#the most photogenic horse EVER

[kat-of-seventy-seven-roses]

Homestuck Mythical Creature au / Cryptid Au

Very tempted to make an ask blop :p need to see if anyones inch rested

thought processes under the cut (bc some choices are wild)

Johns a pooka, an irish fae trickster who shapeshifts into animals. his favorite form is the bunny. john and jane are both fae, so their pranks range from harmless to mentally scaring to life altering. absolute chaos grimlins. dirk is also an irish myth, so he knows them well and is often trying to get them to not ruin the local population of humans. so they do pranks on him insted. john loves to steal dirks head and hide it places.

rose speaks to the eldritch horrors and is slowly becoming one herself. she wants to become a litch.

Dave is a harpy! a very chill one who doesn't tend to sing with his full chest, so people dont start crashing into his doorstep. dave dies in some magic accident that caused davesprite to rise up from the ashes. but dave harpy is ALSO fine no ones really sure how. may have been roses doing.

Jade is a werewolf obv. but shes also a witch and has formed a coven with rose and roxy.

Jane is ur avrage fae faerie/sprite. her favorite fae rule to get people to break is "dont eat their food."

Roxy is both a cat who is also a wizard i need not elaborate

Dirk is a headless horseman. not to be confused with THE headless horse man. thats another dullhan with a well paying halloween gig. dirk is often subject to losing his head, so he made a magic pumpkin to pilot the body when this happens. he does have a very large and scary but beautiful horse.

Jake is the bigfoot. and one of the most well hunted (and well travled) cryptids. thus, his friends often make jokes of not ever seeing him except in blurry images. its not his fault hes very large and loves to travel! and is also not very photogenic...

Aradia is a monthra!!! however she made a deal with a devil and became a ghost... not sure WHY yet or why it kills her. but it does. its all in her plan or smth, but that doesnt stop sollux from being very upset that hes the one that has to take and keep her soul. she is reserected later by the coven, still soulless but it doesnt matter bc her soul is in good hands and thus she still feels it. shes much happier now.

Tavros is a minotar self explanatory he is a small minotar, tho. a mini minotar if u will.

Sollux is ur run of the mill soul for potato chip demon. an excuse to give him twin tails and horns. him an kitkat gave me the most trouble! but then i went with a solkat devil angel motifi and im kinda attached t9 it now. even if its sorta a cop out. i simply couldnt find twin creatures that werent gods or children of gods. nor any crab creatures...

Karkat is an angel. he WAS human notably he was human for awhile even good friends with kanaya before he died. he never found love but helped so many with theres that he became an angel that was a lot like cupid. thus he was a small angel incharge of match making and also likened to a baby and hes very much NOT happy about this. it pisses him off, solluxs often gives him a hard time. about it. (extra angst is that kitkats also really fucked up about never knowing what love felt like but having to give it to others. and he has it in his head that that means he never will know, bc no ones matchmaking the matchmaker. but theres a song he hears everyonece anwhile by a stray harpy that makes him feel a lot lighter.)

Nepeta is my go to cat creature a nekomata. a two tailed cat yokai.

Kanaya is a vampire. obviously.

Terezi is a dragon! still blind! still licks. but can now transform and has wings, very scary. shes basiclly just her lusus lmao.

Vriska is a spider lady. i have arachne here bc its similar, but shes not arachne the myth proper. shes just a spider with the top part of a woman at the head. A Jorogumo a spider lady yokai and is basically actually what im picturing.

Equius is a centar and fuck if i ever have to draw him....

Gamzee is a clowwwn, just a clown, just a silly lil guy. What do you MEAN clowns arnt mythical creatures??? what do u mean u saw him under ur bed when you were a child? u must be mistaken. as a nod to ICPs boogieman. when gamzee is not high as a kite and is just a clown, he is one of the most terrifying and unkillable creatures known to children kind.

Eridan is a selkie. basiclly a mermaid but part seal. personally, I'd like to make him part seahorse. but not in the hippocampus way. i chose this bc he can shapeshift, thus he pretends to be a high elf sorcerer, yes he does get dunked on about this.

And finally, Feferi is a siren! who happens to be able to become very VERY **VERY** BIG. she doesnt lure people to drown them but she DOES love to keep live captives in cages :)

[brandnewhuman]

hey--i was wondering if you could do a slasher matchup (also i love your work it's so good and the matchups are so fun!!)

- i am 5' 4" and kinda scrawny (i play sports so my arms and shoulders are pretty toned) and i have been told i look like tweek from SP cause my hair is choppy and a total mess and i have pretty severe eye bags/dark circles that i'm relatively self conscious abt,, i also have a scar on my lip from an accident as a kid (it looks a bit like a cleft lip cause it healed bad and the stitches re-opened a few times) and honestly im really self conscious abt that so i tend to avoid looking at peoples faces and hope they don't look at mine

- i grew up in a farming town but somehow im still scared of horses (they are too big and have dead eyes-) and am very jumpy around loud noises--which leads to me clinging to people a lot and 8 times outta 10 i drag them to the ground with me (i trip on everything-air even i am a total klutz and my elbows/knees/knuckles are scared up because of it lol) and usually yelp as i'm falling

- i have an extensive horror movie collection, all dvd's, and spend a lot of my time taking pictures and videos of others cause i forget things a lot and that helps, even though i am nOt photogenic and have a hard time showing my face in pictures cause of my scar and eyes and stuff (i generally don't think i'm very attractive lol) i like having people i trust take pictures of me like for the further and stuff like that

- i am very affectionate, and love physical contact with the people i love-im don't have a high sex drive at all (plus im demi) but i get weird random bursts of libido and get rlly focused on that -i don't have a good verbal filter either and tend to just spew things out without realizing it, i listen to lots of classic rock and 80's--90's metal

- i am fiercely loyal, almost obsessive, and will do anything without a second thought if someone i trust/love asks me to do something--i didn't have a great family growing up so when i deem someone family i am like a guard dog (even though im more like an aggressive terrier or something lol) and (idk if this is over sharing but– –) i get physically aggressive when that idea is challenged or if someone pisses me off when im having a bad day or something like that

- i kind of have a staring problem--not in a judging way but i'll just space out thinking about someone while staring and not notice

uhh anyway that's the end, i love all your world and hope you're having a wonderful day/night, thanks!!

I paired you up with...

♡ Thomas Hewitt ♡

Okay so first of all IM SORRY IT HAS TAKEN SO LONG AND IM SO HAPPY YOU LIKE MY STUFF BROSKI. It may sound stupid but i appreciate so much when people tell me if im doing a good work with stuff ecc it motivates me so much you have no idea

Moving onto the matchup tho YOU ARE LITERALLY THIS MAN SOULMATE. PLEASE ITS ALMOST RIDICULOUS HOW FUCKING PERFECT YOU ARE FOR EACH OTHER.

We all know how self conscious Tommy is so he would be like the least judgemental person ever in regards to your appearance, if anything he's hyping you up like crazy cause in his eyes you're genuinely the most handsome/pretty/beautiful/gorgeous person ever. He understand you can feel insecure and he would always try to make you feel better without invalidate your feelings cause sometimes it happens to him too that luda tries to tell him he's pretty ecc and doesn't understands that he still feels bad and can't really help it. He would be so sweet about it, even trying to take off his mask from time to time to make you feel like you don't have to be perfect cause he really does love you for who you are.

FARM LOVERS WHO FARM TOGETHER,STAY TOGETHER. Everytime i think of thomas there's the vine "COUNTRY BOYYYY I LOVE YOUUUUU AUGH" playing in my head loudly. This man actually loves everything that has to do with farming and animals, he 100% has a little garden where he plants everything he can and would love for the two of you to take care of it together. I feel like horses don't like him too much, i don't know why but i feel like its true so you won't have to worry about that. OMG IMAGINE HIM TRYING TO GROW YOUR FAVOURITE FLOWERS SO HE CAN BRING THEM TO YOU EVERY MORNING

Okay so about the loud noises, that sucks right? But think about this, you get to cling to this beefy sweet boy and get comforted by him everytime. Surprisingly he hates loud noises too, specially yelling so for your mental peace and his own he always tries to get done with victims as fast as possible. He menacingly glares at hoyt everytime he gets too loud so dont worry about that either. If you do get scared for whatever reason he's always there to help you and wont let go of you until he's sure you're all alright. Besides if you jump on him he can take it without falling cause he's a big boi so do not worry!

Please for the love of God update this boy about films and stuff cause he desperately needs to catch up with all that stuff. He wants to understand you better and if you like something he wants to know about it to have something you both can bond over. I think he would be a little bit sitffy about you taking pics of him ecc cause we all know what he did to his old pictures but with time and patience im sure he will do it just to make you happy. Your happiness means more than his own comfort to him

This man is 100% down for cuddles whenever wherever. This man wont never pass on the opportunity of bear hug you or just holding hands. His favourite part of the day is taking naps together, or sipping iced tea on the poarch with you close. He literally lives for affection cause everyone is always so harsh with him he craves some gentleness and softness, he doesn't want to always be tough and rough so yeah go ahead, make him melt with all that good ol romancing bro

He loves, no scratch that, HE ADORES YOUR LOYALTY. He always has this fear of being betrayed or being taken advantage of so to see you're always on his side it gives him a sense of peace and safety he hasn't felt for years. You will become his safe place like fr, he will do for you anything too so the energy you give will always be matched by him.

I hope you liked it bro, once again I'm sorry for taking to long!!

Song recommendations for this match up!!

[sandeepsrk007]

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[resonantimpressions]

White Horse in the Emerald Isle - May 2016.

[indigobees]

m o n o c h r o m e

[metaborderlines]

Conspiracy Theories, Outlander Division

At the Comic Con NYC panel on Oct 9, Sam [in person, making a generic American high school jacket the best look for a 41-year-old Scottish actor] praised Cait [onscreen in London in high-necked black with upswept hair, beautiful as ever] for soldiering through the filming of S6 in the cold Scottish winter, while pregnant. An ES [Extreme Shipper] in the Comic Con audience filmed Cait’s response to the compliment, blowing a kiss to Sam. The kiss was not shown on the livestream of the event, so, conspiracy. Really? How is it that people see the same action so differently? Do the ES people not know anyone who expresses affection outside of an intimate relationship? Some ES are so witty, I love to read them in spite of the extremity. Will I attract slings and arrows if I cite @mama-tumblz? Here’s a recent example, a reply to an Anti who cast shade on the fact that Sam and Cait were not together on October 4, Cait’s birthday. Mama concocted an imaginary family discussion. Paraphrase: Papa-tumblz will be at work next Monday on my birthday so we’ll celebrate on Saturday instead. So, she asked, from this decision do you conclude that, A) I am not with Papa but am having an affair or am married to Someone Else, or, B) I am not eight years old?

            Touché, Mama. Except that the wit is in service of a conspiracy theory that posits that a couple of not-that-famous actors (much as we may love Sam and Cait, we must remember that Many have never heard of them) have been secretly married for seven years with two, three, or four children whom they somehow manage to keep hidden as well, while Cait carries on in a “fake marriage” with a Scot who is less photogenic than Sam (like most of the world) and recently pretended to have her first child with this Faker.

            I’ve been on Tumblr for only one year; my first post was of Dr. Fauci pleading with people to stay home for the holidays in 2020. There’s my politics, because nowadays we can deduce everything from one thing. I’d discovered Outlander during season 3 following online gasps over “A. Malcolm.” So, “for science” as my fellow-posters say, I caught up with the TV series and read the books and soon was able to concur with the indelible sentiment of @folklorianlass who posted the gif from the first episode of Jamie tossing Claire from his horse to free himself to fight the Redcoats at Cocknammon Rock. “‘Someone: I don’t like Outlander.’ Me: ‘Get off my horse! We dinna like you anymore!’”

            Same. I remain enchanted with Outlander despite its many stumbles. Season 4. How about Diana Gabaldon’s lip-smacking at Comic Con last week that she relished all the horror in Season 6? Yes, it’s true that nicely-behaved people getting on with their lives do not make for great drama, but when the conflict is imposed rather than growing out of character or situation, you get the Gabaldon of too much plot, too little impact. But I digress. What I’m musing about here is why people believe in conspiracies, and why they are threatened by those who do not, so there’s all this vitriol tossed on those who disagree about the private lives of the actors. Why would you admire two people who collude in a conspiracy to make their lives a lie? Yes, they are a smoldering twosome. Down to Sam, possibly the one with a long-running crush. He might smolder with another actress if the script were good enough. One of his superpowers appears to be “the look of love.” I love to look at them too. Looking makes me happy. But believing that they are dyed-in-the-wool liars? Where’s the fun in that?

[isitgintimeyet]

Just a Friend

Sorry you’ve had to wait a few more days. i had a much needed few days holiday in Devon. And I realised it was the first time since February that I’d travelled more than 20 miles from home!

Anyway, we’re on to chapter 7. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy

Thanks to @wickedgoodbooks for the beta.

Previous

AO3

Chapter 7: From Feedback to The Force

I can see it clearly in my mind’s eye. A converted barn, situated at the end of a leafy country lane, surrounded by fields full of cows and maybe a horse or two. Jamie’s office will be at one end— all exposed beams with classic mahogany and leather furniture. Perhaps chickens will be roaming around outside as tractors pull up to deliver vegetables straight from the neighbouring fields.

This image begins to fade as I follow my Sat nav instructions and take the next junction off the motorway. Country lanes look to be few and far between in this urban sprawl. Signposts along the tarmacked road point to a series of industrial estates. At the fourth such sign, I’m instructed to turn left and in three hundred yards will have reached my destination.

Having parked up, I make my way towards the large, uninspiring building which resembles some sort of aircraft hangar. Its grey concrete and corrugated iron walls match the overcast sky and the roughly surfaced car park. The only colour in this landscape is provided by the bright orange FraserFood logo emblazoned above the loading bays.

There’s a single door to the right with an intercom. I press it and wait a few seconds.

“Hello, there.” A cheery voice greets me. “Can I help ye?”

“Yes. Hello, I’ve an appointment with Ja— Mr. Fraser, Jamie. It’s Claire Beauchamp.”

“Aye, come on through. Jamie is expecting ye. Down the passage and third door on the left.”

I step into a long corridor, painted an unoriginal white. Fluorescent strip lights hanging from the ceiling cast a harsh brightness. The floor is covered with grey carpet tiles.—the same as in thousands of other working offices across the country.

What sets it apart and brings character to the otherwise anonymous environment is the artwork. Colourful photographs line the walls — a bowl of strawberries, their red glossiness accentuated by the white porcelain; a perfect corn on the cob, rivulets of melted butter flowing around the kernels; a plate of steaming tagliatelle, the parmesan shavings falling gently onto the pasta. Then, as I move further towards the office, the photographs change to a series of images that I instantly recognise, La Boqueria, one of the food markets in Barcelona.

I pause for a moment in front of a picture of one of the stalls selling spices. Strings of different chillies cascade down from the metal frame of the stall. The vibrancy of that market was intoxicating, the noise, the colours, the aromas. I remember wandering from stall to stall snacking on fat, juicy olives, slices of spiced ham and wedges of refreshing melon, just soaking up that atmosphere.

My stomach automatically rumbles at the memory just as Jamie steps into the corridor.

He laughs at this unconventional greeting. “And good day tae ye too. Ye found us alright then?”

“No problem. Sat nav brought me straight here. It’s—“ I stop myself before I say any more, but, as usual, my glass face gives me away.

“C’mon. What is it? It’s no’ what ye were expecting, is it?”

“No— yes—no. It’s fine. It’s just, well, I was expecting something more, er, rural… rustic, you know.”

He sighs, but I can tell that he’s not offended. “What, ye mean like on a farm? Wi’ chickens running around? And tractors bringing the vegetables straight from the fields?”

I nod, feeling not a little bit foolish.

“And down a wee winding country lane, that yer lumbering great vans and lorries have tae drive along? Wi’ no easy transport links fer all the deliveries? And having tae deal wi’ all the food hygiene standards in some great old barn?” He laughs. “Trust me, it may no’ be photogenic but it’s the best place fer the business.”

He takes my arm. “Let’s go intae ma office and I’ll make ye a cup of coffee.”

My stomach rumbles once more. “Don’t suppose you’ve got any of those lovely Spanish biscuits too, have you?”

*********

The display of colourful photographs continues in Jamie’s office. I don’t recognise the scenes, but, I’m guessing these are more local— fields of corn bordered by old drystone walls, hedgerows bursting with dark jewel-like brambles. I pause at a picture of an ancient stone mill, the calm water of the mill pond reflecting the rundown building perfectly.

“That’s a bonny picture, is it no’?” Jamie’s voice is low in my ear.

I turn around. He is standing behind me, gazing intently at the picture.

“It is. Where is it? I’m guessing it’s somewhere here in Scotland.”

“Aye, it’s the old mill at Lallybroch.”

“Where you grew up?”

He nods. “Generations of ma family used that mill tae grind flour fer them and their tenants. It’s empty inside now. The wheel has long since rotted away. Jenny and I would escape there whenever chores were tae be done. She took the photo, weel, most of the photos here actually.”

I study the photograph more closely. “She’s very talented as a photographer. Is that her job?”

“She’d love tae have done that, but once she married Ian and the bairns started appearing, she hasna got the time. Mebbe one day.”

He moves past me towards his desk and I catch a hint of his musky cologne. I find myself comparing it to the slightly synthetic cologne that Frank always favoured. I decide that Jamie’s is preferable. It’s more real, somehow, earthy and, well, more masculine.

“... does that sound ok?”  

I realise that whilst I was considering male scents, Jamie had been asking me a question. “Er, sorry, I was miles away. What did you say?”

“Am I really that boring tae ye?” He laughs. “I said I would make ye a coffee and invite Rupert tae come in and join us. He’s our Head of Product Development. Will ye no’ take a seat?”

I sit down on one of the chairs arranged around a circular meeting table and take a good look at the office while Jamie makes a phone call. The walls and ceiling are the same uninspiring white, livened up by all the photographs. There’s a couple of framed photographs near Jamie’s chair that seem to be more personal. I’m too far away to be able to see clearly, but they look like children... his nephew and niece perhaps?

Jamie’s ‘L’ shaped desk is made of grey wood, as is a tall bookcase and this meeting table. Simple, but clearly a considered purchase, no haphazard grouping of random furniture. The desk itself is remarkably free from clutter— just a laptop with two huge screens and a black leather document wallet. The contrast to the clutter on the desks in my office and home couldn’t be greater. Not that my clutter isn’t important to me—a collection of pots and dishes from my uncle’s archaeological digs plus a paperweight and letter opener that I remember, as a young child, at my parents’ house. Then I realise, looking at the family portraits surrounding Jamie’s desk, that he doesn’t need to gather mementoes from the past. He has a living, breathing close knit family creating memories all the time.

I’m well aware that most of my friends have more of a family than I have, or have ever had, and generally I’m fine with that. But every now and again it hits me right in the gut—this pang of...not loneliness, but more of being disconnected, rootless.

Before I can dwell on this,  there’s a faint tap at the door. It opens immediately and a woman stands in the doorway.  She’s easily past retirement age, quite short and… is sturdy a polite descriptor? Well, short and ‘motherly’ in appearance.

She’s very smiley too. Her eyes crinkle as she grins broadly before speaking. “Jamie, lad. I’ve come tae see if ye both want a coffee. I dinna mind making it. And mebbe a few biscuits?”

Jamie steps away from his desk. “Ah, Mrs. Fitz, how d’ye always ken what I want? Coffee would be grand. And fer ye Claire?”

“Coffee, please. Lovely. White, no sugar. Thanks.”

She looks at me for a moment before Jamie makes the introduction. “ Claire, this is Mrs Fitz. She’s worked wi’ me since I started and I dinna ken what I’d do wi’out her.”

He reaches across and pats her arm gently.

“Mrs. Fitz, this is Claire, a friend of mine. She’s been trying out our Spanish dinner party menu and has come tae meet wi’ Rupert tae give him her opinions.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Fitz.” I hold out my hand.

She takes it in both of hers. “And it’s lovely tae meet ye too, Claire.”

She turns away and heads out the door.

“Right-oh. Two coffees it is then,” she says clearly, then carries on muttering under her breath as she leaves. “Friends, is it, then? A bonny lass, sure enough…”

Jamie smiles apologetically. “Mrs. Fitz can be a bit, weel...she’s been working with me a long time. She’s like a second mother tae me…”

He leaves the sentence unfinished, but I know what he’s thinking. Why can’t people understand that we’re friends, that’s all?

*******

Rupert is a complete delight, but somehow not what I was expecting. He rushes into the office just as Jamie and I are drinking our coffees. Nearly as tall as Jamie but quite a bit broader with a large beard, like an overgrown teddy bear, and clad in a sweatshirt and baggy ill-fitting jeans, he looks as if he would be more at home on a rugby pitch rather than in a development kitchen. With Jamie now standing next to him, the office suddenly feels rather small.

Jamie makes the introductions and we settle once more around the table. Rupert places his notebook and pen on the table.

“Ye dinna mind if I take a biscuit or two, do ye?” He asks, with a smile. He knows how tasty they are.

Jamie and I shake our heads and Rupert reaches out and takes two in his large, fleshy hand. He starts to eat, sprinkling crumbs all over his notebook.

“Ye canna take me anywhere,” he says as he tries to sweep the crumbs into his hand.

Jamie laughs and playfully punches Rupert’s shoulder. “Weel, ye can… but only the once, mind.”

There’s an easy camaraderie between the two of them. I’m guessing that Jamie has worked with the same people for quite a while. It’s good to see.

Rupert swallows, picks up a tissue and wipes the stray crumbs from his beard.  “Right-oh. So, Claire, thanks fer doing this—“

“No, I should be thanking you. It was a great meal.”

“Weel, glad tae hear that, but I would appreciate any improvements we could make. Is there anything we need tae change?”

I’ve been racking my brains all the way here, trying to think of something constructive to say rather than just reeling off a list of compliments, nice as that would be for Rupert and Jamie. And, honestly, I don’t know what more I can add. The food was excellent, the wine matched perfectly and the olives were a thoughtful addition.

I tell them all this and Rupert solemnly notes it all down. Sitting there, side by side, elbows almost touching, they look for all the world like two proud parents being complimented on their child’s talents. But they have every right to be proud.

“And nothing else?” Rupert persists. “Nothing we could do better?”

“Well, a couple of tiny suggestions. Maybe a few more pictures with the recipes would help. I’m not the most gifted cook.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Jamie trying to suppress a smile. He’s never seen me in the kitchen, maybe he’s imagining me as some sort of culinary disaster area. I vow to prove him wrong at some point.

“And,” I continue as Rupert scribbles in his notebook. “Perhaps add a couple of suggestions to complete the Spanish night. I made sangria to start the evening. Could you add a recipe for that?”

Rupert closes his notebook with a flourish. “Right then. Thank ye sae much fer that. Glad yer friends all enjoyed the food.”

He stands up, shifting the table as he does so.

“Weel, bye then, Claire. Lovely tae meet ye. Hope tae see ye again.” He shoots a quick look across at Jamie before leaving.

“Rupert’s a lovely guy,” I comment as the door shuts behind him.

“Aye, he is that,” Jamie shifts in his seat. “Listen, I need tae ask ye a favour.”

“Another one,” I joke. “Wasn’t the dinner party enough?”

I add a sigh, purely for dramatic effect.

“Ye can say no if ye want tae,” he continues. “But I was wondering… weel... Ian, that’s Jenny’s husband, his rugby club is having a charity dinner dance a week on Saturday. Jenny’s bought two tickets fer me and a plus one. D’ye fancy it? It would help me out of a wee bit of bother with ma sister.”

Now I’m intrigued about his “wee bit of bother” with Jenny. I don’t want to end up in the middle of some sibling squabble.

“How so?” I’m not giving an answer straight away. At least not until I know what the bother is.

“Jenny bought the two tickets fer me a couple of months ago. I think she was assuming I would bring Laoghaire. But ye ken what happened there. Anyways, she asked me yesterday about it, and ever so casually suggested I might bring Kelly— that was ma date the other night.”

The pattern of Rupert’s crumbs on the table appears to suddenly be of great interest to him. He studies them intently as he talks, his ears turning slightly pink as he does so.

“And?” I prompt him.

“And, I told Jenny that after Laoghaire and I broke up, I didna want tae disappoint her about the dinner and so I’d already asked ye tae come along. As a friend,” he hastily adds the last part.

So, what do I decide? I do love the opportunity to have a bit of a dance and rugby club dos are usually a bit of a laugh, in my experience. And of course, I know Jamie is offering as a friend, so I’m not worried about that.

“Why don’t you want to ask Kelly then?” I want the full story before I give him my answer.

“She’s a nice enough lass but I didna think we had any spark. Plus she was trying too hard. Fer example she asked me what films I liked, then when I told her, she was all ‘no way, they’re ma favourites too’.”

He adds gestures at this point, to demonstrate Kelly’s actions, one hand flapping excitedly, the other resting on my sleeve, lightly stroking through the fabric of my shirt. It feels—

“Apparently we have exactly the same taste in films, music, food, drinks, television and holidays,” he continues as he sits back and folds his arms.

“Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.” I joke. I can still feel the sensation of his hand on my arm.

He looks up at me and frowns. “I’m no’ joking. Ye would be helping me if ye came as ma plus one.”

“Ok then. I do know that I’m not on call. I can come and be your wingman, if you like. Just one question. What are your favourite films?”

“Star Wars.”

This wasn’t the answer I was expecting. He doesn’t seem like a typical fan. Maybe he has a dark side that I haven’t yet seen, with a secret stash of Star Wars figures and multiple light sabres.

“I’ve never watched any of them.” It’s true. I seem to be in the minority but I just don’t get the appeal.

“And I can tell from yer face exactly what ye think of them. But they’re classics, weel most of them, anyway,” he starts to enthuse.

I shake my head. I can’t see that he will ever convince me.

“Well, Sassenach, have I got a treat in store for you!”

And, worryingly, it seems that he’s up for the challenge.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #366

“you can’t take me from me”

If you’re a girl, have you ever had the urge shave your hair? No. Do you live by a forest? Not anymore. :( How old are your parents? Late 50s. What do you prefer: Small cars, hybrids, trucks or SUVs? Uh, I guess normal ones? Like the ones with four doors and not that horribly low to the ground. What’s the scariest book you’ve ever read? I've never read a book that was scary to me. Do your parents drink? Dad doesn't anymore, and Mom very rarely does, usually just for special occasions. Does downloading music without paying make you feel guilty? Yes, so idk why I still do it. .-. Do you have any pet fish? Nah. What’s your favorite seafood to eat? I only like shrimp. Does your house have air conditioning? Yes. Name the creepiest horror movie character for you: Ghostface, ever since I was a kid. I was horrified of him, and I still think his design is mega creepy. How many college degrees do you want? I wanted to get at most a Bachelor's (I never saw reason to go higher in the fields I was interested in, except for my brief wildlife biologist aspiration), but now I know I'm not getting any degrees. Do you like animals? I love animals. Have you ever written anything longer than 10 pages? Yes. What do you wear to sleep? Pj pants and a tank top. How many keys do you carry with you? One. Have you ever attended a professional sporting event? Yeah. Sometimes Dad and I would go to hockey games together. I don't really care for sports, hockey included, but it was still something we bonded over since I was normally in the living room on the laptop while he was watching it. Which do you value more, intellect or work ethic? Work ethic. Both are important, but I'd rather have a dedicated, worthy employee versus a lazy one that just happens to have brains. Have you ever been covered in mud? Yes, as a kid. Ever been to a cabin on a mountain? No, but omG I fucking wish. Ever lost your voice? Yes. Do you take your time when making an important decision? I take way too much time because I obsess over doing the right thing. Are you a cautious person? Very. Do you chew gum? Sometimes. What makeup product do you never use? A lot, really. Bronzer is literally never, I haven't touched blush in forever, and the same goes for foundation. Have you ever been offered drugs on the street? No. Have you ever seen a jellyfish? Only at aquariums. Do you ever put bread in your soup? UGH, NO. Bread should NOT be soggy. Do you want some soup? No, I don't even really like soup. Is there anything in the USB key slots in your computer/laptop? Yeah, the sensor thing for my wireless mouse. Did anyone ever draw on your face when you were sleeping? I don't believe so; I'd certainly feel it and wake up. Have you ever done that to someone else? Pretty sure no. Is there any TV show you watch religiously? No. Do you like the window seat or aisle seat on an airplane? WINDOW. I hate the aisle seat, mainly because I get dizzy when I can't see outside for some reason? I really don't know how that works, but when I sit at the window and can see what the plane is doing, I don't get dizzy. I also really want to just stare outside as I listen to my iPod. Has anyone ever really insulted you? Yes. Do you ever make banana sandwiches? I have a peanut butter and banana sandwich rarely. What’s your favorite movie soundtrack? Probably Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. Phil went HARD, y'all. Did your parents teach you how to cook/bake when you were growing up? There were rare occasions where I helped cook, but I never really learned. If you could own any three fictional objects from any book/movie/show, what would you choose? (does not have to all be from the same book/movie/show) Ohhh, interesting. I'm going to include games in this, because that's what I'm most informed in. ... And I'm still blanking. OH! Definitely a Dreamvisitor from Wings of Fire, as I think it'd be pretty cool or even useful to see into other's dreams and even communicate. The Obsidian Mirror from the same series would also be pretty cool, but also seems somewhat immoral to me, I guess, to be able to spy on others. I mean it could be useful in some cases, but still. I somehow can't think of a third one, even after expanding my options to games. A lot of game objects are just too specific to their fantasy universe and not helpful in real life. What’s the shortest amount of time you’ve worked somewhere? Not even two hours lmaoooo. Have you ever negotiated a pay raise? No. Have you ever been a victim of identity theft? No. Do you know anyone who’s had their kids taken by Child Protective Services? No. What is your favorite smell/scent? Cinnamon rolls. How long can you run without stopping? I honestly don't think I *could* run without my knees immediately being like "um excuse the fuck out of you" and crumpling. What age do you want to live to? I know this varies from person to person, so I can't say an exact age, but I do. NOT. Want to live to where I'm a liability/require other people to take care of me, like give me a bath and stuff. No. Fuck-ing. Thank you. If you had a time machine, when would you go to? I'd honestly want a glimpse into my future, just to see how I'll be. At the same time though, I feel like knowing would suck if I saw something bad instead of a good life. Like, I'd possibly be suicidal again if it's just crap. I feel like if I was legitimately offered this, I would say no. Have you ever been infatuated with someone and you didn’t even know why? No. I think. Have you ever felt an earthquake? No. Is your more photogenic side your left or right? Well, because of how my hair is positioned, my left side. My hair is parted very far to the left, so the right side of my face is sorta cut diagonally by hair. Do you currently owe money to anyone? No. If you were ever to be on the news, what would you want it to be for? Something heroic, I guess. What’s the fastest you’ve ever driven? Accidentally, probably up to like 80 on the highway. Have you ever donated blood? Have you ever done a blood test? I have to both. Have you been inside of a burning building? What happened? Z O I N K S no. Do you believe in astrology/horoscopes? Nope. Have you ever dined alone at a restaurant? No. Have you been in a car accident? What happened? Yes. Some idiot was carrying wood in the back of his truck, and it wasn't secured whatsoever. He hit a bumpy spot, and some of the wood dropped to the road, and he began to swerve out of control. Nailed the side and bumper of my mom's car. Mom drove into a ditch, but in some manner to avoid us flipping over, which judging from the impact point, cops theorized was "supposed" to happen. Nowadays I am terrified to ride or drive behind trucks carrying anything in the back. Have you ever lived alone? No. Have you ever been stung by a bee? Once, on my leg. Have you ever bought stuff at a thrift store? Yeah, I love thrift shops. What was your very first email address? The one I still use now, so I won't share it. It fits me well, but I still hate sharing it, haha. It's just not very "adult-ish." How often do you take naps? Just about every day. Have you ever won a game of pool? Idr. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life? NOOOOOOOOOOO. Have you been in a long-distance relationship? Yes. Have you swam in the ocean? Yeah, I love it. Have you gone ziplining? No, but it'd be cool! Have you been rock climbing? No, just those mock walls at school field days and stuff. Have you hitchhiked? No. Have you had stitches? Where? My chin and then at the very base of my spine. Have you ridden in a taxi? What about an Uber/Lyft? None of those. Have you ridden on a horse? Not legit, but at childhood festivals where there are some horses that walk in a circle... the poor things. I would LOVE to ride a non-restrained, tame horse. Ugh, I wish I could have a horse in general. Their ability to bond with humans is magical. I'll never actually have one, though. I could nooot do all the care they require, and I don't plan on living somewhere where having a horse is appropriate. Have you taken part in a protest? What for? No, just boycotting. Have you ever signed a petition? Yes. I can't remember all of them. Have you ever been fired from a job? Why? No. Have you ever given someone else a haircut? No. What is the longest your hair has been? Just past the small of my back. Have you ever been stranded because your car broke down? No. Thank god for phones, lol. Have you performed on stage? What did you do? Yes, for school band concerts as well as dance recitals. Have you ever used a tanning bed? What about tanning spray? No. How do you prefer to celebrate your birthday? Just quiet and chill with my family, but still give me alone time, please. Who is the best cook that you know? /shrug Do you believe in Bigfoot? What about the Loch Ness Monster? The Loch Ness Monster I don't, but I find surviving sasquatches very possible. There's just too many reported sightings to be totally ignored. I'm not 100% on them still being around, though. I feel like we would've caught one by now. Do your friends tend to be male or female? Female. If you could change anything about human nature, what would it be? Our proclivity to violence when angered. Have you ever fainted? Yes. What skills would you like to learn? Cooking, how to handle money in various contexts, social skills... There's a lot of things. What animal do you have the most possessions *of*, or featuring? Meerkats, for sure. If you smoke marijuana, what is your preferred or typical method? I don’t. Do you remain friends with anyone you met at your first job? No. Are there any flowers planted outside your house? No. Do you have a favourite outfit that you like to wear for nights out? I don't have "nights out." When you have a soft drink, do you prefer it in a bottle or can? I like cans because the metal helps it stay cold. Who was the last person to embarrass you? What did they do? I don't know. When you’re upset, do you tend to comfort eat or lose your appetite? I am a BAD comfort eater. Who was the last person to send you a message on Facebook? Does/did that person go to the same school as you? My online friend Sammy. No. Has a stranger ever offered to buy you a drink? No. When was the last time you used a public toilet? Ummm I think for my birthday lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. Who did you have your first kiss with? Do you remember what colour his/her eyes were? Jason has brown eyes. Are there any themes from TV shows that you like to sing along to? That '70s Show and especially Supernatural.

[kendrixtermina]

for the ship ask Edelstance? (Edelgard x Constance)

General:

Rate the Ship -  Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP to rule all other OTPs - Clearly from how we’re written we’re supposed to get that they like each other and work well together (for all that Constance can be a bit over the top at times), they get special dialogue when they wind up on opposite sides,  - their ending is cool too, Constance helps to advance science and magic in the new united empire and the whole thing helps her feel more confident etc. so they’re defs positive influences on each other, there’s Edelgard’s general affinity to smart driven types, they clearly divulge a lot of information to each other that they don’t trust many others with... they could easily be read as close friends instead, but if we assume that Constance is into chicks this could easily be a foundation for a relationship. Also they’re both fearsome badasses which automatically makes it hotter. 

How long will they last? - At least a couple of years. They’d remain friends afterwards. 

How quickly did/will they fall in love? - It sort of happened in between planning meetings and fancy tea outings

How was their first kiss? - Constance stumbled over her words a bit in the beginning, but then she just went and did it and they stood there smooching for a while

Wedding:

Who proposed? - Constance, in the most formal, yet flashy manner you can imagine. Magical fireworks were involved

Who is the best man/men? - n/A

Who is the braid’s maid(s)? - Hapi and Lysithea

Who did the most planning? - Constance

Who stressed the most? - Constance of course

How fancy was the ceremony? -Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.  I don’t think the big fancy wedding is optional with Constance. 

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - various nobles who were all too friendly with the PM’s cadre / involved in the war fiasco, apart from the ones who switched sides like Linhardt’s and Caspar’s fathers

Sex:

Who is on top? -  Constance

Who is the one to instigate things? - Constance 

How healthy is their sex life? -Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now  

How kinky are they? -Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head  - Something tells me Constance’s love of bizare experimentation extends not only to magic research if you catch my drift. El would veto some of the more loopy ideas tho

How long do they normally last? - they like to take their sweet time/ probably at some point agreed on a designated date night because else they’ll be too busy with stuff

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - its a point of honor

How rough are they in bed? -Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it.

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? -No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory. 

Children:

How many children will they have naturally? - (see below)

How many children will they adopt? - Constance seems pretty work-focussed so I don’t think there’d be more than 1 or 2 babies, but she would want to carry on the family line - more as an institution, tho. So she wouldn’t mind if the kids are adopted and more about raising them properly to have big aspirations. El would probably soften this somewhat with a dose of ‘but you can do what you want’ and I think Constance would overall be cool to that, she clings a bit to the ceremonial stuff cause that was her way to maintain a sense of identity after losing everything but she is not bigoted or stuck up about it (I mean if she were she & El couldn’t be close allies, but also its clear in her supports) Basically they’d both be vocal about how what matters is the example you set for your kids and not if they have your blood. Might even make a point of adopting a kid without a crest... which then grows up to be a brilliant mage anyways.  If they are ever sad, their mommies told them how much butt Auntie Dorothea and Uncle Hubert kicked despite having no crests. 

Who gets stuck with the most diapers? -

Who is the stricter parent? - Constance, but they’d both be in the serious side.

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - Edelgard

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - The child doesn’t find out until lunchtime if they gets Bizzare Enchanted Lunch or Sushi rolls that were definitely chopped with an axe. 

Who is the more loved parent? - El. Constance would easily fall in the “embarassing dad mom jokes” category

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? - Constance

Who cried the most at graduation? - Constance

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - constance

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? - Constance

Who is the most picky in their food choice? - Constance

Who does the grocery shopping? - Constance - she likes to bring fancy novelty food. Given that El is open minded she goes along with everything up to a certain degree of exasperating crazyness. Rhubarb soda was great, but pickled cabbage juice might be taking it a bit too far

How often do they bake desserts? - Deserts. All the deserts. Especially fancy photogenic little tarts

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - it depends more on the presentation. 

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Constance is very much the Grand Romantic Gestures type of person

Who is more likely to suggest going out? - Constance

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - Definitely Edelgard

Chores:

Who cleans the room? - Both

Who is really against chores? -  Neither

Who cleans up after the pets? - Constance 

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - Edelgard if she’s had an exasperating day

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - Constance

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Constance. She remarks on weird things she found and was usually the one who brought and lost those weird things in the first place, except for that one time she found a drawing of herself which El thought she had safely disposed of

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? - Constance

Who takes the dog out for a walk? - Edelgard, except maybe when it’s cloudy

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - Constance seems like she’d decorate if she could afford it

What are their goals for the relationship? - Its all about the stimulating company and the great accomplishments

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - Edelgard, on her off days

Who plays the most pranks? - Constance

[dansnaturepictures]

Photos of mine on my 2021 landscape & other outdoor calendar: Cover and January to August with my thoughts on each picture 

Further to my posts last week revealing on my Tumblr the 13 of my pictures taken between May 2019 and April 2020 that had made it onto my wildlife pictures calendar for 2021, here’s the first of two posts tonight with the pictures I took over a slightly greater period from May 2019 to May 2020 (I write this post this May just after tweeting and doing my Facebook reveal of the lineup) that I have decided to put on my 2021 landscape and other outdoor subjects pictures calendar. The next post with September-December and my reserves shall be in half an hour. As last week and previous years, please find below captions of and my thoughts on the pictures in order they appear in this photoset. 

Cover: Ruby at Cape Cornwall taken August 2019

Generally for these calendars as I always have its my strongest photos over the selection period (as I’ve said a lot over the years I have evolved into this pattern that I like of deciding the final lineup for the calendars in May/June and every subsequent picture I take in that year then going into contention for the calendar for two years later) that make the lineup. In terms of the final 13 pictures though some have to prove to me as such they are strong to make it and others get an easier ride onto the calendar for emotional reasons. 

I used to make a calendar for my bedroom wall from my wildlife and landscape pictures merged and one for pictures of our dogs for me. From 2018 onwards I obviously have done a wildlife and landscape calendar each for myself as my Christmas present each year to put on my bedroom wall and I do make an additional one with dog pictures for my Mum usually a less critically evaluated thing. Since 2018 I did though say dog pictures, as they are mostly taken outdoors on our walks and are animals yes but clearly not a wildlife subject, could compete to be on my landscape and outdoor calendars you could say. 

Ever since it always seemed a distant possibility that my best photos of Missy or Ruby could actually outshine one of my landscapes or other minority subjects to be on one of these calendars they don’t tend to prove as strong as those others of my pictures for quality when really looked into. There is no doubt that what made me say right this picture is on my calendar for definite was Ruby, the most photogenic dog I have ever known with respect to her mother Missy, passing away in April. It felt like one last thing I could do for her, have her on a calendar of mine for the last time and on the front cover so what I will see when I store the calendar in 2022 after its use on my wall. It felt like a way to honour her as she had provided so many of my most entertaining and memorable photos over the years even if they weren’t my very best quality and adorned many of my calendars. She was a star in front of the camera. 

That being said, it was more an idea when Ruby left us of “I’m gonna put a Ruby picture on my landscape and outdoors calendar”. I was well into my selection of the final calendar lineup by that point and there was only one dog picture taken over that near 12 month period left in my calendar shortlist, this one. But in all honesty even before we lost Ruby I had wondered if this picture might against the odds be my first dog picture to get on one of my landscape and other outdoors calendars as right from when I took this one of her watching us eat a meal at a cafe on holiday late last summer I knew it was a strong dog one for me and I just always loved this picture for quality and beauty. So in the end, it was the perfect choice to lead this calendar. 

January: Sunset at Fort Cumberland taken in January 2020 

You’ll get to learn that this is one of my most sky dominated calendars, I always say I must have at least one sky picture making this calendar for me its a big part of my landscape photography after all and for this calendar I’d say six are ones I could consider to have strong sky elements and four in particular are what I’d clasify as sky pictures and further still all of those four are results of lowering suns in the evenings so are what I am really loving taking right now sunsets as such. This winter one back in the days when the sun set on our walks quite often is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen from one of my most memorable bird and wildlife watching days and weekends of 2020 as we saw Sanderlings and Stock Doves for the first time this year here and had seen Barn Owl, Fox, Roe Deer and more at the Titchfield Canal path earlier in the day with a memorable garden bird picture from home that morning and a personally historic day of birds and photos at Whitefield Moor in the New Forest the day after. Certainly a memorable photo with the quality to match of this lovely scene I felt. 

February: Pig Bush in the New Forest, taken February 2020 

This is a worthy image to be February being taken on this year’s Leap Day. Its another success story if you like in my journey with Pig Bush photo wise as it makes it my second landscape calendar running a picture from this my favourite part of the New Forest has appeared. This dark sky one was a dark horse as I produced around 20 photos on that showery but sunny afternoon and there were many strong ones at the time that could have made the calendar I didn’t think straight away this was my pick of the bunch but it really grew on me leading up to the calendar final decisions and I realised how much it summed up that memorable afternoon for photos and birds seen weather wise and how much I like it. 

March: Snake’s head fritillary flower at Lakeside Country Park taken March 2020 

Alongside Ruby this represents my minority subjects another category I say I have to have one of on a calendar at least and over the last year and especially now my flower pictures which I’m taking more and more have have become perhaps alongside fungi the premier variant of my minority subjects. Just like last year it felt smashing to include one, even better that it was a truly sought after and special wild flower. This is a flower that I noticed last year and photographed that we are so lucky to have growing a rich area in Lakeside so very near to us. Even luckier this year as this was taken during the early days of the coronavirus lockdown during a daily exercise walk and I remember that day when not a lot was going on you could say when my Mum said she’d seen these flowers springing up here days earlier itching to get out and see this species. Even more excited as I didn’t know what it was last year but had learned it is this well named species. I enjoyed the purple ones there too but also wanted to photograph this splendid looking white one and I didn’t know just how satisfied the result would make me I think this picture shows the delicate markings of a natural work of colour and art well. Its a testament to my new macro lens which I only got in January 2020 that two of the pictures produced with it made my 2021 calendars perhaps the biggest compliment I can give one of my own photos, this one and the Green Hairstreak butterfly on my wildlife one and more so could have easily to be honest so its a good start and this one sums up that detail this brilliant lens is giving me. I feel so good about this photo. 

April: Sky seen from my bedroom window from April 2020 

Its a testament also to the pictures I took during lockdown, and how well I feel I’ve started 2020 for photos, that after my first ever garden bird photo making a calendar of mine in the form of the Collared Dove for my 2021 wildlife one this is my first ever sky/sunset from the bedroom window photo to make one of my calendars. This pre-sunset sky probably was a pleasure to take and in a what felt like constant run of taking these photos from my bedroom window stuck well and truly in the mind and with me well into to the picking when I took this it just looked stronger and stronger every time I saw it which was crucial to it getting here. 

May: Milkham in the New Forest, taken March 2020 

Taken a couple of weeks after the Pig Bush one it was a similar day, sunshine and showers, amazing birds seen and so many photos taken which this one sums up well. I picked this and the Pig Bush one by pitting some of my favourite heathland landscapes in my precious New Forest taken before lockdown in 2020 against each other to find winners as such as I felt I needed and wanted to represent this group on my calendar. I ended up with two I was proud of but what both showed, especially this one I thought also, was that rich woodland habitat the New Forest is equally as strong for. Celebrating trees the very precious life form for our planet and nature is something I have been trying to do for the last couple of years more in my landscapes. Whilst there were other photos that celebrated trees in my landscapes more taken that day I feel this one does it well and it feels like a pivotal moment on this journey me putting it here. I just love the way this one looks, the positive energy it gives me as a photo and how much of a wilderness is conveyed I would say in this very precious habitat. 

June: View at St. Abb’s Head, Scotland taken June 2019 

For once the current year outnumbers the pictures form the latter half of the previous one it always seems to be the other way round on these calendars lately but here is one of my strongest 2019 landscapes that just had to be on the calendar. I love the coast especially sheer cliffed areas where cliff nesting seabirds come into its my favourite habitat for really my favourite wildlife and that Northumberland holiday with a quick day trip into Scotland was all about that. This view brought me a chance to see one of the most striking and distinctive rock formations I’d ever seen this sight greets you as soon as you get there and looks so lovely. It looked stunning on a sunny day with that blue water and I just felt there was something so strong about this one from the off. Without doubt one of my favourite ever landscape photos to take on a day that had a few candidates for that. 

July: The River Itchen, taken April 2020 

For this summery month its an April picture that ended up looking quite summery. This was another of my favourite daily exercise pictures during lockdown from a typical spring day. I’d wanted to take a down river photo good enough for a calendar for years in honesty and this one did that. I’ve always said photos on sunny days in April and October can often look much better quality wise than high summer with angles of light and how it makes the photo look so I was possibly in the right place at the right time to make this a bright blue and tranquil photo with everything looking at a nice quality in the photo and that’s what I like most about this one. It shows off rich woodland as well and possibly even better delicious woodland beside water a habitat I love at a local place I have always loved. 

August: Pendeen lighthouse, Cornwall from September 2019 

Part of my timing for deciding the calendars is so photos from weeks on holiday etc don’t completely take over the lineup, but in truth they still dominate the relevant calendar as weeks away as I said before doing once in blue moon things with iconic creatures and different also too sometimes iconic places and just so many photos I get time to take often lead to my very best photos. If as predicted my Northumberland 2019 (Farnes etc) seabirds/marine wildlife photos dominated my 2021 wildlife calendar, my coastal (my favourite type really) landscapes of our 2019 Cornwall holiday dominated the 2021 landscape one with four making this calendar (albeit one was Ruby so not a landscape). This is one of the ones I picked out as one of my best at the time of the Cornwall holiday from the trip, but it got overlooked by others from the trip for my 2019 end of year posts on here and Twitter involving my best quality photos as I saw it from certain categories. But it forced its way onto my calendar and maybe the calendar was what it was meant to be used for. I like how it shows a classic summer’s day by the sea at an amazing location in Cornwall, in 2019 what was a strong year for landmark photos for me too especially by the coast it ticks that box as well with that nice lighthouse involved. One of my best ever such photos. 

[nerds4life]

2 winners and 3 losers from One Direction’s solo albums

The boys have all gone in different … directions … since their indefinite hiatus in 2016. Some are better than others.

By Alexa Lee (Jan 31, 2020, 9:00am EST)

A decade — yes, a decade — ago, a teenage boy band by the name of One Direction was formed. After auditioning as individual singers on the British musical competition The X Factor, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik were thrown together into a group by TV personality Simon Cowell in 2010. And thus, One Direction was born.

While the group only placed third on The X Factor, their time on the reality show was just the beginning of their global takeover. Over a span of five years, the group released five albums, did four world tours, broke numerous Billboard 100 music records (including ones previously only held by the Beatles), recorded a documentary, and even released a perfume.

At the same time, the five members also became the basis of adolescent crushes and fervor for many years to come. Thanks to their individual quirks and calculated branding ploys, each boy quickly became an archetype for a different high school crush: Niall was the adorable friend, Harry the artistic boy next door. Zayn was quietly mysterious, while Liam was extroverted and jockish. And Louis? Hmm, well — Louis was also there.

For those five years, the One Direction boys seemed like they were untouchable. That is, until Zayn left the group in 2015 to embark on a solo career, and, a year later, the remaining band members announced an “indefinite hiatus.”

Four years after One Direction announced its hiatus, each of the One Direction-ers have begun their own solo careers. It’s the first time any of them have recorded without each other, and the first time they’ve performed solo in front of an audience since being on The X Factor as teens. Their solo albums, good or bad, reveal how each individual wants to reintroduce themselves to the public, and how they’re attempting the complicated leap from adolescent pop star to independent adult artist.

Now that Louis Tomlinson has dropped his first solo album, every former One Direction member has released at least one solo project. (Harry and Zayn have each released two.) And there are some very clear winners and losers among them. Here’s how they stack up against each other and what each one tells us about who these boys are now that they’ve spent some time apart.

Winner: Fine Line by Harry Styles

Watching Harry emerge triumphantly, hair and culottes billowing, with the title of Most Popular and Critically Acclaimed Ex-One Direction Member is not unlike watching a long-awaited prophecy finally fall into place. Ever since One Direction first stepped into the international limelight, interviews and press circuits saw that Harry was different from his fellow bandmates. He was offbeat but cool, disheveled but sexy.

And in 2017, when he released his debut album named — what else? — Harry Styles, Harry established himself as worthy of all the hype from his years in the band. A brooding rock record filled with anecdotes about all the sex he has and heartbreak he’s felt, Harry Styles reintroduced Harry to the world as an indie songwriter, David Bowie fanboy, and charismatic lover. And with his next, more experimental 2019 album, Harry takes all these elements of his identity a step further, securing his spot in the popular music landscape as a modern rock star.

Harry released Fine Line at the end of last year, interrupting winter’s dreariness with bright, dancey songs about all-consuming yearning. The lyrics of “Adore You” and “Watermelon Sugar” conjure images of summer fruits and summer loves, and both songs set the perfect soundtrack for encountering a crush at a party, or at least fending off seasonal depression. And on “Cherry,” his transportive and melancholy ode to an ex, listeners get a glimpse at genuine heartache from Harry. Despite having built a career out of belting love songs, Harry has never before sounded this vulnerable in his music before. “Cherry” shines a light on the vulnerabilities of a seemingly invulnerable star and brings a touching depth to Harry’s music that was previously absent. Fine Line is the most adventurous and enjoyable of the One Direction members’ solo efforts, and it’s sure to convert even the most crotchety boy band skeptics into believers.

Winner: Flicker by Niall Horan

As a member of One Direction, Niall was beloved — but not for being the band’s breakout star or its scene-stealing performer or even its biggest personality. Niall’s greatest charm, and the primary allure of his 2017 album Flicker, is instead seeming like an ordinary, likable guy. The human embodiment of a chill night in, Niall projects affable, regular-guy energy, but in a more palatable way than, say, Ed Sheeran. He’s a man who, after being part of the most popular boy band this side of the millennia, can still convincingly seem like he’s bemused by his fame and wealth. Niall likes Nando’s, and he likes to golf on the weekends. It’s easy to imagine him as one of those people with the uncanny ability to put horses at ease simply by murmuring the dulcet opening bars of his hit single “This Town” and running his guitar-worn hands over their hides.

Niall brings this same aura of safety and coziness to Flicker, where he strums his acoustic guitar and sings earnestly about the mundane highs and lows of falling in love. His songs are emotionally and musically safe — the most upbeat tracks, “On the Loose” and “Slow Hands,” still retain a mellow, unhurried cadence, and sad songs like “Paper Houses” veer away from raw grief or anguish, opting instead for lyrics that just barely skim the surface of sorrow.

Is it always good when an artist’s best quality is being inoffensive and never taking risks? No, but perhaps in the swirling political and social chaos of 2020, it’s what we need. Niall is a calming lighthouse in the stormy sea of life, and we would be fools to let him out of our sight.

Loser: Icarus Falls by Zayn Malik

Writer Allison P. Davis once described Zayn as someone who “sings about sex like it’s this thing he just heard about on a Jodeci song.” It’s this image of Zayn that echoes in my mind whenever I think about his couple’s photoshoot with model Gigi Hadid, or the boyish pirate-themed pub in his backyard, or his many, many selfies featuring a tortured grimace and 5 o’clock shadow. Despite his reputation for being the quiet, mysterious band member, in his post-One Direction career, Zayn has revealed both his passion for sensual R&B, as well as a powerful lack of convincing sexual energy.

Davis’s one-sentence character study is also a devastatingly apt summary of Zayn’s second album, which came out in 2018. At nearly an hour and a half, Icarus Falls is a boring, corny exploration of what happens when a too-handsome man ensconces himself in cologne and longing. Chock full of weak lyrics (e.g. “That’s how I feel the soul inside her body”) and dull, forgettable beats, the album has neither the playfulness nor sufficient melancholy to breathe life into Zayn’s sensual aspirations, and the end result is unrewarding.

The disappointment of Icarus Falls is worsened by the fact that Zayn’s debut album, Mind of Mine, was so much better. Mind of Mine’s intriguing blasé attitude was an exciting change of pace from Zayn’s demeanor in One Direction, when he was obligated to sing very un-blasé songs like “What Makes You Beautiful.” Although the 2016 record also frequently stumbled when it intended to seduce, it showed signs of artistic promise that make Icarus Falls seem like dull anticlimax, with a mere two exceptions. “Let Me” and “Entertainer” are soothing tracks in which Zayn vows to shower his lover in devotion and luxury items, and they’re the only songs that come close to the groovy fun of his last album. For listeners who are unable to let go of Zayn’s undeniable vocal chops and moody flair (me), these quality songs are exasperating reminders that Zayn is wasting his potential as well as everyone else’s time.

Loser: LP1 by Liam Payne

For many years, Liam seemed poised to stay in the “normal guy” lane with Niall, often playing the band’s cheerful jokester in music videos and interviews. Because of his jovial stage presence and photogenic, symmetrical face, many people — Liam included — thought he would follow the footsteps of another boy band pop mogul, Justin Timberlake. Recently, however, Liam’s public personality has begun to curdle slightly, in the form of controversial Instagram posts about his personal wealth, dating and impregnating the judge at his X Factor audition, and regrettable jewelry he calls the “Payne Chain.” Today, Liam seems less like a new Timberlake and more like a second-rate Bieber.

Liam’s debut album LP1, released in December 2019, follows a similarly cringy trajectory. Boosted by Chainsmoker-esque beats and sleazy lines about “[doing] your ass in the car,” Liam’s music is a bold statement separating himself from the sound of One Direction, but it’s not for the better. At one particularly low point, he leers at and fetishizes his partner’s bisexuality in the song “Both Ways.” But even on tracks without pointedly offensive lyrics, Liam’s bravado comes off as corny, and he fails to utilize his sonorous voice’s full strength. Each song on LP1 sounds like a mishmash assembly of smash hit ingredients, but the final product can’t quite stick the landing, and songs blur together in a haze of tropical synth and repetitive melody.

It’s not all bad, though. Tasteless songs aside, it’s hard not to listen to LP1 without admiring Liam’s unwavering audacity. Not everyone has the bulwark of confidence required to sing lyrics like, “I just wanna have fun and get rowdy / One Coke and Bacardi, sipping lightly,” or release a song called “Hips Don’t Lie” that’s neither a Shakira cover nor good. While this album is not the radio-ready bop collection that Liam was perhaps hoping it would be, LP1 is, above all else, unapologetic about what it is.

Loser: Walls by Louis Tomlinson

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Louis says, “[Niall’s] the most lovely guy in the world … Zayn has a fantastic voice … Harry comes across very cool. Liam’s all about getting the crowd going, doing a bit of dancing … And then there’s me.”

Louis’s self-deprecating remarks reflect the popular perception of him as the forgettable, “other” member of One Direction. Sadly, his same failure to assert himself as a unique public figure and musician is the downfall of his album Walls, which struggles to sound memorable despite being the solo album that most closely resembles One Direction’s former sound.

Louis is the last member of One Direction to release a solo album, largely because he put off recording music for an extended amount of time after the death of his mother and sister in 2016 and 2019, respectively. Given this context, it’s not surprising that Louis’s music is steeped in solemnity, whether he’s nostalgic for an old relationship on “Too Young,” or openly grieving the loss of his family on “Two of Us.”

Unfortunately, Walls feels like a confessional series of diary entries set to drums and tinny acoustic guitar, and while the frank intimacy is a refreshing contrast to, say, Liam, ultimately the album feels lackluster and sonically generic. Soft guitar and even softer vocals accompany lyrics about longing — for someone, a feeling, a moment in the past — making Walls feel like a pale imitation of One Direction’s booming rock-inspired pop rather than an entity of its own. In his first attempt to separate himself musically from the group, Louis once again blends into the background.

Not everyone is better off alone [insert pun about One Direction becoming Many Directions].

The transition from boy band member to adult man solo artist is not an easy one. The scramble to assert oneself as a legitimate, relevant musician can be full of pressure, and not everyone walks away with equal amounts of fame and success. In the case of One Direction, the majority of these underwhelming solo efforts suggest that, as much as the members have striven to express their individuality, their biggest legacy will probably be being part of a group. (Unless we’re talking about Harry Styles, that is.)

[animalids]

Do you have a favorite animal? Or a few absolute favorites?

Oh boy, get ready, this is gonna be long! Thanks for giving me a reason to just list my favorites! Also, just assume any domestic breed/species is on the list, I love them all, I’ve just highlighted a few that I love a bit more than the rest

Arthropods:

Solifuges - I love all solifuges, but if I had to pick a favorite species it would probably be Metasolpuga picta. They’re big and colorful and day-active. Also really fond of Rhagodidae because they’re just so distinctive!

Tarantulas - Same deal, I love them all (though Poecilotheria scares me a little ;n;). Some of my favorites are Hapalopus and Ceratogyrus, both of which I personally own right now.

Huntsman spiders - My dream pet is Heteropoda lunula and it will probably be the death of me haha

Ticks - If I see people hating an entire species for just living, I immediately fall in love with that species and will defend it till I die. Hate the tick’s bite, don’t hate the tick itself - it’s just an animal surviving the only way it knows how to.

Mosquitoes - Same deal. They’re also exceptionally beautiful.

Serolid isopods - Just... just look them up. Trust me, they won’t disappoint.

Tachinid flies - Especially the spiky ‘hedgehog’ flies and especially Tachina grossa whose Danish name is ‘Harald the Giant Fly’ after zoologist Harald Thamdrup whose student was studying them.

Mammals:

Horses - I’ve never seen a horse I didn’t love. Some of my favorite breeds are Welsh Mountain Ponies, Jutland Horses, Frederiksborgers, Kladrubers,  

Painted wolf - They’re just so photogenic and charismatic

Cats - Have you ever seen a cat? They’re so full of love

Bactrian camels - All camels are great but domestic Bactrians are just so cute and fluffy. They’re honestly my dream pet, and I’m already reading up on their husbandry all the time.

Bovines - All of them. Bison, cattle, gaur, buffalo, yak... Also non-bovines that look like bovines, such as muskoxen and wildebeest.

Moose - They’re so beautiful and look like something straight out of the ice age.

Pigs - They’re so beautiful! Domestic pigs and wild pigs alike. Especially babirusas.

Honestly just artiodactyls in general - Off the top of my pinterest head, these are some of my faves: Takin, serows, tahr, bharal, domestic goats and sheep, okapis, saolas, reindeer, roe deer, marsh deer, Père David’s deer, saiga, lechwe, nilgai, eland, oryx

Baboons - They scare me but I also think they’re beautiful. I can see why early travellers described them as a mix of monkey and dog.

Cuscus - yeah, they look like that

Tree shrew - Grandpa

Birds:

Pheasants - Especially ring-necks. They were everywhere around my childhood home and just make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Turkeys - They’re just beautiful

Peacocks - Chaos incarnate

Chickens - They’re so diverse and good pets! Can you tell by now I love galliform birds?

Pigeons - All of them, but especially feral pigeons and collared doves.

Reptiles:

Slow worms - I have very fond memories of catching these deceptively fast lizards as a kid :’)

Corn snakes - Yet another one of my dream pets. Those morphs!! And they have such a sweet temperament

Phrynocephalus mystaceus - It’s just a really cool agama

Xenodermus javanicus - It’s just a really cool snake

Dwarf caimans - they are baby

Amphibians:

Caecilians - I’m honestly not that interested in amphibians, but caecilians are the exception. They’re so weird, their taxonomy is messy, they look like earthworms but have a skeleton, and their life cycle is a mystery!

Fish:

Sunfish - I don’t like the post that was going around a year or two back about how sunfish have survived by being useless - they’re amazing animals and surprisingly intelligent

Koi fish - Pretty, intelligent, lots of colors, domestic. What’s not to love?

Danish golden trout (guldørred) - A cross between two trout subspecies that was first developed in Denmark. Obligated to mention it because it’s the only fish breed my country has created :’)

Eels - All of them. I’ve never seen an eel I didn’t like.

Non-arthropod invertebrates:

Worms - Annelids are so fascinating! Earthworms, marine worms, parasites, free-living species... they’re so diverse! I have no idea how worm scientists tell species apart. Nematodes (which are actually ecdysozoans, not annelids) are especially mysterious to me. Scale worms are really cool.

Snails and slugs - They’re so cute with their little eye stalks and cute defenseless bodies. I want to protect them all. I have a bunch of Achatina fulica and I love them.

Clams - The most overlooked molluscs and least respected animals we use.

Tardigrades - They look like the love child of a bear and a velvet worm, with a vacuum cleaner for a face.

[horsesarecreatures]

101 Reasons Why Zenyatta is a Legend

1. She is the first horse to win two different Breeder’s Cup races (The Breeder’s Cup Classic and The Breeder’s Cup Ladies’ Classic).

2. She had one of the most dramatic running styles of all time. She never failed to start slowly and she never failed to finish powerfully.

3. She is the first and only female horse to win the Breeder’s Cup Classic, the most important horse race in the United States.

4. She won a total of $7,304,580, despite not being raced until she was almost 4

5. She won 19 consecutive races in a row.

6. She is the first horse to win the William H. May Award.

7. She broke the all-time North American record for Grade 1 victories by a mare.

8. She tied the all-time North American record for consecutive victories without defeat.

9. Tied the all-time North American record with 16 consecutive victories in unrestricted races (held by Citation and Cigar).

10. She is the top Breeder’s Cup earner ($4,680,000).

11. On August 7, 2010, Zenyatta broke the world record set by Rock of Gibraltar for consecutive Grade/Group I victories

12. Zenyatta surpassed Tiznow, John Henry, and Alysheba in all-time North American earnings (male or female).

13. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert of triple crown winners American Pharoah and Justify said Zenyatta beating his horses in the 2009 Breeder’s Cup Classic “...was the only time in horse racing that I didn’t mind getting beat in a race. If they don’t reward her with horse of the year, it would be a travesty. Zenyatta made the Breeders’ Cup. And the way she won! I’ve never seen a crowd so captivated. It felt like a horse winning the third leg of the Triple Crown.”

14. She was purchased for only $60,000.

15. She won a total of four Eclipse Awards.

16. She was named Horse of the Year in 2010, getting in on the first ballot.

17. Her Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic was the second-fastest in Breeders Cup history at 1:46.85 for 1⅛ miles.

18. Zenyatta set speed records in the 2008 El Encino Stakes (1:40:61) and the 2008 Lady's Secret Stakes (1:40:30).

19. She is the first mare to win Vanity International Handicap, Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, and the Lady's Secret Stakes for 3 consecutive years.

20. Zenyatta holds both the speed record and record for most wins in the Lady's Secret Stakes. Her connections Ann & Jerry Moss, John Shirreffs, and Mike Smith hold records for most wins (four) by an owner, trainer, and jockey respectively.

21. She was named by Oprah Winfrey to the 2010 “O Power List” in O Magazine.

22. Zenyatta was selected three years in a row (2008–2010) for NTRA's Moment of the Year Award, for her 2008 Ladies' Classic victory, historic 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic victory, and narrow defeat in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic.

23. On May 10, 2011, Zenyatta's story kicked off the "Inspire" segment of the 2011 Professional Business Women of California (PBWC) Conference.  This organization was founded by California Congresswoman Jackie Speier. Ann Moss, Dr. Dawn Hunkin, and Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs and several thousand people attended as Zenyatta was presented with a PBWC Honorary Membership.

24. Zenyatta was the first horse to receive an Honorary Membership to the San Pedro Assistance League. Her photo proudly hangs in their official conference room.

25. According to her jockey Mike Smith, she is the greatest horse of the decade.

26. Her career spanned 4 years and she retired sound as ever.

27. She never suffered a major injury.

28. She has a personality like no other. Her funky pre-race dances entertained thousands.

29. She was a hero to people in times of economic hardships.

30. Her trainer John Sheriffs said, “I’ve been around horses for 50 years, and I’ve never seen a Thoroughbred like Zenyatta. She was that special that I wanted everyone who wanted to meet her personally to be able to do it. There was something about Zenyatta that made you feel good.”

31. At 17.2 hh, the starting gate could barely contain her massive frame.

32. She clocked the second-fastest time for 1 1/8 miles in Breeders’ Cup history when she blazed that distance in 1:46.85 in the Ladies’ Classic in 2008.

33. Zenyatta was inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 2016.

34. The only race she ever “lost” was her second Breeder’s Cup Classic, where she came in second place, only inches behind Blame, who she had beaten before.

35. She was born on April Fool’s day.

36. She likes beer, preferably stout Guinness.

37. ESPN studied the length of her stride and concluded that it was a whopping 26 feet. For comparison, the average thoroughbred stride is 20 feet and Secretariat’s was 24 feet 11 inches.

38. She was chosen to promote The Dodgers in 2010 and had her very own billboard in Los Angeles.

39. At Del Mar, they use the Trakkus system for clocking how fast a horse is running during a race. When Z won the Clement Hirsch in 2009, they clocked her "closing down the stretch" at 40+ mph.

40. She has beaten every single one of the 135+ horses that have raced against her (yes, this includes Blame).

41. Her heart is the size of a volleyball.

42. While often criticized for primarily running on synthetic surfaces, she started training on dirt and it is what she was most comfortable with.

43. Even though she has broken record after record, people still don’t know how fast she truly is because she always came from the back of the pack and swung all the way to the outside to avoid traffic before winning at the last moment. As her jockey Mike Smith said, she has “another gear.”

44. She loves foals as much as she loves people. Todd Claunch said, “She loves foals more than just about any mare I've ever been around. When she's outside, all the other foals just come up to her, not just her own.… You can even see her going through the thought process of teaching them things."

45. Zenyatta set speed records in the 2008 El Encino Stakes (1:40:61) and the 2008 Lady's Secret Stakes (1:40:30).

46. She’s photogenic and knows how to pose for photos.

47. Her talent and personality are unmatchable. When asked, “How does Zenyatta compare to the other horses you've been on who won these championship races?," Mike Smith replied “She means more to me than all those.”

48. She lived in Hollywood like the celebrity she is.

49. She can dance. Her moves were taught to her by Mike Smith as a positive way to relieve her endless energy.

50. She feeds of the crowd’s energy.

51. Mike Smith said, “I think she could arguably go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest horse of all time." And Mike smith’s ridden a lot of champions.

52. She kicked up so much dirt that Mike Smith once had to change goggles six times during a race.

53. Over a thousand people came to her retirement ceremony, despite below freezing temperatures.

54. She has her own horse race named after her (The Zenyatta Stakes).

55. She was smart enough to control her own energy and exert during the most important part of the race.

56. Her trainer was John Sheriffs, who is known for his kind and patient approach.

57. When she was at Hollywood park she lived on a street named after her.

58. The Dodgers had her on a billboard, with the tagline “This is My Town.”

59. She has her own song written by Liza G. Fly.

60. She blurs the line between a starlet and a horse,

61. She once bowed when the track announcer called her name.

62. Zenyatta’s owners Anne and Jerry Moss love her so much that they almost moved her into their Bel-Air home.

63. A sandwich was named after her at trainer John Sheriff’s favorite coffee shop.

64. She has multiple books written about her.

65. She had her own 60 minutes episode titles “Another Look at Zenyatta.”

66. Her first son, Cozmic One, is the 2018 Retired racehorse Project ambassador.

67. She made “Zenyatta” a word that Urban Dictionary defines as “To meet unrealistic expectations, do things that shouldn't be done, defy all logic, leave observers with a loss for ways to describe awesomeness and be perfect.”

68. She sparked a girl power movement in horse racing.

69. Her fans invented the term “hooves crossed.”

70. She has a trusting soul and a zen-like calm.

71. On June 27, 2009, Zenyatta won the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park for the second straight year. She carried 129 lbs, spotting her rivals from 13 to 18 pounds, and became the first horse to win under such a weight assignment since 1977.

72. Her rivalry with Rachel Alexandra was the most intense one of recent horse racing history.

73. The second time she ran in the Breeder’s Cup Classic, its TV ratings were triple what they were in 2009.

74. A single halter of hers once sold for $6,600.

75. Jonathan Bush, nephew of George W. Bush, named his luxury catamaran after her.

76. She is in the Arcadia Historical Society Walk of Champions.

77. Unlike most racehorses, Zenyatta did not jog or gallop to warm up before a race. Instead, regular pilot Mike Smith would let her stand and look over the crowd and her competition. He figured she did enough stretching doing her little dance.

78. Zenyatta retired as the leading money winner among North American-based fillies and mares

79. For three straight years, one of Zenyatta's races was named the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's “Moment of the Year.” The races selected for this honor were her victory in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (USA-I), her victory in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-I) and her narrow defeat in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-I).

80. A statue of Zenyatta was unveiled at Santa Anita in 2012, joining the statues of Seabiscuit and John Henry in the Paddock Gardens area near the main grandstand. It took over two years to build.

81. Zenyatta is an honorary member of the San Pedro Assistance League.

82. She stares down anyone who approaches her.

83. The Run the Bluegrass half-marathon in Lexington honors a different Thoroughbred each year, and Zenyatta was the honoree for the 2014 edition.

84. She has her own Breyer model.

85. Her whole pedigree is pretty cool and rare for a top thoroughbred.

86. She is not related to Northern Dancer or Seattle Slew, unlike the majority of thoroughbreds who sometimes feature these horses in their pedigrees multiple times, so she’s not intensely inbred.

87. She outpaces her competitors even in fundraising.

88. Trevor Denman screaming, "If she wins this, she'll be a superhorse" and "This is un-ba-lievable !!" after Zenyatta won the 2009 Breeder’s Cup Classic.

89. She has raised thousands of dollars for various charities, particularly Canter, which helps place ottbs in forever homes. Thanks to her, it has expanded to several locations in the United States.

90. Even though Blame officially won the 2010 BBC, Zenyatta still pulled herself ahead of him after the wire.

91. Thousands bet on her, even when they only got a 10 cent profit off of two dollars.

92. Zenyatta was an inspiration like no other. One school teacher from Santa Barbara who was in a wheelchair when she first met Zenyatta decided to try and walk afterwards, and she did.

93. Kari Bussel from Tennessee once said, “I am terminally ill and my dying wish was to touch her once. I know in my heart she is the reason I am still alive and have thus far defied the odds and what the doctors told me. She inspired me never to give up. I have refused to go anywhere until her story was finished."  

94. Although she did not retire undefeated, Zenyatta proved in the end that perfection is not always measured in numbers.

95. She proved that mares can be just or even more profitable as racehorses than as broodmares.

96. She started a new era of filly-dominated horse racing. After her, other great fillies like Rachel Alexandra, Black Caviar, Goldikova, and Havre de Grace started dominating the sport as well.

97. She has over 468,000 followers on Facebook.

98. For two years in a row, she finished second in voting for the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, narrowly beaten by Serena Williams and Lindsey Vonn.

99. Sports Illustrated rated Zenyatta as number 1 female horse of all time.

100. She helped revive the struggling racehorse industry on the West coast.

101. She turned the sport of kings into the sport of queens.

[maidenxfthemxuntains]

literary tropes and things.

REPOST WITH YOUR MUSE’S RESULTS FOR THE FOLLOWING QUIZZES !

HOMERIC EPITHET: I‘m The Breaker of Horses

You are [your name], breaker of horses, which is how you should be introducing yourself to people from this day forward. This ancient epithet was used to describe Atreus (king of Mycenae), Agamemnon (son of Atreus, also king of Mycenae), Hector (prince of Troy), Diomedes (king of Argos), and now you. That’s a lot of pressure, I know. Just don’t screw it up. You’ll be fine.

FATAL FLAW: You’re Brutal Honesty

You’re blunt. You’re outspoken. Frankly, you’re kind of a jerk. But you get away with it because you’re usually right and also because you’re indispensable to the major plot. But honestly? It’s going to come back to haunt you. One of these days, you’re going to be TOO honest. You’re going to refuse to lie at a critical juncture, upholding your honorable caustic truthfulness, and you’re going to pay the ultimate price for it.

GREEK MYTHOLOGY DEATH: I’m Murdered by Accident, in Achilles’ Armor

One day, during the Trojan War, Achilles decides to just up and quit. He’s the greatest warrior apparently ever, so this is something of an issue. You can’t bear to watch men die in battle for Achilles’ pride, so you don his armor yourself and lead his men into battle. Everyone thinks you are Achilles, and morale is high. You die, however, because somewhere in there you remember that you’re actually terrible at fighting. Silver lining: Achilles avenges your death something FIERCE. So that's something.

LITERARY SETTING:  Juliet’s Verona House

I‘m Juliet's Verona house

You got Juliet’s house in Verona! Not only is Verona one of the most beautiful places in Italy, it’s also the setting of one of the most iconic love stories of all time—perfect for a hopeless romantic like yourself. You can walk the old-fashioned cobblestone streets, eat your weight in deliciously photogenic gelato, and look out from your balcony at night, waiting for your lover to climb up the wooden trellis and profess their undying affection. Just don’t get caught up in any ancient grudges/new mutinies—for your sake, and for the sake of students in English classes for centuries to come.

Tagged by @wonderingxhearts

Tagging You!

[princechae]

All numbers divisible by 3! (I'm sorry for forcing math on you)

OOF okay let’s do this

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?: bubblegum!!

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?: listen…… it is impossible for me to choose a style or an aesthetic……… my closet is an incoherent mess……. but tbh if i had the money to go full-on goth i would (but not like. every day. bcs i can’t choose).

9. favorite smell in the summer?: that smell right before you know it’s gonna rain or a thunderstorm is gonna hit, also watermelons

12. name of your favorite playlist?: i really like listening to setlists from concerts i went to, the playlists are the band name & the date of the concert. also i have a playlist of soundtracks i like just called “soundtracks” bcs i’m uninventive, and one called “dnd” for songs that give me like. dnd vibes (mainly german medieval rock tbh)

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?: i just forgot every single book i’ve ever read in my entire life lmao but i think i had to read the giver??? which was good

18. ideal weather?: sunny but a lil cloudy, the kind of weather where you can wear a jacket if you want to but you don’t have to. also just rain in general when i’m inside, summer rain when i’m outside

21. obsession from childhood?: like an obsession i had as a kid??? i was one of those kids that read like every book as long as there were animals. warrior cats, guardians of ga’hoole, the wolf series she wrote after that, that bear series erin hunter wrote…. i was just obsessed with animals in general. like, i was a horse girl but also owls, wolves, dolphins, it was a whole thing. i have no idea how i’m not a furry tbh

24. favorite crystal?: bismuth! bcs bi

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?: sit inside and drink hot chocolate with too much whipped cream. also watch critical role lmaoooo

30. places that you find sacred?: it’s a bit difficult right now since i have a dorm room and nothing else, but my bedroom. like, people are welcome to be in an apartment i live in, but my bedroom is a whole other story.

33. most used phrase in your phone?: is there a thing where i can find this out?? bcs i never use like autocorrect or anything so idk how this works lmao but in text messages it’s probably “lmao”

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?: rage comics i think??? wait, no, the overly photogenic guy or whatever his name was. i think. idk i was on 9gag in like 2011 so anything from that time i think

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?: lemon meringue pie!!!

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?: jacket

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?: fantasy

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?: a FINEapple. no idk i’d just be a regular apple i think

51. current stresses?: i have no idea if i should change my major or not. also i wanna move out of this dorm.

54. what did you learn from your first job?: retail is hell

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?: various deaths in my family i guess? also that time my anxiety was bad enough that i had a panic attack first thing after waking up for a couple of weeks. i’m generally doing better mentally than i was a few years ago and i’m really happy about that!

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?: magical girl!!!!!!

63. five songs that would play in your club: idk i’d either play kpop or just meme songs lmao so like. all star but also i’m so hot by momoland but also take on me but also play it cool by monsta x but also heavy rotation by akb48

66. favorite flower(s)?: lily of the valley~

69 (lol). a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?: i learned a lot of fun facts from a german kids’ show so i don’t think i have many where i don’t know how i learned them

72. worst subject?: science. math. i actually got good at math for my final exams but those are usually the subjects i had anxiety-inducing teachers in lmao

75. when did you lose your first tooth?: i have no idea lmao but i do remember being like 6 and biting on an apple a lil too hard and then a tooth just fell out

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?: i hate coffee so sushi. it can actually be not awful depending on what store & where you are

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?: fireflies

84. podcasts or talk radio?: podcasts

okay they had two questions numbered 84 so here’s the other one

84. barbie or polly pocket?: i had both as a kid but i’m gonna have to say barbie

87. your greatest fear?: dying in a way that i’m painfully aware of it??? like drowning, suffocating, etc.

90. luckiest mistake?: i can’t remember any

93. nicknames?: doro, some people used to call me charlie bcs my middle name’s charlotte

96. desktop background?: a picture of the house in seoul where i lived for a few months

thanks so much for sending me stuff!!!

send me numbers~

[lord-puck-of-the-fae]

Respond with your muse’s results for the following literary quizzes

Tagged by @goodliest​

HOMERIC  EPITHET  : Breaker of Horses

You are Robin Goodfellow, breaker of horses, which is how you should be introducing yourself to people from this day forward. This ancient epithet was used to describe Atreus (king of Mycenae), Agamemnon (son of Atreus, also king of Mycenae), Hector (prince of Troy), Diomedes (king of Argos), and now you. That’s a lot of pressure, I know. Just don’t screw it up. You’ll be fine.

FATAL  FLAW  : You’re married to your job.

Your priorities are as follows: your job is number one, and in a distant second is literally everything else. Take a break, you workaholic! If you don’t, you’ll tether yourself to this sinking ship and wind up working yourself to the breaking point. You might very well have a crisis of identity. You’ll definitely strain your relationship with your significant other. I bet you’re a police officer, or a surgeon or something. Just… take it easy, okay? Spend time with your family.

GREEK  MYTHOLOGY  DEATH  : Murdered by accident, in Achilles’ armor

One day, during the Trojan War, Achilles decides to just up and quit. He’s the greatest warrior apparently ever, so this is something of an issue. You can’t bear to watch men die in battle for Achilles’ pride, so you don his armor yourself and lead his men into battle. Everyone thinks you are Achilles, and morale is high. You die, however, because somewhere in there you remember that you’re actually terrible at fighting. Silver lining: Achilles avenges your death something FIERCE. So that's something.

LITERARY  SETTING  : Juliet's Verona house

You got Juliet’s house in Verona! Not only is Verona one of the most beautiful places in Italy, it’s also the setting of one of the most iconic love stories of all time—perfect for a hopeless romantic like yourself. You can walk the old-fashioned cobblestone streets, eat your weight in deliciously photogenic gelato, and look out from your balcony at night, waiting for your lover to climb up the wooden trellis and profess their undying affection. Just don’t get caught up in any ancient grudges/new mutinies—for your sake, and for the sake of students in English classes for centuries to come.