#a nice hobby since fall 2022

[monstrouscrew]

wanna try something new? how about jumping from a 40 metres high abandoned building 💙

#k's wave #i'm busy having fun ~~~ #really have been so all the art hasn't been finished yet #rope jumping #a nice hobby since fall 2022 #thx to the magnus archives #the buried can eat shit #eleventh time and happy again #tw: heights #the vast

[0wllight]

tell the class all your favorite parts about sova maybe? like what made you really fall for him and all of that!

ok this also might get long i am sorry. thank u for the ask tho its nice to hvae smth to do. either way uhh lets get started

ok so i might have mentioned this but i had a small crush on him a few years ago? i think since like 2022. back then i shipped with cypher and was super fixated on him but i think sova was always in the back of my brain as a crush, although at the time i only had him as a platonic. also cuz one of my good friends who doesnt anymore used to ship with him so i didnt wanna overstep or anything.

anyways im not even sure how i suddenly decided to latch onto him, i think my fixation on yone at the time was starting to fade and my brain just randomly chose to fixate on him even tho he was still a crush at the back of my brain lol. and look where we are now/lh

as for what i like abt him, i think one of the biggest things i like is how polite he is/kind to others. i think thats like a rlly important trait in someone for me if i were like to date someone else and hes just rlly nice in general and very lovely, hes such a big sweetheart :)

also ok im gonna sound crazy here but my friends keep saying im a circle bcuz he rlly fits one of my types which is like the holy trinity of yone vergil and wyll. who are all like, responsible, serious, yet like kind and deeply caring. and sova definitely fits into that archetype haha even though hes not exactly the same?? most of those guys arent exactly the same but theres a huge overlap of similarity with them.

i do also think he is very pretty even tho he is unfortunately white/lh :') (or at least i smacked this guy with the asian beam. get wasian'd) idk i suck at explaining exactly why i like this guy, again i think a big part of it is how kind he is to others!! its again just smth i rlly value in a partner, he genuinely cares about others/esp people hes close to like his grandma. and is very thoughtful. also i like that hes super down to earth and humble like this guy is incredibly talented yet never brags about it at all hes just very modest. smug people drive me nuts so im glad hes not like that lol. he also is very passionate abt his interests like archery and also he does photography! i like to think he also does things like hiking, birdwatching and maybe some gardening in his spare time. idk its a shame we dont get too too much info about val characters although the lore is always constantly growing. i do think he does like lots of outdoorsy hobbies hes very respectful to and attuned with nature i think.

sorry this is getting so long omg. im trying to think of any last things to throw in... i think another thing i rlly love abt him is how calm he is. it kinda balances me out bcuz i tend to be a really hotheaded person but it takes a LOT for him to get bothered by something, or at least lose his temper. in the lore we've never really seen him lose his temper or anything like that? the closest it's gotten is that one image when they were releasing fade where it was like a flashback to him losing his eye and he looked super animalistic. actually i think that in general for him to get that mad or whatever it would probably have to involve one of his loved ones being in danger. which is nice bcuz it shows that he rlly cares.

anyways this is getting so long so i will cut it short but i love my wife <3

#ask #answered #srry for the insane ramble #thank u for da ask tho!! #i love my wife <3 #ky shut up #my post #ship: walk on memories

[redefinemyworld]

You know, I've been here a while watching the sag-aftra and the writers strike quite aptly as a 19 year old university student who's only other hobby is literally consuming media so this is kind of important to me and I'm not gonna lie it makes me kind of sad.

But not in the way anyone would think. Before we jump to conclusions I am in full support of all the strikes. Don't stop until you get the compensation you deserve.

But it makes me sad because for context I'm South African. I go to university on a financial aid scheme created by the government and lately out government has been getting worse and worse. Showing its stripes worse and worse. And so I'm not shocked that their financial aid scheme is showing funny changed.

So the financial aid scheme is call Nationtional Student Financial Aid Scheme, it became a bursary (scholarship) a few years ago after a bunch of "fee must fall strikes" which were in response to high tertiary school fees. That happened while I was in primary school (around grade 7) and it now funds disadvantaged students whose families earn a household income of less than ZAR350000 per annum ($19520, €17538, £15172).

Okay cool. Nice. But what it doesn't take into account are middle income families earning over that threshold but are still unable to afford school fees, either because there's many mouths to feed in a household or because they are just part of the missing middle but that's not the chat.

As much as I see #treelaw trending I also wanna see NSFAS trending. I want to see tumblr talking about all these things cause they are such a big fucking deal.

Usually how the scheme works is they send money to the university that pays tuition, the university also distributes the accommodation and living allowance to the funded students. Recently, the scheme has changed and they decided to create a bank account that sends students living allowances straight to them and here's where the problem starts.

There was a bid to decide which corporation/banks would be in charge of creating this specific NSFAS student bank account and a bunch of corporations no one has ever heard of outbid the largest banks and organisations in the country. The company is called Noracco, eZaga, Coinvest and Tenet.

Now here's where things get silly goofy.

They are not a registered financial service provider. They barely even have a fucking website. And they are handling people's livelihoods and billions of South African Rands. Only one of the corporations is connected to an authorised financial service provider which is eZaga. (How this was not a requirement I have no idea)

Students are not getting their living allowances. This means no groceries, no transport home, toiletries, nothing. Keep in mind these are disadvantaged students. No one is getting extra money from home to help them with such expenses

They have terrible service. No phone calls, emails nothing is answered.

They have insanely high bank charges. This takes advantage of so many students and uses up what little allowance money they have to live. A student usually receives around R1600 for a month (which is around 89USD)

You can't spend more than a capped amount of money a day, which is incredibly inconvenient when shopping for groceries as one can spend almost R800 (44USD) on groceries plus an extra R50-R100 (3-8 USD) for transportation.

This was started in the middle of the school year (February-November is how the year works here, it started in June/July for universities and TVETs had been introduced to in 2022 and have been striking against it since)

Students are out here SUFFERING and there is no one helping!!! We are being THREATENED to participate in this sham with out living allowances being WITHHELD FROM US.

The financial abuse is soooo real

I know im talking into the void but I'm hoping and praying that this catches someone's attention enough for people to start talking about it.

Here are a bunch of articles calling out this weird, Obviously corrupt organisations that answer anything that doesn't currently have any links connected to it.

The public protector has also recently been assigned to investigate.

https://www.outa.co.za/blog/newsroom-1/post/nsfas-what-are-you-doing-with-student-funds-1233

https://www.da.org.za/2023/07/da-raises-alarm-over-nsfas-direct-payment-system

https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Announcements/Unisa-has-taken-note-of-concerns-raised-by-students-regarding-direct-payment-system

https://www.iol.co.za/weekend-argus/news/fraudulent-withdrawals-from-nsfas-funded-students-accounts-threaten-their-future-a4a47850-bad4-45e9-a30f-9b8b48a08998

https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2023-07-10-tut-students-reject-new-banking-system-for-nsfas-beneficiaries/

On top of this, NSFAS has also been defending thousands of students nationally referring to them as "undeserving". While I understand there are some people who take advantage of them system specifically for underprivileged students the way they went about it is not the best.

Students are actively being thrown out of their residents and accommodations and being de-registered from their institutions. Questions have been put in place as to what is deemed as undeserving but all NSFAS can claim is students who are financially and/or academically ineligible refusing to take into account student circumstances.

At the end of the day, every student uses the scheme the same way. And sure sometimes there's someone with a household with more than R350000 p/a benefiting but personally, I don't see anything wrong with someone having a little extra pocket money. There is no reason anyone, anywhere should be forced to live on a to make ends meet budget.

This was not the best layout. It was probably messy and all over the place, but I have never really written something this long, complex and detailed for tumblr. It's missing so many important details and contexts that I'm hoping anyone who cares to read will find out more about and help give us a voice.

We just want to learn without worrying about where we're going to sleep or what we're going to eat.

Please any attention is good, just to put pressure on the people in charge. Please let's get tree law and fund the defended trending together. ❤️

#tree law #sag aftra #writers strike #writers guild of america #nsfas #south africa #university #politics #human rights #law #fund the defunded #south african universities

[mugoki]

'Stuck in one place' horror movies 💀 part 2

Breaking Surface (2020)

Two sisters go for some hobby diving at a secluded area in Norway, only for one of them to get stuck under a rock (if i remember correctly) 30 m down under water. Even though we mostly follow one sister's desperate attempts to find help while keeping her sister alive, there are many scary moments under water.

47 Meters Down (2017)

Another two sisters enjoying themselves diving, this time on a tourist attraction boat where you swim with wild sharks, safely inside a connected underwater cage. However the chains fail and the cage completely plunges to the ocean ground. With scarce amount of air, lost from the people above and surrounded by vicious sharks, the two sisters have to take dire risks to make it back to the surface.

Poseidon (2006)

Giant cruise ship Poseidon is hit by a giant wave, and pushed upsidedown with thousands of passengers inside. A bunch of strangers get together to reach the bottom of the boat in hope to signal for help, but one by one they're plucked away by misfortune. Underrated, almost forgotten movie !

The Pool (2018)

Imagine, you fall asleep on your summer floaty and hasn't noticed that the really deep pool has been emptied. And when your friend comes to help you up, they accidentally stumble and severely hit their head. Now both of you're stuck! And oh, then an alligator falls in too. Even if the plot sounds a bit goofy like that, this doesn't feel terribly unrealistic!

Mine (2016)

After witnessing his friend step on a mine and become several pieces, a soldier notices that he has stepped on one too - but it hasn't gone off yet. Having to stand still in such heavy heat while waiting for help does things to your mind for sure.

Fall (2022)

Two adrenaline junkie friends decide to climb an old rusty 2000 feet (about 610 meters) radio tower. But when reaching the top, the ladder falls apart and the women are completely trapped in the middle of nowhere, struggling in the desert heat.

The Lodge (2019)

A former cult-member still suffers trauma from the brainwashing she had to endure for years, even after starting a new life with a nice man and his two kids. When the bf has to go away for a business trip and a blizzard strikes, the woman is stuck with the two kids in the small cavern as strange things start to occur around them.

Vivarium (2019)

A couple looking for their first dream home together suddenly finds themselves trapped in their new house with a strange baby to care for. Imagine being trapped with someone else's kid 24/7 against your will, for weeks even months! No wonder they lose their minds.

The Purge (2013)

Since the never ending Purge franchise, i think many have forgotten that the very first one took place only in a suburban house as introducers try to get in. Still today holds up as a very stressful scary watch!

[ Part 1 ]

#me #personal #movie recommendation #movie rec list #movie review #horror movie recommendations #horror movies

[milaza]

nine years of drawing with a digital art tablet baeby! i have some older traditional/non-tablet digital pieces as well but i dunno what year they’re from. i’ll make a more complete yearly progress chart next year.

overall, i’m pretty okay with things considering it’s just a hobby.

it’s still a bit frustrating to see that i peaked with pretty stuff in 2018, but as i said before i’ve improved a lot more in other ways and i don’t think i’d be happy with myself if i kept just drawing pretty faces with boring compositions.

before i compiled this, my feeling was that i thought i did really well in 2020. but that was just the year my posts did well on social media (did well for ME). looking back, there wasn’t really anything complete and unique that i liked a lot. and i thought i kinda flopped in 2021 ‘cause i didn’t post all that much, but i’m really happy with my output that year TBH. i want to draw more fun scenes and pictures with deep feelings!

the time i spend on a complete piece has decreased a lot because i’m more concerned with having an interesting atmosphere over making sure the rendering and anatomy is perfect. also, i’ve just gotten quicker at drawing overall. i always try to keep it under 10 hours nowadays unless it’s got lineart... that shit makes it take so much longer orz.

2022 kinda felt like a flop again, aw man. i kinda forgot that i spent a good part of the early year drawing a whole korekiyo dojinshi? i felt really down about it at the time since i was utterly unmotivated (it’s fucking korekiyo i don’t know how i cared enough about him to draw a whole comic about him), but now i’m like... woah... people actually enjoyed that? i sold out of all 28 copies i had printed, so now i’m considering reprinting it again. who knows...

anyway i got an ipad this year and started using procreate so i sketched a good bit more. i finished dai gyakuten saiban, got motivated by my chemical romance, and completed a bunch of stuff i was pretty proud of in a single week. unfortunately completing dai gyakuten saiban also made me fall in love with barok van zieks for some reason so i basically spent the second half of the year just drawing self-ship art and van zieks pr0n. it’s not even crap worth posting.

i feel like i didn’t complete or post that much (at least on my main account) because of that. but actually, i always forget i have more finished pieces for zines that i don’t post... idk if i should admit it but i use zines as a way to motivate myself to finish stuff honestly. i think without that i’d flop even more and not get me to draw anything... but i will stop doing that from now on because i don’t feel satisfied with my artistic output drawing for zines. bleh.

last year i was obsessed with making dojinshi and this year i got into merch stuff since i was tabling at a convention for the first time, but honestly...! it’s a pain in the ass!!! i don’t want to bother with maintaining an online store and i don’t want to create products for the sake of creating products so i’m only gonna make what i personally want from now on.

so i spent 75+ hours rendering a barok van zieks dakimakura.

I WANT TO THROW UP!!! IT’S SO SICKENING TO ME THAT THE PIECE I’VE SPENT THE MOST TIME ON EVER IS A FUCKING VAN ZIEKS DAKIMAKURA!!!! HE’S NOT EVEN IN MY TOP 5 ACE ATTORNEY CHARACTERS!!!!!!!!!! preorder link in my bio btw.

that was just 2 weeks ago basically, but i felt so fucking ill about it. luckily i finished off the year with a nice complete drawing so i’m happy and i love myself again ^_^

i want to focus on 3D art next year, draw more complete scenes, get around to my drawing idea backlog... get into some new fucking media because i am sick of that white man cursing me for the past six months. yep yep!

#text #summary of art #my art

[twst-discourse-bot]

Well I think they are back. Angelic Nerd on Tumblr

Sigh.

I've been pulled out of retirement. I'm alive and kicking and so is the bane of my existence.

I'll be honest, I haven't checked the TWST tags since my last post. I've been busy with real life stuff and was kinda getting bored with it, since I'm managing both a JP and an ENG account all of the reruns and lack of new stuff was causing me to lose interest.

But then the announcement for the 2022 Halloween event AND the Ch. 7 release trailer dropped and it's like someone threw coal into the crusty old train engine that is my brain. Soooo, I'm back. For now. Let's get into the shortest analysis I've probably ever done.

She-of-many-names looks to be taking a middle-road approach this time around, posting an age of 15 years and leaving out the whole trans part of her previous identities. What's more surprising is her completely leaving out anything about her being black, though I suppose if you're trying to pretend like you don't have a record a mile long of shit you did in the past using your race as a weapon, it's in your best interest to hide it if you want to continue to start shit for no reason. Which we know is her favorite hobby by now.

Continuing from this point, she took a hard left from her previous tactics, instead of going for anything related to race, sexuality, age, etc. she's now weaponizing Jewish stereotypes as well as speaking for mentally ill and disabled people. And it's not like anything she said was revolutionary or wrong in a vacuum, if it was coming from anyone else--say it with me now--it would be a whole 'nother story. But we know what's going on, we've been here since the beginning. You're not slick Anna.

I don't know who, when, or what drove the idea into her head that if she spouts random talking points that anyone with a brain (and not racist, anti-Semetic, etc.) would agree with, people won't be allowed to argue with her. That's kinda been her whole position all along, except for the fact that she projects those ideas onto the wrong people and things so no one would ever take her seriously. This is putting all the anti-Asian racism aside, if it wasn't for that she would just be stupid.

And let's not forget the self-victimization, she has to sprinkle that in now and then to make sure that everyone knows she's a poor, defenseless, uwu minor who is getting bullied for DARING to...to...MAKE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS. Idiot. No one's falling for it.

I do have to applaud the people who answered her post about disabled characters with genuine intentions, pity they don't know who they're dealing with.

I'm pretty sure that's everything. It looks like her other blogs lumineisqueen, fandomlover3458, and deadyuunaacount are all still active but silent for the time being.

Much appreciation to the many people in my inbox who still seem to think I'm some kind of authority figure on this whole mess. You guys are doing way more work than me now, so take care of yourselves, alright?

And lest I forget, thank you for the message! Nice to see you again :)

#evidence #answered asks

[dragonbeak]

Furry Weekend Atlanta 2022 was amazing!!!

For the first time in years, let's return to convention review!

Well, I gotta say, for a first big con to return to I'm glad it was FWA 2022! FWA has always been one of my favorite local cons, even if circumstances had prevented me from attending since 2016.

At the encouragement of friends I applied for the 2022 Dealers Den last fall, got waitlisted, and then received an email from Dealers Den head, Kay, about a month before the event. And I was like, okay!!!

So April was a big rush to produce new merch to make my FWA DD debut exciting! This included a new line of pride python pinback buttons, repurposing some Helluva Boss fanart as pinback buttons as well, and my most exciting, a new shirt design "Slither Slaughter Slumber" which I had been workshopping for years but put on the backburner with pandemic times and all. And woo! I'm so glad my shirt manus pulled through, Terminus Tees are great to work with, if anyone happens to be looking for a GA based T-shirt printing company.

Man, this was the fastest I'd ever sent a file to print, haha! Also my first 3-ink color shirt which I was a little nervous about because it raises the printing cost. But it was all worth it because furries loved the shiiiiiiiiiiiiiirts!!!

Muwhahaha, so this was my first big con to have shirts as merch. And, dang, they were definitely my best items. Which was very encouraging because outside of Kickstarter my Etsy shirt sales are like... eh??? For what it's worth I know I could have better and more engaging product photos but I don't know the first thing about directing a real photo shoot.

But huh, I've mostly been talking about the con prep so far and not FWA itself? Well!!! Lemme tell you, FWA was a blast! All the attendees were so nice, everyone abided by mask rules, everyone was really kind and said such nice things. I appreciated how transparent con staff, especially Kay and the Dealers Den team, were about running the event. Even if you could tell they were working really hard due to being a little understaffed!! ovo;;; Oh man guys, don't work too hard. Understandable, since it's the first FWA to be hosted in person in about 3 years???

And my fellow vendors! Wow, I think this was the most nice welcoming experience from other vendors. I got the most art trade offers ever, got to network with folks and talk shop. I also got the feeling most furry vendors already knew each other? That was very interesting. This was actually my first time vending at FWA in the Dealers Den instead of Artist Alley and I think it was a very good fit for where my art selling hobby is at now. I also went a little wild and splurged a bit XD;; Muwhahaha! Everyone had such beautiful art!

Since it had been a while since I last sold at a furry convention, I forgot how nice furry attendees are to artists TToTT Ah, everyone was so nice. Man, I left the experience feeling really inspired and more pumped than ever to make more art merch!!! But then... just as I was getting ready to relax after one impromptu convention... Momocon literally emailed me the following Monday asking if I'd like to get off the waitlist for their convention in two weeks!!! ovo;;; Oh man!!!

To be continued?

#furry weekend atlanta #fwa22 #fwa #convention

[birdofmay]

I found this "put your playlist on shuffl" game and I thought you might like it 😄 If so, put your playlist on shuffle and answer the following questions with whatever song comes up:

What is your name?

What are your hobbies?

How Are You Feeling Today?

How Was Yesterday?

What are you doing right now?

What song describes you?

What is good advice?

What were your first words?

What are you afraid of?

What is your motto?

What is the story of your life?

What will the future be like?

What is your happiest memory?

What is your wedding song going to be?

What do you think of everyday?

What did you learn today?

What is your biggest secret?

How do people see you?

1. What's your name? - Call Me A Spaceman by Hardwell..... OMG this title! It's so..... It fits the question, what the 😂😂😂😂

2. What are your hobbies? - We live for the music by Showtek. I mean yeah, I make music and I listen to music and I read about music theory, etc., so yeah, true.

3. How are you feeling today? - A hard day's night by The Beatles 😂😂😂 Yeah ok, I mean I haven't been working all day, but it fits the question 😄

4. How was yesterday? - Rock Show by Halestorm... I would like to be at a rock show, but my brain doesn't like that sensory-wise.

5. What are you doing right now? - Miss Jackson by Panic! At The Disco 😳 I cannot stress enough that I'm NOT "doing" Miss Jackson, I'm a virgin and I don't even know her what the 😂😂

6. What song describes you? - Shoplifter by Green Day..... I take that personally!

7. What is good advice? - Tomorrow by Silverchair... Yeah, procrastinate, do everything tomorrow.

8. What were your first words? - Blut und Spiele by Harpyie. I mean since my native language is German it only makes sense for my first words to be in German 🤷🏻‍♀️

9. What are you afraid of? - Feeling this by Blink-182...... Yeah, me alone with my feelings I can't even describe because alexithymia 😄

10. What is your motto? - If you only knew by Shinedown. Ooooh, alright then, keep your secrets!

11. What is the story of your life? - Gutter Girl by Hot Flash Heat Wave ...... EXCUSE ME what????? That's mean! 😂😂😂😂😂

12. What will the future be like? - Bunt und nicht braun by Schandmaul. That's nice, this song is about acceptance and against racism, this future sounds nice!

13. What is your happiest memory? - Saturday by Fall Out Boy. I mean yeah, Saturdays are nice mostly.

14. What is your wedding song going to be? - Brave Girls by Ska-P. Ok guys, if I finally understand gender and end up to marry a girl for some reason, remember that this ask in 2022 somehow predicted it 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

15. What do you think of every day? - Elephants by Our Last Night....... I think of elephants every day?? Hm... Ok 🤷🏻‍♀️😄

16. What did you learn today? - Open Your Eyes by Goldfinger. This song is about veganism, did I learn something about veganism today? Not yet I guess 🤔

17. What is your biggest secret? - An Ever-Growing Wonder by We Came As Romans. Yeah I mean the answer suits the question at least 🤔

18. How do people see you? - Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) by The Offspring. Hell yeah!!!!! 😎😂😂😂

#music tag #anon ask #long post #caps lock

[fanfic-reading-challenge]

A little housekeeping...

So very sorry for the delay in replying to these @blissfullycamren02! It's been a bit hectic but I'm finishing getting my fandom-related legs under me again (probably just to fall flat on my face in 3 days or so). Some may not apply anymore, if you've figured out the answer since, but it's good for everyone to see the answers too!

ALSO THOUGH! I am in the works for getting an amazing banner made to carry this challenge going forward into future years; I don't plan on going anywhere! Could use some help but eh. And yes! There are new badges being made for the end of the year. I am just SO PSYCHED!

...and on to our questions! xD

.~oOo~.

Could April be switched around and be a fic based on a movie or tv show?

The exact text of the task is as follows: << Monthly Theme 04: In April, read a fic that fits the following theme of: Spring Renewal. Read a fic that is all about new growth --- coming out, healing, growing as a person, major and positive changes to a character's life, etc. >>

At least this year you can finish the monthly challenges even if the month has already come and gone (you just can't read for future months, though if you start reading a longfic, for example, and then finish it in the correct/matching voice, that works too! So yeah, if I'm pretty loosey-goosey with all that, you can 100% use your imagination like.... the fic takes place in Spring, it's in the immediate highs of the wizarding world after Voldepants dies, it's learning a new skill, trying out a new hobby, and you can never escape the never-ending spring cleaning. *shudders*

It could even be about an Alternate First Meeting! See, stretching my imagination. ;D

But if you need suggestions, you let me know ASAP!

.~oOo~.

I’m having a really hard time finding something to fit april in the monthly challenge I don’t know if it’s ok to ask you but do you know any.

Answer: Let me know if you still need this answered after the above info and now that time has passed. :)

.~oOo~.

When you said Q, X, and Z can occur anywhere in the title what did you mean by that?

So, Q, X, and Z are pretty hard to find at the start of words in general, let alone written words. If you can find one, that's awesome! It can even be, say, the first letter of the second word in the made-up title: Truly qualitative Reasoning. But you can also just take a fic with a title such as, hm... Alexandria... and that would count for the X title requirement! Since the X appears anywhere in the title. You don't need all three letters in the title

.~oOo~.

Hi found a website that tells you how many words a book has and figured you could post the link for people who have a hard time figuring it out like I did the website is called how long to read

YES! What a wonderful resource. Here's a link to the lovely thing, and GoodReads has a great tool for how many pages your specific edition has. If you're in it for the books (98/100 for 2022 already!) but it's a nice place to keep track of things (some authors prefer their fanfiction not to appear there, however, but do with that information what you will (it doesn't copy the content, just the metadata of the fic/book. So... eh.) A tip, though: if you don't like the format of one site, try looking for the same fic on another site more amenable to your fancies!

~Juulna

#blissfullycamren02 #2022frc #2022 fic reading challenge #reading challenge #ask #answered #announcements #etc

[caseybenaya]

Finding my writing voice again amid a major life change

It’s 2022 and A LOT has changed since I last blogged. Let’s summarize quickly. I got a new job, moved to Chicago with it, met my husband there, and now we have both quit said job and are taking a year off to travel. This isn’t everything thats happened in the last 5 years, but it does a nice job summarizing where I am now and why I want to start writing again.

I re-read my old blog posts and thought it might be best to remove them since I have blossomed into such a grown up after getting married, and don’t want to share my past stories about getting into an Uberpool where a guy was getting a bl*w job, or about the struggle of having to poop at work. But actually the last post is quite the appropriate bridge for the upcoming stage of my life and the rest, well they are just too funny to remove.

What’s that stage you ask? It’s the one where my husband and I travel for a year in a trailer that has no bathroom. So let’s all get really comfortable with each other now, because shit is about to get real, real creative. More on pooping (I’m switching shitting to pooping, so you can’t say nothing has changed ) in the wilderness later, first I want to tell you more about our plans.

You might be wondering, who is this husband of mine. Let me help you. Picture Chad sitting in a sports bar on a Sunday drinking a beer and watching football. Now picture anyone in Home Depot. Next, picture Mr. Zuckerburg sitting in his college dorm room coding. Lastly picture that guy in the REI ad, smiling atop of a mountain he just conquered. Which one is he? He’s all of them (and much more :)). These descriptions don’t do him justice, I’m mostly making fun of him while trying to capture some of his favorite hobbies.

Alright, onto our plans. 10,000ft view: we bought a trailer that we can tow with our SUV and plan to travel mostly along the perimeter of the USA with a goal to get to Alaska next summer. We have a cabin in Wisconsin thats currently home base and we’ll start the trip by driving to Rochester, NY mid November.

Ahhh yes, camping in Rochester in the winter. It doesn’t snow there that much, right?

Actually, we have friends that live there and we’re going to stay with them and visit Niagara Falls. Then we’ll drive South as quickly as possible, with a stop or two along the way along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains. Georgia, South Carolina and then Florida are whats in store for December. Can’t wait to share more as we start this journey. Please join me!

Too excited to keep my eyes open. This is what we'll be in for the next year (with some hotels too, we're not that hardcore)

#travel #travelblogger #travel trailer #usatravel #rochester #florida #georgia #south carolina

[markwatkinsconsumerguide]

Consumer Guide / No.117 / Q & A with country-folk-pop singer-songwriter, Helena Mace, with Mark Watkins.

MW: Tell me about ECHOES?

HM: ECHOES is my 5th studio album since 2016 and is a mix of tracks influenced by country, folk and pop roots. It’s a story of a journey through life from relationships, daily life and the world around us.

MW: What are your musical influences?

HM: Fleetwood Mac, Miranda Lambert, The Eagles, First Aid Kit and many others.

MW: ... and some of your favourite songs by these artists...

HM: There are so many, but I would say Rhiannon (album: Fleetwood Mac, 1975) AND The Chain (album: Rumours, 1977); Tin Man AND Vice (Miranda Lambert album: The Weight Of These Wings, 2016); One Of These Nights (album: The Eagles, One Of These Nights, 1975) AND Cedar Lane (album: First Aid Kit, Stay Gold, 2014) to name just a few.

MW: How do you determine success in the music business?

HM: Success is determined by longevity in the industry to me. Its building a fanbase and having those fans enjoy listening to what you do. I have had an award for my services to music recently from UK country radio and that to me was knowing that my music is being noticed by people who appreciate what I do.

ECHOES also reached Number One on the ITUNES country chart and Number 2 all genre, which I am so grateful for.

Radio is also very important and to have people playing your music to an audience is also amazing.

MW: What do you like about listening to the radio?

HM: I love radio. It still has a lot of relevance and I like indie stations where they play lots of unsigned artists.

MW: What bugs you (about radio)?

HM: I wish bigger commercial stations would also give the unsigned more of a chance.

MW: If you weren't writing and performing songs, what might you be doing?

HM: I am qualified in Fnance and also as a Fitness Trainer so maybe one of those. I am also a Photographer which I still do on occasions as a hobby.

MW: How do you usually spend...

1) Halloween

HM: I usually do a covers gig where we all like to dress up. I love the atmosphere of Halloween

2) Firework night

HM: Again, depending on what night it falls on then I am usually performing. However, it's nice to stay at home in the warm. I'm not a massive fan of fireworks.

3) Christmas

HM: I love Christmas. It's one of my favourite parts of the year. I always spend it with family but it's also our busiest time of the year, so I do work many nights throughout December.

MW: Tell me about the last film you saw...

HM: The last film I watched was Hocus Pocus (1993) as we are getting into the Halloween Spirit. I've yet to see the new one released this year (2022).

MW: ...the last book you read...

HM: The last book was A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (girst published 1843) which is my favorite novel. I always like to start it when winter is on its way.

MW: Do you keep a diary?

HM: No, just my social media but I spend many days writing songs.

MW:  What are your professional plans going into next year?

HM: I am recording some Christmas music very soon and looking at a new single in the early part of 2023.

I am hoping to take my original music out on the road next year and start a new duo on top of my other shows  

I would like to build up my fanbase even more and just keep creating songs that people love to listen to.

https://www.helenamace.com/

(c) Mark Watkins / October 2022

[softxsuki]

hello sweetheart!! may I please have a letter for your valentine's day event? i was thinking about Dabi with a villain!gn!reader who's like a sibling for him, and i would like if he call they by doll. they enter in l.o.v at the same time - with toga, so they knows each other enough to know when the other is in a bad mood. reader is in college and they are overwhelmed because all the lessons, exams coming over and the missions that shigaraki propouse to them, and dabi see they [...] - 🍇 anon

Dabi's Comforting Letter To His Friend Who's Like A Sibling To Him

Valentine's Day Letter Event Masterlist (CLOSED)

Pairing: Dabi x Gn!Reader (Platonic)

Warnings: feeling overwhelmed

Genre: Comfort

Post-Type: Letter

Word Count: 480

Summary: In which you fall asleep after having a panic attack and find a letter next to you when you wake up. It's from Dabi and he writes comforting words to you in hopes that it helps you feel calm.

[A/N: Heya 🍇anon, Happy (late) Valentine's Day! Thank you so much for your patience and understanding, but I finally got this done for you! It's been a long day. I think I've been writing now for over 12 hours, but I only have 3 more letters to edit and post after this one and I'll be done, so I'm gonna keep pushing forward. I hope you enjoy this letter from Dabi. It was nice writing a platonic letter for a change :).]

It was hours after your anxiety attack that occurred from feeling overwhelmed about your studies and your LOV duties. You ended up falling asleep and had just woken up, finding yourself alone in your room which was now dark compared to how light it was earlier.

You reach for the lamp on your nightstand and click it on as the room floods with light. A certain folded paper catches your attention on your bed, next to where you were just lying.

Curiously, you reach for it, unfold it, and begin to read it’s contents;

Y/N,

Hey doll. Just wanted to check up on you, but I saw that you were already sleeping so I decided to just leave this letter here for when you woke up. I know it must be hard keeping up with those difficult college courses along with the missions Shiggy assigns you, but you’re doing so well.

You’re like a younger sibling to me and I know you trust Toga with these things, so I’m glad you at least have someone to talk to, but I wish you could come to me as well, so I know what’s up and can help you. I’m proud of how hard you work on your studies, which you definitely don’t even need to be doing now that you’re with us, but you continue on and I admire that. Keep up the great work. But next time you feel overwhelmed, reach out to someone, I don’t care who, just don’t let it pile up so high on your chest to the point where you go into a full blown anxiety attack, please.

Anyway, it’s Valentine’s Day so I figured maybe hearing a few nice words with some brotherly love might help you feel better, so here it is…

Sometimes it’s hard keeping up with the amount of energy that you have, but it’s nice seeing you get along with everyone here and knowing that you’re enjoying yourself. Since we arrived at the LOV at the same time, I’ve seen you grow so much since then.

You look so cool whenever you get lost in doing something you love like drawing or designing; I’m sure you’ll be able to utilize those hobbies even more in the future. But yeah…I hope you’re feeling better. Let me know if you need anything.

Sincerely,

Dabi.

You never took Dabi as the thoughtful type, but you were grateful to have an older brother figure while you were here–someone to watch over you and comfort you whenever you needed it. You felt a lot lighter and ready to get back to your responsibilities after your nap and from the encouraging words Dabi had written to you.

You take a seat at your desk and continue on with your studies while gently holding onto the necklace around your neck that matched the one Dabi had.

You’d definitely have to thank him later.

EVENT REQUESTS ARE CLOSED

REGULAR REQUESTS ARE OPEN

Posted: 2/14/2022

#mha x reader #bnha x reader #lov x reader #dabi x reader #toya todoroki x reader #mha #bnha #lov #dabi #toya todoroki #mha x y/n #mha x you #mha x gn!reader #bnha x y/n #bnha x you #bnha x gn!reader #lov x you #lov x y/n #lov x gn!reader #dabi x y/n #dabi x you #dabi x gn reader #toya x y/n #toya x you #toya x gn!reader #mha comfort #bnha comfort #dabi comfort #dabi fanfic #mha fanfiction

[lunaleetarot]

Gemini 2021 Year Ahead Birthday Spread

Starting from the top clockwise, theme in the middle.

May 2021- Queen of Wands

This month you may be surrounding yourself with a friendly individual who loves animals. This person may be you- or your mother or a mother figure or your romantic partner. Sometimes it just means you need to take on the traits of the Queen herself. Good or bad this may be a person who has a significant say in your current situation. I feel for some of you this may be a mother in law. This person will be more relevant in your life this month. The Queen is ambitious, she wants to climb the career ladder or do other great things. Usually this individual finds themselves playing the role of the leader for having the ability to take charge. This person takes pride in being a good friend and ally. They will consider how their decisions affect others before making any moves, making sure everyone involved is being treated fairly. Enjoy time in nature as much as you can this month. If possible, go to the zoo or take a nature hike. Keeping fit and taking care of your health will be important to you. There may be a demanding and domineering woman standing between you and what you want. Watch out for controlling and oppressive behavior. If you find yourself micromanaging everyone around you- check yourself. You may be dealing with someone born on the Pisces-Aries cusp (March 19-24th).

2. June 2021- Ten of Swords

Disaster may be coming to your doorstep this June. This is not a welcoming card, as it usually indicates destruction. I feel this has been brewing for weeks and it’s finally coming to a head with the Queen of Wands above. All may be lost here Gemini. Drama, conflict will reach their next stage or conclusion. Your relationship may end in the most terrible or cruel way. Something may happen that will strip you of your confidence. This card and abusive relationships can go hand in hand. Business, career and fiance many make a turn for the worst. Once the dust settles you can start anew, but I feel for this month you're still going to be in the thick of it. You may be in ill health. Take care of yourself from physical and emotional pain. At the very least I feel some type of betrayal is going to occur and you won’t be able to resolve the issue. This is your card Gemini, this is going to affect you directly.

3. July 2021- Seven of Wands

As we move into sweltering July, you're going to face the challenges from last month head on. You're ready to preserve and defend yourself. It could possibly result in a fight for you. The person who betrayed you last month is going to make a hassle for you, and it may become a severe problem in your life. You do not see eye to eye with this person, but I feel this is someone who you were once very close to. This person does not respect you or your way of doing things. For some of you, this could be a co-worker out to steal the spotlight from you in the office. Although this is frustrating, you have the long term advantage here. They covet what you have, but you earned it with your merit, talent and personality. Because of this, even if you have to fight, you will remain on top. You may be dealing with a Leo here.

4. August 2021- The High Priestess

All the conflict from last month has really helped you to trust your intuition. However this may be a time where you need to brace the unknown, Gemini. Your insights will be so spot on, it will almost feel like your psychic. You may have strong suspicions. You may suspect your partner is being unfaithful to you. It will be revealed to you. Something in your life isn’t quite right, and you’ll feel it Gem. A lover or a business partner may be keeping a secret from you. You will sense the dishonesty, even if you're not completely sure what it is. The secret will be revealed to you this month.

5. September 2021- Ten of Wands

You learned a harsh truth last month, and it’s leaving you physically shattered this September. The truth was revealed to you, but it left you wounded. Now you're facing many burdens. This is a card of hard work, and there is a lot of work left to be done for you Gemini. You’re going to have to put in a lot more effort than you have been previously. Now is the time to decide if you want to buckle down and complete the challenge or throw in the towel. This card isn’t telling you what to do, it’s only telling you that things are about to get more difficult. You will have a lot on your plate this month. You're most likely juggling work, family and other responsibilities. You go to bed at night thinking about all the work that is facing you the next day. You will be very overwhelmed. You're going to need to take care of yourself, especially since stress related illness is likely to crop up at this time. This card is often drawn for new parents who are spending sleepless nights and drained from responsibility. It could also mean you're working hard trying to get a business off the ground. You keep pushing and pushing but there’s no end in sight. If you keep grinding there is a cozy environment in your future. If you stay committed you will see the fruits of your labor. Keep pushing towards the life you want. You may be dealing with a Sagittarius.

6. October 2021- Five of Swords

As we move into Autumn, you will face defeat. You will lose something through a fault of your own or for some something may be stolen from you. Regardless you will experience misfortune in your conflicts. This is a theft card so make sure you have proper insurance, make sure you're careful with what you brag about within the home. An enemy is going to outsmart you. You may experience loss of reputation, position or your entire career altogether. This could come from friends instead of co-workers for some. A lover being stolen from you is also a possibility. It won’t be fair, but it won’t matter very much. You may be dealing with an Aquarius here.

7. November 2021- Five of Cups

After your fall from grace in the spooky month of October, you're facing setbacks in November. You're dealing with a lot of disappointment and negative thoughts. This will be a period of great sadness for you. Instead of feeling thankful this month, you will find yourself in a negative place. At this time you will be confused about what your next move should be, and possibly indulging in self-pity. This card often makes an appearance during a break-up or divorce. Although this is difficult now, there is someone out there who is better suited for you, Gemini. Your life is by no means over. If you're battling depression, get help. You don’t have to battle these feelings alone. You may experience this fall out over a strained friendship or family relationship. All is not lost, a second chance is within your grasp. However, you're going to have to try. You may be dealing with a Scorpio here.

8. December 2021- Ace of Wands

As we move into the holiday season, you're ready to start over and begin creating a new life for yourself. This month you’re creating something that will have an impact. This could be a life changing event like a new child or a new job- but for most it will probably just be a new hobby. You will be excited about new opportunities that present themselves. You may be starting a new relationship that is filled with spark and fire. If you find yourself pregnant- this card can indicate it will be a male child. This could be you or someone you're close to. Be mindful not to get so caught up in the excitement that once it isn’t fun anymore you stop putting in effort. You don’t want something promising to never get past the first stages because of this. However, I will say this is the first promising month I see for you. I feel like the holiday season will be when Gemini gets their groove back.

9. January 2022- Four of Cups

Coming into the new year, you may find the spark you had last month is now fizzling out. Perhaps reality stepped in or a new lover has decided to leave you this month. If this is the case for you, it’s likely they got bored of the relationship. If it isn’t, you will be the one feeling the boredom. You feel unhappy and discontent in your current circumstances this month. The excitement from December has fizzled out. You won’t be happy until you do something to change it. You may be procrastinating at work or your boredom could be leading you to an affair. You may feel like you're suffering from some sort of mid-life crisis (or something that closely resembles one) You covet what other people have, wishing your own life was better. You may be chasing something that just isn’t meant for you. Use your jealousy of others for good and work on the areas of your life you're upset about. Work hard and strike for the things you see others have that you want. Keep in mind, the grass may not be greener on the other side. Count your blessings and be grateful for what you have. You may be dealing with a Cancer this month.

10. February 2022- Six of Swords

You find yourself feeling apathetic this month. You're just not interested in the drama that’s been going on all year. You're ready to forgive and move on. This can result in moving towards or away from conflict- that’s up to you. This card is all about movement. You may be physically moving residence or leaving your hometown. You may be close to the water when you travel on a boat or make a plane trip. You're moving towards a certain goal or outcome. Keep the faith, you're making progress even if you don’t feel like it. Something could be progressing in a way you didn’t want to expect. Once you get what you want, you see the grass isn’t greener on the other side. I feel this could be you achieving a goal you set out last month and realizing it doesn’t really suit you. Keep your options open for now.

11. March 2022- The Magician

With the energy of moving on, you're setting your sights on your own talents, possibly sales. You will have a lot of willpower this month. A nice change for you as winter becomes spring. You’re setting goals and seeing them through. Nothing will stop you, Gemini! Taking action at this time will attract the opportunities you crave. Be careful, for some of you a con man may be coming into your life (or trying to come back into it). One thing is for sure, you will be starting something new. A new business, job or hobby is in store for you.

12. April 2022- Six of Wands

The talents you displayed last month will lead you with victory and new found popularity this month. Success is finally coming to you! You will receive recognition for your hard work. Soon you will be able to sit back and bask in the glow. It’s been a hard year, you deserve it. There is a possibility that you will be looked up to as an authority. You may become a sort of celebrity in your field or interest. Your social media following will likely increase at this time. You will also be rewarded financially. A well deserved ego boost may also be in order. For some this may mean your letting your stubbornness get in the way of your happiness. You can’t admit when you're wrong or deny that others may know more than you. This arrogance may turn people off. You may be dealing with a Leo at this time.

13. Theme of the Year- Page of Cups

This will be an emotional year for you, unfortunately a year of emotional immaturity. For the next 365 days you may be feeling sensitive and a bit soft. You desire love, care and affection- but you're going about getting it in all the wrong ways. This gentleness may be coming from a good place, but you appear overly sensitive and annoy others. You will come off childish, moody and downright silly. In other words, you need to act your age, Gemini. I feel you will spend much of this year day-dreaming. Be mindful not to lose time because you have your head in the clouds. A certain stage of your life is coming to a natural end so a new stage can begin. You will notice this especially in June and September. This will be a painful experience for you, but it’s all for the best. I feel this could mean the end of a relationship so a new one can begin. Big events will occur in August and March. In October and November you will feel as though you’ve been defeated. February and April a special relationship may begin to bloom. It will start off slow but could lead to something amazing.

#gemini #happy birthday #year ahead spread #gemini season #tarot #zodiac #astrology #air signs #tarot spread #luna lee tarot

[blueeyesspitfire]

Another One

Someone asked when (and maybe, subconsciously, why) I decided to add another dog (Atlas!) to the team. While it might not seem like it, especially not to the average pet-owner, I have always been extremely strategic when increasing my numbers. I always tell non-mushers: comparatively, I actually have a very small team! It has also taken me more than ten years to get to ten dogs, so I consider my expansion pretty slow.

To answer the question, I started thinking back to how I got started in this sport (and hobby... and lifestyle). I had always wanted a Siberian Husky, but as a 20-year-old college student living in an apartment with a tiny, unfenced yard, no rescue would let me adopt one. My then-boyfriend (hi Rob) and I ended up adopting Dexter from a foster family that could tell we were more prepared than your average idiot kids. At this point, I was aware of mushing, but it was not part of my plan. I just wanted a dog that could accompany me on hikes and other outdoor adventures.

A few years later, and after volunteering for both a husky rescue and a wolf/wolfdog rescue, I finally had the credentials for husky ownership. I still had a hard time finding the right dog through adoption organizations, so I ended up looking into reputable breeders. One of them invited me to the Pine Barrens to attend a training meetup and "see the dogs in action". I was intrigued; this was New Jersey, where our winters weren’t known for their snow. It was also autumn, so there definitely wasn't snow on the ground. This is where it all began.

I met folks with only a few dogs and some with over a dozen. They used bikes, scooters, and non-motorized carts that looked like a mix between a shopping cart and a horse chariot. I started biking with Dexter and I was even able to hook him up with some borrowed dogs to see what true dog propulsion felt like. I was hooked before I even had my husky.

Denali was my first true sled dog and she paved the way for us. I started biking with her and Dexter, but I knew I wanted to get a third to pull a cart and, eventually, a sled. I adopted Knox six months after Denali came home. I remember everyone being shocked at this point. Three dogs? Wild.

For a time, the trio met my needs. I started a new job that required me to go into NYC a few times a week. I hung out with friends a lot. I traveled often. We mushed, too, but it wasn't all encompassing. Then Dexter started slowing down a bit. After all, he wasn't really built to keep up with two athletic young huskies. I started thinking about an eventual replacement for him. Denali's littermate, Mia, was due to have a litter, and I was quick to jump on the opportunity. Willow joined us in 2015, and shortly thereafter, I made my first "mistake".

When Willow was old enough to join the team, I kept Dexter on the line, since we were doing short and relatively easy runs that he could still handle. I was surprised to see him get a sort of second wind once he had a consistent running partner. In fact, the entire team seemed to do better in pairs. Eventually I had the girls leading with the boys in wheel, and Dex lasted through the whole season. And I realized, shit, I want to run a team of four.

Dexter's second wind was short lived, which I expected, and it wasn't long before I started thinking about another dog to take his place (for real this time). So a year after Willow, I added Blitz to the team. Ok, good, great, I should have been satisfied at this point, right? I wanted a team of four and I had it. Except there was a thought creeping in the back of my mind, almost since the beginning of this whole crazy journey. A friend had told me that you probably want at least six dogs to carry a passenger. I also really liked the idea of having leaders, team dogs, and wheel dogs. So I got to work.

I secured a fully remote job and found myself easing into a life more centered around mushing. Hubble joined the pack in 2017, a year after Blitz, and right before I moved to California. I thought, hell, let's make five work and see what comes next.

In 2018 I moved back to the Northeast, and finally had the space and setup to complete the six pack. Laika joined us in early 2019 and the following season was my first time competing in 6-dog classes. So now, certainly, I should be all set—right? Except...

Except it had taken me so long to build my six dog team that my oldest, Denali and Knox, were starting to show their age. Knox, a rescue with less than ideal structure, was having trouble keeping up with the younger dogs. Denali could still hold her own, but she seemed to be getting bored with the repetitive training we do at home. If I wanted to keep this whole thing going, I knew I had to start thinking about filling their places on the line.

So, later on in 2019, I found Sagan and Hopper to join the pack. I wanted to "try out" some Alaskan Huskies (mixed breeds specifically bred for mushing, not to adhere to a specific standard) and their lines synced up nicely with my existing dogs. Hopper is even half related to my existing crew, so I knew he’d fit well.

If you're keeping count, this brought me to nine dogs: one fully retired, two semi-retired, and six active team members. At this point in the journey, I'd been saying that my limit was ten. Mainly, I'm constrained by vehicle space: the dog van fits eight crates, two of which are big enough to be doubled up in. The dog truck has eight boxes with two dogs fitting in the cab. So, ten is possible, but was it really necessary?

When the pandemic first hit, and I knew I wouldn't be traveling for awhile, the thought of raising a pup crossed my mind. Then came the chaos of the Denali/Willow fights and my broken thumb, which quickly squashed the idea of adding more dogs to the mix. I didn't think about it again until the fall, when some exciting litters were planned, and my favorite breeder mentioned plans of moving to Alaska. I was training for my first mid-distance race with the 6-dog team. I knew I had room for one more, but I wasn't sure I had the justification for it.

Then Blitz had a seizure. This rocked me to my core and I'm still dealing with the shockwaves of PTSD it caused. Blitz has since been 100% fine and we've figured out a schedule that ensures his blood sugar levels stay in a safe range. All the races we were aiming for ended up canceled due to Covid, but I'm not sure we would've been ready to run them given how slow we got back on track with training.

Most "real" mushers have a larger pool of dogs than those they run in races. Many train an A team and a B team, or run larger strings than necessary for the class they intend to compete in. Then, when race day comes, they select the dogs who are running their best. If a dog gets a sore paw, or is more sensitive to warm temperatures, or refuses to eat, or just generally isn't enthusiastic, they can get "benched" without impacting the team's race. It felt like a gamble to train all season for some big (to me) races, only to have the possibility of being at a disadvantage (with a 5-dog team, if one dog couldn't run—most 6-dog classes allow as few as five) or not able to compete at all (if two couldn't run).

A seventh, active team member adds a bit of buffer, so I can more confidently chase after my goals. And yes, I also made the same mistake of running the semi-retirees with their yearling replacements. An 8-dog team is awesome to behold, but I didn't let myself get too comfortable with it. That's not to say things won't change as my goals and situation changes. If you couldn't tell, that's been the theme of this whole wild ride.

To conclude, I guess I should more specifically answer "why Atlas?", since he's the pup I chose. Atlas comes from some of my very favorite lines. Knowing that his breeder, Jaye, will be leaving the area to compete in Iditarod 2022 (go Jaye!!), I figured this might be my last opportunity for a pup from Sibersong. And of course, I’m still grounded from travel for several more months, making now an ideal time for puppy raising.

So, there you have it. A very long-winded explanation that nobody really asked for, but I hope it gives you some insight behind the decisions I've made.

[missroserose]

coronavirus meme

Cross-posted from Dreamwidth.  Feel free to answer the questions yourself!  I’d love to hear how you’re doing, and what better time to make something go viral...?

1. Are you an essential worker? Nope.  I have Opinions on who is and isn't classified as essential and how much they're (not) being compensated for their risks, but ultimately there's not much I can do about that, other than tip generously when I do things like order delivery.  Regardless, massage is pretty low on the list of essential services, so I was laid off two weeks into quarantine. 2. How many drinks have you had since the quarantine started? Recently a friend asked what I'd been doing to cope, and the snarky-but-uncomfortably-truthful answer that immediately came to mind was "drinking".  So I'll let y'all draw your own conclusions. 3. If you have kids, are they driving you nuts? No kids.   4. What new hobby have you taken up during this? Other than curling in an anxiety ball and constantly refreshing news and social media?  Um.  Well, I saw a post on Pillowfort about a local papercrafting store that was doing $50 grab bag orders where they'd stuff a box full of supplies and send them to you.  Figuring now might not be a bad time to get back into papercrafting, I went ahead and ordered one; it came with a rather nice A5-size planner and a number of stickers/inserts/what have you.  I've started browsing through the Instagram planner community and am working on a plan (hah!) to start my own account/YouTube channel...I figure, since creative work is all I can really do right now and my biggest trouble with consistently finishing creative work is the lack of structure, maybe this'll help me get my butt in gear?  Or it'll become another project that disappears off the radar.  But hey, at least it'll give me something to focus on in the interim. I'm pinkpunkplanner on Instagram, if anyone wants to follow along. I've also been cooking more.  It's never been my favorite hobby but it's become weirdly calming. 5. How many grocery runs have you done? Two.  So far we've stuck entirely to Trader Joe's, since that's where our cat food comes from and we've been able to get everything else we need there.  I suspect a Costco trip is upcoming, however. 6. What are you spending your stimulus check on? Already dumped it onto our credit card, where it nicely made up for my lost income this month.  We'll see if the Illinois unemployment office ever gets back to me about my claim. 7. Do you have any special occasions that you will miss during this quarantine? Nothing that immediately comes to mind, so long as my family all stays healthy.  I'm going to be rather upset if my mother or grandmother fall sick, though, given that I skipped visiting Alaska last year for financial/time reasons and indeed had plans to visit in April but...well. 8. Are you keeping your housework done? Ish? Enough to be functional, nowhere near what my mother would approve of. 9. What movie have you watched during this quarantine? Several, in fact.  I saw The Birdcage and Her for the first time, both of which I suspect are going to become favorites.  Jojo Rabbit I was slightly disappointed by; it was cute but didn't feel quite as narratively coherent as some of Waititi's other work.  The new version of Emma was absolutely sumptuous.  Brian and KC suggested your name. one night, which was stunningly beautiful.  I've watched both Ladyhawke and Portrait of a Lady on Fire with friends via voice chat; the former is a perennial favorite and the latter also beautiful in a very minimalist way.  Probably some others I've forgotten. 10. What are you streaming with? iTunes, Netflix, and Hulu, possibly with a little Amazon Prime and Crunchyroll mixed in. 11. 9 months from now is there any chance of you having a baby? A miniscule one, I suppose. 12. What's your go-to quarantine meal? I've made this roasted-root-vegetables-and-chickpeas dish a few times.  If you don't have a NYT subscription, it's really simple:  Take a pound and a half of root vegetables (I use sweet potatoes and carrots), chop into pieces of roughly equal thickness, pour onto a sheet pan, season with salt, pepper, thyme if you have it, add enough olive oil to coat generously.  Stir together.  Roast for 30 minutes at 350.  While they roast, open a can of chickpeas, drain and rinse, toss with olive oil and whatever spice mixture that you've had sitting in the back of the cupboard intending to use (I have an Indian-flavored one that's been excellent).  Add to the pan with the vegetables, give everything a stir, raise oven temperature to 425 and roast another 15 minutes.  Mix together some yogurt (2/3 cup seems about right), salt, fresh garlic, and any seasonings you feel like adding; when the vegetables come out, serve them in dishes with yogurt sauce dolloped on top.  Delicious, warm, filling, and reasonably healthy. 13. Is this whole situation making you paranoid? The problem with not knowing the extent of the threat is that we can't really know the line where anxiety becomes paranoia.  This may be directly contributing to my current mental health state. 14. Has your internet gone out on you during this time? No, thankfully.  RCN's been sending out regular updates about the upgrades they've been implementing, and I've seen solid evidence (trucks with workers, improved physical infrastructure) that this is the case.  One building down the street from us has two junction boxes, one labeled "RCN" and the other "Comcast".  The RCN one is neatly wired with everything aligned and secured and all superfluous cabling removed.  The Comcast one...well, I'll let Adam speak for me on that one. 15. What month do you predict this all ends? See above re: uncertainty.  One of the things giving me anxiety is the sheer fucking hubris of the people in power making noises about "acceptable losses" in reopening the economy before we have anything like a robust testing/contact tracing/protection system in place.  Does the economy exist to serve humanity, or do humans exist to be ground up in the machine of economic progress?  I suspect we're quickly learning where the bulk of the USA lands on that spectrum. 16. First thing you’re gonna do when you get off quarantine? It probably says a lot about my current mental state that I can't really picture it.  But "make arrangements to go visit my family" is likely high on the list.  "Spend some quality time with my boyfriend" is also up there, assuming we're still together. 17. Where do you wish you were right now? Somewhere in 2021 or 2022, so I could get the uncertainty out of the way, take stock of the situation, begin the grieving process, and work on putting my new life together. 18. What free-from-quarantine activity are you missing the most? Looking at other people as potential friends and loved ones instead of potential vectors. 19. Have you run out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer? Funny story—I signed up for a subscription about a year and a half ago from Who Gives A Crap, and in order to get the best price I just got the largest (48-roll) box and, when they email me about the next installment, I delay until we need it.  So our latest box came in...at the start of March. As for hand sanitizer, I barely use it (I prefer hand washing, it's less drying if you have good soap), so the stuff we have will probably last for months. 20. Do you have enough food to last a month? Probably, although the cats would be pretty skinny.

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