#local woman harps on about ha

[visualtaehyun]

Feeling utterly unhinged about Hidden Agenda rn so here's an aimless meta? linguistic meandering through the episode?? Eh, bit of both, I guess.

Disclaimer: I'm still learning Thai so feel free to correct me on anything 🙏

Part 2/4 currently doesn't have subs (watching without any subs turned out to be easier than I expected) so I don't know in how far the subs make it clear but-

When Joke first comes to Zo's dorm and meets his mom, he expectedly addresses her as คุณน้า (khun naa). It's a polite way to address an aunt (specifically the younger sister of one's mom) or address a woman who could be your aunt, age-wise.

As we saw, they seemed to have bonded pretty quickly over cooking so I was delighted to hear Joke call her คุณแม่ (khun mae) already when she invites him to stay for dinner. It's a polite form of address for someone's mother - you could call your friend's mom this, a teacher might address a student's mother like that, it's a respectful way to call your partner's mom or even your own if you're that formal with your parents. Zo's mom most likely offered it to him.

Apart from this linguistic context clue, I think it was pretty obvious how grateful Zo's mom was for Joke bridging the gap and letting her know a bit about what Zo is up to these days. He doesn't seem to talk to his mom much at all but then again he keeps his feelings inside a lot anyway. It's lovely that Joke encourages him to be more open with his feelings and thoughts, not just towards Joke himself but everyone! He's really been consistently trying to get Zo to come out of his shell, experience new things, and be less passive.

Let's talk about the food Zo's mom made! (At least as much as I'm catching, with the lack of subs 🥴)

It's all Southern Thai dishes, อาหารใต้ (ahaan dtai), which are generally known to be spicy hot hence Joke's suffering and sweating lol

Food pictures courtesy of this handy-dandy Wikipedia list, where you can also read up on these and other Thai dishes if you're interested!

The dish Joke and Zo's mom rescue from burning to a crisp is หมูหวาน (moo wan), "sweet pork".

Next up is the curry that Zo's mom makes sure to serve Joke: It's called แกงส้ม (gaeng som), orange curry, in Southern Thailand but everywhere else it's called แกงเหลือง (gaeng lueang), yellow curry, or แกงส้มใต้ (gaeng som dtai), Southern Thai orange curry, to differentiate it from central Thai แกงส้ม (gaeng som), orange curry. The one in the picture above is made with fish.

A clearly struggling Joke says he likes Southern food, especially กุ้งผัดสะตอ (goong phat sataw), shrimp stir-fried with the "stink" beans we see being used as a punishment/challenge at the end of the episode. The picture above is of the pork variety of this dish, หมูผัดสะตอ (moo phat sataw).

I'm not actually sure what the dessert is that Zo's mom shows up with as the boys are having A Moment™. But judging from the color, I'm gonna assume it's grass jelly, เฉาก๊วย (chao guay).

As for the tongue twister / pronunciation exercise - the translators did a nice job in choosing an equivalent English one but that can't stop me from sharing the Thai one hehe

ยักษ์รักลิง /yak rak ling/ = giant loves monkey

ลิงรักยักษ์ /ling rak yak/ = monkey loves giant

ลิงน่ารัก /ling naarak/ = cute monkey

ยักษ์รักลิง /yak rak ling/ = giant loves monkey

So here's how Joke ends up using it to continue to be dorky-sweet to cheer Zo up flirt:

ยักษ์รักลิงแล้ว /yak rak ling laew/ = The giant loves the monkey (already). (It's possible he says อยาก /yaak/ here, my ability to distinguish tones ain't all that, in which case it would be Want to love the monkey.)

ลิงรักยักษ์บ้างปะ /ling rak yak baang bpa/ = Does the monkey love the giant at all?

ไม่ต้องรักยักษ์ก็ได้นะ /mai dtawng rak yak gaw dai na/ = Don't have to love the giant.

แต่แค่กลับมาคุยกับยักษ์เหมือนเดิมก็พอแล้ว /dtae kae glap maa kuy gap yak meuuan deerm gaw paw laew/ = Just going back to speaking with the giant same as before is enough.

I'm still in disbelief that Zo could make this smitten face at Joke yet not realize that Joke basically just confessed to him!

This show keeps on driving me crazy with how these characters look at each other, in general. There's a lot of tension, and with how JoongDunk and P'Tee have talked about this series and these characters, I'm kind of expecting that tension to resolve in

SPICE

[plotandelegy]

Unleashing Creativity: Top Ways to Generate Unique Fantasy Story Ideas

Photo: Standard License- Adobe Stock

Welcome back,

There's no denying that fantasy has been at the core of some of the most enchanting, daring, and downright unforgettable tales (for one reason or another) that have shaped the literary landscape. Who doesn't love the thrill of journeying to some new adventurous place with otherworldly creatures and epic battles between the forces of dark and light? Personally, I'm all about the dark side. Even for the most seasoned writers sparking the imagination can be difficult. Things like inspiration seem elusive as a dragon hiding in a mist-covered mountain. Today, I will cover a few ideas to find your muse. My muse sometimes hides in a dumpster...so let's find better ways to do this, shall we?

People Watching, with a Twist: Observing people in everyday situations can be a great source of inspiration. Now, add a layer of 'What If?'. What if the barista at your local coffee shop could control elements? What if the older woman feeding pigeons in the park was a retired warrior queen? This exercise allows you to create complex characters with intriguing backstories, ripe for the world of fantasy.

Travel Through Time: History is brimming with periods that, with a little twist, can become fantastic settings for your story. Victorian England's social hierarchies, the Renaissance's scientific innovations, and the fierce battles of Feudal Japan offer fertile ground for fantastical tales. Weave in elements of magic or mythical creatures, and you have an intoxicating cocktail of historical fact and enticing fantasy.

Bioinspiration – Fantasize with Flora and Fauna: The natural world is a veritable treasure trove of inspiration. Let's call this approach 'bioinspiration.' Start by exploring Earth's biodiversity's peculiar traits, behaviors, and survival mechanisms. Why not envision a species that communicates like whales but hunts like a pack of wolves? Or perhaps a plant that blooms under the moonlight and has the power to manipulate time? The possibilities are endless when you fuse the wonder of our world with a dash of fantasy.

Take a Hike (Literally!): When was the last time you truly engaged with the wilderness, the mountains, or the sea? Natural landscapes are rife with potential for fantasy storytelling. As you walk through a dense forest, consider the creatures that might inhabit such a place in a fantasy realm. That murmuring stream could be a water nymph's dwelling, and the wind howling through the canyon might be a dragon's call. Try to visualize your surroundings through the lens of fantasy — you may be surprised at what your imagination conjures up!

Harness the Power of Music: Like music, few things can stir the soul and spark the imagination. A piece of music can evoke many emotions and images depending on its rhythm, melody, and harmony. Try listening to music without lyrics (like classical, orchestral, or ambient music) and let your mind wander. Picture the scenes that the music evokes. Is that tranquil harp melody the song of a peaceful elven village? Does the tumultuous symphony represent the climax of an epic battle? Use these mental images as a springboard for your fantasy narrative.

So there it is, everyone. Five unique ways to draw up some inspiration. Go find your muse!! Probably shouldn't have said mine hides in a dumpster. I'm all about being superstitious, so I'm sure she'll never speak to me again.

Happy Writing,

Indigo Everly 

P.S. Need more? Check out this post!

[nuvolisa]

Miraville au

This is a seriously small post about the au I’m currently in the process of writing :D

The core basis of it, as explained in Branches of a timeline, is that this is a universe where the miraculi and magic have never existed. So all effects of them are not present in this au.

Disclaimer: it's long, it's a mess. Hope you will enjoy it because I'm slowly descending into MADNESS

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Marinette is the one who will be affected by the last echoes of the previous “corrupted” universe, as she was the last person who was so close to the cause. She is no longer Ladybug, which means that she has a lot more time to pursue the things she loves, which are baking and drawing. She lives in a smaller town, Miraville, in the French countryside, where this whole story is set. She has a little brother (Theodore, 8 y.o.) and lives with her parents who work respectively in a boring office job (Tom, who after failing to open a bakery became basically an engineer out of spite for his father) and in a local coffee shop (Sabine, who met with Tom when working for his father's boulangerie). They have a dog, named Tikki, she's a small wire hair fox terrier. Alya has been one of her best friends throughout elementary school but left for Paris when they started middle school, as of now her best friend is Alix. She is part of the drama club, usually volunteering as a costume maker.

Adrien Grassette

Adrien is... a bit wilder. Due to the fact that miraculous powers are non-existent in this universe, he has been conceived through IVF, but due to many failed attempts and the time for visits, consultation, testing, and everything, Adrien is actually born later than Marinette, and is actually Theo's age, so 8 y.o. In this story, the long and tiring process of Emily trying to conceive and the almost inhumanly controlling way she tries to raise her son make Gabriel, with the help of Nathalie, realize how much he despises the woman and he divorces her, taking full custody of their child. Gabriel then sells his firm and leaves behind his public life to raise his son in Miraville.

Nino Lahiffe

Nino is Marinette's childhood best friend, alongside Kim, since their mothers were extremely close when they were kids due to them being foreigners. Stereotypically normal boy, he's passionate about electronic music, basketball, and football, and occasionally likes to skate with Alix. He's up to date with the most recent anime and manga, and is an avid Nintendo fan. He had a crush on Marinette for a little more than a year in middle school, but never got around to confess. He's in the school football club with Kim.

Alix Kubdel

Marinette's bestfriend. She has let her hair grow longer because she planned on dying it all baby blue, but never got around to it because she loves her pink hair. Hyperactive, she's dyslexic, and is terrible in school, apart from History and Art. Her father is a history teacher in her same high school and her brother is studying to become a researcher on ancient languages. Her mother died when she was seven, and she was a very talented harp player. Alix had a crush on Kim for a long time, which was obvious to anyone, but she distanced herself from him the moment he got into a relationship. She frequently hangs out at a nearby abandoned factory with her other friends. She's really passionate about time traveling and sci-fi and has watched Interstellar and Back to the Future at least a thousand times.

Lila Rougier

Lila is in this story, not as cartoonishly evil as in the canon. She has moved to the town halfway through elementary school and has been close friends with everyone ever since. She is not as much of a compulsive liar, although she definitely lies occasionally to get what she wants. Ever since she started getting asked out a lot, she became obsessed with becoming popular. She's kind of a pick-me girl, however, she is, at least at the start, not targeting Marinette, who she considers a good friend. She's part of the journalism club of their school.

Kim Le Chien

Kim is his stereotypical self. Jock, buff, however he's less idiotic than in canon, since Marinette, who sees him like a brother, has always metaphorically rapped him on the knuckles to teach him respect and empathy. He has a repressed crush on Alix that he won't ever admit, especially since he's in a relationship now. He was raised by a single mother and gets tutored by Marinette frequently on maths so as not to disappoint her. Despite her help, however, he's dumb as a rock and very protective towards his friends, which almost always sometimes results in him getting in real trouble.

Sabrina Raincomprix

She's very similar, personality-wise, to her canon character. She's very shy and kind, usually letting people put their feet on her head. She's been friends with everyone forever, and everyone is worried for her since she always puts herself on the line for everyone. Her mother is a nurse and her father is the chief of police, making her a well-known member of the community. She's a devout Christian and is involved in the local church charity. Kids not in their friend group frequently make fun of and bully her, but usually, Lila, Alix, and Marinette help her deal with them.

Luka Couffaine

He's not from Miraville, but from another town nearby, where his mother has a musical instrument shop. He and his sister go to the same school (Joan d'Arc lyceé) as the others, but they're a year older than them. He's in a small rock boy band (called the Miracles) and sometimes hangs out at the abandoned factory. His sister is in a relationship with Rose, who lives in Paris and is actually stuck in the hospital due to her condition, and he occasionally calls them his "Marceline and Princess Bubblegum". He knows that he's Jagged Stone's son, but he never got to meet him or to ask him.

Chloe Bourgeoise

She's a very interesting character. She's not as needlessly bratty as canon, but she has her reasons to be a pain in the ass. Her parents are divorced and they're too busy fighting to discipline her and her half-sister. Audrey's brand failed the moment the Gabriel brand stopped helping it, and André is always moving around to shoot his (very poorly written and executed) movies. She and Zoé love each other deep down, but they fight a lot. Due to one of their fights, which a teacher mistook for bullying, her parents decided to send her away from Paris to live for a while with her rich grandma, her father's mother, who is incredibly disappointed (to say the least) of her son's antics and how Chloe was raised. She's not a spoiled brat, but she definitely has a problem controlling her anger. Might fight with her friends for anything, but would shoot anyone who dared hurt them.

Felix Sphynx

I couldn't stop myself from actually writing about my boi. He is a very stoic individual: he's described as basically emotionless by all his close friends. He never laughs at their jokes or gets angry about anything, and he's been like this ever since his mother died. His mother (Marianne Lavigne) was almost his carbon copy, being very cold and composed, only ever opening up to his father, (Cesar is actually very lively and bright) who is unable to understand how to help him break out of his shell. His mother was a French and Italian literature teacher and his father is an ophthalmologist. He went to the same kindergarten as Marinette and the others but went to a private school throughout elementary and middle school to be closer to his mother, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness and needed frequent hospitalization. He decided to return to public school since all his friends would attend Joan d'Arc lyceé. He's smart and brilliant, on the school chess team, and always aces his classes. He's very fond of cats: he has a beautiful ragdoll cat named Seraphine and has recently adopted a young black stray that would always follow him home, and called him Plagg as Claude suggested.

Allan Rey

Has been friends with Felix since elementary school. He's the son of the mayor of Miraville, and is an avid football fan, being in the school team alongside Kim and Nino. He's very loyal and extremely charming. He's Allegra's boyfriend since last year, and has heart eyes every time he's around her. His best friend is Claude.

Claude Daniel

Allan's best friend. The oldest of three brothers, he's very energetic and lively. He's passionate about magic tricks and would like to become an illusionist as an adult, but he knows that he will likely have to inherit the family's farm. He loves gossiping with Allegra, who shares his passion for sticking his nose in other people's business. He has a small crush on Allan that he will never confess so as to not ruin their friendship. He is part of the school drama club.

Allegra Gardinier

She's Allan and Felix's middle school classmate. She comes from a family of lawyers and has lived with her father ever since they divorced. She's an equestrian, is part of the school band as a flute player, and lives in an old family villa on the richest side of town.

The rest of the sentikids never existed in this world, and most of the other characters not mentioned here currently live in Paris. Honestly, this is self-indulgent as FUCK and at the same time the best way to try and make sense of all the shit that happened in canon in a world where magic doesn't exist. Maybe I'll get around to explaining a lot better every character, or perhaps I'll just write it who knows. Let me know what you think!

EDIT: I did not know that canonically, Kim has 2 dads, which is amazing, so I'll implement that in there.

[weaveroffates]

Niamh

Harper (Animulus) Niamh --> Trafalgar Niamh

Race: Selkie.

Age: 27 (post-timeskip.)

5'6"

Dark brown, almost black hair. Pale green eyes/Sea Glass Green. Pale skin, covered in freckles.

Seamstress/Quartermaster of the Heart Pirates.

~♡~ Backstory Notes. ~♡~

Harp Seal.

Her Father was a selkie who fell in love willingly with a human woman who loved him back and started a family.

Niamh had three older brothers. Mervyn, who was seven years older than her and was also a selkie. Murphy & Maccon who were two years older than her but didn't get the selkie genes(?)

Mother was an ambassador for her home island after retiring from her life of masked adventuring.

An event( ?) Happens that kills her father and separates her from her mother and her brother Maccon when she is around 10 years old.

Mervyn, Murphy, and Niamh were taken. when the trio tried to escape later. Murphy was killed and Niamh sustained injuries, got an infection, and eventually lost most of her hearing.

Mervyn dragged his sister to the nearest island and thought he had hid her well enough so he could try and get medical supplies from some locals.

But it wasn't enough as she was found by an elderly widow who thought Niamh was a "gift from the sea." Who proceeds to take her seal coat and hides it to keep her. Mervyn is unable to find it and pivots to help her adapt. Sign language, which many on the small remote island didn't know.

Hearing aids are a hard to get item? At least how far north she lived. Very expensive?

Mervyn went to a life of crime to try to afford one hearing aid. Later when she gets a replacement, Niamh keeps this one for sentimental reasons.

Mervyn also, sadly dies soon after he gets it for her. [Sickness/seal coat destroyed?]

She lives on the island until she is about 17-18 years old. Continues to look for her coat, but when a coat is buried the selkie owner of the coat cannot sense it.

Finds out she's been betrothed to the son of the light keeper, her searching becomes frantic.

The Heart Pirates arrive on the island within the first year of their travels (Law being about 17 years old when they meet.)

They help get her coat back and she asks to join them since she had no other place to go. (Law hands her back her coat.)

Dream was to travel and see the rest of the world? Wants to see fabrics and patterns from all over.

Also the Polar Tang had four teenage boys, the horrors. (Probably better than I've experienced tbh.)

Becomes the Quartermaster. [I kinda mixed the army definition with the pirate one.]

In land armies, a quartermaster is an officer who supervises logistics and requisitions, manages stores or barracks, and distributes supplies and provisions.

The quartermaster ranked higher than any other officer aboard the ship except the captain himself, and could veto the captain's decisions whenever the ship was not chasing a prize or engaged in battle. The quartermaster also was chiefly responsible for discipline, assessing punishments for crewmen who transgressed the articles. Taken from the Wikipedia Article for Quartermaster.

She mainly tells Law to take a nap and takes away his coffee when she does veto something.

Makes the crews custom jumpsuits, fixes clothing, and embroiders the jolly Rodgers on them. Also embroiders their names into their clothes.

Whenever someone has joined the crew to stay, she makes them a unique quilt for their bunks.

Made most of Law's clothes, curses the feathers. The animal prints are her fault, she likes them

Sealskin worn like a poncho/cloak.

Her bounty poster names her "Scary Neeve" As they misheard her/mistook her saying the town she joined the Heart Pirates as her name.

Due to the nature of have the aids and them acting more of an amplifier Niamh has to take breaks from them as they give her migranes since everything is loud.

sometimes will trade off which ear she will hear out of when needing to wear them for long periods of time.

gets vertigo easily, takes medicine for this but sometimes it's just best to rest. Rest sometimes is just sitting and crocheting.

Has balance issues before it gets real bad, Law and crew tend to watch for this.

Also gets sick if she's too far away from the sea, Zou is torture.

Her sign language is a dialect from the North-Blue.

~♡~ Romance ~♡~

Romance with Law is slow, not even considered until they are around 22/23 years of age.

Niamh doesn't push for it actually, and is content to be his friend.

It's when she almost dies during a squarmish with marines that he goes '*oh shit*' And aganises over it.

Like she was is a medical coma to reduce brain swelling.

Gets overprotective once she awakens to the point he pisses her off and they have a fight.

Have an argument, reveals feelings.

Take it slow? Nah.

Handfast ceremony with the crew as witnesses, oh god what have we done.

Keeps relationship hidden from everyone outside the crew, doesn't get revealed until after Wano.

Rather private with the crew as well.

~♡~ Sealskin, Tattoos, and piercings. ~♡~

Whatever she embroiders on the coat becomes a tattoo on her human body? It stings to do this?

She adds the Roger along the bottom.

Laws shoulder hearts to her coats shoulders.

Later she will get a heart tattooed on her ring finger.

A big piece that makes a sternum tattoo that wraps to her back? Not sure.

Remakes parts of Law's hat out of her sealskin as a wedding present. Her kind can live longer then humans but she's essentially giving a piece of her life away. Maybe that is what saves him from blackbeard later on. She can also feel vague pains from him in her soul when he gets hurt. (Or

Has multiple ear piercings. Ear cuffs and whatnot as well.

most of them are gifts from law. He likes to see the glittering on her ears.

~♡~ Niamh Personality ~♡~

Quiet, much more of one to observe then to be in the action.

Steady like the sea, and stubborn.

Has a need to fix things, even to her own detriment.

An icy anger, but patient.

She is uncomfortable with those not from the crew, and in a group of unknowns she is a wallflower.

She's not great with socializing because of her disability, those skills were not learned growing up. It's better now then when she first joined the crew.

Is often described as motherly/sisterly.

Her love language is time and making gifts for those she cares for. Which works great with her chosen profession as a seamstress.

Has a great interest in fabrics, stitching, thread, yarns, etc. Fashions maybe, but everyday wear is what she likes to make.

Likes patterns, and will make pieces that are to be styled with a plain piece. Like laws Zou look or Punk hazard are good examples.

But Law is a POS and pairs weird shit together.

The orange and yellow from Stampede for example.

She gets annoyed at him for that shit

"Maybe you should pick my outfits if it annoys you so much" he flirts "Maybe I will." She replies not taking it for flirting at all.

~♡~ Weapons/Fighting ~♡~

A pair of tailor shears turned into daggers, & various sized needle throwing knives.

Hand to hand, very much a rogue.

Kicks like a horse, has extra strength because of selkie/swimming.

~♡~ Hobbies/Things she likes ~♡~

Sewing, embroidery, quilting, knitting, crocheting, etc. If it has something to do with crafting, she probably does it.

Seashells & Jellyfish.

She does enjoy reading, but likes more to be read to while she does something with her hands. Audiobooks are her friend.

Drawing and doodling as well.

Tea person, doesn't like coffee.

~♡~ Family ~♡~

Spouse: Trafalgar Law

Children(?)

Coraline (Future)

Father: Alsvid

Mother: Animulus Calliope

Siblings:

Mervyn

Murphy

Maccon "Mac"

Maternal Aunt/Uncles/Cousins.

Paternal family (?)

[iviarellereads]

The Great Hunt, Chapter 26 - Discord

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Wheel of Time, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

(Harp icon) In which I try not to think about something any harder than I strictly have to.

PERSPECTIVE: Rand hurries back to his rooms upstairs at the Dragonwall inn. Loial and Hurin pop their heads in from the adjoining room and ask what's happened. Rand says Thom is alive, and Loial recognizes the name. Rand invites Loial to go meet him, and Loial declines politely. He doesn't want to meet any other Ogier who might know he ran away from home. Hurin offers to watch the Horn, the common room was full of people just wanting to pump him for information about Rand anyway. Rand finally drags Loial out, winking at Cuale as he leaves.

They find Thom's inn without problem, and the innkeeper says yes, his room is on the upper floor. Dena will likely let you in. They head up, and a feminine voice says to open the door themselves. Inside, a young woman, not much older than Rand, is juggling six balls. She asks who they are and what their business is. Rand says he's come back to return Thom's harp and flute, and to visit. He hasn't seen him in a very long time. She confirms that she's Dena, and they can wait here, but she must practice. She's going to be the first woman gleeman.(1)

Rand is just about to say he should wait downstairs when Thom enters, and greets Dena with a dramatic, and very long, kiss, to the point where Rand starts to wonder if he should leave just before they cut off.(2)

Thom starts complaining about the owner of the performance hall hiring "players", who put a scrap of painted fabric behind them and pretend to be the heroes of the songs. He, Thom Merrilin, makes you see every banner, smell every battle, feel every emotion, makes you believe you ARE the hero! The players are a cheap trick, and they were put on the stage right after him. It's an insult!(3)

Dena finally gestures to Rand and Loial, and Thom gives her some coin and tells her to get out for a while, her knives are done, she should go pick them up. After she leaves, Thom says she'll be a bard one day. But, they have the instruments? Rand hands them over, and the cloak. He explains how he used the flute to earn his rooms and meals. Thom knows, he stopped at some of the same inns and had to make do with juggling and simple spoken stories without his harp.

Rand asks Thom if he still wanted to be part of the Great Hunt, for real, to make new stories about it. Loial makes to ask Rand if he's sure, but Rand shushes him. Thom is skeptical of what Rand is implying. It would depend on what part he'd play, and of course they'd never make it into the stories without having been in Illian for the blessing… Rand tells him straight out that they have the Horn, and Thom laughs in his face, guffaws, even unto aftershocks of laughter. He stops laughing at once when Rand says Moiraine said it was the real Horn. Well, at least they had the sense to keep it secret. Half the world would be on edge waiting to take it from them if they'd said anything at the gate. They have kept it secret, and Rand needs a friend who knows the world, to help him get it back to Fal Dara without losing it again.

Thom thinks about the Last Battle, and what it will mean. The grain barges sustain this city, stop those for just a week and the people will revolt. The nobles will think Tarmon Gai'don is just a ploy in the Game. No, he won't go. Rand asks Loial to leave them alone for a bit, and Loial goes to learn the local dice game he saw downstairs. Rand hesitates, then asks Thom if he has any books with him about the Karaethon Cycle, trying to avoid calling it the Prophecies of the Dragon.

“In the great libraries,” Thom said slowly. “Any number of translations, and even in the Old Tongue, here and there.” Rand started to ask if there was any way for him to find one, but the gleeman went on. “The Old Tongue has music in it, but too many even of the nobles are impatient with listening to it these days. Nobles are all expected to know the Old Tongue, but many only learn enough to impress people who don’t. Translations don’t have the same sound, unless they’re in High Chant, and sometimes that changes meanings even more than most translations. There is one verse in the Cycle—it doesn’t scan well, translated word for word, but there’s no meaning lost—that goes like this. “Twice and twice shall he be marked, twice to live, and twice to die. Once the heron, to set his path. Twice the heron, to name him true. Once the Dragon, for remembrance lost. Twice the Dragon, for the price he must pay.” He reached out and touched the herons embroidered on Rand’s high collar.

Rand protests that the sword makes five, with the hilt, scabbard, and blade. And he doesn't mention the one burned into his hand from that sword. Thom agrees that they do, then mentions another part of the prophecy.

“Twice dawns the day when his blood is shed. Once for mourning, once for birth. Red on black, the Dragon’s blood stains the rock of Shayol Ghul. In the Pit of Doom shall his blood free men from the Shadow.”(4)

Thom doesn't see how a day could dawn twice, but so much of the prophecies don't make sense. The Stone of Tear can't fall until the Dragon holds Callandor, but the Sword That Cannot Be Touched is in the heart of the Stone, so how can he wield it first? He muses that Aes Sedai would want to fit the prophecies as closely as possible regardless. Dying would be a high price to pay for going along with them.

Rand says no Aes Sedai are using him for anything, and there are none with him now. He won't be used by them, he wants nothing to do with Aes Sedai, false Dragons, the Power, or... Thom catches that and they talk about about his nephew, Owyn. He held off the madness for three years, but in the end, he was starting to go mad.(5) Thom only helped Rand because there was Aes Sedai involvement in his situation before. He's earning more here than he has in any village, Dena seems to really love him and he's surprised enough to love her back. Why would he leave all that to go deal with Darkfriends and Trollocs? The Horn of Valere is tempting, but not that tempting.

Thom picks up the flute case and presents it to Rand, saying he might need to earn his keep again, someday. Rand tries to say what inn he's staying at, but Thom cuts him off. A clean break is best, or he'll never get the Horn out of his head. Rand leaves.

PERSPECTIVE: Thom is accused of playing the Game of Houses again by Zera, the innkeeper. She doesn't believe Thom when he says the boy is a shepherd from the Two Rivers, but she does say the Game has gotten much more dangerous in recent years. There are even murders for it. Thom should stop performing at so many lords' manors, they'll use him as soon as they can figure out how. She suggests he settle down, marry Dena, forget Daes Dae'mar. He thanks Zera for the advice, but knows he could never burden Dena with such an old husband. And she'd never be a bard with his past following her. He asks Zera to leave him to prepare for that night's performance.

She gave him a snort and a shake of her head and banged the door shut behind her. Thom drummed his fingers on the table. Coat or no coat, Rand was still only a shepherd. If he had been more, if he had been what Thom once suspected—a man who could channel—neither Moiraine nor any other Aes Sedai would ever have let him walk away ungentled. Horn or no Horn, the boy was only a shepherd. “He is out of it,” he said aloud, “and so am I.”(6)

=====

(1) And on the first read, you'd think that would be where the "I don't want to think about this too hard" would end. Alas. We have finished the chapter. On the subject of JUST this, surely if this world were as matriarchal as RJ seems to have wanted to imply it is, there'd be no gendering of professions… but we haven't seen a single woman soldiering except for the Aiel, and now we learn barding is also gender locked? Right. (2) If Rand is close to 20, Dena could be anywhere from 20 to 25, and on the one hand that's a perfectly acceptable age to make your own choices about who to spend your time with, even a man who's at least 60. But, this is part of a pattern. Look at Lan, who must be at least 45 or 50, and Nynaeve, at 25. Recall that Thom was having an affair with Morgase around the time Taringail was killed, Taringail who was also much Moiraine's senior, having been married to the previous daughter-heir before her, and that was when Moiraine was perhaps 25. Basel Gill described Thom as "in his prime" which, let's be honest, from an older man, that never means anything under 40. And here, Thom is playing both mentor and lover, not a combination without its pitfalls and power imbalances. Funny how Dena is his main argument for staying but he won't marry her. I'm sure this is totally legit and not at all a setup for something. At any rate, this isn't the first time RJ gave us an age gap with fucky dynamics, and I'm sorry to say it won't be the last. (3) And they didn't even have actors? Nobody staged plays or reenactments of anything, ever? I'm just sayin, we've had plays since ancient Greece at least, plays shouldn't be anything new to this world… but it DOES offer a sort of context, doesn't it? This world is in a period of upheaval, of rapid social change and progress as the apocalypse looms. Keep that in mind, even as awkward as these setups are. (4) A nice bit more of the specific prophecies to do with the Dragon. Rand's already got one heron mark, to make him start acknowledging that he is the Dragon. "Twice the heron, to name him true" so it seems likely the other hand will get a matching burn, probably close to when he declares himself. But what of the Dragons? And, note how Rand is asking some of the same questions Moiraine did, so soon after they were mirrored narratively with saying the same line. (5) Not a very long timeline for Rand to get this whole "battle for the end of the world" over with. (6) And that holds just about as much water as a straw.

[hopefms]

I CAN STILL HEAR YOU SAYING . . .

Music is everything to you; it always has been. From the moment you could hold a guitar,  you have been all consumed by the melodies your fingertips could generate. You come from a long line of musicians, in fact; it’s practically ingrained in your very DNA. Growing up, you’ve always known you would want to play music for the rest of your life. Your career would revolve around just that. You’d find like-minded people to start a band with. A band that would cover all the latest songs on the charts, before eventually releasing some of your own. Original pieces that would reel in all of the locals, and surrounding towns and cities before eventually reaching past California. You’d move to Hollywood and be amongst it all. Fame is in the palm of your hands. Your band is as close as ever; it probably helped that you were all high school best friends. You’d all sworn that none of you would walk away from the band; that making music together would be a long term thing and nothing could tear you apart. Until something did; until someone does leave. It leaves you all out of sorts because, without one of you, it’s all for nothing. Your band falls apart one after the other. You’re all on a break now, trying to work out what to do with your career, with your band, with your music. You feel lost and, more than anything, you feel betrayed by the one person you never thought would betray you. 

the basics.

full name: hope elizabeth harris

gender: cis woman

pronouns: she/her

sexuality: bisexual

age: twenty seven

birthday: december 3rd, 1946

occupation: musician

residence: a sprawling modern house in birch bay

aesthetics: colorful eyeshadow trying to hide the exhaustion behind your eyes, bellbottoms and mini skirts covered in patch work, an old wooden guitar with flowers hand painted on it, vinyls of every musical genre thrown across the room, the aimless plucking of a piano.

appearance

faceclaim: anya taylor joy

hair: naturally blonde, but has recently dyed it red in a fit of unnatural frustration

eyes: brown

height: 5’5 / 165 cm

tattoos: a small stick and poke of a flower on her wrist,

personality

positive traits: optimistic, kindhearted, amiable, intelligent

negative traits: obsessive, reckless, emotional, fickle s

in: envy

virtue: kindness

hobbies: her life has always and will most likely always revolve around music, listening to it, collecting vinyls and cassettes, and playing. she also loves reading and has a particular love of french poetry

skills: can play anything if she puts her mind to it, though her favorites are the piano, acoustic guitar and harp. what really sets hope apart, however, is her singing and her songwriting, which tends to be highly poetic, provocative and most times nonsensical.

biography

from the beginning, there is music. you learn how to write notation before the abcs, how to sing before talking. your house is big and empty but there’s melodies and harmonies filling the air so it can’t be all that bad. your parents love you, but they just so happen to love each other more, to be more interested in their careers than in a docile and meek child. as a kid, there’s nothing you would like more than a sibling, a family member that you can talk to and spend your days with. instead of a sibling, you get a guitar, and then a keyboard and a banjo and a series of increasingly complex and rare instruments. it’s almost enough.

you are an optimist. on your 17th birthday you get a lesley gore record and listen to sunshine lollipops and rainbows so much it wears out. you smile at the world and it smiles back at you, shiny and inviting. it’s not that you can’t see the ugliness, but you are amazingly good at taking the bad parts of life and stuffing them inside of a lonely shoebox to be kept in the attic and never looked at. when your parents don’t show to your high school graduation you don’t even bat an eye, making a joke about christening the car they bought you. no one has to know you spend the entire night muffling sobs into your pillow if you are just as smiley the next day as you were before.

your band tends to be the focus of your unwavering optimism, but that’s just because you know you are good. writing music is something you simply have to do to stay alive, but writing with them is always exciting, difficult but all the more rewarding because of that. you play on shitty bars and record less shitty demos, climb the charts and tour the country. it’s a dream come true, and you get lost in it, forget that all good things must come to an end. you are drunk on the music itself, on the idea of people singing your lyrics, playing your chords. (you are also drunk on whiskey. your father used to say all serious people drink whiskey, and you wish he could see you now).

when things do come crashing down they do so extraordinarily, the presto of a concerto, screaming matches that sound like frenetic violins. you crawl into yourself, hide in a way you haven’t done since childhood. your label is already speaking of a new band, or a solo project, but for the first time in your entire life, you don’t want to bleed your heart into fun little songs pressed into a vinyl. stillwater feels like somewhat of a safe haven, where you can spend the days in your shiny new house plucking dissonant chords, ignoring your agent, and trying really hard to keep your smile from feeling like the lifeless caricature of a plastic doll.

[getmemymicroscope]

This starts off as a local, fun "who stole the politician's jackfruits" and turns into a slightly larger scale scathing piece on the ridiculousness of political power (the head guy puts more effort and force into finding the jackfruit than the missing girls, or any of the other cases they have on their desk), the absurdity of a patriarchal society (again, the statements the entire movie about the missing girl, and even just how 43 missing girls are ignored), the never-ending love of the caste-based system intermixed with the whole man v/s woman dynamics, and even the levels of politician-related corruption - or at least the lack of power, or willpower, to go against what they say/want (when she's told to arrest the clearly not guilty gardener and blame him anyways). Oh, there's also a major shift in the plot from "missing jackfuit" to "chase down the kidnappers and find the kidnapped girl," which takes over the second half of the movie and essentially leaves the jackfruit bit unsolved until the very very end (as in, mid-credits scene).

Our two unwavering characters, funnily enough, are our lead (played wonderfully by Sanya Malhotra), a clearly frustrated inspector who has to deal with the downstream effects of caste-ism, sexism, an inept set of constables working under her, and political power and professional corruption, and Rajpal Yadav, who has a smaller role as a news broadcaster who actually seems to have some sort of moral compass (okay, he's clearly driven by the desire to be seen - but at least, when confronted with something, he takes on the bigger story and doesn't screw things up).

It would probably have been hard to make a 2 hour movie just on investigating the stolen fruit, and obviously they were going for a larger, more universal message about the absurdity of politicians, corruption, caste-ism, and the complete lack of respect or regard for women, but ... it feels like a very hard-hitting set of themes that sort of fall flat given how quickly everything is resolved (or, on the other hand, how much of it goes unresolved).

And there's no real fall-out for anyone - which I guess is very real-world. The politician is unscathed, minus the loss of the jackfruit; her superiors will keep on keeping on; the folks in the towns will continue to badmouth the girl because she wears ripped jeans; her boyfriend's father will continue to bring caste, and sexism, into everything; her constable's husband will continue to not be of any help to anything (even picking up the bag of spilled potatoes).

And maybe that's how it is aimed - the movie ends with one girl saved, one (well, 4) bad persons caught; but beyond that, life just goes on as it was going before these events happened. One case solved isn't going to change the country, change the people or their mindsets, change the world - you just gotta do your thing, then start over and do it all over again. Over and over, until you can't any more. None of these things change overnight.

I can applaud what they were going for, and the acting. But it feels like we were dropped into a messed up world that remains completely messed up as we leave the world, and you just leave a bit unsatisfied that things aren't going to change for the better. Also, the subplots with her constables - especially that whole missing car plot - was obviously going to tie in at the end (Chekhov's gun, if you want), but it also did get a bit annoying how she would harp on the other constable about his unwillingness to help others (admittedly, this was more of a caste-based message, I think) whilst she kept shutting this other guy up about his car (maybe a message about 'policemen matters don't suddenly become more important than other folks' matters,' but that is never stated, and it just seems like she finds him annoying - which, we do too, but that doesn't change the fact that it is technically a case; and she rebuffs him because the jackfruit is more important than car, because politician, but then immediately turns around and says girl is more important than the jackfruit - she's right, but her message comes across a bit weaker because of how the responds, I feel).

Given the land around, I can't believe that their first thought wouldn't be "monkeys," but then, that's definitely a politician's family, so maybe they're all just dumb in the head.

[tarnishedxknight]

“I - yes, I am Luciana. Why do you ask?”

The booming echo of Gabranth’s voice startled Luciana, and she looked up. She may not have had the best social skills, but Luciana’s free spirited nature only enhanced her beautiful artistry, whether that was sewing or singing. She wasn’t genuinely that unaware all the time, and maybe Gabranth would’ve noticed that sharpness about her. You want to make them hear you? You play their games. It is easier for them to appreciate a woman with your gifts if she is lacking elsewhere. There will come a time where all the world will know your beautiful voice, my songbird. But not now. Not yet. Luciana’s mother had uttered those words to her when she first started working, and they’d stuck with her all this time. Luciana was truly a creative, free-spirited dreamer, but she wasn’t an idiot. She played the fool more often than not, but it was only genuine part of the time.

She squeaked excitedly before curtsying awkwardly when she realized who Gabranth was and what he was asking of her. Singing in front of a crowd was all she’d ever wanted, and what better crowd than the court? Luciana paused for a moment, though, and turned to face Gabranth.

“I would love to! ‘Tis all I have ever dreamed of.” She smiled at him warmly, playing with a loose strand of her hair. “Is this… I do not wish to offend, but is there any chance that my mother requested my presence? Her name is Sabata. If ever she has referenced her songbird, then you certainly know who she is referring to. In any case, I suppose I should offer you a song so you know exactly what you shall be hearing.”

Aside from the various cloths and sewing supplies she carried on her person, Luciana also had a lyre harp and a lute. Luciana was far more familiar with the lyre, and her melodic voice carried through as she began to hum a few notes. She began her ballad. It was an old song, one many hadn’t heard in a long time, telling the story of the Empire’s rise to power. Her voice swelled and quieted at just the right moments, and some of the locals who had stopped to listen were brought to tears. The story itself was banal, but Luciana told it expertly. She swayed a bit, her blue dress moving above her ankles, and she seemed to get lost in the song. When she finished, she was met with some light applause.

“I hope that was sufficient? I did not prepare any new material.”

_________

Gabranth could sense that she was playing a bit dumber and more oblivious than she actually was, but he didn’t fault her for that. We all of us have our defense mechanisms, our methods of survival. He had his own that no one else had seen before, and so he left this woman hers. Nevertheless, he was interested in her musical ability above everything else, so as long as she was willing to share that with regard to employment, he would leave all else to her as she wished.

He knew of her mother, though he’d not spoke to her directly. “No, she is not the one who initiated this request. I have heard of your talents and wished to know if you were interested in singing for the young Lord Larsa. He favors music quite enthusiastically, but his own studies with instruments have been... limited. I myself am in charge of his care, and I neither play nor sing, and so I am in search of one who can teach him.” He could heard the ambition in her voice, however, and so he added one thing further. “And perhaps the emperor himself and Lord Vayne would also be interested in hearing you as well. House Solidor has been quite devoid of music for some time now.”

When she offered to sing and play a song, Gabranth was about to tell her that was unnecessary, that her reputations preceded her, but she was very quick with her trade. And so he fell silent as she went about her business, growing a bit uncomfortable with how her music actually touched him. She brought life to what would have been an otherwise traditional and unremarkable song. He was thankful for his helm and the fact that she could not see his wavering expression. 

“It was more than sufficient,” Gabranth said with a polite nod, his helm dipping respectfully. “When you are ready, inquire at the palace. I shall inform the emperor that you have my recommendation to bring music to his family and court.” With that, he turned to leave, assuming that she would need time to collect her things and made ready to move into the palace.

[samuell2]

The Burmese Harp :(

Man, what a beautiful and sad movie. I thought I was just fond of this movie because I enjoy the history of WWII, but I'm glad to see my classmates were also moved by the story here.

The two halves of this movie, pre and post surrender, offer a striking contrast between the joys and the horrors of war. That first part may sound a little strange-- what about war is joyful?-- but that's honestly how I would describe a lot of scenes in the beginning of the movie. Watching Mizushima strum his harp and sing as a signal to his comrades, watching him get robbed by the locals and left in a strange frilly skirt, and, of course, watching him lead a plot to deceive the enemy troops by retrieving a cart under cover of song-- these scenes are funny, almost childish. And they're really enhanced by the music and the singing, which were both impressive and catchy.

Once the surrender comes, the tone shifts, and we see the darker side of the war. We see the battalions holding out among the mountains, clinging to the ideology which has sustained them throughout the war, dying in vain. It reminds me of "Fires on the Plain"-- a novel this same director later adapted about Japanese soldiers in the Philippines, largely abandoned by their government, left to waste away from sickness and forced even to eat each other. Still, there are some beautiful and tender moments here. Mizushima's company trading with a woman for a parrot, which they train to find him-- its the perfect blend of comedic and touching moments.

Mizushima's pilgrimage, I think, reflects the greater journey of Japan to repent for the war-- to repent, not only for the destruction they brought upon their enemies, but the destruction they had brought upon their own people, their own soldiers. Overall, a wonderful and tragic movie, beautifully shot and scored. This one was good.

[visualtaehyun]

Sadly, Hidden Agenda is over so I might as well post these transcription/translation snippets that I had sitting in my drafts.

My usual disclaimer applies, I'm not a native speaker but a learner of Thai 🙏 I like doing transcription for fun and practice so please do chime in with corrections and such. It's always Joong's lines that make me go Hold on, what did he say?, resulting in lengthy transcriptions like this 💀

The video call from ep. 10

Zo is using their usual rude informal pronouns กู/มึง /guu, mueng/ (=I/you)

Joke is being sweet using 1) polite ending particle ครับ /khrap/, 2) their names instead of pronouns, 3) polite formal pronouns ผม/คุณ /pom, khun/ (=I/you) when he says his pick-up line/pun

Zo: ฮัลโหล? = Hello?

Joke: สวัสดีคาาาบ คิดถึงโซ่จังเลยอ่ะ ทำไรอยู่ครับ = Sawasdee khaaap~ [I] miss Zo so much! What are [you] doing, krap?

Zo: คิดถึงอะไรเรา เพิ่งแยกกันเมื่อวานนี้มึง = 'Miss' what even?? [We] only just split up yesterday, dude

Joke: ก็คิดถึงโซ่นั่นแหละ ไม่ได้เจอกันนานหนึ่งวันเนี่ย โซ่ไม่คิดถึงโจ๊กบ้างหรอ = Well, missing Zo! Haven't seen each other for a whole day. Does Zo not miss Joke a little? (Do you not miss me a little/at all?)

Zo: เป็นไร ทำหน้าหงอยเพื่อ = What's up? What are [you] making a sad face for?

Joke: ไม่รู้ดิ เพรอะได้เห็นหน้าจากแค่เนี่ย ก็รู้สึกโหว่ๆไงไม่รู้ = Dunno. Because [I] only get to see [your] face from this, [I] feel somewhat hollow/a gap.

Zo: อืม เพราะมาดูหน้ามึงตรงเนี่ยก็ ตลกดีเหมือนกันนะ = Mhm. Because looking at your face here... [it's] pretty funny too.

Joke: อ่าว ผมอ่ะ หน้าตลก แต่คุณอ่ะ น่ารัก = Aow-- I may be funny-faced (naa dta lohk) but you? Cute/lovable (naa rak).

Zo: แหวะ = Yuck

The cuddle from ep. 6

A note for any fellow language nerds: I remember this one because the little word ขึ้น sent me into a spiral of shocked-pikachu-face discovering the semi-perfective aspect 🥴

Joke: ไม่ตอบแบบเนี้ย แปลว่าโอเคใช่ป่ะ = (You) not replying like this means (it's/you're) okay, right?

Joke: รู้ปะ คนเรากอดกันขึ้น 30 วินาที ร่างกายจะปล่อยสาร oxytocin ออกมา มันเป็น hormone ที่สร้างความผูกพัน ห่วงใย และเชื่อใจต่อกัน = You know, [if] we hug for 30 seconds, the body will release Oxytocin. It's a hormone that builds [1], [2] and [3].

[1] ความผูกพัน = connection, bond, ties, attachment, relationship [2] ห่วงใย = worry, care, concern [3] เชื่อใจต่อกัน = mutual trust

Zo: แล้ว ถ้ากอดกันนานมากกว่านั้นอ่ะ = So… if [we] hug each other for longer than that?

Joke: ถ้านานมากกว่าเนี่ย แปลว่าเราใจตรงกัน = Longer than this… means our hearts match (/[4]).

[4] ใจตรงกัน = of one mind, thinking alike, in agreement

[mitigatingacademics]

{11.07.23}

A little background information.

Our polling location has two VLMs -- Voting Location Managers.

When I worked my first election (at an elementary school approximately 25 minutes from where I live - they actually had assigned me closer to home and called 2 days before said election asking if I would be willing to work somewhere else [We'll pay you a bonus!] - I mean, I'd never done it before, it was all the same to me, so, sure) Shawn (who is a woman and always has the latest information on the most affordable fashion) and Paula (bringer of the cake to the potluck), both Democrats, were our VLMs.

That election, apparently, resulted in a change in majority in that precinct from Democrat to Republican which required a change in VLMs on party lines.

Among poll workers Republicans seem to be incredibly scarce county wide. Our location averages about 3 to 12, with maybe 1 or 2 Independents/Undeclared.

Nevertheless, last election, and this one as well, had Republican VLMs.

Why they're not bipartisan teams is beyond me. That's how everything else is done. It's got me wondering about the Rover teams as well. I might actually ask at my next training class.

They harp on bipartisan teams for everything - setting up machines, answering voter questions, etc., etc., which makes sense to a certain extent (speaking to a voter on your own opens you up to all kinds of potential of the voter accusing, truthfully or not, that you pressured them to vote in a particular way, etc.) but becomes incredibly impractical when every time a voter has a question about why the machine is telling them their ballot is incomplete (and in this case it was almost always because one of the races was a 'choose no more than 2' with only 1 candidate and 2 write-in slots...) and technically you're supposed to track down one of those rare Republicans and pull them off of whatever job they're currently doing before you explain that to the voter. Every. Time.

Sometimes you need that other party other half, though - like the time Renee and I were assisting a voter that asked about how to vote on Issue 1 - "I want a woman to be able to have a choice." The temptation to offer guidance can be real. I want to believe that I would have been just as motivated to see a 'pro-life' voter vote their beliefs (and also not help them any more than we're allowed), but having a counterpart is added assurance that we keep it real. We even got a chuckle afterwards - having completed his ballot, the voter asked us if we could tell him then if he'd made the correct selection...which of course we couldn't.

We are, at times, frustratingly good at our jobs. A lady at the last election (the illegal summer election with one issue on the ballot) more or less told me I was useless because I wouldn't explain the issue to her. That's not what we're there for, ma'am. Where have you been that you knew to show up to vote but hadn't already formed an opinion on the singular issue? The issue, by the way, that is full text taped to the wall over there, go read it if you'd like?

This election, someone asked me, with one of the local judicial contests on the screen, all of which were running unopposed, "how do we know if they're Republicans or Democrats?" ...that hasn't been listed on the ballots in YEARS. Google is the answer. Preferably researched before you come to vote, but, worst case scenario, on your phone right there in front of the screen. ...at least that's how *I* operate. When advising voters, it's just "that's no longer listed, if you don't wish to vote in a specific contest, hit next to proceed." 🤷🏻‍♀️

At one point I witnessed Paula take a partisan mailer out of a woman's hands and tell her she couldn't take that to the voting machine with her. ...I don't think that's accurate. I've taken many a Democratic slate to the polls personally. There are rules against displaying that kind of thing openly while waiting in line (and for good reason, I get an attitude that even best efforts can't prevent with customers at the real job that come in there wearing MAGA hats - we, at the polling place, support democracy and your right to make poor, end of life as we know it choices, but you're going to keep it to yourself) but the only reason any of us even saw that woman's mailer was because she dropped it while signing in. 🤷🏻‍♀️

ANY WAY...

Renee, a current, Republican majority VLM, is great. Even when Shawn and Paula were the VLMs at my first election, Renee was knowledgeable and useful. They've all been doing this for a long time and I have so much respect for the way they come together, regardless of who is in charge on any particular occasion to get things organized and make democracy happen.

Kevin, the other Republican VLM, is not so great. He wasn't fantastic last time and was even worse this time. I realize they're not spoiled for choice in terms of Republicans overall, but something needs to be done about Kevin.

Generally speaking, protocol is that a VLM is supposed to reach out to all poll workers of their location at some point during the weekend before the election to make sure they plan to show up for set-up, etc.

The reason I didn't hear from anyone until 4:15 Monday night (report time is 6:00pm) was because Kevin had the call sheet and Renee assumed that, given that he had the call sheet, he made the calls. He did not. I was going to show up, called or not. Nonetheless, something needs to be done about Kevin.

As seems to have become our tradition, I spent Monday night helping Maricela hang signs. She likes to partner with me for this because I'm 'tall.' ...I'm 5'5...but I'm taller than her. 🤣 I also think she likes me because I entertain her penchant for gossip. I've learned to like her, but it has been quite the experience. She makes absolutely no neverminds about who she goes after from anything about which side of the lot they park their car on to where they set their coffee or how they make a plate in the lunch area. I mostly listen to what she says so as not to become the next object of unanticipated rage. 🤣

I also made a new friend who, though I didn't know it at the time, is actually Paula's niece. She asked me if I knew where the restrooms were and as I directed her there, I advised her, having learned from my own experience, that said restrooms are designed for little people (being an elementary school and all) and to sit down carefully. We both laughed, but when she came back she thanked me for the warning. 🤣

Tuesday morning I helped Shawn open the DS 200s. By helped I mean I read and re-read aloud the instructions in the book until Shawn was able to make something happen. By DS 200s I mean the machines that Shawn would later direct a voter to referring to them as 'the upper echelon of the voting experience.' 🤣

We got the first one open (and by first one, I mean #2 because that's where we started...thankfully, it didn't matter 🤣) after a few false starts and expected the second one (#1) to go better...which it did, until the last steps which included printing several reports. It made a whirring sounds and the screen SAID it was printing the reports...but nothing came out.

Right at that very moment our Rovers arrived for their first visit of the day.

The male Rover, whose name I unfortunately never did catch because they were both FANTASTIC, produced a key much more efficient than the one Shawn had been trying and opened up a compartment we mere PEO peons had never seen let alone been trained on and had #1 spitting out every report we requested in less than a minute's time. BLESS. 🙌🏻

Before continuing on their rounds our wonderful Rovers made mention that we were doing better than the other locations they had visited. ...this may have been something they were telling everyone...and I wouldn't blame them, even if it was, because hearing it really did seem to provide a noticeable morale increase to a group of good folks doing their very best, very early in the morning on very little sleep.

A note about Rovers, I can appreciate how good Sandy and her DS 200 magician counterpart truly were because I've seen the job done...worse.

There was the time we ran out of stickers and had none for HOURS. Now, I acknowledge at least it wasn't ballots, but have you ever seen a full grown adult take time out of their day to perform their civic duty...and leave sad about a sticker? That's a travesty.

This time around we had so many stickers that I did not hesitate, when one man came in to vote with his two young daughters and handed his sticker to one of them, to step in with another for the other girl because "two stickers for two helpers." Paula even praised me for it. "Future voters of America!" 😊

It was that previous election that I learned that some companies give people time off to go vote and they use the stickers as proof that that's what they did with the time. ...I was so upset FOR those folks that I all but offered to take pictures of them in front of 'vote here' signs. 🤦🏻‍♀️

This time around we had everything we needed and then some. From actual ballot paper to name tag making materials that, mentioned Monday night and having been sure we'd have to wait until the next day to have our request refilled, I just stared when Sandy had it there within 5 minutes, "How many do you need?"

At one point Sandy's other half asked her if she wanted him to retrieve something from the car...and I still deeply regret that I never got to actually see said vehicle with my own eyes.

Mobile democracy. Y'all got extra red tags and blue seals? I know you've got surge protectors and Apple product charging cords. It's like the school store, but so much better.

When they roved in for their 3rd check of day around 3:30, I made a comment to a girl that I worked the last election with that, while kudos to these Rovers for doing a heck of a job...they couldn't compete in entertainment value with last election's female Rover who was not only not the nicest individual, but also literally wore bedroom slippers while offering criticism of us in front of voters. ...it's those kind of experiences that makes doing the job period, let alone doing it well, seem so worthy of praise.

One of the new workers brought what she referred to as "taco soup." It was too thick to be a soup, if you ask me, but it was incredibly tasty. Fixed up with the addition of the guac and chips another person brought? Heaven.

I was enjoying that when Maricela explained to Kevin that he needed to wash his hands after sneezing before touching the food. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Something needs to be done about Kevin.

Later, when Shawn got us Little Caesars Pizza, which is her thing, someone suggested she also get Crazy Bread this time. Amazing.

American Democracy, brought to you by carbohydrates. 🙌🏻

Hilariously (at least in my mind), I also like to claim that Adam (Kinzinger)'s book helped me get through the day after my feet started to ache to the point that sitting down was going to mean not getting back up again.

It was the only alternate entertainment I'd brought with me...and, honestly, I'd rather deal with angry (for no real reason) voters asking 'WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE' while Renee stood silently behind me waiting to see how it was going to play out (🤣) than read more hot take war stories. ... At least it's good for something, I guess. If Liz's book is equally disappointing I'll have to take a day off of work to deal with my emotions.

It was just past 7:30, we were officially closed, having made it through yet another election with only shut down / clean up protocol left to complete.

Renee, the other wing of my 'bi-partisan eagle' "we're better because of our differences" had been been planning for hours to approach our final duties with efficiency. Her blue tags were marked M (master) and A (accessory) and she'd assigned folks to duties based on who best kept who on track. I ended up reassigned 3 different times before the tasks actually began, but I was happy to do whatever was deemed most helpful as Renee, as different as we may be, and as much as she enjoys joking around, demonstrated an impressively respectable level of leadership.

As we began our end of day assignments I was exhausted but in good spirits until it was pointed out to me that Kevin had my personal election instruction book in his hand.

It had my name on it. We're instructed to put our names on them during training.

It wasn't that he had my book which was the problem. Had he asked, I would have gladly given it to him.

It was that he would have had to have gone INTO MY PURSE to get it. Maricela then informed me that she'd seen him looking through workers' belongings.

I tried so hard not to allow this to upset me. It had been a great day.

I WAS upset, though. There were others around as the situation developed and I knew I needed to say something. I asked him if he'd taken the book from my purse and he admitted that he had. Another worker, speaking up even before I could at that point, said that it's never alright to go into a woman's purse (or anyone's private belonging in this kind of situation, let's be real) without permission.

Kevin's excuse was, "Well, someone took mine."

Sir...

No one took his book. Everyone had been given one during training and there were at least 2 extras provided with the election materials during set-up. They were all over the place. Did he misplace his? Probably. Had someone else moved it? Possibly. Did it have his name on it? Probably not. He's not really one for following instructions. Did he absolutely, unequivocally miss the point here? Yes.

Someone took my book off of him and handed it to me. In the wildness of the situation, I don't even remember who.

Absolutely floored not by his lack of apology, but by his inability to comprehend why he'd been wrong, I didn't even offer to let him use the book if he needed it.

I went, then, to check my purse to make sure nothing else was missing. I didn't expect that there would be, and there wasn't as far as I could tell.

Exhausted to the point of feeling a little other worldly in response to the ridiculousness that had just transpired, I went to help Maricela take down signs, but I just couldn't let it go.

Even now, 2 days later, the thing that upsets me the most is the disrespect. It had been such a fun day. We'd managed to find ways to make the best of even the less pleasant situations. Our little precinct is not MY precinct as far as where I would be assigned to vote (I've been early voting for years), but the regulars there have BECOME my election family. I look forward to and enjoy working with them. This time around there were several new faces that I made sure to tell I expect to see them at the next one...the same way Shawn had done to me after my first election - because it's nice to know that your contribution is valued and your return is anticipated. As odd as the whole thing is, I feel a connection there...and that just made the transgression that much worse.

I felt like something had happened that couldn't be ignored, but at the same time I worried making it into an issue would result in more trouble than it was worth. What if I ended up getting reassigned? I still have concerns about that, honestly. I've been reassured numerous times that I'm not the one that was in the wrong...but there are multiple ways to solve a problem, right?

I found myself wandering around, peeling tape off of signs for several minutes, my mind elsewhere. I almost snapped at one of the other ladies when she asked, for the 3rd time, what to do with the election specific signs (text of issues and such) that were never going to be used again. If you don't know how to work sign crew, don't work sign crew! ...even though she was just trying to help, to pick up the slack I was creating with my lack of focus...and I had to remove myself from the situation.

I went to talk to Renee who was working machine crew. I asked her if reporting Kevin to the Rovers would cause issues for her. ...because as bad as Kevin is as a VLM, Renee is that much better. Something needs to be done about Kevin regardless, but not in a way that would cause problems for Renee. She'd been nowhere near that situation as it went down and her previous frustration with him had not gone unnoticed. If she had shown any hesitation I would have found another way. She didn't, though.

In all of my past experiences we've gotten everything shut down, signed out, put away and have to wait for the Rovers to come by one last time to release us. Ironically, in this case, they showed up maybe 5 minutes after I'd spoken to Renee.

Grateful for their hi-vis vests because I saw them before they entered our main area, I had to decide in that moment what I was going to do.

To be honest, I'm still not sure it was the right thing. I caught them right outside the door of the gymnasium and asked if I could speak to them before they came inside.

We were all exhausted and just wanted to go home. I have no doubt at all they felt the very same and the last thing they needed was another issue now, after the part that caused issues was supposed to be over. Had I not been so tired I might have cried. I feel emotional just thinking about it now...which is stupid, but also not because the part that hits the hardest isn't what went wrong, but the kindness that followed.

I didn't want to be a tattle-tale. I didn't want to create more work for them (especially considering the only reason I even felt comfortable reporting an issue to them was that they'd done the job better than anyone else I'd ever worked with). I didn't want my name on an incident report - in anyway shape or form...but Kevin is a problem and this was just the latest incidence, something that I had experienced personally and if I *didn't* say something, when the next thing inevitably happened, I would feel responsible for that as well.

I expressed as much of this as I could to these wonderful, civic minded individuals whom, no matter what they were getting paid, it's not enough, and they listened to me. They did not rush me out of the way to attend to more important things. They asked a few questions to better understand. I mentioned several times that while yes, I was upset on a personal level, my only real motivation in raising the issue to the next level was for there to be reconsideration in choosing VLMs for the next election. I understand that they don't have a lot of Republican options, but Kevin has demonstrated a a tendency towards bad decision making one too many times to continue in a position of leadership.

Our Rovers seemed to decide between themselves that a report would be necessary. I both didn't love that and felt relieved at the same time. I was grateful that they took me seriously. At one point the idea of calling Veronica (the Democrat of the pair responsible for the training classes at the BOE) directly (in the days following the election, at which point, despite her encouragement of our phone calls if we needed assistance at any time, I'm sure I would have lost my conviction and done nothing) had gone through my head - but that would have been going over Renee's head as well as the Rovers'. My respect for all 3 of them made that feel inappropriate. Sandy did ask about Renee's take on what had happened. Among those doing it right, there seems to be great regard for the chain of command and I wished to respect that as well.

Sandy actually put her arm around me and said, "I'm sorry that happened to you." I can't tell you what that meant to me - both that she cared and offered reassurance that saying something about it didn't make me the problem.

I went back to work then, trying my best to focus and be as useful as possible. The Rovers left a short while later. They made a general announcement while we were working thanking us for our efforts and saying they hoped to see us all in March. On their way out the door, Sandy turned, pointed at me, and was like "You take care." Bless.

I've only ever seen one Rover at multiple elections, but it just so happens that our little precinct is Sandy's personal voting location so odds are good I'll see her again at some point. Might need to ask in training if we're allowed to hug the voters. 🤣

After all the signage was taken down and the machines had been put away, those of us with nothing left to do while the accounting was being done have a noted history of 'wall sitting' while we wait to be dismissed.

I sat next to Maricela, reflecting on recent events. She shared with me information I hadn't realized - I thought Kevin had been an established regular working at the precinct when I started there. According to Maricela, who has been there since the dawn of democracy, that's not the case. She said, that in fact, my first time there was probably Kevin's first time as well. This did make me feel better about, if it would happen to come down to it, who has more of a claim on getting to stay at that location verses being assigned to another. Kevin might be a VLM, but he's a terrible one...which is the whole point, so. 🤷🏻‍♀️

When it came time to finish up the last of things, we all had to clock-out on the iPad as well as manually sign the daily sheet.

The woman who always works the provisional table has, in my opinion, a history of a terrible attitude towards others - not all the time, but enough that I generally give her a wide berth. She seems to get a pass from just about everyone, though, because she's good at the accounting, too. Along with provisionals, those are two things I have no intention of touching, so, respect for that. ...at least until she turned on Shawn.

We're just standing there in a makeshift line waiting to sign the paper (none of us could leave until everyone had signed, anyway) and for what seemed like no reason at all this woman is screaming at Shawn about 'this is ridiculous' etc. a little colorful language thrown in, then she says something that I hear way too often from the most obnoxious patrons at the real job 'if you don't let me do it next you're going to have to call an ambulance because I'm going to lose my mind' 🤨

Shawn was just sitting there letting this bounce off of her and she looks up at me as it appeared that my turn was next and she asks "Would you mind terribly if we allow her to go next?"

Not at all! 😐

...because and only because it seemed as if this would end the inexplicable insanity that Shawn was dealing with. Not that anyone would deserve that kind of treatment, but Shawn is so nice, a hard worker, consistent even tempered positive vibes.

We're all tired. Certain allowances and all. But don't come at Shawn like that. I didn't even need to hear the beginning of it to know it was misplaced.

After we'd gotten signed out new friend Lisa grabbed me and dragged me into the now deserted break area. I'd forgotten that she asked if she could pray with me before we left and I'd agreed.

I'm not a religious person so to speak, but I did grow up in the church and I liked Lisa a lot. I thought it was nice that she wanted to share something like that with me.

She prayed for the Lord to help me keep the conviction to become an attorney. ...it was at that point that I remembered that over lunch when she told me her 67 year old sister will be graduating with her RN next summer, I blurted out that I want to go to law school.

Election days are weird. I haven't even mentioned law school to my best friend.

Next, several of us helped Renee load her car with all of the things that needed to be returned to the BOE.

I have no idea where Kevin, who was, technically, equally as responsible for those things, had gone.

When we finally were making our final departure as a group Shawn said to me, as she had once before, "We'll see you next time, right?"

I said yes (BOE approval pending).

That locks me into the February LSAT.

All the better.

[hardynwa]

Imo Governorship Election Nigerian Army, Police, DSS, to provide personnel

The Nigerian Army, the Police, DSS and other security Agencies, would provide their personnel to cover the November 11, 2023 Governorship election in Imo State According to the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Sylvia Agu, ” the Army has agreed to release about 2,300 personnel to cover the election in the state” Speaking at the two day workshop for journalists in the state organized by the International press centre (IPC) tagged, EU- support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, (EU-SDGN 11) Component 4, support to media, the Electoral Commissioner, said,” adequate security had been put in place and would provided by the Army, Police , DSS and other security Agencies in the state smooth conduct of the election” She said further that the commission and the security Agencies have met on the election issue pointing out that assurance has been given by the high command of the agencies The Commissioner believed that the election would be hitch free and smooth Reacting to questions from journalists, on the outcome of the last House of Assembly elections in the state, where one political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won 25, out of the 27 local Government seats of the House of Assembly, the REC said that the result announced by the Commission was authentic results recorded by the commission’s personnel in that election She said that some of the media mis reported the election by reporting that the election was declared 27 over 27 in favor of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) The REC said, ” it is not true that INEC declared 27 over 37 in favor of one party in that election She further said that she did her job and best as electoral commissioner by providing the required logistics for the election and relied on the staff of INEC who were in the field to conduct the election ” I very much relied on the information given to me by the staff of the commission and the electoral Act which provided guidelines for us” She explained However, during the interface, at the workshop, the program officer officer of the International Press Centre, (IPC) Melody Akinjiyan set the ball rolling as She welcomed participants and resource persons to the workshop The first resource person, and Chief Executive Officer, of a Radio Station, Omalicha Radio station, Ms Angela Agoawike dwelt so much on gender issue as regards Governance and reporting Imo state Governorship election She however commended the decision of the state Governor Hope Uzodimma for considering women in his administration and chosing a woman as his deputy in the coming election Also dwelling on the topic, Media and Election Apps, the code of election coverage and other issues of safety, Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, IPC, through his representative,r Ayo Aluko–Olokun, Editor Nigerian Democratic Reporting NDR, threw more light on why journalists should take safety precautions while covering elections In his own presentation, on impactful reporting of the elections, focussing on people interest issues and telling stories that matters Mr Taiwo One founder journalism clinic, spoke extensively on the practice of journalism and why there should be updates and positive review in the practice He further explained the importance of covering the coming Imo State Governorship Election using digital tools and apps On the overview of the EU–SDGN, Mr Lanre Arogundade Executive Director, International Press Centre (IPC) through Mr Ayo Aluko-Olaokun, Editor Nigeria Democratic Report (NDR) and Mr Akin Akingbolu Executive Director Center for Media and Society (CEMESO) harped on the accurate reportage of elections The Executive Director of CEMESO also talked on deepening the delivery of voter education towards the Imo State Governorship election across media platform On this however the issue of voter buying and the inclusion of marginalized group featured prominently Read the full article

[useless-catalanfacts]

Are there any mermaid legends in Cataluña?

Yes, more or less.

The most famous one is actually a merman, called Peix Nicolau (Nicolau Fish).

The legend says that Nicolau used to be a normal human boy from a coastal town, but he loved swimming in the sea more than anything else. He spent all the time he could at the beach, swimming instead of helping at home or working, and his mother often had to go drag him out of the water to bring him back to eat, work, or go to sleep. One day, his mother was frustrated and said "if you’re going to spend all the time in the water, you might as well become a fish!", and that became true from his hips down.

Living on land was difficult for him, because he couldn't walk and he had to be wet at all times. So he decided to go live in the sea, and he still lives there now. He swam the whole sea and this allowed him to invent the nautical charts.

In Mallorca they say that he was warned to never try to swim between Santa Margalida and Artà because it's too dangerous, but he decided to go there nevertheless and died. In Catalonia we don't say he ever died.

Peix Nicolau is the king of waters and everything that lives in water. Sailors used to believe he lives in the beaches, in the part where the waves would keep him in touch with water, but seeing him would be a sign of misfortune. It's of vital importance for sailors and fishermen to never see him, and most importantly to never fish him.

Others say that he lives in a palace underwater. Every March, he leaves his palace to find out the news. He takes a walk and, once he’s seen everything he wanted to see, he goes back to his palace until next year.

This legend is found in the Catalan countries but also in Naples and Sicily, and is recorded since the 12th century.

Women mermaids exist too in legends. In Catalan, they are called sirenes. They appear in written texts as your typical mermaid/siren, half woman half fish or half woman half bird. Take for example this extract from a Medieval Catalan bestiary book:

Mermaids are a marvellous creature, there are three kinds: one is half fish and half woman, another is half bird and half woman, and the other is half horse and half woman. The one that is made half fish and half woman has such a sweet voice that everyone who hears her sing goes near her to hear her and they find her voice so pleasant that they fall asleep; when the mermaid sees that the man is asleep, she sees him as useless and kills him. That one that is half bird and half woman plays the harp in such a sweet way that everyone is pleased to go hear her, so much that they fall asleep; and again this mermaid wants to kill him. And the one that is half horse half woman, plays the trumpet in such a sweet way that everyone is pleased to go hear her; and since the man is asleep for the sweetness of the trumpet, said mermaid also kills him.

The horse-mermaids have disappeared nowadays, at least they’re not part of the concept “sirena” anymore. But we still have some legends about the sirenes that are half bird half women, for example la serena dels Ports. This is a legend from the Terra Alta area that talks of a girl who was fooled by the boy she loved and thus she was damned to become a siren. She had long red hair, a peak instead of mouth, and she fed from the livestock owned by the shepherds of the area. On full moon nights, she went out looking for company, but she always scared everyone. Tired of scaring people away and being lonely, she left. She travelled to find a cure to her curse until she reached the Ports area. She hadn’t found a cure, but she was very comfortable there. In the Ports, she didn’t feel like an evil beast, but one member more of the local bird community, so she never felt lonely again.

But the oral tradition, until relatively recently, often didn’t necessarily see mermaids as half fish. Very often they were basically water-women/encantades (a kind of fae women who live for centuries and whose beauty can capture men to their perdition) but from the sea instead of fresh sweet water, which is were the encantades live. These don’t have a fish tail, they just look like beautiful women who are always young. In fact, some legends talk about them dancing, which I don’t think they would be able to do if they didn’t have legs.

I wouldn’t dare to say there wasn’t any mermaid who was half fish in the oral tradition, and as we’ve seen this mythological creature was always known for by the people who could read and write, and probably the sailors who interacted with sailors from other cultures. But since the 20th century, the idea of what a sirena/mermaid is has shifted because of foreign influence, so now we imagine them always to have a fish tail, including many ones that originally didn’t have that trait.

I’ll translate to English an excerpt from Costumari Català by Joan Amades, one of the most famous books about Catalan traditions.

Mermaids, queens of the sea, ladies of the fish, leave their palaces at the bottom of the sea, where they spend the winter months. They stroll at the water’s surface with their shiny hair laid out, and while they swim they don’t stop singing and playing guitarrins [similar to ukeleles] with a sound as sweet as their voices, to enchant the sailors. Whoever hears them becomes seduced and follows them to their palaces, where they remain under a spell forever.

In the area of Costa Brava and l’Estartit, it’s believed that on the Night of Sant Joan [June 23rd] mermaids go to Begur to count the grains of sand. The queen of mermaids lives in an enchanted palace made of glass, whose entrance is through a cave all made of pink coral, very deep underwater in the Medes islets. People from the Cap de Creus believed that, around October, a mermaid different from most of her species wakes up. What makes her different is that she’s maybe more beautiful and has a singing voice that’s incomparably more harmonious and honey-like, which can only be heard by fishermen and sailors, because she sings only for them.

There are other local legends about them. I’ll explain one more, that talks about the creation of l’Empordà peninsula. On a full moon night, the mermaids were dancing in the beach of Pals. That day, the queen of mermaids had left her palace in the Medes isles and was dancing too, in the most beautiful way imaginable. Some fishermen were watching them, but they knew that they couldn’t get closer to them or the mermaids would leave. A shepherd from the Pyrenees mountains happened to be there too, but he didn’t know he couldn’t get closer, and so he did. The queen of mermaids and him fell in love, but he had to go back to the Pyrenees. Apart, they couldn’t stop thinking of each other. So, on a full moon night, the shepherd took some steps towards the sea and the queen of mermaids took some steps towards the mountains, and where they found each other they created l’Empordà.

[craftydragonperson]

Narasaki Ryō wife of Sakamoto Ryōma

I’ve talked about the man behind Gintoki’s main plot. One of the most beloved Japanese historical figures, Ryōma Sakamoto, the man who paved the way towards the establishment of the modern Meiji government. I’ve talked about how Sorachi had Sakamoto Tatsuma’s role more offscreen most likely because he models Ryōma’s trading business ventures, while Gintoki carries Ryōma’s more personal history. Although Sakata Gintoki references the Japanese legend of Kintaro; after certain events he became a samurai under the name Sakata Kintoki; in question corners, Sorachi explains this & doesn't intend on making Gintoki a descendent of Kintaro. Like GinTama’s Sakamoto, Oryo (Otae’s friend and coworker), has mentioned, and rejected numerous advances from ronin man Sakamoto Tatsuma. It’s a spoof on the historical figures Sakamoto & Narasaki.

Both characters don’t appear as much as we would like but their story together have been shared and passed onto Gintoki and Otae. I wanted to talk about the woman beside the man. The woman who captured Sakamoto’s heart. I want to talk about Narasaki Ryo, a woman who pushed back against sexual exploitation and violence, and Sakamoto Ryōma, the man who fell in love with her for her strength.

This is a story so well-known in Japan it's become a just-so-story to explain the origin of honeymoons in Japan. One day in 1866, historical superstar ronin Sakamoto Ryoma is hanging out in his room at the Teradaya in Fushimi, a town just outside Kyoto. Some local guards show up hunting Sakamoto, but are overheard by a maid in the inn's bath. The maid runs upstairs to warn Sakamoto. Some versions are happy to emphasise she does this naked. He draws his Smith and Wesson pistol, and has a shoot-out with his attackers, then escapes into the night, wounded but alive. The next day he marries the woman who saved his life. They then leave the city, and sail off to Satsuma in Southern Japan, where they relax at hot springs, hike up mountains, and enjoy the first honeymoon in Japanese history.

And basically, that’s all true. Minus the honeymoon bit, which is a romantic 20th century rationalization of their escape and respite. It’s a great story, but it usually starts at the wrong place, the bit where a woman saves a man, and seems to be rewarded with marriage.

Narasaki Ryō and Sakamoto Ryōma

We know the details of Oryo’s early life from her husband’s letters to his older sister. She was the daughter of a Kyoto Imperial court physician. Oryo was the oldest of five surviving children, three girls and two boys. She had a privileged, comfortable childhood. She had the education of a cultured young lady: “trained in flower arrangement, perfume, the tea ceremony, and so on” as her somewhat less refined husband later described it. She played the koto (a stringed harp-like instrument) , wrote and read , and learned fine needlework. As the oldest sister, she took care of her younger siblings from a very young age. She would have expected her family to arrange a marriage to a young man of similar status, and to live an ordinary, refined life.

However, when Oryo was still a teenager, her father was caught up in the turbulent politics and plots surrounding the Imperial Court. He was a “Loyalist”, who wanted the Emperor to be “restored” to power in Japan. In a shogunate crackdown on these loyalists, Oryo’s father lost his position as court physician. Furthermore, many of his friends and colleagues were executed, imprisoned or also lost their jobs. The Narasaki family not only lost its income, but its network of reliable friends. A few years later, in 1862, Oryo’s father died, leaving his wife and children destitute.

Ryoma wrote to his sister of the family's state when he first met Oryo:

They have nothing to eat and no one to look to. Sometimes they have been so hard up that they had to borrow household implements and return them after using them. They sold first their house, then their belongings, and then the oldest girl began selling her clothes so that her mother and younger sisters wouldn't have to do the same thing.

Oryo was then 22. She had one teenage brother, sisters who were 15 and 12, and a four year old brother. An impoverished family with two young girls, and no adult male protector was an easy mark for a predator.

Ryoma writes her story: But then the youngest girl, who is unusually beautiful, was duped by some scoundrel and sold into the Shimabara as a maiko; the same villain, without saying anything to the mother, took the girl who is 16 and sold her to an Osaka brothel. The five-year old boy entered a Shibataguchi temple as an acolyte.

Note: these ages are by the Japanese reckoning, by which children are born aged one, and add a year at New Year's Day. By our count, they would be at least a year younger.

(This segment reminds me of another lesson where Otae offers her help to her young-like coworker Hanako who was duped by a swindler).

Several things have been changed & roles of Gin Shinpachi & Tae were moved around for the story.

When the eldest sister realized this, she sold her last good kimono, headed for Osaka, and confronted the villains there. She didn't care if they killed her, and she carried a dagger. When they saw how determined she was, the scoundrel showed her the tattoo on his arm and shouted threats at her. But she had come prepared to die, and so she flew at him, grabbing his clothing, striking him in the face, and exclaimed that if he didn't return the younger sister he had brought to Osaka with him she would stab him. The wretch shouted, "Look out, woman, or I'll kill you!" They went at each other with shouts of "Kill!" and "Do you worst!" After all, through, he couldn't very well murder the woman who had come to Osaka, and so she was able to get her younger sister back and take her to Kyoto with her again. Isn't that a story? The youngest daughter in the Shimabara is in no danger immediately, so she has left her there for now.

It was this story which won Ryoma's love and admiration. “I must say, she has more strength than I do," he closed this letter to his sister Otome. He explains in this letter that he's helping to get her siblings places, and he's entrusted Oryo to the care of the landlady of the Teredaya, Otose. You see, he was already planning to marry Oryo, simply because he was in love with this strong awesome woman. Ryoma had been brought up by strong women. He was an immensely talented swordsman who had been first taught to fight by his older sister Otome. He would later joke that people who knew them believed Otome would win in a fight.

The story of how Narasaki Ryo fought for her family, and then was loved for her fighting spirit, is a much greater and truer story than the first one.

(Saigo, Otose & Otae)

There's a sad ending. Sakamoto Ryoma was assassinated in 1867, and Oryo faded into obscurity. Most of the men in Ryoma's life, including his own family, didn't care about supporting her. The exception, Satsuma leader Saigo Takamori was killed leading the Satsuma Rebellion. Oryo managed an ordinary life in Tokyo, marrying a merchant, adopting a child, divorcing, and living in modest circumstances till 1905. At times in her later life she received some attention from the press for saving her husband's life back in the Meiji Restoration. People said she was an alcoholic in her later years, lost in dreams of her romantic early life. Perhaps, and who could blame her? But I also know that the Meiji era became more and more judgmental of women's drinking. Many late Edo Period women could put away a lot of sake, and that didn't sit well with Meiji arbiters of proper womanly behaviour. Meanwhile, in my opinion, many of male heroes of the Restoration were functional alcoholics, who slowly were slipping into dysfunction. Let Oryo have her sake, without making that the emphasis of her life. She lived a long life, survived, and won a better life for her family.

All the quotes from Sakamoto Ryoma's letter can be found in Marius Jansen’s ‘Ryoma Sakamoto’s and Meiji Restoration’ p. 225-226.

[twstarchives]

Overview

A prestigious, 4-year, all-boys mage-training school. Students may only enroll if the Mirror of Darkness deems them worthy of becoming a great mage. It’s one of the “Two Greatest Magic Schools” in Twisted Wonderland, the other being their longtime rival school Royal Sword Academy. Students are sorted by the Mirror of Darkness into one of seven dorms: Heartslabyul, Savanaclaw, Octavinelle, Scarabia, Pomefiore, Ignihyde, and Diasomnia.

Each grade has about 200 students, around 30 from each dorm.��

It’s possible to transfer to a different dorm, but the procedure is difficult and requires a ceremony.²

Every year, there are always dropouts or students who have to repeat a year in every dorm. However, there haven’t been any cases in Heartslabyul ever since Riddle became dorm leader.

1. Ace Ceremony Robes PS 2. Main Story 1-20

Enrollment

A black coach is sent to personally pick up first-year students from their homes. This carriage can travel anywhere to get them, even underwater.¹ Students are kept unconscious inside coffin-shaped “Gates” until they arrive at NRC. Generally they can only be awoken when their Gate is unlocked with a special key.²

The coffins’ design is supposed to signify “parting from the other world and being reborn anew.”²

New students are given a magical pen that holds their unique magic gemstone. This functions as a wand, regular pen, and student ID.

1. Floyd Ceremony Robes voice lines 2. Main Story 0-1

Academics

[List of school subjects]

1st-years’ classes focus more on classroom-based learning rather than actually training their magic.¹ Fourth-year students take long-term internships all over the world which begin early in the year, and they don’t come back to campus until the cultural festival in February.²

1. Main Story 1-9 2. Main Story 5-1

School Regulations

It’s against the rules to have an untrained familiar with you.¹

You can’t use magic in fights, unless supervised by a teacher.²

You can’t use your Unique Magic during class.³

1. Main Story 0-1 2. Main Story 1-20 3. Cater PE Uniform PS

Events

Entrance Ceremony This occurs in September. Each dorm usually throws a welcome party for the freshmen the same night as the ceremony. NRC’s club fair is the day after the entrance ceremony.¹

Halloween Halloween is on October 31st; the week leading up to it is called Halloween Week. During Halloween Week the school hosts a stamp rally, where visitors can go on a scavenger hunt to gather 7 stamps from each of the 7 dorms’ designated stations in order to win a treat. The night of the 31st, they hold a giant party for all the students, which has been described as “fancy as prom.”

Happy Beans Day A schoolwide sports tournament in February. All students are divided between the Monsters and the Peasants teams. The team you’re placed on is randomized, but dorm leaders and vice dorm leaders are not allowed to be on the same one. The goal is to obtain the Golden Harp; the Monsters must protect it while the Peasants try to steal it from them. (Happy Beans Day event)

Magift Tournaments The inter-dorm tournament takes place in October, and it’s large-scale enough that people from all over the world come to see it. It’s also broadcasted on live television.

The inter-school tournament is in May. For the past 99 years, Royal Sword Academy has beaten NRC in this tournament.²

Star Send-Off Based off the legend of “Wish Upon A Star.” Every year, the Headmaster selects three students via astrological reading to be Stargazers. The Stargazers’ job is to collect Wishing Stars from all the students, decorate a tree with them, and then on the day of the Star Send-Off they’ll perform a dance and drum ritual in front of the whole school. (Wish Upon A Star event)

Other events that students from NRC participate in:

National Mage-Training Schools Cultural Festival

Vocal & Dance Championship (VDC)

National High School Track & Field Competition

Twisted Wonderland Animal Languages Speech Contest

1. Riddle Ceremony Robes PS 2. Main Story 3-15

Uniforms

Students have 5 uniforms: the school uniform, PE outfit, lab coat, ceremony robes, and dorm uniform

Ceremony robes are worn at ceremonies, unofficial magift tournaments, and by student representatives when appearing in public.

The ceremony robes are supposed to give off the image of the Beautiful Queen when she turned into an old woman.¹

Dorm uniforms are worn inside the dorm, for dorm events, and the inter-dorm magift tournament. Octavinelle students working at the Mostro Lounge must wear it during their shifts as well.²

1. Epel Felmier Ceremony Robes voice lines 2. Magical Archives p.73

Location

The campus is located on a remote island called the Isle of Sages. It’s very difficult to get to the island if not using the Mirror of Darkness; according to Ace, you have to board a train once you get out of the airport, transfer to a bus, get on a boat, switch to a different boat, and then get on another bus.¹

There’s a town at the bottom of the hill NRC is on; the locals there often help out the school.

1. Scary Monsters 1-15

Notable Areas in Main Building

Cafeteria

Cafeteria’s Kitchen

Courtyard

Headmaster’s Office

Laboratory

Lecture Hall

Mirror Chamber

School Infirmary

[sendaidivision]

"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive."

Introduction

Kotono Ohara is the third and final member of the Sendai Division rap battle team, Kiya Kara. She often goes by her moniker, Shiki. A famous college professor with an aptitude for medicine and research, this former Chuohku scientist now spends her days teaching physics to her students whilst continuing the goal that led her to working for the government in the first place: finding and rescuing her younger sister.

An attractive young woman that looks to be in her early 30s, Kotono, like her friend and co-worker, Ryūzō, wears a pair of rectangular-shaped glasses in front of her black eyes. She has long black hair that goes down to the middle of her back, with bangs that often fall into her eyes. She also has green matching earrings on both of her ears..

Her appearance gives her the general look of a school teacher or a scientist. She wears a white lab coat with a long collar. Underneath is a black turtleneck shirt with a white necklace and a green tree pendant, a black short skirt, some brown stockings, and a pair of black high heels on her feet.

Name Meanings

Kotono (琴紀) - Japanese harp, age, order

Ohara (大原) - large plain

Aliases

- Ohara-sensei - Her students

- Tono - Takumi

- "The Devil in a White Robe"

- "Big Sis" - Younger Sister

- Doc/Doctor

Biographical Info

Gender - Female

Age - 32

Birthday - June 7th

Ethnicity - Japanese

Hair Color - Black

Eye Color- Black

Height - 173 cm/5'8

Weight - 52 kg/114 lb.

Star Sign - Gemini

Piercings - An earring in both of her ears

Markings - Faded injection points on her arms and necks

Family

Mother, Deceased

Father, Deceased

Younger Sister, Missing

Voiced By - AYA a.k.a. PANDA (Rapping)

Fun Facts

MC Name - Shiki

Occupation - Physics Teacher/School Nurse

Division - Sendai

Position - Third Member

Favorite Food - Niçoise Salad with Fish

Least Favorite Food - Bacon

Likes - Sake, red wine after a hot shower, casinos, betting on horse races, gardening, painting, naps, yoga, dancing, acupressure, her younger sister, Ryūzō, Takumi, horror stories, foreign myths and legends

Dislikes - Split ends, any kind of housework, perverted students, grading tests, Ryūzō's stubbornness, Takumi's simple-mindedness, losing at gambling, Chuohku, corruption

Hypnosis Microphone

Kotono's Microphone takes the form of a gray and red multi-pattern microphone on a stand. The rod connecting the microphone and the bottom is made up of see-through glass. Inside the glass is flowing red liquid that strongly resembles blood. The mic is also adorned with an IV drip (similar to Jakurai's), but is filled with the same liquid as her stand.

Her Speaker takes the form of a large black bat, flying in front of a large blood-red speaker that resembles the full moon in a night sky.

Her rap ability, Astral Drain, has Kotono using up what remains of her HP and stamina to deliver a devastating attack on her opponent that, if hit, takes her opponent's HP away, giving it back to Kotono, and eliminating them from the battle. This move is considered a double-edged sword, as once Kotono uses it, she cannot use it again for the remainder of the battle. And should the attack not connect, she is automatically eliminated.

Kotono's rap themes, like her, are random. She doesn't stick to one central topic, like her teammates. Rather, she often raps or sings about whatever is going on in her mind. She'll sometimes rap about her sister in hopes of finding her. Other times, she'll rap about the need for an education, and then retort about how much she dislikes teaching. And finally, sometimes she'll delve into horror fiction, singing about local myths and monsters. It depends on her mood.

Personality

As her appearance can infer, Kotono is an energetic professor and doctor who possesses great skill and intellect. She is naturally blessed with elegance, grace, style and beauty, all of which she takes pride in, especially when you are her age. She's received numerous offers for dates, proposals for marriage, and some explicit invites for sex, all of which she has turned down, not surprisingly. She seeks to locate a man who likes her simply for her, instead of just her beauty. Of course, that doesn't do much considering the number of male students that always join her class every semester.

Besides her beauty, Kotono is also a smart woman. She spent 10+ years in college, graduating with a degree to become a licensed doctor and professor, something which interested Chuohku immensely. Despite how professional she may seem, that's not to say Kotono doesn't have her downside. In truth, she is only professional when she has on her white lab coat, which she was gifted in college. Without it, much like Hifumi from Shinjuku, her personality does a complete 180.

She becomes very sloven and lazy, preferring to spend her time drinking and sleeping than doing any real work. She likes to spend her downtime either gambling in the casinos, or betting on horses at the race track. Much like Dice from Shibuya, she has notoriously bad luck when it comes to games of chance, but unlike him, she knows when to call it quits, as she has no interest in being in debt. Besides that, the college professor also has little to no basic house skills: she doesn't know how to clean, frequently orders take-out cause she can't cook, and has to resort to calling someone (mainly Ryūzō) to help her with her laundry cause she doesn't know how to work a washer or a dryer. (She swore to hurt Ryūzō if she told anyone about this.)

Kotono often states that she dislikes her position, and only does it because she doesn't know what else to do with her life. She is apathetic towards and detached from academia, and oftentimes feels overwhelmed and underqualified. She once admitted to Ryūzō and Takumi that she was thankful they were there, because she would have left ages ago if not for them. Much like Takumi, she often uses jokes and laughter as a means to temporarily escape or mask her general misery. Despite how she feels about her job, not even she can deny that she knows what she is doing and saying when she stands in front of the class to give a lecture.

However, Kotono also has a serious side that many do not know about. Her ultimate goal in life to find out what happened to her family while she was away. She seeks to find and, if possible, rescue her younger sister who was abducted. She joined Chuohku in hopes that they could find her, but after discovering that they were involved in her capture, she know seeks to rescue her by winning the D.R.B.

Background

Kotono Ohara was born in Sendai to her mother and father. From an early age, she displayed an amazing intellect and refinement that was often not seen in a child. When she was 11 years old, she was blessed with a younger sister that she loved dearly, though the two were a decade apart, and she was born sickly. It was because of this that Kotono made the decision to become a doctor. By the time her younger sister was six, Kotono had already graduated high school and was on her way to university in Kyoto. Before leaving, her sister gifted her a tree pendant, which she still holds onto to this day.

Despite the young woman's natural intellect and charm, she felt herself slowly becoming stressed out due to the amount of work and effort she was putting in, until she slowly started becoming lethargic, refusing to put any work or effort in. Luckily, one of her professors came up with a solution, which involved gifting her a lab coat, which he suggested putting it on and thinking about effort whilst wearing it. Though the young woman couldn't really see the point in this, she agreed to it, and surprisingly, the idea worked, as her attitude returned, better than ever.

After seven years of work, Kotono was close to obtaining her degree. However, she received dire news that put her plans on hold as her family's neighbor revealed that her home was in ruins, and her parents were killed, with her sister missing. Shocked beyond belief, the young woman rushed home to find her neighbors were right. The only clue the nurse had found was a piece of long, pink hair.

Though her parents were gone, Kotono could feel in her heart that her sister was alive. After a week of mourning, the young woman vigorously threw herself back into her studies, and within 2 1/2 years graduated with a degree. This attracted the attention of Chuohku, who offered her an invitation to join them, and the promise that they would find her younger sister if she agreed. Though she didn't fully trust them, the prospect of finding her only remaining family member left was too good to pass up.

Though Kotono put her heart and soul into the work Chuohku laid out for her, determined to make good on her promise, she increasingly grew frustrated with Chuohku unable to locate her sister. What's more, she began to become suspicious of exactly what they were to accomplish. Digging around their base, she was shocked to find numerous amount of clones, all of which had suspicious pink hair similar to what she found at her family's home. It couldn't have been possible... was Chuohku responsible for the death of her parents and the abduction of her sister?

Upset at this revelation, Kotono decided the partnership between her and the government was at its end, and decided to put her resignation in... via erasing some of Chuohku's more sensitive information around the base. A smile on her face, the ex-scientist escaped amongst the confusion.

Its been years since she left the organization and her quest to locate her sibling hasn't ended, even as she plays the role of a professor in Sendai, her hometown. Kotono can feel that she is alive, and one way or another, she will find and save her, by any means necessary.

Trivia

Despite the fact that teachers are prohibited from having part-time jobs, she often writes horror stories for a weekly publication under an alias.

She earned the title, "Devil In a White Robe", due to the fact that she would apply painful acupressure to any male student that faked an illness or injury to try to flirt or spend time with her in the nurse's office.

Though the two of them don't work for Chuohku anymore, she remains on good terms with Sayaka Miyuki of Saitama, and often drags the single mother out drinking with her, which often forces both their friends to help them get back home, and in the morning when they both get hit with a nasty hangover.

It's heavily rumored that due to an unfinished experimentation that she subjected herself to whilst working for Chuohku (which involved fusing a bat's blood with a human's), Kotono is believed to age very slowly, which explains not only her HypMic and speakers, but also her youthful appearance.

She secretly has a thing for erotic asphyxiation.