#traditional holi events bay area

[epadosi1]

ePadosi: Your Guide to the Best Holi Events in the Bay Area

ePadosi is your ultimate guide to the best Holi events in the Bay Area. As the festival of colors approaches, we understand the importance of finding the perfect event to celebrate with your loved ones. With ePadosi, you can easily browse through a curated list of Holi events happening in the Bay Area and select the one that suits your preferences. Our platform provides detailed information about each event, including location, timings, ticket prices, and any special attractions. We strive to make your Holi experience unforgettable by bringing you the most vibrant and lively events happening in the Bay Area. Trust ePadosi to be your go-to source for all things Holi.

Know more :- https://www.epadosi.com/bay-area/holi-events

[hong-kong-art-man]

Comparison Of Movie-Watching Experience In Hong Kong & The Chinese Mainland—Fun Or No Fun

The great filmmaker Steven Spielberg said, “Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic, no matter what the movie’s about.” 

It is sad that people do not go to movie theatres anymore. Watching movies from home becomes an easier and a cheaper alternative. With a TV and sound system, you can quickly set up a “home theatre”. Many cinemas in Hong Kong have been shut down though some have been in our city for half a century. Business closure of movie theatres is now a common thing.

As there are fewer and fewer film choices in Hong Kong. I often cross the border to travel to Shenzhen and other Greater Bay Area cities to watch movies. We now have high-speed trains which can take us to Shenzhen within 20 minutes, when it used to take one hour. I also find that there are more or more curious youngsters from the Mainland coming to Hong Kong to enjoy our imported foreign motion pictures, especially those produced as an artistic or experimental expression. Such films may not be allowed in the Mainland. Yaumatei  Broadway Cinematheque (百老匯電影中心) is the holy place where they pay their respect.

China now reduces the number of foreign films that can be screened in the country, spurred by the consideration that its local filming industry would be compromised by an open market. Perhaps geopolitics may be another reason for the tighter quota system. In parallel, Hollywood is becoming less focused these days on targeting Chinese audiences. Sino-American co-productions become apparently rare circumstances.

In Hong Kong, young lovers like to go to dinner first and then a movie. They can behave intimately in a dark theatre. You cannot talk during the movie, but there is a lot to be said for body language. This is why our movie audience are mostly young persons. In the Mainland, you can often see families go to the movies. For them, watching movie together is a great opportunity for parents to connect with their children. A weekly family movie in a cozy place away from home is a great way to bring all members together, having fun and lasting memories. People in the Greater Bay Area still keep that old tradition. Such a warm scene reminds me of the loving recollections that I had when I was a kid.

In Hong Kong, concession stands of cinemas sell mainly soft drinks and popcorn. Sometimes, they sell fish balls and siu mai (燒賣). In the Mainland, they sell very special snacks such as braised duck kidney and spicy chicken neck which manifest Chinese food specialties. In Beijing, there is a “hotpot cinema” where one can watch a movie while eating hotpot at the same time. Some cinemas in the Mainland provide foot massage service inside the theatre. Will the audience snuggle down in a comfortable seat and fall asleep? In any event, most cinemas in the Mainland provide massage seats but they are coin-operated. I have not prepared myself for such an exotic participation.

Cinema tickets in Hong Kong are not cheap. They can be about HK$80-120. In the Mainland, after various kinds of promotion discount, they ask for about HK$40-60 per ticket. They often offer “online discount package”, but if your mobile phone cannot download the applicable app, you will not be able to enjoy such substantial reduction of ticket price. 

Land in the Mainland is not as expensive as that of Hong Kong. In the lobby hall of every cinema, they put many gachapon (扭蛋) and game machines. Some look like an amusement arcade. The area is like a “pre-show” before the main performance. The entrance area of a Hong Kong cinema is small. Operators just put up movie posters and a few ticket vending machines. Business is business and cinemas in Hong Kong have to do the bare minimum in order to survive.

Hong Kong is a liberal society and we can enjoy all kinds of films, of course, except those which are highly sensitive in terms of political ideologies. In the Mainland, many kinds of films are prohibited such as those which are superstitious, anti-Chinese, promote bad conduct, encourage crimes, x-rated and immoral contents. Nevertheless, when I watch a movie in Shenzhen, the variety of other kinds of movies still gives me a great pleasure. They include  historical epics (歷史題材片) , fantasy and mythology (奇幻神話片), contemporary comedies, mystery and detective stories, children animated movies and documentaries. Some directors are obviously newbies and their movies are ordinary. I did watch 2 good movies Successor ( 抓娃娃) and Upstream (逆行人生).

Sometimes, disappearing is the way to let new things emerge. Cinemas are disappearing but home movie subscription-based streaming services like Netflix appear. Nowadays, we do not hire a seat, but we procure an internet-connected device to watch a movie. The world must go on…Films, always wear a new dress.

Maurice Lee

Chinese Version 中文版: https://www.patreon.com/posts/qu-da-wan-qu-kan-112660682?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Movie “Upstream” Trailer https://youtu.be/juxKyQiN81Y?si=EU6k7gT022MHHJkx  Acknowledgement-平底鍋

Movie “Successor” Trailer https://youtu.be/HTusLIqslCs?si=dWzhjkqjt4Niwvq_  Acknowledgment-Far East Films

Cinema in Shenzhen https://youtu.be/Gdy_MOU-ueU?si=ycFDVm4TtxJqHEOo  Acknowledgement-Data Ma

[canmom]

oBservations oF aMerica part 3: sAn fRancisco bAy aRea eDition

previously: one, two

I’ve come to the end of my third week in america!! and holy fuck damn was it an eventful one 😵‍💫 the three of us drove approximately four hundred miles from where I’m staying in Orange to stay with some polycule members in the extremely tech-industry satellite city of of Cupertino, and then drove down the freeway each day to visit various wonderful friends in Oakland.

but we’ll get to that in a minute! before that, I got to experience a spectacle I have heard much about: the bizarre extrusion of the great egregore that is American christmas lights.

mogs’s mum drove us down to Huntington Beach, her hometown, otherwise known for its serious neo-nazi problem. much of this town was artificial islands reclaimed from the sea, and many of them seriously commit to the game of christmas oneupmanship: you thought that grinch movie was kidding? here’s a few of the better photos i managed to get:

four snowmen, chosen at random, decapitated and impaled on spikes as an example to the rest after a recent escape attempt.

along with the usual library of christmas-related images such as snowmen, santas, reindeers, candy sticks, candles and of course the tree itself, largely abstracted to a cone - not to mention in some cases totally fake artificial snow that appears to be a kind of thick cotton wool - Disney characters made a few appearances. curiously, the Grinch featured in many of them: a character whose whole arc is that he is opposed to the holiday but eventually learns to appreciate it.

we headed a little inland, and observed the rich yacht-owning people in their giant houses by the river, whose light displays started to take on more of a nationalist character:

of particular note was the house with a scrolling digital christmas tree, with such slogans as “American Dream Rock The Harbour” (which appeared to be the theme of this competition), “Keep Christ in Christmas”, the thin blue line flag, “USA USA”, “God Bless America”, “Thank you first responders”, and just so we know who conveyed these sentiments, “Merry Christmas from the Jurggensons”. I couldn’t capture the colours very well on my phone, but in case you also wish to experience this psychic assault, here you go:

It really amazes me that the phrase ‘American Dream’ still has any non-ironic currency in 2021. Since coming here... the amount of overt commitment to the country’s supposed ideological project honestly kind of scares me.

So, what exactly is this “Christ Mass”? Once upon a time in my own country it was more of a riot of drunkenness and wild partying, a christianised iteration of prior traditions of e.g. saturnalia, presided over by someone called the Lord of Misrule. This was the reason that, in the time of Cromwell, it was banned by the ruthless puritan parliamentarian government in the UK during their brief period in power (see Animation Night 49 for more on Cromwell... ok there are much better sources out there, I just think that’s a funny thing to say.) Here’s an interesting line from Wikipedia:

Protests followed as pro-Christmas rioting broke out in several cities and for weeks Canterbury was controlled by the rioters, who decorated doorways with holly and shouted royalist slogans.[42]

The festival was restored, but in a strained way, once the Royalists returned to power. It would not take its modern form for a long time.

The American iteration of the festival was initially very controversial. Enthusiasm varied depending on the denominations of the settlers:

In Colonial America, the Pilgrims of New England shared radical Protestant disapproval of Christmas.[85] The Plymouth Pilgrims put their loathing for the day into practice in 1620 when they spent their first Christmas Day in the New World working – thus demonstrating their complete contempt for the day.[85] Non-Puritans in New England deplored the loss of the holidays enjoyed by the laboring classes in England.[108] Christmas observance was outlawed in Boston in 1659.[85] The ban by the Puritans was revoked in 1681 by English governor Edmund Andros, however it was not until the mid-19th century that celebrating Christmas became fashionable in the Boston region.[109]

At the same time, Christian residents of Virginia and New York observed the holiday freely. Pennsylvania German Settlers, pre-eminently the Moravian settlers of Bethlehem, Nazareth and Lititz in Pennsylvania and the Wachovia Settlements in North Carolina, were enthusiastic celebrators of Christmas. The Moravians in Bethlehem had the first Christmas trees in America as well as the first Nativity Scenes.[110] Christmas fell out of favor in the United States after the American Revolution, when it was considered an English custom.[111]George Washington attacked Hessian (German) mercenaries on the day after Christmas during the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776, Christmas being much more popular in Germany than in America at this time.

Many of the traditions, particularly the use of a decorated conifer, come from Germany, although there remains a massive amount of international variation.

The rise of anything recognisable as the modern "christmas” only came as late as the 19th century, shaped in large part by Charles fucking Dickens.

Dickens sought to construct Christmas as a family-centered festival of generosity, linking "worship and feasting, within a context of social reconciliation."[115] Superimposing his humanitarian vision of the holiday, in what has been termed "Carol Philosophy",[116] Dickens influenced many aspects of Christmas that are celebrated today in Western culture, such as family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, dancing, games, and a festive generosity of spirit.[117] A prominent phrase from the tale, "Merry Christmas", was popularized following the appearance of the story.[118] This coincided with the appearance of the Oxford Movement and the growth of Anglo-Catholicism, which led a revival in traditional rituals and religious observances.[119]

Dickens’s vision is already pretty suffocatingly ｒｅｐｒｏｄ ｕｃ ｔ ｉ ｖｅ ｆ ｕ ｔｕｒｉｓｍ, but it wouldn’t take long for the other dimension of the festival to develop: buying more shit. This ‘conflict’ between the two poles of the festival was already extant as early as the 19th century:

In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem A Visit From St. Nicholas (popularly known by its first line: Twas the Night Before Christmas).[127] The poem helped popularize the tradition of exchanging gifts, and seasonal Christmas shopping began to assume economic importance.[128] This also started the cultural conflict between the holiday's spiritual significance and its associated commercialism that some see as corrupting the holiday. In her 1850 book The First Christmas in New England, Harriet Beecher Stowe includes a character who complains that the true meaning of Christmas was lost in a shopping spree.[129]

It proved a productive conflict, and before long even the notoriously austere Presbyterians were throwing open their doors to the new festival. The final elements of the mix came in the early 20th century with the increasingly iconic figure of ‘Santa Claus’. Despite a popular urban legend, Coca-Cola did not invent the red and white costume for the character, but their adverts in the 30s did a lot to popularise him.

In the later parts of the 20th century, the significance of Christmas as a sort of psychic weapon became increasingly established. The Soviet Union sought to suppress the holiday once again as an artefact of religiosity associated with the power base of the Orthodox Church. The Nazis meanwhile kept the holiday, but attempted to replace the Christian themes with glorification of the Nazi state. Meanwhile, the Americans held fast to their de facto state religion, especially as mass production made the exchange of expensive gifts increasingly viable for poorer families. At some point it was taken up by the American culture war: the Christian right wing objected to attempts to recognise other winter holidays (e.g. the fairly minor Jewish holiday of Hanukkah)  and started performing especially in-your-face christmasiness mixed, as we see, with overt nationalism.

After our unsuccessful attempt to find the Chuck Jones Centre for Creativity, Bug introduced me to the Dead Kennedys song California Über Alles, which is unreasonably catchy for a song about fascism. Since then, the number of times it has seemed pertinent on this trip are... striking lmao. (Though tbf more in the like hyper-sanitised streets of SF and especially Cupertino than this particular side the beast.)

Having observed this side of the American culture war, we got into our hired car and set off for the Bay Area. Because of various factors, we weren’t able to follow our original plan of driving up the coast, and most of the journeys took place in the dark. However, this still gave some interesting sights! For example whatever the fuck this building is:

Mogs thought it might be a prison, but if it is, I have been unable to confirm. It’s somewhere visible from one of the freeways leading out of LA.

There was also a shopping centre modelled after a Babylonian fort, with a further christmasy twist:

LA traffic really is as bad as all that, but so honestly is SF traffic. Not just the traffic jams, either. Despite, or indeed perhaps because, of roads that are five or six lanes wide in places, and as many as two or three even in inner city residential areas, we saw all sorts of reckless near death merges, pieces of car wreckage just left on the side of the road, and at least once drove past a crashed car in the process of being towed. It’s not like cars aren’t dangerous in the UK but sheesh lmao.

A very large number of the billboards overlooking the freeways advertised legal services specialising in accidents, usually with a big colourful photo of the leader of the law firm to help establish their charisma. The legal services seemed to reach for a much broader set of signifiers than the ones back home, apparently hoping to draw people in with the idea of a friendly lawyer who shares your values rather than a vision of an old austere law firm that is more popular over here.

The two major types of road we encountered were highways and freeways, loosely analogous I think to the UK’s ‘A roads’ (which Wikipedia translates to ‘main roads’, i.e. ‘trunk roads’) and motorways (‘controlled access highways’) respectively.

The major differences with back home are... let’s see. Especially in LA, the freeways tend to have incredibly high stacked intersections with ribbons of road going every which way, access to the freeway tends to be modulated by a traffic light, there tends to be a special lane designated for high occupancy vehicles (I asked how this is enforced and apparently the cops will drive up and down checking you; in SF we saw a sign which had some device for estimating the number of travellers in a vehicle and shaming you if it was low), and the number of lanes tends to be very high.

The road surface often seemed pretty weathered; apparently refurbishment of a road tends to be a low priority for the government unless a politician wants to apply a little nepotism and benefit a local contractor. Signs offered you the chance to ‘adopt’ part of the freeway, which I presume means sponsoring its maintenance. In the Bay Area, we drove along a section of freeway apparently sponsored by Tesla, near their factory.

Another difference is that while the UK has ‘service stations’, which are typically very modern buildings containing a public toilet, a whsmith’s with snacks, books and travel pillows etc., and a variety of fast food chains, the US has ‘truck stops’ which primarily cater to the trucking industry. Which means the products they tend to carry are fascinating. The snacks are almost all based on some combination of corn or meat (which I suppose is also in a sense, processed corn), but they also have large displays of knives, and all sorts of random americana odds and ends, like expensive alcohol, football team mascot figurines, and even fucking mall katanas.

Here are some signs you can stick on your truck, whose themes are fairly straightforwardly “nationalism” and “masculinity”. (Apologies for the quality of the photo). You can also buy a small toy truck for your big real truck.

Apparently there is a sport of taking a truck and driving it through mud. In California, however, it rains only rarely and there is very little mud, but people nevertheless buy the kinds of trucks you would use for this sport, since I guess they are especially big, powerful and masculine.

Cupertino on the other hand felt strangely familiar: the same kind of nondescript sterile tech architecture you can find just about anywhere in the world. It helped I suppose that the climate was noticeably cooler and there was a lot more greenery. I even saw an American squirrel, who appeared very similar to a British squirrel:

But there was also this weird seed pod thing, which looks like a ‘cosmic horror’ videogame enemy (cw trypophobia):

Seriously, what is that?

The American enthusiasm for pipes poking out of the ground to present a valve, and then going straight back down, was in evidence here was much as in Orange:

Our hosts were a tech worker trans girl couple, one of whom was a computer science prodigy in the process of leaving Amazon to work for Google. They were very sweet, and I had some fun conversations about graphics with them, and I while they certainly aren’t exactly comfortable with the electric panopticon and ludicrous amounts of money that they were given compared to any of us, but the gulf in our circumstances was... very apparent. Their flat, in a gated building complete with a garbage chute down into the garage because god forbid you have to take the bins out, was full of high tech toys: stacks of games consoles (two different Nintendo Switches), high end gaming PCs and laptops, a 3D printer, a VR headset, random circuit boards... the only thing that was missing from the picture was a drone.

They also had the Google home assistant running, which they primarily used as a cooking timer. I was able to discern:

asking Google where Larry Page sits on the list of billionaires returns a correct answer, returned from Wikipedia

asking Google to open the pod bay doors gives the kind of canned response you would expect

Google doesn’t hear you half the time if you try to address it from the other side of the room

Google does have an ability to recognise the voice of individual speakers, if they’ve been programmed in; a question like ‘who am I?’ will get different results depending who asks

asking Google to help your host with the programming problem she’s having at Amazon causes your host to very anxiously rush to turn Google off

It was fascinating to see behind the curtain at Amazon. Apparently they do not treat even their tech workers especially well outside of the ludicrous salary, and people constantly rotate in and out of the company on about a nine month cycle. My host complained that she had received almost no training and, when she couldn’t solve a problem with the resources available, had never been told how to escalate. The work seemed designed to create anxiety from what I could tell.

One upside of this situation was that I got to play Half Life Alyx for the first time! Modern VR systems have come on a loooong way since the last time I got to try it, though they’re still a little jank. Now all the tracking is performed by cameras on board the headset, and it is still startlingly responsive: standing still the sense of immersion in a 3D space is completely convincing, to the point that you can quite easily lose track of your location in the real world.

Inevitably, the illusion breaks down a bit with the need to play a game where you move through a large 3D space while standing still. I tried the more motion sickness inducing mode of Alyx where you can use the hand controllers to walk around smoothly like an FPS, but in retrospect I would have been wiser to follow the recommendation to use the warping mode. Alyx is full of little physics scenes you can interact with, and compared to prior iterations of the Source engine, they look extremely convincing up close. There are many cute little interactables like a whiteboard you can erase, and a pen you can use to write on a window - surprisingly, the lack of haptic feedback didn’t present much of an impediment. Overall, the experience of the best of VR was not so profound that I’m going to rush out and buy a VR headset right away though!

The day after we arrived we drove down to Oakland. I admit from this point on the post is less ‘nosy anthropological observations’ and more ‘look at my holiday photos’ so please, if you wish, duck out now!

...still here? bless you.

On the way I got to see some beautiful clouds over the mountains over the not especially beautiful wall of the freeway:

We also got to see some ‘angel graffiti’, so-called because of the extreme risk of death associated with it. Some of it, like one that was on the underside of a freeway, I don’t even know how people managed. Unfortunately this is the only photo I managed to get:

Apparently Ralor and Wasmo are two celebrated graffiti artists in the area, whose work is acknowledged on places like r/bombing. I struggle to imagine how they managed to pull this one off safely - did they attach climbing equipment to the top of the bridge, or just have extremely good grip strength?

This part of Oakland felt considerably more alive than cupertino, with some cool graffiti on various surfaces, and a nice set of hills and varied house shapes in contrast to the sterile regularity of the silicon overlords. Here, for example, it seems two people are having a kind of graffiti battle on the side of a building, going over each others’ tags:

We parked just as the sun was setting, creating some beautiful light conditions:

My friend was also staying with a tech tran of her own, this one with an interest in refurbishing old computer hardware like early Apple computers. I won’t post pictures of me with my friend on here out of respect for privacy, but it was incredibly cool to meet her irl and catch up on various times and have long overdue hugs; later we all played ‘Tetris Attack’, which is a Yoshi-from-Mario themed reskin of Panel-de-Pon, a matching game where you send blocks over to the other player. Mogs is startlingly good at it, as was my friend’s partner, and they had a very intense few matches that reminded me a little of watching the really advanced Tetris players at GDQ.

The next day, I returned to a different part of Oakland for a big gathering of various friends, among them one who I have wanted to meet for... possibly more than a decade at this point?? I was super nervous going out there that I would do something to damage the friendship, and inevitably I needn’t have been: we had a really delightful walk around the area, on a beautifully misty day where it had just rained, bringing out all the colours and smells. Here are a bunch of photos, I was very taken with all the trees and steep slopes:

^ me experiencing the overwhelming warmth of friendship or something, seriously I was on such a social high the whole time T_T

^ a view out into the misty city below and distant hills

^ unfortunately, the residents of the trees have been driven out of their tiny little houses by an invasive species of car.

^ inevitably there were some Mormons around the place. they are apparently, at least, apparently not as prone to proselytising as their fellows elsewhere.

^ weird little cardboard cow?

^ it is not clear if this plastic bag got caught in the tree in the wind, or if it was ruptured by the tree growing out of it. A sad end for this majestic species in any case. We may hope it had a long life roaming the seas and plains of America.

^ this witch has been buried in a shallow grave. Another anonymous victim of The War.

^ some pretty trees!

^ A stand of eucalyptus trees with lovely peeling bark and a fascinating smell.

^ this fence seems to be a tagging spot!

^ a little pipe with various interesting bits of rubbish by the Walgreens (grocery store/pharmacy chain).

^ not everything was familiar! This palm tree was so tall I could only photograph it in panorama mode. Like other trees, it also had a tiny door.

Anyway, I noticed two major features while walking around this part of Oakland. One was that the political signalling was very different: nearly every house had a Black Lives Matter sign outside of it. The other was the very paranoid sense of security: nearly every house had a little placard warning would-be intruders that they are protected by this or that security system (and would, presumably, summon the police in the event of an attempted burglary). Put side by side this felt almost too much of a syndecdoche for lib hypocrisy! I saw very few people out and about (Americans, by and large, seem to prefer driving even very short distances) so I can’t comment on the demographics of the area, but I would be shocked if it wasn’t disproportionately white.

We returned to my friends’ house, which is lovely, very light and built into the side of the hill like most of the others in the area, and @iggnsthe​ made good on her promise to introduce me to weed. (I waited that long because she was tremendously excited.) For various dumb reasons, I never previously took the opportunity to try weed or p much any other drug, but I really could not have asked for a better person to show me how to do it. Watching her meticulously clean the vaporiser before she let me take some was a really great way of creating anticipation; I hope the experience of seeing ‘high Bryn’ was also entertaining for everyone else present ><

While I was high, we watched the J-horror movie Organ, a beautifully moody gory movie about an organ trafficking gang directed by Kei Fujiwara, who had previously acted in Tetsuo; while I can’t say I was in a great state to follow the plot, I certainly enjoyed the imagery...

I stayed over with her that night, and tried another variety of weed in the form of a turkish delight with weed in it. Both experiences were really good I feel like: I don’t really know what I was so afraid of with drugs before... ok that’s not true, I do. basically SJ fear of acting evilly crossed with lesswrong fear of not being able to control ‘irrationality’. shockingly, no sort of monstrous behaviour emerged from high!Bryn and we had a really good night, during which we watched this really cool old OVA about a vampire girl who hunts various supernatural creatures. I already miss everyone there a lot... I don’t know when I will be able to visit America again, but I really hope I can find a way to make it soon.

Anyway, a couple of the others present were busy on a creative project I’m not sure I’m clear to talk about, so I will leave that mysterious. Time did not permit me to help out, but I’m very excited for it from every little detail I heard!

That afternoon, I set out on foot to visit @birlinterrupted​ who was, bizarrely, just twenty minutes away! On the way, the sun was just starting to set, creating this gorgeous lighting effect where it was just catching the tops of the trees.

Continuing the theme of paranoia, check out this neighbourhood watch sign. ᴡᴇ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ʀᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴀʟʟ sᴜsᴘɪᴄɪᴏᴜs ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠɪᴛɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴀᴋʟᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏʟɪᴄᴇ ᴅᴇᴘᴀʀᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ. WE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER!

And here’s a bridge extolling the important value of D FFERENCE:

It was fantastic meeting Amy and her wife D, who until now I had only heard tell of through medium of text post. We had a great long rambling conversation about the US justice system, films and (especially once Mogs and Bug arrived) the current contortions of the sexual imaginary and femboys and such, to the point that I wish I’d been able to take notes lmao. Anyway I discovered that Amy had a tiny chihuahua, who has gone blind with age, and has now become the most sweet quivering vulnerable creature I’d ever seen.

The next day the time had come to leave Cupertino, but on the way we passed through San Francisco proper, giving me a chance to visit the employer who has been paying my wages for the last ~two and a half years and probably will for a fair while yet until I make a name for myself in animation and art. It was good to meet them and establish that I do, in fact, have a physical existence: one of the engineers was present from Sweden who is probably one of the tallest people I’ve ever seen. It was reassuring to know they seem to think well of me and hear just how much of a good impression I apparently made in my original interview. They gave me a jumper to take home which is so warm and soft that I have been wearing it despite the discomfort of having their brand across my chest lmao.

On the way in to San Francisco, we saw various sights which means, once again, image dump time:

^ the wall of the highway meant it was very difficult to see the gorgeous hills and lakes around us...

^ arriving in the outskirts of the city, seeing the skyline

^ the American grid system means that if you look down a road it stretches a very, very long way.

^ America does in fact have trains, if not perhaps very many of them, and I know train fans will want to see this. It also has trams.

^ under a suspension bridge

San Francisco, it turns out, has another suspension bridge in addition to the famous Golden Gate bridge, the Bay Bridge connecting the main city to Oakland. We would later drive over it on our way out of the city, though the darkness and high walls on the lower deck precluded good photos.

^ me outside the offices of my employer

^ the sun sets and things start to go a little bit Koyaanisqatsi around here. It took us an incredibly long time to actually get out of San Francisco, so we didn’t get to see the sun set over the coast. I think we’ll still find an opportunity though!

Part of the City Hall; apologies again for the poor photo, the car was moving and it was already quite dark. Americans like their civic architecture big and looming. Which, to be fair, the British also like to do.

Blade Runner and the like weren’t exaggerating all that much (I expect I’ll say that even more when I go into LA proper). I think this city would be incredibly cool to visit with a nice DSLR and plenty of time to line up cool shots. I do not however have a nice DSLR or much of the skill to use it!

Anyway, a couple of days ago, we got home, I finally got a chance to draw again, and now at last found time to create this post.

I definitely want to dig into the history of San Francisco and Los Angeles at some point: find out exactly which people were displaced by the arrival of European settlers (presumably first Spanish ones given the place names?) and how the cities evolved to become first major trade centres (OK, that one’s fairly obvious) and later, the home of the tech industry that now rules our lives. But this post is already very long, so I’ll dig into that another time.

My last week here we’re planning to hit various museums, among them the ‘Museum of Jurassic Technology’ which sounds quite fascinating, a kind of Victorian style cabinet of curiosities? We’ll also definitely make it to an beach at least once, since I did bring my swimming costume all the way out here.

Anyway. America is a very fucked up country but some incredible people live here. I’m definitely going to miss this place.

[knightfire]

A holiday short in honor of the end of the season. This was originally meant for the Christmas RadioHusk server event but Al ran away with it on me and Husk never got to make an appearance.

Alastor’s Carol of the Bells

Holidays were a funny thing in Hell.

The word itself was even good for a laugh. “Holiday” had its root in "Holy Day" back in the world of Before.

However, mortal holidays were as much habit and well-loved routine as anything else in the land of eternal damnation: almost completely divorced of the meaning that they'd had in the sphere of the living. The vying origins, rewritten meanings and human cultural trappings of these events nearly dissolved for the majority of sinners, should they last even a decade in Hell.

Only the newlydeads and the most fanatical tried to keep their favored mortal traditions in lieu of le nouveau, and it was arguable which group was the most annoying about it.

Most sinners merely enjoyed the excuse to have an arbitrary, secular party. That the party would be a raucous event that would have little to no connection to the events they'd enjoyed back on Earth was of little matter. Hell had no seasons, there was no encroaching winter to denote the ending of each year of forever. It was something to do; something to occupy oneself with to keep the boredom that came with eternity at bay.

While Alastor was a traditionalist at heart, he did so hate boredom. This meant that over the decades he'd had to learn to adapt if he was to keep the eternal malaise at bay. It was his own personal compromise with the forward march of Time, as he explained to his beloved Husker.

Nowadays, he even celebrated more modern events like Arbor Day; and he did so with a fervor that left most of the sinners who happened upon his enthusiastic tree planting with a perpetual suspicious fear of cypress and magnolia. And wasn't that half the fun?

The holidays were supposed to be fun, after all. Even his sourpuss darling had to agree with that. Surely it was alright for Alastor to stir up a little entertainment as he ran some last-minute seasonal errands in the Abaddon Marketplace.

This year, their first holiday as a couple, was special. Special events merited special attention, and that meant giving his all to make certain it was a first worth remembering. This quasi-mystic marketplace, tucked at the far end of Perdition Boulevard, was bound to have precisely what Alastor needed.

Somehow, it always did. Magic was funny that way.

A sinner with an eager expression and a sloppily-painted hanging red kettle had taken the opportunity to claim a corner and beg outside of a rather rustic store that sold intriguing arcane ingredients for weaving enchantments. It was curious, considering that this was an area frequented by elder souls; ones who had little patience for foolery and less inclination to humor it.

The sinner himself was a rather stout bird-like creature with filthy, frayed plumage and two eyes- two being a noteworthy number because of the sloppily-constructed leather eyepatch covering a third one on his forehead. Alastor's large ears twitched backwards at the insistent clanging of the handbell the fellow was enthusiastically ringing as he begged offerings. The shoppers, busy on their end of the year rounds, sneered at the fellow and shuffled onward with mutters of time-pressed annoyance.

Alastor's neutral smile kicked up to a sharp-edged grin of bright amusement with a noise akin to an old radio tuning to a preferred broadcasting band. Goodness sakes, this was novel. How in the name of all that was damned was this supposed to work? Didn't this twitchy chap know that the only armies of Salvation that visited Hell came with magical holy metal? They were more about slaying than sleighing. This was a newlydead, undoubtedly- and a dimwitted one with a slappingly tone-deaf lack of foresight.

Husker wouldn't mind him being a little tardy, if he had a delightful tale to regale his beloved with. A self-styled bell-ringer promised a story that was sure to have the chimera groaning in exasperated amusement.

A few notes in a minor key hummed in the air as Alastor strolled toward his intended target.

Dun din-din dun.

It was not the typical brassy, nostalgic bit of swing that he preferred, but it was excellently ominous and seasonally sound. The thought compelled a bit of dancey improvisation into his step.

Tap tip-tip tap.

The majority of the sinners in these streets paid him little mind by habit. Here, he was just another patron of the peculiar shops. Even though obeying the unspoken rules about behavior that came with the district rankled, it was... nice to have a place to be merely shown polite acknowledgement instead of abject terror or being thrown into an unexpected blood feud.

The electric hum raised in volume, crackling with interference as Alastor stepped past a sinner with one of those confounded modern smart phones. The noise drew more attention as he walked toward his target, boasting a too-wide grin and a gaze full of amused bloodlust.

Yes, there were rules that made this tiny oasis of normalcy possible, and he'd abide them if he needed to. Broadcasting a genteel warning to the vicinity that he'd be taking on a bit of community service to clean up the problem making a racket on the corner was only polite. The crowd parted around him like a school of fish, and in only a few long strides he was standing before the avian menace.

A wide perimeter had opened up around the pair, and Alastor grinned all the broader for the benefit of his audience. A few of the passers-by paused, chuckling at the impending show. A few of the cannier ones could be seen covering their ears.

“Well, well, WELL!” he exclaimed in his famously tinny stage voice, summoning his microphone staff and leaning onto the thing like a vaudeville stage showman. “This IS a surprise! A bell-ringer and his sweet silver bell! Taking up a collection, my good man?”

The bird-man startled at the sight of him, but nodded eagerly at the interest. “You betcha! It’s the holidays, Mr. Rudolph! The time for charity an’ goodwill!” The makeshift collection kettle was shoved in the Radio Demon’s direction. “But these hoity-toity types ain’t donated a cent!

Alastor suppressed a sneer at the reindeer games, and indulged the fool. A quick flick of his red eyes revealed that indeed, the only thing in the metal pot was a used gum wrapper. It might even have had a chewed piece of gum in it. Distasteful, but at least the perpetrator wasn't littering. “Well! That won’t do at all! What would Santa Claus say?”

“Yeah! It’s the holidays, for cryin’ out loud!” the chiseler agreed. “Folks should be ashamed!”

The soft tones humming beneath Alastor's crackling interference rose eagerly, swelling as Alastor stepped out into the middle of the street and twirled his staff like a cane. “You know, it seems to me that what you need is a bit more of an attention-getter to fill that pot! Nothing loosens the purse-strings of the populace like a show! Yes, I’d say that is the thing!”

Alastor’s shadow sprouted from the ground at his feet, along with a host of smaller spectral familiars. The entirety of them began to hum and chant along to the song Alastor was emitting. The ostinato sped into a louder, more frenzied repetition that made the shop windows vibrate in eager concert.

The poor fool with his handbell seemed to register far too late that there was an eager, expectant audience watching him and the red stranger in the street. Most of them had shielded their hearing against the growing, increasingly metallic racket that seemed to come from everywhere at once. The antlered form of Alastor was a glowing focal point, layering thick magics upon the wildly careening music that his shadows were making. The microphone staff and its single eye stared at the targeted sinner in glaring judgment.

The abused metal pot beside the bird demon shivered and shook, making metallic screeches in time with the now-booming clamor of the music that surrounded the hapless bird-demon. The sinner recoiled as the kettle stretched and warped, the opening of the vessel sprouting long, prehensile finger-like extensions. Combined with the messy red paint job, it looked nightmarishly like a disembodied mouth. It snapped, and all that was left of the unfortunate fellow was a handful of dirty feathers, an abandoned bell, and a crumpled ball of metal that rocked back and forth as if something was stuck inside of it.

Alastor nudged the thing, dismissing his shadows as the shoppers applauded the trick. "A chicken in every pot, indeed! Vote for Roosevelt, I say!" He turned with a flourish, scooping up the mass and dropping it neatly into a trash receptacle before dusting himself off and bowing. "Thank you for your kind attention, dear friends! This concludes our entertainment for the afternoon! On behalf of our sponsors, I wish you all a Joyeux Noël!"

As the shoppers returned to their errands, Alastor paused to consider the small silvery bell lying on the sidewalk. There was something utterly charming about the sound of one, he decided. Plucking the instrument up, he lightly tapped the clapper against the bowl, humming along with the bright ding dong-dong ding that it rang out for him. Satisfied, he turned to disappear into the ever-shifting crowd. He had shopping to do and a song in his heart. After all, Christmas was here, bringing good cheer.

Ding-dong.

Ding-dong.

[foreficfandom]

Mystic Messenger - Wedding Headcanons (Bride! MC)

--- Zen ---

Zen's a surprisingly down-to-earth man, and he wanted the wedding to be a modest, but gorgeous affair. It’s a rooftop wedding, where everyone gets to see the two most beautiful people in the world get married amidst a bright, morning cityscape. Zen creates an amazing set of custom vows that make him cry, and it ruins his makeup but he doesn’t care. 

It’s all paid with his and your own money, which isn’t a whole lot but enough to afford a very put-together package. Zen insisted on catering from a famous brewery, and there’s a very nice open beer-on-tap bar.

There’s also a very important scheduled evening dance, of course. Your new husband asks for your hand like you’re royalty, and the two of you begin a very romantic slow-dance with a specific playlist in the background. When that ends, the music picks up and everybody starts getting a little wild. That delicious beer must have kicked in.

Zen’s arm rarely ever leaves your waist for the rest of the evening. He begins to refer to you as ‘my SPOUSE’ to everyone you have a conversation with. His face is literally glowing with pride.

By the time the two of you get married, Zen’s a very established actor, so its a celebrity wedding that attracts reporters and curious starwatchers. The two of you graciously (you more than Zen) accept Jumin’s gift of security guards to keep them off the venue.

The honeymoon is a beautiful week spent in the Maldives, enjoying the therapeutic beach life. Paparazzi end up hounding the two of you a little bit, but nothing can truly ruin this bliss. This perfect love.

--- Yoosung ---

He’s been dreaming of this day and its finally here!! He almost can’t believe it, and spends a lot of the planning just kinda fanboying himself. He can’t decide between themes and packages ‘cause it all seems wonderful to him. His parents end up helping quite a bit, especially on the parts he finds particularly confusing, like booking a venue and managing costs.

The two of you eventually settle on a garden-like wedding, taking place in a beautiful park. He loves the vintage lace look of your dress, and matches with an old-hollywood-style suit. Thanks to the advice from his family, the two of you avoided purchasing entire wedding packages and instead sourced everything from different retailers, which required a lot more research but saved money. 

The two of you said your vows underneath a gazebo lined with flowers, and then walked back down the park to the reception area while everyone tossed bucketfuls of petals upon the two of you. Yoosung was tearing up pretty badly from happiness, and almost tripped twice. By the time you guys made it to the dining tables, Yoosung’s glasses were fogged and he couldn’t stop smiling. 

The reception lasted longer than planned ‘cause everyone was having so much fun. You two had hired a pizza truck that carted their wood-burning oven on-site, along with a massive snack table and colorful cocktail dispensers. Yoosung asked to dance once, twice, and maybe five more times. You had to take off your heels to keep up with him, which just made the moment that much more beautiful.

The honeymoon had to be short, but it was a peaceful five days spent in Shanghai. 

--- Jaehee ---

One of the first things planned was going to local fashion shows and shopping for dresses, since according to Jaehee, it was this season that designers begin to shell out the good stuff. Jaehee settled on a cream-colored silk trumpet dress with an embroidered veil. You chose a dress embroidered with gold-colored thread to match hers. 

And that set the tone for rest of the wedding. Gold decor, pearly-white chiffon, and dots of warm red embellishing the tablecloths, bouquets, and plate settings. Jaehee was always the one on the phone with the planners, since she had That Business Voice which made everything go so much more smoothly.

You married in a temple, an hour away from the city. Jaehee and you met at the altar simultaneously, and held hands over vows. You could see her tearing up for the first time ever. 

The reception was held in a small park nearby, where a light catering was offered underneath a large tent, along with several chocolate fountains and bottles of expensive champagne. Jaehee really wanted to avoid a huge social event, since her past job at C&R required a lot of boring business events. So after speeches were delivered and everyone had their fill of chocolate and wine, you all barreled into your cars and zoomed back home for the afterparty, which was a lot more casual and involved blaring Zen’s musicals on the flatscreen while everyone played drinking games.

The two of you had a long and indulgent honeymoon spent traveling between Greece and Italy, doing everything from spa hotels to skydiving. You ended up with two album’s worth of pictures to remember it by.

--- Jumin ---

You might have thought he’d be pulling out all stops when it comes to the wedding, but the man’s a devoted Christian - even if he doesn’t show his religious side often, it was important to him that his holy union wasn’t too ostentatious. 

But he’s still Jumin, so everything’s designer. The outfits, the catering, the decorations, the transportation, even the invitations sent out were on luxury emboss paper lined with real gold leaf. So your wedding actually begins a few days before it even starts, with a visit to a celebrity spa for a red-carpet all-over treatment, and then you spend hours getting your hair, makeup, and nails done. 

Both the ceremony and the reception are held in a large, lavish hall. There’s a huge crowd of guests for business reasons, along with reporters and other representatives from the press, plus even some politicians. When Jumin takes your hand at the altar, there’s a literal spotlight shining on the two of you while the room grows dramatically dark.

So your wedding is kinda a publicized business event, which isn’t super ideal but Jumin tried his best to keep it as special as possible. He deferred to you when it came to almost all the decisions, such as the color scheme of the decor, and what kind of menu you wanted. Almost everything was based off of your preferences, which is what Jumin wanted. He desired nothing but you as his spouse, and that’s what he was getting. 

Jumin rarely ever gets overly emotional, including at his own wedding, but for the rest of the evening he couldn’t keep his eyes off you, and whenever you turned your head your new husband was smiling, absolute adoration in his eyes.

The honeymoon is a worldwide tour, of course. With cruises, five-star hotels, attending operas, and dining at the most famous places.

--- Saeyoung ---

He’s free from the agency and Mint Eye both, and he has you with him. He never been be happier, or feel more free than he ever did. So the wedding reflects it; it’s held outside, by the sea, lightly managed so there’s almost no schedule to adhere to. 

It’s super important that he makes his vows to you under god. So it takes some digging until he finds an actual church that’s within a short distance from a gorgeous beach. The two of you marry under brightly lit stained glass windows before hopping into one of his sports cars and race to the reception area. The other guests have to catch up.

He cries at the ceremony, of course. He eventually leaves his glasses off because his eyes keep welling up. He recites from the bible. You can feel his hands shaking. 

And at the reception, it’s p a r ty time. There’s music playing and a very important playlist is playing that the two of you made beforehand. The catering is seafood and barbecue. There’s very little alcohol, and lots of dessert. 

It’s a smaller crowd of guests, but that’s what made it so special. You all played at the beach with spontaneous games of badminton, or dunked yourselves into the beach then running off laughing, and joked amongst yourselves for hours, long after night came around and the area was lit up with Saeyoung’s jacked lighting system.

The honeymoon is spent in South Korea, in Jeju-do where the two of you go on sunny car rides along the cliffs, go spelunking in gorgeous caves that light up like the universe, and stay in a traditional bathhouse. 

--- Saeran ---

Saeran will always and forever adore the ‘princess’ aesthetic on you. When you two first met, his Ray alter embodied and obsessed over it, but nowadays he simply enjoys the magical romance of a fairytale love story. It reminds him of his longing daydreams when he was younger, and how it all eventually came true.

It’s an evening wedding, held in a hotel banquet hall, planned and catered by an expensive company he and his brother both shelled enthusiastically to purchase. He didn’t really know anybody aside from the RFA and you, and only made like one or two other friends since beginning recovery. So you invited all your friends and family you knew would support the two of you, and it turned out to be an intimate but loving crowd.

SOOO many flowers. Bouquets dot the walls, sit at every table, and line the isle. And Saeran beforehand prepared your bridal bouquet himself. It was a very carefully crafted arrangement that masterfully relayed a thorough message of love, commitment, and family.

Saeran’s quiet but surprisingly calm. It’s just ... pure happiness. He’s every bit a prince when he takes your hand at the altar. This wedding marked more than the beginning of your union, it was evidence that his life was good.

He wasn’t super enthused about traveling anywhere for the honeymoon, and wanted to spend the time alone with you at home, where its safe and familiar. But you convinced him that an extreme change of scenery can do wonders for his depression and anxiety. So the two of you spent an amazing twelve days in Canada, where he got to experience a world he’d never seen before. He took really well to hiking, which turned out to be a great low impact exercise option for his frail physical health. 

--- Jihyun ---

The reception’s held outside, by the Suncheon Bay area - a beautiful national wetland park with amazingly unique scenery and wildlife. The ceremony beforehand is held inside, and its short and sweet with custom vows.

He’d want a Catholic wedding if it’s okay with you, or if not, a fusion wedding where the vows aren’t religious but its overseen by a pastor, or something like that. 

As a photographer, he’s surprisingly anal about the timing of the event. There has to be the perfect amount of natural sunlight during the wedding. So the ceremony is held in the late morning, then he quickly urges you outside where beautiful pictures are taken of the two of you standing amidst gorgeous nature. 

There’s a surprisingly big crowd. Jihyun is a popular man, so aside from the RFA there’s his various art friends, his other friends, his older friends, not to mention your own friends and family. His father does show up, but it’s sadly stilted.

He’s worldly and artsy, so the banquet is multicultural, with lots of his personal favorites he’s experienced from around the world. You notice a lot of french bread.

And don’t forget, he’s a rich boy! So everything’s quality stuff. You don’t have to worry about expenses with him. He’s not ostentatious to the level of Jumin, but he’s still got a packing wallet.

The honeymoon is spent touring Central America, which he particularly loves for its blazing sun and colorful culture. You split the trip between luxury all-inclusive resorts, and countryside roughing it.

[theholident-blog]

THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIAN FESTIVALS

It's the whole question of the world --the moons, the values and myths," says Malvika Singh, editor of India magazine, a cultural publication in New Delhi." They are the life of the people.  It's not so much a festival as living and prayer."   In India, the abundance of festivals originates from the nation's religious diversity.   For many, festivals are personal family affairs.  However, there probably are several countries where rituals are performed with such public zest and uninhibited gaiety.   These include the smaller melas or classic state fairs, and they frequently are as colorful as the bigger spectacles.  Significant temples have their own calendar of events, honoring favorite deities in the town. The feast is devoted to the thousand-headed hydra, Ananta, whose coils form the couch of Vishnu and represent eternity.  On this day, live cobras or their graphics are worshipped, and snake charmers do a lively business.  Bengal and Kerala are facilities for snake worship.   Some festivals celebrate a specific god's birthday such as Ram navami for arrival of lord Ram, Ganesh chaturthi or Ganesh utsav for arrival of lord Ganesha, Christmas celebrated for arrival of lord Jesus Christ. Sivaratri (March 8) is a feast in honour of Shiva and parties center from the sacred city of Varanasi at north-central India.  The loyal hold processions into the temples and all-night vigils, which are supposed to guarantee material prosperity and heaven after death.  The folks chant mantras to remain alert and alert the lingam, a stone phallus that symbolizes Shiva.   The bamboo and paper figures tower against the fading evening light. Celebrated in late October or early November, households spend the weeks before Diwali sprucing up their homes, buying gifts and stocking up on festive foods and sweets.  It's reminiscent of Christmas in Western countries. So many reasons and lots of seasons for many festivals.   Not everybody follows every festival.  Fundamentally we Indians long ago obtained it that festival is a motive for entire family to meet and catch up, be together, relax and feast together and live happily.  Festivals also give us a much needed break from our everyday occasionally monotonous life.   Here's a sampling of important festivals, their date this season and the best places to watch them.  (A comprehensive calendar of Indian festivals can be obtained through government tourist offices in big Indian cities.)   Holi (March 26) is an extravagant Icelandic feast marking the coming of spring.  It's a time for playing tricks on others and making them seem ridiculous, even people who are your social superiors.  Bonfires are lighted and the roads are packed with people throwing colored powder or water.  The god Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, is often honored at this moment, so the very best to go through the festival is in Mathura, his birthplace, south of Delhi.  Kumbha Mela (the second week in April) is held just once every 12 years, and will occur this year in Hardwar, a north India mountain town.  

This festival is India best periodic honest.  Millions will flock to the town to bathe in the Ganges, which plunges through a mountain gorge now and starts its slow motion to the Bay of Bengal in the east.  One myth states that a god in the shape of a bird uttered a coveted kumbha or jar of ambrosia and stopped at Hardwar on the way to heaven.  Another suggests the sacred nectar spilled in this place.  (really Krishna), probably is the most famous Hindu shrine.  An enormous decorated chariot, 45 ft high with wheels seven feet in diameter, bearing a picture of the god, is pulled through the streets by pilgrims.  

It's most spectacular in Delhi, which stages a vibrant military extravaganza.   Pushkar Cattle Fair (Nov. 16) is among India's most vibrant events.   Over 200,000 people flock into the city, bringing with them thousands of camels, cows and horses.  It's an important tourist event with a massive tent city set up to accommodate 3,000 visitors.  Advance reservations are advised.   Ugadi / gudi padwa is brand new year for Kannada Telugu Tulu and Marathi speaking people that is a festival of new year after the language that these individuals are speaking specifically Kannada Telugu Tulu Marathi.   On the night of Diwali, which is known as the Festival of Lights, buildings and houses are summarized with countless oil candles and lamps.    

Festivals like karva chauth, bakri identification and ramzaan come on a specific phase of the moon.  "It's the tiny festivals," says Singh,"which are really the mind of the country."  To get a visitor to India, a festival is an opportunity to glimpse the heart and soul of the nation.  Significant parties are open to tourists, but others are mostly family vacations.   Ganesh Chaturthi (Sept. 7) is enthusiastically celebrated in Bombay.  The feast honors the favorite elephant-headed god whose odd appearance has a lot of explanations.  The most prominent is his jealous father, Shiva, found him guarding his mother's home, failed to recognize him and lopped his head off.  To placate his wife, Shiva promised to get the boy a new mind.  The first one that could be procured was the elephant.  In Bombay, pictures of Ganesh, the god of wealth, are transported through the streets to the waterfront and immersed in the sea.   Some festivals such as vata savitri, varalakshmi vratam, karva chauth etc are distinguished by girls by keeping fast for extended life of the husbands.  Karadaya nombu is a festival one of tamilians observed by woman child to married women, where they tie a sacred yellow thread around their necks and pray for good husband (unmarried women ) and long life of the spouse (married women) and this same man ought to be their husband to get next every birth.   Understanding and appreciating a festival, it is helpful to have a basic outline of the Hindu pantheon.   Brahma is rarely worshipped today.  Vishnu and his wife Lakshmi still are widely admired.   He and his wife, Devi, may take tens of thousands of forms and are known by several names.   In the coming months, there could be chances to see many more.  For India is a nation imbued with the joyous spirit.  Religion is a living force , and festivals are its saying.   India is a land of individuals who follow many religions and lots of gods.  The reason we have numerous festivals is since some are based one's faith, some to celebrate god's birthday, some derive from harvest seasons, some are based on new years of different religions or languages, some are based on solar calender and a few are based on the phases of the moon and moon calender.                                                       The middle for the feast is Mathura, where dances are held to honor the god of dance and song.  Young men form human pyramids and try to break yogurt pots hanging over the roads.  This is in honor of the child Krishna who stole yogurt with the support of his friends. Many significant holidays are observed throughout the country, but how they're celebrated varies from area to area.  

In New Delhi, Dussehra focuses on the exploits of Rama, the Traditional Hindu hero.   Pictures of the goddess are carried through the streets and immersed in the sea or river.  Dances, drama and other cultural displays are often held.   Some festivals also occur by year like vasant panchami which celebrates spring. There are a few festivals celebrated solely to celebrate the brother bond and family bonds like kanupadi the day after Pongal, Raksha Bandhan, Bhaubeej.   The event is Dussehra, the culmination of a 10-day Hindu festival.  It commemorates a scene from the Indian epic,"The Ramayana," where the hero king Rama defeats his evil rival Ravanna and his allies.   Festival of the Automobiles (July 9) is a colossal event held in Puri in the eastern state of Norissa.  The Temple of Jagannath, lord of the world

Festivals like makar Sankranthi, pongal, baisakhi, Tamil new year, vishu arrive annually on a date which changes only by one either back or forth.  These are harvest festivals dependent on sunlight.  Baisakhi Tamil new year and vishu are new years for Punjabi, Tamil and Malayalam speaking persons that is according to Hindu calender.  Nowadays, traditional Buddhism is confined mainly to the temperate areas.   The Dalai Lama and his followers fled to the city following the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and it is now a centre for Buddhism and Tibetan culture.   Onam Harvest Festival (Sept. 15) honors a fanatic, Mahabali.  The devil was exiled into the nether world by Vamana, an incarnation of Vishnu, but each year he's permitted to return to go to his former kingdom.  It's the most significant festival in Kerala and comes at the end of the monsoon.   These sleek canoes with cobra-shaped sterns are paddled into the rhythmic strains of south Indian ship songs.  

[sim-borg]

Vampire Lore and the Mullens (WIP)

Vampires in my universe are not simply undead humans, they are an entirely different, supernatural species. Therefore, I’ve cherry-picked some vampire lore and written vampire biology for my story.

Vampire powers is mostly based on the Sims 4 Vampire occult system and whatever liberties I decided to take. I will add additional edits to this as needed! Long ass post so click the Read More. 

Aging/Lifespan (1)

1.1 Sims that are born vampire/half vampire age very slowly. In simple terms, they age 4x slower than humans. Once they reach 108 years (approx 27 vampire years) they stop aging entirely.

1.2 There is a phenomenon where vampires that are very old turn into a Nosferatu-like creature. Nobody quite knows what causes it... Some say retirement helps prevent this, some say that it worsens this condition (SEE Immortality 2.4)

1.3 Humans that are turned into a vampire continue to age normally until they reach 27. If they were turned after the age of 27, they remain looking the way they did at that age. (yes, the 155 year old vampire that looks like a child is a top tier trope, but all else considered, I thought it would be too wish-fulfilment-y)

1.4 Ancient Ones are vampires that are older than 800 human years. They tend to have some social power or historical significance to the vampire community in their country of origin. Many have retired. (SEE Immortality 2.4, History 3.1)

Immortality (2)

2.1 Vampires live forever, but can become physically injured and die. Severe injuries that could kill a human could probably kill a vampire. They are especially vulnerable to fire. (SEE Weaknesses 6.6)

2.2 Vampires are not affected by human illnesses. However, illnesses that are unique to the vampire species exist... (I’m still worldbuilding this)

2.3 Vampires can still experience bone and muscle issues, from over-using their powers, or slouching (Fix your posture, Angelo!)

2.4 Some vampires decide to “retire”. They go into a deep hibernation resembling death. Some do this because they get bored with immortality, “retiring” in their coffin somewhere well hidden (a church crypt, beneath their family estate, a cemetery within an established vampire community). If you wake them up it better be for something good... (SEE Aging/Lifespan 1.2, 1.4)

History (3)

3.1 At various points in history, mainly the Middle Ages, there were scattered instances of massacres of vampires if their communities were discovered. Those who have survived through these events through to this day are regarded as Ancient Ones. 

3.2 Vampires have existed for longer than myths about them have. Communities were established and then evolved into places where myths and superstition are strong. (SEE Society 10.6)

Blood and Food (4)

4.1 Blood is the main source of nutrition. Vampires can satisfy their need for blood from drinking from sims, animals, plasma packs, or plasma fruit. Humans are very risky, unless you have willing donors. City vampires may resort to pigeons or rats... (nobody will miss them, anyway!) but their blood isn't very clean. Plasma packs are mass produced from plasma fruit farms. Other, shadier options are out there, but frowned upon. The Vampire League in the area will source and provide plasma packs for free to those who need them, but some vampires on the fringes don’t agree with these establishments. (SEE Society (10)) Plasma packs are also sold in stores owned and operated by vampires. Cafes and restaurants that serve food with blood as an ingredient are also around, but tend not to provide enough daily nutrition. Growing plasma fruit and taking these on their own frequently is viable, but does not provide as many nutrients as fortified plasma packs. There is some debate about whether human blood is better/tastes better than its "vegetarian” alternatives. Whatever their preferred method, the most important thing for a vampire is establishing a steady source of blood. 

4.2 Drinking etiquette varies among communities. Some have no qualms drinking and draining humans, while others avoid killing at all costs. Vampires keep their presence hidden from humans and simply draining and killing them, leaving bodies everywhere could expose their communities to danger. Vampires can drink from a human without killing or turning them. In any case, discretion is imperative. (SEE Humans 9). 

4.3 Vampires do not have the same circulatory system as humans do. They cannot blush, often feel cold, and have no heartbeat. After feeding however, they may feel warmer, and are able to blush for a short time. 

4.4  Vampires can survive on one feeding per week of a minimum of 10 pints, but most spread this out to several feedings over the week. Trying to survive only on 10 pints or less will result in malnourishment and weakness. Vampires generally cannot agree on when is the best time for feeding. It is mostly up to personal preference. In reality, it doesn’t really matter. Feeding starting at the beginning of the week is probably best for efficiency and energy, however. 

4.5 Vampires don’t strictly *need* food to live, but eating won’t make them sick. In fact, eating can give them energy and provide nutrients not found in some methods of getting their blood intake. Sure, if a vampire wanted, they could avoid human food altogether, but honestly, eating food is just enjoyable. Sometimes, eating iron-rich food can even stave off hunger for blood. It is possible to be easily turned off by human food and drink, but this doesn’t count as an allergy or weakness. 

Nocturnality (5) this... isn't a word...

5.1 Nocturnal schedules are preferred within traditional communities, but nowadays, it’s more of a lifestyle choice. The need to stay hidden among humans is especially necessary in this day and age, so most vampires have adapted to human sleep cycles. 

5.2 Having a nocturnal lifestyle may be more efficient for increasing vampiric prowess. An individual will not have to worry about sunlight or spending energy using sunlight resistance powers, and can save their energy for other things. Moonlight is also said to increase power. (SEE Powers 8.4)

Weaknesses (6)

6.1 For sunlight weakness SEE The Sun (7)

6.2 Garlic isn’t a fool proof way of keeping vampires at bay. Like other weaknesses, it is entirely possible to have an intolerance to garlic, but for the majority, simply having garlic around isn’t enough. It can deter vampires but a determined individual will still break into your house (especially if they are starved of blood and you’re the closest blooded creature around). Italian vampires seem to have a special distaste for this generalization..

6.3 Silver is indeed a strong vampire deterrent, stronger than garlic. For vampires, it’s similar to the way some humans are allergic to certain metals or alloys (think earrings). The myth of vampires not appearing in mirrors came out of the common practice of silvering on glass mirrors. Nowadays, aluminium is readily available for this purpose. Similarly, the early development of photographs in the darkroom with silver containing chemicals prevented the vampire’s image from appearing as it was developed. (idea sparked by that one tumblr post about vampires and mirrors and silver that I can’t find anymore. I know that this is sort of a logical leap, I just liked the idea that the myth had existed in this world but also was based on something)

6.4  The Vampire's distaste of crucifixes, holy water, and rosaries are purely ideological. European myths and stories about vampires were objectionable on the grounds of the connotations, symbolism, and stereotypes of vampires as evil, unholy creatures. Crosses will not weaken a vampire, but perhaps make them quite angry with you. 

6.5 Vampires do not need to be welcomed when entering a house. Some however, have a complex caused by superstitions around vampires, have internalized this and will still ask permission.

6.6 A stake through the heart and a decapitation can kill a vampire in the same way it can kill a human. If you really want to kill a vampire in a vampire hunter way, use fire. 

The Sun (7)

7.1 Sticking to Sims canon, Vampires will burn in the sun if their vampire rank is too low. They can avoid burning through leveling up, staying in the shade, or wearing sunblock. Some remedies for sun immunity have been passed along generations, but it’s essentially the equivalent of “natural medicine” and essential oils, with no proof of actual effectiveness. Vampires from different regions of the world have varying degrees of natural resistance to the sun, but are never born with full immunity.

7.2 Studies have shown that the sensitivity to the sun is related to UV rays affecting vampires more than other creatures. Some vampires are actually truly allergic to the sun, and cannot ever achieve sun immunity. 

7.3 Vampires that have been turned will develop intolerance towards UV rays unless they use the methods in 7.1. 

7.4 I’ve simply made the executive decision that vampires are able to get freckles upon exposure to sunlight. 

Powers (8)

8.1 Bat form is one of the first perks of advancing one’s vampire rank. The stronger you become, the easier transforming and maintaining it becomes. As a bat, a vampire is temporarily immune to sunlight. Bat form is greatly beneficial for travelling at night. 

8.2 Super-speed and strength are also perks of your vampire rank. Vampires are born with some degree of increased strength but cannot access super-speed unless they advance in vampire ranks. Over use of these two powers can cause the body to deteriorate faster. 

8.3 Glamours and vampiric charm are high level powers. The lower your level, the lower the strength of your glamour or allure. Whether vampires have the ability to control minds or cast hallucinations is hotly debated. In reality, they can sway humans but not fully control them. Vampiric charm does not work on other vampires. Glamours still appear but a powerful vampire will be able to dispel it. Over usage of these powers can cause abnormal aging. 

8.4 Increased power at night and affinity to the moon is gradually developed with practice, and the higher your rank, the more power you can draw from the moon. Gaining power/studying is more effective at night. There may be connections to increased nighttime power causing decreased daytime power.

8.5 A vampire’s Dark Form is like a power upgrade. These physiological changes to the body allow an individual to harness their powers, as well as gaining a more durable physical form. This uses a considerable amount of vampiric energy, however, and is difficult to maintain. This is why most vampires will only use their Dark Form while engaged in combat. The ability to control (and maintain control over) when to activate their Dark Form is gained by increasing the vampire rank. If one does not learn to control it, they may slip into it when under duress or powerful emotions, positive or negative. Whether or not trauma increases the power of an individual’s dark form is unknown 

Humans (9)

9.1 Humans are usually seen as a threat to vampires as a species, if not as a society. Fraternizing with humans is frowned upon amongst noble and upper class vampires. However, just like humans, vampire society has social classes, and many vampires have made lives practically integrated with humans. To blend in with humans, vampires who use methods of resisting sunlight can keep a diurnal sleep schedule and have a day job. (SEE Society 10.3)

9.2 Feeding on humans is a hot debate amongst vampires.  (SEE Blood and Food 5.2)

9.3 With the advent of vampire social clubs and fascination with the supernatural, some vampires have used this to their advantage. Either by gathering human friends sympathetic to vampires, or gathering a "farm" of willing human blood donors. (SEE Society 10.5)

9.4 The ability to Turn humans is gained as a vampire increases their power. At lower vampire levels, there is a risk of turning a human while drinking from them. Whether or not Turning is an acceptable practice is unclear and varies among groups. Generally speaking, a vampire will not turn an unwilling victim-it does them little good. Turning humans on a whim is not sustainable and perhaps dangerous (they now know for sure vampires are real! And will probably tell someone. Also it's just cruel). Etiquette dictates that once you turn someone, they become your responsibility to guide through their new life. Couples of a human and vampire are even more complicated because of this. (SEE Society 10.5)

Society (10)

10.1 Vampire Leagues are well established vampire organizations. Any densely populated area probably has a vampire community, and also has a chapter of the Vampire League. All chapters are interconnected to each other, although there is not a single headquarters/leader for the organization as a whole. In each country, there is one League chapter that is the representative for the country for legal and business matters. They are registered as a nonprofit social society. Each chapter is self governing. Each league has its own jurisdiction, with headquarters usually in the metropolitan area. Rural communities are usually under the care of one of these chapters. Most leagues operate under the motto of creating and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. Most do not adopt initiatives to overtake humans, but rather, to keep vampires safe from them. Groups that do so are considered extremists. 

10.2 Gated Vampire settlements, sometimes called havens, are rare and those that exist have deep history. Forgotten Hollow is one such town, as is the ancestral home of the Mullens back in Italy. These communities tend to have their own chapter of the League, or are serviced by a special branch of the League closest to them. These towns are gated-no humans may trespass or live in them. Glamours and similar magic are usually used to keep humans (and other creatures) at bay. To enter, you must be welcomed or led there. These towns are self governing and usually led by whatever family has historical power there, and are unique communities built up over the course of history. Rarely, these settlements have only wealthy occupants, but then are usually considered an area of a human metropolitan settlement. These ones cannot truly be self governing. 

10.3 There is a level of tension between “modern” vampires and noble ones. Modern vampires tend to live in metropolitan areas, and are well integrated with humans. A large portion of the demographic are half-human or were turned recently. Some Vampire Leagues have outreach programs to help these groups connect with the greater vampire community, and provide services. However, they can be regarded with some suspicion as Vampire Leagues may be seen as an elitist organisation. 

10.4 “Noble” is not an official title, but refers to ancient and powerful clans of full-blooded vampires. Ancestry is very important. They are usually wealthy, but simply being a wealthy vampire doesn’t count as being a noble one. Wealth however, can still be a leg up in the ranks of the Vampire League. 

10.5 Vampire Houses are urban groups of modern vampires who live communally without necessarily being related. Some Houses are formed entirely from one vampire Turning humans to gain “offspring”. The relationship dynamics depend on whether one individual operates a cult of sorts, or whether it was a group of friends who just decided they wanted to become immortal. Others are simply a found family of vampires who met under whatever circumstances. When you live forever, it’s nice to have some other immortals around to keep you company (or to manipulate to overthrow the powers that be?). Cult-like houses are condemned  by the Vampire League. Houses of one vampire and their offspring is regarded with suspicion-increasing in numbers is not always a politically neutral act. (SEE Humans 9.4)

10.6 Modern Vampires settle anywhere that suits their needs. Areas that have myths about Vampires or Vampire-like creatures were usually influenced by a large vampire population. Living in a highly superstitious area is a double-edged sword, in that humans may be accustomed to brushing off weird things, but also more wary of the supernatural. (SEE History 3.2)

[ariahearthockey]

Thank You For The Chirps

I thought this article about Sid rewarding someone from behind the enemy line because of good chirps was really cute and I just had to write a oneshot about it.

Alright, here goes. 

_/_/_/_/

So, it happened like this.

Geno was a simple man. All he ever wanted was to have a chance to watch his favourite team play live. When his friend Gonch came to him with tickets to the Rangers’ game that Wednesday, he was just short of offering his first child to the devil before he convinced his manager to let him have the day off.

The thing was, as much as he loves the Rangers, he shares the same amount but of dislikes to the team that they’re playing against. Which was why he came prepared, lodging all his chirping materials in the brain while waiting for an opportune time to unleash them. But of course, his main target was none other than the captain who everyone loves to hate, nicknamed The Creature, The Crybaby, The Cindy Crosby. Well, you get the idea. Let’s just say that the captain was not someone who is very popular in the MSG.

In truth, he had nothing personal against the team. But there was just something about the thirty-something captain which awakens his irrational side. One thing he couldn’t comprehend was how well-built the said captain is. Some may argue that the captain is far from perfect but being bottom-heavy and the super strong upper body, it was as though the Hockey God above had paid a little extra attention while creating this creature, pun intended. And his face? For fuck’s sake, no one who is as good as he is in hockey should be allowed to be so easy on the eyes. Irrational, but that was how he felt majority of the time.

Well, he kept telling himself that the reason of his irrational behaviour was due to the fact that the captain had robbed his home country of not only the World Cup but also the Olympics. Multiple times.

So, when the whistle was blown not even three minutes in, his heart started to race, and he conveniently blamed it on the latter.

Fuck yeah. That’s a fucking penalty.

The next sequence of events unfold pretty quickly—the linesman put up his hand, the game came to a halt and a player skated across the rink towards the penalty box like a sulking child. But through his eyes, it felt like everything has slowed down quite a bit—like a scene out of a James Bond movie but with mouth guard and chunky hockey gears instead of tux and stirred vodka martini.

Wait. He—he’s coming to the box. Holy fu—

He sat up straight the same time Sidney Crosby waddled into the box. The game resumed with the first power play of the night but he no longer pays any attention to it. It took him a while to snap out of it, ignoring his thumping heart and scrambled to think of something clever to say.

“Hey, Crosby.”

No reaction. From where he was seated, he was certain that whatever insult he throws can be heard loud and clear from the penalty box, and with the materials he has, he wanted to make sure Sidney Crosby hears him.

Maybe I’m saying it too softly?

“Hey, Crosby!” He spotted the slightest turn of Sidney Crosby’s head towards him, then he grinned. “Where your Calder Trophy? I’m ask for friend!”

Once he has started, he was on a roll. It was as though he had opened up the floodgates of chirps, all custom-designed for the one and only Sidney Crosby.

“Hey, Crosby! Gatorade want tough guy for ads but Justin Bieber say ‘no’, so they settled for you!”

“Hey, Crosby! Your team have more cups if have better support cast, you know?”

“Hey, Crosby! You number three tough guy in Canada, behind Celine Dion and Avril Lavigne!”

The longer he went on, the more creative his chirps got, and louder. He was so loud that even the officials in the box with Sidney Crosby laughed. The chirps were mostly just trash talk, but he won’t say anything that would cross the line. His aim was to be witty and funny, and judging from roaring laughter in his section, he would say that his aims hit the bullseye every single time.

Towards the end of the two minutes, he was pretty drunk on the satisfaction from being able to chirp so well, in English no less. He couldn’t wait to tell Gonch and his friends that he has done their favourite team justice, and that their most ‘hated’ player had fallen prey to his mighty chirps. That was until the most ‘hated’ player turned around and squirted his water bottle through the crack in the glass before skating back out into the ice.

His heart began to pump harder. His brain was working overtime to make sense of what just happened. He simply refused to think that Sidney Crosby had just done the one most significant tradition in hockey world at him. The same one when a player wants to express their affection or respect. And everybody knows how superstitious Sidney Crosby is when it comes to the damn game.

This time, it took him a little longer to recover. And when he finally did, he had to keep his blushing at bay. He forced himself to get his head back in the game but his eyes kept going back to the number ‘87’ on the back of white, yellow and black jersey, tearing through the ice the entire night.

When the last buzzer went off, he was quite upset for his team for losing 7-2. But more importantly, he was upset that Sidney Crosby never got into the box again for the rest of the game. Come to think of it, having Sidney Crosby as his personal chirping target was far more entertaining than the game itself. An acquired taste but it was definitely addictive.

However, his brooding was cut short when he got distracted by a man in the Pens’ track suit making his way from the bench across the ice, over to him, and with a stick in his hand. Curiosity filled him as he waited to see which lucky fan will be getting a souvenir tonight. A small group of the Pens fans quickly gathered at the rink side. All of them are waving enthusiastically at the man, trying to grab the stick over the glass. One young boy, not more than ten years old by the looks of it was front and center from it all.

He’s going to remember this forever, lucky bugger.

Then he heard something. “No, this is for you.”

It didn’t take long to realize the man was pointing at his direction. Like a walking and talking cliche, he looked behind him to see if the man was actually pointing at him. But the man made eye contact with him stubbornly until he gave in and stumbled down clumsily to the front. The crowd which has congregated at the front slowly dispersed as he reached out and grabbed the stick. If not for the adrenaline coursing through his veins right then, he would have seen all the dirty looks from the fans who just had their dream snatched away by a dude donning a Rangers jersey.

As he stood there inspecting the stick, he contemplated about a couple of thinks. Do I really want this? What did they do to this stick before giving it to me? Then he saw the scribbles on the blade—a message from the gifter. His first reaction was to bring it closer to his chest, a quick reflex to shield it away from any prying eyes. Why? He’s not so sure himself. There wasn’t a lot of people left in his section anyway.

A silvery ‘GOOD CHIRPS. TAKE IT EASY ON ME NEXT TIME!’ spread across the blade followed by an autograph. It doesn’t take a genius to know who wrote it. He hoped his face wasn’t betraying too much of what he was actually feeling. He wouldn’t have been able to live it down if his friend caught wind of just how giddy he felt on the inside. Truth be told, he didn’t have many cool things happened in his life and this would be right at the top by a long shot.

Now that just complicated things for him. It was making it harder to hate the guy. Someone of his stature who does something like this would earn Geno’s respect any day of the week. It was a classy act.

Without a hint of hesitation, he sped his way to the back of the arena where the loading dock was, and sure enough, a small crowd had already gathered outside of the barricaded area. Like them, he was hoping to catch a glimpse of the away team before they board their bus. He didn’t know how long he’s stood there before the door opened and the players came out single file, all changed into their formal suits and ties. When he finally spotted him, rather than pushing himself to the front, he went with something that he thought would grab attention more effectively.

“Hey, Crosby!” And it worked. Who would have thought it was so easy?

Sidney Crosby looked up and scanned the crowd, and finally landed on him.

“Hey, Crosby! Just want say, thank you!”

Sidney Crosby held his stare for a bit before a couple of his teammates—Kessel and Letang nudged their elbows at him and grinned as they walked passed. Sidney Crosby shoved his teammates away playfully as Geno watched, quite puzzled at the exchange. But that was before Sidney Crosby gestured for him to come over. He was over to the other side of the barricade in shorter than ten seconds—pushing and shoving and apologizing along the way. Once there, he followed Sidney Crosby to the other side of the bus where it was much quieter and had more privacy. For a few seconds it was just the two of them staring at each other, not saying a word. The atmosphere was getting a little uncomfortable and awkward when Sidney Crosby broke the tension by chuckling lightly to himself.

“Uhm, so. Nice chirps. They had me laughing a bit.”

Without wanting to sound like a total loser, he replied, “Oh, glad you think so. I’m try very hard.”

“Yeah. They were pretty good. I mean—I don’t think I’ve heard them before. So, uhm—yeah.”

You’re welcome was what he had wanted to say. But instead, he was distracted—this time by the way Sidney Crosby was looking at him, like he was checking him out.

“Uhm, so. Rangers, huh?”

Oh, okay. So, Sidney Crosby wants to make small talk. “Yes, yes. Favourite team. Way better than the Pens for sure.”

That earned him a small laugh from Sidney Crosby. Not something he’s heard often but it was as good as it get.

“But hey, despite all your chirping, we still won tonight, eh? Do you need a recap of the final score?”

At this point, all Geno could think about was where the conversation was headed. “Maybe my chirps too funny. Rangers distracted because laughing too hard.”

“Yeah, maybe. Or maybe you’re my lucky charm.” Sidney Crosby quipped with a tight smile on the corner of his lips.

Geno hadn’t noticed it until now, but Sidney Crosby has really beautiful lips. And eyes. He can’t stop looking at them. Then, he felt the atmosphere changed again, like a switch being flicked on. That’s when his brain connected the dots. Is he—is Sidney Crosby flirting with me?

“Hey, uhm—I was wondering. Our flight tomorrow doesn’t leave until noon. Do you wanna—I don’t know—grab a coffee or something?”

The question was fairly simple and straight forward but for some reason, it proved to be quite confusing for Geno. Ironically, he had lost for words and the prolonged silence had sparked the blush on Sidney Crosby’s cheeks. Again, he hadn’t noticed it until now that Sidney Crosby had such high cheek bones.

“Oh. Oh my gosh. I’m—I’m so sorry. I must have read this all wrong. Your girlfriend is probably waiting for you at home, and I’m just—”

Oh.

“No, no, no. I’m no girlfriend.” Geno quickly clarified. And to make sure his message got across loud and clear he added, “I’m uh—no boyfriend too?”

That last part came out more like a question but that seemed to be enough to snuff some of the doubts.

“Give me phone.” He demanded.

Sidney Crosby was a little sceptical as first, but reached for his phone in his pocket after a short deliberation. Geno quickly punched his number and then saved it before returning the phone back into Sidney Crosby’s warm hand.

“Call tomorrow. I bring you to best coffee shop.”

The moment was interrupted when some noise coming from the inside of the bus startled them. They looked up and saw a some of the baby Pens watching them like a hawk through the window, giggling like a bunch of adolescent young boys watching something inappropriate on TV.

“Hey, Kessel! Is late. Hot dogs all sold out!” Geno quipped at Phil Kessel when he spotted him at the back.

Phil snickered and retreated before he quipped back. “Heard that one before. Try again, chirpy boy.”

He chuckled as Sidney hit the side of the bus as a warning for his teammates to behave. Just like magic, all of them settled back down to their seat and left them alone.

Sidney looked down at his phone, then said, “Geno, huh?”

He mocked a shrugged. “Yeah. Is nickname. Better for you because you bad at Russian names.”

“Hey! I’m actua—”

“Calm down. I’m just joke.”

Sidney look at his phone again and then back at him, with a smile that he had never seen anywhere before. He can’t help but reciprocate.

“So, I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“Yes, for coffee.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“And Geno?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for the chirps.”

_/_/_/_/

[sfaioffical]

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:

Kota Ezawa: National Anthem, and Mike Henderson’s At the Edge of Paradise Opening Friday, November 8 at Haines Gallery. On view through December 14, 2019.

National Anthem, the artist’s most recent project is a stirring and timely body of work that offers a powerful meditation on protest, patriotism, solidarity, and hope, depicting professional NFL athletes “taking a knee” during the national anthem to protest police brutality and the oppression of people of color.

Mike Henderson: At the Edge of Paradise, Henderson’s thirteenth solo exhibition at Haines Gallery, features a suite of newly created, large-scale abstract paintings whose complex palettes and carefully worked surfaces explore the tension between gestural and geometric abstraction.

The Qualitative Validation Principle - Marc Horowitz (2001) Ever Gold [Projects] presents The Qualitative Validation Principle, Marc Horowitz’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. On view November 9 – December 21, 2019.

BoundarySpan – a group exhibition featuring Michael Arcega (BFA 1999), Jimin Lee (MFA 1997), Paula Levine (MFA 1988), Sherwin Rio (MA 2019), Desiree Rios (MFA 2017) In a time of increasing divisiveness, separation, polarization, and fortified walls, artists can serve critical roles in building indirect associations, nurturing connections, and reminding us of the importance of considering a multitude of perspectives. BoundarySpan is a group exhibition at the Natalie and James Thompson Art Gallery displaying works by artists Michael Arcega, Jimin Lee, Paula Levine, Sherwin Rio, and Desiree Rios. On view November 12, 2019 - February 21, 2020

Shaw & Co. - Richard Shaw (BFA 1965, Martha Shaw (BFA 1966), Alice Shaw (MFA 1999), Virgil Shaw & Friends Gallery 16’s exhibition “Shaw & Co.” presents a collection of work by members of the Richard and Martha Shaw Family, plus a plethora of SFAI-affiliated artists—faculty and alums—including Richard Shaw, Martha Shaw, Alice Shaw, Rebeca Bollinger, Mike Henderson, Don Ed Hardy, Bob Hudson, Sahar Khoury, Alicia McCarthy, Jim Melchert, Ruby Neri, Cornelia Schulz, Wanxin Zhang, and more!

Völva Saga, Silenced – Monet Clark Join Monet for the opening of Völva Saga, Silenced, a 24 hour projected performance video at AP/SE on November 15. The piece will run 24 hours starting at noon with a request to gather at dusk 4:45, to 6pm

Savor The Moment and Table Testaments - Nancy Willis (MFA 2005) Nancy Willis will feature in two upcoming exhibitions this month. The first is Table Testaments which opens November 16 at Arts Benecia, then Savor The Moment opens November 23 at Chandra Cerrito / Art Advisors in Oakland.

Fresh Focus: Small Works Exhibition of Recent Bay Area MFA Artists - Jordan Taylor Holms (MFA 2019) On December 11, 2019 SFMoMA Artists Gallery opens this exhibition featuring small-size artworks by recent and current MFA artists of the Bay Area, including alumna Jordan Taylor Holms. The show will be on view through February 23, 2020.

NEW YORK

Urbanites and Ur-Beasts – Olive Ayhens (MFA 1969) On view October 30 – December 20, 2019 at Bookstein Projects, Urbanites and Ur-Beasts is Olive Ayhens fourth show with Lori Bookstein and the second at Bookstein Projects.

Umwelt - Christine Davis (BFA 1992), Patricia Olynyk, Meredith Tromble (SFAI faculty) Umwelt exposes the multilayered work of artists who engage with the sciences, while offering visitors a nuanced view of what science both is and can be. Meredith Tromble, Patricia Olynyk, and Christine Davis are artists who approach science as material for art. Through their works in digital media, installation, sculpture, and photography, Tromble, Olynyk, and Davis orient viewers to a playfully provocative and imaginative world of questioning. On view at BioBAT Art Space November 1, 2019 – March 30, 2020

Women in Possession of Good Fortune - Kira Nam Greene (BFA 2002) Women in Possession of Good Fortune, an exhibition by Kira Nam Greene, refers to the opening lines of Jane Austen’s novel, “Pride and Prejudice” and alludes to both the persistence of sexist assumptions and the achievements made by women from different races, ages and sexual orientations. On view at Lyons Wier Gallery November 7th - December 7th, 2019.

Catch and Release - Carolanna Parlato (MFA 1980) Often employing only a few colors and compositional elements, Parlato’s newest paintings are efficient in their drama and demonstrate the sheer power of limits: just this much is just enough. Carolanna Parlata’s solo show, on view at Morgan Lehman November 7 – December 14, 2019.

Liz Atz and Gelah Penn: Splice - Gelah Penn (MFA 1973) Please join us in celebrating alum Gelah Penn during the opening of Splice on November 22 at The Yard: City Hall Park.

Los Angeles, CA

Units by Seth Lower (MFA 2008) On January 9, 2020 Seth Lower will host a book launch and signing for his latest, Units at Book Soup in Los Angeles. “Units contains photographs taken from 1994–2017. The images depict a variety of everyday materials and situations, many seen in sets, parts, or multiples. Within such scenes, Lower seeks out a kind of integrity (or lack thereof): standards of measurement, materiality, vague questions about the boundaries of entities and experience.”

NEW JERSEY AND ONLINE

Show Me Your Neon and Winter Solstice – group exhibitions featuring Holly Wong (MFA 1995) Show Me Your Neon is on view November 18 – December 31, 2019 at Gallery 1202.Holly creates installations, assemblages and works on paper, integrating non-traditional approaches with more traditional sewing techniques associated with the history of women. Her approach is both non-conventional but also deeply rooted in her history and culture. Winter Solstice opens November 16 at MarinMOCA and is on view through December 22, 2019.

Paul Valadez (BFA 1997) Visiones Latinx: Selections from the Permanent Collection and Mucho Caramelo If you are in New Jersey before December 11, 2019 check out Paul Valadez’s group show Visiones Latinx: Selections from the Permanent Collection, and click the link above to view Mucho Caramelo, an online exhibition of Paul’s recent gift to the Latin American Studies program at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.

Seattle, WA

Boundaries – Claire Brandt (MFA 2005) Boundaries, opening Nov. 14 and on view through December 9, 2019 at The Factory in Seattle, WA is an exhibition of Claire Brandt’s paintings and a performance of States of Being Traced, her interactive drawing project.

Austin, TX

Allochory – Jamie Spinello (MFA 2007) Jamie Spinello’s 7 foot tall sculpture, "Allochory”, will open on Saturday, November 16 as part of an outdoor sculpture group exhibit, "Convergence". “Convergence” is a collection of public art works that were funded by the City of Austin for 2019 as part of the Art In Public Places, Tempo Program. This is an official registered East Austin Studio Tour Event located at #456 on the tour map.

Top image credit: (left) Jordan Taylor Holms, Holy Grails and Zero Degrees, 2019, Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 20 inches. (right) Jordan Taylor Holms, Look the Part, 2019, Acrylic and oil pastel on canvas, 13 x 11 inches.

[epadosi1]

Find best Holi Events in the Bay Area on ePadosi

As the festival of colors, Holi, approaches, the Bay Area is gearing up for a vibrant and lively celebration. To help locals and visitors alike, ePadosi has curated a list of the top Holi events in Bay Area. From traditional temple celebrations to modern music festivals, there is something for everyone to enjoy. These events not only showcase the rich Indian culture and traditions but also provide a sense of community and togetherness. With a variety of activities, delicious food, and colorful festivities, these events promise an unforgettable Holi experience. So mark your calendars and head over to ePadosi to unveil the top Holi events in the Bay Area and make this festival of colors truly special.

[kailasaslovenia]

Mayor Lorena Barajas of the City of Jurupa Valley, California confers a proclamation to The Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism (SPH) and The Sovereign of the Sovereign State of SHRIKAILASA, His Divine Holiness Bhagavan Nithyananda Paramashivam and proclaims January 3, 2022, Incarnation Day of The SPH, as KAILASA’s SPH Nithyananda Day.

In 2007, The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam established the enlightenment ecosystem, KAILASA Los Angeles in Montclair, CA, for the Western world. The temple and university space of over 25,000 square feet, was infused with the Cosmic Energy by Him, who blessed the temple to be the pinnacle of the Vedic tradition to the Western world.

The SPH Bhagavan Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam personally guided in the construction of the temple, and inaugurated KAILASA Los Angeles on November 9, 2007 at Montclair, California. The temple is home to over 80 deities and holds the largest number of the tallest deities in North America. It serves as a place of worship, meditation, celebration, and various services.

In addition, KAILASA San Jose was founded under the direct guidance of The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam, and all activities, initiatives, traditional rituals, temple rituals, programs, events are carried out as per Vedagamas and the teachings of The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam. KAILASA San Jose is a place of authentic Hindu worship, meditation and festivals supporting the Bay Area’s thousands of residents and helping them raise the level of consciousness by empowering and enabling people to lead a better life. KAILASA San Jose has been contributing to the welfare of the Larger Bay Area Community since its inception on July 16, 2010.

Through KAILASA Los Angeles and KAILASA San Jose The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam has been contributing to the welfare of the people of California, including the people of Jurupa Valley.

[living-enlightenment]

Mayor Lorena Barajas of the City of Jurupa Valley, California confers a proclamation to The Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism (SPH) and The Sovereign of the Sovereign State of SHRIKAILASA, His Divine Holiness Bhagavan Nithyananda Paramashivam and proclaims January 3, 2022, Incarnation Day of The SPH, as KAILASA’s SPH Nithyananda Day. In 2007, The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam established the enlightenment ecosystem, KAILASA Los Angeles in Montclair, CA, for the Western world. The temple and university space of over 25,000 square feet, was infused with the Cosmic Energy by Him, who blessed the temple to be the pinnacle of the Vedic tradition to the Western world. The SPH Bhagavan Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam personally guided in the construction of the temple, and inaugurated KAILASA Los Angeles on November 9, 2007 at Montclair, California. The temple is home to over 80 deities and holds the largest number of the tallest deities in North America. It serves as a place of worship, meditation, celebration, and various services. In addition, KAILASA San Jose was founded under the direct guidance of The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam, and all activities, initiatives, traditional rituals, temple rituals, programs, events are carried out as per Vedagamas and the teachings of The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam. KAILASA San Jose is a place of authentic Hindu worship, meditation and festivals supporting the Bay Area’s thousands of residents and helping them raise the level of consciousness by empowering and enabling people to lead a better life. KAILASA San Jose has been contributing to the welfare of the Larger Bay Area Community since its inception on July 16, 2010. Through KAILASA Los Angeles and KAILASA San Jose The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam has been contributing to the welfare of the people of California, including the people of Jurupa Valley. #Kailasa #Nithyanada #Enlightenment #Spirituality #ConsciousSovereignty #shiva #mahadev #mahakal #harharmahadev #bholenath #shiv #india #hindu #lordshiva #omnamahshivaya #hinduism #om #kedarnath #bholebaba #krishna #mahakaal #mahakaleshwar #shivshakti #shivshankar #mahadeva #temple #jaimahakal #california #sandiego #losangeles (at Kailasa Los Angeles - Nithyanandeshwara Hindu Temple) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXvF0qCrgak/?utm_medium=tumblr

[kat-hawke]

Returning Early

( This follows a day after the events of [The Brood Chamber] )

Kat slowly stirred from her slumber, a groggy groan rattling in her throat as her eyes slowly adjusted to the lighting in the medical bay of the Unitatis. Her mind was still foggy, likely from the sedatives she was given. She recalled the last thing she could remembered, the memory of the invasive Silithid larvae quickly flashing before a familiar voice pulled her back into reality.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Director. Your reputation certainly proceeds you. You are certainly a hard one to kill.” The ship’s physician, Karen Seethers, spoke in her typical collected tone as she moved to the side of the bed with a folder in hand. “You were hanging one by a thread when Ulen and the recovery team brought you in. You lost a lot of blood, no large movements.”

Kat’s right hand rose to rub at her forehead as she collected her thoughts through the fading sedative. “Made a promise to sumone I’d come back and I intended to keep it.” Her hand quickly moved to her neckline, fingers finding the Admiral’s bone charm as a small sigh of relief escaped, the minor fear she had lost the item now dismissed. “Ya’ didn’ remove my bracers, did ya’?” She moved to sit up, but stopped short finding she could not move her left arm. With a blink, her gaze moved to the arm which was kept tight against her body in a plain black sling.

Karen quickly spoke up once she noticed that the Director had realized the lack of control. “Just induced paralysis, Miss Hawke, worry not. You should regain control of the limb in a few hours. Though I strongly recommend against movement. You suffered some severe tissue damage from the parasite.” She opened the folder and handed the medical report and exam to the Director before continuing. “From the entry point just above the left collar bone, the larvae traveled down the left side of your chest, around the breast and to the lower rib cage which is where you... extracted the parasite. It chewed through tissue and some muscle, though with correct treatment and therapy the damage should not be permanent, of course scar tissue will surely build. And to answer your question, no, we did not remove the bracers.”

Karen’s forest green eyes glanced at the leather bindings. “Your medical record was very clear in that instruction, as well as stating no Holy magics to be used on the left side of your body. Reason as to why that is was not stated and I know better than to ask, so I stuck to traditional methods while my assistant helped ensure your survival with druidic magic.” She slid another paper from the folder and held it out to the Director.

Kat’s lips flattened slightly at the mention of the druidic magics used on her body, but voiced no opinion as she handed the medical file back to the doctor. “Well, thank ya’ both. This wus likely one of the most unpleasan’ things I have experienced, but I won’t let it stop me.” Raven brows knit as Karen extended the second page, retrieving the document with the one hand she could move.

“You are in no condition to remain here or on the mission. Sky Captain Chambers and High Command agreed with my assessment. You will be sent back to Stormwind on the next convoy but remain a consultant for the research team should they need another set of eyes.” Karen’s hands folded in front of her with the closed folder in her clutch.

Ambers quickly shifted over every word in the letter as mixed emotions brewed in her core. She did not want to be here in the first place, yet she felt committed to the operation now that she was. Kat hated the feeling like she was being benched, her self-destructive nature telling her stay and see it through but the logic telling her she was of no use in her current state. “I see... Well I’m sure Chambers will be pleased to have me off his ship.”

A small smile touched the Doctor’s lips, avoiding comment on the relationship between the Director and Captain. “Get some rest, Miss Hawke. I will prepare a prescribed treatment for your return tomorrow. I permitted the others to visit you in the evening.” With a quick nod of her head, Karen spun on her heels and took her leave of the patient area.

With a long, drawn-out sigh, Kat set the letter on the bedside table, her head sinking into the pillow as her eyes shut once more. “They ain’t gonna let me live this one down...”

( Brief mention: @preyontheweak )

[epadosi1]

Discover Upcoming Holi Events in the Bay Area on ePadosi

Looking for a fun and festive way to celebrate Holi this year? Look no further than ePadosi! Our platform offers a comprehensive list of upcoming Holi events in Bay Area, ensuring that you don't miss out on any of the celebrations. From colorful parties and parades to cultural performances and food festivals, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

With ePadosi, you can easily browse through different events, purchase tickets, and even connect with other Holi enthusiasts. Don't miss out on the vibrant and lively Holi celebrations happening in the Bay Area. Visit ePadosi now to discover and book your tickets for the upcoming Holi events.

[kailasaslovenia]

Mayor Fred Jung of the City of Fullerton, California confers a proclamation to The Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism (SPH) and The Sovereign of the Sovereign State of SHRIKAILASA, His Divine Holiness Bhagavan Nithyananda Paramashivam and proclaims January 3, 2022, Incarnation Day of The SPH, as KAILASA’s SPH Nithyananda Day.

In 2007, The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam established the enlightenment ecosystem in California in Los Angeles for the Western world. The temple and university space of over 25,000 square feet, was infused with the Cosmic Energy by Him, who blessed the temple to be the pinnacle of the Vedic tradition to the Western world.

The SPH Bhagavan Nithyananda Paramashivam personally guided in the construction of the temple, and inaugurated KAILASA Los Angeles on November 9, 2007 at Montclair, California. The temple is home to over 80 deities and holds the largest number of the tallest deities in North America. It serves as a place of worship, meditation, celebration, and various services.

In addition, KAILASA San Jose, California was founded under the direct guidance of The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam, and all activities, initiatives, traditional rituals, temple rituals, programs, events are carried out as per Vedagamas and the teachings of The SPH Nithyananda Paramashivam. KAILASA San Jose is a place of authentic Hindu worship, meditation and festivals supporting the Bay Area’s thousands of residents and helping them raise the level of consciousness by empowering and enabling people to lead a better life. KAILASA San Jose has been contributing to the welfare of the Larger Bay Area Community since its inception on July 16, 2010.