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seizerofdarkness · 6 years

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Baby!Ben and Dad!Tetrax

I just had this AU idea some days ago and I felt like writing something out of it

Approaching the vehicle parked in the desert, the crystal-made Bounty Hunter knocked three times on the door. He waited a bit, wondering how he even ended up here in the first place.

He had pretended to be a Hunter for hire again, acted as if he was going to help the cyborg and Sotoraggian get the Omnitrix for Vilgax and now spent the afternoon alone chasing the car through the dunes of the empty desert.

Thankfully, it seemed the Omnitrix’s signal has been cut off, meaning whoever using it finally stopped tampering with the device. And since the vehicle seemed to be empty of whatever fuel it used, he could interrogate the current bearer of the Omnimatrix.

He had to wonder what kind of man Max Tennyson was, though. According to the reports he recently received, the old Plumber had found the Omnitrix and put an end to his retirement to fight off any incoming thief who had tried to steal the Omnitrix away.

But oddly enough, it seemed he didn’t use the Omnitrix that much for his bidding. He apparently ordered some Plumber weapons for self-defense, kept changing locations and witnesses said they didn’t ever see him with something remotely resembling the device in question.

It was impossible to take the Omnitrix off unless the user managed to unlock the codes for it or if the creator gave the user the code (and Azmuth would’ve told Tetrax if it was the case). Yet the signal was going strong almost every 20 minutes since he arrived on Earth, so either Max Tennyson solely used the Omnitrix for training and only started using it more frequently when Tetrax came.

Or there was something wrong with the signals.

He didn’t see another reason why everything seemed so... illogical with the data he gathered. A Magister (a retired one but still) should know the Omnitrix should be used cautiously, instead of using it over and over again like the madmen who wanted it for theirselves would probably do.

It was already tiring enough to get here. He wanted to fix his mistakes, to bring Vilgax down, to see Petropia again, to feel whole without the mess he made back then, but he knew it was impossible for now. This mission should be easy: check on the Omnitrix’s wearer, discuss with him on what to do with it and its inner functions, make a report and send it to Azmuth. Easy.

Sure, he hadn’t expected the man to trap him, Sixsix and Kraab in the mines after luring them with the signal, and he should’ve been more careful now that the man was fleeing. What reason did Max Tennyson have to run away from a fight anyway? He had the Omnitrix, Bounty Hunters (specifically an unwilling one and two incompetent ones) should’ve been no match for him.

He started getting impatient and knocked on the door again.

“Magister Tennyson, are you here? I’m Tetrax Shard, charged of guarding the Omnitrix. I know you’re here, I’ve been informed of you receiving it and must do a checkup on your use of it. Please open the door and cooperate.”

He kept waiting for the old man to open. Was he that wary of the Petrosapian? He hadn’t exactly been the most friendly back there either, attacking him as a cover so that the other two hunters wouldn’t suspect a thing. But now they were alone, and Tetrax revealing his identity should raise at least a few flags.

“Magister Tennyson, if you do not cooperate, I’ll have to enter by force.” he threatened.

Still no response. He took his gloves off but before he could send a hurricane of crystals onto the RV, the door finally opened, revealing a grey-haired old man in a red Hawaiian shirt.

“Yes, I am Max Tennyson, but you have the wrong idea.”

Tetrax lowered his arms down and analyzed the human in front of him. He didn’t look that much in shape to fight, and seemed a bit too old to fight without a good weapon. Good thing he received the Omnitrix. Speaking of which...

Where was the Omnitrix?

Tetrax’s eyes widened as he realized the human’s hands were bare from the Omnitrix, only having some bandages here and there. Did he take it off the bad way?

Why would he do that? Vilgax the Conqueror was chasing out whoever wore it, and it was already bad enough that the one responsible of getting the Omnitrix already had a bad history with him (like anyone who ever met Vilgax).

“What’s the meaning of this? Why aren’t you wearing the Omnitrix?”

Max sighed. “Come inside” he said, beckoning the alien to follow him. As he got in, he heard a cry and saw a green flash of light coming out of the bedroom, from what looked like a child playground. He saw something red crawling on the wall and yelped as the four-armed tiny creature jumped on his face.

He felt a dozen of tiny punches on his face, not enough to knock him out but still strong enough to prevent him from seeing AND it felt quite annoying. As he was about to pierce through the attacker with his crystal arm, Max took a hold of his hand and spoke out.

“Ben! Behave!”

“But Grandpa!” came a whiny voice from the red fiend on Tetrax’s face. He felt the thing coming off and, as he looked, there was a green-eyed infant Tetramand jumping into Max’s arms.

“A... Tetramand?”

“Ben, we have a guest, it’s not nice to attack people without knowing why they’re here.”

“But Grandpa! He tried to hurt you! And he scared Gwen! He’s a meanie!” the baby Tetramand pouted.

A little redheaded human girl with buck teeth, a pink dress and a yellow skirt came out of behind the curtains of one of the bed. She ran to Max and asked “Ben, is the big mean man gone?” She looked at Tetrax and immediately shouted, crying again and hiding behind Max “Waaaaahhhh! He’s still here! Ben make him go aaaahhhh!”

Max picked the little girl and pet her hair. “There, there. It’s okay, Gwen. He’s not going to hurt anyone. He’s a nice man.”

Tetrax stood speechless while Max took care of both kids. The Tetramand toddler wore a black and white shirt, with the Omnitrix symbol on his upper left arm.

No.

NO.

No!

This couldn’t be it. No way a baby was able to get the Omnitrix. This had to be an error, maybe there was a function that could make the wearer look younger and he wasn’t told. Anything but this, it was just plain unimaginable.

The Omnitrix beeped red and the young Tetramand soon turned into a young human toddler, wearing green overalls with white numbers saying "5 1/2" on a black square in front, a white shirt underneath it.

Tetrax blinked twice, before sighing and opening his helmet, making his face visible, to which both toddlers made impressed sounds.

“Would you mind explaining what’s going on?” he said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“...and now he’s wearing it and can’t take it off.” Tetrax pulled the largest sigh ever made in Earth’s records.

“You’re telling me, that you left your own grandson unsupervised and allowed him to get in the forest, where the Omnitrix landed and merged with his DNA?! What kind of sick joke is this?!”

“Look, I was busy taking care of Gwen at the time. The children’s parents wanted me to show them the country for summer vacation, before getting them in kindergarten at the beginning of October. Ben and Gwen are hard to manage together when you haven’t raised a baby in about 30 years. Ben sneaked off while I was cleaning up the mess he made. When he came back moments after, he was a Pyronite and almost burned the carpet.”

“How long did it take for you to find out he was gone?”

“The same amount of time it took him to find the Omnitrix. Babies are full of energy, especially Ben. I know it seems impossible, but I’m trying to teach him how to use it and not to show his powers in public.”

That was it, Tetrax’s patience had reached its limits. A toddler with the Omnitrix. What else did Max Tennyson have in mind?! Was his granddaughter an alien too?! He immediately stood back up from his seat and raised his voice.

“No, I don’t care what you’re trying to do, but this child isn’t keeping the Omnitrix. I’ll bring him over to its creator for its removal, I’ll notify you when I’ll bring him back.”

It didn’t take more than two seconds for Max to raise a protective hand towards his grandson.

“Don’t even think about it! Ben is my grandson and my son Carl counted on me to take care of him. My family needs me more than ever after my last slip-up and I won’t fail them even if the universe is at stakes!”

“You don’t understand, this is beyond your little family problems. Vilgax is hunting that kid down and he won’t give up until he gets what he wants. This is for his own safety as well as everyone else in this entire solar system. Give him to me.”

“Maybe he can go to outer space when he gets older, but now he’s still just a baby. Can’t Azmuth come by himself to take it off of Ben’s wrist?”

“This is plain ridiculous, you’re letting your-”

They were interrupted by another cry from the baby girl. Gwen was crying again. They were so busy arguing they didn’t notice the poor little girl tearing up at the conversation.

“Nooooo grandpaaaaaaa! I don’t want Ben to goooo wwwwaaaaahhhhhhh!” she screamed in an obnoxiously loud voice, probably loud enough to make a Sonorasian go home.

“There there, Gwen” said Max as he picked his granddaughter up, patting her back to comfort her. “It’s okay, Ben isn’t going anywhere. Not if I have something to say about it.”

Another green flash of green came from the playground, and a blue flash sped through before climbing on the window.

“You won’t kidnap me you big alien jerk if I’m XLR8!” he pouted, in Kineceleran form, before sprinting out of the RV.

Tetrax felt like he was about to lose his mind. His planet is destroyed, his current employer is a misanthrope, Vilgax and the other hunters were probably still out there, and now he had to get the Omnitrix back from a child, one that could probably hurt himself while doing so.

He picked up his hoverboard and came out of the RV, about to chase the young boy, but he stopped as soon as he set a foot outside the vehicle. Not only because Max held him back despite his injured hands, but also because Sixsix and Kraab were now standing in front of the door, their weapons aimed at both men. He growled in frustration.

This really wouldn't be easy, would it?

Heatblast threw fireballs at the nearby rocks, venting out his anger on the empty desert in front of him. It wasn't fair!

First, Gwen got the last cupcake, then the Sumo Slammers movie was canceled and he'd have to wait a week before seeing it, he was grounded for making Gwen cry with Ghostfreak and now one of the meanies who hurt his Grandpa wanted to take his toy away!

He'd have to look for Ben to do that, and no way Ben lets him take the...

How did the Diamondhead meanie call the watch? The Omnitrix? He wasn't sure and he didn't care, no one will steal his new toy. No one!

He started tiring after a few moments and, still angry at what Tetrax tried to do, he cried very hard. Heatblast didn't notice the fire on his body growing at every minute and, before he could realize it, the watch started beeping and he reverted back to Ben.

The transformation snapped him out of his crying mess and, as he tried to wipe his tears away, he saw what trouble he got himself into.

All around him there was glass. Millions of shards everywhere. He couldn't walk through them and the watch was red, which meant he couldn't use Stinkfly or Ghostfreak to fly away. Scared, he called out for help.

"Grandpa! Gwen! Mommy! Daddy!" he shouted, scared at the idea of staying stuck in this place. "Help! Heeeeeelp!"

Afraid of hurting himself, he tried to step back and took a glance behind him. Nope, there were too many shards, he'd end up like the poor creature his Grandpa usually gave him and Gwen for dinner if he took even one step forward.

He wanted to see his family again so bad now, he would do anything to get help now. He swore to be nicer. He promised himself, if he could get out of here, he'd let Gwen play with his toys, he'd clean his bed every morning and night, he'd give all his marbles back to JT even if they weren't friends anymore, he'd eat all the food his mommy and Grandpa gave him even if he didn't like it, he'd even-

He was interrupted from his promises by a voice.

"Kid, are you in here?" he recognized Tetrax's voice and pouted.

"NO!"

Tetrax was standing several feet away, his crystal-made body allowing him to walk on the now spiky ground without any visible pain. As he tried to get nearby, it seemed Ben was about to move, potentially injuring himself, prompting the Petrosapian to stay where he was.

"Don't you want to see your grandfather?"

That struck a nerve. Ben started to shout angrily at the alien. If he could, he'd become Wildmutt, bite this meanie in the back and pee on his car. Max told him not to do that, but his grandpa wasn't here for now and he could do what he wants.

“Go away!”

“I’m trying to help.”

“Liar liar, pants on fire! You’re a bad guy, you don’t help people, you hurt them!”

“I am a mercenary and a heroic warrior. You on the other hand, you don’t know how to use the Omnitrix. You could hurt someone with it, you trapped yourself in here, you tried to break my nose and now, you’re making your grandfather and sister worry.”

“Gwen is my cousin, not my sister! And you don’t know a thing about being a hero!”

“I don’t?” the Petrosapian teased.

“Yeah you don’t! You attacked my grandpa with those guys and you want to steal my watch. You’re wearing all dark clothes, that’s how bad guys dress! And then, you talk about helping, but you said you were a hunter! Hunters kill animals and that’s mean! You’re a bad guy!”

“Then if animals are bad, is it bad to get rid of them?”

“If they have a family to feed, yes! Grandpa taught me to be nice and I want to be a hero with the watch. You don’t have your grandpa with you, you don’t know how to be nice! So it makes you bad!” Ben stuck his tongue out.

“A family. Huh...” Tetrax looked down after the child’s argument had made its impact. “I haven’t seen my family in years now.” That startled Ben right away.

“What?! You don’t see your mommy and daddy anymore?”

“I... you’re right, I am a bad person.” Tetrax shook his head. ”I let everyone on my planet die because I didn’t want their help anymore, I wanted to do everything by myself and for myself, I didn’t think about anyone else.” Ben felt guilty about what he just told the alien. “I took this job as a way to be strong and before I knew it, I helped someone destroy everything I loved, everyone I used to care about.”

“I...I...I’m sorry, mister.”

“What for? You weren’t responsible for what happened.”

“No, but that’s sad. Nobody deserves to be alone. I ran away and made you go all the way here when you didn’t even have anyone to help. Well, except Grandpa, but you don’t know him. But why did you try to take my watch? Did it belong to you before I found it?”

“No, but I was asked to make sure if the person wearing it was a good one, if they could use the power responsibly to help people instead of harming them.” Tetrax decided baby talk could help. The kid was too young and had a good reason for being unable to understand some things. “Your grandpa told me about him teaching you how to fight villains. Doesn’t it bother you to do that all the time?”

“No, I love to help! I can save the world, stop bad guys, hang out with cool guys, have amazing stuff to thank me,” Tetrax winced at the last one “get stronger, have fun with my powers and the coolest thing is, I’m like a superhero!”

Tetrax couldn’t help but laugh a bit at what the child told him.

“What’s funny, mister?”

“Nothing, it’s just... I expected you to attack me more, I didn’t think we’d have a talk over this. You’re more smart than you let people think, I just hope it’s not too much for you, you might regret wearing the Omnitrix at some point.”

“Mister... I don’t want to give my watch, I like it, it’s so cool I wanna keep it! Pleeeeaaase?”

The Omnitrix’s Guardian thought it over.

Max told me he’d keep an eye on him. It’s too dangerous to leave at the hands of a toddler, but it could all work out. He doesn’t know what danger he’s exposing himself in, but maybe practice can make perfect in the situation. He could become a potential asset in case the universe gets in serious danger.

“Ben, I’m sorry. You can keep the watch now. I shouldn’t have attacked the Rustbucket (even though I didn’t really have a choice), I should’ve asked you nicely if you wanted to keep the watch. Instead I ran after you and tried to take you away. I’m sorry.”

Ben didn’t seem in a sour mood anymore and with a cheerful voice, he said “Don’t worry about me mister! I’m okay now! It’s okay! Hey, maybe you’re not such a bad guy after all.”

Tetrax smiled at the remark and got closer to Ben. “Need any help?” he lent a hand, to which Ben pouted again (albeit with a more playful face).

“I’m a big boy now, I can do it on my own!”

“Oh really?” Tetrax teased.

“Yeah!” Ben said as he touched the now green Omnitrix’s dial. Before Tetrax could tell him to be careful, he slammed the dial and turned into, not an Ectonurite, not a Lepidotpterran, not even a Pyronite, but a young little Petrosapian.

“Woops! Well, I can now walk on my own!” he said as he started running before tripping on a rock and ending up covered in pieces of glass. At least it couldn’t pierce through his skin now, it was fine.

Tetrax stared at Diamondhead for a bit, definitely not expecting his species to be part of the ones available in the current roster the Omnitrix generated, much less expecting to see an infant creature from his planet after such a long time.

He walked over and picked the young boy up, putting him in his arms and gently patting his head. “Let’s get you home now.”

“I think I’ll join you” he declared.

“Huh?” Max raised a brow at what Tetrax told him.

“I said I will accompany you on your vacation to make sure Ben stays safe and uses the Omnitrix correctly.”

“What?!” asked Max, surprised at the reveal. “But don’t you need to make a report to Azmuth? How will he react if he doesn’t get it?”

“I already sent him a dozen of them, he didn’t respond even once.” he huffed “It will be much easier to take care of an alien child if there’s an alien nearby, once that actively interacts with other species and knows what they’re capable of.”

Max tried to argue but was interrupted by XLR8 running inside the RV. The blue speedster was immediately caught by Tetrax. “Got you, little speed demon” he smirked.

“Is it true?! You’re staying with us for the rest of the summer?! Is it true Grandpa?” asked XLR8 in a very excited voice.

Max looked at his bandages, recalling all the times Ben ‘went hero’ inside and pretty much damaged a good part of the furniture. Having a babysitter, one that wouldn’t contact the authorities as soon as his grandson turned into a living flamethrower, would be nice while he could focus on keeping Gwen safe from this entire mess.

“Fine, you can come with us for the road-trip. But don’t think I forgot about what happened earlier, you’ll have to do some chores around if you want to stay.”

“Hmm, I don’t mind.”

“YAY!” shouted XLR8 before reverting back to Ben, giving his new friend a hug.

“But Grandpa” asked Gwen “Isn’t the Rustbucket too small for all of us?”

“Don’t worry, there’s enough room for-”

“I CAN SHARE MY BED WITH HIM!” announced Ben. Everyone looked at him.

“But Ben” said Gwen in a worried voice “he’s too heavy, he’ll crush me if he breaks the top bunk.”

“You can sleep on the top bunk now, I’ll sleep on the bottom one with my new best friend!”

“Really?! Yaaaaaaay” said Gwen as she ran to bounce on the top bunk. Max quickly ran to prevent her from bouncing off and hurting herself.

“It looks like everyone already accepted you as part of the family.” said Max in a friendly way. Tetrax smiled.

Family.

It did feel good to be part of something like this.

Tetrax refrained himself from laughing as Ben kept moving in his spot, trying to find a right position to sleep.

“Told ya. Even without my armor, my skin is too tough to rest your head on.” He now wore a black tank and blue shorts with a material strong enough to not be cut by a diamond head. But now it seemed the metal armor was more comfortable than his bare skin.

Ben looked at Tetrax and blinked twice before getting an idea. “I know!” He slapped the Omnitrix, and turned into Diamondhead again. “There” he laid his head on the adult’s arm and, almost instantly, he fell into slumber.

Tetrax knew it would only be a matter of time before the Omnitrix timed out, but he decided to let the kid have his fair share of sleep. He brought Ben closer to his chest and, feeling the boy raise his arms in his sleep to hug him, he smiled before falling asleep too.

It felt nice to have someone to care for.

#Ben 10 #Ben Tennyson #Tetrax Shard #Max Tennyson #Gwen Tennyson #Baby!Ben #Baby!Gwen #Dad!Tetrax #just the beginning to a new au #Ben 10 AU #Tetrax hun #adopt this kid already #he's like you

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ronqadonk · 8 years

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The Souvenir Jacket

I’d like to think World War II veterans would roll their eyes upon seeing celebrities in souvenir jackets, which walked runways last year and kept on walking right into spring/summer 2017. What I think veterans would find exasperating is that celebrities in souvenir jackets are attention-seekers. They are peacocks. But the souvenir jacket’s purpose isn’t to showboat. Like that tattoo of your ex’s name or a wine country hangover, the souvenir jacket’s purpose is to commemorate an experience. If you choose to wear one, you’re saluting World War II veterans and 1960’s Japanese counterculture, not Kanye or Katy Perry.

•The Origin Story• The souvenir jacket (sukajan in Japanese) emerged following World War II, during America’s occupation of Japan. As souvenirs of their time serving in the Pacific War, American soldiers had jackets hand-embroidered with maps, cherry blossoms, dragons, geishas, and less stereotypical images like a perfect SAT math score. The souvenir jackets were cut like American baseball jackets and were sometimes fashioned from the excess silk of military parachutes. Like millennials, each jacket was a special snowflake, one-of-a-kind. They were keepsakes of men who served their country. But they would later transform into a symbol of resistance.

In the 1960’s, American fashion trends seeped into Japanese society, the youth embracing preppy pieces like Oxford shirts and bluejeans. As an act of nonconformity, the Japanese working class youth appropriated the souvenir jacket. (Spoiler alert: America fires back at Japan years later with a culinary insult, the Lion King Roll).

Today, a proper souvenir jacket carries the spirit of the originals, documenting the wearer’s travels or rebellion or both.

•Brooklyn Cloth• So let’s talk about Brooklyn Cloth’s Signature Embroidered Souvenir Jacket. Full disclosure, Brooklyn Cloth sent me this jacket. Full disclosure, I sincerely like it.

I like this jacket because Brooklyn Cloth acknowledges the jacket’s history. They’re not blindly piggybacking on a current street style trend; according to their website, they’re taking a piece of history and “[transforming] it into something…anyone traveling to New York would always remember.” The jacket features New York’s five boroughs embroidered across the back—a design that harks back to the maps of Japan that American soldiers had embroidered on the jackets of yore. Additionally, the jacket is reversible. This means two things: you’re getting two styles for the price of one, and you can use the jacket to trick a Trader Joe’s employee into giving you two samples.

Even if you’re just buying a souvenir jacket for grocery store hijinks, it’s important for you to choose a jacket that speaks to your experiences. In doing so, you’re honoring the jacket’s history—the soldiers that brought them home as keepsakes, and the blue collar youth that donned them in rebellion. In other words, do not buy just any flashy jacket. When you dress yourself in a way that doesn’t reflect who you are, you’re not wearing clothes—you’re wearing a costume. You’re masquerading. You’re a celebrity. The best clothes, and the best souvenir jackets, say something about you, the person wearing them.

By that reasoning, Brooklyn Cloth’s souvenir jacket is just okay on me. Don’t get me wrong, I like its colorway and construction, but just because the seams fall in the right places and it hangs on me just fine doesn’t mean it’s a good fit.

I do, however, have a nephew who braved the New York boroughs as a boy, who emigrated to California and left Brooklyn behind. This Brooklyn Cloth souvenir jacket is going to suit him well. Now that’s a good fit.

Buy the jacket here. And do not procrastinate. Brooklyn Cloth only produced 150 units and, like the affection of a cat, these jackets will disappear. As a thank you for checking out my blog, use the code BKCLUVK at checkout for a 10% discount.

•The Look• The Brooklyn Cloth souvenir jacket is a lightweight layer that will serve you well spring through fall. I wanted to channel the rebellious spirit of the 1960’s Japanese working class. The Oxford-style shirt by Publish Brand and Levi’s bluejeans are a nod to the preppy American fashion trends that seeped into Japanese society in the 1960’s. Converse sneakers are iconic Americana and round out the theme.

The jacket is the star, so keep your shirt and pants simple. It’s a Destiny’s Child situation. The souvenir jacket is Beyonce. Your shirt and pants are those other two.

•Where To Wear• Try wearing this outfit to a movie date. The Oxford shirt says you’re dapper and the jeans suit the casual setting. It might be chilly in the theater, so you’ll be glad you wore a jacket to keep you and the Ziplock bag of popcorn you’re smuggling in comfortable. Just be sure to share (the jacket, not the popcorn).

•The Threads• Souvenir Jacket: Brooklyn Cloth • Purchase here • Use code BKCLUVK for a 10% discount Gerrit Oxford-style ¾-Sleeve Shirt: Publish Brand • Buy here 510 Skinny Bluejeans: Levi’s • Website Low Top Converse: Converse • Purchase here

•Extra Credit• I designed these souvenir jackets and had them made in the Philippines. The black “K” on the left jacket incorporates a traditional Filipino textile pattern, and the jacket on the right is made from Philippine fabric. They reflect who I am because they blend American style and Filipino culture. And they eat their feelings.

Other jackets I like:

This jacket by Standard Issue has gorgeous embroidery. The phoenix represents rebirth, placing it year-after-year at the top of the list of classiest spirit animals.

Cockpit USA made this jacket, which references the designs of the original souvenir jackets with its embroidered map of the Hawaiian islands.

#ootd #menswear #mensfashion #menstyle #souvenir jacket #street style #style #brooklyn cloth #standard issue #converse #cockpit usa #levi's #publish brand #suburban outfitter #ronqadonk

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ipolemajorone2018 · 6 years

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shot list, planning, and additional writing for sitcom scene shoot (for real this time)

i’m trying to shoot it in as similar as possible a way to the typical multi-camera sitcom that i can, using different cameras simultaneously and shooting different characters at the same time. this is the way that most every sitcom that is ‘filmed in front of a live studio audience’ is filmed, and since that is the exact type of show i want to emulate, i thought it best to also shoot multi-camera.

also, both characters are wearing Hawaiian shirts. if there were more characters, they would be wearing them, too. it’s an item of clothing that its wearers seem to think effectively visually communicates the message that they’re a cool, chilled, fun person, and i think this is something that these characters would very much try to communicate to those around them. whether they do this successfully or nt is a different matter.

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mrclassic · 6 years

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November 9th, 2016

"Tense apparitions dance wildly in the night, keeping you awake while the awkward handle of the trojan horse on the bedroom night stand leaves a bitter stain on the tongue. And yet, everyone always keeps coming back for more."

Sperry’s and chubbies for the men, jean jackets and black tights for the women seem to be the casual uniforms of the evening. What's left of the bar crawl group is brinking on the edge of belligerence in the nicest way possible, yet, how can anyone be belligerent in a nice way? Pizza and warm beer coupled with cheap whiskey, the aroma wafts of late night after party in a house full of ex-frat kids that graduated the institution but the institution secretly never allowed them to leave. It’s 3 AM in the sporadically quiet neighborhoods of Long Beach.

Quiet apart from the occasional gun shots into the night.

Young hopefuls - our future - all second guessing their landlocked careers due to an ineptitude for embracing complacency. Everyone has something to prove, especially to themselves. Soon they will realize in two years time that life will hand them a disgusting epitaph of harsh reality, and how that epitaph will ensure the grim sense of regret for possibly the rest of their lives.

Still coming down and trying to make sense of everything after witnessing the most polarizing election of their lifetime and how their country's system essentially failed at unifying them, the intellectual aristocracy of the 21st century turns to the blissful nostalgia of their glory days from collegiate training for comfort. Yet, tomorrow morning they're expected to carry on as if their future was always secure and will forever continue to be secure despite it being the most insecure it’s been in decades, unbeknownst to their semi-optimistic expectations handed down to them from one of the most irresponsible generations of our recent history. The level of escapism runs rampant in their blood, yet society forces them to never show it since it only further encourages their tarnished reputation of self-entitlement. Perhaps this is why many have seemingly chosen not to vote, because after so many years of being told to only fight for what you believe in, there became too many individual agendas for one of the biggest oncoming generations to agree on.

This is *our future*, and the past generations of first world society are constantly drowning them with self-doubt and terminal criticism of their learning methods and objectivity. They bicker amongst each other about how their perception of the world is correct, but at the end of the day, all they really yearn for is validation and a comforting reassurance that they are capable of heading in the right direction.

I know no one here. The friend who invited me to their ex-frat satellite after-hours quickly abandoned my side to heed the call of the never ending line of conquests, this time with the senior captain of the women’s volleyball team for State. After 3 attempts, Ubers are still scarce in this area but I have finally managed to lock one down that’s “15 minutes away” for the past 6 minutes. So here I sit, and wait, knowing no one. It is the most awkward I’ve felt in a while. But despite that, the group here have tried their best to make me feel accepted and embraced with offerings of booze, snacks, hell even water, because ultimately we’re all on the same side charging towards our generation’s common goal: making this world an easier place to enjoy for our future.

"Are you Jewish?!", exclaims a loud mouthed Hawaiian-shirt wearer to his rival just before taking an elongated swig from his red Solo cup of luke-warm Natty Ice.

A tense pause rushes the room to the ignorant elementary school rhetoric of unwarranted derogation that has no real validity in its condescension as the group of newly minted adult millennials gather around the soggy plastic table top that upholds the equally matched game of beer pong. The bearded contender in question focuses his dark, glossy eyes on the prize of that last cup as he takes from his cowboy boots all the way up to his hunter-camo baseball cap with an army-green American flag on it to a graceful synchronized arch, reminiscent of a poetic ballet. The delicate reach extends itself into the ball as it floats its way through the air, tightly grasping for any and all attention of everyone in the room as we hold our breaths, careful not to induce the slightest shift of air which may cause disruption in its calculated course.

The opposing teams eyes slowly shift from hope to distraught as they too along with the ball sink into the cup, literally a straight metaphor of their drowned chances for victory. Heavily tattooed arms instantly cut straight into the air as the winner proudly yells at the top of his lungs, "I am Jewish mother fucker!!!"

Cheers and laughter fill the remainder of the silence that held the room hostage as the impossible has been made possible only just for the fifth time of the night...so far. But, despite the high emotions of the intoxicated's favorite banter-inducing sport, the losing team shakes hands with the winners and fist pound each other, accepting the understanding that life doesn't always go the way you would like it, and that's pretty ok as long as you learn from your attempts. Their energetic optimism for the next round is endearing and reassuring of human character.

We may have been born with the silver spoon of accessibility to knowledge at our fingertips, but one thing we know from experience is that you have to teach hate and not all of us naturally gravitate towards the segregation of diversity. It's a futile notion now that we have experienced the vast opportunities and wonders exposure to cultures outside of our own can bring, mostly thanks to the Internet and Mexican Food. Slowly, this ignorant nationalistic mentality built on fear is being eradicated with age and the incoming generations. Within them, common ground is becoming increasingly more common, which, hey, go figure.

Hope: it's what we're still hoping for.

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vdbstore-blog · 7 years

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From Elvis to Balenciaga: five ways to wear a Hawaiian shirt | Fashion

The Hawaiian shirt … is it the leopard print of menswear? They’re both loud, a sartorial symbol of being fun. This is not the shirt to wear if you fall on the INFP side of the Myers-Briggs test. But perhaps men are having an extroverted moment. The Hawaiian shirt was the top-line story from the latest round of men’s shows, particularly Balenciaga; they were also a favourite of the fashion crowd sitting in the frow; and they’re on the high street right now – Gap’s version has been added to the most shopping carts on online fashion marketplace Lyst.

Still unsure? Channel a Hawaiian shirt wearer. Here are five to help find your fun-guy moment in 2017.

The Balenciaga

(From left) a look from Balenciaga’s SS18 show; tropical Hawaiian shirt, £24, Beyond Retro.

Balenciaga’s spring/summer 2018 show, in Paris last week, was a lot. It featured families, took place in a wood and Agent Cooper (sorry, Kyle McLachlan) was there. Some of the ideas presented – zip-off trousers, plastic cagoules – might not make most men’s wardrobes, but their take on the Hawaiian was clever. In a citrus shade, tucked-in and oversized, this is a beach-ready shirt by way of a nightclub.

The Romeo

(From left) Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo; Kahana short sleeve shirt, now £59, All Saints.

Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo + Juliet is now 21 years old, but with its beach scenes, raves and fishtanks, it’s a reference for a new generation. Expect to see a lot of twentysomethings in Claire Danes’s white dress and wings. Men can pay homage to a young Leonardo, with a Hawaiian shirt with more of a chintzy pattern. Wear with skinny trousers and parted blond hair for the full bad-boy-in-training effect.

The Nicolas Cage

(From left) Nicholas Cage in Raising Arizona; Vans Daintree Hawaiian shirt in black, £50, Asos.

Nicolas Cage’s character Hi in Raising Arizona is hardly a role model – he’s a kidnapper and bank robber. But he breaks the law while wearing a really great bright-red Hawaiian shirt. This is the bad-boy take on Hawaii, it’s less about the colour and the print, more about the fact it’s worn open over a white vest. Wild hair helps, mugshot sign not necessary.

The Elvis

(From left) Elvis in Blue Hawaii; button-down collar floral-print cotton shirt, £60, J. Crew at Mr Porter.

Elvis pioneered the flowers-and-lei look in his 1961 film Blue Hawaii. This is the classic of the Hawaiian-shirt world and while it can feel a bit fancy dress these days, you can go retro in a satisfyingly neat-as-a-pin way. Think hibiscus flowers, a quiff worthy of the king and white short shorts. Absolutely no yellow-lensed sunglasses allowed.

The Tim Blanks

(From left) Tim Blanks; Hawaiian print shirt, now £176, No21 on Farfetch.

The alpha fashion reviewer, currently at Business of Fashion, is always easy to spot thanks to his penchant for a jolly shirt. There were so many Hawaiians on the catwalk at the latest round of shows that Blanks’ fellow critics declared him the reference of SS18. Bite his style now with a shirt with a frond-type print – the more brilliantly lurid the better.

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envirotravel · 7 years

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Surviving Songkran: Celebrating Thailand’s Wet and Wild New Year on Koh Tao

You thought fireworks were cool? Just wait until you see how Thailand marks the start of the Buddhist New Year: with a nation-wide water fight. This is real life.

From April 13th-15th every year Thailand is consumed by the joy of celebrating Songkran, which comes from a Sanskrit word translating to ‘passing.’ Once a solemn, sacred event in which images of Buddha were bathed, young Thais sprinkled water on the hands of elders and traditional dancing symbolically washed away the misfortunes of the previous year and warmly welcomed the new one. Even prior to Buddhism’s introduction to the Kingdom of Thailand, throwing water was part of a ritualistic Spring Festival in which farmers hoped for rain for their crops.

Well… times have changed. These days, Songkran has morphed into a super-soaker fueled, wet and wild water fight. It’s a truly joyful day in which locals, expats and tourists come together to literally bring the party to the streets.

Bangkok and Chiang Mai are among the most popular destinations to celebrate Songkran. In fact, Koh Tao isn’t even close to being one of the biggest draws — but we love our small island celebration and I can’t imagine spending the day elsewhere. While in many Thai destinations the party can rage from the 13th-15th, on Koh Tao, Songkran lasts just one day, April 13th. Conveniently, it’s one of the hottest, sweatiest days of the year.

Read more about Koh Tao’s annual holidays and events!

I’m lucky to be approaching my third Songkran here on Koh Tao. My first in 2011 was a blast, and the 2016 edition was even better. In preparation for 2017’s celebration, I’ve put together my top Songkran tips. While these are specifically written for those celebrating on Koh Tao, I’m willing to bet there are a few drops of wisdom for those ringing in the year further afield.

The Cardinal Sin of Songkran

This is literally the most important thing about Songkran: make sure you aren’t in transit during it! If you’re on the move, make sure to arrive on Koh Tao by April 12th at the latest (personally, I’d add in a buffer day in case of travel delays, and to leave a day to get prepped to party.)

And if you’re leaving the island right after the big day, be careful. The festivities may be over on Koh Tao, but Bangkok and Chiang Mai will still be popping off and you will not be granted mercy simply because you’re wheeling a suitcase.

If you absolutely must travel on one of these days (like I had to on April 14th last year), take a regional flight so you can pass through Bangkok without ever having to leave the airport. Bonus! You’ll get to see immigration officers celebrating at work in their cute Hawaiian shirts, a bizarrely charming part of the unofficial Songkran look (I’ve never been able to get an answer why!)

Also, Don’t Drive!

So you’ve made it safely to Koh Tao and are all settled in in time for the big party. Now, put away those bike rental keys for the day — seriously. I would never drive on Songkran!

Putting aside the fact that you’re most likely going to be boozing, and driving is the biggest safety hazard on Koh Tao on a good day, locals set up stations specifically to throw water and flour at passing bikes, which can cause a serious hazard for those not super experienced on two wheels. Accidents are crazy common. Stick to your own two feet to get where you need to go, and be extra careful on the road even when walking.

What To Wear To Songkran

You can’t just rock up to Songkran. No, you’ve got some serious prepping to do!

First, your outfit. Obviously, I’d start with the base of a bathing suit and wear fairly little on top of that — though I would wear something, because walking around in a bikini off the beach isn’t really cool in Thailand, and this day is no exception. Lots of Thai people wear the aforementioned Hawaiian shirts and lots of Western people wear ridiculous costumes. Last year I wore a surfing spring suit, a sparkly gold visor, and a donut pool floatie. So there’s that. You might also consider goggles or a ski mask, especially if you have sensitive eyes. Believe it or not, Koh Tao has a pretty well-stocked costume shop in Mae Haad next to in the Lomprayah building. Go wild!

A lot of people go barefoot on Koh Tao and especially on Songkran, when they’re worried about losing their flip flops. Personally I’m not about that barefoot life — get a cheap pair of knock-off Havianas, do your best to keep track of them, and you won’t weep if they get lost, but best case scenario you won’t step on a broken beer bottle either. Win-win!

Waterguns are fun to have, but not necessary, so don’t fret if you don’t grab one. They often get broken or bored of fairly quickly; if you don’t feel like spending money or contributing to a landfill a second-hand bucket will also do the the trick.

If you plan to drink throughout the day, bring along a sealed bottle or cup. Open-top cups are just asking to be contaminated with unfiltered water splashes, and I know you know you don’t want that.

Another thing to prepare for — many restaurants and shops close for the entire day. And you will want to line your stomach pre-Songkran. Last year, my friends and I did a big champagne brunch while we got ready — it was a blast! So ask around for somewhere that may be open or gather supplies for a snack-fest in your hotel before you go out. If you get stuck, 7-11 is always open.

Tip: Waterproof Everything

Aside from a water-tossing vessel and a beverage-drinking one, bring as little as possible. I usually have a small bag with my waterproof camera, some cash, and my house key. That’s it. As a contact-wearer who had way too many direct shots to the eye last year, I’ll also be throwing an extra pair into my dry-bag for this year’s festivities.

But basically — if you don’t want it wet, don’t bring it out of the house. If you do, you’ll spend the entire day getting agitated, and that’s no recipe for fun. Buy a proper diving dry bag (they are for sale all over Koh Tao and Khao San Road in Bangkok), grab one of those geeky phone pouches that goes around your neck or just simply seal things into ziplock bags.

But again, bring as little as possible. There’s a lot of spontaneous ocean swims and getting pushed in the pool, so you might want to tuck some cash into a pocket, put your room key on a string around your neck, and enjoy a day totally untethered.

Green Your Songkran

Koh Tao is a little tiny island with limited resources. Consider filling up your buckets, water guns and reserve tanks with sea water. The environment will thank you!

Pace Yourself

It’s easy to get carried away with day-drinking on such a debaucherous day. But remember it’s a marathon and not a sprint… or whatever it is people tell themselves to avoid blacking out early. Get a good night of sleep the night before, wear sunscreen, seriously drink a lot of water, remember to eat occasionally, and generally make a valiant attempt to pace yourself.

Make a Meet Up Plan

Because I don’t take my phone out on Songkran, I like to have a loose plan in place with my crew so we know where to find each other in we go off on solo adventures for a bit — intentionally or not. We usually kick things off at Banyan Bar before moving en masse down the beach, slowly making our way towards Fishbowl and Maya Bar with an obligatory stop at the DJL Pool. Last year we decided to retreat to a private villa party post-sunset, where I had a blast regrouping with anyone I’d lost throughout the day.

It doesn’t have to be that full-on, though. Just agree that if you get separated, you’ll meet at a certain bar at sunset.

Don’t Be a Jerk

Honestly, just don’t. Don’t put ice water in your water gun. Don’t put food coloring into the water you’re throwing on people. Don’t aim at people’s eyes, or ears, or drinks. (As if that needs further elaboration, you could ruin a contact wearer’s day, you could give a dive instructor an ear infection, or you could give someone a tummy bug. So just chill.) Yes, it’s a day of mayhem and no one should walk outside expecting special treatment, but it would be nice to just like, be kind of nice about the whole thing, no?

Also be aware that there’s kind of an unofficial cease-fire after sunset. After that is when most people head back home to dry off and change before heading back out again to continue their debauchery. Don’t be that one lone dude soaking people at midnight in the bar. You’ll deserve the dirty looks.

Make a Day After Plan

Chances are, April 14th is going to be a bit of a wash (how many water puns can I fit into one post?!) I strongly recommend a fresh coconut, a banana, and a breakfast with eggs in it — my go-to Thailand hangover cure — followed by as many massages as you can fit into the rest of the day.

Seriously though, the island will be pretty subdued, so you might not want to book any major tours or dive trips for that day. Last year my friends and I planned a hangover brunch at one of our houses, a tradition I hope will be annual.

Need one last peek at the fun cyclone headed Thailand’s way in just two weeks? Check out my silly Facebook video of behind-the-scenes footage from last year’s celebrations.

Happy Songkran soon, my friends! Have you been lucky enough to celebrate this festival? If so, leave your tips and tricks in the comments below!

Songkran photos in this post were taken with the Canon PowerShot G7X and its Canon Waterproof Housing or with a GoPro HERO3+ — both are perfect choices for photography on a wet day! See a full list of my photography gear here.

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