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merakiaes · 5 years ago

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Fall Apart To Fall Together - Santiago “Pope” Garcia

Pairing: Santiago “Pope” Garcia x reader

Requested: Yes.

Prompts: None.

Warnings/notes: Mentions of miscarriage. Not proofread so I’m sorry in advance for any possible mistakes. My first time writing for Pope so show some love <3 And send in more Triple Frontier requests xx

Wordcount: 2392

Summary: Losing a child will drive any couple apart but if it’s meant to be, you’ll find your way back to each other in the end.

Part Two

It was an extremely rare thing to see a marriage with no problems whatsoever from start to finish, without at least one conflict or argument every other month.

Maybe your husband or wife was a drunk, or an addict. Maybe they were sloppy and lazy and refused to evenly split the responsibility of doing chores and taking care of your kids. Maybe you fought a lot, about money, lack of emotional support or maybe they were getting a little too close to their co-worker and continuously staying late at work for other reasons than they claimed.

Every marriage had its ups and downs, but some downs were worse than others.

The pain that followed losing a child that you had spent months preparing for, months bonding with even when it was still living inside your body, months preparing a place in your heart for, was simply indescribable.

You had grown up being the oldest out of eleven siblings so by the time you moved away from home to go to college at nineteen with a scholarship to your name, you felt like you had gotten enough of the parenting for a lifetime.

Not only did you simply not want children, but you didn’t want to pass on your bad genetics, your family having a long history of mental instability and different disorders.

All of your siblings had something, whether it be severe depressions, anger issues or they were alcoholics or drug abusers.

You were one of the unlucky ones who got a little bit of everything. You were bipolar like your grandmother and had anger issues like both of your parents, and let me tell you the two did not go well hand in hand.

You didn’t want to pass shit like that on to another generation like your parents had eleven times. You couldn’t see yourself as a mother and all you wanted in life was to move forward in your career and be successful.

But that all changed when you met Pope.

He was a retired military man and just like you, he was very hardworking and dedicated to making a nice living. But he was also a family man, which came to be a problem.

Having been an only child and growing up having no father figure, he longed to become a father himself and getting an opportunity to do everything his father hadn’t done for him.

You told him already in the beginning of your relationship that you weren’t interested in reproducing and it crushed him, you could see that it did.

But he had loved you from the moment he laid eyes on you and knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you, so he accepted it, and you got married.

He kept bringing the topic of children and starting a family up every once in a while, just to test the waters and see if maybe, just maybe, you had changed your mind. But you never did, strictly taking your birth control at the exact same hour every day.

And yet somehow, you managed to get knocked up, four years into your relationship and three years into your marriage.

Pope was absolutely ecstatic and, of course, he wanted to keep it.

You had always thought that it would be an easy decision if you ever, against all odds, did get pregnant, but now that you were… Now that you had seen the tiny little smiley face on the digital screen of the pregnancy test and now that you knew that there was an actual life growing inside of you, you were suddenly questioning everything you had ever thought you believed.

Suddenly, the idea of being a mother didn’t seem so bad, and the mental image of your husband with your baby suddenly turned you on more than anything ever had before.

So you decided to keep it.

You had never seen Pope so happy, and the longer into the pregnancy that you got, the more connected you felt to your unborn baby, which was why it killed you so much when you lost it.

You had never, in a million years, thought that you would have to grieve your own child, but a glimpse of something you, to a beginning, thought you didn’t want, discovering that you did actually want it and then not being able to have it was an entirely different kind of pain.

You carried your baby girl every second of her life and when you carried a life, it being there and then so suddenly gone, a part of your soul died forever. And so did Pope’s.

You had never even wanted a baby to begin with, but he had never wanted anything more and losing what he held dearest completely crushed him.

He never got to hold her in his arms, or bounce her on his lap. He never got to read to her, or watch her as she napped. She slipped away so quickly, before he had even gotten to say her name.

You didn’t just lose the baby. You also lost the 1, 2, 10 and 16 year old she would have become. You lost Christmas mornings, loose teeth, and first days of school. You just lost It all.

You fell into a depressive episode, not being able to eat, drink, sleep, or do anything but lay in your bed all day long, staring into nothingness with your blinds pulled down to hide you from the rest of the world.

You constantly questioned whether you could have done more, pondered whether there was something you could have done to save her, tossed and turned at night worrying that the things you innocently did may have harmed her.

If you hadn’t carried that heavy bag, would she be there with you now? If you hadn’t been stressed at work, would she still be growing in your womb?

These questions, these fears, became a daily form of torture and only a mother who had lost a child could understand what it was like to live with this niggling guilt.

And it was especially hard when you had to go through it all alone, because Pope… Pope was an entirely different planet.

While you mourned by shutting down, he mourned by putting himself to work, so intensely that he was barely even hanging on to his sanity toward the end.

He was agitated and over-worked and you needed his support, needed to have him there with you and help you through your loss. After all, you were in it together.

But it was like he was avoiding you to every cost, obsessing over some drug lord rather than acknowledging his loss and dealing with his trauma, and it just made you so, so angry.

And in the end you just… snapped. Both of you snapped and you realized soon that the miscarriage had forged a crack in your marriage and relationship, so deep that it just couldn’t be fixed, so you got a divorce and went your separate ways.

Last thing you heard from Benny was that he’d moved to Colombia to get closer to work. He never reached out to you after moving out, so you didn’t either, even though you secretly wanted nothing more than to get him back.

A year and a half passed without hearing anything from or about him, and eventually, you just stopped thinking about him, forcing yourself to forget about him in an attempt to numb your pain.

It was currently three minutes to three in the morning according to the alarm clock standing on your bedside table, the bright red numbers illuminating the otherwise pitch black room.

The house was eerily quiet and just like every other night since the miscarriage, you laid wide awake, although your mind was completely blank.

A knock on the front door suddenly reached your ears and to a start, you figured it was just the sleep deprivation causing your brain to play tricks on you.

But then there was another knock, and you quickly realized that there was actually someone at your door.

You had no idea who would come knocking at your door at this hour but whoever it was, you hoped they would just go away if you ignored them.

It quickly became apparent to you, however, that they were there to stay, when a third knock echoed through the quiet house.

You heaved a sigh, closing your eyes for a brief moment before throwing back the duvet covering your body and sitting up on the edge of the bed, taking a moment before standing up and heading for your closed bedroom door.

You wrapped your cardigan tighter around your body for heat when you walked into the cold hallway and headed straight for the front door, wasting no time in standing on your toes to look through the peeking hole once you reached your destination.

To say you were shocked to see who it was, was a big understatement, the familiar face that you hadn’t seen in so long causing a knot to form in your stomach.

But you swallowed your anxiety and reached for the lock anyway, twisting it to the right and slowly opening the door.

Your eyes met Pope’s in an instant and for a moment, he almost looked surprised to see that you had actually opened. But he quickly regained his composure and you wrapped your arms around yourself as you shivered, looking at him.

“What are you doing here, Santi?” You asked softly, your voice coming out as silent as a whisper.

He sucked in a deep breath, releasing it just as quickly, his face falling. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed hearing you call me that.” He confessed, causing your heart to tug in your chest.

But you kept your face free of emotion, simply staring at him.

When realizing you weren’t going to say anything, he sighed, his shoulders falling. “I just… wanted to check up on you.” He said, and then proceeded to lift his hand for you to see. “I brought Chinese. Sweet chili chicken with noodles.”

You hadn’t even seen the white and red paper bags up until then, and neither had you felt the smell. But now that you did, you couldn’t deny the fact that you were extremely hungry.

Your face softened and you hugged yourself closer, giving him a look of disbelief. “You wanted to check up on me… and you brought food, at three o’clock in the morning.” You pointed out. “You couldn’t just send a text?”

“I wanted to see you.” He replied without missing a beat and you flinched slightly, not having expected such a quick answer.

“You’ve been gone for…” You trailed off, not even being able to remember in that moment, and sighed, letting your arms fall down to your sides and bringing one of them up to run a hand over your face tiredly. “I need to go back to sleep, I’m exhausted and I can’t do this right now.”

He shook his head, looking pleadingly at you. “Please, (Y/N), I know you. You weren’t asleep to begin with.” He pointed out, before looking down at his feet. “Something happened and I… I can’t stop thinking about it. I know you don’t want to see me but I- I really need you.”

You furrowed your eyebrows, the worry coming so naturally it was like you had never been apart in the first place.

Out of pure instinct, you stepped out on the porch, into the cold night air, and reached out for his hand, the sudden touch of affection causing his eyes to widen slightly.

You ignored the look he was giving you and squeezed his hand, giving him a careful look. “What happened?” You whispered. ”Are you okay?”

He sniffed, looking to the side. “Can I just come in?” He asked and looked back to you, nodding toward your bare legs where your skin was covered in goosebumps. “You’re gonna get a cold if you stay out here like that.”

You dropped his hands and sighed, wrapping your arms back around your body to provide some heat.

“Yeah.” You whispered, and stepped out of the way to let him in, knowing he was right.

He stepped after you over the threshold and looked around in the dark hall, eyes turning sad when they landed on the familiar photographs of you and him on the walls, that you hadn’t had the heart to take down even after all this time.

You turned away from him to give him a moment, closing the door and locking it back up.

When you turned back around, you had no more than a second to react before his arms had wrapped around your.

“I’m sorry, for everything.” He mumbled into your hair, but you said nothing, did nothing, but stand there with your arms hanging limply at your sides.

When noticing the lack of response, he pulled away, looking down at you with sorrowful eyes. This time you responded with a nod, your hand reaching out to take the paper bags in one hand and his hand in the other.

“Come on, we can talk while we eat.” You said and he nodded, letting you steer him into the living room.

And talk you did.

He finally opened up and acknowledged his loss and told you all about the mission and how it had gone wrong.

You fell asleep in the sofa at six in the morning, tangled up in each other to the sound of birds chirping outside the living room window and with empty Chinese boxes spread out on the coffee table.

Seeing him again after everything, and after such a long time, brought back all of the memories and created many questions in your head, a lot of confusion as to what was going to happen next.

You had known each other for so long, been married and almost had a child together. You had been in love, like really in love. And yet everything felt so incredibly foreign to you.

But you did know one thing for sure; the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around you and the musky scent of his aftershave felt more familiar than anything else, and right before you had fallen asleep, you came to the conclusion that maybe, sometimes, two people had to fall apart in order to realize how much they need to fall back together.

(If you want to be added to the tag list, send me a message, ask or leave a comment)

#santiago garcia x reader #santiago garcia #santiago pope garcia #pope #pope x reader #triple frontier #triple frontier imagine #triple frontier x reader #will miller #ben miller x reader #francisco morales #oscar isaac

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belladoesmakeup · 3 years ago

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Lots of Love

Bella x x

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residentgoodgirl · 7 years ago

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It would be easy to imagine that after participating on a reality show, one either returns to television via all-star spin-offs like the Challenge or simply resumes their “normal” life. A recent article in the New York Times about Real World: New Orleans alum Preston Roberson-Charles, however, highlights the difficulties cast members can face after filming. After some of his particularly unflattering behavior made air, he received a lot of negative feedback — but more importantly, his mistakes were now searchable online. The digital footprint of his time on the show made it almost impossible for him to find a job, leaving him homeless for two years. While an extreme example, his story did not surprise me; as a former cast member on the MTV reality show circuit, I have seen dozens of participants experience similar consequences after their time in the spotlight.

At 18 years old, I was cast on The Real World’s sister show, Road Rules, and ultimately participated in seven seasons of MTV reality programs. For me, a white, perky blonde, the show provided an income, adventure, and (mostly) positive attention. Most of my seasons were filmed before the rise of social media, and I largely avoided being GIFed and memed. Participants who are portrayed as aggressive, promiscuous, or villainous, however, can struggle upon returning to their life, leaving them caught in the strange state of being semi-famous, yet alone. And people who lack financial resources or misbehave on the show (at the not-so-subtle behest of producers) are often forced to choose between entering the cycle of reality appearances or risk financial devastation. We don’t hear the stories of reality TV trauma, though, unless they end up in a “Where Are They Now?” listicle or their mugshot or death announcement makes it onto TMZ.

Some cast members experience financial woes, health issues, professional frustrations, and substance abuse relating to their appearance on television, and are left with few resources to handle the challenges (no pun intended). This is particularly true for people of color, LGBT folks, and women on the shows who are often portrayed as accessories to the main event, while the white, straight, cis men are heralded as the shows’ unofficial heroes and mascots.

—

The mythology of reality tv begins with Mary-Ellis Bunim, the executive producer of soap operas like As the World Turns, teaming up with news producer Jon Murray who pitched a documentary-style program by promising, “[Producers] were not going to step in. We will chronicle what happens to [the cast].” The mix of soap opera drama with documentary voyeurism was a hit.

The Real World made a name for itself as a groundbreaking documentary series, both in its inclusion of people from underrepresented groups and its unflinching portrayal of controversial subjects including abortion, gay rights, and racism. The early seasons included the show’s signature drama, but seemed to have a higher cultural purpose. The creation of its competition spinoff coupled with the mainstream success of Survivor and other series changed the tone and direction of the franchise. Producers felt the pressure, and cast members paid the price.

Producers control every aspect of the filming environment, and when they perceive a lull in the action, they accuse us of being boring and “not making the most of the experience” — which is code for: “Do something interesting.” These implicit directives lead to fights, hookups, and bullying among the cast.

When placed in an environment where bad behavior is incentivized, cast members often exhibit unsavory behavior, and the magic of editing exaggerates the high-intensity personalities. If the behavior is scandalous enough there can be consequences in terms of professional viability and personal relationships in real life, but those concerns seem insignificant from inside the bubble. Additionally, cast members receive mixed signals regarding their behavior. Contracts include punishments for violence, yet the physical and verbal fights that arise are used to promote the show. Furthermore, violent cast members are often invited to return for subsequent seasons. What is punished in the moment is often rewarded in the long run.

Much of the drama, violence, and sexual activity on The Real World and The Challenge results from heavy on-set alcohol consumption. Producers forbid the use of recreational items like books, phones, computers, playing cards, and crossword puzzles, but they provide virtually unlimited amounts of alcohol, which creates a frat-house atmosphere that naturally acts as a lubricant for hookups and other shocking antics. This party lifestyle isn’t restricted to the house, however, as high-profile cast members are sometimes paid thousands of dollars to do “bar and club appearances” after their show airs.

Nate Blackburn, who appeared on The Real World: Seattle, claims his wild on-camera persona as the life-of-the party bled into his real life. He felt pressure from fans to be an exaggerated version of himself off the air, which led him into years of drug addiction and alcoholism. “Drinking and being funny and just being wild was my identity from of the show, and people knew that,” Blackburn says. He also describes a deep insecurity that he would hide with drugs and alcohol. “I felt like if people really knew who I was, they wouldn’t like me…so I had to put on that mask.” Blackburn eventually got clean, and now works full-time helping other people get sober.

Not all cast members are as lucky as Blackburn, however, as the deaths of Joey Kovar (The Real World: Hollywood) and Ryan Knight (The Real World: New Orleans) demonstrate. Kovar told the Chicago Tribune that part of the reason he was cast on the show was because of his “honesty about using drugs and partying,” which raises questions about the ethics of such a casting decision. Knight also struggled with addiction, and ultimately died of an accidental overdose after filming Season 26 of the Challenge. According to a source quoted in the Boston Herald, ‘“He felt stuck, like he was just waiting for the next Challenge.”’

The system of recycling the cast members like Knight who provide the best (and most scandalous) storylines encourages the individuals with the fewest resources in real life to misbehave as a means of job security. The “all-star” re-casting process occurs on numerous competitive reality shows like Survivor, The Bachelor, Top Chef, and RuPaul’s Drag Race, and if participants see reality television as their only potential income, they are more likely to behave in a way that will ensure future invitations. That behavior is also what makes it more difficult for them to thrive in the (real) real world, creating a vicious cycle.

The producers of these shows are also under pressure to stand out in an ever-growing sea of entertainment (reality tv and otherwise), so they must continuously up the ante to ensure “the most dramatic rose ceremony ever” or “the most difficult final challenge.” To create drama, producers often push cast members to their physical and emotional breaking point.

The physical challenges, while exhilarating and potentially financially rewarding, have their drawbacks, and they leave many participants with injuries that extend beyond filming. In the last few Challenge seasons alone there have been broken bones, a ruptured spleen, dislocated fingers, and one person was knocked unconscious, fell 30 feet into water, and was filmed floating lifeless until he was pulled out and taken to the hospital (this was used as a promotional clip for several weeks before airing). “Minor” injuries are treated with ibuprofen and eyerolls from some producers who refer to contestants who request care as “high maintenance.” The “perfect” injury requires an ambulance (great for on-air suspense), but doesn’t result in a lawsuit or death. Less severe injuries interfere with production, but don’t provide story.

One participant who experienced a life-changing injury was Tim Beggy, who originally appeared on the second season of Road Rules and returned for several seasons of the Challenge. Beggy was an accomplished marathoner, triathlete, and Ironman competitor. That all ended, however, after a Challenge elimination round gone wrong. He was placed in a enclosed triple-pane glass box suspended in the air and, to win that week’s challenge, had to punch his way out faster than his opponent. Beggy explains, “I don’t believe the game was tested properly…because as the broken glass piled up, it chewed through the ‘protective’ gear, and turned my knees and patellar tendons into hamburger meat. For up to a year later, I would get large bumps on my knees, pop them, and glass would come out. I went from a guy running marathons to the old man limping from one ill-fated Inferno.”

For many, however, the worst pain is not physical, with many cast members experiencing emotional and psychological difficulties related to their time on television. I am among the many who was diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety due to my time on the show and a violent encounter with a cast member off-set. My psychologist equated the experience of filming the show to the Stanford Prison Experiment, which explored questions of power, torture, and relationships using unethical means. But because television shows are under no obligation to be ethical, the methodology of their social experiment is designed to create the same effects without concern for the well-being of the participants. Other cast members have experienced PTSD as well, and Frank Sweeney (Real World: San Diego) sought counseling after the show (an option less available for cast members from lower socio-economic backgrounds) and said coming off the roller coaster of tv created a “complex post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Beyond addiction, injuries, and mental health concerns, cast members encounter logistical difficulties. Some legally changed their names, others paid to have their Google search results scrubbed, and many avoid social media in an effort to regain control of their lives, careers, and identities. Some were told by potential employers that they were not hired because they appeared on the show. In an age of branding, many companies don’t want to be associated with “trashy” tv stars. I was told I was rejected from a law school despite having competitive scores and credentials, because my presence would be a distraction to the other students and would “lessen the credibility” of the institution.

Reality creators often frame the experience as an “opportunity” for participants and a “springboard” to bigger and better things. Unfortunately, for many of us, it’s a springboard into an empty pool. At best, our time in the spotlight becomes a story we’re forced to retell at cocktail parties. But having an edited version of your best and worst moments on national television can leave some participants vulnerable to financial and emotional ruin. For many of your favorite tv “characters,” things don’t truly start “getting real” until they are home picking up the pieces of the reality wreckage without a camera crew to document it.

The casual viewer may imagine that being on a reality show is just a parenthetical aside within the larger story of someone’s regular life — a brief, if exciting, pause from the narrative, from which you can quickly resume normalcy. The truth is that these experiences are our real life. They aren’t separate. We form relationships and rivalries and experience pain and redemption, and it’s all on the public stage. People aren’t interested in listening to z-listers bellyache about the difficulties of being famous for nothing, but the reality (!) is that producers and networks get rich off the personal narratives of the casts then leave them worse off than they found them. We become your memes and gifs while we’re being diagnosed with PTSD and filing for bankruptcy. Your guilty pleasure is our literal reality, and it’s unseemly to whine about the price we pay — even if the experience leaves us broke and broken. As it turns out, fifteen minutes of fame can be expensive.

#telerealite #articles

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deliayi · 4 years ago

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Long story short, I’ve never been the biggest fan of Royal Enfield motorcycles, even though I learned to ride on one. Sure, it was big, burly and entirely different from the rest of the econo-commuters available in India when I was coming of age, but that wasn’t saying much. When it came time to buying my first bike – a critical time of flux for me personally – it was a toss-up between a Machismo and the fast, dangerous, economically suicidal RD350. With all that was going on in my life at the time, I didn’t want to compromise. I wanted what I wanted. I bought the Yamaha, met a girl, married her, met many credit cards, spent them all on the bike and twenty years later, the story continues. Well, mostly.

The Meteor 350 that I’ve been riding is the successor to the Thunderbird, which was by all accounts, a great success for Royal Enfield. To me, however, it was a bit awkward, pretending to be something it was not – a proper cruiser. From the spy shots that have been floating around the Internet, the Meteor looked much the same, but I’m happy to say that it isn’t. Not by a long shot. Unlike previous models from the legendary manufacturer, the Meteor only borrows an old marque; everything else is quite new.

Royal Enfield is cool (again?)

The myth, aura and credit due to Royal Enfield motorcycles, frankly, are a product of fortuity. The Bullet tugs at the heartstrings because it has always been there. It has endured nearly unchanged for half a century, and even the most Vulcan of rational thinkers would succumb to nostalgia when talking about that old 350 or 500 their uncle/friend/lover had at some point. But in the last decade or so, there’s been a sea-change in the way the company looks at, and projects itself. Walk into a Royal Enfield showroom and it feels like a lifestyle brand. The apparel and gear are carefully curated, and go with the ethos of their retro/classic motorcycles. As does the dapper CEO, who made the pitch for the new bike in a cinematic video shot while he rode the bike in bright red gloves and boots. The film too had the right tone, look and messaging. It feels aspirational, not agrarian.

That’s not to say that RE has gone so far upmarket as to lose touch with the machismo that they so incite. On my way home with the bike, I was accosted by two lorry and one rickshaw driver, all of whom knew that this was the Meteor and it was to be launched on the sixth of November. Enfield comms department: take a bow.

The Meteor 350 is an all-new motorcycle

Knowing Royal Enfield’s history, it is hard to stress this enough. The company is steeped in tradition, and that can hold things back against the march of progress. But time carries on, and with it have come many sweeping differences in the new motorcycle. The Meteor uses a new frame, an entirely new engine, new switchgear, lighting, ergonomics and tech. India’s strict BS6 emissions norms have meant tectonic shifts in the Indian automotive space, and 2-wheelers are no exception. The new 349cc motor forms a strong base for what is likely to be a raft of future motorcycles. Gone are pushrods, replaced with a single overhead camshaft. Primary drive is now geared, there’s a balancer shaft to keep things smooth and the gearbox is slick and traditional (with a shifter on the left side).

The frame has two down-tubes now, cradling the motor, but not quite. The engine is not a stressed member of the chassis. Suspension is traditional, but beefy. 41mm forks up front, with twin shocks at the back. The rider triangle is laid back, with forward-set footpegs that put your weight roundly on your bum, and the torso in a tall, commanding position.

If you don’t know what all this means, think of it this way: the old Enfields felt like a coalition government, while the Meteor 350 feels more like a benevolent dictatorship. Things are tight and run together as a unit. It feels like any other motorcycle, with no excuses needed about ‘character’.

A word about tech

As a (mostly) tech journalist, this was the biggest surprise to me. Royal Enfield has supplied a secondary display unit called the ‘Tripper’ on all variants of the Meteor 350. The screen serves as a turn-by-turn navigation unit when paired with your smartphone. It is excellent. Traditionally, I expect very little in terms of tech from an automotive manufacturer. They just seem tone-deaf most of the time. Not so with the Tripper. It is excellent in execution, and as RE is at pains to explain, provides only the information you need and nothing more.

Once you plot a route in the Royal Enfield smartphone app – which uses Google Maps as a base – you simply punch ‘Navigate’ and turn-by-turn directions are displayed in the little pod to the left of the main console. Arrows indicate the direction of your route, and supplementary, minimal info informs you of lane suggestions. The routing is smart enough to let you know specifically when to take the road below the flyover and not climb it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to mix laxative in the KTM watercooler for their garbage navigation.

This is very, very new for the Royal Enfield we know. Considering that this is a first attempt, and it gets so much right, I’m excited to see what they do next!

The Meteor 350 looks like an old motorcycle

The design of the Meteor is far too similar to that of the outgoing Thunderbird series. In fact, all the spy shots over the past few months made it look like a sticker job more than a new motorcycle. While the lines are more refined, I think Royal Enfield perhaps missed an opportunity to make this otherwise fresh motorcycle stand out.

A cursory glance hides so much that’s new. The double down-tube frame, for instance, is easily missed. The side profile is very familiar, as is the characteristic shape of the frame. It is clearly intentional, and in this case, very conservative. The rake is a degree tighter and the rear mudguard quite thick, giving the impression of a stubby, squashed motorcycle, not the laid-back cruiser vibe they’re selling.

One must give it to them for attention to detail, however. Everything does flow quite nicely. I was particularly impressed with the rider’s view. The handlebar grips are retro, as are the clutch and brake levers. Even the console, while a hybrid analogue/digital unit, doesn’t look out of place. Royal Enfield is quite proud of their rotary toggle switches as you’d have had on old British motorcycles. It just doesn’t work as well on the left side for the passing switch. More on that latter. All in all, impressive once you pay attention, as the company hopes their faithful will.

The Meteor 350 goes like a modern motorcycle

... or a close approximation of one, considering what it is. Sticking to its heritage of making a tried-and-tested 350cc motor, Royal Enfield has taken very calculated steps into 2020 with this venerable warhorse. To pass BS6 legislation, the motor now uses a modern, traditional valvetrain and a catcon to keep the smoke clean. They’ve even managed to retain some (but not all) of the iconic thump that one expects of a Bullet variant.

On the go, things feel tight, cohesive. The front and rear aren’t telling your mind different things at the same time. Twist and go, really. I found the Meteor 350 to be exceptional in the city, betraying none of its 191kg wet weight. The fuel injection feels accurate, not lean and edgy, so your right wrist is in harmony with the progress of the bike. It feels light, almost nimble in traffic, and the suspension makes short work of rough roads. The general consensus seems to be that the Meteor feels stiff to aid handling, but this was not my experience. The 19” front wheel adds to it’s rough road readiness.

The 20-odd horsepower propelling this mass won’t deliver relaxed triple-digit cruising, but the 27Nm of torque ensures that you never really want for extra poke in the city. Overtakes and launches from traffic lights are now possible, not just noisy. The engine does start running out of steam past 100kmph so while it’s going to be better than its older 350cc brethren, it’s still not a fast mile-muncher. And most will tell you that it isn’t supposed to be. As a relaxed highway cruiser, it will work fine, I think, especially two-up.

The new motor will surprise you with its refinement more than its performance. The primary balancer shaft ensures a surprisingly vibe-free experience, even as the revs rise and you go faster. This should make for a more comfortable long-hauler, since your hands and feet will tingle less than on earlier Royal Enfield motorcycles. It’s nowhere as smooth as their twins, however. Brakes are okay. The discs are a generous size and get the job done, but feel is lacking from the front. It does its thing but conveys little. The ABS is dual-channel, so no pinching paisas here.

There are some compromises for form against function on the Meteor. The switchgear is wonderfully retro, but you need your thumb to flash your high beam. This means you can’t honk and flash at the same time, something many do for extra safety. The levers too have this period look to them, but they’re not kind on thin fingers like mine. And while the plush seat feels comfortable at first try, with forward-set footpegs, there is no chance of taking any weight onto your legs. Spotted a nasty pothole too late? Get off the brakes and brace for spinal compression. Your back will take the brunt of impact right through your tailbone. I heard this feedback on more than one occasion, but it’s part of the whole foot-forward cruising design. It’s a thing. It’s just not the ideal thing.

The Meteor 350 can be specifically yours

Available in three variants: Fireball, Stellar and Supernova, the bikes are identical save for paint schemes and accessories. Ah, the accessories. So. Many. Accessories. Royal Enfield offers the top variant with a windshield and pillion backrest, and you can pick from no less than six accessory mufflers, each with a different sound and look. No more raiding the aftermarket for loud (illegal) exhaust units, which can be a liability in some states with aggressive policing. Thankfully, the excellent ‘Tripper’ navigation system is standard across variants.

Apart from the Interceptor 650, there isn’t another Royal Enfield motorcycle I’d rather ride than the Meteor 350. It’s a nice, rewarding ride with few compromises. I’d just as quickly jump onto it for a short trip around town as my KTM. For longer journeys, the only thing holding me back would be its lack of speed.

The Meteor 350 is based on an all-new platform, one that will be the base of many future models. Starting at Rs 1.76 lac, buyers can now comfortably indulge their Royal Enfield fantasies, without making too many excuses to their friends who ride bikes that start every single time. The smiles and appreciation from lorry drivers are free.

#Firstpost Tech Latest News

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shirosquared-old · 7 years ago

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The Blue Paladin

This is my fic for the VLD Fanfic Remix, hosted by @vldfanficremix2017! I remixed @riftlotor‘s fic familiar, which you should definitely check out first!

(This fic takes place during the events of chapters twelve and thirteen).

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: Gen Relationships: Lance & Shiro (Voltron) Characters: Shiro (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Sendak (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt, Coran (Voltron) Additional Tags: Minor Character Death, Flashbacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, gladiator fights, Implied/Referenced Torture, Violence, I swear this is a semi-happy fic, Angst with a Happy Ending, VLD Fanfiction Remix 2017 Summary:

The Castle of Lions has fallen, and Lance and Shiro find themselves in Sendak’s custody. Through each other, Lance and Shiro learn that there is more than meets the eye to each other as both teammates—family—and people.

Shiro shifted in the cuffs, trying to get some kind of vantage point to slice the things open. It wouldn’t be hard, but he couldn’t get his wrist to twist in the right way. The only thing he’d achieve by activating his arm would be burning himself, and maybe getting Lance hurt worse after the explosion for his supposed insubordination. Sure, he was a bit bitter. It was hard not to be, really.

[Read it on AO3]

He hated feeling powerless, out of control, with no way to do anything that could help them. Lance was still out of it from the explosion, and he felt no better than he had in the arena at the thought that he couldn’t do anything to help them. He didn’t want to fight, but he’d never been given a choice.

Shiro pressed himself closer to the wall, trying to make himself a smaller target. Maybe they would just… ignore him. He didn’t want to fight, he couldn’t kill an innocent prisoner. Why were they forced to participate in these sick games? Did it seriously bring enjoyment to the Galra, or was it just another way to dispose of prisoners? If all they wanted to do was kill them, they should’ve just shoved them out of an airlock. Shiro would’ve taken that over this.

His opponent had no such reservation, the glint in their horizontally slitted pupil bordering on insanity. They must’ve been there for a long time. Shiro never knew how many kills they had to their name. They looked vaguely feminine, but Shiro had learned that it didn’t necessarily mean they were female, especially when it came to the stranger-looking ones. His opponent looked vaguely human, though they had light pink skin, pinched features, a long tail, and an extra set of arms. On top of their head sat some type of headdress—a diadem, maybe?—and Shiro wondered just who this person had been on their home planet.

There had been an announcement earlier, declaring the fight between “Champion” and “Quiron.” Shiro almost laughed now; it was more like a fight between “Champion” and “Shiro.” It had never been a test of fighting ability, Shiro would’ve won that front easily. No, this was a battle of wills. If he wasn’t careful… he rolled to the side to avoid a strike, studying his opponent half-heartedly. He didn’t want to fight them, he couldn’t. He ducked to avoid another pass, scrambling to his feet despite how horribly his hands shook and the unbearable chill of thousands of eyes watching him.

The blade of the curved sword trembled visibly, moving along with Shiro as fear threatened to overtake him. What was Shiro supposed to do? He didn’t have any kind of plan or strategy in place. Quiron charged, their eyes alit with desperation as they swung the long blade towards Shiro’s neck. He ducked, the blade sailing over his head in a wide arc as he tried to put more distance between the two of them.

The arena was completely different from anything Shiro was used to. He could fight beasts, he could kill them without hesitation knowing that they’d caused several deaths of innocent people. But these prisoners… they were forced to fight, just like he was. They’d killed only to protect themselves, not out of the joy of it.

Shiro took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He had to do this. Otherwise, he’d never have a chance at getting home. The next time Quiron charged, Shiro sidestepped and swung the sword. He felt the slight resistance as the blade dragged through, and he nearly gagged. He’d made a deep cut across Quiron’s back, striking after their momentum carried them past Shiro.

Shiro never found out how many kills he had to his own name. He’d stopped counting after he hit triple digits, a sickening realization that left him expelling what little food he was given. He spent the rest of that day in a numb state, even when they brought him to the arena again for his next fight. He’d lost his arm in that fight, only for it to be carelessly replaced with a metal prosthetic.

After that, the rest of the year passed in a blur of sounds and dull colors.

Shiro opened his eyes, his surroundings slightly blurred. That didn’t look right, but he was more focused on what he could see. Lance, just a few feet in front of him, laid motionless. His eyes held a faraway gaze, as if he wasn’t quite there.

“Lance?” he asked softly, not wanting to alert Sendak.

Lance’s eyes seemed to clear as he came back to the present, sighing. “Shiro,” he said. “Okay?”

Shiro grimaced, shifting in the restraints. He wasn’t okay, but it was kind of obvious. No point in hiding it. He stretched his stiff muscles before shaking his head, trying to clear it. When he looked at Lance again, the faint blur had faded. Everything ached, and moving just intensified it. “I should be asking you that,” he said instead. Are you—”

“Fine,” Lance responded, shrugging. Shiro didn’t miss the wince that crossed his face, even if only for a second.

Shiro tipped his head up to look at Sendak, pacing back and forth at the control panel. He didn’t even bother looking back at them. Shiro didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried. He glanced back over at Lance, shifting closer so their shoulders touched.

“Everything hurts,” Lance said after a moment, his voice small. Shiro vaguely remembered Sendak’s words, but he’d been out before Lance started screaming. Still, he wanted to make Sendak feel what he’d made Lance feel.

Was Lance okay? He didn’t deserve this kind of pain, he was still so young. If only Shiro hadn’t gotten them hurt… he caused this. “I’m sorry,” he said after a moment’s pause.

Lance just shook his head. “Not your fault,” he said. Shiro started to protest, then thought better of it, deciding to just let it go. Lance shut his eyes, and Shiro felt a light cool breeze drift past his face lazily.

A few minutes passed, and Lance was completely unresponsive. Sendak looked over, a cruel smile twisting his features. It drove a spike of—fear? hate? both?—deep into Shiro’s chest. Sendak stepped off of the raised platform and approached them, the oversized prosthetic at his side arcing dangerously with excess power. Whether it was some form of electricity, quintessence, or both, Shiro had no idea.

Sendak loomed over them. Normally, he was easily at least a foot taller than Shiro. On his knees, he was absolutely dwarfed by the Galra, a feeling that was sickeningly familiar in the back of his mind. Forced into a submissive position, to kneel as if Sendak were someone he worshipped. He hated it. He hated it, but he couldn’t do anything to stop it. He wouldn’t just be putting himself at risk, Lance would get hurt and it’d be his fault.

Lance’s eyes had a faint haze to them, indicating that he wasn’t quite present, but Shiro only got a moment to look before Sendak kicked Lance’s side hard. Shiro yelled wordlessly, whether it was a warning or a cry to stop even he didn’t know.

Lance let out a sound that stole the air from Shiro’s lungs. He couldn’t watch this, couldn’t watch his teammates get hurt. “Lance!” he cried, despite knowing that it wouldn’t stop Sendak—if anything, it might egg him on more, knowing it got a rise out of him.

“Pathetic,” Sendak scoffed, lightly scuffing his boot on the floor as if he was bored. Shiro glared, and Sendak kicked Lance again just as hard. Lance grunted, curling up slightly.

Shiro had to say something, get Sendak’s attention back on him so Lance could have a moment to rest after the explosion. He spit out the first thing that came to mind: “Let him go, Sendak.”

Sendak just laughed. “Or you’ll what, little Champion? There’s nothing you can do.” He turned back to Lance as if Shiro had never spoken at all, kneeling in front of Lance and forcing him to sit up. Shiro watched with a poorly disguised glare as Sendak seemed to size Lance up, passing him over with the cybernetic eye. “…Lance, isn’t it? The Blue Paladin… Zarkon will be interested in you, though I fail to see your value. If it was up to me, you’d be dead, little paladin.” Shiro was starting to get annoyed with the whole ‘little’ thing. As if it made any difference in their situation.

Lance seemed to take a moment before he spat directly in Sendak’s face. Shiro almost laughed, forcing it down before he could make their situation worse. As amusing and satisfying as it had been, even to watch, he knew they were about to be in deep trouble. Sendak took a moment, kneeling in stunned silence, before he reached up and wiped the spit off of his face. Shiro watched as the commander’s eyes narrowed, features twisted in anger. “You’ll pay for that, you insolent thing.” He backhanded Lance across his face, splitting the skin there from the force of the hit.

“Lance!” Shiro cried again, trying to look around for something, anything he could do to get them out of this situation. Sendak didn’t stop there, of course, hitting him again and again. “Stop it! Stop!” Lance’s face was dark red with blood in places, a cut on his cheek and one above his eye beginning trails down his face.

Sendak scoffed, his focus still on Lance. “To think that a creature like you could be a paladin.”

Lance looked dazed, lost, confused. “No… please.” Shiro’s breath caught in his throat. He never wanted to hear Lance like this again. Ever. Sendak seemed to be taking pleasure from it, watching Lance intently.

A name graced Lance’s lips, nearly too soft for Shiro to make out. “Am’lei.” Lance’s fingers stretched as if reaching for something, even though the restraints prevented him from doing much else. “Anam,” he said, louder. “Am’lei…”

Who was Am’lei? How did Lance know her? Who were they to Lance, to have this kind of reaction?

“Lance,” Sendak drawled, as if testing the name. “Am’lei… I haven’t heard that name in a long time.” He lunged forward, grabbing Lance’s face in his large prosthetic arm. Shiro watched in horror as the claws dug into Lance’s skin, and Sendak forced their eyes to meet. “What secrets are you hiding behind those pretty—”

Shiro stopped listening, actively trying to tune out whatever Sendak was saying to Lance. He knew he should listen, he should know, but he couldn’t keep hearing this.

“No—”

Sendak’s nail hovered below Lance’s eye, and Shiro froze for a moment. What was Sendak going to do to Lance? He needed to get his attention. He wasn’t even sure what he was yelling, only that he was yelling, screaming, trying to get Sendak to focus on him rather than Lance.

“Here,” Sendak said, completely ignoring Shiro. His nail dug into Lance’s skin slightly beneath the eye, where an Altean marking might be. He leaned in closer, speaking quietly. Shiro had to strain his ears to hear it. “We all know the stories, you know, so we will never be as weak as you are… Talin.”

Talin? Who was Talin? Shiro was stuck between confusion, fear, and anger, all fighting for dominance. “Lance?” he asked, hoping for some kind of explanation.

Sendak finally turned his attention to Shiro, though somehow Shiro still felt like he was being disregarded. He still addressed Lance when he spoke. “Your friends don’t know?” Shiro watched Lance carefully, taking note of the tears glistening on Lance’s face as they caught in the harsh purple lighting.

“What the hell are you talking about?” he demanded, glaring at Sendak with hatred. “Leave Lance alone!”

A look of what could be considered amusement flashed across Sendak’s face, gone in the next moment. “Champion,” he drawled, sweeping an arm out towards Lance, “may I introduce you to Talin Forsune, the Blue Paladin.” He chuckled to himself, as if he found it funny. “Emperor Zarkon will be pleased when I bring you to him.”

Everything after that was a blur. Pidge told Sendak Haxus was dead, Sendak’s prosthetic hand descended on him and pain shot through him, arcing as the electricity ran its course through him. Lance (Talin? Who was Talin?) went through the same thing, then passed out. He was on his feet, charging at Sendak despite still being restrained. Keith fought Sendak, Pidge got caught, and Lance shot Sendak in the back. Keith forced Sendak into a forcefield barrier. A new crystal was put into the ship.

Shiro came back to awareness as the handcuffs fell off of his wrists, glancing around. Sendak was still trapped inside of the particle barrier surrounding the Castle’s controls, his cybernetic arm removed entirely. Lance was barely conscious, weakly gripping onto Keith’s hand. He said something Shiro didn’t catch, then passed out again. Keith picked up Lance in a princess carry since it was the easiest on Lance, carrying him to the pods.

“Are you okay?” Pidge asked Shiro.

“Yeah,” Shiro murmured, rubbing his left wrist idly to try and relax the muscles there. “I’m fine, thank you.”

She didn’t quite look like she believed him, but she nodded. “If you say so.”

Shiro and Coran had to peel the damaged blue armor off of Lance, piece by piece, before he could be put into the pod. However, even with the armor off and the pod ready to go, Coran suggested to wait a few doboshes—whatever those were—before they put Lance inside, in case the Galra crystal’s influence hadn’t yet been removed from the system.

Lance closed his eyes, and Shiro decided he should say something. “Lance… what Sendak said…”

Lance turned to face him, catching his wrist. “I’m sorry—” he began, but Shiro held up a hand to stop him. He hated what he saw back on the bridge, hated how he’d had to see Lance hurting and in pain, but he was just glad Lance was okay.

“We can talk later, Lance,” Shiro told him, relaxing a bit, “when you’re healed.”

He glanced over at Coran, who nodded at him. “Should be ready,” he said, his tone light but his expression grim. Together, Shiro and Coran carefully lifted Lance and set him into the healing pod. “Heal, Lance,” Shiro distantly heard Coran say. “We’ll be here when you wake.”

Lance’s eyes closed behind the semi-transparent surface, drifting off to let the healing pods work. Shiro sighed. He wanted to stay and watch the pod carefully, but he knew that other things needed to be done. Still, he refused to break Coran’s promise.

They were there for Lance when he woke up.

#voltron #vld fanfic remix 2017 #brii writes #voltron fic #lance #shiro #familiar verse #fic

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tripstations · 5 years ago

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3 Outrageous Singaporean Travel Stories

Top image from Unsplash by Roberto Nickson.

Singaporeans are a crazy adventurous bunch.

Our claustrophobic city state leaves us yearning for the wider world. More sights! More food! More experiences!

You might think: what could possibly go wrong? Well, we have three stories from Singaporeans on their cross-continental escapades in search of the most intense, sublime highs. Just what dangers did they get tangled up in?

Jason, 25 years old.

Thank god I had my seatbelt on.

I mean, which coward buckles up? But my girlfriend insisted, so I relented.

Imagine: it’s autumn in Iceland, an island of brown basking in the Midnight Sun. We wanted to have a road trip from Reykjavik to the glaciers of Jökulsárlón. After a night in an AirBnB, we set off on our journey. There were 4 of us—my girlfriend and I in the back, with two of our friends up front.

The two-way roads were perfectly straight. They tapered off into a gentle slope, placing us on elevated ground. It’s common for cars to hit 120km/hr because otherwise you feel like you’re crawling at a snail’s pace.

It’s about one hour into the drive, when the service light on the dashboard started blinking. The driver joined us in diagnosing the problem, scrambling for the instruction manual, being clearly distracted.

He looked up. The road was narrow, and he saw himself cutting into another lane.

Remember, cars were traveling in the triple digits on the speedometer. A blip in the distance could reach you in seconds.

Panicked, he overcorrected.

And we swerved off the road.

We screamed, swore as the car tumbled once, twice, thrice. It’s like every Hollywood car flip except it’s real. None of us knew what was going on.

Airbags inflated. The car landed. We hung from our seatbelts, and dropped ourselves down to the roof. Fear was pounding in my heart and flowed into my head, and I was giddy with realising what had just happened.

By the good grace of the Icelandic public, the police and ambulance arrived within minutes. They shuttled us to the nearest town so we could sort ourselves out.

The car was wrecked having landed upside down and had to be completely scrapped. Our insurance ensured that we had to pay only $2,900 split among the four of us—an incredible relief as the last thing we needed to be burdened with was more crippling debt.

Though shaken, we came out miraculously unscathed. Even our belongings stayed intact… except a single baguette.

It had snapped into two.

Story continues

Amy, 24 years old.

When a woman travels solo, there aren’t many things she can do. No hitchhiking, no camping in the desert, no exploring seedy bars without pepper spray on hand.

But I could totally go to the beach.

Welcome to Santorini, sun and sand eclipsed by a backdrop of Grecian beauty. Couples sashayed past clean white walls, while others giggled and clinked their wine glasses. The pastel-hued Cycladic village perched atop russet cliffs offered one of the most iconic, romantic scenes, and I sighed with contentment gazing at it.

I decided to take a swim, letting the salty ocean slip past my skin. The nearby rocks looked straight out of The Little Mermaid, and feeling a sense of silly nostalgia, I decided to climb atop them.

Dripping wet as I hauled myself onto the boulders, I marveled at the ocean view. Standing upright, I mused on how I could never get this in Singapore, with the deep blue yawning open into the horizo-

Something gave way. One moment, my slick feet were no longer on the rocks. The next second, they crashed into them. I felt my skin split and I seethed in pain as the blood started to seep out. A chunk of flesh hung from it, and I felt faint, almost nauseous.

This far out, there wasn’t a soul to be found.

After bleeding out for 10 minutes, with nothing on hand to stop it besides my pink-stained hands, I decided I had to go back to shore. Each stroke was excruciating as the salt entered my open wound, but I kicked for dear life with my one good leg.

When I got on land, I felt like a victim from Jaws, hobbling and shouting. Grains of sand clung to my wet feet, and stabbed at my wound as I held back tears. I darkly wondered if I would need an amputation.

The tourists were baffled, unsure and ill-equipped to help me out. After a few minutes, a brave woman stepped up to attend to me, pouring bottled water on my cut and delivering preliminary first aid. We could only get a plaster from the minimart, and had to dig out the sediment by hand.

I didn’t have insurance, which was annoying. The injury wasn’t critical—I would be healed up within a month—but in the moment when I was screaming on the beach I was preparing for the worst. My wound could’ve been infected, and I would’ve had to fork out a lot more money without the appropriate coverage.

Next time, I’ll bring a partner along—and make sure we’re both insured.

Gabriel, 22 years old.

It started out as an innocent photoshoot.

The Seven Sisters at Sussex were arresting in their beauty. The peaks and troughs looked like a fossilised wave carved out of chalk, which I further preserved as photographs.

Barely an hour passed by the time I was done with the shoot at the foot of the Fourth Sister, but the stones I had been balancing upon were submerged. I watched the tides creep in, land slowly reclaimed and disappearing beneath me.

I packed up and rushed back to where I came from, but the path was cut off. Water was rising fast, and the exit on the other end was getting cut off too.

There was no one in sight.

Thinking fast, I wrapped my belongings in my jacket, carrying them over my head. The waves had a rhythm: every three crashes, they would recede further, and I timed myself to rush across during this gap.

I waddled along the cliff walls, waist deep, salt foaming at my mouth as the waves collapsed into me. I held my ground, gasping as I made it completely drenched to the foot of the Third Sister.

Now, the path was completely gone. My phone had no signal. I contemplated rushing to the Second Sister when a wave slammed against the cliff wall, the splash two storeys high. My body would’ve become ragged against the rocks.

I saw tiny people at the edge of the first cliff—hope! I jumped and waved to them, straining my body as though I could will them to respond. They jumped … for a jump-shot.

After minutes that felt like hours, someone waved back.

Time melted as the sun and wind beat down on me. Faith was the only poultice to my increasingly erratic desperation. A whistle came from above, and I watched a crowd gathering. We communicated over frantic gestures we couldn’t quite make out. I chose to interpret that help would arrive.

Eventually, an orange boat docked nearby, and a dingy with three men was lowered and made its way to me.

“Are you alright mate?” one asked. My saviours were from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

As I got onto the lifeboat, the tension seeped out of me, and I became eerily relaxed. Watching the facade of the cliff felt surreal: I would’ve perished escaping to the Second Sister, and if I hadn’t made it to the third; I would’ve been alone.

If things had gotten worse I might’ve required an emergency evacuation, or if the unthinkable happened … I was too stressed to think about insurance at the time but in hindsight, greater coverage for more severe incidents would’ve helped give an ease of mind.

I came out scuffed—nothing too serious. But the event taught me how unpredictable travel is and how quickly things can go south, especially in a foreign country you’re unfamiliar with.

When you’re overseas, it’s impossible to anticipate what might go wrong: it could be an accident on the road, or falling critically ill, or missing a flight because of natural disasters. As the above stories have shown, getting tangled up is far more common than you think.

Good travel insurance is going to give you the peace of mind to live your best life on your travels. And if you want coverage that’s worth your dollars, MSIG offers the best overall value for its price, offering up to $250k in coverage for medical expenses and accidents.

Their TravelEasy plan offers comprehensive coverage from personal accidents, medical related expenses, travel inconveniences, along with lifestyle benefits including adventurous activities like hang gliding, riding snowmobiles, and even marathons. Enhanced benefits even include maternity related overseas medical expenses.

Having comprehensive coverage ensures that when Murphy’s Law comes knocking, you’ll be able to answer the door safely.

So to those with a hunger for adrenaline and thrill-seeking in their blood—go forth and prosper! Just remember that it’s always better to have protection.

This piece was sponsored by MSIG Insurance.

MSIG is offering a promotion for their TravelEasy plan—60% off Single Trips Plan and 20% off Annual Trip Plan till 30 Nov 2019. You can sign up for it here.

Wish you had the guts to YOLO across the globe? Me too. Fantasize about your travels with us at [email protected].

The post My Car Flipped In Iceland: 3 Outrageous Singaporean Travel Stories appeared first on RICE.

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sailorrrvenus · 6 years ago

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Film in the Digital Age: An Interview with 4 Photographers

In 2017, I began playing around with a 35mm film camera I had received from my grandparents. This Pentax Spotmatic was simple to use (although the light meter did not work) and it gave me a wonderful sense of accomplishment when I finished a roll of 36 photographs, each one being carefully thought out, more-so than when shooting digital.

When I began developing the black and white film at home, this sense of accomplishment was only heightened with every successful roll developed. And while I did not scan these negatives – nor do I plan on doing much of anything with them – it led to me wanting to do more and more with film.

Especially after finding Ben Horne’s YouTube channel and watching it religiously, my love for film grew ever stronger.

I decided to get a medium format film camera that summer – beginning with a Mamiya C330 TLR – and was quick to upgrade to a Bronica ETRS. Finally, in June of 2018, I was able to purchase a Pentax 67, a dream film camera of mine.

My love for film has only grown, despite some rough patches with debating whether I should crawl back to digital or stick with film. The flaws, slowed-down methods, disadvantages, and advantages all make film photography so much more interesting. In due time, I plan to upgrade to a 4×5 Large Format camera and force myself to slow down even further, taking a select few photographs a year, choosing only the best of the best.

While my story with film at this point is only beginning, I wanted to speak with some photographers who have been shooting film much longer than I, to learn why they have chosen to shoot film in a time when digital photography is king.

Here’s what they had to say.

Alex Burke – Triple Peak Flow – www.alexburkephoto.com

Can you introduce yourself to the readers? Who are you, what do you shoot, where are you based, etc.

Alex Burke: Hello! My name is Alex Burke and I’m a landscape photographer from Greeley, Colorado. I specialize in off-the-beaten-path wilderness landscapes from the American West captured on large format film.

Ben Horne: My name is Ben Horne, and I am a landscape photographer from San Diego, California. I have been shooting large format film ever since 2009, first with a 4×5 camera, and now with an 8×10 camera. Much of my work is done in Southern Utah, as well as here in California.

Dennis Ramos: Hi, my name is Dennis Ramos and I’m a fine art photographer. I’m based out of Florida which is my hometown as well. Being a fine art photographer, I tend to shoot landscape, seascape, and architectural most of the time, but I don’t limit myself to these categories as I have always love to shoot portraits and conceptual arts.

Shane Dignum: My name is Shane Dignum, I’m based in Los Angeles, California and I photograph natural and built landscapes.

Ben Horne – Soul of the Ancients – www.benhorne.com

What made you start shooting film in the first place?

Alex Burke: I think at first it may have been because I wanted a more featured SLR camera but at the time DSLRs were quite expensive and loaded 35mm cameras were dirt cheap. After I saw my first few slides I was hooked!

Ben Horne: It was in late 2008 that I became dissatisfied with my own work. Despite traveling to some great locations, I just wasn’t happy with the end result. I knew deep down that the problem was myself. I wasn’t working hard enough at photography, I wasn’t taking the necessary risks, and I lacked discipline. A friend suggested that I should buy a 4×5 camera, so I did. Shooting large format film gave me a sense of discipline that I otherwise lacked, and I knew right away that this was the perfect tool for me.

Dennis Ramos: I’ve started my photography in the early 90s before the digital cameras were made and I was shooting just about anything with both SLR and point-and-shoot cameras. I slowly transitioned to digital when it first came out in early 2000 and started to get serious with it. In 2014, I decided to incorporate both analog and digital to my work.

Shane Dignum: Quality over quantity. My workflow has always been geared toward creating the highest quality prints.

Dennis Ramos – Stratis – www.dennis-ramos.com

What’s your favorite camera/lens/film combination?

Alex Burke: I use a 4×5 camera and whatever lens is the right focal length for the job. As far as film I use a wide variety to fit the scene, mainly Velvia, Provia, and Ektar. Each type of scene can call for a different film type as they all have a different way of rendering colors and light.

Ben Horne: Though I always felt that normal lenses were somewhat boring on digital, I have come to embrace normal lenses on large format film. My Nikkor 300mm 5.6 provides about the same angle of view as a 50mm lens on a full frame camera, and it by far my most used lens. I use it most of the time on an Arca Swiss F Metric 8×10 camera, and my most used film is Fuji Velvia 50 slide film.

Dennis Ramos: Currently, I’m having fun with my 4×5 large format Tachihara field camera with 150mm Schneider F5.6 lens. But with any camera format I use, I always like to shoot with Kodak TMax400 or Ilford HP+400 and Ektar 100 for color.

Shane Dignum: 8×10 camera, 300mm lens, Portra 160.

Shane Dignum – Tidepools – www.shanedignum.com

Why do you shoot film in the digital age? Do you ever worry about not getting the shot due to poor exposure, bad development, improper scanning, etc.?

Alex Burke: The entire process is far more interesting to me. Even after many years of experience, there’s always the chance that you just don’t quite know how something will come out and that’s the thrill of it. I would likely get bored very quickly shooting digital. I’ve tried to take as many of the bad variables out of the equation by doing my own developing and scanning with a drum scanner, but even still there will always be pleasant surprises and a few disappointments.

Ben Horne: One of the biggest learning curves for me with film was learning how to use a light meter. They are powerful tools, and once you learn the ropes, there are seldom any surprises when you get the film back from the lab – even with slide film that has very little wiggle room for a good exposure. Just to be safe, I shoot 2 sheets of film on important subjects. Usually one is just fine, but there have been some times when that second sheet of film proved beneficial.

Dennis Ramos: Shooting with film slows me down and enjoy each process. I feel there’s a lot more to explore with film. I enjoy trying out different films, cameras, development styles, and techniques. Do I ever worry about not getting the shot? That’s where the fun is!

Shane Dignum: Digital is certainly more convenient, especially for those who work in editorial, sports, fashion or social media, but large format film provides me superior results in the final print. Knowing that I have a very limited number of exposures to make really forces me to study the scene and compose carefully. Once you learn the technical aspects of a large format camera and how to properly expose film, the worries go away. Development is typically done in a lab and so far I have had no surprises. The only limitations that I do run into from time to time are the depth of field and windy conditions causing camera shake.

Ben Horne – Last Words – www.benhorne.com

Do you ever shoot film for clients? What is that like, considering it is such an “outdated” way of shooting?

Alex Burke: I regularly sell large prints of my images, which is how I make a living. Part of the beauty of landscapes is that I shoot for myself and then worry about trying to market and sell the images later, so I don’t have the stress that comes with shooting directly for a client. If I mess a shot up, no one will ever know about it.

Ben Horne: I put all of my emphasis into landscape photography, so I don’t do any client shooting on the side. It’s kind of nice to keep it simple like that.

Dennis Ramos: This is one reason I don’t worry about not getting the shot: I don’t shoot for clients. I shoot film for my personal projects and I consider it as a classic way of shooting.

Shane Dignum: I’ve shot film for clients a couple of times; it was a special request. I’ve also photographed a wedding with my 8×10 for some friends, which was challenging. If I’m using a medium format film camera the results are great, it just takes time for the clients to get the work. Most clients nowadays want to see the work right away to give instant feedback and approval.

Alex Burke – Heart of Stone – www.alexburkephoto.com

Are you a hybrid shooter (film and digital)? Or are you all film? Why/why not?

Alex Burke: I use a small digital camera solely for the purpose of a light meter and walk-around viewfinder. It helps me visualize the scene before setting up the camera and also helps preview the exposure. I find it best to focus on just the one format so everything I shoot is on film.

Ben Horne: 100% of my landscape photography is done on film. Outside of that, I really don’t do much of any photography. I have a Sony A7sII and a Sony RX100V that I use as part of my video kit, but I seldom use them to take any photos. I would certainly take the RX100 when going on vacation with my wife, but just as a fun point and shoot camera.

Dennis Ramos: I am a hybrid shooter and printer as well. As a fine art photographer, I create images and so I mix both to produce a beautiful image.

Shane Dignum: Large format film for my personal work. Medium format film for fun. Digital when a client is involved.

Shane Dignum – Tree – www.shanedignum.com

What are the advantages/disadvantages of shooting film?

Alex Burke: There can be many pros and cons. For the advantages I like the fact that I only shoot a few images at most of a given scene, usually just 0 to 3 depending on how good the light was. This forces you to really work on the composition and every aspect of the image to get it perfect. I also like the disconnect from gear, as large format cameras have virtually no modern technology and therefore also no reason to ever upgrade. I like that you also have to look for truly good light – you can’t just make it up in post-processing or shoot scenes with over-the-top contrast just because the fancy sensor can handle it.

As far as disadvantages, there will always be scenes you miss shooting large format film. The camera takes additional time to set up and the light can disappear before you’re ready. As far as the time it takes to go from shooting to developed that doesn’t bother me, there’s no real rush when it comes to landscapes and no clients pushing me to get it done right away.

Ben Horne: When shooting large format film, the equipment is bulky and the film is expensive, but that’s also one of the things I like about it. Working with an 8×10 camera gives me a sense of patience and purpose. It allows me to slow down, and think more about the subjects that are around me. I shoot a lot fewer photos than if I was shooting digital, but my keeper rate is much higher. When I went on my winter trip to Death Valley and Zion this past January, I photographed 9 different subjects, which resulted in 8 portfolio grade shots.

Dennis Ramos: As far as disadvantages of film photography such as cost, developing times, scanning issues, etc., I consider it insignificant as I am shooting for my personal projects. One big advantage of shooting film is being able to understand more about the subject and lighting. With a limited number of exposures, one must think first before shooting while the tendency with digital cameras, one will shoot first and think later.

Shane Dignum: It all depends on the subject you choose to photograph. For me, landscapes and 8×10 film are the perfect match.

About the author: Cody Schultz is a fine art photographer based in Pennsylvania. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and interviewees. You can find more of Schultz’s work on his website and Instagram. This article was also published here.

Image credits: Header photo by Melanie Olivieri

source https://petapixel.com/2018/10/19/film-in-the-digital-age-an-interview-with-4-photographers/

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Gray Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15544

"Gray Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15544

Gray Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15544

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If you had an extra car that was paid off and cheap on insurance, would you sell it or keep it for a back up?""

Will Health Insurance Reform give us affordable premiums?

We understand the proposed legislation will require insurance companies to accept pre-existing conditions and prohibit them from dumping anyone who gets an awful prognosis. These features are very progressive. Mr. Obama didn't want federally mandated insurance, but the insurance industry does want it. So if everyone is required to sign on, as with car insurance, then we need to shop around for the best rates. What's the bottom line? How can we find out? Can we still ask our Congressional reps to strike this out?""

Auto insurance for teens?

OK so i will be getting my license in around 2 months. So i have began to look for cars. My parents and i have decided to cut the cost 50/50. But my question is what do i do about insurance? Do i go onto their plan? My dad doesn't want to buy a car yet cause he doesn't want to have to pay for the insurance as soon as we buy the car. I do want to buy the car somewhat soon so that i could practice with it for my driving test. So could someone just explain how we should go about getting insurance? Should we put the car under my parent's plan and will it be very expensive? (I live in NJ btw) Thanks!

Life insurance for over 60?

Hello,just wondering if anyone out there has any good expierence for life insurance over 60 years old.I am a 64 year old female who wants something for 15 years with no pre-existing medical conditions.There are so many out there I just dont know who I can trust.Thanks...""

How much is an occasional drivers insurance in ontario?

I am 16 i have a g2 i drive and 2003 dodge caravan sxt its my dads how much would it cost to list me as an occasional driver with TD insurance

Would a Honda Rebel 250 be a good starting motorcycle?

I still do not have my license. I intend on getting it soon. I've waited too long to get it. But I would like to own a motorcycle instead of a car. I don't live anywhere near the cold so, icy roads aren't a problem. And I am 5 foot 2, so I'm guessing this would be a good choice of motorcycle. Oh, and if you own a motorcycle, could you answer a few questions for me? Do you need a special license for it? And is the insurance a killer? Thanks for all of your help.""

How to reduce payments for young car driver insurance ?

how to minimize it ?

What's the best place to get cheap insurance on an imported Mitsubishi L300 Campervan?

Auto Insurance Question?

I am a new driver and I just received my G2 a couple of moths ago. I am trying to get auto insurance at a cheep rate. I tried to add my name to my dads insurance (Johnson insurance) and their quote was 120 per month which seems a but excessive as I am only a casual driver. I was just looking for some advice and wondering if I should pay 120 per month or try elsewhere or try to barging with them Thanks a lot for any help

How much for basic auto insurance in Canada?

I am driving my car from BC to Waterloo, ON. back for school. I was wondering, in this case, which province's auto insurance I am supposed to get. Can I drive around in Ontario for more than four months with ICBC insurance? Or Do I have to get the new Ontario insurance? In BC I am still N, which is equivalent of G2, and I currently drove for closely three years. Another thing was, how much would the basic insurance cost a month? Is there any big difference between BC and Ontario?""

Job offer buyout insurance?

I just got a job offer for 40,000 with 75% benefits paid. Ill be living at home with my parents and im covered under their health insurance until im 26. Can I ask them to not pay for insurance and give me a higher salary instead? Has anyone heard of this happening? Thanks""

Do I have to add my spouse to my car insurance even though we don't live together?

I am on my parents car insurance stuff, and I was getting ready to get married, but we don't live together-so does he have to get added on the policy too?""

Where can i get the best and affordable health insurance?

company does not provide it anymore. where can i get the best and affordable health insurance that i pay for myself. thanks

How much of an auto insurance discount does a family get for having more than one car?

How much would insurance be on a 1986 honda civic si hatchback?

I need to know asap how much estimated it would be to add this car to insurance. (state farm) I just bought it for 800 bucks and i need to know also how much in total it would be to get on the road.. register, title switch , tags all that good stuff...im un VIRGINIA btw.. need any more info ask..""

Does life insurance effect zombies?

I mean, does it?!? Does life insurance effect zombies? If they come back in a few hours, would the company notice?""

Cheap insurance for '99 mustang?

I'm buying a used mustang next month and need to get cheap insurance since I will be making payments. What is the best (and cheapest) insurance for an 18 year old young woman?

Can you insure a car that does not belong to you?

I am driving my friends car with his permission and have taken out a car insurance policy in my name. Is this legal?

Can i insure 2 cars by 2 different insurance companies?

i already have car insurance with my first car but i have just bought another. to insure it on my current insurance is expensive. iv looked at other insurance companies and its cheaper to insure with them. Am i allowed to have a different insurance company for each car?

Gray Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15544

Fire Insurance...?

which Company offers lowest rate for fire insurance excluding the liability?

Car Insurance Payout?

I have a car in Ireland, it was stolen the other night. But I am working in the US at the moment. My car is fully insured, but because it was left in the driveway of my girlfriend, will there be a problem getting a payout. It is worth about 5000 euros, how much should i expect to get??? Thanks!""

What is the New York disability insurance rate and NYS Unemployment rate?

How do I get Health Insurance?

I just turned 21, and I no longer under my parents health insurance. I do my own taxes, and my residency on my taxes is in California. However, I go to a private college out of state. I don't have any chronic disease but I would like to get some tests done and I need a vision plan as well. My parents don't help me pay for anything, and I can't afford to pay $100 a month for privaet insurance. I'm not pregnant, blind, disabled, or anything. Can I get government plan insurance (cheap) if I'm a student? Where should I apply?""

What is the best car insurance for teenagers?

Hey all, My Dad wants me to sell my brand new dodge charger srt8 because the insurance agency is asking for an extra $1000 dollars. I have never had a speeding ticket and my record is spotless. But they're still charging that much extra. I live in an area where the teenagers get into a lot of car accidents when they have sports cars. could this be a reason? Also I'm 17 if that could help you in any way. If I really have to return or sell it, I'll do that and get another car but for those of you who are teenagers or have teenagers, what is your insurance cost? What is the best insurance to insure your teens car? Thanks in advance *CheerZ*""

""Based on my age, how much do think insurance will cost for a range rover sport?

i'm turning 17 in a few months and thinking of getting one for my birthday? a rough estimation would be nice

What is the best kind of life insurance?

should one buy to take care of their final expenses . What is term life ins? I am in my 60's and don;t want to burden my children to have to pay for my funeral someday.

Fronting? - UK Car Insurance?

Hi, Could anyone give a proper definition of fronting regarding car insurance in the UK? For example, who goes under the heading of a fronter? In which cases would it be illegal to go under a more experienced driver's insurance policy? I understand why a 17 year old who just got their driving licence wouldn't be allowed to hide behind their parents' 20 years of No Claims, but would a 25 year old be able to go on their parents' policy? I've tried looking at the insurers' websites but they'll happily give a quote for anything, even if it's illegal, without saying so, so I can never be sure if it's wrong or not Thanks :)""

Why do i have to have my car inspected by my insurance company?

I just changed insurance companies and the new one wants to inspect the car which I never had to do before. How come?

I need to find new insurance by March of next year...?

because the insurance I'm under now (TriCare) runs out when I turn 21. Problem is: I have bipolar 2 disorder. Not severe enough for SSDI or anything, but debilitating enough that I need medication to fix it. My meds without insurance total nearly a GRAND a month, not including psychiatrist and therapist visits, about twice a month. Even worse, I only work about 20 hours a week at $8 an hour, so I don't make enough money to AFFORD most types of insurance. But like I said, I don't qualify for disability either. Do you know of any health insurance programs that would be affordable enough for my budget, yet cover my expenses? I've searched sites for weeks and haven't come up with much. Any help will be appreciated! Oh yeah, and I like in Iowa, US - I know that makes a difference.""

Car insurance car placement?

i'm moving into the city alone, and car insurance is probably going to go up for me. I'm turning 20 this summer. can i do the following: 1. still have insurance under parents so i can pay cheaper while living alone. 2. put my name under an older car with my parents to be at that place, but drive my real car there.""

Car insurance rates in Ontario for new driver?

I plan to import my '01 Camry from USA to missisuaga. How much shd I expect to pay p.m. in car Insurance rates ? I have 3 yrs clean driving history in USA.Will my driving history in USA help with getting a better rate in canada ? Initially I will have only a US drivers license.Pls help shed light on my doubts ..

I'm trying to get Heath care insurance?

I'm a type 1 diabetic I'm trying to get a job but if I do my current insurance will not pay for my diabetic supplies.My medical supplies are really expensive what are my options ?

How much is insurance for a mustang?

I need some help how much is insurance on a 2003 mustang for a 16 year old driver thanks.

Higher insurance premiums for celebrities ?

Is is usual? http://www.insurance-assurance.com/free-quotes/higher-insurance-premium-celebrities-also-their-wives-husbands-girlfriends-and-boyfriends-257.html

How much would a Ford Puma cost to insure?

I'm 16, taking driving lessons soon after my birthday, and I'd love to get a Puma, I know insurance is a lot... But I thought that as it's a small, 2 door car, the price might drop a bit, if maybe the price is going to be quite high (Above average for a new driver) then please suggest some other cars that are cheap to insure :) But I would really like one of these x) Also considering fuel consumption and economy :) One of these - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201228478314260/usedcars/postcode/bn72ph?logcode=kp :) Thanks very much""

Lying to insurance company?

The other night I hit into a pole in a parking lot and no one saw, and caused the pole no damage. However, the front of my car has a small damage. Money is tight. What if I were to tell my insurance company that I did not know how it happened and I'm looking to repair it...""

Health Insurance for Employees?

Can anyone tell me, is there a law for NEW YORK STATE, that states that if an employer has so many workers in any job (I'm looking specifically at Carpentry/Construction) they are required to supply health insurance for the workers? My family doesn't qualify for any health insurance offered by NYS and we're trying to find one that is affordable. We don't qualify for Medicaid, Healthy NY, or Family Health Plus in NY. We're not rich, in fact, we're struggling, so I don't understand how people can make below the maximum requirements and still survive.""

If My Mom has insurance coverage can i still get insurance with her if i own my own car?

ok so my mom has car insurance on her car, but she was telling me she registers my car under her name that the insurance will cover me and the car. But if the car is under my name can i still get insurance with her??""

Ninja 250r Insurance price for 17 year old?

Hi, i am looking to buy a USED ninja 250r when i turn 17. How much would Insurance cost per month? I plan on taking the msf course, and any other program that could lower my insurance rate. Thanks!""

Penalty Points on car insurance?

Ive been with my current insurer for a couple of years. I got a speeding fine (3 points) in the summer of 2007. I stupidly didnt declare it with my insurer and missed it off on my renewal. I am now leaving them and going elsewhere and want to come clean and list this conviction in my quote. My question is........ WIll the new company check with the old company about my insurance with them and any convictions? If so will they notice the discrepency and tell my old insurer?

""If I buy a car off someone, how do I put insurance on it immediately?""

This would be my first car purchase and so I don't have an insurance agent. Would I need to look up a company, let them know I'm about to buy a car, then later call them back with the VIN?""

Why should my family's insurance go up if i get a car?

I'm 17 and am currently on my parents insurance plan, so there are 3 of us with only 2 cars. I'm listed on the truck, b/c it has more horsepower. I'm about to buy a '92 Prelude, and they said the insurance would go up about $122 for 6 months. This doesn't seem too bad, but if i'm now driving my own cheap car, why is that a greater risk than driving the truck with full coverage, not just liability? It seems like it should almost go down, because there's a lower chance that i will crash up one of the more expensive/higher hp cars. Is that just the way it works or is there a better option for me? My agent also said my own policy would make it even more expensive, which i could see, because we wouldn't get the multiple driver or car discount.""

Really high auto insurance rate question?

My son, who just turned 18, has a pretty extensive traffic record. Firstly he got a ticket for passing in a no passing, but he went on diversion and was clean for more than a year so is that off his record now? Secondly he has also been in 2 wrecks before, gotten arrested for possession of marijuana, and just today got a speeding ticket for going 63 in a 45(163 dollar ticket). currently the insurance for him is 190 a month which is five times higher than anybody in the family. So what should i expect the insurance to be now, and what are my options because this is a lot of money.""

How much would my car insurance cost? ?

Ok, I'm 14 almost 15, and when I'm 15 I will go get my drivers permit, I live in missouri, and Im pretty sure I will be getting my grandmas car. If I got a low end 7 dollars an hour job at 15, would I be able to afford the insurance on my own? my mom doesn't want me on her policy, but I won't be driving her car anyway with my grandmas car that I'll be getting. How is this gonna work, cause I'm clueless. Please help!!!!""

Gray Pennsylvania Cheap car insurance quotes zip 15544

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