#i have Qualifications i am Legally Good at Music

[whiskeyyoodles]

Me trying to practice music on my own in my own flat with no one around: god this is so fucking cringe

[homelygrantaire]

Commissions are open

Hello! My name is Drew, and I would love to write you something. I’ll write Original Fiction, and Fanfiction.

My qualifications are that I have graduated with a B.A. for English Literature, and I am currently in school to receive a M.A. of English Literature. I have taught numerous classes on English 101 and English 102.  I have been writing original fiction since I have been able to hold a pencil.

For my fandom qualifications: I have been in fandom for the past 15 years, and I have been writing in various fandoms for just as long.

If you want something that isn’t listed, please feel free to email me at thedegreesofpain@gmail.com and tell me what you would like, and we can see if we can work something out.

Pricing: For writing, I charge by word count. I charge 10$ per 1,000 words. For any research I charge 30 dollars for any outside research. (This would include watching a show, reading a book, or researching into fine details.) I take PAYMENT UPFRONT.

Posting: For both the original fiction and fanfiction: I will be posting both onto my Patreon, and AO3. If you would like to keep it unposted, that is able to be negotiated – however, there will be a fee associated with this. To keep it unposted it will cost an extra 15$ dollars. The final fic will be posted onto AO3, marked as a gift to you, and I will also provide a PDF copy. You have the right to remain anonymous, as well.

Timing: Writing will take up to a month depending on the length of the fic. We will discuss the timeline when doing the consultation.

Triggers/Squicks: Let me know if you have anything you do NOT want to see, as well. This can be Triggers, squicks, or nOTPS.

Original Fiction: I am comfortable writing in the following genres – Science Fiction, Horror, Romance, Fantasy, Adventure Fiction, Tragicomedy, and Mystery. This will also require a full consultation with me so I can understand what you want out of this. We will discuss characters, settings, themes, etc.

Editing/Proofreading: I can proofread grammar, punctuation, etc. I am also proficient in MLA and APA citation.

Fanfiction: I will write fanfiction, as well. Following this will be a list of fandoms that I am comfortable writing in. There will also be a list that states what tropes I am not comfortable writing. Otherwise, if not stated, I am comfortable with talking about writing it. Overall: I have the right to decline writing anything. If you want me to write smut, you will need to be 18+. I will write one shots, short fics, and long fics.

Contact me: If you would like to commission me – message me and we can get started with a consultation.

Or fill out this form (Fanfiction, Original Fiction) and I'll get back to you in at least 72 hours.

Email: thedegreesofpain@gmail.com

Twitter: Degreesofpain

Tumblr: homelygrantaire

Patreon: degreesofpain

Ko-fi: degreesofpain

 Fandoms:

This is by no means an extensive list. If you have a fandom you want me to write for, you can message me on Tumblr and ask if I am familiar with it.

Anime

Fruits Baskets

Heaven Official’s Blessing

Howl’s Moving Castle

Inuyasha

MHA

One Piece

Ouran High School

Saiki-K

Spy X Family

Yuri on Ice

Books

All for the Game series

Percy Jackson series

The Hunger Games series

The Twilight series

Cartoons

Avatar the Last Airbender

Encanto

Gravity Falls

Hazbin Hotel

Steven Universe

Teen Titans (OG)

Games

Animal Crossing

Disco Elysium

FNAF: Security Breach

Legend of Zelda (Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom)

Monster Camp

Monster Prom

Mystic Messenger

Obey Me

Persona 5 Royal

Stardew Valley

The Last of Us (1st game)

Musicals

Beetlejuice

Hamilton

Heathers

In the Heights

Legally Blonde

Movies

Birds of Prey

Deadpool

Encanto

IT movie franchise

Kingsman (1st and 2nd movie)

Labyrinth

Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy

Puss in Boots

The Mummy

Turning Red

Twilight Franchise

Sitcoms

Friends

The Good Place

Shows

Daredevil

Doctor Who (Up to the 11th doctor)

Elementary (up to season 2)

Hannibal

House M.D.

Supernatural

You

[frenchibi]

I hope it’s not too much but! For the ask game: 1 9 15 39 50 53 70 84 99 100 Hope you have a nice day!~

Hahaha, not at all, anon, I don't mind! Thank you for asking :D I'm going to put these under a cut though, since I like to ramble and this will be quite long to scroll past otherwise :)

What’s your middle name, and do you like it?

It's Johanna, after my grandmother, who passed away ten years ago. I do like the name, and I like that it connects me to her :) I also recently learned that my first name is the "female version" of my grandfather's legal first name (he went by his middle name, and I only learned that when he passed away this year), so that's pretty cool too :)

9. Do you have any cool talents?

So... I think I am pretty good at a fair number of things, but. I am really good at parking. I enjoy driving a lot, and as an Oldest Sister(TM) I was (and sometimes still am) always driving my siblings places, so I got a lot of practice - and I have always lived in places with very limited parking, so I have gotten very good at it by necessity. I can parallel park anywhere, and have literally squeezed into spots with five centimeters to spare. I am very confident in this ability and I think it's a very useful talent lmao

15. What’s the best dream you’ve had?

I... don't really remember my dreams, and most of my dreams are kind of stressful and confusing xD Sorry, don't have a cool story here ^^

39. Favourite singer?

Oooh, ooh, a juicy question - and one I find really difficult to answer! I always feels so... unprepared, when people ask me about music, even though I do have lots of opinions...? I feel like this also depends on the genre, if it's opera or musical theater or pop or rock music... I definitely have more than one. I'd probably find it easier to talk about bands I currently am into, or something? Sorry, I know this is a non-answer dhfhhkdfk feel free to ask a more specific question and I will do my best to actually find people to respond with :'D

50. How are you doing today?

I'm alright! I just got home from tech rehearsal for our choir concert tomorrow (it went really badly hahaha - but they say if the final rehearsal sucks, the concert will be good, so, eh?) so I'm quite exhausted... but I had a nice morning, my partner and I made French toast for breakfast and went to the gym even though we were both feeling pretty groggy - I'm glad we went though, I felt better afterwards ^^

53. Is there anything you do that you can’t remember ever not doing?

Singing! And talking. I was apparently THE chattiest baby - I was speaking way earlier than kids normally do (but refused to crawl at all lmao just. lots to say but no places to be apparently) and was super interesed in words from before I can remember :) Also learned to read really early, and to write! Which I have always loved, and still do. Singing has always been a thing in the home I grew up in - and now I'm getting qualifications to be a voice teacher, so I'm coming full-circle I think :)

70. What would you change about your life if you knew you would never die?

Oh, that depends - am I the only one who will never die? What about my family? My friends? I'm sorry I need to know more about this hypothetical hsadjfklahsdjk does my back pain also stay forever? My allergies? My dizziness? Seriously though, I don't think knowing when I'll die or even if I'll die would not change much about my behavior. I generally try to do more good than I do harm, and I like to tell people honestly how I feel, especially if I appreciate them. And that's it xD

84. If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future?

Not to be a boring square here but... the idea of time travel terrifies me. Like, as a narrative device or plot point? Cool. But I personally would not want to go anywhere. If I HAD to - as close as possible to now. I'd go back to last week, or ahead one week. I don't think I would do well in the distant past, and the future I don't want to know about until I get there. What if I go to the future and find out something horrible will happen, but I can't stop it? No. No no no no thanks :')

99. Is there a feeling you are trying to ignore? What is it?

I am always, always, always worrying. I can't really turn it off, I think worrying is natural when you care about things (and I notoriously care way too much about way too many things. It is what it is) so I am mainly trying to get stuff done without being overwhelmed :') It sounds a lot worse than it is, though.

100. Do you live or do you just exist?

I am for sure living, not just existing. I like being an active agent in my own life, and bringing positive things to the lives of people I care about. When I am at my worst, it is because I feel I am just existing and letting things pass me by. Sometimes I get overwhelmed, but I am also always trying to find beauty in things, focus on small joys on purpose, and be kind to myself.

These were really fun, thank you!!

Prompt list here - send me an ask!

[bopinion]

2022 / 08

Aperçu of the Week:

"Peace in our continent has been shattered. We now have war in Europe, on a scale and of a type we thought belong to history."

(NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg)

Bad News of the Week:

What I wanted to write about:

For a long time, radicalization was located in political or religious extreme positions. In the context of the protests against Corona restrictions, there is evidence of an increasing willingness to use violence "from the middle of society." The latest evidence of this is a statement by the police that in riots on the fringes of per se justified demonstrations "many perpetrators were unknown to the police."

What I have to write about now:

A few hours ago, Vladimir Putin put Russia's deterrent forces, including nuclear weapons, on combat mode. He justifies this by citing the "aggressive behavior" of NATO members. Whether this is merely rhetorical armament or actually heralds a further stage of escalation is still unclear. The fact that such a question arises at all today, against the backdrop of this continent's war history, is frightening.

Good News of the Week:

What I wanted to write about:

The European Union is launching a supply chain law. This addresses the downside of globalized trade: millions work in low-wage countries under inhumane conditions for Western consumption. Child labor and slave-like dependencies, life-threatening or completely missing safety standards in the sweat stores, no protective measures against the poisoning of the environment or the working people. Now, commercial buyers of these goods will be required to ensure compliance with clearly defined labor and environmental requirements throughout their supply chain.

What I have to write about now:

Today it became known that there will be a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian officials on the border with Belarus - open-ended and without preconditions. This fits into the general picture that Putin has underestimated the developments: from the resistance of the Ukrainian military and civilians to the quick and concrete international sanctions to the lack of support among his own population. Perhaps we can hope that the dictator, as he unfortunately has to be seen, could move to a position that can be considered a compromise with a lot of good will.

Personal happy moment of the week:

Sorry, but all positive aspects of the past week pale in the face of the warlike sword of Damocles that hangs over the peace of Europe, so that I can not bring myself to a sufficient degree of "happy"...

I couldn't care less...

...that the GOP wants to put US Supreme Court Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson in the extreme left corner. If any person has the legal qualifications and character fit for the job, it is Judge Brown Jackson. If Republican senators who "waved through" the highly questionable Brett Kavanaugh nomination actually want to block Ketanji Brown Jackson's appointment, it would be a moral and political declaration of bankruptcy for their profession - and their party.

As I write this...

...I am glad that we can receive CNN via satellite. Because our Internet has become so unstable in the last few days that it's already starting to interfere with productive work - let alone everything from my son's gaming to my wife's podcast consumption to my music streaming. In the absence of any other logical explanation, not being a tech nerd, I blame Russian hackers.

Post Scriptum:

When I decided which news item to shove under the arm of my symbolic thinker for 2022, Sigmund Freud, for the first half of the year, I was apparently right: Putin and the headline "Europe in danger." By this I meant not only a real territorial danger, but above all a danger to a European value system of democracy and freedom built on the bloody foundations of two world wars.

[jacques-review]

“I Am Human”: The Spectacular Sha’Carri Richardson

Introducing the One and Only

Sha’Carri Richardson is the talk of the town, again. No, it’s not for her “10.72 seconds to win the 100 meters at the 2021 Miramar Invitational.” It’s not about missing the Olympics due to failing a drug test. Nor is it about the passing of her mother. No, this time it’s about her ninth-place finish at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic. This event was hyped up as being the ultimate showdown between Richardson and the Jamaican Olympic sprinting group led by Elaine Thompson-Herah.

In fact, I initially set out to write about Thompson-Herah. I wanted to say a few words about this amazing time in women’s sprinting history. Sure, there is Florence Delorez Griffith Joyner, also known as Flo-Jo, of 1980s fame. But she’s not someone that I can say I saw run although I was alive at the time. Besides Elaine, there is also the legendary Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce who is holding on to second place in the world at the age of 34. These two Jamaicans have made women sprinting enjoyable and fans out of us all (well, most of us)! I’m hoping to continue to see Elaine remain a dominant force in the sport for the next 3 - 4 years.

The more I observe the Prefontaine post women’s 100m reactions, the more I felt obligated to shift my writing focus from Elaine to Sha’Carri (Henceforth, Carri). My initial focus on Elaine was also due to the amount of attention Carri was getting despite the fact that she wasn’t the winner of the race. In a sense, I felt like Elaine’s moment was being dwarfed by Carri. The fastest woman in the world at 100m wasn’t being talked about as much as the last-place finisher.

I wanted to contribute to shifting the focus from Carri to Elaine. But the noise on the digital street was too loud and demonizing.

Birth of a Shooting Star

In the beginning (at the start of the year, of course), the attention being given to women’s track and field by the public wasn’t noticeable. In my usual circles and in the corners of cyberspace that I frequent, “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” The world, it seems, woked from its slumber to the tune of Carri running a 10.72 in April. Carri did it in dazzling fashion with long eyelashes and fingernails, and what I’ve come to refer to as fiery orange hair. From that point on Carri, as a U.S. track and field athlete, became the dominant talk of the world’s largest and most influential blowhorn, the U.S. media.

If that’s not true, it’s all I heard. Sure, other athletes were sprinkled in and match-ups were expected for the coming Olympics. But the U.S. media championed the image of the One that stood a chance of bringing Olympic gold in the women’s 100m. Her appearance played well with the cameras. She looked like a star, something special. Indeed, the legend continued as she ran a 10.86 to qualify for the Olympics in June. Thus, the superstar, the speeding comet, was expected to show up at the Olympics with at least a reasonable chance at winning some type of metal if not gold.

"I am an Olympian. No matter what is said ... I am an Olympian. A dream since I've been young. I'm pretty sure everybody's dream as a track athlete. "Being happy is an understatement. Being excited, nervous, all of those feelings. I'm highly blessed and grateful."  -- Sha'Carri Richardson

I Get High

Well, that didn’t happen. The U.S. watched its prophesied chance at gold (or any other metal) in the women’s 100m come crashing down in all her fiery Orange hair glory. But not due to a loss. Stopping Carri from running because of weed was absurd to the public. African Americans weren’t interested in hearing that an athlete was stopped in a competition as grand as the Olympics for use of a product that they believe would not have contributed to her speed at all.

See the following articles for reference on race and black athletes.

The Olympics has a race problem. Athletes everywhere are calling out the sporting body for a history of banning Black women. - Yelena Dzhanova

The Olympics Continues to Prevent Top Black Athletes From Competing - Molly Sprayregen

The Weight On Black Women In Sports; Plus, 'We Are Lady Parts' - NPR

At this point, let me say that I agreed with those that argued for review of laws in order to determine if time had made them inapplicable. This is especially true considering the rapid legalization of weed across the U.S. “Cannabis is legal in 18 states, and allowed medically in 37 states.” However, I have to highlight that when it comes to weed, it is “outdated to joke about it as a party drug, writing off users as slow, pizza-munching losers when many successful people consume cannabis. Cannabis is a complicated substance with a nuanced role in fitness, performance, and society.” Keep the nuanced aspect in mind.

I have no doubt that it would not have made Carri into a faster runner. But, I think it’s important to keep the dualism that allows us to look at both what we as non-experts know of the impact of weed and the possibility that science may make discoveries later that can shock us. It is also important to consider that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) isn’t a sub-organization of the U.S. Therefore the demands being placed upon athletes must be seen as globally relevant (ideally speaking). This is true despite the fact that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, in a letter to Jamie Raskin and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, stated that it “has consistently put forward recommendations that the rules addressing cannabis and cannabinoids should be more flexible and fair.”

Left (Far)Behind

Despite missing the Olympics a resurgence of interest was generated when it was announced that Carri would “face all three Tokyo Olympic medalists in the women’s 100m.” And all the world wondered after Carri. Well, at least in terms of what will be the result of the showdown in this supposed clash of the titans. I must confess that I don’t recall hearing or seeing that Carri was going to best all the members of the golden three-headed Jamaican *Leviathan. At the Olympics, Elaine Thompson-Herah ran a 10:61, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran 10:74, and Shericka Jackson finishing at 10:76.

With Carri’s 10:72, she would have been competitive against Fraser-Pryce and Jackson if she was able to maintain that type of speed. This is theoretical, of course. What took place was a shock to the track and field world. It wasn’t that Carri was expected to win. She was expected to be better than ninth place. But that’s what happened. Carri finished at 11:14 while Elaine finished at 10:54. In other words, Elain ran faster than she did at the Olympics. This makes Elaine second only to Flo Jo’s 10:49 in 1988. Carri was a none factor. It appears that the star has fallen in dramatic of a fashion as she appeared.

Be Humble?

In response to the loss, Carri said to reporters:

"This is one race. I'm not done. You know what I'm capable of. Count me out if you want to. Talk all the s--t you want because I'm here to stay. I'm not done. I'm the sixth-fastest woman in this game, ever, and can't nobody ever take that away from me. Congratulations to the winners. Congratulations to the people that won, but they're not done seeing me yet -- period."  -- Sha'Carri Richardson

A good deal of critique, anger, and disgust came in reaction to what Carri said. Some believed that she wasn’t humble after the loss. They were surprised at what she said. Others pointed out that her interview was the most played despite the fact that she wasn’t the winner. There were questions as to why was she being interviewed at all.

What Now?

At this juncture, I will offer some considerations. Carri experienced a number of significant occurrences around the time of her ascent to fame. Again, her mother died. That’s a significant event. But then she was ban from the Olympics, the ultimate event for any professional sprinter, because of one of the methods she chose to use for grieving. Those are heavy blows. And throughout out it all, she was determined to maintain the same type of energy.

That Same Ol' G

"Even though I got my own CD maybe even on t.v. There ain't no changing me I can only be me me me Even though I might be on t.v. 'cause I got my own CD All you will ever see (that) same ol' G"  -- Ginuwine, Same Ol' G (1998)

In Ginuwine’s classic single Same Ol’ G, released in 1998 off of the Dr. Dolittle album, the singer reflects on being his authentic self despite being celebrated in the public sphere through compact disc and t.v. Carri wasn’t faking the funk. She was being real. She was being herself, that same ol’ g. It wasn’t a new persona that was on display because she was in front of all of the lights. Carri has been speaking with the same type of energy before her Olympic trials.

What does it look like being real for somebody Carri’s age and from where she comes from? Does being real look the same way across the board? Should you start acting differently because you lost or something else happens in your life?

The following are a few clips from her Twitter as evidence for how she has been speaking even prior to her Olympic qualifications.

You Wake Up, Flawless

"We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller We say to girls "You can have ambition, but not too much You should aim to be successful, but not too successful"  -- Beyoncé, Flawless (2014)

What if what looks like confidence for you is misinterpreted as arrogance by someone else? In other words, do our definitions always function accurately across the board and at all times? Sure, we can cite lexical meanings for humility and arrogance and attempt to apply them across the board. Can we make the case that it is time to start critiquing how do definitions play on the ground? I’m only simply pushing forward the argument that we have already been critiquing does definitions and they have shown up in our music, our clothing, and yes, the way we talk.

You wake up, flawless, Post up, flawless Ridin' round in it, flawless, Flossin on that, flawless This diamond, flawless, My diamond, flawless This rock, flawless, My rock, flawless I woke up like this, I woke up like this

— Beyoncé, Flawless

How does Beyonce’s flawless look like in the real world? What does #blackgirlmagic look like?

“Self-esteem means knowing you are the dream.” – Oprah Winfrey

"I was built this way for a reason, so I’m going to use it." - Simone Biles

"You are your best thing." - Toni Morrison

"One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals." - Michelle Obama

These quotes of renowned black women sound great on their own, don’t they? What if what we are seeing from Carri is a version of what that looks like in real life? To what extent can we say definitively that we understand her enough to know that she is arrogant? What if Carri’s defense mechanism looms large at the forefront due to what she experienced in the distant and recent past?

It could very well be that Carri is indeed arrogant. The happenings in Carri’s life may very well be lessons needing to be learned for personal growth and development. The case being made here is that a more nuanced approach should be had. The same amount of consideration given to already established persons should be allocated towards those that we haven’t yet thought of as being on the same level. The same ones saying she is arrogant may themselves be exhibiting arrogance in speaking in absolutes concerning one that is unknown.

Dear Mama

"Lady, don't you know we love you? (Dear Mama) Sweet lady, place no one above you? (You are appreciated) Sweet lady, don't you know we love you? (Dear Mama)"  -- 2 Pac, Dear Mama (1995)

How long does it take someone to recover from the passing of a parent? I can’t assume that we all have the same level of understanding concerning the complexity of loss. Carri lost a parent. How close was she to the mom? How close was she hoping to be to her mom one day? While the news was out that her mother died, it didn’t seem to play a factor in the assessments that were being made about her placing in the race. It should have been obvious right?

Here is a brief introduction to the complexities of grief.

Although grief is a universal experience that is shared by all human beings, the actual grief response in each individual is very unique, and the expression of grief can vary greatly from one person to another. Many factors, such as personality traits, the presence of concurrent stressors and previous losses, the nature of loss(es), and the social expectations that are present, have a great deal of influence in shaping the course of grief for an individual. (p. 26).

It is very important to remember that no individual’s grief experience will neatly fit into a single model, because there is much variation in how losses are perceived and also in how grief is expressed and worked through. (p. 34)

— Darcy L. Harris & Howard R. Winokuer, Principles and Practice of Grief Counseling (2015)

Epilogue

Carri has already said what she needed to say about herself. What we are witnessing now is simply a play out of a young women’s plight as she live out what it means to be who she is on a public stage.

*"Leviathan, Hebrew Livyatan, in Jewish mythology, a primordial sea serpent. Its source is in prebiblical Mesopotamian myth, especially that of the sea monster in the Ugaritic myth of Baal (see Yamm). In the Old Testament, Leviathan appears in Psalms 74:14 as a multiheaded sea serpent that is killed by God and given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness. In Isaiah 27:1, Leviathan is a serpent and a symbol of Israel’s enemies, who will be slain by God. In Job 41, it is a sea monster and a symbol of God’s power of creation." -- Encyclopaedia Britannica

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[ask-de-writer]

DARING DO and the ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE! : MLP Fan Fiction : Part 6 of 21

Return to theMaster Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

DARING DO and the

ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE!

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck) @ask-de-writer​

And

Carmen Pondiego @askcarmenpondiego​

Cover Art by

Doctor Dimension

52630 words

© 2020 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Writing begun 08/26/15

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

//////////////

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may reblog the story.  They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions, provided that such things are done without charge.  I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images.  

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fictions is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

Daring Do, being a pegasus, really had little magic.  It was all small and strictly practical. Truth testing, safe grip that allowed the picking up of cracked or damaged things without losing any parts or causing further damage, fast read (handy but you had to know the language fairly well first) and a few other spells of that sort.  They were all Non Equine Magic learned from the Non Equine University.

Truth testing was simple and unobtrusive.  First, it showed her that what they saw was real.  She could have sworn it was staged for effect!

“I am Captain Getsthere, of the Sea Sage.  Ship’s a bit obsolete, mixed sail and steam paddle wheeler.  She is sound, though, and will get you there.  I hear that you want to get to the Chineignese Empire.  Main port at Singapone and then up the Dunn See river to Cantrot.”

The Guardian said quietly, “Not to cast a doubt on your honorable self but all the docks are occupied by ships with Lading Deposits.  None are loading, however.”

Captain Getsthere smiled, showing yellowed teeth, some with gold or silver crowns.  “Legal trick there, Honorable One.  If we have cargo to load and a paid Lading Deposit, the Harbor Master HAS to move a vessel that is not loading out to the roadstead and let us have the dock space.”

Daring Do invited Captain Getsthere to sit and said, “Order what you wish.  We have the Lading Deposit in Gold and the cargo is in Dock Warehouse #4.  So, you can get us to Singapone?  What about river barge connections to Cantrot?”

The Captain was briefly busy with the waiter and then replied, “Sea Sage is shallow enough draft that we’ve been up to Cantrot six times.  At low water, too.  Make that whole run for you without transshipping once.”

Truth testing passed him completely, to Daring Do’s amazement.  She saw Cy nodding approval. She reached into her saddlebag and pulled out the bag of gold that was the deposit for the previous vessel.

Captain Getsthere carefully counted it out.  He shoved back a substantial sum.  “Sea Sage’s Lading Deposit is well known.  Won’t overcharge you first thing.”

Daring Do considered carefully. “Make us a proper receipt. Make us another for any refits that you think good.  We want the ship under us to be as sound as possible.”

At that he nodded acceptance. “I can do that.  Got a list, in fact.  Was going to use the deposit money to get it.”

He left to make arrangements with the Harbor Master and order his refitting supplies from the chandlers.

The group of them were sitting outside, watching the gulls fly and the coming and going of smaller boats.  The docks were full of idle ships.  Most of them had the wisp of smoke at the stack that indicated operational steam up.  That was required by the Royal Maritime Commission.  It let docks be cleared quickly for emergencies, a precaution that had paid off handsomely in the past.  

“Look!” Cy exclaimed.  “They are bringing up a tug to Dock and Warehouse 4!”

The Guardian said softly, “The Rising Whale does not have steam up as required.  They are pulling her out.  Her captain is protesting.  From the looks of the longshore ponies with axes to cut the hawser lines it will be a useless protest.”

He was right.  The captain had to get a gig to catch up to his idle ship, being towed out to the roadstead.

The Sea Sage was in place and ready to load in only a half hour or so.  Maneuvering a ship, even a smaller one, near a dock is tricky business and has to be done with care.

Their supplies were being loaded and the Sea Sage was taking on coal while they watched.  Daring Do called on her Magic Net mirror.  Looking up, she explained, “We will have three others from the Royal University joining us in a short time.  I sent them ahead and told them where to wait.  They are all experts in conservation and collection of delicate artifacts.”

Sure enough the three came trotting up in a little while.  One, a pale mauve pony, introduced himself, “I am Senior Graduate Student Horace.  These others are Jeremy, the orange guy there, and the big white mare is Soree Bea Shann.  She is a Saddle Arabian exchange student.

“I don’t know why they are along.  Jeremy barely made the cut for the program and HER?  Her folks back in the desert are RICH.  Her only qualification.”

The two were about to protest when Daring Do cut in, “THEY are along because I personally sent for them.  YOU muscled your way onto the team without my consent.  I am most curious as to WHY?”

Cy simply pounced.  She used a right foreleg thrust to the side of Horace’s neck.  He was not only knocked down, he was driven over a meter from where he had been standing a fraction of a second ago.  Cy was sitting on his neck to keep him down while she explained, “Horace, here, is in ROT’s pay. He was smart enough to demand gold up front and no written contract.

“His job is to report your expedition’s progress and the exact location of the tomb.  ROT will then swoop in and steal anything of value.  If a few ponies have to die, including you, Doctor Do, no big deal, as he sees it.  He will have money and perhaps fame.”

Daring Do considered for a moment.  “How can you know these things?  I have noticed other times that you knew what you really had no way of knowing.”

Going perfectly serious, Cy replied, “That is a matter of ERIS Supreme security, Doctor.  The Guardian knows.  In a private setting, he may tell you what he deems fit.”

With a pluck of her sleeve, the Guardian led her inside the Rusty Barnacle.  Looking about to be sure of not being overheard, he told her, “You have seen her eye and mane.  More was changed in her inheritance after the Mage Weapon Blast of two generations past than only her body.  The Watcher of the Most Exalted One can read minds.  More it is unwise to say.”

Daring Do, thinking back saw answers to many things.  “Her precise combat moves.  She knows were the enemy is without looking.  The trick with the sewers and fire fighting mains.  She was near enough to somepony who knew it!  I am glad that she is a Watcher for Eris.  So many try to harm her.”

They went back out where Cy was passing time by lightly popping Horace’s head against the ground. She looked up brightly as Daring Do approached.  “Can I?  Please? We know everything that he is aware of about the plot.  I would love to kill him!”

The eager puppy look to her single eye left no doubt about Cy’s sincerity.  Daring Do hated to disappoint her.  “I am afraid not, Cy.  I do believe you.  One test, though.  How was he to communicate with ROT?”

“Empty his left saddle bag. There is a hidden flap on the inside.  Lifting it will reveal the pocket holding a World Wide Magic Net mirror.  A small one but with plenty of reach.  We at ERIS cracked that algorithm about two years ago.  That type of mirror was still in development when we got it.”

Horace sort of gave up.  “Those are supposed to be totally private.  You heard my signals when I called them to say we were going to the ship.”

Cy looked down at him. “Something of that sort.  I waited to be sure that I had what you knew before I moved, that is all.”

Slumped even flatter, Horace asked, “Since I am not going along, can’t you just let me go?  I can’t hurt you now.”

Serenely digging out the mirror, Cy poked some codes.  “Hello, are you Mister Robber or Mister Overthrow?  Oh, you are Mister Tyrrany!  I am Cyrene Clopes.  I work for ERIS, Inc.  I just wanted you to know that we have taken your spy for Doctor Do’s expedition.

“What?  No.  We are letting him go for now.  The Royal Road Police will be handling the charge of Criminal Taking of Royal Funds.  We thought that since you are a law firm and have him on retainer, that you would likely want to defend him in the courts.

“This was purely a courtesy call, you understand.  Good bye.”  She closed the mirror and handed it back to Horace.

“Do be so good as to pack your things and leave, young pony.  We really don’t want you along.”

As Daring Do watched Horace go, she had a pang of conscience.  She turned to Cy and said softly, “They will kill him, won’t they?”

Cy smiled calmly, watching gulls wheel overhead.  “Almost certainly, Doctor Do.  I might have handled things differently if this was the only bad thing that he has done.  It is not.  He has cheated and trampled others for most of his life.”

Soon they were all picking staterooms aboard the Sea Sage.  They all rushed up to the deck to wave good bye to Cy, staying behind on the dock as the ship was towed free and the huge, nearly antique paddles began to churn the harbor’s water.  Her big whistle let loose a piercing scream and crewponies worked to unfurl the sails.

Heeling gracefully, the Sea Sage rounded the breakwater and swept out onto the swells of the open sea.

Soree, the Saddle Arabian, who had never been to sea before, was happily trotting all over, looking at all of the wonderful new sights!  She drew in deep breaths of the amazing salt air, the scent of smoke and lubricants from the massive two cylinder walking beam engine and the pitch on the rigging ropes.

Poor orange Jeremy was hanging his head over the rail and wishing that his heaving tummy would stop. It was emptied long ago!

Daring Do and the Guardian had a low table set up on the poop deck and were happily playing Mah Jongg, to the rattle of dice and the clacking of tiles.

Daring Do felt a deep contentment.  She was on the way; another expedition to find the unknown and learn the secrets of the ancient past.

The weather, which at sea, was native and wild, untamed by Cloudsdale or any other such authority, held fine.  Jeremy got over his sea-sickness.  Both he and Soree began to learn the ins and outs of Mah Jongg.  It is an excellent four hoof game.

The weather did not prove to be a problem.  The pirates, on the other hoof …

<== Previous   Next==>

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[sole-cuore-amore-e-droga]

Tel Aviv 2019: Straight outta Croatia to Eurovision with a confused angel lad and his lowkey over-enthusiastic mentor

Yeah, well, I definitely have hoped for this nation to finally finally bring back Dora as their national selection, as I myself have never really felt their internal entries since they abandoned it (well maybe except Nina from 2012 but even then by now I grew out of it softly). Not even Nina from 2016 which was tipped as a huge fan fave (though I’m so sorry for it getting completely lambasted in Eurovision, especially because of the poor clothing choice and Nina’s warbly notes here and there).

And they did! After like what, 7 solid years??? After the last Dora ending out with a disastrous end result and spawned a person to (more) stardom who even qualified a couple years back and this year he’s there to be a songwriter for his home country because of the Eurovision 2019 slogan inspiring him???? Well... yeah that happened. With having fought 15 other participants made up of familiar faces, up and coming starlets, the already legendary divas or just some people, he won as a songwriter for this next target of my review - the target that is aptly titled “The Dream” and is performed by a 19 year old up-and-coming pop star, Roko Blažević. Yep, Jacques Houdek won a NF but not with himself singing. Man did his magic game get stronger over the years since Dora 2011.

And interestingly enough, Jacques’s wizardry comes in with him being capable of selling chanceless music as something worth buying into. How can that happen???

Well, to be frank with you all, this song is not that bad, unlike everyone thinks it is. It feels like a low-rent musical ballad, sure, but it's not terribly composed or anything... well, I know I usually hate on those songs that like using mostly not the "verse - chorus - verse - chorus - bridge - chorus", but there are plenty of songs that mess with that structure that usually just omit the last two components (radio pop music) or don’t even need one, and they sound great. Here we have the omission of the last two components that more reminds me of “Grande amore” (I am not saying they’re comparable but still), as in, slow ballad in the F minor (”The Dream” even slaps a keychange on) that tries to sound majestic/dramatic, not very much so to be intense, just something theatrical I s’pose. And has a little too little time for another full verse so they just go to a bridge (and "Grande amore" had two long pre-choruses too?!?). I don’t hate this one, if I had to make a 2019 ranking this instant I’d put this in Top 30 somehow.

So what is there to be found that puts people off? They cannot be hating on Roko’s voice, which is really great for a young man like him. (In fact, God forbid I say one bad word about him, because some specific one on Twitter will have a beatdown with me because I dissed her hubby... so I’ll keep my mouth shut about any qualities of his :X) I guess it consists of several factors: 1) the song sounds dated; 2) the lyrics, especially in that chorus (I DREAM OF LOOOOOOVE, YOU DREAM OF LOOOOOOVE~ lol I actually dream of hatred, hatred will prevail >:) ); 3) the vocal volume is loud at parts; 4) the song is English-Croatian and somehow it should be sung in Croatian just to hide away the hideous understandable lyrics. My personal caveats are: 1) the song is too plodding and it shows a lot in that chorus with Roko holding his long notes (can we get tothe point FASTER?!); 2) the chorus lacks productional depth and maybe with a slight revamp (given Jacques wouldn’t be so stubborn about it!) it could have sounded the right amount of dramatic. If anything, I am GRATEFUL that it sounds more palatable than "My Friend", as THAT one was a joyful of cringey clichés tbh. The cheese became rotten and smelly and the sudden violin lead-in into the bridge still creeps me out. Goddamn it Jaq.

Not to mention Mr. Houdek is soooooo optimistic about his song, he finds everything in it perfect enough to not change it! Not the melody, not the language decisions, not the wings (did I tell you Roko wore wings on his NF performance??) - no! Did someone not tell him that Eurovision is rapidly evolving and his fantasies of coming top 3 with this song just better stay fantasies? Oh wait, it's the same man who once sang "dare to dream and make it real", of course he's stuck to his guns like super glue. Can't blame him, there were worse songs in top 3 over the years. Still though, the wings is a stupid idea. There should be something else involved if Jacques wants a performance to be memorable. Roko can't just stand there and only do what he's told to do by his guardian songwriter - granted he has to behave but still...

In the end, how would I summarize this tl;dr? I am one of a handful of folks who find this alright. There's a bigger minority who outright adores the song but I'm just there that likes this and nothing much more, honestly. Everything's just alright. Guess I'm sometimes soft enough to accept cheese, huh. But seriously, the mentoring behind the scenes... it's creepy to say the least. I'm happy Roko's having a helluva good time at least.

Approval factor: Oh I don't know with this one, statistically we can just go ahead and... try approving this? I’m not a huge fan of Croatian entries this decade, at least Slovenia redeemed themselves in my eyes last minute with “Sebi”, while even in my Croatian faves (they mostly are “Nebo” and “Crazy”, and I maaaaaybe like “Lighthouse” a bit too actually?) I see some negative qualities that completely overwhelm my liking for them. But since I legally find “The Dream” okay, I give this one a bit of a pass.

Follow-up factor: Sadly this kind of choice feels to me as a steady divedown in overall quality of what Croatia usually offers us. Well the decline was always on since “My Friend” followed up “Lighthouse” I suppose, or it's just so happens that Croatia sent the duds on this decade only in odd years ("Celebrate" was fun but tragic trash, "Mižerja" was pleasant I guess but everything here was miserable from the beginning and everyone still doesn’t get why “My Friend” qualified and “Crazy” didn’t). I like it though.

Qualification factor: I’d like to believe that this one can borderline sneak the fuck in to the finals for no reason other than Jacques knowing how to work things in his favour. Yes, I’m not writing this off completely. Although I still see some parts where this wouldn’t work out, it’s actually not 100% doomed... if anything, I at least don’t see it coming last in semi easily! It’s not as LAME as Iceland last year was. And it too was a basic love-peace-dreams message inserted into an older-timey-sounding singalong ballad and was given for a young singer that has a helluva lot of potential later ASIDE Eurovision. That is if they don't pretend Eurovision "ruined [their] careers, njeh!", of course. At least Roko can SANG live and maybe it will happen again that a singer's voice will make this surprisngly qualify over the song? We'll see. For now Jacques should just stay focused on how to make Roko's angel wings (sigh...) more memorable on stage in case the voice is not qualifying but the gimmicks are.

NATIONAL FINAL BONUS

EMA 2019 at least had positive surprises all over for a NF this non-cared-about-by-me. Dora just... did not. Really. This NF did not interest me all that much song-quality-wise, and it even had SIX MORE SONGS than EMA!!! Crazy, huh?? But it’s okay, I can talk about the show to you if you want me to:

• From the Dora participants list announcement I was mostly excited to hear like two entries, and I'll mention both of them right away separately. And it's by two artists I've heard of before a lot! Though this first one kind of made me feel like I've been somewhat betrayed... enter Luka Nižetić who has got a nice vast catalogue of songs now - soft song(s), upbeat summer songs, and so on. And I kinda liked some of those songs of his I heard (if you're looking for recommendations, give "Vječno" a listen!), but “Brutalero”, his actual Dora 2019 entry was... on a whole different level. Dude, when was ripping off “Mi gente” ever useful?? It’s the year people were chasing after “Fuego” as the Latinesque bop to copy, not this! I hate it when people rehash annoying (but catchy) songs, and it’s certainly worse when they do it as their Eurovision NF entry. Brutal. And I actually remember hyping him before hearing the song, which is a bigger facepalm-worthy moment of mine. When will I ever learn?! ;( Thank God for the juries who served this song right. IDC if the revamp version of this made it any better, I’ll be fuming over this not being an inspired song. Oh and the comic book cartoon style made this brutally laughable to me, I said what I said. It might have entertained some kids though. So to summarise, Luka’s capable of having bops out, but “Brutalero” ain’t it, sis.

• Well guess what - Friendship ended with LUKA, Now MANNTRA is my best friend! Hell yeah lol. Did I tell you I like rock music so much? So I really foresaw kind of liking Manntra's song “In the Shadows” and rooting for them based on me knowing their name (just like Luka but oop), and in fact I really did root for them in the end! I wish I supported them more than Luka instead. They’re bangin’. They’re blazin’. They’re pure awesomeness. Their costumes. THAT BREAKDOWN. Magic. Should’ve won, and if them winning were any forbidden because Croatia is just refusing to accept stuff I’d stan for, at least come second. Screw Luka, screw Lorena. Bring the rock music back. ^^

• oh yeah and the others I guess. Well, if I had to recommend a few entries, here goes: if you’re nostalgic for old-timey early 2000′s bops (in the style of “Everyway That I Can”), you go and listen to the aforementioned Lorena Bućan‘s entry, “Tower of Babylon”. If you dreamed of one of the Femminem singers becoming a 60s retro artiste (actually you did not, that sounds very utter random), go check her project’s (Gelato Sisters) entry, “Back to That Swing”. If you’re here for THE QUEEN DOMENICA, go ahead, check out “Indigo”, the ultimate shopping mall background music anthem. My actual other favourite together with Manntra was Beta Sudar though, as “Don’t Give Up” as some really nice pop I guess. You see what I mean when I said that Dora this year did not interest me all that much song-quality-wise? Well ofc some songs were nice but that's all and too much 'just niceness' is slowly breaking me honestly. I would have gladly cancelled the NF and put Manntra through internally instead. Epic boys deserve an epic platform to showcase themselves, I don’t make the rules here.

Thankfully that's that out of the way, now I'm just going to wish this sweet little angel man all the best in Tel Aviv and not to be too upset if he flops. I know Jacques would be upset, but for that he shouldn't put Roko through a similar mind process also...

[daily-norman-ok]

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Norman businesses begin serving cocktails to go

Restaurants around Norman are already seeing success in offering their bestselling adult beverages to go as the Cocktails To-Go Act takes effect this week. HB 2122, authored by Rep. Marcus McEntire, now allows establishments with liquor licenses to sell pre-mixed cocktails and single serving wines to go and curbside, provided the beverage meets certain requirements. According to the bill language, a liquor license holder can transfer a cocktail or wine beverage to a customer by curbside or delivery if the drink is in a new, sealed container with a “tamper evident lid or cap that has been sealed with covers including, but not limited to a wax dip or heat-shrink wrap.”  Read more here...

Businesses in Norma begin servicing cocktails to go. Mont had started serving Swirl to go after the government in Oklahoma’s new law. It happens because of HB 2122, authored by Rep. Marcus McEntire. It allows the establishments that possess liquor licenses to sell pre-mixed cocktails and single-serving wines provided that the beverage meets specific requirements. So, from now on, you will see restaurants, bars, and venues to serve cocktails through the curbside to go. I notice great success among restaurants for offering their best-selling adult beverages, such as the Cocktails to-go. I am glad that the world is slowly going back to how it was before.

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman, OK

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[scholarbees2]

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[saiyuki]

dhbat vol.2 preview chapter

these were first posted on twitter in december 2020.

any form of repost is prohibited. sharing a link to this post is allowed—i translated these chapters in order to help readers understand the manga as they read. don’t forget to purchase the volume (legally!) to support the mangaka!

read this chapter here for free

get the comic (digital edition) here:

amazon japan bookwalker

as usual, there are 2 introductory pages about DRB and matenrou's victory - and that a new division that will join the 2nd DRB has been born. we see kuukou briefly before going to the live music hall where jyushi is about to perform.

p. 3

JYUSHI: o moon princesses who have submitted to me—i shall grant thee one last hymn before thou retreat to thine lunar dwellings...! etch this catharsis upon the arcadia of thine hearts... let's g— KUUKOU: JYUUUSHIII!! AUDIENCE GIRLS: eh?! kuukou-kun, why are you here? JYUSHI: master...? KUUKOU: c'mon, let's go! JYUSHI: go, go where?! my live performance is still... KUUKOU: it's something more important than your live! JYUSHI: but that's...

p. 7

we see hitoya next. FLASHY LAWYER: please sign this court settlement letter. HITOYA: there are two things i dislike. first, tasteless suits. second, pretentious bastards who don't know their place. FLASHY LAWYER: this is...! HITOYA: making deals in private, bribery and violating the Antitrust Act... did you think you could hide your client's illegal conduct from me and let it slip? you're gonna lose your lawyer qualifications if this continues, you know? FLASHY LAWYER: uh— i'll take my leave! HITOYA: that third rate lawyer. KUUKOU: hitoya! come here quick, now! JYUSHI: it huuurts... HITOYA: ah?

p.10

KUUKOU: great! we've all gathered! HITOYA: you forced us to come here... JYUSHI: even though i was in the middle of my live... KUUKOU: you guys know that tomorrow's the prelims for the next division battle, yeah? HITOYA: and what about it. KUUKOU: stuuupid. that's exactly why! JYUSHI: tomorrow's the D-day, doing this today isn't good, you know...! KUUKOU: if you say weak things like that you won't be able to go all out when the real deal comes! as the saying goas, "victory only reveals itself to the people who braces themselves with more than all they've got!" settle your jitters and come at me! JYUSHI: i'm not... i'm not nervous!!

i am a fruitless reaper, lamenting over disaster bathing in your dripping blood on my depart

HITOYA: i'll take you on, you little brat!

a hermit's whimsical brazen talk on repeat know the weight of your words in the face of law

KUUKOU: pretty good! however—

preaching to the Buddha? you jest funny RESET this immature dummy

p. 17

KUUKOU: you guys... we're going at it tomorrow! HITOYA: who're you saying that to. JYUSHI: i, i'll give it my best! KUUKOU: bad ass temple's taking the champion title!

[wanderbitesbybobbie]

Quirky Jobs: Surviving Wild West Sydney (Part 1)

I wasn’t always a pastry chef chasing that pastry goals and living the dream. Before I got my certifications, and before my bosses put me into an actual pastry chef position, I had to start from the very bottom. In 2016, I was a full-time food and travel writer for various magazines and websites. I had this mentality that being on the road every three weeks teaches me so much about independence. I felt like I can take on everything and conquer the world starting with baby steps. When I applied for my Australian Visa, I kept on telling myself that it would be easy peasy. The goal was to enter Australia hassle-free, apply for a Pastry Chef position while studying full-time, hope that my boss will sponsor me for a Permanent Resident Visa, and live life to the fullest. It sounded pretty straightforward. The plan was to stay at my cousin’s studio in Fairfield until I’m able to find my own place while working on my dream job. Well, it did happen, but it took longer than I expected. Life is not about set timelines anyway. In the last quarter of 2016, I packed my bags and flew to Sydney leaving everything behind. All I had with me was the courage to pursue my dreams and a few dollars to get me started. Two weeks after I arrived in Kingsford Smith International Airport, I was bound to make things happen. I searched for possible job openings warily and I did not stop until I got a call back.

I am an experienced pastry chef and have a rewarding Bachelor’s Degree in Food Technology back home, so I thought it would be uncomplicated for me to find a job. Apparently, that was not the case as being a pastry chef in Australia, or anything related to hospitality is a different game. Australia is a country that takes skills seriously. You have to meet the qualifications, licenses, and at least Level 4 certifications (which I didn’t have at that time yet, as I was still finishing my certification course) for you to hold a pastry chef position. Fine. Then I have to start all over again. I found a job listing and applied as a donut chef in Krispy Kreme Liverpool. I was confident enough for this role. I mean, donuts? It’s very basic. I’m pretty sure I can manage this. But then, my Krispy Kreme application taught me not to get my hopes up in every aspect of life. I got my first ever job rejection in Australia. I felt bad at first, but I told myself that rejections open new doors of opportunities. I moved on and applied at IKEA as a food attendant. The role was to assist in the kitchen and serve clients in line. Now, that’s simple! No sweat! I waited for three days, but then I got an e-mail that I wasn’t exactly the person they were looking for. I was in the verge of losing hope. Why won’t they hire an experienced chef? Is it me, my qualifications, my pastry portfolio? Or Australia just have a very high standard when it comes to human resource? Eventually, it came to a conclusion. Nope. It wasn’t me, nor my qualifications and experiences, nor my degree. It was my student visa dragging me down to the gates of  hopelessness. I was only allowed 20 hours of work a week (legally) and most employers wanted more. I mean, who would hire an employee just to fill in for 20 hours, right? From my job hunts, I just got used to rejection that every time I would click the “Send Application” button, I would cross my fingers and tell myself, “here goes nothing…”

I stayed at my cousin’s pad for six months, and we were the best housemates anyone can imagine. We cooked, she took me on shopping sprees, we went on sale hunts, watched movies together, frequently visited the Filipino and Asian shops, and drove to places anytime we wanted. It was a bliss, but then eventually I knew I had to move out. Of course, I didn’t want to be a free-loader forever though she really wanted me to stay. I just thought that maybe this was my chance to step out of my comfort zone and experience life in a whole new level. Living in a country with a culture very much different from mine was a big adjustment for me. But, I assumed I adjusted well. So I started to build my dreams inside that bubble that I would get a job and live the life I have imagined for years.

First Job: Kitchen Hand and Breakfast Chef

After summer, it was autumn, and then winter. Two seasons have gone and yet my applications were still denied. I never stopped job hunting, at this point I was willing to take anything. I went out, went on numerous train rides, went to neighboring suburbs, and handed copies of my CVs to possible employers in person. I put myself out there with that fearless mentality that I can handle any job thrown at me. Finally, I got a call back from a Lebanese Café in Villawood and the interview went well. It was a weekend job, paying $15/hour AUD (Php 525/hour) for an 8-hour shift. It’s actually considered a low paying job in Sydney standards, but for starters like myself, I couldn’t complain. Work starts at 7 in the morning and finishes at 3 in the afternoon. I was able to balance my working student life, but back then I had to re-assess if I would be able to sustain myself with $15 an hour. For most people, “Thank God it’s weekend”, but for me it was time to hustle. I woke up at 5:30 AM on weekends, battling the cold fogs of winter mornings.

This job required me to clean and wash huge pots and heavy kitchen equipment, do the dishwashing for the in-house dining, and assist the head chef in whatever he needs. On top of it, I was assigned in the Breakfast Section where I do all the pancake and waffle orders, sandwiches, eggs, and salads. It sounded pretty easy. But if you’re a chef, you’ll know that “egg section” is never an easy task. There are more than a hundred ways to cook eggs, probably ten ways for breakfast. Most of the customers liked poached eggs and soft-boiled eggs, or when it’s not your lucky day, you’ll get fried eggs and poached eggs, and scrambled eggs, and boiled eggs all at once. Timing had to be really accurate. Imagine a timer going off, while you’re washing dishes, watching the waffles, and poaching eggs. Plus the fact that the kitchen is a one big rectangle, designed horizontally, where the sink is at the very end and the breakfast section on the other end. Do you imagine the struggle now? Now I know why they take skills seriously in this part of the globe.

Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Rent comes weekly and it is not the only expense to pay. There are a lot of things to be considered like utilities, wi-fi, transport, food allowances, and basic necessities. If I wanted to move out entirely and live an independent life, I would have to make more than $15 an hour. I didn’t think this café job was sustainable.

Second Job, Cleaner at a Logistics Company

While finishing my shifts in the morning until afternoon, I decided to accept a gig from a churchmate. The offer was pretty good. $100 AUD (Php 3500) for a four-hour job, and the best thing about it was… it’s a night job. Therefore, I can finish my café shifts at 3 in the afternoon and head straight at Leightonfield to be able to make it at the 5 PM shift. I spent my few hours gap to help prepare the kitchen and café for the following morning. It’s only a ten-minute train ride from Villawood to Leightonfield. I had two hours of time to spare.

The task was easy, except that I would have to do it alone, all by myself in this massive Logistics Office where they transport expensive cars like Lamborghini and Rolls Royce to all places in Australia. I had copies of the Master keys, so if anything goes wrong, I could be responsible for some reason. The office and the warehouse were huge. It was like the size of Puregold Supermarket in Shaw Blvd., except, it had three levels, plus another level for the lounge in the warehouse. I cleaned the toilets for all floors (both for male and female), including the toilets in the warehouse and lounge, wiped office desks, vacuumed three levels of carpeted floors, washed dirty dishes in two pantries, replenished toilet papers, soaps, and all the free kitchen stuff like coffee, tea, and biscuits. I emptied garbage bins for every desk, cleaned a dozen of cigarette ash trays, and had to dump all of the garbage in a huge dumpster, four times my size at the back of the warehouse. You know the dumpster where they hide dead bodies in thriller movies? Yes. That kind of dumpster.

There was one thing my Filipino boss taught me though. The cleaning agency doesn’t care if you finish the job early, they still pay you the same exact amount. They don’t exactly have time-keeping records. With that said, finishing in two hours for a four-hour job was the goal. That’s how you make the most out of the salary.

Cheat Sheet from my Filo Boss: If you see that the toilet bowl is clean, just flush it twice or three times and leave it. Why do you have to clean it again?  If you see the toilet mirrors are clean, leave it. It saves you a lot of time.

You would think I didn’t do much, but everything doesn’t come out clean all the time. By the time I finished my shifts as a cleaner, it was already around 8 to 9 in the evening. Despite the schedule, I cooked my own meals, so I won’t be tempted to spend much on food. I was dead tired each time I went home. My soul felt like it was about to leave my body, I worked for more than 12 hours on weekends. It was physically draining. Plus the fact that Leightonfield can be really spine-chilling at night drove me nuts. Unlike most suburbs near the city, it was empty. It was mostly where factories and warehouses were situated. The workers leave at exactly 5 in the afternoon. By the time my shift starts, the whole building and the next 3 to 5 kilometers is deserted, with just me scrubbing the toilet tiles while listening to music on my iPod. I realized, if anything happens to me at Leightonfield, if ever I would cry for help, no one would be able to hear me or find me, as I am locked from the inside of the massive complex. They don’t have access from the outside as the keys are with me, unless they know the passcode of the security lock. The security office was outside the warehouse, so basically I was alone in a very huge complex where I had to turn off all lights and vents, and activate security alarms after I finish cleaning. I WAS BRAVE. VERY BRAVE. I didn’t care at that time, it never occurred to me that it was a dangerous job for a woman. Sydney is a safe city, and it has been that way in my mind the whole time. All I wanted was to save up and find a place for myself.

Let’s do a quick Math:

Lebanese Cafe at $15 x 16 hours every weekend = $240 (Php 8,400)

Cleaner at Leightonfield at $100 every weekend = $200 (Php 7,000)

Total: $440 on weekends (Php 15,400)

$440 on a weekend! Not bad! Back in the Philippines, you will earn this amount of money in a month’s work, plus all the hidden charges and taxes. This can go a long way to feed a family of three! But then, I’m not in the Philippines. I’m living in one of the most expensive cities in the world (yes, I said that twice already), $440 is just enough to rent a private room.

Errrrr… My goal was to rent an apartment, not a room. But I wasn’t in a hurry. Baby steps, right? So room it is… I settled for it.

Renting like a real Sydney-sider

In about a month, I was able to save up for a big private room which I rented while I was saving up for an apartment. It was a three-bedroom wooden house in a suburb called Canley Vale. My landlady was an Australian-Filipina flight attendant working for British Airways. She was in her forties, single but has a son and a daughter from an Italian Diplomat who both live in the city center, owns an old rickety red sedan, smokes a lot, and talks really loud. Let’s just call her “Rosie” (not her real name). Rosie and I went to church together. I found out she was subletting some of her rooms, so I took the biggest one which she rented out to me at $150 AUD (Php 5250) a week, with wi-fi and utilities included.

It wasn’t a bad deal, though it was one station further away from my school, it was a fifteen-minute train ride to work. The vicinity was nice. It had a supermarket, bakery, post office, and Vietnamese restaurants just ten steps away from the house. The bus-station was a two-minute walk. The fall-side was that it was an hour away from the city. That’s pretty far, considering Sydney train travel is very modern and fast.

The room includes a huge wooden built-in closet, my own door to the backyard, an electric fan, a double-sized bed, a broken TV, and a study desk. I did not have time to watch TV anyway, so I took it. I liked the house, it made me feel like I’m in an old grandma’s house in some province, with pink curtains, a living room, a kitchen inside the house, a dirty kitchen and grill in the granny flat, and laundry area (though it didn’t have a dryer so drying my chef’s uniforms in winter days was a struggle).

I finally moved out of my cousin’s pad. This was it. I was ultimately “adulting”, working side jobs and paying my dues while I was studying full-time. My room was my safe-haven. I was finally able to buy my own stuff like a heater for winter, thermal jackets (I never prepared for Sydney winter), blankets, shoe racks, and everything else to complete my room. It was just like living in a studio, except it was in a three-bedroom house. It felt like I was closer to home, having the entire house designed like a true Filipino home.

I’ve had the greatest sky views in that room. I kept my door open to let winter breeze in. The fresh air cooled my room down in sunny afternoons. This was where I worked on my school case studies and prepared for my exams while working two jobs.

  Rosie was supportive. She would ask for my schedule and cooked hot meals for me when my schedule was too tight. She wasn’t the best cook, she would put potatoes and carrots in “Sinigang” or eggplants in “Nilaga”. But still, I was thankful. She was like a second mom to me even if there were times she would suddenly yell at me for some reason I never knew about. She has a temper, so I would always have to weigh the climate of the house before I engage in long conversations. Rosie handed me heaps of nice clothes she bought from London. It was her habit to shop on her “break time” windows as a flight attendant, but because her time was very limited on land, she never tried the clothes on. They often come too small for her built, so the nice brand new dresses and shirts from London all landed in my closet.

I’ve had happy and depressing memories in Canley Vale. Like the cliché goes, all good things come to an end.

My cleaner side gig ended. The cleaning agency was looking for someone who could do it full-time, six days a week. It was very much tempted to accept the offer, but my school schedule was a hindrance. My last pastry class ends at 8 PM, Leightonfield requires me to be there at 5 PM. They had to let me go. After all, I came to Australia to master patisserie, not to spend my days chasing on high-paying side jobs.

I kept my café job, but not having a side gig was a huge blow for my budget, especially that I have invested a lot for my Canley Vale room. I still wrote articles for Philippine travel magazines while working on my weekend shifts and they paid me well in peso and it stretched my budget by a bit. However, I needed AUD to cover all of my expenses, because essentially I am spending in Australian Dollars not in Philippine Peso. It’s a dramatically huge difference. I had to find another job. Probably, a single sustainable job that would pay for my dues and that I wouldn’t have to get a side hustle.

To be continued…

TRANSPARENCY: Thank you to my cousin, Sheryl for opening your home and for adopting me each time I’m homeless. Thank you to my family in Canberra, my understanding but very temperamental land lady, my Filipino churchmate who gave me the cleaning side gig (it was a very humbling experience).

Have you experienced working abroad while balancing school life?

How was your experience?

I’d love to hear from you!

      Quirky Jobs: Surviving Wild West Sydney (Part 1) was originally published on WanderBitesByBobbie