#is equal parts slog and wild ride

[fictionadventurer]

But does your man buy an entire hawking establishment just because he saw a painting of a hawking party where one of the women kind of resembled you?

[outofthemouthsof]

15 Day BL Challenge the Sequel - Day 16

I’ve been wanting to participate in @slonekaru ‘s part 2 of the 15-day BL challenge (a sequel to an earlier one started by @negrowhat ) but I think the main reason I haven’t started is I couldn’t narrow down my answer to the first question. So to get past that I’ll just put as many shows as I damn well please into this answer!

Day 16: What show has taken you by surprise this year?

Like, I felt surprised a lot this year! BL had so many twists and turns and it was a fun ride. So here are my top however many, in no particular order.

Pit Babe! I only learned about ABO because of reading about this show beforehand, and I was not pleased to learn about it. So I went into this series only to gawk at how twisted it would be. The first episode seemed toxic and cold and that’s how I assumed it would stay. And then! This wild, weird show ended up being super well done and having tons of heart and earned a top rating from me. Unbelievable.

Cherry Magic Thailand! I figured this would be good—I liked the original and love TayNew. I did not expect the sheer butterflies-inducing heaven it delivered week after week. I honestly think this is the most perfect show in the history of BL. And bonus, it’s vanilla enough that I could watch it with my kid who loved it too.

Playboyy! Okay this show was a joke half the time and a slog the other half. But there was something about watching it and then going to the comments section of MDL, which have never been more hilarious and darling than they were for this show, that made me nostalgic for when my friends and I would love/hate watch Melrose Place together in college. (Yes I’m dating myself…) Also, the actors were just so fearless—what they lacked in experience/acting ability they made up for with spirit.

Deep Night! This show disappointed in some ways, especially the plot and lack of shock value (and how they stopped showing aerial performances after like ep2), BUT it had the most beautiful poly plot line I’ve ever seen in any show let alone a BL. I really wish they’d done a special episode just about the threesome! I blame this show for helping to get my hopes up with The Rebound tho…

Wandee Goodday! I didn’t go into this expecting to hate it like Pit Babe but I definitely didn’t expect from its first silly episode how profoundly it would capture my heart. Adding in unexpected ace rep and the first mention of the Thai marriage equality bill… this show just blew me away.

Century of Love! Daou &.Offroad’s chemistry at all times was enough to draw me to this show, but I wasn’t sure their acting would be up to telling a story like this, based on what I’d seen in Love in Translation. They shut me up, damn! Daou embodied that grandpa so convincingly, and Offroad’s performance was a slow burn—his character hid a lot behind his cheery exterior but he delivered as the cracks began to show. (And that sinister kitsune scene, OMG…so creepy yet sexy).

Meet You at the Blossom! I knew something of the history of Chinese censorship so this show seemed impossible—right up until the characters clearly had sex, in episode 1 or 2; that’s when it suddenly became very real—and delivered at a higher level than i could’ve imagined. I don’t know if it’s the start of a new era or a one off, but either way it’s made history.

[blogwestjeff]

Can California Gold Save the Union Again?

Financing blue waves has been part of the state’s history for 160 years

When it comes to modern political fundraising, California is well-known as the golden touch. That’s particularly true for Democratic candidates in the age of resistance against Trump. In 2018, for example, the river of California cash flowing to Democratic office seekers around the country topped $300 million — a first place finish among all 50 states. In the presidential year of 2016, the figure was even higher: $358 million.

Yet California’s blue-wave financing is hardly new. Nearly 160 years ago, the blue-clad armies of the Union slogged to victory in the American Civil War thanks, in part, to the mineral wealth of the Sierra Nevada.

California’s role in helping to save the Union has long been downplayed. Admitted to the Union as a free state as part of the Compromise of 1850, California was far removed from the bloody battlefields and political intrigues that characterize Civil War narratives. California’s participation — from regiments that fought at Gettysburg to a military expedition that pushed Confederate forces out of Arizona and New Mexico — is treated as a sidebar oddity. Its place in financing the war is barely mentioned at all.

Union General Ulysses S. Grant knew better. “I don’t know what we could do in this great national emergency, were it not for gold sent from California,” he reportedly observed. Just how much California gold was actually sent east is unclear, although estimates range from $180-$200 million, equal to about $3.5 billion today. At the height of the conflict, ships laden with one to three million dollars-worth of gold and silver coins minted in San Francisco were leaving the Golden Gate three times per month. Given that the Union war effort cost an estimated $71 billion in today’s money, California coinage might seem, while important, not pivotal. Consider, though, the psychological effects of a steady and reliable stream of gold bullion on popular confidence in the North. Between 1861 and 1863, every economic norm was being overturned. First came the sale of government bonds, then a new national tax and higher tariffs, followed by the introduction of a new paper currency, the greenback, which was not backed by gold. This is to say nothing of rampant inflation or the emotional toll of the war’s staggering casualty rate.

Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who’d long fantasized about a pro-slavery, Western empire anchored in Arizona, certainly understood how valuable California gold was to the Union war effort. The Confederate states were gold-poor by comparison with a shrinking reserve of only $27 million (equal to $785 million today) when the Civil War started. Worse, the Union blockade of Confederate ports was strangling the South’s economy. No wonder the secessionists set their sights on California’s gold fields and its open sea lanes. Indeed, the Confederate foray into Arizona was presumably the first step of a larger expedition towards Sacramento.

Davis likely imagined that his Western-front strategy had a fighting chance. After all, Abraham Lincoln had only won California’s four electoral votes in 1860 by less than one percent. Perhaps if he’d read of Thomas Starr King, a Unitarian minister in San Francisco known for his fiery, pro-Union rallies in what later became known as Union Square, Davis might have recalibrated his enthusiasm. “I pledged California to a Northern Republic and to a flag that should have no treacherous cotton thread in its warp,” Starr King thundered to wild applause and fulsome praise from no less an orator than Lincoln himself.

Fast forward to 2019. The country is embroiled in a new political crisis with echoes of the 1850s. This time around, California is not a sideshow. It is a centerpiece. Yet whatever else might have changed in the state over the last 170 years, I believe most Californians — even those wearing Bear Republic T-shirts — still cling to their faith in an enlightened central government serving in the greater public interest. While others might ridicule us as unpatriotic or feckless, we remain true blue, loyal to the great national cause of unity over division. And while we no longer send wooden ships full of gold coins to New York or Boston, our steady stream of electronic donations to likeminded political candidates across the country speaks to our history of changing history, as well as to our welcoming vision of what America means. It also suggests that if push comes to shove, we’d likely muster up a regiment or two, dust off the saddles, ride into the desert, and help to put down any modern-day Confederates once more. In the end, this willingness to defend America’s golden promise might be California’s most important contribution of all.

[flutecattle9-blog]

12 Things to Do in SF

Earlier this year, I headed to San Francisco with my cousin for a little long weekend getaway for Memorial Day. Feeling restless, I didn’t want to spend the long weekend staycationing, so we hopped on a plane and headed west. Here’s a list of 12 things to do in SF. What we saw, did, and, of course, ate!

Living in New York, the city seems to always get held up next to SF. Friends and family seem to waffle back and forth as to which city is better for working/living and where you can find the coolest haunts and the coolest people. I of course, being a life long east coast gal am quick to list out the merits of New York, but I gotta say that for a jaded New Yorker, San Francisco made for one of the best weekend trips I’ve had in a long time.

It’s hard to identify a single reason as to why. There’s the perfect mild weather, a little extra cloud cover (I am a little bit nocturnal), plenty of natural sights to check out close to the city limits, culture, and of course food. But here’s a rundown of everything so you can decide for yourself.

12 Things to Do in SF

1. Do a few quick hikes at Point Reyes National Seashore

Our first order of business was actually to escape the city proper and head out into the wilds––that is, drive about an hour to Point Reyes National Seashore. While the sky was a bit overcast, the cool salty breezes and wildflowers were more than enough to please me.

On hikes, I’m a big believer in stopping to smell the flowers. These small orange and yellow ones were particularly lovely.

We stumbled upon small quiet beaches…

At this beach, there were plenty of pre-arranged driftwood picnic sites where folks had clearly enjoyed grilled oysters.

And lagoons…

2. Frolic on the beach (puppies ideal) 

These three puppas had it lucky, living in houses on the rocky outcroppings above the water. We report that these three dogs in particular were very good boys.

3. Check out Point Reyes Station

Point Reyes Station was a sleepy little sea town, but dotted with boutiques, bookshops, and markets on the way to other national and state parks and recreation areas. We stopped to check out the murals, peruse the local farm stand, and pick up some books.

Sometimes I think the flowers alone are enough reason for me to up and move to the west coast…

4. Oyster Trail  

Oyster Trail is well known by locals as a great place to down tons of fresh oysters for cheap and with views of the ocean while you do it. While a lot of places had a you-shuck model, we opted to sit down at Nick’s Cove, since I’ve sadly not yet sprung for an oyster knife and thought it best to not test my air travel luck with that one.

We started out with a half dozen delicious baked oysters. Just look at those buttery breadcrumbs…! And a little sampling of the house clam chowder, because obviously we cannot turn down clam chowder. It’s basically a law of the universe, and it’s kind of a problem.

Next, there was a wonderfully fresh orange and beet salad, and to be honest, two of the best seafood dishes I’ve ever eaten: stone crab mac n cheese and a kale caesar with avocado, pepperoncinis and the most delicious, meaty boquerones.

Here’s a close up of the mac n cheese because obviously you want to see that.

There were huge lumps of tender crab meat in this mac n cheese and I will show you this less than glamorous shot I took of my plate marveling at this fact. When it comes to seafood, the experts are truly the experts.

The restaurant had a long dock where we stretched our legs after the exertion of the mac n cheese before our next stop…

5. Muir Woods

Muir Woods speaks for itself. The national park is so conveniently located relative to the rest of SF and there are plenty of trails ranging from super easy and paved to a little bit more challenging. We did the convenient long loop that allowed you to see most of the redwoods.

Hilariously, when we ended the loop, we noticed that there were more than a couple of taxis waiting for city dwellers, and heard a few tech bros talking about ill-fated trips wherein they paid a small fortune to be uber-ed to and back from Muir Woods. This bear outside the gift shop isn’t sure how he feels about that.

Believe it or not that was all packed into Day 1 of SF! From Muir Woods we drove back across the Golden Gate and headed back into the city.

6. The harbor seals by Pier 39

The next morning we got an early start and hit Pier 39 to check out the harbor seals. There’s a small visitor’s center where you can learn more about the research being conducted in the area, and how you can have less of an impact on the oceans. I picked up a copy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood guide and took the time to gently shame my friends about single-use plastics.

7. A trolley ride

My cousin and I butted heads on this one because it was an absolute slog to wait in the long lines for the trolley ride, but I have to say I didn’t regret it. Seeing how the trolley was maneuvered manually and cruising up and down the steep San Francisco streets was pretty fun, and honestly, I would probably recommend to any bright eyed and bushy tailed tourists.

We waited for a very long time, so naturally pictures of foliage occurred.

8. San Francisco MoMA

Next we spent a little time wandering through SF MoMa, which was a great stop filled with lots of wonderfully odd thought provoking things.

9. Ate lots of sourdough!

An important stop for me was to Boudin Bakery. Maybe if you’re a local you’re shaking your head at how touristy I am, but this bread is g o o d. Also the soup bread bowls are giant, fluffy, crusty, and delicious, and the soup is the exact thing you would want–the most archetypal and perfect of clam chowder and tomato soup.

Plus, they serve the tomato soup with more croutons on top. How delightfully excessive is that?

Jalapeno cheese rounds, anyone?

For those looking to indulge, you could also buy these ridiculously adorable bread animals.

10. the Mission District

We strolled through the alleys of the Mission District, home to plenty of murals, equal parts abstract and socially-minded.

Not pictured here, sadly, is the burrito that we split for breakfast, because SF, and because burritos, and because we could.

11. Lands End Trail

A highlight of the rip was hiking the trail at Lands End. It was a popular Memorial Day weekend activity, but the wide, long paths made for a pleasant loop around the perimeter of the city and spectacular views of the bridge in the distance.

12. Good meals 

I don’t know if it’s because SF is a tech town, or if the locals have particularly high standards, but we were able to have a few great meals despite not having advance reservations to the best dinner spots in town. We went to a few smaller local haunts, where we had delicious burrata and pasta, and the most luscious appetizer of fried pig’s ears and calamari.

Source: https://thewoksoflife.com/2018/09/12-things-to-do-in-sf/

[banjospring97-blog]

12 Things to Do in SF

Earlier this year, I headed to San Francisco with my cousin for a little long weekend getaway for Memorial Day. Feeling restless, I didn’t want to spend the long weekend staycationing, so we hopped on a plane and headed west. Here’s a list of 12 things to do in SF. What we saw, did, and, of course, ate!

Living in New York, the city seems to always get held up next to SF. Friends and family seem to waffle back and forth as to which city is better for working/living and where you can find the coolest haunts and the coolest people. I of course, being a life long east coast gal am quick to list out the merits of New York, but I gotta say that for a jaded New Yorker, San Francisco made for one of the best weekend trips I’ve had in a long time.

It’s hard to identify a single reason as to why. There’s the perfect mild weather, a little extra cloud cover (I am a little bit nocturnal), plenty of natural sights to check out close to the city limits, culture, and of course food. But here’s a rundown of everything so you can decide for yourself.

12 Things to Do in SF

1. Do a few quick hikes at Point Reyes National Seashore

Our first order of business was actually to escape the city proper and head out into the wilds––that is, drive about an hour to Point Reyes National Seashore. While the sky was a bit overcast, the cool salty breezes and wildflowers were more than enough to please me.

On hikes, I’m a big believer in stopping to smell the flowers. These small orange and yellow ones were particularly lovely.

We stumbled upon small quiet beaches…

At this beach, there were plenty of pre-arranged driftwood picnic sites where folks had clearly enjoyed grilled oysters.

And lagoons…

2. Frolic on the beach (puppies ideal) 

These three puppas had it lucky, living in houses on the rocky outcroppings above the water. We report that these three dogs in particular were very good boys.

3. Check out Point Reyes Station

Point Reyes Station was a sleepy little sea town, but dotted with boutiques, bookshops, and markets on the way to other national and state parks and recreation areas. We stopped to check out the murals, peruse the local farm stand, and pick up some books.

Sometimes I think the flowers alone are enough reason for me to up and move to the west coast…

4. Oyster Trail  

Oyster Trail is well known by locals as a great place to down tons of fresh oysters for cheap and with views of the ocean while you do it. While a lot of places had a you-shuck model, we opted to sit down at Nick’s Cove, since I’ve sadly not yet sprung for an oyster knife and thought it best to not test my air travel luck with that one.

We started out with a half dozen delicious baked oysters. Just look at those buttery breadcrumbs…! And a little sampling of the house clam chowder, because obviously we cannot turn down clam chowder. It’s basically a law of the universe, and it’s kind of a problem.

Next, there was a wonderfully fresh orange and beet salad, and to be honest, two of the best seafood dishes I’ve ever eaten: stone crab mac n cheese and a kale caesar with avocado, pepperoncinis and the most delicious, meaty boquerones.

Here’s a close up of the mac n cheese because obviously you want to see that.

There were huge lumps of tender crab meat in this mac n cheese and I will show you this less than glamorous shot I took of my plate marveling at this fact. When it comes to seafood, the experts are truly the experts.

The restaurant had a long dock where we stretched our legs after the exertion of the mac n cheese before our next stop…

5. Muir Woods

Muir Woods speaks for itself. The national park is so conveniently located relative to the rest of SF and there are plenty of trails ranging from super easy and paved to a little bit more challenging. We did the convenient long loop that allowed you to see most of the redwoods.

Hilariously, when we ended the loop, we noticed that there were more than a couple of taxis waiting for city dwellers, and heard a few tech bros talking about ill-fated trips wherein they paid a small fortune to be uber-ed to and back from Muir Woods. This bear outside the gift shop isn’t sure how he feels about that.

Believe it or not that was all packed into Day 1 of SF! From Muir Woods we drove back across the Golden Gate and headed back into the city.

6. The harbor seals by Pier 39

The next morning we got an early start and hit Pier 39 to check out the harbor seals. There’s a small visitor’s center where you can learn more about the research being conducted in the area, and how you can have less of an impact on the oceans. I picked up a copy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood guide and took the time to gently shame my friends about single-use plastics.

7. A trolley ride

My cousin and I butted heads on this one because it was an absolute slog to wait in the long lines for the trolley ride, but I have to say I didn’t regret it. Seeing how the trolley was maneuvered manually and cruising up and down the steep San Francisco streets was pretty fun, and honestly, I would probably recommend to any bright eyed and bushy tailed tourists.

We waited for a very long time, so naturally pictures of foliage occurred.

8. San Francisco MoMA

Next we spent a little time wandering through SF MoMa, which was a great stop filled with lots of wonderfully odd thought provoking things.

9. Ate lots of sourdough!

An important stop for me was to Boudin Bakery. Maybe if you’re a local you’re shaking your head at how touristy I am, but this bread is g o o d. Also the soup bread bowls are giant, fluffy, crusty, and delicious, and the soup is the exact thing you would want–the most archetypal and perfect of clam chowder and tomato soup.

Plus, they serve the tomato soup with more croutons on top. How delightfully excessive is that?

Jalapeno cheese rounds, anyone?

For those looking to indulge, you could also buy these ridiculously adorable bread animals.

10. the Mission District

We strolled through the alleys of the Mission District, home to plenty of murals, equal parts abstract and socially-minded.

Not pictured here, sadly, is the burrito that we split for breakfast, because SF, and because burritos, and because we could.

11. Lands End Trail

A highlight of the rip was hiking the trail at Lands End. It was a popular Memorial Day weekend activity, but the wide, long paths made for a pleasant loop around the perimeter of the city and spectacular views of the bridge in the distance.

12. Good meals 

I don’t know if it’s because SF is a tech town, or if the locals have particularly high standards, but we were able to have a few great meals despite not having advance reservations to the best dinner spots in town. We went to a few smaller local haunts, where we had delicious burrata and pasta, and the most luscious appetizer of fried pig’s ears and calamari.

Source: https://thewoksoflife.com/2018/09/12-things-to-do-in-sf/

[securepain9-blog]

12 Things to Do in SF

Earlier this year, I headed to San Francisco with my cousin for a little long weekend getaway for Memorial Day. Feeling restless, I didn’t want to spend the long weekend staycationing, so we hopped on a plane and headed west. Here’s a list of 12 things to do in SF. What we saw, did, and, of course, ate!

Living in New York, the city seems to always get held up next to SF. Friends and family seem to waffle back and forth as to which city is better for working/living and where you can find the coolest haunts and the coolest people. I of course, being a life long east coast gal am quick to list out the merits of New York, but I gotta say that for a jaded New Yorker, San Francisco made for one of the best weekend trips I’ve had in a long time.

It’s hard to identify a single reason as to why. There’s the perfect mild weather, a little extra cloud cover (I am a little bit nocturnal), plenty of natural sights to check out close to the city limits, culture, and of course food. But here’s a rundown of everything so you can decide for yourself.

12 Things to Do in SF

1. Do a few quick hikes at Point Reyes National Seashore

Our first order of business was actually to escape the city proper and head out into the wilds––that is, drive about an hour to Point Reyes National Seashore. While the sky was a bit overcast, the cool salty breezes and wildflowers were more than enough to please me.

On hikes, I’m a big believer in stopping to smell the flowers. These small orange and yellow ones were particularly lovely.

We stumbled upon small quiet beaches…

At this beach, there were plenty of pre-arranged driftwood picnic sites where folks had clearly enjoyed grilled oysters.

And lagoons…

2. Frolic on the beach (puppies ideal) 

These three puppas had it lucky, living in houses on the rocky outcroppings above the water. We report that these three dogs in particular were very good boys.

3. Check out Point Reyes Station

Point Reyes Station was a sleepy little sea town, but dotted with boutiques, bookshops, and markets on the way to other national and state parks and recreation areas. We stopped to check out the murals, peruse the local farm stand, and pick up some books.

Sometimes I think the flowers alone are enough reason for me to up and move to the west coast…

4. Oyster Trail  

Oyster Trail is well known by locals as a great place to down tons of fresh oysters for cheap and with views of the ocean while you do it. While a lot of places had a you-shuck model, we opted to sit down at Nick’s Cove, since I’ve sadly not yet sprung for an oyster knife and thought it best to not test my air travel luck with that one.

We started out with a half dozen delicious baked oysters. Just look at those buttery breadcrumbs…! And a little sampling of the house clam chowder, because obviously we cannot turn down clam chowder. It’s basically a law of the universe, and it’s kind of a problem.

Next, there was a wonderfully fresh orange and beet salad, and to be honest, two of the best seafood dishes I’ve ever eaten: stone crab mac n cheese and a kale caesar with avocado, pepperoncinis and the most delicious, meaty boquerones.

Here’s a close up of the mac n cheese because obviously you want to see that.

There were huge lumps of tender crab meat in this mac n cheese and I will show you this less than glamorous shot I took of my plate marveling at this fact. When it comes to seafood, the experts are truly the experts.

The restaurant had a long dock where we stretched our legs after the exertion of the mac n cheese before our next stop…

5. Muir Woods

Muir Woods speaks for itself. The national park is so conveniently located relative to the rest of SF and there are plenty of trails ranging from super easy and paved to a little bit more challenging. We did the convenient long loop that allowed you to see most of the redwoods.

Hilariously, when we ended the loop, we noticed that there were more than a couple of taxis waiting for city dwellers, and heard a few tech bros talking about ill-fated trips wherein they paid a small fortune to be uber-ed to and back from Muir Woods. This bear outside the gift shop isn’t sure how he feels about that.

Believe it or not that was all packed into Day 1 of SF! From Muir Woods we drove back across the Golden Gate and headed back into the city.

6. The harbor seals by Pier 39

The next morning we got an early start and hit Pier 39 to check out the harbor seals. There’s a small visitor’s center where you can learn more about the research being conducted in the area, and how you can have less of an impact on the oceans. I picked up a copy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood guide and took the time to gently shame my friends about single-use plastics.

7. A trolley ride

My cousin and I butted heads on this one because it was an absolute slog to wait in the long lines for the trolley ride, but I have to say I didn’t regret it. Seeing how the trolley was maneuvered manually and cruising up and down the steep San Francisco streets was pretty fun, and honestly, I would probably recommend to any bright eyed and bushy tailed tourists.

We waited for a very long time, so naturally pictures of foliage occurred.

8. San Francisco MoMA

Next we spent a little time wandering through SF MoMa, which was a great stop filled with lots of wonderfully odd thought provoking things.

9. Ate lots of sourdough!

An important stop for me was to Boudin Bakery. Maybe if you’re a local you’re shaking your head at how touristy I am, but this bread is g o o d. Also the soup bread bowls are giant, fluffy, crusty, and delicious, and the soup is the exact thing you would want–the most archetypal and perfect of clam chowder and tomato soup.

Plus, they serve the tomato soup with more croutons on top. How delightfully excessive is that?

Jalapeno cheese rounds, anyone?

For those looking to indulge, you could also buy these ridiculously adorable bread animals.

10. the Mission District

We strolled through the alleys of the Mission District, home to plenty of murals, equal parts abstract and socially-minded.

Not pictured here, sadly, is the burrito that we split for breakfast, because SF, and because burritos, and because we could.

11. Lands End Trail

A highlight of the rip was hiking the trail at Lands End. It was a popular Memorial Day weekend activity, but the wide, long paths made for a pleasant loop around the perimeter of the city and spectacular views of the bridge in the distance.

12. Good meals 

I don’t know if it’s because SF is a tech town, or if the locals have particularly high standards, but we were able to have a few great meals despite not having advance reservations to the best dinner spots in town. We went to a few smaller local haunts, where we had delicious burrata and pasta, and the most luscious appetizer of fried pig’s ears and calamari.

Source: https://thewoksoflife.com/2018/09/12-things-to-do-in-sf/

[ganymedesclock]

We Wayward Stars ch.3

Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Summary: Altean Lance fic. Local alien attends school, argues, makes decisions. Nobody suspects a thing.

           The first thing they do is test him on his shifting. Identify hard limits- and the parts of him that he can’t get rid of. They take pictures of him- normally, and in human morph, from several angles. It’s pretty clear they’re trying not to let him sneak out the same way he did last time, especially because, despite Iverson’s words, his rib continues to heal up rapidly.

           Lance can’t say he’s entirely displeased to be the center of attention. Part of it feels good- like showing off. Pushing himself to eight feet tall in one go and watching their reactions is worth the cramped feeling he nurses the rest of the day.

           But a certain part of it gets tiring. A reminder that basic things are novel and shocking to these people- that he’s the only Altean on this entire planet.

           He works on reading and writing in English. It’s slow going, but cathartic to watch Sam try to struggle his way through writing in Altean. Reading has never been his favorite pastime- especially not now, when there’s an exorbitant amount of sitting in his life and all he wants to do is move.

           Eventually he’s pronounced healthy enough that someone takes him up on requests for sparring. They don’t have gladiator bots here- everything has to be done personally, or with weighted bags. He quickly finds he likes the bags a lot better, both because he can hold back less, and because there’s less of him getting swept off his feet.

           Okay, so, he may have underestimated humans a little. They don’t toss him around nearly as much as he’s used to, but they’re fast. Everything seems to brighten up when he can actually move- he sleeps better, with less nightmares, when he’s actually tired going to bed.

           (They’re still there)

           Another exciting change is clothing.

           The clothes he’d arrived in aren’t salvageable. He figured as much, but it’s different to look at the stained blue and white fabric- a gouge large enough he can put his hand through it in the front, and a smaller exit in the back. The people he talk to are excited about fabric technology, figuring out how it was woven. It’s as if they’re talking through water- the chattering, almost incoherent, and somewhere underneath Lance has settled into a cold place, looking at that opening.

           He has a scar. He’s already seen it enough times to know, but it had still been an ugly surprise the first time the bandages came off. It hadn’t occurred to him there might be more of it on his back than on the front, but he later confirms, in private. Pokes back at his own memories- fuzzy, incoherent. He’d been going into shock. He’d been dying.

           If Blue hadn’t saved him. If the Garrison hadn’t been there.

           He manages to put in some kind of permission in the right place, and they take the old clothes away. Sometime after he isn’t in that room any more he remembers how to breathe again.

           They bring him alternatives- Earth clothing. A few of the shirts have slogans of some kind on them- or symbols he doesn’t have the context to get. Now and then someone snickers about one or the other- there’s one in particular that just reads “I believe” in bulky block print and what looks for all the world like a strange, green distortion of a Gurin’s face with some kind of pancake-shaped hovercraft that he adopts into regular wardrobe just for the fact that people seem to find it either hilarious or exasperating in equal measures. He knows most of the nurses and personnel by name at this point.

           Along with clothes come cosmetics. Earth ones- the first few varieties he reacts strangely to. Altean skin is nothing if not responsive, after all. Most of it, ultimately, doesn’t pan out- but all they really need is a working concealer, and sure enough, they find one.

           Humans don’t have patches of bioluminescent skin under their eyes- and apparently the Garrison is unimpressed by his ingenuity with adhesive bandage strips. Lance’s pride is ruffled- but, at the same time, he’s intrigued- they’ve gone from making sure he can’t get away with passing as human to trying to help him. And he hasn’t forgotten about that something Iverson was going to work out.

           The man himself proves elusive. Apparently, he’s very, very busy- enough that when his proposition actually comes through, it’s delivered by a tall, wavy-haired woman he hasn’t seen before.

           The Garrison, understandably enough, does not want to let go of the Blue Lion. Or him, for that matter (as if he’d just saunter off into the wilds of Earth and leave a Voltron Lion in unknown alien custody, but he keeps that down to just rolling his eyes), but their entire legal system at least tries to be built on a sense of inalienable rights, and without Lance actually being guilty of any crime, they don’t particularly want to keep him like a zoo animal.

           That, and he’s already going pretty stir-crazy, sparring sessions and newfound friends notwithstanding. The fact that this is discussed within view of the relatively new foot-sized hole in that corner of the ceiling isn’t lost on him. Unfortunately, not within range of the intern that had bet him five bucks he couldn’t do it.

           The Galaxy Garrison is not exclusively a military base. It is also- in fact, chiefly- a school. The orange uniforms he ran into on his particular escape attempt were students. He’s the right age, and he’s already had a few people mistake him for a student- this is delivered with a rather pointed look- that they could potentially enroll him in the program as a pilot student. He has what the woman calls relevant experience in the area.

           Lance also calls it relevant experience, and not fooling around with recreational hovercraft in the countryside. In part because that conjures idyllic memories on a planet that’s likely entirely conquered and torn apart by conflict at this point- and he’s gotten very good at not touching that knot of feelings.

           He’ll have to study and pass tests- earn his keep, as it will. In exchange, provided he checks in with the instructors on a semi-regular basis and doesn’t run off into the countryside for months on end- something they apparently do think is a genuine concern- he will have more or less free range of the Garrison campus, and the campus town. He’ll have to take responsibility for keeping himself hidden, in that regard.

           The alternative being sitting around on his butt, he takes it.

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

           “Nope.”

           Lance pauses, his hand still extended. He’s not exactly thrilled about the prospect of roommates either, but, if it comes down to just one, and one the Garrison seemed to imply he’d get along with, it would work- it takes him a moment to place this person in his memory.

           By that time, Hunk has seemingly cued up the rest of his indignation. “No. Nuh-uh. Not happening. I don’t know what your deal is, but the last time I talked to you, I’m pretty sure I got questioned by the FBI. It was the most terrifying thing that ever happened to me, I never wanna do that again, no thanks, goodbye.”

           “You’re not gonna get thrown in jail for talking to me.” He shrugs, giving up on the handshake and moving instead to sling the suitcase containing the sum total of his worldly possessions onto the bed. It’s mostly given clothing, not all of which involving what he now understands is a caricature of supposed aliens.

           “Yeah? How do you know that?”

           “Because this time I’m not breaking out.” Or breaking into, what he now understands was probably some kind of off-limits area.

           A brief, furious, contemplative pause. “I’m holding you to that.”

           “Great.”

           “Seriously, if I do get arrested you’re defending me in court.”

           “That would be pretty hard, seeing as I’m not a U.S. citizen.”

           “Then don’t get me arrested!”

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

           The classes are roughly thirty people to an instructor, sometimes more, sometimes less. It’s entirely unlike the private tutors he’s used to- but he’s perfectly prepared for that. In fact, more prepared than he’s ever been for an academic endeavor in his life, considering he has actually, in fact, read most of the material slash skimmed for relevant details.

           Earth’s grasp of astrophysics is rudimentary compared to the science he’s used to- they don’t even have an understanding of wormhole physics, which means his worst subject is entirely off the curriculum. He’s also a licensed pilot by Altean standards, going into an introductory class- and his written English is decent enough. It can’t keep up with lecturers, but taking notes in Altean solves that easily enough.

           He is prepared for all of these things.

           He is not prepared for Keith.

           In hindsight he would really love to say that he spotted the guy immediately as trouble, but it was actually much more likely, riding the high of the prospect of genuine academic success and newfound freedom, his eyes entirely swept over Keith multiple times.

           It wasn’t hard. He was short, he kept to himself, his voice squeaked a little bit when he raised it to ask a question.

           He also just happened to be one of the top students in every class they shared.

           Resentment was probably unfair. In fact, resentment was almost definitely unfair. Lance was here on a technicality and an agreement, he wasn’t exactly living his life buried in his studies, even when his attention span could last that long slogging through dense textbooks at a frustrating crawl. But he tried.

           And Keith just had to make it look so easy.

           He had to know he was good, too- the guy barely talked to anyone else in class. As soon as the period ended he was en route to somewhere else. Way to say ‘you mere mortals aren’t worth my time’.

           But it seemed almost nobody was. It was hard to catch anyone besides the instructors really talking to Keith with anything in greater substance than “I forgot my calculator, can I borrow yours?”

           And he just kept effortlessly sailing through.

           Yeah, Lance was resenting him for it.

           It wasn’t a rivalry, though.

           Not until they got assigned to a project together.

           Keith was already in the library by the time Lance met him, shooting him nothing more heated than a sidelong glance and a “you’re late.”

           “By what, ten minutes?”

           “Half an hour.”

           He sat down, eyeing the books already strewn on the table between them. “What the heck is that one?”

           Almost as soon as he reached for it, Keith closed it, pushing it to one side. “Fighter manual. Not part of the assignment.”

           “Then why the heck were you reading it?”

           “Different assignment. You were late, remember?”

           “Pssh, yeah, right. What, they put you in fighter pilot classes a year ahead?”

           Keith directed him a slightly vacant look. “…Yeah. Why?”

           Lance almost dropped his book. “You’re kidding.”

           “I’m not?”

           “No, no. You want me to believe, this entire time, you’re taking basic pilot classes and fighter classes, and doing better than me this entire time-”

           Keith’s face flushed abruptly, brows knitting together at a steep angle. “I’m not lying, if that’s what you think.”            “No, you’re just rubbing it in-”

           “You’re the one that brought it up!”

           Like he hadn’t had the book out waiting for Lance to show up. Like this entire time- maybe, maybe he could buy the earlier stuff was some kind of clueless, but this-

           “It doesn’t even matter. It doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

           “You think I’m not fighter material?” Because that’s pretty quiznaking rich coming from a guy whose species hasn’t even left the solar system.

           “You aren’t in the class, are you?”

           The uncomfortably warm something that had been climbing Lance’s throat dropped into a pit of ice somewhere near his stomach.

           Is this just how it is? Is this just how he’s going to spend the rest of his life- staring at someone’s back? Dad, Allura- and now it’s Keith. And he doesn’t have any of the familial warm fuzzies this time telling him it’s for the better.

           “That can change.”

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

           “I think you’re overreacting here.”

           “I’m not!” Lance declares, at a volume that startles a half-awake grad student in the next room, given the various thumping noises and expletives that follow.

           “You’re freaking out here.”

           “Great, paint me green and call me a klanmuirl.”

           Hunk glances up at him, briefly, and then looks back to his book. “Lance, you’re making up words again. That’s definitely evidence you need to chill.”

           “This is serious, Hunk.”

           He turns a page, unimpressed. “Okay, so you got into a fight with a guy and now you want to get into a prestigious training program literally just to spite him.”

           “I didn’t fight him.” If he did, he would’ve won, which would’ve made it feel better.

           An ambivalent wave of one hand. “Okay, you had a yelling match and got kicked out of the library for a while. Just historically, making life decisions because of arguments is not the best idea.”

           Lance rolls over onto his side, directing a look that’s probably more pout than glare at Hunk’s back. “Are you gonna help me with this or not?”

           “Obviously? I’m just saying, sleep on it before you go hassle administrations at eight thirty at night.” He stifled a yawn, repurposing the raised hand to rub at his eyes. “And talking about studying, I’ve got three different tests tomorrow and one’s in first period, so…”

           They linger for a while in silence before someone knocks on the door.

           It’s the kind of knock that is not entirely sold on whether it actually wants to achieve its intended purpose.

           Lance and Hunk exchange a look. They both know what this is probably about- though Lance doesn’t entirely appreciate the thread of “I told you so” in Hunk’s. He avoids it by rolling off the bed onto the floor and heading for the door himself.

           Keith looks about as surprised to be confronted by Lance in his PJs as Lance does to find Keith awkwardly hovering outside of his room. In a moment where neither of them are entirely sold on what to say, Lance realizes that Keith’s uniform is probably a size or so too big on him- the guy is a toothpick in khaki shorts.

           “…What are you wearing?” Keith manages after a second.

           It is, in fact, a glow-in-the-dark “alien” t-shirt and the comfiest thing Lance owns at present but he was more moping in the general direction of bed than actually going to bed, and he’s more than aware this isn’t his most flattering angle- hair down, he’d taken his contacts out, but he’s entirely past worrying about someone taking issue with the flash of pink in his pupil, least of all Keith.

           “It’s like ten minutes to lights out. Why are you here?”

           This seems to rekindle some of his sense of purpose, at least enough that he looks more like the Keith Lance is used to seeing, and less like a lost puppy. “We- I- …Look. I wanted to apologize, all right?”

           Lance blinks.

           Keith glances at his face and then finds something very interesting to his left to stare at.

           Hunk, who was leaning over the back of his chair, falls over, and rapidly has to pretend he wasn’t just eavesdropping.

           The silence is very nearly hitting critical awkward thresholds, and the faint, discordant sounds of Hunk picking his chair back up and straightening the desk aren’t cutting it. He has to say something. “Yeah, well-”

           His eyes land on something. A dark shape, sticking out from Keith’s hip, and with his mouth already going, before he can even think it through- “What’s that?”

           Brows furrow- for a moment, Lance worries he’s struck a nerve. But then Keith traces his eyes to the shape. “Oh, it’s- …just kind of something I’ve had for a while.”

           It looks like a hilt. “Garrison lets you keep a sword?”

           “It’s not a sword, it’s kind of…” He unlatches it from his belt, holds it forward, scabbard and all- the reason why is rapidly apparent because not one, but two different zip-ties are securing it in place.

           It’s mostly silvery metal, the pommel darker- a short crossguard, thickly wrapped from what he can see protruding beyond the hilt. There’s a subtle iridescence to the metal- he’s no expert, but the way it looks like it fits together…

           A chill crawls up his spine.

           “Where did you get this?”

           Something in his tone must’ve come out sharper than he meant it to. Keith is directing him a confused look- behind him, he can feel Hunk staring.

           The first warning for lights out chimes across the intercom, making both of them jump. In an instant, Lance remembers- Garrison. This is the Garrison. This is Earth.

           “Right. Okay, uh, looks like you should go, sorry for yelling at you in a library and comparing you to my sister, great talk, see you tomorrow for that assignment okay goodnight,” and the door is closed before Keith can get a word in edgewise.

           He puts his back to the door, leaning against it for a moment before sliding down to sit on the tiles. After a moment, he can hear retreating footsteps.

           Silence.

           “You never said you had a sister.”

           “Hunk, don’t start.” He gets up and heads towards the bathroom- after all, they don’t have much time before lights out and he has an evening skin-care routine to start that doesn’t  care about weird classmates and their weird knives.

           He scrubs off the concealer, staring at his reflection a moment, the patches under his eyes glimmering dully.

           He really doesn’t want to think about what that means. It’s probably nothing. He’s probably wrong.

           But he can’t shake the feeling that thing wasn’t made on Earth.

           After a moment, he shakes his head.

           Who is he kidding? It’s a knife. This is Earth. Worst come to absolute worst it fell off a satellite, or ages ago somebody else crashed here and didn’t make it. Even pre-contact cultures are never untouched, even a planet like this that’s relatively out in the middle of nowhere…

           Hunk’s right. He needs to go to bed.

[oxmarble28-blog]

12 Things to Do in SF

Earlier this year, I headed to San Francisco with my cousin for a little long weekend getaway for Memorial Day. Feeling restless, I didn’t want to spend the long weekend staycationing, so we hopped on a plane and headed west. Here’s a list of 12 things to do in SF. What we saw, did, and, of course, ate!

Living in New York, the city seems to always get held up next to SF. Friends and family seem to waffle back and forth as to which city is better for working/living and where you can find the coolest haunts and the coolest people. I of course, being a life long east coast gal am quick to list out the merits of New York, but I gotta say that for a jaded New Yorker, San Francisco made for one of the best weekend trips I’ve had in a long time.

It’s hard to identify a single reason as to why. There’s the perfect mild weather, a little extra cloud cover (I am a little bit nocturnal), plenty of natural sights to check out close to the city limits, culture, and of course food. But here’s a rundown of everything so you can decide for yourself.

12 Things to Do in SF

1. Do a few quick hikes at Point Reyes National Seashore

Our first order of business was actually to escape the city proper and head out into the wilds––that is, drive about an hour to Point Reyes National Seashore. While the sky was a bit overcast, the cool salty breezes and wildflowers were more than enough to please me.

On hikes, I’m a big believer in stopping to smell the flowers. These small orange and yellow ones were particularly lovely.

We stumbled upon small quiet beaches…

At this beach, there were plenty of pre-arranged driftwood picnic sites where folks had clearly enjoyed grilled oysters.

And lagoons…

2. Frolic on the beach (puppies ideal) 

These three puppas had it lucky, living in houses on the rocky outcroppings above the water. We report that these three dogs in particular were very good boys.

3. Check out Point Reyes Station

Point Reyes Station was a sleepy little sea town, but dotted with boutiques, bookshops, and markets on the way to other national and state parks and recreation areas. We stopped to check out the murals, peruse the local farm stand, and pick up some books.

Sometimes I think the flowers alone are enough reason for me to up and move to the west coast…

4. Oyster Trail  

Oyster Trail is well known by locals as a great place to down tons of fresh oysters for cheap and with views of the ocean while you do it. While a lot of places had a you-shuck model, we opted to sit down at Nick’s Cove, since I’ve sadly not yet sprung for an oyster knife and thought it best to not test my air travel luck with that one.

We started out with a half dozen delicious baked oysters. Just look at those buttery breadcrumbs…! And a little sampling of the house clam chowder, because obviously we cannot turn down clam chowder. It’s basically a law of the universe, and it’s kind of a problem.

Next, there was a wonderfully fresh orange and beet salad, and to be honest, two of the best seafood dishes I’ve ever eaten: stone crab mac n cheese and a kale caesar with avocado, pepperoncinis and the most delicious, meaty boquerones.

Here’s a close up of the mac n cheese because obviously you want to see that.

There were huge lumps of tender crab meat in this mac n cheese and I will show you this less than glamorous shot I took of my plate marveling at this fact. When it comes to seafood, the experts are truly the experts.

The restaurant had a long dock where we stretched our legs after the exertion of the mac n cheese before our next stop…

5. Muir Woods

Muir Woods speaks for itself. The national park is so conveniently located relative to the rest of SF and there are plenty of trails ranging from super easy and paved to a little bit more challenging. We did the convenient long loop that allowed you to see most of the redwoods.

Hilariously, when we ended the loop, we noticed that there were more than a couple of taxis waiting for city dwellers, and heard a few tech bros talking about ill-fated trips wherein they paid a small fortune to be uber-ed to and back from Muir Woods. This bear outside the gift shop isn’t sure how he feels about that.

Believe it or not that was all packed into Day 1 of SF! From Muir Woods we drove back across the Golden Gate and headed back into the city.

6. The harbor seals by Pier 39

The next morning we got an early start and hit Pier 39 to check out the harbor seals. There’s a small visitor’s center where you can learn more about the research being conducted in the area, and how you can have less of an impact on the oceans. I picked up a copy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood guide and took the time to gently shame my friends about single-use plastics.

7. A trolley ride

My cousin and I butted heads on this one because it was an absolute slog to wait in the long lines for the trolley ride, but I have to say I didn’t regret it. Seeing how the trolley was maneuvered manually and cruising up and down the steep San Francisco streets was pretty fun, and honestly, I would probably recommend to any bright eyed and bushy tailed tourists.

We waited for a very long time, so naturally pictures of foliage occurred.

8. San Francisco MoMA

Next we spent a little time wandering through SF MoMa, which was a great stop filled with lots of wonderfully odd thought provoking things.

9. Ate lots of sourdough!

An important stop for me was to Boudin Bakery. Maybe if you’re a local you’re shaking your head at how touristy I am, but this bread is g o o d. Also the soup bread bowls are giant, fluffy, crusty, and delicious, and the soup is the exact thing you would want–the most archetypal and perfect of clam chowder and tomato soup.

Plus, they serve the tomato soup with more croutons on top. How delightfully excessive is that?

Jalapeno cheese rounds, anyone?

For those looking to indulge, you could also buy these ridiculously adorable bread animals.

10. the Mission District

We strolled through the alleys of the Mission District, home to plenty of murals, equal parts abstract and socially-minded.

Not pictured here, sadly, is the burrito that we split for breakfast, because SF, and because burritos, and because we could.

11. Lands End Trail

A highlight of the rip was hiking the trail at Lands End. It was a popular Memorial Day weekend activity, but the wide, long paths made for a pleasant loop around the perimeter of the city and spectacular views of the bridge in the distance.

12. Good meals 

I don’t know if it’s because SF is a tech town, or if the locals have particularly high standards, but we were able to have a few great meals despite not having advance reservations to the best dinner spots in town. We went to a few smaller local haunts, where we had delicious burrata and pasta, and the most luscious appetizer of fried pig’s ears and calamari.

Source: https://thewoksoflife.com/2018/09/12-things-to-do-in-sf/