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becomestorm · 6 years ago

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HEADCANON DUMP #8.

wow it’s been a hot minute since i’ve done one of these. a few of these have been recycled, expanded on, and taken off the headcanon masterlist as individual hcs.

#1. PRONOUNS.

ren didn’t start going by neutral pronouns until they were around thirteen or fourteen years of age. until that time, it was always he / him. due to ren being mute for a majority of their childhood, and most of their teen years, having only reached their level of communication skills a year or so before beacon, they never bothered to correct someone when they were mistaken for female or male, which was easier to do prior to puberty. they still wouldn’t do this now. if ren were to be mistaken for a female at this current time they still wouldn’t correct someone, because how they identify is no business of a stranger. their favoured pronouns are normally caught on depending on if nora uses them or not.

#2. BIRTHDAY.

ren never has, and most likely never will tell someone the exact date of their birthday. the reason li was returning home to kuroyuri was to celebrate the occasion with ren, whose birthday also happened to fall on the start of the mistrali spring equinox. the town was getting ready for a small festival, and it used to be ren’s favourite time of the year. it now happens to be the most devastating. those who are close with ren might, might find out eventually that ren’s birthday falls on the pisces - aries cusp, fittingly called the cusp of rebirth, as the lotus is associated with many, many tales surrounding reincarnation. i’m still fiddling around with my interpretations, but i believe ren’s moon sign is scorpio, and their ascending sign is capricorn. as for the exact date, i think even ren’s forgotten.

#3. FAVOURITE DESSERT.

their favourite dessert is popsicles. i’ve always imagined central mistral to have a somewhat warm climate, and though while living with the extended family ren had access to a multitude of different desserts they never found comfort in them. they found they loved the ice candy their mother made more, when in kuroyuri and they had to live by simpler means. she would freeze milk, with a little sugar, and that would be a treat for ren. or calamanci, with sugar, and water, and they enjoyed it through summer time. ren has fond memories of those days. just like with their juice habits, they’ve upped the ante with popsicle making now, so their home made ice candies are elaborate: roasted blackberry with matcha and coconut, edible flower and elderflower, cucumber watermelon with lime, cherry rose tea popsicles, etc. ren normally hates sweets and cannot ingest a lot of sugar, so this is one of the few things they’ll make exceptions for. the only other one being their grandmother’s white chocolate taro cookies ( as ordinarily white chocolate will make them sick. )

#4. SWEARING.

ren doesn’t swear very often. especially in the common tongue. their swearing is limited to moments of extremely high distress, or shocking moments of comedic timing. sometimes, they even swear to prove a point. it doesn’t feel particularly wrong to him, even though as someone who grew up on behavioural lessons it should, ren can say words like “fuck” with ease it’s just that they rarely get angry or passionate enough to use it. just like their words, they feel that swear words are better used to illustrate a point, and they’re more effective if you use them sparingly. i can only think of one instance where ren has said “fucking” in a thread and it was due to unsolicited touching of their person ( “don’t fucking touch me.” ), as they are extremely wary of people touching them without permission. ren swears just a tad more when speaking in their mother tongue, but even still, it’s not by a lot. i’ve probably written this somewhere before, but the most common reasons they use foul language in the common tongue: 1. quoting someone / 2. adamantly fighting against the use of swear jars / 3. you darn fucked up, and now they’re furious / 4. sinning.

#5. DENTAL HYGIENE.

ren’s canines and fangs are pointier than normal human teeth, so they often carry around floss. the feeling of having something stuck in their teeth frustrates them to no end. on top of that, they were taught to take special care of their dragon faunus teeth, as not only was ren afraid of the dentist and wanted to limit their visits as much as possible, but it’s quite easy to go astray when taking care of dragon mouth parts, considering there are canine, fang, venom reservoir, spark pouch, tongue, gums, all parts which could be subject to bad diseases should something go wrong with one element. because of their dental hygiene, ren tends to avoid foods like fruit roll ups, things with seeds in them, most chewy candy, chips. they always have mints on them too, and are a fan of the cinnamon flavoured ones. it doesn’t matter if they’re chewy or hard, ren will crush them regardless. dragon teeth are worth a lot on the black market, another semi-magical aspect which made ren a target when they were younger.

#6. LEARNED BEHAVIOUR.

there are still a lot of tendencies that ren learned growing up from behavioural lessons, and observing their father. even though the actions sometimes aren’t noticed because of ren’s dismissive attitude, or maybe their sarcasm, or stand-off-ishness, and occasionally socially awkward tendencies, but ren still often conducts themselves as a gentleman. they carry a handkerchief, they open doors for other people, they’ll offer their jacket if they have one, they’re always on time, ren rises when who they’re expecting comes into the room, they will compliment bluntly and often, they pull out chairs, gives up their seat, they have impeccable manners, they’re observant, they dress well, take care of their things, remain humble, and kind. i know it’s often lost among ren’s hostilities, and strange habits, but there are some habits which are hard to break. it’s harder to notice these things when you’re a friend though, because they tend to loosen up around those closer. this is the kind of behaviour associated with strangers, and datemates.

#7. ARGUMENTATIVE.

it’s difficult to argue with ren. if you do, make sure you know what you’re talking about, because ren likes to be right about things, and they will literally keep arguing until you despise them. if you get them speaking about something they’re passionate about, or when they’re angry ( where they are more likely to play devil’s advocate, and still win ), whether it be about politics, religion, strategies, philosophies, morals, history, scenarios, it will be difficult to get them to shut up until the other party gives up or concedes defeat. although, it is somewhat difficult to get ren into this heated, argumentative state. not many know of ren’s ridiculous stubbornness. the circumstances are different if the fight is personal, but you’ll be hard pressed to get ren to admit they’re sorry, even when they do see an error in their ways.

#8. LACK OF LABELS.

because ren “mates for life”, they’re never really aware of their own sexuality. they choose one person, and then they’re done. i say mate for life because even if they leave ren, or if that partner happened to pass away at a relatively young age, ren will never fall in love again. i can’t see them doing it. i can’t see them healing from the one instance, and i can see them being content to remain alone from that point on. because of a lack of romantic or sexual experimentation, ren never really finds out what their sexual or romantic orientation is. they can make rough guesses, but when asked they’ll probably shrug. there are many that can tell what their orientation is whether they’ve had experience or not, but ren is not that kind of person. so even though i know that ren is ( probably ) grey - a / demipansexual demipanromantic / lithromantic / possibly aro ??? — so they’re somewhere on this spectrum okay ?! ( i know, i’m still not very sure myself, even after all this time ) ren never really knows themselves. they don’t care either. in verses besides main verse, when ren falls in love, they become wholly devoted, which also makes it hard to place ren in poly relationships because they need to feel the same level of trust and attraction to two people without their possessive, envious tendencies getting in the way.

#hc.#i wanted to write more but it was getting too long

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memorylang · 5 years ago

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Evacuation | #27 | February 2020

The night of Wednesday, Feb. 26, I received an email all Peace Corps Volunteers were evacuating Mongolia. I could hardly process it.

I took notes and resolved I’d revisit these moments. Now, through these next tales, I take you through the horror, sadness and wonder of indefinitely leaving that nation I thought I’d call home 27 months. I was there just nine.

Profoundly, when I first committed last June to starting this Peace Corps Mongolia blog, I expected to write 27 stories—one for every month I’d serve in Mongolia. Well, here's my 27th story.

Amid those frantic days nonetheless came a comforting thought—My path through murky woods lost fright when I remembered, follow light.

Tsagaan Sar's Ash Wednesday: The Endless Night

After reading our email command to leave Mongolia, I reaffirmed to my supervisor sitting beside me, I meant what I said, that I wanted to keep in touch and help, no matter where I am. She seemed OK. My supervisor dropped me off in front of my apartment building. I thanked her for inviting me to my last Tsagaan Sar Lunar New Year’s dinner. I hoped we’d see each other again.

I escaped the cold, ascending my building’s inside stairwell. I got another call. This one came from my kind sitemate, concerned how I felt about our evacuation email. I just laughed hysterically.

Laughing’s how I cope. I thought both, “This is really happening. Is this really happening?”

I assured I’d help her. She and our sitemate who called me earlier were still stranded another province over. They couldn’t even see their homes again before leaving Mongolia. I promised I’d hand off the spare key she left me to her colleague and help any way I could.

Here’s what’s crazy. My city’s under a day’s drive from the capital. Our email listed Peace Corps would drive out to collect Volunteers as early as the next day. So, I could have to leave my city in under 24 hours, ready or not. I got a carry-on and one checked bag. Donate the rest, or pack it for Peace Corps to ship.

I kept climbing the staircase. Our sitemate who called me at dinner messaged me. I wrote back I read the email. I’d be in my apartment soon. They were right—This was a lot to process. I wasn’t sure I’d be ready to video call that night, for what they needed. But I’d help all the way. A checklist would help me.

I was almost to my floor. I knew this evacuation would feel more real with every place I went, chat I had and person I saw.

But—bizarrely—I felt prepared.

I knew this stress. I had to pack like this before.

That Great Stress: The Endlessness

Finally at my floor, I got back to my apartment.

I kept feeling how that morning three years ago, how I felt when I learned my mother was dead, prepared me for these very hours.

When I got that call Mom was killed, Dad told me I needed to—during my uni’s finals week—cut my semester, pack everything, leave my community, board a plane the next day, and fly home. Then I knew, I’d fly straight for China after reuniting with Mother at her funeral. Sobbing at 19 in my dorm, thinking Mom ripped from me was disconcerting enough, I felt overwhelmed.

To fly from my college town to home and then abroad, I needed to pack anything I thought I’d need for both home and my life on our Pacific’s other side.

This time—comparable—felt different.

I’m 22, leaving a country. But I committed this Lent, which began this very day, Ash Wednesday, to call on God's help for the strength He provides.

When Mom died, I alerted my clubs and orgs I had to go. This time, I alerted community groups. But I didn’t want to juggle messages. So I revealed it first to a select few. Three years ago, I walked down the hill to my church and saw our pastor there. This time, I wrote first to those local American friends.

I sought prayers. I let them know Peace Corps Mongolia was officially evacuating back to the U.S. For that reason, I’d be packing. My driver could arrive as early as the next evening to get me. But our managers would call each of us the next day with specifics.

To anyone I couldn't see before I left, I reaffirmed I felt so glad I could meet them. They touched my heart, strengthened my faith, and taught me why my favorite country during high school is truly among Earth’s most amazing.

I closed in stating this was a trying time for us all, but I'm so glad God let me celebrate my entire Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia. I invited people to tell others I'm leaving, and I’d learn later whether I can return.

I know God has the power to make anything possible. Whatever His wish, may His will be done.

My community offered their prayers and hoped to see me again. I felt glad.

I felt, even as this chapter of my service ends, more certainly than ever, my life with Mongolia has only begun.

Assessing My Situation: The Endless Night

After sending my dramatic messages to my community, I brewed tea. I gazed over my rooms. I had a long night before me.

The month before, my friend from Peace Corps China shared with me his cohort’s traumatic evacuation back to the States. Now I get mine. He joined Peace Corps Mongolia, too. Now this.

I considered calling my Catholic Peace Corps Volunteer friend. He’s a Health Volunteer, after all.

Then that friend called me.

My friend described his peace about our circumstances. He actually foresaw us getting evacuated, once our Peace Corps emergency phases to stay alert and restrict travel began. He studied pandemics in his past life and recognized COVID-19 would get graver before it gets better. Plus, when he emailed staff about wanting to take time abroad, they suggested he hold off till an announcement. So, when that announcement came, he didn’t feel so surprised.

I appreciated my friend’s call. He reminded me I’m a good guy, too. I need to focus on my packing. Let the rest fall into place. God gave me strength and a calming friend in this one. We committed to keeping in touch.

Packing the Endless Night

The rest of that Ash Wednesday night’s largely lost to my recollection. I brewed plenty more tea to get me through. I prayed for peace and fortitude and felt waves of gratitude at various hours. Beyond these, below are some few moments I recall.

I felt glad knowing fellow Peace Corps Volunteers around our country stayed awake. I wasn’t alone. Whether stress or fellow early pick-up fears kicked in, we suffered together.

Pleasantly, I realized, Wednesday was my final 'normal' day in Mongolia. And that day, I reaffirmed to locals not once but three times why I came to Mongolia, that I love Mongolia, and why I love Mongolia. I felt glad.

As I packed up a Thanksgiving gift, I noticed some of my students complimented feeling thankful I'm "loyal." At that time, I felt surprised they felt that way, considering they knew me only three months. Maybe they saw in me something I didn’t see so clearly. Maybe God had a point.

Packing for Another: The Endless Night’s Day

Rumor had it I packed for another Peace Corps Volunteer, which was correct. This was for my sitemate stranded away. I missed them.

Originally I feared having to pack their apartment Wednesday night, but a thought came to me to request coming in the morning, instead.

My greatest fear was potential drunkards wandering around from Tsagaan Sar's final night. There was also a cop allegedly staring at my apartment building because two Mongolians who flew in Coronavirus-afflicted Korea live here. I didn’t want any situation when I’d need to explain in broken Mongolian why I wasn’t inside quarantining.

I cared about them and I could relate to feeling concerned. But I needed to make sure my mind and body were secure, too, when I visit.

Waiting till morning afforded me more time to get my things in order, so I'd feel calmer getting my sitemate’s things the next morning. Plus, I got sunlight to walk over, especially with new ice and snow.

Serious Scavenger Hunt: The Endless Night’s Day

At 8 a.m. daybreak after my night of less than an hour’s rest, I walked down a few apartment buildings to my sitemate’s.

When anyone seemed surprised I packed for another, I replied it's what sitemates are for. It’s what I could do, staying when others left. It's what we Volunteers do—help each other.

I spent an hour on video call with my sitemate, on what felt a critical hunt. Despite stress, I felt somewhat honored, entrusted to find their belongings and secure them. I liked getting to remotely make their things work.

After our call, I photographed rooms and progress. They gave me tips how to pack things well. I’d never worked with much of that stuff before...

I stuffed a colossal hiking backpack, filled a camera bag, crammed a duffel and took care of important books and decorations. They said, leave the rest. Before my phone died, ending our communication, I made sure to grab Mongolian cultural things I figured they’d miss. (They felt relieved.)

Also. While I made sense of the kitchen, they mentioned I could take whatever food. I figured this wouldn’t help me much, since I needed to get rid of my food, too. But I pocketed some granola/trail mix and clipped onto that super backpack frozen raspberry and strawberry bags. My sitemate’s bag straps and clips made lugging it all possible. I trekked back to my apartment.

The moment I got in, I realized I must have dehydrated a little at my friend’s. Once I opened the raspberry bag, I ate its entire contents in one standing. I felt amazed.

The rest of that Thursday morning, packing amid stress, I awaited Peace Corps’ call. At last, midday, a manager rung. I’d depart Sunday, March 1 at dawn. I felt shocked.

Had time, I could tell people—felt relieved.

Then I fell asleep.

Packing Without Closure

I woke up Thursday afternoon. I packed through evening, rested, then began again Friday.

With the packing, I didn’t have much time to focus on what was going on. But objects caught my eye such that they triggered realizations.

It happened while I was taking my cork board off my entry wall. I was pulling out from last October my little lime-green Mongolian Teachers' Day card envelope, from below last January’s farewell card pilgrims gifted me at our Panamanian pilgrimage’s end.

That's when I felt struck—I'm actually leaving, leaving Mongolia.

I glanced to my phone and noticed community members messaged me how grateful they felt that I came and how they hope I can return. I noticed, beside the little card I pulled out rested my Peace Corps Mongolia pledge from Swear-In.

How do six months in my city go so fast? God knows...

I hope, my time away will only strengthen ties before the faithful day I return. Maybe I'll be maturer, wiser then, too. After all, I weathered my first Mongolian winter. I could take another.

Having finished and returned Brian's memoir, “There’s a Sheep in My Bathtub,” the day before, I considered too my feelings of frustration that the world kept turning at its normal rate. Meanwhile, my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and I in Mongolia suffered from packing to evacuate the communities we called home for months and years. But such was life.

Seeing as well my letter, "Congratulations on your site placement...!" and traditional clothing I wore with my host family this summer, I felt something special. I wasn't just leaving the country where I lived and taught—I was leaving the country where I learned and grew, too.

Friday for Farewells

By the time people offered packing help, as a big change, I actually felt more inclined to decline.

That's different. Packing used to be among the activities I always sought help for. Especially when Mom passed away, college suitemates helped and even moved my things. This time, through that constant effort Thursday and Friday, I’d needed left only to distribute my food and pack my carry-on. I was nearly done. Zipping a duffel, I wondered if Dad felt this dutiful packing during his U.S. Army National Guard deployments overseas...

By Friday midday, I took to new tasks.

Around my apartment, I found gifts I meant to deliver. So, taking a pause, I quickly bundled these up, prepared simple notes and readied them to pass on.

I wished especially I could have seen the children of the orphanage one last time before leaving. I hoped they had a great Lunar New Year's.

With three ‘Thank You’ cards remaining that Peace Corps gave me during fall, I addressed them to my three local communities—my school, my church, and my support. I'd, providentially perhaps, three photos leftover from my arrival in Mongolia. I paired each with a ‘Thank You’ card. With one separate photo, I attached it as part of the gift I prepared for the orphanage's children and teachers.

Midday Friday, my supervisor returned. She’d drive me downtown for my deliveries. I’d under 48 hours remaining. Still, I yearned to see any Mongolian willing to say goodbye amid this COVID-19 terror. I couldn’t know whether I’d have another chance.

My Peace Corps Mongolia evacuation stories continue.

You can read more from me here at DanielLang.me~

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guhudude · 7 years ago

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Tagged by: @omuii le geef

Rules: Answer these 92 statements and tag 20 people

LAST: 1. Drink: coke  2. Phone call: probably my mom  3. Text message: to my girlfriend: ^_^  4. Song you listened to: Free -6LACK  5. Time you cried: uhhhhhhhhhh I think it was two weeks ago when I was frustrated with my family for not treating me like an adult

HAVE YOU:  6. Dated someone twice: nooo  7. Kissed someone and regretted it: yes but I barely count it as a kiss lol. I was in 8th grade and gave my boyfriend a peck on the lips and the whole thing was so forced it was stupid  8. Been cheated on: don't think so  9. Lost someone special: yes  10. Been depressed: heck yeck   11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: yeah I was at a party with some friends in college and it was a great party most of the people were LGBT and everybody was really chill but I just really wanted to get wrecked lol. I started with beer because I thought that was all they had but then I found out they had Smirnoff ice and I started drinking those, and I played a drinking game with shots of Long Island iced tea.... best party ever even though I did get sick twice

LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS:  12-14: I can't believe this is just a clever way to skip my favorite number in the questions but ok: ultramarine blue, lime green, umm. Plum purple? Not all at once lol

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU:  15. Made new friends: yes  16. Fallen out of love: yes (only romantically)  17. Laughed until you cried: yes, usually because of The Squad, my Skype group  18. Found out someone was talking about you: yupperooza.  19. Met someone who changed you: hmmmm. I followed someone on tumblr does that count?  20. Found out who your friends are: yes  21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: my gf ;)

GENERAL:  22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: almost all of them, so around 200  23. Do you have any pets: Sasha, a 6 year old border collie-husky mix who is black with blue eyes (she's a little brat who tries to trip everyone by tackling their feet), and Gretchen, a 11 year old German shepherd mix with a big belly (and a bigger heart) and a curly tail  24. Do you want to change your name: yeah, my legal name is both too feminine and too biblical. Hopefully someday I'll get to change it legally to Peri.  25. What did you do for your last Birthday: I honestly don't remember :') it was probably boring  26. What time did you wake up: I woke up at 9 surprisingly well rested  27. What were you doing at midnight last night: watching Jupiter Ascending which is one heck of a movie  28. Name something you can’t wait for: going to visit my geef in New Jersey again  29. When was the last time you saw your mom: I'm sitting next to her on the couch watching family feud right now  30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life: GIVE ME THE HECKENING MOTIVATION!!!!  31. What are you listening right now: G-Mix: Russel on Spotify. I'm goin through all of their playlists. B)  32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: there were a few different guys named Tom at the campgrounds we used to go to every summer.  33. Something that is getting on your nerves: my LACK!! OF MOTIVATION!!!!!  34. Most visited website: tumblr, YouTube, kimcartoon

LOST QUESTIONS. I JUST PUT IN RANDOM INFO ABOUT ME  35. Mole/s: a few on my arms  36. Mark/s: fuckin perpetual acne and scars from it on my shoulders and back : ) a birthmark on my left side and supposedly one on the back of my neck but ofc I've never actually seen it -squints- a few freckles here and there  37. Childhood dream: to be literally every fucking profession. I wanted to be a princess, a fire fighter, a veterinarian, a cop, a psychiatrist...  38. Hair color: brown  39. Long or short hair: short, I look like one of the Beatles lmao  40. Do you have a crush on someone: does my gf count 👀  41. What do you like about yourself: I'm a good friend and I got a nice body 😘  42. Piercings: just 2, one traditional piercing in each ear. I really want a bar of some kind, at least one cartilage piercing.   43. Blood type: O+  44. Nickname: saoirse, seersh, peri, peridot  45. Relationship status: taken by my gf 46. Zodiac: sexy, sexy Sagittarius ;)  47. Pronouns: they/them or... ya know what idc actually any pronouns lol  48. Favorite TV Show: Steven Universe, Rick and Morty, Community 49. Tattoos: none YET  50. Right or left hand: right-handed though I am slightly better with my left hand at frisbee for some reason  51. Surgery: once I had a surgery on my tooth that never came down because the teeth on either side were too close together.  52. Hair dyed in different color: never :c  ... yet 53. Sport: I used to be in track/field for one year in middle school, I was horrible at it but I did the 200, high jump and long jump. When I say I was bad at it I mean I was Literally The Worst on the team by far. I like to watch hockey especially in the arena because it gets WILD in there. You get to hear all the crazy shit all the drunk fans are saying and watch people get into fights and yell at each other 54. was there a 54 before bc i lost it i guess? and i just copy-pasted the whole thing  55. Vacation: a nice little cabin in the woods with hiking trails around it would be perfect 👌 I'd also like to go on a cross-country road trip someday  56. Pair of trainers: these black ones with neon laces that I wear to work, my favorite ones right now that are black with stars that glow in the dark (I don't wear them to work so as not to wear them out), a pair of black converse and a pair of black and teal vans, both of which I've had for years MORE GENERAL:  57. Eating: nothing right now  58. Drinking: coke  59. I’m about to: READ A FUCKING BOOK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2 YEARS  61. Waiting for: me to get my shit together  62. Want: a raise? No? Damn. motivation??? .... shit.  63. Get married: someday, u know it -finger guns-  64. Career: artist/illustrator if I HAD THAT FUCKING MOTIVATION 👏👏👏 i have been wondering how I would do as a plumber tho.. 🤔

WHICH IS BETTER  65. Hugs or kisses: hugs ? 66. Lips or eyes: eyes  67. Shorter or taller: maybe.. a LITTLE taller????????????? if ANYTHING??  68. Older or younger: I am 19 and too far in either direction is Uncomfortable 😐  70. Nice arms or nice stomach: What Does This Mean (in general tummies are nice tho)  71. Sensitive or loud: hm?? I'm sensitive to loud noises???? I really don't know what this means  72. Hook up or relationship: relationship  73. Troublemaker or hesitant: "i’m a hesitant trouble-maker" -my gf and honestly, same

HAVE YOU EVER:  74. Kissed a Stranger: no  75. Drank hard liquor: hell yea  76. Lost glasses/contact lenses: I've briefly been unable to find them but I always find them again   77. Turned someone down: yes have you ever been friends with a Nice Guy  78. Sex on the first date: what is this... Sex  79. Broken someone’s heart: probably since I've turned people down  80. Had your heart broken: yeah  81. Been arrested: nope 😏don't plan on it either  82. Cried when someone died: umm I cried like a week after someone died does that count? My emotions are delayed sometimes  83. Fallen for a friend: ;) ye

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:  84. Yourself: barely  85. Miracles: not technically  86. Love at first sight: sometimes  87. Santa Claus: again not technically but I think he's a good symbol for kids and in general positive vibes during the holiday season  88. Kiss on the first date: yeanoooo.. it takes a while for me. When in doubt just ask. And listen to my response lmao (someone kissed me after I said no and MMM 😬)

OTHER:  90. Current best friend name: I can't just pick one 😫I have like 10 REALLY great friends I trust with my life   91. Eye color: grey-green  92. Favorite movie: the only movie I can think of right now is Jupiter Ascending because i just saw it last night and it's the first movie I've seen in months lol. OH FUCKING HECK INTERSTELLAR THATS MY FAVORITE MOVIE I LOVE INTERSTELLAR

NOW, TAG 20 PEOPLE: imma do what tessa did and tag the last 20 mutuals in my notes so don’t feel obligated to do this or even read it! also if you don’t want me to tag you in these in the future let me know and i’ll do my best to avoid it. @gordamnramsey, @mysteriousquartz, @celestialmoonlights, @viviannevendetta, @carryonmywaywardplanet, @jamesxfilesthemeroach, @lordsardine, @woahdaleks, @prettythinker, @belleweather, @squidego, @reck2468, @sexyninjakitty96, @animeandmanga-bearcat, @thesamanthagossamer

im actually gonna cut it off there at 15 bc i don’t have that many active mutuals lol oK HAVE FUN EVERYBODY make sure to tag me if you do this!

#long post #tag meme #text #mine #cursing #i don't normally tag cursing but for some reason i did it a LOT in here so #alcohol #i also talk abt that quite a bit here lol #about me #i hope everything is done and i didn't forget to edit something bc THIS POST IS BEING EJECTED INTO THE VOID

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rococochocolates · 7 years ago

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http://ift.tt/2rcGo2h <p>After almost 10 years of using and enjoying Grenada Chocolate Company’s chocolate, and wondering whether I’d ever see the source, Chantal suggested I book for a trip to Grenada to coincide with the 2017 Chocolate Festival.</p> <p>As Head Chocolatier here at Rococo, a trip to Grenada was not just a chance to see cocoa growing, and experience a different culture, but to watch the original Tree to Bar company in action, learn all about the chocolate making, and hopefully, in return, teach the team in the Bonbon shop some chocolatier skills.</p> <p>Grenada is an incredible country. Visually, it’s stunning. The population of 109,000 live in this tiny island country barely 25 miles long. Each coast is a slightly different climate and coastline, the dwellings vary, as does the abundance of fruits. The coastline quickly ascends into rainforest covered mountains, topped with clouds which occasionally decide to burst and drench you with a tropical downpour.</p> <div id="attachment_15348" style="width: 385px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15348" src="http://ift.tt/2rcGo2h" alt="Grand Anse beach" width="375" height="500" srcset="http://ift.tt/2rcGo2h 375w, http://ift.tt/2rX8jQJ 192w, http://ift.tt/2rchCPN 768w, http://ift.tt/2rX7UxC 600w, http://ift.tt/2rc5K0e 435w, http://ift.tt/2rXoWMk 1122w, http://ift.tt/2rczp9m 840w, http://ift.tt/2rWVyFI 687w, http://ift.tt/2rcn8Sp 414w, http://ift.tt/2rX2NOa 354w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Grand Anse beach</p></div> <div id="attachment_15349" style="width: 385px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-medium wp-image-15349" src="http://ift.tt/2rc8OJr" alt="Rainforest hills" width="375" height="500" srcset="http://ift.tt/2rc8OJr 375w, http://ift.tt/2rX7SWw 192w, http://ift.tt/2rcmX9O 768w, http://ift.tt/2rWW0E4 600w, http://ift.tt/2rcqchy 435w, http://ift.tt/2rXk2it 1122w, http://ift.tt/2rcqXqy 840w, http://ift.tt/2rX5eAh 687w, http://ift.tt/2rcC2Ie 414w, http://ift.tt/2rX3wP9 354w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Rainforest hills</p></div> <p>The roadsides are lined with trees dripping with mangoes, which you can pick up from the floor and tear open to eat the sweet or acidic flesh. Huge breadfruit trees bear their big, lime-green round fruit, nutmeg trees can be found everywhere, dropping their bright-red mace encased nutmeg shells to the floor.</p> <p>Cocoa is everywhere. Small and larger trees, pods of all sizes growing at odd angles from all over the trunk and braches. Green ripens to yellow, red to orange, and the trees are covered with every stage of growth, from flowers to ripe pods. This past year’s combination has meant a constant harvest, so it’s been a good year. Large bunches of bananas and plantains are interspersed. This incredibly productive vegetation combines with the wooden dwellings of the locals, which some are no more than shacks, and the people sit in their porches, or gather at local shops and bars, spending their time and the long hours of heat and darkness, deep in conversation and local gossip. Everything and anything is painted the bright red, yellow and green of the flag of Grenada – from lamp posts to rocks and fences!</p> <div id="attachment_15351" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img src="http://ift.tt/2rcC3fg" alt="Rainforest nutmeg" width="690" height="920" class="size-large wp-image-15351" srcset="http://ift.tt/2rcC3fg 768w, http://ift.tt/2rX3UNT 192w, http://ift.tt/2rcC4jk 375w, http://ift.tt/2rWY5jq 600w, http://ift.tt/2rcC4Qm 435w, http://ift.tt/2rXcUT0 1122w, http://ift.tt/2rcDwSN 840w, http://ift.tt/2rWQmC4 687w, http://ift.tt/2rczppS 414w, http://ift.tt/2rWLQ6r 354w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Rainforest nutmeg</p></div> <div id="attachment_15349" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img src="http://ift.tt/2rcmX9O" alt="Rainforest hills" width="690" height="920" class="size-large wp-image-15349" srcset="http://ift.tt/2rcmX9O 768w, http://ift.tt/2rX7SWw 192w, http://ift.tt/2rc8OJr 375w, http://ift.tt/2rWW0E4 600w, http://ift.tt/2rcqchy 435w, http://ift.tt/2rXk2it 1122w, http://ift.tt/2rcqXqy 840w, http://ift.tt/2rX5eAh 687w, http://ift.tt/2rcC2Ie 414w, http://ift.tt/2rX3wP9 354w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Rainforest river cocoa pods</p></div> <p>If you make sure to greet people and smile hello, they will frequently start to talk to you, often for quite a while! I heard tales of ‘the good old days’, of Cocoa Tea and salt fish cakes for breakfast, environmental changes and the unreliability of the seasons these days, of the various types of mangoes you can find (our taxi driver pulled over on what was their mother’s day, and picked me two Julie mangoes, telling me they were his mother’s favourite), the lack of Grenadian pre-colonial history taught in schools, and the problems with politicians – some issues are the same wherever you go!</p> <div id="attachment_15352" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-large wp-image-15352" src="http://ift.tt/2rcfK9H" alt="Cocoa and bananas" width="690" height="518" srcset="http://ift.tt/2rcfK9H 1024w, http://ift.tt/2rWPihb 256w, http://ift.tt/2rckc8v 667w, http://ift.tt/2rXheBM 768w, http://ift.tt/2rcxVMu 600w, http://ift.tt/2rXcWu6 773w, http://ift.tt/2rcsCfY 1376w, http://ift.tt/2rX7UO8 1044w, http://ift.tt/2rcFl2b 632w, http://ift.tt/2rX5eQN 536w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Cocoa and bananas</p></div> <p>Our first place to stay, Mango Bay on the West Coast, was a few isolated cottages, with some of the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten, cooked by the chef, Kiddusi, who turned out to be from Hermitage, and to be Edmond’s (from the Grenada Chocolate Company) cousin. For three days and nights, he brought us food cooked from mainly local ingredients – expertly spiced and deeply flavoured Callaloo soup (a Grenadian speciality), followed by sweet potato and thyme bake, or spiced quinoa and chickpeas, always accompanied by perfectly caramelised, slightly chewy fried plantain and a thick, tasty portion of spiced greens and vegetables.</p> <p>Breakfasts were eaten alongside the twenty or so Iguanas who live down in the rocks, and consisted of ginger pancakes or baked coconut cake with nutmeg syrup, accompanied by herbal teas from the garden – mint, ginger, bay : all incredibly potent.</p> <div id="attachment_15353" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="size-large wp-image-15353" src="http://ift.tt/2rchD6j" alt="Ginger Pancakes with fried plantain & nutmeg syrup" width="690" height="518" srcset="http://ift.tt/2rchD6j 1024w, http://ift.tt/2rWVyWe 256w, http://ift.tt/2rcC178 667w, http://ift.tt/2rWW0UA 768w, http://ift.tt/2rcxjq7 600w, http://ift.tt/2rXk1ep 773w, http://ift.tt/2rc5M8m 1376w, http://ift.tt/2rX6WkU 1044w, http://ift.tt/2rcsL2M 632w, http://ift.tt/2rXk2yZ 536w" sizes="(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Ginger Pancakes with fried plantain & nutmeg syrup</p></div> <p>We drank freshly squeezed soursop, passion fruit or tamarind juice, and topped the meal off with ginger or chocolate cake: this is truly vegetarian heaven. Time it right for dinner, and as the chorus of Tree Frogs break out, you’ll see the fireflies flitting between trees.</p> <p>[Iced Cocoa Tea and a hot chocolate shot photo]</p> <p>Following a couple of days of isolation I headed to the bustle of the main town. The House of Chocolate in St George’s, has a small museum of the history of cocoa in Grenada, and serves great hot and cold drinks, cookies and brownies. Their iced cocoa tea blended the traditional Grenadian version of hot chocolate with ice cream. Wandering round the vibrant local spice market, I bought large pieces of rolled cinnamon bark, nutmeg, and chatted to the vendors about recipes and the traditional uses of the spices.</p> <p>I timed my trip to coincide with the Grenada Chocolate Festival, set up four years ago by Magdalena Fielden, a Mexican living in Grenada for the last 20 years. She has learned more and more about cacao and chocolate in the last few years, establishing the House of Chocolate a couple of years ago, and using the Festival to build international recognition for Grenadian Chocolate.</p> <p><strong>Recipe for Grenadian Cocoa Tea (serves 4)</strong><br /> Place 3 large bayleaves (Grenadian if you can get them – they’re very different to ours), a stick of cinnamon, five or six cloves and half a grated, or a full chopped nutmeg in a pan of water – about 500ml.</p> <p>Simmer for twenty minutes, then whisk in two traditional Grenadian cocoa balls, or 100g Grenada Chocolate Company cocoa powder. (You can use other cocoas, but it honestly won’t taste as good due to the characteristics of the origin, and the way the flavours work together).</p> <p>When the cocoa balls have melted, or the cocoa powder is fully whisked in, add 100-200ml full fat milk.<br /> At this point you can either sweeten with sugar to taste, and drink as traditional cocoa tea, or wait till the liquid cools, and blend with good quality chocolate ice cream, such as our SnowflakeXRococo Sea salt Milk chocolate or for dairy-free, the Chocolate sorbetto.</p> <p>My next post will cover the festival, and after that my time at the Factory…</p> Grenada [Diary 1/4]

After almost 10 years of using and enjoying Grenada Chocolate Company’s chocolate, and wondering whether I’d ever see the source, Chantal suggested I book for a trip to Grenada to coincide with the 2017 Chocolate Festival.

As Head Chocolatier here at Rococo, a trip to Grenada was not just a chance to see cocoa growing, and experience a different culture, but to watch the original Tree to Bar company in action, learn all about the chocolate making, and hopefully, in return, teach the team in the Bonbon shop some chocolatier skills.

Grenada is an incredible country. Visually, it’s stunning. The population of 109,000 live in this tiny island country barely 25 miles long. Each coast is a slightly different climate and coastline, the dwellings vary, as does the abundance of fruits. The coastline quickly ascends into rainforest covered mountains, topped with clouds which occasionally decide to burst and drench you with a tropical downpour.

Grand Anse beach

Rainforest hills

The roadsides are lined with trees dripping with mangoes, which you can pick up from the floor and tear open to eat the sweet or acidic flesh. Huge breadfruit trees bear their big, lime-green round fruit, nutmeg trees can be found everywhere, dropping their bright-red mace encased nutmeg shells to the floor.

Cocoa is everywhere. Small and larger trees, pods of all sizes growing at odd angles from all over the trunk and braches. Green ripens to yellow, red to orange, and the trees are covered with every stage of growth, from flowers to ripe pods. This past year’s combination has meant a constant harvest, so it’s been a good year. Large bunches of bananas and plantains are interspersed. This incredibly productive vegetation combines with the wooden dwellings of the locals, which some are no more than shacks, and the people sit in their porches, or gather at local shops and bars, spending their time and the long hours of heat and darkness, deep in conversation and local gossip. Everything and anything is painted the bright red, yellow and green of the flag of Grenada – from lamp posts to rocks and fences!

Rainforest nutmeg

Rainforest river cocoa pods

If you make sure to greet people and smile hello, they will frequently start to talk to you, often for quite a while! I heard tales of ‘the good old days’, of Cocoa Tea and salt fish cakes for breakfast, environmental changes and the unreliability of the seasons these days, of the various types of mangoes you can find (our taxi driver pulled over on what was their mother’s day, and picked me two Julie mangoes, telling me they were his mother’s favourite), the lack of Grenadian pre-colonial history taught in schools, and the problems with politicians – some issues are the same wherever you go!

Cocoa and bananas

Our first place to stay, Mango Bay on the West Coast, was a few isolated cottages, with some of the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten, cooked by the chef, Kiddusi, who turned out to be from Hermitage, and to be Edmond’s (from the Grenada Chocolate Company) cousin. For three days and nights, he brought us food cooked from mainly local ingredients – expertly spiced and deeply flavoured Callaloo soup (a Grenadian speciality), followed by sweet potato and thyme bake, or spiced quinoa and chickpeas, always accompanied by perfectly caramelised, slightly chewy fried plantain and a thick, tasty portion of spiced greens and vegetables.

Breakfasts were eaten alongside the twenty or so Iguanas who live down in the rocks, and consisted of ginger pancakes or baked coconut cake with nutmeg syrup, accompanied by herbal teas from the garden – mint, ginger, bay : all incredibly potent.

Ginger Pancakes with fried plantain & nutmeg syrup

We drank freshly squeezed soursop, passion fruit or tamarind juice, and topped the meal off with ginger or chocolate cake: this is truly vegetarian heaven. Time it right for dinner, and as the chorus of Tree Frogs break out, you’ll see the fireflies flitting between trees.

[Iced Cocoa Tea and a hot chocolate shot photo]

Following a couple of days of isolation I headed to the bustle of the main town. The House of Chocolate in St George’s, has a small museum of the history of cocoa in Grenada, and serves great hot and cold drinks, cookies and brownies. Their iced cocoa tea blended the traditional Grenadian version of hot chocolate with ice cream. Wandering round the vibrant local spice market, I bought large pieces of rolled cinnamon bark, nutmeg, and chatted to the vendors about recipes and the traditional uses of the spices.

I timed my trip to coincide with the Grenada Chocolate Festival, set up four years ago by Magdalena Fielden, a Mexican living in Grenada for the last 20 years. She has learned more and more about cacao and chocolate in the last few years, establishing the House of Chocolate a couple of years ago, and using the Festival to build international recognition for Grenadian Chocolate.

Recipe for Grenadian Cocoa Tea (serves 4) Place 3 large bayleaves (Grenadian if you can get them – they’re very different to ours), a stick of cinnamon, five or six cloves and half a grated, or a full chopped nutmeg in a pan of water – about 500ml.

Simmer for twenty minutes, then whisk in two traditional Grenadian cocoa balls, or 100g Grenada Chocolate Company cocoa powder. (You can use other cocoas, but it honestly won’t taste as good due to the characteristics of the origin, and the way the flavours work together).

When the cocoa balls have melted, or the cocoa powder is fully whisked in, add 100-200ml full fat milk. At this point you can either sweeten with sugar to taste, and drink as traditional cocoa tea, or wait till the liquid cools, and blend with good quality chocolate ice cream, such as our SnowflakeXRococo Sea salt Milk chocolate or for dairy-free, the Chocolate sorbetto.

My next post will cover the festival, and after that my time at the Factory…

from Grenada [Diary 1/4]

#Grenada [Diary 1/4]

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