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alexis-royce · 10 months

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The Events of the Year 1900-1901 1899-1899

I don't have time for another fic right now, so I have to sum up.

The Ex-Disgraced Academic has their appellation because they were booted from the University and High Society. This happens to pretty much everyone along the main Fallen London plotline. But it hit them harder, and they never quite got over it.

The Ex-Disgraced Academic is driven by curiosity. They're a very classic sort of Mad Scientist. The Neath is one big book, and they want to keep reading. If there's no next page, then they have to get out there and make it.

They want to see what happens.

Spoilers for Evolution, Heart's Desire below:

The Academic has spent this past year going back and forth between The Evolution plotline and wormgrinding, which for them was a lab carousel for Cartographer's Hoards. I've got plenty of jokes I'd like to make about that grind sometime, but the most important thing to know is that they have well and truly devalued an expensive item. This is the text you get when you get one:

And this is how many they had, partway through grinding:

I didn't even get a shot of the total number, because I sold a lot of them halfway through out of sheer boredom. I needed to see some other number go up for a change.

Doing massive amounts of research, smuggling it out of London, and disseminating it upriver was a fairly in-character thing for The Academic to do. Forbidden knowledge in the hands of the public has been their M.O., after all. And as they could make a tidy sum off the whole deal and incensify their rivmantic colleague, why not?

The Academic's destiny, by the way, is Gleam:

Not exactly shocking, considering that they're a Mr Cards, but that's the "accompanies The Masters when The Bazaar leaves, but never truly becomes one of them" destiny, not the "I am one of you now" ending. The Academic really loves London, for all its flaws, but was also supremely arrogant: they chose Power instead of Time at the end of Heart's Desire because they wanted to forge a path for London, rather than relying on the word of The Masters. And if they had access to lots and lots of secrets, then surely putting those into the hands of the public would mean that scientific advancement would flourish!

And, incidentally, The Academic would get to see what happens. That's just incidental, of course. They're doing this for kindly reasons, they would assure you (and themself), reasons that benefit London. They would never be so careless as to allow unchecked experimentation to run rampant through The Neath. They would never encourage scholars and NPCs to commit grievous acts of body horror upon themselves merely to sate an addiction to see what happens.

If you've played Evolution, you know what is about to happen.

Evolution has been an exercise in trying to play nice with many of the same people who cast them out of society. Evolution can be many things, but for The Academic, it's a tale of scientific openness, a tale of forgiveness and community and-

It's a tale of throwing one person after another under the boat in their quest for power and The Dilmun Club is one big piggy bank and the Naturalist is not a person, but the control group.

Because it didn't really matter what sort of perks knowing the Boatman or fulfilling The Masters' promise to the old one might be. Calling in favors with the person who decides who lives and dies or getting the thumbs claws-up from your peers is far, far inferior to that sweet, addictive rush of encouraging the person who has trusted you and worked with you, someone you quite like, to stumble at the final step of their ambition, to not take into account new information, to doggedly pursue their goals at all costs, causing their humanity to unravel before their very eyes.

It hurt a lot more the first time The Academic did it, anyway.

The Academic knew they were going to go The Hanged Man route before they even drew the card, knew that they were going to split the Naturalist off into something unrecognizable, and when they stepped back to the loom in Irem, they were positively drunk on this power. They gorged themself on the visions of the possible futures, shuffling and flipping over card after card after card, the proverbial child given access to a pack of cigarettes, laughing at the leniency of their parents, until they realize that they're trapped inside the gift, that it's turned on them, that this was a punishment all along, stifling and choking them, because it wasn't fun, it wasn't freedom, it was bad, it was always bad, and en masse, it is killing them.

They could have any destiny, any at all, but now that they'd seen them all, now that they'd read them all, they'd pilfered their future right out from under their hands. What were they supposed to read? What do you do when you can look at all the futures and you realize that they're all painful, or fearful, that you can't hold onto the lovely city you adore forever, that all things must die or change beyond recognition?

You go back to work. A little broken, a little shattered. You sail to the Khanate, do a little dirty work for Fires and Stones, and take the long way home because you can't bear to pass by Irem again. You dock back on familiar Netha Firma, breathe in the mushroomy air, and head for Veilgarden. Sometimes, the simplest pleasures can be overlooked. Sometimes you just want a minute with your fellow man.

But then The Dilmun club calls. They're throwing throwing a huge banquet! In your honor! Because you did it! You unlocked the secret to life everlasting, to the continuity of a singular life form, you understand how to weave causality and change the future and though not a single one understands a word you're saying, it all seems oh so very charmingly impressive, and everyone, everyone is clapping

and you're being invited to a private supper with Her Majesty herself and both colleges are so very proud of you and you're going to be in all the London papers, and think about how amazing it will be, to share this knowledge with the public at large, and wait what's that that's being handed to you-

what is this

what

Oh.

And you realize that you've already read this one. Not the map. Not the whole damned sheaf. These people. This city. You've read it. There is nothing more for this city to give you. And maybe that's why it's the Fifth one, maybe that's why these small little people with their small little minds don't appreciate good research, whether they're lauding you or leaving you, maybe the infinite possibilities of scientific research, the blossoming fruits of causality. Maybe you should, in fact, hoard it all for yourself. Maybe it isn't, in the end, ethical to be charitable. Maybe your destiny was right all along, save for the mindset. Maybe you are one of them. Maybe you should rob the city of every last story from every last crevice, keep it all for you to read, and tear up two more cities when you leave with the rest of your bat-kin.

Maybe those ingrates just plain don't deserve to see what happens.

#fallen london #fallen london spoilers #OCs #The Ex-Disgraced Academic #Mr Cards #This write up is rough and as quick as I could make it #but it still got long and out of hand #The Academic has been slipping further and further into villain territory for the last year #I'd say that they've been low morality for a while now #But this was a blast of sheer SPITE #Honestly if it weren't for that last scene with The Dilmun Club I think they might've turned things around a bit #They were so close to healthy closure #But this was A Joker Moment XDDD

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mlwritersguild · 1 year

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MWG 2022 WRAPPED LIST - PART ONE

Our January event, as usual, was to recommend and review our favorite fics that we read in 2022! To make things a little bit more interesting and fun, we treated it a bit like an awards ceremony or spotify wrapped. If you know the tumblr accounts of any authors on AO3 that were mentioned but not tagged, please tag them! There's a LOT more recommendations to come, but here's the first part of many!

Without further ado, here are the MWG nominations for best one-shots!

cami by @writerriderdirtythirties

lovesquare // fluff and Angst // hurt/comfort // aged up // slice of life // pet death

dog days (trains on their tracks) by noirshitsuji

sabrina/zoe // minor angst // fluff

everlasting warmth by @cakemousse

lovesquare // post-reveal // established relationship // fluff

gabriel in london by @2manyfandoms2count

gabriel/emilie // humor // alternate universe // pre-canon

hearts that go "bump" in the night by @dfcfanfics

lovesquare // season five // hurt/comfort

If it ain't love by @clairelutra

lovesquare // romance // identity reveal

is it chill that you're in my head? by @bring-the-storm

alyanette // alternate universe // drama

ladrien fan club by @xiueryn

lovesquare // alternate universe // chat fic // identity reveal // fluff

purr-suasion by @empressofall

lovesquare // alternate universe // regency era // romance

take this sinking boat and point it home by laxswagg77

lovesquare // post-reveal // hurt/comfort // angst

target practice by headrush

lovesquare // fluff // romance

there are many benefits to being a marine biologist by @emmalylis

lukanette // alternate universe // romance

what’s left of humanity are only our fiftieth floors by @zanzquest

alternate universe // post chat-blanc // omniscient pov

where the north wind meets the sea by @guardiankarenterrier

alternate universe // soulmarks // allosexual aromantic alix // background relationships

wherever she is (you are) by spacecadet72

djwifi // 5+1 fic // alternate universe // soul mates

Stay tuned for our next category coming soon!

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moregraceful · 1 year

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KAS, I AM ON MY KNEES.

You can't just write about Siegenthischier royalty AU in your tags without continuing!!!

Okay so I did three of the things on my very lengthy to-do list and drank a cup of coffee and a litre of black tea so let’s do this

FIRST of all, fuck monarchies, there is no divine right of kings, second of all this is MY sexy imagine and EYE want to see Jonas in a crown.

So Jonas is a crown prince of a country in the style of Luxembourg with a constitutional monarch and representative democracy and the military of Switzerland. This is as much thought as I am willing to put into the politics of this post, thank you 🙏 He’s expected to take over as monarch after his grandpa dies — he’s one of only a few grandchildren but he’s the oldest and his parents died tragically, so it’s basically always been him. He bears it gracefully, always stays the course, never does anything to bring disgrace upon himself or his family, unlike his cousins. Basically perfect and everyone loves him and feels confident that their country will be fine with him, especially as his grandpa gets older and his health starts to fail.

Jonas does his required 2 year military service and then goes to Kings College London for his university education. He’s studying international relations and modern languages (I don’t know how bachelor’s degrees work in Europe so let’s just go with the idea that he is Smart and Studious) but takes philosophy classes when he can because he wants to. Everyone expects him to spend all his time partying with British royalty in London and like he’s supposed to be spending time in the UK to find a wife in one of the many royal branches, but he mostly keeps his head and sticks to hanging out with his classmates. He’s not big on partying or wild nights out at clubs, prefers a normal night out at a pub with classmates or going to football games with his friends. Again he is VERY aware of the pressure on him when he takes the throne in a couple years and he’s not interested in rocking the boat. Better him than any of his dipshit cousins, basically. He loves his country and he won’t fail his people.

ANYWAY, he goes out to a pub one time with some guys from one of his philosophy classes and they’re all complaining about the grades they got on their papers and arguing with Jonas because he got the highest marks despite not even being in the program, that’s so unfair!! And he agrees to buy them a round of drinks “to make up for being smarter than all of you” which no one takes gracefully, but they’re all laughing and it’s a good night out.

Goes up to the bar, it’s crowded. You see where this is going. Guy gets shoved into him, spills beer all over his shirt. It’s Nico. “Oh god,” says Nico. “I am so fucking sorry.”

Jonas isn’t even that bothered because he knows an opportunity to meet someone when he sees it and he’s, well. He’s not stupid. Nico’s cute and flustered and his eyes are very dark. He spends the next fifteen minutes chatting up Nico, who he leans very quickly is an absolute delight and VERY funny, until his classmates start hollering at him across the bar to hurry up with their drinks. Jonas buys the entire bar a round of shots and goes home with Nico.

AND THEN OF COURSE THEIR GREAT ROMANCE BEGINS. Nico is an international student at LSE getting a BSc in Politics and Economics so he can go home to Switzerland and work in the UN or in some related think tank – he did an internship over the summer with Economic and Social Council working on sustainable development in small rural communities in central Europe and he’s VERY excited about the future he’s creating for himself – working hard to help people, being involved in international politics, doing his best to help the world develop into its best self. Jonas finds out very quickly that Nico has SUCH a big heart – for his family and friends, but also his country, and for the world. Nico wants to help people! Jonas is unclear why he chose the UN if he wants to make an immediate difference int he world – Jonas’s country has had to work with UN and he knows how slowly the wheels of change turn. But he won’t crush Nico’s spirit for anything.

They fall in love so fast that it’s actively embarrassing for both of them but man, when you know, you know, right? They meet each other’s friends, they spend so much time together for the next three years. Nico knows who Jonas is bc a) politics nerd, b) hard to miss the bodyguard trailing them home that first night. Nico spends approximately five minutes being starstruck over it that first time and he gets over it because it’s Jonas.

They don’t spend summers together and they keep it pretty tightly wrapped because if they do get engaged and married, it’s going to be HUGE news for the monarchy when Jonas and Nico aren’t able to have children of their own. No one even knows Jonas is gay except his brother – and Nico. There are always rumors of course, but most people who pay attention to such things just think Jonas is probably secretly dating a Belgian princess. Jonas misses Nico so much during the summer though, beause Nico sends him updates all the time on what’s he’s doing, and meanwhile Jonas is doing royal stuff. Watching anxiously as his grandfather’s health declines. Meets heads of states who slyly introduce their daughters. Is forced to go to a dance class, which kills him, bc Nico is literally doing micro-economics stuff in Romania and having a blast and Jonas just wants to be with him so bad, anywhere in the world. He just wants to be at Nico’s side, always.

Their education is wrapping up, it’s a couple nights before graduation, and Jonas and Nico are MUST MAKE A DECISION. Do they stay together? Do they break up? They can’t keep it under wraps as easily once they graduate. It’ll be harder. Jonas will start taking a more active role in his country’s politics; Nico has multiple job offers lined up already. Jonas confesses to Nico how lonely he’s been growing up, how isolated he’s always felt being told he’ll be king, how empty the thought of being king is, how devoid of meaning his life feels as it rolls out in front of him, decades of isolation and loneliness like he felt growing up. He loves his country and his people and he knows they love him but – it’s a terrible thought to do it alone. He would like to be able to see Nico sometimes. He can’t face the rest of his life with nothing. It doesn’t have to be permanent, it doesn’t have to be big, but he doesn’t want to NOT be with Nico.

Nico’s like, okay! Let’s get married. Jonas is like, well that is not REALLY what I meant, but Nico’s already kissing him so okay, they’re getting married. Jonas calls his brother and is like, hey, I need dad’s ring. his brother, who knows all about Nico bc Jonas got extremely drunk last summer when they were at the lakehouse hiding from their cousins and told his brother all about Nico, just laughs. Sends an overnight courier with both their parents’ rings. Jonas gives his dad’s ring to Nico the next afternoon, who looks so happy he’ll burst.

They go out to a pub that night to spend some time with friends and maybe they’re a little too cosy because, hello, they just got engaged?? And the British tabloids, who always have a couple people trailing Jonas these days as he graduates, because they’ve figured out there is definitely SOMEONE in Jonas’s life, just have not figured out who, catch Jonas and Nico in a very quietly intimate moment through a window. Dig up as much info on Nico as they can. Publish it. The story explodes.

Jonas basically has to go IMMEDIATELY home, skip his graduation, and have a series of the worst conversations in the world with various royal advisors, various politicians, and, most awful of al, his grandfather, who is shattered that a) Jonas is gay (no heir) and b) Jonas didn’t TELL HIM he was gay so he couldn’t support him (he loves Jonas), and c) Jonas got engaged without even talking to him first (THEY ARE A ROYAL FAMILY.)

Meanwhile Nico graduates without Jonas in the crowd :( weh

Things are a liiiiiittle rocky for a couple weeks until Nico can make it to Made Up Not!Luxembourg for a press conference. Jonas is so glad to see him that he could collapse and they have the LONGEST hug in the airport that unfortunately so many airport employees take pictures of. But like it’s Jonas! The whole country loves Jonas! And all they know about Nico is what press offices have been able to dig up on him! And Nico seems like a nice guy, they think? He’s smart and he’s engaged in the world? Someone found a photo of him volunteering at a youth hockey camp in Switzerland and he looked like he was kind?

The press conference is extremely well attended not just by local press but by foreign press and Jonas is so glad he speaks so many languages and he considers it a blessing that Nico is Swiss and speaks three languages. It’s a mess. So many questions all at once. The media coordinator is hollering at them all to shut up. The whole thing is being livestreamed on local TV AND the internet. Who is Nico? Since when is Jonas gay? Why is he marrying someone who isn’t royal and isn’t from their country? Is his grandfather ashamed of his decision or his sexuality? What are Nico’s intentions for the crown? Do they think Nico is equipped to rule alongside Jonas.

“Nico will be a good leader for our people,” says Jonas, when the press relations people threaten to shut the entire conference down if people don’t give Jonas a chance to speak. “He has a degree in politics and economics from London School of Economics and has done extensive work with the United Nations.”

He takes Nico’s hand. The ring on Nico’s hand is very visible in the light of the cameras. Jonas is wearing a ring too – it’s much plainer than Nico’s, but it belonged to Nico’s grandfather. Nico gave it to him last night after they got back to the palace, when they got a quiet moment to themselves in between the chaos.

“And I love him very much,” Jonas says simply.

Nico smiles so brilliantly at him in that moment that no camera in the world can miss how much he loves Jonas. When Jonas looks back, the whole world sees the same.

FIN!!

I love them….

#writing 1.8k of siegenthischier not!fic was not what i intended to do with my afternoon HOWEVER. prince jonas is so important to me!!!!!!!#grammarly almost blew up my apartment while i was writing this and i chose to ignore all of it so i apologize #the way i just went back 17 pages in my njd tag CONVINCED i had a siegenthischier tag...but i did not....#i mean it is a siegenthischier world and we're all just living it #acrossbrazenskies #cage replies #aria 👑#unfortunate birdcage fanfictions

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anxiouspotatorants · 2 years

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Omg the Colin thing in season 6 is the most irresponsible thing his and Logan's friend group did, and they actually jumped off of a cliff with no proper support or safety precautions! Maybe it's because I'm from another country so I know how disorienting a new place can be even with knowing the language in it but the fact that a) NONE of the guys in the group were like "uh guys maybe we need to leave the girl be in her own country", b) none of them thought of what they would possibly do with her once she was in a foreign country to her that's the size of half a continent, and c) they were all annoyed and inconsiderate of her when it was clear that she didn't speak the language and didn't even know how to navigate in such a big place, just tells me everything I need to know for how they really behave. Like people can go on and on about how fun the LDB is but the show gives us numerous examples (even within the revival) that they truly would put another person's safety or even their own in jeopardy if it meant "having a good time" in the rich people's sense. Even the club scene in AYITL is so obnoxious because it's just a bunch of grown men annoying other attendees in the dance place and then being all "I'm buying the place so that you people can't get a piece of it!", like genuinely what an asshole

No but seriously when you are or have been a foreigner what Colin did goes from being a dark joke to downright horrifying. Not only did he drag her over to a country where she doesn't know the language, he flew her across the globe. It's not like he took her over to London, where she could always grab a one-hour-ish flight or even a train (because yes you can do that in Europe), he took her across the Atlantic Ocean to a country with some serious border control (no Schengen in the US) and then expected her to what? Hang out? Apparently this girl is a milkmaid who only speaks Dutch (which btw stereotype much) so I'm guessing she doesn't have the resources to book a flight back home or the ability to get a translator who can help her do it. Call me dramatic, but in a much much darker show this could have been a trafficking storyline.

The whole situation just really points out how Colin and the LDB not only don't care about anyone but themselves but genuinely view other people as sources of entertainment that they can push around however they want until they get bored and just ignore them. Like, did Colin think to maybe arrange for her to get home safely? Did the thought of telling him to, or to not let him take her to the US in the first place, even occur to Logan and Finn?

And these are the same people who hold a public party celebrating Rory's felony. The same people who apparently steal boats themselves all the time, and so much more. The same people who claim that a meticulously organized bungee-jumping event in ball gowns is somehow closer to real life than anything in Rory's life. The problem isn't them being rich people who have fun. It's that their idea of fun is doing literal harm to other people through theft and manipulation and almost kidnapping, all the while ignoring the incredibly expensive and important degree they got into Yale to actually work on and waiting for their parents to bail them out of jails and pay their university to keep them on for yet another year and spit in the face of higher education again.

#wow am I angry at this fictional group of people #I guess it's the real life people they represent that I'm really angry at because yes they're real #just take a look at your average ivy league politician #like am I supposed to be happy that Rory hangs out with these guys? I'm not #it is and should be possible for her to have fun with rich people without risking jail time or witnessing morally repuslive behaviour #it's episodes like this that really make me wish Rory had reconnected with Glenn and Marty and her year 1 roomies #and dumped the LDB for a healthier cooky and fun friend group in Yale for the rest of season 6 and 7 #oh well that's what fanfics and aus are for #anti life and death brigade #anti colin mccrae #the potato rants #anti logan huntzberger #anti finn gilmore girls #filtering purposes for the final two because though I don't personally like them I get why others do #but not Colin Colin can choke #gilmore girls #gilmore girls meta

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grandmaster-anne · 1 year

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Court Circular | 22nd February 2023

Buckingham Palace

The King this morning visited the Felix Project, Unit 12 and 14 Thomas Road Industrial Estate, Thomas Road, London E14, and was received by Colonel Jane Davis (Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London), the Founders of the Felix Project (Mr Justin Byam Shaw and Mrs Jane Byam Shaw) and the Mayor of London (the Rt Hon Sadiq Khan). His Majesty, escorted by Ms Charlotte Hill (Chief Executive), toured the depot and kitchen and met members of the warehouse team, volunteers and representatives from the Project’s community partners, before unveiling a community freezer and joining a Reception for supporters. The Earl of Dalhousie was received by The King this afternoon, delivered up his Wand of Office and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Lord Steward. The Earl of Rosslyn was received by The King, kissed hands upon his appointment as Lord Steward and received from His Majesty his Wand of Office. The President of the German Bundestag (Ms Bärbel Bas) was received by The King. The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP (Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury) had an audience of His Majesty via telephone. The Queen Consort, Patron, BookTrust, this afternoon received Mr Joseph Coelho (Children’s Laureate).

Kensington Palace

The Earl of Wessex this morning visited George Town Yacht Club, 612B North Sound Road, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, and departed by boat to visit the Coast Guard Base. The Earl of Wessex, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, and The Countess of Wessex, Global Ambassador, this afternoon attended a Reception at Government House, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, for young people who have achieved the Gold Standard in the Award. The Countess of Wessex, Global Ambassador, 100 Women in Finance, this morning attended a Reception at Government House. Her Royal Highness later attended the Annual Agricultural Show at West Bay, Grand Cayman. The Earl and Countess of Wessex later departed from Owen Roberts International Airport, Grand Cayman, for Turks and Caicos Islands and were received upon arrival in Grand Turk by the Governor of Turks and Caicos Islands (His Excellency Mr Nigel Dakin). Their Royal Highnesses this evening attended a Reception at the Governor’s Residence, Grand Turk.

St James’s Palace

The Princess Royal, Patron, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK), this morning attended the London Region Annual Student Conference, Queen Anne Court, Old Royal Naval College, University of Greenwich, Park Row, London SE10, and was received by Mr. Matthew Burrow (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London). Her Royal Highness, Chancellor, University of London, this afternoon visited the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care at King’s College London, Bessemer Road, London SE5, to mark its Tenth Anniversary, and was received by Mr. Christopher Wellbelove (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London). The Princess Royal, Commandant-in-Chief (Youth), St. John Ambulance, this evening attended the Youth Award Ceremony at the Old Palace, Hatfield House, Hatfield, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire (Mr. Robert Voss).

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, Patron, British Society of Soil Science, this afternoon received Dr Jacqueline Hannam (President), Professor Paul Hallett (President Elect) and Mrs. Sarah Garry (Executive Officer).

St James’s Palace

Princess Alexandra, Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, this afternoon presented medals to members of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own) at St. James’s Palace.

#court circular #princess anne #princess royal #king charles iii #earl of wessex #countess of wessex #queen camilla #duke of gloucester #princess alexandra of kent #british royal family

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madscientist008 · 1 year

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Who is Bear Grylls?

If you are a fan of adventure, survival and outdoor challenges, you have probably heard of Bear Grylls. He is a British adventurer, writer, television presenter and businessman who has become famous for his daring exploits and wilderness skills. But who is he really and what makes him tick? Here are some facts you may not know about him.

He has a royal connection

Bear Grylls was born Edward Michael Grylls on 7 June 1974 in London, England. His father was Sir Michael Grylls, a Conservative politician and member of the Royal Yacht Squadron. His mother was Sarah “Sally” Ford, a descendant of William Augustus Ford, a first-class cricketer. His grandfather was Neville Ford, another cricketer who played for Leicestershire. His sister Lara Fawcett gave him the nickname “Bear” when he was a week old.

Bear Grylls attended Eton College, one of the most prestigious schools in England, where he started its first mountaineering club. He also studied Spanish and German at the University of the West of England and Birkbeck College. He is fluent in English, Spanish and French.

In 2000, he married Shara Cannings Knight, a former model and author. They have three sons: Jesse, Marmaduke and Huckleberry. They live on a private island in Wales and also have a houseboat on the River Thames.

Bear Grylls has a close relationship with the British royal family. He is friends with Prince William and Prince Harry and has taken them on several adventures. He is also the youngest-ever Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories, a position he has held since 2009. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 for his services to young people, the media and charity.

He has a military background

Bear Grylls joined the British Army in 1994 and served in the 21st Special Air Service Regiment (Reserve), or 21 SAS. This is a reserve unit that trains and supports the regular SAS, one of the most elite special forces in the world. He underwent rigorous training in survival, combat, parachuting, climbing and explosives.

In 1996, he suffered a serious injury when his parachute failed to open during a free-fall training exercise in Zambia. He broke three vertebrae in his back and had to undergo several surgeries. He was told he might never walk again.

However, he defied the odds and recovered from his injury. He left the army in 1997 with an honorary rank of lieutenant colonel. He later said that his military experience taught him discipline, resilience and courage.

He has broken several world records

Bear Grylls is not one to shy away from challenges. He has embarked on numerous expeditions that have tested his physical and mental limits. Some of his most notable achievements include:

Climbing Mount Everest at the age of 23, becoming one of the youngest people to reach the summit.

Crossing the North Atlantic Ocean in an inflatable boat with five other men, facing storms, icebergs and sharks.

Flying over Mount Everest in a powered paraglider, setting a new altitude record.

Trekking across Antarctica on foot and by kite-skiing, covering 1,700 miles in 94 days.

Leading a team of injured veterans to climb Mount Everest again, raising funds and awareness for wounded soldiers.

Hosting a live TV show from the top of The Shard, London’s tallest building.

Completing a solo paramotor flight over Angel Falls, Venezuela’s highest waterfall.

Eating maggots, snakes, spiders and other disgusting things on camera.

He is a media star

Bear Grylls is best known for his television shows that showcase his survival skills and adventurous spirit. His first show was Man vs. Wild (also known as Born Survivor), which ran from 2006 to 2011 on Discovery Channel. In each episode, he would be dropped into a remote location with minimal equipment and demonstrate how to survive various scenarios.

He also hosted other shows such as Escape to the Legion (2005), Worst Case Scenario (2010), Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls (2013), The Island with Bear Grylls (2014-present), Running Wild with Bear Grylls (2014-present), Mission Survive (2015-2016), Bear Grylls: Breaking Point (2015), Bear Grylls: Survival School (2016), You vs. Wild (2019) and World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji (2020).

He has also written several books based on his experiences and expertise, such as Facing Up (2000), Facing the Frozen Ocean (2004), Born Survivor: Survival Techniques from the Most Dangerous Places on Earth (2007), Mud Sweat and Tears (2011), A Survival Guide for Life (2012) and Soul Fuel: A Daily Devotional (2019).

He has also appeared in movies such as Ghost Flight (2014) and Animals United (2010) as well as video games such as Man vs. Wild: The Game (2011) and Kinect Sports Rivals (2014).

He has also launched his own brand of clothing, equipment, food and drinks that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.

He is a philanthropist

Bear Grylls is not only an adventurer but also a humanitarian. He supports various causes that are close to his heart, such as:

The Scout Association: As the Chief Scout, he promotes scouting as a way of developing young people’s skills, confidence and character.

The Prince’s Trust: As an ambassador for this charity founded by Prince Charles, he helps disadvantaged young people achieve their potential through education, training and employment.

Global Angels: As a patron for this international charity founded by his mother-in-law Molly Bedingfield, he helps provide clean water, health care, education and protection for children in need around the world.

Tusk Trust: As an ambassador for this conservation organization that works to protect Africa’s wildlife and natural habitats.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution: As an honorary life governor for this charity that provides lifesaving services at sea.

The Jo Cox Foundation: As an ambassador for this charity that honors the legacy of Jo Cox MP who was murdered in 2016 by promoting social cohesion and combating loneliness.

He is an inspiration

Bear Grylls is an inspiration to millions of people around the world who admire his courage, passion and spirit of adventure. He has shown that nothing is impossible if you have faith, determination and perseverance.

He has also shared his wisdom and insights on how to live a fulfilling life through his books, speeches and interviews. Some of his quotes include:

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little word - extra.”

“Survival can be summed up in three words - never give up.”

“Don’t listen to the dream stealers.”

“The rules of survival never change whether you’re in a desert or in an arena.”

“If you risk nothing you gain nothing.”

“Life is an adventure - live it.”

So there you have it - some facts about Bear Grylls that you may not have known before. He is more than just a TV star - he is a man who lives life to the fullest and inspires others to do the same.

What do you think of him? Do you have any questions or comments? Let me know below!

#BearGrylls #Adventurer #SurvivalSkills #Wilderness #TVPresenter #Inspiration #writers #madscientistwriting

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dayzedandconphused · 1 year

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BASICS

Legal Name: Phoebe Dayze Robertson Known as: Phoebe Dayze Nicknames/Alias: Phee, Dayzie DOB: April 1, 1992 Gender: cis female Sexuality: herteroflexible, heteroromantic Place of Birth: hospital wing of the Robertson Property, North Berwick, Scotland. Currently: London Nationality: Scottish Day Occupation: Executive Assistant Jabberwock Occupation: ‘Revenue Raiser’ and Debt Collector

HISTORY

Childhood/Family Life: The Robertsons built their family wealth on owning multiple sprawling properties in Scotland. They are often booked and ‘rented’ by the elites of society, the royals or saved for weddings. Phoebe was raised by her mother and a slew of nannies and assistants – most of whom were fired by her mother once she found out they were sleeping with her husband. Education: Phoebe was educated privately until she was of age to be sent to Wycombe Abbey in England to board. Once she finished high school, she took the opportunity to travel as far away from her parents to study. Adult Timeline: 2010: moves to Melbourne, Australia to study International Business and Business Administration at Monash University. 2014: graduates (with honours) and moves back to London 2015: given a trust by her parents (conditional on her finishing University with a pre-approved degree) to live off. Uses it to party, buy a flat by Hyde Park and do anything but use her degree to work. 2016: through threats of being cut off, Phoebe lands her first (and favourite) job as an executive assistant to Rafael

PERSONALITY

Positives: +fun-loving: Phoebe is not one to turn down the opportunity to be social or be the centre of attention at a party +open: with those she trusts, she is an open book, willing the share information and swap stories +congenial: mostly on the surface, Phee knows not to rock the boat until absolutely necessary

Negatives: -manipulative: she will take as much information from someone as possible to store in her mind should the chance arise to need to use said information against the other person -self-centred: if it’s not about her or doesn't affect her directly, Phee barely wants to know -troubled: riddled with trust issues and a rather low opinion of her family, Phee struggles to find her place in the world

Personality Type: ESFP – the performer

Archetype: The Manipulator Likes & Dislikes: + brunch and breakfast outings filled with coffee, pastries and mimosas + long lay ins with a good book + pushing the boundaries to get what she wants + recharging at home without the incompetent public around her - feeling forced into being social - long lines at her favourite café - rain (unless it’s a long lay in day) - being condescended to because she’s a short, attractive blonde, woman - blood stains on her favourite shoes

RELATIONSHIPS

Parents: Chrisopher Robertson (strained, more useful to keep her father in her pocket than to piss him off entirely), Heather (nee Dayze) Robertson (not on speaking terms post-arrest) Siblings: None that Phoebe knows of, though with her father’s multiple indiscretions she wouldn’t be surprised if a few popped up, [open] Children: None. Is not looking for children any time soon. Spouse: [open] Current Partner: [open] Ex-Partners: [open] Boss/Employer: Rafael Co-Workers: [open] Friends: [open] Enemies: [open]

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Build: slim, 165cm tall, almost ‘too’ skinny, little noticeable muscle mass Hair Colour: Blonde, sometimes indulging in the darker side of life by embracing a light brown root shadow. Eye Colour: Blue Distinguishing Marks: quite pronounced cupid’s bow, small inch-long scar on the side of her neck under her left ear from a glassing incident whilst clubbing

#lf.intro

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adlermahmood26 · 1 month

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Environmental Conscious City Of Puerto Princesa

Also the jewelry in Hyderabad is famous for its designs and shapes. The city was founded by Raja Badal Singh in 1475 Advertising campaign. Here you will cherish guided tours like Roof Climb, Flying Fox, consequently on. The city and residents are still recovering against the effects from the great inundation. There are still flood recovery meetings, volunteer opportunities and free mental health counseling for survivors of the 2008 innundations. View More: toplamdongaz.com - Top Lam Dong AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Lam Dong AZ: Nguyễn Kim Cương - Nguyen Kim Cuong Notre Dam- it is the most famous of all of the cathedrals. Appeared built in Gothic architecture style; with a small island in cardiovascular system of small city. it is considered the cradle and the religious center of London. Dry cities are rarely foggy; Salt Lake City, however, is an exception. A phenomenon called an inversion occurs often, which causes the nearly air to, essential, flip upside alongside. As a result, cloud-like conditions drop to walk out and cause foggy considerations. This fog can persist and transform into haze during the day. Pollutants often get trapped showcase this haze even far more. Those from foggy cities, however, will find the fog to be relatively mellow.

View More: toplamdongaz.com - Top Lam Dong AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Lam Dong AZ: Nguyễn Kim Cương - Nguyen Kim Cuong Tokyo, capital of Japan since 1869, is certainly populated metropolitan cities in the area. Believe it or not, Tokyo City is complex, big and also on the move. Be warned, if you find yourself in Tokyo City for your first time, you will greeted an issue city's saturated big concrete high rise building, very wide roads, raised concrete expressways crossing one a second. It could be the wonderful village bordered by Veli lagoon and the Arabian Ocean. You can enjoy seeing the water sports, Gardens, floating bridge and Waterfront Park. Would like liked meal truck varieties in Kerala. Especially I enjoyed the Puttu with Bananas. It is a dry recipe. It's yummy eating with Blueberry. Akkulam Boat club is a nice picnic spot with boating facilities. Shangumugham is another beach provides wonderful vacation. Other attractions include area Museum using its secret tunnel under Gia Long Construction. A boat trip on the Megong Delta is surely a must before experiencing the wonderful restaurants, bars, coffee houses and clubs particularly centered around District 1. If that wasn't enough, just two years later Lam Dong Province Viet Nam is the fact flood of 2008 hit the village. The city and University of Iowa were greatly affected using the flooding of Iowa River. Widespread property damage and forced evacuations happened in large chapters of Iowa In-town. The river rose to a record level of 30.46 little feet. Nineteen buildings at the University were affected just as art adult ed. Thankfully valuable art, including works by Picasso, were moved to Chicago up until the flood waters hit. Wat Sa Prasan Suk - Preference enter this temple close to outskirts of town will certainly pass the actual giant white elephant statue serving being a gate as well as a guard to watch out over the temple. Tour the structures and design your way to your boat shaped vihan a rear floating on a man-made pool. Tin Top Lam Dong AZ Another good way to visit while in Jaipur may be the Jantar Mantar. It is really a collection regarding architectural and astronomical instruments which were built using the King or Maharaja Jai Singh 2. This collection was established between the time 1726 and 1735. The collections were inspired towards the one that Maharaja Jai Singh II who built this for himself eventually New Delhi's Mughal financing. King Jai Singh II constructed 5 different labs on various locations, such as the laboratories in Jaipur and New Delhi. In fact, the largest laboratory or observatory may be found in this site. Tin Top Lâm Đồng AZ Greater Tokyo has 23 wards (ku), 26 smaller cities, 7 towns and 8 towns. To have an appreciation in the size, the length from the east to west is 88 km (55 mil) while may 24km (15 mil) from north to south. Method Tokyo City is organized seems as being a bit complicated in terms of finding a neighborhood even with address. Very likely to alone becoming local themselves find hard as well. The best way to go about it is to inquire about direction. In Tokyo city, there are numerous koban (local police box) where you can approach for help. Accept it or not, the policemen spent many of their time helping people finding their destination. The lesson check out to always bring up the location map of the accommodation. You can get it from your hotel. Jaigarh Fort is located in the heart of weaponry production, built for your Raiputs. This informative also houses the Jaivana which could be the largest cannon on wheels in exciting world of. There is also a long canal measuring 5 kilometers that is clear going into the fort in order to bring mineral water. This canal comes from the hills and goes down to become stored close to fort by army him. A water tank was already placed, connecting it to the canal for water storeroom.

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Visiting Vietnam offers travellers a rich and varied cultural history, combined the brand new charm country that still largely rural, the exceptions being Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Its tourist industry has designed to the extent that accommodation of excellent quality is offered at popular goals. Tao Dan Park a and youthful life force, and transform it into a fresh and peaceful space in the heart of area. Open markets include Ben Thanh Market, the most famous in HCM City. Other medication is Binh Tay Market as well as an Lam Dong Province Viet Nam Market but make sure haggle when creating a pick up. Tin Top Lam Dong AZ 247 One may really savor the taste of vegetarian food besides variety of "Paranthas" (flat bread made on griddle) in the Paranthewali Gali which already been there for the past so many decades and which offers all variations and mixtures of this delightful dish. In 313 AD, the Carta Emperor promulgated the amnesty to confess the legitimacy of the Zion. This famous Milan Amnesty plays an important place from the history of Christianism. Wedding and reception perdition within the Roman Empire, Milan was seized by other ethnicities. Up to the twelfth century, it gained its right of self-government. It was ruled by Visconti family for quite some time. During the time of Revival of Learning, this family invited many famous people of humanism here to make the art and technology get rapid progress. Burma wasn't the only enemy that faced Lanna. Many wars had been fought about the Siamese of Ayutthaya. The value of these wars on Lanna was obese. Eventually in a weakened state Chiang Mai fell to the Burmese underneath the leadership of King Bayinnaung in 1558.

If that wasn't enough, just two years time later once you flood of 2008 hit the city. The city and University of Iowa were greatly affected in the flooding of Iowa Canal. Widespread property damage and forced evacuations happened in large sections of Iowa City. The river rose with a record degree of 30.46 the foot. Nineteen buildings at the University were affected like the art gallery. Thankfully valuable art, including works by Picasso, were moved to Chicago ahead of when the flood waters hit. If that wasn't enough, just 24 months later is the fact flood of 2008 hit the metropolitan area. The city and University of Iowa were greatly affected along with flooding of Iowa Canal. Widespread property damage and forced evacuations happened in large areas of Iowa Locale. The river rose to a record level of 30.46 little feet. Nineteen buildings at the University were affected with art public. Tin Top Lam Dong AZ Thankfully valuable art, including works by Picasso, were moved to Chicago prior to flood waters hit. In any area of day time there is often a special free atmosphere their city. End up being the perfect place to spend your freedom in. It offers many great places to have a wonderful nightlife presently there are plus a stylish wide range of lovely cafes and establishments. Once you visit the city, you have to try out some from the dishes. Precisely as it has lengthy as coast line, there are a couple great local fish food stuff. Whatever you like to do, here you will feel nice comfortable. Although had been many other foreigners from the mall many Filipinos walking by asked where For being from and within general citizens were very friendly to my home. While at the mall I bought a few souvenir type things to take home and Judith and I simply did a lot of window grocery shopping. I was happy to see the prices of the majority of things in finances were very cheap compared towards the US. At the beginning one US dollar bought 56.00 pesos. Today it's one dollar to about 44.00 Pesos. Still a fine deal, at the present time I'm careful in my spending. Via the middle for this afternoon Experienced ready for some sleep after my long flight to Cebu. Judith went home and I retired to my hotel room. London is suffering from a global attractiveness. Therefore, the English capital city anyone with opportunities associated with earning new friends from all over the world. Even if they are just here on holiday, keeping in contact via email, IM and Skype is not. View More: toplamdongaz.com - Top Lam Dong AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Lam Dong AZ: Nguyễn Kim Cương - Nguyen Kim Cuong Written By Author in toplamdongaz.com: Hoàng Thanh Vân - Nguyen Thanh Van Written By Author in toplamdongaz.com: Nguyễn Hữu Thiên Cường - Nguyen Huu Thien Cuong

#Top Lam Dong AZ #Lam Dong

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rodgersray24 · 1 month

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Have A Splendid Vacation With Vietnam Tours

In this the audaciousness of Hitler along with his generals paid dividend. The reason probably undeniable fact that Tokyo is regarded as most visited cities of the universe. And so the name it so rightly has earned - Perfume Lake. The Forbidden City was built in the Ming Dynasty. The central part of the Forbidden City is the imperial development. Starting from the moat at the southern end is the mighty Meridian Gate. The actual landscaped Golden Stream runs in front of the Gate of Highest Relationships. View More: topthuathienhueaz.com - Top Thua Thien Hue AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Thua Thien Hue AZ: Võ Tá Thành Minh - Vo Ta Thanh Minh They got on their horses, and left the city, the Miraculous Host wrapped carefully in a sack. They went through dark night to the imperial associated with Malines, as well as the convent of St. Francis. Hanoi is really a unique city dominated by French colonial architecture with tree-lined boulevards, peaceful lakes and oriental temples. Recommended places to go to include the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Fine Arts Museum and Temple of Literature and the stream of the Restored Sword and that old Quarter of Vietnam's venture capital. Additionally the Museum of Ethnology and an authentic Vietnamese water puppet show in the evening at Thang Long Theatre are generally enjoyable. Tin Top Thừa Thiên Huế AZ 24h

View More: topthuathienhueaz.com - Top Thua Thien Hue AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Thua Thien Hue AZ: Võ Tá Thành Minh - Vo Ta Thanh Minh China is often a country relocating. Peasant farmers are moving to the cities in vast numbers and developing a huge increase production and demand of resources. In this push in creating the modern China Hopefully the ideas that have made China great in items on the market are not forgotten. China is so huge as there are so much to check this out list 's almost impossible to limit to just 7, but I'll consider. If you are planning a getaway to this city, web site thing to try and do is to book your flight to Istanbul. Your current products are in search of the best deal in airline tickets, read more. A rousing military march marks the start of one from the oldest the majority of famous London sights, involving pomp, color and that famous British stiff upper lip. It will be the Changing on the Guard. This royal ceremony is conducted outside Buckingham Palace in the am at 88.30am and lasts about 45 free minutes. The Queen's Guard usually is actually Foot Guards in full-dress uniform, wearing bold red tunics and bearskins. An important Guard exchanges duty light and portable Old, using a band playing music. This ranges of a traditional to the trendy, and in many songs from West End shows. 'Does she have a vaid - a healer?' Prince Siddha's eyes filled through having an unknown problems. Dayima said the vaids could heal every single. So why was the boy's mother permitted to. to cough blood! He looked around. His companions behaved in dress yourself Hue City in Viet Nam way, staring in amazement at what had spot. He went concerning his knees to buy the Host, but was afraid to touch It. Other places of interest include town Museum with its secret tunnel under Gia Long Construction. A boat trip on the Megong Delta is surely a must before experiencing the wonderful restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs particularly centered around District one single. On the morning of January 31, at 7 a.m. the Marines, Do.A.P. and three tanks attempted a counter-attack in Hue. They made it no further than about 25 percent mile before they started taking heavy sniper blaze. A tank was then destroyed by an RPG, and the offensive discovered a end. All forces had then proceeded to make their sources that are to the help Command site.

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Visiting Vietnam offers travellers a rich and varied cultural history, combined with the charm to a country which usually still largely rural, the exceptions being Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Its tourist industry has designed to the extent that accommodation of excellent quality is located at popular cruise destinations. Cheap flights to Tokyo are not easily available all period. One has to struggle to try and force a flight to Seattle. The better way is to develop a strategy in order to get flight tickets to Tokyo cheaper. As an example such tickets can can be bought off season, way before time or at site and generating minute. Hue City in Viet Nam all these circumstances there are always more chances of getting flights to Tokyo. Starting within north is Halong Bay with its many sandstone islands - a photographer's paradise. Cat Ba could be the largest island in Halong Bay, attracting many site visitors. Halong Bay has several other islands during which the hotel junks anchor and invite passengers get pleasure from a beach swim. Tin tuc Top Thừa Thiên Huế AZ The temple of Asakusa Kannon one more called Sensoji, and appeared Tokyo's oldest and most impressive temple ground. The temple was completed in 645. The doorway to the Asakusa Kannon temple is through the mighty Gate of Thunder, Kaminarimon. The actual temple grounds consist of this central temple was made in 1647 by Iemitsu Tokugawa.

He looked around. His companions behaved in identical way, staring in amazement at what had transpired. Top Thừa Thiên Huế AZ News He went down on his knees to notice the Host, but was afraid to the touch It. After you've fed the pigeons and taken shots of Nelson's Column, visit The national Gallery, home to over 2,300 pictures dating from 1250. The collection includes all the major European schools of painting and masterpieces by many great writers and singers. Access to the permanent collection of paintings costs nothing. The imperial palace of Tokyo can be found in a gorgeous and large green area at cardiovascular system of japan capital. Regarding the palatial grounds is just possible several times each year, and so by you walk along the moat could possibly see the elegant Japanese building, the beautiful Nijubashi Bridge, and surrounding walls. The Imperial Palace is a great place to visit on a holiday to Tokyo. It is the residence of the royal category of Japan. Tokyo was called Edo prior to being changed to Tokyo. The Imperial palace was incorporated the center as a fortress for protection the particular 250 year rule with the Tokugawa Shoguns. Today you can check out the East gardens in the palace. They're open towards the public each day. This is the only part of your palace that's open for visits. Finally destiny forced action upon you. In January 1993 my friend Rosie had invited me to visit Goa. She had rented a home in Anjuna with an additional bedroom and wanted me to join her. Gratified to learn booked a flight ticket and thoroughly enjoyed myself for fortnight. Although I had little in common with the drug consuming hippies I enjoyed the beaches, the friendly people . i discovered my love for riding motorbikes. Most of all I loved the warm sun. The long, cold European winters when you have to stay indoors for months make me depressive. View More: topthuathienhueaz.com - Top Thua Thien Hue AZ Reviewed by Team Leader in Top Thua Thien Hue AZ: Võ Tá Thành Minh - Vo Ta Thanh Minh Written By Author in topthuathienhueaz.com: Tôn Thất Nhật Bình - Ton That Nhat Binh Written By Author in topthuathienhueaz.com: Nguyễn Thị Lan Anh - Nguyen Thi Lan Anh

#Top Thua Thien Hue AZ #Hue Viet Nam

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delightful-to-be-read · 2 months

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Devil’s Breath (Eustacia Rose Mysteries 1) - Jill Johnson

Whenever I go to see my parents and they have recorded Between the Covers, I pretty much sit with my notebook and then buy the lot.

It’s narrated by Eustacia Rose, who doesn’t seem wholly reliable and has a very readable voice. She’s a professor of botanical toxicity, neurodivergent, queer. She’s grieving for her father, but that’s a minor theme. It’s a twisty, turny vine of a book, a creatively constructed whodunnit.

Things I like:

The main character being old before her time strikes me as unusual and appealing.

The story is very well-seeded as it goes along. Just enough to maintain intrigue.

She’s a voyeur, but her concept of her voyeurism is curious. There’s an aspect of her, which is very familiar to me, of perceiving herself to be incapable of any wrongdoing as long as her motives are pure and she can always justify her motives. The “I was just…” defence.

Academia. Anything in a University setting, especially an esoteric or eldritch one and this is a bit of both. I do like the centring of a queer and neurodivergent character, always, but it seems to me that they pop up in academic settings relatively frequently. The ‘Professor Rose’ thing is a bit weird. I’m not aware of professor being used as a title in the UK and surely not by someone with a Classics chair at Magdalen.

Plants, poisonous plants. Rewilding is my favourite type of gardening, but I also really love big showy plants, which poisonous plants often are, and even people who don’t like gardening seem surprisingly interested to learn about plants. And you get swept along by her knowledge and enthusiasm.

Also London is absolutely full of plants, dozens of parks, trees everywhere you look, people creating gardens in alleyways and balconies, canal boat roofs, rewilding, growing walls, Colombia Road. Until I moved jobs, I could walk 8 miles home through inner-London and barely see a car. For 4 miles, I could barely see a road, but I could see allotments, rec grounds, parks, gardens, an orchard project. At my current job, I could do the same if I left early enough, and it’s a completely different, more central borough. A secret roof garden is a very London thing.

London, London, London, it’s set in London. I’m in two book clubs of Londoners, and we all have a thing about books set in our city; the more Londony the better. I’m sure everyone’s the same about books set in their hometowns.

#Devil’s Breath #Eustacia Rose #Jill Johnson #poisonous plants #London books #beat the backlist 2024 #Queer

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candy-floss-crazy · 4 months

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mswbookclubtags · 6 months

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Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Holiday: Christmas, Fourth of July, Halloween, New Year's Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, Thanksgiving

Weather: Blizzard, Cold, Hot, Rain, Snow, Sunny, Tornado, Windy

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joy2paris · 7 months

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One month in Paris has passed! Here are some summaries of the past two weeks...

I am writing this retrospectively on the 6/10/23.

TW: Another long post and I feel I repeat myself a lot. We get it, you like the fact people eat outside etc and you are realising law in such a direct way is not for you.

24/9/23 -

Today I went to a sunset boat rooftop event along the Seine with my German friend A, some Brazilian girls I had met in my language lessons and their male friend I had met that day. Interestingly, men cannot go into a lot of clubs/events with only men in their group in Paris; they have to be accompanied by women (naively, I thought this was to prevent men going in the club with ulterior motives towards women, but now know it is to ensure there is a good ratio of women to men - so there is enough women for the men *sigh*). The atmosphere of the place was really nice, especially when the sun was setting. Although the weather here is not that dissimilar to England, it is usually always a few degrees warmer. I have heard it can really get cold in winter though. However, to my immense happiness, the air is always much brighter and lighter here. I used to think I hated winter. I do prefer the heat to cold, however what bugs me about winter is the depressing greyness we get. If it is cold but sunny, I can't be that sad!

I only had one drink but it was strongggg. The girls were already a bit waved but A and I were more sober. It was super packed which was a bit annoying and the music was fine but a bit repetitive. It was nice as always to chat with A. I feel like we are super like minded - we were talking about how we both know when we just don't really click with someone pretty early on etc. Real recognise real is such a true statement! When I got back, the airbnb host's son picked me up from the station which was really sweet of him and made sure I was on the inside of the pavement. When we had previously gone out, I was telling him about what it means to be "G checked" in London. The Paris equivalent is "savez-vous", so despite it being a safe area, he was saying how he was protecting me from any potential "savez-vous". We met his cousin when we got back and decided to go out on a walk altogether for some food. We just went to their local bossman place - I was just laughing to myself in my head that I was in this situation. It just felt so fun to placed in this very authentic french scenario. The son forced bossman to only speak to me in french and they were jokingly teasing me about me being British, so for the first time ever bossman was speaking in English, "just for me".

25th -

I have also been really trying with my hair and outfits which I feel has also impacted my mindset and how I am seeing myself. Everyone at this uni has very cool style, as does most of the young people across the city. It has been fun doing this and I am excited to develop my style further here to match how it is in my head. The flea markets and vintage stores look insane (however, this is if my financial situation allows it. Not going to lie, it is looking sticky funds wise). When you look good you feel good inside!

A random 70 year old tried to take me out for coffee this day. He sat on the bench I was on, in a lovely park near one of my university buildings this day... it was a bit weird. I was scared he would follow me till I realised there was no way he would have been able to catch up with me if I started to run, haha. I went to see A in her studio and we had raclette! This was my first time so I was super excited. I felt so calm and it was so wholesome playing music together and chopping food. What a lovely food tradition; I love its slow process, which enables you to mutually make your food together and catch up as you go through the motions of making it. She was hilariously telling me about how her and her boyfriend became a thing and the time she kissed him and it felt like kissing a doll, as in that moment he wasn't reciprocating it (the next day he did). I love when a friendship is developing more and you start to learn more about one another and make more jokes. I have said it before but I will say it again - I love all the German girls I have met so far. Most just really have their heads screwed on; they know what they like and don't like; they are open about how they appreciate your company, they are genuine and funny. Just super real! I haven't seen A since this day as she was going to Italy for a bit to see her family :(

On the way back, this guy was asking me for directions but I aired him because I didn't realise he was speaking to me at first, and I thought he was just trying to bug me. I also saw somewhere that said it is most likely a man will ask another man for directions over a woman, so I was cautious. However, in my peripheral I saw him ask another man for directions before he asked me for a second time. So, I tried to help, but of course I am still new to the area. Anyway, then he proceeded to ask me my name and all these questions, whether I was married and if my (fake) boyfriend lived in France. So I just had to act super cold, stared forward and sped off at my stop at the very last second.

Spoke to the airbnb son later that night about my first raclette experience and we upheld our spontaneous night time tea drinking sessions where we catch up about our days and get to know each other more.

26th -

I had lunch with German girls F and V. We went to the lovely park near my uni. There is a stretch of really nice places to eat food nearby so we all grabbed something. One of the things I really like about them is that they both have similar limited levels of French to me. Despite this, they always try in shops and truly want to improve on their ability. It had been a week since I last saw them so we were just catching up on everything. I feel super comfortable around them and it was fun to laugh altogether. I was telling them about how this recent guy I kind of liked just did a really smelly poo and it put me off a bit, even though that is a natural human activity. F was going on a date later that night which happened to be a yoga date, and one of her icks is guys in sportswear, especially tight sportswear, so we were all excited to hear how the night would go for her.

I went to see Oppenheimer with the son in the cinema later that evening. The airbnb place is so far away and for some reason this day the metro line back to our place wasn't running, so we took a long tram route and then walked for about an hour towards the end. The time flew though; we were just chatting and laughing about anything and everything! He was explaining to me the vibes of all the different metro lines; which ones to avoid and which ones are decent. He taught me this French slang word - "hezzi", which he used to describe a lot of the metro lines I should avoid. We got some KFC and he was astounded that I said I preferred UK Mcdonald's (Paris one is definitely better than other French ones I have had, but I can't betray the beauty that is Waterloo Mcdonald's - bae, I miss you). The son is also a musician, and quite a big one here in France. We have very similar music taste, so it has been really fun to chat about that and share songs with each other. I just also really appreciate him taking me under his wing like this.

27th -

I saw this Canadian 26 year old I had made friends with the previous week on my way into the lecture, so it was nice to sit with her. We got the metro back together and its always fun to explore the differences between cultures. It is especially interesting for me to hear about America (she went to college there) as that place is still not real in my mind as I have never been. I am so fascinated by the roommate situation and luckily she said she got on really well with hers. Also interesting that this campus lifestyle is very much an English speaking country thing - most universities, if not all in Europe, are not campus based at all. Particularly European cities.

I was heading to a met Gala themed r&b cruise party later that day which I was dreading a bit. This was stupid, as I was the one who shared the event with people - but in that moment I just wanted to be a homebody. My route home was looking very long as metros were stopping after 11pm back to my area for some reason. The music at the event was really good and the demographic was a bit more mid-20s-30s (which is what I expected) - it was nice to be with non-students I guess. Every time we went under a bridge, everyone clapped and it felt so fun vibing on a fast-paced boat with the Eiffel Tower sparkling behind. I love how people in Paris really go for it when they dance. A lot of the times in the UK you will just have wall-huggers everywhere (not always, but it feels more of a common way of being than I have experienced here so far).

29th -

I had french lessons again (I enjoy them the most out of my lectures. My teacher is funny and sweet and I like the people in the class) and sat in a park afterwards journaling to myself whilst blasting Natanya's new EP which is nothing short of perfection. She is a superstar. I just felt very calm and assured.

My dad was arriving this day to spend the weekend here and help me move into my studio. It was a pure coincidence that his hotel he booked was on my future road! We laughed with the hotel staff and then headed to Guadeloupean Zinga restaurant. The waiter was very leng and the music was amazing. I will never get over the atmosphere of the sitting outside Parisian culture. Afterwards, we went to Jah Jah Studios. Super cool couple who run a creative studio space as well as an Afro vegan restaurant. The studio was having a collaboration with Salamon shoes. Everyone in the place was super cool, as is my dad . I love how he just makes connections wherever he goes. It was cool to hear about how his current exhibition which has just launched was going. As it is just the beginning, he was super busy with all of that. However, sometimes I feel like I did not have his full attention. He is constantly, CONSTANTLY plugged into work mode. But he always has been, and I also just love undivided attention from someone so that is probably why it bugged me a bit haha. Nonetheless, a really cool and exciting evening.

30th -

We had pastries at this local boulangerie and then we went to get his new trainers by Salomon at Jah Jah after we saw them yesterday. He connected with the owner of the studio and got to speak to him about his exhibition and they got pictures together. Another woman who worked at the store was also there, and we got to chatting as Dad spoke to the Jah Jah owner. She was super sweet, welcoming and inquisitive. She is Canadian, I believe from Montreal and moved to Paris recently. So, she was expressing to me that she understands the experience of moving here alone. She mentioned this cafe she is often at and welcomed me to come and talked about it as a great creative space and for meeting people. I am so appreciative of people like this. She asked me what design work I do - once again this affirmed/made me yearn back to when I did foundation and that for me this is the sphere I truly feel a calling with over law.

We went to Dad's favourite store in Paris - Merci. It was super cool; kind of almost like an art exhibition and they had some funky homeware stuff and cool clothes. We went to this pizza place for lunch which was nice. This was all in the Le Marais area. I will never get over the joy of eating outside when its super hot. His friend who owns this cool place in Paris, Marché Noir, came and joined us for a bit. We went to go and check out his store and they caught up. Then, we headed to Louvre area and had a coffee with one of Dad's super famous friends. He is this 74 year old french photographer and music video director. He has done stuff with Madonna, David Bowie, Prince, shot the posters for La Haine.... the list goes on. I don't think I realised the significance of him and his work till after haha. Despite his critically acclaimed status and insane wealth, he was humble and inquisitive about me and what I am up to, my opinions on different issues we discussed over our drink. Dad's other friend who also knows him came and joined us - she is a singer and we met her this summer in Kingston, Jamaica very randomly. Again, it felt really wrong in that moment when they asked me what I studied, and I had to say "Law". As you know, this is not my actual degree (English and Philosophy). Although my law programme here is not necessarily reflective of how every law degree would be, all I can say is that I really felt much more of a connection to my old creative roots. I have very briefly considered doing a law conversion course, though I feel I only entertained that idea in a worry that the things I am interested in were too unstable income wise. The parts and skills of law I feel I already receive from my philosophy degree - paying attention to details, aiming for what is right and just, making sure you are clear about your intentions, working out the specific conditions of a certain issue or idea. However, philosophy holds this debate aspect which I haven't experienced here, which I miss. It is kind of refreshing in a way that I am experiencing something I am not particularly enjoying studying for the first time - it makes you realise what you do enjoy and affirm things you already knew you enjoyed when you have seen the other side.

Later that evening, I headed back to my airbnb for my final night there :( it is crazy to think that at first I was annoyed by the inconvenience of having to move their first, instead of heading straight to my central studio. In hindsight, that would have probably felt way more daunting and lonely as my initial introduction into Paris living. What a special and welcoming family. This mother and son are types of people that you never forget. The son was eating some Senagalese food and shared it with me; it was this amazing beef stew, plaintain and these fried potato type things. My eyes widened when I had the stew, it was beautiful. He asked me which part was my favourite out of the "fried banana" and the potato thing, without knowing that I have plaintain a lot probably. We had a funny moment where I was cringing over the time I saw him last - the wind had shut the kitchen door really hard, to which he joked and asked if I was angry. So, he then in that moment just asked me what I do when I am angry. So I did my funny stomping the floor thing which I do when I am fake angry.

1/10/23 -

I received the sweetest message from my airbnb host mum. She had arrived very early that morning from a flight for work so was super tired. So, I couldn't say a proper goodbye :( however it will not be the last time I see her, I will make sure of that. Dad came and met me and we got an uber to my new place! I cleverly told him to come too early because I KNEW he would be late. My landlord was a sweetie pie which was really reassuring - student landlords in the UK are known for not being the nicest. Super money hungry and no care for us as tenants. So naturally, I was worried about how this man would be, especially as a non-French speaker and living alone. It was kind of funny because when we met him, we all greeted in French and then he began speaking more in French about how to access the door, etc. Dad and I asked if he could speak english (I knew he would have done as I had found my place through an English site) and he laughed and was confused because all my emails to him were in French. One friend told me that she only got replies back when she wrote in French, so I just wanted to be polite. Funnily enough, he lives in London very near to us. He just had a calm presence and just chill, not uptight or anything. He even suggested to my dad for them to go for a coffee back in London.

The way my studio looked in real life was quite different to the pictures, as apparently the previous tenant had completely trashed the place. I preferred the old decor and furniture, but nonetheless I am just grateful to have somewhere. We half unpacked and then headed to Musée de Quai Branley after getting lunch nearby. It proper felt like summer, even though October had just started. On the first Sunday of every month in Paris, every exhibition is free (most are free for me all year round as a student which is amazing!) We saw Kehinde Wiley's current exhibition where he carried out a series of portraitures of all of the presidents of African countries. Fairly controversial I guess - Dad sent some of the photos he took of the differing presidents to people he knew was from those countries and it was interesting to see what they said about how they felt about these different leaders. Nonetheless, the scale of the portraits were impressive and I have always loved Wiley's use of light. He makes his figures really glow.

There was also an adjacent exhibition on Bollywood Superstars on the history of Indian cinema. My only previous association with this genre is very loose. Not even remotely related, but the closest films I have seen relating to Bollywood cinema are Slumdog Millionaire and Bend It Like Beckham. Therefore, it was really fascinating to see something which I had very little prior knowledge about. There was a lot of use of mythology and shadow puppetry. Dance and music has always been key in this genre and I loved the initial instillation with these electric tea lights and the projection of some of the most beautiful Indian weddings that happened in different films. Before going into both these exhibitions, there was a live Bollywood dance happening outside which was really exciting to watch. I always love live dance shows and impromptu ones are always fun to witness.

That evening we went for dinner at this really bougie and delish restaurant in the 3rd: Le Petit Marché. We went with Dad's other friend who is this designer here for Paris Fashion Week. His sales assistant and intern were there too, and the intern was 22 so was really nice to chat to someone my age ish and laugh about stuff. The designer was lovely - the last time he saw me I must have been a baby. He was super eccentric and comical haha, love it. I had this steak and the intern and I were joking about how we had matured because we both like medium rare now! (younger Luka would be disgusted at this). The mash was out of this world; as was the pudding. The place had a really nice atmosphere (as have all of the places I have been to to eat and drink here). He asked me if I wanted to get into the fashion industry, as did Dad's other friend yesterday. Once again, this dinner made me really feel a yearning for that creative industry.

2nd -

There was a man playing "La Vie en Rose" on the trumpet as we walked back from seeing the designer's showroom :) The showroom was open for a couple days for Paris Fashion Week. Then we headed to Jah Jah Paris, the Afro vegan food place with amazing food and amazing music. Very much mine and Dad's kind of vibe. I felt pretty exhausted this day and a bit PMSy. Dad left mid afternoon to head back to London and I spent my first day in the studio alone! It definitely felt really surreal and weird - my first time ever living alone and having my own bathroom. I think the idea of just being in this space that is totally mine was quite daunting. However, I spent the evening face-timing all my closest home friends from London which was super super lovely and comforting. It was so nice to just laugh and connect with people who know you well and update each other on what has been going on in each other's lives.

3rd -

I went all the way into university this day but the lecture was cancelled and we had no idea. Frustrating but, there was nothing I could control so I chose to just move on with the situation. It was nice to see the Midland's university lot who are here briefly. That evening I met with a girl who lives on my new road, who I had met a few weeks prior at an international student picnic. She also happened to go to my primary school which was a crazy coincidence (but left when she was 8, so I had not seen her for years or really remembered her). We got some French Canadian food which was alright. Nothing special - the waiter was really sweet though. Literally the opposite of rude? Honestly, the way people fearmongered me about the French rudeness was so overstated. No one is perfect, but truly, most of the natives I have encountered have not even just not been rude, but really sweet, apologetic and spark conversation! I have really enjoyed connecting with people from all over the world, but it was also really nice to speak to a native English person; especially someone I would naturally be friends with. She's super chill and we laughed a lot; there was a funny moment where we were talking about all the crazy stuff we have encountered in our UK universities. So much had happened to the point where I had mentioned at one point that I had "dodged a bullet", and for a second she genuinely thought I had dodged a real bullet!!! We got a drink after at this cute bar and sat outside and shared the difficulties of French admin and potential love interests. The barmaid was really nice and recommended me these different rums and complimented my friend's perfume.

4th -

The lecture this day was ALSO cancelled...

At least everyone was in the same boat and we all bonded and sighed over the disorganisation (plus, it is not like I have not experienced extensive striking at my time in my Midlands university). I kind of made friends with another french person! We exchanged socials and she offered to send me the correct timetable for the class. The travel into uni wasn't wasted as a 26 year old Canadian girl I had made friends with from this lecture had asked me the night before if I wanted to go for lunch after class. So, we just headed their earlier than we had planned.

We walked to this French/Lebanese type place and had a really lovely conversation. It's really fun making friends with people of different ages too - I used to think I could only really connect with people my exact age, but it is refreshing to interact with different ages. She was born and raised in Hong Kong, but went to a very British influenced international school (they had headboys and headgirls) - and then went to an American university. I find the fact the have to share a bedroom so fascinating and weird, and also I love how flexible their university curriculum can be. I like how they emphasise students to continue a range of subjects even in further studies i.e. having majors and minors. Also, my friend here essentially created her own degree of Humanitarianism. It's cool how they get that much flexibility. Was super interesting hearing her talk about her niche module of anti-trafficking saviour complexes. She also asked me about what kind of philosophy I studied back in the UK and I shared my fears of ageing. She joked, saying, "coming from the 21 year old", and talked to me about how everyone she knew at her age was at such completely different stages of life. The feeling that it is really okay to not have it figured out and it is okay to change your mind. We spoke about other stuff too but the topics are slipping out of my mind :( I just remember it being a really genuine and interesting conversation. She spoke about her experience of international school and how coming to university made her realise how unique it was. I asked her a lot about American culture.

Finished the last episode of the new Sex Education season that day. This season was kind of disappointing as I used to really love this show. I think it is really difficult to match up to the greatness of other seasons in the context of really good series. However, as per usual, Ncuti Gatwa killed it. He embodies his character Eric so so so well, it makes me emotional.

5th -

I had a lecture in the afternoon this day but had planned to meet with this girl who I had got on well with in my french language lessons. Sadly though, I was kind of harassed on the metro on the way to see her which shook me up a bit. It was nothing extreme, but this man was prodding me and towered over me before getting on the train and said something to me - I just sped walked to another carriage before the doors closed and hoped he wasn't getting off at the same stop as me. It just made me feel vulnerable and scared. The time with this friend was super lovely though. She is also German. I need to make a trip to Germany very soon, because I love everyone from there? I feel like her and I are super like minded (which is a common trait with these Germans I have met). We talked about knowing the kinds of people we know we value/get on with very early on. She sweetly said that she felt a good vibe from me, and said sorry if that was weird, but I agreed with her, I also felt the same way! I talked about how the lectures here were not too difficult, therefore will feel weird when I go back to the Midlands next year and have to do intense work. But she reminded me that we are being stimulated and challenged in many other aspects here, like making a life out here, being exposed to a language we don't know. Like me, she doesn't know French too well but is taking some courses in French. Although she does not understand a lot, already being here she has realised, okay, I am not so afraid of it now! And that it is okay that I do not know every single word. This is so true and so reassuring to hear and feel. That was the main thing I was scared about before coming - but being here, as long as I try, people are appreciative and it is so refreshing to feel comfortable within myself with not being good at something straight away and learning as I go along.

6th -

I had french lessons again today and we did fun tongue twisters from our countries. This new spanish guy had joined our class who was super sweet. I had lunch with him and this Italian girl who I have had lunch with before. Next week we will try and cycle to our next class together. I told him how I had seen Dora the Explorer and Money Heist loool. There is a girl from Finland who I really want to speak to in my french class and my Codifications lecture. Next time I see her I will strike up a convo!

7th -

I went to a gallery with another German friend, F. I really love spending time with her and it is nice now because we have seen each other quite a few times, the bond is getting stronger and we can joke about more stuff. She is really funny haha. We went to a gallery in Bourse de Commerce - the Pinault Collection. We saw the Mira Schor "Moon Room", Ser Serpas' "J'ai Peur" (I fear) and marvelled at the architecture of the building which is by this Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Serpas' fear room definitely evoked this eerie aura. I feel there could have been more experimentation with sound to ham up this aura even more. The architecture was very mesmerising from a scale perspective. It was quite cold and modern which was jaunty against the detailed, vintage painting which spanned the panoramic expanse of the building. However, F and I were saying the design of the building did not really lend itself to efficiency. There was a lot of empty space that could have been utilised for even more exhibitions/spaces. Schor's work was my favourite. I loved these dress designs she had that were placed in these flat glass frames, almost like they were flower pressed into these cabinets. It created these really unusual sllhouettes. She had also created these face masks that were produced with handwritten diary entries and other materials. Again, they were placed in these glass cabinets, meaning that you could look at the masks from two different angles - it was interesting to see they were they differed depending on which angle you were looking from.

She gave me hilarious updates on the yoga date she had with the guy she is seeing and gave me some really good advice and perspective about a current guy for me which was really helpful haha.

We travelled to atmospheric Montmartre to see our other friend V who brought her friend from home who was super lovely. In their opinion, Munich is better than Berlin! Then F and I went for some Italian and that convo was really nice. She is super wise and strong willed. I believe it is a universal experience that all year abroad students experience a plethora of trials and tribulations before embarking on their trip. She had done a semester in California and was telling me about a woman she had to sublet from and the difficulties of that. She has a really strong love for yoga and has officially booked plane tickets to travel to India to complete a yoga instructor course there in February! So cool. We spoke about the potential success of a yoga therapy type thing (she did a psychology degree so we spoke about that and my experience with that in Sixth Form and what I know from my mum as a therapist).

8th -

I travelled to Giverny with an international student group. I had a lot of expectations for the day - Monet's gardens did not disappoint at all, nor did his beautiful house or paintings. It was a really serene and exquisite place. But, I was with one girl for 10 hours straight - I am not exaggerating. Although she was really lovely, I was EXHAUSTED from our conversations, to the point where she said I was super chill. I think I am a chill person but I don't know if it is the first word that would come to my friend's minds if they were to describe me. But it was the extreme fatigue that made me come across like this. I was hoping to speak to more people in the group but the leader left us all to our own devices so everyone split off which was a bit of a shame.

9th -

My phone died and the charger snapped in half so I had revert to old school methods of writing down my directions on a piece of paper and drawing out a map LOL. This situation truly made me think about how addicted we are to all our phones. That is no new revelation but situations like this really makes you deep it. I practiced how to ask if they had an iphone 13 charger on my translator app before hand. The guy serving me was really nice, asking where I was from and saying that the only place he knows in England is Northampton, so he doesn't really like it haha. Honestly, fair enough because that place is dry. I was telling him about how I was trying to practice french so he taught me what he was saying about the warranty years on the charger and mentioned how he can understand it is a difficult language. So sweet! I went for lunch with a girl who I had met working on a shift with my agency over summer. She is a funny girl and it was a brief but nice convo about how we have been finding Paris so far. She is working instead of studying here which seems like a much more intense experience - I do not envy her.

I attempted to sort more admin stuff but once again! It was proving very difficult. I am quite sick of it now. I managed to sort my electricity bills after being on hold for ages on these French lines.

Writing this retrospectively has taken me ages and since starting it, way more stuff has happened. I need to work on being more succinct, but nostalgia merchant me does not want to leave any ounces of details out - I already cut so much from this. I am going to start adding images so there is a visual aid to all this heavy writing.

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