#ride a rock ox

[ridearockox]

Hello everyone!

I'm cooking a big compilation of small daltwistle nsfw/risque pieces from a list of prompts that I'm hopefully gonna release soon, but here are some sneak peeks of some of the sketches do far heh

[eggedbellies]

Think of this - you're the only fertile member of your tribe left after the tribe elders sacrificed your friend to the island deity. While you've spent a good few years hooking up with the strong hunters and keen trackers of your tribe (which were either hung like horses or fucked like rabbits) to ensure the success of your community, the deity demands another sacrifice. Being the only fertile member left, you really have no choice.

You're covered in protective sigils, stripped naked, lathered in honey, given a basket of meat and fruits before being sent into the depths of the forest. All the sounds of the native wildlife are far away - no one dares to encroach on the stomping grounds of your god. You reach the clearing, climb the rocky platforms and wait. From the treeline, you see the crown horns of your cod as they come striding out of the forest. It looks similar to a human, which eased you - save for the crown of horns, the heavy reptilian tail, digitigrade legs and the extra pair of arms.

You push the offering basket towards them and instinctively throw yourself to the ground, grovelling at its feet. It approaches you, devours the offering and then starts licking up and down your body. You assumed they were going to eat you. It's giant hands, big enough to hold your leg like a chicken's, manipulates you onto your back with your legs spread open. One set of arms supports it's body on the rocky 'throne' while the other pair keep your legs open with such strength that could tear you limb from limb. You see your deity's slit ooze with a clear fluid, before a pink nub peeks out between the folds, then it grows into a monster of a cock; one becomes three; the central cock reminiscent of the wild horses that the hunters ride while accompanied by two writhing tendrils with skin that looks too tight for them, it's muscles bulging out from underneath it.

The tentacles slick you up vigorously, excess flowing to pool at your ass. Then they pry your entrance open so the central appendage met no resistance as it plunged into your body without preparation, making you squeal out in pain.

Once you grow accustomed to the monstrous size within you, it begins to rock back and forth, pulling your legs towards them or you'd be scraped on the rocks. It's now you realise the sigils were not for protection, but to turn your cervix into jelly as your divine god plows into your womb, using it as a fleshlight. The accompanying tentacles writhe excitedly: the upper one molests your torso, grabbing onto your chest and slicing you up while the lower one explores your ass before plunging into your second hole; churning your guts like a parasite.

You lose all sense of time, seemingly fucking for hours until you feel a large mass at the base of your cunt; about as big as the child you birthed for the chief that was built like an ox. Your god kept thrusting, pushing the orb harder and harder against your abused hole. The tendril in your ass leaves, slipping into your pussy to pry you open, allowing the orb to enter your body with a heavy plop, followed by a torrent of hot gloopy seed. When the deity pulls out of you, you feel as if all your organs are going to fall out of your pussy, unti it's thumb smears away a sigil on your stomach, cinching your cervix back to optimal tightness.

There was only one egg inside you, you already looked nine months pregnant. You can't wait to give birth.

Oooghghgh hths is incredibly well written well done

what a fucking amazing scenario ngl ngl... getting turned into nothing but a godly fucktoy, sure you're going to hang out with the rest of those sacrificed, all taking care of each other as you waddle around with your immensely heavy bellies...

[serpentface]

Two questions regarding the Wardi religion:

In addition to the bull and the lioness, what are the seven faces of god/sacrificial animals?

Given that white animals seem to be sacred, does that influence how albino humans/other sophents are treated by society?

The seven faces of God are as follows:

-the lunar, horned, or 'wild ox' face of God, which presides over the moons, and the fertility of the land, animals, and people. In pre-imperial times, this was functionally the most central face of God (replaced by the lion face/odomache). The most ideal sacrifice is a wild ox (especially white or albino) that has never been bred. -the ‘ox’ face of God, presides over agriculture and labor, as well as the domestic sphere. The most ideal sacrifice is a healthy plow oxen or khait who has never been yoked or bred (if the sacrifice is towards Ox-Face as the domestic sphere, this should be a heifer). -the lion face of God, presides over sovereignty, statehood, military might, and is most associated with the health and continuing existence of the imperial entity. The most ideal sacrifice is a maned lioness (functionally white, though this is a trait of the captive population). -the ocean or skimmer face of God, presides over the seas, winds, as well as fortune and mercantilism. The ideal sacrifice is the skimmer gull or an albatross, especially one taken from one of the sacred rocks in the 'mouth' of the Viper sea. -the serpent face of God, presides over the cosmos and divine Mysteries, associated with funerary rites and death. Also has a wildly disparate association with royalty (which is derived from entirely separate traditions and has not yet fully been reconciled into the faith). The ideal sacrifice is a two headed or melanistic snake, especially a venomous one (both would be MOST ideal, but this is rare beyond any practicality) -The solar face of God, presides over the sun, stars, and fire, also heavily associated with khait and mounted warriors. (this is a VERY direct import from the chief solar god in the Burri pantheon (who rides and/or is a khait with the sun between its horns), hence the seemingly random khait association). The ideal sacrifice is a healthy riding khait (especially with a white spotted coat), or alternatively a golden eagle. -The river face of God, presides over fresh water, seasonal flooding, and the rains. The ideal sacrifice is the migratory reed duck (which arrives at the onset of the wet season) or a freshwater hesperornis (ideally taken from one of the sacred waters). An-Nechoi are also occasionally given.

Though the core religion is monotheistic, each face of God is functionally a syncretic fusion of older ethnic Wardi beliefs, the Burri pantheon, and other regionally native traditions, which have not all been fully reconciled (the process of fusion is more or less still ongoing). Each face in of itself has dozens or more epithets with distinct features. For example, the river face has a specific epithet for each major riverway, each venerated as a distinct aspect of the Godhead. Functionally, common practice of the Wardi faith is pretty indistinguishable from polytheism, and most of the religious authority does not care as long as required orthopraxy is maintained (the central dogma of the religion does not care How you believe, but that the correct practices are enacted).

Also for reference, these are the specific animals taken on the pilgrimage in the story (transporting seven rare animals cross country can be fraught, so each had at least a few backups):

A pure white aurochs calf, found naturally born in a wild herd.

A massive, unbred and unyoked bull draft khait (dies en route, replaced by a less physically impressive backup with the same qualities)

A lioness with a full mane, from the white captive stock

A skimmer gull taken from a nest on the sacred rock in the waters of Od-Koto.

A baby two headed cobra (which dies en-route and is replaced with its backup, a melanistic viper)

A beautiful speckled riding khait mare whose horns form a near perfect circle (which is stolen en-route and replaced with its sister)

A rare wild hesperornis (haven't come up with an in-universe name yet) taken from the reeds of the Brilla river delta.

Anyway the sacrifices listed above are considered the absolute IDEALS when working with a specific face, but a great variety of animals will be sacrificed to various ends. There’s some very specific cultural/religious components to which animals are most valued, but in practice the value of a sacrifice is pretty close to 1:1 with the animal’s monetary value, at an intersection of utility and rarity.

So a young, healthy bull plow oxen who has never been bred or yoked is a more valued sacrifice than an old, experienced plow ox who has already sired offspring. You are giving up an extremely valuable animal and all its unused potential in a very practical sense, which makes the sacrifice more potent and valued. The 'virginal' status of the animal is key when the rite is SPECIFICALLY related to fertility, in the sense that the animal itself is sacrificing its unused fertility, allowing for the sacrifice-rebirth cycle to perpetuate. (Animals which Have been bred may be preferred in certain cases and rituals).

An animal with a rare coloration is usually going to be more valuable than one with more common genetics. This is the core root of why albino animals are of high value. It's less that white animals themselves are valued, just that rare genetics such as albinism = valuable sacrifice.

There are some specific exceptions where the color itself is significant (rather than just an extension of its rarity). God is specifically supposed to have taken the form of a white aurochs (itself emerged from the foam of the sea) during creation, so white oxen and wild oxen SPECIFICALLY have especially high value. Melanism or black scales are valued to the serpent face of God, which is associated with the cosmos and void behind the stars. (this stems from much, MUCH older beliefs in a cosmic serpent god in the region).

Animal sacrifice is a very significant part of the religious framework and involved in most rituals and prayers intended to affect significant change and transformation. (This is due in part to a deeply ingrained belief in the world being perpetually sustained in a cycle of sacrifice and rebirth, and in God Itself being the physical mechanism of rebirth and requiring sacrifice to be sustained). While blood itself is seen as potent, the nature of sacrifice isn't just 'spill blood and make thing happen', it's got a self contained value system and is very calculated and intentional in nature. You aren’t going to just grab a random rat and bleed it and pray, there needs to be a perceived ‘loss’. Sacrifice via killing is also not the only form, the most common day to day sacrifice is in (very minor) bloodletting and offerings of food and drink- the key is allowing a personal loss to sustain a greater cycle.

That being said, there is a HUGE trade system built up around the breeding and selling of animals solely for sacrifice. The industry revolves mostly around birds (doves are the cheapest, but also poultry, waterfowl, some birds of prey, a few select songbirds and ornamental birds), goats, sheep, and horses (the small, premodern kind). Cattle and camelids are a higher tier, and khait are among the highest of common sacrifices due to their great value.

Other animals that have no direct utility but are sacred are also bred or captured for sacrifice (hesperornis, lacetor, gulls and albatrosses, several kinds of snake, a bunch of wild ungulates, nechoi, etc). Some '''‘exotic’''' animals are imported specifically for this purpose, mostly as a means of displaying the wealth and reach of the state, with their sacrificial value rooted in the difficulty of acquisition. Animals taken from sacred sites are also prime candidates (ie cattle bred and grazed on the foothills of the Sons of Creation are VERY valuable).

---

So all that being said the importance of albino animals has come off a little overstated on my part, and doesn't have any particular impact on how albinism in people is regarded. It’s valued mainly for its rarity in the context of animal sacrifice, which would not have direct translations to how it’s perceived in people.

Albinism in people doesn’t have a super well defined significance in broader Imperial Wardi culture, but perspectives mostly skew negative and towards seeing it as a sign of ill fortune (physical differences in people tend to be seen as a result of being cursed in the womb). Imperial Wardin is culturally diverse (united mostly by a identity based in shared religion), so exact nuances would vary and this statement should not be taken as a universal.

Imperial Wardi population is mostly human (with its citizen population being MAYBE 5% elowey, 2% qilik, and a decimal point of caelin). Overall sentiment towards other sophonts by the human majority is not outright hostile, but is human-centric and tinged with xenophobia (as most qilik and elowey in the region are immigrants, with the only elowey ethnic group historically inhabiting the region (the Jazait) being regarded as 'heathens'). Albino elowey or qilik might be similarly seen as products of a curse, or may be given a 'wow how beautiful' treatment (in a heavily patronizing capacity) and seen as a curiosity, or otherwise just subject to varying perspectives on albinism in the region.

The one other thing I have established in this vein is that the semi-mythological hero Janise (sworn brother of other semi-mythological founder hero Erub) is said to have been albino. While he is positively regarded, he is supposed to have died young of a snakebite (assumed to be the product of a curse from his enemies) and this would not improve perceptions of albinism being related to ill fortune.

[orange-s-mario]

Bomberman Mounts & Charaboms

(the creatures are riding the mounts) (Super Bomberman 2)

Louies (Bomberman '94)

Motobomber (Bomberman GB)

Louies (Super Bomberman 3)

Mounts (Virtual Bomber); From Left to Right: Launcher Armor, Deebo, Rick, Nyanjirou, Lock-On Armor

Super Bomberman 4 Mounts Organics (Trikeradops, Angora, Swim, Haguhagu, Crazy Balloon, Bobo) Mechanical (Ponpon, Dogun Jr, Daruman, Pakkunga, Bomb Tank, Gamefry, Dancing Clown)

Tirras + Bonus Kepo & Dr. Ein (Saturn Bomberman)

Motobomber Mk. 1-4 (Bomberman GB 3)

Super Bomberman 5 Louies (Top to Bottom, then left to right): Kerooi, Gyarooi, Hanerooi, Magicarooi, Marooi, Nagurooi, Warooi

Neo Bomberman Mounts: Organic: Dachon, Torisan, Ombu, Tamagon, Baketama Mechanical: Dokyuun, Gaikottsu, Charge, Nucha, Ridge-Razor

White Horse (Saturn Bomberman Fight)

Bomberman World Mounts (Teebo, Launcher Armor, Rick, Nyanjirou, Rick, Lock-On Armor)

Bomber Dragon & Bomber Cerebus (Bomberman Wars)

Louie (Bomberman Hero)

Bomberman Fantasy Race Louies & Tirras: Louies (Green Louie, Hopping Louie, Tri-Louie, Soaring Louie, Hyper Louie, Black Louie) Tirras (Tirra, Brave Tirra, Flying Tirra, Mighty Tirra, Super Tirra, King Tirra)

Bomberman Party Edition Mounts (Louies, Pytera, Simeon, Drakko, Kai-Man, Dox)

Pommy (Bomberman 64: The Second Attack)

Bomberman Max Charaboms (Left to Right, Top to Bottom, Image per Image): Draco, Kai-Man, Pommy, Elephan, Seadran, Marine-Eel, Knuckle Pommy, Panther Fang, Twin Dragon, Sea Balloon, Animal Pommy, Big Ox, Pteradon, Sharkun, Hammer Pommy, Unicornos, Iron Dragon, Iron Squid, Beast Pommy, Mecha Kong, Aqua Dragon, Pommy Dragon, Thunder Kong, Thunder Shark, Rock Snakey, Fire Force, Shardra, Ox Battra, Heat Rock, Oct Kong)

Bomberman Tournament Charaboms (Top to Bottom Left to Right, Image per Image): Pommy, Seadran, Elephan, Sharkun, Kai-Man, Twin Dragon, Knuckle Pommy, ToughGuy, Beast Pommy, Pteradon, Draco, Unicornos, Sea Balloon, Animal Pommy, Marine-Eel, Youni, Pommy Fangs, Pommy Sea, Pommy Dragon, Seawing, Maringon, Fire Kong, Thunder Liger, Elekong, Kameking)

Bomberman Max 2 Charaboms (2d Art, Left to Right): Draco (+ Max), Pommy (+ Bomberman), Draco, Elephan, Twin Dragon, Youni, Sharkun, Big Ox

Bomberman Max 2 Charaboms (Sprites, Left to Right): Draco, Seadran, Twin Dragon, Pteradon, Stegodon, Sea Balloon, Sharkun, Kai-Man, Seapony, Anglar, Pommy, Pommy Claw, Animal Pommy, Pommy Hen, Beast Pommy, Elephan, Rhinon, Youni, ToughGuy, Big Ox, Shargon, Pommy Dragon, Pommy Fangs, Sparkun, Rhinaus, Elephandon, Kameking, Thunder Liger, FlyShark, Elemouse

Bomberman Generation Charaboms (Top to Bottom, Left to Right): Stegodon, Draco, Pteradon, Anglar, Marine-Eel, Kai-Man, Beast Pommy, Nox/Pokes, Pommy, Ligon, Unicornos, Big Ox, Angol, Pommy Dragon, Pomyugar, Lai-Eel, Fire Horn)

Bomberman Jetters: Legend of Bomberman Charaboms: (Elifphu, Elipha, Eliphan, Big Elephan, Pan, Panther, Panther Fang, Rapid Panther, Eel, Sheel, Marine-Eel, Dra, Drac, Draco, Dracon, Great Eel, Budu, Ptera, Pteradon, Pteragudon, Popo, Poke, Nox/Pokes, Elks, Pommy, Fly Pommy, Wind Pommy, Angel Pommy, Kai-Man, Songuru-Man, Twinkai-Man, Torpedo-Man)

Bomberman Jetters (Game) Charaboms (Manual Artwork): Sharkun, Nox, Pommy, Pommy, Dragon, Seadran, & Draco (+ evos)

Bomberman Jetters (Game) Charaboms (sprites): Sharkun, Sparkun, Kai-Man, Pommy, Nox, Pommy Dragon, Seadran, Draco, Elephan, ToughGuy, & Unicornos (+ Evos)

[vee-crytraps]

Kiss Me More | Ch 4-5 | {Ornament}

AN: Last part!

{Trigger warning/Themes Masterlist} First | Previous | Next | 

“Fuck,” You pull away, reaching towards your ears. The once cold sting of the gold bracelet on your wrist was also absent. “You know what? Well played. I can’t even be mad.” “Welcome to the club.” Bruce chuckles, pulling you into your dance once more. "I'll have them replaced." During the silence that follows, you manage something else to say. “I think it’s cool,” You blurt out. Bruce simply raises an eyebrow at you, and you quickly backpedal. “No! No, not the…Selina stuff. Though you have to admit-" Bruce cuts you off with your name. “I mean the rail. And making the busses run for free was a complete stroke of genius. Everyone who really needs it can get a reliable ride to work, and all the uptown types who are terrified of poor people pay to take the nice new rail, which funds the busses-“ “I can do a little bit without the mask,” Bruce interjects, mirth in his voice.

It’s fucking genuine, and it makes you smile. “I’m proud of you, you know.” He continues, though he looks a little uncomfortable saying it. “I’ve always been proud. I know we don’t spend much time together, but-" “I understand,” you say, strictly out of politeness. It’s true and it’s not. You don’t want him to be too busy for you, and you don’t love being excluded from the ‘family business’. You just want time with him, the man your mother admired so much that she trusted you with him even knowing about the cape and cowl. “Just like…thanks. For taking me in and stuff. I know we've been having a lot of disagreements lately, and you have a lot going on, but I appreciate you looking after me-” “You’re my daughter.” Bruce says, with no hesitation. “You don’t need to give me some big speech. I don’t know what in the world compelled your mother to trust you with me, but I’m glad that she did.” “Well, she was hardly ever in her right mind,” you joke, and it makes Bruce crack a smile. “Everyone thought the whole funeral-of-the-century thing was totally nuts.” “Everyone who didn’t know her like we did,” Bruce assures you. “I think she was onto something. It was…a good last memory. “ There was a question you had that hung in the air. Once that you’d never had the courage to ask. So you let it end there. You may never really know what the inside of Bruce's head looked like. And if you were honest, you didn't really need to know. At the end of the day, you were content with what you had-the promise of a dead woman who loved you, and her reclusive billionaire best friend.

“Chelsea Conroy left a bloodied rabbits foot in my locker today. On one hand, I can’t really blame her. I mean, really. Everyone’s gone mad ever since I rocked up to dance on the arm of Bruce Wayne. He may be kind of a serious guy, but even I'll admit that he's hot enough to drive anyone crazy. On the other hand, it wasn’t like the paw of a squirrel or a raccoon or some kind of local bird she found crushed on the side of the road. I mean, it was a nice rabbit. White fur and everything. Jesus, I hope she didn’t buy a rabbit just to pull some sort of Godfather jr. shit on me. I wouldn’t put it past her, though. I’m a girls girl, but Chelsea is a D1 hater. And apparently an animal dismember-er. I wish my parents had just sent me to public school instead. These rich kids are serial killers in the making, and if Bruce doesn’t stop hanging around with his handsome face, I can’t be sure I’ll even make it to graduation. I told Bruce to let it go. He's stubborn as an ox, but I'm worse. He offered to help me bury the poor thing afterschool. There's family cemetery behind his manor, with a small section for pets. He said we could name the rabbit posthumously, even if we don’t have the whole body. I’m going to take him up on his offer. It's so fucking weird, but also? So…thoughtful.”- 12.03.2001

[birdsquirrel]

creature concepts for a minecraft pokemon-like mod

a while ago, i made a post about how there should be a creature collecting/battling mod for minecraft that has its own, minecraft-inspired creature designs, instead of pokemon.

i think this would be good both in terms of "fitting" into the game better AND keeping out of the attention of a famously litigious game company.

it also would be a chance to give the creatures uses in the game outside of battle.

here are a dozen ideas for creatures i've had:

a dirt themed doggy - somewhat inspired by a dachshund, though bigger and more front-heavy. outside of battle, it occasionally digs up items - things like plants, seeds, saplings, bones, and rotten flesh. rarely, it can dig up ores.

a panda guy that plays instruments, a banda - i'm imagining a different variant for each vanilla panda variant. outside of battle, it plays little tidbits of song. if there are multiple bandas around, they play together :)

cherry bee - a little pink bee with cherry blossom wings and green antenna. it bone meals crops when it flys over them.

a leaf sheep. a leef - it's a sheep that looks like it's made of wood, that grows leaves instead of wool. there's a variant for each vanilla tree, found according to which biome it generates in. you can shear it for its leaves, but you might not want to - the leaves allow it to tank the first hit it receives in battle.

a kelpie but it's nice :) - a horse with a kelp mane, found on beaches and in shallow oceans. it has a few color variants - black, dark grey, light grey, white, and bluish green. you can ride it and not only will it swim, it does so at a good pace and gives you water-breathing while you're mounted on it.

flying pig - come on, you gotta have a flying pig. it's tiny and round and gives you luck.

a giant rooster named buckawk - i'm gonna be real with you, this ones mostly so people can make immature jokes about having a huge cockerel. yeah, children play this game, but this is exactly the kind of humor 12 year olds love. he gives you feather falling.

an aurochs themed around ore. an ore-ox, if you will - has variants for all the vanilla ores, possibly with built-in support for common modded ore such as osmium, aluminum, and platinum. occasionally sheds raw ores.

an electric jackalope - this one comes from when i was thinking maybe you could craft the creatures, and he would've required a lightning rod. tbh i can't think of a use for him that would NOT result in players hitting themselves with lightning, but im still enamored with the idea. maybe he can just press buttons like a copper golem :)

salmon dragon - you know how the magikarp/gyrados line was inspired by the legend of carps jumping up a huge waterfall and turning into dragons? and you know how salmon migrate upriver and undergo a strange metamorphosis to be able to do so? yeah. salmon-dragon. idk what this one would do either, the concept just rocks.

lava llama. llava - it'd look cute and the pun is solid. you can ride it over lava like a more-easily controlled strider and it gives you fire resistance.

bottle axolotl. axobottl. - yeah i know axolotl wasn't originally supposed to be pronounced like that, but consider - a little guy that you can give a potion and then he gives you that potion effect for much longer than the potion itself would've.

[goldtowhite]

nathan hong // character study

PART ONE: STATISTICS. 

basic information:

FULL NAME: nathan hong

NICKNAME(S):  nate

AGE:  26

DATE OF BIRTH: october 2nd, 1997

PLACE OF BIRTH: los angeles, ca

GENDER: cismale

PRONOUNS: he/him

ORIENTATION: bisexual

LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: english, korean

NEIGHBOURHOOD: downtown los angeles

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: downtown lofts, he lives alone

family ties:

MOTHER: hong jiyoo

FATHER: hong seungmin

SIBLINGS: none

SPOUSE / PARTNER: none

CHILDREN: none

PETS: a cat named mandu

occupational information:

OCCUPATION: social media manager at sonic magazine

physical appearance:

FACE CLAIM: kim mingyu

HAIR COLOR: black

EYE COLOR: brown

HEIGHT: 6'2"

BUILD: very athletic, very muscular

TATTOOS: none

PIERCINGS: ears

CLOTHING STYLE: streetwear when casual, nice business attire when working

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: his teeth have a sort of fangs vibe to them that make his smile really endearing

personality:

MBTI: ENFJ

ELEMENT: air

WESTERN ZODIAC: libra

CHINESE ZODIAC: ox

POSITIVE TRAITS: adaptable, amiable, courteous

NEGATIVE TRAITS: airy, enigmatic, indulgent

HOBBIES: going to the gym, running, bike riding, surfing, cooking, sketching

wanted connections:

CONNECTION TYPE: an ex: one where nate was definitely in the wrong. he's not very communicative with feelings, not in a malicious way, just in a clueless way. nate definitely like... assumed things were casual and it was not for the other muse and he just kind of kept doing his own thing and they broke up with some pretty bad blood.

CONNECTION TYPE: pleaseeeeeeee gimme a partner in crime and i need it to be like... they are yes men to each other. like they lowkey kind of enable each other for the worse sometimes.

PART TWO: QUESTIONNAIRE. 

this part of the questionnaire is intended to be filled out in character just like your muse is being interviewed by someone at sonic magazine for example. feel free to add as much or as little detail as you like. if you find there is a question that doesn’t apply to your muse for whatever reason within your category feel free to omit the question or come up with your own that you think is relevant. this section is designed to replace a character bio, but you can still add extra information to your intro as you wish. 

IF YOUR MUSE IS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY (NON MUSICIAN):

why don’t you start at the beginning and tell us who you are? nathan hong, first generation korean american. my parents moved here from korea about a decade before i was born to open a restaurant and start a new life. i worked there as soon as i legally could officially, unofficially i always helped. it's how i learned how to cook and all that, and i grew up speaking both korean and english, so i feel a pretty strong connection to both parts of me. the restaurant isn't something i plan to inherit in a meaningful way but i'll always keep it in the family.

what is your place in this massive industry? i went into being a social media manager simply because i feel really comfortable with social media. i've always run the socials for the family business and i found it pretty easy to get into doing that for other fields.

life in los angeles can be pretty intense, do you love it or hate it? i love it, but it's all i've ever known. when we visit seoul, i feel just as at home there. i'm not sure i'm the type who could ever give up city life, i think i'd get too bored. i'm not much of a homebody really.

what inspires you to show up for the musicians you work for or collaborate with? i just like knowing i can contribute to the industry in any way, and being bilingual i can also help out when we have artists who might not be fluent in english coming from korea to work with us. i guess i'm a bit of an unofficial translator as well, i wouldn't say my job keeps me so busy that i can't help elsewhere.

what are some of your favourite genres of music? i'm a hoe for top 40 pop forever, i also love a lot of korean music. i like pop punk, rock, really anything. country's never really done it for me but there are some exceptions.

what is the first record you ever bought? for myself? seo taji and boys self titled debut. it came out a few years before i was born but the first trip to korea i can remember, i found it in a thrift store and spent my pocket money on it.

what’s next for you? i feel pretty good about where i'm at right now, but i've been thinking about expanding my comfort in running social media accounts, like maybe taking on individual clients, or reaching out to gyms or other restaurants. my parents say i'm not ambitious enough but i think i'm chilling.

[dumbfinntales]

After a few days a DD2: It's awesome, but it's also showing some cracks that concern me.

Overall exploration is really fun and the game nails the feeling of an adventure and a long journey, especially since I'm stingy with using ferrystones. I have like 10 in my inventory, all got from exploring and buying from traveling NPC's. The combat is great just like in the first game, and a lot of silly stuff can happen like a griffin ambushing you while you ride an ox cart or an ogre dropkicks you off a ledge. Some sidequests are also very interesting. Mystic spearhand also fucking rocks, although I miss Mystic Knight.

The bad so far? Enemy spawn rate is frequent and annoying, especially when you try to follow a pawn. The main quest is really boring and uninteresting. Literally the only interesting quest was when I had to go sleuthing around in a hidden village. Sidequests are much more fun. Enemy variety sadly also seems lacking. The only new enemy I've encountered is a slime and recolored variations. Also where the fuck is Grigori? He's even MORE absent in this game than in the previous one.

I'd say so far my experience is more positive than negative.

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Episode 61

Nord VPN Again? Oh boy ... Sam once again trying to get a French accent to work ... MacBooks? Oh yeah ... XD ... actually that's fucking hilarious ... everybody rlse is dying at the poetic irony and I'm with them ... wait, was that a Holy Grail joke, Matt? And ... "Matt ... Mac to you." ROFL

Yup, I loved firs ep of Candela Obscura ... more to come end of month? Nice. Looking forward to it.

"The three moods of Matt" ... snort ...

Awwwww ... Travis wishing the others good luck before the titles ... that's so sweet ... :3

Oh ... the tension, the tension! Here we go ... so nervous ...

Already set up and ready to go ... ROLL FOR INITIATIVE!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

OF COURSE Orym is first out the gate ... this wee man and his ridiculous MIN-MAXED stats ... ACTION SURGE GO!!! Yeah ... wait ... TUG O WAR? How ... oh SWEET ROLL Liam! Kick that ass! And the Fancy Boots! Nice ...

Ashton going full Rainbow Dash ... scary and adorable both ... 23 to hit? Wow ... throwing knife ... 9 damage! First blood!

Indomitable? Oooooooh ... oh ... hmmm ... ouch ... wait, PARALYSED?!!! Gah!

Rage! Yes! Deni$e power in! Do it, girl! And she STILL can't hit? Hmmm ... hold action? Yes! Do that!

Form of Dread! Yeah, Laudna! I love that shit ... unhinged Jaws ... AH YEAH!!! HELLO BEES AGAIN!!! XD Damn right that guy starts screaming! Poisoned AND he falls down the stairs? Sweet ...

WHOA!!! Earth Elemental? Awesome! Oh and ... wow, AND it's being supercharged by the Solstice too! Crazy! BOOM!!! Trash that door! Yeah!

Yes! The way is open! GOOOOOOOO!!!

Fuck, this thing is doing unhinged amounts of wreckage all on its own ...

Prism! Oh yeah, this should be impressive in a scary way like always ... a SIMPLE Chromatic Orb? REALLY?!!! XD ... 23! Wow ... and now tome for MATH ... 25 Force Damage! Broken concentration ... YES!!! Our boys are FREE again!

Dinios hating being called "Daddy" ... XD ... especially a LEATHER Daddy ...

Gah! The soldiers! Hmmm ... how long before they start shitting themselves? Oh, and they're already freaking out, at least ...

NO!!! Not the nerdy girl! Back off, you asshat!

Ouch ... Orym takes a hit ... oh, Silvery Barbs! Nice one, Laudna!

Emily: "Damn, how many guards ARE THERE?"

The vial of blood? Hmmm ...

Bor'Dor's turn ... "I don't wanna ride an ox!" XD Wait ... he's seriously gonna climb onto the Elemental? Yeah ... that didn't work at all ... he has no more movement, so he just turns to the townsfolk and shouts: "STORM THE GATE!!!" instead ...

No! Not the Judicator! Aaaaaaaah!

GO OFF DENI$E!!! Nice! Way to Crit, Aimee! Second hit ... 18! Wait ... that DOESN'T HIT?!!! Seriously? Fucking magic ...

Oh fuck, and now it's gonna hit right back ... Ow! Fuck! Bonus action ... SMITE?!!! AHHHH!!! Oh fuck ... NICE SAVE, Aimee ... and then OW AGAIN!!! And the hits keep coming ... Condemnation? WHAT?!!! Fucking uppercut ... oh fuck that was AWFUL ... and now she's PARALYSED?!!! Fuck ...

Angry mob! Crowd crush! Do something, civilians! Wow, they really were largely useless ...

Yes, Orym can salvage this debacle! And the freakishly agile halfling is an acrobatic BADASS!!! Hit! Yes! POW! And his wisdom beats hers so NICE!!! And he gets to reroll that missed attack? Nice ... oh, and Orym is just OWNING this fight! Beautiful ...

Ashton powers through and uses the Elemental as a springboard ... 20! Yeah! Batter the soldier? Yeah, do it! Boom! Oh yeah ... FUCK!!! Fill Gallagher on the guard! Ouch ... znd now they have some murder blood! Nice! Znd now he just keeps on swinging ... "You are SO FUCKED!!!" Oh yeah, Taliesin is just throwing fucking ROCKS tonight!

What us she doing? Oh shit ... scary manifestation ... a Guardian of Faith? AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! Freaky glowing giant spectral guard! Ah!

Still frozen, Deni$e just curses them all out ...

Okay then ... is it Laudna to the rescue, then? Come on Marisha, do something awesome ... dos Eldritch Blasts at the Judicator! And ... well, at least the first one hits. Nuts ...

So ... Abbadina to the rescue then? Casts Blight in Kiro ... well OKAY!!! Yeah girl! Oh fuck, yeah ... that REALLY sounds PAINFUL!!!

Holt fuck ... Guardian versus Elemental! Boom! Utkarsh: "Let them fight!"

"Stand near for protection"? Hmmm ...

Wait ... "enlarge" Mother and have her carryDeni$e into the sky? Really? Matt: "You could TRY." Oh boy ... and so instead Emily has an even MADDER plan ... oh, this is gonna be fantastic or gods-awful ...

Shit roll for the first half ... oy ... and yet STILL 23 damage? Not bad, then ... and WOW that does some fucking DAMAGE ... but not on the Guardian ...

The pillars are protective? Oh ... is THAT what the Elemental meant?

The laxatives are kicking in! Yes! Nice! Shit yourselves into incapacity! Their armour is FILLED!!! Cue some truly vile and thoroughly hilarious diarrhoea humour ... XD

So they're poopy but still trying to attack? Hmmm ...but they're all poisoned do it's just PATHETIC ... wow, and they are just rolling shite (pun entirely intended).

Bor'Dor's turn again ... here we go at last, then? Let our boy kick some arse ... and so he's gonna try and STAB HER IN THE NECK and shoot her in the back WITH THE CFOSSBOW at the same time ... Luck? NAT 20!!! NICE!!! He crits so he gets to DOUBLE the damage ... fuck ... nice one, and Kiro us now FUCKED UP!!! And ANOTHER 20?!!! Holy shit ...and he gets the HDYWTDT!!! Beautiful! Oh yeah, she is SO dead ...

Prism: "You should have said - Dawnfather? More like GONE-Father."

Silvery Barbs TURNS THE HIT INTO A MISS!!! YES!!! Nice one, Laudna!

NOOOOOOO!!! Leave the Dead Girl alone! Oh thank fuck ...

And now Deni$e can move again ...

Oh crap ... and the mob are just running headlong into a slaughter ... oof ... Bor'Dor is horrified and i don't blame him.

Oh boy, when the whole table starts leaning in YOU KNOW it's getting heavy ...

Orym pulls Bait & Switch on Prism and protects her ... wow, and she just FALLS IN LOVE on the spot, clearly ... :3

Throat slash? Yeah, go for it ... botched roll? Crap ... and the second misses too ... yeah, she's Raging but she's still rattled ... oh, the whip? Okay ... 21 hits! Finally! Wait ... on, so she DID hit both times? Holy fuck ... love Ashton's sweet Dunamantic powers ... and that guy is DONE!!! Yesssssss ...

Wait ... is Laudna LOSING IT? Delilah? Oh fuck no ... whoa ... a Hound of Ill Omen? HOLY SHIT ... and that is TERRIFYING ... and BANE!!! Yessssss! Go off, girl! Cue Dark Knight Bane impressions around the table ... XD

The night mare Hound is gonna SHRED that Judicator 13 piercing damage! Yes! Fuck him up!

Mirror Image? Oh NICE SAVE Marisha!

Abbadina wants them ALIVE? Marisha: "Perhaps she should have clarified that before."

She tries to trash the Judicator ... damn, not quite ...

Elemental attacks the guard ... Nat20? Oh yeah he just gets PASTED ... ouch ... and now unconscious, he shits himself ... yup ...

And then the Elemental bitchslaps the Judicator ... Nice!

Oh shit, what's THIS?!!! Is that a fucking ANGEL?!!! Seriously, Matt? And it attacks Ashton AND Prism ... BOTH hit? NOOOOO!!!

Fuck that's a lot of Radiant damage ...

Fiery Castigation? What the FUCK?!!!

Orym is restrained AND taking Radiant damage? Fuck ...

Oh gods yes ... SUMMON THE DEMON!!! DO IT NOW!!!

Summon Greater Demon ... and she does it so it DROPS ON THE ANGEL ... holy shit ... AND Matt has the correct miniature too ...

Oh yeah, ten foot drop onto the angel and it's punching all the way ... this is gonna be hilarious and HORRIBLE and I'm all the way here for it ...

The demon has Initiative ... AND it's up next! Wow ... irony ...

Reckless Attack! Yeah! Big hit on the first, but the rest miss ... hmmm ... less spectacular than expected ...

Soldier attempts to intervene, sees what's happening, shits himself ON THE SPOT znc just HIDES. And then thd rest very much follow hid example ... oh yeah, they bolting ...

Bor'Dor casts Lightning Bolt on the Judicator. "You hurt my friend!" POW!!! Only half damage, but ... 7? Eh ... so unfair ...

He backs off. Smart move. Boy is FREAKED ...

Hound mauls the Judicator! It fudges the attack on Ashton at least, with an assist from Prism ...

NOW we're checking on how messed up we all are? Really?

The mob returns, cutting off retreat ... Best not do anything more, folks!

Second Wind! Nice ... Orym gets dome hit points back ... Seedling! Miss, miss ... HIT!!! Yes ... Goading Attack! Nice ...

Ashton charges the Judicator ... 30? Oh that DEFINITELY hits ... it's looking fucked up, at least it's STARTING to work ...

Deni$e flanks the Judicator for advantage ... sneak attacks? Nice ... 16 damage on the first ... 14 on the second ... and then she disengages ... smart ...

Eldritch Blasting the Judicator ... one hit ... 10 damage ... hmmm ... then she sets the Hound on it again ... NAT20?!!! SWEET!!!

Abbadina realising she's out of her depth ... wait, MASS CURE WOUNDS?!!! Holy shit! Unfortunately Deni$e is out of range ... bugger ...

Elemental blows its attacks on the Judicator ... crap ...

The Angel casts some freaky beam spell znd Matt rolls a SHITLOAD of dice ... Taliesin: "Oh, that is NOT a good sound!" Fuck! Abbadina takes a hit ... and now the Elemental is OUT OF CONTROL!!! Crap!

Like any good wizard, Prism I'd going to go big rather than go home ... the book turns into THE GLAIVE FROM KRULL!!! That is SO fucking sweet! Both the Angel AND the Judicator take serious hits. NICE!!!

Bloody hell, Emily is folling MAD nice right now ...

Yup, Demon is FUCKING THAT ANGEL UP!!!

Last soldier tries go shoot Prism but he is a MESS ... thank the gods for disadvantage right now ...

Bor'Dor using the pillars to enhance his abilities ... hmmmm ... "Fuck it, just GO!!!" Oh yeah, this is gonna be AWESOME, I just know it ... Lightning Bolt at 4th Level on the Angel ... NINE D6? Bloody hell ... 25 damage! Fuck ...

The Judicator attacks Ashton ... Dreadful Misfortune? Oh, that sounds NASTY ... bollocks ... it tries to attack ITSELF and MISSES!!! FUCK!!!

FOUR Attacks of Opportunity? TWO of them get the HDYWTDT on the Judicator ... oh thank FUCK, finally ... so the Hound and the Demon TRASH the fucker, and then they FISTBUMP!!! Awesome ... and then thd Hound dissipates ... awww ... znd now the Demon is CRYING over that bromantic bonding moment ...

Wait ... A MID COMBAT BREAK?!!! Are you KIDDING ME?!!!

Back into it, then...

Orym is OVERWHELMED ... so he just runs to the Demon and CLIMBS ONTO ITS BACK!!! Bloody hell, you mad Little Man ...

Ashton is TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH the Elemental ... oh boy ... and it grabs him ... and YEETS HIM AT THE ANGEL!!! VALIDATION!!! YES!!!

Taliesin was gonna go Reckless anyway so he does BOTH attacks ... and he rolls a CRITICAL HIT!!! Oh shit ... a BRUTAL Critical! Holy fuck ...

THIRTY POINTS OF DAMAGE!!! He fucking SMASHES those sings on the ascent! AND 26 TO HIT ON THE WAY BACK DOWN!!! Bloody hell ...

Fifty feet to the ground? Ouch ... yeah, Ashton just FACEPLANTS ... fucking hell ... he's conscious, but prone, and A MESS ...

Deni$e us now ON THE DEMON along with Orym ... wow ... and now they're BOTH holding their actions.

What the hell is Laudna doing ... oh THAT is NICE!!! I like that. And then she fireballs the ceiling above it? Okay ...

It's the Elemental's turn? Oh boy ... it's climbing the pillar! Okay, then ...

Counterspell! Nice save AGAIN Laudna! That was almost AWFUL ...

Prism giving the Demon a cute little pep talk is SENDING me ... and then she NAT1's the Chromatic Orb ... oof ...

Up the Demon goes ... all right, here we go ... ATTACK!!! YES!!! Fuck him up!

Orym hits on the first but misses the second ... Deni$e gets her first hit in ... BEAUTIFUL!!! Yeah ... here we go ... 25 damage ... one more attack ... misses! Argh ...

Demon is now trying to GRAPPLE the Angel! Roll good, Em! YES!!! THAT'S IT!!! And the Angel is DOWN!!! Sweet!

And now we're all singing SOAD's Chop Suey ... I'm living my best life tonight, I really am ...

Okay, so what is Bor'Dor gonna do THIS time? Oh my gods ... he marches up to the Angel, grabs its head and casts Inflict Wounds at 5th Level! Bloody hell ... dice maths ... 36 points of Necrotic damage and he gets the HDYWTDT!!! Oh my gods!

He kisses its forehead, whispers: "Enough." and KILLS IT. Badass, totally ...

So that's that ... okay ... and thd second Judicator just WALKS AWAY?!!! Holy fuck ... and then the Elemental just crushes the Demon into a little sphere! Nice and clean ...

Orym has a look at the dead Judicator's face under the mask ... or not. That is NOT coming off, clearly ...

Laudna trying to stare Abbadina down in her fading Form of Dread and she's just totally unfazed ...

Yup, as reckonings go this is actually pretty chill ...

Is there ANYTHING left to loot? Lots of coffers with a shitload of coin ...

Oh, the Angel's sword? Okay ... in the Hole with that then ...

Way to bring down the house, Abbadina. Nice little victory.

Ashton stops Prism short of starting to toss money out of the Hole to the people around them. Yeah, that's about right.

Orym is having something of a crisis right now, it seems ...

Okay ... so ... I'd this gonna turn ugly now? Oh no, they're just leaving. Thank fuck for that ... and yeah, this kid CLEARLY needs a good talking to.

Yes, come on, GET WITH THE HEALING already. Thank fuck ...

Ah, NOW it's a party. That's more like it.

Wow ... Bor'Dor's having MASSIVE PTSD from killing the Angel now ... yeah, reckon that WAS a bit much for him.

So they're giving the cash away, then? Yup. That's probably the right move. And Abbadina's totally making a big show of this too. Well, this is a pretty magnanimous gesture from our crew ...

Oh yeah, this old girl is TIRED.

Doesn't Orym ALWAYS look UP to Laudna? XD

Laudna really is just GOING THROUGH IT right now, and Orym gets it. Damn it guys, you're gonna make me cry if you keep this up ...

I love these two so much, I really do ...

Utkarsh: "Make a perception check ... SURE, I've got jerky." XD

So, what ... is this the start of some full-blown UPRISING?!!! Against Vasselheim? :/

Orym: "I don't know an Eidolon from eyeliner." Prism: "Oh, well I could show you how to do that, I think you'd look really fantastic in it."

Wait ... is Deni$e FLIRTING with Abbadina now? Ah ... no, she just doesn't want her disappearing on them. So she tucks her into her bed so much she turns the Goliath into a burrito ... XD

Ashton: "That was literally my worst nightmare." Laudna: "What? Pick a part of the evening. Yhe shi tin armour?" Ashton: "Weirdly, that wasn't my first shit in armour."

Bor'Dor goes looking for Orym, she's hiding in a tree. Utkarsh rolls BALLS. "Okay ... I THINK about going to look for Orym."

Does Orym believe in the gods? Of course he does, because they exist. He just doesn't CARE about them. He only cares about his family, and his friends.

Oh yeah, Bor'Dor is having a full on existential crisis over this whole situation ...

Go wash your hands, damn it! No pinkeye!

Old Magic. Old ANTI-Magic.

So it's basically some kind of religious land grab? That is fucked up ...

Ooh! Breakfast! Goody ...

Oh, does Abbadina maybe know something about Ashton's ... condition? No. Seems not. Hmmm ... the Spirits? What the hell's THAT all about ...

Marisha: "Marisha AND Laudna both chuckle at that."

Okay, getting to the Scrying! Here we go ...

Yeah, STRAIGHT to check on the rest of the Hells ... snow? Hmmm ... oh, is that Deanna? Okay, here we go, then ... and FRIDA ... znd there we go! There they are. Chetney, Imogen, Fearne, FCG ... everybody's alive ... but then we already KNEW that ... XD

And now they know they're on SEPARATE CONTINENTS right now ...

She knows who could help? Okay then ... Hevestro? An ARCH druid ... hmmm ...

Abbadina: "If you could somehow make everyone in Vasselheim shit their britches, there is no amount of gold we could offer that would make up for it." LOL

Pieces of hair? What's THAT all about?

Oh for the gods' ... is that dwarf who I think it is? Oh yeah, that is TOTALLY Dariax ... oh wow, is Deni$e PINING?!!! Wait ... oh my fucking ... DORIAN!!! Hey! OM-fucking-G!!!

Bor'Dor doesn't have anything of his brother's? Awwww ... trying his dagger then ... hmmm ... oh, so this is Bor'Dor's home? Cute ... but nothing more than a snapshot, really ... it's sad, really.

I vote for the canyon. Vasselheim sounds less than really overly wise. Especially after what they just did ...

An eidolon guide? Ooh, bonus! A cougar? Awesome! Cue jokes about sexually predatory older women. XD

Heading out into the day, then. And that's that. All for the night. Good place to call it, definitely ...

Gods know this was an EXHAUSTING episode. I'm glad we're in a good place now.

[airevast2090-blog]

CANNIBAL OX: 'The Power Cosmiq Feat: Kenyattah Black. I Love My Team! If You Seen Us Rock...You Already Know! Come Out When We Hit Your City! G'D Up From The Feet Up! LOS ANGELES! GRAB TICKETS IN MY BIO LINK 🎟 CLUB: CATCH ONE - APRIL 21ST WE NEVER LET A MARK RIDE! #BLADEOFTHERONIN #KENYATTAHBLACK #IGCRECORDSLLC #CRIMSONGODZ #CANNIBALOX #IAMCOSMIQ #VASTAIRE #HIPHOP (at United States) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpYy8CSOi3r/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[queerworldtravelers]

Chicago, Illinois

41°58'38'' N, 87°50'12.' W

Our next leg took us through Chicago. We landed at Midway just in time to take the CTA all the way through the city at rush hour. It turns out that doesn’t matter anymore. It was us, all of our stuff, and a few folks on the CTA. Ghost town. It was a surreal experience and one that left us wondering what in the actual fuck is going on in Chicago.

Shortly after setting our bags down Krystal started to get sick. This second bout of sickness (she also had a cold at this same house in November) is proof that our Montrose Ave. hideout is the closest thing we have to home. She recovered in just enough time for a BBQ, a Chicago style hot dog, and an ambrosia salad beer.

Legend has it that the best gummy bears in the world come from just north of Indianapolis: Albanese Gummy Bears. Summer in Chicago brings lots of folks to town and lucky for us also gummy bears! Aaron is an epic BBQ master and Cliff was bringing pub burgers. In preparation for a true US portion of beef we pregamed with alcohol soaked gummy bears…because that is what one does in America. Truly a jet-lag bash!

Mary really wanted a Chicago-style hot dog so we all headed to Gene and Jude’s to shave a few years off of our cardiovascular health! Vienna beef dogs in a bun topped with onions, mustard, sport pickles, and FRIES! We snuck a bottle of ketchup in for a parking lot tailgate party as the sun set and planes took off from O’Hare. This commences a Chicago tradition of trying all of the hot dogs.

After a few days of readjusting we set out as road trip sidekicks up to St. Germain, Wisconsin for the Miller Family yearly adventure. No Wisconsin road trip is complete without some super weird detour and ours was to see the Hodag in Rhinelander. Rumored as the reincarnated spirit of log-hauling oxen, the hodag is described as a foul-smelling, fire-breathing, 200-pound, seven-foot-long, lizard-like beast covered with horns and spikes. Sort of like an ox. Sadly, the official hodag merch store locked the door when we came up, so we'll just have to go back some day to get a t-shirt.

St. Germain did not disappoint. The pine trees, lakes, beer, giant hamburgers, classic rock, and fresh air are all worthy of their own celebration. We were blessed with a sunset boat ride with a three year old captain, Nora. There is a chill in Wisconsin air that really never leaves and lately there has been smoke from wildfires. We were lucky to have a clear sky and moved fast enough to keep the mosquitoes away.

After an incredible lake-side super cozy sofa bed sleep we indulged in walleye eggs benedict before meeting up with Krystal’s mom for the next leg of our adventure.

[ridearockox]

The fact I'll probably release the NSFW John/Rog zine/fanart pack/whatever during "no nut November" is something I've been thinking about a lot lol

I mean, I don't believe in/like nnn anyway so it would be a funny way to really drive the point home XD

[violettesiren]

The trail climbs in zig-zags High above spiralling whirlpools. Swift waters break against sheer rocks. On the evening breeze comes the sound Of a boy playing his flute Riding home on the back of an ox. The last drops of rain mingle With the cloud of my horse's breath. New grass grows on the ancient ramparts. On the abandoned monuments The old inscriptions are lost in time. I am bound on a journey without end, And cannot bear the song of the cuckoo.

The Trail Up Wu Gorge by Sun Yunfeng (Translated by Kenneth Rexroth and Ling Chung)

[pointreyesjournal]

The Amnesiac : ep39

Trees of Mystery - One Month Ago

She’s right, best to turn back now so that I don’t have to spend the next two days on my motorcycle in cold, wet boots and soggy, stinky socks. I turn around and begin the delicate rock dance back down stream and out of the canyon, but by the time I reach the parking lot the strawberry blonde is long gone. Her complete disregard for dry feet means that she was able to stomp down the middle of the creek at a jogger’s pace. Like a pair of wet socks hanging on the line, my opportunity to pour on the charm in the parking lot has … evaporated.

I mount up on the Ducati and begin the hour-long backtrack along the beach and through the Jurassic forest to the highway, and then onward north until I reach the gas station in Klamath where I top up the tank with fuel. A couple of Harley riders are filling up with gas at the pump next to me and point out the Country Club Bar & Grill across the street from the gas station.

“Son, if you ain’t afraid of the occasional fist fight, that there place has the coldest beer and greasiest burgers in a hunert-miles” he tells me. “Course I’m not sure if you fellers riding them fancy Italian sissy-cycles er cut out for fist fights.”

You’d think that all motorcyclists would stick together as a tribe, but the Harley guys are a faction unto themselves. It’s clear they’re looking for trouble, but predators are always looking for prey, never another predator. So I put my hand into my pocket and pretend I’m reaching for my knife as I tell them “Well you know those Italians like a good knife fight, and I already left a blade in the ribcage of some smart-ass in Reno, so you’d better just mosey along.” It’s a fight-fire-with-fire response that’s just unhinged enough that they decide to leave me alone.

Close call.

They fire up their big obnoxious Harleys and blaze off down the highway, thankfully heading south. I notice my hand trembling a little from the adrenaline as I pull my helmet visor closed. “Plus I’m still full from the waffles” I joke to myself nervously inside the helmet. With the tank full, I pull my fancy Italian sissy-cycle onto the highway, point it northbound and disappear over the horizon at light-speed before they decide to turn around and call my bluff.

Residual adrenaline, a motorcycle, and a twisty road are the perfect bedfellows. “Fleeing from a biker gang” is also the perfect excuse to give a highway patrolman, so I speed northbound without fear of consequence. North of Klamath the highway twists and turns as it climbs into a canopy of Redwood forest. The bark of the exhaust echoes off of the great trees as I wrestle with the handlebars to drag the motorcycle from corner apex to corner apex. I’m pushing the motorcycle to the absolute limit, at speeds where the tiniest lapse in concentration could be fatal when a fifty foot tall wooden statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox appears on the horizon and nearly startles me to death. I clamp the Ducati brakes and slow the bike like a junkyard dog finding the end of his chain, decelerating just enough to swoop into the parking lot without crashing.

I shove the kickstand to the ground and rev the bike good and hard one time before shutting off engine. The sound rips through the sky, shattering the serenity of this majestic forest. The revving and posturing is all for naught. There’s only one car in the parking lot, an empty SUV. There’s a little gift shop building to my left with a sign on the roof that says “Trees of Mystery.” Clearly it’s a redwood forest tourist attraction and the gigantic lumberjack is just to attract passersby.

I’m standing marveling at the statues when I hear a faint click behind me. I turn around and standing about 15 feet behind me is the strawberry blonde with Leica camera up to her face. As I’m looking at her, she click off a second photo, and then without saying a word just turns and walks away.

She crosses the parking lot to the only car here, the little white SUV, opens the rear tailgate, crawls inside, kicks off her wet boots, and hangs her soggy, porcelain-white feet out over the rear bumper to evaporate away the wrinkles in the warm pacific sun.

I’m intrigued now more than ever. Intoxicated on a cocktail of moxie and machismo from having fended off the Harley idiots, I march right across the parking lot to the back of the SUV and grab her big toe between my thumb and finger and give it a friendly wiggle.

“Should’ve kept those feet dry.”

“Great advice.”

“Do you always take people’s picture without their permission?”

“I’m a journalist. It’s in my DNA.”

“Seems as though you and I are following the same path today.”

“There’s only one road through here amigo.”

“Yeah, but this is the third time we’ve crossed paths today. Twice is a coincidence, three times is …”

“Three times?”

“The diner this morning … you were sitting behind me.”

“Oh Jesus, that was you? Every time you shifted your weight that stupid booth was bouncing me up and down like wump wump wump!”

“Oh no, every time YOU shifted YOUR weight my seat was bouncing up and down like wump wump wump!”

We both have a good laugh, then she tosses a pair of flip-flops on the ground under the bumper and motions with her hand for me to pull her to her feet. Her toes slip into the sandals as I gently take her hand and pull her up to standing. We’re face to face now.

“I’m Autumn” she tells me.

“Hi. David.”

I have to resist the urge to shake hands, because we’re already holding hands, so I just give her fingers a little squeeze of acknowledgement and let go. The sun is warm, so I unzip my motorcycle jacket and take it off. I’m wearing a blood red t-shirt with an art-deco Ducati logo emblazoned across the chest.

“Cool shirt” she says.

“Oh thanks.”

“Ducati, they’re like the Ferrari of motorcycles, right?”

“Ahh yes, the Ferrari of motorcycles … I use that line to impress all the ladies” I joke.

“Ha! You’re so full of shit.”

“True. Girls have zero interest in what kind of motorcycle you ride”

“Only that you ride …”

“Bingo.”

I glance up at the big lumberjack statue, then look around the empty parking lot, and then back to Autumn.

“What’s newsworthy enough to bring you all the way out here?”

“I’m driving up the coast and writing a travel piece for Westways Magazine, mostly photography with some lite storytelling.”

“You’re getting paid to take my vacation.”

“It’s work!” she protests.

“Now you’re full of shit.”

“It’s a complete boondoggle” she admits while wiping tears of laughter out of her eyes. “But there is one downside, sometimes I have to visit these cheesy tourist traps all by myself” she tells me suggestively.

“Oh no! No no no no. Do I look like the kind of guy you’d find strolling through the Trees of Mystery?”

“Oh come on, what’s the worst thing that could happen? You just might make a new friend.”

[florats]

ABC DATES @sillygirlkat @barbecuebaby

A - AXE THROWING / AUGUST 1ST / APPLE PICKING / ANNE FRANKE COSPLAYING / ASS EATING B - BOWLING / BAR FIGHT / BARFING TOGETHER / BULIMIA / BUBBLE BLOWING C - COFFEE DATE / CIRUS / CAR SEX / CATAPULTING ROCKS INTO PEOPLES WINDOWS / CANDEL LIT DINNER D - DAVE & BUSTERS / DINNER / DRUNK DRIVING / DUCK CALLING / DANCING / E - EGG PAINTING / ELEPHANT RIDING / EPSTEINS ISLAND / EASTER ISLAND ADVENTURE / ELMERS GLUE STICK FUN PARTY F - FISHING / FART SMELLING / FORAGING THROUGH THE FOREST FOR MIXED BERRIES G - GOFUR HUNTING / GOKARTING / H - HELLFIRE / HIKING / HELLICOPTOR RIDE I - ICE CASTLES / ICE CREAM / ICE SKATING / ICE CICLE MURDER J - JACK O' LANTERN CARVING / JERKING IT IN THE WOODS / JELLY FISH, JELLY FISH SWIMMING K - KILLER WHALE SPOTTING / KITE / KARATE PARTY / KETAMINE / KARAOKE L - LINE DANCING / LIMO RIDE / LICKING PUBLIC DOOR HANDLE / LIMBO M - MOM / MOVIE / MITCH / MOVIE / MAGIC SHOW N - NACY DREW MUSUEM / NELLY CONCERT / NIGHT RIDE / NACHO DATE O - OFF YOUR SELVES / OPAL HUNTING / ORAL SEX / OX HUNTING P - PUSSY COMPETITION / PARIS / PAINTING DATE / PENIS TICKLE PARTY Q - QUILT MAKING / QUARTER COLLECTING / QUIZNOS / QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACKING / R - ROLLER SKATIN / RUSSELL HUNT / RADIO FREQUENCY CHANNEL SURFIN / RIBS S - SKRILLEX CONCERT / STAR GASZING / SURFING / SUSHI DATE / STRIP CLUB BLOW JOBS / SEX IN THE FUCKING SEX IN THE BEACH SEX IN THE FUCKING GOD DAMN MUHFUCKIN TRUCK IDK T - TRAMPOLINE PARK / TRAFFICKING / TRAILER PARK PARTY / TRAILER PARK PARTY / TOM AND JERRY / U - UR MOM / UPERCUTTING STRANGERS / UKULELE LESSONS ? UNCLEE SITTING V - VIKINGS GAME / VERGINERRRRR / VIOLIN LESSONS / VIDEO GAMES W - WATER BOARDING / WAGON RIDING / WATER BOARDING TERRORIST / WATER PARK PARTY / WINTER OLYMPICS X - X-RAY DATE / XYLOPHONE LESSONS / X RATED FISHING / X RATED STORE DATE / XENOPHOBIA Y - YOYO RIDE / YODELING / YELLOW SNOW MAKING AND EATING / YELLOWSTONE / YELAWULF / YAMAKA MAKING Z - ZEBRA RIDING / ZOO / ZACK EFRON STALKING / ZEBRA RIDING / ZIT POPPING / ZACH BRYAN CONCERT / ZOMBIE APOCOLYPS PREPERATION

[kahztiy]

Flash Memoir: YD6~06 Reporters Enticing SoWeTO's Black Youth To Revolt

Vitrine of Consciousness: Chapter 6

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Here is The Story

I’m lying in the double bed in the guest room, fresh decor, bogged in my life adventures, and pondering while gazing through the small pane but large window, while white skies awakening. opening across Sunnyway, a Kelvin rooftop amid suburb’s trees’ canopies, a bird’s-eye view to Jean’s house with the boys. I lazed in bed, with an ear pricked. until footsteps arouse, from afar across the upper floor far west wing, the Knowles’ pass my door, evanescent downstairs. 

In a restless jump to my feet, I slip on a shirt and pants, stepping into shoes, toward the door, to crank the door lever pull and clear the passageway. Around the corner I descend the dogleg stairway, eyesight stumble to the east wing door. Crank the lever at my pace, swing the door. I crossed the television room to the kitchen, greeted the couple, Martin in the kitchen with Jessica, and their little boy at the kitchen table. From the offside percolator, I grab the coffee jug, pour myself a cup of coffee, exchanged a few greeting words while concerned about my endeavor. I excused a table’s dished eggs, tracking back to the hallway, stepping offside in the west wing. I head toward the bright daylight to my sunken office. Approaching the window grid to the mowed grass, pose my cup on the sill, and turned around, pace to face the flank of the room gleaming plastic bundled books, as delivery by the printer. 

Uncomfortable at proceeding with my endeavor, I heave a thick, clear plastic wrapped bundle of booklets from the stacked up corner. Embraced the bundle, step away up the two elongated slate treads, shun cross the bare slated floor kink my way offside to the hallway, unlatching the door. I step across the porch to sunlight. On the brick paved driveway apron, shifted the bundle of books to my left thigh, picked the trunk lock, tweaked the key, lifting the lid to pose in the shadowy trunk. The plentiful space spare, allot my niece, Tania, her bundle. I returned inside the house to fetch another bundle of books - smack - the trunk lid closed on the booklet’s without other perspective. I head back to my office. ‘_Can’t let coffee go to waste!_’ drink the cold coffee, looped through the kitchen, now deserted. I pose the cup on the sink, and head on a journey to merit the rewards of my venture, apart from clients’ dedicated line to my desk, enlightening the route to home renovation.

At a glance at my gold-plated wristwatch’s white crystal and a golden hour marker to spare, appeasing my steps away from the trunk. I picked the lock listening to the sight of the unlocking doors, to step inside, tweak the ignition key, the six pistons’ to the engine’s heavy breath, before awaking a purr. Slew a glance exercise my body’s wringing. The porch slips upfront, to the west wing and onto the garage doors to a hold. I uncoil in my seat, to toggle gears into drive, the gateway to sight, onto easing past veering on the dirt Roseway, riding the carriage to my destiny. Accentuated at a slow pace, the dirt street intersects Fairway. the car rocks through the gutter, leading to the asphalt, mapping in mind to fetch Tania and Paul.

I’m riding through mottled cool shades, the eucalyptus’ suburban remnant shed, and engaged on naked Old Pretoria Road. I’m cruising through the shadows of the Buccleuch interchange overpass, the east-western highway. For my delight, the right’s grassland returning wild grown eucalyptus to the wayside’s heavy trunks, joined by the left, to an acute reminiscence fee-wheeling the overseeing valley. In the tracks of the Voortrekkers’ ox wagons’ course, sweeping the hillsides across the Jukskei River’s weir. Lost in the countryside, another period higher stone-sculptured bridge, to slog pedaling the rolling siding from the deep valley. The Halfway House horses outpost, messengers’ horse changes remnants to a short-lived steep eased ledge. After a break, the straggling eucalyptus from the treacherous grassland’s wave, the town’s retailers shifted to the successive plateau. Herds of eucalyptuses returned wayside to the parent trees, to the rollover hill crest, on a clear day, to sight Pretoria’s Voortrekker monument. ‘/Yesterday, when I was young / The taste of life was sweet like rain upon my tongue / I teased at life as if it were a foolish game. . ./’ 

Oblivious to the sweat dried on my skin, as the Mercedes hood’s circled star’s 3 points sweeps to the side street, under the asphalt, to my regret the dirt road — Uncle Beux and Aunt Carla’s house and poultry shed on the small agricultural holdings. Which vanished, ghosting amid the surreal. The mountain sliced spearheading the highway, toward the Hillbrow Television Tower. the flare’s lanes through the intersection herd abundant automakers’ thriving showrooms. Tapered upfront, eager to hold on to my fourteenish’s driving the farm’s Volkswagen panel van, through grasslands sprinkled by small holdings fetching eggs to bringing home for distribution. 

Up comes Ilona’s property to sight, asphalt paved raised from the bed of the ancient dirt road I’ve learned to know through grasslands, and short of spotted the next door thatched roof house to plum hue brick gatepost. I steered the Mercedes coasting down the steep ramp toward leading tracks through the grassland, hissing the undercarriage, approaching the white brick gable wall to the saddled tiled roof running further toward the rear. I turned to the driveway dirt apron to halt short of the juxtaposed triple carport, gazing through cottage windows into the interior’s shadows for figures’ motion. When a figure in the distant porch’s shadows surges, Tania's peppy gait approaching under the tiled eave, her brother Paul, lagging in their approach under the vine’s foliage laden wooden pergola. She turns at the gum pole railing to the terrace, descends into sunlight, to the crazy-slate front yard path to round the car. The door swings. Tania steps inside, closing the door, while Paul steps in behind his sister in an exchange of brief greetings.

With the closing door, I gazed past Paul, reversing the car to the extended driveway apron to halt, toggle the gears to drive. We crawl away, rotating to face the beaten tracks, cutting the golden savanna property in halves. The undercarriage hiss cruising, approaching pillar’s ramped up gateway, turning into the street. In silence, accelerating along the low wire meshed fence, continuant of my earlier course. Around the block to a small holding, shielded hedgerow tight knitted and high foliage swells. Opposing a barbed wire fence to grassland, we pulled up at the junction — Unimaginable Mrs. Noble, while a post office clerk, also a storekeeper, to the adjacent whitewashed brick shacks. From a Boer storekeeper to an Indian family. An absent mechanic and pump attendant, at a pair of gas pumps on a concrete, crumbling driveway. in front of a workshop’s somber mucky thick dust window panes — Aberrant, the alternation didn’t elicit a wink from either sibling, as a translucent red and white iconic Spar spur dominates Crowthorne’s corner.

I’m steering the Mercedes turned from the Stop sign, the broadened country road — so acute morphed during years, since Igor and I cycled at first light, the first hillside wave, me to a construction site, he to school, in Pretoria. At dusk, the last leg home — White lane marking doubled, crawl the corner. Facing the roadway, swag across the culvert, propelled on our bikes toward the road fork. Freewheeled through the bend at the crotch of a triangulated grass traffic island. Beyond the corner house’s orchard, the gritty driveway apron welcomed us home. To cross the clanging cattle guard, to honoring rows of wide skirted conifers, lining the peaches and plumes orchards. Clearing the squatted white plastered walls capped by the orange ridges and valleys tiled roof, to a sweep driveway broadening to end to the double garage. 

Tania and Paul didn’t spare a squint passing the driveway to the neglected house on plot 8 in Kyalami, siblings’ curiosity of parents’ teen exhausted. as I’m driving my Mercedes sitting back, my heart crying the arid property, to gaze at the leading Bryanston road with a bird’s-eye view toward the converging Western Bypass highway. We passed the Leeuwkop Prison gates; the roadway ditching the steep sidings across the Jukskei River to raise and crest. Across the intersection, to the Fourways hillside ledge to a workshop filling station outpost, the road rises farther. deviated since cycling on the road, threads our way into the subway, and out crest where the Bryanston suburbs and Randburg meet at either side of the roadway, where we’ll meet the access ramps to the Western Bypass highway.

When we pulled up, into the Rand Easter Trade Show’s gateway, the parking lot asphalt with its making lay bare but a few cars, and stalled near the entrance, to a simultaneous opening of doors, to rise tall by the car - smack, smack, smack - with Tania and Paul, congregating at the Mercedes’ trunk. I raised the lid hand duck, ripping the plastic wrap, handing back to Tania and Paul a stack of ten booklets. I lowered the trunk led, to catch up with the distancing siblings, for the doorway. It dawns on me, privilege by the customer attendant’s words, left me weird without an official document. We crossed the threshold, to a corner booth’s elegant and youthful men and women on standby at the crotch of branching aisles. We hesitated. Tania nods right and heads off with Paul. I dare ease from an invisible state, step deeper in a channel margin by rows of booths. Without a niche to stand exposed, I’m turning shoulders from the men and women attendants to trade booths, my back to the diving partition nib. Ignored by the attendants, I eased, facing the entrance’s framing a penetrating glow.

From the bright light, shadows arise, morphing to silhouettes. My eyesight on a steeplechase of approaching figures colors clothing. I’m stepping away from the edge. In the open, facing one after the other man, I trot with a leading booklet, saying. “All you need to know about home improvement — Four Rand fifty.” White people trickle the passageway, each person ditching eyes, tears, a timid rejection, shunt off course. A black man walks up, while repeating my slogan. The man’s hand digs into his back pocket. He returns a fiver, in exchange for a booklet.

My fingers fumble my hip pocket to say, “_’Holly sh-t_’ — I have no change!”

The black man says. “Keep it.” Sauntering away.

I run woozy eyesight, guilt stricken, after the black man. ‘_Can’t we make some arrangement? — That’s a folly_’. My heart sinks over the stupidity, returning to grip a crowd streaming out the glowing sunlight, a few people splashing curious eyes on the bright cover, but the flow shaping me, drudging a handout, I step away into the upcoming crowds, in unison with Tania, coming from the blind corner, drained eyes, Paul trailing her. We turned away through a crowd of figures breaching light, we emerged to a glittering parking lot.

In harmony, we paced up to the orange Mercedes. Approaching the trunk, motioned to relieve Tania and Paul’s hands from the stacked books, returning mine in the trunk, feeling. ‘_This is not the place to distribute booklets_.’ Tania and Paul amble around the rear fender as I slam the trunk lid close, heading toward the other flank. The sighs pop up the door sill buttons, in unison ease to our seats. As I’m pulling my doors behind, with a glance at Tania, her gaze expressed my thought. ‘_Where to now_’ To say. “Let’s call it a day.” I tweak the ignition key, pulling away toward the gateway, ashamed for them believing in my enterprise.