#personal example? green onion smell

[bam-monsterhospital]

"Why are people so offended when you say you don't like cheese? I don't judge them for their dislikes. Do I?"

Oh wow I don't think I've ever gotten that one from him. Also, what an excellent line.

Also also, I am sooooo sorry, aaaaaa I was on auto-pilot doing writs ajfkdlsa

[katsona-the-katsequel]

Cooking Is Heaven, Eating Is Hell

Today is Shinjiro's turn! Enjoy!

___________________________________________

"...Geez, why did I have to do this..."

"S-sorry Aragaki-senpai... agh! Ugh (cough, cough)."

"Y-Yukari-chan, are you okay?"

This is Yukari's private room in the dorm. Dressed in a cardigan over her pink pajamas, Yukari is coughing in pain as Fuuka gently strokes her back. Yukari had gone to Tartarus despite feeling unwell, and her cold had only gotten worse. Standing next to Yukari's bed was Mitsuru, who also looked worried, and Aragaki, who looked a little lost. In Aragaki's hands was a tray of steaming hot-looking food, the result of the "things like this" he had mentioned. It seemed that Mitsuru, who had worried about Yukari, had asked him to make the porridge that is the standard meal for sick people.

"Aragaki-senpai is really kind."

Yukari scooped up the dish, which at first glance looked like ordinary porridge, with a spoon and popped it into her mouth.

"What?! Oh well, it was just a whim. Don't worry about it. Just eat it."

In response to Fuuka's honest words, Aragaki simply said that and brusquely handed her the tray.

"Ugh, thank you. Cough..."

"How is it, Yukari-san?"

"It's so delicious! What is this, how did you make it? I can't believe it!"

Mitsuru asked with a motherly tone of concern, asking if it was too hot and if Yukari could swallow it properly, but right in front of her eyes Yukari's expression melted.

Yukari, who had looked distressed a moment ago, had instantly regained her strength and was now moving her hands and mouth with incredible vigor, and in no time at all the contents of the bowl had been emptied.

"Well, how do I do it... I just make whatever works. I thought normal porridge might not be nutritious enough, so I made Chinese-style milk porridge."

Aragaki said it was simple, but it's actually quite time-consuming. Garlic, ginger, and chopped green onions are fried thoroughly in sesame oil, and then rice and carrots and daikon radish cut into strips are added, followed by chicken stock. Then the lid is put on, and once it boils, the mixture is simmered on low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, being careful not to let it boil over. Once the rice is soft enough, milk is added, salt is added to taste, and the dish is ready. It contains carbohydrates and protein that boost the body's immune system, as well as vitamins A, B, and C, and beta-carotene, making it the perfect food for the sick.

Sanada and others had been saying for some time that Aragaki's cooking was on par with that of a professional, but when Yukari actually tasted the food, she was more impressed than she had imagined. Yukari honestly expressed her praise.

"There's no such thing as a proper answer! Aragaki-senpai is the best."

"You idiot... what an embarrassing thing to say..."

"Why are you being so humble? Food is the basis of being a human being. It's important. You can do that so well, Aragaki-senpai, it's admirable! I want the other guys to follow your example. As a person, you have to be able to cook at least a little."

Yukari's excited speech, which was non-stop, was suddenly halted.

"Wait a minute! J-Junpei? And everyone else?"

At the entrance to Yukari's room, the other dorm residents, that is, everyone who wasn't in the room, were gathered with Junpei at the head. Even Koromaru was peeking out from under Junpei's feet.

"What is going on?"

"Well, it smells so good that we just..." Sanada began to speak honestly, but Junpei cut him off with his whole body and pointed his finger at him.

"Yuka-tan... you made us angry!"

"Huh? Huh?"

"If you can't cook, you're not a human? You're a good cook, Takeba-sama, so that means we're not human, right?"

"N-no, I didn't mean that... And besides, it's true that Junpei can't cook properly."

At this, Junpei shook his finger from side to side.

"Not being able to cook is not the same as not wanting to cook, Yuka-tan. Besides, I'm not the only one you've hurt..."

Junpei theatrically covered his eyes with his hands as if to hold back tears.

"...Ah."

Mitsuru and Fuuka were standing beside the bed, their faces down, with a gloomy air around them. "N-No, um. I...I didn't mean to say that...Se-senpai? Fuuka?"

"Therefore!"

Junpei raised his head, which had been lowered, and declared in a loud voice, full of excitement.

"I challenge you to a cooking contest!"

"Huh?"

Thus, the first Iwatodai dormitory cooking championship was decided to be held.

"And so, I, Aigis, will be your host for today. How about you, commentator Amada-san?"

"...All of you must be bored."

"I see. So then, Mr. Aragaki, the chairman of the judges..."

"...Seriously, why am I in this situation..."

The day after Junpei's declaration, Yukari had fully recovered, and as it happened to be a Sunday, the cooking competition was finally held. Aragaki, who likely had the most sensitive palate among the group, was to be the chief judge, while Aigis, who had no sense of taste, was to act as MC. Amada was also encouraged to participate, but he turned them down, saying, "Why should I cook? What do you expect from an elementary school kid?" and took his seat as commentator. Everyone else was now both a participant and a judge.

At first, Mitsuru and Fuuka showed a complete refusal, but Junpei's sweet words, such as "It's like a festival" and "Everything is an experience," gradually softened their attitude, and finally, with a decisive word mentioning a certain person's name, "This is your chance to show off your skills to...", they were brainwashed, or rather persuaded, to participate in the cooking competition.

"Now, the competition will finally begin. First up, Yukari-san, please."

"Okay! Watch this, Junpei!"

The food that Yukari brought in high spirits was a wonderful dish that lived up to her confidence. It was a makunouchi bento that looked delicious. In addition to the standard side dishes of a makunouchi bento such as tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), grilled fish, and kamaboko (fish cake), it also contained Western-style side dishes such as small hamburger steaks and cheese chicken cutlets. Of course, the rice was formed into a cylindrical shape and topped with scattered black sesame seeds.

"Yeah, that's pretty good."

After taking a bite of the tamagoyaki, Yukari pumped her fist in response to Aragaki's evaluation, and the other members followed suit, one after the other reaching for their chopsticks.

"The grilled fish is marinated in Saikyo miso... nice job."

"Wow, the way you cut this kamaboko is intricate."

"Is Yukari already confirmed as the winner?"

Yukari said with a look of embarrassment and pride on her face as she received a constant stream of praise.

"Ah, but this time I have an unexpected rival... I'd like to try his food too."

The man in front of Yukari's eyes was the field leader who seemed to lack self-assertiveness, but from his face, which was only half visible due to his bangs, he seemed to exude a faint confidence that was not always there.

"Well then, let's continue."

At Aigis's urging, the second dish was brought out.

"Oh...!"

It was a clam and tomato pasta dish called Vongole in Rosso, which would not have seemed out of place in a small restaurant. The head judge, Aragaki, deftly wrapped the pasta around a fork and took a bite.

He put it in his mouth.

"The pasta is a little soft, but it passes the test."

"Let's have some too...oh, it's delicious!"

"Clams and tomatoes go really well together."

Surprisingly, he'd lost his parents at a young age and had been living alone for a long time, so his cooking skills were not bad at all. However, perhaps due to his simple personality, his cooking skills were limited to simple dishes such as pasta and rice bowls, which could be said to be a weakness.

"So, who's next?"

Aragaki, who had initially looked sour after being served one delicious dish after another, seemed to be in a good mood. A fun meal can really put people at ease. Perhaps Junpei had planned the cooking contest simply to try to close the gap between Aragaki and the other members, even if only a little. If that was the case, his intention was being fully achieved.

But that happy atmosphere didn't last long.

"What is this?"

"Um, well, ramen."

"It's instant noodles, isn't it?"

In front of Aragaki was a cup of instant noodles that you could prepare in three minutes by adding hot water. They were seafood flavored.

"No, it's a cup! I've got my own way of making it. I got inspired by Aragaki-senpai's milk porridge and made it with milk!" Aragaki made a disgusted face. The rest of the guys all looked disgusted as well.

"What? What? What's going on? It's really delicious!"

"Even if it's delicious... it's not food."

"Junpei, you are disqualified."

Aigis rang the bell next to her, somewhere.

"What?! No way..."

Junpei's shoulders slumped in disappointment. The only one who was there to see him was the field leader, who took a mouthful of the cup noodles and patted Junpei on the shoulder as if to say, "It's delicious, not bad at all."

"Next, Mitsuru-san, please."

Things were accelerating towards catastrophe.

"Duck confit with foie gras and truffles. All the ingredients were flown in from France."

Mitsuru held out a gorgeous silver plate with her chest puffed out, but sweat was running down her face. Staring at the food on the plate, Aragaki asked,

"Which one is the duck?"

"It's obviously t-that one."

"What's this black thing?"

"The truffles."

"And this black one?"

"Foie gras... I think."

"So, what about this black one?"

"Ummm... how about some leeks as a side dish?"

She didn't know what to say when asked that.

Aragaki was looking down with a wicked glint in his eyes and he spoke to Mitsuru in a low voice.

"It's all charcoal."

"Well, maybe I got the heat a little off. The ingredients are good. You have to try it..."

"Can you even eat this?! Next, next!"

He glanced over at Mitsuru, who looked as if the world was ending. The bell rang out from Aigis.

"I haven't done much cooking before. I wouldn't want to serve something weird, so I decided to copy Shinji's cooking."

Sanada's dish was a cloudy soup-like dish, apparently based on the milk porridge Aragaki had made the day before.

“If Junpei was going to take inspiration from Shinji’s cooking, he should have done it this way. Well, I do make some adjustments to my own recipes, too.”

Seeing Sanada already seeming triumphant, Aragaki replied with a wry smile.

"Hehe, Aki's cooking... You can't steal my style that easily."

"You won't know until you try it, right?"

"Okay, okay. Let's have it then."

He scooped up the porridge with a spoon, let it cool slightly, then brought it to his mouth. Then, after a moment,

*Bzzz*

Along with the strange sound, a milky liquid spurted out from Aragaki's nose and mouth.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-What is this?!"

"This is protein porridge that is higher in protein and lower in calories than milk...it's good for your muscles, right?"

"I can't eat that!"

"Finally, Fuuka-san, please."

Aigis said calmly as she rang the bell.

Then, 5 minutes later. An unearthly scream echoed from Gekkoukan Academy's Iwadodai branch dormitory. Police cars and ambulances were called to the scene after being notified by nearby residents, but they quickly left after finding no evidence of any crime. However, according to eyewitness testimony, the investigators and paramedics were all clutching their mouths and stomachs, looking as if they were about to vomit. No one was willing to talk about what terrible things happened that day.

"Listen guys! The key to cooking is the heat! And the salt! That's great, Junpei!"

"Y-yes!"

"And it's common sense, but don't put protein in your food! Got it, Aki!?"

"Oh, yeah, I get it."

"Hey, Yamagishi! Why did you add Tabasco in there? Don't add seasonings based on the color! Taste it! Taste it!"

"Y-yes!"

The day after the cooking contest, an impromptu cooking class was taking place in the dorm kitchen. If these guys' cooking skills were left unchecked, someone would eventually die. In fact, Aragaki, who had nearly died, demanded to give one-on-one cooking lessons to Junpei, Sanada, Mitsuru, and Fuuka.

"Why, why am I doing this..."

Despite their complaints, thanks to Aragaki's hard work and guidance, everyone's cooking was gradually improving to a level that was "edible."

"Hey, wait a minute, Mitsuru. If it starts to burn, take the frying pan off the heat... that's right. Just stay calm and it'll be fine."

"Yes, I understand."

Looking at Aragaki like that, Fuuka chuckled and said.

"After all, Aragaki-senpai is a kind person, isn't he?"

It's unclear whether her words reached him, but Aragaki continued to silently instruct them on cooking. However, it seemed as if a faint smile was floating on his face. Soon, perhaps having smelled the delicious aroma of cooking, Yukari and the others could be seen walking into the kitchen, also with smiles on their faces. As expected, a pleasant meal puts people at ease. It looked like tonight's dinner would also be a pleasant one.

And it was.

___________________________________________

Tag List: @kerto-p

[sister-temperance]

So I am not one to post too much on social media but I think I will start posting on here and not just reposts either. Just shit about my life that I deal with or pisses me off.

Like today I have worked at pizza chain place for less than five months they insisted that I should be a shift lead, which I have no problem with but this was two months into my employment there. I said I would love to. It was a two dollar raise bumping me from 9$ to 11$. I told them as long as I am properly trained to run the store as a shift lead then I would do so. Because my last job did the same thing they threw me in as shift lead with no training and expected me to know what to do. They promised me that they would do that. They did not, they taught me how to do the books at the end of the night and the bank deposit. They only gave me three to four days to learn all of that and then proceeded to throw me, with little to no training on one of the busiest nights of the week to be by myself and run the store and the employees inside of it and gave me written step by step instructions on how to do books cause I hadn't had it down yet at all.

That's the main problem but not all of it. Half of the employees do not do their job they do the bare minimum and call it good, per example we have a front of house or personality as they call it, who comes in wearing whatever they want no uniform, smelling like weed and cat piss who sits on his phone the whole time and has his headphones in talking to his partner all night, if his partner isn't in the store, he doesn't make pizza boxes, doesn't fill the salad bar at the end of the night and mops over a dirty ass floor and doesn't clean the tables. The employees were not dating food, they were putting moldy and expired food into the salad bar at the managers orders even though they knew that could seriously hurt someone. The manager claims that the date on something is not an expiration date but a shelf life date -_- she should not run a store. But I have proceeded to suck it up and do my job. But I am continuing to do things that I shouldn't have to do, even deep cleaning the store because it hasn't been properly cleaned in years.

How do you know you may ask, if you are even bothering to read this, is because this location has been in my town since 1987. They used to have coloring pages, crayons, and board games and I am finding chess pieces and crayons from years ago in places like where we keep our straws, lids, sunflower kernels, croutons, imitation bacon bits and crispy onions. Underneath the booths, and underneath my managers desk. They have not done a pull out in the kitchen for over two months. There is mold growing on the shelves in the walk-in where we keep food and underneath the make table in the kitchen. But my last straw is that I do the closing shift on Monday ( today April 29th) nights, which I am used to now but there was a total of 32 orders. We open at 11 am and i came in at 4pm so that is maybe seven orders per hour and nothing had been stocked or prepped there was barely any cinnamon butter, garlic butter, spaghetti pasta or penne pasta, no onions, green peppers or tomatoes cut and nothing had been cleaned. So I am supposed to run the kitchen, make two different types of pasta which take 20+ minutes for each type of pasta, cut all the vegetables, label, date them, make all the butter for the pizza and desserts, handle all the customers problems and any that the call center tells me to do so and close and make sure everything has been done at the store.

So I quit today, I had already put in my two weeks on Tuesday cause I have had troubles in my household but also cause I found a job that was closer and paid more for doing less work than I have been now. But coming in today to see the other shift lead hadn't done anything pissed me off that I could not take it so after not even 55 minutes of me being on shift I quit and walked out. Now I usually don't just quit on the spot like that I like to be courteous and professional but since my fellow employees could not even do their jobs they get to have a shitty night and do everything they expected me to do. If you stuck around this far and read all this thank you and I hope you have a wonderful life and don't let people take advantage of your hard work.

[dohabarloun]

Exploring the Wonderful and Diverse Flavors of South American Cuisine

South American cooking is a mixture of flavors, fixings, and customs from native societies, European colonizers, and African slaves. The mainland's huge geology and environments have likewise led to many dishes and culinary styles, from the tropical products of the soil of the Caribbean coast to the generous meats and potatoes of the Andes Mountains.

One of the most famous and cherished South American dishes is, obviously, the Argentinean steak. Argentina is popular for its great meat, which is grass-taken care of and barbecued flawlessly, frequently joined by chimichurri sauce, a tart mix of parsley, garlic, vinegar, and oil. The customary Argentinean asado, or grill, is a get-together that unites families and companions around a sizzling barbecue.

Another well known South American food is the Brazilian feijoada, a good stew made with dark beans, pork meat, and wiener, frequently presented with rice, collard greens, and orange cuts. Feijoada is a staple of Brazilian cooking and an image of public personality, mirroring the country's set of experiences of bondage and multiculturalism.

Peruvian food has likewise earned global respect lately, because of its combination of old Andean fixings and current culinary strategies. Ceviche, a dish of marinated crude fish or fish, is a Peruvian specialty that exhibits the country's bountiful fish and fiery flavors. Other Peruvian top picks incorporate lomo saltado, a sautéed food of hamburger, onions, and tomatoes presented with rice and fries, and ají de gallina, a rich chicken stew with yellow bean stew sauce and potatoes.

In any case, South American food isn't just about basics. Veggie lover and vegetarian choices flourish, for example, Ecuadorian locro de dads, a potato and cheddar soup with avocado and corn, or Colombian arepas, corn cakes loaded up with beans, cheddar, or avocado. Also, we should not disregard the sweets! South American desserts are pretty much as differed and vivid as the actual mainland, from the caramel-filled alfajores of Argentina to the energy natural product mousse of Brazil.

All in all, South American food is a blowout for the faculties, offering a rich embroidery of flavors, surfaces, and smells that mirror the locale's set of experiences, topography, and culture. Whether you're a carnivore, a veggie lover, or a sweet tooth, there's something for everybody to appreciate in the different and delectable universe of South American food.

For More Info :-

Latin American Restaurant Near Me

[grimiorething]

Onion / Garlic Grass

Wild onion and its magical (and mundane) uses.

It's spring here in north america. All around you'll see curly shoots of "grass" popping up out of the ground. Upon closer inspection, they may look similar to chives. They technically are. This plant is an allium vineale, which is apart of the same family as garlic, onions, and chives. Allium vineale does have a toxic lookalike- but no fear. They're uncommon, and easy to tell apart. Real allium vineale will smell of garlic or onion. These curly little plants are edible, and very useful in magic.

Properties of onion and garlic which are applicable to this plant:

All three are heavily associated with protection, healing/health, and prosperity. Uniquely, green onion corresponds to money and strength, garlic banishment and curse-breaking, onion with love and lust.

Personal and unique correspondence:

As these plants are the first to spring up (the bulb carries sunlight providing energy as winter fades), they are associated with the sun and springtime. Because of this, I correlate them to new beginnings and fresh starts.

Uses:

You can use them as you would any of its family members in cooking. If your herb garden has yet to take off as we struggle out of winter, pulling some from an area (that hasn't been treated with pesticides) can provide a nice splash of colour and flavor to your food.

Magically, you can use it to substitute both onions and garlic.

For specifics, I like to braid together the strands and hang it by doorways as a means of protection.

Here is an example I made just today.

They will wilt naturally, but you can dry them in the oven as you would any other herb. I find using these braids as protection very effective. If you don't mind smelling of onion, you could absolutely wear a braid as a bracelet.

If allium vineale grows near you, take a gander, and consider using it in your practice.

Have a wonderful day, evening, and night everyone.

[whumpsday]

This is something I’ve been wondering for a while: what do vampires look for bloodwise in the Kane and Jim series? What makes blood taste different, and is some sweeter, is some more sour, etc? Do different blood types taste different and is there one blood type that is preferred over others? Do all vampires have the same taste in blood? What makes Jim’s blood so preferable? Sorry for the long ask…I’m just a curious anon lol

Btw I love the series! You are such a talented writer!

nothing specific makes jim's blood preferable, just personal taste! different vampires have different taste in blood. jim's blood just happened to be particularly appetizing to kane, just like how, for example, green onions are one of my favorite foods but my boyfriend hates them.

vampires who are closely related are likely to have the same taste in blood (kane and anton have the same taste, which is why anton commented that jim smelled delicious) and humans who are closely related are likely to taste the same (kane thought both jim and liz smelled delicious).

blood types play a part, but aren't the only factor. none is generally preferred over others, it would be specific to each vampire. i don't care to decide blood types for each of my human characters so it's basically irrelevant.

thank you so much!!! :)

[omoi-no-hoka]

Hello! I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but how do you become proficient at handling conversations in Japanese/handling grammar very well? I read your post on the JLPT, and it addressed issues I have been tip toe-ing around--indeed, passive actions such as listening or reading are easier than the active ones. How did you go about that? Did you write a bunch of sentences daily? Did you have a conversation partner? What would you rec. to someone who lives outside Japan? Thank you!

This is an excellent question, and one that I get asked a lot irl by Japanese people in particular. Let’s talk about gaining fluency and the ways we can go about it!

How to Gain Fluency in Japanese (and Other Languages)

Speaking Fluency versus Accuracy

Language proficiency is divided into two separate categories:

Fluency: Although there are no widely agreed-upon definitions or measures of language fluency, someone is typically said to be fluent if their use of the language appears fluid, or natural, coherent, and easy as opposed to slow, halting use. In other words, fluency is often described as the ability to produce language on demand and be understood.

Accuracy: Correctness of language use, especially grammatical correctness and word choice.

By the above definitions, a “fluent” speaker may make grammatical mistakes, but they can speak without having to stop and think too much about conjugations, word choice, etc.

An “accurate” speaker can speak with nearly zero grammatical/word choice mistakes. However, the speed of their utterances isn’t generally taken into account, so it could take an “accurate” person twice as long to articulate the same idea as a “fluent” person. 

Ideally, you need to strike a good balance between these two qualities when speaking. I have a boss, God bless him, who is 100% fluency and 0% accuracy and…man is it hard to understand what he’s saying sometimes, but he can generally get his point across just barely. I have another coworker who is 100% accuracy and takes about 3 minutes to form a sentence because he wants it to be perfect. 

How to Increase Speaking/Writing Accuracy

First, let’s talk about the easiest thing to improve, which is accuracy. It’s also (in my opinion) the least fun thing to improve, because it means grammar books and vocabulary memorization. 

You can only use a language accurately if you know what is correct and what is incorrect, and you can only learn that by studying grammar and vocabulary (or if you’re a native speaker and picked it up innately, you lucky bastard).

So here’s some things you can do to increase your accuracy:

For example, if you’re having a hard time using the passive, you need to review that part of your textbook and find some exercises to drill it into your head. 

Say the correct thing aloud. Lots. Sometimes I just walk around my apartment and narrate everything I see/do like a crazy person, but that’s good practice. 

Write example sentences using the grammar you’re struggling with and say them aloud too. 

There’s a bunch of cool apps that connect you with native speakers that can help correct you too! I used to use HelloTalk, I think. 

If you’re a creative soul, when I was studying for the JLPT, I took 1 grammar point and 5 vocabulary words from my JLPT study books and used them to write a 2-page short story about the adventures of ネギ, a stray black cat that smelled like green onions because she napped in an onion field. Then I had a Japanese friend check it over for me and mark mistakes. I hand-wrote them to improve my abysmal handwriting at the same time. It was really fun! I sometimes think about doing it again just for funsies.

When someone corrects you, don’t feel like your entire life is over and you’re a failure and you’ll never get it right haha. I’ve seen people fall into that hopeless mindset, and that’s just nonsense. It’s a good opportunity for learning and nothing more! Say the correct thing you’ve just been taught out loud, then write it down if you can. And, if possible, find a chance to use it in conversation asap.

How to Increase Speaking/Writing Fluency

Now this is the hard one. Especially for those learners who do not have native speakers nearby. 

I’m going to be dead honest with you. I started formally studying Japanese at uni, and I had a Japanese roommate/best friend since year one. I had a 4.0 GPA in my Japanese classes (and only my Japanese classes lol) because I was and still am a MEGA NERD about it. 

...But it wasn’t until I studied abroad in Japan my 4th year of uni that I gained fluency. 

There are a lot of things that can hold us back from fluency. An interesting thing I’ve noted is that Foreign Language is perhaps the only subject in which a student’s personality can directly affect their progress. To gain fluency, you have to go forth and speak, but if you are naturally a shy person, that is going to hinder you. If you are the kind of person who takes mistakes/failures poorly, you will be less likely to take risks and try to say harder sentences. In contrast, you can get full marks in math regardless of the above personality traits. 

I’m not saying that you have to be an outgoing explosion of a human being in order to gain fluency. But what I am saying is that you have to be willing to seek out conversations, and you have to be willing to take chances. Get out of your comfort zone. Use that new word you picked up the other day. Try to explain something that is difficult for you. 

My problem was that, while I lived with a native speaker who would have happily taught me anything I asked, her English proficiency was much higher than my Japanese proficiency. And when I struggled to say something in Japanese, I’d fall back onto English. And when she told me something I didn’t understand in Japanese, she’d repeat it in English instead of Japanese, because that was easier for us both. The same thing happened when I was in Japanese class as well. I always had the assurance that I could fall back on English.

But when I elected to study abroad in Japan for 3 months, I knew that this was my big chance. So on the host family form in the “other requests” area, I wrote that I specifically wanted a host family that could not speak English. I was setting fire to my crutches, and I was scared but excited to see them burn. 

By the end of my three months in Japan, I had gone from “Chotto matte kudasai” and needing a minute to form my reply, to “Okay, yeah I see that movie too and I liked the action scenes, but I didn’t care for the story little.” (I’ve underlined mistakes that I would have made in Japanese, to show you that I sacrificed some accuracy to obtain higher fluency.)

So, in short, the easiest and quickest way to increase your spoken fluency is to throw away all the crutches you can and use the language as much as possible. Every single day. Even if you’re just having an imaginary conversation with yourself! And like I said, there are a bunch of cool apps that connect you with Japanese people who want to learn English and you can do language exchanges with them. I had a lot of fun with those in the past. 

As for increasing writing fluency...well. That’s a tough question with Japanese, because I can type Japanese at like 100 wpm, but my Japanese handwriting fluency is at a 10/100. I can read and type at the level of a native Japanese high school student, but I can only write the kanji that 7 year old can write. That’s no exaggeration.

The big reason for that dichotomy is that my work is paper-free. 100% of my work is done on screen, so about the only time I have to write out something is when I’m filling out a form, which includes my name (katakana), address, and maybe occupation. 

If you want to increase your Japanese handwriting speed, just keep on writing. Write those little short stories about ネギ like I did, or find some writing prompts (I just started a side-blog with writing prompts yesterday btw) or keep a little diary. Make opportunities to write. 

How to Have Nice Handwriting in Japanese

Okay, full disclaimer: I am the absolute LAST person qualified to talk about this, because I have awful handwriting in Japanese. 

Unless you have prior experience with a different language that uses kanji, or you lack the keen eye of an artist, you will likely struggle to develop neat handwriting. 

Personally, I really like using this app called Japanese Kanji Sensei. It’s on Android (not sure about iOS), and if you pay just a few bucks you can make your own kanji sets and stuff. Anyways, it will show you how to write the characters prettily. It gives you a good frame of reference for what nice, pencil/pen-written characters (versus calligraphy characters). It has hiragana and katakana on it too!

I get a stylus and write out the characters on this app for the muscle memory, so my hands remember the sensation of writing a certain character. (The muscle memory is different if you only use your fingertip.) This muscle memory and repetition is how Japanese people learn how to internalize kanji as well. I really enjoy and recommend this app. I’m sure that there are others out there like it too.

Summary

TL;DR: Review your textbooks, take risks, use every resource available or make your own, and just have fun with it! 💗

[thenightling]

Hello. Do you have any certified methods or even just general tips that you're sure it will work for lucid dreaming? Sorry if this is an annoying or frequently asked question; I used to do it in my teens but after being forced to attend a religious conversion therapy I found that I couldn't do it anymore. I'd like to go back to it now that I'm working past that trauma and going back to my former self.

Actually, yes, there are a few tricks. The easiest way to lucid dream is to let yourself dream normally and then become aware that you are dreaming. This is just the easiest way and I'll provide a few tips and tricks on that in a moment.

Sometimes people can Lucid Dream without knowing it is a lucid dream. They think it is something else entirely. All that is really required is becoming aware of your surroundings (even if you don't think it is a dream) and taking control.

It is always easier if you know it is a dream. Some people initiate a lucid dream by accident. Ever hear the phrase "Pinch me. I must be dreaming." Some people mistake that as thinking the pinching is to wake them. In reality the phrase has an origin with the idea that you cannot be truly hurt (or hurt yourself) in a dream.

When I was a small child I accidentally set off a quasi-lucid dream by attempting to pinch myself (and failing to even make contact with my own flesh) inside a dream. As I had no experience or control lucid dreaming yet (I was only about four) this deteriorated into a nightmare of trying and failing to wake myself because I could not pinch myself.

Some lucid dreamers use books and clocks to orientate themselves in a dream. I have been able to read in dreams but others say they cannot. Not being able to read in dreams is completely normal because reading uses a part of the brain that is usually dormant during sleep.

The notion that most people dream in black and white is pretty much a myth. Now clocks. Most people cannot read clocks in dreams. If you look at a clock in a dream (especially an old analog clock that has hands instead of digital numbers) and then look away and back again, usually in dreams the time will suddenly be different, clocks are usually not consistent in dreams. This is a trick some lucid dreamers use to orientate themselves and make them aware that they are in a dream.

This does not always work.  Some people do claim to see consistent time on watches and clocks in dreams.

The next trick is be creative. If you are in a dream or believe you may be in a dream but it feels very vivid an real, try to gain some kind of control. Not over the whole thing- that might wake you. Something small. Pick an object or if you think you are skilled enough, the sky. think of changing the color. Pretend you are playing Sims or are on IMVU in Create Mode.  Will something of the setting to change.  Try adding something that feels natural to be there.  

I personally advise never trying to take full control.  It takes the fun out of it and might wake you up too much and spoil the setting.  Let things play out naturally but if things start to go wrong then try to will things to go a little differently.   

Add detail, make things vivid and real.   For example if the setting is Victorian, think how the cobblestones might feel under you feet, or under the soles of your shoes.  If you’re defying gravity or are being lifted up, remember how gravity works, and how your own body feels when being lifted into the air.  The more details you give it, the more real it becomes.   

Let the characters behave according to their own natures. Sometimes they may surprise or otherwise entertain you.  Dreams often have a story to tell or some symbolic meaning.  It’s always good to let the story play out naturally enough (even if it’s a nightmare) that you may learn from it.

If you start to lose control in the dream and you have any Pagan beliefs, try calling out to the Greco-Roman dream God (later conceptually also known as The Sandman), Morpheus, by name.  In mythology there are three Oneiroi (Dream entities) whose names are still remembered.  Phobator (Also known as Icalus), and Phantasmo are the other two.  Fear and Fantasy. But Morpheus (Shaper of forms) is the most reliable because he is the most remembered in the human collective consciousness today.  He might be annoyed at the summoning but if you believe in him you can dream him into halting the stray dream for you.  This does not necessarily require being Pagan, it just requires having enough belief to think he’ll come and intervene.  Even if you believe you created him to do so (though the character often has an ego so that might piss him off further).

Any time I’ve called out to him in a dream, the dream will freeze up like a paused video and he’ll appear or I’ll awake.  

Thinking heavily about the setting or characters you want in your dream sometimes also helps to establish the premise automatically.

If you have trouble getting to sleep I recommend counting sheep. Most people don’t really know what this means.  It’s not literally counting imaginary sheep.  You pick a topic like “How many vampire movies have I seen?” or something else you can count off.  And you name them silently in your head as you count.  “How many Disney princesses have I seen wear blue?” Name them and count.  Pick any subject you want.  Counting something related to the topic you want to dream about may also help.  If you chose that one you can also Vividly imagine all the details of your setting, from sight, sound, smell, and touch or even taste.

Bonus: How to induce vivid and remembered dreams:

Statistically people have more vivid dreams if they consume high amounts of protein right before sleeping.  This raises the potential of vivid and recalled dreams by at least twenty five percent.  A neurological study about this caused the novelty creation of the Burger King “Nightmare King.”  This was a seasonal (Halloween) burger consisting of two beef patties, a breaded chicken cutlet, American cheese, bacon, onion, pickles and spicy mayonnaise on a sesame seed bun that had been dyed green with food coloring for an extra gross / eerie effect.  

You can make a similar burger or just eat a little cheese (or drink warm milk) before going to sleep.

Laying on your back while sleeping also improves the chance of dreams being remembered.  If you’re used to sleeping on your side, don’t worry about it if you can’t sleep on your back.

Laying in a star or “Raven” formation with arms spread and legs spread also helps.

You always dream when in the REM state of sleep.   REM stands for Rapid eye movement.  The eye movement does not CAUSE the dreams.  It’s just something that happens while dreaming.  People without eyes or who are blind can and do dream.        

Sleeping in cool weather or a cool room, while under a blanket while the air around your warm blanket is cold, also helps induce dreams.

Ritualistic behavior to induce dreams sometimes helps. I have a felt blanket with the words “What a Wonderful Nightmare” written across it.   And I seem to have interesting dreams when it is on my bed.

[dolcetters]

headcanon  002.  /  chimera  senses  +  abilities  +  defects

dolcetto is spliced with three or more german shepherds, and while he’s considered a successful experiment, he isn’t considered perfected. his body and sense of self appear to be intact, for the most part. however, there are still several aspects of his fusion that prevent him from being on par as chimera we see later in the series ( again, heinkel, darius, jerso, and zampano ), and he is unable to change the appearance of his physical form.

three of dolcetto’s five senses have been heightened due to his splice, and he’s gained the additional “sixth sense” that many animals are believed to have. his abilities to see, to smell, and to hear have gotten better while touch and taste have remained relatively the same. 

dol’s eyes now contain tapetum lucidum and allow him to see exceptionally well in the dark, be it beneath moonlight or a single dim light-bulb in a room. this, combined with his heightened hearing and smell, make him a deadly opponent in any low-light. he’ll see you long before you see him. in addition, his eyes are reflective when light is shined on them and appear to glow ( much in the same way a wolf, cat, or deer’s might should they be caught in a flashlight’s beam ). the reflected color is determinant on the angle of the light but can appear to be white, light shades of blue, green, or yellow. green seems to be the dominant color. this event can also happen if and when he’s photographed, which has resulted in dol negatively reacting to having his picture taken.

unfortunately, the change in his eyes has deprived him of color. not due to a canine’s believed “color-blindness,” but due to the not-yet-perfected process of making a human-chimera. 

dogs are capable of seeing colors, but their spectrum is significantly limited compared to humans; their range of colors lies primarily in violets, yellows, and blues. when the dogs were spliced with dolcetto, it’s theorized, maybe due to multiple specimens being involved, that the number of cones and rods in dol’s eyes were scrambled, or existing ones became damaged. whatever the reason, he can no longer see in color, and sometimes he seems a bit nearsighted ( he sees movement better than he sees details ). 

dolcetto’s sense of smell seems to be the most affected by his splicing. he has become remarkably sensitive to various smells and odors, able to recognize individuals by smell alone as well as track them down once he’s committed the scent to memory ( or given an object with traces of their scent ). due to various lab testing, he’s also become capable of detecting several poisons and drugs mixed into foods, and he’s learned to recognize the presence of cadavers as well. unfortunately, he has no way of controlling his sensitivity to smells and can suffer sensory-overload or sickness when in the presence of powerful odors. it can cause vomiting, stun him, or even force him out of the area. 

his sense of hearing, while heightened and vulnerable to loud noises and extreme pitches, seems to be the least impacted of the three altered senses. 

the sixth sense appears to come in the form of warnings and “aura”, or energy, detection. dol can feel shifts in the mood of a room, can notice the difference in the presence of humans and non-humans, and, to a minor extent, feel when something is about to happen ( though he can’t read specifics, or whether it’s a good or a bad thing; just that “something” is coming ). the sixth sense also provides a different “aura” for specific individuals; the homunculi, for example, each have their own energies they carry with them. dolcetto is accustomed to being around greed’s, and he’s able to easily recognize his in comparison to the other homunculi and find comfort instead of fear around him. 

some “lesser” changes to dol’s biology include sharper and more defined canine teeth, a powerful bite-force, higher base body temperature, faster reflexes and movement, and sudden bursts of energy.

while he has gained a significant number of abilities and advantages, he’s also been saddled with disadvantages. we’ve mentioned complete color-blindness and high sensitivity to strong odors, but some common foods have become fatal to him, as well. 

one might assume chocolate falls into this category. it can give him a stomach ache if he overeats in one sitting, but it isn’t considered deadly. food items that are highly toxic to him if consumed include, but are not limited to: avocados, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and macadamia nuts. eating any of these items has the potential to make him extremely sick or even kill him.

dol also doesn’t mind the taste of blood ( while he doesn’t crave it, he’s not put off by it, though you’ll never get him to admit this ). if he’s already under extreme emotional stress, tasting it can contribute to or encourage the possibility of “blackouts.” these are times when the dogs’ instincts front more than his human personality does ( possibly for both physical and mental protection, almost as though the dogs are trying to protect him ). he can become irrationally violent, frenzied, and is challenging to be reasoned with until the blackout and stress pass. these blackouts leave him emotionally and physically exhausted, and he’ll often close himself off and avoid interaction after coming out of them.

as a result of the splicing and alchemy, dolcetto is completely infertile. he won’t ever be able to have biological children of his own.

[szopenhauer]

What star sign is the last person you text messaged? Aries

How did you feel when you woke up today? not well

Do you know what the person you're dating is doing at this moment? napping

Who was the last person to make you cry with laughter? my gf

Who was the last person you talked about sex/love with? either her or my father

Who introduced you to the person you're in a relationshop with? my high school classmate K.K.

How many brothers does your father have? two

When was the last time you did something which you knew was wrong? I don’t know what’s wrong and what not, ugh...

Do you still speak to your first crush? nope

If you could get your own house with one friend, who would you pick? dad but I’d prefer to live alone

Which is worse, too-tight clothes or much too-loose clothes? too tight are worse

What is something that you are willing to fight for? hmm...

If you jump, can you touch the ceiling of the room you’re in? noooo

Which do you think is worse: ear aches or tooth aches? tooth aches

How many different colors are you wearing right now?  3 (4 counting panties)

You can only listen to one band for the rest of your life, who do you pick? omg I can’t choose :o

Do you like big or small cars better? big

What store do you get the majority of your shoes from? *shrug*

What place, in your mind, is heaven on earth? How about hell on earth? there’s no such thing as heaven on Earth to me as I would bring myself there and ruin everything but almost whole planet is hell mostly because of people

Do you think there is anything scary about midnight? midnight is the time of ghosts but no longer minute before and/or after :P 

Can you snap with both of your hands? yep

In your opinion what is the absolute worst house chore? laundry?

How young do you think is too young to get married? definitely under 20 but I think it’s best to get married 30+

Who do you think is the dumbest superhero?  I can’t believe Green lantern is an actual superhero...

Would you rather be a hair stylist or a clothes designer? clothes designer

Would you rather be 3 inches taller or shorter than you are now? taller

Are there any foods that you think smell good, but taste bad? possibly

Would you ever stay overnight at any of your neighbors houses? why would I? 

Do you think it would be cooler to play a hero or the villain in a movie? hero

If you had the last name of your favorite actor, what would your name be? I like many actors so...

how many syllables does your first name consist of?: 3

do you know someone who is allergic to chocolate?: used to know

have you worn a dress [casual, formal, etc] within the past week?: not within the past week

when was the last time you saw the last person you kissed?: days ago

is that person your significant other?: yup

last person you talked to on the phone and what was it about?: mom, I informed her she probably didn’t take out the matches from my pocket and now she’s washing my shorts with ‘em inside the machine and my instinct was right so she turned it off in the last moment, minutes or even seconds later water would soak the package and that could ruin the clothes, I wish she checked or asked while taking my stuff away

got any plans today?: been to laboratory, done shopping but am too tired to help my parents in carrying wood 

were you born in an odd or even numbered year?: even

did you drive anywhere at all today?: took the bus

which of your parents did you see last?: both at once

describe your current shirt: black tee Nie każdy musi mnie lubić w końcu nie każdy ma dobry gust with Lil My

are you currently listening to music?: I’m very picky about songs today

do you fill out your own surveys or do you think it’s just weird?: I do

where did you buy the shoes you last wore?: Biedronka (Tom & Rose)

last disappointment?: health issues 

do you still talk to the person you first kissed?: yeah

did you seriously believe that the opposite sex had cooties in elementary?: I didn’t think about that 

did you take a nap today?: I barely ever take naps in general

name something random in your car: I don’t own a car

would/did you cheat on someone for revenge or if they wouldn’t find out? neither

would you rather be remembered for something bad or forgotten? forgotten

would you date someone twice your age for money? only if I really had to survive and there was no other way but not forever?

rate your self-confidence, 1 being insecure, and 10 being cocky. I’m insecure but not sure how much 

are you content? I wish

would you knowingly be who someone cheats on someone else with? cheats with me on someone they pretend to love? hell no

would you sleep with a teacher to pass a class you were failing? ewww, yuk

have you ever contemplated physically hurting yourself or another? mhm

are you prejudice against any groups of people? I am

is there anything you chose to be ignorant about? (war, animal rights, etc) maybe

would you replace any family members if possible (& who)? oh well...

do you lie when asked how you’re doing? what for? to blame then for not noticing? to be an ass who’s lying?...

do you have any plans for tomorrow? meeting with M.

are you able to get a tan? not much

the next time you are on an airplane, where will you be traveling to? umm... no thx

are you satisfied with the picture on your id card? could be worse but also could be better

what are your chances of getting with your crush? I'm taken

what color is your car? no car!

is the song you’re currently listening to being sung by a male or female? two women

where did you get the shirt that you’re wearing? it was a gift

how tall is the last person you kissed? taller than me

is anybody in the room with you right now? not rn

how long have you been with your significant other, if you have one? 3 months

do you enjoy dried fruit? meh

How’s your day going? blergh

What does your umbrella look like? I borrow my parents’ umbrella, I hate umbrellas

Do you share a room with anyone? there are furniture with stuff inside that don’t belong to me

Do you have socks on? Describe them. grey

Are you one of those people who has like a hundred apps on their phone? I have spotify, choices, tumblr, tik tok, fb and messenger

Do you have good reflexes? I guess

Picture you think is cute.

Do you like blowing bubbles? sometimes

Are you better at posing good questions or coming up with outrageous dares? depends

Has there been a celebrity death that really affected you? I cried after some celebs but that’s all

If you’re out of high school, have you stayed in touch with your high school friends?  I haven’t :(

Do you think, if it came down to it, that you’d be able to kill someone? I believe I might

Are you good at rating things? am not

Do you get into a lot of arguments? :x

Can you pass for older than you are? can’t even pass for my real age lmfao

Do you talk a lot? at times

Are you capable of finishing a game of Monopoly? it’s not that hard

Do you own any tie-dye clothing? I hate tie-dye 

How much soda do you drink in a week? - Do you like being asked questions? love Are you nosy? slightly

How well can you pay attention to someone talking? depends What is the closest yellow thing to you? rosary Would you mind living on a farm? I’d try Are you a patient person? wouldn’t say so What annoys you the most about people? what doesn’t... Does your computer freeze a lot? my browser freezes right after turning on the computer and my internet dies often

Have you ever ate glue? wtf

When is the last time you took a picture? this day

If you could know one thing about the future, what would it be? when will I die for example

Do you like Ellen Degeneres? she’s awful

Are you comfortable dancing in public? whatever

Would you like to live to be 110 years old? I wanna die already

Do you like getting your picture taken? I’m ugly

Do you like being the X or the O when you play tic tac toe? X

What do you think is the most popular name for a girl? I checked:

Zofia Hanna Julia Zuzanna Alicja Maja Helena Maria Oliwia Pola

What about a boy?

Jan Franciszek Antoni Aleksander Stanisław Jakub Adam Leon Mikołaj Szymon

*do ya like any?

How many people are around you right now? my family’s in the kitchen eating so I’m alone

Do spicy foods give you heartburn or make you make you gassy? both and more

Is body hair attractive or unattractive to you? it’s normal/natural?

Do you prefer bare feet or socks? socks

Hard wood floor or carpet? hardwood

Would you ever want to work in a toy store? yasss

Do you like asking questions better or answering? answering

Do you follow your head or heart more? head

Would you rather give up your hand or your foot? foot

Have you ever tried crowd surfing? too risky and no fun

If you could have 16 wishes, tell me just one you wish: I don’t need 16, 3 are enough

Do you like the movie Bambi? If so, who is your favorite on there? I don’t remember Bambi 

Would you rather be on the computer all day or watch TV? computer

Would you rather be a police man or a firefighter? police

Do you like jokes or riddles better? jokes

Do you like onion rings? disgusting

Do you like odd or even numbers better? even are easier to count

Last song you heard? Marroon 5 - Animals

Ocean or lake? lake

Do you know a lot of people with the middle name Marie? weird but no, Anna is more popular

Do you like loud or quiet people better? smth in between unless in public - quiet strangers are better

Taking pictures or getting your picture taken? taking

Do you like chocolate? meh

Favorite day of the year? New year’s eve?

Favorite holiday? same

Crayons or markers? markers

Snookie or Vinny? Snookie

have you ever been to an animal shelter? that would break my heart

are you tired right now?

who is the worst actor or actress in your opinion? there are plenty  have you ever bought someone else lingerie? nope where are your parents right now? run around the house like crazy if you have a dog, does it bark a lot? luckily not, he howls rarely too have you ever seen a magic show? sure can you juggle? I tried to learn but failed

[rabbitcruiser]

National Hot Dog Day

The sun is out, you’re at the amusement park, and the rollercoaster is filling the air with the clack-clack-clack of wheels on rails. The scent of a thousand different fair foods fill the air, but one stands out above all the rest. It’s rich, it’s savory, it’s the smell of a thousand mysterious meat products put into one delicious sausage casing, broiled up on a flame grill, and sent out on a bun with all the fixings. Hot Dog Day celebrates this most delicious and tantalizing of treats, and its extensive history!Learn about Hot Dog DayA lot of people are going to have fond memories of eating hot dogs. For some people, this reminds them of some of the fairs and fetes that they used to go to when they were younger. For others, it may remind them of the barbecues that they used to have with their families. Or, maybe a hot dog is always your go-to snack when you go to a football or basketball game? There is no denying that hot dogs are tasty, yet we can’t eat them every day, as they’re not exactly bursting with nutrients. That’s why Hot Dog Day is the perfect excuse for you to indulge in this treat.

A hot dog is simply a steamed or grilled sausage sandwich whereby the sausage is typically served within a finger bun, which is partially sliced to fit the sausage inside. The sausage used is a frankfurter or a wiener, which is a Vienna sausage.

Hot dog condiments and preparation vary regionally. For example, some of the typical garnishes include olives, bacon, coleslaw, grated cheese, chili, jalapenos, sauerkraut, onions. Typical condiments include cheese sauce, relish, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard.

History of Hot Dog Day

Given the Hot Dog Day is an international event, where it begins and who sponsors it tends to vary by region. In the USA it’s primarily the industry partners that participate in promoting it, whereas in other countries around the world it may be historical organizations celebrating the role it played in their history.

Did you know that the Frankfurter was named for the Germany city of Frankfurt, where it was said to originate? Well now you do! There’s even multiple varieties of Hot Dogs! The original hot dogs came in a natural casing, which in case you didn’t know were made from the small intestines of sheep. Intestines were regularly used for making all kinds of sausages, hotdogs included!

Then you have skinless hotdogs, in order to hold them together they’re cooked in a cellulose casing that gets taken off when they get packaged. Since cellulose is kosher and cheaper than kosher intestine, this is often how the frankly (heh heh) delicious Kosher Hot Dogs are often made.

Hot Dog Day is celebrated all over, and if you’ve ever enjoyed a warm hot frank at a summer BBQ, then you’re no doubt celebrating too!

How to Celebrate Hot Dog Day

The best way is to serve yourself up a great meal with hot dogs! Our personal favorite is the old classic, home-made mac and cheese served with slices of hot dog in it. We also really enjoy hot dogs in our chili, that’s if we don’t have a bun to make a classic chili dog.

Get all your friends together in your backyard and encourage them to bring their favorite frankfurters and condiments. Share stories of your first hot-dog, and all the memories you have around this classic summertime treat. There’s something about a hot dog with the slight char that comes from being grilled that always has us waiting for Hot Dog Day.

If you really do want to do something a bit different on Hot Dog Day, why not join a hot dog eating contest? If you think that you are going to be able to eat a lot of hot dogs within a specified period of time, you never know; you could end up being the champion!

However, we better warn you that there are people who enter eating contests for a living, and they train their bodies specifically for the task, so you’re going to be up against some stiff competition. Nevertheless, this can certainly be a fun and unusual thing to do, and you’re going to get to eat some hot dogs in the process, so everyone’s a winner, right?

If you take a look online, you will be able to see any food-eating contests that are going in your area. Of course, you could decide to host your own hot dog eating contest, between friends and family. This will certainly be a fun way to spend the day, and you will have more chance of winning. You could get everyone to pay an ‘entry-fee’ and this could be the prize fund for the winner.

Another way to celebrate Hot Dog Day is by making your own hot dog creation. Hot dogs are typically served with ketchup, mustard, and onions, depending on your taste.

However, why not have fun experimenting with different toppings, to see what sort of creations you can come up with? There are so many different options, including crumbled gorgonzola, baked beans, grilled pineapple, pickled green beans, caramelized onions, and much more. You don’t know until you try it!

Crispy bacon is another popular one. Or, why not go for something completely unusual and out-of-the-box? You never know, you may be able to come up with the next big thing in hot dogs! If you do, be sure to share a photo on Instagram to get everyone’s mouth drooling!

Source

[yousweetsunshine]

Is There Any Relation Between Food and Sweat ?

We all perspiration, yet a few of us sweat a great deal. Like, genuinely, a ton. On the off chance that you fall into this class, you know how irritating and here and there humiliating it tends to be. In any case, never dread, my sweat-soaked companions; we're here to share a few hints to make your life somewhat simpler.

Why you sweat to such an extent

Most importantly, perspiring is totally sound and typical. Everybody sweats. It's the means by which your body chills, expels poisons and keeps up saltiness in your body. So don't perspire a lot about perspiring.

You have somewhere in the range of 1.6 and 5 million perspiration organs found all over your body, and two sorts of organs do a large portion of the work: apocrine organs, which are found fundamentally in your armpit zone, and eccrine organs, which are increasingly plentiful and discovered all over your body. The Encyclopedia Britannica clarifies that your apocrine organs are normally the guilty parties with regards to most humiliating perspiring issues:

Apocrine perspiration organs, which are generally connected with hair follicles, persistently discharge a greasy perspiration into the organ tubule. Passionate pressure causes the tubule divider to contract, ousting the greasy discharge to the skin, where nearby microorganisms separate it into smelly unsaturated fats.

The way that a large portion of your apocrine organs are packed in your underarm locale is the reason you just put antiperspirant or antiperspirant under your arms and not all over your body. Your eccrine organs, then again, shoot when your body gets excessively hot and you have to chill off. The greater part of the wetness you feel when you work out or when you're in a hot situation originates from these organs, however the there is considerably less smell. Here are a couple of the primary driver for over the top perspiring (other than being hot):

Exercise: When your body warms up from work out, sweat is delivered to chill you.

Apprehension: Your battle or-flight framework actuates when you're anxious and it makes a surge of hormones in your body. Your pulse increments and you begin to consume vitality, so your perspiration by and by comes to chill your body off.

Hyperhidrosis: According to Harvard Medical School, Hyperhidrosis is a condition that influences one to three percent of the populace and includes unnecessary perspiration in the palms, underarms, feet and crotch. Basically, individuals with hyperhidrosis produce significantly more perspiration than what's viewed as ordinary.

Feelings: Strong feelings like indignation, energy, or stress can actuate your perspiration organs. Like the way being apprehensive makes you sweat, solid positive emotions—like seeing the adoration for your life or being next to jump on your preferred ride—can wrench up your perspiration creation.

There are different components that can expand your perspiring—like your qualities—yet these are the principle patrons for unreasonable perspiration.

Step by step instructions to Look Sharp in the Summer and Still Beat the Heat

It's hot out and you wish you could be in only your clothing, however you must be near…

How To Control This Issue

The most effective method to forestall over-perspiring

Antiperspirants and antiperspirants can help some with regards to perspire issues, yet they aren't constantly 100 percent compelling. On the off chance that wetness is an issue for you, utilize an antiperspirant, and consider taking care of it on before you go around evening time. On the off chance that you battle with stench, antiperspirant is intended to murder the stinky microscopic organisms that feeds off of your perspiration results and make you smell decent.

Once in a while antiperspirants aren't sufficient, however. In the event that unreasonable perspiration is something you manage all the time, there are a few nourishments you might need to keep away from. Think about decreasing your espresso consumption. A few examinations, similar to this one in the Journal of Medicinal Food, recommend that caffeine affects your focal sensory system, making you sweat more. Drinking it hot doesn't help you either, as it raises your internal heat level. You likewise might need to stay away from zesty nourishments. Barry Green, from the John B. Puncture Laboratory, clarifies in Scientific American why hot nourishments have some "heat" to them:

...fiery nourishments energize the receptors in the skin that ordinarily react to warm. Those receptors are torment strands, actually known as polymodal nociceptors... The focal sensory system can be befuddled or tricked when these agony strands are invigorated by a compound, similar to that in stew peppers, which triggers a questionable neural reaction. The focal sensory system responds to whatever the tangible framework tells it is going on. In this manner, the example of movement from torment and warm nerve strands triggers both the sensations and the physical responses of warmth, including vasodilation, perspiring and flushing.

On the off chance that you've experienced various potential reasons for your over the top perspiring and still can't make sense of it, an encounter with your primary care physician may assist you with finding an answer.

Apply Antiperspirant at Night for Maximum Effectiveness

On the off chance that you use antiperspirant, applying it is in all likelihood part of your morning schedule. It's

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Monitor your stench

Over the top perspiration as a rule prompts personal stench, however there are approaches to monitor it. The most clear path is to wear a decent antiperspirant. Antiperspirant not just conceals BO with wonderful scents, it likewise contains liquor to slaughter the microscopic organisms that is causing those grievous aromas.

The nourishment you eat can have an influence too. As indicated by UC Berkeley, several sorts of nourishment and drink can add to your personal stench:

Nourishments containing sulfur: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and some other plants in the Brassica sort. Plants in the Allium class, similar to onions and garlic, can contribute too.

Liquor: Once devoured, liquor is used into acidic corrosive, yet some is discharged through your perspiration causing a stench.

A to some degree evident tip—yet one a few people despite everything figure out how to dismiss—is washing consistently. In case you're mindful of your BO issue, washing each day with cleanser ought to be an easy decision. Avoiding a day or two lets the microscopic organisms develop and it will just keep on deteriorating. To wrap things up, you can shave your armpits. A larger part of ladies as of now practice this, however it very well may be gainful for men as well. At the point when you shave your armpits, you evacuate hair that is shielding antiperspirants and antiperspirants from getting to your skin, and the perspiration that is created there might have the option to dissipate quicker to diminish wetness.

Dress to shroud your perspiration

A few people—myself included—simply sweat and don't quit perspiring regardless of what items they use or what nourishments they keep away from. In those cases, you're left with some restricted alternatives (except if you need to get Botox infused in your armpits). One of the manners in which you can assume responsibility for you sweat issues is by dressing to conceal it away.

There are a lot of alternatives in the apparel domain to keep you resembling a typical dry individual. First off, the hues you wear have an enormous effect. James Harris, composing for Complex, shares a few hints on what hues you ought to and shouldn't put on your strangely wet body:

Dull hues like naval force and dark won't show wet stains that severely, and neither will light hues like white. Grays, blues, and brilliant hues are the most exceedingly awful alternatives for concealing perspiration, and they'll certainly show the world that you can't stand the warmth.

Also, specific kinds of examples can assist you with concealing glaring wet spots as well. You can wear designs like plaid or camo and sweat won't stick out. You may likewise need to wear something underneath your noticeable garments. Mike Theobald at Everyday Health proposes dressing in layers:

Wear a breathable undershirt to assimilate sweat before it arrives at the external layer of your apparel. Including a coat or cardigan in a breathable material may likewise assist keep with perspiring from coming into see. Simply be certain your layers are slight or proper to the season — you would prefer not to feel overheated and intensify the issue.

Other than shading and the quantity of layers you wear, you may likewise need to consider the materials you're wearing. Something breathable is helpful, yet as Men's Health brings up, cotton is top dog:

It relaxes. Genuine, cotton is actually an inappropriate thing to wear in the rec center when you sweat hard—it absorbs the perspiration as opposed to wicking it away. In any case, in the decently wet states of the workplace, cotton is your decision for remaining cool. Polyester or poly/cotton mixes will in general snare heat, making you sweat more.

There's nothing amiss with attempting to dress to dazzle, yet being agreeable in what you're wearing is your main need. In the event that an outfit is going feature your sweat-soaked spots, you're likely happier wearing something different.

Step by step instructions to Sweat-Proof Your Makeup When You Have Oily Skin

Summer is really the most noticeably terrible. I hate perspiring and scraping, and I discover wearing sunscreen as it were…

Forestall sweat recolors on your garments

There are a lot of different approaches to battle the unpleasant, recoloring wet spots. Here are a couple of more tips you can utilize:

Air those pits out: One of the best approaches to keep away from pit stains—and one of my undisputed top choices—is expelling the opportunity for your perspiration to show itself in any case. Wear a tank top or some other sort of shirt that has enormous arm openings. Presently—expecting you have an antiperspirant monitoring the smell—you can perspire as much as you can imagine and nobody is going to take note.

Keep a difference in garments available: Switch your garments when things begin to get too damp with sweat. You can even keep an additional arrangement of what you're wearing with you and it resembles nothing at any point occurred. Not all perspiration issues are pit-related, so this is probably the best choice for those circumstances.

Verdict

Wear sweat shields: There are over-the-counter cushions that you can wear or join to attire that retains sweat before it ever gets to your external layers. In case you're after all other options have been exhausted, you can likewise make some basic ones with some tape and paper towels. It beats vanishing like clockwork to get dry your pits in the washroom.

Pit stains can be humiliating, however there are a lot of ways around them. The most significant thing you can do is prepare.

[halforc-mercenary]

𝔚𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔗𝔬 𝔊𝔯𝔬𝔴 ℑ𝔫 𝔞 𝔐𝔢𝔡𝔦𝔢𝔳𝔞𝔩 ℌ𝔢𝔯𝔟𝔤𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔫: Medieval Healingherbs

What to grow in a medieval herbgarden by English Heritage, May 2016.

Medieval medicine was based on the notion of the body having four ‘humours’ related to the four elements:     ◉ blood (air) was hot and moist     ◉ phlegm (water) was cold and moist     ◉ yellow bile (fire) was hot and dry     ◉ black bile (earth) was cold and dry. It was the physician’s job to work out how to restore the balance of a person’s humours if they became ill, and so plants and herbs were ascribed properties to redress the balance. A cooling herb would be used if you were considered to have too much blood or yellow bile, for example. Plant used in the treatments were for example: 

 Sage (Salvia officinalis) Sage, whose first botanical name comes from the Latin salveo, meaning “I am well” , was used by the Romans in medicine and cooking. As with some other herbs mentioned below, ‘officinalis’ is a reminder of its monastic medicinal use — the officina being the monastic storeroom where herbs and medicines were stored. In the medieval period sage was described as being ‘fresh and green to cleanse the body of venom and pestilence’. It was also chewed to whiten teeth and used very frequently in cooking along with lots of onions and garlic. This means that sage and onion stuffing has a medieval pedigree! Sage is best grown in well drained soil with full sun and can be grown either from seed, from cuttings or from plug plants.

Betony (Stachys officinalis) This was once an incredibly popular herb, and used for curing anything and everything you can think of – including a few extras like fear, ‘violent blood’, and ‘chilly need’. Depending on the variety, betony grows between 25cm and 90cm tall. Its flowers, generally purplish but sometimes white, appear between June and October. It’s long-lived and slow-growing and prefers dampish but not waterlogged areas.

Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea or wild clary is Salvia verbenaca) Another member of the salvia family, Clary Sage was also known as ‘clear eye’ and ‘Oculus Christi’ (Eye of Christ) as its main use was as an eyewash, made by infusing sweet scented leaves in water. It’s a biennial with purple-blue flower spikes from late spring to mid-summer and attracts honey-bees and other pollinators.

Hyssop (Hysoppus officinalis) In medieval herb gardens, hyssop was considered a hot purgative. Drunk in oil, wine or syrup, it was meant to warm away cold catarrhs and chest phlegm. It was also rubbed on bruises to soothe them and had purifying, astringent and stimulant uses. äIt has spikes of blue, pink, or red flowers and prefers well drained soil.

Rue (Ruta graveolens) This was used as a strong purgative for plague and poison, and as a holy water sprinkler in exorcisms. Its medicinal properties have now largely been disproved, and its use in cures may be dangerous. Its smell is a repellent to Japanese beetles, dogs and cats and it attracts some species of butterfly.

You can recognise rue plants by their bushy, bluish-green, fernlike leaves ,and yellow flowers with wavy edges and green hearts. Rue can grow up to 90cm tall. Best grown in well drained soil with full sun – rarely needs watering. Take care when handling the plant – its sap can be a strong irritant.

Chamomile or Camomile (Chamaemelum nobile) Chamomile is said to revive the sickly and drooping plants growing near it. It’s a very tough plant, sometimes grown in ‘chamomile lawns’ — which take a lot of work to establish. Since the daisy-like flowers are very small, lots of them are needed to be of use. Once you have enough of them, chamomile flowers are good for making sedative and digestive infusions that also combat flatulence. Chamomile tea with dittany, scabious and pennyroyal was a preferred medieval remedy against poison. This perennial herb grows best in cool conditions and prefers part-shade and dry soil.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) The word dill derives from the Anglo-Saxon dilla which means ‘to lull’. It was used as a kitchen herb for flavouring fish, pickles and pottages, as well as in the infirmary for cordials. Along with cumin and anise, its seeds were made into spice cakes to eat after rich meals or illness to help with digestion. Its delicate fronds can reach 60-90cm in height.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) Infirmarers grew cumin to use its seeds in soothing ointments for the complexion and eyes, as well as for its culinary uses. Cumin was grown more widely than dill outside monastic gardens. Peasant rents were sometimes paid in cumin, along with hens and eggs. It’s native to the Mediterranean and requires a long hot summer, so isn’t the easiest plant to grow in the UK.

Comfrey – also known as Boneset (Symphytum officinale) Comfrey has a long history of use in medicine, and was grown in infirmary gardens for its power to heal wounds and inflammations and (as its nickname suggests) help to set broken bones.

Comfrey needs rich, moist, alkaline soil and generally prefers shady areas. It can grow up to 120cm tall and has long, hairy, deep-green leaves. Take care when handling the plant, which can irritate sensitive skins.

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

I want to tell you... (Nathan Drake x reader, part 3.)

Description: Nathan Drake is not the exact definition of an unhappy man. His job is steady, his friends still see him from time to time, he plays football, but his marriage is his main problem. Many things will change when a special person comes to his life.

Word count: 2 600 (+/-)

Warnings: The reader will appear! Let’s get the game on!

Mood: I am really on the indie vibe lately, so I feel like Crush by Tessa Violet.

 @the-obsessive-fangirl, have a lovely summer day! And @missdictatorme knows what is about to happen. Prepare for insanely cute Nate.

“Alright, cutie,” - Nathan spoke with himself, quickly moving his eyes on the page of the cooking book where the page with Creme Brulee was opened. Nathan often spoke to himself when he was cooking and other co-workers found it cute. But when he spoke his food, screaming Don’t you catch on fire with me for example, was a whole another thing which made them sincerely laugh.

Nathan really enjoyed cooking since he was growing up, that was a thing that not much people knew about him. His passion and love for it made him an excellent cook - he was never afraid to do some experiments with food, he learned a lot of new things and eating food prepared by Nathan was like trying food from heaven, at least Chloe was telling it. 

“Let’s look at how you’re made, right?” He looked into the recipe once more, checking if he has all of the things he needed to have for having the best and balanced Brulee of them all. 

It was truly raining heavily outside, there was a big storm outside, to be honest. It could be considered a hurricane already because it was something crazy out there. Nate was glad that he was in the restaurant, safe and warm and that he could do what he loved the most.

At least Elena called that morning from Thailand, where she was currently staying, telling him that the storm was there as well but she wanted to assure him, that she's fine and well. He was glad that she called him.

"I love you." - He whispered with a shy smile, looking into one of the hanging pans. Before, Elena would answer immediately. But this time, it was completely silent for a few seconds on the other side.

"I need to go, Nate. Stay safe and don't do any dumb stuff. Promise?" - She joked, but it hurt Nathan directly next to his heart. He still cares about her, about her safety and about her feelings, but she was on lockdown for four months or so.

Nathan shook these thoughts out of his head and he stuck his tongue out as he concentrated on the Creme Brulee. It wasn't much time from that when he heard knocking on the restaurant's door.

He thought that he only overheard himself - it was raining outside and the restaurant was closed. Nathan furrowed his brows and stood up straight up when he heard the knocking again. He checked that everything was on its place so the kitchen won't catch on fire and he made his way to the actual part with tables, chair, and a bar. They were closed, who would try to knock their way into the restaurant while there was a hurricane outside? 

Nathan tried to stay as hidden as the door let him, he would not open some random hobo person. He would give them something warm, food and water - but it would be a big risk to let them inside. But instead of a hobo, there was a woman figure standing outside in the rain with her palms covering her eyes as she looked inside. 

The woman saw Nate instantly, waving at him and smiling in a dorky way. Nathans first instinct was to go and help that woman inside. It was a cold, rainy mess when he opened the door, the wind almost blew him away from the door as the woman practically run inside and helped him to close the door with every of the lock they had.

Only after that, Nathan turned at her, and he must have looked like a fool at that moment. She truly was gorgeous. Wet hair fell around her face in a messy way and her skin was slippery and wet from the rain; which made her cheeks completely rosy. She was trying to catch her breath with her lips opened a little and her eyes closed. That woman only wore a trench coat, which made no sense in this type of weather, jeans and some classy shoes. She probably didn't see the weather coming or she thought that she'll be alright.

Nathan had an unreadable expression on his face, still looking at her as she was leaning into the glass. She started laughing, which made Nathans face even softer and his eyes started to shine. 

He felt like if he knew her since forever, he had a feeling that he knew her eyes and the tone of her laugh was so light-hearted and cute that it made his stomach shrunk in a tickling way. She made his heart beat faster without him noticing and his fingers tremble a bit. He didn't even remember when he felt so instantly happy and... Nervous. That girl made him nervous.

“Man, you saved my life. I thought that nobody’s going to answer.” - She spoke all of a sudden, made him even more struck on the spot. Nathan wide his eyes, watching her face. She had nice contours even tho her make-up was on a run. 

“How-how.” - He tried to spoke but coughed into his hand when he felt that his own voice is falling apart from her. - “How did you even know that there is somebody out here? I mean, what if you knocked on an empty restaurant?” - Nathan gave her one of his cheesy smiles, standing on his feet and looking her into eyes because he found them so gorgeous he wasn't even able to breathe. 

“Your car is parking in the aisle next to the restaurant.” - She waved in car’s direction and Nathan assumed that it is a pretty logical consideration. - “Or so I was hoping for that to be the truth. And the bars on the doors were lifted and so I tried my luck. You aren't the brightest, right?” - She said in a playful voice as she started laughing again. Nathan leaned his head to his shoulder and he felt ashamed a bit. It was practically obvious that there's someone inside. 

“I will pretend that I didn't hear that. I mean that thing you practically said that I am dumb.” - Nathan tried to show her his most charming smile, offering her his palm. He was sweaty because of the nervousness and she was as cold as an iceberg and wet from the rain, so he was praying that she wouldn't notice. 

“I haven't said that you are dumb! You make me look rude now, Jesus. My names Y/N and I think that we should start from the begging again, no mean comments now, I swear.” - She put a hand on her heart with a sweet smile like she if swore to Nathan. 

“Name’s Nate and you're freezing, aren't you?” - Nate slowly let go of her hand, turning to walk back to his kingdom. Y/N slowly followed him-

“I am, in fact, freezing. You are very bright in fact.” - She winked with a smile. She was trying to make him forget about that little escapade which happened minutes ago and Nate just shook his head at that. He opened the door to the kitchen and she just stood there with an unsure look. 

“Can I even go there?” - Y/N asked with a frown on her face, which made Nathan twitch inside again. What the hell was he doing? Or, most importantly, why did his body react to that girl the way it did? - “I mean, isn't it a food hygiene risk? To have a dirty, wet human in your kitchen? Wouldnt some hygiene guy be seriously mad about that?” 

Nathan had to laugh a little when he saw her unsure expression. Her eyes were twitching between him and his hand on the door as he was patiently waiting for her. 

“As long as you don't pee or spit your saliva anywhere, I think we're cool. Come in.” - Nathan smiled at her, letting her pass directly next to him. When he smelled her perfume, he almost fell to the ground. It was a sweet scent and the rain only made it stand out. He almost fainted. 

“I will give you my towel, I'll just go for it to the dressing room, alright? Just don't steal anything, I beg you.” - Nathan ran off to that room with a childish smile as he could hear that he made her laugh again. She had such a sweet laugh! She definitely caught his eyes with some magic, or he couldn't rationalize his excited behavior.

When he got back, he almost fainted. She took the coat off and she had only a green shirt on, and it was completely dumped from water as well, so his eyes didn't have to imagine any of her curves - they saw it right away. Nathan felt like he shouldn't stare, so he turned away from her, only giving her his towel.Y/N accepted it with a small smile, leaning her ass into one of the counters, watching the surrounding and firstly trying to make her hair somehow dry before she wrapped the towel around her body.

“So what some hot drink and food sound like?” - Nathan looked at her as he cleaned up his place from his experimental baking. 

“I don't know mate. I don't have much money with me.” - Y/N shrugged her shoulders, but Nate smiled at her. 

“Let me ask again. Would you like me to cook something and make you a cup of something?” - Nathan opened up the fridge as he picked some of the freshest tomatoes they had. He had a perfect food in his mind - tomato sauce and pasta. Easy, quick and delicious. 

“I guess so. You’re so persistent. I have like... Fifteen bucks? Would that be enough?” - Y/N grabbed her purse, frantically searching for money. 

“Don't bother and be my guest. I'll pay for you afterward.” - Nate chuckled and started to chop the tomatoes. He also started the kettle, deciding that English black tea with some honey would suit her the best at her current state.

“What were you doing at that storm outside, huh? It makes me look a lot brighter than you.” - He said as he concentrated on making the onion and garlic just perfect while they were frying in the pan. 

“We moved here like two days ago. I heard in the news that there will be some stormy weather, but I never thought it could be that bad.” - She hummed as she sipped the tea, sitting on the counter next to his wooden cutting board, moving her legs from side to side. - “And I got lost in the city. Which made me come here.”

“We moved in?” - Nathan asked in a concerned voice as he watched the curve of her nose. She had a beautiful nose. He was chopping some basal as well, feeling her body being ridiculously close to his hand. What was wrong with him? 

He assumed that she is talking about some roommate or a friend, sharing their flat during their studies. She seemed to be an intelligent and bright lady, surely at least five years younger than him. If she wasn't even younger. She could be a college student. 

“Yeah, I started to study my bachelor degree here since my junior college ended. It felt like the best choice.” - Y/N answered, not revealing with whom she moved in here. Nathan was curious about that information a lot, but he didn't want to look like some weird psycho, so he didn't ask further questions. 

They ate together in the kitchen, telling some really interesting stories to each other - Y/N talked about her hometown a lot and Nathan tried to charm her with some of the thrilling stories from his adventure. Their sense of humor got along really well. Nathan truly liked that feeling of getting to know her better, he liked how he could make her eyes shine when she laughed. His heart beat faster and faster just because she was looking at him and his cheeks got rosy when she said that his cooking skills were over the top.

They were about to open a bottle of a really sweet wine which got along with a bit of bitterness that the tomatoes had when her phone started to ring. 

And his heart almost coldly sank into his stomach when he was that sweet nickname and a photo of some handsome lad. Nathan couldn't understand his feelings, he felt betrayed and sad. Y/N smiled at him and picked up the call. 

“Hey, babe.” - She whispered to the phone as she leaned further away from him. Nathans heart jumped at the tone of it but sank immediately when he realized that she didn't call him that nickname. He moved away and started to clean up that place, letting only the wine glasses between them. - “Yeah, don't worry. I am safe and I made a friend here. Yeah. A first friend in this city. Crazy, I know.” 

Nathan looked on how water was brushing his hands and frowned. Why was he sad? He was married. And he got his ring on his left hand the whole time. Y/N could spot it easily. But even tho she could see it, he didn't like being friend-zoned. It wasn't a nice thing at all. 

“I am in that Italian restaurant which is like... Ten minutes from our flat? I think. You know that my orientation sucks.” - She laughed when her boyfriend asked her something. - “Alright. Alright. Be safe. I love you. Bye.” She hung up and started to take the towel from her body. 

“I loved being around you, I truly did. My boyfriend just got home and he’ll pick me up in our car here, so no need to open up that wine. It would be too expansive then anyway.” - Y/N took a pen and one napkin as she wrote her name on it and her name under that number. - “Here. Call me, text me, whatever you want. I am up for having some good time at the beach with you, you said you know it the best of all people out here and it just sounds fun.” She said when Nathan walked her out of the restaurant. He was smiling with a sad undertone.

Nate didn't want her to go. He was enjoying him a bit too much that morning. But it would be too weird to ask if she stays. And he didn't want her to think that he is a psycho.  Her boyfriend was already under the roof covering the entrance. 

It was a handsome lad indeed. Perfect for her, yet Nate’s brain didn't think so. But he smiled at her boyfriend anyway. 

“This is Nate. This is Mike.” - She introduced them, leaning into Mike’s side because he was warm. Mike smiled widely at Nate, offering him his hand as Nate hesitantly accepted. - “Nate would like to show us around, maybe he would come with his wife?” Y/N rose her eyebrows and Nate smiled shyly. 

She gave him a tight, heartwarming hug and Nathan felt how every inch of her body is just burning. She was warm and soft and she smelled so good. He smiled at the couple when they were getting into their car as he realized one thing.

Something called crush just happened to him and it was instant, insanely intense and felt like heaven and the hell at the same time. 

[lizlet]

Liz’s Fool-Proof Green Soup Recipe

When I first got into soups, I was very recipe-dependent. Then I figured out how easy soups are! So the below is less a recipe and more a guide to creating the creamy green vegetable soup of your dreams! YOUR dreams, very specifically. I feel like I shared this on social media ages ago, but can’t find any record? So here you go! The secret to making soup!  INGREDIENTS: -- Vegetables Dig into your local grocery store's produce section for what's freshest! Veggies I like: Broccoli, spinach, carrots, potato, leeks... But zucchini, cauliflower and kale would also work. Whatever you buy, look at it, and then imagine your soup pot, and then imagine it all fitting into your soup pot. If it looks like it won't all fit, scale back. -- Onion and garlic You'll want one full onion, white or yellow, and then at least one clove of garlic. If you're a sane person, and love garlic, then you'll want two or three cloves. -- Stock Vegetable or chicken or beef stock -- whatever you prefer. One of those waxy boxes or a big can should handle your needs, but go ahead and buy a second one, just in case. -- Flavor ingredients My favorite variant is mustard and dill, so if you don't have any handy, pick some up. However, if you want to try a different flavor profile, I say go for it! Especially spicy flavors; the creamy texture of green soup definitely lends itself to adding chili or hot sauce or whatever else you might enjoy. -- Cheddar cheese Pre-shredded cheese? BEST. GARNISH. EVER. (And you can dump it in as well during the pre-blending stage.) Of course, omit if you’re vegan.  -- Crackers Have something starchy on hand for absorption/dipping purposes. It's a must for the soup-is-too-hot early moments. PROCEDURE: -- Chop the shit out of stuff First, chop your onion and garlic, and put them in your soup pot. Then chop the rest of your vegetables into relatively small portions. Like, you should dice your garlic, but it's okay if your potatoes are the size of a quarter or so. -- Saute the onion and garlic Drizzle a bunch of olive oil over your onion and garlic in the soup pot, then start sauteeing them until everything starts browning and smelling AMAZING. -- Bring on the veggies and stock! Once the onion and garlic are good to go, dump all your pre-chopped veggies into the soup pot, followed by your stock. How much stock should you dump in? Enough to submerge all of your veggies. You might want more later, but right now... -- Boil this bitch Bring things up to a boil, then down to a simmer, then let your soup cook for probably about 20 minutes, or however long it takes your chunks of veggies to reach vague mushiness... -- Flavor this bitch Here is where, in my proto-example, I like (in addition to some salt and pepper) a sincere hearty two squeezes of mustard and at least one teaspoon of dill. If you want to try other flavors, this is a great place to do so. Because now we're gonna... -- Blend this bitch Whether you stick an immersion blender into your soup pot or ladle boiling spoonfuls into a blender, eventually you will end up with a pot of blended Green Soup! And that's when you... -- Taste this bitch Is it so thick that it's basically a dip? Add some more broth. Not flavorful enough? You have that shit on hand, go to town. Mix things up, get the soup you're looking for, and savor the deliciousness.   -- Garnish Cheese! Saltines on the side of the plate! Go crazy! You just made a bunch of soup! You deserve it.

[ragewerthers]

Total Eclipse Of The Heart

Summary:  What starts off as a running joke between friends turns into something to help tether them to a world thrown into chaos.

A/n: This all started with a gif I sent my friend and one of my favorite songs instantly coming to mind! I just wanted to write a little something with some Gladnis feels and hopefully it will fill some Gladnis feels for others in return!

You can also read it on AO3 at: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20024368

Happy reading! :)

Word Count: 2260

----------------------- It had started off as a joke years ago, back when the Citadel still stood tall and proud.  Back when the city they loved was more than just rubble and darkness and the only thing they had to worry about was making sure Noct didn’t turn his brain to goo from video games.  Back when they themselves were only just finding their own way in life while trying to help guide another persons.

All it had taken was four simple words.

“Turn around, bright eyes!”

The shout had echoed down one of the corridors of the Citadel, completely taking Ignis by surprise as he turned to see what all the commotion was about.

His eyes were met with a gleeful looking Gladio, dashing down the hallway to catch up to him.

“Gladiolus?  Is something the matter?” the young retainer asked as the Shield finally caught up, catching his breath as he shook his head.  A breathless chuckle escaped him as he saw the look in Ignis’s eyes, realizing he must’ve startled the poor guy.

“No… I was just gonna walk with you to your next meeting, but you must’ve been thinking pretty hard because you didn’t hear me calling for you at all!” he teased, slinging an arm around Ignis’ shoulders, jostling him just enough to knock his glasses askew.

Ignis couldn’t help flushing a bit, still unused to someone being so friendly with him and, manhandling him for lack of a better term though the touches were by no means unwanted.

Gladio had always been a tactile sort of person and Ignis was never shorted on his fair share of hair tousling, one armed hugs and hearty claps to his back thanks to his friend.

As he brought a hand up to adjust his glasses he tried to quell the warmth in his cheeks, though a smile still appeared.  “I’m afraid I might have been a little caught up in my thoughts yes,” he admitted, shaking his head a bit as they started to make their way back down the hallway.  Ignis noticed that Gladio’s arm remained around his shoulders and to be honest he wasn’t keen for it to move away too soon.

“It’s alright.  It’ll do you good to have my company in these little breaks before meetings to clear your head a bit,” Gladio said slyly before his smile grew into a shit eating grin that Ignis found he both hated and loved.  “That okay with you, bright eyes?”  As he spoke the last two words a little lilt to his voice made them melodic and Ignis instantly registered what he was doing.

Rolling his eyes at that he shook his head though his ears still managed to tinge a bit pink at the mans antics.

“What can I say?  Every now and then I get a little bit lonely…,” he sang back and was cut off as Gladio instantly burst out laughing, making them both pause in the middle of the corridor.  A few passing council members gave them narrowed expressions at causing such a ruckus before moving on.  Ignis really couldn’t help snorting at their reaction to the Shield and he felt his heart flutter to know he’d gotten the man to laugh like that.

“Oh my gods, Iggy!  I didn’t think you’d know the song!” Gladio said after a moment, his eyes sparkling with mirth as Ignis only smiled wider.

“I’m a man of many surprises,” he deadpanned, making Gladio break out into a bigger smile and Ignis thought his heart would absolutely melt seeing those amber eyes looking at him so fondly.

It was dangerous to let his thoughts linger further on that note and he gave Gladio’s hip a little bump with his own as he finally moved away, causing the larger man’s arm to slip from his shoulders.

“Now if you’ll excuse me I have to get to my meeting,” he said lightly, turning to see the fond expression still over Gladio’s features.

“Fine.  But now that I know I can lure you out of your head with that, I’m not gonna stop,” Gladio warned, giving the man his most charming smile.

Ignis could only chuckle before continuing on to the conference room, stopping short when he heard the soft humming of the song from behind him as Gladio made his way back down the hall.

“Absolutely incorrigible,” he murmured to himself as he made his way into the room, the song continuing to play through his head the entire meeting.

---------------------------------

Thus, a running joke was soon created between the pair.  If Gladio caught sight of Ignis making his way through the Citadel an inevitable “Turn around, bright eyes!” could be heard calling out to him.

In return, Ignis would always find a means to insert another lyric into their conversation, always leaving Gladio with the biggest smile on his face.

A perfect example was the time Gladio had walked in on Ignis cooking in Nocts apartment.  

He’d turned the corner from the hallway and seen the man’s back to him as he chopped up something on the counter.  Unable to help himself he called out his usual “Turn around...”  This time, however, it was met with a sniffle and all levity left Gladio’s face as he quickly moved forward and laid a hand on the man’s shoulder.

“Iggy?  Ignis what’s wrong?” he asked before a pungent smell got to him and he felt his own eyes sting.

“A-apologies, Gladio,” Ignis sniffled again, setting the knife he was using down next to the cutting board full of chopped onions and bringing a towel up to wipe at his eyes.  “These bloody things are… a bit more pungent than I was anticipating.”

Gladio felt an instant relief in his chest and ran a hand through his hair.  “No need to apologize, Iggy.  I just… I thought maybe something..,” he faltered here a bit as emerald green eyes looked up at him with a fondness he wasn’t ready for.  His heart doing an odd somersault in his chest.

“You thought what?  That every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears?” he sang back lightly before breaking off into a chuckle of his own.

Hearing the way Ignis responded to his worry, Gladio instantly felt the last of this tension drain away and a warm smile made its way to his lips as well.

“Hey… can’t blame a guy for wanting to make sure you’re alright,” he murmured and Ignis felt his own heart flutter once more.

A small silence fell between them after that and they stood awkwardly waiting for the other to say something.  After a moment Ignis cleared his throat, apparently startling Gladio out of his own reverie as he jumped a bit and another bout of awkward laughter moved between them.

“Would... you care to help me finish this up?  Perhaps you’ll have better luck cutting these beasts,” Ignis said glaring down at the onions.

Gladio laughed and nodded, the two settling down into an easy rhythm of work, hips bumping jokingly and little comments exchanged playfully as something continued to grow between them that neither knew how to approach.

---------------------------------

Yet time changes things.  It makes people braver, makes confessions easier and helps relationships grow and strengthen.

There finally came a time where secrets were laid bare, where they realized that the fondness, the smiles, the shared laughter and jokes were only a part of what they adored from one another and something deeper, richer, better grew from it.

But just as kindly as time can help things grow, its changes can also create pain.

The Fall of Insomnia.

Altissia.

Zegnautus Keep.

Moments when time was its cruelest and relationships and bonds were tested, weighed and measured.  It was as if those silly days of shared jokes were all a distant memory if they had ever been real at all.

---------------------------------

It had been three weeks since the events at Zegnautus Keep.  Gladio and Ignis had managed to find their way to Lestallum as the nights continued to grow longer and the future of Eos was brought into question.

Making his way up the stairs to the small shared apartment they had procured, Gladio took a deep breath.

So many things had been said between them.  Words meant to hurt, words meant to protect, all of them seeming to find a way to cut at each other when what they had needed most was to stand strong beside each other.

Now, with the inevitable waiting game that was to come, a rift needed to be mended between them.  They’d lost so much already… he wouldn’t let them lose each other as well.

Stepping into the dingy apartment he could hear the crackle of the radio in the far corner of the room atop a rickety old nightstand.  A dingy couch was up against the other wall and near their small kitchen a little table sat with two chairs.

One chair was currently occupied.  The mans back was to him as he sat hunched over the small table, face hidden in his hands.  His dark visor sat near his elbow, precariously close to the table edge where his cane leaned against it.

Something clenched in Gladio’s chest as he watched his partner for a moment, realizing that he hadn’t been noticed, not yet, and gods if that didn’t make his heart ache even more.

Quietly closing the door behind him he watched the twitch of Ignis’s head as he turned it slightly toward the noise before turning back.

So many things had been messed up between them, but now Gladio only wanted to make them right.  But how?

An idea sprang to mind… a little memory of a time long ago when laughter was easier to come by and secrets were still held close to their hearts.

“Turn around…,” Gladio whispered quietly, the words almost more spoken than sung.

A small huff came from Ignis and he shook his head.  “Ridiculous.”

Undeterred, Gladio stepped a little closer.  “Turn around…,” he whispered again, though this time the melody carried through in his deep baritone.

This time Ignis lowered his hands to rest them on the table.  “Gladiolus… now is not the time.”

Gladio remained intent on his mission and moved closer still, a little smile even playing over his lips.  “Turn around, bright ey-...,” and just like that the wind was knocked out of him as he realized what he was saying.

For a moment the entire room went still, Gladio watching the tension building in Ignis’s back.  Gods how could he have been this… stupid?  Why couldn’t he think before he spoke?  Hadn’t he learned from what he’d done on the train?  In the marsh?  Hadn’t he learned to shut his mouth before he put his foot in it?!

But then a new noise filled the space and Gladio had to pause a moment to realize that it was coming from Ignis.  It was a noise he hadn’t heard in ages.

A chuckle.

A small one at first that slowly grew into something that felt warm and genuine and nestled itself into Gladio’s chest and next to his heart.

Turning around in his chair, Ignis’s grey eyes looked in the direction of his partner, a tired… but genuine smile on his lips.

“Why did you stop?  You were just getting to the good part,” Ignis murmured, his smile slowly faltering then cracking into something else as one emotion led to another that had been held at bay for too long.

Gladio took the two steps that separated him from his partner and wrapped him up in his arms, kneeling in front of him and bringing cradling him close to his chest.  Letting him feel safe and vulnerable in a world that had been thrown into chaos.

He felt the way fingers gripped into the back of his shirt, his shoulder slowly growing damp where Ignis hid against him.

Soothing a hand against his partners back, Gladio found himself humming gently before murmuring their song between them.

“And I need you now tonight,” he began slowly, feeling the way Ignis tried to calm against him.

“And I need you more than ever.”  No longer was this song simply a silly running joke between them.  It was something to tether them to a different time… and to remind them that there was still good.  That things would still be alright.

“And if you only hold me tight… we'll be holding on forever,” Ignis whispered thickly against his shoulder, Gladio’s own eyes stinging slightly as he gave a pained smile and hugged his partner closer.

“Once upon a time there was l-light in my life… now there’s only love in the dark.”  Gladio gave a watery chuckle as he heard Ignis carry on to the next lyric leaning back and finding a small smile also on his partners lips, even as a few tears managed to escape from his eyes.

Bringing a hand up to cup Ignis’s cheek he soothed away the tears before leaning up to gently press their foreheads together.

“I’m sorry, Iggy,” he whispered, nudging their noses together, feeling the way the Advisors hands carefully searched to cradle his face in his hands as well.

“Nothing to apologize for,” he murmured back, voice still rough from trying to get his emotions back in check.  A little smile still played across his lips as he pressed a small, chaste kiss to Gladio’s lips.

“We simply had a total eclipse of the heart.”