#tooth gem is profitable

[toothgemguide]

Is a tooth gem business profitable?

Have you ever noticed a small sparkling gemstone on someone's tooth and wondered what it is? That's a tooth gem! Tooth gems have been a growing trend in the beauty industry, and many entrepreneurs are wondering if starting a tooth gem business can be profitable. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at the tooth gem business and analyze its profitability.

Market Analysis

Before starting any business, it's important to understand the market and target demographic. Tooth gems are popular among young adults, especially women. The trend has been growing rapidly in the United States, Canada, and Europe. According to a report by Market Research Future, the global tooth gems market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period 2021-2028.

When it comes to competition, the tooth gem industry is relatively new, and there are not many established players in the market. However, it's essential to keep an eye on the competition and stay updated with the latest trends to succeed in this business.

Costs Associated with Starting a Tooth Gem Business

Starting a dental gem business requires some initial investment. The equipment costs include a dental curing light, dental bonding agents, dental tools, and the gems themselves. A high-quality dental curing light can cost anywhere from $200 to $800, and dental bonding agents and tools can cost around $500. Additionally, there are training and certification costs associated with becoming a tooth gem artist.

Apart from equipment and training costs, there are overhead costs such as rent, utilities, and marketing expenses. The rent can vary depending on the location and size of the business, but it's essential to choose a location that is easily accessible and visible to the target demographic.

Revenue Potential

Pricing strategies for tooth gems can vary, but on average, a tooth gem can cost anywhere from $50 to $150 per tooth. The revenue potential also depends on the number of appointments per day, and the average revenue per appointment can be around $200 to $300.

Based on the market analysis, there is a high demand for tooth gems, and the revenue potential can be substantial. If an artist can book around five appointments per day, the monthly revenue can be around $30,000.

Risks and Challenges

Like any business, the tooth gem industry has its risks and challenges. One of the main risks is the potential health and safety concerns associated with tooth gems. The gems are attached to the tooth with a dental bonding agent, and if not done correctly, it can cause damage to the tooth or lead to infection. It's essential to have the necessary training and certification to ensure the safety of the customers.

Another challenge is the saturation of the market. With the growing trend of tooth gems, more artists are entering the market, which can lead to increased competition. It's essential to stand out from the crowd and offer unique services to attract customers.

Lastly, the tooth gem industry is heavily influenced by trends and consumer demand. It's important to stay updated with the latest trends and adapt to changes in consumer demand to succeed in this business.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the tooth gem industry has a high potential for profitability, but it's important to understand the costs associated with starting and running the business. Investing in high-quality equipment and training can ensure the safety of the customers and the success of the business. Staying updated with the latest trends and offering unique services can also help to stand out in the market. With the right approach, a tooth gem business can be a profitable venture for entrepreneurs interested in the beauty industry.

[merchant-wizard-and-jerry]

“Hello, I’m the friendly wizard _____. My name got taken by a fey prince but it hasn’t really hampered my life. Anyways I am new to this wider wizard community and would like to get along. I have a magic book, a cart, and a friend. His name is Jerry, he is a fungus colony that has taken over my magic book and acts sort of as my patron. He…is a little weird but great fun.”

*sound of an explosion in the background, a book flys by being chased by goblin shamans casting fire ball*

“He is…”

“He is fine.”

“Anyways, I am here to sell goods and make a small profit. If you need something I’ll see what I can do : ) ”

“Also apparently I helped smuggle an amnesiac @fattocatto-wizard out of the city in my wagon. That was a shock, though he was just a cat.

Character Cheat sheet

( 3 currency to 16 silver crowns and 2 copper crowns)

(3 skulls to a coin)

(2 currency to 1 gold)

(100 currency to a 1000 grams gold bar)

(1 currency per 10 grams of gold)

(Current balance 89,359.250,001 currency, one penny, 23 meat pucks, 14 pounds, 2 gold coins one with Julius Cesar on it, 3 naturally-grown mana stones, 2 highly enchant able metal pieces, and one bar, 1 special bug corpse, 1576.5 gold, silver 18, 70 aus, 5kg silver, magic dirt house size. 24 counterfeit currency. Moss/lichen-coded bio stone. An inverse cold torch. 99 BG silver. EMERALD LINCOLN, GOLDEN CARROT, 200 SALTED MEAT DISKS, 200 POLISHED ROCKS, 82 FIGET SPINNERS!, A FULLY EQUIPPED LICH'S DUNGEON, and a cardboard box (magic black marble).” Invisibility stone, a bundle of drake feathers, quantum locked rock, raw gold. 9 Gold coming from the green goblin empire, 50 mushrooms, 92 secret society emblem. 5 trans enchanted gold coins, 2 skull coin, ancient lost civilization fragment, 5 glistening green metallic coin, 31 writhing bugs of gold, jade coin. Pile of gold coins and gold coin bugs, pile of shines from harpy, dust, quantum glass shards, bag of tooth shaped candy, 6720 candies from the festival, bag of holding money bag, 68 money bags, 500 flat Foxen, double sided dollar coin, 3 floppies, a Brahman horn, a medkit, a few candy bars, and an umbrella, 130 goblins eggs (goblin cooked chicken eggs.), 17 bars of pure gold, 1 crate of guns, temp singularity potion. 762 grasshoppers glow in the dark.Book on the formation patterns of natural portals - @serious-tabaxi. Edward Evandrian’s expired library card. Gems and frenicx mother gem and a junkarian leap amethyst. white mithril sapling. Timeseed, infinite note book, time tunnel. A nice gold bag. bag full of candied scorpions 💰, large gem stone. 💰 💰 💰, gems = 70currency. 1/3rd a gold bar. Compass map, it's keyed to the Island of Silence. N=10^7 menger sponge. 2416 shadow cloaks, 52 shiny stones. 20$, 3 gold coins 100 grams. Gummy worms. 100 journals of Ventus Asamuran, Last Peacekeeper of Har Aminas. car keys, box of a 27 rusted necklaces with warding spells. an amulet made of stone, with blue rectangular crystals growing out of it. 48 shiny stones, 30 currency worth of silver. 3 sets of custom made chips @crickled-thorn-thug. Gold potion It opens a portal to the realm of metals! It causes any land within 20 feet to be transmuted, temporarily, into a variety of metals. If left untouched, the land reverts after a day. If harvested, the stuff stays metal and can be used. It also causes uhh 20 gold peices to spawn, and anyone within the radius to get a bit of vertigo. Causes slight iron deficiency, for some reason. 23 bouquets of metalic flowers. They're grown beneath volcanic chambers, uses the heat of magma as a supplement for sunlight. Given their environment, they grow petals sharper than claws and harder than steel. They can be used for creating armours and weapons. one box of nightmare inducing Mac and cheese)

(Currently holding baby dire bunnies. A ring of mana (covers energy into mana. Only suitable if you don’t have mana)

(Jerry’s balance 13 gold, a fancy rock, 1 coin, flower petals (snacks for later), harpy eyes, feathers, vocal cords, and talons, a coin with @informis-the-many-faced on it, it is locked away for emergencies. bottle of magic mold rejuvenation powder, wooden key @crickled-thorn-thug)

(Warlocks of Jerry @fungal-boy-witch-yay @ignisuadaroleplay @life-is-okay-rn2 I think that is who it was…)

(Possessions - wealth stone, Antidote stone)

Owner of membership cards

——————————

@the-final-knight-2

@confused-sorcerer

@bi-gender-sorcerer (+ 10% off for employee discount)

@the-mighty-dalob

@detectivewizzard

@goblin-wizard-in-the-making

@serious-tabaxi

@weltreths-wanderings

@ignisuadaroleplay (will)

@shittest-wizard-ever

@wizard-wylin-wylerian

@akronus-and-associates (the primordials)

—————————————

@hallowed-the-silver-gun

@jormungand-seas-champion

@crow-natures-wrath

@antros-ember-of-fear

@akronus-the-redeemed

@clockwork-time-watcher

@aldira-born-anew

——————————

@wizard-ghost

@yeast-wizard

@crickled-thorn-thug

@sorcererest-sorcerer

@damnable-druid (+ 10% off for employee discount)

@informis-the-many-faced

@kittycatwizard

@gun-sorcerer

@crime-wizard-conglomerate

———

Perks

———

5% off all purchases

Special requested items

More favorable bartering

———

[invasive]

You know how the day goes.... Extra information under the blanket ^^

Alessandro (Andro/Andy)

Name: Wanting to reference Venus, I named Andro after the painter Sandro Botticelli: the artist who created The Birth of Venus. I also liked Venus' connection to space, so Andro felt like a good callback.

Species: Big-Headed Turtle

Left behind after the accident at Draxum's lair, Alessandro found herself navigating through the cracks of this new life. Companionship eluded her grasp as she continued to fight tooth and nail to survive, forcing a steel shell around her. Weathered and directionless, Alessandro finds herself in the Battle Nexus after catching wind of an underground fighting arena run by one of the most influential yokai to date.

Big Mama knew of Draxum's experiments, especially when it stole her last champion. Mutated turtles, supposedly blown up with the rest of his lab. An unexciting end to such a financial blow-- until one resurfaces on her front door years later, usurping her predecessor's title. She plans to keep this gem under her wing to earn back lost profits, but when this champion of few words demands to be her assistant, she obliges (on condition).

I wanted Allesandro to be an introduction to some darker themes of the show, and to give Mikey a bigger role in that. I want him to try and introduce her to his family to reunite, but she isn't . accepting . Draxum was. She is their antithesis in almost every way, never seeing things through a light of good or evil, moreso failing or succeeding. And unlike Draxum, she is succeeding. Mikey, despite his best attempts, is met with a rock that he cannot chisle, and it's something he will struggle with for a while.

[walkingstackofbooks]

DS9 4x06 Little Green Men thoughts (I’m re-watching, so beware spoilers for future episodes!)

[2 July '23]

Rom's so proud of Nog and I will always love watching him be proud

Nog running away from Kira's disapproval when she finds her springball racket XD

Watching the tooth sharpener be used makes me cringe... Aiii dentistry, I cannot

"Why do you need me?" "Because knowing our cousin, it's probably defective merchandise." "...I better have a look at it."

"I could take over the bar, and you could fly off into the great unknown never to return." It's funny how much Rom says things like this, but he'd be pretty bereft if it actually happened, I think.

"All I ask is a tall ship... and a load of contraband to fill her with." How many times has Quark heard someone reference that poem? But also I love it when that poem is referenced, the TOS feels <3

"I can't think of anyone I'd rather do nothing with than you." That is so cute, Nog!

"It's a going-away present!" Oh, Julian and Miles are sweethearts <3

"I'll walk you over to the airlock... it was a good spot..." "The best." This is almost romantic music playing over the two of them 😅

Rom's actually so smart. "Especially if we make a side trip to Orion on the way back home." Look at him go!

"I've always been smart, brother. I've just lacked self confidence." Perfect line is perfect.

"20% of the profits." Good on you Rom for finding that self-confidence! I love this new you!

"As a Starfleet cadet, it's my duty to report any violation of Federation law to my superiors immediately. But then again, I haven't been sworn in yet. I'll take ten percent." Love that he's still so Ferengi! And his confidence <3

"Doesn't this Gabriel Bell human look just like Captain Sisko ?" XD top notch reference

"Rom, you're a genius!" "You think so?" "How should I know?" XD

I love how much Nog has already learnt and remembered about hooman history

"Don't be an idiot. Nuclear fission doesn't happen within planetary atmospheres." "It does here. In the twentieth century humans used crude nuclear reactors as weapons. They called them atom bombs. They used to blow them up all the time." "They irradiated their own planet?" Oh, humanity ... :/ I do like when they portray us humans as the strange ones

Nurse Garland is a gem and I love her

"Gold is good." I thought gold was worthless and Latinum is the good bit?

"We know all about you. Baseball, root beer, darts, atom bombs." XD like the four things he knows about humans

"Nurse Garland, I'm having trouble with my ear again. Could you massage it some more?" Nog is shameless! This does make me uncomfy o.o

Ohhh, the dog's Odo, right?

Hehe yes!

Nog creating some big story is like whatever happens in season 6 with the Vorta? I can't really remember, but note for future Andi - when you rewatch that episode, remember this :P

"Who's he?" "My hero." Out of context you do NOT expect this to a genuine Quark and Odo quote.

Nurse Garland is very Edith Keeler, isn't she <3 That dream of a better future once humans face got to space... I'm sorry it won't be in your lifetime, my lovely.

This was such a lovely send-off episode for Nog (I know he comes back but still)

Also, did Odo really take *four weeks off* just to tail Quark?!

"This is all a misunderstanding. Rom, get me a lawyer." "I'll contact cousin Gaila. I'm sure he'll know a good one." Haha ROM

[candyville]

 Our Latest candy & chocolate collection to spread the Holiday Cheers!

Are you a candy enthusiast? Perhaps you've found yourself captivated by the enchanting world of Candy Ville has started envisioning the possibility of opening your very own wholesale candy store. If that's the case, why not leap and embark on the journey of starting your own candy business?

In today's market, there is a wide array of brick-and-mortar and eCommerce stores that specialize in the art of candy sales. Many candy and snack food retailers wisely opt to source their inventory from wholesale candy distributors, enabling them to save costs and maximize profits.

Whether you choose to adopt a direct-to-consumer approach by selling wholesale candy in Canada or prefer to operate as a candy distributor, venturing into this industry promises both amusement and financial rewards. The candy manufacturing sector alone generates a staggering $20 billion in annual revenue, making it an enticing realm to explore for potential business opportunities.

In this blog, we will dive into some Holiday-centric products available at Candy Ville. The list of top products is as follows: 1. REESE'S CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER MILK CHOCOLATE KING Reese Crunchy Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate King Size is a delectable treat that combines the rich creaminess of peanut butter with the smooth sweetness of milk chocolate. Each package contains 2.8 ounces of pure indulgence, making it the perfect snack for satisfying your cravings. With 24 units in a pack, you'll have plenty to share with friends and family or keep all to yourself.The crunchy texture adds an extra layer of delight to the already irresistible combination of flavors. Whether you're a peanut butter enthusiast or a chocolate lover, Reese Crunchy Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate King Size is sure to leave you wanting more. 2. FRANKFORD COCOA PEBBLES CINNAMON KING-SIZE BAR Frankford Cocoa Pebbles Cinnamon King Size Bar is a delightful treat that combines the nostalgic flavors of cocoa and cinnamon in a convenient, king-size package. Each bar weighs 2.75 ounces, providing a generous portion of deliciousness. With 18 units in a pack, you'll have an ample supply of these tasty bars to enjoy. The rich cocoa flavor and warm cinnamon spice create a harmonious combination that is sure to please your taste buds. Whether you're a fan of the classic Pebbles cereal or simply enjoy the comforting taste of cocoa and cinnamon, the Frankford Cocoa Pebbles Cinnamon King Size Bar is a must-try indulgence. 3. PUSH POP GUMMY POP ITS Push Pop Gummy Pop Its are a delightful and interactive treat that combines the fun of a push pop with the irresistible flavors of gummy candies. Each package contains 2 ounces of mouthwatering gummy goodness, providing a satisfyingly sweet experience. With 8 units in a pack, you'll have plenty of these colorful and flavorful treats to enjoy and share. Simply push up the pop to reveal a burst of fruity gummy candies that will tantalize your taste buds. Perfect for kids and adults alike, Push Pop Gummy Pop offers a playful twist on traditional gummy treats, making snack time a joyful and delicious experience. 4. TOPP RING POP GUMMY GEMS COUNT GOODS Topps Ring Pop Gummy Gems Count Goods are a delightful and dazzling treat that combines the fun of a ring pop with the fruity flavors of gummy candies. Each package contains 3.95 ounces of deliciousness, providing a generous supply of these gem-shaped treats. With 16 units in a pack, you'll have an abundance of colorful and flavorful gummy gems to enjoy and share. Simply slip the ring onto your finger and savor the burst of fruity goodness with each bite. Perfect for parties, celebrations, or simply satisfying your sweet tooth, Topps Ring Pop Gummy Gems Count Goods bring joy and deliciousness in every bite. 5. HERSHEY'S SPRINKLES AND POPPING CANDY BAR  Hershey's Sprinkles and Popping Candy Bar is a delightful and playful treat that brings together the creamy goodness of Hershey's chocolate with the added excitement of sprinkles and popping candy. Each bar weighs 1.5 ounces, providing a satisfying portion of sweet indulgence. With 36 units in a pack, you'll have an ample supply of these delightful bars to enjoy and share. Bite into the smooth milk chocolate and experience the delightful crunch of sprinkles and the surprising burst of popping candy. Perfect for adding a touch of fun and excitement to your snacking experience, Hershey's Sprinkles and Popping Candy Bar is a true delight for chocolate lovers of all ages.

[tothesolarium]

here's the deleted segment from the story. Good for Mrr.Zanny, but a little too out of plot

“Mister Zanny!” “Who? who is this Zanni? Not I, not me, most certainly!” “Isn’t it close enough? You certainly act-“ “No mister here no matter who joyous my appearance might seem.” “Mrs. Zanny?” “You have your back to the target, oh archers lower thy bows!”

“I was just saying hi,” “And I too! A Hi to you, a Hi from me who takes the time to teach a twig. An affective duel for me and you. We are ones and twos, a face for both of eyes.” “I thought being two faced is bad,” “Maybe so, maybe not. Deepens on the lot you choose to keep, and what secrets might cross yon beak. For some weave us tight, for some it tears our might. Cherish, word and people, consider what speak will do to either. Oh calm thine eyes nothing to worry about now little little. For there is a different duality which I speak and be.” “Is that why you can be mean?” “That is part of the die, but think of all sides.” “Like the charity man who doesn’t want us asking for coin on his step?” “Another part, yes, but the depth of belief. That one truly is the profiteer who believes himself savior. That one noble and full of- less that honorable acts. The faults, the cut in the gem that makes it shine. Oh he who wants to save the world, and see’s no qualms with the plan of lopping heads. ” “Your world is bloodier than mine,” “A drop of blood takes over the puddle.” “You could chose deeper puddles” “I have found no others who wants me,” “Well Mrr.Zanny, I am gunna go skip stones in the river. Wanna watch?” “Not entirely, but if you get any of that ‘water’ on you, it shall be a scene to watch you fight that stain.” “See, this is what I meant with the whole asshole thing,” “New word little little, good job.”

———

“All the sweets were turned to treats Compassion actin like a trash can So now your stuck with a mad man Bitter Sweets, tooth eating - shit baby sitter Yet look at you lot - hiding in my skirts I complain not - for ye are charming twerps But promise me to stay sour, as All the sweets were turned to treats Act rash, while we mosquito what we can. Till the itch does ‘em in.” One variation of the song Mr.Zanny sings while bored

The Patron saint of your local troupe of Queers, Mr.Zanny (pronounced Murr)

[briarworthandoleander]

This broke my heart. I have been studying a Kulve Taroth deep within a secluded mountain connected to a gold vain. I always gave her her space and never pushed it. Sometimes I would offer precious gems and stones I found as a peace offering. In a way she kind of got used to me. I named her Majesty. Seemed fitting.

But, just a few days ago, I found her decaying corpse. It was an awful sight.

Her abdomen was completely sliced open. Her fire organ was gone as well as certain bones were missing. Her limbs were nailed to the floor and she was declawed. Teeth were removed. Tail wasn't attached anymore.

Her horns were gone, completely sawed off. And there was a hole in here head. Pierced right through the skull. Likey how she died.

It had to had been poachers. The slaughtering bastards! She may have been an Elder Dragon but she was at peace in her caverns. To see such a magnificent creature reduced to a decaying waste shattered me.

But that's not the worst of it. She had eggs and they were missing. Unborn Taroths are highly valued in black markets and illegal trades for the gold attached to their shells.

I may not be able to avenge Majesty. But I can try to save her children from greedy humans. That's why I came to you. Please help me.

Poached Kulve Taroth Cadaver Report

Between Oleander and Myself, we were able to match the gold deposits that remained on Majesty’s corpse with eggs and gold confiscated from a merchant trying to pass through Loc Lac City. We found her horns and tail too.

Unfortunately; two of the three eggs we found had grown cold - but the third we were able to quickly tuck into my Banbaro coat. It was not the most elegent or secure solution; but it allowed us to get the egg back to the hatchery without having to risk chilling the egg by travelling at high speeds. Was a bit uncomfortable for us to have to sandwich the egg between us just to be sure however; far too hot even for my blood.

Once back at the Sanctuary the hatchery had to be divided - Kulve Taroths keep their nests in volcanoes and lava caverns due to the high temperatures required for their eggs - and we had to match that. After some makeshift engineering; Oleander and I managed to make an offshoot from the blast furnace behind the house that could house the egg. The heat did however make us both pretty ill;

Never really seen Oldguards’ back before. Know the stories he tells about his scars; Tigrex bite, Acidic Glavenus burns, random clawing and tooth marks from a variety of beasts.

I appreciate the effort he puts into helping me with these rescues, and I worry about how much he puts himself at risk for them. I think it’s just hitting me a lot harder as of late as to how hard he wo

Ignore the above.

The egg is secured and well heated - it’s now just a matter of time to see if the egg will hatch. It looks healthy for the most part, if not a little small. Little more conflicted with having two Elder Dragons on the premises even with Gretchen’s release date only days away.

I’m currently in contact with the original researcher who studied Majesty and we have returned the horns and tail so that they can decompose naturally with the rest of the corpse. While I’m not one to waste resources; it strikes me as deeply wrong to use these ones knowing how they were obtained. She deserved better, and I’m still bitter despite the fact we caught the bastards who tried to profit from her death.

As for the hatchling if we’re so lucky - study, rehabilitate; and release. 

I just hope we can do it with what little we know of how a Kulve Taroth raises her young.

- Leo Briarworth

[madrigalsims]

alisha cc  ♥ (origin id: madrigalsims)

*I don’t claim to own any of the CC and I don’t make any profits off of the downloads. I give full credit to the talented people who made them, all I did was add the CC onto a base and provide a link to their respective download locations.*

traits:

sweet tooth pretty girl

skin details:

skinblend brows

accessories:

gems choker earrings lashes

makeup:

lipstick+eyeshadow eyeliner eyes

outfit:

hair top skirt shoes

[seokiloquy]

Sink - Hinata Shoyo

AU: Fantasy / Merman

Revamp

GN! Reader, hardly any plot (it’s like nothing i’m sorry)

Word Count: 2.2K+ 

Pirates can be helpful sometimes. If you do anything to tick them off though, you're thrown overboard. They were self-serving, violent to a fault, and would only help outsiders if they got something of greater value in return. Profit, they said. Most pirate ships were run by humans, taking to the sea after being forced off of land by other groups. For this reason, the whole time on that ship was spent with their scorching gazes burning into the back of your skull. Being an elf, one doing work for the queen no less didn't help your cause. If you hadn’t been seasick you would’ve seen it coming. 

Now here you were, sinking down into the depths of the ocean hardy able to see the light through the crashing waves above you. Your wool cape weighed you down, getting heavier as it soaked in the salty water. It wrapped around your body, restricting your movements and thwarting any hope of being able to swim upwards.

Your chest hurt once your knees hit the sand at the bottom. The throbbing of your heartbeat in your ears was loud but didn't stop you from hearing the swishing of movement around you. Somehow, life underwater was the loudest and most silent experience. It was deafening.

"Hey there, person!"

You squinted your eyes as you tried to see despite the stinging from all the salt. About five, maybe less, metres ahead from where you pitifully kneeled, a merman swam over to lean against an algae-covered rock as if it was a bed. You bent backwards to get away from him, but it became useless since your torso just floated back up.

"Are you stuck? Odd. What is that? A tarp?"

The merman’s orange tail flicked, propelling him forward toward you with incredible speed. His webbed hands pulled at your cape and his long pointed ear twitched through the water, listening for something. You felt as though you were being sat on by a giant, the pressure on your chest grew stronger as you struggled to help the sea creature free you.

Once untied from your dark cape you were able to swim upwards toward the surface. You felt your chest expand as you swam higher making it easier to hold your breath.

Just as you broke through the surface of the water you gasped, grateful that you could finally breathe. You heaved in as much air as possible, trying to not let the splashing water get in your mouth. As you kicked and waved your arms through the water the aquatic man floated up next to you. He poked his head out of the water before ducking back down.

"Woah! You don't have a tail! Or fins, or anything! What are you?"

Treading the water with both arms and legs you kept yourself floating high enough to speak.

"Take me to shore and I'll speak to you then. This cape is weighing me down."

Nodding his head, the merman’s orange hair shook off some of the water in it. The movement made some water fly into your mouth, which you quickly spat out, not enjoying the taste. His hands hooked under your shoulders, hoisting you up to his chest.

"Hold your breath."

"I am (Y/N) (L/N) of the Elven Domain. I am an explorer and have direct orders from the queen to track down an artifact to keep it safe. And you are?"

"You're an elf?"

You sighed, staring the merman directly in his eyes. The two of you currently sat/stood on the sand, drying off. In front of both of you was the ocean that you had just crawled out of minutes before.  The merman flicked his tail happily and looked at you with a curious smile that seemed to eat away at his cheeks.

"You don't socialize, do you?"

He shook his head as he picked at the fins on his arms. “No, not really. I’ve been the personal worker for the princess since I could remember. Only the royal family makes connections with those on land. The rest of us barely remember the word for your people. Let alone seen one. And because I’m working for the princess all the time I don’t really have any friends or explore."

As he spoke, his tail had fully dried and began to morph into a set of thin legs. The colour from his tail seemed to take shape and become a pair of trousers that ended directly below the knee with a small frill. He slowly bent them with a large smile, wiggling his toes into the sand.

"We know of our abilities, but only those who attend world meetings use them. I've never had the chance."

Grabbing your hand suddenly, he pulled himself up and onto his feet.

"Now come on! You have an adventure to be on don't you?"

Marching forward Shoyo managed to take a couple of steps before his knees buckled inwards and he fell forward. His butt stuck in the air and both his lower legs and face were covered in sand. He was quick to adjust, flopping onto his back.

"I got to get used to this," he said smiling up at you

"I'm more surprised you managed to even take one step. What’s your name?"

His mouth popped into an ‘O’ shape before giving you another sharp-toothed grin, “Shoyo Hinata.”

You sat on the edge of a rock, cape splayed out by your side. Hinata splashed around in the water, bathing in the cold liquid against his skin and tail. A laugh would nearly escape you every time his head bobbed out of the water to either shake his hair dry or send a long trail of water out of his mouth in a tall arch. He occasionally would toss water your way in an attempt to get you wet, before going back to whatever he found entertaining at the bottom of the pool.

"So you are an elf. And there are other species out there like you. How many are there?" he asked.

Hinata pushed himself up on the rock next to you and let his tail begin to dry.

"There are humans and wizards. They are from the same family, but wizards have either become interested in the magic of others or are hungry for power. There are other water dwellers I'm sure. But no one has seen them since the War of Weapons. Along with some forest creatures who have small colonies instead of creating a large Empire like the Fae or Giants."

Hinata swung his tail trying to get off the last of the water so his legs would appear. As he did, drips flung your way, making you much wetter than any of his targeted splashes did. You scoffed, wiping your hands over your hefty clothing. Once dry, a silk-like material took the place of scales and legs, replacing the tail with pillowy clothing. You stared at them for a moment.

“Are those pants attached to your body or…” 

As you spoke Hinata's ears twitched as he heard every word along with any noise that came from the woods behind you. He ignored your comment, far more interested in the previous conversation. "Creatures like what?" he asked.

You looked to the woods thinking of the people and animals you have and will encounter on your travels. "There are centaurs, gods, dragons, nymphs and dwarves. Some that don't have specific names but recognizable features. Most of them fled to the woods after the war. The gods, well, there are no gods here. Not anymore, not really."

Hinata nodded and played with the large gem that was attached to your cape. His head tilted, "War of Weapons? What happened there?"

"I can't remember the exact details of course. It was almost three hundred years ago after all. And if you haven't connected with other races you were definitely born after."

Hinata nodded "I'm only a teen. So it makes sense that I wouldn't know. As I said, I’ve spent my whole life with the princess."

Sighing, you felt the sudden urge to throw yourself into the water. You cringed in disgust and looked into the deep ocean. The dark blue seemed much more welcoming now than it did when you had been thrown in. Maybe if you wished for it the dormant god would welcome you with open arms. 

"You're so young," you commented.

"And you're not?" Hinata tilted his head and looked toward you. He set down your cape.

"In age of body, I am. But of mind and experience, I have aged 400 years."

"400!" Hinata jumped back at the confession, hands holding tightly onto your gemstone. "But how? You look 14!" 

"People of Elven descent age much slower than the rest of the world. It's a gift and a curse. My own siblings are reaching their 900th years."

Hinata sat closer and rested his chin on your shoulder, pouting. You smiled and turned your head slightly toward him, getting a glimpse of the youthful expression that pulled at his lips.

"But the war. What happened?"

You looked to the horizon where you couldn't see the landmark or city.

"Humans, finding the magic of others made them power-hungry. They began to build troops in hopes of defeating other kingdoms and gain control of the world. Wizards, witches and the occasional warlock or enchantress began to appear. They had to go through deadly rituals to gain their power. And when they found out there was more to take, there was no stopping them. It was a war of not only hardware but of magical prowess."

Hinata rested his weight against your body as he listened to you tell the story of an old war.

"Elven, Mer, Demon, Wood, and God banded together to stop them. Each of them protecting the gems they had in their care."

Hinata stared at your side profile, his eyes reflected the light from the setting sun and portrayed admiration as he listened. The eyes of the mer glowed a brilliant gold colour with hazel accents and brown lining.

"Gems? Like the stones?"

You nodded.

"Some, although rare, have magic stored in them. There are three held by the gods, with them from birth to rebirth. Others are forged over hundreds of years on sacred ground. Often places are abandoned before a single gem is produced."

Hinata's orange hair tickled your neck, his webbed hand rested palm up on your knee. You took his hand and gently pressed your thumb into the center of it.

"(Y/N), what did you do in the war?"

Your eyes dropped into the water before you. Another urge, stronger than the last, wanted to pull you into the bottomless pit of water. It felt like you were about to choke.

"I watched friends and family live and die at the hands of the people we all treated so well. I can only wonder if they took our kindness as pity."

Hinata squeezed your hand with a slimy but gentle touch and dug his head deeper into your shoulder. He whined pitifully.

"I am an adventurer. So that's what I did. I went searching for clues, hideouts, anything I could find on the other side of the war. Along the way, I made a friend. His wings were a beige colour, very light. But his overall aura was much darker. His wings gave him little to no help because if he flew too high up, he would fall out of fear of being shot down."

You turned your head to the merman, shifting slightly to fully face him and avoid catching his pointed ears with your own. You raised your free hand up toward the darkened sky, pointing to the bright light from the moons above the two of you.

"His name, Kageyama Tobio. God of the moon."

Hinata sat, eyes larger than before as he looked up to the two shining dots of light in the sky. The moons, which he had never gotten the chance to see until now, danced slowly around each other as they spun around the world. He admired the still image of the two unequally sized moons.

"Where is he now?"

"Home, I assume. But his sister is young and missing. So there is no doubt in my mind that he is still searching."

The sun had fully set by now, letting the moons cover the forest in cool light and dark shadows. You lowered your hand to Hinata's shoulder and added some pressure to your fingertips.

"Rest for tonight. You've drained your energy enough for today." You smiled and pushed him down on the flat rock where your cape was, acting like a makeshift bed.

"And what of you? Are you not going to rest?" He asked, holding your hand as it dropped the edges of your cape over his shoulders.

"My mind is now plagued with thoughts. If I rest now I cannot guarantee you'll see me at dawn."

Hinata's brow furrowed as he questioned you. "Why would that be?"

You sighed and brushed his hair with your free hand. "My turning would toss me into deep water." You smiled slightly as Hinata's expression turned sour. "Now sleep. I’ll see you in the morning."

I honestly love this one cause the world is one I’ve had in my head for years... but have yet to actually do anything with... - Bacon

Posted: 03/08/2020

[wheremytwinwatches]

[Where My Twin Watches]: PMMM Rebellion - Part 3

After Charlotte has a snack and Hitomi’s Nightmare is resolved, the girls are walking to Mami’s, Sayaka and Kyoko once again chasing each other around Madoka. So this is the next morning, right? Did the girls just not sleep last night? I mean, Mami was getting ready for bed when “Bebe” said there was a Nightmare.

Speaking of, we get a nice reflection in the water of Bebe looking at us with a little smile. Please stop that. Mami’s saying she still has some chamomile tea which makes Madoka happy, although Kyoko’s not happy with her other offering of an apparently sour tea. Cue Sayaka teasing her about her sweet tooth, they squabble while Bebe bounces around babbling about wanting cheese-

Wait. Hold on.

Ranubis said:...Apparently Sayaka is a raspberry, Kyoko is an apple, Mami is cheese...

Mami, run!

Ok, while I now wait for Bebe to chow down on Mami again oh come ON Mami, now you’re just tempting fate.

[Mami]: “All right, all right. I’ve got to reward you too, Bebe.”

NO. NO YOU DO NOT.

While awful foreshadowing is going on, Madoka notices Homura is trailing behind. You ok, Homura?

Oh. OH.

[Homura]: “I wonder if our battles have always been like this?”

That right there… is a very interesting line.

Scattered shots of the city back to the fancy school, we

what the heck. teach don’t look right.

Yeah, ok. The math teacher has no face. It’s just a blotchy red blur with two dark spots for eyes. That is not a human face.

Homura’s glancing around GAH ok no I did not need to watch this part so late at night. Every non-named student has the same blotchy face, only our girls, Hitomi, and Kyosuke are normal.

Ok then! That confirms my thoughts on Homura’s line! Like I said last time, the sense of Something Is Wrong is really ramping up now. From the Witches/Wraiths being replaced by Nightmares to the NPCs losing cohesion, it’s clear that this world is off. Which goes back to my theory: the girls are being brainwashed to work for Charlotte. Only I was just thinking about the rest of the Madokrew, not Homura. She’s been brainwashed too. Only she’s waking up.

While I’m working on my conspiracy theory, Urobuchi’s trying to convince me that things are just fine with a cute little rooftop lunch between the Madokrew. Interrupted by a fullscreen flash of the Incubator’s eyes, I did not need that thank you. And a flash of Charlotte eating cheese, I get it already!

Yeah, while the rest of the crew is giggling away, Homura’s looking out over the city at how literally everyone else has Blotchy Face. From their fellow students running track, to young and old in parks, to everyone walking along the roads. The cracks in the deception are showing.

Later, we see another blimp (I KNEW those seemed out of place), and yep there is now a Labyrinth-style 2D music-box player in the park performing for some kids dressed in black. Everything’s slowly changing to the design of a Labyrinth. Now, how to get out of it?

Seems that Homura’s starting with Kyoko, asking her if things have felt a little “odd’ to her lately. Or, seems she hasn’t fully woken up herself yet, is just sharing her uncertainties. Specifically she’s speaking to Kyoko first because she feels the “oddest”. Gee, thanks. But yeah, post-character development Kyoko is certainly different from the standard timeline Kyoko who espouses the food chain. Not saying it’s a bad change, just saying.

Aha, making progress! Homura presses her on when she transferred to Mitakihara, and Kyoko can’t recall. The Labyrinth signs keep increasing, from more black-clothed children listening in the park to a veritable fleet of blimps now overhead.

Homura asks Kyoko to return with her to her hometown, see if it’s like the city that she remembers. Kyoko’s still confused at what Homura’s getting at, but she does trust her. And heck, she can get paid dinner at her favorite Ramen place. Road trip!

Said road trip is a disorienting array of bridges in the background and overhead, I think I spotted the Golden Gate in the mess. And yeah, now the sky’s all blotchy, with backgrounds of faint windmills. Kyoko doesn’t seem to notice how disorienting things are now, just remarking that her hometown will be the next stop. She hits the button

Uh oh. There’s just an announcement that the next stop is Mitakihara, which Kyoko protests. Back “home”, they discuss that they know they got on the bus for her hometown, resolve to try it again and make sure they pick the right one. They try again… but this time the bus announcement is for the middle school. Fed up by this point, Kyoko literally jumps onto the hood of the bus and yells through the glass at the driver. No response.

[Kyoko]: “What the hell is going on?”

That’s what I’d like to know, Food Girl!

One last attempt, Homura says they’ll go on foot this time. And so they wander through backgrounds that I am too unnerved to properly appreciate how nice they look, until to my utter lack of surprise, they face Mitakihara City again.

Kyoko suspects an illusion, tries summoning her Soul Gem before Homura stops her. She has the sense that “nothing actually exists outside of this Mitakihara City”?

Uh, that’s kind of a big deal. I’m thinking it’s brainwashing and Labyrinth by Charlotte, but you’re saying it’s a pocket dimension? Is this the power that a Cannibal!Witch holds?

Homura asks Kyoko to keep the fact that they can’t leave secret from the rest of the Madokrew for a while, she wants to investigate on her own first. Kyoko protests, but Homura says it’ll probably be safer if they pretend they haven’t discovered anything. Don’t want to alert your jailer, after all. Who knows what-

GAH ok really really did not need the image of them surrounded by NPCs with crayon-drawings of their heads. Methinks Charlotte is giving them a warning. Kyoko stands down, and the NPCs return to “normal”. The warning is clear: Keep doing what you were doing before trying to leave, and things will be the same as ever.

But even if they have to play along for now, at least we got something out of this: Kyoko’s remembering seeing Tough Homura before. And she approves! Have some food.

[Homura]: “Am I the only one who remembers?”

Ladies and Gentlemen, with a hairflip and heelstomp worthy of Satsuki, the Mysterious Transfer Student we know and love is back!

“Yes… I’ve seen this kind of trap before. A closed-off world of illusion. A maze without exit, into which the prey is lured and led astray.”

Off come the bows, down comes the hair.

“There’s no doubt. This is a witch’s labyrinth.”

Brrrr! Well that’s a thing. Even beyond that, though, I remember in the show that the girls could exit a Labyrinth while the Witch still lived. If they can’t now, then that means that this is a stronger Labyrinth than usual. More fuel for the Cannibal!Witch fire! Also, now that Homura’s broken out of her Meek Mode I expect things are going to get loud. After all, in the show once she tossed the glasses and let her hair down she started raiding armories for fun and profit, my threat estimation of her has increased greatly.

Charlotte, you’ve got a storm coming your way.

[ladyofbrighton]

Fantastic Tips About Gold That Are Simple To Understand

The value of gold has been high since the dawn of time. Gold is cherished by all, but few know how to get their hands on it wisely. Keep reading for advice on how to buy and sell gold.

When you invest in gold, you can't go wrong with bullion bars. The weights of these items may vary. They can be as small as half an ounce or as large as 400 ounces. The 400 ounce bars are generally hard to find.

Verify the market price before selling your gold jewelry. This way, you'll know whether you're really being offered a fair price. While dealers often give you market value, some are used to sellers wanting quick cash.

Whenever you make an investment in gold in the form of jewelry, always ensure that you have sufficient documentation and can return it if required. You have no idea if the person for whom you are purchasing the piece will like it or if it will fit. For this reason, it is important to purchase jewelry items that come with a money back guarantee.q

If you don't know what your gold jewelry is worth, consider having an appraisal done. It costs a bit of money, but you'll have a good idea of what your gold is worth. Make sure to choose an accredited appraiser from an independent shop to receive the most accurate appraisal. Understand that you probably will not get the full appraisal price when you sell your gold.

Anything gold is able to be sold. Decorations, flatware, broken jewelry, anything you have with real gold content is potentially valuable. Having 100% gold isn't required, either. It just needs to be plated or maybe only a part of it's gold. They won't be worth as much but you can still get money for them.

It's always a good idea to verify the spot price before making a purchase the same day. You can find this on a variety of websites, and it can change daily. Never pay in excess of 8% markup above the spot price. There are dealers who attempt to charge a higher amount, but they are unethical and simply overcharging.

Know what you have when it comes to gold. Just because something looks like gold, that doesn't mean it's worth the full weight in gold. Sometimes other metals might be mixed into gold to make it stronger. The less gold, the less value. Also, some items may only be gold plated. If you're not sure about the value of your items, you should have them appraised before you try to sell.

Read the fine print of your sales contract. If you want to sell gold to mail-in gold buyers, read the small print carefully before you sell. This lets you know how much you end up with after any fees are taken off the top.

When negotiating with the dealer, be sure to read everything with a fine tooth comb. This is not a small-change type of business; there is big money involved. You must be fully aware of what you are committing to. If the terms are not agreeable to you, get ready to move on. It's better to walk away and find another deal than run any risk to your personal information or financial wellness.

Before buying gold, know your dealer. To help guarantee that you are selling to a reputable dealer, make a call to your local Better Business Bureau. That way, you can learn about any complaints made about the company. If there are complaints, you need to find a different dealer.

You might be able to scrounge up some gold by simply asking your friends and relations if they have damaged jewelry items they no longer want. Simply purchase a quality jewelry scale to find the exact weight of the gold. This allows you to make a fair offer on the value of your friends' and family members' gold pieces.

Identify your goals before investing in gold. It's something that is great when used to shield yourself against inflation, but the investment is volatile. If you educate yourself on the gold market and have a game plan going in, you have a good chance at being successful.

If you are thinking about selling gold on the Internet, check the prices several times prior to proceeding. It's not uncommon to find a gold-buying business in your own town that will pay you more. It may be simpler to mail it in, but is that simplicity worth giving up a profit in the hundreds?

Have gems removed from gold you sell and then keep them. Note that tiny stones are more challenging to extract. Most dealers will not be interested in the value of small gems, because they do not add value to a piece that will be melted down.

A good way to invest in gold is to buy American gold coins minted prior to 1933. Gold coins were regularly minted and circulated by the US treasury before that date, when FDR recalled the coins. However, some folks kept them anyway, and you can find them for sale today.

You won't be able to get full melt value for your gold. A gold dealer is a businessperson just like all others. They must make money, so there needs to be some room in that purchase price for doing so. You will likely lose between 30-50%.

As this article has shown you, gold is a great thing to own and to invest in as well. Gold investing is wise, given that its value only grows with time, With this knowledge behind you, you can start collecting gold right away.

[chcrrypcps]

(f) korean names; mix n match !

80+ KOREAN SYLLABLES to mix n match together to form names! 

-- common hanja meanings attached !  

**not all name meanings are listed & not all names have to mean something-- some people just like the sound of them! 

(male version here!)

애 (ae)

愛  love, like, to be fond of 

哀 sad, mournful, pitiful, pity 

涯  shore, bank, water's edge 

埃  fine dust, dirt

碍  obstruct, block, deter, hinder 

艾 artemisia, mugwort

아 (ah)

兒 son, child, oneself; final part

亞 second

我 our, us, my, we

牙 tooth, teeth; serrated

芽  bud, sprout

雅 elegant, graceful, refined

안 (ahn)

安 peaceful, tranquil, quiet

案 table, bench

眼 eye; hole

岸 bank, shore, beach coast 

顔 face, facial appearance

배   (bae) 

北 north, northern 

配 match, pair; equal

杯 cup, glass 

輩 generation, lifetime 

korean for pear

백 (baek)

白 pure, white, unblemished 

百 one hundred

 비  (bi/bee)

秘 secret, mysterious 

悲 sorrow, grief; sorry, sad

飛  fly, go quickly 

卑  humble, low, inferior 

肥 fat, plump; fertile 

丕 grand, glorious, distinguished

빈  (bin)

彬 cultivated; well-bred

분 (boon/bun)

芬 perfume. fragrance. aroma 

憤 resentment, hatred

보  (bo)

保 protect, defend, care for 

寶 treasure, jewel, precious, rare 

普 universal, widespread

補 mend, fix, repair, restore 

甫 begin, man, father, great

 輔 protect, assist

복 (bok)

福 happiness, good fortune, blessings 

卜 fortune, prophecy 

馥 fragrance, scent, aroma

별  (byul/byeol)

korean for star

차 (cha)

茶 tea 

差 different, wrong

채 (chae)

采 gather, collect; pick, pluck 

採 gather collect, pick select 

彩 hue, colors

초 (cho)

草 grass straw herbs  

哨 whistle, chirp

 焦 burned scorched; anxious vexes

천 (cheon/chun)

千 thousand 

天 sky, heaven; celestial, god 

川 stream, river 

泉 spring, fountain; wealth money 

淺 shallow, superficial 

賤 cheap, worthless

다 (dah/da)

多 much, many 

茶 tea

도 (do)

道 path, road 

島 island 

都 elegant refined 

徒 disciple, follower 

桃 peach; marriage 

悼 grieve, lament, mourn

어 (eo)

語 language. words, expressions 

漁 to seize; to pursue 

御 chariot

억 (eok)

億 many; hundred million 

憶 memory; to remember, reflect upon 

抑 to repress, curb, or hinder

언 (eon)

言 words, speech, speak 

彦 elegant

은 (eun) 

銀 silver, cash, money, wealth 

恩 kindness, mercy, charity 

隱 hidden, secret

殷 abundant, flourishing; many, great 

誾 respectful

가 (gah/ga)

歌 song, lyrics; sing chant; praise

價 price, value

佳 good, auspicious; beautiful; delightful

고 (goh/go)

古 old, classic, ancient 

苦 bitter; hardship, suffering 

固 strength; solid, strong 

孤 orphan; solitary 

故 ancient, old 

枯 withered, decayed

국 (guk/gook/kuk/kook)

國 nation, country 

菊 chrysanthemum

규 (gyu/kyu)

叫 cry, shout; hail, greet, call

하 (ha)

夏 summer 

河 river, stream 

荷 lotus, water lily

해 (hae )

海 sea, ocean

 害 harm, destroy, kill

희 (hee/hui)

喜 joy, love 

希 rare; hope, expectations 

稀 rare, unusual 

姬 beauty 

熹 warm bright; glimmer 

禧 happiness

화 (hwa)

火 fire flame; burn; anger, rage 

花 flower, blossoms

 和 harmony, peace; peaceful, calm

 嬅 beautiful 

禍 misfortune, calamity, disaster

혜 (hye)

慧 bright, intelligent

현 (hyun/hyeon)

賢 virtuous, worthy, good 

炫 shine glitter; show off, flaunt 

玄 deep, profound

효 (hyo)

曉 dawn, daybreak; clear

孝 mourning; obedience

일 (il/eel)

一 one; alone, singular 

日 sun, day, daytime

인 (in)

麟 female chinese unicorn 

人 people, mankind, man, population 

仁 humane; benevolence, kindness 

認 to recognize, know, understand 

寅 respect, reverence 

忍 endure, bear, suffer

재 (jae)

才 talent, ability 

災 calamity, disaster, catastrophe 

財 wealth, riches 

宰 to slaughter; to rule 

栽 to cultivate; to care for plants

자 (jah/ja)

子 child, offspring; fruit, seed 

資 property; wealth 

慈 kind, charitable, benevolent 

紫 purple, violet; amethyst 

磁 porcelain

지 (ji/jee)

地 earth, ground, soil 

紙 paper 

志 determination, will 

智 wisdom, knowledge, intelligence 

池 pool, pond

진 (jin)

珍 precious, valuable; rare 

眞 genuine, real, true

주 (ju/joo)

�� daytime, daylight 

朱 cinnabar, vermilion

酒 wine, spirits, liquor 

宙 time as a concept 

洲 island 

珠 precious stone, gem, jewel, pearl

정 (jung/jeong)

正 right, proper, correct

情 emotion, feeling, sentiment 

程 journey, trip 

精 essence, spirit 

征 invade, attack, conquer 

靜 gentle, quiet, still 

淨 pure, clean, unspoiled 

貞 loyal; virtuous pure 

晶 crystal; clear, bright, radiant 

汀 beach, bank, shore 

禎 good omen, lucky

경 (kyung/kyeong/gyung/gyeong)

敬 respect, honor

輕 light, gentle 

警 guard, watch 

鏡 mirror, glass 

卿 noble 

炅 brilliance 

瓊 jade; rare, precious; elegant

미 (mi)

美 beautiful, pretty; pleasing 

微 small, tiny 

迷 bewitch, charm

민 (min)

閔 mourn, grieve 

憫 pity, sympathy 

敏 clever, smart 

旻 heaven

玟 gem

문 (moon/mun)

門/ gate, entrance 

文 literature, writing; culture

명 (myung/myeong)

命 life; destiny, fate, luck 

明 light, bright, brilliant 

冥 dark, gloomy; night

나 (nah/na)

奈 bear, endure

내 (nae)

耐 patient; endure, bear

남 (nam)

南 south

오 (oh)

五 five 

午 noon 

惡 evil, wicked, bad, foul 

傲 proud, haughty; overbearing 

嗚 sound of crying, sobbing; sound of sadness 

娛 pleasure, enjoyment, amusement 

汚 filthy, dirty, impure 

烏 crow, raven; black, dark

옥 (ok)

鈺 rare; treasure 

玉 jade; precious stone, gem

沃 rich, fertile

라 (rah/ra la/lah)

裸 bare, nude

란 (ran)

蘭 orchid; elegant, graceful 

亂 create chaos; revolt

리 (ri/li/lee/ree)

李 plum 

梨 pear

림 (rim)

林 forest, grove

린 (rin)

麟 female chinese unicorn

사 (sa)

四 four 

使 messenger 

死 die; death; dead 

士 scholar 

思 think, consider, ponder 

師 teacher, master 

私 secret, private, personal 

絲 silk, fine thread 

:沙 sand, pebbles 

蛇 snake 

詐 trick, cheat, swindle, feign 

邪 wrong, evil, vicious 

唆 mischievous

상 (sang)

上 top, superior, highest 

賞 reward, prize 

傷 wound, injury 

常 common, normal, frequent 

象 ivory; elephant 

喪 mourn 

祥 happiness; good luck, good omen 

裳 beautiful 

霜 frost; crystallized

서 (seo)

西 west

庶 numerous various 

徐 composed, dignified; quiet, calm 

恕 forgiveness; mercy 

誓 swear, pledge, promise, oath

설 (seol)

雪 snow; avenge

선 (seon/sun)

瑄 ornamental jade 

仙 transcendent, immortal 

善 good, virtuous, charitable, kind 

鮮 fresh, new; rare 

璿 fine jade 

璇 star; beautiful jade

 성 (seong)

晟 clear bright; splendor 

城 castle; city, town 

誠 sincere, honest; true, real 

聲 sound, voice, music

聖 holy, sacred 

盛 abundant, flourishing 

星 a star, planet

승 (seung)

勝 victory 

承 succeed 

乘 rise, ascend 

昇 peace; rise, ascent

신 (shin)

辰 early morning 

信 trust, believe 

新 new, fresh, modern 

神 spirit; god, supernatural being 

晨 early morning, daybreak 

辛 bitter

시 (si/shi)

矢 vow, swear, promise 

時 time season; age, period, era 

施 grant, bestow, give 

詩 poetry 

屍 corpse

소 (so)

消 vanish, die out, melt away 

笑 smile, laugh 

素 white silk 

昭 bright, luminous 

蘇 revive, resurrect

슥 (sook/suk)

宿 constellation 

淑 good, pure, virtuous, charming

순 (soon/sun)

純 pure clean simple 

循 obey, comply, follow 

殉 to be a martyr, to die for a cause

脣 lips

淳 honest, simple

수 (su/soo)

樹 plant, tree 

守 defend, protect, guard 

收 gather collect; harvest 

秀 refined, elegant, graceful 

壽 old age, long life 

殊 different, special, unusual

와 (wah/wa)

瓦 pottery

왕 (wang)

王 king, ruler, royalty

旺 prosperous; prosperity

위 (wee/wi)

位 throne, rank, status 

偉 great, robust, extraordinary 

危 dangerous 

威 power; powerful; dominate 

慰 calm, comfort, console 

衛 guard, protect, defend 

違 disobey, defy, rebel; be different than 

尉 officer, military rank

원 (won)

源 spring 

園 garden, park, orchard 

原 beginning, source, origin 

願 to wish, ambition, desire, want 

怨 hatred, enemy, resentment

 苑 park, garden 

瑗 a ring of fine jade 

媛 beauty; a beautiful woman

우 (woo/wu)

友 friend, companion

牛 cow, ox, bull 

雨 rain; rainy 

優 superior; excellent 

宇 house, building, structure 

愚 stupid, foolish 

憂 sad, grievance; grief, melancholy 

羽 feather, plume; wings 

佑 to help, bless, protect 

祐 protection; divine intervention

욱 (wook/ook)

頊 grief, anxiety 

旭 brilliance, radiant 

昱 dazzling, bright light, sunlight 

煜 bright, shining, brilliant 

郁 sweet smelling; rich in aroma

운 (woon/wun)

運 luck, fortune 

雲 clouds 

云 clouds 

芸 art, talent ability; rue (herb)

야 (yah/ya)

夜 night, dark 

野 open country, wilderness, field 

惹 irritate, offend

예 (yeh)

禮 manners, courtesy, customs, rights 

藝 art, talent, ability 

豫 comfortable, relaxed, at ease 

譽 fame, praise 

銳 sharp, keen, pointed, acute 

隷 servant 

睿 shrewd; clever, keen

芮 tiny, small 

醴 sweet wine; sweet spring

여 (yeo)

女 woman, girl; feminine 

旅 journey, travel; traveler 

與 to give or to grant 

餘 surplus, extra, excess, remainder 

麗 beautiful, magnificent, elegant 

勵 to strive, encourage 

廬 hut, cottage 

驪 a pure black horse, stallion

열 (yeol)

烈 fiery, violent, ardent 

劣 bad, inferior

연 (yeon)

然 promise, pledge

燃 burn; ignite 

緣 karma, fate

戀 love, long for, yearn for 

燕 swallow (bird) ; comfort, enjoy 

蓮 lotus, water lily; paradise 

漣 flowing water; ripples

영 (yeong/young)

永 perpetual, eternal, forever 

英 petal, flower, leaf; brave, hero; england, english 

令 commandant, magistrate

領 neck, collar; leader, guide 

映 to reflect light 

榮 glory, honor; to flourish or prosper 

寧 serenity, peace; peaceful 

嶺 mountain ridge, mountain peak 

影 shadow, reflection; photograph 

泳 to dive, swim 

詠 sing, hum, chant 

零 zero; fragment, fraction, sliver 

靈 spirit, soul 

瑛 crystal, gem 

盈 full, overflowing

이 (yi/ie)

二 two; twice 

利 gains, profit 

李 plum 

易 change 

異 different, unusual, strange 

梨 pear; opera 

泥 earth, mud, clay 

怡 harmony, joy, pleasure; to be glad

유 (yoo/yu)

柳 willow tree; pleasure 

遊 wander, roam, travel 

柔 soft, gentle 

維 maintain, preserve 

裕 rich, abundant, plentiful 

劉 to kill, destroy

육 (yook/yuk)

六 six

율 (yool/yul)

栗 chestnuts, chestnut tree

윤 (yoon/yun)

潤 soft, moist; sleek, fresh 

尹 govern, oversee, direct 

胤 heir, successor

[tomjopson]

Iron Hands, Iron Skin Ch. 3

Rating: T-M

Fandom: The Elder Scrolls V / Skyrim

Characters: Original character, Male bosmer dovakhiin, Ghorbash gro-Dushnikh, various minor characters in Windhelm

Relationships: Male Dovakhiin / Ghorbash gro-Dushnikh

Summary:  A retired Orcish legionnaire and a Bosmer in self-exile were an unlikely pair to find themselves wandering the roads of Skyrim, always in search of adventure and gold, but mostly gold. Ghorbash the Iron Hand left his stronghold to join ranks with a mage who was talented but far too cocky for Ghorbash's taste. Theirs was a companionship that worked well, however, with one providing brawn and the other providing wit--or at the very least, successful distractions. What started as an uneasy balance turned to friendship and an even stronger bond as the two found common ground and constant danger. At least life was exciting outside of the stronghold.

A collection of tales, following the misadventures of Ghorbash and Kaj--two idiots who make memories, discover love, and wreak havoc along the way.

Notes: The chapters aren’t in any order and don’t have to be read in order to make sense. 

[Previous Chapter]

[Read on Ao3]

Chapter 3: A Rare Thing, Compassion

Kaj’s voice rose higher and louder as he argued with the shopkeeper about the prices. The dark elf behind the counter of Sadri’s Used Wares refused to budge. Ghorbash watched from the doorway with his arms folded over his chest.

“Thirty gold for an amethyst?” Kaj nearly shouted. “I could get over a hundred in Solitude for this!”

“Well, you’re not in Solitude,” Sadri said, his own voice rising to match Kaj’s.

“It’s near the size of my fist.” Kaj slammed his palm on the counter. “You’re trying to cheat me!”

Sadri leaned dangerously close to Kaj, jabbing a finger at his shoulder. “I don’t know where you got it. Could’ve been from a tomb for all I know. I’m not a fucking fence for your filched goods, bosmer.” He spat the word out like he tasted something foul in the air. “I get enough trouble from the city guard as it is. I don’t want to be dragged to prison for your rubbish.”

Ghorbash remembered the scene that took place when he and Kaj first entered Windhelm that evening, when they arrived right before nightfall. A dunmer woman was being harassed by a large group of town folk who were quick to accuse her of every catastrophe that had befallen Skyrim in the past few years. There were a couple guardsmen up the stairs by the tavern who watched all of this without intervening. The men only dispersed when Ghorbash got between them and the woman, telling them to back off.

The men had grumbled to themselves and skulked away, but Ghorbash knew in his gut that he had made some enemies that night. He would sleep better the sooner he and Kaj left Windhelm behind them.

At first, the dunmer woman had snapped at him and Kaj, demanding to know if they hated all her kind as well. Kaj had scoffed before lowering his hood. Seeing his ears, the woman relaxed. She realized that she was among friends. Kaj stepped close to her, asking if this was normal, and she shrugged. Windhelm was not a kind city to outsiders, especially the dark elves in the Gray Quarter and the Argonians on the docks. She suggested that Kaj keep his hood up if he didn’t want trouble.

Ghorbash had offered to walk her home, a good excuse to have a native show them around. He and Kaj had no food and almost no money on them, and they desperately needed to find someone with whom to trade their goods. Well. Their scavenged items, more like.

Legally obtained.

Most of them.

“The name of your shop is used wares! Do you undersell all your patrons? How do you have any customers?” Kaj’s fists clenched at his side started to glow dangerously.

Ghorbash stepped forward. “Kaj. Calm down.”

Kaj whipped his head around to glare at Ghorbash, but when Sadri pulled a knife from under his counter to place between them, he controlled himself enough to make the orange glow in his knuckles dim.

“Better listen to your friend. Smart man, him.”

Ghorbash placed a hand on Kaj’s shoulders, squeezed, and pulled him back. “Look. We can trade for more than gold. We’ll take your price for the gems if you throw in something else. I, for one, am running low on arrows.”

Sadri’s lip curled, but he stopped himself from making a smart remark. He shook his head, placing his knife back in a cabinet under the counter. “Very well. Maybe then you two will leave me in peace, Azura willing. I’ve got a quiver with different makings in the back. Let me fetch it.”

Sadri disappeared behind a curtained door. Kaj was breathing harshly through his nose, and Ghorbash was still pressing his hand hard on the elf’s shoulder.

“Don’t fight my battles for me,” Kaj muttered.

“That’s why you hired me.”

“Not what I meant.”

“I know. But we don’t need you burning down any buildings. Gray Quarter or not, I don’t want happened in Riften to happen again.”

Kaj snorted. “If I recall, you’re the one who started throwing punches in Riften.”

“Doesn’t matter. The man’s right. We don’t want issue with the guards here.” Ghorbash thought of his sword, with the Imperial crest on it. It would be dangerous to end up in prison with Imperial paraphernalia in a city run by Stormcloaks.

Some of the tension in Kaj’s back loosened. Ghorbash let his hand slide from his shoulder down his back, and—upon realizing the intimacy of the gesture—he gave a Kaj a perfunctory pat before withdrawing his hand. Kaj grabbed his pack from where he had dropped it on the floor at his feet. He rifled through it until he found his meager pouch of gold. He pulled a couple of coins out of the pouch and left them on the counter.

“Here,” he said, waving his fingers at the coins before replacing the pouch in his bag and hoisting the strap around his torso. “You get whatever else you want from him, but make sure he fucking pays what he offered. If I have to look at his face again, I will summon an atronach to shove its flaming arm up his arse, guards be damned.”

Ghorbash raised an eyebrow, not believing the threat at all but letting Kaj make his bluff without comment. “And where are you headed?” he asked.

“To get us food at the tavern.” Kaj rubbed a hand against his cheek, scratching. “I’ll feel better with some food in me. Preferably in a rented room.”

With that, Kaj ducked out of the general goods store. It was dark outside, the braziers were lit along the wall, and snow was falling heavily. Ghorbash seconded the elf’s sentiments about a warm, dry room.

When Sadri returned with the arrows, Ghorbash selected a bundle of dwarven ones. They were the only ones worth taking, though he kept his observation about the rusty points to himself. Sadri parted with some coins for the amethyst and other gemstones with a mutter under his breath, but he seemed far less willing to argue with Ghorbash than he had with Kaj. Ghorbash pocketed the tiny profit and put the new arrows in his own quiver. Pulling his hood up and tightening his cloak around his shoulders, he braced himself for the cold and left the store. The Gray Quarter was dark with the imposing high walls making the alleyways foreboding and claustrophobic. There was some shrieks and laughter coming from the bar, but Ghorbash assumed Kaj had headed to the tavern in the center of town. More likely for them to get a private bunk in the larger inn—for more money, unfortunately, but the two of them preferred their privacy in the cities.

The falling snow hit Ghorbash in the face, making him squint as he trudged up the stairs leading to the town square. He was careful to not slip on the slick rock, worn from centuries of ice freezing on it and feet wearing down its surface. The night was eerily bright as the fresh snow reflected the light of the braziers, and the clouds above were a dusty gray. Nevertheless, the snow blurred his vision, and when he passed the gate for the docks, he bumped into a little girl. She was a strange sight given the part of town. She was neither dunmer nor argonian, but human. She was bundled up for the weather, but her upturned, pink nose poked from above a threadbare scarf, and her eyes were red and watering from the cold. In her gloveless hands, she clutched a basket full of winter greenery and hardy, northern flowers.

She squeaked, hunching her shoulders. “Excuse me! I didn’t see you.”

Ghorbash instinctively put his hands out to push her away but stopped realizing that the girl could not be more than ten years old. He frowned thinking of the lateness of the hour and the increasingly bad storm. He also remembered hearing the rumors of a killer lurking in Windhelm’s streets. It was hardly a safe place for a little girl.

“Are you headed home?” he asked her.

She peeked up at him, but when she saw his shadowy, hooded face, her eyes widened. She dipped her head again. “Soon enough. I was hoping to sell more.”

He looked at the basket, assuming she meant those. “Where are your parents?”

“Dead. I live with Shahvee down by the docks. She’s nice.”

Ghorbash nodded, unsure how to respond to the girl’s candidness. “Well. Get yourself home soon. It’s not safe at night.”

“I can take care of myself.” She defiantly raised her head, though the snotty pink nose took away some of the effectiveness of her bravado. “Say, mister, would you like to buy one of my flowers?”

She held out the basket for him to see the small wreaths of snowberries and the wildflowers. He hesitated. The only gold he had on him was the small amount he had earned for the gems.

“How much?”

Likely used to being ignored like a beggar, the girl perked up, the scarf sliding down her face enough to reveal a gap toothed smile and chapped lips. “Just a copper per flower!”

It was an impulsive decision, and Ghorbash knew in the back of his mind that Kaj would throw a tantrum. But Ghorbash pulled out his coin purse and took a handful of the coins without counting them. To his credit, he didn’t grab the entire contents, but judging by the girl’s clothes, she had probably never held a single gold coin in her life.

Ghorbash held the small fortune in his large palm before her. “I’ll take all you got.”

The girl was stunned into silence before she whooped and jumped on her feet. She thrust her whole basket toward him. With the gold coins filling her small hands, she laughed loudly and jubilantly.

“Thank you, mister! Shahvee will be so happy! Thank you!”

Ghorbash slid the handle of the basket over his arm. “Good. Now go home. You’ll be safer there.”

“I will!” She grinned up at him before running toward the docks gate, pushing open the wicket door with her shoulder.

Ghorbash sighed. He looked into his coin purse, counting what was left. He pocketed it and continued toward the tavern. No guardsmen in sight this time. He opened one of the tavern’s doors, and the warm air wafted over him, the sudden temperature shift making his nostrils sting. Thankfully, the common room was up the stairs, so he was able to approach the bar with no harassment. He asked the owner if a bosmer had been through yet. Without looking up from the mug she was wiping, she said in her nasal voice that the wood elf was in the second room to the left.

“Let yourself in. You’re already paid for.”

Feeling embarrassed, not entirely sure why, Ghorbash grunted a thank you before heading down the hall. He pushed open the door to the room without knocking, and he found Kaj stripped to his trousers and socks sitting cross legged on the rug in the middle of the room. It was a tiny room—one bed, a dresser, and chair—but large enough that Ghorbash figured they could comfortably share the bed. They had slept in worse places.

Kaj was digging through his potions, sorting through the vials and setting aside the ones that had cracked or were missing cork stops.

“So were you successful in not killing our beloved Sir Sedri’s Used Wares?” he asked without looking up.

Ghorbash placed the basket of flowers on the dresser. He took off his cloak and hood, draping them on the lone chair in the corner. He locked the door out of habit before sitting on the bed and removing his shoes.

“He was civil with me. You, on the other hand, enjoy starting arguments.”

“Or,” Kaj said, raising his eyebrows and smirking up at Ghorbash, “people don’t argue with you because you’re terrifying. Have you looked in a mirror recently?”

“Not all of us are as vain as you, Kaj.”

The quip earned Ghorbash a delighted laugh, as though Kaj were always a little surprised when Ghorbash joked with him. With Kaj’s attention back to his potions, Ghorbash let himself smile.

Kaj took the abandoned vials and dumped them into one of the dresser drawers for the poor innkeep to find later. He paused when he saw the basket.

“What’s this?” he asked, picking up one of the bundles of flowers.

Ghorbash shrugged. “Found it by the docks. Figured you could use them for your potions.” He conveniently did not mention the gold. Kaj was in a good mood, and he didn’t want to sour it first thing before bed.

Kaj had a strange look in his eyes, confused, almost worried. He tucked the flower back into the basket, but his eyes lingered on it for a few seconds more as if no one had given him something without reason before. He shook his head a little before slyly smiling at Ghorbash.

“Thoughtful,” he said. “You’re full of surprises.”

Ghorbash tossed his boots to the other side of the room before scooting back on the bed until his back hit the wall.

“What did you get for food?”

“Oh.” Kaj stooped to pick up a couple plates that he had lain beside his bag. “Salmon. The meat looked old, but it’s warm.”

He handed Ghorbash one of the plates and joined him on the bed, their shoulders pressed together as they ate. Ghorbash felt the warmth in his chest, and his skin tingled where their bare shoulders touched. He ignored it by eating faster.

Once he finished and wiped the plate clean with a piece of bread torn off the dark loaf Kaj had also bought for them, Ghorbash leaned his head back against the wall.

“Where do you want to go come morning?”

Kaj blinked at him. “In the morning?”

Ghorbash thought of the Gray Quarter, the townspeople harassing the dunmer woman, of the sequestered Argonians, of the dead woman found in the cemetery, and of the little girl selling flowers in the dark.

“What? You love this city enough to stay? Maybe there’s a house for sale, and we can move right in.”

Kaj chuckled, but it withered in his mouth. He was quiet for a few seconds, hesitating before he asked. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I don’t want to stay here longer than we need to.” Ghorbash bent over to dig his flask out of his bag. “It stinks of the war here.”

Kaj didn’t answer to that, and instead put a fraction more of his weight against Ghorbash’s shoulder. Ghorbash took a swig from his flask before offering it to Kaj. Kaj accepted it, smelling it curiously before sipping. The two of them shared the silence, passing the flask back and forth as the noise from the patrons upstairs filtered through the crooked floorboards. They could hear laughing, singing. A couple men got into a tussle and had to be broken up by the nasally innkeep before she kicked them out.

Ghorbash sighed, and when he held out the flask for Kaj to take, he realized that the elf had fallen asleep against the wall and against Ghorbash’s shoulder. Ghorbash moved slowly, putting the flask on the dresser before sliding Kaj flat onto the bed and covering him with the furs.

As Ghorbash extinguished the lanterns in the room, he moved the basket to sit by Kaj’s bag. In his mind, he was rehearsing his excuse for when Kaj realized that there was less money than there should be. It was a small comfort that the little girl and Shahvee would have plenty to eat for the next week while he and Kaj would have to pilfer from strangers’ gardens.

But as he carefully slid onto the bed beside Kaj, letting Kaj’s body heat and breaths lull him closer to sleep, he remembered the little girl’s laugh. He remembered Kaj’s sad eyes as he looked at the flowers.

He would deal with it in the morning.

[nour386]

The green gem gave a faint florescent glow. Dipper ran his fingers over it while reading the journal entry in his other hand. 'The Magatama. A mystical green stone that allows you to see the lies others tell you.' Read the Page.

'Note: NOT CANDY. F tried to bite it in the few minutes I had left it on my kitchen table. He had tried to cover his lie, but several magical locks appeared in front of him revealing that he was lying, or at least keeping a secret. I was able to quickly break the lock and reveal his lie, much to his disappointment. However, considering that he had broken his tooth on it, i think it may have been for the better. we're currently on our way to get him a crown and fix his tooth. We double pinky promised to not use it against one another, however I'm sure this will greatly help my research in the future.'

Dipper turned back to the gem in his hand. It was shaped like a curved tear drop with a hole through the drop head. Stan had been using it as a door stop so whenever Dipper flicked through the journal he had a feeling of deja-vu when he passed this page. But he had finally connected the dots in his mind and saved this magical artifact from it's undignified fate.

"And now to test it." Dipper's lips curved in a mischievous grin.

He walked into the museum, as he expected Soos was busy sweeping away popcorn and snack food wrappers from the last tour in preparation for the next. keeping the gem in his pocket and out of sight, Dipper tried his best to nonchalantly walk over to Soos.

"hey dood!" Soos said, a warm grin spread across his face.

"Uh...hey Soos." Dipper was caught off guard and almost tripped over. But quickly steadied himself and tried his best to speak calmly. "So hey...I was wondering, do you know what happened to those extra Mr. Mystery shirts that Stan hadn't gotten around to selling last week?"

Dipper could see a bead of sweat begin to form on Soos' brow as his eyes began to dart around the room. "I-I-uh...I don't know what you're talking about dude. Stan put those away in storage when he couldn't sell them."

Before Dipper could point out that Soos was being overly suspicious, a read lock appeared in front of him. Several chains from the ceiling and ground, connecting to the lock. "woah."

"I know right? It's so rare for Mr. Pines to make a bad product right?" Soos said quickly. "Anyway I have a lot of stuff to clean up, busy handyman and all that. totally not planning to make a collage of the Shirts to make a new hot air balloon for Stan."

Dipper watched as Soos whistled awkwardly while walking into the next room. He didn't need the magic jewel to know that Soos was lying, the man was an open book even in his most secretive moments. However the appearance of the lock meant that the journal entry was true.

He ran through the shack, his heart was racing with possibilities, so many questions to ask, so many truths to uncover, so many people to interrogate. He could finally get Mabel to confess what she did with his favourite chewing pen. Just as Dipper turned a corner, he found himself in the gift shop. A disgruntled Stan sitting bored at his cash register counting his profits. With the weight of the journal against his breast and the jewel in his pocket. Dipper felt a swell of confidence as he approached his Great Uncle.

"Hey Stan, why don't you talk to Mabel and me about the magic in this town?" Dipper asked, he ran his thumb over the smooth texture of the Magatama as he spoke.

Stan turned his gaze to Dipper with an annoyed look. "Magic isn't real kid." He said flatly.

Dipper stayed quiet. Sta turned back to his money, thinking that Dipper had been upset with his refusal to speak about magic once again. Instead Dipper was stunned silent at the sight of 5 locks appearing in front of his uncle. All magically chained in place.

However what made Dipper the most concerned was the way the locks flickered between the usual red, and a dark unsettling black.

THE MAGATAMA

Glowing green stone. Definitely NOT candy.

They allow the holder to visualize psyche-locks whenever someone is hiding secrets! The more psyche-locks, the deeper the secret.

These stones are mostly found and imbued with “spiritual energy” in Kurain Village in California. I have tried before to get one from the Fey clan there with no success. How did one get here??

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[aion-rsa]

You Should Check Out the Paralympics

https://ift.tt/3BpOGn7

U.S. Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill has big goals.

“I set out upon this journey to become the LeBron James of swimming – to just become the greatest that I can be, but also the most recognized swimmer in the world,” Hill tells Den of Geek.

Hill was just 10 years old when he first experienced total paralysis and was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) – a hereditary neurological condition that can result in loss of muscle tissue and touch sensation. Over the years, however, Hill not only gradually regained his mobility but became an elite swimmer. The Los Angeles-native is now ranked #1 in the US Paralympic 50m Freestyle and is currently in Tokyo representing his country in the 2020 Paralympics.

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games began on Aug. 24, just over three weeks after the Olympics’ closing ceremonies and are set to run through Sept. 5. The Paralympic Games have a bit of a marketing problem in comparison to its older cousin, which is something that Hill wants to change. He notes that some countries like Australia combine the swimming trials for both the Olympics and Paralympics but in the U.S., the Olympics swimming trials took on the pomp and circumstance of a Hollywood premiere, while the Paralympic trials had more of a high school meet vibe. 

“Athletes like myself just taking that initiative to promote their own careers and promote their own brands serves the greater Paralympic movement,” he says. 

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Just before Hill took off for Tokyo, he was nice enough to chat with Den of Geek about his journey, why the Paralympics should be appointment viewing, and his non-profit Swim Up Hill. 

Surprisingly, there was a lot of talk about Ray Kroc’s McDonald’s business model as well, which we’re presenting in its entirety because it’s pretty fun.

The following has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Den of Geek: What was last year like for you? Because it was difficult and weird for all of us, but I imagine it’s even weirder and more difficult for you as an athlete.

Jamal Hill: Yeah. Last year seems like a long time ago now. Obviously first and foremost, just prayers out to all the people who were negatively impacted by COVID-19. Hindsight is 2020, and I’m somebody that doesn’t look at things as really blessings or curses, really it’s just all a new challenge. So, we had some strong challenges, man. We lost our pool facility. I was challenged to continue training in backyard pools, which is pretty comical. I was challenged to up my mental and spiritual game. 

Because our home pool was gone, we had to figure out “okay, well how are we going to train?” So, man, I was already all over the county, but COVID-19 literally put me all over the county. I was swimming in pools in the Palisades, and Ladera, and Long Beach, and Burbank, and Altadena, and you name it, I’ve been to pretty much every major pool there is around the county. That was a stepping stone, dude, and now we’re onto the next step. I pulled strength from that experience, quite frankly.

I imagine when you’re training for the Paralympics, there’s not a lot of free time. But when you do have free time, what do you enjoy?

Dude, my time ain’t free. When I’m not swimming, I’m the executive director and founder of the Swim Up Hill Foundation, Inc. We have a mission to teach a million people every year how to swim in BIPOC and low-to-middle income communities. So I spend a lot of my time organizing my staff, running documents, organizing events, running budgets, and things like that, just being a businessman. 

Then outside of that, I’m an avid reader. I probably read anywhere from four to six books a month. And that’s from autobiographies, biographies, self-improvement, you name it. That’s pretty much my time right there. But yeah, I find a lot of fulfillment in just fulfilling my destiny. That’s what I call it. It’s not even work, it’s just like I’m working on my destiny here, and it brings me a lot, a lot, a lot of joy. So I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.

I would say you’re definitely not. Even people who aren’t training for the 50 meter freestyle don’t usually read four to six books a month.

Well, again, that’s that kind of a business mindset of it. I set out upon this journey to become really the LeBron James of swimming – to just become the greatest that I can be, but also the most recognized swimmer in the world. I pull inspiration from the music industry and then some of my different industries of entertainment and artists, and you understand that the artform itself ultimately is probably about 30%, and 70% is business. The world’s greatest CEOs are reading, on average, 72 books a year. So, if that’s the company I want to be in, that’s the pace you’ve got to keep.

Do you think that there’s a path that can be taken to maybe promote the Paralympics a little more? From your perspective, what do you think is the best way to go about it?

I think one really powerful way is to combine the marketing and the events more. So for example, just in the swimming spectrum, there are certain countries like Australia where the swimming trials of the Olympics and Paralympics are held at the same venue on the same weekend. But Olympic swimming and Paralympics trials were held in completely different cities. One of them is a fricking Hollywood blow-out, and then one of them is rinky-dink high school meet, almost, the feeling of it. And that’s the one I was at.

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Athletes like myself just taking that initiative to promote their own careers and promote their own brands serves the greater Paralympic movement. And then, again, also, outside of that, there are steps being taken, man. I think it’s just so new. It’s almost like when, do you remember when Lil’ Bow Wow changed his name just to Bow Wow?

Yep.

Yeah. And for a cool minute, everybody is like, “No, that’s Lil’ Bow Wow. I don’t care how old you get, Shad Moss, you’ll never just be Bow Wow.” But now after some time it’s like, okay, it’s just Bow Wow. Nobody cares. I think that’s ultimately where we’re at right now. It’s the Olympic and Paralympic Committee of the United States. The IOC and IPC haven’t joined yet. So I think those bodies joining and becoming this one acronym, is ultimately, again, over the years, going to start to help people.

This year is going to be the first year the Paralympics are showcased on NBC so we’re definitely continuing to make strides in the right way. I don’t even want to slap anybody’s wrist too hard, and say, “You got to be able to pick it up.” I think they’re doing some really good things. And obviously coming onto platforms like yours, now you’re a part of this education process. Now a lot of your community is going to be like, “Oh, shit, I thought it was just the Olympics. Paralympics? And they all get paid the same? They’re all elite athletes? They all are overcoming crazy challenges and struggles? And oh my God, this person has no arms or legs, and he swims faster than I do. How the heck is that possible?” That’s something I want to see. So it’s going to catch fire, man, don’t you worry, it’s going to catch.

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I believe you. What’s your favorite book you read recently?

Let me just pull up my Audible. I would say most recently my favorite book has probably been Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc and Robert Anderson, the McDonald’s story. That’s probably been my favorite book of late. Ray Kroc didn’t even make his nut till he was in his 40s or 50s. And at first it didn’t even look like it was going to happen, but he stayed dedicated. He had the experience and wisdom to know a gem when he found it and he stuck with it. Then just to see the licensing, the franchise model of McDonald’s with my foundation, that’s ultimately a template that I use when talking to my staff. 

We’re the McDonald’s of swim education. Our goal is to get people from “can’t swim” to “can swim” as quickly, as effectively, and as simply as possible. Ultimately the system is designed to be so simple that I can put you right here on the fries, or put your right here on the grill, and it’s like step one, two, three, done, and it’s always the same outcome, always quality control. That’s why Ray Kroc is my man. Big fan, dude. And obviously McDonald’s has as a brand, I know we’re in the health age, and it’s not the healthiest food, so I’m not supporting it in that way necessarily, but also at the same pace, it’s a lot healthier than a lot of stuff out there, the quality of their meats and things like that.

Have you ever seen the movie Super Size Me?

Guaranteed, man. Hell yeah, I saw Super Size Me.

I read recently that no one’s been able to replicate those results. That’s not really a strong  scientific process he goes through in that movie.

With respect, I hope no one was ever calling it a strong scientific process. No case study has ever been performed on one person. 

The Paralympics can be live-streamed on NBCOlympics.com with select events appearing on NBC-branded networks and the Peacock streaming service.

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