#flowers tend to be a recurring theme in this universe

[south-sea]

💐💐💐💐💐!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

from this list! i'll be writing a few more mini-fics today if i can help it

you expected one of the second chance guys to get flowers BUT IT WAS THE OC, ROS

~476 words

-

There is a split second in which seeing the visage of Shadow at his doorstep is enough to fill Roscoe with a reflexive anxiety.

This world and this time and this place are different, though. The moment passes.

"You're not one to show up unannounced," Ros tells him, front door held open wide enough to entertain his guest.

Shadow makes no indication he expects to be let inside. "And you're not one to admit when you're not feeling well." He carries with him a shallow box containing a potted flower of some sort, and what is no doubt a packet of its seeds. "So I thought I'd cut out the part where you deflect it with jokes."

Straightforward as always. Ros isn't sure yet whether he liked it better when people let him get away with pretending, or if Shadow's way of handling it is preferable. At least this way, he doesn't have to admit to feeling anything other than cold. At least this way, he can more gracefully accept that which he knows he shouldn't reject. Care, attentive concern, simple warmth—he deserves them all, foreign as the concept is. But to have it delivered by Shadow of all people still, even months after coming to terms with the fact this iteration has no reason to hate him, sets his head spinning.

"Okay, you got me," the cat holds up shaky hands in playful surrender. "So what's up with the flower?"

Shadow meets his eyes briefly with a look that suggests the question strikes him as odd. Don't you like flowers? Don't you already nap in fields of them often? Isn't that how we met?

"The scent works like ginger," he explains plainly. The box and its supplies and potted something-or-another is held up for Ros to either take or get a better look. "It isn't too overpowering. But a few minutes with it should help settle your stomach. I brought extra seeds in case you ever want to plant more."

Ros doesn't have the heart to tell him the queasiness brought on by medication side-effects is the least of his concerns. But Shadow means well, and Ros gives him a weary smile for it as he accepts the box.

The single flower in the clay pot painted in earthen-toned stripes is equally simple in its complexity. Five small petals, each off-white with yellowish-lime veins near the middle, an evergreen-shade stalk dotted with extra buds between dandelion-like leaves. Ros finds it not only "works like" ginger root, but inspires a familiarity in scent. Spicy-sweet; pungent but not an assault on unprepared senses.

The more he thinks about it, the more he accepts Shadow may be onto something. Maybe the point is that he shouldn't have to endure something unpleasant, even if it's mild, even if he's "used to it".

Maybe he'll start his own garden here.

[rwriting]

the last victim // sayu yagami (deathnote)

description: gosh, i love sayu yagami so much. i have so many headcanons for her –  it’s a little embarrassing… i really wanted to write this piece! it’s post canon with a few dark themes. i’m of the opinion that sayu’s a character with so much potential, so little of which is explored in the canon. hoping you all enjoy! 

word count: 1.6k

content warnings: light yagami (ha, ha…), implied self-harm, self-hatred (?), the term psychopath (ableism), magazines being gross, sibling and parent death, bullying… sorry, i know that’s quite a lot to bear with. please take care of yourself!

 Breathe.

She’s trying, she really is.

Breathe.

Her hands spasm and reach for her throat.

Breathe.

She forces her hands to her sides.

Breathe.

She opens her eyes.

Sayu Yagami stares at the ceiling of her apartment, head fuzzy with… she wants to say the remnants of a dream, but perhaps a nightmare is closer to the truth. She can’t quite remember. Besides, her waking, no matter the night she’s experienced, is never pleasant. It always involves too much breathlessness, too much begging, too much… emotion.

Sayu feels torn about that. Too much emotion. It seems weird to think that she could be overwhelmed with emotion, when she spends so much time simply without it. She’s not sure what is worse: drowning beneath the waves, or feeling as if she’s dying of thirst.

Maybe I deserve them both, she thinks. It’s a recurring thought – she can never be rid of it. It sneaks up behind her, holds her hand. Offers comfort, somehow. There’s a reason for this, it whispers. Sayu thinks she likes reasons, likes logic, likes… explanations. That’s understandable, they all say. You want to know how one of your own hurt so many others.

I don’t, thinks Sayu. She doesn’t know if it’s a lie or not. How odd to not even know if you yourself are telling the truth.

Desperate not to get stuck in a loop of contemplation as she’s prone to (she’s spent days like this before; lying in bed, pondering and pondering and pondering), she swings her legs off the bed and plants them on the cold, cold, floor. The sensation of the frozen tiles and the jolt they send through her is oddly pleasant; it’ll prevent her from falling back to sleep at the very least.

A quick walk to the bathroom and she considers herself fully awake. Well, as awake as she gets; too many days of hers are spent in a daze, a state so distanced from reality she can hardly call it a state of being awake. A state of dreams and disillusionment.

She takes in her face in as she stares at the mirror. For a terrifying moment, her eyes gloss over her own reflection as if there is nothing there – as if it the face of someone else, or simply a smudge. Or a ghost… she thinks, and smiles in spite of herself. A ghost. That is what she feels like so often, floating from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day… or place to place, though she rarely leaves her home. The high rise apartment with its large windows and intimidating staircases isn’t exactly comforting, but that doesn’t mean she’s not enamoured with it – obsessed with the way it makes her feel. The way it makes her feel. Calm, mysterious. Like she has a plan. Like him.

She focuses once again on the mirror, on her reflection. All her features are accented, more obvious, more vivid. No. All of his features are more accented, more obvious, more visible, no, wait, all of a sudden they’re the only ones there, and he’s here in the mirror, she can see him, she can touch him, she can let him out!

The mirror cracks as Sayu’s fist makes contact with it, the sound loud and unforgiving. Unforgiving also is the gift it gave her – an open wound, leaking blood. She watches the blood trickle slowly, dripping down into the sink. She doesn’t bother to wash it away. Somehow, to do so would feel like a betrayal. To what, she’s not sure. Maybe she wants evidence. This happened. Or maybe it’s to do with the blood – maybe she considers it proof her existence, her being, her living.

There are other ways to see that blood you know…

The thought is not so much a thought as a temptation; a beg disguised as a calm offer. No, she thinks sternly. She almost wants to say it out loud, but there is something sacred in the silence. Even her footsteps seem more quiet than usual, the sound of her bare feet not muffled by socks but just by the air itself.

Her feet take her away, to kitchen, where she reaches up to a shelf, to grasp in her hand (the one free of blood) a small medical box, filled mainly with bandages and gauze. She tends to her hand, and for a few seconds wishes she had someone to do this for her, with her. It’s a bad idea, a bad thought. Not only is it a foolish longing, but it leads to a reminiscing; an unearthed memory which she wants to hold dear. If only it weren’t so tainted.

Her knowledge of how the memory will make her feel, her warning to herself – none if it seems to help, to stop it as it takes shape in her mind. She’d have been eight when it had happened. She’d planted some flowers on her windowsill and had cut her hand on one of the small terracotta plant pots. Downstairs she’d gone, tears welling in her eyes. And there he was, washing his hands in the sink, turning to meet her with a small smile on his face. Okay, what’d you do this time?

She’d stuck out her hand to show him, and his eyes had widened almost imperceptibly. That looks a little serious, Sayu. Despite the pain, she’d stuck out her tongue at him cheekily, at which he had offered a slight grin. Alright. Sit at the table and I’ll tend to it. Even at eleven, he’d had a presence – a sort of commanding aura which made one want to heed his words, hold them close. Obey him. She hadn’t though it dangerous then, it was hard to think of it as anything but now.

My brother. It’s the only way she can think of him. His name… his name invites too much. Personal effects gone through, a computer dragged away by two men in suits. And headlines, so many headlines. Who knew how the press got hold of the information; who cared. All it mattered was that she could no longer see his name - in her mind or written on paper – without every article she’d ever read crashing down on her, words, words, words. Genius. God complex. Misguided youth. Psychopath. Saviour. Killer. Kira. That one hurt almost as much, despite how impersonal it was, a moniker started by… who even knew? The internet was a cluttered, anonymous, graveyard and, beyond that, a mystery. Who cared enough to track down the first person to gift her brother with this title, to find them out?

She thought of this annoyingly often. Maybe if her brother had been given a different title, no title at all, things may have progressed differently. It was so, so foolish. She knew this. It sounded like a time traveller’s pathetic attempt to change the future without destroying the past. Pathetic. The word repeat itself a little in her mind, echoing.

There were articles on her too, of course. Complicit? they said, the question mark seeming more for show than anything else. Yagami sister involved in killings? Imagine that. Her, an accomplice to the Kira killings, and not questioned by the great detective L simply because he thought her young and girlish. Complicit… the word reverberates and she questions it, pulls it apart. Was she complicit? Did she know of her brother’s actions before they were revealed in the news? She was more observant than anyone gave her credit for, but Light (LightLightLightLightLightLightLight) ‘s change in demeanour could have been down to any number of factors, including adolescence, or even his father’s work. Our father’s work, Sayu corrects herself. He belonged to both of them. And now he belonged to the earth.

I lost you both, Sayu thinks. Although she’d previously envied her father and brother’s strong sense of justice, now she felt quite thankfully to not share it. In a way, it led them both to their deaths. One at the hand of the other.

As she looks out the wide window of the apartment, she feels lonely. There are a few precious memories involving both her brother and the night skies, but they’re not what evokes this emotion. Seeing how much there is out there, the bright lights of all the other people living lives like hers, makes her realise how few people there are in her life. She’d maintained no friendships from her school or university, nor her bonds with her mother. Not that the former had many any effort on their own parts – any interest displayed in her was as ‘the sister of Kira’. She could recall so many times, the insensitive questions, the pulling of her hair, the tearing of her clothes. They’d scream at her.

Did my uncle deserve to die, you stupid girl? Did you agree with your brother? Did you go to sleep every night knowing what he was doing in the next room? Did you care?

Her own thoughts, both then and now, are a mirror.

Did my brother deserve to die? Did you disagree with him? Did you wake up every morning to watch the news and fear for your life? Did it scare you?

They’re ugly thoughts, but anger doesn’t need to be beautiful. Neither does justice.

And there’s no justice, she thinks. There never was.

[caztiel]

All the botanical asks you haven’t got yet

lia that’s so many 😳 

lavender; soundcloud or vinyls?

soundcloud, i don’t have the money for vinyls, but if i had the money for them then vinyls 

primrose; what book does everyone right now need to read?

i can’t think of any lol 

lunar mist; do you like wearing other people’s shirts/jackets?

yeah

bird of paradise; what was the best thing that happened to you this month?

i hung out with my friends yesterday! also November 5th was incredibly funny

gardenia; what’s a promise you’ve recently made to yourself? 

i promised to be nicer to myself, and to exercise every day, and to get a job, and to write more

whirling butterflies; would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

have not kissed 

marmalade skies; do you plan your outfits? 

sort of? 

apricot drift; how do you feel right now? 

a bit tired! also a bit annoyed at the universe because I keep dropping and breaking things lmao (I dropped a glass lid everywhere and then kept stepping on glass as I was cleaning it, and then spilled water everywhere) 

everlasting daisy; what’s the last dream you remember having?

recurring apocalypse dream, I don’t remember the specifics 

queen’s cup; what are you craving right now?

chocolate 

lavender dream; turn ons/offs?

uhhhh i don’t like most perfume smells, or specific sudden loud noises

water lily; when was the last time you cried? why?

i cried a little bit yesterday when I was watching bly manor, but it wasn’t a full on cry

lily of the valley; did the one person who hurt you most in your life apologize?

no, but I don’t expect one, i’ve moved on 

winterberry; do you bite or lick your ice cream?

both 

desert rose; do you like yourself?

a little bit more every day. two steps forward one step back 

snapdragon; have you ever met or seen in person a celebrity?

nope 

night owl; how many countries have you visited?

5, i think? excluding one flight layover  

heliotrope; have you ever been in a castle? 

yes! in Germany 

creams and sky; what’s the craziest/bravest thing you’ve done?

idk if i’ve done anything really 

lantana; what’s on your mind right now?

the mini nanowrimo i thought I would start, that I haven’t written anything for (10k words in two weeks) 

pumpkin patch; what’s your zodiac sign?

aquarius sun, sagittarius rising, scorpio moon

tulip; name 5 facts about yourself.

1. i love rollercoasters, 2. i love love, 3. i cut my hair the other day, 4. i overheat easily, 5. i am a bad actor 

daphne; do you believe in karma?

yep! even if not in a spiritual sense, I think that being kind can bring kindness back to you, and being cruel can bring cruelty back to you 

queen of the meadow; ever been in love? 

perhaps, but I might be wrong 

wisteria; whom do you admire and why?

someone I once knew, they are good at making boundaries 

angel’s face; what was your favorite bedtime story as a child?

i don’t remember 

remember me; did you make someone laugh today? 

hannibal played by mass mikkelsen 

lilac; if you could go back in time which time period would you visit?

hmmmm 1920s? 1980s? 

caramel kisses; would you want to live forever? why/why not? 

i would want to be immortal until I want to die. there’s so many things that I want to experience! but I don’t want to live FOREVER, that’s too long 

primula; what makes you sad?

a lot of things. there’s a lot to be sad about, especially this year

rain lily; was today typical? why/why not? 

it’s typical of the holidays, i’ve spent the morning watching netflix

queen anne’s lace; who do you trust the most?

damn idk that’s a loaded question. next 

forget me not; do you have any regrets looking back in your life?

yes lol many 

lunaria; what’s your favorite fictional universe? 

honestly? rise of the guardians 

violet; favorite tv show? 

doctor who is my favourite comfort show, but i have a lot of shows that i love like dghda and bly manor 

snowdrop; what does your ideal day look like?

visiting a theme park with someone i love, and then we have a picnic, maybe on the beach. it’s sunny and there’s a nice breeze. then we go for a drive along the coast and listen to music together. we get home and it starts storming so we hang out together and watch movies 

tiger lily; do you have any hobbies? 

knitting! i started a blanket in the Irish moss stitch :) i like writing too. i also like baking and cooking, and i sometimes pick up guitar and ukulele and duolingo. um also games. 

peony; share a small random book passage that means something to you. 

there’s a bit in the book thief by markus zusak where Death describes the colours of the sky 

tea rose; what’s something you always wanted to do but were too scared? 

can’t think of anything rn 

honeysuckle; do you usually date people your age or older/younger? 

i’ve only “dated” one person and they were my age. i’m not really into dating people older or younger 

love in the mist; best books you’ve ever read? 

i literally cannot remember and I'm too lazy to try and remember 

foxglove; who is your favorite cartoon character?

dr doofenshmirtz 

magnolia; coffee or tea?

both! i love coffee!! i also love tea!! i’m a multifaceted person 

crown imperial; would you rather be extremely rich or extremely loved?

extremely loved. but if i had a lot of money i could help a lot of people 

snowflake; are you a dog or a cat person? 

both! 

bell flower; what is your biggest addiction? 

don’t judge me lmao i am addicted to asmr, it makes my brain go brrrr

cosmos; do you ever think about the galaxy? 

all the time

moonflower; what’s your favorite color?

yellow, but also pink, and blue, and so many others 

freesia; do you have a good relationship with your parents and siblings? why/why not? 

yes, they always try to be good people. also i just generally get along with them 

poppy; have you ever dealt with a mental illness?

perhaps. i think so yeah. self diagnosed. i’ve gotten pretty good at dealing with it over the years 

clover; how would your friends describe you?

uhhhhhh idk quirky? 🤪 i don’t know. 

dandelion; do you consider yourself an extrovert or an introvert?

introvert, i’m good at spending a lot of time alone, and that’s how i recharge. but i still enjoy people’s presence. i think the words extrovert and introvert are uhhh misnomers? it’s like asking if you prefer the darkness or the brightness. there’s different shades of light on a spectrum 

lilly; what’s something you love watching/reading but you are too embarrassed to admit you do?

asmr but i’m only tentatively embarrassed 

anemone; describe yourself in 3 words.

weird, eclectic, trying 

lotus; best memory as a child?

can’t remember much, but i can remember that time i went on the green lantern rollercoaster at movie world like 4 times 

angelonia; what is your eye and hair color?

brown, dark brown/black 

dahlia; do you like crystals?

yeah, not really in jewellery (it tends to look a little tacky (not always!)) but i like crystals :) 

buttercup; if you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

stop overall suffering. it’s not one thing, it’s a series of things: war, poverty, food deserts, etc. um if i had to choose one i’d make it so that there’s a reliable source of water available to everyone 

baby’s breath; what’s your hogwarts house?

hufflepuff 

calendula; biggest pet peeve? 

people who have a very different sense of personal space to me and don’t respect mine 

blanker flower; would you rather go to a cocktail party with your best friends or stay home and read a book/watch a movie with your pet?

hm stay home? but also i want to hang out with my friends. i haven’t been to a cocktail party before with friends 

blazing star; share a secret.

scroll through my old blog, i’ve blurted a lot of secrets on there 

carnation; would you rather live longer or happier?

happier 

bluebell; do you wear glasses? 

nope

orchid; do you like exercise?

depends on your definition of “like”. I like the benefits, the after effects. if i’m walking, i like the time alone, and the time out in nature and on the street 

pansy; do you like poetry?

yes duh i’m a poet 

morning glory; any special talent that you have? 

adapting

botanical asks

[linkspooky]

Chihayafuru Reactions 29-40

A bunch of thoughts, but most of it is just me swooning over Taichi (joke) so be warned. 

29

Lol same random background fangirl extras.

It’s interesting how Chihaya’s fixation has shifted a little bit from Arata to the Queen, and by interesting I mean gay.

OMG WHAT. Well I guess it’s better now that Taichi isn’t dating one girl while he’s clearly into another one. I wonder why the author went out of the way to break them up though, having another girlfriend would have been a good excuse to keep Taichi sidelined as a love interest. 

Anyway on less shippy talk I like how his first thought goes immediately to Arata. It really strengthens them as a trio that Taichi cares about Arata in his own way too. 

It’s interesting that this is how Taichi still sees himself, because it’s how he was when he started the manga but thirty chapters in and several years later I’d say that he’s developed past the point of the kid who stole Arata’s glasses in order to cheat. It’s interesting he still sees himself through that lens though, like perhaps because he’s not being entirely honest with his feelings right now? 

30

You know sometimes I forget this is a sports Josei manga. 

I would say though Chihaya’s greatest strength along with her character flaw is her tendency to fixate, so it would make sense that she needs to let go of it.

31

Callout!!!! Are you perhaps suggesting that Chihaya has a tendency to be in her own head and really only pay attention to people if they’re directly around her all the time, or if they’re a part of her fixation. 

I mean I see the reason why for this callout, she’s only thinking about Shinobu not even the opponent directly in front of her. 

This is pretty shoneny. I think I’ve seen this exact scene happen in Haikyuu a bunch of times.

ROOT FOR TAAICHI! Whose kidding though there’s no way that Taichi is going to get what he wants and become A level this early in the manga it’ll be more fun if he suffers more.

Chapter 32

Poor Taichi. 

That’s probably what’s going to lose him the match though a lack of honesty with his feelings.

Lol everybody can see it but him. 

Chihaya is so bi I s2g. 

PFFFFFT, Poor Taichi at least Hiyoro-kun loves you.

33

(Chihaya’s strength as well as her flaw is fixation shows up again).

I’m like 100% sure Taichi is going to lose. 

I wonder if this is perhaps going to be a recurring theme. 

Taichi’s gonna loooooooose.

I told you. Alright so Taichi looks at Chihaya entirely and not at himself, Chihaya tends to be only able to fixate at one thing at a time, and then Arata is offscreen somewhere. I think I figured out their trio dynamic. 

Awe he’s so nice and considerate. See this is the reason why he won he’s better able to look at the other people around him honestly where as Taichi is still struggling with it. He even went out of his way to comfort Taichi when all Taichi did was lash out at him.

Awe babies. Mishima’s so nice he went out of his way to point out the values that Taichi doesn’t see himself because he’s constantly comparing himself to both Chihaya and Arata.

Ilegal!!!!!!!!

Also, reinforcing of the fixation based character flaw. For both of them really. 

35

Oh hey, Arata’s in this chapter.

So bi.

Once again thematically important that second place isn’t enough for Taichi, and the only way he’ll actually be allowed to advance is to meet his high standards for first place instead of just doing “good enough” in a category. 

Oh my!

Oh my!!

Well I’m sure this will go perfectly well and not lead to any shakespearian levels of misunderstanding at all.

Wow, rude.

Nishima’s so much nicer and more understanding than this guy. Arata x Taichi sunk, Taichi x Nishima sailing. (This is a joke). 

Also like five minutes in and Taichi’s soul is already crushed I’m sure it won’t get worse from here.

Hmmm Chihaya, could that be because you’re not looking at yourself? 

Awe. Why do I get the feeling she’s going to screw this up somehow?

No comment here just this manga occasionally gets incredibly good at visual storytelling despite being flowery af (I love the flowers they are soft and make my soul feel pastel colors).

Awe baby he’s trying so hard. I don’t even need to write a character summary about him, 90 percent of Taichi’s character arc is just him going thisisfine.jpeg

Hyperfixation repeats again and Taichi pulls her out of it.

On one hand, bi. Aslo thanks author for confirming my guess that Taichi and Queen kind of occupy the same place in Chihaya’s heart right now due to her fixating on them both. How many times can I say fixationin one post?

Why does this manga tease me so much? I’m just a cute girl I don’t deserve this.

Yep, there is the theme of Arata’s arc right there.

Yeah call her out!  (god this feels like a callout to me too, be nice manga).

So once again a repettition of Taichi’s tendency to avert his gaze from things intentionally, in contrast to Chihaya whose so headstrong that she does it unintentionally. 

BUT HE’S WORKING ON IT MY BOY. At the same time though his eyes are covered so he’s not entirely over it, obfuscation is still at play here, Taichi is still refusing to see his strengths. 

38

It’s so funny when the world just owns Chihaya. 

Considering Chihaya’s very childish it’ll be interesting to see if they foil each other in the match. Also fun contrast because the last person Chihaya faced off against was an old lady with kids. 

39

They’e both babies analysis over.

40

Awe, it’s so nice to see how supportive her mom is.

Oh Taichi. You’re just one big knot. I can’t wait to see you snap. 

Gosh it’s like the whole universe exists to remind Taichi that he’s not A ranked.

Awe he sent it after all. Thinking about what Chihaya needed motivated him to send it. 

Oh that’s an interesting change in the message. Like I’ve been saying before the dynamic isn’t just a simple love triangle Taichi wants to get acknowledged by Arata too. 

Okay that was ten chapters I’m going to take a break. Yes I know I post way more reactions on the Taichi chapters, I’m weak okay?

[umbracado-blog]

MAJORA | GOLDEN GODDESS

Throughout the Zelda series, the three GOLDEN GODDESSES who created the world of HYRULE and the TRIFORCE (DIN, NAYRU, and FARORE) are repeatedly mentioned and are shown to be both real and extremely powerful, albeit usually hands-off concerning their creations. That said, there are a few other entities in the Zelda canon that are comparable, at least in terms of raw power or significance. Examples include Oshus from Phantom Hourglass and DEMISE of Skyward Sword fame, but this theory will be focusing on the big players in TERMINA.

The FOUR GIANTS of Termina seem to have a role parallel to that of the three Golden Goddesses. Though they are never explicitly said to forge the world of Termina from scratch, Locals say they were responsible for creating the four distinct areas surrounding Clock Town, which make up a majority of the game’s world. The fact that four of them working together can stop a flying celestial object shot at the world by a vengeful deity also speaks volumes about their power.

In fact, three of the Four Giants’ regions can be seen as reflections of Din, Nayru, and Farore.

Din, whose essence is in the TRIFORCE OF POWER, is also associated with fire and theGORON people, who tend to eat rocks and live around volcanos. SNOWHEAD in northern Termina is where the region’s Gorons live, the local Temple rewards Link withFire Arrows, and the Temple also requires Link to use his physical Power in his Goron form to break obstacles to complete the temple.

Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, is also associated with Water, Magic, and the ZORApeople. The GREAT BAY in Western Termina is home to the region’s Zora population, has obvious associations with water, rewards Link with Ice Arrows (Ice and Water overlap sometimes in Zelda) in its Dungeon, and contains a Research Laboratory. The Lab’s location and its being associated with Wisdom could be a stretch, but note that LAKE HYLIA, a location in Ocarina of Time associated with Nayru and the Zora, also has a Lakeside Laboratory. Plus, the GREAT FAIRY of Great Bay Temple grants Link a Defense upgrade, similar to the Spirit of Wisdom in Phantom Hourglass.

Farore, the Goddess of Courage, is the relative oddball of the trio, being associated with Wind, Life (especially Woods and Plants in Particular), Green, and races such as theKOKIRI and DEKU.family of creatures. The SOUTHERN SWAMP in Termina is dominated by the DEKU SCRUBS, who are not only plants but also capable of limited flight, using Deku Flowers to launch into the air. The basic bow and arrows that are unlocked in Woodfall Temple have no special magical characteristics, but note that even basic arrows are just flying pieces of wood.

This leaves one giant’s location, IKANA CANYON, unaccounted for. Ikana Canyon’s recurring motifs are the presence of death and the contrast between light and darkness. Death examples are easy to come by, such as the graveyard and presence of undead GIBDOS andREDEADS. Though this is the only region without a corresponding transformation mask, the Song of Healing can be used to obtain the GIBDO MASK, which tricks the undead into thinking Link is one of them. The infamous Elegy of Emptiness (elegies are laments for the dead) creates husks of Link’s current form that are necessary for completing Stone Tower Temple. TWINMOLD, the big boss fight in this area, resembles a worm or maggot, animals typically associated with death and decay. As for Light and Darkness, the Mirror Shield is obtained here, and STONE TEMPLE TOWER features the Light Arrows. Also note that the Tower itself is light-based despite being surrounded by darkness and death, and actually doesn’t include the Gibdos and Redeads found elsewhere.

So, why do three of the Four Giants match one of the three Golden Goddesses so easily, leaving only one exception? Maybe there is something else in Hyrule that corresponds to the last Giant, associated with the themes of Death of Light. For the sake of both the canon timeline and real life release dates, let’s mostly focus on Ocarina of Time’s incarnation of Hyrule.

Ocarina of Time largely focuses on other motifs until later in the game, using settings such as trees, caves, and really big fish for its dungeons. The two last regular dungeons in the game though (excluding Ganon’s Tower of DOOM) are almost exact matches. Also note that either one can be completed first and that both require more time traveling than any other dungeon.

The SHADOW TEMPLE (plus the Well) near KAKARIKO VILLAGE is based around the themes of Death, Darkness, and Deceit. They are packed with undead enemies, including the same variety of Redeads and Gibdos that haunt Ikana Canyon, STALFOS, DEAD HAND,BONGO BONGO, and those flying magic skull things (you know the ones… with the things).

The most useful treasure found here is the Lens of Truth, which sees through illusions. The temple is also loaded with various references to death and darkness, my personal favorite being the boat that is a “ferry to the other side,” almost certainly an allusion to Charon the ferryman from Greek Legend.

The SPIRIT TEMPLE, which is on the exact opposite side of the world, focuses mostly onLight. This temple requires playing as both a child and adult. Child Link needs to collect theSilver Gauntlets and Requiem of Spirit to complete the temple as an adult. Note the oddity of a Requiem (prayer for departing souls) being used to reach the Light Dungeon. As an adult, Link collects a Mirror Shield to solve Light-based puzzles. He also fights three IRON KNUCKLE enemies, which are also found in Ikana Canyon in Termina.

If we look for connections between Ikana Canyon and the fourth entity in Hyrule, we can guess that they were likely associated with either the GERUDO or SHEIKAH, much like how other races were associated with other goddesses. Their color of choice is likely purple, based on the purple color of the Shadow Medallion. Purple is another recurring color in Zelda, ranging from Player 4’s color in the Four Swords games, the Element of Earth in Minish Cap, and MAJORA from Majora’s Mask.

Yes, we finally got to Majora.

Let’s review what we know about Majora and its Mask. A long time ago (“ancient tribe” is a bit ambiguous), this mask was used by a now extinct group for magical rituals, but any more details in-universe are largely guesswork. Even the HAPPY MASK SALESMAN doesn’t seem to know that much about it, other than hinting that the mask was the home of a dangerous spirit rather than being an evil costume piece. Majora is also unbelievably powerful, seemingly far more so than Ganon ever was at any point in the series. Even the likes of Demise probably couldn’t destroy the world in a three-day weekend while still technically being bound within the mask.

And although the mask is too alien to easily empathize with or rationalize, it is obviously a conscious being, based on some of the game’s latter scenes and dialogue. It is also aware of what’s happening around it, as seen with the four children wearing boss-based masks on the moon indicate.

One thing that’s often overlooked, however, is that Majora likely came from Hyrule. That’s where the SKULL KID and Mask Salesman were found in Ocarina of Time, a short while before Majora’s Mask took place. The Mask Salesman also seems to have had Majora’s Mask for a while, but he can easily be found in CASTLE TOWN throughout Ocarina of Time, suggesting that he at least had it with him in Hyrule for a while. The game actually begins in Hyrule, when Link is ambushed looking for his lost friend. And even though Skull Kid and Majora curse a bunch of people, these all happen a relatively short time before Majora’s Mask begins, suggesting that Skull Kid only started using the mask very recently.

Last, let’s see what Majora itself had to say, both in person and via the Moon and moon children.

I wonder, if you do the right thing, does it really make everyone happy?

Your friends… What kind of… people are they? I wonder… Do these people… think of you… as a friend?

When a body is used by another, it can be called nothing but a puppet.

OK, let’s play good guys and bad guys… I’ll be the good guy, and you be the bad guy, and when you’re the bad guy, you just run.

Everyone has gone away, haven’t they?

That’s surprisingly insecure for a destroyer of worlds. And considering how Skull Kid has been left behind by the end of the game, it seems that this can not all be the thoughts of the Skull Kid still echoing in Majora. It’s as if Majora itself has some deep-seated issues involving trust. It questions the morality of its actions, worries about being used by others, and seems very concerned with how others view it.

THE THEORY IS THIS:

The Golden Goddesses once included four members: Din, Nayru, Farore, and Majora. Each played a valuable role in its creation and complemented another member of the four. Din and Nayru balanced one another, with Fire meeting Water, Power meeting Wisdom, and Creation meeting Order. Likewise, Farore and Majora balanced each other out. Farore would bring Wind, Life, and Courage while Majora would offer Earth, Death, and Peace (themes seen in Ikana Canyon).

The four of them created the world of Hyrule and its many peoples. Perhaps Majora’s favorite people were the predecessors of HYLIANS. Though a variety of humans exist in the Zelda universe, it should be noted that the ones with pointed ears (Hylians, Sheikah, and Gerudo) are most closely associated with many of Majora’s favorite points, as seen in OoT’s Spirit and Shadow Temples.

It is also likely that the four goddesses spent a while living in the world they made, much like the Giants of Termina. This would be a bit of a weird dynamic for common people, especially concerning Majora. Gods associated with accepting one’s fate and returning to the Earth are not always going to be popular.

The thing is, if there’s one thing the Zelda series is consistent about, it’s powerful beings able to be defeated by much weaker ones. Link defeating Ganon a bunch is the most obvious example, but even benevolent deities like the WIND FISH and Four Giants are shown to be vulnerable to something they should be able to take on. So it’s possible that the peoples of early Hyrule could defeat Majora with a well thought out plan and the element of surprise. This plan: trapping her in a mask, which would only be used for exploiting her power.

The remaining trio could react in a number of ways. they would almost certainly be upset, both because of personal safety concerns and the outrage at Majora being imprisoned by the world she helped create. Rescuing Majora would be a high priority, but being very powerful doesn’t necessarily grant omniscience. A mask is very easy to hide, and they wouldn’t even necessarily know to look for a mask in the first place. That said, it would be an utter waste to destroy the peoples they created. Not all of them were necessarily guilty. Nevertheless, Hyrule was no longer safe for its creators.

So the Golden Trio departed from the world, leaving only a portion of their powers behind to create the Triforce.

Thing is, without the Golden Goddesses, the world would soon be attacked by outside threats like Demise. This was bad enough, but worse was the fact that Majora could not contribute her efforts into maintaining the world’s balance. Thus, the nature of Hyrule changed forever. Without an entity that could manage death and ultimate peace, undead creatures would begin to plague the world. Worse, monsters like Ganon were literally unstoppable, since they were powerful enough to overcome any force that would make them face a proper death or ending.

And so, by trapping the Goddess associated with Death, the people of Hyrule allowed the greatest killer in their history to go largely unopposed. After all, even when a hero rises, he can not always stop Ganon immediately. The Downfall timeline is based on the good guys simply failing.

Majora didn’t see most of this. She was in a mask most of the time, wondering why her three sisters had not saved her. Did they know about this? Had they taken part? Why would they betray her?

So ages later, when little Skull Kid allowed Majora to see her surroundings for the first time in at least a few centuries, likely much longer, she was neither entirely rational or calm. When she saw Termina, she saw something resembling what the world she made might look like after X many years. So bringing the moon down? That was revenge.

Theory by u/salnax

[aerithsaves]

New ship Tag: Aeris and Cloud Take to the Skies

Why a new tag? As suggested, a new tag for positive posts about the two characters might help with the current resurgence of LTD discussions, people telling other people to get over the LTD/that they don’t care about the LTD/can’t we all just get along, and other assorted strife the pairing frequently gets saddled with. So, here is my suggestion (and I will try and post some stuff to get it started).

Why this tag name? A lot of posts, tags, blog titles and so on fixate on the relationship or the character’s roles within FFVII and associated media which feels quite limiting. Instead of that, I would like the focus to be more on alternate universe ideas (because canon) and new adventures/outcomes/opportunities. Specifically I’m also trying to invoke Aeris’s interest in the Highwind and Cloud’s willingness to help her fly in it – something they never did, but could have if things had turned out differently.

So. New tag. I can’t really dictate rules or anything but please:

Yes

Aeris/Cloud as a couple (focus on the pairing)

Reasonably obvious, but please try and feature them both equally or focus on them together for the most part. Please try to avoid Tifa’s death being part of the setup (yes I am guilty of this, but not doing that kind of thing anymore)

Aeris/Cloud casual hook-up

It can just be sex, not love. Sex-friends, one-night stands, past lovers who meet up again, etc are all fine.

Aeris & Cloud as friends (if this does involve another ship, then focus should be on their interactions more so than the ship)

Platonic shipping is important. I can’t remember who said it, but why not ship two characters in every sense – not just romantically. This includes work colleagues if that makes a difference to you

Aeris/Cloud as part of a polyamorous configuration (though focus should be on the two of them or equal across participants)

With Tifa, with Zack, with Zack, Tifa & Sephiroth, with whoever!

Aeris/Cloud as a couple after past relationships (the two of them moving on together)

The past relationships is likely to be Zerith all things considered (please do not bash that ship), but in AU anything is possible. Please do not use this as an excuse to attack Cloti.

Aeris /Cloud as a couple prior to other relationships (the focus has to be on the two of them again though)

The pairing breaking up/Cloud moving on with Tifa or someone else is fine, but please don’t use this as an excuse for spite and attack the Aeris/Cloud pairing or whatever the subsequent one is. Also please demonstrate why the relationship was good before it fell apart. No doomed relationships from the start please.

FFVII (1997)

Naturally. The best resource for Aeris’s character and her interactions with Cloud. Plenty to draw on; meeting after the first mission, falling into the church (more so If you ignore Crisis Core), the bodyguard deal, staying the night, Aeris walking Cloud home, Wall Market as a whole, rescuing Aeris from Shinra, party make-up as they start travelling (if you select her), talking about the Highwind, talking at Costa del Sol, Gongaga (if she’s in your party), Aeris learning about the Cetra at Cosmo Canyon, stealing the Tiny Bronco (if she’s in your party), Gold Saucer date (if the outcome), party make-up for the Temple of the Ancients, Cloud’s dream, Aeris’s final smile.

FF Tactics

The flower girl might have no name, but the reference is clear. Life in Ivalice: go!

Kingdom Hearts

I haven’t been keeping track that well, but I get the impression Cloud wasn’t actually looking for Aeris this whole time (as clarified by Final Mix). Feel free to disregard this (AUs!). Subject to future change obviously, but KH and KH2 offer a few, small interactions for now.

Advent Children

Fine if Aeris is alive via some mechanism (AU, resurrection, whatever).

Future Releases

Eg. FFVII Remake. The only requirement for shipping is both characters are alive and well in the same time period and actually meet (crack-shipping does mean you can skip both these requirements, but in general they are helpful). So even if the Remake or some other spin-off canonises or appears to canonise a pairing, this is no reason to ship or not ship something or to no longer enjoy the pairing. Take the positives. You can ship a character with more than one other character even if the relationships are mutually exclusive!

No

Proof of canon/Proof of ship superiority

It does not matter. You like what you ship. They like what they ship. You are incredibly unlikely to change their minds no matter what the argument/evidence and vice versa. Original authorial intentions, accidental canon, retcons, change of writers; doesn’t matter! Stick to the ship and your interest in it. Canon is completely optional.

Digs at other ships involving one or both characters

As above. Please don’t trash a linked ship for any reason, and don’t accuse them of abuse or anything similar

No self-sacrifice, no suicide, no love beyond death – keep them both alive for the relationship

Given Aeris’s plotline (near certain to remain the same in the Remake) it’s preferable to not have Cloud perpetually mourning/unable to cope (or if Aeris is doing this if an inversion setup is your thing). Positive remember? Cloud can be deeply into Aeris and then move on after as above, and again AUs allow you to ignore the tragedy.

Ultimania/interview quotes/latest translation controversy (whatever it happens to be when you read this)

Even if the authorship of the books were certain (that detail is very iffy), post-canon releases/explanations tend to shut down avenues of speculation rather than leaving them open/giving more scope for exploration. Plus there’s at least one language barrier and scope to slant a translation any way you want. Also half the time the ‘canon’ of these books is less statement of fact and more leading speculation/unused ideas from development. So none of that please. 

Also the notion of pre-planning everything is very much in vogue and people like to think writers always do this, so naturally there is a tendency to imply or assume pre-planning from writers. What they say afterwards does not have to affect anything. Also language barrier again. Translators also have biases – both admitted and unconscious – and good translations are more art than science. A translation into any other language does not have more weight than the original or any other translation.

No Tifa bashing of any kind

Tifa is not an obstacle to be overcome or removed. She is a character in her own right, and if Aeris and Cloud are paired together this should provide opportunities for development for her that does not involve Cloud as much (or it can totally. Cloud and Tifa can be amazing friends. 

Please don’t just pair Tifa up with someone else to neaten things up (and if you decide to put her with Barret you should also feel obligated to develop that ship) or just leave her on her own because you don’t like her). Aeris was/is Tifa’s friend. If Cloud hates Tifa/Tifa hates Cloud or Aeris then you are doing this wrong.

Parallels to other FFs/media

Running themes in FFs tend to extend to Cid, Chocobos, Moogles, spell/summon names and crystals. There are occasionally other character/similar place names used more than once. But. Childhood friends to lovers is not a huge focus of the series (the majority of main couples do not express this trope). Neither is love after death. 

But even if these were recurring and important motifs the piggy-backing of one pairing on a different game’s pairing is somewhat frustrating and should be avoided (plus: Rinoa/Squall is more of a mix of Aeris/Cloud and Tifa/Cloud than either of them in isolation. I have reasons). In addition, something from a different fandom who seem to share parallels with the ship has little bearing on the ship itself (but could be inspiration for an AU)

Racism, sexism, bigotry of any kind

Just no.

Cheating

To clarify on the Aeris/Cloud after another relationship or before another relationship or the casual hook-ups – please do not have one or other cheat on their partner with another character (whoever this would turn out to be). Nor should this ever be the reason for the relationship breaking down, and no undiscovered adultery either please.

 So if you want to be positive about the pairing – and are able to do so in a manner that does not involve taking pot-shots at more popular pairings (as much as this may be painful to admit if you’re into this pairing, we are in a minority and this might not change) – please use this tag.

[breerps]

Keziah 1,2,3,4,5,35,36,37,38,39,40,41

1. How do they move and carry themselves? Pace, rhythm, gestures, energy?

Kesiah is a very bright and ebullient woman, and this shows in her stride. She walks straight and tall, her 5′ 8″ frame occasionally bumped up by 1-2″ heels, and there’s always a bit of a spring in her step which causes her curls to bounce. Even if she’s not in a good mood, the spring stays in her stride, it just becomes more purposeful and makes it clear she’s not to be trifled with at that moment. She has a naturally brisk pace when walking normally, though if she’s really contemplating something she will slow down significantly, possibly to her present companion’s annoyance. She also talks with her hands a lot. Part of this is from how expressive she is (read: extremely), and part is from her fluency in sign language. It’s extremely rare to see her with closed off body language (such as crossed arms or legs), and to see that means she is VERY upset and you should be very careful as to how you proceed with her.

2. How much physical space do they use, active and at rest?

About the average amount for a person. She doesn’t rock or shift a lot when standing or sitting, and she’s always very aware of people in close proximity to her so that she doesn’t take up too much space that they might need. Her personal bubble is much smaller than say Lukas or Neve’s, so she doesn’t mind things like people sitting next to her or bumping into her. This is pretty much the same whether she’s moving or still, though her awareness rises when she’s active.

3. How do they position themselves in a group? Do they like to be the center of attention, or do they hang back at the edges of a crowd?

Kesiah isn’t an attention hog but she does have a natural charm which draws people to her. It’s easy to tell that she’s genuinely interested in what other people have to say, so people are likely to end up focusing on conversations with her because she’s a delight to talk to. She’s not a wallflower, either, so it’s common to find her moving around a room, engaging many different people and making sure everyone feels attended to and listened to. She hates leaving people feeling like they’re out of place or unwelcome.

4. What is their size and build? How does it influence how they use their body, if it does?

At 5′ 8″ and 135 lbs., Kesiah is of average build with some lovely curves as an accent. She jogs regularly and does sit-ups and push-ups most days, and most of her physical exercise comes from running around after the kids in her class five days a week. But that’s more than enough to keep her fit. Body image is not something that’s ever bothered her, nor does she see her body as an object, weapon, or tool to be used as anything other than her means of living life to the fullest.

5. How do they dress? What styles, colors, accessories, and other possessions do they favor? Why?

Kessie always dresses with two things in mind: the weather, and bright colors. You will virtually never see her in black, and in fact she only owns a Little Black Dress because a friend convinced her that she needed one just in case. White is much more prevalent in her wardrobe, and even grays are more common, though she prefers them to be lighter in shade and will mostly relegate them to winter-wear. She’s a huge fan of leggings as pants, particularly when paired with sweaters/sweater dresses, and has fought her school’s administration on that subject many times. But her favorite color schemes involve bright, light colors and happy patterns, especially lighter blues and soft yellows (her favorite colors). In the summer, you can find her wearing shorts and tank tops, sundresses, and light jumpsuits. All her other possessions and interior decor follows this same color theory: bright colors and fun, happy patterns. For accessories, she’s more of a bracelet/bangle type than a necklace type, though she has a couple sentimental necklaces she’ll put on for special occasions. Also, if she didn’t keep her earrings in literally 24/7, she’d never remember to wear earrings at all. In contrast to the rest of her style, her choice of jewelry is often very subtle and delicate, and she favors copper or silver (as opposed to gold) with small gemstones.

35. How and why do they internalize knowledge? What effect has that had on them?

Although she’s an avid reader, Kesiah is a very hands on learner. She prefers to dive in and do things herself, learning by doing. Maybe she’ll read up before going into it, but the concepts and practice all stick better if she tries it herself. Unlike some other people, she doesn’t mind failure. She’s always been taught that it’s just part of the learning experience, so she doesn’t get discouraged if she has to do something repeatedly until she gets it right. This has caused her to become a very encouraging person: if she doesn’t give up on things easily, she wants to help others do the same.

36. How much do they rely on their minds and intellect, versus other approaches like relying on instinct, intuition, faith and spirituality, or emotions? What is their opinion on this?

Kesiah keeps a pretty even balance for the most part, but she does tend to make most of her decisions based on her instinct and intuition. If something feels wrong to her, she reasons that there’s got to be a good explanation for that and trusts her gut. However, as a TA and aspiring teacher, she does try to lead by example and remind her students that you should try to use both logic and feeling when making decisions on how to act and treat others. Even if that’s sometimes a little hard for her personally—she has been known to offer up such passionate arguments as “just… because! It’s mean!” as a reason she’s against things. In her mind, only following cold logic will leave the world cold as well, and she wants to make the world a better, warmer place where people treat each other right because it’s the kind thing to do.

37. Have they had any special education or training that colors their means of learning about or understanding the world? Conversely, do they lack some kind of education considered essential in their world? What kind of impact has this addition or lack had on them?

She went to university for a teaching degree and is currently finishing up her in-classroom TA experience so that she can finally put that Master’s to good use. If this has colored her understanding of the world, it’s likely it made her an even more patient person and a more empathetic one. Her studies included a great deal of psychology, particularly child psychology, so she knows how to relate to kids and adults alike in more effective ways. As for a lack of essential education, her one great weakness there is that she does not have a driver’s license. Where she lives, she’s never needed it because public transport is so good and driving gives her a lot of anxiety within the city. But the only real impact this has on her is that she can’t be a designated driver or a driver for school trips, and while this has been a small setback, she makes up for it by remaining a dutiful chaperone on party nights and taking her students on fun transit and walking field trips.

38. Is there anything they wish they could change about their worldview or thought processes? What, and why?

For all that she is a very positive and sunny person, Kesiah has been through some rough shit that she never talks about with anyone. She managed to come out of that a better, more compassionate person, but she definitely wishes that she’d never had to go through that stuff in the first place because it’s made her more suspicious. She fights that, and for the most part succeeds in still being an open, welcoming person. But she’s got a little hard spot in her heart now that she wishes wasn’t there to make her a more wary person.

39. What sort of questions or thoughts recur in their lives, either specifically or as a theme? Why are these never answered, or answered permanently to their satisfaction?

The main theme of Kessie’s life is whether or not she’ll be able to make a positive impact on those around her. It’s best exemplified in contrast to Lukas’s primary motivations: Lukas wishes to change the world mainly as a means of altering how people see him (as well as to make it better for people like himself), while Kesiah is very comfortable with who she is and just wants the world to be better for the sake of others. Because the world is vast and full of problems, it’s unlikely that she will ever permanently achieve happiness for everyone around her. But she’s aware of this and just tries to do what she can where she can.

40. What do they wonder about? What sparks their curiosity and imagination, and why? How is this expressed, if it is?

Different things day-to-day. Not big things like what’s the meaning of life or are we alone in the universe, but little things like whether plants understand our tone and meaning when we talk to them. Or what squirrels have conversations about. Often, if a kid in class poses an interesting question to her, she’ll ponder it until she has an answer to give them, even if it’s “I’m afraid I don’t know, but maybe someday you’ll find out!” She’s very taken with small, everyday wonders, and even something as innocuous as a ladybug landing on her knee will capture her imagination.

41. What associations do they bring to mind? Words or phrases, images, metaphors or motifs? Why?

Sunshine and sunsets, smiles, small beautiful flowers and plants, forgiveness, patience, learning, compassion, sacrifice, nightingales, rabbits, copper, aquamarine, ivy, holly, second sight, looking to the future, warm embraces, laying with your head in your lover’s lap while reading, Sunday brunch in bed, visiting dog parks to see cute dogs, day trip self-guided tours of the city, “It’s going to be alright,” “We can do this!”, a gentle hand on your face, the gleam of copper in the sunlight, rich genuine laughter, hummingbird feeders, sitting by ponds to watch fish and frogs, “I’m here”, long hugs and deep, sensitive kisses after time apart.

[alliewhitedesigns]

Design Methodology week 3

9/20/19 Raoul Deal/Michelle Silverman/Elmer Moore/Amelia Coffaro

Raoul Deal spoke about his participation in the Cultures and Community Program and his experience in Mexico. Raoul was in Veracruz Mexico when his neighbor asked him to repaint a head in his yard with an 8yr old boy. This kickstarted a sequence of design events. Interested in unique house architecture, he began building dwellings out of sustainable materials. In one of his early jobs, he was asked to help design and build doors and windows in organic forms. He spoke on some issues they faced during development. All materials were either transported or gathered. There was also no access to clean water. The locals processed and filtered water through lily flowers. Soon, they hired brick laters and trained them and involved them in the design process. In a different job, he worked in an indigenous Mayan community arts project titled “Taller de Creation.”  Artists were needed to communicate between the language barriers. In this project, he taught locals to create wood carvings from the trees. It went so well, he returned to be a part of a collaborative art workshop where the Kantepec community worked on paintings. The community was thankful for his help and created a huge wooden mural. Another group project he spoke of was Project UJIWMA. The participants were youth and their families who suffered extreme violence. This workshop was to encourage self-expression and be a therapeutic activity. The attendees made crafts, vinyl-cutting, and used spray paint to make self portraits and create peace banners. For his work in such an inspirational project, Raoul went on win recognition at Children’s Hospital and receive national attention.

Michelle Silverman was the next speaker. She works on accessibility, science and technology, and health science topics within the aging population. Michelle briefed us on how the aging population is facing illness, and diseases yet still living longer, and how it’s caused the 65+ older population with disabilities to grow. Many of these issues relate to self-care, vision, hearing, and independent living. Some categories of issues she works on were motor, sensory, cognitive, injury, physical health, and mental health, as well as travel, play, connecting with others, and environments.

Michelle discussed the A3 model and Universal Designs. A3 stands for Advocacy, Accommodation, and Accessibility. Her takeaway message was ‘D4PWD IS BD4E’, design for people with disabilities is better design for everyone.

The third speaker was Elmer Moore, the executive direction for Scale-Up Milwaukee and is the founder of Milwaukee Design. He spoke on utilizing anger as a motivation tactic in order to become more productive. Elmer talked about coming to Milwaukee for his dream job, which turned out to be absolutely terrible, but presented him with an opportunity to do work for Scale-Up. Scale-Up is based on the work of Dan Isenberg, but rebranded for the city of Milwaukee. He worked on increasing growth in culture along with entrepreneurial growth in the city.  His summation was very direct. “Growth is not a finite resource. Growth is contagious. Belief is more powerful than knowledge, Nothing is comparable. Everything matters.” I thought his belief on turning anger into motivation and love was incredibly captivating and his joyful aura certainly tended to it’s credibility.

Amelia Coffaro was the next guest. She’s a yoga therapist, who stressed the importance of mind, body, and medicine. Amelia believes poor habits and patterns manifest themselves into disease. She believes in taking a unique approach of practice one-ness.Amelia talked about the history of where she began before becoming a yoga therapist. In 2013 she lived in New York as a photographer. After a while she developed anxiety, sleep issues, and pain.  Eventually she went to the doctor after finding a lump in her breast, which turned out to be late stage cancer. She was given a less than 5% chance of living past 6-8 months. As for her physical issues, her lack of insurance provided very few options. Over the next 2 years of treatment she photographed her experience, often finding a recurring theme of love.  Soon she discovered through breathing techniques and meditation, she was able to overcome her anxiety and regulate her nervous system. Her takeaway messages were the importance of interconnection: supporting the greater health of yourself and others, less judgement, and more love and compassion.