#that feeling of contrast between excess food and its lack. But not just in words but in feelings and thoughts at every mention of food

[pollinarys]

Indeed, when you read the books, every time Katniss mentions food, we feel that hunger along with her. She's honest at these parts, without embellishments.

It seems to me like the point is that the movies got pg-13 rating (teenagers in the lead). So... It's not a tragedy, who knows what we would have ended up with if hollywood had been given the green light to make an adult-oriented movies (I'm kinda glad it didn't happen). However, we were left without many of those unpleasant details that are actually important for a full experience (such as hunger, thirst, hygiene and, finally, violence and injuries).

Ironically, that's the exact thing that the Capitol does with thg, broadcasting the show on TV, cutting out everything too nasty.

Idk if this is just me, but does it seem like the Hunger Games movies left out most of the stuff about food in general?

Maybe I just noticed this because in my first read I was worried that all of them were cannibals, but like… in the movies it seems like they were never actually that hungry. Like, we know that Katniss and Gale have to hunt, and that Peeta gave Katniss the bread, but a lot of the details about just how hungry they were to get to those choices were just… gone. And when they’re in the Capitol on the Victory Tour, they mention the vomit-inducer but it was more of an offhand thing. What got me especially though is that in Mockingjay Pt. 2, their time with Tigris appears to be much shorter, but also… she doesn’t feed them! And from what I remember that was fairly significant in the books, especially considering the position they were in.

In the books, hunger was the driving force of the vast majority of decisions they made. Katniss literally spent a good chunk of her first games desperately searching for water—Haymitch rewarded their performances with food—Katniss described every single thing she eats and primarily characterizes new places based on their food (the Capitol and District 13 especially). TBOSAS supports this even further when you see how even people in the Capitol were starving in the aftermath of the war—that’s why sponsors were added to the game!

I just—the whole series is literally about starvation and what it means to be human, but the movies just focused on love and war.

[picturejasper20]

Infinity Train and Cults

One of the most interesting aspects in Infinity Train's story is how humans passengers start cults and the process of recruitment. This theme is very prevelent during the second half of Book 2 and all Book 3.

This theme is represented with "The Apex": a group commopsed of very young passengers who go from car to car harrassing citizens of the train and stealing their goods. They are first introduced in the series in the episode "The Lucky Cat Car" in Book 2.

In this post i'm going to write a detailed analysis explaining what is a cult, why the Apex could be considered a cult and the reasons why passengers would join the group in first place.

To do this i'm going to cite a few sources about cults and the psychology behind cult recruitment, which you'll find at the end of this post.

Let's start:

1) The definition of the word "Cult".

According to Sociologist Janja Lalich who speciales in cults the definition of a cult is:

¨A cult can be either a sharply-bounded social group or a diffusely-bounded social movement held together through shared commitment to a charismatic leader. It upholds a transcendent belief system (often but not always religious in nature) that includes a call for a personal transformation. It also requires a high level of personal commitment from its members in words and deeds.¨

Another details she talks about in her article are:

¨This definition is not meant to be evaluative in the sense of implying that a group is good, bad, benign, or harmful. Rather it is meant to convey a systemic view of such a group, which is comprised of a charismatic relationship, a promise of fulfillment, and a methodology by which to achieve it.¨  

¨Each group must be observed and judged on its own merits and its own practices and behaviors as to whether it falls within this category type, which is not meant to be dismissive or one-sided¨

The Ted-Ed video: ¨Why Do People Join Cults?¨ gives a similar definition:

¨Broadly speaking, a cult is a group or movement with a shared commitment to a usually extreme ideology that's typically embodied in a charismatic leader. A typical cult requires a high level of commitment from its members and maintains a strict hierarchy, separating unsuspecting supporters and recruits from the inner workings. It claims to provide answers to life's biggest questions through its doctrine, along with the required recipe for change that shapes a new member into a true believer.¨

To put it in simpler words: A cult by definition is a social group which has a very strong belief system (this doesn´t mean it is religious), it’s controlled by a charismatic leader whose followers rarely question. The members of the group have to obey an specific set of rules that are usually created by the leaders of the cult. Critical thinking is very often discouraged between the members.

The word cult isn´t meant to be good or bad. It’s just a way to describe a social group with specific characteristics. The definition itself isn´t exact, one has to learn about the group first before labeling it as a cult.

Now, how do the Apex from Infinity Train fall in this category?

2) The Apex as a cult.

For this part of the analysis I’m going to cite common characteristics of cults and how they do apply to the Apex. I’m going to add multiple examples of how the Apex members behave, how they interact with their leaders (Grace and Simon) and their ideology.

¨The group displays an excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader, and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.¨

 In the series, the Apex members consider Grace and Simon as unquestionable leaders. They follow their commands including those that are indicate to hurt train citiziens.

When Grace snaps her fingers in one of the kids immediately listens to her and goes to her side, kneeling when he meets her. (The Lucky Cat Car).

Simon also kneels before Grace in next episode since he is supposed to be second in command.

In ¨The Music Car¨ all the members pledge to the leaders and salute them:

 ¨Apex!

May our spirits be high!

And our numbers higher!

Down with the false Conductor!¨

 Both Grace and Simon appear to have a special status within the group as they are given gifts by the kids when the raid a car as seen in the first episode. It’s not stated if this is part of their routine as way for each member to prove they are worthy of being a Apex but considering the rules of the group it is very possible assumption.

¨Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.¨

In ¨The Mall Car¨ after Jesse refuses to follow Grace orders and stands up for Lake and Alan, Grace responds by telling him he made a big mistake and uses her mirror to let the flecks catch Lake.

This is a huge contrast with how she was very friendly with Jesse at the start of the episode. Grace´s sudden change of behavior comes from how Jesse didn´t accept her authority and realized how he was being manipulated.

This is another example of The Apex behaving as a cult: In the moment someone doesn´t want to follow Grace or Simon´s orders, they are seen as an enemy who opposes the Apex and there before must be punished. Disagreement is very discouraged in cults groups. Those who show any sign of disagreement or doubt are mocked, guilt tripped and called out.

A more subtle case of this happening when one of the kids,Lucy, calls a train citizen a ¨person¨. Grace corrects him by telling him that the train citizen is ¨another toy the train made to amuse us.¨ She makes Lucy feel ashamed for doubting the Apex ideology by mocking her in front of Simon: ¨Aw, that's cute. Lucy thinks it's a person¨ (The Music Car).

¨The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (e.g., the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity.¨

The Apex believe that they are entitled to their car. They are above the train citizens, they are allowed to take and hurt them as much as they want because for the Apex the citizens aren’t real and they don’t experience emotions.

¨She doesn't even have a number. (..) ¨She's not a passenger¨.(..) Exactly, she's a null. Null, it means nothing, not even a zero.¨ Grace talking about Lake in ¨The Mall Car¨

¨I've got a number, and you don't. You two are only as good as you are useful.¨ Simon referring to Alan Dracula and Lake.

The group itself refers to the old conductor as their as divine figure, who inspires them everyday and has been stolen from his true place by the ¨false conductor¨, who is One-One. It’s almost as the old conductor is their god because it has the highest number in the train.

Grace mentions multiple times in Book 3 how she was saved by the conductor. It´s heavily implied she believes she has been chosen and how she´s the only one that who knows how the conductor looks like.

In Apex ideology, the numbers are very important: They determine your status in the community. The higher the number, the more powerful you are. To increase your number you have to do the tasks the leaders give to you. These tasks involve destroying, stealing and hurting citizens. The person with the highest number is the leader of the group.

¨The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group¨

While wrecking the car in the episode ¨The Lucky Cat Car¨ Grace mentions how the Apex are just doing what they must to survive. This shows a very explicit example of ¨the the end justify the means¨ that is common to find in cults. Grace and the other Apex kids are clear they don´t care about stealing and hurting citizens as long as they are able to increase their numbers and get resources.

Another example of this is when Grace and Simon plan to getting rid of Tuba to take Hazel with them in Book 3. This implies they don’t care about separating kids from their train companions to make them join the Apex. It wouldn´t be farfetched to think they have done this before with other young passengers to isolate them and persuade them into staying with the group.

In case of Jesse in Book 2, Grace tries to convince him to participate in a raid by breaking a cube from a train car. She tries making Jesse believe that those without numbers aren´t real and lack capacity to experience actual pain. Before that she told him to throw food under the train by saying he is ¨free to do whatever he wants¨. This case is more about how members make non-members commit morally questionable actions before they become full members.

¨Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.¨

Very often when joining a cult members are asked to keep distance from their close relationships (family and friends). Applying different methods, the leaders seek to isolate the new members from their family to control them more easily and thus making doubt less of the orders they are following.

In Infinity Train, the apex often try to separate kids and teenagers from their train companions. To do this, they manipulate the passengers into believing that their companions are just ¨toys to play with¨ and that the Apex are going to give them a home to live.

In ¨The Mall Car¨ Grace asks Lake to stay to look for Alan Dracula while Jesse goes with the Apex kids. Grace did this on purpose to be alone with Jesse and cause problems between him and Lake’s relationship.

After Lake stays behind, Grace starts talking about how Lake is getting Jesse into trouble and how the train is a ¨scary and lonely place¨. By giving Jesse all these negative thoughts she intends to giving him more reasons to not continue his journey and be part of the group.

In Book 3, Grace and Simon try applying something similar with Hazel and Tuba. They try to make Hazel to leave Tuba’s side and getting rid of the citizen. Much like Lake and Jesse, Tuba and Habel have a very strong bond which means they are going to have a hard time encouraging Hazel to ditch her friend.

One detail worth of adding is that they considered Tuba a threat because of her huge muscular form which made her look really intimidating. Someone like her was a obstacle that was impeding them to recruit Hazel.

¨Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.¨

The Apex believe there was a conspiracy against the old conductor and the new conductor (One-One) is the false conductor. They seem to hold into this idea that old conductor was overthrown and their true place is being in charge the train.

When Amelia is explaining them that she used to be the old conductor and she isn´t prisoner of One-On, Simon keeps accusing her of spreading false propaganda and insist Grace that she is trying to trick them. In this scenario, it makes some sense for someone to be skeptical, especially if they held a very strong belief system like Grace and Simon do.

3) Why would passengers join the Apex?

After watching how badly the apex treat the train citizens and separate kids from their companions, why would someone join them? It may look like only those who want to commit vandalism and have a extreme prejudice against citizens would but if one analyses how the train operates it makes perfect sense.

When a kid gets on the train, they are completely separated from their family. Unless they find a kind companion, they are going to be completely alone stuck in a unknown place without adults to take care of them. They are very likely going to feel lost and scared not knowing what they have to do and what they should go.

Combine all this factors and they make a very easy target for a cult movement like the Apex to recruit: The members can take care of them, give them a place to belong, have friends and a sense of community. The kid passengers don’t have to worry about anything as long as the follow the rules.

Cults seeks to recruit people who are in a state of extreme vulnerability, who have issues fitting in or may feel lost. The members give these people a new purpose. They say ¨we can be your new home, your family¨ which leads to people to be persuaded into joining.

In the two examples in the series, Hazel and Jesse, Grace talks to them about how great the Apex are: They are going to help them, they will take care of them and keep them safe from the dangers of the train.

With Jesse, Grace tells him ¨how she cares about people¨. She fills his mind with how the Apex are good and they can do whatever they one. She’s very friendly with him and even invites him to jump from car to car.

In the case of Hazel, Grace tells her how they are going to help her with fixing her number. She also mentions how Hazel is going to meet tons of other kids once they reach the Apex car.

She knows that kids like Jesse and Hazel feel confused inside the train and takes advantage of their weaknesses to trick them into becoming Apex members.

In Conclusion:

For the reasons I wrote in this post, one could interpret the Apex from Infinity Train as a cult or a social group that shares characteristics found in cults : They have a very specific type of almost religious ideology, they think having more numbers gives them a special status, they rarely have doubts in their leaders and don´t care about hurting people to get what they want.

I think that the Apex is one of the most interesting themes of the series. It explores what happens when many young passengers start working together and create their own society with its own rules while showing how people come together when they find themselves lost in a place they don´t understand. It’s worth of analyzing the psychological and sociological aspects of this community and how they work.

Sources that were used for this post:

http://cultresearch.org/help/characteristics-associated-with-cults/

http://cultresearch.org/definition-and-explanation-of-the-word-cult/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janja_Lalich

https://www.insider.com/why-people-join-cults-according-to-therapist-who-treats-survivors-2020-9

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2009/may/27/cults-definition-religion

The video ¨Why do people join cults?¨: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB-dJaCXAxA&ab_channel=TED-Ed

[mochachims]

BECAUSE PINK IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR

pairing: park jimin x reader

au: bts quarantining au , university student jimin x student reader

word count: 1.4k

warnings: none , just a whole load of fluff

if only the shortening of daylight hours actually meant that the day didn't feel so long. these days you spent the cold darkening early evenings hold up in your shared apartment. normally, winter wouldn't bother you so much, it was your second favourite season after the calm poise of autumn. yet spending days quarantining, not able to leave your home unless it'd be for your once a week lectures, was really starting to take a toll on you.

and that's how you end up here.

in the closest mini mart to your block of apartments, dressed in an oversize hoodie that wasn't even yours and leggings that were god knows how old with your glasses perched on the bridge of your nose, steaming every couple of seconds as you tried your hardest to breathe slowly. the tips of your fingers that could just about scrape the cloud of fluff that wrapped around your body grazed a couple of items, flinging them into your trolley as you leaned into it, your body weight pushing it along the isles and not even your arms. you let out a sigh staring at the piled packets of ramen, knowing that it had been long since you had eaten a home cooked meal. these days you could only count on your peach flavoured milk, cup noodles and 3am pizza delivery binges to get you through the hard courses of uni. to say you were stressed would be an understatement. it had been so long since you saw your other friends, yes you called and face timed and each of you spammed the group chat- each of you minus jungkook, the graphic designer by day and overwatch killer by night who never seemed to be online, or maybe he was and just didn't respond. it had been the longest while since you had been home and seen your parents and hugged them oh how much you craved physical affection. it wasn't just lack of physical attachments, god help your mental health as that one lesson lecture in uni had been utterly useless, after all you spend all your hours rewatching the videos, searching online, completing assignments and prepping for exams with yourself only. you might as well just not turn up to your friday lecture, i mean you were teaching yourself the entire course anyway. a slight tap of the shoulder popped your bubble of contemplation and brought you back to reality.

there in the middle of the frozen foods isle was your best friend; arms wrapped around you like a koala, tingling breath on your neck as he breathed into his infamous back hugs-the only thing getting you through the lockdown period. you pause for a moment and let the cloth of your hoodies- his hoodies- tangle themselves, basking in all his warmth and familiarity. truth be told, you don't know what you'd do without park jimin. the light of your life- no he was your life. there for you at four am where you screamed at your computer, or there for you at 4pm lifting your drunk and limp body to your bedroom, not before brushing the cheap grocery store wine out from your teeth. sometimes you genuinely think that park jimin was too good to be true, to good to be in your life and the only reason why he happened to be there at every moment in your life was the fact that he was your roommate. he had no choice to stand you because he lived with you and had been living with you for the past two years.

a whine escaped your pale, chapped from the cold lips and a chuckle from his berry ones as he shifted his weight from off your back and leaned on the trolley, taking the cart away from your hold and stacking his items in delicately.

"what have you picked minnie?" and even in the dripping dim white light of the mart, you could still see the small smile that played upon his strawberry lips.

"just some fresh vegetables and sauces, thinking maybe instead of takeaway we could find a recipe online or something?" the huskiness in his voice did not allow you to miss the fatigue that was laced in his words, that and the fact that it was one am and both your online lectures start at eight. he glanced at you, his warm copper eyes finding yours and he smiled.

"let's pay and head back home yeah?" the mask muffling a few of his words but you understood, you had always understood him. you both passed the next few isles, one hand of his pushing the cart and the other wrapped in yours, fingers and hearts intertwined. small talk wasn't needed and at this time, with the both of you drifting in and out of sleep, fighting with the bleaky lights to stay awake, this comfortable silence was enough for you.

"wait here a second babe," he called out to you, and you lazily looked up. a neatly arranged row of hair dye boxes lay in front of you, a range of shades of all colours yet your gaze fell short once it reached the central tones of pink. the same box that jimin had already had in his hands. your fingers called out to his now dark hair and caressed the strands slowly, you always had been in love with dark tones on jimin, the contrast between the black and the sweet honey of his kissable skin.

"pink?" you questioned, quietly trying to imagine the pastel painted on his head. jimin paused and stared at you, your attention busy on running your hands through his hair. he watched you silently, for his heart was loud enough to shatter the glass doors. he watched as even on the verge of falling asleep, the stars in your eyes sparkled. that even when you complained how dry the harsh winter was making your skin, it was still soft when he cupped your cheek with the palm of his hand. that even through your hardest moments and your excessive lip biting, he wanted to so badly kiss away the doubts that spilt from your lips and then plant a slow peck on your forehead, encouraging you that whatever was on your mind he wants to know- he wants to share. he wants you.

"why pink?" you asked, now turning your attention on to him and for several moments, his heart stopped and thumped and then slowed. irregular beats matching his incapability to gather his thoughts and form a single coherent sentence.

because it's your favourite colour, he wants to say. it's the colour of your favourite strawberry lipgloss, your stupid peach milk that takes up all the space in his fridge, your fluffy sweaters that feel like a cloud when he 'accidentally' falls asleep and cuddles into you, the colour of your blushing cheeks whenever you see something you love, whenever you see him and try and hide your flustered state that he loves to see. its the colour of your beating heart that he wants to hold and make his own.

because you are pink and he loves you.

the two of you make it home, running in the cold and out of breath. you dye his hair the same night and he loves the feeling of your soft fingers in his hair so much that he decides that he's going to dye his hair more often for moments like this. and when he washes it all away and catches you struggling to stay awake despite his desperate attempts to get you to sleep before another hard day.

you stop and stare at him in awe. the blush that hugs his soft waves, it's wet each strand is but you can still see its vibrancy that lights up your small living room. the rosiness shining a perfect shade against his milky skin. he notices that its been a good few moments since he had showed you and since then you havent stopped smiling, your eyes havent stopped twinkling. in fact your smile widens at your favourite colour on his hair and jimin knows that he wants you to always smile like this, smiling because of him just makes his heart jump to cloud nine and make a home there.

"how do i look?" he asks after what seems forever in a few unspoken moments.

“beautiful” you whisper, letting out the breath that you had been holding in. fingers aching to reach and just touch it, touch him.

and yes, you are beautiful.

[yvkkao-blog]

Blackboard Prompts

One lump post - might be in other parts of the daybook, but should all be here:

#1:

I have answered this in other entries, but the image that I had of London was one of a fantasy. London is a place where supernatural things happen. It is the setting for books and films. It must be a fantastical place, near mythical. That rather contrasted with the things people would tell me about the weather and the food in London, but I found things like the London fog charming. It gave me a visual of a city draped in a perpetual shroud of mystery. That being said, I knew virtually nothing about London beyond what I know of any big city. I have traveled quite a bit, and big cities often share some things in common, such as public transit, noise, and crowds.

I’m not expecting much of the food or the people, to be honest, but that is because I have a lot of respect for hospitality customs in America. People are often friendly and open to conversation. The food quality is dependent on the place, but usually, big cities have better food options and more diversity. This is not my first trip to Europe, so I have some idea of what to expect. I have not, however, ever been to London, so I might be surprised. I have doubts, though. I fully expect it to be as beautiful as I’ve always imagined, but my faith in people and food is not as rose-tinted. At last, though, I will be able to say that I have been to London, and I cannot wait.

#2:

My experience flying to London was odd, yet typical—an interesting contradiction, which is amusing to me in recollection. I arrived far earlier than I need to at the Pitt County airport, and I felt bad for several reasons. It was nice to meet everyone again, but I can never sleep before a big trip, especially before a plane ride. This is deliberate. I need to be able to sleep on a plane, or the discomfort drives me insane (as do the pressure changes). Usually, I try to sleep for the majority of any plane ride, from boarding through landing. However, TVs were invented, and not only that, everyone gets one on a plane. To commemorate the occasion, I admit that I watched a good deal of British-based TV/film on the way to London. It was a long enough plane ride that I had time to watch TV and catch up on sleep. It was probably one of my more comfortable long plane rides, so I have no real complaints.

As for the first day in London, the first day is always hard to acclimate to. I try to adjust to the new time zone as soon as possible whenever I go anywhere. The first day is always difficult (yes, it bears repeating). People are tired, hot, hungry, overburdened, lost, and overwhelmed in general. I did like getting out to see some of London that first day, however. I want to learn the transportation system as quickly as possible, but I’m not worried. The London Tube is much easier to navigate, from what I’m seeing, than the Metro in Italy (or most other cities). It’s quite time-consuming, I’ve noted. I try to factor in travel time when I’m planning excursions, and this might cut into my plans somewhat. We’ll see how things go.

#3:

I have to say, my initial perception of London has not really changed, even over this past week. Maybe I am jaded from an excess of travel experiences, but I have not really been shocked by anything. I wasn’t even surprised about the scaffolding mummy that is currently Big Ben, the clock tower, and part of Parliament. The same has happened anytime I have gone anywhere; it becomes a familiar frustration and feeling of resignation after a time. You cannot change your timing to such a large degree, so maybe if I ever get the chance to come back to London, something else will be in the midst of restoration.

I have been a bit disappointed by British tea, I will admit. I can be a bit of a tea snob, but I grew up with strong Chinese teas. I entertained the myth that British tea is without peer, but mainly, it seems to be unmatched in expense. At least the pastries are good, and I got a huge kick out of trying London cuisine that I have read about in books, such as meat pies and British biscuits. I think the thing about London that is superb is the architecture, the buildings and structures of old. I would never want to live in a castle—too many steps, and that’s not a mindset that will ever change for me—but I love to tour through them. Seeing a castle in the middle of a modern city never fails to make me feel like I’m standing in a fantasy land. It’s so much fun, and there is history, and more, in every stone. I want to see as many castles, museums, and art as I can.

#4:

I once got into a discussion about “natural” vs. “supernatural” vs. “hyper-natural,” and I loved that topic because the words themselves have certain connotations, and nothing is easy. For me, I make the distinction between natural and supernatural as reality versus fantasy. I try to be honest with myself and to keep separate libraries about the real world and the fantastical narratives. Nature is natural. A magnificent waterfall pouring over a cliff. A bird building a nest. These things usually happen without human contrivance. When not reading fantasy books, I often think of human designs as unnatural. We often appreciate those human constructions just as much. Things like Stonehenge and the Great Wall are precious to us because they are not naturally occurring spaces.

I looked at the London Eye, and it is incredible, but it is the unnatural mimicking something natural. If we want a “bird’s eye view” of London, well, we can’t fly, but humans can build things that will accomplish supernatural goals. We create folklore legends to explain things that defy explanation. Supernatural is something not natural but more than human. I love discussing supernatural tales, learning about where they came from and why they came about. Science often takes away some of the mystery, which can be riveting in and of itself but boring if you like narratives.

#5:

I miss air conditioning. I knew to expect it, but AC might be the sole reason I never want to live anywhere other than the U.S. That lack never gets easier to bear (unless it’s not summer). If I were to create a monster in a novel, it would be wreathed in flames and too hot to bear to be around. It would also probably be from a swamp—with roots from living in a floodplains area, but such is inspiration. I don’t think I would feel bad about acknowledging these things, either.

As for things that have gotten easier, getting to and from the Tube, and the buses, has gotten easier. It is such a common mode of transportation here that it is beginning to feel natural. I’ve only used one taxi, and that was near day two. I miss my car, though. The Underground is terribly loud, stuffy, and generally uncomfortable. I have come to associate travel with discomfort, which makes me think of Richard and Door. They can’t fly like Peter Pan. Even though Door can open doors, they often have to get around the mundane way. It’s nice to come home to creature comforts after a long time away.

#6:

The “monsters” in the novels came as no surprise to me, particularly with A Monster Calls. Ursula le Guinn and Lloyd Alexander, to name a couple, did something very similar in their writing, although I must admit that Ness’s monster was far more three-dimensional as a character, which I approved of. I love narratives and studying narrative structures, but sometimes this makes things predictable, which is also usually fine. Twisting a trope on its ear must be done right. I most enjoyed reading about the conceptions of monsters from “Monster Theory” and then applying those constructions back to our readings. That gave everything more depth, and I loved burrowing into the history, the culture, and the folklore surrounding these “monsters.”

Since I prefer the fantasy genre almost exclusively to read, I often think of going to see plays as a special treat. The play might have the same text, but the company might interpret it in startlingly different ways. I laughed so hard during A Midsummer Night’s Dream; that has always been my favorite Shakespeare play. It was shocking, and it was glorious. The “monsters” were rather more difficult to pin down in those four plays, however. I can make several arguments, but it often boils down to human nature. The same could be said for the poetry anthology. Poetry interpretation is not my strong suit. I prefer to look at syntactical strategies rather than semantic interpretation. A lyric poem is a beautiful thing, and I know that I want the poems in my anthology to make me smile whenever I hear them. Cacophonous discord can be hard to appreciate without the right context.

Time is trickling away, and there is still so much to see and do. It is hard not to be able to read to my heart’s content when traveling, but I know it is important to do all you can when visiting a new place you may never return to again.

#7:

Synthesis for Essay:

I have learned/decided that I want to dedicate myself to the study of narratives. This was not necessarily a new revelation, but the work we have done here has helped to cement the decision. Experiencing London as we read novels and other materials—often featuring London—has been a novel experience, as it were. For my synthesis essay, I plan to use narrative as my theme. I will draw in the study of our readings and class discussion and try to make connections to multiculturalism, children’s literature, poetry, and folklore. Since our readings have covered that spectrum, the difficult part may be bringing in my experiences around London. I want to discuss the bridge between fantasy and reality, and reading fantasy while standing in a real London location might be the perfect time to do so.

I have learned a lot, and I value trying new things. I would like that to be reflected in the essay. I think it is important to be familiar with the place you are trying to write about and/or include in your writing, but more than that, I treasure the little moments when something incomprehensible happens. When the bus breaks down, when the giant raven eats your sandwich, things like that. Those are the moments that make life unique and exciting. The setting is spectacular, but the people and other things in it define those moments. That’s why I think that level of attention to detail is so important in a book, even a novel that is trying to teach an overarching life lesson or twelve. Sometimes, it is the small things that happen along the way that are the most memorable.

My essay will probably include snippets from my daybook entries and speculation on narrative themes and structures. Everything has a story. Everything is a story. The plays we’ve been to, the novels we’ve read, the poetry we’ve shared, and even the London Dungeon—those all are narratives or use narratives. As participants and observers, we make connections and try to delve deeper into these connections. These, too, create some wonderful moments, and I hope that my synthesis essay will properly convey my appreciation for studying narrative using multiculturalism, poetry, children’s lit, and folklore as frameworks.

#8:

Things I will miss in/about London List:

-stunning architecture

-the Thames

-Chinatown

-museums

-parks and gardens

-King’s Cross Station

Things I will not miss in/about London List:

-London Underground and the Tube

-city noises and smells

-lack of AC

-crowds

Some of these things might seem like they clash, but I have my reasons. Why will I miss King’s Cross Station and not the rest of the Underground? Simple. King’s Cross is a hub, and you can go to many other places from there. The Tube lines tend to be more limited, and they’re packed and stuffy. Similarly, I won’t miss the city noises, smells, and crowds of pushy people. I have had to wear ear plugs every time I so much as set foot outside the flat, and the cacophony of people noises makes me want to jump out of my skin. I hate being crowded. I will miss all of the beautiful gardens and parks and historical structures, though. I love how beautiful those are. And I will miss the museums. I think if a city has a museum, it really has something that people should want to come in droves to see, and they’re often splendid buildings.

I will NOT miss the heat. I need my air conditioning, and that’s that. I did love the Thames and Chinatown. The sound of the water is always a balm, and I can never get enough authentic Chinese food. Most of all, I will probably miss interacting with people. I am a bit of a recluse, so getting to spend time with people beyond the classroom is always welcome.

#9:

I’m packing many, many, MANY photos and memories. This has been a unique experience for me. I usually travel with family members. The last time I went on a trip with peers was more than a decade ago. I had forgotten how much fun it could be. Those photos and videos might not be physically in my travel backpack, but I had resolved not to get too many souvenirs this time. In the past, I have been careful to get at least one present for my loved ones, something special. However, we’re all grown now, and we don’t need anything random. We’re all more interested in putting money towards the next big trip. Consequently, I have only a few keepsakes.

What will forever be in my London suitcase is my London suitcase, as it were. I have a travel backpack that goes on every big trip with me, and it is vital to keeping my stuff where I can keep an eye on it. However, I will be toting home a couple of very nice scarves and some books. I will not be toting home a couple dozen protein bars. We always travel with rations, but I’ve never noticed this tactic doing anything except encouraging us to eat out (avoidance). I will be different, of course. I’ve learned and done so much in London, and I think this will have a huge effect on my as a student. I now know what I want to do for research. I keep mentioning this, but it is important to me. And I want to come back to London someday. That might be the best endorsement I can offer. I will always treasure the memories, the people I traveled with, and the things we did. Those cannot be replicated, and I’m eager to share my tales of adventures when I get home.

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Cryolipolysis For Fat Decrease

Cryogen Fat Freezing Treatment

Content

How Much Space Is Needed Between Coolsculpting Therapies?

Do You Offer Advanced Body Contouring Therapies Such As Double Chin Fat Decrease?

When you have been placed on the treatment sofa, a safety gel pad will be put onto the location to be treated. The gel pad functions as an obstacle between your skin as well as the tool to shield your skin.

The brand-new 360 ° surround air conditioning technique completely transfers cooling power to the targeted therapy location providing high levels of power using its air conditioning conductivity at 360 ° . You attain a much greater percentage of weight loss with Cryolipolysis 360 °, approximately 60% per 3 sessions contrasted to just 40% with the standard version. All our therapies have been clinically proven to be a reliable option to surgical procedure with no healing time and above all, secure. A 25%- 40% decrease of the body fat is the anticipated elimination in one 30-minute session, per location.

How Much Gap Is Needed Between Coolsculpting Treatments?

Some people experience redness, minor discoloration, swelling, tingling, feeling numb or discomfort in the cured location however this is temporary, short lived and will completely settle. I came recently for the first time, after having to re-jig my appointment 3 or four times because of ailment. Shrina was so practical and obliging, if only other companies would follow her lead. I felt comfortable as soon as I strolled in and her really fantastic aide Aga did my gel nails and also they are outstanding. This technique results in significant and also enduring reduction of localized fat, but also for even more effective results, it should be integrated with a dietary aspects as well.

They will certainly consult you based on your individual needs and sign, and undergo the amount of cycles you would ideally need for your desired result. This therapy is optimal for those that bring little pockets of persistent fat, that would certainly be seeking a reliable choice to liposuction surgery. It is not an alternative to healthy diet plan as well as exercise, nor is it appropriate for those who are overweight or who have dense pockets of fat. It is a non-surgical choice, in contrast to liposuction or minimally-invasive fat dissolving therapies. Bingo wings are areas of flesh under the tricep on the upper arm that totter, that are obvious when the arms are elevated as well as trembled. They can lead to self-consciousness and also lack of confidence as individuals worry about their look. When weight is lost rapidly, the skin is not offered time to shrink back to its previous dimension, leaving stretched flesh that sags.

Do You Offer Sophisticated Body Contouring Treatments Such As Double Chin Fat Decrease?

Love manages are down payments of excess fat at the midsection, commonly called persistent fatty deposits, as a result of physiology; there are much more fat cells in this region than in others. We make use of the CoolSculpting Mini and also Tiny applicators to better address smaller areas of stubborn fat. The Petite applicator was designed specifically for the safer, extra comfortable therapy of the arm as the 3rd most uncomfortable area of subcutaneous fat. The Mini targets submental fat below the chin, with results visible with as few as two treatments, for a more contoured neck, with the Coolsculpting benefit of minimal downtime. One of the advantages of this therapy versus surgeries like lipo is that there is no downtime. You can resume your normal daily tasks quickly as well as most people return to function or carry on with their day usually after treatment.

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CoolSculpting therapies are only available at doctor-led centers, however, actually, the treatments are executed by aestheticians. CoolSculpting treatments can be quite lengthy as the device just has one applicator, indicating double the treatment time when dealing with multiple areas such as the love deals with or inner upper legs. To day, there have actually been more than 140,000 procedures executed worldwide since its launch in 2009. The medical researches sustaining the therapy date as far back as Might 2006, which show the efficacy and safety and security of the treatment. During the treatment itself, you might experience a slight drawing experience in the much deeper structures. It is necessary to divulge all case history prior to therapy. Throughout the assessment process, the Aesthetician will describe your suitability for therapy, along with undergo our numerous fat reduction alternatives.

Can You Freeze Your Fat Off In The House?

Cryolipolysis is the clinical term for CoolSculpting therapies which are additionally known as Fat Freezing. Words Cryolipolysis originates from the Greek word of Cryo suggesting cold and also Lipolysis meaning the break down of fat cells.

Any demand to terminate a subscription before the endo of the 12-month term need to be offered in creating with 4 week's notice. Whether you choose CoolSculpting or 3D Lipo therapies, it is very important to do your research to make certain you pick a trusted center as well as service provider. While Coolsculpting Fat Freezing therapies are a reliable means to manage undesirable or persistent fat pockets, it does have it's restrictions. 3D Lipo devices have twin cryo functions suggesting 2 areas can be treated at the very same time.

Both treatments use different dimension applicators to target different body areas. check out lipo360.co.uk blog post to hi-fu basildon of cold fat cells is the same with both 3D Lipo and CoolSculpting. The tissue is frozen similarly to achieve Apoptosis in the targeted location which damages fat cells.

Patients Flock to Fat-Freezing Procedure Cryolipolysis, Sans FDA Approval - ABC News

Patients Flock to Fat-Freezing Procedure Cryolipolysis, Sans FDA Approval.

Posted: Tue, 25 May 2010 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Ought to you wish to cancel your membership before the end of your 12-month agreement, all therapies, cup therapies as well as skin care received will become chargeable at the complete rate. Any discount rates or cost-free therapies will end up being space and should be paid for completely prior to the cancellation can be authorized.

During the procedure clients continue to be comfy and can return to back to work instantly after. The innovation has been authorized by the Food & Drugs Administration as well as there is no downtime following the therapy. The direct exposure to cooling is established so that it causescell deathofsubcutaneous fattissue without obvious damages to the overlyingskin. The treatment is billed as an effectivenonsurgical alternate toliposuction. Discount rates supplied on treatments and skincare can not be used in conjunction with any type of various other offers or promotions.

Fat cells are cleared out of the body as pee and it is consequently crucial to dink lots of water after your treatment.

The effects of Cryolipolysis treatment were found by scientists as well as located that cooling down temperatures would create fat cells to pass away.

Cryolipolysis additionally referred to as fat freezing, fat freeze or 3D LIPO has ended up being a prominent treatment throughout the globe.

They determined that when kids ate ice lollies they were creating dimples in their cheeks from fat loss.