/SPIRITUALITY: Espiritista (Espiritismo as core practice)

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in Psychology, University of Puerto Rico

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

HEIGHT: 5'6"

EYES: Dark brown

HAIR: Wavy black hair, usually worn in loose waves or a messy bun

BUILD: Lean but toned, with graceful posture

DISTINGUISHING MARKS:

A crescent moon tattoo behind her right ear

A small scar on her left palm from a ritual gone wrong

Wears a jade pendant blessed by her grandmother

PERSONALITY & BEHAVIOR

HOBBIES:

Tarot reading

Collecting charms and spiritual trinkets

Gardening (specifically herbs for rituals)

Candle-making

Dancing alone under the full moon

LIKES:

Rainstorms and ocean waves

Spiritual conversations with like-minded souls

Jazz music

Soft fabrics and cozy spaces

Meaningful eye contact

DISLIKES:

Skepticism towards her beliefs

Disorganization or cluttered spaces

Shallow small talk

People who misuse spiritual practices

QUIRKS:

Talks to her ancestors like they’re in the room with her

Knocks on wood three times when she feels anxious

Collects fallen feathers and shells, believing they’re signs from spirits

STRENGTHS:

Emotionally intuitive and empathetic

Resilient and adaptable in difficult situations

Grounded and wise beyond her years

WEAKNESSES:

Can become overly guarded and suspicious of others

Prone to emotional burnout from helping too much

Finds it difficult to admit when she’s wrong

BACKSTORY

Raina grew up in a deeply spiritual household in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where Espiritismo was woven into the fabric of daily life. Her grandmother, a respected espiritista, guided her from a young age, teaching her how to connect with spirits, protect her energy, and honor her ancestors. Raina found comfort in this practice, using it as both a healing tool and a way to navigate the complexities of life.

However, tragedy struck when her mother, who was skeptical of Espiritismo, passed away unexpectedly. Raina felt a deep guilt, believing she could have seen the signs if she had been more spiritually attuned. The loss strained her relationship with her family, especially her father, who rejected her beliefs even further. Seeking independence and peace, she left for San Juan to study psychology, hoping to merge modern science with her spiritual practice.

After college, Raina struggled to find her footing, feeling out of place in both traditional psychology settings and among her spiritual peers. She moved to the mainland U.S., thinking a fresh start might help. But everywhere she went, she felt pulled between two worlds—the tangible and the ethereal. She settled in a small mountain town, opening a holistic healing shop where she offered tarot readings, spiritual cleansings, and herbal remedies. However, strange events, nightmares, and odd happenings that haunted her for months finally came to fruition whenever she encountered the fallen tree in the road after leaving a spiritual retreat.

BACKSTORY BULLET POINTS

Family: Raised by her grandmother, who practiced Espiritismo, and her skeptical father.

Childhood: Spent weekends collecting herbs and attending ceremonies with her grandmother.

Teen Years: Rebelled briefly, distancing herself from spiritual practices, but was drawn back after a vivid dream of her grandmother.

College Life: Earned a degree in psychology but struggled to integrate spirituality into modern therapeutic frameworks.

Adulthood: Moved to the mainland U.S. after feeling disconnected from her family and hometown.

Current Life: Runs a small spiritual shop and has noticed unusual events—like strangers knowing things about her life and dreams that feel more like memories.

WHERE WAS RAINA WHEN SHE SAW THE TREE AND THE MURDER OF CROWS?

Raina was driving back from a spiritual retreat, her car filled with herbs and crystals from the weekend's workshops. She was at peace, her mind still buzzing with chants and affirmations, when she saw the tree lying across the road. The sight of it felt like an omen—too deliberate to be mere coincidence.

As she slowed to a stop, the cawing of the crows grew louder, filling the air with an eerie chorus. Her hands gripped the steering wheel as a chill ran down her spine. Something about the scene triggered an instinct within her, a whisper from her ancestors warning her to turn back.

But Raina, curious and stubborn, stepped out of the car. The crows circled above, their black wings blotting out the sun for a moment. She knelt beside the roots of the fallen tree, tracing her fingers over the jagged wood, sensing a presence lurking beneath the surface—something ancient and angry.

Before she could process what was happening, a wave of nausea hit her, and the world around her began to tilt. Her jade pendant burned hot against her chest as the voices of the crows shifted—turning from squawks to words she couldn’t quite understand.

Something had been waiting for her.

FIRST NIGHT IN TOWN

Raina arrived just as nightfall crept in, her car stalling inexplicably on the edge of the town. With no cell signal and the road behind her seemingly vanishing into mist, she was forced to walk through the streets. She stopped a passerby—a jittery man with wild eyes—and asked how to leave.

"You can't," he whispered. "Not now. Not at night."

His words felt like a curse. Before Raina could respond, the man grabbed her arm and pulled her toward a nearby building. “Come inside, or it’ll find you,” he hissed. She tried to resist, but something in the air—a heaviness, a malevolent presence—made her legs weak with fear.

Once inside, the townspeople treated her kindly but cautiously, as if they knew more than they were willing to say. That night, Raina lit every candle she had in her bag and whispered prayers to her ancestors. Sleep eluded her, and she spent the hours listening to the strange sounds that echoed through the night, realizing that she was in a place where the lines between the living and the dead were dangerously thin.

WHAT DID RAINA LEAVE BEHIND?

Raina left behind her grandmother's home and the small spiritual community she had grown up with. Though she loved her hometown, unresolved guilt over her mother’s death haunted her, making it hard to stay. She also walked away from a budding romance with a fellow espiritista, afraid that opening her heart again would lead to more loss.

Her life before the town was filled with moments of both joy and sorrow—a delicate balance she constantly tried to maintain through rituals and prayers. Now, trapped in this strange place, she fears that even her connection to her ancestors might not be enough to save her.

CONNECTIONS IDEAS

Mentor/Guide: An elderly resident who shares cryptic knowledge about the town's spiritual nature.

Close Confidants: A small circle of townspeople who trust her for guidance.

Rivalry Turned Partnership: A skeptic challenges her beliefs, but they must work together to survive.

Romantic Tension: A lingering attraction to someone around town.

Protector Roles: Raina becomes a spiritual guardian for a younger resident, maybe someone wanting to learn her craft?

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 9.5

Holidays

Achalasia Awareness Day

Amazon Rainforest Day

Beard Tax Day

Be Late for Something Day

Bill Murray Day (Canada)

Clifford the Big Red Dog Day

Day of the Languages of the Peoples of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan)

Dia de Santiago Iglesias Pantin (Puerto Rico)

Engineer’s Day (Egypt, Tanzania)

Entrepreneur Day (Finland)

First Day of School (Vietnam)

Flag Day (Mozambique)

Flag-Flying Day (Denmark)

Freddie For A Day

Freddie Mercury Day

Gaura Parva (Nepal)

Hassaku-sai (Kyoto, Japan)

International Day of Charity

International Day of the Vaquinta Marina

International Indigenous Women’s Day

International Multiple Myeloma Day

International Pierre Robin Sequence Awareness Day

Jury Rights Day

Mexican Marigold Day (French Republic)

National Actdumb. Day

National Cellulite Day

National GIF Day

National Shrink Day

National White Cat Day

On the Road Day

Red Cross Day

Regata Storical (Historical Regatta; Venice, Italy)

Scouts’ Day (Argentina)

Straight Story Lawnmower Day

Teacher's Day (India)

Tweet Like Werner Herzog Day

Working Mothers Day

World Day of Siblings

World Day of Tourism Journalists

World Spinal Cord Injury Day

Yrittäjän Päivä (Entrepreneur Day; Finland)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bitter Beer Day

National Cheese Pizza Day

World Samosa Day

Independence & Related Days

Bir Tawil Empire (Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

1st Thursday in September

International Day of the Orchid [1st Thursday]

Jeûne Genevois (Geneva, Switzerland) [Thursday after 1st Sunday]

Kid Lit Art Postcard Day [1st Thursday]

Thankful Thursday [1st Thursday of Each Month]

Therapy Thursday [1st Thursday of Each Month]

Thin Crust Thursday [1st Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Festivals Beginning September 5, 2024

Ayden Collard Festival (Ayden, North Carolina) [thru 9.7]

Berlin International Literature Festival (Berlin, Germany) [thru 9.14]

Clinton Lions Agricultural Fair (Clinton, Maine) [thru 9.8]

DOKer Film Festival (Moscow, Russia) [thru 9.15]

Farm-to-Fork Festival (Sacramento, California) [thru 9.21]

Grape & Fall Festival (St. James, Missouri) [thru 9.7]

Greek Festival (Union, New Jersey) [thru 9.8]

Marion Popcorn Festival (Marion, Ohio) [thru 9.7]

Montgomery Turkey Trot Festival (Montgomery, Indiana) [thru 9.8]

New Mexico State Fair (Albuquerque, New Mexico) [thru 9.15]

Niagara County Peach Festival (Lewiston, New York) [thru 9.8]

Oktoberfest (Helen, Georgia) [thru 10.27]

Plattsmouth Harvest Festival (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) [thru 9.8]

Time-Based Art Festival (Portland, Oregon) [thru 9.22]

Tipton County Pork Festival (Tipton, Indiana) [thru 9.7]

Toronto International Film Festival (Toronto, Canada) [thru 9.15]

Utah State Fair (Salt Lake City, Utah) [thru 9.15]

Vancouver Fringe Festival (Vancouver, Canada) [thru 9.15]

The WhiskyX (Nashville, Tennessee)

Feast Days

Abdus of Susa (Christian; Saint)

Alto (Christian; Saint)

Bertin (Christian; Saint)

Caspar David Friedrich (Artology)

Cathy Guisewite (Artology)

Charbel (Christian; Martyr)

Day of Ganesh (Everyday Wicca)

Day of the West Wind (Pagan)

Duhamel [du Monceau] (Positivist; Saint)

Frank Armitage (Artology)

Gargling Day (Pastafarian)

Genebald (Christian; Saint)

Genesia (Day of the Dead; Ancient Greece)

Gregorio Aglipay (Episcopal Church)

H.L. Mencken Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Janmasthami (Birth of Lord Krishna; Hindu)

John Cage (Writerism)

Jupiter Stator (Ancient Rome)

Laurence Gustiani (a.k.a. Laurence Justinian; Christian; Saint)

Maurice Quentin de La Tour (Artology)

The Moes (Muppetism)

Ralston Crawford (Artology)

Teresa of Calcutta (a.k.a. Mother Teresa; Christian; Saint)

Three Candles Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Ursicinus of Ravenna (Christian; Saint)

Wag and Carrot Fancying Day (Shamanism)

Yodeling Day (Pastafarian)

Zechariah and Elisabeth (Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Church)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Premieres

Batman: The Animated Series (Animated TV Series; 1992)

Blue Christmas, recorded by Elvis Presley (Song; 1957)

Bonanza Bunny (WB MM Cartoon; 1959)

The Chain Gang (Disney Cartoon; 1930)

Citizen Kane (Film; 1941)

City of Illusions, by Ursula K. Le Guin (Novel; 1967)

The Criminal, by Jim Thompson (Novel; 1953)

Dr. Zhivago, by Boris Pasternak (U.S. Novel; 1958)

Gnomes, by Wil Huygen (Art Book; 1976)

Greenpernt Ogle, Part 1 (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 105; 1961)

It (Film; 2017)

Just Ducky (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1953)

Louder Than Love, by Soundgarden (Album; 1989)

The Mail Animal or Bullwinkle Stamps His Foot (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 106; 1961)

No No: A Dockumentary (Documentary Film; 2014)

The One-Man Navy (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1941)

On the Road, by Jack Kerouac (Novel; 1957)

Ping Pong Playa (Film; 2008)

Sherman’s March (Documentary Film; 1986)

Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! (WB MM Cartoon; 1931)

A Street Cat Named Sylvester (WB LT Cartoon; 1953)

Trolley Troubles (Ub Iwerks Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Disney Cartoon; 1927) [1st Oswald]

The Wrestler (Film; 2008)

Today’s Name Days

Albert, Larentius, Roswitha, Teresa (Austria)

Elisaveta, Hari, Zahari (Bulgaria)

Borko, Eudoksije, Lovro, Roman, Tereza, Terezija (Croatia)

Boris (Czech Republic)

Regina (Denmark)

Preedik, Priidik, Priido, Priidu, Priit, Reedik, Vidrik (Estonia)

Mainio, Roni (Finland)

Raïssa (France)

Hermine, Roswitha, Urs (Germany)

Zacharias (Greece)

Lőrinc, Viktor (Hungary)

Vittorino (Italy)

Klaudija, Perse, Persijs, Vaida (Latvia)

Dingailė, Erdenis, Justina, Stanislova, Stasė (Lithuania)

Brede, Brian, Njål (Norway)

Dorota, Herakles, Herkulan, Herkules, Justyna, Laurencjusz, Stronisława, Wawrzyniec (Poland)

Regina (Slovakia)

Obdulia, Teresa (Spain)

Adela, Heidi (Sweden)

Elizabeth, Raisa, Raya, Zachary (Ukraine)

Bert, Bertha, Bertie, Bertin, Berton, Burt, Burton, Rigoberto (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 249 of 2024; 117 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of Week 36 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 5 of 28]

Chinese: Month 8 (Guy-You), Day 3 (Red-Shen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 2 Elul 5784

Islamic: 1 Rabi I 1446

J Cal: 9 Gold; Twosday [8 of 30]

Julian: 23 August 2024

Moon: 5%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 25 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Bouguer]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 78 of 94)

Week: 1st Full Week of September

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 15 of 32)

Calendar Changes

Rabīʿ al-ʾAwwal [ٱلْأَوَّل or رَبِيع] (Islamic Calendar) [Month 3 of 12] (First Spring Month)