#but in the spirit of trying to actually cook more adventurously a new recipe called for a chilli
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The Short Lived Adventures of RAPH and Casey Jones
This is an old pic that was made for a zine that was never published. So I’ll leave it here. It might not ever be finished, but I think the story is decent enough on its own.
Part 1:
Casey was completely fine by herself.
Sure, her parents never really paid her any mind, but she never needed them to; Casey was a fast learner, and was able to cook, clean, and do pretty much anything the adults could do.
“Look!” Ten-year-old Casey held up an English vocabulary test, with an “100%” written in the corner in cursive. “I passed!”
“Honey,” her mother barely looked at her from her seat at her desk, “One hundred percent is the bare minimum. Anything less means you practically failed.”
There was always an empty space in the bleachers whenever Casey had a hockey game. She would cross her arms as she waited for her parents to pick her up and watched as the people in the audience rushed down and hugged their own children after a game, regardless of whether they won or lost. When her parents finally showed up, she sat in the car quietly as they drove.
Casey spent almost everyday after school at her Granny’s while her parents were at work. The old woman’s house was always warm, mostly because she was always baking; cakes, cookies, and especially her famous brownies - made with a special ingredient.
At twelve years old, Casey had failed a math test for the first time, and burst into tears as she walked through her Granny’s front door. “I’m a failure!”
“Sweetie, everyone fails every now and then,” her Granny wiped a tear from Casey’s cheek and got out an antique mixing bowl, “but I can tell you tried really hard. That’s what matters; that you don’t stop trying your best.”
Afterwards, Casey and her Granny spent the afternoon baking brownies, and that was when she was granted the knowledge of the secret ingredient. She swore her secrecy and never told anyone.
Of course, that was a while ago; her grandmother had passed away sometime afterwards. Her parents reacted with more emotion when Casey had shaved her head than when they attended the funeral.
They also seemed only mildly surprised when, at thirteen years old, Casey was accepted into the Foot Clan and never came back home.
There, Casey promised to herself to show the world just how much of a not-failure she really is! Even if she had to work with the most vile Clan in all the world to achieve it and release the Shredder, the ultimate evil, unto the world. She had worked above and beyond to get where she is, and no one could stop her!
At least, that’s what she thought before the Shredder disappeared, and with him, the Clan’s purpose. And way before those strange, overgrown turtles with no sense of honor or discipline showed up and destroyed their chances, time and time again.
Suddenly, the group she had worked with since she was a preteen, and the closest thing she had to any family, were dragged away by outside obligations she never understood.
Foot Brute and Lieutenant were better parents than her own, but, in the end, they were her bosses and coworkers, and no replacement for a family.
Sure, everyone else may have given up, but she would stay committed to the Clan’s ultimate vision, even if she had to use her dear Granny’s recipe for evil. Grandma CJ’s Brownies were an absolute bust, but she had to try something.
Then, she met this weird, giant, smelly rat with a Japanese accent dressed like a teenager who somehow turned out to be the father of those overgrown turtles.
And, as weird as it was, despite not even being human, he sat next to her and heard what she had to say; and, for those few minutes, it was almost like being next to her Granny again.
“Just because you failed doesn’t make you a failure.”
If she had been smarter, maybe she should have listened a bit harder to what he was saying. If she had been smarter, maybe she would have calmed down and talked to the girl that was beating up the Girl Scouts. There were so many opportunities to just talk.
But then the Shredder was restored, and she really thought it would be the return of her Clan’s glory. Even as she looked at the beaten down forms of her previous bosses. Even as she saw Splinter and his family struggling for their lives. Even as she realized winning would mean the end of everything, including her.
There was no more Clan. She was still alone. She was just alone with a giant evil suit of demon armor.
But, now, she wasn’t.
Even after everything, Splinter offered her an invitation into their...
Family.
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He had invited her to the lair a few weeks after the fight with Shredder.
“I’m working at the Foot Shack. After my former clan disbanded, they got bought out by another company, Splinter, sir.” She squeezed the mug of tea in her hands.
“Just ‘Splinter’ is fine,” Splinter had opened a bag of chips, and was reclining in his seat. The turtles were out with April at the arcade, taking a break from repairing the lair. “Where are you staying? Do you have a place to live?”
“Yes, I actually have my own apartment.”
There was a moment of awkward silence. Splinter sighed. “Listen, Casey, I know that it’s probably hard having to... uh, sort things out by yourself-”
“What?! No, I’m fine!” She flapped her hand dismissively. “My life is fantastic! It’s definitely not in complete shambles after losing everything I know.” She blinked, realizing that she overshared, and collected herself. “I’m doing great.”
“I-I never said it was in shambles,” He massaged his temple with two clawed fingers, his beady eyes squinting in frustration. “Look, all I am saying is that, if you ever need help, or if you ever get lonely and just want to talk, I am here. And my sons would probably say the same thing. You’re a Hamato now, at least in spirit.”
Casey’s eyes widened, then she looked down. “Thank you, but I’m a very independent person. I’ll be sure to not bug you unless it’s an emergency.”
Splinter nodded, but he’d dealt with enough children to see that Casey was a bit lonely. Still, he said nothing.
For a good while, Casey stuck to what she said; she didn’t really come by the lair unless she really felt the need to or if they needed an extra set of hands with repairing.
But… occasionally, she found herself asking questions. She found out Michelangelo loved cooking, and somehow he got her to agree to bake her Granny’s brownies together. She realized that Leonardo wasn’t just annoying in battle, but all the time, and that she started getting more and more used to it, even occasionally laughing along. She found out while playing video games with them, that Donnatello was just as vicious as her, and that April was equally as competitive.
And Raph, well… they didn’t talk very much. But he seemed nice every time they spoke.
But she kept her distance. After all, it was better if she didn’t get too attached.
She occasionally goes down to the local hockey rink and plays a few rounds with total strangers, and usually gets kicked out due to a combo of delinquent children and complaining parents.
So, here she is, lying on her bed, staring blankly at her phone, with a half eaten sandwich laying on her chest, and old sweatpants that she’s been wearing for a week because her clothes are in the laundromat. For a ninja-slash-ex-cult-member, her life had fallen into a fairly mundane pattern.
Everything could always be worse. So why did she still feel like such a failure?
And for some reason, Casey found herself at the sewer grate. She didn’t even know why she came here, really.
She was about to turn back when a feminine voice spoke from behind her. “Hey, CJ, what’s up?”
She spun around. It was April.
“I was just coming to visit.” Casey tensed up. She hadn’t expected to run into someone else.
“Oh, me too!” She opened up the grate, and started climbing down the ladder. “You coming or what?”
Casey gulped. She couldn’t back out now.
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Raph paced the lair, quietly groaning as he tapped his chin.
It had been about six months since the fight with Shredder, but another challenge had presented itself; cleaning up the lair after it had been almost completely demolished. Thankfully, with Draxum’s help and Donnie being able to scavenge some old tech that didn’t get destroyed and whip up some devices for reconstruction, the place was finally fixed up after about a month and a half.
Now what? Well, in Leo’s words, it was the time for “rest and relaxation.”
That was pretty easy for the rest of his family to do.
Leo’s entire existence hinged on “rest and relaxation”; Mikey has an assortment of hobbies to keep him busy; Donnie had a tight schedule trying to repair all of his broken inventions; April was trying to adjust to all of the changes at school due to all of New York recovering from the recent Battle Nexus catastrophe; and Splinter, of course, was parked in front of the TV, finally at peace after the Shredder was defeated, and helping himself to milk and cake.
Raph should be relaxing, or at least recovering from all that’s happened to them. The fight with the Shredder was the most stressful and terrifying time of their lives. They lost their Gram-Gram, and even if she was now able to rest with their ancestors and her father, it still stung.
But it’s been such a long time since he’s been in a real fight, and he can tell he’s going a little bit stir-crazy.
Of course, the turtles would spend a lot of time out of the lair; but whenever Raph gets a call on the phone, he finds himself hoping it’s some kind of an emergency, only to turn out to be Todd calling them about the puppy farm, or Leo pestering Senior Hueso with an order for pick-up. It seemed like even their strongest enemies have gone on hiatus as well; there was no word of Big Mama as of late, and every other major bad guy they fought recently seemed to have been exhausted by the Shredder ordeal as well.
Raph’s usual sparring partner, Frankenfoot, is absolutely wonderful, but fighting him wasn’t exactly what Raph had in mind; it was fun, but couldn’t really be compared to the thrill of a real fight.
“Come on, guys,” Raph stood in front of the screen, blocking Leo and Mikey’s view of a Jupiter Jim rerun while Pops was passed out on the couch, snoring, a bag of chips lying open on his stomach. “We’ve been cooped up in the lair for a million years. Who wants to go wreck some bad guys?” He pounded his fist in his opposite hand for emphasis.
“Raph, I can’t see!” Mikey waved his hand in a dismissive way as he said it, and leaned to peek around his older brother and continue watching the screen.
“Ugh, we’ve been over this,” Leo exasperated from his spot on the ground, on his stomach and his head resting on his propped arms. “No crime fighting while we’re on vacation! This is the time to chillax, my guy.”
“How long are we gonna be chillaxing, exactly?” Raph put his hands on his hips, an inquisitive look on his face, even if, deep down, he knew what response he’d get.
“I don’t know, until some other crazy evil mutant guy tries to take over the city? There’s bound to be another one of those eventually.”
“What, so we just wait until some evil mastermind has some evil plan and gets all of New York in their evil clutches? It’s our job to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Raph tried to summon the energy he usually exudes when he attempts to make a rousing speech, but the rolling eyes and groans from his youngest brothers quickly made its effect futile.
“You know,” Donnie said from the back of the room, the other three having not noticed him walk in, “We did, oh, I don’t know, save all of New York City, take down Big Mama’s Battle Nexus scheme, and, most importantly, defeat our bloodline’s greatest enemy?!”
Raph furrowed his brow, his sharp fang digging into his lower lip.
“We deserve an indefinite break, and I need it, because I actually refuse to do any fighting until I have all my stuff back online. I’d love to fight with only my impeccable mind, but let’s be realistic.” The sandwich in his hand was brought to his face and he swallowed it whole. Donnie knew he had made an excellent point.
“Don’t worry,” Mikey beamed, tucking his arms and legs into his shell, “We’ll get back into the groove of things before you know it!”
“Yeah,” Leo agreed, “Think of it as, like, you know, self-care. Sometimes, you need a break from what you’re used to. Now, can you move out of the way?”
Raph sulked out of his siblings’ view of the screen and sunk into a beanbag, next to the couch their father was snoring in.
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“Hey, guys!” The turtles turn around to see April and... Foot Recruit walk in.
Raph didn’t really know what to think of Foot Recruit, or Casey, as she preferred to be called. Pops insisted that she wasn’t dangerous anymore, but it was hard for him not to be a little wary; I mean, come on, she used to work with the Shredder!
She’d been over only a handful of times over the past few months, usually to speak with Splinter and Mikey.
“Casey! April!” Mikey stuck his hands out of his shell in joy. He ran over and hugged them both. “It’s been a while.”
“Hey, Apes. And, hi to you too, Casey.” Leo kicked his legs up behind him.
“Above ground has been pretty hectic,” April leaned on Donnie’s shoulder as she spoke, “Everyone has been freaking out about disappearing from New York for a few days. Relaxing on a yacht sure beats coming back to the city in shambles. And finding another job is so hard when everyone’s paranoid we’re gonna all disappear again. Ugh, I wish we did, then I’d get another break!”
“Well, if you want a job, you can help me repair what’s left of my s- I mean, S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. The Shredder tore him apart.” Donnie put his hands on his hips and relaxed his posture to cover his slip-up.
“Aw, your cute robot son isn’t repaired yet?” April teased.
As the two bickered while walking towards the lab, Raph looked back at Casey, who was standing by the entrance, visibly tense.
“Hey, Casey. Um, why are you here?” Raph asked innocently, not realizing how rude he sounded.
“Smooth,” Leo chimed in unhelpfully.
Before he could take it back, Casey spoke, with a glare on her face. “I’m here for the orange one.”
Raph blinked. “Huh?”
“We’re gonna bake brownies!” Mikey clarified, his chest puffed out with pride. “Casey decided that I’m worthy of learning an old family recipe.”
“Yes!” Casey grinned, in a way that was far too menacing for someone talking about brownies. “I decided that, as a new member of your- um…” clan? Group? Committee?
“...Family?” Raph assisted.
“Uh, yes, that,” she turned shy for a few brief seconds, only to return to her previous bravado, pumping her fist in the air, “I will honor you with the knowledge of my grandmother’s most nefarious secret!”
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Raph peeked into the kitchen as Mikey and Casey got to work. Of course, he trusted Mikey; but he had a hunch that Casey might be up to something.
Or maybe the boredom was just making him a bit more paranoid than usual.
Dirty dishes, half-full cups and brownie mix were strewn about the kitchen counter. Whatever this recipe pertained, it must be pretty intense.
“And, now, for the final ingredient. This one was given to me by my grandmother.” Casey pulled a canister of brown powder. She leaned over and whispered close to Mikey’s head. Whatever she was saying, Raph couldn’t hear.
Mikey gasped. “PUMPKIN SPICE?!”
Casey shushed him, then yelled herself. “It’s a secret, remember?!” She poured a generous amount into the mixing bowl full of batter.
The two of them looked so happy baking together, and Raph felt a pit of guilt in his stomach for assuming the worst. He really needed to chill out.
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“Wait, so let me get this straight,” Leo sunk into the bean bag chair, “You’re a fan of Lou Jitsu, right?”
“That is correct.” Casey was sitting stiffly in her seat. Her expressions were intense, like she was about to strangle someone, but Raph had realized pretty quickly that this was just her default.
“You have all of the movies memorized?”
“Of course! I used his guidelines for self improvement in my schemes to take over the world! I mean, that’s not really relevant now, but-”
“And you said you spend almost all of your available money on Lou Jitsu merch?”
“I hide them all so my guests don’t see.”
“And, yet, you’ve never watched a Jupiter Jim film? The Jupiter Jim, his longtime franchise rival and co-star in Jupiter Jim Vs Lou Jitsu?” Leo clutched at his chest, as he held up the DVD case of the movie he was talking about for emphasis.
“Leo,” Raph warned, looking up from his phone, “don’t make her feel bad-”
Leo chuckled. “Oh ho ho, trust me I won’t. I’m definitely putting on a Jupiter Jim Vs. The Galaxy Riders Part 1 and Part 2, and you are going to love it!”
Casey cackled ominously. “You really think this ‘Jupiter Jim-’” She made quotation marks with her fingers for emphasis, “-can measure up to the greatness that is Lou Jitsu? Fine, I guess we’ll just have to see.”
Raph ended up dozing off after the fifth film, and woke up to see Casey and his brother still openly debating whether Lou Jitsu would beat Jupiter Jim if they were both in a desert completely unarmed and at full strength.
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“I’m not scared of much,” Donnie mentions offhandedly one day, while Raph was doing a bicep curl, “but she -”
He points to Casey eating a sandwich like a hyena, while April sat next to her, texting.
“She terrifies me to no end.”
Donnie’s strange relationship with their new friend took Raph a while to comprehend. Then it became clear as day. If anyone could match Casey in moral ambiguity, it was his immediate younger brother.
“I made you a little gift,” the softshell grinned smugly, as he handed Casey what looked like a metal hockey stick.
“Oh, um,” Casey's eyes were wide, and a little watery, and her lips were in a warbly smile. “Thank you… no one’s ever given me something so nice.”
Donnie grinned. “Press the button on the side.”
When she did, the widest end of the hockey stick flipped open like a lighter, and a stream of fire shot out of the tip. Casey’s tears of joy gave way to maniacal laughter. “Those kids at the hockey rink won’t know what hit ‘em!”
Donnie joined her in glee, his eyes and teeth shining menacingly in the light of the flames. Raph watched in mild horror (He was plenty used to Donnie’s antics), at least until the fire alarm sounded and they were all drenched from the sprinklers.
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Another month had passed since Casey started coming around, and Raph seemed like the only one in the lair who hadn’t quite jived with her yet. Sure, his suspicion had pretty much subsided, and he liked her company plenty, but the two of them hadn’t really clicked.
However, he noticed some slight changes over time. Casey’s eyes had bags under them which were more obvious in brighter lights, and sometimes she fell asleep on April’s shoulder (and snored louder than his Pops, somehow). Sometimes, there were hints of sadness on her face, even when she was laughing along with everyone.
Raph didn’t mention it for fear of being rude, but he couldn’t help his concern. After all, if she was upset, she probably wouldn’t mention to him all of the people.
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Hockey wasn’t a sport Raph and his brothers knew much about, but he couldn’t help but get excited as Casey gushed about it, holding tightly onto the treasured tech-hockey stick Donnie had gifted her, wearing a huge grin on her face.
The two humans and four turtles (disguised as humans, of course) were just entering the hockey rink. The hall to the auditorium was cold and echoey.
“I come here every other Friday. The regulars here know my face, and they fear it. It’s ‘cause they know I’ll decimate everyone in my path!” She pumped her fist as she spoke, a sinister grin on her face, before she caught herself and straightened out. “Well, I do until the rink’s supervisors kick me out for making a scene and being mean to children.”
“Don’t sweat it, Casey,” Donnie spoke up, “You’re not the only one whose been kicked out of establishments for scaring kids.”
“Uh huh, exactly!” April agreed a bit too eagerly, and Raph looked back to see the distant, traumatized look in her eyes, and he could tell she was remembering the screams of children and the sinister laughter of animatronics at a certain pizza joint.
The six teens got to the rink’s auditorium, and put their bags down on the bleachers. There weren’t too many people around.
Mikey whistled. “This place is massive!”
As Raph put on a maroon hoodie and pulled on his skates, Casey rolled onto the rink, over to a huddle of teenagers wearing hockey gear. “Hey!”
One of the teenagers - a boy with messy brown hair covering his eyes - responded. “Oh, you again. Guys, look, it’s that crazy girl from last week.”
“The name is Cassandra Jones!” Casey pulled down the hockey mask she was wearing and held up her stick. “I’m challenging you to another round! Did you really think you’d escape my wrath?!”
The kids started laughing. “You challenge us every time we’re here, and you always lose. What makes today so different?”
Casey laughed. “Well, for one thing, I’ve got my own team now, so you better get ready to go crying to your mommy!”
The group hadn’t stopped laughing, even as Casey walked back to the bleachers. Raph raised a brow. “Uh, what was all of that?”
She looked down. “Those are my enemies,” She clenched her fists, “A group of jerks who manage to beat me every time I come here.”
Raph paused for a second. The look on her face was determined, but had a hint of sadness to it. Raph understood how she felt; wanting to fight, but getting beaten down time and time again. He’d realized a while ago that he didn’t have to do it alone; and neither did she.
Raph put an arm around Casey’s shoulders, and cupped a hand to his mouth, shouting to the teenagers from across the rink. “Hey, knuckleheads! You get ready for a match; you’re not just dealing with Cassandra Jones anymore! you’re dealing with the Mad Dogs, now!”
“Yeah, right!” One of the kids, a girl with a ponytail, shouts back.
He turned to face his brothers and April, who were sitting on the bleachers, their attention already on Raph from his shouting. “Hey, those guys over there are saying we’re gonna lose! What do we say to that?!”
“Oh ho ho, I like this energy!” Leo stood up on the bleachers, joining in the hype. April and Mikey stood up beside him.
“Yeah, you chumps aren’t even at our level!”
“Ya’ll ain’t seen nothing yet!”
Donnie stood up slowly, his arms crossed from the cold. “Yeah, we’ll definitely beat you! But-” He switched to his normal volume, “let’s not make promises we can’t keep.”
Raph dismissed him, and looked at Casey, who was smiling. Together, they were able to beat the Shredder. This would be a piece of cake.
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“Are we done? My mom is here to pick me up,” One of the kids, a girl with pigtails, mentioned as she walked towards her belongings on the bleachers.
Raph was gasping for air from his spot on the cold ground. Hockey was hard. Like, really, really hard.
In hindsight, their loss made sense; this was the turtles and April’s first time playing hockey, and even Casey, who’d been playing since she was a kid, wasn’t able to beat these kids. They really were just that good.
“Is that all you’ve got?!” Leo had fallen in front of the goal, two huge purple bruises visible on his face; one on his forehead, and the other under his eye, popping out from his green skin and red birthmarks.
Mikey was crying on his knees, while April patted his shell, cussing out one of the kids who she felt pushed him too hard. Even as the kid was walking away. “And another thing-”
Donnie lay flat nearby, looking like a purple stain on the white shiny floor. He was never good at sports, but he tried. Geez, it was almost more embarrassing, with just how hard he tried.
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They found a vending machine, and after Raph gave Leo a cold soda can to hold over his bruises, he walked past Casey, sitting with her head in her hands.
“Hey,” He placed a hand on her shoulder, and looked around to see if the others were watching. April, Mikey and Donnie were going off about losing the match, while Leo sat dejectedly in the corner, nursing his injuries. “Are you alright?”
She looked up, tears in her eyes, and her lower lip wobbling. She hastily rubbed at her face with her sleeve, her eyeliner smearing. “I’m...I’m fine.”
“Is this about us losing?”
“No, no, it’s not that,” She sighed. “It’s a lot of different things- It’s just…”
She trailed off, and Raph sat down next to her on the bleacher. He realized this had definitely been bubbling up for a while. If only he’d talked to her sooner.
“Ugh, all I’ve ever wanted was to be a success. Taking over the world was everything for me- helping the Foot, working for the Shredder, making that whole brownie pyramid-scheme. But now? I don’t have anything. I’ve hit rock bottom. Now, I’m stuck in a stupid rivalry with a bunch of kids in a hockey rink.”
She began to cry again. “What am I going to do? Am I just doomed to be a failure?”
“Just ‘cause you’re not taking over the world doesn’t make you a failure. Most people just stick to regular, everyday stuff and they turn out fine.”
“It’s not just about taking over the world,” Casey sighed. “I don’t have a purpose. No Clan, no commitments, no future. It’s like everything I do is a failure. I’m a failure.”
Raph felt himself start to tear up, too. What she was saying felt way too familiar. “You’re not the only one whose failed.”
“Huh?”
“My Pops told us we were supposed to die in order to protect the Dark Armor. We failed to do that, but we realized how messed up that was, and we decided to do our own thing. And it totally worked out for us, ‘cause we ended up destroying Shred-face once and for all.”
He stood, wiping the small tears from the corners of his eyes. “Think about it. So what that you don’t got a purpose? I get it, but your ‘purpose’ was handed to you by those Foot-faces. What do you wanna do? What do you wanna succeed at?”
Casey sat quietly for a few moments, thinking, and Raph feared that he might have said something hurtful. He was never as savvy with people as Leo or Mikey.
Then she spoke. “I spent all of my life trying to be the best, even if it meant being the biggest bad guy in the world. Now, I want to be the best good guy!”
Her expression softened. “I guess what I really want - I want to stop people who were like me once. I want to stop evil people who want to control others. But...how?”
Raph thought. Then, an idea struck him. “You and me can team up!”
“For what?”
“I was a vigilante for a little while. I mean, I used to be, but I guess since I was already part of a team, and with the whole Shredder thing, I just sort of stopped. But, since my bros are on hiatus, you and me could fight crime undercover!”
Casey was looking at her lap, her head bowed. Raph cleared his throat. “I mean, only if you wanna, it’s just a suggestion-”
“That sounds amazing.” Casey looked up at him in awe, her dark eyes glossy with unshed tears. Suddenly, she stands up, and pumps a fist into the air. “Raph and Casey, the most feared vigilante duo in all of New York!”
“Yeah, Go big or go home!” Raph pounded his fist into his other hand in excitement.
“Oh me gosh, stop yelling!” The two look behind them to Leo, still holding the can to his face. He turned in the direction of his twin. “Donnie, get me another can! This one’s warm!”
Casey was giving him a big smile, a far cry from her previous mood. Raph smiled back. Finally, he’d be able to go out and fight crime again; and this time, he wouldn’t be at it alone.
#rottmnt#rottmnt raphael#rottmnt raph#rottmnt Casey jones#rottmnt casey#rottmnt foot recruit#Rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles#rise of the tmnt#teenage mutant ninja turtles
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I feel like WangXian 42 is necessary and inevitable. Could I request that?
42: Distracting kisses from someone that are meant to stop the other person from finishing their work, and give them kisses instead.
Thanks for the ask! I had a ton of fun with this! :D And thanks @phoenixrisesoncemore for the brainstorming help. Hope you like it! (unbeta-ed. we die like WWX)
CWs: Food, kissing, shamelessness? Mostly food.
Wei Wuxian was bored. Lan Zhan was busy in the kitchens and all Wei Wuxian wanted to do was to interrupt and kiss him until he had to stop whatever he was doing. Usually, Wei Wuxian would not hesitate but Lan Zhan had given him a very stern look and told him he wasn’t allowed to interrupt before disappearing into the building.
If only Lan Zhan were sorting through documents in the Library Pavilion! Wei Wuxian would stride to Lan Zhan’s station and drape himself over Lan Zhan’s lap. He would grab Lan Zhan’s hand and force him to put down the pesky brush. He would then kiss the hand, kiss along Lan Zhan’s arm, and use that as an excuse to pull Lan Zhan into kissing him. The best way to get Lan Zhan’s full attention would be to kiss him and kissing Lan Zhan is Wei Wuxian’s speciality.
If only Lan Zhan were lecturing juniors! It would also be easy! He’s always allowed to help with the juniors. He would enter the lecture hall, throw some questions out, help guide the juniors through their coursework, and then pull Lan Zhan into a long involved kiss until the juniors retreated. Wei Wuxian had full confidence that his pedagogical methodology increased student retention of course material by engaging them in discourse. So what if their class ended early that day? Extra fresh air and leisure can only be good for their mental health.
If only Lan Zhan were performing his chief cultivator duties! That was Wei Wuxian’s favorite activity to interrupt. The look on Sect Leader Yao’s face whenever Wei Wuxian walked into the grand hall never failed to make Wei Wuxian feel smug. Usually by the time Wei Wuxian chose to interrupt, Lan Zhan would be developing a headache. Wei Wuxian’s shameless public display of affection never failed to dismiss the gathered sect leaders. So what if he was shameless? Lan Zhan likes him shameless.
But here he was, waiting for Lan Zhan to be done. What on earth could his husband be doing? Wei Wuxian paced outside for a while, trying to think of an excuse to go in. He heard chopping noises but didn’t smell anything interesting. After half a shichen, he got bored, decided to respect his husband, and left in a huff. If Lan Zhan didn’t want him to see, maybe he should go find something else to do.
Wei Wuxian wandered to the Library Pavilion, gathered some books, and returned to Jingshi. Setting up an area for work, he quickly found himself immersed in his task. He wanted to cross reference fifteen volumes on yao and guai and the theories on benevolent versions of such creatures. He also wondered if a yao could become a guai if its spirit were imbued into something no longer alive. He was startled to find very few passages on benevolent spirits and almost nothing on phase shifts or transitions between types of demonic creatures. It’s a pity that no one ever wondered about such things. Would it be something he could experiment on? Could a benevolent yao or guai be able to tell him? How does one even seek out such a creature? And how does one seek out a creature like that without seeming hostile?
Lost in thought, Wei Wuxian didn’t hear the door open or Lan Wangji walk in carrying a tray of food. It wasn’t until Lan Wangji wrapped his arms around Wei Wuxian that Wei Wuxian noticed his husband’s presence.
“Ah! Lan Zhan! You startled me!” Wei Wuxian yelped as he shrugged his shoulders to try to get Lan Wangji to let go. He wanted to continue down his train of thought and take more notes.
“Wei Ying is hard at work, I see. What are you working on?” Lan Wangji sat down next to Wei Wuxian and started reading.
“You were busy and I was bored so I’m trying to do some research into yao and guai. I’m only eight tenths the way through these volumes. There’s so little here of interest. It’s so frustrating. Why is your family full of conservative fuddy duddies? Actually, I don’t think these were written by Lans. Why is the cultivation world lacking in innovators?” Wei Ying half mumbled as he continued to splatter a page with his messy brushstrokes.
“Wei Ying, it’s dinnertime. Are you not hungry?”
“I’m busy! Let me finish!” Wei Wuxian was surprised at his residual ire from earlier.
Lan Wangji grabbed Wei Wuxian’s writing hand and pulled it so Wei Wuxian ended up facing him. “Do you not want to give your husband a kiss?”
“You didn’t want to give me a kiss earlier. Forbidding me from entering the kitchen. Are you upset that you don’t get attention now that you want it? What about when I wanted it?”
“Mn. What if I was trying to surprise you? The Mo Manor incident happened exactly three years ago,” Lan Wangji leaned in and kissed Wei Wuxian.
Wei Wuxian pushed Lan Wangji away. “What? How do you remember? I don’t even know that date! You’re not making that up, are you?”
“Lying is forbidden in Cloud Recesses. It’s an important date for me, for us,” Lan Wangji wrestled the brush from Wei Wuxian, and set it aside. He then kissed Wei Wuxian again, using his tongue to force Wei Wuxian’s mouth open.
Wei Wuxian felt a slight tingle and a semi-familiar fragrance on Lan Wangji’s breath. His eyes opened wide, all ire forgotten. “You taste like chili oil!”
“New recipe I learned when we went to Sichuan last month. I got it from the innkeeper since you liked it so much.” Lan Wangji’s eyes sparkled as he motioned towards the tray.
Wei Wuxian flung his arms around Lan Wangji’s neck and kissed his husband again. He greedily stuck his tongue in Lan Wangji’s mouth, trying to get another taste of the chili oil. “I can’t believe you did that for me! Is that what you’ve been doing all day? Making me chili oil?”
“Mn. There was a lot of toasting and chopping. I have gained newfound admiration for chili oil makers. I found the addition of black sesame made the end product extremely fragrant. I may even eat it on occasion. Also, I made you sichuan peppercorn oil since you seemed to have enjoyed that too.”
Wei Wuxian’s eyes widened. “What’s for dinner then?”
Lan Wangji stood up, pulled Wei Wuxian up into another kiss, and guided him to the tray. “Fish fragrance eggplant 鱼香茄子, meicai steamed upside down pork belly 梅菜扣肉, chili fried chicken 辣子鸡, mapo tofu 麻婆豆腐, sichuan style chilled long beans 凉拌豇豆. Jingyi helped me with some of the preparation since he seems to have adopted your appreciation for spices.”
“Ha! I knew he would fall in love with my rice porridge!” Wei Wuxian said as Lan Wangji sat him down. He looked at his husband and then at the food, a slight frown on his face.
“What’s wrong, Wei Ying?”
“You put a lot of work into today for me. I don’t have anything to give you back.”
“You know we don’t keep score,” Lan Wangji said, putting his hands on Wei Wuxian’s shoulders and squeezing Wei Wuxian’s shoulders gently.
Wei Wuxian nodded and pulled out an empty talisman. He scribbled a temperature maintenance spell, and threw it onto the tray of food. “We don’t keep score, but there’s no reason I can’t thank my Lan-er-gege for his efforts before we eat. That talisman should keep the food the right temperature until we’re done.”
He turned around, pulled himself up by Lan Wangji’s arms, and dragged them to bed, kissing Lan Wangji each step of the way.
End notes: all the dishes are actual Sichuan dishes. 凉拌豇豆 doesn’t specify sichuan in the name, but it is when I make it! So i call it that when I cook it. i’m also very tempted to write about them on a night hunting adventure in sichuan... we’ll see if i do that as a ficlet a different time. hehehe. wei wuxian would love sichun. omg. anyway, if you’ve gotten this far, i commend you. let me know what you thought! and if you want to send me a prompt for a mdzs ficlet, feel free! :)
#phoenixrisesoncemore#ficlet#my writing#wangxian#wei wuxian#lan wangji#wei ying#lan zhan#prompt games#魏嬰#魏無羨#魏婴#魏无羡#忘羡#蓝湛#蓝忘机#藍湛#藍忘機#魔道祖師#魔道祖师#陈情令#the untamed 陈情令#the untamed#mo dao zu shi#mdzs#cql
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Hello! Can I get Marvel, Harry Potter, Bohemian Rhapsody cast and characters ship? 💖 179 cm tall; dark brown, past shoulder-length hair with bangs; blue eyes (the left eye is mixed with hazel, aka, heterochromia iridium); heptagon face shape with dimples; rectangle body shape. Hufflepuff. INFP-T. Bisexual. Pisces-Aries cusp sign. ”Looks like could kill you, but is actually a cinnamon roll.” At first, I may come off as reserved, shy, yet polite. I, as many of us, have a resting bitch face, that’s why people may think that I’m in a bad mood. It takes me a lot of time to warm up to somebody, cause I have social anxiety. Hate small talk, or speaking in front of the public. When I’m nervous, I tend to mess up my words or forget what I was supposed to say. I’m usually playful, dirty-minded and goofy around close friends. I’m the so-called, ”fashionista and mom” from my circle of friends. A perfectionist, punctual, over-thinker, slight control/clean freak. Stubborn in some situations. If I’m annoyed or getting impatient, I can say something witty or sarcastic. I’m constantly fighting an inner battle with myself, trying to accept myself. I don’t like to smile or laugh in public, cause of the small gap between my front teeth. I really hate taking selfies or somebody else taking pictures of me. The clothes I wear depends on my mood (and the weather outside), but it’s always a mix of smart casual/vintage/or comfortable. Don’t like doing things out of my comfort zone, prefer to stay indoors. Hate crying in public, or asking people for help (it makes me feel uncomfortable). I don’t like arguments, but I will square up if they come for my family or I snapped. I’m a kind-hearted person, always ready to help someone in need, quite modest as well. Used to be a people’s pleaser. My hobbies include listening to any type of music, reading, watching movies or tv shows, traveling (if given the chance), and cleaning. Have a thing for writing. Very protective of my family. Divorced parents. Motherly towards kids and friends. An old soul, and the ”black sheep” of my family. A 100% feminist, support LGBT community. Sometimes I like to try and cook easy recipes. Dislike coffee, prefer tea or orange juice. That’s it, - thanks!
Hello there! Thanks so much for your patience! I was not only dealing with my job but the Christmas holidays and my family and spending time with them as much as I can for them.
So anyway, I would say for Marvel, I ship you with..
Bruce Banner!
He’s one-half of the science bros so he always tries to impress you with what he knows. He will be sputtering out facts and then say “isn’t that cool?” with big, puppy eyes and you will say “yes!”
Both of you are shyer so it took him a bit to ask you out. You just seemed so cool and badass to him that he was in awe for a little bit. But Tony helped him get his shit together and he finally took you to a cute coffee shop! But he found out you don’t like coffee so he switched and got ice cream instead, and it was just as cute.
Both of you get to watch tv shows and movies all the time and cuddle. You keep him so happy with your goofiness and humor that it keeps the Hulk at bay when it’s inopportune.
He even likes to trace your face when you hold each other, feeling the dimples and kissing them. In turn, you steal his glasses and put them on.
He would love your kind heart, how you always go out of your way for others. He admires it so much.
He would love the gap between your teeth and encourage you to smile. But to smile naturally. With confidence.
And he makes you genuinely smile a lot.
For Harry Potter (including both generations), I have to say I ship you with...
Remus Lupin!
He was in the library, looking at how the Hufflepuff’s were visiting. In curiosity, he turned a corner and had a look at you reaching for a recipe book.
With your hair past shoulder length and your eyes and height and body, Remus was in love at first sight.
He noticed how kind you were, especially to first years who were overwhelmed, and how you comforted them, so his heartbeat even harder when you passed him in the hallway.
Only when you were reading out in the courtyard did he try to make conversation with you, the other Marauders rooting him on from the sidelines.
You begin dating and kind of become the whole school’s OTP. Since your family life isn’t great you get three extra brothers with the Marauders!
He especially loves listening to music with you. You introduce him to all sorts of “Muggle” music and he eats it up.
Plus you’re so kind to him about his “problem” that to this day he can’t believe someone as beautiful and sweet as you still love him in spite of it.
Now for the BohRap characters, AKA Queen, I ship you with...
Deaky!!!
Deaky is a Leo in spite of his quiet, cute, wholesome persona. So your Aires-Pisces cusp works really well with his inner fire.
Both of you love kids. When you walk in the park you befriend kids at the playground or the kids of family or friends. You both hold hands and talk about having your own little army of children someday.
Both of you are tall, so you joke that maybe with Brian you can start a basketball team.
Both of you are playful. He’ll do his prank of taking photos of you when you aren’t ready and you will say a dirty joke that will make him laugh.
Plus you get to go to all sorts of movies together and spend lazy Sunday afternoons watching tv, even if he does want to fiddle with the knobs.
Both of you dance together with music and it makes you laugh when he spins you around and then catches you!
Lots of cute dates at home are essential, but he’s so understanding of your social anxiety and patient
After all, you’re the person of his dreams!
Now for BohRap actors, I’m leaning more for you with...Gwilym Lee!!
He’s a tall fellow, so he loves that you’re tall too. Both of you talk about photo-taking being awkward or the bath being so short you crunch in there or the shower head hitting you in the head and have a good laugh.
He’s an adventurous Sagittarius, which works with your cusp. So you two travel a lot to all sorts of beautiful places, whether it’s modeling gigs or filming or anything!
With your goofiness, you tease him over his voice work, lovingly. You both will be lounging on your phones when, giggling, you tease him, saying “puff puff!” and he laughs.
Or you both will be making a snowman out in the wintertime to be silly and childish. He looks at the lumps and tilts his head “looks more like a...uh, monster.” So in a shot, you tell him “aren’t you the master of monsterkind!?” and burst into giggles as you throw snowballs at each other. (see this post for reference)
Plus imagine, just, imagine the cute outfits you both could put together! With your vintage looks, it would be *chef’s kiss*
Even if he grumbles about cleaning, you get him to do it with you and you both listen to music and enjoy working on something together.
But he adores your spirit, not just your good looks with that dark hair of yours, and you both attend protests and watch the news and vent about it together, educating yourselves and fighting for what’s right in tandem.
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Holiday Gift Guide 2020: Books for Geeks
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The holiday season is probably going to look very different this year, but there’s one thing that hasn’t changed: the sacred ritual of gift-giving. While we might not be able to gather in the same way for the 2020 holiday season, we can still let the people in our lives know how much they mean to us with the perfect gift (and maybe get ourselves something nice while we’re at it—we deserve it).
We here at Den of Geek believe there is no better gift than a good book and, with nerd culture still very much mainstream culture, there is no shortage of geeky books to get the nerd in your life. From Star Wars and Star Trek to Outlander and Wheel of Time to those speculative fiction books that broke into the zeitgeist this year without a franchise to support them, here’s a list of books we recommend for every kind of geek…
Editor’s note: Den of Geek may receive a small commission from items purchased through the links in this story.
The Eye of the World 30th Anniversary Edition by Robert Jordan
For the “Wheel of Time” fan in your life.
We’re all excited about the forthcoming Amazon Prime adaptation of the Wheel of Time series, especially long-time fans of Jordan’s fantasy epic. It’s been 30 years since the series launched, and this special 30th Anniversary Edition of the first book in the series, The Eye of the World, helps capture all the magic of reading the book for the first time. This edition features a new introduction by Brandon Sanderson, a hardcover stamp of the snake-wheel symbol so important to the series, redesigned jacket art, and a ribbon bookmark. Whether you want to give this to a longtime fan or whether you’re hoping to hook an epic fantasy reader on the series, the high production value on this special edition makes for a great gift.
Buy The Eye of the World 30th Anniversary Edition by Robert Jordan
The Wintertime Paradox: Festive Stories from the World of Doctor Who by Dave Rudden
For the Doctor Who fan in your life.
This spin on Doctor Who features twelve stories in the “Whoverse” all set on or around Christmas. While the holiday doesn’t play an important feature in many of the stories, visions of the Doctor’s Christmas Past, Present, and Future are sure to entertain. Though most likely to appeal to fans of the series, this is also a collection marketed toward children, which makes it possible to share your love of the series with a young person in your life.
Buy The Wintertime Paradox: Festive Stories from the World of Doctor Who by Dave Rudden
Heroes’ Feast: The Official Dungeons and Dragons Cookbook
For the gamer in your life.
While cooking these recipes isn’t as simple as casting the titular spell, it does contain eighty recipes for fantasy inspired feasts. In addition to the recipes—some of which may be a little challenging for beginners, as they start from scratch rather than premade ingredients—the foods come with lore about the foods from the familiar Dungeons and Dragons cultures. Included are recipes for Feywild Eggs, “Orc” Bacon, Dwarven Mulled Wine, and Halfling Heartland’s Rose Apple and Blackberry Pie. Making some of these for game night might be a challenge, but Halfling-style Melted Cheeses with Chunky Tomato Broth sounds so good, your giftee won’t even mind if some spills on their character sheet.
Buy Heroes’ Feast: The Official Dungeons and Dragons Cookbook
Rebel Sisters by Tochi Onyebuchi
For the anti-war, YA fan in your life.
It’s been a big year for Onyebuchi, with this second book in his “War Girls” series and his first adult novel, Riot Baby, hitting the shelves. Onyebuchi’s Afrofuturist YA features nineteen year old Ify as a respected medical officer on the Space Colonies, and Uzo, a synth who’s working to preserve the memories and history of wartorn Nigeria. When a virus hits the Space Colonies, Ify must return to Nigeria for answers—even though she’d pledged to leave her homeland behind. For readers who love strong Black girls leading the action in a space-bound future, this is a fantastic pick.
Buy Rebel Sisters by Tochi Onyebuchi
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
For the Eragon and space opera fan.
Fantasy readers remember Christopher Paolini from “The Inheritance Cycle,” published for YA readers, which were filled with dragons and magic. But Paolini’s first adult novel heads into space, introducing the Fractalverse setting, and focusing on a xenobiologist whose encounter with an ancient, alien artifact sends her across the galaxy, where the fate of humanity rests on her shoulders. This is a great choice for fans who grew up on Paolini’s YA novels, or for readers who like doorstopper sci fi.
Buy To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
The Hollow Ones by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
For fans of The Strain.
The Strain had four seasons on FX, and the horror drama procedural won fans and awards. The show was based on a trilogy of novels from master of horror Guillermo del Toro and literary heavyweight Chuck Hogan, who have now reunited on a fresh series. The Hollow Ones follows a young FBI agent who discovers an otherworldly evil when it takes over her partner—and forces her to kill him in self defense. For fans who love their procedurals with a heavy dose of horror, this is sure to keep their spines tingling.
Buy The Hollow Ones by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian by Phil Szostak
For fans of Baby Yoda.
The Mandalorian has clearly been a breakout show for Disney+, putting new life into the Star Wars universe, and featuring everyone’s favorite new character, The Child (aka Baby Yoda). The end of each episode features concept art designed for the show, and for viewers who love seeing where the ideas germinated, The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian is a fantastic way to dig into the details of the first season.
Buy The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian by Phil Szostak
Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas
For queer paranormal romance lovers.
Yadriel is determined to prove himself as a brujo—even though his family hasn’t accepted him as a boy. But when he raises the wrong spirit while trying to solve the mystery of his cousin’s death, everything gets more complicated. In our review, we praised the book for its groundbreaking depiction of trans identity in Latinx culture and called it “a riveting, romantic read filled with paranormal wonder.” Fans who loved the queer romance reveal in She-Ra won’t be able to stop turning pages.
Buy Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas
Seven of Infinities by Aliette de Bodard
For the lover of science fiction sleuths.
This latest in de Bodard’s Xuya universe features an unlikely pair of detectives teaming up to solve a murder. Vân is a poor scholar hiding her possession of an illegal implant. Sunless Woods is a mindship who is also a thief and master of disguise. The pair have to work together to solve a murder—and unravel their own secrets. For readers who enjoyed de Bodard’s previous The Tea Master and the Detective or enjoy a good detective tale in space, this is a sure hit.
Buy Seven of Infinities by Aliette de Bodard
Super Mario: Manga Mania by Yukio Sawada
For the NES nostalgic.
It’s the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros! This is the first Super Mario manga ever available in English, and for classic NES fans nostalgic for the good old days of their vintage system, the zany adventures contained in this volume hit all the right notes.
Buy Super Mario: Manga Mania by Yukio Sawada
Sal and Gabi Break / Fix the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
For the young reader in your life.
The Sal and Gabi duology (Sal and Gabi Break the Universe and Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe) are ostensibly about a boy who can reach through the multiverse and bring things through to his part of reality—but they’re also about friendship, finding common ground, being your best self, and sentient AI. Most middle grade books depict middle school as an evil horrible place, as much an antagonist as the book’s real villain. The Sal and Gabi books do away with all of that. Not only is Culeco Academy the coolest middle school ever, the series manages to ramp up all the tension and drama needed without having an actual villain. (Even the people who seem villainous at first turn out to be different from expected.) These are a delight for adult readers who love middle grade fiction, but they’re even more important for middle schoolers, who deserve to see kids their age saving the multiverse in communities full of hope and love.
Buy Sal and Gabi Break / Fix the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Outlander Knitting: The Official Book of 20 Knits Inspired by the Hit Series by Kate Atherley
For the crafter in your life.
For fans of either Diana Gabaldon’s time-travel romance novel series or the hit Starz adaptation, this collection of patterns inspired by the show will transport your crafting friend into the Scottish Highlands. Featured among the projects are clothing, accessories, and decorations for the home.
Buy Outlander Knitting: The Official Book of 20 Knits Inspired by the Hit Series by Kate Atherley
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
For horror fans.
Compared favorably to horror-master Stephen King’s It, this classic revenge horror seamlessly combines elements of social commentary and drama. The story follows for American Indian men who, as childhood friends, experienced a disturbing event together. Now, the past has come back with a vengeance, and there’s no avoiding the violence they tried to leave behind. Jones is making his mark in the world of horror, and this is a not-to-be-missed thriller.
Buy The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Teen Titans: Raven and Beast Boy box set by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo
For DC fans.
Garcia and Picolo’s Raven and Beast Boy origin stories reinvent the characters for an audience who may have already met them in kid-friendly Teen Titans Go! or adult-aimed Titans. While the comic versions presented here draw on those previous incarnations, the stories are self-contained, giving readers both familiar and new to the DC series a chance to experience them for the first time. This hardcover box set gives the books an extra gift-worthy feeling.
Buy Teen Titans: Raven and Beast Boy box set by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo
Thorn by Intisar Khanani
For the friend who needs a fresh fairy tale.
In this retelling of “The Goose Girl,” reluctant Princess Alyrra is happy to have escaped royal life. But when she learns of a plot against the prince, she must decide whether to reclaim the heritage she wanted to leave behind, or let the kingdom fall. This beautiful hardcover edition also features an additional short story set in the same world.
Buy Thorn by Intisar Khanani
Dinosaurs: The Grand Tour, Second Edition: Everything Worth Knowing about Dinosaurs from Aardonyx to Zuniceratops by Keiron Pim
For Jurassic World and other dinosaur fans.
While the 2020 entry into the Jurassic World franchise, Camp Cretaceous, was geared toward younger viewers, plenty of adults never grow out of their love of dinosaurs. And why should they? These prehistoric terrors continue to be amazing—and modern scientists continue to make new discoveries on an almost weekly basis. This huge guide to dinosaur species offers references for more than 300 species full of colorful illustrations that show these titans in all their (feathery!) glory.
Buy Dinosaurs—The Grand Tour, Second Edition: Everything Worth Knowing about Dinosaurs from Aardonyx to Zuniceratops by Keiron Pim
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
For the SFF connoisseur.
This series starter is set in a contemporary New York—but the city is coming to life. But a city killer is trying to stop New York from evolving, and the city’s mortal avatars are the target of its plans. It’s not uncommon to hear people considering N. K. Jemisin the best modern writer of speculative fiction, bar none, so picking up The City We Became, her most recent novel, is a no brainer if you’re buying for someone who likes smart, quality SFF.
Buy The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
Cyber Shogun Revolution by Peter Tieryas
For the mecha enthusiast.
This triumphant conclusion to Tieryas’s United States of Japan trilogy, which can be read as a stand-alone, takes place in an alternate reality where Japan and Germany won World War II and divided the United States between them. An assassin known as Bloody Mary is determined to eliminate corruption from within the United States of Japan, regardless of the cost. It’s up to a secret police agent and a star mecha pilot to stop her, but determining enemies from friends is almost impossible. Tieryas balances the super cool world of mecha battles and spy action with searing social commentary and ethical questions, making this a challenging but imminently worthwhile read for fans of Pacific Rim.
Buy Cyber Shogun Revolution by Peter Tieryas
Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard by Chip Carter
For the Star Trek fan in your life.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard has always been quotably wise. In this collection, Chip Carter pulls together some of the greatest lines, featuring Picard’s thoughts on leadership, justice, and space exploration. The quotes are accompanied by photography from iconic scenes of The Next Generation, making this a perfect gift for the Star Trek fan who already has everything.
Buy Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard by Chip Carter
Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis
For fans of Arrival and Stranger Things.
This first contact story from Hugo-nominated video-essayist Ellis is set in an alternate 2007. In the world of the novel, Cora’s father has blown the whistle on the first contact cover up. Cora herself wants nothing to do with aliens, but when one of the aliens decides Cora is the only human he’ll talk to, she’s stuck in the middle of everything. For lovers of aliens and conspiracy theories, this is one to pick up.
Buy Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis
Court of Lions by Somaiya Daud
For lovers of YA court intrigue.
In this sequel to Daud’s Mirage, Amani, who has been forced to serve as the body double for Princess Maram, is on her last chance. The princess discovered Amani’s connection to the rebellion, and now Maram is suspicious of anything Amani does. Yet Amani is dedicated to the cause of seeing her people free, which means she has to make a choice: continue to work from within the palace and risk her life, or flee and risk her people. For a female-centered plot that deals with consequences of colonialism, this series conclusion and its predecessor are a sure hit.
Buy Court of Lions by Somaiya Daud
Star Wars From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back
For the Star Wars fan.
Called “one of the best Star Wars books released this year” in our Den of Geek review, this anthology is packed with stories from authors both well-known and unfamiliar, whose works delve into the lives of central and side characters from The Empire Strikes Back. While some explore relationships between key characters (Luke, Leia, Obi-wan), others tackle the points of view of previously unnamed creatures (Sy-O, the space slug that swallows the Millenium Falcon). The stories are sometimes delightfully weird, other times grim or tender, and all a good gift choice for the Star Wars fan whose favorite film is still Empire.
Buy Star Wars From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back
Remina by Junji Ito
For the manga fan.
This science fiction horror story centers on Dr. Oguro, who discovers a planet that has emerged from a wormhole and names it after his daughter, Remina. But as the girl Remina rises to fame, the planet shifts its course, threatening all life on Earth. Could Remina herself be the cause? This chilling story is a classic from Eisner-winner Junji Ito newly released for an English-reading audience.
Buy Remina by Junji Ito
Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee by Shannon Lee
For the martial arts enthusiast.
For friends who like a little more grounded, real-world take, this exploration of Bruce Lee’s philosophies, written by his daughter, offer insight into the legendary martial artist. Although this title offers no martial arts tips, it is full of philosophy, untold stories, and inspirational takes from the cultural icon.
Buy Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee by Shannon Lee
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
For the lover of gothic horror.
When her cousin begs her to come rescue her from a mysterious doom, Noemí heads to a house in the Mexican countryside. As she looks into the secrets of both the house and her newly-wed cousin’s husband, Noemí finds that there’s more danger—real and supernatural—than she ever imagined. Set in the 1950s, this supernatural horror blends elements of Rebecca and science fiction for a chilling novel perfect for lovers of classic gothics.
Buy Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Marvel Greatest Comics: 100 Comics That Built a Universe
For the Marvel fan.
In a collection that spans the entire history of Marvel comics, characters like the Human Torch, Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Guardians of the Galaxy show their historical origins. If you have a fan who’s waiting impatiently for the next MCU offering, this collection of some of Marvel’s defining comics from the company’s history may be just what they need to tide them over.
Buy Marvel Greatest Comics: 100 Comics that Built a Universe
Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar
For lovers of mythology and fairy tales.
Billed as Neil Gaiman’s Stardust meets Hindi mythology, this debut novel centers on the daughter of a star and a mortal. Sheetal tries to be normal, but when her starfire accidentally hurts her mortal father, she must travel to the celestial court in order to save him. The combination of court intrigue, mythology, and a fairy-tale like tone is perfect for YA lovers.
Buy Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar
Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews
For the romantic who needs a great stocking stuffer.
Although better known for the popular Kate Daniels series, the Ilona Andrews team (husband and wife Ilona and Gordon) has knocked it out of the park with the most recent installment in their “Hidden Legacy” series. There are now five novels and a novella in the series, with Emerald Blaze as the second book of a second arc, but while the book is most likely to resonate with readers already introduced to the character, it’s also a stand-alone magic-spy-action-adventure-romance. Despite that blend of genres, Team Andrews melds it all together in a world with both super cool magic and an alternate-reality Instagram, featuring characters you want to hang out with regardless of the stakes. The mass-market size also makes it perfect to slip into a stocking!
Buy Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews
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Welp, seeing as how there’s nothing else going on in the world right now, I figured I might as well share my kitchen exploits with y’all. Get ready for a photo essay!
So, a couple weeks back I finally caved and bought this little beauty.
I tell ya, it’s both a blessing and a curse working in a bookstore. So I’m flipping through it and all the recipes just look so kriffing awesome, I start thinking to myself ‘Y’know what? I’m gonna go through the whole karking thing. I’m gonna try making one of these every week. I’mma get my geek freak on!’
Now, what makes this little culinary adventure all the more exciting is that we’ve been getting a solid start on our spring cleaning (y’know, seeing as how my wife’s now working from home and needs the space clean as a home office, but that’s neither here nor there. XP ) and whilst getting the kitchen in order, I unearthed a gift I’d been given some years back but had never opened.
This darling hobgoblin!
So awesome! And better yet...
This little Artooie collapses into a full set of measuring cups. Even the legs break down into the spoons. This little guy’s like the guardian spirit of my kitchen now. So while I undertake this epic culinary quest, I now have a protective trickster totem to stand guard over everything.
Woe be unto he who dares cross the astromech wise ass! Haha, gods, but I love him.
So anyway, the first recipe I selected to tackle from this tome is a dish called Tatooine Terrine. Here is the glossy, professionally done glamour shot from the cookbook on what it is supposed to look like.
A couple of exchanges I had to make. Red lentils instead of black, because honestly? I didn’t know black lentils were a thing. I just know red and green, and red was what I had on hand. Chinese eggplant instead of regular because my wife’s actually allergic to regular. I think next time I’ll probably just have to use two instead of one to fill things out more, since I had to mince down the mushrooms. My darling ashkerra hates mushrooms, more by merit of texture than flavor, so despite how good they are in the conception game, the only way to get her to eat them is to chop them down as small as possible, which I did. Even so, I think I accidentally over-shroomed the dish, as it were.
The main reason I chose this recipe to start with is because it has molasses in it. We have a jar of the stuff hanging around from baking Christmas cookies and I was thinking if I didn’t find some recipes for it soon, it was just going to go on sitting in the cupboard for all eternity. Garam masala is a spice I’ve never cooked with before, so that was a new and exciting addition to my precious coriander. All hail coriander! :D
Flavor came out great, I think, though it will certainly need some tweaking in future. One thing I will never win any competitions on, sadly, is presentation.
My wife has much more of an eye for visual artistry than I ever will. I can make dishes that taste spectacular but that look like first grade art projects. Ah well, the trade off you make, I suppose. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go make brownies.
Join me next time when I attempt to make Huttese Slime Pods!
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self-quarantine activities
1. Complete a puzzle: The more pieces the better! Feeling extra saucy? Take on a Rubik's Cube. More of a word person? Crossword puzzle!
2. Start a journal or blog. Sure, it can be about the coronavirus, but it could also be about a specific interest from chess to cheese.
3. If it won't bother your neighbors: Dust off that old instrument and practice.
4. Text all your exes just in case you have one more thing you wanted to get off your chest.
5. Write poetry. Perhaps you can craft a haiku for Mother's Day, or something without a specific structure. Just try it!
6. Watch all the really long movies you’ve avoided until now.
7. Download Duolingo, or a similar app, and teach yourself a foreign language.
8. Finally read “Infinite Jest,” “Les Miserables” or even “The Stand.” Go all in and read “Ulysses.” You got this.
9. Meditate. Try lying down with your eyes closed, palms up and while focusing on your breath. Or spend 20 minutes sitting crosslegged and repeat a soothing word to yourself in your head. (The latter is more like transcendental meditation.)
10. Face masks, moisturizer, oh my! Treat yourself to a 10-step skin care routine you don’t have time for during a normal work week.
11. Look at pictures of puppies.
12. Put together the most attractive charcuterie board possible, but you can only use foods you already have in your fridge and cupboard.
13. Take note from "Tangled" star Rapunzel, who has an entire song about how she's spent her days alone in a castle. Activities included in her ditty: Ventriloquy, candle-making, papier-mâché and adding a new painting to her gallery.
14. Write actual letters to family and friends. After that? Write thank-you notes to service people who you remember went out of their way for you.
15. Learn calligraphy. YouTube can help.
16. Finally read the rules to those long and intense board games you've never played with the family. Encourage the family to play.
17. Put on a soap opera. Mute the sound. Create your own dialogue.
18. Have a space in your home where all of the tupperware goes? Organize it and actually match lids to containers.
19. Try on all your clothes and determine whether they “spark joy” á la Marie Kondo.
20. Better yet, go through this process with your junk drawer and supply shelves.
21. Have a roommate meeting about how to be more considerate of one other, especially while you will likely be spending more time together. Bring baked goods.
22. Bake those goods.
23. Watch the films that won Oscars for best picture.
24. Watch films that won Independent Spirit Awards for best picture.
25. Watch films that critics say should have won those aforementioned awards.
26. Read all the New Yorker issues piled on your desk.
27. Will Tom Hanks into recovery from coronavirus by watching every Tom Hanks movie chronologically.
28. Knit or crochet.
29. Use Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts or Marco Polo to video chat with your long-distance friends.
30. Try out at-home aerobics or yoga videos. Consider downloading a fitness app with curated workout playlists.
31. Look at yourself in the mirror. Attempt a self portrait with pencil and paper.
32. Take a bubble bath (bonus: Add a glass of wine).
33. Make a classic cocktail, from negronis to Manhattans and aperol spritzes. Don't forget the garnish.
34. Coloring books: They’re not just for kids.
35. Take time to reflect: What have you accomplished in the last year? What goals are you setting for yourself in the next year?
36. Write a short story or get started on that novel.
37. Actually try to reproduce something you see on Pinterest. Probably fail. Try again.
38. Clear out the family room and camp indoors with all blankets, popcorn and scary movies.
39. Finally get around to fixing that broken door knob and loose tile or cleaning scuffed up walls.
40. Acquire a foam roller and treat yourself to some physical therapy.
41. Pretend you're 13 years old and fold a square piece of paper into a fortune teller you put your thumbs and pointer fingers into. Proceed to tell fortunes.
42. Learn how to braid (fishtail, French, etc.) via YouTube tutorial..
43. Throw out all your too-old makeup and products. (Tip: most liquid products have a small symbol on them noting expirations, usually six months to a year. This includes sunscreen!)
44. Interview your grandparents (over the phone, of course) and save the audio. Can you create an audio story or book with that file?
45. Go through your camera roll, pick your favorite pics from the past year and make a photo book or order framed versions online.
46. Go on a health kick and learn how to cook new recipes with ingredients you may not be using already, from miso to tahini.
47. Create a Google document of shows or movies you’re watching and share it among family and friends.
48. Make a list of things for which you are grateful.
49. Have your own wine tasting of whatever bottles you have at home. Make up stories about the journey of the grapes to your mouth.
50. Work on your financial planning, such as exploring whether to refinance your loan or ways to save more money.
51. Perfect grandma’s bolognese recipe.
52. Make coffee, but this time study how many beans you use, which types, how hot the water is, how long it brews and whether any of that makes a difference.
53. Buy gift cards from your favorite local businesses to help keep them in business while we quarantine.
54. Watch “Frozen 2,’ which went up early on Disney Plus. Another new movie on the streaming service: "Stargirl."
55. Write a book with your family. Pick a character and each member writes a chapter about their adventures. Read aloud to each other.
56. No March Madness? Have a Scrabble tournament. Or Bananagrams. Pictionary, anyone?
57. Get into baking with "The Great British Baking Show," but your technical challenge is baking something with the ingredients you have on hand (that you didn't already use in the charcuterie board).
58. Indoor scavenger hunt.
59. Alternate reading the Harry Potter series with your kids and cap each one off with the movie.
60. Dye your hair a new color. No one else needs to see it if you don't like it.
61. Read Robert Jordan’s 14-book “Wheel of Time” series before it streams on Amazon starring Rosamund Pike.
62. Write a play starring your loved ones. Perform it via a video call app.
63. Go viral in the good way by making a quarantine-themed TikTok.
64. Rearrange your sock drawer. Really.
65. Stop procrastinating and do your income taxes.
66. Make lists of all the museums, sporting events and concerts you want to visit when they finally reopen.
67. Get into comics with digital subscriptions on your tablet, like Marvel Unlimited.
68. Rearrange your furniture to make it seem like your home is a totally different space.
69. Practice shuffling playing cards like a Poker dealer. Be ready for employment opportunities once all casinos open back up.
70. Organize your spice rack alphabetically or get crazy and do it by cuisine.
71. Teach your dog to shake. Hand sanitizer optional.
72. Memorize the periodic table. You never know when that will come in handy.
73. Order and put together some IKEA furniture. Time yourself.
74. Get a free trial of a streaming service and binge-watch as much as you can before it expires.
75. Apply for a new job. You have remote work experience now.
76. Learn a new style of dance via YouTube, from bellydancing to breaking.
77. Update or write your will and organize your affairs. Yes, it sounds melodramatic and morbid but let’s face it: This is a task many of us avoid because we never have the time. Now we do.
78.The parades have been canceled but you can still make corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day.
79. Bring out the Legos. Build your house inside of your house.
80. Watch the "Star Wars" movies in this and only this order: Rogue One-IV-V-II-III-Solo-VI-VII-VIII-IX.
81. Two words: Coronavirus beard! Grow it, moisturize it, comb it, love it.
82. Learn the words to "Tung Twista." Get them so ingrained in your brain that you can rap them as fast as Twista can. Impress everyone.
83. Been meaning to get some new glasses? Try on new frames virtually on sites like GlassesUSA.com.
84. Attempt things with your non-dominant hand, from writing to brushing your teeth. Prepare to be frustrated.
85. How many words per minute can you type? See if you can get speedier by taking a typing course.
86. Prepare to verbally duel a bully who wants to discuss the evolution of the market economy in the Southern colonies, by memorizing Matt Damon's "Good Will Hunting" speech.
87. Learn origami. Make cranes for your loved ones.
88. Stretch. Work on your flexibility. It's possible to get the splits back, right?
89. Try to speak in pig Latin. Or, "ig-pay, atin-Lay."
90. Talk to your plants. How are they doing? Make sure they are getting the amount of sunlight they should be. Check their soil. Water if necessary.
91. Deep condition your hair and put paraffin wax on your hands. Enjoy your soft hair and nails.
92. Consider donating money to food banks to help families struggling to get meals.
93. Write a song. If you want to make it about your time inside and put it to the tune of "My Sharona" and replace "Sharona" with "Corona," do what you have to do.
94. Study the art of beatboxing.
95. Try moving in super-slow motion. It's OK to laugh at regular speed.
96. You know how there are dozens of ways to wear a scarf, but you only wear it the one way? Learn the other ways.
97. Learn Old English words. Pepper them into your conversation. Wherefore not?
98. Try on a new shade of lipstick. See how long it takes your partner to notice it.
99. Take deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
100. Sleep. Get lots of it.
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✗ hey there , angels !! it's me , lenny , back at it again and i couldn't be more excited for the revival of this group ! i've missed my boy pres so much and i can't wait to introduce ( or reintroduce ) him to you all ! below the cut is all you need to know about him , if you like what you see just LIKE this post / hmu and we can get plotting !
❛ ⋆ ․˙✰ preston ross soung is graduating in a month with plans to become a professional chef. four years complete and he is leaving the hamptons being remembered as the mooncalf, which makes perfect sense considering how gregarious, zealous, impetuous, and sybaritic he is. that title landed them the senior class superlative of best person to be stranded on a deserted island with. you’ll know they’re around when you hear suncity - khalid coming from a car this summer. speaking of summer, i hear their plans are to spend it trying new recipes and partying. black coffee at midnight, bookshelves full of cookbooks, laughter breaking even the coldest ice, and stained aprons.
↘︎ 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 !
given name : preston ross soung
nickname : pres
birthdate : may 25, 2001
hometown : the hamptons , new york
occupation : student / line cook
↘︎ 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 !
alright .... my boy , preston
let’s start with his fam . his dad , elliot , is a renowned plastic surgeon ( he’s prob given half of ur muses’ moms botox lbr ) and his mom , theresa , is a famous fashion designer . due to her job , his mom travels a lot and his parents bicker quite a bit about how absent she is a lot of the time , but somehow they’ve stuck it through 31 years of marriage and pres loves and idolizes them for it .
theresa and elliot had 3 amazingly brilliant kids : serena , preston , and caitlin . because theresa travels a lot , elliot had to pick up the slack and has always tried his hardest to be a good father but , bless his heart , he’s very clueless when it comes to simple household chores like cooking and cleaning so preston and his sisters all learned very quickly how to care for themselves and each other , and the three of them eventually adopted their own roles within the soung household :
serena , being the eldest at 21 , is the mature mother figure . she’s the best listener out of the three , has the biggest heart , and has bandaged most of preston’s wounds from his crazy antics . it was no surprise that rena moved on to excel in nursing school after high school . she now lives in manhattan and works as a nurse in the er , but she visits often and is always a phone call away .
caitlin , 15 years old , is the housekeeper . she was always that little kid who loved her toy broom and had a knack for knowing just how to get that stain out of the run before dad got home ( because the maids would surely tattle if they asked for help ) . she’s recently adopted a love for interior design and likes to move the furniture around the house , and as annoying as it is , preston can’t help but admit that his lil sis has an eye for design .
preston is the entertainment and chef . he was practically born with a smile on his face and it’s hardly disappeared since . half the time his sisters find him beyond annoying because they’re the best victims for his latest pranks , but they usually break into a smile in the end . plus it helps that they know he’ll whip up an exquisite dinner later that night .
no one really knows where his talent and passion for cooking came from — neither of his parents are very good in the kitchen — but somehow young preston found himself in the soung household’s beautiful , grand kitchen watching the chef his parents hired whip up dinner and he was mesmerized .
since then , his parents have stopped needing to hire a chef to cook for their family because preston’s biggest hobby has become finding and cooking new recipes in his comfort zone : the kitchen . his pinterest is absolutely filled with recipes he wants to try and put his own spin on , his instagram feed is 90% food , and his bookshelves are stacked with recipe books .
his dream is to become a professional chef and basically be the next gordon ramsay ( aka his #mancrushmonday ) but for now he’s settling for working as a line cook at mel’s diner ( sure , mommy and daddy have money but preston’s never been the spoiled-rotten type and he’s never been keen on relying on their credit cards )
he is 100% in no rush to grow up though . he’s truly a child at heart and is determined to enjoy his youth while it lasts .
↘︎ 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 !
preston is without a doubt the chandler of the group . 90% of the time he’s cracking jokes and laughing , the other 10% he’s probably just waiting to crack a joke tbh .
he has a big heart and is definitely the most loyal friend you could ask for , but i wouldn’t run to him for heartfelt advice or anything like that unless you want to recreate this friends scene .
but he is the guy to go to when you need to take your mind off things with a crazy adventure , intense mario kart tournament , a gourmet meal , or a shopping spree ( he will carry all of your bags for you too )
fun is his middle name and he’s made it his life goal to try and make sure he’s not the only one having it . he truly believes laughter is the best medicine ( actually , a good meal is probably considered number one in his books ... ) and he really just doesn’t see the point on dwelling on the negative ??
this trait may turn out toxic in times of true difficulty as preston’s second best talent after cooking is burying all of his emotions and ignoring them and acting like he doesn’t give a shit !!! what a healthy man !!!
he is definitely that outgoing guy who blends into every clique or high school group , gets invited to every party , and can get along with practically everyone he meets . he likes to give everyone a fair chance and acts like everyone is his best friend , but he’s got a soft spot for a few select people who have wiggled his way deep into his heart . he’s definitely to loyal to anyone who hasn’t faulted him , but he would risk everything he has for his closest friends and you’d be truly blessed to be considered one of those close friends .
speaking of those who have faulted him , his spirit animal is definitely like a lion cub or baby bear : he’s sweet , cute , and cuddly at first glance , but mess with him or those he loves and you will see fangs bared . he’s got a temper buried deep down that usually only peeks out when those he loves are in trouble .
↘︎ 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 !
i’m going to avoid making this intro any longer by just providing you with a link to the page of wanted connections i wrote up for preston ! you can find it right here but disclaimer : i’m truly open to nearly anything and everything , so please provide me with all the angst , fluff , and drama !
#entitledintros.#↘︎ ooc .#i had time to hop on my laptop and post this#but we leaving for the concert sooN#so i'll get to ims and such later#but pls love me and my boy
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Girls Generation As Sisters
Taeyeon
Taeyeon would be that irritating sister that you fight with all the time. It would be fine if it was a normal reason for fighting but Tayeon gets on your nerves because she has to be involved with everything you’re doing. Your reading a book? Shes going to snag it from you and read it out loud! Getting ready in the morning? Suddenly all your clothes and/or makeup is in her hands as she forces you to sit there so she can get you ready! Thats not even half of it and it goes on and on. Taeyeon gets offended when you yell at her about it also, in her eyes shes just a caring sister. When the two of you can get along you go adventuring, taking lots and lots of photos. This translates into both your lives, she will send you photos while shes on tour and once when her tour overlapped with your birthday she gave you the holy grail of all gifts. She told you she was paying for you to go on tour with all of SNSD. It was amazing, you even got to meet other kpop groups. When you start dating Taeyeon wont approve of anyone unless she gets to pick! SNSD is off limits though, she will pick other friends. Theres like a three percent chance that you can pick someone and Taeyeon would approve. Once you start dating Taeyeon must know everything thats going on in your relationship. Too much, like shes even willing to ask about your sex life. Just..no. When your upset and its not because of her Taeyeon will do aegyo, and if that doesnt work shes planning a surprise to get your spirits up. It could be gifts, food, or even a small get together, or anything in between.
Jessica
Jessica is a awkward sister. You guys dont connect a lot but there are rare moment when you do. Jessica mainly sleeps when your around her though. The real fight between you two is whenever you wake her up, then you better be ready for a fight. She will yell at you for interrupting her sleep and throw things at you until you leave her alone. When you find her when she isnt sleeping you guys actually get along. She shows you her warm and sweet side unlike the rest of the public that sees her cold side. Jessica gives you advice and support. You give her all your trust and she does the same for you. Thats why when you brag about Jessica being so warm and nice everyone is surprised, since they rarely get to see it. When your upset Jessica will stop everything for you. You’re her sibling and she would do anything for yo, even if you interrupt her sleep. Anyone that dates you will meet the entire power of the icy princess. Anyone that meets your sister that your dating is going to feel unsettled by it and it will take a long time for Jessica to warm up to them, she will especially be cold to you if she doesnt like your choice. It will be pretty obvious and you’re going to have to corner her to actually talk it threw.
Sunny
Sunny is the angel sister. At least towards you. She can never really get angry at you, if you did something wrong or broke something she would calmly tell you its okay and talk it out with you. This is where most of your trust goes towards therefore. You’re never scared or hesitant to bring anything up to Sunny. When your upset she even approaches you like a china doll, scared that if she says or does something wrong you’ll break.The problem with this is your parents always see this and Sunny is the best daughter in their book, she could never do anything wrong. If you ever yell or try arguing with her in front of them they will always take her side. Which is mainly where all the arguments come from. Its one sided when you approach Sunny and mainly frustration towards your parents. Sunny will always be willing to talk to them therefore. One moment that was memorable was when you were in school and your parents were comparing you to Sunny, over and over again. Being her normal loud self she loudly yelled at your parents telling them your not her. When you start dating she welcomes your dates with open arms loudly talking to them, trying to get them to open up so she could get to know them
Tiffany
Tiffany is your sister thats made you a servant. She orders you around loudly, not exactly meaning to be bossy but she expects you to listen and listen well. If not shes going to yell as loud as she can and her temper will strike threw the roof. When you try to defy her she will use all her powers, including snitching to your parents. You get fiery angry with her but then its put out as soon as Tiffany’s temper rises. She mainly uses you as her doll ,which isnt much to complain about since she takes you shopping and pays for the outfits she loves on you. She spoils you without worry, except when you get in fights. Then you two will avoid each other like the plague. Like many other siblings a third person has to make you guys put your differences aside and forgive each other. Tiffiany, honestly, even you are very high strung. When you start dating she will find the best outfits for you when you go with your date. Whenever your upset she will take you on shopping sprees to boost your mood and confidence. Whenever there is a bug around your killing it though, take pride in that because Tiffany turns into a total baby when a bug appears and screams and yells until someone kills it. If you try to just set it free it will upset her more because she is determined it will come back.
Hyoyeon
You two are a true pair of sisters. Before debuting you always danced with Hyoyeon. When Hyoyeon had doubts you raised her up and pushed her threw. She will forever be grateful to you. You guys are joined to the hip though, there will be rare arguments but never will they last. Hyoyeon will be on constant call with you when shes away, taking photos for you, texting, and even thinking of you as she buys things that you may never go. You two together are a terror to those who dont want to be trolled. Hyoyeon trolls on her own, let alone having you with her is two times worse. Someone dating you is like dating your sister. Your sister comes first and if they ever disrespect Hyoyeon thats the end of the relationship. Hyoyeon knows the best way to cheer you up, no matter the situation. Its like you guys share the same brain. She would actually think it would be a great idea if you dated someone in SNSD. Even though the girls get annoyed with you because its like having a second Hyoyeon in the house hold. You often stay the night in their dorms, watching tv or even waiting for Hyoyeon to come home. The girls are used to it by now and even text you if they want something for dinner, which you dont mind, in the their group chat.
Yuri
Yuri is a sporty sister. She will drag you out of the house to go jogging, thats not it alone either. You’re her exercise buddy and her music buddy. Oh hows she your music buddy? She managed to get her company to let you join in on violin and dancing lessons. Sometimes you guys spend too much time together and get in fights, after a short break though you will be good. One thing thats a bit of a downer is that Yuri pranks you constantly! You wanted to brush your teeth? NOPE! Toothpaste isnt toothpaste its salted frosting! Wanted to wash your hair, oh wait, the shampoos hair dye! Yuri is very mischievous and you want to strangle her at times. When you start dating she moderately wants to know whats going on but dont over share. If your upset though Yuri makes you exercise no matter if you want to or not. In her opinion you need to stop thinking and just breath. After your tired as hell from exercise you both collapse in your room and talk it out. Normally this actually helps, making you realize no, its not the end of the world. If it is serious Yuri will get the girls together to figure out a solution.
Sooyoung
Sooyoung is another sister that exercises with you a lot, but its mainly threw baseball. She would play with you when shes stressed or upset, this is mainly how you know somethings wrong. It will take you to sit her down to let her walls down. When they go down theres usually waterworks(tears) after them. Shes not really the sister you rely on, shes the sister you cry with. Yes shes there for you but not as a wall. Its more like your her wall. When you start dating she will be over emotional about it, over reacting to anything that happens to your relationship. Honestly shes more worried then you and you have to calm her down. At times her over emotional state can get a bit annoying but honestly you cant get angry with her. Being upset with Sooyoung will only make her more overemotional. Now we all know Sooyoung is a bottomless put so your going to have to keep an eye on your food. One moment you would be getting a drink and your food would be on you tray the next moment you only have a drink, nothing else. If you make something and she wants it you will have to fend her off while eating your food, never to eat in peace without Sooyoung begging you for a bite
Yoona
Yoona is basically your personal cook. She tries new recipes all the time and your her test dummy. Usually its great, at other times you wish she would��ve forgotten that recipe. Yoona spoils you with food, making you gain weight at times. She will visit you often, even bringing you food most of the time.If your horrible at cooking she often teases you about this, although she will occasionally let you help her make food. Though since your her sibling she must protect no fire! At least if your a bad cook that is. When your upset Yoona will make you your favorite meal the best she can. When you ask somethings you will get a very sarcastic answer, which if you dont have much patience starts a fight. Since your sister often makes your parents food though, (ahem bribes them AHEM) they take her side. After all how could their sweet daughter that makes them food ever do something wrong!? Note the sarcasm. Usually Yoona is goood about making up with you first though unless you get in a major fight. Then you have to step up yourself, especially if she feels strongly about the subject.When you start dating Yoonas only opinion is that she has a new test subject, proceed with caution!
Seohyun
You found your second mom! Seohyun will be all over telling you how to live. No junk food! Exercise! Yadda yadda! Your parents never really watched over you because they knew Seohyun would take care of you. Honestly once you move out of Seohyun just gets worse. You have to tell her to back off and she will take offense from that. She always has time to listen to you though, no matter if she has or performance or anything. You might have to wait a bit but she will get back as soon as she possibly could. When you fight you both step up to apologize, surprising but it takes two to-wait thats a couples saying.....never mind that! Anyway you two can just hang out and normally talk and the conversation will never grow old. When you start dating she will be super judging your date and she will be sure to share her opinion. The main nagging she will give you is because she wants you to stay healthy, if your ever sick she babies you and brings way too much medicine for your to take. You honestly have to tell your its only the flu, your not dying.
#kpop reactions#kpop scenarios#kpop#kpop snsd#kpop girls generation#snsd reactions#snsd scenario#girls generation
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Treat Headcanons
This is for if someone they are quite comfortable with, are baking in the kitchen. (and totally not inspired by me making peppermint bark.)
They are all SFW but because this is a long one, I’m putting this one under read more.
Yusuke: Watch it for this boy, he’ll joke his way into stealing more than a taste of your treats. Don’t get too distracted by him otherwise your plate of brownies will be missing 3-4 squares.
Licking the beater is “too childish,” yet he’ll bitch if you put the covered beaters in the sink. Also he doesn’t help you at all, maybe if you need him to get you more butter.
Kuwabara: He’d be the one who’ll accept the beater full of batter. Sometimes he’ll use his tongue to get through the bars, otherwise times he’d use his own fingers. He’d be helpful in the kitchen, or tries to be at least. Unlike a certain former spirit detective, he knows that when he gets the finish product, it’s earned. Sure baking into manly, but what else isn’t manly, not helping and supporting your partner.
Kurama: If you’re a new baker, he’ll try to help, it’s not his forte, he prefers cooking than baking. If you’re comfortable in the kitchen, he’ll sit and read a book/ mind his own business. Really he’s there in case you have to get more ingredients and you either want him to go grab them or him for you. In case of injury, he’s there with a first aid kit.
Hiei: Depending on what you make, this might be the only time you see this boy near your vicinity. Like Kurama, he’s more of a passenger to these things. He’d much rather use his skills from doing various crimes to steal a piece of cake if you don’t offer it to him first. Like Yusuke, you’ll see more than 1 cookie missing from the batch. This is only if he likes what you make.
If you hurt yourself, he’ll call you a fool as he tosses you a band-aid.
Try to hide some of his absolute favorites treats, cus they make great bribing chips.
Koemna: He makes a better taste tester than anything. The only other use this guy has for you is preheating the oven to the desired temperature. Sometimes he can be sassy and get a taste of the batter before it’s poured into a proper container, other times he’s a complete gentleman and waits to be asked to taste test the finished item. It all depends on his mode and yours.
Keiko: Total helper, sometimes can be a bit overbearing. “No, it said 3/4 cups of milk, not 2/3rds. DON’T PUT 3 CUPS OF OIL IN THE BROWNIE BATTER DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THE SCREAMING SHITS!” She’s only that excitable if you’re that dumb or that much of a troll. You two could end up burning your product if you don’t keep a watch on it during the down time. Keiko’s pretty good at making sure her they are done just right. Prefers making things from scratch.
Shirzuru: Good baking skills for homemade goods, somehow fucks up on the box stuff. Some can be minor details, others can be “accidentally” putting 3 cups of oil in her brownies for Yusuke. She’s a much better cook than baker, which well, isn’t saying much. As Kazuma got older, she did get more adventurous with recipes. Don’t make with Shizuru, because she either will make you do the whole thing, or she takes over, it’s one or the other.
Yukina: She LOVES baking and cooking, but enjoys baking more because she can eat her treats. The more she does it, the more of a natural she is. She also loves wearing the cute aprons that you can put your utensils in the pockets. One day this girl will be on cupcake wars or something. She loves to use her own creativity and trying something more original with the recipes she gets. Yukina ends up giving you small tastes, which get smaller and smaller as more confident she gets in the kitchen. One day you’ll be her Kurama lol.
Botan: Doesn’t bake at all. Is like Yukina where she can see the fun in it, but this clumsy girls ends up burning her finger in the oven, dropping her pans, and gets way to distracted that her stuff burns. She’d rather eat your treats than help you make them. Although she’s always up for whisking, she can whisk some real good eggs,
Genkai: Fuck all that shit. She’ll get you the shit you need, let you use her kitchen, and leaves. Just don’t burn her hose down. She used to make stuff in her youth, but that was a long time ago.
Chu: “Can you make beer dip? Beer Bread? Thanks, you’re a real ripper.” He’s not one for the sweet bakes, sure a sugar cookie here and there is fine, but he prefers salty and savory types of dishes. He’s not gonna be much help either other than taste tester.
Rinku: This lil shit right here is worse than Yusuke and Hiei combined. The only thing he’s helpful for is licking your beaters and bowl clean. Otherwise he’s bothering you with conversation when you need to concentrate and then leaves you be when you do have the down time. Of course he comes back in time to see the finish product. Unlike Hiei, he does wait for it to cool down and keep its shape before literally stealing all of it for himself. Sometimes he doesn’t care if you’re there, if you’re a defenseless human, he’ll just take it. Be sure to have someone around you.
Jin: Between Yusuke and Koemna. He’s more or less talking faster than the oven can bake your goods. He doesn’t have the patience to wait for them to cool, so he makes a light breeze to speed up the process.
This boy is a sucker for anything chocolate, and have not one, but two sweet fangs. He loves licking the batter off the beaters and will double dip his finger into it too. So watch it for this guy. Still, he’s too cute to not have around.
If you make his absolute favorite, his ears wiggle like no tomorrow.
Touya: Would stick his nose up to the idea of helping you out, but when he does, he actually enjoys baking. Not traditional, and really, he prefers decorating your treats than making them. The detailing can be super intricate, but he has the skills and patience to accomplish some beautiful artwork on what any size canvas you give him. Of course if this boy is being playful, he will dip his finger in the batter lol.
Suzuka: You’d think he’d enjoy at least watching you bake. This boy has no interest in the process, and sometimes not even interested in the results. Really the only time he shows any interests is 1. You made something he’d enjoy, or 2. Touya is decorating. To him, there are better things to do than stand near a hot oven waiting for yeast to rise. Same with cooking, he’s just not a kitchen sort of person.
Shishiwakamaru: Similar boat as Suzuka and kurama, the kitchen is not his thing, but he will at least sit with you in it and keep you company. If you happen to make his favorite treat, he’s gonna make sure you see his finger dip in the batter and sink through his shit eating grin. He’ll take a light smack from you or you trying to shove him out of the vicinity, just because it’s funny seeing a human get wiled up. He’ll behave afterwards, don’t worry.
Unlike the others, he’ll actually ask to have a finish product. He won’t just up and steal it, because he wouldn’t be in the same room as you willingly if he didn’t like you in the first place.
Bonus
Elder Toguro: Would be the most helpful S.O.B in the damn kitchen if he wasn’t such a creepy asshole. He’d make lewd remarks just to get under your skin and you’ll be missing half your ingredients in the process. Don’t ever bake with this man, he’ll constantly request red velvet and make disgusting comments about the batter and compare it to you, his previous victims, and make other unsightly remarks.
Please for the love of all things good, don’t be near this man.
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The three Icons I would like to watch during Quarantine.
The three Icons I would like to watch during Quarantine.
Morticia Addams
Morticia Addams of course is a fictional character from The Addams family TV and film series. She was created by cartoonist Charlie Addams and was based on his first wife, Barbara Jean Day. Legend.
Morticia is described as a witch who is very slim, has extremely pale skin, and long straight black hair. She commonly wears black to match her shiny hair. According to Wednesday, her disturbed daughter, Morticia applies baking powder to her face instead of actual makeup. She frequently enjoys cutting the buds off of roses, which she discards (keeping only the stems), likes cutting out paper dolls with three heads and making sweaters with three arms, and cooking unusual concoctions for her husband.
In 2009, she was included in Yahoo!'s Top 10 TV Moms from Six Decades of Television and AOL named her one of the 100 Most Memorable Female TV Characters.
I wish I could watch Morticia right now on her perfectly curated self help/camgirl Twitch account. She’d for sure be on Twitch. Her absence of fear but dark passion during this un-settling time would be illuminating. That pinch of morbid humor personally feels even more needed to stay sane. I would also very much like to watch her gardening suggestions, beauty tutorials, at home craft projects, and self made mask ideas.
She adored her husband Gomez, as deeply as he did for her and I would pay extra for some late night sex videos and relationship tips from the both of them. Her loyalty to her family goes beyond sanity and I love her for it. I would also love to watch her feed her personal pet Cleopatra, a fictitious breed of carnivorous plant called an African Strangler, to which she feeds hamburgers and other various meat. Or watch her strumming a Japanese shamisen, of course she was musically inclined duh-She’s perfect.
She seems to have a healthy but freaky sex life and her kids seem like they could survive anything. I’m not a parent but I’m pretty sure she’d have some great suggestions on how to keep your kids alive without them killing you vlogs. Oh Morticia, how can I be as strong as you? What is in your drink? Her overall aloof outlook and dislike for happy social gatherings makes her a role model for us all right now. Stay creepy and freaky out there.
2. Christopher Walken.
Christopher Walken is an American actor, singer, comedian, director, producer, screenwriter, and dancer, who has appeared in more than 100 films and television programs that I’m not going to list. I’ll give you just a few fun facts. He was Born in Astoria, New York. When he was 15, a girlfriend showed him a photo of Elvis Presley which inspired him to change his hairstyle to imitate Presley and he has not changed it since. As a teenager, he worked as a lion tamer in a circus. He attended Hofstra University, but dropped out after one year, having gotten a role in an off Broadway revival alongside Liza Minnelli! Wild!
He initially trained as a dancer at the Washington Dance Studio before moving on to acting. He prefers to be known informally as Chris instead of Christopher. Walken won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Michael Cimino’s 1978 film THE DEER HUNTER. In 1992, Walken appeared in Madonna’s controversial coffee table book SEX and the music video for her hit single, "Bad Girl" (directed by David Fincher) He’s been married forever with no children. The quiet couple have a cat named Bowtie, and their previous cat was named Flapjack. They live in Connecticut.
Lastly, Walken was one of the last people to see actress Natalie Wood alive before her drowning on November 29, 1981, while on a weekend boating trip near Catalina Island.
I would gladly pay for his Patreon account where I assume all proceeds go to helping animals and young artists during this critical time.
Watching him make pancakes for his wife… Talk about his role in Batman Returns....Maybe even a little dancing around his garden would lift my spirits and boredom.
His voice is as soothing as it is funny... it makes me frustrated and giddy with his long pauses yet, I’m waiting on every word. I would like him to read short stories and have his cat awkwardly enter the frame to block the camera. In a time of chaos Christopher or Chris, is my calm. Actually his real name is Ronald.
He makes me feel at ease. The tall striking man I’ve grown up watching in some of my favorite movies usually playing the villain but he’s really our hero. I can’t decide if he’d be in a bathrobe or perfectly groomed and well dressed for his first episode or perhaps it would vary keeping us all more engaged.
I love you Walken.
3._________________________
This next person already makes me feel guilty without even saying his name. BUT, during this time it’s important to try to keep going, keep learning, workout, yada yada yada. Personally sometimes getting up to shower feels excruciating. I’ve lost my will to sing these days too weak to fight back tears that flood once I open my mouth, so I’ve turned to writing. Something... to try. I’m not great at it but whatever it passes the time. I can write about my ideas and fantasies anything to survive. This next channel pick is the survivor of all survivors who’s self tutorials I will never be able to complete but I’ll watch in awe until I die.
Bear Fucking Grylls.
Some Wikipedia shit on him to follow
Edward Michael Grylls better known as Bear Grylls, is a British former SAS serviceman, survival instructor, and honorary Lieutenant- colonel, and, outside his military career, an adventurer, writer, television presenter and businessman. He is widely known for his television series Man vs. Wild. In July 2009, Grylls was appointed the youngest-ever Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories at age 35, a post he has held for a second term since 2015. I don’t know what any of that means but it seems impressive and that he probably makes his bed every morning no matter what or where his bed is.
His dad is a conservative politician that taught him how to climb, sail and skydive and most likely forced him to earn a second dan black belt in Shotohan Karate. HE speaks three languages.. I can’t keep going…its all too crazy for a normal human to process.
The craziest in my opinion; Father of three in August 2015, Grylls left his young son, Jesse, on Saint Tudwal’s Island along the North Wales coast, as the tide approached, leaving him to be rescued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. (RNLI) as part of their weekly practice missions. Jesse was unharmed, though the RNLI later criticized him for the stunt, saying its crew "had not appreciated" that a child would be involved! What the fuck? Imagine if he was your dad? But also then I would know how to hopefully do a bunch more shit or survive if the world turns into the walking dead- which lately I think about often.
I’m not even going to list his expeditions cause they will make you feel out of shape and guilty for not figuring out how to follow a simple stupid banana bread recipe online - but they’re very impressive. It’s all just too much. He hiked the Himalayan mountains, you know he’s that guy, but really THAT TOP GUY.
I did watch part of his show where he took Channing Tatum into the wild and made him take his clothes off in freezing water to catch a fish by hand. Loved that.
But here’s why Bear is my pick- Because we are lazy and capable of so much more. Confined or free Bear is mentally and physically dialed in.
I’d want to know his real opinion on what our bodies need to survive, house hold jobs, etc. Youtube would probably be his platform which a bunch of random copy cat accounts that think they are better than Bear. Bear never insults anyone. He believes in us. We can survive if we keep learning and trying. From the master of social distancing and sustainability. His cooking suggestions I’d even try just to avoid another trip to the grocery store to be less wasteful and be more mindful of what I have rather than have not.
Bear Grylls Boot Camp will save your life or at least help you loose a few llbs.
Who else would you like to see have a channel during this time and why?
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Why Kids Need Knife Skills
New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/why-kids-need-knife-skills/
Why Kids Need Knife Skills
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
Once I stumbled across some comments on an older blog post about letting kids help in the kitchen. Commenters insisted that they would never let their kids use knives, or would limit them to only butter knives or dull cutting utensils until at least age twelve.
Different strokes for different folks and all that, but my kids have been using a variety of knives and learning to cook since they were toddlers. In my view, kids can learn valuable lessons when allowed to take risks.
Of course, parental judgment is good and necessary. But what if we prepared kids with skills and safe limits rather than saying “no”?
Is It Safe for Kids to Learn Knife Skills?
I must confess, I used to err very much on the side of caution when it came to kids and knives, until I started finding research that delaying a child’s ability to learn to use sharp objects like knives can actually interfere with their psychological development and is akin to “delaying potty training until school age.”
What was that?
I was surprised too, but after some research and careful trial with my research team (aka my kids) in our lab (aka my kitchen), I have to agree that not only are kids capable of using “real knives” at a much younger age than I expected but that there do seem to be some psychological benefits as well.
Knives = Bad, TV = Safe?
This is the other surprising disconnect that I’ve noticed in recent years that has become more and more apparent… we shelter our children from important real life skills that have a small element of danger (like using a knife safely, climbing trees, playing outside by themselves, or riding a bike to the park) but give them easy access to “safe” things that are proven to be very harmful developmentally (like too much screen time, a sedentary lifestyle, etc).
Our kids can work an iPad like a pro but not use a kitchen knife (except for that they probably can, we just don’t let them). They can dominate at Candy Crush but can’t do common household tasks like mopping a floor, loading a dishwasher, and doing laundry.
We limit kids from any task where they could get hurt, make a mess, or that we could “do more quickly.” Then we wonder why they balk when we eventually expect them to help out and why they lack the desire to do these things themselves.
Benefits of Letting Kids Use Knives
As parents, it is easy to see knives as a dangerous object just waiting to remove the finger/hand/arm of our children or lead them to certain impalement, but objectively, a knife is just a common and very useful kitchen tool. Yes, it can lead to harm if used incorrectly, but then so can a stove, oven, spiral slicer, vegetable peeler, or broom handle in the wrong hands.
On the flip side, a kitchen knife (and other common tools that we often shield a child from) doesn’t just represent a kitchen tool, but a step on the road to independence.
As parents, we have to ask at the end of the day: is our real job is to keep our children “safe” at all times or to raise them to be independent and capable adults? I’d argue the latter.
In fact, in many parts of the world, children are routinely allowed to interact with “dangerous” tools such as knives, hammers, mortars and pestles, and others from as young as age 2 (and even younger in some places!).
Learning Risk Assessment and Independence
This may seem like blanket heresy in our overprotective society, but hear me out…
Exposing children to situations that teach them at a young age to gauge risk accurately actually helps protect them in the long run. Children learn by trying (and sometimes failing) just how far they can jump, how to fall safely, and how to use tools (like knives) correctly.
Yes, there will be skinned knees and small cuts along the way (what child hasn’t fallen down and gotten hurt when learning to walk?), but we all managed to survive the horrors of a skinned knee and our children can too. More importantly, they need these experiences to teach them independence and resilience and that minor setbacks aren’t the end of the world.
From the article, “American Parents Have Got It All Backwards”:
Ellen Hansen Sandseter, a Norwegian researcher at Queen Maud University in Norway, has found in her research that the relaxed approach to risk-taking and safety actually keeps our children safer by honing their judgment about what they’re capable of. Children are drawn to the things we parents fear: high places, water, wandering far away, dangerous sharp tools. Our instinct is to keep them safe by childproofing their lives. But “the most important safety protection you can give a child,” Sandseter explained when we talked, “is to let them take… risks.”
Countries where children are given freedom to take risks develop a well-honed sense of risk assessment. Rather than keep their children indoors, countries like Sweden and Norway design their cities to enable safe walking and biking. This one of the factors that allows them to have some of the lowest child injury rates in the world.
Raising Helpers Who Aren’t Helpless
There is also a theory in psychology that the declining number of children per family in modern times has led us to think of our children as “precious treasures to be protected” rather than future helpers to be nurtured.
Don’t get me wrong, I consider my children the most precious gift I’ve ever received. I am grateful to have been given these years to spend with them and raise them as responsible members of society. Over time, I’ve also come to realize that doing too much for them denies them the chance to contribute in a meaningful way to our family. This will actually hurt them in the long run as they move into contributing to society.
Now it’s one of my parenting mantras: I don’t do anything for them they can do themselves. I made a list of skills my kids need to know to take care of themselves by the time they leave home, and this dictates age-appropriate responsibilities they can help with. These include basic tasks like cleaning, cooking, sewing on buttons, and changing a car tire.
Using a knife safely and correctly is an incredibly useful skill and one that I use daily, even outside the kitchen.
Helps Reinforce Healthy Eating Habits
When it comes to letting children help prepare food and use knives and other tools, there is another direct benefit that can’t be overstated:
Letting kids help prepare food makes them more likely to eat it.
Processed foods often require little or no preparation, but nutrient-dense whole foods have to be washed, peeled and cut. It has been my universal experience with my children that the more a child is able to help prepare a meal, the more likely he or she is to eat it.
In fact, our 7-year-old and 9-year-old started to prepare meals for the family themselves on occasion (especially weekend meals) and have become adventurous cooks and adventurous eaters in the process.
Involving the kids in all aspects of meal prep has shifted the conversation about new foods from “ewww… what is that” to “how do you cook that and what kind of recipes do you use it in?”
In fact, this winter the older kids peeled and grated carrots, kohlrabi, onions, and other vegetables and made a vegetable soup from scratch. And they ate it. And loved it.
In countries like Japan, France, Korea, and others, there are no separate foods for children and no such things as kids menus. Children are expected to eat when adults eat and to eat what the adults eat. In most places, children aren’t even given snack time or food between meals.
Letting children help prepare the food provides a natural sense of anticipation and a more adventurous spirit when it is time to eat. Avoiding snacks or kid-specific foods lets children feel a natural sense of hunger and develop self-control while waiting for meals.
In my experience, there is the least frustration with meals and the least complaining about food when our children are allowed to be involved in every aspect of food, from planning to purchasing to preparation.
How to Teach Kids Knife Skills
Letting our kids use knives has been an interesting growing experience for our family. This is just one representative step in the ladder of independence, but we’ve found it is an important and much anticipated one for our children.
To clarify, we aren’t giving toddlers machetes or giving any child unsupervised access to knives, but rather making it a priority to spend time teaching our kids to safely use knives in the kitchen as part of preparing meals for the family.
I use this great course called Kids Cook Real Food that teaches children how to safely use knives and other kitchen tools and how to make many types of foods. My kids have loved the knife skills class especially. They are offering an incredible deal right now, so check it out!
The result? Our older kids are even now using my Wusthof kitchen knives to safely chop and prepare food and look forward to this time each day.
Here are some other tools and recipes that helped along the way:
Are there ever minor cuts and accidents? Of course, but then again, I’ve been known to slice a finger while cooking every once in a while and I’ve survived… so will they!
What do you think? Do you let kids use knives?
Source: https://wellnessmama.com/61188/kids-use-knives/
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Counting On Season 6 Episode 5: Tomboy Joy
Here is a recap of last night’s episode of Counting On!
-Admin T
Jessa arrives at the main house with her kids. Jenni grabs Spurgeon right away, Henry is all smiles. Jana and Jessa want to do something special for Joy’s wedding. Jessa wants to do a play on “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” as a gift idea. Jessa says she can do something borrowed from the duplicate gifts she got from her wedding so she can share those. The boys can do something old in the storage units, Jana says they can customize new hardhats and Jinger can do something blue. They Skype Jinger and tell her the plan and she agrees to do something blue. This will be fun, Jessa promises.
In Laredo, Jinger begins working on her something blue. She spray paints a tin bin blue and says she is reminiscing about Joy as a kid. She often had a blue mouth from lollypops, Jinger says, and flashbacks show us that this is true. They called her Joy Joy, Joesph said, because she brought Joy. Jill says her earliest memories together are calling asleep holding Joy on the couch and dressing her as a toddler. Jessa says she is so happy, used to be a tomboy. Joy is between two brothers and above and a bunch below. They show her playing with the boys, sledding on old signs, and Joy says she only fought once over the school computers but she felt guilty and apologizes. Joy was not the girly-girl like the other sisters, Jer says. As she got older she started hanging out with the girls more. They show Joy, Jason, Jessa and Ben working out before Jessa’s wedding by pushing the truck. Jeremy talks about when he first met Joy. They show her spraying them in the bumper boats. Jinger got one red thing- an Austin shirt, and a bunch of small blue stuff to put in her bin. Little fun things like candy, lotion, a candle, sun glasses.
Jessa is putting together her part of the gift now, putting together some cooking stuff she hasn’t been using, a Mrs. Forsyth apron. Jessa says Joy enjoys cooking and making things from scratch, unlike her. Jessa says when Joy and Austin get married, they’ll spend a lot of time working together but Joy will be excited to set up her kitchen. Jessa includes a fire retardant, just in case. Jill says she hasn’t had a big disaster in her kitchen, Jana accidentally melted a plastic bowl in the oven, Jessa talks about baking the owners manual, the boy mention burnt popcorn. Jessa also includes a recipe box full of the family recipes- rolls, chicken and couscous, and beef and cabbage stew which causes “rumbles” as Jessa puts it. Jessa says time has flown by. They talk about homeschooling, show Joy, Jed and Jer’s graduation. They show that Joy took over the jurisdiction assignments after Jessa got married. Joy says she has a good relationship with the little kids and she hopes they look up to her. They show her trying to teach the littles a new song. They show her making pickles with Jill and their buddy team. Joy says she took over when Jill got married. Joy says her mom is pretty calm except for teaching her to drive. Jill says when she got her drives license, Joy was the first person she took anywhere- to the drive though, which is actually a story I didn’t know and is sweet. They show John letting Joy take the controls of a plane and trying to show her how to fly. She yells a few times- John says Joy would still make a great pilot. Joy says she still wants her pilots license. They show Joy and Sierra planning parties-for Kristen’s baby shower and getting everything set up. Jessa’s gift is wrapped up and ready for Joy.
The boys are doing something old, and they look in the shed for something. They’re not too sure what to pick. They find an old camping grill, they think that Joy & Austin will like it because Austin loves the outdoors. Austin and Joy met when she was 5 and he was 8. They show the Forsyths, say he was homeschooled, Austin says his father is the hardest working man he knew. Joy says about 5 years ago, when Austin got his license, they would come over to play football. Austin and his sister would drive four wheelers around very fast and which scared Jinger. Austin says he wanted more siblings so he enjoyed hanging out with the Duggars. Joy says she didn’t like Austin when they were young and immature. They show Ben & Derick taking Austin to the trampoline park to bond with Austin showing both of them up. Joy says Austin has an adventurous spirit. The guys try the grill- Josiah helpfully brings a fire extinguisher over- and the twins try to figure out how to start the grill. They figure it out and it actually works nicely. They decide the grill is it. The twins say it is exciting and a little sad that they’re getting married so soon.
Jana is working on something new with Jordyn and Josie. They have white hardhats because they flip houses together. Jessa says they should put Mr and Mrs on the helmets. Jana tries out a blocky, bold font for “Mr.” and a script for ���Mrs”. In a talking head, Austin says he realized he liked Joy was when he was in flight school. Joy says for her, it was when Austin came over for volleyball and shared his testimony. Austin said he never really thought about it growing up but he was a fool not to have his eyes open looking at her. They show a flashback to him asking her to court. They show the triple date Joy and Austin went on with Derick & Jill and Jessa & Ben. Back at the Duggar compound. Jana freehand writes on the helmets and like everything Jana does, they look amazing. They remind us about Austin’s Five House challenge and show Joy and Austin and Terry working together. They show us Austin asking Jim Bob for Joy’s hand in marriage. Then they show a flashback to the proposal. She says yes. Jana has finished her work on the helmets and then all the siblings come and sign the helmet. Joy says she can’t believe she’s getting married but a little nervous and Austin says he is excited to do life with his best friend and start a family with her.
Next week is the two hour wedding special.
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