#the tracks we could get from that? id literally die on the spot

[vampiricgf]

begging on my knees for a charli le sserafim track

[mhafiction]

Req from @annonymousbread:

Here is an actual request if you’re okay with it ☺️

Maybe a story where katsu’s crush from class 1-A gets kidnapped and they don’t find her for over a year. Which by then class 1-A has graduated and all become pro hero’s.

Then Katsuki finally finds her on one of his missions?

Note: This is really becoming a Bakugo fanfic blog huh? I’m not complaining, he’s a very fun boy. -K.

“Bakugo!”

He remembered it. Your sobbing, the fear in your voice, your cries of pain. He saw the rubble, the overcast sky, every little thing rendered with terrifying accuracy. He looked down at his hands. Why was he back here? An uneasy feeling reveled in the pit of his stomach. You cry out again, your shouts solitary and panicked. Lighting courses through his veins, and without an ounce of hesitation, he takes off running. He had to find you.

His lungs burn as he navigates the field, his heart pounding in his head, eyes darting back and forth with frenzied panic as he scans the ruins. Y/N, where are you? The rubble morphs into a terrifying maze, and he feels a cold sweat drip down his back. Bakugo hears you call out his name again and again, and fears the worst, turning around-

There you were, standing in front of him with that faraway look in your eyes. Your eyes... those goddamn eyes haunted him ever since. He reached out to you, tried to call you name-

But you slipped right through his fingers. His throat was tight; nothing came out. And you just stared at him, unblinking, lips ever so slightly parted.

“Why Katsuki? Why couldn’t you have saved me?”

Your voice is accusatory, bitter, and so unlike everything that he knew about you... yet it felt so real.

Bakugo feels a dryness in his mouth as he shouts to you, his voice cracking. It was if a dam burst, and he sobs, sinking to his knees. “I tried!” He curses, watching you turn your back to him, and as he reaches out his hand to catch your wrist, he jolts awake.

Katsuki pants, heaving up and down. Sweat rolls down his forehead. It had felt way too real. He sighs, checking the clock. 4 am. Great. Should he even be surprised? He rises, pulling open his curtains and preparing for the day ahead, your face still fresh in his mind

Bakugo hadn’t gotten a good night’s rest since your disappearance, almost two years ago. Hell, he wondered how anyone from 1-A did. They had been there, too- that fateful day of the school festival, everyone riled up to celebrate the fact that it was their last one before graduation. And of course, something had to go wrong.

Your quirk was invaluable and insanely powerful: controlling probability. If you stockpiled enough energy, you could exert it to tip the scales to someone’s advantage, which could range from boosting the probability of rolling a six on a die...or boosting the probability of someone winning a fight. It worked better when more specific and focused, however.

You had gained a lot of attention from having such an interesting quirk, but some of it turned out to be pretty...bad. Including a plucky group of villains who had been able to capture you during the school festival. The brawl had moved to the city, after Bakugo sent one of the dudes careening into the side of a building with a skillful explosion. Pros urged him to evacuate, but he didn’t listen. He couldn’t have, not when you had been among the ones to save him when he had been kidnapped.

But you weren’t as lucky.

They got away with you. Bakugo remembered the look on your face as you were whisked away into thin air. Gone without a trace, slipped through his fingers.

The search was an ordeal that was significantly harder than his own. The group that had kidnapped you was pretty underground. This, in fact, was their first major crime.

So that left police with no leads, no identification, and no evidence whatsoever. The case went cold. Not a day went by when Bakugo didn’t think of you. His graduation had been somber, Class 1-A collectively on edge together for the rest of the year. Y/N, the promising rising star, so obviously on track to becoming a powerful hero— snuffed out just like that. There was rage, there were tears, there was silence. But now, they had to move on. They were adults, pro-heroes who needed to focus on bigger things. He growled. Yeah, right.

It was no secret among his peers that he liked you. After that incident, many pitied him and the way he kept his head down and his jaw clenched. They didn’t speak up when he lost his temper, they didn’t point out that he was easier to piss off than usual, and they didn’t try to stop him when he’d curse a disproportionate amount at some inanimate object that had wasn’t working right. They knew his pain. Despite him never opening up to anyone, they knew. Bakugo immersed himself in his ambition; training and fighting being the only “healthy” outlet he had. By the time he left UA, he was already in the top ten and slowly forming an agency. He kept an old bulletin board dedicated to your case, spending months trying to track you. Everyone considered him crazy for refusing to let go. But that never stopped him.

His phone rings, and he groans, seeing the contact. Nevertheless, he answers, forcefully brushing the phone against his ear.

“Deku?!”

“Ah! Kacchan, I need to ask for your help on a case.”

Bakugo rubs his temples, annoyed just at the sound of his childhood friend’s voice.

“Heh? Like I would help you, nerd!”

Deku’s voice takes on a graver tone, somewhat faltering. “I think you’d want to after you hear this guy’s MO.”

“Yeah right.”

“No, listen. You remember-“ Deku pauses a moment, hesitating as he chokes back his words. His voice is strained over the phone, betraying some sort of feeling that leaves Bakugo on edge. “You remember Y/N?” Deku continues.

Bakugo bites his lip, brow furrowed with anguish. Internally, he thanks whatever higher power there is that his old friend can’t see his face.

“How could I forget?” He mumbles.

“Well,” Deku breathes, his tone still solemn. “This guy- eyewitness reports say he vanishes into thin air. Literally. He’s been spotted all over the prefecture, mostly dealing in theft, but the most recent case they’ve linked him to is the kidnapping of a Shiketsu boy. Promising kid. The cases also match up with your research, too. I know it’s a stretch-“

Bakugo looks at the old bulletin board placed above his bed, bitter recollection filling his head. “I’m in.”

“Eh? You are?”

“Yes, you shitty nerd! Just brief me on the course of attack. Bastard won’t know what hit him.” He prays that Deku won’t catch on to the trembling intensity of his words. He didn’t need anyone else’s pity, much less Deku’s. What he needed was to find you.

“...You know it might not be him, right? And even if it is, there’s no guarantee...?”

Bakugo tenses, and the line is silent for a moment. His palms are suddenly heavy, weary with exhaustion. He sighs, frustration in a single breath.

“Goddamn it, I know that. But I have to try, Deku.” His voice cracks, shaky but firm. “I owe it to her.”

Deku is quiet. The air is thick—almost suffocating. And finally, he responds.

“Then, drop by my agency this evening. There’s a lot to cover.”

———————————————————————

“Peh. So this is the place.”

Bakugo looks up at the building. It was modest, but classy. Respectable,especially with its prime location. Not that he’d let Deku know.

He’s escorted into a conference room, eyeing the place up and down. His face contorts into dramatic anger when he locks eyes with none other than Todoroki Shouto.

“WHAT’S ICY-HOT DOING HERE?!”

Bakugo grabs Midoriya by the collar, his eye twitching and his fist poised. Deku starts sputtering like a dying fish, waving his hands around.

“Kacchan- he was interested in the mission, too! And it’s not like we can’t use his help-“

“YES WE CAN! WE DON’T NEED HIM!”

“But he might be useful! He’s a top ranking hero too, you know-“

“THAT DOESN’T MEAN HE’LL BE USEFUL!”

Bakugo reels back his arm, ready to blast Deku’s ass into the stratosphere. Todoroki appears behind him, cool as ever.

“Bakugo,” Shouto begins, gently setting a hand on his shoulder. “She was my friend, too.”

Bakugo pauses, his violent persona sufficiently diffused. He loosens his grip on Midoriya, casting Todoroki a wayward glare. Shouto returns it with his own determined eyes. “Tch. Whatever. Let’s get on with this.”

They settle into seats, Midoriya wheeling in a large whiteboard with meticulous notes dotted all over it.

“First and foremost, I guess I should start with the fact that we’ll also be joined by Uravity, Red Riot, and Froppy,” Midoriya begins, adjusting a projector.

“Do we really need that many people?”

“In all likelihood, no. But there’s a tip that this guy is linked to some bigger crime ring.” A map charting several misdemeanors flicks onto the board. “So, with backup, we’re better safe than sorry.”

Bakugo slumps in his chair. “What is this, a high school reunion?” He jeers.

Midoriya gives him a wry smile. “I guess you can look at it like that. Thanks to your intel, Kacchan, we were able to track down his ID. I went through some records down at the station, and the guy we’re going after apparently has some sort of molecular rearrangement quirk.”

Todoroki cocks his head. “Sort of like that Yakuza guy? Back with Eri?”

“Sort of. But the point is, it allows him to disappear covertly. Really covertly. He just needs to break down his body and his target to their smallest forms and he can manipulate and transport them without a trace. Disappearing into thin air.”

“That sounds awfully familiar,” Todoroki notes, giving Bakugo a quick glance. Bakugo snorts in response, recalling your disappearance. Thin air, huh?

Midoriya nods. “I have a hunch that...it’s the same guy. But, since there’s no guarantee, let’s not get our hopes up. Let’s just focus on prioritizing the rescue.” He turns his board over, revealing an even more intricate chart on the back. “Let’s go over a plan.”

———————————————————————

The fateful day arrived. Police encircled the building- some dingy joint on the bad side of town that looked like any other dive bar. Bakugo would lead the calvary alongside Kirishima and Todoroki, while Asui and Deku rounded off any potential exits. Uraraka watched from above, surveying the entire scene with bated breath.

Bakugo kicks down the door, poised to attack, and meets the faces of at least twenty other folks. One shouts above the ramble and suddenly all hell breaks loose. People are throwing bottles, attacking at Bakugo and each other- and he catches a glimpse of someone fleeing down a flight of stairs behind the bar.

He pursues, carving through the dense crowd with ease. He flies down the stairwell, greeting darkness almost immediately. Bakugo’s explosions flicker in his hands, casting orange shadows over his face in the dim hall. It’s narrow, and there’s only one way to go. There’s only one thing to do. He takes off running, panting heavily, gritting his teeth. This bastard- the nerve he had. To steal the futures of some promising kids.

The hall opens to a cavernous room, and Bakugo edges along the wall, silently inching forward. He catches a glimpse of a long shadow limping back and forth, pacing with nervous energy. Bakugo grins to himself, prepared to strike, and as the silhouette passes the opening of the hallway, he tackles them, restraints in hand. “DIE!” He sends an explosion to their backside. The villain lets out a sturdy cry of pain and immediately yields. Not that it mattered, the restraints wouldn’t permit the use of his quirk whatsoever.

Bakugo looks the guy up and down, hate filling his chest. He growls, “You’ve got a lot of nerve, you know that?”

The man is silent, not even meeting Bakugo’s fiery eyes. Bakugo forces his head towards him, watching fear dance in his gaze. He sneers. “You’re just a coward,” he spits.

Kirishima’s footsteps patter through the hall, and the red-haired boy bursts into the room, stumbling upon the scene.

“Bakugo! That’s the guy!” Bakugo tosses the criminal to him, surveying the area. “Take care of it,” he mumbles in his raspy tone. “I’m looking for the victim.”

He approaches a nearby door- old and decrepit, like everything else in the place. With calculated force, he blasts it down, dread forming in the pit of his stomach. The room is dirty and neglected, like some kind of dungeon.

His eyes widen when he sees your face, hollow cheeks and empty eyes chained against the wall alongside a sobbing boy. Shock fills your sunken form, and you utter out his name, a wistful, raspy murmur.

“Katsuki...?”

Bakugo freezes, once again feeling a terrible weight in his chest. He wants to scream, he wants to go to you- but he’s rooted to the spot, disgusted at your treatment...and at himself. Police flood the little room, Midoriya shouting commands and comforting the boy, and everything’s in a haze. But throughout it all, he never tears his eyes from you, despite the clenching he feels in his heart.

You wake up in an unfamiliar hospital bed. The world seems different. Fresh, and new. A small smile forms on your face, and you giggle quietly to yourself, blinking in the gentle light. You examine the room. A clean, white place with a monitor beeping softly in the background. The hum of machines drone on, and to your right-

You gasp, surprised to see the sleeping face of none other than Bakugo Katsuki, slumped down in a chair. Your childhood crush, handsome as ever. Halos bounced off of the spikes of his hair where the light hit him, leaving him looking like some otherworldly beauty. You laugh to yourself, starting as a small chuckle at this moment- then dissolving into a deep, boisterous and emotional expression of mirth, one that caused tears to form at the corner of your eyes and made you choke over your own joy. It inadvertently woke your spiky-haired hero, who looked down at you, eyes wide and tired.

“Y/N.”

You lift your hand up to him, cupping his face. “Katsuki.”

His jaw clenches, and his eyes go glassy. As he speaks, you feel a sadness, deep and broken, in his heart, and his voice cracks.

“I’m sorry...I’m sorry I couldn’t be faster. That I couldn’t save you-“ he chokes.

“I never lost hope in you.” Bakugo looks into your eyes, and your heart skips a beat with how vulnerable he looks. “I stockpiled energy with the hope that you’d rescue me,” you whisper, brushing away a tear from his face. “I trusted you’d be the one. Out of all of them at UA-“ you smile softly, recalling your high school years. “You were the one I thought of the most. And thinking of you...it gave me hope.” How far away it all seemed. Those days with your friends, training on the field, hoping to be a hero.

“I thought of you, too.” Bakugo grips your hand, as if afraid you’ll disappear again. You pull him into a hug, stroking his trembling form. It felt so good to be in his arms, almost dream like. “Katsuki, I have something to tell you, though,” you murmur. “I had quite the crush on you, back at UA,” you chuckle. He pulls back, still holding you. He brings a calloused hand to your face, drinking in your features. “I did, too,” he admits. You feel butterflies flutter in your stomach, and suddenly it’s as if you’re sixteen again.

“Do you think it’s still there?” You breathe.

He never takes his eyes from yours, and slowly moves in to press his forehead to yours.

“If you do.” You close the distance, placing a kiss on his lips. You drown in his familiar scent, sighing with contentment. Now, this felt like home. Bakugo moves back cautiously, his gentle demeanor and tone never shifting. He brushes a hair away from your face, ever so softly.

“God, you think we can make it work?” He mutters. “You deserve someone who could have saved you on the first try.”

Your brow creases watching Katsuki avert his gaze. You force him to turn his head to you, looking at you straight on. “We have the rest of our lives, Katsuki,” you tell him. “And don’t you dare think that you’ve failed me. You’re the one who tried the hardest. You’re the one who saved me.” Bakugo shrugs.

“I didn’t do it alone.”

You shake your head, beaming. “That’s not what I mean. Holding on to the idea that you’d come— that’s what saved me. I would have died, ages ago if I didn’t carry that hope with me. If I didn’t have that goal to save up my energy to help you find me.”

Bakugo softens beneath your touch, melting as you give him a couple of pecks. He grips your tiny hand in his, swearing that he’ll never let you go ever again.

[phoebehalliwell]

Piper/Kyle, except it's an AU where Kyle's parents were never killed by demons, so he lived a perfectly normal, happy childhood and grew up to follow their footsteps into teaching and Kyle's a normal, maybe even a little boring archaeology professor who secretly dreams of having his very own Indiana Jones moment - up until the day he opens some dusty old chest and unleashes a demon that tries to kill him, and he barely gets away only to run into this petite brunette woman who proceeds to blow the demon the fuck up, and Kyle's never believed in love at first sight before, but he's pretty sure he can make an exception for Piper

wait omg mentally stable kyle au okay wait i gotta wrap my head around this kyle but not absofuckinlutely insane whatta picture omg. okay. i feel like he’s still gotta have this belief in the supernatural i feel like that’s a large part of the charm in literally any kyle dynamic with the sisters is Witch Who Gets It and Man Who’s Only Got Raw Data. there’s an appeal to that. seeing things from different angles all that. so we can say kyle ever good at puzzles has taken his parents notes and everything he knows and various texts and kinda pieced together okay magic does exist. but in this au he’s a professor and not an fbi agent so he can’t just walk around saying Magic Is Real because um he needs this job. also he’s never seen it. but like. the data does not like. like. like it’s real man like are you kidding me. and we’ll say he has one normal friend because he’s normal in this au and he’s like okay here me out tho magic is real and his friend is like ......okay. because like. it could be, i guess? i’m not gonna fight you on this. and kyle also definitely read a lot as a kid he reads a lot now and he’s always kinda like. like you know wondered what it might be like to be a man of action not someone stuck behind a desk all day seeing the world through books. so when he starts to see markers of the gathering storm,,, well. these are the times that make a man. he can either be a pussy about it and keep living his life through paper and ink, or he can follow his intuition. blah blah blah this leads him to get kidnapped by pirates which like. excuse me??? and kyle’s kinda kicking himself because he Wanted to be like a character in an adventure book and well like bada bing bada boom you get what you ask for. which. all due respect on his part. is smart enough to outwit them and escape. he might have dropped his wallet there tho. but when he goes back the same route wandering through the thick fog, all he finds is a solid wall of rock. so i guess he’s fucked in that regard. whoops. but!! magic is real. so that’s a dub. digs a little bit more into the blackjack cutting lore, maybe finds the x marks the spot on where their main hideout was, road trip to. seattle? i guess? port city that isn’t san francisco but is more reasonable to drive to that like. nola or boston. and lo and behold he finds it and find their documentation of the gathering storm accidentally trips a booby trap and jesus fucking christ pirate skeletons with sword which - respectfully - kyle is holding his own for the most part, not getting immediately worried, but there’s no way that would have lasted had the three skeletons not been blown to pieces. and he looks over and sees three brunettes and the one in the center is like who the hell are you? to which kyle really feels like He should be the one asking that question but after stammering out some kind of response about how he’s a professor and he was just looking for some soil samples something generic archaeological because hey. he doesn’t trust these women. he doesn’t know what side they’re on. and he’s not just gonna sacrifice the information he has on the gathering storm. and it’s obvious they don’t believe him, but they don’t kill him either. instead, the one in the center just says be more careful where you leave your stuff and tosses his wallet back to him.

and later at the manor paige is like we just let him go?? and phoebe’s like yeah how to we know he’s not a demon? he wouldn’t be the first to pose as a mortal in the mortal world (because phoebe went to the university to return kyle’s wallet because like it has is ID in it employee id all that under the guise of like. giving a lecture to some of the student’s there as the bay’s leading advice columnist oh hey is there a kyle brody here yeah haha he’s a friend of a friend anyone seen him no he’s on vacation right now? left real abruptly? and then immediately went into his office and touched every surface trying to get a premonition (au in which phoebe didn’t get her powers stripped) and concluded that he’s just Some Guy. like he like has friends and a nine to five and an apartment. so a guy). but piper’s like we don’t know. but we also don’t know what he’s up to or what his connection to the pirates was, which is why i cast a tracking spell on the wallet. and both phoebe and paige approve and in this au again phoebe didn’t get her powers stripped so in styx feet under it’s her and paige on mission and as paige is the one who cast the protection spell and as paige is also very stubborn and also refuses to let innocents die she is the one who gets to become death. she also has a very compelling relationship with death because like. she watched her parents die. and she’s prue’s replacement. the replacement for the dead girl. also fun paige/prue parallel! meanwhile right Should state in any piper/kyle au we just extend pleo’s divorce era by having him remain an elder and keeping that early s6 vibe. so piper’s definitely like a bit more neurotic than normal because you know things haven’t gone great for her and those pirates were warning about the gathering storm and honestly that better not be something that’s gonna hurt her boys because she really could not bear to lose another family member so she’s doing some digging which begins to imply that kyle knows more that he let on so where is he now? the university? great.

and kyle’s you know minding his own business in his office when the same woman practically kicks down his door and is like alright i’m gonna ask again who the hell are you and this time you better answer me honestly. to which: wow. like wow. she’s. she’s a force to be reckoned with and also kinda immediately gains points in kyle’s book for like a) kinda confronting him about knowing more because he’s pretty good at covering his tracks all that so if he’s been Found Out it’s by someone good and b) she also disintegrated evil pirate skeletons so like. 👍. But. he does not trust her for shit. no. absolutely not. he has no reason to. but piper’s not yielding blasts a hole in the wall near his head like quickly now or next time i won’t miss but kyle’s so fuckin stubborn he’s like 🤐 and piper’s. i mean, she can’t kill an innocent. she doesn’t know if that’s who he is, but she can’t run that risk. and kyle’s not saying shit, so she leaves.

then it’s the guardian angel episode where the charmed ones are there on instruction (though they don’t know what they’re looking for. maybe they were just scrying for information) and kyle’s there on a hunch and piper and kyle see each other and it’s um. mac charlie see each other from across the room reaction image. both like. what the fuck are you doing here? and in this one paige is still the one to get her guardian angel stolen and piper’s immediately on high alert because you know big sister/mom mode activated. but they don’t know what they’re looking for and kyle’s like it’s her guardian angel. and piper once again snaps to him firey look in her eyes but kyle’s really just trying to place nice here so he’s like guardian angels. they’ve been going missing being stolen whatever. he’s got the research on it. and piper doesn’t want to trust him but paige is really in grave danger. so, as the sister with the offensive power, she’s going with kyle, and phoebe has to make sure paige doesn’t like. pull a grams. (which for the record i do not accept prewitched as canon but like the elders definitely killed grams <3)

so blah blah blah piper’s now and kyle’s place which is ten times worse than his office because this is where he does his real work and he’s got all the guardian angel shit up and out and is explaining it to piper and it’s making sense but what catches her eye is something on the gathering storm that kyle left out now they’re talking about that they’re starting to realize they’re on the same side. blah blah blah save paige. next episodes what werewolf episode. skip. then!! idk paige still runs magic school right so she’s in the library and she calls piper and she’s like hey remember when you told me to keep an eye out on the gathering storm? and piper’s like yes yeah what is it? and she’s like well we’re inventorying the library and we have books on them and piper’s like that’s good news ! ? and paige is like yeah but we’re missing one. book five. in this something something series. and piper knows Exactly where that book is because she fucking saw it on kyle’s kitchen counter. so now she’s barging into kyle’s place which is getting to be a common occurrence at this point and kyle kinda wants to complain but this is by far the most interesting his life’s been ever and honestly? he’d be kinda bummed if piper stopped kicking down his door. wait actually scratch that you want my book no fuck you changed my mind. to which piper’s like look we’re looking for the same goal here right so give me the book because i have the rest of the series and this could be the missing puzzle piece and kyle’s like okay fine i’ve read the book cover to cover give me the rest of the series and i’ll get you your answers and piper’s like okay let’s get things straight here i’m the witch you’re some two bit archeology professor so when it comes to the handling of sacred magical tomes i’ll be taking the reigns here and kyle’s like fine then you won’t be taking the book. and piper’s like wanna bet and the next think kyle knows he’s hearing the door slam his book’s gone and he’s hearing tires peel out onto the street and he has no idea how she did it. 

back at the manor piper’s got her reading glasses on an volume one open and god this fucking sucks. so she makes phoebe take a stab at it and she hates reading it too. paige also starts it and is like respectfully no. piper’s the only one who did the reading in high school. this is her turf. but my god she cannot make it through all eight of these fucking books. So. she calls kyle. he has to come to the manor because there’s no way she’s giving him the books and there’s no way she’s letting him in magic school so. hi. welcome to the house. but!! by a contrived plot device!!!! a gnome has been shot in magic school this book was the only thing at the scene and paige wants to investigate further but she can’t just leave it out there so she brings it back to the manor she’s gonna cast some spell to find out if there are already spells on the book how to reverse it she just needs to find the spell first and like. there’s no way in hell paige ever wears an outfit with big enough pockets to keep the book on her. so she leaves it on the table. to which kyle asks how this is relevant to the collection. to which piper says don’t open that!! whoops. see, this is why i said we don’t let two bit archeology professors near magical books! piper/kyle charmed noir..............

[viovio]

💕📌🎶 :) hehehe have a cube of mango too vio *mango cube appears beside you*

💕 tell us about one of your favorite characters and why you like them!

ok so I already did this one but I have a lot of faves so its ok. Mr jonathan morris like is just a teen that's most of his personality and I love it (daddy issues too which eugh maybe not so much, he needs charlotte to ground him which I feel sorry for), 18 years old brings along his 16 y/o childhood friend to kick draculas ass and they don't worry too much about it. They're banters quite funny too, even though the talk button in the menu just gives you tips on gameplay most of the time during boss battles they have a lot to say about them, it's a nice feature really. That and he's a whole dumbass, you could kill richter with fucking creampies and that's why por is best game hands down (it's not but a paper airplanes also a subweapon which gives it another point). I ALSO LOVE HIS LITTLE VOICE LINES if you complete the game I think starting a new one from the menu has u hear him saying "showtime!" Or when you successfully complete the motorcycle puzzle and he says "YAHOO!!" it's just so adorable. Have I mentioned that he's gay because he is, charlotte clearly shows interest in him throughout but bc he is gay and she is clearly a lesbian and they don't know it he treats her like a little sister and is also oblivious to a lot of romantic advances, hell the only time he's shown interest in a woman was during the astarte boss battle where he LITERALLY has to be mind controlled to do so, that boy *pointing at him* is gay.

📌 how did you find your hyperfixation?

So how I found it was very simple, as a kid (really young I think maybe about 5-7) we had a ds, was absolutely obsessed with it it had warioware kirby all that stuff, but then there was my first castlevania game: dawn of sorrow. Being the sequel to aria of sorrow (my favorite) and also being a kid I had no clue what was going on but I knew a few things, 1) somas surname was cruz and that made me think he was filipino so I liked him very much, 2) the music was really good!! And 3) some of the enemies looked terrifying and I was all for that. I liked looking at the enemy index and reading their descriptions cuz u loved the lore a lot, I always erased and made new files cuz frankly I had no clue what to do after the first or third levels. I also didn't know how the controls worked since I liked using the touch feature a lot. What I remember was when I beat the puppet master (a terrifying looking boss that was in a later level called the demon guest house), and since the magic seal (a feature added in cuz of the touch system, which you had to use after every boss or else they won't die) was kinda complicated to me and I somehow completed it I was proud of myself!! Showed off to my dad too (he didn't care). Later on he got order of ecclissia (another fantastic game) and i loved it even better than dos, the artwork was gorgeous and shanoa..... 😳 Was also very gorgeous. A lot of things were improved since it was the third and last cv game ever to be released by konami (a whole decade ago I'm so sad) and since this was getting too long I'll cut this short. Our ds broke sometime and I was sad but eventually my dad got a lords of shadow game for our pc, I forgot which one it was I think it was the one with victor in it, anyways it was the first game where I was introduced to alucard, I didn't really play it just watched dad or kuya play it and it was also gorgeous. After that id watch boss rushes or playthroughs of castlevania games on youtube for a nostalgia rush, I didn't really know about any of the other games other than the ds ones, at some point I heard they made the netflix series of it which I didn't watch yet. Until last year, cv was pretty much niche to me and far from my interests, it was August or June I think when dad put on an anime site on tv and watched it with us and needless to say I loved the first season, I didn't know about cv3 or any of the other games so the plot confused me but I did know alucard, after watching all of it I went on a huge rush and learned about all of it's lore (in all the games). Dad then taught us how to emulate games and ever since then I've been playing and loving castlevania a lot, so year long story short I played some of the games as a kid and got really into it after watching the netflix series. Although after s3 and being disappointed I could care less about it cuz all I think about are the games.

🎶 if your hyperfixation has songs/an ost, what is your favorite song from it?

oh my god you did NOT just ask me this bc *clipping from my seat* EHE THERES A LOT SO BUCKLE UP!!!!

Dawn of Sorrow: Draculas Tears (The laboratory theme, dunno how to describe it it's really funky but gets funkier later on, the melody later on kinda feels melancholic bit goes right back to being funky)

Portrait of Ruin: Piercing Silence (one of the 3 boss themes, I like it was better since it gets my heart racing but in a good way, has a REALLY good synth later on), Dance of Sadness (a boss theme saved for only the sisters, also really gorgeous with a melancholic vibe), Iron Blue Intention (13th street theme, a remix of the track w the same name in bloodlines)

Symphony of the Night: Dance of Pales (classical and makes you feel lost in wonder, olroxs quarters theme I think) Woodcarving Partita (VERY fancy library theme I absolutely love it), Rainbow Cemetery (ITS THE CATACOMBS GOD ITS SO GOOD, it makes you dance but also let you know that something's up deep in them)

Castlevania Bloodlines: Calling from Heaven (AUGH WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN... One of my top tracks and also 2nd to last level where Johns dying, rly makes u feel y'know)

Lament of Innocence: Leons theme (also called lament of innocence but GOOD GOD ALSO IN MY TOP TRACKS ITS SO FUCKING GOOD, despite not being my favorite gameplay wise the soundtracks absolutely gorgeous even though it's mostly remixes, save from this one. Absolutely funky theme and being my 2nd fave belmont it's also my favorite belmont theme)

Order of Ecclissia: An Empty Tome (The games main theme and also the first two levels in Draculas castle, it describes who shanoa is, being filled with powerful glyphs abilities and a great weapon against dracula but having no memory of who she is, she's an empty tome) Sorrows distortion (ABSOLUTELY KILLING IT albus's boss theme) Wandering of the Crystal Blue (gorgeous theme for the second water stage), Malaks Labrinth (I forgot what the stage name was but also very good), and also (Forgot the stage name but the credits deserve a spot here)

[woolishlygrim]

Winter Weebwatch #3

I feel a little bad for giving out so many two and three star scores, so I should probably clarify that three stars is meant to be ‘generally pretty good’ and two stars is meant to be ‘watchable but very flawed.’ We’re not working on IGN metrics here.

Also, this week is the week I finally drop a show! What could it be, what could it -- it’s Plunderer. Of course it’s Plunderer. I couldn’t get all the way through this week’s episode and life’s too short to bother watching any more of it.

Also also, while In/Spectre hasn’t been dropped, it gets subbed so late that I’m skipping it this week and rolling this week’s episode over to next week’s post.

ID: Invaded.

★★★★☆

God, why was this show relegated to the Death Season, Where Anime Goes To Die? For three weeks running now, ID: Invaded has stood head and shoulders over all of its competitors, and while there’s always the possibility it could collapse in under its own weight, it so far seems to be going pretty strong.

So episode four (again, see remarks about how one and two aired in the same week) sees Sakaido and the team in a race against the clock to catch the Gravedigger, a serial killer who traps people into enclosed spaces with just a few oxygen canisters and livestreams their struggles, showing the world their final moments and even continuing the livestreams to show their bodies decaying. The Gravedigger has kidnapped a new victim, and for the first time left enough cognition particles behind for Sakaido to dive into his mental world.

Whereas previous episodes have focused heavily on the mystery angle, this episode largely focuses on the stress the case puts on Sakaido and the team. The Gravedigger’s world is a uniquely dangerous mess of fire, explosions, and shifting architecture, and Sakaido dies again and again as he struggles to find any evidence of the Gravedigger’s identity.

Much like the last episode, this would sit at a solid three stars, being a fairly engaging and somewhat harrowing story of Sakaido and the team putting themselves under immense stress to save a victim. What boosts it up to four stars is the moment where the writers pull the rug out from under the characters and the audience: The Gravedigger they’re hunting is only a copycat of the real Gravedigger, and his victim has been dead for days, the ‘livestream’ actually a recording.

The episode also hints at a bigger role for the Perforator in future, as the team attempts to use him as a back-up detective, Akaido, only to find out he’s ill-suited for the role.

Pet.

★★★☆☆

Pet was so close to a four star rating this week. So close. 

So, this week’s episode continues an unclear amount of time after the last week’s episode, with Hiroki and Tsubasa having bought a fish store (as in a pet store that sells live fish and naught else, not a fishmonger’s), which Hiroki believes means they can stop doing work for the shady Committee -- only for Tsubasa to inform him that the Committee paid for the store in the first place, but not to worry, he’ll do all their jobs, and Hiroki doesn’t have to do any of them.

So this episode is … moderately upsetting, actually. Intentionally so.

The bulk of the storyline, in which Tsubasa alters a bodyguard’s memory so that he’s compelled to murder one of his boss’ friends, isn’t what’s upsetting about it, although it does deal with some sensitive subjects, namely domestic abuse and the objectification of vulnerable people. No, what’s upsetting is that, like with last week’s story about Hiroki and Tsubasa altering the memories of a couple, this one also harks back to Hiroki and Tsubasa’s relationship -- specifically, that Tsubasa is emotionally abusing Hiroki.

We get hints of this early on, when Tsubasa is deliberately vague about whether he’ll psychically synchronise with Satoru, another character who, at least in Hiroki’s mind (although evidently not in Satoru’s), is something of a romantic rival. As the episode wears on, Tsubasa goes about his work, while Hiroki, left alone at the fish store, begins showing his immaturity by acting out with his powers before eventually becoming sullen and unresponsive. All of that wouldn’t be enough to indict Tsubasa as being abusive, except in the final scene, as Katsuragi snidely remarks that their new store will never be successful and Hiroki will have to return to a life of crime, Tsubasa mildly returns that he knows it won’t be successful, and he knows it will hurt Hiroki, but that’s just part of ‘taking care of a pet.’

Aaaand we get our title, with all of the unpleasant implications of how Tsubasa views the much more immature and emotionally vulnerable Hiroki.

This episode would have scraped a four star score, but the early parts of the story are a bit too fast paced and a bit incoherent. That really was the only thing holding this absolute gutpunch of an episode back.

Bonus points to the episode that the thing that prompts Hiroki to act out with his powers is seeing a woman’s domineering and callous boyfriend, implying that he is at least somewhat aware of what Tsubasa is like.

Honestly, when this show started I was not expecting a meditation on the subject of abusive relationships, but here we are, and I’m down for it.

Darwin’s Game.

★☆☆☆☆

Oh my god, I just watched it. I just watched it, guys, and I don’t remember even the tiniest bit of it. Am I crazy? Is this what crazy feels like? It’s like I’m blotting the show out of my memory.

I remember something to do with plants and that’s … that’s actually the only thing I remember about this episode.

I don’t even think Darwin’s Game is bad (although let’s be honest, how would I know), it’s just not really anything. It has somehow hit that sweet spot between good and bad where it just fails to make any kind of impact at all, and my brain just interprets it as background noise and proceeds to flush all data pertaining to it.

I might drop it just because this has got to be getting boring for anyone reading these reviews by now. Watching this show is like a sneak peek of suffering from dementia. 

And yet, I still know for a fact it’s better than Plunderer, so it gets one star.

Plunderer.

☆☆☆☆☆ (DROPPED)

Aaand I’m out.

Look, after the shitshow that was the first episode, I should have dropped it straight away. I gave it a chance, and the second episode convinced me that, hey, maybe this wouldn’t be so terrible, maybe the first episode was just an outlier.

The first episode was not an outlier. Episode three isn’t entirely sexual assault and sexual harassment, but about twelve minutes in it does segue into an extended sequence of exactly those things, getting worse with each passing minute. I got up to fourteen minutes, the point at which a supporting character was cheering on the protagonist to sexually assault someone, before I just couldn’t stomach watching anymore.

This show could be the most interesting, engaging, thought-provoking thing on television, and the constant sexual assault would still make me drop it. Luckily, even if you take out all the sex crimes, all you’d get is a show that was basically okay at best.

So zero stars for Plunderer, and I’m dropping the show. To be perfectly honest, I should have dropped it after episode one. 

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen.

★★★☆☆

Onto more pleasant news, man, I just don’t know what’s up with Sorcerous Stabber Orphen’s pacing. Having proceeded at a truly glacial pace for the first two episodes, this episode caps off the entire current story arc, bringing it to an abrupt close.

Now in the company of his old mentor Childman and a task force of sorcerers, Orphen tracks down the dragon-ified Azalie, attempting to reason with her, only for Childman to stab him and eviscerate Azalie. In the aftermath, however, Orphen realises that he’s been played: The dragon he thought was Azalie was actually Childman, and the person he’s been thinking of as Childman is actually Azalie.

So, that was a weird twist. It’s not, in fact, completely out of the left field. The episode sets up early on that Azalie was skilled not only in elemental Black Sorcery, but also in telepathic White Sorcery, and that she should have access to those spells even as a dragon, something which is cause for concern because nobody in the task force has White Sorcery, including Childman. Later on, the confrontation with Dragon-Azalie (Drazalie, if you will), has a character call attention to how she hasn’t used any White Sorcery since the battle started. So when it’s eventually revealed that Azalie did, in fact, use White Sorcery, secretly swapping her mind with Childman’s and letting him die in her place, it actually fits together in quite a neat fashion. 

The episode ends without any real hint as to where the story is going to go next: Azalie escapes in Childman’s body, and Orphen is still an exile from the Tower of Fangs, and there aren’t any other pressing story threads, so I guess we’ll see.

Infinite Dendrogram.

★★☆☆☆

This is the second week in a row that I’m giving Infinite Dendrogram two stars, and it actually physically pains me to do so, because I really like this series. I think apart from ID: Invaded, it’s my favourite anime this season, by quite a significant margin.

But nothing at all happens in this episode.

Okay, that’s only half true. The episode opens with the Player-Killers roaming around Altar having all been killed, which journalist (that’s literally her character class, which I kind of love as a concept) Marie Adler says was the work of just the four ranked players. One by one, she shows the main cast a video of each one taking out a clan of Player-Killers in their own unique way: Arena gladiator Figaro takes his targets out one by one, sadistically toying with them before striking the killing blow; cult priestess Tsukuyo uses magic to immobilise her targets, before letting her cult skewer them one by one; martial artist Lei Lei takes them out in a surprisingly friendly and sporting fashion; and the King of Destruction, whose identity is unknown and definitely not Ray’s big brother, definitely, absolutely, just levels the entire forest his targets are hiding in.

I … do see the necessity of introducing them. The Superiors are basically this show’s Gotei 13, or Gold Saints, or Hashira, or <Insert Group Of Loosely Allied Big Tough People That Are In Every Post-Saint Seiya Shounen Anime> here. There are, however, more interesting ways this could have been done than having the characters watching four videos of fights they already know the outcome to.

For example, what if, instead, you had an episode setting up the characters all getting trapped in different areas, pursued by higher level Player Killers, only for them each to be saved by a Superior. That would actually have some tension and dramatic stakes, and it’d be a much more dynamic way of introducing them. 

[letstalksymphogear]

Symphogear, Ep. 6 (Cont.)

Hibiki, having seen a horror upon horrors, immediately asks Tsubasa if she’s okay. Tsubasa points out she’s a hospital patient, why would you ask this question, you insensitive prick. Hibiki points to the following scene:

Now, you may be asking yourself. “How does a formerly comatose person who is now bedridden on an IV drip manage to do this much damage?” Simply put, Tsubasa has a very chaotic aura. She doesn’t even have to take stuff out of her room; the places she goes to just naturally wind up like this. It’s a metaphor for how much of an absolute mess this person is simply by existing.

“l-look i just- its hard to organize things and- im more of a visual person and-”

“BITCH YOU LIVE LIKE THIS?”

Hibiki unwittingly gets her revenge on Tsubasa. She doesn’t realize it, but her lecturing Tsubasa on what an absolute mess every facet of her life is could possibly be heralded as her lowest point in the entire series.

No, wait. Thinking about it now, this is her second lowest. We won’t see her lowest until GX comes along.

“hibiki, every single bone in my body is broken, you dont have to break my pride too”

Hibiki, being an absolute darling, actually picks up Tsubasa’s mess. This is more than she can say about her own messes.

“haha, miku usually does this for me! wait- wait a minute.”

“i dont get it. i tried to kill you. i tormented and ignored you. i refused to help you for months. i failed to train you on any facet of combat as your senior. i nearly let you get kidnapped and, failing that, nearly killed myself while making you watch, which ALSO didnt help you not get kidnapped aside from scaring the shit out of that weird lady. why are you... helping me?”

“because either we’re going to be very good friends or im going to toss you out the window personally!”

“oh god, that aggression screams kanade. i cant not like her.”

Absolutely annihilated. Just kick her while she’s down in her Taco Bell spiral of humiliation and self-discovery, Hibiki.

“it’s okay, tsubasa! you may be a terminal dumbass, but im sure if we all work together, we can share our braincells and become collectively smarter, for each other!”

“interesting theory. how many ya got?”

“ZERO!”

They trade the kind of banter two people with 0 brain cells would have and then Tsubasa points out Hibiki is doing a great job in her place.

“hey hey HEY HOLD THE PHONE IVE LEARNED MY LESSON IM NOT TRYING TO REPLACE YOU OKAY IM NOT YOU, IM JUST HIBIKI, DOING HER JOB, ALRIGHT”

Meanwhile, in the library, Miku is looking at books, as she does what she says she’s gonna do, unlike a certain other person cavorting with cute idols.

“The Gay Way: How to Get Your Same Sex Relationship Back On Track, by Dr. Lesbe Honest. wow, this one is right up my alley.”

Okay, I’m gonna be honest with you. I literally forgot they show you the title in this. Imagine my face when I made up that title on the spot only to be hit with this little number. Holy shit, Symphogear. There’s this thing called subtlety. I’m begging you. We get it.

OH, AND IT GETS BETTER, BECAUSE

THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK IS THE WRITER OF THE SHOW

IT’S LITERALLY GOT HIS NAME ON IT

THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF WRITING A STORY AND THEN INSERTING A BOOK CALLED “LEARN THE PLOT” WRITTEN BY YOU, IN UNIVERSE

KANEKO STOP THIS BALONEY, PLEASE

AND LIKE FUCKING CLOCKWORK SHE JUST- SHE TURNS HER HEAD AWAY FROM THE BOOK TITLED “THIS IS THE PLOT MOTIF” BY “AUTHOR” AND THEN FUCKING

SHE CONVENIENTLY LOOKS OVER TO THE DISTANCE

AND SHE SEES HIBIKI WITH THE HOT IDOL MIKU WAS INTO, THAT THEY WERE BOTH A FAN ON, AND SHE’S JUST CHILLING THERE AND MIKU WAS TOLD HIBIKI’S ON SERIOUS BUSINESS

AND THE HOSPITAL QUARTERS ARE SOMEHOW CONVENIENTLY CONNECTED TO THE FUCKING LIBRARY ON FULL DISPLAY BECAUSE GOD KNOWS EVERYONE IN A LIBRARY HAS TO WATCH SICK PEOPLE DIE IN REAL TIME

AND NOW MIKU IS THINKING “OH MY FUCKING GOD IM BEING CHEATED ON” AND HER FEELINGS ARE HURT FOR THIS TOTALLY CONTRIVED FUCKING COINCIDENCE

AND SHE’S ALL “BOO HOO HOO I’VE BEEN NTR’D! THIS WAS A CUCKING PLOT THIS WHOLE TIME! WOE IS ME!” FUCK YOU. THIS IS THE WORST. THIS IS ABSOLUTE GARBAGE WHY WOULD YOU- WHY DO YOU EVEN NEED TO SET THIS UP? THERE’S SO MANY BETTER WAYS TO DO THIS!

AND SHE’S JUST STARING BACK AT THE BOOK WRITTEN BY THE SAME ASSHOLE WHO WROTE THIS ENTIRE DAMN SCENARIO IN THE FIRST PLACE, AN EVIL GOD MOCKING HIS SUBJECTS IN THE FACE OF SCRUTINY FOR DRAMA WITH THE MOST CLICHE LOVE NOTES IN A GODDAMNED SOAP OPERA

AND HIBIKI IS NONE

THE

FUCKING

WISER

SYMPHOGEAR SURE IS GREAT, HUH? I SURE DO LOVE SYMPHOGEAR WITH ALLLLLL MY HEART. WHAT A WELL WRITTEN MASTERPIECE! FUCKING BELONGS IN THE FUCKING MOMA!!!!!

Okay. Okay. Let’s get that out of our system. The worst is over. This is the, uh, crescendo of the bad side plot as it inevitably sets itself on the road to resolution. I’m not going to have an aneurysm. My brain is not going to split itself in half. We’re good. I swear, we’re good.

Tsubasa, meanwhile, wants to understand why Hibiki fights, wrestling with the Da Vinci code that is her own emotions. She points out the fight against the Noise isn’t a game, and it ain’t no comic book bullshit either. It’s real, it’s out there, and it’s not pretty yet easily marketable as cute mascots. And what does our protagonist say? No making it up, she literally says:

“i dunno”

Not a damn brain cell in her body, but props for keeping it real. I’d likely say the same thing.

This is the face of someone currently sucking air through their teeth at the raw frustration that someone would be dumb enough to risk their life for the sake of only helping others.

“listen. im gonna keep it real here. i suck at literally everything. math. social studies. writing. helping people is all i have, because its not a competition. you just... you do it. you dont get better at helping people, you just help. like, thats it. i dunno what else to tell you.”

Then Hibiki points out that she feels it all started with Kanade saving her, and the speech implies its a ‘pay it forward’ sort of affair. She was saved, and so she should save others. Unfortunately, it comes off more as a guilt complex. “I lived, and I feel bad about that, so I gotta save everyone else” kind of stuff.

“its my coping mechanism for my countless traumas!”

“i get it now. you’re just as much of a mess as i am. you just dont show it as much. that kinda thinking’s gonna get you killed.”

Tsubasa then correctly points out that it is a kind of survivor’s guilt, where she wants to be released from the pain of old wounds, completely unaware of the irony of her statement.

“yeah. i get ya. we’re both wrecks. but... we can be wrecks working together.”

This would be the part where she says I’M SORRY but apparently we just don’t fucking do apologies in Symphogear, huh? Too good for ‘em, eh?! God.

Then they go outside and talk more about stuff and Durandal. The summation:

“do you have the capacity to live a life forever kicking ass?”

“yeah”

Hibiki, coming to terms with how she wants to deal with shit, manages to sharpen (haw) her resolve as to who she is and how she uses her abilities.

Meanwhile...

“i cant believe hibiki is having an affair with an attractive idol popstar. especially my favorite one from their old band. not only is she cheating on me, but she’s cheating on me from one of the five people on my lists id immediately get with if i had the chance. it feels like a double betrayal. a real life one, and a fantasy one... why do i find this weirdly hot...?”

“HEY NEWCOMER WELCOME TO THE CUCK AND BUCK WHERE WE SELL FRESHLY FRIED CUCKS FOR ONE BUCK, REAL EASY, REAL CHEAP, GOOD OL’ FASHIONED JAPANESE SOULFOOD”

“ive come to take my throne. i’ll take the ‘one flew over the cuckoo’s nest” and have the three eggs over easy with the ‘easy sleazy pancakes’”

“make it an extra lonely helping. this is gonna be a long afternoon.”

“ahhh. a freshly cucked newcomer coming to the cuck and buck to duck amongst their bad luck run amok, huh?”

“listen dont sass me about my busy girlfriend with your dr. seuss antics just gimmie the food and lets get this over with”

“no problem! sorry, they just come easy. it’s hard to buck at the cuck and buck when rhymes you huck make you wanna fu-”

“FOOD. NOW.”

Miku then ponders about how her feelings may have spiraled from a process of over thinking, or possibly hunger. Maybe both. Maybe Hibiki isn’t cheating on her. Maybe the reasons are more complicated than she knows. She briefly contemplates communication; a futile gesture when it is Hibiki safeguarding a secret she is forced to keep for incredibly stupid reasons.

“thanks for the food, miss. it really helped sort my feelings out.”

“no probs, kid. here at the cuck and buck, the only thing we cuck here is... our hearts.”

Meanwhile, Hibiki is still hanging with Tsubasa. Hey, if you’re gonna hang out with a critically acclaimed popstar, might as well squeeze every minute out of it, right?

“so... taco bell, huh? im surprised you actually like taco bell now. maybe you just like fast food styled psuedo-mexican restraunts? have you tried chipotle?”

“i... maybe you’re right, actually. i’ve grown to love taco bell, but... maybe i should expand my horizons. kanade did say... singing makes you hungry. maybe thats what she meant. i should take to new life experiences...”

“yeah! i can take you to all the good fast food places i know!”

“dont you have a girlfriend?”

“she can join us! she’s a big fan of you after all!”

“hey- hey wait! m- more friends? more... more friends... more friends.....”

“more friends...”

Meanwhile, a crisis develops.

Chris, having heard the f-word (friendship), is heading immediately to do the exact opposite of this.

She’s taken some pointers from Tsubasa, t-posing to assert dominance.

“how the fuck is she even flying”

“i cant wait to tell hibiki how much i love and appreciate her despite the weird NTR aura surrounding this whole situation”

“yeah, that’s right! i’m meeting the Gremlin in the park for an asskicking, don’t worry!”

“oh, speak of the devil! hibiki! i love and appreciate you despite the weird ntr auras!”

“miku- wait. oh no. i saw this happen in sam reimi’s spiderman 3. im fucked.”

“YOU GUESSED CORRECTLY, PIDGEON BANGS”

I know I’ve joked about homewrecking, but this is ridiculous.

Chris realizes there’s someone else around she may have potentially hurt. This is surprising, given murder is not something she has shyed away from, but she’s slowly climbing that ladder of morality, so cut her some slack for taking it one rung at a time.

“im losing my girl. losing my grip. now im about to lose my life. this NTR business truly is the worst.”

Chris has accidentally employed the Dio Brando style of disposing of people, which consists of throwing a vehicle and smashing them until dead.

“you’ve taken one step too close to my heartstrings, Gremlin, and for that you’re about to understand the full definition of an ass kicking.”

Hibiki fucking punches the car. Everything is forgiven in this episode for now.

“i... hibiki... are you... a street fighter character? holy shit. oh my god. hibiki oh my god you’re a street fighter character. thats been the true problem here. you’re a street fighter character now. oh my god. cheating? how could i have thought cheating was involved? you were literally just becoming a straight up superhero! oh my god. the abs! the washboard abs! the signs were all around me! the only thing you went to do behind my back was kick ass!”

“i’m sorry. i need to go kick ass now.”

The good news is all that tension just got evaporated. Miku sorta gets the truth now: her girlfriend hasn’t been cheating on her, she’s just been trying to save the local tri-county area from the grips of inter-dimensional alien eldritch entities controlled by a Gremlin and her Mistress. It’s a lot to take in, though.

These two are about to fight head to head. Last time, Hibiki was but the pupil. Now, she is the Master.

“can’t touch me, goldie locks. lemme do you a favor and CRACK THAT WHIP!”

“oh my god hibiki’s gonna fight that weird looking person”

“naruto running deeper into the woods isn’t gonna stop me from beating your ass senseless, fists for brains”

“thats because i wanna talk, asshole”

“wait. wait, what? you... you want to talk? to me?”

Hibiki proceeds to aggressively describe herself to her. Name, identity, blood type, age, the works. This is because she’s trying to befriend her, because Hibiki feels fighting people is bad, and that talking is more useful than fighting. This is a recipe for suicide, normally, but in this instance...

“what in the goddamn hell... i... um... nice.. to meet you...?”

Hibiki deploys a counter-T-Pose to show kinship, feeling that they don’t have to fight like this since they’re not Noise.

“talk may be cheap but it’ll make kicking your ass all the more easier, nerd”

Chris learns this, in fact, does not make the ass kicking all the more easier. Hibiki’s fresh new moves manage to dodge whip after whip of Chris’s attacks, and it’s really starting to annoy her a lot.

“pain in the ass. so you learned how to fight, huh? fine. you’ll tire out eventually.”

“let’s just talk, seriously! or maybe we can bond over board games-”

“i FUCKING hate board games. the fuck are you, a grandma? just fight already! people cant understand each other anyway!”

“JUST DIE ALREADY!”

“i was told to kidnap you. but im exerting a loophole today; no one told me to do it alive”

“the only kidnapping going down is me, sleeping in on a thursday afternoon forgetting class exists, you neon porcupine. so come at me. can’t kick me ass if you dont come any closer, right?”

“WITH PLEASURE!”

“ive watched the entirety of dragonball z, i know exactly how this fight’s gonna go down”

“finally. looks like i got y- hey, wait, what?”

“ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY JANKING MY LEG? THIS BITCH IS LITERALLY GOKU? PULLING KAMEHAMEHAS AND SHIT? WHY? god. its me. yukine chris. why do you hate me. why do you drag me through all this shit only to be hit in the head with some real anime baloney. why. please. have some mercy.”

“i dont know what a goku is but sure, yeah, why not”

“im going to kill her. oh my god. she doesnt even know who goku is.”

“get that tentacle shit away from me. im not fucking around anymore. we’re going to have a heart to heart whether you like it or not!”

“oh shit she found my weakness. really close melee combat.”

“MADE A FRIENDSHIP GIFT FOR YA. IT’S A FRESHLY MADE KNUCKLE SANDWICH, STRAIGHT FROM THE DELI”

“OH GOD, PLEASE, NOT MY FACE”

“REQUEST ACCEPTED, PAL”

Hibiki punched her so hard that she physically destroyed the entire armor Chris was wearing in a single blow.

“she... she doesnt punch ME like that... i mean, probably because she loves me, but..”

“did... did she just kill that person...? hibiki...? you, uh... you alright...?”

[youmightaswell]

Die!

Towels Equal Power

[I still need to write that Bellagio (and Vegas) got wrong and right, but one of the things the Bellagio got right is so huge that it needs its own entry.]

Longtime readers will know that one of my biggest pet peeves about going on vacation is when  a hotel rations towels. I don't necessarily mean in the bathroom -- most hotels allow you to request more and honestly I use my bathroom towels more than once even on vacay.

The type of towel rationing which is decidedly not luxurious is when each hotel guest is permitted just one beach towel or is expected to use a towel card in order to get a lone towel for the beach or pool. Giving over room number, last name and ID is more like being at the DMV than being at a tropical locale.

I first came across this at Club Med, where you are given a towel card for a single towel. I argued and got an additional one. By the end of that trip I managed to wrangle six towel cards which means if ever in prison I would surely run shit. I have long acquainted towel acquisition with prison rules. Meaning in prison the person who has the cigarettes, drugs, or extra commissary  is a boss. You want an extra honey bun, well then you owe me five when your commissary comes in. And bitch you better pay up. But being in prison doesn't remind you of a vacation, right? So any hotel that makes me feel I have to hoard towels and plan out my days of having to secure a prime chair gets a big thumbs down from me.

A single beach towel might be doable if there was another way to save a seat at the pool and beach. But because people get out there at 6am to save a coveted beach seat under a palapa and/or a pool seat under an umbrella  one needs to get up super early and place their beach towel on a seat in order to be assured of a spot for the day. But if you want a seat at both the pool and beach you need more than one towel. And that also means you have no towel to wrap around you or use to actually dry off.

Now Club Med isn't what I'd say a luxurious property so I could kind of see why they are rationing towels. (It's not an environmental thing -- plenty of plastic everywhere and unlimited bath towels.)

What ends up happening is that people will take a towel off someone's chair and return it so they get an extra towel card for the following day. And then when you are cardless you have to argue with the towel gestapo to get another.

Either way, not what I'd call a relaxing vacation.

Then more recently Club Med did a huge renovation and started charging more than double for their top-tier rooms in Turks and Caicos. We are talking to the tune of about $550 a night. They got their 4th trident which means they are supposed to be like a five-star resort. Yet the towel issues continued. Thankfully in the VIP rooms you are given two towel cards per person and they are less likely to argue with you if you want an additional towel or two.

Most other places that are considered luxury properties handle the beach towel service as an amenity that is included in your resort fee. I prefer this. They set up your chairs and umbrella at the pool and beach which means you don't have to bother yourself keeping track of towels. They put two or three on each chair for you and are happy to provide more throughout the day as needed or desired.  Most resorts i go to charge hefty amenity fees - Gurneys, the Ritz, 1 Hotel all charge them. They tend to run from $25-$40 per day and ensure you get two seats at both the pool or beach. Loews in Miami charges that same amenity fee but then fucks you over on umbrellas at the beach. You get chairs and unlimited beach towels but still need to fork over an additional $25/day for an umbrella. This irks me to no end. [For this overcharge I encourage everyone to take home their famous black and white striped beach towels to compensate.]

My favorite place in the world is the Viceroy Riviera Maya. Just 40 private villas where they indulge your every whim. While super pricey (all inclusive will run you about $1000/day) the best part aside from the personalized chef-prepped unlimited food is that there is no additioanl resort fee, your chairs are waiting for you all made up with four towels each, an umbrella at both the pool and beach. (Add to that they offer chilled hand towels every few hours, wash your sunglasses and flip flops and bring out little treats like frozen fruit and smoothies, and it is paradise!)

At my recent trip to the Bellagio in Vegas I noticed they got something very wrong: while there were hundreds, if not thousands of chairs at the five pools, they'd all be filled by 7:10am. The pool areas opened at 7am -- the elevator wouldn't even go down to the pool area until then -- and people would be running out to snag chairs. There were literally lines at hte elevator at 6:45 with people teeming to be the first in. This ruined the trip for me and others because how the hell wants to be out and about at 7am just to be assured a spot under an umbrella by the pool? (There were tons of other less prime chairs but they were simply on a concrete area with no pool, bathroom area or bar and also didn't have shade from the sun or offered umbrellas.)

But the one thing that Bellagio does right is: UNLIMITED BEACH towels. While they don't set up your seat for you (downer!) you don't even have to give your name or room number to the towel window in order to get any amount you  want. Imagine: Towel Nirvana. Clouds of warm, white, fluffy towels as far as the eye can see. You want an extra one for a pillow? No problem. Want to use one to use as a turban around your wet hair? Bingo. Want to fashion a terrycloth gown out of one and dance around the sprinkers? Go for it!  Now that is what I call vacation!

At one point seeing that I was up at an ungodly 6am to get a pool seat I asked for a whopping eight towels and set up two chairs in different areas of the pool -- one that gets sun in the morning and shade later and the other which got shade in the morning and sun in late afternoon. I bounced around between both, a sort of vacation from my vacation.

This is a long-winded way of saying very clearly that in the world of luxury vacations, towels equal power.

So imagine my surprise when on the aforementioned recent Vegas vacation, while ensconced in a terry-clad chair in a prime spot, reading Kelly Oxford's memoir I came upon this passage:

The only thing I like better than free frozen grapes delivered to me is icy cool serendipity.

Kudos from one quirky and neurotic Kelly to another.May the towels be with you. 

[samidianne07]

Meeting Taylor Swift--

On September 25, 2014, Thursday, I got a direct message on Twitter from the verified Taylor Nation account that said, “CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE Hi! We have a confidential exclusive opportunity we’d liked to speak to you about.” I sent my information to their website immediately. So, Friday at 1:01 PM, they called me. They asked me my full name and where I was from and asked if I could be in Nashville on Sunday, September 28. I said Yes! They said only we could go and they would be taking our phones. We were to arrive at a parking lot no earlier than 4 and no later than 4:30. We had to remember the passcode “baked sugar castles” and have a valid form of ID. She then asked how big of a Taylor fan I am and I said, “huge, my friends all think I’m crazy.” Next thing I knew me and my good friend Alyssa were heading to Nashville at 9 AM Sunday morning. We drove by to make sure we could find it then we went to Opry Mills Mall. We stopped at a cute pizza place for lunch. The day could not be more perfect. We then went to downtown Nashville and walked around. At 3:30 we headed to the meeting spot. There were several cars there now. Many girls started getting out. I walked up and immediately made friends with a girl named Amber. It was totally amazing to meet so many girls just like me. We stood in line and then had to sign a confidentiality form about where we were going and what happened. We got a green wristband and a stamp, then had to get checked by a security guy. We then got on the charter bus and waited to leave. We finally left and ended up at this beautiful fenced in house. We got out and walked to the outside of the house. There was a gorgeous pool and a patio where there was so much food. There was pizza, fruit, chicken, vegetables, chips, dip, sushi, California rolls, diet coke and water. I sat down with some friends I made on the couch and we ate. Though, I didn’t eat much I was way too nervous/excited. Next thing I knew, we were in a line to walk inside. It was her parents house and as soon as you walk in, we could see a picture of Andrea, Scott, Taylor, and Austin. We then walk to the living room and there are pillows everywhere to sit on, a piano in the front (that we learned is the same piano she wrote ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ on), and a single chair in the front of the room. I was lucky enough to be in the very front of the room, almost right in front of the chair. Taylor’s representatives started passing out a box of tissues. Next thing you know Taylor Swift walks in and we all die! She was wearing a black romper. She first tells us we are in fact at a 1989 secret session. She said she has been stalking us for months and handpicked us to come. She even knew our names. She then said she was going to play us the album. Halfway through playing the album we had an intermission and she got chai cookies and rice crispy treats with chocolate and mint chocolate cookies for us that she made. She walked around and talked with us and it was all so casual having conversations with her. Track 1 is perfect, Welcome to New York is so fun and her new sound is AMAZING! Out of the Woods (track 4) is the most PERFECT representation of the anxieties of love. Blank Space is so sassy and so perfect. I think my favorites, the ones that stuck with me the most that night, were Wildest Dreams and Clean. Track 13 Is the best ending to an album ever. I cried the whole time. Seeing her play these and tell what inspired them was amazing. Her talent is literally unexplainable. I loved Wildest Dreams the most because she started talking about how she used to have this perfect, fairytale, idea in her head about love. But now when she meets someone, and starts to fall for them her thoughts are no longer “I can’t wait to see where this will go,” her thoughts are..”I hope you think well of me when this is over.” And that just struck me. I will never forget her talking about that song and hearing how beautiful every lyric was. The song “This Love” she played a video clip of soldiers while the song played. We were all in hysterical tears by that point.  Amazing. I never wanted the night to end. I clearly remember looking at her and thinking, “This is a moment you are never going to forget the rest of your life.” When she was done playing the album though, we all went outside and waited. We were in 8 groups and I was group 2. We went in together and got to go inside one by one and talk to her. I was one of the first groups to go in. When the person in front of me went in, I could see Taylor and her talking. I was so nervous and so excited when it was my turn. I walked down the stairs and she immediately gave me a hug. She said “I love your shirt, it makes you look like a princess.” I apologized for crying the whole time, and she told me they have been working on this for 6 months and how excited she was for it. She asked if I wanted a picture and what I wanted to do in the picture. She had her Grammy’s we could hold, but I said, “Can we hug?” and she said “Yeah!” We hugged and they took our polaroid picture. I said thank you, and left. It was all so surreal. They gave us TS bag, a keychain that says “Nashville Secret Session, 3 shirts, and 2 calendars.

 Taylor Swift will always mean so much to me, as will that very special night.

 And as always, I cannot tell my story without thanking one of my best friends in the world, Alyssa. I almost did not get to go. I have super bad anxiety driving places, along with my family had concerns the whole thing was a scam. She refused to let me miss this opportunity and said we are driving to Nashville. Whether it was a scam or not, we were going to go and enjoy a beautiful Sunday in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And that day was better than I ever imagined, thanks to her. <3

[herbertwest]

The Terrible Trio in: Olive Garden

“I’m starving,” whined Jeremy, his focus entirely shifted onto food and away from the fact that he had been trying to kill/was almost killed by his teammates mere minutes ago. “There’s no room service. We’re all going to die of hunger,” said Nora, crossing her arms. “Or alternatively, we could eat Rod.” “Or we could go to Olive Garden,” said Rod. “But…that involves actually getting up and going somewhere,” said Jeremy. “Pretend it’s a mission. You’ve got to kill your lasagna. We’ll do reconnaissance and look at the menu, then we’ll drive there, I’ll find a good parking spot, we’ll go undercover and not let the serving staff know we’re notorious assassins, and we’ll have a nice dinner.” “I don’t like lasagna,” said Jeremy. “Me neither,” said Nora, who actually loved lasagna, but wanted to be contrary. “It’s not about the lasagna. Just get in the van.”

Miracle of miracles, Rod parked right in front of the restaurant. They filed in “Hi, table for three?” asked the hostess. “I guess,” said Nora. They were seated at their table. They sat in silence, scrutinizing the menu. “I will literally kill someone if we don’t get mozzarella sticks,” said Nora. “I think we can handle getting mozzarella sticks,” said Rod. “Can I take your drink orders?” said the waitress, who seemed very nice. “I’ll have a Spiked Strawberry Lemonade,” said Jeremy. “Can I see your ID?” Jeremy realized the only ID he had on him was one from one of his targets. “I left it at home…I guess I’ll have a NORMAL Strawberry Lemonade,” he sulked. “I’ll have a Jack and Coke,” said Nora, who was somewhat offended when the waitress did not ask for her ID. “I’ll have a Passion Fruit Moscado ‘Rita,” said Rod. “Great, I’ll have those right out,” said the waitress, and placed a basket of breadsticks on the table. The breadsticks lasted for about twenty seconds. “They have to give us more, right?” said Rod. “Isn’t it illegal for them not to give us infinite breadsticks?” “That sounds about right,” said Jeremy.

The waitress came to take their order. “What can I get for you?” she said. “I’ll have a ribeye steak, rare, with a side of roasted Brussel sprouts,” said Rod. “Sir, we do not make that,” said the waitress. “Oh. In that case I’ll have the saffron-glazed wild salmon.” “Sir, we REALLLY do not have that,” said the waitress. Rod sighed. “Lasagna.” “Great! And for you?” Jeremy steepled his hands. “Are your chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs?” “They are not, and we don’t have chicken nuggets. We have chicken fingers though, and you can have it with a nice alfredo sauce.” “Chicken fingers are unacceptable. I will also have lasagna.” The waitress mentally congratulated herself for ID checking Jeremy, who was obviously about sixteen. His parents were weird. “And for you?” she asked Nora. “Just bring me three orders of mozzarella sticks,” said Nora. “Alrighty then. Your food will be out shortly.” “Neither of you may touch the mozzarella sticks,” said Nora.

“So, we’re going to track down Duke Knight and kill him like a dog, except I wouldn’t kill a dog and I would kill Duke Knight, right?” asked Jeremy “Why didn’t she bring us more breadsticks?” asked Rod. Nora sipped her Jack and Coke. Jeremy tried to sneak a sip of Rod’s ridiculous drink, but Rod moved the drink at the last minute. Jeremy sulked and sipped his non-alcoholic strawberry lemonade, which was actually excellent. “Yeah of course we are,” said Nora. “He will die horribly by our hands. And feet. I want to kick him a little bit.” “Are neither of you concerned about the breadsticks?” asked Rod.

The food came. Rod ate his normally. Jeremy sulked at his. Nora happily ate mozzarella sticks. “Can I have one?” Jeremy asked. “No,” said Nora. “But I don’t like lasagna,” said Jeremy. “Then why did you order it?” asked Rod. “I got flustered.” “You can’t have my mozzarella sticks. Eat your lasagna. If you eat your lasagna we’ll have dessert,” said Nora. Jeremy grumbled and made a show out of taking a bite. It tasted pretty good. “You are old enough to have alcohol, aren’t you? I always just assumed you were and gave you vodka, even if you act twelve,” said Rod. “Of course I’m old enough!” fumed Jeremy, who was telling the truth. “Also I don’t want dessert here, I want to get ice cream.” “I am all about that dairy,” said Nora, who had eaten fifteen mozzarella sticks and was admittedly feeling a little sick.

Rod paid the check with the company card, and they left. “What kind of tip did you give? She seemed nice,” said Jeremy. “Eighteen percent. I would have given twenty, but she never brought us more breadsticks.” “You can’t not tip for that!” said Nora.

The ice cream store was down the block. It was called The Sixth Ice Age The Terrible Trio examined the tubs of ice cream behind the glass. “Yeah, can I please have a waffle cone with Orange You Glad I Didn’t Say Chocolate, MonuMINTal, and Anaphylactic Shock?” asked Jeremy. “We’re going to have to card you,” said the employee. “What,” said Jeremy “It’s a joke. I say it to all the kids,” said the employee, and went to get Jeremy’s ice cream. “I’m an adult!” said Jeremy, but no one paid attention to him. Rod had a hot fudge Sunday with Government Ordinated Roads ice cream, and Nora had a Black Widow milkshake. They finished their ice cream, and returned to the hotel. “Alright. Now that that’s over with, it’s time to plan how we’re going to kill Duke Knight,” said Rod. “Let’s do it,” said Jeremy and Nora in synch. “Jinx,” said Nora.

---

@halloweenriot @xxxdragonfucker69xxx

[onechicago-onefamily]

Chapter 3

”Antonio, is it true there are kids involved in this?”  ”Does it make you feel better if I answered that question?”  ”I’m not the one chained to a wall with chainsaws.”  Antonio made a face.  ”Sorry. You know me.”  ”You probably know the answer already.”  ”Don’t let me come before them, Antonio.”  ”Gabby-”  ”I’m serious. I… I don’t want to get rescued while some kids don’t.” ”Gabby, don’t talk like that. Please.”  ”Hey big bro… I’m saying please too.” 

When Jay came into the break room, he immediately saw there was something on Antonio’s mind.  “You got anything?”  “No. All my CI’s are too scared to talk. It’s like this guy has eyes everywhere.”  “Maybe sarge had more luck. We know Voight can be… Convincing.”  Antonio smirked. Saying Voight could be “convincing” was an understatement. “How’s your brother holding up?”  “He thinks he still has a good five hours of oxygen. How’s Gabby?”  “She…”  Antonio became silent.  “She wants me to put the kids above of her. She said that if she makes it, but Daniel and Jordan die-”  “Hey man, we’re not gonna get to that point, all right? We still have time. We’re gonna find them and they’re gonna be okay.”  “They better be.”  The man left the break room, leaving Jay to get some coffee on his own. He sended a quick text to the patrolman guarding the safehouse Nat was at, receiving back an immediate “They’re okay.” He hoped it would stay like that. 

“We got a hit. My man Eddie let every gang in Chicago know that we’ve put a bounty on the head of our guy. Some are still willing to do something for 500 grand.”  “Sarge, isn’t that-”  “Against the force its playbook? Yup. But my money, my rules.” “Seeing your position, no prosecutor would think about prosecuting you,” Peter said from his side of the room. Hank made a “are you happy now?” face to Upton, who shut her mouth.  “While we’re waiting for that lead, where are we now?”  “Technical guys are still running for locations,” Ruzek said. “We should be getting a list any minute.”  “Anna went back to the office to get some files about similar cases,” Peter answered.  “Doctor Charles from MED is coming over to help out,” Jay added. “Other direct family members have been placed into safe houses.” While the team kept discussing where they were at, Peter received a text from Anna. A picture. “Sergeant Voight-”  At the same moment, Voight his phone went off. Caller ID unknown. “Roll it.” “You disobeyed me, Hank. You didn’t listen to the rules.”  Calls from the killer went on immediate speaker so everyone in the office could hear it.  “I told you people not to act like smart asses, like you are the invincible intelligence unit. I warned you. Now I fear there is no other way.”  “Someone, track this call!” Hank hissed. “If there is someone you want to blame for the death that is gonna happen, blame the girl from the DA. She shouldn’t have been so full of herself. Now, look at those pretty video feeds.”  The screens from the feeds started to light up one by one.  “Eeny…”  Jay saw his brother was muttering something. He was praying. “Meeny…”  Antonio saw tears streaming down his sister’s face. “Moe… Who is gonna die?”  Al could already see it happen. It would only take a snap of his fingers to let Meredith fall into the water.  “Oh I know… That…” Adam his dad looked into the camera. “Makes…”  Jordan cried even more. “You.”  “No, please don’t. NOOOO!!!”  The gas burners who had been above Nicole Silver her head gave a gigantic flame. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”  Everyone looked in awe as Nicole Silver burned alive. 

Burgess her cries and screams were to be heard through the entire building. Somewhere Jay hated himself.  He hated himself because he was so damn relieved for now.  “At least Will wasn’t the one who burned,” a small voice in his head said. He knew he wasn’t the only one, because he had seen the same look on Antonio and Hailey their faces.  He wouldn’t forget the relief Will had shown on the feed.  He wasn’t dead.  He wasn’t dead yet. “Will?”  With a worried look on his face, Jay checked the feed. Will had obviously been crying.  “I heard it. All of it.”  “Are you-”  “Jay, don’t make me yell. I’m this close to losing it.” “Will… Please try to keep it together, okay? For me. For Nat.”  “Did she tell you what happend last week?”  Jay smiled. “She did.”  “Jay, if this goes wrong-”  “Will, you’re not giving me the “if I die” speech. I don’t wanna hear it.”  “I have a good four hours left Jay. I don’t want to end like a fucking vegtable.”  “You’re not going to end like that.”  “You don’t know what rolls by in the ED sometimes. I know exactly how it can end. But there is something you can do for me.”  “What’s it?”  “There are kids involved in this right?”  “Will-”  “Can you just answer me? Please?”  “Yeah. Adwater his brother and Voight his grandson, Daniel.”  “What happend to them?”  “I’m not gonna tell you-”  “Jay, make me happy that I wasn’t the one burning.”  That one hit target.  “They’ve locked Daniel away in a freezer somewhere. Jordan is about to be pulled apart, literally. We don’t know where exactly and we haven’t been able to find out yet.”  “Make sure you save them first, Jay.”  Jay sighed. Somewhere, he did not want to have this conversation with his brother, but he should also have seen this one coming. This was what Will had in common with Antonio his sister; They were medics. Always thinking about other lives. “I know what you’re thinking, but how could I ever look Nat into the eyes if those kids die? Just… Please?”  “I… I’ll see.” 

Not that much later, firehouse 51 responded to an industrial fire. Arriving on scene, the first thing chief Wallace Boden noticed was a trail of little gingerbreadmen, running from his spot to the entrance of the factory.

[coffee-for-himchan]

You Are My Chiquita (Yoo Youngjae x reader)

Word count: 2.9 k+

Genre/warnings: (savage) fluff, only warning is a bunch of badly made B.A.P puns.

Summary: You had no clue what was going on in Youngjae’s head when he made the first song related pun, all you knew was that you hoped the first pun was also the last one. Little did you know that this was only the start, and that the whole day would be filled with lame jokes and endless teasing, in classic Youngjae fashion.

You were walking down the street, or at least trying to. It was very early in the morning, and almost no people in your neighborhood could be seen around on the streets at this time of day. A weird coincidence had occurred earlier - both you and Youngjae had a hard time falling asleep, and since it was too hot and too boring to just stay under the blankets and stare at the ceiling, when he noticed that you weren't sleeping either and clarified that you were both weirdly in the same exact situation, he enthusiastically told you that you were going for a walk. So here you were, your hand trapped in his, fingers tangled together and arms slightly swaying up and down with every step you took. Anyone who would've seen it from a distance would've thought you looked like a cute couple. What could possibly be wrong? Everything. Well, not everything. But, unlike usually, Youngjae was all in for bad puns today, and it didn't quite bother him that you weren't in the mood to hear any. Unlike you, who felt the effects of sleep deprivation despite not being able to fall asleep, he was his loud, enthusiastic and energetic self. Just a little punnier.  At first, when he made a lame joke, you thought of it as funny, but it escalated very quickly into your worst nightmare when he found a new past-time favorite - making puns using B.A.P lyrics. So you would just casually ask him anything really, for example, "So what do you have planned for today? Should we go grab lunch together or are you busy with the boys in the studio or at practice?", and he would all seriously stare you dead in the eye for a moment, and then say "Yeah, of course we're getting lunch together, because YOU ARE MY CHIQUITA, YOU ARE MY CHIQUITA" while making his walking style 10 times bouncier and singing loudly on the street. Maybe it was a little mean to hope that someone would open their apartment window and throw a flower pot on his head, yelling at him to stay quiet or something. Okay, that indeed was a bit too mean. You loved him to bits and didn't want him to get crushed and yourself to die alone, but still. Your head was aching already, no need to make it even worse. It all continued when you came back home and popped down on the bed, finally feeling tired enough to actually get some rest at 5AM. When setting the alarm clock, you turned around to face Youngjae. "So, what time do you have to wake up?"  "Well, just whenever you get up for work WAKE ME UP, WAKE ME UP as well. As long as you WAKE ME UP, WAKE ME UP at all," he looked quite satisfied with himself, and what annoyed you even more is the fact that the look in his eyes literally screamed "they call me the brain of the group for a reason, ya know?", not to mention him trying to do Daehyun's "Ooooou, ooooou" parts and failing miserably. Youngjae was slightly disappointed when you got into bed and refused to cuddle with him, and it took him some time and a lot of softly stroking your side with his hand and planting tiny kisses from the back of your neck a little down your spine for him to be able to have you wrapped up in his arms. You couldn't resist him entirely, that was your weakness. Despite having mixed feelings the next morning about not wanting to hear more of Youngjae's bad puns and admiring how he looked like a (very savage) pure angel while sleeping, you woke him up and even made him breakfast. You even managed to smile when he started fooling around, complaining about you being grumpy since yesterday and screaming "BE HAPPY, SO EVERYBODY, BE HAPPY!!", but what killed your mood slightly was his passionate cover of "WHAT THE HELL" (that just consisted of him screaming that line a few times over and over again) when he saw that you laughed at his previous pun. You left the house to go to work, leaving a panicking Youngjae behind, because he took too much time to make puns and was running late now. When you went down the staircase, you couldn't actually help but laugh out loud at that boy's silliness. Yesterday it had really annoyed you out of your mind, but today you were kind of well rested and without a headache, and seeing Youngjae all hyper and jamming to his group's songs had made you happy. But you were just as much of a shady little sarcasm bundle as he was, so you decided to act the way you did earlier on when it came to his puns, just to see how long he would keep making them if you acted like they annoyed you to the last bone. The next pun came right at the start of your next interaction, and it happened to be a "COFFEE SHOP" voice message when you asked him about where he would want to get lunch. After threatening him that you wouldn't come if he continued the lame jokes and saying a coffee shop wasn't an appropriate lunch spot all he did was make a pun using their song "Walk", cutely singing the line "I don't wanna fight, I don't ever wanna fight" into your ear when you did actually meet up at a small cafe. It was hard, but you managed to keep a straight face, because at this point he started adding aegyo to the mix, making it much harder not to react properly. You couldn’t help but let your brain process it all and think a little. Your lives have been so serious recently, with all of these busy schedules both of you had and all the times you spent apart, your shared bed back in your apartment feeling unwelcoming, cold and empty as you curled up in the blankets and facetimed Youngjae who always, no matter when or where, seemed to have a free minute or two in spare for you. Him being this hyper and playful and you responding the way you did made you feel slightly bad, but you promised yourself to keep strong and just see how far he will go. Soon enough you would annoy the hell out of him with cuteness overload as well, and he would have no escape. Not that he would want to escape, you were sure of it. The whole day passed by in a heartbeat, and you were surprised when you looked at your wristwatch and noticed that it was already this late. Just as you were about to call up a friend, your phone, that you had previously put on a desk full with papers you needed for work, started buzzing and sent a few of the papers flying from the table. You picked up your phone, glaring at the caller ID, and sighed. Even when he wasn't around you, Youngjae was causing trouble. "Waddup, trouble on two legs," you casually said as you answered the phone, picking up the few papers and placing them back on the desk. "So, you remember lunch?" he asked. You furrowed your brows as to where this conversation was leading, and slowly nodded, mentally slapping yourself after half a second. Nodding. While you were talking on the phone. "That's not how phones work, (y/n)," you told yourself quietly. "Yeah, my memory isn't short term. Did something happen?" you questioned, now curious. "Well, guess who left their car headlights on... And whose car's battery is now empty because of that..." "Are you kidding me!? Yoo Youngjae, I swear to god..." "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, I GOT DISTRACTED, BLAME DAEHYUN WHO CALLED ME AT THAT SAME EXACT MOMENT AND MADE ME LOSE TRACK OF MY ACTIONS," Youngjae explained in his regular fashion, and you cracked up as you heard "STOP BLAMING ME" somewhere in the distance. "Put me on speaker," you ordered.  "Just don't embarrass me, the situation's already not looking good-" "DAEHYUN, I AGREE, I'M NOT BUYING THAT EXCUSE EITHER,'' you heard various laughs in the distance, and felt slightly proud about yourself for roasting Youngjae like this, because that's exactly how he always treated you in these types of situations. He always lovingly made fun of you, and afterwards was ready to face the problem together with you, no matter how big or bad it was. You figured that the "making fun" part had just ended, so, with a few last laughs, you collected yourself.

"Okay, idiot, wait for me to come and pick you up, and don't do anything stupid," you told him as you got up from the chair you were sitting in and made your way through the whole apartment to grab your car keys. "I swear, your loving boyfriend is in trouble and you talk to him like this, you have absolutely NO, NO, NO, NO MERRCYYY" he screamed out, and you could hear some people laughing in the distance and someone continuing it, going "yeah, we are the B.A.P". "On second thought, maybe you should walk," you told him, and when he started energetically apologizing, you ended the call, leaving him to panic and wonder if you would drive to pick him up or not. At least it seemed funny to the other guys, as they laughed at him and teased him for a while, but Youngjae didn’t really mind. After all, he's been getting on your nerves all day, or so he thought at least, so maybe he deserved it. Knowing Youngjae, you were certain that he would refuse to walk and would stay there waiting for you, blowing up your phone if you actually decided to ditch him. You made your way down the staircase and got in your car, turning up the radio and driving to pick Youngjae up. While in the car, you tried to remember some of the puns, but had trouble doing so. You remembered him getting a hot chocolate at the cafe just so he could make a "life is like choco" pun, that leading to "Carnival" getting stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Many more followed, you were certain, but you couldn't remember all of them anymore. Only thing you knew is that he had probably quoted at least one song from each album. As you drove into the parking lot, you saw Youngjae, Daehyun, Himchan and Jongup just casually standing there in front of Youngjae's car and talking. You wondered how often they did this, just standing at a random place, taking a break from their hectic everyday lives and talking about some things. Youngjae was casually leaning against his car, and you had to admit that he did look quite cool when he stood there like that. Daehyun was enthusiastically explaining something while Jongup and Himchan were in their "default mode", as you called it - Jongup looking completely zoned out and Himchan sipping on coffee. Youngjae had noticed your car, sending playful death glares the second the engine stopped and you climbed out while Jongup and Daehyun waved and Himchan nodded at you. "GET AWAY, GET AWAY, GET AWAY DON'T SAY MY NAAAME," he acted all dramatic, turning his head to the opposite side and putting an arm over his eyes. "SAVE MEEEE from this cringe, please, just take him," Jongup added without hesitation, making Himchan choke on his coffee and Daehyun burst out laughing. "I raised you right," Himchan quietly said, feeling like a proud mom and looking at Jongup, who deep down probably knew what a savage he was, but on the outside looked as innocent as always. "Okay, I guess I'll get away then," you said, smirking wide as you turned around to climb back into your car, but soon enough felt a pair of arms wrapping around your waist, the person behind you crashing right into your back as they ran into you.  "Nonononono, I'm coming too," he said, giving you a quick kiss on the cheek and unwrapping his arms at the same speed that he wrapped them around. You looked at him, not saying anything, just rolling your eyes. "Babe, aren't you happy to have me bac-" "No," you cut him off, hearing the other three chuckle. "But babee, I love you to the Moon and back, how can you say something like this to me," he gestured at Jongup while saying "Moon", triggering a bunch of "aah's" and cringing. "Cheater, that wasn't even a lyric," Daehyun called out. "Just take him away already," Jongup said, rolling his eyes and wondering why he was stuck with these type of people every single day.  "Wish granted. Bye, guys, see ya," you waved at the other three as you pushed Youngjae into the passenger's seat and got in the car yourself.

"To the Moon and back, by the way, is an awfully short distance," you said as you looked out of the window to see Jongup standing a few meters from your car, still talking to the other two. "It's metaphorical. And it's the thought that counts, right?" Youngjae answered as you drove out of the parking lot and into the streets.   It seemed more than funny to you how both of you could go on like this for days, getting at each other's nerves all the time, endlessly teasing and making fun of one another, and still love each other to bits. You've had some friends and acquaintances actually ask you if you liked being in such a relationship, a relationship that basically consisted of joking and fooling around. What they didn't know is that after the day had ended, when you both were home, tired out of your minds but still wanting to spend the few hours before sleep with each other, you were just like any other extremely clingy cheesy couple. Cuddling on the couch while sipping tea and watching dramas or playing video games so loud that neighbors would sometimes knock on the door and ask you to be quieter. And when things went wrong and you were left to choke on your tears and gasp for air, a pair of familiar arms would always be around you and wouldn't let you go until you felt good. You were never alone, as when it came down to business, Youngjae was always there, always serious and always making sure you knew you could count on him. You felt like he was the person who made your life exciting by just... existing. Existing and being there with you, his constant presence turning your everyday life around to 180 degrees when you started spending this much time with him. Everything suddenly became at least 50% more fun, and knowing how you've struggled in the past, you didn't mind. As you parked your car and got out of it, you could feel Youngjae's right arm wrap around your waist as both of you walked to the staircase. "Hey, are you really annoyed by the jokes? I mean, I could go on, but I don't wanna annoy you out of your mind," he said, looking away at something in the distance that had really caught his attention. "Naah, I've gotten used to them already. Just add a little aegyo to the mix and I might even laugh at it," you said, leaning your head against his shoulder.  You entered the apartment, and suddenly felt a rush of exhaustion. After eating something and going for a quick shower, you stumbled into the living room to see Youngjae sitting comfortably on the couch, channel surfing. "Stop standing there, just come and join," he told you, not looking away from the screen. It took a few seconds before your brain received and processed the message, but soon enough you started moving, sitting down next to him and kicking off your slippers so you could lift your legs up on the couch. His arm reached for you, taking you by the waist and pulling you a little closer. You decided it would be comfortable to rest your head on his shoulder, close to his collar bone. "Leave this on," you told him as you saw one of your favorite TV shows on one of the channels. You knew he wasn't very picky when it came to picking out what to watch, and soon enough you saw him tossing aside the remote and leaning back. Your body that was still leaned against his moved with him, and you snuggled up to his side when he threw a thin blanket over the two on you and put his arm around you. As he turned his head to face you, you decided that it would be the perfect time to give him a loving kiss, just to make up for how mean you have been to him at various points during the day. He didn't seem to mind at all, as he kissed back to his full potential, making your heart flutter and your body beg for more. Your lips parted, and you laid your head on his chest, mildly focusing on the TV show and listening to his heartbeat. A little while passed, until you heard him silently humming at first and then singing the chorus of "With you", one of B.A.P's songs you loved the most. "Isn't that a bit too cheesy?" you asked silently, teasing him. "Oh, just shut up and listen, I know you like it," he said quickly in between the lines of the song, and you silently laughed. He wasn’t in the wrong. "Okay then," you told him, listening to his soothing voice and admiring it. For how this day started out, it sure ended well, right?  

[danasukontarak]

Dana’s Travel Diary: Viva Las Vegas (and Arizona)

I have always considered Las Vegas to be a fake place, kind of like New York City. Prior to visiting, my perception was 9 months pregnant with images I've mentally hoarded from TV shows and movies. This is where little old ladies sit at slot machines and chain smoke cigarettes. This is where you gamble your life away and get lost in time, without a clock in sight. This is where you come from MIT to count cards, get dragged into the back of the casino and beat up by henchmen. 

This was the second trip I've taken with my ex-boyfriend since we broke up, and he really was the best travel partner I could have imagined. (Note: I definitely have decided that if I audition for The Amazing Race, it will be with him.) When we first arrived, we picked up a rental car and headed to our hotel, which was just a bit off the main strip. After checking in, we decided to walk to the strip and explore. At the end of the day, my iPhone logged 15,000 steps exactly. Things don't look far away, but they are. The terrain is just so flat that you can see far as fuck ahead. 

The first casino we visited was Caesar's Palace, and when the roulette lady checked our IDs, she asked if I was Thai. (I am - a quarter). She was from Thailand, and also very nice and helpful since I'd never played before. We took that as a good omen and I played for a while until I got up to $360. That's called beginner's luck. The next two times I played roulette, I left the table with $0. 

We took our earnings upstairs to Mr. Chow and had a really pricey, glorified P.F. Chang's meal with exceptional service and the smoothest red wine I've ever tasted. Our server was "Charles in Training," not to be confused with the other Charles. He was a fantastic server, and everyone in the restaurant was quite accommodating and attentive (doesn't this sound like a Yelp review?). Charles in Training offered to select our food and drink for us, and we let him. We had prawns, sole, beef, and probably some other stuff, too. My favorite part was the weird spaceship sculpture that Mr. Chow designed himself to represent the moon, that descended from the ceiling and slowly transformed above our heads every half hour. I'm glad roulette paid for that meal, because I wouldn't have. 

The next day, we drove to Grand Canyon West, which is an area of the Grand Canyon owned by the Hualapai people. It was a two hour drive, and we ventured from the welcome center to the canyon by tour bus. The view was literally breathtaking; seeing the edge of the canyon and knowing how deep down it went took my breath away. There were no barriers, fences, or anything of the sort. 

We went on the Skywalk, which is a U-shaped glass bridge that allows you to walk over the canyon. Most people were scared to walk over the clear part, and preferred to relegate themselves to the white glass side. Not me, the girl that enjoys the thrill of jumping on sewer door slats. At times, the bridge did make creaking noises, which was freaky. 

After the Skywalk, we took a helicopter ride down into the canyon, where we parked for twenty minutes and gazed upon the Colorado River. The helicopter ride was the most surreal experience of this trip. It seemed more like a wild west video game or helicopter ride simulation. Hey, maybe it was. Our pilot was from Norway, which I took as another good omen since I'm a quarter Norwegian (if you're keeping track, the other half is Korean).

Everything was beautiful and dusty. From the canyon, we traveled to my most random bucket list destination of Oatman, Arizona. This was another two hour drive, and the last 10 miles take you around the outer edge of a mountain with sharp turns and barely enough room for someone to pass in the opposite direction without knocking you down into the pits of hell. Visiting this city has been on my bucket list for a few years, since I found out they're famous for wild burros (basically Shrek donkeys) that roam about town. The burros are tame, and the shops sell little grassy snack bites to feed them. It was amazing feeding them by hand, but some of the bigger ones got a bit aggressive and started nudging me for more. At one point, half a dozen burros were surrounding me, hounding me. 

Oatman is named after Olive Oatman, a woman who was kidnapped as a young teen by a Native American tribe, after they slaughtered her family. They tattooed blue lines on her jaw, which supposedly was so that when you die, your ancestors recognize you as a part of their tribe. She survived with this tribe for many years until she was rescued. Who knows what her life was like? If it was anything like the toilets in Oatman, the answer is shitty. (The public restrooms were literally caked in poop. No flushing, no sink to wash hands. I took a picture but decided not to share it here.)

I posted a picture of the desert on my Snapchat, to which a guy I used to like replied, "You go to Vegas to hit up the desert? You should be at a pool party." To that I replied, "I'm bucket listing. Eff your pool party." 

The next day, we went to a pool party. Ha. 

We went to Drai's Beachclub and Nightclub, which apparently was the biggest hip-hop club spot on the strip. The party was really fun, with lots of people and a short Filipino DJ. The most live group of people there were from the UK. They all went crazy over the Giggs verse on Drake's new album. 

We almost went straight from the pool to the airport. Three days was perfect. Any longer and I would end up like the ghosts of Vegas past - the people who clearly lost all their money and their wits during a wild and crazy trip to Las Vegas, and now roam around either asking for money or just staring blankly. 

The weather is Vegas was perfect. It was a bit colder when we went higher up in altitude in Arizona, but still wonderful. Maybe everyone's been to Las Vegas, but if you're late like me and would like some tips for your traveling, here ya go! 

1: Use HotelTonight - HotelTonight is a great app for quick (day of) hotel reservations. We stayed at The W for about $100 a night. These hotels are fucking huge and have enough rooms that you don't really need to book too far ahead of time (unless you find a good deal, of course). But winging it is perfectly doable. You can even stay in multiple hotels seamlessly during your stay.

2: Quit while you're ahead - Beginner's luck is real. Unless you just don't give a fuck, decide not to gamble your way down to $0 at a casino table. When you're ahead, set at least the amount you started with aside. It's very easy to lose it all. And DON'T PLAY SLOTS. They suck. Tables are much more fun and potentially profitable.  

3: Go exploring - Las Vegas is a weird little lit-up strip in the middle of a vast, beautiful desert. There are tour packages for Grand Canyon and other places (Hoover Dam) available everywhere. This is SO worth it. Natural beauty always beats man-made wonders, in my humble opinion.

[kimberlyhenderson267-blog]

Is Hidden Mold at Home Making You Sick?

Except for an occasional asthma flare up, Caitlin Murray is a healthy, happy 5-year-old, who loves doing artwork. But three years Mold Remediation Dallas ago, she was terribly sick, and no one could figure out why. "She would have terrible headaches and her face was swollen and she'd throw up sometimes for seven to 10 days," Jill Murray, her mother said. "They tested her for cystic fibrosis, for leukemia, all kinds of diseases and they couldn't find anything wrong with her. Caitlin said it was a terrible feeling. "I was like really, really sick," she said. "I was feeling like I was going to die in a few days." Her mother had a gut feeling that whatever was making her daughter sick was in their Pennington, N.J., home. "We started working with the head of the diagnostic center at Children's Hospital Philadelphia," Jill Murray said. "He said 'Try it. Leave your house. That's the only way you'll know.' " A Scary Find In the basement, Murray checked inside a crawlspace. There was mold everywhere. "And with that we just got out," Murray said. "We literally took the shirts on our backs and left." Caitlin's suffering went on for three years before the girl finally felt better. The Murrays' experience is not unique. Because modern homes are more tightly sealed for energy efficiency, water -- which mold needs to survive -- gets trapped inside. Modern building materials like wood, drywall, wallpaper and fabric are appealing food sources for mold, while building technologies such as synthetic stucco can leak and trap moisture inside. Home appliances including clothes dryers and dishwashers also generate water vapor, again creating the type of environment that mold can thrive on. Concerns About Toxic Mold "Mold spores are everywhere," said Meg Hamilton, CEO of Hamilton Thorne Biosciences. "They're in your house, in your attic, on the street, in your living room, in your kitchen. It's a question really of how much and what species." Some molds are worse than others, said Tom Kelly, a director of the indoor environments division at the federal Environmental Protection Agency. "There are a relatively small number of mold species that have been identified as producing a kind of toxin called mycotoxin," Kelly said. "What's not clear is whether they are toxic to human beings." Some industry experts say there's growing evidence that they may be. "We certainly are beginning to see strong indications that the so-called toxic mold can make you very ill," Hamilton said. Whether some molds are more dangerous than others is just one of the questions researchers like Dr. David Zhang, a research biologist at New York's Mt. Sinai Medical Center, are trying to answer. There are more than 100,000 mold species, and about 50 are considered toxic. He has invented a DNA-based technology that spotlights the bad ones. Scientists and doctors do agree on one thing: about one in three people can have allergic reactions to mold. For asthma sufferers who are very young, like Caitlin, or elderly, mold can trigger much more serious problems. Destroying Home Values The fungus can affect more than just health. Dan Sitomer, an attorney specializing in mold litigation, says it could destroy the value of your home. "For the moment in time that that building is viewed as a problem its value goes to zero," Sitomer said. "The litigation is so aggressive and has multiplied so quickly that it has frightened the insurance industry. The damages can include almost anything. Pain and suffering, negligence, the claims go on and on." Most insurance policies do not cover damages related to mold, according to Gordon Stewart, president of the Insurance Information Institute. "In 44 states, mold is excluded, unless it is the direct result of a peril that is covered," Stewart said. For example, some insurance companies do not cover mold, but do cover water leakage, which can cause mold to grow. Meanwhile, articles about mold -- like one in the magazine Redbook headlined "It's Invisible. It's Deadly. And It's in your home" -- have made many homeowners nervous. With unanswered health questions, the looming risk of litigation, prospects of nose-diving property values and no insurance safety net, what's a homeowner to do? Experts agree on one thing: If you've got mold you need to get rid of it. More importantly, you need eliminate the cause.

"We say: 'Find the moisture, eliminate the moisture, clean up the mold,' " Kelly said. "Come back a month later, make sure it's still gone." It is possible to have mold and not know it. If you can't find it yourself, a "mold dog" may be able to help. Jason Earl, a mold inspector works with a mold dog named Oreo. In the same way dogs can be trained to detect drugs and explosives, Oreo can find mold, he says. Tracking Mold in Your Home How does mold get into houses? Mold is everywhere, in the air indoors and out. To reproduce, mold generates spores (seeds) that become airborne. These spores can remain dormant for 50 years or more. They become active when they come into contact with moisture and food. Where there's mold there is always water. Mold colonies develop which, in turn, release more spores into the air. How do you know if you might have mold? Visual Signs: Surface mold. Signs of water intrusion (discoloration, peeling or bubbling paint, bulging walls or ceilings). Water intrusion (broken pipe, flooded basement, roof leak, etc.) that wasn't completely dried out within 24 - 48 hours. A musty smell. Persistent physical symptoms (sneezing, runny noses, red eyes and skin rashes) that seem to lessen when the sufferer is not at home. If you see mold on the walls or floors of your home, and it's less than a 3-foot by 3-foot patch, clean it using bleach and water, and let it dry completely. If you see any spots larger than that, contact an industrial hygienist. (Try the American Industrial Hygiene Association at aiha.org for a referral.) When should you consider a mold inspection? When there is a musty smell, but you cannot find any visual evidence. When there is visual evidence and you need to determine the extent of infestation and damage. When there is no visual evidence or smell, but a member of the family has persistent symptoms (sensitivities vary by individual). When you need help locating the source of the water that's causing the mold. When you're buying or selling a home. When you need a formal plan to remove the mold and repair the damage. When you need someone to supervise mold removal and repairs. How do you select someone to remove the mold and fix the damage? It is recommended that inspection and remediation not be done by the same person/firm. Insist that the firm/person have a contractor's license. Look for remediators who are certified. Check with the licensing board and Better Business Bureau for complaints. Ask for references for similar jobs. Call references and ask if the job was done properly, on time and within budget. Inquire if a mold test was done after the remediation work. If you see mold, find the source of moisture, correct it and clean up the mold. If you see signs of water leaks, investigate for mold. If you smell mold, consider having a qualified mold inspection firm test for mold, locate the mold, determine the extent of the mold, determine the source of moisture and come up with a remediation plan. How do you prevent mold? Locate and fix water leaks immediately. Dry water from water leaks within 48 hours. Make sure clothes dryers are properly vented to the outside. Use exhaust fans when cooking, showering or using dishwasher. Insulate exterior walls to prevent condensation inside. Keep indoor humidity below 50 percent. Remember: Just cleaning up mold is not enough. You must find the water source and eliminate it. How do you clean up mold? Wear rubber gloves and eye protection. For larger infestations (more than several square feet) wear a N-95 respirator. Wash hard surfaces with water and detergent. Discard absorbent materials like carpet and ceiling tiles. Cleaning up the mold is not enough. You must eliminate the water source.

For more information on mold, here are some online resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/mold/stachy.htm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldbasics.html New Jersey Mold Inspector Jason Earl: www.stopmold.com http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=131638&page=1

[chriscarter667-blog]

Is Hidden Mold at Home Making You Sick?

Except for an occasional asthma flare up, Caitlin Murray is a healthy, happy 5-year-old, who loves doing artwork. But three years ago, she was terribly sick, and no one could figure out why. "She would have terrible headaches and her face was swollen and she'd throw up sometimes for seven to 10 days," Jill Murray, her mother said. "They tested her for cystic fibrosis, for leukemia, all kinds of diseases and they couldn't find anything wrong with her.

Caitlin said it was a terrible feeling. "I was like really, really sick," she said. "I was feeling like I was going to die in a few days." Her mother had a gut feeling that whatever was making her daughter sick was in their Pennington, N.J., home. "We started working with the head of the diagnostic center at Children's Hospital Philadelphia," Jill Murray said. "He said 'Try it. Leave your house. That's the only way you'll know.' " A Scary Find In the basement, Murray checked inside a crawlspace. There was mold everywhere. "And with that we just got out," Murray said. "We literally took the shirts on our backs and left." Caitlin's suffering went on for three years before the girl finally felt better. The Murrays' experience is not unique. Because modern homes are more tightly sealed for energy efficiency, water -- which mold needs to survive -- gets trapped inside. Modern building materials like wood, drywall, wallpaper and fabric are appealing food sources for mold, while building technologies such as synthetic stucco can leak and trap moisture inside. Home appliances including clothes dryers and dishwashers also generate water vapor, again creating the type of environment that mold can thrive on. Concerns About Toxic Mold "Mold spores are everywhere," said Meg Hamilton, CEO of Hamilton Thorne Biosciences. "They're in your house, in your attic, on the street, in your living room, in your kitchen. It's a question really of how much and what species." Some molds are worse than others, said Tom Kelly, a director of the indoor environments division at the federal Environmental Protection Agency. "There are a relatively small number of mold species that have been identified as producing a kind of toxin called mycotoxin," Kelly said. "What's not clear is whether they are toxic to human beings." Some industry experts say there's growing evidence that they may be. "We certainly are beginning to see strong indications that the so-called toxic mold can make you very ill," Hamilton said. Whether some molds are more dangerous than others is just one of the questions researchers like Dr. David Zhang, a research biologist at New York's Mt. Sinai Medical Center, are trying to answer. There are more than 100,000 mold species, and about 50 are considered toxic. He has invented a DNA-based technology that spotlights the bad ones. Scientists and doctors do agree on one thing: about one in three people can have allergic reactions to mold. For asthma sufferers who are very young, like Caitlin, or elderly, mold can trigger much more serious problems. Destroying Home Values The fungus can affect more than just health. Dan Sitomer, an attorney specializing in mold litigation, says it could destroy the value of your home. "For the moment in time that that building is viewed as a problem its value goes to zero," Sitomer said. "The litigation is so aggressive and has multiplied so quickly that it has frightened the insurance industry. The damages can include almost anything. Pain and suffering, negligence, the claims go on and on." Most insurance policies do not cover damages related to mold, according to Gordon Stewart, president of the Insurance Information Institute. "In 44 states, mold is excluded, unless it is the direct result of a peril that is covered," Stewart said. For example, some insurance companies do not cover mold, but do cover water leakage, which can cause mold to grow. Meanwhile, articles about mold -- like one in the magazine Redbook headlined "It's Invisible. It's Deadly. And It's in your home" -- have made many homeowners nervous. With unanswered health questions, the looming risk of litigation, prospects of nose-diving property values and no insurance safety net, what's a homeowner to do? Experts agree on one thing: If you've got mold you need to get rid of it. More importantly, you need eliminate the cause. "We say: 'Find the moisture, eliminate the moisture, clean up the mold,' " Kelly said. "Come back a month later, make sure it's still gone."

It is possible to have mold and not know it. If you can't find it yourself, a "mold dog" may be able to help. Jason Earl, a mold inspector works with a mold dog named Oreo. In the same way dogs can be trained to detect drugs and explosives, Oreo can find mold, he says. Tracking Mold in Your Home How does mold get into houses? Mold is everywhere, in the air indoors and out. To reproduce, mold generates spores (seeds) that become airborne. These spores can remain dormant for 50 years or more. They become active when they come into contact with moisture and food. Where there's mold there is always water. Mold colonies develop which, in turn, release more spores into the air. How do you know if you might have mold? Visual Signs: Surface mold. Signs of water intrusion (discoloration, peeling or bubbling paint, bulging walls or ceilings). Water intrusion (broken pipe, flooded basement, roof leak, etc.) that wasn't completely dried out within 24 - 48 hours. A musty smell. Persistent physical symptoms (sneezing, runny noses, red eyes and skin rashes) that seem to lessen when the sufferer is not at home. If you see mold on the walls or floors of your home, and it's less than a 3-foot by 3-foot patch, clean it using bleach and water, and let it dry completely. If you see any spots larger than that, contact an industrial hygienist. (Try the American Industrial Hygiene Association at aiha.org for a referral.) When should you consider a mold inspection? When there is a musty smell, but you cannot find any visual evidence. When there is visual evidence and you need to determine the extent of infestation and damage. When there is no visual evidence or smell, but a member of the family has persistent symptoms (sensitivities vary by individual). When you need help locating the source of the water that's causing the mold. When you're buying or selling a home. When you need a formal plan to remove the mold and repair the damage. When you need someone to supervise mold removal and repairs. How do you select someone to remove the mold and fix the damage? It is recommended that inspection and remediation not be done by the same person/firm. Insist that the firm/person have a contractor's license. Look for remediators who are certified. Check with the licensing board and Better Business Bureau for complaints. Ask for references for similar jobs. Call references and Mold Remediation Dallas ask if the job was done properly, on time and within budget. Inquire if a mold test was done after the remediation work. If you see mold, find the source of moisture, correct it and clean up the mold. If you see signs of water leaks, investigate for mold. If you smell mold, consider having a qualified mold inspection firm test for mold, locate the mold, determine the extent of the mold, determine the source of moisture and come up with a remediation plan. How do you prevent mold? Locate and fix water leaks immediately. Dry water from water leaks within 48 hours. Make sure clothes dryers are properly vented to the outside. Use exhaust fans when cooking, showering or using dishwasher. Insulate exterior walls to prevent condensation inside. Keep indoor humidity below 50 percent. Remember: Just cleaning up mold is not enough. You must find the water source and eliminate it. How do you clean up mold? Wear rubber gloves and eye protection. For larger infestations (more than several square feet) wear a N-95 respirator. Wash hard surfaces with water and detergent. Discard absorbent materials like carpet and ceiling tiles. Cleaning up the mold is not enough. You must eliminate the water source. For more information on mold, here are some online resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/mold/stachy.htm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldbasics.html New Jersey Mold Inspector Jason Earl: www.stopmold.com http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=131638&page=1

[fredcox698-blog]

Is Hidden Mold at Home Making You Sick?

Except for an occasional asthma flare up, Caitlin Murray is a healthy, happy 5-year-old, who loves doing artwork. But three years ago, she was terribly sick, and no one could figure out why. "She would have terrible headaches and her face was swollen and she'd throw up sometimes for seven to 10 days," Jill Murray, her mother said. "They tested her for cystic fibrosis, for leukemia, all kinds of diseases and they couldn't find anything wrong with her. Caitlin said it was a terrible feeling. "I was like really, really sick," she said. "I was feeling like I was going to die in a few days." Her mother had a gut feeling that whatever was making her daughter sick was in their Pennington, N.J., home. "We started working with the head of the diagnostic center at Children's Hospital Philadelphia," Jill Murray said. "He said 'Try it. Leave your house. That's the only way you'll know.' " A Scary Find In the basement, Murray checked inside a crawlspace. There was mold everywhere. "And with that we just got out," Murray said. "We literally took the shirts on our backs and left." Caitlin's suffering went on for three years before the girl finally felt better. The Murrays' experience is not unique. Because modern homes are more tightly sealed for energy efficiency, water -- which mold needs to survive -- gets trapped inside. Modern building materials like wood, drywall, wallpaper and fabric are appealing food sources for mold, while building technologies such as synthetic stucco can leak and trap moisture inside. Home appliances including clothes dryers and dishwashers also generate water vapor, again creating the type of environment that mold can thrive on. Concerns About Toxic Mold "Mold spores are everywhere," said Meg Hamilton, CEO of Hamilton Thorne Biosciences. "They're in your house, in your attic, on the street, in your living room, in your kitchen. It's a question really of how much and what species." Some molds are worse than others, said Tom Kelly, a director of the indoor environments division at the federal Environmental Protection Agency. "There are a relatively small number of mold species that have been identified as producing a kind of toxin called mycotoxin," Kelly said. "What's not clear is whether they are toxic to human beings." Some industry experts say there's growing evidence that they may be. "We certainly are beginning to see strong indications that the so-called toxic mold can make you very ill," Hamilton said. Whether some molds are more dangerous than others is just one of the questions researchers like Dr. David Zhang, a research biologist at New York's Mt. Sinai Medical Center, are trying to answer. There are more than 100,000 mold species, and about 50 are considered toxic. He has invented a DNA-based technology that spotlights the bad ones. Scientists and doctors do agree on one thing: about one in three people can have allergic reactions to mold. For asthma sufferers who are very young, like Caitlin, or elderly, mold can trigger much more serious problems. Destroying Home Values The fungus can affect more than just health. Dan Sitomer, an attorney specializing in mold litigation, says it could destroy the value of your home. "For the moment in time that that building is viewed as a problem its value goes to zero," Sitomer said. "The litigation is so aggressive and has multiplied so quickly that it has frightened the insurance industry. The damages can include almost anything. Pain and suffering, negligence, the claims go on and on." Most insurance policies do not cover damages related to mold, according to Gordon Stewart, president of the Insurance Information Institute. "In 44 states, mold is excluded, unless it is the direct result of a peril that is covered," Stewart said. For example, some insurance companies do not cover mold, but do cover water leakage, which can cause mold to grow. Meanwhile, articles about mold -- like one in the magazine Redbook headlined "It's Invisible. It's Deadly. And It's in your home" -- have made many homeowners nervous. With unanswered health questions, the looming risk of litigation, prospects of nose-diving property values and no insurance safety net, what's a homeowner to do? Experts agree on one thing: If you've got mold you need to get rid of it. More importantly, you need eliminate the cause. "We say: 'Find the moisture, eliminate the moisture, clean up the mold,' " Kelly said. "Come back a month later, make sure it's still gone." It is possible to have mold and not know it. If you can't find it yourself, a "mold dog" may be able to help. Jason Earl, a mold inspector works with a mold dog named Oreo. In the same way dogs can be trained to detect drugs and explosives, Oreo can find mold, he says. Tracking Mold in Your Home How does mold get into houses? Mold is everywhere, in the air indoors and out. To reproduce, mold generates spores (seeds) that become airborne.

These spores can remain dormant for 50 years or more. They become active when they come into contact with moisture and food. Where there's mold there is always water. Mold colonies develop which, in turn, release more spores into the air. How do you know if you might have mold? Visual Signs: Surface mold. Signs of water Miami mold removal intrusion (discoloration, peeling or bubbling paint, bulging walls or ceilings). Water intrusion (broken pipe, flooded basement, roof leak, etc.) that wasn't completely dried out within 24 - 48 hours. A musty smell. Persistent physical symptoms (sneezing, runny noses, red eyes and skin rashes) that seem to lessen when the sufferer is not at home. If you see mold on the walls or floors of your home, and it's less than a 3-foot by 3-foot patch, clean it using bleach and water, and let it dry completely. If you see any spots larger than that, contact an industrial hygienist. (Try the American Industrial Hygiene Association at aiha.org for a referral.) When should you consider a mold inspection? When there is a musty smell, but you cannot find any visual evidence. When there is visual evidence and you need to determine the extent of infestation and damage. When there is no visual evidence or smell, but a member of the family has persistent symptoms (sensitivities vary by individual). When you need help locating the source of the water that's causing the mold. When you're buying or selling a home. When you need a formal plan to remove the mold and repair the damage. When you need someone to supervise mold removal and repairs. How do you select someone to remove the mold and fix the damage? It is recommended that inspection and remediation not be done by the same person/firm. Insist that the firm/person have a contractor's license. Look for remediators who are certified. Check with the licensing board and Better Business Bureau for complaints. Ask for references for similar jobs. Call references and ask if the job was done properly, on time and within budget. Inquire if a mold test was done after the remediation work. If you see mold, find the source of moisture, correct it and clean up the mold. If you see signs of water leaks, investigate for mold. If you smell mold, consider having a qualified mold inspection firm test for mold, locate the mold, determine the extent of the mold, determine the source of moisture and come up with a remediation plan. How do you prevent mold? Locate and fix water leaks immediately. Dry water from water leaks within 48 hours. Make sure clothes dryers are properly vented to the outside. Use exhaust fans when cooking, showering or using dishwasher. Insulate exterior walls to prevent condensation inside. Keep indoor humidity below 50 percent. Remember: Just cleaning up mold is not enough. You must find the water source and eliminate it. How do you clean up mold?

Wear rubber gloves and eye protection. For larger infestations (more than several square feet) wear a N-95 respirator. Wash hard surfaces with water and detergent. Discard absorbent materials like carpet and ceiling tiles. Cleaning up the mold is not enough. You must eliminate the water source. For more information on mold, here are some online resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/mold/stachy.htm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldbasics.html New Jersey Mold Inspector Jason Earl: www.stopmold.com http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=131638&page=1

[jeremyhewitt982-blog]

Is Hidden Mold at Home Making You Sick?

Except for an occasional asthma flare up, Caitlin Murray is a healthy, happy 5-year-old, who loves doing artwork. But three years ago, she was terribly sick, and no one could figure out why. "She would have terrible headaches and her face was swollen and she'd throw up sometimes for seven to 10 days," Jill Murray, her mother said. "They tested her for cystic fibrosis, for leukemia, all kinds of diseases and they couldn't find anything wrong with her. Caitlin said it was a terrible feeling. "I was like really, really sick," she said. "I was feeling like I was going to die in a few days." Her mother had a gut feeling that whatever was making her daughter sick was in their Pennington, N.J., home. "We started working with the head of the diagnostic center at Children's Hospital Philadelphia," Jill Murray said. "He said 'Try it. Leave your house. That's the only way you'll know.' " A Scary Find In the basement, Murray checked inside a crawlspace. There was mold everywhere. "And with that we just got out," Murray said. "We literally took mold removal services near me the shirts on our backs and left." Caitlin's suffering went on for three years before the girl finally felt better. The Murrays' experience is not unique. Because modern homes are more tightly sealed for energy efficiency, water -- which mold needs to survive -- gets trapped inside. Modern building materials like wood, drywall, wallpaper and fabric are appealing food sources for mold, while building technologies such as synthetic stucco can leak and trap moisture inside. Home appliances including clothes dryers and dishwashers also generate water vapor, again creating the type of environment that mold can thrive on. Concerns About Toxic Mold "Mold spores are everywhere," said Meg Hamilton, CEO of Hamilton Thorne Biosciences. "They're in your house, in your attic, on the street, in your living room, in your kitchen. It's a question really of how much and what species." Some molds are worse than others, said Tom Kelly, a director of the indoor environments division at the federal Environmental Protection Agency. "There are a relatively small number of mold species that have been identified as producing a kind of toxin called mycotoxin," Kelly said. "What's not clear is whether they are toxic to human beings." Some industry experts say there's growing evidence that they may be. "We certainly are beginning to see strong indications that the so-called toxic mold can make you very ill," Hamilton said. Whether some molds are more dangerous than others is just one of the questions researchers like Dr. David Zhang, a research biologist at New York's Mt. Sinai Medical Center, are trying to answer. There are more than 100,000 mold species, and about 50 are considered toxic. He has invented a DNA-based technology that spotlights the bad ones. Scientists and doctors do agree on one thing: about one in three people can have allergic reactions to mold. For asthma sufferers who are very young, like Caitlin, or elderly, mold can trigger much more serious problems. Destroying Home Values The fungus can affect more than just health. Dan Sitomer, an attorney specializing in mold litigation, says it could destroy the value of your home. "For the moment in time that that building is viewed as a problem its value goes to zero," Sitomer said. "The litigation is so aggressive and has multiplied so quickly that it has frightened the insurance industry. The damages can include almost anything. Pain and suffering, negligence, the claims go on and on." Most insurance policies do not cover damages related to mold, according to Gordon Stewart, president of the Insurance Information Institute. "In 44 states, mold is excluded, unless it is the direct result of a peril that is covered," Stewart said. For example, some insurance companies do not cover mold, but do cover water leakage, which can cause mold to grow. Meanwhile, articles about mold -- like one in the magazine Redbook headlined "It's Invisible. It's Deadly. And It's in your home" -- have made many homeowners nervous. With unanswered health questions, the looming risk of litigation, prospects of nose-diving property values and no insurance safety net, what's a homeowner to do?

Experts agree on one thing: If you've got mold you need to get rid of it. More importantly, you need eliminate the cause. "We say: 'Find the moisture, eliminate the moisture, clean up the mold,' " Kelly said. "Come back a month later, make sure it's still gone." It is possible to have mold and not know it. If you can't find it yourself, a "mold dog" may be able to help. Jason Earl, a mold inspector works with a mold dog named Oreo. In the same way dogs can be trained to detect drugs and explosives, Oreo can find mold, he says. Tracking Mold in Your Home How does mold get into houses?

Mold is everywhere, in the air indoors and out. To reproduce, mold generates spores (seeds) that become airborne. These spores can remain dormant for 50 years or more. They become active when they come into contact with moisture and food. Where there's mold there is always water. Mold colonies develop which, in turn, release more spores into the air. How do you know if you might have mold? Visual Signs: Surface mold. Signs of water intrusion (discoloration, peeling or bubbling paint, bulging walls or ceilings). Water intrusion (broken pipe, flooded basement, roof leak, etc.) that wasn't completely dried out within 24 - 48 hours. A musty smell. Persistent physical symptoms (sneezing, runny noses, red eyes and skin rashes) that seem to lessen when the sufferer is not at home. If you see mold on the walls or floors of your home, and it's less than a 3-foot by 3-foot patch, clean it using bleach and water, and let it dry completely. If you see any spots larger than that, contact an industrial hygienist. (Try the American Industrial Hygiene Association at aiha.org for a referral.) When should you consider a mold inspection? When there is a musty smell, but you cannot find any visual evidence. When there is visual evidence and you need to determine the extent of infestation and damage. When there is no visual evidence or smell, but a member of the family has persistent symptoms (sensitivities vary by individual). When you need help locating the source of the water that's causing the mold. When you're buying or selling a home. When you need a formal plan to remove the mold and repair the damage. When you need someone to supervise mold removal and repairs. How do you select someone to remove the mold and fix the damage? It is recommended that inspection and remediation not be done by the same person/firm. Insist that the firm/person have a contractor's license. Look for remediators who are certified. Check with the licensing board and Better Business Bureau for complaints. Ask for references for similar jobs. Call references and ask if the job was done properly, on time and within budget. Inquire if a mold test was done after the remediation work. If you see mold, find the source of moisture, correct it and clean up the mold. If you see signs of water leaks, investigate for mold. If you smell mold, consider having a qualified mold inspection firm test for mold, locate the mold, determine the extent of the mold, determine the source of moisture and come up with a remediation plan. How do you prevent mold? Locate and fix water leaks immediately. Dry water from water leaks within 48 hours. Make sure clothes dryers are properly vented to the outside. Use exhaust fans when cooking, showering or using dishwasher. Insulate exterior walls to prevent condensation inside. Keep indoor humidity below 50 percent. Remember: Just cleaning up mold is not enough. You must find the water source and eliminate it. How do you clean up mold? Wear rubber gloves and eye protection. For larger infestations (more than several square feet) wear a N-95 respirator. Wash hard surfaces with water and detergent. Discard absorbent materials like carpet and ceiling tiles. Cleaning up the mold is not enough. You must eliminate the water source. For more information on mold, here are some online resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/mold/stachy.htm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldbasics.html New Jersey Mold Inspector Jason Earl: www.stopmold.com http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=131638&page=1