#some of this probably does have a pre existing concrete in game answer

[aha-chuu]

It really frustrates me how HSR chose to dole out information in 1.2. Ofc, mystery is important and good! I don't need to know why Luocha is here or what he's up to, and Blade's past can remain vague rn that's fine.

My issue is Dan Heng/Dan Feng and how poorly they've explained the stakes of that situation.

Like, think about this:

Do Vidyadharas remember their past lives?

If so, how much do they remember?

If not usually, do the elders get that privelage?

If not at all, why are so many characters worried about Dan Heng being a criminal in a past life?

Does Dan Heng specifically remember his past life?

If not, how did he know how to break the seals?

If yes, can he only remember some things?

If he can remember everything, why is he lying about it?

Is he lying??

How do Vidyadhara powers work?

How does Dan Heng have high elder powers if Bailu is the new high elder?

Do the powers usually get passed down through past lives (so Feng -> Heng) or are they picked fresh every hatching rebirth (Feng -> Bailu)?

How did Feng's actions make all vidyadhara weaker?

What were the actual consequences of his actions?

How did Blade stabbing Heng give him the body & powers of Feng but not the memories/personality?

I wanna make it clear: not all of these need answers. But when it's all either poorly explained or straight up unclear, I find myself struggling to care about the dynamics at play. When JY is sad that Heng isn't Feng, should I feel sympathy that he can't let his friend go? Or, like so many characters say, are Heng and Feng much, much closer than Heng ever says? When the Xianzhou characters can't see past the rebirth thing, it implies stuff about the vidyadhara culture that should flip how we see it.

When Heng distances himself from Feng, we don't know if that's a reasonable thing (like, "guy you never met who looks like you committed a crime so ofc you're not responsible"), or if he's being insensitive ("you got blackout drunk and stabbed someone, but you don't remember now so you don't believe you should be held accountable"). There can be a middle ground in there, but what is the morality here? It might be grey, but I could form completely misguided opinions if I consider JY as rude now when Hoyo actually want us to think Heng is the problem.

It's really late but like. I think the 1.2 quest really needed a moment to explain some of the vocab (all that vidyadhara stuff gd) and to outline the characters' understanding of the context. If JY knows that vidyadhara can't remember past lives and knows that Dan Heng is no different, and that he and Feng are essentially different people, then how is any of his behaviour justified? I understand Blade not getting it (he's crazy), but JY is all over the place.

And as I think about it now, Dan Heng must remember being Feng! Like, he opens the seals for one, but he also recognises the Alchemy commission (and that it borders the vidyadhara realm) even though we know he only saw the inside of a cell during his time on the xianzhou as Dan Heng. So if he can remember then he's lying, but that would mean Hoyo really wants us to think he's not and it's like!! This is the sort of thing you kind of need an answer for.

They mention that Feng's rebirth got fucked up. Here's how you deal with confusion while maintaining mystery:

"usually vidyhadara can remember their past lives, but we fucked up this one so idk" "I don't remember" "shit"

"usually vidyhadara can't remember their past lives, but we fucked up this one so idk" "I don't remember" "cool but we can't trust that"

Like, it's also totally likely that this is answered in game. But I've watched multiple playthroughs at this point and most people I've seen don't know what's going on either.

Hoyo dumped a ton of terminology on us, introduced new factions to the enemy roster (and secret behind-the-scenes alliances between pre existing ones) and then said "here's a bunch of lore that the characters will be openly confused and contractadictory about". I'm starting to miss Paimon requiring simple summaries of every lore plot point in order for any dialogue to continue.

[shadowsong26fic]

Coming Attractions

I feel like it’s been A While since I did one of these, haha...

As always, along with the Coming Attractions, we’ll do an Open Question Night! My askbox is always open, but tonight I’ll be keeping at least a semi-active eye on it, answering questions. Any fandom I’ve posted about here or on AO3 is fair game; questions about writing in general; etc.

Also, my writing discord does exist! It’s a pretty quiet place, but it’s at least intended to be a slightly more interactive extension of this blog.

A fairly short update this month; I don’t have all that much to report, unfortunately...

Star Wars:

Big bang has been completed and posted at last! I don’t know that it’s my best work, but I am proud of how the fight scenes turned out, at least.

It was kind of like pulling teeth all season to get this one done, though. Hopefully next year will be easier! I don’t really have a solid plan, other than vague notions of doing a BSG crossover, since that’s where a lot of my brain is now, lol.

Protectors and Preludes updates are coming, I swear, it’s just been slow. Hoping the Obi-Wan show will kick my butt into gear, even though I’m well past that point in my timeline!

Castlevania:

I finally actually started posting Incinctus! It’s a fun piece, and while I do have at least one other plot thread floating in my mind for future writing, we’ll see how this one goes first. My plan is to update weekly, on Mondays. This plan will probably hold up until I run out of steam and pre-written material XD ((There’s a little bit of an Easter Egg in this week’s chapter that I found amusing; we’ll see if anyone actually picks up on it.))

Battlestar Galactica:

I have started my rewatch at last! I’ve powered through S1 (and put my notes, apart from the fic-related stuff, up on my personal tumblr if you’re curious XD); I may skip around after the Pegasus arc and get Razor in then. I’ve been note-taking both for my personal delight and for plot purposes for The Other Battlestar (which does need a better name...the only thing I’ve come up with so far, though, is a play on Bellerophon which I like even less, lol). The biggest plotholes I have so far are outing Doral and the tylium mine episode; I think I have a workaround for the mine, but I’m still playing with it. I’d forgotten how much Outright BSing was involved in flagging Doral as a Cylon...

((If y’all haven’t been following these, The Other Battlestar is an AU where Baltar ends up on Pegasus instead of Galactica; in order for the main fleet to be in roughly the same position when things reconnect after six months, I have two OCs filling in for his canon role. The politics stuff is easy, I just need to finish building the character in question. Some of the science stuff is...a little shakier, lol. I’m also having fun fleshing out a few additional Pegasus crew members to talk to, and considering where to line up Key Events for Maximum Impact, but that might change depending on how much of a concrete timeline Razor gives me.))

Anyway, I’ll probably start posting that this summer, once I have a decent amount of text prepped and also have figured out how I want to structure it (there’s miniseries stuff I do need to cover, but how much time do I want to spend on that; how do I balance between the Galactica and Pegasus threads, etc.)

Other Fandom Stuff:

I signed up for pod_together again! I had a lot of fun last year, and I’m hoping I get a good partner again this year! We’ll see how that goes--matches are sent out this weekend, I think.

Original Stuff:

Nothing really to report on this end other than I really do need to get back to actual Writing again...and also I keep buying miscellaneous Arthuriana things at library booksales but not actually sitting down to read them to plot out that one Arthuriana story I want to tell. And there’s a couple historical fiction pieces, one of which has been in the works for a solid fifteen years but I keep wandering away from the research for it, lol...

Anyway, Hopefully I’ll have a more “I Did Stuff!” update next month! But that’s about where things stand for me now.

What about you guys? What are you working on? And, again, Open Question Night--I’d love to hear from you! What’s on your mind?

[child-of-hurin]

So I’m thinking of a Narn AU where Húrin isn’t set on Thangorodrim and remains a prisoner in the fortress. His children are still cursed and he is still regularly shown images of them but it doesn’t take up all his time as it does in canon. I bring this up because I was curious what you think about how much of the bad things that befall Túrin and Niënor were explicitly planned before. Because I’ve always thought that the compelled incest part was at least in some way planned before and was very specifically about Húrin watching the ruining of his bloodline (which goes back to my other cursed HCs) in addition to the suffering it would bring his children.

Anyways no pressure to answer or anything I was just curious if this was something you had thought about

-@outofangband

(Disclaimer: I haven’t read much of the HoME besides what pertains the Narn, meaning I haven’t read any extended material on Melkor and so on.)

Honestly this is a very interesting question that I have posed myself before. It brings to mind this passage:

[Transcript:

Report of the Dragon-helm in the land west of Sirion came swiftly to the ear of Morgoth, and he laughed, for now  (1) Túrin was revealed to him again, who had long been lost in the shadows and under the veils of Melian. (2) Yet he began to fear that Túrin would grow to such a power that the curse that he had laid upon him would become void, and he would escape the doom that had been designed for him, or else that he might retreat to Doriath and be lost to his sight again. (3) Now therefore he had a mind to seize Túrin and afflict him even as his father, to torment him and enslave him.]

My conclusions here are:

(1) Melkor’s ‘eye’, which Húrin had been forced to access as well, couldn’t penetrate Doriath under Melian’s power. Makes me think the whole time Túrin was growing up, Melkor had Húrin watch Morwen and Nienor’s growing misery in Dor-Lómin instead?

(2) Everyone has talked about this a hundred times because it is so incredible. So the doom was defeatable? So, cosmically speaking, there was some validation in Túrin’s methods of seeking war and power? Much to think about

(3) This bit is the only passage I can recall where instead of vague threats, the text gives us a concrete plan of Melkor’s for this family. When he sets Glaurung forth, we have absolutely no idea whether his actions were meticulously planned by Melkor, a mastermind, or just strokes of Glaurung’s own evil creative genius as derivated from Melkor’s will or whatever.

So. My opinion is that it isn’t a plan. First and foremost because I hate the anime villain type who was secretly controlling all the variables of the game, but also because I genuinely don’t get this aesthetic from Melkor/Tolkien. Melkor’s power is godlike; it doesn’t come from logic control over the material world, but from a more intimate relationship with what makes the material world itself. 

Thinking of two events: one, when Melkor releases Húrin. Melkor has changed and posioned Húrin’s spirit, but Húrin isn’t aware of that. Húrin still hates Melkor, but, as we see in the Wanderings, he is still an agent of Melkor (to use a term @promin-blog​ used in [that interesting meta post you reblogged recently]). Compare that to Niënor, to whom something very similar happens: Glaurung poisons her spirit and then sets her free.

In my understanding, in neither of those two situations did Melkor or Glaurung know exactly what was going to be the outcome; they just knew it was going to be bad for their captives, and thus, good for them. Melkor is a being of chaos against the benign order of the world, so he fundamentally gains from an increase in the chaos, or a corruption in the order of the world. So when he explains the curse to Húrin, he says:

‘You say it,’ said Morgoth. ‘I am the Elder King: Melkor, first and mightiest of all the Valar, who was before the world, and made it. The shadow of my purpose lies upon Arda, and all that is in it bends slowly and surely to my will. But upon all whom you love my thought shall weigh as a cloud of Doom, and it shall bring them down into darkness and despair. Wherever they go, evil shall arise. Whenever they speak, their words shall bring ill counsel. Whatsoever they do shall turn against them. They shall die without hope, cursing both life and death.’

I take that at face value in terms of, this is literally how it works. He didn’t know exactly that Húrin would kill Mîm, bring the Nauglamír to Thingol, then fight with his once-beloved Haladin kin and cause their destruction, just like I don’t think Glaurung knew Niënor would find Túrin, fall in love with him and have his child. BUT they knew releasing these poisoned agents would benefit their cause one way or another. (I do think Melkor presumed correctly that Húrin might try to find Gondolin though! Hence the spies). So I guess I don’t agree with you that the incest was pre-planned, although I do think the ruining of Húrin’s bloodline was definitely a huge point that, in Melkor’s mind, was probably inevitable. If Túrin had, say, had a baby with Finduilas, Melkor would have gotten a hold of that baby too, at some point... I think when he says he is the master of the Fates of Arda, he means that his will has too powerful a hold over Arda to be broken, and not, necessarily, that he controls every detail of it.

That makes me think of that passage you mentioned recently in your blog:

“But ever the Noldor feared most the treachery of their own kin who had been thralls in Angband; for Morgoth used some of them for his evil purposes, and feigning to give them liberty sent them abroad; but their wills were chained to his and they strayed only to come back to him again” (”Of the Ruin of Beleriand”, p188, The Silmarillion)

It makes me wonder how many of these elves were, like Maeglin, aware of their own collaboration, and how many might have hated Melkor their whole lives while still being agents of his will 😬

It’s a super depressing thing, this possiblity that the Narn puts forth, of an otherwise free person being permanently and inescapably ruined for as long as you hold your material existance in this realm. It is the ultimate corruption of free will, because it means no matter which choices you make, they will always come to evil. You’re helpless: intent doesn’t matter, hard work doesn’t matter. I think it’s fitting with Melkor being a god, after all! That’s why it’s relevant that out of the five members of this family, only one is directly murdered by Melkor’s actions. The others take their own lives, although more indirectly in the case of Morwen - the only one who “was not conquered”. The rest of them, Túrin, Nienor, and Húrin, end up choosing death as an escape, and I think it is in a way because they ultimately understand that Melkor is playing on a godlike level that they, as mortals, cannot reach.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER DEPRESSING THING. We, as readers, have the benefit of knowing that Mandos exists and Eru exists and the Ainulindale happened. We have also read about Beren’s spirit lingering in Mandos waiting for Lúthien. So we ASSUME there is an afterlife for the second-born. We know Tolkien envisioned that, spiritual man that he was. But in the narrative, mortals themselves don’t have any reassurance of that! 

So this exchange here becomes even more chilling:

So? 

Did he lie?

[kerra-and-company]

3, 4, 20, 21 from the headcanons ask game! ✨

Sure, sounds like a plan @i-mybrunettelady :D

3. How big is the Pact in respect to other military forces? Who supports them monetarily (they’ve had enough resources to build Fort Trinity long before it was certain they could even take Zhaitan)

Originally (pre-HoT), I'd say pretty large! They smashed together the three orders of Tyria into one organization, and each of them was a decent-sized group on its own. It's really hard to get a sense of the scale, especially since I feel like most of the military/defense forces we see have to be smaller. (The Wardens came to mind first, but I think the Seraph and the Peacemakers are also probably both smaller groups than the Pact.) The charr legions as a whole have got to be at least the same size as the Pact, but individually they're probably smaller. Post-HoT, I have less of a concrete idea, but I imagine that they eventually build up their ranks to something close to or matching their original size.

As for monetary support, I have to assume that each of the orders have some way of making money, and the original building of Fort Trinity drew on those coffers specifically. Once the Pact forms, they might continue drawing on whatever those ways were; they might also (once they prove they're actually a viable dragon destruction force) be subsidized on some level by the different Tyrian governments--though I'm not certain exactly how that would work (or if it would work) in terms of politics and who they're beholden to, so that's a less likely option.

4. How much smarter than everyone else are asura actually? Is it all just hubris and in the end they just have a better education system?

It's really hard to tell. I want to guess half and half, but as far as I know (and I could be very wrong here), we don't have any canonical examples of asura who were raised outside of their education system. And even then, you'd have to do some sort of study in order to get any actual usable data, and...wow, my answer about asura is turning into a minor dissertation on the scientific method xD. (Not to mention that doing a study like that would have to be observational rather than experimental in order to be an ethical study and I think getting a large enough sample size would be difficult...)

But, anyways, I tend to assume half and half in my personal headcanons: they get a jump start, but it's not as much as they'd like everyone else (and themselves) to think. Though their education system does seem to be generally (minus the semi-frequent pompousness and assholery of the people in charge) pretty damn good, so they get props for that for sure.

20. How far has Orr been restored at this point?

God, I wish we could see this in game, so much. I know why the game doesn't work like that, but I would so love to see what it looks like.

But in my headcanons--it's getting there! It's been about 9-ish years in-game now since Trahearne did the cleansing ritual, so I don't think there's any way it can be completely recovered. We've seen that, even though Zhaitan is dead, the Risen are most definitely still around, so clearing them out alone probably is taking a while. I looked up ecosystem recovery to see if I could find any references, and apparently, in our world, forest ecosystems can take around 42 years to recover from devastation while ocean ecosystems take only 10 because there's more organism turnover. Based on that (and taking into account the fact that this is very much both the same and different because of magic and dragon corruption), my mental image of Orr right now is something along these lines, but with whatever plant life grows there:

There's more undergrowth now, and the ground's a lot more green, but there's still many, many remnants of the destruction. Vines wrap over most of the ruins, covering up the grey, bit by bit. As far as animals go, there's most definitely small birds and bugs even in the more damaged areas by now that are living quite happily, and the wildlife from the border with Mount Maelstrom and from the less-corrupted areas are still working on fully spreading through the rest of Orr.

So, yeah. Getting there. But it's much less "zombie zone" and much more "recovering" now, though you should still probably bring a squad if you're venturing around there.

21. Malyck. Other Trees. Mordremoth’s blighting trees… Are the Sylvari not unique?

Hmm. Depends what this question is asking, exactly. They're definitely not the only plant creatures grown from a Tree like the Pale Tree, but as of right now in canon, are they alone in being sylvari? I don't know. It's definitely my headcanon that there have been other Trees (see: my OCs Rel and Nisha, as well as the aforementioned and very canon Malyck), but whether or not they're still alive and uncorrupted by Mordremoth is another story. Additionally, it's very possible that there could be more Trees in the future or that there are some that are still growing. The Pale Tree didn't awaken the Firstborn until she'd been alive for some 225-odd years, so if there are other Trees, they might not be old enough to produce other sylvari or might simply not be inclined to do so for whatever reason.

Also, while new Trees would most likely grow in or around Maguuma due to proximity and climate, it could be possible for them to grow somewhere else if someone like Ronan found other seeds and transported them far away. There could be Trees growing in places other than Maguuma.

As far as sylvari currently being unique, as in being the only plant beings currently existing and not having any "cousins", my metaphorical money's on them indeed being unique if you follow that definition. If there were other sylvari, I think they most likely would have been found by now. (Though it also is possible that they exist and haven't been located--Tyria is pretty big. Or that they were mistaken for Pale Tree sylvari; depending on what they look like, it might not be possible to tell on sight that they were from a different tree.). The only exceptions to this (canonically speaking at least) would be Malyck and any of his siblings, if they're still alive. As for whether that will stay the case in the future? I'd say probably not. I could easily see there being multiple Trees someday. There have to be unsprouted seeds left over after Mordremoth's death, right?

[everlarkficquestions]

Sunday Stumped Day 29

It’s another Sunday Stumped Day!

Sometimes we straight out get stumped. So every few months we will pick a Sunday when we’ll post of a list of asks that we need your help on.

This time around we have focused on Asks that are looking for specific fics. 

If you know the answer to any of these asks please shoot us a message/ ask/  with the Post number and the fic details and we’ll add it and give you a shout out with our thanks. Any links you can provide will also be super helpful.

Thanks!

Post 1 , Post 2 , Post 3, Post 4, Post 5, Post 6, Post 7, Post 8, Post 9, Post 10, Post 11, Post 12, Post 13, Post 14, Post 15, Post 16, Post 17, Post 18, Post 19, Post 20, Post 21, Post 22 , Post 23, Post 24, Post 25, Post 26, Post 27 and Post 28 can be found here - and there are still fics we need your help with. 

495. theman189-blog said:

Also looking for a growing together fic where peeta and katniss are painting a room ar one point and they get in a paint fight, at the end when peeta has katniss over his shoulder she draws a heart in paint on his lower back

494. theman189-blog said:

Hi there, just read a fic where katniss and peeta were peacekeepers and fall in love called protect and serve, and I could have sworn there was another one where they're peacekeepers and fell in love but had a more concrete ending and I cant remember it... any thoughts?

493. breakmeaswitchson said:

Hi! So I posted asking about this on a sub in Reddit and got directed here, it's not specifically an Everlark one (I don't think) but if you could help I'd be so thankful! Basically, it took the characters from the 74th Hunger Games, but the twist was that they all had to work together in designated groups? And (I think) weren't allowed to turn on each other until nobody else was left. I'm pretty sure Rue and Clove were on a team together, and I think the setting involved abandoned buildings.

492. jayana90 said:

Hi! I'm looking for a specific fic from Peeta's POV. I read it about a year ago & now I can't find it. It begins at his house in 12 with his family, then traces nearly all of the Hunger Games trilogy. It ends with a chapter with Peeta & Katniss living in 12 years later with their kids and a bakery. I think they loved cheese bread? It was really long and so good, I hope to find it again. V smutty.

FOUND! The Sexual Frustrations of Peeta Mellark by PeetasAndHerondales, which has sadly been deleted. - thank you, mistressnightshade!

491. allflowerscatchthesunlight said:

Fic name needed: I recall Peeta was taken by the capitol and then there was trackers embedded into his skin or something and he was found by the squad while in the capitol to kill snow. They cut it out of him. Also katniss was pregnant, but miscarried.

Found!  Secret Wishes, Secret Kisses by @katnissdoesnotfollowback -- thank you KDNFB!

490. jsth2obooks said:

Hi I read this fix a while ago and now I'm trying to find it. It's Modern day Katnisss and Peeta have to go to a high school reunion an they pretend to be either together/engaged. At the end they end up with a child. Thanks in advance

FOUND! Somewhere That’s Green by Jlala. Thank you, @fangirlingoverquotes

489. uglydora15 said:

I read this fancition about Katniss and Peeta post mockingjay and Katniss was pregnant I think for the second time and Peeta has a flashback and Katniss caught him kissing someone else in the bakery and he had to beg for her forgiveness

Possibly There Are Still Worse Games to Play- The Second Part of Our Journey by panskiss123.  Thank you, @sunsetsrmydreams

488. bad-fad said:

Hi so I think there’s a fix where mr. Mellark like takes in katniss when she’s young (I don’t think prim existed in the story but I could be wrong) and she grows up with the Mellarks but I can’t remember?? If not maybe some recs along those lines

Possibly - “Kinship” by Misshoneywell - thank you @endlessnightlock

possibly Star by HGRomance  - thank you @nightlock-89

Possibly the deleted Lion’s Tooth by Alexabee

487. craftydiva0828 said:

Looking for a story where after the war, Katniss rides the trains searching the districts for Peeta; people search for loved ones by posting their pictures at the train depot bulletin board.

FOUND!  when the far-gone dead return - writingforhugs (Thanks, @ladymurphyevermore!)              

486. bookworm06 said:

I was wondering if you guys know about a fic where Peeta woos katniss slowly, they dare secretly for a long time i think. And then Katniss comes out in this beautiful orange dress(peeta’s favorite color) to announce their engagement. She’s dressed up for a feast or party in the district or something! I loved this story but can’t even remember the name 🤦🏻‍♀️

FOUND! -  I Knew This Would Have Happened Anyway by @abk1973 - thank you, @litharalen

485. cowrintimrousbeastie said:

Hello! This is actually the first time I'm posting a question, I usually enjoy doing the detective work. This time though, I've looked high and low and can't find it... it's a drabble posted on tumblr in several parts. Peeta is living with his girlfriend Delly but during one of his baking workshops discovers that this longtime best friend Katniss is in love with him (she has him as her phone screen saver). She works at the library? He confronts her and she says forget it as he is happy w/Delly..

FOUND!  By @cowrintimrousbeastie herself!  It is How Long by @ra3lynn3.  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 , Part 4 and Part 5.

484. beautiful-harmony1 said:

Hello! Thank for your great work. I am looking for a fic I read a while ago. Post-mockingjay. Katniss is really sick and Peeta comes homes a realises. He takes care of her. On her “death bed” she talks about this that would have happened between the two. I’m pretty sure some bursts in and say “we found a cure”. Thank you so much

483. thehopefuldandelion said:

So I’ve been craving to read this fic that hopefully I didn’t make up and I’ve been trying to remember it’s name. All I remember is that Katinss and Gale(I think) are dating but when Gale would go to sleep Katinss would text Peeta. I’m pretty sure they were coworkers and couldn’t date bc of this. I know that she broke up with Gale but that’s all that my brain can remember. I’m sorry if this is vague or you can’t find it. I just wanted to read this again. Thanks for all you do for the community❤️

FOUND! This is After Hours by SoThere -thank you, @mendontprotectyou!

482. redhoodhungergames said:

I’m looking for a fic where peeta goes to this hotel (or something) and finds Katniss who works there as a singer. I remember when talking we hear that Katniss is from Virginia

481. just-absolutely-super said:

There’s a pre-epilogue fic I read about Katniss and Peeta growing back together. I can’t remember all the details but I think in the fic Katniss finds out Peeta painted Prim and it upset her? Toward the end she’s outside his bedroom door and confesses to him that she loves him. Thank you!

Possibly - The List of Words by MyKonstantine - thank you, @jennagill

480. peetniss27 said:

OK i must be going crazy, but this fanfic is about panem being a bunch of islands and they all do a computer session and are matched with their spouses after being “reaped” and Katniss was dating peeta and ended up with gale. It was called the islands but idk the new name please help!!!!!

FOUND!

Are You Leaving Me? - iloverueforever (*Thank you, @superchocovian!)

479. uniquepizzacollectionblog said:

Hi, i"m looking for a fic where katniss and peeta and best friends and have slept with each other in the past and now the sexual tension is coming back, maybe you guys know of this story?

478. xgetawaycar13 said:

Hiiii so I’m looking for a fic in which Katniss and Peeta get married in catching fire by order of snow and they are also forced to have children but I remember that at some point someone told Katniss about how all the girls at school liked Peeta so she got jealous and have him a blowjob Thank youuu I already look through your master list about marriage in catching fire but I couldn’t find it:(

FOUND.  This is Have Heart, My Dear by monroeslittle.  Thanks @finestunicorn.

477. ochri said:

Hi i'm looking for this fic from fanfiction It's a post-MJ fic and there's this one chapter where katniss peels? her skin off her fingers and then Peeta takes her to hospital. That's all I really remember :/

476. nikki-pondtheauthor said:

hey im curious if there are fanfics in which peeta learns how to use a bow and shoot arrows (taught by katniss). bonus if he does this in hunger games. im sure ive a read a fanfic before, that was awesome in my opinion because it is a bit out of character for him but highlighting the fact that he is a survivor too and can handle weapons even if he is more a friendly persona

475. white-dandelion-seeds said:

Hey, can you find me this story- Peeta helped Katniss to escape when her family was being killed. But he got captured and was made a slave. Later he helps Katniss to take revenge of the death of her family

474. chippedcupsandbrokenhearts said:

Ok do you know the name of Fic where Katniss finally gets away from her abusive marriage with gale and goes back to her family. They didn’t know she was being abused. She falls in love with Peeta and I remember at one point gale found her and her family drives him out of town. I read this YEARS ago and now I just randomly had the urge to reread it but can’t remember the name. Thank you!!!

Possibly - A Safe Place by HavishamWard,but this fic has been deleted. Thank you, @endlessnightlock

473. jillpill55 said:

Hi, I love your page and have read probably a hundred fics because of it. I hoping you can help me find this fic I read a couple of months ago. Peeta was captured and when he came back he couldn't kiss Katniss because of a implant snow had put in peeta's leg. I would be a mutli-chapter and may or not be finished. Thanks

Possibly - Rekindling by ShiningCity.  Thank you, @sunsetsrmydreams

472. svmn14 said: 

There was a story about Peeta suffering from an undetected hijacking attack timed 10 years after the last Games where he was designed to hurt Katniss 

FOUND!  This is Broken:  Scenes from the Sequel by MockingJayFlyingFree.  Thanks @sunsetsrmydreams

471. hiyosakura said: 

Hello! I was wondering if you could help find this everlark fic. I’m not sure if it’s completed or not but it also has hayffie in it a bit I think. So the story is that k and p fall in love before their games and they meet at their tree in school or something but then they get reaped and I can’t remember what happens after that but during the quarter quell Katniss is actually pregnant and Peeta and Katniss are able to communicate with their lips touching.

FOUND! That’s 74th Hunger games Challenge: We Always Were - Jamie Sommers(*Thank you, @superchocovian!)

470. ptx-holic said:

 Hi, i’m looking for a fic where katniss is in a relationship with gale and then she met peeta and they are in a relationship but they caught katniss having two relationship and katniss move to somewhere and then she came back few years later and met peeta again. I’m sorry if this is confusing for you but i can’t find it. Thank you :) 

Do any of these fics ring a bell? Please let us know!

[unproduciblesmackdown]

i'm here for your Jare and Lana Thoughts

hmm i’m not good at like, coming up with concrete ideas/hcs, or at recalling anything, but yeah they should get to be friends

i mean we don’t know that alana has Any friends, and really even pre-act 2, evan is not an amazing friend to jared, and even if things were better re: that relationship, it’s not really ideal to for jared to have one single friend anyways.......and, again, evan’s not exactly the perfect friend and like, even though i think anyone taking any real note of the material realizes that jared and evan’s relationship being not very close or great at this juncture is a two-way street, it’s easily arguable that evan’s a worse friend to jared in canon than jared is to him. so like, if jared’s gonna have One Friend lol tbh it would be great if he and alana could become friends and like, have someone to hang out with and just have a chill time being Not Alone for once and not having to feel like they have to be maintaining this perfect performance at all times or be dropped

really like it’s a great concept to just imagine them getting to spend time together doing totally unremarkable average Hanging Out stuff.......do homework together sometimes instead of alone in their respective bedrooms, spend time together on the weekend and play video games / watch a movie, just do some chill shit that gives them the chance to have conversations and share interests and personal info and just like, get used to feeling more relaxed in this person’s presence and like this is a real friendship......maybe they spend time together in canon doing tcp stuff ever but we were never shown it, and that’s a bit of a transition from being mostly strangers (distant acquaintances) to being Sort Of friends / at least being more familiar with each other......and maybe they can become closer After the tcp heyday, like, presumably in the timeskip-and-beyond part of things.....like, yeah there's the issue of everything that happened re: tcp and how jared knows more about the inside story while maybe alana just suspects, and natch i don't think jared would be willing to share that Inside Story if only because we all know that he and evan are mutually protecting each other forever, but also i don't think that like, thoroughly discussing the tcp stuff is absolutely crucial to jared and alana getting to be friends. for one thing, they probably can't have gotten That close during tcp, since by act 2 jared is apparently not super involved, and for another thing i think by the finale times both alana and jared might Both just be wanting to pretty much like, move on from all the tcp stuff.

also like, really i don't remember if jared's Extracurriculars like model u.n. was from pre-bway content and/or if it was from "cherrypicking anything worthwhile from the novel" content lol, but also stuff like being a camp counselor can't be completely effortless, and as someone who isn't too close to his parents and for whomst, at least at one point, theoretically, his car insurance being paid was tied to him doing stuff his mom wants him to do e.g. Be Nice To Evan, i get the idea that maybe jared does some academic / extracurricular stuff at least partially with the motivation of staying in the good graces of his parents and other adults / being Approved of via those routes of like, performing well at various Set Tasks like "get good grades" "be in model u.n." "be nice to evan, theoretically, according to jared himself" and etc........anyways this is a really roundabout way to get to "alana might be engaged in like, structured / approved Tasks as a means to being supported, not in the exact same way as jared is but with enough of a parallel that he Understands it".....like, i think yeah we can deduce that alana is kind of Studious or at least cares about her academic performance, but people like, forget that she's Not just doing everything for her college applications, and that most of what the focus is on is alana doing Extracurricular stuff that's more involved with / focused on Local Community than just like, school......she's talking about what she did over the summer, which is sure inherently Not stuff for school, and tcp is only partly about the school, and isn't Academic.......alana probably sees Community Involvement as a means to support / connection / positive attention, which is a bit different from jared who like, yeah might be kinda on that wavelength in Disappear thru Ywbf, but also it might be mostly "oh i can be in this group with evan and alana"......jared mostly seems to regard Attention From Anyone Else as something potentially negative, even though of course he doesn't want to Not get any attention, so on the one hand he's trying to get ahead of that Potential Negative Attention by trying to establish his own Role as [i'm the jokes boy] and be able to Deflect attention away from himself, or at least from whatever aspects of himself he doesn't want to have anyone focus on / question, and he seems to have an even more Defensive approach re: adults (i.e. "literally nothing i tell my parents is true") and it's easy to imagine that he sees it as like, as long as he Does This Checklist of Tasks He's Supposed To Do, e.g. "get decent grades" / "do some extracurriculars (i'm just remembering model u.n. was from Prior Versions Of The Show b/c it was related to that perjury thing and being the ambassador of luxembourg)" / etc and Adults Will Leave Him Alone Entirely Maybe........alana of course doesn't really wanna be left alone, but also she's more focused on her Peers than adults as well, ppl mischaracterizing her as like, only caring about grades & Rules & generally being a killjoy.........but natch if she Is trying to get good grades and Is involving herself in a lot of projects academic or extracurricular or unaffiliated with school at all, and there's gonna be more Work involved in that, and probably hanging out with her will involve doing work Parallel to each other, or at least, alana doing work while you do whatever.......and i think jared would Get that and wouldn't be like, "why are you boring" lol......out here down to bond with evan over basically a writing project......having Computer Skills which he presumably honed / hones on his own time.........this is a mess but im basically getting to "jared wouldn't think alana is boring or anything and would understand pursuing Something through the routes of Projects and Commitments and Approved Activities" look i'm phrasing everything terribly but if i don't just get shit down i'll never answer this ask

meanwhile i think alana would think jared is funny, which is nice b/c despite jared trying to be Humorous evan doesn't act very interested or like he's like "jared you're hilarious and i love that about you" lmao like. obviously people interpret jared's Attitude as like omg so uncaring he has no feelings he also has no problems b/c he Takes Nothing Seriously (which obviously. Humor / demeanor doesn't necessarily reflect taking whatever "seriously" or not.) and maybe evan's misinterpreting it too, but even if he Knows better re: how jared really feels about things, he's not exactly trying to engage with him about it any other way, so.......anyways alana thought connor's terrible joke from probably a while back is funny so. she'd probably Genuinely be like "haha good one jared" and jared would get to be like :o :o :o whoa i made a joke and someone reacted......natch jared's also just trying to like, Provoke evan into paying attention to him sometimes with his Humour / being able to comment on Real Shit without giving away his Real Feelings but like, probably not the ideal form of communication, and jared's out here @ connor like "it was a joke" so he'd probably be fine if any other students like, reacted to his jokes as jokes.........and alana could. also she might Joke sometimes in return lol

there Is that bit of an issue where yeah alana having a tendency to just Take The Lead on things where jared has a tendency to just like, back off if he isn't expressly given space in the first place or if he's pushed back, and this isn't Ideal obviously but like, he and alana don't have to interact via Working On Projects Together alone, especially not tcp, and it'd be an inherently different dynamic if they were interacting solely due to being Friends / wanting to hang out for no especial reason vs interacting to work on something together........and i don't think alana would Want a friendship to be the same as "someone she works on a project with" like, as far as we know in canon, alana only has Acquaintances and jared ends up losing his one friend, so i think if alana and jared become closer later on / start this new Actual Friendship between themselves, alana wouldn't want it to feel the same as like, being involved in tcp together (and neither would jared), and i also don't think jared would necessarily want it to feel like his friendship with evan, which natch wasn't going great, particularly not in those final months l o l .......even though both of them being Friendless would probably make them somewhat eager to make One Friend, they both got burned by their attempts to Get Closer To People (or A Person in jared's case lol) ("everyone needed it for something" like okayyy if you say so, guess we Are just forgetting about alana and jared's existence), and they might not exactly be raring to go about [Obtaining Friendship] the same way again. and since they both had a pretty Transactional approach to getting positive attention (i.e. jared helping evan out and doing shit for him, alana doing the same and presumably doing the bulk of the tcp work when evan ingeniously held jared at arm's length instead of having him more involved but then kind of peaced out of the project himself) it'd probably be nice for alana to have someone who seems to like being around her without it being due to any of the work she does / has done, whereas jared probably doesn't wanna be The Guy Who Helps Out and is only talked to for that purpose..............and them both having a friend who they Didn't make / keep via their respective wtaw-type approaches to things is probably gonna be encouraging re: the fact that yknow, they don't have to put on that certain Performance of what they think people might want from them / people might find Acceptable from them........and of course if they spend more time together they'll get more used to the other / learn about them, and probably ~Learn About Themselves~ since they're finally getting to like, Not be putting on a performance for someone / feeling like they have to play some specific role to be liked or whatever

and like, alana isn't just all Boring and incapable of having fun or comprehending what that is........i like soph's hc that she loves karaoke, jared could tag along and be the audience lol and it's just like, hey we can just have fun together doing shit for fun and not like, feeling like you're having to prove your worth to the other person all the time, just having some confidence that the other person likes you for who you are and they can relax and actually enjoy it

naturally i like the idea that alana and jared become friends (or better friends) in college........the rest of senior year has to be Not A Great Time and just generally more fraught than usual for them, and they could stand to have the summer before college to kinda take a breath (but also maybe feel worried about college) but then yknow once college starts they're In college and it's different from hs (and better), and it being a Different environment with Different people and a Different structure can also help them just like, get more comfortable with themselves and maybe (hopefully) feel more capable of pursuing stuff they really wanna do and just overall be having a better time than, say, in senior year of high school.....would sure be convenient if they went to the same one of course. lol. hang out all the time on campus / between classes, go to Social Occasions together, be in the same dorm / just keep hanging out at each other's, etc

also just like, on its own, i always like the idea of jared also being able to Make Friends / have decent, positive, accepting Social Interactions via joining a club / being involved in some extracurricular type shit, where he Can be comfortable like "oh i'm here to Do Some Tasks so i get to be part of this group of people just by signing up, not by everyone else deciding they want me around" and then yknow, be spending time with this group of people that way, end up hanging out at various points kind of branching off of whatever Tasks are being done, and sort of gradually realize that people Don't Dislike him and can then catch on that maybe he has some potential friends here.........it's fun to think of him doing like, tech work for theatre, and also in the midst of all these theatre people he can like, fully realize Oh I'm Gay (and maybe get to fully process what went down there re: evan and his own Heartbreak there, like the fact that it Was heartbreak).......and to add the idea of Alana Being Friends with him during college, maybe a) she can hang out over in the theatre area sometimes while he's doing whatever and work on her own stuff but also get to interact with everyone else who might be around and b) if he gets any comp tickets she can get one and c) idk she can maybe also be Directly involved in helping out sometimes......

and also anyways getting all the way to This Point in the answer before mentioning that like, of course both jared and alana are gay and maybe haven't figured this out entirely by the events of Canon but sure could during college and could be each other's Supportive Friend, naturally if one of them figures it out first the other one is like wow great i'm such an Ally of that, boy it feels really great to Know i have a gay friend actually, b/c i'm Such An Ally......and then figuring it out for themself as well lmao like aha. hope they don't think i'm copying them lol...........also the one Jared And Alana "Dating" idea i permit is that maybe back in the day when neither of them were Aware of their own gayness they like, vibed with each other and were like "hmm is this Having A Crush?" and "dated" awkwardly for like a month or two or something (or less lol)......naturally they could've had this sort of experience with Anyone but like, the sort of underlying thing that the Affinity they mistook for "i wanna date this person" was them rly having the potential to be good friends and have a significant relationship that way. but then them having this real awkward "dating" experience probably would delay that for at least a little bit lmao like avoiding each other b/c even if it sure was just like, a not-that-dramatic mutual breakup, it's still uncomfortable and it's like "why didn't this work out at all"............but yeah the important part is they're gay and they're friends and if they are also good friends while they're figuring out the Being Gay stuff for themselves then that's just nice for them.....have this person be supportive and glad for you........

also and yknow there's the idea of "what if jared and evan start to make up in College Times and possibly kleinsen happens" and obviously being back in touch with evan would be both fraught for jared and alana even if they're in this place where it's easier to extend him some grace here, but they'd sure understand each other's misgivings and trepidation here even if they don't really lay out each and every Detail of like "yeah here's why and how i was hurt back in the day in tcp times".......and yknow, for jared it wouldn't have to be like "wow after i lost evan i've had No Friends and having him back in my life would mean i'm not completely alone anymore," which might help him take his time in contemplating / reflecting upon the situation lol. and who knows, alana might be down to accept an apology as well at least or something. but regardless of that concept Yeah jared and alana getting to be friends in college would be cool for both of them.

these are all broad sweeping concepts lmao instead of like any fun details or specific events / scenarios lol but yeah here are some Thoughts.......a real tl;dr is that it'd be nice if like, overall, both jared and alana felt like they had some more space in college to figure themselves out and feel less pressure to fit some precise role that will win them approval, and they find some Connection through each other and get to share that like, Figuring Themselves Out territory while being friends and getting some emotional support from each other, and they are gay

[ipacademy0]

How To Make Training More Effective

Construct Validity

When constructing a test, for whatever purpose, the question of test validity needs to be addressed. Test validity asks to what extent does the assessment tool being used truly measure what it purports to measure (known as construct validity in testing jargon). Take for example the classic I.Q test in the 1960s. These tests often found to be “invalid”, because they weren’t really measuring intelligence as they claimed to do, but rather, they were testing reading skills under time constraints.The test often failed to spot intelligent children who may have simply possessed poor reading skills due to poor training, lack of practice, motivation, dyslexia, etc. In time, the development of I.Q. tests changed and included, as well as reading, oral questions and responses, drawings, visual recognition, tactile exercises, and discussions.

Criterion Validity

But the story continues. Researchers found that even though tests could be constructed to more accurately measure a given criterion, there was still the question of knowing whether the criterion itself was also meaningful. What exactly did the variable(s) being measured mean? Did that which was being measured have a meaningful connection to what was truly happening in reality (i.e. criterion validity)?

The key was to understand the big picture. For example, for years language classes were taught with a heavy emphasis on learning grammar, the so-called rules of a language.  The assumption was based on the surface observation that articulate native-speakers of a language knew and could use their own grammar very proficiently. Therefore, it was assumed that to learn the grammatical rules of a language (along with vocabulary) would transfer into acquiring the language for the second-language learner. Teachers essentially then taught grammar lessons - with a corresponding method for teaching it (e.g. usually academically). Students struggled to learn it, tests were designed to test their knowledge of it, and grades were assigned, based on the test scores, to determine their level of proficiency. The result? Once out of the classroom, “high-proficiency” second-language learners were barely able to formulate even the simplest sentences in a foreign language they studied for years, let alone comprehend that language from native speakers who spoke it at a normal tempo.

So what went wrong? The tests were indeed accurately measuring grammatical comprehension of the second-language learner (construct validity). But the bigger picture of what really happens in language learning was misunderstood.  The question of whether conscious knowledge of grammar is a true correlate of language proficiency turned out to be a false assumption based on a partial and misunderstood observation of how language learning works. The tests failed the criterion validity. Indeed, a closer look revealed that manynative-speakersof a language could also not consciously explain their own grammar. Therefore, “knowing” grammar explicitly was not a prerequisite for using it proficiently. Something else was at play here which the original observations had also missed.

To design a criterion-valid test requires a subtler and deeper level of questioning about both our observations and assumptions (and how they inform each other).  We need to ask if what we are measuring is clearly related to some concrete criteriain the real world. Getting it right (or wrong) has great implications for the way we design our curriculum and develop our training methods.

Asking the Right Questions about Technical Product Training

In the business world, just consider how many marketing departments have designed product training seminars (usually of more sophisticated high-tech products) around simply knowing the features of that product (similar to knowing the rules of a language above). When asked, “Why is this important?” the response is typically, “Because sales engineers have to know about the features of the product in order to offer our customers the right solution for their needs.” As we have seen, on the surface a test can be designed to assess if a salesperson has learned the features of a certain product (construct validity). But at a deeper level it may be missing the bigger picture, but still deliver “satisfactory” results of a reality that does not exist in the concrete world. Again, to achieve criterion validity, one must ask if “product knowledge”, is the keycriteria for a technical salesperson’s ability to offer a customer the right solution? The word “key” is central here simply because the overwhelming type of technical training offered in high-tech companies consists in having an engineer “describe” the so-called “rules” of the product (i.e. its features and how it works). The content and training method betray the underlying assumption about our observations of what makes for a successful encounter between a sales rep and a customer (i.e. product knowledge).

But our assumptions are rarely questioned, and in many cases, remain hidden from conscious awareness. We’re usually content to make surface observations and base our needs-analysis (and by extension, our training) on that. To get a bigger and better picture of what’s really happening is not as difficult as it may seem. It simply requires asking questions, at a few layers, about what we initially consider “the source” of a competency under analysis – and then test to see if it is true in “real life”.

The answer we arrive at will also influence the content of our training – and the approach we use to carry out that training. For example, if we assume that product knowledge is the key to speaking to customers, then we will design our courses around training sales representatives to learn as much knowledge about a product’s features as possible. It will be an information rich approach given either by a speaker (with detailed PowerPoint slides) or by having the rep essentially read through dense product manuals. But if, in reality, something else is occurring when offering a customer a solution, then the content, and probably the training methods used, will have to be radically reconsidered.

In reality, when analyzing many successful sales reps, one finds that it is the ability to listen attentively to the customer’s situation, understand the problem in a big-picture context, ask meaningful questions, handle doubts, build rapport with the customer, and cooperate on a solution that are only some of the key criteria necessary for a successful sales encounter.

Summary

Significant resources in time, money and energy are often lost on training every year, whichis based on an incomplete understanding of what makes for genuine competency in a specific area.That is why valid testing methods and training go hand in hand. Testing our observations and assumptions – with a more expansive and accurate analysis of what is really happening when defining proficiency for any competency is crucial to seminar design and training methodology. But it will require the skill of asking good questions at multiple layers – and being prepared to make some major changes, based on our expanded findings, in the content and the approach we take to train our staff.

At the International Presentation Academy, we will help you with designing interactive training modules (also online) that includes designing interactive valid tests for the material you present. Our Train the Trainer Skills Workshop (online or onsite in Munich, Germany) that will guide you through a step-by-step process in developing your own engaging and highly didactic training module. This training workshop for in-house trainers, will show you how to structure you seminar for maximum effectiveness, develop easy-to use interactive tests, as well as guide you through a hands-on approach at creating game and simulation activities.  And finally, you will create an audio PowerPoint presentation (during the workshop) that you can use as classroom input or as pre-seminar preparation for your own training.

Our interactive train the trainer seminar is appropriate for those who train soft skills of every kind as well as technical skills. We will engage you with the topic from beginning to end – using a completely hands-on approach. Indeed, we employ the very methods we advocate. We invite you to join us at one of our open seminars, or contact us for an in-house quote at

: info@ip-academy.de

[karyu-endan]

Twilight Chapter 11 review: Bella killed puppies when she was five. It’s canon. Meyer let me imagine it.

You know how a whole bunch of dudes were really confused by how popular Twilight was with teenage girls and soccer moms in its heyday despite how obviously bad it is (including me)? And how the common answer to that question was something along the lines of “Bella is written like a blank slate so that any girl can self-insert into her shoes, and Edward’s description is vague enough for any girl’s dream guy to fit”?

Well… they’re right. The whole point of chapter 11 is to establish exactly that.

The bulk of the chapter is dedicated to Edward asking Bella questions. Lots of questions; about her likes, her dislikes, her life before coming to Forks… If you can think of it, Edward probably asked it.

But here’s the catch: we don’t get to hear most of the answers. The majority of the questions are glossed over by Bella’s narration. The important thing is that Bella told Edward these things and Edward was intrigued; what those answers actually were remain unknown to the reader.

This gives a fan the opportunity to fill in the blanks with answers of their own. Since Bella didn’t divulge her “profile” information, a reader can choose whatever they want to be a part of it. It is admittedly a genius move from the standpoint of establishing a character as self-insert fodder. Not even RPG’s with featureless protagonists are as effective most of the time, since all the choices you’re given in video games are limited to a handful of options pre-decided for you by the game’s programming. The way Meyer did it, though? The options are quite limitless.

There were a couple of scenes that do the same for Edward. The chapter opens with Bella and Edward watching a video in Biology class together, and they do it again the following day later in the chapter. Of course, both times Bella is too distracted by Edward being next to her to pay attention to the movie, and whole paragraphs are spent dwelling on what Edward looks and feels like. And again… we don’t get a lot of concrete details. Aside from what is typical of all vampires in this universe (white skin, yellow eyes, rock-hard texture and cold to the touch), Edward isn’t given any objective description. Just subjective terms like “perfect” and “mesmerizing”, which will mean different things for different people. It gives female readers a lot of flexibility to imagine their ideal-looking vampire boyfriend.

Again, credit where credit is due. Meyer knew what she was doing on at least this basic level.

That being said, there are a few concrete answers Bella gives to Edward’s questions, and they break the immersion. In particular, four of Bella’s answers are revealed to us. In order:

-When Edward asks Bella what her favourite colour is, she says it’s brown. But only because she happened to be wearing a brown sweater at the time and she thinks that her favourite colour changes from day to day and she dresses in response to her changing preferences.

-When Edward asks Bella what CD she’s listening to, Bella opens up her player and shows it to him… while thinking that she hadn’t changed it from the one Phil gave her before she came to Forks. Edward nonetheless happens to have the same CD in his collection and shows it to her.

-When Edward asks Bella what she liked about Phoenix’s scenery, Bella claims to have had a lot of difficulty describing it to Edward… while describing it to us no problem.

-When Edward asks Bella what her favourite gemstone is, she immediately blurts out topaz, and adds that in a couple weeks it might become onyx. And thinks that it used to be garnet, but since meeting Edward it changed.

That first answer can break the immersion because a lot of people have specific favourite colours that are their favourites for very personal reasons. Now, I’m sure there are also people like Bella who don’t think that hard about their favourite colour, but for the people who do, the answer can be off-putting. The answer could also be off-putting for those that don’t though, because Bella’s answer sounds wishy-washy and reactive, as opposed to the firmer “I don’t have a favourite colour”.

The second answer does manage to keep the immersion, albeit unintentionally (I think). The implication is, I imagine, that Bella’s favourite music is what was in the CD player, and Edward also having the same CD is meant to show that they have similar interests. Problem is, the scene can be interpreted to show Bella’s lack of interest in music altogether. She never once changed the CD Phil gave her. Is that because she likes that particular CD so much she didn’t want to change it? Or is it because she cares so little about music that she didn’t bother with the CD altogether? Or is her favourite something else and she simply forgot to change it with all the vampire goings-on distracting her? Her favourite music could still be anything.

The third answer… Eh. It doesn’t really break the immersion all that much, but it is yet again an example of Bella not being very coherent around Edward. And a further reminder of the toxicity of their relationship; sure, Bella’s easily self-insert-able, but why would you want to self-insert into a relationship like theirs anyway?

And the fourth? That Bella’s favourite gemstone used to be garnet doesn’t really matter. The point is that your favourite gemstone is going to be topaz too if you meet Edward! And that’s insulting to people who are really big into gemstones. Or Sonic the Hedgehog. Or Pokémon. Or Steven Universe. Or RWBY.

Not that the latter two existed when Twilight came out, but still.

Let’s talk about that second one a little more. The CD player. That one in particular rubs me the wrong way because it makes Edward’s intentions obvious and paints them in a very bad light. When Edward asks to see what’s in Bella’s CD player, Bella remarks that Edward looked “as if he were expecting a murder confession”. You know what that tells me?

It tells me that Edward already knew what was inside Bella’s CD player before she opened it. Because you don’t expect murder confessions unless you already know they committed the murder.

And from there, Edward would easily be capable of finding and buying another copy of that CD that he could show to Bella as “proof they have similar interests”. He has the money and the speed for that. And he had plenty of opportunity to see that CD before because of his… visits.

That gives Edward’s massive question dump on Bella a whole new meaning. He doesn’t just want get to know Bella more; he is fishing for ammunition he can use to manipulate her. Edward wants to know everything about Bella so he can impress her with stuff she likes and threaten her with stuff she doesn’t. That’s why he is pressing Bella so hard. Edward can’t stand not knowing Bella’s thoughts and because of that he’s doing everything he can to control Bella’s behaviour and make it a routine he can predict.

Edward may have stopped the physical abuse from chapter 5, but he’s doubled up on the mental abuse in compensation.

You can even see it play out toward the end of the chapter. Edward spends several hours after school questioning Bella, right up until just before Charlie comes home, and ends the discussion by saying that he’s not done and will continue asking Bella questions tomorrow. Bella asks him what happened to taking turns, and Edward just shrugs her objection off by more or less saying his turn isn’t done until he says it is and leaves before Bella can make a counter-argument.

Edward seems to have forgotten that the questioning was heavily skewed in his favour already. When Bella asked Edward questions in chapter 10, she only asked a couple during the ride to school in the morning and the rest were at lunch. Not only did Edward ask Bella questions during the ride before school and during lunch, he asked them during the ride after school and for several hours after that. Edward already asked Bella way more questions than Bella asked Edward, and Edward is still demanding a second day in a row. Their “relationship” is unfairly biased toward Edward, and given what happened with the CD player, I have a feeling that’s deliberate on Edward’s part.

Edward won’t just settle for eavesdropping on Bella’s conversations with his mind-reading and watching her sleep every night, oh no. He won’t be happy until he can micromanage every aspect of Bella’s life.

I’ll repeat what I said in chapter 5 about when Edward dragged Bella to his car:

Anyone who claims that Edward and Bella are not in an abusive relationship has not read the books.

Speaking of Edward eavesdropping on Bella’s conversations with his mind-reading, after the first Biology video, Edward walks Bella to Gym class and briefly touches her face before leaving (except not really. Remember the mind-reading?). Mike asks Bella to be his badminton partner, and since Bella’s more out of it than usual (almost getting raped the previous night and getting used to a romance with a vampire will do that to you), she accepts and lets him cover for her. Mike then proves he’s a badass in his own right; he can win doubles badminton matches while playing solo more often than not.

And Jessica chose this man. She has good tastes. On top of good everything else.

Bella doesn’t seem to agree with me. She, for some reason, thinks that it’s a miracle that Mike still has some chivalry left in him.

Excuse me?

Mike was nice to her on her first day of school (she liked him more than Edward back then!). He skipped school to make sure she was okay after Tyler’s accident (everyone did, but still). He took Mr. Banner sticking a needle in his finger without his consent like a champ and went on to escort two sick students to the infirmary during the same period, including Bella herself. And when Edward stole Bella away from him, Mike had the courtesy to not rat Edward out of playing Hooky. And he apologized to Jessica for asking Bella out in front of her by asking her out.

Mike has always been chivalrous. Aside from that one time during the trip to La Push, and Bella was an eyewitness to him redeeming himself for that.

What, does Bella hate Jessica so much that she assumes Jessica will ruin any man who dates her? Then why did Bella encourage Mike to go out with her? Did she really expect that Mike would turn to the dark side and that she’d be okay with it as long as Mike would stop bothering her?

Actually… yes. Yes she would be okay with it. She’d be okay with Edward being a human-eating monster, so Mike being an asshole is no trouble to swallow at all.

Also, after Gym class Mike confronts Bella about her seeing Edward and voices his disapproval. He makes it clear that he doesn’t like it and that Edward looks at Bella “as if she were something to eat”.

Bella is annoyed by this and blames Jessica for it, cursing her to “the fiery pits of Hades”.

Wait, so I’m supposed to dislike Jessica for telling her boyfriend that their mutual friend is dating a predator and said friend didn’t listen to her objections during Trig?

Ha ha, no. It just makes me like Jessica even more.

And knowing Jessica, if she were sent to Hades, she’d just march right out of it and take an endless supply of hellfire with her to kill Edward with if he so much as bruises Mike or Bella.

Jessica takes no shit from vampires, so she’d take no shit from Greek gods of Death either.

And I’m also supposed to dislike Mike for objecting to Bella being with Edward, and to be fair Mike does have a personal stake in the matter (he did have a crush on her and still might consider Jessica sloppy seconds… to his error, naturally) and Bella is right to say that who she sees is none of Mike’s business… but only if Mike’s only reason for objecting is that he wants Bella for himself.

That is by no means the only reason Mike is objecting. Mike caught Edward skipping and forcing himself on Bella while she was sick from the blood typing lab. That means that Mike saw Edward’s abusive behaviour first-hand and knows he’s dangerous. It’s only natural he’d disapprove of any of his friends dating him whether he was crushing on them or not. He’d make the same objections if it were Jessica, Angela, or even Lauren dating Edward. Just like with Jessica in chapter 10, what Meyer’s trying to sell as people sticking their noses where they don’t belong is actually two of Bella’s friends genuinely looking out for her.

Meanwhile, the guy that is genuinely invading Bella’s privacy gets no comeuppance or lasting disapproval for doing so; all the complaints Bella makes about Edward using his mind-reading to eavesdrop are swept under the rug and ignored in favour of gushing over his looks.

Damn… The hypocrisy in this novel is palpable.

The chapter ends with a surprise visit to Bella’s house by Jacob and Billy Black (Edward kept them coming a secret from Bella) with Charlie just behind them. We’ll see what that’s all about next time.

[wallkickswillwork]

signal jamming

incoherency is comforting because of the narrative weve been fed our whole entire lives that in order to be palatable media must in some way be complete and have beveled, well-defined edges rather than being a mess of finger paints, bright colors, strange dialogues and verbiage, build trees of moods.

thoughts on: -futuristic anime, 90s anime and the unique sense of mood in toonami shows. they are a very good series of shows for people who are coming of age and who must slowly be forced to reckon with the industrialization and mercenary nature of adult life, as it is increasingly held captive by capitalism. there is also something essentially spiritual about it, especially shows like precure and dbz, where an interior or exterior-made-interior force is responsible for the protagonists' success in the face of an oppressive world-system. under capitalism, it frequently is the case that the entire world or entirety-of-world is against us. heroes must overcome overwhelming odds to leave their mark on a gauntlet of greats. -cowboy bebop, final fantasy 7, metroid as meditations on loss, urbanization, dating back to blade runner. this is a type of meditation that is present in much of cyberpunk, but its also not exclusively cyberpunk, and can extend in nature to non-cyberpunk works.

thinking about necrobarista and how its attempting to "resuscitate" anime, while this approach doesnt really examine what contemporary anime like jojos, precure, and slightly more dated anime like hidaske and nichijou do well. if we get all this tunnel vision for gurren lagann and flcl we can never look forward. i think a lot of the visual work that needs to be done is probably in movies. i think maybe there could be work done to marry cinema proper with its animated counterpart. steven universe seems like it gets it, and there are some anime that really seemed like they got it. i dont think were beyond salvation.

-listening to the whos "tommy" and thinking about how trauma and the humanity of that trauma is experienced and lived-through by the main character in socratic fashion. these stories are discussed by people whose actual, authentic experience of trauma irl is doubtful at best. they are great successes on stage who dont struggle in the sense that an actual victim would struggle. calls to mind how a lot of freuds patients would fabricate csa in order to fulfill the expectations of the therapist. but in other cases, actual patients with csa would repress their experiences or not feel comfortable discussing. so thats how i feel about gurus like meher baba or i guess alan watts. less trustworthy and more like scam artists. i do believe in what they teach, however. i think that a guru can teach the truth even if that guru is a liar. maybe its the truth, but the guru doesnt know it to be true, or else, the way the guru teaches it is untrue.

-for a while i imagined my own autism to be the result of childhood trauma that was repressed, but later emerged that those memories were fabricated, to my knowledge, and was left wondering.

-learning to regard the world with a sense of wonder from media like cowboy bebop and ff7. these worlds are jaded and decaying realities but there is a sense of awe at the vast, uncompromising reality. truly vast, sprawling and yawning cities and vast starry skies up above. beholding these things and beholding the starry skies and huge cities of our own planet surely stirs something in me.

-fantasy anime tends to go the joke route like slayers or else the route of "we are all kids, bro, stuck in an mmo" and i think this is mostly due to the admittedly antiquated setting of high fantasy in european trochets and history which to japanese people probably feel like white person set dressing and as they should, i mean. there are more high fantasy themes in something like inuyasha and japans history can be feudal, edo, the meiji restoration, primordial like princess mononoke, etc, so theres more wiggle room for historical works there. slayers et al is usually reduced to "characters moving around the forest" which is almost like this grand slice of the collective anime consciousness as it stands overlapping with, say, pokemon, to the extent where its one of the cliche anime things everyone thinks about, alongside high school, robots, nurses, etc.

-another thing to which we could probably ascribe the success of something like slayers to is wizardry and by proxy dragon quest. small graph paper monster garden games. the appeal is entirely mathematical so there are only a few directions that anime directors tend to run with it (goofy gag comedy if youre making a show or cut and dried authentic dungeon crawlers with moe characters instead of the usual dbz ones). going off what you definitely learn in japanese history class if youre a japanese student, for starters, there are thousands of years of chinese history, so you have romance of 3 kingdoms type stuff. or you have high school romances accounting for the various fire emblems where the appeal becomes game of thronesy "which of my characters in dragon quest land can i make kiss each other and myself", very good ground to cover as we start asking the important questions. theres samurai stuff as we already know, drawing on years of samurai media, kurosawas films and zen spirituality, art of the blade type stuff, jeet kune do in some instances and reaching so far afield as to probably raise some interesting and important questions about pan-asiatic cultural identity which this author (white) is ill-advised to answer. but reeling it back in, the question mostly being of history, and how a lot of fantasy media draws more from History proper as a codified cultural body than histories being individuated familial experiences. its true that when a work does something unique with history (earthbounds hippy dippy approach to the 1960s, undertales handling of furry culture, yume nikkis south american murals) its tended to be seen as that works "thing" as if because hulk hogan was an all american wrestler that precluded john cena from being same, or at least, embodying a similar if slightly modified niche. nobody can make a hippy dippy rpg now or something because itd just be called an earthbound ripoff rather than a loving homage. and i think thats wrong headed and how genres become stillborn rather than invented and developed upon. we have this vast morass of stuff from the 20th century and we could be developing various 60s, 70s, 80s fantasies. hindsight is 20/20 i guess. who knows, we could see bluff city become something in 50 years time.

i feel this is because of extreme stringent expectations of intellectual property laws and their dissemination into everyday discourse online. i dont really like or agree with monolithic cultural expectations like intellectual property or *shudder* advertising, but only to the extent where i can acknowledge that whether or not i agree with them is irrelevant to their all-consuming scope and the need for marxists to actively combat them. its one thing to say "x is bad" and another to clamor for urgency of fighting x, which is, if you believe what we read every day about global warming, too late, so its not important. nevertheless there are a multiplicity of settings that could be developed into genres and identities and ideologues that rarely are if only because it would be seen as "oh yeah like that other thing". people are fickle and develop dwarflike strange moods when it comes to defining what constitutes original versus hackneyed and derivative. i think its mostly dictated by star signs and the weather.

so lately if you follow me on twitter youve probably noticed im doing sort of a tweet concrete kind of thing where i post plaintext quotes from various media taken out of context. i decided to do this for a while, maybe a few weeks, because aesthetic blogs and the aesthetic style of blogging allow me to pool and channel my energies towards larger and more ambitious styles of writing. i usually get loaded on caffeine during this process and frequently watch large amounts of anime and meditate some. its definitely a process and its geared toward something hazily, vaguely spiritual but with pretentions toward being authentically publishable as theory. the idea also being i would like to make some money to support my livelihood, and i like to write, and am somewhat skilled at it, or at least experienced in kind of a ramshackle homespun sort of way. so if my social media presence is pretty boring and kind of weirdly nostalgic or else contrariwise if you feel it has improved lately thats the reason why that happened.

ive been getting very hazy and foggy mentally lately. i feel like it has to do with caffeination and lack of sleep. its important to get everything flowing properly, and sometimes depression and anxiety make that difficult to do. theres anxiety over unemployment, something im trying to remedy, and theres anxiety over theory and where to proceed next via theory. for years i was a devout buddhist in some ways, and meditated a lot, almost every day. i prayed to the bodhisattvas and copped to buddhist metaphysics, something which, based around personal life experience, i had every reason to believe was true. lately and in my own, strange way, ive begun to question this ideology and interpret it as part of a patchwork of ideologies, each one which attempts to describe a totality, a totality which is rarely if ever described properly by any ideology. grasping at straws in a structural sense, and feeling nonplussed but with no ground to run to, and im back on the boss level in super mario 64 where bowser smashes the ground to make it fall away. attempts at restructuring as this dissolution transpires only serve to create new protocols equal in scope to pre-existing paradigms. and there are plenty of people who dont struggle this much with religion and probably still go to heaven, or think theyre going to heaven, or something. hows marge and the kids. did jerry get that new promotion. mom just got back from vacation in cancun. smalltalk style concerns arising in every day transitionary speech feel distinct and very distant from these kind of hazy, pie in the sky questions. plato never wrote about the kind of stuff you see in a cheers episode. there are philosophy books that try to merge the two, but they usually get shelved in the comedy section.

so its mostly a matter of trying to absorb and contain new information, which abides in abundance, and trying to corral it into sort of a pointing arrow to direct me where to go, in my hewing, a feat not easily done. probably the endgame is in the crafting and solution of art, but what kind of art, and whether i have the tools at my disposal to even create it, is less easily answered. so for now, i guess, im absorbing, waiting, asking questions, and who knows, and who can say.

earliest memories of religion are of the greco roman religion and not knowing about the mystery religious rites but knowing about an abstract concept of wisdom and the ocean and extrapolating the existence of athena and poseidon in that way. later i have memories of exposure to christianity and buddhism and bahai but none of these things feel particularly useful to me at this time in my life. i can more readily receive a picture, a kind of enlarged image, of a broad religious landscape and some of the questions it attempts to provide answers for, or at least, a way of thinking about. the greco roman religion, for instance, is a presentation of a deleuzian multiplicity, and the monotheistic religions are a monad, but i also dont think either of these things can say the other is inherently undesireable. tolerance seems to be the best method, but also, and likewise, not dwelling specifically in any of them. acknowledging they all exist, but not being any of them. enjoying in surfeit the tension between multiplicity and monad. that there can be many things and one thing. like the album cover of dark side of the moon.

[superiorrenovations]

Advice On Converting Your Garage To A Granny Flat (NZ)

We’ve been getting quite a bit of requests recently about building a sleepout, extending the house, adding another level and converting a garage to a new living space. So we’ve put together this article to answer a few questions, and to provide some advice to those exploring this idea.

Life doesn’t always remain constant this applies to our needs as well! If you’re planning on converting your garage into living space, then it’s likely that your needs have shifted. Moving may not be an option for a number of reasons, you love your location, love your home, buying a new home is too expensive, and it’s probably not the best time in the market to sell.

Converting your garage into a new living space is not a simple and easy decision and there is quite a bit to think about to ensure you’re making the right decision. This is part of the reason why we created this article to explore some of those questions, so you can make an informed decision.

With our circumstances continually changing, our needs and desires evolve. But that doesn’t mean we have to get rid of the things that are of little or no use to us temporarily. When you bought the house, no doubt you would have thought about it long and hard until you found the right one, but now you need more space for your growing family or perhaps a space as a home office (the options are endless). So naturally extending your home or converting a space comes to mind, utilizing your garage and converting it into a liveable is one of the more popular options but here are a few things you need to think about.

Is my Garage Suitable to be converted into a Granny Flat?

The first and foremost question is the suitability of the room and whether or not it is capable of conversion. The height of the ceiling from the floor must be more than 2.4 meters; however, while designing a garage most of the time, we tend to keep the roof lower.

Next is the weather resistance of the garage. Originally being an area to park your vehicle, bikes, and store tools, we don’t pay enough attention to the water drainage. If the water drainage of your garage is not up to the standard, then it may risk water ingress and moisture build up.

Is converting the garage into a granny flat the right choice?

Firstly, what is a granny flat? Auckland City council doesn’t have a separate category for granny flat or minor dwelling units, but it simply means any flat that has a kitchen is considered to be a second household unit.

Why you need extra space? do you need a room for your child or parent? Perhaps you’re looking to rent out the un-used space? If you are just seeking extra space (with the kitchen or bathroom), then adding an extension to your home could also be an option.

There could be other reasons for the extra space, and it may not be a granny flat that you’re needing. It is common in new homes to have a media room, study room/office, recreational area, or a game room – all of which is not considered a second household unit.

You need to determine what kind of room you’re looking for, whether it’s an extra household unit, extra bedroom, a study room, or a recreational room – this will determine the scope of works for the architect.

There are multiple ideas available to use spare space. You can convert your garage into following areas:

Work from the home area

Gym area

Gaming area

Hobby room

Media room or movie theatre

Teenager’s room

Guestroom

Rented out for extra income

Home entertainment/bar space

A garage conversion is a place that offers quite a wide range of possibilities and because it’s a existing building/space – it requires less planning and investment compared to a new extension. But before you explore ideas, you need to consult with  an architect to see is there are any limitations.

Other considerations

Here are a few other things to think about as well before you jump into it:

Where will you park your vehicle if the garage gets converted into the room?

What would the house look like after the transformation?

How spacious or large is your garage? Is it worth a conversion or is it just the waste of time, effort and money?

Do I require building consent for the garage conversion?

Does a garage conversion require building consent?

You will need to first consult with an architect to carry out a feasibility study which will determine whether it’s even possible to utilise the garage space.  For a basic garage conversion to a living space, you will require building consent because the garage is not considered a habitable space. Bathrooms are allowed if they meet the rules, but you can’t put a kitchen and laundry into a basic conversion.

All the work that needs to be done to convert your garage into a living room must also be done in accordance to the standards set out by the building code. A garage being a non-habitable structure is a Class 7.0 residential outbuilding. So when you decide to transform it into a living room which will be habitable, then it will be reclassified into Class 2.0.

However, if you are thinking about converting your garage into a minor dwelling (second household unit), then you will be both building consent and resource consent. Resource Consent is required to ensure the project meets the provisions of the Resource Management Act, which for buildings are usually covered by the District Plan -or in Auckland, the Unitary Plan…. Building Consents are required to ensure the project meets the provisions of the Building Code. (Reference from Pacific Environments)

If you are living in or near Auckland, then it is important to determine your zone before seeking any permission to convert. The rules might vary according to the zone, and you need to be certain as to what rules apply when it comes to change in the use of a building or the development of an extra dwelling – your architect will be able to help you with this.

The Auckland Unitary Plan has set the ground rules for all kinds of future developments, expansions, and intensifications covering Auckland and the nearby areas. This unitary plan focuses on the rules to control how the areas must develop in the future.

To determine the details about your zone, all you need to do is to go to the Auckland council site and search for your zone. You will find all the details regarding your zone available on the following website: https://unitaryplanmaps.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/upviewer/

We still highly suggest talking to your architect, or a planner to get the best possible advice. Getting all the information regarding your zone and the building rules that applies to you will help avoid all kinds of future complications and conflicts.

What Features Of Building Code Do I Need To Keep In Mind?

Fire Safety: The fire safety feature encourages to take measures regarding fire accidents, including the construction of safe escapes and installation of smoke alarms.

Energy efficiency: The use of natural resources to provide for comfort is also a clause in the Code. You have to introduce adequate lighting, humidity, and ventilation sources to comply with the requirements.

Durability: The durability feature stress that the material needs to be used in the building will stay functional until the estimated life of the building.

Sanitary measures: You must have to pay attention to all kinds of sanitary fixtures, including water, gas, and electricity.

Moisture prevention: You must have to keep an eye on the drainage system for all kind of penetrating and pouring water.

Ceiling height: One of the most crucial factors in building a room is the ideal height of the roof. The height of the living room must not be less than 2.4 meters. If the roof of your garage is lower than 2.4 mark, then you may consider raising the ceiling. Lowering the floor could be an option, but it requires more effort and investment.

If the walls of the garage are made of brick then it will require an additional layer of protection using membrane or the weather-resistant paint. The additional membrane will help provide protection against dampness. You can also opt in stud wall if you’re looking to secure electrical wiring and insulation.

In regards to the floor of the garage, you have to ensure that it has waterproof protection to avoid dampness and water retention. The floor of the garage is mostly commonly made of reinforced concrete, and wouldn’t have any additional protection. There are a variety of products available in the market that can help you with waterproofing the floor.

Another thing to consider is ventilation, you may want to introduce more air flow and ventilation by choosing to install a large window replacing the garage door. The requirements for the natural light in the living room have been pen down in the clause G7 of the Building Code. You can measure your natural light requirements using a lux meter.

The room will also require additional electrical outlets, which most registered eletricians will be able to do. Make sure to Hire a registered electrician because they will need to provide the necessary compliance certificate regarding all the wiring work that has been done – which will be needed when you’re applying for your Code of Compliance Certificate.

You’ll also need to be aware that converting your garage into a habitable room, you will also need to look at issues with the rainwater. Most of the garages use a slanted floor to drive rainwater outside the garage into the drain. But once you decide to convert the garage into the living area, you’ll need to address the water flow issue – perhaps installing additional drains.

Unconsented garage conversions

If garages are converted into living spaces without the appropriate consents and certifications, future owners of the property may have problems insuring the property – even if a pre-sale building inspection identifies no issues.

It may, therefore, be difficult to sell the property – at best, there could be a delay before a sale and purchase agreement becomes unconditional.

We recommend that you advise your clients to contact the council and apply to have any unconsented conversions certified before they list a property. This will save time and stress during the sale process. (Reference from rea.govt.nz)

Converting a garage into an additional dwelling

So you’re still keen on converting your garage to an extra household unit. Various aspects come into play if you are thinking about separate dwelling compared to just converting it to a usable space, an extra dwelling means it includes a new kitchen and bathroom as well. The additional construction will require resource consent and building consent from the Auckland Building Council.

What does converting a garage to a extra house unit mean Financially?

Adding a self contained unit, or ‘granny flat’ to your home can be a cost effective way to provide a home for elderly relatives or older children struggling with rising rent. It can also be a great way for homeowners and investors to generate extra cash flow through rental income and increase the property’s overall value.

With rental yields of anywhere between $200-$600 a week, granny flats can be a great strategy if you’re looking for a long-term return on investment. Not only do they provide a second income, you can also benefit from positive gearing and extra claimables on your depreciation schedule. In an area where rental demand is high, a granny flat can stand out from the competition when it comes to selling. (Referenced from Loan market, 2017)

Attached or detached? 

Your ‘granny flat’ can either be a stand-alone dwelling or an extension of your house (e.g. if you convert your garage or your basement).

Factors To Consider While Opting For a Garage Conversion

Although the garage will work just perfectly with your existing space, you have to make some necessary alterations to make the new room blend in with the rest of the home.

Replacement for a garage door: Replacing the large garage door is a must, there are plenty of options available when it comes to door replacement, including a window, wall, or a patio door.

Is there enough lighting? Where is it coming from? If the garage already has a window, then replacing the garage door with extra windows will also offer you extra lighting. Even if there is no sufficient source of natural lighting in the room, you can always opt for artificial skylights as well. The lighting choice in the newly converted room depends on your usage of the room.

What about the garage floor? Mostly garages are concrete flooring, and if you are planning on using the room as the gaming area or the media room, you can opt for standard carpet or wooden floors. However, if you are thinking about converting your garage into a guest room or granny flat, then your options may lean more towards comfort (eg extra layer of insulation under the carpets)

How to utilize the space? If you are planning to convert the garage into a small dwelling or a granny flat, utilising the given space will be important and it’s balance between necessary functions and space. For example, if it’s a small space, it may be better of going for a open plan kitchen, living area and laundry – as opposed to partitioned off.

Where to park the car? The consequence of transforming a garage into the habitable living room is the loss of parking area for your car.

An example of a converted garage

How much does it cost to convert a garage into a room?

The cost of building work for converting a garage to a room can average around $1,250 – $1,500 per square metre not including the cost of architect fees, building/resource consent fees, escavation and engineer fees. Typical garage conversion to room (30m2) will range from $37,500 – $45,000.

  How much does it cost to convert a garage to a granny flat?

The cost of building work for converting a garage space to a granny flat which includes a new kitchen and bathroom ranges from $1,750 – $2,150 per square metre not including the cost of architect fees, building/resource consent fees, escavation and engineer fees. Typical garage conversion to granny flat (30m2)  will range from $52,500 – $64,500.  A minor dwelling can cost up to $20,000 in plans, consents, and development contributions and connections before any building work takes place.

If you’re still deciding what to do with the unused space, make sure to consult with professionals (architects, builders/project managers, and financial advisors) as well to get different perspectives on the situation so you can make an informed decision that will benefit you in the long term.

  References

https://www.pacificenvironments.co.nz/post/2016/12/19/resource-consents-and-building-consents

https://www.loanmarket.co.nz/news/how-to-add-value-with-a-granny-flat

https://www.rea.govt.nz/news/industry-newsletters/rea-newsletter-august-2019/when-is-a-garage-not-a-garage

  Please note: Whilst all information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information. The information may change without notice and Superior Renovations is not in any way liable for the accuracy of any information printed and stored or in any way interpreted and used by a user.

  To wrap up

How much does it cost to convert a garage into a room?

Typical garage conversion to room (30m2) will range from $37,500 – $45,000.

How much does it cost to convert a garage to a granny flat?

Typical garage conversion to granny flat (30m2) will range from $52,500 – $64,500.

Do I need building consent for converting my garage to a granny flat?

You will need to apply for building consent if you're converting your garage to a room, if you're converting it to a minor dwelling (with kitchen and bathroom) then you will also need to apply for resource consent.

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  Still have questions unanswered? schedule a no-obligation consultation with the team at Superior Renovations [contact-form-7]

  WRITTEN BY SUPERIOR RENOVATIONS

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[citizentruth-blog]

Trump’s Bad “60 Minutes” Interview and Worse Economic Policy - PEER NEWS

New Post has been published on https://citizentruth.org/trumps-bad-60-minutes-interview-and-worse-economic-policy/

Trump’s Bad “60 Minutes” Interview and Worse Economic Policy

President Trump gave scarily bad answers in his “60 Minutes” interview with Lesley Stahl. But it’s what his administration and fellow Republicans are doing with respect to economic policy that’s truly terrifying. (Photo Credit: Michael Vadon/CC BY-SA 4.0)

The way President Donald Trump operates, it’s not like many of the remarks he made during his recent interview with Lesley Stahl for 60 Minutes were particularly surprising or groundbreaking. Many of his comments were riffs on the same songs he has sung before.

Even if they weren’t very earth-shattering or shocking, meanwhile, Trump’s comments were nonetheless disappointing to hear/read as an American who doesn’t share the same set of values. Stahl’s questions ranged across a fairly wide set of topics, but here are some of Trump’s most noteworthy insights:

Trump “doesn’t know” that humans have a role in climate change.

Pres. Trump seemed to walk back one-time comments he made that climate change is a “hoax.” In the same breath, however, he expressed doubt that it’s manmade, and when Stahl pressed him on the overwhelming evidence that it does exist and that we’re contributing to it, he suggested that this climate change could simply reverse somehow and that the scientists advancing the consensus theory have a “very big political agenda.”

That Trump would feign concern for the effects a shift away from fossil fuels might have on American jobs is commendable, at least by his standards. Trying to effectively deny our hand in climate change as part of a political agenda when the scientific consensus is such a strong one, on the other hand, is exactly the kind of thinking we don’t need at this stage in the game when more urgent action was needed yesterday.

Trump suggested there could be “severe punishment” for Saudi Arabia if found they were behind the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but didn’t provide specifics.

Trump admitted it was possible the Saudi government was behind the murder of Khashoggi, and indicated the vehement denial on the part of the Saudis. He then hinted that weapons deals could be at stake, but as he did with concerns about climate change, he pivoted to worrying about jobs at companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin. So, while he acknowledged the possibility of sanctions, Trump doesn’t seem all that committed to endangering business ties with Saudi Arabia because of it. Astonishment of astonishments there.

At this writing, reportedly, the Saudis are preparing to admit Khashoggi died during a botched interrogation. Obviously, the interview was taped prior to these reports. What was worst about this segment, though, was that Trump said the matter was especially troubling because Khashoggi was a journalist, even making an aside about how strange it must be to hear him say that. Yeah, it is, and it comes off as more than a little disingenuous after regularly railing at members of the press and calling them the “enemy of the American people.” Pardon us if we’re not especially enthralled by your promises that you’ll get to the bottom of his disappearance.

Trump claimed that Barack Obama put us on a path to war with North Korea, and qualified his “love” for Kim Jong-un.

Evidently, under President Obama, we were going to war with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, but now—BOOM!—no more war and Kim is talking about nuclearization. You’re welcome, America. Get that Nobel Peace Prize nice and shiny for “the Donald.”

Within Trump’s logic, it’s his trust for Kim that has been such an essential diplomatic asset. This despite the possibility raised by Stahl that North Korea hasn’t gotten rid of any weapons and may actually be building more. Trump, attempting to further distance himself from Obama, intimated there are no plans to ease sanctions, but Stahl persisted on the topic of Trump’s stated “love” for North Korea’s despotic leader. Trump tried to minimize the language he used as a figure of speech, but Stahl belabored North Korea’s horrid human rights record under Kim and his father.

Trump’s admiration for dictators is nothing new, but hearing him downplay talk of gulags and starvation is yet bothersome. More on this to come.

Trump still has no idea how tariffs work, nor does he apparently have high regard for his supposed allies.

President Trump insisted China is close to negotiating on tariffs and other matters of trade. In the meantime, though, President Xi Jinping (another leader with dictatorial aspirations overseeing a country with questionable regard for human rights) and China are content to retaliate with tariffs, and Stahl questioned how long we will be content to try to strong-arm China into negotiation when it’s American consumers who are bearing the brunt of these tariffs. Is the point to use the people of each country as bargaining chips in an escalating trade war?

Trump argued with Stahl for a while about whether or not he called it a trade war, a skirmish, or a battle, but this is semantics (and he totally f**king did call it a trade war, according to Stahl). Alongside likely overstating our trade deficit with China, Trump once more communicated his faulty understanding re tariffs. What’s more, he seemed ambivalent as to the continued integrity of diplomatic relations with Europe as a function of NATO membership, and grew combative with Stahl on the point of levying tariffs on our allies and inviting disunion. As long as Trump and his advisers hold to the narrative that the United States is being taken advantage of by the rest of the world when it comes to defense spending and trade, the average consumer is the one who will be caught in the middle.

Trump believes that Vladimir Putin is “probably” involved in assassinations and poisonings.

But only probably. Continuing the earlier conversation about Pres. Trump and his love of autocrats, the man would not commit to saying that he believed Putin was behind attacks on critics and political opponents, professing that he “relies on” Russia and that it’s their country, so it’s essentially their business. I’d be eager to know what precisely he means when he says he relies on them, and it’s possible his drift is a more innocent one, but when so much seems to hint at Trump being compromised by Russian ties, it’s hard to give him the benefit of the doubt.

This sentiment only grows when considering his hedging on Russian interference in the election and his evasiveness on the Mueller investigation. When prompted by Stahl on meddling in the 2016 presidential election, Trump was quick to rebut by claiming China meddled as well. Even if that were true, however—experts say there is evidence of a pro-Chinese influence campaign at work, but no concrete evidence of Chinese electoral meddling—it’s a deflection. Stahl called him out on this tactic, only to be argued within the spirit of whataboutism.

Additionally, Trump refused to pledge that he won’t shut down the Mueller investigation. In other words, um, yeah, you should still be worried about Mueller’s fate as special counsel. Particularly if the midterms go poorly for the Republican Party.

That whole family separation thing was all Obama’s fault.

When asked what his biggest regret so far has been, the first thing that jumped to Trump’s mind was not terminating the NAFTA deal sooner. Not the whole taking children away from their parents thing, as Stahl interjected. It’s not exactly mind-bending to witness Trump fail to recognize a policy bent on unmitigated cruelty as his worst mistake, but it still stings like salt in the proverbial wound if you fashion yourself a halfway decent human being.

To make matters worse, Trump defended the policy under the premise that people would illegally enter the United States in droves otherwise. Furthermore, he blamed Barack Obama for enforcing a policy that was on the books. To be fair, Obama’s record on immigration is not unassailable, as his administration was responsible for its share of deportations. But separating families is a new twist on trying to enact “border security,” and it ignores the perils immigrants face upon return to their native land, perils we have helped exacerbate. Try as he might to escape it, Donald Trump and his presidency will be inexorably tied to this heartless policy directive.

The country is divided, but that’s the stupid Democrats’ fault.

According to Trump, the country was very polarized under Obama, but now on the strength of the economy, he can see it coming together. You’re welcome, America. Stahl questioned him on this criticism of Obama and the Democrats’ contributions to political rancor when he and his Republican cronies just won on the Kavanaugh confirmation and he proceeded to immediately lambast the Dems. Trump predictably deflected by saying it’s the Democrats who don’t want the country to heal. They started it! They were so mean to Brett Kavanaugh! What a bunch of stupid babies!

In case you had any doubts, Trump doesn’t give two shits about Christine Blasey Ford.

Continuing with theme of Kavanaugh’s confirmation, Lesley Stahl addressed Trump’s mockery of Dr. Ford’s testimony before Congress, asking why he felt he had to make fun of her. Trump says she was treated with great respect. Stahl was, like, really? Trump was, like, anyway, who cares? We won.

That’s right, ladies and germs—the ends justify the means. It’s all about the W. You heard him.

The White House is definitely not in chaos. Definitely not.

The on-air portion of the 60 Minutes interview ended with Stahl asking the president about the media reports of a White House in turmoil. Three guesses as to his reply. If you said “fake news,” you’d be correct. (If you didn’t, what’s wrong with you?) Trump also didn’t seem fazed about the high turnover within his administration. Hey, sometimes it just doesn’t work out! Along these lines, Trump wouldn’t commit to James Mattis as Secretary of Defense, nor would he give a ringing endorsement to Jeff “I’m Only a Racist on Days That End in ‘Y'” Sessions. Not that I have any great love for either of those men, but it’s still messed up when a man like Trump expects unflinching loyalty and yet stands by his appointees only when it’s convenient.

Trump also opined on his feelings of distrust of White House officials, consummate with his assessment of Washington, D.C. as a “vicious, vicious place.” Good news, though, fellow Americans: he now feels very comfortable as POTUS. Many of us might be continuously on edge, but he’s right as rain. Well, at least there’s that.

To some, Lesley Stahl’s 60 Minutes interview with Donald Trump was disappointing in that it didn’t break new ground. Sure, it further revealed that he is ignorant of how basic economic and scientific principles work, that he possesses a predilection for strongmen, that he will blame Barack Obama for pretty much anything, that he holds absolutely no regard for survivors of sexual assault, rape, and sexual violence, and that he has the temperament (and possibly the intellect) of a grade-school child. But we already knew all this. As noted earlier, it’s more salt in the wound for members of the so-called Resistance, but short of potentially alienating our allies with his public comments—which is not to be undersold or encouraged, mind you—but comparatively, his words are sticks and stones.

It’s where Trump’s actions and those of his administration have effect that should truly frighten us, meanwhile. As he so often does, Matt Taibbi provides excellent insight into the area of biggest concern: the U.S. economy. Stahl noted in voiceovers during the interview that Trump loves to talk about America’s economic success. After all, it makes him look good. Never mind that he may have a limited role in that success and that he inherited favorable conditions from his predecessor, but he wouldn’t be the first president to take advantage of others’ successes.

Trump was notably silent, conversely, when the Dow recently fell 1,377 points over two days amid a stock market sell-off. As Taibbi writes, this event is but a prelude to a larger economic disaster, and it stands at the confluence of three irreconcilable problems. The first is the Federal Reserve raising interest rates as a means of trying to rein in the excess of large companies taking advantage of quantitative easing and zero-interest-rate policy.

This might not be such a problem except for the second factor: the Trump/GOP tax cuts. As economic experts warned prior to their passage, the cuts were based on overly enthusiastic projections of economic growth. When the inevitable tax shortfall occurred, we would need to start borrowing more, as is already underway. Higher interest rates on increased borrowing means more of an economic burden.

All of this comes to a head when we consider the third problem: tariffs. To try to make up for the issues raised by higher borrowing rates and a revenue shortfall, the government this week debuted new Treasury bills in the hopes of generating immediate cash. The potential conflict arises when considering China is the primary buyer of U.S. T-bills and holds over a trillion dollars in American debt.

The assumption is that Chinese demand for Treasury notes will remain unchanged despite the tariffs. However, as Matt Taibbi and Lesley Stahl and others are right to wonder, what happens if the trade war’s tariffs hurt the Chinese economy to the point that China no longer can or is willing to subsidize our skyrocketing debt? It’s a purely theoretical question at this point, and a rhetorical one at that, but the fallout from the intersection of these trends could be devastating. Taibbi puts a cap on the gravity of the situation thusly:

As we’ve seen in recent decades, even smart people are fully capable of driving the American economy off a cliff. What happens when the dumbest administration in history gets a turn at the wheel? Maybe last week wasn’t the time to start panicking. But that moment can’t be far.

Ominous, but perhaps not hyperbole. Noting what happened last time when the economy nearly collapsed, when the next disaster strikes, it will undoubtedly be we, the other 99%, that pays most dearly. Especially as Mitch McConnell and his Republican partners would have it, now clearly eying cuts to Medicare and Social Security.

President Trump may enjoy schmoozing with Lesley Stahl and giving bad answers his base will eat up now. In the short to long-term, though, the terrible choices of his administration and his party could prove costly to the American economy, and by association, the global economy. Though he undoubtedly won’t meet with our same burden, he should at least take more of the blame when it does.