#i did tons of reading about them just to not incorporate any of that info because how tf does that translate to pseudo middle ages

[thegirlwiththelilactattoo]

No. 10, or Chapter 2: Electric Boogaloo

Introduction

In my first dissertation chapter, I found it exceptionally challenging to parse out what a chapter was supposed to look like and how to articulate my ideas. These are like pretty fundamental elements of writing, so my first chapter ended up being largely unfocused. I'm a write-as-I-think sort of person, but it felt pretty discouraging to turn in writing I felt wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. After sending the draft off to my committee chair for the first round of comments, I decided I wanted to address the most glaring shortcoming of chapter one in my second chapter. This manifested as two goals: remain in control of the argument and use evidence more efficiently.

Writing Chapter Two

I started chapter two largely the same way as chapter one, with a mind map. I mentioned in a previous post how I use mind maps, so I won't rehash that here (link to that post). The argument and evidence I initially planned in my mind map didn't end up in the draft I turned in...at all. Like in my first chapter, I planned to cover a robust amount of information that ended up being entirely unreasonable to cover in a chapter -- not in the sense that there were too many ideas, but that the strands of discussion didn't amount to an actual argument. I like love to info dump, so my writing often reflects me rambling with no point because I'm excited about what I learned. I ended up chatting with my advisor in the early stages of this chapter (good idea!!) to get her feedback. While I also didn't end up incorporating what we talked about in that conversation, it helped to reframe the chapter with more focus.

Another fail this time around, was my also bad habit of doing a ton of reading before I start writing. I ended up reading a lot about new materialisms because I thought I would do a literature review in this chapter. I didn't find anything particularly interesting in the literature from new materialism or other ontological turn stuff, so instead I wasted a lot of time reading for no reason. idk if I have any coherent advice for this, but I think I learned that I need to start with the data first and then read what feels appropriate to help me write the argument. I'm a firm believer in not deleting words. Instead I move them to a different word doc (I call mine "Chp X Bits") in case I want to include those words later. My Chp 2 Bits ended up being about 10k words of different stops and starts where I tried to figure out how to enter the narrative of the chapter.

After this point, I had another committee member read my draft. This was a bad idea. In my discipline, committee members typically don't expect or want to read rough drafts or be the first pair of eyes on early writing. The committee chair is considered the first line of defense who and gives comments on the initial draft. My other committee member did give some helpful comments about my over reliance on other scholars, which for her, limited my own theoretical contributions. Not sure if other people feel this way, but I've found that grad school has chipped away at my confidence to make authoritative claims that aren't couched in some other theorists' words, so this has been really challenging for me. I took her feedback and deleted entire sections that were just me talking about other scholars. Most of the deleted text didn't appear in the finalized rough draft or if it did, it was in the footnotes as additional context.

I switched gears after this second round of feedback and made an outline of the chapter just with data I collected to ground each section. I wrote a section heading with a scant description of what the data demonstrated and then from there, reorganized the chapter to emerge more organically from the data instead of secondary scholarship. As I wrote, I also used color-coding to organize this draft: words I wanted to keep (black), paragraphs that needed to be moved (green), main ideas the section needed to cover (purple/or highlighted), and stream of consciousness to be rewritten (blue).

Like I said before, I love to info dump and having the main idea of each subsection really helped me stay focused. I also find that using different colors frees me to write messily because it's not the standard text color I'll submit. If it's in blue, I know I have to rewrite it, so it's black text. (I also do this as a write anyway. I write everything single spaced and I double space text to signal to myself that it's finalized.) The color coding also helped structure my editing process because I had a better sense of the edits I wanted to make before I sent the draft off to my chair.

What I Learned/Chapter Three Plans

I won't start writing chapter three until July as I take a "break" to edit my first chapter, work on an article, and outline chapter three. I think that I'm going to focus a lot more intentionally on using the data to structure the chapter. For this chapter, I got a lot of great feedback about the theory, rather than structure because my writing was easier to follow. Without the tangents to secondary data, my writing also felt clearer and more controlled. I did qualitative coding for my data, so I have a ton of thematic codes that I haven't really used to their full potential. I'm going to start the outline from the codes/data to keep my argument consistent.

I also think that I'll check in with my committee chair more often. Usually I meet with her once the chapters done, but having her feedback when I ran into a challenge made a big difference. Especially as I attempt to make theoretical claims sans secondary sources, I want to rely on her more for direction.

Conclusion

So yeah, that's chapter two done, which means I'm halfway done with the rough drafts of my body chapters!! Writing my dissertation has been truly an Experience that I don't think coursework/teaching prepared me for. So much of it feels like throwing anything at the wall to see if it sticks, but I think with each chapter I get closer to understanding what this part of the academic training is supposed to do.

As always if there's anything you would like me to write about, let me know!

#phdblr #studyblr #gradblr #grad school #academic writing #dissertation #writing advice #diss update #gradblogging #academia #it's exceptionally bleak that my break is to work on other writing #that's the real dark academia #are these posts interesting #i never have a sense of what's interesting and what's my own gratuitous navel gazing

[annaizscribbling]

*kicks ur door down, slams twenty dollars onto ur desk* I need some info.

im gonna send u a different ask for each question lmao SO.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT A MOMENT OF POTENTIAL REMUS!!! how did he get here!!! may i question u on his childhood perhaps?

how did he become an assassin? for how long? and will he still be a cryptic little shit in this universe like he is in some of your other fics? (im assuming not because he’s actually human now and not a borderline possessed figment of someones imagination but. still. i might as well ask)

*I accept the twenty dollars and immediately lick it before tucking it into my shoe.* That can be arranged.

I love remus so much you don't understand he's so sdSJHBSKSAKFKSGGS yes yes yes. Funky trash assassin with weirdly impressive emotional intelligence who is also a father. Racoon man, dumbly smart, soft, but good at murder, equals kinda hot ngl.

also love how excited I get over every single character lolllll. You mention any of them and suddenly they're my best and most favorite blorbo. I am aware of this flaw, it simply cannot stop me.

In all honesty, I don't have a ton of detailed backstory for Remus besides the fact he was unhinged and broke many many laws. His back story is actually pretty similar to my canon!Calypso backstory, but the favored child was his twin and they weren't particularly rich, and he did fake his death, but he was older, and it wasn't because he was locked in a basement for petty theft as a 10 yr old. Okay so maybe it's somewhat different.

I'll summarize by saying he was happily a problem child, very smart, and enjoyed chaos. He got into tons of fights for the hell of it, and ended up faking his death for good in highschool (and again later for funsies)

He would end up running away and accidently meeting a younger Janus while Janus was pulling a job. Jan was still new to his recent profession, which was a form of vigilante-ing and careful assassinations. Remus figured out what was happening and obnoxiously followed and pestered Janus the entire time before saving Jan's life towards the end of the job.

Janus never ended up shaking Remus, tho he tried for weeks to lose him, Remus popped up no matter what he did. Eventually, Janus just accepted it and brought Remus home to meet Virgil, who was thoroughly confused. From then on, the three were a weird little mismatched family.

They meet when Remus was about 18, and Janus was 29, and Virgil was 17ish. When A Moment with Potential takes place, it's about 10 years later

Remus' natural skills and grey morals had him catching on quickly and progressing Janus' growing operations. It only took him a few years to become increasingly well known for his brutal yet frighteningly strategic fight style.

Remus is indeed a bit of a cryptic lil shit, just not in the same way as like,,,, Low Battery!Remus, who is an all knowing menace. Here, he's just a menace. He's very intuitive, logical, and observant, he just doesn't care too much unless it benefits his tiny family. he's super hard to read and harder to control, giving him that cryptic vibe, but he doesn't know everything, he's a bit more affectionate, and he is wrong sometimes.

I apparently have a bit of a trademark for writing Remus as mentioned above, like a 'cryptic little shit' but that's only because I have no idea how else to lmao. I'm not really vulgar by nature, and I don't struggle with intrusive thoughts, which makes it harder to pull from my own life (which is exactly what I do with literally everything I write to some capacity) so I took some creative liberties with Remus and just stuck with them. I personally don't mind when fics feature out of character characters, as long as those new/altered traits are consistent and deeply incorporated into the story, which I try my hardest to do. with Remus, apparently it worked out because people adore this guy. I get so blushy and dumb, but people have really liked my Remus characterization, which honestly, dude, just thrills me. It's pretty damn cool, cuz I love him too <3

#remus sanders #anais writes #a moment with potential #ask

[stellocchia]

For the fanfic writer asks, I liked too many of them so you can pick which you want to answer

1) Who is your favorite character to write for and is this the character you find easiest to write for?

14) What is something you wrote in a fic that you are hoping readers picked up on but you don't know if they did? And/or, what is something that you were excited that readers did pick up on?

15) If you could only write one type of fic (angst, fluff, etc.) for the rest of your life what would it be?

17) Do you have any wips that you can tell us about? What are you most excited for in you wip?

19) What is some random info you happen to have that you used in a fic?

You know what? Why not all of them, I have some time to kill.

1 ) c!Tommy or c!Dream. I really don't have a preference between them, mostly because I enjoy writing them for different reasons.

With Tommy, I can do quite a bit more introspection and he's a fun character for when I want to write from a sympathetic perspective. He also brings a certain element of chaos and impulsivity to the mix which is always fun to incorporate.

With Dream, the appeal is exactly how unsympathetic he is and how flawed his reasoning is. You can present the story in an unsettling way by showing your pov character do, say, or think objectively immoral or creepy things while also showcasing how someone like that might justify them to themselves and it's fun.

They're also the easiest ones for me to write, yeah.

14 ) I think one of my favorite moments is the introduction to Wilbur in Tommy's Days of Future Past. Now, most people picked up the fact that he was the mystery voice I was introducing because of the context clues of the scene (aka, Tommy and future!Tubbo were standing in front of the portraits of the old Presidents of L'Manburg and talking about that), but I've had people also assume it was gonna be someone else, even if it was very few people that did.

15 ) Most likely hurt/comfort. I'm not the greatest with fluff, I've written a couple of fluff one-shots, but that's simply not my style. And, while I love angst, I always prefer to write good or at least hopeful endings. I like when there is some kind of reprieve from the hurt, both when I'm reading something as well as when I'm writing it. It's the reason why I generally avoid tags like "Major Character Death" or "Sad Ending" like the plague.

17 ) I've been very tired recently and struggling with writer's block so I haven't written very much tbh. But I do have 3 works in progress that I partially posted that I have every intention of finishing and another couple that have a couple of chapters already pre-written.

And, I gotta say, I can't wait to get back in the swing of things for the ones I've already started posting because I do have a ton of ideas for them. So, yeah, I guess what I'm looking forward for the most there is having the energy to write.

But about the two that haven't been posted yet, let's just say that both of them are some sort of crossover, but for two very different things. And one is mostly sbi focused while the other one is the first (I'm pretty sure at least) Tubbo-centric story I've written.

19 ) Flower meanings. It's something I've had an on and off passion for since I was very very young and I've managed to incorporate it in at least a couple of my fics. And I will probably incorporate it in more because it's something I simply like and find fun to do.

[Ask Game]

#idkjustgowithitok ask #ask thingy

[ghostofpolaris]

RP Ad 11/20/2023 📰

[UPDATE 11/23/23: If I do not hear back from you in a week, I will assume you have ghosted and will dissolve any RPs we have. Please understand, it is incredibly disheartening hearing nothing back after weeks at a time. I understand if you have IRL stuff going on, but please give notice at the very least. I think it is only polite.] Howdy everyone! My name is Ghost and once again I am here with an updated RP ad for this account (gosh time flies and so much has changed! <3). I am hoping to find a couple different RPs with someone 21+ (as an adult I just don't think it is comfortable for me to try and RP with a minor sorry) since stuff have slowed down and I have different interests I hope to explore. I won't many to just keep things easier on myself so I hope to get at least 2 RPs going with some lovely people. Just to let everyone know, I do not RP on Tumblr anymore and stick to Discord because I don't know how to really RP on Tumblr anymore (I did at one point but stuff has changed so much I can't wrap my head around it, but I am happy to relearn if someone is willing to pass on advice!). If anyone is interested (after reading this please), please DM me and we can talk more. :D NOTE: Please adhere to any RP Guidelines/Rules I may have! It will help make things smoother for everyone. <3

Just a little bit of info about me: I am 27 years old, Genderfluid (currently using They/She pronouns), and am in the EST time zone. My style of RP is Third-Person POV and I usually range from Semi-literate to Novella depending on what inspiration I have but do not feel you ever have to try and match me! My main request is please just keep the storyline going and no one-liners. I have been RPing since 2008 (started on YouTube of all places) and I like to try and befriend the people I RP with. I have RP'ed with all sorts of fandoms from Genshin Impact to Twisted Wonderland and even Assassin's Creed, but currently I am looking for RP's based more in the Marvel Universe as Marvel seems to really capitvate my attention right now. Also wanted to add: I do doubles and am totally happy to give it a go to RP as a character you may want. It will take some research, but I am happy to do the best I can. So if you are wanting something even like OCxOC or even OCxCanon I am happy to double up and give anything a whirl. I just hope that before you contact me, that I do tend to incorporate a ton of detail and have lots of details I want to add so if this is not okay, please feel free to not answer this ad.

Below are ideas I hope to explore: 1.) I am hoping to find someone who may be able to RP as Peter Parker but more specifically, the one from Marvel's Spider-Man game from 2018 (I have played the Miles Morales game and have yet to play Spider-Man 2 but plan on doing so soon. :) ) against a Spider-person OC of mine. I have a whole storyline behind this idea so please bear in mind there may be lots of stuff I may send. Even if it is mainly set in the Spiderverse movies too, I am also down to find some adventure there too. 2.) This is the idea I hope to find the most, but especially after Season 2 of the Loki show ending, I was hoping to find someone who can RP as Loki with my OC. To make it short and sweet, I had the idea of my OC making a Pact with Loki (in another Universe) and became his Avatar after their world is destroyed. Eventually, they get separated but I would love to see the dynamic of another Loki with my OC and what could blossom from it whether it is a friendship or even romance.

3.) This would be cool if someone was interested, but I would love to find someone who could RP as Stephen Strange with an OC of mine (technically an AU of them but no worries) who essentially is just King Arthur reawoken in the modern world and Stephen essentially has to watch them and make sure they won't be a threat. Where myth and legend get it wrong, is King Arthur was actually a woman named Artinia Pendragon (I totally did not rip off Fate/Stay Night shhh).

Other than that, I am also up for any ideas people have for within the Marvel-verse! Feel free to DM me if interested and if we are a good match, I don't mind taking stuff to Discord. :D I hope to hear from you soon and thank you for reading everything. Let's have a bite of adventure together!

#roleplay ad #rp ad #marvel rp #spider-man rp #atsv rp #across the spiderverse rp #oc roleplay #oc rp #spidersona rp #ghostofpolaris #original character roleplay #literate rp #fantasy rp #magic rp #superhero rp

[doesitmatterseriously]

Okay, here are some of my favorite finished darklina fics. I have like a shit ton book marked but I come back to these a lot. And the fics helped me since the books sucked so god damn bad. Any waysssss, check em out on ao3.

1. Bedroom hymns by destinies @destiniesfic

You need to read the “Out of Time” story in order to get this. I loved “out of time” but bedroom hymns is told from Alexsander’s pov. It’s kind of infuriating right away because she captures the personality of the character so right. That he could win everything and yet his ultimate downfall will always be his arrogance. Caution, Very very unenthusiastic consent is in the first part then enthusiastic consent. It’s just fascinating to see this point of view because technically he won everything except for what he truly wanted. also this fic writer is one of my favorites for FOTA and darklina.

2. Between Midnights by vuas

Dude vuas can write for literally any fandom. I’d beg to read her damn grocery lists. The writing is out of this fucking world! Okay, enough fangirling. This story is about an arranged marriage and it is fucking fabulous. It’s part of a series of hers called the “marriage verse” and she incorporate humor, sex, and doesn’t dial back on any of the struggles this couple would face. I know im not giving good plot info but just read it. The ending is to die for. Also literally anything by vuas is fucking amazing. She has a gossip girl fic that I squealed at.

3. Nocturne by amplifierverse @stupidlyentangled

A fic where Alina lost the war and has to marry darkles. Is one of the best ones I’ve read because they actually get over their shit at the end. In a realistic way towards the characters. It takes that whole “but you could make a better man” thing. Except Alina doesn’t. He kind of deals with his shit(in his way)

And my all time favorite. I’ve literally accepted this one as canon because I fucking hate the ending and the books.

“start a war” by njmja (and all the stories in that universe)

This one is my favorite because we get a satisfactory ending. She does have to change the darkling in a way because he becomes more patient. I feel like in the books the author saw that people like the darkling and then she just made them into a cardboard villain cut out. This fic has him actually back off and let Alina live and then she becomes jaded herself and then he actually has to rescue her. It’s interesting because both characters are very much the same and yet different because time will do that to you.  I genuinely recommend reading this if you were unsatisfied with the ending. If you were not unsatisfied with the ending then….well…you probably will hate everything I’ve recommended. 

There are a lot more that I can recommend but I really want to keep this short. Whenever I was literally so pissed off about the ending because it was just a waste of potential AND characters, these fics helped me through. I mean to the point where I literally consider one of them canon in my mind. There are so many great fics out there so it’s really hard to narrow it down and only recommend four. But these ones stayed with me. Especially because these writers kept it true to the characters they were writing about. The whole thing with this couple is that they won’t have a happy ending. They are dysfunctional. ANY happy ending they actually have is due to a great amount of compromise and work amongst themselves and most of all TIME. 

Caution, all these have sex in them. That’s kind of a thing with these characters. The darkling craves intimacy. Not just regular sex but actual intimacy. At least that’s what he craves from Alina because she is the only one who can truly understand him. It’s one of the things that makes him such a tragic character.

I honestly believe that the author really screwed his character over because she saw that people actually liked him. The author of the grisha Trilogy has made it clear that she hates the darkling. She just did his character so badly.

I understand that he was meant to be a villain yet in some parts he was morally grey and he actually had a goal (one that was perfectly understandable based on the persecution the grisha go through) . But there was so much emphasis placed on him being patient then that all went out the window and I’ll never understand why so that’s why I believe “start a war” really could genuinely be an actual ending because he showed that he could be patient yet he just goes off the walls in the grisha books and completely changes character.

Maybe it was because he had waited so long but I also believe he had it in him to actually wait for Alina. He wanted to protect grisha but he also just wanted to not be alone anymore.

 It makes “bedroom hymns “ so sad in a way because of this. The darkling was written as a complex character and then just literally thrown in the trash and became an apathetic ass and cardboard cutout of a villain. What a fucking shame.

These are in no particular order! Except I DO accept “Start a War” as the actual ending lol.

Hope you guys enjoy. Also, please save the whole “ stop romanticizing this couple because they’re toxic” yah,I’m aware. But I like what I like. I tagged the tumblrs I could find. But once again, I know a woman cannot change a man. I just feel the grisha books turned into trash. I enjoy the fics so much more. They stay true to his messy ass and Alina’s messy ass.

#shadow and bone #alina x darkling #sankta alina #alina starkov #ao3 fanfic #the darkling #darklina #shadow and bone netflix

[lightns881]

AL question: is george gonna get any more powerful? i found it a bit odd that so many people could block out his telepathy despite him being a level IV psychic, and ig with dream i understand bc of ~dnf~ reasons. but so many other characters can too??? it could also just be because he's had like zero training but idk. also i just think it'd be pretty badass if george was like mega-powerful, but that'd kinda ruin the whole plot lmao. OOH ALSO [cue rant] i had always wondered: why are psychics so feared in this world???? can't most only just levitate shit and maybe slightly be able to read people's minds???? but then you mentioned something about george flying and i got confused, so i did a ton of research (bc im a nerd), specifically about telekinesis/telepathy, and i found out that THEY ARE SO FUCKING COOL????? HELLO?????? i found this like whole wiki page about telekinesis (i totally recommend you check it out it's awesome) and let me tell you, i was FLABBERGASTED. LIKE HOLY SHIT???? GEORGE COULD POTENTIALLY WARP REALITY OR BECOME FUCKING IMMORTAL IF HE WANTED TO, IS THAT NOT THE COOLEST?????? now ofc, i have no idea how powerful you're gonna make george, and this not me trying to convince you to change your story. obviously you're the author here, i'm merely just an excited reader. BUT HOLY SHIT TELEKINESIS IS NOT TO BE FUCKED WITH (and neither is george for that matter). anyways yea, i hope you enjoyed my massive rant. i usually only get this excited abt stuff when i'm blown away by its quality, so keep up that amazing work! <3

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED ANON

The answer is a resounding: YES! It's not so much that he's going to get more powerful but that he's going to gain more control of his abilities. The whole thing about superpowers is often that even if someone might have a lot of power, it doesn't necessarily mean they can channel it. The more power you have, the harder it is to use in a stable manner. Think of it in terms of skill. More skill means you apply it to more things and in different ways—ballet at a beginners level isn't an intensive as professional ballet, etc. Type I Psychics only levitate things, and that's basically it for more Psychics. And if you think about it, you're right. They're not as dangerous as they're made out to be, but ultimately, discrimination doesn't necessarily revolve around logic. Throughout history, humans have outcasted groups of people for reasons that make no sense all solely to have a power dynamic that makes them most powerful. Essentially, it boils down to human psychology, but before I go off, I'll just let the story speak for itself because there will be a lot more of that in Elysium :] I'm a huge psychology nerd aha!

And in terms of the superhero wikia (and the many variants) which I know what you're talking about since it is where I go to for all my superpower info needs, I've been using it since I started this universe back when I was like 15 lmaooo! I LOVE IT!!! I can't say that all the powers are the same because a lot of times it boils down to adaptation. The EM universe doesn't portray as crazy as some of the powers in the wiki, but it's a great source to use when looking for inspiration on how to come up with what kind of powers you want to incorporate into the world, etc. It makes me so happy to you took the time to look into it! I am a HUGE superhero nerd! X-men, Teen Titans, MCU, Arrowverse, DCU shows—I've had hyperfixations everywhere so I just kind of bundled up all my knowledge into a Thanos-level glove to use when I can for the EM universe because it's my baby. Though if I were to compare it, I'd fall most closely related to the X-men because they dealt with a lot of discrimination-based things that to young me was FASCINATING. It's why this universe basically revolves around it since human nature has always been the most fascinating thing to me. Man, I love psychology. Anyway, sorry for the rant, you got me very excited.

Super pumped to share the first chapter of Elysium on December 24th!!! Thank you for the ask and for making me smile and giggle so hard so early in the morning haha! <3

#AMA #extramundane universe #aethers legacy #elysium #dnf

[mlm-cottage-love]

SFW-SPIN

I'm going to go on a rant about my SPIN, because I want to.

My SPIN is Squishmallows and it has been for around 4 years I think, since they came out back in 2017. My first Squishmallow was this green dinosaur called Danny, he's a 12" valentine's day one. He's also the only Squishmallow that I allow on my bed. He's a bit flat since I've had him for 4 years but he's still great.

Then I got Fifi, Winnie, and Cookie. All except for Fifi are valentine's day ones, but they're all 8" (my favorite size for Squishmallows, they're easy to store and display, and when I did have them displayed on my bed when my collection was a lot smaller, they were by far the best ones to hold, good size).

I slowly got a lot more as holidays and birthdays passed, and over the span of around 2 years I had around 50+ Squishmallows and I knew they were sold at some of my local stores.

Up until a year ago I wasn't too invested in keeping inventory and actually remembering their names, but I got really hyper focused one day on finding out so I made a note on my phone about it, and every time I got a new one I would put their name on the list. Soon I also incorporated color, size, defining details, type (hugmee, peep, mystery egg, etc.), and with new ones the fact that they were scented.

Now I can actually go around my room and name all of them which I'm really proud of since I don't have a great memory. I also know basically any store or souvenir shop that sells them (I stayed up an ungodly amount of time finding this out).

I even made my own custom Squishmallows!! They're 2 highland cows, Saul and Paisley. I absolutely love them and my only regret is I didn't sew the fabric on but I don't know how to sew (fun fact, crafting was a huge SPIN of mine as a kid and it lasted like 8/10 years).

It's also gotten to a point where my immediate family is searching for them as well, even some of my mom's friends. My aunt also made me a pink (my favorite color) tote bag with Paulita on the front and in cat shaped letters "love" on the other side (it has 4 cats and I think that's extra cool because I have 4 cats :)))!!) I love that bag so much tbh.

I have 207 Squishmallows as of now and I feel like they really tie my room together and make it look more comforting, maybe that's just because they're my SPIN but they're fantastic decoration. I also really like organizing things by color and making patterns with colors so most of my nets, shelves, or corners have color patterns and I just 🥵😤.

I also have a lot of "rare" Squishmallows, to be honest I got them all back in 2017 when they weren't popular (Wendy, Sophie **not fluffy**, etc.) but some of them I got this year or last that really had/are having a boom. Getting to Walgreens super early and making friends with the staff really pays off when you want Squishmallows honestly.

Some of my nets need a bit more love so I'm planning to make Squishmallow DIY projects to decorate them (like paper decor), I'm thinking of making my favorite (whether in my collection or not) Squishmallows and hanging them on my nets.

The only complaint I have with Squishmallows is that in 2020/2021 it's been super popular to scalp and price gauge them. I really don't get why people do that it's just a dick move, and it's not like people are realistically buying your 200$ Squishmallow (seriously Merci is full of them and they never have the orange sold sticker on it).

My collection isn't done by any means but I feel like I'm pretty content with everything I own, I probably won't be looking for any unless a squad I like comes out or until it's late August when the Halloween ones come out (they're meant to have a ton of really cool new ones coming out this year, like a Frankenstein bear and for Christmas a white tree and an angel I believe, I really hope those were true).

But thanks for reading about my SPIN. That's basically all the info I wanted to share.

[kissmyshnymetalass]

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-          Other Job Hunting Sites (ZipRecruiter/Clearance Jobs/etc)

-          Certifications

ACTUAL GOMOR Nothing to say about this really. It is what it is. You can’t fight it. My parents hired some hot shot civilian lawyer who was horribly expensive but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. Ultimately it all comes down to the fact that it isn’t LAW. It is UCMJ and there’s nothing to fight. Your command team has that power. They just do. It is pure bullshit. It drives me crazy. You could try writing your congress person or the army times to put the spotlight on unfair, maddening, preposterous nonsense judgmental decisions but…otherwise you’re boned. My recommendation is to keep your head down and try not to freak out. When my battalion commander told me it would be permanently filed I had a total rage glitch and yelled at him. Did not improve my position, ha. See if you can get moved to another battalion or brigade. That’s a big ask because you’re now branded. But if anyone is still in your corner (a Battalion XO or S3 or even a S1 who is respected and will advocate for you. Maybe the Brigade FSO if you have a good reputation) it can give you breathing room to no longer be in that environment. I had pull with division and was able to get onto staff up there after my flag was lifted. They knew I was only there to transition and were really cool about it- your mileage may vary. REFRAD

The first step is to get a copy of the REFRAD packet. It is mainly memos. Your S1 should have a copy. Then clarify what gates it has to hit (Battalion to Brigade to Division to Installation to HRC I’m pretty sure) and who the people are. You can do this while you’re flagged (if you’re flagged which I assume you are). You can’t submit until you’re unflagged but you can do drafts and send them to the S1 to get corrections. I’d let your command know of your intent to separate if you have any kind of ability to talk to them and let them know you’d appreciate if they could sign this stuff right away. I made it overwhelmingly clear that I disagreed with their handling of the situation and would like to just get out of there as fast as possible. They obliged by signing everything without the “required” counseling sessions.

I submitted mine on like July 6th or 7th and received my approval from HRC O/A 20 August but had to hand walk it. Basically had to call the S1 shop at Battalion every day until they routed to Brigade. Then the same thing with Brigade. Then with Installation. Etc. It is just best to be a pain in the ass about it because otherwise it can get stuck at a gate and require corrections and you’ll just never know about it because S1 sucks, ha. After you get your approval from HRC you still have to wait to get clearing papers and orders. That can take a while. I’m pretty sure I had my orders 9-10 days after getting approval and was given clearing papers six working days before my final out (which was around 16 October). SFL-TAP SFL-TAP was stupid but you may see benefits. There were a couple of contractors hunting for separating Soldiers so you maybe you’ll meet someone like that. Otherwise SFL-TAP went over pretty basic stuff like “consider benefits in addition to salary when job hunting” or “here’s what to wear.” It was FINE. But I wouldn’t say that officers are really the target audience. They will expose you to a few transition assistance programs which could be helpful though. Like I think there is a Microsoft administrator course that is 3-4 months you can do that SFL-TAP can give you info about. Other things like credentialing programs, certification courses, job fairs, etc. I did not use any of these services but I have heard they can be helpful. RESOURCES YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT, YMMV ACP Partnerships. American Corporate Partners. Basically you can apply on their website and they can hook you up with a mentor in your preferred field. I did this and it was fine. I received a mentor but she wasn’t super helpful. I think your experience really depends on your mentor. I’ve heard from others that their mentors are awesome. The nice thing about this is that they assign you a mentorship manager and that person will be very aggressive about providing you with resources (interview prep, resume reviewer, etc)

Corporate Fellowship Program. You can visit hiringourheroes.org. They can basically set you up with a corporate internship. Usually reserved for service members who are going to stay geographically close to their installation. Once again, I did not use this service but I have heard GREAT things and have a close friend who participated and she raves about it. Cameron Brooks/other junior officer recruitment companies. I did Cameron Brooks for a few months. I did not tell them about the GOMOR, ha. Didn’t mention the flag at all. They won’t call your command or anything so I just viewed it as keeping non-essential information to myself. It was also fine. It is free. They will give you books to read and counsel you and do interview prep and everything. It is a nice service. They told me they only “accept the best” as clients. Probably not true so don’t let them convince you they are some secret sauce. They just have a very codified approach. I have heard from others that they can land you in a good job but most are in less desirable locations (like the mid-west. Or Kansas). If you are afraid of transitioning this is kind of nice. Like having a bossy older brother who “knows a guy.” Other Useful “Leaving the Army” Tips Make sure you have a log in to mypay set up. Once you final out your CAC won’t work anywhere. Forward yourself anything in your military email that you may need or want. Download your medical records. Set up a DS login. Stuff like that. I lost a lot because I never did it. Oh well. But learn from my experience, ha. Print off your clothing record and do CIF prep now. At my last installation they wouldn’t make me a CIF appointment until the last six workdays I was in the Army and I had to go back three or four times and it was stressful. Do your homework and equipment cleaning now. All in all it wasn’t too bad. Military surplus stores will work with you. The one near me let me take what I needed from them for free (like a sleeping mat, grenade pouch and ACU print assault pack) with the agreement that once I was cleared I would give them all remaining equipment I had. They made out big in that deal because after a decade I had a ton of shit. Do all the basics. Clean your stuff, get rid of tape residue, etc. Job Hunting and Resumes Oh job hunting. You son of a bitch. First things first, get LinkedIn. Get Premium. I’m pretty sure you can do this for free as a service member but I’m not sure how. I will go into way more LinkedIn detail in a moment. I started job hunting in August. It took three months to find a job. It was NOT easy. You need to write a resume. There are countless agencies who will review it for you for free. There is certainly someone in your SFL-TAP staff who will review your resume. Don’t worry- they will broadcast who they are. I’m sure if you reached out now they could send you examples and review your stuff. Get a lot of eyes on it. Friends, parents, those who have transitioned. If you have any friends in HR have them look at it. De-militarize it. You need to be submitting applications every day. I had a goal to apply to at least one job every day and generally applied to 3 or 5 each day. I applied to 200-300 jobs easily. I received rejections from around 100. The others didn’t even bother letting me know. Of those applications I had the most luck if I went to their LinkedIn page and found someone in HR and introduced myself and offered to provide any additional information. I scheduled around 12 interviews and made it to the second round for 4. Was ultimately offered two jobs in the same week at my price point but it took work.

Find recruiters on LinkedIn. Basically you can search for recruiters in your preferred area. Just add them. Add whoever. And send them an email. I did this and probably met with 10-15 recruiters. None of them were able to place me but talking to them was good. They can help you figure out how to present your skill sets and will send you resumes to review/copy and will sometimes review your resume for you. They WANT to place you because that’s what makes them money so don’t feel weird about reaching out to them. Talking to them is also good general interview prep because they ask most of the same questions an interviewing company would ask.

When applying for a specific job read the posting and then incorporate as many of the words they use IN THE FORMAT THEY USE THEM into your resume. They will almost certainly filter your application through a software designed to separate those totally unqualified. For instance, if you hold a project management certification and on your resume you write PMP Certified but in the job description they say “Project management professional certification preferred” then go back to your resume and change PMP to Project Management Professional.

Biggest piece of advice here is Don’t Give Up. It is soul crushing. You will feel panicked and shitty and underqualified. That’s normal from what I hear. Don’t marry yourself to the first job. I’ve heard from professional recruiters that companies are more likely to hire a veteran after he/she has successfully held a civilian job for one year after separation. My advice would be to accept a job that pays you fairly for the security and reassess after a year. There’s absolutely no problem with changing jobs later. LinkedIn Fuck you, LinkedIn. LinkedIn is such bullshit. But civilians are rock fucking hard for it. So get a LinkedIn. Make sure everything is up to date. Have a picture- NOT a military picture. The same boring one everyone has on LinkedIn. You’re wearing a tie. You’re smiling like a goober. Write all the bullshit nonsense about how you’re a trendsetter and a problem solver and an out of the box thinker. Really sell yourself. Make connections. Make as many connections as you can. For some reason you seem more hireable when you have a ton of connections. Find recruiters and add them. Find people who are doing the thing you want to do in the city you want to do it in and add them. Interact with people. It is all a show but just do it because that’s the game and the prize for winning the game is a nice salary and a successful transition. Find all of the companies who typically hire vets if you’re interested in that. Deloitte, Raytheon, Leidos, Lockheed Martin, etc. Most recruiters associated with these organizations put out content regularly that’s aimed at transitioning service members. They will host classes and online information sessions. Attend them. Follow the advice of the recruiters. All advise basically boils down to market yourself, make connections, expand your network, tailor your resume, follow up in a personal way to applications (contacting HR people or recruiters within the company), send out resumes daily, interview well, repeat, repeat, repeat.

Get premium so you can see who looks at your profile. Other Job Hunting Sites/Resources I actually got my job using ZipRecruiter, not LinkedIn. So I would definitely use ZipRecruiter. You can use ClearanceJobs if you have a clearance. You should go to whichever state you want to work in’s website as well because they’ll post local jobs (like working as a project manager for the department of transportation in Kentucky or whatever). I received a few interviews (well, 2) doing this. I think because it is kind of a pain in the ass to apply that way. Look at universities and hospitals in your preferred area. Often the jobs they post don’t make it onto other sites. Follow companies you’d like to work for on LinkedIn. Sometimes organizations will advertise openings that don’t make it to the LinkedIn job search function for some reason. Instead they’ll make a post about an opening and the link will take you directly to their website. Certifications Probably didn’t need this whole section but…get certs. They both matter and they don’t matter. I don’t think my certs really helped me get my job but they certainly didn’t hurt. PMP (as aforementioned) is a big one.

[dentalpro7-cost-blog]

Dental Pro 7 Cost

Over fifty percent of Americans possess some form of gum disease (additionally called periodontal disease). The good news is, if you catch your gum disease early sufficient you can easily stop the advancement and also reverse damage.

Gum disease is difficult to deal with and turn around without exact info and also much of what many people have actually been informed actually carries out even more damage than really good. Today read more about Purchase Dental Pro 7

It's opportunity to set the file right.

You can only cease the progress of gum disease along with a blend method featuring three essential elements:

A gum disease dealing with diet regimen Qualified treatment Proper oral hygiene

These are actually listed in order of usefulness in the lasting.

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The concern along with dealing with gum disease is actually that there's a considerable amount of misinformation around on how to adequately prevent and reverse it. A a large number of the false impressions belong to dental cleanliness, so I'll briefly touch on those.

First, are sure you really possess really good oral health behaviors and may not be accidentally creating your gums any injury. Check the listed here-- some might surprise you.

You ARE ACTUALLY utilizing added delicate rages You ARE ACTUALLY exchanging out your toothbrush every 3 months (Rages develop as time go on). You aren't brushing as well difficult (This is actually a large one-- I often suggest that my individuals brush with their opposite non-dominant palm to stop this). You may not be making use of Listerine or even sturdy antibacterial mouthwash.

While dental hygiene is crucial in combating gum disease, diet is much more reliable as well as ought to be actually priority number one.

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If you may not be acquiring the best nutrients to assist a sturdy immune system you may possess terrific dental routines and still wind up along with gum disease. Food items ought to be actually taken into consideration medication and its impact on gum disease is no exception.

Hippocrates mentioned it over 2400 years earlier, "Let food items be thy medicine and also medication be thy food items.". Secret nutrients for dealing with gum disease.

A healthy and balanced body system naturally deals with gum disease. There are actually nevertheless some nutrients that are actually particularly efficient. The secret is actually to eat foods items that support your oral microbiome. To ensure you have the ideal nutrient building blocks within your diet regimen, ensure you comply with the standards below.

Intention to eat foods items that are actually high in:.

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Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10)-- CoQ10 is actually an antioxidant located throughout the physical body and needed for appropriate tissue function. Studies have actually located that folks with ample CoQ10 are much less very likely to possess gum disease. Actually, if you possess sufficient of this particular antioxidant as well as you likewise possess gum disease, your CoQ10 degrees in your gums will certainly increase in focus. This can easily decrease the development of periodontal irritation. Collagen-- When you possess gum disease, your gums will definitely rearrange the tissue make-up to manage the inflammation-- this causes bovine collagen degeneration. To fight this, you'll need to have to eat foods items with lots of bovine collagen. Catechins-- These are disease combating phenols and also anti-oxidants. Catechins have actually revealed to become reliable in handling gum disease via hindering unsafe germs as well as stopping gum irritation. Vitamin C-- Studies have located that gum disease is connected with reduced Vitamin C amounts. Through raising your Vitamin C consumption, you can easily enhance your body immune system so it can battle the disease creating micro-organisms and also aid replenish your gums. Furthermore, you need to have Vitamin C for collagen maturation, which helps always keep the periodontal tendon and also other cells healthy.

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  Beta Carotene-- Studies have discovered consuming meals high in beta-carotene assistance those with gum disease recover better. Beta carotene is a provitamin your body system develops into Vitamin A, which decreases swelling. Omega-3s-- Omega-3s are actually known for their anti-inflammatory homes as well as our body system's require all of them for a healthy and balanced body immune system. One research study located that omega-3 consumption was actually vice versa related to gum disease.

You require to raise your intake of each of these crucial nutrients if you desire to handle your gum disease head-on. On the other hand, you'll support your oral microbiome even more properly if you consume much less unsafe foods.

To lessen the effect of gum disease you'll want to deprive the bad micro-organisms through getting rid of:.

Sweets (bad microorganisms adores sugar). Refined carbs.

Now that you understand the most ideal factors to put in your body for battling gum disease, here is actually a closer look at the leading 12 meals which contain these vital substances. The 12 Best Foods to Eat if You Have Gum Disease.

1. Almonds as well as seeds high in omega Fours.

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These feature macadamia almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds. Omega-3s are actually essential to a versatile, nutrient-dense diet. Omega-3s are actually great for you due to the fact that they are anti-inflammatory yet additionally possess an inverse relationship along with gum disease. These nuts are fantastic resources of nutrients too.

2. Salmon or even various other fatty fish.

Oily fish such a salmon, herring, as well as mackerel are actually terrific sources of nutrients and are actually high in omega-3s. Due to their oil material, they have anti-inflammatory results on the physical body as well as are great for the body immune system.

3. Grass-fed beef.

Considering that our company do not eat body organ porks like our forefathers did, we need to be meticulous concerning our collagen consumption. Grass-fed beef contains bovine collagen, which is actually terrific for dealing with gum disease.

It is actually additionally higher in omega-3s, which is among the main reasons many health gurus specify the feed of the cow. Grain fed beef is stuffed with omega-6s, prescription antibiotics, and other inflammatory, disease inducing parts. It's merely ineffective to consume grain-fed beef any longer.

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4. Poultry.

Chicken includes CoQ10 as well as collagen, which are each superb in the battle against gum disease. Do not avoid the skin layer either. Lots of folks pass up consuming the chick skin layer given that it's higher in body fat, yet hen skin is actually stuffed with collagen.

5. Bone brew.

We do not eat the entire pet like our experts when carried out, which suggests our company're losing out on necessary nutrients like collagen. But you can acquire more of the nutrient in your diet plan with bone tissue brew. Bone tissue broth is getting attraction as a health superfood because it is actually a scrumptious technique for us to obtain more of the nutrients our team miss out on in the present day globe.

6. Shiitake mushrooms.

Shiitake mushrooms have lentinan, which is actually a polysaccharide just found in this particular sort of mushroom. Lentinan attacks the unsafe gum disease inducing micro-organisms while leaving behind other germs alone. Shiitake mushrooms are likewise powerfully anti-inflammatory and also have been observed in research studies to decrease many inflamed markers.

7. Broccoli.

Broccoli is loaded along with Vitamin C which acts as an antioxidant in the body system. Vitamin C has actually been vice versa linked with gum disease. Cabbage additionally gives tons of other nutrients. Cabbage contains Vitamin B1, magnesium mineral, iron, calcium, niacin, and also selenium. Any kind of nutrient thick diet should include broccoli.

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8. Red and eco-friendly alarm peppers.

Higher in Vitamin C, reddish and also eco-friendly bell peppers are a fantastic enhancement to a gum disease fighting diet. One cup of red bell peppers contains over 300% of your regular highly recommended allotment of Vitamin C. While eco-friendly bell peppers have over 200% of the Vitamin C you need in a time. In fact, both red and environment-friendly bell peppers possess more Vitamin C than an orange. Incorporate much more alarm peppers to your diet plan for a very easy and also delicious increase in Vitamin C.

9. Sweet potatoes.

Delightful potatoes are actually a superb source of many nutrients yet they made this listing specifically for their beta carotene web content. Beta carotene is actually a crucial nutrient in the fight versus gum disease. It minimizes irritation and delivers your body system with the elements it needs to create Vitamin A. Sweet whites potato additionally have high levels of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and also Manganese.

10. Environment-friendly tea.

Environment-friendly tea is high in catechins. Always remember catechins? Those were one of the crucial gum disease dealing with nutrients provided above.

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Certainly not merely is eco-friendly herbal tea higher in catechins, yet it is actually likewise been discovered to have an inverted connection along with periodontal disease. One research study that examined 940 guys located there was an inverted organization in between environment-friendly herbal tea consumption and gum disease. Suggesting those that consume alcohol more green tea possess a lesser chance of establishing gum disease.

11. Cacao.

Cacao is actually also high in disease-fighting catechins, which help quit gum disease. Cacao is actually fantastic for your teeth in general considering that it battles cavities, oral plaque buildup, and tooth decay. Materials in cacao are a lot more helpful at battling dental caries than fluoride. Cacao also consists of a compound referred to as CBH, which solidifies your enamel.

To consume cacao that's actually good for you and also not filled along with sweets, go with a raw chocolate that is 70 per-cent or more. Look for a low sweets material also. Cacao and cacao vary in processing. Cacao hasn't been actually left open to higher heat energy, is actually still raw, as well as still contains it is actually 300+ substances, most of which are actually good for your health.

12. Probiotic consisting of foods items.

These consist of kefir, cabbage, as well as kimchi. Probiotics support the great bacteria in your mouth as well as decrease gingivitis and also cavity enducing plaque build-up. Fermented meals are also believed to suppress the development of oral pathogens.

One research study discovered those that consumed alcohol fermented dairy benefited from protective impacts versus gum disease-- though it had not been clear whether it was because of the increase calcium or the probiotics (or even both!).

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  Cease gum disease in its own keep tracks of.

The most ideal weapon versus gum disease appertains understanding of just how it functions as well as what can be performed to prevent it. Now that you know what to eat as well as how to deal with your teeth and gums-- the proper way-- I hope you really feel a lot better equipped to stop gum disease in its own tracks. Whether you are actually attempting to combat gum disease or even just prevent it, the insight in this article are going to be helpful to you.

Share this short article along with a close friend or member of the family who's still adhering to old dental care tips. We currently know that diet is the first line of protection against gum disease as well as it is very important to spread the word!

[izzy-b-hands]

RULES: TAG 10 MUTUALS YOU WANT TO KNOW BETTER!

Tagged by @sevdawn thank you so much!! I’ve been wanting to do something like this or an ask game thing for a while now; you’ve got good timing! 

Name: Aly

Star Sign: Virgo

Height: Haven’t really formally measured since like the beginning of high school, but about 5′3 (160 cm) ish? Short as fuck around most other people lol. 

Put your music on shuffle. What are the first 4 songs that pop up?

Quick warning again about my all over the place music taste, so this could be...interesting.

1. The Blinding--Babyshambles

2. We Both Go Down Together--The Decemberists

3. Gallows Strung--Snow Ghosts

4. Never Land (A Fragment)--The Sisters of Mercy

Ever had a song/poem written about you? Only a few that I know of--a close friend and I were always sorta/kinda crushing on each other thru middle and high school and were big time into wanting to start a band at the time (in addition to being in creative writing classes together) so we wrote lyrics and poems and stories that we occasionally would admit were about each other, or would avoid admitting it was about the other in the awkward way kids do lol. 

Last time you played the guitar: Oh god, not recently enough! I should be practicing way more than I am, but work has kept me kind of exhausted lately--so about two weekends ago, if you count a very quick solo jam session to work on the soundtrack for the TV series I’m writing. 

Celebrity crush: Y’all are evil. I kid, most of you who follow me can probably guess these already--the guys of Avatar (Tim and Kungen in particular tbh, not that they aren’t all gorgeous and talented of course!), Teemu and Jari of Wintersun, Janelle Monae, Tessa Thompson, Ville Valo, Jessica Chastain, Richard Ayoade, Daniel Dae Kim, and A$ap Rocky are the crushes I either A: never outgrew from my teens or B: acquired as a young adult and let myself daydream about because real life is crushing as fuck--may as well let daydream version of me have all their romantic dreams come true lol. 

A sound you hate + a sound you love?

Hate: Oh god my ASD comes into play here, there are so many I could list, but one of the absolute worst for me is the sound of someone scratching their nails along silk. I recently tried listening to a new band who had a sound like that incorporated into one of their songs and my ears basically died until I turned the song off. 

Love: I could easily list music here, but I wanted to go with a different sound instead--the caw of a crow. The sound is really soothing to me, and there’s usually always a ton near our building, so their cawing even wakes me up on the few mornings I can sleep in, and it is really nice calming sound to wake up to. The one thing that is probably really silly but that I haven’t looked up is if Gothenburg or Sweden in general are home to any sort of crows (or ravens, I love listening to them too.) If it isn’t, then that might be one of the few things I’ll miss from the US. 

Believe in ghosts? Kind of? Like, I want to think that there’s some way all of our minds and souls can keep communicating after death, floating around each other, getting to meet people we’d always wanted to in life, meeting up again with people we lost touch with while alive, etc. But then part of me knows how science plays into some of it (like certain vibrations and sound waves making it feel like we’re being watched, even if we aren’t) so I sometimes wonder if I’m not just being silly in wanting to believe. But then I also remember that someday I’ll be dead no matter what, so if I want to believe and it isn’t hurting anyone, then why not believe? Life is short and painful, take your joys where you can. 

Do you drive? Nope. Anxiety and what my doctor calls ‘PTSD-like symptoms’ from past driving accidents with family behind the wheel keeps me from it. I’ve tried, over the years, to get my permit and license, but it never happens, and I’ve really lost any urge to ever want to try again. I was once at a point where even being a passenger made me terrified--I’m past that now, but idk if I’ll ever drive. I’d rather, at this point, rely on public transit and learn to bike ride so I can use a bike once I move to a more bike-friendly locale. 

Last book you read? A random collection of poetry that I had to buy for a poetry class when I was in college. It is the huge tome, and I’ve been working my way through it to find all of my favorites. 

Do you like the smell of gasoline? Shouldn’t, but yup lol. I associate the smell of it with good things--my grandfather’s garage, going out on errands with him and getting treats at the gas station, going to car shows with him. In case it isn’t obvious, my grandfather is a ‘car guy’ in that he loves vintage cars and loves taking really good care of any cars he has, so all of my best memories with him revolve around times where we were around cars, and usually surrounded by the smell of gasoline.

Worst injury you’ve ever had: I’ve got a few; would probably be my left leg being broken as a kid, and all the damage I did to my ankles--I have flat feet that as an adult I found out I should have probably gotten physical therapy for when I was young, but I never did so they were constantly spraining really badly, to the point that I nearly broke both within a month of each other when I was about sixteen. Now they hurt if I wear shoes they don’t like, wear good shoes but for too many hours, walk for too long, don’t walk enough, or if the weather changes, and maybe just whenever the fuck they feel like bothering me tbh. If I could just have my feet float and be magically connected to the rest of my leg, I probably would lol.  

Do you have any obsessions right now? I have a hard time calling anything an obsession now--work ( both my day job and my writing and music work on the side) keeps me so busy that I don’t have time to ‘obsess’ as I did when I was a teen. But I guess you could toss Avatar and Ghost in as a kind of obsession, in that they’re two of the few bands I’m really following in terms of news and tour info right now. I’ve gotten really into Pokemon again, while trying to do my own version of a Nuzlocke run on Pokemon Y, so I guess that might count. I consume a shit ton of McElroy and Polygon content whenever I’m feeling terrible, so that could probably count too. Idk, having an ‘obsession’ as an adult doesn’t really feel like an obsession--it feels more like the only subjects/things you can escape to when the rest of life is busy sucking major ass. 

Do you tend to hold grudges towards people? I try my best not to, but there are a few I still hold. The biggest one is with my father, and my various issues with him, but I recently found out he told a family friend he’d disowned me (whoops, he never told me lol) so I don’t feel bad holding that one at all. Fuck him, and I know he has a tumblr and might well see this, so if you do, J (not gonna put his full name here of course, I’m only partially petty as fuck haha) , then guess what? I disown you too. My grandfather, for all his faults, was a better father figure even on his worst days, and the male celebrities I looked up to as father figures were better too--and they don’t even know I exist!!

In a relationship? ...no. But I talk to someone who I have some sort of feelings for, but we aren’t in anything other than a friendship (or if the other person considers it to be something more, than they haven’t said and we haven’t discussed it.) But still, that’s not technically a relationship, so no, still single. 

I tag: @plupluru, @calliopinot, @apineappleheart, @feathers-andflesh, @starmoonchildfromthebeamsabove, @silversatori, @fuckdensen, @skulldr0p, @vvitchimage, and @rammchickk 

#text post #ask box things #thank you this was so much fun! #and really relaxing after a very shitty day at work #to just have something else to do and think about instead of going over everything I feel like I fucked up at work

[hockey-jews]

For anyone who wants to learn more about Judaism! Also, kind of a post about how to deal with some Things and Stuff. This is a long post so I’ll put it under a read more for those interested:

This is really for an anonymous message I got that described struggles with things that I think many of us struggle with or have in the past: not being “Jewish enough” in the eyes of other Jews due to your heritage being on the “wrong” side (read; on your father’s side), yet still experiencing antisemitism from goyim. Not learning very much, if anything, about Judaism as a child but wanting to learn more as an adult. Not being comfortable with some traditions or laws of Judaism because you are a) a feminist b) LGBT c) an atheist. Living in a place with few to no Jewish spaces. Not feeling welcome in the Jewish community due to any or all of these things. 

Book recs!

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys reading (or can at least tolerate it) I highly recommend these books! They’re all books that I have either read/started reading/or plan on reading. (Please keep in mind that none of these are Jewish texts such as the Torah or the Talmud and that I do understand the importance of such religious texts but am not recommending them because I feel those are obvious sources of information)

A Bride for One Night if you aren’t familiar with the Talmud, it’s a collection of writings and explanations of Jewish laws and traditions and it’s old as balls. The author of this book, Ruth Calderon, takes a bunch of Talmudic stories and makes them into these wonderful beautiful stories that are easier to read than the original ones from the 3rd and 6th centuries. Even if you don’t know anything about the Talmud this book is so fascinating and fun to read. 

The G-d Who Hates Lies is literally perfect for you if you have issues with how women are viewed and treated in the most traditional sense of Judaism. It’s a really great criticism by people who are extremely qualified to make those criticisms (both are rabbi’s and I think they both have doctorates in theology, specifically Modern Orthodox Judaism, which makes for a really cool viewpoint). I can’t find anything about the third author of this book, who is a woman, but it’s comforting to know that a woman had a part in this as well. Obviously these people love Judaism, they just want to see it adapt to modernity. Just in general it’s a really thoughtful book that challenges dogma. 

Jewish Literacy was recommended by an anon (thank you!) The rest of the title is “The Most Important Things to Know about The Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History” so like. Ya get what ya see here folks. HOWEVER I did see a review that mentions there is some Islamophobia and hostility towards Jews who are antizionist. It does genuinely look informative and I haven’t read it myself so I can’t attune to whether or not that review is accurate, but maybe be cautious if you read this in knowing that the author may not be objective. 

Book of Mercy made me openly weep and feel something tender and weird in my heart and like. Okay so it’s not informative so much as it’s a book of poetry by Leonard Cohen (he was Jewish if you didn’t know!) He calls his poems “modern psalms” and honestly this would be a good read even if you aren’t religious at all because his writing is just so gorgeous. But it does have references to Judaism and his identity as a Jew 

Understanding Judaism is really a “building blocks” kind of book to me, if that makes sense? It’s really informative but also really basic and is fantastic for people who know very little about Judaism or just want a well presented understanding of the core aspects of the Jewish religion. Even if you aren’t a Jew who’s looking to learn or someone who is considering conversion it’s still a good book if you’re interested in world religions regardless of your faith or lack thereof. (man I’m starting to sound pretentious lmao I just mean like, if you’re an atheist or Catholic or whatever, it’s pretty interesting and also this guy is kinda dorky-funny so it makes for an easier read than some other books about religion)

Shmooze I think this is meant to be more for a group to read an discuss, and like, also maybe meant for a younger audience (I’m talking about teenagers so not really that young, but if you’ve been reading dull infodumps by 90 y/o Jewish rabbis with doctorate degrees this is gonna be a change of pace lmao) I should mention that I’ve only read like two pages of this book because I saw it at Barnes and Noble and just kinda briefly checked it out so I don’t know a ton about it but it stuck in my head and the reviews look positive so 

Obvious I don’t think you have to read all of those because I haven’t even read all of those so maybe just check one of them out if it seems like it could be helpful to you. 

Judaism here on tumblr dot com:

Okay so like. This is really my personal diced onion so take it however you will but keep in mind that this really only reflects things I’ve come across and how I feel. 

Obviously there are a lot of really great blogs about Judaism but I don’t have any specific ones to recommend I’m sorry :O I really really hate ~Discourse~ and like, in-depth arguments about the Holocaust because I get so wrapped up in it and let’s be honest, tumblr is all about the discourse and ignorance. That being said, I like to follow other people who are Jewish and blog about whatever because that usually leads to safer discussions and also is a great way to find really helpful thoughts and discussions by other Jews about topics like being LGBT, being a woman, being an atheist, etc. These are just nice to read and also if you aren’t familiar with certain Yiddish or Hebrew terms that are commonly used it’s a good way to see how and when they’re used in certain contexts. 

I’m going to tag anything like this that I post here as “good info” just so me and anyone who wants can find this stuff easier. No they won’t necessarily have anything to do with hockey. 

Also please be very careful when you’re reading a post that is presenting certain things as facts, always double check what someone is saying because misinformation is spread so quickly, and it’s almost always unintentional. The things that I find genuinely helpful/safe/fun involve opinions, common feelings and experiences, little personal stories and jokes, cool stuff like that. 

I’m Jewish on my father’s side :0

Me too boo. Unfortunately that’s an unending discussion, and one that is often held by matrilineal Jews and doesn’t actually include patrilineal Jews, nor does it consider our thoughts/feelings/experiences. Without sounding like an idiot, it is absolutely buckwild to me that there are people who have been raised Jewish, have never known anything other than Jewish tradition, have been subject to antisemitism, but still aren’t considered Jewish. 

And then this is where I see matrilineal Jews who hold this viewpoint bring up Reform Judaism, which is one of the three main branches of Judaism and does recognize patrilineall Jews as Jews. I’ve seen some discrepancy as to whether or not patrilineal Jews had to have been raised Jewish in order to be considered Jewish. This is all well and good for Jews like me whose family practices Reform Judaism, but for patrilineal Jews who wish to practice in an Orthodox or Conservative synagogue, it gets tricky. 

Basically, yes this is a huge topic that inspires a lot of disagreement, and that sucks, but here’s what it comes down to. No one else is allowed to make you feel inferior because of your heritage. So many people, even modern Orthodox Jews, recognize that certain aspects of Judaism need to adapt to today’s society. I don’t want to offend anyone here, but I really do feel that most matrilineal Jews who don’t consider us Jewish are extremely hypocritical (for a lot of reasons but mostly like...y’all really follow every aspect of Jewish Law? Like do you really? All of it? Girl do u? Or are you maybe just being elitist). Learning about your heritage, talking about shared experiences, combating antisemitism, these are all things that are fair game for you (especially for the anon who said they were atheist) and going to Shabbat services, praying, participating in holy days. That’s all yours if you want it, bubbeleh. 

Can I be an atheist Jew?

Sure you can! I, personally, am not an atheist so I wasn’t comfortable finding specific resources about this because I don’t really know much about it? It’s fine with me if you’re atheist that’s none of my business, I just don’t want to direct you to a bad source. But yes, many Jews are atheist, many are secular, I’m sure there are many here on tumblr. It’s absolutely okay, Judaism is an ethnoreligion, and while you may experience Judaism different than the rest of us, you’re still a Jew and still belong. 

Here’s an excerpt from a short lil synopsis of Judaism:

These three connotations of Judaism as a monotheistic system, as a literary tradition, and as a historical culture are sometimes viewed separately. For example, there are Jews who see themselves as culturally Jewish, but who are also non-religious or atheist, often identifying more strongly with Jewish “peoplehood” than with traditional understandings of God and Torah. Even so, all Jews would recognize that these three points of reference have shaped and guided Jewish experience through the ages.

Jewish “peoplehood” that they talk about is like. Culture, customs, food, art, history, etc. 

One last little note on this, you’ll hear a lot that Judaism focuses more on actions than on beliefs. This is an excellent article that is pretty short and worth reading that I want to include because I think that even if you don’t believe in G-d or even if you are seriously questioning, the focus on just. Doing good. Actively doing good things and trying to be a good person (I know that’s objective but bear with me) is a such a huge part of Judaism that you can try to incorporate into your life without having to subscribe to any sort of dogma or beliefs that you don’t hold. “Judaism is certainly a faith-based tradition. Belief in G-d is central to our religion. It just isn’t a prerequisite. If you are Jewish, you are so regardless of belief.” 

But I’m a feminist....

As you should be. This is probably another personal statement you gon’ wanna take with a grain of salt, but I think Judaism, especially in the last 50 years or so, has made huge strides in this. Especially Reform Judaism, but that kind of goes without saying. 

Example, my synagogue was founded as a Conservative synagogue. Our website still says we are. I’m not actually sure tbqh, like I said, my family are Reform Jews, and so are most other families in our congregation I think but this is literally the only synagoge for like hundreds of miles so. Anyways our rabbi is female (Rabbi Shaina!) and she does great work, we all love her. She’s really adament on teaching kids that gender shouldn’t keep you from anything, that Judaism is for all Jews, that it should enhance our lives. She wears a tallis, lays her tefillin, and reads from the Torah. 

My point here is that while this isn’t like, the end of misogyny in Judaism as we know it, it’s still a big deal in most religions to have a woman as their religious leader, essentially a position of religious power. For men to accept a woman as a religious leader is not something that is super common in most religions. And we’re like, a tiny congregation over a hundred miles away from anyone else, technically a Conservative synagogue, that’s super loving and accepting of a feminist running our shit... female rabbis are super common and I think it speaks a lot to how we’re progressing as a religion. Reform Judaism is going to be your best bet when it comes to tolerance but knowing that all three of the main branches are progressing, at least with this, is really comforting to me. 

However, that’s an extremely one sided view and doesn’t really show the issue as a whole. This super short article (? not sure) is a bit pessimistic in my mind but presents the other side of things and gives a good explanation of the traditional sources of misogyny in Judaism, so this could further your understanding as well. 

By no means are we perfect but we’re workin on it. Look into Jewish Feminism though, if you have the time. That article is just a lil intro to the topic. 

I’m Q*eer/LGBT and I’m not sure y’all are gonna be cool with that...

Well this one’s a doozy. 

I’ll kick this right off by presenting an article that is objective and does not reflect the author’s opinion, just lays out the issues at hand. It also has some links to other good pieces, including one cool story about a transgender man, Rafi Daugherty, embracing his role as a father and details his experience with pregnancy and giving birth. I should mention that I am cisgender so I’m interpreting this article through a different point of view, but it really does make a point of celebrating Rafi and his daughter and sharing their story. It does include a little cultural background context, but this is a positive story that I think deserves to be shared :) 

Then there’s this statement from the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism that confirms its absolute acceptance and support of LGBT Jews. 

On the other side of things, there are still homophobic and intolerant Jews. Conversion camps were not just a Christian thing, there were Jewish conversion camps as well, which is horrific. Idk what to say because I think homophobia and transphobia in Judaism is really similar to what you would find in Christian settings. 

I’m bisexual and I feel completely welcomed by other Jews who know this about me, and I certainly don’t feel any less Jewish because of it. 

I live in a place where Jewish spaces are rare.

I really hate to disappoint with this one but I don’t have any specific sources or anything like that. Alls I got to say is that’s why the internet is so great? I really don’t feel like that’s helpful at all, but I think for the most part, the Jewish side of tumblr is pretty accepting and welcoming. Obviously that’s not always gonna be true though idkdjaskfl;dj

I spose with this one I wanna encourage anyone who has any good resources for involvement or something like that to reply to this post or drop by my inbox and let me know! Or maybe just your thoughts on some Jewish spaces you’ve encountered? 

I hope this was helpful

In conclusion, don’t let anyone make you feel less Jewish. Your sexual identity, gender identity, and even your belief in G-d doesn’t take away from your Jewishness. I’d like to say that since I started delving into Judaism a little more I’ve found a lot of peace. And yeah that sounds cliche and also vague but it’s really a breath of fresh air to learn about my family and know more about this community. Also if you’re comfortable with or willing to try prayer, even if you’re atheist, it can be a good way to decompress sometimes, a really therapeutic kind of way to voice your thoughts and feelings and reflect on them. 

There’s so much information and culture to delve into but it’s so so worth it to learn and I’m really happy for you that you’re interested in getting more in touch with your Jewish roots. 

If any of these links don’t work and you’d like to see them let me know!

#this took 78 years sorry #ok for anyone to rb #there are TYPOS galore I'm sorry #judaism

[canaryatlaw]

alright. well today was.....the first day of the bar exam. Don’t know if I have any better description than that. it was something alright. I woke up to my alarm (which I had set to the Mean Girls song I’ve been using as my pump up song but starts with just Kevin screaming “Yo Yo Mathletes!!”) and did get myself out of bed, I was planning to leave at 6:15 so I had plenty of time to get ready. So I brushed my teeth and changed, they said to dress in layers because the exam rooms might be hot or cold (spoiler alert, it was FREEZING), so I picked a tank top and leggings with a zip up hoodie if needed. The email they sent (they people the people from my school who are trying to get us to pass the bar) yesterday said that when you wake up read a book or something (but no outlines) for 10 minutes to wake up your brain, or something like that, so I read the little local Chicago magazine that they keep in hotels saying all the cool things to do in Chicago this summer. I made the microwave minute muffin that I was telling you all about last night, but I was super careful to stir it all the way so there were no unmoistened bits and it was a wonderful double chocolatey muffin experience that I was very pleased with, and then ate a granola bar for good measure because you know, good breakfasts. when it was like 6:15 I headed downstairs where there were several other law students (recognizable because of the plastic bags we all had with our computers inside them) were all waiting and got in an uber, I thought of maybe sharing with some of them but there are like 3 different test sites all in this area so idk where they all were going. And in this area I mean these are the only sites for all of Chicago (and potentially all of Illinois? don’t quote me on that but that might’ve been the case) and there were a ton of kids from other law schools around, mostly recognizable because they were all wearing stuff from their school which I apparently did not think to do, but oh well. I arrived there around 6:20 (it was a really short ride obviously, that was the point) and got out of the uber to see my bus orgs professor standing there looking slightly confused, and he saw me so I said hi and he said that a group of them were supposed to be here greeting us (which was also in the email from yesterday) and that he had been told to get there at 6:15 but he was now the only person present, which sounded familiar to me always be the on time person. But we chatted a little which was nice, I hadn’t really seen him since the class ended in the fall, and despite me finding bus orgs terribly boring I did rather enjoy him as a professor. So the doors were opening at 6:30, so a bunch of us were just kinda milling around in front of the building. It was on one of the college campuses around here (it’s U of Illinois Chicago) in a building called the “forum” which apparently has large rooms in it where a lot of people can sit for tests. So they open the doors at 6:30, there are metal detectors directly after the doors, and they were checking bags as well. I’m not sure if metal detectors would find the kind of contraband they were actually looking for (like I’m sure it’s good to know there aren’t any guns too, but nobody’s really concerned about sneaking a gun into the bar exam), they were more focused on keeping all electronics out of the room, which is understandable. I still have had my period today but very little cramping, so I didn’t need to use the thingy that I stowed in my bag anyway but wouldn't have been able to use during the test because technically it’s an electronic. But we got through the metal detectors and were directed to tables where we showed them our photo IDs and they gave us our photo name badges which we then had to wear for always the rest of the test. I have the world’s worst photo of me on mine, but it’s technically my fault because I’m the one who uploaded it, but in my defense it was like, two hours before the window for submitting your application was gonna close and like 10 o clock at night so I just took a photo of my unmake-uped face against my white wall without me smiling like they wanted and surprise surprise, it looks terrible, but oh well I’m over it. We then got shown the room where we could leave our stuff we couldn’t bring into the test room, which was pretty much everything. I was using my black legends drawstring bag that we got in Florida, so I left my phone, the charger I brought with me and the external battery (because I’m prepared) along with some food and a gatorade, plus a few other things. The only things we could take into the room were our laptops and chargers, then in a little ziplock bag you could have your photo id, cash/credit card, transportation card, keys, pads and earplugs. We all had giant ziplock bags (the 2 1/2 gallon ones) to carry our laptops and chargers in because that’s what they told us to get. So we got into the test room with our little bags and computers. I found my seat all the way in the front right corner, and this room is BIG, like best estimate there were maybe 2,000 people? You didn’t really see it until everyone went to leave and it was like impossible to get through the doors and then you’re like oh wow, there’s a lot of people here. But I was in the second row, third seat in from the right wall, so pretty much on the edge, but hey it’s fine we got a perfect view of the guy at the podium who was legit right in front of us. They had the two big screens down both displaying a “clock” tab with the time counting up by seconds. In the instructions it had said if we were mac users who didn’t have a usb port you could bring your little converter thing, so I took mine with me just in case, but didn’t think I would need it. I got to the instructions they had on the tables for the computers and it had this whole thing about no usb’s or data transferring devices and I was like shit am I gonna get in trouble for this? So I took it to the proctors right in front and said it said in the instructions that I could bring it but idk if it qualifies under these rules. They both pretty much looked at me like they had no idea what I was talking about, probably because they didn’t understand what the thing actually did, but recommended I go on to the tech people, who I asked and they said oh yeah that’s fine, the other’s just don’t understand how to use things lol so that was solved. I didn’t think I’d need it, I just didn’t want to get in trouble for having it. So I sat down and logged onto my computer, got the exam stuff up and waited. There was this stuff on the program saying if you didn’t have wifi access you’d have to wait to upload your exam answers to later and I was like well that sounds perturbing so I checked if we could get wifi and that was a big nope, so that was a nice little anxiety inducer. Waited for a while, more people came, I think we officially started at either 8:30 or 9, I don’t remember exactly. First was the “Illinois Essay Exam” which is the only part of the test that is completely unique to Illinois, the other portions are all used by other states (most states have switched to what they call the Uniform Bar Exam which has reciprocity across most states, but Illinois isn’t switching until next July [boo], so we instead had pieces of the UBE but not the whole thing). I was a bit nervous about this part because a lot of it depended on knowing where Illinois law differed from the majority law you would otherwise learn, and there was the potential to be hit with some questions from the really fringe subjects like personal property that you know I had a 2 hour lecture on and that was it, so I was glad to see it was mostly mainline stuff, so that wasn’t bad. 90 minutes for that, 3 essays, not bad. After that we switched into the Multistate Performance Test that most other states use as well, and it’s a closed packet of info from which you need to draw up some sort of legal document based on the facts and laws inclosed. I had thought this would probably be the easiest part for me because given all the info I can write stuff no problem, and it definitely wasn’t hard, but it was.....odd. Not like any of the practice ones I’ve done, it was about drafting language for the articles of incorporation of this rugby league and dealing with a bunch of corporate stuff that seemed really easy, like stupid easy? So either I did really well or I totally fucked it up, but I’m fairly certain it was the first lol, so that was a relief, even though the nerdy side of me was like awww now I don’t get to write a long essay that I’m really good at writing, but that’s really okay. We breaked for lunch, I saw a few of my friends briefly but then got separated from them. The deal was that the school was going to bring us lunches, and they were set up somewhere for us to get to. When we left the building there were like 3 other schools set up with their lunches right there but ours weren’t, so I was trying to follow the directions to the spot they said in the email but it was not going well and I could tell I was just getting lost, and I was like fuck it I’ll just get some food from the popeye’s that’s right here, except it all got fucked up and was spicy and I couldn’t eat any of it except the biscuit, so basically lunch was a massive failure on multiple levels, but I had some pretzels in my bag so I wasn’t starving. Got back in and ready to go, the afternoon was the Multistate Essay Exam (don’t you love all these titles?) which was similar to the Illinois one but based on federal/majority law. It still had the opportunity to get into some fringe subjects though. it was 3 hours, 6 essays, so same odds as before. It can be hard for me to tell how well I actually did coming out of a test like that because I’m really good at bs-ing and I know it, so if I can come up with some good bs my mind thinks it’s all good when it could actually not be, but whatever. The first one was a con law question that was about marijuana of course, but was kind of on an odd basis, but I think I got the law part right so that was good. There was one about a corporation where I got to use my favorite line of the day “....because things that do not exist cannot enter into business deals” and one regarding trusts that was probably the biggest fringe subject, but I spent the last few days going over trusts (for like, the first time, but still) so the rules were fairly fresh in my mind and I think I got all of the intricacies of it right. There was one question that was just like straight evidence questions, and like those are my jam, so I get typing and I’m going and going and- oh wait, I hit the character limit and I didn’t even start the third prompt within the question yet. WHOOPS. The character limit was 4600, which really is not very much, so I had to go back and remove the bs I wrote in the first two prompts, just because I knew I could write it, and then wrote my third answer and had to move some more stuff around and delete some more bs, but I ended up with a final product that was exactly 4599 characters, which is really a masterpiece, so I was like alright perfect I’m not touching it from here lol. I ended up finishing with about 20 minutes left, so I read over a few of them and made minor changes, just details and such. Then we were done and had to wait for them to collect all the papers and then account for all of them before we could get released, then of course I had to make it through the massive crowd just to get outside. I did get outside and got an uber to my hotel room because I had to go there for wifi to upload my friggin exam answers, and let me tell you guys, this was the most anxiety inducing thing, because when you click submit on the test it will try to upload the answers but then see you don’t have wifi and be like oh it failed and the proctors are just like “yeah just go home and when you get wifi open the program and it’ll upload the answers” and I’m just like.....you couldn’t have just let us into the wifi you already have set up in this building??? Like do you know how much anxiety this process is going to give me?? The proctor said to make sure we hold onto our laptops as in the previous year someone had actually left theirs on a Chicago public transit bus which was like oH GOD WHY level nightmare, so I was making sure that didn’t happen. The uber took a while to get there because it was rush hour and there was traffic, and while I had been taking the afternoon part of the test I was like I’m gonna get out and text Jess and bug her until she agrees to go get food with me, then when I turned my phone back on and opened twitter I already had a message from her being like I can’t wait till Thursday morning like we originally said I need to see you and get food after the test tomorrow and I was just like bitch come get food with me now which she readily agreed to, which was easier than I expected lol. The uber finally came, I got to my hotel and logged onto wifi so the exam answers would upload, and legit right after they did that I switched a few things out of my bags and then headed back out. I walked a few blocks to the train that’s nearby, it’s the same stop as my church so I was familiar, and took that to the red line and then up to where we had agreed to meet because Jess wanted to take me to her spy restaurant which is really the only restaurant she knows in the city of Chicago (and now that I wrote that she’s probably going to wind up reading it even though she never reads these posts) and we definitely did not get lost getting there, that did not happen, but we did get there and it was cool, you just enter this random door on a building and it brings you to this little entry way where you have to say the “password” and get confirmed, then the wall opens and there are stairs down to the actual restaurant, which was pretty cool, outfitted with a lot of spy and James Bond stuff. We ended up just getting a table by the bar because it was kind of crowded, so we just chilled and she told me literally everything that happened at SDCC this weekend which, let me tell you, was a trip, then we decided we’d split an appetizer of cheese curds, then we were both gonna order the grilled cheese that also contains cheese curds because we are 100% those people lol. The service was kinda slow but I didn’t really care because we were talking and have fun, but of course those are Jess’ stories to tell so I won’t spoil any of them here other than saying she had a ridiculously awesome time, even if it had some stressful moments with stupid security guards. We eventually finished and paid, then ran around the restaurant checking out the rest of the spy stuff and hitting random buttons that caused different things to happen which was pretty cool, then to get out you had to put a dollar in a payphone which would then ring and give you a code which you had to enter, and then the wall would open which led to this staircase down and then up again that was covered with the little name tags they give you to write your “spy name” on, and then when you get to the door you come out in the lobby of this random hotel that’s like, a fully functional hotel, so that was pretty fun. We eventually figured out how to get to the train (read: I wasn’t navigating and Jess only got lost a little bit this time) and we decided to save ice cream for tomorrow even though I wanted ice cream now, because I was also full of cheese curds and other types of cheese. So I got on the red line and then switched to the blue line, then got off and walked the rest of the bit back to the hotel. While walking back my parents called, just wanted to check in so I told them everything and they seemed pretty happy about all of it, so that was good. Since we did all the essays today tomorrow is just going to be the multiple choice questions, 200 of them in two sessions of three hours each, 100 per session. They’re all hypos though so they take a while to answer and the supposed time allotment for each question is 1.8 minutes, so it’s a solid amount of work I’d say. It was like 9:15 by the time I got back and I desperately needed to shower because I hadn't since Monday morning because I didn’t want to have to wake up even earlier this morning to do it, so I got in the shower and changed into my pajamas, watched tv and did internet stuff for a bit before figuring I still had to get up pretty early, though an hour later than today, so that’s an improvement, so I’d better start writing this post and that’s what I did. Of course it took longer than usual because I end up being incredibly detailed about days like today even when I don’t consciously think to do it. Oh well. And now I’m here, it’s almost midnight, and I need to wake up at 6:30 am, so I’m gonna take all of those as reasons why it’s time for me to go to bed now. Goodnight babes. Stay magical.

#daily journal #July 2018 #Rachel's lawyer adventures #Jess tag

[copperbadge]

A Mostly Accurate Guide To Chicago by Sam Starbuck

I realized recently that this guide was still housed on LJ, where I don’t really hang out anymore and where there are Ads. So I have migrated it over to Tumblr. 

This post was last updated in October of 2017. If you're reading this in the distant future, you should check the original post, and you might drop me a line and ask if it's still accurate, as things do sometimes change. You should also check with google/yelp to make sure places mentioned here have not closed or moved, since I don’t do QA checks on the post.

This is not a comprehensive guide. I know, basically, three areas of Chicago very well: the downtown "Loop" and area just south of it, Gold Coast/Streeterville just north of the Loop, and Wrigleyville. I don't claim to be an expert, but I am pretty good at providing info for people who don't know where to start. So this is Sam's Very Limited Guide To Chicago For Visitors. 

There is a readmore below! Read more!

Where to stay: if you want to stay downtown, the two options that best meet at the axis of "inexpensive" and "quality" are the La Quinta in the west loop and the Hampton Inn just north of the loop. These are both convenient to a lot of things. 

There are some very good luxury hotels in the northern end of the Gold Coast, if you have the money to splurge; you can't really go wrong anywhere around Water Tower Place. If you're looking outside the downtown area, check Yelp before you make a reservation; the hotels in Wrigleyville, for example, are mostly the kind of place that offer hourly rates. Chicago also has a bedbug issue so check the bedbug report. I really recommend staying in the downtown area; it's central and you'll just get a better hotel, generally speaking. I have been told to avoid Club Quarters at all costs. There is a fantastic, safe, and fairly inexpensive hostel downtown; it's about $35 a night, run by Hostelling International. It's convenient to a lot of stuff, including the big downtown library down the block. What to eat: I don't like deep dish pizza, but if you want to try it or if you like it, there are two places that are infamous for it, Gino's East and Pizzeria Uno, both in Gold Coast. Giordano’s does a good deep dish along with a lot of other great food, and has some of the highest food-hygiene marks in Chicago (yes, I did a data dive on food hygiene). I know that Exchequer, in the loop, also does really good deep dish. Plus it's rumoured to be owned by the Russian mob, adding a sense of excitement to any meal. For my money, a far more authentic Chicago cuisine is the Italian Beef sandwich. An Italian Beef is marinated, slow-cooked beef, sliced thinly (shredded, really) and piled on a crusty sub sandwich roll. You can have peppers added (I never do) and usually you have a choice of sweet peppers or hot peppers. Then the entire sandwich is dipped in the au jus that's been keeping the beef warm, wrapped in waxed paper and tinfoil, and handed over for your eating delight. If you want you can order an Italian Beef "dry" (no dipping) but half the delight is the bread soaked in flavorful marinade. You can order an Italian Beef at most "greek diners" (so named because they are stereotypically owned by people of Greek descent); the two most easily accessible in the loop are Al's and Max's. Some people will tell you not to go to Portillo's, that it's a tourist trap, but Portillo's does an entirely decent Italian Beef, so don't be ashamed if Portillo's is what you can get to. One of my favorite places to eat is Weber Kettle Grill, at Grand and State just north of the loop. They do a great rare burger, their barbecue is fantastic, and I've never had bad service there. That area has a ton of really good restaurants: there's Oysy for sushi, Shaw's Crab House for seafood (pricey though), and a PF Chang's and a Chili's (I understand the Chili’s is now closed) if you're looking for something a little more chain-restaurant familiar. Even if you're not going to the Art Institute Museum, it has three great places to eat: the cafeteria, with all locally-sourced food, McCormick Terrace in the summer, which does pricey but great small plates on an open patio around a fountain, and Terzo Piano, which is the fancy expensive restaurant -- quality is variable, I’ve had GREAT meals there and so-so meals there. Macy's, in the loop, has a basement food court and a 7th floor food court (only open for lunch), both of which do a variety of excellent food, as well as their fancy eatery, the Walnut Room. Also, if you pass a Garrett Popcorn store, of which there are many in the loop, grab yourself some "mix" -- cheddar popcorn and caramel popcorn mixed together. It's a classic Chicago snack, and tastes better than it sounds. If you're near Wow Bao -- there are several, so check their website for the closest one -- they serve amazing stuffed steamed buns for pretty cheap; two buns are a reasonably filling lunch. Their rice bowls are delightful and they do pretty good potstickers. If you don't like spicy food, get a chocolate stuffed bun as a sweet snack. 

If you’re in Chinatown and want some dim sum, Phoenix, on the second floor of a building on Archer across from the shopping center, is both very reasonably priced and also delicious. There’s also a Little Sheep hot pot restaurant on Wentworth which is deservedly very popular. 

There are many places in the loop and Gold Coast areas to get cupcakes, such as Sprinkles or Sugar Bliss. If you go to Sprinkles, they have a CUPCAKE ATM where you can buy a cupcake without ever seeing a person, but for my money Sugar Bliss has better cupcakes. If you have access to a place to cook -- microwave or oven -- you should stop by The Meatloaf Bakery on Clark near Lincoln Park. Meatloaf Bakery is now closed, but near its former location are still a lot of good places to eat. One is Molly's Cupcakes, who do some of the best cupcakes around. I particularly like the salted-caramel. Lito's Empanadas, just north of Molly's, does delightful savory pastries. If you find yourself in Wrigleyville, do yourself a favor and stop by Byron's for some onion straws (the hot dogs, burgers, italian beef, and gyros are also really good). Byron's is a grab-and-go kind of place. In the same area, around the Sheridan El stop, you also can't go wrong with Tac Quick Thai Kitchen, which is consistently voted one of the top thirty places to eat in Chicago (Tac Quick recently moved but is still in the area, I believe). Kitchenette on Clark does the best sushi on the north side. A great place to get a sandwich anywhere in the city is Potbelly's, a Chicago-born chain -- get a bag of the mini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, oh my god. I used to recommend Panera as another good chain but they’ve gone somewhat downhill.   AVOID CORNER BAKERY. AVOID THEM ALL. Never, ever eat there. Trust me on this. Their sandwiches are dreadful and I've had food poisoning from them several times, including from their baked goods. Even their beverages are gross. What to see: My first instinct is always to recommend the Art Institute Museum. It's centrally located, it's huge, and it always has interesting exhibits. If you have kids or if you like miniatures, particularly check out the Thorne Miniature Rooms in the basement. Check the website before you go, there's usually one day a week that's free. If there's a line out the door at the front of the museum (where the lions are) walk past the lions (keep the museum on your right), turn right at the corner past the little sculpture garden, and walk uphill until you have passed under the pedestrian footbridge and you see the entrance to the Modern Wing on your right. Usually the lines are much shorter at the Modern Wing entrance. Just north of the Art Museum -- if you leave through the Modern Wing you'll be literally across the street from it -- is Millennium Park, a huge complex of gardens, performance spaces, and outdoor art. If you're coming there in the summer, stop and soak your feet in the foot-soaking creek in Lurie Gardens in the park. The Bean, aka the Cloud Gate, is also in the park and worth a visit. If you like shopping, WELCOME TO CHICAGO. Macy's in the loop is fun, though it's also huge and confusing. There's some good shopping in the Gold Coast north of the loop. Water Tower Place is a good place to shop and has the anchor American Girls store, so if you have kids who like dolls (or if you like dolls!) you can't go wrong. Water Tower used to have a Lush store, but I understand the Lush there moved to an independent storefront on Michigan Avenue; they do still have the Lego Store. And if you like architecture, welcome even more to Chicago! You shouldn't miss the chance to stroll across one of our lovely bridges over the river; if you take the DuSable bridge, which joins two halves of Michigan Avenue, you'll end up on Pioneer Plaza, with the Wrigley Building to your left and the Tribune Tower ahead and to the right -- the Tribune Tower is a great building to gawp at, and has bits of other buildings incorporated into the exterior walls. Get right up close and see stones from a Roman Bath, a Buddhist Temple, the Alamo, and other famous buildings from all over the world.    The river itself boasts multiple architectural boat tours and several water taxi companies; these only operate spring-to-autumn but taking a water taxi is a great way to ride on the river for relatively cheap (I prefer Shoreline Sightseeing's water taxis, but really you can't go wrong with any of them). Shoreline Sightseeing and the Architectural Foundation both offer architectural river tours; SeaDog does too, but don't use them, they're not as good. Shoreline's tour boards from Navy Pier and the Architectural Foundation's tour boards from just below the DuSable bridge. In the Loop, down by the Board of Trade (which has a cafeteria in the basement that's known for its excellent fries) there's a building called the Rookery. On Wednesdays they give a killer tour of this old, historic building, including a behind-the-scenes stroll where you can see the kind of structural issues buildings in Chicago had before the invention of the grillage. Strongly recommended for architecture, art deco, or history buffs, and not too pricey. Nearby is the Chicago Fed, which has a money museum that's well worth checking out, it's small and strange but a lot of fun. Chicago has a lot of great museums. I've already mentioned the Art Institute Museum; we also have the "Museum Campus" (which you can get to via water taxi!) that contains the Planetarium, Aquarium, and Field Museum. The Aquarium is pretty fun for an afternoon; you can buy an $8 "just the fishes" ticket at the door, or there are more expensive packages available online. The Planetarium is good if you're particularly into space and such, but in the basement it has the Historic Atwood Sphere, which is worth the extra cost. The Field Museum is...confusing, and old, and it shows, but I do usually have a good time when I go. They do have Sue the T-Rex (if you're into dinosaurs, after you go to see Sue, go up the stairs behind her to see her real head. It was too heavy to put on her body, so they put a replica on the body and the real head is housed elsewhere). It has a lot of neat animal dioramas, too. 

If you are going to the Field, Shedd, or Adler and looking for a good lunch spot, check out Pita Heaven (on Michigan south of Roosevelt). Also there's a good Potbelly's on Roosevelt just west of Michigan. Don't go to Eleven City Diner -- they are not careful in their food prep, and I've had poor experiences there with food and service. Further south, the Museum of Science and Industry is a lot of fun, though more fun with kids, I think. Don't miss the egg incubator, where they usually have chicks hatching, or the giant train table with its scale models of Chicago and Seattle. Also in that area, on the UChicago campus, are the Smart Museum of Art (always free; mostly contemporary art, way better than the Museum of Contemporary Art up north) and the Oriental Institute Museum (free but donation recommended) which has the most amazing collection of beautiful antiquities. Down 57th Street you'll also find 57th Street Books, a fantastic indy bookstore. Further down 57th Street is Medici, a great place with atmosphere to spare that does really good burgers and pizza. Try the fizzy lemonade, it's outstanding. If you want to see great live Chicago Blues, Kingston Mines is the place to go on the north side, or Buddy Guy’s Legends in the loop -- Buddy Guy’s has a cover in the evenings but if you go for lunch you’ll get good Chicago blues and no cover, plus their lunch menu is pretty great. There are a ton of blues clubs on the south side, but I can't make recommendations there, as I'm less familiar with the south side. Hell, ask someone at Kingston Mines, they'll tell you where to go. :) I am not familiar with bars and clubs in Chicago, since it's not really my scene. If you pick up a Chicago Reader free newspaper, both will have all kinds of ads for various hip nightspots. Theatre is very dear to my heart and for my money the best theatre in Chicago is done by Victory Gardens at the Biograph. The building itself is a work of art, and the theatre is great and not too expensive. Victory Gardens also owns the Greenhouse, which hosts four or five different companies who usually do good work. Goodman in the Loop and Steppenwolf north of the Loop are also good places to catch a show; the quality of Lookingglass Theatre in Gold Coast varies, but is usually worth the cost. If you want small, gritty theatre, check out stuff playing at Stage Left, a tiny little northside theatre that rents out to various small companies in the area. Avoid Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. They cost too much, their shows are generally mediocre (except when they have other performing companies visit), and they are absolute shits to their staff; even the actors hate the management there. Chicago Shakes is located on Navy Pier, and Navy Pier is one of Chicago's great contradictions. An entertainment complex stretching out into Lake Michigan, it's a great place for a stroll, because you get pretty far out on the lake by the end of the pier. They have an amazing museum of stained glass windows (note: I’ve heard this may have moved, but haven’t confirmed it yet). They have a FANTASTIC FERRIS WHEEL that you should definitely go on if you are not afraid of heights, and a very nice IMAX. The pier itself is free, no charge for access. But it's also very, very touristy. The food is expensive and subpar, the shopping is very kitschy, and in the summer it's incredibly crowded. If you do go to Navy Pier, find the McDonald's and go inside. Look around, especially in the area right opposite from where people place their orders. IT IS THE APOCALYPTIC MCDONALD'S. It's covered in murals depicting Chicago ruined and underwater. It's horrifying and surreal and amazing. They painted over the murals. I cried a little. Chicago is known for its parks; our motto is Urbs In Horto, the City in the Garden. Garfield Park Conservatory is a bit out of the way (though easily accessible by the Green Line), but it has extensive greenhouses and a lovely outdoor park and pond. If you like plants, it's a fun place to go. Likewise, Lincoln Park Zoo is a really excellent zoo and it's in the middle of a wonderful park. If you're into graveyards, I would like to recommend Graceland Cemetery, two blocks west of the Sheridan El stop. It has many historic and beautiful markers, lots of lovely mausoleums, and it's a really nice walk. Rosehill Cemetery to the north is older, but less accessible and less pleasant, I think. And if you go to Graceland you can stop at Byron's on your way back! Transit: If you like riding trains or if you need to get to some distant places in Chicago, the El is pretty awesome. You can buy one day, three day, week, and month passes at most stations. The only caveat I have regarding the El is that it is not very Accessible; many of the stations have either nonfunctional elevators or none at all. Some don't even have escalators, so Expect Stairs.  The Metra is mainly a commuter rail, but also gets you places the El can't. Weekend passes are eight bucks which is pretty reasonable. I've not ridden the Metra a lot, so I can't talk too much about them. One place that's worth the Metra ride is the Lizzadro Lapidary Museum in Elmhurst, but you have to be a hardcore museum geek or really into lapidary to really appreciate it. I don't like buses, but Chicago has a pretty good bus system that I use extensively. If you look on Google Maps, all the bus lines in Chicago are integrated into it, so if you zoom in far enough you can find the nearest bus or train stop to your destination. Google Maps will even give you directions by public transit, if you click the "bus" icon after asking for directions. I don't recommend driving if you can avoid it. Downtown Chicago traffic is INSANE, the parking is exorbitant, and our highway system is horrific. You are better off taking public transit or taxis.   Both airports have El trains that will go to downtown -- the blue line from O'Hare or the orange line from Midway. The Blue Line train from O’Hare I believe charges extra for entry ($5 instead of the usual $2-something) so be aware of that when buying an El pass. Incidentally I recommend flying into/out of Midway if at all possible. It doesn't service many airlines, but it's much more reliable and comfortable than O'Hare, and there are far, far fewer delays. Remember that Chicago is a grid: almost every street, with a few exceptions, runs either north-south or east-west. And the lake is always East. Attitude: Chicago is a big, busy, urban place, but it is also a very Midwestern town, and a city of immigrants who were once new to the city too. We're by and large extremely friendly people here and we like to help out and show off how well we know the city. If you get lost, don't be shy -- go into a store or stop someone on the street and ask for directions. And that's my city! Or at least, a tiny slice of it. I hope this proves helpful and not incredibly overwhelming. 

Did you enjoy or use this guide? Consider a donation to my Ko-Fi or via my Paypal! 

[arplis]

Arplis - News: 38 Fun Things to Do in Tucson, Arizona

With incredible outdoor adventures, some of the best Mexican food in the U.S. (yes, seriously!), and a vibrant nightlife, Tucson may just be the perfect weekend getaway. Oh, and did we mention Tucson has wonderfully warm temperatures in the wintertime?! (Fellow Midwesterners, take note!)

The population of Tucson is just over half a million people, making it feel like a relatively small city. But dont be fooled there are an incredible amount of things to do in Tucson!

While there are many things to do in the city itself, the real draw of Tucson is what lies beyond. The Sonoran Desert which surrounds Tucson, is one of the only places in the world to see the iconic saguaro cactus, after all.

Were walking you through the very best things to do in Tucson, Arizona from epic outdoor adventures to foodie experiences to nightlife for all ages.

Our Experience in Tucson

Im going to be honest: Until recently, Tucson wasnt on my radar at all. Instead, I pictured the Grand Canyon and cities like Phoenix, Sedona and Scottsdale when I thought of Arizona.

So when my parents booked a 2-week Airbnb rental in Tucson to escape Minnesotas frigid winter clutches, I asked them, What is there to do in Tucson?

The timing was uncanny, because a week after my parents booked their trip, we were contacted by Visit Tucson (the tourism board) to work on a campaign with them. And all of a sudden, a city I hadnt ever thought much about took center stage in my mind.

When we started planning our trip to Tucson, I truly started to realize why my parents had booked 2 weeks there. As it turns out, theres a lot to do in this southwestern city!

This info-packed guide is full of top tips, where to stay, what foods to try , and everything else you need to know about planning an incredible trip to Tucson.

Contents:

Things to do in Tucson:

Outdoor Activities in Tucson

Food & Nightlife in Tucson

Art, Culture & History in Tucson

Planning your trip to Tucson:

Best Tucson Weekend Itinerary

Best time to visit Tucson

Where to stay in Tucson

How to Get Around Tucson

What to pack for Tucson

Tucson Map

Disclosure: This trip and article was sponsored by Visit Tucson. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and completely our own. Additionally, this article contains affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more information.

Outdoor Adventures in Tucson

If you like getting outside, youll find your bliss in Tucson because there are so many outdoor adventures to be had in the area surrounding this city.

1. Go horseback riding in the desert

I am going to embarrass Ben for a minute while I tell you something about him few people know: Hes afraid of horses.

Hes looking over my shoulder as I type this and saying, Im not afraid, I just think theyre smart and strong, and we should respect them.

Yeah, okay whatever, Ben.

But to his credit, he agreed to go horseback riding on our trip to Tucson. (Ive been asking him for the last couple of years, and he finally gave in.)

And you know what? When I asked Ben what his highlight was from our trip to Tucson, the first thing out of his mouth was, horseback riding!. So even if youre not an experienced rider, Bens reaction should give you some encouragement.

It was hands down one of my favorite experiences in Tucson too! We were able to see places we never would have without being saddled up on John Wayne and Mac (names of our horses).

Bobbi, the owner of Houstons Horseback Riding, led our group along the trail. We crossed rivers, ducked beneath low-hanging trees, and trotted past giant saguaro cacti with mountains looming in the distance. The landscape changed throughout the 2-hour journey, and the pace was slow and steady (great for those of us who arent experienced riders).

The views we got right up next to the saguaros on top of the horses was completely different than the perspective wed get walking on the trail with our own two feet. It was surreal.

And after chatting with Bobbi, its clear how much passion she has for this work. She has been working with horses for nearly her entire life and has passed on her admiration for these beautiful creatures to her children who help run the show as well. I mean, with about 30 horses to care for, the more hands the better.

So not only will you have an amazing experience with the horses, but youre supporting a family run business. Win-win!

Hours: Trail rides start at 9 a.m and 2:30 p.m.

Cost: $85 for a 2 hour walking ride

Book Your Horseback Ride Here!

Are you an experienced rider? If youre no stranger to horseback riding, you can book a private ride where your guide will adjust the speed to suit your experience level.

2. Visit Saguaro National Park

Saguaro are the huge cacti that adorn the Arizona license plate and serve as an icon of Southwest USA. And there is a National Park just 30 minutes from downtown Tucson that is dedicated to their existence.

Before we delve into the best things to do in Saguaro National Park, lets start with the basics pronunciation.

Say it with me: suh-waa-row

Now you wont embarrass yourselves like we did. (Youre welcome!)

And because I am fascinated by these cacti, Im gonna entertain you with some fun facts about the saguaro:

They can live to be 150 years old (some even are said to be 200 years old!).

They can grow up to 40-60 feet tall (12-18 meters).

They dont start growing arms until theyre around 70 years old.

They only grow in parts of the Sonoran Desert (a small area in Mexico, southern Arizona, and occasionally southeastern California.

They are expensive! Thats right, some people like to incorporate them into their landscaping, and the large ones can cost upwards of $10,000. The more arms it has, the more money it costs.

One foot of a saguaro weighs around 100 pounds!

We have a love affair with National Parks. Anyone else?! So it should come as no surprise that the first thing we plotted on our Tucson itinerary was a visit to Saguaro National Park.

And guess what?! It was our 20th US National Park! *cue champagne toast*

Saguaro is divided into two sections: one to the east and one to the west. In the middle lies the city of Tucson. Each side is a bit different. The west side of the park is more densely covered with saguaro, while the east side has more hiking trails and is more mountainous.

Try to see both sides if possible, but if youre short on time, visiting the west side of the park will be the best way to maximize your visit.

Best things to do in Saguaro National Park (with limited time):

West Side Saguaro National Park:

Drive around the 6-mile scenic Bajada Loop, and stop along the way at the spots listed below (plus any others that pique your interest):

Hugh Norris Trailhead: Hike up the trail for about 5-7 minutes and look west. Youll see tons of saguaro cacti and this spot would be wonderful for sunset.

Valley View Overlook Trail: 0.8-mile one-way (out and back) easy trail that is relatively flat. There are signs along the way pointing out the different types of plants and the final destination is a viewpoint over the vast valley below that is full of cacti.

Signal Hill Picnic Area: This short 0.3-mile hike up signal hill leads you to dozens of 800-year old petroglyphs that were created by the ancient Hohokam people.

East Side Saguaro National Park:

Drive along the Cactus Forest Drive Loop. It is an 8-mile self-drive loop that takes you to some of the major attractions in the east side of Saguaro National Park:

Mica View Trail: This relatively flat 2-mile return hike starts at a nice picnic area, goes through the cactus forest to East Broadway Blvd and back. You can also start the hike from E Broadway Blvd too.

Desert Ecology Trail: Paved 0.3-mile loop with signs to tell you more about desert plants. Great walk for kids.

Cactus Forest Trail: Splits the East Saguaro National Park from North to South. 5-mile return, mostly flat, but youll be surrounded with saguaro cacti the entire time.

Freeman Homestead Trail: Short 1-mile loop trail easy to do with kids. Youll walk by some of the biggest and oldest saguaros in the park.

Have more time in Saguaro National Park?

Douglas Spring Trailhead (East Side): This is a 16-mile out and back trail that is pretty flat for the first half and then switchbacks up the mountain until the top. About a quarter of the way on the trail, head to the left for 0.4 miles to see the Bridal Wreath Falls (dont expect a massive falls, but refreshing to see in the desert).

King Canyon Trail (West Side): The trailhead starts opposite of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, this 7.1-mile moderate trail winds its way up to Wasson Peak. Many reports say its tough on the way up and you should start early, but youll be rewarded with an amazing view of the saguaro cacti filled desert.

Hours: Visitor Centers are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but the park is open to vehicles from sunrise to sunset.

Cost: weekly pass to Saguaro National Park is $25 per vehicle.

Insider tip: If you dont already have an America the Beautiful Pass, you might want to consider getting one before your trip to Tucson. It will not only cover your entrance to the National Park, but also to Sabino Canyon. Weve put together a guide thatll help you decide if the US National Park Pass is worth it for you.

3. Mountain Biking around Tucson

There are few things better than being outside, getting your heart pumping, and trying something totally new. And thats exactly what we did on our last morning in Tucson. We woke up before the sun, grabbed a breakfast burrito for fuel, and headed to a trailhead.

Tucson has some of the best places in Arizona if not the best for mountain biking. And whether youre a newbie to the sport (like us!) or a seasoned mountain biker, there are trails suited to all levels.

Important info about biking in Tucson:Here's the thing we wish we would have known before going mountain biking in Tucson... Some of the trails around the city are unsanctioned, meaningyou cannot legally ride on them without getting a permit. And the even sketchier thing is some mountain bike rental companies encourage riders to use these trails without first obtaining anArizonaState Trust Landpermit.

Even after quite a bit of sleuthing, we still can't figure out how a visitor to Tucson could actually purchase one of these permits (as the site to purchase them is broken). Moral of the story: When picking the trails you'll ride, be extra careful to choose only those that are sanctioned. Otherwise, you can be fined (and you're breaking the law).

Luckily, there are some reputable biking companies that follow the rules and encourage safe riding on trails that are open for the public to enjoy.

Our recommendation:Home Grown Mountain Bikingis a trusted company that offers rentals, shuttle services, and guided rides so you have an expert with you on the trails.Cost: Mountain bike rentals start at $120 per day. You'll find other package options as well as multi-day discounts.

Some popular mountain bike trails in Tucson (that don't require a permit):

Mount Lemmon:Lots of rugged terrain and temperatures that are significantly cooler than you'll find closer to the city, which makes for comfortable biking even in hotter months.

Catalina State Park, Oro Valley:Lots of beautiful trails, like the intermediate track "50 Year". Note: to enter Catalina State Park, you will need to pay $7 per vehicle.

Tucson Mountain Park:Here you'll find 50 miles of trails that are primarily beginner and intermediate levels.

Insider Tip:Download theTrailForks app to get a detailed look at the trail you plan to ride.

4. Explore Colossal Cave

Stalactites, stalagmites, and bat poo, oh my!

Ive had a fascination with caves since I was a child, so weve visited all different types of caves on our travels around the world. When we heard there was a cave in Tucson, we didnt need much convincing to squeeze a visit into our itinerary.

Located a short 15-minute drive southeast of Tucson, the Colossal Cave has a pretty interesting history. It was once used as a temporary shelter for the Hohokam people (the regions first inhabitants) as early as 900 AD. And later, this cave served as a hiding place for 19th-century outlaws who didnt want to be found.

To enter the Colossal Cave, you must book a guided tour. There are a handful of options to choose from:

Classic Cave Tour: Good introduction to the cave and suitable for all ages.

Length: 50-minute tour

Cost: Adults: $18, Children (5-12 yrs): $9, 4 and under: free

When: 8 tours a day, depart hourly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tip: Reservations are encouraged

Ladder Tour: Navigate narrow passageways, climb ladders, and cross rickety bridges in seldom-seen parts of the cave system.

Length: 1.5-hour tour

Cost: $35 per person

When: 2 tours a day 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Tip: Reservations required

Wild Cave Tour: The most adventurous of tours offered, guides will take you to the most remote parts of the cave system. Participants must be fit and ready for a rugged good time! Described as absolutely down-and-dirty caving!

Length: 3.5-hour tour

Cost: $85 (reservations required)

Restrictions: 16 years old and older

When: 1 tour a day at 1 p.m.

Tip: There is an Intermediate option as well as Advanced ($125).

Our Opinion: Due to our limited time, the Classic Cave Tour was the one that best fit into our schedule. While it was a good introduction, it wasnt anything too different from what weve seen in other cave systems. We wished we had booked the Ladder or Wild Tour, as it would have been a bit more up our alley in terms of adventure!

Learn more about each tour and make your bookings here.

5. Sunset in the desert

Look up to the skies at dusk and youre in for an incredible show put on by Mother Nature. Seriously though, Tucson is known for having some epic sunsets, so plan to be somewhere special for at least one of the evenings during your trip.

Theres nothing like seeing the cacti start to glow as the sky takes on a pinkish hue.

Some top spots around Tucson for sunset:

Gates Pass

Saguaro National Park

A Mountain

JW Marriot

Tucson Mountain Park

Mount Lemmon scenic drive

6. Get a view over Tucson from A Hill (aka Sentinel Peak Park)

Look to the horizon and you shouldnt have a problem spotting A Hill, which, as the name implies, is adorned with a giant letter A made of rocks. This tribute to the University of Arizona is not only a town icon, but it marks one of the best spots to get a view over the city.

As long as the sky is clear, any time of day will grant you a sweeping view. Get an early morning start here and view the city beneath blue skies.

Or come for that golden hour glow and stay after the sun goes down to see the city lights begin to sparkle. Just know that after the sun sets, this is clearly a makeout spot, which is slightly awkward...

Alternative: Are you looking to get a workout in instead of taking the easy way and driving to the top? Pat yourself on the back, and then head to Tumamoc Hill. The trailhead is just a few minutes drive past the starting point of Sentinel Peak. This short but steep climb is a 3-mile round trip with a 700-foot elevation gain.

7. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

I hate to admit it, but unless it is truly something special like the Met in NYC or the Uffizi in Florence I dont always prioritize fitting museums into our travel plans. Honestly, Id rather be outside or eating which I suppose could be my life motto.

However, once we saw reviews for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, we decided to squeeze it into our itinerary. I mean, its the top-rated Tucson attraction on TripAdvisor (earning 5 stars with more than 8,000 reviews!), so surely it has to be worthwhile, right?

Honestly, after checking it out, I would say it depends. I know thats annoying to hear when trying to plan your itinerary, but keep reading to see if it is an experience thatll float your boat.

First things first, dont think of this as a typical museum... It's more of a zoo blended with a botanical garden and a dash of museum thrown in there for fun.

Youll find a huge variety of exhibits and lots of information around the park. To really explore everything thoroughly, youll need at least 2 hours.

Here are some of the main exhibits:

Aquarium

Raptor Flights

Hummingbird Aviary

Cave & Earth Sciences Center (the cave is artificial but pretty convincing)

Botanical Garden

Indoor Play Area for kids

One major perk to visiting the museum is your entrance fee will help contribute to their ongoing conservation and research efforts. One of their primary missions is to understand, connect people to and protect the natural systems of the Sonoran Desert Region.

Considering that the Sonoran Desert region is home to one of the greatest varieties of plants and animals out of any desert in the world, you can see it is pretty important work.

Interested in hearing more? Check out their website to see their current conservation and research projects.

Our thoughts on the Desert Museum:

Our favorite parts were the cave and gemstone exhibits. We are big rock nerds, so this part was especially cool. Theres even a little piece of rock from the moon on display which Ben geeked out about!

We think this would be a fun activity with kids (though we arent experts on the whole subject of children just yet!).

Honestly, zoos usually arent our thing (but thats a topic for another time). So we werent all that fond of the animal exhibits at this museum.

There is a small pool with stingrays where people can pay a small fee to touch them. We personally try to avoid any animal attraction that encourages touching.

Summary: Overall, this attraction is very well put together with accessible paths, frequent water fountains and toilets, lots of informational signs, and activities for children. You can learn a lot here and spend quite a bit of time exploring it all. However, if youre short on time, going into Saguaro National Park and Sabino Canyon are going to be even more worth your while.

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Adults - $21.95, Seniors (65+) - $19.95, Children (3-12) - $9.95, Children (under 3) - Free

8. Go hiking in Sabino Canyon

Sitting in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Sabino Canyon Recreation Center draws more than a million visitors annually. And for good reason: This place is absolutely stunning and packed with adventures for all types of travelers.

Encompassing two gorges: Sabino Canyon and Bear Canyon, you can choose to hike along paved or gravel paths, or you can save your legs some work and hop on a shuttle (for a fee).

Bear Canyon Shuttle: $6 adults, $4 ages 3-12; leaves every 30 minutes

Sabino Canyon Shuttle: $10 adults, $5 ages 3-12; leaves every 30 minutes

Seven Falls Hike

5 miles round trip

917 feet in elevation gain

If youre up for a challenging hike (thats well worth the effort), look no further than the Seven Falls Trail. You can hop on the Bear Canyon shuttle and get off at the last stop, which is at the trailhead. (Alternatively, you can skip the shuttle and hike the 2 miles to get to the trailhead.)

From here, its a 2.5-mile hike to the waterfalls that cascade over granite rocks to form pools that are perfect for taking a refreshing dip!

Important note: This trail requires some creek crossings, so be sure to check the conditions at the visitors center before attempting the hike. And be sure to carry plenty of water, as youll be hiking in some exposed areas and it can get very hot.

Cost: $8 per vehicle to enter Sabino Canyon

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Good to know: If you have a National Park Pass, youll get into Sabino Canyon for free!

Planning your itinerary: Wed recommend combining a visit to Sabino Canyon and a drive up to Mount Lemmon (described below) on the same day since they are in the same relative area. If you plan to visit the DeGrazia Gallery as well (#19), you can tack it on the same day since its not far from Sabino Canyon.

9. Scenic drive to Mount Lemmon

When we started planning our trip to Tucson, at least three different people told us, You absolutely have to make the drive up to Mount Lemmon.

And were so happy we listened because it was one of the highlights of our trip. We only wish we had allotted more time to it.

This 40-mile drive snakes back and forth as it winds up through the mountains. There are viewpoints, pullouts, trailheads and campgrounds very frequently along the drive, so there are plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs and scope out the views.

Youll notice a drastic drop in temperature as you make your way up the mountain, and depending on the time of year, you may even start to see snow (a crazy sight when youre coming from the desert!).

At the very top of Mount Lemmon, sits the tiny town of Summerhaven, which is basically a handful of vacation homes and a few small stores. Satisfy your sweet tooth by sampling fudge at the General Store and ordering a cookie at the Mount Lemmon Cookie Cabin, and continue to drive to the Marshall Gulch Picnic Area where you can enjoy your sweet treats with some real food you packed!

Insider Tip: One of our friends messaged us and told us to go to the Cookie Cabin, for huge and delicious cookies. Sadly, we got the text too late. So if you have the chance, go to this mountaintop log cabin and order a giant cookie for us, please!

Another fun thing to see is the (tiny) Mount Lemmon Ski Valley before you begin your drive down the mountain.

How long does it take? The drive is roughly 42 miles from downtown Tucson and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes from bottom to top without stopping. Wed allot at least 3.5 - 4 hours for the drive up and down the mountain with a few stops along the way.

10. Explore Catalina State Park

Catalina State Park | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Sitting at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, this state park is a haven for desert wildlife and is home to more than 5,000 saguaros.

Come to Catalina State Park put a few more miles on your hiking boots or to have a relaxing picnic surrounded by nature.

Hikes in Catalina State Park:

Romero Ruins Interpretive Trail: This short and easy loop is 0.6 miles and has just 68 feet in elevation gain, making it a good hike for most people. The trail brings you past some historic dwellings and archaeological sites that are marked with signs.

Romero Pools: This 4.9-mile out and back trail is rated as intermediate, and has a 1,047-foot elevation gain. Your efforts will be rewarded as the trail culminates at some beautiful pools.

Cost: $7 per vehicle

11. Drive through Tucson Mountain Park

Another park in Tucson? Yep, thats right!

You will pass through the Tucson Mountain Park on your drive to the west portion of Saguaro National Park. And actually the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson are both located within the parks boundaries.

There are no entry fees, and unless youre looking at your map, you might not even realize youre inside the park at all.

Insider Tip: Be sure to stop at the Gates Pass viewpoint for an epic look over the valley. It is especially beautiful during golden hour. There are a few nearby trailheads too, so youll have the chance to stretch your legs if needed.

12. Visit Kitts Observatory

Kitt's Observatory | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Are you as big of a space geek as Ben?! If so, a trip to Kitts Observatory might be right up your alley. You can visit during the day to learn about telescopes and all the work that goes on behind the scenes, or you can take a night time tour and see the stars. But be sure to check the weather before you book.

Also, if the weather is cold, be prepared with warmer clothes because it can get even colder up on the mountain. Bring a good pair of shoes too because there is quite a bit of walking in the tour.

13. Tour Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2 | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Could you live in a bubble for 2 years?! Thats what 8 scientists did back in 1991 when the Biosphere 2 was first introduced to the world. Their goal was to study how a mini-biosphere would work with as few outside variables as possible.

Today, you can visit Biosphere 2 and tour the different ecosystems which range from rainforest to the ocean to a model city. The guided tours take you through various stations and highlight the ongoing experiments happening in the Biosphere.

Inside Biosphere 2 | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Some tours are included with the General Admission fee, while other tours have an additional cost. Tours can take around 2 to 3 hours. Plus, getting to Biosphere 2 from the center of Tucson is roughly a 50-minute drive, so youll need to dedicate a good portion of a day to this excursion if you add it to your itinerary.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

Cost: Adults: $21, Kids $14

Check the Biosphere 2 website for more details on times and prices.

Fun Fact: If this is Biosphere 2, where is Biosphere 1? Well, youre living on it right now (aka Earth!). Mind blown!

Food & Nightlife in Tucson

Foodies are in for a treat because Tucson is packed with incredible dining options, especially when it comes to Mexican cuisine. And night owls will have a long list of things to do at night, from sampling the best local craft beer to enjoying live music on the town.

14. Eat ALL the Mexican Food

One of the things we were most excited for on this trip was the food. Mexican food, to be precise. #allthetacos

Being that this city is just over 60 miles from the border of Mexico, it should come as no surprise that Tucson is known for having a killer Mexican food scene. In fact, Tucson is the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the United States!

Psst! If youre a foodie, youll love this intro to the Tucson culinary scene!

The worst part of the food in Tucson was that we couldnt eat it all. Well, that and the fact that our weekend in Tucson obliterated our meager attempt at doing the Whole30 in January. I mean, Im not going to go to a Mexican food Mecca and not eat as many tacos, tamales and guacamole as possible. Its against the laws of nature.

If youre still reading my food-crazed ramblings, youre probably wondering where you can find the best Mexican food in Tucson, and youre about to be rewarded, friend.

While you dont have to look far to find good Mexican food in Tucson, were sharing some top recommendations, from super authentic hole-in-the-wall spots to refined Mexican restaurants with an exceptional dining experience:

Los Tacos Apson: Tiny, unassuming shop with authentic fare and a generous salsa/topping bar. We ordered a handful of items but our favorites were the taco al pastor and taco hass (carne asada, queso, chili verde); and as we were leaving, a local recommended we try the taco rasuada (grilled ribs) next time! This is also a great spot to try a caramelo, Tucsons take on a quesadilla (cheese and lots of meat grilled between tortillas).

Bocas y Tequila: Popular spot, especially with the university crowd, it seems. The tacos were super tasty (albeit not very hot, but we were there at a super busy hour!). The elote (Mexican street corn) was also very good.

Cafe Poca Cosa: An upscale Mexican restaurant with a menu that changes daily.

Taco Fish: Come here for fresh ceviche and tacos de pescado (fish) or camarones (shrimp).

Penca: Contemporary Mexican fusion with a chic atmosphere.

Mi Nidito: Serving Tucson since 1952, this place is a local legend known for large portions, delicious food, and as a place Bill Clinton once ate.

Taqueria Pico De Gallo: Best known for its award-winning fish tacos, this is another local favorite for authentic (and cheap!) tacos.

Taqueria Porfis: While the menu is small, thats okay because what they do, they do well. And the item theyre most famous for is their potato taco, which is stuffed with carne seca, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and you guessed it potatoes!

Rollies Mexican Patio: Known for their rolled tacos, this cute and colorful cafe makes a great lunch stop.

El Charro Cafe: Set inside a century-old home, this restaurant serves up large home-cooked meals in a charming, yet casual atmosphere.

Fun Fact: This is the nations oldest Mexican restaurant run continuously by the same family.

Street Taco and Beer Co.: Good for late night bites, street tacos, and tequila cocktails.

Insider Tip: We read that if you want to find really authentic, no-frills Mexican food, head to the neighborhoods south of 22nd Street. And 12th Ave, which runs north to south, has a dense concentration of amazing Mexican restaurants.

These streets are part of whats known as the Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food (aka a 23-square-mile area in the city thats known as the best Mexican food north of the border).

15. Try a Sonoran Dog

Im not usually one to order hot dogs, but when we learned that Sonoran Dogs are a must try specialty from this region, we had to give it a go. For research purposes.

And lets just say Im pretty happy I made the sacrifice in the name of work. And while Sonoran Dogs arent something I would eat on a regular basis, they are pretty damn good.

So what exactly is a Sonoran Dog, you ask? This tasty blend of American and Mexican cuisine is comprised of bacon-wrapped hot dog, topped with pinto beans, chopped tomatoes, onions, mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeo salsa, all stuffed into a soft, sweet Mexican bun called a bolillo.

Rumor has it that there are two rival Sonora dog establishments in Tucson that both claim to serve the best:

BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs: Winner of a Sonoran Dog locally-judged blind taste test against El Guero Canelo, it is definitely worth a try. They also have a large menu of fantastic Mexican fare, some may say the best in Tucson.

El Gero Canelo: With 3 locations in Tucson, this is a Tucson must! We sampled the one on Oracle road, and it did not disappoint. The combo of sweet, spicy and savory is an explosion in your mouth. Youre gonna want more than one.

After a little research, we chose to try our first Sonoran Dog at El Gero Canelo. While we dont have anything to compare it to, it was pretty darn tasty! If you have the time (and room in your tummy!), try them both on your trip to Tucson to determine the winner!

16. Sample Vegan Mexican Fare

Most restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives are laden with grease, layers of cheese, deep-fried everything, and meat. Lots of meat.

But an exception to this is Tucsons beloved Tumerico, which was featured on this hit series in 2018. This local favorite serves up scratch-made Mexican dishes with a menu that changes daily.

While clearly very popular, the service was fast, the prices reasonable, and the food delicious.

Our recommendations: The menu is constantly changing so we cant give specific recommendations, but if there is a taco made with jackfruit, TRY IT. You will thank us! Also, the turmeric lemonade was seriously yummy.

Moral of the story: Even if you do eat meat, Tumerico is well worth a visit.

Good to know: Tumerico is closed on Mondays.

More vegetarian options in Tucson

While these are not Mexican restaurants, here are a few other good options for vegetarians/vegans visiting Tucson.

Charro Vida: While not fully veggie, this Mexican-Mediterranean fusion restaurant (located close to Tohono Chul #35) donates proceeds to local school gardens throughout the region in partnership with the University of Arizona. Just looking at their menu makes my mouth water...

The Tasteful Kitchen: A somewhat upscale restaurant that specializes in vegan, gluten-free and raw cuisine. And while youre there, be sure to check out the mural depicting Mother Earth on the side of their building.

Urban Fresh: Casual cafe with plant-based wraps, salads and soups.

Zinmans Food Shop: carry-out spot with a patio, serving an eclectic assortment of dishes with influences from around the world.

17. Grab a cup of Tucsons best coffee

My name is Katie, and Im a coffee addict. If you are too, youll definitely want to start your day at Exo. Praised as the best coffee in Tucson, Exo does it all, and they do it well.

If you want to switch up your order and get something a little more unique than your everyday latte, order a chiltepin cold brew, which is made with spicy peppers!

And if your tummys a grumblin pick up one of their super tasty breakfast sandwiches, breakky bowls, or to keep the Mexican food theme going, try their breakfast tacos!

18. Visit a Farmers Market

When you combine locally grown produce, artisans selling their creations, and food vendors all in one place, youve got yourself some farmers market bliss.

With a handful of farmers markets around the Tucson area, youll likely be able to squeeze one during your trip.

Here are 3 farmers markets that are closest to town, and are easy to work into your sightseeing schedule:

Rillito Park: Makes a good stop if youre headed up to Catalina State Park, Tohono Chul, or over to Sabino Canyon.

Oro Valley: Stop here on your way to Catalina State Park.

Rincon Valley: Make a stop here on your drive down to Colossal Cave.

We visited the market in Rincon Valley on our way to the Colossal Cave, and while not huge, it was a nice stop to browse some local artists work and nibble on kettle corn!

Hours: All the markets listed above have the same hours.

Winter Hours (Oct. - Mar.): Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Summer Hours (Apr. - Sept.): Saturdays, 8 a.m -12 p.m.

These farmers markets are all put together by an organization called Heirloom Farmers Markets, and you can find more info here.

19. Go on a Food Tour

Im someone who gets serious FOMO when it comes to food.

When visiting a city thats known for its food scene, I feel like I should try everything, which is not exactly an ideal habit for my waistline or my wallet.

If you can relate (yay, Im not alone!), youll want to keep reading because I recently found the cure: Food Tours!

Food tours are a way for you to try a little of each (my favorite!). Plus, your guide usually brings you to local spots you wouldn't find on your own, and gives you insight to the citys history, culture and culinary scene.

So if youre interested in food especially Mexican food (Tucsons pride and joy!), you might want to consider adding a food tour into your itinerary.

There are two companies that run highly-rated food tours in Tucson:

Tucson Food Tours

Taste of Tucson

Weve taken food tours all around the world, and wish we had time to take one on our trip to Tucson. Guess weve gotta save something for our next trip, right?!

20. Hang out in Mercado San Agustin

This square just west of downtown has a collection of high-end boutiques, produce vendors, artisans and eateries surrounding a pretty courtyard. We were there on a rainy day (a rare occurrence in Tucson!), but with nice weather, this would be a prime spot to wander and grab a bite.

Insider Tip: We were told that Seis Kitchen is amazing, and La Estrella Bakery also looks really good. Try them out and let us know what you think!

21. Eat a flight of Ice Cream

Can I confess something? I have an ice cream problem.

Someone once told me, No matter how full you are, theres always room for ice cream because it can fit in all the cracks! And I think Ive taken those words a little too seriously over the years.

This is coming from someone who almost missed the last train of the day in a tiny Italian village because I *needed* to get gelato. And someone who has (successfully) completed more than one ice cream eating challenge.

So lets just say you should consider me something of an expert on the topic of ice cream.

When I heard about the ice cream flights (yes flights!) at The Screamery, I told Ben we had to make it part of our itinerary.

And when I found out it was right across the street from our hotel as well as another highly rated ice cream shop (Hub), I told him we better go to both. Ya know, in order to research as many flavors as possible.

The Screamery: Tons of unique flavors to choose from, reasonable prices, and the option to have a flight!

Flavors we loved: Sweet Cream Honeycomb and Rough at Sea

Hub: A little more expensive, less choices, and no ice cream flight option (dang it!). But still seriously good ice cream.

Flavors we loved: Queen Bee and Mexican Hot Chocolate

Overall, theyre both really good choices. I think the ice cream was pretty similar in quality, so choose the one that has flavors youre more excited about.

22. Sample the best Craft Beer in Tucson

While not exactly the level of craft beer scene youll find in Portland, Tucson has a decent amount of breweries in town.

If youre a purveyor of craft brews (were right there with ya!), here are a few breweries youll want to check out:

Dragoon Brewing Company: Open warehouse-style brewery with a great selection of all kinds of brews. We sampled a flight here, and it was our favorite beer of the breweries we visited in Tucson, but a bit outside the center of town.

Barrio Brewing Co.: Rustic-chic brewery close to downtown with happy hour specials.

Public Brewhouse: Tucked in a dark alleyway, they brew a mean Belgian Dubbel. Worth a stop if youre exploring 4th Ave. Seems to be a pretty new spot, and popular with locals.

Pueblo Vida: Small, hip spot downtown with lots of unique fruit-forward IPAs and complex malty dark pours.

Gentle Bens Brewing: We wanted to visit this brewery just because of the name! Well, that, and it looks like they have some good brews!

Crooked Tooth Brewing Co.: Highly rated brews with a typical brick wall interior. Flights come on a skateboard!

Borderlands Brewing Company: German Chocolate Cake Porter, need I say more Okay I will: female head brewmaster, daily food trucks, & massive murals on the wall.

Iron Johns Brewing Company: Fantastic micro-brewery with crazy concoctions in the heart of downtown.

23. Soak up some speakeasy vibes

Weve been on a speakeasy kick lately. And Ive gotta say, Tucson has a few great options if youre looking for handcrafted cocktails, and a mysterious, 1920s-esque atmosphere.

The Independent Distillery: Pre-prohibition style bar serving their own spirits and enticing cocktails.

Surly Wench Pub: Good for a couple of drinks in what they call an industrial goth bar. The vibe we got was new-age biker bar but apparently the burgers are good.

Club Congress: Throw on your shiniest flapper dress and striped suit and step back in time to this historic bar. Not only do they host the best 1920s themed parties, they have a jammed-pack event calendar including rock bands, cabarets, free yoga and stand-up comics.

Tough Luck Club: In the basement of Reilly Craft Pizza (an old funeral home!), youll find this cozy cocktail bar. Oh, and outside is a beer garden if you prefer a more casual vibe.

24. Tequila toast at JW Marriott

When in the Arizona desert it only seems right to have some tequila! And do you know what the best kind of tequila is?

FREE tequila!

Now that Ive got your attention, lets talk about how to get that free tequila, shall we?

The JW Marriott is in a stunning location that gives new meaning to the term desert oasis. But even if you dont have the budget to splurge on a $250-per-night room, you can enjoy unrivaled views and a free tequila toast at sundown.

Simply show up to Salud, the Marriotts on-site bar and restaurant, to take part in their nightly tradition of raising a (complementary) shot of tequila and share the legend behind the classic Mexican cheers, arriba, abajo, al central, en dentro.

And of course as soon as the story is over, everyone gathered there is invited to raise their glasses and make a toast as the sun sets. Tequila is passed around at 5:30 p.m., so be sure to arrive a bit earlier to get a seat by a firepit and enjoy the view.

And if you feel so inclined, try one of their specialty handcrafted cocktails or order your liquor straight up from their selection of more than 150 tequilas. Who knew there were so many tequilas?!

25. Mezcal Tasting

Tequila gets a lot of hype in the US; but in Mexico, people are all about the mezcal!

We learned a lot about mezcal during our travels in Oaxaca, and have been really interested in tequilas smokier cousin ever since.

Whether youre a mezcal connoisseur or youve never heard of the stuff until now, doing a mezcal tasting is a great way to learn more about Mexicos favorite spirit.

While theyre best known for coffee, each Thursday starting at 7 p.m., Exo Coffee hosts an hour-long mezcal tasting at their onsite bar.

While sipping on samples of several high quality mezcal (they have a collection of more than 150 mezcals!), proprietor Doug Smith walks guests through everything youve ever wanted to know about this liquor. This informational tasting costs $20 and reservations are not necessary.

And if Thursday doesnt work for you, tastings are also offered Wednesdays and Sundays between 6 - 9 p.m. for $25. For these tastings, you must make a reservation in advance.

If youre not interested in a full tasting, you can always come during their bar hours to enjoy beer, wine, or mezcal cocktails. They have a great happy hour from 6 - 8 p.m., where cocktails are just $5, and beer and wine are $1 off.

26. Get your giggle on at a comedy show

Weve realized that comedy clubs almost always guarantee a night of fun! Plus, its a great way to spend an evening in a new city, and most big(ish) towns around the world have at least one comedy club.

Tucson is no exception. There are a handful of comedy clubs, but it seems that Laffs gets the biggest national names in stand-up, so we decided it would be a good way to spend our Friday night.

We gave the address of Laffs to our Uber drive and had no idea what to expect, but when we pulled up to a strip mall on the outskirts of suburbia, we were a little surprised.

And when we walked inside, we soon realized this no-frills club was not going to win us over on atmosphere. So we crossed our fingers that at least the show would be good

Lets just say that we were clutching our stomachs from laughing so hard for the next 90 minutes!

Weve been to enough comedy shows to know its not as much about the atmosphere as it is about the people on stage. The comics themselves are what are going to make the experience belly-hurts-from-laughing-so-hard good or just alright.

Theres always the off-chance that youll hate the comedians style of humor (which has happened to us in a comedy club with a top-notch atmosphere!).

We were at Laffs on a night with great talent, and hopefully youll catch a great line-up as well! Our advice is to read up on the comedian who is performing to see if youll like their style, or just show up with an open mind and ready for a laugh!

And dont worry, you wont go hungry or thirsty. There is a long list of cocktails with quirky names, a small selection of beer, and a menu of pub food and snacks.

Laffs has a handful of shows each week:

Thursdays: 8 p.m. Open Mic, free show!

Friday: 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.

Saturday: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.

Cost:

General Seating: $12.50

Preferred Seating: $17.50

You can pay in advance, or you can make a reservation but pay at the door.

Check out their schedule to see upcoming shows.

Psst! If youre into improv or are looking for a family-friendly comedy show, Unscrewed Theater might be more your scene.

27. Spend the evening at a Film Bar

Check Casa Film Bar's Facebook Page for New Showings

Looking for something fun and lowkey to do at night in Tucson? Oh, we have got just the idea for you!

Combine craft beer, food trucks and movies (three of our favorite things!), and youre in for a great time. Youll find this magical combo at Casa Film Bar, which is something of a local secret.

Essentially a bar inside a video rental store, come on a weekend night and youll be able to enjoy a movie showing with a craft brew (or wine or coffee).

They play films ranging from 90s classics, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to little-known indie films, to brand new Oscar nominees (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was playing while we were there, just 6 months after being released in theaters).

Casa Film Bar Schedule:

Films & rotating food trucks: Thursday, Fridays & Saturdays (check their Facebook page for showtimes and to see which food truck will be there).

Smartphone Trivia: Tuesdays from 7 - 9 p.m. (free to play & winners get prizes)

Food Truck only: Sundays 6 - 8 p.m., Pop's Hot Chicken is the Sunday evening staple

Not only will you be supporting one of the few standing video rental stores left, but youll be able to check out a local hot spot and have an all around good evening!

28. Live Music in Tucson

While Tucson certainly wont make the cut for top live music cities in the US, that doesnt mean you should give up hope on catching a performance. In fact, as we wandered around downtown and along 4th Ave, we heard more bands performing than we could count!

From hipster bars to honky tonks, and century-old theaters to swanky resort patios, youll have plenty of choices when it comes to choosing a spot to catch some tunes.

Here are some of the venues in Tucson that regularly host live music:

Thunder Canyon Brewery: Large brewery downtown that hosts live music.

La Cocina: This restaurant has a large menu and an even bigger patio, complete with cafe lights and live music on the weekends.

Club Congress: Its hard to beat the atmosphere youll find in Club Congress, though most acts that come through here require you buy a ticket in advance.

Ches Lounge: Yummy cocktails and beer with an outdoor patio and stage for music.

Exo Coffee: Not just a coffee shop, Exo also has a mezcal bar and hosts live music most weekend nights!

Hacienda Del Sols Terraza: If you prefer your live music with a side of class and a bottle of fine wine, the patio at Hacienda del Sol is a good place to catch some jazz or classical tunes as the sun sets.

29. Nightlife on 4th Ave

Being that this street sits directly between the university campus and downtown, it draws a young student crowd as well as a mix of young professionals and tourists. And lemme tell ya: It comes alive at night!

You can find all sorts of quirky bars, restaurants of all kinds, cafes with poetry readings, and shops selling everything from cowboy boots to hippy garb.

Walk down 4th Ave and pop into any establishment that strikes your fancy.

30. Brunch in Tucson

Need a pick-me-up after a big night out on 4th Ave? Lucky for you, Tucson has some amazing brunch options thatll get you feeling like yourself in no time!

Insider Tip: If youre looking for a kickass Bloody Mary to start your day, Elliotts on Congress is where youll want to go. Their infused vodkas make a great base for the drink, and if you like spicy, order the Habanero Bloody for a real wake up call!

And even if youre not hungover, who doesnt love a good brunch?

Seasonal fruit, eggs, flaky pastries fresh outta the oven, housemade jam youre speaking my language! Oh, and we cant forget about the mimosas and bloody Marys.

Tucson has a healthy variety of brunch spots that are sure to strike your fancy:

Prep and Pastry

Cup Cafe

Baja Cafe

Five Points Market

Cafe a La CArt

Art, Culture & History in Tucson

For lovers of all things art, history and culture, theres no shortage of ways to fill up your time in Tucson. Were sharing some of the top things to do if you want to delve into this citys history and art scene.

31. Hunt for Street Art!

Tucsons street art scene is off the hook!

Ermmm do people even say off the hook anymore? Im going to assume no, but still, you know what I mean.

Youll notice colorful murals covering the sides of buildings all over town. Depictions range from desert scenes, to whales and fish, to cultural references, to random but pretty paintings of birds

You really wont have to make much of an effort to spot murals around town, but if you want some direction, here are some of our personal favorite murals in Tucson (and their location pins):

Whale mural by Joe Pagac

Goddess of Agave

Greetings from Tucson Postcard

Girl in Barrio Viejo (Across the street from El Tiradito)

Girl by Charro del Rey

32. Visit Mission San Xavier del Bac

One of Tucsons most iconic buildings, the Mission San Xavier del Bac is a not only a historic landmark, but it also still operates as a church to this day. If you happen to visit on a Sunday, you might just see a church service taking place.

This building is a beautiful example of 18th-century architecture, and has been nicknamed the White Dove of the Desert. As you wander around the mission and church property, youll notice influences of Renaissance, Byzantine and Mexican architecture styles.

If youre interested in hearing about the churchs history, consider taking a guided tour. They are free to join and dont require making a reservation. Simply show up at the museum entrance to join in this 45-minute tour. Tours run quite frequently, but timing depends on the season. Check here for tour hours.

Feeling hungry? If you happen to be visiting Mission San Xavier del Bac on a weekend, keep your eyes peeled for food vendors from the Tohono Oodham Nation who often sell frybread tacos in the open-air market space just across from the mission.

Frybread is pretty much just what it sounds like, a dough (sort of similar in appearance to naan) that has been deep fried to golden deliciousness. This traditional Native American staple is then topped with different ingredients, either sweet or savory.

Weve tried frybread tacos once before, and theyre really tasty. Theyre not all that easy to find in most places, so do yourself a favor and try one while youre at the mission!

Mission San Xavier del Bac Hours:

Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Free, donations welcome

Insider Tip: If you arrive in Tucson at a reasonable hour and arent too tired, wed recommend heading straight to Mission San Xavier from the airport, as its quite close (and a bit out of the way to come from downtown Tucson). Alternatively, you could stop for a quick visit before heading to the airport on your way out of Tucson.

33. Visit the historic Hotel Congress

It might seem strange that we have a hotel on our list of things to do, but hear us out...

Nestled right in the center of downtown, Hotel Congress is the stuff of local legends. Built just after the turn of the 20th century, it was here that John Dillinger, an infamous American gangster during the Great Depression era, was arrested and brought to jail.

Although he later escaped, Tucsonians take great pride in the fact that Dillinger, a prolific bank robber, was caught in their city. They are so proud, in fact, that there is an annual celebration and recreation of these events which takes place each year in mid-January (we were actually there for it!).

Hotel Congress still retains its quirky, colorful, historic charm. And walking into the lobby feels as if youve stepped back in time. Grab a drink at one of the many onsite bars, or catch a concert at Club Congress. And if you want to spend the night, the historic rooms are cozy, however, there is a caveat...

Our honest opinion: We stayed at Hotel Congress during our trip to Tucson, and while we would definitely recommend stopping in for a drink and checking it out, we would not advise staying here unless youre in Tucson to party.

They dont try to hide the fact that this hotel gets loud like really loud at night. There are even ear plugs in each room. Lets just say we did not sleep very well during our entire 3 nights in Tucson.

Interesting Fact: It is said that Hotel Congress is haunted! While were not ones to really believe these things, we did have a very weird experience where our closet door swung open suddenly. And at night, the 2nd floor where we were staying smelled like smoke from a fire. Spooky...

34.DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun

If youre an art buff, the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun makes an interesting stop. This is a gallery dedicated to the works of one man: Ettore Ted DeGrazia.

Dont worry, I hadnt heard of him either; but DeGrazia is pretty well-known in Arizona.

So who is Ettore DeGrazia? Well, heres the short version:

DeGrazia was born into a family of Italian immigrants who lived in a mining camp in rural Arizona. Ettore later enrolled at the University of Arizona, and created a life around his passion: art.

In adulthood, he married (twice) and bought a 10-acre plot of land in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains which would become both his home and gallery.

His works were underappreciated for many years until his oil painting Los Nios was selected by UNICEF to be printed on a 1960 holiday card, which sold millions worldwide. DeGrazias fame spread during the next decade, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to his gallery each year.

Visiting the Gallery in the Sun

A visit to the Gallery in the Sun will leave you in awe at the sheer amount of artwork DeGrazia created in his lifetime. The museum has a rotating collection of more than 15,000 DeGrazia originals! Anyone else wondering how he had enough hours in the day to make all of this?!

DeGrazia liked using all different mediums. Youll see oils, watercolors, sketches and even pottery on display. And another impressive fact is that the gallery was designed by DeGrazia himself.

When you visit the Gallery in the Sun, not only will you see DeGrazias artwork, but youll also be able to walk through his home and his private chapel, both of which are on the property.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily

Cost: $8 for adults, $5 for ages 12-18, children under 12 are free

35. Wander the gardens at Tohono Chul

Hailed as one of the countrys best botanical gardens by Travel + Leisure, Tohono Chul is popular with locals and visitors alike. Covering nearly 50 acres, this is said to be a place where nature, art, and culture connect.

But were not gonna gloss over the fact that when we visited in mid-January, there wasnt all that much to see due to the transition of seasons.

Wed imagine during other times of the year, there are more things to see. Weve heard March is particularly beautiful with the desert flowers starting to bloom. They also host occasional live music and other events throughout the year.

Our Opinion: Before planning your visit, wed do some research to see if it will be worthwhile during the season in which youre visiting. Perhaps between the months of March and May there would be more to see, as the desert flowers are in bloom during this time.

Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 .p.m.

Cost: Adults - $15, Children (5-12) - $6, Children under 5 - Free, Seniors (62+) - $13

36. Explore Barrio Viejo

Translating to old neighborhood, Barrio Viejo is just that: a section of Tucson that still has old charm. Sometimes called the real "soul" of Tucson, you can drive around and see colorful Spanish Colonial architecture and find authentic Mexican restaurants.

While some parts of the neighborhood are lively, there are other sections that have a run-down feeling.

We drove around Barrio Viejo for a while trying to find some of the beautiful, colorful adobe houses we had seen pictures of.

So to point you in the right direction (and minimize your time spent driving around in circles like we did!), here are some points of interest in Barrio Viejo (Note: please be respectful in this neighborhood because people do live here):

Colorful houses on S Meyer Ave and W Kennedy St (and further south on Meyer Ave until 22nd St)

El Tiradito Shrine (described below)

El Minuto Cafe: Mexican restaurant next to El Tiradito

The Coronet: brunch and late night food

Five Points Market & Restaurant: cute and lively brunch spot

Cafe Desta: popular Ethiopian restaurant

37. Visit El Tiradito Shrine

If youre exploring the Barrio Viejo neighborhood, make a quick visit to the El Tiradito Shrine. Stopping here only requires a few minutes and to the naked eye its nothing too special.

It is scattered with candles, flowers, and images of saints. But this is no ordinary shrine, folks. And once you know the legend behind this shrine, its kind of an interesting place to see.

Nicknamed the wishing shrine, El Tiradito is the USs only Catholic shrine dedicated to a.... wait for it SINNER! Scandalous, I know. But thats not even the crazy part.

Heres the short version of the legend of Juan Oliveras, the man who is buried beneath El Tiradito Shrine: Juan, a young ranch-hand, is married to his bosss daughter, but soon becomes infatuated with his mother-in-law (yep, you read that right), and makes a move. The two carry on an affair, which is eventually busted by the husband/father-in-law/boss. Ouch!

He gets so angry that he kills Juan right there before escaping to Mexico, where he is later murdered. The wife allegedly kills herself, and after all this horrifying drama and death, the daughter (who, by the way, we should mention is pregnant with Juans child) hangs herself as well.

It is said that Juan is buried beneath El Tiradito, a shrine that people visit for all different reasons. Some come out of sheer curiosity about the legend and others see it on a things to do in Tucson list, like this one!

But there is another group of people who come to this spot: Those who empathize with Juan and have similar love triangles in their own lives. It is said that if you write your wish on a piece of paper and have good intentions, it will come true.

Just behind the shrine is a crumbling brick wall, and if you look closely, youll see scraps of paper stuffed in the holes between bricks, many of which are wishes from past visitors.

This shrine was almost demolished when the city was building a new highway, but people in the community fought to preserve it. Perhaps they want to protect history, or maybe some people are protecting their wishes!

38. Step back in time at Old Tucson

Old Tucson | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Walk through what looks like a scene straight out of a John Wayne film, and watch as actors from the Wild West perform demonstrations and stunts.

Old Tucson is an amusement park of sorts, complete with a town hall, a saloon and a haunted mine, like all good Western desert towns have.

We didnt have enough time to visit Old Tucson during our weekend trip, and to be honest, it didnt really seem like our type of place. However, if youre looking for things to do in Tucson with kids, this could be a fun activity for a family.

Be sure to look up the schedule of events to time your visit right.

Cost: Adults: $21.95, Children (4-11): $10.95, Children under 4: Free

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (times may change seasonally)

Best Tucson Weekend Itinerary

Are you overwhelmed with the massive list we just gave you?

Dont worry, were going to help you pare it down a bit. Below, weve listed some highlights you can choose from based on your travel style:

If you love the outdoors:

Visit Saguaro National Park

Hike to Seven Falls in Sabino Canyon

Drive up to Mount Lemmon and stop on the way for hikes and lookout points

Explore Romero Ruins in Catalina

If youre traveling with kids in Tucson:

Do the Classic Tour at Colossal Cave

Sonoran Desert Museum

Go horseback riding

Order an ice cream flight at The Screamery

Visit Old Tucson

If youre into food:

Eat a Sonoran Dog

Check out our list of top Mexican food and try as many as you can!

Have a leisurely brunch

Order an ice cream flight at The Screamery

Go on a Tucson food tour

Try a vegan Mexican meal at Tumerico

If youre an art & culture lover:

Check out the Degrazia Gallery in the Sun

Explore Barrio Viejo and visit El Tiradito Shrine

Visit Tohono Chul botanical gardens (if the time of year is right)

Spend an evening at Casa Film Bar

Visit the Tucson Museum of Art

If youre into nightlife:

Tequila toast at the JW Marriot at sunset

Go brewery hopping

Scope out some live music

Grab a drink at Hotel Congress

Head to 4th Ave after dark for a night on the town

Do a mezcal tasting

If youre on a budget:

Do the scenic drive to Mount Lemmon

Go on a scavenger hunt to find as much street art as you can!

Watch sunset at A Hill with a view over Tucson

Have a picnic lunch

If youre craving adventure:

Go mountain biking

Go horseback riding

Book the Ladder or Wild Cave Tour at Colossal Cave

Hike to Seven Falls in the Sabino Canyon

Best time to visit Tucson, Arizona

Tucson is a great destination year round, however it can get quite hot in the summertime (albeit a dry heat). June is the hottest month in Tucson, with average highs soaring to 103F (40C). Yikes!

For the most comfortable temperatures, plan your trip to Tucson between mid-September and mid-May.

Even during December (Tucsons coldest month), the average temperature hovers just above 50F (10C) and it rarely dips below freezing. This weather will feel downright balmy to anyone from the Midwest (peace out Polar Vortex!).

Being that Tucson is smack dab in the middle of the desert, there is little chance that rain will ruin your vacation (unless youre traveling during the monsoon season of July and August). We arrived in Tucson on a rare rainy day, but by the next morning, most of the puddles had evaporated and there wasnt a cloud to be seen!

Another thing to keep in mind about this desert city is that temperatures can drop drastically from midday to evening. Be sure to pack layers to keep warm during the nights.

When Do the Desert Flowers Bloom?

It depends on the plant, but the flowering season is from mid-February to mid-June, with the biggest blooms peaking from mid-March to late April. Each year is different depending on rainfall, freezing temperatures during the winter, and springtime weather during the growing season.

Where to Stay in Tucson

Most of the time when were visiting a city, we like staying downtown so we can walk places and be near all the major sights. But depending on your interests, Tucson is a place where wed actually say you dont need to stay in the city center. As you can see from reading our massive list of things to do, many of Tucson's major attractions are on the outskirts of the city.

Weve rounded up some recommended Tucson hotels and Airbnbs below, with a mix of locations in the city as well as some that are a literal desert oasis.

Hotels in Tucson, Arizona

JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort

In the foothills of Tucsons Mountain Park, sits the massive JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort. With easy access to Gates Pass and the Western Side of Saguaro National Park, this resort has a great location. It also has 3 golf courses, 4 restaurants (with a daily tequila toast!), and 3 outdoor pools, you can really enjoy your stay in Tucson.

Azure Gate B&B

Located in NE Tucson, this charming B&B is a quick drive to the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area or the East Side of Saguaro National Park. Included in each stay is daily ( breakfast, an onsite pool, and free parking.

Hotel McCoy - Art, Coffee, Beer, Wine

This modern hotel is perfect for a couple or a family who wants to stay a little bit outside of downtown. There are murals everywhere (check out the pictures!), an excellent staff, and a daily continental breakfast.

Hotel Congress

If youre looking to stay downtown, Hotel Congress has an unrivaled location. Add to that its historic charm, and you might be ready to book. However, we would be remiss if we didnt mention that this hotel is directly above a club, and it can get incredibly loud on weekend nights.

So loud, in fact, that the hotel provides guests with ear plugs. If that doesnt scare you away, then you might love staying at this historic property.

Airbnbs in Tucson

There are tons of amazing Airbnb options in Tucson. Overall, they are very reasonably priced, and some even have pools. Just take a look at some of the Airbnbs we hand-selected for you!

Insider Tip: Find out how we set our Airbnb filters to find the best properties anywhere in the world!

'Case Study' Guest House: Charming guest house and hosts. Youll have the entire place yourself with a full kitchen and a rain shower in the bathroom. Southeast of Downtown. Check Availability here.

Historic 4th Ave Herbie House: Beautiful studio apartment in the 4th Avenue Neighborhood. Close to bars, restaurants and the metro stops. Check Availability here.

Sonoran Desert Retreat: This inexpensive but lovely place is located in the Catalina Foothills close to shops and restaurants. This would be perfect for a couple looking to get away from the busyness of town. Check Availability here.

Self Check in Airbnb - Near I-10: This cheap Airbnb is located in the northern suburbs of Tucson and is great for a solo travel or a couple wanting to mountain bike the local tracks. Its a small, clean studio, but it has everything you need for a basic stay. Check Availability here.

Tucson Poet's Studio: This Santa Fe Style studio comes with a beehive corner fireplace and a small lounging outdoor pool. Its pretty close to central Tucson just a few blocks east of the university, so its a great location for exploring. Check Availability here.

Psst! Is it your first time using Airbnb? Follow this link and well give you $55 off Airbnb!

Getting Around Tucson

While Tucson itself is a relatively small city, youve probably noticed that most of the major attractions are outside the center. In order to be able to see the best things to do in Tucson, you really do need a car to get around.

Rental Car

If youre flying into Tucson, you can pick up your rental car at the airport. We usually reserve cars through RentalCars.com because we have used them before and they have the best deals for rental cars. When searching I found deals around $36 per day for a standard sedan, which is all you would need in Tucson.

However, this time, we tried reserving our rental car through our American Express Platinum card and we found the same cars for about $23 per day! This saved us about $40 over the 3 days we were visiting Tucson. Head to this article if you want to learn more about the travel credit cards we use to get free or discounted travel.

When driving in Tucson: Be aware that some areas have speed traps enforced by cameras, so keep an eye on your odometer.

Uber or Lyft

If you plan to have a few beverages out on the town, dont risk driving. Instead, order an Uber to get you where you need to go. Downtown Tucson is not that big so rides are pretty cheap.

Metro

In Tucson there is a Light Rail metro line called the SunLink that connects University of Arizona to the 4th Ave District to Downtown (Centro) and finally to the Mercado District including Mercado San Agustin.

For a single one-way fare it costs $1.75, but you can purchase a 1-Day SunGO ticket for $4.50 which is good for 24 hours.

What to pack for a trip to Tucson

Camelback (if you think youll be hiking a lot)

Daypack for hikes

Chacos or other hiking shoes that wont get too hot

Closed toe shoes (for horseback riding or mountain biking)

Layers (it gets cold at night and hot during the day)

Swim suit (if your hotel has a pool)

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

Reusables: Weve been kind of living in a bubble in Oregon where plastic bags are banned and many establishments encourage you to bring your own reusables, or provide a somewhat eco-friendly option (like wooden utensils and paper straws).

While many Tucson restaurants and accommodations, like Charro Vida, Boca Tacos y Tequila and Hotel Congress, offer eco-friendly options, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to reducing unnecessary waste (just like many other cities around the U.S.).

We had our reusables packed (as we always do!) which helped a bit, but it was still a challenge.

Responsible Travel Tip: Pack your reusables (listed below), and eat inside restaurants as much as possible to avoid waste like styrofoam and plastic utensils.

Its difficult to avoid it altogether, but wed recommend bringing the following to help you reduce the waste you create:

Coffee tumbler

Utensil set (great for picnics!)

Reusable straws

Reusable bag (one that stuffs up like this is great!)

Water bottle

For more tips on how to reduce your waste while traveling, check out our article on 18 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Use Everyday.

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Plan a Trip to Zion National Park

Going to Tucson soon? Share this Article on Pinterest!

We want to hear from you!

Are you planning a trip to Tucson? What things are on the top of your list? Do you have any additional questions for us? Write to us in the comments below and well do our best to get back to you!

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/38-fun-things-to-do-in-tucson-arizona

[voidswxn]

How to do the SEO?

Firms are becoming more conscious of the requirement to comprehend and execute at least the fundamentals of search engine optimisation (search engine optimization ). But if you browse a number of websites and blogs, you will quickly understand that there's a great deal of doubt over what constitutes"the fundamentals." Without access to high tech consulting and without a great deal of experience understanding what SEO resources could be trusted, there is also a great deal of misinformation regarding SEO strategies and approaches.

1. Dedicate to the procedure. Search engine optimization is not a one-time occasion. Search engine algorithms change frequently, hence the strategies that worked last year might not function this past year. SEO needs a long-term prognosis and dedication.

2. Be patient. Search engine optimization is not about immediate gratification. Outcomes often take weeks to view, and it is particularly true the bigger you're, and also the newer you're doing business on line.

3. Ask a great deal of questions when employing an search engine optimization business. It is your job to understand what sort of strategies the provider utilizes. Request specifics. Ask whether there are any dangers involved. Then become on the internet and do your research--about the business, about the approaches that they discussed, etc.

4. If you are taking the home improvement path, you are going to need to be a pupil of SEO and find out just as much as possible. Fortunately for you, there are tons of fantastic web resources (such as Search Engine Land) and many excellent books you may read. (Yes, real printed publications!) See our What's SEO webpage for many different articles, resources and books.

5. Have internet analytics set up at the beginning. You ought to have clearly defined aims to your search engine optimization efforts, and you're going to require web analytics applications set up so that you may monitor what is effective and what's not.

6. Build a fantastic web site. I am confident that you wish to appear on the very first page of results. Ask yourself,"Is my website one of the 10 best websites on the world on this subject?" Be frank. When it is not, create it even better.

7. Spiders can not index pages which can not be crawled. A site map can help spiders find all of the major pages on your website, and assist the spider know your website's hierarchy. This is particularly useful if your website includes a hard-to-crawl navigation menu. If your website is big, create several site map pages. I inform customers 75 is your maximum to be secure.

8. Create SEO-friendly URLs. Use key words on your URLs and file titles, for example yourdomain.com/red-widgets.html. A document with 3hyphens will seem spammy and customers could be reluctant to click it. https://seoservicesdelhi.co.in/social-media-services/

9. Do key research at the onset of the undertaking. If you are on a small budget, utilize the free variants of Keyword Discovery or WordTracker, each of which have stronger paid variants. Ignore the amounts these tools reveal; what is significant is that the relative quantity of a single key word into another.

10. Yesit costs money, but in case you've got the funds it is well worth the investment. It is also the alternative if you did not enjoy the"Be patient" proposal over and are searching for immediate visibility.

11. Utilize a special and appropriate title and meta tag description on each page. The page name is the one most significant on-page search engine optimization element. It is uncommon to rank highly for a main term (2-3 words) with no term being a part of the webpage title. The meta description tag will not enable you to position, but it is going to often look like the text snippet under your list, therefore it should incorporate the appropriate key word (s) and be composed in order to encourage visitors to click your list. Connected bonus trick: You can dismiss the Keywords meta tag, so as no significant search engine now affirms it.

12. Write for customers . People do these things, so compose your webpage copy with people in mind. It's true, you want key words in the textbut do not things each page such as a Thanksgiving turkey.

13. Produce fantastic, exceptional content. This is very important to everybody, but it is a specific challenge for internet retailers. If you are selling the identical widget which 50 other merchants are promoting, and everybody is using the boilerplate descriptions in the producer, this is a superb prospect. Compose your own product descriptions, and utilizing the key word research you did before (see #9 above) to goal real words searchers use, and also create product pages which blow away the competition. Additionally, not, fantastic articles is a terrific way to get inbound links.

14. Anchor text helps informs spiders exactly what the linked-to webpage is all about. Links that say"click " do nothing to the search engine visibility.

15. Construct links . Begin using foundational hyperlinks like reputable directories. (Yahoo and DMOZ are usually cited as examples, but do not waste time fretting about DMOZ entry. Employ it and then forget it) Search links from authority websites in your business. If neighborhood search matters for you (more about that coming ), search links from reputable sites in your geographical region -- that the Chamber of Commerce, local business directories, etc. ). Examine the inbound links for your opponents to locate links you're able to obtain, also. Create good content on a constant basis and utilize social media to construct awareness and hyperlinks. (A site is very good for this; visit below.)

16. Utilize press releases sensibly. Creating a relationship with websites covering your business or the regional area may be a fantastic source of vulnerability, such as obtaining links from reputable media web sites. Distributing releases on the internet may be a powerful link building strategy, also opens the doorway for vulnerability in news search websites. Do not squander journalists' time.

17. Begin a website and engage with other relevant sites. Search engines, Google particularly, love sites for the brand new articles and highly-structured information. Beyond this, there is no greater way to combine the conversations which are currently happening about your business and/or business. Reading and commenting on other sites may also improve your exposure and enable you to get new hyperlinks. Connected bonus trick: Place your site at yourdomain.com/blog so that your primary domain name receives the advantage of any hyperlinks to your site articles. If that is impossible, utilize blog.yourdomain.com.

18. Use social networking advertising sensibly. If your company has a visual component, combine the right communities around Flickr and place high quality photographs there. If you are a service-oriented organization, utilize Quora or Yahoo Replies to place yourself as an authority in your business. Any company should also be seeking to use Twitter and Facebook, as societal info and signs from those are functioning as part of search engine positions for both Google and Bing. With almost any social networking website you utilize, the very first rule is do not spam! The notion is to interact with prospective clients, not embarrass them.

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20. Make the most of the resources that the search engines offer you.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231235

21. Diversify your visitors resources. Google can bring you 70 percent of your visitors now, but imagine if the upcoming huge algorithm upgrade hits you tough? Newsletters and other subscriber-based articles is able to help you continue to traffic/customers regardless of what the search engines perform. In reality, lots of the DOs with this listing --producing great articles, starting a website, with social networking and local research, etc.--can help you develop an audience of faithful prospects and clients that might help you endure the whims of search engines.

#seo

[irregularjohnnywiggins]

My Pitch for how to rewrite Arrow.

So, a while back, after me and my brother had a chin-wagging session on why Arrow was a legitimately terrible show after Season 2, I decided to do a little think piece: say I was tasked with rebooting Arrow a couple of years down the line. How would I do it? What would I change (a lot)? What would I keep the same (not a lot)? I decided to sit down and write out a basic outline for a rewritten Arrow Season 1.

...two weeks, 2000+ words and another basic outline for Season 2 later, I am pleased to present my pitch for Arrow Season 1 under the cut to anyone who might give a shit.

WARNINGS for: discussion of violence, mental health and swearing.

The first season is almost exactly the same as Arrow, but with a few not that big rather large differences

1.       First off, no Felicity. You could probably bend her characterization into something likeable, but it would just be too much work for too little payoff.

Seriously, if we need someone to do hacker bits? Oracle is right there, you guys.

2.       More overtly a Robin Hood story-Team Arrow are the Merry Men, Malcolm Merlyn is the Sherriff of Nottingham, some episodes are entirely ripped from lesser-known Robin Hood stories, etc. (Full disclosure: this is mainly because I love Robin Hood, and will fight to the death to have another good Robin Hood show for this generation)

3.       Have Oliver be explicitly an SJW. I say this because Arrow really lost something the instant it turned Oliver into just another Batman clone. If I may reference a comic I haven’t read (yet) I think one of the most interesting (and easily incorporated) elements of the Rebirth story is Oliver coming to terms with the idea that he can’t really ‘fuck the man’ if he is ‘the man’, and it could also give Thea something to do besides be all ‘self-destructive teen’-and also it’s a great way to introduce Roy.

4.       In addition, have Merlyn be an actual morally opposed antagonist. Maybe have Tommy bring up that Merlyn could do anything to help the people of the Glades and be more faithful to his mother’s memory, but it’s easier for him to pretend that he’s ‘curing’ the city by getting rid of the poor people.

5.       And for God’s sake, don’t have Oliver open up a nightclub in the middle of a dilapidated area that needs literally anything except another fucking nightclub. Like… anything. Hell, have him open up a soup kitchen that also gives out really expensive clothes he doesn’t need any more, and have Moira be all ‘but charity? What is the SJW bullshit?’

Thus Thea’s whole ‘I work at a law firm except now I run a nightclub aren’t I a caring soul?’ becomes ‘I worked at a law firm and now I run a soup kitchen because this will actually help people.’

6.       But the biggest change has to be to Black Canary.

So, when Oliver returns from the island Laurel is… different. For one thing, she’s going by Dinah now. She’s also got a new personal trainer (Wildcat), and… that scene in episode 2 when China White attacks them? Dinah kicks ass.

But that’s not the only thing that surprises him.

See, when he goes to strike the first name off the list-a name, I may remind you, that Dinah is suing in court to no real effect-he runs into complications.

Complications in the form of an apparent thief named Black Canary.

See, Dinah’s been doing this Daredevil shtick for a while now. Apparently she compulsively activated her meta-gene in grief after her sister’s death, and the Canary Cry is actually effective in this-the Canary Cry in the comics can take out Wondy if she’s not prepared, so we’re talking that level of effectiveness.

Why she decided to be a vigilante is up for debate-maybe she actually has a Daredevil-esque ‘I trusted in the law, and it screwed everything up, so fuck it, I’mma do it myself!’ or maybe she found out her mother was the first Black Canary and took up the mantle (or both. Both is good)

Regardless, she’s here to hack into Hunt’s computers and release a ton of info onto the web to use in her case against him. Oliver’s here to hack in and give the money Hunt stole back to the people.

Neither of them mention this.

They fight.

Dinah wins (of course)

And thus, for more or less the first half of the first season, both of these dorks are convinced that they’re having a ‘Batman/Catwoman’ style romance, with the other one as Catwoman.

They arrive in more or less the same area, they trade witty banter, they both somehow get what they want despite the other person opposing them, rinse and repeat.

Even better, Oliver goes to Dinah in her civilian identity in like Episode 3. So Dinah starts thinking ‘maybe he’s not so bad after all’. So she starts pulling her punches. Which results in Oliver sometimes winning (rarely, but sometimes). Which results in him thinking that it has more to do with his skills than it probably does.

Meanwhile, out of costume, Oliver and Dinah exchange as much flirty banter as in costume. Like, sometimes it’s the exact same flirty banter.

Diggle, after he joins Oliver, immediately susses out who Black Canary is based purely on the flirty banter, and spends the rest of the first half of the season constantly going HOW HAVE THESE TWO NOT FIGURED IT OUT YET?

7.       The mid-season finale has GA and BC fighting Merlyn, wherein a) they both discover who the other is and b) Oliver gets sure-fire proof that Moira is involved in the Undertaking

8.       This leads to Dinah and Diggle both telling Oliver to give the evidence to Lance (who has been hunting for both of them, but keeps on hinting that he knows who Black Canary, at least, is) but Oliver is all ‘but she’s my mom.’

9.       And because Diggle and Dinah are having none of that shit, Dinah goes to her dad and he starts investigating Moira.

Oliver is not happy.

They fight.

Dinah wins (of course)

10.   Oliver spends about three episodes brooding about this, until Diggle, Thea (unknowingly) and Dinah kick his ass back into gear (This is also where we get the majority of the island flashbacks, which, btw: almost the same, but no Slade and more Yao Fei and Shado.)

11.   Tommy finds out who GA and BC are (how I’m undecided on. Maybe Dinah tells him, maybe Oliver does, maybe he figures it out on his own, idk) and agrees to help investigate his dad, because Team Arrow figure that Malcolm has to be involved.

Btw, Tommy’s been working in the soup kitchen because Oliver’s paying him and he, at least at the start, thinks he can convince Ollie to give up this weird SJW thing he’s got going on and go back to being a partyer

This all changes when he meets one Roy Harper, because Roy is basically him but with no money and an even bigger chip on his shoulder (also Native American cos I’ll be fucked if anyone gets whitewashed in my fucking Green Arrow show)

Basically for every scene the show devoted to that fucking love triangle I want a scene of Tommy and Roy being bros.

12.   Moira isn’t convinced to out the Undertaking by Oliver tricking her, but by Oliver confronting her at the same time as Tommy confronts Malcolm, and the two giving more or less the same speech eviscerating the notion that the Undertaking is good for anyone.

Seriously, I want full on Marxist, socio-economic and class-based ideas being raised. I want this to be so overtly political that newsgroups will be talking about it for years. You wanna prove comic books aren’t just for kids anymore? Have an adult conversation about the world comic book Green Arrow would want us to live in, and see the conservative nerd sites explode.

For a bonus, have Malcolm talk like a commentator on Fox News, all ‘entitled poor people’ and ‘benefit thieves’ and ‘they shouldn’t be born poor if they didn’t want to get killed by an earthquake machine’.

13.   Ultimately, the speech convinces Moira that she needs to turn over everything on the Undertaking to the authorities, and convinces Malcolm that Tommy just doesn’t understand his plan, and that he needs to start it right away.

14.   From then on, the finale goes more or less as it goes in canon, with one major exception: Oliver and Dinah are both there when Tommy dies.

15.   But before we get on to that, a word about the Green Arrow and killing:

Now, straight up front, I prefer my heroes to not kill if they can help it.

I do have caveats to that belief (e.g. I am in general agreement with @bluefall-returns‘ stance that Superman and Batman’s ‘killing is okay as long as it’s not humans’ ethos is… problematic, to say the least, and Wondy’s whole ‘don’t attack until you first talk, but if someone is a proven threat and killing is your only option, make sure they aren’t getting up afterwards’ is such a refreshing concept that I even incorporated it into the morality of one of my main characters) but on the whole, a superhero like Green Arrow, who stands for a specific set of real-world beliefs, shouldn’t kill unless absolutely necessary, and certainly not admit that he enjoys doing it (seriously, wtf Guggenheim?)

That being said, I will acknowledge that Oliver should kill at the start of the series. That only makes sense. He’s got fucking PTSD for fuck’s sake. Of course he’s reacting the way he did on the island.

But – and here’s the key thing – YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THE PTSD!

YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR ‘LOVE INTEREST’ MAKING JOKES AT YOUR EXPENSE ABOUT FUCKING ‘FANTASY ISLAND’!

YOU DON’T HAVE HER ACTING ALL CLUELESS AS TO WHY YOU’RE OPPOSED TO KILLING NOW!

YOU DON’T HAVE PEOPLE BEAT YOUR MAIN CHARACTER DOWN FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND CALL HIM AN ASSHOLE IF HE RESPONDS NEGATIVELY TO TRIGGERS!

I APPARENTLY HAVE TO TELL PROFESSIONAL WRITERS THAT PTSD ISN’T SOMETHING THAT CAN JUST SOME AND GO AS IT PLEASES

I’S SO FUCKING STUPFOWRBUORVN PNFWEONVOEWVN OWRENVORENVREO

…

…sorry

Anyway, have Oliver go to Dinah for help, because hey, she took an elective in psychiatry in college, maybe? (I don’t know how American school works)

(That may seem a bit too Mary Sue for some of you, but I say that if Batman can be a detective/ninja/billionaire/whatever else, and TV!Ollie can be a member of the Russian Mob before he even comes back to the city and no-one questions it, the fucking Black Canary can be a therapist if I want her to be. Also, at the very least it’s from a piece of comic book media (Young Justice) and associated with the right character, which already puts it ahead of anything Error has done with its female characters.)

So Ollie stops killing people after a while (which, for bonus points, removes a lot of the ‘WHAT WERE YOU THINKING’ from the Huntress episode)

(Yes, episode, because the second episode was pointless and I hate it.)

16.   So, anyway, that happens. Thus, when Ollie fights Merlyn, it’s less external ‘will Tommy forgive me if I kill his dad’ and more Batman style ‘if I kill him, will I be able to stop/will I go back to what I was before?’

I still haven’t figured this out, btw. If Oliver kills him, then events proceed as they do in the show and Oliver is left with the realisation that killing Merlyn didn’t do anything except add another casualty to this insane plot. If Oliver lets Merlyn live, everything Merlyn does in later seasons are things Oliver could have stopped in this moment.

17.   Where’s Dinah during this fight? Simple: she’s helping the evacuation of the Glades, because she may be able to help with the fight, but both her and Oliver know that’s secondary to getting the people to safety, and Merlyn’s all kinds of right wing shite, so it’s reasonable to assume he’s also sexist (he probably isn’t, but they assume he is) and so more willing to fight just Green Arrow than just Black Canary.

18.   But, yeah, back to the angst.

19.   So, Tommy dies. More importantly, Tommy does not die propping up Green Canary, because killing off people and having their final moments be about propping up another ship is a terrible idea. So, no, Tommy dies exactly as he does in canon, but with Oliver and Dinah there, and they both get closure.

20.   The result is Oliver doesn’t just go fuck off to Lian Yu, but instead walks up to Dinah after Tommy’s funeral and is all ‘This city is going to go down the shitter. Thousands of people are now homeless, the rich bastards (Dinah ‘you know it’s not healthy to speak about yourself in the third person’) are gonna be trying to get as much of the opportunity pie as they can, and on top of all of that, we need to find out just how many of them were involved in this. It’s gonna be a hell of a job. You up for it?’

21.   Dinah smiles. It’s simultaneously beautiful and dangerous.

22.   ‘I thought you’d never ask’ she says.

So, that’s my idea. I’ll freely admit this isn’t complete, nor is it perfect - I didn’t really have many ideas for Detective Lance other than ‘Commissioner Gordon meets Sam Vimes’, which doesn’t really come across here, and my lack of knowledge about Roy Harper beyond Arrow and Young Justice (both of which I’ve been reliably told by @oathkeptroxas are not good representations of his character) lead me to be unsure of what to do with him, but I just wanted to get this idea off my chest. Thanks for listening to my rambles, and if you have any questions, ask what you will.

#green arrow #anti arrow #anti olicity #rewrite #fanfic #black canary #tommy merlyn #roy harper #morality #heroism #sjw superheroes #fixing arrow