#chacos? check

[general-bear]

Tossing a Colorado Miku into the mix

[yuus-sentient-teddy]

"You've been staring at me for a while. What are you thinking?" Chaco turns the rest of his body so that he's now sitting fully facing you.

"I don't trust you," you declare simply. That was you, wasn't it? Not one to beat around the bush and carrying yourself like a school teacher, all proper and head held high. But there was a whimsical air around you that anyone who spent plenty of time with you would notice, and he has spent plenty. Put simply, you were like a character from a dramatic comedy. The seeming straight, no-nonesense friend with a soft and caring heart.

He quirks a brow and leans forward. "Oh? Why is that?"

"You smile too much," you say, folding your hands on the table and also leaning forward. "And your smiles are too perfect. I'm willing to bet that you're hiding something. No one can smile always perfectly."

"But what if that's how I am? Besides, there's always something to smile about. Like our lord."

Unwillingly, your lips pull up into a smile. "Can't argue with that," you concede. "But then, what else are you thinking that makes you smile?"

"Have you always been this curious about me? Can't get me out of your thoughts?" he teases.

"Yes. You're very interesting." Another simple declaration from you, the whimsical, no-beating-around-the-bush you. You even bob your head in a nod!

The almost deadpan delivery makes him want to laugh, but at the same time, he feels his cheeks start to warm. So, to hide the fluster, he lets out that laugh and rests his chin in his palm. "You know, I could say the same for you too. You're not like most of the other skaters here. If anything, you and Tuxedo Sam's Fragaria might get along."

"No offense to him, but no thanks."

That makes him laugh, much harder than before. He actually turns his body so he could double over, which causes him to miss your satisfied smile and small giggle. Once he's done laughing, he says, "The others are going to love hearing that. Say, did you know you can get a special type of ice cream down the street?"

"I knew it! This is banana ice cream!"

Chaco just smiles as he bites into his spoonful.

"You said there was a special type of ice cream sold here, but this flavor is common," you say.

"Take another bite," he says.

You narrow your eyes and stare at him for a second too long before taking another bite. Your eyes then widen. "Oh! There's a frozen banana slice in here."

"And that's what makes this ice cream special. The other parlors in the area don't have this trait, see?"

You mull it over, taking another bite of ice cream, and nod. "Mmyeah."

And that's how things are between the two of you. Whenever he suggests something, you would take his word for it. Of course, it was not without staring at him for a second too long, as though you could parse the truth out of him by searching his grey eyes. Despite "tricking" you many times (always harmless tricks, mind you), you never backed down.

That brings us to now: the two of you sitting on swing sets staring at the dawning sky, after Chaco said he knew of a quiet place with a great view of the sunrise.

"A while ago, you said you didn't trust me," he says. "Do you still not trust me?"

"Yes."

The way the answer is delivered so whimsically serious makes his smile genuine. "But you still hang out with me. Shouldn't you be more wary?"

"Yes, but if I'm too wary, I wouldn't be able to get to the bottom of what exactly is making you untrustworthy."

How paradoxical, he thinks. Not to mention, it was dangerous of you explain your plan so plainly to the very person you wanted to know more of.

The strangeness of you was so amusing just as it made you so endearing.

"So far, I've figured out that you like pulling friendly and clever pranks, and that you're not entirely untrustworthy. As a Fragaria, you would have the want to protect your lord and the kingdom, but even if you weren't, I can't see you as someone who enjoys hurting people. Whenever we hang out, nothing malicious happens."

"But what if the next thing we do does hurt you?"

"You wouldn't want it to happen and you wouldn't let it. That's not you. Besides, I'd be disappointed. I look forward to whatever silly surprise you have for me."

Chaco considers this. "So you hang out with me because you look forward to that?"

"That's half of it. The other half is that it's just very nice hanging out with you, even if we don't do anything exciting." You pause for a moment to admire the changing hue of the sky. "Like now."

The sun is now beginning to peek over the trees. Chaco immediately thinks of how perfect you look smiling under the golden light.

He likes gullible people, but you are a very special and very interesting exception.

[emilybeemartin]

Inktober Days 13-15

Day 13: "Rise"

Rangers sometimes talk about their “heart parks”—the intimately special ones that make us go dreamy-eyed and nostalgic. Grand Teton is my heart park. During undergrad, I was going through a rough patch, missing my backcountry work in New Mexico and feeling out of place at Clemson. I told my friend that I “just wanted to go somewhere.” He asked if I wanted to go for a walk. I told him no, I’d like to go to the Grand Tetons. I don’t know why I decided on that particular place in that moment—I’d never been there and had only ever seen photos of the famous mountain group. But my friend said sure, we could go to the Grand Tetons. He proceeded to lead me outside student housing, checked the cardinal directions in the sky, and struck off northwest. I followed him. We walked around campus for hours that night, talking about a hundred different things. It was the first time after returning from New Mexico that I’d felt really heard, really understood, really happy.

A few months later, that friend became my boyfriend, and a few years later, that boyfriend became my husband. There was no question about where we would honeymoon. We went to Grand Teton.

Day 14: "Castle"

I’ve been struggling with what to say about Mesa Verde, because this site was so incredible to visit that I almost can’t put it to words. I experienced it while conducting my master’s research between stops in Navajo National Monument and Chaco Canyon. Visiting these cultural sites, tied together by sociopolitical events and natural disasters over the span of centuries, drove home how vast the network of humanity was in the Ancestral Puebloan era. These places were huge hubs of activity and massive feats of architecture—not castles, but communities humming with life, love, loss, struggle, wealth, and beauty.

Mesa Verde was also the only place I saw a ranger bring an audience to tears with the emotion in his program. I audited over two hundred interpretive programs that summer, but I remember lowering my clipboard during this particular tour of Cliff Palace, in awe of how powerfully the ranger was able to connect visitors with his own familial ties to the Ancestral Puebloans who had lived there so long ago. The goal of interpretation is to facilitate a meaningful connection between the visitor and the resource, but never have I ever seen anyone do it so profoundly as that ranger in Mesa Verde, 2011.

Day 15: "Dagger"

White Sands preserves practically the entire span of human history, from fragments of ancient blades up to the space shuttle and missile launches. But it's the beginning of that timeline that draws me toward this gleaming gypsum dunefield.

I remember where I was when the news dropped—in the Apgar ranger office with a handful of other Glacier rangers. I was working on my hunting and gathering program, where I discussed old facts about projectile points and atlatls, but I stopped when another ranger swore in shock. An email had come through to our NPS accounts with new research out of White Sands. Human footprints preserved in the ancient sediment had been dated--- not to the 13-16 thousand years old we typically associated with the earliest humans in the Americas, but to 23 THOUSAND YEARS OLD. In one short email, our whole office's reckoning of human history almost doubled. Our minds were blown. We celebrated like a bunch of lads after a World Cup win. This world that we walk! Footsteps over footsteps over footsteps! What a privilege.

[moonshynecybin]

Ok elaborate on the white water kayaking if you would like bc that’s incredible

this is. maybe the thing i think about most lol. NO idea how much people know about kayaking but uh. ask me!

so whitewater kayaking is interesting as a sport bc while there ARE major racing events (the green race!! the north fork championship!! go look them up they’re SICK) it is generally not a formalized racing series that culminates in a trophy like in motorsports. like there’s no seating for spectators even. you get to these races by hiking two hours through the woods and parking your ass on a rock by the river and hoping you don’t fall in bc you are BLASTED drunk. they’re big parties most of the time!

so while the best kayakers in the world DO compete in these things and win them, the sport is frankly more about doing sick stunts with your friends on beautiful rivers all over the world than like. cutthroat fanatical competition. which bezz (who HATED racing against people as a kid never wanted to fight on the track to go fast) would LOVEEEE imo. also literally it is bad practice to go boating alone you NEED a homie with you at all times that’s how you run shuttle that’s how you set safety that helps you scout rapids it is a homie-based activity!!! and bez loves his friends SOOOO bad and especially loves to do dumb life-threatening stuff with them. that’s what big water boating IS.

and it’s just. some aspects of the stuff happening at the ranch and the broader culture of whitewater is very similar in terms of vibes to meeeee. like the adrenaline addiction the injuries the constant threat of death the long hair the dumb tats the earrings the SAME fucking sunglasses kayakers get just cheaper ones. the energy drink sponsorships the going skiing 24/7 in the off-season…. that’s a fucking kayaker to me lol. i look at him and genuinely question why he is not in a dry suit bombing waterfalls in chile. #beater #steazy #booflife he’d love it so bad.

and i AM saving all of my narrative thoughts on bezz kayaking for a fic one day maybe. problem is i don’t know shit about the whitewater scene in italy so i’d have to make these boys like. appalachian. but i do know cele would have the world’s most atrocious rookie crush on hot trip leader bezz and when cele dump trucks a raft and has to do a swim beer out of his nasty bootie (whitewater has like. a reverse shoey system where you only do them if you fuck up) and bezz like, puts his big hand on the back of cele’s neck as he chugs this nasty beer (for maximum crazy this is bezz’s shoe bc cele is a rookie and didn’t want to shell out for the whitewater specific shoe and is wearing chacos) and cele has a small religious experience and flushes BRIGHT RED.

anyways if you want to check out some sick kayakers and are curious regarding the vibe i recommend following aniol serrasolses (catalan legend), nouria newman (badass. has yelled at my brother), and evy liebfarth (from my hometown!). liebfarth is going to the olympics this year in kayaking slalom which IS a formalized racing series but one that generally takes place on closed courses and such and is a small niche in the broader culture of the sport. still very cool and very hard to do. there is also dane jackson who is the arguable GOAT of the sport i just think he’s kind of swagless and one time he put my brother on youtube after he dislocated his shoulder when they were paddling the royal gorge like. cmon man. also his daddy owns a major kayaking manufacturer booooo. he does win the green race like literally every year which IS annoying. to me.

[maxiwaxipads]

Hangyon's Hangyodon Seminar

(Arupek feels a prick on his neck before turning to see Chaco and Tuxam collapsed on the ground)

Arupek - “…Eh?” “Tuxam? Chaco?”

[???] - “That’s no good~ Are you immune or something?”

(Arupek looks around to find the source of the voice) (Nothing but dirt and greenery reverberated under the clear blue sky) (At the same time, he feels around the side of the neck to find a dart in his right hand) (Before he can react, a hand gently grabs his left shoulder and his mouth is covered by what appears to be a handkerchief) (Arupek then passes out)

[???] - “There. There.” “Have nice dreams for me, ‘kay?”

[???] - “Nnhhh… I should had thought further ahead.”

[???] - “Lili.” “Do me a favor and help me carry one of them.”

[???] - “Don’t look at me like that~” “For the sake of Lord Hangyodon, it is imperative!”

(Moments Later…)

Chaco - “Aru.” “AAaaarrruuu.”

Tuxam - “I’ll do it.”

(Tuxam whacks Arupek on the head)

Arupek - “Yeouch!”

(Arupek gently rubs the spot he was hit on) (In front of him are two figures, Tuxam and Chaco) (He notices the desk in front of him with a small pool of drool, and himself sitting on a chair) (Identical desks are spotted to his left and right) (Square ceiling lights are rowed 3 by 3) (A security camera is spotted by the corner of the room, with a red blinking light) (The wall is covered with pictures depicting Hangyodon)

Chaco - “You sure are hard to wake up, aren’t you?”

Arupek - “Heheh… Lord Pekkle says the same thing!”

Tuxam - “Here. Take this handkerchief and clean up the drool.”

Arupek - “Sure thing!”

[???] - “Testing~ Testing~” “Can you hear me? Would you describe my voice as beautiful and enchanting~?”

(A light flickers, and a square TV being held on a pedestal on wheels shows two figures) (One is speaking into a microphone, and the other figure—much smaller, rests on top of the other’s shoulder)

Hangyon - “Hi, Hi~ Nihao.” “This is Hangyon and Lili!”

Hangyon - “Let’s see if everyone is present—roll call!”

Hangyon - “Arupek?”

Arupek - “Here!”

Hangyon - “Tux—”

Tuxam - “Wait, wait, wait—!”

Tuxam - “Hangyon, correct?” “Where are we? What’s happening?”

Hangyon - “Silly tuxedo knight~”

Hangyon - “Everything will be answered soon enough~” “When I say your name again, say ‘Here!’ Like our good little Arupek!”

Hangyon - “Tuxam~?”

Tuxam - “H—Here.”

Hangyon - “Chaco?”

Chaco - “Here.”

Hangyon - “That makes everyone~ Attendance complete!”

Hangyon - “Welcome to the Hangyodon Seminar!”

Hangyon - “It’s sure better than taking English Language Arts or History, yes?” “After all… Hangyodon is the best there is.”

Hangyon - “Saying his name… I might want to repeat it again and again! (for the rest of my life…)”

Hangyon - “Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyodon, Hangyo—”

Chaco - “About this seminar?” “I—I like to hear more about this.”

Hangyon - “Ah~ Look at myself! Getting into a tangent.”

Hangyon - “So very sorry~”

Hangyon - “What was I doing again? Oh—Yes.”

(The lights blink out for a moment and confetti falls down)

Hangyon - "“The Hangyodon Seminar!”"

Hangyon - “Like the name suggests, the Hangyo—”

Chaco - “Question.” “Once this is over, we get to leave, yeah?”

Hangyon - “Of course! I wouldn’t leave you here now, wouldn’t I?”

Hangyon - “But like I was saying—the Hangyodon Seminar is all about—”

Arupek - “Sorry to interrupt, but I’m kinda hungry.”

(Stomach gurgles)

Hangyon - “Oh… That won’t do.” “The Seminar is about a day long… W—Wait! I’ll have some food sent down there.”

Chaco - “D—id he say a day long?”

Hangyon - “Yuh-huh!”

Hangyon - “The Hangyodon Seminar!: Part 1 out of 100 in the Hangyodon Experience!”

Hangyon - “Everything is all about Hangyodon~ And I mean everything!”

Hangyon - “The food is Hangyodon themed ~ The posters are Hangyodon themed~”

Hangyon - “There’s even small Hangyodons under the chairs.”

(Arupek bends down to check under his chair)

Hangyon - “Haha! I made you look.”

Hangyon - “But I should had done that in the first place…”

Hangyon - “As a Knight of Fragaria, this is a transgression as well…”

Tuxam - “If you can’t commit to a theme, then this is a failure on being Hangyodon theme.”

Tuxam - “Shame on you.”

Hangyon - “Ghhhh! Critical hit!”

Tuxam - “You’ve disgraced the Hangyodon Experience.” “It’ll be better to give up.”

Hangyon - “Y—You’re right.” “How could—”

Hangyon - “Eh?” “What is it, Lili?”

Hangyon - “No… How could I be down at a time like this!?”

Hangyon - “It can still be saved!”

Chaco - “At… At least you tried, Tuxam.”

Tuxam - “(pouts)”

(The lights above the desks open up, and a single pack of Fruits Snack falls) (The lights unravel back again)

Hangyon - “I pinky promise that you can eat later~” “Have this for the meantime, ‘kay?”

Chaco - “Honesty… I don’t really want to be here.”

Tuxam - “Ch—Chaco! We already tried kicking it down…”

Chaco - “No.” “Not yet.”

(Chaco digs into his pocket, and takes out his…) (Credit card!)

Hangyon - “Eh?” “I mean. I’m quite suspect able to bribery…”

Hangyon - “I got it! I’ll just talk faster!”

Chaco - “No. That’s not what I meant.”

(Chaco walks towards the door, sliding his card between the doorframe’s gap.) (He adjusts his hand, sliding it with greater tenacity.) (The door opens.)

Hangyon - “Eh…?”

[wrestlinghistorywithkay]

Hot Rod: Remembering ‘ Rowdy ’ Roddy Piper

Today is the nine year anniversary of the death of WWE Hall of Famer and Wrestling Legend , ‘ Rowdy ’ Roddy Piper. I have mentioned Piper in my article about Scottish wrestlers that I did in June, if you haven’t , please go check that out . I’m doing this article as a tribute to Hot Rod by celebrating his life and career as a wrestler and an actor.

Roddy Piper was born Roderick George Toombs on April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon , Canada . He was of Scottish descent due to his mother, Eileen , being of Scottish- Canadian descent. His father , Stanley , was of Anglo-Canadian descent. He spent his childhood being raised in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he attended school. He was expelled from school due to having a switchblade knife when he was in middle school. He also left home after having a dispute with his father and decided to stay in a local hostel. For income during this time , Toombs was hired by local professional wrestlers to run errands all while he worked at a few gyms. He also learned to play the bagpipes , however , he has claimed that he didn’t know where he started with them. Thus , he also had a lifelong best friend , Cam Connor , a retired National Hockey League Player ( NHL ).

Toombs was a black belt in the sport of Judo and an amateur wrestler before deciding to train for professional wrestling. He was trained by Gene LeBell , a former Judo instructor, professional wrestler, and stuntman. Therefore , under the guidance of wrestling promoter , Al Tomko , he had his first match in front of an audience with ‘ Midget Wrestlers ’. Therefore , he was earning money to survive by wrestling all while going back to school.

Toombs’ first match in a well known wrestling promotion was against Larry Henning , the father of ‘ Mr. Perfect ’ Curt Henning , and the grandfather of former WWE Superstar, Curtis Axel. The match took place in the American Wrestling Association ( AWA). For his entrance, he had friends play bagpipes for him as he handed out Dandelions to the AWA audience. The announcer of the promotion only knew that his name was Roddy, thus , he came up with the name ‘ Roddy Piper ’. Therefore, Toombs would be known as Roddy Piper. He was an enhancement talent in the same promotion from 1973-1975. This meant that he was paid to wrestle and lose matches against the top wrestlers in the AWA. He did the same for the NWA Central States territory. This territory consisted of Missouri , Iowa, and Nebraska. He also was an enhancement talent in the Maritimes for the Eastern Sports Association. He also was booked in the NWA Houston Wrestling Promotion under Paul Boesch and Big Time Rasslin under Fritz Von Erich. Both promotions were located in Texas.

In late 1975 and going into 1976 , Piper was the top Heel for the NWA Hollywood Wrestling Promotion, which was owned by Gene and Mike LeBell. A Heel is a wrestler who is considered the ‘ villain ’ and hated by wrestling fans. Piper was also booked to work at NWA San Francisco, which was owned by Roy Shire , in 1977 and 1978. He was feuding with Gory Guerrero and Chaco Guerrero Sr, the father and brother of Eddie Guerrero. Their feud included Piper losing his hair in a match and a few loser leaves town matches . This meant that whoever lost , had to leave the wrestling territory. Piper also appeared as The Mask Canadian in the territory as well. He was soon unmasked by Hector Guerrero. Piper also worked in the Pacific Northwest , Georgia, and Mid-Atlantic territories. He made his return to Jim Crockett Promotions in 1983 after wrestling in Puerto Rico. When he returned to Georgia , he became a fan favorite and feuded with top stars such as Ric Flair, Sgt Slaughter , and Greg ‘ The Hammer ’ Valentine.

In 1983, at the first Starrcade show , Piper and Valentine had a Dog Collar match. This type of match is when two wrestlers are strapped together by two dog collars and chains. During the match , Piper suffered from a broken eardrum in his left ear due to Valentine hitting him with the collar of the chain. He lost 50%-75% of his ability to hear due to this . He also made a few early appearances in the WWF in 1979 under Vince McMahon Sr. His first match in the promotion was against an Enhancement Talent named Frankie Williams. Thus, wrestling manager , ‘ Classy ’ Freddie Blassie , decided to place toilet paper in Piper’s bagpipes , therefore , the crowd wouldn’t be able to hear them as he made his way to the ring.

Piper returned to the WWF in 1984 under Vince McMahon Jr., after being advised to finish out his contract with Jim Crockett promotions in 1983. He was in a managerial role when he returned when he was partnered with ‘ Mr. Wonderful ’ Paul Orndorff, and ‘ Dr. D ’ David Schultz. This role ended and he soon became an in ring competitor full time . Nevertheless, with his strong microphone skills, he was given his own little segment called , ‘ Piper’s Pit ’ . The segment took place for three years , ending in 1987. He insulted talent such as Bruno Sammartino, which their storyline ended with Piper losing in a Steel Cage match in 1986. He also insulted Jimmy ‘ Superfly ’ Snuka, which left him being hit in the head with a coconut. His most well known storyline is with Hulk Hogan , Mr. T, and Pop Star , Cyndi Lauper. Hogan and Piper faced off for the WWF on an episode of MTV’s ‘ The War To Settle The Score ’ in 1985. Nevertheless, this storyline and event went on to help set up the first Wrestlemania.

Piper returned as a Babyface in 1986 on ‘ Championship Wrestling ’ for a match against AJ Petrucci. A Babyface is a wrestler who is the hero and is loved by the fans. During the storyline , Piper became upset after finding the ‘ Piper’s Pit ’ segment was now ‘ The Flower Shop ’ , an interview segmented hosted by fellow talent, Adrian Adonis. Adonis also decided to hire ‘ Cowboy ’ Bob Orton , the father of WWE Superstar, Randy Orton , and former bodyguard of Piper, as his own bodyguard. Piper soon destroyed the set with a baseball bat, leaving the two to have a match at Wrestlemania lll, before he retired from wrestling to start an acting career. He returned in 1989 and interviewed Brother Love ( Bruce Pritchard ). He also became a co-host alongside Gorilla Monsoon for the show , ‘ Prime Time Wrestling ’ the same year. He had feuds with major stars such as Bobby Heenan and Rick Rude. Piper would return to the show in 1991.

Piper went on to star in the iconic 1988 sci-fi film , ‘ They Live ’ , which was directed by John Carpenter. Piper’s signature line from the movie was , “ I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubble gum. ” . This movie made him a ‘ Cult Icon ’ according to Entertainment Weekly magazine.

In 1994, he returned to the WWF again as the guest referee for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship match with Bret hart and Yokozuna at Wrestlemania 10. He soon started a feud with Jerry ‘ The King ’ Lawler. He also began hosting a segment called ‘ The Bottom Line ’ on ‘ All American Wrestling’ . He took a break in 1995 before coming back in 1996 , taking on the role of Interim WWF President. He reinstated The Ultimate Warrior and participated in a “ Hollywood Backlot Brawl ” match against Goldust at Wrestlemania 12. He soon went to WCW and feuded with Hollywood Hogan and the nWo.

On the November 18 episode of ‘ Monday Nitro ’ , Piper revealed that Eric Bischoff was the newest member of the nWo. Thus , this led the faction to attack Piper after doing so. Ric Flair and the 4 Horseman offered to help Piper against Hogan , thus , on the December 9 edition of ‘ Monday Nitro ’, he declined and went on to defeat his long time rival on his own as he declared he would at Starrcade in 1996. In 1997 , Piper joined forces with Flair and the Horseman to battle the nWo. Piper took a hiatus from the promotion , only to return in 1998 as the new Commissioner of WCW. His last WCW appearance was in 2000.

Piper made a few more appearances in WWE and went on to make an appearance in TNA. He continued wrestling on the independent wrestling circuit until his retirement in 2011. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 by Ric Flair. Piper died at the age of 61 from a Heart Attack on July 31 , 2015 in Hollywood , California. Piper is considered to be the Greatest Heel of All Time. Wrestlers such as Drew McIntyre, MJF, and Ronda Rousey were all fans of Piper. He gifted Rousey his nickname ‘ Rowdy ’ and his jacket. She’s wore it to the ring .

My Final Thoughts:

Roddy Piper is my favorite Heel of all time. I love how he didn’t care what you thought about him . He was also pretty cool as well. I wish I could’ve seen him in his prime and met him. Have you met Rowdy Roddy Piper? What is your favorite Roddy Piper match or moment? Let me know!

Love You All,

- Kay

[nothofagus-archive]

Went to visit my parents, which often means checking my childhood art. A lot of it is very hard to scan, because it has faded away so much with the years, but I'll try to digitally enhace the contrast, and share some later.

Ancient art from 2002, from some clearly Jungle Book inspired comic series I did back in my preteen and teen days. Why yes, I'm old.

The gray wolf, Asta, actually made it to the very early dA days!

---

Some history:

Back in 1995 or 96, as a kid, I asked for this book as a birthday gift: https://http2.mlstatic.com/D_NQ_NP_842587-MLA27484653922_062018-O.webp . I was obsessed with tigers back then (with foxes before that!) and well, there was a tiger on the cover, plus tiger info inside the book. It detailed the fauna of each continent, and while my most visited section was Asia, I remember being saddened to see that South America, where I live, has the least amount of pages of all. It mentioned being the most biodiverse continent, but it still made a point to describe our fauna as "lacking in large animals". This bothered me, back then.

Those days, I lived where I was born, in the Argentine North-East. In the humid Chaco region, which is insanely biodiverse, and even more so back in the 90's, when it was less urbanized than it is today. Now, I've been living in the South-West, AndinoPatagonico forest region for almost one decade and half. A less biodivrse area, albeit rich in regional endemisms.

In my childhood, I'd turn rocks and wood pieces just to check the diversity of all sort of invertebrates below (and yes, it was often very gross). I'd also pick flowers, fruits and herbs apart, to see how they were built.

I also remember the absolutely insane diversity of frogs and reptiles, not to mention the birds (which sadly I'd not look at much , in my childhood) that could be found in our patio... it was a given, and only in retrospective I come to appreciate the insane amount of species, I know I'd have a field day nowadays!

Anyway: my childhood house and town/area were insanely formative to me, when it comes to appreciating local/South American fauna, even if I started out with Asian-based characters.

And yes, I had a ringed-tail Lemur character way before the Madagascar franchise existed. He was, of course, created after getting that book (character was created in '97 or '98). My logic back then was, Asia and specifically India shared a lot of species with Africa (rhinos, elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, jackals, etc) so, why not lemurs? Getting a wee bit older (read: teens) I decided the lemur was an escaped former pet or whatever, but never adressed it in the comics becuase I didn't care.

So yeah. Always fun to revisit childhood art! I was 15-16 in 2002.

[fragaria-imagines]

Have some silly little fun facts (and spoilers ahead) about Felicity & Ayama because why not >:D

Fun Facts (+ Spoilers):

She’s (probably) the tallest knight out of all the fragarian knights out there + the only woman who get the chance to become a knight (so far until I get to reveal more original characters for this silly franchise)

When someone said that she is their favorite knight to get along with (in which mostly done by children at this point), she can ended up being an emotional pickle for the day (also known as crying out the happy tears) after going back to the kingdom and the rest of the noir bouquet used to have no idea of why she is crying until she had to explain it to them.

She is literally being friends with everyone EXCEPT Klarkstella who have rejected her friendship start about countless times (no one didn’t knew this until Masky literally bring that up in a meeting with all the knights and the lords).

There used to be a rumor that the bells that connected with her jester hat is her “real eyes” as some people have nightmares about it until Felicity confirmed that there is no way that the bells are her actual eyes.

She is actually not a fairy but much more rather… A “monster” according to some of the citizens’ nightmares of her.

In her (upcoming) official description (made by me), it is stated that if Felicity & Ayama went insane, they will go through an abstraction (it’s basically a concept where after a character went insane, they basically have a different form… I recommend checking this page out as I take some inspiration from there.). Unlike TADC’s version of what the character looked like when they got abstracted, only the hands and the eyes are the one that got abstracted… You can say it as “Half Abstracted” if you want and there will be references to abstract art + those retro color palettes from the 70s-80s when you see the abstracted parts of her body…

Her name isn’t actually “Felicity & Ayama”.

She has owned many titles by many people but there is one that she specifically created for herself only, it’s called “The Half-Abstracted Devil”.

Her ability to abstract is one of her biggest secrets… No wonder why she literally hides it in front of everyone.

She wished that she can able to help Rimicha and Kurode out but knowing damn well that she didn’t experience those struggles that those boys had, she can’t help but hugging and giving them the silence she thinks they deserved it would help it out…

Chaco is still waiting for her to open up her secrets until this day (Yeah, their relationship is more like Mizuki & Ena at this point when I write this fact)…

And that’s all I can able to tell you! I’m sorry for the early spoilers, I just simply can be excited to finally showing someone some important details about my original characters that they might need an eye on, especially when they are (not) okay— Anyways, I hope you did enjoyed this silly ask and I see you later on!

Ahh I love hearing about them!!

Felicity especially sounds so sweet and friendly, i definitely would want to be her friend!!

Also what do you mean Ayame and Felicity aren’t there real names 👀👀

[buddy-arc]

📖 pspspspsps. you know. The Girls......

journal entries…

… last night, i had a sleepover with haru. we stayed up a bit later than normal, playing games and talking about things. she’s never had a pet, ever. no wonder she’s unsure around kuro and chaco! i need to make sure that she feels safe and protected by the boys. i think kuro has adopted her already because he’s always keeping an eye on her and likes to try to lick her face. he even whines at me when she has to leave. me too, kuro.

on the other hand, chaco is just a puppy. he likes haru, but he doesn’t know a lot yet. the first thing i’ll teach him is that if someone yells at haru, he should yell back! that way i’ll know if someone’s being rude to her. plus, chaco has the mightiest bark! haru will feel super safe when he’s around. oh, and if chaco gets off his leash again, he’ll go right to haru’s place to check on her. i’ll know exactly where he is: taking care of haru for me when i’m not there! it’s foolproof!

[bike42]

Isle Royale

Friday July 19, 2024

The Magnificent Seven are back on adventure. We gathered at our lake home yesterday afternoon on a glorious day in the Northwoods. We went out on our boat and toured the Turtle Lake chain. Lynn and Kent made dinner, and we fell into our easy routine of food prep, giving thanks for being together and then clean up.

One thing this group is good at is logistics! The planning phase is thorough and well researched! This adventure is a bit different in that we don’t have a guide, so all permits and logistics fell to us, credit to Tam and Dan that got the permits and booked the flights. I’d ordered a bunch of dehydrated meals when we started our Ice Age Trail adventure, but we ended up not backpacking, therefore the meals sat in a box with our camping stuff in the basement (they have long expiration dates!). I sorted through them and found we had more than enough for 4 dinners and 4 breakfasts - so I had grouped them and labeled them for dinners / breakfasts. We also contributed our two lightweight stoves, two empty gas cylinders (will fill once we get to the island), our cook kit and our SteriPen. Others bought new or contributed water filtration devices, Tam brought goodies for 4 lunches, Lynn compiled a new first aid kit, etc.

After dinner, we divided up the food and went through our packs comparing what we’d packed and what things we had duplicates of. It’s a moment of second guessing - especially for me because I’d packed most of what was in my pack about a week ago and started second guessing things - is my headlamps in there, and things like that!

Kent had an amazingly accurate scale that helped us weigh our packs, and even help make decisions about what to pack. For example, my Xero sandals aren’t that comfortable but they weigh just 0.6 lbs versus my Chacos weigh 1.7 lbs! Most of our packs topped out at about 35-38 lbs without water, except for Gary’s, which was 52 lbs! Well, we need to slow him down anyway!

After packing was complete, we lit a fire in our outside pit, enjoyed the sunset, and some of us had s’mores. Mosquitoes started to come out, so we ventured inside and some of us worked the National Parks puzzle while others showered and drifted off to sleep.

Friday am we were up, showering, forging for breakfast and all were anxious to get on the road. Lynn and Kent have a RV called an Ekko, an amazing Winnebago. It had been on order since the beginning of COVID and they finally got it late last fall. They slept in it last night, and today we were able to load all 7 packs in an underneath storage space, and all rode to the Seaplane port in that - just over two hours from our lake home.

We arrived well before the “check in tent” opened, so we enjoyed the beautiful days, munched some snacks, and I for one tried to not be nervous as I eyed up the little Sea Planes!! At check in time, two young men drove up and I joked that they were going to be our pilots, but they weren’t this time (they appeared to be as old as the pilots in Alaska!). They weighed our bags, had us remove external things like poles, sleeping bags and my 1.2 lbs chair.

We were ushered to the dock and met our pilot Mike, and I immediately felt confident with him - an older, tanned experienced looking pilot. He told us about the Beaver DHC-2 with great affection for the aircraft in his voice. He said it’s the best Alaskan bush plane.

They loaded all our gear - my pack went into one of the floats! I could see why they wanted all the external accouterments to come off! Then we squeezed in, with Mike directing where we should sit based on our size - easy to squeeze in together after all the adventures this group has already been through!!

We arrived on the island, a gorgeous view from the air. We circled over the island and landed on a protected bay which makes sense versus landing right on Lake Superior! We taxied to Windigo, a small collection of buildings: office, store, shower and toilet building, staff quarters. We were greeted by three rangers, who gave us a verbal preview of what we can expect on the trail over the next 4 days: bugs, overgrown trails and some rain!!

We stopped in the office to pick up our permit, chatted with the ranger there (same story). Next stop was the store to have our white gas cylinders filled, bought some cold drinks and ice cream and chatted with some hikers that had just finished the loop we are about to embark on (same story).

We had to hike just 0.3 miles to get to Washington Creek campground, where we had 4 options for a group site. It’s fairly luxurious, with a picnic table and two pit toilets. Tomorrow, when we start hiking, we get to go past the store again, just in case!!

We set up camp and got started boiling the 13 cups of water needed to rehydrate our dinner. After dinner and dessert, a group of us walked back to Windigo to brush our teeth and use the flush toilets! Beautiful evening, with a jovial group (boaters or hikers?) on the deck of the store watching the sun creep down in the sky.

The variety of animals is limited on this island - primarily moose and wolves, which are heavily studied in the way their populations fluctuate. There are squirrels, and we’ve heard of pesky foxes that can be a nuisance at camp (apparently they’ve evolved to hang out by humans and therefore be somewhat protected from the wolves). So even though there are no bears or raccoons, we’re taking precautions with our food storage. We brought our two bear canisters, and are hanging everything else in a tree using ropes and a pulley system from Jeff’s many trips to the Boundary Waters.

I had several naps today, but still feel like I’ll sleep well tonight. Have to get myself in the right mindset to backpack 9+ miles tomorrow with a 40 pound pack and a sore toe (stubbed it jumping off the boat last night).

[drivelikeaminister]

Lost and Found

Introducing a guest post from my friend and workout partner Rebecca. Thanks for the moving story about an intense weekend!

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

I have never been much of a city person, but I regularly visit Philadelphia to see family and friends in the area. Driving down busy streets, my mind focuses on survival, pedestrians, potholes, and crazy drivers. I am oblivious to the trash often littered on the side of the road, not looking to see what it might be and definitely not stopping to check it out.

On a recent hiking trip to Wissahickon State Park with my dog and some friends, I returned to the parking lot to find my car’s front passenger window shattered, glass everywhere, my center console and glove box ransacked for cash, my wallet missing, and my backpack containing a laptop and clothes for the weekend gone. To my surprise, my gym bag containing two pairs of sneakers, climbing shoes, and my beloved Chacos remained unscathed; the perpetrator must not know shoes, because those would surely sell for a nice sum.

After a brief wave of delight at the window smasher’s ignorance of high-quality shoes, my heart sank, and my mind began to spin as reality set in. I spent the next few hours calling my bank, credit card, and insurance companies. I filed a police report and insurance claim, and my friends helped me clean the glass out of my car and tape plastic over the window. Getting back in my car to leave the city, I started making a mental list of all that I would need to do: replace my driver’s license and insurance card, let my boss know my university laptop was stolen, get my window replaced, find clothes to wear for my weekend out of town, remove the remaining broken glass from my car and belongings. Always keen to find a silver lining, I tried to remind myself that no one was hurt, and I would mostly suffer from some minor inconveniences; maybe the robbery was a desperate attempt to feed a family. Regardless, I found it hard to shake a newfound cynicism and contempt for humankind. Then, a Facebook message appeared on my phone that would change the course of my day: “Hi! Have you lost a Cotopaxi bag and wallet? I found it in Roxborough if it is you.” I became instantly giddy with anticipation as I proceeded to coordinate a meetup.

On her way to a birthday party at a local VFW with her young daughter, Leah had noticed a bag and clothes strewn along the side of the road. While all other passersby on this busy road drove past without a second glance, oblivious (like me) to roadside litter, she pulled over to investigate. She gathered up my favorite sweater, the scattered contents of my wallet, to-do lists, undergarments, chargers, and backpack and tracked me down on Facebook. The thanks I had to offer in the parking lot of the VFW, while heartfelt and profuse, felt inadequate.

As Leah walked away, I took stock of my mostly restored belongings and noted that my cynicism had been replaced by joy and gratitude (even a bit of gratitude for the thief who left my possessions on the side of the road instead of in a dumpster). The kindness of this one stranger had quickly and vastly overpowered the negative experience that started my day. I suddenly could not wait to share the epic tale with friends and family. I am still bewildered that someone stopped. I am certain I would not have if our roles had been reversed; I probably would not have even noticed the inconspicuous crime scene.

At the end of the day, my significant other asked if I had learned a lesson, surely hoping I would say that I would never leave my wallet in the car again. While I will be more cautious about what I leave in my car, the real lesson for me was about the power of kindness and the importance of paying attention. Often, I find myself moving through life much like I drive through the city, focused on my own survival, seeing only what is in my path or might come flying across it and trying not to get distracted by what is happening on the sidelines. How many opportunities to help someone have I missed because I was not paying attention? It is easy to drown out the things that do not directly impact us; in fact, our brains are hardwired to filter out unimportant information, but imagine how much better off we would all be if everyone paid just a little more attention to what lay outside of their path. After I had my car window replaced a few days later, it was as if nothing had ever happened, but now I pay a little more attention to what is on the side of the road, and hopefully, someday I will have the chance to pay it forward.

[rouxde]

Food News: Million Dollar Burger, Finnish Burger Bummers, Choco Taco Triumph and Eating Fried Toothpicks???!!

John and Evan catch up on what they've been cooking and eating before talking about Burger King's new burger contest (make the AI burger!), Finland's embrace of the well=done burger, Taco Bell ressurecting the Chaco Taco and South Koreans eating deep fried toothpicks. Thanks for listening!!!

Check out this episode!

[crispyfryenperu]

Projects, Musings, Shocks

I am chilling on the brand new sofa my host family just bought. It’s a stiff navy chair. I lie across the arms of the chair, in my classic Foreigner chaco-style Teevas, ill-fitting shorts  (my last clean pair), and a pink t-shirt.  I watch and listen to the Peruvian news. It really keeps you hooked. Endless blood and shootings motivated by money, drugs, and stealing. Today I was surprised to see that in Lima, there is a standoff between fishermen and police officers. Both sides throwing rocks and large sticks at each other. Several men rushed to the hospital. The air is warm and unpleasantly cozy, fortunately a breeze makes its way through the iron grates on the window.  I have a slight stomach ache from eating too many potato chips with lemon and the Valentina sauce I brought from the US. My host mom eats a homemade lucuma popsicle. Since no one has AC here, popsicles are a constant in life. Like drinking water (In the US, since in Peru most people don’t drink water). Every few days you have to make a new batch of popsicles, with whatever fruit you have available. If no fruit, make a chocolate milk popsicle, or use any juice you have. Right now we have lucuma, and I took advantage and made lucuma pancakes today too. Lucuma is a delicious fruit and perfect in a chocolate cake, something I will miss dearly when I leave.

I’ve been working on a higiene project in my town. The idea is that a nutritionist comes to talk about kitchen higiene. I invite all of the restaurants and the rest of the town. Then the municipality gives certificates to participants and promotes participating restaurants on their website. 

It has been very frustrating to work with the municipality to organize this project. It was like pulling teeth, and I am so happy that we are nearing the end of the project! First we did the workshops in La Capilla, which is where more of the districts restaurants are located. 6 women came. That is a lower number than I was expecting, but it allowed for a lovely, intimate workshop. Every woman was able to ask questions and participate in the hands-on activities. This week, the workshop is in the municipality. Since only 6 women came to La Capilla, I thought to myself, most likely around 10 women will come to the muni. But on our first day, 23 women showed up!!! I am still in shock. And I wonder if they came for the certificates, the restaurant promotions, the rifa sorpresa, or because I walked around in the heat 4 different times collecting info and inviting everyone to the workshop. Although 23 women are welcome, I’ve quickly discovered how hard it is to capture the attention of the whole group at once. Everything takes longer. Plus, a few people brought their young children. Still, the workshop had some very good moments, and I printed out all the information and slides in booklets, so I think that helps it to flow more smoothly, and helps people pay attention.  Tomorrow, Wednesday, will be the last workshop, and I went and bought more materials. A few women, who also own restaurants, commented that they have never had any formal training in restaurants or kitchen higiene, so that is what is motivating me to do my best. 

Once the workshops are finished, I’ll still have to organize kitchen inspections and restaurant publicity on the webpage. 

Besides that, I am trying to enjoy the hot, sweaty summer. I am training girls age 8-12 in soccer, and spending time at the beach with Peruvian friends and family. 

On Sunday my host brother and I found a scorpion on the floor. With a small scream, he smashed it into oblivion. On Monday, my host mom found another scorpion. She picked up the scorpion with a handkerchief, found its tale, and injected herself with the venomous butt. She explained to me that the venom is good for skin and can help pimples go down.  I am very happy to report that she is still alive and bopping. Although I haven’t checked to see if that pimple went down.  It was like an alternate universe. 

Also like being in an alternate universe, was someone was describing to me an awful motorcycle crash. But aside from the motorcycle crash, by the time the ambulance and police got there, the victims had also been robbed of their wallets and cellphones, while in their state of severe injuries and severe shock. It’s so awful to imagine. But so many people in Peru are poor, desperate, and accustomed to death. 

Today my host brother cooked a yellow-pepper-and-cheese pasta. It’s called tallarines a la huancaina. He put too much yellow pepper in and it tasted like a spiced pasta - spiced but not spicy. I was thoroughly enjoying it, and my host brother sat there eating and chugging down glasses on glasses of lemonade. He dumped half a parmesan cheese on top to lower the spice, and gave me half of the pasta he had served himself.  In the end he gave up and went to take a shower to cool off after the spicy pasta. It was like eating mac and cheese with some black pepper on top. He must be a super taster like my real sister.

Look at their faces

[warningsine]

The car had broken down as they were leaving Gato Colorado. Leni was amused by the name, and especially by the two cement cats, painted bright red, sitting on two pillars at the entrance to the town, which was on the border between the provinces of Santa Fe and Chaco.

The bad noises had begun much earlier, as they were coming in to Tostado, where they had spent the night in a small hotel. Leni said they should get it checked before setting off again, but the Reverend paid no attention.

‘The car won’t let us down. The good Lord wouldn’t allow it.’

Leni, who had been driving since she was ten and took turns at the wheel with her father, knew when a noise was just a noise and when it was a warning signal. ‘We’ll get a mechanic to take a look before we leave,’ she insisted as they drank coffee early that morning in a bar. ‘We could ask here if they know someone who’s good and doesn’t charge too much.’

‘If we take it to a garage, they’ll make us wait the whole day. We have to have faith. When has this car ever broken down, eh?’

Leni kept quiet. They always ended up doing what her father wanted, or, as he saw it, what God expected of them.

When they’d been on the road for two hours, the car gave one last snort and stopped. The Reverend tried to start it again, but it was no use. Leni looked through the insect-spotted windscreen at the road stretching away and said, without turning her head, but in a clear and firm voice:

‘I told you so, Father.’

Pearson got out of the car, took off his jacket, and put it on the back of the seat. He shut the door, rolled up his sleeves, went around to the front, and opened the hood. A jet of smoke made him cough.

All Leni could see now was the hood with its chrome plating and smoke or steam coming out the sides. Then her father walked past; she heard him open the trunk and shift the suitcases. Two big, battered suitcases, secured with leather straps, which held all their belongings. In his: six shirts, three suits, an overcoat, undershirts, socks, underwear, another pair of shoes. In hers: three shirts, three skirts, two dresses, a coat, underwear, another pair of shoes. The Reverend slammed the trunk shut again.

Leni got out. The sun was scorching, and it was only nine in the morning. She undid the top two buttons of her shirt, walked around the car, and found her father putting out the warning triangles. She looked at the triangles and the deserted road. Between and where they were, they hadn’t seen a single car.

‘Any moment now a Good Samaritan will come along,’ said the Reverend, with his hands on his hips and a smile on his face, oozing faith.

She looked at him.

‘The good Lord won’t leave us stranded here,’ he said, rubbing his lower back, ruined by all those years of driving.

Leni thought that if one fine day the good Lord actually came down from the Kingdom of Heaven to attend to the Reverend’s mechanical mishaps, her father would be more stunned than anyone. He’d fall on his backside. And piss himself too.

She took a few steps on the road, which was full of cracks and potholes. Her heels clicked on the concrete.

It was a place that seemed to have been completely forsaken by humans. Her gaze ranged over the stunted, dry, twisted trees and the bristly grass in the fields. From the very first day of Creation, God too had forsaken that place. But she was used to it. She’d spent her whole life in places like that.

‘Don’t go far,’ her father called out.

Leni lifted an arm to indicate that she had heard him. ‘And get off the road; if someone comes, there could be an accident.’

Leni laughed to herself. Yeah, or a hare might run her down. She turned her Walkman on and tried to find a station. Nothing. Only aimless static on the air. Steady white noise.

After a while she came back and leaned on the trunk, beside her father.

‘Get in the car. This sun is fierce,’ said the Reverend.

‘I’m fine.’

She glanced across at him. He looked a bit downhearted.

‘Someone will come, Father.’

‘Yes, of course. We must have faith. It’s not a very busy road.’

‘I don’t know. I saw a pair of guinea pigs up there. They went flying over the asphalt so they wouldn’t burn their paws.’ Leni laughed, and so did the Reverend.

‘Ah, my girl. Jesus has blessed me,’ he said, and patted her on the cheek.

This meant that he was very glad to have her with him, thought Leni, but he could never say it like that, straight out: he always had to get Jesus in there, between them. At another moment, that display of diluted affection would have irritated her; but her father seemed vulnerable now, and she felt a little sorry for him. She knew that although he wouldn’t admit it, he was ashamed of having ignored her advice. He was like a child who has messed up.

‘How did it go again, that little verse about the Devil at siesta time?’

‘What? A Bible verse?’

‘No, just a verse, a little poem. What was it? Wait. It was funny.’

‘Elena, you shouldn’t speak lightly of the Devil.’

‘Shhh. Wait, it’s on the tip of my tongue. Okay, here we go: “Setting his traps / he’s gonna catch you / casting his line / he’s gonna hook you / loading his gun / he’s gonna hunt you / it’s Satan, it’s Satan, it’s Satan”.’

Leni burst out laughing. ‘There’s more, but I forget.’

‘Elena, you turn everything into a joke. But the Devil is no laughing matter.’

‘It’s just a song.’

‘Not one I know.’

‘But I used to sing it all the time when I was little.’

‘That’s enough, Elena. You’ll make up anything to torment me.’

Leni shook her head. She wasn’t making it up. That song existed. Of course it did. Then, suddenly, she remembered: she was sitting in the back seat of the car with her mother, in the parking lot of a service station; they were reciting the song and clapping their palms together like playmates, having some fun while the Reverend was in the washroom.

‘Look. There. Praise be to God,’ cried the Reverend and took two strides to the middle of the road, where he stood waving his arms at the bright, glinting point approaching quickly through the heat haze rising off the boiling asphalt.

The truck braked and pulled up sharply beside the Reverend. It was red, with a chrome bumper and tinted windows.

The driver lowered the window on the passenger side and the sound of the cassette player burst out like an explosion; the shock wave of a cumbia forced the Reverend to take a step back. The man leaned out and smiled and said something they couldn’t hear. He disappeared back into the cool cabin, hit a button, and the music stopped. Then he reappeared. He was wearing reflective sunglasses; his skin was tanned, and he hadn’t shaved for a few days.

‘What’s up, bud?’

The Reverend rested his hands on the window, and leaned in to reply, still dazed by the music.

‘Our car broke down.’

The man got out the other side. The work clothes he was wearing contrasted with the sparkling, brand-new vehicle. He approached the car and had a look under the hood, which was still propped open.

‘If you like, I can tow you to the Gringo’s place.’

‘We’re not from around here.’

‘Gringo Brauer has a garage a few miles away. He’ll be able to fix it for sure. I’d take you into town, but on a Saturday, with this heat, it’d be hard to find anyone who could help you. They’ve all gone to Paso de la Patria or the Bermejito to cool off a bit. Me too: I’m going home to get my rod, pick up a few pals, and good luck to anyone who wants me before Monday.’

The man laughed. ‘Well, if you don’t mind.’

‘Of course not, bud. I’m not going to leave you out here in the middle of nowhere, on foot. Not even the spirits are out in this heat.’

He climbed back into his truck and manoeuvred it in front of the car. Then he got out, took a steel cable from the back, and attached the car’s bumper to his tow bar.

‘Let’s go, bud. In you get; it’s nice and cool with the air-con.’

The Reverend sat in the middle; Leni sat next to the door. Everything smelled of leather and those little perfumed pine trees.

‘Passing through?’ asked the driver.

‘We’re going to see an old friend,’ said the Reverend. ‘Well, then, welcome to hell.’

Leni’s last image of her mother is from the rear window of the car. Leni is inside, kneeling on the seat, with her arms and chin on the top of the backrest. Outside, her father has just slammed the trunk shut, after taking out a suitcase and putting it on the ground beside her mother, who is standing there with her arms crossed, wearing the sort of long skirt that Leni wears now. Behind them, over the dirt road of that anonymous town, a backdrop of dawn sky rises, pink and grey. Leni is sleepy; her mouth feels sticky and tastes of toothpaste – they left the hotel without having breakfast.

Her mother uncrosses her arms and wipes her forehead with one hand. The Reverend is speaking to her, but from the car Leni can’t hear what he’s saying. He’s moving his hands a lot. He raises an index finger, lowers it and points at her mother, shakes his head, and keeps talking softly. The way his mouth is moving, it’s like he’s biting each word before he spits it out.

Her mother starts walking toward the car, but the Reverend blocks her way, and she freezes. Like in statues, thinks Leni, who has played that game so often, in so many different yards, with different children every time, after the Sunday sermon. With one arm extended, palm out, the Reverend, her father, walks backward and opens the driver’s door. Her mother is left standing there, beside the suitcase. She covers her face with her hands. She’s crying.

The car starts and pulls away, raising a cloud of dust. Her mother runs after it for a few yards, like a dog dumped beside the road at the beginning of the holidays.

This happened almost ten years ago. The details of her mother’s face have faded from Leni’s memory, but not the shape of her body: tall, slim, elegant. When she looks at herself in the mirror, she feels that she has inherited her bearing. At first she believed it was just wishful thinking, a desire to resemble her. But since becoming a woman, she has caught her father, more than once, looking at her with a blend of fascination and contempt, the way you might look at someone who stirs up a mixture of good and bad memories.

The Reverend and Leni have never spoken of that episode. She doesn’t know the name of the town where they left her mother, although if they went back to that street, she’s sure she would recognise it immediately. Places like that don’t change much over the years. The Reverend, of course, must remember the exact point on the map where he left his wife, and must, of course, have struck it off his itinerary for good.

From that morning on, Reverend Pearson has presented himself as a widowed pastor with a young girl in his care. A man in such circumstances elicits instant trust and sympathy. If his wife has been snatched away by God in the prime of life, leaving him alone with a little girl, and he carries on, firm in his faith, burning with the flame of Christ’s love, he must be a good man, a man who deserves to be listened to attentively.

The above is an extract from The Wind That Lays Waste by Selva Almada, translated from the Spanish by Chris Andrews and available now from Charco Press.

[dragondefuegocine]

¡Muy feliz de anunciar que Las Preñadas formará parte de la Competencia Oficial del Festival del Cine de Goya, Corrientes!

7° Festival para la peli, que cosa de locos 😍

Posted @withregram • @festicinegoya

Festival de Cine Goya en cuenta regresiva

En dos semanas comenzará la 2° edición. Será del 01 al 05 de noviembre en el Teatro Municipal Solari. Se proyectarán más de 50 films entre cortos, largos y microcortos.

La fiesta del cine será de acceso libre y gratuito.

Finalizado el proceso de preselección de films para la competencia oficial, el jurado del festival cuenta ya con acceso a todas las producciones para valorarlas y dar su veredicto.

Participan de la competencia, 5 largos de ficción, 4 largos documental, 25 cortos de ficción y 6 cortos documentales. En total se proyectarán durante el festival estas 40 películas más las que se exhibirán en calidad de muestra que se estiman en 11 aproximadamente.

Cabe destacar que el Festival de Cine Goya cuenta con el apoyo de la Municipalidad de Goya, del Instituto de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales (INCAA) y el Plan de Fomento a la Industria Audiovisual del Instituto de Cultura de la Provincia. Colaboran y adhieren al festival, los festivales de cine de la región: Festival de Cine “Lapacho” (Chaco) , Festival Internacional de Cine “Guacaras” (Corrientes) y Festival de Cine Rural (Bella Vista).

La pantalla del Festi se enciende otra vez. Las proyecciones serán abiertas a todo público y con entrada libre y gratuita.

La nómina de films seleccionados para competir:

LARGOS FICCIÓN

📽️Las preñadas

📽️Cuadro a cuadro

📽️Sobre nadar

📽️Nene revancha

📽️La ballester molina

[elegantstyle]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Chaco woman Sport Sandal Aztec Orange Gray Sz W 9.