#solt circle

[canticleofcanticlesforleibowitz]

A PERFECT CIRCLE

the protocol

of light

runs through

the dreamer’s

thoughts

I seize it

unmindful

call it

my own

a flash

redundant

burning

kings

of chaos

rising up

from front

to back

the colors

make

a perfect circle

particles

in flight

the forest

with its thousand

birds

no prototype

more real

an actuality

of hidden

life

a fantasy

of animals

like narcoleptic

mice                                                           (for John Solt)

& spiders

see

the sidewalk

rise

& strike you

dead

the way

the road

to paradise

recoils

& binds us

-- Jerome Rothenberg, from Jacket 9.v.13

July 15, 2013

[halequeenjas]

Solt Circle || Connor, Orion, & Jasmine

TIMING: Current PARTIES: @connorspiracy @3starsquinn & @halequeenjas SUMMARY: Jasmine offers Connor the chance to come help her with a ghost at one of her listings. Rio comes along to film and ghost-y times are had.

Connor was excited to work with Jasmine. Knowing that she’d been the one to banish Bloody Mary and the Sandman had given him the biggest fanboy hearteyes. She was exactly what he’d been lacking in his life; a mentor, a leader, a bloody inspiration. She wasn’t like one of his family’s old friends who couldn’t stand ‘em and helped Connor out of some begrudging sense of community while still holding it against him that his dad had fucked off to do a boring grown-up job. She was actually excited to work with him, and if she could get rid of Bloody Mary, maybe she could actually help Nadia. Honestly, it was a relief to know her inability to get rid of Larry Bob wasn’t a reflection on her talents. Whatever healthy skepticism he’d had about her had subsided. Not only that, but she was offering him his own banishing, and letting him film it. “Mate this is gonna be epic,” he said excitedly as he got out of the car with Rio right outside the address Jasmine had given him. Her car was already parked, and he could see the For Sale sign swinging in the autumnal breeze. “Way better than last time. You’re gonna get to meet another exorcist. I reckon she’s really rich too, judging by her… well, everything, and she’s paying us for this.” He knocked on the door, film, but polite. 

While banishing ghosts was never how Jasmine pictured her life when she was younger, it was a duty she took very seriously. She’d seen too many times first hand just how dangerous White Crest could be and if she could make it even a little safer while still making a profit, it seemed like a no brainer it was what she had to do. Everything with Larry Bob was currently on hold with her arm still broken and body sore. But a banishment would be easy enough and she wanted to encourage Connor to keep practicing. While the whole YouTube thing made her shake her head a bit, she appreciated his eagerness to learn and become better with his craft. It was apparent he was very excited for this and it was a warm feeling that she welcomed. She opened the door when they arrived and greeted, “Welcome to the haunted cabin. I could probably leave it haunted and sell to some hipsters, but that’s unethical so here we are.” She gestured with her good arm for them to come inside and knew Connor would immediately be able to see Mrs. Solt’s ghost. She was an elderly woman who just had a hard time letting go of her home and wasn’t particularly malicious. They had spoken some and Jasmine told her she’d be helping her move on and find peace. She wasn’t a poltergeist, so it was possible. She seemed afraid but receptive. “So I’ve got some snacks just in case we need a little boost at any point. I’m going to let you take the reins on this one and step in if needed. As you can see, I’m a bit out of commission right now.” She eyes the skinny kid in baggy clothes and asked, “Who’s your friend?”  

Orion was always thrilled by Connor’s excitement to see new, haunted areas. Now, Connor seemed more excited than Rio might have seen him at any of the locations they had visited. He understood his friend’s excitement, the idea of meeting anyone with a similar hobby or passion was thrilling enough. Add in the bonus of seeing a ghost and filming it just seemed to be the icing on the cake. “It’s really cool that she’s helping out with this stuff.” Rio agreed with Connor, clutching the bag around his shoulder that held the equipment he worked for Connor. Helping film and edit had been a welcome distraction from having to deal with the onslaught of people in his life attempting to comfort him following his parent’s death. They seemed to come from all directions. The actual friends in his life, people from the hospital and gym his parents worked at and even former neighbors that found him around town. Considering his parents had lived here for over twenty years and had a pretty strong reputation within the town didn’t help Rio’s anonymity. The kindness was appreciated, though it forced a narrative on Rio to be heartbroken and mourning that he wasn’t sure he could live up to.When Jasmine opened the door, he recognized her almost immediately. Though his parents had already been living here since Rio was born, he had become familiar with her brand selling other houses within Harris Island. Initially surprised by the realization that a seemingly normal realtor was actually an exorcist, Rio eventually settled on being impressed. “Hi! I’m Rio. Er- Orion. Quinn. But I go by Rio usually.” He held out his hand in offering if she was the type to formally introduce himself. “I’m Connor’s friend. And Coworker. I help film sometimes.” Introductions weren’t exactly Rio’s strong suit. But considering he was here to film and not speak, he at least figured he wouldn’t have to talk much today as the two worked their magic. 

"Yeah, I mean, we help each other, I guess? She seems way more experienced than me, but she has this one guy she can't get rid of, so I'm helping her back." Jasmine had quite the presence, broken arm and all. He hoped Rio wouldn't be too intimidated by her. Connor gave a low chuckle at Jasmine's ghost. "That's what you get for taking on Bloody freaking Mary," he said, clearly still impressed. He found her ethics around the supernatural to be interesting. "You've got people like me who travel around visiting haunted places. You should probably have a subset of clients who want to buy the places as tourist attractions." He realised with a brief moment of panic that he'd forgotten to mention Rio was coming. "Oh, sorry. I should have mentioned. Kind of distracted with all the Bloody Mary and Sandman stuff. But this is Rio, my camera-man." With the door open, they stepped inside and Connor looked around the entryway, taking in the energy of the place. "So what kind of haunting are we dealing with? Annoying kind that knocks your eggs off the counter or like the real bad kind?"  

“Someone had to do it. I just happened to have some know-how and figured why not me,” Jasmine said with a wide grin on her features. It was more than evident that both Connor and Blanche were beginning to look up to her which was a pleasant feeling in itself. Being able to put those younger than her on the right path was an honor she took seriously and it was nice they seemed to respect her all the more for it.  She extended her hand to Rio and responded, “It’s good to meet you, Rio. I’m Jasmine Hale.” She noted the familiarity of the name Quinn and the recent news article but opted against mentioning it. Seemed like poor timing though it had been just on the tip of her tongue. While Connor’s gimmick was one she’d thought of plenty of times before, it still seemed wrong to let ghosts be some sort of tourist attraction and gave too much potential to endanger people. “You might be on to something, but probably better to avoid that for now. Don’t want ghosts getting angry and spiteful on people.” She led them into the living area and began to explain, “Mrs. Solt is far from an antagonist ghost. She just wants everything in her home to stay the same and is having a tough time moving on. I told her we’d help her. Mrs. Solt,” she called out at the end of her sentence and an elderly ghost appeared. She wore the same floral nightie she always wore and looked uneasy as she approached the trio. 

After introducing himself, Orion planned on remaining in the backseat. After all, exorcisms and ghost stuff were more Connor and apparently Jasmine’s area of expertise. While Rio had done as much reading up on what the Scribrary had to offer on spirits, he wouldn’t say he knew much about them. Plus, as the three settled into the space, it was clear the two were discussing someone that Rio couldn’t see. The ghost of the woman that owned the house, from what Jasmine had said. But aside from her words, Rio had no sense of a fourth presence besides a small nagging paranoia that he was in danger. And Rio felt that everywhere he went. “Sounds a bit sad, honestly.” Rio chimed in quietly, wondering if he died somewhere in town if he would be able to move on or not. “Uh- I can’t see you Mrs. Solt but hello” Rio gave a nervous smile and waved around the room, no idea where he was actually trying to signal. He turned back towards Jasmine and Connor, “Where do you want me to set up so I’m out of your way?”

Although Jasmine came across as a snobby Karen-type personality at first glance, someone who thought the whole world revolved around her and her needs, Connor was beginning to see that there was more to her than that. He sort of admired the strength of her moral compass. Before he'd become an exorcist, he'd attended countless haunted tourist attractions and left the ghosts remaining there after he left. Of course, there were some he'd been able to help move on just by talking to them, understanding them, but the majority of the time he treated the visits like a one night stand; get in, get what you wanted, and get out. 

"You won't be in the way," Connor reassured Rio, his voice quiet and reassuring. "We'll set up a couple of fixed cameras in different parts of the room and you can handheld the rest." He turned on the GoPro that was attached to the front of his jacket, letting Rio get the tripods set up, and he made his way towards Mrs. Solt, taking a seat on the end of one of the sofas. He understood what Jasmine meant. She didn't feel ominous, just lost and confused. "I'm Connor," he introduced himself, trying to get her attention. "Did you live here a long time?"

“It is a little sad, but that’s why we’re going to help her,” Jasmine explained to Rio. If she were being honest, this was the kind of haunting she preferred. Poltergeists and possessions always resulted in some sort of pain. But this? Mrs. Solt could be banished and not have her soul destroyed. She was a sweet woman and Jasmine wished peace for her. In the same vein, that sweetness could only last for so long before she veered into instability. She shook her head and quickly added, “You definitely won’t be in the way. Though I will be staying out of the shot. The whole of the internet does not need to see me in this thing.” She held up the cast with a look of distaste on her face. 

She watched quietly as Connor interacted with the ghost, wanting to see how he spoke with her. “Nice to meet you, Connor,” Mrs. Solt said in her most endearing voice. “I have. Raised both my daughter and granddaughter here.” There was something wistful in the way she spoke as if it had been too long since she’d seen either of them. It was enough to pull at her own heartstrings, but she let Connor take direction here. Maybe a little talk would do it after all, but she knew Mrs. Solt still held out hope that her granddaughter would reappear. Come home after all these years. In this town, the missing often didn’t just show up again and Jasmine couldn’t help but think something terrible happened to her. 

Orion busied himself with setting up tripods and cameras. Since he wasn’t much help when it came to spirits, he could at least have everything ready to film just in case something happened. For now, the view was pretty similar to a lot of the filming that Rio had done since landing the job, Connor holding a conversation with an empty house.  But Rio knew the truth, even if he couldn’t see it for himself. Once the extra camera was recording from the tripod, Rio held the other camera close to his chest and tried to get some other shots from different angles just for editing options. 

"Ruin your public image, would it?" Connor teased as Jamine said she’d rather stay off-camera. He had a wry grin on his face for a moment, then he became perfectly charming as he made himself at home on the couch. Some spirits, he found, preferred it when you just acted completely normal, like you belonged. Some took it as an affront. He got the impression Mrs Solt could just use some company. She'd probably been alone here for years. 

"Really, your daughter and your granddaughter? Three generations of Solt women," he chuckled kindly. "What are they up to these days?" He trusted Rio to let the camera roll. Anything that Jasmine appeared in, they could edit. "Do you smoke, Mrs Solt?" he asked, offering her one from the packet and taking one for himself. It was a simple test, really, just to see how corporeal she was. If that didn't work, he'd offer her a mint. "Of course, I won't light one if you'd rather I didn't." 

“Exactly,” Jasmine had responded with an easy smirk on her face. She leaned against the bannister to the staircase as Rio set up the cameras. There was a proud look on her face as she watched Connor converse with Mrs. Solt with ease. Treating nonviolent spirits with respect could always go a long way. It seemed like he was really amping up the charm, too. She could practically see the posh English charm seeping in. 

“Yes,” Mrs. Solt answered somewhat quietly as she looked sadly ahead, “My daughter moved out a few years ago after little Jessie went missing. She’s in New York now.” Terrible city and no one here if Jessie ever found her way home. She looked back up to Connor with sad eyes and momentarily glanced at the cigarette. “Oh no, I shouldn’t. I haven’t had one since before Melody was born.” Then again, it was a little too late to care for her health. “Oh, what the hell, I’ll take one.” She reached for the cigarette, her fingers managing to wrap around it for only a few seconds before they simply went through it. “Silly me, I forget about that sometimes. Thank you for the offer though, sweetie.” 

“And you shouldn’t be smoking in here,” Jasmine added on. 

Even against the one sided conversation that Orion was able to see, it was evident that Connor was winning the woman over. When it came to social cues, Rio had been a wreck the majority of his life. Seeing the ease that people like Connor had with people and ghosts had always perplexed Rio. When the two had first met, Rio had spent hours watching every video that Connor had uploaded. At first he had assumed that it was a persona. Just an act that he kept up for the fans on the other side of the screen. As it turned out, Connor was just as easy going in real life. “He certainly has a way with words.” Rio spoke softly, mostly to Jasmine so he could avoid interrupting any conversation between Connor and the ghost. He had learned to talk in between the conversations, only when he knew that he could edit certain parts out. A small grin broke out across his face when the cigarette hovered for a split second before falling to the ground. Bingo. Without a second thought, Rio found himself adding onto Jasmine’s statement, “You shouldn’t be smoking at all.” It took a moment before he realized how much of a mom he sounded like and began blushing immediately, “It’s uh- bad for your health.”

"Oh," Connor's face changed. So that was why she clung on. She was holding out hope that Jessie, whoever she was, would come home. "Is Jessie your granddaughter?" he asked, puzzle pieces sliding together. He gave a sympathetic understanding smile as Mrs. Solt's hand slid through the cigarette packet. Okay, so she wasn't a spirit who was particularly prone to control over corporeal things. "Okay, well, it would be impolite of me to smoke if you can't." He put the cigarette packet back in his inside jacket pocket. "Yeah, yeah," he chuckled, waving a hand at Rio. "Sorry about my mate over there. I do lots of things that are bad for my health." He adjusted his position, leaning back, more relaxed, hoping Mrs. Solt would copy his body language. "Can you tell me about Jessie?" 

“He’s right,” Jasmine agreed as Rio mentioned he shouldn’t be smoking at all. It was a habit that Jasmine personally hated, but noticed it seemed to be popular on the other side of the sea. The smell and health dangers were enough to make her scrunch her nose. She peered over Rio’s shoulder to see what this all looked like on camera. “Huh, surprisingly good shot for not being able to see all the subject matter.” Her focus shifted back to Connor and Mrs. Solt who were conversing easily. Maybe she didn’t have any right to feel a sense of pride as she watched them, but she did all the same. Connor still had a lot to learn and he was eager to do so. Still, he showed a certain level of maturity and understanding while talking to Mrs. Solt that told Jasmine he took all of this seriously. 

“Jessie was sixteen when she went missing about five years ago,” Mrs. Solt explained through teary eyes though she could produce no real tears. She wasn’t stupid. She knew the odds and knew it was unlikely Jessie was still alive, but hope was a fickle thing. She couldn’t just let go of that. Couldn’t just let go of the idea that maybe her little girl was still out there. Who would she turn to if she did find her way back? The idea of her alone in the world or worse distressed Mrs. Solt. “I need to be here in case she comes home.” 

Even with as simple of a compliment as telling him that his camera angling was good, Orion could feel his face heating and could only imagine how bright red it was glowing at the moment. He had never been great at accepting compliments, but he was even worse at taking them from strangers. “Oh uh- Thank you. I’ve gotten a good bit of experience now trying to film stuff that I can’t see.” It was frustrating at times, only catching Connor’s side of a conversation and trying to piece the full context together. He was picking up on the reason why Mrs. Solt hadn’t left. Something to do with a missing relative, Jessie. Knowing that they were helping these spirits was still rewarding all the same. Whether Rio could see them or not. “Thanks by the way, for helping him. Connor gets super excited about all of this stuff so I know he must be thrilled to have someone else that he can learn things from.” 

He tried to fill in as much as possible, looking to the camera and telling them what Mrs Solt had said. As much as Connor enjoyed the excitement and certain level of recklessness that came with being a YouTuber for the supernatural, that didn’t mean he couldn’t equally treat a clearly sensitive situation with the respect it deserved. He could practically feel Mrs. Solt’s suffering. It hung in the air, engulfing the entire home. Her spirit was so ingrained in this place. Her loss, too. “I’m so sorry,” he said, voice soft. “Mrs. Solt, you clearly love her a great deal. But…” He had to do this sensitively. “But if Jessie is still alive, she wouldn’t be able to see you even if she did come back. And… she doesn’t know you’re here.” He reached out his hand. He couldn’t quite touch her, but he put his hand on hers all the same. “If you move on, if the worst has happened and she’s… not coming back, then she’ll be on the other side waiting for you.” 

The way Rio flushed as she complimented the shot didn’t go unnoticed by Jasmine. She was far too interested in seeing how Connor engaged with the ghost to call it out. Too many people didn’t know how to take a compliment around here. It wasn’t a problem she ever had, but she still found it mildly perplexing. Mrs. Solt was opening up to Connor and he was asking all the right questions. As it stood, they could probably do without a banishment which was always preferred. It was a gentler way to go. Her head tilted as she watched them with a soft smile on her face. She turned back to Rio and simply answered, “Of course. Connor’s a good kid. He’ll be helping me with some things, too. It only makes sense to teach him what I know.” There was also the fact it was rewarding to pass on some of what she knew to the younger generation. 

Mrs. Solt sat there quietly for a few moments. She’d never really been able to let herself believe that Jessie could be dead. For all these years, she’d held on to hope even if her heart broke every single day that Jessie didn’t return home. Somewhere in the darker corners of her mind, she knew it was unlikely Jessie was alive. She’d been missing far too long. Phantom tears rolled down her cheeks as she quietly whispered, “I know you’re right. Even just to see her alive one more time…” See the likely beautiful woman she’d grown up to be. Hear her voice. It’d be everything. If she wasn’t though, that just meant she’d kept her little girl waiting on the other side needlessly. “I think I’m ready.” She focused on letting go of the fear. Of seeing her little Jessie on the other side. There was barely time to wave as she felt herself fade away. 

Though Orion couldn’t see the ghost, he could read a room. The way that Connor’s words seemed to wind down. The deeper focus on Jasmine’s face all told him that something was happening. Something that he couldn’t hear or see or maybe even feel, but was definitely happening nonetheless. “Is something happening?” Rio asked quietly again, squinting his eyes as if doing so held any chance of him catching a glimpse of the woman the other two could so easily see. Right now, all he could do was trust that Connor was working his usual charm and doing the right thing. If they were lucky, when they reviewed the footage they would be able to capture at least a few glimpses of the experience. Even an orb or a flashing light would be enough for some of the fanbase. “Something totally just happened. Man, not being able to see ghosts is such a drag when I’m like technically a ghost hunter.” Was Rio a ghost hunter now? He didn’t really feel like one, though he supposed he did work for one. 

She passed onto her new afterlife with Connor holding onto her hand. He couldn’t quite feel her, but he knew it had helped, even if only the gesture of it. These were some of the best exorcisms to take part in. He stared silently at the spot where Mrs Solt had been just a moment before, as if saying a silent goodbye. “She’s gone,” he said, his voice tender. “She just needed a little bit of encouragement. I think she’ll be happier now.” He stood, gesturing to the area she’d have appeared on camera. “You should see some changes, right here. There’ll have been some orbs in the shot, or something that looked like dust in the air, now cleared up.” He explained both for Rio and for the audience. “There are lots of reasons people stick around after death. Sometimes they just need to say goodbye, even if it’s only mentally.” 

Moments like these were never easy, but they were always rewarding in their way. Too many people like them could forget that ghosts were once real people, too. Jasmine was proud of the way Connor handled the situation with Mrs. Solt with an amount of compassion she hoped he never lost. She nodded along slowly as Connor explained to Rio what had just happened. All she could hope was that maybe Mrs. Soly was reunited with her granddaughter again. In this town, it wasn’t likely she was alive after missing all these years. “You did well,” she told Connor as she approached and place a hand on his shoulder. It felt as if something should be done for Mrs. Solt though she wasn’t quite sure what. She simply stated, “I think I’ll maybe say a few words to honor her. She seemed like a good woman. Mrs. Solt, I hope you find peace in your new afterlife and that one day you’re reunited with both your girls. I have no doubt they never stopped feeling your love.” This always felt off, talking to the dead once they were gone, but the woman deserved some sort of remembrance. 

Turning the camera off after Connor had wrapped, Orion let his arms fall to his side so he could join the two of them. A ghost passing over always seemed like it was bittersweet. Sure, their spirit had moved on to an assumingly better place, but it also meant that they were just… gone. Never to be seen again. “Nice job!” Rio agreed with Jasmine and gave Connor a thumbs up. “I think we got some good footage too. I mean, I can’t actually see anything. But the shots all looked good.” Since it seemed like more of a teaching moment between the two, Rio busied himself by collecting the rest of the equipment and starting to pack it away. It was cool seeing them work together on something like this, both things that the two seemed to be passionate about. “Is it sad that I know the spirit in this place was good and it still creeps me out?” Rio asked once things seemed to have wrapped, “Are we done here?”

Connor nodded, solemn but hopeful. Today had been a good one, and he didn’t get many of those these days. “Yeah. We’re done.”

[duratrans]

Satoshi Mizukami is doing a Q&A to celebrate Solte's 1st tank release (Jan 9th), and Magcomi is taking questions submitted BY DEC 6TH (until midnight).

Have a question? Send it to me, and I'll translate it to Japanese and send it in for you! (schedule permitting).

[ljaesch]

Seven Seas Entertainment Licenses the World End Solte Manga

Seven Seas Entertainment Licenses the World End Solte Manga

Seven Seas Entertainment has announced that it has acquired the license for the World End Solte manga series by Satoshi Mizukami, creator of cult favorites Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, Spirit Circle, and Planet With. In a world plagued by magical pollution, an orphan girl sets off on an adventure. The war is finally over, but the land has been ravaged. Magical pollution runs rampant,…

[jackhkeynes]

19m Juglot

scet /xɛt/ [çɛt] coin, token

also one of the suits in (Romantic) playing cards, represented by a circle

< 12C, from early Kentish shett "coin, money, wealth" (replaced by 14C by originally-Norman coing "wedge" < Latin cuneus) via Anglian communities on Borland. Used for the card suit from 16C with the spread of the Romantic style across western Europe, calqued from Dutch munte "coin, piece of currency".

Y solt es un scet prent ne cuivr jusc 1134 e n'argent apres.

The shilling is a coin made of copper until 1134 and silver afterwards.

/i ˈsɔlt ɛz ɪn ˈxɛt ˈpʀɛnt ne ˈka.vʀ̩ ʒɪç ˈɔntsɛnt tʀɛŋˈkatʀ̩ e naʀˈʒɛnt aˈpʀɛz/

[thefrostyknight]

The Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, Sengoku Youko, Spirit Circle, and Planet With are all must reads (or watch in Planet With’s case). The opening chapter for his newest series, Solte of the End is also really promising. Please go and read Mizukami Satoshi’s works!

[manabitai]

「蝶々結び」”Nó borboleta” ”Butterfly knot” 歌手：Aimer（エメ） 作詞・作曲：野田洋次郎(RADWIMPS)

片っぽで丸を作って しっかり持ってて Faça um círculo de um lado e segure firme Make a circle on one side and hold it tight

もう片っぽでその丸の後ろを ぐるっと回って Com o outro lado dê a volta por trás do círculo With the other side go around from behind the circle

間にできたポッケに入って 出て来るの待ってて Insira dentro do bolso que fica no meio e espere até sair Put it into the pocket in the middle and wait it to come out

出てきたところを迎えにきて Busque a parte que sair Go get what comes out

「せーの」で引っぱって “um, dois e...” puxe! “Ready, set...” pull!

はじめはなんとも 情けない形だとしても No começo qualquer coisa pode ter uma aparência patética In the begining everything may look lame

同じだけ力を込めて Apenas bote a mesma força Just put in the same strenght

羽根は大きく 結び目は固く As asas são grandes e o nó é firme The wings are big and the knot is tight

なるようにきつく 結んでいてほしいの Para ficar assim, quero que esteja amarrado firmemente To stay like that, I want it to be bind tightly

腕はここに 思い出は遠くに O meu braço está aqui, as memórias estão distantes My arm is here, the memories are far away

置いといてほしい ほしいの Eu quero deixar como está. É o que eu quero. I want to let this be. That is what I want.

片っぽでも引っ張ちゃえば ほどけちゃうけど Se puxar apenas de um lado só, vai acabar soltando, mas If you pull it only by one side, it will unfasten, but

作ったもの壊すのは 遥かに 簡単だけど Destruir o que se constrói é de longe fácil de mais, mas To brake up what we build is from far way too easy, but

だけどほどく時も そう、ちゃんと 同じようにね Mas, mesmo quando solto, ainda é a mesma coisa, certo But, even though unfasten it is still the same thing, right

分かってるよ でもできたらね Eu sei! Mas, quando conseguimos, certo I know! But, once we can do it, right

「せーの」で引っ張って “um, dois e...” Puxe! “Ready, set...” Pull!

ほどけやしないように と願って力込めては Me empenhar e desejar para que não se solte Put my all to wish it not to unfasten

広げすぎた羽根に 戸惑う As asas que abri de mais me deixam perplexa The wings that I’ve spread perplexed​ me

羽根は大きく 結び目は固く As asas são grandes e o nó é firme The wings are big and the knot is tight

なるようにきつく 結んでいてほしいの Para ficar assim, quero que esteja amarrado firmemente To stay like that, I want it to be bind tightly

夢はここに 思い出は遠くに O meu sonho está aqui, as memórias estão distantes My dream is here, the memories are far away

気づけばそこにあるくらいがいい É o suficiente perceber o que está aqui It’s enough to notice what is here

黙って引っ張ったりしないでよ Não fique calado, se atrasando! Don’t stay mute delaying onself!

不格好な蝶にしないでよ Não faça uma borboleta desajeitada! Don’t build a clumsy butterfly!

結んだつもりがほどいていたり O que deveria estar amarrado, vai se soltando What should be binded, goes unfastening

緩めたつもりが締めていたり O que deveria estar solto, vai se amarrando What should be unfastened, goes binding up

この蒼くて広い世界に Neste pálido e vasto mundo In this pale and vast world

無数に散らばった中から Há incontáveis pontas soltas There are uncountable loose ends

別々に二人選んだ糸を A linha que cada um dos dois escolheu sozinhos The thread that the two of them chose by themselves

お互いたぐり寄せ合ったんだ Passou por ambos enrolando e agrupando-os. Got through they both reeling and huddling them together.

結ばれたんじゃなく結んだんだ Não é que tenham sido amarrados, mas que tenham amarrado It’s not like they have been tied, but they had tied up

二人で 「せーの」 で引っ張ったんだ Os dois juntos “um, dois e...” Puxaram The two of them together “ready, set...” Pulled

大きくも 小さくも なりすぎないように Para que não fique nem muito grande e nem muito pequeno Not to make it too big or too small

力を込めたんだ Uniram forças They joined forces

[poshmark-peatandrepeat]

I just added this listing on Poshmark: VTG Reversible Black Floral Velvet Beret Cap Hat. #poshmark #fashion #shopping #shopmycloset

[hulusan]

She Had a Cold Life Above the Arctic Circle. Now Community Keeps Her Warm.

By JOHN OTIS Her father believed in the need for a strong Jewish community; he even went to prison for it. Galia Sarah Solts, 72, leans on hers for strength. Published: November 22, 2018 at 03:30AM from NYT Neediest Cases https://ift.tt/2S2dMBu

[trainwreck-hotel]

request: surprise siblings

six people who share a biological father they never knew, and nothing more, walk into the lawyer’s office...

six mothers. six children. one father. life writes the weirdest stories.

up until two weeks ago they were six strangers, living their lives in blissful ignorance. then every one of them picked up their phones and were informed by an overly polite lawyer that their father has died and they were expected to show up at the reading of his last will. together with three half siblings they have never heard about before.

turns out there wasn’t much to share. their newly discovered father had lost all he had on gambling and was left with the clothes he had on when his heart gave up and an old jeep slash house he lived in for the past few months. with his last money he found the cheapest lawyer in town and begged him to promise that he will find his children and tell them the story of their papa. poor lawyer took pity on the man and pulled some strings (or rather - ashed his wife to use her police investigator expertise) to find the man’s children and contacted them.

and there they were. six strangers that suddenly found the family they weren’t aware they had, sitting in a circle all awkward and confused. 

but they should make it work, somehow, right? they’re family after all... right?

additional info:

do you like drama? confusing family relationships? crazy stories popping out in your life like mushrooms after the rain? those people probably don’t, but that’s their reality now.

those guys have just met so their relationships are still forming.

everything about those guys are open, but I’d love them to have incredibly different pasts. maybe one of them is a successful ceo? maybe one of them was sent to prison even though they were innocent? maybe one of them was an orphan that always wanted a family? let’s get crazy y’all!

I have insane amount of ideas about those family and am more than happy to do some brainstorming, so poke me at  Inky#0997 on discord if you’re interested (or just want to make my day)!

family members:

first child: edgar lynch, 42, michael fassbender, petra

second child: magdalena hughes, 41, reese witherspoon, dotty

third child: clancy sterling solt, 38, domhnall gleeson, inky

fourth child: katie jamison, 36, rachel skarsten, spooky

fifth child: cooper case, 35, michiel huisman , doe

sixth child: isobel buchanan, 30, brie larson, lex

[toni-tomato]

I was tagged by @thenerdycorgi to do a top ten characters pick, and holy moly I didn’t even know that they knew I existed.  I found them through their writing and they’re this amazing and funny person who posts stuff that makes me laugh and it’s like having a celebrity suddenly popping in to saying hi???   Also, my top 10 that I could think of off the top of my head in no particular order.

1. Obi (Akagami no Shirayukihime)

2. Jae-ha (Akatsuki no Yona)

3. Briar Moss (Circle of Magic series)

4. Pidge Gunderson (voltron: Legendary Defender)

5. Adrien/Chat Noir (Miraculous Ladybug)

6. Marinette/Ladybug (Miraculous Ladybug)

7. Darcy Lewis (Marvel) 

8. Lavi (D. Grayman)

9. Sagi (Baten Kaitos: Origins)

10. Eric Sutr/Surt/Solt (K Project)

Originally posted by randomfandom-blog

I think I have a thing for snarky and mischievous dorks.

Tagging time! @koujaaku @lachowskifrancisco @vixioneluka @signorina-goggles @arand0mweird0

[topnewsfromtheworld]

She Had a Cold Life Above the Arctic Circle. Now Community Keeps Her Warm.

By JOHN OTIS Her father believed in the need for a strong Jewish community; he even went to prison for it. Galia Sarah Solts, 72, leans on hers for strength. Published: November 22, 2018 at 01:00AM from NYT Neediest Cases https://ift.tt/2S2dMBu

[duratrans]

Satoshi Mizukami Q&A, 3/3

Satoshi Mizukami recently took questions from the editor's desk, and publicly from write-ins, for an interview to celebrate the first volume of Solte going on sale (Jan 9th!). So I translated them all! It’s in three parts, so I’ll post them one by one.

Here is the third and final section, general questions of all kinds.

Q: I heard you were pretty impressed by Masakazu Ishiguro's Hero (note: Debut work in Gekkan Afternoon, 2000), and when you met him you said "You're my rival!" right to his face! Is there anyone that comes to mind you would still consider your professional rival today? A: Oof. I don't think I have that spirit in me any more. But, even while myself and so many of my friends are starting to slow down, when I see them putting out work, I do feel encouraged to stick it out.

Q: I've heard you started working to become a manga artist because you "wanted to live in a fantasy world" yourself. If you really could jump into a fictional world, what kind of work would it be? Who would you be in the story? The main character, or maybe the last boss? A: I want to live in a porno game. Somewhere with no danger or fighting.

Q: From any medium, can you think of one piece that you liked the most or inspired you? And can you explain why? A: There's probably too many to try and pick just one, but in terms of what really influenced me; For manga, late 90's Shonen Sunday and early 2000's Afternoon. Then, 90's new-wave light novels. For anime, Diebuster. In film, La Puta. A handful of Sega Saturn games. Some scifi stories on forums, and a bunch of other works on Shosetsu-ka ni Narou.

Q: What have you seen/read/played more recently that you liked the best? And can you tell us what you liked? A: Manga: Touge Oni. It was the first thing I read in a while that made me jealous. In books, The Three-Body Problem. I liked the second of the trilogy best, but they were just good page-turners. For anime, Karakuri Circus. The manga ended long enough ago that it felt like going in fresh again, so it hit just right. Really liked the OP too. Film: Interstellar. Tenet wasn't great, so I rewatched this again and still good. It's exactly the kind of movie I was wanting. Games: Ring Fit. I had the idea if I got a little bit in shape, I might get some motivation back. I feel like it might be working? Just the teensiest, slightest bit. Light novels: I Am the Only One Who Knows This World Is a Game. It's just the right amount of bonkers.

Q: If you had ultimate freedom to do any kind of manga you wanted, what would it be like? Would you want a long series, or something shorter? -Ruha A: I was going to say I haven’t exactly had any restrictions, but actually a few things did come up with Solte. But even still, I can fit in any ideas I really want to draw, so I think things are pretty good as they are.

Q: If you had to put yourself in a genre, what kind of manga artist do you think you are? Sci-fi? Or maybe romance? -Takeshi A: I'm a little surprised to see "romance", even as an example. If you ask me, you can categorize me however you want.

Q: Which character are you most attached to, out of all of your works? -Habu A: Anima from Biscuit Hammer.

Q: When you're designing your characters, how do you come up with a good balance when it comes to the composition and relationships in the cast? -Yoneko A: Oh, man. I just kinda... Feel it out.

Q: I've been a big fan of your work forever! I really like your drawing style. How do you make your art the way you do? -gum A: I dunno, that's just how it turns out when I draw. I've been telling myself "Wow, I need to work on my art" for 19 years, since the day I was first published.

Q: Has raising a child had any effect on your stories? -Tai A: It means I work less.

Q: I want to draw manga too, but I'm not very confident in my skills. Do you have any advice? -Tai Arima A: First, do you mean you're not satisfied yourself with the quality of your work, or you're just not confident enough to put it out there? Don't worry, this is always a fundamental issue for creators, things rarely come out just how you imagine them. It's like how you can only print out photos at a resolution as sharp as your camera can capture them. I recommend you start by just making something. Sit down, do it, and finish it, and you'll learn a lot from it. It'll be up to you whether you show that around, but when you start, I wouldn't necessarily make a big deal out of it, you can just work on it quietly without making a big announcement. That way, there's no pressure, and if it's not working out, you can still stop or take a break without feeling bad about it. You decide how to use your time the best.

Q: When I went to a promo event for Planet With at Loft, you and Rensuke Oshikiri (Hi Score Girl) both talked about how as you get older, you find it harder and harder to stay motivated. Have you found anything that helps you in that regard? -Tayu A: I listed to some cheerful music for a while last week and actually found it helped my mood a little.

Q: I love how expressive all of your characters are! Is there anything particular in your process for when you are working on faces and expressions? -Arbel A: I have to be careful I don't go overboard making the same expression I'm drawing.

Q: I write for a hobby, but I always have trouble planning out how the story comes together. Do you have any advice or a favorite method for composing a story? -Nigou A: I read and re-read what I've got, and anywhere I think it's getting dull, I change the scene or add some exciting development. Make the last thing you think would happen, happen. And don't worry about how to tidy everything up, that's a problem for tomorrow you. Today you just has to lay it out.

Q: Hello, Sensei. I've read all your works, and I'm a big fan, but what really impresses me is your dialog. I love how it always just flows off the page, it reads so naturally. So, my question is, when you are writing the dialog, do you just hear it unfold naturally in the character's voices, or do you write more deliberately like "oh, here they would probably say this?" That probably sounds weird to people who've never written manga, but I'd like to know about your process. P.S. Good luck with the Ring Fit grind. -Kiki A: First I decide how the dialog needs to play out in order to advance the story in the direction I want. Then, I just let the characters talk among themselves, and if it doesn't turn out right, I go back, shake things up, and try again. And sometimes I get good material, but it just needs to be trimmed or re-arranged just right.

Q: A lot of your stories have some sort of turning point where the back half really kicks it up a notch and things just keep getting more intense. Do you already have these developments planned when you start a manga? -TKO A: I usually have a few ideas but it's always pretty vague. I never know if I'm gonna wind up putting in or cutting certain scenes, so I don't worry about it too much.

Q: Do you have one favorite scene or a particular line from your own work? -yamatozo A: At the beginning of Spirit Circle volume 6, where the bad guy falls down the stairs and goes "I've made a lot of missteps".

Q: Do you have any idea of what genre you'd like to draw next? -Umehoshi A: I won't say no, but I don't want to give anything away (for my next work, or this one).

Q: If you weren't successful as a manga artist, where do you think you would be? -Ayuta A: Jail. But I'd be a model prisoner.

Q: How much longer do you think you'd like to continue as a manga artist? -Ayuta A: If I could pay the bills for the rest of my life with 24 pages a month, that's just what I'd do. At some point maybe I'll get to be unsatisfied with that and start to push myself to work more and more until I get sick of it, but no telling when that might come.

Q: How do you think of your character's names? -Takeshi A: They just come to me. I look at how I designed the characters and just imagine.

Q: I feel like some kind of forgiveness or absolution is something a lot of your characters go through. Does "forgiveness" have a special significance to you? -Bow-wow A: I'm not sure. Maybe it's me who is seeking forgiveness.

Q: Do you have a favorite phrase or motto? A: I like Shigeru Mizuki's (Gegege no Kitaro) 7 Rules of Being Happy. I don't really go around saying them or anything, but it's something I like to remind myself of, and helps me be mindful of other people. Also, I like "fortune favors the bold."

Q: You like frogs enough that you always draw yourself as one. What do you like about frogs? And do you have a favorite species? A: Frogs are cute. I like green tree frogs the best.

Q: You've drawn a lot of different youkai in Sengoku Youko, but out of all the youkai that most people know from stories, which is your favorite? Could it be the Chan Chu (chinese money toad), or possibly the oogama (monstrous giant toad)? A: My favorite youkai is Mizuki Shigeru.

Q: You've been doing Ring Fit, and eating oatmeal, are you doing anything else to help stay in shape? A: I put the Karakuri Circus season one and season two OP on a playlist and listen to it while I walk to work.

Q: If you were stranded all alone on a deserted island, what are the three things you would want to have with you? A: Really? Okay. I would bring two essential tools I can't find on an island, and a map.

Q: Do you have a favorite actor or celebrity? -Umehoshi A: Nope.

Q: What's the best kind of alcohol and snacks you've had? Where did you drink it? -Ikaninjin A: In the middle of a hellish summer and probably suffering from heatstroke at an amusement park with my kid, I had the best beer of my life in an air-conditioned food court. And the delicious spice to top it off was the bright sun knifing through the window that I just knew was tormenting everyone still outside.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up? -Ayuta A: A youkai.

Q: What does your internal mindscape look like? -Rou A: An empty lot.

Q: Has anything happened recently that you're happy about? -Sanachan A: My son is starting to read and write.

Q: What kind of hotpot are you looking forward to this winter? -Tommy A: I'm not crazy about hotpot.

Q: I'd like to go to another event where we can toast again, would you consider it?

-Uta

A: If current events allow.

Q: How many times have you thought about quitting Ring Fit? -Honyarara A: 2 or 3 times. A week.

Q: I know you call it your "100-day Ring Fit Diary" on twitter, but since you've been taking breaks too, will you be going past 100? Will the illustrations be collected and published anywhere? -The Dieting Gentleman A: I'm going until I clear adventure mode, but it'll probably be finished by the time this article is up. I'll probably do some sets here and there. No plans for the illustrations.

Q: Do you have a favorite panel out of all your works? -Umehoshi A: You guys are really focused on my favorite everything. I have a lot of panels I like, not one in particular.

Q: Hi, I really enjoy all of your works, and there's one thing I think I notice (sorry if I'm wrong), and that's a love of glasses girls. Out of your manga so far, which is your favorite of all your glasses girls? Do you have a particular girl you've become a fan of recently? As for myself, I really like Yoru from Sanjin Sadou, so I'd love to see a story with her and her sister! -Bashi A: Glasses girls aren't particularly a thing for me.

Q: When you're doing authographs or sketches, does it bother you at all if people request characters from your past works? If I get a chance, I would probably ask for Hyou Shimaki from Biscuit Hammer, for instance. -Akasha A: If it's a promo event for a Mag Garden title, and you were to ask for a character from a Gahosha title, for instance, it might technically bump up against merchandising contracts, which makes it a little weird (I'm typically not allowed to to create any merchandise without going through the publisher), but my managing editors are usually cool enough about it. But if it's specifically a Sengoku Youko event, for instance, and I'm constantly getting asked for Biscuit Hammer drawings (let's say more than half), that would probably be an issue and they might make a rule against it for next time. Also, I tend to forget how the older characters actually looked. For personal reasons, I probably won't be doing any in-person events like this for a while, though. There's also the whole "current state of the world" thing, and my profitability and if bookstores actually want to do it, a lot of issues to solve.

Q: You usually draw Anima working out on Twitter, but did you have plans for any other characters to show up doing Ring Fit? (Like from Angel or Sanjin) -RYO A: I did, but forgot.

Q: Will you put together another oneshot collection, like Geko Geko? -Friday A: I don't know.

Q: Question! What is love? -Shirae A: To live is to love.

Q: How about this, do you have any questions you want to ask your readers? -Buriki A: Would you rather have: A. One series a month, from roughs to completion, all done by me B: Two series a month, with roughs by me and final touches by someone else

Q: I know thinking positive is half the battle, but what can I do about people who're determined to get me down? Can I give them a Samidare Punch? -Nondakure A: Your fist, and the choice of how to use it, belongs to you alone.

[bookzofkelz]

1. Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter (Jan 2017) 2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 3. Caraval by Stephanie Garber (Feb 2017) 4. They Mostly Come Out At Night by Benedict Patrick 5. Tananmount by Thomas J. Radford 6. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab 7. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab 8. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (March 2017) - BOOK CLUB 9. Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones 10. 1984 by George Orwell 11. The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman (April 2017) - BOOK CLUB 12. American Gods by Neil Gaiman 13. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 14. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas 15. Metaltown by Kristen Simmons 16. The Circle by Dave Eggers (May 2017) - BOOK CLUB 17. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas 18. Voracious by Cara Nicoletti 19. This Time, It Wasn't the End by Deanna Soltes 20. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning 21. Faefever by Karen Marie Moning 22. Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning 23. Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning  (June 2017) 24. Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning 25. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters 26. Geekerella by Ashley Poston 27. Dance with the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon 28. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan 29. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (July 2017) 30. Local Hero by Nora Roberts 31. American Assassin by Vince Flynn (August 2017) - BOOK CLUB

Not counted on my listing (yet): Batman Comics (August 2017) Nightwing Comics Grayson Comics Midnighter Comics Robin Comics Batman & Robin Comics Teen Titans Comics Superman Comics Superman/Batman Comics Superman/Wonder Woman Comics Justice League Comics Supergirl Comics Superboy Comics

1. 1984 by George Orwell (March 2017)

2. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (Feb 2017)

3. Gurnesy Sweet Potato Society, Perks of Being a Wallflower, House of Leaves, Bridget Jones's Diary, Flowers of Algernon, The Historian, Cloud Atlas, Daddy-Long-Legs, Attachments, Dear Mr. Knightly,

4. TBD

5. TBD

6. Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones (March 2017)

7. They Mostly Come Out at Night by Benedict Patrick (Feb. 2017)

8. Good Omens, Will Grayson, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, Welcome to Night Vale, Illuminae

9. American Assassin by Vince Flynn (August 2017)

10. Cat Sense, Dewey, Simon's Cat, I Am Pusheen the Cat, Time Cat, Into the Goddess's Hands, A Mango-Shaped Space, Catalyst

11. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (Feb 2017)

12. Me Before You, All the Light We Cannot See, The Alchemist, The 5 Love Language, John Dies at the End, Heart-Shaped Box, Let the Right One In, The Passage, World War Z, Horns,

13. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (July 2017)

14. Tantamout by Thomas J. Radford (Feb 2017)

15. The Hobbit, Alanna: The First Adventure

16. Caraval by Stephanie Garber (Feb 2017)

17. The Golem and the Jinni, The Scorpio Races, LOTR, The Hobbit, Fantastic Beasts, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights, Nights at the Circus,

18. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (April 2017)

19. Voracious by Cara Nicoletti (May 2017)

20. The Devil Wears Prada, Girlboss, Very Good Lives, Make Good Art,  You Are a Badass, Bossypants, Year to a Writing Life,

21. The Bees, The Left Hnad of Darkness, Stars and Ashes?

22. Metaltown by Kristin Simmons (April 2017)

23. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (April 2017)

24. Station Eleven, Wild, Serena by Rash, The Last One

25. TBD

26. Lagoon

27. Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter (Jan. 2017)

28. The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman (April 2017)

29. Life of Pi, A Clockwork Orange, The Catcher in the Rye, Lolita, Wuthering Heights, Challenge Deeper, Bone Gap,

30. Illustrated HP, Hugo, The Marvels

31. TBD

32. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Kendrick, Felicia Day, Amy Polter, "Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy", My Life in France,

33. Outlander, The Time-Traveler's Wife, Doomsday Book, Kindred, The Anubis Gate

34. Tuesdays with Morrie,

35. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis,

36. Very Good Live, Neil Gaiman, The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember, Carrie Fisher,

37. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (March 2017)

38. The Halloween Tree, White Teeth, Dark Harvest, A Long Way Down,

39. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (June 2017)

40. TBD

41. The Third Watchman, Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones, “The Sorcerer’s House,” by Gene Wolfe,

42. The Little Paris Bookshop, Heartless, Six of Crows, Scythe, Cursed Child, Thirteen Reasons Why,

43. How a Mother Weaned Her Girl from Fairy Tales, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Peaches for Father Francis

44. A Man Called Ove, The Glass Castle, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Moloka'i

45. The Namesake, The Joy Luck Club, White Teeth, The Immigrants, The House on Mango Street, Middlesex, American Street

46. Hard Fantasy} Mistborn, Rivers of London,    Sword and Planet} A Princess of Mars    Gaslamp Fantasy} His Majesty's Dragons, Infernal Devices by Clare, The Magician's and Mrs. Quent    Postcyber Punk} The Diamond Age by Stephenson, Daemon by Daniel Suarez    Biopunk} The Wind up Girl, Leviathan Trilogy, Xenogenesis by Butler    Clockpunk} Whitechapel Gods by S. M. Peters, Mainspring by Jay Lake    Solarpunk} TBD

47. The Circle by Dave Eggers (April 2017) [I consider them rather eccentric...]

48. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (Jan 2017)

49. Catcher in the Rye 50. Gravity's Rainbow, Infinite Jest, Carry On,  Songs of Innocence and of Experience

51. TBD

52. American Gods by Neil Gaiman (April 2017)

1. TBD

2. Caraval by Stephanie Garber (Feb 2017)

3. Voracious by Cara Nicoletti (May 2017)

4.One Hundred Years of Solitude, Love in the Time of Cholera, City of Beasts by Isabel Allende, The House on Mango Street,

5. The House on Mango Street, Middlesex, The Namesake, The Kite Runner, White Teeth, Extremly Loud and Incredibly Close, The Girl With Ghost Eyes, Angela's Ashes, American Street

6. Lumberjanes,

7. 1984 by George Orwell (April 2017)

8. Eat Pray Love, Wild, A Walk in the Woods, My Life in France, Seven Years in Tibet,

9. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (April 2017)

10. TBD

11. Tantamout by Thomas J. Radford (Feb 2017)  

12. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (Feb 2017)

13. TBD

14. The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman (April 2017)

15. Sidekick one/Superhero ones, Adaptation, The Huntress, Schwab

16. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2007) by Sherman Alexie, Maus, Bone, Saga, The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Catcher in the Rye,

17. Kindred, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,

18. Supergirl comics (New 52 era)

19. TBD

20. Drawn Together,

21. TBD

22. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter, Changing Planes by Ursula K. Le Guin, Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell

23. TBD

24. TBD

[borrowedbackpack]

Coming in hot

Hello blog fans! I am back and better than ever. Now, to pick up our story where we left off, on April 7th 2017. Our hero found herself, yet again, in the Oslo airport. She fixes her eyebrows and tries in vain to find somewhere to charge her phone. Only one endeavour proved successful. She boards her train to Oslo Sentrum. From there, she continues on a four hour journey to Kristiansand, a city in southern Norway, where she is set to be hosted by a family consisting of 6 Norwegian strangers, one Canadian/Norwegian stranger, and one American stranger. The train journey is strenuous, and she drifts in and out of consciousness. Train sickness, a close, but more serious cousin to carsickness, is becoming a a very real problem as the train winds through the mountain passes. The stuffy, hot dog scented air of the train is not helping. At long last, she makes it to Kristiansand, where she de trains, still fighting the urge to vomit on the fancy Scando ground. Luckily, she is greeted at the train station by one of her eight hosts, who is a doctor. She is taken to a fancy, giant Scando house, which sits perched atop a giant, rocky cliff. She takes a shower and tries to go to bed, but is foiled when the doctor offers her a hair dryer. A hair dryer? She has never once dried her hair! I have better things to do then spend 2 hours drying my hair! The doctor does not take no for an answer! In Norway, you must sleep with your window open. It is a Norwegian rule. Norway has many rules, and no one questions them, because they have a strong conformist spirit. She is led to the hair dryer, where they doctor begins to dry her hair. Okay, okay! She dries her own hair. But only a little. She is not Norwegian. She sleeps with a wet head.

Lørdag:

Back to first person. I am awake! I hear Norwegian screaming! I hear American talking! Hva skjer?! Oh right, I am in the Scando house. I go downstairs and eat Wheetabix. I meet Steven, the American Manny. I have work to do! My packing is inspected! Nothing is right! Where is all the wool?! What is this made out of?! Is this cotton?! (no, it’s not cotton, who do you think I am? Cotton kills, my dudes). I reveal my giant Icelandic sweater. Ah yes, this is the proper garment! Pack this! There is so much wool in this that it makes up for the terrible lack of wool in the rest of your packing. Wait, why is your backpack so full? Why do you have so much clothes volume?? Oh, idk, maybe it’s the SIX KILOS OF WOOL I WAS JUST FORCED TO PACK.

My next job is making the Norwegian matpakke. My first day in the Scando house and I’m already making the matpakke? This is pressure. I take orders from the Scando children. In case you ever need to make a matpakke, or want to impress a Norwegian, here is how its done:

1. BRØD:

Thinly sliced.

2. SMØR:

Thick layer. Butter:Bread ratio should be approximately 1:1.

3. PÅLEGG: (topping)

ONE per person. This is the Norwegian way. Common pålegger:

-Ost = cheese. Gulost and brunost are common.

-Skinke (ham)

-Salami

NB: If you choose salami or skinke, HUSK that you only get one piece. More than one piece is NOT Norwegian. i.e. if you’ve done it right, at this point you should have a thin piece of bread, a thick slab of butter, and one lonely circle of salami or skinke or ost or whatever. It looks sad. It’s supposed to look like that. Cut another piece of bread and do the same thing. Separate your two pieces with a special square of wax paper used for this purpose. Wrap the whole mess up in some parchment. Write your name on it. Enjoy it in a few hours when it’s all sticky and even sadder than it was in the first place. This is the Norwegian way. Do not question it.

Next we drove three hours to the ski trail we were to start from. Mama, papa, and the five kids rode in the van. Steven and I followed in the little car. Steven seemed very relieved to be without the kids for a few hours. I offered to scream the entire way to make him feel more comfortable. He didn’t take me up on it. On the drive, we were stopped by a group on the side of the road. Being from Saskatchewan, I assumed they were going to check to see if we were drunk. Instead, they gave us a tote bag with Påsketur supplies! Newspaper, bandaids, a buff, a small bag of chips, etc. What a country! In a few more minutes we had to stop at a grocery store, because a fight had ensued in the van over who was to get the chips. 

We stopped next at a scenic lookout, where we ate our matpakke. In my head, I questioned to Norwegian way.

We started driving again, saw a huge foss, and eventually arrived at the ski trail. After each child threw at least one (1) fit, we were on our way! It was a 6km uphill ski to our cabin, which is somewhat hardcore considering we each had a rather large backpack and were travelling with 5 kids ages 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11, as well as Steven, who was skiing for the second time in his life. There were several more fits along the way. After only three hours, we reached the cabin, Berdalsbu, which was already full of skiers, including four new fathers who were on a bro trip. They were real thrilled when our lot showed up.

Berdalsbu, hytte vår.

Søndag:

We awoke and ate (surprise!) more pieces of bread with butter and pålegg. Then I packed my matpakke. Everyone else packed hotdogs. There were some fits. We skied to a place and made a fire and some epic snow forts. There was so much snow that every time you stepped off your skis, you sunk up to your hip. Perfect for tunnelling. We made a snow bench and solte oss. It reached around 20 degrees in the sun. “Påskesol” is a very big part of the “påsketur”. It’s where you sit out in the sun and get a tan. Or the worst sunburn of your life. They have this thing called a Pullken, which is a sleigh you pull behind yourself with all your gear in it while you ski. It’s also good for hauling up the mountain and sliding down. Being from Canada, I am an expert slider. Sadly, my sliding partner did not believe me OR take my sliding advice. Guess who made it over the jump and avoided hitting a tree? The expert slider. Next we had a massive “snøball krig” and then cruised back to the cabin. At the cabin, I entertain myself by reading the guestbook. Shoutout to Lars for his great comic work and in depth interpretation of his and his homies Christmas vacation skitur in 2008. Good stuff.

Gaitors? Check. Backcountry skis? Check. Extra wide pole baskets? Check. Sunburn? Check. Suit of wool? Not check, dunno how I survived.

Mandag:

I awoke with the distinct feeling that my entire face was on fire. I looked in the mirror and tried not to scream. Although my face had looked fine the day before, today it was bright red and oozy, with a distinctive line separating where my goggles had been from the rest of my face. The sunscreen had been applied too late. I was sure this was the end. The doctor was shocked (never a good sign). Luckily, Ulrik, the oldest child, had suffered such a bad sunburn that his entire face had swollen up, which took some of the heat off me.

Topptur! We skied up a big mountain. Everyone made it! It was chillier than Sunday, and rather windy at the summit. I ate a Kvikk Lunsj while sitting on a rock because I am Norwegian now. Then we skied down. I remembered my ski school days, and made long, sweeping, back and forth turns for the first half, since I cannot telemark. It was quite fun. On my way down, I picked up Sigrid (7), who’s handene var “iskald!” Luckily, as a trained Jackrabbits coach, I was able to amend this situation by reminding her that mitts keep your hands warm, so maybe it would be a good idea to put them on. Then we skied the rest of the way down the mountain together, which was pretty cool, because what seven year old can ski up and down mountains?! The steepest section was quite densely forested, which was a bit sketchy, especially since Mark McMorris’s accident is quite fresh in my mind.

Back at the cabin, NRK (the CBC of Norway) is here to interview to Scandos for national news! This was very exciting for everyone, and we got to eat a lot of panekaker. There was also a lot of screaming. I will never forget the look on the NRK cameraman’s face when he shook my hand and wished me “lykker til med...dette” and then rushed off to his snowmobile.

Then we played endless rounds of confusing Norwegian card games.

Always reppin Sasky.

Tirsdag:

Another day, another summit. We got lots of fresh snow over night, so things weren’t as terribly icy as they had been the past few days. This was a really beautiful ski, pictures below. Unencouragingly, I saw a lot of bright yellow helicopters during this tur, which I did not take as a good sign. At the top of the mountain, there was a fight, so we had to go back down because mum was “fed up”...some things are international. On the way down, I saw Jared and Elvira, who were still on their way up on the mountain.

“Hvor er Steven?” jeg spurte.

“The hill cracked him” explained Jared (the calmest man alive) calmly.

I skied back down the mountain with Benjamin, who is six and did my best Norwegian encouraging. 

“Vi kan drikke varm skjokolade når vi er tilbake!”

“Bra gjørt!”

“Nei, det er ikke forlangt!”

And we made it. We built many snow castles and sat on our snow bench.

Learning to ski is a good idea, because your skis can take you to cool places like this.

Onsdag:

Packing and skiing back down the trail. Even with a long break for lunch, it took about half the time to get down the mountain as it took to get up. There was also a lot of fresh pow, which made it blessedly un icy. I even met a nice Norwegian lady who is neighbours with my arch enemy Kristin Stømer Steira and has skied in many places in Canada. 

Next we drove the three hours back to Kristiansand, for much of which I ate marzipan and tried to counsel Steven, who was riding the struggle bus.

Arriving back in Kristiansand, I had a blessed shower and tried to treat my sunburn with Polish moisturizer. We also made the gruesome discovery that the chickens had been brutally murdered while we were away (presumed perp = badger).

Ha det, Berdalsbu!

Bits and pieces from the rest of my time in Kristiansand:

Kristiansand is a very, very beautiful city in southern Norway. It has a very Norwegian feel, much more so than Oslo. There is a massive network of parks, hiking, and mountain biking trails within the city. Alt er stengt i Norge during Easter week, so there wasn’t too terribly much to do, however I did find some interesting things, such as many walks and runs, bike rides, a boat tour, and a Mormon missionary gathering. Steven goes to the Mormon thing every Friday night just to fit in/have something to do/meet people (the family is very mormon) so I joined him. The mormon-y part was very confusing and way over my head (I didn’t even know the “reason for the season” (easter wise) until last year when  I was shown an informative video), but they had really good food, cake, easter candy, and eggs to dye so it was all good. They even had fruit and vegetables! It was also fun because I felt like a spy. I didn’t know anything about the mormons before, but now I know that they’re those people with ties who come to your door and try to give you their favourite book! I had the opening number from the Book of Mormon stuck in my head for a couple days now. I also like how when you ask them what their name is they say “Sister Somebody” or “Brother Whoever” or “Elder Something”. Like bitch that ain’t your name! 

Since I was the only person who didn’t go to Mormon church on Easter sunday, I had to stay home and mind the lamb. I think I was successful.

Swans in Kristiansand.

Today I went on a really long walk/bike. On the way back, it starting snaining very, very heavily. The fattest snowflakes you have ever seen, except as soon as they hit you, they turn to the fattest drop of water you’ve ever seen. Rather unpleasant. Luckily, I at this point I have many techniques in my book of How to Stay Positive When You’re On A Longer Walk Than Expected in Worse Weather Than Expected. They include singing and thinking of “at leasts” (i.e. at least I’m not carrying the big fella right now! At least I’m not too hot! Ut på tur, aldri sur! (I was litt sur at this point...)”. When I finally made it back to the Scando house, I was soaked to the skin and rather cold. I ran upstairs, where I saw a note on the door. 

“Hi Anna!” it said “We turned the sauna on for you!”

Sarabi wanted to sauna.

Damn, they treat me right. No one was home, so I sat in the sauna for a long time and ate soup in there (I assume this went against some sort of Norwegian way...@cookths please don’t tell on me).

Eventually, I went to the bus station and rode to the airport, then flew to Oslo. And now here I am. Just nine more hours and 40 more minutes till my next flight.

Despite my sarcasm, I had the best påsketur and the best hosts. It’s not like I never threw a fit as a child. Fits keep it fresh. TUSEN TAKK for alt Norge. Jeg skal være tilbake snart.