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orchidyoonkook · 4 months ago

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To What We Were Before, And All The Things After | JJK | Ch. 8

Title: Photo Shoots and Blasphemous Discoveries

Pairing: Prince!College Student!JK x Fine Arts Major!(F)!Reader

Series Rating//Genre: (M) | College AU, Mild Royalty AU, Smut, Angst, Fluff, S2F2L, Indiffernce to lovers, sloooowwww ass burn

Summary: You're just there to help JK with his final project, so why are you being doused in water, facepaint and smoke? Art. Art is why.

Warnings: T, language, fluff, angst, honestly this one's kinda wholesome and fun, some photogrpahy jargin in there, but nothing a quick google search can't fix if you really need to <3, it's mostly surface level jargin. Also the smoke machine works cuz JK has great ventilation due to the massive windows being open, so don't worry bout that XD, some light and fun name calling, some world building. Ask if you need clarification on anything. That's all I think!

Word Count: 11,684

Release Date: September 1, 2024. 4:30PM

A/N 1: Surprise! Happy JK Day.

PJK [7:36pm]: Saturday afternoon. my place. 11am. PJK [7:36pm]: bring an extra set of clothes, something warm. Sweats if you have them. PJK [7:37pm]: also, Im gunna need your shirt size

The first three weeks of November have flown by and dragged on at the same time.

The weather’s getting colder. You need a thick jacket if you want to be anywhere outside, and all leaves have fallen from the trees, leaving pines the only ones left with their winter coats on. Hot chocolate from greenhouse cafe has become part of your life’s blood so you don’t freeze, and gloves with pocket warmers inside them are once again a part of your everyday.

But November skies have returned. And you frequently set up camp on the drying grass beside the greenhouse, dressing your canvas with oil paint to their likeness as it’s the only paint that doesn’t dry the second it’s out of the tube in the cold, static air.

Jungkook told you earlier in the week the shoot would most likely be this weekend, and that he just had a few final strings to pull together before being able to confirm. So with that in mind, you intentionally tried to finish all your work before this weekend, knowing the shoot will take a while to complete.

He mentioned it may leak over into Sunday depending on how much you get done on the first day, which is fine with you considering you usually spend Sunday evenings at his place anyway. You’d consider it an extended edition of your regularly scheduled broadcast.

And speaking of regularly scheduled, you haven’t missed a single movie night since Nel left. Granted, it’s only been three weeks, but even missing the two you did because of Nel had made an impact.

You’d gotten so used to them, having that time to destress and unwind before the week starts. A nice little routine that helps reset you both mentally and physically.

Suddenly not having that was…a weird feeling you try not to remember.

And you are more than happy to never miss another one ever again.

You aren’t sure what Jungkook tells Adaline he’s doing during movie night, but she’s never interrupted you, not even once. And it’s something you are increasingly grateful for, because she is one of the things you destress from as your unspoken rivalry always amps up the closer to exam season you get.

It’s Thursday evening, and you’re in your room finishing up a Microeconomics 3 assignment while piano music plays on a speaker in the corner. You use it to help you focus, and it’s working its magic as you’re finishing your work in record time.

Music has always helped you work better, and you credit it largely with how you’ve been able to keep up with everything in your schooling.

Yuri’s in her room, doing homework as well you assume. Or maybe texting Tai—the dreamy, big dicked Ilcalos island Count—you swear she’s only put her phone down for sleep and showering, as she’s constantly checking to see if he’s messaged her. And you hope it turns out well for them, Yuri deserves someone who treats her well. Especially after the whole Jungkook debacle—which you’re not allowed to bring up—and then the poor rebound you aren’t allowed to talk about either. You’re just happy she’s finally found someone worth her time.

Picking up your phone, you shoot Jungkook a text back.

You [7:40pm]: okay! saturday at 11 sounds good. I’ll bring sweats and warm socks

You message him your shirt size too, curious as to what he’ll use it for, but you’re sure you’ll find out in due time. You always do.

Subject to many of his homework assignments, you’ve been posed and lit and adjusted every which way.

Jungkook is incredibly professional when you’re with him as a model. Light touches to correct posing, always with a ‘may I’ before he does, and he fills the room with kind words, good vibes, and fun music so you never feel awkward.

At first you were really iffy on the whole idea when he first asked in September, because it would be the prince of your nation photographing little ol’ you. You weren’t anything special—yet—and you’re still never one for being in the spotlight, or for being on camera. At all. But if it was just for homework, and you were helping out a friend…you figured why not?

It helped that all of your worries immediately faded when you saw the results of that first shoot.

An email from a very non-princely email address found its way into your inbox. The subject was the date of the shoot, and the only message inside being:

thanks. Hope you like them.

Let’s do it again sometime.

-J

When you opened the attachments you made a quick dive to catch the phone that fell from your hands in shock.

You looked…beautiful. Like you never had in pictures before. Not in school, or at graduation, not even in the ones you took of yourself.

You didn’t know you were capable of looking like that.

Like how he saw you. Captured you.

And you’ll never admit you’ve held your chin a little higher with every shoot since.

They make you feel powerful, attractive. More confident, and sure of yourself, as if you were always meant to be in front of a camera. Like you’d been in front of one since before you could walk.

They do that for you.

He…does that for you—with his pictures, of course.

Jungkook is very talented. Very skilled with his camera, and you find yourself looking forward to the concepts he comes up with every time. Trusting him and whatever his vision is wholeheartedly.

Though a small, immature piece of you is also pleased he still wants you to model, and not Adaline. That he finds you easier to work with over her.

Your competitive streak never fails to come out, even with the smallest, secretive things.

Take that Adaline.

You gladly help him out with his homework, and he does the same for you.

If you ever need a male reference or a profile study. Anatomy practice, features practice, likeness practice. Anything and almost everything, all you have to do is ask, and he sits still or places whatever you need in front of you while you sketch.

Hands, however, have always been a personal favourite of yours.

They’re one of those things that can be drawn a hundred different ways and never look the same. Always a new position you can put them in. Consistently able to shake things up. And one set is never like the others—like eyes. There’s little differences in all of them and that’s where their magic lies.

You do these studies at the greenhouse, it has the best light to shadow ratio. When you ask him for one, he’ll switch to working with one hand, while the other does whatever you tell it. Normally either placed on your table or if there isn’t enough room, which nine times out of ten there isn’t because of all your supplies, you stick your foot on the lower metal frame of his table and he rests his arm, wrist or palm on your up bent knee.

Due to this, you’ve unintentionally come to find out that his hands are very strong, very calloused, and very, very warm…

Also! Aside from hand studies, you love loose figure studies because they’re great warm up sketches. And what Jungkook doesn't know is that you have dozens of warm up sketches of him. Doesn’t know you sneak pictures here and there when you can, hiding them in a hidden album on your phone entitled ‘hmwk screenshots.’ And he definitely doesn’t know that when he’s sitting at the cafe, nose deep in assignments, you doodle his features or his outfit in real time.

A nose here, a jacket there. A muscular forearm covered in tattoos also tends to find its way onto your page every so often.

He’s got a good physique. And the ridges make for excellent anatomy practice. So does the intricate line work of tattoos, and fabric rippling. Especially in drastic lighting. Consistency is key in maintaining and improving your work and it’s not like any of these sketches will ever see the light of day anyways.

They’re just, well…practice.

A sigh escapes you, and you refocus on finishing your microecon work. You still have two more assignments to get done before Saturday at eleven.

“And why are you working with some random girl when I’m available, again?” Adaline asks. She’s currently sitting on Jungkook's couch in your spot. He’s setting up tomorrow's materials against the big white wall by the floor length windows that showcase his balcony.

It’s why he chose to live here instead of in the dorms or on campus. His place isn’t enormous, like most people would think, it has enough room for everything a regular student needs: bedroom, kitchen, workspace, living room, bathroom, even a guest room. But the one thing he keeps different is the big white wall where a dining room would normally be.

Jungkook’s place has high ceilings, 10 feet tall, which is higher than the average but not excessive. And the wall that connects his kitchen to the balcony is a perfect mock studio. He can even keep all his equipment there; lights, gels, backgrounds, tubs full of props, camera cases, lenses, and more all stored in neat shelving against another wall.

“Because students volunteered for extra credit, and she’s who was assigned to me,” a small lie, one he was sure that Adaline wouldn’t dig into too deeply.

“Why didn’t you tell me I could volunteer?”

“Because you didn’t need the extra credit?”

She pouts, and goes back to her phone.

Adaline also doesn’t know it’s you he’s photographing and that is one hundred percent intentionally planned by him.

He could sense something between you two after you made that one comment after fall break. He notices now how you stiffen slightly every time he mentions Adaline, and the one time he mentioned you in passing to test the waters, Adaline changed the conversion topic almost immediately. A look of annoyance, or maybe even insecurity in her eyes.

So he’s been lucky that Adaline has never wanted to see any of his schoolwork prior to or after the singular shoot he did with her.

Lucky she hasn’t seen your face fill up his screen constantly.

And extremely lucky that she doesn’t know about the hidden folder buried deep in his desktop labeled ‘eqpmt rcpts’ filled with dozens of candid shots of you.

To be fair, you don’t know about them either. They’re random, shots taken every now and then where he thought you looked happy, focused, or just existing. True candids of the most candid person he knew.

It started that day with his first assignment from Professor Hirmer. He’d taken those quick pictures of you painting, and then simply never stopped.

He has pictures of you in the courtyard, walking and talking to Yuri, you smiling. He has some he took on his phone when you’re over for movie night, invested in the film or talking to him. And a bunch of you painting at the greenhouse. It’s hard to take secret candids when he’s right beside you, but he manages seeing as you haven't caught him yet.

He even has a few of you and Nel, love clearly written on your face in every single one of them.

Whenever he spots you before you spot him, and he has his camera on him, he takes a couple.

They’ve amassed into a healthy sum, but he thinks of it as a harmless habit as no one will ever know. And it’s not like he’s following you around to take them or using them for anything nefarious.

He just likes taking your picture. Capturing your spirit, your candor.

Your realness.

You are wholly yourself, always, no holding back, all of the time.

And to him, it feels like coming up for a breath of fresh air.

“Hey!” you say as you let yourself into Jungkook’s apartment. You’d knocked but no one answered and it was currently 10:56am on Saturday, so you knew he was here. Plus, his door was unlocked.

“Jungkook?” you call.

No answer.

You take your shoes off after closing the door and locking it. He should really keep his door locked.

Very quickly become best friends with the couch, you toss your backpack of warm clothes on the floor while you wait for him to make an appearance.

There’s shoot equipment everywhere; lights in the corner, some with soft boxes on them, gels laid out on the coffee table, and what you’ve come to learn is a lens case sits on the couch beside you in Jungkook's usual spot.

Jungkook has also somehow managed to find some small trees in blue ceramic pots and what you’re pretty sure is a smoke machine.

But the most peculiar thing is what looks to be a kiddie pool up against the wall with a folded tarp at its base.

Well that's…interesting…

You hear a door open somewhere in the apartment and running water.

“Jungkook? That you?”

“Hey! Yep. Just give me a sec, I’m almost done.”

The water sounds cease and Jungkook makes his grand entrance as he turns the corner holding a large watering can. Your eyebrow raises.

“For the trees?” you ask.

“What?”

You point to the watering can currently making his veins pop.

He laughs, “Oh! No. This is for later. You’ll see,” and walks to the other side of the room by the pool.

“Aren’t we mysterious today,” you say, following him with your eyes. He’s in ripped black jeans that accentuate the muscle definition of his thighs, and a matching baggy shirt. When his back is turned you snap a quick picture. The fabric folds on his baggy shirts are some of your favourite mindless things to cool down sketch.

“Nah, just focused. We have a lot to get through today.” He sets down the watering can and you can see the moment the switch flips from friend to photographer. “The guest room is ready for you. There’s a clothing rack inside with each look labeled. There’s also makeup and face paint, if you could bring out the make up after you're done changing, that would be great. We’re gonna start with ‘Bright and Bold’, okay?”

You usually use the spare room as a change room when you have to switch clothes for a shoot. But they were always from your own closet. He’d tell you the concept he was going for and you’d bring a few options to choose from.

Makeup you were used to, though. Jungkook loves abusing your artistic abilities for his shoots in the way you decorate your face or body, saying they make his works a level up from the rest of his classmates.

They also usually make for some of the coolest pictures you have of yourself.

This is the first time he’s ever bought clothing, though.

You shouldn’t be as surprised as you are, this being his final assignment for an important class, and him being as serious as he is about his work and the final product. But you can't help it, you’re excited to see everything he’s chosen for the shoot.

For you.

For the shoot.

“Yep, sounds good. Be out in a few,” you reply. He nods in acknowledgement before moving to set something up and you don’t stick around to find out, grabbing your bag and heading towards the door lined hall.

The guest room is modest and clean. White sheets and gray comforter with, surprisingly, two throw pillows to spruce it up. The walls are white too, but you’re pretty sure that’s because Jungkook’s not allowed to paint the apartment per his landlord's wishes—a thought that still makes you laugh.

He could buy any place he wanted, but chose to rent. ‘To get the real university experience,’ he explained when you asked him the first time you went over.

Black furniture accents the room. A comfortable looking leather chair sits in the corner by a glass door that leads to the balcony. It has a small table beside it. There’s a dresser with a mirror in the other corner and of course, in the center of the room, is the bed. It’s a nice room. However, the newest edition is what’s keeping your eye.

Four shirts hang from the rack at the foot of the bed. The first is vibrant and colourful, the second a light neutral short sleeved V neck, third is strapless and skin coloured, and the last is made from thin black fabric you assume will be skin tight by the looks of it.

As promised, they’re all labeled with a sticker.

You throw your bag on the bed and grab the colourful one first. Its sticker says ‘bright and bold,’ and you put it on after removing the shirt you came in, then zip it up. The material feels heavy, durable and expensive. You check the tag on the inside seam and see it’s from Ilkaya, one of the biggest and most expensive fashion designers on this side of the realm.

Your eyes bug out of your head, and you try not to breathe too hard for fear of ruining it. Your routine of thrifting all your clothes makes you pretty damn sure you can’t even imagine how much this cost.

It feels good though, comfortable, not itchy. Really freaking expensive.

You look at yourself in the mirror, and you have to admit you look amazing. It fits perfectly in all the right places, compliments your skin tone, and even brings out your eyes. Begrudgingly, you admit to yourself that maybe there’s some sense in what the price tag could be. But it would still be a ridiculous sum for a jacket.

With one last look in the mirror, you grab the palettes, brushes and other tools off the dresser, and leave your designated dressing room for the day in favour of returning to the living room.

Jungkook’s got music going from your shared playlist. Insisting on making one after your second shoot together, when he decided you both agreed to the arrangement becoming a regular thing. It’s a good mix of both of your musical tastes, even though you guys figured out quickly that you liked pretty similar stuff anyway.

“What do you think? Does it work?” You ask as you turn the corner.

Jungkook fiddles with this camera before looking and pausing for a moment to take you in. You hope you look okay, but the weird look he has on his face makes you backtrack a bit.

“Is this not the one you wanted? It had the label on it. But I can go back and double che- ”

“You look amazing,” is all he says, and your worry slides off you instantly. He smiles wide, the one you’ve come to recognize as genuine.

“Thanks. But the colour’s doing most of the work for me,” you say, smiling back shyly.

He has a white background set up, and two differently coloured gel’d lights sit on opposite one another, a third, smaller floor light faces the background. A backlight, he’d call it.

Bright and Bold indeed, though there is the matter of-

“What do you want me to do for my make up?”

“Actually,” he sets down his camera gently on a table, “Is it okay if I do it? I want it to be a little more on the amateur side and I don’t think your years of refined talent would let you get the exact look I want.”

That’s new. But you're here to stand and look however he wants you too, so you allow him with a nod.

“Sure, where do you want me to sit?”

“Here’s fine,” he says as he pulls a stool that was off to one side close to one of the windows. “As long as you don’t mind holding the make up. I don’t have a table to set them down on. Should’ve thought of that, sorry.”

You can tell he’s mentally scolding himself for forgetting something.

“No no, it’s fine,” you say, taking your seat, “I don’t mind, really.”

Placing the balls of your feet on the bar that holds the chair legs together, you make your lap even enough to set the palettes out, and use a hand to hold all the brushes.

Jungkook laughs, noticing your feet as you sit, “Cute socks.”

They’re light blue with a fox face on them, and little ears stick up from the elastic around the ankle.

“Thanks,” you laugh too, they’re your favourite pair. “I call them my fox socks. They’re lucky.”

“Let’s hope so. Wish me luck fox socks,” he calls to your toes, and you wiggle them in response.

He picks a brush and chooses a colour. “Close your eyes and let me know if I’m pressing too hard. If it isn’t obvious, I’ve never done this before.”

You close your eyes and whisper, “Will do.”

It's a uniquely intimate experience having your makeup done. Willingly letting someone get up close and personal with you, allowing them to see every potential scar, blemish and pore in the name of beauty and for the sake of creativity.

In this case, it’s also a little questionable considering where you feel the brush putting down colour: cheeks, lids, temple, nose. However, you’re simply a pawn in a well thought out plan, so you sit and wait for him to finish.

“Annnd done,” he says, making a final swipe with the brush on your cheek. “You look great! I didn’t hurt you, right?” he asks, showing you the makeup in a palettes mirror. Your face looks like it’s been attacked by a rainbow in the best way. You smile, taking the mirror from him and looking at all the little details.

For a first timer, Jungkook did a really good job.

“Nope, I’m good. How do you want me?”

Jungkook leads you to the backdrop, placing you in front.

“One second,” he says, grabbing a remote and clicking a button to lower the black out curtains on the windows, and then another that turns off the apartment lights. He also clicks on all the lights he’s set up and you’re quickly illuminated by a bright red and purple as well as the back light.

“I’m good to pose?” he asks.

“Yep.”

You love that he always asks first. It makes you feel safe and considered, consenting to every touch prior to its occurrence.

Jungkook instructs the first pose to have your hands on the sides of your face, making slight adjustments so that you don’t cover any of the makeup. And for the first time, his touches leave little sparks where they land.

You’re sure it’s just because of the lights or that the shirt is thick and makes you warm.

Or maybe you’re just nervous and need to get the first photo jitters out of your system.

Soon enough, the camera’s pointing at you and you smile the brightest you can. He’s given you the prompt of ‘you’re so excited and happy you can’t hold it in,’ and you work with it the best you can, taking the first few with the pose he gave before being given full reign.

It’s a decent way into the first shoot when Jungkook says, “Hmm…we’re not quite there yet, I need a bit more,” and follows up with, “How about ‘you’ve just been commissioned by the Modern Art Museum to have the leading showcase for next year’.”

You smile the biggest you think you ever have at the thought. Because that’s the dream, that is the biggest goal you could achieve. An entire gallery of your work as the primary exhibition in the Western Shores Modern Art Museum? You couldn’t go any higher. It’s every artist's dream.

“There you go! That’s it!” The camera’s capturing quickly as you imagine what it would be like to have your own showcase at the WS-MAM. Incredible is the first word that comes to mind, your work in the biggest museum on the continent? You can’t even imagine, but you want to.

One day, you promise yourself. You’ll do it one day.

“Okay,” Jungkook says, breaking your daydream, “Let me switch out the gels for new colours and go again. These are great so far though, you're doing amazing.”

You hold your hand out for a high five and he smacks it. “Go team!” you say, and he laughs.

An hour and a half, a makeup fix and three lighting changes later, the first shoot finishes. You collapse on the couch and rub the muscles on your thighs.

Jungkook plops down beside you, nose deep in the pictures he’s just taken, double checking everythings good.

“This is a fantastic start, I hope we can keep it up all day and finish before tomorrow.”

“Me too,” you say, and you mean it. Shoots with him are always fun, but inevitably tiring. “I’m gonna to grab a water, want one?”

“Yes please,” he replies without looking up.

In the kitchen, you open the fridge to grab the two bottles and notice a box, stamped with a coffee mug that has a greenhouse inside of it, on top. The greenhouse cafe’s logo.

“Can I ask what’s inside the cafe box?” you ask as you sit back on the couch and pass him a bottle.

“Ah, caught red handed,” he says, setting his camera on the table and taking a swig. “I may have asked Vivan earlier this week to make sure there was an overstock of tarts so I could grab them for you as a thank you for today.”

...Oh

That’s so sweet. He’s never gotten you a thank you gift before, especially not in the form of the most delicious pastry to ever exist. Maybe you should get him something for all the times he’s helped you with homework? A solstice gift maybe?

There’s heat forming in your chest and you really hope it’s not the beginning stages of heartburn. Maybe Jungkook has antacids.

“You didn’t have to do that, I’m happy to help.”

“So you don’t want them then?” his shit eating grin making a glorious comeback because he knows what your answer’s going to be.

“No! I want them. I most definitely want them.”

He chuckles and puts his water down.

“Okay Donatello, glad you accept. Let's move on to the next set up. There’s makeup remover and cotton pads in the room, and some moisturizer too if you need it.”

The next shoot is called ‘Regality,’ and it has you in the strapless shirt. You find out it’s quite a low cut when you put it on. There’s enough to cover you, but there’s definitely a lot of your chest showing. However, under the shirt on the hanger is a scarf to cover yourself with, which you think is very considerate.

“Makeup?” you ask as you come out again, scarf covering you.

“Neutral, but strong. Kind of like how my mother does,” the background is still white, but you have a hunch that it will remain white in this picture, unlike the last one. “This one is going to be black and white, so try to emphasize your natural beauty.”

You ignore that he essentially just said you're beautiful, surely he’s just being kind and professional. Making sure his model feels good about herself.

Right?

Right.

You put on a coat of mascara and go light on the shadow so it won't be too dramatic on film. You also use a shade of lipstick that adds just a tint to your lips and a blush that makes your eyes pop.

Jungkook has you sit on the stool from earlier and faces your body three quarters of the way towards the camera, but keeps your head turned in profile.

“Oh! Almost forgot, one second,” Jungkook jogs to his room, coming back with a palm sized velvet box. “I had my mother send these over for this shoot. She has better taste than me, so I let her pick them out.”

Your stomach plummets to the floor when he opens the box.

Inside are two dangling diamond earrings, and quite possibly the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen.

And now you’re terrified.

“Jungkook, I can't wear those. They look like they’re worth more than my house, my car and my tuition combined.”

He takes one out and places it in your hand for you to put in, it’s the length of your index finger. And all you can think about is the potential houses you’re holding as you look at it.

It’s a semi-rectangular earring, encrusted with four columns of diamonds that cascade down, each column longer than the previous. Like a sparkling waterfall you can attach to your ear.

“Don’t worry about it, mum said she never wears them anyway because they’re part of a set that the necklace was lost to years ago. Please,” his face is nothing but reassurance and small smiles, “You’re giving them a chance to live again.”

You couldn't say no to those eyes even if you wanted to.

So you reply, almost breathless and still against your better judgment, “Okay.”

Placing them in one after the other, they have a significant, understandable weight to them. You take a couple deep breaths so you don't freak out, and then you return to your previously designated pose, profile set, body facing the camera.

“Can I adjust?” Jungkook asks, after taking a step back and getting a wider view.

You nod gently, still terrified of the earrings.

He makes sure the earring is visible and untangled first, before a finger gently comes beneath your chin, and lifts it a bit higher.

The feeling they leave behind is all you can think about as you stare at your place on the wall, Jungkook snapping away. Not even the soft light illuminating your profile is enough to make you blink.

This shoot goes by quickly, and you’re relieved to get the earrings back safely inside their box.

“It’s like 2:45, wanna break for a late lunch?” Jungkook asks.

“Please, I’m starved,” you say, returning from the guest room after tossing on the sweater you brought. “What's on the menu?”

“Well, we have two options,” he says, looking very faux serious, “1. We order out from wherever you want and awkwardly wait for it to arrive because the next shoot is not one we can’t prep for, then eat, then shoot. Or 2. I make use of the ingredients I bought to make Bulgogi Kimchi Fried Rice and you get lunch and a show.”

You're shocked.

Jungkook…cooks? Oh this you absolutely must see.

“Hmm….” you say, pretending to really mull it over in the same ‘serious’ tone, “I’m thinking I’ll have to go with option two, Chef. But I’ll lend a hand where I can, no use in standing around doing nothing.”

“Every chef needs a sous.”

With both of you on task, lunch is getting made quickly. Jungkook has all the ingredients to make ‘my buddy’s famous family recipe,’ a man who you assume is a chef back at the palace. The island countertop is currently covered in them; onion, kimchi, marinated bulgogi, gochujang, cooked rice, eggs and more.

You’re surprised at how skilled Jungkook is in the kitchen. He’s cutting the ingredients like he’s been doing it his whole life and working the pan over the stove like the proper technique has been drilled into him since birth.

Thirty minutes pass, and after both of you shed a tear at the cut onions and evenly split the remaining tasks, you’re sitting on the couch about to take your first bite. It smells delicious. Your mouth is watering and you can’t wait to dig in, stomach painfully empty by this point.

Finally taking that first bite, you nearly die of euphoria.

“Ouhmahgaud,” you say, mouth half full. Jungkooks on the other side of the couch, trying not to cough out his own food from laughing at your reaction. His eyes are nearly shut with how wide he’s smiling.

“Good?” he asks after swallowing his food first, like a civilized person.

You’re vigorously nodding as you swallow your own helping in hopes you’re understood.

“You’re giving me this recipe. I need it. I don’t think I will survive if this is the only time I ever get to eat it.” Your bowl is almost half gone already. Thank god there’s leftovers, you will be having more.

Plus, you want to make it for your mom when you go home, she’ll love it.

“I’ll text it to you later, don’t worry.”

You’re very sure the look on your face conveys the gratitude you feel and the rest of the meal passes in a very comfortable and satisfied silence.

Twenty-ish minutes later, after letting your seconds settle for a couple minutes, Jungkook gets back to business.

“Next look is the most adventurous, it uses the facepaint. Are you okay with contacts?”

“I think so, never tried them before though. Just give me a few before we start so I don’t explode when I stand up.”

“All good,” he says, before quirking a lip and adding, “I really don’t feel like explaining why there’s kimchi and bits of you all over my walls to either of our parents, so take all the time you need.”

You laugh, firstly at the visual, then at the idea of Jungkook meeting your mother. That would be something you needed on record, paper and film.

After a minute, you get up, the guest room making your acquaintance once more.

“This one is called Enigmatic,” Jungkook calls.

“Got it!”

You take longer than normal to change, maybe eating before putting on the skin tight shirt wasn’t a great idea. But at least it was stretchy.

It has long sleeves, a high neck, and is a very dark midnight black. There’s a matching black scarf for this one too, and a safety pin attached to the corner.

“Okay, what's the plan for this one? I hear facepaint is involved,” you say, back for round three, scarf in hand.

The background of the set is black now, a close match to your shirt. Jungkook is by the smoke machine, currently set up on the stool and plugged into a nearby outlet.

You hold up the scarf, questioningly.

“That’s to go over your head after the paint, but let’s see if you can do contacts first, they’re in the washroom. Need help?”

“No, I'm good.”

You don’t succeed at first, but after a couple attempts you look in the mirror and see purple eyes staring back at you. You love them.

“I look like a badass,” you say, returning. The smoke machine’s been turned on and it’s created a completely different atmosphere. At your reemergence, Jungkook shuts it off and comes close to give you a look. You freeze a little at the eye contact, his browns meeting your currently violets for a prolonged moment.

“They look better than I’d hoped, this is going to be great.”

He reaches under the gels on the table for a piece of paper. It’s a makeup model face with the look he wants drawn on. “Are you able to do something like this?”

The diagram shows the cheeks, bottom half of the nose and down all the way to the neck as black, and the eyes and up as white, bleeding down into the black like smoke. You’re going to need eyeshadow for that part. If you did that with the face paint it would just become a gray mess.

“Yep, but it’s going to take some time to get it right.”

“That’s okay, I’ll use it to get the smoke machine properly set up.”

You use one of the palette mirrors and start with the white, covering the top of your face and making a good base layer for the eyeshadow. Then fill the bottom of your face and neck with the black. Carefully, so as to not make gray, you use a large brush to cover both sides with their respective eyeshadow shades, before blending them together like the reference. Your skin starts to feel like it’s on fire by the time you're satisfied and you check your phone for the time when you finally finish.

4:37pm.

Not bad. You put the scarf over your head and cover your ears with it, using the safety pin to hold it in place.

“Done.”

Jungkook takes one look at you and lights up.

“Have I ever mentioned how talented you are, and that you make my schoolwork so much more fun? Because I feel like I should again even if I already have.” Your cheeks heat, glad he’s excited you’re able to help. “How did you manage to make it look even better?”

“I do vaguely remember mentioning something about a deal with a semi-suspicious genie,” you joke. And both of you break out in giggle fits after a second, recalling the conversation from forever ago.

Running through the same steps of lighting, posing, and adjustments, Jungkook then flips on the smoke machine and lets it fill the room heavily before starting to take pictures.

You’re sitting on a small box this time, so that you’re slightly lower than the camera. Jungkook tells you to keep your hands at your sides and look up, just above the rim of the camera lens. It creates a very interesting look, and you're excited to see the results.

He has you do a couple more poses before allowing you to do your own thing once more, trying to think of what would look mysterious and enigmatic.

You try to let the music inspire you. This is a look you’ve never done before, so you’re finding it a bit difficult to get into it despite Jungkook's helpful prompts and suggestions. But you flow a bit better with it as time goes on and you become more comfortable.

An idea pops up out of nowhere and you have him do a close up from the middle of your chin to the middle of your forehead. You stare straight into the lens to really showcase the purple contacts and makeup.

“This’s the one for sure,” he says, taking a few more. “Great idea, why didn’t I think of a close up in the first place?” You know he's talking to himself at this point.

It’s close to 6:15pm when Jungkook decides he has enough pictures for this look. You don’t mind the longer shoot seeing as you set aside the day for this, and you can’t wait to see how these ones turn out in particular.

You’re halfway through getting the face paint off, a mountain of gray stained cotton pads beside you, when Jungkook turns the music down.

“Let’s do a light, early dinner and then shoot the last one?” he asks. “I kept this one at the end because it’s going to create the most mess and it’ll be nice to have dinner out of the way for when I have to clean up.”

“More mess than this?” you point to the cotton pad mountain.

“Much more.”

“Light, early dinner it is,” you confirm, not wanting to have to wait till late to eat. “But can we order out so I have time to get the rest of this off?”

“Sure, what’ll it be?”

Clean faced, moisturized and ramyeon filled, you and Jungkook are preparing for the last shoot. Or well, lightly arguing.

“Water?”

“Mhm.”

“On me?”

“Yep.”

“From that thing,” you point to the contraption he calls a c-stand that will be holding the very full, very large watering can over your head for an extended amount of time, “And into there?” you point again to the kitty pool on top of the tarp that’s underneath the watering can c-stand.

“That is the plan,” he looks amused at your slight distress.

“Are you nuts? What if it falls on me? How do I know it won’t unhinge and I’ll have a nicely cracked open skull to explain to my mother on Solstice break?”

“It won’t fall and you know it won't because you trust me and trust I wouldn’t put you in unnecessary danger. But if it does, tell your mom I say hi and sorry.”

You scoff at him, unbelievable. “So you admit there’s a bit of danger!”

Jungkook sighs, and looks to the ceiling. “Yes, YN. There is a touch of danger. But that’s only if, somehow, the c-stand I have triple safety checked, duct taped twice, and quadruple secured with four fifteen pound sandbags, decides that you deserve a watering can to the head.”

You side eye his tone. This wasn’t an unrealistic worry. But you do trust him. And trust he would never intentionally put you in any danger.

The trees are set up near the backdrop that looks like a row of brick houses. The shot is supposed to be ‘The Calm after Before the Storm,’ where you look relieved and happy in an ‘outside’ setting while ‘rain’ falls over you, also in black and white.

“Fine, but if I hear one peep from that thing,” c-stand staring down the tip of your finger once more, “I’m tuck and rolling and taking you out while I do it.”

“Very fair!” he says relieved, and goes to set up the stand with the watering can.

You’d changed into the neutral V neck after dinner, and he’s asked for no makeup. So all you have to do now is stand and pose while trying not to die from foreign objects falling from the sky while you get wet.

Easy, right?

Wrong.

It is incredibly difficult, and you’re glad he made this one last because you’re at best; slightly miserable. Only the promise of a hot shower, hot chocolate with whip cream and marshmallows and your pick of whatever you watch afterward is keeping you going.

You started this one just shy of 8pm after waiting 45 minutes for the food. And it’s nearing 9:30 now. Jungkook has had to refill the watering can four times, dump the kiddie pool twice, and you swear if you don’t finish within the next twenty minutes, you’re going to collapse from shivering.

To be fair, he does fill the watering can with warm water, but it only stays warm for so long before freezing water is pouring on you for the millionth time tonight.

“I have one last idea, and by the way, I’m never doing this concept again so don’t worry about that, but also… don’t shut down the idea immediately okay?” Jungkook says.

The watering can is almost empty again and you’re relieved that your time is almost up. That in itself should make for a good picture. He snaps it.

But his tone makes you a little wary, “Okay… what is it?”

“Pretend I’m Nel and you’re seeing me for the first time in six months, like you do at the end of April.”

Well, you didn’t have that down on your photo shoot prompt bingo card.

Are you okay with the idea? You aren’t sure, but aren’t not sure either.

“I mean, I’ll try. Maybe you could give vocal cues to try and help? But don’t make it weird.”

“I won’t, promise,” Jungkook pauses for a second before adding, “Does he call you baby?”

You nod, and you distantly hear and ‘okay’ as you slowly allow yourself to get into that headspace.

You start, and the camera starts going.

You’re in the airport, waiting for Nel, ‘smoosh’ paper in hand. The gate opens, and through all the other passengers you see him, see that he’s in one piece, see that he’s safe.

Your face illuminates with relief at that so much so that you don’t even notice the water that starts running down your face.

You hear a ‘hi baby’ and in your head, it’s coming from Nel’s mouth as he nears you. You smile impossibly wider at the thought of seeing him, feeling him. Having him here with you.

You look happy to see me, ‘Nel’ says.

“I am,” you reply.

There’s repetitive clicking in the distance, but you ignore it. It’s probably just a flight attendant's heels on the floor.

“I missed you.”

There’s a long moment of silence before Nel speaks again.

I missed you too, baby.

You’re shivering hard now, lost in thought, unaware of reality.

YN, Nel calls.

“Yes, love?”

“YN.”

“Babe, what is it?”

“YN, hey,” you're being shaken gently.

“Hmm? What?” you slowly arrive back to the present. Strong hands grip your shoulders. They feel nice. Solid. Deliciously warm.

A very concerned looking Jungkook comes into focus, camera dangling around his neck and reaching for you.

Oh.

He’s the one holding your shoulders, trying to get you to come back to reality.

“There she is, welcome back,” he lets go and grabs a blanket from somewhere and wraps it around you. “We got the shot, go take a shower and warm up okay?”

“Okay,” you say, still a little dazed, but present enough to function.

You step out of the pool, holding on to the hand Jungkook offers to balance—Warm. Solid. Strong—and head straight for the bathroom, making a pit stop in the guest room to grab your bag with fresh clothes.

The hot water cements your place back in reality, letting it warm you up and cleanse you of the day.

You have no idea what just happened with that whole Nel thing, but it was a new feeling and a new headspace and you really aren’t in the mood to analyze or acknowledge, so it’s shoved onto a top shelf in the back of your mind for a later date.

Once you're able to return to the directory of your mind, you don’t know how long you’ve been in the shower. But you know you’re clean, no longer cold, and in the mood for hot chocolate, so you step out and dry yourself with the towels Jungkook laid out for you on the toilet seat.

They’re soft. So soft in fact you consider only for a second shoving one in your now less full bag to take home with you. However, you do rather enjoy your friendship with the prince, so you think better of it upon second thought.

Dressing in your sweats, you exit, tossing the towels in the hamper and your bag of the clothes you arrived in back into the spare room.

“Better?” Jungkook asks as you sit down in your spot on the couch for the last time tonight, wrapping up in the blanket he left for you. He’s in the kitchen but heard you coming.

“Much, thanks,” you sniff, “Is that hot chocolate I smell?”

Jungkook returns from the kitchen, two mugs in hand. “With extra whip cream and marshmallows, as ordered.”

You carefully take it from him, giving your thanks and happily slurping away the second it’s in your grasp.

“Alright Caravaggio, what are we watching?” he asks, sitting down on his side, sipping away on his own.

Sometime between you leaving for the shower and coming back out Jungkook changed into his own comfy attire, and tidied up the studio space as the pool and tarp are nowhere to be seen.

“I’ve thought really hard about this, all of however long I was in the shower,” Jungkook mutters something about 35 minutes; you ignore him, “And have settled on ‘A Miser Brothers Solstice’.”

He whines just a little when he says, “But it’s November.”

“So?”

“So, Solstice isn’t until the third week of December,” he’s saying this like his point is the most obvious thing in the world.

It’s not.

“Your point?”

“That it’s November, and you want to watch a Solstice movie.”

You’re mockingly outraged.

“Who made you town grinch? I didn’t realize we had a holiday hater in our midst.”

You loved the holidays, all the big ones, and the small ones, but Solstice was special.

“I’m not a grinch, I’m just not there yet, mentally.”

“Then get ready to dive in head first, because you said I could pick the movie for risking my life for you and I pick ‘A Miser Brothers Solstice’.”

Jungkook doesn’t argue further, but he does roll his eyes as he puts on your movie with a small smile hidden behind his drink.

It’s sometime during the first act, you’re lying back against your corner of the couch, feet up and under the blanket when you ask, “What are your solstice break plans?”

Jungkook takes a moment to part from the TV, very invested for someone who was so against it half an hour ago. “I have a lot of ‘princely duties’ to do for Solstice, like standing and looking thoughtful while my dad gives his annual Solstice speech,” you snort. “Then there’s the palace dinner, the parade through the capital, and the live televised event,” he says in a tv announcer's voice, “Where my family and I light the Solstice Star. And then there’s the new year and that in itself has another long list of things I have to do. Besides things like that though? Not much, and then it’s back here.”

Right.

You often forget who he is.

That behind those kind eyes, and small smiles, behind the greenhouse study dates, and movie nights, and photoshoots, Jungkook has an enormous responsibility constantly looming over his head, counting down the days until he finishes his schooling. One that’s just waiting to drop onto his shoulders forever.

You often forget that Jungkook is the Prince, first in line to the biggest throne in the realm. That you spend your time with not only Jeon Jungkook, friend and photography student, but also, His Royal Highness, Prince Jeon Jungkook, Heir Apparent and Future King of The Western Shores.

He just makes it so damn easy to forget.

You only asked because you thought maybe he had plans with friends or family, completely forgetting about all of the things the royal family does during the holiday season to celebrate with the nation, their people, and now you feel like an ass for even bringing it up.

But there’s something in his answer, or lack thereof, that snags your attention.

“What about celebrating with your family and friends in private?”

“No time,” Jungkook’s stare goes distant as he brings his knees up and puts his arms around them, resting his chin. “Friends are always busy with palace preparations and dad’s not really the sentimental type. We celebrated when I was younger; big family breakfast, presents, tree decorating, whole thing. But after I turned about 13 or so, it started dwindling pretty quickly. Now it’s just me and my mom exchanging a gift with each other at midnight under the palace tree.”

You don’t think you’ve ever heard something so heartbreaking yet beautiful in your life.

“Your mum sounds wonderful, I’m really happy you two get that time together.”

He looks at you, and you can tell by the look in his eyes he loves that time with her more than anything else.

Solstice is supposed to be the time you spend with your family, blood or chosen. The time where you all gather to cook and bake, and exchange thoughtful gifts with the ones you love. The time where you truly cherish one another and count yourself lucky for all that you have.

Solstice is your favourite time of the year.

To not spend it like that just seems…wrong. Horribly, painfully, awfully wrong.

“What about you?” he asks.

You don’t want to make him feel bad, so you tone down your answer, taking away the meat and giving the bones.

“My mum and I cut down our own tree and decorate it with the ornaments we’ve collected over the years,” you have them from every place you’ve ever visited, and your mum kept all the ones you ever made as a kid. You even get a new one every solstice to take a picture for and label with the year.

“Then we bake solstice cookies until our hands cramp and survive off only them until solstice dinner; a turkey, honey glazed carrots, mashed potatoes with gravy, essentially if it waters your mouth, it’s there,” he chuckles at that. “We do gifts for each other too, opening them on solstice morning before making hot drinks and reading in the breakfast nook until the sun sets or till we get hungry, whichever comes first.”

Jungkook's eyes glow, radiating warmth, a lazy smile on his face as he listens to you.

“That sounds really nice, YN.”

“It is,” you reply, looking him in those radiant eyes as you do. He looks… happy. Happy for you, that you get to have something like this that’s so special. It breaks your heart a little…maybe you can help.

“You wanna make some solstice cookies with me before break?”

His look of happy shifts to one of slight panic.

“What?” you question, and comically ask, “Have you never made solstice cookies before?”

He hesitates before answering a very quiet, “Uh…N-no.”

Your shock must be incredibly evident in the way he almost flinches at your reaction.

So you try your best to keep your voice level when you ask, “What do you mean, no?”

“I mean no. I’ve never made solstice cookies.”

That’s it. You can’t hold back any more, you’ve never heard anything so blasphemous in all your life.

“You’ve never what? How is that even possible?”

He shrinks into himself a little more.

“The palace pastry chef always makes them because that’s kind of his job,” you stare at him in disbelief. “Is this really that big a deal?”

You swear there’s cog’s and smoke flying out of your ears. Solstice cookies are a religion in your household. You know dozens of recipes by heart, always finding a new one each year to try and up your game. You cannot imagine a solstice without making them. Wait no, actually you can, but it would be because you’re dead.

You held back in your answer earlier, for his sake, but you and your mom’s hands cramp up because you make enough cookies to give a box to everyone in the neighborhood. It’s one of your favourite traditions, and your neighbours even look forward to it every year, going so far as sending you both recipes to try out.

“Big dea—you’ve never fucking mad—not even when you were little? No one brought you to the kitchen and let you help? Aren't all your friends back home the pastry chefs' kids or something?” You don’t mean to sound harsh, but your tone is a little more passionate than you were intending.

But Jungkook knows you, knows you occasionally get that passionate about things, and takes your outburst in stride.

“Yeah, one of them is, but we don't sit around the oven and make cookies all break long. And his dad is always too busy to teach us even if we wanted to.”

You decide something. Right then and there.

“This year you are.”

“What?”

“Mark your last Saturday off because I'm going to show up here, ingredients-a-plenty and teach you how to make solstice cookies. I have a million recipes up here,” you tap your head with a finger, “But I'll choose the easiest ones. And I’ll come over early so we can spend the day making all of them. I can’t in good conscience leave for the break knowing you’ve never made them.”

He sighs. “Do I have any say in the matter?”

“Absolutely not.”

Jungkook stares at you and you can’t figure out what he’s thinking. You’re worried he’s going to say no anyway. To say you’re crazy and that they’re just cookies and that he has more important things he has to do on his Saturday before leaving for home.

But he doesn’t. And you should’ve known he wouldn’t, not after all the time you’ve spent together.

You know better. Know him better.

“Alright Picasso. Sounds like a plan. I’m looking forward to it,” he decides, and goes back to watching the movie.

It’s the first time he’s ever repeated a nickname.

“Wait! The wind guy wants to replace who?!” Jungkook shouts.

You laugh at his confusion, and rewind the movie.

Jungkook wakes up sore.

His back is killing him, which makes sense since he’s half lying on the couch, half on the ground.

The TV’s silently playing some slideshow of movie recommendations based on recent watches.

He checks his phone, reaching for it on the coffee tale.

14% battery.

4:07am.

Shit, he fell asleep.

After the solstice movie he wanted to watch its predecessor. You had no qualms and so on it went, but he doesn’t remember much after the brothers started fighting.

Hearing soft, even breathing next to him he turns to see you, hunched over in your spot asleep, no doubt in the process of ruining your own back.

He should go to bed.

You should go to bed.

But you’ve never stayed the night.

What should he do? Should he wake you?

But you look so peaceful. And it’s nearing exams. You barely sleep when it’s exams season.

Instead, Jungkook goes to check the guest room, but it’s a mess with yesterday's comings and goings. Make-up and clothes and hangers strewn everywhere.

Quietly, making a decision he hopes you won’t kill him for in the morning, he pads back to your sleeping form.

It’s for your back, he tells himself. No other reason.

Deja vu sets in as he scoops you up from the couch, blanket and all. Just like last time, you gain enough consciousness to know to wrap your arms around his neck, but not enough to wake up. Your head rests on his shoulder and he selfishly savours the feeling as he walks down the short hallway to his room.

Jungkook sets you down gently on one side of the bed, and your arms release, slumber undisturbed as he tucks you in.

He goes back to the living room to retrieve your phones. Yours is still at 56%, and he places it on the table beside you when he returns.

Climbing into his side of the bed, he’s careful not to touch you.

Though he wants to.

Desperately.

His sleep deprived brain is too slow to block out the thoughts that start to race. Thoughts of how he wants to turn around and pull you into his chest, slide an arm around your waist, and kiss you goodnight. How he wants to wake up in the same position, you still in his arms.

But he’s also awake enough to know that will never happen. That you’re with Nel, and happy with him. That he’s drawn that nice, big line.

He’s awake enough to know you being in his bed is a fluke, unintentional.

A one time thing.

Plugging his phone into its charger, he sets it down on his own bedside table and pulls the covers up, falling back asleep.

His back facing you.

An exhale wakes you.

Warm and cozy, you take a deep breath and roll to your left side, stretching on the way over. The scents of clean linen and something familiar find you. It’s comforting, that smell, but you can’t place it.

Another exhale, but this time you feel it as well as hear it.

You open your eyes to see a sleeping Jungkook face not a foot from your own and you jolt in shock, falling off the bed in the process.

You look up from your new seat on the floor, ignoring the pain in your side from landing, and peer over the covers to check on Jungkook, who, miraculously, hasn’t woken up from your tumble.

Relieved, your mind focuses on more pressing questions like ‘how did you get here?’ And ‘why were you in his bed?’

The last thing you remember was being halfway through the prequel to A Miser Brothers Solstice on the couch, watching Jungkook more than the movie because of how invested he’d become in the story.

But you aren’t on the couch now. You were in his bed.

The bed of the Prince of the Western Shores.

The Prince who has a girlfriend, and you, who has a very long term, very serious boyfriend.

You hear a vibration, and following the sound, you find your phone on the bedside table.

You quickly grab it quickly and go to the living room as quietly as you can manage.

There’s a large number of unread texts.

SlurryYuri [11:08pm]: hey, just checking in. You didn’t get home when you said you’d try for SlurryYuri [11:31pm]: Helloooooooo? YN? You there? SlurryYuri [12:14am]: it’s getting late YN, when are you coming home? Are you on your way?

Missed Calls: (3)

SlurryYuri [2:43am]: it’s been hours, so you better be dead or have crashed in the school somewhere. Either way I’m kicking your ass when you get home

Missed Calls: (2)

(Recent)

SlurryYuri [9:36am]: you’re still not home?? YN seriously, where are you SlurryYuri [10:23am]: If you don’t message me back in an hour I’m calling the police and filing a missing persons

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. You crashed hard, the shoot must have taken more out of you than you thought, so you never texted Yuri you were going to crash in a sleep pod at school like you’d planned too.

You make quick work of messaging her back, glad she unintentionally gave you just the excuse you needed.

YN [10:25am]: ohmygod I’m soooooo sorry, it was the school one. I fell asleep in the school. I’m sorry for worrying you. I’ll be home soon, promise. I’m just going to grab breakfast first. Again im sorry

SlurryYuri [10:27am]: thank the gods youre okay!! Don’t ever do that to me again YN! I don’t wanna be the one who has to break news to your mom!! She’s too nice. SlurryYuri [10:27am]: and take your time getting back if your rushing for me, I’m not at the dorm SlurryYuri [10:27am]: Tai showed up yesterday out of the blue and took me dancing. We’re out getting brunch right now, and he has plans for the rest of the day SlurryYuri [10:28am]: Im just glad you’re not dead in a ditch somewhere

YN [10:29am]: me too, and okay I will. Thanks for checking up on me and making sure im safe, youre my favourite

SlurryYuri [10:30am]: damn right I am, see you tn <3

YN [10:30am]: see you <3

You exhale deeply, that was fucking close.

Your stomach rumbles and it reminds you that you actually need to get breakfast.

What could you have? You could order in again, but that means a wait time and you are hungry now. You could raid Jungkook's pantry, or see if he has any fruit, but then you think that’s a gross invasion of privacy when it’s not movie night and you haven’t asked if it’s okay.

Wait.

The egg tarts!

You dash to the fridge, the marvellous sight of a greenhouse inside a coffee mug comes into view. Stuffing one down before you even get the box from the fridge, you exit the kitchen, sit down on the couch, setting the box on the coffee table. Once opened in front of you, you realize there is a healthy amount of tarts inside.

How many did Jungkook ask for?

Speaking of, a bed-headed, yawning Jungkook makes his morning debut, still in last night's clothes.

“Hey,” he says groggily, walking over and stealing a tart.

“Hey!” you say back, not nearly as friendly.

“Overnight tax, Picasso. Room isn’t free.” He chuckles at your faux outrage, popping half the tart in his mouth as he walks to the kitchen and grabs something from the fridge. Returning, you see it’s a morning protein shake.

Gross.

“So is that name the one you’re sticking to now?” you ask, picking up another tart. At this rate they won’t last until lunch.

“Yeah, that okay with you? It’s your name in my phone after all.”

“It is?” You didn’t know that.

“Yeah, has been since the start.”

You’re quickly learning that sleepy morning Jungkook is very different from morning post work-out Jungkook, friend Jungkook and photographer Jungkook. His voice is deeper, he’s a lot more relaxed, and maybe even harmlessly borderline flirty, like he’s not all there yet. Softer.

“Picasso’s just fine. A compliment really.”

“Oh? And what am I in your’s then? Hopefully something just as nice?”

You tell him like it is.

“PJK.”

“PJK?” he asks, incredulous.

“Yeah? It’s obscure enough to not be recognizable if someone were to see it, but enough for me to know who it is.”

“Nah, you need something better, PJK is boring.”

“It’s your initials.”

“And boring,” he’s really not letting up on this.

“Well...what would you save yourself as?”

He mulls it over for a minute before deflating. “Okay, fair point, but I seriously want a new one. Something that can rival Picasso.”

“Do you have any nicknames? Something not completely obvious?”

For a morning person, Jungkook sure is taking his time. Maybe he was only a morning person before 8am, and then if he got up anytime after that he became a normal person who despised mornings like everyone else.

“Uhh…Vivian calls me JK, but that’s essentially the same thing as PJK. My buddies back home sometimes call me Kook, but I don’t think that works either. My mum has one for me that I will not disclose to anyone so long as I am breathing. So I guess not.”

A lightbulb dings over your head. “What about your security? Don’t they have special code names for you when they detail you? Like bear or eagle?”

“Yeah, but it’s not nearly as badass as either of those.”

“Fess up,” you say. Now you have to know.

“Hare.”

“Hare?” Now it’s your turn to be incredulous. “Like a rabbit?”

“Yep.”

An idea pops into your head and an evil grin spreads across your face, one you know is already setting worry into Jungkook’s still awakening brain as you change his name.

“I don’t like that look,” he confirms. “What’d you change it to?”

You flip your phone around and hold it up to him.

“Bunny?” he says incredulously once again.

“Yes.”

“I give you Picasso, one of the greatest painters of all time, and you think giving me bunny is anywhere near on par with that?”

Teasing him is far too fun, especially when he makes it this easy for you.

“Oh absolutely. In fact, I think it’s the best name I could possibly set it as.”

Jungkook disagrees, vehemently. “No, change it back. PJK is fine.”

“Too late. You dug your grave, now lie in it.”

Jungkook brings a hand to his face, pinching the crease between his brows and takes a very long, deep breath, exhaling just as dramatically.

You take that as your victory. But you’re sorely mistaken.

He launches at you, reaching for your phone and you scream, reaching your arm to keep it away from him. You have a fox socked foot on his chest to try and keep him back. His right arm is holding him up near your hip on the couches edge and he’s reaching with his left as far as he can without breaking his sternum on your heel.

“Give it!”

“Never!”

You try to bring up your other foot to push him away, but Jungkook is strong, and forces both it and the one on his chest down with the arm that was supporting him, temporarily keeping himself up with his left hand on the back of the couch.

With your legs out of the way he can almost reach his phone. But in his distracted state, misses the couch when he goes to put his supporting arm down again, and flips onto the ground, taking you with him. You scream, but his arms wrap around you as he makes sure to take the brunt of the impact, landing on his back, you safely secured to his chest.

There’s a moment of pure stunned silence, you resting your forhead on his chest while you process, him not letting go of your waist as he gets a breath into his winded self, before you’re both laughing as you take in what happened.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, you?”

He takes a second to respond. “I’m great.”

You push to sit up, and he releases you from his hold, but that was a mistake. Because now you’re sitting on his lap.

It takes an entire three seconds of you staring at him and him staring right back before you jump and scramble off him as fast as you can.

“Sorry.” you say in unison, you standing and him from the ground. It’s a painfully awkward 8 seconds before you break, cackling at the whole situation, and he joins in with you again.

Jungkook brushes off his pants as he gets up too. “Got any plans before tonight,” he asks, business as usual.

“Nope, cleared my schedule in case this went long, I’ve got the whole day.”

You swear his smile grows two sizes.

“Well in that case,” he looks to the TV, then back to you, “Wanna start movie night early?”

An entire day to relax and chill out before the hell that is exams season takes your every free second?

Yes please.

“Solstice movie marathon?” you propose slyly, near devious.

“I��ll get the popcorn,” he confirms, already halfway to the kitchen.

You spend the day like that, on the couch watching movie after movie, both pretending the little incident never even happened.

But you make sure to go home after movie night this time.

Chapter Nine: Sugar Cookies and Devious Confessions

A/N 2: This chapter kicked my ass but it's here and I couldn't be more thrilled. I really like how it's ended so I hope you guys do too.

A/N 3: As always, Thank you for reading, loves. Xoxo - Yoon <3

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nickmaghighlights · 2 years ago

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Nick Mag Highlights - #43 August 1998

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming! Spring is in the air, but can’t it just be summer already? Let’s get a head start by checking out Issue #43 from August, 1998.

First let me say, I love this cover! It really surprises me that they didn’t feature more Nicktoons crossovers for cover art, it’s a fun idea. Dare I say it might be the only Nickelodeon Magazine cover featuring a crossover between different Nick shows? With original art, I mean. (The Jimmy-Timmy Power Hour and its sequels got their own dedicated issue covers but that's different, it doesn't count.)

Before we begin, just letting you know you can read the magazine along with me here.

Well, can you find which flavors are fake and which are real?

Yep, the ones that sound fake… are fake!

It’s a bit obvious isn’t it? If Gatorade had played their cards right they could have tripped everyone up and taken this as an opportunity to announce a new “Trout” flavor. Missed opportunity indeed.

I’d say we’ve got the makings of another winner issue here. There’s nothing like the excitement of an impending summer vacation! Although, if you were alive when this magazine was released, chances are summer vacation stopped being a thing for you a while ago. But hey, I say you're never too old to have fun! So grab your sunscreen, beach towels, and feel free to take any notes for when you’re making your summer plans. Let’s dive in!

A three foot long poster? Well I’ll be, I’m surprised there’s any space left in the box to fit the cereal!

Little history lesson here for those unfamiliar: If you check the bottom right of the page, you’ll find mention of nickelOzone. nickelOzone was a short-lived hour-long programming block that ran on Nickelodeon from 1998 to 2000. Suppose this little cereal stunt was a means of promoting their new block? That might be even easier to figure out than the Gatorade puzzle.

Online sources say that nickelOzone played from Sunday to Friday (sorry, Saturday fans) from 8 PM to 9 PM, and was aimed towards an older, preteen audience. I’m not really sure about that though, since it seemed to just play shows from Nick’s usual lineup anyway, like Hey Arnold! for example.

Maybe checking out the bumper that would play to start off the block will shed some light on things.

youtube

… Nope, guess not.

Also no, I'm not going to say anything about the three-legged freak boy in the ad. Stop asking.

Gotta say, they’re already really selling me on the summer vibes. I appreciate using stuff like kayaking and carnivals to represent summer fun as opposed to the usual beach iconography. I don’t appreciate the closeup dog mouth picture as much.

That one question about the interviews Nick Magazine conducts is a bit interesting though, because I’ve also wondered how they get all their short responses, like for these kinds of sections:

Kudos to R.L. Stine for looking exactly like you expect he would.

Did they just send out questions en masse via email or letters, and publish whatever responses they got in time? I wonder if some of the actors’ agents or PR people ever answered on behalf of their client with on-brand responses because the actors themselves were busy. I know they’re just one or two sentences, but I wouldn’t be surprised if big actors have people to take care of little promotional stuff like this, even if they’re about answering personal questions. What do you think?

Alright, here’s a better question: Am I overthinking this?

I would really love to speak to someone who won or went to the same school as someone who won one of these kinds of giveaways. Y’know, one of these types where you win a party for your class or have a popular band come and do a concert in the gymnasium. That kind of thing. I wonder how they go about planning and executing that sort of operation. What if the school just says no? Maybe they just dump the prizes at your house.

I can’t say I expected something quite so pleasant out of a Nickelodeon Magazine, but I like it! I’d also like to give some appreciation to the late Joan Steiner and her series of Look-Alikes books for giving me my next aesthetic to obsess over. Oh, to be a little guy living in a world made of snacks and knick-knacks without a care in the world…

If you find the world of Look-Alikes as lovely as I do and want to see more, you can borrow it from the Internet Archive.

Now even if it is just a s’more turned green, this still is a cute way to personalize a famous summer snack. I mean, just take a look at these satisfied customers!

(Ask your doctor if you think soggy green marshmallows are the right choice for your summer camping trips.)

Some of you might be familiar with this ad’s TV commercial counterpart, but Nick Mag readers were also obliged to find Banjo-Kazooie’s magic puzzle piece hiding in their grocery store’s usual Keebler goods. I find the choice to portray Banjo & Kazooie as mute, 3D freaks in a 2D world a little odd. Did they think kids wouldn’t understand the game was 3D if Banjo was illustrated, or something?

If you were even thinking about becoming your school’s #1 cool kid, you better do your research in amassing the components necessary to complete the Rugrats style. This is so crucial, Nickelodeon was even kind enough to give 500 kids the chance to snag chic baby merchandise to secure their high-end societal status. Oh yeah, the $10,000 grand prize is neat too, I guess.

Excuse the weird aspect ratio, I had to edit the page slightly to make everything look neat for the picture.

In addition to gag product labels, Nick Magazine also used to be in the business of gag postcards. Ain’t that just the bee’s knees? I don’t recall Nick printing many of these back when I started reading in the 2000’s (I mean c’mon, postcards? Instant message me when they start printing gag emails, grandpa), which is unfortunate. I might’ve gotten more use out of these than a fake label for dental floss. There were very few times as a child where my friends were in close vicinity to dental floss, but they definitely all had mailboxes!

Jeez, what is this, the giveaway issue? Sorry Arnold, but I already just spent hours convincing my Mom to search for Banjo-Kazooie's magic puzzle piece and apply for a lifetime's supply of Rugrats pencils. Just be happy I bought your 3-foot long poster and move along!

Ah, is there any other activity more tried-and-true than the ever-popular maze? Between activity books and restaurant kids’ menus I think they may be more common than the word search at this point.

Interestingly, when also considering the Look-Alikes pages, I’m surprised by how straightforward this magazine is when it comes to crediting the artists of these activities (and with big, bold, differently-colored text, no less). Back when I was checking out issue #115 I had to head to the back of the book just to find some proper attributions! I wonder what changed between 1998 and 2005?

Speaking of which, Rodica Prato is still active in the industry to this day! You can find a lot of her works on her Instagram. She does tons of large, natural landscapes in a style very similar to this page here, give her a look!

Another Comic Book, coming up! I’ve actually got a lot to say about this one cause-

Oh, uh, I’m sorry! It seems I accidentally skipped an interview. Usually they don't make 'em as small as this… Hm, this is awkward…

Seriously, what's with the shortchange? Did they want to get Chevy Chase and when that fell through interviewing Beverly D'Angelo was Plan B? Sorry you weren't deemed full page material, Mrs. Griswold.

Alright, sorry, where were we? Right, let’s take a look at the Comic Book for this issue.

Starting us off, I actually got a lot of laughs out of the “Prankvertisement” on the left page, maybe the most I’ve laughed at any Nick Mag content since starting this blog! Convincing someone they mathematically don’t exist and having them immediately fade away, unable to even find a hole in the formula is so funny in such a ridiculous way to me.

Also, I tried the activity on the right page. It’s kind of a fun idea, but it made me dizzy. I recommend it to anyone reading who might be deserving of such a fate.

Finally, another history lesson opportunity! The Southern Fried Fugitives was one of Nick Magazine’s first ongoing comics, and was pretty synonymous with the mag’s brand during their publication. It had been canceled sometime before the 2000’s, and while it's personally not the most appealing to me, I can see how its art and wacky premise factored into its longevity.

Eagle-eyed readers might have already spotted these strips underneath some of the pages. Like the similarly formatted Impy & Wormer, these are short gags slotted in the bottom of each page of the Comic Book in what’s probably the most effective use of empty space since that ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal. There’s more than what’s in my picture, but they all also follow the “[Thing] who is always stuck 10 seconds in the future” setup, so take a look if you’re really dying for more of those.

These strips come from famous American illustrator Tony Millionaire, who’s probably most well-known for his Sock Monkey series of children’s books and the comic strip Maakies. He’s worked with DC & Marvel, done art for a They Might Be Giants album, and has produced a veritable mountain of independent work. On the Nickelodeon side of things, he recently did work on Boom! Studios’ Rocko’s Modern Life series of comic books. You can find him and his stunning work on Instagram.

So, after passing another edition of Scene but Not Heard and a short n’ sweet CatDog comic I haven’t got much to say on, we come across… Hey, I remember these guys! Funky & Miriam’s House of Random Words was a sort of comic/activity hybrid where readers were challenged to guess the right definition of the word the characters were using. These are fun! And they make a vocabulary virtuoso such as myself feel smart, in spite of the fact I’m reading a magazine for children.

Odd thing to end off the Comic Book with, don’t you think? Unless it ended earlier? I can never tell since they don’t actually say when the Comic Book is over, exactly. Anyway, I know how this sounds, but I would really appreciate some citations here! How can we be so sure that “monster obstacles” in minigolf only really started in the 1950s?

Hm?

Really making kids put the work in here, huh? I feel like this might be one too many mazes above the average reader’s paygrade. Good thing kids can just turn the page or you would've severely handicapped your marketing.

Pages edited to show both the back and front.

This is a pretty fun idea for a prank, and I know as a kid I would’ve appreciated some way to liven up the road trip experience. A gag newspaper would’ve done the trick! Well, it sounds good on paper, but maybe not magazine paper. Yeah I feel like the crinkly texture of plastic-y paper might give away this one-page periodical as a phony before the prankee gets the chance to read it. Unfortunate, but what can you do? Statistically this prank must’ve worked at least one time.

Alright, I can usually handle Nickelodeon’s slime-based image and all the drippings that have come with it, but this actually makes me want to gag. The idea of cracking through the cold, hard exterior of a popsicle and unearthing a filling of thick, syrupy slop underneath is not really my idea of a good time. A quick look-up shows that these things do indeed have their fans, so maybe I’m missing grout- er, uh, missing out.

We’ve got our calendar for the issue here, and while I’m still not impressed by the calendar’s comedy, I do appreciate the wide variety of fun facts and celebrity birthdays. This is just another way for kids to gain little random pieces of knowledge, and I’m all for it! Kids love finding out random facts, it's like the fun version of learning.

This is a pretty good tutorial, and it actually teaches some important drawing tips, like breaking down figures into shapes and making outlines and temporary lines for guidance. Yeah it’s basic, but for a young audience, I give it a thumbs-up. Just like Arnold.

Oh, wow. This is genuinely some history in the making! It’s interesting to see the likes of The Fairly Oddparents and ChalkZone being mentioned before they and their creators became such hot topics. For those unfamiliar or forgetful, Oh Yeah! Cartoons was a Nickelodeon show that premiered in 1998. It was an anthology of sorts, with each episode featuring a couple of short cartoons created by various filmmakers in the industry. It ran for three years, spanning a total of 34 episodes, and like those other two shows I mentioned, it was where My Life as a Teenage Robot got its start. Cartoon Network had tried a similar format a couple years before Oh Yeah! Cartoons, with its own anthology show What a Cartoon!. That show gave us Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo, among others. Both shows were fantastic means of creating tons of new, varied content and spawning shows that are still beloved to this day.

So yeah, needless to say, can we get another one of these kinds of shows, please? There’s only so many more reboots you can make, right? Right?

Time to wrap things up, and we’ve got the usual last-minute ads and gags, but I do want to talk about Hey, Herb!. This was a section where readers could write in to then-Nickelodeon president Herb Scannell and ask their burning questions. As you can probably tell though, the audience of elementary school kids reading Nickelodeon Magazine usually weren’t very sure on what to ask. So these sections tend to be pretty small. As Nickelodeon’s fourth president, Scannell oversaw the release of some of Nick’s most popular shows, including Spongebob Squarepants, Danny Phantom, and Avatar: The Last Airbender during his ten-year long stint. I’d love to ask him what that was like, but seeing as how this was before all that, I guess these are pretty good questions too. (He does kind of look like Jimmy Smits).

And with that, we put a lid on another rip-roaring edition of Nickelodeon Magazine. As per usual, I didn’t get to everything in the issue, just the stuff I had things to say about. Honorable mentions for this issue include some gag flyers for fake tourists traps (to go along with the gag truckstop newspaper), and the previously mentioned CatDog and Scene but Not Heard comics. KABLAM! fans might also be interested in checking out page #58 which includes an interview with Stephen Holman, the creator of the show’s recurring Life with Loopy segment.

In other news, Nickelodeon just celebrated its 44th anniversary two days ago! So, why didn’t I post this NMH then instead of today? Well… it was April Fool’s Day too, wasn’t it? Uh, April Fool’s?

That’s all the fun in the sun we've got for now. Enjoy spring while you've still got it, 'cause summer will be here before you know it! Have fun, and until next time, keep on reading!

#nmh post #90s #1998 #nickelodeon #magazine #hey arnold

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nschoolofdance · 2 years ago

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2023 Recital Info

FD Dance – If you have not picked up your tshirt, please do so this week. **SHOW NOTES** All adult dancers should report backstage 3 dances before their performance and line up in the hallway at the stage door. In Studio Rehearsals – May 8-10 (May 11 - Studio Closed) You can find this schedule attached, on the board by the front door of studio or in your dancers band account. We will not be holding regularly scheduled classes during this week. To ensure that all of our dancers get a chance to practice one last time before the recital we have broken the week into shorter rehearsal blocks. Make sure your dancer is still dressed for dancing (no costume) and bring all of your shoes. BIG BOAR BBQ (Friday, May 12th 4-7pm) - A fundraiser for competition dance families. Please reach out to a comp dancer to purchase your bbq ticket or stop by the studio office.

*Concessions will be available Friday and Saturday during rehearsal and recital. Rehearsal/Recital Procedures Location - La Crescent Fine Arts Center (LCHS) Opening Number - ALL Dancers should wear black leggings and opening number tshirt. If your dancer has a quick change after opening number they can wear their costume under their leggings and tshirt. Flowers - Flowers will be for sale during each show. A google form for pre-orders has been sent. It is strongly encouraged that pre-orders are made to guarantee availability. Friday, May 12 - Rehearsal (MANDATORY FOR ALL DANCERS)- This will be a closed rehearsal, no audience members. Rehearsal will start promptly at 4pm. Due to the tight schedule, we will not be able to wait for any late dancers to arrive. Every dancer will need to arrive 20mins before their stage time completely dressed and ready to perform. Dancers should be in full hair/makeup/costume for rehearsal. You will enter through the La Crescent Fine Arts door (up the big staircase) and report directly to the cafeteria. We will have staff to help direct you. In the cafeteria you will have a short amount of time to finalize any finishing touches before your dancer takes the stage. If your dancer does not need any assistance, we ask that you drop them off and pick them up after their rehearsal is finished. If your dancer is in Tiny Tots, Twinkle Toes, Fancy Feet, Beg Jazz, Hippity Hoppers, Acro or Intro Lyrical they will need an adult with them at all times. You will wait with them in the hallway before they enter backstage and then meet them at the stage exit to help them with any changes and repeat the lineup process for their next routine. Once they have finished all their routines INCLUDING opening number you will be excused from rehearsal. Saturday, May 13 - Recital We will be hosting 3 shows, 10am, 12:30pm and 3pm. Each show will be approximately 1.5hrs long. This will give us time between shows to clean and have the audience exit before the new audience arrives. Dancers and parents will be allowed into the building 30mins before their show begins. If your dancer is in multiple shows you will be allowed to wait in the lobby/outside until the theatre doors open for the next show. 10am show - arrival 9:30am 12:30pm show - arrival 12pm 3pm show - arrival 2:30pm Once you arrive, one guardian will need to sign in your dancer with the backstage crew at the cafeteria door. If your dancer needs to make any costume changes, please leave this info with the backstage crew at this time. All costumes need to be laid out and organized for quick easy changes. EVERYHING SHOULD BE LABELED! I always recommend a laundry basket that is labeled with dancers name and order of dances so they are organized and nothing goes missing! After your dancer has been checked in you can return to the lobby/outside and wait for the theatre doors to open. At the end of the show, the SAME guardian will need to report to the cafeteria to sign out their dancer with the backstage crew. The same guardian will need to drop off and pick up their dancer. If you choose to bring extended family/friends, please meet with your dancer outside the theatre/building to congratulate on a job well done after the show. We have a quick turn around time and need the space to prepare for the next show. Recital Tickets Tickets will NOT be sold at the door and must be purchased in advance. $15 per ticket plus processing fee per ticket (similar to ticketmaster/eventbrite, etc). Tickets will be sold online only. Pre-sale begins two weeks before the recital and tickets open to the public one week before the recital.

Recital Program

*We will have minimal programs available. There will be a QR code for audience members to scan to follow along. If you purchased a dancer ad, we will have a colored copy of the program for you for your keepsakes.

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imaginedhaven · 4 years ago

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Reluctantly Rooming: Part Eight

Link to Masterpost

A prompt-heavy update, to be sure! This one combines three:

“What are you doing?” “Impromptu dance party.” “It’s three in the morning.”

“You’re weird.” “Or maybe you’re just basic.”

and

Person A is cooking breakfast and sets off the smoke alarm waking up Person B who was still asleep

Enjoy!

~*~*~

Aelin grinned as she quietly closed the door behind her and stepped into the living room. She had just finished her first shift at work without that awful boot that had been a part of her life for eight long weeks, and she couldn’t be happier. Yes, her ankle was aching slightly after a long night on her feet, but it was better than she had feared it would be.

Better still, she knew that she had replaced her stash of snacks just the day before, and Rowan wouldn’t have had time to relocate or get rid of them yet with how busy his work had been keeping him.

Heading for the kitchen, she thumbed open her phone and scrolled through her playlists, selecting one with a smile and pressing shuffle. Upbeat music filled the kitchen as she dug through the cabinets, foot tapping with the beat.

A few seconds later she grinned triumphantly and emerged from the cabinet, fingers clutched around one of the bars of chocolate she’d slipped into the groceries. She had just opened it and was about to take her first bite of sweet victory when she heard a rough voice behind her.

“What are you doing?” Gods, Rowan looked awful, dark circles under dull eyes and hair a complete disaster. She hadn’t heard him come down the stairs; perhaps he had fallen asleep at his desk now that she’d given his office back to him.

Regardless, her hips didn’t stop swaying along with the music as she turned to him and smiled. “I’m having an impromptu dance party, obviously.”

“At…” Rowan’s eyes narrowed as he checked the time. “Fuck, three in the morning?”

“I am celebrating my newfound freedom,” she replied seriously.

“You’re going to break your ankle again if you keep stressing it like this, and then where will you be?”

Aelin winked and slid closer to him, still moving to the beat. “I guess I’ll have my big, strong roommate helping me again,” she purred.

Rowan rolled his eyes as she rested her hands on his hips. “You are so weird,” he muttered.

“Mmm, maybe,” Aelin allowed. “Or maybe you’re just basic.”

A single eyebrow lifted on Rowan’s face. “Basic?”

“Yeah, you know. Boring. You have to be aware of the concept, unless you’re an even grumpier and older man than I thought.” It was quite possibly a dangerous thing to say to him, but it was late and she was riding the high of having survived a night without that damned boot. Hopefully he’d understand.

“There’s a difference between being boring and not dancing at three in the morning.”

“Says you,” she grinned. “I bet you don’t even dance when it’s not three in the morning.”

“Of course not,” he replied. “I work when it’s not three in the morning.”

“Seems to me like you were working at three in the morning,” she accused. “I know that’s normal for me, but it can’t be for you.”

“It depends on the work. I’m covering for someone else right now, so I’ve got more on my plate than normal.”

“How long have you been awake?” Aelin asked, suddenly curious.

Rowan frowned. “Long enough to hate everything about this.”

“So, what, twenty minutes?”

He snorted. Gods, he must have been exhausted for her to get an actual laugh out of him. “Try ‘since about this time yesterday’,” he admitted.

“What? No, Rowan, that’s way too long for people who aren’t either in college or working weird shifts. Did you fall asleep at your desk? Because you look like you fell asleep at your desk.” Without even thinking about what she was doing, Aelin ran her fingers through the tangle of his hair to start taming it.

His fingers encircled her wrist, and she stopped and looked at him. “I didn’t fall asleep at my desk.”

Just then, the music playing from her phone switched from something that was merely suggestive to something that was outwardly dirty, and she broke away from him and fumbled with the device, hoping to stop it before he noticed exactly what the lyrics were.

She was obviously unsuccessful, though, for he almost doubled over laughing. “I didn’t realize it was that kind of dance party.”

Gods, she hoped he couldn’t see her blushing. “It wasn’t. The playlist was on shuffle.”

“Aelin, that means you had to have picked that playlist. You’ll have to try harder than that.”

Fuck, but she hated living with a man who analyzed word choice for a living. “I forgot that was on there. And I’m not having this argument with you right now.”

“So when are we having this argument?” he grinned. “I want to be prepared.”

“When you’ve slept, Rowan, for fuck’s sake.” With that she began physically herding him up the stairs. “Come on, go.”

When they reached the doorway to the room he had taken over from Aedion, she leaned against the doorframe with her arms folded against her chest. He moved toward the dresser and opened a drawer, glancing back at her. “Do you mind?”

“No, not at all, as long as you’re getting to sleep,” she replied.

He cleared his throat. “Aelin?”

“Yes?”

“Get out.”

“Oh!” Gods, she had completely misinterpreted what he was saying. “Oh, I’ll, um…”

She shifted away from the door, and before she could figure out what on earth to say to him he had closed the door—surprisingly gently—in her face.

“Um, good night, I guess,” she finally managed.

“Good night, Aelin,” he called through the door.

Well, fuck. With that embarrassment behind her, she turned to her own room to hopefully settle down for the night and not replay that conversation for hours on end.

~*~*~

Aelin woke up earlier than usual the next morning to a silent house.

The silence in itself wasn’t unusual; Rowan was a very quiet housemate even when he was home. A check of her calendar reminded her that it was Saturday, meaning he was likely either on one of his habitual runs through the neighborhood or holed up in his office pretending that working on weekends was a thing that normal people in his position did. Just in case it was the latter, she made sure to keep as quiet as she could while she slipped into a t-shirt dress and crept down the stairs.

The office was silent, the door opening to an empty room, which meant that either he was out running or he was somehow still asleep. A glance at the doorway showed his running shoes tucked exactly where he always left them.

Stunned, Aelin sat on the couch to collect herself. She couldn’t recall a time she’d actually woken up before Rowan; the opposition of their schedules usually meant that he was the early bird and she the night owl. However, this meant she had a chance to enact a plan she’d been idly thinking about for weeks now.

Rowan had done so much for her the past few weeks, picking up the slack in the household chores without once complaining about it and regularly cooking for her as well. She’d wanted to do something in return for so long, and now that her ankle was healed and he wasn’t awake to stop her an idea came to her.

She silently slid into the kitchen, carefully opening cabinet doors until she found a nonstick pan with a quiet noise of triumph. That went on the stovetop, and a small bowl and a whisk were next on her list. Soon those were sitting on the countertop beside the stove, and she was looking up video tutorials on cooking.

She had watched Rowan scramble eggs so many times now. How hard could it possibly be?

The pan went over heat with some oil in it, and then she pulled the eggs out of the refrigerator. He always made two for her, but should he get a third? Would he even want a third?

Aelin realized she was now staring at the carton and didn’t know how long she had been staring at the carton. With a sigh, she shook her head. She’d barely begun and she was already overthinking it. How typical. Two eggs it was.

She cracked them into the bowl, cheering silently when she managed to do it relatively neatly, and soon she had whisked them up into a unified frothy mass of yellow liquid. Perfect. Just like the video, and just like when Rowan did it.

Belatedly, she realized she would need a spatula on hand to stir the eggs, and searched through the drawers until she found one. Then it was time to add the eggs to the pan.

She stifled a yelp as the pan hissed angrily with the addition of the eggs, steam rising hot and fast—or, fuck, was that smoke? She poked at the eggs timidly with the spatula, revealing the already-blackened underside of them in a hissing release of—yes, that was smoke. Fuck. She’d ruined it.

Time seemed to slow almost to a halt as the pan hissed and sizzled before her, pouring out amounts of dark grey smoke that really shouldn’t have been possible for such a small amount of—

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The sound entered her awareness dimly at first, as fixated as she was on the pan in front of her. When it finally registered, though, she yelped and tossed the pan at the sink, hoping that would stop everything from getting even worse. It landed with a clatter, but even that couldn’t outdo the piercing shriek of the smoke detector. Fuck, it would wake Rowan up, she had to figure out how to stop it.

She dragged a chair over from their little dining nook and clambered on top of it, frantically waving underneath it to clear whatever little sensor had gotten overloaded. The air was slowly clearing, and she was just starting to hope that she might actually succeed in this futile venture until she heard the sound of running feet and a shout from the stairway. “Aelin!”

Shit. She was in deep and unending shit, with no way to talk her way out of it.

~*~*~

Tagging:

@ireallyshouldsleeprn @queen-of-glass @fangirlprincess09 @sassys-world @morganofthewildfire @superspiritfestival @perseusannabeth @sis-it-dont-add-up @jlinez @julemmaes @emilyoftheshadows @thegoddessofyou @mymultiversee @swankii-art-teacher @rowansfirebringer @rabodocardan

#haven writes #reluctantly rooming #rowaelin

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majimjam · 3 years ago

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Happy Screenshot Saturday! This time for HYADES, check out this concept art and WIP map for Ruth's attic!

Hello, and happy Screenshot Saturday! This time, we're making a triumphant return to our (hopefully) regularly scheduled programming, with a look at concept art and work-in-progress map for Ruth's attic!

First of all, I wanted to say thank you for your patience in waiting for us to post again! It's been very... INTENSE with my university courseload and real life responsibilities, so I've had to take time to focus on that! Thankfully though, it's cooled down for now... so back to work on HYADES for me!

And thus, presenting... an attic! Ruth's attic, to be specific! Everyone's always got so much STUFF they shove up here, and as a result, this place is rich with Crocuta history... During this point in the story there's a lot of heavy conversations happening, so I thought it'd be nice to give the player a moment to breathe and save their game, as well as check out some of the flavor text for Ruth's family life before the events of the game.

The concept art was made by the wonderful ! He's been a wonderful help for designing a lot of the environments in Chapter 1, and I'm excited to work on and show the work he's done in the full game! The in-game material this time is all placeholder, but I'm looking forward to when we can get those final assets in!

Of course, if you're excited to see even more of our environment work... There's a whole demo you can play through and explore! Give it a shot today! Of course, leaving a comment and rating helps us a ton as well!

GameJolt: https://gamejolt.com/games/HYADESRPG/415095

Itch: https://majimjam.itch.io/hyadesrpg

That's all for this week! Happy to be back, thanks for reading! As always, be safe, take care, and have fun!

#hyades #HYADESRPG #2000’s urban furry space rpg #indie dev #game dev #screenshot saturday #rpg maker #concept art #pixel art #earthbound #furry #rpg

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brynwrites · 6 years ago

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What I learned while self-publishing.

@milkyteefs asked:

I'm unsure about the entire self-publishing world! Do you have a basic outline of the process? Some key highlights/headings of how you started and what connections you needed to make? Thanks again! <3

I went through the process of self-publishing Our Bloody Pearl this summer. Even with all the guides in the world it turned out to be a very grueling experience. I’ll be doing it again with Quasi Stellar soon, but I also hope to traditionally publish The Warlord Contracts trilogy.

First, let’s get this out of the way: Self published books are often very bad.

But they don’t have to be.

Self publishing requires you, the writer, to either wear the hat of everyone else at a publishing house, or be your own investor and pay for professionals to do the jobs you can’t. If you’re willing to put in that effort and money then you can come out with a more professional book than you might have had you published traditionally. If you’re not, then self publishing might not be the right road for you.

Now then, how do you self publish in a way that produces a professional book?

Fifteen Basic Steps to Self-Publishing:

1. Write and edit the book.

This is, understandably, the step that a lot of people get stuck at. Writing a novel is hard. Don’t worry about how or when you’ll publish it until it’s finished.

Just write it.

During this time you should also be marketing yourself as a writer. Learn more about that via my marketing tips tag.

2. Beta readers and critique partners.

Getting feedback from handpicked peers is essential for any book no matter which publishing route you choose. If these terms are new to you, learn more about beta readers here and critique partners here.

During your first book (or two) I recommend starting with critique partners and then moving to beta readers afterward, because critique partners will shred your novel down to the bare bones, which you usually really need the first few books you write. Critique partners will also generally pick at your grammar and typos though, which can be very useful at the end of the editing stage so that your manuscript looks cleaner to an editor (or agent, if you traditionally publish.)

3. Write your blurbs and summary.

While your story is in the hands of your final group of readers, you should already be working on blurbs and summaries. By the end of the publishing process you will need:

A back of the book blurb.

A one-two sentence logline style blurb.

A one page summary of the story.

Don’t put these off! They won’t get any easier if you wait. You can find tips on writing blurbs in this article.

4. Determine that you’re done making changes to the manuscript.

A writer who’s growing and learning will forever feel as though there’s something they can change in their manuscript, but at some point you have to decide that what’s done is done. You will always have another awesome book which will be even better than this one.

If you have trouble determining when this point should be, check out this explanation!

5. Make a publishing timetable.

Give yourself more time on your timetable than you think you need! Traditional publishing takes about two years for a reason. A lot of the steps below this point seem relatively simple compared to writing and editing a book, but they require you to learn new skills and spend a lot of time waiting for other people with busy schedules.

Five and a half: Start book two.

You might have already done this during the beta reading stage, but if not, start another book! Writers should never stop writing and editing (outside of planned vacations, emergencies, and mental health breaks, of course), so pick that pen back up and start pounding out another book.

6. Find a content editor.

If you ran a beta reading stage with 10-20 critical and knowledgeable beta readers in your target audience then congratulations, they served the purpose of a content editor already!

6. Find a copy editor.

A copy editor is the person who checks your grammar, sentence structure, flow, and word usage. I found my editor though the editorial freelance association directory. The main things to look for when choosing an editor:

Experience. This should include testimonies, information about any publishing companies they worked with, and the works they edited in the past. If you can’t easily access and double check these things, then keep looking.

Sample edits. Any editor worth your time will offer you a free sample edit. (For copy editing this is generally 750-1k words of your novel. I’m not sure about other types of editing.) Take advantage of this! Send the same sample to the top four or five editors who fit your price range and see who returns feedback that you jive with and feel comfortable paying.

What if I can’t afford a copy editor?

In general, you can probably get away without hiring a professional copy editor if you (a) find 3-4 solid critique partners who are willing to do a very detailed line edit and proofread of your final draft (do not take advantage of your fellow writers!! Offer them the same in return!!), (b) get free sample edits from a handful of freelance authors to see if they catch any major formatting issues you do regularly, and (c) learn what a style guide is and make at least a simple one for yourself while you do another round of proofreading.

Remember though, traditionally publishing exists specifically so that you, the writer, can get a professional edit without having to pay for it. If you want a professional book without putting in the investment, then querying an agent might be the better option for you.

7. Prepare to offer ARCs to reviewers and friends.

Getting reviews for your book is the most important marketing activity you can do. The sooner you contact reviewers about this, the more reviews you’ll have when the release date comes. Note that the large majority of book reviewers you contact will never respond. If you email 20 reviewers, expect to get one or two reviews out of it, most likely in 4-6 months. (Which is why you should email all your friends and past beta readers too.)

How do we maximize the number reviewers who will read our books?

You know those neat little lists of book blogs who will review indie books? Don’t use them. Anything that with nicely compiled and easy to get reviewer lists is going to be overcrowded with blogs who have two year wait-lists and 97% of them will never even email you back.

Instead, try searching for reviewers you already follow on twitter and tumblr. Look for semi-popular goodreads reviewers who put positive reviews on books similar to your own and check if they have a link to a blog, or an email for review inquiries. Find less well known booktubers that youtube links to off your favorite popular booktubers.

8. Format the book.

You can pay someone to format your novel, but its rather expensive for something that’s relatively easy to learn to do yourself using guides off the internet. Paperback and ebook formatting must be done separately, and your first time I would set aside a full Saturday to tackle each of them, just to be safe. If you have a program like scrivener, with a little tweaking you should be able to get a nice looking ebook with none of the hassle of learning html. There are many other options though. Do a little research to find the one which works for you!

(Note: If you’re printing a paperback you cannot get a paperback cover until you’ve formatted the book and know final page count for your print size!)

9. Hire a cover artist.

The book cover is the most important part of your book, so far as sales and success are concerned.

There’s a huge trend in self published books to skip this stage and work with photoshop or cavna instead. I would not recommend this. Cover artists for professional books do what they do full time. They know the market. They know what sells. So do some writers, but the truth is, many of the writers who think they can design covers, turn out the sorts of designs that are easily pegged as self-published books.

If you want a professional looking book that pops in the amazon charts, hire a professional.

There are a multitude of ways you can go about this. Some large cover art sites like damonza offer bundles which can get pricey, but let you back out with no charge if you don’t like their first drafts and include unlimited changes if you commit. There are also many freelancers who specialize in book covers, for a wide range of prices.

What if I don’t have the money to hire a cover artist?

If there is anything you don’t want to go cheep on, it’s your cover art. But let’s say you absolutely have to get a cover for cheap or free. There are people who do cover designs for $5 on Fiverr, and I think some of them actually turn out half decent covers for very specific genres, but its a gamble. A couple writeblrs do cover design as part of their day job and might be willing to do something cheep or for a trade. You could also learn how to design covers yourself, but if you want to compete with books whose designers went to school just to do what they now do full time, you’ll either have to put in a lot of time or be lucky enough to have a very good, easily executed idea for your particular novel, and hopefully not one with requires any stock photos unless you want to purchase rights to them.

Now, there are some exceptions. Some writers have a natural design brain, and some writers are in fact designers themselves. Sometimes you write a book where the perfect cover design is very simple and easy to produce yourself. But that won’t be most people, with most books.

So far I have seen exactly two of the hundreds of self publisher made covers I’ve seen have actually made me want to buy the story. I’m not trying to be mean. It’s just the truth.

10. Offer ARCs to more reviewers.

Now you have a nicely formatted book and everything! Who can resist that?

11. Do a cover reveal, and during the cover reveal, offer everyone there an ARC.

Cover reveals come in many different forms. Some writers just post the cover on their blog, some do livestreams on facebook, some do question and answer sessions leading up to the reveal, some even go all out and have other writers come talk about their books on their site for a full day prior to the cover reveal.

Do whatever works best for your schedule. The goal is to attract attention for the book, so make sure you link to anything you’ve already set up from #12, so people can easily find your book when you release it!

And, as always, give out ARCs.

12. Get your book and author profile set up on everything.

Prior to your book’s release you should have a goodreads author page, an amazon author page, and a bookbub author page, all with your book attached. You should also have a website and a mailing list (linked to via your ebook), prepared release announcements for every social media site you work off of, and be ready with attractive and easily noticeable links to the book’s sale page off your tumblr blog and website.

Keep in mind that some of these things will take a decent chunk of time to set up, and a few of them require a live human being to confirm you are who you say you are. Start them as early as possible!

13. Release the book!

Time to actually put the book out there for all to buy. You can do a similar hype release as you do with a cover reveal, if you so desire. Make sure you remember to post all your announcements and put up all your links.

Try not to check on the book’s sales until the following day! It does not help their growth or your mental health to constantly be haunting your sales charts. When you do check them, keep in mind that a book which sells two thousand copies in its entire life time has done well, all things considered.

The fantastic thing about self publishing is that you never have to stop selling your book. If you sell fifty copies your first month and then twenty the second and then five the third, you can always dive back into marketing, run a discount, apply for a bookbub ad, focus on marketing yourself as an author and gaining followers. You chose whether your book is done selling.

To offer pre-orders or not?

This is a toss up. In my experience, pre-orders aren’t a good idea for your debut self-published novel, even if you think you have a large audience who will buy them, because they take away from the sales you could have your release week, and the boost those sale give you on the amazon charts. If you do wish to offer pre-orders though, try going through ingramspark instead of amazon advantage, to save yourself tears and heartache.

To go amazon exclusive or not?

Many authors claim that you have to try both to know what’s right for any particular book. Do your own research and decide what you think is best for you.

Thirteen and a half: Start book three.

At this point you should already have finished at least the rough draft of second novel, so don’t forget to start your third book at some point!

14. Offer people read for review copies.

Especially if your debut novel is aimed toward broke teenagers and younger adults, there will be a lot of people who are interested in the book but aren’t motivated enough to actually buy it on faith alone. By offering free ebooks on a read for review basis, you...

Grow your reviews.

Create fans out of people who may have never read the book otherwise.

Have higher paperback sales, because readers who loved the ebook you gave them may decide to buy themselves a paperback.

15, unto infinity: Keep promoting your book into the sunset, while writing new books!

The time to stop promoting you book is whenever you feel you’ve had enough sales and reached enough readers. Until you reach a point where you’ve published so many books that you can’t handle marketing them all, you should still be trying to expand your readership!

And don’t forget to have a little bit of fun along the way. You worked hard for this. Celebrate it.

But what if I just want to get a book out there?

If your goal is not to publish a professional looking book with will expand your fanbase and set you on a path to full time authorship, but rather to have a piece of your writing available in a book format your friends and family can buy, then there’s no reason not to publish exactly how you wish to.

Are all these steps really necessarily?

I believe they are, at least for a debut novel. In fact, there are probably more steps which I missed entirely. But, if you can find multiple self-published authors who went through a less rigorous publishing process and still received hundreds or goodreads reviews, then by all mean, follow that process instead (and let me know about it!)

So which book did you self publish?

This one here! You can support me and my ability to keep giving writing advice by purchasing a copy today =D

#writeblr #writing resources #writers on writing #writers on tumblr #self publishing #authors on tumblr #writing tag: publishing

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nijicx · 6 years ago

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I have two more bnha OCS to draw, I have Jin, the last of Miss Diss's party, and a villain to round out all of.

We will be returning to your regularly scheduled art Saturday lol

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moayoub1 · 5 years ago

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5 Signs you are Travel Weary

“I’ll never be uninterested in traveling,” thought to myself a couple of years back as I began a 2-year adventure abroad. I used to be getting to take every moment to travel. I wouldn’t get uninterested in travel, I wouldn’t mind delays, it’d be all good.

Cue 6 months into the two years where I’d begun to catch every new bug the youngsters at college could give me, weekends were never downtime and my holidays were planned out well beforehand with flights everywhere Europe, whether I used to be tolerably to travel or not. The thing is I used to be approaching my travels with a ‘fast travel’ and not a slow travel mindset.

I came across some destinations with far fewer pictures of me in them than others and managed to go to 19 countries in 2 years. Some destinations I used to be energized and excited. Others I stumbled around new cities, dying to possess a nap. I waited in airports for delayed flights until 2 within the morning and somewhat forgot the art of the way to relax.

Did it stop me? Well, on the rare occasion my husband put his foot down and told me I used to be too unwell to travel anywhere, no, not really. Did it cause me to possess a mega case of being travel weary? You betcha.

Now that my travel schedule isn't quite so full-on, I can see how my weariness began and developed. I used to be just too tired to travel and just a touch bit uninterested in travel. Read on to identify a number of the signs that you simply could be a touching journey weary.

The airport isn't as exciting because it wont to be For travel lovers, an airport is an exciting place. it's an area of endless opportunities and adventures. Its the gateway to your next journey, however when you’re feeling touch travel weary, it can become a haul.

For some reason you're always behind the foremost disorganized person within the security aisle, you seem to be selected for the complete body scan whenever to not mention the ‘random’ drug screening. rather than an area of opportunity, it becomes a busy and noisy place that you simply just got to ‘get through’ to urge where you want to be. Travel is tiring if it becomes a process instead of an adventure.

You may even begin to tire of the perks of lounge membership and if you’re dreaming about being reception instead of being on the move, then the airport may have lost its charm for you.

Queues cause you to roll your eyes When you first began, you’re prepared for the wait. After all, a number of the simplest things to ascertain are quite busy. Queuing is inevitable in many locations and sometimes the queues are going to be quite sizeable. Whilst you'll often reduce the wait with means passes, if you're on an extended-term journey this might not always be financially feasible for you.

When you’re excited, the wait generally tends to pass quickly. you'll chat with a lover, check your phone or maybe daydream about travel. However, once you become a touching journey weary, the thought of getting to the queue may often be the close up needed to skip a particular attraction.

Travel weariness can cause us to be less patient than usual and if you're visiting locations where long queues are inevitable, you'll just end up skipping attractions you'll otherwise haven't wanted to miss. If you’re swapping an attraction with a queue for a sneaky nap in your hotel, you'll just be a touching journey weary.

You forget what you came to ascertain When you first started traveling you had lists and plans of what you wanted to ascertain. Now you’ve been to numerous places that all of them quite seem a touch like one another. you'll end up forgetting a number of the more obscure places to go to start with then after a short time you'll accept seeing whatever you encounter.

Whilst we all have our ways of exploring, you'll find yourself missing out on the simplest of a city. For me, this was the case in Madrid. Not overly inspired by the architecture compared to the remainder of Spain, I opted for a lap on the tourist bus with a couple of travel mates before performing some shopping and heading back to the hostel for a nap. I used to be just too uninterested in traveling to muster the energy to travel out of my thanks to exploring.

If you asked me then, and even now, what I wanted to ascertain in Madrid, I honestly couldn’t tell you. By that time, I valued a nap quite exploring and wasn't in travel mode.

You start to wonder if it matters if you visit 50 countries before you're 50 You’ve set yourself a goal and you’re getting to achieve it. Thing is, it takes tons of your time and money to travel continuously. You hand over the routine of seeing friends, it's tricky to hitch a sports team as you’re regularly away and sometimes you travel so frequently one destination blends into subsequent.

When your travel has the target to go to a particular number of destinations within a given period, it can begin to desire you're ticking off an inventory. Revisiting a rustic may desire a waste because it doesn’t increase the ‘count’ and your travel can become somewhat shallow.

In the age of Instagram and straightforward access to travel, there is often some pressure to go to new and interesting places, but is it so bad to revisit a destination or have a yearly holiday spot? If travel is starting to desire a checklist, then you'll get to address how you travel and find a cheerful medium of setting travel goals, and enjoying the experience whilst you’re having it.

You're uninterested in being on the go If you’re dreaming of your couch and a weekend of Netflix, then rushing to the airport on Friday night after work for a weekend away, only to return late on Sunday evening may induce a sigh. It’s not that you’re not excited, but sometimes it might be nice just to be still for a weekend.

Now, I’m not saying you can’t move from your couch, but traveling to the airport, browsing airport routines then flying to a replacement destination is tiring. you furthermore may tend to be much more active on a weekend away than you'd reception. Add that on top of every week at work, and really little weekend downtime and after a short time you'll become very uninterested in traveling and not the simplest employee!

Add delays into the combination and you'll be burning the candle well into the wee hours of Saturday morning before you get to bed. Add a delay on to your return journey and you’re starting a replacement week on the rear foot. this might be sustainable for the odd weekend, but do that regularly and you’ll be craving a weekend reception.

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tsgboiseidaho · 6 years ago

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Get to Know Suzanne Lee Chetwood

Known for her vibrant depictions of western landscapes, local artist and TSG Boise Member Suzanne Lee Chetwood easily matches that vibrance in person with her joyful and infectious personality. We recently caught up with Chetwood for a quick Q&A where she shared more about the inspiration behind her work along with a glimpse into her every day.

Tell us a bit more about how art and this passion for creating first came into your life?

"As a child, my mother allowed me to paint and draw on the walls of a spare room to my heart’s content. My parents would whitewash each exploration of art so I would always have a fresh canvas and no attachment to my previous discoveries. At the age of 12 my father taught me how to oil paint. At 15, I was offered a scholarship to attend the Pennsylvania’s Governors School of Arts for painting. During this six week program, I became a Pottery student and returned home to work with world renowned potter Jack Troy at Juniata College. Soon after, I began to attend classes at Juniata and apprentice for Jack Troy. I continued my education at Boise State University earning a B.F.A with an emphasis in Painting and Pottery and a K-12 certified teaching degree. I then opened the “Garage Gallery,” my small art business."

Your passion for art seems to be matched with your passion for being outdoors, how do the two intersect?

"For me, art comes from an ephemeral experience, such as sitting on a rock getting ready to begin a rock climb. I notice the wind feather in the grasses below and my next painting unfolds before me. Creating is my way of communicating through color, texture, line, and form. Idaho rivers and landforms carry a story and significant value to me. The draining of snowmelt in the foothills, the way it carves the land on its way to the river, and the cultivatation of the farmland inspires my work. The colors at the open and close of each day truly define my palette."

We love that you are featured in the Local Discoveries section of TSG Boise Volume 2. Tell us a few of your personal favorite local discoveries and what a perfect weekend in Boise looks like for you.

"Saturday I love to start my day with coffee at Slow by Slow and take my twin daughters (Scarlet + Vivian, 8) to Atomic Treasures for a treasure hunt to pick out an eclectic gift. Lunch would be at Wild Root starting with bone broth and then family rollerskating at Treasure Valley Skate. Date night with my husband Patrick often lead us to Red Feather downtown and visiting an art event at Swell, Jump, Visual Arts Collective, or Gem Center, capping it off with a Boise Circus Guild Show."

*Photo courtesy Kimberlylee Miller Photography

"A perfect Sunday? Sleeping in till 8am (with my daughters bringing me green tea in bed) followed by the day spent at one of our local rock climbing areas (the Black Cliffs, Table Rock, Swan Falls...) while enjoying the sunshine! I love to be outside, ground myself in the Earth and bathe in nature to gain inspiration for my work and energize my spirit!"

While Suzanne regularly participles in national and international exhibitions, her loyalty to local is obvious in her very full schedule across the Treasure Valley. You can find her at the following upcoming events:

Visual Arts Collective 7th Annual Art Deck-O (May 3rd || 5pm)

6th Annual Zions Bank Art Show (May 9th || 4:30pm)

Eagle Plen Air Festival (June 1st - 8th)

Suzanne Lee Chetwood is based in Boise, ID. She has been a professional artist for over 20 years and has travelled to points around the globe gaining inspiration for her aesthetic. Beyond exhibitions and events, Chetwood is also available for corporate collections and private commissions ([email protected]).

Tell her the SCOUT sent you!

-Jaclyn

#TSGBoise #tsgart #meetyourinspiration #thescoutguide #boiseidaho #GettingToKnowUs #TheScoutGuideBoise #livelovelocal

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topfygad · 5 years ago

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Things to Do in Mallorca Beyond the Resort – Wild Junket Adventure Travel Blog

This post contains affiliate links. I will earn a commission when you purchase through my links, at NO extra cost for you.

There is SO much to Mallorca beyond the all-inclusive resorts and party towns — get out and explore with this comprehensive list of things to do in Mallorca.

Before you shrug off Mallorca as another touristy island — hear me out. Like many of you, I always thought of Mallorca as a touristy and over-commercialized island full where holiday-makers flock to.

But as I learned from my trips to Mallorca, the island IS touristy, but there are still lots of quaint Spanish, secret coves and pristine bays where tourists are few and far between. Even among the tourist swarms of mid-August, you can find pockets of silence while driving along the beautiful coastal highways and hiking up to hilltop monasteries.

Having lived in Spain for 7 years, I’ve learned a thing or two about finding secret spots and locals’ favorite haunts in Mallorca. Here is my Mallorca guide and some of the best things to do in Mallorca beyond the resorts.

Things to Do in Mallorca

How to Get to Mallorca

By Plane

Palma de Mallorca Airport is the main gateway to Mallorca. Its international airport of Son Sant Joan is just 5 miles (8 km) from the city.

The airport is easily accessible by direct flight from major cities in Europe on budget airlines like easyJet, Ryanair, Tui and Vueling. You can get flights as cheap as $50 return from London, Madrid, Amsterdam or Paris.

If you’re flying from the US, most flights from New York to Palma cost around $500 return with a stopover in a European city. Flights from Los Angeles to Palma cost much more, at around $900 return.

Search for Cheap Flights to Mallorca

By Boat

Another way to travel to Mallorca is by ferry. There are regular ferry lines from several Spanish cities including Barcelona, Valencia and Denia to Mallorca.

The ferries usually cost around the same as flights and sometimes more. Click here to see ferry schedule and prices.

How to Get Around Mallorca

Renting a car is definitely the best way to explore Mallorca. There are public buses connecting the main towns, but they won’t get you to the scenic coastal roads, small villages and secret beaches.

Having your own wheels lets you travel independently, at your own pace. Besides renting cars in Mallorca is really affordable and roads are excellent. It’s easy to find your way around even if you don’t understand Spanish.

We booked our car rental on Discover Cars and paid around US$160 for one week rental of an economical car. The car hire company had excellent services and provided transfers in/out to the airport. It’s usually half the price during low season.

Book your Car Rental!

Day Tours in Mallorca

Mallorca is super easy to travel around, especially if you’re planning to rent a car.

But if you don’t drive, I recommend traveling independently and booking day tours or interesting experiences along the way. GetYourGuide is a good place to book day tours around the island. Day tours usually cost around US$50-100 per person.

For instance, we booked a Mallorca catamaran cruise and a visit to the Cave of Drach through their site and had a great experience. There are also plenty of exciting outdoor adventures available, such as a sea caving adventure or rock climbing experiences.

Best Time to Visit Mallorca

The best time to visit Mallorca is in spring (March to May) and autumn (September – October). I would avoid summer as it gets very busy around the island.

During spring and autumn, there are around 10 hours of sunshine each day and temperatures are up to 75°F (24°C). It’s warm enough to swim in the sea and the island is less crowded.

October is the rainiest season but rainfall is typically concentrated in heavy showers rather than persistent drizzle. Palma’s Nit de l’Art event takes place every September and sees the city’s museums and galleries fling open their doors for free.

Where to Stay in Mallorca

Best Hotels for Couples

Hotel Astoria Playa – Voted the top adults-only hotel in Mallorca by TripAdvisor users, this hotel is definitely a good option for those looking for some romance. There are two swimming pools and several jacuzzis. You can also choose from several packages to add the likes of sparkling wines, chocolates, and even ‘sensual sets’ for your stay. Check the rates.

Son Brull Hotel and Spa – This is easily our favorite hotel in Mallorca (pictured). Housed in a restored 18th-century jesuit monastery, this charming hotel tastefully combines historic architecture with edgy 21st-century design. The rural setting is also pretty special nestled among vineyards, lavender and lemon orchards in the foothills of the Tramontana sierra. Check the rates here.

Formentor, a Royal Hideaway Hotel – This vintage five-star hotel in Pollenca has been a favorite with couples since Grace Kelly and the Prince of Monaco honeymooned here in 1956. The hotel is set in the picturesque peninsular of Formentor, surrounded by scented pine forests and overlooking one of Mallorca’s prettiest beaches. Check the rates here.

Best Hotels for Families

Hotel VIVA Cala Mesquida – We loved our stay here and highly recommend it for families who want easy access to the beach and spacious family suites/apartments (pictured). They also have a massive kids pool area. The views from the resort are amazing, and the restaurants offer excellent food with nice views. Check the rates here.

Iberostar Selection Playa de Palma – This new and contemporary hotel has an excellent beachfront location just 15 minutes away from Palma. They have family rooms (up to 4 people) with balconies or terraces. Kids can use the indoor pool, playground and kids’ club at the Iberostar Cristina hotel next door. Check the rates here.

Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa – Perched on the cliffs overlooking the Port Soller bay, this elegant hotel has spacious 2 bedroom suites, with hot tubs and fireplaces. The hotel has two pools, kids’ club and playground. Check the rates here.

Best Hotels for Budget Travelers

Hotel Born – In the heart of Palma, this well-priced historic hotel occupies a former palace just walking distance from the Cathedral and other attractions. I love the regal, traditional Spanish interior. Plus a complimentary breakfast buffet is provided. Check the rates here.

Sanctuari de Lluc – Set in the Tramuntana Mountains on the property of a 13th-century sanctuary, this historic hotel features simple rooms and apartments with full kitchens, all with private bathrooms. The hotel also has an outdoor pool, its own museum, several restaurants and shops, and parking for a fee. Check the rates here.

Hotel Citric Sóller – You really don’t have to spend alot of money in Mallorca to enjoy sea views (pictured). Close to the heart of Port de Sóller, this waterfront hotel is steps to the beach and features a bar and restaurant, a large terrace overlooking the sea, and minimalist decor. Check the rates here.

Things to Do in Mallorca: For Culture Vultures

Explore Capital of Palm de Mallorca

The capital, Palma de Mallorca, is a richly studded historical city, almost as beautiful and impressive as other Spanish cities like Granada and Seville. First head to Calle San Miguel and across Plaza Mayor. There you will find a number of different street musicians, mime artists, hawkers, and jugglers as well as many great shops.

The historical heart of Palma lies in La Seu Cathedral, a magnificent work of art. Get skip-the-line tickets to Palma Cathedral, and gain free access to the Diocese museum. Wander in any direction from the Palma Cathedral and you’ll find narrow medieval streets lined with old mansions, looming baroque churches, vibrant bohemian neighborhoods and markets.

Alternatively, sign up for a guided bike tour of Palma and you’ll get to see everything and taste some tapas along the way.

Take the Train to Soller

For locomotive fans, I recommend catching the vintage train to the town of Soller for a time-travel experience.

Since 1912, the old narrow-gauge wooden train has been linking Soller with Palma de Mallorca. It used to transport fruit to Palma, but these days, it only serves as a tourist train.

The 28 km railway journey runs through 13 tunnels and spectacular mountain scenery. The train leaves from Plaza de España and five times a day, all year round. You can also combine this with the historic tram to Port de Soller for a full day trip.

Wander around the Mountain Town of Soller

Even if you’re not taking the train, a visit to Soller is still recommended for those seeking to explore beyond their resorts.

The town is home to many Art Nouveau buildings that have been restored and converted into museums like Can Prunera and the Balearic Museum of Natural Sciences.

The main square – Plaza de la Constitución – is Soller’s beating heart, dominated by the distinctive valley landmark, Sant Bartomeu church. The tram linking town and port clunks its way regularly through this splendid square.

The market in Sóller held every Saturday is a lively event, where shoppers and traders create a real buzz.

Visit the Art Museum of Alcudia

In the gorgeous coastal town of Alcúdia, Museu Sa Bassa Blanca is a museum beautifully integrated with nature. It contains contemporary galleries and exhibition halls, plus a sculpture garden.

There’s also a medieval-walled area containing more than one hundred varieties of old and English roses, and a curious observatory installation, offering a superb vantage point across the entire bay.

As access to the observatory is limited, only adults experienced in hiking are permitted – and prior reservation must be made.

Stroll around Deia Village

Possibly the most charming village on Mallorca, Deia is perched in the Tramuntana Mountains and dotted with honeycombed stone houses and cobbled streets.

Deià was once a second home to writers, actors and musicians, the best known of whom was the English poet Robert Graves.

The hamlet is flanked by terraced gardens, almond and olive trees and the occasional vineyard – all set against the mountain backdrop of the Puig des Teix (1062m).

Explore the Capdepera Castle

Nestled atop a hill, the Capdepera Fortress was founded in 1300 to protect local residents from residents. The walled town became known Capdepera Castle, one of the largest castles on the island.

In the 16th century, there were 125 houses inside its walls, but 200 years later it became a military outpost and most of the population lived outside. It was abandoned in 1856 and in 1983 it became municipal property.

The short walk to the castle is a bit steep but well worth it.

Things to Do in Mallorca: For Nature Lovers

Visit the Caves of Drach

Around an hour’s drive from Palma de Mallorca is the famous Caves of Drach in the town of Manacor. These caves were formed millions of years ago by the water pressure of the Mediterranean sea. There are actually four separate caves connected to each other, measuring a total length of 2.5 miles (4km)!

The stalagmites and stalactites are really impressive, but the most interesting attraction of these caves is their underwater lake, known as Lake Martel. We booked this guided visit to Caves of Drach and highly recommend it as the guide was very knowledgable.

Continue your day with a visit to the Caves del Hams, famous for its fish-hook shaped stalactites and stalagmites – the cause of their unique shape is still unknown!

Book Your Day Trip to Caves of Drach:

Drive or Bike Mallorca’s Most Scenic Road

Weave your way around Tramuntana Mountains on a 12km serpentine road riddled with hairpin bends that leads to Sa Calobra and Cala Tuent. Constructed in the 1930’s by Italian engineer Antonio Parietti, the road features twists and turns inspired by tying a tie, some say.

The ravine views are spectacular and the thrill of weaving through narrow ridges is exciting. Driving or biking it is one of the best experiences in Mallorca and highly recommended for adventure seekers.

But be warned: it’s not for the nauseous or faint hearted. We don’t get carsick easily, so definitely loved driving this route!

Visit the Cap de Formentor Lighthouse

If you’re driving the Tramuntana Road, be sure to make a stop at the rugged and remote Cap de Formentor cape.

The lighthouse perched at the top of the cliffs is the highest in the Balearic Islands and offers the best views on the island.

You’ll get to feast on views of Menorca in the east, Cala Fiquera in the west, and Alcudia with its sandy beach in the south.

However, the view of the cliffs below is not for those with vertigo as sea roars 300m below and the winds on the headland can be vicious. It was so crazy windy when we visited my hat flew off.

Get Lost in the Charming Valldemossa Village

Since you’re driving in the Tramuntana Road, I recommend taking some time to explore the village of Valldemossa. It’s steeped in old-world charm, and sprawls across an idyllic valley in the midst of the Tramuntana mountains.

Its ancient blonde stone houses contrast vividly against the surrounding green forests of olive, oak and almond trees, and the blue sky above. Valldemossa’s quiet and picturesque streets are sprinkled with shops, art galleries, cafes and restaurants.

The natural beauty of the countryside makes Valldemossa a popular place for hikers and nature lovers to base themselves. There is a myriad of trails that wind their way up through the wooded hillsides before reaching the summits where hikers are rewarded with panoramic views over Mallorca and the Mediterranean.

Take A Hot Air Balloon Ride

Looking for to see Mallorca from a different perspective? Catch a hot air balloon flight above the Tramuntana Mountains and get a bird’s eye view of Mallorca. Most rides start at dawn, so be prepared to rise early.

Help with the preparations and then glide serenely up into the air and learn more about the areas you fly over as you sip a glass of sparkling champagne.

Float back to ground and get a souvenir flight certificate of your experience before returning to the meeting point by 4WD vehicle.

Book Your Hot Air Balloon here:

Things to Do in Mallorca: For Beach Bums

Relax on Cala Mesquida Beach

Cala Mesquida is definitely one of the most kid-friendly beaches on Mallorca, with its calm and shallow water. What I love most about the beach is that it’s set among pine trees and sand dunes. The area surrounding Cala Mesquida was specially designated an “area of special interest” by the Balearic government to protect some of its wild beauty.

We’ve stayed at Hotel VIVA Cala Mesquida once, and highly recommend it for families who want easy access to the beach. The views from the resort were amazing, and I remember dining right by the sea every night. Bliss!

Find the Secret Beach of Es Calo des Moro

If Cala Mesquida is too crowded, there are plenty of quiet beaches that only locals know about. My favorite beach on Mallorca is Es Calo des Moro, a small cove that you’ll need to climb over boulders to get to.

You won’t find any hotels or beach bars here as it’s privately owned. It can get crowded in summer, but go early or visit in low season to have it all to yourself.

Head to the Remote Mondrago Natural Park

The Mondragó Natural Park is one of our favorite places on Mallorca. It is situated in the south, close to Santanyí, down tiny winding lanes lined with immaculate stone walls.

The park is famous for its fine white sand beaches and the unbelievable turquoise blue sea. Its remoteness does not stop it from being very popular, so prepare for some crowds especially if you’re going in summer.

There are a number of very beautiful beaches within the park: check out Cala Mondrago and S’Aramador Beach. Stunning cliffs reach down to crystal clear waters and the wetlands Ses Fonts de n’Alis with its migratory birds complete this nature reserve and beauty spot.

Visit the Arch Es Pontàs

Technically not a beach, this natural stone bridge is an iconic landmark that’s easily accessible by car. Es Ponta served as an inspiration for many artists who wanted to portray it in their works. One of them was the Argentine Francisco Bernareggi who did not hesitate to illustrate this hollow rock in one of his paintings.

To get there, drive to Cala Sanyantí and follow the signs that indicate the road to Es Pontás. Follow the hiking trail for 5 minutes and you will arrive at the viewpoint of the cliff.

If you are looking for an even better perspective, you can rent a boat or hire an excursion from Cala D’Or or Cala Santanyí.

Things to Do in Mallorca for Water Babies

Go Sea Caving in Cova des Coloms

For the adventure seekers out there, you’ve got to try this thrilling sea caving adventure in the Cova des Coloms caves. What makes this limestone cave so special are the natural pools inside. There are tons of caves dotted all around Mallorca, but this is the only cave system where you can swim in.

It’s quite a big cave system, so those with claustrophobia should be fine in there. All the necessary equipment will be provided, including protective helmets and a wetsuit. After a coastal walk of about 40 minutes, you’ll swim out to the cave (a distance of about 300 meters).

No prior experience in sea caving is required and you don’t have to go under the water. These vertical cave systems are a great introduction to caving, and the conditions make this the perfect adventure for beginners and families.

Book Your Sea Caving Adventure:

Go Dolphin Watching by Boat

Another great activity to do in Mallorca with kids is a dolphin watching boat trip. It’s amazing to watch these playful animals dive, frolic and play.

Best of all, it’s almost always guaranteed to spot dolphins, even though they are wild. The company we went with even had a policy where a free ticket would be given to come back anytime if we didn’t see a dolphin. But we did spot lots of them!

These trips usually start at sunrise, when the dolphins are most active. They run only from June to October. Kids under 3 go for free. Check out these dolphin watching tours.

Take a Catamaran Cruise

One of the best things to do in Mallorca for those who are looking to relax is a catamaran cruise. It’s an excellent way to explore the bay and caves, while letting your hair back and relax.

My husband and I sailed with this company before we had our daughter and had an excellent time onboard. We sailed from Palma to a beautiful cave in the south of the Palma Bay called La Cueva Verde.

From there, we continued on to the Cala Vella idyllic beaches with crystal clear waters where we swam and went kayaking. The cold cuts, wine and barbecue onboard were excellent.

Book Your Catamaran Cruise here:

Things to Do in Mallorca for Food and Wine Lovers

Try Mallorcan Food at the Market Hall

If you’re a foodie, make sure to pay a visit to the Centro Cultural S’Escorxador just outside the city centre of Palma. On the site of a former slaughterhouse is this market hall with 15 small kiosks serving everything from sushi to steak, Asian food to oysters. Portions are small and tapas-size, so you can easily choose a little of anything you fancy.

There are tons of local dishes that you need to try in Mallorca: Sobrassada is possibly the most well-known Mallorquin dish. It’s a cured sausage made of minced pork, paprika and other spices. Locals eat sobrassada in all kinds of ways, whether it’s a sobrassada baguette or even used to cook.

Another dish you must try is the Frito Mallorquin, which dates all the way back to the14th century and appears to have Jewish roots. The dish is a combination of meat (usually pork or lamb), intestine, liver, potato, tomato, onion and peppers fried with olive oil and garlic. Frito may not sound very appealing when described, but I assure you that it is absolutely delicious!

Do a Tapas Tour in Palma’s Old Town

If you’re looking for locals’ favorite haunts and secret hideouts, then you’ll have to join a tapas tour. Check out thisPalma tapas tour that will bring you to three different bars and let you taste the best the Old Town has to offer.

You’ll begin the tour at the imposing Palma Cathedral and learn all about this icon of the city. Then follow the guide through the city to see the Almudaina Palace, La Lonja and the Consolat de Mar, the governmental seat of the Balearics. Sample 3 delicious pinchos at the local bars in the old town to regain your strength, then continue on your way.

Visit the historic Es Baluard Fortress then stroll the beautiful Passeig del Born to the Plaça Mercat and the Grand Hotel. Stop into a typical tapas bar and taste a selection of warm tapas; then head to the historic town hall and the Neo-Gothic Consell Insular before indulging in a few sweet treats at the third and final bar.

Visit a Winery in Mallorca

Learn all about the history of wine growing in Majorca and enjoy breathtaking views over beautiful vineyards and the vast landscape in the center of the island. We did this Mallorca winery tour, which was absolutely worth the money as we visited three vineyards and had three different wine-tasting sessions with amazing food. By the end of it, we were thoroughly satisfied, happy and drunk.

First, you’ll visit the traditional La Raixa Estate and its amazing gardens. After that, follow the picturesque country roads from La Raixa through the wineyards of the island’s interior towards Santa Maria. Visit a quality producer and learn all about the methods of winemaking. Savor some fine wines along with regional specialties.

Then, make your way to one of Majorca’s most exclusive wine producers. Take part in a guided tour through the wine cellar and taste a selection of exquisite wines and snacks. Discover one of the most beautiful valleys of the island and admire the impressive rock formations along the way.

Book Your Winery Tour here:

I hope this detailed list of things to do in Mallorca will help you plan an exciting and fun-filled trip. Like many other parts of Spain, Mallorca has no shortage of charming villages, secret coves and rugged mountains. You just need to know where to find them!

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josephborrello · 5 years ago

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Magnitude and Direction, Issue #42 | 20 Sep 2019

Hardware, Prototyping, and Fabrication

‍♂️ These robots learn how to dig holes by watching humans do it. (So does one dig, while 4 others watch?) ✝ Robot priests are giving new meaning to the term deus ex machina. (I hope you thought that was as witty as I did.) It's amazing how much stuff (and people) you can fit into a fire truck (or ambulance, or rescue helicopter...)

Software and Programming

➕ generated.space is a great collection of very aesthetic, generative artwork. ➡ This AI tries to make emojis more lifelike and is neither particularly good, nor necessary. It is, however, very scary. Clippy is back. Ironically, he's back on Mac, not Windows. (He's also available for websites, like here for example.) The Recomendo newsletter did a better job describing this than I did, so I'll just re-print what they've written:

"I’ve waited all my life for a tool that would create art for me. It’s here. Artbreeder is a website that breeds new visual images from existing images. Using deep learning (AI) algorithms it generates multiple photo-realistic “children” mutations of one image. You — the gardener — select one mutant you like and then breed further generations from its descendants. You can also crossbreed two different images. Very quickly, you can create infinite numbers of highly detailed album covers, logos, game characters, exotic landscapes. I find it fiendishly addictive. Wanna see the zoo of unearthly creatures I found/made? (Note: If Artbreeder is not out of beta use Ganbreeder, it’s predecessor.) — [Kevin Kelly]"

Science, Engineering, and Biomedicine

You've heard of "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!" but have you heard of "I Can't Believe It's Mostly Water!"? Also on the topic of water, pulling moisture out of thin air in arid, desert climates won't only be the stuff of sci-fi for much longer. The website Relativity, showing how recent observations of a star orbiting near the galactic core helps support Einstein's theory of general relativity, is a great example of the kind of science communication we need to be doing more of.

Mapping, History, and Data Science

There's a (near-infinite) world of colors out there for you to name! (I named one 'Jimmy') ⛓ Do you understand how the blockchain works? If not, maybe this data sonification/visualization will help (it probably won't but it sounds and looks really cool). The orientation of airport runways may not sound very interesting, but I was absorbed by this map almost immediately. (For example, what's with the pretty drastic East/West divide among US runways?) What were the most popular videos on Youtube a decade ago?

Events and Opportunities

We're within spitting distance of Fall and there's lots of exciting autumnal activities coming up:

Sunday, 9/22 The World Health Organization is hosting the first-ever edition of the Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge in the United States, being held over 4 miles in New York's beautiful Central Park. This fun run/walk will bring together people from all over the world for a celebration of health, on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly

Monday, 9/23 Derek Brand's monthly ECHO biotech gathering is back and, as always, bringing together some of the NYC area's most exciting life science startups and entrepreneurs.

Monday, 9/23 Coming off a great mid-summer meetup with the Health-Tech Connect group, the Mount Sinai Innovators Group is teaming up with them again for another event featuring some great pre-SINAInnovations topics: Artificial Intelligence and Assistive Devices. Both presenters have extensive experience in the healthcare startup space and this promises to be a can't-miss event!

Tuesday, 9/24 Join NYDesigns for a tour of their 5,000 square foot fabrication facility and learn about how you can make use of all the impressive equipment there at their upcoming open house.

Tuesday, 9/24 Join GeoNYC and Doctors Without Borders for a special map-a-thon to fill in missing geospatial data for underserved regions in order to provide international and local NGOs and individuals with the data they need to better respond to crises.

Wednesday, 9/25 The NYC JLABS crew is back for their next Innovators and Entrepreneurs mixer, which promises, as always, to be a great event to meet local life science startups and biotech enthusiasts.

Wednesday, 9/25 The RobotLab meetup's September event focuses on the good, the bad, and the ugly of Industry 4.0 and autonomous manufacturing.

Thursday, 9/26 Join GRO-Biotech, MSIG, and the Petri biotech accelerator at Mount Sinai for an info session on opportunities to get involved in their new startup program focused on helping formation-stage innovators realize the next frontier of biology and engineering

Thursday, 9/26 It's been touched on in previous Existential Medicine events, but the next science seminar collab between New Lab and JLABS dives deep into the revolutionary, and sometimes controversial technology of CRISPR. Use code "NewLab2019" to unlock the event registration.

Saturday, 9/28 Admission is just the swipe of a metro card for the Parade of Trains at the Brighton Beach station. Vintage train cars from all periods of the subway's history will be on display, as well as taking passengers on short trips around south Brooklyn.

Monday, 9/30 The NY Hardware Startup meetup is back with their regularly scheduled programming, which, in this case, means presentations from the likes of Lime, Light Phone, and more, down at General Assembly in the Flatiron.

Tuesday, 10/1 The next stop on Ogilvy's healthcare innovation pop-up series takes them to Hudson Yards, where they're teaming up with the HITLAB and SAP.iO Foundry for an event that will focus primarily on the female and underserved health innovators who are disrupting healthcare today.

Tuesday, 10/1 NYDesigns' next Women in Tech happy hour is back at Bierocracy in Long Island City. As always, individuals who identify as female and men are welcome to attend, too!

Wednesday, 10/2 The next edition of Larger Than Life Science at New York BioLabs is back and focusing on a crucial aspect of bringing healthcare innovations to market: preparing for and conducting clinical trials.

Some other upcoming events to keep on your radar...

Monday, 10/7 Join GRO-Biotech and Insight Data Sciences for a talk and Q&A about different careers in data, the most suitable backgrounds for each of them, and how Insight Data Sciences can help you make the transition.

Saturday, 10/12 The next edition of Hot Glass Cold Beer returns to the Brooklyn Glass studios in Gowanus, featuring live glass blowing, open studios, and effectively endless amounts of beer. As always, getting a ticker in advance (versus at the door) means you'll be guaranteed to get one of their hand-made glasses (which you can subsequently drink out of for the rest of the night).

October 11-16 Innovation Week at Mount Sinai. What started as just the SINAInnovations conference is now a week's worth of activities dedicated to bringing New York's biomedical innovation communities together. Here's the full lineup:

Friday-Sunday, 10/11-13 Mount Sinai Health Hackathon. The 4th annual Mount Sinai Health Hackathon will be an exciting 48-hour transdisciplinary competition focused on creating novel technology solutions for problems in healthcare. This year’s theme is Artificial Intelligence – Expanding the Limits of Human Performance.

Tuesday, 10/15 Careers & Connections 2019. October may feel far away, but I promise you it's not and you'll want to be sure to mark your calendars for GRO-Biotech's next big event, the Careers & Connections mini-conference and networking event, held concurrently with emerging healthcare technologies conference, SINAInnovations.

Tuesday & Wednesday, 10/15-16 SINAInnovations Conference. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is hosting its eighth annual SINAInnovations conference around the theme of Artificial Intelligence. A range of talks and panels will focus on the explosive growth of AI in our society and in particular in medicine, featuring international thought leaders across the range of relevant domains.

Wednesday, 10/16 Right after Careers & Connections, GRO-Biotech is hosting a fireside chat at BioLabs with Adam Wollowick from Stryker and Jack Wu from Adlai Nortye on what a career in business development looks like and how you can start a career in bizdev.

Saturday, 10/19 New Lab's annual open house birthday celebration is back, with a theme this year of Light+Motion. As always, you can expect pretty much everyone affiliated with technology, design, science, and/or entrepreneurship to turn up for what's one of the bigger bashes of the year.

Saturday & Sunday 10/19-20 The biggest bi-annual graduate career symposium in the country is back at NYU Med showcasing all the career trajectories you can pursue post-PhD. This is one of the best opportunities for graduate students and postdocs to learn about the breadth of career paths for doctorates and an amazing place to network with the next generation of scientists. More info on the two-day conference can be found here, and the registration link is here.

Saturday, 10/26 The Future of Care conference is back at Rockefeller University featuring some of the latest breakthroughs in clinical care and the innovators helping shepherd them from bench to bedside. Apply to attend the conference by September 6th.

Tuesday, 10/29 Join Columbia Nano Labs for their annual Industry Day conference. Learn how you can use and leverage the Nano Labs facilities, hear from a panel of entrepreneurs who have done just that, and listen to faculty and technical experts discuss the way these sophisticated tools contribute to cutting-edge research. (Yes, this was rescheduled from the originally planed date of 9/5.)

Thursday, 10/31 Pitching your startup in front of investors doesn't have to be spooky. The Mid Atlantic Bio Angels 1st Pitch events offer NYC's biotech entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their innovations in front of a panel of real investors and receive critical feedback on their pitches and business plans. The 1st Pitch events are also a great place to learn about the latest innovations in the NYC biotech ecosystem and connect with some of its major players.

Friday-Sunday, 11/8-10 For 36 hours on November 8-10, HackPrinceton will bring together 600 developers and designers from across the country to create incredible software and hardware projects. They'll have swag, workshops, mentors, prizes, games, free food, and more.

Map of the Month

When we hear about the 2-3 Celsius increase in temperature that's going to set us on path to irreversible environmental changes, it often sounds like it's still a ways off. As this map from the Washington Post shows, that future is already becoming a reality in some parts of the US.

Odds & Ends

Bovine Obstruction. I can't explain this.

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up-label · 6 years ago

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The 21 Best Events in Denver October 9 Through October 15

Take aim at hitting the annual Man of the Cliff festival in Avon.

There will be plenty of food for thought when LiveWell Colorado presents its inaugural Taste & Talk breakfast at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 9, at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas Street in Aurora. "There isn’t a person on this planet who isn’t impacted by the food we grow and distribute," says Gabriel Guillaume, president and CEO of LiveWell Colorado. "Food is life; food is health; and while we may all struggle to eat healthy, there are a lot of people here in Colorado who simply can’t access it, can’t afford it, can’t make it available to their own kids." So on the menu for Taste & Talk will be some of the state’s most knowledgeable experts on food justice; they’ll lead conversations throughout the course of the morning, which includes a Snooze-catered breakfast. To learn more and purchase tickets, $50 (proceeds go to organizations fighting for food justice), go to livewellcolorado.org/about/events/taste-talk-breakfast-fundraiser.

Wednesday, October 10

Get an inside look at the thriving studios of Denver artists Tiffany Matheson and JD Pruitt at an Open Studio Party and Art Night hosted on the city’s edge, at the Lumenati film and video production company, 3839 Jackson Street in the Clayton neighborhood. Matheson, a current resident at the Museum of Outdoor Arts, will show off her sculptural and multimedia works, while Pruitt, an illustrator, tattoo artist and writer, will introduce his Art Night concept, which invites other artists to gather in the space regularly to talk about, share and make art. The free party runs from 6 to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, October 10; bring yourself and, if you like, your art supplies. Learn more at the Tiffany Matheson Fine Art Facebook page.

Babette’s Feast will be served at the Flatirons Food Film Fest.

Thursday, October 11

Nothing draws folks together better than food. It’s a language that everyone understands, and it’s delicious, to boot. That helps explain the popularity of the Flatirons Food Film Festival, which moves into its sixth year with a strong schedule anchored by an October 13 tribute to Anthony Bourdain that begins with a street-food reception (Bourdain would approve) and ends with a screening of Babette’s Feast, one of his favorite food-themed films. But there’s much more to do and see, including the opening-night craft-beer extravaganza built around a screening of the documentary Brewmaster on Thursday, October 11. The four-day fest runs through Sunday, October 14, at the Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder, as well as satellite locations. Purchase a Festival Film Pass for $70 or find tickets to individual events at flatironsfoodfilmfest.org.

Artifacts of adolescence step out of your parents’ attic and onto the stage at Mortified Live!, an evening of storytelling that gently mocks youthful earnestness from the comfortably ironic perch of adulthood. The show’s premise is so simple and direct that it’s easy to see why Mortified has inspired a Netflix special and established regular outposts in over twenty cities: Who doesn’t have a record of their teenage musings that they’re unwilling to dispose of or let anyone see? During the show, which returns to the Oriental Theater, 4335 West 44th Avenue, at 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, performers share such embarrassing relics of high school angst as diary entries, love letters, artwork and poetry — the poetry is especially brutal — while a throwback-specializing cover band provides a soundtrack to the shame. Find tickets, $16, and more details at theorientaltheater.com.

You’ll go out of your gourd at the Taps and Tails Bier Hall.

Autumn means different things to different people, but sometimes they converge — at the Denver Zoo’s Taps and Tails Bier Hall, for example, a 21-plus evening mashing up changing colors, harvest-season eats and Oktoberfest brews with spooky, Halloweenish touches. Visit the zoo, on the north side of City Park, to enjoy an all-Colorado pop-up bier hall with brewer meet-and-greets, live entertainment nightly hosted by comedian Janae Burris, food vendors and a chance to explore the spirits in an immersive Enchanted Hollows night walk. The fun runs from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, as well as the next two Thursdays; find information and tickets, $12 to $20, at denverzoo.org. But act fast: These evenings are sure to sell out.

This festival has the fright stuff.

Friday, October 12

Horror-film fans can enjoy a final fall adventure wrapped up in a scream fest at the Telluride Horror Show, which touts itself as Colorado’s first and longest-running event of its kind. Head for the hills and get a head start on Halloween from Friday, October 12, through Sunday, October 14, at three Telluride locations: the Nugget Theatre, the Palm Theatre and the historic Sheridan Opera House. Twenty feature films and fifty shorts will roll throughout the weekend; a highlight this year is the thirtieth-anniversary screening of the cult classic Killer Klowns From Outer Space, with director Stephen Chiodo on hand. Advance admission is $150 for a three-day pass or $75 for a six-pack; you can also take your chances and vie for $15 tickets for individual events, available at the door after pass-holders have been seated. Learn more at telluridehorrorshow.com.

Nearly a century after Germany and the Allied Powers signed the armistice that brought an end to what was then called the Great War, the Colorado Wind Ensemble joins forces with Voices West to present Songs of Democracy: A Commemoration of World War I. Howard Hanson’s rousing "Song of Democracy," which pairs Walt Whitman verses with a soaring neo-romantic score, forms the centerpiece of a concert program rounded out by Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E Flat, David Gillingham’s "Heroes Lost and Fallen" and Robert Spittal’s "Hymn for Peace." Let your spirits soar at a pair of remembrances: at 7: 30 p.m. Friday, October 12, at Denver’s Central Presbyterian Church, 1600 Sherman Street, and at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 13, at Littleton United Methodist Church, 5894 South Datura Street in Littleton. Get tickets, $15 to $18, at coloradowindensemble.org.

Saturday, October 13

As the 40 West Arts District continues to grow, the resident artists of the Glens, Lakewood’s oldest neighborhood — just a mile and a half west of 40 West along Colfax Avenue — invite you to meet them in their natural habitat during the fourth annual Glens Art Walk and Open Studios. Visit with 27 artists in ten home studios in the area from Kipling Street to Wadsworth Boulevard between Colfax and 20th avenues, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 13. Wares on view, which vary in style and medium, include Halloween folk art, hand-painted silk scarves, jewelry, collages, illustrations, locally sourced honey and even handmade violins. Admission is free; learn more at the Glens Art Walk Facebook page and email [email protected] for a printable map.

Pupusas originated in Salvadoran home kitchens, where the simple ingredients — pancake-like griddled corn-masa tortillas and a selection of stuffings ranging from melted cheese to beans or meat — are combined by hand, with a little love thrown in. Topped with a heaping pile of curtido (pickled cabbage slaw) and a thin, fiery salsa, pupusas are comfort food of the highest degree: Mom’s home cooking elevated to perfection. To celebrate this earthy national dish, the Salvadoran dance troupe Eco Folklorico Cuscatlan is hosting Pupusa Festival 2018, a cultural and gastronomic event for all ages, on Saturday, October 13, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Aurora Cultural Art District headquarters, 1400 Dallas Street in Aurora. Admission is free, but every penny you spend on pupusas will benefit the troupe; find information on the Pupusa Festival 2018 Facebook event page.

Brunch simply wouldn’t be the same without the hangover-abating spiciness of the Bloody Mary, one of the few classic cocktails that thrives — and remains socially acceptable — in the daylight. Celebrate the endless recipe variations inspired by this timeless libation at the Bloody Mary Festival, where some of the city’s most innovative bartenders will vie for the People’s Choice award. Enjoy sample sips of all the contenders from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 13, at the Exdo Event Center, 1399 35th Street, when the tri-city tribute to breakfast booze (sister fests take place in Austin and San Francisco) alights upon Denver for a boozy battle royal. Gather your buddies and try all the Bloodys; tickets are $45 plus fees at thebloodymaryfest.com/denver-co-10-13-18.

Nottingham Park in Avon will be overflowing with mountain men during the tenth annual Man of the Cliff. “Nothing says fall like flannels, Carhartts and lumberjacks," notes Amanda Williams, co-organizer of the event. "Man of the Cliff is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the changing of the seasons in the mountains." And also do a little speed-chopping, ax-throwing or keg-tossing — or just sample some of the contents of that keg. Pay $85 in advance (or $100 at the gate) and join in all the competitions you want from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 13, and Sunday, October 14, or just watch for free. And everyone — flannel-clad or not — can enjoy a free concert starting at 5 p.m. Saturday with Drunken Hearts and the Rebirth Brass Band. All proceeds benefit First Descents; sign up and find more information at manofthecliff.com. And as the organizers urge, "Gentlemen, start your beards!"

Prepare to meet your Maker Faire.

The egalitarian DIY maker revolution is upon us, pushing hobbyists and professionals in all sorts of creative enterprises, from robot labs and basement inventors to artists and gearheads. Maker Faire Denver 2018 showcases all of the above, plus dozens of other maker niches in a grand display that shows off the pliability of the human mind with immersive experiences, ever-popular robot wars, drone races, hands-on activities, classic cars, electric cupcake rides, tinkering demonstrations, LEGO workshops and more, ad infinitum. Enter the family-friendly world of makers at the National Western Complex starting at 11 a.m. daily on Saturday, October 13, and Sunday, October 14. Ticket options range from free to $40 in advance at eventbrite.com through October 11, with slightly higher general admission tickets available at the door. Find more info and a complete rundown of attractions at denver.makerfaire.com.

Denver may not be as big of a melting pot as New York, but it’s still home to large communities of people hailing from all around the globe. Don’t believe us? One local nonprofit, Project Worthmore, has served refugees from more than twenty countries over the past nine years, and it will celebrate that diversity at 6 p.m. Saturday, October 13, at Our Neighbors, Ourselves at the Hangar at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas Street in Aurora. This year’s theme is "The World Within," and the evening will include art, music and theatrical performances that reflect the various cultures represented in Colorado. Tickets are $60, with all proceeds supporting Project Worthmore; learn more at projectworthmore.org.

Some of Denver’s top Latino chefs (many of whom started at the bottom) will be at RISE Westwood, 3738 Morrison Road, on Saturday, October 13, for the inaugural Buen Provecho, a farm-to-table-style dinner to benefit Re:Vision, a nonprofit that works with low-income communities to cultivate a healthy food system. The evening will include dishes from Dana Rodriguez (owner/chef of Work & Class and Super Mega Bien), Jose Avila (co-owner/chef of the three Machete restaurants), Adriana Rondón (El Camino de la Arepa), Edwin Sandoval (owner of XATRUCHO and resident chef at Invisible City), Keigh Crespo (owner of Dos Abuelas @ Finn’s Manor) and Matayas Urban (chef at Leña), among others. “By shining a spotlight on the stories of these successful chefs and immigrants, we are also bringing the focus back to our community in Westwood,” says Joseph Teipel, executive director at Re:Vision. We’ll drink to that — and we can, during the 6 p.m. cocktail reception that precedes the dinner. Tickets are $100, or $175 per couple, at buenprovecho.eventbrite.com.

A decade ago, a group of friends and local musicians in Denver decided to harness the power of music and the people who love it, taking that vision to stages, open-mic nights, coffee shops, street corners, peace marches, protests and, ultimately, classrooms and youth residential treatment centers. The vision of what started as Flobots.org and is now Youth on Record is stronger than ever today, and on Saturday, October 13, community members will celebrate the work of the past decade at 10 Years Strong: A Decade of Amplifying the Voices of Our Youth. Festivities include a gallery retrospective, a silent auction, food and drink and, of course, live performances, including from the Flobots. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for general admission (5 p.m. for VIP) at the McNichols Building in Civic Center Park; tickets start at $15 at youthonrecord.org.

Local authors are on a roll with small-press releases this fall, and Counterpath has gathered up four of them for a group book launch. Jason Arment, Steven Dunn, Julia Madsen and Nancy Stohlman are all part of Denver’s close-knit literary community, and each has something completely different to offer: Arment’s Musalaheen is an Iraq War memoir; Dunn follows up his acclaimed novel Potted Meat with water & power, a new work that takes on military culture; Madsen offers The Boneyard, The Birth Manual, A Burial: Investigations Into the Heartland, a volume of poetry; and flash-fiction maestra Stohlman introduces Madam Velvet’s Cabaret of Oddities, the written representation of a live performance. Hear them read from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, October 13, at Counterpath, 7935 East 14th Avenue; admission is free, and books will be available for purchase. Learn more at counterpathpress.org.

After a star-making turn as Aaron Burr in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr. continues to gather accolades. In addition to landing prominent roles in the ensemble casts of Murder on the Orient Express and One Dollar, the multi-talented Odom recently penned the inspirational memoir Failing Up and recorded his debut solo album, Without You. Odom’s songs will sound even sweeter when the Grammy- and Tony Award-winning quadruple threat joins conductor Brett Mitchell and the Colorado Symphony for An Evening With Leslie Odom Jr. at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 13, at Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Learn more and get tickets, $29 to $99, at coloradosymphony.org.

Sunday, October 14

There’s more to art collecting than meets the eye, though it’s a habit that often gets started by pleasing your peepers. But once you find something you love, how do you continue capturing an artist’s creative effort through ownership? The hardest part is getting started, experts say, and that’s the reason for JuiceBox Gallery’s Practicing Collecting workshop, the first in a series of events aimed at demystifying the art-collecting ethos with practical, common-sense advice. Join JuiceBox artist/gallerist/entrepreneurs Lucía Rodríguez and Aaron Mulligan and collectors Krista Hanley and Stephanie Edwards for brunch and conversation at 10 a.m. Sunday, October 14, at JuiceBox, 3006A Larimer Street, for a $10 fee; find details at juiceboxdenver.com or @juiceboxdenver on Instagram or Twitter.

Gather with fellow green thumbs at FarmFest 2018, a fun (and furry) way to ring in the harvest season. Packed with such time-honored autumnal diversions as guided hayrides and a pumpkin market, FarmFest is an ideal introduction to the Urban Farm at Stapleton, 10200 Smith Road. Curious kids will enjoy the Denver Public Library-sponsored storybook farm, where farm animals join storytellers for pastoral children’s tales; the day also include a performance by country singer Jesse Cornett for their parents. Support the Urban Farm’s efforts to educate its community on the finer points of horticulture and animal husbandry while having a ball in the fall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, October 14. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit Urban Farm’s outreach programs, garden maintenance and livestock care; visit theurbanfarm.org or eventbrite.com to buy tickets, $8 to $40, and learn more.

To heck with corn mazes: Folks looking for a rustic family experience need drive no further than Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary, a safehouse for abandoned and neglected animals at 8640 Dahlia Street in Commerce City. Enjoy some seasonal agritainment and support the sanctuary at the Open Sanctuary Snuggle Day and Projectile Pumpkin Party, an event that’s as much fun for the animals — who love to gobble up broken pumpkins — as it is for you. The fun runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, October 14; bring a ripe pumpkin and pay a $5 donation at the door for entry to the farm. Learn more at the Broken Shovels Facebook page.

Monday, October 15

Even the constantly expanding universe can hardly contain its love for Neil deGrasse Tyson, a Columbia-educated astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium who’s emerged as an unlikely yet ubiquitous pop-culture figure. Tyson, who humbly assumed the mantle of his late mentor, Carl Sagan, with Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (a companion piece to Sagan’s mind-blowing 1980 miniseries of the same name), is also a reliably quippy fixture of late-night talk shows and always willing to show up for an amusing cameo in such movies as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time. Cosmos may not return until 2019, but you don’t have to wait to see Tyson: At 7:30 p.m. Monday, October 15, he’ll be at the Bellco Theatre, in the Colorado Convention Center, to present An Astrophysicist Goes to the Movies, a good-natured fact-check of cinema that doesn’t necessarily hold up to scientific scrutiny. Get ready to quibble, Star Wars nerds; get tickets, $59.50 to $95, and learn more at denverconvention.com/events.

In order to be considered for the 21 Best Events, we need information at least three weeks in advance. Send it to [email protected] or Westword, 969 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203.

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andrewuttaro · 6 years ago

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New Look Sabres: GM 1 - BOS - Halak Strikes Back!

The Buffalo Sabres have not won a home opener since January 2013 (Thanks Lockout). There is a variety of reasons for that relatively unimportant stat. The context of this home opener provided some framework to change that stat. The Boston Bruins watched the Washington Capitals raise their Stanley Cup banner last night. Boston got pounded 7-0 and starter Tuuka Rask was chased from the net for the backup to play the rest of the game. That backup was Jaroslav Halak who now makes his titanic return to Buffalo having played last night. Halak was one of several decent goalies who came through town at the height… or rather the depths of the tank. His return seems appropriate on this home opener of a season that seems to finally stand ready to cash in on the long term dreams of the tank. The Bruins certainly came in looking for a bounce back game and the Sabres had to start off strong if they hoped to win. They did not; but before we get into the venting session it’s time for the Burn Book! Divisional matchups this season will feature readings from the Burn Book; aka, why you should hate this team. So, without any further ado… Ahem: Boston Bruins, You are spoiled rotten; the worst fanbase in America, at least in the East. Forget Stanley Cups, your city is title central and your pompous enough to know it in every interaction with others. Bruins fans generally have a sense of humor but always have a dangerous sense of alcohol and no sense of perspective. You love old fashion hockey with all its brutish charm and manage to always display the worst that Hockey has to offer whether it be Lucic running Miller or Brad Marchand redefining the art of being a pest with his tongue. You are so easy hate. This has been the first reading from the New Look Sabres Divisional Burn Book. Now: back to New Look Sabres for your regularly scheduled venting session.

In true Buffalo irony, Halak’s return resulted in our Buffalo Sabres losing this one 4-0. It was clear the Bruins suffering that franchise worst season opening loss put a fire in them tonight. Brian Duff termed it “atoning” for that loss. Well the Sabres have a lot of atoning to do for what they’ve been recently. I can’t say I have ever booed the Sabres, even last season, but the boos at the end of the first two periods tonight are what this team needs to change. I am sure they will: we got 81 more of these games to go. Zdeno Chara scored the first goal of this game. All the jokes about him being the old man of the Bruins aside, he capitalized on indecision from the notably young Eichel line in the other end before his goal. He outpaced a Captain Jack who would not pull the trigger. Ryan Donato beat Carter Hutton short side a little under ten minutes later during a Bruins powerplay. The second period saw David “Pasta” Pastrnak find some empty space in front of the net to put Boston up 3-0. It was not all negative. Evan Rodrigues’ fourth line generated a majority of the offense in the first period. Take that how you will. Rasmus Dahlin wasn’t initiated into the Bruins so much as he initiated the Bruins to himself. He had two great hits and several great passes up to the forwards. Carter Hutton stopped a breakaway halfway through the second that reminded us why he was a good pickup. I see more of that in our future. Sam Reinhart looked hot too. By the time Patrice Bergeron scored on the empty net (Don’t worry, more on that later) in the last minute of regulation I was cheering for just a single goal, just one, like I was birthing a large human baby; a lot of four letter words came out as you can imagine.

It is fair to say the Sabres played jittery this game. It’s fair to say the first fifteen to twenty games can tell you what a team is going to be in most cases; it is not fair to judge them off of one game. The Bruins locked down their own end, not letting up a lot of chances and waited for the jittery Sabres to make mistakes. If the Sabres ever have the forecheck the Bruins have there will be a lot more opportunities for the speed demons on the roster. Brad Marchand got four assists this game. Fuck, I am done complimenting this Boston team. I already read from the burn book though. Shit. The Sabres aren’t a bunch of dudes playing with Jack Eichel anymore. Don’t give me this “same old Sabres” shit. If you do your opinion is stupid. We have the horses to be better than this now. It’s time to get going. Speaking of which, many of us had a couple favorite lines going into this game. Think of what yours was in your head: Visualize it. Visualize the names and numbers. Now visualize it going into the blender because that’s where Phil Housley is putting it now.

There is a lot of criticism to go around after this game. It’s not that important after the first game of the season. However, Head Coach Phil Housley pulled Hutton with five minutes left in this game. That is worth talking about strategically in terms of what is going through our Head Coach’s mind. Although that move felt like it came straight down from Terry Pegula for crowd energy’s sake, I’ll stop with the cheap shots. I was hesitant to buy into Housley on the Hot seat narratives. Moreover, I didn’t want to think even the beginning of that narrative was in place after one season. An awfully shitty season albeit, but it has only been one season with him. When he pulled Hutton with five minutes left it made me think real hard for a few minutes: if you’re going to be ballsy with your strategy like that you better be correct when you say “we’re not going through this [shitty ass endless losses] again” afterward (bracketed words are mine). If Housley is going to talk the big game of taking this team somewhere for the first time in nearly a decade then it certainly seems like these kinds of games will have to be less common this season. I am still waiting and seeing with Coach Housley, but now it’s the time to make it happen because I am not going to be quick to defend you if you’re pulling the goalie that early.

Kyle Okposo said afterward that the Sabres have to give us fans something to cheer about. I would greatly prefer that to venting sessions like this. I am going to the game Saturday. I look forward to it being the first win of the season. With all this venting behind us, can we talk about how cool it is that Jack got introduced to the Pirates of the Caribbean theme music? *Pirate voice* Captain Jack Eichel! It’s hard to not get excited for all the pomp and circumstance of a home opener. It’s no indicator of the season to follow, I was drooling over last season’s intros, but nothing is fan service like player introductions and lining up around that crest at center ice. Look for these New Look Sabres posts after every game this season. I am confident most of them will be a lot more fun than this. Share it around and if you have to vent feel free to leave a reply or twelve. My good feelings remain about this season and so should yours.

Thanks for reading.

P.S. Shoot the puck, Jack. You’re Captain now. Lead. Actions Speak, right?

#buffalo sabres #hockey #blog #nhl

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dmvalerts · 7 years ago

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Bowie E-News

Bowie: Bowie E-News Bowie News Flash - May 2018NewsCommunity Meeting on Rezoning of the Jesuit Property – May 22Whitemarsh Elm LC will host a community meeting on May 22 to share information about a pending rezoning application for property on Annapolis Road, locally known as the Jesuit property. The applicant is proposing to build 400 – 500 homes on three parcels of land near Sacred Heart Church. The parcels, which are outside the municipal boundaries of Bowie, are currently zoned R-E (Residential Estate) and R-A (Residential Agriculture). Whitemarsh Elm LLC is seeking to have the zoning changed to R-S (Residential Suburban) to accommodate the envisioned development. The meeting, which will include a short presentation and question and answer session, will take place on Tuesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room at the Kenhill Center. Bowie BIC Dolphin Tank Returns to Bowie for the Third YearMake new business connections and offer advice to young area entrepreneurs at the third Dolphin Tank® Pitch Event and Reception conducted by Springboard Enterprises and hosted by the Bowie Business Innovation Center (Bowie BIC) business accelerator. It takes place on May 15, 2018 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Kenhill Center. At this event, six innovative product companies from the Bowie area will pitch their companies to a panel of investors and serial entrepreneurs and get friendly feedback on business models, marketing and business challenges. The audience will also be able to ask questions and offer advice. The Bowie BIC is funded in part by the City of Bowie. Free. Registration required at https://bit.ly/2GwfQkh. Children’s Books NeededThe Bowie Education Committee is collecting books to be given to children at Bowiefest on June 2. For more information or to donate, please contact Neil Norris at 240-544-5601 or [email protected]. JobsThe City of Bowie is seeking applicants for the following positions: Building Maintenance Worker I – Part time/temporary (open until filled) Emergency Management Specialist – Part time (open until 5/11/18) Solid Waste Driver/Collector – Public Works (open until 5/4/18) Police Officers – Entry level & Lateral (open until filled) Assistant Director – Public Works (open until filled) Senior Services Manager/Assistant Manager – Community Services (open until 5/14/18) Communications Specialist – Police Department (open until 5/15/18) For more information or to apply, visit http://bit.ly/2rfErQs SweepingCity streets are swept free of dirt and debris between spring and early fall each year. View the sweeping schedule on the City’s website at http://bit.ly/2okRuAo and please try to remove parked cars from the street when sweeping is scheduled for your neighborhood. For more information, call the Department of Public Works at 301-809-2344.Mosquito ControlThe City of Bowie, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, has an aggressive mosquito surveillance and spraying program in City neighborhoods. When necessary, spraying is done in the late evenings/early mornings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (June to September.) You can also do your part to control the mosquito population and prevent the spread of West Nile virus by eliminating mosquito breeding areas on your property in places where water collects, such as trash cans, buckets, and wheelbarrows, and by changing water in kiddie pools, bird baths, and outdoor pet water bowls regularly. For more information about mosquito prevention, visit http://bit.ly/1CCZgjZ. Bowie Ice ArenaThe Ice Arena is closed during the months of May and June for routine maintenance. It will re-open for summer skating in July. Registration is underway for July and August Summer Camps and Learn-to-Skate Classes for all ages and levels. For information, please call 301-809-3090 or visit http://bit.ly/2HQh6ej Gardens Information Session – May 5Join Elmer Dengler of the Green Team’s Natural Resources Subgroup on May 5, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Huntington Community Center, as he promotes creating pollinator gardens for every type of property. Subjects covered will include why we need pollinator gardens, where to put them, and how to maintain them. Free pollinator collections will be given to the first ten attendees! Contact Ashleigh Armentrout at 301-809-3044 or [email protected] for more information. Celebrate Belair’s Role in American Thoroughbred Racing – May 5This Saturday marks the 144th “Run for the Roses” in Kentucky. Belair Stable proudly boasts three Kentucky Derby winners – Gallant Fox in 1930, his son Omaha in 1935, and Johnstown in 1939. “The Fox of Belair” and Omaha enjoy a special place in racing history. They are the only father and son to ever capture the Triple Crown (Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.) Learn about these great horses and celebrate Belair’s role in American Thoroughbred racing by visiting the Belair Stable, located at 2835 Belair Drive. The Stable Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Free.City Council Fiscal 2019 Budget Review Concludes in MayCity Council began reviewing the Proposed FY19 Budget and Capital Improvements Program in April. This Budget takes effect July 1, 2018. The public is invited to attend all Council Meetings, Public Hearings and Budget Worksessions. Meetings begin at 8 p.m. at City Hall. May 7 – Public Hearing FY 19 Budget, Capital Improvement Program and Constant Yield Tax Rate. May 14 – Budget Worksession #5 The final Budget Worksession will include a review of the budgets for the Planning Department, the Information Technology Department, the Equipment Acquisition and Replacement Fund, General Fund Summaries, and the Appendix, which includes the Plan of Compensation. May 21 – Adoption of Budget and Capital Improvements Program Five-Year Consolidated Plan for Community Development Draft Five-Year Consolidated Plan Review - A draft of the City of Bowie Consolidated Plan is available for review until May 7, 2018 at City Hall, the Senior Center, local community centers, and at the two public libraries in Bowie. Please send information requests/comments to [email protected]. Public Hearing – May 7 City Council Meeting, 8 p.m. at City Hall. Yard Maintenance Season The grass-mowing season has begun. Grass and weeds are not permitted to exceed eight inches in height. If you have a lawn service, schedule them to place bagged (paper only) yard waste and grass clippings at the curb on Tuesday evening for Wednesday yard waste collection. If there is a vacant property near your home that is not being maintained, please contact the Code Compliance Office at 301-809-3008 or use our online system to submit a service request at http://bit.ly/2jpkCSx. For more information about property maintenance or other Code Compliance concerns, visit www.cityofbowie.org/codecompliance. Be a Considerate NeighborAs the weather warms up, you are likely to spend more time outdoors. Please remember to respect everyone’s right to a peaceful and quiet environment. Lawn maintenance equipment may be operated Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The same hours apply for playing music and hosting loud parties and other events. For more information, contact the Code Compliance Office at 301-809-3008.Green Bowie Programs $20 Compost Bins Available at City Hall. City residents may purchase up to two bins per household. Payment by cash or check is accepted at the Finance window during the City’s business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). After business hours, check payments are accepted at the reception desk at City Hall (Monday to Thurday until 10 p.m., Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.). Information: www.cityofbowie.org/compost $50 and $100 Tree Rebates. There are 11 species of trees that are eligible for City rebates. Purchase the eligible trees at any Maryland nursery or store. Applications and program details can be found at www.cityofbowie.org/treerebate. $50 Lawn Mower Rebates Buying a new mower? City residents who purchase a new mulching, electric, or manual reel mower are eligible to receive a $50 rebate from the City of Bowie. To obtain your cash rebate, bring proof of City residency and the receipt for a mulching, electric, or manual reel mower to the Finance Department at City Hall. Questions? Call 301-809-3020. Bike to Work Day – Friday, May 18Stop by one of Bowie’s two pit stops on Bike To Work Day between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. Stops are at Bowie Town Center Food Court and the Old Town Bowie Fire Station. Register at http://bit.ly/2oNDR8x or call 800-745-7433. Preregister by May 11 to receive a free T-shirt and to enter a raffle for a free bike. Information: Frank Stevens at 301-809-3053 or email [email protected]’ Market Opens Sunday, May 20Join us for the Bowie Farmers’ Market Opening Day on Sunday, May 20 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Market vendors will offer fresh locally grown produce, fruit, cut flowers, plants, breads, pastries, jams, jellies and more. The Market operates in the parking lot of the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts at Bowie High School, 15200 Annapolis Road on Sundays, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., through October 28, 2018. For more information, contact Matt Corley at 301-809-3078 or [email protected] Heritage Day May 20Have some fun and learn about the history of Bowie on Sunday, May 20 from 12 to 4 p.m. at Belair Mansion, Belair Stable and Bowie Railroad Museum. There will be pony rides, face painting, and spinning at the Stable. Tour the Mansion and enjoy a musical performance at 2 p.m. by Bedlam! Also be sure to check out the NTrack Model Railroad Club display at the Railroad Museum. All free. For more information, please contact the Museums Office at 301-809-3089 or [email protected]. Memorial Day Parade – Saturday, May 26The Parade will begin at 11 a.m. at the Bowie High School Annex (3021 Belair Drive). Participants will march along Belair Drive to Sussex Lane, then to Stonybrook Drive, and end at Sage Lane. The reviewing stand, along with concession stands and restrooms, will be located in Acorn Hill Park on Stonybrook Drive. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1TIxEsT or call 301-809-3078. Sunday Sunset Concert Series Begins May 27Concerts are held every Sunday from 7 to 8 p.m. through September 2. They are canceled in case of inclement weather. For more information or to see the list of performers, visit http://bit.ly/1RxW8xj or call 301-809-3078 or email [email protected]. Memorial Day Holiday – Monday, May 28Monday, May 28 is a City holiday. City offices are closed. There is no refuse or recycling collection on this day. Collection will resume on the next regularly scheduled day.Register for the City Gym Summer Basketball CampThe City Gym will host a summer basketball camp July 16 - 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for boys and girls ages 8 to 14. The cost is $210 for Bowie residents and $225 for nonresidents. For information, contact Mike Lonergan at [email protected] or 301-809-2383 or visit http://bit.ly/2ajqCVW. What’s Bouncing at the City Gym? Morning Walking Weekdays, 8:30 - 10 a.m. Basketball Open Gym Weekdays, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Pickleball Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Learn to play! Coed Recreational Volleyball Fridays, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. No experience needed. Senior Fit Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 - 10 a.m. Hosted by Holy Cross Hospital. Participants must register with Holy Cross. For information and registration, call Sara McKechnie at 301-754-7895. Friday Night Open Gym 7:30 - 10 p.m. Three courts open. The Great Outdoors ExhibitThe current City Hall Art Gallery exhibit runs through June 23. It is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are the same as City Hall hours: Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.Imagine an Hour that Impacts a LifetimeBowie Youth & Family Services is now recruiting adult volunteer mentors to provide care and commitment to a Bowie High School student who may be struggling to make a successful transition to the high school environment. Mentors act as a friend, an adviser, and a listening heart. Make a difference in the life of an incoming freshman by assisting them in their transition to a successful academic experience. Volunteers spend one hour a week building relationships and making a positive difference in the lives of the students and their families. If you would like to join this dynamic team of volunteers and make a difference in your community, contact Bowie Youth & Family Services at 301-809-3033 or email [email protected] Beautification AwardsThe City, in cooperation with Soroptimist International of Bowie-Crofton, is accepting nominations for the Annual Beautification Awards. Anyone can nominate a home, business, school, or specialty garden that reflects the beauty of Bowie. All nominations must be for locations within the corporate limits of Bowie. Submission deadline is June 2, 2018. For more information or to obtain a nomination form, visit http://bit.ly/1TIxy4m or contact Matt Corley at 301-809-3078 or [email protected] Center Information and Referral Fair is May 30 – June 1Each spring the Senior Center hosts a free fair to bring special entertainment and information to the community. The theme of this year’s Information and Referral Fair is “Making Today Matter.” It kicks off on Wednesday, May 30, at 10 a.m. with a fashion show. Patrons and guest models from our community and surrounding Prince George’s County will be featured. On Thursday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be a series of “hands-on” workshops. Subjects will include budgets, pharmacy needs, preventive care home visits, spring cleaning—getting rid of clutter, transportation, housing, and much more. On Friday, June 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be a Senior Information and Referral Vendor Fair. A variety of professionals will have displays and answer questions on a variety of subjects and services of interest to seniors and those who love them. Contact Gloria Gaddy, Service Information & Referral Specialist, at 301-809-2377. EventsThrough 5/12 – “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” at Bowie Playhouse For tickets and information, visit http://bit.ly/2GDSA2L or call 301-832-4819.5/2 – Walk Wednesday at Whitemarsh Park 7 p.m. The group will meet at the edge of the parking lot at the start of the walking path. 7 p.m. See the full Walk Wednesday schedule at http://bit.ly/2akjQmd. 5/7 – City Council Meeting 8 p.m. at City Hall. FY 2019 Budget, CIP and Constant Yield Tax Rate Public Hearing.5/9 – Walk Wednesday at Acorn Hill Park 7 p.m. The group will meet in the parking area behind the Community Center. See the full Walk Wednesday schedule at http://bit.ly/2akjQmd. 5/12 – Weed Warrior Work Day 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Whitemarsh Park. Join the Bowie Green Team in removing invasive English Ivy. Hands-on training and tools provided by the City. Please contact Ashleigh Armentrout to register in advance at 301-809-3044 or [email protected]/14 – Variety Show: Jump, Shout and Boogie! 10:30 a.m. at the Bowie Senior Center. Free. For more information, please contact the Senior Center at 301-809-2300.5/14 – Mistress Margaret Brent Visits Belair 7 p.m. at Belair Mansion. This kid-friendly history presentation is free. For more information, please contact 301-809-3089 or [email protected]/14 – City Council Budget Worksession #5 8 p.m. at City Hall. Budgets of Emergency Management Office, Planning Department, Information Technology Department, Equipment Acquisition and Replacement Fund, General Fund Summaries, Appendix (including Plan of Compensation) and Wrap-up.5/15 – Kids Kaboose 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Bowie Railroad Museum. Railroad fun and games for youngsters ages 1 - 11. Free. For more information, please contact 301-809-3089 or [email protected]. 5/15 – Bowie Business Innovation Center Dolphin Tank® Pitch Event and Reception 6 - 9 p.m. at the Kenhill Center. Make new business connections and hear six entrepreneurs from the Bowie area pitch their companies to a team of investors who give friendly feedback. Free. Registration required at https://bit.ly/2GwfQkh. 5/16 – Fairy Tale Fun 10 - 11 a.m. at Bowie Railroad Museum. Stories, craft and refreshments for ages 2 - 5, with adult. Free. For more information, please contact 301-809-3089 or [email protected]/16 – Senior Chorale Concert “You Raise Me Up” 7:30 p.m. at the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets ($8) for the performance may be obtained at the Senior Center. For more information, please contact the Senior Center at 301-809-2300.5/17 – Paint and Sip Night 7 p.m. at Belair Mansion. Create a summer work of art and enjoy an inspirational glass of wine. $40 per person. Reservations required. For more information, please contact 301-809-3089 or [email protected]/18 – Bike to Work Day 6:30 - 8:30 a.m. Pit Stops at Bowie Town Center Food Court and Old Town Bowie Fire Station, 9th Street. For more information, contact Frank Stevens in the City’s Planning Department at 301-809-3053 or [email protected]. 5/19 – Walk Wednesday at Fairwood 7 p.m. The group will meet in the parking lot south of the Gold’s Gym. See the full Walk Wednesday schedule at http://bit.ly/2akjQmd. 5/20 – Farmers’ Market Opening Day 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Parking Lot of the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts at Bowie High School. For more information, contact Matt Corley at 301-809-3078 or [email protected]/20 – Bowie Heritage Day 12 - 4 p.m. Belair Mansion, Belair Stable, and the Bowie Railroad Museum. Free. For more information, please contact 301-809-3089 or [email protected]/21 – City Council Meeting 8 p.m. at City Hall. Adoption of 2019 Budget and Capital Improvements Program.5/22 – Community Meeting on Rezoning of Jesuit Property 7 p.m. at Kenhill Center.5/23 – Walk Wednesday at Allen Pond Park 7 p.m. The group will park in the parking lot by the head of the trail. See the full Walk Wednesday schedule at www.cityofbowie.org/walksched. mailto:[email protected]/26 – Memorial Day Parade. The parade steps off from the Belair Annex to Bowie High School at 11 a.m. and ends at Acorn Hill Park (on the corner of Sage Lane and Stonybrook Drive.) For information, visit http://bit.ly/1TIxEsT or call 301-809-3078. 5/27 – Sunday Sunset Concert – US Navy Band Commodores (Jazz) 7 - 8 p.m. at Robert V. Setera Amphitheater, Allen Pond Park. For the full summer concert schedule, visit http://bit.ly/1RxW8xj. For more information, please contact Matt Corley, Special Events Coordinator, at 301-809-3078 or [email protected]/28 – Memorial Day Holiday City offices are closed on this date. There will be no trash or recycling pickup on the holiday. Collection will be on your next regularly scheduled day.5/30 – 6/1 – Senior Information Fair: Making Today Matter For more information, please contact the Senior Center at 301-809-2300.5/30 – Walk Wednesday at WB & A Trail 7 p.m. The group will meet in the designated parking area. See the full Walk Wednesday schedule at http://bit.ly/2akjQmd. 6/2 – Bowiefest 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Allen Pond Park. Enjoy entertainment, food, children’s rides and over 250 vendors. Information: http://bit.ly/1Qcrnn9 or 301-809-3078. If you would like to edit your subscriptions or the way you receive these messages, please LOGIN to your account to manage your information or call 301-809-3032 for assistance.

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