#the fractions outside of NYC

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

||A mission gone wrong||

Hi dears, Peahen mom here and I think I got a drabble for you sweeties. With this said, lets see where this drabble goes for today hmm? I'm also starting to get back into writing these again but slowly.

||Drabble summary||

Lets say the group has gotten a serious mission involving a dangerous curse that was causing a lot of destruction all over. Now, they were able to face and find this curse only to get into a situation. What will happen in this mission? Read to find out.

||Warning||

~A angry king of curses and another will be very very angry in this drabble

~Maybe some scary parts too

~Some close to death moment is present

~NSFW warning (Blood and a heavy injury is present in this)

((Guests in the drabble))

Taz Hellion, Kinie Ger, and Kisho belong to my amazing friend @demon-blood-youths and Kisho belongs and is from @chunibyo-x-sorcerer but demon mun runs this blog as well. :3

Sukuna Ryomen, yuji itadori, nobara kugisaki, megumi fushiguro come from the anime jujutsu kaisen but their also muses I rp with. Miko Yotsuya and Yuria Niguredou is from the manga and anime called Mireuko-Chan but also to me due to being muses that I rp with.

((Note: This drabble will have heavy grammar mistakes and errors but this was written for fun. I hope you understand but also enjoy please.))

Seems this mission has gone for a long time now but they didn't give up. Even if this curse kept causing destruction and death along it's path it wouldn't stop. Yuji Itadori was told along with his friends and little sister that this curse was pretty deadly given the fact they were after this thing for a long time now and it still is going.

Gojo and the other teachers are helping them out with trying to stop it but they were side tracked with another mission. So this was on them.

But they were able to find the curse again but....this mission will take a dark turn in a moment.

~~~~~~~~~

"Damn you...hold still!" Yuji was trying to bring the curse down but it only laughs to back hit Yuji away right into a building as the others looks seeing him get sent through it.

"Yuji!" Nobara and Megumi saw this but the curse just laughed even from taking the beating, it still was fighting. What sort of curse was this?

"Awwww what's wrong? You don't want to play anymore!?" it snickered about to attack again when a flame arrow comes to stop it. The curse glares seeing someone that looked like some hero but over the top.

"Oh no you don't!" Daichi Pheon-X shouted looking at the curse with Eito beside him ready to fight. The curse growls about to slam it's hand down on Daichi only for something to ram into him.

Daichi saw but grins looking to see who helped. Anaconda was using his move, Rolling thunder as his body sparks with cursed energy that looked like sparks of electricity as the curse staggers back.

"Heh! Thanks for the back up Miko!" he looks seeing Miko yotsuya nods, smiling gently to him.

"N..No problem.." she said but looks seeing the curse now trying to push Anaconda back as it's cursed energy was still huge.

"Grrrr, stop that you little pest!" it said now slamming it's fist down to hit Anaconda as the rolling stopped and hits him away near by. It twitched from the hit but slowly stood up.

"Anaconda! You okay!?" she asked seeing him look but nod still willing to fight. The cursed charges once more ready to attack them but now something else hits him showing some cursed blasts hitting it. "Aguahhha!!"

"Stay away from my friends you curse!" Yuria said with cursed energy around her finger guns but she was ready as everyone gathered ready to fight it once more. Taz was ready seeing some Kinfolk around her while she was ready holding her cursed tool knife.

"Grrrrr..you little fucking pets! How dare you!!! I'll be sure to gobble you all up for this!" it hissed at them.

"We like to see you try!" Megumi said summoning Totality quickly as he rushes towards the curse to attack it. It saw only to fight it off now with the others rushing to try beating it. Miko and Yuji tag teamed punching the curse in the stomach and head seeing purple blood be coughed out.

As it slams into the wall, Anaconda comes back now having more cursed energy while using it's claws to swipe at it, creating a flame that burns it hearing it's scream in pain.

"Come on guys! We gotta beat this thing!" Daichi said seeing Taz rush through cutting one of it's arms off but saw Nails get stabbed into the other arm pinning it. The group saw the curse thrashing and wailing from all the attacks as they were ready to finish this curse off.

"We got him now! Just one more and we can exorcist it!" Nobara said ready to go as the others. However, the curse was getting more and more mad thinking about this.

'N..No no no! I can't get beaten by some...brats! I won't let this happen!...I can't die just like this! I WON'T DIE!' he screams in his head but as the sorcerers got close a sudden burst of cursed energy knocks them all back crashing into the ground.

Everyone winces from that but the curse was releasing more of it's energy forming a domain around them and it. Megumi noticed to sit up. "Shit it's a domain barrier! Everyone stay on guard!"

"How dare you...." A few looks to the curse but saw whatever was damaged being repaired. "How dare you try to make a fool out of me!" he roars out seeing everyone ready to fight. Yuria tries blasting it using exorcist blast once more as she sees a few hit. She sees it hit a few times showing some smoke.

"I think I got him!" she said but before long, something shoots out from the smoke that hits Yuria hard to a tree.

"Yuria!" Nobara said seeing her wincing from the hit to crash to the ground, coughing.

Miko gasped but she quickly saw Anaconda trying to attack along with her. She jumps ready to deliver the over driver knee move to the curse.

"H..How dare you hurt my f..friend!" she said as it got close only for the curse to block it as Miko's eyes widen.

"You can't hit me with such a weak move!" he said quickly grabbing her in it's hands as Miko winces too.

"MIKO!" Daichi said seeing the curse laughing to hold her.

"So how about crushing you!?" he said now trying to crush Miko as she cries out in pain trying to get free. Anaconda tries to help but the curse kicks him back harder seeing cursed blood spilling as it hits the building.

"A..Anaconda!" she said wincing again but cries from feeling her bones cracking.

"Miko!!" Taz shouted about to help her but she dashes along with Nobara to help free her. Daichi aims another arrow trying to cut off the arm holding Miko but it bounces off shocking him.

"What the-"

"It must have boosted it's defenses up or maybe in it's domain it's getting a power boost! We need to stop it before we end up losing it again!" Megumi saw Totality going to help Taz and Nobara.

The curse laughed seeing Miko crying and shouting in pain before it saw Taz and Nobara.

"LET HER GO, DAMN IT!" Nobara said hitting some nails at it while seeing the curse get stabbed with a few only to smack her back hard as well as she crashes to the ground too.

"Nobara!" Taz looks seeing her alright but looks back seeing the curse about to crush her but jumps back. Yuji runs to her side seeing Miko wincing as she felt the grip get worse that she was crying worse. They had to think of a way to get her out of it's grip.

Though, the curse kept laughing seeing how much pain Miko is in that he could hear bones almost cracking. When it squeezes harder, Miko screams out showing blood from her chin. Daichi's eyes widen but he got more furious about to kill the curse.

"Daichi wait! If you aim and fire, you might end up burning Miko too!" Megumi said trying to calm him down.

"But if I don't do something that damn curse might end up killing her!" he said worried.

"I know that! We need to get Miko out of it's grip!" he said seeing Yuji and Taz trying to help Miko out. Yuji kicks it's hand but the curse was about to hit him. Only to yell when it's hand got cut by Taz. Blood spills but she and Yuji were working together.

"Trap!" Taz shouted making hand signs seeing something yellow around the cursed spirit.

"Huh!? what the hell is this!" he shouted as she saw her Kinfolk show up inside now attacking as it feels the gashes and hits. However, two was trying to free Miko who seems to look like she passed out.

"Big brother, can you use black flash to aim for it's head or arm to free Miko?" Taz said.

"You got it sis!" he said now quickening his speed ready to do that. Taz saw him go but gasped seeing her kinfolk being hit away through the trap she set.

"Stop messing with me!" he shouted now hitting the kinfolk away more but suddenly breaks the barrier Taz made as she winces. She quickly uses 'Beartrap' keeping the curse in place. They had to help Miko seeing Totality rush by and tries to bite the arm off only that it worked. The cursed screams seeing it's arm ripped off that had Miko. Megumi quickly had it grab her and bring her to safety before the curse saw Yuji about to hit it's head.

"Oh no you don't!" he said opening it's mouth before cursed energy blasts and hits him. Yuji shouts being hit but crashes through another building.

"BIG BROTHER!!"

'KING!!' Kinie saw that but she got angry thinking this fool would do such a thing to her king!

However, that's then the curse quickly hits Taz back hard against something hearing some glass shatter. "Ah!"

"TAZ!" Megumi and Daichi said worried with Eito squawking worried. The curse growls now looking to Taz then looks to her bear trap that still held it in place.

"That's it..I'm sick of you fools thinking you can beat me! ME! Well, how about I just end you. This game has gone too far!" he said now focusing on Taz. She had some blood from her chin and head trying to heal as she tries to stand but slips. She looks down seeing her leg bleeding.

'Pup, are you alright!?'

"I think so..but my leg......" she mutters and yet, the curse was looking at Taz but was chuckling seeing her. He shows a hand but it was held up showing some cursed energy. Taz looks at the curse but she held her blade ready to fight.

"Awwww you really are going against me? How cute. Oh well, i had a lot of fun..but it's time to end this!" he said laughing having the hand go towards Taz. She tenses but ready to fight.

"TAZ!!" Megumi and Daichi shouted as they were about to save Taz but someone beats them. Being lightening quick, someone saw rushing to her. Taz's eyes widen but they shut quickly waiting for the attack to hit but something did hit her face as she keeps quiet.

"......" She slowly opens her eyes seeing someone standing there but then looks up that her eyes widen in horror. Standing in front of her was Yuji but the curse's hand was right through his stomach. He shook standing in front of Taz as he took the hit for her!

"B..big..b....brother?" she whispered in horror but even Kinie's eyes were wide that she was covering her mouth seeing this.

'N..No..oh no no no no NO!'

Hearing her voice, Yuji looks to Taz showing blood from his chin but his expression was in pain but worry. "You okay...little sis? That was too close." he said but sees blood pooling around him. He even saw blood on Taz's face as well.

However, the curse pulls it's hand out from Yuji's stomach spilling blood but Yuji falls to his knees holding his stomach before falling to the side. "BIG BROTHER!!" Taz cries going near him worried as she was now crying.

"D..don't worry we'll get you help! What about Mister Sukuna!? Isn't he able to..." she waited to see if Sukuna would speak but he seems to be knocked out.

Taz was crying but Yuji slowly looks to her as blood just kept coming out as he only reaches to hold her hand. "B..big brother?" She couldn't stop crying but saw him gently smiling.

"I think h..he's knocked out..b..but I'll be fine..just need to rest for a moment......I'll be okay.." he mutters but Taz was shaking reaching to take his hand now crying more. Kinie was feeling tears too but she couldn't hear anything from Sukuna. Did that monster knock him out!?

Daichi and Megumi were fighting the curse who was laughing trying to kill them but Taz was shaking to try and think of how to help Yuji.

"D...don't worry big brother. We'll get you back to the school...a..and you'll be fixed up! Don't worry! You'll b..b.e okay...just don't leave me big brother.... "she cried.

"Heh, don't worry...I won't..I just need t..to rest....that curse packs a punch.." he said but coughs blood up hearing Taz gasp.

"Brother!!"

"It's okay..I'm okay.." he said shaking but his eyes winces or frowns in pain as Taz was crying more as she looks to grab his uniform shirt.

"But your badly hurt!!"

".......I'll be okay....I'll...b...be.....okay...." he mutters but he turns his head not moving for a moment. Taz felt his hand go limp but she looks to her brother not moving.

"Y..Yuji?....Yuji?!" she said panicking but she only felt her heart almost stop gripping his hand. "BIG BROTHER NO!! NO PLEASE WAKE UP! WE'LL HELP YOU!! PLEASE!!!!!" she cries now crying out worse but Kinie said nothing while hearing this but she looks upset that the kinfolk was wondering if she was alright.

"......."

As the curse was fighting Daichi and Megumi they heard Taz's cry seeing Yuji. They was shocked but the cursed laughed hitting them away now to stomp on them hearing their pained shouts.

"Oh well, seems I went a little over board but oh well!" the curse kept laughing but Taz kept crying heavily while looking at her big brother. However, she claws the ground shaking even more. How could this curse do this to him!? Why him!! Yuji didn't deserve this, none of her friends did!

"........." However, the tears kept coming down from Taz's cheek before something felt wrong. Megumi and Daichi looks to Taz hoping she was alright but that's when they noticed.

"Uhhh Megumi? What's going on with Taz's cursed energy?" Daichi noticed but Megumi did too.

"I..I don't know.." he said even if they were being crushed. Even the cursed noticed.

"????"

Taz slowly stood up ignoring the wound on her leg but she only looks quiet, her black hair covering her upper face. Yeah, something was wrong that even Kinie noticed.

'Pup? What is it? Why are you quiet all of a...' Suddenly, a big burst of cursed energy shows from Taz that she only remains quiet. Yuria, Nobara, Miko, Daichi, and Megumi looks seeing the cursed energy coming out in waves but more dangerous. She still said nothing only for Taz to look at the curse.

"What? Does the little pup have something to say? Then speak up!" the curse said sending out it's hand again trying to attack her. However, before it gets close, something blocks the hand.

"!?"

Two kinfolk was seen near Taz but these were not from Kinie. They seem a lot more dangerous..more deadly and ready to kill who was a threat. That's when Taz looks at the curse that some of her hair moves showing her yellow eyes. They were not nice and kind; they were looks of a killer ready to murder someone. That's when the others noticed something else. A tail was seen behind her along with quoll ears as well. Sharp teeth as well was seen as well while she grips the knife.

This made the curse tense. What was going on? She wasn't this deadly before!

"I'll...make you regret h..hurting my friends....and hurting my big brother. You'll pay for this...YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Taz shouted as her cursed tool blade was embedded with cursed energy that it turned Red before she runs towards the curse.

"Ha!? You!? You'll make me pay! Then try it!" the curse said now focused on attacking Taz.

"Taz, don't!" Megumi shouted trying to stop her but as the curse tries to hit her, Taz quickly dashes to the right dodging it. However, the newer deadly kinfolk stabs it's hand down into the ground spilling blood. This made the curse scream in pain as Taz ran quickly hoping as the other hand tries to catch her.

"STOP MOVING AROUND YOU LITTLE-GAHHHH STOP THAT!" he shouted mad seeing Taz moving quickly for it not able to catch her. As it tries to slam it's hand down on her again, Taz swings her blade but their was something attached to the end showing some chains?

"What!?"

Taz threw her blade at the curse as the chains wrapped around the arm but she glares at the curse with her shouting; "Penetrate!" she barked seeing a few more show up and dashes clicking to stab the gut and two more stabbing the other arm as more cursed blood spills.

Taz quickly flips to hop over to a tree but she flips having the chains wrap around the tree with more chains forming as the kinfolk begins trying to chain the curse down.

"HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS!? YOUR NOT THIS STRONG TO DO THIS!" it screeches. However, this shocked Kinie too seeing her domain darkening due to Taz's fury and anguish.

'Pup!! pup please calm down! This isn't like you! You need to calm down!' Kinie tries to talk to her but Taz didn't respond too angry right now. She looks seeing the kinfolk she normally would summon surrounding a protection around Kinie but she was worried of the pup.

As the curse struggles Taz looks at it but she caught the scent of this thing. However, she looks to notice something. Closing her eyes, she could see it. Different scents on different parts of the body. Were they weak spots? To find out, Taz opens her eyes quickly rushing at the curse.

The curse saw but growls. "Why you little-" it tries to attack again only for Taz to hop and dodge but she quickly moves to scream out, swinging her blade. To everyone's shock, she sliced off one of the curse's arms clean off hearing it screaming out.

"GAHHAAAA!! MY ARM!! MY FUCKING ARM!" he screams as it felt that happening but it grew weaker! Taz looks for the next one swinging her blade at that, cutting it's hand off next. One by one, she was cutting off limb for limb shocking and worrying the other sorcerers too.

"T..taz?" Nobara said worried not seeing her this angry before. This cursed energy was different. So cold but angry at the same time. Even seeing the tail and ears were new too.

"......" Yuria was worried as Miko was laying knocked out from before. Daichi and Megumi was worried too but scared. What happened to Taz?!

In a moment, the curse was bleeding to death seeing all it's limbs cut but it was weak now seeing she found it's weak spots. Taz panted heavily now coated in it's blood with the cursed tool blade hovering by her by the chains.

'How is this possible!? she saw my weak spots? No, did she smell for them!? Damn it! I'm going to be killed by some punk teenager!' he thought as she was about to attack.

"OH no you don't! I'm not going down so easily! I won't let some brat like you kill me like this!" he said about to bite her but Taz quickly had the blade stab into the cursed spirit's throat seeing it chocking on it's blood. She was holding the handle down trying to push it down more and more.

"Sh..Shut up..just shut up!" Taz said glaring at the curse even if her upper face was dark. "You hurt my friends...You hurt my Big brother! I'll kill you myself for what you done!" she shouted mad even if her tears were still coming down. The kinfolk was still around but they were even eating up the cut parts from this curse coated in it's purple blood. The curse twitched from this but it only falls back that Taz pulls the blade out now started to stab it. She made sure each one was deep and hits strong as she was crying angry at this curse for hurting them and him.

The others stood in shock seeing this but that's when Taz finally exorcists the curse but was panting shaking now as the kinfolk looks to her while she was gripping the blade. The others were able to move but that's when Kinie shows up in quoll form to look worried.

"Pup, that's enough! You exorcist it. Just calm down-"

"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN!!! BIG BROTHER IS GONE!!" she screams at Kinie as the quoll hops down but the others were worried. "This stupid curse took him away! H..He hurt him and he's.."

"Taz please calm down...we can help Yuji. He's not dead!" Megumi said hoping to calm her down but he winces seeing more cursed energy bursting from Taz as she was now really upset.

"He's right Taz please stop!" Daichi said worried.

"NO! He's gone!! Big brother is gone!" she screams out.

'Damn it, she's not listening to me or the rest. AT this rate, her cursed energy will be too much on her body!' kinie hissed summoning some of her own kinfolk hoping to calm her down.

"Pup, you need to calm down...before you do something you'll regret. Please calm down.." kinie said but Taz was still crying.

"Don't tell me to calm down! I won't calm down!!!! I just want big brother back!! I want him and mr. Sukuna b..back! They took that hit for me! And I...I..."

"We know but we will help them Taz..but you have to calm down. Please!" Yuria said but Taz was still mad and upset. She wanted to get at the curse even if it's body was laying there.

"It has to pay for this! It will pay for it!"

"Taz no! You already exorcist it!" Megumi said stopping her but Taz swings her blade to cut his hand. Blood shows but Megumi winces holding his hand.

"Megumi!"

"Stay out of my way!" she shouted mad.

However, the others saw the more dangerous kinfolk stabbing and killing the dead cursed body while spilling more blood. They had to stop Taz or at least calm her down.

"Taz.."

"If you guys are not going to help me..then just stay back and let me take care of this!" she said mad still crying. As she was about to go and kill the curse...someone else stops her.

"Taz...that's enough." said a worried voice.

Her eyes widen to quickly look but the others were shocked too. Standing there healed up was....Yuji! No, it had to be Sukuna since the black tattoos on his face and body were there. Then that means.....

"......."

"That's...enough, pup. Calm down.." he said softly to look at Taz but she said nothing looking like a mess now as Sukuna bends down to look at her. He saw the purple blood on her and in her hair, her tears still running down her cheeks. Her uniform was ruined and yet, she was focused on him.

".....M..Mister...S...Sukuna?"

"You are such a mess......you really lost yourself there for a bit...that won't do and isn't like you." he mutters reaching to try cleaning some of the purple blood off.

"B..b...but I t..thought.."

"No, he's alright..just resting. I woke up after being knocked out but I can heal him. However, he would be very worried seeing his little sister like this......." he said but Megumi, Nobara, Yuria, and Daichi was silent but Taz looks quiet.

"Now..lets calm down....just relax now..it's over now." Sukuna said gently to her. However, as she slowly feels her cursed energy lowering down, all the exhaustion and pain calm at full force that she passed out falling into Sukuna's chest.

"Taz!" the others saw him hold her but carefully picks Taz up. Kinie looks to her king but was happy he was alright.

'My king..'

"Are you alright my princess? And the rest of you?" he asked.

"W..were fine....but..what happened to Taz?" Daichi asked.

"She just let her emotions get out of control....after seeing Yuji get hurt like that. But he'll be alright. I already is healing him but I'll have to teach him how to do reserved curse technique. That way it won't happen again. But for now, lets get back to the school...." he said but he lets Kinie climb onto his shoulder but they were heading back even after.

~~~~~~~~~~

Later, Megumi wrote the report but it was shocking for principle Yaga, the students, nurses, even the others. Miko was alright but was resting in her room with Daichi taking care of her with Yuria. Nobara was being helped by Megumi right now but he was worried about Taz and Yuji.

Right now, Taz was resting up but she was told what happened. She looks quiet and ashamed for what happened and yet, Kinie forgave her. She remains with her for the time being.

She already said sorry to Megumi after what she did even if she felt bad still. In that same time, Sukuna was visiting her but Yuji was okay but he was awake.

"How are you feeling little pup?" Sukuna said with arms crossed.

"...T..Terrible. I can't believe I..d..did all that. Even attack Megumi like that." she mutters.

"Trust me, he said it's alright. He was more happy to see that your alright and yourself again. Though, I was not expecting you to summon your own kinfolk besides Kinie's own." he said but Taz didn't know how.

"I..I don't know either. Even Kinie don't know.." she mutters.

".......It might be after that time you and Yuji turned into babies. You did summon your own kinfolk when you didn't know it. Maybe it's the same one..." he mutters but Taz looks to Kinie who was looking at her.

".....Kinie, I.."

"Don't. It's fine pup. You scared the hell out of me since I never seen you that angry before. I'm just glad your back to your real self again." she said.

"........."

"Listen pup, Yuji will be alright as I said. Right now, he's resting so I'll take over his body for a while till he rests up. But trust me when I say this, he forgives you. He was more worried about you than anything....even if he found out what happened he was more worried about you." Sukuna said.

"....." Taz said nothing but she grips the blanket that she was shaking again. Sukuna said nothing but saw tears hit her hands again that she shuts her eyes sniffing.

"I'm sorry..I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to lose it like that. I'm so sorry.." she sobs only for Sukuna to worry but gently goes to hug her and petting her head.

"Shhhhhhh......it's alright Pup.." he softly said but when Taz felt the hug, she begins sobbing in his chest but she did remember this gentle warmth. Just like when she was a baby at that time. He was very protective of her just like a father. Kinie sighed but she gently goes to nuzzle against Taz's cheek to insure it's going to be okay.

"I'm sorry..I'm sorry..I'm so so sorry.." she whispered but the two curses lets her cry or have a moment. The others were worried but they would leave them alone for now till Taz was able to heal. Right now, she needed time to heal physically and mentally.

#IC #silver roses #Drabble/short or long stories #silver butterfly mun #peahen mom #the mansion owner #a mission gone wrong #the fractions of NYC #the fractions outside of NYC #the DBT #the cursed vixens #yuji itadori #megumi fushiguro #nobara kugisaki #sukuna #kinie gur #daichi #demon-blood-youths #ryomen sukuna #miko yotsuya #yuria niguredou #peahen writer

[udgeyjudge]

The Political Crisis in Israel: A PSA

For the uninitiated, political tensions have been at a fever pitch in Israel for nearly half a year. I feel the need to explain the situation to folks abroad who may have heard of it only in passing or not at all. I want to raise awareness, because my country is truly on the verge of something dark. TL;DR: The only checks and balances for the Israeli government is the Supreme Court - it's the only systemic protector of human rights. Without it, the government is free to do whatever it wants, including harming human rights, and we no longer have a democracy.

For the last six months or so, Israel's government has been trying to dismantle the power of the supreme court, which would effectively eliminate the separation of powers and make Israel a dictatorship rather than a democracy. If this move succeeds it's almost certainly going to make life hell for Arabs, women, LGBT people, and other minorities. This is the core of the crisis. For more detailed info, keep reading past the "what can I do?" segment.

What Can I Do?

If my TL;DR was enough to convince you that this is important, or if you read the rest of the post and scrolled back up to see if you can help, this segment is for you. Unfortunately I do live in Israel and my knowledge on the measures you can take from outside is limited. If anyone knows of any other measures, please let me know and I'll edit them in :) but for now:

Look up protests near where you live - there are protests happening in several cities internationally against the judicial overhaul in Israel. The most notable ones are in NYC and London, but there are protests all over the world.

How did we get here?

To explain the situation in detail, I think it's best to start with some context about Israel's political structure.

We all know a democratic system of government has three branches of government - the legislative, the judicial, and the executive. In Israel these are known as the Knesset (the parliament), Bagatz (the supreme court), and the Government (consisting of ministers) respectively.

Israeli elections are made through the legislative branch. Voters vote for a political party, and each party gets a number of seats in the Knesset proportional to the fraction of the total votes it received (there are 120 seats in total). The leader of the party with the most votes makes negotiations with other parties in order to form a coalition - if they can assemble a coalition of over 60 Knesset members, their coalition becomes official, and the rest of the Knesset becomes the opposition. The leader of the coalition becomes the new prime minister.

This is where the executive branch starts. The prime minister appoints ministers (of health, education, safety, etc) for the government - these ministers are almost always Knesset members, specifically from the coalition.

This is an important point to understand - even before the current political crisis, there was a serious problem with Israel's separation of powers. The legislative branch and the executive branch are effectively one and the same, as they consist of the same people, and any interest the executive branch might have is always going to be backed up by their majority in the legislative branch (this is by definition - they must have a majority in the Knesset to become a government).

The judicial branch, however, has always been completely separated from the other two. The supreme court's judges are not elected, and the other branches of government have no influence on who gets to be a judge. There are many laws in place to ensure the judges have no ulterior motives.

From the beginning, the supreme court has been the only authority limiting the government's power. Israel has no constitution and no other preventative measures like a senate. The supreme court's role is to protect human rights by intervening if the government attempts moves that are harmful or unreasonable. Historically the supreme court has rarely intervened with government policy, only using its power in extreme circumstances.

Prime Minister Binyanim Netanyahu

Israel's current prime minister is Binyanim Netanyahu, who has been prime minister for a total of nearly 20 years (Israel has no term limits). His party, the Likkud, is middle-right politically. Netanyahu (also known as Bibi, affectionately or disgustedly depending on who you ask) is a very controversial figure - the three major stances on him are that he's a great leader and knows what he's doing, that he's not great but is better than the other options, and that he's horribly corrupt and dangerous (let's be honest this is not a politically neutral PSA, so I'm gonna go ahead and say I'm firmly in the third camp).

Bibi has ongoing trials for various corruption offenses, which have been going on for years. Among his indictments is receiving politically motivated gifts, receiving bribes, and manipulating media.

A couple of years ago, Bibi and his coalition made attempts to pass personally motivated laws to prevent Bibi from being found guilty. These seem to have mostly fallen through and Bibi is still on trial, though the trial is dragging on very slowly and has been for years, and in the meantime he still has full prime minister authority.

What's Changed in 2023?

After about a year as the leader of the opposition, Bibi formed a new coalition and returned to being prime minister in late 2022. Ever since the new government formed, its top priority has been putting "the judicial reform" into legislation - this 'reform' is what's being called an overhaul by protesters and some of the media.

This is being pushed mostly by Yariv Levin (Minister of Justice) and Simkha Rotman (a coalition member, and a member of the Constituion, Law, and Justice Committee), who claim that the supreme court has too much power, and is acting as a tyrant preventing the government from doing its job. This is historically false, as the supreme court has rarely intervened with government policy, and only does so when the government is attempting to seriously harm human rights, which is in accordance with the supreme court's purpose.

The proposed reform would make three big changes:

It would allow the Knesset to override the supreme court's decisions using a majority vote. The government is effectively guaranteed a majority in this vote, because its interests align with those of the coalition, which is by definition a majority in the Knesset. This would effectively remove all preventative power from the supreme court and give the government total freedom.

It would remove what is known as "the reasonableness clause" (loosely translated). This is a law that allows the supreme court to intervene with a government decision by arguing that the decision is extremely unreasonable. This law has been used recently to prevent a Knesset member (Arye Der'i) who has been convicted of corruption twice from reentering public office. The removal of this safeguard law PASSED a couple of days ago and is going into effect TODAY (26th July). This means the supreme court won't always have the authority to prevent extremely unreasonable decisions, unless they can justify it through some other more specific clause.

It would restructure the council responsible for appointing supreme court judges - currently this council consists of only two Knesset members, with the rest (a large majority) of the council being completely independent from the executive and legislative branches. The proposed new structure would give the Knesset and the government more slots in the judge appointment council - enough to have a majority. This would mean the government can appoint judges freely - they could replace all the supreme court judges with their own puppets who will always rule in their favour.

This 'reform' is extremely dangerous, and if it passes in its proposed form, the supreme court will be effectively eliminated and the government will have full and unlimited power. It would become a dictatorship.

What are We Scared of in the Near Future?

The government pursuing this overhaul includes many right-wing and religious parties. They've already started attempting moves to harm minorities, such as:

canceling the Authority For The Promotion of Women's Rights (name loosely translated);

legislating a law that allows businesses to refuse service "for religious reasons" - this would affect LGBT people and women;

increasing the arresting power of police in contexts that would mostly affect marginalised Arab communities;

...and you get the idea. It's heading in a dark, dark direction.

Right now, these harmful moves are not all succeeding, and they're taking a long time to get anywhere. But if the judicial overhaul goes through and the government gains unlimited legislative power, there will be nothing stopping them. They could decide that all gay people get the death penalty and nobody could tell them 'no'. They wouldn't be that extreme of course, and certainly not right away, it would cause a massive uproar. But they would gradually move us in the direction of being an ultra-religious dictatorship until we won't recognise this country anymore.

The Fight

Since the beginning of the year, there have been constant, massive protests all over the country and even outside it, all to stop this overhaul from passing quietly. Hundreds of thousands of people are on the streets more than weekly - Israel's population is only 8 million!

The protests have been condemned by the government. Protesters are being called 'anarchists', and the government is trying to gaslight the entire public into believing these protests are somehow unreasonable and outrageous. The protests have been entirely nonviolent.

But of course the protests have also been met with much police violence. Dozens of people are unfairly arrested every time a protest happens (to which huge protests break out in front of police stations and don't relent until everyone is released), and police officers have beaten up protesters, and used violent measures like water cannons and flash bangs (the two of which have resulted in one protester losing an ear and another nearly losing their sight in one eye).

There's also been a massive amount of military pilots refusing to continue their service as an act of protest. They're being shamed by the government of course.

So That's What's Going On.

I could go on and on about the horrible corruption in the current government, the convicted criminals we have for Knesset members, the cultural mess leading up to this that is being exacerbated. But I think I've hit the critical, urgent points. This must be stopped.

If you want to contribute to the fight, scroll back up to the "What Can I do?" segment at the start of this post.

I want to add on a personal note that as a cishet white man I am likely not in any existential danger from this. It's possible, though, that my freedom to live my life as a secular jew is at risk, as the government is also making moves to enforce religion more aggressively (and separation of religion and state is already a huge problem here). I also have friends who would be in real danger if this went through. And beyond all of that, I refuse to live in and support a dictatorship.

Just be aware. There are many horrible things going on in the world right now, and this is just one of them. But for the people experiencing this firsthand, it's everything.

Edits:

updated the point about the reasonableness clause - it fully passed on 24 July and is in effect as of 26 July. They've set a date for the court to discuss repealing it, but it's only in September and until then the law is effective regardless.

#israel #politics #israeli politics #israel political crisis #psa #awareness #news #world news

[demon-blood-youths]

So question!

Does the DBT hang out with anyone else from the fractions or is it true from what Jinx said when you guys hang out with who she said.

"Huh? Oh yeah, that's true!" Ink nods. "Me and Jinx hang out and talk about what we're doing and what we done. Plus we do sparred together because we both fighting! Plus! I do see Jinx as a sister.

"As for the others...uh...hey guys! Is it true?!" Ink asked the guys.

----

"Uh! Yeah I hang out with Echo and we do projects regarding bombs. BUT WE ARE NOT ADORABLE! WHO THE FUCK SAYS THAT!" Navarro yelled.

Rust snickers, "Suurre, man! We all know what you and your girlfriend is all about!"

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Navarro shouted. "Also what about you and Breezy?! HUH?! I know as hell...you're doing more than sparring and playing video games!" Navarro demands. Rust snickers, "If she's not my girlfriend! If she wants to be, I got no problem with it! But if she ain't into me and wants to be friends, I'm cool with it. You just need to admit that you got a crush on her, Navarro."

"SHADDUP RUST!" Navarro shouted.

Jaron chuckles, overhearing this before he goes next to confirm what is said. "It's true, me and Melinda are tight and we hang lot a lot. We do go to restaurants from time to time."

"Seriously! MARRY HER!" Rust and Navarro shouted. Shdwkyz shakes his head and sighs, 'You two are idiots."

"Don't give us that crap, Shdwkyz!" Navarro said.

"Yeah...I bet you're into Vivi!" Rust points out.

"We're just close friends and I trust her more when it's outside of the fraction." Shdwkyz sipping his chai tea. "Whenever it's fighting crime and when she comes to me for assitance or the other way around, I make sure to help her as much as possible. After all we have common interests."

"Sure....keep telling yourself that." Navarro crosses his arms. Jaron chuckles and looks over to Fosh, "What about you, Fosh? About Mouse?

"M-m-me? Mouse?" He stammered. "I mean...yeah....we hack a lot and we make it a contest who can break the toughest firewall the fasts without being noticed and we're helping other hackers' networks."

"That it?" Rust asked making Fosh flush his cheeks. "Y-yeah..." The hacker said. Shdwkyz, Rust, and Navarro were not convinced while Jaron still keeps on chuckling.

"But hey! At Gerald is having fun with Ping. They get along so well!" Fosh said, changing the subject.

"Don't change the subject!" Shdwkyz scowled. As for the girls.

------

'Yeah. It's true. I like hanging out with Joshua and Ashely. T-Bone is a good fighter." Maggie confirms. "Plus Hex and Ophelia are always trading healing potions and medical practices so whenever Ophelia has a new plant. She invites Hex over.' Maggie who looks over to Ophelia who nods. "Indeed. Hex and me always share information with each other when it comes to healing and plants. Hex is so surprised when I told him what I learn from Japan." Ophelia smiles.

"Timmy is so nice to me!" Taz smiles. "Me and Gerald watch anime and play video games whenever Ping and Timmy come over while Melinda makes the popcorn and Jaron makes the brownies for us!"

"Oblivion? What about you and Yuuka?" Ophelia asked Oblivion.

"Just showing her the ropes and the places that are hidden in New York City. We hang out like almost every day." Said Oblivion. "Always come to check up on her and Luna so they can settle in more easier."

As for the other fractions....

"Rex? Oh yeah! I sparred with him and my team does too with his fraction." Said Kali. "Rex and his season demon warriors know how to keep things tight at their turf in Greenwich Village."

----- As for those outside of the NYC -----

"Yes. Me and Willow hang out together since we keeps thing peaceful in Philpelidpha." Ethan answers. "We work well as a team since Willow and me look after parts in our turfs. I help her and she helps me." Said Ethan keeping it in proffessional.

Of course, his teammates didn't think so.

"Not true!" It's Zloth, a member of the Tribe Seeker Fraction. "Ethan has a crush on her! He just won't say it." He stated.

Ethan sighs. "I admire her."

"Same thing!" Zloth answered.

#ic #The DBT #Elite Demon Anthem #Tribe Seeker Fraction

[jjjjabberwocky]

out of context rtbao (jerah) lore

jerah forgets what his name was b4 he lied and said Jerah. When ppl try to look in his head there’s just a black spot where it should be (and it appears to be growing)

the Flanders Phoenix went back in time and stopped the entire story from ever beginning. Probably

Jerah has beef with the state of California

shrike burps in Jerah’s face on purpose to make him throw up

Jerah bruised a rib and consequently outed himself as trans to everyone. Nobody cared

Jerah fooled a bunch of old people into thinking that his phone was a bomb

The leviathan exists as a fictional story within Jerah’s universe, hence Montag Number 4

Montag Number 4 is first assumed to be human, then a shapeshifter, and is finally revealed to be a robot

shrike does not have a “default” body. It’s very difficult for it to maintain a static form, esp as it gets older

Jonah can’t read

the Flanders Phoenix offered Jonah a fraction of her ability to exist outside of time. He knows what tiktok is

Jerah has a plot important days long dream about being a hawk stuck in somebody’s basement

Jerah messes up a time traveling mission and lands them in Montreal circa 2009

Jerah attended (accidentally walked into) a pro-life rally with Shrike in NYC

#this my account I do what I want #rtbao #shrike uses he/it/any pronouns btw #jerah and Jonah and the Flanders Phoenix are actually such besties

[rediron123]

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[dei360]

Three Ways to Develop Trust at Work

Emmanuelle looks around the room at the sales team. She’s new at the organization and still learning about the relationship dynamics between her coworkers. Tensions are running high as it was just announced that the team didn’t make their sales goal for the second month in a row. Not that she’s surprised.

This past month, the marketing assistant was asked to create a pitch deck from scratch for a potential client in Canada—a large hospitality brand. Emmanuelle found out later that he’d never made a pitch deck before yet wouldn’t ask anyone for help. The marketing manager knew he wasn’t very experienced yet was too focused on meeting her personal goals to offer guidance.

The major blow came when the marketing assistant waited until the day before the account director was flying to Canada to meet the client, to hand over a few poorly organized slides that covered only a fraction of the information needed. Not to mention that the hyper-analytical language he used wasn’t appropriate for a luxury hotel brand.

The poor account director had to pull an all-nighter to get the deck done himself, before pitching with red eyes on zero sleep. The result? That client is no longer potential.

Why is This Team So Dysfunctional?

Emmanuelle has been racking her brain trying to figure out how to navigate this new playing field. What’s going on with this team? Why is it so dysfunctional?

Just because the necessity of teamwork has been preached to us since childhood doesn’t mean we’re inherently good at it—or even like it for that matter. Working with other people can be challenging, even more so in the workplace when the stakes are high. So now that we’re off the little league field, what can we, as working adults, do to have a positive and winning team? According to Patrick Lencioni, there are five core areas where dysfunction can be seen in teams: lack of trust, fear of conflict, avoidance of commitment, lack of accountability, and not being results-focused.

In Emmanuelle’s case, her team has a significant trust deficit. Teams that don’t have trust don’t function well. Let’s take a look at the importance of trust, what teams with and without trust look like, and how we can start building trust in our own teams starting today.

Great Teams Have Trust

Here are some facts about teams and trust:

Interaction associates & human capital institute study shows high-performing organizations have higher levels of trust than low-performing organizations

Interaction associates & human capital institute study shows high-performing organizations have higher levels of trust than low-performing organizations

So the studies tell us high-performing teams have trust, but what exactly does a team with trust look like versus a team without trust?

Teams with and Without Trust: What They Look Like

Teams that don’t have trust:

Conceal weaknesses and mistakes from each other

Hesitate to ask for help or feedback

Jump to conclusions about other’s intentions

Don’t offer help outside of their own areas of responsibility

Fail to recognize and tap into one another’s skills

Teams that have trust:

Admit weaknesses and mistakes, ask for help

Give one another the benefit of the doubt

Take risks in offering feedback and assistance

Accept questions and input about their work

Appreciate and tap into one another’s skills

Offer and accept apologies

Look forward to opportunities to work in a group

From $200 a Week to a $30 Billion Valuation: What Airbnb Can Teach Us About Trust

A great example of how trust can benefit a team can be seen in the now uber-successful Airbnb. In 2009, Airbnb was close to going bust with only $200/week in revenue. Searching for answers outside of data, they noticed a pattern – the listing photos were bad. Without any data to back it up, the co-founders decided to travel to NYC, rent a pro camera & take pictures of listings. Revenue doubled within a week.

Without trust, the founders wouldn’t have been willing to try out an idea that had no data to back it up. In fact, they probably wouldn’t have shared that idea if they didn’t trust each other. And this idea prevented them from throwing in the towel. Now with the organization valued at $30 billion, their trust was worth its weight in gold.

Now that the founders of Airbnb have seen the great benefit of trusting new ideas, and allowing for vulnerability, new hires are asked on day one to come up with new features to try out. They appreciate and tap into their employees’ skills and want them to feel comfortable making mistakes. They’ve seen first-hand the benefits that can come from this type of team.

Sound Familiar?

If you’re reflecting on your team and realizing it might be lacking in trust—don’t run for the hills just yet. Trust isn’t a “you have it or you don’t” think—it’s something that takes effort and awareness. If you find yourself in a team suffering from a lack of trust, try these three tips. You can start using these tips as soon as today to help get your team on track!

Three Tips for Developing Trust at Work

1. Be Honest

Tell the truth

Be honest when sharing information, even if it’s to your disadvantage

Use truthful nonverbal communication

Experts say more than half of communication is nonverbal

Look people in the eye, use open body language

2. Communicate Openly

Talk to your team members in an honest, meaningful way

Listen deeply for what’s being said, and not being said

If you have important or relevant information, share it immediately with the team

Meet face-to-face regularly

3. Meet face-to-face regularly

Share personal stories

Ask questions (sensitively) about colleagues’ families, hobbies, where they’ve lived, etc.

Don’t underestimate casual social activities after work

So let’s get back to Emmanuelle’s team—the team that for two months straight hasn’t reached their sales goals.

If the marketing assistant had trusted his manager, he would have asked for help with the pitch deck, knowing that he wouldn’t be reproached. He wouldn’t have hidden the fact that he didn’t know what he was doing. And if his manager trusted the team, she wouldn’t be only focusing on her goals, while ignoring the goals of the team. She would have made it a priority to check in with the assistant, knowing his inexperience warrants a little extra attention, for the benefit of everyone involved.

Imagine how this situation would have turned out if the team had trust—the deck would have been completed well and on time, the account director wouldn’t have had to drop his responsibilities to stay up all night and fix a deck. Instead, he would have been well rested and prepared to land a new client. And you know what? They may have a large luxury hotel brand on their roster—if only they had trusted each other.

Do you have trust at work? Yes or no, how can you tell? Let’s talk about it.

Leave a comment below, send us an email, or find us on Twitter.

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#diverse team evaluation tool #Diversity And Inclusion Assessment Tool #diversity online assessment #diversity equity and inclusion assessment #diversity equity and inclusion plan

[americanlifeguard]

Sweltering Cities Can’t Keep Enough Swimming Pools Open

By ByLinda Poon, Bloomberg

As heat wave after heat wave settles over large swaths of the US this summer — with the latest one putting millions from the Southeast to the upper Midwest under excessive heat advisories this week — an estimated one-third of all pools will remain closed as cities face a national lifeguard shortage, according to the American Lifeguard Association.

Many cities are able to open only a fraction of their facilities, or at reduced hours. Some are canceling swimming programs as parks and recreation departments grapple with staffing challenges.

In Houston, just a dozen of its 37 pools have opened, operating three days a week on alternate schedules. The city’s parks and recreation department currently has 41 lifeguards, a fraction of the 187 needed to open all the pools, says aquatics director Leroy Maura. He attributes the shortage to the inability to recruit at local schools last fall — as they usually would before the pandemic — and to fewer returning members from the year before.

In New York City, the parks department plans to open all its outdoor pools later this month, but recently announced that swimming programs such as Learn to Swim and Senior Splash have been canceled for a second year in a row. “Safety is our top priority. It’s because of this that we prioritize access to the millions who visit our pools annually rather than redirecting resources to ancillary programming,” NYC Parks said in a statement to CityLab.

But pool closures and the cancellation of swimming lessons, especially at a time when temperatures in some places push into the triple digits, can have lasting consequences. Kids who have missed out on swimming lessons for the last two years because of Covid shutdowns are missing out on yet another year, which means more children could be at risk of drowning.

Nationally, the pandemic cost cities nearly half a million candidates for lifeguard positions, according to estimates from the American Lifeguard Association. Spokesperson Bernard J. Fisher II says this year’s pool closures and program cancellations could have a snowball effect, making the current shortage last at least another two to three years. Competition between facilities could further strain cities as applicants chase after higher wages at hotels, condominiums and private swimming clubs.

And as summer temperatures hit new records each year, lifeguards face a tougher job not only keeping people safe in the water but also watching out for signs of heat-related illnesses. “Lifeguards are considered medical professionals, equivalent to a nurse, paramedic and [other] first responder,” says Fisher.

He called on local governments to think outside the box as they look to future summers: Perhaps cities could open some pools specifically for training the next batches of lifeguards, for example. Or, beyond recruiting teens, they might reach another demographic: retirees. “They have this extra time on their hands,” he says. “So if we pushed that it’s almost patriotic to help out the community and volunteer — of course, pay them wages and offer incentives — I’m telling you, there are retirees who would be more than happy to do it.”

Full story: Bloomberg @bloombergandtomreply-blog

#lifeguards #lifeguard training #lifeguard class #lifeguard course #swimming #swimming training #swimming pool #health & fitness #home & lifestyle #jobs #news #bloomberg

[pixiedoodlein]

I’m so fucking mad that a year and a half into this pandemic I am back to 11th hour debating another year of homeschool. The first stretch of homeschool, in NYC, when the toddler was a baby, and husband was home on unemployment, was good, nice even, a quiet piece of something good when the world outside was falling apart. The next stretch, the Oklahoma stretch, with a particularly climby toddler, husband working 10 hour days, me doing remote contract work, somewhere we had no family around to help w/ childcare, was challenging. I was not always my best self. Some days were delightful, muffins and math games. Other days I was more Miss Trunchbull than Miss Honey, fractions were squeezed in between crying (usually mine) and netflix (way too much of hers), and I held on to any shred of sanity by telling myself “just a little longer, just until the vaccines.”

Well here we are. Husband & I have been vaccinated for months, but the kids aren’t yet. The upstate NY town we moved to is a very small town (pop: 838), was mostly untouched by previous waves. When we got here, I couldn’t understand why everyone was so lax about it- no masks, no panic. Our first day here, when I came home from the market and saw through the window a gaggle of unmasked kids in my living room (the neighbors coming to welcome us, they heard a kid moved in) I almost had a heart attack. In fact, I was so tired from the drive from OKC that for a moment I actually thought I was at the wrong house, that I was hallucinating, because how in the world could there be unmasked bodies in my living room.

Then I started talking to people here. And I realized that the way I thought they were insane for not being deathly afraid of covid, they thought I was insane for being petrified. Because the disease hadn’t hit here; their businesses were destroyed and their kids were out of school (in a rural area with barely functional internet, remote school = a lost year) and their lives were totally fucked up, for a disease that never arrived at their doorstep. I came to understand why they weren’t worried, why here life looked (almost) normal. I told them about what it was like to live somewhere covid tore through, the freezer trucks of bodies on the FDR Drive and my previously healthy 27yld brother so sick with it the first spring he thought he was about to die (but too scared to go to a hospital), my dad’s relative in the next NYC wave on a vent for months and lucky to be alive but may never walk again, the doctors in OKC pleading on the news to please wear a fucking mask because the hospitals were fucking full, and the neighbors stopped thinking I was psycho when I carried extra masks for their kids, and made them put them on, when I took them to town for ice cream. I never stopped masking. But we did indoor dine here (once, BBQ, it wasn’t delicious enough for how anxious I felt) and I did bring all the kids, including my toddler, to a fairly crowded children’s museum in the big (small) city an hour away, where the rest of us were masked but the one with his hands in his mouth, who was all up in other kids’ faces, the one who really should be masked, wasn’t because he won’t leave it on for more than a minute.

Actually it’s a lie to say that I never stopped masking- I have dashed into little stores here, without one, because I’m vaxed! It’s safe here! Covid felt done. We had friends come here to visit this summer. Friends who are vaxed, but that doesn’t seem to really matter enough anymore. We had the neighbors over for meals, indoors (you see, more indoor dining! A minute ago I was just thinking restaurants, but why would plagues only spread in restaurants?). They had us for meals. The girls are a crew, new best friends, making my daughter’s life here so, so much happier, constant sleepovers (their kids were at our house this afternoon; my kid is at their house right now). The parents and grandparents are wonderful, making my life here, and husband’s life here, so much easier, so much better. We help them with stuff, they help us with stuff, there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t see each other, unmasked. Some of the adults in their household are vaxed; some of the adults in their household are not. The kids are all too young to be vaxed. But it (living, doing shit again, seeing people again) really stopped feeling scary; it really felt like everything was fine, normal-ish, normal-er. The end of the pandemic felt in sight.

I signed my child up for school here. Real school, not mommy school, school with a school bus. She was a little anxious, I had to talk her into it, I sold it hard, I bought her whatever pair of new sneakers she wanted for her new school (she hasn’t had gym class in a year and a half; for a phase in Oklahoma she wore one boot and one sandal every day, why not). She wasn’t anxious about sneakers or covid; she was anxious that maybe she hadn’t learned enough in homeschool (I am not a teacher! I did not homeschool because I am good at it or love it or wanted to, I homeschooled because I was scared of her getting covid at school and dying), that she would be behind. She isn’t behind. I followed the real school curriculum as best I could (as in: sometimes totally and sometimes not at all), and somehow, when I gave her the standardized “real school” test “at the end of the year” (aka the day I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to focus on my work or I wasn’t going to have an income, the day I’d decided we’d done as much as we could and it was time to be done), she sailed through it, this kid is smart. Smart as in needs to be in actual real fucking school to stay smart and learn and reach her potential.

She got excited- one of the neighbor kids is in her grade. The other kid is older- but the school is small, she’d see her tons. She was excited; I was excited. I registered her for school. Her new teacher sent a nice note. We all were excited. She’s never taken the school bus before but the neighbors take it and she’d be fine on the bus with her besties, the bus would pick her up in front of their house since there’s nowhere to turn around up our hill (we are VERY rural), they’d all get on and off the bus together. She has been backpack shopping. We have been discussing what she’ll have for breakfast (honey nut Cheerios), what she wants me to pack for lunch (she says just Goldfish, I say turkey sandwich, we’re working on it).

But now, 18 days before school starts here, I am thisclose to pulling her out, to embarking on another lovely (not), gratifying (not) year of homeschool, because of covid, delta. When we got to our new home in our new tiny town in June, there was no covid here. Now, our county is listed by the CDC as a high transmission area (is there anywhere in the US that isn’t?). 80% of senior citizens here are vaxed; 50% of the total population is, well below the national average. 15 cases per 100,000, in a county of 100,000. I guess this is less rampant than our previous pandemic locales, NYC (currently 25/100K), OKC (49/100K). This is splitting hairs, everywhere is bad. This is what panic does to me: are we better or worse for every decision we’ve made in the past year and a half, every decision that got us here? There are fewer cases here but fewer people and fewer vaccinated people and fewer ICU beds. We aren’t safe even here, but at least we are happy (happy aside from fear of delta death).

I don’t know whether to send my kid to school in 18 days. There will be masks but masks aren’t enough (how many masks do I make her wear? two, ten, a thousand?). This choice feels crazy— in March 2020, when that covid was mostly sparing kids, I yanked her out of school. Now, this covid does hurt kids. How much longer, how many more years, can parents be in this position to make this nightmare choice? What will hurt her more: school or no school? There are vaccines, more than enough in America. We shouldn’t be having to make this choice.

As it is, because of toddler— not because of toddler, because of being a parent to children in a pandemic— my work life, and husband’s, will be severely impacted this year, again. I can’t send him to daycare because he’s too little to leave a mask on (he won’t even leave his pants on!) in a room full of other unmasked toddlers, whose families may or may not be vaxd, may or may not wear masks (there has been a noticeable increase in supermarket mask wearing since we got here, but still not enough, is any of it enough?), may or may not be going to parties and weddings and funerals, daycare providers who may or may not be doing all the same. This means I can only apply to remote jobs, so I can be home with him. Husband has some flexibility, more than he did in OKC, but god forbid he has to work while I have a work call or meeting or work due I didn’t manage to get done at 4am or 11pm when the house is quiet. He can’t bring toddler to work with him, his work is up on scaffold, stenciling ceilings. This will be another year of me muting myself on Zooms while toddler pulls his diaper off and hurls poop at the cat. Would it really be so much harder to also be trying to teach parts of speech to our daughter at the same time? Yes, it would, but I don’t know if I can send my kids back out into the world until they’re vaccinated. I am counting the days, holding my breath, until they can be.

I used to believe in personal choice. I don’t anymore. I want this shit to be mandated, I want the government to line us up and force mRNA into holdouts’ arms, I want it to be required, to be able to function in and interact with and benefit from society in any way, shape, or form. I have been very lucky in the pandemic. Privilege stacked on privilege on privilege, to be fussing over my Zooms in my hamlet. I had been pretty pandemic perky, baking my pies and playing with my pandemic pets and (thinking about) doing puzzles, but I’ve reached my breaking point. This shit could be done, but it’s not, and I’m scared it never will be.

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

||The Snake's gift; the azure phoenix's first date||

HI dears, hope your doing well today, I got a new drabble for you but it was something since I wanted to write something a bit wholesome. So, lets see what this drabble brings hmm? And yes, I will write more for the others in the future I wanted to get these out before I Forget them. ^^

||Drabble Summary||

After Willow and her team helped Ethan and the seekers from that one time, it seems Ethan's team has been urging him to find a way to thank her for it. They knew he cared about her but he was still being mature because of it. Soooo....it seems his team was going to fix that. And how? Read to find out.

||Warning||

~Wholesome moment is present in this drabble

~First date is present in this drabble

||Guests in drabble||

Ethan and his fraction the seekers belongs to my beloved friend @demon-blood-youths

Willow and her fraction the elemental phoenix feathers belongs to me.

((Note: Their will be grammar mistakes and errors in this drabble as others have this warning. But like I state before, this is written for fun. So I hope you like it and my friend too. Enjoy))

It's a relaxing calm morning in Philly while knowing the fractions The Seekers Tribe were just done taking down another group that was trying to send off some new documents for a high price. However, they were resting up with Agana doing some reading before something changed.

"You..You want me to do what now?" Kukuclan 'Ethan' Gaol looked to his team who was smiling at him while giving a idea to him. He wasn't sure if he heard right but Zloth was giving a light nod of his head.

"You heard us! We all agree that you should thank her for what she did. Even if you tend to act mature most of the time I know you care deeply about Willow." he said with arms crossed with Ethan sighing.

"Your still on this?" he asked with a sweat drop.

"Yes! I know you been looking at Willow all happily like that since we been helping Willow and her fraction from time to time. This tells me that you really are wishing to spend time with her! Sooooo...how about you go on a date with her!"

Ethan twitched but looks at Zloth. "A date!? Have you lost your mind!" he said to look at him with Agana, Ashley, and Light sweatdrops to seeing Zloth sigh.

"I'm serious! You been showing you do care and like like her so we figure you need to go out on a date or at least hang out with her!" he said.

"Are you really trying to make this something like that? -_-" he asked with his eyes closed even with Zloth sighing.

"Oh come on! I know you been looking at her like that so it proves you do! Why don't you just admit you like her and just enjoy your time with her? Go out and relax for once!" he pokes his chest with Ethan's eye twitching.

Honestly, he was not expecting him to be asking about this and yet, he sees that Zloth always tries to have him give a helping hand. But it wasn't the case. True Ethan did care about Willow deeply even gotten worried about her after well..Sukuna's beat down. Even when he ripped off her wings with them healing slowly.

Even so, he was always checking up on her or speaking to her through text and the phone to insure she was fine. She was even if she was also taking it slow. He sighed to think about it but looks seeing his team look at him. "What?"

"Well? Are you going to or-"

"I don't know. I care about her yes but I don't want to bother her over some date. What if she's busy today or what if she's doing something else? I don't want to bug her when we are still doing things." he said with hear his teammates sigh.

"I'm sure she's fine and maybe she needs a break! That's why you should go and see her! In fact, we even asked her team to bring her somewhere for you to speak to her!" Ethan blinks to take in what Zloth said before his eyes widen.

"YOU DID WHAT!?"

"What? We wanna help you and her relax so your welcome!" he said seeing Ethan's eye twitch.

"You asked her team to bring Willow...wait, where did they even take her?" he asked.

"They took her to a quiet spot somewhere but it's near by. In fact we should hurry and meet up with them or we'll be late." he said smiling that Ethan sighed with a sweatdrop. "I swear you-"

"You'll thank us later now come on!" Being happy, his team helps him up and takes Ethan to where he can meet Willow with Agana sweatdropping and follows. This should be something.

~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~

"So why are we out here today? It's nice.." Willow smiled looking to the small gardens here but her team was happy to see a smile on her face. She deserves that since it's been a bit rough for her.

"We know but we wanna take you out for a while to relax." Jeremy smiled to her while Willow blinks to feel happy and did that. She looks out while seeing this only to see the others relaxing now. However they gave her space under the tree to see her team relaxing. That's when they notice a few coming over and carrying someone.

In a moment, they saw it was Ethan's fraction. "Hey guys, what's up?" Maki smiled sweetly to seeing them set Ethan down who was sighing.

"We are fine. Just bring Ethan out and well....we are ready to start our plan with him asking for a date with Willow!" Zloth smiled.

"Wait, were you all in this?" he asked seeing both teams smiling at him.

"Maybe.." they said seeing Ethan sweatdrops to hear this. Was his own fraction going against him now? However, he sighed to see them then thinks. "Hold on, where is.."

"Willow is under the pretty tree up there." Tsulu smiled responding to that and he points. He looks to see Willow sitting under a tree while she was looking out relaxed now. Though, she looked so relaxed there and it was pretty-wait he blushed to clear his throat to look away. The others noticed to smile.

"We saw that!" Zloth said.

"Oh hush." he sighed.

"Then go ahead and see her! Go on shoo!" the two fractions gently pushes Ethan towards the tree where Willow waits but he was being gently pushed before he was near the tree. He sees them backing up and showing thumbs up smiling. Agana gives him luck but he sighed to shake his head.

He looks to see Willow leaning against the tree with a gentle smile on her face. Feeling the gentle breeze blowing against her that made him blush again. He looks away trying not to be too obvious but he takes a slow breath then looks forward.

"Ummm Hello Willow." he sees her blink to hear the voice then turns to look at him. Seeing who it was, Willow was happy.

"Hi Ethan. What a nice surprise." she smiled to him while he walks over but looks to her.

"Same to you. How have you been? Doing alright?" he asked seeing her light nod.

"Yes. My team wanted to take me out from indoors and relax out here. Were you coming out to do the same?" she asked sweetly to him but Ethan looks to her then ahead.

"You..You could say that." he said seeing Willow smile to laugh.

"Well, would you like to join me? I have room for one more." she said patting the grass by her as Ethan sighed to walk over and sits down beside her. She was happy to see them sitting together while she rests her hand on her lap and him relaxing.

Both Willow and Ethan were relaxing with their teammates seeing how precious this was but it was almost like they were dating each other already. For now, they wanted to see how this goes.

"So Ethan, have you been doing alright?" he heard her ask while looking ahead but he looks to her hearing the question.

"I've been alright. Just trying to relax so far after everything. Though, I hope you been doing alright?" he asked seeing him relaxing in a way but she was happy to hear that.

"I'm glad to hear that. I know you been resting up after helping your team, even well..doing everything to help my team out, take care of our side, and....and me.." he mutters the last part but she looks to him.

"..Well of course. I didn't mind since you were hurt that day. I wanted to help your team and you to insure you were alright. At least you healed 100% so it tells me you are going to be alright even if I worry at times." she smiled to him.

"..I...see. Even so, I did wish to still thank you for that Willow. I really owe you for your kindness." he said.

"I don't mind. It makes me happy to see that your well....so it's no biggie." she said sweetly to him. Seeing her happy made him blush again but he looks away seeing her blink confused. Did he blush?

"I'm..glad to hear that...I just wanted to be sure you are alright after everything so.....you know." he said but Willow blinks to smile that she even reaches to take one of his hands to make him look at their hands then at her.

"That's sweet of you, thanks Ethan." she said even closing her eyes blushing herself. Yeah, she seriously was precious right now but he didn't mind that while they keep looking out together even on this little small hang out date. The others were seeing this but that made them happier finding them both being so precious. Even some taking pics.

"So adorable.." Zloth smiled seeing this with the others taking more pictures but Agana smiled happy for her team leader and her friend. Even so, it was precious. The teams hangs out together in another location but they did have some food given to the leaders while seeing then eating lunch. Both of them were happy together and yet they were smiling eating more.

Ethan was eating some of the food but Willow was happy to smiling eating. She was eating happily but Ethan noticed something on her cheek and lip.

"This is really good. So tasty." she said smiling while looking at the sandwich.

"It's pretty good true.." he said to look at her then blinks to think. "Also ummm..you got something on your cheek." he said.

"Huh? I do?" she asked but he looks to get a napkin but sets his food down but turns facing her. She blinks to see him gently touching her cheek that Willow blinks to blush slightly.

He carefully held up the napkin to clean her cheek gently while she was keeping still for him to do that. However, this made her blush even worse since he was blushing too. In a second, he was done to lower the napkin.

"There we go.."

"T..thank you.." she said in a shy tone.

"Your welcome..." he said in a silent tone blushing. He and her looks away from one another but keeps eating their sandwiches together even if their cheeks were flushed pink. Later on, they did get some ice cream from the others and took the time to enjoy this moment. So far, it was nice.

Later it got dark but it shows Ethan and Willow looking up at the night sky together. They were happy but Ethan was holding Willow to his side but he was relaxing. This was not too bad but he only sees that some of the wind was blowing against them.

"This was really nice for a hang out...thanks for coming out Ethan." Willow said but he looks to give a light nod.

"Your welcome. Honestly, I'm glad I did...this was rather..nice." he said with the others being more happy. She smiled to rest against him while seeing the stars and the pretty moon. Though, this is nice.

"Yeah it was.."

"Hmm....." he said as well only to see her agree when seeing her look to the night sky. In a moment, he felt the breeze blowing against them that he even keeps her close making Willow blush even more. He was so caring and it was sweet.

"Though...would you umm....like to do one more thing with me?" he asked seeing her blink.

"And that is?" she asked but he only looks relaxed to see him standing up and gently helping her on her feet. However, she blinks to see him pull her close to make her blink. He looks to her before he begins to dance with her!? She held his hand while he took the lead while they were dancing under the tree together with the moon above him.

"Uhhh guys are you seeing this!?" Zloth said excited seeing the others shocked. He was dancing with her and it was precious!!!!!!! They took more pictures that they were seeing him dancing while she was following his head. However, in a way this made the teams happy.

Willow was looking to Ethan but he was careful dancing with her slowly before she smiled when he kept dancing however, he even used the wind to move around them that it slowly lifts them up in the night sky. She blinks to see this but he was holding her close while dancing. It was pretty and yet that made her feel happy and relaxed. This was nice but he was still dancing with her.

The wind serpent and the azure phoenix were dancing in the night together but she feels her hair moving within the wind but Ethan was silent showing a caring expression. The two kept on dancing together but while hovering in the sky both Willow and Ethan blushed together while looking to one another.

"......"

"....."

She blinks to look at him but he did the same before she felt her eyes close half way before resting her hands on his chest to lean in as he did the same. Both of them did nothing before he slowly leans in to close the gap. He kissed Willow softly while she held onto him. A azure blue flame surrounds the two but the wind was still around as they kissed.

"Wait..a..are they.." Ashley asked in shock blushing.

"Their kissing....their kissing!!" Mika giggled as the fractions smiled happy for them. Seems the two were happy but they were kissing while he hugs her while doing so. Being careful, he and her comes back down but the kiss didn't break for a moment before landing. Ethan breaks the kiss but Willow blushed more as they look at one another but they were blushing red to look away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's getting pretty late. I think we should hurry off and head on back...." Ethan said while Willow looks to her team.

"True. Ummm...I hope you guys get home safe.." she said sweetly to his fraction as they smiled to do.

"That goes for your team too." Ethan said as they nod. As the team were getting ready to leave. However, Willow looks to Ethan who gives a smile to hold her hand.

"I Hope you get some rest Willow......and if you need anything please let us know.." he said but she lightly nods.

"I..I will. Thank you." she said as he even kissed her cheek. She blinks to look at him but sees him let go before they would head back. His fraction was heading home while Willow's own waves good bye to them even if she was blushing red to hold her cheek.

Ethan was happy but Zloth was smiling walking. "Told ya.." he said.

"..Don't push it Zloth....but.....tonight was not too bad....it was nice." he said while walking.

"True but this proves you did have a thing for Willow! I was right!" he laughed but Ethan sighed with a sweatdrop with the others snickering. Agana was happy for her leader as they walked home. However, Ethan was happy too.

Seems the wind serpent had a good day...even when it came to seeing his azure phoenix being happy. So yeah, worth it for a nice relaxing night.

#IC #silver roses #Drabble/short or long stories #silver butterfly mun #peahen mom #the mansion owner #the snake's gift; the azure phoenix's first date #the fractions of NYC #the fractions outside of NYC #kukuclan 'Ethan' Gaol #aiyana “Willow” Phoenix #ethan and willow #demon-blood-youths #peahen writer

[reading-writing-revolution]

This is truly magnificent analysis. It's a bit of a long read, but it is ABSOLUTELY magically clarifying. I'll include my thoughts in a follow-up because this is perfectly in line with something I've been thinking about for a while.

Buckle up, this one is a bit of a roller coaster.

Let’s talk population density.

Do you know the population density of the zip code you live in?

What about the population density of where you spent your formative years?

That’s a bit of a rhetorical question, because I’m guessing the answer is no. I certainly didn’t, so I’d be impressed and surprised if I asked someone this question in casual conversation and they rattled off the number to me.

I’d never thought about population density until I traveled to India in 2018. We flew into Mumbai which has a population density of 75,000 people per sq. mi. To give you some perspective, NYC has 27,000 per sq. mi. (post originally said 10,431people but that is per sq. km. not mi.) and as most of my friends are familiar with King of The Hammers, in Johnson Valley, when Hammertown doesn’t exist, it has a population density of 15.2 people per sq. mi.

Mumbai has the highest population density of any city in the world, and until you’ve experienced it, it’s hard to describe. If you have ever been in the first 10 rows of a sold-out standing room only concert, that is as close as I can relate to how people move through the streets of Mumbai. There is literally no such thing as personal space. Not for you, not for your vehicle. I think one of the most fascinating things our entire group realized in Mumbai is whatever you do, do NOT stop. Merge in, merge out, but sudden stops cause pile ups of humans, vehicles, etc. Everything is in fluid motion, when you step into the stream you go with the current, when you need to leave the stream you move to the edges and hop out. What was also interesting was the lack of rage or frustration we saw, and the lack of accidents! I don’t think I saw two people yell at each other the entire time we were there. Same with car accidents, I saw one slight bumper brush. Nothing worth stopping over, as every car had marks from similar encounters.

You would think with so much closeness fights would break out often, accidents would be on every corner. But something strange happens. There is no space for the individual in that type of population density. If you wanted to stop and be mad or outraged, you would literally be trampled. So you move with the flow, or you step outside of it. One person cannot go against the current and be successful, individual needs simply cannot matter for society to function in that type of population density. This is different from NYC where you do see individuals disagree on street corners. Because even as dense as NYC is there is room for the individual. Even our most densely populated cities are nothing compared to other countries. America has space and the individual has rights.

When this country was founded the population density of even our biggest cities was a fraction of large cities in Europe. Which is why our constitution so heavily outlines the liberties and freedoms of the individual compared to places like England where their population density even today is 10 times that of the United States as a whole.

Ever since news of the pandemic broke I’ve found myself fascinated with population density in the US. This fascination started because it seemed obvious to me that the transmission of COVID would happen far faster in our highest population density areas of the country. Wikipedia has a list of cities by population density. Here’s how the top 20 most dense cities breaks down: 9 in New Jersey (NYC metro area),4 in CA (LA metro area), 3 in NY (NYC metro area), 2 in Florida (Miami metro area), 1 in Mass (Boston metro area), and 1 in Kentucky (Louisville). Except for Kentucky these population dense areas directly correlate to the highest areas of infection in the country.

But my fascination with population density didn’t stop at the pandemic. I wanted to understand population densities of different areas. I started looking up places I’d lived and visited that felt both dense and sparse population wise. It should come as no surprise that cities are always the most dense and rural areas are always the most sparse.

Then as the mask debate started unfolding in my newsfeed, I found myself loosely assigning a population density to people as they made their stance on masks known. Those that lived in higher population densities were usually more for masks than those who lived in less population dense areas.

Again, this made sense. Those that live in cities encounter more people in a day going about their routine. If they live in high-density housing, they share elevators, stairwells, mailrooms, lobbies, etc. The needs of the individual matter less the higher the density, so fighting the mask goes against the stream. You can do it, but it’s not easy.

Those I know that live more rural were less inclined to want to wear masks. I’ve found a general rule of thumb in casual conversation is if you can walk to your nearest market (even if it’s a gas station or 7/11), you understand the need for a mask. If you MUST drive to your nearest market, you likely don’t have to encounter many people in a day if you choose not to, and masks feel like just another unnecessary restriction imposed by the government. The individual has more freedoms and rejects government oversight more the lower the population density.

At some point this year I saw some people sharing an image of the US broken up by red states (Republican) vs. blue states (Democrat), compared to a map of COVID cases. At the time, the blue states almost directly correlated to where the highest COVID outbreaks were happening. The conclusion those sharing this map were trying to draw was that COVID was political and made up by the political leaders of blue states. It was largely those living in unaffected areas sharing this map and drawing these conclusions.

What I took from these images was that the higher the density the more likely an area was to be run by Democrats. Which lead me down a rabbit hole. Apparently, someone named Dave Troy noticed the same thing, and wrote an interesting article based on the 2012 election between Obama and Romney. 98% of the 50 most dense counties voted Obama. 98% of the 50 least dense counties voted Romney.

And this Dave guy sounds like someone I would enjoy having a discussion with. Because this data drew him to the same question I had. Where is the crossover point in population density between those that vote Republican vs. those that vote Democrat? The data says that at about 800 people per sq. mi. people switch from voting primarily Republican to voting primarily Democrat. Below 800 people per sq. mi. there is a 66% chance that you voted Republican in 2012. The data doesn’t appear much different in the following years.

So why does this matter? Because how you were raised and how you live has a huge impact on what matters to you from your politicians and your government.

Those I know that grew up in less dense areas had to be self-reliant. When calling 911 means you’re likely waiting 20 minutes or longer for police, an ambulance, or a fire truck. You have to be able to defend yourself, handle your own first aid, and rely on your neighbors to help in critical emergency situations. When I tell people in Southern California that where I grew up had volunteer firefighters and EMTs they don’t believe me.

The more rural you are, the less you rely on government entities for your day-to-day needs. The most rural have well water, septic systems, take their trash to the dump, if it snows, they have a vehicle that can plow, and the truly rural use propane for power and heat. They are not reliant on most services provided by the public utilities. They use guns as tools to protect their animals and their family from prey and from vermin. They do not really encounter homeless people, as even the poorest can usually find a shack to live out of and require a vehicle to get around. These people in less dense areas do not depend on the government to solve their problems. They’d prefer government stay out of their lives completely. Less taxes, less oversight, less being told what to do. To the rural, it seems like every time the government interferes in their life, they lose another freedom, and their quality of life diminishes.

Those I know that grew up in more dense areas are used to calling 911 to handle emergencies. Their streets are swept in the summer and plowed in the winter. Their trash is picked up on the same day weekly. They don’t have space for cars and tools, so they tend to take public transportation or walk. They call someone when something breaks that requires tools they don’t own. They are used to encountering the homeless on the streets as part of their daily life. The truly poor and homeless usually end up in cities as the services to help the sick, mentally ill and the poorest among us are more available in dense areas. So the wealthy interact with the poor in cities far more than they do in rural areas. Those in higher density areas are willing to pay for government services because they are a regular part of their daily lives and make life more manageable. Without these services, the quality of life they know would not exist.

This got me thinking about some research I did a few years ago, when I learned that the average American only lives 18 miles from their mother. Those in NY and PA only live on average 8 miles from their mothers. From Kentucky to Louisiana the average is 6 miles. Less than 20% of Americans live more than a few hours drive from mom. The further you move from home depends greatly on your education and income. For the most part, the wealthier you are, the more you can pay for child and elder care, making it easier to travel further from home. Also, the more educated, the more likely you are to travel to utilize your education in a specialized career field.

So what does this have to do with population density? Most Americans never leave the population density we were raised in. Why does this matter? Because that means most Americans can’t understand or relate to the needs of those that live in population densities that differ from their own.

My friends that have been raised in cities see guns primarily as a source of violence. My friends that live rurally see guns as a necessary tool for their way of life. My friends that have been raised rurally don’t understand the need for taxes and government services, where they come from you take care of your own problems. My friends that live in cities, could not imagine a life without public utilities and governmental oversight of social problems.

Neither are wrong. Their needs and perspective are just vastly different.

I also realized that I’m probably in a small percentage of the American population. I have spent the last 20 years living more than 2500 miles from my closest family members, which puts me into the 20% category plus I was raised and lived in both high density population areas and low density population areas throughout my life.

Here’s my life by population density:

Age: 0-10 Zip: 14613 Pop Dens: 7323.5 people per sq. mi.

Age: 11-18 Zip: 14468 Pop Dens: 345 people per sq. mi.

Age: 18-22 Zip: 14850 Pop Dens: 5,722 people per sq. mi.

Age: 25-32 Zip: 92606 Pop Dens: 4,913 people per sq. mi.

Age: 33-43 Zip: 91773/91750 Pop Dens 2,163/1245 people per sq. mi.

I went to inner city schools as a young child. I was upset that my mother could not put my hair in corn rows with the pretty beads like my friends wore. I learned civil rights songs taught to me by our bi-racial music teacher and came home and sang them for my disapproving father who was raised in Shinglehouse, PA with a population density of 26.5 people per sq. mi.

Then at the age of 11 my family moved out of the city and into the country. We lived on 20+ acres of land and the population was 98% white. I didn’t walk to school anymore, heck, we didn’t really walk to our neighbor’s house because country roads don’t have sidewalks.

Then I went away to college for 4 years where I lived part of that time on the 11th floor of a tower, with a shared elevator, lobby, and I didn’t own a car. I walked everywhere, took the bus or would grab a ride from my few friends with cars if it wasn’t feasible to take public transportation.

After college I moved to Southern California. I spent my first 10 years as an adult mostly living in condos and townhomes in wealthier higher density areas, where I would say the majority leaned slightly left, but there was a fiscally conservative undertone. But I spent most weekends taking my Jeep to lower population density areas to live a life more closely to what I had on the farm growing up. Less government oversights. No one ticketing my Jeep for a few stickers as a commercial vehicle, etc.

Currently, I live in Los Angeles County, one of the highest populations in the country. But I live in one of the lowest density zip codes within that county. We have horse property and rodeos, and one of the only country bars in Southern California. Our population is almost completely split down the middle between left and right. I don’t have a sidewalk but a half a mile down the road they do. I can walk to the 7/11 and the subway around the corner but need to drive to the closest grocery store.

I’ve come to realize that just about every polarizing debate I see my friends having; I can see both sides of the argument. And I’m starting to suspect it’s because I’ve lived in both their worlds. I can relate and understand their needs and where they are coming from because I’ve experienced each of their way of life to a certain extent. Most in this country are raised one way and live that way for life. And how we want to live really comes down to the population density in which we have existed.

I truly believe our population density experience matters more to our political views than education, income, race, gender or sexuality.

As a society we are so wrapped up in left vs. right. Liberal vs. conservative. We figure out which we identify with and lump every social/political issue we agree with into “our” category, and everyone we disagree with into “their” category. I don’t see this really helping us hear each other any better. It more results in people trying to prove why they are right.

Since I’ve started considering people’s population density experiences in life (if I know them and have a reasonable idea) I have found a new filter with which to view information that is far more conducive to understanding their point of view than the filters we currently use.

Mark Twain once wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

And while I think there’s some truth to that, travel in Mark Twain’s day and age is different than how we travel today. For instance, when I go to Baja, I like to stay in the small towns and eat at the local restaurants. But I have many friends that only go to all inclusive resorts, or stay in tourist areas, never venturing outside of the luxury they are there to enjoy. They don’t spend time in the rural areas seeing what life is really like. Traveling with ULTRA4 and for off road has kept me outside of most tourist areas. Where there’s only one place to stay and you have to explore local eating options. Seeing the countryside and how people live both in US and in Europe. I prefer to travel this way.

Many of us with the means to travel prefer to vacation how we live. The more rural we live day to day, the less spending a week in NYC sounds like fun. But going camping in the woods likely appeals to us. And those that live in cities, tend to not choose wilderness adventures for their downtime. The travel to help us see how other people live that existed in Twain’s time doesn’t really happen in our service oriented society where restaurants and hotels are abundant most places. We can eat at the same restaurants and sleep at the same hotels from one side of the country to the other. We’ve stopped getting outside of our own bubbles even when we travel.

I don’t know what we can do that would expose us to other ways of life like travel in Twain’s age did. But we probably need to figure it out to stop the divide from separating this country further.

From the beginning of 1900s through the Vietnam War between 7 and 9 percent of Americans were in military service. Today less than 0.5% of Americans serve in the military. That was one way that we used to expose Americans to life outside of what they grew up with. College is another way, but as costs have risen, more students continue to live at home and attend community colleges or local universities vs. leaving home to experience a different way of life between 18 and 22.

I find myself thinking about kids who go off to the army or away to college. They are forced outside their comfort zones. Some thrive there, some don’t. But they learn a different way of existing, at least for a little while. The type of travel Mark Twain is talking about. Part of me wonders if we shouldn’t offer some sort of service requirement for our youth between say 18 and 20 that requires them to get involved in something to help the country, away from where they were raised, military or civil service. If they were raised in a city, working on rural projects. If they were raised rurally, working on urban projects. Just to have a frame of reference for how diverse this country truly is and how different our needs are based on that diversity. But this is a topic for another day. You’ve already been too kind reading this far.

I don’t have the answers. But I’m glad I’ve finally put down some of the thoughts I’ve had floating around in my head regarding population density. Kudos to those of you that stuck it out.

If you’re like me and are curious about your own population density experiences, I’ve included a link in the comments where you can throw in zip codes and see what your exposure has been.

https://medium.com/@davetroy/is-population-density-the-key-to-understanding-voting-behavior-191acc302a2b

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

“Buckaroo, the President’s on Line One, calling about: ‘Is everything okay with the alien space cloud from Planet Ten, or should we just go ahead and destroy Russia?’”

Today -- Today (10 August, 2019) is the 35th Anniversary of the movie called The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension

Here’s the Trailer (uncaptioned, sorry -- but the actual movie does have captions):

What is this movie with such an unwieldy title, you ask?

It’s a:

Sci-fi spoof

Comic book hero movie parody (for a comic book hero that doesn’t actually exist)

Anti-fascist

Anti-military-industrial-complex

It’s unabashedly Chaotic Good

An art film

Underrated to an almost criminal degree

FREE on YouTube -- Legally free; not a bootleg (Yeah, if YouTube’s giving it away for Free, you know the Capitalists don’t think it’s worth anything)

It also saved my relationship with my mother after an absolute disastrous first attempt at college, and became a cultural touchstone between us until the day she died.

Go Watch It! Now. (It’s ~102 minutes long) Then come back here, and we can party in the thread.

If my memory is correct, the two of us watched it on the Big Screen during its opening weekend (A Saturday Matinee): an extremely rare cultural occurrence, since 20th Century Fox didn’t want to promote it, at all, and it barely had distribution outside Big Cities... But we were lucky enough to live within the commuting circle of NYC, and had a small-ish movie theater nearby that kinda specialized in quirky, if not outright, Art Films. We were both convinced at the time that it would rise to the status of Cult Classic on par with “Rocky Horror Picture Show” -- that even people who hadn’t seen it would at least recognize catchphrases and characters for cosplay and the like.

Sadly, that was not to be (in her lifetime). But maybe I can push it a fraction of an inch in that direction during mine.

#Buckaroo Banzai #cult classic movie #1980s comedy #social comedy satire #sci-fi movie #queue

[jxst-saying]

Uhm hi we need part three of that Luke/reader fic it’s so so SO good and I really want to know what’s gonna happen next😫😫

A/N: This is a four–part mini series! Parts One and Two can be found here and here, respectively! If y’all are wanting the final part, go ahead and request it here! Also, listen to Wait by M83 while reading this. Accidentally had it playing on my Spotify and it wrecked me. 

(Part Four is now finished: here!) 

[+masterlist]

Everything was just one monotonous blur. Neverending, too. Or, at least, that was what it felt like. For the both of you. Luke and yourself. One day just bled into the next. Over. And over. And over. And over. But that melancholy feeling was only because you weren’t all that much fan of the City of Angels, and Luke only felt that down in the dumps because he was spending each and every day doing promotional events that were just repeats of each other; everything was the same. Of course, it was only a matter of time before that began to take a toll on him. But that was all. There weren’t any other underlying reasons for the numbness, melancholia, and monotony.

(It most definitely wasn’t because there was some sort of hole in their lives without each other, something that they couldn’t quite put their finger on, something that was just … missing. But even if that were the case, even if that were the Truth––it was only because they were best friends. That was all.)

There was no other contact between you and the gangly, blonde–haired man during the remainder of his stay. No how are you doing? or I might miss NYC and you or Chinese food when you get back? You and Luke had time–traveled back into the sixties and found the Cold War in the space that the two of you used to be. On some sort of bright side (if that even existed anymore), the band had received word from their new social media manager. Penelope was her name. Luke couldn’t stand her. (He knew that if you had to meet her, neither would you.) She wasn’t anything like you; immature humor flew right over her head, tweets were purely professional, she hated Chinese food and fortune cookies. But most importantly and above all, she was not you.

She didn’t have that familiar gleam in her eyes whenever she walked into the room. When she smiled, her lips were tight and pursed, and you could never see the bright whites of her teeth. Her hair was carefully cut and brushed, not resembling in the slightest your unkempt and messy bedhead hairstyle. Her laugh didn’t sound like an operatic melody.

She wasn’t you.

She never could be.

Saturday morning and they were flying back home stateside. Eight hours from FCO to JFK––a city which felt empty to Luke now. Maybe that was why when the plane landed at JFK and the other boys headed to baggage claim and the terminal exit, he, instead, bolted to baggage re–check and to Terminal 8 for a direct flight from JFK to LAX.

“If anyone asks, just tell them I went to go see family. I’ll be back tomorrow,” was the only thing Luke told the boys as he ran into the terminal.

(Calum now owed Michael $50 because it was quite possible they bet on the likelihood of Luke giving it all up and running to LAX because of you. For you.)

He was exhausted from the 4:00 a.m. wakeup call in Rome and the eight–hour flight from FCO to JFK, but he couldn’t make himself fall into any sort of slumber on the way from JFK to LAX. All he could think about was the way you talked to him on that phone call and how you felt like a stranger to him with the distance from here to there. Missing someone like this wasn’t something he was familiar with; he was never expecting to miss you like this. Never like this. This was raw and painful and hurting and aching and everything in between. This was heartbreaking.

So, when Luke landed at LAX and hailed a cab to take him straight to your headquarters and new office, all he could think about was the way things used to be. All he could think about was how he thought of that apartment as his own and how you weren’t an L.A. kind of girl (you were his little Big Apple girl; maybe there was a slight emphasis on the word his) and how the coffee cart outside of your apartment building knew the two of you by name and order (you: black coffee; him: vanilla latte with a dash of sugar) and how it all seemed so normal. With you.

If Luke were being honest (and he wasn’t, for clarification), he might just admit that there was something behind all of those thoughts about you. Something maybe just a little More. But that was a thought that Luke didn’t know what to do with or how to even think about it, so he let it slide. For now. Instead, all of this thinking about you was just because you were his best friend and their best social media manager.

The building was in downtown Los Angeles amongst the handful of high–rise buildings and skyscrapers in the middle of the desert. If he weren’t so focused on the mission at hand, he might have taken a moment to admire the sun sinking on the horizon. He might have taken a moment to admire everything. But you were on the twelfth floor of the building, and with a client pass, Luke was able to take the elevator all the way to your floor. It was a nice building, he wasn’t going to lie. That being said, it wasn’t anything like you. You weren’t a building or office kind of person. You were a real–life–living kind of person, the kind that did better work and more work in the field. This wasn’t you. It had never been you and, unless you had drastically changed since that day at JFK, it would never be you.

Arriving at the receptionist desk of the office, Luke flashed his best smile. “Looking for Y/N? Y/L/N?”

“You’re a client of hers?”

“Yeah, she’s my social media manager.” It might have been a stretch of the truth.

The receptionist cocked her head to the side. “You mean, PR specialist, right? She got promoted.”

PR specialist? What even was that? Luke nodded nonetheless. “Yeah, sorry. Just––where is she? I need to talk to her.”

“Office at the end of the hall. She’s headed to a meeting, though. Hurry up.”

Luke was gone before the receptionist could even finish her sentence. He had so many questions. What was a PR specialist? Why did you get promoted? Why did you move to L.A.? Why did you leave your city? Why were you acting like a complete stranger?

But the second he stepped into your office, all those questions vanished from his mind because there were you were. Two months later and there you finally were. The Los Angeles sunlight splashed through the window and onto your skin and you appeared golden––like a beloved statue of a Grecian goddess. Like his own Aphrodite. You were tanner since you left NYC, all that California sunlight finally getting to you. And when you finally turned around and saw him leaning against the glass walls of your office, you looked at him. You really looked at him. In the exact same way that you did that day at the airport when you weren’t quite sure what the right words were to say goodbye. You were Y/N, and he was Luke, and everything was back to Normal. Everything felt Right.

“What are you doing here?” You asked. This was exactly what you didn’t need. Luke. In your office. With those annoying eyes that seemed to just know everything you were thinking and feeling and hiding. And that crooked little happy smile. You really didn’t need any of that. (But you did. You really did.)

“Could ask you the same question.”

“What do you mean?”

Luke took a step closer. He smelled like peanuts and airports and airplanes and soap. “You hate Los Angeles, Y/N. What are you doing here? Why’d you leave NYC? Why’d you leave that apartment? You loved that apartment.”

“Not all of us get to be musicians traveling the world for a living.”

“I’ve missed you, you know.”

You sighed. The wistful one. The one that he remembered hearing whenever you would watch some sappy romantic comedy on TV. “Luke, I––”

“No. Let me talk for one second. You’re always talking and rambling on and on. I get to do that now. You’re my best friend, Y/N, and all of a sudden, you’re moving across the country and keeping huge secrets from me and not telling me anything, and I’m having to find it all out from the boys and your receptionist out there. That’s not like you, you know. We tell each other everything. I tell you everything. I know you said that it wasn’t because of the rumors and that you were fine with them, but I can’t help but connect the dots. I just … I miss us. I miss you traveling with us and going everywhere with us, and I miss that apartment of yours, and I miss that coffee cart and the Empire State Building and finding new places in different countries with you. I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know why I thought you would listen. But you’re my best friend. I don’t know. I just didn’t want to lose that.”

It was quiet before you spoke. “I miss you, too, Luke. Of course, I do. It’s just––things are different now. I’m here now. It’s not the same.”

“But we are the same,” Luke responded. That word sounded good on his lips. We. So, he said it again. And again. And again. “We’re always the same. We’re Luke and Y/N. We’re always us.”

That was something that she had been needing to hear for far too long. That was something like what she wanted to say at the airport at JFK two months ago. That was something like what you wanted to hear when you called you from Rome the other day. That was something like what you always wanted to hear. So, you made a split–second decision to completely disregard whatever the executives from NYC had told you when you were banished.

“5608 Avenue F. Apartment 805. Meet me there. Two hours. I’m heading into a meeting.”

And there she was. The Y/N that Luke knew better than he knew himself. His best friend. (He thought.) It was just a small glimpse of her, but it was enough. For now. And as he walked out of her office, telling her that he would see her in two hours, he thought, for just a fraction of a second, that he could see that old gleam in her eyes again––the kind that was so very … you.

So, maybe that was when he finally pieced it all together. You. Him. That gleam. The past two months. The fact that he couldn’t remember the two months in Europe without you, but he could recall every single infinitesimal detail of the past ten minutes in this strange new office that had no details of you. Maybe he had a little more stake in all of his than what a “best friend” would have. Maybe there had always been a little Something More in it for him. For the next two hours, he wrestled with that thought and its implications and what it (read: you) all meant.

+

REQUEST THE LAST AND FINAL PART HERE! 

#5sos #5 seconds of summer #luke hemmings #ashton irwin #michael clifford #calum hood #lh #ch #ai #mc #five seconds of summer #five sauce #5 sauce #5sos imagines #5sos imagine #5sos fic #5sos fics #5sos blurb #5sos blurbs #5sos preference #5sos preferences #5 seconds of summer imagine #5 seconds of summer imagines #5 seconds of summer blurb #5 seconds of summer blurbs #5 seconds of summer preferences #5 seconds of summer preference #5 seconds of summer fic #5 seconds of summer fics #always fic

[stuclyblrs]

hi everyone! i spent this past semester (spring ‘19) studying abroad in china so i wanted to make a post about my experiences! i hope this can help you in deciding if you want to study abroad and help you while you’re abroad! **this post is directed at study abroad programs through a university in the us - i have never done other programs so i cannot speak about them**

choosing to study abroad

i do want to start by saying you dont have to study abroad. this is something that is definitely being pushed lately by colleges (at least in the us) and it can feel like that you must study abroad to get the full college experience. however, its not something that’s necessary or right for everyone and you don’t need to feel pressured to do so. for me personally, i knew i wanted to study abroad in china long before i entered college whereas some of my friends weren’t interested until they started college and learned more about my school’s programs and hearing from upperclassmen who already studied abroad. some questions to ask yourself when deciding if you want to study abroad

will this benefit you as a person, whether its academically and/or for personal growth?

will studying abroad mean you have to take out more student loans that you don’t think you can fully handle (more on this later)?

is your only motivation only to have a more relaxed semester at a country where its legal to drink and/or for resume building? well these aren’t bad things necessarily - live your life the way you want to! - you might not have the amazing time that you’re thinking you will if these are your only motivations

are you (or will you) be able to mentally/emotionally handle the extra challenges that come with living and studying in a foreign country?

this is just a small amount to consider when choosing to study abroad, but another important thing is do what feels right! feel a calling to study in a specific country - then consider it! don’t think traveling is for you despite everyone pushing for it? - then don’t worry about it!

when and where to go 

things to consider when determining when

how long do you personally believe you can handle? will a shorter summer session be better so you’re not away as long or do you want a full year for a more immersive experience?

which semester/summer fits best in your schedule? do the classes offered during this time keep you on track?

things to consider when determining where

what location has classes that fit your major/academic goals? if you’re ideal location doesn’t offer what you need, are you okay with doing a summer session or graduating a semester late?

where are you interested in traveling? have a language or culture you’re really interested in (this is why i chose china for my location!)? is there a place you don’t think you’ll get a chance to visit otherwise?

what are the costs for each possible location like? don’t forget to consider paying for food, transportation, activities, and other travel

if your school doesn’t offer a program in your target location don’t let that deter you from studying abroad. a lot of times universities allow students from other universities to apply to their study abroad programs. start by talking to your schools study abroad office/program to see if there are universities that your school already works with!

money

as i mentioned in determining if you should study abroad, one thing that should be considered is money. if studying abroad means you have to take out extra loans that you’re not sure if you can handle, then it might not be the best choice at the moment - there will be other opportunities in your life to travel and not studying abroad does not mean your college experience is incomplete. do whatever is best for you.

when it comes to determining the cost of a semester abroad, do your research! contradictory to what i just said, in terms of student loans, it was cheaper for me to study abroad due to housing being cheaper. however, i still had to spend extra money on plane tickets, travel, food, and other experiences, so it’s not just the cost of tuition and housing that needs to be considered when budgeting for study abroad. not everything will be budget breaking though, food was incredibly cheap relative to nyc in china, so that was another aspect where my semester abroad was cheaper than normal. additionally, with doing your research on the costs of studying abroad, don’t forget to research scholarships! i received two extra scholarships from my school that were strictly study abroad related and there are plenty of outside scholarships related to general study abroad, different majors, and certain locations.

some tips on saving money for study abroad

once you’ve decided to study abroad work on saving money - set a specific amount of your paycheck dedicated for time abroad, think about maybe skipping getting takeout and cooking at home to put that money towards abroad, possibly get a second job during the summer/other breaks

determine beforehand where you want to travel within the country/neighboring countries beforehand so you can approximately figure out what you’ll need to spend to achieve these travel goals

make a budget for daily expenses (food, transportation to campus if needed) and keep track of your spending

take advantage of programs hosted for study abroad students. about half of my traveling to other cities was done through the study abroad program, which cost a small fraction of what the cost would’ve been if i did it on my own

be flexible! there is a good chance you will go over your intended budget, but it is okay - money can comeback, time will not

with that being said however don’t overdo it, there’s nothing wrong with going a bit over for some extra experiences, but you don’t want to break the bank 

homesickness/loneliness 

in terms of being far away from my family, it wasnt that big of a change compared to a regular semester as i don’t see them during the school year. however, i did miss nyc and my friends very much. it was hard to deal with at certain points, especially when i was having a difficult time with school but here’s somethings i did to help:

set up times to video chat with family and friends - and try to make it a regular thing

send your friends dumb things that you’re doing - dying over homework, eating good food, some animal you saw on the street, a meme that reminded you of them, and so on they’ll be missing you too

make new friends! i know thats easier said than done, but other students in the program are in the same situation as you and will be feeling homesick. set up a semi-regular time to hang out (i made friends with my roommate and another girl and we hung out nearly every saturday to play games on the switch)

some easy ways to get to know people at the beginning are have lunch/dinner together, talk to people in your classes (especially in language classes if you’re in a country that doesn’t speak your native language), hang out with your roommates

participate in any opportunities hosted for study abroad students that you can. it’s a great way to meet other students and get involved in the local culture while spending less money

finally, its important to remind yourself that you have this amazing opportunity to study in a foreign city/country/culture. it is very normal/expected to feel homesick, but reminding yourself of this helps to bring yourself back into focus and enjoy your experience

balance between academics and traveling

this is something i did struggle with and i still do wish i had planned my time better so i could’ve done more, but in general its about finding balance similar to how you would during a regular semester with classes, extracurriculars, friends, jobs. since i wasn’t involved in any extracurriculars or didn’t have a job while abroad that freed up a lotttt of time that i don’t typically have to focus on school work during the week and travel on the weekends. when planning to travel outside of your host city, you’ll want to plan ahead as much as you can as those times are the hardest times to keep up (i had one class that was based on three papers... and two of them were due after weekend trips hosted by the study abroad program not fun man!) here’s some advice that i have for this

save ‘big’ trips for time off - i went to beijing over our spring break, which was the best time to go as i didnt have to worry /as much/ about my work and i could spend more time there compared to my other travels

spend time in the country either before or after. other than beijing, my other ‘big trip’ was to chengdu/xian/zhangjiajie where i visited these cities back to back right after my finals were done

use the time on the plane/train/car/whatever to do some work. i know its easy to just fall asleep or be on your phone, but you’ll be glad that you did some work once the next school day comes

talk with your professors! they will understand that you are a study abroad student and have limited time in the country - one of the weekend trips hosted by my school left before my friday class but we had quizzes every friday in that class so i just let my prof know that i had this opportunity coming up and he let me take the quiz the next monday

try to do your work during the week to leave the weekends free. i would suggest to even save traveling around your host city should be left for the weekends, unless there is some special event going on so that way you can maximize study time during the week and have the weekend free for travel time!

use whatever planning system typically works for you (traditional planners, google calendar etc.) and as soon as you know you have assignments/tests/quizzes, put that in your calendar and start working towards them immediately. also schedule in time to study so you can work towards tests/quizzes everyday so you can travel without worry

i felt i did a good job of balancing travel and academics, however i felt i didnt explore shanghai as much i wanted to. if i had planned out my study time better, i could’ve opened up more free time on the weekends to go out in the city.

other advice

if you’re not in college yet, make sure you’re researching schools that you look at their study abroad programs and that they have the location(s) you’re interested in!

let your advisor know that you’re planning on studying abroad as soon as you can (even if you’re just thinking about it and aren’t sure yet) so they can help you stay on track and plan for it

with that last point being said, don’t solely rely on them - do your own research, check which classes are offered, save any emails confirming that classes abroad will count for your classes, keep track of application requirements and deadlines and so on

i hope this post is helpful in your study abroad journey! if you have any further questions please feel free to message me✨

bonus! check out my day in the life in shanghai video :]

#study abroad #studyblr #studying abroad #college #travel #college studyblr #college study abroad #university #university studyblr #mine

[catholicartistsnyc]

MEET: Jenna Mohr

JENNA MOHR is a cosmetologist and hair stylist living in NYC. (Instagram / email: [email protected])

CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION (CAC): What brought you to NYC, and where did you come from?

JENNA MOHR (JM): I moved to NYC after college to start a new job as a tax accountant in Midtown Manhattan almost 4 years ago.  I came from Charleston, South Carolina, where I was ready to take a position at a local firm and live a comfortable life eating lots of great food, listening to local music and enjoying cheap libations with friends.  Living in New York and working as a hairstylist had always been a dream of mine; but as time progressed, I grew to accept the notion that my dreams might end and not materialize into reality.  

A friend from high school, who was studying accounting at Clemson University, mentioned that his classmate had just finished an internship at a firm in NYC that was hiring.  We were able to get a hold of the recruiter, and the rest is history. Now, I am living out my dream working at a Big 4 accounting firm to pay the bills and going to Arrojo Cosmetology school part time, contemplating what my next move will be.  I would love to style/cut hair in the film, theater or print industries and am excited to explore those avenues once I graduate in February. I have close to no free time and eat mostly Cliff bars, but, hey! Living the dream!

CAC: What do you see as your personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts?

JM: I have never contemplated the term “Catholic artist” until answering these questions, but I suppose I can call myself one now.  I definitely define myself as a Catholic but feel that I am growing into the term “artist” since I had to convince everyone around me in New York that I was an accountant first until I started cosmetology school in September 2018.  Now my mission as a Catholic cosmetologist is to help bring out the innately good and beautiful in whoever I am working with.  Although my profession as a cosmetologist is seemingly aesthetic only, I have come to discover that how you treat the individual you are working with and make them feel, regardless of what they end up looking like, is where the value is. Being in this profession, I have realized how truly selfless I need to be in order to give of myself to the client. As a result, I feel that my faith has strengthened because I recognize that only God and his grace can give me the emotional energy I need to make whoever is sitting in my chair to feel like the best possible version of himself/herself.

CAC: Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?

JM: Sister Virginia Joy with the Sisters of Life!  I first met Sister Virg in middle school where she was the assistant soccer coach and also a high school academics/college admissions counselor.  I told her how I wanted to be a hairstylist but that my parents wouldn't let me and said I needed to get a 4 year STEM degree instead.  Throwing in the towel, I thought I may study engineering but Sister Virg challenged me to not give up on my dreams.  She helped me to to devise a plan where I could study accounting, specifically tax since it is seasonal nature, and then pursue cosmetology down the road in the "off seasons".  My sophomore year, she told our soccer team she was moving to the Bronx to become a nun.  Fast forward almost a decade and I also am moving to New York and reconnecting with Sister Virg. She helps to keep me Catholic by inviting me to Catholic events throughout the city and I have even gone to the house to style one of the mother's hair for a gala.

A special shout out to St. Patrick's in Midtown because I have the opportunity to go to daily mass and confession at one of the most beautiful churches in the country and arguably the world.  Also, it has been a safe haven for me where I would go to nap during my lunch break during the gosh awful tax seasons where it was not unusual to leave the office before 2AM for months at a time.

Finally, reading the daily liturgy has given me the daily courage and reminder of what it means to be Catholic.  Through daily readings, I have discovered one of my favorite passages where Jesus wakes the young girl up from the dead saying, "Talitha koum", or "Little girl, arise".  This phrase is my own personal, "YOU GO GIRL!", from Jesus.  I got it tattooed on my finger (highly advise against finger tatts, they fade and will look a little silly) as a reminder to keep pushing and pursuing my dreams.

CAC: Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?

JM: I don't know a lot of Catholics or a lot of artists but Renee Roden (the editor of the newsletter!) has been instrumental in supporting my art and faith.  She asked if I would like to be one of the featured artists on this blog.  When she asked, I think that is one of the few times where I really felt like an artist and more importantly, a Catholic artist.  She has invited me to plays, readings and is always excited to explore art and our faith.  I am incredibly grateful for a friend that shows so much gumption for a world that I love and admire so deeply.

CAC: How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?

JM: My first reaction is: how can the two be separated?  The Church and the arts have so much in common and both are all about exploring, discovering and seeking truth in some form.  I think if we look at it from that angle the Church will naturally be more welcoming to artists.  Seeing that my free time is limited, I am not aware of a lot of "happenings" in the city; however, I think if parishes hosted open mic nights or other art forums and extend it to the general community that people would be receptive.  I understand that Church and religion can seem scary and rigid but I think a forum that allows people to express themselves free of judgement can create a bridge to a safe space that the Church needs to extend to the outside community.

CAC: How can the artistic world be more welcoming to artists of faith?

JM: I think it is a 2-way street!  The outside world, particularly NYC, can seem scary to a law-abiding Catholic.  However, these safe spaces, created through art forums can help to bridge those gaps.

CAC: Where in NYC do you find spiritual fulfillment?

JM: I am a parishioner of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral; however, I have been attending St. Cecilia's in Brooklyn lately due to its proximity to where I live.  I highly recommend both!  While Old St. Pat's is the cool, hip place for young folks to be,  St. Cecilia's, at a fraction of the size, has also been great and just as welcoming!  Both have beautiful music and the priests are very kind, welcoming and give great homilies.  If you are in Brooklyn, you should definitely check out St. Cecilia's, us Catholics are out here too!  

(Side note, St. Cecilia's is close to McCarren Park, Graham Avenue with so many cute places to eat and stroll around. I am currently answering these questions at FourFiveSix an outdoor bar with eclectic decor and food inside.  Only a 2 minute walk to St. Cecilia's and they have WI-FI!)

CAC: Where in NYC do you find artistic fulfillment?

JM: I like to sit at the park and listen to my thoughts and take in the sites.  I love North Brooklyn Farms in Williamsburg (you should visit since it will be closing soon!).  You can see the Manhattan skyline and the old Domino sugar refinery factory, my favorite building in the city, is located there as well.  I love the industrial look that parts of Brooklyn has to offer.  I think a lot of that architecture and scenery influence the styles I like to create as a hairstylist because it is all about embracing the imperfections and bringing them to light in a romantic and beautiful way.  

Due to my schedule, I haven't had a lot of opportunity to join many other extracurricular activities outside of work and school; however, I believe there is so much to be inspired by in our everyday lives that may transpose into another medium.  You never know what may trigger an idea for a new hairstyle; it may be a building, a sign, someone on the subway, construction sites throughout the city, even a podcast!  

CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice?

JM: I read the daily readings/reflections from the Laudate app on my phone on the way to work every morning.  It is a great way for me to set the tone for the day. Sometimes I will go to daily mass and/or confession at St. Patrick's.

CAC: What is your daily artistic practice?

JM: Right now, my daily artistic practice is going to class every evening.  On the weekends, I may do hair for my friends.  In the past, I have gone to a music festival to braid hair. I love music and the performing arts in general so I was very excited to be in a setting where I could experience both!

CAC: Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist. What happened, and what brought you the most joy?

JM: I love cutting and styling hair.  I enjoy challenging myself, learning new skills and most importantly, seeing a client's reaction when they are feeling the LOOK!  I am actually surprised by my most recent day in which I was most completely living out my vocation as an artist.  I braided my friend's hair this past weekend.  I was nervous because I am not super experienced with braiding add-ins (adding additional hair so that braids can be longer/fuller/more colorful, etc.) or working with natural hair.  I was satisfied with the outcome and enjoyed the process but there was still plenty of room for improvement.  What caught me by surprise was my friend's reaction.  She was so grateful and excited that I was open to learning and pursuing a skill, being able to work with multiple hair types, particularly natural hair types, that is so under served in the beauty world.  I am realizing that my sense of fulfillment, as far as living out my vocation, does not need to come from a high-profile job but can emerge from small encounters and bring a massive impact to myself and the client.

CAC: You actually live in NYC? How!?

JM: Friends of friends, my alumni group on Facebook, and the good Lord! This is the first time I am renewing my lease since I've lived here and I couldn't be happier! For one apartment search, I posted on my Facebook alumni group to see if anyone was looking for a roommate and reconnected with a girl I had interned with years ago for Charleston Fashion Week! Whenever I was searching, I think it was very helpful to start with the resources I had - friends of friends, alumni groups, or anybody I knew that was already living here.  The options can be very overwhelming but I found that using my current network, as small as it is, to be very beneficial.

When I first moved here, I wanted to be in Manhattan so that I could ensure I was able to navigate life and get to work.  Then I discovered North Brooklyn Farms and Brooklyn and cheaper rent and I've been moving further east ever since.

CAC: But seriously, how do you make a living in NYC?

JM: I became an accountant first and got my CPA.  It was brutal. I know that my vocation is to be a world class hairstylist ideally in film, theater or print.  However, I wanted to make sure I had a practical course of action to get there that would allow me to pay for my education and support myself in the city.  My plan A started with my plan B.  It took years of discipline and I know that I am coming into my vocation a little later than most; but Hey, look at Sarah! God's timing can be worlds different from ours; but patience, practice, discipline and most importantly faith has helped me to reach and keep striving for my goals. How much would you suggest artists moving to NYC budget for their first year? I think the important things to consider are transportation, food, rent, laundry and maybe a flight home to see mom every once in a while.  If the budget allows, you may consider a gym membership that has a shower...you never really know the quality of the apartment you are about to be living in or the responsiveness of a landlord.  Having a gym membership proved to be very helpful when my bathroom was out of commission for about a week. After that, you really need to tailor it to your lifestyle and figure out how much you want to spend.

CAC: What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in NYC?

JM: Find a good coffee shop or cafe! Some of my favorite coffee shops are closing due to increased rent prices so if you have a local coffee shop that you love, keep loving on them!  These types of places will also host great events for artists and can be a great way to connect with others with shared (or different) interests.  I love working outside as much as I can or to find a space with great natural light.  I have enjoyed North Brooklyn Farms, Domino Park, McCarren Park, Little Skips, 19 Cafe, Bushwick Grind, FourFiveSix and runs along the east river through Williamsburg into Greenpoint or across the Williamsburg Bridge.

CAC: What are your top 3 pieces of advice for Catholic artists moving to NYC?

JM: GO TO CHURCH (and confession)! Even if you feel like you are losing your religion as an adult, stay open to God's grace.  I think NYC is an incredibly challenging place to live - spiritually, financially, emotionally.  If anything, allow the church to be a quiet place to sit and find solace in the silence, and let the Big Guy do the rest.  I love going to confession in the city, because nobody knows who the heck you are!! It's such a weird and liberating sensation knowing that the guy behind the screen may never see you again.  Also, I have had some of the best confessions of my life at St. Patrick's in midtown.  You would think that it could potentially be an assembly line of people expecting a dry, one-size fits all confession and absolution; but it could not be more the opposite!  The priests will make jokes, advise you on your life, provide tailored insight and give you a penance that will make you feel awesome.

Make friends with the non-Catholics and non-religious.  I am a cradled Catholic and love my faith but God gave us free will and I want to use such an incredible gift and what better way than to learn about others who do not share the same beliefs as you.  I recently met a man who said that he has always wanted to be religious.  He considers himself spiritual but his parents never took him to church and religion is something he has always wanted to explore but didn't quite know how.  These kinds of people need you in their lives.  You don't need to turn them religious, or Catholic, but being there and listening is sometimes all it takes.  I try not to tell people that I am religious or go to church because realistically, it can scare people off sometimes.  However, some of my friends that I have become close with in NYC say that they admire that I still practice and have even asked if they could come to church with me.  We are just mediums for God's art; sometimes we just need to show up and he will take care of the rest.

Call mom.  Like St. Monica (also my mum's name!), our mothers are likely worried sick that we are turning into delinquents hustling in the city.  Let her know you are doing OK, brushing your teeth and still going to Church.  And if you aren't doing those things, call mom anyway and tell her you love her and thank her and then try to go do those aforementioned things.

If you know anyone looking for a hairstylist please don't hesitate to reach out! I am new to the artist world and would love to become as immersed as possible in my spare time while I am waiting for school to finish in February 2019.

#arrojo cosmetology #cosmetology #sisters of life #catholic #catholic artist #catholic artist connection #catholic artists nyc #jenna mohr #laudate #st. patrick's cathedral #Renee Roden #St. Patrick's Old Cathedral #North Brooklyn Farms #williamsburg #brooklyn #Domino Park #mccarren park #little skips #19 cafe #bushwick grind #fourfivesix

[negrek]

Okay, now that it is... nearly halfway through February, let's try this post again!

Obviously I managed to get together the extra I had said I would be working on in January, even though it was far longer than really necessary. I also did manage to get together and submit an original story, if only a really tiny one: a piece of flash fiction that I wrote maybe three or so years ago now and thought I still had the draft of lying around, but no, no I did not. I rewrote from scratch, which went okay, but my memory of the previous version was of it being better, so that was frustrating. Also frustrating was the fact that the place I'd planned to send it turned out to be closed for submissions, and it was kind of written with that market in mind and doesn't really fit well with a lot of others. I did end up sending it somewhere else, of course, but I don't have a ton of optimism about the outcome there.

So my January origfic was a tiny piece I'd actually written already and didn't execute on all that well, and that I didn't get to do with what I planned. But! It was not a particularly great first step, but at least it was a first step. For February I have another easy run planned with a similarly tiny fic, that I've written before, and this time I did check to make sure that I can send it where I'd been planning to. For March I hope to finish up a normal-sized short story that I quite like, which I started writing in Costa Rica and do actually have the draft of. Which would make April the first month where I'll actually need to write something from scratch and beginning to end.

It feels like like I haven't done much in the past two months, without posting anything on Salvage proper, but with 18,000 words of side story plus one normal one-shot and with a bonus flashfic on the side, that's actually basically four normal chapters' worth of work, which isn't too shabby! If I can keep up even a fraction of that pace, I should do just fine.

February is always a busy month for me. Not only is it short, but it also has my birthday nearly smack in the middle. Since I'll be turning 30 I wanted to do something special for this one. I was initially thinking of going back to Costa Rica for a few days, but then Certain Bullshit happened and I decided that maybe I shouldn't bet on international air travel in the month of February. So instead I'm going to visit New York, which on the one hand is like, hmmm, NYC in February, there's a reason that's not the most popular month to visit, but on the other hand I love NYC and it's a lot easier to get to than Central America. Going to see friends, visit some places I've already been and hopefully some new ones as well, and do... fic... research.

The next fanfic in line after Salvage, which has been gnawing at me a lot lately (stop that. wait your turn wait your turn wait your turn) will be set in Castelia City, so I'm going to have a lot of fun pokémonifying the city, coming up with names for streets and districts and making up locations that aren't seen in canon and so on. It would be nice to get outside Manhattan a bit, which I've barely done, and get a feel for some of the other boroughs, although most of the story should be taking place in Manhattan anyhow.

Naturally I'm going to have to make a pilgrimage to Nintendo World and hope they have some decent Pokémon merchandise in stock. Was thinking of buying a Switch while there, which would kind of be a fun continuation of tradition, since I got my Wii from there as a birthday present many years ago now. I ended up deciding on a different extravagant present to myself, though, which actually arrived today, about a week before the projected date--and when does that ever happen? It's good.

So it's been busy! It's going to be busy! But I'm pleased with how the year's been so far. Hopefully I can keep it up.

#writing #meta

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

"You know what? Pete is thinking of going to get Mineta since he is getting sick and tired of him running around. Sid is this close in beating him badly." Matt laughs.

"Let me use the bug coffin, Matt..." Pete growled.

"Can we PLEASE sent him off to space now! This little fucker is getting on my nerves!" chuya grumbles pissed off now. Willie sighed but looks to him.

"You know he would be dead before then. I say we just blow him up-"

"WITH WHAT!?" Chuya barked back.

"Will you two calm down...your acting like babies." Ryunosuke said.

"Were not!" they said.

"You are!" he said. "Honestly, Rashomon wants to eat him alive at this point." He said hearing growling from Rashomon indeed making the two quiet. "Though, I don't blame Sid for being angry.." he said.

"I rather skin him alive." Gin hissed gripping her blade.

#IC #silver roses #ask answered #muses answered #curious peahen and peacock #willie watt #technology revenant/psychic outcast #ryunosuke akutagawa #black fanged hellhound/black blood #gin akutagawa #black lizard assassin/deadly black snake #chuya nakahara #twin dark/upon the tainted sorrow #the fractions of NYC #the fractions outside of NYC #demon-blood-youths