#talking about building his latest birdhouse

[gaily-daily-musings]

If this isn't obikin at its core

[northofneverland]

HEJWJFIWND your ushi cat tags are a mood 😭😭😭 okay but real talk, ive looked at @mrskodzuken ushi hands like six times now 🥴 theres something like about them bc a lot of hq men have long pretty hands but fkwkfjekfjc ushi and like just.... big BIG hands like..... fnwjici dont mind me, just sinking down onto the floor 😮‍💨 !!!!!!!OHMYGOD OHMYGOD!!!!! wendy, i must know your thoughts on wood working carpenter toshi with his big strong hands and builds things for wildlife to keep them safe!!!!!

Wood Working Toshi, hmm let me think. I have soft thoughts at the moment:

I think woodworking would start as a hobby project during quarantine and, his first project would be building your foster dog a dog house. He would spend hours upon hours watching videos to get it right because he isn’t a guy who half-asses things.

For every dog the two of you foster, that dog would get their own personalized dog house, which would be sent with them upon adoption. It is his way of showing the dog how much he loves them and wants them to feel safe.

He’d make you a few birdhouses you could put up in the garden after, hearing you wish for hummingbirds and little critters to visit your backyard. He'd even research the types of seed mixes to buy and make sure the houses were filled every night so that in the morning, there were always a few birds and animals for you to watch as you had your morning coffee.

One afternoon, you'd notice that your backyard would be full of supplies. Upon asking Toshi what his latest project was, he'd say it is a surprise before kissing you and heading out to the garden to work on it. There would even be a tarp partition blocking your view of him. On your anniversary, he'd lead you to the garden and unveil a gazebo with a table set for two. After dinner the two of you would sway to the music playing faintly in the background, under the warm fuzzy haze of fairy lights. 

Dad Toshi would take his daughter's wishes for a castle literally and would build her a castle treehouse for her birthday. You'd often find the two of them having tea parties up in the castle after he comes home from practice.

My horny thoughts are incoherent. But in all honesty, it's just him doing this, but shirtless and sweaty:

Look at how his hands just get right in there. How his chest and hips pop forward as the wood splits in half. That little exhale once he's got it. I would spend hours watching him work with wood and then working with his wood after he's all sweaty and tanned from the sun.

[everythingthemoontouches]

hellooooo. are ur free readings still open? i am r ✨ a cancer and was wondering if you could tell me something about the love energies in my life? i just came out of a failed talking stage w someone (a friend) that didnt rly work out. is there hope for me 🙏

Clairaudient mesaage:

You are loved. You are cherished. Focus on sisterhood. There is someone for you.

Know your worth. Endings alway bring new beginnings. Like when a plant dies and a new seed germinates. When you linger at endings, you miss the beginning of the latest feature film. Take up gardening. Spend time with your pets. Birds? See if you wanna leave some water out or build a birdhouse. Your Guardian angel is probably tired by how sad you are. She's shaking her head cuz she knows there's something very special planned for you. The sun is creeping up at the horizon so stop staring at the shadows a d look up behind you. Lekin raat ke baad hi savera Hota Hai.the darkest hour of the night is the one before dawn.

Your energy reminds me of a cancer man taking me to a really fancy imported chocolate store and offering to let me pick which ones to buy. I turned him down and I wonder if you do this too? We accept the love we think we deserve?

What's loveable about you : your enthusiasm, spirit of discovery. You have a cautiously optimistic approach and you love learning about people's culture, traditions, ideology and values. People feel heard and a warm rush if affection for you. You're a gentle bonfire on a cold snowy winter morn, special snowflake (is that an insult these days? I think it's rather a cute name). Also you may be fun to travel or go exploring with. Think Sagittarius good natured charm and lucky vibes. Salamanders may be significant to you.

What's challenging you : needing to start over. I shit you not. But I think you'll receive signs wehne the timing us off. You're rebuilding yourself. Get your confidence back up. Order some roses. Or, create a romantic checklist / vision board on pinterest. Pamper yourself. Style your hair. Moisturize. Do some crown Chakra meditations. Listen to Isabella goddess energy videos. Just reaffirm your beauty to yourself. Also, if you're a guy, just do things that make you feel more love for you. I saw a post about a plushie being handed a plushie toy, voodoo doll of himself and being told to treat little him Nicely. ( no risqué stuff implied okay) talk to your friends.

The tower card flopped out so this is a time of learning, rebuilding, change and transition for you. You could be feeling a bit shaken by what happened but you'll survive.

As for these 3 months, I think it's a self discovery journey more than anything else. Any energetic blocks in your love life are smaller than you picture them. You're loved more than you know. I legit heard this bit while shuffling for you. Almost like an angel or a loving spiritual guide / protecting, brushing your hair aside and kissing your cheek reassuringly with the utmost love.

That's all for now.

Take care of yourself 💕 drink water. Eat strawberries. Wear pink / purple?

Purple specially

Toodles!

If you liked this reading, this reading be sure to check out my pick a cards list. Reblog if you'd like to help spread the word!

Thank you

Have a nice day 💐

[ravenpaw-93]

Things Harry loves about Draco:

-He's super creative and crafty. He went through a birdhouse building phase and now they have several colorful ones scattered about their property. He loves coming home finding Draco immersed in his latest project, usually covered in paint and completely unaware of anything going on around him

-He's very animated and expressive. When he gets going telling a story he gestures wildly with his hands. His face says everything for him before he opens his mouth just by the widening of his eyes, the crinkling of his nose, or the arching of an eyebrow.

-His wit and deadpan humour. He always has a comeback for everything. People who don't know him well can never tell if he's kidding or if he's just an arsehole. But Harry loves that Draco can not only handle his sass, but give it right back.

-His velvety soft skin and silky hair and how they contrast with his sharp angles.

-His dimples when he smiles and the pale freckles on his nose you can't see unless you're close.

-He's incredibly affectionate. Which is the opposite of what Harry assumed he would be when they first started dating, but quickly figured out otherwise. Harry's favourite thing is when Draco sits in his lap and buries his face in his neck. 

-He's got a massive sweet tooth and is eating some sort of candy 90% of the time. Harry has to check his pockets thoroughly before washing the laundry because he has a habit of leaving packets of Fizzers in his pockets and forgetting about them.

-He snores. Not enough to be bothersome, it's rather quiet and Harry thinks it's cute.

-His socks are always the same colour as his shirt. It's one of his little quirks that Harry finds endearing.

-He yells at the telly when watching horror movies as if the actors can hear him. Their friends hate it, but Harry thinks it's funny. 

-How he likes to walk around wearing nothing but one of Harry's baggy sweatshirts and his underwear.

Things Draco loves about Harry:

-His hair. Draco may tease him about it but he loves those wild curls. He especially loves when he grows it longer and wears it in a bun.

-His beard. He loves the way it accentuates his jawline and just finds it incredibly sexy.

-His inability to tolerate bullshit & his blunt, brutal honesty. He doesn't care who he's talking to if he has something to say, he says it and doesn't give a fuck how he comes across. Draco finds Harry's lack of tact amusing most of the time, irksome when he's on the receiving end of it, but at least he never has to worry that he's being lied to.

-But also how exceptionally kind he is. He'd give a stranger the shirt off his back without thinking twice about it. & he's extremely supportive of the people he loves. Draco couldn't have gotten through the first year after the war without him, he's almost certain of it. 

-His laugh. It's so warm and hearty and contagious and it makes Draco feel all fuzzy inside.

-His overprotective nature. He doesn't take kindly to people talking bad about Draco or otherwise doing anything to upset or harm him.

-He's accident prone and clumsy af. It baffles Draco that he's so graceful and agile on a broomstick but is a walking disaster on the ground. He's constantly tripping over something or knocking things over. Draco finds it inexplicably endearing.

-His voice. It's slightly deeper than his own and has a subtle sort of raspy, gravelly tone to it. He loves when Harry sings under his breath while he's doing things and when he reads to him at night until he falls asleep.

-His spontaneity. He loves surprising Draco with impromptu day trips or weekends trips. 

-His muscles. Not only does he like looking at them, but he loves how they feel when he wraps his arms around him. And how Harry hugs him tightly and lifts him off his feet when he gets home from travelling for work. 

-How hardworking he is. It's not easy to completely change your career path after N.E.W.Ts. But Harry did it. He'd been accepted into the Aurors but quickly decided it wasn't for him. He'd found a passion for magical creatures eighth year and decided he wanted to rehabilitate ones that needed medical attention. It took him two years of studying and another two of observation before he was finally able to start his sanctuary. Draco was so proud of him for his accomplishments and for doing what makes him happy. 

[mercury-filled-intp]

i made a wlw version of The Selection

For all of you touch starved gays out there, I came prepared!! If you are in teh market for:

a) wlw romances 

b) wlw romances 

c) wlw slightly cottagecore romances involving princesses and mild references to the l word

boy do i have the story for you. I’ve put it under the break so you can read here if you want. but it’s also on AO3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/23904733

so knock yourself out. this is what an intp does with too much spare time. i’m literally rewriting the whole book. so. yeah

Jen Carpenter was building an overly elaborate birdhouse in her basement woodshop when the telephone rang. Its high-pitched wobble echoed across the scuffed linoleum and wooden paneled staircase until her mother answered the line.

           “Carpenter and Son, how may I help you?” She said. Jen sang a showtune while she worked, cutting a hole into a thin plank of wood. She was in the middle of making a bright pink birdhouse for a Two’s spoiled daughter. Jen was instructed to bedazzle the front, but she figured she would take some creative liberty and make it look a little less disgusting, even though as a Five, she should have been answering to them. She was in the middle of nailing the cut and sanded pieces together when her mother came, practically rolling, down the stairs. “Jen, that was the royal court who just called…” Sandra said in an annoying voice. “They mentioned we have a daughter between the ages of seventeen and twenty in our household… you know what that means—” Jen cut her off quickly, knowing where the conversation was going.

           “I’m not going to audition for The Selection, Mom. Get over it. I’m perfectly happy with my work here!” Jen loved her woodshop, but there were other reasons why she didn’t want to test her luck with the Princess. One of them being her true love waiting for her every night in the treehouse in the woods, where she met up with Vivienne most nights. Vivienne was another Five, born to a family of well-respected maids. Their families were close enough that they knew each other growing up, and fell in love almost instantly. Since they were both thirteen, they’ve been sneaking up to the treehouse (built with care by Jen one year) to exchange snacks and gifts and hopes for the future when they will finally leave their parents for something new. They had to keep their relationship a secret, or else their parents would forbid them from seeing each other. They fantasized about going to New Asia, where Vivienne could finally meet her colonial ancestors—but they wouldn’t be able to follow through with their future plans if Jen was married away to Princess Shane! Vivienne wasn’t able to audition—her parents didn’t have enough money to pay the audition fee—but Sandra was determined to get her daughter into the competition. Jen was a beautiful singer, but wasn’t quite ready to share her talent with the world.

           “You know how much the money would help us, Jen. I can open the bakery I’ve always wanted, your father could expand the business with Joe, it could all be so amazing. Just audition for me. Please? You’re so talented…” Sandra cooed, already living vicariously through Jen even though she hadn’t even been Selected yet.

           She would decide what to do about it all later. Princess Shane was gorgeous. She wouldn’t hate being with her… realistically, every citizen under the age of thirty probably had a crush on the princess. But, she had already met her true love, and was not ready to give that up. And, either way, she wouldn’t even be selected anyway. Being able to carry a tune didn’t make her the most attractive in all of District 4. Jen sighed and resumed construction on the birdhouse, lost in a daydream thinking about tomorrow’s possibilities. Before she could get into the groove of her work, though, her sister Chloe came bounding down the staircase with stomps belonging to an ogre. Bright orange pigtails (violently contrasting the basic dark-brown hair of the rest of her family…) trailed behind her as she very nearly fell onto the basement floor.

           “Please audition, Jen! You and Shane would look so pretty together!” She practically screamed, looking at Sandra for approval. Jen couldn’t believe her mother had brought Chloe into this. Every ten-year-old in the People’s Republic was obsessed with Princess Shane, that was not fair. There were probably more Princess Shane figurines in circulation than dollar bills. Jen conceded, though, because she’d do anything to make her sister happy. Even if she happened to be the devil incarnate with that red hair.

           “Alright, I’ll think about it. Now move,” she guided them towards the staircase with her callused hands on their backs, “I won’t be able to finish this by Sunday with you hovering,” Jen said. Her mother and sister turned up the stairs, giddily discussing what dress to have Jen wear to the auditions. The People’s Republic had strict laws on what is wearable in public, so she didn’t have many options either way. Too much glitter is seen as a public nuisance, and short skirts are seen as too tempting for the guards that patrol the streets every day. If only they were still America, Jen thought to herself, recalling history lessons from her mother as a child. Two centuries before, after the Great Eurasian War, The United States was absorbed by China and turned into the People’s Republic. But, because there was a literal ocean between the two land masses, the United States had an easy time overthrowing Chairman Mao V6, Eurasian Emperor. Now, nearly 170 years later, Jen can now call herself a People’s Republican. All thanks to Marsia Washington, the woman who led the revolution against Eurasia. At least, that’s what she learned in history classes at school. Her dad didn’t seem to like the curriculum, but Jen assumed that was because he was taught differently fifty years before. Once Chloe and Sandra’s gossip faded away into distant squealing overhead, Jen was finally able to start lacquering the birdhouse, omitting those godawful rhinestones.

#

           By nightfall, dinner was already on the table. Not much construction work was requested in the winter, so the meal was meager: stale turkey leftover from Thanksgiving with rice, and toaster strudels for dessert. Jen’s stomach groaned at the table, as forks and knifes clashed together. Through a full mouth, her little brother Max talked about his day at the junkyard with their father. Chloe and Jen’s mother discussed the latest plans for the business, and Jen stared out the window into the city lights visible just across the pier. She lost herself in the dazzling billboards and buildings, before the television set knocked her back into reality.

           “Selection auditions are tomorrow! How exciting! Hello, girls!” The news was on, and the most obnoxious reporter was covering the night’s program from District 2. She dragged some unsuspecting teenagers from the streets into the limelight by the forearms, “Are any of you planning on trying your luck at Princess Shane’s hand?” Most girls out of the group said they would, gushing about how exciting it was to get a chance to be with the Princess. Sandra glanced towards Jen expectantly, gently nudging her with a pointy elbow. Promptly ignoring her mother, Jen turned back to face the table.

           “We found a lovely dress for you. It’s pink tulle, and Vivienne’s mother said she’ll tailor it so it’s not dragging behind you. It was my dress back in the day,” Sandra said, staring wistfully into nothing, reliving her glory days. Jen nodded along passively, eyes focused on finishing the last few bites of toaster strudel on her plate.

           “Don’t do too much, Mom. I don’t even know if I’ll get picked! Let alone if I’ll even audition…” Sandra and Chole both whined at the same time, Max chatting with their father, ignoring the Selection talk. Jen thought of Vivienne, seeing her mother work on the dress she would wear for Princess Shane. She couldn’t do that to Vivienne. “You know, I’m feeling really full,” Jen said, slyly brushing some turkey and rice from her plate into a bowl under the table. “May I excuse myself?”

           “Alright, but get to sleep early. You want to be fresh-faced for your audition!” Jen nodded quickly, and headed to her room. Her family had lived here her whole life, so nothing changed except a new bed and desk over the years. There was a dirty mirror in the corner, a permanently unmade bed by the window, and a tragically stained once-white carpet covering the floor. Shutting the door, she uncovered the food she was able to sneak away from the table. It was not a full meal, but would be enough to keep Vivienne going for a while. She shoved the leftovers in a bag and then that bag into a backpack, slinging the familiar, worn fabric over her toned shoulders. Vivienne was always looking out for her siblings, even if it meant skipping meals so they could eat. Bringing her extras was the least Jen could do, considering all the kind things Vivienne has done for her.

           She turned to the mirror, trying in vain to look semi-presentable. Her shoulder-length curly hair was limp and dry, and her face looked dull and sunken. She was wearing a dark grey tunic and maxi skirt—optimal for mobilization and constant airflow but reminiscent of a potato sack. After doing her best to smooth out the wrinkles with her hands, she hiked up her skirt and bounded out the window.

[thedaveandkimmershow]

undefined

Apartment hunting today. Here’s how it worked out:

After weeks of online hunting by all three of us, we finally made a number of back-to-back viewing appointments. 

In true Goldielocks fashion, after sampling the likely candidates, we came to the following conclusions...

The one above is actually closest to the Cornish Music Department. Great neighborhood. Very quiet, private building.

Unfortunately, the living room is hugely live (soundwise) and having an upright piano in here would be too disruptive. Providing we can actually get an upright piano in here.

Which we can’t. 

Physically impossible.

Which brings us to the one below.

This one’s a little further away from the Music Department in the opposite direction. 

One look at these stairs and the stairs inside likewise convinced us this would be no bueno.

Plus, on the phone the apartment manager mentioned how the residents here are all professionals. No students. 

Not sure adding a couple musicians to this mix is a very zen idea.

By the way, we parked Kimmer’s bug somewhere in the middle of the appointments and walked everywhere. Which felt (just a tiny bit) like we lived in the neighborhood. We even saw a four-story apartment looking building that looked as if it might be the biggest mobile home I’ve ever seen. Alas, it just had a pair of tires leaning up against it in about the right places.

I don’t know if you can tell in the photograph below, but there’s a birdhouse there in the trees. Wrtitten next the “front door” are the words Home Sweet Home...

The neighborhoods are lined and covered in trees... which makes for a super peaceful and reflective experience...

That’s Kimmer ‘n Linzy down below, tiny in the frome just right of center. I realize nobody can tell this... but it’s kind of my favorite picture of the two right now. It really was a sweet, family afternoon.

By they way, the first apartment we visited was the one Linzy went with. Kimmer was hoping it would be this one. Linzy knew it mere seconds after she walked through the front door.

After we visited the other two apartments, we came back here to do the paperwork. All three of us.

The apartment manager handed each of us forms to fill out and we got right into it. We’d each ask questions as they came up. We’d also talk back and forth between ourselves to the point where the manager was like “wow... I’m not following anymore.”

Apparently, we put on a show.

Here’s a better look at what, hopefully, Linzy’s getting into...

In the end, we had a pretty fun family afternoon on Capitol Hill. There was sun but no uncomfortable heat. There were apartments to see but not too many. And everyone we met today was super chill and helpful. Especially the manager who’s an exceptionally cool person and expert at his job.

So.

We’ve got fingers ‘n toes crossed. The earliest we’ll know anything is next Tuesday. Wednesday by five at the latest.

It’s not an unreasable amount of time for them to process the paperwork.

But it’s gonna be an excruciating wait.

[themousai]

Gig Review: Tiny Moving Parts - o2 Academy Islington [28/09/19]

After building up huge hype on Slam Dunk earlier this year, Tiny Moving Parts decided to bring their own headline tour to the UK this September ending with a huge show at o2 Islington Academy on an otherwise dreary Saturday night in London.

As the crowd trickles in and assumes their place within the crowd, Candian punks PUP play on the overhead speakers and many of the audience start singing along to pass the time while they wait for support band Microwave to take to the stage. Luckily, it’s not long before the band appear and the energetic intro to ‘DIAWB’  kicks in and immediately gets the crowd moving. From the get-go, Microwave emit such huge passion while on stage and really throw themselves into their music, something that is mirrored back by the crowd as soon as the mellower ‘Lighterless’ begins and the sing along begins. 

The four piece work their way through an incredibly paced set, with moments akin to a Manchester Orchestra show when vocalist Nathan Hardy pulls through on some of the most heart wrenching and achingly honest vocals I have heard during ‘Stovall’, leaving the room in silence and awe. As the set progresses it’s obvious that there is a real connection between the band members as they work their way around the stage, feeling the music while they play. 

Taking a short break between songs to talk about their new album ‘Death Is A Warm Blanket’ which came out just a few weeks prior to the show, Hardy thanks the crowd for coming out early to catch Microwave and then bassist Tyler Hill and drummer Timothy Pittard ease the band into ‘Float To The Top’ from the new album. With a heavy core to it and funky, experimental guitar lines weaved within, this song is everything the crowd has been waiting for and within seconds the pit has opened and the floor is bouncing with movement. 

Closing their set off with a medley of one song from each of their 3 full lengths, Microwave prove their talent and really offer up something for everybody in the room. ‘Vomit’ as a closer provides the perfect slow build up to a completely chaotic finish while the lyrics “there’s no such thing as love, we just felt vulnerable” ring out and the band throw themselves around the stage one last time.

With an early curfew tonight, the fans only have a short wait between bands and soon enough Tiny Moving Parts walk on stage to the crowd screaming in eager anticipation. The set begins with new song ‘The Midwest Sky’, offering up a beautiful guitar line so perfectly associated with a Tiny Moving Parts song to set the pace just right for the rest of the evening. The crowd is immediately enveloped in excitement as they scream the lyrics at frontman Dylan Matthieson who grins right back at them.

Diving into ‘Headache’ the nostalgia bursts out of the song and shifts the energy in the room as Matthieson sings ‘this couch is not as long as I remember’ and the crowd mellows down to appreciate a more sombre, reflective moment. Leading nicely into ‘Bloody Nose’ my attention is instantly drawn to drummer William Chevalier who is incredibly tight and provides the perfect backbone to the soft and sweet melodies played by Matthieson throughout the set. The first crowd surfers of the night start coming in droves as the vocals begin and bassist Matthew Chevalier whirls around the stage - narrowly avoiding Matthieson as they both laugh at each other, evidently enjoying what they do.

With the outro to ‘Birdhouse’ stuck in my head, the band break for a second to address the crowd. “Thanks everybody, thanks so much! Let’s have a round of applause for Microwave!” Matthieson shouts and the crowd is all too happy to oblige. Kicking it back to an older song, ‘Sundress’ begins and I notice people dancing within the crowd, obviously more than enjoying the moment. 

Matthieson walks to the front of the stage and without his smile faltering once, starts singing the intro to ‘For The Sake Of Brevity’ as loud clapping from the crowd ensues. Before any of us know it, Nathan Hardy of Microwave has made his way onto the stage and picked up a microphone to sing the chorus of ‘Common Cold’ – a more than welcome surprise. 

It’s evident that although only 2 weeks old, the band’s latest album ‘Breathe’ is a huge success among fans because every new song played has everybody in the room singing in unison. Matthieson gets his hands on a banjo during ‘Vertebrae’, adding a whole new element to their typical dynamic and sound in the best possible way. Finishing up their set, the band have barely made it off of the stage before urgent encore chants make them spin on their heels and pick up their instruments once again.

“This is our biggest headline show ever, thank you so much for coming out!” declares Matthieson before launching into ‘Caution’ and offering fans one final moment to sing their hearts out as he heads into the crowd to finish the set while adoring fans hold him and his guitar afloat, not missing a single note during this captivating moment.

TINY MOVING PARTS PHOTOS | MICROWAVE PHOTOS

Photos and review by Scarlett Dellow

[yasminnajm-archive-blog]

HEADCANON PT. I — CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE.

( graphic credit: @helpfulrps​ )

❀ BASICS

Full Name

YASMIN ( yaz-meen ) → Variant of the name ‘Jasmine,’ which is derived from the name of the jasmine flower. || Just as Persephone spent half the year on earth and the other half in the Underworld, jasmine flowers bloom only from spring until autumn. In Pakistan, garlands of white jasmine and red roses are worn by both the bride and groom in weddings, and are also used in burial garlands to symbolize a final farewell. I think that’s fitting, considering how Persephone was married to the god of Underworld and ruled the land of the dead alongside him.

NAJM ( nuh-jhm ) → An Arabic word meaning ‘star.’ || Persephone has always been one of my favorite figures in mythology because of how she has control over both life and death; for half the year she brings life and bounty to the land, and the other half she escorts the souls of the dead in the Underworld. Science and mythology don’t often mix, but I had the life cycle of stars in mind when picking out Yasmin’s surname. When a large star goes into supernova, the shockwave can initiate star formation in other interstellar clouds, and the remains of the core can form a neutron star or a black hole. So going back to all that life & death symbolism, it’s just beautiful to know that the result of the original star’s destruction is the birth of something new.

Any Nicknames?

As of right now, only Persephone & Yas. Victoria might sometimes refer to her as “brat,” but that’s not necessarily out of affection.

Age

23

Birthday / Zodiac Sign

March 21st, 1994 / Pisces

Spinning lazy circles around her latest conquest, acquisition, or interest, the Piscean woman is a mysterious, sensual mermaid, her secrets kept secure behind inscrutable dark eyes. She has a vivid mind, and is romantic and spiritual. Like the rivers and seas this sign swims in, Piscean women have deep emotions and strong undertows in their personalities, so watch out for still waters – they often hide a passionate, sensitive nature.

Spiritual, curious, and gentle, the Pisces woman is a true dreamer. She puts a great deal of emphasis on the unseen in her life, whether it be her own intuition, her emotions, or the world of spirituality and religion. This is a woman who is always looking for – and finding – deeper meaning, from the grand scheme of life itself to her own social interactions. She absorbs the events around her, making connections that other people would never even see. She observes patterns in the feelings and actions of other people, and can be quite insightful as to what motivates them.

Pisceans are often artists, expressing their inner passions through paint, dance or song. Their work is often whimsical and outlandish, but always enchanting.

She is sensitive and caring and considers the needs of others. This imaginative and dreamy woman must determine how she will swim through life: with the flow or against it. Pisceans are kind to their friends – and strangers. At any gathering, the Pisces woman will either be the shy one in the corner who will listen to people’s problems or the outgoing greeter who warmly welcomes each individual. It all depends on her current mood!

Pisces is ruled by dreamy Neptune, and her intuition runs deep. Like the stormy sea, her emotions are complex and changeable. Her challenge is to discern between essential truths of spirit and mere mirage.

Height

5′6″ / 167.64 cm

Tattoos / Piercings

Had her earlobes pierced on her eleventh birthday, and got her belly button pierced when she was seventeen (though DEMETER didn’t find out about it until she was nineteen).

Wants to get a tattoo, but has no idea of what she wants. Has a journal solely for doodles and designs that she’d possibly like to have inked on her skin, but is never 100% certain of what she wants.

❀ FAVORITES

Sound(s)

A saxophone being played in the midst of a crowded subway station. A bass after it has just been tuned. Birds chirping in the morning, crickets crooning in the evening. An old Billie Holiday record played at a dinner party. Her girlfriends’ collective chatter after a good show. Fish frying in the pan after a long day. Dante’s voice waking her up at the crack of dawn. Harvey’s booming applause at the end of her set. DEMETER’s storytelling voice. Hyas’ immediate bark at the sight of her face. Syrus’ laughter over the phone.

Color

A vibrant green; New York fauna in spring, evergreen trees during Christmas, fresh vegetables at the farmer’s market, the herbs growing on her windowsill, leaves of the potted plants on all her shelves, the vines growing across her building’s exterior, the organic juice she makes every morning, her venus flytrap in the sunlight.

Person

Her godparent, DEMETER. They’re the one person who has never left their side, willingly or unwillingly. They have given her everything and so much more, and there is nothing Yasmin wouldn’t do for them. Even while knowing all the unseemly things they have done for Olympus (and aware that what she knows isn’t even all of it), Yasmin’s faith in them is unwavering. That’s why every small act of betrayal she commits - whether it’d be about her dreams of leaving New York or the misplaced feelings of sympathy she knows she shouldn’t have - feels like a dagger in her own heart.

Memory

The first time she sang in front of an audience. She was only eight, and had a solo for her school choir. It was such a simple show but it impacted her in such a profound way, that nothing else compares. It’s one of the few memories she doesn’t have tied to the gang, and has no bittersweetness or sorrow attatched to it. It was her singing for her school, for DEMETER sitting in the front row. It was the beginning of many more memorable performances, piano and voice lessons, rounds of applause. It’s when she discovered she had a special power, one that could potentially help heal. It was the first time she found a purpose, a cause, a passion. It helped shape her identity, and the rest is history.

Place

Central Park. Specifically, the Conservatory Garden.

Vice

Lying. It shouldn’t be as easy as it is, but Yasmin has found herself to be so good at it, and willing to manipulate for her advantage. With DEMETER, with Syrus, with herself - it’s easy and it’s how she gets through each day.

❀ HAVE THEY EVER…

…been in love?

Often, and deeply. Yasmin has been a tiny bit in love with every person she’s ever been in a relationship with; the measure of that love just varies with each person. Yasmin loves being in love, and even when she attempts a “no strings attatched” relationship, a small part of her will stubbornly fall in love with that person. She’s incapable of being with someone without feelings involved. Even if her heart is broken in the end, she’ll never be able to fully shake off the bit of her that was in love with that person.

…done drugs?

( DRUG MENTION CW )

Nothing stronger than pot, and she only smokes that socially. Harvey always gave Yasmin strict lectures about staying away from drugs as a child, and given his profession she found it both somewhat ironic and completely understandable. His attempts to scare her straight were effective, and she quickly gets turned off by people who depend on drugs or are frequently not sober.

…killed someone?

Has accidentally crushed insects, unintentionally allowed her plants to wilt, and ended up flushing her gold fish down the toilet. She was the only one who mourned for those lives lost, but aside from those deaths her hands remain clean.

…betrayed someone’s trust?

Only to the people she cares for. When DEMETER risked everything to keep her safe, she’d sneak out through her window and put herself in harm’s way. 

…had their heart broken?

Just as often as she’s allowed herself to fall in love, she’s been hurt as well. A piece of her heart chips away every time she loses a loved one, when she sees Frankie in the streets and dares to think of what could have been, when she notices that DEMETER isn’t being completely honest with her.

…lost someone?

If Yasmin had to sit and list every single person she’s lost, she’d break down before even making it halfway through all the names. Growing up within the gang means that she’s gotten too used to saying goodbye, has gone to more funerals than birthday parties.

❀ DO THEY…

…have any pets?

No, although she loves animals. Yasmin often cares after the strays in her neighborhood, leaving food outside and making sure that they end up finding a place at no-kill shelters. She also has a birdhouse right outside her window, which is often occupied by a family of sparrows throughout the year. Yasmin has also gotten familiar with Richard’s dog Hyas, much to the Titan’s chagrin.

…have a family they still talk to?

Has no living blood relatives, but Yasmin has never believed that blood makes family. DEMETER raised her, and Yasmin could never cut them out of her life. Even on days when she’s furious with her godparent, she still makes sure to keep in touch with them and is never more than a subway ride away. Her greatest fear is the day when DEMETER completely stops responding to her, because Yasmin knows it would never be by choice.

Although her relationship with Richard is still fragile and new, Yasmin believes that he has a place in her family tree. In some weird way, they’re almost siblings, and after losing so many of her family members there is no way she is going to take him for granted. Although she doesn’t know much about his relationship with Harvey, she is determined to get to know him.

…have a best friend?

Five of them. Yasmin has her own small gang of female musicians, who play with her at The Warehouse. They call themselves The Sirens, though they’ve made no effort to trademark the name and are happy to just play music on street corners.

Chell, the pianist who is also a full-time physics student at New York University. The rest of the girls suspect she might have made a deal with a demon a long time ago, or was created in a lab, because she manages to keep a 4.0 while juggling the band and an active social life simultaneously. Chell claims that she just knows how to manage he schedule, but The Sirens have seen the inside of her day planner and it is terrifying. No one knows when she sleeps, if ever.

Reyna, the bassist and makeup artist. Dropped out of high school the second she turned eighteen and went straight to cosmetology school instead. She always said she works best with a makeup brush in her hand instead of a pencil, and wears a different kind of look every day. Has the most Instagram followers out of anyone else in the band, mostly due to her mini makeup tutorial videos and professional selfie skills.

Fatima, the drummer seeking an early death. The daredevil of the group, giving the other girls a heart attack whenever she sends them a video of her dangling off the edge of a cliff or willingly jumping out of an airplane. Perhaps the most resilient member of the group, as Fatima always jumps back on her feet the second she’s able, no matter how much her doctors urge her to rest (Fatima claims that word isn’t in her vocabulary). She’ll often be up on stage with a cast or bandage somewhere on her body, and it’s almost a miracle she can still play.

Mariana, the saxophonist and amateur psychic. Has always claimed to have a connection to the other side, after she saw the ghost of her pet hamster when she was seven. Carries a stack of tarot cards with her everywhere, and her complicated pre-show ritual (which involves burning sage) has gotten the band kicked out of several venues. Though to be fair, they do perform exceptionally well on the nights she manages to complete it. 

…want to get married and/or have kids?

Getting married would be wonderful, but also not necessary. Yasmin was definitely one of those girls who made their own little wedding scrapbook, but all she really wants is to grow old with someone she loves.

Kids, on the other hand, are a more complicated matter. If Yasmin was certain that she’d live a long life in a safe place far from New York, then she’d adopt as many kids as she possibly could. However, she knows that there are no certainties in life, and doesn’t want to raise a child in her world.

…want to leave?

It’s her greatest secret, one she could never say out loud, not even to herself. Leaving New York has never been an option, only a fantasy. It’d be selfish to abandon her godparent and all that they’ve done for her, to turn her back on Harvey’s empire and the family that she’s grown up with. And yet, she wants nothing more than to do just that. Cast aside the Olympians, go off on her own, and see what the world has to offer. In another world, she’d be singing for an different audience every night, standing on a stage in a new country.

❀ THIS OR THAT?

PHONE CALL or TEXT?

It’s difficult to convey everything with just words, and phone calls feel so much more personal. Yasmin will only send a text if she’s unable to take a call, and most of her text logs consist of sent photographs and voice memos. It’s much harder to convey tone and meaning through text, although emojis are a lot of fun. At the end of the day, Yasmin would much rather talk to someone instead of tiring her fingers out.

WEALTH or LOYALTY?

Yasmin was fortunate enough to never have to worry about money. And in the end, her bohemian ideals trump materialism regardless. If she has to live a starving artist stereotype in exchange for companions who will stand by her through it all, then so be it. Yasmin would gladly give up all the riches in the world in exchange for someone who has proven themselves loyal to her - not just to her godparent, to Olympus, but to her as a person.

LOVE or LUST?

Every time she’s given into lust, she’s left feeling empty. Love hurts tenfold, but she’d rather accept pain than the absence of feeling. In her opinion, there’s nothing better than feeling giddy over a new crush, or falling head over heels. Lust is fleeting, and fades away once the sheets turn cold. Yasmin remembers every person she’s ever been in love with, and cherishes even the heartbreaks.

FIVE FRIENDS or 100 ACQUAINTANCES?

Over the years she’s learned that five can very quickly turn to zero with the blink of an eye. People aren’t made to last, and perhaps she’d be less alone if she was had more people surrounding her. And perhaps it’d hurt less if she wasn’t as close to them when they inevitably left her.

However, Yasmin isn’t sure if she’s capable of just being casually acquainted with someone. She grows attatched quickly and falls deeply, whether she wants to or not.

SUMMER or WINTER?

Although New York summers can be brutal, Yasmin loves the season. It’s a time for sundresses and cold drinks and fresh fruit, and like a flower she thrives under the sun. Though she’s been living in New York all her life, Yasmin doesn’t fare well in cold weather. Her heating bill is astronomical in the winter, and she avoids going outside as much as she can during the colder months. Yasmin has an entire closet full of nothing but winter-wear, thick wool sweaters, quilts, and fuzzy socks. She wears no less than four layers all season, along with a comically large pair of faux-fur ear muffs.

❀ OTHERS

Wanted Plots / Connections

( i’ll make an official page sometime in the future but here are a few stray ideas! )

( KIDNAPPING TW ) This is kind of dark but something akin to Persephone’s abduction, where Yasmin gets kidnapped, though I can’t imagine why anyone would want to do that unless they were out to piss Demeter off. Maybe in the future Yasmin’s curiosity gets the best of her and learns/sees something she probably shouldn’t have, and becomes a liability?

Someone matches with Yas on Bumble and it’s only until halfway through their date do the two of them realize that they’re affiliated with the Olympians/Titans. Awkwardness ensues.

Someone please teach Yasmin how to use a gun.

[cathrynstreich]

Closing Gifts That Keep on Giving

A gift after closing is a nice way to say thank you to clients and build the relationship. But what if you could make that gift work harder to keep you top-of-mind for referrals and future real estate needs?

Many real estate professionals provide clients with a thank-you gift after closing. It’s a tried and true relationship tool that builds on the positive feelings of a closing to keep you top-of-mind for referrals and future home searches. It’s really up to you how much you want to spend, and in some cases, a small but thoughtful gift is perfect. But as a rule of thumb, 5% of your commission would be a generous amount to spend.

There’s nothing wrong with a gift card or bottle of wine, however a better strategy is a gift that is highly memorable and will be kept for a long time or something so useful that its value is greater than what you spend. Here are some creative ideas that will help you make a lasting impression.

Hang out in their kitchen Do you have a special hot sauce recipe? Do you have a custom seasoning blend for your favorite recipe? Buy some empty glass or plastic containers and give these products a name that ties them clearly to you personally, such as “Rachael’s Burning Bayou Hot Sauce.” Then print your own labels with the memorable name to go on the jars (and you can even put your picture on the back). Then add a few recipes in a custom booklet with yourself on the cover, and you’ve got a tasty closing gift for clients who love to cook.

One-of-a-kind yard creations These don’t have to be expensive, but they are memorable. If they love having a backyard, then gift them a custom birdhouse that you can find designed online. Or an original stainless steel yard decoration made by an artist. You can even find beautiful yard décor made with stained glass! Know their taste and you can find an item they will display forever.

Subscriptions bring you to mind monthly We’re not talking about magazine subscriptions, which are rather forgettable, we mean highly engaging monthly subscriptions that your clients will actually interact with. There are so many subscription services to choose from that you can find something perfect for your client. With just a couple of google searches, you can find coffee subscriptions, wine club subscriptions or even book club subscriptions.  You could give them a filter subscription for their home so they always receive a brand-new HVAC filter and never forget to change it. The options are endless!

Personalized art they’ll put up Taste varies, but when something is uniquely customized for the individual it’s far more likely to get put up on a wall. There are several websites dedicated to handmade or craft art, and there are also numerous artists online who will create original work. With a little bit of research, you can find something that will be a home run. Some examples of work you could have created for your clients are:

Embroidery of the family’s name and family portraits

Drawings, watercolor paintings or digital illustrations of their new home that could also be turned into cover art for stationary

Photographic images or illustrations of the family’s last name

Help protect their home investment with a home warranty Buying a home is a stressful and emotional process. Many of your clients are likely nervous about the risks and expense. You can provide them a feeling of security by gifting them the coverage of an American Home Shield® Home Warranty. Giving them the confidence that their budget is protected from unexpected covered breakdowns is a wonderful gift.

Monogram it and they’ll save it There are numerous services online that allow you to purchase an item customized with text on it. Adding monograms, either with the last initial or versioned for each member of a couple, makes an item instantly more meaningful. Many online vendors offer this service for a variety of products so you can seek one out that is especially appealing to your client. For example, does their new home come with a pool? Then provide them a set of monogrammed pool towels. Do they particularly love the master bathroom of the new house? Monogrammed his and her bathrobes are a great gift. You can monogram key chains, mugs, a cutting board or custom designed pillows for a couch. (And, with some companies online, you can even customize the pillow tag). Monogramming helps make your gift personal and lasting.

For more articles like this, visit the American Home Shield® blog at www.ahs.com/home-matters.

For the latest real estate news and trends, bookmark RISMedia.com.

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[nofomoartworld]

Hyperallergic: Required Reading

Danish design firm MONSTRUM has been creating these colorful and imaginative playscapes for playgrounds around the world, and they’re quite impressive. Check out more on Colossal. (via Colossal)

One Texas museum, the Galveston Art Center, was devastated by Hurricane Ike in 2008 and they weren’t taking any chances with Hurricane Harvey. This is what they did:

Nance has good reason to be wary. Back in 2008, when Hurricane Ike pummeled Texas, the Galveston Arts Center sustained steep losses. According to Harvey Rice of the Houston Chronicle, art valued at more than $100,000 was ruined, and the storm caused upward of $1 million in damage to the historic, 19th-century bank building that houses the Arts Center.

RELATED: Some good photo essays on the hurricane at the New Yorker and the New York Times.

I’ve gripped about the awfulness that is the new Orange County Government Center in upstate New York but CityLab just published a more extensive take on the architectural disaster that was intended to save the original landmark:

A year later, Kaufman’s plan was scrapped, leaving Clark Patterson Lee with the last proposal standing. Meanwhile, designLAB’s schematic proposal for the site ended up winning an “unbuilt architecture” award from the Boston Society of Architects. A lawsuit by local residents to block demolition was dismissed in June 2015. “This is one of Rudolph’s great buildings,” Kaufman adds. “It’s a shame. What happened in Goshen represents a tremendous diminution government plays in promoting good architecture and good development.”

Miklos says that their removal of the original corduroy blocks in the remaining 1971 buildings was unnecessary. “There was mold after the building flooded because the drywall was wet, but they determined the concrete block was the problem. In fact, we did a lot of research to determine the block was not the problem.”

As for the new building, “they did a different version of what we proposed,” says Miklos. “I’ve seen the pictures. It’s not a successful solution. It doesn’t do Rudolph’s building justice.”

Writing for The Cut, Rhonda Garelick discusses the role of fashion in crafting the image of Melania Trump:

Melania dresses and moves as if she were awkwardly performing a theatrical role, much as Ivanka does. Their oddly stilted presence in political settings seems to transform all occasions, no matter how “presidential,” into advertisements. This is not because they were both once models, but because they cannot stop posing like models. (Ironically, successful models learn to avoid such obvious artificiality, since it makes the unreality of fashion shoots too glaring.)

The Trump women evince a dazed blankness and anonymity that in turn cast doubt on the reality of everything around them. When you see Melania headed to Marine One, or dining with world leaders, or standing on a White House balcony, the entire scene looks like a magazine spread in which “real” people, equipment, and buildings are being used merely as dramatic backdrops for a fashion layout. On Tuesday, this meant that instead of being a supporting presence in the president’s trip to survey flood damage, Melania became the star and the trip morphed into a simulacrum, a kind of Vogue shoot “simulating” a president’s trip. In other words, the realness of everyone and everything else (including hurricane victims) faded and the evacuated blankness of the commercial overtook the scene.

We are talking about Civil War memorials but are there some other monuments that didn’t support a decisive and white supremacist history, like the Sphinx at Mt. Auburn Cemetery:

The Sphinx was the vision of Dr. Jacob Bigelow, a Harvard botanist and physician who was one of the founders of Mount Auburn Cemetery. In the wake of the Civil War, he wanted a monument that would honor the sacrifices of the Union army and point the way toward a more integrated America. A figure from Egyptian mythology, the sphinx represents the fusion of both “American” and “African” motifs, a perfect union between black and white.

Bigelow had dreamed up the statue and designed it entirely himself. Egyptian motifs had associated in nineteenth-century America with mourning and grief, but these had never included a sphinx. Bigelow’s monument was to be his own, ex nihilo and sui generis. Bigelow’s dreams swam with hybrid monsters. The Elgin Marbles, he noted, “to which the whole world pays homage,” consist of depictions of centaurs and other strange creatures; and the winged steed Pegasus, “on which poets in all ages have sought recreation,” was also an amalgamation of different beasts. “Even angels,” he concluded, “the accepted embodiments of beauty and loveliness, are human figures with birds’ wings attached to their shoulders.” Why, then, not revere another hybrid, why not create a new mythology?

Khaled A. Beydoun writes about Islam in the Antebullum South, which was more common than many Americans believe. His abstract outlines the realities:

America’s first Muslims were slaves. Social scientists estimate that 15 to 30 percent of the Africans enslaved in the Antebellum South practiced Islam. Research indicates that the Muslim slave population could have been as high as 1.2 million. Despite their considerable presence in the Antebellum South, the history of Muslim slaves has been largely neglected within legal scholarship.

The Atlantic tells the story of a proposed superhighway to honor the Confederacy that never materialized:

The Jefferson Davis Highway was a pet project of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), an association of Confederate descendants that has been trying to preserve (and rewrite) Civil War history since 1894. Though not as well known as the Lost Cause memorials the UDC built throughout the South—objects promoting a narrative that the Confederacy fought honorably for states’ rights rather than slavery—the highway was intended to be a cross-country system of roads studded with markers memorializing Davis. And for some cities and states in its proposed path, it was simply too good a deal to pass up.

… The highway, then, did the work of white supremacy by stealthier means than those of other infamous groups. As the highways wended across the U.S., proponents of the UDC’s historical vision such as the Ku Klux Klan lynched black people, burned crosses, and enacted and supported Jim Crow laws. More broadly, the femininity that the UDC embodied provided a cover for public behavior that was unheard of for Southern women. “They would speak in public, which women were not supposed to do—not Southern women, anyway. It provided a lot of these women with a career,” says Cox.

Ultimately, the grandiosity of the UDC’s vision for the Jefferson Davis Highway did not match up with reality. Historians don’t agree on which routes were actually built and whether they lived up to the UDC’s claims. The group’s own promotional materials contradict themselves: As the historians Euan Hague and Edward H. Sebesta note, official depictions of the highway “[were] inconsistent, varied over time, and outlined often vastly differing routes.”

According to the New York Times Iran is pivoting to video:

Things like chanting “death to America,” burning effigies of Uncle Sam and painting murals of Lady Liberty with a skull as a face lost their impact long ago, particularly among younger Iranians. Forced to adapt or fizzle out, Iran’s propaganda machine has sought to embrace the latest trends and technologies to try to tailor messages to the sensibilities of a new generation.

A number of such propaganda videos have appeared in recent years, distributed on Apparat, a local version of YouTube, as well as on the messenger app Telegram.

Here is one example (pretty over the top):

J Nathan Bazzel donated his hip bones to a museum in Philadelphia after they were surgically removed and replaced with implants, and this is his story.

How to make your text look futuristic.

In case you’re looking for an ancient Assyrian dictionary, here’s one available for free online.

The ornate birdhouses of the Ottoman Empire:

The art of preserving a fish in a museum, and it’s pretty good geeky discussion:

Ethanol is flammable and therefore unsuitable for large quantities to be on public display, and formalin gives off hazardous fumes.

Instead, the team tried storing the fish in a compound called glycerol, which poses no threat to visitors.

‘But a fish the size of the marlin had to be fixed in a formalin solution first,’ explains Ralf.

‘People started using formaldehyde rather than ethanol as a fixative around 1900, and it is still the fluid of choice whenever you want to preserve anything big today.’

The initial transportation and fixation of the marlin caused it to lose some of its natural shape. However, one of the perceived benefits of glycerol is that once the fish has soaked up the solution it should expand again.

‘It’s possible the dents will pop out again, and it will go back to its natural torpedo shape,’ says Ralf,

‘There is also the chance that glycerol will help the colours that are left in the skin to increase in intensity’.

You can’t make this level of self-involvement up:

Peak LinkedIn http://pic.twitter.com/WfPoBFtrCs

— Tom Goodwin (@tomfgoodwin) September 1, 2017

Adorable:

Shredding with daddy from gifs

Required Reading is published every Sunday morning ET, and is comprised of a short list of art-related links to long-form articles, videos, blog posts, or photo essays worth a second look.

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