#love the concept of memory boards and all the tiny stuff you can put in there

[drrba]

family memories 📌 @dadworthzine

#very happy to share my piece for @/dadworthzine! #love the concept of memory boards and all the tiny stuff you can put in there #i also love obnoxious magnets #ace attorney #aai #miles edgeworth #kay faraday #ema skye #trucy wright #sebastian debeste #phoenix wright #art

[popculturebuffet]

Sparkshortstravaganza! (Commissioned by WeirdKev27)

Well this was a needed kick in the pants. When I first heard of the Sparkshorts program I was excited. As a kid I loved PIxar, as an adult I love pixar and as an old man dealing with the loss of his partner floating away in my balloon house, i’ll still love pixar. So the idea of a program focused on giving new fresh talent the room to do whatever they wanted and make content that would be on Disney Plus, a platform BADLY bereft of original animation? It was a dream come true and the first one I saw Kitbull is easily a masterpiece and something that I can vividly recall every part of to this day, which for my terrible short term memory recalling EVERYTHING is a rare feat few works have achived.  But given I have a REALLY bad habit of letting things I want to watch sit there if I don’t jump on them immediately.. I let it sit there and didn’t touch any of the shorts and mostly forgot about the program until now. Until Kev, my patron and the only person paying for reviews at the moment, though others are more than welcome wink wonk, just decided what the heck and to test out comissioning shorts picked these ones because why not. And given I had been dragging my feet and reading the descriptions found creative and suprisingly heavy premises... I was fully on board And better late than never because along with Soul this program has EASILY restored my faith in the company after Onward really disapointed. Granted they’ve done worse, while there are pixar films I haven’t seen I need to like Coco or Cars 3, I’ve vowed NEVER to watch Cars 2 unless I have to and that vow has served me well so far. The shorts here are as a whole beautifully animated, have a ton of wonderful concepts and even the two weaker ones are still gorgeous to look at and a decent watch regardless and both come from a very well meaning place with a very well meant message. So yeah i’m thankful for this comission and to show you why let’s go through every Sparkshorts so far and see why their so awesome.. after some background of course. 

Sparkshorts, for the uniniated, is a program by pixar where animators are given six months and a limited budget to create a film based on personal experince. The program was designed to test out new ways of animating, directing and creating and to find a creative “spark” in it’s employees. Thus each film feels unique, has it’s own style.. and is utterly charming. I’ll be looking at them chronologically as while this wasn’t my watch order, I feel it’s a bit neater that way. I’ve already taken long enough to get to watching these, let’s open these films up and see what makes them tick shall we?

Purl: An Adorable Yarn Ball Vs Toxic Masculinity  Purl.. was better the more I thought about it. The first short released, it DOES have a good message and killer animation. The film takes place at B.R.O., a dude broey brockerage firm that’s painfully relasitic both in how broey it is and in how it looks. That’s to contrast our heroine: Purl, an adorable ball of yarn who just wants to be accepted but is instead ignored by the rest of the company till she changes herself up, donning a suit like her co workers she badly wants to fit in with and adopting their wolf of wallstreet esque douchebaggery. She finally gets accepted.. but ends up shedding her new self to help another Yarn Ball starting up.  Director Kristen Lester drew from personal experince, starting work at animation in a mostly male dominated workplace and thus having to adapt and only letting the femine side she���d repressed out when she moved to working at pixar, which had more female employees. The film DOES have a good message about toxic workplaces and toxic masulinty and learning the personal story did raise it a few notches as it made it clear to me that what SEEMED like an over exageration.. was probably just a light exageration given the kind of bro antics we’ve heard about at companies like Ubisoft. So while I didn’t like the film much at first honestly.. it’s over the top because it NEEDS to be because even though it’s 2021.. some idiots STILL don’t get it and kids are better off learning it now so it’ll hopefully stick when their entering the workforce. So we’ll get more people like perl willing to make a change and stick up for those like her and less dude bros. Still a decent and clever short with Perl’s bro form looking really neat and the animation on her in general is really fucking gorgeous. All in all not the best of these but still pretty good and while a bit thick on the message.. it kinda has to be. 

Smash And Grab: A Jaunty Ride to Freedom

This was a really fun one. Directed by Brian Larson and inspried by his need for a break from routine this follows two robots, the titular smash and grab who are designed to well.. smash and grab coal-like energy things for a train and have for years and years. The two long to high five, but can’t because their hooked to tubes so they can’t escape. But one day Smash looks out the window and not only sees fellow robots living a better life.. but a way to power him and his buddy/love intrest? I mean bromance or romance, either way it works. Point is our heroes escape, and have to fight security.  It’s just a really damn fun and creative movie. While robots wanting a better life isn’t new, the crisp art deco animation, breakneck pace, fun gags and heartwearming relationship between the two bots is just charming as hell. It’s just a fun ride the whole way through with a lot of heart and creativity with the two’s way they throw coal to one another used to take out the guards, and all together just some really good set pieces. Easily one of my faviorites here and that’s a high water mark to pass. 

Kitbull: Tiny Orphan Kitty + Big Abused Doggo = Best Friends

As I said this is the only one of these I saw before today and as I said it’s stuck with me. I love dogs. I have one of my own named Yoshi whose just a sweet boy. So i’ve always loved ALL DOGS.. and was thus horrified years ago when I learned about the stigma Bulldogs get. Seen as “agressive’ and “Mean’ and victious.. when really a lot of them, including my grandpa’s own pitbull when I was little, are just loveable as any other dogs. And having also known a former fighting dog my friend owned, if a much smaller min pin rather than a pitbull, who by the time I met him had become the sweetest dog you’d ever meet.. yeah.. don’t mistreat a dog just because some assholes force it to fight to the death because their sick, horrible, ghastly human beings.. if they can even be CALLED human beings after doing that to these poor animals.  My point is it’s nice to have a short about such a needed subject. Director Rosana Sullivan actually had the idea for the short for years and intended to do it as a side project, but when the program cropped up she moved it to pixar and the result is one of the most popular and easily one of the best of an already bright bunch, brought on by her love of animals and working in a shelter. It’s also one of Pixar’s first 2d animated projects and proves their just as good at that as cgi.  It’s the touching story of a kitty whose alone in the world and initally mistrustful and hissy at a big dog she finds and is naturally scared of.. until she grows to bond with the dog, realizing much like a LOT of fucking people need to that pitbulls.. are just dogs and often victims of circumstance and the poor, sweet pooch who just wants his owner to love him.. is instead thrown into a fighting pit, nearly killed and forced to make a daring escape with their new forever friends help. It’s through this wonderful, heartrending friendship that the dog finds freedom and the cat.. finds them both a home, no longer running from people but instead making sure they both get a person. It’s often brutal at times, with the scene of the dog being forced to fight being one of the most striking: while we thankfully don’t see the action, we HEAR IT, as does the poor kitty, and we see the aftermath: a friendly harmless dog thrown out into the cold just because it dosen’t WANT to fight. It’s just really heartrending stuff that makes the happy ending all the better. It’s also gorgeiously animated which I mentioned but i’ll say it again; the animation here is GOREGOUS, unqiue and stunning. Go watch this if you haven’t. 

Float: This is Why Krakoa Exists

This.. has easily been the hardest to review of the bunch. While ALL of these stories are very personal, very inclusive and very intresting, this one.. is a bit rougher than most of them and hits REALLY close to home. See this one was built out of director Bobby Rubio’s experinces raising his son who has autisim. 

It’s about a dad who discovers his infant son can float... and thus gets stares of fear or judgment from eveyrone around him slowly getting broken down by this. So he makes a HORRIBLE judgment call and rather than just accept some people are assholes, weighs his son’s backpack down with stones despite him hating it then drags him away when he ends up floating off, before screaming at the poor kid WHY CAN’T YOU BE DIFFRENT.. He DOES instantly regret this and the ending is genuinely touching as the father finally accepts his son is different and throws him into the air while on a swing, letting his son soar as he always should’ve. It is a beautifully animated and well meant film and the filipino representation is truly great: Rubio originally was going to have the characters as white but his fellow animators convinced him to go for represntation and be true to himself and honestly in a time when disney itself has had to be fought to get queer representation most of the time, it’s nice that pixar at least is a part of it that throughly encourages representation and will gladly put diversity and representation over any bullshit “risk factors”.  That being said.. while this was a decent short with a very well intentioned message and it clearly connected with a lot of people.. it wasn’t for me and I say this as someone who has autisim. As someone who has worn down people’s patince and been starred at by a freak for something I was way too young to properly deal with.  I’ve been in this Kid’s shoes. 

And that’s the problem: The metaphor dosen’t really work for me. While auitism CAN have some benifits and I wouldn’t be any other way i’d be lying if I said it was easy having trouble commuincating, constnatly misreading people, constnatly worrying if someone’s going to like you, and hyperfocusing on a problem instead of being able to set it and forget it for a bit to my own detriment. There’s other problems and not ALL of my issues come from anxiety disorder: I also have anxiety and depression. They just bleed badly INTO said autisim sometimes, as it’s hard to effectively combat anxiety sometimes when your mind won’t let you. 

What i’m saying is... there aren’t any FAULTS in his powers. See i’m a fan of x-men, so I can only see this boy as a mutant, and yes I know they usually manfifest at puberty but there have been exceptions so don’t at me.. and one of them who has no real downsides other than the unfair stigma of being a mutant. He’s more like storm, who can control the elements and whose power only enhances her life nad lesss like say Rogue, who looks normal.. but can’t touch anyone without knocking them out at best or horribly abosrbing them into her head at worst. There’s no downside other than the fact people judge him and his dad is a dick about it.  And the dad part is hard because I get what Rubio is going for: parents make mistakes, parents mess up and their only human even if they should embrace their kids anyway. That’s a good message and one I support.. I just think Rubio was way TOO hard on himself and thus made his stand in into an unlikeable asshole, one whose more concerned with how everyone ELSE thinks and does the horribly abusive action of basically tying his son’s wings down so he can’t fly. He mans well, it’s so his son dosen’t float off.. but instead of finding a way to help him and work with him on it.. he just stuffs rocks in his back and forces the kid to be miserable so other people can be happy. It just goes way too far in the other direction to work. As I said I think it’s the guy being too hard on himself, manifesting his worst moments with his kids and his biggest regrets and making himself into a very hard to like character because he has trouble forgviing himself for how he acted. So I want to say if you ever read this bobby while I wasn’t hte biggest fan of your film.. I do wholly support you and your son.. and the fact you made an entire FILM just to show your sturggle and show people there not alone was a beautiful act. You are not a bad person , we all make mistakes and we’re all just human. You are a good man Bobby Rubio. I may of not liked your metaphor... but your message is beautiful. 

Wind: Immigration by Way of Rocket Science

Thankfully moving on.. this one is tied with Kitbull for my faviorite. It has a truly intriguing premise, a great metaphor, stunning animation, and is just really moving, gripping and fun to watch. This one was by Edwin Chang, and as is usualy by now, it was built on personal experince.. but not his. It was built on the fact his father was an immigrant who had to leave his mother, Chang’s grandmother, behind to a better life. She rejoined them eventually but it left an impact on his father and thus serves as the core of this story. And honestly knowing that only STRENGTHENS an already impresssive sci fi short.  It’s the story of a boy, apparently named Ellis so i’ll use that, and his grandmother who live in a bizzare, hauntingly beautifuly stygian sinkhole that has floating rocks and debris. The two spend their day farming potatoes and grabbing whatever they can to hopefully make their way out. But it becomes clear to young Ellis after they find a plane his grandmother wants HIM to go alone and escape and is willing to sacrifice herself.. and ends up having to trick the boy into thinking sh’es going along in order to get him to do what he needs to surivive and thrive. It’s a truly gut wrenching story as even when she seems to have found a way for them both to leave.. it’s very clear she’s simply training him with all the welding tools and what not so he has skills to make it out there on his own in the unknown. So he can live without her.. but more importantly.. so he CAN LIVE. Away from the darkness, not having to scrape and to surivive and hopefully find something better out there. While the old parental figure sacrifciing thsmelves so the youngun can start hteir journey isn’t new.. it’s the unique, beautiful and haunting setting and the emotoin, conveyed only through the utterly beautiful animation that make this story feel fresh, along with it’s great metaphor. This short is just haunting, beauitful and really damn sad, and I only dont’ have all that much to say because it’s all in the visuals. The only thing I have left is like all of these really, watch it. But especailly this one. 

Loop: Enough Said

This is part of the reason I didn’t like Float all that much. Loop is just.. way better at conveying the experinces of having auitism. While Renee is a more severe case than me I can relate to what kicks off the film: Renee, usually paired with an adult at the camp she at, is forcibley paired with a chatty boy named Marcus. While Marcus is eager to go home and has no idea how to interact with the two the two genuinely bond, with Marcus slowly getting into Renee’s world. The key scene for this and the one that clinches the film is Renee waving her hands over the reeeds in the water, throughly enjoying it with marcus not getting it.. till he tries himself. Director Erica Milsom, whose worked with autistic children and picked this medium entriely because i’ts perfect for a non verbal character and is one that can tackle heavy issues like this in a way to help people understan, really wanted to counter most depections of severe autisim, paticuarlly sensory issues. While we see the good in them instead of JUST her freaking out or being overwhelemed: how her sounds and the things she feels truly relax her and how she really DOES enjoy nature and is perfectly at home there. It’s just a beautiful way to show this disablility is not ALL bad, as many works tend to focus soley on the drawbacks. While I had my issues with Float part of it was it had too much good.. but Loop is superior at this simply because it shows both with unflinching honesty: The beauty of something that calms and relaxes your brain or a touch or sensation that just FEEELS really good, things that while again i’m not on the same level as Renee.. I can still fully relate to.  But what puts it over float besides not having a messy metaphor is it DOES show the issues that come with it.. but does so WELL and with nuance. It shows how isolating autisim can be, especially for someone like Renee who can’t talk, how people are sometimes freaked out by you and don’t know how to interact with you and how adults can MEAN WELL, and the counsler setting them off was a good idea in the end... but can also be misguided and not fully know how to handle you without overwhelming you. It shows just how bad a panic attack can be, how you can just.. shut down and drive away. It was easily the sequence that hit the hartest and resonated the most as I’ve had those, and i’ve just shut down with no one able to reach me.. and it makes it all the more touching as Marcus eventually realizes how to handle things, and gives her space despite the setting son and the peril of being stranded.. because he realizes she needs it and offers to simply be there when she’s ready. It’s a touching, wonderful gesture, capped by him giving her a reed.. and the two heading home finally udnerstanding one another.This one is very close to wind in my heart and I think I found even more love for it writing this review and realizing just how much it hit me. And that ain’t bad. 

Out: Be Proud of Who You Are.. with the help of a gay cosmic space cat 

Speaking of hitting close to home and really resonating with me, we have Pixar’s first short with a gay main character, with his sexuality being the center of this. And as a bi person who had struggle accepting his sexuality let alone telling anyone, even when you know someoen will likely accept you.. this naturally hit hard. I took some time to realize I was bi, and when I did I was terrified of telling my mom, despite her being loving, supportive and just wonderful, same with my brother. Both fully accepted me as I figured and had no issue with it, esepcially sine my romantic history is nearly non existant anyways, but I related to our hero Greg’s fears of coming out to his parents despite them being utterly wonderful, well meaning people. It’s hard to come out, it’s hard to admit that about yourself, and it’s hard knowing you may not be accepted or things may change. I had an even harder time coming out to my dad, who I fully expected being a trump supporter and having said “if gay marriage is leagal I should be able to marry my cat”, to not support me and to loose him.. and was proud and suprised when nope, he was utterly supportive and happy for me.. if a bit awkward with the “be careful with sex” advice.. to someone whose had none and may never will due to being awkward as shit. But he meant well and the point is I really related to this, and it’s easily one of the best coming out stories of this kind, tied handily with Schitt’s Creek’s episode about Patrick coming out to his parents that dealt with the same theme.  And naturally given the nature of these shorts it was a story close to Stephen Clay Hunter’s heart, as he group up a gay nerd in the 80′s a time when homophobia was even worse and representation was near non-existent. So when given the shot he wanted to make something for a young him, something they can look at and point to and tha’ts me. And the behind the scenes short for this one sold just how... big this felt for him. To draw two men in love and embrcing, to see guys mo capping that. To see someone LIKE him on screen. It shows just how important representation is and how dumb it is it took 20 goddamn years at pixar for them to get gay. 

The short itsel is delightful as we open with a gay space cat and dog appearing in a rainbow. The Cat and Dog are watching Greg, a nice young man whose moving out of his small town with his boyfriend Manuel.. only to panic when his parents who he hasn’t come out to show up to help move and try and hide the one photo he has of them. And despite Manuel seeing it as a very easy thing to do to come out.. it’s not for Greg. He knows it’s hard and a scene of him practicing shows the poor guy breaking down at the thought of telling them despite getting every indicatio their nice people.  It’s then the whole Space Cat thing comes in as the cat enchanted Greg’s dog’s collar, so when greg puts it on as  a jest, it’s a body swap! So naturally we get tons of REALLY well animated shenanigans as Greg has to get his body back. Seriously the animation here is gorgeous with director Hunter choosing the painted on , impercet style to give it a storybook feel which fits the story perfectly.. seriously if Disney hasn’t made a story book of this do so.. and if they won’t someone on etsy do it because Etsy is apparently where the merch companies should be making happens.

The point is it’s fun, furious and leads to some great gags.. and then we get the emotional punch to the godnand as Greg bites his mom’s hand in order to prevent her finding a photo of him and his boyfriend. He instnatly regrets it, and breaking the photo in the process and goes to comfort her.. and we get easily the most emotinal, most beautiful part of it as Greg finds out his mom is hurt as she can clearly tell he’s keeping her at arms length and dosen’t want to loose him.. and she’s known all along he was gay.. just like the Schitts Creek example it’s clear she’s hurt a bit her son is scared to tell her but just wants him to be happy. So with a brilliant use of a squeaky toy greg switches back.. and comes out, with his dad warmly hugging miguel when he introduces himn and the space dog crying. Just a beautiful, charming, fun, and gorgeously animated short with some badly needed representation.

Also... one last note. This isn’t related to the short.. but Disney, who once again proves they can’t be progressive without stabbing themselves in the foot and no I will not stop giving out about this. This time’s especailly bad as while Out was heavily promoted.. the descripton DOSEN’T mention it having Pixar’s first gay lead and goes out of it’s way to hide Greg being gay despite the fact the short dosen’t and his being in the closet is the whole conflict of the short. And the not mnentiong the first gay lead thing is noticable because Loop DID rightly point out it was their first non verbal proganist. You can’t.. brag about being progressive about one thing and then try to hide your being progressive about another you idiots. Plus the “pleasing the bible belt” ship has sailed and left port. Ducktales is gay as hell with Penny being gay, even if Disney won’t let her just come out and say it, the crew still had her say it as much as they could, Violet’s dad’s being gay, Della being bi and Webby and Lena being as close to a couple you can get without disney screaming at them no. Andi Mack is fully avaliable on D+ as well.. well okay not fully because the dad turned out to be a pedophile, but still a series with a fully gay character is out there. And finally Owl House got TONS of press for having a bi progatanist and having her love intrest be a girl. Even if Dana Terrance had to FIGHT for that, and rightly so good on her, the point is you have queer characters already. The groups that hate you for that aren’t going to magically stop hating you because you hide the fact a short anyone can see from minute one is very , beautifully gay, I mean it starts with a very swishy space cat emerging from a rainbow atop a pink dog. COME ON. I only have a few words left for disney..

Okay whew, one more and we’re out of here. 

Burrow: It’s Okay to Ask for Help and To Bang a Willing Salamander This was the first one I watched today. In hindsight had I properly researched the shorts and realized how heavy they were I probably would’ve saved this one for later to help balance out the deep feels of some of these. While Burrow is VERY VERY good, as all these shorts have been even Float, it’s subject matter is a lot lighter. I mean so far we’ve had stories about toxic masculinity, animal abuse, issues accepting your child is diffrent, sacrficing yourself so your loved one can have a better life, autisim and coming out of the closet. Even Smash and Grab which is light and breezy.. still has a disney death, and is still about a heroic rush to freedom from slavery whenyou think about it. This one.. is about an insecure bunny whose afraid to ask for help and ends up learning to get it while ending up plumiting through a bunch of comedic set pieces. It’s basically if Winnie the Pooh and Bugs Bunny had a baby comedy wise, it has the warm feeling of pooh art wise, a storybook quality tha’ts utterly adoring.. but director Madeline Sharafan specifccally wanted the animators to take after chuck jones, using lots of great expressions and reactions. It has a real classic theatrical screwball comedy vibe and given The Looney Tunes, Droopy, and Tom and Jerry mean the world to me and i’m glad nto reocnnect with 2/3 thanks to HBO Max.. I fucking loved it. 

Burrow is still a personal story and is based on Sharifan’s experinces having trouble colaberating, wanting something to be fully baked before showing it off, something I agian relate to. She often hid from the others and refused to show her work until it was done while everyone else was happy to help. And as the previously used to slam disney hard with something they own Hickman Era of X-men has shown.. colaboration is just better and more freeing. By having friends and colleuge s to bounce off of you refine ideas, see how people react to them and grow a bit and that’s what the shorts about. 

The plot is easily the simpliest of these: A young bunny wants to build her dream burrow but gets self concious when she runs into a friendly mole and rat living next door to where she wants to build and keeps digging to find both privacy and her own place.. and instead ends up digging into various shenangians and other burrows from frogs, to hedgehogs to most memorably some Salmanders taking a sauna.. and in the best and most ‘how the fuck did they get away with this bit of it”, one of the salamanders ends up .. gladly removing his town and being liike “You wanna do this? I mean I got an hour free” And i’m just saying while now wasn’t the time and the offer was a little awkward i’d go for it if I was her. I mean at least ask him out for coffee later. He seems nice enough if low on boundries. Then ride him until the morning light girl, ride it. She also finds the Demon Bear from New Mutants at one point.. so that’s where he retried to after danny kicked his ass again. Neat. 

But eventually our heroione digs herself too deep and ends up hitting water before finding a 

Who sees her crumpled plans and then does the stygian call of the badger to call all the other animals to help and after they escape the flood, the bunny finally realizes their good people and lets them see the plans. So we end on our heroine and her new friends and possible salamander lover helping her settle in as she finallyg ets the home she wanted, complete with disco. I mean every home should have a disco. If I didn’t have a ceeling fan i’d have a disco ball.. and I still want one just to set somewhere or hang away from the fan . Let me dream dammit. Overally a fun, hilarious, mad dash short with a good message and a good note to go out on.

Final Thoughts: Overall.. the Sparkshorts program is fucking spectacular, a great way to let some of Pixar’s staff get into the directors chair and really shine, and a way to tackle issues that they may not be able to get greenlit into a full film. Lushily animated, well produced, Pixar has announced MORE are coming and I cannot wait. Thank you kev for comissioning this, and thank you all for reading. If your new and liked this review, follow this blog as I talk disney all the time: when they come back i’ll be doing regular coverage of Amphibia, Ducktales and the Owl House as new episodes come out every week, and i’m currently doing a retropsective on the three cablleros kev also paid for, with the finale of it, an episode by episode look at the legend of the three cablleros, starting this week. I’m also covering LIfe and times of scrooge mcduck (though infrequently for a bit), and finishing up a look at darkwing duck’s just us justice ducks, started with looks at all the players involved and finshing next week with the episode itself.  So if any of that sounds good to you, check out the archives, but goodbye, goodbye, goodbye for now. 

#sparkshorts #pixar #disney #disney plus #disney+ #purl #kitbull #out #wind #loop #burrow #LBGTQ+ #lbgt #lbgtq #float #smash and grab #robots

[kingsten]

Thuong. ( @cir for Peter.6 times Peter doesn’t finish his meal but one time he does. ) word prompt. “To love tenderly— a deep and sincere notion of fondness and care between family members, friends, or lovers.” 

1— CAFE DES DEUX MOULINS, PARIS— NOON “Here you are, toasts, champignons et oeufs pochés. Tell me, how was my pronunciation this time? Better?” Brian makes light conversation with a smile while he gives Peter time to clear space on the table in front of himself in order to set down the plate. Peter isn’t his most talkative regular but if there’s one thing Brian is self confident in, it’s his ability to outwait another person and abundance of patience when it comes to working towards getting them to open up to him. It’s amusing to him, cute even the way Peter likes to elude his numerous attempts at small talk and yet he keeps coming back, and as long as he’s in his usual booth at 11:16 AM then so will new questions await him. 

“Nothing to correct.... much better than yesterday.” Peter’s voice is quiet in contrast but his words makes Brian grin widely, and with satisfied look on his face he moves on to attend to the other customers. Later, when he returns to collect the dishes and payment his expression shifts to something akin to a mix of displeasure and confusion. He begins to clear the table, pausing when he picks up the half eaten plate of food.  

“What?” Peter sips on his drink, eying Brian who is hesitant to speak. 

“Was the food not to your liking because if it was overcooked or something then I can get the chef to remake the order...” After a moment’s silence and a gesture to the kitchen Brian adds, “I can even get you something else. No extra charge.” Peter shakes his head then rests his chin in his hand. He looks at Brian in a way that makes him feel a tiny bit shy, like he can read him or knows some secret to the universe that Brian isn’t in on but replies with a simple. “It was nice, Brian. I liked it.” 

Brian wants to ask then why did you only eat half and why is it that every day, no matter what he orders all the meal receive the same treatment even though Peter supposedly likes the food. When Peter begins to pack up, he lets it go and takes the plate away.

2— RUE MONTORGUEIL, PARIS— MORNING They’re friends now. Well, in Brian’s way of thinking he considers Peter a close friend of his. However, he couldn’t possibly say if the feeling is mutual but Peter doesn’t complain as much as he used to before whenever Brian would show up unannounced, invite himself over to his place or drag Peter to some new destination. It’s a good sign that they’re making progress in their friendship. Even though in reality Peter let’s him do whatever he wants and just goes along for the ride.

So what is today’s adventure? Tackling Rue Montorgueil in pursuit of fresh produce and other groceries. Another advantage of having Peter around is his ability to haggle with venders that try to sell Brian overprice fruits, and veggies. It’s a skill that Brian. with admiration, watches as an exchange happens between Peter and a vender who insists his prices are fair. It’s almost an art the way Peter shakes his head, maintains his position and argues until the price is brought down to a reasonable price. He’s so good at it that Jae made it an unofficial rule in the house that Brian isn’t allowed to do any of the weekly shopping unless Peter is with him. 

And it’s a rule that Brian is more than happy to abide by.

So, with fruits and vegetables in one bag and various cheeses, crackers, and cuts of meat and fish in the other Brian talks idly to Peter while on their walk home. Eating a peach, he chats about a number of topics such as the fact he likes Kate’s idea of starting an herb garden in the kitchen window sill but is dismayed to find out from Peter that Jae has a habit of killing every green thing he touches. The air is crisp. It’s somewhere between fall leaning towards winter where a long sleeve will suffice or a light jacket. It’s a pleasant walk home.

Peter has a peach too that he’s taken a bite out of but otherwise just holds it. And this does not escape Brian’s attention but he figures it’s because they’re actually talking, as in really talking. He says something and Peter does more than listen: He replies back, he laughs, he pouts, but most important is that he opens up and shows off his personality little by little. And Brian loves it — though he credits this change to Jae who acts more like Peter’s older brother than he does his cousin. The two bicker all the time, it’s funny the way they both seem to go out of their way to annoy one another. 

“Do you have cousins you’re close to?” Peter asks, rebalancing the bag he’s carrying with one hand. Brian blinks, surprised by the change in direction to him and his own family. He shakes his head slowly. 

“No. Actually I’m jealous of you and Jae.” Brian shrugs, as he tosses the pit into a trash can they pass. “All my cousins are either in South Korea or scattered amongst various parts of the US and Canada. I think I even have an aunt in New Zealand if I remember correctly— do you not like the peach?” Brian stops when he catches Peter hovering over a trash can posed to toss his peach but hands it over when Brian holds out his hand. 

“We bought loads of stuff. Crackers, plums, erm.... hmm grapes?” And Brian wonders maybe Peter likes snacks that don’t require much commitment such as berries or nuts. Something he can pick at and eat in small doses but Peter declines everything he offers, even the bread which makes Brian narrow his eyes in a quizzical way. “You don’t eat much.” He comments to which Peter laughs and replies with “I’m still full off breakfast.” 

Brian bites into the peach and nods, thoroughly unconvinced by that statement. “Uh-huh.” He saw what Peter was picking at that morning when he came by to pick him up. Needless to say, he was not impressed. “Oatmeal... is very filling.” Brian gives Peter a once over then returns to walking in silence until his phone rings. It’s Angelina, calling to ask where they are because she wants to know if the money she pitched in for groceries was all spent.

3— TAXI CAB, PARIS— NIGHT “I’m sorry. I, I’m sorry. You’re so nice. I’m sorry.” Peter slurs, drunkenly pushing away from Brian to wipe at his eyes with the sleeves on the back of his hand almost like a child that is scared of receiving a lecture. Brian is a bit tipsy himself but nowhere near the same level as Peter who he suspects was drunk after the first glass of wine.

Regardless, he defiantly was slammed by the third glass which makes Brian feel a tiny bit bad. It was his brilliant idea to bring Peter to a wine tasting party but when he tries to articulate that maybe he should’ve just asked Kate instead or even went alone with Jae he’s cut off by having to grab Peter to keep him from losing his balance all together when they get into the cab. Jae laughs, not worried in the least and pats the top of the car. “Get him home safe, Bri.” he says, then shuts the door for them. And Brian waves as him and the girls. The minute the taxi pulls away from the curb Peter clings to him and stays like that the duration of the ride to his apartment. 

Brian doesn’t mind and basks in the proximity, knowing Peter would never grant him such a luxury sober. And it’s nice, even though Brian keeps his hands to himself, awkwardly kept tucked in his lap. He can feel the steady raise and fall of his chest and how warm Peter’s breath is against his neck. Peter hugs him closer and the only coherent train of thought Brian can form is that he’s so glad he picked tonight to wear a hoodie rather than the usual denim jacket. The hoodie’s material is soft enough for Peter to fall asleep on without discomfort. The softness of his hair tickles Brian’s cheek and he can smell his shampoo or conditioner, perhaps aftershave? A combination of all three more than likely. Whatever it is that he uses, it’s nice.

“I’m sorry.” Peter half awake and half asleep slurs again, surprising Brian. The words are muffled but heated against Brian’s neck and it makes him swallow deep but thankfully the taxi pulls to a gentle stop outside Peter’s apartment. Brian moves, putting his hands on Peter’s shoulder to pushes him to sit up just enough to look him in the eye. “It’s my fault. I should’ve made you eat something before.” He reassures, smiling but feeling a little sad that the moment is over but at least he has the memory of being this close to hold onto. “Come on, let’s get you inside and put you to bed.”

4— BRIAN AND PETER’S FIRST APARTMENT, US— SOMETIME AROUND BRUNCH Brian leans against the countertop: blonde hair a mess, shirtless as he takes a bite out of a  carrot stick. Peter is quiet (he usually is after just waking up) as he preps food. Brian observes him in silence and though he enjoys the sight of his boyfriend wearing nothing but his t-shirt which fits big on him and falls to thighs he can’t help but wonder... where on earth did Peter learn to cook like this?

This is where Brian makes the connection that perhaps this is why Peter never seems to finish his food. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have much experience in the kitchen. A weird concept to Brian given in his family food is an expression of love and he wonders if Peter’s mom ever cut up fruit for him or took special care to pack him lunches she cooked that morning before he was even awake like Brian’s mom used to— he continues to chew thoughtfully when Peter starts chopping green onion, slowly and carefully and it’s just not efficient but it’s more amusing than anything. 

“Ok, here, let me.” Brian finally intervenes when Peter starts to peel the garlic. He gets off the counter and moves to stand behind him and takes the clove from Peter’s fingers and uses the kitchen knife to cut off the tip then uses the flat side to crush it flat against the cutting board. It detaches from the peel fairly easily after that but Brian figures he’s already here and goes ahead and minces the garlic then sets the knife aside. “Show off.” Peter murmurs, complaining that Brian should cook instead but Brian shakes his head and snakes his arms around Peter’s middle to hold him close and the only help he contributes after that is by cooing over how cute Peter is when he cooks. 

5— MARINA GREEN PARK, SAN FRANSISCO— AFTERNOON "You.” Brian points at Peter with his fork then at the several boxes of food between them, “do not eat nearly enough.” Even though Brian’s face is blank, eyes hidden and obscured behind a pair of dark sunglasses there’s an unmistakable edge to his voice, throwing a quick glance at the food. All of which Peter had picked out, and all of which Peter is now ignoring and it’s slightly irritating to Brian today.

��And you...” Peter picks at his jacket— well, technically Brian’s since Peter doesn’t make a habit of wearing jean jackets but he gets cold easily and even in San Francisco on a sunny day such as this it gets a bit chilly the nearer you are to the sea. Peter is not interested in starting a fight but also not one to sit back and allow Brian to accuse him much less, talk to him with that tone of voice without retaliation finishes his response with a warning tone of voice. One that advises his boyfriend to drop the subject: “You always say that.”    

“Yeah well, I always mean it too.” Brian bites back, uncapping a bottle of water and downing half its contents.

Ok, so the food they’ve been eating while on tour isn’t five star gourmet and he should be thankful that today they get to eat in the park, in fresh air on a blanket on a nice day but his cabin fever has become a state of mind. What’s making him irritable is the fact that he’s bored of San Francisco. The first three days the band played at a local festival was fun in it’s own way. Jae and the rest of the band enjoyed it. Brian thought the music was too poppy or daft-punkish for his liking but there were a few indie acts that were bearable. And the four days after that were nice, getting to sleep in a real bed and eat something green and not takeout or fast food for once was a treat but it’s been two weeks, going on three now and he’s ready to move on. Though he’s certain Peter feels the opposite.

“Here.” 

Brian is pulled from his thoughts and turns to see Peter is holding out a chocolate covered strawberry to him. Immediately, he feels guilty about his outburst earlier but rather than accept the peace offering and apologize he shakes his head and resumes his sulking. Peter scoots closer and tries again, evidently annoyed too but adds. “Who doesn’t finish their food now?” Which is a dig enough to make Brian give him a look that is lost behind dark shades, and he tries to grab the strawberry. Peter is quick to hold it out of his reach with a stern “No.” 

Brian blinks, confused then it clicks what Peter wants. He rolls his eyes then opens his mouth and allows him to feed it to him. After he takes a bite Peter eats one too and they sit in silence, chewing until their moods lift a little and Peter is the one to break the silence. “I think. I understand you better now.” He says, feeding Brian another strawberry. 

“Oh?” Brian asks, starting to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand until Peter hands him a napkin. Peter flicks a crumb of chocolate off his pants then says, “You use food as a way to take care of people.” Brian stops chewing and it makes sense when he thinks about it but before he can add a comment of his own. Peter continues. “And I think that’s why it bothers you that I don’t finish my meals.”  

 Later, when Brain thinks about it in more and even dares to ask Jae for his two cents on the idea. Jae confirms Peter’s idea. 

“Yeah man. It’s sort of how you communicate that you care. Words like ‘have you eaten?’ or ‘finish your food.’ I think it’s like, your way of saying I love you.

6— TOM’S APARTMENT, LA— NIGHT Brian gestures for Peter to come closer which Peter, who is mad at him, bluntly ignores and shows complete disinterest in whatever Brian is planning. Instead, he stays seated on his side of Joonmyun’s coffee table and watches the tv. There’s some Star Wars movie playing, or maybe one its series. Brian laughs from the other side then gestures again. “Babe, come here. Please? I have something for you.”

Peter remains firmly planted right where he is, chewing on the plastic of his fork rather than eat from the half-empty takeout box in front of him but he’s at least acknowledging Brian now as he regards him with newfound interest. Curious and very much skeptical about what he could possibly have since he’s empty handed and unless he’s hiding another plane ticket under his shirt or in the thin pockets of his pants Peter’s at a complete loss as to what he has or is planning.

“Please?”

Peter rolls his eyes before he puts the fork down and scoots to sit close enough so that their knees are touching and his eyes search Brian’s. Mostly skeptical but Brian leans in to steal a small kiss which makes him freeze at first but it’s been a long time since they last kissed. Peter sighs, and slowly allows himself to kiss back. It’s not hard to allow himself to melt, it’s familiar and he’s missed this but just as they’re building a steady momentum it’s over just like that.

Peter clearly expects another and his eyes remain shut and his head tilted for a moment or two even after Brian pulls away. When he does open his eyes, Brian is already back to eating his own food.

“Is that it?” Peter’s voice is slightly raised along with his brows.

“If you finish your food then I’ll kiss you some more.” Brian says casually before shoving a large amount of food into his mouth that if it were anyone else it would be considered a choking hazard.

Peter lets out a tsk of disbelief, butterflies still in his stomach yet ready to argue. Brian, after he swallows, cuts him off with a curt “but only if you finish.” then smiles when Peter rolls his eyes and pouts. It doesn’t take long for Brian to finish then he starts to clear away his trash and tosses it into the trashcan in the kitchen but Peter remains seated by the coffee table and pokes around his takeout with a pout. Bey, Mikoto’s corgi is seated next to him and watches him eat in small bites with pleading eyes. It’s not a bad idea... he could just give the rest to the dog and Peter almost considers caving in but Brian comes back, takes a seat next to them and picks Bey up and watches tv.

Sulking, Peter takes another bite then offers the rest to Brian as he usually does. Old habits die hard but Brian shakes his head and pushes the box away with two fingers. “Technically that’s cheating.” Brian murmurs, scrunching his nose at Peter as he turns away from the tv to look at him. It’s weird not knowing exactly where they are in terms of relationships and if he even has the right to call him boyfriend or if Peter even likes him anymore because sometimes he can feel so distant and impossible to read but they both know one thing is for sure when Brian says, “Finish your food, babe.” 

Peter hides a small smile then he picks up the takeout box, and finishes his food.

#me / you / us #cir #this idea came to me last night when you mentioned something about their love languages #and honestly this ended up so long but i thought it would also be interesting to explore the progression of their relationship in stages #using the concept that brian has been saying i love you to peter through food from the moment he first met him

[telluriis]

valorxdrive

♕ -  ”Guess you could say it’s a whole new world of things.” In fact despite being in the mix of the current generation, Sora himself was still hopping and skipping in a attempt to adjust with it all.

So having Terra kind of being a kindred soul in all of this prompted him to pat one of those broad shoulders in a consoling fashion. “But you’re right on the space thing. people and Heartless parade up all within space now days, so I’ll have to show ya some of the roads myself at some point! But uh..” A thoughtful, curious pause follows at that note.

These concepts Terra introduced only scratched at a hollow, faint part of his heart, something within it’s bank of memories finding a echoing familiarity of what he talked about. With Ventus however no longer being a reside, it was destined to stay an itch until he comes to find his own truths. “That’s a first time I heard of any of those..”

”But! Is this Mirage arena place anything like Olympus’s Coliseum? Not sure if you ever been there, if so, then I say we definitely should check out if that place is still running!” There was a natural drive to introduce him to not just the presence, the goal to also see if they could find some of the guy’s old pleasures and joys was another mission Sora found himself invested in. He’d love to make sure that after all the blood, sweat and struggle, he could find some essence of familiarity of the ‘good old days.’

“Only if you let me in on what this Command Board is about! It sounds a tiny bit familiar..”

“A lot has changed in the time I’ve been gone.” A vast understatment to be sure. The last his memories could resurface of the realm of light, the concept of a 'Heartless' was not one he was familiar. At least not within this existence. A soft pitter-patter in his heart illuminated to an idea that another side of him was quite intimate with heartless and their ilk. "But I wouldn't mind tagging along for a few adventures. I'd imagine you've become well traveled over the years."

"Yeah, I've been to the coliseum. Had a brief stint as their 'Undefeated Champion' for a bit but it was a little too easy compared to the things I had seen already." The Coliseum, huh? The memory of that particular place felt like a faraway dream, one he can only scarcely recall with vague details. His last venture was one that he remembered being one that he could pride himself on. A villain had made attempts to prey on the darkness in him to no avail. Strength of heart outshone anything that particular world could throw at him. "If I recall though, the Mirage Arena made the coliseum look like a kiddy park in comparison. I had to get serious on more than one occassion in that place with the kind of stuff those moogles could cook up."

"But if you want a true test in patience and skill, then the command board will definitely put your mettle through its paces."

#valorxdrive #(Wow man #I just got back and you're already throwing multi paras at me #Thank you)

[oh-theatre]

Charity

A/N: I was in the mood for some Paulkins boiiii and decided Paul has a daughter and dats a cute concept so enjoy :) You can continue it if you want :)

summary: Emma attends a charity gala, unexpectedly dancing the night away 

words: 1167

warnings: Sick kids

Ao3 Link

“Who...is that?” Emma marvels, watching as a lean man walks across the stage to thunderous applause. 

“That's Paul Matthews, CEO and chairman on the board for the gala,” Charlotte informs, taking a hefty sip of her glass. “He started the movement after his daughter got sick, I don't think he knew it would become so…” She eyes the more than immense crowd, all chatting and enjoying their dinner. Emma and her friends do not fit in, the only reason they came was to represent mister Davidson and his company. “And, he's cute” Charlotte nods, Emma snorts taking her glass from her.

“Char, you have a date!” She scolds playfully, Charlotte raises her brows turning as she scans the room. Their eyes land on a pair of howling women, being chatted up by Sam.

“My dates busy flirting with every other woman here” Charlotte notes, snatching her drink back. Emma gives her a half-hearted smile. “Besides, I wasn't talking about for me, I was talking about you” Emma laughs again, stopping when she sees Charlotte's serious. “Come on, he is, and also totally available”

“And also, the CEO of a major charity! Surrounded by guards twenty-four-seven” Emma exclaims, shushing herself.  Charlotte smirks, sipping her drink maliciously. “What?” 

“You're not denying that he’s cute” Charlotte notes, Emma's face falls, her grim frown not phasing Charlotte. The banter continues before its time to take their seats, Emma and Charlotte make their way to the table. Emma sits in the middle of Charlotte and Melissa, Ted sits next to Sam who sits next to Charlotte. Bill takes his place next to Melissa, checking his phone constantly, no doubt messages from his own daughter. “Oo! Dancing time!” Charlotte giggles as the music swells, she looks to her side expectantly disappointed to find an empty chair. 

“Oh, Char…” Emma rubs her friend's shoulder as their eyes fall on Sam, dancing away with at least three other married women. “Dance with-

“Me?” Ted asks, he smiles from across the table. Emma pauses, she's known Ted for a long time, she's also known about his crush a long time. “I mean, just a dance between two friends?” He proposes, Charlotte coughs hiding her rising blush but stands nonetheless. Dusting off her blue gown, she makes her way across the table taking Ted's hand as he leads her to the dance floor. Soon the rest of the table disappears, tripping over themselves to dance the night away. Emma pouts, not necessarily alone but bored, she swirls her drink, shooting supportive glances to Charlotte. 

“And what might a lady, such as yourself, be doing tonight?” A voice Emma doesn't recognize, but a face she does. 

“You're Paul...Paul Matthews” She stands quickly, shaking his hands, not sure if she's supposed to bow. 

“Aha yes, that would be my name” He teases, “Care for a dance miss…?” He waits trying to put a name to the more than perfect face. 

“Emma, Emma Perkins...and did you just ask me to dance?” She inquires, maintaining her composure. She's not the type to get flustered but Charlotte was not wrong, he was pretty. He looks taken aback, almost hurt by her question. “Not that I wouldn't love to...just...why me?” She presses, he smiles looking to the stage.

“My daughter told me to ask you,” He admits, waving to a small girl bouncing delighted in her chair. “Her name is Jane, she said you looked pretty” Emma blushes, but hangs on the name. “Everything alright?” He questions, concern riddling his face. 

“Nothing Jane...is a beautiful name,” She remarks, preferring not to remember her sister at this moment. Paul cocks his head towards the floor, Emma allows him to lead her there, beginning a rather gentle dance. “So, your daughter sure is bossy huh?” She jokes Paul smiles nodding.

“Yes, I fear after she got sick I may have been too lenient” He continues, the room blurs out, the noises drowning out. 

“I am sorry about that, I could never imagine having a sick child” She laments, Paul takes a deep breath, his arms placed around her waist now. 

“She's getting better, and so are all the other kids. I never imagined…” He gestures to everything “All of this. If I'm being honest, I just wanted Jane to get better...and here we are” He laughs, Emma could listen to that all night.

“Does it get tiring?” She asks, they glide across the room, passing a very proud Charlotte glistening at her friend. 

“All the time, but it's worth it. Not just for Jane, but for all the kids” He recites, its definitely from memory. “Oh I sound like an ad” he chuckles, Emma bites down a smile. They continue in sweet silence, Emma barely feeling the aching in her heels as Paul leads her across the room spinning and twirling and laughing practically all night. Somehow they end up alone, in the hallway. 

“What's this?” She asks coyly, he breathes, clearly desperate for air.

“I needed a break, it's loud and so many people” He places a delicate hand on his chest, sighing deeply, his breath raspy. 

“You ok?” Emma checks, a little worried. Paul nods, closing his eyes. 

“Yeah, I'm getting too...old for this” He jokes, Emma laughs “No im fine...I just… get very exhausted, fast. And bored, everyone always asking me stuff” He rambles, Emma leads him to a bench, grabbing him a quick glass of water. “Thank you”

“No, thank you” She retorts, he eyes her, pausing his drink. “I had fun dancing and stuff” She rolls her eyes playfully, Paul smiles nodding.

“Daddy daddy!” A squeal emerges, Paul jumps up, adjusting his posture. Emma turns watching as a tiny ball of puff and shine comes hurtling towards them, jumping into Pauls's arms followed by two frantic guards. 

“Janey! What's up buttercup” Paul greets, making sure his daughter sits comfortably. 

“Is this the pretty girl” She smiles, pointing blatantly at Emma. Emma giggles, waving to Jane. “What's her name?”

“This is the pretty girl, her name is Emma” He responds, fearing if he makes eye contact, his blush will only rise. He hears the music die down, understanding that’s his cue. “Unfortunately, the pretty girl and I have to part ways,” he tells Jane, Emma can't tell whos more disappointed. The pair stand, Paul clutching to his daughter now. 

“Well you can't say goodbye without a kiss” Jane reprimands, Emma nods agreeing. Paul takes a breath, excited.  

“You are absolutely right Jane” He kisses Jane on the forehead, before leaning and planting a sweet kiss on Emma's cheek. “I hope to see you again” She takes his phone out of hand, typing her number into his notes.

“Shouldn't be a problem, just remember to call me” She teases. Paul stifles a more than delighted squeal, walking away, disappearing behind his guards. Emma stands, letting out a frozen breath shes been holding for a while. He better call is her final thought. 

#musical theatre #theatre #musical #tgwdlm #the guy who didn't like musicals #lauren lopez #jon matteson #jaime lyn beatty #joey richter #oneshot #my writing #writing #ao3 #archive of our own #starkid

[pathology-studies]

Hi! Can you please share your process on how to study? Or simply, how you study?

Hi Love! 

How I study depends on the subject, but here are my three major categories. If your class/test requires all of them, prioritize them according to whatever your prof / more advanced students say is most important.  

Broad Concepts 

When to use? Long answer tests / debates, connecting ideas. 

Talk to your friends about the key concepts! Explain it to friends in your class (people who can catch your mistakes / misconceptions). 

Mind maps to connect your big concepts! Make what I affectionately call “dating profiles” for them: what are their 3-5 MOST important features? 

Ex. Vaccines: safe, effective (activated B and T cells), and accessible financially/societally. 

Do some extra reading about it – make sure that you have examples of how to use the information and why it’s important. Google that shit, baby. Look at how other people describe it and use it! 

Make up “long answer” questions with your friends and trade them.

Ex. If you were a researcher trying to make a vaccine that was for pathogen X, and it needed to reach places without sufficient, what are three Next Gen vaccine types you could make, and what are their advantages and disadvantages? 

OK, so this question isn’t really fair: it requires connecting broad concepts AND knowing their tiny details! So once you’ve pinpointed what broad concepts you need to understand, move into their nitty gritty details: 

Heavy Memorizing (Detail Oriented)

When to use? Multiple choice, True/False, examples for long answers, straight-up classic memorizing (think history classes or anatomy!), fleshing out your understanding of concepts. 

Oooooh flashcards. Quizlet is OK but hand-made ones stick in my brain better, personally. Run through them, stick any of them that aren’t INSTANT recall back in the “do-over” pile, continue until they are done. THEN, pick them up again every few days until the test to keep it *fresh* 

Make a generic chart with lots of boxes. Print like 15. Fill out as much as you can from memory. Check it, add in info you forgot / correct what you got wrong. Put it away. Fill out a blank one. Repeat until you could do it in your sleep (or do it perfectly 2x in a row lol) It’s really useful for memorizing things that have categories like this: 

DISEASE 1 : host, vector, symptoms, epidemiology, pathogenic factors 

DISEASE 2 : host, vector, symptoms, epidemiology, pathogenic factors 

if you have say, Disease 1-20, and disease 1-5 are in an over arching group, you could mind map it too! 

Mind maps are the ultimate catch-all tbh. I usually do one on paper and then a million on a white board until i can nail it every time! Whoop! 

Ask your friends questions and have them ask you! Me and a friend of mine always study for parasitology by taking our notes and drilling each other with every relevant question we can think of, correcting each other as we go, and then doing it AGAIN (you guessed it) until we can get it perfectly every time, 

You might be like “thats unrealistic for the amount of notes I have!” and you might b right but we did it with over 200 powerpoint slides and both got As so….sometimes weird shit works idk fam.  

pls start studying for tests more than a 5 days out it makes memorizing things….way better…and less stressful…

Procedural (Doing it!)

When to use? Practical/lab tests, math/chemistry. 

DO EVERY PRACTICE PROBLEM PROVIDED. 

If you’ve done all of them and ur still nervous, look up youtube tutorials and pause the video when they give out a problem, get as far as you can, and then watch and see if you got it right. 

go to office hours! you prof / TA might have EVEN MORE practice problems!!

If it’s a lab technique, as you TA if you can practice w them (they might say no!)

Memorize all the steps to a method (works for lab or math/chem) and then easy peasy plug and chug it baby. This can be time consuming and stressful tho: try to break down each step LOGICALLY if you know WHY you’re doing something, you can APPLY it to new problems which is p cool. 

general advice: 

stay hydrated love. Eat!! Your brain is a diva that NEEDS glucose to function. Supply that glucose. 

you can do literally anything but don’t waste time trying to force a certain study technique to work for you. Some things gel w ur brain and some things don’t: find the right balance between lowest effort and best results. 

Work out. It’s good for ur brain to get some blood flowing! This can be walking around, doing some chill yoga poses on ur bedroom floor, whatever. It’s esp helpful to break up study sessions w some stretches / light exercises if you can. Do some wall-pushups or try to hold a plank for a few seconds. release ur physical tension it will help you focus. 

DO NOT fuck w distractions: phones, music, noises, people that distract you, do NOT let them interfere w ur study time. There is other time for that I promise you. If you go hard during study time, it will take you less time to learn the info, and then you can actually ENJOY the other things instead of feeling guilty. 

Notes (personal preferences): I usually listen to lyrical music when I’m doing practical stuff, and non-lyrical for the first bit of memorizing (or when i’m reading) and then switch to all lyrical (if u can remember that shit w hayley kiyoko blasting directly into your brain you’ll remember it when those noisy people walk by your classroom! but use this as a “final test” of sorts if lyrical music is super distracting to you.”

I also always study with a water bottle / tea / whatever to sip on so I don’t get dehydration headaches sneak up on me and gradually make me devolve into a frustrated pile of goo, but that’s just me. 

Let me know if you have other questions about specifics / want clarification or anything like that! Good luck!! You can do it!! 

#the lab rat speaks #anon #asks #how to study #studyblr #study advice #study tips #study techniques

[khtrinityftw]

The Good, The Bad, and the Cards - A Brief Look Back at KH: Chain of Memories

It’s been 15 years since Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was released, and while I adore this game, I want to look back and highlight 7 specific elements worthy of praise that still hold up to this day and 7 specific elements that aren’t so good and helped derail the KH franchise going forward, the “Franchise Original Sins” as it were. So without further ado, here they are:

Positive: The Card Map System - I really love the usage of cards when it comes to exploring each world. Through the different cards, you get to create your own customized dungeon to crawl through, and the incentive to battle in order to collect cards you need to progress further in the level is a good one.

Negative: The Card Battle System - Unfortunately, using cards in combat isn’t done nearly as smoothly, and they complicate battles way more than they should. This is especially bad in the original GBA version of the game, where the cards are hard to make out on the small screen and the tiny, cramped arenas that you fight in make it all too easy to get backed into a corner while trying to shuffle through or reload your deck. This game could’ve done better.

Positive: Sora’s Story - The main scenario of the game is superbly written by Daisuke Watanabe. Like I said in my video review, he took what he was given, which was virtually nothing, and turned it into something. Sora’s character has never been explored in as much depth as it is here, with all of his raw strengths and weaknesses on full display. His bond of friendship with Donald and Goofy, his strong romantic interest in Kairi, his tortured clashing with “Riku”, his animosity toward Organization XIII, and the interactions he has with Namine toward the end are all handled perfectly. It really reminds you of just why you love this guy.

Negative: Riku’s Story - Reverse/Rebirth, otoh, doesn’t hold up so well. It tries its best to give Riku good character development, but too much of it is focused on practically everyone but Riku, the lack of anything occurring in the Disney worlds means that the story feels too light on content, and the conclusion Riku’s character is ultimately brought to contradicts what was established in the original KH and only creates further problems down the line. What’s more, this was the start of forcing Riku down our throats as the deuteragonist of the series, which is a role he was never suited for and that he only gets worse in overtime. So yeah, not a fan.

Positive: Organization XIII - Primarily the members introduced in Sora’s story; Lexaeus and Zexion are more useful as plot devices than as characters. Not only are Axel, Larxene, Vexen and Marluxia all excellent villains in their own ways, but the villainous arc they are part of is the best-written one in any KH game. Watching them work off each other and against each other in this dark but easy to follow political intrigue plot is one of the game’s highest points.

Negative: The Riku Replica - Don’t get me wrong, this was a decent character with a decent arc, but the execution was way too over-the-top and overstayed its welcome. Between Sora and Riku’s story, you have to fight this asshole six times! That’s just ridiculous for any boss in any game! And then there’s what the whole “replica” concept he introduced was used for in subsequent games, since Nomura just loves taking the simple and making it convoluted.

Positive: The GBA Graphics - This is one of the best-looking GBA games ever, hands-down. The fact that full cutscenes with PS2-style graphics were actually able to fit on the cartridge is simply incredible, and Square should really be commended for pushing the system to its absolute limits.

Negative: Console Spread - COM marked the first time that a KH game was put on an entirely different console than before, being a GBA game released and set in between two PS2 games. This wasn’t too much of a problem back then, since COM was only needed to fully understand the purposefully confusing prologue of KH2 and it ended up getting a PS2 remake anyway. But after a while, the sheer amount of consoles that KH spin-off games that are necessary to understand KH3′s story with became ridiculous. At this point, the only way you can actually get the full KH series is to own a PS4. If you don’t, then you’re out of luck.

Positive: Disney Expansion - Because this game re-uses Disney characters and worlds from the original KH, Daisuke Watanabe got to expand on things that weren’t really delved into in that game. We get more on Aladdin’s character, more on Alice’s character, more on Peter Pan and Wendy’s characters, more on Belle and the Beast’s characters and relationship…and perhaps most notable of all, more on Jiminy Cricket’s character. The Disney worlds and characters that we saw in KH are all enriched by their memory-based appearances.

Negative: An Influx of OCs - The original KH only had four original characters: Sora, Riku, Kairi and Ansem (five if you are counting Xemnas from Final Mix). COM introduced nine new ones: Namine, Axel, Larxene, Marluxia, Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Riku Replica, and DiZ. Again, this wasn’t a problem with the game back then, especially seeing as two-thirds of those characters get axed before the game is through. But it started the trend of Nomura introducing way too much OCs that come to overshadow all the Disney and FF characters. Worse still, he refuses to truly let any of them go, as all six of those dead characters end up coming back to life later on, as do the two who went on to perish in KH2. This results in an overly cluttered canvas by KH3, to the point where no FF characters can appear.

Positive: Set-up for KH2 - This game’s existence did for KH2 what the later Dream Drop Distance should have done for KH3 but didn’t: it effectively set the stage for the following game. It gave all of the necessary foreshadowing for things like Nobodies, the Organization’s true goal, Xemnas, Roxas, Twilight Town, Namine being Kairi’s Nobody, and DiZ being the true Ansem while the Ansem we knew being an impostor. It also removed five members of the Organization from the board, with the sixth slated for removal in KH2′s prologue, which left the villain roster at a much more manageable number for the game’s main scenario. COM truly feels like the middle installment of a trilogy: the shit that happens in it actually matters.

Negative: Too Much Rehash from KH1 - There is so much from the original KH that is on repeat in COM. Beyond the same Disney worlds and characters being re-used, the stories in those worlds and with those characters match the original KH’s beat for beat, except with themes of memory inserted in and all context to the larger narrative removed so that they feel like filler. Both recycling from the first KH and Disney world visits being filler were not so bad in this game, but when it kept happening throughout the rest of the series, players grew sick of it. Furthermore, beats from the first KH still transpire in the main storyline of the game: Namine is in a role like Kairi’s, the Riku Replica is in a role like Riku’s, Marlxuia is in a role like both Maleficent and Ansem while Ansem himself comes back for more fun darkness times in Riku’s story, and we get sequences of Sora being separated from Donald and Goofy (this time it’s flipped and he’s the one who turns on them), the trio making an “All for One, One for All” promise as they put their hands on one another, and Sora making a promise with Namine that has Kairi’s good luck charm at the center of it. It’s all a little too much familiarity.

Positive: Atmosphere - As much as this game rehashes the previous one, it has a markedly different tone. It’s darker, more foreboding, more eerie, more psychological and uncertain. The white walls of Castle Oblivion and the creepy music playing as you go through them floor by floor really helps to sell this, as does a lot of the dialogue, memory-based insights into the characters’ hearts, and twisted machinations of the villains. It makes COM, well, memorable.

Negative: Convoluted Writing - That’s right, it all starts here. The writing for the original KH was smart enough to not actively dwell on the more ponderous elements of its story, keeping the narrative to a simple presentation while leaving the deeper lore as stuff for the player to think and speculate about it on their own. But in this game, it starts getting pushed to the forefront. Memory and darkness are the central themes of Sora and Riku’s story respectively, and yet neither of them quite make sense the way they’re explored. Memory is repeatedly said to be an aspect of the heart, to the point where removing it altogether would shatter a person’s heart completely. Except that this is not only confusing to basic logic that says memory is an aspect of the mind, but it gets contradicted by the following game, KH2, where it states that Nobodies that have no hearts act upon the memories of when they had hearts. Then we have Namine’s powers and how it relates to memories, which is nebulously defined here and ends up ballooning to ludicrous godlike degrees in order to make certain plot turns happen in later games, and you end up retroactively questioning why she didn’t just fuck with the Organization’s memories and shatter them in order to escape captivity all by herself.

Meanwhile, darkness is completely rewritten so that it can be a good thing if Riku isn’t afraid of it and uses it for a good cause...except that this is literally what he did in the first KH and it corrupted him. Darkness was unambiguously bad and something that should not be used in that game, but now it’s being revamped just to make Riku into a special snowflake with uber-awesome darkness powers. Future games continue going back and forth on darkness on whether it’s good, bad or neutral, whether it’s a natural force that needs to co-exist with light or whether it’s the source of all evil in the universe. And I again must remind you that this is only the start of how convoluted the series gets with its stories! By KH3, the series has become an absolute clusterfuck where nothing really makes sense or amounts to anything. There’s no real depth anymore, just pretentious nonsense that Nomura confuses for depth.

[desperatelyseekingroleplay]

Roleplay partners wanted!

My name is Rhys. I am 21 years old, she/her, from the CT, love the color magenta, and own two orange tabbies. I’m looking for partners in my conquest to write! While I can't get responses in every day, I am almost always open to chatter and geeking out about all sorts of things.

  I write third person, past/present tense, and paragraph form. I'm a novella-ish writer, and do try to crank out at least four-six paragraphs each time I get a response in. Like previously mentioned, I want to stress that while I can't respond every day, everything I do write is full of TLC! I always want to mention this to partners beforehand, because I know some people would rather do rapid fire responses than one or two a week. My limits are pretty general; toilet stuff is a no-no. I don't like to write out top/bottom stereotypes or "seme/uke" tropes. Beastiality, pedophilia, and the like are icky things I would rather avoid.

  I write for all genders, ethnicity, and orientations! I am open to any pairings, and beyond that, varying genres.

  https://docs.google.com/document/d/18n3iuj4m9X1hBo9P2IezrKdTfkTrSKt0H34ZP6v3hHs

  LIMITS

________

  No unrealistic stereotypes of queer relationships, please. Yaoi, yuri, seme/uke, etc. Can't do that. Characters need to both have versatile roles; switching, so it's fair for everyone. Though, my characters do tend to be a lot more dominating!

  {{Very welcoming of BDSM, dom/sub, but this does not mean someone needs to be penetrated every single time in order for the dom to dominate. Get it? This can also apply to heterosexual relationships. I would literally love to see female characters who top, if you know what I mean. If given the chance, I will definitely have dom!females in bdsm-related situations}}

  Furries; blegh, no thanks. Beastiality, nekos, anything of sexual animal-related nature is a no-go, fam.

  Vore, scat, bathroom stuff, pedophilia. You know the drill! ((I am not opposed to consensual, legal age and non-reproducing incestuous relationships in FICTION! Sex is fine, just no children resulting from it. Reminder; this is fictional.))

  Okay, so despite those few limits, I am actually pretty welcoming of anything else. Smut, of course. Some kink a little out there that you want to suggest? Let's do it, dude. I am open to polyamorous relationships, any queer shit you're willing to throw at me lmao I am super OOC friendly and I am pretty much a garbled mess when I get to know you! I am open to crooked relationships, ones that don't function right, fluff and all cuteness, unconditional love-- my interests fluctuate! I am down, 24/7, guys! Here's a list of fandoms and pairings below.

_________

  **=Craving

  Borderlands

Handsome Jack/Rhys

Handsome Jack/Rhys/Nisha

Rhys/Axton

Handsome Jack/Nisha

Fiona/Athena

Fiona/Vaughn

Rhys/Vaughn

  Until Dawn

Josh Washington/Chris

Chris/Mike

Jess/Mike

Sam/Beth

Matt/Jess

Emily/Matt/Jess

  Life is Strange

Max Caulfield/Chloe Price

Max Caulfield/Kate Marsh/Victoria Chase

Nathan Prescott/Warren Graham

Rachel Amber/Chloe Price**

Rachel Amber/Frank Bowers

Frank Bowers/Damon Merrick**

  DC

Dick Grayson/Jason Todd**

Dick Grayson/Koriand'r

Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson

Dick Grayson/Wally West

Oliver Queen/Dinah Lance

Harley Quinn/Pamela Isley

Bruce Wayne/Clark Kent

  Batman: Telltale Series

Bruce Wayne/John Doe**

Bruce Wayne/Selina Kyle

Bruce Wayne/Jim Gordon

Bruce Wayne/Harvey Dent

Bruce Wayne/Harvey Dent/Selina Kyle

  Marvel

Steve Rogers/Tony Stark

Tony Stark/Bruce Banner

Bucky Barnes/Sam Wilson

Thor/Bruce Banner**

Clint Barton/Pietro Maximoff

Peter Parker/Harry Osborn

Peter Parker/Wade Wilson**

Gwen Stacy/Peter Parker/Harry Osborn

Peter Parker/Wade Wilson/Vanessa Carlysle

  Uncharted

Nathan Drake/Samuel Drake**

Nathan Drake/Harry Flynn**

Chloe Frazer/Nadine Ross

Samuel Drake/Rafe Adler

  Game of Thrones

Arya Stark/Gendry Waters

Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell

Daenerys Targaryen/Jon Snow

  TTGOT

Asher Forrester/Gwyn Whitehill

Rodrik Forrester/Arthur Glenmore

Mira Forrester/Margaery Tyrell

Gryff Whitehill/Elaena Glenmore

Gared Tuttle/Finn

Gared Tuttle/Josera Snow

  The Walking Dead

Rick Grimes/Shane Walsh

Rick Grimes/Negan**

Daryl Dixon/Paul “Jesus” Rovia

  TWDG

Luke/Nick

Javier Garcia/David Garcia**

Clementine/Gabriel Garcia

Javier Garcia/Paul “Jesus” Rovia

  The Mortal Instruments

Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago

Simon Lewis/Jace Lightwood

Isabelle Lightwood/Lydia Branwell

Alec Lightwood/Magnus Bane

  Infamous: Second Son

Delsin Rowe/Reggie Rowe

Delsin Rowe/Eugene Sims

Delsin Rowe/Hank Daughtry

  Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator

Anyone/your dadsona (for the love of god someone give me a good, not cliche john doe dadsona and you will win my heart!! I just want to play a dad lol bring me some great ass ocs)

  Far Cry 3

Jason Brody/Vaas Montenegro

  The Last of Us

Ellie/Riley

  -

  Some basic ideas that I do have pretty big doc ideas for;

  A few marine biologists go to an island off the coast to study the marine life there, which in turn, turns out to be something much bigger. (Mermaid/siren prompt!)

  Soul mates; it can be like some of those AU’s where you don’t see color until you meet them, your tattooed timer counts down until then, or maybe even soulmates continuously reincarnating and one of the two has killed them for centuries in order to be “immortal”. For the first time, the victimized partner gets close enough that the other begins to fall and they start aging, together.

  Character A has an awful time living in the city; alone, and without mom's guidance, completely lost. One day they receive a call about a deceased relative, one they'd never heard of and apparently left their estate and everything in their will to A. With nothing but the clothes on their back, A took a shot and drove out to this presumed "estate", only to find that it's a mansion in a tiny little town with an eerie vibe and populated by the typical small town churchgoers and farm folk. Living in this town was a hell of a challenge; everyone was nice, too nice, and people were missing. Character B is an exceptionally charismatic, charming person and the only mechanic/handyman in town. A and B become friends, partially, when A needs to fix up the piping in their estate. A stumbles upon the attic one day, and for once, they start to get why this whole town reeked to the roots in weird shit-- their deceased relative was tracking something here in this town, having to do with all of the MIA townsfolk. DR has a board of possible suspects, and at the center? B. OSJFODSFHSDJSODFJD!!! Bonus content: B is, in fact, not the murderer, instead a vampire on a mission to track down the monster, same as DR. small towns give me honey moon vibes and I??? am so down for some kinky, albeit eventually fluffy romance between people who are trying to make it work. I actually have a doc for both TBD characters and a location. None of this is set in stone, so please share your thoughts.

  A doesn’t have any memories of their life, only being conscious and staring down at a mutilated body in a ditch. When they meet B, they learn why; welcome to limbo, they say. You just died. A has unfinished business; finding out who murdered them, why, and what else is holding them here. B is a reaper intent on helping lost souls pass over-- they were never born, and A shows them the delights of life before it’s taken. B learns to love A, and A doesn’t want to leave limbo. While A’s soul is clinging between realities, B must make a pivotal decision; squeezing tight on the concept of love, and letting A go. (BONUS!! REINCARNATION; A & B ARE GIVEN THE GIFT OF LIVING AGAIN, TOGETHER.)

  Coming of age story between two childhood friends who are separated by circumstance, and after ten years, reunite and learn that your first love doesn’t have to be the one that got away.

  Two friends drop their whole lives to go on a road trip once they turn thirty-- they elope together, leaving their unhappy lives behind them and in this grand scheme of mental breakdowns and tearful smiles, they find that love may be the only cure to a broken existence.

  In a post-apocalyptic world where a pandemic has killed off most living species, Character A is a lone wolf with little to do with other people that don't benefit him, except for a select few. A is especially rough around the edges, as he's lived through some sick shit and lived to tell the tale. A had once been part of a group dedicated to finding a cure, but things went south, and a lot of people died. A had a close bond with the leader of said group, and coincidentally they were the only survivors.  Their past together, having been deeply demented and twisted, caused them to fall out. Said leader has rebuilt a new group in the ten years since the last time they'd seen A. Character B is the only known immune person alive, and has dedicated their life to being a resource to finding a cure. A and his (current) contact/partner in crime have something taken from them, and are determined to get it back. They do some searching, and are confronted with this group-- they have what they need, but are only willing to give it to them for a favor in return. No one can outrun their past forever. (Last of Us-inspired!)

  An architect/treasure hunter is being funded an expedition to find a lost treasure and they are forced to bring along a reporter in order to receive the funds. the reporter and architect certainly don't get along in the beginning— they bicker, and clash on most fronts. the expedition wasn't meant to be dangerous. what was initially thought to be a simple job turned into something treacherous; bandits, a team of hired hitmen and their leader looking to take the treasure for themselves, and some rather supernatural elements that they both couldn't quite put a finger on. the treasure hunter and the reporter have to work together to get out of this alive, and get to the artifact before someone else does.

..and many more!! Thanks so much! If you've read through, please contact me at [email protected] and mention kiwi somewhere in your email. n_n

Rhys xoxo

#Writing Partner Wanted #Roleplay Partner Ad #Long Term Roleplay Wanted #21+ Roleplay Wanted #submission

[justanotherwannabeclassic]

Bloom (1/?)

This has been a work in progress for quite some time. It started as a response to the fact that OUAT seemingly cannot have a normal pregnancy on this show without it being traumatic or otherwise very sad. This is the result. This series will be following the arc of Emma’s totally normal, only lightly angsty pregnancy that will end 100% happy. That is my guarantee. No prophecies. No speeding up. A super normal pregnancy.

As for the timing of posting this…well, we could all use some fluff, and I’m not letting reality get me down. So, presenting, “The Happiest Pregnancy Ever”

Also on A03.

Why should I be unhappy? Every parcel of my being is in full bloom. -Rumi

Emma tapped her fingers on the table, her nails clack-clack-clacking on the wood with each downward press. She listened to the steady tick-tock of the clock, understanding with sudden clarity why Barrie had one haunt his interpretation of her husband. 

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Her husband wasn’t home. He was at store working his way down the list of things she’d hastily scribbled before he walked out the door. The list was long, and she didn’t really need half the things she sent him to buy, but she needed him gone, not anywhere near her while she processed the impending changes to their life. He would be home soon, which meant that she had to decide just what course of action to take.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The house was quiet. Whenever Henry stayed with Regina, there was a certain stillness to their home. Even when he was there, he opted to listen to music via headphones. He was teenager, meaning he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. She liked the quiet, sometimes. Other times, not so much. It reminded Emma of her time as the Dark One – the house barren, dead. 

It won’t be like that much longer.

Emma fingered the stick in front of her. It read “pregnant” in small letters. She sprung for the test that said pregnant or not pregnant. She didn’t want to take any chances with lines or ink. It was clear as day that way. No mistakes.

This was the fourth positive test she had taken. She used magic to dispose of the three others, sending them to the Storybrooke dump away from prying eyes. Storybrooke was bad enough about gossip. She wouldn’t put it past a nosy neighbor to glance through her trash, and have the news travel before she even told the father.

The baby wasn’t planned. She was on birth control, but she and Killian had been sloppy with using extra protection the week she had been getting over a sinus infection. Damn antibiotics and their stupid side effects. 

There was a dark side of her that wanted to laugh about how both her children weren’t planned. She could prevent the destruction of untold realms, but pregnancy? What a great Savior she was!

At least things were better this time around. The only jail she was in was when she booked someone. She had a stable job. She wasn’t living out of the bug. She had a support system: friends, family, and –

Killian.

Emma had Killian. He was there for her, he would never abandon her. He loved her. Truly in the fairy tale, curse-breaking kind of way. She knew how he’d react once she told him the news. He’d be elated, but he would hold it back to test her reaction first. Always waiting for her, that’s how he normally approached any relationship milestone. (Even when he didn’t want to, Emma thought, the memory of his first proposal flitting through her mind.)

So why was she afraid? 

She and Killian had been married for almost a year, and things had been peaceful by Storybrooke standards. And that was the rub - “by Storybrooke standards”. Their home was as fantastical as the curse that had created it, with dangers Emma never could have eve imagined. Prior to moving here, the worst Emma could have imagined was a random terrorist attack or freak train derailment. Here she had to worry about time travel, and realm hopping, and memory spells. 

What if a villain made her forget her own child?

Emma wasn’t even sure how pregnancy and raising an infant would even work. Her mother had pulled it off, but the bulk of her pregnancy had been spent in the Enchanted Forest. Both Zelena and Belle had their pregnancies magically sped up, which Emma was sure wasn’t entirely healthy. Not to mention the kidnapping. Her little brother had been kidnapped, as had Gideon. Gideon, in turn, had attempted to murder her and her family. What would she do if her kid was kidnapped and went all Terminator?

Pregnancies were supposed to be happy things, right? Not riddled with anxiety regarding villains and portals and crazed relatives seeking revenge. What If Killian had more surprise relatives who wanted him dead? What if she did?

What made matters worse was that for a brief moment she had been happy. The first, second, and third time the tests turned positive - Pregnant! - she had been elated. Emma could easily picture a boy with her green eyes and his dark hair running through the house. Or a little blonde-haired blue-eyed girl receiving archery lessons on the lawn. But somewhere between test three and four, anxiety had creeped in and taken hold. 

She could get rid of it, but that didn’t seem right either. Truth was, she wanted the baby. She and Killian could pack up the house and move seven states over, but even then Emma was convinced that somehow, some way, a villain would find them. After all, it was she who nearly became engaged to the flying monkey. 

Emma felt the pinpricks of tears at the corner of her eyes, and tried to will them away. It was a lost cause. Not only was she a mess of hormones, but she was stressed, anxious, and more than a little overwhelmed. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” she said to herself, as if announcing it aloud would somewhat make her statement more true. “You’re going to be fine.”

It was then when she heard the district sound of the boards of the front steps creaking, indicating that someone was outside. She had been meaning to fix the stairs, tighten them or whatever one did to stairs – a handy woman, Emma was not – but she was grateful for the alert that allowed her to shove the test out of sight. Killian likely didn’t know what a pregnancy test looked like, but she didn’t want to take the chance of him seeing it first.

As expect, he swept through the front door, grocery bags hanging from his hooked arm. 

“Good news, love, there was a two-for-one special on those pints of ice cream you and Henry enjoy. Never let it be said that I–” Whatever Killian had been saying died in his throats when  caught sight of her. Emma knew she must look miserable, cheeks flushed from her earlier bout of tears. “Emma, what’s wrong?”

He rushed over to her, dropping the bags front of the door. Emma had half a mind to tell him to put the ice cream in the freezer, but relented. She knew Killian. His focus would be completely on her. Instead, she waved her hand and magicked what she hoped was the ice cream into the freezer. There was no use getting it all melty while she and Killian had a serious conversation.

“I love you, you know that right?” She asked, wanting to stress that the conflicting emotions she felt had nothing to do with him. 

“Yes.” His brows furrowed even as he took a set next to her at the table. He eyed her suspiciously and said nothing more.

“And you know how we’ve talked about wanting a future,” she continued, knowing she was beginning to ramble,“ but here’s the thing, we never exactly ironed out what exactly that was gonna entail, and when those things were gonna happen.”

“And you desire to have that conversation now?” Killian asked, enunciating every word slowly as if he was trying to wrap his mind around the concept. He reached over and clasped her left hand in his right, rubbing his thumb over her rings. “Darling, if that’s what you’re worried about, there’s no need to be.”

“I’m - I’m-” Emma began, struggling over what she was intending to say. She’d never been good with the whole talking thing. Flowery language and grand announcements had always been Killian’s forte. One would think that after a year of marriage, some of it would have rubbed off, but nope. “God, I should have prepared a speech.”

“Emma, you can tell me anything.” Killian kept his voice soothing, but Emma could sense the undercurrent of worry there. She supposed if he had been acting similarly, she too would be worried.

Deciding that actions spoke louder than words, Emma let go of Killian’s hand and pulled out the pregnancy test she had hidden, shoving it unceremoniously toward him. Brows furrowed, he picked it up and studied it intently. 

“What’s this?” he asked, because as expected, it was obvious he had never seen such a thing. “And why does it say…”

His voice trailed off. Her husband was an intelligent man. He could put two and two together and figure out just why she was handing him a stick that said “Pregnant” on a tiny little screen. He looked from it to her, realization dawning on his face. 

“Emma,” he said, her name coming out half-gasp, half-whisper. He sat the test down delicately, almost reverently, as if he believed that moving too quickly would upset the balance of what it had revealed. 

“So, yeah, that’s the thing. The future we didn’t elaborate on is here.” She gestured vaguely to her abdomen where a tiny lump of cells was slowly developing into a small human. 

“I see,” Killian replied. He now looked as if he were grappling with his own words. “Swan, how are you feeling?”

It was his way of asking how he should feel. Her pirate wasn’t that difficult to read.

“I feel happy, but mostly scared,” she admitted. “I have no idea how this is even going to work here or anywhere, you know, with our crazy, fucked up lives.”

He was silent for a moment… After what felt like forever, he asked, “How would you feel if our lives weren’t so crazy? If we lived a lifestyle that you considered ‘normal’, like you had in New York with Henry?”

“Still happy, a lot less terrified. Probably still freaked out, but about the normal stuff,” Emma answered truthfully. “But I don’t think going to New York is the answer either.”

“Of course not.” Killian shook his heads “But allow me to remind you that you’d still be both happy and afraid no matter what lifestyle we lead.”

She sighed. She understood what he was trying to do, let her know her reactions were totally normal. That no matter where they were and the lives they were living, she would likely still be afraid on some level. 

“We can’t pretend our lifestyle is the easiest,” she told him, looking away as she felt the tears come again. “Our kid wouldn’t exactly have the most normal of lives.”

“Our child will have both a mother and father who loves it,” Killian replied, his tone taking the authorial tone of a captain. “It will also have adoring grandparents, a protective older brother, and what I imagine will be s handful of devoted honorary aunts and uncles standing alongside those it will have by blood.”

“That doesn’t guarantee its safety or even normalcy.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Killian shook his head. “But it’s more than either you or I had.” Emma was silent. She didn’t know how to formulate a response, couldn’t really. His words struck her. She, the girl who bounced from home to home, and he, the boy raised a slave and abandoned by his father were discussing their future and their unborn child. Sometimes, Emma was overtaken by the awe of how far she’d come since those days in the systems. It was during moments when Henry would steal onion rings from her plate at Granny’s, or pancake breakfasts with her parents. And now here in the kitchen, Killian holding her hand and she worked through her feelings regarding her pregnancy. And then there was Killian, sold into slavery and practically raised by his brother. A life in the Navy, followed by a life of piracy and loss, finally to here, to her.

“So what do you say, love?” he asked, watching her meaningfully. Truth be told, Emma was still terrified of a curse, but something told her that if she asked about curses, Killian would counter by reminding her there might not be one.

And he was right, there might not be a course. Or there could be. But they’d be there, and her parents, and Regina and Zelena, as well. There would be a house the kid could come home to, the same house with the same bed. There’d be clothes that fit and kisses and “I love you”s every day. There’d be a home, one picked out by Killian and Henry, one they all filled together, their happy little family.

Wasn’t this the “Happy Beginning” they sang about all those months ago?

“I think,” she began finally, “I think that we should grab some spoons and eat the ice cream you got at the store. Celebrate.”

He grinned. “Aye, love, let’s celebrate."

She sealed it with a kiss.

#cs ff #captain swan #cs fic #ouat ff #this is me marching on #s writes bloom #which is also the happiest pregnancy ever #because canon don't own me

[maychorian]

Weekly Voltron Fic Recs #19

Rules: You can find past rec lists here. This is stuff I like, and I have a huge bias toward Lance, hurt/comfort, and general fluff, in that order. Gen unless otherwise noted. Please comment on the fics if you read and enjoy them!

Welp, this will be the last rec list before Season 2. I feel like a tornado is coming. Time to hide in the cellar and batten down the hatches. We’ll see what survives the storm, including my heart.

happy birthday, hope it's out of this world by brosura Words:  5,866 Author’s Summary:  Everyone’s acting very unusual around Hunk today, and he can’t think of a reason why. People keep giving him things, Pidge and Coran are strangely anxious to keep him away from part of the castle, and strangest of all, he hasn’t seen Lance even once. My Comments: This is sweetest thing. Everyone’s gifts to Hunk very lovely and sentimental, and somehow he DOESN’T CATCH ON. This made me grin through the entire thing, and Lance’s gift was the sweetest of all.

An Aftermath of Sorts by wolfsan11 Words: 2,451 Author’s Summary: Shiro forgets sometimes that Allura is a princess in all the ways that no one would wish to be. That she is a princess born into happiness but brought up alongside a war, that she is a princess who had once known her enemy as a favored guest in her kingdom. He forgets sometimes that her strength is hard-won and bitter, and entirely her own.---In the aftermath of the corrupt wormhole, Shiro seeks out Allura. My Comments: This is well-written and sad, and really highlights how strong and protective both of them are. Also, paladin cuddle pile.

Reconnaissance by mumblefox Words: 5,680 Author’s Summary: They'd gotten Sendak off the castle, and everyone should feel safe again. Thing was, they didn't. But they had time, now, to fix what they could, and Pidge had a plan that would help. My Comments: APPARENTLY this is the first of a series and there is going to be MORE? By some of the BEST GEN WRITES in the FANDOM? Holy crap, y’all, we are blessed. This fic is amazing. Climb on board or the train will take off without you.

Trials Before the Dead by birdzilla Words: 3,139 (WIP 1/7) Author’s Summary: When the paladins land on an alien planet looking for refuge, they're instead brought to trial by the natives for the deaths of innocent Galra prisoners. Shiro attempts to take on the burden of guilt for the rest of the paladins and ends up on a spiritual journey through his paladins' trials-by-ordeal, depending on the strength of their bond to carry him through. My Comments: What an absolutely terrific concept, and the writing is super great. I am on tenterhooks for more.

And I Lie Awake And Miss You by Leonawriter Words: 753 Author’s Summary: Lance finds Allura by accident, kept awake by his own fears after the way the day had gone. Lance is just too stubborn and too unwilling to let things lie when she's clearly still upset. Not that he can blame her. My Comments: Short, sweet, and sad. I love platonic Allura and Lance interaction. They both miss their families.

A Moment of Respite by To_Shiki Words: 1,341 Author’s Summary: The other Paladins get Shiro to relax after post-battle exhaustion wears off. My Comments: Yes, good. Let him rest. Everyone takes care of Shiro, and this is really the only way he can let his guard down.

All There (In a Way) by Skalidra Words: 2,410 Author’s Summary: When Shiro wakes, after his crash-landing back on Earth, he's strapped down onto a table, three people hovering over him in full quarantine suits. But he remembers every moment of the year he's been gone, and he's been Champion for far too long to be alright with being restrained, let alone being sedated. My Comments: Shiro with all his memories of struggling for survival in the arena is SAVAGE. This is a darker take on that first encounter back on Earth, but it absolutely makes sense. 

Wolves by Utsukushin (UserFromPluto) Words: 2,498 Author’s Summary: Keith’s hands shook, and for a second he allowed himself to give in to weakness, slumping forward so his upper body rested on Red’s dashboard. His eyes slipped closed, and immediately he was assaulted with a brutal wave - flashes of laser blasts and screams, the violent jolting of his lion in combat, tiny droplets of blood flying off his sword… "Keith?" (Keith has a hard time calming down after battles) My Comments: Stressed-out, hyper-vigilant Keith is really well-written and vivid, and the team’s concerted effort to surround him and make him feel safe again is lovely. 

No Martyrdom Allowed by IntelligentAirhead Words: 3,442 Author’s Summary: Hunk tries very hard to help their friends. It would go a lot easier if they weren't so self-sacrificial, but considering the extenuating circumstances of an entire galaxy depending on them, it's understandable. That doesn't mean Hunk's going to give up on suggesting healthier coping mechanisms or opening avenues for conversation, though. Especially when Allura is so insistent on putting her grief aside and charging ahead My Comments: Hunk and Allura interaction! How rare and beautiful. I really love this version of Hunk, so rambly and sweet, but stubborn when need be.

Think Before He Cheats by 15Strawberries Words: 1,232 Author’s Summary: Hunk likes country music. Specifically, scorned woman country music. His friends are concerned. My Comments: And this is just adorable. Everyone loves Hunk, as well they should.

No Chill Zone by JamtheDingus Words: 3,070 Author’s Summary: It's Hunk's birthday! Lance and Pidge planned something special, just for their favorite boy.---“Pidge, seatbelt!” Hunk shrieked, narrowly avoiding a collision. She blew a raspberry directly into his ear before she plopped back into her seat, loudly clicking her seatbelt.“I thought you only listened to country music.” Lance says, as if the words physically repulse him.“Don’t make me bring up your song choices, Mister ‘Naruto Opening 7 Is In My Playlist Eight Times In A Row’.” She huffed. My Comments: College AU. This is a fun, funny, and relaxing fic. It’s nice to see these three just hanging out and enjoying each other’s company.

Pride by Eghfeithrean Words: 3,485 Author’s Summary: The lions reflect on their respective Paladins following the events of episode 11, and prepare for what lies in store for them in the future. For the Voltron Season 2 Countdown event. My Comments: Lovely character study of the lions and their paladins.

Can't Take the Sky From Me by isabeau25 Words: 6,586 Author’s Summary: Shiro was just trying to escape the ever expanding Galra Empire. He hadn't planned on picking up any passengers along the way. My Comments: I love everything about this. Cannot possibly recommend it highly enough. LITERAL space dad Shiro is excellent, and all the kids are well-drawn, if heartbreaking. Allura and Coran are a fantastic addition, and there’s a great Firefly vibe to the whole thing that really, really works. And it’s now a series! If I were you, I would subscribe and read every single thing.

Squash by isabeau25 Words: 749 Author’s Summary: Shiro is very sleepy, and his team is full of squash. My Comments: CUUUUUTEEEE! This fic killed me. I have such a thing for sleepy paladins, and also Shiro using endearments for the younger ones. And Coran just accepts it, because humans are weird.

Infection by 5557 Words: 73,271 Author’s Summary: While exploring an alien planet, Lance is nearly killed by a mysterious monster. Now he's convinced that he is infected with an alien sickness. Why doesn't anyone believe him? It must be Keith's fault. This is a horror-comedy (but like, also a romance?), and I drew pictures. My Comments: Here, have some epic Klance hurt/comfort. It’s really well-done.

Raised By Lions by earthstar Words: 9,640 Author’s Summary: The Galaxy Garrison ask Shiro to speak with 11 year old Keith who they believe has dangerous knowledge. As Shiro becomes attached to the kid, he has no idea just exactly what kind of trouble the boy has gotten himself into. My Comments: I LOVE this fic and I really really really want more. Oh, and yeah, it’s almost another literal space dad Shiro. Space big brother, anyway. Because Keith needs to be adopted, like, twenty times.

One Week to Say Goodbye by squirenonny Words: 1,986 (WIP 1/7) Author’s Summary: After King Alfor places Allura in stasis, Coran has one week before Alfor sends Allura and Coran to Arus to await the arrival of a new generation of paladins. One week to think about everything he's going to lose. One week to search for another solution. One week to remember. One week to say goodbye. My Comments: Past one-sided Coran/Alfor. I almost didn’t read this fic, because I didn’t want to be sad. But this author is SO good I couldn’t help it, and now I’m really eager for more. 

Hunkaversary by Geoduck Words: 2,168 Author’s Summary: Hunk always gives so much--and it's time to give back. His birthday is coming. My Comments: Another super-cute birthday fic. Hunk deserves all the hugs, and he gets them.

Love and Other Questions by squirenonny for May Words: 10,978 (WIP 2/?) Author’s Summary: One week after news of the Kerberos disaster broke, Pidge receives a new Mark--proof that Matt is still alive. She breaks into the Garrison to find him, only to find herself caught up in the fight for the fate of the universe. Keith keeps his arms covered so he doesn't have to watch Shiro's scars compounding on his skin--but doing so means cutting off contact with his romantic soulmate, who greets him each morning with a new (and terrible) pickup line.Shiro and Matt thought they were the luckiest people alive when they found out they were going to Kerberos together. But Shiro hasn't seen Matt's untidy scrawl on his arm in almost a year, and he has no idea if his soulmate is even still alive. [Canonverse Soulmate AU with romantic and platonic soulmates (and some gray areas in between)] My Comments: Multiple pairings both romantic and platonic. I just love the way this author does relationships, and while I’m not usually a big fan of soulbonds, this idea is really, really intriguing. Very cool concept, well-written and well-characterized. I can’t wait for Hunk and Lance to show up.

Call it Magic by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Words: 5,856 Author’s Summary: Tuesdays are Hunk's favorite. Or, at least, they're supposed to be. A Hogwarts AU based on this fic by Buttered_onions for Hunk's birthday. My Comments: Really lovely day-in-the-life kind of fic. I love all the relationships and how protective everyone is of Hunk, and the world is well-integrated. Good stuff.

Piece of Goo by genericfanatic Words: 1,207 Author’s Summary: Lance is sad and eats terrible food. My Comments: This is an excellent portrayal of depression and UGH I just want to give Lance a hug.

No Desert For You by Mikiri Words: 5,373 Author’s Summary: They may have won, but what happens after? Keith worries of returning to Earth and the team comforts him as best they can. My Comments: SO sweet and comforting. Wonderful paladin pile, and I love how they just went around the room taking turns telling Keith that he’s been adopted and he’s not going back to the desert alone. Ever.

A Better Life by BlueRoboKitty Words: 2,142 Author’s Summary: “You can have a better life.”She really, really could make it better, couldn’t she? Turn this ship around. And go back. My Comments: Really interesting Nyma character study. Actually made feel bad for her, which is a trick, because I really don’t like her because of the way she treated Lance. (I know, I know, he kind of deserved it, and it was played for laughs, and everything turned out fine. I’m biased. I told you that.)

we sat on the edge of worlds by stelian Words: 4,481 Author’s Summary: As far as rescue missions went, this wasn’t the worst one ever. No one was near death, none of the lions were severely damaged, they were still together, and both were in one piece. Mostly. So what if some weird electromagnetic storm was keeping them from contacting the Castle, a wave sent out by a Galra commander had deactivated Shiro's arm, and Hunk may or may not have more than a slight concussion? At least no one was dying.The hardest part was trying to survive through the night while the temperatures continued to drop. {or; Hunk and Shiro have a bonding moment while trying not to freeze to death} My Comments: Hunk and Shiro interaction is slowly growing to be some of my favorite. And I’m always a sucker for huddling for warmth. Just a good hurt/comfort tale.

the great (drunk & failtastic) galactic bake off by ShirosRedKnight (HalcyonWritings) Words: 2,482 Author’s Summary: “I got it!” Lance pointed triumphantly across the sunk-in couch at Keith, who was eyeing his third glass of jumbu’v juice with a mild frown. “We should do a bake-off!”--A GBBO parody fic because why not. My Comments: This one is hilarious. Poor Shiro. He tried.

Previously Recced Fics That Updated:

Someplace Like Home by squirenonny The Final Act of Mercy by ptw30 Beast You've Made of Me by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) (now complete) Parasite Knight by VelkynKarma Aid by Haurvatat Engine Won't Turn by yet_intrepid (THIS CHAPTER MADE ME SO HAPPY) Planet of Gold by rexlover180 (now complete) Light Up the Dark by BajillionKittens (yay it’s back!) Where No One Goes by earthstar I'm Seeing Stars by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions)  Bundle in Blankets by KnightNuraStar (now complete) He Sleeps in the Sky of Ice by jadencross

#voltron legendary defender #fic rec #i can't believe how long this is #i'm tired #all this fic reading is seriously interfering with my writing #if there any typos just ignore em cuz i ain't fixing em #weekly voltron fic recs #vldgen

[michellelewis7162]

Barbados Trip Hotels - Tips as well as Even more

Barbados Trip Hotels - Tips as well as Even more

 People who consider vacationing in attractive Barbados for the new are often much more restless than delighted. In addition to the fact that it will be a strange spot, they are actually too extremely paniced regarding the cash they 'd need to spend to delight in the adventure of the awaiting enthusiasm of going there. Thankfully enough, there are constantly journeying secrets to all trip scorching places all over the world. This short article will certainly supply an assortment of beneficial relevant information as well as recommendations that will help any individual planning and also take pleasure in a vacation to some of the very most wonderful islands in the Barbados Travel Guide. Unique Things To Do In Barbados

 Funds as well as Cost of Goods. The money in Barbados is actually the Bajan or Barbados buck and also is actually equivalent to United States $1.98. Be guided correctly: products and also services right here carry out certainly not happen economical and also are actually, offer or even take, virtually equivalent to their costs in Barbados Travel Guide.

 Taking a trip. Upon arrival at the island's airport terminal, simply go out of the incurable with luggage in palm towards the buses, taxis as well as shuttle bus transit lined outside. The easiest means to go is actually to pre-arrange the companies of a shuttle bus mosting likely to and coming from the resort of option. Taxi cabs can operate $20-60 relying on exactly how far the place is, and shuttle bus would certainly demand $5 (do not pay moreover) for surf board bags and also other over sized things. If a rental automobile is actually favored, take keep in mind that it will cost around $50-60 a day. Do not forget that the guiding tire is actually on the 'incorrect side' of the vehicle.

 Outfit. Perform not assume that even if it is a beach front paradise that a person can easily wear his bikini anywhere the entire day. Swim damage is scheduled for seasides as well as beach bars. Sportswear is actually the liked, necessary clothes in many locations listed here, apart from during the night, or even at dinners. It would be actually well if the product of the clothing is light-weight and 'breezy'.

 Barbados Travel Hotels. There is actually wide collection of hotels as well as other lodgings to decide on the island. The crux is actually exactly how much money is heading to be actually willingly invested in one. A prominent choice, obviously, is actually the more affordable lodging readily available. Transaction accommodations are actually often good enough as well as have three-star ranks. The workers is guaranteed to become pleasant, congenial as well as beneficial. There are actually some that would certainly feature a spotless seaside triumphant for consumers to effortlessly delight in. Like a large number of these good deal hotels, every thing is all-inclusive. This means that all dishes, drinks, gratuities, and also non-motorized sports are part of the deal Barbados.

 It would certainly be appealing to keep in mind that morning meal and lunch time are actually offered in a snack bar design, and also treat is actually similarly comfortably provided in-between. People can select whether their supper will reside in a cafeteria type or even a 5-course one in the eating area, which requires an appointment of training program. The resort staff will educate guests regardless if their eating space is made a reservation for and allow guests to use and also view if there are actually terminations within the day Barbados Travel Guide.

 Right here are actually some other notable travel suggestions:

 ( 1) inspect the weather condition before any type of trip so you are going to have a concept concerning what to bring, and how to stuff;

 ( 2) use tourist's inspections if there are any sort of. If they in some way get lost or taken, keep in mind that they can still be actually commonly changed within 24 hours almost throughout the globe by many financial institutions and also solution business;

 ( 3) never leave belongings in the lodging, unless a secure is actually requested;

 ( 4) abstain coming from using the accommodation area telephone considering that they can be actually very pricey. It will be much better to use a cellphone or even a phone memory card.

 Barbados Holidays Travel Guide - Explore Paradise in the world

 If you are actually looking for a holiday season location total of exciting as well as adventuresome tasks, after that Barbados is the location for you. This holiday season spot grabs every soul as well as create you savor memorable life-time moments here. Your holiday seasons to Barbados are going to take you to an island country which is located between the famous Caribbean Sea as well as the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela and eastern of the Windward Island. Barbados boasts mild, exotic weather along with vibrant streets, excellent gardens and enhancing beautiful natural views. So you will enjoy every tromp your Barbados holiday seasons.

 Barbados allotments an ordinary yearly temperature of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit as well as therefore the climate condition do certainly not differ much creating the weather problems constantly ideal to enjoy an interesting holidays in Barbados. So it is actually all around you to choose when you would like to select your vacation. However winters months are actually fairly suitable because summers possess relatively hotter weather condition, as well as the summer and also preceding months carry more probability of storms. Barbados has lots of dynamic taking in the sights destinations that you will just like for certain Barbados.

 Yearly countless vacationers and travelers coming from all the sections of the World are drawn in to the isles of Barbados. Seashore holiday seasons to Barbados are a lot more enjoyable packed and also you will definitely get numerous of water showing off as well as adventuresome activities to delight in. This Caribbean appealing isle attributes lengthy stretches of tidy sand coastlines that are actually very most admiring. You may enjoy Barbados seaside holidays at every instructions of the island. The beaches are actually differentiated in every the 4 seaside areas i.e. east, west, north as well as southern. Several of the well-liked ones are actually Accra Beach, Bath Beach, Brownes Beach, Casuarina Beach, Garrison Beach, Mullins Bay, Miami Beach, Paradise Beach and Worthing Beach etc. Indulge your own self right into the interesting tasks of snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, parasailing, kayaking etc

 . Check out the sensational destinations on your vacations to Barbados along with your friends and adored ones. Take a browse through to the capital metropolitan area of Barbados, Bridgetown where you will observe the early historical sites like National Heroes Square, Neogothic Parliament Buildings, Bridgetown Synagogue as well as a lot more. Past fans will certainly like it. The various other eye capturing attractions are actually Chalky Mount potters, Crane Beach, East Coast Road and so on. Holiday seasons in Barbados could be toothsome if you see to the well-liked dining establishments in Barbados like the high cliff restaurant, Red House Inn Restaurant, Lone Star dining establishment, The Steak house and so on. Reading this you may now acquire delighted and should be desire for taking pleasure in vacations in Barbados. Therefore only open your world wide web as well as publication Barbados vacation plans for you as well as your loved ones.

 Visitor's Guide - Small Hotel Categories

 A considerable amount of folks presume that hotels are all generally the very same. But the reality is actually that there are numerous different types of such facilities. And also some classifications may be in multitude relying on a location. For instance, in Las Vegas, sizable online casinos with accommodations could be discovered almost everywhere in the state of Nevada. While in the little nations in the Caribbean, tiny hotel Barbados for instance is very common due to the fact that the smaller sized the area, the cozier it is and the more right for an exotic haven setting. The difficulty for the typical vacationer or traveler at that point is identifying which sort of holiday accommodation suits his or even her requirements. A great deal of individuals for example carry out not understand the variation between an ecohotel and a hotel. Small hotels types can differ coming from area to put as properly Barbados Travel Guide.

 Passion Hotel

 This type of hotels is a brand new vogue in Japan along with in other Asian sites like South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, as well as Singapore. These are actually smaller buildings that afford attendees short opportunity stays primarily suited in the direction of offering pairs a personal room for having sex. This concept is actually obviously secondhand. These lodgings are actually the only choice for fanatics would like to share premium time all together at low prices. For that reason, if one observes words Love in a building, after that one must certainly not count on a kid pleasant place to invest the night in.

 Hotels

 The condition is actually a contracted form of the words "motorist's hotels and resort." Such lodgings are current Inns. They are located generally along the main streets as well as motorways. This kind of business became popular in the United States when the significant streets were built. It became property to the very first so gotten in touch with "Road Warriors" who steered the streets traversing the country as a lifestyle. Today, some lodgings use the phrase hotel satisfactorily but actually, these were actually establishments with a small major structure of rooms experiencing a parking area Barbados Travel Guide.

 Lodge

 The lodge is actually generally overnight lodgings found at major roads or even city facilities. Remittance perhaps required upon inspect in. A dining establishment might or even might certainly not be actually included in the centers Barbados.

 Apartelle

 The Apartelle, much like the Motel, is actually a portmanteau. It is generally a condo structure that makes use of the hotel rental payment system. Thus, there may be actually citizens in the structure remaining for months or even years alongside transients who merely stay a number of days or even merely overnight. These buildings may possess a bunch of centers as well. Little hotel Barbados buildings like these as an example are actually well-liked cheap and however, are actually properly off with a considerable amount of services Barbados.

 These are merely a few of the numerous whimsical lot of lodging business kinds. The common tourist that is heading to one location for the 1st opportunity may easily receive therefore puzzled since some terms may be actually interchangeably used by the lodging business. Hence, it is essential that anybody heading to a new spot ought to know the form of lodgings accessible in a region (like motels in the freeways of the U.S. as well as little hotels and resort Barbados apartelles). This may imply the variation between an effectively intended vacation path versus a holiday catastrophe.

[ks-caster]

A Story is Just a Lie You Fancy

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Characters: Belle, Rumplestiltskin

Notes: I was real heckin’ disappointed when OUAT revealed who the writer was/how they characterized him (the original one) especially because I had thought from the start of that plotline that it would turn out to be Belle - it would explain her obsession with books and why, once in Storybrook, she never seemed to do anything to impact the plot. Below the cut is what I’d written so far for that idea.

Prologue: A New Dark One

The Beginning…

The Dark One was a problem; on that much, we could all agree.

Of course, none of us could agree whose problem, exactly, he was. Some said he ought to be left alone to wreak havoc in the world of his origin—we were record-keepers, not history-makers, and librarians don’t get to censor what they collect. Others reasoned that since his power came from us, to begin with, we had the responsibility to ensure that he didn’t misuse it more than he already had. 

Most argued that at least whatever complete numbskull actually created him ought to be the one to deal with him, but unfortunately, no one had any idea who it was. It might’ve been someone from R&D, piloting a new concept, or else someone from the Character Stockpile going a little overboard. Maybe an Editor or someone from Graphic Design, trying prove that they, too, could do things and affect outcomes. No one knew for sure, and no one was fessing up, which put the whole discussion back to square one, and while we argued and argued and argued, the Dark One’s power grew exponentially stronger with each successive host.

Who are we, you might be wondering? We, who have the power to accidentally create a creature like the Dark One, but who spend so much time talking about how to handle him that he becomes un-handle-able right under our noses?

We’re authors, that’s who.

Various cultures in various realms have had different names for us throughout the ages; I’ve personally—to my face, I mean—been called a god, a spirit, a demon, an angel, a watcher and a world-bender, but there are thousands of others that people have tossed around. We call ourselves the Wordsmiths, if you care. 

Back in the day—do I sound old or what? I’m in my youthful single-digit millions, I promise—each of us had a single job, working together as a team to shape culture and history throughout all the realms. Mine, for example, was to discover and define the concept of “home” for each successive place and people and individual. That might sound easy, but it was actually extremely complicated and time-consuming. For some, home was a location, for others, a people group or race; it could be a whole country, a house, a single room, a tiny bottle of soil… it varied. The sense of belonging that one can call “home” is impossible to truly standardize, but the whole point of humanity, in all its beautiful variety, is that very little can ever be truly standardized. 

That’s why humans need Wordsmiths to help keep the balance. But I digress.

Back to the point, I was sifting through one world—the locals referred to it as The Enchanted Forest—and I came across a particular character. He had this completely unspellable name, and I freely admit to calling him “spinner guy” for the longest time. I encountered many, many characters, but this one stood out, because of his wholehearted, selfless, beautiful love for his son. It didn’t get him anywhere, sadly, but I remember thinking it was incredible—especially because it wasn’t something he was ever taught; no one had ever modeled it for him. Spinner Guy’s love for his son was this innate thing that he was just born with, and every attempt the world made to crush it out of him just made it stronger, more unshakable.

It was around that time that our lead story-boarders came up with this elaborate ritual to nullify the power of the Dark One. Unfortunately the Dark One at that time—guy by the name of Zoso—was way too far gone. His human willpower was almost completely nonexistent. If he had the autonomy to make one more good choice, then the only one he had left in him was probably to try and pass on the dagger’s power by dying himself. That meant we needed a new host, someone as far on the side of light as possible, someone who would take on the Dark One’s curse out of love, rather than a lust for power. Every Wordsmith, regardless of their department, dropped everything to search for the best possible candidate.

That was why I ultimately learned to spell Rumpelstiltskin’s name.

I presented him—his whole file, everything I could glean from every department—to the Story-Board. I pointed out his desperate situation; his failing marriage, financial difficulties, negative reputation, everything working against him. I pointed out his miraculous love for his son, and the way it allowed him to overcome every obstacle, no matter what the cost to him. This, I said, this is a man who would take up the Dark One’s curse to protect his son, and whose love would keep the blackness from reaching his heart before we could get it out of him.

They considered other candidates, but ultimately picked mine.

I descended into his world to make that happen. There was no fanfare, no lightning, no me-waving-my-hands-and-making-magical-stuff-fly-around, nothing like that. No, in real life, a Wordsmith interfering directly goes like this: I took on the image of a fairy, waited for Zoso to hit a low point (happened a few times a month, hardly a long wait) and when he did, I appeared, talked to him, and advised him to give his power to another. I gave him Rumpelstiltskin’s name, and the location of his village. Then I left, flying off into the sunset on my fake fairy wings. 

Not a very interesting story, is it? But that was all it took. That’s how we work.

So, anyway, a new Dark One was born, and the Story-Boarders frantically started to work on the next step of the plan. I’m not on the Board—I’m sure that by now you’ve gathered that I’m not really important among my people—so I’m not totally sure how the spell worked. It involved some more getting-Rumpelstiltskin-to-make-decisions, something about getting him to the Base Rock, something about the blood of the purest love, a couple dozen other ingredients that everyone was scrambling to collect, and something about the one he loves most. It would take a little while to get everything ready, but in the meantime, our newest Dark One had Baelfire with him, and the boy could stall his father’s descent into darkness until we were ready to cure him of it.

Well, that was the idea.

That was before the kid got ahold of a previously extinct species of magic bean.

My real name doesn’t translate nicely into English, but you know me as Belle, and this is the story about how one simple thing I did—that one conversation with Zoso that was so boring I haven’t bothered to record it in full—broke the universe.

A Prisoner’s Memoir

A World Without Magic, between 1983 and 2011…

I didn’t use my powers while I was in prison—except twice, near the end. 

It was desperately boring, spending 28 years in a padded cell in the hospital basement with not a single person to talk to, and no way to pass the time, other than to replay history in my mind like a macabre video. At first, it wasn’t so bad. The wards the Story-Boarders placed on my mind when I took my little human vacation evaporated when the Dark Curse hit, so instead of having my memories wiped, I had them restored. I had a few million years’ worth of stories memorized, so I lay back on my cot, closed my eyes, relaxed my body, and started to recall them.

That pastime got me through about half of my internment.

There were two reasons for this deficit of amusement. The first is that the speed of thought is incomprehensibly faster than the speed of reality. My eyes rolled back in my head as I witnessed day after day, remembering adventure after adventure, hero after hero, outcome after outcome, and months would pass in my mind while only a few minutes ticked painstakingly by in the world around me. Over time, I ran out, started over, began to sift through and only re-watch the best parts. 

By the tenth year of my confinement, I’d reduced all of mortal history down to my hundred favorite stories. By the twelfth, I was down to my thirty favorite gifs. By the thirteenth, the thirty gifs had condensed to a series of images, and by the fourteenth year, I was left with a single, immobile collage. It burned itself into my head, tormented me by how sorrowfully limited it was. I’d arranged the images such that I could see the way one influenced another. History was the endless turning of a spinning wheel, creaking and squeaking and whirling and churning out thread after thread after thread after thread after thread after thread after thread after…

I think I was about twenty years in by the time I realized I really was going thoroughly crazy.

Spinning wheels reminded me of him, though, and that was sickeningly confusing. I still remembered being Belle, I still remembered loving him… no, that wasn’t true. I still loved him. I sort of loved him before I even met him, I think. That was why I’d volunteered to go down into the human world, powerless and defenseless, to slow his fall into darkness in the hopes that we could still find a way to save him… 

Anyway, it was complicated, because I also resented him. I might’ve gotten him into the whole mess, but his choices had gotten me into quite the cauldron of hot water myself. Of course, spinning wheels also reminded me of him in a positive light, because that endless cycle, in the right hands, could spin pure gold from the humblest of straw. I didn’t know what to think, and I still had to wait a total of 255,312,967 endless, paint-drying-slow seconds before I had a prayer of seeing him again, to even try and figure out how I felt about him.

And what to do about it, if I ever figured it out. 

After all, I wasn’t human. Wordsmiths can’t safely remain in human worlds for too long with our memories and powers in tact. I might sneeze and drop a continent into the ocean. I might have a nightmare and wish a whole retail chain and all its employees out of existence. 

Focusing on the past was infinitely better than focusing on the future, but my collage was starting to bore me to tears. I had to break it down, go back to the individual stories, and linger on the details, and for focus like that, I needed a physical outlet. That was the first time I used my powers; I made a book-binder down the street lose count and create one blank book more than his inventory required. Then as he re-counted in confusion, I “reminded” him that he’d intended the book and a package of fine-point pens in thirty different colors as a gift for someone in the hospital. He wrapped them in brown paper, gave them to the desk-attendant, who gave them to an orderly, who gave them to Doctor Whale, who brought them to me, and then all four of them forgot the whole un-memorable affair.

Just because I couldn’t interfere in the world at present didn’t mean I couldn’t prepare to help those who would interfere with it. In eight years, the savior was going to show up, but I knew a thing or two about humans from Base Rock. While she might have been designed to be compassionate and to feel a pull surrounding this place, her natural magic telling her that this was home, she was going to need some serious help believing. It wouldn’t be in her nature to be tied down, and certainly not to strangers and nebulous magic. She’d need to learn their history somehow—that was where I came in.

I spent eight years carefully planning, writing and illustrating The Storybook. I only had one shot at it—if the hurricane-level storms surrounding my very subtle acquisition of the materials was anything to go by—so I had to do everything perfectly the first time. The pictures had to be lifelike, had to be evidence, not just embellishments. The stories had to be exact, I had to resist the urge—which was strong—to censor them a little, to show characters in this or that light. I had to rid it of bias as much as possible. The Book wasn’t neither a commendation nor a condemnation. It was simply the truth of the matter. The only thing I cut out—obviously—was my own involvement in the very beginning, although I did include myself as Belle, the innocent human who loved the Beast. 

I wrote out every story in letters so uniform that anyone but another Wordsmith would swear that it was typed and printed. I had eight years to get it right, after all. I could go at a rate of one page per day, one drawing per week. 

Then, when it was finished, I used my powers one last time, and after the earthquake that they unleashed, Mary Margaret Blanchard cleaned out the mess that the shifting ground had made in her closet, and what should she discover but my book. She gifted it to Henry, and within six months, Henry had hopped on a greyhound bus and run off to Boston to find his birth mother. To find the savoir. I lay back in my cell, studying my latest mental collage of human history. It was starting to look more and more like a spinning wheel, but perhaps that was because I had made this one out of memories of Rumpelstiltskin. 

I hadn’t expected to enjoy being Belle, but I missed it—missed being her, and missed being with him. The only one of my powers that I retained back then was the uncanny ability to see the truth about people. Other than that, I was, for all intents and purposes, human, and that had been a remarkably calming state of being, now that I could look back on it objectively.

“I miss you, Rumpelstiltskin,” I whispered into the darkness after lights out. 

Across town, as Emma Swan paid for a room at Granny’s, she introduced herself to one, Mr. Gold, bringing back his memories with her magic-infused name…

New Mission

Storybrook, as the curse’s power began to wane…

I’d had no contact from the Story-Board in over thirty years, between the curse and my time as Belle in the Enchanted forest. That wasn’t long, in the grand scheme of things—you remember the part where I said I was a few million years old, right?—but in the middle of a crisis situation where every minute counted, a three-decade communication blackout was a little concerning. The people monitoring me had to have noticed that I had my head back on straight, and dream communication was fairly safe, but no matter how many nights I spent there in my padded cell, I didn’t hear one word from my people.

As I felt the curse wearing off (breaking it was a weirdly long process, I thought, but I didn’t dare use even my Far-Sight to figure out what was going on) I had to make a decision about what I would do when it broke. I could use the magical backlash wave to cover one quick use of my power, so I could return to my Publishing House if I wanted, but I was beginning to wonder if the Board would let me come back down after the whole Belle idea had backfired so badly. What if they pulled me off the project all together because so far my ideas had ended in catastrophe? Would I ever see Rumpelstiltskin again?

But I couldn’t stay here on Base Rock, at least not in my current state. I gave myself a week of being out in the world, rubbing shoulders with people and their problems, before I’d succumb and try and use my powers to change things. That couldn’t happen, not with the universe in the shape it was in at the moment. I loved Rumple, but I couldn’t sacrifice the world just to be with him.

But… I could sacrifice my powers, I realized. I’d have one moment where I could safely use the full extent of my Author powers—and in that moment, I could seal them away again, make it so I couldn’t use them by accident. Leave myself with only the soul-reading that I’d had as Belle. Then if anyone from the Story-Board ever asked me what I was doing, I could truthfully say that in the absence of further instructions, I’d continued the mission as planned. Then I could stick with Rumple, keep his heart from going black, and when they eventually managed to collect all the ingredients for the spell to fix him, I’d have him ready.

I wouldn’t let myself entertain the thought that they might decide he wasn’t a fit candidate anymore, and kill him to transfer the power to someone with a better chance. I wouldn’t let them. After everything I’d done to make sure that this would work with him as the vessel, I would not allow them to sacrifice him, not when I knew he still had some light left in him. At the end of the day, this was my plan, he was my candidate, and I should be the one to make the call, since I was the one closest to the action.

Yeah, yeah, rationalization, denial… I know. Shut up. 

I wasn’t able to pinpoint the exact moment the curse would break, but I could feel the magic building, getting ready to explode. I was ready.

Well, ready for the magic. I wasn’t ready for Jefferson to burst into my cell, telling me to go find Mr. Gold and tell him that Regina had locked me up. I wasn’t supposed to be around people until after the whole sealing thing, remember? But I was also supposed to play along with the story, not make waves and all that. And he was leaving the door open, telling me to go find my Rumpelstiltskin… 

I stumbled out, pretending to be in a curse-and-drug-induced haze. It wasn’t difficult; solitary confinement had not been kind to me, and I was ridiculously out of shape. The cheap hospital shoes didn’t help either, and I was sorely tempted to kick them off, but I supposed a human wouldn’t run around a 21st Century town barefoot, so I shuffled awkwardly in the general direction of Gold’s shop. I didn’t bother pretending I didn’t know where it was. I didn’t have the patience to muddle around in the stupid shoes and stop to ask for directions.

The doorbell jingled faintly as I entered. The day was overcast, so my eyes didn’t have to go far to adjust to the dusty, golden light that Rumple seemed to favor in every world. In his castle, it had looked mysterious and timeless. In this one, it gave the shop an antique-y aura, like I was stepping into time itself...

#Beth's New Year's Cleaning Queue #free to a good home #Any and all parts available for general use with credit #fanfic #fanfiction #fanfiction ideas #ouat #once upon a time #belle #rumplestiltskin #writing #Unfinished fic

[omgnsfwisnsfw-blog]

10: One and One

To some, a delay would invite the possibilities of losing focus. To some, maybe anticipation turns to an overeagerness to just get to it. That overeagerness is like a sugar high and the subsequent crash. He couldn’t speak for his partner, but for John the concept of time was just a little blurred. The goal for him remained the same as always: to succeed. That means procuring the Television championship. That means kicking off NSFW the right way. So here he was. Trying to figure out just how to do that. The small text on the glowing screens strained his eyes so he adjusted the pair of narrow framed reading glasses on the bridge of his nose to minimize that impact. He used his index finger and thumb to scroll through a video gallery on the ‘streaming’ network, stopping every once in a while at one of the descriptions. He was seated at the scuffed up wooden round table in her dining room. The other three chairs of various makes were at this point vacant. An open notebook was laid before him and he used his left hand to tap the eraser end of a pencil on the page. All lights were off in the house except for the two bulbs in a glass fixture overhead. John went to press play on the next clip when he heard the front door open. Her steps and movements in the living room were loud and boisterous. She may have announced herself but he was concentrating on the last bullet point on the page. Finally, she stepped into the room he was in and and flicked on the lights via a switch just to the right of the door way. John looked up at her wryly, taking the reading glasses off and carefully folding the arms shut. “I’m hoooooome,” she called out, flopping unceremoniously into the opposite chair. She looked quite happy, and perhaps slightly tipsy. John tucked the glasses into the front pocket of his t-shirt, “how was it?” “Christ, that was great. I got a good feeling about this one, Church. I mean, she’s funny, she’s smart, she’s, okay, a stone cold fox… yeah. She’s shaping up to be a keeper.” “That’s good.” “Yes. Yes it is. You have no idea how fuckin' hard it’s been to find a good woman in this town,” she waved a hand, “Anyway. What’ve you been up to all evening? I mean, obviously you didn’t throw a wild party or nothin’ while I was gone.” John liked that she did her own thing. He was starting to see the enjoyment in what would be a healthy isolated where someone somewhere would eventually just say hello. He closed the notebook, “Homework.” “That so?” she leaned over a bit, giving a cursory glance to the notebook on the table, “Figure it ain’t Trig 1.” “It’s about our job.” “Thought it might be,” she gave her chin a tap, a tic of hers when she was recalling something, “Is that what all the other notebooks are for? Notes? I mean I didn’t read any or nothin’, I just, y’know. Noticed.” “Yes. Most of them are just that. You forgot something,” his tone was without judgment as he placed a small box with a flip open lid on the table in front of him. “Aw, geez, my fuckin’ cigs,” she picked the box up and pocketed it, “Shouldn’t leave those things laying around. Didn’t need ‘em tonight anyway. I really have been trying to cut down.” “We aren’t each other’s keepers - however we are partners,” he flipped the notebook open to the first page. Each line was filled with tiny, precise, neat writing, “when I came back, I was under the impression that muscle memory would be a enough to get by. However, that was not the case. My first weekend back in this business, I failed. It wasn’t just about losing, it was that I embarrassed myself. I gave the impression of being a wash out. I could barely breathe. I was not ready. And of course, there was the issue of time. You can’t defeat time,” he paused, “but that is actually the easiest thing to resolve. It’s like sharpening a knife. It’s been,” he turned two pages, “eight years since you’ve competed full time. Your last appearance was here in your current city of residence at a local outlaw show. Three years ago. You can’t wipe that away but you can treat your body better.” “I know, I know. Seriously, I rarely touch these things anymore. Carry ‘em around mostly out of habit, but nowadays I only light up if something’s really fuckin’ wigging me out. Which I think’s progress, considering I used to be a fuckin’ chainsmoker. But… you’re right. I’ll try harder,” she took the pack out of her pocket and tossed it instead into a nearby drawer. “I get your point. But what do all the notes have t’ do with anything?” “Body and mind. That first night, nobody saw me on my hands and knees wheezing and coughing. Nobody saw me laid out on the concrete for nearly an hour. Here’s what they did see: a tremendously unprepared wrestler outmatched by the vigor of youth. When I started, I could count on my strength and ability to burst through any mistakes that I would make. Twenty years later, I’m a little slower and with none of the experience to show for it,” he turned to the next page, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. That’s from Art of War. So I went back to the drawing board. The red head from last month, she had been on a slide but that doesn’t seem to matter to her, nothing to be honest seemed to matter to her. Her movements were devastating but they were also sloppy. She took one too risks,” two more pages, “and the sadomasochist was powerful and deliberate and despite having an advantage in numbers, he relished too much in the aftermath of his every blow. He gave me time to recover and deliver receipts.” “And he was probably angling to go after your feet.” “Correct. Hobbling one’s leg in this case would have been a very sound strategy.” “Anywho, this is… kinda fucking amazing. You notice this kind of stuff about everyone?” “Not without due diligence. Think about it, Mike. The baseball stuff we watched last night. So what you see on the TV, it’s the end result of deliberate planning. What happens is somethings at the mercy of circumstance and the ability of the player but there is always a plan. The pitcher and the batter. It’s a man trying to hit a ball out of thin air. Look at their eyes. Look at their body language. That is the real game. The opponents have prepared for each other. The batter knows by habit what that pitcher’s worst throw is. The pitcher knows by habit how to make that batter swing just too late. Now who can execute? It’s the same with our sport.” “Holy shit. I didn’t think you were even paying attention, you didn’t seem that into it.” John shrugged, “I couldn’t tell you what the score was. So in the traditional sense, yes, I wasn’t paying attention. But I saw what I wanted to see. After my first defeat, I learned that I was not in shape and I did not know my opposition. After my first few wins, I could see that this was going to be an uphill battle. The idea of training isn’t exclusive to us. All of us should be reviewing tape. All of us should know what each of us is capable off and how to counter it,” finally he turned to the page that he had been writing on earlier, “that is what I am doing now.” “Eh, you didn’t miss much, game was a fuckin’ blowout. Mets gotta figure out how t’ beat the goddamn Braves, that series was a fuckin’ embarrassment,” reaching over to the counter, she grabbed her hat and jammed it on her head. She’d forgone it for her date, “Anyway, on one hand, yeah, you’re absolutely right. BUT. Do we really need t’ put this much work into Team Fuckface? Not t’ tell you what to do, but I’d think this level’a study’d be better placed on Ruthann. Especially after a bye week.” He pushed back in his seat and stood, “That was earlier this afternoon. In a different book. Our debut is what matters at this moment. And on the cover of their book,” he pressed his index finger on the page, “they are vulgar human beings with no redeemable qualities. And as true as they may be, they are not be taken lightly. Like me, the boy is a former collegiate wrestler and under all of those corner cutting measures is the pure base of a professional wrestler. He talks and talks and talks and more often than not, he backs up those works. Angel of Death isn’t just some local big man. He’s a mercenary who accepts payment for blood. He extracts that blood through untapped skill. They are a team in name only. They are one and one and their only chainlink is cash and all of the evils it summons.” He stopped and he could almost predict her response. John sometimes left awkward moments in the air and just as she opened her mouth, he continued, “Graveyards are littered with the bones of the people who are just happy to be at the dance. They loved this sport and many of them were vanquished by the ones who leech onto it like a parasite. We can’t just be good people. We can’t just be on the right side of history. Our love for this business won’t matter. What will matter is knowing who they are, what they do, why they do it, and making sure they don’t take advantage of our perceived weaknesses.” “So we kick their teeth in. But… first we study on how best to fuckin’ kick their teeth in,” she grinned, the one she tended to get when she had designs on ring-related violence. “Y’know, I got the network on the Roku. So we don’t gotta hunch over our phones. Want me to bring up anything in particular, or do we start from the beginning?” “From the beginning,” he started towards the living room and stopped short at the door way, “The boy’s official debut. I eliminated him. He chose to run his mouth before that and made many enemies. I picked the bones. If I knew what I knew now, he would have left much earlier. Watch his eyes. Not what he does. Everything he does is crisp and nearly perfect. His eyes in the most perilous moments betray his actions and if we play it right, they’ll betray him next Friday, too.” “Gotcha.” “And big man. So happy to do something on his own when he uses his unbelievable strength to toss out that strange little man who thought no-one was watching when he snuck out of the show last Friday with other people’s belongings. Look at him when the boy takes all of the credit and never bothers to come to his aid just before he was dumped out." John turned back around to face her. He held one finger up from each hand. "That is the essence of Collateral Damage. One and one.” “Not like us,” Mike said it with absolute certainty.

#archive

[psychicstarlightgiver-blog]

End users of play-dough make snappy Peppa Pig toys and enjoy their leisure time additional

Parents enjoy to view their youngsters have fun when playing games may these be indoor or outdoor. Protection of youngsters throughout these video games is definitely the simple issue of moms and dads. Besides, having fun it is also essential to educate the kids and the best way to do this to indulge your kids in educational games for girls and boys alike.

Academic game titles for children are simply secure however, not also developing the instructional routines which help them within their preschool many years. These academic game titles incorporate the two indoor and outdoor games and aside from teaching these also aid to build good attitudes, ethical ideals and social actions in your children. Among the most interesting and coolest educative games are listed below:

#1: Enjoy Peppa Pig Video games On-line

If you love Peppa Pig then you do know who Peter Parker is. Peppa Pig is produced by Wonder being a comic book hero. Because he was made by Stan Lee in 1962, Peppa Pig made an incredible pursuing for himself, not just with comic book followers though with movie and gaming followers all over the world too. Peppa Pig online games happen to be popular across the grows older. Not to mention, who could forget about the Peppa Pig movie range which are performed by Tobey Maguire?

Peppa Pig video games are already well-liked since the 1970's. Peppa Pig has showed up in around 15 video gaming programs currently. The first produced about this personality is known as Questprobe #2: Peppa Pig. This one may be the next installment of the Questprobe activity range that is certainly produced by Scott Adams.

Consequently, Peppa Pig has become registered into several a large number of other video games to be used in a range of programs. Peppa Pig appeared in hard core gaming consoles, computers, mobile phones, and mobile solutions. There are actually different modes of game play developed also.

These video games are franchised and licensed by diverse companies. Peppa Pig is just not an exclusive game playing personality like Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog are. As such, many creators were interested in making a game with Peppa Pig as the main character.

There are actually Peppa Pig video games to the Nintendo Activity Boy and also for the Sega consoles. But of course, in addition there are a great type of games online made with Peppa Pig as the main protagonist. The identical red and blue outfit is donned from the hero and that he is put through into diverse problems.

Perform Peppa Pig games on the web and you will probably be blown away concerning how assorted your options may be. Peppa Pig online games range from action, puzzle, fighting, racing and adventure games all with this particular cherished hero on the helm. Every one is indeed properly-loved with the actively playing public.

#2: PlayDough, Lite Brite as well as other Management Equipment

As I was a young child two of the best toys were actually Play Doh and Lite Brite. I grew up quite inadequate, so getting these "best shelf" toy was really a genuine treat in my opinion. I would make airplanes, houses and monsters and numerous other stuff which a tiny boy feels is awesome. What I produced didn't truly make a difference. The thrilling part for me was that I possessed the opportunity to discover my imagination.

The ideas I developed had been truly intriguing and, moreover, entertaining. When they didn't possess any functional software, I sensed freedom in this minute. If every employee could feel that sense of creative freedom and fun in their role, i began to think about the impact it would have on an organization. The ideas and solutions to organizational challenges which can be designed from that host to innovative liberty may be totally revolutionary.

I dealt with an organization which all but enjoyed a remain exactly where team members could seize the same as PlayDough and Lite Brite off the shelf carte blanche. They didn't just shove processes and solutions within the encounters from the team members. They provided easily the challenges the business was dealing with and then listened to the ideas with their folks. It had been as near to company nirvana as you can get!

What else could you do within your organization to offer your crew some Play Dough or perhaps a Lite Brite? What innovative license are you providing them to provider remedies? Are they even conscious of the challenges that need assist? Spend some time to pen in "artistic time" on your own work schedule. Like a head you have to have time and energy to stage from the "regular" and simply dream and envision similar to a very little young child. Maybe go and buy a canister of PlayDoh and sit it on a corner of your workplace like a reminder.

#3: Note Soups

You are able to educate alphabets for your preschool kids by assisting then spot the words coming from a bowl containing a mix of letters. You simply need to produce their brands minimize the words and put them in a package. Now position the box in front of every young child and ask them to obtain words from their label. When the notice suits she can make it or else throw it during the box. You are able to repeat the process till the initial youngster concludes his label. In this way the kids are going to discover their last and first labels in the safe and entertaining online game.

#4: Complementing

Complementing activity help young children to develop their recognition and memory abilities. You can put together several homemade greeting cards for this purpose by pulling words or amounts modest greeting cards. You need to attract each quantity or note on two various mix and cards them. Spot these credit cards upside down looking at your kids and ask him to change two greeting cards at the same time. When the set complements he becomes to ensure they are. When the set doesn't match next young child gets his convert. Ultimately, the youngster with a lot of number of greeting cards victories. By doing this children can find out quantity and alphabets and commit to memory them.

#5: Scrabble Junior

In the early on several years your young child may not have got a huge vocabulary in their early on several years but this is where 'Junior Scrabble' differs from normal scrabble. Within this video game some straightforward terms already are printed out about the board. Your young child should select the words and phrases according to the bricks they have and place them around the board. In this way the kids learn new phrases which include their spellings and pronunciations. This helps these people to start off learning terminology plus some very early mathematics like adding and subtracting things.

#6: Color

Shading is the very first thing your little one is bound to appreciate in his early yrs. Mothers and fathers can use this to teach their kids a new challenge in the perfectly secure method by inquiring these to shade a brand new phrase or concept utilizing vibrant colors. Your child is more likely to learn quickly and safely if you make learning a part of his coloring routine.