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4urvalidation · 1 month ago

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A CASE OF LIMERENCE | Chapter Five

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A/N: Yeah I got no words 🤧 Trigger warnings below. Hope y'all are enjoying the story so far :)))))))

TW: mentions of drug use, violence, blood, angst & overall tomfoolery..

So… that was a lie.

Tess and Polly didn’t drain her social battery.

They could never.

Yes, they’re a bit too much at times and have the tendency to make severely questionable decisions (and comments), but they’re also fun and entertaining! After all, how else would Leni find out about Emilia James’ new nose job and Phil Summerson’s debilitating coke addiction and-

Rafe.

His name enters her mind completely uninvited; the memory of those haunting blue eyes beckons to keep him in her thoughts for a second longer. And… she doesn’t want to. Leni really doesn’t want him occupying her brain and yet, there he is: pacing around her head. His presence lingers as she takes off her make-up; contemplates a long cold shower; puts on pajamas; heats up leftover pizza; grabs her book; abandons said book and puts on a show because the thought of him is far too distracting in order for her to properly focus on all those words and letters…-

Her phone lights up.

Leni lounges towards it with an embarrassing amount of speed; practically yanking it off its charger and almost spilling the entire can of coke all over the bedside table.

Leni stares at the message.

She didn’t mean to open it; at least not that quickly and now that she has, all that’s left to do is just sit there. Her fingers hover over the keyboard; her mind suddenly a blank slate and perhaps he didn’t mean it that way. Her pizza really is missing meat; she always orders the most vegetarian thing possible when in the mood for a slice, but then again, what if he did mean it in that way?

His crush on her isn’t something new or surprising. A person has to be a complete and total idiot not to notice just how fond JJ is of Leni and her company. But this… this isn’t something she minds; not really. She loves a guy who’s confident and forward - always has and always will - but this is just…

Ugh.

She puts her phone down.

What on earth is happening to her?

She used to be fun. An expert flirt if you will. Had boys practically swooning over her feet with the words that slipped out of her mouth and now? Now she’s just a charmless, broken-hearted loser that can’t even text back a guy she sorta likes.

The phone drops right into Leni’s lap. The tips of her fingers begin to tingle. Slow at first, but then with an accelerating pace that begins spreading across her entire body in waves. A single sob tears from her throat and that’s all it takes for the dam of tears to break open.

It’s barely been a month.

Fine.

Two months!

It’s been two months since he dumped her.

Three since he told her she was the love of his life.

Four since he convinced her that he’d rather die than spend another second without her by his side.

Five since he begged her to move to Munich with him.

And now he’s got some blonde girl wrapped around his arm; kissing his neck while he takes stupid elevator selfies and posts them on Instagram FOR THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD TO SEE!

Leni screams into her pillow.

She didn’t think that after what he did it was possible to have him break her heart any further and yet, there he fucking is - shattering it into even tinier pieces.

I should block him, Leni bitterly thinks to herself, but doesn’t go through with it. If she does block him, then that’ll mean his stupid little hard launch upset her and the last thing she wants is for that asshole to think he still has power over her.

Her mind is in the wildest of whirlwinds; her heart running a triathlon and she knows it’s a little late, but how else is Leni supposed to clear her head?

She goes out for a run.

Just a quick little jog to tire herself enough so when she go back to bed later, she’ll be too busy falling into a coma to think about Simon and his dumb new girlfriend.

Phoebe Bridgers is screaming in her ears as the chilly night air gently collides with her face. The tears might’ve stopped falling, but the feeling of dread persists. How can he do this? How can he make such a big deal about her spending an entire year across the ocean? How can he whine about just how hard it’ll be for him to spend such a long time apart? How he can’t imagine living without her, only to break Leni’s heart a whole week later and find a replacement in a blink of an eye.

No.

That’s not the worst thing.

The worst thing is that he has the fucking gall to so freely and openly claim this stranger of a girl as his Love while it took him a whole fucking year to even recognize Leni as his girlfriend. Little alone say that he loves her.

Why on earth did it take him so long to tell her how he feels?

Is she that hard to love?

She can hear her footsteps echo on the sidewalk of a street she’s biked through countless times. Her memories of Simon and the time they wasted together slowly begin to blend with those of burning hot summers, melted ice scream and bruised knees. The image of Sarah’s smile; all those late nights spent laying in her bed and telling each other secrets… she gets to do them over and over now. Even though Sarah has a boyfriend and Leni’s life is a mess and the world around them seems to be slowly crumbling - at least they still have each other.

A new song comes on - Punisher - and suddenly, Leni’s footsteps aren’t the only ones echoing in the long and empty street.

Another runner.

Leni doesn’t look back; there’s no point in paying them attention. Just like there’s no point in doing the same with Simon and his new girlfriend and - are the footsteps quickening or she hallucinating?

Carefully - without doing much, she turns off her music and now that she no longer has Phoebe Bridgers in her ear, the sound of another person running becomes a lot more ominous. She’s got nothing to be afraid of; not really. The streets are well lit and she’s pretty sure she just saw a car or two pass her by.

She is safe.

She is -

Should she cross the road?

It’s not like she’s freaked out or anything; tons of people run late at night, but if she goes across the street and they stay where they are, Leni’s mind will be at ease. Not completely, but slightly less than it is right now.

In order to not make it so obvious, she allows herself to count to ten. One, two - slow at first, but then something deep inside makes her rush. In a span of a second she’s reached eight and nine and - great - her shoe’s untied.

Leni quickens her pace.

So does the person behind her.

Wonderful.

She’s dying tonight.

There’s absolutely no way she can get ahead and buy herself some time; just enough to tie her laces or at least shove them inside her shoe so they stop poking out all menacingly like they’re doing right now.

One more countdown starts taking place, but Leni barely manages to get to three. In a blink of an eye, she catches herself completely losing balance and lounges forward. Her open palms ease her fall as she helplessly watches one of her airpods tumble straight out of her ear and collide with a rock.

The footsteps behind her grow quicker.

Louder.

Her heart jumps inside her throat and she can feel them.

She can feel the person hover over her and just as she senses them come closer and closer, panic begins enveloping Leni’s entire quivering body. She reaches for the airpod, but grabs the rock instead and in a single move manages to slam it straight into the side of the stranger’s head.

A groan tears through his throat. With the corner of her eye Leni watches him stumble and now’s the time to make a run for it, but it’s too late - he’s already grabbed her. His fist is tightly wound around the back of her shirt, pulling her down.

She’s hit the ground again. Her sliced palms burning. Her knees shaking. And there he is. His labored breaths and muffled grunts echo in the night as he drags his body towards her. “Wait… stop…” He croaks out the words and sends chills all over Leni’s entire body. Every single muscle in her limbs shakes as she desperately tries to pull herself off the ground.

And then she hears it.

Her name.

Her full name.

“Elena.”

Leni’s blood runs ice cold.

Only one person has ever called her that and he’s right there - on his hands and knees with thick blood trickling down the side of his face. She stares at him; watches as he spits blood onto the ground beneath him and when he moves again - quickly, suddenly - a wave of panic takes control of her body.

She slams her foot right in his mouth, but as she does so he somehow manages to get yet another hold of her. Except this time he grabs for her ankle and when he pulls Leni towards him, she lands right on her back.

Limbs thrashing, she does everything to free herself from his grasp, but even with that massive wound in the side of his head, he still manages to overpower her. With his fingers tightly wrapped around her wrists, he presses her on the ground, his strong body hovering over her.

Bitter tears start obscuring her vision; his face, nothing but a dark blur and she really doesn’t want to cry, but it’s beyond her control. “Please-” His calloused skin marks her own. The smell of his cologne mixed with the blood burns inside her throat.

Leni closes her eyes.

“Elena.” He calls out. “It’s me. It’s Rafe.”

A single tear rolls down her cheek as flashes of things she never saw, but can easily imagine rush through her mind. She wonders if things would’ve been any different if Ward had just listened to Rose and gotten him help. If he paid attention. If he-

“Please don’t hurt me.” She sobs and that’s when the grip around her wrists loosens.

Leni blinks, her vision suddenly clear and there he is - Rafe with his face is as white as a ghost’s. Almost immediately, he begins pulling away, but not quickly enough. She kicks him again, only this time in the stomach.

“Fuck!” Rafe hits the ground, withering in pain and the sight of him - shaking and bloody- is nothing short of miserable.

No longer wanting to waste anymore time, Leni brings herself back on her feet.

Her left airpod is still in her ear.

She will never be able to listen to Phoebe Bridgers ever again… at least not in the same way she’s done so far.

Her gaze unwillingly falls on Rafe.

He’s also in running clothes.

She should leave, but instead she walks towards him.

He looks up at her.

And that’s when she kicks him.

Again and again and again.

“What” -kick- “the” -kick- “fuck” -kick- “is” -kick- “wrong with you!?”

“Jesus E-”

“Oh don’t you dare call for Jesus now! Jesus can’t fucking help you, you motherfucker!”

“Please, please-”

Their eyes meet.

The entire right side of his face is covered in blood.

Leni swallows.

“I wasn’t gon-... I’m not-” Silently, she watches Rafe struggle to drag himself off the ground, “Man… you got a hook on you.” A dry, almost cough like laugh leaves his throat just then and finally, after what feels like an ages long struggle, he’s right back on his feet again. “Elena… I just-” His gaze is laser focused on Leni. Those blue eyes pierce through her like daggers, but this time she won’t allow herself to fall prey. “I need you to-” His legs give out and there he is, once again becoming one with the dirt. “Shit. I think… I think you… I think you gave me a concussion.”

“Yeah, well… you’re lucky I didn’t do more.” She puffs out her chest, suddenly feeling very stupid.

Rafe throws up.

“Call 911.” With shaky movements he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand while using the other to give Leni his phone.

“What?”

“Call 911.”

“What!? No! You call 911!”

“Please.”

There it is again - those stupid blue eyes of him, hitting her exactly where her weakest point is. She doesn’t know how he does it; how he manages to get her to listen to every fucking word he says!

“Okay. Fine! We call 911. What the fuck are you gonna tell ‘em?”

“You are gonna tell ‘em that you found me like this. An anonymous runner… On a run... Found another runner beaten up.” Leni blinks at him. How on earth did that bleeding head of his come up with that? And so fast too?

“And then what?”

“And then you’ll leave.”

Her heart skips a beat, “You don’t want me to wait with you?”

“I’ll be fine.” He says and Leni swears she could see the corners of his lips perk up a little. He hands her his phone again and she really doesn’t think it’s a good idea, but she can’t seem to come up with anything better, so she does exactly like he’s told her.

With a quivering voice she recites what Rafe told her earlier. Explains his state in short detail. All while those blue eyes watch over her. When finished, she hands him back his phone and doesn’t think much of the single zip of lightning that storms down her spine as his fingers brush over hers.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” He says instead of a thank you. A mix of anger, adrenalin and confusion rush through her bloodstream. She wants to kick him again. Just one more time. Preferably in the balls. “I’m not… I wasn’t… I’m sorry Leni. I just wanted to talk.”

Leni opens her mouth to speak, but the sound of sirens echoing in the distance begins growing louder and that’s her queue. Without even daring a second glance, she books it back to her hotel room.

When the receptionist gives her a look, she pretends like she can’t see him. Her clothes are covered in dust; her ponytail loose and tomorrow morning when she wakes up in a body covered in bruises, the first thing on her mind will be the story she’ll tell everyone curious enough to ask about it.

In the darkness, her phone lights up again and with the same vigor from before, Leni reaches for it.

JJ has sent her another message.

Fuck.

She totally forgot to reply to him, but then again - what the fuck is she even gonna say?

Leni ponders in the dark; her mind a whirl of questions. Did she just kick Rafe Cameron’s ass?

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pixeldistractions · 2 months ago

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June 2088. (previously)

Jordan’s ten years with Colette had been a cacophony of ’no’s’.

“No, don’t come to bed after ten. It wakes me up and I can’t fall back asleep. Don’t get in my bed without a shower. Don’t get in my bed wet. No naps, either. You know what? The couch is fine for you, isn’t it?”

“No more tattoos. They’re trashy.”

“No, we’re not getting a bigger truck because no, you’re not getting a camper. I don’t want a camper outside my house. That’s trashy.”

“No, I hate that music. I hate that music, too. I just hate music. All music.”

“No, we’re not getting a dog. No, not a cat, either. A chicken? Are you fucking kidding me? Where the hell are we gonna put a goddamn chicken?!?”

“No work clothes in the house. No tools, either. I hate your clothes—you dress like a homeless man.”

“No campfires. Ew, I can smell it on you for days.”

“No kippers in the house. Ew, no kippers at work either. No kippers ever. I can smell them before you even eat them, and it makes me want to vomit.”

So when he came to her with this idea, he had little faith that she would say yes.

The boys were in the living room with a cartoon, and Colette was at the dining room table with her laptop. Jordan sat down.

She looked up from her work with a sneer. “What?”

“I want to take the boys on a backpacking trip,” Jordan said. “Banff, it’s in Canada. It’s a two-day drive.”

Go big or go home.

He held his breath.

“So you’re not working?” Colette asked. “Is she paying you for all this time off?”

“She is, actually.”

“Huh.” Then he saw the wheels of her brain turning, doing the math. An ask this big would cost him. Did he want to pay the price? After some consideration, Colette let out a patronizing chuckle, “Well, good luck with that.”

She didn’t say no. He was surprised, but also not.

Maybe she didn’t believe he would actually do it. Or maybe she’d hold it against him as ammunition. She did this sometimes. When she knew her razor sharp attitude had run away from her for too long, she offered a little peace treaty, as if to say, Remember that time I let you take the boys backpacking in Canada? Remember that? And she would remind him of that small grace for the rest of his life.

But he intended to take this grace, and he would run with it.

The boys needed no convincing. They minded their father, fetching this and that from whatever corner of the house, making a monstrous pile by the door. Then, before she could complain about it, both the pile and the boys were gone in a blitz, leaving only the movie they hadn’t been watching with its credits rolling.

With the boys out of her hair for two weeks, Colette felt adrift. Since they were on their own vacation, she thought she should treat herself to a few days off as well.

The first few hours, the first whole day, she reveled in the novelty of having only herself to worry about. She day-drank a whole bottle of rosé while watching HGTV in her bathrobe.

He was mad. He’d been mad for months. Why? She didn’t know, she didn’t ask, and she wasn’t sure she really cared. Mad was what they did with each other. But what Colette knew was that they never really broke up because they were never exactly together, which meant they never needed to make up because they never broke up in the first place. He would get over it, eventually. And maybe this time away would help.

Maybe she even owed him this little favor because he always wanted to be a scout dad. “No, that’s stupid. They don’t need that,” she’d said. She wanted the boys in academic triathlon instead. What good is learning to make a campfire as opposed to world diplomacy? High school was coming for them faster than they realized. You get on the wrong track, and your prospects were sunk. Colette knew better than anyone how one wrong choice in your youth could destroy all your hopes and dreams.

But sure, go light campfires in the wilderness for a couple of weeks, if you must.

You have to throw the dog a bone sometimes.

Colette stayed up late, binging crime dramas. With no chance of little boys barging into her room, she slept naked in her bed long into the morning. Then she took herself out for lunch at the kind of place you couldn’t bring nine-year-olds.

Not that she didn’t worry. She questioned Jordan’s parenting skills. She sent them off with a notebook of rules and phone numbers, and she was sure they’d already tucked it under the front seat of the truck where it would stay until the day they returned. Would the boys come back bruised and burnt and eaten alive by who knows what creatures? Would they catch rashes and intestinal parasites from drinking river water? The hiking, the falls, the wildfires, the hot springs full of boiling acid that dumb souls have ventured too close to and took their last bath. She doubted whether Jordan had ever even seen those news stories.

“I’m not an idiot,” Jordan promised. But, huh, she’d be the judge of that when he brought those boys back in one piece.

To be honest, she hated taking time off. She was bored and irritated and could never really relax. So she went back to work.

�� “why are you here? #2: little sparks catch fire” part 5/6

author’s note: bonus points for actually asking her for a chicken though, right? 😂🤣😂

Next -> // WAYH #2 start // index

#ts4 #sims 4 #simblr #sims story #sim stories #jordan #colette

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dasbrummli · 6 months ago

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Types of People: Humans I love(d).

The Little Sister: Flared pants and platform Doc Martens. Delicate gold earrings, perfect skin and bright eyes. Flat white coffee or matcha latte. Bagels. Techno music and poetic folk songs. Paris. Polaroids. Quick witted and humorous. Dachshund. Shabby sweatpants and runway fashion. Floppy ears. Massages. Banana bread.

The Little Brother: Street smarts. Perfect driving. Anything but resentful. Stained sweatshirt and Burberry Trenchcoat. Photography. Basketball. Chill. Humorous. Infuriating but so so lovable. Teacher. Surprisingly insightful. Advisor. Confident and cocky. Beer and Barbecue sauce. Coffee mugs. South Africa. Spontaneity. Arrogant.

The Father: Golden morning light. Expensive camera equipment and cheap gas station coffee. Model trains. Thick wool sweaters. Cologne and scratchy cheek kisses. Blankets of snow. Hares. Holly Cole and The Boss. Hilarious. Anything but an experimental eater. Spaghetti Bolognese and Stollen. Vibrant forest. Red wine and milk chocolate. The Musician.

The Mother: Crime novels. Warm soft hugs. Silent laughter, red cheeks, tears in eyes. Surprises. Book smarts. Perseverance. Organised and focused. Strong black tea and dark seedy bread. Elephant whisperer. Insomnia. Open mindedness and indignation. So supportive. Manners. Nice porcelain. Hydrangeas and roses. Plum jam. Perfect pedicures.

The Older Sister: Long walks. Control freak. Forests. Fantasy worlds. Diving head first into a swimming pool. Daydreaming. Curly hair. Pretentiousness. Everyday magic. Books. Tiny handwriting. Long wool coats. Mind all over the place. Excitement. Cold hands and warm sweaters. Hopeless romantic. Owls. Greek mythology. Trivia. Ink. Details. Cappuccino with cinnamon and cocoa.

The Musician: Delicate fingers plucking at Cello Strings. White chocolate. Knitting. Sarcasm, emotionally distant. Squirrels. Autumn walks, rain, graveyards. Audiobooks. Norway. Engineering, technical drawings, ballpoint pens. Morbid curiosity.

The Fighter: Clean and crisp white sheets. Determined. Cold brew coffee. Fragrant white Hyacinths blooming on a windowsill. Toned shoulders. Emotional intelligence. Brutal honesty. Philosophical books. Lab coats. Excellent listener. Pep talks and feminism. Triathlon. Anything to achieve your goals. Knowing smirks. Moscow mules. Reading not for pleasure but learning (or the pleasure of learning?)

The Scientist: Obscure inside jokes. Freckles. Dancer. Questionable cook, decent baker. Physics. The Smartest. Elegant movements. Thrifted knitted jumpers. Multicoloured nail polish. Poetry. Eccentric. Debating society. Entire page covered in the tiniest notes. Funky coffee mugs. Books picked off the street.

The Scout: Strong moral compass. Scouts honour. Massive Fantasy novels. Guffawing. Tie dye T-shirts and shining blue eyes. Ships. Camping. Adventure. Overwhelmingly talkative, but not in a bad way. Carefree. Trinkets and bonfires. Dunes and seafoam. Orange.

The Travel Companion: Political. Volunteering. Singing flatly but passionately. French patisserie. Colourful felt. Opinionated. Exuding coolness on the dancefloor. Dark green. Finland, pine forests and smoked salmon. Tents. Virology. Hypochondriac. Experimental cooking. Mushrooms. Aromatic black tea.

The Oldest Friend: Books over books over books. Deep talks. Old friends. Yoga. Peppermint tea. Sky blue. Memories. Therapy. Snowboarding. Pixie cut. Relax, taking it easy. Veganism. Dog person. Gender Studies. Runner. Coming back stronger and gentler than ever. Gift exchange. Solo holidays. Empathy.

The Exchange Student: Fast talking, Aussie accent. Oversized sweatshirts. Oat milk. Glowing skin. Sea foam. Pearls and silver. Fresh tulips. Warm summer days. Sunny side up eggs, drizzled with golden honey. Pool balls clicking. Hot chocolate. Belgian beer. Dog person. Silver rings, one on each finger. Tan lines.

The Certified Badass: Bouldering. Fine line tattoos and silver ear piercings, too many to count. Black velvet. Remote island. Catto content. Road trips, lush forests, sea waves. Platinum hair. Strong. Blue eyes, white liner. Island. Thick knitwear and combat boots. Tarnished silver jewellery. Dune grass.

#types of people #aesthetic #personality types #text post #tag yourself #vibes #aesthetic text

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covid-safer-hotties · 7 months ago

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No Amount of Hand-Washing Can Make COVID-19 a Seasonal Virus - Published Aug 14, 2024

Needless to say, words have meaning. The selection of words modulates the message understood by the receiver. With regard to COVID, terms such as “seasonal”, “like a cold”, and “like the flu” can be selected by writers to paint a portrait that lulls the reader into a false sense of security, drawing comparisons between a virus that has been around for less than five years to other viruses or conditions with respect to which the audience has grown familiar with. Moreover, even stock photos selected for certain news articles can subtly influence your response to the content expressed in that piece. A selected photo of a person gently cradling a tissue paper over their nose, instead of a person waiting for treatment in the ER, may give off the impression that they are harmlessly recovering from a tear-jerking soap opera instead of from a viral illness. In fact, we want to believe that COVID-19 is as gentle as a cold, as this outcome is far more pleasing, so this skewed presentation of the risk is far more palatable than what is expressed in the scientific literature.

However, COVID-19 is not a cold or the flu. Understanding that this virus is not a seasonal nuisance like the common cold is crucial in the fight against it, as explained herein.

We emphasize that the purpose of this piece is to correct some of the language circulating in the media and to arm you with accurate information so that you can make reasoned decisions that are aligned with your health goals. As much as an athlete who is training for a triathlon may want to avoid regularly smoking or taking recreational drugs, COVID-19 should be factored into your day-to-day health decisions, especially if you are conscious about achieving a greater healthy lifespan.

But before delving into a comparison between COVID-19 and the flu, here is a primer on COVID-19.

A COVID-19 Primer Long Term Risk COVID-19 continues to present an important risk to your long-term health. This means that after you test negative, you can still develop medical conditions or disorders that can impact your quality of life as a result of that COVID infection. In other words, the cost of COVID on your life is not just the loss that you experience as you wait for your negative test. While individuals can remain infectious for an average of 10 days [1], the disease often takes a toll that can manifest months to even years after your acute-stage infection. COVID can take away the opportunity of a professional athlete to join a national team, or from competing in an Olympic event for which the athlete has been training for years [2]. COVID can rob a doctor, a nurse, a teacher, or a lawyer, of a successful career. COVID can disrupt the health of a family. And this can happen after every infection, not just after your first infection. The odds of developing long-term conditions add up after each infection. Despite reducing the risk to varying degrees ranging from 15% to 50%, vaccinations do not eliminate the problem. For these reasons, it is important for you to appreciate how, and when, COVID circulates and can infect you.

How Do You Catch COVID? COVID spreads principally through the air. This means that handwashing is not the key solution for keeping you safe from COVID. Now, handwashing is a good practice, but you need to become mindful of the air that you breathe in order to protect your health and future, as well as those of your loved ones, from this disease. Just like you would not drink stagnant water from a pond in the city, do not inhale unfiltered dirty air. You can filter your air by wearing N95 masks (respirators) or better. Favor outdoor air over indoor air. Clean the indoor air by using HEPA filters to remove the virus. Dilute contaminated indoor air by bringing in clean outdoor air through ventilation. The World Health Network has released numerous resources on this topic [3-5].

When Does COVID Spread? The Myth Regarding Seasonality News outlets have been circulating the premise that COVID is a seasonal virus, with little-to-no transmission during the warmer days of the year. However, at the time of writing this piece, in Summer 2024, the U.S., the UK, and many countries around the world are currently experiencing a major COVID wave.

We have learned over the last few years that COVID-19 does not follow seasonal patterns. COVID waves are not merely a fall or winter phenomenon, nor do they follow any other predictable seasonal pattern.

This distinction from seasonal pathogens, such as influenza, is crucial for several reasons and highlights the unique challenges and dangers posed by this novel coronavirus. As seasonal viruses infect people predominantly in the cold winter months, this makes those colder months more dangerous and other months less dangerous for those viruses. Examples of such diseases include the flu, rhinovirus, RSV, parainfluenza viruses, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, and human metapneumovirus.

Read the rest of the article and access the sources at either link!

#covid #mask up #pandemic #covid 19 #wear a mask #coronavirus #sars cov 2 #still coviding #public health #wear a respirator #long covid

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wofredone · 8 months ago

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Finally finished reading A Guide to the Dragon World! Because my notes ended up being quite long, I'm splitting the post into two parts. The first part (aka this one) is just a summary of the new lore introduced in the guide, specifically cultural elements of each tribe along with tidbits of history. I left out most character-specific content (such as the letters) because I was primarily reading this for worldbuilding, but I will talk about it in the second part, which will be my review.

Keep in mind that the majority of information is in the context of royalty and nobility. I will talk about this more in my review.

Be warned, this is a very long post.

Different tribes (probably) have different scents

It was stated that a male dragon has not ruled since the Scorching, implying that there may have been a king in the past

Treasure is used as currency on Pyrrhia

There are detective mystery genre scrolls/books

Hatching day cakes are a thing, and SkyWings traditionally set their cakes on fire (at least based on an offer Peril made, not sure if that's just because she's a firescales though)

Tamarin and Starflight invented a letter-presser for blind dragons

Mathematics and calculus exist

The lancehead snake is a cousin to the dragonbite viper, though not as deadly

Certain tribes are wealthier and/or bigger than others, but it is not specified which ones

The names of the three moons are Oracle, Perception, and Imperial, the last one being the biggest moon

The white dragon with wing stubs in Burn's collection still has no confirmed tribe; it's similar to a SilkWing but only has two wingbuds

+the SilkWing wing had washed up on shore

Pantalan queens used to host a queen gathering every few moons, which was used to address disputes

"For HiveWing Eyes Only" regarding the Book of Clearsight may predate Queen Wasp

SeaWings had also escaped to Pantala (I think this was previously unknown, but correct me if I'm wrong)

Krakens are confirmed to be real in the Book of Clearsight

MudWings

MudWing troops have specific roles (healer, treasurer, gatherer, communicator)

The MudWing palace is surrounded with blanket forts where groups of dragons can socialize

The palace also has a library and the oldest scroll is about the blood red eggs

The MudWing succession crisis happened ~200 years ago

There was at least one case of a MudWing being ordered to destroy a blood red egg

There is a royal hatchery for MudWing eggs

^ They're still, for the most part, left to fend for themselves with the exception of education and training beginning earlier

^ The queen still has limited interactions with her children (by choice)

^ The bigwings in particular is taken to be trained and has to fight the queen for the throne, same as other tribes

MudWings have their own language (at least during the MudWing Succession Crisis)

Structures are made of adobe

They have papyrus

The original royal bloodline was secretly ended during the MudWing Succession Crisis and later revealed in Princess Sawgrass's retelling

MudWings raise cows for dairy and there is a royal cowherd

SeaWings

There are stories (by Coral) written from the perspective of animals

Bunch of Aquatic information; there are phrases exclusive to Aquatic

One hatching day food is raw tuna wrapped in seaweed and stuffed with fish eggs

(Royal) traditional hatching day activities include a triathlon, treasure hunt, coral reef hide-and-seek, humpback-whale-themed singing competition, and an ocean pet fashion show

SeaWings keep seahorses, sea dragons, cuttlefish, and bobtail squids as pets

Hatching day feast includes sharks, tuna rolls, and lobsters

There might be a new palace/area for dragons of other tribes to visit in construction

RainWings

RainWings used to read and write

Other tribes wanted the rainforest territory (at least according to Handsome)

They used to eat meat

RainWings used to constantly kill each other for the throne

The nonlethal competition was introduced to reduce bloodshed

RainWings used to have scrolls and libraries (during the Darkstalker era), but transitioned to storytelling/oral history at some unknown point in time

RainWings used to be feared by every other tribe and were known for their assassins

^ There was an assassin training program

Queen Jacaranda was responsible for most of the changes in RainWing society

^ She ended the assassin training program, outlawed usage of venom on other dragons, ordered the construction of the hammocks and platforms at the top of the canopy (presumably leading to sun time) and was interested in "taming prey" (sloths in particular)

Was in a war/territory dispute with the SkyWings and signed a peace treaty (it's not directly stated who the peace treaty was with, it was either the SkyWings or the MudWings)

It's implied that extensive sun exposure makes RainWings lazier

RainWing culture is more open to expressing emotion as a result of their color changing scales

NightWings

NightWings have legends/stories, the described one is about a seer named Comet that rarely had visions and was thought to be powerless until he foresaw a storm that destroyed the kingdom

There is also a scroll about The Prophetess that Fatespeaker liked to read, which is about a seer that fought bad guys with her visions

NightWings hatched under one full moon gain seer or mind reading powers, while two full moons grant both powers

Three full moons amplifies the strength of these powers

Some believe there's a connection between the moons and animus magic, but Darkstalker disagrees with this

NightWings (in the old kingdom) made sure as many eggs as possible were born under full moons

NightWings were raised to believe they were inherently superior at some genetic level (yikes)

The whole prophecy and lies spread to Pyrrhia were born out of desperation (I guess this was already known but I think it's worth noting because here it's being outright stated)

NightWings were the first to develop a written Dragon language; they taught it to the rest of the continent to record history and communicate

+traveling NightWing teachers that brought scrolls and taught them

There were NightWing scriptoriums where they copied scrolls by talon to spread to Pyrrhia

NightWings were responsible for most of the treatments used by other tribes

In the past, seers used their visions to help other tribes and NightWings were more open to sharing their knowledge in general

The old NightWing kingdom has a lot of moon exposure and a cold climate

NightWings had theatre performances, including props

The listed plays include: A Midsummer NightWing's Dream, The Importance of Being a NightWing, and A Little NightWing Music

On the island, NightWings had abandoned theatre, art, and music

They also had gardens with nonedible plants

NightWings have hatching ceremonies

The full moon music festival is an ancient custom that was revived by Queen Vigilance, along with other unnamed customs

There were ceremonies for seers and mind readers

The full moon music festival involved musicians sharing their newest compositions and providing an opportunity for dragonets to learn about traditional NightWing music; Vigilance introduced an hour where amateurs could also share their talents

The seer ceremony involves giving a vision of the future for NightWings and the mind reading ceremony involves mind readers sharing good thoughts about Vigilance (probably just the queen in general)

There was an island temple dedicated to honoring the first librarians of the NightWing tribe

The Glass Jubilee, started by Vigilance, celebrates each year of her reign and involves glasswork, music, and dancing

SandWings

Some SandWing treasure: the Desert Tiara (worn by SandWing queens for centuries), the Twilight Necklace (possibly of NightWing origin), and the SandWing Scepter

Queen Oasis had a symbol

Sign off(s) : "Wishing you bright sun and strong winds"

SandWing kitchens (for royalty, at least) have cages where birds are kept for meal preparation

SandWings keep armadillos, coyotes, tortoises, pumas and snakes as pets (and also eat them)

There is a scroll for dragonets on pets, including recipes for cooking the pets

SandWings have tortillas

After Oasis died, councils and debates were placed to pick the next queen

SandWings have history museums, including multiple gifts from past alliances

IceWings

Sign off(s): "On the winds of blizzards," "Snow mountains of love"

Education is very important (at least amongst royalty)

Ice sculpting is a significant form of art

IceWings frequently host talent shows and competitions

Many are constantly trying to create things to share with the rest of the tribe and typically work solo

Walruses and seals are not kept as pets

An image of the ranking walls is included, showing the written language (not sure if it's Dragon or an IceWing-specific language)

There is another animus gift, the gift of understanding, with missing part(s) and an unknown purpose

A layout of the menu for a coronation/royal feast is given (ingredients include kelp, sedge, garlic, ginger, crab, moss, whale, polar bear, narwhal, fulmar, puffin, gannet, scavenger, shark...)

IceWings use sealskin for scrolls

There are wandering librarians that circulate scrolls around the Ice Kingdom villages

^ Dragonets are chosen to be the next bard of the village, which are storytellers that memorize the history of the IceWing tribe and folktales

In the Village-of-the-Plentiful-Seals, there are multiple dragons named Caribou to honor the animus that gave them the gift of subsistence

^ They also host an annual feast in celebration of Caribou that lasts five days and nights

Where-No-Dragon-Goes-Hungry has a statue of Caribou made of whale bone, and host a Caribou celebration involving an ice sculpture contest every year

The aurora borealis is believed to be the Great Ice Dragon's frostbreath

We-Remember-and-Venerate-Caribou has a year long market that trades food

There is a temple of the Great Ice Dragon that feeds dragons for free

Princess Caribou's gift had upset the IceWing aristocracy because it was meant for dragons outside of the circles

^ They believed that it would make them lazy, forget how to hunt, and that hunger motivated them to work harder (which of course was entirely wrong)

Outer villages are low in the IceWing social hierarchy; they're often neglected by the royalty/nobility/etc.

Dragons from the outer villages were invited each year to compete for a spot in the palace school; this gave them a chance to enter the circles and better their social status

Every seven years, SkyWings hosted a challenge in the palace called the Clash of Claws

^ Consisted of seven days and seven challenges: flame, endurance, strength, cunning, guile, wit, and speed

The precision and heat of a flame is skill-based (at least partially)

Prince Cliff wrote the new SkyWing anthem (+ it's implied other tribes don't have anthems)

SkyWings

*Because Scarlet had a lot of influence and control over SkyWing culture, some bullet points are specified as pre, post, or during Scarlet's reign

SkyWings throw elaborate hatching ceremonies (at least according to Fierceteeth)

SkyWings may have weave tapestries (Smolder mentions an alliance gift possibly being given by the SkyWings)

SkyWings cultivate lemons

(Pre-Scarlet) The arena hosted parades, art shows, dance performances, and beauty contests; dragons from all over Pyrrhia were invited

^ Winning sculptures and tapestries were kept by Queen Firestorm

They have ironsmithing and host ironsmithing classes

Scale-polishing and muscle-building for beauty

(Pre-Scarlet) SkyWings had the option to choose partners for themselves, but often opted to be matched by the queen because they were busy

(Pre-Scarlet) Weddings are quiet, private rituals that only involve the two dragons getting married and are hosted in the sky

(During Scarlet) weddings became elaborate and were also celebrated with deathmatches in the arena; most did not want to deal with their celebrations and either didn't marry or got married in secret

Most did not want to be matched by Scarlet

There are SkyWing Ancestry Scrolls where dragons record their weddings

Families don't hold a lot of significance, parents raise their hatchlings then send them off to get a palace job

Diamond rings are used for engagements

(Royalty) White silk is worn for weddings

SilkWings

SilkWings used to take time off from school to explore Pantala after their Metamorphosis

SilkWings are naturally tree dwellers, but were forced to live on the webs between the Hives after the Tree Wars

SilkWing queens chose their successor, they did not fight for the throne

Monarch was the name of two of the best queens in SilkWing history

They have tea, lemon sugar crunches, and peanut butter cookies

HiveWings

HiveWings pick a specialization at a young age

Education is primarily agriculture based

There are universities for each hive: Wasp Hive University, Jewel Hive University, etc.

HiveWing abilities are genetic, but not always passed down

LeafWings

LeafWing dragonets have to practice jungle survival skills in the villages before being let out

The LeafWings had books in the Poison Jungle

^ They used plant fibers, bark, sap (glue), wood pulp (paper), and dyes for bookmaking

Most of their books and libraries were lost in the Tree Wars

Some LeafWing books: The Legacy of the LeafWings, Ash of Green Gingkos, The Count of Mount Kudzu, Rowan and Juniper, The Exceptionally Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Insects For the Discerning Entomologist, Mysterious and Mystifying Murders, and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Several LeafWing artifacts survived the fires, one of which was the "Archival LeafWing Documents: For Future Historians," buried by Queen Sequoia

"Safe branches," "strong roots," "from roots to the canopy," and "till the full moon" are some sign offs

Names such as Belladonna (and presumably any other dangerous plant) were untraditional before moving to the Poison Jungle

New Year of the Trees is presumably a holiday

PoisonWings and SapWings were not initially on hostile terms, this was done by Belladonna

LeafWings cultivate bananas, potatoes, yams, papayas, avocados, kumbu, and dragonberries

Apologies if there's any information that was already revealed in the main series. Also, I included some more minor things (such as the sign offs) because it could give hints into some cultural lore such as values and language.

#wofredone #wof #wingsoffire #a guide to the dragon world #summary #review

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