#glacier week day 1

[csuitebitches]

Skiing - a beginner’s guide

I first went skiing in Switzerland with my friends nearly 10 years ago and I loved it. The feeling of the wind on my face, the speed, the adrenaline- it was exhilarating.

I’ve compiled a basic list of ski events, a semi-scandalous article and some of the best destinations in the world as well as some budget friendly ones.

Socialite ski events:

Snowboxx:

Since it launched in 2013, winter festival Snowboxx has been growing in popularity - and it involves flying out to the Alps for a week-long ski party.  It takes place in Avoriaz ski resort, Morzine, France each March, and this year saw a superstar lineup of artists performing in the mountains, including ex-Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, Becky Hill, Jax Jones, Sonny Fodera and Andy C. 

The combination of partying to some of the world's best DJs, with the unusual day-activites of skiing and snowboarding, are making many turn away from the summer festival circuit in favour of the winter one. 

Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel , Austria:

The Hahenekamm ski race weekend in Kitzbühel is arguably the biggest alpine ski event in the world. The world’s best take on the iconic Streif downhill track, which is historically the toughest ski race track on the World Cup circuit. A lot of the speed skiers consider winning races here as a bigger honour than the Olympics. As a spectator, the atmosphere is electric with fans around the world admiring some breathtaking ski racing.

X Games, Aspen, USA:

The world’s best freestyle skiers and snowboarders compete annually in Aspen. The event is a prestigious honour to win amongst action sports athletes and has propelled careers. Spectating the event is excellent because you can see most of the action from the viewing areas. The halfpipe events in particular are excellent to watch for this reason.

European Snow Pride, Tignes, France:

Tignes is home to Europe’s biggest gay ski week, with the European Snow Pride. Each day has a theme with nights of brit-pop to superhero days. Many international DJs are invited to play each evening party in the resort’s local clubs and bars.

Slightly scandalous tales: Things I Never Knew About Skiing Until I Was a Private Instructor in Aspen

Really interesting read. I was thoroughly entertained.

Popular ski destinations:

1. Whistler Blackcomb, Canada

Whistler makes it onto pretty much every ‘World Top 10’ list when it comes to ski resorts

2. Niseko, Japan

Located on the northern island of Hokkaido, this Japanese skiing destination is a snow-covered paradise. With a huge 15 metres of average snowfall, it’s no wonder that Niseko is the country’s premier ski resort.

3. Zermatt, Switzerland

As the highest resort in the Alps, it’s got the views. The incredible peak of the Matterhorn can be seen from just about anywhere on the slopes! It also boasts the greatest vertical drop in Switzerland, and there’s all year round skiing at the Matterhorn Glacier.

4. Courchevel, France

The resort is a part of the world’s largest alpine ski area, offering more than 600 kilometres of terrain and interconnected ski runs across 10 summits. The snow here is well-groomed, and there’s a legendary black run that’s considered to be one of the trickiest in the world.

5. Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy

Known only to the most dedicated, well-travelled skiers prior to the 1956 Winter Olympics, Cortina is a hidden gem in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains.

6. Baqueira-Beret, Spain

It may be a surprising destination for skiing, but Baqueira-Beret in Spain is one of the best places in Europe where you’ll find value for money for a ski holiday. You’ll be able to find affordable accommodation as well as some of the finest tapas restaurants in the country.

7. Ylläs, Finland

The arctic landscapes of Lapland are perfect for skiing. If you dream of snow-dusted trees, the magic of the Northern Lights, or the glow of the midnight sun, Ylläs is a unique winter resort that you won’t want to miss. As Finland’s largest ski resort, it’s got everything you need.

Budget friendly destinations

1. Vogel, Slovenia

An ideal spot for couples or families, this Slovenian spot is a truly beautiful and peaceful ski area. Overlooking Lake Bohinj, Vogel is part of the Triglav national park.

2. Livigno, Italy

Duty-free zone Livigno offers excellent slopes for intermediate skiers. But advanced skiers and snowboarders will be kept busy too – especially if they’re keen to explore off piste.

3. Poiana-Brasov, Romania

Poiana Brasov is Romania’s biggest mountain resort and certainly one of the nicest. The fairytale slopes, flanked by pine trees, are the perfect place to take your skis. With more than 24km of ski runs, there’s plenty to explore.

4. South Korea -Muju Deogyusan Resort

Muju Deogyusan Resort in Jeolla province is only 3 hours away from Seoul. So, if you want to spend your holiday skiing and still enjoy the city of Seoul, this is the place to go.

5. Niseko Ski Resort

Located in Hokkaido, Japan, Niseko Ski Resort boasts a total of four different resorts but with linked ski area. A single pass would give you access to all four resorts. One of the resorts, Mt. Resort Grand Hirafu has been officially named as Japan’s number one snow resort due to the wide array of activities offered.

6. India - Gulmarg

Gulmarg is a rare gem in the Himalayans that will undoubtedly take your breath away with its picturesque beauty. However, skiing in Gulmarg, Kashmir is not for the weak-hearted as the terrains are not suitable for beginners - to add to that, the ski lifts carry you to the highest point in the Himalaya at 13, 780 feet!

7. China - Nanshan Ski Resort

80km away from Beijing, Nanshan Ski Resort is perfect for skiing and snowboarding as the snow are neither too hard nor too soft.

[potattarot]

National Park Pick a Pile

I love nature, the outdoors, and I have a dream to visit all the national parks in the US. I know that it probably won't happen, but growing up near one has instilled a love of nature in me.

Today's pick an image tarot reading is based on some lovely pictures of different national parks. Image 1 is Wynn Mountain at Glacier National Park.

2. Is another beautiful flower picture of Glacier Park.

3. Crater Lake at night.

Remember this is all in fun.

Wynn Mountain

Ten of Cups, Three of Swords rx, Four of Cups

Currently you are experiencing a sense of contentment in your relationships after a potentially difficult time. You are finally feeling confidence and comfort in your relationships. During this time cultivating the relationships with people in your life that are positive and pruning out the negative ones will be of benefit. This will require you to take time for yourself, and look inwards at what you want from the relationships in your life and not make rash decisions.

Glacier National Park

Knight of Cups, The Tower, Eight of Pentacles Right now you are able to attract people to you with your charm and comforting demeanor. You have a way with words and romance. However something big is on the horizon that is going to cause your whole world to turn upside down. This extroverted romantic persona is going to be stripped away and you will feel vulnerable to the world. During this upheaval it would be better for you to focus less on trying to woo the world and more on trying to develop the skills you already have into a master level.

Crater Lake

Seven of Wands rx, Four of Cups, Five of Swords

You are overwhelmed by external pressures. It is making you feel like you are living a lie. Criticisms thrown your way are cutting you deep and making you feel incredibly small. You can't win everyone over, no matter how hard you try. You need to take time and rest. Build yourself back up and reflect on yourself and what you really want before making big decisions. You have been in a hurtful battle and you might feel it is worth continuing this fight to its bitter end, but right now you need to pick your battles and heal your wounds.

Well that's all for this week. I hope you have a wonderful day. If you have any theme or any recommendations for tarot or esoteric based posts reach out. My asks are open.

[cassiedroll]

The White Vault (in the Sims 4) pt. 1

In the past few weeks, I have been re-listening to The White Vault, and while my art skills aren't quite up to the level I'm happy with, I still wanted to make some images of the characters and scenes in the podcast. So, I went to the Sims. The following screenshots display scenes from the first season of The White Vault.

First days in the bunker as Rosa makes coffee and Walter works on the radio

Karina journalling at the table

Jónas journals while Walter queues up the movie for the night.

Walter works on repairs on the tower. Graham supervises.

The gang hangs out. Rosa and Graham flirt.

Rosa and Graham explore the auxiliary bunker.

The crew plays cards; Rosa journals.

The first trip down into the tunnels as Jónas stays on the radio.

Walter hears some weird stuff over the radio.

Rosa and Karina chat and gossip.

The strange statues in the village under the glacier.

(When you see it...)

Karina falls jumps.

Rosa tends to an unconscious Karina.

Walter and Jónas listening to the strange transmission and hailing Ny-Ålesund.

On a trip into the anatomical theatre, one of the statues scratches Jónas's hand.

Karina...

After waking up with the hatch open, Graham finds Karina in the snow without her snowsuit and brings her back inside.

(...it sees you too.)

"This concludes those documents related to the night Dr. Schumacher-Weiß disappeared and thus completes the tenth collection of information regarding the repair team at Outpost Fristed."

[eldragon-x-moved]

PMD: Gates to Infinity Timeline

Rescue Team

I wanted to document the in-universe timespan of the story of every PMD title in detail and originally make it all into one post, but decided to split it into four instead. Every PMD timeline post will have links to the other titles as I progress with this little project.

Know that I'll count vague timeskips to the best of my judgement, the one dungeon = one day rule doesn't strictly apply (yes, even with the V-Wave mechanic in gti), and I document every game up until the hero and partner reunite, though I might make additions for post-game story later on.

Introduction Arc

On day 1 the hero meets the partner after landing in the Pokemon world, and on day 2 you play through Gurdurr's arc to get him to build your house. The construction starts on the evening of day 2 and is said to last a few days. Not counting day 2's evening, I'll make it three days, making day 5 the day where the house is finished.

On day 6 you meet Dunsparce, Emolga, and Virizion who join your team by the end of the day. The team is officially established on day 7.

Gurdurr's store is established on day 8 and he asks you to bring him materials which you give to him on day 9. Gurdurr opens his store on day 10. Nothing happens on days 11-12 but on day 13 Victini arrives in Paradise and the hero has a dream the following night. Day 14 is uneventful, the fata morgana of the Great Glacier appears on day 15, and day 16 is uneventful again.

Umbreon and Espeon Arc

On the night before day 17, the hero has another dream and Umbreon is approaching Post Town. A warning about a dangerous Pokemon in the area goes out in the morning. The following night, Umbreon comes closer to the town and on day 18 Swadloon disappears to Inflora Forest where the team picks him up. Umbreon arrives in Post Town on day 19.

On day 20, Umbreon demonstrates the summoning of a Magnagate and the team takes off to rescue Espeon. Umbreon and Espeon join the team on day 21. Virizion and Dunsparce have a conversation on the hill the following night. The next morning, on day 22, Quagsire tells the team that one Pokemon has to stay in Paradise and can't go to the expedition.

Great Glacier Arc

I was debating on wether to apply the one dungeon = one day rule in this arc since technically we don't get any indication that a night passes during the expedition but I decided yes, both because its supposed to feel long and for another reason*.

That being said, day 23 marks the day the team make their way to the Great Glacier via a Magnagate dungeon. They arrive and make their way through the glacier on day 24 and take another Magnagate dungeon on day 25. Day 26 is the day they make it through the Glacier Palace for the first time and return home in the evening.

On day 27 Emolga uses the Frisms to mess with the team before telling them that during their absence, floating lights that could be seen from the hill appeared. The hero has another dream and on the morning of day 28, the partner asks the hero to promise them to stay in this world after fulfilling their duty. On day 29, one floating light can be seen from the hill. *If you talk to Ducklett, they'll say the lights first appeared about a week ago which adds up the best if you assume the expedition took four days.

Munna and Hydreigon Arc

Munna finally manages to make contact with the hero via their dreams. On the next day, day 30, the hero and partner take a Magnagate to Kilionea Road. They plan to sleep over the night outside the dungeon, but are alarmed by Munna, prompting them to make it through the Forest of Shadows at night. They get ambushed at Mount Kilionea afterwards but escape.

The hero makes it to Daybreak Ridge on day 31 where they're attacked by Toxicroak and saved by Hydreigon. When they wake up, Hydreigon says they've been out for a while, possibly making it day 32. Hydreigon and the hero team up and make it through Ochre Quarry and in the evening, Hydreigon explains the situation.

On day 33, the hero and Hydreigon make it through Withered Savanna where Purugly confronts them and tells them that they've got the Partner as a hostage. Presumably on day 34*, the duo makes their way to Holehills to rescue partner. On day 35* hero, partner, and Hydreigon make their way through the Scorching Desert. They're attacked by Kyurem in the evening and hero and partner are found and rescued by Emolga and Dunsparce.

*Withered Savanna, Holehills, and Scorching Desert could all be happening on one day but I decided to apply the 1d = 1d rule because otherwise it'd last as long as the glacier expedition and based on how long the arc feels, how the road takes up a chunk of the map, and how Emolga says they've been searching for hero and partner because they were gone for so long and started to get worried despite Mount Kilionea being established as a far away place, I think it makes sense that it lasts longer.

Finale Arc

The hero recovers from their injuries and wakes up on day 36 as the team decides their next course of action. They explain the situation to Post Town on day 37 just before Glacier Palace rises into the sky. Umbreon and Espeon make their way to Great Glacier that night and the team follows on day 38, on which they make it through the palace and destroy the Bittercold. The hero leaves the Pokemon world the next morning on day 39.

Worldcore Arc

A vague long timeskip happens, but if you look at the story summary by either exiting and entering the game or switching between Friend- and Hero Mode, it says months have passed, so we'll go with three months here.

On the evening of day 1 post-skip, Dunsparce and Emolga talk to Hydreigon in the Inn while Virizion and Keldeo have a conversation on the hill. Dunsparce approaches Hydreigon on day 2 and Hydreigon disappears the next day. He returns on day 4 to tell the team about the Worldcore where the partner manages to make a wish and be reunited with the hero.

Conclusion

The main story lasts 39 days while the post-game story lasts 4 days. Counting everything together with the time skip and assuming the timespan includes two 30-day and two 31-day months, the entire story of Gates to Infinity lasts 134 days or 4 months, 1 week and 5 days

[weekend-whip]

Ninjago Fic Rec Week: Day 4

Prompts: Fluff / Cole Recs! (i'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of my favorite fics today aaaa)

Fluff Recs-

Good Hair Day: Kai helps Skylor do her hair, based entirely on a headcanon of Kai being good at doing hair (hey, his own style is a choice)

Little Brother: Lloyd realizes the perks of having five older siblings. Lots of sweet family fluff and young!Lloyd shenanigans <3

Nya, Kai, and That One Drink: Including this one specifically because it's probably the most lighthearted thing I've written yet that doesn't involve Jesse snknksnskn, the group goes for takeout in the X-1 Ninja Charger, only for one thing to lead to another and Kai winds up forgetting Nya's drink. What's a brother to do now?

Socks: Wu wearily but delightfully is forced to watch the ninja get way too much merriment out of a ridiculous pair of socks (I, personally, am of the belief that they belong to Lloyd, but—)

Five Times Jay Cheered Someone Up: And the one time he was cheered up in return (i am DISTRESSED that i didn't include this on my Jay list aaaaAAAA)

Five Times Lloyd Was a Pain: And the one time he wasn't. Child!Lloyd for the soul in this one!!!!

There's Insurance For That: In which Skylor gets a taste of the life of a ninja (and learning just how many places they've been banned from in Ninjago) Quite possibly my favorite lighthearted Skylor fic!!!

Cole Recs-

Sick Days: Sickfic, featuring Cole and having to contend with "Being useless", and the doting care

Passing On the Hammer: Cole has a meeting with his grandfather, while Jay tries his hand at being a fisherman and Kai thinks he can do the Triple Tiger Sashay. (Really a fic about Cole and his family's legacy, but Kai and Jay's antics are too hilarious not to mention snksnknksnk)

You're An Excellent Chef, Really *screams loudly* UGNH one of my very favorite fics exploring Cole and Zane's dynamic, will recommend every single time!!!! But, it's basically the duo bonding over cooking over the years. Makes my heart very happy <3

Quiet Weirdo: Cole and Nya friendship fic that the world definitely needs more of!!!!

Adjusting: PILOT BONDING, this time Cole flavored!! Cole's thoughts on his new budding team consisting of a chatty blue guy and the guy that won't stop staring at things. But a guy like Cole has never needed friends anyway, so he's got nothing to worry about, right?

Again and Again: MORE PILOTS BONDING but this time with Glacier! People keep asking me how Cole fell in love with Zane in Legacyverse and my mind always drifts back to a thing similar to this story! My personal investment aside, a nice fluffy fic about how Cole met Zane and they became friends with a touch of pining <3

You Worry Too Much: By the author of Chips and Salsa (another fandom Cole/Glacier classic), here we have a another tale centered around Cole's parents while he was growing up, and though it's a little more about Lou than anyone else, Cole ofc has a huge stake in the story and uwaah I love reading about Cole's family dynamics (both the fluff and the tragedy)

Some Climb Mountains: A retelling of how Cole met Master Wu, always gets me misty eyed because i am a soft soul ;v;

Cole and the Tastiest Broken Glass: S2 Pre-Child's Play, Cole and Lloyd bond over broken things, life philosophy, and candy. Cole and Lloyd sibling duo that the world also needs much more og!!

I'm Sure He Knows: More Cole + Wu bonding that speaks to me specifically, involving a conversation about a certain ghostly wind master who is no more.

Four Times Cole Helped The Guys With a Nightmare: And the one time they helped him. Cole's character at his purest in this one!!!

[mrbexwrites]

OC Ask Tag

Tagged by @the-golden-comet in this post- thank you so much <3

Passing the tag onto @queen-tashie @cowboybrunch @sarahlizziewrites @spideronthesun and @museandquill (plus an open tag) to answer the following for an OC of your choice: 1) Who is your biggest role model growing up? 2) What is a skill that you wish you'd spend more time on when you were younger? 3) Savory or Sweet dishes? Why?

I'm currently banging my head against a brick wall having written myself back into a corner (yaay!). Which means that I have plenty of time to procrastinate and try to clear the tag backlog so I can pretend to have been productive!! Lupine is a new character, and I'm still figuring her out, so this is a nice chance to get to know her some more.

1.) What location is always considered a home to you?

"I grew up in foster care, so I've always been bouncing around from place to place. No where has ever really felt like home. I've managed to lay some roots in Quesnel,Canada so I guess I can call that home? It's the place that I've lived the longest in, and I have no plans to move from there any time soon."

2.) Do you enjoy traveling with company, or alone?

"I spend a lot of time with Auggie, my work partner. We spend almost twenty hours a day together, or more, if we're on a case. We practically live out of each other's pockets. So when I say I prefer some time to myself, I hope you know that I am- at heart- a social creature. But I need time by myself with just my thoughts."

3.) How many landmarks in your world have you visited? Were they fun? Horrifying? A place to remember?

"I've done some traveling throughout my life. I was a medic in the British Army when I was a young adult; so I've spent some time in Afghanistan and Iraq, but I didn't get to do much sightseeing. I've blocked out a lot of my memories from that time; there's only so much death and pain I could bear to witness. I moved to Canada after my divorce, and I've seen a lot of Northern America since then, but again, most of it has been though work. So not much sightseeing. "My favourite place to visit has been the Athabasca Glacier; I spent two weeks hiking alone though Jasper National Park. Absolutely worth it. "

[akenvs3000f24]

BLOG 1: My Connection With Nature

Hello! My name is Angela, and I’m a third year student majoring in Zoology at the University of Guelph. I’d like to officially welcome you to my blog– I’m excited to start sharing my posts with everyone from here on out. 

My relationship with nature is one that I’d consider special in my life. Being outside is nearly like my own sanctuary, a place where I can truly feel at peace. Growing up, although my family mainly lived in urbanized areas, I always felt a connection with the outdoors. My parents often caught me outside playing and running around, and they found pulling me away to be a struggle if I spotted a small critter on evening walks. I like to believe that my love for the outdoors stemmed from my mother, as she was and still is an avid gardener of both vegetables and flowers (so much so that I’ve gotten invested in it now as well!). The flowers would invite insects like butterflies and bees to our backyard, and the vegetables would attract rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks. She would often take my siblings and I out on hikes. My grandpa also taught me a sense of appreciation for the life around us through fishing. These experiences allowed me to grow a deep respect for wildlife and nature and the inner workings of their ecosystems; everything that exists on Earth serves a purpose– even mosquitoes, as annoying as they can be.

[Pink and white hyacinth pearl flowers backed by a sunset]

I’m privileged enough to have a few areas I’d consider my “sense of place”. My first real exposure to nature was back in 2017 on a trip to Europe with my brother. He took me on a trail that went around Mont. Blanc– the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe– and we hiked in the mountains for two weeks. Along the path we met lots of different kinds of people from different countries, but there was one thing that we all shared: a love for nature. As we hiked and chatted with the people we met, there was a sense of community that formed which led to memories that I cherish to this day. The trail took us through a few small towns in the valleys, and through the locals we learned bits of their history, family roots, and what sort of significance the land held for them. It was this particular trip that solidified my admiration for nature and all the things it had to offer.

[My brother and I's tent on the top of a mountain in Europe]

Most recently, I found another sense of place in Banff, Alberta. I spent most of my time hiking trails and visiting lakes, learning about the history and significance of the mountains that surrounded me. We were lucky to see a fair amount of wildlife, including deer, elk and mountain goats. One encounter that stuck in my mind was when we encountered a female elk and her baby. There was something so surreal about it, seeing them in the bush gorging away at some leaves. We had just finished stargazing and were right beside a busy highway– seeing a mother and her baby on the side of the road was the last thing that we expected. It reminded me of the simplicity and beauty of life. While in Banff my family and I also visited the Athabasca Glacier; there, we learned that every year it shrinks about 5 meters due to global warming. As an individual I always valued the importance of protecting the state of the natural world, as humans have been negatively affecting the Earth for years. Both of these encounters reinforced in my mind how important conservation and preservation is to nature and the future generations.

[Picture of a female elk and her calf under a starry sky]

In the end, my relationship with nature developed from one of simple curiosity and fascination to one of admiration and respect, connected with a drive to protect the environment. While I've said that my "sense of place" is mostly with the outdoors, the people who gave me that sense of place would most definitely be my mom, grandpa and brother.

[evafhernee]

I present; 99 Castoff Incorrect Quotes. Don’t ask why

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3 (this one))

(67)

Rori: I'm quick at math.

Arianna: Ok, what's 38 times 76?

Rori: 24

Arianna: That wasn't even close.

Rori: But it was quick.

(68)

Vector: Am I in trouble?

Arianna: Take a guess.

Vector: No?

Arianna: Take another guess.

(69)

Frankie: Wow, it sure smells like wrong dog in here!

Vector: Oh buddy…

Frankie, already sobbing: ASK.

(70)

Rori: You can take away my rights, but can you take away my lefts?

(71)

Vector: What scares you guys the most?

Frankie: Werewolves!

Marina: Sharks.

Sage: The unstoppable marching of time that is slowly guiding us all towards an inevitable death.

Sage:

Sage: Arianna.

(72)

Arianna: We have to plan, we have to figure something out.

Frankie: Arianna, when have any of our plans ever actually worked? We plan, we get there, all hell breaks loose.

(73)

Frankie: Oh, hey, I didn't see you come in! You should have come by and said hello!

Arianna: Oh! Yeah, I uh...

Arianna: Didn't want to bother you.

Arianna: Or talk to or listen to or be around you.

(74)

Frankie: There are three ways to handle a difficult situation. The right way, the wrong way, and the Arianna way.

Vector: Isn't that the wrong way?

Frankie: Yes, but it's faster.

(75)

Arianna: We wouldn't last two minutes without Frankie.

Arianna:

Arianna: Don't tell them I said that.

(76)

Arianna: Why do you hang out with me?

Vector: You're the best thing that's ever happened to me!

Arianna: ...

Arianna: I feel a bit sorry for you.

(77)

Frankie: Oh, fiddlesticks! That really ruffles my feathers!

Rori: Please, just say fuck.

(78)

Vector, texting Marina: sends a voice message

Marina, texting back: I'm a little busy, is it urgent?

Vector: No, don't worry, just listen later. later

Marina: presses play

Vector's voice message: THERE'S A FIRE-

(79)

Marina: You need to stop swearing so much.

Arianna: Shut the fuck up.

Marina: Yeah, that's not how you do it.

Arianna: Alright sorry. It's just that it's hard not to swear. The words just creep up on me when I least expect it.

Marina: Now now, don't be like that. Just replace the swear words with 'beep' and you'll be fine.

Arianna: Shit the beep up.

Marina:

Arianna: SHUT, DAMMIT! I MEANT SHUT!

(80)

Frankie: I have a bad feeling about this, guys.

Arianna: Oh don't worry, you'll be fine.

Vector: Yeah, what's the worst that could happen?

Frankie, being bailed out of jail the next morning: I hate you all.

(81)

Arianna: fast-forwards all the way through the movie

Frankie: You can't just skip to the happy ending!

Arianna: I don't have time for their problems.

(82)

Marina: Do you ever want to talk about your emotions, Arianna?

Arianna: No.

Frankie: I do!

Marina: I know, Frankie.

Frankie: I'm sad.

Marina: I know, Frankie.

(83)

Arianna: When do I get my own gun?

TheStarfishface: I wouldn't trust you with my kid's lightsaber.

(84)

Arianna: Well, well, well, if it isn't the consequences of my actions.

(85)

Arianna: I keep a picture of all of us in my wallet. Whenever I face difficulties, I take it out and stare at the picture.

The Squad: Awwww-

Arianna: And I tell myself "If I can deal with these idiots, then I can deal with anything."

The Squad: Oh.

(86)

Rori: Ha! What are you gonna do? Stab mе?

Five minutes later

Rori, calling 911: HELP, IVE BEEN STABBED.

(87)

Rori: I'd roast you, but my mom says you can't burn trash.

Rori: slow-mo walks out of the room

(88)

Frankie: Hey.

Arianna: pissed off You... complete ... ASS, Frankie! You show up here after WEEKS, and you say "hey"?!

(89)

Sage: The dinosaurs didn't rule the earth they were just alive. Stop giving them credit for administration skills they didn't have.

(90)

Rori: Advice of the day kids, if you ever meet someone who calls Gatorade flavors the actual name of the flavor instead of just the color then they are a certified nerd.

Vector: Yeah but you have to specify, frost glacier or cool blue? You can't just say blue because there's more than one blue.

Rori: Blue and light blue, nice try nerd.

(91)

Rori: I will beat all of you in Rock, Paper, Scissors. You go first.

Vector: Rock.

Rori: Paper.

(92)

Frankie: Why's it called an oven when you of in the cold food and you of out hot eat the food?

Marina: ...What???

(93)

Marina: I hate to disagree with you, but-

Rori: Please, you love to disagree with me. Its your favorite thing to do.

(94)

Arianna: Underestimate me. That'll be fun.

(95)

Vector: What does "take out" mean?

Frankie: Food.

Marina: Dating.

Arianna: Murder.

Rori: It can be all three if you're brave enough.

(96)

Vector: I am very small and I have no money, so you can imagine the kind of stress that I'm under.

(97)

Rori: on the phone Hey Marina, do you know my blood type?

Marina: Of course, it's B-.

Rori: Oh, I guessed wrong. Excuse me, nurse-!

(98)

Frankie: Vector, I'm afraid.

Vector: Just stay close to Arianna.

Frankie: That's why I'm afraid.

(99)

Marina: What did you two do?

Rori:

Arianna:

Marina: You're not in trouble, I just need to know if I have to lie to the police again or not.

[nonamedrk]

The Exile's Blaze pt. 1

::Summary:: Ysolie has spent months in exile from the clan and finally someone has come to retrieve them. News about their grandmother's impending death follows. ::Content Warning:: Family drama, Violence, blood, horror, bad parents, sadness... Thanks for reading!!! 💙 [<- Previous: Writing Prompt - Fulsome]

He shivered in the midst of another lovely Coerthas day, “Can we at th’ least speak inside?”

“No. Sawbones needs beauty sleep,” responded Ysolie dryly. They started walking and expected him to follow, not sparing a glance over their shoulder to check. His boots crunched over the snow after the briefest hesitation as he, no doubt, practically drug his feet with reluctance, a thought that made Ysolie’s blood boil.

How dare he be the reluctant one when Ysolie was the one who didn’t want to talk in the first place? A sharp hiss of disgust left Ysolie as, around the corner of the building and to the back, the two walked. Forgotten for decades but somewhat restored by Ysolie, there stood the back deck of the Inn, constructed from sturdy stone and metal, coated in layers of ice and snow.

At their gesture, the man moved toward one of two benches positioned around a fire pit, which was covered with a sturdy metal cover to keep the snow out. A dejected sigh escaped him as he settled down loudly enough for Ysolie to hear.

“Y’ain’t gotta be ‘ere. Matterfact y’can leave-”

“Little bean, please,” sighed Derrisenois, “No need t’be so…”

When his voice trailed off, Ysolie shot him a look that threatened a bloodletting, before turning away from him. Whipping a tarp up and over a protected stash of firewood, Ysolie decided to redirect their irritated energy toward tossing said wood toward the fire pit.

“Cranky,” finished their father finally, as he watched the first quarter log split from the force of its landing. “Sleep well? Ya always get like this without sleep, eh?”

An inability to speak was inherent in just how hard Ysolie was grinding their teeth at that moment. While they wanted to get right down to business— to demand an explanation for why Derrisenois was here, now, of all times— certain practices needed to be observed.

Tradition and duty kept Ysolie from screaming as they chucked more wood and a mild bit of tension was resolved as they heard the scrape of metal across stone— the sure sign that Derrisenois had removed the cover from the fire pit. At least he was helping prior to irrevocably harming— as Ysolie assumed he was here to do.

Together in silence they built the fire, with Derrisenois having come prepared with dried aromatic mushrooms for it. As was customary he added them to the tinder— the blaze burned blue and became sweetly scented as a result of their burning. Ysolie sat next to their father with as much space as they could make between them on the bench.

In their shared native tongue, carried over glaciers tall and tunnels deep, the likes of which where once lively, dark and warm, with a people now displaced, Derrisenois spoke the words carried by the hands of generations of tradition, “Let shine thy eyes ‘afore the Exile’s blaze— we meet as those blessed by the Dark God, united in her Clan.”

“Fight/Survive, Battle/Be Tested,” Ysolie spoke in return.

Returning to the common tongue, Derrisenois spoke before Ysolie could take a breath, “Y’never returned m’letters— I ain’t here t’chastise. But if y’read’em it’s clear—”

“—Etienne’s dyin’. But ‘s false I say,” Ysolie growled, “She wants me f’somethin’ sles. I read that one at th' least.”

“False? Y’ain’t seen’er,” Derrisenois replied with a weight to his tone Ysolie was unfamiliar with, “Her eyes’ve gone black now. Skin’s cold past few months. She picks’er sword up one day past week n’demands t’see ya— tryna speak it, even. Scream it.”

Ysolie kept silent. Etienne was well into her late eighties and she had managed to heft a sword up— which in her prime was heavy still— and demand to see them? While trying to speak? Ysolie’s grandmother had been mute since her late teens, due to an illness common in the Homeland, so if it were true she was trying to speak then—

“Simple— ‘er mind’s gone. Ain’t unusual f’cursed eighties,” Ysolie grumbled.

“No. Ogrette’s say she’s been this way f’some time past a dream— one ‘bout Blessed Eight Gaze turned ‘pon ya,” Derrisenois informed them, looking around the fire pit briefly.

Without a word, Ysolie tilted their head at an ancient crooked rusted dulled sword, and Derrisenois took it up to prod at the burning logs. One split, sending a moment of blazing blue and competing red sparks into the silence between them.

With a certain quivering hesitancy, Derrisenois asked, “Were it true, that dream?”

Ysolie turned their eyes away from the flame then held his gaze. Mortality stared back at Ysolie, or so they saw. It was in the new wrinkles in his brow— the aged bite at his temples, that had turned even more of his hair pale since last they’d saw him. More than age, Ysolie saw worry, and a somberness that had eased its way into his typically jovial features, before those wrinkles twisted with confusion.

He leaned closer, inquiring softly, “Did ya do somethin’ t’ya eyes?”

Breaking his gaze at this point would be disrespectful, so Ysolie avoided the question, by posing another, “What more’s Ogrette say f’Etienne?”

“Methinks ya want ask f’Lafayiera's condition instead,” Derrisenois struck back in their subtle but definitely brewing argument.

Baring their teeth, Ysolie swallowed then spat back, “M’concern’s not f’her— th’Elders must’ve convened ‘bout Etienne, no?”

“Y’broke ‘er right femur, lil bean,” Derrisenois replied, “Fractured, eh? Not full break, mind. Lafayiera couldn't walk f'near two moons n' drags still."

Ysolie held their chin up a fraction and responded, as lowly and controlled as they could, “N’who’s voice were absent in th’argument leadin’ to that? Ya saw’er— she tried for m’godsdamned sword arm— ya saw’s it n’said nothin’— I meant what I said ‘bout ya then, damn it— repeat it y’self.”

Derrisenois visibly recoiled and let his eyes fall. A heavy moment of fire crackling silence was broken as he replied in a small voice, “How’s it feel t’be so right?”

Not expecting such a response, Ysolie stared at him wide eyed, as Derrisenois continued, “Ya branded me right. M’cowardice, eh? It were th’whole reason— well— why I’m ‘ere t’meet with ya and able, huh? Whole reason I were exiled t’below in m’youth but, aye, pay’s off now. Shame f'me, I hold th' bottom alone. No one else could be’ere t’talk otherwise— I’m th’weakest n’meekest o’all the clan now, seems.”

Those words hovered briefly in the cold air before he continued, voice breaking ever so slightly, “Always's have been, eh? N'ya were right. We should all be grateful t'have Blademaster like ya t'keep us well.”

He smiled despairingly as he gazed toward the fire, which was spitting red, as the last of the blue began to burn out, “Too weak t’speak when counts, I am— easy t’brush aside— ignore n’such— it’s why she wanted me, see? They says marks o’Redeemed make ya good candidate f’Bond but. No. I never believed that. Folk back then seek ya not f’any sort o’equal— no. Woman like Lafayiera had plenty equals— bonded with two before me, aye.”

Ysolie maintained their silence. Partially stunned to hear her father talk about her mother in such a manner— an honest and raw manner. He was usually honest, but never quite so deeply as he was now. The question of why didn’t quite come to Ysolie’s mind because that answer was easy— guilt.

It was written upon his face during Lafayiera’s accusations of Ysolie’s defiance of her will— and it was the same expression he was wearing now. What did come to mind was an answer to what Ysolie kept asking over and over within as she and her mother crossed blades before the elders— had Derrisenois tried to stop her?

A better and more correct turn of phrase, Ysolie realized, was could he have stopped her.

His eyes gleamed in the firelight with the welling of tears as he continued, “She needed someone that would— someone like me—well… Well… I ain’t ‘ere t’air all that out f’ya, little bean. I’m t’bring y’back t’Clan. Doin’ m’role as th’last Exile Redeemed.”

Derrisenois finally returned his gaze to Ysolie as he concluded, “Funny we’re related. Eh, kid? Me n’ you?” His eyes fell to the fire as he wiped his nose, “And m’glad ya take more after her than y’do me.”

[Next -> The Exile's Blaze pt. 2]

[dragons-and-dwarves-are-nice]

To the Shadows that Cry Witch /// Chapter I

Hi! Welcome to the first chapter of my fic (I'm very nervous posting this lol). This whole story is gonna be a bit long winded, so hopefully you're all in for the long term, hope you enjoy! <3

Summary: Magic was real, but it came at a price. So when two girls from England ended up in the one place they never thought they could reach, strange things began to happen. Good or bad? That's up to them to find out.

Tags: Kíli x oc/reader - Fíli x oc (POV to be written soon) - Thorin's company x ocs/reader (platonic) - fluff - angst - SUPER slow burn - crack - Bagginshield

Word Count: 1450

Warnings: Nothing really, just some rain :)

Taglist - comment or message to be added!

If you haven't already please read the prologue!

You want background music? Check out my Soundtrack Playlist!

Now available on Wattpad and AO3 (please let me know if links aren't working)

&lt; Prologue // Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 >

PART 1: Chapter 1 -

Go on a road trip they said, it'll be fun they said.

Pluviophile (Definition): One who loves rain; one who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

Lake District, Cumbria, North-West England - Modern Day Earth, August 2022

English weather truly loves to give the middle finger sometimes, especially on a day out you planned for weeks in advance.

But this is England we’re talking about, so despite the already dwindling faith you put in the weatherman, you prepare for every possible element for when you step out the front door.

I was glad I had this in mind when packing for a week trip to the Lake District. Windermere is notorious for giving not one, but two middle fingers, having more rainy days than dry in the year.

 ‘And today was one of those lovely days,’ I thought, watching as the rolling grey skies grew darker from the curtains of rain hammering down into the soil. Periodically, the shuttle bus would sway slightly from the aggressive wind, creating a silent feeling of unease for the small group of passengers taking the ride to the hostel.

Sensing the symptoms of fatigue from a long trip, I leant my head on the vibrating window, trying my best to ignore the consistent head drilling from both the engine and rain.

Twisting slightly to get more comfortable, I squinted at the foggy glass in attempt to sight see between the streaks of rain racing across my view. At best the only clear thing was my reflection and the stone wall flying past, dangerously close to the bus as it twisted down the narrow road. Everything else merged together into large, blurred masses of green and grey.

Leaning down to pick up and rummage through my bag, I pulled out a small book on glaciers. Kay had practically thrown it at my head once I had proposed the idea travelling up to the lakes. We spent a week packing, with Kay almost bringing down the entire bookshelf trying to find her geography books, that now took up the entire bottom of her rucksack. Sightseeing with your friends in fun, but going with one that will see one (1) rock and spend an hour reciting its origins like Tolkien would looking at a tree is a lot more entertaining and educational.

My drooping eyes looked to the left to see that Kay was still in her shrimp position, headphones on and back hunched at an odd angle with her knees drawn up to prop up the iPad she was drawing on. I decided to leave her be and propped my own legs up, resting the book on my knees as I took out the bookmark and started reading from where I left off, tuning out the murmurs and whispers of the other holiday makers around us.

Around twenty minutes of quiet passed, until the driver up front announced our arrival would be soon, causing a stir as everyone began to gather their bags. Kay still had her headphones on, so I nudged her knee with the book in my hand, waiting as she slipped her headphones off and around her neck,

“Pack your stuff away,” I whispered, “I’ll make sure to get the booking up.”

Both of us began our respectable jobs, Kay making sure everything that had been brought out on the ride was back in its place, whilst I scrolled my phone until I brought up the booking reference.

Considering the rainy weather, we both slipped on our raincoats before slinging the bags over our shoulders, waiting for the bus to slow to a stop. Soon enough, with both hoods pulled up, we squeezed down the aisle along with everyone else and stepped out into the fierce winds and rain.

The sound of the continuous downpour and gravel crunching underfoot filled my ears as I scoured the surrounding area for the hostel. Said hostel was some ways down the winding lane in front of us, nestled within a wide valley surrounded by green, speckled hills smothered with trees, curving down to cradle the small building that stood politely at the bottom. Running from the top of the valley down past the hostel was a small river, threatening to burst at the banks from the onslaught of torrential downpour.

A freak gust of wind and the noise of the shuttle bus pulling away seemed to usher everyone forward, and we began the trudge through the churned up mud and soaking puddles. By the looks on everyone faces, we were all desperate to escape the miserable weather as swiftly as possible.

“Tomorrow better be the light clouds we were promised,” Kay groaned over the noise, face twisting in further annoyance as she looked down to find her shoes and trousers were already caked in mud, “cuz I don’t wanna be stuck in a dingy hostel waiting for all this to blow over.”

I hummed tiredly in reply, agreeing since despite how much I adored the rain, this type of weather wasn’t ideal for hiking up mountains in, no matter how much of an adventure it would be. But tomorrow could wait, since right now, nothing but a warm drink and comfy bed could satisfy us until tomorrow.

After slipping over almost twice, whilst quietly laughing at those who did, we crossed the threshold of the hostel, kicking off our mud clogged hiking boots immediately as to not tread dirt all over the place. We also made sure to give one of the men from the bus stink eye as he trampled past, doing quite the opposite, smearing whatever, wherever, much to the dismay of the poor lady at the desk. Thank god any carpet was yet to appear.

Approaching the desk, I gently placed my boots on the floor as I displayed the booking on my phone to the lady behind it. She reached under the desk and brought out a set of two keys, handing them over. We thanked her politely and wandered further into the building, leaving her with the now nervous man who had finally noticed what was on the bottom of his shoes.

Meandering upstairs and down a few corridors of the small hostel, the door sign eventually matched the key.

“Finally!” I exclaimed in relief, excitedly twisting the key in the lock until I felt a click.

Kay turned to me with a face of exasperation that I couldn’t tell was fake or not.

“13?” She questioned. “Weren’t there at least ten rooms available with a different number?”

“It’s my lucky number,” I stated nonchalantly, using my shoulder to budge the door open. I emptied one hand of luggage onto the floor to flip the light switch. “It’s quite funny watching the looks on people’s faces when I tell them.”

With an amused roll of her eyes, Kay followed in and dumped her own bags on the floor. With light now illuminating the room, we turned to inspect our surroundings.

The room was nothing special, just a plain and simple double bedroom; two single beds; a pair of small bedside drawers sat in between, small lamps on top; two wardrobes pushed against the walls at the foot of each bed; and a few portraits depicting the natural surroundings hung up on the walls.

Like I said, plain and simple.

Tucking my shoes into the corner, I crossed the room with Kay trailing behind and clambered over the creaking bed on the right to reach to window. Gazing out into the valley, I realised the rain had slowed to a stop, now able to make out the details of the thick forest outside. Picking up a key that had been left on the windowsill, I flicked off bits of rust that had begun to form on the metal before carefully slotting it into the keyhole and twisting. Pulling the handle up, I swung open the window, taking a deep inhale as I breathed in the fresh breeze that replaced the stagnant air inside.

After taking in our weeklong view, an hour or so was spent putting away everything we had brought. I had overpacked as usual, so Kay lent me half a drawer, in exchange for the window side. Shoes and wash bags were left by the door since the bathrooms were communal instead of personal.

The remainder of the day was us mostly chilling in our room, taking a couple visits downstairs to explore the rest of the building and eat in the small canteen, before heading to bed for the night.

The next few days trudged by contently as we explored the surrounding area, visiting the nearby towns and returning to our room with a concerning amount of bags brimming with gift shop items. I had gone a little crazy after spotting a shelf of glass animals, if the bag containing half a dozen at the foot of my bed said anything.

However, tomorrow’s plans were different.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

&lt; Prologue // Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 >

Return to Navigation

Okay, this took many redrafts to write lol, so I really hoped you enjoyed reading it just as much as I did writing it!

Chapter 2 is out now!!

Taglist:

@opheliasdrowningg

[freddiecorleone]

Writing Patterns

I was tagged by @somebirdortheother, thank you! this looks like fun 💗💗

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

so I don’t have 10 posted fics, I'm a relative newcomer and I write at the pace of a glacier. 😭😂 instead I'm gonna dig into my archives and post a mixture of posted works, WIPs, and old discarded drafts that will never see the light of day!

The Ripper Room, as it had been dubbed some weeks ago, had a new addition. (Tetrahex Noire, Transformers: MTMTE)

It was unrealistic, he conceded, to expect the guilt and stress of three decades to simply melt away overnight. (Bright In A Hollow Sky, The Outer Worlds)

Brother Dusk did not attend dinner the evening of Anacreon and Thespis’ destruction. (I Will Feel Lost, Unhappy, & At Home, Foundation TV)

Having no need to sleep, Demerzel used the night-time to perform maintenance and catch up on the latest intelligence reports from across the galaxy. (Hoping It's Going To Come True, Foundation TV)

Arctic night followed Crozier across the water. (The Orange, The Terror)

“But don’t you have a plan?” (The Riddle, Foundation TV)

They’d called me downtown to the museum, again. (Paradise and Gold, original fiction)

Cleon the First, to his great surprise, had died at the height of summer. (Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps), Foundation TV)

Obrecht asked the same careful set of questions the second time, the third, the fourth. (Sway, Foundation TV)

Cleon Enton did not believe in alarm clocks. (Saturn and Sons, Foundation TV)

finding that most of my intros are quite short and punchy, especially the newer ones? part of me feels I should spend more time on establishing a scene before getting into the action - but being overly descriptive and roundabout has always been the #1 way to get me to put down a book, and why write in a style that I don't like to read? 🤷‍♀️ maybe I could find a balance. definitely learned something about my writing though!!

tagging: literally anyone who feels like it.

[pandorasboxofhorrors]

2024-#1: Weirdness in Review 2024

It is time for the annual weirdness report! This is all about science developments from the last twelve months. And there have been more news stories about the three topics of focus: new scientific knowledge for planet Earth, our solar system, and the universe beyond. This is all based on real news stories of scientific fact and astronomical observation. It’s the real deal - no fake news - the real McCoy - the genuine article - the straight hot poop!

The most important knowledge gained for this planet in the last year continues to involve global warming. The ice caps were captured water and energy frozen for eons. As they melt, all that water and energy is released, for eons. As it gets worse, the effects are more severe and obvious. The warming continues to accelerate as the enormous Thwaites Glacier speeds up melting. Right now we are on track for permanent flooding in areas requiring migration within 30 years, probably much sooner. There is so much extra water now that the core of the planet is spinning slower. This extra water and heat in the atmosphere results in heat waves, deluges of rain and flooding, as well as more frequent and violent storms. There is now pretty much a permanent hurricane season with Florida being hit every other week. It was odd watching the sequel to the tornado film, Twisters, when I live in an area that has started to have a day a year with 10 or more tornadoes on the ground. The film seemed already out of date - and needed many more tornadoes!

Since humanity has neglected its one planet, other places in the solar system are in the news for potential visits. The moon had a cave discovered in the last year which could shelter astronauts and be the location for a moon base to be built. This probably is a bad idea since the moon is more brittle than thought. When the moon was first landed on, moonquakes started due to the heat from the landing module. One large vibration could probably break the whole moon into dust. Also involving the moon, in September Earth picked up a temporary mini-moon named, 2024 PT5. This mini moon is a 30 foot long asteroid that will fly away in November and has nothing to do with being a disguised alien probe scanning our planet. It can truly be said that Earth is being mooned since there are two objects now.

Another location in the solar system with new science news is Mars. The good news is now that a spacecraft can be built which will take only two months to get to Mars. The bad news is that kidney damage is a likelihood for that much space travel – and for any extended space travel until new drugs are developed. On Mars in the last year, water was seen in the form of frost on an extinct volcano. A pit was also found on the surface of Mars, a shaft going down into possible cavern systems. This shaft is another target for a landing, since astronauts would be protected from natural radiation underground. Sending some super advanced AI robots instead of people would be much more efficient. Sometime down the road, such a visit should be followed up by an automated orbiting seeding station so Mars is habitable in a few hundred years.

At the edge of the solar system there have been new discoveries. Our solar system is now thought to be larger than expected with a second outer or an extended Kuiper Belt. There is not much there other than kuipers, as far as we know, but they are already searching for that elusive missing tenth planet. Other news about our solar system includes an expected star to be entering the solar system! The star, Gliese 710, is expected to pass through our solar system! But it is not expected to cause a massive upheaval of orbits or doom of the planets. But it will be the biggest spectacle in this solar system, perhaps ever. Mark your calendars since this is scheduled in about one million years.

There have been some new astronomical discoveries external to the solar system in the last year. Just a few days ago there was another claim that Barnard’s Star has planets. This star is close, only 6 light years away, and Earthlings could get there one day…. Since our solar system is now thought to be bigger with invisible boundaries, it is now also believed that galaxies also extend much further. Our galaxy now supposed to be larger than expected and is now understood to be already touching the Andromedra Galaxy. The two galaxies are already colliding!

A fascinating discovery was recently made about the star R Doradus which is 175 light years away. This is a red giant star 375 times larger than our Sun. Images show that it is a giant lava light sun, with bubbles on its surface the size of 50 of our suns. I wonder if those huge bubbles radiate sounds into outer space and what they might sound like.

In the last year, the Webb telescope shows more galaxies that formed about 500 million years after the Big Bang. So is the date of the Big Bang wrong? Was the Big Bang not the start of the universe, just a piddly pow, a minor explosion within a much older universe that started with something much more violent? Some of these early galaxies are very similar and glow red. These mysterious red galaxies have many stars and most have a supermassive black hole, but they are much smaller than current galaxies, like 99% smaller. So the stars were packed in, probably why they were red hot. These small red galaxies started up in a time when the universe was dark, when light did not travel due to the laws of science, the age of darkness. It is believed that they deionized themselves over time, allowing light to travel within them. Eventually they deionized the entire universe, letting there be light. Available images and theories are starting to point towards the Big Bang being the second explosion that created the known universe. After enough Webb telescope images are collected, some theories as to the nature of the universe, how it started, and where it’s going, should be soon to follow. There is already a revival of the old Tired Light theory that the light we are observing has deteriorated making distances between galaxies appear much further than what they really are.

Hopefully one day we will learn if we are holograms, in the Matrix, or just microbes stuck in some automated meaningless solar factory continuum without an operator or reason. If the secret of the universe is that there are other dimensions we cannot see, then maybe objects like stars exist differently in those dimensions, appearing more like enormous crystal cities, and black holes are glowing energy lakes. Maybe the realm we dwell in shows us only a tiny fraction of reality, like Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, with all we know being merely shadows of existence.

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Wed July 24th, 2024 ... Wednesday of The Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Reading 1

----------

Jer 1:1, 4-10

The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah,

of a priestly family in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.

The word of the LORD came to me thus:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I dedicated you,

a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

“Ah, Lord GOD!” I said,

"I know not how to speak; I am too young.”

But the LORD answered me,

Say not, “I am too young.”

To whomever I send you, you shall go;

whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Have no fear before them,

because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Then the LORD extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,

See, I place my words in your mouth!

This day I set you

over nations and over kingdoms,

To root up and to tear down,

to destroy and to demolish,

to build and to plant.

Responsorial Psalm

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

Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15 and 17

R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;

incline your ear to me, and save me.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge,

a stronghold to give me safety,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O Lord;

my trust, O God, from my youth.

On you I depend from birth;

from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice,

day by day your salvation.

O God, you have taught me from my youth,

and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

Alleluia

---------

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;

all who come to him will live for ever.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

--------

Mt 13:1-9

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.

Such large crowds gathered around him

that he got into a boat and sat down,

and the whole crowd stood along the shore.

And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:

“A sower went out to sow.

And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,

and birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.

It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,

and when the sun rose it was scorched,

and it withered for lack of roots.

Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.

But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,

a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.

Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

Growing up in the Midwest, farming analogies were a common if not ubiquitous part of daily conversation.  Although my urban family did not farm, my mother's family (parents and brothers) did.  Many, many friends at my undergraduate college in central Nebraska were rural kids, and if their parents didn't farm or ranch, they lived in a town where agriculture was the economic engine.  "How 'bout this weather" OR "Sure is dry" OR "We could sure use some rain" were almost expected in the early part of any conversation.  The Missouri River Valley is fertile farm land.  The Platte River feeds irrigation circles throughout the state.  The plains, carved out by glaciers, are flat and well accommodate row crops, and the rolling hills are dry, but suited for cattle grazing.  So, it would have been difficult for me to escape a basic understanding of farming, even if I'd wanted to (which I didn't).  I love being out in the beauty of wide-open spaces, of Midwest agriculture in all it's forms, the symmetry of the rows, the promise of future food or sunflowers.  

I came to understand early that all soil is not created equal, and was taught that there can be "bad seeds" in the world (sometimes a reference to a person who couldn't seem to avoid trouble, but also describing a seed packet for flowers or veggies that just got too old, or too wet).  So, one could plant bad seed in the best soil ever, and it wouldn't thrive.  Or, one could plant great seed in the wrong spot and the same thing would happen.  So, today's Gospel lesson, when I first heard it some 60 years ago, really "stuck".  For a change, the lesson made immediate sense, had context in my world, and could be immediately applied in my family, in our small flower beds.  Jesus wanted us to know that each of us were good seed, and could be - although not guaranteed - blessed with good soil.  Sometimes our environments, or the friends we choose, or the addictions we face, or the difficulties we endure feel like the footpath, the rocky ground, or the patch of thorns where seeds fail.  But make no mistake, every one of us is a gift from God: every one of us is Good Seed.

Every year, when I'm gardening each spring, I spontaneously and without conscious effort begin to hum or sing from the hymn "Lord, let my heart be Good Soil."  It makes me smile every time, because it just effortlessly happens!  The hymn sprung forth again today, when I read this Gospel lesson.  It reminded me to think beyond the obvious lesson that each of us is considered by God to be Good Seed; to also accept that Jesus was inviting us to accept our obligation to each other to create an environment that is Good Soil.  A space of peace and love and acceptance and grace.  If MY heart is open and loving and full of God's light, and I share that light with you, then I've created Good Soil in which you can thrive and grow.  

I was SO blessed to have such a tender gardener, in the person of my Grandmother.  She (along with my grandfather, who died when I was only 5) was both Good Seed and Good Soil.  Grandmother Alice did everything she could to tend her eight children, her 23 little grand-seeds, and every other soul she touched, so we could sprout and thrive.  What a blessing to have had her!  What a blessing to be able to pass on, in small measure, her tender care!  What a grace to accept God's gift of being Good Seed, and to heed God's call to be Good Soil.  Amen.

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf

(May 8, 1828 – December 24, 1898)

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf’s Story

Although this saint never traveled far from the Lebanese village of Beka-Kafra where he was born, his influence has spread widely.

Joseph Zaroun Maklouf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853, and was ordained six years later.

Following the example of the fifth-century Saint Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875, until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly.

He died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. Pope Paul VI beatified Sharbel in 1965, and canonized him 12 years later.

Reflection

----------

John Paul II often said that the Church has two lungs—East and West—and it must learn to breathe using both of them. Remembering saints like Sharbel helps the Church to appreciate both the diversity and unity present in the Catholic Church. Like all the saints, Sharbel points us to God and invites us to cooperate generously with God’s grace, no matter what our situation in life may be. As our prayer life becomes deeper and more honest, we become more ready to make that generous response.

***

【Build your Faith in Christ Jesus on #dailyscripturereadingsgroup 📚: +256 751 540 524 .. Whatsapp】

[lunarcovehq]

You set my soul alight Glaciers melting in the dead of night

THE FIELD DAYS PART 1 - CAMPFIRE PLOT DROP

Let the games begin! Sunday and Monday of Campfire Week is all about team building. "Your coaches" Elif and Safiye have put together a number of bracket-esque games to compete in. Each game involves strategy, quick-thinking and team work. Everyone will convene at the Town Green in the morning where boards have been set up, each with a different sport and bracket featured. Every organization has been tasked to select their own "uniforms" to make it clear which team everyone is on. These uniforms are as follows-

The C.O.N.S. (and unaffiliated): Will be decked out in Blue. They will also have on matching t-shirts.

The Clan: Will be decked out in Black. They will also have matching biker leather jackets with a Clan ensignia on the back (though they can wear them at night if its too hot during the day).

The Coven: Will be decked out in Purple in honor of Mason (it was their favorite color before they passed). They will also have matching cropped baseball jerseys.

The Fae Court: Will be decked out in Pink. They will also have matching denim jackets with butterfly wings embroidered across the back.

The Pack: Will be decked out in Green. They will also show up in matching hoodies (though they can wear them at night if its too hot during the day).

You do not have to bring thing else, though it is highly advised to wear sneakers and shoes to play sports in.

Over the course of the next two days, you will be representing your team as you compete against other organizations for points (these points will come in handy during the camping weekend). You will receive 1 point for participating in each activity and, if you win, you will receive additional points for your team (depending on who participates, cheating etc.). You will also receive bragging rights for having won! There will be no maiming and no killing, but powers are welcome. All magic is permitted. May the odds be in your favor!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Below is a breakdown of the different activities your character will be able to participate in.

As you will see below, there are brackets to indicate which species is playing against which species at a time. We figured it would be fun to have your teams plot in the discord channel strategies, roles etc. and make a pitch as to why your team should win. Then we all vote OOC to decide which team deserves to move on to the next round. We will be updated the GFXs in this post accordingly as each team progresses to the next round.

In terms of dash starters, feel free to write open starters per any of the activities below. We're only doing the brackets for fun since we feel like it will be nice to get to see which team wins. But, in terms of dash replies, you can have any two characters playing soccer together etc. It's fine, we promise <3

On top of the bracketed sports below, we will have two nightly activities being the Werewolf BBQ and Capture the Flag. These activities will come shortly.

This event will be mandatory so every character is required to show up. Though, they do not have to be good at said sport, nor do they have to enjoy themselves or participate. If you want your character to be sitting out in the outfield picking daisies or refusing to play/having a sideline tantrum you are more than welcome to do so.

For anyone looking to bring in new characters, we will continue to have regular acceptances throughout the event. 

The tag for the event is lunarcoveevent12. If you have read this plot drop, please react in the dash commentary of the discord channel saying "I can't wait to see Ken on a horse" to let us know you've read it. Everything from pictures, outfits & threads etc. should be under this tag. Starters should have both the starter and event tag. 

Last, but not least, we hope you have fun!

FIELD DAYS SCHEDULE

SUNDAY

9a Meet at the Town Green

10a-5p Baseball, Archery & Canoeing (there will be lunch sometime in between here too)

6p Growl n' Grill BBQ (Werewolf BBQ) over at Echo Acres *Plot Drop to Come

MONDAY

9a Meet at the Town Green

10a-3p Horseback Riding & Dodgeball (& lunch at some point)

5p Capture the Flag *Plot Drop to Come

FIELD BRACKETS

BASEBALL

Where: LC High School's Baseball Fields

ARCHERY

Where: Field in Echo Acres

DODGEBALL

Where: The Rec Center

HORSEBACK RIDING

Where: W.H. Equestrian Center

CANOEING

Where: Moon River (The River in Town - See Map)

[aohendo]

Prince for Hire Deleted Scenes: Part 13

Amount Deleted: 8k? thereabouts (1 half-formed chapter + 1/3rd of the following chapter, + most of another chapter which'll probably get added back in but was in the wrong spot and I haven't determined if there's a right spot yet)

Reason for Deleting: the deleted chapter could be condensed into a few paragraphs and the information, overall, completely redistributed and better integrated into the story. The third of the following chapter was then covered by the newly integrated stuff. That following chapter also received major rearrangement due to the focus being completely scattered.

Ways to fix: cut and paste, cut and paste, delete. Really: determine scene-level focus, then chapter-level focus, restructure this storyline's mini-arc (to include rearranging chapters), and combine/condense to keep the plot moving.

Excerpt length: 487

Context: Kiris needs to eliminate one of Prince Thaav's enemies, and thinks sending Iiriok at him is the best way about it (he's not wrong...)

Taglist (please let me know if you'd like to be added/removed!): @whimsyqueen @on-noon @houndsofcorduff @stuffaboutwriting @shrunkupthejams

“Nelovskevouk,” Kiris said, loud enough he was sure ni Musyr could overhear. Verosa refilled his tea. A different type, this time: lavender. “What would you do if you discovered a prince had sinned?”

Nelovskevouk nearly choked on his next sip of coffee. He hid it by clearing his throat—which is to say, not at all—and by taking another large sip to clear the crud. His brow slowly rose.

Innocently, Kiris rolled his mug between his palms. Ni Musyr glowered at them. At him.

“Why do you ask?” Nelovskevouk eventually said, when Kiris wasn’t forthcoming with more information, too preoccupied with not making eye contact with ni Musyr. It was all consuming. Whatever he’d done to piss her off—or whatever Nazvili had done—he wasn’t even sure he wanted to know. “Yphant?”

“Answer him, vakon,” ni Musyr ordered.

Kiris wished he couldn’t feel the blood draining from his face. The collective of princes was easier to face than her. Even the inquisitors—at least he knew why they hated him. “I… may or may not have overheard another prince—” it was like being ground by a glacier—“doing things?”

“Really?” Her eyes narrowed, and she leant forwards, and Kiris, again, leant back. Not so far that he tilted over his chair this time. “What sorts of things?”

This wasn’t his plan. Her involvement was not in his plans, except as witness. Nelovskevouk’s, yes. Let him eliminate Tevez for a prince’s sin. He was reliable, Kiris and Nelovskevouk’s younger sister, Kuthri, the only exceptions Kiris knew of. But ni Musyr? He didn’t know her. He didn’t know what she would do.

It was almost thrilling.

“Desiccation,” Kiris lied.

Nelovskevouk spun in his seat, and Kiris found himself quite suddenly bearing the brunt of the entirety of his attention. He had lovely eyes. This was already turning into a very tiring day.

“Who?” Nelovskevouk demanded.

For some reason, Kiris didn’t particularly want to look away from him. Ni Musyr was like being ground down, pummeled and pulverized, an unrelenting pressure. Nelovskevouk… wasn’t.

Prince Thaav would die soon.

Kiris glanced at Tevez.

“One of Prince Thaav’s enemies,” ni Musyr said. Smiled. “One of your allies, Pretty Boy. Curious.”

Nelovskevouk ignored her. He leant into Kiris’ space, and Kiris resisted the urge to pull away, too many people, too close to his space, easy to grab, this was fine, it’d be fine—

“You’re certain?” Nelovskevouk whispered. “First Prince Tevez has never been anything but decent and wise, in all the years I’ve known him. Did you… did you mishear?”

He smelled like flowers. Soaps, not the sharp scent of perfume. Sweat, too: those two weeks Kiris had spent in the Dargoulvga palace, helping Nelovskevouk with Kuthri, every morning he’d practiced on the training grounds; perhaps it did the same here. Weapons—yes—but sometimes, dance.

Iiriok Nelovskevouk was an excellent dancer.

“I know what I heard,” Kiris whispered.

[ariaglassviolin]

Hello out there

Hi everybody.

My taller-but-younger-than-me brother says I “don’t get enough social interaction.” So he pointed me here. It seems really retro Old Earth, like something my Dad would use, but whatever. He said he’d let me have the last container of Terra-3 ice cream if I made an account.

So I’m Aria, almost full adult middle child of the Glass family, also arrogantly or ironically known as the Intergalactic Guild of Musicians. Which means we play weddings, everywhere. Like really, everywhere. Yesterday we were on a boiling hot Gallean beach where we weren’t even allowed to sneeze out of line, and next week we have a gig on a Frylian glacier with our own personal heat pod, armored for protection against the bristle beasts. Nobody can even see us, so why they pay us to jump all the way there I have no idea.

I’m the violinist (usually) for our band. Violin is pretty much my favorite thing in the universe, except maybe the darkest chocolate from Terra-1, and ice cream, of course. Usually I like my brother Lir, too. He’s 15 and crazy smart and plays flute. He can always make me laugh, but he also barfs every. single. time. we leave a planet’s atmosphere, so it balances out. Oh, and my mom plays keys. My dad plays all kinds of things but these days he most often just runs our sound feed. He’s like OBSESSED with old earth, and every skekking cable is something vintage. I mean, who even USES cables anymore? Oh, and there’s Tessa. She’s easy to forget because she’d rather be anywhere but with us. She’s 26 and has the voice of an angel and the personality of an overcooked potato.

Is that enough for an intro? Lir is nodding, so I’m off to get some ice cream. Trill out.