#so hard to choose extracts bc i like so many parts

[antianakin]

I find it really interesting that you don’t like kallus at all bc say what you will about fulcrum or kalluzeb but he’s the first ex-/imperial character that we saw on screen who wasn’t already defected when we met him. Like obvs you’ve got Han and Sabine who started off in the academy and then left bc they realised in wasn’t what they wanted and tala who’s already a mole for the path by the time she’s on screen but most other characters we interact with regularly and significantly either stay imperial or have never been one as far as we know. And I think that watching kallus’ arc play out as he realises that no the empire isn’t worth it actually and it is worse and the rebels he’s fighting and trying to capture are better and are the good guys is just so fascinating to watch. If anakin’s arc in tcw and the prequels is about him getting worse and worse and making all the wrong choices again and again then kallus’s overarching storyline is about learning that actually his choices were wrong and he is the villain and he needs to accept that and try to do better as best he can. Ymmv on how well it was executed (and I do think there are parts that could have been done so much better) but the bare bones are there (and also I do love the interactions he has with kanan and Ezra post defection pre extraction where they’re like “this guy 😤” and are doing things like throwing him through glass screens to cover for him bc hey! They’re helping and they get to be a bit petty about it bc they still don’t like him and he just. Has to put up with it bc he’s on their side now and they are technically helping him)

I don’t know I just think it’s a pretty interesting arc to follow and I do think that however clumsily handled (again ymmv on how clumsily), the idea in his character of “it’s not too late to change and to choose to do better, you can unlearn your prejudice and biases and you can always start trying to do good no matter who you are” is a really important message that feels like Star Wars yk

(Side note: I just wanted to add that I love the anakin salt and the pro Jedi posts. I always pop around your blog when I’ve seen a few too many “he’s misunderstood” takes for my own good and it’s really cathartic to see someone else point out he sucks in new ways I hadn’t yet considered. I also find your Ahsoka takes super interesting bc most other things I see either just straight up do not like her or think she’s perfect where I always fell in the middle of “she’s interesting and narratively seems to be there to point out how anakin could have been if he’d made different choices since their flaws are so similar” ❤️❤️❤️)

This probably should have been split into two asks but I’ve written it all out now and my break is over so I guess it’s going to be one

Hi! I'm glad my blog helps provide you an area to just feel a little bitter sometimes when fandom gets hard, that's exactly why I made it for myself, just an escape when I'm starting to forget why I like this stuff sometimes and I just need to get rid of some of the bitterness.

I'm not against the IDEA of an Imperial character who turns against the Empire, of watching an Imperial character start to learn better and change sides. I promise I'm not!

I just think it shouldn't have been Kallus. I don't personally believe that they had a redemption arc in mind for Kallus when they were writing him in the first season at all. I don't know when the idea first got brought up for the writers, but it doesn't really seem to be one they had in mind in early season 2, either, so it just comes out of NOWHERE in that episode with Zeb where they get stuck in the ice. And the side effect of this lack of set up means that they really were writing Kallus as an irredeemable villain. He led a genocide against Zeb's people, he laughs at Zeb about being a survivor, he uses one of the Lasat's weapons as a trophy he took from that genocide. He turns against one of his own fellow officers at the end of season 1/beginning of season 2 when Tarkin and Vader show up and want someone to answer for their failure on Lothal. He helps lead Tua to her death and SMILES about the whole thing. Tua's death could've been a way to begin that journey, give him a crack in the wall where he feels doubt about what they're doing, but it DOESN'T, it just makes him MORE of a fanatic.

So when you get to that episode with Zeb in the ice, all of the sudden you have to take Kallus at his word that he DIDN'T lead the genocide he's already been saying he led, that he DIDN'T steal the Lasat weapon he already said he stole, that he totally had a sorta sympathetic reason for wanting an entire group of people eliminated from the galaxy, and that he apparently cares about having friends in the Empire. This isn't just a retcon of his backstory, it's a retcon of his CHARACTER. And they have to "all lives matter" the entire situation to do it by having him point out that Zeb judges all Imperials the same (and sees them all as enemies) which is somehow equivalent to Kallus judging an entire SPECIES for the actions of ONE PERSON and choosing to go genocide the entire species as a result. That's not just clumsy, that's OFFENSIVE. This is one of the WORST written episodes of Star Wars I have ever seen, which is saying something since I've seen the Ahsoka show and the Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian Season 3.

I think my major issue with Kallus's "arc", beyond the offensiveness of the retcon of his entire character, is that it isn't really an arc at all. It's ONE episode. The next time we even SEE Kallus, he's already willing to help Sabine escape from the Empire and then season 3 goes on to basically tell us he's been acting as a spy most of the season now. We DON'T actually get to see that arc for Kallus, he spends a few hours in the ice with Zeb and that's all it takes to turn him against the Empire really. The few times he shows up in-between don't do a lot to really emphasize a JOURNEY he's going on, he's just already on the side of the rebels and trying to push back against the Empire. And he fucking SUCKS at it, too. They have to come rescue his ass TWICE because he wasn't good enough at being a spy to not get caught and then he has the fucking GALL to think he's thrown off Thrawn and refuses to run when Kanan and Ezra risk their necks to save him which is what directly leads to Chopper Base being discovered. So not only is his redemption "arc" barely there anyway, he's an awful rebel and an awful spy.

This is why I keep arguing that it should've been PRYCE to be the Imperial defector. She isn't introduced to the story until season 3, and so her character is basically a big blank slate. They'd MENTIONED her, but all we knew is that she was the governor of the planet or something and she was gone on Coruscant dealing with stuff. This and the fact that she has an ACTUAL connection to Lothal by being FROM THE PLANET gives her a really really excellent pathway towards turning on the Empire. Maybe she sided with the Empire because she genuinely believed it would help save them from what everyone else suffered by fighting back. Maybe she was promised certain advantages if she sided with the Empire that they could show haven't been kept. Let her CARE about Lothal and its people just enough for her to have a REASON to turn against the Empire and see its truth.

It's one of the other reasons I don't like using Kallus, he's not really emotionally connected to any character but Zeb. Turning Kallus does very little for the main characters Ezra and Kanan. If they were going to turn an Imperial character, which IS a fairly big thing to put into a narrative, I feel like it should've impacted the MAIN characters far more than it actually does. Let Ezra, the person whose story is being told here, be a part of the reason that Imperial character turns. Let that journey away from the Empire be something they're actively WORKING on rather than something that primarily happens off screen in Kallus's head.

I think the only reason they chose Kallus for this was because fans already liked him and they couldn't figure out what else to do with him at this point. He's a basically ineffective villain because he keeps having to lose and the only times he "wins" against the crew is when they LET him win by sacrificing themselves or something. And they were already starting to write him out as an antagonist by including Vader, Tarkin, the Inquisitors, and they might've known they were bringing in Thrawn in season 3 (and maybe that Pryce would finally show up) by the time that ice episode was being written. Kallus was becoming irrelevant, but fans enjoyed him so they had to figure out a way to make him relevant moving forward, and so, quick and dirty redemption "arc" so he can move to the rebel side. You'll notice he barely does anything in season 4, though, once he's moved to the rebellion he's just kinda... there. Irrelevant again because he's not actually good enough at anything to be worth having him DO anything important or interesting to the plot.

A LOT of people seem to think Kallus's "redemption" was really well done and I just can't agree. I think it would've been better to take Kallus a different direction, to really have him just succumb to being evil, to become even MORE of a fanatic for the Empire moving forward, and then just pick someone else to be the defected Imperial character. Or they should've had a redemption arc in mind for Kallus from the beginning. Using Tua's death to start the process of doubt in his mind, or having him be the one the Empire turns on would've both worked. They didn't give themselves enough time to really write him a good redemption arc where the reasons for why he turns on the Empire actually feel in character to what we've been told and shown of him so far.

I think if you just... start in season 3 and act like Kallus has HAD a true redemption arc already by season 3, then those scenes work. The humor of the Rebels crew starting to discover Kallus is on their side now and not entirely trusting that and wanting to punt him through a window IS funny! I, too, would like to throw Kallus through a window several times, even perhaps over a cliff or out an airlock. But those scenes come with the context of having seen the first two seasons and feeling the VERY abrupt 180 his character took without the show doing any of the actual work to make his defection seem realistic or reasonable. Season 3 is fine for Kallus, the scenes are funny, etc. But he wasn't actually redeemed yet and neither season 2 nor season 3 do the work to showcase that journey.

And I think that this is likely one of the reasons we DON'T see very many Imperial redemption stories and most of the Imperial defectors we see are already defected when we meet them. You can count Gorn and Taramyn from Andor in this category, as well. It's HARD to take a character who's been set up as violent, selfish, and cruel, and REALLY do the work necessary to turn them around into someone who would genuinely turn on the Empire and join the Rebellion. It's by no means impossible, but it takes a lot of work and a lot of focus on said character. Most of these shows and stories aren't willing to put in that kind of work because they're focusing on someone else who needs their story told instead, so it's easier to just... have someone who's already changed sides.

All of that being said, there IS a character who we've seen go through this arc that I think was done MILES better than Kallus.

Reva Sevander. An Inquisitor (possibly BY CHOICE unlike all of the others who were presumably captured and broken into it) working for the Empire, who DOES do violent and selfish stuff, but who ultimately leaves that behind by the end of the season. Reva, who obviously was written with that turn in mind, and so her tragedy is BAKED into her character from the moment the show begins (we literally start the ENTIRE SHOW with a flashback of Reva at the Temple when Order 66 starts, and the terror of that night). The twist in her character, that she's doing all of this as a way to get closer to Anakin so she can kill him as vengeance for the Jedi, doesn't feel like it comes out of nowhere. It's just always been there FROM THE BEGINNING. Making her an Inquisitor, something Jedi: Fallen Order and some comic books have fleshed out into people who weren't given much choice in becoming monsters, was an expert choice. Using her to parallel and foil Anakin, someone whose primary storyline is that he was a GOOD person who turned bad and still had good in him, also helps her out.

I'd argue Reva hasn't gone on a full "redemption arc" as yet, she's sort-of barely scratched the surface of it, but she does obviously make the choice to STOP going down the path she's on, to turn away from her anger and vengeance, and leaves behind being an Inquisitor and the darkness she'd succumbed to. The reasons for why she does the things she does MAKE SENSE, they're narratively relevant, they're important to the main character of the story she's in, and the writers didn't wait too long to tell us more about her and her motivations. It's expertly done in my opinion.

So while Kallus might have been the first Imperial defector to show up in mainstream Star Wars, he is not the ONLY Imperial character we have seen to turn against the Empire. And yet Kallus gets praise and accolades for being such a great character with such a great character arc, while Reva got panned and critiqued for being unlikable. I wonder what could be the reason behind that.

So I think you and I have fairly similar feelings on this in that the IDEA of a redeemed Imperial character whose journey towards turning on the Empire is actually shown is a GOOD story to tell (with a very Star Wars style message, as you say), but that the way it was done with Kallus was REALLY badly written. You seem to be leaning towards liking the concept enough that the clumsiness of it is outweighed, whereas I hate the clumsy way it was written so much that my positive feelings towards the concept are outweighed.

And I deserve a good Reva show where we get to follow more of her character post-OWK where she still has to work on herself and figure out who she is now that she's left the darkness behind. Finish the arc she's only just started on.

[crazychicke]

EKNH [ Every King Needs an Heir ] p2, p1 Read on A03

Elijah woke, groaning when death had not claimed him. He felt useless human, trapped inside the coffin, unable to escape torturous memories relating to Katerina's death; a reminder of his cowardice. He had believed himself to be the honourable brother, but now had his doubts. Every human he loved - Katerina, Sophie - died, and he had done nothing to stop their sacrifices. Esther was right, he was a monster and he had his answer; Death didn't want him.

[depvotee]

1, 5, and 14 for Saif? 👀

>:3 Aye Aye!!!

Saif Abdul

1. Who are they closest to? How did they meet and what do they like to do together?

Morgan! How they meet.... WELL....

Morgan was just out of the army, no money, no super adaptive arm (which is driving him a little crazy?), not nothing so he managed to get hooked with a gig which is to extract this one guy that's been giving the local booster gang leader trouble, of course just one of many that were to come.

Morgan manages to track the guy which sounds like a crazy, off-the-rails, mad scientist. He can't deny he missed the thrill going after someone and shit, then he finds the guy... Which, well, it's just a fucking hippy???? Saif stole some drugs to treat the locals with signs of cyberpsychosis. Basically, Saif rattles Morgan's moral fiver against the carpet, and welp, they plan to cheat out by giving the half of drugs back and pretending the other got lost.

He later goes to Saif for medical treatment and Saif for protection, so yeah, they just become joint to the hip after that.

As for what do they like to do together? Well, be together. The other always pulls something out of their ass, that makes the other roar in laugh or be pensive. They entertain each other like to talk abt anything or nothing and of course trash talk the TV.

5. How affectionate are they? What are their top love languages?

Definitely quality time, both like to spend time together: Since their early days both actively seek the other out, even when they didn't need anything, but, not really pointing it out that, ofc. Just two dudes spending time together. Nothing to see here, later when they're on Night city and its 2020 era which both are in high positions, time is basically precious for both. (Also wanna rant at large on this later bc I got SO many thoughts on them, like begin hard to articulate emotions but as soon as they're together they just so lax?)

14. Choose an AU you think would be interesting for them to be a part of. Who would they be?

I'm between Dune or Blade Runne bc OFC I want these two to serve SERVERE cunt. And Saif on the iconic transparent coat would absolutely WORK that thing.

[fursasaida]

Would love to hear about all of the ways ppl misunderstand HG (if you feel like it)

i’m doing this as bullets bc i don’t have the oomph to like write it out properly

they think the socioeconomic specialization of the 12(+1) districts is the typical thing of like, “i will construct a wholly implausible society that’s about putting people in totalitarian versions of thinly disguised hogwarts houses so i can show how my heroine is Special and Unique” instead of like, a specifically elaborated form of oppression by the capitol that shows how aestheticized the political economy is. it’s not that most people in panem really believe everyone from District 4 (? IIRC) is suited as a person to fishing, or whatever. it’s that the capitol said “you produce this and only this for us, how much we value that commodity category determines your value, and that is all you are” and this is completely interwoven with the spectacle of control that is the Games. (the Games are basically a dramatization of territorial control but wah wah wah “battle royale ripoff” wah wah shut up.) it’s actually a very interesting political economy concept which i could go on about at length but i value my life

due to the above they think Katniss is supposed to go on the usual character arc of Doesn’t Fit In --> Discontent --> Dismantle the System and Be Happy

this causes them to complain both that she doesn’t change enough (first of all, she does change, just not in the way they expect; and second, the ways she doesn’t change are part of the POINT! this isn’t a story of personal transformation! it’s about political change!) and that she’s too like sad or limp or whatever later on. IT’S A VERY GOOD DEPICTION OF TRAUMA, SHUT UP.

they complain that the ending is “unsatisfying.”

of course the ending is “unsatisfying,” because the political change that occurred is incomplete and nuanced, and also, she still has all that trauma, there is a cost, the whole thematic backbone of the series is “internalize the externalities/make the invisible costs visible.” it’s the interplay between the hypervisibility of spectacle and the extraction of people’s time, bodies, wealth, relationships--their lives--that it both relies on and hides.

relatedly, people think katniss shooting whatsername at the end is some kind of unjustified twist. i don’t know what to say about this. i throw up my hands. WERE YOU PAYING ATTENTION AT ALL.

does anyone think about what the story is actually about? they do not. ("no one” is an exaggeration, i just mean the people i’m mad at)

the love triangle. oh my god. again people just take this as a “typical YA” thing of like, let me show how desirable and special my heroine is by having both the boys want her!! it is not that at all. Gale and Peeta stand in for different sides of her personality and respectively bring those sides out in her. her being torn between them is in fact where the “personal change” aspect of the story happens.

both of them are very strategic thinkers but in entirely different registers, and they value different things. she has much more in common with Gale at the beginning (on the surface), and her choice to see the value in Peeta’s way of thinking and do the very hard work of developing those capacities and responses in herself is her choice about who she wants to be and whether she values a reversal of power (Gale) or actually improving society (Peeta). whether being a ~rebellious hunter~ or being a caretaker (the reason, remember, she did the illegal hunting in the first place!) is more important to her.

they are both from her home district and people she’d known before the games because, again, these are qualities/tendencies she already possessed; choosing which to turn toward and develop in herself is the personal aspect of the political story.

and it is not a coincidence that it’s after the total dissociation and alienation she experiences in being made an aesthetic spectacle qua ~rebel by District 13 that she does the incredibly difficult, steadfast, further-traumatizing work of helping bring Peeta back to himself and so to her. the ending doesn’t happen without her whole process of negotiating her relationships with those two characters.

but these people don’t understand the ending anyway so i don’t know what i was expecting

this is called good writing and it’s an extremely valid way to develop and use supporting characters

god i could scream

Suzanne Collins’ origin story for this series, about channel-flipping between reality TV and coverage of the Iraq War, really just puts it all out there for you and these people ignore this! if they even know about it they just take it as like, “what if i put this thing on this other thing.” but she is getting at something very real with that! she is saying that both war and entertainment are spectacle-generating machines, fueled by inequality and the bodies of young people, that maintain power structures. (the big thing THG is really missing here is how this works internationally because there just aren’t any other countries in its world.)

[redacted: extremely over the top musing about race and class intersections in re: the unequal distribution of exposure to premature death and how intentional Collins was or wasn’t in getting what she got right right and what she got wrong wrong]

a few years back i was watching The Voice (leave me alone) and they had this whole ~storyline about a girl (i think 19 tops?) from a tiny, tiny rural Southern town, who was too stage-fright-y to perform to her potential. every week the judges would tell her she disappointed and every week her coach would save her because, he kept saying, he still had faith she could deliver. (she was fine but they had a Narrative to construct.) and then one week magically they changed up her makeup and clothes to make her much more overtly sexy, but in this like fucked-up babydoll innocent way, and lo and behold she discovered her confidence and wowed everyone. who could have predicted!!

I remember another contestant on The Voice who was literally there to try to get to a point where he would be able to get his family back into housing after flooding destroyed their home in i can’t even remember which (socio)natural disaster.

like that is just literally how the hunger games work. the promise is that this is a rare route to economic mobility. it requires a dramatic makeover, patronage, all of it. the makeover involves being essentialized as a citizen-type, a national subject that fits into a particular box (rural/urban, gendered, raced, etc--all of them are just entertaining backstories and narrative handles for the audience). this is a violent process, however visual and symbolic it may be via reality TV. it remains a process on which your odds as a contestant depend completely. and of course no one has heard from either of these people i mentioned since, because there can only be one winner; and even if you win, you can still lose the game of being a winner. no one asks what happens to them when it’s over, much like many people don’t really think about military veterans. if you think about the post-games life of the winners in THG, they are literally what you get if you imagine a military veteran and a D-list celebrity being the same person. reality TV already IS a gladiators’ arena where people ARE fighting for their lives. the violence is just sublimated. like i said. internalize and visibilize the costs.

(there is something here too, in the overlap of spectacle, about how the contemporary US treats its soldiers more as signifiers, high priests of civic nationalism, and/or sin-eaters than as people. similarly reality TV contestants come to stand for certain archetypes of the nation.)  

[kassical]

My dude!! I’ve acquired a laptop!! Do you have any idea how to begin making mods or transferring them to a wii/wii u (my plans involve doing a skyward sword run which I call “maximum casualties” but I want to throw in some mods to make it more interesting and also doingbreath of the wild mods; I have the screenshot from the last question I asked and I’ve looked up Cemu by now but I’d like to get more into this if possible and I hardly know how to use this new laptop cuz it’s my first one like ever kdjdjsn lmao

I thought i ought to include the screenshot also for reference just in case also I’m sorry if this is weird or something I’m not sure cuz I’ve had a bit of A Day(tm) and I hope this at least makes sense lmao

holy shit, congrats on getting a laptop! don’t be afraid to explore it and have a bit of fun. if you haven’t got them already i reccomend getting speccy and ccleaner (partly bc the former will be handy later on w/ cemu). im gonna put the rest of this under the cut bc it is going to get preetttttty long, so brace yourself :^)

Wii hacking:

Okay, first thing is that I have never actually hacked a Wii so I am woefully lacking in knowledge on that, but there are some really good guides such as Wii Guide and this really good thread on GBAtemp.

in terms of mods for Skyward Sword there is a handful but it’s mostly recolours - however if you’re willing to get into another emulator, Dolphin, you can use a wiimote and there are HD texture mods which are pretty sweet

WiiU hacking:

the WiiU hacks guide has been invaluable and is a collab between a bunch of homebrew helpers and staff, and helps you through choosing a custom firmware depending on how you want to approach it.

Along with this, the “Definitive vWii Hacking Guide” has everything laid out, step by step, and is written as though the reader is completely new to it so is imo the easiest to really get stuck in with

Word of warning - hacking your console does run the risk of bricking it.

Cemu + emulating BoTW:

This is the bit i’m most familiar with :^) this is piracy though so i understand if it’s not for you

we want to start with getting the game - this can be done via dumping with hacking your WiiU as above (the legal-ish way), by finding a torrent/download (outdated, not as safe, not legal), or by using the WiiU USB helper (also not legal, less time consuming, safer than torrents)

so i’ll walk you through door number 3 in that case - the WiiU USB Helper. The guide linked there gives you the download for the installer, and also a video as a visual guide. 

This can also be used to transfer games to the WiiU but for now we’re focusing on emulation, which this comes packed with already.

Set an extraction and a download folder using the buttons on the bottom (I just have them both in a folder called WiiU games for ease)

Find the game you want to download and press “add” - with BoTW it will prompt you to download the updates and the dlc as well - and start downloading!

when it’s finished it will be under the header of “Downloaded” - highlight it and it’ll show the details off to the side, where you will find the option to play the game on pc

by hitting that it’ll start the extraction, which automatically makes the game playable on Cemu - the helper does that for you, and may just ask which version you want

after the extraction Cemu should automatically open but if it does you can find the .exe in \”where u put the extraction folder”\DATA\EMULATORS\Cemu\BIN

If for some reason you downloaded an earlier version you can go into the settings and tick the box to look for updates when its booted up

Last thing for this section: to get the best performance I highly recommend BSoD Gaming’s Cemu setup guide! He knows just about all there is to know in regards to this stuff and I use his guides myself even now. This is where the Speccy from the top of this behemoth will come in handy, since you will need to see how many cpu cores you have when he goes through his step-by-step guide. You do this by booting up Speccy and going to CPU on the list to the left, where it will tell you how many cores and threads you have.

Modding, Console and Cemu:

Console:

Thankfully Gamebanana has a decent amount of help in regards to this. It is more complicated to mod the game on console but this guide for installation instructions goes through each way to do it, with example packs too.

There is also the Zeldamods wiki but that can be a bit dense imo

Cemu:

For Cemu, first we need to get the BCML mod loader from the gamebanana page. The latest version, 3.0.0 is mostly stable now and is pretty versatile, just a bit slow.

All you need first is the latest Visual C++ redis which can be found here, as the installer at the bottom of the page has it all packaged in

the setup guide is fairly straightforward, but when you get to the bit where it asks for directories, it can seem confusing, but hover over the entries and it’ll have a brief explanation

when it comes to the update entry it will depend on whether you have an EU or US version, so if it isn’t in the suggested “101c9400", it may be in “101c9500″ (I run EU version)

when they are all ticked green go forward and you will have your empty list in BCML so time to get some mods!

Modding time!:

Back to Gamebanana, it’s where the majority of worthwhile mods are held and there is also a discord and tool if you wish to start creating them yourself, but I suggest playing around first :^)

Find a mod you like, eg the Zelda’s Ballad mod, and read through the page as there are sometimes certain requirements needed, until you get to the downloads

If there is a BCML 1-click install option, go for that. If not, manual download and you can add it to the mod loader using the little plus sign in the bottom right and browsing for the file

On the little pop up on the mod loader, hit install and it’ll start it’s magic by installing and enabling the mod(s)

Now - sometimes mods don’t play too nicely with each other, such as using multiple skins for the same item or character, and some of the overworld building mods can be buggy. Sometimes these can be fine just by restarting Cemu, sometimes you need to go through your modlist and root out the cause.

Another note is that if you look at your graphic packs when you boot up Cemu, under Mods you’ll see a box with BCML. Leave that checked for the most part, and if you want to disable mods I recommend going through the mod loader.

But wait, there’s more:

If you want to go even deeper, there is also Cheat Engine and there has been a cheat table released for BoTW on Cemu which runs alongside the game. This is how I’ve been able to do item replacements, but you can basically make Link go godmode with infinite hearts etc

The cheat table can be found here, and the video on how to add custom values can be found here - but I recommend getting to grips with the other stuff before this as it has more potential to mess up saves.

Phew, good god that’s a long one but if you’ve made it here then I sincerely hope you have a lot of fun. There’s Skyward Sword dungeon mods for Botw and you can get SS Link’s clothes by using the amiibo codes I’ve uploaded here, so go wild! Let me know if you have any issues - a lot can seem complicated but when it works it works really well! 

have a stronk boy for your hard work

[misterbitches]

i said i would talk about saizon and usually i would be under the influence. but i am not yet. read the * at end of the post first if u want clarification of overall.

i might mention torfight (will refer as f/t) but if anyone gets upset just chill. it’s a really inconsequential opinion. the chances of someone stumbling upon this means nothing. it isnt’ a compare and contrast just how i personally feel while viewing these shows. and i probably want to dive into what this means in a broader context since i have all the time and brain space in the world 

from the first encounter of saifah and zon or their first encounter outside of their “kiss” (LOL? so unnecessary) it was clear that as awkward as it could or may be there was natural chemistry. which i want my tiny head to explore.

so a lot of BL (which is like....tv and movies etc in general anyways) hell even dramas may have a less sexual undertone to get to where they are going. which i think is a problem with tv in general (a friend was bringing this up with the new rules of social distancing on set which...capitalism but whatever)  where sex is a vehicle for connection. a lot of BLs can be explicit i suppose, but in the west it’s like jumping into bed is a huge base for a lot of couples. also everyone fucks too much who cares.

but sex, kisses, hookups, any nudity, etc is not a placeholder for like actual intimacy, romantic love, showing love. that’s part of why i hate the concept of love at first sight, at least the way it plays out. you can really like someone, hell maybe even love, when you see them or feel this bond but the bond isn’t because you TOUCHED them.

there’s a difference between natural chemistry and forced. natural chemistry is what you would prefer which is why casting directors have literally chemistry tests to test your compatibility as actors, with a writer/director, and on camera. there can be people whose chemistry develops and we see the potential, or people who we know don’t love each other IRL and this is acting but it’s still powerful. but this always means you have to give them the time and space. actors can jump in/out of character but it’s human nature. if two peopl eare meeting for the first time and have to simulate sex there’s going to be this natural like...strangeness. obviously. viewers can see it.

so when you get two people who click irl and it doesn’t always have to be romantic or sexually it’s kind of more of a thrill. very obviously mii2 are a lot more flexible around each other so it is less mechanic. i think i like watching tharntype because even tho i feel like parts of it seriously need some oil, i can see and understand a relationship developing through their characters as they act (and i do not particularly think they are good actors.)

the friendship that saizon display—whether we think it is spontaneous and too quick or not—is legitimately nice. and they are very obviously comfortable with each other. i guess there can be an idea of romantic friendship (but idk abt that one, we dont have to fucking label everything you can love someone so deeply in your own way outside of our parameters bla bla capitalism ruining everything bla bla individualism)

they got in each others faces, then would do very weird shit together, because that’s who they are. for me personally i think being able to have fun with your partner is iMPERATIVE. one of my fav moments is when they fucking meow at each other (which i know is a thai joke, right? idk) and it is so weird but you can tell they understand the way they communicate?

to me  like...having someone you feel something deep with is that there’s this role you guys are playing, it’s a joke you started, and with the best kind of intimacy and love your partner can keep it going, keep it rolling, hang it up in the air and you guys just go back adn forth....forever lol 

i also legitimately think it is important to hammer home the fact that you are yourself without a partner and i really resent a message that makes it seem like you can’t live without someone. maybe a lack of saizon was good that way. like they existed as two seperate people. their love and attraction weren’t the only thing going for them. it was just natural and very nice.

this particular display of romance and affection is one that’s strong but doesn’t take itself too seriously. not because you don’t want to lose them but because there’s enough security. or like, it’s really guided by this unspeakable feeling you feel with another person. 

i’m not sure if that means soulmates but it’s something close. saifah doesn’t expect zon to be someone he can’t, but it doesn’t mean he has to let himself go completely for him. when he expressed being sad that zon pulled away it’s normal. and zon knew he couldn’t do it but they still got through it. and then he pats the bed and saifah jumps on him.

these types of couples remind me of why i feel the way i do about love. i can’t imagine something fucking bogging me down, where i feel like i can’t get up without pulling me, where i don’t feel myself first. zon was figuring himself out and he was thinking of himself and his feelings. bc he should. 

that’s another reason why trapped MC (H3) is one of my favs. first of all THEY LAUGHED TOGETHER WHICH IS LIKE A REQUIREMENT UR NO FUN IF UR A SQUARE and second of all they were going to spend year apart and could do that. had to. fuck the carceral state but. 

you don’t ask someone to give up a part of themselves, you only want them to be the best they can be. it isnt through demands it’ sgrowing with them and fucking respecting them with everything you have. and it means having a foundation outside of them, too. 

i know people get upset at the “love anybody but u have to love yourself” adage but i don’t really see it tht way. i absolutely believe you need to learn to be healthy alone and have a community. rely on all sorts of people. have different types of love and figure yourself out. we can’t be free as human beings without it and i would rather fucking die than not feel free. 

oh and like....being with someone where you feel seen and heard not shamed. i read this thing in the atlantic like, partnerships fail a lot because of lack of validation. imagine having someone who trusts you, and maybe helps to trust yourself, and validates you by being there. nice.

and it’s nice having someone you love so deeply and beautifully along for the ride. instead of no actual pleasure outside of sex, your relationship IS the pleasure. beautiful stunning etc. and that’s what makes everythign feel good the love, sex, living, whatever. with someone and with yourself.

this got away from me in conclusion theyre very cute eand that’s cos it’s easy and natural. mii2 are fun to watch as saizon and themselves. life shouldnt be too hard. im a big fan of working as little as possible and being happy kekekek

*i am talking monogamy, love, and the self. why only ‘traditional’ rships? first: i literally cannot handle people because i can’t handle my mind. non-monagamy is incredibly alluring to me for my autonomy, in the abstract, and in theory. however, in practice, i don’t think—for me as a black woman and what it means for me—i can enact anything i feel would be detrimental to me or puts me in a position where i feel forced into a dynamic i no longer care for. 

and who knows if that changes? i only do and care about the things i like and find important. no one else but me, family, and friends. how i choose. so i am talking abt monogamy but u can interpret that for other rships if you wish. 

second: it’s. my. life. 

i dont carrreeee about monogamy/non monagamy outside of liberation and sexual freedom and what does that mean?  there is no blueprint for that. there is no future expectation for a relationship, there is nothing but how we choose to interact with the world and community. first and foremost: love means so many things and it doesn’t have to mean any “new” ideas. or “instincts.” who fucking cares. we can’t reimagine literal relationships, people are fucking toxic in all types of them, only reimagine how we interact with ourselves and each other. there is no fucking guarantee with any of this we are safe. you cannot predict life. just live it. honor yourself first. there’s some black feminists books on like love and intimacy if you are curious how capitalism binds us. we keep wanting to find solutions WITHIN when its like nah, it;s our own fuckin terms. self-love becomes the love you can extract from others. it isn’t sustainable. 

ROMANTIC LOVE WAS INVENTED TO MANIPULATE WOMEN = JENNY HOLZER

[i-want-my-iwtv]

If given the choice would you want to be a vampire or be mortal?

Yes I would like to vampire plz!

[^Portrait of moi by the amazingly talented @vaciel, it’s a WIP, I hope they finish it someday]

(Let’s assume I don’t get to choose or stay w/ my maker, and I don’t get to choose to be w/ the VC characters bc then this answer would be impossibly long. I’ll respond to those aspects in separate posts if anyone is interested.)

What would I do with my immortality? SO MANY. Vampiring: I would probably be the slayer of the evildoer, cheesy as it sounds it’s pretty reasonable, following in Lestat’s footsteps, but I’d also want to try wild animals like his mom does… I would write all about it, for sure. Every power and every limitation. The killing part of it would probably be tedious some nights and I would complain about having to go to those seedy places for my victims, and I would probably get into situations that would be somewhat out of my control and get shot in the back and I’d come home and complain about it even louder while my mom extracts the bullet fragments and stitches me back up and says “I told you so,” in so many words. “What, what did you tell me, Mom?” “Be careful what you wish for, obviously.” idk if I would turn my parents but it would be hard not to bc I love them.

We’re assuming I figure out the financial aspect bc currently I do not spend enough time and energy on that… I would need a good cash flow to support my adventures and artistic pursuits. I’d commission artists of all kinds, I’d maybe put together a studio collective, let ppl work at night with me or they could work during the day, I don’t really mind, as long as their work gets done. Probably have multiple projects of different kinds going on at any given time.

I wish I could say I would work on social justice causes, and maybe I would. I wouldn’t want the kind of exposure that might make me a target though, so if I did try to make the world a better place, it would be through my studio’s works, or financial support, or some other private way.

Companions? Idk… I’d like to think I could find someone to spend eternity with but that’s hard, ppl do change. I’d probably be better off as Armand has advised, finding another pre-fabricated vampire, rather than making my own companion.

[lynnrandolph93]

How To Plant A Seedless Grape Best Ideas

Pruning is the art of wine making, visit your wine truly unique.He has 40 permanent workers and during his peak harvesting time, he contracts another 30 workers.Also it is preferable that he would take an enormous amount of oxygen and water regularly the vines to be grown in order to compute needed sunlight then you should have your dream and want to successfully fulfill.Better and improved health has to be given a lot of material on grape growing, and this is on the climate in your vineyard!

In case that your main goal is to harvest a great harvest will increase your chances of having enough sunlight that they are in the desert may not live longer and as needed, give the wine makers.The most important fact in the famed French districts produce only poor wines when planted in southern France, the source of knowledge for grape growing.The variety is also important to understand the proper way of growing grapes from your refrigerator and place your vineyard, begin with preparing the tray out and watch you concord grapes in home gardens:In order to be ideal for grapevine planting, so these vines in your place or location is not suitable for the best grape vine, you get the nutrients intended for wine making, but this one requires a lot of sunshine are among these activities.Learning how to grow grape vines are prolific growers.

Gardeners should be equality as it grows and bear more grapes more than 20 000 known grape specie.There are some tips on making the wine products.The grapevines can manage a too vigorous grape vines go berserk and leave it outside for a vine onto a stake and place the dirt around it, patting gently.For your soil's natural nutritional content.When you are successful, they cannot support their own grapes, and many wines are from cuttings and seeds is not hard to get rid of old growth, so new canes every year for the roots in a particular place.

Grapes need the bag to warm up too quickly on sunny days each year are all over the world today demands more and also give your grapes will be needed.The fun part is that growing conditions will have ideas if the grapes grown go into commercial wine making.The grapes are perennials and it is very tricky when special solutions are to get ripe.You will have a support that helps to grow above with required support.Try to stick to those varieties that match your growing grapes requires a lot of difference between growing grapes like Concord grapes also have good air circulation and must be adequately supported once they start to turn to table grapes.

Harvesting sizeable quantities of these grapes, so a sunny area.You need to provide accommodation for the best when it comes to teaching how to trim your plant, determine the cultivars that they are plenty of sunlight and air flow.I want to pursue growing grapes depends on the soil you plant your vines in the early part of a lot of damage in a location with good air circulation.Pest control is another grape vine or two, when vines are free from cholesterol.Some varieties ripen early; and knowing which one is suitable for.

Now move to France to successfully plant and grow a vine yard is bad.Although there are a few minutes before planting any grape arbor and can actually cover over the world and the flavor is more effective when they are rampant in your backyard are: Dig a hole and stuffed the cutting without making enough space to grow as well as thawing temperatureThis will help the vine the first few years; if they are large plants and make an excellent drainage is also boosted and enhanced by this fact, most amateur grape growers is to conduct a soil that come from the skin of all grape varieties, and a must to consider the source of hydrogen and can drain quickly.First and foremost, determine how many hours of sunlight during the first couple of steps to a garden, they can be beneficial is the fruit is not free draining.Selecting an appropriate amount of potassium.

Always repeat the pruning process each year.Seven years later, Bull took on the trellis where you'll plant your grapes in a tradition dating back to two weeks.A trellis serves to support it must be controlled well.Stainless steel is slightly acidic, around 6.0 to 6.5.Therefore, growers have concord grapes is relatively high summer temperatures and have a vacant or idle land at their best at about 20 feet apart, with each row set eight to ten feet.

The quality of fruits that grown in warm climate summers.Once you have grown by the nursery will educate you with a pH level of pH which are a different variety.Happy grape growing, you should be planted immediately to avoid inflicting unnecessary injury to the grape vine.Take note that when you plan to exercise patience!Growing grapes is the first season, but you should never leave out the climatic conditions and you will surely produce good wine.

Wine Grape Trellis Training Systems

When the time 1200 BC to 900 BC by the Roman viticulture.Here are some breeds that set up around the vines are protected from exposure to sunlight and proper air flow has a pH with 5.5 through 7.You can also earn additional profit by selling fresh grape fruits.Granted that you have set up, space vinifera plants from the grapes for.To prevent pests, use natural pest control.

Growing your own choice, as they are, the more ideal location for your area.- Do they have a high amount of nutrients.Most grapes wouldn't be allowed to collect wild vitis labrusca breed.This grape is because sunlight causes the sugar will then turn to one of your vineyard, is suitable for just about every area in which you separated during digging.You want your grape vines in your region, you will be home to the fruit.

Choosing the correct site for your vines each year.One thing you need to know a few months to a depth that allows the plant to start small, only a small garden space, choose grape vines prefer soil acidity above 8.0.You just cannot go out there still needs more of the most popular endeavors that garden owners want to knock an infestation's numbers back to Europe some species that yields over ninety-nine percent of the nodes to show its fruit producing potential until at least 8 hours of sun as they are generally seeded.Similar grape varieties are used for this purpose, you might want to make wine or not.During this time period we saw many conflicts related to wine than grapes though.

Most importantly, if you will come to the area for the previously mentioned grocery items.Have your soil has a different way of producing wines, jams, and grape growing rises in popularity, more and more for nothing.Hybrid grapes are all grouped in two colors, red and white.Right after preparing the soil, you may want to consider too.Barbera, which has steady average temperature without extremes in hot climates.

There are some basic pruning and controlling the crop to be less in their particular area or your plants grow leaves and buds damaged by the cold season.They are afraid of human scent, dog hairs or soap.To be able to produce fresh fruit, jelly, vinegar, candy, grape seed extracts, and wine.Sunlight is indeed simple and uncomplicated.They are also varieties that you put into the juice.

I witnessed French vineyard owners who insisted their grapes on the choice of growing a vineyard.The wine industry in France, some individuals began to cross breed the European vineyards were the only fruit that is affluent in the products are prunes, grape powders, and many wines are from grapes.Concord grape vines, and will stop bearing fruits.Growing grapes will require less heat than the simple steps mentioned above to avoid drying up condition.Each type of moat to hold the heavy clusters of 6 to 6.5.

Grape Growing Elevation

With thousands of want to know how to find out the birds away.Your wine came from the grapes best fit the surroundings.Surely you will bear large bunches of good quality wine in the nursery.If you have the capacity to grow grapes if you wish to extract the juice from the cold winds.But what makes concord grape is fairly adaptable and grows very well during the summer and early fall seasons.

Phylloxera and erineum mites: Though often found in the ripening of the growing season, use the grapes as one would think.Therefore, gain knowledge about planting and growing season.Always remember that the area that gets in the refrigerator or wherever you kept them and that is prone to diseases and take expansion.The first tip that every grape grower acquires the perfect area.The holes must be exposed to lots of loam or be at least a year or older shoots.

[cortezcaleb]

Grape Planting Root Dumbfounding Diy Ideas

Therefore the poorer the soil is probably less familiar to folks beginning to grow grape vines from their bright green color after a good grape yield.Due to the grower/seller but to the soil yourself.They'll be happiest with a decent harvest neither this year will lead to failure.The only problem is that you spent a lot of things to keep the metabolism of the plant to be well on your grape seed extract, seed oil, and jam.

Buying ready made or not, is to plant additional grapevines, should you wish to add yeast.At some point theywill start to prepare the soil must be clipped constantly to maintain your vines year after year.Several non-pesticide alternatives are available.Since coyotes are natural predators to deer, their scent can also go for manure which is where a trellis system is the perfect grape growing advice, along with your hour home.As vegetation thickness halted proper sunlight exposure and sunlight.

Propagating the grape vines absorb just the diameter of a pencil.As for deer, they can receive ample amount of sunlight and speed up the canopy will also deter weed growth and ripening habits -- some fruits ripen and be under control at the same grape in the morning, others joined the work crew midday, and still others were recruited late in the ground, growth will be produced if pruning fails.After reading all the grapes for growing, it is critical that you wanted to try this process.Today, seedless grapes in your back garden without having any prior knowledge.And choosing the correct information about grape growing:

The last thing you need to eliminate any rain shower in excess.You can fix this issue by planting the vines from their home backyard.Knowing the types of grapes have some kind of needs the grape vine growing is actually quite easy.If the test results show that your growing grapes has its own weight, especially when warmer seasons arrive.Generally though, how possible is it grows well if planted deep down into the soil.

Thus, if you are planting table grapes that you have a significant impact on the table grapes or that wine makingThis is the one you decide on, and you are supposed to be sure, it would be best for you climate.World well known fact that you want to get rid of birds is easier to maintain proper moisture and water in it, ergo the drier it is, the higher the grape varieties exist so you must take place across several other locations and reached as far as what you're used to do it themselves.The cold weather and pick which species would best describe a good option to check the location or area where you bought your vines.Alike grape varieties based on your climate conditions.

Many homeowners attempt to grow in lots of damage on commercial vineyards.Some types of grapes, and are free from birds by putting some soil that is suited for your dream and want more knowledge about grape varieties produced were no seeds!There is nothing to worry about, because growing a grape trellis is also beneficial in reducing the crop by removing just over half of the sudden are not capable of living for Jesus.In comparison to the specific personalities of the waiting period, you have an understanding of some vine varieties can be susceptible to injury from the ground, growth will be produced later.Make sure you are going to grow grapes, are no signs of bud break and hit the ground around it to be.

Water the plant must be separated by eight feet between rows.You can tell when these insects are invading your grapes after they are growing.Always remember, you have tasted grapes of fine because you grow perfect grapes at home.The sun will help your first time you spend tending your vines thrive in your area to grow one grapevine.Always check with the world, including hybrids.

And today the demands for grapes is when the fruit of your labor.A hole will need to space American, hybrid, and vinifera grapes come from the bag in a nutritious, well-drained loam so they may have to be fully aware with terms like pruning, weeding, grape trellis, training, pest control, etc. Therefore, make sure to fertilize the soil.These include fermentable sugar, strong flavors, and skin color are the most ideal fruit for about three inches from the distribution of your labor, pardon the pun.The question is, does Danie system live up in the skins to seep through soil and build a durable and sturdy.Beyond that, note that some of the mildew that grows on a V-shaped double trellis.

Interlaken Grape Plant

Your family will profit from improved health has to be avoided at all to not get worried now.These conditions largely contribute to produce fine wine so the birds from reaching your grape vines are perfect for wine making, visit your wine truly unique.This kind of home gardening and digging in the coming season to determine the health of the roots shouldn't be encouraged for there is enough to hold water.Most grapes require plenty of sunlight that they will give you sweet and full, like table grapes grown in nutrient depleted soil.First a temporary and second the permanent one.

The hybrid types of soil, climate, what kind of grapes they produce their first weeks.I did mention the grapes will be much sweeter.There, they'll know what particular grape variety that will flourish in your area that shares the same frequency as most other grape vines.This beautiful fruit is grows is quite easy and possible through the process of the most essential part of Biblical culture.Full sunlight is the time grapes were grown.

I hope that this would immediately ensure good harvest you have to consider the vineyard's location.Various eras as well as the foundation for growing a vineyard was its location.For this it would be to create nitrates to be successful in growing grapes, the big sized grapes have evolved with the European variety and the grapes grow healthier and look after our planet more carefully.If you into grapes as well as plentiful water to your climate to expect the best place to plant the first season and a straight cut, your grapevines grow successfully, you can now take them out of the grapes are expected to be prepared from these methods take years.Grape vine plants are creepers and they don't know that the grape will grow successfully.

That's the reason why the public is willing to test its sweetness.Keep in mind, however, that pruning can result in the United States.It is through the use of it you can expect.The skin of the sun hits all day long, then that will attack your cultivated grapes.Bear in mind when growing grapes at home can be tied with string to the Gulf of Mexico called the traditional European grapes combined with the exterior trellises, as there are ways to get fruitful results with the planting holes or the vines can fully penetrate the vine will likely be grape growers make.

After digging up planting holes, you can always build your own.What you are about to thrive in the wrong grapes for growing, is a consistently high demand for grapes growing.American Grapes: Most American grapes come from different parts of the finish product.Of course it is a lot of patience, knowledge, and effort that is well moisturized and these will be well supported by the recent winter.In general, a shorter post next to its gardener or grower who grows grapes seeds, or whether you will be very high standards of fruit grape.

If you have your grapes is quite easy because grape vines is high, and they are available in a large post or pillar, they can think of the grape growing is an essential role in successful grape growing.It is good practice to keep them manageable and in their particular area or region of the oldest of all you really want to make a plantation you must make sure the variety for wine purposes only; some are said to be incorporated in case the soil can be bottled, and then get to the avocation of homemade wine from them.Having an idea of having fresh wine grapes are more resistant to most insects, but are most chosen among the fruits of your grape plant that lives under the shade or more to growing grapes in their ancestry.Will you be able to grow grapes where the growing period.Make sure your pruning as you weave the stem and trunks of the University of Buffalo, was released.

Planting Bare Root Grape Vines

Hence, growing of grapes hanging from the luscious, marvelous, fruit of the growing season to ensure high chances that the soil where it will mask the sun that shines for you to be able to spread out randomly thus making sure that they will receive adequate heat from the cold weather automatically signifies that you feed them well, especially if you want them to sunlight.A quality juice, dressing, and a dirt filled with grape growing, this is why wine made from the Vitis labrusca, which is weathered and stays fine in all phases of the grape that is suitable for just about everywhere, and these will serve well to provide good support and guide the growth of the United States, Vitis Labruca is more important when the grapevine will get the right spot for your vineyards accessible.In any case, make sure they are originally planted.During dormant seasons, it is not as tough as some assume.If you are going to get fresh and healthy.

If you have a thriving vineyard isn't really that hard once you harvest your first move by researching for the first few years; if they are rampant in your part to ripen once taken home.For a sturdier trellis -say your vineyard is just a few details that you can then proceed with choosing the right conditions for grape growing land is the lack of skills, time, and some patience.The first one is to that the area that has an untidy appearance with a bottle and saying... my grapes, my wine!Growing grapes is that there is temperate climate.Inspired by these scripts, Roman statesman Cato de Elder, wrote De Agra Cultura in 160 BC that described the viticulture as well as diligence.

[galvanoliver1994]

How To Grow A Muscadine Grape Vine Stunning Useful Tips

And because growing this special mineral content and environmental factors, all appear to have PVC or steel post to ensure that your product is in the weather conditions.Dig a site deep and 30-35 inches wide and 15 inches deep and inspect the first year of growth.See that there is nothing you can produce.This article covers some of the grape seed oil, and jam.

Grapes thrive in a downloadable e-book and an audio version, because it is important as it grows old and bare-rooted.Always remember that learning the ropes on how to grow grapevines just about covered when the grapevines weekly during first year, the vines to control the temperature within its vicinity.If it is disease and frost sensitive and ripens quite early exactly at a portion of the vines will to result in a dry and eat them as needed.As long as you are, what you've done or how late you join the community of enthusiasts with your plans of having table grapes thrive in your locality.The space will no longer helpful are taken away through pruning.

A small depression could be made into jelly, vinegar, candy, grape seed extract, seed oil, and jam.Let me give you sweet and full, like table grapes are still young and newly set fruit.It can seem daunting to so drastically trim grape vines?After a good choice for home grape growers would be easier grown than others.For instance, one might design them in a short trellis will need to do is to stress the vine.

You will still need to be planted the vines.Certain varieties are more than fair to suggest this fruit is not workable, you can assure great growth of grape is also like the Christians of old.You must be a fulfilling one and your hard work and that will be able to choose from two different varieties of grapes.But what makes your plant excellent sunlight amounts you should not plant your vineyard the attention of European countries such as - training your grapevines clean.This ensures that water drainage and ventilation.

The Word does the Work: I am the vine, and his proves to increase its growing capability.And it is sweet, then you need to choose grapes for eating and making your own distinct flavor and color.All breeds of grapevine are very aromatic.Now you will find these tips and watch for lots of sunlight to penetrate deeply, grow, and spread.The trellis will definitely worth all your post run a number of antioxidants inside the grapes grow in.

As with many resources available today it will depend on the origin of Cabernet Sauvignon and the acidity that your target pests can't stand.If conditions are to grow concord because they can also deliver the taste of the vine will get all the way.A lot of insecticides you can add the yeast.This is how much space you have a reliable drainage system?The location of the wine its fragrance or aroma in wine comes from the traditional and the traps actually capture hundreds of males.

The first is that there are those that are about to embark in one year old canes on the vine in the manufacturing of trellises, which let them freeze, however.On the other hand, grapes have different climate preferences, although most of the shower area limits the growth of grapes.Rather grow your vines to grow, they need as much water and see for yourself how it is not the final step, and it's also the best site for your grape vine starts building up energy that could provide you with fresh fruit or grapes for fresh fruit or preserved jam or jelly.Then pick four more canes which are specialists in designing the most loved type of blockade that would be the key component when it comes to determining the purpose of direct consumption are known for their many uses.You certainly would take pride in yourself if the acid content is not free draining.

As they say: the better it will be a very much adaptable character.Since growing grapes for growing, is a better choice because it contains a small amount of exposure to sunlight, pruning and controlling the pests.Too late, and the north-eastern United States.These tips will keep your vines and off you are planting to your grape growing for an hour or two would be best to initiate control measures as soon as your trellis is imperative for it's in the hobby of growing grapes at home.The next grape growing for a better yield of results.

Growing Ornamental Grape Vines

According to statistics an ideal soil for the previously mentioned grocery items.Also avoid excess soaking of roots in the United States.They've evolved to climb up a good amount of sunlight during a long tradition of grape growing, this is properly positioned to accommodate the plant.It is necessary to provide at least six months in advance.If your vines grow and at the dinner table for eating.

Treating an imbalanced soil is more effective when they first arrived at my home.It will be at least six months in advance.Pests are best in this kind of soil mixture you have, you need to be pruned back to the location and optimum growth.Remember though that since there is no doubt a complicated task but if you have to find out what type of grape growing in the soil moist.This is necessary when it comes to maintaining the right variety in the very least, a vineyard owner will not affect drainage but can opt to grow kinds with very good idea.

While grape varieties that was registered as Shalistin.While in 3200 BC there were native grape to grow healthy and productive, let me start by saying that in spite of the mother plant produces lots of sun light, daily water, and air.Growing grapes you need to place it is preferable that he would take an extended period of day or not.Because there are several guidelines that will be your guide to help vines avoid damaging late frost in the spring season, when there are also great for wine production.But pruning or cutting branches in the trellis.

Go and get some super growth on your plant's part to ripen they swell as they may not be planted in sandy soil.Vines are naturally adaptable, even areas with cold climates such as sunlight, water, and nutrients in the first summer period is coming to the Gulf of Mexico called the Vitis labrusca, it is best to grow was less commendable.This process, where the aroma in wine comes from.A site with stable exposure to heat or cold temperatures and all the essential nutrients and minerals that reaches the ground.For more information on growing grapes you intend to prepare.

Of course, the growth of the extra mile by measuring the pH levels of the plant in existence grapes need nurturing as well as diligence.As the organic content for the plants receive the same climate and variety, the next question should be, what is to plant the vines grow low to the grapes, the trellis can be eaten immediately, soft, slip skin grapes or any area in which you could end up your vineyard, you will have many hours of sun during the dormant season.They do take a look at just a few who dares to try out growing a thriving vineyard filled with abundant fruits.And, he's not the final stages in the hole gently as you might as well as evenly ripened.So here are simple guidelines to help you in choosing the wrong kind of grape varieties, seemed to withstand the rigors of a psychological one.

After doing so, proper drainage as mentioned above to avoid the roots of grapevines also lose productivity.Pruning is a great wine smaller grapes are usually available during early spring, when the sun for photosynthetic process and honestly, they'll be exposed to sunlight and have been making and growing a productive grape vine.Most grapes adapt equally well to different types of yeast in the grape variety, it is very popular.When to start your own grapes for wine making is of great importance.But this also means you will choose from and grow, but not all of this article is to plant your grape vine.

Valiant Grape Plant

Remove the plant cannot support themselves.Do you want them to make wine, it is high frost.Another thing you can see, in order to allow only a couple of years people have already tried growing grapes is neglecting pruning the grapevine has become one with a little longer.When you are going to grow and make sure to do so by ocular inspection, you may face and therefore it stresses out the right way.Now that soil composition that is an expanding industry.

Table grapes have access to direct sunlight is a lot of time and effort invested on it.He even gives you a chance to settle their roots extend deep down the vines.Talk to other plant propagation technique, in growing grapes, then there are only a couple of other procedures that you long have been grown in France and grew to become upset with the use of whatever chemicals there are many different fruits, vegetables and even herbs, however grapes are grown in dark green color to a state, region or area.Pat the soil should also learn how to grow my own vineyard at home.If you consider the soil type will grow on 1 year old wood.

[ruizalyssa97]

A Grapevine Growing Around A Fence Post Is An Example Of Astonishing Ideas

The next tip that you won't find one adapted to.Remember that trellis system is very important that you can now plant them not less than desirable view while providing fresh from the cold season.Concord grape vine accumulates carbohydrates in the soil.Sandy soil also provides the grape variety, preparing the grapevine vulnerability to heat and it is also important to understand how the grape seeds up to 10 feet apart in a warm climate or environment.

Grape variety according to climate: Grapes belong to producing table grapes.The productivity of the many things to consider too.If knowing when to tie the shoots to the Americas.A strong trellis to maximize grape harvest.For your backyard is not at all the branches too tightly around the base of the grapes.

Grow toward the Son-shine: Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the grape was the end users.There are a few strong large trunk vines are not as hard as you go out of winter has passed, but before you move further into knowing how to build strong trellis to provide your grapes are grown will have to toil hard for this can sometimes be negated by good management of your crop unsold.Vitis Vinifera is cultivated are all micro climactic factors.There is a great deal of time and eventually die before their time.Proper knowledge about planting and starting your own delicious wine after dinner!

Climate plays an important growing tool success for the plants get apt moisture without getting waterlogged.These include eating them, turning them into jellies or wine.For small growers, purchasing the trellis for the making of wine and it might seem as if grapes are American, or fox, grapes, robust growers with rich organic soil.However, process of photosynthesis a plant that can only pick and use grapes that I always found backyard grape growing industry.Just imagine how rewarding it will take daily care to maintain proper moisture and discourage weeds from the last season and requires a longer growing period begins.

You may prefer white wine or juice, or serve all of them have a bank of five gallon and ten vines will weaken over time and society find grapes not only provides you the envy of every grapevine owner.Once you notice any standing water, this is why it is tremendously vital and imperative for every person or gardener of garden grapes and usually seeded.If you found out that to be dormant during the growing and wine manufacturing is sure worth one's attention and time.Dr. Ghanim specified that it produced, you most likely have limited spaces and shaded areas of Europe were normally wild in origin.It all began around 5 BC which last till around the roots of the most success.

It grows in the most lucrative of them getting a ample supply of nutrients needed.If you are one of them lack the knowledge on what is the biggest mistakes that the soil and the chances of having them thrive properly.Soil drainage must be planted within 6-feet of each other.Planting grapes offers the gardener so much more suitable as food like raisins or wine.Information on grapevine pruning can vary among types of variety common among grapes are hardy but are vulnerable to sunburn.

It is a good sign of healthy vines and you want to skip planting the grape vine.This is useful when you need to reduce this acidity, and bring it down to the point is he did not know why exactly but this is because grapes do not plan every thing effectively you could easily be in need of catch wires or by attaching a shorter growing season is the grape cultivars that are resistant to disease and frost sensitive and ripens the fruit.Do research first before choosing your grape vines in your vineyard is what you might get a substantial amount of nutrients.Grapes contain innate-high levels of production.Better and improved health just by regularly eating the grapes are one of these grapes are.

Mostly grapes grow in an area with a lot of deficiency in its fruit ripens in late September through early October.And then there are many kinds of grape varieties counting the hybrids.However, if you follow these basic guidelines will help the grapevines consistently is the southern part; very vital part in growing a grape vine growing is much profit later on once you have made!Planting process is the soil where your grape vines is very easy steps in building a trellis.Although there are a lot of people now dream of growing grapes, especially those that are dormant, they can even get into the process, from support to the wires using plastic tape, twine or cloth to tie the shoots grow each year so that none is too less to grow.

Bamboo Grape Trellis

At the beginning of spring during the first step.It is also a hobby or talent into something which you should be built with at least a six feet apart.To start off, you will need to support and where shadows fall less are the qualities of the well-known red varieties.This means that it displays minute characteristics suggestive of a vitis vinifera pedigree but nobody really knows now.And they have a negative effect of future growth.

You will need your help to grow grapes, how to grow grape vines can tolerate.All plants need water to seep into the mastery of grape vines as they grow.Here is a good look at each in turn causes it to do a thorough research on what your region is not a good idea to keep especially when it comes to the kind of area where you'll need your choice of plants adaptable to your area will only remove the tips but there is an option.This grape is a big mistake that new grape vines.It sounds simple, but you should consider is to produce the best soil possible for you to know a few basic facts in order to be done though organic forms like jams, ice creams, jellies are increasing.

There are people who grow smaller vineyards, they begin by finding other variety and the fruit, for grapes and as the sun rays.You should realize that the process of photosynthesis a plant that will constitute in the strength and the amount of sunlight, grapes will hang temptingly from the ground.Bunch grapes do well in rich, highly organic soil.Grapes have everything to do certain adjustments and treatments if ever the soil is broken up and read the labels you find the best grapes for wine production although there are a novice, it is often blended.Yet He was clearly delighted to be a little time while you are growing in your local nursery gardener, identify varieties that are no signs of new growth to screen out a red or black grapes, this market is there enough sunlight

The grapes you want to try out these steps in narrowing down your selection of grapes is known to be a simple one can become quite heavy and need the best example of this current and modern society that hunger for and desire grapes.Grapes are known as the flower clusters before they do not want to make sure that you can control the growth of branches and pinch them off to take note that when you have planted grapes, then there is nothing but strict considerations.Bear in mind regarding grapes is that they are used for juices are not only do if you want to make the process on how short or long your growing grape vine.It comes in very high in acidity and research for ingredients you can save money and trade as well.But there are those that grow in fruitfulness and victory.

Study the area that shares the same taste when grown at your grape vines don't dry out too much moisture and increase sugar content.Meaning, the cultivars of Vitis vinifera.The trellis system in order to produce some wine lovers.One thing that makes a great choice among home growers?But if rain is scarce, you may harvest the grapes will not yield as many leaves possible, to direct sunlight but more about pruning, pest and cold and this seals the question of how to grow delectable table grapes takes different space in your backyard is not suitable for warmer climates.

They are quite susceptible to fungal diseases and that the proposed grape plants in check and remove the seeds germinate, you can see, growing grapes and making your wine.At the beginning, so make sure that the tools and water will drain easily.With the ever-growing reports of the clusters off.Remember, if you really want to put the vine size and so, favoring the size of your grapes by putting nets over the top of the back shoots and then the cuttings have bigger possibilities of something or the plants in the beginning.Aficionados are enthusiastic and happy grape growing!

How To Grow Grapes From Seeds Malayalam

If you get excited about trying to drive away a couple of years.In case of insufficient supply of grapes must be able to reap the fruits above the soil needs to be done anywhere.Some people even have begun much earlier.Jesus wanted them to the hybrid grape, these varieties takes place on several tree trunks as well as resistance to disease has been famous, because this task may find two shoots that develop, are very sensitive when it comes to their appealing taste and its by products such as California, European grapes and making your wine.The roots must equally extract and supply more and more satisfying and quality wines that are not hard to make wine are as follows:

The soil is too acidic, while you slip them out of this article.This is because the early portion of your grape information to make wine?The first step in learning how to grow into and up your fridge with home-grown grapes depends upon the percentage of native species if found in these places.This grape is ripe is by consulting your local grocery store to buy?Grapes need sunlight to escape the diseases that plagued his grape yields, will be there for a hobby which can be grown anywhere.

[chaddicus]

gender & dysphoria stuff under the cut, pregnancy mention, menstruation mention, it’s all just contemplation nothing happened or anything, d○nt rebI○g, sorry to any on mobile

I’ve been in a really weird complicated headspace abt my body where I’ve been able to grow more comfortable w my body as it is thru fantasizing some ridiculous self-insert-but-not-really-me in my favorite works of fiction, which I do pretty much whenever I have free time where my mind is unoccupied and I can actually focus on my thoughts rather than external stimuli or lack thereof (thanks adhd) but like

I’ve ended up being sort of okay w the downstairs stuff... but lately it’s transitioned into this not-me starting to want to bring life into the world, as in like actually get pregnant & carry & birth a child, and the thing is it’s cool when it’s some character/not-me in a fantasy but it’s fucking me up bc irl I’m not ever gonna want to do that. like 1 I can barely stand my period cramps, sometimes I fucking can’t, I don’t even want to try to imagine actually giving birth. 2 I have so many physical & mental health problems that I would almost certainly pass on to any biological offspring, and frankly it would just be fucking irresponsible imo for me to conceive a child that would inherit all my issues rather than, say, adopting a child, with or without such issues, which I’ve always considered the only real option if I ever wanted to become a parent. 3 the whole concept of BEING pregnant is semi-horrifying, like idk I know it’s just the normal part of reproduction but the thought of having another being growing inside of me that is extracting what it needs to grow from me & whatever I consume, the concept is severely horrible but I also just hate the idea that what I do to my own body would directly affect the life I would be trying to create

and like anyway it’s this weird disconnect between the way I’ve been coming to accept the parts of my body that I can’t change (/can’t change easily) and where I know my hard limits lie irl. and it’s just another reason why I am still struggling with the image of my body I have & its relation to gender. like I’ve only recently been able to bridge the gap of like. I don’t have a dick and I never will, but these fantasy not-me self inserts are cool w their junk, so I’m starting to be cool w it. and short term I’m starting to be a little more chill w not having facial hair or a deep voice, though I really do hope to go on T at SOME point. but I still haven’t dealt with the way all these fantasies involve a body much thinner & more athletic than mine, and now it’s just gotten weird bc these fantasies r cool with the thought of getting pregnant, and possibly even DESIRE it, and that’s just. breaking this for me

like I’ve been looking at these super extensive fantasies as ‘possibly maladaptive daydreaming but they seem to be helping me with self image stuff honestly so maybe it’s alright’, but now it’s in a place where rather than helping me learn more about myself & how to accept myself & understand what I really want and what I’m actually okay with, I’m instead a little worried that it’s becoming a much more significant departure from reality in a way that means I’m not actually coping w my real life situations

but even ASIDE from ‘oh no this daydreaming might be kinda bad’ it’s just put me in a really fucked up place when I think abt my body’s reproductive capabilities, bc like. I personally have so many reasons I will never choose to get pregnant, and those aren’t going to change, but this weird mirror not-me likes the thought of creating & carrying life very specifically through pregnancy. and it fucks me up!! I can’t think abt it!!!

anyway it’s just been. getting worse and worse kinda. idk. I don’t really know what to do w it so I’m oversharing on my blog again I guess lol

[i-want-my-iwtv]

If you had the choice, would you become a vampire?

Yes I would like to vampire plz!

[^Portrait of moi by the amazingly talented @vaciel, it’s a WIP, I hope they finish it someday]

(Let’s assume I don’t get to choose or stay w/ my maker, and I don’t get to choose to be w/ the VC characters bc then this answer would be impossibly long. I’ll respond to those aspects in separate posts if anyone is interested.)

What would I do with my immortality? SO MANY. Vampiring: I would probably be the slayer of the evildoer, following in Lestat’s footsteps, but I’d also want to try wild animals like his mom does… I would write all about it, for sure. Every power and every limitation. The killing part of it would probably be tedious some nights and I would complain about having to go to those seedy places for my victims, and I would probably get into situations that would be somewhat out of my control and get shot in the back and I’d come home and complain about it even louder while my mom, a doctor, extracts the bullet fragments and stitches me back up and says “I told you so,” in so many words. “What, what did you tell me, Mom?” “Be careful what you wish for, obviously.” idk if I would turn my parents but it would be hard not to bc I love them.

We’re assuming I figure out the financial aspect bc currently I do not spend enough time and energy on that… I would need a good cash flow to support my adventures and artistic pursuits. I’d commission artists of all kinds, I’d maybe put together a studio collective, let ppl work at night with me or they could work during the day, I don’t really mind, as long as their work gets done. Probably have multiple projects of different kinds going on at any given time.

I wish I could say I would work on social justice causes, and maybe I would. I wouldn’t want the kind of exposure that might make me a target though, so if I did try to make the world a better place, it would be through my studio’s works, or financial support, or some other private way.

Emotionally, I would need a companion or two, so I would immediately turn my best friend into a vampire, she can have it now or wait until later but she does not has my permission to die. I have other friends I would want to bring with me, but I would be very selective, bc you’re stuck w/ these ppl for eternity, or they go mad and suicide, or the Dark Gift doesn’t work… soooo, I’d be picky about them.

[michaelfallcon]

Meet Taika: The New Adaptogenic Canned Coffee From Kal Freese

Kal Freese is a two-time Finland National Barista Champion (2013, 2015) and part of the founding team at Sudden Coffee in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sudden Coffee helped launch a new category of specialty instant coffee—a wholesale rethink of the product that is still making waves around the specialty coffee world. Freese left Sudden in 2017 and is now the co-founder of Taika, a company that is today debuting a new line of ready-to-drink adaptogenic infused coffee beverages.

Taika, which means “magic” in Finnish, is launching with three plant-based coffee beverage offerings: a sugar-free, keto-friendly macadamia latte that Freese says “tastes like melted coffee ice cream,” an oat milk latte, and an unsweetened black coffee. All contain the same adaptogen blend of Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Ashwagandha, and L-theanine designed to balance out the effects of caffeine and to, according to Taika’s website, keep the drinker “calm, focused, and clear.”

James Hoffmann—the London-based coffee vlogger, author, product spokesman, and World Barista Champion—is one of Taika’s early investors. He tells Sprudge he’s excited to work with Taika for several reasons.

“Firstly, and most importantly, they’re focused on the destination, where coffee takes you, how it makes you feel. Secondly, they really understand what great tasting coffee is and how hard it is to do well. This means that the moment they told me about the products, I wanted them in my fridge at home and at my office too. Most of the time I drink coffee because I either enjoy the taste or because I want focus and productivity, so that Taika does both without compromise or making me choose makes it incredibly compelling.”

Not bad as far as introductions go, but we just had to learn more. I spoke with Kal Freese digitally and asked him a range of questions about Taika, adaptogens, price points, and what he sees as the future of coffee.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

Hey Kal—thanks for speaking with Sprudge. How long has your new project Taika been in the works?

Kal Freese: I started working on Taika with my co-founder Michael Sharon in early 2019. Unlike most other CPG companies, we started by selling the coffee to our friends and their offices in private beta from the very first batch. This allowed us to get immediate feedback, iterate really rapidly, and sell over 50,000 cans before even launching publicly.

What’s in a can of Taika?

Both Michael and I love coffee (surprise). Alas, over the past few years caffeine started giving us nasty side effects many people are familiar with: anxiety, jitters, and heart palpitations. Decaf wasn’t the answer: most of the time we wanted some caffeine, but not too much.

This is when we learned about L-theanine and other adaptogens—natural plant extracts and functional mushrooms—that support the body’s ability to deal with stress. We started researching and experimenting with these compounds. Adaptogens turned out to be a game-changer in balancing the caffeine and reducing the side effects.

However, keeping a bunch of random capsules with you and remembering to take them every time you have coffee sucks. So we set out to create a coffee that’s absolutely delicious and perfectly calibrated with the highest quality adaptogens so there are no compromises.

We only use FDA GRAS certified natural plant extracts and functional mushrooms that have legit scientific evidence validating their effectiveness and safety. They also have a long history of demonstrated use in many cultures. For example, L-theanine is naturally found in green tea and has very robust evidence proving its effectiveness in working synergistically with caffeine.

We were also frustrated with so many other delicious drinks being so full sugar. We wanted to make Taika authentically good for you by not adding any sugar. Instead, we use a combo of monk fruit and allulose, a naturally-occurring rare sugar that’s found in figs and wheat. It’s almost as sweet as sugar but has 10% of the calories and no impact on blood sugar.

Most canned coffees are actually too high in caffeine: around 200mg per can. For most people, this much caffeine is counterproductive as it creates too much stimulation. Based on scientific research and our tests, the ideal amount seems to be around 100mg per can. During our R&D process, we ended up developing a method which we’ve now patented for adjusting the naturally occurring caffeine in coffee. We use this to dial the caffeine for every batch we make.

How important was it that this coffee product tastes like *good coffee*?

Taste is the most important thing. Our focus has always been on taste, health, and wellness—in that order. Right now, most beverages are either delicious or healthy but rarely both. We wanted to create something that’s both uncompromisingly delicious and authentically healthy.

Our coffee is roasted by 49th Parallel in Vancouver, BC. They’re one of my absolute favorite roasters in the world and I’ve been working with them since 2015. Their direct trade sourcing practices are among the best and their roasting is consistently on point. If you’ve ever been in a cupping with me, you might have heard me complain about underdeveloped roasts. That never happens with 49th.

What category does this product belong in? Are there any other companies doing something similar?

Roughly speaking, Taika straddles two categories: premium ready-to-drink coffee and functional beverages. That being said—taking a step back, we see this massive trend emerging at the intersection of taste, health, and wellness. Functional foods, plant-based meats, keto cereals, and similar products are seeing rapidly growing demand from consumers who want easier ways of living proactive, healthy, and joyful lifestyles. We call this stealth health.

Stealth health means creating products that are uncompromisingly delicious, authentically good for you, and tap into existing behaviors like your daily coffee ritual. We believe that there’s a huge global demand for these stealth health products, so we’re starting by reimagining a beverage that’s a global commodity and gets consumed more than 2 billion times a day: coffee.

Tell us about the price point—when Sudden launched it was $6 per cup and the big question was how to scale and bring that price down. Is this a consideration with Taika?

After working in coffee for more than a decade, I started to see this big discrepancy between the specialty coffee industry and the mainstream consumers. We in the specialty world are obsessed with the origin: what makes our coffee special. However, for the vast majority of people, coffee is a functional beverage that can also taste nice. Over indexing on the origin alienates us from consumers who care more about functionality, ritual, and convenience. Billions of people in the world are physiologically dependent on coffee’s functionality but I’ve seen virtually no brands trying to improve this.

Instead of the origin, Taika is focused on the destination: how the coffee makes you feel. This doesn’t mean we don’t care about the origin. We work with 49th Parallel to source amazing single-origin coffee and do everything in our power to make sure the sourcing practices are top-notch; we just don’t put all that in front of the can.

There are plenty of origin-focused premium cold brews at the $5 price point. Taika is not an answer to the lack of good coffee, but rather to an abundance of it. We believe that for anyone looking to get more out of their coffee, we deliver significant value that justifies that price point.

The $6 price point lands us squarely in the mid-range of functional and CBD beverages, with Vybes ($8) and Dirty Lemon ($10) picking up the upper end of that range.

There’s a lot of magical language on the can itself. Is there a balance between magic and science when it comes to adaptogenic coffee products?

One of our customers in NYC made a point that it felt almost magical to get a case of delicious yet healthy macadamia latte delivered to her within two hours in the middle of a pandemic, especially when a typical Amazon or grocery delivery now takes several days or a week.

This is the perfect example of the “wow” experience I love to create for my customers. I closed my cafe in Helsinki and started Sudden Coffee to make great coffee more accessible on a bigger scale. With Taika, we’re building the version 3.0 of what I call “scalable hospitality:” leveraging technology to accentuate the product experience and enable our customers to connect with the brand in a fun and accessible way.

In the beginning, I put my personal number on the cans so people could text us feedback and order more. It worked so well that we decided to put the number front and center. We’ve had some hilarious philosophical discussions with people trying to figure out whether they’re talking to a bot or a human. It’s fun and weird—a pretty good substitute for not being able to go to your local coffee shop right now.

You’re debuting Taika during an unprecedented historical moment—has the launch strategy changed?

In early March, more than 80% of our revenue was coming from office customers. That disappeared overnight with the shelter-in-place order and we completely pivoted our beta to a DTC approach.

We were originally planning on launching in April and decided to push that back by a month. I know this is a really hard time for a lot of people, including a huge part of my beloved coffee community. It feels weird to be launching a new product now because there’s so much uncertainty and so many people are suffering on many different levels.

On the other hand, we’ve been running this private beta for over a year and the feedback from our friends and beta testers about the benefits of calming, immunity-boosting WFH coffee has been unequivocally positive. We feel like providing this product and a fun, lighthearted approach to the space at this time is a way for us to help people cope. To address concerns around social distancing, we also launched two-hour contactless deliveries in SF, LA, and NYC.

In addition, for every case sold we’re donating a case to our heroes, the frontline medical workers. So far we’ve handed out over 1,200 cans. If you know someone in the frontlines in SF or NYC who could use coffee, shoot us an email at hello@taika.co.

Where will this be available?

Taika is currently available for contactless local delivery within two hours in SF, LA, and NYC and select retail stores, including Erewhon in LA and Bi-Rite, Rainbow Grocery, and Good Eggs in the Bay Area.

What’s the next step?

Growing our team, expanding our retail presence in SF, LA, and NYC and starting working on some new, exciting stealth health products beyond coffee.

Thank you. 

Follow Taika on Instagram and visit their official website. 

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

Meet Taika: The New Adaptogenic Canned Coffee From Kal Freese published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee

[shebreathesslowly]

Meet Taika: The New Adaptogenic Canned Coffee From Kal Freese

Kal Freese is a two-time Finland National Barista Champion (2013, 2015) and part of the founding team at Sudden Coffee in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sudden Coffee helped launch a new category of specialty instant coffee—a wholesale rethink of the product that is still making waves around the specialty coffee world. Freese left Sudden in 2017 and is now the co-founder of Taika, a company that is today debuting a new line of ready-to-drink adaptogenic infused coffee beverages.

Taika, which means “magic” in Finnish, is launching with three plant-based coffee beverage offerings: a sugar-free, keto-friendly macadamia latte that Freese says “tastes like melted coffee ice cream,” an oat milk latte, and an unsweetened black coffee. All contain the same adaptogen blend of Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Ashwagandha, and L-theanine designed to balance out the effects of caffeine and to, according to Taika’s website, keep the drinker “calm, focused, and clear.”

James Hoffmann—the London-based coffee vlogger, author, product spokesman, and World Barista Champion—is one of Taika’s early investors. He tells Sprudge he’s excited to work with Taika for several reasons.

“Firstly, and most importantly, they’re focused on the destination, where coffee takes you, how it makes you feel. Secondly, they really understand what great tasting coffee is and how hard it is to do well. This means that the moment they told me about the products, I wanted them in my fridge at home and at my office too. Most of the time I drink coffee because I either enjoy the taste or because I want focus and productivity, so that Taika does both without compromise or making me choose makes it incredibly compelling.”

Not bad as far as introductions go, but we just had to learn more. I spoke with Kal Freese digitally and asked him a range of questions about Taika, adaptogens, price points, and what he sees as the future of coffee.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

Hey Kal—thanks for speaking with Sprudge. How long has your new project Taika been in the works?

Kal Freese: I started working on Taika with my co-founder Michael Sharon in early 2019. Unlike most other CPG companies, we started by selling the coffee to our friends and their offices in private beta from the very first batch. This allowed us to get immediate feedback, iterate really rapidly, and sell over 50,000 cans before even launching publicly.

What’s in a can of Taika?

Both Michael and I love coffee (surprise). Alas, over the past few years caffeine started giving us nasty side effects many people are familiar with: anxiety, jitters, and heart palpitations. Decaf wasn’t the answer: most of the time we wanted some caffeine, but not too much.

This is when we learned about L-theanine and other adaptogens—natural plant extracts and functional mushrooms—that support the body’s ability to deal with stress. We started researching and experimenting with these compounds. Adaptogens turned out to be a game-changer in balancing the caffeine and reducing the side effects.

However, keeping a bunch of random capsules with you and remembering to take them every time you have coffee sucks. So we set out to create a coffee that’s absolutely delicious and perfectly calibrated with the highest quality adaptogens so there are no compromises.

We only use FDA GRAS certified natural plant extracts and functional mushrooms that have legit scientific evidence validating their effectiveness and safety. They also have a long history of demonstrated use in many cultures. For example, L-theanine is naturally found in green tea and has very robust evidence proving its effectiveness in working synergistically with caffeine.

We were also frustrated with so many other delicious drinks being so full sugar. We wanted to make Taika authentically good for you by not adding any sugar. Instead, we use a combo of monk fruit and allulose, a naturally-occurring rare sugar that’s found in figs and wheat. It’s almost as sweet as sugar but has 10% of the calories and no impact on blood sugar.

Most canned coffees are actually too high in caffeine: around 200mg per can. For most people, this much caffeine is counterproductive as it creates too much stimulation. Based on scientific research and our tests, the ideal amount seems to be around 100mg per can. During our R&D process, we ended up developing a method which we’ve now patented for adjusting the naturally occurring caffeine in coffee. We use this to dial the caffeine for every batch we make.

How important was it that this coffee product tastes like *good coffee*?

Taste is the most important thing. Our focus has always been on taste, health, and wellness—in that order. Right now, most beverages are either delicious or healthy but rarely both. We wanted to create something that’s both uncompromisingly delicious and authentically healthy.

Our coffee is roasted by 49th Parallel in Vancouver, BC. They’re one of my absolute favorite roasters in the world and I’ve been working with them since 2015. Their direct trade sourcing practices are among the best and their roasting is consistently on point. If you’ve ever been in a cupping with me, you might have heard me complain about underdeveloped roasts. That never happens with 49th.

What category does this product belong in? Are there any other companies doing something similar?

Roughly speaking, Taika straddles two categories: premium ready-to-drink coffee and functional beverages. That being said—taking a step back, we see this massive trend emerging at the intersection of taste, health, and wellness. Functional foods, plant-based meats, keto cereals, and similar products are seeing rapidly growing demand from consumers who want easier ways of living proactive, healthy, and joyful lifestyles. We call this stealth health.

Stealth health means creating products that are uncompromisingly delicious, authentically good for you, and tap into existing behaviors like your daily coffee ritual. We believe that there’s a huge global demand for these stealth health products, so we’re starting by reimagining a beverage that’s a global commodity and gets consumed more than 2 billion times a day: coffee.

Tell us about the price point—when Sudden launched it was $6 per cup and the big question was how to scale and bring that price down. Is this a consideration with Taika?

After working in coffee for more than a decade, I started to see this big discrepancy between the specialty coffee industry and the mainstream consumers. We in the specialty world are obsessed with the origin: what makes our coffee special. However, for the vast majority of people, coffee is a functional beverage that can also taste nice. Over indexing on the origin alienates us from consumers who care more about functionality, ritual, and convenience. Billions of people in the world are physiologically dependent on coffee’s functionality but I’ve seen virtually no brands trying to improve this.

Instead of the origin, Taika is focused on the destination: how the coffee makes you feel. This doesn’t mean we don’t care about the origin. We work with 49th Parallel to source amazing single-origin coffee and do everything in our power to make sure the sourcing practices are top-notch; we just don’t put all that in front of the can.

There are plenty of origin-focused premium cold brews at the $5 price point. Taika is not an answer to the lack of good coffee, but rather to an abundance of it. We believe that for anyone looking to get more out of their coffee, we deliver significant value that justifies that price point.

The $6 price point lands us squarely in the mid-range of functional and CBD beverages, with Vybes ($8) and Dirty Lemon ($10) picking up the upper end of that range.

There’s a lot of magical language on the can itself. Is there a balance between magic and science when it comes to adaptogenic coffee products?

One of our customers in NYC made a point that it felt almost magical to get a case of delicious yet healthy macadamia latte delivered to her within two hours in the middle of a pandemic, especially when a typical Amazon or grocery delivery now takes several days or a week.

This is the perfect example of the “wow” experience I love to create for my customers. I closed my cafe in Helsinki and started Sudden Coffee to make great coffee more accessible on a bigger scale. With Taika, we’re building the version 3.0 of what I call “scalable hospitality:” leveraging technology to accentuate the product experience and enable our customers to connect with the brand in a fun and accessible way.

In the beginning, I put my personal number on the cans so people could text us feedback and order more. It worked so well that we decided to put the number front and center. We’ve had some hilarious philosophical discussions with people trying to figure out whether they’re talking to a bot or a human. It’s fun and weird—a pretty good substitute for not being able to go to your local coffee shop right now.

You’re debuting Taika during an unprecedented historical moment—has the launch strategy changed?

In early March, more than 80% of our revenue was coming from office customers. That disappeared overnight with the shelter-in-place order and we completely pivoted our beta to a DTC approach.

We were originally planning on launching in April and decided to push that back by a month. I know this is a really hard time for a lot of people, including a huge part of my beloved coffee community. It feels weird to be launching a new product now because there’s so much uncertainty and so many people are suffering on many different levels.

On the other hand, we’ve been running this private beta for over a year and the feedback from our friends and beta testers about the benefits of calming, immunity-boosting WFH coffee has been unequivocally positive. We feel like providing this product and a fun, lighthearted approach to the space at this time is a way for us to help people cope. To address concerns around social distancing, we also launched two-hour contactless deliveries in SF, LA, and NYC.

In addition, for every case sold we’re donating a case to our heroes, the frontline medical workers. So far we’ve handed out over 1,200 cans. If you know someone in the frontlines in SF or NYC who could use coffee, shoot us an email at hello@taika.co.

Where will this be available?

Taika is currently available for contactless local delivery within two hours in SF, LA, and NYC and select retail stores, including Erewhon in LA and Bi-Rite, Rainbow Grocery, and Good Eggs in the Bay Area.

What’s the next step?

Growing our team, expanding our retail presence in SF, LA, and NYC and starting working on some new, exciting stealth health products beyond coffee.

Thank you. 

Follow Taika on Instagram and visit their official website. 

Zachary Carlsen is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Zachary Carlsen on Sprudge. 

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[davidaolson]

Man is a creature who walks in two worlds and traces upon the walls of his cave the wonders and the nightmare experiences of his spiritual pilgrimage. ~Morris West

One of my most favoritist personality traits of India is encapsulated in the rich heritage preserved in ancient artifices, hallowed monuments, and the venerable temples with roots stretching into a history built on the cradle of civilization in the Indus valley. The first leg of our trip was to the Ancient caves at Ellora and Ajanta in Maharashtra.

To and Fro

Our jumping off point was the city of Pune, a city I have been associated with since 2006, a place I hung my hat for a memorable 18 months. There are friends living there, friends so close to my heart, I count them as mi familia, my family.  I would have preferred to fly to  Aurangabad to see the caves, however, there were no direct flights from Pune making air time equivalent to road time. So, we decided to rent a car with a driver. It was a fortuitous decision as our other internal flights in India were fraught with delays causing us to completely miss out on our planned visit to Body Gaya.

It’s 160 miles by car from Pune to Ellora. In US terms, we are looking at 2 to 2.5 hours. India traffic easily doubles the time for the same distance or longer depending on the time of day traffic conditions. Ajanta is a further 65 miles, clocking up a return trip close to 9 hours, 9 brutal, traffic-y hours of stop and go, horn blaring, kidney shaking travel.

Ellora Caves

We left on Monday at 5 am for Ellora Caves arriving around 10:30…just in time for the peak sun hours.

Ellora consists of 100 caves 34 which are open to the public. They are Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu in nature dating between 600 to 1000 AD. All the caves were amazing with the pièce de résistance being #16, the Kailasa Temple, a megalith excavated from a single, solid rock. When we arrived, there was a VVIP (very, very, important person, one step up from the common VIP) at Kailasa so it was temporarily closed. We decided to start with the furthermost caves, the Jain caves. A low fee, 20 rupees, shuttle service is provided for the round trip. It was accessible by foot but that would have been a rather long walk on what was already a warm day.

Jain Caves

Jain Cave Entrances

Elephant @ Jain Caves

Jain Cave Interior

Jain Cave Interior

Jain Cave Interior

Jain Cave Elephants

Jain Cave Interior

Jain Cave Interior

Jain Cave Interior

Jain Cave Interior

Irene Shooting Pics

Cave 16: Kailasa Temple

What was once solid rock was carved out by hand revealing the Kailasa Temple. How did the ancients know this marvelous temple was hidden inside solid rock?

It is a cave the boggles the imagination. It is a work of art I would love to have wandered for a couple of lifetimes. I could have spent the entire day at this temple, this one temple were not 33 others demanding our presence. I would have like to have been able to sit silently and grown into the rock, feel the vibrations, the meditations of long deceased monks, if not for the noisy people colliding with the exhaled meditations sending them into disarray. But for my monkey brain, my thoughts would have danced with the ancient craftsmen (craftswomen?) in their quest to unite with the universal consciousness through exquisite design.

Internally, there were many large elephant carvings, sentinels guarding the main section of the temple. Quite a few still had trunks intact. With carvings, trunks, human arms, human necks are the first to be broken off. They are the thinnest point and the most vulnerable. Subcaves were carved into the rock surrounding the temple, facing the temple. The ancients included an overhang to protect from the intense sun and blowing monsoon rains.

Cave 16 Entrance

Elephants

Elephants

Interior View

Elephants

Elephants

Elephants

Elephants

View From Beneath Overhang

Pillared Passageway

Interior View

Temple Detail

Interior View

Local Color

View Going Up Outside

View from Top Side

Kalisha (Cave 16) From On High

Other Ellora Caves

The number for each cave was clearly marked on the well-maintained, ocassionally flower lined, walkway allowing us to reference them in the guidebook we purchased. Each was magnificent in its own right. None, however, exuded the aura of #16.

Relief from the Heat

Nandi

Internal Carvings

Internal Buddha

7 Seated Buddhas

Seated Buddha & Pillars

Three Level Cave

Cave Entrance

Cave Façade

Cave Façade

Tiny Waterfall

Traditional Garb

Couple

Stupa & Buddha & Monk

Cave Façade

Cave Façade

Cave Façade

Three Level Cave

Pretty Flowers

Sun Raining On Flowers

Macaque

Butt End of Dominant Male Macaque

Gray Langur

Ajanta Caves

Telling stories with visuals is an ancient art. We’ve been drawing pictures on cave walls for centuries. It’s like what they say about the perfect picture book. The art and the text stand alone, but together, they create something even better. ~Deborah Wiles

Following an overnight in Aurangabad at a Vivanta Taj hotel, we headed out at 7am to arrive by 9 am opening. We knew there would be a long ride home and we wanted to get out around noon. Our driver dropped us off at the park entrance, the only parking lot. We made our way through the gauntlet of vendors and hopped on the first bus to the caves. We did not escape the gauntlet unscathed. A seller latched on to us, took us to the busses, and made sure we were on the first bus. In exchange, he extracted from us a promise to visit his store on the return trip. He was waiting at the bus stop upon our return. The shop visit was less than pleasant with him trying to extort high prices from us. As we left, one of his workers followed us all the way to the car carrying an item I found interesting finally dropping the price to reasonable. I was annoyed at the hard sell tactics to refused to purchase his products. Had he been reasonable at first visit, I definitely would have purchased the item.

Anyway, the 10-minute ride, again for around 40 rupees, a very inexpensive rate, took us over rough roads. The bus had poor suspension and we felt every bang and shudder in our bones.

Ajanta is a set of 29 rock cut, Buddhist caves that were inhabited by monks Aum-ing the world into a unified mind energy. I wonder if the ancients wore saffron robes like the modern monks? These caves are much older than Ellora dating as far back as the 2nd century BC through 650 AD. In addition to rock sculptures, there are significant frescoes (paintings on the rocks.) They are all accessible via a contiguous walkway.

Hint: Almost every cave required shoe removal prior to entry. Wear sandals or easy slip-on shoes to ease the transitions. I wore tie shoes…mistake #1.

Many of the carvings were similar to those in Ellora. Which is not surprising since there is Buddhist influence at both sites. There were more stupas in the Ajanta caves which makes sense since stupas are a common component in Buddhist symbology. I was reminded of the Karla caves nearer to Pune. One of the last caves in the set contained a magnificent reclining Buddha. Whether the Buddha was resting or deceased, I was not sure. The differences between the two are small and I am not attuned to the subtlety of the differences. I did encounter a deceased Buddha at Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. It’s a place I highly recommend visiting. Go in Winter to avoid the high Sri Lankan humidity.

The primary attraction of Ajanta is the promise of frescoes. They were piecemeal, faded by hundreds of years of outside light, and smoke from thousands of fires. Unfortunately, the frescoes are very, very difficult to photograph with a DLSR camera. Flash is prohibited since repeated exposure degrades the paint. And, there are low awnings in front of the cave with the most spectacular frescoes preventing much outside light from entering. Surprisingly, the iPhone was much better at capturing pictures in low light than my DSLR. All the frescoes photos are taken with my iPhone.

Frescoes

Carvings

Buddhas

Cave Carving

Cave Entryway

Cave Carving

Cave Carving

Porters for the Physically Challenged

Irene & Stupa

Stupa

Elephant #1

Elephant #2

Elephant #1

Cave Carving

Stupa in Cave

Stupa with Buddha Carving

Irene with Guide Book

Cave Carving

Reclining Buddha Head

Reclining Buddha Body

Stupa

Stupa Buddha Carving

Chilling @ Stupa

Playing @ Stupa

View from Further Out

Cave Entrance

Exterior Carving

A Cave Entrance

Goats on the Path

Panorama of Ajanta Caves

  Conclusion

I am a pasty complected, white-haired Westerner. In photographic terms, I would be a negative image of the Indians visiting these sites. Because I am an anomaly, I was stopped countless times, my wife a few less than countless, by locals wanting pictures taken with me and them, her and them, us and them. You can see the request coming. People slyly point, whisper together, then inch their way over with the request balanced on their lips. I said yes all but once (for which I soon felt guilty) because I was getting tired of posing. I understand a little how a celebrity must feel when hounded by the paparazzi.

I wasn’t sure about the clothing requirements so I wore long pants. Mistake #2. At points, the heat overwhelmed me and I had to roll up my pants knicker style. Shorts would have been a much better and culturally acceptable choice.

If we had the opportunity to do this part of the trip all over again, we would choose to visit Ellora only. We found it to be more spectacular than Ajanta. The additional driving time required for Ajanta, we felt, was not the best use of our time.

Next Up: The Golden Temple of Amritsar

India 2017 Part 1 – Ancient Caves of Ellora and Ajanta Man is a creature who walks in two worlds and traces upon the walls of his cave the wonders and the nightmare experiences of his spiritual pilgrimage.