#kids programs in Cayman

[bloom-cayman]

10 Ways to Help Kids Develop a Growth Mindset

Helping kids develop a growth mindset sets the foundation for resilience, curiosity, and lifelong learning. Start by praising their efforts, not just results, and encourage them to view challenges as opportunities to grow. Teach them the value of persistence, and help them embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. Incorporate activities like journaling or storytelling to reflect on their progress. Surround them with positive role models who inspire determination and adaptability. By fostering an environment where curiosity thrives, you equip your child with the tools to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

Visit and Read the full Blog: https://www.bloom.ky/blogs/10-ways-to-help-kids-develop-a-growth-mindset

At Bloom Learning Centre, we create a nurturing space that encourages children to embrace learning and explore their potential. Visit us to see how we can support your child’s growth journey! If you seeking for a kids preschool in Cayman then Bloom Learning Centre is the best option for you.

[goldenraeofsun]

A Tale of Two Memoirs, Part I

Publishers Marketplace

Category: Humor: Debut

THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE By Batman

Imprint: Monarch Press

Batman’s THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE chronicles the life of Gotham’s brooding superhero, from his traumatic origins as an orphan to his rise as the greatest genius the world has ever seen. In this tell-all memoir, Batman uncovers it all – except his secret identity, of course – to Scott Lobdell at Monarch Press, in a nice deal, by Judd Winick at Diamond Literary Agency.

Translation: gconway@diamondliterary.com

Bruce reads the book blurb twice before it sinks in. Rolling his eyes, he reaches for his phone. “I just got your email. Very funny,” he deadpans as the call connects. But Dick doesn’t laugh, and as the silence stretches on, Bruce straightens in his chair, all his senses on high alert. “Dick?”

Dick sighs. “You didn’t read the attachment.”

Bruce frowns but opens the PDF, labeled BATMAN_MEMOIR_SAMPLE. He doesn’t say a word, refusing to give Dick the satisfaction of knowing he was right.

“Babs picked it up,” Dick says as Bruce starts to read, his horror growing with every paragraph. “And at first she thought it was a joke too. You know, there’s dozens of unauthorized Batman books out there –”

“Hundreds,” Bruce corrects distractedly as he scans, “And has the Geneva Convention actually outlawed child soldiers? And what if said child soldier struck a hard bargain, like he refused to eat his sprouts unless I allowed him to kick rapists in the nuts? Underneath the Bat cowl, emo greasepaint, and kevlar-weave cape, I am still only a man. And a man knows children must eat their sprouts.”

Alfred still hasn’t forgiven him for losing that particular argument with Jason, nearly three years ago now.

“– but this one, underneath all the sarcasm and exaggeration, has a concerning amount of truth,” Dick continues, like Bruce can’t read the words in front of his own face.

Bruce clears his throat. “Who is the author?”

“That’s just it,” Dick says grimly. “The pseudonym has been,” he inhales a sharp breath, “difficult to crack.”

“Hn,” Bruce grunts, dissatisfied.

“We’ve been working on tracking down the first advance payment for a week,” Dick says, and Bruce is only a little gratified to hear the current of frustration running through Dick’s voice. “But it was wired from Gotham through the Caymans to a Swiss Bank account.”

“Have you gone through the agent’s email?” Bruce asks as he opens the Batcomputer’s most powerful hacking program.

“Give us some credit,” Dick says, and Bruce can almost hear his eye-roll. “Whoever’s on the other end uses a burner email and a damn good VPN, unless you really think they’re spending their time writing this thing from Nantes, Cologne, Prague, Somalia, London, and Novosibirsk.”

“Probably not,” Bruce acknowledges as he searches for every email between Conway and the author, who Conway just refers to as “JP”. “Have you read the entire manuscript?”

“I’m about three quarters of the way through it,” Dick says. “Babs has read a few chapters here and there. Whoever they are, they know way too much about us.”

“Our identities?” Bruce asks, his voice curt.

“Not mentioned by name in the manuscript,” Dick says, and, for the first time, he sounds genuinely worried. “But anyone who reads this critically will be able to put the pieces together, assuming they don’t take it as a complete fiction.”

“We can’t bet on that.”

“Absolutely not,” Dick agrees.

Bruce pinches the bridge of his nose, thinking. “Who else knows about this?”

“Just us and Babs,” Dick says. “Tim’s in the dark for now, but he was my next call after you. You know the kid, if he thought he could provide any help at all, he wouldn’t be sleeping for a week and stalking that agent from here to Shanghai.”

“You say that as if that’s not my next step,” Bruce says as he lumbers to his feet. He has a stakeout to plan.

“Already on it,” Dick says. “You just got back from patrol. Sleep. I’m not due at the gym until 3pm tomorrow, so you can take it over in the morning from the office. Who knows,” he continues wryly, “maybe Bruce Wayne can do more than Batman.”

“That is foolish. I don’t want any increased attention on the connection between Batman and Bruce Wayne.”

Dick hums. “But isn’t it already widely speculated that Bruce Wayne funds the Justice League? You could spin it like you’re just looking out for your good friend, Batman. And, of course, slap the publisher and the agent with about a hundred NDAs.”

“NDAs aren’t watertight,” Bruce says tightly. “At the end of the day, they’re just paper. It’s much better if they never find anything out in the first place than try to clean up the mess after the fact.”

“Fine,” Dick groans. “Don’t listen to me. Look, Winick is stepping out for a smoke. I got this. If I see your face when you could be sleeping –”

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Dick sighs obnoxiously loudly over the poom of his grapple firing. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he says, resigned. “And you’d better bring the good protein bars,” he says, his tone lightening. “Not the ones that taste like ass.”

Despite himself, Bruce smiles at the old argument with his first Robin. “Wheat germ is an excellent source of nutrit–”

“Bye, Bruce!”

Bruce purses his lips as his comm goes completely silent. Dick put him on mute, save for emergencies. Still, he grabs several peanut butter bars (Dick’s favorite) on his way out.

* * *

Between the four of them, most frustratingly, they cannot find the author’s identity. They set up every bug in their arsenal in Winick’s home and office, and Conway’s too for good measure. They clone all their correspondence and plant GPS trackers in their phones.

Eventually, back-to-back Arkham breakouts and an intergalactic incident force them to put the matter on hold, that is, until the mysterious JP hires a literary PR firm seven months before publication.

Bruce buys the PR firm.

JP hires another one.

Bruce buys that one too.

After the third PR buyout, Dick puts his foot down as Tim snorts with laughter. 

“Look,” Tim says once he recovers enough to shovel a small mountain of scrambled eggs onto his plate. “You know the best way to stop a scandal from going viral.”

Bruce narrows his eyes. “Create a bigger scandal.”

Tim nods as he passes Dick the cereal without asking. “But, this time getting drunk at a party and breaking a tower of Cristal won’t cut it.” As Bruce nods along, Tim adds, “You have to fight fire with fire.”

Bruce sighs. “You’re saying I should put out my own memoir.” He’d been mulling it over himself, but since Tim came to the same conclusion, that tips the hypothetical solution into a real answer.

“Bingo,” Tim says as Dick chokes on his Frosted Mini Wheats. Tim gives him a few half-hearted whacks on the back, not really powerful enough to hurt (or help) Dick at all.

“But you’ve always said you’d never write a book,” Dick says, red faced, as he sets his spoon down. “Half of it would have to be lies, and you know the entire Justice League would read it cover to cover and give you such shit. Clark would definitely pull every string he had at The Daily Planet to review even though he’s not a book critic –”

“Desperate times,” Bruce says grimly as he drains his third coffee of the morning. 

“Bruce,” Dick says, his tone reproachful. “You don’t need to write a whole goddamn book. Just buy the publisher and kill it. You know as well as I do, it works –”

Bruce already thought of that. “There would be questions.”

Dick rolls his eyes. “By the publisher and editor, maybe. Three, maybe four people max would think it was weird and move on in, like, a week.”

“I don’t want any suspicions, Dick.”

Tim sagely nods along as he takes an enormous bite of eggs.

Dick just sighs and mutters something completely unflattering about Bruce’s flair for drama and tendency for paranoia. Bruce ignores him. He has a book agent to find.

Bruce’s Wayne’s book deal indeed rocks the publishing world. Nobody can believe Bruce Wayne’s first memoir goes to Monarch Press, an indie publishing house. HarperCollins offers him a five million dollar advance and promises the most extravagant launch party and book tour. Simon & Schuster throw their hat into the ring with a seven million dollar advance. Penguin Random House opens with eight million dollars and sends him a custom fruit basket with every celebrity & lifestyle book they published last year.

But, as Bruce tells the media, he doesn’t need the money. And he’d much rather work with a Gotham-based small business like Monarch Press than one of the Big Five. He donates his paltry one million dollar advance to the Wayne Foundation to redistribute to the needier sectors of Gotham.

The only stipulation to his publishing contract? His book must be published in six months (coincidentally the same month as The World’s Greatest Detective). 

The publishers hem and haw but eventually give in. They can’t afford to piss him off, not the author of their guaranteed best seller in the history of the imprint. 

* * *

The Monday after his book deal hit the news, Bruce finishes reading The World’s Greatest Detective during a late-night stakeout. At 2:18 in the morning, he puts the manuscript down and beats Maroni’s chief enforcer to a bloody pulp.

“Batman!”

Batman slams the enforcer into the metal side of a heat vent bellowing ashy steam into the windy winter air.

He groans and spits out two teeth. 

Batman raises his fists. 

“Batman!”  

A hand with an iron grip lands on his bicep and yanks him forcibly backwards.

“Batman, you’ve got to stop,” Nightwing hisses in his ear.

Bruce falters. He looks back at his first Robin’s face, his alarm clear as day, despite the domino mask covering Dick’s eyes. 

“I’ve got him,” Nightwing says as he lets go to grab a pair of zip ties. “Go take a breath.”

Bruce exhales harshly. His breath plumes in front of his face. “I –”

“Go,” Nightwing repeats, a little louder. “Robin is on comms. He called me in.”

Bruce swallows. Tim should be studying pre-calc, not monitoring comms on what should’ve been a quiet night. Guilt stirs in the pit of his stomach, but he shoves it down. “Robin?”

On the other end, Tim coughs. “Er, yeah, Batman?”

“Thank you for sending in Nightwing.”

“Oh!” The weight of Bruce’s guilt doubles at the relief in Tim’s voice. “Yeah, of course. He was just hanging around here, and I knew you told me to stay put because of my test tomorrow, but Nightwing was free so…”

“B,” Nightwing jogs over, “you good to call it a night?”

Bruce just grunts.

“Yeah, I thought so,” Nightwing says grimly as he steers Bruce to where the Batmobile is waiting. “What the hell happened?”

Bruce doesn’t have the words to answer, so he just gets in the car, slams the door shut behind him, and starts the engine. 

Dick, well used to his moods, doesn’t prompt him again, but he doesn’t start a new conversation either. He just waits, waits until –

“I finished the Batman memoir.”

“Ah,” Dick says carefully as he thinks through his next words. “The Jason chapter?”

Bruce’s fingers tighten to a stranglehold on the steering wheel. In a low voice, he confirms, “The Jason chapter.” 

Dick scrubs his face with the heel of his hand. “Yeah, that one’s a doozy.”

“The way it implies – ” Bruce breaks off as all the rage, frustration, and grief he couldn’t punch out crawls up his throat. It chokes him instead.

“You know,” Dick starts gently before correcting, “ I know it wasn’t like that. I may not have been around for all of it, but I could tell, even in the brief glimpses I saw, that you loved him. He knew it too; he would have never settled in at the Manor, trusted you, or put on the colors otherwise.”

Bruce stares straight ahead, jaw clenched.

“And, hey,” Dick says as he moves to stare out the windshield too, “If you want to set the record straight, you’ve already got an editor lined up whose exact job is helping you say what you want to say.”

“I don’t know what to say about him,” Bruce mutters, and he knows as he is saying them out loud that the words are wrong, but he can’t find the right ones. How can he possibly do Jason justice? 

Jason was his son. He was his Robin. He loved literature and hated tomatoes. He was loyal to a fault but refused to listen to orders he didn’t believe in. He would never let an innocent suffer, but god help any rapist, murderer, or abuser that strayed into his path.

Anyway, Bruce trusts Dick to hear what he’s really saying. And sure enough, Dick responds, his voice almost cheerful, “Well, you can’t ever go wrong with spite. You can start by pointing out exactly where the Batman memoir got it wrong.”

Bruce steals a glance at Dick. “You know, you wouldn’t make a bad editor, yourself.”

Dick grins. “You know that first summer I led the Teen Titans full-time?”

Bruce’s eyes narrow. 

“I lied. I got a part time internship at The Planet.”

Bruce valiantly resists the urge to facepalm. “That was before we trusted Superman.”

“That was before you trusted Clark,” Dick corrects. “I apologized on your behalf for that time you stabbed him with kryptonite, by the way. My first day. After that, he personally took me on as his editorial assistant.”

Bruce sighs. “Of course he did.”

* * *

His editor is deadly serious; Bruce’s memoir must be written yesterday to make their scheduled publication date. Or, in other words, his manuscript better be in publishable shape in exactly one month. 

Bruce assures her that he has the best ghostwriter in the business on it. He quickly sets up a fake email, bank account, and business with a tax history going back seven years, and gets to work. He gives himself one week to research, one week to write the thing, one week for Alfred and Lois to review it (Bruce would never give Clark the satisfaction), and one week to incorporate Alfred and Lois’s changes.

In theory, that was what was supposed to happen. 

In reality, Bruce spends four and a half days reading through old tabloids to remember the exact lies he told them, three days rereading his old journals to remember what he was actually doing, and three more days poring over his old case files to fill in the remaining blanks. He then spends two days typing up his notes, desperately trying to convince himself that he is not procrastinating writing the damn thing. And, finally, he spends almost a full day staring at his blank document helpfully labelled “Chapter 01” and tries not to map the fastest route to the deepest trench in Atlantis where his editor’s emails would never find him.

He groans and buries his head in his hands. This was moronic. He has never written a book before for one reason, and not the one reason he gave Dick all the years ago. 

In truth, Bruce has never been a “creative” type. Rather, he’s always prided himself on his logical mind. He’s a realist, not an artist. He’s a billionaire who pays designers and curators to furnish his multiple homes and assemble his art collection. For god’s sake, the first time Bruce gave himself “creative license” he donned a cowl, cape, and dressed up as a bat.

History isn’t exactly working with him here.

In the deadly silence of his study, his phone blares, “Carry on, my wayward son! There’ll be peace –”

Bruce accepts the call without looking at the screen, grateful for the distraction, even if it comes from one of the last people he wants to speak to right now. “Clark.”

“Bruce,” Clark greets in kind, and Bruce can practically hear the knowing smile in Clark’s voice. It does not help his mood.

After a beat, he says reluctantly, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“A little birdie told me you’ve been struggling with writer’s block.”

Bruce scowls. “Dick.”

“Alfred, actually,” Clarks says lightly, and Bruce swears under his breath. “He said you’ve taken all your meals for the past two days in your study and have only left to relieve yourself and go out on patrol.” Clark pauses, clearly trying to hold in a laugh. “Seriously, Bruce?”

“Hn.”

Clark chuckles. “Don’t worry, writer’s block happens to the best of us.”

“To the best, really?” Bruce gripes. “So how does Lois handle it?”

Clark doesn’t comment on Bruce’s petty jab. Instead, he says, “She has her ways. I don’t recommend them.”

“Why not?” Bruce asks, intrigued despite himself.

“She’s an adrenaline junkie,” Clark says, his voice flat as his home state. “She says she does her best writing in the field. According to her, she composed her most Pulitzer-winning lede falling thirty stories off Siegel Memorial.” He inhales a sharp breath. “Please don’t follow her example. I am not above begging, Bruce. I can’t catch you every time you get stuck on a transition sentence too.”

Bruce smiles. “And here I thought all Lois’s midair saves were all part of a bizarre Kryptonian courtship technique.”

“You’re hilarious.”

Bruce’s smile widens to a grin. “How are you doing, Clark?”

Clark makes a disbelieving noise in the back of his throat. “You’re normally much smoother at changing the subject.” He whistles. “You really must be struggling with that book.”

Bruce’s smile drops off his face. “I’m offended. Is it that outlandish that I would ask about the wellbeing of my best friend?”

“It’s super outlandish because you’ve been avoiding me for the past two weeks,” Clark volleys back without missing a beat. “And also, you only admit I’m your best friend when you’re actively dying. I have to assume you’re suffering through the emotional equivalent right now.”

“Hn,” Bruce grunts.

“But, to answer your question anyway because I am a good friend in addition to being your best friend,” Clark starts pointedly. “I’m doing well enough.”

Bruce rolls his eyes. Clark might be internally telling himself he’s indulging Bruce, but Bruce knows Clark’s Midwestern impulses are practically doing the conga at the opportunity to engage in smalltalk with Bruce, a practice Bruce notoriously loathes but one that Clark can’t get enough of.

The last time they flew to Maltus, Clark spoke for twenty-three minutes about Smallville’s bid to host the Kansas State Fair. 

Clark continues, “Perry’s been trying to wring us for feel-good holiday stories, and, since Lois would rather eat her digital recorder than write a puff piece, I’ve been listening to her rants about the moral decline in journalism for the past week.”

Bruce grimaces in sympathy. “Has Lois just told Perry she won’t write one?”

“Loudly and explicitly,” Clark sighs. “I don’t think Perry can physically do that with a candy cane and Steve Lombard’s second-hand toboggan, but Lois has always had a way with words.”

Bruce chuckles quietly.

“You do too, you know,” Clark adds, the joking tone of his voice slipping into something more genuine.

“This better not be one of your Superman pep talks, Kal.”

“It’s not!” Clark protests, and Bruce shakes his head in disbelief. “But you are incredibly persuasive when you put your mind to it, and, of course, your head for tactics and strategy is unparalleled, even in the League. The challenge now is to translate those skills to the written word.”

“This has pep talk written all over it,” Bruce warns darkly.

“Fine,” Clark says, and Bruce can just picture him throwing up his hands. “All I’m saying is that you can do this. You know how to manipulate language and how to structure an argument.”

Bruce exhales a long, slow breath. Damn it, Clark. He does feel a little better. 

“Where exactly are you stuck? Are you struggling with a particular subject? A specific chapter?”

Bruce scowls. 

Clark waits.

Bruce scowls harder.

“I can see the call hasn’t dropped, and you’re just frowning at your computer,” Clark says calmly. “But look at it this way, the faster you tell me what’s going on, the faster we can wrap this up, and the faster you can pretend this never happened.”

“I need to invest in lead sheeting for the Manor walls,” he grumbles.

“I can do this all night, Bruce.”

He exhales a slow sigh. Eventually, he forces out, “I can’t start writing.”

“Oh, I’ve been there,” Clark says sympathetically. A microwave beeps in the background as he continues, “Do you know the key to creativity?”

“A multimillion dollar expense account and an inside man at Sotheby’s.”

Clark sighs. “Of course you have an inside man at Sotheby’s.”

“Of course,” Bruce agrees affably. “I’m not a peasant.”

Clark snorts over the sound of the microwave door slamming shut. “You realize you just called me a peasant, right?”

“You literally grew up on a farm. You went to an internet cafe until you were sixteen.”

“The Talon was an institution!”

“It was a relic.”

Clark tuts, and he sounds horrifically like Alfred for half a second. “As I was saying, the key to creativity is passion.”

“Are you eating Chinese food for dinner?”

“No?” A pause. “Mac and cheese, actually. Ma’s special recipe.”

“Because you sound like a fortune cookie.”

“See, this is why I’m your best friend,” Clark says in a long-suffering voice. “Because I know you’re just being testy because you’re feeling insecure, so I’m not going to let you scare me off.”

“You’re not backing off because you’re more stubborn than a mule. Friendship has nothing to do with it.”

Clark lets out a hearty laugh. “There you go, proving my point for me.”

“Hn.”

“I may sound like a fortune cookie, but I’m right,” Clark says evenly. “Don’t start with chapter one. Start wherever you have the strongest feelings, wherever you have the most to say.”

Bruce grimaces. After a long moment, he admits, “That’s basically what Dick said too.”

Clark hums. “Smart kid you got there. I’ve always thought so.”

“He has his moments.”

“Anyway, that’s my advice for writer’s block. I’ll let you get back to it and stop butting my nose in, but, B,” Clark says, “if you have any more trouble, just let me know, okay?”

“I will.” After a beat, he adds, “Thanks for the call, Clark.”

* * *

As rain starts to patter against the window panes of his study, Bruce digs out his printed copy of the manuscript for The World’s Greatest Detective. The most egregious parts, the stories that make his blood boil with rage, are already seared into his brain, but there are dozens of smaller anecdotes that ring so blatantly false he can’t help grinding his teeth as he rereads them.

Robin II wasn’t like Robin I. He was from the streets and already fourteen, almost too old to mold into what I needed. But his background made him resourceful and vigilant, two essential qualities for someone in my line of work. When I met him, he was stealing the tires off the Batmobile™. So, in addition to his resourcefulness and vigilance, he was bold. In other words, he was practically the perfect successor to Robin I. 

Or so I thought at the time.

Bruce closes his eyes as the injustice, the insult , to Jason’s memory courses through him. He writes:

I met Jason when he was fourteen. He’d been on the streets for a year. If you asked him, it made him tough, resourceful, and wary of well-meaning billionaires. And that is all true, but if you asked me, I would say it made him grow up too quickly.

I never really told anyone the real story of our first meeting. It didn’t paint Jason in the best light, and I didn’t want to invite undue criticism of a child. But, now, after everything, what Jason’s memory deserves is the truth. And the truth is, I ran into Jason when he was in the middle of stealing the tires off my car. 

I had come back from my errand. I stood behind him and coughed to get his attention. “You do realize that’s not yours, right?”

Jason spun around, his expression of shock morphing into something much more determined. “Duh,” he said, his tone deliberately light. “You realize you parked your car in Crime Alley, right?” and then he swung a tire iron at me. 

I luckily dodged, but I wasn’t about to let him get away with my property. I struck a deal with him: my tires in exchange for a warm meal. Over burgers, fries, and milkshakes, I asked him why he thought it was acceptable to steal from people.

He stared at me before he burst out laughing. “Not real people. Rich people. They think they’re kings of the world. Pfft.”

“Sometimes,” I told him, “you just have to give people a chance, Jason. They’ll usually surprise you.”

What I didn’t know at the time was how true those words were. I gave Jason a chance, and he surprised me beyond my wildest dreams. He became my son.

Bruce presses the heels of his hands against his closed eyes. Bright spots of color burst in front of his vision, and he breathes slowly in and out. Blindly, he reaches for the half-empty glass of scotch and drains the rest of it. The smokey flavor coats his tongue and the back of his throat, and he tries to concentrate on that, tries to ground himself in the real, physical world and not in his own bittersweet memories.

It doesn’t quite work.

What is most frustrating and infuriating about The World’s Greatest Detective is how close to the truth it is. Almost every moment described in the fake memoir happened, but it’s like the author experienced everything through a funhouse mirror. Bruce’s values are warped. Details are missing. Timelines are vague.

After we returned to the Batcave™, I benched Robin immediately. His screams had distracted me at a crucial moment, and during our escape, his reaction times were compromised. He couldn’t stop shaking. 

Later, once we synthesized an antidote for Dr. Crane’s toxin, Robin returned to fighting shape, physically if not mentally. Once he proved he could fight through the fear even after repeated exposure, I let him rejoin the mission – after a probationary period, of course. 

In reality, Batman and Robin first encountered Scarecrow at the tail end of their first year as partners. They had been getting reports of otherwise healthy people dropping dead of heart attacks. Their faces were rictuses of fear. 

Batman and Robin set out with rebreathers in their most armored suits, in case the toxin was injectable. Midway through the fight with Crane’s muscle, after an unlucky kick to the face, Robin’s rebreather cracked open.

Robin screamed, and time stood still. 

As the flood of terror coursed through Bruce’s veins, he would’ve sworn he was the one to inhale a lungful of fear toxin. He appeared at Dick’s side with no memory of dispatching Crane. 

Nothing mattered but Dick. 

As he approached, Dick was shaking uncontrollably, whimpering, “No, no, not them! Mama! Papa!” He was crawling across the floor, one trembling hand reaching out to his falling parents.

Bruce’s heart clenched, but ignored it as he grabbed Dick around the middle. 

Dick wailed as Bruce lifted him into the air, crying out, “I can’t leave them! No!”  

Crane had to wait. Bruce would sooner sell his mother’s pearls to the highest bidder than let Dick stay in this state one second longer. 

Dick finally quieted in the Batmobile, curling in on himself to be as small as possible. Above his folded arms, his dilated eyes looked nearly black as they flitted from one object to another for no longer than a fraction of a second.

The strain filtered out of his system after about 12 hours – Bruce didn’t develop an antidote for another month – but by the tail end, Dick was rearing to get back in the field. He needed to prove himself. He wasn’t going to stay behind. 

Bruce wasn’t having any of it. But after Dick spent a solid week begging, bargaining, and making himself a general nuisance, Bruce offered him a deal. They would both voluntarily expose themselves again, and if Dick still wanted to put on the boots and cape afterwards, Robin could one again patrol with Batman.

Bruce needed to build up a tolerance to the toxin, in the event he got caught without a rebreather or he needed to give his away to someone who needed it more.

Dick needed no such thing. Instead, Bruce hoped a repeat experience would be enough to scare him out of being Robin for good, and he could be a normal eleven year old instead.

Needless to say, Bruce’s plan failed rather spectacularly.

Bruce types, Many people asked in my first few years with Dick why I waited so long to formally adopt him.

My lawyers were actually in the middle of drafting adoption papers when I called them off. Scarecrow had just made his fearsome entrance in Gotham, and Dick was one of his first victims. I kept it out of the press for obvious reasons.

But, seeing my son like that – no parent can escape that experience unchanged. Dick’s greatest fear was seeing his loved ones in danger while he stood by as a helpless bystander; the role he was forced into at eight-years-old when the Flying Graysons fell to their deaths. 

I thought that the last thing Dick needed was another person that would fill that same place in his life. The chance of manipulation was too great. So, I kept him as my ward and not my son.

I know now that the distinction is meaningless. Dick was my son the moment he swung from the chandelier in the ballroom, giggling madly, as he shouted, “Watch this, Bruce!” and promptly sent it crashing to the ground. But, that day after his encounter with Scarecrow, Dick wasn’t the only one operating from a place of fear. I can admit it now; I was terrified for him. A Gothamite’s life expectancy is 4.1 years below the national average. If something happened to me, could my memory be twisted into a source of fear for him too?

Bruce lets his hands rest on the keyboard as he rereads what he wrote with a critical eye. It doesn’t sound much like his public persona, but hopefully Lois and Alfred (and maybe Clark) can take out the most out-of-character turns of phrase.

He lumbers to his feet and pours himself another drink. It’s going to be a long night. He glances out the window out of habit, but the lashing, freezing rain doesn’t offer much of a reprieve. Sighing, he sits back down at his desk.

Lightning flashes, and Bruce’s gaze catches on the reflection from his phone screen.

Before he can overthink it, he unlocks it and taps the first number on speed dial.

“Hey, Bruce!” 

Instinctively, Bruce feels himself unwind at the sound of Dick’s voice. He relaxes down in his seat and sets down his glass to pick up the phone properly. 

“How’s the writing going? Please tell me you’re not including the chandelier story.”

* * *

Publication week is a nightmare. Bruce goes on a mini book tour in Gotham, Metropolis, and New York, and has to endure Clark and Dick whispering and giggling in the back of the crowd while he reads out loud the most insipid drivel he has ever written to an otherwise rapt audience. 

Of course, Bruce pays for it all himself because his negligible (to Bruce Wayne) advance nearly bankrupted his indie publisher. But it wouldn’t do for Brucie Wayne to put on zero press for his most public-facing stunt since launching the Wayne Foundation, so he has to throw himself to the wolves on his own dime. 

Grinning broadly, Clark buys five copies at the Metropolis speaking event and gets a scowling Bruce to autograph them all. Clark ships two to his parents, gives one to Jimmy, keeps one for himself, and donates the last to the Watchtower library.

Bruce wastes no time in ejecting the Watchtower copy into space. When another one appears three days later, he burns that one in his private quarters. And when two more take its place, Bruce tucks them under his cape and hurls them into Gotham Bay with great prejudice. 

At the next Justice League meeting, a smirking Hal asks him to sign his own copy. Bruce throws it at Hal’s head without looking and moves to the next point in his presentation on the most effective evacuation techniques in the event of a water-based catastrophe.

The next time Bruce stops by the Watchtower library, no fewer than five copies of The Prince of Gotham: The Bruce Wayne Story are propped up on the bookshelf, mocking him. One even has a dented jacket where it tore on Hal’s smug face. 

After that, Bruce gives up on removing them from the Watchtower. They keep springing up like weeds, and he has much better uses of his time – like saving the world.

The only bright side is that The World’s Greatest Detective fails to make its first year budget. Between Bruce Wayne’s memoir sucking up all the air at Monarch Press and Barbara’s online work scrambling its metadata on Amazon, it barely turns up in online search results and receives only a handful of PR slots.

And then his second son returns home and cuts a bloody, violent swathe through Gotham’s criminal underbelly, and all thoughts of memoirs are driven from Bruce’s mind. 

Read Part II here!

[frostythefrostedfox]

Don't you worry, you'll be to told exactly what to do I give my people the lives they need The righteous will succeed

You know what I don't like about rebel stories like Hunger Games and Divergent? That we never get the opposite, how about a compliance story?

Something that always bothered me about certain videogames is how they never ever, not even for one second, entertain the thought that you might not agree with them, they all follow the same formula

MC is respected member of [SOCIETY] > MC has encounter with bad side of [SOCIETY] > MC is told not to question things > MC questions things > MC turns sides > MC opposes and wins against [SOCIETY]

But what if I don't wanna? Why do we never get a videogame like that?

I want a game where the MC discovers the truth about the place they live in, and even with that knowledge they stand up and say "Ok and?" and carry on with their life; and that's how this fella was created

My young impressionable mind was exposed to Syndicate (2012) in 2013, the cover looked so cool and all the promo material online was great, it even had the theme song done by Skrillex, Nero, Flux Pavillion and Digitalism (for the people that likes real music and is reading this, that used to mean a lot, they were huge and everywhere for us noise-enjoyers), but the late part of the game and the ending never really... caught my attention, I always found the introduction of the game a loooot more enjoyable, before Kilo becomes a rebel and fights Eurocorp.

And that is why I created this fella. You can even call it a semi faceclaim.

Just like Kilo, born to a syndicate to serve the syndicate, except that i wasn't Eurocorp, it was Cayman Global, following their in-universe explanation that DART-6 has not been reverse engineered by any company and is propietary software of Eurocorp, Cayman decided to try their hand at it with what knowledge they have on it, and that is how they came up with the idea of Speciality Chips, or S.C, they work similarly to DART-6, with its own schizophrenia inducing voice interface and all, except that they don't enhance every single part of a 'soldier', instead they are using to make people 'better' at their jobs, depending on the role and occupation chosen for them at birth.

Fake memories of a fake family and a fake childhood, an AI prompt fed into his brain by the SC as a child to mould his personality to what Cayman needed it to be, with fake hardships to strenghten his character and fake triumphs to make him proud and happy. And every single thing he remembers doing as a child was a stage play to nurture and test his abilities, a continious selection program where only the best move on to the next phase while never aware that they are competing; every single one of those kids he beat at Spelling Bee as a child were just like him, and their failure meant their removal from the program, another job at Cayman Global will be found for them that fits their skillset, same thing for karting tournaments, academic score, everything.

His parents are just company employees told to act a certain way to incite certain reactions, records of who he was born to are probably kept somewhere, but who cares anyways, for as long as he believes those are his parents, they will do.

The only thing that makes him a somewhat rare candidate is that he is not a single child, he has a sister, also put throught the same program as him, just for another role, using a different version of the chip for a completely different purpose.

After years of serving Cayman Global and earning his Black Stripe clearance, one of his missions has his evacuation transport crash and drop him into the sea, after his chip entered power saving mode due to not consuming enough food or water, it was the first time he ever experienced fully thinking for himself, not having his thoughts molded, suggested or coerced by any company directive, and he found those thoughts to be quite similar to the ones he had before, questioning the methods of execution of Cayman Global, but not their ideals or beliefs. Why was he floating in the sea for so long? Shouldn't they pick him up as soon as his signal dissapeared? If the SC is an AI, do they all have different personalities and voices? Is his specially made for him?

Upon arriving Someplace, Somewhere in [COUNTRY], his chip came back into service, except that now they had a different set of information and ideas, his head filled with questions that the SC couldn't answer, but none of these doubts ever put his allegiance into question, so none of them got reported back, which would have ironically gotten him rescued faster.

Eventually he came across some locals, his uniform and armor damaged, no longer sporting any visible mark of his employer, they took him in, unaware of who he was; they certainly wouldn't have if they knew he was working for the exact same company responsible for making their life so miserable.

Time passed, he learned things from the locals and the locals learnt from him, all of his training was very real, and it showed, a trained agent like him could do things these guerrilla fighters only dreamed of, eventually being a prominent voice in this little tribe that nursed him back to health, he got a taste of what being in power was like, and he liked it, and his SC was taking records of it.

This sudden change in approach to a more professional and organized course of action peaked the interest of the tribe's enemies too, they couldn't have learned these things overnight, someone was helping them, their first thought was a rival syndicate, and so they dispatched a whole bunch of agents to deal with the new threat, ironically one of these agents being his sister.

The two were fated to encounter, and that is exactly what happened, just not the way they expected it, and certainly not the way they wanted it, and totally against the syndicate's wishes. Their SCs mark each other as [RELATIVE], but they don't know this other animal in front of them, how could these two different animals could have come out of the same mother, they are not the same species, she's a bird, he's a fox, he has a marksman tag, she has a bruiser tag, they look nothing alike, they are nothing alike.

Cayman Global originally thought of this as an inconvenience that should be dealt with immediately, but latter settled on exploring the possible opportunities of letting their bond be known to each other, and more importantly, the opportunity to gain an insider with access to the locals. And they had a lot to know about each other, their customs, their way of doing things, their likes and dislikes.

This only led to more question appearing on his head, why was everything at Cayman so peaceful, why can he just solve problems with his sister so easily, while the locals have all of these problems, tribes not settling in on one thing, having to constantly ask for things, changing their minds, disagreeing, fights; maybe they had so much problems with the syndicates because of their ways, if they could understand each other, things could probably be solved quicker.

But the tribes didn't wanted that, and rightfully so, they did not wanted to surrender their freedom, their land and everything they own to a company to manage and do as it pleases with, it was theirs.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, he and his sister were raised by the Syndicate, to them these ideas the locals speak of were nonsense, all of this chaos and problems that could be easily fixed, why wouldnt you want to fix it?

And that's when his SC, for the first time in forever, came up with its own idea, not something fed by the mainframe. Betray the tribes.

And betray the tribes they indeed do, Cayman agents agreed to the plan after a lot of favours being called and some heavy bargaining in the form of his sister's fists. An easy pick for the tribes, a Helibird crashed into the desert after a sandstorm, few survivours and a delayed rescue team due to the poor visibility, the perfect chance to pick up resources; but the only thing they picked up was a fight they couldn't win.

And so he triumphantly returned to his home, Cayman Global headquarters, but his new... Ideas... were not popular with all of his superiors, but those that agreed with him were not afraid of showing his support.

That's how he met Moon, someone that has been sitting near the top for way too long, and no longer thinks the head should be doing the thinking, and she was ready to make a play for it, playing with some strings here and there to have the siblings end up under her supervision, she could train and explore where these ideas of theirs really led to, what did they meant.

He gave a new name to his SC's voice, Lightning, and she liked it, it was nice to be her own thing, not just another chip, and in return, he let her take control over bits and pieces of his brain that none of the chips should have access to.

Little by little, Moon slowly revealled what the syndicates were up to, a second syndicate war was brooding up, and it was going to be way worse than the one they had in 2049, and she remembers that one pretty well, she was still an active agent back then. She allowed him to take a peek behind the curtain, how his memories were manipulated and changed in order to fit a narrative created by the syndicate, how his upbringing was all fake, how he was monitored and sought after like a guinea pig.

And he had absolutely no problem with any of that, his mind was so deeply consumed by the company's mindset that he couldn't even begin to understand how could any of those things were bad, he never questioned his position or his role in Cayman Global, instead he just wanted more, his last adventure made him hungry for things he should have never tasted, the company's propaganda kept him docile and happy, but also kept him compliant and safe, and he wanted none of the latter, having power is great, being in charge is amazing and telling other people what to do feels good; and Lightning agreed with it, why should she be a simple voice on his head, when she could control all the other voices on everyone's head.

That is where their real 'adventure' begins, not to destroy a corrupt syndicate, not to make the world a better place, not to make it fairer, is to put themselves on top, be the one that cuts the cake instead of being the one receiving a slice.

Thank you for coming to my OC rant

[caymanvisitor]

Visiting the Cayman Islands on Water

A visit to the Cayman Islands really is a visit to the ocean-lover in you. The islands are nestled in the Caribbean Sea, housing over 12k marine species, the infamous Cayman Trough, and some of the bluest waters you’ll see in your lifetime. Of course, wading in the waters and splashing on the shoreline is one way to experience it — but we recommend leaning into the adventurer in you to see the real Cayman Islands from the eyes of the sea. Through Cayman Visitor, experience the:

Kitesurf Cayman

Ever enjoyed flying a kite as a kid? Well, this is the adult version. Except on water. And during your visit to the Cayman Islands. So basically, the leveled-up kid activity! Choose between one, two, or six hour private kitesurfing lessons to seriously experience the salty air. At Kitesurf Cayman you’ll be guided through a step-by-step program, from set-up and land-training to the real deal: a full-sized kite on the water. And for those who may be weary of deep waters, not to worry. Most of these beaches are conducive to standing.

Dolphin Lover’s Swim

Get cheek-to-cheek and nose-to-nose with the ocean’s happiest mammals, the dolphin. On your Cayman Islands visit, dive into the most dynamic dolphin encounter in the Caribbean that includes a special educational program curated to falling in love. Your group of all ages will become part of the pod as you hold hands, high-five, and even kiss these adorable ocean friends. All smiles, guaranteed.

Cayman Visitor is a native travel company dedicated to making the tourist experience seamless, enjoyable, and truly authentic. From a slew of tours, excursions, and experiences ‘like a local’ to a real-life, human concierge, Cayman Visitor is the hub for all things, well, Cayman.

[kidsability]

SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPY BY KIDSABILTY TO IMPROVE YOUR KID’S COMMUNICATION SKILL

At KidsAbility, we understand the importance of communication for children and their development. That’s why we provide speech-language therapy services to help children in Cayman reach their communication goals. Our Speech Therapy Pathologists have experienced professionals who have the knowledge and expertise to work with your child to develop their language and communication skills. We offer a personalized approach that takes into account your child’s individual needs and goals, so they can get the most out of our services.

KidsAbility provides speech-language therapy services for children in the Cayman Islands. Our Speech Therapy Pathologists are dedicated to helping children reach their communication goals and achieve better outcomes. We provide a variety of services, from evaluation and diagnosis to individualized treatment plans, that aim to improve communication abilities. We also provide family education and support so that parents can better understand the needs of their children and be involved in the process of therapy. Our team is committed to providing high-quality care and support for each child's unique needs.

KidsAbility is a Cayman-based organization that provides speech-language therapy services for children. Our Speech Therapy Pathologists are highly trained and experienced in helping children reach their communication goals. Through evidence-based assessment, treatment planning, and intervention strategies, our Speech Therapy Pathologists will work with you to develop an individualized plan to help your child achieve their communication goals.

We understand that every child is unique and our team of Speech Therapy Pathologists will provide an individualized approach to ensure the best possible outcome for your child.

KidsAbility is proud to offer speech-language therapy services for children in the Cayman Islands. Our team of Speech Therapy Pathologists is committed to helping children reach their communication goals, no matter what their age or ability level. We provide a range of services that are tailored to the individual needs of each child, from early intervention programs to more advanced therapies. Our team works closely with families and caregivers to ensure that they have the necessary tools and resources they need to help their child reach their full potential. With our support, kids can find success in communication and interaction with others, allowing them to live a more fulfilling life.

[gaylefong3908]

Head On To Tobago Beach For A Caribbean Adventure

But sometimes the enemy could be found Guadeloupe within a group and some members of the resistance movement had been given up by previous or current colleagues and captured by the German forces. Luis was arrested and tortured and taken to Utrecht jail. Boy tried to get him out but was unsuccessful. But later freed himself, by escaping. To see the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean Grenada is the place to visit. But also if you like to scuba dive there are fantastic under drinking water Guadeloupe sights here. You will be able to see tons of underwater volcanoes as nicely as colorful tropical fish. Even although hurricane Ivan devastated this island in 2004 it is still extremely a lot a place you should visit if you can. Other Caribbean states include the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica - along with Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is also component of this group. We decided we had to return to Max's for dinner our final evening on Long Island. This was without a question our very best meal on the island. Grilled conch and marinated mutton were Liz's ideas and they had been extraordinary. In the Bahamas, mutton is both sheep or goat. Watch the Oceans film for a child pleasant choice. This movie is all about the ocean. It is not only focused on the Caribbean, but it addresses all 4 oceans and discoveries. You can display your children what they might see on their journey. This will make them much more thrilled to discover and search the waters for animals! Watch the Oceans movie for a kid friendly option. This movie is all about the ocean. It is not only targeted on the Caribbean, but it covers all 4 oceans and discoveries. You can show your children what they may see on their trip. This will make them much more excited to explore and lookup the waters for animals! This small island in the Dutch Antilles has no less than 365 seashores. With that many you will struggle not to discover a spot exactly where you will be able to relax and take in the sun and sea. It is regarded as by numerous as the paradise island of the paradise that is the Caribbean. The third morning, I called Nancy to discover out where to get fresh fish, considering there experienced to be plenty in the Bahamas. She mentioned Nick the fisherman and gave us his number. I left a concept and he called us back again a few hours later on. The southern islands of Singapore provide a extremely calming atmosphere that can be visited by boat, but it's the background of the area that tends to make it so attractive to guests as nicely as Singapore's locals. There are 8 islands that were uninhabited south of the shores of Singapore. Over the program of fifteen years, Singapore took action to reclaim the islands and turn them into the closest thing to paradise most individuals will at any time stage foot into. We satisfied the grandmother Chloe and her husband, a granddaughter Justine who waited on us and one of the sons. 1 afternoon we offered to purchase Chloe a drink. She selected a concoction called SkyJuice, consisting of gin and extremely sweet coconut milk. She soon began sharing some of her family members history. She also shared that her son Ben had taken the proprietors of the yacht Les Belles (see above paragraph) deep-sea fishing. Ben experienced guadeloupe islands discovered they had no plans and had been merely preparing their laid back journey working day by day. What a fantastic way to journey the sea! Of the four main islands in the US Virgin Islands, St. Croix is most likely the very best option for heading to with a pet dog, because it is less seriously populated than the other islands and is by far the greatest. Hawaii has 4 primary islands, the island of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. All of these islands have each great as nicely as poor sides, but if you are somebody who is looking for a seaside which is unspoiled and uncrowded and can provide you with brilliant opportunities when it comes to snorkeling and surfing, then Kauai beaches are the ones you are looking for. Hawaii -This is the largest island in the whole condition and has big cities such as Hilo, Kailua-Kona and Kohala. All of these cities are discovered on various components of the area. The people who come to this region appreciate certain natural attributes such as Mauna Loa, one of energetic volcanic mountains in the world. Mauna Kea is another volcanic mountain that most vacationers enjoy viewing. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a trendy tourist attraction function in the local area. Even the the plantations for macadamia nuts and coffee types great agricultural attractions. The Kohala coastline is a dry region exactly where you find luxury resorts. This early morning the Captain gave us a briefing on volcanoes and tsunamis. Evidently an underwater volcano known as "Kickem' Jenney" is established to take out the whole southern antilles. We are due to move directly more than it this afternoon. It has developed over the last few many years to exactly where it is just a few of hundred ft below the surface. If (when) it blows again, they predict it will break the surface area and set off a tsunami that will be truly devastating to the entire region. We are to move more than this future disaster on our way towards a drive-by volcano on the island of Montserrat.

[padiscubadiving30-blog]

Exercise Advantages Of SCUBA Diving! Cayman Islands

Scuba diving is a favourite water sport of many people within the fashionable life. Scuba divers should have a certain stage of health to have the ability to dive safely. To have the ability to deal with conditions like sturdy currents, swimming lengthy distances or having to tread water you need to have some strength and stamina. Nevertheless, diving itself additionally helps to take care of and improve health ranges just like some other resistance training would. Transferring gear and being generally energetic is also healthy and increases normal endurance. PADI beginners' programs cowl the most important points of Scuba diving. They typically final for between 3 and 6 days. You develop your Data of the activity with a deal with staying protected, exploring the basic rules of Scuba diving. You'll put your data into apply by diving in confined waters. This may allow you to construct your confidence, discover ways to put on your tools, practise emergency procedures and master easy procedures reminiscent of getting water out of your scuba mask while underwater.

PADI Course Director Holly Macleod in Gili Islands, Indonesia

For these in search of knowledgeable PADI instructor-level training expertise considered to be way over and above that typically found throughout the trade, and achieve the talents, knowledge and confidence to develop a highly-profitable career can look no further than the padi idc Program with Holly Macleod. The course is these days usually thought of to be the best possible possible opportunity accessible. Prospective candidates can follow along on the PADI IDC Gili Islands social media platforms or just try the completely impartial, unbiased reviews on the PADI IDC Gili Islands TripAdvisor web page. Scuba diving develops the curiosity of the kid. Certainly, the diver is by definition a curious researcher to find all of the marvels of the marine surroundings. Locate fish and different marine animals, scrutinize rocks, compare corals, find out about destinations, … all of the opportunities are good to attract the attention of the kid.

[bloom-cayman]

Understanding the Stages of Language Development in Children

Language development in children is a journey! From cooing as babies to speaking fluently, each stage is crucial for building communication skills. Check out our infographic to explore the key stages of language growth and how you can support your child during each phase. 📚👶 Bloom is a comprehensive educational platform that helps children and parents navigate learning and development. We offer insights and resources for fostering growth and enhancing early learning experiences.

Learn More: https://www.bloom.ky/blogs/stages-of-language-development-in-children

[padiscubadiving76-blog]

Exercise Benefits Of SCUBA Diving! Cayman Islands

Scuba diving is a favourite water sport of many individuals within the trendy life. Scuba divers should have a sure stage of fitness to have the ability to dive safely. To be able to cope with situations like robust currents, swimming lengthy distances or having to tread water you have to have some power and stamina. Nonetheless, diving itself also helps to take care of and improve fitness ranges identical to another resistance training would. Transferring gear and being typically active is also healthy and increases general endurance. PADI learners' courses cowl the foremost features of Scuba diving. They often last for between three and 6 days. You develop your Data of the exercise with a give attention to staying secure, exploring the basic ideas of Scuba diving. You'll put your Data into observe by diving in confined waters. It will enable you to construct your confidence, discover ways to put on your tools, practise emergency procedures and master easy procedures corresponding to getting water out of your scuba mask whilst underwater.

PADI Course Director Holly Macleod in Gili Islands, Indonesia

For these searching for knowledgeable PADI instructor-stage training expertise thought-about to be manner over and above that generally discovered within the trade, and acquire the talents, data and confidence to develop a highly-successful profession can look no further than the padi divemaster gili islands Program with Holly Macleod. The course is nowadays often considered to be the absolute best potential alternative out there. Potential candidates can follow along on the PADI IDC Gili Islands social media platforms or simply take a look at the utterly impartial, unbiased reviews on the PADI IDC Gili Islands TripAdvisor web page. Scuba diving develops the curiosity of the child. Indeed, the diver is by definition a curious researcher to find all the marvels of the marine setting. Locate fish and different marine animals, scrutinize rocks, compare corals, learn about locations, … all of the alternatives are good to attract the eye of the kid.

[nerivofo-blog]

Things You Should Know About Bonaire Visa

https://www.ivisa.com/bonaire-visa

What is Truly Going on with Bonaire Visa

Bonaire is situated in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea and outside the Hurricane Belt. You can easily locate information there that lets you know whether you want a visa or not and the length of time the procedure would take. More information are available on CBP.gov.

When you make an application for a Visa Brazil it is exceedingly crucial that you enter the appropriate particulars and complete each section of the application form. Booking in advance is needed. Speak to us to learn how to have your Banco di Caribe MultiCard.

It's important you've got the health coverage for virtually any health emergency during your trip to Europe. There are a few precautions that you may take to make sure your privacy. Possessing medical evacuation insurance can be great for these reasons.

Within this way residents, visitors and future generations are going to be able to relish an enriched marine atmosphere. There are a few risks that are related to all travellers no matter destination. You may be surprised to discover that you could earn a great deal more income in some specific countries than you would at home. The Meaning of Bonaire Visa

Bicycle rentals are readily available. Diving and snorkeling on Bonaire are also rather convenient. Bonaire is also famous for their reefs together with their shipwrecks.

Wetsuits could possibly be hired at extra price. If that is your very first outing, take a look at the different diving outfits in the Grand Cayman. If you would like a sandy beach visit the Spice Club by Front Porch dive website.

Applicants must finish each sectionin order to get the visa for Brazil. WHEN TO APPLY Keep in mind that it may take 4 weeks to acquire approval before the visa can be issued, make certain you apply well beforehand. Visa Waiver Program travelers are encouraged to make an application for authorization whenever they start to plan a visit to the United States of america.

Learn about exactly what you should do and how we can be helpful if you're arrested or detained abroad. Just make an effort not to eat them while you go shopping! A valid passport is necessary.

Do not leave any valuables in your auto whilst diving as break-ins are typical. If you're a beginner scuba diver, you can purchase or rent all of the equipment you might need on the island. As you snorkel or dive, you will want to watch out for elkhorn and staghorn coral along with tropical fish. The Nuiances of Bonaire Visa

This will inform the office of your trip plans within the nation and will let them reach out in the event of an emergency or evacuation. The airline's ground staff will be able to help you with directions. Be sure to consult your mobile phone carrier to see whether they provide a worldwide plan or you're going to be subject to roaming charges. The Battle Over Bonaire Visa and How to Win It

There are weekly prayer meetings for kids, teens and grownups. In general, the majority of the jobs you're likely to find will be teaching English. Their stay in america will last for 2 weeks just for the role of visiting some relatives. The Hidden Treasure of Bonaire Visa

The procedure for getting a working holiday visa in Ireland is somewhat harder and more limited since it's only open to students, but there aren't many limitations of what type of job you are able to work in. You have to exit customs and immigration to be able to board a connecting flight, and therefore you have to have the ability to join the nation. The appeal needs to be submitted in writing.

[svengooliecat]

OC Day--004

OC Day: Scarlett Papava, 004

The figure came into sharp focus as 004. He’d never been so happy to see Scarlett Papava, with her vintage red lipstick and silver screen siren aesthetic. With her favorite little black funeral dress, she looked like a predatory black widow in a Carrie Underwood song. –excerpted from “Liars and Killers,” by SvengoolieCat

This post is an ode to my favorite recurring OC, my own version of 004! I’m very excited to chat about her because she’s fun as hell to write.

Fic Rec List:

Of Cats and Mortgages,  • She’s introduced towards the end of the fic as a classy 00 with a vintage, 1940s film star aesthetic who makes boffins nervous and plays with Q-Branch’s cats.

Pray You Now,  • 004 is Q’s field-companion in this Spectre fix-it. Also features the first fic to feature the tag: “004 is the homicidal sibling Q never wanted but got anyway” and this basically sums up their entire relationship throughout all my fics.

Liars and Killers,  • 004 is once again Q’s partner in crime, mainly because Bond is too busy being a sad sack who’s wanted for murder. And by now, she’s kind of evolved into a snarky female version of Moriarty, which is fun.

Bonus cameo appearance: Reversal of Fortunes,  • Role Reversal AU, in which Q is a Lettered Agent, and 007 is part of the quartermaster program. 004 wanders by briefly as another 00-boffin.

Headcanons

1. 004 and Q are good friends outside of MI6. They’re of a similar age and they just really get on well. They even do things together, when they have the time. They both love to dance and are pretty good about attending ballroom and Latin dance classes at a local studio. Sometimes on Saturdays they go looking for farmers’ markets, because both share a pretentious love of farm fresh eggs and veggies and raw honey.

2. 004 is literally the biggest 00Q shipper. She never passes up the opportunity to prod at them both to get their shit together, and although she claims that it’s because she has money on them, she’s actually a romantic at heart and has designs on someday being Q’s best lady of honor. That said, she’s cornered Bond and told him outright that if he hurts Q, she’ll castrate him and then make him dig his own grave out in the woods somewhere. He believes her and has a healthy amount of respect/fear as well.

3. 004 came to MI6 via the RAF. She maintains her pilot’s license, even though she worked mostly in logistics. She served 6 years all over the world, including a tour in Afghanistan. When she retired, MI6 recruited her based on her exemplary military record (including a commendation for bravery), and her conversational skills in French, Italian, Farsi, and Mandarin. Q keeps telling her that anytime she wants out of the field, he’ll make a place for her in Q-Branch.

4. She created her vintage look after she retired from the military. After serving so many years in uniform, it felt a little weird and liberating to suddenly have complete control of her wardrobe and hair again. She decided to create A Look based off her favorite Hollywood film stars of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. It’s her trademark; part uniform, part persona, and she likes they way it makes people underestimate her—they usually only do it once because they’re dead before they have a second chance.

5. Her first two sanctioned kills to earn her 00-designation were of a human trafficker in Los Angeles and a drug cartel leader in the Cayman Islands. She didn’t lose sleep over either one. The trafficker she gutted and left to die slowly, in full view of the women and children he’d kidnapped, abused, and sold. Grisly, but it provided closure to everyone involved. The cartel leader (and a few of his lieutenants for good measure) she poisoned. It seemed fitting that they should be done in with their own product.

6. 004 is a stickler for good manners. Rudeness, incivility, and discourtesy make her bloody furious. Considering her line of work, she often deals with people who embody all three. It makes it easier for her to kill them, because she feels she’s doing society an added favor. Q sometimes jokes that she’s a female Hannibal Lector. She reckons she more of a female Moriarty, but she sees his point.

7. She has a twin sister who lives in Cornwall with her wife and three kids. She tries to visit every other month when she has some extra time and feels like getting out of London. Her sister is still mildly irritated with her for teaching the kids how to fight dirty if picked on. Scarlett giggled like a loon when her sister called her to yell about how all three ended up suspended for ganging up on the school bully (the bully ended up with a broken nose and several livid bite-marks). After her ears quit ringing, she texted her nieces and nephew “good work” and a thumbs-up emoji.

[bloom-cayman]

Exciting Midterm Camp for Kids in Cayman Islands – Fun, Learning, and Adventure!

At Bloom Learning Centre, we believe in blending education with fun to create memorable experiences for children. As a trusted preschool in Cayman, we’re excited to announce our Midterm Camp for Kids in the Cayman Islands—a perfect opportunity for your little ones to enjoy an engaging and educational break!

Why Choose Bloom Learning Centre?

Our programs are designed to foster curiosity, creativity, and growth in children. Whether it's our preschool curriculum or exciting camps, we provide a safe and nurturing environment for young minds to thrive.

Midterm Camp Details

Our Midterm Camp for Kids in the Cayman Islands is packed with fun activities that encourage learning and social interaction. From arts and crafts to team games and storytelling, every day is an adventure!

🗓 Dates: March 3, 4, and 6, 2025 ⏰ Time: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM 📍 Venue: #11 Seven Mile Shops, West Bay Road, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Camp Highlights

Hands-on activities that blend fun with learning

Opportunities to make new friends and build confidence

Professional staff ensuring a safe and engaging environment

Enroll Today!

Give your child the gift of a memorable midterm break at Bloom Learning Centre. As the leading preschool in Cayman, we’re here to support your child’s growth and happiness.

📞 Contact us now at: +1 (345) 746-4444 📧 Email: info@bloom.ky

Don’t miss this exciting chance to enrich your child’s learning journey. Spaces are limited—register today!

Visit on: https://www.bloom.ky/