#wade is also there. to complete the shark family

[simcardiac-arrested]

i was asked to gijinkaify waves and then something happened

#wade is also there. to complete the shark family #i needed to make breeze as well bc it’s like. do not separate them ok? they’re good parents together #i didn’t rly like waves’ design at first but eh i think they look fine. they def look evil to me #breeze looks friendly but that’s a lie. he will tell on you to the manager if he sees you slacking at work #myart #oc: ten elements through finite waves #oc: a cunning breeze‚ countless tears #oc: wade

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

An Outpost for Evolution at Aldabra Atoll

Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean is one of the largest raised coral reefs in the world. This atoll, consisting of coral islands ringing a shallow lagoon, is known for the hundreds of endemic species—including the Aldabra giant tortoise—that live there. According to UNESCO, Aldabra contains “one of the most important natural habitats for studying evolutionary and ecological processes.”

Located more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) northwest of Madagascar and more than 600 kilometers (375 miles) east of mainland Africa, Aldabra is one of the coralline outer islands of the Seychelles. The OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9 captured this image of the remote atoll on June 24, 2022. Tides flow in and out of the lagoon through channels between the large perimeter islands. The land tops out at a mere 8 meters (26 feet) above sea level.

Due to the islands’ isolated location, rough terrain, and scarcity of fresh water, the human footprint on the atoll is relatively small. A research station on West Island (also called Picard Island) has operated since 1971, but tourism is limited and carefully controlled. Aldabra Atoll was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982 and a Ramsar site in 2009.

Though the atoll may be remote and rugged, it is not desolate. It contains a variety of habitats that have spurred the evolution of specially suited flora and fauna. The atoll’s varied habitats support many species, including the largest breeding population of frigatebirds in the Indian Ocean and one of only two oceanic flamingo populations in the world.

In one remarkable case, a bird species on Aldabra evolved to be flightless—twice. The islands have been completely underwater at least once in their history when global mean sea level was higher, wiping out all life on the atoll. The fossil record contains evidence of a flightless rail (a bird in the same family as coots and crakes) before the last submergence, and of a flying white-throated rail that evolved to live on the ground after the islands reemerged. With the lack of terrestrial predators and an abundance of food, the bird thrived without the ability to fly.

Seven different types of wetlands, including shallow marine waters and seagrass beds, exist at Aldabra. Mangrove forests line much of the lagoon-facing sides of the large islands. They provide nesting sites for wading birds, as well as feeding grounds for turtles, sharks, and other marine species.

On land, the mostly herbivorous Aldabra giant tortoise (above) sits atop the terrestrial food chain. The population of this social tortoise species is estimated to exceed 100,000. Males can weigh up to 250 kilograms (550 pounds) and measure 1.2 meters (4 feet) in length.

In 2018, a small group of Aldabra giant tortoises was reintroduced to neighboring Madagascar, where no giant tortoises had lived for 600 years due to overhunting. Ecologists believe the lumbering creatures could promote forest regeneration on cattle-grazed land by distributing seeds through their dung. They may also suppress fire risk by feeding on grasses and dry leaves.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Photograph by Dennis Hansen, University of Zurich. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

#science #space #news #nasa #earth observatory

[moonbeamwritings]

of salt water and curious gazes

Summary: Following your grandmother’s death, her seaside home fell into your care, deemed the only one she could picture inhabiting it. Things were simple enough, tending to the garden and making frequent trips to the beach as you adjusted to life in the small town. It all changed, however, when you spent a night under the full moon with a rather peculiar blue eyed companion. (Merperson AU)

Author’s Note: Hey everyone! This is definitely different from what I usually post, but I hope you guys are just as interested as I am! Let me know what you think! Also, buckle up! This is a long one and might end up being a part one 🤪

sequel: “of salt water and loving gazes”

Your grandmother’s home had always been your safe space, a place in which you were free to run around and spend your time as you saw fit. After her death though, it seemed as if all of the joy had been sucked out of the small, seaside cottage. Your heart broke just a little bit more as you turned down the all-too-familiar street and pulled into her, now your, driveway.

She’d left the house to you, explaining that she could see no one else living there but you. You had been itching for change, growing tired of the hustle and bustle of your daily life, so perhaps with fate’s guiding hand you would find solace along the shoreline, in your happy place. I know you’ll treat it well, the letter she had left assured you. P.S. The ocean works wonders for the soul. Don’t forget that. 

You gripped the steering wheel as you stared at the front of the house through the windshield. It was just as you remembered, bright blue hydrangeas dotted the garden, flowers fat and stems long, the doormat was perfectly centered, the mailbox the same faded green as it had always been.

With one final sigh, you willed yourself out of the car, keys jingling in your hands as you went. The house was much quieter now, lacking the bubbles of laughter and soft music that were staples of your childhood visits. The sweet smell of baked goods no longer wafted through the kitchen, her shoes no longer resting by the door. Most of her belongings had already been cleared out, handed off to friends and family, but what was left was yours. The house was yours. The thought that what once belonged to her was now left entirely in your care made your heart swell with both sadness and pride. You would make the best of this, if not for yourself, then for your dear grandmother.

Unloading your car was simple enough, taking only an afternoon to get everything completely organized. That night, you watched the sunset from the back porch, warm mug in hand as you looked out at the seemingly endless sea. Your eyes drooped as the vibrant colors of the sun were replaced by the pale yellow light of the moon.

Adjusting to life in the quaint little town was difficult. The townspeople who had known your grandma could only seem to muster pitying glances when they saw you out and about, treading lightly as they asked about you and your move. You stuck to the house most days to avoid them, cleaning things up and shifting things around.

Something about the beach had an uneasy feeling settling in your stomach though. As you traveled down the path, a bag slung over your shoulder and a towel in hand, you couldn’t help but feel eyes on you, carefully tracking your every move.

Your grandmother’s neighbors were kind and friendly, no doubt willing to approach you if they were to see you sitting out. The beach itself was private, reserved for residents like yourself, so it’s not like wandering strangers lingered about. This feeling was different. It was as if the waves themselves were peering back at you, just as mesmerized by you as you were with them.

One day as you munched on a sandwich, legs pulled close to your chest as you stared out at the ocean, you could’ve sworn you saw curious blue eyes staring back. You stopped going to the beach for a few days after that.

The morning you finally returned to the beach left much to be desired. The beautiful blue sky and relaxing ebb and flow of the waves were replaced by thick fog and dark gray skies, waves rocking against the shore with more force. You had no idea what had compelled you to make the trek down to the beach that morning, but you had felt as though you were being pulled there, tugged along by a thin red thread, like you were supposed to be there.

The wind bit at your face as it rustled the fabric of your coat. You were thankful that it had yet to kick sand up into your eyes. As the water sloshed against your bare ankles, you could barely see three feet in front of you, fog completely obscuring the horizon. Your grandmother’s voice sounded in the back of your head, “I know you don’t like the beach when it’s foggy, but I’ll have you know, I’ve seen some of the cutest seals on days just like this one.”

Deciding that the waves weren’t as bad as you had expected and wanting to know if her words would ring true, you ventured down the jetty, carefully calculating each step so as not to stumble. 

On your way down the jetty, you caught sight of a familiar pair of blue eyes, just barely visible over the surface of the water. Why would someone be out swimming in conditions like these? Eyes scanning what little area you could see, you halted all movements, eagerly waiting for the person to resurface. Were you imagining things? Soon enough, a head popped out of the water, showing off broad shoulders, black hair, and… Was that a star tattoo?

Raising your voice to be heard over the wind, you called out, “Hey, dude! It’s not safe to be out swimming with all this fog! I’ve heard there have been sharks in the area recently!”

The person wheeled around at the sound of your voice, eyes widening in surprise. You watched as his mouth opened and closed, but no response came. Before you could get another warning in, he was dipping back below the surface, disappearing into the murky water. Without thinking, your feet carried you to the very tip of the jetty, searching for any sign of the solitary swimmer.

“Hello!? Hello!? Is anyone out there?”

You felt crazy as your head swiveled back and forth, ears tuning in to the gentle way the waves struck the rocks. It was quiet, deathly so. Was that just another trick of the eye? A manifestation of the loneliness you’d felt in your little seaside dwelling? The result of feeling like you were being watched for the past few weeks? You couldn’t tell.

You’d seen those eyes before, you’d assured yourself as you walked back to the sand, right? Surely they were the same ones you’d encountered during early morning sunrises or all the lunchtime meals you’d eaten on the beach. They were too familiar to be nothing more than a host of different, swimming strangers.

After the whole incident, you kept a close watch on those around you when you went into the grocery store and the other local shops. Did anyone’s eyes match that deep, unrelenting turquoise? Did anyone have that star tattoo on the back of their shoulder? You searched high and low, but reached no feasible conclusions, no answers that allowed you to sleep better at night.

In one of your more desperate late-night deep dives, no pun intended, you toyed with the idea that perhaps you’d seen some sort of siren, a merperson exploring the waters near your home. The melodrama of Twilight’s Bella Swan frantically searching the internet for answers to her vampiric questions flashed through your mind. You laughed out loud at the thought. That would not be you.

Weeks went by and things returned to relative normalcy. You still occasionally felt curious eyes on you, but you hadn’t seen any flashes of blue since that foggy morning. You ate your lunch, you cleared your head, all without any distractions from the mysterious man.

Your mind raced as you watched the sunset from your kitchen window, suds covering your hands while you worked a sponge over the dirty dishes in your sink. Earlier in the day, you’d received a phone call from a friend, essentially admonishing you for your move to your grandmother’s old house. They had completely ignored your feelings, only working from their own experiences as they ranted and raved. The call left you feeling drained and desperate to get down to the beach. Maybe dipping your toes into the salty water while you watched the full moon rise would ease the ache in your heart.

Pulling an oversized hoodie over your head, you made the walk down to the beach, taking your time to look for shells and sea glass as you went. Having no luck, you moved down the jetty, a pep in your step as you hopped from one rock to the other. At the end, you carefully shuffled out of your shoes before sitting down to let your feet and calves slip into the cool, dark water.

The moonlight left the ocean in front of you sparkling, like the stars themselves had fallen into the sea, shining brightly as they bobbed with the waves. You were thankful you had the beach to yourself.

To release some of your energy, you began swishing your feet back and forth beneath the surface, relishing in the soft movement of the water against your skin. Losing yourself in your thoughts, you’d hardly realized you were being watched until you heard the gentle sloshing of water off to your right, ripples traveling up against your legs.

You snapped your head away from the moon, scanning the glassy surface all around you. Your eyes widened, breath hitching in your throat when you finally saw them. 

Blue eyes.

“You.”

The stranger’s eyes mirrored yours as you stared at one another. The droplets of water caught the light of the moon, bathing the man in the rolling starlight of the sea. Your heart fluttered.

“What the hell are you doing? Have you not heard about all of the shark sightings or do you just not care? Night swimming like that is so stupid.”

He waded closer, still beyond arm’s reach, but inching closer with the movement of the waves.

“I don’t need to worry about sharks.”

“What are you? Some kind of whisperer?”

He examined you carefully, mouth dipping below the surface only to reappear as he replied, “You could say that.”

The man’s body was entirely submerged save for his head and shoulders. You eyed each other as silence fell, punctuated by the crashing of waves in the distance. With his eyes on you like this, you felt as if you were being stalked, kept under a watchful glare for any signs of weakness.

“You know,” you spoke, attempting to diffuse the tension, “you can come sit up here with me, if you want.”

“No, thank you.” His reply was immediate, but your words had him closing some more distance. The closer he came to the jetty, the more you realized just how large he was, all broad shoulders and defined muscle. Imposing.

His eyes flickered down to watch your feet where they moved in the water, head tilting curiously as he followed the exposed skin up to the curves of your knees, eyeing them too. It’s like he’s never seen them before, you thought.

You floundered thinking about any way to continue the conversation with the handsome stranger, to attempt to distract him from the gentle sway of your legs. With a wide sweep of your leg, you unconsciously sent your foot towards the stranger, but instead of skin meeting skin, your toes brushed against the rigid surface of scales.

Scales!?

Your eyes shot open as you yelped, scrambling to pull your feet from the water and up onto the jetty, “What the fuck was that?”

Your knee jerk reaction sent the man in front of you reeling back as well, splashing back below the surface of the waves.

Your mind spiraled, forcing you to through your own Twilight movie moment. It was as if all the pieces were steadily falling into place: always swimming at odd hours and in adverse conditions, never seeing him in town, being unfazed by the presence of sharks. 

Your heart pounded against your ribcage. He couldn’t be… Could he?

Throwing caution to the wind out of sheer desperation for answers, you gently placed your feet back into the water, calling out for your potential new companion. You waited for any sort of response, resolving to sit for hours if you had to. Unexpectedly, you saw his eyes breach the surface once again, keeping his distance.

“Hey,” you spoke, keeping your voice as soft as possible, beckoning him closer with a wave of your hand, “Come here.”

He swam up to you, positioning himself in front of you. The man looked almost… cute like this, eyes wide and cautious as he stared up at you from the water.

“So, are you, like, a merperson or something? A merman?”

He nodded in lieu of response.

“Can I see?”

It took a long moment for him to move, eyes locked on yours as he thought over your tone of voice. Finally nodding, he leaned back, treading water with his arms as he exposed his tail to you.

It was breathtaking, the full expanse of it decorated with deep purple, almost black scales, like he had entire galaxies trapped within each and every one. The fluke glittered, iridescent under the beams of the moon. You gasped at the sight.

“It’s beautiful.”

Without thinking, you brushed your fingertips along the fluke, taking in the smooth, silky texture. In an instant, his hand shot out and took your wrist in its grip, removing it from his tail. Your eyes widened at the action, fear taking hold of your lungs at the feeling of his pointed nails against your skin.

“That tickles,” he quietly told you, loosening his hold on your wrist. You could’ve sworn you saw his face flush at the admission.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” came his grumbled response.

You fell silent for a moment, mind still racing with the thoughts that you were actually in the presence of a merman, that your stupid midnight thoughts had actually been correct.

“Can you tell me your name?” You finally settled on asking, deciding that if this whole thing was going to continue beyond tonight, you should at least learn his name.

“It’s Jotaro.”

You parroted the name, testing it on your own lips, memorizing the sound. Jotaro placed your hand back in your lap, moving to place his elbows up on the rock beside you instead. “What’s yours?”

You shared your own name, smiling at his proximity. He followed your lead, repeating your name as he looked up at you.

You sat with Jotaro until your toes pruned, goosebumps rising on your skin as the night brought lower temperatures along with it. You smiled to yourself as you watched his eyes roam over the flesh, fascinated by your body’s reaction to the cold.

After shivering for what felt like the hundredth time, you bid Jotaro a goodnight, promising to meet him again the following night at around the same time. He nodded in response, sending one last, long look in your direction before disappearing back below the waves.

Curling your hands into the sleeves of your sweatshirt, you began the walk back to your home. The phone call with your friend had completely slipped your mind, instead replaced by the warm feeling Jotaro’s presence settled in your heart. With the scent of sea spray still lingering on your clothes, you washed the sand from your feet and turned in for the night. As you laid your head back against your pillows, you wondered if your grandmother had been right all along. Maybe the ocean truly did work wonders for the soul.

#jotaro kujo x reader #jotaro kujo imagine #jotaro imagine #jotaro x reader #jjba x reader #jjba imagine #mer au

[ladykissingfish]

a day at the Beach/Seaside with the Akatsuki

Deidara Swimming is too pedestrian for this artist, but he IS very much into surfing. Years of continuous practice balancing on his clay birds through high-velocity speeds and wind makes it almost child’s play for him stand on a surfboard. But if the waves aren’t big enough, or if he feels like taking it easy, he’ll simply spread out a towel and work on his tan all afternoon. However, he’ll stubbornly insist that it isn’t THAT hot so he doesn’t need sunscreen, and will go home with his skin as red as a lobster. If not surfing or tanning, will spend some time messing with Tobi; his favorite thing to do is convince Tobi to let him bury him up to his neck in sand, and then, once Tobi is trapped and can’t escape, throw bread or crackers at his head so that the seagulls swoop in and attack. Not ENTIRELY a dick, though; after he’s had his fun, will dig Tobi out and buy him a snack. Sasori Can’t feel heat on his skin, so tanning is out. Although he’s made of wood and should therefore float, he also has several heavy metal components that would make him sink like a brick, so swimming is off the table as well. Really thinks the beach is pointless; however, being around the sand puts him in mind of his childhood. He’ll spend the day creating amazingly beautiful sand castles; but he has to keep an eye out for Deidara, as the “art is an explosion’ chanter will try and sneak some bombs into Sasori’s pieces. Surprisingly his work attracts a lot of children, who watch the redhead create his masterpieces with awe. Sasori is flattered by the attention; doesn’t realize until one of them calls him “Onii-san” that ((because of his height)) they assume him to be an older kid instead of a 35 year old man. Gets annoyed ... but doesn’t shoo them away. Art is meant to be appreciated by all. Kakuzu Isn’t one to let a possible money-making opportunity go to waste. Has known about the beach trip for a week beforehand, so he’s had ample time to prepare. Will have used some of his bounty-money to buy a small snack stand, and will charge exorbitant prices for his fare. At first no one comes to him ... and then little by little, the other snack stands on the beach start having “accidents”. One place has the oven start on fire, another mysteriously runs out of soba noodles ... fairly quickly Kakuzu holds the monopoly on the food, and uses some of his money to pay off the accident-creators, while still turning a nice profit. If feeling charitable (and if he did really REALLY good) will bring free (yes, free; old guy must have had a heat-stroke) ice cream to the rest of Akatsuki. Hidan Like Deidara, enjoys to surf (although he isn’t as good at it). Also likes to scope out the women on the beach; Jahinism doesn’t really encourage the ideas of physical love or romance, but as far as Hidan can tell, looking is just fine. He’s not really subtle about it though; his obvious ogling and unintentionally perverted comments will earn him quite a few hand-prints to the face. Tanning isn’t really his thing as it requires staying still in one place, and he has far too much energy for that. Will try and engage the rest of the group in a volleyball or soccer game; but most will turn him down. At best he can sometimes convince Deidara to face him in one-on-one competitions, but the two usually just spend the entire time accusing each other of cheating. Itachi It’s obvious to anyone who looks ... this man does not get enough sleep. The bags under his eyes are thicker than the money-pouches Kakuzu hides in his mattress. A beach day for him, is a sleep day for him. After appropriately covering himself with sunscreen, and putting on sunglasses, he’ll lay down, close his eyes — and be out like a light. It would literally take a hurricane to wake him once he goes out. He chooses to sleep near Konan and Pein, so that they can keep a eye on him ... but sometimes they’re distracted and some of the more mischievous members of the Akatsuki ((see: Deidara and Hidan)) take advantage of the lack of supervision by taking a marker and drawing all

over Itachi’s pale skin. Might wake up to eat (Konan will offer him some of her snacks, which he’ll gratefully accept), but otherwise the whole day is spent in a warm slumber. Konan/Pein For Konan, a beach day is a day of complete relaxation for her. She’ll have a book, she’ll have sunscreen, she’ll have snacks, and she’ll have Nagato. Well, Nagato as Pein. Pein will sit and quietly talk to her; this’ll be only time the two of them can be “normal”, and enjoy a normal, peaceful day. They watch over the rest of the group, much the way two parents watch over their children. Nagato enjoys seeing the view of the water and the sunshine through Pein’s eyes; it’s a far cry from the village where it was always dark and raining. Nagato takes notice of how many men subtly (and not so subtly) stare at Konan’s beauty, and it makes him smile, thinking of how Yahiko would have undoubtedly reacted to such a situation. Quite a few men receive an Almighty Push — into the ocean — in memory of their old friend. Tobi/Obito Tobi is, as expected, super excited about a beach trip. Before the group leaves he will run around the hideout pestering everyone about all he wants to do, and packing more than he needs to bring. As Obito, all he really wants to do is be able to take off the cumbersome mask and lie in the sand with his face in the sun. But as Tobi, he knows what the others expect of him, so he acts accordingly. Building sand castles, playing hide and seek games with some kids, wading into the shallow water, begging his Senpai to buy him sweets from the snack stands ... eventually he wanders off from the group and finds an isolated spot, where nobody can see him. Takes off his mask and lets what little sunlight reaches him touch his face. Sits and draws his knees up to his chin; finds himself thinking of the very last time he went to a beach, with Minato-sensei, Kakashi ... and Rin. As always, the very thought of Rin has him tearing up. Suddenly he hears Deidara coming from behind, calling out to him. “Oi, Tobi; what are you doing?” He automatically answers in his Tobi voice ... but his mask is still sitting at his feet. Deidara stays where he is, and asks, in a very un-Deidara-like voice, if he’s okay. Obito is a little surprised that Deidara doesn’t rush up on him to see his face without his mask; the fact that he stays where he is, is a level of respect that Obito never expected to get from him. He picks it up and slides it on, before getting to his feet. Deidara looks relieved ... and annoyed. In his hand is an ice cream cone, already half-melted. “Oi; you ask me to buy you something to eat, then you disappear, hm!” Tobi takes it and hugs his Senpai, accidentally getting ice cream in his hair. Deidara reacts angrily and Tobi finds himself running away; all is back to normal. Zetsu God help anybody who’s brought small pets with them, because likely a family will go home sans the dog. Zetsu uses his stealth skills and spying abilities to scope out where the best “snacks” are, and to capture them without attracting notice. Beachgoers are extremely fortunate that Zetsu was made to PROMISE that he’d limit his snacking to animals and not people, otherwise quite a few families would be going home minus the kids as well. When it eating, will find a quiet spot to sit in the sun and photosynthesize. Kisame Is it any surprise to anybody that the guy who’s half-shark would spend his entire day DEEP underwater? Kisame explores the depths of the sea, admiring the beautiful aquatic scenery and feeding on the smaller (and very confused) fish. If he’s near where Deidara or Hidan are surfing, he’ll sneak up on them from beneath, grab their leg and yank them down. He enjoys seeing the terrified look on their face and then the anger-relief when they realize it’s him. He and Kakuzu also have a thing going: Kisame finds a *lot* of jewelry in the water, things that people have lost. He’ll take these to Kakuzu, Kakuzu will carefully polish them up, sell them, and split the profits 50/50. Also likes to chill & have lemonade with Itachi (when he’s awake).

#the akatsuki #day at the beach #deidara #sasori #tobi #obito uchiha #itachi uchiha #zetsu #kisame #konan #pein/nagato #hidan #kakuzu

[tanoraqui]

[previous]

so there’s fog, you know, soft and empty fog, except that sometimes there are people in it. There are songs, soft and sweet, except the song about the woman named Janet isn’t allowed at all - the song- the song his...the song for which He beats him, when he sings, beats him and beats him until he can’t taste anything but blood, and he swallows it and sings louder for spite - and feels terrible immediately, for disrespecting Him so terribly. 

Acacia comes for him, dresses him and scares off his attendants, and he remember...Wei Wuxian remembers a little...

“Your daughter’s dead,” he says abruptly, as they pretend to have every right to walk the corridors. “Your lost Rhodia - but she had a son.”

“What?” says Acacia, hungry.

“He’s a bit of a brat,” Wei Wuxian says, in the contemplative way of someone still partly asleep. “But only because he’s loved and well-cared for, and knows it. Also because he’s a brat. He sent me here.”

Acacia pulls him along a little faster

But they don’t make it. Blind Michael’s more clever, more cruel lieutenants interrupt them, and Blind Michael himself, and Wei Wuxian is dressed for a Ride and a wedding, and Blind Michael becomes a god in his eyes, through his eyes - and they Ride

oh, how they Ride.

With a thousand eyes and none his own, Wei Wuxian sees it: through the cold-capped mountains they Ride, horse-hides steaming in the clouds. Through the sea-wide lakes they Ride, over and under. Through the stony hills they Ride, and all the beasts scatter in their wake. Through the golden streets they Ride, and human and faerie alike cower.

until the Hunt reaches a lightly flooded crossroads, and with a thousand eyes and none, Wei Wuxian watches a woman form from the water. She’s dressed like a pirate and stands like a queen; her skin is darkly scaled and her teeth are as sharp as a shark’s. 

“With the holy water in her hand,” she shouts with a captain’s voice, “she cast the compass round. At twelve o'clock the fairy court, came riding o'er the mound.” And, “Michael, this is ending.”

[NB: our lyrics for this evening are “Tam Lin” by Steeleye Span, my favorite version of the song/poem]

Hands pull Wei Wuxian down from his horse in the confusion, drag him forward and pin him in a vicious headlock just above water just deep enough to drown. He struggles to return to his lord and he goes limp and hopes the familiar arms will flip him over, into the water facefirst

He can’t quite see who’s holding him; the Huntfold gaze he’s part of is still focused on Blind Michael and his half-sister

“Get out of my way, daughter of Titania,” he sneers, and probably several other things. “You have no right to be here, tonight.”

“Oh, am I the one being a selfish, manipulative egomaniac?” Amphitrite calls back. “But fine.” She stamps her foot as a child in temper, a woman drawing a line in the sand, and the air reeks of ocean and fresh kills, deep currents ripple in the flooded intersection. She points toward the held figure near her feet. “That’s my descendent you’ve got there, by birth if not by blood, and I want him back. He was under my protection when you took him, and he owes me a debt.”

several other Riders have been pulled down, too, now struggling and limp in the hands of unseen strangers

“You have no right!” Blind Michael snarls again (only a child in temper)

“Friends and family and companions of blood always have a right.” Amphitrite warns one last time, “You can still walk away, Michael. I don’t really want you to - I’m not Annie. But I’ll let you.”

“Who would come for him?” Blind Michael demands.

“Lan Wangji, heir to the Duchy of Cloud Recesses,” a voice says from above him, as cool as though it was rude of Blind Michael to ask. “My claim precedes yours.”

“Wen Qing.” “Wen Ning.” They speak almost at the same time, Wen Qing somehow sounding exasperated through her steely determination, and Wen Ning only, rarely, confident in his. “He’s our idiot.” “He’s our friend.”

“Luo Qingyang, formerly of the Court of Golden Sun,” says the one holding down his legs, and for the first time, Wei Wuxian scrambles completely organically to remember. Wait, that’s not- Mianmian? “Wei Wuxian saved my life, and those of many I love, and I don’t see why that debt should go unpaid.”

“Jiang Yanli,” declares the one with a firm arm around his neck, “Princess-consort of the Kingdom of Golden Sun and heir to the Duchy of Lotus Lakes. I’m bringing my didi home.” 

She speaks with such furious intent that he almost expects to see Madam Yu when he looks up, a thousand eyes fading to just his own. But it’s his shijie who smiles down at him, and tightens her headlock (Madam Yu would approve)

Blind Michael raises his hand and change hurts (change always hurts) but Wei Wuxian was made for it. He is sleek and long and made of nothing but muscle - and fang and poison, and desperation to escape the grip that suddenly slips on his neck. He is nothing but neck. He slides and twists and swipes his tail, and the grip tightens around his middle with a startled gasp. He twists and rears and lunges and bites, sinks venom into blood and the grip goes slack - 

- and the best Daoine Sidhe blood-healer in a generation, in several generations, slaps Jiang Yanli’s back and grimaces, and Jiang Yanli grits her teeth and tightens her hold and above and before them, Amphitrite chants, “They've shaped him in her arms, into an roaring snake. She's held him fast and feared him not, to be her lovely mate.”

Another change. Wei Wuxian is a beast of dark fur and gnashing teeth, slashing claws and sharp as a sword and twice as savage. He is the wildness of the Hunt itself. He swipes at his captor - he cannot be contained, he will not be contained - and strikes her across the cheek; he writhes and snarls and - 

- a pale hand shoves a sachet into his face; a glimpse of ice-blue eyes and a strong hand shoves his head down into it, his nose, and orders, “Calm.” He inhales to snarl and strike again and breathes in pure, alchemically enhanced catnip and...it’s kind of like being hit with a truck, if the truck was dreamy serenity but also raw LSD. He wants to escape the arms now locking more firmly around his neck, but he also wants to nuzzle up into Lan Zhan’s hand now scratching his head, and also never take his head out of this really amazing-smelling bag...

“They've shaped him in her arms, to a wood black beast so wild. She's held him fast and feared him not, the father of her child!“

A third. Wei Wuxian is heat, is pain, is light, screaming, ecstasy, agony, destruction, life, fire. (“They've shaped him in her arms again, fire burning bold!”) He isn’t sure he even wants to go back to Blind Michael, but he can’t stop burning. (“She's held him fast and feared him not, till he was iron cold!”) Jiang Yanli cries out and Wen Ning grabs her arms to keep them steady, gasping in pain himself, and Luo Qingyang drags all three of them down into the water, which does very little but -  

“ - They've shaped him in her arms at last, into a naked man,” Amphitrite calls at the last. “She's wrapped him in the green mantle, and knew that she had him won.” And at last it is true: Wei Wuxian sags, exhausted and bruised and not a little blood, his own and his sister’s and his friends’.

He licks his lips absentmindedly, and realizes he’s naked when Lan Wangji looks away with a stiff expression. Luo Qingyang rolls her eyes and pulls a spare robe out of somewhere and throws it over him, and it catches Jiang Yanli as well, because she does wait to hold him closer and cry-laugh against his shoulder. “A-Xian! Are you okay? We were so worried! You’re not to do that again, do you hear me?”

“Ah, shijie,” Wei Wuxian gives a laughs right back, only a little fake. “I’m always okay! And you - ” He’s about to say something about how magnificent she was, but a dash of his memory catches up and he actually does pull away from her a little just enough to look in her face with horror. “Wait, Princess-consort - no! Shijie, you didn’t marry the peacock?!”

(while around them other families reunite, and a few weep - not all held tight enough. while Blind Michael shouts and whines his protest and Amphitrite invites him to fight or fuck off)

Jiang Yanli smiles tearfully. “I wanted to wait for you, we all did, but...” Her shrug encompasses everything from true love to royal politics. But her smile both widens and softens as her hand runs over her stomach. “I’m even pregnant already.”

Wei Wuxian almost smiles, before he sits up with a horrified start. “No - Janet’s first baby didn’t - Wen Qing! Wen Qing, is the baby okay?!”

His panic is infectious; Jiang Yanli’s eyes widen and Wen Qing drops to her knees and presses her hands to Jiang Yanli’s side, swipes a drop of blood from her cheek and tastes it, and all stop until she says, “The baby’s fine. You should rest, though. Both of you. All of us.”

Blind Michael and his Hunt turn away in shame, ride away in defeat...all but one. Acacia lingers, golden.

Two figures wade carefully through Amphitrite’s flooded crossroads to greet her, one head black and the other dark, dark red. 

“Grandmother,” says Nie Huaisang, part curiosity and part awe. 

Acadia reaches out without a thought. Her hand stops in the air above Amphitrite’s lapping waves (which wouldn’t last for much longer, not on land, but for now still fought back the touch of Blind Michael’s realm). 

She smiles sadly as her hand drops. “You do look like her. I don’t suppose you’d like to come home with me?”

Nie Huaisang bites his lip with the longing of a faerie meeting (one of) his Firstborn for the first time. But he says decisively, “No thank you. It seems kind of terrible.” He hesitates. “Would you...like to come home with me?”

Acacia doesn’t laugh, though her smile twists like she might have, once. “Would you pull me through into my sisters waters yourself, child? Would you hold me tight and fear me not, and set me free?”

“If Huaisang cannot, I’d be happy to, Lady,” says Nie Mingjue, every maiden’s picture of a strapping young knight and duke. “My brother’s family is mine, by definition, and Lady Rhodia is much-loved by all of Butcher’s Hill, whether or not she still dances with us.”

“I’m glad,” she tells him, after a pause the length of a flower petal’s breadth, and turns her gaze back to Nie Huaisang. “But, no. Live well, grandson. If you ever take your bloody hero’s Choice - ” her gaze flicks over his shoulder to Wei Wuxian, and back - “I hope you choose your mother. You have her wits as well as her face.” 

And she turns and rides away without another word.

And for a brief while, it’s over.

TBC

#mdzs #the untamed #october daye #my fic #flash forward 15 years to jin ling who's a perfectly normal daoine sidhe-merrow halfblood thank you very much #except that okay he CAN slide from one end of the spectrum to the other at will #like it hurts like hell but he can do it #can't change anyone else but can do himself #all hallow's eve ride change magic man. it messes up the in utero

[encyclopika]

Animal Crossing Fish - Explained #83

Brought to you by a marine biologist with the winner again...

CLICK HERE FOR THE AC FISH EXPLAINED MASTERPOST!

We had another vote and the majority of people wanted to see me cover Spinosaurus, the only true dinosaur we will be covering in these AC Fish Explained posts. But...why cover it at all? Well first of all, watch your tongue - dinosaurs are cool, so why not??? But also because, despite the fact that mostly all dinosaurs lived strictly on land, Spinosaurus and its relatives were well-adapted to catching fish and may have been great swimmers.

The Spinosaurus fossil comes in three parts that, by now, I imagine everyone who’s been playing this game since the pandemic began has gotten already. You might also notice that the fossil’s tail is already out of date! Science in action!!!

ACNH does a fairly good job (and I say fairly because there are some glaring mistakes in their tree of life) of keeping groups together. The dinosaurs in this section are known as Theropods, which were generally carnivorous, two-legged dinos (although there are exceptions) that eventually gave rise to the birds (so explains the connection on the floor between this group and the Eagle villager silhouette in the next room). Spinosaurus is credited with being the largest theropod dinosaur to ever live and yes, that means it was bigger than T. rex. 

Dinosaurs in Family: Spinosauridae, which include the fishing dinos called Baryonyx, were great fisher-dinos. They had long, narrow jaws like we see in other fish-eaters, like ichthyosaurs, crocodiles, and dolphins, lined with teeth that were better suited to holding prey, like a croc’s, than slicing into flesh. Although they were also known to feed on other, small prey items, including young dinosaurs, they are uniquely known as fish-eaters. Spinosaurids are also famous for having giant neural spines, the bones that make what look like a sail on its back. No one really knows what the sail was for, or if it truly was a sail or more like a hump. 

There aren’t really any complete skeletons of Spinosaurus; in fact, the whole genus is known from just a handful of specimens. The very first specimen of   Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, the specimen I’m sure ACNH based its fossil off of due to the size and the shape of the “sail”, was also destroyed during WWII during a British airstrike to Munich after a Nazi director of the museum they were housed in refused to move them at the request of the discovering scientist, Ernst Freiherr Stromer von Reichenbach. (See what war does? True story. Wars and conflict have always hindered scientific discovery and continue to throw wrenches into conservation and collaboration.) Since it’s discovery, Spinosaurids have gone from being called “wading dinosaurs”, in which they stepped into swampy rivers and lakes hunting for fish, to being classified as dinosaurs who may have been adapted to swim.

By Gustavo Monroy-Becerril - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89667084

There is great evidence to support a truly aquatic or semi-aquatic dinosaur, but the jury is still out about it. The suggestion that Spinosaurus used its broad tail to swim, in the same manner as a crocodile might, only comes from this year, 2020. Plenty of scientists, after reviewing the paper, don’t really accept it, but the fact still remains - Spinosaurids look an awful lot like crocodiles and it is widely accepted that they were fish eaters. Whether or not they lived as grizzly bears (living on land but coming to rivers and lakes to catch fish) or as crocs, remains to be proven. 

Dinosaurs definitely dominated the land throughout most of the Mesozoic era, but science is still pretty convinced they never truly invaded watery habitats. Dinosaurs weren’t the only large-bodied reptiles of the time - watery habitats were already full of giant reptile apex predators, such as ancient crocodylians, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, and ichthyosaurs. Not to mention, the ocean was already teaming with sharks and other fishy apex predators, like Xiphactinus. Doesn’t matter what time period you choose, there’s already a non-dino group in charge in all watery habitats. So, there wasn’t a lot of room or reason for dinosaurs to invade the water (so they were like, “fine, we’ll take to the skies”, and now they still exist today as birds). If it turns out Spinosaurus did, in fact, swim like this, it will be yet another discovery that completely changes the way we view these fascinating creatures called dinosaurs.

And there you have it. Fascinating stuff, no?

#Spinosaurus #fossil #acnh #animal crossing #animal crossing museum #science in video games #animal crossing fish explained

[solesurvivorkat]

FC5 Deputy GFH Dialogue

(Quickie ‘Katie IRL’ Update: So sorry for lack of writing... to be succinct, I might have a sleep disorder, possibly Sleep Apnea - been very tired/lethargic for several months now, finally have a test scheduled for late August. Will have to ‘make do’/power through fatigue until then. I will do my best to jump-start my writing {and my YT channel} until then!

Also - as for ‘I Need to Tell You’ (FC5 no-cult AU fic) - I don’t think I have a ton of readers for that one, so I’m just gonna stick to the movie-plot where I can & finish it up {the end is nearing!}. If anyone wants to read anything else from that ‘verse, lemme know & I’ll whip something up - otherwise, I’m gonna finish that up & get back to working on ‘The Book of John’ again, which is loooong overdue {poor Sarah’s been in John’s bunker forever, lol!}. THAT said... )

~~~~~~~~

Deputy Sarah Rook

(NOTE: My apologies if Sarah’s dialogue is similar to anyone else’s OC’s... I promise and swear that if it happens, it’s purely coincidental. I am adamant about not {purposely} stealing anyone else’s creativity! <3  Also, this is quite long... but it’s not everything in FC5, so if you like it & want even more, just lemme know, lol.)

With Fangs for Hire:

Boomer: “Aww, who’s my sweet, brave boy?” (kisses forehead) - “Good boy, Boomer!” - “I know what it’s like to have someone you love taken away from you... but don’t worry boy, you’re not alone. And I’ll do everything I can to make sure you never are again.” - “I won’t let Eden’s Gate use you, I promise.” - “Boomer, go!” - “Rae-Rae won’t have died in vain, I promise you.”

Peaches: “I’m... usually more of a dog person - but as long as I get to keep all my fingers and limbs, I’m satisfied.” - “Peaches, attack!” - “Us girls gotta stick together, right?” - “Hmm... one blue eye, one brown. Unique!” - “Needless to say, a cougar’s a very dangerous pet. Miss Mable never should have tried to raise you in captivity. Still... it can be handy to have a cougar for an ally.” - (gives affectionate pets) “Aww, my sweet little ‘danger kitty’...”

Cheeseburger: “You’re like a... big, dangerous teddy.” (laughs) - “Cheeseburger! How are ya, buddy?” - “Wade was sweet to look after you. I promise I’ll try to do the same.” - “I will not let Jacob take you.” - “Ohh, those big brown eyes of yours...” - “I can’t believe Wade not only found a collar to fit you, but also one that had cheeseburgers on it. Wow.” - “I’m glad you’re on my side, boy.” - “No, I can’t give you any more cheeseburgers. ...Stop looking at me like that, you know they’re not good for you. ...You’re on a diet, remember? ...  (sighs)  .....Okay, ONE burger. Don’t tell anyone.”

With other Guns for Hire:

Sharky

(serious) “Sharky... just between us... you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” - “Sharky... never change.” (smiles)

“Sharky, I know fire is your, uh- ‘specialty’, but... you need to try not burning down half the forest with us!” 

“Anything you say, Charlemagne.” 

“You and Hurk are a dangerous duo - in more ways than one.” 

(horrified, after hearing about his mom/parents) “Anyone who'd do that to an innocent baby doesn’t deserve them. You’re better off, Shark.” 

(cheesy grin) “I hope Eden’s Gate stocked up on ‘Shark repellent’!” 

(when fighting together) “Time for a ‘Shark attack’!” - “You’ve got us between a rock and a shark place!” - “Sarah and Shark, makin’ their mark!” - “You might be better off using your gun here, Sharky.”

“Disco, Sharky? Really? (sighs) ...All right, to each his own.”

“Hey Sharky, got a bad joke for ya - what’s a shark’s favorite bible story? ...’Noah’s Shark’!”

“Ride or die, buddy!”

“No matter what, I’ve always got your back, Sharky.”

Grace

(chuckles nervously/anxiously after seeing ‘serious/deadpan Grace’) “Sorry, I... joking around is kind of my ‘defense mechanism’...”

“A medal in the Olympics... that’s amazing, Grace. ...Er- no pun intended.”

“For what it’s worth... thank you for your service to our country.”

(after Grace mentions destroying copies of ‘Only You’, Sarah chuckles sadly) “Y’know, it’s funny... I actually used to like that song...”

“I know you want to protect your dad’s grave, I do completely understand... but we also need to help protect innocent people that’re still living too, you know? They need us... need you.”

Hurk

"Hercules Drubman Junior - as I live and breathe." (smiles)

“Hurk, I... don’t think a rocket launcher is the best weapon to use right now...”

“As... ‘tempting’ as ‘Hurk’s Gate’ sounds, I... don’t think it’s quite for me.”

(at a loss for words) “...Oh Hurk...”

“Y’know Hurk... there is a lot more to life than beer, drugs, and sex...” - (Hurk {looks horrified}: “...Say whaat? What’choo talkin’ ‘bout, Dep??”)

“Hurk, just... be careful.”

(stares blankly, then slowly raises an eyebrow) “...Monkey... King/God??”

“No offense dude, but... if your dad doesn’t stop talking I may have to ‘accidentally’ shoot him.”

(sneaking around) “You’re not exactly the ‘king of stealth’. Why don’t... you hang back here for a minute? I’ll signal you or call out if I need you.”

“To each their own, but ‘partying’ is... not really my thing.”

Adelaide

(pointing in turn to Sharky, Hurk, then Addie, during ‘tongue-in-cheek’ suggestions for Sarah) “No, no, and HELL no.”

(Addie: "Punch it Chewie! ...Bet you got a kick out of that, you fuckin’ nerd.") “Hey- I love the reference, and I’m proud of who I am. ...Mostly.” (smiles)

“Addie, for the last time - no, I did not inspect John's underwear drawer when I was at Seed Ranch. I was a little occupied at the time.” (turns bright red as Addie looks thrilled) “...That- that’s not what I meant!”

(reluctantly) “Addie? I kind of need some... ‘womanly advice’.” - (Addie, eyebrows raised: “And you came to me?? Oh hunny...”)

“While I appreciate your... ‘openness’, no - I do not need ‘tips’ from you and Xander about ‘positions’.”

“Addie... ‘showing more cleavage’ is not going to help me with the Seed brothers or Eden’s Gate, despite your insistence.”

“...I am not playing ‘Fuck, Marry, Kill’...”

Nick

(after flying Carmina - and puking once landed) “Nick... if you ever make me do that again... I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’ll be bad.”

“Flying may be great for you, but I’m much happier with my feet on the ground.”

“I’ll protect you and your family as much as I can - that’s a promise.”

“Defending your business, plane, home, family, and friends like you have been... I’m sure your family would be very proud of you.”

“There he is, ‘King of the Skies’!”

“You and Kim... you’re lucky to have each other. I kind of envy that.”

“Rook and Rye - on land and in the sky!“

“I know fighting Eden’s Gate is important, but... don’t forget to be there for Kim too. We’ve [the Resistance] got this... Kim and your baby need you more.” 

(After Carmina's born) "How's Kim and the baby? You'd better be taking good care of my goddaughter!"

Jess

“I know we grew up in very different ‘environments’, but... I also know what it’s like to feel alone for a long time. No pressure, but... I’m here if you ever need someone to lend an ear.”

(re: Jess’s insane survival skills) “...You’ve got to teach me that/how to do that sometime.”

“You’re related to Dutch? Wow, that’s... kinda cool.”

“I thought I swore a lot, but... wow.”

“Yeah... I’m not one for small talk, either.”

In Combat

(to herself, stressed) “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph...”

“Aw shit...”

“Fucking Peggies!”

(to herself, quickly and quietly) “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day...”

“Let’s kick some Peggie ass!”

(to herself) “I can do all things through him who strengthens me...”

“May God have mercy on you.”

“I don’t think my soul is the one that needs saving!”

Driving

(hears ‘Oh John’ on the radio & starts humming along. After a couple seconds, realizes what she’s doing and shakes her head, murmuring to herself) “...Damnit...”

“I’m driving? If you say so.”

“ ‘Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need... roads.’ “ (smug grin)

“I used to like driving. Found it kind of relaxing, most of the time. ...That was before I started having to get used to being pursued and chased down by Eden’s Gate trucks.”

“Time for... LUDICROUS SPEED!”

“Fasten your seatbelts... it’s going to be a bumpy ride!”

Idle

“...So...?”

“Everything okay? Do you need a break?”

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but I spent most of my life in New England - Connecticut, actually. Born and raised. I moved out to Hope County only a few years ago, when the Deputy job opened up. Thought it’d be... a ‘fresh start’. ...Definitely didn’t expect anything like all this to happen.”

“I used to roll my eyes - or want to - every time the Sheriff and the other Deps called me ‘Rookie’. They thought it was so funny, on account of my last name and all, and me being the newest addition to the department. Now that we’re all spread out and fighting against the cult... I think I kind of miss it.”

“Some of the most horrible things imaginable... have been done by people who claim they had ‘good reasons’ behind their actions.”

“There’s an old proverb that states, ‘Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works’. ...There’s a lot of wisdom in that.”

“God has a reason for everything, even if we don’t always understand why...”

“The right thing to do is not always the easy thing to do...”

“Faith is believing in things when common sense tell you not to.“

“Imagine the things we could accomplish... if we would just try.”

“ ‘Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.’ ...Make fun of me all you want, but it’s true.”

“I do love nature. ...You know... when it’s not being interrupted by religious idiots.”

“Courage isn’t the absence of fear... it’s deciding that something is more important than fear.”

Recruiting/Greeting

“I’ll do everything I can... you can count on it.”

“Good to see you again.”

“Let’s do this.”

“Stronger together!”

Dismissal

“Until we meet again - stay safe.”

“Call me if you need me.”

“Done already? Aww, you’re killin’ me, Smalls.”

Injured/Down

“God damnit... not yet...”

“FUCK!”

“This can’t be it...”

“I’m sorry... I tried...”

“I need some help!”

Revived/Assisted

“Thanks... now let’s teach these assholes a lesson they won’t soon forget.”

“Never tell me the odds!”

“Never give up, never surrender!”

“Thanks for the help!”

“Thanks... our work’s not done yet!”

Stealth

“Shh... ‘silence is golden’, remember?“

“Keep a low profile!”

“Be cautious...”

“Don’t let ‘em see you comin’...”

“ ‘Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise...’ ”

Being aimed at

“Watch where you’re pointing that.”

“I’m a much better shot than I let on. Just remember that.”

“Two hits - me hitting you, and you hitting the ground. I suggest you aim elsewhere.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Location-Specific:

By any body of water: “When I lived in Connecticut, I loved seeing the ocean. The lakes in Montana can be beautiful, but... it’s not quite the same.”

The Henbane: “Freakin’ Bliss.” / “Please promise me... that you’ll never, ever let me end up like one of Faith’s Angels.” / “Exploiting people’s weaknesses and fears to get them to do what you want... it’s wrong on so many levels.” / “Rachel Jessop wasn’t the first, or even the second ‘Faith Seed’... I wonder if she’s ever afraid of ending up like them.” / “God wants people to follow him willingly, to choose to do good - not be forced into it with trickery and fear. Even if - in an insane world - Joseph was right, it doesn’t excuse the things that Eden’s Gate has done. If they have a message to spread, this isn’t the way to do it.”

Holland Valley: “Saying ‘Yes’ to everything doesn’t make you a better person.” /  “Many people know the seven deadly sins... but few people can name - let alone even know about - the 'seven virtues': chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. ...But you don’t see John tattooing those on people.” / John is... he’s done some horrible things. Committed heinous acts. But knowing the life he had to endure as a child when the Duncans adopted him... I hate so many of the things he’s done, but... part of me can’t help feeling sorry for him, too.” / “Underneath all those layers of ‘jackass’, way, waaaay deep down... I think there’s a lot of hurt and pain in John.”

The Whitetails: “Jacob acts like having feelings, friends, caring for things and people makes you weak. It’s just the opposite... having things to fight for - people to fight for - is a strength. More than just a ‘purpose’ - it’s a blessing.” / (angry) Jacob turning me into a weapon of destruction... he’s going to pay for that. / Forcing Bliss on animals to turn them into Judges... it’s wrong on multiple levels. / “I’m ‘weak’, Jacob? I’ll show you what a ‘weak’ person can do.”

#far cry 5 #fc5 #far cry 5 oc #fc5 oc #my oc #junior deputy #female deputy #deputy sarah rook #sarah rook #deputy rook #guns for hire #fangs for hire #travelling companions #fc5 dialogue #far cry 5 dialogue

[songbirdafterdark]

When Diving Goes (Terribly) Right

I have always loved diving. It was like entering a completely different world, much like the fantasy novels I also loved to read. So whenever my family and I spent our vacation at a beach, this diving was what I usually spent my time with. The same held true for this fateful day.

The beach was kind of close to home, but for reasons I do not know we hadn‘t been there for quite a while. I now know that the existence of certain beings living in this area had become known, so the authorities had issued a warning that one could only swim there at one‘s own risk.

I, a freshly turned eighteen-year-old cared very little about risk. The depths of the water were far too fascinating for that. So as soon as my family had found a place for our beach towels, I waded through the water until I was in deep enough to swim.

I knew that close to the beach, along a rocky cliff, was a cave that I had always loved to dive through. It was a single, u-shaped corridor of rock with a big cavern in the middle of it where I could briefly come up for air, and walls covered in bioluminescent algae that made it possible to see despite no sun reaching there.

The water was pleasantly cool against my skin; a nice contrast to the scorching summer sun. Once I finally reached the cave, I took a deep breath and dove down, using the smooth rock of the wall to hold onto and guide me through.

I quickly reached the cavern and came up for air before diving down again. It was then that I noticed movement in the water. Movement of something bigger than the usual fish that could be found in these waters.

Shit. Was that what the authorities had warned about? Sharks? Though these things didn‘t look like sharks. At least not like any sharks I had ever seen. Their bodies were long and graceful, almost snake-like in appearance. My eyes followed one of the bodies, until the scales faded into skin, still with patches of scales here and there. Skin that belonged to the back of what seemed to be a fairly muscular human man, with a head full of dark hair that was swaying in the slight current.

Shit. What kind of alien crap was this? Did these things eat humans and puppeteer their torsos or something? No. The transition between scales and skin was far too smooth for that, which led me to the conclusion that both were in fact part of their natural bodies.

None of the creatures seemed to have noticed me yet. Either that, or they had noticed me, but simply didn‘t find me particularly interesting.

So now I had a choice to make. Did I want to try to cross the cavern with the weird snakey-eely people in it, just for the hell of it? Or did I turn tail and swim back to mommy like a scared little kid?

Rationality would have dictated I do the latter. But my adventurous spirit, which had always been the stronger driving force in my life, insisted that the former was much more interesting. So I dove up for air one more time before forcing myself down again, and slowly, carefully swimming through the cavern.

There were hundreds of them. Every bit of the rocky walls was covered in glistening, writhing, slithering bodies. And yet the cave was still alight with the glowing algae, though the glow seemed to come from the creature‘s bodies as well. Either they were covered in the stuff… or they were bioluminescent on their own.

I had once seen a nature documentary that said one could swim through a river full of crocodiles if one avoids any kind of splashing or too hectic movement, because that‘s how crocodiles locate their prey. I hoped that the same held true for these guys.

I made it to the other and turned around again before coming up for air a third time. I did not want to turn my back on these beings before they were out of view. So when I dove down again, I swam backwards until the bend of the cave walls meant that they couldn‘t see me anymore.

I took a deep, relieved breath when I exited the cave and came up for air. I was still confused and overwhelmed with what I had seen.

What were those things?

I swam back along the cliff until the water became more shallow. My family and the safe, familiar beach would be just around the corner. The water barely reached my navel anymore, when suddenly…

Something grabbed me.

I opened my mouth to scream, but whoever it was pressed their hand against my mouth. My screaming ceased in surprise when I noticed that the hands not only had thin webs between the fingers, but was also of a dark green color. Something slithered around my legs. Something that felt like a snake‘s skin, though maybe a bit more slippery.

Oh God. One of these things had followed me. Was I about to be eaten? No, I did not want to end up as food for some alien thing!

The creature was breathing heavily, with its chest pressed against my back.

Then its tail forced my legs apart, and I felt something pointed press against my nethers.

Oh fuck.

Its…. No, his clawed hands made short work of my bikini bottom, and something even more slick than the serpentine body slipped past my entrance and flicked against my clit. I involuntarily let out a loud moan.

The creature let go of my mouth and instead grabbed my wrists, pinned them behind my back and bent me over while wrapping its long body around my legs, keeping my pussy exposed while both of my legs were out of commission.

Again, the pointed tip of what I could only guess was the creature‘s penis slipped past my entrance and made short contact with my clit, causing me to moan once more.

I knew that I shouldn‘t want this. But damn it felt so good… Too good.

The creature said nothing the whole time. Maybe it couldn‘t even speak. As human-like as the upper body looked, the rest sure didn‘t.

Despite being held in place so firmly, I began to move against the creature‘s teasing, swiveling my hips to urge him on.

„More“, I whispered, my voice pressed and thin from arousal.

He did not give me more. Sure, why did I even assume he would understand what I was saying? So this snake creature kept teasing me, flicking his penis against my clit until I would have been absolutely drenched had I not already been in water.

And finally. Finally the tip met my wanting entrance again and in one long stroke, he pushed into me, causing me to let out a soft yelp.

By now I was convinced that whatever slimy substance the penis was coated in served as a kind of aphrodisiac. How else could I explain just how badly I wanted to be fucked by this thing?

I jerked my hips against him, delighting in the way my pussy stretched around the widest part of the penis, close to the base. I enjoyed the way his scales and claws were digging into my skin as he held down and thrust into me. He was strong, so strong that I‘m pretty sure the force of his hips slapping against mine would leave bruises. But in this moment, it only added to the incredible lust I experienced. Heat pooled in my center, starting to spread all over my body as I approached the little death I was craving.

The creature held me tighter, thrusts quickening and causing me to see stars, until he began to twitch and something hot and sticky began filling me. And filling me… and filling me more.

My belly began to feel bloated, but he didn‘t stop, spurting more and more of his hot, thick semen into me. It felt so good that this, the feeling of being pumped full of this creature‘s cum, drove me over the edge, making me scream out in ecstasy.

After what seemed like half an eternity, the creature finally let me go, and as soon as his dick didn‘t serve as a plug anymore, his semen came shooting out of me, forming a small, milky cloud in the water around my privates before it finally dissolved.

He let go of my hands and turned me around to touch my face, and underneath the thick, dark green mess of his hair I could see two big, pitch black eyes looking at me in a way a human would normally look at their significant other. Or even more. The love of their life. His lips… quite nice looking lips, I had to admit… moved, wordlessly mouthing something I could vaguely recognize as my name. The he swam off, leaving myself back to my family and think of an explanation as to why I looked like I had just been fucked within an inch of my life.

Once I was on dry land again, I turned around one last time. The heat remaining in my lower body told me that this wouldn‘t be the last time I would see this snake man.

And next time, I wouldn‘t struggle.

#spicy stuff #writing #OC #dubcon #lemon

[guardiandae]

“@syl-32802​ replied to your post: It was willing to compromise, for him. They ate...

Do u have an ao3 dhhdhd

My AO3 is Guardian!

The snippet(s) you read aren’t posted yet, but

Here’s some of my recent works: 

“Milkyway” Eddie/Venom Symbiote (Explicit, COMPLETE, 8.5k) Lactation, Comeplay, Drool, Somnophilia, Pregnancy Kink, (This is comics based, after they gave birth to Sleeper) and more sweetness and fluff than you might expect. A weird mix of a lot of kink but also tender family bonding. Somehow it works, don’t question my methods.

“Hello, Handsome” Cable/Deadpool (Teen, incomplete, 11k) AU where Wade is a Venom-style symbiote. Nate is looking for a weapon so he can go rescue his daughter and he finds Wade instead, who’s been left to rot in quarantine as a deadly and impossible to control weapon. Language barrier, possessive behavior, control issues, and Wade’s canon obsession with words.

“5+7″ Genos/Saitama (Teen, incomplete, 50k) AU where Genos is the strongest ranked hero and Saitama still does odd jobs. Genos hires Saitama to be his friend. Fake relationship, weird fluff, crack, King ships it, platonic cuddling, Saitama is bi and trans, Genos is gay and has OCD behaviors, also Genos rly loves sharks. Sounds like a shitpost bc it is a shitpost but also it’s like... legit. Someone help these two idiots.

“A Little XO Wouldn’t Go Amiss” Cable/Deadpool (Mature, COMPLETE, 28k) (Set after Deadpool 2: Nate’s stuck in the past and Vanessa stayed dead.) Nate and Wade move into an apartment together. Wade makes the money, Nate pays the rent. But they’re both still grieving in different ways and keep misunderstanding each other, and the more distant Nate is towards Wade, the more he starts to fall apart. Warnings: Mental health issues, mental breakdown, implied childhood abuse, suicidal thoughts, intrusive thoughts (This is my hot take on how Wade would develop his Little Yellow Boxes from the comics in the MCU verse, but his boxes are not kind to him). Written in 3 chapters with alternating points of view: Wade, Nate, and then both. Happy ending, I swear.

“A Little Less Untouchable” Cable/Deadpool (Explicit, incomplete, 10k) Sequel to ‘XO’ They’re basically married now. No plot, just gonna write a lot of cracky bullshit and get Wade fucked within an inch of his life. Okay I lied there might be a plot but don’t worry about it yet ok. Tags: Mental health issues (Wade is doing Better though), Humor, Domestic Fluff, Accidental Voyeurism, Masturbation

“Skin Echoes What the Heart Desires” Deadpool/Vanessa, Deadpool/Multiple, endgame implied Cable/Deadpool (Mature, COMPLETE, 5k) Soulmates AU where the name of your soulmate is written on your skin. Wade is covered in names, from head to toe. Then after the cancer, all of his names are gone.  "It's only skin, Wade," Vanessa told him, over and over again, until Wade almost felt like he could believe it.  "Soulmates don't go away. They're part of you." Tags: False memories, Polyamory, Homophobia, Polyphobia, Unrequited Love, Vanessa and Peter die, Loneliness, Hopeful Ending

Woooooof. All of this proved to me that it’s extremely hard to summarize some of these fics in just a short paragraph. They either sound too bizarre or dark or strange, when really my fics are all usually a strangely balanced mix of soul-crushing angst and tooth-rotting fluff and weird humor. I guess this is why I usually just tease a snippet as the summary on AO3, lol. Prepare for emotional whiplash on almost any of these, though.

#syl-32802 #veddie #cablepool #genosai #symbrock #my fic

[mrjoelgarcia9]

Let’s (Briefly) Talk #Disney’s #KimPossible

To get this out of the way first, the final season was terrible.

As for that upcoming movie...

For my brief thoughts on Disney’s Kim Possible, as well as my early thoughts on the upcoming live action TV movie, feel free to keep reading. There will be (light) spoilers.

Kim Possible was an animated series that ran on Disney Channel from 2002 to 2007, running for four seasons with 87 episodes (as well as a crossover special). Two sets of three-part episodes were also converted into TV movies, A Stitch In Time and So The Drama. The latter was declared as the first animated Disney Channel Original Movie, which is incorrect because that honor actually belongs to The Proud Family Movie (which was not part of that show’s original episode count).

The series follows the adventures of its titular heroine who fights the forces of evil alongside her goofy best friend Ron Stoppable, his mole rat Rufus, and their tech expert Wade. Kim and Ron also go to school where she is the head cheerleader and deals with her rival Bonnie while he mostly obsesses over a local Mexican restaurant.

Kim Possible was Disney Channel’s second original animated series, premiering almost a year after The Proud Family. Unlike that show, which was an animated family sitcom, Kim Possible had a mixture of action and comedy.

The show never took itself either too seriously or was over the top. It had a lot of great characters, ranging from the main protagonists to even the one-note antagonists. The most distinct element was how Kim’s family was perfectly fine with her crime fighting career. Other shows would traditionally have the protagonists hide it from their family, but this show presents it as if it were a part-time job. They would even sometimes help her out.

The series starred Christy Carlson Romano as the titular heroine and Will Friedle as Ron. Friedle already had some voice acting experience from working on Batman Beyond. For Romano, this was her debut in animation and her second series for Disney Channel, the first being the sitcom Even Stevens.

The first three seasons are really good. The only major flaws they have are a handful of outdated jokes and references, such as Smash Mouth.

As I mentioned at the start, the show’s TV movies were actually three-part episodes later converted either by Walt Disney Home Entertainment (A Stitch In Time) or Disney Channel (So The Drama) into movies with unique intros, edits to remove ad breaks, and scrolling credits. The former is a fun time travel story which shows the early origins of Kim and Ron, feature several villains teaming up to take down Kim, and present Shego as the most competent of the villains.

So The Drama is a great Series Finale by how it culminates with Kim and Ron being able to deal with their own issues while also taking down Drakken and Shego in one of his most fiendish plans to take over the world. It was the perfect ending for the show.

Then Disney renewed the show for a fourth and final season. It was terrible.

The fourth season was basically the show jumping the shark. Every single idea felt like something the writers came up with to keep the show going, such as new mission attire, pirates, aliens, and unintentional fan service.

The only thing the show forgot to add was a Cousin Oliver clone who would have joined Kim and Ron in their missions and only make things worse.

The second series finale, “Graduation Day”, was OK. The writers did their best to give Kim and Ron yet another happy ending while also making sure that a fifth season could never happen by introducing aliens. The existence of aliens comes right out of left field. It felt like the writers were trying to top So The Drama by escalating the conflict from world domination to aliens.

This would not be a problem if aliens were introduced beforehand, such as with subtle hints in past seasons or even as a mysterious twist, but they are shoehorned into the season first to free Drakken and then take over Earth.

To put it in comparison, it would be like if Gravity Falls revealed that all of Dipper’s adventures were just his imagination while he was in a coma after having crashed a golf cart on his first day visiting the town.

This show is not the first (or last) series to have a terrible postscript season. Disney clearly wanted to cash in on the show’s success one last time before they moved on to new shows and viewers. It would be for a while their longest-running animated series until Disney XD’s Phineas and Ferb, which ran for over eight years with 122 episodes.

As for the upcoming DCOM, there has been an abundance of criticism, mainly that the actors do not resemble their animated counterparts. It appears to be a decent conversion from the animated series to a live action film considering who these characters are actually supposed to be.

It is well known that compromises have to be made when adapting something from one medium into another. Having Drakken and Shego sport their respective blue and green skin in live action would just look silly.

The only returning cast members will be Romano, in a different role, and Patton Oswalt, who is reprising his role of Professor Dementor from the show.

At this point, it is too soon to say whether the movie will be just as good as the animated series or an inferior adaptation. Disney Channel Original Movies can range from being great to awful. For every High School Musical, Zenon, or Camp Rock, there have been Can of Worms, Z3, and High School Musical 2.

The only other Kim Possible production I have not mentioned is the crossover episode it had with Lilo & Stitch: The Series, the ABC/Disney Channel TV continuation of the 2002 film. Having not seen the episode, all I can say is that I am aware that they do make the obvious joke involving Kim’s catchphrase "What’s the Sitch?”.

Kim Possible is a really good animated series with three great seasons, two good “films”, and a terrible final season. It continues to be one of Disney Channel’s most successful animated series, having aired in reruns since it ended on both the network and Disney XD.

The first two seasons and “films” are available to own on DVD. The complete series is available to own on iTunes, with most of the show available in HD.

The Disney Channel Original Movie will premiere February 15, 2019 on Disney Channel.

Until next time, thank you for reading!

#Kim Possible #call me beep me #if you wanna #reach me #christy carlson romano #will friedle #Disney Channel #dcom #disney channel original movie #animation #tv #live action #Season 4 #dipper pines #gravity falls #tv movie #fan theory

[helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog]

Summer Film Preview: 27 of the Most Anticipated Movies of the Season!

Among ET's 90 top picks for summer are our 27 most anticipated films of the season.

Every summer, there is no shortage of new films to blow audiences away at theaters -- and blow away records at the box office. This summer, things are looking especially massive. Blockbuster season kicks off in a huge way with the highly anticipated back-to-back releases of Deadpool 2and Solo: A Star Wars Story, ushering in an onslaught of franchise films with new installments of Jurassic World, Marvel's Ant-Man, Mission: Impossible and The Purge.

Not everything is a sequel, though. Of the originals is the eagerly awaited adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians, marking the first time a major studio has produced an all-Asian-led film since The Joy Luck Club; Spike Lee's latest, BlacKkKlansman; and -- because it wouldn't be summer without one -- a shark attack flick, The Meg, starring Jason Statham.

But no matter what you’re looking forward to, there's plenty to choose from among these 27 sure-to-be hit films.

Deadpool 2 (Out Now)

The Deadpool sequel is bigger, louder and packed with more violence and superpeople, dick jokes and fourth wall-breaking meta-ness than the original X-Men-adjacent movie. And while that all sounds like a recipe for a bloated case of sequelitis, Ryan Reynolds and co. not only pull it off, but top the first.

Directed by: David Leitch | Written by: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and Ryan Reynolds Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams

Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 25)

Forget everything you think you know about the legendary smuggler and prepare for the unexpected. That's the best advice we can give you about Star Wars' latest anthology installment, which, sure, features the Kessel Run and Han Solo and Chewbacca's origin story, then blasts off for so much more.

Directed by: Ron Howard | Written by: Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Emilia Clarke

American Animals (June 1)

The Orchard / MoviePass Ventures

According to the minds behind American Animals, while most movies are based on a true story, this one is a true story, about four college students who plan "one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history." It also marks the first appearance on this list by the true star of the summer movie season: Ann Dowd.

Directed by: Bart Layton | Written by: Bart Layton Starring: Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson, Ann Dowd

Hereditary (June 8)

A24

Following its screening at Sundance earlier this year, Hereditary was hailed as the scariest horror movie in years -- if not of all time. As for what actually transpires in the film, well, that is best left vague. Brace yourself for hypnotically unnerving tongue pops and flashbacks to Toni Collette's iconic turn in The Sixth Sense.

Directed by: Ari Aster | Written by: Ari Aster Starring: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd

Ocean's 8 (June 8)

This year's Met Gala might as well have been early promo for Ocean's 8, which centers on another heist-happy Ocean, Debbie, who assembles a team of women to help rob a fictional Met Gala. (If you do some simple math, it seems Anne Hathaway's mark is one of the eight, too.) Unfortunately, Rihanna will likely not be dressed as a sexy pope.

Directed by: Gary Ross | Written by: Gary Ross and Olivia Milch Starring: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (June 8)

Focus Features

If you were a child in the '60s -- or '70s, '80s, '90s, the aughts, really, if you were a child ever -- then Won't You Be My Neighbor? will be a nostalgic return to your younger years, a look at the long-running and formative TV series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and the man behind it, the late Fred Rogers.

Directed by: Morgan Neville

Hearts Beat Loud (June 8)

Gunpowder & Sky

This gem of an indie is for anyone who has ever wished Nick Offerman could be your best friend, your dad or both: Kiersey Clemons plays Offerman's daughter and reluctant bandmate as they navigate fame and family in Hearts Beat Louder. Sprinkle in a queer romance and an earworm-y soundtrack, and what more could you ask for?

Directed by: Brett Haley | Written by: Brett Haley and Marc Basch Starring: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Toni Collette, Sasha Lane, Blythe Danner

Hotel Artemis (June 8)

Global Road Entertainment

Read this logline: "Set in riot-torn, near-future Los Angeles, Hotel Artemis is a high-octane action-thriller starring Jodie Foster as The Nurse, who runs a secret, members-only hospital for criminals." Now re-read that sentence over and over and over until you go insane and this becomes your most anticipated movie of the year.

Directed by: Drew Pearce | Written by: Drew Pearce Starring: Jodie Foster, Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Zachary Quinto, Sterling K. Brown, Jeff Goldblum

Incredibles 2 (June 15)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

It has been well over a decade since the original Incredibles arrived in theaters and, even now, under the looming threat of superhero saturation, that first film remains one of the best superhero movies period. Finally, Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack are back, with Frozone and, of course, Edna.

Directed by: Brad Bird | Written by: Brad Bird Starring: Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine Keener, Sophia Bush

Tag (June 15)

Warner Bros. Pictures

This is a movie about tag -- as in, the game in which you tag someone and they are then "it." Specifically, Tag is about a group of childhood buddies who have been playing tag one month out of the year, every year, for 30 years. If you are wondering, Where do they come up with this?!, it was a Wall Street Journal article.

Directed by: Jeff Tomsic | Written by: Rob McKittrick and Mark Steilen Starring: Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Jon Hamm, Hannibal Buress, Isla Fisher, Leslie Bibb

Damsel (June 22)

Magnolia Pictures

If you hear that Robert Pattinson is starring in a Western, you probably have a notion of what that film is. Damsel is not the movie you're imagining, guaranteed -- unless, of course, you pictured a screwball comedy about a pioneer who voyages west with a drunkard and a miniature horse named Butterscotch.

Directed by: David Zellner and Nathan Zellner | Written by: David Zellner and Nathan Zellner Starring: Robert Pattinson, Mia Wasikowska, David Zellner

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (June 22)

In the colossally successful Jurassic World, the dinosaurs destroyed the park, as dinosaurs are wont to do, and now Isla Nublar is threatening to destroy the dinosaurs. Thus, Claire and Owen are enlisted to help save the dinosaurs from a second extinction -- and that's only the beginning of this adventure.

Directed by: J.A. Bayona | Written by: Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, James Cromwell, Justice Smith

Under the Silver Lake (June 22)

A24

Something about those hot summer nights must make us itch for a mystery, because this is yet another noir-y flick arriving in cineplexes, albeit a very modern take on the genre. Andrew Garfield plays a stoner Angelino who begins sleuthing when his dream girl disappears in the middle of the night without a trace.

Directed by: David Robert Mitchell | Written by: David Robert Mitchell Starring: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Topher Grace, Jimmi Simpson

The First Purge (July 4)

Universal Pictures

There's something almost comforting about knowing that every (sometimes every other) Independence Day brings a new installment in the ongoing Purge franchise. Who knew a nutty little murder flick could have so much steam? This one goes back to the beginning and the invention of a government-sponsored killing spree.

Directed by: Gerard McMurray | Written by: James DeMonaco Starring: Lex Scott Davis, Y'lan Noel, Luna Lauren Velez, Joivan Wade, Marisa Tomei

Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6)

Consider the Ant-Man sequel a respite for those still reeling over the ending of Infinity War, a plucky comedic romp about heroes who shrink, supersize and now fly, too, which probably won't leave you frantically wiping away tears as the theater lights come on. Also, Michelle Pfeiffer plays a superhero!

Directed by: Peyton Reed | Written by: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari and Paul Rudd Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hannah John-Kamen, Michael Peña

Sorry to Bother You (July 6)

Annapurna Pictures

There is original, and then there is Sorry to Bother You. If a stranger, more out-there film has ever been made, I haven't seen it. I've never seen anything like this, a satiric tale about a telemarketer who uses his "white voice" to get ahead that feels at once painstakingly plotted and completely free-associated.

Directed by: Boots Riley | Written by: Boots Riley Starring: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Steven Yeun, Armie Hammer

Whitney (July 6)

Whitney is not the first documentary to turn the lens on Whitney Houston in the years since her 2012 death, but it is the first to be endorsed by her estate, featuring interviews with loved ones of Houston who had never spoken publicly before and bombshell revelations that made news ahead of Whitney's official release.

Directed by: Kevin Macdonald

Eighth Grade (July 13)

A24

You know how adults always say, "I'm so happy I didn't grow up when there was social media." Watch this Sundance drama, comedian Bo Burnham's directorial debut, and feel that tenfold, alternately a cringey and heartwarming look at what it means to be coming into your own -- yes, with YouTube and Twitter.

Directed by: Bo Burnham | Written by: Bo Burnham Starring: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (July 20)

Is Meryl Streep's character still alive for the Mamma Mia! sequel? Supposedly. We do know that we will see a younger version of Donna (played by Lily James) as the ABBA singalong jumps back in time to show the Dynamos' origin story, while in the present, Donna's daughter is pregnant with a baby of her own.

Directed by: Ol Parker | Written by: Ol Parker Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Lily James, Colin Firth, Cher

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (July 27)

Paramount Pictures

After successfully completing five other supposedly impossible missions, whatever Ethan Hunt is tasked with in Fallout should be considered mission: pretty difficult but manageable. Still, Tom Cruise continues to up the ante in insane and preposterous ways, like jumping out of a plane at 25,000 feet, for one.

Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie | Written by: Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Baldwin, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett

Christopher Robin (Aug. 3)

If you enjoyed last year's period drama Goodbye Christopher Robin, about the real boy who inspired the creation of Winnie the Pooh, then you are sure to enjoy this, too, Disney's less historical, more fantastical tale about grown-up Christopher Robin and how Pooh and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood gang help him rediscover his imagination.

Directed by: Marc Forster | Written by: Alex Ross Perry Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Chris O'Dowd, Brad Garrett, Toby Jones

The Spy Who Dumped Me (Aug. 3)

I would pay money to watch Kate McKinnon read the phone book. Thankfully, she gets much more to do in this action-comedy, in which Mila Kunis plays the unwitting woman dumped by a spy. McKinnon plays her bestie, and the two quickly find themselves in over their heads trying to stop a terrorist group and save the world.

Directed by: Susanna Fogel | Written by: David Iserson and Susanna Fogel Starring: Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Sam Heughan, Gillian Anderson, Justin Theroux

BlacKkKlansman (Aug. 10)

Focus Features

Spike Lee is back with his latest joint, the so-crazy-it-must-be-true saga of Ron Stallworth, the first black police officer in Colorado Springs, and his undercover operation to infiltrate a local Ku Klux Klan chapter, which was so successful that he eventually became its head.

Directed by: Spike Lee | Written by: Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Laura Harrier

The Meg (Aug. 10)

Warner Bros. Pictures

No summer is complete without a silly shark attack movie, and for the summer of 2018, The Meg fits that bill and then some. First of all, the shark in question is a megalodon, which basically just means a REALLY BIG F**KING SHARK, and hopefully Jason Statham will punch it at some point, right?

Directed by: Jon Turteltaub | Written by: Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber Starring: Jason Statham, Ruby Rose, Rainn Wilson, Bingbing Li, Cliff Curtis, Masi Oka

Crazy Rich Asians (Aug. 17)

Based on the bestselling novel by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians is about a Chinese American professor who travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family and discovers they are -- you guessed it -- crazy rich! Hijinks ensue. This is also the first Hollywood movie with a majority Asian cast in 25 years, i.e., crazy overdue.

Directed by: Jon M. Chu | Written by: Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Ken Jeong

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (Aug. 17)

Netflix

Here's one YA fans have been waiting for. Based on the bestselling novel by Jenny Han, the title refers to letters our heroine, Lara Jean Covey, writes to her past crushes, love letters they are never meant to see -- but do, after they're accidentally mailed out. You don't need to head to the cinema to swoon over this one; it's streaming on Netflix.

Directed by: Susan Johnson | Written by: Sofia Alvarez Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Emilija Baranac, Israel Broussard, John Corbett

The Happytime Murders (Aug. 17)

Nothing says summertime like puppets snorting ecstasy and soliciting sex. The Happytime Murders -- no lie, from the same director as The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island -- is about police partners, one felt and one Melissa McCarthy, investigating who is shooting the stuffing out of puppets.

Directed by: Brian Henson | Written by: Todd Berger Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale

MORE SUMMER PREVIEW:

Summer TV Preview: 26 of the Best New and Returning Series to Watch!

Summer Music Preview: 17 Albums We Can’t Wait to Hear

Summer Theater Preview: 11 Must-See Broadway and Off-Broadway Shows

Summer Book Preview: 9 Beach Reads by Bill Clinton, Emily Giffin, Lauren Weisberger and More!

#_uuid:f0508f89-4289-323f-92f6-941e821681f7 #_revsp:new_provider_with_logo_342 #_lmsid:a0VK0000001yfWcMAI

[nuttydefendoryouth]

Are stinky inflatable pool toys putting your kids at risk?

The researchers expressed concern that some of the products contain potentially hazardous chemicals that could pose a risk to children’s health, depending on the degree of exposure and concentration levels in the products.

The researchers conducted tests using an inflatable beach ball, a pair of swimming armbands and two bathing rings they bought off the shelf from local stores and online suppliers in Germany.(Shutterstock)

HEALTH

Are stinky inflatable kids' toys putting your kids at risk? Here’s what a study found

The researchers expressed concern that some of the products contain potentially hazardous chemicals that could pose a risk to children’s health, depending on the degree of exposure and concentration levels in the products.

Washington D.C. | By ANI

UPDATED ON APR 13, 2017 08:46 PM IST

Turns out, there are many dangerous chemicals lurking in your swimming pool that can risk your children’s health.

Inflatable sprinkler and swimming aids, like bathing rings and arm bands, often have a distinctive smell which could indicate that they contain a range of potentially hazardous substances.

Some of these compounds, which include carbonyl compounds, cyclohexanone, phenol and isophorone, might be critical when present in higher concentrations in children’s toys, said authors Christoph Wiedmer and Andrea Buettner.

Lead author Wiedmer from Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Germany and his team conducted tests using an inflatable pool, a pair of swimming armbands and two bathing rings they bought off the shelf from local stores and online suppliers in Germany.

A small piece of material from each sample was analysed using a variety of material analysis techniques, including one that takes infrared measurements, and it was concluded that the inflatable objects were all made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

The researchers then investigated the molecular make-up of the distinctive smells arising from the pool toys. They extracted detectable odours from each sample using solvent extraction and high vacuum distillation methods, and then identified the main odorants using a combination of sensory and common analytical approaches.

Between 32 and 46 odours were detected in each sample, of which up to thirteen were quite intense. The majority of these odorants were identified and among these were several fatty smelling mono- or di-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and their epoxidised derivatives, but also odouractive organic solvents such as cyclohexanone, isophorone, and phenol.

As part of the study, a panel of trained volunteers sniffed each product, and ascribed common odour attributes to these. They also rated the intensity of each odour, and had to guess whether these could be hazardous. Three of the products reminded the panellists of almonds, plastic and rubber, while the fourth more pungent one reminded them of glue and nail polish.

Wiedmer expressed his concern that some of the products contain potentially hazardous chemicals that could pose a risk to children’s health, depending on the degree of exposure and concentration levels in the products. Cyclohexanone can be harmful if inhaled, phenol is known to be acutely toxic and to presumably have mutagenic potential and isophorone is a category 2 carcinogen, which means that this is a suspect substance in the development of cancer in humans.

“A range of these substances are not yet resolved in their chemical structures. Likewise, potential negative effects on humans, such as irritation, smell nuisance, or other physiological or psychosomatic effects still need to be resolved,” said Wiedmer.

“Modern products such as toys and children’s products are sourced from a wide variety of chemical and physical manufacturing processes, and this complexity often makes it difficult for us to identify those containing contaminants and unwanted substances, and to determine their causes,” noted Wiedmer. “However, we found that in a number of cases our noses can guide us to ‘sniff out’ problematic products.”

The study appears in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (ABC).

Backyards and patios have been working hard all year because of the pandemic, and this summer they can provide new ways to cool off and have fun in the water.

Whether you have a lot of space or a little, there’s gear ranging from water tables and tubs for kids to floating loungers with drink holders for adults.

One company, Minnidip, makes inflatable “adult kiddie pools” that aim to transport you to some exotic travel destination. Patterns on the Marrakesh pool reference Moroccan architectural details, while the Amalfi is a nod to the blue, yellow and white tile of the Italian coast.

“Because for me, having a pool on our urban Chicago rooftop felt like being transported to another place,” says company founder Emily Vaca. “I wanted to capture that feeling through design and pattern. “

Minnidip also offers inflatable drinks coolers and glam pool balls filled with gold confetti, among other offerings.

The only water table that lets you make waves, Little Tikes’ Island Wavemaker has a water wheel, plus cute sea creatures and a wee pirate to send paddling around the waterway or down the waterfall. Toddlers can practice their fine motor skills with Little Tikes’ Spinning Seas Water Table; small balls, a cup, a funnel and a water wheel set up the fun.

Step2’s two-sided Waterfall Discovery Wall has adjustable toggles, spinners and chutes to send the water tumbling in lots of different ways. And Lakeshore Learning’s Watch It Flow water table features three plastic logs that can be configured however you wish. Fill the logs using a hose or bucket; gates control the flow and can close up to make long tubs.

Foamo, also from the folks at Little Tikes, creates mountains of easy-to-clean-up foam when you add the nontoxic, biodegradable foam solution to water.

HOSE HAPPY

Turn on the hose and attach it to West Elm's inflatable car bed or giant shark mouth sprinklers. Fat Brain Toy’s Hydro Twist Pipeline Sprinkler has a couple of fountains, plus a bunch of wiggly worm hoses. Or hook up to BigMouth’s giant 6-foot-high unicorn, who shoots water out of her horn. There’s a ginormous ape, giraffe, dinosaur and giraffe here as well.

SWIM AND PADDLE

Giant inflatable water wheels let you find your inner hamster. You can find ones online for toddlers, while Wow Watersports has a grownup version they call the Aqua Treadmill.

Don’t forget the family pets; a nonporous, puncture-resistant floating dog bed at Frontgate comes in a bunch of colors and three sizes.

Chewy has ZippyPaws Floaterz sturdy turtle-shaped water toys for dogs, as well as rope-handled bumpers and a variety of floating balls.

A hard-sided kiddie pool can be a good non-inflatable option for cooling off; just hose it out and stow away. Other pluses: The doggos will also have fun splashing around in it, and it makes a great sand or snow play zone in colder weather. The Sun Squad Wading Kiddie Pool is inexpensive and has an embossed bottom, so it’s less slippery.

SLIDE AND RIDE

A basic heavy-duty plastic water slide or “slip and slide” can be set up in most backyards; if yours doesn’t come with an attached barrier at the bottom, make sure to put something soft there.

Studio 21 Graphix’s slide has a crash pad at the finish line, plus two lanes for racing and a sprinkler curtain to pass thru on the way down. Wow Watersports’ Strike Zone Water Slide is 25-by-6 feet of slipperiness; zigzag sprinkler patterns assure a wet ride, fat pontoons on either side keep riders inside, and two sleds are included. Got a really long yard? Get two; they can be interconnected.

If you’ve got lots of space, consider Costway’s inflatable Bounce House and Water Slide, with a bounce area, water gun, two slides, a basketball hoop and several balls. It comes with a storage bag for easy transport.

POOL STYLE

Marisa Issa of Los Angeles says her family’s favorite pool games are corn hole and a floating basketball hoop, but her favorite is a floating mat from Frontgate “that only mom can use,” she says. The sleek, minimalist white float has a headrest, and is made of marine-grade dense foam, suitable for chlorine or saltwater pools.

If you prefer sitting up a little, Frontgate’s got a floating armchair with attached ottoman. Choose from aqua, blue or flamingo pink. Or splash out on a full-size pool chaise kitted out with drink holders.

Want to hang out with a handful of friends in a backyard pool? Funboy has a 9-foot-wide floating metallic crown with drink holders. Or lounge luxuriously in the company’s Bali Cabana Lounger, with a curved integrated shade, a tropical leaf print, cup holders and handy grab ropes.

BigMouth has some food-related inflatables like a giant ice pop, pizza slice, donut, watermelon slice, cheeseburger and taco.

At first, glance, laying on an inflatable toy in shallow water seems pretty safe. After all, the water isn't deep, and there is a floating toy right there. Recently, a family's trip to the beach in Nova Scotia proved to be a harrowing reminder of why this is not the case. In August, two 5-year-olds played in shallow water – one in an inflatable ring, the other on an inflatable roller. Because the girls were in shallow water, their caregiver assumed the inflatable toys were enough. It wasn't until the girls began to drift away from that the complete danger of the situation became clear.

Inflatable toys can be dangerous

Because they are so light and buoyant, they tend to drift in the water or deflate when they get wet. That's when it's a problem. Kids don't know when their toys are deflated and cannot compensate when they're in the water. They can get trapped in the holes or strangle. When the girls got stuck, their caregiver did the right thing by calling for help. First responders rescued the girls and took them to the hospital to be treated for their injuries. While it's infrequent that inflatable toys are the source of injury to kids, it's good to know that they can pose a hazard. The numbers aren't obvious, but it seems that they're responsible for 1 in every 100 boating-related deaths in the U.S. and are one of the leading causes of drowning for children aged 4-6.

Why Inflatable Toys Can Be Dangerous

The giant inflatable was much bigger than the girls and began to drag the mattress toward shore, according to the parent of one of the girls who spoke with CTVNews. However, the inflatable ring wasn't nearly as big or heavy and was drifting with the current. The girls eventually lost hold of both and drifted a considerable distance. The girls' parents rushed to the scene and tried to retrieve their children, but the current was too firm, and the military eventually rescued them. The girls were found to be unharmed. Since this incident, many parents have expressed concerns about the safety of inflatable toys.

[highvoltagearea]

Five Places Where You Can Collect Fossils Around D.C.

About 20 million years ago, the land that’s now Virginia, Maryland and the nation’s capital Washington, D.C. was underwater. Where monuments now stand, giant megalodon shark hunted down prehistoric whales and dolphins and fish darted through coral. The marks these creatures left on the world haven’t washed away, as folks stumble on fossil evidence of their ancient lives all the time.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History boasts fossils from all around the world, and yet plenty come from the area surrounding the museum itself. There’s a Miocene era baleen whale skull on display that was found in the Calvert Cliffs in Maryland, for example. A giant Megalodon replica hangs from the atrium in the cafe; a nearby plaque explains that you can still find “Meg” teeth on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

For amateur fossil hunters dreaming of coming across a megalodon tooth on the beach, we’ve curated a list of fossil hot spots just a hop, skip and jump from the Natural History Museum.

Calvert Cliffs – Lusby, Maryland

Calvert Cliffs State Park

(Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

Perhaps the most well-known fossil site on the east coast, the Calvert Cliffs cover about 24 miles of shoreline in Maryland. More than 600 species of fossils, including prehistoric oyster shells, mollusks and scallops as well as shark teeth, have been found on the shores. You might even find a megalodon tooth—most likely, however, you’ll find smaller teeth of other kinds of ancient sharks. Most finds date back to the Miocene era, or around 15 million years ago.

You might be wondering why it is so easy to find shark teeth millions of years old on the beach. According to Smithsonian marine paleobiologist David Bohaska, sharks lose their teeth and regrow new ones constantly. In its lifetime, he explains, a single shark can have thousands and thousands of teeth.

One location where you can access the cliffs is at Calvert Cliffs State Park in Lusby, Maryland. Just a 1.8-mile walk from the parking lot, you can scour the open beach area with a small shovel and sieve—these you’ll need to bring yourself—for remnants of prehistoric sea life. (Don’t bring a hammer or bang on rocks as this will only damage the fossil, Bohaska advises.) The cliffs are layered at a slant, so you’ll find fossils from different geologic time periods depending on where you are.

“The layers at the top are the more recent chapters and the stuff at the bottom is older,” Bohaska explains. He warns that it is illegal to climb on the cliffs or search beneath them in this area, so pay attention to signage.

Don’t forget to stay socially distant while fossil collecting during the Covid-19 pandemic. Try to give others about six feet of room—about the size of a baleen whale skull, for reference.

(Courtesy of Stratford Hall)

“You’re out in the wild, be aware,” says Bohaska. “If you look at the cliff and it has a crack, or if there’s a tree overhanging, that’s not a place you want to stand.”

You can find lots of in-depth information about where to look for fossils and how to determine what you found on the Maryland Geological Survey website. You can also download Smithsonian Scholarly Press’ The Geology and Vertebrate Paleontology of Calvert Cliffs, Maryland, USA online.

Be sure to plan ahead for filled-to-capacity closures on busy holiday weekends like Labor Day. And pack your mask: The Maryland Park Service requires face coverings in public buildings and outdoor public spaces wherever social distancing is not possible.

Stratford Hall – Stratford, Virginia

In 1717, Virginia colonist and politician Thomas Lee purchased Stratford Hall, a 1,200-acre property in Stratford, Virginia. About 17 million years earlier, during the Miocene era, however, the Stratford Hall estate’s towering 150-foot-high cliffs were actually part of the seafloor, according to its website.

In 2013, amateur paleontologist Jon Bachman—who serves as Stratford Hall’s educational events coordinator—found a 15-million-year-old whale skull on the shores of the Potomac River at the four-generation Lee family home, where Robert E. Lee was born in 1807. The six-foot-long, 1,000-pound fossil was unearthed when the banks of the river eroded that summer. The skull was “the biggest” found near the cliffs, but there’s plenty more where that came from, including “shark-toothed porpoises, salt-water crocodiles, sea cows, gopher turtles [and]rays,” according to Stratford Hall’s website.

The cliffs still turn loose small fossils as they erode. As sediment accumulated for millions of years, the ocean underwent a series of marine transgressions, meaning that over a long period of time, the shoreline receded and advanced several times. Each time that movement happened a new layer of sediment was dumped, and those layers can be seen as one looks up at the cliffs.

“The back and forth of the ocean created the right environment to preserve the remains of countless animals,” Bachman explains. “Now, as the river current scours the cliffs, these fossils are exposed and slowly emerge out of the cliffs. That’s what people want to find.”

Jon Bachman (left) and Howard University anatomy professor Daryl Domning and his daughter, Charlotte Domning, make their way to the site to excavate the skeleton of a prehistoric whale in August 2013.

(Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Today, the waterline at the Stratford cliffs is about 16 million years old, Bachman says.

Due to irresponsible fossil hunting practices, however, visitors must purchase a grounds pass ($8 for adults and $5 for kids) to access a small, well-marked, 100-yard-long collecting area on the beach. The Hall still offers guided collecting tours led by one of their Paleo Patrol volunteers, explains Alex Withers, an events coordinator at Stratford Hall. Tours are typically about four hours long. Withers notes there is limited weekend tour availability left in the 2020 season, but they are taking reservations for 2021. (You can read up about their COVID-19 guidelines on their website.)

Bachman, who used to be a fourth grade teacher in Virginia’s Prince William County, says making fossil collecting a lifelong hobby is a worthwhile adventure. “It takes patience, this stuff isn’t littering the ground,” he says. “It’s humbling and fascinating hobby.”

Start with reviewing the principles of geology, Bachman suggests. Then move on to studying the geology in your area, which will tell you what rock formation and landscape features are nearby—and therefore, what fossils might be found there. State geologic societies have useful information on their websites.

“It’s just a delight and you don’t have to get a degree in it to enjoy it,” he adds. “You can educate yourself in stages. It’s about familiarizing yourself with the landscape around us.”

Westmoreland State Park Fossil Beach – Montross, Virginia

Westmoreland State Park Fossil Beach

(Virginia State Parks)

About 70 miles south of the Natural History Museum, Westmoreland State Park’s Fossil Beach is another hotbed for prehistoric shark teeth, but what’s really eye-catching about the location is the stratigraphy—or rocky layers—of the cliffs. Gazing up at the cliffs’ stripes is like looking 25 million years back in time; each layer represents millions of years of geologic history. Fossil Beach neighbors Stratford Hall, so the geology in both areas is similar.

“The river current erodes the sediment and fossilized material washes up on the beach,” explains Bachman, who lives nearby and collects fossils at this location. Bachman’s wife, Dianne, recently found the lower part of a leg bone, which they later found out may belong to a Miocene pseudo-toothed pelican, Pelagornis miocaenus, after having their colleague Robert Weems, a paleontologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, take a look. The bone is about six inches long and hollow, much like bird bones are today.

“People probably stepped over it a million times,” says Bachman.

Jon Bachman, an amateur paleontologist and avid fossil collecter, says his favorite find isn’t his own. His wife found a Miocene era bird bone recently.

(Courtesy of Jon Bachman)

The area was once home to the unique prehistoric whale species, Eobalaenoptera harrisoni. A model of the 14 million-year-old baleen whale hangs in the Caroline County visitor’s center just a short drive from Fossil Beach. When the original fossil was excavated in the 1990s, researchers recovered half of the full skeleton, making it one of the most complete and largest prehistoric whale skeletons in the U.S. The skeleton is housed in the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville.

During the pandemic, “face coverings are required in all park facilities and where social distancing is not possible,” according to the park’s website. Virginia State Parks also recommends bringing your own soap and hand sanitizer. Of course, respect social distancing and keep a six-foot space between yourself and others. Step aside to let others pass on trails.

Purse State Park – Nanjemoy, Maryland

Purse State Park

(Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Just over an hour’s drive south of D.C., Purse State Park is located on a stretch of the banks of the Potomac River called Wades Bay. Paleontologist Michelle Pinsdorf of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History says most of the fossils you’ll find at this site are from the late Paleocene—specifically the Aquia Formation rock layer, which is 55 to 59 million years old.

“During this time period, many types of animals were evolving and diversifying to adapt to the extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous time period,” Pinsdorf writes in an email to Smithsonian magazine. “Because the deposit is marine in origin, the teeth of a wide variety of shark and bony fish species can be found in this formation.”

Alongside shark teeth, you may find an occasional prehistoric crocodile tooth, which by comparison sort of look like “an ice cream cone with an almost silky texture,” says Bohaska.

You’ll also spot plenty of fossilized shells. Pinsdorf says prehistoric oyster shells are among her favorite finds at Purse State Park. “Although they are heavily eroded and don’t have much of the shell pattern or shape left, they are a beautiful purple color and have an interesting luster and smooth texture,” she says.

The ideal time to search is during low tide when there is enough shoreline to scour. “But if you go in the days after a storm or rough waters, you’re more likely to find fossils that have recently eroded out of the bedrock, and are in better condition as a result,” explains Pinsdorf.

The trails are unmarked so it’s important to carry a compass and map, according to Maryland’s tourism department. Pinsdorf suggests taking a quarter-mile trail westward, across the road from the Park’s parking area on Route 224 (Riverside Road), to a narrow stretch of beach along Wade’s Bay.

“Bringing a colander or mesh screen is recommended to aid in sifting the gravel, in which small but numerous shark teeth and can be found,” she says. “Larger, weathered oyster shell fragments are present at this site also.”

During the coronavirus pandemic, face coverings are required in park buildings and outdoor areas where social distancing is not possible. Some parks have introduced additional cleaning procedures for restrooms or closed public restrooms. Others may be offering portable bathrooms instead, according to Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources.

Dinosaur Park – Laurel, Maryland

Steve Jabo, a fossil preparator at the Smithsonian, works on a large fossilized dinosaur bone found at Dinosaur State Park in 2011.

(Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Originally a prime site for iron mining, African American miners in 1858 were the first to discover dinosaur fossils at this site. Geologist Philip Thomas Tyson brought the fossilized bones from the mines to a scientific conference in 1859, where they were officially identified as dinosaur remains.

“It’s a place where people have been working for a few hundred years,” explains paleontologist Matt Carrano of Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. If the area where Dinosaur Park now stands hadn’t been mined at all, it would look like a normal Maryland hillside covered in vegetation. “It’s only a good spot for fossil collecting because it was mined for so long,” he says.” You’re looking at bedrock where there should be soil.”

Today, Dinosaur Park features fossilized dino bones, including some from Maryland’s state dinosaur Astrodon johnstoni, and floral remnants from the early Cretaceous period about 115 million years ago. At the time, the region would have resembled something like a swampy bayou with muddy streams. According to Carrano, the sediment was a very fine, almost “pottery-quality,” clay-like material.

“You’re walking on a clay layer that was deposited 110 million years ago,” Carrano says. Now, when it rains, the clay absorbs the water and then dries out again, revealing fossil fragments in that process. The most common finds are plant material, like wood and pine cones.

“Every now and then the conditions are just right and you get a situation when the environment is saving things instead of recycling them,” Carrano explains.

Due to COVID-19, all public programs and fossil collecting at Dinosaur Park are currently on hold, but the park area is open from sunrise to sunset. The unrestricted area features a Cretaceous-era garden and a climbable dinosaur “skeleton.” Signs describe the kinds of dinosaurs that once roamed the area, what Maryland’s prehistoric environment looked like and the African American history in the area, according to the park’s website.

Dinosaur Park usually serves as an outdoor laboratory, where the public can work alongside paleontologists to help uncover the past on the first and third Saturdays of the month or by appointment. Hundreds of fossils discovered by visitors have been collected and cataloged to date, enhancing our knowledge about the ancient ecosystem that once existed here.

“There’s a steady stream of new discoveries,” Carrano says. “We’re in this phase when the variety is much greater than we knew, just because we didn’t have much collected from the area. Many times, you’ll know you have something new, but you don’t have enough of it to give it a new name.”

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[larrytcamp]

THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO WITH KIDS

When going to a world-class city like Toronto, there's no scarcity of things to do. And also if you're travelling with children, you remain in good luck-- from thrill rides and also theater reveals to sports and also beautiful tours, Toronto supplies the very best in family members enjoyment. With Four Seasons Resort Toronto serving as online for your family members trip, even the youngest visitors will certainly feel welcome. As well as at d|bar they'll find a children's food selection featuring a gourmet, not-so-pint-size hamburger. For downtime, you can choose a family flick night in your collection, or use the spectacular leisure pool.

Yet you won't intend to remain still for long. With a lot to do in Toronto, we advise finding the city through these tourist attractions as well as activities-- targeted at school-age children, but assured to please kids of every ages.

SCALE NEW HEIGHTS

It's obvious that kids like to reach the tops of things-- and the taller the much better. Mini adventurers can take pleasure in a bird's- eye sight of Toronto and also the surrounding area from the observation deck at the CN Tower, among the highest free-standing frameworks worldwide. Take an adrenaline-pumping ride up in a glass elevator and also capture the breathtaking moment when your youngster jumps on the glass floor.

TAKE A DEEP DIVE

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, the country's biggest fish tank, opened up in 2013 simply actions from the CN Tower. The aquarium covers 135,000 square feet (12,550 square metres), holds more than 1.5 million gallons (5.7 million litres) of water, and also is house to 15,000 pets, including sharks, jellies, rays and also eco-friendly sea turtles. Allot time to find Dangerous Lagoon, where a moving pathway, the lengthiest of its kind in North America, allows guests to see aquatic life up close.

CHECK OUT THE WILD

Include some discovering to a day of discovery at Royal Ontario Gallery. Of special passion to kids are the popular Planet Rangers reveals, where young adventurers can awaken their wild side and learn about the diversity of animal life and also nature through interactive science lessons, complete with looks by animal ambassadors. Do not neglect to have a look at the ROM's famous Bat Cave, where you can and satisfy live bats.

ENJOY ANTIQUE ENJOYABLE

Found on Toronto's Centre Island (taking the ferry flight to the island is half the fun), Centreville Theme park is reminiscent of simpler times, featuring pony flights, a windmill-style Ferris wheel as well as an antique slide carousel. While many rides are geared to youngsters ages 12 and under, the whole family members can delight in a careless summer day on the island. Pack a barbecue and expanded on lavish environment-friendly areas after a family bike flight, or cool down in the wading pools.

TALK WITH ANIMALS

The Toronto Zoo houses more than 5,000 pets in the middle of 7 zoogeographic areas: Indo-Malaya, Africa, the Americas (North as well as South America), Eurasia, the Tundra as well as Australasia. Outdoors, pets live in naturalistic atmospheres, with barrier-free watching at several degrees to make sure that kids have no trouble getting an excellent look. Don't miss out on the brand-new TundraAir ride, the Gorilla Rain forest and the interactive Children Zoo.

CHEER FOR THE JOUSTING

A screen of pageantry from an additional century, Middle ages Times Dinner & Tournament urges young and old to find their inner knights and also girls during an evening of feasting as well as celebrations. Enjoy a passionate royal dinner of hen, spare ribs, bread and also potatoes (or a vegetarian plate, if you like) with the court while you appreciate the accomplishments of daring carried out by endure knights as well as their reliable horses.

MAKE A GO TO HEAVEN

Although it's a bit of a walk from the midtown core (1 hour by cars and truck or 2 hrs by public transportation), no check out to the Toronto location is full without taking in the thrills, household rides, live programs and amazing water park at Canada's Heaven. Little kids can communicate with Peanuts personalities at Planet Snoopy, while older kids as well as roller coaster aficionados will appreciate the brand-new Wonder Mountain's Guardian, which takes bikers via an interactive thrill with medieval dragons and 3-D animation.

STROLL THE HALL OF FAME

The long-term house of the well known Stanley Mug, the Hockey Hall of Popularity supplies hrs of enjoyment for followers of all ages with a range of interactive exhibits. Evaluate your slapshot or play goalie versus virtual-reality players, call the play-by-play for hockey's biggest goals in the TSN Broadcast Zone, and go to a replica clothing area of the Montreal Canadiens.

The post “ THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO WITH KIDS” was appeared  first on FOUR SEASONS

Naturopathic Toronto Doctor - Dr. Amauri Caversan, ND

[domhovasse]

Last night I dreamt of San Pedro.

I am so so blessed to have friends who are willing to do whatever it takes to have me attend the annual girls’ New Years trip. When Gaby generously offered to help me pay for my flights using her air miles, I couldn’t refuse. A week with my best friends in the Caribbean, to ring in the new year - how could I say no!

Quite honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Belize. The pictures of the beaches looked beautiful, but most people I had spoken to had only been to Belize City, and no one had anything particularly positive to say about it. From all the articles I had read, it was definitely a city to avoid at all costs. The fact that there are literally zero hostels there was an obvious hint that we should probably just fly in and head to the next destination as soon as possible. 

After a long travel day from Cancun (with a brief layover in El Salvador), we arrived in Belize City and caught a taxi directly to the ferry terminal. The first thing that caught me off-guard was the fact that everything was written in English, and only English and Creole were being spoken. I knew ahead of time that it was an English-speaking country due to the fact that it was a British colony for over 100 years before becoming independent, but I guess because of its geographical location, I was expecting the people to look Latino and be speaking some Spanish. 

We arrived to the island of Caye Caulker just after sunset, checked-in to our airbnb, and went for a little walk before finding a place to grab dinner. We found out that a lot of places on the island didn’t accept card, so we went to the only bank on the island, and to our surprise, it had ran out of cash. We ended up having to make due with Gaby’s USD she had brought until the next morning, when the ATM machines had been filled with cash. After dinner, we spent some time playing card games back at our airbnb (with some drinks, of course), before hopping from bar to bar, checking out some of the island’s nightlife.  

We spent the majority of the morning grabbing breakfast/lunch and then hanging out by our airbnb’s pool before heading back to the ferry terminal. From Caye Caulker we caught a ferry to San Pedro, where we met Lara, the last (and vital) piece of our crew. Our airbnb host picked us up from the ferry terminal, and we settled into our beautiful airbnb home. While some of us napped, Gaby and I went on a mission to pick up some beers and find a shop that wasn’t yet sold out of Golf Carts, which is the main mode of transportation on the island. It took us some time, but we finally found a shop that had 1 left! 

After a lovely dinner, we started our night off at our house with a classic game of Kings Cup, with the added bonus of playing while sitting in our jacuzzi. Once we were all dolled up and ready to go, we headed into the main square around 11pm, to join thousands of locals and tourist in ringing in the new year. Right after the countdown, we ended up running into a group of American guys that we had briefly met earlier at the ferry terminal, and then at the grocery store down the street from our place. We spent the rest of the evening bar hopping with them, singing karaoke and dancing the night away. It was honestly probably my favourite new years eve to date! 

After a much-needed New Years Day sleep-in, we motivated ourselves to get out of bed and spend an afternoon boating and snorkelling (with the group of American guys). We spent hours swimming around, looking at some incredible ocean wild-life, soaking up the sun, blasting music, and at the end of the day, enjoying the beautiful sunset with rum punches in our hands. We even got to swim with nurse sharks - it was so frightening, but one of the coolest experiences of my life! That night, we had a lovely ceviche dinner before having a “chill” night in with the guys. I had completely lost my voice, so I threw in the towel pretty early to get a good night sleep.

On our last morning in San Pedro, we made sure to wakeup at a decent hour, to drive over to Secret Beach, an isolated “not-so-secret” beach on the other side of the island. We spent a few hours there, wading in the water, eating lunch, and sipping on some piña coladas, before heading back to the airbnb to grab our things and catch a ferry back to Caye Caulker. I know it sounds like an awful lot of moving around, and I wasn’t in charge of the itinerary this time, but Caye Caulker is almost exactly halfway between the mainland and San Pedro, and it’s only a 45 minute boat ride between each.

After arriving back in Caye Caulker, we checked into our airbnb, which much to our surprise, was in the same building as our last one! We had a few hours left before sunset, so we wandered around the island, walking along the water, all the way down to “the Split”, which is a narrow channel caused by a Hurricane in 1961, which now splits the island into two. We sat down for a while on the docks and enjoyed some happy hour drinks, before our delicious, jerk chicken dinner. It was so so tasty, and the service was so wonderful. We ended up staying for a while, and our server even offered me a job (since I was the only unemployed one at the time). Not going to lie, it wasn’t an easy no! Our last night together was spent being carefree and having the time of our lives, dancing (and twerking) the night away.

The following morning, after packing up our things, Lara and I went on a walk/instagram photo shoot before sending her off on her ferry. (She had an earlier flight than the rest of the girls.) After checking out, the rest of us found a place to grab brunch before heading back to Belize City. Since my friends all had to go back to work, I had planned to go off on my own and visit the Belizian countryside for a few days. Once back on the mainland, we found a taxi driver who agreed to drop me off at the bus station first, on the way to the airport. He charged us all the same amount, even though my drop-off location was less than 1/10th of the distance, but I didn’t feel like being a cheapskate and trying to barter.   

When I got to the bus station there were no signs at all, or bus numbers, so I had to ask one of the workers to point out where my bus would be leaving from. Public busses in Belize are old school busses, with no seatbelts and horrible suspension. During the ride, the bus driver’s assistant makes his way down the aisle to collect payment, as the bus driver stops every 5 minutes to pickup passengers on the side of the road. I eventually arrived safely in the quiet town of San Ignacio and checked into my hostel just before grabbing dinner and going to bed early.

My alarm went off at 7am the following morning, I found somewhere to eat a hefty breakfast and then spent most of the day on an excursion to visit the ATM (Actun Tunichil Muknal) cave, where I hiked through the rainforest, crossing several rivers, eventually arriving at the mouth of a cave. We then spent several hours in the cave, swimming, climbing, crawling through crevices, and eventually, got to the dry chambers of the cave where we saw some (calcified) remains of ceramics and pottery used in that very cave by the Mayans during rituals and ceremonies. We even got to see actual skeletal remains of victims that were brought to this cave to be sacrificed between 650-900 AD! It was definitely one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. Phones were forbidden, so I unfortunately have no pictures, but you can find some on google :) After getting myself all cleaned up at the hostel, and hanging out for a bit, I went for a late afternoon stroll through town, before meeting up with the American guys we had met in San Pedro, for dinner. Our schedules happened to overlap a day, which was nice! 

I started off my last day in Belize by treating myself to a lovely breakfast, before spending some time at an old Mayan site called Cahal Pech, which was once the home of an elite Maya family. On my way back into the main part of town, I popped into the San Ignacio Resort Hotel to visit their Iguana Rehabilitation Centre, where I spent some time learning about the reptiles and even got to feed some! After slowly making my way back to the hostel, I hung out for a bit, got some of the best friend chicken I’ve had in my life, from a hole in the wall Chinese take-out restaurant, before heading to the bus stop. 

Bussing in Belize was quite the experience. You can find a very loose schedule of bus departure and arrival times online, but locals don’t even follow it because “busses come and go about every 30 minutes; you just need to wait.” Since it was a Sunday, I gave myself ample time to be able to make my connection in Belize City, and for once in my life, I got lucky, as the bus was just starting to pull away as I arrived. After the driver confirmed to me that they were heading to the City, I boarded the chock-a-block full bus. I stayed standing for a while before I was able to find a seat, and when I eventually did, I wasn’t able to take a nap because the driver was blasting some Belizian rap music through the speakers. I arrived in Belize City with a few hours to kill before my overnight bus to Cancun, so I sat there and waited patiently. I had read that the bus station in Belize City was in a bit of a seedy area, so at first I was a little worried about having to wait there alone at night, but it was actually quite safe, and there were several other tourists also waiting. 

[roundtheworldrambles]

Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands

Day 80  - Airlie Beach

The overnight bus to Airlie beach was a long one – clocking in at 12 hours, with stops in Townsville, Mackay, Aye and Bowen. I rolled into the beach town mid afternoon, and crashed immediately upon arrival to my hostel. Fresh after a few hours of shut-eye, I finally set off to explore Airlie Beach. This relaxed resort town is on the coast of Queensland, and is the gateway to the nearby Whitsunday Islands. The town was fully decorated for Christmas in tropics style  - which in most cases involved a Santa with a surfboard and boardshorts!

Christmas Down Under!

The main street of Airlie Beach was packed full of swim stores, patios, and dozens of tour desks. I grabbed fish and chips at Boatys and wandered along the shoreline to Abel Point Marina, the departure point for most of the sailboats into the Coral Sea. The scenery around me was spectacular, with hundreds of white sailboats bobbing on the brilliant turquoise waters of the bay. As the sun began to go down, I meandered back to my hostel, stopping to grab groceries for the next few days, and pick up some Vegemite to send home to Canada! (A favourite product of my family – what happens when you have an Australian grandmother!)

Abel Point Marina

In the evening, I made friends with a few girls from Holland and Amsterdam at my hostel, and we ended up winning the hostel’s trivia night. Sitting on the outdoor patio enjoying our prize – a free bottle of champagne! – we chatted late into the evening, with gentle tropical breeze from the nearby ocean rustling the ceiling of palms above us.

Day 81-82 – Airlie Beach

I spent the following two days in Airlie Beach relaxing and enjoying this picturesque town, and planning for the next legs of my trip. In the mornings, I became a regular at Sidewalk Café, a beachside coffee house, where I took advantage of their strong Wifi and (equally strong!) coffee and do my research for Tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney. As it got progressively hotter and humid in the afternoons, I would head to the nearby manmade lagoon, located next to the ocean, for a refreshing dip. As it was still stinger season in Queensland, swimming in the ocean was not an option in Airlie beach without wearing a stinger suit.

Airlie Beach Lagoon

The lagoon was a lovely place to spend an afternoon – between dips in the many pools, I would read my book, lie in the sun, do some yoga, and listen to music. My friend Rosa from Amsterdam would come and join me in the afternoons. It was a pretty lovely place to spend a few days!

Day 83 – Whitsunday Islands

With a small bag packed for my next two days of sailing, I headed to Abel Point Marina in the morning to board Freight Train, a former racing sailboat in the famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. An annual event that has taken place since 1945, this sailing race is considered to be among the most challenging yacht races in the world. The Freight Train won this race in 1983, and later retired from racing. The boat has since been retrofitted with stacked berths and a galley kitchen to take passengers out into the Whitsunday Islands.

As we set out on to the sparkling coral sea, our jovial and sarcastic Aussie skipper Kevin introduced us to the crew and gave us a briefing about the boat. We had a full sailing, complete with 3 crew and 18 passengers – who were mostly Germans, Americans, Spaniards and Austrians! The boat was not large, and the below deck area was designed for communal living, with small berths built into the side of the boat hull. This was not a problem in the least, as our group got along splendidly, relaxing above deck with our feet dangling off the side of the sailboat, and listening to music under the blue sky.

Kevin and his crew hoisted the sails as we approached open water, cutting the power to the motor. The wind whipped through our hair as we sailed towards the Whitsundays, occasionally seeing dolphins spashing in distance. The Whitsundays are a group of 74 magnificent Islands in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, most of which are uninhabited and part of a national park. The shores of these islands are lined with sparking white beaches, and have impressive coral gardens hidden beneath the turquoise waters offshore.

Whitsunday Islands

We first anchored in a sheltered bay off Hook Island, and prepared for our snorkelling adventure in the fringing reef around the island, complete with gearing up in stinger suits! Large colourful reef fish circled our sailboat as we bobbed along the surface, occasionally diving down for a closer look at the reef. After such an immersive diving course less than a week ago, it was a bit of an adjustment to return to snorkelling – though the beauty of these coral gardens and unique fish was stunning at any depth.

After checking out a few other snorkel sites, each with coral gardens and marine wildlife just as stunning as the last, we finally arrived at our mooring for the night at a quiet cove off Border Island. After more swimming and diving off the boat, we  finally brought the goon out of the cooler! “Goon” is what Aussies call cheap boxed wine, and it has a bit of a mixed reputation in the country. Although it is a backpacker staple, it is also known to be a notoriously bad wine – and often a recipe for a hangover! “Slap the Goon” is also a famous tradition of backpackers throughout Australia, a fact that did not take me long to learn! For a reason that remains unknown to me to this day, it is customary to slap the bag of goon before having a drink, a tradition that our sailing crew readily attempted - with much hilarity!

We ended the day with a delicious dinner prepared by our crew, which we ate on the boat deck, watching the sun go down over the Whitsunday Islands.

Day 84 – Whitsunday Islands and Whitehaven Beach

We woke up early in the morning to set sail to Whitehaven Beach, the iconic white sand beach that the Whitsunday Islands are best known for. Riding large ocean swells between Border Island and Tongue Bay, our skipper Kevin got us to help with hoisting sails, rigging and steering (a surprisingly effective way to keep us from getting seasick, as I had already felt a bit nauseous when walking below deck that morning!).

Tongue Bay, Whitsunday Islands

As we sailed towards our next anchorage point, a few pounding rainstorms quickly came and went, lasting for no more than 15 minutes before returning to clear blue sky. I personally found these brief downpours to be a welcome reprieve from the scorching heat of the Whitsundays – with the strong sun beating down on us and reflecting back off the water.  The UV index in Queensland is very high, and it was easy to get sunburnt even if we were wearing sunscreen with over 50 SPF!

Dropping anchor at Tongue Bay, a picturesque cove off of Whitsunday Island, we shuttled over the mainland to begin our short hike up to Hill Inlet Lookout. As we walked, kookaburras cackled overhead, swooping to and from the hoop pines and cedar trees. Looking into the scrubby bush alongside the path, we were also lucky to catch a glimpse of a goana, a large lizard native to Queensland.

The Hill Inlet Lookout was simply spectacular, providing us with an excellent overlook of the swirling white sands below, streaked and mixed with the turquoise waters of the coral sea, which rise and fall with the tide. The pure white sand of Whitehaven Beach is made almost completely of silica, which has been brought to the beach by sea currents over millions of years. This silica sand is so fine that we were warned to be very careful with our cameras, as it is very easy for small particles to get into lenses and actually break them!

Whitehaven Beach

Descending from Hill Inlet Lookout to North Whitehaven beach, we walked towards the water, the fine white sand squeaking beneath our feet! In Hill Inlet, the waters are very shallow and protected by the tide and sandy beach.  Because of the unique geography of this inlet, baby lemon sharks and baby stingrays can often be seen swimming through the shallow waters. Wading near the shore, a few swam within only a few meters of our feet!

After hanging out on the beach and swimming in Hill Inlet for a few hours, we returned to our sailboat for lunch, before gradually beginning the voyage back to Airlie Beach. The wind carried us to one final dive site on our return trip, where old cars were sunk offshore in 1965. Surprisingly, this was done intentionally to encourage coral growth and provide a habitat for reef fish. It was fascinating snorkelling in this beautiful coral garden, as you could still faintly make out the shapes of cars, buried deep under the coral. We spent the rest of our afternoon relaxing on the sailboat as we returned to port. Back on dry land, our group headed to Beaches bar in town, with free drinks courtesy of our hilarious skipper Kevin!

Day 85 - Airlie Beach to Brisbane

I finished my final morning in Airlie Beach with another visit to Sidewalk Cafe and the lagoon, before catching an airport shuttle to Proserpine airport, a tiny bush airport that only has 2 departures per day. I boarded a short flight to Brisbane, where I would be taking a connecting flight the following day to Hobart, Tasmania. I was looking forward to staying with the Mulcahys in Tasmania – long-time friends of my family, after my sister and their daughter Alice did a school exchange over 11 years earlier!

#australia