#and sandals in 40-something weather

[blood-orange-juice]

Inspired by a discord discussion.

I keep seeing characters from snowy places portrayed as unbothered by cold or missing it, and every time I remember that it's completely counterintutive if you didn't grow up in freezing temperatures

So I thought I should write this post.

We are very bothered by cold. We are way more bothered by cold than southerners. Being bothered is what keeps you safe. Warmth is a resource.

There are few lucky people who simply never get cold (mostly guys of endomorph body type) but it's not a given and generally northerners start to complain and wear warm coats at the tiniest hint of cold.

Humans can only adjust up to a certain threshold.

For example, Irish and British winters allow you to ignore weather almost completely (you'll be miserable but you'll probably live), so there's a culture of stoicism, not heating your house above 16-18°C (60-65°F), wearing shorts and sandals (and a Very Big Scarf) when it's snowing and all that.

(I quickly got used to leaving the bathroom window open at 4°C when I was living there. who cares really)

So there's a common misconception that you can do the same with even colder weather.

However, once you are past that adjustment threshold (for most people it takes as little as -5..0°C/23..32°F lasting for more than a month per year) there can be no special built-in resistance to that type of cold (unless you are a yogi or a Taoist monk), instead you learn a bunch of behaviours that help you. You start to preserve warmth religiously.

You also start to differentiate between types of being cold and avoid some of them (some build up over time and it wears you down, so it's best to avoid them entirely). Anything that drops your core temperature (this is noticeable long before you start shivering, shivering is the equivalent of fire alarm) is a huge no. Fingers getting a bit numb from building a snow castle is nothing major though.

It can be hard to unlearn that even if you moved to a warmer place years ago.

Stoic northern characters who have moved to a warmer country are very likely to Complain About The Cold.

They'll start wearing coats at higher temperatures than southerners (because, well, the weather might get worse, or you might stay outside longer than you planned, or move less).

They'll get cold hands more often because their body panics at the tiniest signs of cold and diverts blood to the centre (my first impression of the Irish was how warm everyone was when we shook hands. I'm the same now).

Most will heat their houses to the point where it's possible to walk around in a t-shirt no matter how cold it is outside (those who don't will comment "thank gods that people don't do that in your country, I hated it back home").

They'll whine at +5°C (40°F).

Apart from heavier clothes they'll have a bunch of weird habits like Walking Really Fast when the weather is bad (it's for when you don't want to wear heavier clothes).

They might have a fondness for scarves and good winter shoes (warm shoes and a warm hat are even more important than a warm coat. the lack of hats in fantasy upsets me. scarves are less important but they are pretty).

When locals get surprised they'll reply with "yes, but this is *damp* cold, *dry* cold is different" (it's more complicated than that but this answer usually stops further questions, so we go with that).

It's not like they are actually less cold-resistant, they just take cold more seriously.

At the same time they can be weirdly unbothered by things that freak some of the southerners out because they know how their body deals with low temperatures and which things have no consequences.

(it's not something that you learn from books, it's practical knowledge of what you personally can get away with. for example, I often get completely numb thighs during winter walks, takes an hour to start feeling anything when I get home. but I know it's all right as long as my feet are warm and my core temperature is within normal range)

They also won't suffer consequences when it gets truly cold, while more nonchalant southerners won't notice when they get borderline hypothermic or just cold enough to get sick.

They'll probably consider -30°C (-22°F) exciting. It becomes enjoyable again, because the outside world is now a death zone and there's some macabre fun in resisting it. Oh, and your eyelashes get covered in frost and it looks dope. What's not to like.

Kids will make a point to eat ice cream outside in -30°C (no, they won't get sick from it). I can't explain it, it just works like that.

Generally people from colder countries are not bothered by cold if they can return to a warm place soon enough, it's the prolonged exposure to cold (even mild) they are worried about. Going out for a smoke without a coat is common.

If they are still in a cold country, it's also a bit different from what you expect.

There's a trope of drinking to keep warm. It doesn't work like that. You can drink alcohol to feel warm but not to keep warm and it's an important difference. When it's cold your body's proper response is to constrict blood vessels and to divert blood flow from extremeties to slow down the loss of warmth. Alcohol reverts that.

This means it's perfectly appropriate to drink eggnog or mulled wine at a fair (when you are supposed to get to warmth soon enough, so the illusion of not being cold is not harmful) or hard spirits when you get back from the cold (it will help you warm up faster), but not if you are staying in a cold place. During a hike through winter woods a thermos with sweetened tea and fatty food are your best friends.

Some won't know it and get drunk and frostbitten/hypothermic. People are stupid.

Food gets weird, fats start to seem even tastier than usual. People in Antarctic expeditions are known to crave sticks of butter. In certain weather sandwiches with frozen lard are delicious.

Anything can and will be made into tea.

Some tropes I personally disagree with.

Pain. Pain levels depend on the weather. Cold eases any kind of external pain (cuts or burns) but makes worse anything internal (broken bones, cramps, most headaches).

Hypothermia feels nothing like peacefully falling asleep. It's the most miserable state I've ever experienced, psychological trauma doesn't even come close.

Well, maybe there are people who do fall asleep but other people I've talked to seem to share my experience.

I'm not sure how exactly it works, I think it messes up your self-regulation, since most chemicals in your body require a certain temperature range to work properly. Basically you become Not Yourself. Your emotions go whack (usually it's either extreme self-pity or extreme anger). It feels awful. I hope you never get to experience it.

Most of us don't really miss cold.

Well, some perverts do, but there's a general consensus that cold is awful.

We do miss some things that only happen during cold days though. The stillness and the quiet or how pretty snow looks. How bright the stars are on a clear night. The colour of sunsets and twilight sky when it's freezing.

(in my opinion, the best experience happens around -5°C, it's already pretty but the world is not a death zone yet)

There's also an appreciation of contrast with things that are Not Snow.

Walking from the cold into a greenhouse with orchids.

Watching a blizzard rage outside your window while you sit in warmth with a cup of tea.

Jumping into a lake straight out of a sauna (then going back. do not do that if you have a heart condition).

Fireplaces. Holiday food. Mulled wine. Saffron in pastry.

There's also a lot of beauty in the world that is frozen. I keep stumbling upon the fact no one around me shares these experiences anymore and it saddens me.

The xylophone sound of first ice being broken by a passing boat.

Sea moving under the ice — when it's not too thick it rises and falls like some large animal breathing.

The whale-song-like sounds of ice cracking on large lakes.

There's a very special mood of waiting for first snow. The world is too cold and dark without it and then you wake up one night from the sudden quietness (snow muffles all sounds) and you know it's there even before you look out of the window,

There's the exhiliration of spring. The moment when the wind starts to have a scent — thawing snow smells a bit like watermelons but clearer. Winter smells like nothing at all.

The first tiny yellow flowers in mud. They are our hanami.

(I don't think anyone in Europe truly appreciates spring if they are not from Nordic or Baltic countries)

There's a certain attunement to the scent of ice too.

Like that barely perceptible tingle in the air in late September, long before you can see any ice.

I feel the scent of ice when there's wind from the right part of the Atlantic. No one ever notices but it's there. I love it.

It's nostalgic in a way.

But it's never missing the cold itself for me. For very few people it is, I think.

*

This is, of course, personal perspective and my experience is not universal. I'm a person from continental climate with harsh winters and hot summers and a city dweller with occasional visit to country houses and a tiny bit of mountaineering experience.

An indigenous person from a place with barely any summer or a character from a fantasy everwinter country will probably differ from me.

There are, after all, simply people who genuinely love cold. A lot of them. It is, however, not the default northerner's experience.

But hey, it's still more complex than it's usually written.

*

If you want to read something focused on winter descriptions, there's Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg.

It's hauntingly beautiful prose and the main character is from Greenland.

‘It’s freezing, an extraordinary -18 °C, and it’s snowing, and in the language which is no longer mine, the snow is qanik – big, almost weightless crystals falling in stacks and covering the ground with a layer of pulverized white frost.’

And then there's Moominland Midwinter. I think it gets better when you read it as an adult and it's probably still the best thing I have ever read about winter solstice.

Anyway.

I think we need more good winter stories.

#'the centre of the universe is always warm' says one of our poets #and I still live by that #writing #snow

[littlemoriflower]

Hi! I want to get into mori kei but where i live it's about to be summer and it can get up to 40 degrees celsius. So is there anything mori kei i could wear in the summer? If so please give me outfit inspo, i'm out of ideas

Hello, dear! I hope you are doing well ꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡

First of all, I'm so happy you want to get into mori kei!! ^o^ I hope you are able to find comfort in this wonderful style, as well as in the community! Ask as many questions to as many people as you want, I promise we are all nice and willing to help! -`♡´-

Now, since it's starting to get toasty where I live, let me say that wearing mori in hot weather is damn near torture. ｡°(°.◜ᯅ◝°)° I understand your pain! The real problem here is the layering, which is a big part of mori as a whole. However, you can get away with wearing less layered outfits and still have that "mori look".

What do I mean by this?

Well...Let me make a list! ^^

1. Tops:

First and foremost, try to go for thinner, loose fitting blouses, tops, tunics or shirts. These are usually pretty easy to layer underneath a thinner, flowy dress (or even the opposite, depending on the type of coord you're aiming for!) and get that mori kei look without getting too hot!

Aim for short sleeves (or even those with straps/strapless), with natural, breathable materials like cotton or linen, and don't worry about layering too much, as it will cause you to get too hot!

2. Bottoms:

For the bottoms, try to look for flowy skirts (long, midi or short--remember, it will always come down to preference), or even some shorts! These are heaven sent for wearing mori in the summer, trust me! You can layer them underneath a loose tunic or a shorter dress, and put a thin lace vest on top and bam! you have a mori coord right there!

This is a personal preference, but I also like to wear jeans with mori, but those can get pretty hot for some people! If you prefer to wear trousers (or just want to), try to choose those that are flowy, loose and have natural, breathable fabrics. Go for either cotton, linen or denim since those are the most comfortable and breezy.

3. Shoes and Socks:

For shoes, look for something comfortable and not too heavy/hot. Sandals, or even Oxfords, as long as they are breathable and light, are the safest bet for you. Some white or beige cloth snickers will do the trick pretty easily as well, but, like I said, it will come down to preference at the end of the day.

Socks can get your feet pretty hot, but if you still want to use them, look for thinner socks made out of cotton, as those tend to be the lightest on the feet!

4. Accessories:

When it comes to accessories, avoid using anything made out of wool or crochet, as the materials are usually heavier and will make you hotter! Instead, opt for something lighter and easily removable, like pendants or thin bracelets.

Hair accessories are fine for the most part, but avoid any wool hats or anything that is too heavy and go for straw hats, for example! You can also add lace and doilies to them to make them cuter o(≧∀≦)o

If you don't like to accessorize that much, that's fine too!

Here's some examples of summer/hot weather mori coords I found on Pinterest and Tumblr:

Here's also a wonderful video by the lovely Miwako, where she gives some tips for summer mori outfits (go check her channel out, she is great and a HUGE inspiration for me<3):

At the end of the day, the most important part of mori kei is to be relaxed and not stress too much about it! It can be hard in the beginning to nail the coords, and you might feel like giving up. But remember, a mori wardrobe is not built overnight, and it usually takes a while for you to get to a place where you have all the pieces you need (or even want). There will be a lot of trail and error, but I assure you that once you get the hang of it (and once you find your own personal mori look) you won't want to go back! (✿◡‿◡)

I hope I was of any help, and remember to have fun while wearing mori, and be your truest, most authentic self!

#✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚🌳⋆｡°✩ asks ✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚🌳⋆｡°✩ #mori kei #mori girl #this took me a while to answer #sorry if i made you wait :((( #i hope i got to help you or anyone else going through the same problem #don't be afraid to ask me any additional question about this or any other topic<333

[slashingdisneypasta]

I know I've sent you enough asks about Poppy and Kingston... But now I've been thinking about their trip to Australia and now I HAVE to send you my thoughts on them in the Outback XD

Of course as usual, you don't have to answer right away, and whether these are true on Kingstons end is up to you ^^ and if you have any thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them!!!

First things first. The language/slang barrier. Can you inagine??? XD I did not confirm if your guys language was still the same around the 40's, but still!!! Like-

Kingston: *sees Poppy packing shoes that probably aren't the best for the Australian environment* Yeah, we're gonna get you some thongs, love.

Poppy: ... Honey, we're going to meet your parents??

I know that by then they've more than likely cleared some things up about their languages, but still, this was too hilarious for me not to include XD besides, hearing your boyfriend talk about bringing thongs to his parents' house would factory reset any American I bet XD

Poppy just- not at all being prepared for the Bush XD but also loving it!! She's not used to not having the sounds of the bustling yet dangerous city outside her window at night, but she definitely appreciates the lack of it. Having neighbors being literal yards apart and not having to worry about walking too loudly for people below you, etc. Of course Poppy still minds her manners, but it's very jarring and relieving for her out here ^^

Of course, Poppy on the farm. If Kingston was raised here, he can introduce Pops to the animals!!! And just in general, assure her woth the Australian wildlife... But also giving her a heart attack when he just calmly picks up a snake that snuck in their room that night, or wave a dismissal hand at a dingo XD (omg imagine if Kingston Kangaroo got into a fight with a human kangaroo!!! I wanna see that. And I want Poppy to see that and be very surprised what real-life kangaroos are like XDD)

Again, Poppy going through a culture shock with Australia. Idk if people in general in Australia don't care about filtering their words like Kingston, but if they do, ho boy Pops is in for a treat XD

Ok, time for your regularly scheduled angst. Poppy would be trying so hard to impress Kingstons parents. She's upping her etiquette to the max and is going to be stressing out about how Kings parents will perceive her :( though something tells me that Mr. And Mrs. Kingston will be quick to assure her ^^

All in all, it's a very surprising culture shock for her, but she loves it all the same and would love to move somewhere outside of the city with Kingston someday ^^

No. Never enough Poppy and Kingston XD

First off, coming from an Aussie, I can genuinly say that the thongs thing will never not be funny XDD Yes, I'm sure, hearing that would be a surprise for her 😅😄 And Kingston would know e x a c t l y what he's doing, cuz we are perfectly aware of American slang and non-slang XD He would just say it, smooth-faced, and move on. Rena will perpetuate the horror, too. So Ryan will have to let her in on the secret (whils King's whining that Ryan ruined his fun XD ). But eh 🤷‍♀️ There are other fun Aus Things to tease her with 😏

~

Poppy: OH, it's SANDALS! Oh my- thank goodness. Kingston how dare you do that to me!!

Kingston: Awww, Ry, you had to ruin the fun?

Ryan: I'm just being a friend. What she's really gotta worry about is the drop bears, anyway 😏

Poppy: Drop- Drop bears??

Rena: 😏 Mhm, scourge of Aus, those fucken drop bears.

Kingston: 😏😏😯 OOOOOOooooo you're right. When you're right, you're right, Ry. Don't worry Pops, I won't let those viscious cunts get you.

Poppy: W h a t???

~

Ahhhhh! Imagine bonfires with Poppy and Kingston's family!! XD They're out in the middle of nowhere so as long as weather permits, they can set up a nice fire and roast marshmallows, and look for the southern cross and orion, and listen to kookaburras!! God I'm suddenly so jealous XDD

Omg, Kingston introducing Poppy to the animals 💛💛💛 And don't forget- Kingston introducing Poppy to Aussie snacks!! Vegemite, Tim Tam's, Milo, twisties, anzac bickies, fairybread, lamingtons, pav, shapes, etc. Obviously some of these are more modern but hey, if they're toons they're immortal! Kingston showing Poppy how to Tim Tam Slam! ^^ (she will never be the same. Girl will be importing Tim Tam's to the US in order to tim slam them- )

Haha, as for how the regular person talks... yeah I guess their could a culture shock there 😄 It's not that fuck and cunt are every second word or anything but we're definitely not as sensitive about them as I think the US probably is (or at least older generations?). Cunt is for sure used as a term of endearment, especially if you're mixing with bogans XD I'm sure by that point Poppy will be used to that though from Kingston! XDD He's the most g e n u i n e aussie bloke XD Friendly, but loud and a little kinda scary.

Awwww, King's parents will l o v e Poppy!!! I'm basing them off of any and all of my aussie friends parents, so they're friendly and sweet and inclusive ^^ When Poppy arrives they just want her to r e l a x. 'We're not here to scare you sweetheart, our home is your home ^^ Now we were thinkin of frying up some fish for dinner, what do you think? We'll have whatever you want ^^'.

#me: *writing this out immediately as soon as i see it* #me: *out in the sun without sunscreen* #whoops #thats another rule for poppy- never be withoit sunscreen during the october-march period XD

[coopersandoval]

  ~ Quick stuff ~ Name: Cooper Elias Sandoval  Birthday: Nov. 8th, 1996 (26)  Zodiac: Scorp Sun, Gemini Moon, Pisces Rising From: Long Branch, New Jersey Pronouns: He/Him Hogwarts house: Gryffindor  Location: Southside

Likes: sandals with socks, The Jets, candle/incense junkie, hair experimentation (facial and otherwise), camping, White Claws (tropical mostly), rock of the 80′s and top 40 listener, terms of endearment, boardwalk hangouts (ocean junkie), band tshirts, redheads, mottos, malls, nights into early mornings, when people call a pork roll what it is Dislikes: shots, boots, classical music, southern accents, procedural dramas, school, gyms, fedoras, vegetarian foods, those that can’t take a joke, Starbs (Dunkin 4lyfe), politics, LA, anyone who calls a pork roll what it’s not.

~Biographical stuff ~

Grew up with a single mom, Felicity (Fee) and a slightly older brother (Jack) and a younger too smart for her own good sister (Delilah) in New Jersey

An absently present father supplying a couple bucks in the Christmas card each year. Does live in LB and mostly acted as if a stranger. 

Grew up with every intention of never leaving Long Branch.

Has fallen ‘in love’ a couple times, once in elementary school with Nicole Brazer, they used to pass love notes. Caroline, the Navy Brat in middle school who let him go past french kissing right before she moved away to Germany. Maddie in high school ,popular hottie cheerleader who broke his heart when she ended up pregnant the rival schools clown football stud (bullet dodged) - needless to say, nothing aCtuAllY serious.

Has always felt at home in Long Branch, good set of friends - most who’ve stuck around or returned after college - his family’s his whole world. No reason to leave. 

Hated school, the actual academia of it all and never thought twice about college. A wise crack- definitely peaked in HS vibe.

Has worked many odd jobs in his hometown, before leaving for Bradford Springs, was helping bartend at the family dive bar.

With age and an ounce of wonder just enough to push him out of his comfort zone, he’s followed his bff to Bradford Springs. (Not unfamiliar with the town as he’d tagged along with Talia’s fam for winter vacations a handful of times before) but, the move all its own a whim of a decision. 

~random stuff~

Has a fairly thick Jersey accent, not the thickest but is Very noticeable. 

Is not actually a good skier or snowboarder; more or less lied on experience and expected to transition from lift operator to instructor soon enough. 

Has three tattoos, a calf tat of the jets logo that takes up most his calf, a tramp stamp of a mermaid he doesn’t remember getting, and a fam’s initials along the back of his arm (so more than three technically but that’s a group deal)

Has played the piano since childhood but says he doesn’t like it (he does) and picked up drums because they’re louder and gets a lot of energy out. (need a pianist or drummer?) 

Has an insane lucky streak and has won most concert tickets and random prizes through calling into the radio (is in NY a lot for this reason) 

Probably some form of undiagnosed ADHD

Is most always found in sweats - weather permitted be damned, it’s likely he’s in some sort of athletic gear 

~ connections ~ 

Roommates - found a place off craigslist lbr (Southside) 

Co-workers- coworker shenanigans - he’s brand new to Big Elk Ski Lodge as a lift operator. So no doubt he’s meandered on into the actual lodge to mess around. 

Mountain meetings - someone he will be teaching/someone just randomly at the lodge for whatever reason. Literally anything in that sense. 

Pen-Pal: haha, okay he’s been to Bradford Springs a couple times. Maybe they met before? Kept in touch (not literally through pen but ya know) 

New Englanders - while Jersey stationed, he’s often in NY and the surrounding areas, sure why not? We can figure something out. Legit down for anything, if there’s ideas toss them out. On dash chem is my favorite and just love winging it too! I’ll fill this all out more as time goes on for sure!

#bsco.intro #whew idk what this is but it's theeere :)

[alyssasoutfitdiary]

2023 02 26 Sunday

Like yesterday, today is fairly chilly, though quite nice by February standards. Maybe not an outdoors type day, but still a little too nice to not go out and do something.

There is a restaurant, that appears to be somewhat higher end, that peeked my boyfriend's and my interest when we were out seeing Christmas lights. It's a little less than two hours away, but it's also a nice day for a drive, so what the heck. Why not?

I remember an outfit I wore, that my boyfriend really liked, last August (refer to August 26, 2022 post) when we went out on his birthday, which was basically a purple dress with purple sandals. When the weather got cooler, I wanted to wear all purple, including nylons, on a date with him, but I never got the chance. Today seems like a great day to put that together, so I'll do that.

End of day thoughts: My boyfriend liked the all purple outfit ��. He'd like to see me in it again sometime. I always feel feminine and girly in purple, so I definitely enjoyed wearing this.

My outfit details:

Weather: Mid 40s, sunny ☀️

Hair in ponytail

Purple dress: Kohl's

Purple nylons (50 denier): Wolford

Purple tassel dangle earrings: Me&Hz

Purple faux pearl necklace: Kosmos Li

Purple faux pearl bracelet: BA Unique Fashion

Purple watch: Target @targetstyle

Purple leather skinny belt: Muxxn

Purple purse: Kohl's

Purple patent heels (Jessica Simpson): Zappos @zappos

Purple coat: Target @targetstyle

#ootd #ootdpost #cute ootd #outfit #outfitinspiration #fashion #fashionblogger #purple #kohlsfinds #wolford #targetstyle #zappos #dress #tights #pantyhose #high heels #high heel pumps #long hair #ponytail #feminine style

[travelpackingchecklist1]

Backpacking Essentials: The Ultimate Travel Packing List

Backpacking is all about adventure, exploration, and immersing yourself in new experiences with just the essentials on your back. Whether you're trekking through mountains, exploring urban landscapes, or hopping from one hostel to another, a well-packed backpack is your lifeline. Here’s the ultimate packing list for backpackers to ensure you're prepared for whatever your journey throws at you.

1. Backpack

Quality Backpack: Look for something lightweight, durable, and with good support. A 40-60 liter capacity is ideal for most trips.

Rain Cover for Backpack: To protect your belongings from unexpected downpours. Click over here hiking sticks

2. Clothing

Moisture-Wicking T-Shirts: Quick-drying and breathable.

Long-Sleeve Shirts: For sun and insect protection.

Lightweight Pants and Shorts: Versatile and easy to pack.

Undergarments: Quick-dry options are preferable.

Socks: Merino wool or synthetic blends are good for hiking.

Sweater or Fleece: For chilly evenings.

Lightweight, Waterproof Jacket: A must-have for unpredictable weather.

Swimwear: If your itinerary includes beaches or pools.

3. Footwear

Hiking Shoes or Boots: Comfortable, durable, and suitable for varied terrain.

Casual Shoes: Lightweight sneakers or sandals for relaxed days.

Flip-Flops: Handy for showers in hostels.

4. Sleep

Lightweight Sleeping Bag: Depending on the climate and accommodation plans.

Travel Pillow or Pillowcase: You can stuff the pillowcase with clothes to make a pillow.

5. Toiletries

Travel-Sized Toiletries: Shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrush.

Microfiber Towel: Quick-drying and compact.

Sunscreen and Insect Repellent: Essential for protection.

Basic First Aid Kit: Including band-aids, painkillers, and any personal medication.

6. Food and Drink

Reusable Water Bottle: With a filter if traveling in areas with unsafe drinking water.

Portable Utensils/Cutlery: Lightweight and eco-friendly.

Snacks: Non-perishable items for on-the-go energy.

7. Gadgets and Electronics

Smartphone: For navigation, photos, and communication.

Portable Charger: To keep your devices powered.

Universal Travel Adapter: For different power outlets.

Headlamp or Flashlight: Essential for camping or dimly lit accommodations.

8. Miscellaneous

Sunglasses and Hat: For sun protection.

Dry Bag: To keep electronics and important documents safe and dry.

Money Belt or Hidden Pouch: For safely carrying cash and important documents.

Notebook and Pen: To jot down memories and information.

Ziplock Bags: Handy for organizing small items and keeping things dry.

9. Safety and Security

Padlocks: For locking your backpack and securing lockers in hostels.

Copies of Important Documents: Passport, travel insurance, and emergency contacts.

Conclusion

Packing for a backpacking trip requires a balance between being prepared and staying light. Remember, the goal is to be self-sufficient, flexible, and ready for adventure. Always tailor your packing list to the specific climate and culture of your destination. Happy backpacking!

[apilgrimsprogressblog]

The last 3 days have been some of the worst weather we’ve had while here. Temperatures have been in the 30s and low 40s, wind blowing directly in our face between 15 and 35 mph and rain. I lovingly labeled yesterday “the death March”. My knee was hurt and I was forced to buy a brace, my fellow hiker has had shin splints for 3 days and our friend had thrown away his boots due to rubbing and has opted for sandals only to have the temps and rain change the whole face of the trail.

This all seems quite terrible but we have walked on every day as we prepare to do the same again today. We haven’t given up hope that better days are ahead and that the good weather will return and the sun will shine on us. When Tom Hanks was asked what kept him going in the movie “Cast Away “ his response was beautiful. “You never know what the tide is going to bring in”. I hope the tide brings in something amazing and wonderful today. Thank you Lord for the chance to see it and be involved in it.

[the-shimmer-house]

Plus size dating outfits

You've gotten the date, so now it's time to look for the greatest plus size date outfits for wherever you're going!

Getting dressed up for a wonderful date night is always exciting. To be honest, I've grown accustomed to wearing my most comfortable clothes wherever I go.

I'm excited to refresh my own date night attire now that the world is opening up a little more.

Whether you choose to keep it simple or go all out, you'll find something you enjoy in this post. You're not quite ready to give up your leggings on your next date? Check out this post for some really cute Plus size dating outfits.

Plus Size Casual Date Outfit-

This outfit is perfect for your casual dates and everyday wear. The sweater comes in a variety of fundamental and seasonal hues, as well as a V-neck.

It's a must-have garment made of real cashmere and is available in sizes 00-40.

Each piece in this ensemble is extremely versatile and can be worn with a variety of other items in your closet. In the summer, ditch the sweater in favor of a stylish tank. When the weather gets colder, layer a nice button-down with a scarf.

Jeans are also a wardrobe must-have. The cropped length is perfect for all seasons! If you're short like me, they'll probably fit as full-length pants without hemming!

Plus Size Fall Date Night Outfit-

I know a lot of plus size women cringe at the idea of wearing cold shoulder. Retailers have forced them on us for as long as we can remember!

HOWEVER, this top is definitely not your average cold shoulder. It’s a super cool turtleneck design with cutouts at the neck, not the shoulder. Honestly, the flat lay photo below doesn’t do it justice. Click here to see it on the model.

For what it’s worth, I follow a super stylish Gen Z home décor blogger (who isn’t plus size). She recently posted about getting a similar sweater to this one. It inspired me to include this one here because it was such a cute outfit

Pair the top with your favorite jeans or these faux leather pants and you’ll wow your date and everyone else. The shoes here are my favorite real leather flats.

Plus Size Winter Date Outfits-

This sweater is a TPL Community favorite as well as one of my personal favorites. It sells out in various sizes and colors all the time, but it keeps coming back.

I got it in grey, but I can't stop thinking about this mustard variation. It's a tunic length, so it's ideal for wearing with leggings or the lovely faux leather leggings featured below.

 

Plus Size Summer Date Night Outfit-

I'm daydreaming about warmer weather in this blue and white striped outfit. The V-neck shape gives a hint of eroticism to an otherwise incredibly feminine and lovely ensemble. For added comfort, wear it with these clunky heels or your favorite flat sandals.

The heels come in a variety of widths, including extra broad.

Movie Date-

I remember going to the movies with my family as a kid and LOVING looking at all the cool teenagers and grownups there on dates.

It was hilarious to watch folks get all dolled up simply to sit in the dark for two hours.

I've always believed that the ideal movie date night wardrobe consists of a nice pair of jeans, cute yet comfortable shoes, a cute shirt, simple jewellery, and a leather jacket on top if the weather is cool.

I didn't include the leather jacket in this post, but you could use it to fulfil my childhood movie date costume fantasies.

Plus Size Dress Outfit-

Since discovering this dress while researching alternatives for this blog post, I've been daydreaming about it. I haven't purchased it yet, but I can't seem to get enough of it.

Again, the flat lay shot does not do this clothing justice. You can see it on the model here.

Madewell's handbag is a quality product in a classic style. I recently placed an order for it and am looking forward to receiving it.

These shoes are a spring and summer staple in my closet; I have them in pink and wear them all the time. Wearing this outfit in the winter? Wear with tights and a gorgeous bootie!

Options for Plus-Size Tops-

One of the most common inquiries I get about date evenings is what to wear for tops. I've included a couple nice alternatives below that can be dressed up with cute skirts or worn casually with jeans.

#Plus size clothing #plus size dresses #plus size tops #women fashion #women clothing

[elvis-has-been-dug]

forget showing up on the first day anywhere in a nice outfit to make an Impression

wear the most gremliny outfit you can get away with

*then* on the next day dress as dapper as can be, really go all out. create as much whiplash as you can. revel in the confusion of people trying to pin your vibes down

#yes this is because I showed up to my classes in a huge oversized hoodie and jeans yesterday #and sandals in 40-something weather #and today showed up in a button-up and vest looking like a snazzy lil victorian man #I wasn’t able to bring my pocket watch but ah well there’s always next time #anyhow my teachers don’t know what to make of me but they’ve seemed to figure I’m Unbearably Queer #shut up remy

[kentos-filmcamera]

the sun, the moon and the pool (dilf!nanami kento x babysitter!reader)

pairing: dilf!nanami kento x babysitter!reader

summary: for babysitting duties, you were on speed dial on one of the city's most eligible bachelors. with a motherly nature, sly intentions and the approval of his son, would you be able to cross nanami kento off your dilf list?

wc: 4.0k

warnings: nsfw (MINORS + AGELESS BLOGS DNI) she/her pronouns, afab reader, oral (f. receiving), fingering, mating press, breeding, baby fever, praise, petnames, reader is 20+ finishing college, nanami is on his late 30s/late 40s, voyeurism (very ish, through a camera and it’s not even of yk) if i missed something lmk

A/N: soo excited to finally release my first work for my honeybun's ( @cirigiri ) collab The Dilf List ! this was so fun to write, thank you for allowing me to participate with my husband, you're the best! also i'm on my b&w era hehe >:)

The call usually came around eight in the morning any other Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. A clearly distressed man seemed seconds away from begging you to, please, babysit his child. It wasn’t a “real” job, if anything it was only a part-time job. Nanami Kento knew you would come to his aid if his regular babysitter bailed on him, which she could usually do, to his dismay, but to your relief. Aside from the fact that the older man paid real good money and his kid was the sweetest thing on the planet, he was eye candy, even when he dragged himself home after a long day to coo at his child and praise you for your efforts. Which inevitably, made him an item for your dilf list.

You didn’t have to pull any stunts this time, as the weather seemed to pay in your favor. It was sunny out, and the heat was pouring in from the window you cranked open in your apartment kitchen as you were doing the dishes. With a smile on your face and heat running up your neck, you included a string swimsuit under your outfit, which was covered by an unsuspecting combo of an oversized button-up and a pair of shorts. In your bag you packed a cropped shirt and a low-rise skirt with some nice underwear, very sure you didn’t need it to seal the deal, since Plan A seemed promising. Taking a pair of sunglasses and fitting on some sandals, you headed out the door, humming your favorite song at the moment.

You parked your car in the empty spot in the driveway, still amazed by the giant house where only two people lived; two floors, three living rooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, a pool with a pool house. Nanami didn’t like it as much as his visitors did, since paying bills for a house was expensive, but his child seemed to love the extra space. He already had planned their move to an apartment when the boy didn’t find any need to run around a big patio and lay on the grass.

Excited as ever, you secured your tote bag on your shoulder and went to ring the doorbell, looking up at the tall door with stars dancing around your lower belly. A tired blonde man opened the door for you, and before you could greet him, a little boy ran up to you shouting your name, pulling you down his height for a hug. You crouched down, hugging him back with a similar excitement. You noticed from the corner of your eye that Nanami’s expression softened.

“I’ll be out just for the morning, an emergency came up at the office. I’ll be back at five the latest '' Nanami informed you, taking a deep breath in as you looked up at him with innocent doe eyes. And you weren’t even trying! You nodded, standing up once again to face him, tilting your chin upwards to look him directly in the eyes. “I’m sorry this is so out of the blue, hun, more so on a Saturday”, He sighed.

Hun. Each time he called you a sweet little innocent nickname made you want to giggle out loud. Even though he always had a neutral expression

“Ah, no worries! You know I’m more than glad to stay with our pretty boy here” You smiled and ruffled the hair of the seven-year-old, who giggled by your side. His father thought of the enthusiasm his child displayed upon seeing you or even hearing of your whereabouts, insisting you were the prettiest girl he had ever seen and that as his father, he should fire his other live-in babysitter and bring you to live with them instead.

Nanami breathed in, and you tried to read his face, failing so in the process. It was almost always the same; the same relaxed but stoic expression. The only things that changed were his mannerisms and body language. “There’s some cash on the counter in case you don’t want to cook anything for lunch. It’s a sunny day, and the pool is on the colder side, as per usual” You and the boy shared a mischievous look. You both loved to have pool parties together. “There’s snacks in the pantry and feel free to use the guest bathroom if you need to change out of your swimsuit and… freshen up”

“Understood, sir!” Your smile widened before you turned to the kid holding your hand. “C’mon, we must not wait another second! We need to find Atlantis” You tickled the boy, who ran up the stairs to his room to get into his swim shorts. You watched him go up, making sure he didn’t slip, before turning to his father. “He’s in good hands” You winked at him, noticing how his cheekbones flushed, before turning around and jogging the same path the boy did.

You spent the day both inside the pool having a soak and by the pool, drinking Capri suns, snacking on some popcorn, grabbing some vitamin D in regulated amounts, and gossiping. It was the funniest thing ever; the child laying down in the same exact position as you were but in a different chair, wearing sunglasses, just as you did, and replying back to your stories as if he was your age. He was well-spoken and a tiny gentleman, who insisted on carrying the popcorn bowl and paying the ice cream man for your ice sandwiches with your supervision, of course.

Unbeknownst to you, Nanami checked the security cameras often, as he did with any other person who worked at his home while he was there. It was only an innocent check, he did it only twice before he noticed you were already tanning your back, ass out towards the world as you faced his child, who kept chatting happily with you. His breath hitched while his eyes darted up and rounded up the meeting table. They all seemed busy with their own things, some work, some pleasure. He covered his mouth to choke out the gasp that threatened to come out of his mouth as he zoomed the image in, finally finding the purpose of spending so much money on a good security system. As he felt his heart thumping harder against his thoracic cage, he shut his phone off and grabbed his computer to continue working for the rest of the day, but the image of your juicy, glistening ass covered by an excuse of a bikini bottom under the sun was making his mouth water and his mind wander.

At five o’clock, when Nanami promised to be home, you hopped in your car with his son in the co-pilot seat and headed for a quick supermarket run. Back at the house, you cooked the child some early dinner, some pasta, and pre-made cheesy garlic bread. And with the power of a good bedtime story, a tummy full of a yummy meal, the heat he had endured, and all the swimming he had done, the boy fell dead asleep at six. No sight of his father yet, so you resourced to clean up the toys and the outside patio, only wearing your bikini and the low rise skirt you had brought with you. You checked at the sleeping boy every other hour, glad to see he was still fast asleep and well. Around eight you went in for a second soak in the jacuzzi, just when you heard a car pull up to the driveway. You lowered the music on the speaker when the man walked toward you.

“Hey” He gave you a tiny smile. “How have you been? Everything okay today?” Surprisingly enough for you, he pulled out one of the chairs to sit and chat with you.

It’s not like you didn’t speak before, and you had some nice vulnerable moments together, but it wasn’t something remarkable that marked your relationship in the slightest. He still treated you very professionally, aside from the rarely offered drink or friendly pet name. “It’s been a wonderful day, actually. Thank you for letting me take care of him. It’s always a pleasure, really” You leaned against the edge of the jacuzzi, hands rested upon the flat surface surrounding it. “Hey, why don’t you come in?”

Nanami looked at you strangely, leaning his head to the side with a brow raised. “Aw c’mon! You’ve been working so hard today! You deserve to relax a little” His expression softened, but you knew he wasn’t convinced “I can make us some mean margaritas” The idea of a stone-cold cocktail and the coy wink you gave him was enough for him to sigh, and start stripping in front of you, down to his boxers. Wide-eyed, you watched as he slipped into the hot, bubbling water with you.

“You’re right, I’ve worked a little too hard today” He sighed, his wet finger running up your arm. You prayed he wouldn’t notice the goosebumps running up the path he trailed. “Why don’t you go fetch those margaritas? Hm, sweetheart?”

You smiled back, not letting yourself be intimidated by his sudden change of tone and manners. “Be right back, then” You nodded, and pushed yourself to the edge of the jacuzzi with the help of your arms, carefully getting up to avoid slipping. He didn’t even hide the fact he was staring right at your ass, his hands itching with probably false expectations of kneading your soft skin with his big hands as you squirm with pleasure under him. He watched as you walked into the house and lost sight of you as you walked into the kitchen. It took around ten to twelve minutes for you to re-emerge, two tall glasses full of the sweet and sour liquid, and a bright smile adorning your pretty face he so wanted to cup in his hands to watch it contort as he thrust into you.

“Here you go sir” You smiled innocently, extending the glass to him. You lowered yourself back into the steaming waters and took your glass in your hands. “I went to check on him, by the way. I think he’s not waking up until tomorrow”

“Call me Kento” He corrected you quickly, and you gave him a soft polite nod. “Really? You must have entertained him well enough. Neither the regular nanny nor I have gotten him to go down so early…”

You took a sip of your cold beverage, not losing eye contact between the two of you. “We stayed around the pool area from midday till four, if he wasn’t exhausted by then, might as well test him for doping!” You joked and actually elicited a small, teeny laugh from the man. Satisfied, you chewed your bottom lip in excitement and took a long sip out of your margarita. Kento stopped laughing and shook his head, taking a sip as well.

“You’re really good at making drinks, wow” He admitted after his glass was done. You kept on chatting through the night, even discussing plans of ordering some takeout. He had a thing for running his hand through your arm, making you quiver slightly.

“College has taught me many things, making incredible drinks is one of them” You smiled confidently, but the proximity between your face and his was making you internally nervous. But you had the upper hand at this, you just knew it. You had him on the ropes the minute you walked in with those skimpy shorts and looked up at him from an angle that left many things to his own interpretation.

Nanami reached in and cupped your face in his hand, his wet thumb trailing along your cheekbone. “You’re adorable, has someone ever told you that?” He said, almost in a whisper. But it was just the lust in his voice controlling his tone, making it so hushed, so intimate.

“I’ve heard it a couple of times” You felt the goosebumps electrifying your spine when he leaned in and planted a small, but a prolonged kiss on your neck, his other hand resting on your thigh. Your breathing hitched as his finger drew circles on your thigh, making you close your eyes to enjoy the thrilling sensation.

“Hey, look at me” He called out, his demand soft and dangerous. “Can I?”

You didn’t even know what you were agreeing to, but the look he was giving you, his eyes shining like the moonlight; so dark but inviting. Mysterious but so known. You nodded, and he smiled, his lips brushing against yours. Was he teasing you?! You pushed yourself forward, your hand resting on his neck. He smiled, impressed but still melted right into the kiss, fireworks going off in your mind. Yes! Another objective ticked off. He pulled you into his lap, holding you down so you could feel his cock getting harder by the second you were hovering over it. The next second over, without any notice, he pulled you out of the water and sat you by the edge, not allowing you to break the connection via your frenzied lips. Poor man, sure as hell he needed something like this. He then concentrated his efforts on your neck, pleased with the way his ministrations elicited moans and whines out of you, while his hands ran the length of your legs.

“You smell so good” He groaned as he started kissing down your stomach, gaining back gasps of surprise. He took the string of your swimsuit panty between his two fingers and looked up at you for consent, which made your heart melt and your pussy throb even more. But you smiled coyly and even tugged on the string of your bra to just get it all over with. He tugged on it painfully slow, but his teasing nature didn’t throw your confidence off. You had the upper hand in this, you were totally convinced… that was until he went in head first, to absolutely devour your needy cunt.

It was all so sudden, he licked a strip from your wetness before attaching his mouth to your puffy clit, like a starved man. Now the moans you let out weren’t so tiny anymore. “Ah, fuck! Kento!” You moaned, throwing your legs over his strong shoulders. He broke away, pussy juices glistening down his chin, and started to draw painful circles on your clit.

“Call me sir” His wicked smile disappeared back between your legs, this time you felt a finger slither between your folds, a digit now being pumped in and out of you at the steady pace his flat tongue overlapped against your swollen clit. You let out a loud whine as he hooked his finger, feeling out for that spongy spot that made your skin crawl and your head throw itself back to almost hit the concrete floor.

“You cute little thing, thinking I didn’t know your intentions this whole time” Nanami cooed, torturing you and eliciting pained moans by the slow but strong thrust his finger was giving you. “Always coming over to take a soak in my pool, in the skimpiest swimsuits, and you expected to have the advantage here?” You lifted your head to face him, visibly confused. As a response, he nonchalantly added another finger, a choked gasp coming from you, even though he still kept the same torturous pace. “Aw c’mon, don’t act so surprised, isn’t this what you wanted?”

You mumbled an incoherence, trying to concentrate on not concentrating so much on his fingers. But before you could think about them again, they were on your face, holding your cheeks to look at him. “Answer me. If not, I can just stop, you know? Use your words”

Your eyes widened in dismay at the threat “Please don’t” You whined, but he didn’t seem as satisfied as he should be, slowly dragging out his fingers. “I’m sorry, sir! Please, don’t stop!” You whimpered, and a soft smile formed on his face. And with a small ‘atta girl’, he pushed two fingers back in and went back to eating you like his favorite meal, freshly done, just for him. You felt the familiar tightness in the pit of your stomach; Nanami noticed how your legs hooked over his shoulder quivered and how your pussy pulsated around his fingers, he sped up even more, gaining complaints from overstimulation, but he didn’t care. When he considered it appropriate, he detached his mouth from your pussy and looked up at you “Cum for me.”

The orgasm you didn’t even know you were holding in crashed into you like a wave that dragged you back to shore and rolled you onto the hot sand, leaving you dazed and confused. You breathed in and out, your eyes started to focus on the moon shining above you, to then hoist yourself up by your shoulders to find Nanami staring at you, but not in a derogatory way; on the contrary, he looked… rather pleased.

“Such a good girl for me” He praised you, pressing soft, tingly kisses on your thighs that made you giggle. “Wrap your legs around my waist” He instructed, guiding your shivering legs to grant his command.

You realized his food physique wasn’t just for show; he was strong since he carried you to somewhere you didn’t really recall since you were too busy kissing and suckling little red spots all over his neck and shoulders. You felt your back go briefly against a hard surface before a strong scent of wood filled your nose. The pool house was used as, well, a pool house so no one had to go in the main house while wet, and if Kento had a lot of guests staying over, they could sleep over there as well. It had a lot of woodwork in the kitchen, a small table, some furniture, and a coffee table. But the smell was pleasant; it was a cozy wooden scent that was driving you crazy combined with Nanami’s boozy scent coming from his cologne.

His lips found yours as he laid you down carefully, his hands massaging the plush of your ass freely. If it was even possible, it was even harder than what you remembered, the leftover of your cum straining against his boxers as he ground against you, but the warmth your pussy was emitting was driving him crazy.

“I love your body” He sighed in your ear, his hands positioned tightly on your hips. “Please let me fuck that pretty cunt” He purred on your ear. There was something going off in your mind, like a warning. He wasn’t mean in the slightest, but you felt he was being too gentle compared to moments ago when he was fingering you mercilessly at the edge of the jacuzzi.

“Yes, sir. Fuck me good please!” You took a mental note after he scolded you for using your words, and reached down to pull his soaked boxers. Your breath hitched when his cock fell against your stomach, leaking precum. Never in a million years, you would have imagined seeing such a pretty dick that made your cunt crave for it.

“Eyes up here, doll” Nanami searched for your eyes, pupils dilated with lust. “Legs over my shoulders, okay?” He instructed you, and you obliged quickly, aching for his throwing cock inside your needy little hole. He kissed you, the kiss more relaxed but sloppier than the rest while he lowered his length into you. With a gasp, you threw your head back, but Nanami still searched for your lips.

“Come on, kiss me back, princess” He complained, and when you wouldn’t kiss him back, he stopped.

“W-what?” You panted and tried to make him push his whole length inside you. But he wouldn’t budge.

He took your face in his hands, squeezing your cheeks “Kiss. me. back.” He sounded demanding, and you rushed to crash his lips into his, melting into the kiss. There was the catch; he was so caring and nurturing, but had found a knack in not letting you get your way like you always planned to. He hummed as silent praise before sinking completely into you. He gave you a second to breathe, and you clawed down his back, mewling by the pleasure of being stretched out. “Such a good girl, taking all my cock in one go” He praised you.

You moaned in response, feeling your body heat up. You couldn’t even form a coherent response, just mumbled and pushed his hips forward just a bit. He forgave you this once and started a steady strong pace that had you all over the place. As you put more thought into it, you realized that he was right; you never had the upper hand.

“You feel so good” Nanami whispered in your ear, letting out small pants and huffs as his pace quickened, your mind went further into the waves of pleasure, and it was only the two of you, right there, in the dark, small rays of moonlight leaking in. “I want to fill that pretty pussy up. You looked so pretty taking care of my boy, I wonder what you’ll look like taking care of ours” His pace became more frenzied, and all you could do was moan, louder with each thrust. You felt so full, so right.

“Sir! C-can I— please, can I—“ You couldn’t even finish the sentence trying to hold in the inevitable, strong orgasm that was threatening by the microsecond to wash you over. In response, Nanami smiled warmly and pressed two fingers on your clit, drawing tender but dangerous circles on the swollen nub, your back arched and your legs trembled into the mating press he had you in, moaning and panting his name.

The way your face contorted and the little noises you made as he kept overstimulating you sent him over the edge. You noticed he was actually making noises similar to yours; small moans and groans, throwing his head back as he felt your cunt slowly milking the orgasm out of you. “Ah… please let me cum inside you” He whispered against your parted lips “Let me fill you up. Say the word and I’ll pull out, but please pretty girl, you’ve been so good for me so far”

By the way, his hips moved and how he was thrusting now, his dick almost completely pulling out from you to then slam back with force, you could tell he was really desperate. And at the end of the day, it was affecting you too, his method of holding out his orgasm was torturous. “Please Kento, cum inside me” You grabbed the last few drops of coherence you had to form the sentence that would seal the deal.

Nanami lowered himself at an angle he could thrust almost violently into you, his hips clashing with force against your skin, the promiscuous slapping sound almost covering both of your desperate moaning. Just a few more hard thrusts and he came inside you, his swollen tip spurting his hot cum in the deepest part of your pussy, making you feel so full, a couple of stray tears rolled down your cheeks as you came for one last time. The man hovering over you soon broke away, and the removal of his increasingly limp cock made you whine.

“You did so great for me, pretty girl” He smiled, rubbing your shivering legs and running a gentle hand up and down your back, soothing your tiny whimpers. He kissed your shoulders and cheeks, bringing you down for your high. “I’ll go check on my son and run us a warm bath, anything else?” He asked as you turned to face him, hand hoisting your head up as you lay on your side.

“That takeout sounds really good right about now.”

#nanami kento #jujutsu nanami #nanami smut #jjk nanami #nanami x y/n #nanami kento x reader #nanami x you #jujutsu kaisen #📃 the dilf list ! #the film camera snaps a pic — 📷 gee writes #the film camera gets borrowed — 📸 colabs

[writeformesinpie]

The Third Date

Mark x GN!Reader

Word Count - 1.7k

Genre - Fluff

Summary -

It's your third date and Mark asked you to go randonauting. What could possibly go wrong?

Warnings -

Slightly suggestive, kissing, hugs, fluff, Mark being boyfriend material

KPOP Masterlist

   Before your third date, at that somewhat awkward in-between stage of the relationship where you’re pretty sure your partner won’t murder you but you still can’t be quite certain, Mark asked you to go randonauting with him. It was at the point where you liked him enough to find out more but you knew there was bound to be something you wish you hadn’t uncovered. The clock was ticking closer to the time you’d have to decide if his flaws were compatible with your own or not, but you were not quite there yet; you could wait a few more dates.

   At the time you hadn’t known what randonauting was and after googling it, you had started to wonder if he intended to murder you afterall. Randonauting seemed to have started as an app to find new places within the area. There were several videos online about how these trips to random coordinates could go wrong, ranging from trespassing to finding dead bodies to almost becoming one of those bodies yourself.

   And yes, you understood the majority of this type of content was for the click, for the view, yet a small voice still rattled around in the back of your head about what Mark had planned. Why did he think this was a good idea? It was your third date - most guys tried to get you back to their apartments but here was Mark inviting you out on a wacky adventure. If there was one thing you could say about Mark, life was never dull while he was around.

   Walking up to the park he had suggested as your meeting spot, your shoulders relaxed back down. Your sandals slid against the moist grass. The trees towering overhead rustled, a soft gust of wind dancing through their leaves and the ends of your hair. A smile started to grow as you spotted Mark bounding up the trail towards you with an oversized shopping bag in one hand and a huge grin plastered across his face.

   “You made it!”

   “Of course,” you said, shifting left to go in for a hug. Mark was a hugger. He held on for longer than you felt necessary but he was harmless so you didn’t mind. His hugs were tight enough to let you know he could be your rock while also allowing enough room for you to escape at any time. He was warm and smelled of Old Spice.

   “I forgot to ask what kind of drinks you like so I got a bunch. I got banana milk, Coke, water, Gatorade and sparkling lime soda.” He ran off the names while holding the bag at eye level. “Will that be okay?”

   “I’m sure we can make do.”

   “And I figured we could get something to eat after if you don’t get tired of me by then,” he said, his eyes on you as he laughed loud enough to draw attention from the couple sitting under a large oak tree beside you.

   “I guess we’ll have to see.” You hadn’t known him long but you already knew he was the type of guy that needed a lot of encouragement. It was hard but you ignored his crestfallen face. “So tell me about this app.”

   “Dude! It’s so cool though!” His voice got deeper as he sped through a tutorial on the app, shifting back and forth as he showed you his phone. It seemed simple enough.

   A few buttons and you had your destination. At a 40 minute walk, you both decided the 5 minute drive would be the better option. The weather was nice today but not nice enough for you to justify walking for that long, let alone to some random spot spat out by your boyfriend's phone.

   Boyfriend? Wasn’t it too early to call him that?

   Scrambling into your car, it felt safer to use your own vehicle. Mark offered you a drink and you sipped on it as he read out the directions. It was easy to find. A few turns and you had made your way to the spot. It was someone's backyard.

   “Sometimes it takes you to other people's places. Let me try a different setting,” he said, messing around with his phone. Taking a moment to admire the houses in the area, you felt him slouch down next to you in the passenger seat. Weeping cherry trees clustered throughout the area, the homes all at least two stories, with three car garages and trimmed gardens. Pink and green in every direction. “Shit."

   “What is it?”

   “It’s nothing. Let’s just go,” he said, his shoulder laying on the arm rest between you, his head practically in your lap. “I just saw someone I know. I really don’t want to deal with him. He will never shut up, ya know?”

   Taking a moment to look up at the other man it was clear he had seen Mark, his brow raised high and a hint of a smile on his lips. You gave him a small nod before continuing down the street. Once you were a few blocks away, you nudged at him and he straightened back up. Looking over his shoulder with a laugh, he gave you the next directions. It was a fifteen minute drive this time and as you continued to follow his words, the roads started to clear. Less traffic adorned the street as the area turned industrial. No one was around this area at 6pm on a Saturday and your mind flashed back to the YouTubes you had watched about randonauting.

   “Is this your plan? To get me alone in some creepy, old abandoned building?”

   “Dude! You know I wouldn’t do that.”

   But you didn’t know that.

   “Right up here on the left.”

   “Where?”

   “On the left.”

   “There’s nowhere to turn.”

   “I think it’s inside that shipping yard right there.”

   “The shipping yard?”

   “Wow. This is so creepy,” he said before jumping out of the car. “Should we go in?”

   Shipping containers littered the property, but since there was no water nearby you weren’t sure if you could call it a shipyard. Wasn’t a shipyard where they built and repaired actual ships? This was where rundown containers came to die. The once vibrant-coloured metal of the containers was faded, the structure of the metal starting to deteriorate.

   “I don’t know. Isn’t this trespassing?”

   “I just want to see the spot it’s taking us to. You can stay here if you want.”

   “No.” Being alone out here on this silent street sounded less appealing than going inside. “I’ll come with you.”

   “Yeah! Let’s do it!” His excitement was contagious, bubbling around him as he hopped up and down, leading you through the rusted gate now missing a few rungs in its old age making it easy to squeeze through.

   The sun was setting, light sprinkling in between the limited empty spaces as you made your way down one of the rows of crates. The air was stale the further you got in, the large metal boxes leaving less room with each step.

   “It really smells different here. The air. The air is a lot more…” he said as he lifted his face to smell the air. “Metal. Ful.”

   “Metalful?” His nervous chuckle caused a laugh to tumble out.

   “Well at least you're having a good time.” He brushes his pinky against yours. He’s got no game but you don’t mind. Leaning against him, you curled your fingers around his. He shuffled closer before jerking back. “Hey, I think it led us to this crate. This one right here.”

   “This exact one?” He is pointing at the container a few steps to your left, the only one in the area that’s open, as if inviting you both inside. “I can’t see inside. That’s probably not a good sign.”

   “No, but it’s like unnaturally dark in there, right? Should we go in there?”

   “Huh?”

   “No! Yo? Dude? Should we?” He grins, creeping closer to it. “Should we though?”

   “No?”

   “Wow, I mean. Should we?” Shaking your head, you followed close behind as he walked into the massive container. There was a scratching noise coming from the back of the container. It echoed and bounced off the walls, causing Mark to jump back, lodging himself against you. “Oh my Jesus!” He half-shouted, half-whispered.

   You pulled out your phone and turned on the flashlight. The light scanned the walls quickly before searching the floor. The only thing inside was a small brown mouse huddled in the furthest corner and a few empty food wrappers scattered across the metal ground.

   “Oh hey, little buddy. Hey, little man,” Mark said, composing himself now that there was no imminent danger. “Hi.”

   “He’s going to run if you get too close.”

   “I’m just saying hello to the little guy, nothing to worry about here,” he said, slowly edging back with exaggerated steps. “You do you.”

   Once out of the container you both started to walk back to the car. His hand made its way to your waist. It was comforting. You wanted him to be close so as the car started to materialize after the last turn, you stopped in front of him.

   “That was fun.”

   “Did you think it wouldn’t be?” He asked with a smile playing at the corner of his lips, his eyes intent on yours. Warm. He was warm. Trustworthy.

   “I wasn’t sure,” you said before stepping closer. “I’m glad I came though.”

   “Yeah, we wouldn’t have met that little guy if we didn’t. It was like we were being told to visit him. It’s so crazy how this app works, right?”

   Placing a hand on his arm, you drifted close enough to feel the heat from his chest. Finally taking the bait, he swooped down to claim your lips. He tasted like bananas and cinnamon. He tasted safe. He tasted like someone you wanted to spend more time with.

   His arm wrapped around your neck, pulling you tight against him as your tongue tasted him, lips eager for more. But not here. You bit his lip before pulling back, a lazy smile on your lips as you led him back towards the car.

   “Let’s see where else this app can take us.”

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this content! If you did, please consider liking, commenting, reblogging and/or following, and check out my masterlist for similar content. Have a great day!

#mark lee x reader #mark lee #nct mark #nct fluff #mark lee fluff #nct mark fluff #nct x reader #nct dream fluff #nct dream x reader #nct 127 fluff #nct 127 x reader #mark lee imagines #mark lee scenarios #mark lee fanfic #nct #writeformesinpie

[celticcrossanon]

Wow CC, how do you survive being in 35-40+ degree weather without aircon, nonetheless?! I already complained a lot if the degree goes over 30 haha…

Hi lacrimaomnis,

I can understand complaining if the weather goes over any temperature that you consider hot, and that will vary depending on your current climate and how adapted you are to that climate. Being hot is no fun at all.

My survival tips:

1. We have thermal curtains on every window. They stay closed during the day. The light can still come in - enough to see and work by - and the curtains help keep the heat out. If you have blinds, they work the same way. Keep them closed if at all possible to keep the heat out.

2. Keep your windows closed if at all possible during the day. Open windows let in more heat than closed windows. Put blinds or curtains on the windows inside the house, and/or outside blinds/awnings on your windows - you want to keep the sun off those windows and out of the house. Of course, if you have a strong breeze, you can open the windows to catch the breeze, but we rarely have enough breeze to make this worth the extra heat.

3. If you have rooms that face West, and catch the afternoon sun, if they are not living areas then shut the doors between those rooms and the rest of the house. This traps any heat in those rooms and prevents it spreading to the rest of the house. My bathrooms face West. They are sweatboxes in summer with the doors shut, but the rest of the house stays cool. I realise that this is only possible if the rooms are not in use all the time.

4. The temperature drops here at night, down to 25-20 degrees Celsius. I open the house at night, when it is cool, and keep the windows open for as long as I can. This lets the hot air in the house out and the cooler outside air in. Once the house has cooled down (this takes a few hours), I shut the windows again to keep the cooler air in and the hot air out.

5. During the day, the house will start off cool (due to my night time efforts) and heat up over the day. Once it is uncomfortably warm, I put the pedestal fan on. If you have ceiling fans, put them on. The fans won't cool the air, but having the air moving over your skin will help keep you cool, especially if you are sweating.

6. Sleep with a fan on. It helps so much.

7. If you have the room, hang your laundry up in your living areas. As the laundry dries, the water evaporating from the clothes will suck heat from the air around it, and the overall room temperature will drop. I leave the laundry up overnight and I can feel the difference when I walk into the living room the next day. Watch for mould on the ceiling if you do this.

8. Make a coolgardie cooler. Put a mat on the floor, place two chairs either side of the mat, drape a sheet over them like a tent (you can do this with a broomstick over a cot if you have to), wet the sheet (you want it very damp but not dripping), and let the sheet dry. The evaporation will cool the area under the sheet by several degrees. Lie on the mat and enjoy the coolness.

If you have a fan, turn it on to the sheet or have it oscillate around the room, and that will make it colder.

You have to keep rewetting the sheet as it dries, but this definitely works. It is how I get babies to sleep and how I saved my flatmate from heat exhaustion. If you have spare baking pans, fill them with water and put them on the floor with the ends of the sheets in the pans. The sheets will suck up water from the pan and stay wet. Otherwise, a spray bottle works well to keep the sheet damp (I rewet it using a spray bottle once every hour or so).

9. Eat little and often. Eating will pull the blood from your limbs and concentrate it on your digestion, so you feel cooler. Make sure you eat enough salt! I eat every 2-3 hours, so 6 small meals instead of three large ones, and I prefer spiced food from hot climates, as the spices tempt my appetite. Whatever you prefer to eat, little and often is better than 3 big meals. You may have to increase your salt intake to balance the extra sweat - potato chips/crisps are good for that.

10. Make sure you drink enough. Water, flavoured water, milkshakes, cold tea, iced coffee - I do not care what it is, just get that liquid into you. I drink one cup of liquid every hour, more if I am thirsty. Sweet drinks are good for rehydrating you. I know sugar and salt are the current bad guys of diet, but my experience is that both of them are necessary to survive hot days, in higher amounts than normal. I drink water that has been flavoured with those cold water tea bags (fruit infusions) or with cordial, sweet cold tea, and flavoured cold milk drinks. You can have hot drinks if you can cope with the extra heat in your body. If you can drink plain water, do so - I can't (more than one or two cups and I throw up). For me, milk and yoghurt drinks (lassi) are the best. YMMV.

11. Ice cream, granitas, popsicles, paddle pops, frozen yoghurt - frozen liquid of any sort can help cool you down. Some people like iced water from the fridge, or adding ice to their drinks. Tap water usually works for me, unless the sun has been on the pipes and heated the water, but if you need to put jugs of water in the fridge to drink, do so. If you need to make ice cubes in the freezer, do so (or buy ice and keep it in the freezer). We have a jug of flavoured water on the bench for me and one in the fridge for my flatmate, plus a container of ice cubes in the freezer for my flatmate (she feels the heat more than I do).

11. Frozen washers/flannels and/or cold gel packs, or an equivalent. Put them on your head, neck, elbows, wrists/hands, crotch, back of knees, ankles/feet. They help. Keep two sets on hand and swap them over as one becomes warm. Sticking your feet in a bucket of cold water will also cool you down quickly.

12. Dress for the weather. Loose, comfortable, and cotton clothing (or linen). No synthetic fibres (they just make you hotter). Loose is cooler than form-fitting. Go sleeveless indoors, but cover your shoulders if you have to go out, and your cleavage, and your upper legs (sunburn hurts - a lot).

13. Use sunscreen if you go outside. Use more than you think you will need. Reapply regularly. Cover your body, shoulders and upper legs with clothes (the minimum). Wear sunglasses. Wear a broad brimmed hat. Seek shade where-ever possible. Sunburn is no joke. It is painful and will make you hotter. Carry water with you and sip regularly. Put sunscreen on your feet if you are wearing sandals/thongs/flipflops. Sunburnt feet HURT. If possible, only go outside when the sun is low in the sky (i.e. not the middle of the day).

14. If you are able to, and if it makes you cooler, go naked at home. Wear the bare minimum of clothing that you can, and have something handy to slip on if you need to answer the door. I've spent hot days around the house in a swimsuit in the past. I'm also big on not wearing underwear in the heat unless it is necessary/makes you cooler/makes you more comfortable. I wear a calf length sleeveless floaty cotton dress around the house. Go for whatever makes you comfortable and won't upset the people you are living with. Comfort and coolness win over fashion (and social conditioning if possible and preferred).

15. Move slowly. Be lazy. It is better to take longer to do things than to get overheated and have to cool yourself down. Take breaks if necessary to cool yourself down/stop yourself from getting hot.

16. Know the signs of heat exhaustion and take steps before it becomes heat stroke. Do a pinch test for dehydration and drink if you have to. Ask your doctor how your medications will affect you in the heat and what you can do to combat that (if anything).

17. Heat rises. If you have a double storey (or more) house, stay in the lowest level. It will be cooler.

That is all I can think of right now. I hope this helps.

[no-whump-on-main]

Apartment 307-5

TWs: Parental grief, implied death of a child, mention/recount of torture

Sunday night was cold and dark; large, gray clouds hung in the near-black sky, joined by the splatter of shining stars. It was going to rain soon. Even if it did, Jodie Larkin didn’t care. She was busy desperately trying to get a hold of Demetrios. The end of November was in sight, the air far too frigid for one to be outside without a coat, but Jodie was out on her porch in a dress and sandals anyways, too frantic to bother changing out of her Sunday best. She paced back and forward as she held her phone up to her ear, praying the man on the other end of the line would pick up. He didn’t the first time she called, nor the second, nor the third, but she was too worried to give up and leave him alone for the night.

Finally, on the last ring of the fourth call, just when she had begun to lose hope, a familiar, deep voice spoke through the phone’s speakers.

“Hello? Is everything alright, Jodie?” Demetrios asked, his tone softening with worry. It was unusual for her to call several times in a row, especially so late in the evening on a Sunday. It was nearly ten o’clock.

From her porch, Jodie sighed heavily with relief, gently rubbing her temples.

“Hi! Hi, thank god. I’m so sorry to be bothering you. I was just-Oh, god, I think something is wrong. I-when was the last time you saw Elora? She was meant to be here for dinner four hours ago. I tried calling her, but her phone went straight to voicemail, and my texts won’t go through, either. I know it’s only been a couple hours, but it’s weird, you know? I’m worried. I thought it was strange when she didn’t text me about her day or anything yesterday, either. She usually does when she goes out and does fun things. So there’s that, and now she just didn’t show up, and it’s worrying me. God, I’m rambling, I-” she paused, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry. It’s a parental thing, you get it. I just wanted to know the last time you heard from her.”

In his home, Demetrios sat in a leather recliner, his expression slowly becoming troubled as he listened to Jodie’s frantic rambling. His wife, Lucia, sat a few feet away from him on the couch, a blanket tossed over her legs and a book nestled in her lap. She could faintly hear the conversation through Demetrios’ phone, though, and closed her book upon hearing that something was wrong with Elora, setting it to the side as she stood and walked towards him. He motioned for her to hold on, clearing his throat.

“I saw her leaving the bakery Friday night,” he explained calmly. “I offered to drive her home, and she refused, like always. You’ve raised a headstrong girl, Jodie. Look, I’m sure everything is alright. She probably got caught up with friends or nature or a sewing project. I’ll let you know if she doesn’t come into work tomorrow, alright? I’m sure she’s fine. She’s more than likely just making the most out of her last couple months as a teenager and being a delinquent.”

He chuckled, the familiar sound calming Jodie’s nerves. She sighed deeply, nodding to herself. She knew he couldn’t see her; the action was to reassure herself, more than anything.

“You know, you’re probably right. I just...worry about her. She’s my whole family, you know? Just call me as soon as you can in the morning, alright?”

Demetrios sounded sympathetic. He knew, better than anyone, what it was like to lose a child. Only, he knew the pain of losing one forever, not just for a few worrisome hours.

“Of course.”

“Thank you again. I don’t know what we’d do without you. Sorry for being so frazzled. You know how I am.” Jodie chuckled awkwardly.

“It’s normal to worry, Jodie. She’s still your baby even though she’s growing up. You have a good night, okay? Get some sleep. I’ll call you in the morning.”

She nodded, again, for her own reassurance. “Right. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Jodie hung up the phone and headed inside, sighing deeply. She kicked her shoes off and headed into her bedroom, deciding to take Demetrios’ advice and relax. Get some sleep.

This would all just be a funny story in the morning. Elora would come home and she’d scold her and then everything would be okay. She plugged in her phone and rolled over, facing away from it. The house felt scarily empty, the same way it had for months since Elora had moved out. Only tonight, it felt even emptier than normal.

Five text messages were left sent, but not delivered, on her phone.

11/29/18 6:15 PM: You’re late! Hurry up, kiddo, lasagna’s getting cold.

11/29/18 6:42 PM: You okay? Call me.

11/29/18 7:27 PM: Please call me.

11/29/18 8:59 PM: What’s up? Where are you?

11/29/18 9:36 PM: I love you, E. Please call me as soon as you see this. Love you.

“What was that all about?” Lucia asked, her hands on her hips and her brow furrowed with worry. Whatever it was, it didn’t sound good.

“It was Jodie,” Demetrios explained. “Elora didn’t show up to dinner and her phone’s going to voicemail. She’s worried, but I think she’d probably just sidetracked with something. Or partying. I don’t know. She’s still practically a kid and I gave her a free weekend. She could be getting into all sorts of things.”

Lucia nodded, considering for a moment. “I’m sure she’s fine. I wouldn’t worry until tomorrow. But it’s natural for Jodie to worry, she’s her only baby and she just moved out. We’re both working the morning shift tomorrow. I’ll try to reassure her.”

“You’re an angel, you know what?” Demetrios smiled.

Lucia leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, smiling back. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight, I love you.”

Demetrios nodded. “I’ll be up in a few minutes.”

With that, Lucia nodded and walked off.

Eventually, Demetrios joined her in bed, and the pair slept peacefully, curled up with each other in a messy tangle of limbs. Together, just the way they liked it.

~

Somewhere far away, Elora was sleeping, too. Or at least trying to. She couldn’t get comfortable, surrounded by walls of hard ceramic and chains and blood. So much blood. She assumed that today, Sunday, had been the man’s day off, because he’d spent what felt like the whole day with her, only giving her a reprieve after hours of what she could only describe as torture. Her head was still pounding from the night before, but he didn’t seem to care, as he shouted at her again and again about that stupid little aloe plant. He still wanted her to grow it, but she wouldn’t give in. Couldn’t. She needed to be strong. At first, he’d just slap her, then ask again, but after a bright red handprint from repeated impact was clear across her cheek, he moved on, bringing back the pocket knife. He cut her across her arm, again and again, then went back and dug his fingernails into the gashes. She thrashed and cried, but still didn’t give in, for the whole day. Now, though, she almost wished she had. The dull sting in her arm was a constant, bitter reminder of her defiance, and one of the only sensations she had in the dark room. She couldn’t see an inch in front of her face in the darkness, but she could feel the sting. And the throb from her thigh. Constantly.

She stared up at the ceiling, trying to stop the tears from welling up. She didn’t know why she kept trying to hold them back; they always came and slid down her face, anyways, no matter how hard she tried. Maybe it was just the shred of dignity she had left, begging to be held on to.

It was cold in the bathroom. There were no windows for heat from the sun to seep through, and she wasn’t sure if the apartment even had a formal heating system. If it did, the man wasn’t turning it on. It was cold enough to amplify her misery, but not actually harm her. Probably intentional.

She didn’t actually fall asleep for a long time. She rotated around near-constantly, trying to get somewhat comfortable to absolutely no avail. There was no way to position herself without agitating something. Her aching head, her stinging arm, her sore thigh-one always screamed out in complaint from the way she laid.

When her eyes finally did shut and her breathing became even, it was more of passing out from exhaustion than true sleep.

Still, that night, she dreamed of her mother. Her mind painted a vivid picture of the two of them picking apples at an orchard together, the rows and rows of trees bringing about the most poignant feeling of peace. The breeze was soft, the fall weather still just warm enough to wear her favorite shorts. In the morning, she would wake up with a sad sense of longing, wishing it had been real, but for the moment, she was happy.

~

Demetrios got ready for work just like normal the next morning. He hardly even remembered the conversation he had with Jodie the past night, paying it little mind. He was certain that Elora would come into work like normal, perhaps a little hungover, and he’d be able call her mother and assure her of her safety.

And so he kissed Lucia on the forehead and drove to the bakery, dressed in his usual uniform of khakis, a t-shirt, and an apron that had seen many years of stains. He pulled into the parking lot in his spot, unlocked the front door, and began opening like he always did. He cleaned, prepared ingredients for the day, filled the cases-everything like normal. They didn’t open until 8, and it was still only 7:30 by the time he finished preparing everything for the day. He didn’t worry.

He started watching the window around 7:40. He was sitting behind the register, with a clear view of the parking lot. He was sure he’d see Elora walk through the doors.

Three of his other employees came through the front door between 7:40 and 8:00, smiling and waving obliviously.

But Elora never came. She usually came in right around 7:50, but there was still no sign of her by 8:00 when they opened.

Maybe she was just late. He tried to convince himself of that, but when 9:00 came and he’d been acting so nervously that even the regulars noticed it, he knew he had to call Jodie.

He ducked outside quickly before any employees could question for him, anxiously tapping his foot against the deck. Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed Jodie, breathing deeply. It was going to hurt to tell her this.

Jodie answered on the second ring, clearly having been waiting for him to call. She stepped out into the hallway, away from all the rooms, praying that Demetrios was calling because Elora just got in a little late and a little disheveled.

She spoke first, hope potent in her voice. “Hello? Is she there?”

Demetrios sucked in a breath. “No. I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened, but I’ll help you figure it out, alright? Lucia and I will. We care about her, too. You’re family and we’re gonna figure this out, okay?”

It felt like a few years of her life force was sucked out of her when she heard the answer. No. Your daughter isn’t here, Jodie, she could be somewhere, anywhere, hurt or dead or worse.

She wanted to break down, she really did, But she had patients to tend to. And so she shoved down the pain, compartmentalized it into a little box and set it to the side to be dealt with later. All she could offer was a tiny squeak of acknowledgment, not wanting to speak too much for fear of bursting into tears right then and there.

She hung up the phone before Demetrios could say anything else. When she turned around, prepared to head back into the ward and continue her rounds, she found that Lucia had followed her out.

Lucia didn’t even have to ask her. Jodie just shook her head. Lucia frowned, then stepped forward, putting a gentle, reassuring hand on her back.

Jodie rested her head on Lucia’s shoulder and sobbed.

“What if no one finds her?” she asked between cries, shaking her head. “It’s not like her. It’s not-no one has seen her since Friday.”

Lucia rubbed her back lightly, shushing her gently. “After our shift, we can go down to the police station and file a report together, okay? It’s gonna be okay, Jodie, I promise.”

The other woman sniffled and held back another sob. Your job, Jodie.

She nodded, her chest heaving with a heavy breath as she leaned into Lucia. Their shift was another nine hours, they were losing time, she was losing time, she was losing her daughter-

She swallowed and nodded.

“Okay.”

Tags: @exploringspaceinpyjamas

#tw parental grief #tw implied child death #tw torture #but duh ofc there's torture #elora #elora larkin #apartment 307 #elora series #jodie larkin #demetrios agathangelou #lucia agathangelou #whump #no whump on main #whump fic #whump oc #whump writing #my writing #whumper #creepy whumper #whumpee #kidnapping #lady whump #femwhump

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[wherefunsurvives]

The Ultimate College COVID Packing List

Okay kids, you’ve seen the post about packing light for college, so here’s some specifics for all of you incoming freshmen or returning students who will be living on campus! This is NOT the year to bring extra furniture, decorations, etc. This is the year to pack light and be ready to get on out of there at a moment’s notice if you have to. i proudly present to you -

“What to bring and what not to bring when going to college in a global pandemic!!!”

STORAGE

i used to swear by my camp trunk when i packed for school and while a trunk can be useful because it has more space inside it’s going to be harder to take on a plane or bus. If you go for a trunk, make sure its combined dimensions (length+width+height) are 62 inches or less (the size requirement for checked luggage). The ideal size would probably be a 32x17x13 inch trunk.

Instead of trunks or big containers, go for a combination of suitcases and duffle bags. Your goal should be to minimize luggage - you want be able to carry everything through an airport without any help. So let’s say in theory at MOST you should have a combination that looks something like:

2 checked suitcases + 1 checked duffle + 1 carryon duffle + one personal item backpack

1 checked suitcase + 1 checked duffle + 1 carryon suitcase + one personal item backpack

1 checked suitcase + 1 carryon suitcase + 1 personal item duffle

Get creative, mix and match, calculate the costs for each combination, which will vary depending on if you’re flying, taking a bus, driving, or taking a train. 

Checked and carryon luggage should ideally have 4 spinner wheels and a handle, this will make it easier to move all by yourself. Put your duffles around the handles of the luggage so you can carry everything yourself with minimal effort. If you have checked luggage and carryon luggage, consider a bag connector like this one! You can find surprisingly decent luggage at Costco and from Travelpro, which is designed for pilots and flight attendants but has massive markdowns all the time. 

A good duffle should be spacious with multiple compartments or pockets. If you’re an experienced camper or backpacker, maybe use those types of bags! If you’re not, get something that’s 40 liters of space or more. i bought this 50L duffle for $30 and it’s absolutely absurd the amount of stuff i can fit in it.Leave all other storage options at home. 

Don’t bring your own desk, drawers, furniture etc. Use only the furniture provided by the dorm. Don’t even bring a laundry hamper! Get a fabric laundry bag that you can easily fold. 

LEARN HOW TO PACK EFFICIENTLY. Choose your fighter, the army rolling method or the KonMari folding method (Marie Kondo also has a great video on how to organize what you pack and choose only what you need). This will allow you to bring the amount of clothes you need while taking up minimal space. Speaking of which -

CLOTHING

Your goal is to minimize both items and travel (meaning you shouldn’t plan as if you’re going to travel home every break to swap out clothes). Now is a great time to learn how to build a capsule wardrobe of basic items that can be mixed and matched. Keep it simple. Obviously if you’re in a warmer climate, this will be easier. For colleges with seasons, i’d say aim for 2 pairs of jeans or trousers you like, 1 pair of dress pants, and 1-2 pairs of leggings/joggers/comfortable pants. 1 pair of shorts, no more than 2 skirts, no more than 3 dresses (1 nicer, 1 more casual and comfortable). 10-12 shirts or less (include a variety of tanks, tee shirts, long sleeves, button downs, sweaters, etc.) and 3-5 “layers” like a blazer, cardigan, hoodie, etc. 2 pairs of pajamas, one for warmer weather and one for cooler weather. One raincoat, one fall/spring midweight jacket, one good winter coat - if you’re in Chicago, NYC, etc. invest in a warm parka, and i don’t mean Canada Goose. Just something sturdy that will keep you warm.

You’re going to repeat outfits. That’s fine. You’re not going anywhere important and you’ll be spending a lot of time in your room online. Being able to get out is more important than looking cute.

Pack an appropriate amount of underwear, socks, bras, etc. Bring a hat or two, one for sun and a thick beanie for the cold. Bring one tie and one pair of snow gloves if you need either. Bring a scarf or two for cold climates (they can be an extra layer of protection over a mask). If you wear jewelry, choose up to 10 items you really want and put them in a bag or a small portable jewelry box.

You only need 4 pairs of shoes maximum - one pair of sneakers/gym shoes that you could easily walk two miles in. One pair of of easy slip-on slip-off shoes for going to get mail or do laundry (because you don’t want to walk the dorms barefoot these days) and bonus points if they can double as comfortable ‘nice’ shoes such as cheap loafers, TOMS, basic flats, etc. One flip flops or sandals if you’ll be using communal showers and bathrooms. And one pair of boots that can double as rainboots AND snowboots (duckboots are great for this!) You don’t need heels, wedges, or multiple pairs/styles of shoes for the same reason you don’t need multiple dresses or a full tuxedo - you’re not going anywhere this year! Or at least you shouldn’t! Parties, formals, conferences, etc. are all a terrible idea unless you want COVID-19.

What you should have multiples of are masks and gloves! Have a few reusable face masks you can wash (RedBubble has them in every style, almost every clothing brand sells them, and VogMask/Camridge Mask are great options for something a little more heavy duty). Invest in disposable gloves and one pair of reusable gloves such as dish gloves. Some basic eye protection doesn’t hurt either - i love blue light glasses because they provide some coverage while also being great for reducing eye strain during all your Zoom calls!

SUPPLIES

Keep it basic, and that means you too studyblr kids! You don’t want supplies to take up all your space. Buy a spacious pencil case. Buy a basic back of black Bic pens and put 10-15 in. Those things last forever. Put in 5 presharpened pencils and 5 unsharpened pencils. Bring a pencil sharpener, 1 pink eraser, and 10 eraser toppers. The eraser always runs out before the pencil does. Pack 1-2 glue-sticks, 1 pair of good scissors. Fill the rest of it with your non-essential favorites like mildliners, highlighters, felt tip pens, markers etc. But no more than what can fit in the case. And nothing too expensive, just in case you can’t bring it with you.

Small multi-subject notebooks y’all!! Just get one or two. You never use as many pages as you think you will in your notebooks and multiple full size notebooks are a pain to carry and pack. For my last two years of college i would buy 1 or 2 Five Star 5x7 inch notebooks with 5 subjects for each term. They came with pocket folders inside and i never once used all the pages. i’d often re-use at least one from last term into the next term. It also means you never have to run back for a notebook if you’re at the library and want to do homework for that other class because all your notes for all your classes are right there!!

Bring 2 rolls of scotch tape and 1 roll of masking tape in case you need to repair anything. Pack any essential medication you take, a first aid kit with bandaids, wipes, tweezers, etc. Pack 1 small bottle each of ibuprofen, Tylenol or acetaminophen, any multi-vitamin you prefer, and a vitamin C supplement to help keep your immune system strong.

1 pack of pads/tampons. You can buy more when you get to school, save the space for packing.

1 reusable water bottle. Buy plastic ones periodically/accept reusable free ones given to you at school that you can take if you need to go to the doctor/hospital/etc. so you can throw them away if needed afterwards. 1 mug, if you use one. Make it one you’re willing to leave behind if you must.

1 small set of non-breakable plates/bowls and utensils. i like the Ikea KALAS ones because they’re plastic but can be microwaved or put in the dishwasher. And it’s $2 for a set of 6. 1 small set of tupperware - again IKEA has some good cheap options - that is also microwave safe. You’ll want these solely in the event it’s unsafe to eat in the dining halls. This will let you bring food back to your room and eat, save leftovers from the dining hall or takeout orders, etc. Buy a small bottle of dish soap when you get to school to be able to wash your dishes.

If you use liquid detergent, wait to buy until you’re at school. It takes up more space. If you use detergent pods, choose your own adventure. Buy your shampoo and conditioner at school if you can, same with soap. Same thing with toilet paper, paper towels, and so on. Buy it there, be prepared to leave it behind. Do bring hand sanitizer with you though. Keep a small size in your personal item for your travels and always keep some in your bag at school.

2 disposable toothbrushes, 1-2 tubes toothpaste, 2 toothbrush travel cases. Store the toothbrush you’re using in a travel case while at school to try to prevent contamination. If you become sick, throw your toothbrush away once you’re feeling better and thoroughly wash your travel case. Buy new disposable toothbrushes as needed once at school.

A small wallet or zip ID case with a lanyard. Make sure you can fit your state ID/driver’s license, student ID, transit card, insurance card, credit/debit card, and a little cash in it with ease. One with a clear window is great because you can put your student ID in it to easily show it when required without needing to open your wallet up. A lanyard makes it harder to lose and lets you put your keys on it if you have a physical dorm key.

Your phone charger, with a wall plug. And a mobile charger of some kind (many schools give them away at some point during your first few weeks, orientation, etc. TAKE THEM). You don’t need an Apple branded one, you can find sturdy and cheap ones at Target, etc. You’ll want these in case you get stranded anywhere. And you’ll especially want these because if you need to go to the ER/doctor, you never want to let your phone die while you’re there.

1 cheap tote bag or small backpack or knapsack, etc. that you’re not too attached to. This will be your hospital go-bag. Keep a mini-notebook with your name/birthdate, emergency contact information, relevant medical information, etc. written in it in the event you cannot communicate this yourself. Keep one packed and ready. Other helpful things to have in this bag once you’re at school are a pair of shorts, a t-shirt and underwear; a granola bar, and a disposable water bottle.

1 pair of cheap but reliable headphones, ideally with a microphone. In-ear headphones take up less space than over-ear headphones. These will be great if you’re on a Zoom call or something and don’t want to be heard by your neighbors. Also great for listening to music or podcasts in the event you’re at the doctor/hospital, because just like you never want to forget a phone charger, you never want to be without something to listen to while you wait for a few hours.

DORM STUFF

Now is NOT the time to decorate your dorm. i’m sorry, i love a good Pinterest dorm board and DIY project as much as anyone else. My dorm had a whole aesthetic. It was great. But it was a nightmare to pack up when COVID hit.

All you really need is a duvet/comforter, 1 set of sheets (ideally dark color so they won’t stain, just make sure you wash them regularly), and 1 pillow.

If you want stuff on your walls, don’t bring anything. When you get to school, you’ll likely get some free swag like a college pennant you can put up. Or at the least you’ll get a bunch of papers and maps and things. Hang up the maps. Make them look cool. Draw or do calligraphy on the blank sides of the papers for DIY art and signs. Order a wall calendar with fun art or images on it. Go to Walgreen’s website and use their photo system to order a bunch of photo prints. They almost always have a discount offer happening which makes it super cheap. You can upload photos of your friends and family to surround yourself with nice memories, or upload pictures of art, landscapes, quotes, images you found on Pinterest, your celebrity crush, and literally anything else. Voila, wall decorations.

The key here is to never put up too many things. Everything you put up should be able to be taken down in 15 minutes or less and without any help.

If you really really want some decoration - buy a cheap thing of string lights from Target or something to put up. They add ambiance without much effort and don’t take up too much space. If your room is freezing with concrete floors, a small rug can help if you really think you need one. But - and you already know what i’m gonna say - BUY THEM THERE AND BE READY TO LEAVE THEM BEHIND.

No chairs. No hammocks. No lamps. No furniture. No bulletin boards. No extra bookshelves. Keep it as simple as possible.

The caveat is to bring one small grounding item from home. Maybe it’s a souvenir from a vacation you took. A mug your mom got you. A framed photo of your best friends. Choose one, and make sure it is small.

BOOKS, ETC.

Buy your class books once you get there, either from the campus bookstore, a local bookstore, ThriftBooks, Amazon (if you really must), etc. Or download them online ;) Either way, they’ll take up space while going to school so just get them later unless you have to do reading in advance.

As a book lover it pains me to say this but leave your books at home. Bring at most 4 books with you to school. i’d recommend at least one you haven’t read yet and at least one that’s a “comfort” book you like to reread. Books are one of the hardest things to move and you won’t have that much free time anyways.

Pick one hobby to pack for, and keep it basic. If you like drawing, make it 1 small sketchbook and a mini-pack of colored pencils, markers, watercolors, or crayons. If it’s photography, make it 1 single camera with 1 lens. If you like gaming, bring something small like a Switch lite. If you need a hobby to keep you busy inside, grab yourself a pair of wooden/bamboo knitting needles or a crochet hook, 1 ball of yarn, and go wild. The bottom line is only what you absolutely have to have to not lose your mind.

Have 1 large (32 GB or more) flash drive or SD card to back up your files from your laptop or tablet onto. This will be a huge help in the event something happens to your computer.

Finally, always have a plan with friends/family in the event you need to evacuate. How will you decide if you need to leave? How will you get home/to a safe place? Who will help you get there? How will you afford it? And so on.

Feel free to add anything tips that might be useful!

#college #university #studyblr #uchicago #university of chicago #covid #coronavirus #covid-19 #covid19 #packing #college packing

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[Translation] IkeVamp Drama CD ~ Napoleon Bonaparte Ver.

This took a very long time to finish but here it is! Napoleon’s Drama CD translation!! We had originally intended to release these every 200 followers, so the other CD translations will be posted as we get them done. 

For those who are unable to buy the physical CD, Cybird has also released the CD as a Story Set in-game as well, along with a stuffed Napoleon avatar accessory. 

Set Sale Info | Napoleon CD Preview

[This is an unofficial work based on fan-translation. Copyright belongs to Cybird.]

Prologue ~ Napoleon Bonaparte ~

0:10 You want to know my name? It’s Napoleon. Napoleon Bonaparte. What? ‘Are you that Napoleon Bonaparte’, you’re asking? I don’t know who you’re talking about, but if you’re referring to the French revolutionary general, then that’s me. 

0:38 Ah, you’re right. If I were truly that soldier from the French Revolution, then there’s no way that I could’ve lived, un-aging, till this era. 

The things I’m about to discuss, do you swear to keep them confidential? Hm. Good answer. 

1:04 First, within this mansion located deep in the woods, 12 men are living here. And with each of them, there is one thing they all have in common. 

That is, they — these, great men who have all left their marks upon history — have all exchanged a contract with the master of this mansion, le Comte de Saint-Germain, and revived into this world. 

1:34 The contents of the contract… that they would become creatures that selfishly live on the blood of others called Vampires. In short, that means that the residents of this mansion are all vampires. 

1:52 ‘Why did they come back to life’, you ask...? That’s because, all of them still have things left undone. 

For example… Vincent. Yes, that famous painter, Vincent van Gogh — his reason was that he wanted to create more paintings. And the physicist, Isaac Newton, because he wanted to continue his research somewhere peaceful and quiet. They all have their own reasons for being here. 

2:28 …. My reason for coming back? My bad. Earlier, I said that all the residents here had made a contract with le Comte, but there is one singular exception. 

I am the only one who has not exchanged a contract with le Comte, and I also have no reason for being at this mansion. Not to mention, once my life had passed, I had no regrets or lingering attachments to this world. 

2:56 One day, I just suddenly found myself here.

Le Comte seems to think that it was because the world regretted the loss of Napoleon Bonaparte, but I don’t think that’s the case. 

…. I think that — for the sake of meeting the one person that I will love, I had returned to life… that is what I think. 

3:25 One day, that person suddenly came from the door that connected to the future, and for only one month until the door opened again, came to reside at this mansion. 

Because of the times we spent together, the times we clashed and the times we smiled together — with this person who possessed such a straightforward strength and pure kindness, before I knew it, I had fallen hopelessly in love with them. 

4:01 Throwing away their prior life in the future and having chosen to stay here, this person is more important to me than anything in the world… and right now, they are my precious lover. 

…. This is the story of a certain day in our life. 

—

An Especially Gentle Morning 

0:00 Soft breathing as birds chirp in the background. 

0:20 Five more… minutes…ngh.... Sheets rustle. — What is it…? Besides that, you need to come… closer. He pulls you to him. 

0:53 Hm… he gives you a quick kiss. Hm…? Ah, sorry. Did I… accidentally do it again?  ‘You don’t even need to guess’... heh, you don’t have to flush so hard, you know.

It’s just my bad morning habit. But well, since it’s only you, it’s fine, isn't it? So from now on, you should get used to it. 

1:40 And anyways… last night, we did things more embarrassing than just this. Though I do remember last night I was the one getting kissed…. 

What, did you forget? … Haha, you’re honestly so terrible at lying. It’s adorable. 

…. Okay, okay, I’ll stop teasing. 

2:18 Ah… as always, your body is so warm and soft.  If I just stay here and hug you tight like this, it feels like I could just fall right back to sleep......

2:40 Yawning. Huh, it’s already this late in the day? Ah, you’re already awake? There’s no helping it, I guess.  In exchange, let’s do it just like the first time we woke up. Alright? He kisses you.

3:11 Heh, good morning.

Ah, come to speak of it, I had a really amazing dream last night. It was a dream where you were always by my side, grinning in that carefree way you always do. And then when I woke up and your face was the first thing I saw — I was really happy. 

3:44 Are you getting shy on me? Hey, don’t curl up and hide your face in the sheets!  If you act so cutely… I won’t be able to help myself from jumping on you again. 

4:00 Hmph… ha…. He kisses you again. Heh, it was a joke, so don’t get so flustered! Ah, but wanting to jump on you was real though. 

4:21 Okay, since I woke up especially early today, and it’s rare that we’re able to spend a languid day like this together, should we head out? 

…. Then come, let’s get ready. 

—

An Especially Glittering Beach Date

0:00 The sound of lapping waves in the background.

0:05 It’s nice that the weather today’s sunny and clear. You mentioned before that you’ve always wanted to go to the beach, right? So I thought that I absolutely had to take you someday. 

… What? Why are you so surprised? There’s no way I’d forget anything that you say. 

0:27 But besides that, since we came all the way out here, let’s dip our feet even if we can’t swim. 

Phew, it feels nice and cold. Everything looks pretty when the water’s calm. C’mon, you too — hurry up and get over here. 

1:00 Water splashing. Are you gonna take off your sandals? If so then I’ll do it for you. It’s fine, don’t worry about it. Or is it that you don’t want me to? 

1:22 Haha, you’re so easy to read. Okay, okay, I got it, I’ll take it off properly. 

Yeah, brace your hand on my shoulder like that… raise one of your legs… heh, I’m not tickling you, nunuche; if you laugh that hard you’ll fall over. 

1:52 …. And, we’re good. You put your feet back into the water and wade around. 

See? The cold water feels good. Now that we’re here, let’s walk along the water’s edge for a bit. The two of you begin walking. Be careful not to get your feet trapped in the sand. Your foot sinks into the sand. Did you not listen to what I just said? 

2:26 Guess it can’t be helped. Here, give me your hand. I’ll hold onto you so you won’t fall. 

Your hand… it’s always so small and soft — sort of like a child’s, huh. 

....I said it’s really cute. 

2:58 At any rate, it really is calm and quiet here. Walking here with you, hand in hand, I feel at peace. It’s a bit strange how this makes it feel like those war days during the Revolution were things of the distant past. 

3:24 Ahh, but at that time, I had thought that peaceful days like this would never return. 

The deep blue of the expansive sea, the scent of salt in the breeze, and even the sound of bird cries, it feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve last felt these things. 

…. Surely, it would’ve continued to exist like this, even if it was just me who didn’t notice them. 

3:57 The happiness of these ordinary days too, is all because of you. Thank you. He kisses you.

4:12 Now then, we should head home before the sun sets. Besides, I want to hurry up and get you alone. 

—

An Especially Sweet Shower Time 

0:00 Grandfather clock tolls three times and gentle piano music starts playing. 

0:12 Ah, it’s already this time? I guess we played too much today. When I’m with you, time passes in the blink of an eye — so fast that it makes me a bit worried. Hm? 

…. Heh, no, it’s a good thing. 

Whenever I’m with you, no amount of time will be enough? Something like that. 

0:36 Besides that though, the two of us are covered in sand from the sea breeze. It’s probably a good idea to wash off in a shower before heading to our rooms. C’mon, let’s go.

0:55 ‘You can go first,’ you say…

But we’re going to get in together, right? Heh, what are you getting all embarrassed about — after all, I’ve already seen your body many times before. So…. He gets close to you. … I’ll rinse you off. 

And anyways, I don’t want to let you go just yet. 

1:22 Door opens. The faucet turns and water starts to pour down. 

Hey, come closer. You’re covered by a towel so there’s no need to be embarrassed, you know. 

Is the water too hot? … If it’s okay then that’s good. 

1:49 Oi, it’s just rinsing, so move your hands.  He moves closer. Or, can I just undress you just like this? … Haha, just kidding. Come, turn around. I’ll wash your back. 

2:10 I was thinking about this earlier but… your nape… is really pretty, huh. It’s so delicate and unguarded… it makes me want to bite you…. He places a kiss on your neck.

2:30 You jump and back away. Heh, I just gave you a small kiss, you really don’t have to react to strongly. You’re seriously adorable. 

You are… he kisses you… hah, what is it? Do you want me to touch you more? 

Oi, if you give me that kind of look, I really won’t be able to stay calm. He kisses you again. 

3:12 … Your lips… are soft, and warm. Open your mouth more…. I want to see your face when you lose your composure… you’re honestly so precious — I might not be able to go easy on you. 

Ngh— ah, don’t fall down… cling to me tighter. Hmph… he kisses you again and again. 

4:05 Heh… you’re really weak here, huh. I know that much, since I’ve touched you countless times before… 

He sighs. This is bad — I’m gonna get dizzy. He turns off the shower. 

4:32 Let’s go to my room… right now. I’m sorry but, I can’t hold myself back any longer. 

—

An Especially Provocative Bloodsucking 

0:00 Piano music plays. 

0:08 Kissing. I wonder… why does even just kissing you feels good? Hah… more, I want more of you. Can I… touch you more? 

0:40 … Whenever I embrace you, I lose any desire to let you go. You have no idea how much I always want you, do you? The only thing that I want… is always, and only, you. He kisses you again and again. 

1:12 This is bad… if this keeps up, I won’t be able to control myself…. 

1:20 .... Oi, don’t tell me I can bite you so casually. If you’re so defenseless…. Sheets rustle. 

What’s wrong? Suddenly moving like that — hm… getting a kiss from you is pretty rare. 

‘I want you to take me, just like this’.... 

1:46 Hah… are you seriously okay with this? I’ll apologize in advance but, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be gentle. 

…. Lower your blouse more and show me your neck. He bites you. 

2:16 ‘I’ve been waiting for this’ — there’s no way you’ve been waiting for something like this? The one who let their guard down… is you. He bites you again. 

2:36 Ah… seriously… why is it that your blood is this sweet? I’m a bit worried… that the other guys will try to take you away. 

Does it hurt? … It feels good? Me too. It feels… endlessly good. So much so that I can’t have any blood besides yours. 

3:14 Do you know what sort of face you’re making right now… ? A face that’s both adorable… and tantalizing. I want to claim you… even deeper. 

Come closer. Surrender it all to me. Your body, your heart — even your destiny.

—

An Especially Gentle Good-Night

0:00 Piano music plays.

0:06 Sheets rustle. It’s already nighttime? A little longer and today will also come to an end, huh. What’s wrong, you can’t sleep? 

‘It was fun,’ you say? …. Yeah, I agree. The time I spend with you always passes by in the blink of an eye. 

But, when it turns to tomorrow, I will no longer be able to see the you of today. Isn’t it strange to think like that? Things that never change — there are no such things like that. So, I keep wanting to carve my existence, to leave some sort of proof with you. 

1:02 So that once tomorrow comes — no even after that — forevermore, there is evidence that proves you are mine and mine alone. Because of that, I’m sorry. You’re too dear to me, and I was too rough. But also, you were seriously sexy, before. 

1:33 It wasn’t just me though, you could barely stand it either, could you? Sheets rustling. 

Hey, don’t turn around, now. Face me? Geez, now isn’t really the time to be embarrassed, you know. 

1:56 Haha, okay, I got it. It’s fine if you want to stay like that. He scoots closer. But let me hug you like this. 

2:08 Ah, come to think of it, tonight is a crescent moon. The night I met you… it was also this moon…. 

What? … You’re surprised that I remember the day we met? Of course. Even now, I can remember like it was yesterday. 

2:40 Your figure when you came stumbling into the mansion through that entrance… I was definitely surprised. I couldn’t believe that someone other than a vampire had came through those doors. 

Before those guys could find you, I had to save you somehow, I had to try and protect you somehow, was what I thought. I wonder why…. 

I felt that instinct so strongly in that moment. 

3:16 When I met your eyes as you looked back, I remember that it was like my heart suddenly started racing. I was probably drawn to you from the first moment we met. How mysterious. 

Even though we were born in different eras and different places, it feels like I’ve always been waiting for you. 

3:45 To me, it seems like our meeting was not just mere chance, but clearly fate. 

… If it means the same thing to you, I’d be pretty happy. 

4:09 …. Heh, talking about this sort of thing is always embarrassing, huh. You turn over. What’s with that happy smile? 

4:21 C’mon, it’s getting late so we should hurry and get to sleep. Here. Arm pillow. 

Hah, if I keep patting your head like this… I’ll probably fall asleep just like that. 

…. You’re filled with happiness? Yeah… me too. When we’re together, just like this, I’m at my happiest. 

4:55 So, let’s stay like this for the rest of the night. Let me sleep until morning, with you in my arms. 

Quietly. When I can feel your warmth like this… I feel at ease…. 

Good night… you too, rest well…. 

5:25 He kisses you, softly. I love you….. Now and forevermore, only you…. 

—

Ending ~ To The Especially Beloved You ~ 

0:00 More piano music.

0:05 Night. Inside my silent room, where only the sound of wind gently blowing can be heard. As I look at my precious lover, sleeping within my arms, I think — that I want to always protect this sleeping face, and that surely, I was born for the sake of meeting you.

0:36 If I said this out loud, I wonder if you’ll smile that flustered smile again? 

The one I think of when a day is over and I close my eyes, the first one I want to see when I open them in the morning, is only you. 

And me, who was living like a soldier — who lost many precious comrades to a grand ideal, who did many things that I cannot take back no matter how much I yearned to or how much I regretted them. 

Therefore, not knowing why I was called to the mansion, nor why I alone continued to survive… I merely just passed my days at the mansion with that confusion. 

1:35 And then, I met you. 

If I think back on it, many things have happened since then. We laughed a lot, and went to many places, and even fought at times. Before I knew it, seeing your innocent smile would lighten the regrets and doubts that weighed on my shoulders. 

2:05 And you told me that there are no wars in the future, but only peaceful days. 

I can’t say for sure if what I did was the right thing to do, but because of you, I now know that those actions helped bring forth a peaceful world. 

You said that I had saved you, but the one who was saved was actually me. 

2:46 Since meeting you, I was able to take back something precious that I had forgotten. The brilliance of the morning, the deep blue of the sea, the color of flowers as well. With you, I was able to feel the world again. 

3:09 To me, who knew nothing beyond battle, you taught me how to live again. It was only you. 

I, who had nothing, you gave me something that I could once again yearn to protect. 

Of course, there is no way I’ll be able to forget my old comrades. I will always shoulder their hearts and live on. In this way, I will continue to live with you in this world. 

3:49 No matter what hardships we face, as long as it’s the two of us, I know we can overcome all of it. Even if one day you come to long for your old life, I want you to remember this. 

No matter what happens… I am always by your side. 

4:20 Through bitterness and through pain… I will carry those burdens with you. 

That’s why — please stay by my side. I swear I will make you happy. 

Thank you for appearing in front of me. I love you. 

And for many years to come, I’ll be spending them by your side. 

—

Cast Talk

Note: This section is part summary, part translation instead of a direct transcript like the past sections. 

Hello, this is Napoleon’s VA, Nobunaga Shimazaki. Thank you everyone for listening to this CD. 

It seems like there’s a topic theme this time for the cast talk. I’ll be going through them one at a time. 

First off, my impressions for today. My impressions of the recording — wait but first of all, Napoleon, it’s been a long time since I’ve played him, so I was hit with this ‘as expected he’s this cool and charismatic, strong soldier character’ sort of feeling all over again during the recording. 

Kind of like, ah how cool, he doesn’t seem like the type to be swayed easily — this kind of impression came to be when I was shopping at a convenience store. 

And then I thought to myself that I had to try hard and act out such a cool character, so it became sort of like ‘wow Napoleon is such a cool guy! Uwah I’m gonna try my best, I have to try my best! Uwahh’  haha. That was the strong impression I had of him. 

Finally today, I was able to show a cool Napoleon, so I’m really happy. Because of that, my mood is very fluffy and buoyant right now, haha. 

Okay, the second one is, if I had an eternity like a vampire, what would I want to do? 

Hmm well, I mean… would I really be the right fit for that, you know? It sounds a bit tiresome…. Of course, there are people suited to it, for example if you were Napoleon’s beloved person then being together forever would be nice, but… well — 

Life is fun because it’s limited. It’s a similar sort of thing to how because work is busy, the breaks become more fun, I think. If all I had was time… I think it would become pretty draining — 

But well, if I had an eternity, if I could do anything, then I think I would try to create a world? Or a star, or something like that. 

I can’t make, like, a real brand name or anything, but maybe something like creating a world as I like it, sort of like playing God. I think if I can do that then that would be enough fun for me, like there would be plenty of things to do with just that — things that I can and can’t do with my own creations and such. Yup, something like that. 

Third is, like the revolutionary Napoleon, is there anything you want to revolutionize? 

Something I want to revolutionize?! Is there anything like that? Something I want to revolutionize…. Uhhhhh, recently I’ve been thinking about how it would nice if things could be more comfortable for me, but there’s nothing that I’d say I want to revolutionize. 

I don’t think there’s much of a revolutionary in me? When doing something or starting something determination would overflow and I’d be like “I’ll accomplish this and this” or “I’ll write this” or “I’ll kill this” and the like. But to revolutionize something I think it would have to start from some dissatisfaction with the current era and the desire to change, but I don’t really think I have anything I’m dissatisfied with about the current era? 

How to say it, there are things I wonder about like how something would become, or how something would end up, or how it would be nice if things turned out this way, and such, but would you call that the heart of a revolutionary? 

Of course I have dreams and aspirations and this and that that I want to do in the future, but I don’t think there’s anything that I want to change. Mmhm… taking is easy is the best way. 

Last of all, to everyone who’s listening to this, please talk about Napoleon’s charming points. 

Well, I mean, everyone who had gone out and bought this volume are people who love Napoleon, right? Thank you very much! 

But, it’s really hard to get CDs nowadays, right? Times are a bit rough financially lately, right?? Seriously, thank you very much!!

As such, all the listeners probably surely know Napoleon’s charm better than I do, ahaha. But in my opinion, even though he’s a smart person, my favorite thing is that he’s a very steady, cool unwavering person. That sort of stead person, and then once he falls in love, you’re able to see those wavering eyes. It’s not particularly a gap (moe) per se, but it may be pretty charming — the difference between his usual coolness and his heart, and because of that, it’s a humanizing aspect. It makes you think that he’s a very captivating person, is what I think. 

Hm, but when you compare the historical Napoleon to the game, you can gain various ideas that take flight, and then you study history and it’s like killing two birds, three birds, six birds with one stone. IkeVamp as a game is a bit different, right? So when you play the game and compare them, there are things like “oh he killed people!!”, and in this way, I hope you continue to enjoy IkeVamp! 

This has been Nobunaga Shimazaki! Thank you very much!!

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#ikemen vampire #ikevamp #napoleon #drama cd #translation #200 followers celebration #advancing the napoleon agenda #sorry for the delay! #september 2019 #jp ikevamp