#definitely worth it- this is a beautiful hike that i highly recommend

[geolensgist]

Lower Calf Creek Falls, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT

June 2023

[herd-reject-arts]

So I gave myself the challenge of hiking 100 miles this month, since I don't have a job. And I completed it today! Don't know if I'll stop yet, but I'm definitely taking tomorrow off...

I visited a place I've wanted to go for years called Virgin Falls, roughly 2 hours outside Nashville. I managed to convince my kid brother to tag along, since he likes to sneak out of the house and go on walks around town, and I think he had a good time. He definitely had a look of wonder on his face that I haven't seen since he was a little-little. I went to school near the park, but everyone always warned me not to go because it's super dangerous. It wasn't, though. Maybe to someone without much experience, but I do this kind of thing all the time. Trail map said 8 miles. Ended up being 9.3 (which matters a lot when you're that far in). Pretty much anywhere there was water, there was a cave. All the falls exit into caves. It was beautiful! Most of my photos have my brother's face in them, so I don't have a lot to post, but it was just such a cool time. Highly recommend it to anyone in the area. It's a major task (took 5 hours and all my energy), but it's so worth getting to see the most unique waterfalls I've ever seen.

But yeah. Got my hundred miles in, saw some cool shit, and got to spend time with my troubled teen brother. Overall great day.

[redbirdandbluebird23]

So.... I signed up just to talk to you about your UK visit recs hahaha. Don't know if I'm even messaging you properly. This is Winterine from ao3, but annoyingly someone took that name here and I cbb going for variants when I am pretty sure I was the original Winterine lol. But yes, realistically, I'm planning to head to the UK for a big solo walk/cycle tour or historical/interesting/spooky/beautiful/natural places maybe 2025 or 2026 after I finish uni, I'm thinking around April-May ish. Keen to hear what you think I should see/do, or if I should go at a different time of year etc.

I honestly think April/May is the best time to visit because it's out of the main tourist season and the weather is starting to get better. Don't get me wrong, it will rain, but it won't be as cold and miserable, or as hot and miserable 😂.

I definitely got carried away listing places, but I figured if I listed everything and why, you'd be able to pick and choose what sounds best to you

Scotland:

- Inverness and Loch Ness: I was obsessed with the Loch Ness monster as a kid which is one of the main reasons I visited, but Inverness is also a really beautiful town and there's a lot of walks/hikes nearby 

- Glen Coe, Fort William, Ben Nevis, and Glenfinnan viaduct: we did all these in the same day, but we were driving and didnt actually walk up Ben Nevis. Glen Coe is a place that looks as close to lord of the rings as you can get outside of New Zealand, there's plenty of hikes/bike routes through it. Fort William is a little town directly at the bottom of Ben Nevis, so it's a good place to see/climb the mountain, and there's also hikes/bike routes. The Glenfinnan viaduct is most famous from Harry Potter, but it's also a really pretty place full stop.

- Oban and the Isle of Mull: Oban is a historic seaside town that's famous for it's whiskey distillery (which I recommend the tasting at) and seafood. There's a ferry that runs several times a day to the Isle of Mull, which has plenty of great places to visit, lots of hikes/bike routes.

- Edinburgh: it's honestly one of my favourite cities and looks exactly like it does in pictures. There's a lot of history and literary influence, and I highly recommend Armchair Books, which is a little second hand book shop. The castle is also worth visiting.

Wales:

-Snowdonia and Mount Snowdon: absolutely loads of hikes/bike routes, but if you don't want to walk up Snowdon, there's a little railway that I highly recommend. Because Snowdon used to be under the sea, it's also possible to find marine invertebrate fossils at the top.

- Llandudno: most famous as where Alice in Wonderland was written/inspired. But also a great little seaside town

- New Quay: lovely little coastal town with loads of walks/bike routes around it

-St David's: the UK's smallest city, very pretty and lots of hikes/bike rides around

-Portmeirion: this is, hands down, one of the strangest places I've ever been. It's basically a fake town that was used as a set for the TV show The Prisoner, but it's now a tourist attraction. I can't really describe what it's like, just very fantastical and strange, it even has a pet cemetery

England:

(The Peak District and London I've done as separate lists at the bottom due to all of the places I recommend in them)

-The Lake District: absolutely loads of walks/hikes/bike routes. Very picturesque and there's a lot to do and see. It's also where Beatrix Potter wrote all of her books so there's a lot of Peter Rabbit related stuff around.

-Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne: there's lots of hikes/bike routes through Northumberland, but I think Bamburgh Castle is worth a visit, it's been used in a lot of films. Lindisfarne is an island that used to be home to monks, they brew their own mead and its the first place the vikings landed in Britain.

-Scarborough, Whitby, and Robin Hoods Bay: these places encompass my childhood because we used to go on caravan holidays with my granddad every year. This whole stretch of coast is very good for walks/bike routes. Scarborough is a very stereotypical English seaside town with amusements and 2p machines, but Anne Brontë is buried there and it actually has a lot of history. Whitby is one of my favourite places on earth, not only because of its ties to Bram Stoker, Dracula and goths, but it's also very historic and the abbey is incredible. The kippers and fish and chips at the Magpie Cafe are a must. Robin Hoods Bay is a tiny little village that it really picturesque and has a history of smugglers.

-York: very historic, very old English. There's loads of tea rooms, interesting shops, second hand book shops and there's even a shop where you can buy your own little York ghost friend.

- Manchester, Leeds, and Sheffield: lumping these three together, and no one can get mad as me for it because I'm originally from one of them 😂. All of these cities have changed a lot from when I was a kid and all now have thriving food and drink scenes. But they're also all historic centres of industry. Manchester used to be a textile capital of the world, Leeds is known for it's engineering and canals, and Sheffield was vital to the war effort due to it's steel production. Depending on what interests you, they're all worth a look.

-Birmingham: not just for peaky blinders! Birmingham actually has more canals than Venice and a lot of industrial history. It's also got a thriving food and drink scenes and a lot of shopping locations.

-Cambridge: I've only been once, when I toured the uni when I was applying at 17, but it's very picturesque and has a lot of history. Ngl, some of the people can be quite snobbish and very stereotypical posh English.

-Winchester: old historic town, famous for it's Cathedral but also as where Jane Austen lived and died. There's a lot of literary influence and a lot of amazing book shops.

-Weston-super-Mare, Wells and Glastonbury: Weston-super-Mare is another old, typical English seaside town like Scarborough, but it has an absolutely massive beach so people flock to it in summer. Wells is a little town, most well known for the cathedral and the location Hot Fuzz was set and shot in. It's definitely worth a visit. Glastonbury outside of the festival season is a lovely place with lots of hikes/bike routes and a lot of history. 

-Plymouth and Cornwall: again, only been once due to how far it is from home, but I'm actually going again this week for my mum's birthday. Plymouth has a lot of naval history and I'm planning on going to the National Marine Aquarium Thursday which is supposed to be amazing. The only place in Cornwall I've been is Looe, but I highly recommend it as it's so pretty.

-Jurassic Coast: including Weymouth, Lulworth and Durdle Door in this. All very picturesque and where the bulk of UK fossils are found. There's absolutely loads of hikes/bike paths along this coast

-Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch: Bournemouth is mainly known for it's huge beach, Poole is where the RLNI headquarters are and where Lush was founded, and Christchurch is just very picturesque. 

-Portsmouth: where the UK navy is based. Very historic and very flat for walking/biking. Where D-Day was launched from and the D-Day museum is worth a visit. Was also home to Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling. Has a good independent book shop called pigeon books.

The Peak District:

(Growing up so close to it, I have a lot of recommendations, hence the separate category 😂)

(There are hikes/bike trails between most of these places, with apps/guides online for the most popular routes)

-Bakewell: very picturesque, old English town. But obviously you have to try the tart! I recommend trying both the tart and the pudding

-Castleton: another picturesque little town, but it's also full of caves you can go down, one of which was used for the gringotts scenes in Harry Potter. Lots of good pubs for a pint as well.

-Cavedale: very lord of the rings looking picturesque walk, but it's personally one of my favourites because it's where Wesley rolls down the hill while yelling "as you wish!" in the Princess Bride

-Hathersage: lots of great pubs, cafes and restaurants

-Scrivener's books and bookbinding: multi-leveled second hand bookshop in Buxton.

-Chatsworth House: old manor house with huge grounds. The house and gardens are worth visiting to walk around. JFK's sister is buried across the road in the little village of Edensor. But I honestly love visiting because it's used as Pemberly in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice.

-Lady Bower Reservoir: on the route of a lot of hikes, it's where the Dambusters practiced dropping the bouncing bombs during the war

-Eyam: the first place to social distance and lockdown during the Black Death, lots of history there.

-Padley Gorge: also looks like something out of lord of the rings

London:

Museums: most museums in London are free, but you can book tickets online and not have to queue. 

-The natural history museum (my all time favourite museum, especially as a biologist)

-The science museum (right next to NHM)

 -V&A (across the road from NHM and SM, mainly art and design.

-The British museum (great if you were an ancient Greek or Egypt nerd as a kid (or if you still are)) 

-The Royal Naval College and National Maritime Museum (in Greenwich and where the second Thor was filmed)

-The Tower of London (where the crown jewels are held, they are wonky, it pissed me off 😂)

Bookshops: 

-Hatchards (oldest bookshop in the UK, five floors of books).

-Waterstones Piccadilly (just down the street from Hatchards, absolutely massive)

-Gays the Word (oldest LGBT bookshop in the UK, setting of the film Pride)

-Daunts Books (technically a travel bookstore, but it has other stuff as well. One of the prettiest book shops I've ever been to)

-Lutyens and Rubinstein (very pretty, had a bit of everything(

-Books for cooks (is only a cookbook shop, but it's honestly worth going for the experience because it's also a cafe that cooks from a different cookbook each month)

-The Nottinghill Bookshop (a bit of everything)

-Word on the Water (bookshop on a barge)

Markets:

-Borough Market (one of my absolute favourite places on earth, great for lunch or to pick up snacks)

-Camden Market (alternative fashion, art, music and good food)

-Eatly (near Liverpool Street station, it's an Italian market hall, also good for lunch/snacks)

-Spitlefields (food as well as shops, near eatly)

-Portobello Market (Nottinghill, only on certain days so make sure to check before going)

-Covent Garden (more high end shops, but it's nice to walk around)

Shops:

-Harrods (just worth going to look at the price tags and laugh 😂)

-Fortnum and Mason (just down from Hatchards, expensive food shop, but it's nice to look around in)

-Hamleys (huge toy shop, I haven't been in a while, but it used to be amazing as a kid)

Places that I just think are worth visiting:

-Russel square and Cafe Tropea, and Bloomsbury

-Hyde Park

-Walk down Knightsbridge just to see all the fancy cars

-The Wellcome Collective (cosmetic museum, but it has a reading room where it's free to sit and read)

-The Paddington statue in Paddington station

-You can walk up to Camden Market from London St Pancreas/Kings Cross Station via the regent's canal

I've sadly never been to Ireland, but I hope these are useful and you have a really good trip!!!

[lagycart]

tokyo tohoku trip - day 5.

woke up early morning after a good night sleep for another great day out, my sleeping schedule was so good during this trip for some reason, haha... XD i went to the morning market nearby the hotel to have a look but they mostly sell fresh food and stuff for cooking, so i decided to get some breakfast from convenient store which i really want to eat.

after enjoying my breakfast at my hotel room, i decided to just pack and check out first, and leave my luggage with the hotel receptionist so that i don’t have to come back until i am ready to leave sendai tonight.

my first place to visit is the sendai castle ruins/aoba castle ruins 仙台城跡, which is up a hill. i went to the nearest train station and started to walk, it didn’t occur to me that i would need to hike up the hill until i reach there and saw the walking path. also, the shorter route was closed off because some trees fall on the road, so i had to hike up a longer route, it was totally unexpected and quite tiring. it’s a good thing that the weather is chilly and i just walk up slowly and take rests in between, and since there’s no car or not crowded at all, i had the whole path to myself.

the city view at the top of the hill is beautiful, as it is a sunny day, you can really see very far away and there’s also a group of people filming some dance video there, which is interesting to watch. while this place used to be the castle, you don’t get to see any castle as it was destroyed and was never rebuilt. there’s VR service available for tourist who is interested to see what it used to be like though.

i walked around a bit and found a shrine, which is always nice to visit. miyagiken gokoku shrine 宮城縣護國神社 is not huge, but a decent size and it also look quite nice, i bought some souvenirs for my friend and myself too. after exploring around for a while, i found out that there’s a bus service to take me back to town, so of course i took that and went back to sendai station for lunch.

as beef tongue is a specialty in sendai, i found that there’s a whole row of restaurants dedicated to gyutan at the station, i chose a restaurant that has good review and queued up for it as all restaurants there are packed and super crowded during lunch time. zenjirou たんや善治郎 has quite a simple menu with different cuts and quantity for their set meal, you also get white rice, yam and beef soup with the meal which is very nice. i ordered 4 pieces of thick cut gyutan and it was really really good, i like the simple flavor, the charcoaled taste and the chewy texture of the beef tongue, it goes very well with rice and the soup is quite li8ght and refreshing to complete the meal.

after a satisfying meal, i stop by the zunda saryo ずんだ茶寮 to get the edamame shake. this is also a popular item from sendai, it is very refreshing, sort of like fruit smoothie, but the bean taste is light and refreshing, i really do enjoyed this very much. they also sell some snacks and souvenir which you can buy and bring home.

for the afternoon, i took the local train to matsushima for a boat ride to check out the beautiful islands around matsushima bay 松島湾. apparently, this view is one of the most beautiful and highly recommended. i booked the boat ride ahead so there’s a discount, however, you can also buy tickets on the spot as well.

the boat has huge windows so you can sit inside and look out to enjoy the view while listening to the narration (in japanese), which is a very relaxing thing to do. there’s also a special cabin on the upper floor which require extra fees, so i didn’t go there. the other option is to go outside and enjoy the sea breeze which is fun and great for photos. the view is already very nice, and adding sunset to it make it even better as the water color just changes over time. it is definitely worth checking this out as it was beautiful and such a relaxing activity.

once we are back from the boat ride, i decided to visit a cafe before leaving, as i do still have time until my dinner appointment. shokado cafe 松華堂菓子店 is just by the seaside and they sell various kind of rice crackers, snacks and dessert as souvenir. i ordered hojicha with  a kinako sandwich (soybean flour puff) きなこサンド to enjoy while looking at the sea and sunset. the cafe is not busy hence it is the perfect place to just chill and have a good time.

for dinner, shiogama is a nearby town where it is known to have the most sushi restaurants in whole of japan. and the fish here is super fresh and not being frozen because it is so close by to the sea. my friend helped me make a reservation at sushi shirahata 鮨 しらはた, and i reached there slightly earlier and the staff are super nice and friendly.

with my limited japanese, i managed to ask the chef for some recommendations and what is fresh and good for the day and picked out the food i want to eat. i ordered hotate and shirako (fish semen) for appetizer, sashimi and a sushi platter. the appetizer is actually amazing, there’s a difference in texture for the hotate (scallops) between the ones i enjoyed in aomori and this one. both of them is very good and there’s no fishy taste at all, in fact this is very refreshing with the sauce. shirako is a weird dish, but i quite like it as the texture is so smooth and soft.

sashimi is made of out three type of fish that the chef recommended, all of them have different texture and taste, which is very enjoyable, some lighter taste and some heavier, it’s just so so satisfying to have good sashimi that just give you a different sensation every bite.

sushi platter has 10 piece of sushi with a slice of tamagoyaki. each piece is made so beautifully the whole plate is like an art itself. there’s different type of tuna, local fish, hotate, uni, anago and more. during the whole meal, i had a good time chatting with the chef while he is preparing my food, i’m glad that i get to use my japanese, while it is no where near perfect, at least he did understand what i said.

the service here is really awesome, the restaurant was quiet and the ambiance was really comfortable. the meal also included a bowl of hot shrimp soup and pear sorbet at the end to complete the meal. the whole experience is amazing and definitely highly recommended as i do feel the quality of fresh fish is better  here than in tokyo, and i do believe it is less pricey as well. i would love to be back again if there’s chance in the future.

heading back to sendai, i picked up my luggage from the hotel and also bought some souvenir from zunda saryo before boarding the shinkansen back to tokyo, which also marks the end of my tohoku exploration using my 5 days jr east pass. this pass is so worth it as i got to visit so many amazing places, i do love all the smaller towns and the scenery is just amazing. being able to see snow and play with snow is wonderful as well. there’s definitely so much more to explore as tohoku area is huge, so i would definitely like to visit again in the future.

for next day onwards, it’s gonna be tokyo and places around tokyo, to be continued...

[umichenginabroad]

[week 4] Prague to Paradise

Ahoj everyone!

Welcome back to my blog where we have officially passed the halfway point of our Engineering in Prague program! I am currently on a 10 hour train ride through the alps back to Prague from this week’s weekend trip, so shockingly this blog may come out on time! 

Let’s get right into it with a little bit about my classes from this week. On Monday we had a midterm for my Engineering Statistics class which was a bit difficult but hopefully we did well? I also had a quick midterm for my Cross Cultural Management class which was very straightforward, followed by a trip to the European Parliament experience in Prague. This was a really interesting experience where we learned about how the EU parliament works to pass legislation and even participated in a simulated activity where we played certain countries and parties in the EU and attempted to pass certain laws. It was a really eye opening experience and showed us a bit more insight into European politics. Closing out the class week, I had my final for my Cross Cultural Management class and officially finished up with that course for the summer. I highly recommend this course if you are interested in learning about different cultures, interactions, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and international business. 

Now for this weekend trip, this was the trip I was most looking forward to and it was to Lake Bled, Slovenia. I was initially planning this as a solo trip but was able to convince a friend to come with me on this journey. We woke up bright and early Thursday morning and began our 10 hours of train rides to this hidden gem. Shockingly, we made it to the final train station without any issues despite us having 4 transfers and there being an international cellular data outage while we were traveling (gotta love Verizon). When we arrived at the station in Lake Bled, there was a massive thunderstorm where we couldn’t walk to our hostel and with the lack of service we were a bit stuck. Fortunately, we met two Finnish girls who were able to call a taxi and offered to split it with us (shoutout Moona and Heela). Upon arriving at our hostel, the rain finally cleared up and there was a double rainbow which honestly set the tone for this trip. 

Friday morning, I had booked a white water rafting tour for us where we ventured through one of the most beautiful rivers in the world surrounded by insane nature. Our Slovenian guides were super knowledgeable and let us swim in the freezing yet refreshing water. It was definitely one of the coolest experiences I've ever had! We even saw a bunch of horses afterwards which were so adorable too! 

For the rest of the day we explored the town surrounding Lake Bled. We took a traditional Pletna boat to Bled Island and then hiked up to Bled Castle for some of the most insane views of the lake and mountains. Up on the castle we had a local Slovenian wine tasting and discovered a traditional printing shop. We also stumbled upon a wedding on the top of the castle which was pretty interesting to see ahaha. 

On Saturday we woke up super early and went to the alpine coaster which was a bit sketchy but really fun with some amazing views of the lake. After that we had the brilliant idea of renting mountain bikes to go to Vintgar Gorge. The ride there was so so difficult because it was basically entirely uphill directly in the sun. However once we arrived at the gorge, it was completely worth it. We were required to wear helmets as we ventured through the rocky terrain and were met with some of the most breathtaking rapids, waterfalls, and canyons. We then hiked back to the start of the gorge which was about two miles through the mountains with some insane views. Thankfully the bike ride back was much more enjoyable going downhill lol. To finish off the night, we watched the Germany vs Denmark Euro Cup match in our hostel’s pub.

On Sunday morning, we began our trek back to Prague and are currently on our final 6 hour train traveling through the Austrian alps. Moving into next week, I’ll have some friends visiting for a few days before a bunch of us head to Barcelona for the weekend! Thank you so much for reading and I’ll see y’all next week!

Matt Sinanis :)

Aerospace Engineering

Engineering in Prague 

[sonderastrology]

Astrology Culture - Venus Signs

Aries Venus:

🌹Upfront and bold about feelings - not afraid to “shoot their shot”

🌹Aries Venuses are huge support systems; even if they don't understand, they will still be there for you and listen

🌹High energy beings physically and/or mentally - people who can’t stay still for too long, always onto the next topic or lover

🌹Probably work out a lot and/or naturally strong and defined

🌹A sense of style to die for and a sense of humor to match

🌹Impulsive and feisty lil bitches 

🌹Intense eyes and sexy eye contact

🌹Outgoing and bubbly for the most part, this placement find it easy to socialize

Taurus Venus:

🌱Fall for physically beautiful people

🌱Controlling.,.,!

🌱Fear of abandonment x12

🌱BUT, these people are so loyal, supportive, reliable (like Leo Venus but less fiery and more down to earth)

🌱When taurus venus is single, they’re flirtatious and love to socialize/party/go out

🌱When taurus venus is in a relationship, they would much rather stick to dinner dates and hang out at home

🌱Will fight you if you mess with their friends and esp their family

🌱Ask these people for restaurant recommendations!!! they know what's up when it comes to good food 

🌱These people know their worth so don’t try fucking them over or treating them like shit!

Gemini Venus:

🦋Friendzones everyone but hates being friendzoned

🦋They don’t flirt with everyone; they’re just hot and like to talk 

🦋Shows off infront of a crowd

🦋Gemini Venuses get bored fasssst 

🦋When these people are in a relationship, its usually for long periods of time

🦋Hard to pin these people down

🦋Many hobbies that they're actually great at

🦋Good at being friends with benefits

Cancer Venus:

🦀CEO of “I’m baby” 

🦀This placement lovesss makeup/fashion, overall loves looking good

🦀They love the good things in life like Taurus and fall for the physically beautiful ones

🦀You get hurt cause you care way too much

🦀Will go out for amdrive just to blare sad music and calls it therapy

🦀I’ve noticed cancer venus has a hard time with love :((( poor babies

🦀Moody crab

🦀Gives level headed advice to people but does psycho shit themselves

Leo Venus:

YAASS MS. LEO VENUS! WORK!

☀️Ride or die type

☀️Jealous and possessive in relationships

☀️Leo venus are actually more homebodies, but when they go out, they’re the life of the party

☀️Attract people naturally

☀️Distinctive feature; hair, dimples, beautiful eyes, freckles, big smile, something!

☀️When they dress up, they go all out- queens

☀️So naturally beautiful 

☀️Put a lot of time into themselves and hobbies

Virgo Venus: 

🐢Their shy and seem emotionless around their crushes but they're freaking out on the inside

🐢Hard time communicating emotions, more into acts of service

🐢Freaks! in! the! Sheets!

🐢Neat and clean 

🐢Their style is simple and elegant, probably loves jewelry

🐢Don’t forget anything but they forgive easily because theyre understanding

🐢It hurts them to leave people, but it hurts the people being left a million times more - it takes a lot of hurt for a Virgo to leave someone

🐢Calendars, agendas, to do lists

Libra Venus:

🎀These people are hot asf, something about them is just ooufff

🎀Flirts via texting, snapchat, twitter dm, tinder- all of them

🎀Gigglers

🎀Hi Gossip! How are ya? :)

🎀Their style is trendy, cute, and eye catching!

🎀Definitely artistic asfff

🎀You have to be interesting, confident, and different to get a libra venus to love you

🎀These people are really kind and sweet - sometimes it comes off as fake but they just HATE rude people

🎀Most aesthiecally pleasing instagram accounts

Scorpio venus:

🧿They will stare at you

🧿Will make the first move if you’re taking too long

🧿Get addicted to people and things easily

🧿Love love music

🧿Loners 

🧿Scorpio Venuses will keep your darkest secrets safe and will always be there for you no matter what!

🧿Ride or die

🧿Tendency to stalk and obsess over their exes social media pages 

Sagittarius Venus:

☄️Late bloomers 

☄️Never really grow up, but they’re fun asf and always looking to do something fun

☄️Goes on vacation to DO THINGS- hike, skydive, tour museums, etc ... not a resorty type

☄️Music taste to die for, best at playlist making

☄️SOOOO funny 

☄️Reckless and do crazy things for attention

☄️Skater vibe

☄️Luck at extremes- very unlucky then very very lucky 

Capricorn Venus:

🪐Daddy issues of some kind

🪐Won’t say I love you first and won't say it for awhile

🪐Work and money oriented

🪐Acts of service typa love like virgo venus

🪐Low sex drive but when they’re up for it, they’re freakkkkyyyy

🪐Likes to dress in dark colors; cranberry, army green, navy blue

🪐Mysterious and hard to know fully

🪐Will have the same crush for years and years

Aquarius Venus:

💎Falls inlove with their best friends

💎Probably hates spending time with their loved one’s family

💎Difficult relationship with parents, they like to rebell and be independent

💎Knows so much about every thing, and loves learning about things

💎 “I think they're copying me”

💎Can be mean/cold but don’t realize it

💎Anxietyyyy from a young age esp socially

💎Very very smart but most of the time not academically - they hate structured environments

Pisces Venus:

👣Sleeps with the same stuffed animal they’ve had since they were born

👣Has pets and connects with animals deeply

👣They aren’t stupid, they’re just dissociating! 

👣Forgets what they’re saying in the middle of a sentence

👣Highly attuned beings, psychic powers

👣They fall in and out of love 5 times a day

👣Gives people the benefit of the doubt, always

[wildermouse]

(Anon that’s going to BC in a couple weeks) I’m going up as far as cariboo mountains pp, I’ll be hitting the okanagan valley and I also plan on going to Victoria island and visiting Tofino.

ooo okay, i can only speak for the island (it’s vancouver island not victoria island btw, victoria is the capital city on the island) and vancouver outskirts but i’ve got some places to share.

vancouver area -

head up to pemberton/whistler and hike Joffre Lakes. it’s a grind but it’s beautiful. there are tons of hikes in that area but that’s the only one i’ve done and i highly recommend.

i haven’t been yet but Lynn Canyon looks real nice. there’s a suspension bridge and waterfalls and natural pools.

Capilano suspension bridge is like a whole forest full of suspension bridges and they’re covered in lights at night and it looks super cool.

Golden Ears provincial park is great for some beautiful forest hikes and scenic mountainscapes.

vancouver island -

you’re already going to Tofino so that’s great, definitely the most important place to visit here.

but on the way up to Tofino i would recommend stopping at Little Qualicum Falls. it’s one of my favourite waterfalls. you could stop at Englishman River Falls too if you have time (they’re very close).

Goldstream Provincial Park is also on the way up island and is a staple of the island. everyone here grows up going to goldstream all the time. if you go through the big tunnel that runs under the highway there’s a very tall waterfall called Niagara Falls that’s worth seeing for sure. there’s another waterfall called Goldstream Falls that you can access from Goldstream Campsite which is on the other side of the highway (you’ll have to google it).

Mount Work is a good hike for the Victoria area. not so grand as the cariboo but has good views of the area.

East Sooke Park is nice for an oceanside hike.

Butchart Gardens is a world famous huuuge garden that isn’t far from Victoria. it’s super beautiful and i would definitely recommend it.

[cosmic-idiot1]

Master Kiribaku Fic List

this is a list of fics i've read. im not really giving a good synopsis for them, so i apologize for that. i've written all these down since january, so buckle in.

PART 1/??

At Moon Mountain |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19854475/chapters/47017765

{this is a really well written alpha/omega krbk story. i really enjoyed reading it.}

____

I wanna hold you like you're mine |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/16953168

{this is such a cute oneshot! i've read it at least 5 times ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. i recommend it!}

____

Freshly Ground Coffee |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21303890/chapters/50731340

{this one is so fucking sweet! bakugo is a pro hero and kirishima is a barista.}

____

Room for Cream |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20677235/chapters/49108766

{alpha/omega au that i really fucking enjoyed reading. i highly recommend!}

____

Punching Mouths: Together As One |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22234042/chapters/53089993

{this is just a super sweet oneshot! i recommend it.}

____

Garbage Friends and Confused Flailing |

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1585651

{i really enjoyed this series! a light read, but entertaining. i recommend!}

____

When everything's familiar but nothing's the same |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22432102

{another oneshot! takes place after kamino, beautifully written. i recommend!}

____

Every whisper, every touch, is a reassurance that you're here |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22464724

{ughhh i fucking love this oneshot. it's post kamino, i highly recommend!}

____

All it takes is a sign |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22582006/chapters/53965489

{bakugo is deaf and a teacher and kirishima has a deaf daughter and he's a firefighter and it only has 2 chapters so far but i fucking love it so much.}

____

Cold nights like this // kiribaku |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22671403

{first kiss! so cute, i recommend it!!}

____

Mind reading ~ |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22684348

{they go hiking and save a girl and it's really cute. i recommend!}

____

Oh, Wyrm? |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22702309

{kiri is a dragon shifter and stays with bakugo for the winter. super cute oneshot}

____

With you, it's perfect |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22723960

{i can only describe this one as 🥺}

____

our midnights, the last of the pages |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22728292

{they look through a photo album and it's so fluffy, i recommend it!}

____

so let's just get married |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22759276

{SO CUTE. seriously. i love this one.}

____

You Dense Motherfucker |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/16603241

{bruh,, this one made me chuckle}

____

Spartans Will Never Surrender |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22795438

{this oneshot is so beautifully fucking written, i've read it so many times. it does include smut, so smut warning!}

____

chicken soup |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22785064#main

{this one. this one is so cute and so sweet, i love it so much. i highly recommend it!}

____

Sudden silence |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22809511/chapters/54510250

{bakugo is deaf but the story is cute.}

____

Shitty hair and shitty nightmares |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17745419

{just,, 🥺}

____

If I offer you my hand, will you take it? |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/15924113

{oh my god i love this one so much. i highly recommend it!}

____

Spartans Will Never Surrender |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22795438

{smut warning! but i love this oneshot so much, it's beautifully written.}

____

Lego House |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22850515

{i have read this one at least five times. i love it so fucking much, it's so good. i highly recommend it!}

____

Gingernut chai with a hint of caramel |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22859836/chapters/54636736

{this is an omegaverse story, but it's a really good read! i recommend it}

____

You Belong with Me. |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22855561

{this one is amazing! it's more fantasy but not the fantasy au. it does have smut in it, though, so smut warning!}

____

Things Unspoken |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22887427

{this one is so sweet. i highly recommend!}

____

I wonder if you look both ways when I cross your mind |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22892044

{amazing. i recommend it.}

____

ghost stories about second chances |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22957633

{this is a super cool au i haven't seen before! i definitely recommend!}

____

Butterflies Have To Escape Somehow |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22982164

{this one is super cute.}

____

You're My Favorite Colour |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22995412

{soulmates au! i like this one, i recommend it!}

____

Beauty of a Beast |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/6563575/chapters/15017230

{this one!!! i've read this about 4 times, i absolutely love it! i recommend it!}

____

How to Get an Idiot to Realize You're Flirting With Him (By Bakugo Katsuki) |

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23054542#main

{ughhhh i love this one so fucking much. please, please read it, it's worth it ♡}

____

hope this works! many more fics to come, so stay tuned!

[ratingtheframe]

Lights, camera, lockdown! All the films I watched at home this November.

Last month, the UK went on a one month down lockdown, causing cinemas to shut and new releases to be put on hold.

In fact, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet was the only multi million dollar film to be released this year. It’s painful to think that Dune was supposed to be released almost two weeks from now and that we have to wait several months to see the sci fi film hit screens. Despite the post poned releases and closing of cinema chains, there are still some great films I hadn’t seen and used last month as an opportunity to look into them. Even though I didn’t see as much as I did in October, the quality of the films I managed to see this month is high.

His House (2020) as seen on Netflix

Starting off reasonably well with this horror brought to you by Netflix that centers the life around two immigrants and a spirit haunting the new lives they’re trying to build in the UK. It’s certainly a new perspective that I haven’t seen in horror and definitely isn’t a film for the fainted hearted for some of the scenes in this are genuinely terrifying. The overall message was thought provoking and poignant as it sort of spoke for those who’ve lost their lives attempting to seek asylum and those whoa are still struggling to find a new home.

His House is available to watch on Netflix. Score: 9/10  

Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight (2020) as seen on Netflix 

Definitely one of the most surprisingly good films I watched this month, Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight is a classic Netflix horror from Poland. The film follows a group of Polish teenagers addicted to social media who are sent to a camp to curb their addiction. However, when on a hike through the woods, one of the teens goes missing and without a phone to call for help, the kids are forced to face two grotesque monsters feeding upon humans. From start to finish, this film was highly entertaining and had a good structure to it. There were no gimmicks or cliches and it’s definitely a film I’d recommend to just about anyone. 

Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight is available to watch on Netflix. 

Score: 10/10

The Ring (2002) as seen on BBC iPlayer

Gore Verbinski’s (A Cure for Wellness, Pirates of the Caribbean) infamous horror is a cult classic and must watch for scary movie fans. Usually horror films can be too gimmicky and borderline cringey without an ounce of substance to them. However, The Ring is surprisingly good in that it possesses a deep narrative with three dimensional characters, good acting and wonderful direction. When a journalist’s (Naomi Watts) niece dies in unknown circumstances, she embarks on a journey to discover a horrifying tape that if watched, kills you in a week’s time. The box office sales for this film speaks for itself seeing as the film made nearly $130 million when it was released back in 2002. The Ring is certainly not for the faint hearted, so if horror isn’t your thing, I’d advise you stay well away from it. 

Score: 9/10 

Misery (1990) as seen on Netflix

Stephen King’s Misery is turned into an unsettling thriller starring Kathy Bates and James Caan. Author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) ends up getting caught in a snow storm, that seems his car veer off the road, leaving him in a critical state. However, a seemingly caring and selfless woman, Annie (Kathy Bates) takes him in, using her work as a nurse to care for him. It turns out that Annie is a super fan of Paul’s work and the care she has for him soon turns nasty and sadistic, leaving Paul in a panicked state for he is in the middle of nowhere with a practical psychopath. I wouldn’t say Misery is one of best adaptations of King’s novels. There are better pieces of work by Stephen King that have been made into movies such as IT, The Green Mile and 1922. The pace was quite slow and the fact that it took place in only one settling detracted from the progression of the film. However, it’s entertaining, well cast and had a decent story to it. 

Score: 7/10

Drive (2011) as seen on Amazon Prime 

Drive is 1000% one of the best films I’ve seen this year, in my entire life in fact. It’s incredibly bold, ambitious, vivid, subtle and heart wrenching at moments. A stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) is torn between the world of crime he partakes in and the love he has for a young woman (Carey Mulligan) that lives in the apartment next door to his. The subtlety and sensitivity that both Gosling and Mulligan brought to this film was so pure and authentic to their characters, whilst bringing an underlying sadness to the entirety of the film. By the end of the film you want to cry but aren’t sure why and these sorts of films are rare to find. The sound track and SFX in this are unreal, again adding to the confirmation that this film is one of a kind.

Score: 12/10 

Time (2020) as seen on Amazon Prime

I was delighted to see Amazon Prime had put this straight onto their service seeing as I’d missed out on Time during the London Film Festival two months ago. This is one of the most moving and deep pieces of work I’ve seen this year. Time is a documentary filmed over 20 years that details the life of a woman trying to seek justice for her husband who was put in prison for life for armed robbery. Not only is she fighting for her husband, but also her four sons, two of which weren’t even born when their father was put away in jail. Fox Rich lives in Louisiana, one of America’s toughest states when it comes to the criminal justice system. Sentences are of some of the highest in the entire country and are especially harsher to people of colour. Fox and her husband took the fatal and desperate decision to rob a bank in a bid to support their business and family. This drastic choice took Fox’s husband away from his family and for 2 decades, Fox spent time trying to get her husband out of jail. The thing that moved me the most about this documentary was her sons; four beautiful, smart and driven men who grew up without a father. It made me wonder how proud Fox must be of her kids and to see her fight for her husband and remain loyal to him is enough love to last two lifetimes. 

Time is available to watch on Amazon Prime now.

Score: 10/10

The Departed (2006) as seen on DVD

Throughout this two and a half hour film I was wondering how they had managed to get Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg to do a film together. And the answer is that this epic and high profile movie was directed by the infamous Martin Scorsese. It’s a mystery why I hadn’t seen this film sooner, seeing as it was a huge hit during its release making a staggering $291 million worldwide during its release. This is definitely DiCaprio’s best film (next to Revolutionary Road and The Revenant) and his performance was incredibly punchy and strong throughout. Everyone in this film was top class and the dialogue fitted well with each character with a natural story progression throughout. A top notch, Hollywood, must watch film.

Score: 10/10 

Murder by Numbers (2002) as seen on Amazon Prime

One of Ryan Gosling’s earliest films follows two high school students committing a sadistic murder simply to see just how it feels. Detective Cassie Mayweather (Sandra Bullock) is put on the case to solve the murder and quickly pieces the case together, leading her to Richard Haywood (Ryan Gosling) and Justin Pendleton (Michael Pitt) two students at the same high school. I wouldn’t say this film was bad, however the ending played a big part in the overall quality of the film. It had a good pace and characters, however the ending definitely let down the film for it was rushed and unaligned to the rest of the film. Ryan Gosling’s performance at the tender age of 22 was pretty decent and definitely stated to everyone else his ability as an actor for years to come. 

Score: 7/10

All Good Things (2010) as seen on Amazon Prime

As you can tell by now, I went on a Ryan Gosling whip this month. All Good Things is the true story of David Marks (Ryan Gosling), whose wife Katie (Kirsten Dunst) disappears and still to this day, has never been found. Marks was the prime suspect in the disappearance case but was never found guilty and lives a free man. Even though the story was interesting and the performances good, the fact this is a Weinstein Company Film made it hard to watch, especially with the totally unnecessary nudity and sex scenes that put Kirsten Dunst at its forefront. The film lacked a clear resolution and was left completely open ended like the case of Katie Marks, which is understandable, however not when it comes to making a good film.

Score: 6/10

Borat (2006) as seen on Amazon Prime

After finding the second Borat film to be highly entertaining, I decided to watch the first one and was certainly not left disappointed. The first Borat film introduces us to Kazakstan reporter Borat Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his first visit to America, whilst taking in all the americanisms to report back to his own country. Soon his pursuit turns to Pamela Anderson whose doing a book signing across in California. The comedy has many jaw dropping moments and sees Cohen above and beyond the boundaries of comedy to bring the character of Borat to life.

Score: 10/10

Boy Erased (2018) as seen on Sky Cinema 

If there’s one film worth watching on this list, it’d be Joel Edgerton’s Boy Erased. This film is the product of a real understanding of film language and the ability to make a beautiful and heart felt story. Edgerton is a well known actor, but has taken time to go behind the camera as well as in front of it in this Golden Globe nominated picture starring the likes of Lucas Hedges, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Troye Sivan, Xavier Dolan and Joe Alwyn. Like HELLO if that cast isn’t making you immediately turn off this site right now to find Boy Erased, then I don’t know what will. The film based on a true story follows Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) and his time spent at a gay conversion centre with fellow homosexuals Gary (Troye Sivan) and Jon (Xavier Dolan). Jared’s father (Russell Crowe) is a pastor he and his wife (Nicole Kidman) take their religion rather seriously, which is why Jared has been forced to seek help for his sexuality. It’s a hard concept to swallow, especially in this day and age when most parents, religious or not, are starting to become more acceptable of their children’s sexuality. This film exposes the reality beyond that and how some parents feel their child is damaged by something completely normal and feel the need to seek help for it. Boy Erased is made with sensitivity and beautiful acting from an a class cast. All round, it’s a perfect film.

Score: 11/10

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) as seen on Amazon Prime

I was a little confused starting this film to see it in Swedish, as I thought I was watching the David Fincher film of the same title. However, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was original a book and the first adapation of it for film was directed by Niels Arden Oplev, two years before Fincher made his version, starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig. However, the fact that this version was in Swedish didn’t detract from the thrilling story spun onto screen. The three hour movie follows a journalist whose been hired to solve the mystery of a missing girl who is part of a high profile family. A young female hacker who once hacked the journalist and practically ruined his career, joins him along the way and the pair of them uncover a long string of untold secrets that see blood being split amongst numerous women. It’s one of the best thrillers I’ve ever seen and a must watch if you enjoyed Fincher’s version.

Score: 10/10

Still Alice (2014) as seen on DVD

A highly anticipated film on my part, Still Alice is an arresting and moving film about a mother struggling with on set Alzheimers. Julianne Moore scooped up a Best Actress Award at the Academy Awards in 2015, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for her performance as Dr Alice Howland and her battle with Alzheimers at the age of 50. Kristen Stewart plays her daughter and Alec Baldwin her husband and their performances are equal to Julianne Moore’s. Overall, this was a touching piece that had soooo much depth to it and yet carried a satisfying simplicity throughout it. 

Score: 10/10

Enemy (2013) as seen on DVD

I heard about Enemy’s synopsis via a YouTube video and was throughly excited to watch it on hearing it was directed by Denis Villeneuve, a master director when it comes to thrillers and sci fi films. Even though Enemy was difficult to fully interpret, I still enjoyed the story and performance Jake Gyllenhaal brought to the table as a man who meets another man that looks exactly like him. There’s some pure mind fuckery that plays throughout the film as you’re left questioning who is this other man or if there are even two men at all. If anything, it’s an exploration of a man having a double life, wrapped up in some sinister secrets and tied between two women. All of Denis Villeneuve’s work is exceptional and Enemy is no different. A must watch for thriller lovers. 

Score: 10/10

A Star is Born (2018) as seen on DVD

Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born certainly wins the award for making me cry the most this month. The last version I saw of this film starred Judy Garland and James Mason and was centred around a musical actress and the rocky relationship she had with her actor husband. That 1954 version possessed a lot of brilliance and it was easy to compare it to the more modern version starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Who would’ve thought these two could be such an authentic on screen couple? The songs, the lyrics and the acting that these two brought to this picture was on another level, it was incredible from start to finish. Obviously the fact that this film had been done 4 times before honed the quality of the film, however Bradley Cooper’s direction and ability to bring out the best in Lady Gaga definitely makes this version of A Star is Born the best one yet. This directorial debut was nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Lady Gaga was handed the award for Best Music for a motion picture. Warning: you will cry whilst watching this or at least afterwards. 

Score: 12/10

Sorry to Bother You (2018) as seen on Netflix

Netflix certainly came through this month when it put Boots Riley’s fanatical dark comedy Sorry to Bother You on its streaming service. It’s honestly like nothing I’ve ever seen before and the innuendo and hidden messages within this film make it something that you can watch several times and never get bored of. Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) gets a job as a telemarketer who gets promoted to a “power caller” and through pride and greed, ends up abandoning his ideologies and friends completely. The film speaks for the gentrification of Oakland, California and capitalistic society we live in today. There are many hidden messages amongst the film that at first are hard to decipher, but soon you realise these messages are as clear as day within our own society. Lakeith Stanfield stars alongside Tessa Thompson, Steve Yeun and Armie Hammer, not a cast you’d usually put together but one that certainly worked. Sorry to Bother You is highly entertaining and will definitely make you laugh out loud at points and have you questioning your laughter right after.

Score: 10/10

The Florida Project (2017) as seen on DVD

I’m starting to think that films made between 2017 and 2018 are some of the best ever made and the Florida Project falls into that. I heard about this film through one of my favourite actors and was glad for the recommendation as this film is one of the best I’ve seen all year. The colours and character dynamics are strong and vivid throughout, as we follow the lives of people living on an apartment complex whilst speaking for the child poverty that plagues American society today. Willem Dafoe, who plays the complex’s handy man and security guard, even earned himself a Best Supporting Actor Award at the 2018 Academy Awards. 

Score: 10/10

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2014) as seen on DVD 

Usually I’d pass on a Charlie Kaufman film, seeing as they make no sense, however I felt that it was time I delved into this cult classic starring Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo and Elijah Wood. It’s a really well made film with a clear and distinct message to it that’s represented in some phenomenal filmmaking techniques. The plot line of this film follows a man trying to erase a past lover and his memories of her get wiped away physically before your eyes on screen. This film is certainly a conversation starter and one I’d recommend to just about anyone. 

Score: 9/10

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) as seen on DVD

Wes Anderson’s wonderful mind is depicted in this endearing narrative about two children running away from home. This has to one of Wes Anderson’s most iconic films and next to The Grand Budapest Hotel, it’s definitely one of the films you think of when you think of Anderson’s work. His work is known for having well rounded stories, beautiful shots and A List casts, with Moonrise Kingdom being no expection as Anderson manages to squeeze Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Kietel and a young Lucas Hedges into this film. If you’ve seen any of Wes Anderson’s work and not Moonrise Kingdom, get on it now. No, seriously, now. 

Score: 10/10 

Jarhead (2005) as seen on DVD

Sam Mendes’ war film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx translates the lives of US soldiers in Iraq onto screen and the brain washing their government has done to boost the importance of the US military and the service soldiers are doing to their country. Jake Gyllenhaal’s execution in this film is a reflection of his ability as a great actor. He always has this patient and gritty approach to his work that makes him addicting to watch on screen. There’s an entire video on YouTube about Jake Gyllenhaal’s eyes and the way they communicate his emotions on screen. This is certainly present in Jarhead, as the anger, frustration, disappointment and despair is held within Jake Gyllenhaal’s eyes throughout. Jarhead was originally a memoir written by a US solider named Anthony Swofford. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the open ended resolution to the film and the stagnant progression of Jake Gyllenhaal’s character. He literally didn’t achieve anything, which I suppose is the point of the film and how the honour that soldiers who went to Iraq were supposed to feel, is more of a fantasy than a reality. 

Score: 9/10 

Silence (2016) as seen on BBC iPlayer 

This film was truly summit else and a refreshing turn on genre from highly acclaimed filmmaker, Martin Scorsese. Silence certainly proved that he has the ability to be more sensitive with his films and can tells stories outside his usual New York mobster type movies. The film tracks the journey of two Portuguese missionaries (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) in the 17th Century who go to Japan looking for one of their mentors (Liam Neeson). However in this era, Christians faced persecution in Japan and were practically slaughtered for not following the country’s religion of Buddhism. The priests’ journey is perilous and heart rendering as they are forced to abandon their own religion in order to save their own lives and the lives of others. Despite the film being just over 160 minutes, it’s an inspiring story and one that is told in a tactful way. To believe this is a film is quite hard, as the accuracy of it makes it closer to reality than just a film itself.

Score: 8/10

Lynn + Lucy (2019) as seen on BBC iPlayer 

This film recently came out in UK cinemas and was put onto BBC iPlayer due to lockdown. I found it to be interesting and enjoyed the new perspective it gave to quite a simple story. Lynn and Lucy have been friends for almost their entire lives, and when Lucy’s baby boy dies in unexplained circumstances, it drives a wedge between her relationship with Lynn, as people in their neighbourhood accuse her of being a child murderer. Eventually, Lynn stats to believe the rumours herself, leaving her best friend behind and favouring the opinions of those who hardly know her. A great debut and British film, Lynn + Lucy is profound story of friendship. 

Score: 8/10

Revolutionary Road (2008) as seen on Netflix 

Revolutionary Road has a metric score of 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, which I find quite offensive as the film nearly falls into the “thanks but no thanks” category of films. Directed by Sam Mendes and starring Kate Winslet alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, I don’t see what’s not to like. I only clocked halfway through the film why DiCaprio had been cast with Kate Winslet (Titanic, duh) and it made their on screen chemistry more prominent for me. I always say this about EVERY SINGLE Leonardo DiCaprio film I watch, but his performance in this was unreeeaaal. His character went somewhere intense and never returned, making the hardship on screen 10 times more powerful. There’s a scene where him and Winslet’s character are in a full blown argument and DiCaprio’s rage was on another level. Incredibly authentic and honest, Revolutionary Road showcases a wonderful example of when two masterful actors come together to make something great. 

Score: 10/10

Hillbilly Elegy (2020) as seen on Netflix 

Hillbilly Elegy recently got torn to shreds by critics as it was released on Netflix the other week, and I half agree with what most are saying about it, but also feel there’s unnecessary criticisms about this film. The film is based on a memoir of a Yale Law student, J.D Vance (Gabriel Basso) who comes from rough beginnings and ends up building the life he so desired from a young age. His mother (Amy Adams) is a destructive drug addict who’s moods change frequently so that she’s constantly at war with her own mother (Glenn Close) and two children (Haley Bennett and Gabriel Basso). The story follows J.D’s return to his home town to claim his mother from a hospital after she over dosed on heroin. The only problem is, he has an interview with a law firm from Washington the following morning and has to choose between taking care of his mother and landing his dream job. Sounds pretty intriguing, right? And it truly is. The film is laced with conflict and great performances from everyone, however critics have blasted this film with hate, saying that it doesn’t ring true to the entire American experience of living in poverty, without healthcare and enough money to bring food to the table. The fact that J.D made it to Harvard and now works for a successful enterprise somehow detracts from his struggle as a child, which I think is complete BS. I think this film should be taken for more face value than as a political story. It’s a straight talking, rags to riches tale that proves with hard work and dedication, you can transform your struggles into success. One critic had the audacity to say that “Selling out your origins is a kind of white trash cosplay because you were lucky enough to get out”. The irony of this is that the critic herself is white and it suggests had JD been a person of colour, it’d made a better film, which isn’t the kind of world where I want to live in when stories of people of colour are used as poverty porn rather than something to enjoy or learn from. My only criticism of this film would be the pace of conflict within the film and how things went from 0-100 waaay too quickly. This can happen in real life, but on screen it tends to look sloppy and rushed.

Score: 9/10 

And that’s it! A rather short list for this month, but as the year draws to a close, I’m just really excited for the new films hopefully hitting screens next year. Seen you soon!

[fieryanmitsu]

The Heart-Pounding Sunrise Trek of Bonding | A3! | “Take the Stage” Fanzine

I am very honoured to announce that I am one of the contributors for the recently released A3! Take the Stage Fanzine! It was such a great experience working with so many talented artists and writers! Everyone's pieces turned out AMAZING, and I would highly recommend to check out the full zine! The fanzine can be downloaded for free here!

And, now that the zine has dropped, I'm able to share my piece with you all here! This story is based on the "Campfire Bonds" event and stars Muku and Citron as the focal characters!

Please enjoy~!

THE HEART-POUNDING SUNRISE TREK OF BONDING

THEME: “Campfire Bonds” event

CHARACTERS: Muku Sakisaka, Citron, Sakuya Sakuma, Masumi Usui, Tsuzuru Minagi, Itaru Chigasaki, Tenma Sumeragi, Yuki Rurikawa, Misumi Ikaruga, Kazunari Miyoshi & Izumi Tachibana

My fanfic masterpost: Here

AO3: Link in my Blog Menu

Muku stared intensely at his phone as he checked for the umpteenth time that he had set his alarm properly. Seeing that the numbers really did read ‘3:00am’, he locked his phone and placed it beside his pillow. 

“Ugh. I swear I can still taste the tabasco in my mouth even though I brushed my teeth,” Tenma groaned as he entered the tent.

“Did anyone get a normal chocolate for the s’mores?” asked Kazunari, looking up from his phone. 

“Izumi liked hers!” Misumi chimed in.

“That’s just because she’s a crazy Currian! No one would normally like a curry-flavoured chocolate,” Yuki snapped back.

“Anyway, everyone’s here, right? I’m gonna turn off the lights,” Tenma announced. “We have to get up early tomorrow, so we should sleep now.”

A flurry of mumbled goodnights flew around the tent as their leader turned off the lamp. Before long, the air was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing and light snoring. 

However, sleep continued to elude Muku as he stared fretfully at the ceiling of the tent—his brain whirring with his anxieties. Though the Summer Troupe’s first two plays had gone well, deep down, Muku felt that he had barely squeaked by with his performances. He knew that he was still the weakest link, and was terrified of dragging everyone else down. 

Just once, Muku wished he could give back to the ones who continually helped him so much. But, he didn’t even have any special skills—like Yuki or Kazunari—that he could put to use for the Summer Troupe or the Mankai Company. 

So, when Izumi had first announced this training camp, Muku had immediately volunteered to be one of the organizers, even though he had never taken on such a role before. At the time, it had seemed like the perfect opportunity to prove himself and be helpful to the others. Surely, even someone as untalented as him could manage to do this much.

Inspired by a scene out of a shoujo manga, Muku had manically researched to formulate a grand plan. First, they would strengthen their bonds as they hiked side-by-side through bountiful nature. Then, they would share a heart-racing special moment together as the rising sun etched its image into their memories. Plus, with the fresh mountain air, he was sure they would get more mileage out of their vocal exercises. 

However, when they had gathered to discuss the itinerary, his excitement had quickly been extinguished when his plan had been met with unenthusiastic faces. Some of the Company members hadn’t seemed interested in witnessing the sunrise, and many others had groaned about the early start time. 

After the meeting, Citron had clapped him on the shoulders, looked him in the eyes with a mysterious, all-knowing smile and said: “Do not worry, Muku! Your idea is most wonderful! Everyone will be super duper happy when they see the sun grating them! I will make sure of it—trust me!”

Though his brain continued to worry and fret, Muku clung to the words and reassuring grin that the Zahran man had given him that day and allowed the darkness to finally lull him to sleep…

The next morning, with much struggle—along with Citron banging some pots and pans together—the two organizers managed to wake up their fellow troupe members and line them up outside of their tents. Though, they may as well have still been laying in their sleeping bags. Masumi was draped on top of Tsuzuru’s back, fast asleep. Itaru was crouched on the ground, muttering to himself with a half-dead expression on his face. Even the ever-chipper Kazunari had his chin propped on Misumi’s shoulder, both of them nodding off despite being on their feet.

Citron came to stand beside Muku and nudged him gently. With a gulp, the pink-haired boy mustered all of his courage and stood up as straight and tall as he could manage.

“G-Good morning, everyone! Thanks for waking up so early to join us for the first item on our itinerary today: the ‘Heart-Pounding Sunrise Trek of Bonding!’” Muku announced. “I know that it’s silly to want to follow someone who’s more annoying than the itchiest bite from a mosquito that arrived earlier than the usual mosquito season—”

“Muku, literally no one said that,” Yuki interrupted with a sigh. “Just lead the way.”

“O-Oh right! S-Sorry!” Muku responded, snapping out of his rant. “P-please follow me and watch your step!”

As Muku led the way to the forest trail, with the others shuffling groggily behind him, he couldn’t help but cringe as he heard someone yawn loudly and another person let out a groan.

“Ugh, this sucks…” 

“Masumi, stop it! The Director wouldn’t be happy to hear you say that,” Sakuya protested in a hushed tone. “Look! She’s enjoying herself, so you should copy her.”

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, after all… Muku thought to himself, worrying at his bottom lip.

“Muku, why don’t you tell everyone about the path?” Citron suddenly said from behind him. “Did you not do lots of the research?”

“Really, Mukkun?” Kazunari asked, perking up and looking more awake than earlier. 

“O-Oh, yes! Apparently, this path dates back to the Sengoku era. Monks used it as part of a pilgrimage route and this campsite actually used to be an aesthetic training ground,” Muku explained.

“That’s actually really cool,” Tsuzuru remarked. “Who knew that there was so much history in a place like this!”

“Ah! That signpost there marks the quarter-way point! We can take a quick rest here!” Muku explained, noticing that they had lost a few members. 

“I-I can’t go on…” Itaru wheezed as he finally caught up to the others several minutes later.

“C’mon Itaru, we’re almost there! You can do it!” Izumi chirped encouragingly, passing the salaryman a bottle of water.

“It’s okay, Itaru! You will soon have your senses delighted by a surprise up ahead! Tell them about it, Muku,” Citron implored.

“Y-Yes! Ummm… Just down this path is a beautiful waterfall that the monks used as part of their training,” Muku responded, taking the older man’s cue. “I… I actually purposely picked this path because it would take us by the waterfall. Legend says that, if you make a wish there, your deepest desires will come true! So, I thought that you would really like to see that, Itaru! Maybe it’ll help with your next gacha pull in your games!!”

“Seriously? Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.”

Muku felt his heart flutter as the others started chattering excitedly about what wishes they would make. With this renewed vigour, their group continued on their hike, making a stop at the wish-granting waterfall on the way. 

Then, almost an hour after they had left their campsite, Muku spotted the sign marking their final destination.

“We’re here, everyone!”

There was a collective sigh of relief as the members of the Mankai Company cleared the last steps and planted their feet on the plateau. However, their mutters quickly died in their throats as they came face-to-face with the view before them. A forest of trees spread out endlessly ahead, surrounded on both sides by jagged cliffs. The sun peeked above the horizon of the valley and the sky was dyed a gorgeous blend of soft oranges, pinks and straggling blues.

“Amazing!” Sakuya breathed softly. “This is beautiful, Muku!”

“Beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe it!!” Kazunari added, immediately taking out his phone.

“You did good, Muku. Here’s a triangle!” Misumi said with a smile, handing the pink-haired boy a smooth and shiny triangular-shaped rock.

“Yeah… It made waking up worth it,” Masumi murmured, showing a rare smile.

“This was great, Muku. Thanks for planning this for us,” Tenma said, punching him lightly in the arm.

“Yeah, seriously! I’m so glad that someone was able to plan a normal activity for this training camp. Unlike a certain someone’s crazy ‘Russian Roulette S’mores’ idea,” Tsuzuru said with a sigh, throwing a baleful glare at Citron.

“Oh, Tsuzuru! You wound me! I put so much thought into making an unforgiveable event for everyone!”

“I think you mean ‘unforgettable’,” Itaru piped in.

“Look here, it’s not ‘Russian Roulette’ if all of the options are weird!” Tsuzuru exclaimed in exasperation.

“No kidding! I can’t believe I had to eat that awful wasabi chocolate because of you! I thought my mouth was on fire!” Yuki added, jabbing a finger into Citron’s chest angrily. “You’re lucky this sunrise made up for that atrocious game!”

As Citron dramatically crumpled to the ground from Yuki’s attack, a hand clutched over his heart, he turned his head towards Muku and shot him a wink.

At that moment, Muku felt a rush of warmth surge out of his chest and envelope the rest of his body. As he suppressed the tears prickling behind his eyes, Muku thought that he could now truly understand the meaning behind all of those times his shojo manga had compared someone’s smile to the brightness of the sun.

Writing this story was such a fun challenge for me! I had to work with a word count restriction, but I also wanted to make sure I somehow included every other character from the event — so it was definitely a juggling act, haha! It was also my first time writing about both Muku and Citron, so that was a new challenge in itself. Especially since I wanted to make sure I did two of my favourite characters justice!! In the end, I'm really happy I had the opportunity to write this and am so thankful that I was able to be part of this zine! Again, do check out the full zine if you have a chance!|

As always, thank you for reading and feel free to leave a comment if you have any thoughts!! Any reblogs are always appreciated!!

-Anmitsu

[radiojamming]

Hello, I recently watched the Terror and have become utterly fascinated with the history of the Franklin expedition. You seem highly knowledgeable and I was wondering if you had any recommendations for books about the expedition.

!!! Absolutely! :D

WE’RE READY (featuring itty bitty John Hartnell)

So by no means is this list exhaustive. I’ve narrowed it down to the books and publications that I feel are the most helpful in getting to appreciate the full scope of the Expedition, what led up to it, and the results of it (the aftermath is just as interesting as the Expedition itself, which we really only know bits and pieces about). This is also a fabulous list of sources that you should definitely check out! I have it bookmarked on Chrome because I’ve referred back to it so often. :’D

Erebus by Michael Palin - Yeah, that Michael Palin of Monty Python fame. This is Palin’s passion project and one that ended up being a really fun read. It goes through the history of the HMS Erebus from her creation, her voyages, and her tragic end. It’s detailed where it needs to be and lighthearted when appropriate. I feel like it’s a very good introduction into the world of the Royal Navy at the era and a good starting point for any Franklin Expedition research if you’re unfamiliar with it.

James Fitzjames: The Mystery Man of the Franklin Expedition by William Battersby - I think it’s helpful to get to know some of the officers of the Expedition to really appreciate the scope of the people who joined on. James Fitzjames is an incredible figure and Battersby (who passed away a few years ago and is very missed) did a beautiful job of forming his biography. A surprising amount of text is lifted and used in the TV show, sometimes word-for-word (the Chinese sniper story and the cairn walk especially). If you like the show and like Fitzjames’ character, this is vital reading.

Franklin: Tragic Hero of Polar Navigation by Andrew Lambert - Of course, it wouldn’t be the Franklin Expedition without the man himself. This one is a heavier read than the Fitzjames biography, but it’s well worth the time. It covers all of Sir John Franklin’s life, the history of attempts on the Northwest Passage, and his legacy after his death. It’s interesting to read about his public perception, ranging from tragic to a walking joke. If you have the time, this one is worth it.

Captain Francis Crozier: Last Man Standing? by Michael Smith - Good for rounding out the trinity of authority with a fairly cheap Kindle book! I’m actually not finished with reading this one, but so far, I’m impressed. Crozier has always been an interesting figure in the Franklin Expedition, enough that he’s front and center in the TV show. I’m giving it a recommendation mostly because it’s the most thorough biography of him.

Finding Franklin: The Untold Story of a 165-Year Search by Russell A. Potter - If you get into the Expedition proper, you’re going to run into Russell Potter sooner or later, through his blog or otherwise. There are very few books that run through what actually happened once Franklin reached the Arctic (I’m gettin’ there!), but Potter does a darn good job of telling the what-happened-after. This is pretty vital reading, especially for phrases like “human debris”. He’s also one of the few people who has written things about the Peglar Papers!

Unravelling the Franklin Mystery: Inuit Testimony by David Woodman - Oh, this is the heavy hitter. This is the reason why a lot of us are here, whether we know it or not. Woodman is another person you’ll run into eventually in Expedition circles, and he’s highly-respected. This book provides an incredible play-by-play of the steady uncovering of the whereabouts of the Erebus and Terror using local Inuit testimony. The results are magnificent, and I cherish my copy of this book with my whole heart. 

Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition by Owen Beattie and John Geiger - As several people at the Mystic Symposium said, this book is the gateway drug for a lot of people - myself included. Several copies have a mummified face staring out from the cover, either belonging to John Torrington or John Hartnell. So much of The Terror is based on this book in its entirety - three dead sailors who died before disaster truly struck, lead poisoning through canned food (now mostly disproved, but it was a great explanation for the time!), and the slow, painful fate of those on the Death Hike. Dr. Beattie ran an anthropological study into the remains of the three crew members interred on Beechey Island, finding some of the best mummified human remains ever discovered. Photographs included, it’s a compelling and sometimes chilling (hah!) read that I can’t recommend enough. My poor copy has been stained and dog-eared to death, if it tells you anything.

Fatal Passage: The Story of John Rae, the Arctic Hero Time Forgot by Ken McGoogan - Definitely a good read for those interested in the aftermath and search for the Expedition. John Rae is another amazing figure in the story and is well worth learning about. Both this and Dead Reckoning are great books by McGoogan that I can’t recommend enough. 

Hopefully this helps to get you on your way into the Franklin Expedition wormhole! If anyone else has book recommendations, feel free to add them! These were just the ones I had on hand that I feel were good baseline reading (of course, the library of Franklin stuff goes on foreveeerrrrrr).

[mindfulmcgivern]

20 Ways to Slow Down & Enjoy the Things that Matter

“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” — Lily Tomlin

Living a simple life is about taking the foot off the accelerator so you have the time to take a deep breath and appreciate the view.

Recently, I was in a book shop looking for some inspiration and a new book to read. After much indecision I found myself drawn to a book called “SLOW” by Brooke McAlary.

The beautiful crafted front cover grabbed my attention with 3 simple words: “Live life simply”.

Now the books in my hands had me hooked and excited to look inside. What sealed the deal and got the purchase over the line was a letter on page one from Brooke to the world. She wrote:

“Dear Mr and Mrs Jones,

I am writing to inform you of my withdrawal from the race to keep up with you. It has come to my attention that prolonged attempts to compete with you have been detrimental to my health, my bank account, my self-confidence and my ability to feel content. This is a price I am no longer willing to pay”.

I digested this 264 page book in less than a week.

The message of slowing down and simplifying life was something I have been striving towards for some time.  Reading Brooke’s journey reminded me the journey so far has been 100% worthwhile.

Similar to Brooke’s story, I got to a point where I didn’t want to feel I was competing with everyone around me. I wanted a life on my terms that offered balance. I didn’t want to feel like the running hamster on that ever turning wheel of life. Over time I feel I have achieved that vision.

What about you?

You will never get a Better Opportunity to Embrace a Slower Pace of life than Now!

With the consequences of Covid-19 the pace of life has dramatically slowed overnight. People have literally stopped running from one engagement to the next. Staying at home has become the new normal.

Demands have diminished. Daily routines have been interrupted. We suddenly have time.

What can we do with that time?

We have the opportunity to slow down.

Covid-19 is slowing the pace of life down all around the world. We virtually can’t go faster, so why not ease back and find a way how to enjoy what life can offer.

While the impact of the pandemic has been tough on our lives and mental wellbeing the enforced slowing down has many benefits worth exploring.

Remember when we would say, “I wish I had more time to do other things other than just work”. Well- guess what? You can!

The current moment offers a unique chance to push back against the cult of speed and to continue life in a slower, more meaningful way.

 Life before Covid-19

Before Covid-19 we had created a frantic lifestyle in which not a minute was wasted. The 24 hours of each day was carved up, dissected, and reduced to 10-minute blocks of efficiency.

·         We become agitated in the doctor’s surgery waiting for more than 5 minutes.

·         We grew frustrated with never ending traffic congestion.

·         We became annoyed by the supermarket lines.

·         We took our smartphones with us on holiday.

·         We would go through our emails at restaurants

·         We attended to our online bank accounts while walking in the park.

We had become slaves to our “urgent” appointments and to-do lists. Life was about speed.

An example of how the speed of our lives was increasing was conducted in the U.K by the University of Hertfordshire. Their study found the walking speed of pedestrians in 34 cities around the world had increased by 10% from 1995 to 2005.

What Does a Slow Living Lifestyle Really look like?

Sloww.co defines slow living as a conscious choice to push back against the state of constant busyness and “time poverty.” It’s an approach to life that emphasises balance and simplicity.

The lifestyle focus embraces :

·         Reflection and mindfulness

·         Savouring of lifes unique moments

·         Pacing activities rather than rushing

·         Connection with ourself and the world around us

·         Finding a life of purpose and meaning

·         Discovering a flow like state with everything we do

 Finding the Real you

Through the years of speed and busyness did you have those moments when you imagined this perfect time when you could be still and do the things you loved when you were younger?

Did you crave the opportunity to just be?

This restoration of our inner selves is the part of us that shouts out from afar. It’s the part of us that images, dreams and wants to question who we are and what is important?

We have been living too fast. We have sold our inner selves to the devil of speed, efficiency, money, hyper-connectivity, “progress.”

When we have the chance, like we do now, to slow and listen to our inner self we start to hear the breathing of our spirit. The awareness of those breaths shows us a way of living that releases us from being a prisoner of a hectic lifestyle. We are no longer held captive by the world around us.

What Slow Living isn’t

It���s useful to gain some perspective around the idea of slowing living and simple living.

What does it mean?

A good starting point is to understand what slow living isn’t.

An article called, “Slow Living 301: How to Start a Slow Living Lifestyle,” offers some great insights into breaking down perceived perceptions around slow living. Quoting the author Kyle Kowalski, she writes:

·         Slow living is about doing everything as slowly as possible: This is definitely one of the biggest misperceptions. Slow living is not about living your life in slow motion. It’s about doing everything at the right speed and pacing instead of rushing. Slow living isn’t about losing time by going slowly; it’s about gaining time by doing the things that are most important to you.

·         Slow living is the same as simple living: The theme was that you can live simply but not slowly, and you can live slowly but not simply. I’ve found that simple living is more focused on things (materialism, consumption, etc) and slow living is more focused on time (energy, balance, etc). Some of us choose to take the best of both worlds and live slowly and simply—think of it like a Venn diagram where there’s some overlap in the middle.

·         Slow living is about doing and being less: I read an article where the author said she was giving up slow living because she was “losing my identity.” While slow living eliminates the non essentials from your life, the intent is to free up time so you can be more.

·         Slow living is anti-technology: Slow living isn’t about traveling back in time. It’s about using technology as a tool instead of technology using you.

 Step 1: Where do we start?

Lifestyle habits do not change easily. There will always be some form of resistance to do things differently.   There needs to be a conscious effort to uncover our priorities and what inspires us in life if we want things to change.   The only way we can begin to uncover what change looks like for us is by questioning “WHY?”

What is important? What benefits are there to gain by changing to a slower simpler living lifestyle?

In her book “SLOW,” Brooke McAlary acknowledges the importance of understanding “Why?” She writes:“Having and knowing my Why helps me decide what actions to take”.

Through the process of discovery we will find our reason for wanting/needing to embrace a slower simpler life. It will establish our foundation that will support on the journey, especially when we may be confronted with doubt.

STEP 2: Unearthing what a slower simplified approach to life looks like.

What can we do to make life easier?

You may have found that the last few months have given you more time to think and reflect on what’s really important to you. When we slow down, we are more likely to gain value from the smaller things in our everyday existence. Simplifying our lives helps create unlimited possibilities for personal growth

For me I have found tapping into creativity has become a valued and rewarding new habit. With the extra time now available I am inspired to try writing blogs like the one you are reading now. I do not profess to be any good; yet it offers me an outlet to slow down and enjoy.

I look for nothing other than happiness from the process. It gives me a sense of direction and purpose I did not have before.

What are some changes you can make in your lifestyle to simplify your life?

20 Ways to Slow Down and Find Simplified Life

Sometimes we need a little inspiration to point us in the right direction.

If you need some great ideas how to transform your life, by choosing less, I highly recommend Leo Babauta at ‘Zen Habits’. A prolific blogger who offers some cool concepts we all can try to slow down and enjoy life:

1. Do less. It’s hard to slow down when you are trying to do a million things. Instead, make the conscious choice to do less.

2. be present. It’s not enough to just slow down — you need to actually be mindful of whatever you’re doing at the moment. That means, when you find yourself thinking about something you need to do, or something that’s already happened, or something that might happen … gently bring yourself back to the present moment. Focus on what’s going on right now.

3. Disconnect. Don’t always be connected. Being connected all the time means we’re subject to interruptions. We’re constantly stressed about information coming in; we are at the mercy of the demands of others. It’s tough to slow down when you’re always checking new messages coming in.

4. Focus on people. Too often we spend time with friends and family, or meet with colleagues, and we’re not really there with them. We talk to them but are distracted by devices. We are there, but our minds are on things we need to do. We listen, but we’re really thinking about ourselves and what we want to say. Just try being 100% there for the other person.

5. Appreciate nature. Take the time to go outside and really observe nature. Exercise outdoors when you can, or find other outdoor activities to enjoy such as nature walks, hiking, etc.

6. Learn to Eat slower. Be mindful of each bite. Appreciate the flavours and textures. Just focus on that one activity. No book, no phone.

7. Drive slower. Make it a habit to slow down when you drive. Appreciate your surroundings. Make it a peaceful time to contemplate your life, and the things you’re passing.

8. Find pleasure in chores. This is related to being present. Whatever you’re doing, be fully present. For example, when washing dishes, instead of rushing through it as a boring chore to be finished quickly, really feel the sensations of the water, the suds, and the dishes. It can really be an enjoyable task if you learn to see it that way. The same applies to other chores — washing the car, sweeping, dusting, laundry — and anything you do.

9. Single-task. Focus on one thing at a time. When you feel the urge to switch to other tasks, pause, breathe, and pull yourself back.

10. Breathe. When you find yourself speeding up and stressing out, pause, and take a deep slow breath. By fully focusing on each breath, you bring yourself back to the present, and slow yourself down. Next time you get into your car take a moment to take three deep breathes before turning on the engine.

11. Know what’s Important. The simple version of simplifying is “Identify what’s important, and eliminate the rest.” So take time to identify the most important things in your life.

12. Say No to Extra Commitments. Now that you’ve identified what’s important, you need to start saying “No” to things that aren’t on your important list.

13. Limit Tasks. Each morning, list your 1-3 most important tasks. Limiting your tasks helps you focus, and acknowledges you’re not going to get everything done in one day.

14. Carve out Un-distraction Time. When are you going to do your most important work? Schedule it with a block of time (1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, whatever works for you). Make this your most sacred appointment. Just do the most important task, then the next one if you have time.

15. Slow Down. We rush through our days, almost in a single frenetic anxiety-filled non-stop movement. Instead, slow down. Life won’t collapse if you aren’t rushing from task to task, email to email. You can pause, take a moment to reflect, smile, and enjoy the current task before moving on.

16. Create Space. We cram our tasks and meetings together, and leave no spaces between them. The space between things is just as important as the things themselves. Leave a little space between meetings, even tasks. Take a break. Enjoy the space.

17. Give yourself time to get ready and get there. If you’re constantly rushing to appointments in an anxious state, it’s because you haven’t allowed enough time.

18. Practice being comfortable with doing nothing. One thing I’ve noticed is that when people have to wait, they become impatient or uncomfortable. Try standing in line and be patient.

19. Realize that if it doesn’t get done, that’s OK. There’s always tomorrow. The world likely won’t end if you don’t get that task done today.

20. Get in touch with your Creativity. Tap into your artistic side.

 What Does the Future look like Beyond Covid-19

We all will at some point emerge from the restrictions imposed by Covid-19. Therefore, it is essential we purposely try and maintain the lessons we have learnt and experienced from living a slower life.

We do not want to get suckered back on the merry go round of a fast paced life.

A recent research article by Giana Eckhardt and Katharina Husemann addresses this very point. ‘How to maintain a slower pace of life after lockdown,’ offers three key areas of focus:

1.       Slowing down your body

If possible, resist the urge to re-connect with fast modes of transport to get to and from work such as the bus and train.

Try to continue with slower methods of moving such as walking or cycling. Besides the physical benefits their research indicates a slower pace allows for a stronger connection for deep reflection between body and mind.

2.       Controlling your technology use

During lockdown, technology has been used to revitalize meaningful connections to those important to us. It has been beneficial reinforcing close connections around the world.

They urge us to continue these meaningful practices as you emerge from lockdown. This helps cultivate long lasting close communities, rather than shallow and short, relations with others.

 3.       Limiting your activities

During lockdown, activities and choices were limited such as fast food and dining experiences.

They remind to try and remember the feeling of making your own food, and sharing it with your household, rather than running back to eating out and on the go. As some form of normality resumes try to maintain practices like stopping work to eat your lunch in the middle of the day, and continue to take breaks, preferably with others and outdoors when you can.

  Moving Forward

At some point, Covid-19 will pass. There will be staggering loss and enormous economic devastation. That tragedy cannot be overstated. For years, we will be trying to rebuild the broken world. But perhaps the slower lifestyle in these months can help put the pieces back together. And perhaps a more contemplative, deliberate way of living can become permanent.

So how can we use the lessons of the last few months to rebalance our lives?

Could you spend a bit less time socialising?

Could you negotiate longer-term homeworking so you don’t lose time to commuting?

If you don’t practice being present, slowing down, enjoying the moment right now, when will you practice?

What are you practicing now instead?

Resetting boundaries around your time is key – try taking some control back and say ‘no’ to something if it doesn’t align with your new slower pace.

It could be meditation, a walk in a park, reading a book or simply having a slower morning. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as it makes you happy and it’s something that allows you to remain calm and stress-free.

Don’t allow this major time in our lifetime go to waste. Purposely embrace a slower living simpler lifestyle.

What actions can you take to make a difference?

[fatuglybvitvh]

Does the pro ana community know this?

I'm sure all of you have done your research on your ed's, you have probably already spent countless hours considering and reconsidering if what you're doing might be worth it, whether you can even develop an ed, if you can get away with the one you developed, if you can just stop, etc. etc.

I see a lot of jokes from you guys (I'm assuming they are jokes) but at the offset that they aren't..

To be classified to have an eating disorder it should be something that interferes with your life, you cannot live your life a normal way or cannot live whatever even is a normal life.. to be honest, I highly suggest people who haven't already been diagnosed or aren't in a position to be diagnosed but most definitely have an ed (don't let the internet fool you into thinking you have it/ don't have it) to stop getting involved with this specific community here

I'm sure you just think it's your skinny aspirations and thinspo but if you just want to look at thinspo, fucking google models and go through shopping apps or just follow a fuckton of celebs.. the more concentrated this community gets, the worse things are gonna get for you, irrespective of whether you're just using the tags or anything else

I get that you wanna lose weight, I also get that when its intermittent fasting it's okay but you can't starve or when other gym goers eat a certain amount and restrict it's part of the routine but you call it a binge/ restrict cycle.. what you clearly seem to be missing is the reason these things are being done.. your ed is LITERALLY A DISORDER! It is far from normalcy and left untreated will cost you your life! It is genuinely terrifying and you will keep changing your gw, you know why? Bc in reality you're actually suicidal

And darling, if you're suicidal, you need to figure a lot of things out, you need to survive this mofo of a world and rise as the insanely amazing person you are.. don't let these guys get to you, ed is not gonna lead you to a happy life no matter what.. those of who you get it but don't want to stop, I'm sorry you guys are being treated this way but others who can still get out, I highly recommend you do! Change your accounts, change your tags, spend more time learning things that make you happy (singing and reading burns calories too yk.. you can always go on hikes and swim and pace around your room watching stuff, go to art galleries and find routes around your house with flowers and places you can brag about) your weight isn't stopping you from interacting it's the social stigma, work towards breaking that, work towards being healthy, work so that you won't need anybody's help doing anything, work so that you can be the one who helps others

This was a really long rant but I genuinely wonder if the people who haven't been here for a long time, really do understand the consequences.. as someone who used to self harm, I can't stress on how much simple things like these tags are going to influence you in your life and when they do start making a difference and you develop and ed, I can't stress enough as to how ashamed you'll be and would want to hide it, so please take a different road, don't let this affect your life (you're beautiful and if you want to accentuate any features work for it.. just don't let your life revolve around it is all)

[benbarnesfrustration]

The End Justifies the Means

**A Logan Delos x Reader one-shot**

Summary: Logan and reader explore a section of The Raj, an Indian-themed park.

Rated: M/Explicit for smut and language. Smutty smut smut. 18+ only.

AN: I actually adapted this from an old story I wrote for a previous muse. I thought it would suit Logan nicely. Enjoy!

**gif by @benbarnestongue**

Holy hell, were all the bugs the size of airplanes in this place?

Another insect buzzed in your ear, and you swatted it away in irritation.  “Fuck,” you panted. “I swear, if another bug tries to eat my face, I’m going to scream.”  

You could hear Logan chuckle even though he was several paces ahead of you.  “This is called ‘broadening one’s horizons darlin.”  He paused and looked back at you; his dark hair only just beginning to wilt around the edges from the sweat that was beginning to appear at his hairline and neck.  “And I thought you were the adventurous type.”  He flashed you one of his trademarked adorable grins, and you scowled.

“I’m all for adventure, but this…is…ridiculous…”  you swatted another bug.  It seemed the more you perspired, the more insects swarmed you.  “How much longer is it?”

“Oh, it’s like that, is it?” Logan called back to you. “Well.  It won’t be much farther, and this little hike came very highly recommended. Quit complaining,” he added, laughing.

You sighed, and steeled yourself.  Yes, you were a city girl, born and raised in New York.  That didn’t mean you were completely oblivious to the great outdoors, of which you loved and were well acquainted.  You had been on plenty of hiking and camping trips.  But this was The Raj; a theme park modeled after Imperial India.  It was an entirely different ballgame. First of all; the heat was insane.  It wasn’t so bad when you were lounging under patio umbrellas sipping exotic drinks.  But out here in the jungle, with the humidity slowly evaporating your energy, and those god forsaken insects trying to suck your blood…

“Logan,” you called out, trying to diminish the irritation in your voice.  He was, after all, clearly having the time of his life.  As uncomfortable as you were, you didn’t want to ruin that for him.  He paused again, and looked back at you.  “Can I have a swig from that canteen of yours?”  He smiled and backtracked the short distance to where you were standing.  You had a small moment to reflect on how out of balance you were just then; he with the backpack and the air of the adventurer, and your sorry self with the ridiculous banana wrapped around the top of your head to help keep the sweat and insects at bay; flushed and sweating buckets.  He was from the real world just like you were; so how did he do it? How did he blend with the parks so easily?

“Ah, thank you,” you smiled at him gratefully, as you gulped the cool water. You fixed him with a playful glare.  “This better be worth it, mister.”

He smirked at you.  “I think you’ll be pleased.” He turned and started to walk again, calling over his shoulder, “we’ll be there before too long. Hurry up!”

You bit off a few internal expletives, and soldiered on.  You were on a small trail on what could easily be described as pure jungle, about a two miles from your hotel.  You took this trip because you had so desperately needed time away. Both of you had been run completely ragged with work.  You had agreed to clear two weeks just for you, and here you were.  A romantic getaway in The Raj; sipping rum drinks and getting massages and fucking on 800 thread count sheets.  So why were you huffing and puffing through the jungle?  Well, Logan was excited about it, so you agreed. After all, who could refuse Logan when he was excited about something?

You walked and gave it your best effort; doing your best not to trip over any roots.  After about another twenty minutes, just when you were about to ask for some more water, Logan stopped abruptly, holding up his hand to signal for you to do the same.  He trotted forward a few paces as if to check on something, and then quickly doubled back to you, smiling.

“It’s just up ahead,” he grinned, taking your hand.  The two of you walked a short distance and around a small bend in the trail.  When you rounded the corner, you were completely gobsmacked by the sight before you.  You gasped as the visage revealed itself.

Before you stood the most beautiful waterfall you had ever seen.  It wasn’t particularly large, but what made it so breathtaking was the intimacy of the place.  The waterfall fell perhaps fifty feet at most, but was surrounded by vines, rocks, and incredibly lovely flowers.  The pool at its base was a nearly perfect basin, and everything about it was lush, vibrant, and yours. The place was quite literally, all yours.  For the entire two plus miles you had walked, you didn’t see another person.  

You felt Logan’s arm around you and looked up at him.  He was positively glowing with pride, looking down at you.  “Do you like it?”

“Oh Logan,” you said.  “Logan, I just– I’m sorry I whined so much on the way over.  This was worth it…this is amazing.”  

He grinned, and wrapped his arms around you.  “I wanted to take you someplace really special.  Not a restaurant or anything; someplace really amazing.  So I asked the best guy I could think of– the bartender at the hotel.”

You laughed.  “Well of course they would know all the best places.”

He laughed with you.  “Well, apparently, yes!  Not only that, but he assured me that nobody would bother us if we came back here today.  So…here we are.”  

You looked back at the incredible vista before you, then back up to his handsome face.  “You did well, babe. I feel like an ass for complaining so much on the way here.”  

He stepped back a few paces, unshouldering his pack.  He let it fall to the ground with a soft thump. His dark eyes gleamed as he looked at you.  “I figured you wouldn’t like the means, “he smirked at you, “but had counted on the ending to make it all worthwhile.”

Your heartbeat sped up just a little.  “Whatever do you mean, Logan?” you smirked playfully back at him.

He stepped toward you, wrapping his arms around you again.  “But darlin, doesn’t the end always justify the means?”  

Before you could answer, his lips were on yours, catching you off guard.  You grabbed the back of his head and answered his kiss, pressing your lips into his forcefully.  You opened your mouths to each other, and your tongues danced and probed, gaining passion.  

Before the moment could get any more heated, he broke off, suddenly.  

“Not yet.  Let’s refresh ourselves.  Feel like getting wet?”  He cocked his right eyebrow at you questioningly.  You smiled, all the blood rushing to your extremities.  

“Well, as it happens, I am awfully hot…”  you smiled knowingly at him.  You stepped back and pulled your top over your head in one quick motion.  Logan watched, drinking you in.  He ran his tongue along his lips briefly, and stepped to you, grabbing the waistband of your shorts.  You stepped back, smiling impishly.

“Uh uh, you first.”  You pointed at his chest.  He smiled resignedly and pulled his shirt over his head much in the same way you did.  You took a moment to appreciate his chiseled form before he resumed his previous ministrations.  “Now. my turn,” he said hungrily.

He quickly unbuttoned your shorts and unzipped the fly before pushing them down a little roughly.  You stepped out of them, revealing nothing but black panties which matched your bra.  He reached around you and unhooked your bra with ease.  Again, he paused to survey you.  He reached one hand up to cup a breast, and kneaded it softly before you stepped back and, more breathlessly this time, said, “nope, you still have too many clothes on.”

He chuckled devilishly and allowed you to unbutton and unzip his pants.  Down they went, and he was left in nothing more than dark blue boxer briefs.  You took a moment to appreciate his incredibly beautiful form.  He was tall and chiseled like a dark angel, with his intense eyes and almost black hair.  You could see the shape of his impressive manhood straining through the relatively thin material of his briefs.  Never, ever would you tire of looking at him. And here he was, with you, looking at you the same way.

Fueled by your happiness and desire, you pulled off your panties in one quick motion, and turned toward the waterfall’s pool.  “Come on, catch me,” you panted, as you ran toward the edge and dove into the pool.  You had only just surfaced when you heard the answering splash.  You swam toward the waterfall, grabbing onto a small rock just near the point where the falls connected with the pool.  You turned. gasping, laughing, and saw him pop out of the water just in front of you.  You laughed again and grabbed his head, and his arms grabbed your waist from under the water.  You both laughed as you grasped each other; completely invigorated by the cool water.

He kissed you again.  You never thought that you could ever kiss more passionately than you ever had, because you had definitely had your moments.  But this time, maybe– just maybe, you had outdone the others.  You wrapped your legs around his waist and lifted yourself out of the water to give yourself better leverage, and deeply, passionately, you poured all the love you felt for him into that kiss.  His tongue probed your lips, and your mouth opened to his.  You explored his mouth with your tongue, as his hand gripped the back of your head, fingers tangled in your hair.  You enjoyed this passionate exchange for several moments, before he broke away, and suddenly grabbed you, lifting you from the water.

He moved to the edge and set you on the little rock that you had swam to; the one near the spot where the falls met the pool.  As he stood, he was able to rise out of the water in front of you.  You looked at him, gasping.

“Tell me how much you want me,” he said, as he spread your legs apart and began to tease at your entrance with his fingers.  “Tell me.”

“Oh my god Logan…”  You gasped. “I want you. I want you inside of me. Please.”

“Tell me more,” he growled, and he slipped a finger inside you.  You were so wet.

“Logan…I love it when you make me come…” you moaned.

He inserted another finger, and probed your depths whilst rubbing your clit with his thumb.  His mouth was on yours again, and he caught your bottom lip in his teeth, sucking, biting.  He hooked his fingers, hitting your inner g-spot, and you cried out.  “Logan, please…”

Your back was arched and your head thrown back in ecstasy, so you were not entirely prepared when you felt his mouth on you, replacing his thumb on your clit with his tongue.  You cried out again, as he sucked and licked, all while he inserted another finger, driving you into a frenzy.  You grabbed fistfulls of his hair and screamed as he brought you to a mind-blowing climax; wave after wave hitting you, making your body shiver.

After you subsided, he lifted his head and winked at you.  “It’s a good thing we have this place all to ourselves.  Did I ever tell you how loud you are?”

“It’s your fault,” you panted, lying back along the rock wall, the spray of the waterfall enveloping you.  He chuckled. You fixed him with a look.  “Now now, we’re not finished yet, are we?”

You slid off the rock and pushed him, turning him so that he was against the rocks where you had just been. His cock was standing just above the waterline, at full attention.

“Allow me,” you said, and you bent to the task.  He let out a small, “ Mmm,” as you put your lips on the head of his cock.  You put your other hand at the base of his impressive shaft, massaging up and down as you sucked.  You took his length the best you could; the head bumping the back of your throat before you drew it out again.  He moaned as you pulled and sucked, increasing your pace until he was gasping for breath.  “Oh my god,” he panted, and you felt his balls twitch as his climax neared.  Suddenly, you withdrew, and with an impish look, quickly turned and swam off, leaving him standing there in hip deep water; chest heaving.

“Where…where you…” was all he could manage between pants, and you looked back at him, grinning mischievously.  “Did you think this game was over?  Catch me!”  You giggled and submerged, swimming toward the other side of the pool.  You came up at the other side, in a place that was covered with vines and other vegetation.  You were beginning to contemplate whether you should get out of the water when Logan was on you, half-laughing and half-growling.  

“Got you, you fuckin tease,” he laughed, as he lifted you out onto the edge of the pool.  He stood up, matching your height.  His eyes glittered as he pushed you back and spread your legs, exposing you.  You propped yourself up on your elbows and watched as he gripped the head of his dick and positioned it at your entrance, which was swollen with arousal.  Once properly placed, he put his hands on the rocks on either side of you, and pushed his full length into you.  You both gasped as his cock filled you, stretching you, and he withdrew almost completely before shoving himself back in.  You forced your head up to look at him as he began thrusting steadily, and his eyes lifted to meet yours.  You locked eyes as he pumped; fucking you, rocking your hips, and you cried out in ecstasy.  “Logan, oh god! Yes!”  Your hips bucked as he slammed you, your skin slapping audibly at the contact.  You raked your nails down his back as he pounded into you, and you felt your climax building.  “Don’t stop!” You cried, and he thrust again and again and again, your orgasm arriving full-force, blackening your vision. Waves of pleasure overcame you, and he moaned, “Oh babe, I’m gonna….oh god” He tensed up as his own climax hit him, and he spurted his seed into your depths.

He lay on top of you, limbs completely spent.  You panted together, and you twined your fingers in his hair.  After a short while, you sat up, and cradled his head against your breast, stroking his face.

“My god woman” he breathed, and lifted his head to meet your eyes.  “You’re amazing.”  He chuckled softly. “Didn’t I tell you the end would justify the means?”

[umichenginabroad]

Sorrento Week 11: End of an Era

I can’t believe my study abroad experience has come to an end. These two months have been some of the most memorable in my life and although I am ready to go home, I will definitely miss all the fun times I had. I will also miss sharing my experiences with others through this blog. For this last post I want to give some final thoughts on my experience and advice for future study abroad students!

One of the main things I wanted to touch on in my final post was transportation in Sorrento. The buses and train systems may seem a bit daunting to navigate at first but they are truly helpful to travel around and relatively cheap. I remember in the first couple of weeks when I was in Sorrento I walked for 40 minutes to get somewhere when I could have just used a bus to get there in half the time. Also, most people are always willing to help so I would definitely recommend asking someone. 

I also wanted to mention my experience with GeoBlue insurance since I did have to use it once. When I was in Milan for a weekend I got an infection in my ankle that needed immediate attention from a doctor. Emergency rooms in Italy are a mess with wait times over 4 hours often so I was unsure what to do but I was able to connect with an individual doctor through the GeoBlue app and he was able to give me an appointment for the next morning. In addition, the doctor happened to be an American living abroad which made my experience much smoother. After the appointment, the doctor’s office was able to file a claim for payment and I didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket except for the antibiotics which were only 20 euros. The appointment itself turned out to be 300 euros but since I was covered by GeoBlue (as required by IPE) it was very convenient. As a study abroad student, if you ever need medical attention I would recommend using the features offered on the GeoBlue app to find providers. 

I also want to share some of my favorites in Sorrento/Italy throughout the time I’ve been here (credit to Reganne for the idea)

Favorite Restaurant: Taverna Azzurra - the salmon pasta is to die for

Favorite Desserts: Coffee gelato at Raki’s and strawberry + nutella crepes - I think I had gelato almost every day whether it was at Raki’s or David’s Gelateria and sometimes if I was feeling even more hungry I would get a crepe from this one place near the dorms (I don’t remember what it’s called) 

Best Drink: Aperol Spritz - you either like it or hate it

Favorite City in Italy: Rome - you have to see the Colosseum

Most Beautiful Place: Capri - I really wanted to visit again after I saw it the first time but I unfortunately did not have enough time to. 

Most Underrated: Ieranto Bay and Herculaneum - Ieranto Bay is about an hour bus ride from Sorrento and it seems like a lot of people don’t know about it since it is a bit secluded and you need to hike to get there. I highly recommend visiting if you’re visiting the Campania region. Herculaneum is an ancient city similar to Pompeii in that it was buried under ash during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius but it was preserved much better than Pompeii. I didn’t even know about it until I was in Sorrento but it is definitely worth visiting. 

Honestly, I don’t think one blog post is enough to talk about all the amazing experiences I’ve had since I have been in Sorrento. There was so much to do and I feel like there is still more I would like to explore in Italy. I will definitely be returning in the future to see everything I missed. Most importantly, the exposure to new culture and lifestyles was definitely enriching and interesting to be a part of. There’s just so much to learn when traveling to a new place and I could not have asked for a better summer. And lastly, I made so many new friends (both from UofM and other universities) that I will cherish forever. Alla prossima!

Satwika Tattari

Space Sciences and Engineering

IPE: Engineering in Sorrento

[talisamposts]

My 7-day Tasmania Itinerary

Tasmania is such a beautiful travel destination! I recently spent a week there and absolutely loved it. Aside from pre-planned group bookings, I didn’t find much in the way of solo travel itineraries, so I took a bit out of all the posts I found and created my own. I have to say, I thought it was near perfect! I decided to rent a car for the week, but if you have your own and take the ferry over, that works too.

So if you’re planning a trip to Tassie, have a look over my plan.

Day 1 - Hobart

Your first day can be spent just exploring Hobart and the surrounds. As it’s not a large city and the airport is so close, it’s possible to see quite a few things even if you only have half a day. 

In terms of accommodation, Hobart is not lacking in anything. I would definitely recommend a stay in Rose Bay, which is not in the Hobart city centre, but across the bridge on the opposite side of the Derwent river. It’s a few minutes’ drive out of the city and you get the most spectacular views of the Tasman bridge and the river. 

While driving around Hobart and around the city, make sure to head up to Mount Wellington. This is a must-see and probably the easiest and cheapest thing you’ll do. It’s completely free to go up to the viewpoint and you can drive the entire way. I drove at a leisurely pace, stopping a few times to take pictures and take in the scenery, which probably took me about a half hour. The view from the top is breathtaking and you can wander around there for a bit. Just remember to take warm clothing as it’s freezing at the top!

Once you’ve been up Mount Wellington, head to the Botanical Gardens. Entry is also free and the gardens are stunning. They have a wide range of plant species, a cafe and shop and their very own Japanese Garden. If you’re wanting some peace and quiet in nature, this is the place to go.

For dinner, Hobart has many options. As a vegan, I love supporting businesses that are entirely veggie, which is why I ate at Veg Bar a few times. To be honest, it’s not the greatest vegan food I’ve had by a long shot, but it’s worth a visit, if only to enjoy the funky decor.

Day 2 - Bruny Island

Since driving a lot can get tiring, I recommend doing the things that require the longer drives at the beginning of your week. Trust me, you’re not really going to be in the mood for them towards the end. To catch the ferry to Bruny Island, an absolute must-see when in Tassie, you have to drive about 30-40 minutes to Kettering. The ferry takes about 15 minutes and departs at multiple times throughout the day. The island itself is actually really large with no public transport, so prepare to spend the majority of your time driving.

If you’re keen to get that Bruny Island lighthouse photo everyone loves, I recommend doing that as your first thing. It’s the furthest away from where the ferry docks and the road takes you through the South Bruny National Park. It’s gorgeous but be careful on the dirt roads as your tires can slip easily depending on your car. I think it took me roughly 2 hours to get there. 

I am not ashamed to admit that, as an introvert, I despise large crowds and will almost always avoid them. I did not get that typical lighthouse pic, because it started raining just as I got there, there were heaps of people and it’s still quite a climb from the carpark up to the lighthouse. I walked halfway up, took an average pic of the lighthouse, and went back down. Keep in mind that you have to pay an entry fee to actually go into the lighthouse. I still think it was worth the drive, though, because the scenery there and along the way is absolutely beautiful.

Aside from the lighthouse, there are plenty of other things to see and do on Bruny Island. Wine tasting, chocolate tasting, whiskey tasting, cheese tasting, lunches (my recommendation is Bruny Island Seafood Restaurant for great seating and a delicious pumpkin soup) and many other options. Build those into your itinerary however you’d like. If you’re exploring the island the way I did, starting right down at the bottom, I recommend heading over to Adventure Bay next. 

On your way back up to the north of the island, make sure to stop at the Neck. This is the part that connects the south and north of Bruny Island. Climb up the stairs to the lookout point and get that iconic view of both beaches! 

The reason I did this later in my day was that there are a lot less people around than in the morning, so you can actually find parking and enjoy the view without a million people around you.

Day 3 - Bay of Fires

For two days of my trip I did actually book a guided tour. I know this is not always the most appealing to introverts, but I highly recommend you push yourself to do it. There are plenty of tours to choose from, most of them doing roughly the same thing and they tend to keep groups to a maximum of 24 people. In my case I was very lucky, as they’d somehow overbooked their tour and organised a smaller bus for just 7 of us. The people in my tour were all absolutely lovely, and our guide was excellent, so it worked out really well for me. 

Either way I’d still recommend booking an East Coast Tasmania tour as getting all the way up to the Wineglass Bay and the Bay of Fires would be tricky as a solo traveller. This is really where you want to be taken care of, and I also enjoyed the break from having to drive for hours.

Have a look at some Tassie tours here.

I realise that for these two days my rental car was not being used, but the daily price was not high enough for me to care too much about this. If this is something that bothers you, change up your itinerary a bit. Keep in mind that booked tours run on specific days only, so you’ll have to plan around that. The 2-day East coast tour I booked starts on Wednesdays.

Part of the tour is also a stop at a wildlife sanctuary in Bicheno, where you can see and learn about Tasmanian Devils, Wombats, Quolls and other interesting animals. Buy a feed bag and go feed the kangaroos and geese wandering freely around the sanctuary, it’s an amazing experience!

Day 4 - Wineglass Bay

The second day of the tour takes you to the Freycinet National Park, where you’ll climb up to a viewpoint to look out over Wineglass Bay. This is another iconic Tasmanian image that’s worth the hike up the mountain. Make sure to wear suitable footwear and be reasonably fit!

Unfortunately, I visited on one of those extremely rare, extremely rainy days and did not get to see the view from the lookout, but honestly the walk was still fun. I got completely soaked through within minutes (imagine jumping into a swimming pool fully clothed) and there were waterfalls running down the mountains. Considering that this rarely ever happens, I felt quite lucky to have seen a side of Freycinet that most people don’t. 

I’m not sure if this applies to me only or if all introverts can relate, but I love the rain. It’s my favourite weather because the world is so much less noisy when it rains. So overall, for me, this was still a great experience.

On a normal, sunny day you’d probably take a nice hike up to the viewpoint, take some pics and then go down to the actual beach of Wineglass Bay for a swim. This would take a few hours and you’d see wallabies and other animals in the park. You’d then head back to Hobart in the afternoon.

Day 5 - Port Arthur 

Port Arthur Historic Site is a little village and historic site which showcases the history of British prisoners and the officers and soldiers stationed there. It’s really well kept and you get a good feeling of how life was back when it was operational. I unexpectedly spent almost all day here as it’s really big and there is just so much to see. Tickets aren’t cheap and additional tours cost extra, but even if you just get general admission it’s worth it. The ticket is valid for 2 days, so you do have the option to return the next day. 

The site is about a 90-minute drive out of Hobart, and it’s definitely worth a visit!

Day 6 - Salamanca Market, MONA

Most people agree that a trip to Hobart wouldn’t be complete without visiting the famous Salamanca Market. This market sells everything from fresh veggies to jewellery to delicious food and drinks. My first stroll through the market took about an hour, that’s how big it is. It’s held every Saturday at Salamanca Place from 8:30am - 3pm. There are some great vegan options if you’re like me and like to eat your way through a market!

If you’re into art, then check out the MONA (Museum of Old and New Art). It’s one of Hobart’s main attractions, a museum built mostly underground that you can get to using their unique ferry. If you’re on a budget just keep the entry and ferry prices in mind, as they’re not cheap. 

The museum is like no other you’ve ever experienced. You won’t find information cards or artists’ names on the walls beside their art, as you’d expect. Instead, you’re given a device (like an old iPhone) that you keep with you as you walk through the exhibits. It has a location service so you can check out any information on anything you’re looking at, including interactive VR stuff. It’s definitely very interesting, but I must admit there were times where I thought “this counts as art?”, but that’s just me. The nice thing is it’s mostly dark everywhere and you don’t have to talk to anyone, so a great thing to do for introverts.

Day 7 - Richmond

I recommend relaxing or doing any small things you didn’t get to do all week on your last day. A tip my AirBnB hosts gave me was a drive to Richmond, a small town about 25 minutes outside of Hobart. It’s got that typical cute, old-timey village feel. There’s a huge lolly shop with so many candy options, the Richmond Bridge which is the oldest stone bridge in Australia, and the Richmond Gaol where they also imprisoned women. For lunch I recommend Czegs’ Cafe. The decor is adorable and they have little outside tables where you can keep away from the masses. The vegan pasta is to die for!

I really hope this little itinerary helps you in your search for the best things to do in Tassie. If you have more time, I hear Launceston is a great place to visit, or even going up the West Coast. I’ll have to check that out the next time I go.