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ziracona · 4 years ago

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i was just wondering what your favourite tropes and dynamics are to explore in fic? either to write yourself or to read!

Oooh, that’s a hard one to answer because I like so many! Uhhh...Let me think.

Well, one of my favorite tropes is definitely Found Family. What is really more satisfying and worthwhile than a group of damaged people coming together and slowly building trust and love until they are inseparably bonded and full of love and have found things they never thought they would?

I am extremely weak to memory loss both because I have some myself, and the American Dragon Jake Long episode Homecoming ripped out my heart as a kid and left me suffering, then Code Geass stepped on it twice with Shirley the same way. So I really like memory loss centered tragedy tropes bc I am 3x weak to them. I am also weak to that trope where one person is trapped in a room with a bomb, or going to drown, or for whatever reason cannot be saved from dying, so a loved one goes and stays and dies with them too just so they don’t have to die alone. Frkn /shatters/ my heart.

I love hurt comfort a lot. I think my favorite scenes to write and read are often one person is completely at the mercy of person 2, who they have no reason to think will help them and are terrified of being hurt by, but instead of person 2 doing anything bad at all, they are kind and look after them and save them. I die for that. It is the lifeblood of my soul.

I also like big character arcs and well done redemption arcs (bad ones make me rage tho. If I was a card in a tarot deck, I’d be Justice). Personal growth, finding hope again, learning to trust or love yourself. I really like character studies, and I like in-depth looks at serious issues and complex and messed up situations. I also am a big fan of deeply important and lasting platonic relationships, be it familial or best friends or whatever, and like romances where the two in question (or more if poly) just try really hard to be good to each other and communicate well and are full of love and would die for each other.

Love pets being a big element of story. Love language barriers, and like writing them/communication barriers. I am usually not very interested in stories (writing or reading) that don’t have good rep in a number of ways. Like writing disabled characters well because I see them get written very grossly so much (I like writing tons of groups this is just the one I did most recently, so it’s on my mind rn. I am disabled, but I’m also a lot of other things to & def don’t only focus on/be interested by my own stuff). I am kinda branching out from tropes to just elements now tho. Uhhhhh, tropes, tropes. I love the opposite of that stupid “If you kill an evil person you’re just as bad”--I am here to see people end the people who murdered their friends or abused them. It’s what they deserve. Not here for a woobie redemption arc for an abuser. Very tired of those & angy.

I love humor in the midst of intense drama or horror or sadness. I’m big into massive sacrifices, but especially if it’s something other than death bc those tend to be more well thought out.

I adore characters who have been through awful things and suffered and been abused getting to actually heal and live happy lives instead of just dying the second they start to taste happiness. I love themes and tropes about the value and lasting nature of human connection and how important and lasting it is.

(putting the rest under a cut bc I am having fun but this be getting long)

Uhhh, I am obsessed with free will > fate and choice, and I really like humanity and things about what it means to be human, and ethics, but like, in an interesting way? Like, Terry Pratchett’s stuff really appeals to me. Like “What have I always believed? That on the whole, and by and large, if a man lived properly, not according to what any priests said, but according to what seemed decent and honest inside, then it would, at the end, more or less, turn out all right.” “Just because you can explain it doesn't mean it's not still a miracle.” “The figures looked more or less human. And they were engaged in religion. You could tell by the knives (it's not murder if you do it for a god).” “There are hardly any excesses of the most crazed psychopath that cannot easily be duplicated by a normal kindly family man who just comes in to work every day and has a job to do.” “There’s no point in believing in things that exist.” “You couldn’t put off the inevitable. Because sooner or later, you reached the place when the inevitable just went and waited.” and

“Yeah? How many worshipers have you got?” “Fifty-one!” The newt looked at him hopefully, and added, “Is that lots? Can't count.” It pointed at a rather crudely molded figure on the beach in Omnia and said, “But got a stake!” Om looked at the figure of the little fisherman. “When he dies, you'll have fifty worshippers,” he said. “That more or less than fifty-one?” “A lot less.” “Definite?” “Yes.” “No one tell me that.” There were several dozen gods watching the beach. Om vaguely remembered the Ephebian statues. There was the goddess with the badly carved owl. Yes. Om rubbed his head. This wasn't god-like thinking. It seemed simpler when you were up here. It was all a game. You forgot that it wasn't a game down there. People died. Bits got chopped off. We're like eagles up here, he thought. Sometimes we show a tortoise how to fly. Then we let go. He said, to the occult world in general, “There's people going to die down there.” A Tsortean God of the Sun did not even bother to look round. “That's what they're for,” he said. In his hand he was holding a dice box that looked very much like a human skull with rubies in the eye-sockets. “Ah, yes,” said Om. “I forgot that, for a moment.” He looked at the skull, and then turned to the little Goddess of Plenty. “What's this, love? A cornucopia? Can I have a look? Thanks.” Om emptied some of the fruit out. Then he nudged the Newt God. “If I was you, friend, I'd find something long and hefty,” he said. “Is one less than fifty-one?” said P'Tang-P'Tang. “It's the same,” said Om, firmly. He eyed the back of the Tsortean God's head. “But you have thousands,” said the Newt God. “You fight for thousands.” Om rubbed his forehead. I spent too long down there, he thought. I can't stop thinking at ground level. “I think,” he said, “I think, if you want thousands, you have to fight for one.” He tapped the Solar God on the shoulder. “Hey, sunshine?” When the God looked around, Om broke the cornucopia over his head.

Are all just from Small Gods, and like, boy is that my kinda good shit. Love history and sociology and anthropology.

I love people fighting to do something they know is doomed to fail just because they know it’s the right thing. I also die for characters who are loyal undyingly, and characters admitting they were wrong and trying to do better, and that trope where someone says something but the exact opposite is happening in the background or happens immediately after. Love that trope where someone should be dead but they just. keep. getting. back. up. to defend someone they love. Love the trope where character A dies and character B takes something of theirs like a bracelet or a necklace or a headband or something and wears it forever after. : (((

I know there’s a ton more but ima swap to dynamics.

Let’s see. I adore familial relationships so much? Blood family, adopted, doesn’t matter, it’s exactly the same. I am huge on one character becoming team mom or dad or parent, or adopting some of the others. I love parent-kid relationships, even with adults and older adults, because it’s just as important. I adore small children being cared for by gruff war-hardened people, or selfish dicks who have to be better for the kid, or kind people who always wanted a kid and lost their own or never had one, or who are happy to add one more, or big sisters Clemtine style stepping into parenthood. Live for that, and I seek out video games that let me play it. Very excited to be trying out Plague’s Tale Innocence, because you play as a big sis taking care of your little brother (he’s like 6? 5-8? I’m not sure). But it’s such a neat idea for a sibling dynamic to explore, because while they’re siblings and know each other’s name and have like, a familial bond, it’s also all kind of awkward and new, because he’s been sick for years and in quarantine with just their mom, so even though they’re siblings and love each other and like, baby brother trusts you, they don’t really know each other at all, and that is just fascinating and so cool to explore to me! I also love someone adopting someone else as their new sibling(s) and dragging them into the family. I love siblings where one starts to go evil or mess up, and the other sibling fights with everything they have to save them/bring them back/help them become good again, because it breaks my heart and sibling relationships are /so/ important to me.

I also love shit like Jeff in dbd, where one character adopts younger characters who just /super/ don’t deserve it, because as much as they’ve fucked up, they love them anyway, they just do, and they want to be there to give them support and a chance to keep trying if they’ll take it. And like, I love all of Legion’s relationships with him, but especially Joey, because it’s /so/ sweet, and Joey is just a scared kid hurting and alone and he wants /so bad/ just to be loved and thought well of and okay, but he’s terrified of getting hurt or killed, and confused, and guilty and afraid of what will happen because of all the bad shit he did, and Jeff is just so warm and forgiving and full of nothing but unconditional love and kindness, and in the sincerest of ways, and they’re such good friends, which is like, not optional to a good parent-child relationship. Or way older brother filling in for parent-kid, there’s a lot of overlap. Anyway! Also just cute shit where someone falls in love with the idea of getting to look out for and stay close to someone younger they want to protect and parent, and there’s this kind of hopeful and almost fragile unsureness that the other person will want or need them in that capacity, like Ace adopting Nea, and not just picking looking out for someone who needs it over former life of thrill, but like, never regretting that choice, and just being truly happy and fulfilled in the adventure they now are on.

For friendships, god. I like so much shit, I don’t know what to say. I am so sorry I am giving you a novel for an answer to this short ask, rip. But I just love all kinds! I like groups with an established rhetoric between them, who are just so comfortable in each others’ presence, and people you know love and value each other so much they’re going to be together forever just as much as the two other characters getting married. I love one is a nice person, and the other is an asshole, but they make an amazing team and balance each other out, and the asshole stops the kind one from dying doing shit for other people, and the kind one helps the asshole be just a little more in love with their friends and things other than themself, and they’re great together. I love idiot friends who riff off each other and do bits all the time, and ones who turn into the “Holy shit there’s two of them” whenever they hang out, and ones who are just so on the same wavelength they’re totally comfortable in silence together and seek it out and would die for the other. I like wingman to person who is dying of embarrassment dynamic, and hardcore fighty person protecting either small and easily hurt person, or just as great, protecting dedicatedly person who is ironically either just as tough as them or even more, but it’s still really sweet and kind of double soft and sweet because tough friend never gets cared for.

God, what don’t I like? ...People being toxic assholes together?

I like super opposites that mesh well, but look hilarious next to each other, and goofy best friends who shamelessly sing loud to the most embarrassing karaoke track they could find. Lesbian and himbo is pretty great. As is the opposite, gay dude and stupid amazing slut or bimbo. (Fkn Mateo and Cheyanne kill me). Sweetest person you will ever know surrounded by 20 people who would die for them. Person who thinks they’re unlovable and takes a long time to notice like all their friends already love them, and then they get to be happy. Person who has never once had a good relationship is dragged into a healthy friendship and /super/ suspicious at every turn because they just aren’t used to being loved and treated well, but eventually softens and probably straight up breaks down at some point.

Person who was formerly bad or did something super fucked up is forgiven and welcomed into a group which they can barely even understand, and they are full of guilt but their loved ones reassure them and help them heal and just accept them and support them. Friends who are super mean to other friend but like, in a loving way, and would also take a bullet for the friend.

Uhhh, for romances, my fave is characters who just fucking love each other. I am real tired of relationship drama. Like pining and issues and star crossed lovers are all great (I think of those, star-crossed lovers is my fave), but I mean like, the shit where people keep having misunderstandings or not talking or cheating on each other just so there can be drama--that I am sick of. I love it when person A does something super badass and probably a little unexpected and person B is like “That’s my wife!!!” or just goes : O with love in their eyes, and this happens constantly. I love gushy mushy sweet displays of affection. I love relationships where the people who are dating were best friends first and still are after, all the way, and tease and rib and are so in love.

I like it when one person thinks they don’t deserve the other, but clearly their partner feels none of this and is always just like “Babe...” and hugs them and is just as in love, and helps them begin to love themself more.

Uhhhh, I like it when there’s someone who doesn’t think they’re in love and there’s that trope where they suddenly get it and you get the Oh or the Wait in italics as it drops internally. I like ships where the characters balance each other out well or provide good support and get better together than they were apart, triple points if they’re super aware of that and comment on it. Also whatever the fuck Maureen Robinson and John Robinson in the Lost in Space reboot have going on. That’s like, goals. She’s chaotic evil living lawful good by sheer force of will, and he’s a himbo too in love to realize any of that and never questions what she thinks they should do beyond the physical logistics of it and would die for her and not think twice about it or the fact that she moves really fast to the pragmatic “Okay,”--not because she doesn’t love him, she does--but because someone does need to be alive for their kids and she’s just wired too practical for him to have to pry her off sobbing to not stay and die with him. (This happens verbatim in like episode 6, but it’s not a mega spoiler bc he doesn’t actually die--he just almost does. She figures out a way to save them both right before committing to it.)

I also like “two fools both in love but really nervous about asking the other if they are because of their past, or situation, or because this is the first time or first time with that kind of relationship, so there’s just intense romantic tension all the time where they pause mid-sentence to just stare into eachothers’ eyes and forget what they were saying, but they’re both too ineffective to just fucking go “Do you like me?” for such a long time. Hurt/comfort paired with pining. Uhhh, but Star Crossed Lovers is up there for sure. I love the pain of two people wanting to be together but it’s just /impossible/ and they know it but that doesn’t make the feelings go away, and it’s miserable, and maybe they’re upset, because they shouldn’t feel this way, but they can’t not, and it’s confused, and it hurts, but they’re also so /happy/ when they see each other. I like that good shit in any romance where the characters can just look at each other and they know, and you know. That’s the choice shit, I tell you that.

Jeeze I’m sure I missed stuff but this is already so long. Uhhh, I like so much I don’t really know how to answer. But my favorite like, vibe/....flavor genre? Is Hope Punk. Uhhh, and mostly I dig any relationships that end up healthy and sweet. I really like second-chances, and characters confronting and moving on past their bad or complicated pasts, or trauma, and healing. Hurt comfort is love, and so is angst with a happy ending. I like a good villain or a wonderful asshole, but I feel like characters that are just good and doing their best really get overlooked and undervalued a lot, and I am here for them. Like Sam Gamgee? One of the /best/ characters in LOTR. So is Bob Newby--and I do get the irony in them both being played by Sean Astin. But uh, anyway, I really like to explore how decent people try to act when confronted with terrible situations and choices, because I really value people who stayed sweet and kind and merciful and full of love even after all the awful shit life has put them through, and I really like writing about how /hard/ that is, and what it looks like, along with the other stuff. I also like characters who are very flawed and very medium being given something to lose and something to gain that go in opposite directions, and being forced to confront their reality and make hard choices. I like people being given intense opportunities to grow or to rot, and seeing which they’ll chose and why and if they’ll make it to the end. Mostly I just really love characters who try, even if they fail, because that can be a lot harder to do than it seems. I like dynamics where one character is very flawed, or in a bad place, but they love someone they think is amazing, and so they’re working hard to catch up to them, or to get close enough they can reach out and hold their hand, and are fighting to make it to a person themselves who can do that someday. I’m sure I forgot a lot and that this was super rambly, but I hope you at least enjoyed some of it! Thanks for asking! ^u^

#ask #anonymous #personal #writing #Anonymous

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july-19th-club · 6 years ago

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“Half the time you don’t know what you’re thinking, so why should I?”

“Because you’re the God,” said Brutha. “Abbys, chapter LVI, verse 17: ‘All of mortal mind he knows, and there are no secrets.’ ”

“Was he the one with the bad teeth?”

Brutha hung his head.

“Listen,” said the tortoise, “I am what I am. I can’t help it if people think I’m something else.”

- Terry Pratchett, Small Gods

#discworld #discworld quotes

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barnie11 · 5 years ago

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I was tagged by @autie-jake Thank you! I love doing these!

You can call me: Barnie, Barns or my actual name, Ismo. Barnie is just a name I got online somehow.

I’d describe myself as: really into older things, such as crafts, fashion, movies, programmes and even games. I always get into things at least five years after everyone else! I’m also really inquisitive, that’s the word I used when we had to do this sort of thing in school. I love finding out things, whether that be facts in science, people and their stories in history, gossip or just poking things to know what they feel like XD

Fictional characters that I identify with or am fond of: Hagrid, Merlin, Data, Cat (she’s from a not very well known book series by Julia Golding), Death (Terry Pratchett), Hercule Poirot, Twig (The Edge Chronicles), Garnet and plenty more I just can’t think of right now!

Three random facts about me: I’m quite short but that’s fine, I like the idea of a hug but in reality I can only hug Leo and my favourite type of ship is a bilander.

Something little about my appearance that I kind of like: I really like my eyes, they’re brown and I love seeing the ‘waves’ in my eye.

An outfit that makes me feel powerful: Jeans, a knitted jumper and boots. Doesn’t seem super powerful but on a day I’m feeling non dysphoric I feel like I can take on the world like that.

An object that is special to me: a silver charm bracelet my mum gave to me! I added more charms on myself but I always love the little duck of hers on it. She found that in the ground when she was young and had it added. It makes it kind of magical I think!

A compliment that made me feel warm inside: I got a really nice one on @whatstodaysstim saying I was really sweet so I didn’t actually publish it. I keep it in my ask box to ward against nasties <3

Something I love about myself: I like my imagination, its helped me make many worlds that I hope to share one day.

Something I’d love to buy someone else: I love buying people presents! But I’d really like to buy my sister a tortoise, she’d really love one and I know all the equipment you need so I’d love to help her out one day with it all!

Something I’d love to buy for myself: On a slightly... hmm note, I’d like to get myself a packer. The one I was going to buy has been discontinued but I really want one :p On a less hmm note, I want to get more sims 4 dlc and some tools to help me live my life better such as ear defenders.

Three things that make me really happy: Frogs, making things and going for walks in forests!

Something I enjoyed recently: A castles programme on BBC 4 right now! It talked about lesser known histories like the take over of Wales and the attempted one of Scotland in the medieval period.

Songs stuck in my head recently: 36 inches High by Nick Lowe

I watched this, maybe you’ll like it too: Farscape and BBC Musketeers are both great shows!

Something adorable I came across recently: a description of a cheese that I found with Leo: A beautifully wrinkly little cheese with a dimpled top, Edmund Tew looks stunning and tastes just as good.

If you wanted to know me better you should check out these things: Look at all my blogs :p This one, @whatstodaysstim @thesquishywizard and @thesmallestsmallboy

Something I can/will do to take care of myself in the coming days: take my vitamins and get bedrest (I was very ill yesterday)

I tag: @thirdbalcony @autos-ismos @spongebob-autisticquestions and anyone else who wants to have a go!

#barnie writes summat

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tarralin · 6 years ago

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The 15 Deadly Questions

I was tagged by @yunohawkeye and @ikesenlemonadestandstories Thanks guys! 😘

Are you named after someone?

Named after and by someone. Story time: My mom's best friend was Terri. As best friends they would go out drinking/ dancing and one night Mom was DD and they connected with another HS friend who was then married and wife was pregnant. So drunk Terri goes on and on about baby names and tells Mom if she ever had a girl, Mom should name baby after her. “but not Terri, I don’t like Terri” (drunk quotes right? Haha) “Tarra would be nice.” Meanwhile, Mom is only paying half a mind as she wrangles the drunk Terri into the car to get her home.

Sadly, Terri and one of her children, Lynn, were killed in a car accident a few years before I was born and so I am Tarra Lin in memoriam. Otherwise, I would have been Sasha Danielle to match my brothers Shannon Dane and Shaine Dean.

When was the last time you cried?

Sometime last week, Friday I think. I cry pretty much every time someone compliments my work or rages in the tags (I live for tag rages! Love them!)

Do you have any kids?

Yes, he is 4 years old

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Me? Sarcasm? Never…. (Yes, that was sarcasm)

First thing you notice about people?

How they speak. I adore different accents

Eye color?

Light Blue

Scary Movies or Happy Ending?

Hmm… gonna go with happy endings, or at least where most everyone lives. I like psyche thrillers but plot is a big thing for me. I'll give everything a chance but am not afraid to walk out if it’s bad or distasteful. I also don’t mind angst, bring the pain!

Any special talents?

That would be in the eye of the beholder wouldn’t it? I hope writing but I know I still have tons of room to grow and improvements to make.

Where were you born?

Florida, US

Any hobbies?

Writing, baking, reading, crafty arts with my son

Any pets?

A Chihuahua named Smalls and several turtles and tortoises. I love cats but hubs is allergic

What sport do you play/have played?

Color Guard in HS marching band, Indoor Guard during winter months

Favorite subject?

Math

Dream job?

Aside from author right? Pastry chef, I do a lot of home baking as it is but never took any classes

Tag 5 People

@otohoe @sevenswifey @unstoppablelinda @captainmotonari @daeva-agas

#tag game #about me #get to know

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rvnzr · 2 years ago

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Dragons at Crumbling Castle Book Review

Dragons at Crumbling Castle by Terry Pratchett is an anthology of some of his short stories that he published in a newspaper in his early career. This is a children’s book. I am not a child but I wanted something easy as an intro to Pratchett.

Overall, I enjoyed the voice he used; it felt very personal and personable, very conversational. I found some of the word play highly amusing and the fun fonts were wonderful. Curious little details like evil Baron Semiquaver “eating a chicken leg in a sinister fashion” in Edwo, the Boring Knight, really added to the fun of the storytelling and the use of size in many of the tales was an entertaining perspective to read.

I wasn’t much of a fan of the two Tales of the Carpet People, so that is probably not one of his novels I’ll read (another children’s book, I believe). However, I really did like Hercules the Tortoise; Dragons at Crumbling Castle; and Edwo, the Boring Knight.

It’s certainly a collection of children's stories, but it was still rather enjoyable as an adult. I look forward to reading some more of his stories.

#book review #dragons at crumbling castle #terry pratchett #ray reviews

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miss-pyrrha-nikos-isms · 7 years ago

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Getting to know the Writer

Thank you to @braith-eisen-isms and @zsweber-studios for the tags!

1. Short stories, novels, or poems?

I’ve been informed when I turn my hand to poetry it’s not bad at all. Sadly, I think otherwise.

Truthfully, the most of what I write is campaign notes, world-building, NPC and character backstories and downtime. I’ve helped building three different worlds thus far, one medieval low fantasy, one extrememly high fantasy, and one somewhere in between. And one Sci-fi universe. Although, admittedly, I had an absolute blast with that.

When I do turn my hand to proper writing, it’s typically RP responses that are grossly overdue and short fics. I’m massively guilty of what I call ‘consequence free writing’ wherein I’ll create a scenario, I’ll let a problem or scene develop, and then I’ll end it after the scene’s climax.

Actions don’t have consequences if you’re a character in one of my fics ^_^

2. What genre do you prefer reading?

I’m a dolt for Fantasy in it’s many many shapes and forms. I’ve been known to pick up a a Sci-fi or Dystopian novel once in a blue moon. There’s even some poetry and epics on my bookshelf. If the paranormal, magical, other-worldly, bizarre or otherwise fantastical make an appearance, I am all over that.

And, of course, some writing manuals. Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ is an actual god send.

3. What genre do you prefer writing?

I write what I read. Admittedly, RP-wise, I have been writing a surprising amount of romance as of late. I’ve turned my hand to horror before, but I fear it didn’t go overly well.

4. Are you a planner or a write-as-I-go kind of person?

I can have a beautiful plot lined up, full of intricacy and clever twists, and my lead character will take one look at it and simply decide otherwise. They have minds of their own. I just sort of set up the world, create the character, their motivation and turn them loose.

5. What music do you listen to while writing?

It really depends on the genre. Like almost everyone, the LOTR soundtrack features heavily in my playlist. There’s some translated anime soundtracks thanks to Lie and Lee, Nate Wants to Battle and Amalee. The Swedish Orchestra have done some beautiful work with gaming soundtracks, particularly Bloodbourne and Witcher.

6. Fave books/movies?

Ohhhhhhh buddy. I’ll save us all and limit myself to 5 recent books.

Mistborn- Brandon Sanderson

Sanderson’s character breathe. They are truly marvellous. His world is a vast one, his story gorgeously compelling and holy hell those twists.

A Darker Shade of Magic/ A Gathering of Shadows- V. E. Schwab

I adore Delilah as a protagonist. Schwab doesn’t pull punches and try and make his protagonists completely likeable. They are flawed human beings and that gets them into just as much trouble as their abilities get them out of. Kell and Lila serve as each other’s muse and devil, even when half a world away.

Terry Pratchett- The Night’s Watch

The Discworld never fails to enthral me with it’s wit and charm. Pratchett’s characters are both caricatures and subtle developed individuals. Everyone has at least one character in Discworld they simply adore. Vimes is definitely one of mine.

The Once and Future King- T. H. White

This collection of Arthurian tales will forever remain on my bookshelf. It has earned it’s place there time and time again.

The Last Wish- Andrzej Sapkowski

I heard the books where darker than the game. I am currently in the middle of finding out. Sapkowski’s world is a brilliant example of a grimdark world down without the depressing overlay. There are glimpses of nobility, of love and companionship. One just has to be careful those traits don’t get you killed.

7. Any current WIPs?

Every single RP thread I’m working on. The worlds are constantly expanding with more lore and epic-tier backstory.

8. If someone were to make a cartoon out of you, what would your standard outfit be?

Leather leggings are a must. Likely a vintage cartoon T-Shirt or a block colour top with a loose denim shirt as a cover and ankle boots.

Unless we’re LRP-ing- Then it’s the corset, gyspy-top, long boots and Hunting coat ensemble. Two swords, a small hand hammer, holy symbol around the neck, more potions than possibly needed and a hipflask (essential). An outfit I love way too much.

9. Create a character description for yourself:

(More of a NPC description, but ho hum)

‘Away with the fairies’. She had frequently been described as such, and now she seeks to emulate it. Tall, but with far too much of a sweet palette to be lithe. She has a smile like a breeze. Perpetually there, and many don’t realize it’s presence until it’s gone. A mane of curls bounce as she talks animatedly.

10. Do you like incorporating people you actually know into your writing?

I may steal a series of conflicting traits from a person, but I won’t steal their full being.

11. Are you kill-happy with characters?

Oh gods no. I will put them through hell, and possibly their worst nightmares, but I will rarely kill them. All too often, that would be a kindness.

12. Dream job?

A librarian, or a lighting apprentice for a theatre. I’ve always been fascinated by the backstage of the theatre. The special effects and everything else. I can’t be onstage for the life of me, but I would happily delve into the secrets of the backstage arts.

If I could write LRP plot for a living I would love to, but a girl’s gotta eat.

13. Coffee or tea while writing?

I’m with Braith. Hot chocolate wins.

14. Slow or fast writer?

I make the tortoise look like Usian Bolt.

15. Where/who/what do you find inspiration from?

Everywhere. I carry a notebook everywhere I go. Sometimes it’s a great collection of ideas, sometimes it’s just one well-wrought sentence.

16. If you were put into a fantasy world, what would you be?

Oh dang, which one? I’ll assume person preference.

Probably one I helped make. If I forced to pick, Asyre, particularly in the City of Larchenette. A city risen from the sea, sourced around a fragment of the legendary Sun Crystal. It was one of the first places I ever created and sentimentality holds a lot.

Not to mention, at some point a dragon washes up on shore, with a merfolk, and half a dozen others.

17. Most fave book cliche? Least fave book cliche?

Favourite- ‘Two characters sparring, one partner pins another to a wall, intense few seconds, both character start making out.’

Least favourite- ‘My biggest flaw is I’m clumsy/My power makes me heartless.’ Get OUT of my novel with that nonsense. I will fully rage-quit a story over this type of writing.

18. Fave places to write?

I tend to write best in an environment where something is going on. A coffee shop, a library, a bar, there’s a lot of options.

19. Fave scenes to write?

Descriptive, or ones where I can work in some foreshadowing.

20. Most productive time of day for writing?

Whenever the feeling strikes. Normally when I’m in the middle of something.

21. Reason for writing:

“For a teller of tales will never die- not while there are still people willing to listen.” Stories speak to something primal and universal. In every culture, we have narratives for entertaining, narratives for warning and ones written in tribute or commemeration. I find it speaks to me on that level. Hearing a compliment after I bear my soul, or put my best effort into writing somethingfulfils me in a way nothing else does.

To make things easier, and to quote a wise green haired man once upon a time, I am a writer “because there is nothing in this world I would rather be.”

Tags- @cody-baxter-isms, @churchboy42, @and-his-name-is-rouge-crimson, and anyone else who wants to give it a whirl!

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deathlad · 7 years ago

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Just had a nice day and would like to denote it somehow before it’s lost forever to the decay of time. When I had a best friend he would be the outlet for this stuff, but since I don’t have him anymore it will just go here to the void, with everything else.

My dad got me up early (at noon?? How do adults live like that???) and we had 2nd breakfast then went to see the Hitman’s Bodyguard. I dug the vibe, it was trying so hard to be an 80s/90s action movie like Lethal Weapon or something, and while it wasn’t the best thing ever, it was still enjoyable! And boy that Ryan Reynolds can still charm the snake out of a cowboy’s boot! After that I went back home and noticed a shiny Zapdos was near me, ripe for the plucking! I still don’t have a legendary bird in Pokemon Go and today is the last day to catch them, so I spent the rest of the evening defeating (and failing to catch FUCKYOU POKEMON GO!!!!) legendaries with random groups of strangers. I guess Raikou just was released today so the last group I was with said they were going to that, which was a half hour away. Luckily just yesterday I sold my sweet, precious gamecube and the rest of my games, so I actually had gas in my car, plus my failure to catch a Zapdos for Lord Spark prompted me to join them. Alas, Raikou was slain, but not caught. His meat left in the heat for the buzzards to pick at. The huge group said there was another one close by at a dog park, so clearly I had to join that as well. Did you know that dog parks are the greatest place in the world? There were about 20-30 large dogs there, all having the time of their lives. Every time a new dog came in, they were INSTANTLY greeted as if they were the queen covered in honey, and the other dogs couldn’t contain their excitement to chase and play with this new stranger. Why can’t people be like that? These dogs didn’t know each other, but they got along famously simply because... well, simply because! They were all there to have fun, so that’s what they all did. One random dog ran up to me and gave me a frisbee like “HELLO YES YOU WILL THROW THIS FOR ME NOW??” Dogs are angels and we don’t deserve them. Anyway, another Raikou slain, another Raikou not captured. Fuck that stupid game. But hey at least there were dogs to play with :D

That’s all nonsense and nothingness, but this is the reason I wanted to write this out. There was this big old house across from the park where I parked my car, and it had all kinds of old plants and cars and stray cats there and I estimated an old murderer couple probably lived there and to get in my car quick. For some reason the lady of the house saw me eyeing some of her cats (I totally was) and we struck up a conversation while I petted her 3 tiny bark machines through the fence. I guess her family has lived in that house for generations and it’s become a place known for caring for animals, so people will actually drop off animals unprompted! She said a couple years ago at midnight on Super Bowl Sunday someone dropped a little dog off and drove away (how can people do this??) so they named it Peyton and have been caring for it ever since. She said someone even dropped off a tortoise once. They don’t appreciate this but they take care of the animals nonetheless. Her name was Terry and she was very nice and probably not a murderer at all, and we talked for a while about our pets. Finally her phone rang which seemed to be the natural end for the encounter, but as I left I tried to pet one of the strays napping on her car again. Earlier the cat had run, but this time it gave in to that sweet sweet petting sensation and kept mashing its face into my hand like I was its husband returned from the war. Terry even paused her phone call and yelled after me “Adam! He never does that! Especially with strangers! NEVER.” I said “I am blessed!”, and after a few more pets took my leave. I’ll probably never see that house or lady again, but it was nice. Also, in the end I suppose random groups of strangers hunting pokemon are a bit like dog parks. No one knows each other, but are all there and all get along just for the fun of it.

#my dumb stuff #words words words

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backroadblues · 7 years ago

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June 6th, 2017 - Frankfurt, Germany

The time has come to bring our grand European Adventure to an end. it is befitting that it would be grey and rainy on this morning in Germany. It is as if the Country itself is sad that we are leaving. We make our rounds through the home that we rented in the small town of Rossdorf, we close all the windows, empty the trash and say farewell to Gretchen, the 70 year old tortoise that lives in the back yard. We load our things into the back of our trusty little min-van, a Ford Galaxy, that we picked up about 3 weeks ago at Ciampino Airport in Rome. We close and lock the door to the house and drop the keys in the Post Box as requested and we are off at about 9:00 am to head to the airport in Frankfurt.

The traffic around Frankfurt is a bit heavy. The GPS continually re-routes us trying to help us beat the traffic tie-ups. The trip that ordinarily should have takes us about 30 minutes takes about 40 minutes. At 9:00 am we are on the tail-end of the morning commute. Frankfurt is a very large and sprawling airport - seemingly built under the roof of one huge terminal. In spite of its size, airplanes still often must park on the tarmac and have buses retrieve the passengers. We are flying on Lufthansa on the way home, which departs from Terminal 1, but the rental car return is near Terminal 2. We will have to take the bus to Terminal 1. We make our way to the Hertz rental car return, and fortunately, it is not that busy there. The attendant points us to a space where we can park the car - a saucy lass from England is working the returns today. She quickly hands me a receipt after inspecting the car and we are off and on our way.

Here is an interesting aside - well interesting to me, but the rest of you are free to skip this paragraph. I look at the receipt and see that we drove a whopping 4,766 kilometers - for the unconverted in the USA - that’s over 2,955 miles. I am shocked, I had no idea we had driven that much. To make the math simple - if I assume we averaged 60 miles/hour that means we spent a total of 49 hours of our time in Europe driving from point “a” to point “b”. We were in Europe for a total of 27 days - if we further assume that 16 hours of each day (24 hrs / 16 awake hrs) that’s 66% of the day that we are awake and can be spent doing fun stuff. That means we had a total of (27 days x 24 hr/day x .66) 428 hours available to us for fun stuff and we spent 49 hours of them driving or a little over 10%. I decide that wasn’t a bad trade-off when I consider all the neat places we got to go and the fact that a lot of those driving moments will be unforgettable - like cheating death by driving along the Amalfi Coast and cruising through a sea of pedestrians in Bellagio. Those moments are priceless. I’m sorry I had to turn this into a math problem, but that’s just the way my strange mind works. The reason I went through all of this is because some people think that simply relying on trains or flying from point “a” to “b” is the way to go. The disadvantage to that of course is that when you get to point “b” you’re sort of stuck - sure you can take cabs or buses but if you factor in the “hassle factor” knowing us, we would have missed a lot of the really special places we got to see because we were able to simply hop in the car and go. There is also the fact that when you drive, you are setting your own itinerary and schedule - if we want to make a side trip to Volterra or Porto Venere, we can and were are certainly happy we didn’t miss these places. So, if you are a little adventurous, my recommendation is to go ahead and rent a car. It is not that tough to drive in Italy or Germany.

A little about our trusty little mini-van. When I was making plans for the trip, I had a special offer from Avis to rent a nice E class or CL class Mercedes sedan for our trip. I was all ready to go for it. I had visions of us screaming down the Autobahn at some un-Godly speed, flashing our headlights at everything in our way, but then I looked at the trunk capacity in these cars. I even suggested that everyone watch Rick Steves video on how to pack lightly for a trip to Europe. Sure we only need 1 pair of shoes and 3 changes of clothes all stuffed into a soft sided backpack. If we could all do that, we could easily fit luggage for 4 passengers in the trunk of the Benz. if your have read any of my other posts (#rick-steves-is-an-idiot) you know by now that most of the people on our little trip elected not to follow Rick’s sage advice. So I went from looking at Autobahn pavement burners to looking at soccer-mom mini-vans. This is how we ended up in the Ford Galaxy. Now after having driven it over 2,900 miles, I have to say that I have no regrets at all. Our little 4-cylinder, diesel engined van had plenty of pep and allowed us to cruise at (Elisa and Carolyn - don’t read this part) over 100 mph with ease on the Autobahns in Germany all while getting great fuel economy. The driver’s and co-pilot seats were very comfy and I never had a sore back from a long days drive. The rear seats were equally comfy - so comfy that our rear seat passengers converted some of those “awake hours” to “sleeping hours”, but then there is Trent, he starts to nod off when he simply lifts the handle to open the car door. Let’s not forget to mention the ample amount of cargo capacity in this little van. With the 3rd row seats folded totally flat we had enough room (though just barely) to accommodate Carolyn’s suitcase that we affectionately named Moby, leaving just enough room to spare for 3 other suitcases. As the trip went on, it did seem as if the number of pieces of luggage was beginning to multiply. Either there was some suitcase hanky-panky was going on back there, or it may have simply been due to the many shopping sprees Carolyn and Elisa would embark upon. Also, there was a large retractable cover that would conceal all our goodies out of sight when we parked. If I had one complaint about the Ford Galaxy, it is that the turning radius on that little mini-van was pretty horrible. Many a time what should have been a simple 3-point u-turn on street would turn into a 9-point turn. The turning radius of the car when coupled with the narrow streets we encountered, made for a lot of hand-over-hand turning of the steering wheel. All things considered, I would highly recommend a diesel Ford Galaxy to anyone that needs a comfy cruiser for 4 people and their luggage.

Reflections - Elisa:

I asked Elisa to comment on what she felt were some of her most memorable moments on this trip. The first thing that came to her mind had to do with the main reason for our trip. We had been invited to attend the wedding of her cousin Alessio. They were getting married in the same Church in the small Tuscan hill town of Suvereto where her parents got married in 1955. Elisa had a faded photograph of her parents on that wedding day in 1955 and was always surprised to see how many people seemed to be on the steps of the church as her parents were emerging after saying their vows. Elisa had always wondered who were all those people and why were they all there. Then here we were on the steps of that same church in 2017 some 62 years later and her questions would be answered. When we exited the church after Alessio and his bride Dana had finished taking their vows, we saw that the entire town had convened on the steps of the church and on the plaza in front of the church. There was a band playing music and lots of rice being thrown. Many of the people knew Alessio, but many did not - it is just what Italians do - they celebrate the important things in life. All those people were out there and we were bathed in joy their joy as we stepped out into the sun. Elisa now understood what it was that was happening in that faded photograph back taken back in 1955 and she was filled with tearful emotion. As she milled about the towns people, she actually met a woman that was standing on those steps on that very day back in 1955 and she was there celebrating the wedding of Elisa’s parents just as she was on this day in 2017, celebrating another marriage. It was clearly very emotional for Elisa.

Elisa and I have been to Italy and other parts of Europe many times. We have usually traveled with our kids or kid and their friends and each of those trips have been special to us, but Elisa really believes that this was our very best trip (so far). Traveling with my brother Trent and his wife Carolyn made it special. Even though we had been to many of the places we took Trent and Carolyn to before, re-experiencing them again with and through them made it more special for us. Like, we usually do when we travel to Italy, we visit a lot of Elisa’s relatives and by introducing Trent and Carolyn to all of them they are quickly embraced in true Italian culture, which revolves first around family and secondly around food. There were lots of both to go around.

Another highlight of this trip for Elisa is our stay in the tiny town of Grainau in the German Alps near Garmisch-Partinkirchen. We stayed at a vacation rental called Ferienwohnung-Zugspitze and our hostess Carolin did such a fine job on the accommodations and God lent a helping hand by placing the majestic Zugspitze mountain right in the backyard of our apartment. We were there for only 3 nights and we could have spent several more. It was so relaxing there. There are a number of things we would have liked to have seen but we missed - Bertchesgaden and the Eagles Nest. We would have like to have spent a day in Munich. We would have like to pay our respects at Dachau. This gives us a reason for another trip.

Lastly for Elisa, the trip was special because she was able to reconnect with her long lost high school friend Terri Rooney and meet her terrific husband Gary. Although the 2 hadn’t seen each other for over 30 years the friendship picked up right where it left off. We also got to make a great new friend in Gary, her husband of 25 years. He is a terrific guy and the only person I’ve gotten to know that has more karaoke stuff that Elisa and I have - a lot more.

Reflections - Rex

For me, I agree with Elisa that traveling with Trent and Carolyn made the trip a lot more fun, They hadn’t been to Europe before and It was great fun sharing with them some of the many things we had seen and done before. By doing it with them, we would learn so much in the process as well. The best thing about this trip is that there is so much we did not get to cram into our schedule - such as - trip up the Italian and French Rivera. We love Santa Margherita and Porto Fino. We didn’t get to take in San Tropez or Nice or Monaco. We didn’t get to venture into Switzerland. We missed Paris, the Bordeaux region and we also missed London, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. All of these could make up a nice itinerary for another trip some day.

Another highlight for me, was the different personalized tours that we took. Usually, Elisa and I would read up on a location, take information from guidebooks and then explore on our own. Our experience with Roberta in Rome has convinced us that it is well worth the extra money to find a knowledgeable and friendly guide that speaks English well. We really think it is worth the extra money to arrange for a private tour. By doing this, you and the guide can interact and she can tailor the tour to what it is that you are most interested in.

Driving in Italy - The Amalfi Coast - I never tire of seeing it and driving it. Yes the roads are narrow, the cliffs steep and the Italian drivers all think they drive Formula 1, but I am glad we got to go there again. Once again, we had great accommodations there with great views. Our dinner at La Tagliata was also a real highlight for me and if I could only name a few of my most favorite things about the trip, La Tagliata would have to be on the list. When it comes to driving, I will never forget driving into the town of Bellagio and having to wedge our car into that tiny street with pedestrians inches from our car. That was unforgettable and now that it is over, I look back on it and find it to be fun and exciting, while at the time, it may have seemed a little terrifying.

Lastly for me, I would have to put our cooking lesson with Chef Sylvia on the list. It didn’t hurt that our menu was featuring Italian Mussels that are harvested right here in La Spezia and I love mussels. But Chef Sylvia was funny and friendly and we really appreciated her opening her kitchen up to us. Even though her staff was preparing for another busy day of serving lunch to locals and tourists that flock to this Michelin rated restaurant, they made us all feel like this day and this kitchen, had been set aside just for us to learn a few of Chef Sylvia’s favorite recipes. The fact that we would get to walk the open air market with her Husband Alessandro, and shop for some of the ingredients we would use in our cooking was also a very nice touch.

I do have to cram one more highlight in here - our trek to find Carolyn’s ancestral roots was also very fun. I am so happy that we not only found the little town of Lugliano, but that we got to find a living relative our her Great-Grandfather. It was another emotionally unforgettable experience.

Closing out the trip…. Elisa and I spent spend a total of 27 days there, 23 of which were with Trent and Carolyn. We all got along well and had a great time. With all the neat places we weren’t able to fit into the busy itinerary we will surely be traveling together again at some point. A sad fact is that we have more days behind us than we have ahead of us - so we have to do it while we can. And when we do - I’ll try to write about it so that maybe I can inspire some of you to remember, that our lives are not only about working and making money - it is also about experiencing the world we live in and getting to know and help our fellow passengers on this journey we call life.

That’s all for now.

Rex

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post-futurism · 7 years ago

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23/09/2017 - Pond

venue: enmore theatre

Reef Prince opened. the crowd weren’t super into him as suspected haha. his songs had improved since last time i saw him opening for Methyl Ethel. And he had more proper like, tech happening. it wasn’t just an ipod plugged into a speaker. he had a laptop and one of those square tap things idk what they’re called. i enjoyed it much more this time. i don’t like his rapping much but i like the backing music. and tbh his best song was with nick allbrook featuring haha.

next were Body Type which were SO GOOD best opening act i’ve ever seen. they played a really long set too, i am psyched for an album. also all the girls were really hot. i thought the lead singer was wearing her shirt backwards but it was just a large white button down with buttons on both front and back. still, she wore the buttons open on the back and it was a Look. she had a mini skirt on and those stockings that look like you’re wearing knee highs, and little black boots. clearly all op shop finds. anyway, they played great music omg and a very entertaining show too. like, emotionally.

Then Pond and mannnnn the crowd was soooo rowdy. there were a few times where i could not fucking breath lol. i have bruises on my knees from pushing back on the barrier. anyway, the music was great. they played almost every song off The Weather except A/B and Colder than Ice... which is sad because i really like those songs in particular haha. they played giant tortoise, Don’t look at the sun or you’ll go blind, i think they might have played waiting around for grace, and they played a song i didn’t know... might be off Frond idk.

a few times Nick walked on the edge of the stage and was like tapping hands with people but both times he stopped before he could touch my hand (and the people around me lol). still, at the end, jamie terry jumped off and shook everyone’s hands. he shook both my hands awww i just remember his face grinning what a sweetie. i thought gum looked kind of sad? or maybe tired idk. he was still very polite over the mic. oh and at one point joe found a cap and said “i’m putting on my Mac Demarco hat”. also gum put on a pink cowboy hat that the girl beside me had thrown on stage. i couldn’t see james ireland at alll unfortunately.

then at the end, we went outside and met nick. james was tehre too lol but i didn’t say anything to him. i got terrible quality photos with nick haha. he really liked my outfit - silver top with gemstones around the neckline, and glittery trashbag skirt. and i had heaps of glitter on my face hahaha AND SO DID NICK AAA he was so nice i’ll never get over meeting him fuck. i have literally been screaming ever since because first cloud control plays my favourite song (arguably ever!) and then i got to meet nick??? WHAT. anyway, he complimented me heaps on my outfit and glitter and wanted to like, touch it lots and when we posed for a photo, he full on snuggled his head in the crook of my neck (i’m like a head taller than him lol) and slung his leg around my waist aaAAAAAaaa. he signed a cd for my friend and drew a picture of a rose on my other friend’s shirt. and when i gave him the letter with my friend’s drawing in it, he was so impressed by the pretty envelope and said he would open it in front of the rest of the gang and AAHAHAHAAAAA i am just eternally screaming from now on ok

#thoughts #interests #i haven't decided which tag i'll use for these live music logs #....#live music logs

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bestbooksforkids · 5 years ago

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A Range of Book Reviews

Wow! I had a great response when reaching out for book reviews. Here are a range I received over the last week. I will definitely be reading a few of these myself. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

I Am David by Anne Holm

Suggested for older KS2 children from around 9 yo. An exciting and thought provoking look at the journey of David, who escapes a terrifying concentration camp during World War II and travels across Europe to find his mother. On the way he has lots of adventures, meets kind (and not so kind) people, and learns an awful lot about himself and the places he travels through. This is an amazing book, set in difficult times and shows that, no matter how hard things seem at the moment, if you believe in yourself and never give up, you will surprise yourself and many others. I first read this when I was ten and I have never been without a copy on my bookcase (or the boys' bookcase) since - Simon (parent)

The Worrysaurus by Rachel Bright

I saw this book in Sainsbury’s this week and found it quite fitting with the current situation we all find ourselves in. It’s a lovely book for children, with beautiful illustrations that teaches all of us to live in the moment and not fret over things that are not happening or that are out of our control. A little Worrysaurus has a lovely day planned when suddenly he begins to worry about what might ruin his day. He comforts himself with his favourite things and reminds himself of something his mum told him (which I think we can all live by), “if it’s not a happy ending, then it hasn’t ended yet”. I cannot wait to be back at work and share this story with the children to help them to set their butterflies free! - Miss Hughes Y2

The Fox in the Dark by Alison Greene

One of my favourites is the Fox in the Dark by Alison Greene. Every group of children I have ever taught from Early Years right through to Y4 always adore it. The story is about a scary fox in the dark and the animals that are trying to escape her. All the animals end up in a slightly disgruntled rabbit’s house and it is really funny in parts, due to rabbit being a bit fed up they are all there. There is lots of repetition as each animal knocks and explains how afraid they are. All of the animals are of course oblivious to rabbit’s bad mood as his house becomes full of animals. For me, humour shared with little ones especially when there is an unspoken understanding that we all get it, is key to a great children's book. I have read it to 2 Ireland and they adore it and often take my copy for independent reading time. - Mrs Gallivan Y2

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein

I love how Tolkein transports us to a completely new world through his use of description. It does all seem quite familiar though as he describes a quiet village holding a festival and neighbours all knowing each other. As the story continues, however, you realise that you are in an amazing world where things are different. There are Hobbits (small people who walk around in bare feet - very hairy bare feet!) There are also dwarves, elves, wizards and, of course, a dragon. In fact, the dragon, called Smaug, is hoarding a lost collection of treasures which he stole off the dwarves many years ago. The dwarves go on a quest to win back their treasure but need the help of the wizard, Gandalf. Gandalf knows that they will also need the help of someone, surprising… a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. The story sees the group going on many adventures and facing many perils on their way to face Smaug. Will they succeed in their quest? Without giving too much away, something important happens to Bilbo on the way – he finds a magic ring. This led to the follow up trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. This is a fantastic book which is exciting, scary and very imaginative. It will grip you from the start all the way to the end! - Mr Howarth Y4

Prince Caspian by CS Lewis

My class recently read 'Prince Caspian' by CS Lewis, what a corker! I would recommend share reading this, my class loved taking turns and I could explain some of the trickier vocabulary. The main characters are the same as those from 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe', whom most of us already know either from films or the books.I'm recommending this book as a bit of fantasy is what we all need at the moment; to step into an alternative world, where animals talk and children can be kings and queens. The best reason I can give you for this is; I promised my class when we had finished reading we could watch the film, on the penultimate day before the Christmas holidays, we still had a chapter to go but watched anyway... we didn't have time to watch the complete film either.... my class begged me on the last day of term to read the last chapter to them before we watched it as there was so much more detail in the book. Hurrah!!!!! They preferred the book to the film! Loads of children came home after the holidays saying they had carried on reading other books in the series over Christmas. What better recommendation could you ask for! - Miss Rushworth Y5

A book with a message for the world right now and for all time…Cicada by Shaun Tan

Shaun Tan’s book Cicada is a great children’s book because it can be read in many different ways. I would highly recommend this telling of the story. Although it is a picture book, it is definitely a story better suited to readers age 11 and up.

On one level, there is a story about valuing each other as individuals, looking out for those who may be put aside or marginalised. What makes this book great is that it can also be interpreted on a very complex level that would challenge even adults because of how much imagination goes into reading the story. In his own words, Shaun Tan mentions how mysterious the story is. The pictures are incredibly rich, but there is so little detail on whom the cicada is, where the cicada is, or what their job is. The reader is free to imagine an entire backstory. As an adult reading this, it makes me think of Kafka’s Metamorphosis; a story that just starts right away with little introduction, a story about what life can be like in a modern world and how it affects individuals. In an interview, Shaun talked about the artist’s responsibility to spur us on to looking at the world differently, to question how we live and to make the world a more humane place. Cicada is a story that reminds us to look out for one another: a message that has special meaning for the world right now. -Mr Howarth Deputy Principal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEzEy4LnIPg

Spy Dog by Andrew Cope

Are you a fan of funny stories? Are you a fan of adventure stories? If the answer is ‘yes’ to both, then meet LARA - Licensed Assault and Rescue Animal. Join her on her mission to return to her government trainers without being captured by Mr. Big, the leader of a criminal gang who wants revenge on LARA for destroying his criminal empire. Her strategy is to hide in a dog pound. Guess who comes into the pound? Mr. Big – find out how Lara avoids being picked by him. Eventually she is adopted by the Cook Family. The children are shocked and amazed by LARA’s antics which include using the family toilet and wiping her own bottom, Tae Kwando, eating at the table and reading newspapers!

Never Mind James Bond, join LARA, the world’s one and only Spy Dog as she sniffs out danger wherever she goes! - Miss Conlon Y5

Dragons at Crumbling Castle - Terry Pratchett

I won’t lie!! I have not read all the way through this one but I love terry Pratchett’s humour and weird thinking. Dragons have invaded Crumbling Castle, and all of King Arthur’s knights are either on holiday or visiting their grannies. It’s a disaster! Luckily, there’s a spare suit of armour and a very small boy called Ralph who’s willing to fill it. Together with Fortnight the Friday knight and Fossfiddle the wizard, Ralph sets out to defeat the fearsome fire-breathers.

But there's a teeny weeny surprise in store . . .

Fourteen fantastically funny stories from master storyteller Sir Terry Pratchett, full of time travel and tortoises, monsters and mayhem! - Mrs McKenzie Y4

Wonder by R.J.Palacio

If you have seen the film of the book and didn’t like it, do not be put off!! The book is really human, uplifting and funny.

Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things - eating ice cream, playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren't stared at wherever they go. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all? - Mrs McKenzie Y4

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poop4u · 5 years ago

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Raising a Dog in the Country

#Poop4U

The post Raising a Dog in the Country by Nikki Moustaki appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

Rural dog training

Rural dogs have more freedom than city dogs, but that comes with its own set of training challenges, all of them for the safety of the dog and the people and other critters he encounters.

“I had to teach Sofi not to kill our chickens,” says Berta Bader, a full-time student from Boise, Idaho, of her 11-year-old Miniature Poodle. “I supervised Sofi with the chickens and distracted her when she looked at them. Next step was a lot of praise every time she ignored the chickens. Now chicken killing is not her main focus.”

Lisa G. Shaffer, PhD, from Spokane, Washington, has trained her four dogs — two Dachshunds and two Saint Bernards — to stop on command.

“We don’t want our wiener dogs in with our miniature horses,” Lisa says. “The horses don’t like the small dogs, and we worry that they’ll get stepped on. If we say stop, they stop and wait for us to pick them up, or it gets their attention and we can call them back.”

Shannon Bridwell of Greer, South Carolina, lives with two Greyhounds and five Ibizan Hounds. “A lot of rural dogs have issues with barking, reactivity and other behavioral concerns associated with a lack of socialization, training, and mental and physical stimulation,” she says. “A lot of rural owners do not take their dogs out as often as city people do.”

Sharma Sonntag of Lander, Wyoming, who lives with three Rat Terriers, says that rural dogs need to be trained not to chase wildlife and that they should be “snake trained” as well.

Emily Hurt of Sherman, Texas, who lives with seven Border Collies, says that the biggest training must-have for a rural dog is good check-in behavior. “I know when I’m out on the property I can count on my dogs to check in with me periodically just to be sure they know where I am. This is reinforced from the time that they’re very young, and it’s something I make sure to continuously reinforce and strengthen as the dogs go through different stages of maturity.”

Country dog health

Rural dogs need flea and tick control, heartworm prevention, the leptospirosis vaccine and intestinal parasite control, says Lisa Whitney, DVM, from St. Johnsbury, Vermont.

Emily also says that the biggest health must is staying up to date on preventives. “All of my Border Collies naturally seem to avoid or ignore snakes, but my Jack Russell was a master snake hunter back in the day,” she says. “I gave her the rattlesnake vaccine a few times. I didn’t want to be in a bad spot and have her completely unprotected.”

Wendy also believes in preventive care due to the country dogs’ love of nature’s snacks. “Deer poop looks like doggo kibble, turkey poop looks like ice cream, and dead mice and rodents are part of life in the country,” she says. “They’re all delicious to dogs. Got to keep them on the worm preventives.”

Other animals pose a big hazard to the country dog, from snakes to predators, from rabid animals to those who seem like not much of a threat, like deer.

“Petey once thought a deer reclining under an oak tree was our late Greyhound, Magic,” says Wendy of her Chihuahua. “When he went to say hi, the deer hoofed him! He had a huge gash across his torso. Thankfully it didn’t need stitches, but he learned his lesson — and I did, too!”

Linda Chekanow of Sparta, North Carolina, has also had an unexpected experience with a dog and a deer. “Waffles, my Chihuahua mix, fell in love with a doe who kept coming into the fenced acre where we have our fruit trees and chickens,” Linda says. “They ran along the fence together, like playing. After several days the deer turned up in our garden one evening at dusk. Before I could stop him, Waffles went running full speed to her, barking all the way. She eyeballed him, and when he got close enough, she raised one hoof and kicked him. He came yipping back to the door with poop hanging out of his butt! It sounds funny now, but at the time I was scared he might have been hurt. Luckily nothing was broken but his heart.”

Susan Daffron of Sandpoint, Idaho, says that her dogs are never left unsupervised and that they are always on leash, confined in a fenced area or inside the house. “One of our neighbors had their dog stomped on by a moose, which broke the dog’s back. Other dogs in the area have been shot by property owners because the dog was messing with their livestock, such as eating chickens.”

Weather can also pose a health danger. Make sure that your dog stays hydrated in hot weather, especially if he has a thick coat.

“Frostbite can be a hazard, and poor visibility during snowstorms can cause disorientation,” says Kelly Leathers from Vail, Colorado, who lives with Lily, a 10-year-old Newfoundland/Golden Retriever mix. “If you live in a mountainous region, avalanches can be a serious risk. This year there was an avalanche almost every day. Many dog parents choose to put a beacon on their canine companions.”

Even plants in the environment can cause a dog pain and illness. When Sharma worked as a veterinary technician, a young Springer Spaniel, Yukon, was brought into the clinic with thousands of foxtails embedded in his body. The owners wanted the dog euthanized.

“He had them in his ear, his legs, belly, neck, pretty much everywhere,” Sharma says. “I adopted him and then spent nine months removing foxtails and getting him well. Yukon went on to be a therapy dog.”

Challenges and advantages

“We run into a major issue with off-leash, unsocialized dogs,” Shannon says. “There’s a mentality in the country that dogs can just run loose. We can’t even take walks on our road because there are so many loose dogs. I also feel that many rural dogs do not get the same level of socialization and intentional exercise because owners rely on big yards and don’t take the dogs out very often.”

Lisa says that her Dachshund, Trixie, is an excellent mouser, and that if they don’t watch her, the dog will tear up the garden. “She has destroyed a lawn mower trying to get to a mouse nest, torn up sprinklers trying to get to mice, has dug under the deck — basically she’s always in search of mice,” Lisa says.

Rural dogs also find strange things because many are allowed to roam and explore their land.

“My Collie, Emma, brought home an empty tortoise shell,” says Terry Albert, who lives in Poway, California, with four dogs. “Another time she brought home the head of a steer my neighbor had butchered. He had thrown the head into the nearby brush.”

Life as a country dog also has many advantages, and there are advantages for dog lovers as well. Most rural areas allow people to keep many more dogs than they could in a city or the suburbs.

Country Pup Hazards

Embrace Pet Insurance’s data shows that their top five claims for rural dogs are:

✯ Cranial cruciate ligament tear

✯ Allergy

✯ Seizure

✯ Lymphoma

✯ UTI

Embrace concludes that perhaps dogs who have property or larger yards aren’t always leash walked and have access to unrestricted running (leading to cruciate ligament tears), versus city dogs, which tend to be leash-trained.

Other hazards facing rural dogs include:

✯ Ticks and other biting bugs

✯ Skunk (getting sprayed isn’t fatal, but it’s inconvenient)

✯ Porcupine

✯ Venomous snakes

✯ Foxtail grass

✯ Poisonous plants

✯ Predators + other critters: Mountain lions (also known as cougars, bobcats, coyotes, bears, wild boars, deer, moose, elk, hawks, eagles, owls and raccoons

✯ Rabid animals

✯ Cars zipping down country roads

✯ Unfriendly people and dogs

Poop4U Blog via www.Poop4U.com Nikki Moustaki, Khareem Sudlow

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