#jaunting cart

[billdenbrough]

SO EASY TO WANT

aftg · kevaaron · 3.2k, t the son of exy is just a boy in the end, wanting things he’s not sure he can have. art by @naturecalls111

��What’s it?” Aaron asks, voice rough, eyes guarded. He’s so untrusting, even right now, even right here, but maybe that’s the only way you make it to twenty-two when you’re Aaron Minyard. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Part of Kevin doesn’t want to say. He’s settled for being second-best a lot of his life, but he’s never really not been wanted. There’s a chance now that, if he says it, he’ll have to find out what that’s like. But more of Kevin is thinking about Aaron that day in the supermarket carpark. They’d taken Kevin’s Jeep, the one he finally bought when it became clear Andrew and Neil’s little road trip jaunts weren’t stopping any time soon and Allison threw a hairbrush at his head when he tried to permanently borrow Abby’s. Aaron had asked Kevin if he’d ever done it—no, obviously—and then hopped into the shopping cart, saying, All right, now you push. Kevin had looked at him incredulously, so Aaron had rolled his eyes, saying, God, don’t be such a priss. Push. Push! So Kevin had, and Aaron had whooped, clutching the edges of the cart as they picked up speed. Even when it had ended predictably—cart knocked over, Aaron sprawled across the ground, sporting a couple of scrapes from the grubby tarmac—Aaron had looked so – so young. Free and amused and like any twenty-something. Like he was just a boy, and maybe Kevin was too.

read on ao3

[ryotarox]

日本語では一つの名前で表されるのに英語だと二種類以上あるもの

[B! 増田] 日本語では一つの名前で表されるのに英語だと二種類以上あるもの

たとえばつぎのようなもの、というお題。

亀 - Turtle (海亀）、tortoise (陸亀） ワニ - Alligator, Crocodile

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はてなブックマークがトリビアの披露大会になっていて、知識が集まってる。 逆パターンも 「英語では一つの名前で表されるのに日本語だと二種類以上あるもの」

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日本語では一つの名前で表されるのに英語だと二種類以上あるもの

聞く：hear, listen　 見る：see, look, watch 海：sea, ocean, waters, marine（海の） 仮説：hypothesis, assumption 罪：crime, sin （「罪と罰」の罪は以外なことにcrimeのほう ＊）

英語では一つの名前で表されるのに日本語だと二種類以上あるもの

Museum：美術館、博物館 Requirement：要件、要求 Space：空間、宇宙

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「総称だけ存在して、細かな違いを呼び分けない」ものと、「総称は無いが、個々の細かな呼び分けだけある」ものに分けられるかも。 総称：亀 ／ 個々に：Turtle (海亀）、tortoise (陸亀） 総称：皿 ／ 個々に：dish、plate、saucer 総称：brother ／ 個々に：兄、弟

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秋のAutumnとFallのパターンは、意味もニュアンスも同じで、言い方が違うだけかな。 Fallが「秋」「落下」の２つの意味。

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仕事（taskとworkとjob）

槍：スピア、ランス、ジャベリン、トライデント。/悪魔：デビル、デーモン

managementもadministrationも（場合によってはcontrolも）「管理」、featureもfunctionalityも「機能」

一番有名なのはネズミ（mouse, rat）だと思ってた。他にもphantom/ghost、coast/beach、house/home、college/university、space/universe、earth/globeとか。厳密には意味が違うんだろうけど。

カラスのravenとcrow。

好き（loveとlike）／時計（clockとwatch）／サイン（sign、signatureとautograph）

言語とその話者の世界観が相関することは言語的相対論と呼ばれる。国がcountry, nation, stateに分かれるのは島国と多民族大陸国との違い。https://gijodai.jp/library/file/kiyo2011/yoshitaka_sato.pdf

ApeとMonkey

AlligatorとCrocodileの違いは、口を閉じたときに下の歯が見えるかだって伊豆で習った。

ちょっと違うが、"将来に対する希望"と、"睡眠中の幻覚体験"を日本語でも英語でも「夢　dream」という一語で表現するのは全くもってピンと来ない。

麦は日本語でも大麦・小麦・ライ麦・エン麦は区別はしてるけど、英語ではbarley wheat rye oatで「麦」に対応する単語がないのよね

アプリ開発で Apple の審査担当とやり取りする際「修正」の言い方が複数あって fix, correct, modify, revise, alter などを使い分けてくるので毎回意図を汲みとれてるか不安になる。（ま��日本語にも修正の類語いっぱいあるけど）

「毒」 poison / venom / toxin

romanceとnovel。romanceは通常騎士道物語など物語と訳されるのだけど、小説と訳されているときもある。

CollegeとUniversity

試験： 学力・知識を問う→examination,quiz,test　評価や実験→experiment　試みる→trial▼ただ「試験」で纏められるだけで日本語でも「考査」「実験」「試行」と分けて書くこともできるが。

自由(Liberty,Freedom)。契約などの法律上のやり取りが単語を増やした気もする。

紫→purple,violet

夫、旦那、亭主、主人→husband

足の指(toe)もfinger じゃない

日本語において、髭は全て「髭」で、生えてる箇所を限定する場合は「顎髭」や「頬髭」などと熟語で表現するが、英語ではそれぞれの箇所に単語がある。

リス：squirrel、chipmunk

馬車がとてもややこしくて面倒くさい　／ 辻馬車 cab, hansom 荷馬車 (horse)cart, wagon, (horse-drawn)carriage, horse and buggy 駅馬車 stagecoach 二輪馬車 curricle, tilbury ,jaunting car ,jinker　馬二輪戦車　chariot　まだまだいっぱい…

今話題のsexとgender

政治家　politician / statesman たまご　egg / spawn / roe ちなみに逆もあってegg 卵 / 玉子

この手の単語なら調理法が多い。アメリカは焼く文化だ。肉、パン、物で違う（Grill、Bread、Burn、BBQなんてのも）一方��日本は煮る文化だ。煮る、茹でる、炊く、煮込む。英語はBoil、あるいは残り全てはCookだ。

おじさんとおばさん、日本語でもこだわりがある場合には年上か年下で漢字が違うらしい。中国語では母方と父方で別の名前になる。

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知里真志保によれば、大和民族が川の始まりと考える「みなもと（源）」をアイヌ語では「川の終り」と言うのだという。つまりアイヌは川を海の方から見ているのだと。

コメントで日本語は部位に依らず「髭」だけってあるけど、いちおう漢字だと「髭（くちひげ）」と「鬚（あごひげ）」と「髯（ほおひげ）」で使い分けられる。発音はぜん��「ヒゲ」だけど……

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言語学で言うところの有標と無標も関係してそう。 作家：男女問わず作家の全般、女流作家：作家の中で女性の場合

標識 (言語学) - Wikipedia

英語のlionは雄雌どちらのライオンも表すが、lionessは雌だけである。前者が無標で後者が有標である。

　

[anitabighug]

❥ A Perfect Experiment : Wally x Reader (She/Her Pronouns, Named) ✿

Chapter Masterpost: [  ♡   ♡    ♡ ] Chapter Three; The Big Sleepover [ CONTENT WARNING : Allusions to abuse, overstimulation, big feelings ] ●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●

You’re staring at the ceiling. The room is dark and claustrophobic, and you can’t shake the aching from your body. Your jaw throbs, and you feel heat emanating from bits and pieces of your arms and calves. This jaunt will leave marks, of that you’re certain. You hear stomping around past the door, a shadow moving through the light underneath, and hold your breath. You hope the bogeyman will forget about you if you just don’t make a peep. He’ll wander out, find another home to haunt, and leave you in peace. Deep down, you know he won’t, and it's only a matter of time before he finds another reason to be angry. Only a matter of time before his thirst returns, and it clouds his brain and makes him even meaner. Your heart aches more than anything, and tears sting at your eyes, threatening to drop at any moment. You try to sniff away the drip from your nose. The banging stops, and so does your heart. ●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・● Sweat pools on your felted body, and your pillow is stained with tears. You’d tossed and turned so much that you were practically a blanket cocoon at this point. No matter how hard you tried, though… You just couldn’t remember what had happened in your dream to scare you so. The only even mildly disturbing thing in your whole world was the grey clouds outside, threatening the neighbourhood with a good time. … You just couldn’t bring yourself to get out of bed. Your tummy growled in protest, but you ignored it. Whatever it was, you just couldn’t shake it, and determined that today would be a big sad in bed day. Yep. Every one of your pillows needed a good snuggle, and nothing could change your mind on that. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! … KNOCK KNOCK!!!! Ugh. Who could even be here at this hour, it was only–... Only 3 PM. It takes another shave and haircut to bring you to your senses, and you throw a robe over your pajamas, scurrying downstairs to answer the door. “Hello, Neighbour– Whoa!!” The smile was wiped off of Sally’s face quite quickly when she saw you open your door. You give her the warmest smile you can muster, pushing your tire and worries down deep into your stomach, and greet her, asking what you can do for her. There isn’t even a chance for you to react before she has your face in her hands, rolling it from side to side to look you over. She feels your head and, satisfied with your lack of fever, returns to squishing your chubby cheeks. “You look downright bummed out!!! What's got you in such a downer?”

“Oh, Sally honey, it's nothing!! I just didn’t get much sleep. I must’ve had a bad dream, is all! I’m fine!” You manage out through the rubbing of your cheeks. She pulls you into a hug, and you have to admit, it really does make you feel quite better. “I’ve been having a few of them lately, I was going to see if I could catch up when–... Well.” You laugh a little against her collarbone, and she shoves you back, taking a look at you fully once more. She seems to realise that she interrupted you, but… Something in that look in her eyes worries you. “Um… Was there something I could help you with, Neighbour?” You wonder nervously. “What? Oh, no, I just remembered the perfect cure for bad dreams is all!” Sally explains, and you perk up. A magic cure for bad dreams? It seems like you’d be better to ask about that than Sally of all people, but despite wracking your brain, you’re coming up with nothing. Just what was she talking about…? ●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・● “A…. Sleepover?” You’re completely flabbergasted. One moment, Sally was zooming off without a word, and the next she had carted half of the town into your living room. “Yeah!!! Girls night!!!” Sally threw her hands in the air in glee as your friends had already started to make themselves at home and snoop around in your home. Poppy had gone upstairs to fetch bedding for everyone to get comfy in your living room, returning quickly with almost all of your stash in her huge arms. Julie was picking through your records, settling on a rock album to jam out to, and swinging her giant hair back and forth to show her enjoyment. Frank– who was joining girls night for some unknown reason– had started to pop some corn on your stove, and you thanked goodness that at least it was him that was messing with your kitchen supplies. Sally finally turned her gaze from her hard work and took a look at you, and her smile faltered. “W–... Do you not like it?” She asked, her voice dropping to a hush and her hand tugging on your sleeve gently. “What? Oh, oh no! Its lovely!! I’m so glad to have you all over!” You shove your unease deep inside. Your tummy is flip-flopping under your dress. You ignore it, you can manage. Your friends were so kind as to come over, after all! Isn’t this what you wanted…? “Its… Uh… Its…” You scramble to find the right word. Oh, what would Sally say? Um… “Its… Groovy!!” Sally stares at you for a beat, before her smile returns to her face, and your shoulders finally relax. You’re thankful she doesn’t press further, instead heading over to the other guests to chit-chat. You take this brief lull in activity to join Frank in the kitchen, and dig through your cupboard until you find the perfect snacks for your friends. You set the ingredients on the counter, and get a knowing nod from Frank when you scooch up next to him, flicking on the burner and roasting a marshmallow over the open flame. ●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・● “Alright, kiddos!” Sally pulls Julie and Poppy in close for a meeting, peeking over her shoulder to make sure that you’re distracted on snack duty. “We’ve gotta brainstorm here, our newest friend is feelin’ mad bummed, and golly, we gotta do something about it!!!” She squeezes the girls closer. “Gosh! Mad bummed, you say?” Poppy raises a wing to her beak in shock, and looks over her shoulder as well, “W-what should we do? Should we leave? Are we making it worse…? Should we–” “Chill out, Silly bird!” Sally laughs, “Yeah! Calm down, Poppy! All we need to do is cheer her up, easy peasy! And I happen to be THE BEST at cheering up!” Julie points her thumb hard into her chest to emphasise her point, the other girls ooh-ing in response. You finish the last s’more just in time to have your arm yanked, and the rest of your body dragging behind. You find yourself back in your living room, plopped down on to a cushion in your conversation pit. Frank sets the snacks down on the coffee table, and upon hearing Julie breathe in deeply, slaps his hands over his ears with a panic in his eyes you’ve yet to see from him.You soon find out why. “MAKEOVERS!!!!!!!!!!” Julie screeches almost directly above your head, and it takes a moment or so for your ears to stop ringing. Poppy is clapping and bouncing up and down, telling her friend what an excellent idea that was! A nice, safe activity! You don’t really have time to react before the girls are poking and prodding and pouffing. The pit in your stomach is getting deeper. The only thing you can do to stay calm is stare directly forwards, which suits Julie just fine as she rolls your hair into steam curlers. Poppy applies some blush to your cheeks. You hold back a cough. Sally has run upstairs to go through your closet. Frank stares at the carnage with his sourpuss frown, tossing popcorn into his mouth occasionally. This chaos continues, Sally pushing a froofy dress over your head, taking no care around Julie’s delicately placed curlers as they fall to the floor. The two of them argue above you, each trying to get their turn forcefully. Poppy looks back, and forth, with each banter, only to stammer out a soft, “Oh, dear… The makeup, it really clashes with that dress…”

The argument engulfs her at this point, and the trio around you keep making terrible points. Your dress itches. Your pores feel clogged. You’re so sick of people touching you. Everything is so loud, and you can’t wrap your head around any one person’s words, and the makeup is so cakey and smelly and… and… and… hic. The argument stops instantly. Everyone in the room slowly turns to look down at you. Your lip is trembling, and the mascara that had been so delicately applied is now running down your face. They start to move towards you, and your hands shoot up to hide your eyes. You’re apologising. Oh, you were trying so hard, and you just wanted everyone to be happy, and you’re ruining it, please don’t look at me, i’m sorry. I’m so… i’m so sorry… You feel soft feathers on your hands… Someone is removing the curlers from your hair. Someone else has unbuttoned the dress, and is slipping it off, returning you to the clothes you’d had on underneath. You’re lifted up, gently, and set on Poppy’s lap as she shushes you. You move your hands from your eyes. She has you tucked delicately under her wing. The music is turned down. The lights are dimmed… “Hey… Daisy?” You hear Sally’s voice from the other side of Poppy’s wing. You can see the denim of her pants kneeling beside the two of you. You think you respond. You can’t quite tell. “I’m awfully sorry. I should’ve asked. We… We all should’ve asked. For everything. I should’ve asked you what was wrong. I should’ve asked if I could touch you… I should’ve asked if I could invite everyone over…” “... Can you forgive us?” Julie’s voice is shaky. It takes a few beats for this apology to properly register with you. “She's nodding.” Poppy relayed, and you heard a collective sigh of relief from the room. “I think what our friend needs most is some peace and quiet.” Frank finally spoke up, to which the others agreed. The remaining group set to work making beds for everyone, luckily there were plenty of blankets, and plenty of room in the pit for the group. They set up a blanket nest for Poppy, and after transferring over, wrapped you up in a thick blanket burrito, letting you settle in with your head on Poppy’s lap before they laid down themselves. 

Frank took a blanket to lay down in your armchair, legs sprawled out across the ottoman. Sally piled up some blankets and pulled her favourite snugglebug, Julie, into the crook of her neck. With lights dimmed, and a good cry out of the way, your eyelids feel heavy. It was easier now, to relax, as you heard the soft conversation from the room. No one was mad at you, and despite the disaster your first sleepover turned out to be… They stayed. They really stayed. “Aw, come on, theres gotta be some juicy secrets between us! We can’t possibly know everything!” Sally whined under her breath. You laugh in reply. “Nope. None at all,” Frank responds curtly, “Honesty is the best policy, after all.” “I know Frank’s secret,” You can hear the grin on Julie’s face even if you can’t see it. Frank’s eyes shoot open, his grey felt flushed with purple, “You do not! I mean, there isn’t one to tell!” His voice was surprisingly shrill at this. Another laugh escaped you. Poppy’s soft feathers are stroking your head… Its so hard to stay awake… “He liiiiiikes someone! In fact! He liiikes–” “I like no one!!!!” He insists, face even brighter than before. “Aw, don’t worry! Here, I’ll tell you who I like! I–” “Sally, you are actively dating Julie. I do not think this is a fair trade.” Frank huffs, and the room breaks out into soft laughs. “Do you like anyone, Daisy?” Poppy asks under her breath, leaning down close as the three of them continue their quiet bickering. “Mmm… Maybe… But he doesn’t like me… After all… He’s the most…” Is what you manage to mumble as you drift off into a dreamless slumber.

[kaiasky]

alright so we're tasting the corn starch, as folks are wont to do. and its yuckynasty, and we really wish we had some water, right.

oh no problem, i say, it looks like theres a corner store right over there! ill go grab a bottle or two. and before anyone can protest, off i go! store time! store time!

but dear listener. this was no ordinary store. for u see, the inoffensively-named "dashmart" may have conjured images of a grab-and-go convenience store, when i arrived it quickly became clear what this was. which was that this was a ghost-kitchen-style pickup location for doordash delivery service grocery shopping. it is immediately clear this is a disaster because the delivery drivers are having to present their phone for pickup, get handed some bags, step aside and fiddle with their phones, then present them again, get a new bag, over and over.

i awkwardly sidle up to the window, point at the water bottles that i can see in the shelves behind the man at the pickup counter. "I know this is like, an app thing, but is there any chance I can just give you a $5 and buy a couple water bottles?" i know even before I ask the question that the answer will be no. of course not. i am at the inconvenience store.

fucking FINE, i will download your stupid fucking app. and make an account, and forgot-my-password, and paste the code into the code paster thing. hey wait why

the spinner boxes on the code inputs block the boxes. on the phone it is impossible to enter the code. you cant even see half of the number that you input.

fucking FINE. maybe the app is out of date. i promised it would be a quick jaunt and ive been gone 10 minutes by now. do i text these new friends "hello. this store is evil. i have not forgotten about you. i will return as soon as i can"? or is that weird. updating app. oh hey it works now, it's letting me input the new code. WRONG. "ERROR DETECTED: <some hex string>".

fucking god dammit. i can see the water bottle. i am holding a crisp fiver. which can be, exchanged, for goods. and services. fuck this shit. fuck everything that tech has ever touched. there is a water bottle 10 ft from where I stand and a man who would like to give it to me and neither of us can do this because some chucklefucks in silicon valley couldn't do javascript good.

i bottle up this annoyance. i rap on the window, hi hello i cannot seem to get the app or website to work. i know this is silly but. if i give you $5, can you order me two water bottles on the app,?

uhhh, the man says. there's a service fee, and also I'm not sure, I might get in trouble for accepting cash, just check your email and see if you got a code, or...

FUCK this shit, i realize. there is a Real Ass Gronchry Store naught but 4 blocks away. that will have real things like "shopping carts" and "checkout lines, or perhaps self checkout". if i had not bothered with your fucking APP i would be back at the park by now. ridiculous.

[chartmyfixations]

cris watches dr. who: s01e08 - "Father's Day"

"I did it again. I picked another stupid ape."

Doctor, letting your companion visit the moment her dad died in a tragic accident is asking for trouble, you have got to realize that, rigth? You know how emotions work, if sometimes only laterally

Okay that filter hurts my eyes

The way that hit and run is shot is straight out of a trashy daytime opera. I can forgive the zeroes CGI, but this is just... bad

"Can we try again?" NOOO! Doctor, why would you agree to this. She might be a stupid ape but you're an equally stupid ape for not seeing this coming

Bad Wolf on the Atomic Energy poster! Drink!

Rose's dad is giving me Hey, It's That Guy-vibes, but I keep being wrong. He is not Arthur Weasley, nor is he John Dee (from The Sandman)

"For once you're not the most important man in my life!" That's the kind of angry thing you shout at a husband of ten years, not your tenuous non!boyfriend of a few time adventurous jaunts, Rose

Rose's smile when the Doctor returns after saying he'll leave her - that girl has it baaad

Is there a direct correlation between how messy Rose's hair is and how much of a mess she makes in the episode?

Look, the creatures look a little like The Mist (the bargain bin edition), but they're too badly rendered to be scary. The lost shoes and overturned carts are a lot more haunting - like when Cell attacks that city and leaves only clothes in his wake

The logic in this episode is a little shaky: why does this cause a Time Wound but not, say, Rose's romp with Charles Dickens? Is it because there's two Roses at the same time? But isn't the grandfather clause always in full effect? I know I shouldn't look too hard at the logic of time travel in this show, but this very episode specifically makes a point of it

When Rose tells her dad about what a great dad he is, she knows he's slated to die anyway, doesn't she?

Rose's mom is a menace, but her hair is absolutely fabulous

3 out of 8 Tardes. This episode is the first misstep: it doesn't quite click and either I don't get it, or the time travelling here doesn't quite follow the internal logic of the show

[theirishaesthete]

A Momentary Lull

Particularly at this time of year, it is hard to catch a picture of Ross Castle, County Kerry without the inclusion of milling crowds since every car, coach and jaunting cart in the area visits the place. Located on the shore of Lough Leane, the castle is a 15th century tower house and keep originally constructed for the the O’Donoghues Mór. It passed to the McCarthys in the 1580s and thence to…

[thommi-tomate]

Ralf Fährmann on the incident with Manu on the golf course:

Manuel Neuer and I once borrowed a golf cart without asking, we drove around the hotel grounds a bit but hit a pillar

We wanted to simply return the golf cart after our jaunt, but noticed on the way to the hotel that it was driving strangely

That's when we realized that the axle was broken - and that there was a rubber track from the pillar across the site because the axle was standing crosswise.

I was the younger one, Manu took it all on himself. I was lucky

[monstersandmaw]

Hi, I hope your trip is going well! I wanted to ask, what kind of body does Pumpkin have? Is he as tall and buff or burly as some of his riding mates, or more lean? Regardless, he seems like he'd give the best, most energetic hugs.

Yeah, my little jaunt up to London for the evening on Thursday was fun, but we got caught in a torrential thunderstorm and I spent the whole evening with soggy clothes 🤣.

Pumpkin is lean, and shorter than the others (except Pickle, who is under 5ft) but he’s not skinny. He’s kind of wiry I guess. He’s very energetic, always moving, tapping, dancing, goofing around, is very quick to give hugs or touch to convey comfort or camaraderie. He’s big on touch, but understands that not everyone enjoys it. (Pixie, for example, isn’t great with people touching her, even her friends except Coco who basically has carte blanche to do as she pleases with Pixie).

Thanks for asking!! I’m currently completely obsessed with this lot, and Tepes’ story is nearly 5k words long now. A good chunk of it features the squad and their antics and interactions too, so they’re all on my mind!! 🏍️.

[arithecreatorsstuff]

Bad Ideas and Good Alcohol

Rabbit has a bad day, decides to get drunk with her older brother, and things get out of hand. Turns out... Abel is a giggly drunk. No one dies (outside of a videogame), and Iris has to be the adult for once.

After nearly getting my head bit off by 682, I feel the need to blow off some steam. I've got a bottle of good Japanese whiskey, two glasses... and a bad idea. Wonder if Big Brother Abel would like a drink. I hope so, I hate drinking alone. I stop by the AV department, pick up a TV cart, and add Clef's borrowed Xbox. Whiskey and fighting games, two great things that go great together, right? Only tonight, it's a little jaunt on the Ishimura I have planned. I reach Abel's quarters, and knock.

"Hi Big Brother! I had a bad day. Wanna have a few drinks and slay some undead stabby things? I'll even send out for pizza."

"You had me at 'pizza', Little Sister." I come in, set everything up, and fire up the game. Huh. Didn't think he'd be a fan of space survival horror, but five minutes in, and he's hooked. And, swearing at the Necromorphs like a true gamer.

"You (untranslatable) little shit, I shot you! How dare you not die!"

"This 'flamethrower', I like it. I want one now." I pour the drinks, hand him a glass.

"Whiskey? Haven't had whiskey since the last time I was in Ireland." He downs it in one gulp. "That is good." I pour him another. And... he gets swarmed in game by exploding infants. "Oh. I was felled by children?" Mad giggling. "I was blown to bits by a possessed baby. I should not find that so amusing, yet I do."

I'm sipping my drink, guiding him through the wreck of a planet cracker. He has an encounter with Isaac's sort-of imaginary ex-girlfriend, and nearly drops the controller. He starts laughing.

"That did scare me, a bit." He chugs his drink. "But now... I crave pizza."

"Wouldn't eat just yet, we still have the Leviathan to get through." Still, I place the order. Two supreme pizzas, extra peppers and sausage. We go back to the game for a while.

"Those 'weezers' sound like a few of the new recruits after running drills. I can shoot them, yes?"

"The recruits or the weezers?" After a while with Abel, you had to ask this kind of question.

"The weezers, of course."

"Yeah, you need to to weaken the giant space butthole enough to kill it."

"Giant space butthole?"

"The Leviathan. It's a rather... apt description."

"Are you sure they did not just place Dr. Bright in the game?"

"Nah, Dr. Bright is a small butthole compared to that thing."

He comes to the Leviathan fight. And nearly falls over laughing.

"Giant space butthole! It really is a giant space butthole. And it's shooting (untranslatable) at me? How is this supposed to be frightening?"

At this point... our pizzas are here, along with Iris. She sets the food down, and checks out what we're doing.

"Dead Space? Bad day, Sis?" I nod. I pour myself another whiskey, offer the bottle to Abel. He shakes his head. He's too intent on the fight.

"You know... Command is gonna have a fit about you two getting blotto on site."

"Meh. What are they gonna do? Put me on Keter Duty? Besides... turns out Abel gets silly when drunk. You going to deny us one of our few ways to blow off steam?"

"Rabbit, the last time you did something like this, you stalked Dr. Clef for a week in a bloodstained pink bunny suit. O5 wanted to throw you in with 106 for that."

"Would you rather have us play one of Big Brother's favorite games, Hunt the Bright? Better to have him doing this, I say."

"Grr. Fine. Just... keep him away from Bright. And... I want a cut." Iris helps herself to a slice, and sets down next to us. "Abel, throw the barrel at the giant butthole, then shoot it." He does. "Nice. You got this, Big Brother."

[sonnypower1]

Find the 72V Golf Cart Batteries

Ascend to the zenith of golfing grandeur as your trusty golf cart undergoes a metaphysical metamorphosis, replete with 72V Golf Cart Batteries of sheer unadulterated power. Behold our high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, the Olympian elixir of extended jaunts and boundless merriment across the sprawling tapestry of the golfing cosmos. Bid a fond farewell to the vexations of perpetual recharges, and in salutation to an enlightened golfing odyssey, proffer a resounding welcome.

[bonfire-at-the-crossroads]

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” - Forrest Gump summed up everything pretty nicely.

Auction at Lisnaskea tonight.

I was leaning up against the Jaunting Cart, to take a picture of …

Three (count ‘em) 3 plastic sumo-wrestler fat suits.

Next to a pair of forged iron carriage wheels.

Just imagining the possibilities and combinations makes me giddy.

[athenahines1]

When The Going Gets Tough, IDGuru Gets Scanning: Thriving in High-Volume Hotel Havens

Imagine standing in the bustling lobby of a grand hotel, teeming with guests, luggage carts zipping by, and front desk personnel trying to juggle myriad tasks. Amid this hubbub, one piece of tech stands resilient, poised, and ready for action: the id scanner. But not just any scanner - the trusty IDGuru's hardware. Let's embark on a jaunt through the realm of this robust contraption, engineered for high-demand, high-volume hotel environments.

Unyielding to the Unyielding Flow Hotels, especially those nestled in prime tourist spots or business hubs, rarely have a "slow day." There's always a rush, and systems are expected to operate flawlessly, akin to a well-choreographed dance. Here, IDGuru’s hardware doesn't just participate; it leads. Its scanner, sturdy and steadfast, is built like a tank yet moves with the elegance of a ballet dancer.

Software That Sings Along Paired with its Herculean hardware is IDGuru's software, the unsung hero. Adaptable and agile, the software is like that brainy kid in class who always has an answer. Peak check-in times? An influx of conference attendees? The software navigates through these waves effortlessly, ensuring smooth sailing.

Hearty Hardware Heartbeats Ever wondered about the essence of IDGuru's scanner durability? It's the meticulous design and premium materials. Each scanner undergoes rigorous testing, almost like a gladiator thrown into an arena, emerging victorious every time. Rain, dust, or the occasional coffee spill - nothing fazes this modern-day tech warrior.

Scalability in Sync with Seasons High-volume doesn’t always mean consistently high. Hotel traffic ebbs and flows with seasons and events. IDGuru is astutely aware, designed to scale up or down based on demand. It’s like having a gear-shift mechanism, transitioning smoothly between different speeds.

Future-Forward Foundations Being reliable isn’t solely about withstanding today’s challenges; it’s also about being ready for tomorrow’s innovations. The hardware-software synergy in IDGuru is so beautifully synchronized that updates, upgrades, and new feature rollouts integrate seamlessly.

Data Dexterity: No Compromises on Speed In a bustling setting, data processing speed is the holy grail. And boy, does IDGuru deliver! Thanks to its state-of-the-art algorithms, guest data is extracted, processed, and stored in a jiffy. It’s akin to the speedster of the tech world, leaving others in its digital dust.

To wrap up this whirlwind tour, let’s just say that in the throbbing heart of hotel landscapes, amidst the cacophony of guests, luggage, and life, IDGuru’s scanner stands tall and unwavering. It’s a testament to design brilliance and technological prowess. So, the next time you’re at a busy hotel and notice that tiny id scanner doing its thing, know that there’s an entire universe of innovation behind it, working tirelessly to ensure that the show goes on.

[thecaitychronicles]

Pizza Night

It’s a casual Friday afternoon and I’m driving over to my boyfriends house for make-your-own-pizza night. I’ve requested a cauliflower crust and a wide assortment of topping options. My excitement turns to frustration quickly as I find myself backed up in traffic along Sunset in Ocean Beach. As the Cheeches and Chongs in front of me inch forward little by little, I see a doggo crossing the street. 

No leash. No collar. No human. 

Thankfully traffic was going too slow to do the K9 any harm. Nevertheless, I immediately skrt-skrted to the side and ran after the unaccompanied pooch. He remained calm and eager for attention, but too stubborn to follow without incentive. I directed him by his hips toward my car, where he jumped in from the passenger’s side straight to the driver’s seat. No, no silly pup, you can’t drive, for you are not a golden retriever and this is not a Subaru. He contently drools all over the seat as he stares out the window in wonderment. I send a text message to the boyfriend asking for him to meet me outside. We rendezvous outside the complex where I find myself trapped in conversation with an OB native sitting in a lawn chair on his car. Casual. Sir Doggo and I jaunt toward to the door to get him some water and perhaps a treat for being so trusting despite the “stranger-danger” rule. 

His boopable snout is posted on the local lost pup page in efforts to track down the owner. And now we wait. But my affectionate pets cannot be addressed to a nameless floof. He must have a name. Dijourno! It is pizza night after all, and his dispersed spots are reminiscent of the toppings of my pizza. His wags may be from my correct guess of his title, or perhaps from the puppy voice it is spoken in. Regardless, I’m attached. 

*Ding* Notification from lost pup page. 

“Oh hey that’s my neighbor’s dog, Tucker. They don’t have Facebook.”

First of all, his name is Dijourno. Secondly, can you perhaps facilitate a meet up? 

About 15 minutes later, we meet up with a golf cart outside with the license plate reading “Tucker.” Convenient that the cart has a tag, but Dijourno does not. Pupperino is returned safe and sound, but he and I will never forget his true identity: Dijourno.  Edit: le boifren is no more, but my yearning to be reunited with Dijourno Pupperino will never die.

[magnumversumplus]

Manananggal Ko

Episode 6: Tunay Na Kabaliwan (True Craziness)

Written By Joseph M.

Manong Crisanto Dalisay ran through the airport, neon signs glaring in his face, the checkout lines, small shops overflowing into the halls, airplanes taking off into the distance. He was in the Jakarta International Airport, running away from the fight in Bali, inspired with a cowardice never before seen. He shoved through a pilot escorted by flight attendants, pushed away a couple and their several kids, and raced through a gate filled with rows of drowsy passengers and food spilled onto the ground.

Crisanto was on a sloppy dash through the airport, crashing into displays and knocking over aisles in convenience stores to get to his destination: the airport’s only help desk. He slammed into a man from the Indonesian military, a decorated and embattled soldier wearing a thick camo jacket and an assortment of badges. The trooper stepped aside, and Crisanto just kept on running.

Crisanto had to run away from Imeldnananggal. He had to make things right and see Lagg N. Anananam again. He had to make things right with the only manananggal he ever actually cared about, the only one that mattered. He wished he could deal with what was happening in Bali, but his love needed him.

The way Crisanto saw it, love was like a pebble and selfless service was like a stone. Sa ating Lupa (in our Earth) from the highest points of Chocolate Hill to the lowest points of the West Philippines Sea, the stone always had more effect than the pebble. But in the expansive realms of the stars, asteroids and planets above the terra, loving one person was better than selflessly serving many; a pebble and a meteor both floated through the stars.

This was his flawed vision of the way one should love another, ang paraan na dapat mahalin ng isa ang iba. Perhaps, Crisanto, to justify his selfishness, created this fallacious view of the way mahal (love) works to exculpate himself and feel less guilty. Crisanto, falling down a set of moving stairs–the buzzing of the escalator resonating in his ear as his head slammed against every step–pondered on if running to the one he loved the most was more important than saving people he didn’t know.

Crisanto got to his feet, only to crash into a newspaper stand, Time magazines flying everywhere, faces of celebrities with chiseled chins and long, flowing hair flying in his face. He picked up one of the magazines as it fell and turned to a random page, skimmed through the words, flipped through the rest and crashed into a vending cart, the man running it falling out of his sandals.

“Apa yang dia pikir dia lakukan?” cried the man, as Crisanto got back up and tipped him several bills of different denominations.

Crisanto tripped on a banana peel. It was green like calamansi, rotting, and now it smelled like dog poop. His arms flailed miserably before he belly-flopped. He got back to his feet and bellowed that he could understand the man’s Indonesian: “Saya mengerti bahasa Indonesia juga, teman!”

Crisanto rushed through crowds of people jaunting through the airport, leisurely shuffling to their gates, not troubled by a plundering terrorist farmer and not scrambling to reunite with an ex-lover. Crisanto’s methods of getting to where he needed to be were flippant, berserk and frenzied. Adrenaline pumped through his blood like gasoline through the veins and bones of a traysikel, spiking as he kicked, pushed, pulled, punched and screamed his way through the airport and finally reached the airport help station.

The person manning the desk, a man named Emilio Dela Cruz, looked at him with a helpful and tender smile, speaking to him and gesturing with a friendly demeanor and explaining things with courtesy and politeness. “Hello, sir. What may I help you with?”

“Penerbangan ke Filipina!” Crisanto slammed his passport onto the desk and pulled Emilio towards him, demanding a flight to the Philippines amongst other things in incomplete phrases. all of a sudden, Crisanto Dalisay forgot all of the Indonesian he learned as a kid. “I need a flight to the Philippines ASAP!”

Emilio sighed and asked him for his credit card, saying, “Hindi mo alam? Marunong ako mag Tagalog at Ingles din!” He also knew how to speak Tagalog, and now Crisanto was in an awkward position.

“Forgive me, please,” Crisanto begged him urgently. “I need a flight to the Philippines, now!”

Emilio scanned over the passport, the driver’s license and the other IDs Crisanto laid out before him, the photos of a rugged man with bags under his eyes and an uncomfortable smile staring back at him. This was not too dissimilar to the hillbilly that stood in front of him, a man hurrying to get somewhere without any immediately apparent reason.

There was tension, escalating as a printer began vomiting out a boarding pass. The ink slowly filled out the sheet with Crisanto’s name, date of birth, and official-sounding jargon. Emilio held the boarding pass in his hand, wondering whether he should allow Crisanto Dalisay a ticket home.

What did Crisanto want? What if he had negative intentions? What was he running from? These were all questions that ran through Emilio Dela Cruz’ head as he ruminated on the possibility of malice.

[acrossthearctic]

Day on Dingle Peninsula

Although early morning the day appeared as if it was going to be another gloomy day, it turned out to be a very sunny day and the temperature even got above 20 degrees.

Our first aim of the day was to visit the village of Ballymalis ( home of Maunsell ancestors) in search of Ballymalis Castle. The village was there but no castle!

Our next visit was to the Gap of Dunloe, a narrow moutain pass created in the ice age. Specacular scenery but hairraising driving. It is about 18Km long and is almost a single lane road with a few turnouts which are needed when there is an oncoming car or the jaunting cart carrying tourists.

After a fortfying coffee we continued on through Milltown and Castlemaine with its bronze statue of The Wild Colonial Boy to drive around to Dingle .

One stop was Inch Strand where e the tidal range is so low that there is a warning for people to move the cars from the beach car park by a certain time so that they will not be caught in the water. we were there just after low tide and so it was a long walk to the water. Amusingly therewas lifeguard situated a long way from the water and he certainly was not observing the "swimmers".

We continued on on the Slea Head Drive to Dingle,which was +++ full of tourists so we decided to drive on in search of lunch.

We came to a small town of Ventry and had lunch in a quaint pub ,the Paidi O Se .This quaint pub is situated in the heart of one of Ireland’s only Gaelic (Irish) speaking areas . Paidi was a famous Galeic Football player and the pub not only has a statue of him but is FULL of photos / football boots and other memorabilia.

We continued on visiting prehistoric fairy forts and beehive huts and spectacular scenery.

On our return journey home we found the Ballymalis Castle ( on opposite side of the "highway" to the village. It is currently under restoration so we were ony able to se the front from a distance but got quite close to the scaffolded rear of the castle.

Again the town was quite busy but we found a very nice restaurant for dinner and after dinner we visited The Laurels Pub. This pub has been owned by the same family for > 100 years and I last visited it in 2000 with my mother. We had a great time then as the daughter of the owner had worked with me @ Prince Henry Hospital and happened to be "home" from her job in Dublin, so we were special patrons. The pub is still busy and particularly so because as well the usual tourists it is Killarney Race Week and there is an influx of people attending this event.

[as-i-mean-to-go-on]

The Pilgrimage

In times gone by the Pilgrimage was a trek through field and country. The first pilgrim would have trudged from hamlet to hamlet along whatever simple dirt track they could find, all the long way from the coast to the inner mountains. Yet as the Order grew the route became more standard and more popular. As with most things generally the straightest path was chosen, and trade routes sprang up. Soon the Pilgrims of the Order had firm footing and eventually even a paved stone road to walk. The stops along the way grew in tandem and became villages and then towns, favoured not only for their local exports and attractions but for their presence along what became the Great Road.

Yet as times change so too do the ways of people. The road was paved with room for carts and wagons of course but with the invention of the steam engine a railway was conceived. The first of its kind and a potential model for progress to come. A great consternation sprung up among the Order; while it made economic sense enough for the towns along the Road to be inevitable, a train along their sacred Pilgrimage was troubling.

Some believed that the whole point of the journey was to struggle, to place one foot in front of the other and move by your own power to prove your dedication to the Order and the Way. Some believed that the journeys difficulty weeded out those who did not truly understand the Way, and that Pilgrims must struggle like the first to gain true understanding. Yet it was pointed out that as the route became set, and the Road became paved, the Order had never concerned itself with the lessening difficulty of journey, and those who complained now had never offered to forge their own path, as the first did.

And so it was that the Pilgrimage along the Great Road became a simple jaunt from stop to stop along a railway. Every stop must still be met, each town visited and paid homage, the lessons must still be learned and the trials must still be passed, but the pilgrims of the new century looked a sight less troubled by the journey itself.