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sit-tunisia-polyglot-blog · 1 year ago

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George Ashford

10/11/2023

Reflection

Traveling through Tunisia, I saw the marks of the many cultures that have found a home here throughout history. A Roman coliseum. Amazigh villages carved into the desert. A Sunni mosque made of Roman columns and a Shi'a fortress guarded by Ottoman cannons. The monumental art-deco and brutalist structures of the capital. An ancient synagogue rumored to contain stones from another, even more ancient temple that stood where Abraham obeyed and Isaac was spared. They tell a story that spans thousands of years, a story of colonization, assimilation, war, and the advent of a nation.

One part of the story begins on the island of Djerba. The Ghriba Synagogue, purportedly the oldest Jewish site in Africa, sits near the center. No one knows for certain how old it is, but legend has it that the high priests of the Temple Mount fled to Djerba after Nebuchadnezzar and the Bablylonians sacked Jerusalem, carrying a stone and a door from the First Temple to build anew. As he shows us around a traditional Amazigh house, dug two stories deep into the soft desert dirt, a light-eyed man in a baseball camp explains that his people were once Jewish. That is why they sheltered Jews during the holocaust, he says, pointing to a metal helmet from WWII hung on a stick bannister. With a few exceptions, the Amazigh are not Jewish anymore, as evidenced by the woman in hijab who serves us tea while we watch the sunset wash over the small circle of sky visible from the open pit at the center of the house, but the man is proud to tell us that they once were. He is staking a claim to Tunisia’s story, reminding us that it began before the Arabs arrived, and that his ancestors were here before Islam. Although he does not make it a point to tell us, they were here before Judaism too.

In Kairouan, conquests are layered onto one another in the very foundations of the city. As we look out over the massive cisterns that held the water for the ascendant Umayyad caliphate’s first outpost in the region, we learn that it gets its name from the Arabic word for a military caravan. The outpost was to protect the new settlers from the Amazigh, who staged a series of successful rebellions before being defeated and gradually converting to Islam. We do not have to explore Kairouan for long, however, to see that the The Umayyads were not the first conquerors to make their mark here. The columns of the majestic Great Mosque of Kairouan are carved in the Greco-Roman style, clearly repurposed from older buildings. Some of the stones in the outer wall have latin writing on them. 70 kilometers away, closer to the coast, the towering Roman amphitheater in El-Jem testifies more explicitly to the power of the empire that counted this part of North Africa among its first and hardest won territories.

After El-Jem, we stop in Mahdia. The insurgent Fatimid caliphate, tracing their lineage back to the Prophet’s daughter, founded the city as their first capital a few hundred years after the Umayyads founded Kairouan. They would go on to capture Egypt and the rest of North Africa from the ruling Abbasid dynasty, spelling the end of a united Arab empire in the Mediterranean. We walk along the parapet of a fortress looking out over bright blue ocean on three sides. We imagine seeing

ships coming over the horizon and scrambling to man the defenses, as so many must have over the centuries. Genoese, Norman, Spanish, French, and Ottoman raiders all came by sea to Mahdia, its well-fortified harbor making it a prime toehold for a long line of would-be conquerors.

The latest conqueror in that line is most visible in Tunis, where art-deco facades adorn the most prominent buildings in the city center. It is also audible in the French words and accent woven into Tunisia’s unique dialect of Arabic. Tunis also, however, tells of something new. Hulking government buildings and hotels made from the ubiquitous concrete of the late 20th century overlook Habib Bourguiba Avenue. They proclaim the sovereignty of a people that is not quite of the ancient desert tribes nor any of their conquerors. Our professor points out the site of famous protests where Tunisians proclaimed a more personal form of sovereignty, demanding political freedom and economic opportunity and getting at least the former.

Tunisia is an Arab country. Hearing the language and the call to prayer every day make that clear, and Kairouan tells the story of how it became so. It is not, however, a solely Arab country, just as the story of Kairouan is not Tunisia’s only story. Djerba, El-Jem, Tunis, Mahdia, and the Amazigh villages tell other stories about Tunisia, stories that include elements of the French story, the Jewish story, the Ottoman story, the Roman story, and the story of the Amazigh. With revolution for national, and then for personal independence as the most recent chapters, they weave together into one, rich, cohesive, Tunisian story. It has been a fascinating story to learn these past few months, and I look forward to someday knowing it in more detail.

Expressions

One of the most common Tunisian expressions is to say صحة when someone is eating, gets out of the shower, or buys new clothes. The response is يا أتك صحة. The expression literally translates just to ‘health,’ and expresses encouragement of healthy activities like eating.

ما يْحِس بِالجمْرة كان الّي يعْفِس عْليها is a less common Tunisian proverb that translates literally to ‘only he who walks on embers can feel it.’ It expresses the idea that one should not judge or criticize the struggles of someone else, since it is impossible to know what they are really going through.

Photos

أركان رومانية في جامع قيروان الأكبر

George Ashford

10/11/2023

Reflection

Expressions

Photos

أركان رومانية في جامع قيروان الأكبر

كنيس الغريبة في جربة

#tunisia #language and culture #arabic #study abroad #abroad education

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taylor-rene · 2 years ago

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My project has a very conceptual beginning. A recent trend on TikTok highlights the ways that people throughout history are have similar experiences. Most of these (at least the ones I’ve seen) have been about women. These videos show a woman from the past noticing that she is doing the same thing as women from modern times. Some examples include making mead, braiding hair, getting tattoos, using perfume/makeup, or being frustrated about not having big enough pockets. Most of the videos end with photos of historical items that highlight these similarities. I really love this trend, specifically the connection element. At many times in my life I’ve felt more androgynous, but things like this make me feel connected to my femininity.

The other idea I’m keeping in mind is one I took from the wife of a childhood friend. Ryan moved away in high school, but came back to visit one day with his wife, Julia. While she was there, she told me that she loved meeting all of Ryan’s childhood friends. She said that is was like seeing his puzzle pieces. She loved who he was, but their visit allowed her to see where all the pieces of him came from.

I wanted to use this project to explore this idea that we are all collections of our interactions and relationships with other people. Some of these are things handed down through generations, connecting us to our past (and future) more than we realize. For all the ways the world has changed, so many things have stayed the same.

I wanted to highlight items that blurred the line between my story and other peoples stories. Items that have less obvious worth.

I landed on some pottery pieces, a scallop shell, and a falcon feather.

The pottery pieces were found on a beach in Nice, France. I only noticed them because I was taking off my shoes. Don't let the blue sky deceive you, it was the dead of winter. Nevertheless, I insisted on putting my feet in the water.

The second item is a scallop shell from outside a closed restaurant in Riec-sur-Bélon. We drove out to this town specifically for this restaurant, but it was closed for the winter. The whole town was really quiet. We only saw one other person at first, and he was putting oysters out of the water. The second person we saw popped her head out of a door and started speaking quickly in French. Our blank faces must have said a lot, because the next thing she said was "Ah! To taste?" She brought us a tray of oysters, bread and butter, and some wine. It was one of my all time favorite meals.

The last item is a falcon feather. I got this feather from the Falconry school at Ashford Castle. I loved learning about the ways hunters and falcons both benefit from the partnership.

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mountrainiernps · 2 years ago

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Trail of the Shadows is a sweet little loop trail in Longmire. Little because it’s only about 0.7 miles around the loop. Sweet because it has a bit of everything.

Located across the main road from the Longmire Museum, and National Park Inn, the Trail of the Shadows is accessible year-round. The road to Longmire from the Nisqually Entrance (nearest Ashford, WA) stays open all year (depending on weather). Once you cross the road to the Trail of the Shadows, you have your biggest decision of the stroll; do you go clockwise or counter-clockwise? Both are good.

As you walk around the loop, you go by remnants of the volcano’s natural history. The bubbling waters you see along the trail are mineral springs. They are warm enough to keep from freezing in the winter. Some of the spring waters are heavily laden with iron that oxidizes giving the spring (like the one called Iron Mike) an orange appearance.

The Trail of the Shadows also has pieces of the national park’s history. James Longmire staked a mineral claim here before the park existed. He and his family created an inn focusing on the mineral springs. The rock walls around some springs go back to this time. The log cabin is a recreation of one built by his family.

Last but not least, on clear days there are some lovely views of the mountain. Throw in some gorgeous big trees and this little trail has a bit of everything.

What is your favorite thing about the Trail of the Shadows? Is it better clockwise or counter-clockwise? When is your favorite season to hike the loop? ~ams

For more information about Longmire and the trail, you can start with this webpage https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/longmire.htm . Check weather before hiking https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/weather.htm. And please remember that tire chain requirements start November 1. For more information https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/tire-chain-faq.htm . Winter road updates available at https://twitter.com/MountRainierNPS .

Some of these photos are from years past. NPS/ Spillane Photo. Early autumn view from Trail of the Shadows spur trail into Longmire meadow. View across yellow grasses, up tree covered ridges to Mount Rainier. September, 2021. NPS/ Spillane Photo. View from Trail of the Shadows to mineral spring surrounding by curving historic stonework. Some snow on the ground and stones. November, 2022. NPS/ Spillane Photo. View from Trail of the Shadows of historic stonework at Iron Mike mineral spring. Orange colors comes from rust due to iron in the water. Snow visible on the ground. November, 2022. NPS Photo. Hiker on dirt Trail of the Shadows through big trees. June, 2018.

#encuentra tu parque #find your park #national parks #mount rainier #mount rainier national park #hiking #trail #history

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cibolasburn · 4 years ago

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ah man hold on a second im thinking about the expanse and black sails and like the

“There are no legacies in this life, are there? No monuments. No history. Just the water. It pays us and then it claims us. Swallows us whole. As if we’d never been here at all” quote

but with space and more specifically ashford being lost to the void of space after making his living on it as pirate, and miller/julie literally being claimed by the unknown, the protomolecule........

and its just like in black sails.... THEY do leave a legacy right, but its not their bodies, their bodies will be destroyed and changed (“full fathom five thy father lies...... nothing of him that doth fade, but doth suffer a sea-change”) their bodies are corrupted by the expanse, be it the expanse of waves or the expanse of the void. their legacies are what they mean to their friends, their crews, their found families.

their lives and deaths all change these people and that is the legacy.... a quiet legacy, and that’s one thing that black sails and the expanse have. so many of those people will be forgotten. flint’s crew, madi’s people, the crew of the cant, everyone who died on eros..... the story knows they will be forgotten, and so the main characters act as their monument

#expanse sails #this is not well thought out but im thinking aloud about the nautical themes in the expanse #and how interesting it is that one is set in the past and one the future #so there is a hope in the expanse that isnt there in black sails #we know how black sails will end..... the bears the tragedy of the past....#but the expanse leaves wondering if the future can truly be better #hold on i’m putting this in my new expanse sails tag #in the dark— there be dragons

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askawelfarecaseworker · 4 years ago

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SEATTLE — Amazon workers in Alabama on Friday rejected unionization, a major victory for the e-commerce giant in a high-profile, high-stakes battle that will have ripple effects across the nation for workers and the labor movement.

Amazon, the second-largest private employer in the United States behind Walmart, has successfully staved off attempts to unionize at its U.S. warehouses for more than two decades. The vote Friday, in which the company won over workers at its year-old Bessemer, Ala., warehouse by more than a 2-to-1 margin, was a massive blow for labor organizers who saw the facility — and Amazon broadly — as ripe for organizing.

A union victory could have triggered a wave of organizing drives at other Amazon warehouses, potentially giving workers more flexibility to demand concessions from the company on things such as breaks, safety and the pace of work. But the loss throws cold water on that, and allows Amazon to add and cut staff at its warehouses as it wants.

The result is also a setback for high-profile supporters including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and President Biden, who tweeted a video saying workers should be able to make their decision in union elections without pressure from their employer, without mentioning Amazon by name.

“The history of struggle is that you don’t always win the first time out," Sanders said in an interview with The Washington Post. “You may have to come back and do it again.”

And that’s just what labor proponents promised to do.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, said during a union news conference after the vote count. "Whether Jeff Bezos likes it or not, this organizing drive is going to open the floodgates to more collective action.”

(Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

The union that sought to represent the Bessemer workers, the Retail Warehouse and Department Store Union, said it will challenge the results, claiming Amazon used tactics to mislead and intimidate workers that were illegal.

"They lied and tried to game the system,“ RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum said.

Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener rebutted those claims.

“These fabrications are tiresome but expected,” Herdener said in a statement. “You’re going to hear a lot of untruths from the union now because they have to explain the lopsided result and their answer can’t be Amazon pays more than $15 an hour, offers health care from day one, up to 20 weeks of parental leave, and a safe, clean work environment in state-of-the-art fulfillment centers.”

The winners and losers of Amazon’s warehouse union vote

The unionization effort in Bessemer quickly mushroomed over the past few months into one of the most closely watched labor battles in recent history after workers filed their notice to hold a unionization vote last November. In the following months, Amazon barraged the 5,805 workers eligible to vote with text messages and fliers posted on doors inside bathroom stalls.

Amazon set up an anti-union website — the now defunct DoItWithoutDues.com — to discourage workers from joining the union drive. And before the voting period, it held mandatory meetings for workers on company time, called captive-audience sessions, to show videos and run through PowerPoint presentations that disparage unionization.

Meanwhile, the union stationed organizers outside the warehouse to answer questions and hand out leaflets to workers as their shifts ended. It held rallies in Bessemer with politicians such as Sanders and actors including Danny Glover to stoke enthusiasm for the drive.

Votes tallied Friday against unionization totaled 1,798 of the more than 3,000 total votes cast, while 738 voted for the union. The margin of victory is larger than the 505 challenged ballots, which would have been counted only if they could have determined the outcome. The labor board voided 76 ballots for a variety of reasons.

The union drive inspired workers at other Amazon facilities to consider their own organizing efforts. More than 1,000 workers have contacted the RWDSU to find out what it might take to launch campaigns at their facilities. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters recently approached 400 to 500 workers at Amazon facilities in Iowa to organize.

Organizers for the GMB Union in the United Kingdom, too, have been keeping an eye on Bessemer as it targets two warehouses there for possible organizing drives.

National Labor Relations Board rules give the union and the company five business days to file objections contesting the conduct or results of the election. The RWDSU plans to file unfair labor practices claims that, if successful, could lead the labor board to toss out the election results. If the board chose to hear the union’s claims, it will need to schedule hearings for that.

It’s unclear whether the union will succeed in winning a challenge. If it did, the entire election process could start again. The RWDSU could also pursue legal challenges in court.

Among the multiple charges the union intends to file with the NLRB are claims about a generic U.S. Postal Service mailbox that popped up in front of the warehouse just after voting started.

The union has complained about the mailbox, arguing it could lead workers to think Amazon has some role in collecting and counting ballots, potentially influencing their votes.

The Post reported Thursday on emails, obtained by the union through Freedom of Information Act requests, that show Amazon pressing the Postal Service to install a mailbox urgently just as the seven-week mail-in balloting began.

The union also complained about a financial offer Amazon made to lure unhappy workers to quit, arguing that the company provided an improper incentive to weed out pro-union workers.

Amazon has said the mailbox provides a convenient way for workers to vote, and the pay-to-quit offer is extended annually to warehouse workers across the country.

“It’s easy to predict the union will say that Amazon won this election because we intimidated employees, but that’s not true,” Amazon said in a blog post. “Our employees heard far more anti-Amazon messages from the union, policymakers, and media outlets than they heard from us. And Amazon didn’t win — our employees made the choice to vote against joining a union.”

Throughout the union drive, the company noted that its Bessemer workers earn a starting pay of $15.30 an hour, well above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. (Alabama has no state minimum-wage law.) And the company added that pay, along with health-care, vision and dental benefits and a retirement plan, offer employees more than comparable jobs provide.

Amazon’s opposition to unionization, though, had more to do with concerns over potential workplace rules that could have limited its ability to rapidly hire and cut workers to meet shopping demands that spike and recede throughout the year, former company executives have told The Washington Post.

Amazon‘s efforts to persuade workers demonstrates the difficulty unions face in organizing drives, said Rebecca Givan, a labor studies professor at Rutgers University. She called the union loss “lopsided, but not surprising.”

“It’s really, really hard to win an organizing drive,” Givan said. “The employer has almost unlimited resources and the ability to bombard workers with messages of fear and uncertainty.”

Will Stokes, an employee at the warehouse, said in a news conference held by Amazon that the company’s campaign against the union presented information fairly. He said he decided to speak out against the union because he thought conditions at the warehouse were being inaccurately represented in news articles. He said most of the misinformation was coming from the union.

“Amazon is not perfect, there are flaws, but we are committed to correcting those flaws," Stokes said. “We just feel like we can do it without a union. Why pay a union to do something we can do ourselves?”

The election process also evolved into a reflection of the times. Rather than voting in person at ballot boxes, as is typical of union balloting, workers voted by mail over a seven-week period, a decision by the NLRB to protect Amazon workers and its staff from contracting the coronavirus. Although some workers supported unionization over concerns about a brutal pace of work, the RWDSU also framed the fight around issues of respect and dignity, saying the battle is as much a civil rights struggle as a labor one.

While many of Amazon’s European warehouse workers are organized, the company has faced only one other union vote in the United States. In 2014, a small group of equipment maintenance and repair technicians at its warehouse in Middletown, Del., ultimately voted against forming a union, following a drive led by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

The union’s Appelbaum expressed no regret for the campaign, even with the lopsided vote.

“I think the timing of the election was right," Appelbaum said. “I think there’s a moment in American life right now that this campaign captured. What we have seen is the revulsion to the extraordinary inequality in our society personified by the staggering personal wealth of Jeff Bezos.”

A pro-union worker at the warehouse, Emmit Ashford, said at the union news conference that the fight against Amazon will continue.

“This experience has bonded us,” Ashford said. “Our time will come again.”

#poverty #amazon #welfare #unionize

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deeeelightfuldee · 3 years ago

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Your ex taps you on the shoulder and says, “I still love you.” You say? ooooof. I don’t think i’d buy that. I hardly think people who DO show they have feelings for me are being truthful, so I doubt that.

Do you play video games? haven’t in some time, but I want to get back into it a little.

Do you spend a lot of time with family? oh heck yeah. I have a really great family.

Is your house more than two stories tall? nah, it’s the two stories with a basement.

Have you ever hit your significant other? Has he/she ever hit you? I will never raise my hands to another human being. I once dated someone who was a veteran and had severe ptsd. we were napping one time and he got aggressive. that wasn’t HIM though.

What makes you an attractive person? (Talk about your personality too!) physically, I suppose I have nice eyes and a decent smile. personality wise, I am warm, friendly, loving, supportive, sometimes funny, very loyal.

What color is your hairbrush/comb? depends which one I use. I have a pink one right now.

What snacks do you have available in your household atm? I honestly haven’t got a clue. I haven’t been let out of my room in 2 weeks.

Has anyone recently told you that they like you, or find you attractive? yes. it’s weird.

Are you attracted to the last person you Facebook messaged? DEF not. he has been asking me out since we worked together maybeeeee.. 8-9 years ago?

Do you care about anyone that doesn’t care about you? yes! I am trying to learn how to undo that. it’s not that I don’t want to care about him, but I know and can soooooooo clearly see that he doesn’t care anymore, and it is extremely emotionally draining to watch.

Was your last Facebook friend requests from a male or female? I wanna say female but idk

Which one of your relatives is most likely to embarrass you? scott

When was the last time you ate a bar of chocolate? couple days ago.

Do you play any games on Facebook? Nope.

What would you like to get a degree in? I have two degrees -- one in psych and one in SLP.

Do you wake up a lot in the middle of the night? ahahahaha yes. almost always wide awake from 3-6

Would you prefer to read a book, watch a movie or TV show, or play a video game? typically more in the movie/show or book mood.

Do you usually get popcorn or soda at the movie theater? Both. nothing like that buttery, salty goodness that obvs requires an enormous drink

What genre of films do you like the best? either make me EXTREMELY sad, or romantic.

How many bank accounts do you have? 2

Have you ever had the flu? Yeah.

What is your goal for the next few months? i have several. the only one that can/will be public right now, is to get my lungs back to functioning as they were.

Have you ever had some kind of sleep-disorder? How did it affect your life? yes. I have very bad breathing during sleep. I have had 11 sleep studies done, because my breathing will just stop randomly, which luckily my brain wakes me. it doesn’t really affect my like severely.. I function normally. but shoooooot, if I got normal levels of sleep i’d be a force to be reckoned with.

Have you ever had food poisoning before? Describe the experience. Yes. It was AWFUL. vomiting for 2 days straight. it was so gross.

Funny, charming, cute, romantic, smart - choose only 2 for the opposite sex. smart and romantic.

Have you ever let somebody use you? Why did you do it? hmm. I think there have been times where i’ve let people have more access to me than they should have had. or there have definitely been times I’ve been used in school groups. But honestly, I tend to be protective of myself. I stop when I feel enough is enough.

You can go back in time & change something in your mom’s past - what is it? I would want either Bill to not die, or for her to be spoiled incessantly by someone else.

Do you know anybody who is around the exact same size as you? Who? psh. no. my friends are all tiny which is just not fun.

Ever been to a haunted house? How scared were you? Yeah. i found it so fun.

Been on any websites today you wouldn’t want your parents to see? ahahahaha no.

Which is worse: dusting or mopping? mopping. i hate doing the floors.

Did you pull a senior prank? Not really advised when a homeschooler.

Did you graduate? Yes. that was a rough, rough day.

Have you ever been unfaithful in a serious relationship? Nope

What was the last song you listened to? i think it was Happier than Ever by billie eilish. the lyrics are ... woof.

Are you one of those lucky people with 20/20 vision? 20/12 -- the last time I had insurance anyway.

Is fashion one of your interests? honestly, if I had money, it would be. but it isnt right now.

Do you think you’ll eventually find that special someone? It’s getting harder and harder to believe that will be the case. I knowwwww I need to start dating, but every time I go to open up an app, I hesitate and chicken out. I just was so happy before.. its hard to think I could be able to offer anything to anyone right now.

Do you care what people think? veryyyyyy few people. I care about the thoughts of those I genuinely love and respect. However, I still ensure I’m protecting myself regardless.

Is acting something you enjoy? No.

What was the last thing you broke/sprained? I have a bum knee, so I sprain that from time to time. I last broke a finger.

Have you ever fought with a friend because of their boyfriend/girlfriend? Because of yours? ahahahaha yes. but years ago. never because of mine.

Has a stranger ever yelled at you for your language? No. I don’t cuss.

Whose house, other than yours and your families’, are you most comfortable at? probably either nathan’s or em’s.

Has any of your friends’ family ever yelled at you? alix’s family used to yell at me a lot for being fat. that used to mess me up.

Did you ever play a sport as a little kid? Did you enjoy it? soccer. no, i found the endless running to be unnecessary.

Did you ever watch the show Full House? yup

Is there a celebrity you are just DETERMINED to marry? no, thats so out-of-touch with reality

Have you ever burned someone’s picture? yes, i have.

What’s the longest hike you’ve ever been on? i think it was 8 hours. I hate hate hate hikes. But, thats because I have really weak lungs, so my doctor says it’s like lighting them on fire.

Would you ever get a lip tattoo? No.

Who is the first person of the opposite sex that pops into your head? kile

Do your parents smoke cigarettes? my mom hasn’t since a teenager. I think my dad does still. though, i dunno for certain.

What does one of your T-shirts have written on it? uhhhh, PTK honors society

Name a pet you definitely wouldn’t want. Any reptile or insect. <<<< same

Would you prefer your partner smaller or taller? Taller.

Do you enjoy going through old pictures? Yes. very much so.

Do you believe people when they say they don’t judge people? No, i respect people who are truthful saying they either try not to judge, or that they do judge despite their desire to stop.

What did you love the most about the town you grew up in? sooooooo much. it’s small town-y, quiet, safe, lots of trees, family close by.

What’s a movie you cried the hardest during? ps i love you will always shatter my heart.

What’s your favorite restaurant? buona or ashford

Is there a dessert you don’t like? im not wild about pastries.

What’s a book that you read because everyone else was reading it? hmmm maybe that one mrs. pettigrews home for peculiar children.

Underwater or outer space? i’m fascinated by both. typically more interested in the water.

Dogs or cats? both. all of them.

Kittens or puppies? kittens.

Bird watching or whale watching? whales!!!!!!!!

What was your best subject in school? in HS probably history. or science. in college, psych or neuro.

What was your worst subject in school? Math. always freakin’ math.

What is one thing you wish you knew in high school? Uhhh. hm. i don’t think anything. I liked my experience.

Who is your fashion icon? nada.

Diamonds or pearls? Both are nice. I love pearl stud earrings and I really want a simple, one pearl necklace. I am kinda ruined for diamonds for some time. My favorite rings and necklace were diamonds from kile and I just cant bring myself to wear those anymore.

What color dress did you wear to prom? pink

Honestly, are you jealous of someone right now? oh sure. I am envious of those with bangin’ bods. I’m envious of those who have great finances. I am envious of those who live life married to their love. I’m envious of people who see kile regularly. But there are difficulties that come with any of those situations.

Honestly, when was the last time you REALLY cried your heart out? not long ago. the whole crushing reality of losing kile just destroyed me. I’m OK now.

Do you need to return anyone’s phone call? ahahahahah. I just reject all calls.

Who are you closest to? My mom and nathan rn.

Have you ever had a bad concert experience? no

Are you currently sad about anything? several things have recently been really saddening, but I’m ok. Ill get thru it.

Have you had any form of exercise today? Its going to be some time before I’m cleared for that. I almost faint from taking a shower and I have to be on oxygen after doing the one flight of stairs.

Can you handle blood? doesn’t bother me at all.

Has any place hired you underage for a job? yes. I mean technically, I was legal to work in that I was 17, but the company didn’t want to hire younger than 18.

Have you ever carried a concealed weapon? not like in public, but at a house or gun range, yes.

Are you currently searching for a job? soon.

Does eating breakfast make you sick? i’m never ever ever hungry for it. I know i should, but its the worst. I don’t even like breakfast foods.

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brookstonalmanac · 4 years ago

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Events 4.20

1303 – The Sapienza University of Rome is instituted by a bull of Pope Boniface VIII. 1453 – Three Genoese galleys and a Byzantine blockade runner fight their way through an Ottoman blockading fleet a few weeks before the fall of Constantinople. 1534 – Jacques Cartier begins his first voyage to what is today the east coast of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador. 1535 – The sun dog phenomenon is observed over Stockholm, as later depicted in the famous painting Vädersolstavlan. 1653 – Oliver Cromwell dissolves the Rump Parliament. 1657 – Admiral Robert Blake destroys a Spanish silver fleet under heavy fire at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 1657 – Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City). 1689 – Deposed monarch James II of England lays siege to Derry. 1752 – Start of Konbaung–Hanthawaddy War, a new phase in the Burmese Civil War (1740–57). 1770 – The Georgian king, Erekle II, abandoned by his Russian ally Count Totleben, wins a victory over Ottoman forces at Aspindza. 1775 – American Revolutionary War: The Siege of Boston begins, following the battles at Lexington and Concord. 1789 – George Washington arrives at Grays Ferry, Philadelphia while en route to Manhattan for his inauguration. 1792 – France declares war against the "King of Hungary and Bohemia", the beginning of French Revolutionary Wars. 1800 – The Septinsular Republic is established. 1809 – Two Austrian army corps in Bavaria are defeated by a First French Empire army led by Napoleon at the Battle of Abensberg on the second day of a four-day campaign that ended in a French victory. 1818 – The case of Ashford v Thornton ends, with Abraham Thornton allowed to go free rather than face a retrial for murder, after his demand for trial by battle is upheld. 1828 – René Caillié becomes the second non-Muslim to enter (and the first to return from) Timbuktu, following Major Gordon Laing. 1836 – U.S. Congress passes an act creating the Wisconsin Territory. 1861 – American Civil War: Robert E. Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army in order to command the forces of the state of Virginia. 1862 – Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard complete the experiment disproving the theory of spontaneous generation. 1865 – Astronomer Angelo Secchi demonstrates the Secchi disk, which measures water clarity, aboard Pope Pius IX's yacht, the L'Immaculata Concezion. 1876 – The April Uprising begins. Its suppression shocks European opinion, and Bulgarian independence becomes a condition for ending the Russo-Turkish War. 1884 – Pope Leo XIII publishes the encyclical Humanum genus, condemning Freemasonry. 1898 – U.S. President William McKinley signed a joint resolution to Congress for declaration of war against Spain, beginning the Spanish–American War. 1902 – Pierre and Marie Curie refine radium chloride. 1914 – Nineteen men, women, and children participating in a strike are killed in the Ludlow Massacre during the Colorado Coalfield War. 1918 – Manfred von Richthofen, a.k.a. The Red Baron, shoots down his 79th and 80th victims, his final victories before his death the following day. 1922 – The Soviet government creates South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within Georgian SSR. 1945 – World War II: U.S. troops capture Leipzig, Germany, only to later cede the city to the Soviet Union. 1945 – World War II: Führerbunker: On his 56th birthday Adolf Hitler makes his last trip to the surface to award Iron Crosses to boy soldiers of the Hitler Youth. 1945 – Twenty Jewish children used in medical experiments at Neuengamme are killed in the basement of the Bullenhuser Damm school. 1946 – The League of Nations officially dissolves, giving most of its power to the United Nations. 1961 – Cold War: Failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion of US-backed Cuban exiles against Cuba. 1968 – English politician Enoch Powell makes his controversial "Rivers of Blood" speech. 1972 – Apollo program: Apollo 16 lunar module, commanded by John Young and piloted by Charles Duke, lands on the moon. 1998 – Air France Flight 422 crashes after taking off from El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, killing all 53 people on board. 1999 – Columbine High School massacre: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill 13 people and injure 24 others before committing suicide at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. 2007 – Johnson Space Center shooting: William Phillips with a handgun barricades himself in NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas before killing a male hostage and himself. 2008 – Danica Patrick wins the Indy Japan 300 becoming the first female driver in history to win an Indy car race. 2010 – The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven workers and beginning an oil spill that would last six months. 2012 – One hundred twenty-seven people are killed when a plane crashes in a residential area near the Benazir Bhutto International Airport near Islamabad, Pakistan. 2013 – A 6.6-magnitude earthquake strikes Lushan County, Ya'an, in China's Sichuan province, killing more than 150 people and injuring thousands. 2015 – Ten people are killed in a bomb attack on a convoy carrying food supplies to a United Nations compound in Garowe in the Somali region of Puntland.

#Events

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historiansward · 5 years ago

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check in

Emery shifts the weight of her satchel from one shoulder to the other. She is currently loaded down with enough papers to sink her should she accidentally fall into the harbor (a vision that she briefly has as she walks away from PCU’s campus). She is trying her best not to let it get to her but in truth, she is annoyed.

Yes, she knows she is only an associate professor at this point. She is dancing around hoping for tenure and pulling up the slack of others in the department. She wonders if twenty years from now when she is good and settled in her office if she will treat the newcomer like she has been treated. She likes to think that she is better than that. She hopes when that day comes she remembers how annoyed she is in this moment.

It’s not really fair either because she loves Classical Greek history. She would have enjoyed helping the professor put the class lectures together if he wasn’t such a jerk. She does most of the work and he takes all the credit. She is probably going to spend a good part of her night looking over one or two of these papers and he’s home watching reality TV (or at least that is how she is going to picture him).

But first...

Emery thankfully avoids falling into the water and instead makes her way into Ashford and McCall. She is hoping for a bit of an update from Curtis. She lets go of her annoyance (or does her best to hide it) as she knocks. “Hi there,” she begins with a smile as she sees him. “How goes the battle? It doesn’t even have to be mine specifically. Just the battle in general.”

#investigatorashford #curry2

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pastiche-comic · 5 years ago

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Meet the Contributors

The Welcome to Indisclosednia team draws contributors from beyond the government. Our articles represent the views of people from different cultures, ages, and backgrounds.

The Right Honourable Rafe Kalashnikov Prime Minister of Indisclosednia

Son of former prime minister Anastasia Kalashnikova, Rafe began his career in government in the Ministry of Tourism in and served as the chairman of the Labour Party. At age 28, he is the first Prime Minister of the country to be a natural-born citizen and is the youngest to hold office. He currently resides in the Ministerial Palace at Hoonoisweir.

Her Honour, Sunita Bhargavi, PhD Associate Chief Justice, High Court of Indisclosednia

Justice Bhargavi holds a doctorate in law and is one of the candidates for appointment for the position of chief justice. Prior, she had enjoyed a storied career in retail, real estate, and entertainment, and is known for her cult classic collection of albums known as Simply. A recent citizen, Dr. Bhargavi hails from Kolkata, India. She lives in Baywood City with her husband and three children.

Joseph Tobias Kurt Captain, Indisclosednean Navy, National Defence Corps

Capt. Kurt is the commanding officer of the I.S.S. Business, a gunboat charged with patrolling the easterly waters of Gaussia and Baywood for pirates. Prior, he was a member of the German Naval contingent charged with training the fledgling Indisclosednean navy. Hailing from a small town in the Franconia region in Germany, he and his daughter hold dual Indisclosednean and German citizenships. They both live in Hoonoisweir.

Vanessa Armstrong-Beaumont Chairwoman-Elect, Chamber of Commerce of Indisclosednia CEO, Armstrong Holdings, LLC,

Hailing from New Orleans, U.S.A, Ms. Armstrong-Beaumont is a longtime entrepreneur. Her business incubator company is the latest in a long line of successful entrepreneurial and investment ventures. She is a vocal advocate of racial and gender equality, responsible business, and corporate social responsibility. A resident foreigner holding dual French and U.S. citizenship, she lives with her husband and daughter in Baywood City.

Jeremiah Olmstead Chief Pastor, First Ecumenical Church of Baywood

The son of the country’s first Prime Minister John Olmstead, Pastor Jerry forewent politics and business and became a man of the church. He is a staunch advocate of Christian environmentalism. He believes in respecting the works of God through responsible ecological stewardship and sustainable low-impact development. A native-born Indisclosednean of part Inuit descent, he lives with his wife and two children in the suburbs of Baywood City.

Margaret Willoughby-Penderghast Representative, Historical and Cultural Society of Indisclosednia

Ms. Willoughby-Penderghast is a longtime citizen hailing from Liverpool, U.K. Of South Asian descent herself, she has played a key role in chronicling the history of the South Asian communities in Indisclosednia. She works as a school teacher at the Charles Darwin Community School near her residence in Hoonoisweir. She and her husband, also a historian, are among the founding members of the Historical and Cultural Society. She is bisexual.

Tanner Ashford Representative, Expatriate Business Association

A wealthy angel investor, environmental advocate, and motivational speaker from Los Angeles, U.S.A., Mr. Ashford has a stake in several new business ventures sprouting in the country. His main focus is to create a flourishing tech ecosystem to Indisclosednia. Although not a resident himself, he is a constant visitor and rents an exclusive room in the suites at the Fritz-Karloff Hotel at the Baywood Waterfront. His daughter, a resident, lives and works nearby.

Keith Wesley Horowitz Student, Gregor Mendel Academy of the Arts and Sciences

Keith plays for the school’s soccer team and is an active member of both theatre and audio-visual clubs. He specializes in working complex audiovisual equipment, though he is also skilled in fixing other machines. In his off-days, he lends his expertise to the Navy as a mechanic for college credit. A resident foreigner, he was raised in Dublin, Ireland, and holds both U.S. and Irish citizenship. He lives with his father in Baywood.

Akira Ichiro Student, Gregor Mendel Academy of the Arts and Sciences

Aspiring scientist and martial artist Akira works part-time as a kendo instructor in her grandfather’s dojo in Baywood. She is a member of the audio-visual club and specializes in dronework, architectural photography, and motion cinematography. She is also one of the founding members of an informal martial arts club in her school. A citizen, she lives with her parents, maternal grandparents, and little brother. Her family hails from Tokyo, Japan.

Conrad Ogilvy Tippett Student, Gregor Mendel Academy of the Arts and Sciences

Conrad is a natural entrepreneur and is one of the stallholders at the student-organized Friday swap-meets at Mendel Academy. He is an avid model-maker known for building intricate and lifelike model cities, which he lends to his fellows at the audio-visual club as part of their film productions. He became a citizen just a few years ago alongside his parents and two brothers. Hailing from Chicago, U.S.A., they’ve since settled down in Baywood.

#World Building June 2020 #WBJ #Key People #Contributor Profiles

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thetruthissixfeetunder · 5 years ago

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Name: Hathor Freeman

Birthday: May 5th, 1984

Age: 36

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Bisexual

Zodiac: Taurus

Family: Mother: Isis Freeman ( Wanted Connection ) Father: Byron Kelly ( In Jail )

Past / History

Hathor’s father was arrested not too long before Hathor was even born, and some of her earliest memories were attending his trial with her mama. Her mother would pray to Maat before each hearing, but despite her prayers, Hathor watched as her father was officially sentenced to life in prison.

After that, life for Hathor and her mother was pretty normal. Isis took a job as an apartment attendant for an aging man near downtown Point Pleasant, and Hathor spent her days at school or getting into trouble around their building.

One of the tenants in their building was Mrs. Winston. Hathor adored her, and the feeling was mutual, seeing as the old woman called Hathor her granddaughter and often babysat while Isis was off doing repair work. It was at Mrs. Winston’s knee, that Hathor first learned the Truth about the world.

Mr. Winston had been on the Silver Bridge when it collapsed in ‘87, and during her recollection of the days leading up to the tragedy, Mrs. Winston told Hathor all about the mysterious figure she’d seen. The one they called, The Mothman.

She was hooked, and for the rest of her childhood and teenage years, Hathor obsessed over the Truth. Her mother was supportive, after all, she’d come to America with her family to give her future child the ability to pursue their dreams.

When Hathor turned 18, she hugged her mother goodbye, hopped in her van, and drove off.

She spent the next 18 years bouncing around America, visiting each state, hunting for the proof that would finally open the world’s eyes to the Truth. She’d roll into town, hitting the bars for any rumors, scouring the libraries for local legends, and scanning newspapers for any hints that something was amiss. Most of the time, nothing was happening. Most of the time.

When Hathor was older, she got the call that Mrs. Winston wasn’t doing well and didn’t have very long left. Hathor made her way back to West Virginia, but stopped along the way, too scared to say goodbye to a person she loved.

Mrs. Winston passed away before Hathor could say goodbye.

Shortly after that, Hathor decided that it might be time for her to stay in one town for a while, get a job, and save money.

Present Times:

Hathor is living in the Ashford Motel, paid for in cash for at least a year.

Her van is completely broken down.

She has no money and is currently living off rice, beans, and chili.

Future Plots:

There’s a mystery in the air, and Hathor is duty bound to expose the Truth, no matter its effect on the town.

Her luck’s run out, looks like the Motel Owner doesn’t like all the changes Hathor’s made to her room. Normally she’d stay in her van, but now the van’s broken and sleeping in a freezing car is no fun.

Secrets:

She’s currently under an NDA after exposing the mayor of a small town for allowing the CIA lace the town water with a test drug.

#pre shut down

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aquariusxiv · 5 years ago

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Strike! AU magic

Strike! has a very unique class system in that a class defines only what overall mechanics you can use and actively encourages a total reskin or refluff if you want - on the one hand, it's easy to make a concept work, on the other you gotta start with a concept rather than start with your class (I'll just play a cleric since we need a healer) and then letting your concept grow over time.

Still, that flexibility appeals to me. One of the classes, shapechanger, is generally intended to be a druid-like wild shape class; but one of the suggested reskins is for a Metroid-like suit of powered armour that has different offensive modes or functions you can activate. Necromancer works fine as an actual necromancer, but I quickly saw it could be used to play a Diplomacy-based negotiator character that (after an enemy is roughed up a bit) convinces them to fight on your side.

So because I'm sick and bored, I wanted to do an experiment: Take five character concepts, identify the role and class they would be normally.

Then keep the role the same, randomly roll for class, and see how that changes/would fit the concept.

Using my own characters from LARPS or MMO roleplaying, with the caveat that I can only use one Valentein because otherwise they'd all be similar concepts.

Strike! has five roles: Leader (healer/buffer), Defender (tank), Striker (focused damage-dealer), Controller (debuffer), Blaster (area damage-dealer) and eleven classes: Necromancer (uses defeated enemies as a resource), archer (ranged attacker), martial artist (stance fighter), warlord (party support), magician (ranged fighter with vancian spell slots), bombardier (area attacker), shapechanger (can change into a different form once per encounter, so different type of stance fighter), summoner (summons static zone or power effects), buddies (pet class), rogue (class powers focus entirely on mobility rather than attacks.)

- Leader (Epoch) - - Valentein Prince, Scholar of the Arcane, Archmage, Lord-Accountant of the Carreg Wynn Cavaliers, Commander of the Carreg Wynn Guard, Zell of the No'Jiyuu Pryde, Scion of Familia Flaccara, Apprentice to the Goddess Malabascamabara, Slayer of Cascadian, and Prime of Carreg Wynn -

Epoch Valentein, because I really want him to be, would be a Necromancer Leader. Despite being a priest of a nominally undead-banning religion (a mite bit heretical) his skill with Essence and Void-aligned magic grants him the ability to animate and revive dead and dying bodies - serving to both subvert enemies and heal allies.

Roll the dice and... Buddies, essentially a pet class but can work as two characters fighting as a duo. Ok.

- Buddies Leader - - Prime Valentein Amaris and Talon Knight Leona Rey -

A personal bodyguard, Leona is armed and armoured. The Leader-powered healing magic originates from Valentein, but Leona has a majority of offensive and defensive manoeuvres.

Leona is healthier and sturdier than Valen is, so taking the Super-Buddy feature represents that. Leona has some typical tanky passives - Brave to intercept hits, Tough to be armoured - and some weapon-related Actives - Focused to mark, Pushy to knock away. They work as a team to support their allies.

- Defender (Secrets of Magic) - - Łukasz Żelazowski, Lendzianie Knight -

Łukasz would be a Martial Artist Defender, the mechanical 'stances' of the class being represented by different weapons and equipment he carries with him. At his core, he is a nonmagic character who is super tough and tanky.

Roll the dice and... Martial Artist. And... Martial Artist. AND... Martial Artist.

One more time... finally, Magician. Wow.

Magicians are inherently ranged fighters who can pick several of many spell options, made for people who like the utility of D&D wizards - not really fitting with a nonmagical fighter. Łukasz does also have some connections with death magic, since I was considering making him a necro-knight, but that never actually took shape. However, looking at the Blood Magic class feature - spending some of his own inner essence to generate otherworldly abilities - and the fact that there are defensive and melee-ranged spell effects in the Magician's kit we can assemble him into some kinda Witcher.

- Magician Defender - - Łukasz the Returned, Demon Hunter -

Dying an honourable death and glimpsing the dark powers that wait to swallow souls, Łukasz willingly allowed himself to be resurrected by a draconic sorceress in order to defend his world.

Magician Features: Ranged Basic becomes range 10 - Łukasz can slash a sword wind to hit at a distance.

Blood Adept: Łukasz can put more of his life essence into his attacks to increase their potency. Only once his blood has been spilled can he access higher-level supernatural effects - probably something a restricting or making vulnerable nature. Eventually he gains a Blood Curse - when he is Taken Out, he can spend his life energy on a major spell effect - used to make normally invincible demons vincible.

- Striker (Elegy) - - Crow, Wilder Survivor -

Crow was the dumbass last survivor of a dumbass Wilder forest clan that wandered over to Bartertown because his dumbass family was dead. He had shit luck with firearms, his 'old trusty' revolver jamming every time he fired it, so he relies mostly on a machete and getting the hell away from trouble to not die. He can swing a good hit when he lands, so overall he sounds like a Rogue Striker - prioritizing mobility and evasiveness to fancy attacks.

Roll the dice... Archer.

Crow's original concept was supposed to be more of a highwayman until I decided not to actively seek PvP and could not get a working dart gun for the life of me. So, let's hew close to that concept...

- Archer Striker - - Crow, Wretch Highwayman -

Leaning into 'soft control', Crow picks up Sentinel and a well-cared for revolver to take down those that get too close to him, or something he cares about. Focusing on opportune strikes he delivers the damage at range to multiple targets. Taking a trophy from every victim, he wears mostly black leather.

- Controller (Ultima Online) - - Dark Lord Ultimus, Vampire Mage -

Well, since I was 13, he'd probably also be a Necromancer but his original build in UO hewed closer to a Summoner Controller. Using mage abilities to summon elemental creatures to ensnare, bamboozle, and confound his targets. Also he's half-drow for maximum emo. Atlantic-shard UO Roleplay was... a lot.

Roll the dice... Shapechanger. Hm.

Well, he's already undead and half-drow. There's something there, right?

- Shapechanger Controller - - Tathkah Eilsett, Death-Cursed Shade -

Ultimus fluctuated through several concepts in my turbulent youth. One that stuck with me was his 'Shade' that came up when he was hiding his identity for some reason - emotionless and quiet, with more direct shadow powers in place of his elemental magic.

With this concept, he can manifest traits of different undead as his form power: Wraith (Hawk), Mummy (Viper), Shade (Kraken).

Manifesting the Wraith form lets him fly with moderate insubstantiability (no major changes needed to the flight power, since it already makes you untargetable).

The Mummy form lets him spread a curse that eats away at a foe's life-force.

Shade (for lack of a better idea) lets him grab multiple targets with shadowy tendrils, siphoning away their life-force.

- Blaster (Guild Wars) - - Warmaster Victor, Ascalonian Elementalist -

Cheating a bit, since this character was technically a Valentein but that really only stuck because I didn't want to remake the character with a new name. One of the names I was considering with Victor, so here we are. Elementalists in Guild Wars (1) are area-damage magical casters; Bombardier has mechanics that are best used by a non-magical concept, so he'd be a Magician Blaster. Hailing from the farms in Ashford, he joined the army as a battlemage.

Rolling the dice gives us... Rogue.

- Rogue Blaster - - Lightbringer Victor, Order of Whispers Elementalist -

The Order of Whispers, in opposition to the Ascalonian Army, teaches ways to move about in secret and to fight Torment Demons. Victor applies his elemental knowledge to move about in gusts of wind, travel on streams of water, shaped earth, or jets of fire. He uses his wide-ranging magic to affect groups of foes with status effects - blinding lightning, poisoned water, burning fire, and ankle-breaking stone.

So for some like Łukasz, the class affected the concept more than others - Crow just fought in a different way, whereas Łukasz changed specialties entirely from a fighter to a mage-knight. Something like this might be interesting to do as an in-game adventure. A divine curse or magical effect might have rewritten the party's history or changed their cutie marks around, resulting in a changed moveset for a spell until the bad guy is defeated. I dunno!

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bryonysimcox · 5 years ago

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Life on the Road: Week 1, France

A week ago we had just reached French shores and stayed the night near the Belgium border. Now, over a thousand kilometres later, I look back at life on the road in Suzi the HiAce.

The days before we left England, I was filled with nerves. A weird sort of apprehension-excitement-fear combo descended on me, especially as George left me alone for a day whilst he headed up to Manchester to do a last-minute video shoot. Then, Monday morning finally came and I was so glad we were ready to leave, given that my mind had been running in circles in the days prior.

Even if we had forgotten things, not planned for certain eventualities, I was ready to go and to start our long-awaited trip.

The drive to Dover was somewhat uneventful, punctuated by a welcome visit at my Aunt’s house in Ashford, and a lovely meal, sharing stories of places travelled and frantically jotting notes down from my knowledgeable relatives about the best routes to take (and tolls to avoid!) in France. We arrived at the ferry terminal with ages to spare, an unusual departure from George and my usual tendency to leave everything to the last minute. Once on French soil, we really enjoyed taking in the surroundings of the north coast. Although an altogether flat and industrial area, Dunkirk and the neighbouring villages were peppered with characterful qualities: the ‘Gilets Jaunes’ hosting small road-side bonfires, faded signage painted on brick facades, and unusual Flemish-style housing with tiled roofs and shuttered windows. We started to search online for the history of places we saw and towns we passed through, often discovering impressive stories from both the world wars of soldiers’ resistance and the resilience of ordinary local folk. This activity of reading a place’s Wikipedia page as evening entertainment has become a bit of a habit!

(images, left to right) Exploring the streets of Dunkirk, a much-needed celebratory champagne/beer on the ferry from Dover, and me outside Suzi on our drive to Paris.

En route to Paris, we risked the tolls and experienced the aggression of French drivers when they get stuck behind a 25-year old fully-laden campervan. Tolls are something we’re generally going to avoid; whilst they save you time, we’d rather save the money and enjoy the more scenic routes. But in this instance, we got to France’s capital nice and quickly, and found free showers at the roadside services as a bonus.

The two and a half days we spent in Paris were just perfect: we kept things slow and cheap rather than trying to see and do everything.

Based on advice from other vanlifers, we opted to park up in a suburb on the outskirts of the city and catch the train each day. Despite protests from railway workers and closed train lines making headline news whilst we were there, the line we took seemed unaffected and it worked out brilliantly - we would pop up at the station outside Notre Dame, and each day take in the sights of the city by foot. Road closures left streets feeling calm and quiet, combined with the fact that the freezing cold temperatures were keeping the crowds away!

Generally, we mooched around the Quartier Latin and the student areas, centred on the Pantheon and Rue Mouffetard, the city’s oldest street. I was impressed to see sustainable, human-centred initiatives across the city, no-doubt linked to the forward-thinking stance of Paris’ mayor, Anne Hidalgo (a renowned figure in urban design circles). There were lots of bicycles, generous pedestrian spaces, electric car charging stations and even billboards announcing the city’s ‘participatory budgeting’ scheme, although the lack of green spaces and trees was apparent too.

(images, left to right) Filming in Le Jardin du Luxembourg, wandering along the Seine, and escaping from the cold in a super-cool Parisien cafe.

We were lucky enough to catch up with friends and family in Paris, which made the big city feel warm and welcoming.

On the first night, a girl who I had met back in Sydney when we both volunteered at a not-for-profit restaurant met up with us and showed us the local’s perspective into the best inner-city spots for wandering and socialising. On Thursday, what began as George randomly spotting that an old bandmate of his was also in Paris, resulted in a couple of beers that evening with him and his girlfriend. And the next day, we were able to see one of my cousins, along with his wife and newborn baby, in their apartment in the 11th arrondissement. These encounters were so enjoyable, and were a powerful reminder that it will be the people we see and spend time with along this trip that define it.

Sad to leave but ready for the next step, we left Paris in the knowledge that life admin was on the cards. We wanted to get a gas refill for our spare gas bottle so that when we run out on our first tank in some middle-of-nowhere location, we don’t have to eat cold spaghetti! After a few delightful days of being tourists in Paris, including filming our first episode of ‘Place Portraits’ about film photography through our documentary channel Broaden, spending a tireless day looking for the right gas refill felt like a fall from grace.

We quickly learned that all the little things like gas, electricity and water can take up a lot of time when you’re living in a van and you’re in a foreign country.

Eventually laden with a new (albeit pricey) bottle of gas, we headed out towards the countryside to find somewhere to stay for the night. We didn’t get that far, and stopped in the town of Fontainbleu - renowned for its historic connections to French royalty (also worth checking out the Wikipedia page). We found our parking spot through the fantastic app ‘Park4Night’, and this location reaffirmed just how awesome the app can be, as it led us to a space literally outside the gates to Fontainbleu Castle!

(images, left to right) A morning run around Fontainbleu Castle, a very excitable me after said run, and our epic camping spot outside the castle gates.

One of mine and George’s priorities has been to squeeze in exercise along the journey. Staying active is not only important to the two of us, but essential when you’re often sitting still in a van for long distances. The only thing getting in the way of doing lots of exercise is the fact that we don’t have a shower (though we’re looking into a small one with submersible pump and would love recommendations from folks who have used them before). Nonetheless, we did a 5K run around the eery castle grounds at Fontainbleu, and I’ve tailored a workout with the NikeTraining app that I can just about do lying in the van. As for the washing situation, well it’s either boiling a kettle and doing a face-cloth shower, or heading to public swimming pools (as we did in Lyon) and making use of the facilities whilst squeezing a swim in as well.

With dreams of snow, we spent two days headed south-east, through Lyon, towards the Alps. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bit of a half-baked plan and we eventually decided to give up on the idea.

We had gotten quite close to the Alps before we decided it wasn’t worth it. We’d been tracking slower than expected, and had generally realised that Suzi can’t just whizz up hilly roads as we’d like. Given that we also had no plans to ski (and were just headed there for the views and hikes), it felt like a huge commitment for not all that much reward. It was a frustrating decision, but a good first experience in the reality of trip-planning and timing.

Almost a week in, and it felt like we’d hit our first slump: giving up on the Alps and generally being aware that Suzi is an old van with a somewhat unreliable engine. Although we’ve had no issues with her so far, other than underwhelming fuel efficiency, George is conscious that we may have worn piston rings. The piston rings are something that could cause us issues in the future, so we’re closely monitoring them for now and on the look-out for a reliable garage in South France/Spain that may be able to have a look at them and give us an idea of what repairs may cost.

(images, left to right) Emptying the wastewater tank and filling up on fresh water at an ‘Aire du Camping-Car’, stocking up on much-needed bread and cheese, and editing footage inside the van in true hot-desking style!

Changing the plan and re-diverting west turned out to be a real positive. We ventured along some alpine roads through the stunning scenery of the Parc Natural Regional Livradois-Forez and ended the first week on a high - parked up in the middle of nowhere safe and sound in the van.

That evening, we ate fresh baguette with local cheese and snuggled under our blanket watching a BBC crime drama. With no other sign of life in sight, we finally felt free - next to a stream in a misty forest, accompanied by the soundtrack of light rain. It wasn’t the most stunning place, the most famous or the most extreme, but it was just right.

#traveldiaries #SuzitheVan #ToyotaHiace #OverlandAdventures #DigitalNomads #BryonyandGeorge #vanlife #hiacevan #lifethroughalens #vanliving #consciouscommunity

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ciphertext-x · 6 years ago

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LGBTQIA+ books!

Pride month is coming up, and my eyes are peeled for more LGBTQIA+ books! In the meantime, here’s my current list. I haven’t read all of these, in fact I’ve only read a small portion of them, but all of them are either queer-centric, or have side characters representing. For the ones I’ve not read myself, my info comes only from what I’ve heard other people say! Also, I’m not necessarily saying that all of these books are good, but they have that representation we so crave!

If you know of any more, feel free to add them!

Long post, so rest is below the cut. Links go to Goodreads so you can read more info, but I’ll put some keywords along with them along with any trigger warnings I know of.

Adrift by Isabelle Adler The main character is gay OR bisexual, OR it may be that someone is gay and someone is bi. I haven’t read this one. Sci-fi, action, adventure, aliens, pirates

And I Darken by Kiersten White One of the main siblings is gay. YA, historical fantasy, romance, royalty, war, diverse

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (most of Sáenz’s stuff is queer) Both main characters are gay. YA, romance, 80′s, Mexican-American, homophobia, hate crime, injury

Ash by Malinda Lo Main character is bisexual. YA, romance, fantasy, Cinderella retelling, fairy, hunter, royalty

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon A side character and the temporary object of the main character’s affections is gay. YA, urban fantasy, sci-fi, dystopia, London, clairvoyants, gangs, supernatural race, enslavement, violence, abuse

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan Main character is gay. A side character is a transgender female. YA, contemporary, romance, high school

Boy Meets Hamster by Birdie Milano Main character is gay. His best friend is a bisexual mixed race chubby girl. One of his love interests is black. Teen fiction/middle-grade, contemporary, romance, summer, disaster gay, homophobia, ableism, holiday park

Breaking His Spell by Foster Bridget Cassidy The main character and the prince are both gay. Fantasy, romance, Sleeping Beauty retelling, immortality, royalty, fake relationship, dragons

Captive Prince by C S Pacat The main character is a pleasure slave to another man. Historical fantasy, dark romance, adult, slavery, sexual assault and non-con, royalty, war

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Main character is bisexual. His male love interest is gay. YA, humour, fantasy, romance, Harry Potter, vampire, wizard, enemies-to-lovers

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Main character’s sister is bisexual. YA, fantasy, royalty, politics, fairies, murder

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer Main character’s brother is gay and in a relationship with a black boy. YA, contemporary & fantasy, Beauty & the Beast retelling, royalty, politics, disabled main character

A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab One of the side characters is genderfluid. The prince is bisexual. Fantasy, parallel worlds, war, smuggler

The Deadly Nightshade by Justine Ashford One of the main characters is asexual. Sci-fi, futuristic, dystopia, war, gangs, humanity, violence, friendship

Dragonoak by Sam Farren Main character is a lesbian. Fantasy, adventure, knights, dark magic, secrets

Draw the Line by Laurent Linn Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, illustrated, homophobia, hate crime, Texas

Enemies Like These by P K Gardner Not sure about this one, there’s not a lot of information out there about it, but it’s tagged LGBT everywhere. Sci-fi, superheroes

Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire One of the main characters is asexual. One of the main character’s is transgender. YA, fantasy, mystery, murder, boarding school

Fourth World by Lyssa Chiavari Both main characters are asexual. One is demisexual. YA, sci-fi, dystopia, space, planet is dying, aliens

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Main character is bisexual. YA, historical, romance, Europe, roguish passions, responsibilities

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan Main character is a lesbian and gets into a romance with another girl. YA, historical fantasy, romance, politics, rebellion, demons, concubines, sexual assault, abuse, Asian-inspired

The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan Main character develops romantic feelings towards another girl. Fantasy, magical realism, mermaids, romance, Scotland

Good Angel by A M Blaushild Main character is AroAce (and there’s a host of other queer rep). YA, fantasy, university, heaven and hell, angels and demons

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky Main character is a very young transgender girl. Middle-grade/teen fiction, contemporary, identity, school

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert A lesbian couple appear in the second half of the book to assist the main characters. YA, urban fantasy, horror, fairytale, mystery

Heels Over Head by Elyse Springer Main character is closeted gay. His love interest is gay. Contemporary, new adult, sports, diving, water, opposites attract

Hello World by Tiffany Rose & Alexandra Tauber Main character is asexual. Sci-fi, thriller, hacker, human data chips, human trafficking, corrupt corporation

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, mental illness, sad, death, grief, romance

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson One of the main characters is gay. YA, contemporary, romance, siblings, drifting apart

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz One of the main characters lives with his adoptive gay father. YA, contemporary, Mexican-American main characters, loss, grief, identity

Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan Main character is bisexual. Her love interest is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, romance, high school

The Last Chronomancer by Reilyn J Hardy Main character is AroAce. One of the side characters is genderfluid. Fantasy, adventure, curses, supernatural creatures

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann Main character is asexual and biromantic (and black). YA, contemporary, romance, college, Japanese love interest

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers One of the main characters winds up in a lesbian relationship with an alien who is pansexual. One character uses they/them pronouns, but is not explicitly non-binary. YA, sci-fi, space opera, adventure, running from the past, aliens, war, racism, found family, Dwarfism, Artificial Intelligence, romance

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth Main character is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, conservative character, religion, conversion therapy?

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera Main character is either bisexual or gay. YA, contemporary, romance, sad, suicide, homophobia, depression

More Than This by Patrick Ness Main character is gay. YA, sci-fi, death, afterlife, mystery, dystopia

Noah Can’t Even by Simon James Green The main character and his best friend kiss and end up together in the end only after a lot of soul-searching. Teen fiction/middle-grade, contemporary, romance, comedy, high school

Nocturna by Maya Motayne At least one queer side character (this book is very new, so I can’t find details) YA, fantasy, dark magic, Latinx-inspired, loss, abuse

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst Main character is either a lesbian or is bisexual. YA, fantasy, royalty, arranged marriage, assassination

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy Main character is pansexual, she has two mothers. One side character is genderfluid. One side character is gay. YA, fantasy, sci-fi, King Arthur retelling, racially diverse, disabled side character, space, interdimensional travel, war, politics

Our Bloody Pearl by D N Bryn The siren character is non-binary (they/them) however it’s noted that humans can be non-binary too. One character is asexual. One character is a lesbian. Fantasy, pirates, romance, mermaids, steampunk, sci-fi, New Adult, found family

The Pardoner’s Tale by Morgan Ferdinand Main character is asexual. Urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires, werewolves, exorcist, monster-slayer

Peter Darling by Austin Chant Main character is a transgender male and gay. His love interest is gay. Fantasy, romance, historical, Peter Pan retelling, pirates, NeverLand, fairies, merpeople

Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, adoption, anxiety, mental illness, grief, suicide, Asian-American characters

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Bisexual (and biracial) main character. Her best friend is gay and demisexual. I’m told that MOST characters in this book are LGBTQIA+ and that includes asexual! YA, contemporary, identity, diversity, friendship, mental illness

Release by Patrick Ness Main character is gay. YA, paranormal, thriller, mystery, contemporary, sexual assault, drugs, murder

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness Honestly don’t know about this one, but I hear it does have something. YA, fantasy/sci-fi, superheroes, Chosen One

Showers Flowers and Fangs by Aidan Wayne Main character is a gay transgender male. His love interest is gay. YA, urban fantasy, romance, mythical/supernatural creatures (mainly fairy, vampire, and witch), menstruation, abuse

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli Main character is gay. YA, contemporary, romance, high school, Love Simon, blackmail, Tumblr, secret identity

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Main character is in a relationship with another man. Historical, Iliad retelling, Greek mythology, war, Gods and Goddesses

Stake Sauce by RoAnna Sylver Main character is grey-aro-ace, transgender, and gay. One of the side characters is AroAce. A few are in a polyamorous relationship. Literally all side characters are queer. YA, urban fantasy, vampires, mental health, disabled main character, PTSD, chubby vampire, chronic pain

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson Main character’s female best friend spends the book crushing heavily on another girl. One of the minor side villains is gay and has a boyfriend. The main character’s mother (a queen) reportedly courted another girl in her youth. YA, fantasy, romance, royalty/politics, arranged marriage, depression, PTSD

Teeth by Zaya Feli There is an MLM romance. Someone is asexual. YA, historical, fantasy, Vikings

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch One of the three main characters is gay and in a relationship. YA, fantasy, politics, religion, royalty, botanical magic, pirates, steampunk, PTSD, secrets and lies, trust, racism, ignorance

They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera One of the main characters is described as queer. The other is bisexual, and Cuban-American. YA, contemporary, romance, sad, death, speculative fiction

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli Main character’s sister is a lesbian. YA, contemporary, romance, chubby protagonist, high school, crushes

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson The main character is gay. YA, sci-fi, aliens and abductions, the world is ending, suicide

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia The main character is in a lesbian relationship. YA, politics, spies, school, Latina, dystopia

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera Both main characters are gay (one of them is Puerto Rican). A side character is bioromantic asexual (her exact words). YA, romance, contemporary, humour, summer, disaster gay, first time

Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic One of the sisters is in a lesbian relationship. YA, fantasy, forbidden love, secrets

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan One of the Wills is gay. YA, contemporary, humour, coming of age, friendship

#lgbt #lgbtqia #queerfiction #pride month #books #representation #ownvoices

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midori-laboratories · 2 years ago

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Paper Tigers: A Calendula Chronicles anthology (Chapter 3: Ruined Gifts)

Story summary:

The nascent Umbrella Corporation is finding its legs. Marigold Ashford is starting over after the death of her father, her brother's exile, and a secret exposure to the mother virus in Africa. With a little work, she's managed to chart her own course within the company while holding onto control of her life by her fingernails.

Then again, success breeds jealousy and insecurity. For the first time, Marigold will have to handle the accompanying dangers alone. One-shots, filling in the 1969-1981 era of development largely skipped over in Flowers and Ash, Focusing on the moments where the virus, her reputation, and her career collide.

As Marigold contemplates the possibility of letting Lord Spencer in on her condition in 1972, Spencer sends Marigold on a strange goodwill mission to a village outside Brasov, Romania.

CW: attempted drugging, attempted murder

A Village outside Brasov, Romania, Late Spring, 1972

A few years earlier, Marigold Ashford had learned that she had a strong resistance to toxins. It had been an incidental discovery, one that could be filed away for later while she dealt with the bastard at hand.

Now, it seemed like deliverance. As the tremors began to set in, Marigold looked from her glass to the old woman across the table with a sense of detached horror, and hoped that it would be enough.

-----

Three days earlier, she had arrived in Brasov.

And, oh, it had an Old World beauty that London had lost in the bombardment of the Second World War. London’s charm had a sleeker veneer of modernity associated with it. Geneva had been more like this, but even then, Brasov’s antiquity held tangible weight.

Meeting her at the Romanian airport was one Luca Bogdhan, along with a small retinue of bureaucrats. They had escorted her directly from the terminal (apologetically explaining that her movements in Brasov would be strictly monitored- something she had been told to expect in the Eastern Bloc country). The trade office was happy to work with British investors, after all, and Umbrella was becoming a growing force on the European market.

The next morning had been all business- a pickup from the charming little hotel downtown to the Trade Ministry office. Umbrella had proposed a friendship with a small village in the mountains with whom the company’s founder had a fondness, and wished to open a channel.

Easier said than done; the village in question had an old and evil reputation. It had rather actively and successfully repelled modernization as oil repelled water.

But…the Cold War wouldn’t last forever. Or else, the definition of forever would be significantly foreshortened, at any rate. Business and life went on, here and everywhere else.

Umbrella’s offer also meant opening up regional offices within the country. The offer that Marigold carried to them was a rising tide, and all could benefit- that was, if they could steel their nerves and take the offer to one backward little village.

On the second day, Luca showed up at her door and offered to escort her on a tour of his fair city. Tourists who came here were often after the Gothic allure that Bram Stoker had built up for the world in his famous vampire novel. “I’m not sure the man ever actually left Ireland,” Luca joked, as he tucked Marigold’s hand at his elbow. “But the local tourists don’t seem to care much.”

The tour, and subsequent lunch in a darling little bistro by the trade office, left the mood going into the afternoon’s meeting relaxed and mellow. It was a sound strategy, Marigold thought. The bureaucrats handling the file were eager to accommodate, although the caveat of Lord Spencer’s specific request to place a regional headquarters there- to open a channel with a specific, village with an evil reputation - was odd. It wasn’t until an older aide, with a penchant for regional history, took a hard look at the paperwork that the light went on behind his eyes. He tilted the forms she had brought along with her. “Ah.” He had said, having worked out a particularly trying riddle. “Your…umbrelă. This company. They use their heraldry, I think. Omagiu? Sorry, madame. This is homage?”

Marigold let her face remain neutral, filing away the new information. It made sense. It also seemed like Spencer was playing games with her in sending her here. She was lacking information that seemed rather important. “Mm. Our founder spent some time there before coming back to the wider world. He- we - hope they will accept a gift in gratitude.” She recited Spencer’s line verbatim.

Luca, young, lean, and full of ambition, nodded along with enthusiasm. “Well, we’ll take a car out, come early tomorrow. I believe we should arrive just after noon, and we can bring this news to the village elder in person.”

-----

What Marigold did know was that Spencer had apprenticed to a doctor in the far mountains of this region. He had been gone for a large part of her early childhood, but could still recall the unease with which her father had received the shift in his personality on his return, back in the late fifties. She had overheard her father discussing it with Alexander years later, in early 1967. “He’d always been serious,” he’d said, with an air of bewilderment, “but it’s like a part of him was burned away. Take care with what you say to him.”

They had gone as a family to Spencer’s estate when news of his return reached him. Marigold had been no older than eight years old at the time- Mrs. Kettleby had called her “precocious” to her parents, and “bossy little creature” to the other staff when she thought no one else was around. When she had met her ‘Uncle’ for the first time in her own memory, she had boldly asked why he had gone off for such a long time.

Uncle Spencer had laughed- even then, it no longer reached his eyes- telling both her and a flustered Edward that he had been studying under a brilliant wise doctor -Miranda, her name was- who was creating marvelous gifts for her community, and he was inspired to learn all he could. To use all he had learned of biology and use it to make a better world.

Marigold had gone on this assignment knowing that much. On the telephone, earlier that month, Spencer had started to tell her something when requesting she set this up about the village, then decided against it. "Keep your eyes open and keep a steady nerve,” he had said instead, “and once you return, perhaps we’ll talk more about expanding your team to a proper division.”

That meant diplomatic access. A Vice President position. It meant access, mobility, and real power.

If this were a test, she’d see it through. She and Alexander had been keeping her secret for three years now, but Alexander was going oddly silent of late. Next time she spoke with her brother, she’d raise the subject of sharing her condition with Uncle Spencer. It only seemed right, with the trust Uncle Spencer was showing them.

One way, or another, she’d see this through.

-----

The drive was long, though peaceful. Fields and forests, with a smattering of small villages as they approached the mountains.

A sullen-faced man in his forties was waiting at an old petrol station by the prescribed exit to the village. “You won’t be able to take that thing in,” he announced in a hoarse voice. A sort of vindictive glee played over the man’s face: city people from the government, having no idea what they were in for. People avoided the region beyond this pass for a good reason. “You’ll need to walk a-ways, but the local merchant agreed to give you a lift in his cart, to get through the pass.”

The narrow dirt path through the trees was a short hike. Marigold could feel Luca tensing up next to her. He’d been the picture of a perfect gentleman earlier, but something about these woods clearly bothered him. When pressed, he gave a nervous laugh. “Ah, it’s silly. There are lots of mundane things that could be dangerous out here, but there really are folktales of monsters in these hills. Modern medicine shows that that was mainly rabies victims, but,” he swallowed hard. “It’s hard to shake a culture, I suppose. It’s nothing.”

Marigold walked along with him in silence for a moment. “There are a lot of old pagan stories in the area where I grew up,” she offered. “People don’t go out at night in the countryside. They bend over backward to avoid building on a sacred hill or grove, because it will spoil their luck, sometimes to their own end. They aren’t named aloud- anyone who speaks of them does it in hushed voices, calling them the ‘good gentlefolk’.” She gave a light laugh and shrugged. “It’s a shame. On a clear night, the moors are quite lovely.”

She could feel Luca relax next to her as she talked. “I suppose everything needed a good ghost story to it before science because involved.”

The path ahead of them was opening up, with a slightly wider road ahead. She paused, with a hand on Luca’s arm. Perhaps this trip would be benign, but this was Uncle Spencer’s inspiration for a path that had led to her becoming something…else. Perhaps it would be best to take a precaution.

There was one measure she could take to manage her luck, if she did it now.

Licking her lips, she stepped in quickly to press a kiss to Luca’s mouth. He froze at her forwardness, and she stepped back out of it before she could reciprocate. she smiled at him. “That’s the fun part. Sometimes they turn out to be the same thing. Have courage,” she said, and plunged on towards the road up ahead, leaving Luca gaping in her wake.

-----

Courage was not quite the right word for what Marigold was feeling, as she watched the older woman’s mouth twist into a cruel smile. Luca’s brow creased at her reaction, the trembling in her hands- his own drink had been unadulterated. A closer word would have been indignation. Anger. And a thin thread of fear binding it all together.

They’d met In a small house overshadowed by a castle. The merchant- an impressively rotund man who went only by “the Duke”- had pointed the castle out as the holdings of the Lady Dimitrescu, who kept a winery nearby. The elder was a sour-looking woman, apparently in her early sixties. She allowed them in and served them each a glass of wine as they arranged themselves, pulling out papers from a briefcase. Spencer had entrusted her with a sealed letter for Miranda, something full of vague apology and his proposal for her village. His gift, so to speak. The woman had given her a strange look when she'd introduced herself but failed to explain any further.

That was as far as the meeting got.

Clearly, this woman- Miranda- did not appreciate Spencer’s presumption. The village existed in isolation for good reason, and she didn’t appreciate the government being sent in, jeopardizing the work like this. He knew well enough the risks.

The woman’s voice sounded strange and distant to Marigold as the toxins entered her system and attempted to do their inevitable work. Given her past reactions, the dose in the drink had been high enough to kill a normal human ten times over.

This wasn’t something that could be handled in front of the bureaucracy. “Luca,” she managed to choke out, aware of his growing alarm. “Go to sleep.”

Luca’s eyes went wide for a moment before he slumped over, a marionette with his strings cut.

Miranda’s smile froze. Marigold pressed her hands to the table. Trying to will away the numbness, the tremors creeping up her arms. She eyed the cup, and quirked a brow at Miranda. The woman’s face seemed to slough away years by the seconds, until she settled into a face in her mid-thirties. Curiouser and curiouser, for execution by proxy.

After a moment, Miranda barked out a surprised laugh. “Ah, very nice! I had no indication from your Uncle’s letters that his work had progressed so quickly!” At her glance, Miranda’s face softened slightly. “Ah, I may have been rude. There are things the boy might have seen. Your Uncle had the disposition for the kind of sacrifices this sort of research requires, but the government certainly doesn’t. That was hemlock, what you drank.” Miranda sat back, observing. “Quite a large dose, I’m afraid. I wonder what the success rate is for his little virus if he felt safe sacrificing one of you?”

Marigold had broken into a sweat as she spoke. The virus had caused her pain before, but it was a trackable, predictable thing that she could attribute to “feminine troubles”, or lingering chronic illness.

This…was worse.

This was her nerve endings going quiet, and them firing on all cylinders as the virus in her body surged to meet this incursion.

This was her liver clenching in pain as it was forced into overdrive to filter out the hemlock in her bloodstream. Rather than slowing, her heart had suddenly kicked into an adrenaline-fuelled overdrive.

Standing up so suddenly that her chair fell back, she ran to the door towards the cool mountain air. A few steps beyond it, she fell to her knees and began to wretch. Villagers passing by saw her fall, and hurried away with alarm. It was better not to see. The Prophet of the Black God had always seen to their protection, but she was rarely kind to outsiders.

A moment of wretching and heaving passed. A cool hand touched her head, pulling her hair back. Marigold shuddered. She wheeled hard into a crouch and caught Miranda by the wrist, not bothering to temper her strength. She knew she looked half feral in that moment.

A moment passed. The two women stared at each other, unsure how to proceed. Then Miranda straightened up, seemingly unfazed by the inhumanly iron grip - and Marigold released her.

“He doesn’t know,” Marigold said softly. “It kills everyone it contacts, as far as he knows. He thinks that there was an inept attempt at infection. We told him that I caught a local illness.” Secretive, cryptic Uncle Spencer, who had sent her here. He had spent years with this woman. Had he sent her here to die?

She paused. “My father - he wanted to wait to be sure- didn’t live long enough to share the good news. The time never seemed right, after that….Luca won’t remember anything if I make him of a mind not to.”

Miranda considered her for a moment. Then, “I have been rude, haven’t I. I had other plans for you - I won’t pretend otherwise, not at this juncture. But, I think that for a blood sample, we could return to the conversation you meant to have. After all, I could use new equipment…and I’d like to know if that little virus of yours impacts the work I’m doing here.”

-----

Miranda had been keeping something in the back of the house, a little cadou of her own, as it were. The vial of blood Marigold provided disappeared with Miranda into the back while the younger woman kept to her feet, still panting and sweating in exertion.

A moment later, Miranda re-emerged with a grim expression. “It appears you are poisonous as well as venomous,” she announced, eyeing the young man still slumbering at the table. How fortunate that I did not bring Alcina along for this meeting. You would have upset her digestion rather grievously, I fear.”

“Not venom,” Marigold said quietly. Her heart rate was going down, at least. “He’s just sort of…mine, now. I had very little information about you, I understand now - it seemed prudent to maintain some form of discretion. And it protects him from information he really doesn’t need to know, of course. It’ll be easier for him once I leave the country.” She coughed at the burning in her throat that was now fading to a persistent itch. “What does that? Might I ask, even?” She made a vague gesture to encompass Miranda's features.

“This is the Mold,” Miranda said after a moment's consideration. “It holds…all who die here. All I wish is to call one back.” It was safe enough to tell her that. After all, this little one had secrets of her own to keep. She had expected a disposable poppet to send back in pieces to her absent student. Spencer must have sensed that as well, given the little prior warning of a visit in his letters. He hadn’t realized that the ‘poppet’ in his employ was another higher predator like herself.

This creature didn’t want to ‘fix the world’, or whatever that vainglorious, brilliant little man had scuttled off to do. All she wanted to do was get out of this confrontation and back to her own territory.

Well, Spencer could mind his own house, as it were. If this girl had slipped his notice for this long, he could only blame himself. The girl would do nothing for her as a research specimen, but…the olive branch seemed to be valid. The Duke would happily take the expanded access to markets. And the post-war technologies out there seemed to have kept forward in a way she really ought to at least look into. Smugglers were a bothersome thing to manage these days.

And that little twitch of her eye when mentioning her father’s foreshortened life, through the careful wording and even more careful poise. Someone who understood loss, and the cost of carving out a safe corner in a cruel world. A possible ally who truly understood where her priorities lay was a tempting prospect.

Miranda settled herself at the table, looking for the first time at the documents laid out by herself and Luca. “I can accept a restricted version of this. He knows not to needle me on taking samples- really, the nerve. He can negotiate any samples he wants to deal in himself without sending canaries in here to die. I would prefer to avoid that sort of attention.” Miranda picked up a pen and a fresh sheet of paper. “I’ll put my requisitions down, and we’ll see how he fares. I think we can leave out our little misunderstanding, do you agree?”

Marigold blinked at her, her face closing to a mask. “To what end?”

“Viruses travel much faster than Mold when they’re successful, and can slip out into the world far more easily. It seemed to me that it would be useful to leave a counterweight in place. It’s rather hard to achieve a mutation that’s stable. Statistically, incredibly unlikely.”

Marigold nodded, slowly. “I can make the trade part work. He,” she indicated Luca, “didn’t seem to feel anyone really wanted to come here. They seem to think you have a nest of monsters in these hills.” She gave a one-shouldered shrug. “The things that some people believe.”

-----

Luca came to slowly, with Marigold gently shaking his shoulder. The older woman- iron-gray, in her sixties, with a hint of mischief in her eyes- watched him closely as he blinked blearily, then startled the rest of the way awake. He felt…tired? No. More than that. Like he had worked outside at his father's house all day and had gone to bed without a meal.

“I fell asleep?” He was horrified. Was something wrong with him?

The older woman, Miranda, tutted at him. "I forget, sometimes that the wine isn’t suited to outsiders- some sort of pastoral microbial issue, I was just telling your young friend. It was best to let you sleep through it. Although, it may be better for you to find room and board for the night in the next village if that’s the case. Staying here will simply upset your digestion further if you’re already sensitized.”

Luca turned sharply to Marigold, who was watching him gravely. “Everything went fine. I can fill you in on details later, but they’ll appoint a courier, that can liaise with your office, or Umbrella themselves.”

He looked back to the table, with a letter and documents packed away into two tidy piles. “We’re done?” He asked, bewildered. Marigold only smiled, a tight, uncomfortable expression, and helped him to his feet. “Yes, but we should get you into a bed to recover as soon as possible.” She glanced back at Miranda. “The rest will sort itself out in due time.”

Miranda smiled back, sincere this time. The girl was not yet so far removed from her humanity as of yet. It only seemed fair to give her a chance to grow into her own.

Poor little poppet. Despite her lineage, despite her condition, the girl had been kept almost entirely in the dark. It seemed entirely in character that those managing that line of research would deem the little thing too frail to handle the truth. They'd learn. The girl was certainly beginning to.

What a fantastically interesting world it would be when she finally brought her darling Eva back into it.

#calendula chronicles #paper tigers #marigold ashford

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