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greywitch · 5 years ago

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EVEN IF IT TAKES ALL NIGHT OR A HUNDRED YEARS

some pre-fragment of the deep sea picture drama shenanigans featuring c.c. x lelouch.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Of course I am." C.C. grabbed the two shirttails of Lelouch's blouse before he could finish pulling his arms through and dragged him closer. Lelouch grunted unhappily, pausing with his left arm at an awkward, uncomfortable angle in the gossamer sleeve as he shot C.C. a constipated glare.

Pretending to be none the wiser, she hummed, "Why wouldn't I be?"

As if to emphasize the point, she traced a finger down the flat plane of Lelouch's stomach, nail scraping lightly against pale, unblemished skin. C.C. could practically feel the goosebumps rising in her wake, the featherlight shiver ricocheting down his spine, as he yanked his arm through the rest of the fabric and jerked away again.

"Oi."

She laughed despite the warning in his voice and met disapproving violet with golden abandon and Chesire aplomb. Still so sensitive ten years later. She doubted that would change in another ten or even a hundred. Lelouch was stubborn like that, but so was she.

"Relax, Lelouch. I know we're on a time constraint," C.C. amended though the smirk never quite left her face. She pulled him close again, this time by the waistband of his satiny culottes. Lelouch let the motion carry him forward, releasing a drawn out sigh in the process. His hand took up his signature gesture, halfway between thinking and exasperation, with his fingers steepled against his forehead and his eyes shut against the sight of C.C. knotting his shirt and deliberately exposing his abdomen.

"You couldn't find something less... translucent? Or more... well, just, more?"

"It's your fault for not coming with me. And if I recall, you only said, 'whatever fits,' when I asked. Would you rather wear the dress?"

"Obviously not," he snapped, more chagrined than angry.

C.C. hummed again, testing the strength of her knot with a little tug. "I thought you'd have gotten used to this by now between the cross-dressing festival and that once at the Chinese Federation. Besides, it's not often that I get to see you like this. Can you blame me?"

Lelouch huffed like a put-upon child, crossing his arms low over his stomach as if to guard against C.C.'s mischief. "Now you're just starting to sound like Milly."

"Maybe she had the right idea." C.C. straightened and turned toward the duffel of supplies sitting on the floor. She dug out a purple shawl and handed it to him before continuing to root around. The studio they rented didn't have much by way of lighting, only the single naked bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling and flickering in and out. It was modest accommodations but the closest they could get to the naval base as civilians. "Speaking of which, you never did make good on your promise. And I was so looking forward to being President of the Pizza Club."

"I never promised that."

"Oh, didn't you, Mr. Vice President?"

She found the accompanying headband for his outfit. Tossing it over her arm, she focused on fixing her own first as she pivoted to face Lelouch fussing over the wrinkles in his cloak and the tangled frills along the edge.

"Were you that looking forward to being a student?"

"I was. There wasn't much to look forward to being cooped up on the Ikaruga." Speaking of the Black Knights and Ashford Academy now felt like eons ago. C.C. was sure that was doubly true for Lelouch who'd literally gone to hell and back in the interim. "But I suppose I found a suitable alternative."

"And what's that?" Lelouch cocked his head at her, the knit of his eyebrows both a little curious and a little wary. His fingers nimbly worked at the knot of his shawl as he waited for the answer. C.C. let him wait, indulging in the dramatic pause as she finished smoothing her headband into place.

"President of the Annoy Lelouch Forever Club~♥" She adopted her high-pitched tone that never failed to get on his nerves and felt rather gratified when his eyebrow twitched. She didn't reflect on what she said until after she'd said it, the implication of forever slotting into her speech so easily that she wondered when she'd started thinking about them in those terms.

Lelouch didn't miss a beat. "Well, you certainly have a talent for it."

He reached for the hairband and visibly refrained from pulling a face at the (admittedly unnecessary) tassels.

"You'll look good," C.C. assured before kneeling back down to the duffel and pulling out the rest of their accessories. Lelouch sighed like a weak breeze behind her, all defeat and no defiance.

"What is this supposed to be?" He picked up the choker she laid on the ground.

"Just wound it around your neck and keep the pendant in the front."

"Is all of this necessary?"

"You want to be convincing, don't you?" C.C. grabbed two pairs of shoes from the sack and lifted them to the light. "Heels or flats?"

"Flats."

They finished dressing in silence. The sparse apartment echoed their brisk movements, shoes tapping against scuffed linoleum. They'd be leaving this place soon. She'd already packed their things, which wasn't much besides what they could carry on their backs. They were always on the move, so no one place kept them for long and nothing accumulated. But they always tried to bring a little home to each house. The framed picture of Nunnally, Suzaku, and Lelouch sat next to a neat stack of letters on the discounted ottoman she'd picked up at the flea market. A few origami cranes decorated the dining table. She'd stuck her Pizza Hut loyalty cards to the mini fridge with limited edition Cheese-kun magnets. These were the little things she hadn't packed yet that always went into the suitcases last.

One day, they would finish. The hundreds of fragments they'd already collected, the hundreds more still left—one day, they would have them all, their friends would be dead, and then what would happen? What was the after?

"You might still get the chance."

"Hm?" C.C. roused from her self-reflection, eyes focusing on the tablet being offered to her. It only took a glance for her to understand Lelouch's meaning. "You made progress on the next fragment?"

"Fragments. I believe there's more than one. The reports are inconsistent with one Geass user."

C.C. tugged on her earring absentmindedly as she read it. "An all-girls boarding school in Switzerland..." she murmured before the realization clicked into place, and a grin spread across her lips. "I thought you said you never wanted to cross-dress again."

Motioning Lelouch forward, she set the tablet back down and opened the palm of her other hand to reveal more earrings. Before Lelouch could say anything, she clarified, "They're clip-ons."

Lelouch shuffled forward, looking none-too-happy but standing still enough for C.C. to lean up and catch his earlobe.

"There’s a difference between want and need," he grumbled. "Anyway, there’s your opportunity."

"I think I'd make a better teacher, actually." Her voice had dropped to a low murmur at this distance, ghosting across Lelouch's cheek in light, playful breaths. Her bright amber eyes filled his vision, focused to his right. "That's your plan, right? Divide and conquer?"

“Why would you make the better teacher?” he scoffed and turned his head when she rocked back onto her heels to pick out the second set of studs.

“Clearly because I’m more knowledgeable.”

”In history, maybe.”

"And it’s not any fun being a student if you're not one with me."

Lelouch blinked. C.C.'s completely serious expression belied the teasing statement. “You’re ridiculous.”

”I’m the ridiculous one?” she laughed as she fastened the last hoop, and despite the mission looming over them, Lelouch couldn't help laughing too.

His watch beeped, the telltale signal snapping them back to reality. All traces of amusement immediately disappeared from his face as he silenced the sound. “We’ll discuss this later. It’s time.”

"Alright." C.C. backed away and picked up her duffel. She took one last thing from it and tossed it to Lelouch before zipping it up. "Don't forget your veil. I'll meet you at Point B in half an hour."

She'd already opened the door and stepped halfway across the threshold when a pressure on her wrist stopped her.

”Wait, C.C.”

”What is it?” C.C. glanced over her shoulder in time to watch Lelouch raise her hand and press the back of it to his mouth.

”Be careful.”

It wasn’t a kiss; it was softer than that, exceptionally gentle, a prayer not unlike the ones she whispered every morning before waking and every night before falling asleep. That their time would last a little longer beyond what C’s World would allow. Perhaps some things didn't need to be said. Perhaps the future could remain a mystery as long as she could have this present.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" C.C. laced their fingers together. "I'm C.C., and you're L.L., right?"

#code geass #c.c.#lelouch vi britannia #I DID THE THING #HALLELUJAH #ok but like if this doesnt read well im rusty af and im retired from fic writing lmao #i powered thru bc i knew if i didnt this would go into development hell lol and never b finished

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sparklyjojos · 5 years ago

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THE SAIMON FAMILY CASE recaps [2/13]

In which the family’s splendid magic show begins.

PART 2

SOGA TENSUI TROUPE's

CIRCUS OF MAGIC

19th Programme

1. Fantastic Umbrellas and Water Magic 2. Warrior and Bell 3. Mirror Double 4. Dancing Butterfly & Dancing Demon 5. Origami Doll Box 6. Stroll in the Air 7. Marvelous Origami Doves* 8. How to Win at Rock-Paper-Scissors* 9. Guillotine Trick 10. Magic Hands 11. Linking Hula Hoops 12. Ball of Fire and Circle of Red 13. Five-Ball Cascade 14. Miser’s Drinks & Drops* 15. Rising Flag Card* 16. Watch & Sketch Control* 17. Carp Scaling the Waterfall 18. Swing with no String 19. Nostalgic Illusion

(Audience participation welcome in parts marked with *)

The magic show we’re about to see today—November 23rd 1977—takes place in a giant white circus tent in a park in Yamaguchi City. The tent is filled with dim light and smell of fresh water; a small moat surrounds the half-circular stage, tiny spouts emerging here and there like in a fountain. Strong rope is holding something giant just above the stage: a menacing bell large enough that a grown adult could hide inside. Right next to it hangs horizontally a two-meter-long temple bell hammer made out of wood, the kind that's suspended with ropes on both ends so it looks like a simple swing.

Once everyone finds their seat, two stagehands use the temple hammer to strike the bell and the show begins.

1. FANTASTIC UMBRELLAS AND WATER MAGIC

We see a group of traditionally dressed actors take the stage. Here comes a high-class Courtisane, the two Novices she is teaching, the two Servants at their disposal. Then two other, identical-looking Courtisanes stroll in, each with her own ensemble of four. The three Courtisanes stand by the giant bell—one in front, two at the sides—and with a flick of their long sleeves each one produces a smoking pipe out of thin air. They throw the pipes high above their heads, and before they can fall back down, giant flowers have already bloomed on the stage—no, not flowers, but colorful umbrellas held by each Courtisane, each with kanji spelling out what seems to be their names: Yume Dayuu, Hana Dayuu, Nami Dayuu. The Courtisanes pass the umbrellas to their servants, but quickly produce more out of thin air, until all twelve companions have their hands busy. Then the three women pull out five more umbrellas out of nowhere, and from behind them a giant one. As they raise the umbrellas above their heads forming a three-tiered tower, white confetti starts falling down from them like sakura petals.

The umbrella tower then reveals a new trick: from the umbrella tips rise thin streams of water, like from fountain spouts, falling droplets imitating rain. Wonderful rainbows show inside the water. Once the magical rain stops, the characters stand in a line behind the bell, as if to give their bows.

The bell is lowered down until it touches the stage. When it is pulled up once more, a man in a Sengoku period armor appears from underneath it, and everyone except him shouts at once:

“Welcome to Soga Tensui’s Circus of Magic!”

2. WARRIOR AND BELL

The newly arrived warrior is a middle-aged man with elegantly swept back jet black hair reaching his shoulders, a characteristic thin Kaiser moustache adorning his face. His visible grace and refinement rival those of any emperor. Everyone knows his face well from the show's posters; this is the great magician Soga Tensui.

After the characters give a quick bow, the stage falls completely dark.

Then, a spot of light: a tiny flame is hovering in the air, growing bigger and brighter, until the audience can see that Tensui is now alone on stage, and the source of light is his left gloved hand, engulfed in dancing flames. Tensui’s helmet is now covering his eyes. The ghastly lighting makes him look like a lost soul of a warrior long gone. He produces a tall rod—a sort of a long three-armed light stand—that he lights using his burning fist, then shakes his hand like a match, and just like a match it goes out. He sets the light stand on the floor, approaches the giant bell and strikes it with the temple hammer. Its overwhelming sound resonates through the tent, and its weight can almost be felt.

A giant projection screen is lowered near the back of the stage, stopping about a meter above the floor. The audience can easily see through that gap and confirm that nothing is on the other side. The warrior takes the light stand with him and walks behind the screen, his feet visible through the gap, the closely held light making his giant shadow be projected on the screen. The warrior stops, and suddenly—his feet disappear, but the shadow stays put.

The screen is pulled up. There’s no sight of Tensui behind it… but there is a second giant bell hanging there, identical to the first one.

The first bell is once again lowered to the floor and pulled back up, and surely enough—armored Tensui once again emerges from within it.

Tensui strikes both bells one time each for good measure. Their loud, undeniably real ringing echoes through the tent. Then the hammer is pulled up towards the ceiling for now, and both bells are brought down to rest on the stage next to each other, with just a few meters separating them.

Six stagehands dressed completely in black clothes and masks enter the scene, bringing in a giant piece of black cloth and two more burning light stands for better visibility. Both bells are lowered and their ropes untied, the stagehands carefully cover both with the same single black cloth, then take their hurried exit.

Tensui approaches the covered bells, spreads his arms—and the bells start noisily moving on their own. Slowly, centimeter after centimeter, they seem to close the distance separating them. Tensui quickly brings his arms together, and the bells now move so fast they are sure to slam into each other, but instead—they seem to merge into one. The now singular shape is magically lifted above the scene as Tensui raises his right hand. Finally, he pulls off the cloth with one swift move, revealing—nothing but thin air!

Tensui turns towards the audience with his arms spread wide, and after thunderous applause all the light stands go out at once, once again leaving the stage dark.

3. MIRROR DOUBLE

Lights turn back on, showing still armored Tensui and what looks like a large frame covered with yet another piece of black cloth. Tensui uncovers it and reveals a giant mirror, three meters tall and five meters wide. Tensui faces it, unsheathes the sword by his side and swishes it around experimentally. The armored warrior in the reflection naturally mirrors all his movements. Suddenly, both perform a thrust, causing Tensui’s sword to go through the mirror—now very clearly an empty frame—and stab through the other warrior’s body.

Tensui moves back and around the stage, forcing the stabbed warrior to follow him, step out of the frame, and then show himself to the audience from all angles, so they can see that the sword indeed went right through his body, the blade sticking out of his back.

Finally, Tensui removes his sword. The other warrior looks surprised at his perfectly intact abdomen, then glances towards his own discarded sword on the other side of the frame, makes a dash for it, and—smashes against a pane of glass in the frame with a resounding clang. He bangs his fists against the glass in confusion, then steals a glance at Tensui (who waits in an imposing pose with his arms crossed), meekly walks around the frame instead and picks up his sword. Tensui approaches the frame, and he and the warrior try to strike each other once more… but the swords only hit the glass pane between them.

Eventually the mirror warrior stops and points up. Tensui understands this gesture and starts throwing him pieces of his own armor over the mirror, quickly stripping down to an elegant tailcoat and white gloves. Finally, Tensui makes a complicated magical gesture, points at the mirror, and the armored warrior on the other side instantly disappears, replaced by Tensui’s reflection.

The back of the stage goes dark (though one may notice the black-wearing stagehands hurriedly moving the mirror out), and Tensui once again faces the audience with his arms spread and is met with applause.

4. DANCING BUTTERFLY & DANCING DEMON

Tensui points to his bowtie several times, bringing attention to it. He starts gesturing with both hands, and the bowtie suddenly takes off in flight between them, as if it was a butterfly answering to his lead. [In Japanese, the bowtie is known as literally a “butterfly tie”.] He puts his hands in a ring shape and the bowtie easily flies through it a few times, showing the audience that it can’t possibly be hanging on a string from somewhere. Finally, he points to his neck and the bowtie obediently settles back in place.

Tensui accepts another round of applause, then crosses his arms and still standing like that, without moving any of his limbs, slides all the way to the back of the stage and disappears behind the black curtain.

The stagehands use a cart to wheel in what looks like a truly giant wooden pestle, the widest part at the end about as big as the bell from earlier, letters spelling out PRESS HAMMER stamped down its length. The menacing Press Hammer is then tied to a rope and lifted up, where it will stay for now like a deadly promise.

Once that is done, four other stagehands bring in a giant wooden cross, each holding one arm of it parallel to the ground at waist height. On the cross rests a large balled piece of black cloth. They carefully spin around, as if to show the audience it’s just a normal wooden cross, then stop and stare at the cloth—which starts to move, as if there’s a living creature hidden inside. The writhing cloth progressively unveils as the thing inside seems to grow, two horn-like peaks protrude under the material, making it look like a captured two-meter-tall demon. Whatever great evil hides underneath finally rips off the cloth and reveals itself as... a man with jet-black hair and a thin Kaiser moustache, wearing a tailcoat.

Tensui proudly spreads his arms wide towards the audience, stepping off the cross as the stagehands lower it to the ground.

5. ORIGAMI DOLL BOX

The stagehands demonstrate that the arms of the wooden cross can unfold and be assembled into a tall box that a standing adult could just about fit into. The front wall has two holes that one could poke their hands through.

The large black cloth from earlier is spread over the box so it covers most of it, leaving just a few centimeters at the bottom visible. Tensui makes a few magic gestures towards it, dramatically tugs the cloth off, and the previously plain front wall now bears a portrait of a beautiful smiling woman, wearing a sequin-studded leotard, a cape, black net tights, and a flashy top hat designed after the US flag. The two holes are now located where the woman’s hands should be, and indeed a pair of living human hands in white gloves is sticking out.

Tensui opens the box by setting the front wall on the ground, then gentlemanly holding one of those real hands helps a woman out. It’s his stunning assistant, who looks exactly like the portrait — though when she lifts the front wall and shows it to the audience, it now portrays Tensui instead.

Tensui has the assistant close him in the box, tightly bind his sticking out hands with rope, and once more cover the entire construction with the black cloth so only the very bottom is visible. The audience can still see where Tensui’s hands must be under the cloth, moving lively as if he is attempting to free himself.

Something moves far above the stage. The giant, deadly Press Hammer that bid its time until now starts falling lower and lower, straight towards the box. Five meters left, four meters left, three meters left. Tensui’s hands move desperately under the cloth. Two meters left. One meter left. The Press Hammer already touches the lid of the box. Tensui’s hands suddenly go still, so maybe he finally untied the rope and is about to get out, just in the nick of time… but his hands quickly go back to panicked flailing, and the Press Hammer falls down a full seventy centimeters, reducing the box to nearly half its height, horrible crack of crushed wood reverberating through the tent.

The Press Hammer is instantly lifted all the way up in deafening silence. The assistant rips off the black cloth to reveal the box...

...which doesn’t seem crushed at all. It looks like a perfectly intact, although significantly shorter box, and while the two gloved hands bound with rope are still sticking out like earlier, the holes themselves are now located much lower in the wooden wall…

...which no longer shows the portrait of Tensui, but one of a small boy.

The assistant unties the rope and the hands resume their movement, but unlike Tensui’s panicked flailing, these seem to be expressing innocent cheerfulness.

The wall is opened from the inside and out steps the small boy from the portrait, dressed in a tiny version of Tensui’s tailcoat, with an okappa haircut, as if Tensui somehow got squished into his small child version… but no, a closer look reveals it can’t be a real child; it looks to be a marionette, probably controlled from above. It walks closer to the audience in that strange marionette-like manner, and as its blocky puppet mouth starts moving up and down—

“Hello, everyone!” comes a cheerful young voice from the speakers and the puppet gives a stiff bow.

The assistant looks as surprised as the audience and slowly approaches the puppet from behind... only for it to turn its head at an impossible angle to look back at her. The puppet is barely over a meter tall, so the assistant has to bend forward to speak with it.

“Where did you come from, little boy?” she asks.

“From there!” The puppet points to the box, as if it’s obvious.

“Yes, from there, but—where from exactly?”

“There! From the box.”

“Wasn’t there an adult man inside?”

“Nope! Just me.”

The confused assistant investigates the box from all angles, collapsing the back wall in the process, so the box now looks like a frame or a tunnel. She turns the entire construction so its side faces the audience, falls to her knees and crawls through the tunnel in search for Tensui. The audience can clearly see her entering the tunnel and emerging on the other side; she’s wearing the same top hat, the same cape, leotard, tights…

...except she is now a little girl.

6. STROLL IN THE AIR

The girl notices Kotensui and they say hello to each other. Notably, while the girl’s voice comes both from the stage and amplified through the speakers, the puppet has its happy energetic lines come solely through the speakers.

“Nice to meet you!” the girl says. “My name’s Koyomi. What’s yours?”

“I’m Kotensui. Nice to meet you! You have a strange name, Koyomi!”

“Kotensui is even stranger!

“It is?”

“It is!”

The joke is now obvious: the puppet is named Ko-tensui, “small Tensui”. The girl’s name, Ko-yomi, seems to suggest that the adult assistant was named Yomi. Two child versions of the magical pair. Both seem to be about the same age and height.

“Where did you come from, Koyomi?”

“From there!” she says pointing to the box.

“From there?!” repeats Kotensui, his jerky movements full of shock. “But where’s the adult lady?”

“The adult lady?”

“She went inside the box… and changed into you!”

“But there wasn’t any adult lady inside! Just me.”

Surprised Kotensui looks at the box, then spreads his arms to the sides and start walking towards it—through the air, climbing an invisible staircase up to the box’s roof, from which he hangs his head down to look inside and states that the lady really has disappeared. Then he jumps off, landing as light as a feather on the other side. None of this is particularly strange, considering he’s probably suspended on strings… which doesn’t explain how he then casually walks back through the tunnel. Any string should get caught on its ceiling.

“How’d you do that?” Koyomi seems as perplexed as the audience.

“Did what?”

“You were flying!”

“Oh, you mean strolling in the air! You do it like this!” He spreads his arms wide.

“Like this?” Koyomi also spreads her arms.

“Let’s go!” Kotensui climbs the invisible staircase again and this time jumps clear over the box. Koyomi runs along, but as a human girl obviously can’t do the same no matter how hard she tries.

“No fair! I want to fly too!” Koyomi thinks for a moment. “Oh, but maybe there is a way…!” She grabs the ends of her long cape. As she gently moves her arms like they’re wings, she lifts herself up, hovering between one and two meters above the ground. She sits on top of the box for a second, then takes off in flight again.

“How are you doing that?” Kotensui asks in amazement.

“You really wanna know?”

“Wanna know! Wanna know!”

“Then look closely!” And as she makes another turn, this time flying much closer to the audience, it is now obvious that a strong stagehand is holding her legs and lifting her up and down. This third person just couldn’t be seen due to their black clothes and mask being a perfect camouflage in front of the black curtain. Koyomi’s cape hid the points of contact from view. No real magic involved, but it’s still incredible how a girl this young can hold her balance this well and keep on smiling. Finally the stagehand gently sets her down.

“Who is that?” Kotensui asks, pointing at the stagehand... or at least holding his round wooden hand in that direction. It doesn't look like his puppet fists can open.

“What do you mean?” Koyomi sounds puzzled. “There’s obviously no one here.”

“But he’s right there!”

“Who? I don’t see anyone.”

“That man in black hiding his face!”

Suddenly, the stagehand angrily removes the mask and shows their face. It’s Tensui’s beautiful assistant herself!

“Who are you calling a man?” she asks with a glare.

“H-huh? The lady?!” Kotensui is in shock. “Where were you?”

The assistant and Koyomi catch each other’s eye and exchange a long awkward look, until finally the assistant puts her mask back on.

“I’m not here, okay?” she says and walks away towards the box.

“You got it now? That person is not visible!” Koyomi states pointedly.

“Gotcha! If you look at that person in black, that’s bad!” Kotensui recites, and when the assistant stops in her tracks and quickly turns her head towards him, he hurries, “I mean, nothing! I see no one!” The assistant nods in approval and starts quietly deconstructing the box just like a normal stagehand would.

“It’s not that it’s bad, Kotensui,” Koyomi lectures. “It’s that they are invisible to us. Got it?”

“Yep! Yep. And it was just you in that box.”

“Uh-huh.”

All throughout this exchange both children are looking straight at the very troubled stagehand, who folds the wooden frame into a tiny box, takes it and heads towards the curtain… but suddenly stops, looks back at them, and the kids quickly pretend they definitely haven’t been looking at her, not at all. The stagehand moves again, the kids look at her, she stops and almost catches them in the act, and the entire red-light-green-light act repeats a few times, until the stagehand finally disappears behind the black curtain.

7. MARVELOUS ORIGAMI DOVES

“That box got really small, huh,” Koyomi notices. “Like origami. Hey, let’s do some origami!”

“Origami? But I don’t have any paper!”

“I do!” Koyomi pulls out four sheets of glossy paper out of her pocket, two silver and two gold, but hesitates before passing them to Kotensui. “Wait, can you even do origami?”

“I won’t know until I'll try!”

“What I meant is, can you even do origami with those hands?” She tries giving him one sheet, but he can’t even grasp it well between his wooden fists.

“I... don’t think I can handle origami.”

“Then you can hold this instead.” Koyomi gives him a scarlet rose that until now has been a part of her costume. There’s just enough space between Kotensui’s tightly balled wooden fingers that the stem can fit through. “Since Kotensui can’t do origami, everyone else can join me instead! Everyone, please get your paper!”

The audience retrieves the origami sheets given to everyone earlier at the entrance (and those that misplaced theirs are quickly handed new ones by the staff).

“I think I’ll get three people from the audience to help me demonstrate! Kotensui will now throw the rose into the auditorium. Whoever catches it, please throw it to someone else and join us on stage!” As Kotensui throws the rose, she adds, “but watch out for the thorns!... Just kidding, it doesn’t have any!”

The spectators chosen this way are a woman in her late twenties, a middle-aged man and a young boy. Koyomi asks them to leave their own sheets behind and instead take bigger ones from her for better visibility. The three people arrive on stage, shake Kotensui’s little hand in turn and prompted by Koyomi introduce themselves. They each choose one of the origami sheets she’s holding (they really do appear to be a bit larger than the ones the audience has), leaving her with one.

Koyomi then instructs everyone step-by-step how to fold a paper dove that flaps its wings when you grab it by the tail and shake it. Once everyone is more or less done, Koyomi holds her dove close to her face, blows on it gently as if to make it fly, and not only does the bird suddenly become twice as big as before, it even sprouts little triangular “legs” underneath. The audience (including the three chosen members) tries to do the same, but no one can achieve a similar feat, despite everyone having closely followed Koyomi’s folding instructions. The three chosen spectators are given Koyomi’s dove to inspect and confirm there doesn’t seem to be anything fishy with it, magically bigger size aside. One may think that Koyomi just stealthily folded her origami in a different way, but then she takes the doves made by two of the spectators, blows air at them in turn, and sure enough, they all grow twice in size and sprout legs.

Afterwards, Koyomi takes off her top hat, shows everyone that it’s empty, and holding it upside down asks the last audience member, the boy, to put his small paper dove inside. Once he complies, Koyomi quickly turns the hat right side up, and out comes flying a white dove—a real, living bird. It takes a short flight and lands on Koyomi’s shoulder. The boy’s paper dove is nowhere to be found. Koyomi thanks the three audience members and sends them back to their seats.

“That was so interesting, Koyomi!” Kotensui exclaims, clapping in awe.

“Kotensui? Where on earth were you all this time?”

“I've been standing right here!”

“Oh! I must’ve been so focused on the origami that I didn’t see you!”

A few perceptive audience members may have noticed that while Koyomi was busy teaching origami, Kotensui kept wandering near the back of the stage, seemingly bored. But he wasn’t just walking around at random; he always hid himself in the exact place Koyomi had her back turned towards, moving from one blindspot to another as she looked in different directions. This background joke went mostly unnoticed, considering the audience was too focused on following Koyomi’s instructions.

8. HOW TO WIN AT ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS

“Wait, Kotensui, did you just clap?” Koyomi asks in a suspicious voice.

“Uh-huh. Why are you asking?”

“Your hands shouldn’t be able to make that sound.”

“But they do!” Kotensui bangs his wooden fists together, but what comes from the speakers are sounds of real human hands clapping, matching his movements. He follows a set pattern, and before long the audience catches on to the suggestion and starts clapping in the same rhythm. The entire audience comes united in thunderous harmony under Kotensui’s lead, until—

“Stoooop!” yells Koyomi, and everyone stops clapping… except for Kotensui, and she has to repeat herself to make him stop in mid-clap. “Kotensui, you’re not the one making that sound at all, you’re just putting your hands together!”

“That’s not true!” Kotensui claps again, and the matching sound of real hands comes through the speakers. “See? I’m the one clapping! Right, everyone?”

A part of the audience cheers, making Koyomi visibly give up.

“Well, it seems the audience agrees with you on that one… You know what, I just thought of something fun!”

“Fun? What is it, what is it?!”

“It is... a method on how to win at rock-paper-scissors with guaranteed success!” she says with a devious smile. “You’re going to assist me this time, Kotensui! Does everyone know how to play?” She gives quick instructions just in case someone doesn’t. “Now play with me, Kotensui! Rock, paper, scissors...!”

Koyomi shows paper, while Kotensui shows rock.

“Oh no, I lost…!” Kotensui looks sadly at his wooden fist.

“Everyone, I want to make sure you all understand the rules, so let’s try together with me now! I want you all to show rock, okay? Ready? Rock, paper, scissors…!”

The entire audience—one thousand and five hundred people—listens to her and shows rock, even the few rebels quickly conforming to the herd… and Koyomi chooses paper.

“Sorry!” she apologizes with a mischievous smile. “Don’t worry, that wasn’t the winning method I’m talking about. I’m going to teach it to you know.” She turns to Kotensui. “But first, please play with me a few times, Kotensui! Rock, paper, scissors...!”

Once again Koyomi throws paper, while Kotensui throws rock. A few more matches, and every time it’s Koyomi’s paper against Kotensui’s rock… which is the only thing he can choose, considering his gloved hands are stuck in that shape.

“Huh? I lost five times in a row!” he exclaims sadly while the audience laughs. “Koyomi, am I really that bad at this?”

“Oh, of course you’re not! You’re just having really bad luck. It happens.” She turns to the audience. “Have you guessed what my method is now, everyone? Hope you did, because you’re going to have a match against Kotensui now, all against one. It may be a game of luck, but if everyone puts their hearts into it, I’m sure a true miracle may occur!” She all but winks at them conspicuously. “Everyone ready? Rock... paper... scissors!”

All one thousand and five hundred people in the audience show paper, and standing against them alone is poor little Kotensui, his outstretched wooden arm showing—scissors!

Just for a moment, there are undeniably two little gloved fingers sticking out towards them in the sign of victory.

Before the audience can wrap their heads around what just happened, Kotensui’s hand transforms back into his normal fist and he shouts happily.

“I won! Koyomi, I really won!”

“Congratulations!” Koyomi then turns to the audience. “And that’s how you win at rock-paper-scissors!” She shakes Kotensui’s hand and they both bow to the audience.

The stage goes dark and a staff member’s voice from the speakers announces a ten-minute break.

[>>>NEXT PART>>>]

#sparkly reads the saimon family case #maijo and jdc stuff

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luxinexitium · 5 years ago

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bold what your muse can do. italicize what they can do to some extent. repost!! do not reblog!!

bake a cake from scratch / ride a horse / speak a second language / dance / catch a fish / play an instrument / throw a punch / ice skate / unclog a drain / program a computer / change a flat tire / hold their alcohol / change a broken cart wheel / go a whole day without the internet / do origami / fire a gun / parkour / sew / juggle / play poker / paint / sleep through a storm / do a hand-stand / fly a kite / sculpt / write poetry / eat spicy food / change a diaper / sing / shoot a bow and arrow / spend a day by themselves / ride a bike / swim / do a back flip / read lips / communicate in sign language / play chess / play checkers / tie an apron behind their back / give cpr / pitch a tent / flirt / stitch a wound / read palms / use chopsticks / write in cursive / use an electric drill / braid hair / make a campfire / make a mixed drink / do sudoku puzzles / make flower chains / wrap a gift / give a good massage / run a mile in under 10 minutes / jump-start a car / roll their tongue / do magic tricks / do yoga / tie a tie or cravat / skip a rock / shuffle a deck of cards / read morse code / pick a lock / train a dog/cat / fix a car / pull an all-nighter / apologize / lie with a straight face / write a business letter / cry in front of others / write in a second language / say the alphabet backwards / read music / cook complex meals / change oil / paint nails / draw / socialize / march / take apart a gun / drive a car / climb a tree / rock climb / tie a cherry stem / basic first-aid / draw blood / put out a fire / peel an orange in one go / find their way out of a forest / pick pockets / type accurately without looking at the keyboard / watch scary movies without hiding

tagged by: @spoiledsovls

tagging: @venousdrip @lupusxdei (soohyun!) @phantombs @monarchkiing @spoiledsovls (for gun this time!) @pcyco @serenxdipitous (jungkook!) @redsunns

#character development #(( added a bunch of things lmao ))

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intervital · 5 years ago

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#100BrightMoments On April 7th, I'm going to start #The100DayProject where you do something creative daily for 100 days. Mine will revolve around bright moments where each creation must benefit at least one individual, and they can be my(future)self. Maybe a kind letter, a favorable review, portrait, etc. Something that can brighten someone's day. It doesn't necessarily have to be finished in a single day, but much progress must be done. Me and my future self can't be the recipient more than ten times.

Here are some ideas, and I'd like to do at least 30/42. For fun, each icon is based on the previous task. I really enjoyed doodline hehe:

💡 Fan mail

💌 Zine review

(Stapler) origami

(Book corner origami on a page) mail art [small scale artwork sent via post]

(Stamp) message of hope [mail a positive art work to be hung in the store windows of The Imaginarium of L. Delaney in New Orleans]

(Hung up sign of a butterfly) bookmark

🔖 Ode

(Scribbled lines then by Eileen) junk journal [handbound notebooks composed of junk ephemera like security envelopes, flyers, receipts, greeting cards, stationery, packaging, etc]

✂️ Care package

📦 Legacy The Sketchbook Project [original & tiny sized sketchbook projects for my future children]

(Lil & big ones) Art-o-mat® - Don't Go 'Round Artless! prototype [a hand-crafted small art object sold in converted cigarette machines across the nation. Maybe tiny junk journals?]

(Wooden block with a 💜) video for future ei [message for 5 years from now, when I'm 40, after giving birth, first time I fall in love]

📽️ Prayer

🕯️Time capsule [doesn't have to be buried, but should be sealed and has a written to open date]

(Shovel) @abandonedb2dbc on instagram (my guerilla art project where I abandon (loosely) connected books, lit mags, inspired written works & small gifts. Not sure how it'll work during Covid-19, but maybe I can catch up with the blog & story I didn't do for the last one.]

(Park bench has a ribbon wrapped book with gifts and a 🌼 beside it) The World Needs More Love Letters [a global project where each month you send letters to struggling recipients who could use some light]

(A stack of 📃✉️) book review

(Five ⭐s surrounding a 📗) meal

🍽️ The Wander Society

(⭕ with a ⚡ inside) printable [I'm not a graphic design whiz but maybe I can write up some quotes in ornate boxes? Idk lol]

(Sheet with different shapes) stickers

[My 2 in 1 sprocket printing out a sticker photo] flower arrangement

💐 Journal w/ me [video of me creating journal spread]

💻 Creative prompt

(Try with scribbled lines) underrated TV show review

📺 Sci-fi short film screenplay [an outline or a few pages]

(Potted Venus flytrap) guerilla art [artwork in public, so chalk quotes, zines outside, surprise bouquets, seed bombs. can't go outside unless absolutely necessary so maybe craft some stuff for when I can]

(🗑️ Next to a 📮 with a 🌟 sticker) cairn [artful stack of rocks, usually found in parks or hikes]

(Rocks on top of each other) #messagestoc [100 different messages in a 100 places, think I'm only on 4 lol. I'll just make one and save it for later]

(📖 With a postcard inserted) portrait [can be a photo]

📸 Book dedication [pick a book I wanna gift and write something sweet on the inside front cover]

(Dear --- I love you. Eileen) Rowan Hisayao Buchanan's # tinyisolations [she gives a weekly flash fiction/small art prompt. Randomly selected winners get sent money and also choose another person or charity that could use the help]

(☁️S surrounding a hot air balloon) Spotify playlist

🎵 @thedigitalsala (Twitter & Instagram handle) contribution [virtual Filipinx lit+ festival. Maybe I can read a piece, write a recap, organize a panel, transcribe]

🛋️ Guest blog [no clue where lol but maybe it'll manifest]

{Profile pic beneath ....... Eileen Ramos is a bipolar) video of a reading [preferably of my own work. But it would be fun to read a favorite poem or passage of an underrated author]

▶️ Handlettering [my handwriting is shitty but I think it'd be fun to try to do a quote. I could use the practice lol]

(📝 With a ✒️) Kleroteria [was chosen to write an email to be sent to 10k inboxes awhile ago. I have an idea but need more info & add other stuff. At most 3k characters, no pictures, links are ok, no ads]

📬 verse.press poetry playlist [website where you can create a themed list of poems]

(V icon) column [working on a pitch for a lit website; need to streamline & narrow it down]

(Greek column) FOUND Magazine entry [found magazine collects contributions of found notes. I have something to submit but idk where I placed them. Hopefully I'll come across it]

(Found mag logo) learningtoloveyoumore.com task [70 assignments by Miranda July & Harrell Fletcher which can be take a picture of your parents kissing, write the phone call you when you could have, recreate a poster you had as a teenager, photograph a significant outfit, write down a recent argument]

#100BrightMoments #the100dayproject #100dayproject #my oh mine #to do #doodles #handwriting #list

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copperbadge · 8 years ago

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Oh man you guys this Post Office Bounty is from BEFORE THANKSGIVING, I am behind!

Top image is a wonderful birthday care package from @lightshadowverisimilitude; highlights include an Avengers origami kit, a Barrel of Monkeys (now hanging up at work), a pair of socks I have already worn multiple times, Halva, Australian strawberry licorice, and some wonderful punny cards. They are delightful :D Thank you so much, and for your lovely letter too! (The awesome Comics Wallet in the second image is also part of that package -- I didn’t realize the tin had something in it!)

Second image contains a gorgeous paper bag (shh, I like loud patterns) and a bar of Finnish chocolate from @vikingelf -- if that chocolate looks open it's because IT IS, I couldn't resist immediate chocolates. Dracula's glittery Top Ten Favorite Songs (full of puns!) and the owl card (PREDICTABLY) are from @scifigrl47, who also sent the stickers down there with the wallet and the decorative orange envelope. And just to amuse, I threw in two cards, the turkeys and the candy corndog, which my Mum sent me for Halloween.

And the third image is a pair of thank-you cards; the elegant black and white one is from @ravenreyamidala -- I’m so glad I entertain! :) And the bold glittery one also from Raven says SAM ROCKS on the inside and I love it. :D The spooky Happy Halloween card and the bunny with the flower are both from @nissus -- I appreciate the stickers and the sympathy! And the snowman is a wonderful card from Mick & Giles -- I agree, “Have a fun time” is a hilariously sad attempt at the inside of a card :D

ONE MORE INCOMING IN A MINUTE OR TWO!

#post office bounty #lightshadowverisimilitude #vikingelf #scifigrl47 #ravenreyamidala #nissus

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eatpraydig · 8 years ago

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365 day happiness challenge -

*these things are numbered by day (bc there are A Lot of them) but i’m just going to do the ones i feel like doing at the moment or happen to be doing and keep a running list of the days/what things i’ve done :)

Day 1: Wear your favorite things.

Day 2: Sign up for a free exercise class.

Day 3: Rearrange your furniture.

Day 4: Start a gratitude journal.

Day 5: Bake a cake.

Day 6: Have a sleepover.

Day 7: Watch a funny YouTube video.

Day 8: Listen to the radio.

Day 9: Make a scrapbook.

Day 10: Stargaze.

Day 11: FaceTime an old friend.

Day 12: Put your favorite photo in a frame.

Day 13: Learn to cook a new dish.

Day 14: Dance around your living room.

Day 15: Host a dinner party.

Day 16: Go to your local farmers market.

Day 17: Have a yard sale and earn some money.

Day 18: Take a bath.

Day 19: Surprise someone you love with a gift.

Day 20: Try nail art.

Day 21: Go on a picnic.

Day 22: Build a fort in your house.

Day 23: Roast marshmallows.

Day 24: Play a board game.

Day 25: Watch the sunset.

Day 26: Send someone you miss a postcard.

Day 27: Take a day off work just because.

Day 28: Watch your favorite movie.

Day 29: Blow bubbles.

Day 30: Visit a museum.

Day 31: Treat yourself to something sweet.

Day 32: Swap clothes with your friends.

Day 33: Post an old photo that makes you happy on social media.

Day 34: Sing in the shower.

Day 35: Tie-dye or upcycle a t-shirt.

Day 36: Start a blog.

Day 37: Give yourself a makeover.

Day 38: Volunteer for a cause you care about.

Day 39: Complete a paint-by-numbers.

Day 40: Visit a local park.

Day 41: Teach yourself how to knit.

Day 42: Take a dance class.

Day 43: Read a magazine.

Day 44: Play frisbee.

Day 45: Donate clothes.

Day 46: Slide across the floor in your socks.

Day 47: Go for a bike ride.

Day 48: Write thank-you cards.

Day 49: Jump rope.

Day 50: Plant a garden.

Day 51: Put together a puzzle.

Day 52: Skip rocks at a pond.

Day 53: Go to the aquarium.

Day 54: Listen to a podcast about something that interests you.

Day 55: Clean out your closet.

Day 56: Learn how to skateboard.

Day 57: Go to a karaoke night.

Day 58: Pick flowers.

Day 59: Go bowling.

Day 60: Watch a TED Talk.

Day 61: Make crafts and display them in your home.

Day 62: Fly a kite.

Day 63: Learn how to juggle.

Day 64: Listen to an upbeat playlist. 8/11/2017

Day 65: Do some yoga outdoors.

Day 66: Make a memory box.

Day 67: Play laser tag.

Day 68: Go to a flea market.

Day 69: Write a poem.

Day 70: Give yourself a spa treatment.

Day 71: Buy a small pet.

Day 72: Meditate.

Day 73: Play a free online game.

Day 74: Practice origami.

Day 75: Have a pajama day.

Day 76: Play hide and seek.

Day 77: Go to an animal shelter and play with some pets.

Day 78: Get a fancy dinner at a restaurant.

Day 79: Surprise your co-workers with a treat.

Day 80: Browse through Target.

Day 81: Go swimming.

Day 82: Create a new recipe.

Day 83: Hire someome to clean your home.

Day 84: Do a newspaper crossword puzzle.

Day 85: Get a massage.

Day 86: Make a recipe book.

Day 87: Go to the movies.

Day 88: Buy a new album.

Day 89: Meet a friend for a drink.

Day 90: Make paper airplanes.

Day 91: Get a fancy drink at your favorite coffee shop.

Day 92: Watch a movie from your childhood.

Day 93: Go for a run.

Day 94: Complete a sudoku puzzle.

Day 95: Go to the library.

Day 96: Visit your old school.

Day 97: Make your own pizza.

Day 98: Have a cartoon-watching marathon.

Day 99: Visit your family.

Day 100: Go thrift shopping.

Day 101: Ask a barista for latte art.

Day 102: Trade books with a friend.

Day 103: Go for a long walk.

Day 104: Go to the zoo.

Day 105: Watch a stand-up comedy show.

Day 106: Light up your fireplace.

Day 107: Complete a Rubik's Cube.

Day 108: Jot down positive affirmations and tape them to your mirror.

Day 109: Go to a playground and swing.

Day 110: Collect shells on a beach.

Day 111: Spend an hour on Pinterest.

Day 112: Indulge in some selfies.

Day 113: Watch a cute animal video.

Day 114: Host a cocktail party.

Day 115: Go canoeing.

Day 116: Visit a nursing home.

Day 117: Give a server a big tip.

Day 118: Order your favorite takeout.

Day 119: Camp in your backyard.

Day 120: Press flowers in a book.

Day 121: Buy yourself flowers.

Day 122: Hug someone.

Day 123: Flip through old yearbooks.

Day 124: Get a haircut.

Day 125: Make an inspiration board.

Day 126: Go on a hike.

Day 127: Snuggle a kitten.

Day 128: Learn to surf.

Day 129: Make homemade ice cream.

Day 130: Chill out in a hot tub.

Day 131: Spend a day in your favorite part of town.

Day 132: Give your bedroom a makeover.

Day 133: Learn a new skill though YouTube videos.

Day 134: Go on a photography adventure.

Day 135: Make a time capsule.

Day 136: Send your parents flowers.

Day 137: Perfect your hula-hooping skills.

Day 138: Paint a wall in your home your favorite color.

Day 139: Go roller-skating.

Day 140: Binge on a TV show.

Day 141: Learn a dance routine from an online video.

Day 142: Get a facial.

Day 143: Sail on a boat.

Day 144: Play Mad Libs.

Day 145: Watch the sunrise.

Day 146: Bake cookies.

Day 147: Fill up a coloring book.

Day 148: Put your feet in the ocean.

Day 149: Clean the house for a roommate or significant other.

Day 150: Play with a baby.

Day 151: Have breakfast in bed.

Day 152: Enjoy coffee and a book.

Day 153: Plan a vacation.

Day 154: Join a book club.

Day 155: Try out a DIY.

Day 156: Sign up for a color run.

Day 157: Compliment a stranger.

Day 158: Kiss someone.

Day 159: Visit a local beach.

Day 160: Buy something new for your room.

Day 161: Write a letter to your future self.

Day 162: Make a paper fortune teller.

Day 163: Have sex.

Day 164: Go somewhere fancy for lunch.

Day 165: Choreograph a dance routine.

Day 166: Start your own YouTube account.

Day 167: Play with puppies.

Day 168: Forgive someone.

Day 169: Find a new show on Netflix.

Day 170: Make a list of things that make you happy.

Day 171: High-five someone.

Day 172: Buy a houseplant.

Day 173: Cuddle.

Day 174: Pay for someone else's coffee.

Day 175: Look at old photo albums.

Day 176: Write a short story.

Day 177: Peruse a bookstore.

Day 178: Watch the clouds.

Day 179: Meet a neighbor.

Day 180: Stretch before bedtime. 8/10/2017

Day 181: Have a photo shoot with your BFF.

Day 182: Take your friend out for a meal.

Day 183: Don't check social media for a day.

Day 184: Go to an antique store.

Day 185: Dress up for no reason.

Day 186: Tell someone you love them.

Day 187: Sit in the sun for 15 minutes.

Day 188: Get a manicure. 8/12/2017

Day 189: Ride a scooter.

Day 190: Buy a new pair of shoes.

Day 191: Smile at a stranger.

Day 192: Visit a rooftop bar.

Day 193: Go skinny-dipping.

Day 194: Pick out your Halloween costume.

Day 195: Write an open letter to someone who inspires you.

Day 196: Go on a Tumblr binge.

Day 197: Get rid of something you don't use.

Day 198: Give money to a homeless person.

Day 199: Call your mom.

Day 200: Have a margarita.

Day 201: Take a family photo.

Day 202: Draw a picture.

Day 203: Drink green tea.

Day 204: Dance in the rain.

Day 205: Go paddleboarding.

Day 206: Host a barbecue.

Day 207: Climb a tree.

Day 208: Turn off your phone for a day.

Day 209: Get something that you never wear altered.

Day 210: Make a list of things you want to do before your next birthday.

Day 211: Make your favorite drink at home and invite friends over to share.

Day 212: Buy balloons.

Day 213: Make your own playlist.

Day 214: Play cards.

Day 215: Do something touristy.

Day 216: Tweet at an author.

Day 217: Have a Harry Potter marathon.

Day 218: Get a pedicure.

Day 219: Have a costume party.

Day 220: Sip on a poolside beer.

Day 221: Take deep breaths.

Day 222: Wear sweatpants.

Day 223: Plan a road trip.

Day 224: Do cartwheels.

Day 225: Make a healthy meal.

Day 226: Download fun, new apps to your phone.

Day 227: Make a mood board.

Day 228: Buy a new accessory.

Day 229: Try a new hairstyle.

Day 230: Exfoliate your face.

Day 231: Skip down the street.

Day 232: Babysit for a friend.

Day 233: Volunteer at a youth center.

Day 234: Watch home videos.

Day 235: Organize your pantry.

Day 236: Blow a bubble with chewing gum.

Day 237: Invest in quality skin care items.

Day 238: Eat chocolate.

Day 239: Draw on the sidewalk with chalk.

Day 240: Set goals for the week.

Day 241: Start a book you've been dying to read.

Day 242: Make a flower crown.

Day 243: Pop some popcorn.

Day 244: Have an afternoon nap.

Day 245: Reread your favorite book.

Day 246: Start a piggy bank.

Day 247: Create a collage and frame it.

Day 248: Eat samples at Costco.

Day 249: Subscribe to a magazine.

Day 250: Go ice skating.

Day 251: Attend a free concert.

Day 252: Learn a few sentences of a new language.

Day 253: Text your high school friends a throwback photo.

Day 254: Put on clean sheets.

Day 255: Join a subscription box service.

Day 256: Buy fun, new pens that will inspire you to write.

Day 257: Learn something new about a family member.

Day 258: Play basketball with a friend.

Day 259: Shake a snow globe.

Day 260: Go skiing.

Day 261: Freeze your favorite fruit.

Day 262: Call your grandparents.

Day 263: Eat your favorite childhood snack.

Day 264: Order a pizza.

Day 265: Buy a plant for your desk at work.

Day 266: Get perfume samples.

Day 267: Buy a cozy blanket.

Day 268: Eat your favorite candy.

Day 269: Decorate your closet.

Day 270: Go to Chuck E. Cheese's.

Day 271: Get yourself something special.

Day 272: Drink some hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.

Day 273: Play with a Slinky.

Day 274: Watch a movie from the year you were born.

Day 275: Declutter your workspace.

Day 276: Go sledding.

Day 277: Eat a burrito.

Day 278: Write a positive review online for a restaurant.

Day 279: Have a twin day with your best friend.

Day 280: Make a scarf or camera strap.

Day 281: Lick a popsicle.

Day 282: Ride a go-kart.

Day 283: Make a snow or sand angel.

Day 284: Create a candy jar custom to you.

Day 285: Go to a Zumba class.

Day 286: Help a grandparent sign up for Facebook.

Day 287: Buy a new outfit for work.

Day 288: Get your eyebrows done.

Day 289: Buy a new piece of statement jewelry.

Day 290: Tell a joke.

Day 291: Memorize the lyrics to a favorite song.

Day 292: Go camping.

Day 293: Grab some fro-yo.

Day 294: Go to a funhouse or mirror maze.

Day 295: Take a cooking class.

Day 296: Have a game night with friends.

Day 297: Get some fresh air.

Day 298: Message a long-lost friend on Facebook.

Day 299: Go scuba diving.

Day 300: Talk to a co-worker you've never spoken to.

Day 301: Try something new you've never eaten before.

Day 302: Write down a favorite book quote.

Day 303: Master the art of chess.

Day 304: Listen to a record player.

Day 305: Find a photo booth and take pictures.

Day 306: Eat an ice cream cone.

Day 307: Try a Spin class.

Day 308: Wear a fun hat.

Day 309: Listen to Christmas music.

Day 310: Ask your friends for song recommendations.

Day 311: Check something off your bucket list.

Day 312: Ride a horse.

Day 313: Have a no-electricity night.

Day 314: Stay in bed all day.

Day 315: Have breakfast for dinner.

Day 316: Make out with someone.

Day 317: Pop open a bottle of Champagne and celebrate yourself.

Day 318: Read your favorite children's book again.

Day 319: Go on a virtual trip via Google Maps.

Day 320: Get a new piercing.

Day 321: Try a new cuisine.

Day 322: Visit a friend's office.

Day 323: Give a friend some advice.

Day 324: Try to drink eight glasses of water in a day.

Day 325: Get your shoes shined.

Day 326: Fix something that's been broken.

Day 327: Slip into some lingerie.

Day 328: Use a Polaroid camera all day.

Day 329: Spoon someone you love.

Day 330: Join a dating app.

Day 331: Go for a walk somewhere scenic.

Day 332: Wear crazy socks.

Day 333: Go to happy hour.

Day 334: Prank call someone.

Day 335: Listen to oldies.

Day 336: Play checkers.

Day 337: Get coffee with an old friend. 8/13/2017

Day 338: Play truth or dare.

Day 339: Try on an evening gown.

Day 340: Plan a friend's birthday party.

Day 341: Get your makeup done at the mall.

Day 342: Do a social media cleanup.

Day 343: Go line dancing.

Day 344: Get a new tattoo.

Day 345: Treat your boss to something.

Day 346: Watch your favorite sports game live.

Day 347: Dog-sit for a friend.

Day 348: Go to an art gallery.

Day 349: Learn how to play an instrument.

Day 350: Play a video game.

Day 351: Get new business cards.

Day 352: Floss.

Day 353: Get a blowout.

Day 354: Get your teeth whitened.

Day 355: Wear your favorite jeans.

Day 356: Get a box of doughnuts.

Day 357: Buy a new phone case.

Day 358: Put up Christmas lights (even when it's not Christmas).

Day 359: Put a sticker on your laptop.

Day 360: Plan a staycation.

Day 361: Set up your planner for the year.

Day 362: Bedazzle something.

Day 363: Join a fantasy league.

Day 364: Wear your robe all day.

Day 365: Reflect on all the amazing things you did this year!

#happiness challenge #nadhira tag

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lovemesomesurveys · 8 years ago

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5,000 question survey series--part thirty-one

2901. have you ever written a letter to: a friend: Nope. a lover: Nope. a celebrity: Yes. congress/house/reps: No. the president/leader of your country: Yes. 2902. Why are cigarette companies allowed to manufacture and sell cigarettes when they are so unhealthy and dangerous? They are getting rich on the deaths of the people you love who smoke. I don’t know, man. I do think it’s pretty messed up that it’s so easy to get cigarettes, but we now have to jump through hoops to get pain medications. People with chronic pain like me who seriously need it. With documented, legit reasons. Thankfully, I found a good pain specialist after my primary told me he no longer could prescribe. I had to go through a couple different ones, though. A family friend of ours; however, with diabetic neuropathy was told by his doctor that she “doesn’t believe in pain.” Wtf?? You are a doctor. It is scientifically proven that pain exists. We know this. Neurons shoot off signals and all that technical stuff. Something like diabetic neuropathy is known to cause pain, I mean it’s nerve damage. I couldn’t believe it. 2903. Do you chat with people in an elevator? No, unless they say something to me first. It’s always so awkward. 2904. What's your favorite Jack Nicholson movie? I don’t have one. 2905. Who should play the part of Superman? The guy who plays him now is fine. I’m blanking on his name at the moment...

2906. Do you like when your friends and your mate's friends hang out? I’m single. 2907. Doritos or Cheetos? I like both. I like the Nacho, Spicy Nacho, and Cool Ranch varieties of Doritos, and I like the Flamin’ Hot and Xtra Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. 2910. Do you brush your teeth three times a day? No. 2911. Should I stop making questions with multiple parts and just count each actual question as a question? Do what ya want. 2912. What gives your ego a boost? Nothing. 2913. What knocks your ego down? I don’t have an ego. I have low self-esteem and feel pretty crappy about myself regarding both my looks and my just me as a person. 2914. Live and let live or live and let die? Live and let live. 2915. What do you think of Damien Hirst's art piece Mother and Child, which is half a cow in formaldehyde? Whaaaaat? That sounds very disturbing. 2916. Why is it that 70 percent of Americans do not want to go to war with Iraq and yet we are going to war with Iraq anyway? Congress decides that.

Is this democracy? They have to vote within congress. 2917. Imagine you have two choices of what life you can live: One: You are provided with meals, medicine, clothes and shelter. You are always with your family. You can lie in the sun and smoke, drink, play, cook, etc.. There will be certain rules you must follow such as no killing, no hurting others, no leaving the commune you were born in, no stealing, no tv, no newspapers and no books. OR Two: You are turned loose in the world with nothing. You start out cold and hungry. You may stay cold and hungry forever but you also have the opportunity to try and make a life for yourself. This will take a lot of hard work and there is no guarantee you will ever live comfortably. Which life do you choose? Why? The second one is reality for some. The first one sounds good, but no TV and no books? I’m assuming that means no internet, either. Haha that’s my main concern of course. Just kidding. I guess; though, if I lived in a society like that, I wouldn’t know any different. I wouldn’t know about internet or what I was missing if I never had it. To have everything else provided for me and I can be with my family and we’re safe... I’d have to go with that. 2918. Why is there no 'Mr. America' pageant? Hm. I don’t know.

Should there be? Sure.

What qualities would YOU look for in a Mr. America if such a contest were to exist (like miss america he would have to be a role model)? A role model, yes. A respectable, intelligent, kind-hearted, caring, etc. All that good stuff. 2919. If something offends you do you feel that it has no right to exist? I mean, no? 2920. Why do advertisers seem to believe that guys will buy any product that a hot girl in a bikini is sitting next too? They’ve said for a long time that sex sells. They do the same thing with men in advertisements geared towards women. It catches people’s attention, and I guess it works. 2921. What would you do if your mom had a fight with a male acquaintance, and you heard an answering machine message he left her cursing at her, calling her names and being very disrespectful? There wouldn’t be a whole lot I could do. I’d be upset that someone was being so rude and disrespectful to my mom. My mom wouldn’t ignore something like that. She could handle it on her own, and she would. She’s not the type of person to just let that go. 2922. What do you represent? I don’t know. 2923. What message does ___ send when given as a birthday present? flowers: It’s nice. Can be a friendly gesture or a romantic one.

slippers: I don’t know. If that’s what the person asked for... otherwise it would seem a little weird and awkward.

candles: That can be nice.

diamond necklace: That would be a really nice gift. Very generous. That would likely be from a significant other, and it would be pretty serious.

gift certificate: Some people think gift certificates are lazy or not so.. personal? I like gift cards, though. Some people ask for them specifically.

cash: I’ll gladly take that as well.

books: I would love getting books. 2924. Have you ever completed a paint by number? Yeah.

If yes of what?/ I don’t remember. 2925. How long has it been since you colored in a coloring book? Like a few weeks. I want to start again, I just haven’t felt up to it. 2926. What have you been caught doing? Uhh. 2927. Does temptation make you do what you love? It can make me give into eating a lot of food. Ha. 2928. Do you have an gadgets in the house that you don't know how to use? What? Probably. 2929. Do you read the instructions to things or skip them? I read them, but I sometimes just skim through. 2930. Will you ever reach your full potential? I don’t feel like I will. 2931. Who is your biggest fan? My mom. Even though I feel like a failure and a loser and a let down... 2932. Who do you take care of? I guess myself, although not very well I admit. There’s a lot more I could and should be doing. I’ve been slacking with a lot of things. Stopped caring about certain things. Not good. :/

Who takes care of you? My parents. In the financial sense and in every other way. My mom, especially. She helps me a lot with health related things. She’s my rock. 2933. Do you think that lawyers should only argue cases when they feel like the client is in the right? I’ve wondered about that. How some will fight for someone who they may feel is actually in the wrong, but they want that money.

If you were a lawyer would you argue cases when you felt like your client was completely wrong? I don’t know if I could. 2934. Is it sexy in here or is it just me? It’s not sexy in here. 2935. You are giving out your phone number to a HOTTIE by writing it on a napkin. Do you write a little note or draw a picture too? If yes, what? I wouldn’t be doing any of that. 2936. Can you fold paper into anything (a hat, a swan, a boat, etc)? What? I suck at origami. 2937. How can a girl get a guy-she-is-dating's mom to like her better? What’s with the hyphens? You don’t need those there. Anyway, I don’t know. I’m just myself, and it seems to work when I when I meet anyone’s parents. 2938. What is one theory about life or anything that you came up with that no one else has? *shrug* 2939. Do you like answering questions about:

your life? I don’t usually mind in surveys. I ramble and overshare a lot. It’s a good way for me to vent. I’m certainly not that open in “real life.” I don’t spend much time talking about myself at all.

your taste? In what?

tv? Sure. I suck at choosing favorite TV shows, though. I have a lot.

music? ^^^

art? I don’t mind it. I don’t have a lot to say about it, though.

politics? Noo.

life? Guess it depends.

religion? I don’t mind being asked about it.

issues? Depends on what issue. I try and avoid the really controversial ones.

sex? I don’t have anything to talk about with that subject.

loved ones? Sure.

favorites? I always fail at those questions cause I can’t choose a particular favorite most of the time.

objects? That’s vague.

math? Nooo.

philosophy? Depends. Some of it can be over my head and a little too deep.

hypothetical situations? Sure.

things that require lots of thought? Depends. 2940. The mortuary science department is having a bake sale. Does this strike you as funny? It would sound disturbing. 2941. What would you think of a new reality tv game show where real life criminals on death row competed in life threatening tasks for the prize of a reduced sentence? I wouldn’t approve of that.

Did you know that they are considering making this a show? Nope.

Would you watch it? No. This survey is pretty old, and I’ve never heard anything about it. I don’t see how they could do a show like that. You can’t put people in life threatening situations. 2942. What was the last song you looked up the words to? I don’t remember. 2943. What Saturday morning cartoons do you like? Is that even a thing anymore? I miss that as a kid. 2944. If anything's possible, then is it possible that nothing's possible? I suppose so. 2944. What does the T in T-Shirt really mean? Hmm. I don’t know, actually. 2945. Would you alter your routine if there was a sniper in your area? That would be scary. 2946. Is castration a good punishment for extreme or repeat sexual offenders? They just need to rot in prison. 2947. If you are a girl have you ever experienced penis envy? No.

If you are a guy would you still want to live if you had to be castrated? What’s with the cutting off penises talk? 2948. Imagine you are teaching a class of sixth graders. A the start of the year you tell them, "If you come away with class and have learned only ONE THING, I hope that you learned....(finish the sentence) To treat others with kindness. 2949. If you were being interviewed for a job in a clothing store how would you sell yourself to the prospective employers? I don’t know. I’d probably wear something from that store for one. Learn a bit about the store’s history prior to the interview, and share that knowledge. Let them know that I love the store and all that. 2950. How do you stop pop up ads? That’s what ad blockers are for.

2951. You are alone. You take a bus to the mall. The stop is right in the mall parking lot. You window-shop. You don't buy anything. You want to get back on the bus to go home when you realize you have lost all your money. You have no cell phone. All the payphones are jammed with gum. You can not get it out. How do you get the $1.50 you need to get on the bus and get home??? That would be horrible. When you say I’m alone, I’m guessing that doesn’t mean I’m alone at the mall, right? That would be scary. I’d be freaking out, but I guess I’d have to ask to use someone’s phone and call a ride.

2952. How long would it take you to organize your bedroom? I don’t know. I need to clean out my closet. 2953. Make up a nickname for your bedroom: Giraffe habitat, ha. I have a lot of giraffe stuffed animals and knickknacks. 2954. What comes after:

“I've got a love-a-lee bunch of coconuts (diddly dee) There they are a-standing in a row. Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head...”

I have no idea. 2955. Where ARE the wild things? Good question. Does the book ever say? I’ve never read it, and I’ve never seen the movie. 2956. You get a six cd changer for the car, only problem is that you know that once you put in six cd's you can NEVER take them out. Which 6 cd's do you put in? I’d have to make mixed CDs then. I don’t know what songs I’d choose, though. That’s why I love my Spotify playlists. I have a ton of songs. 2957. Let's play Jeapordy. (Do-Do-Do-Do-Do-Do-Dooooo-) I'll give some answers..you give the questions. Ready? Begin. The answer is: Purple

Yellow What is lemons?

Candle Pepsi Peace Lisa Cotton Flag 42 ^^ Those aren’t really questions.

2958. Pick a letter. F.

List some great words starting with that letter: Food, funnel cake, fruit, fun, family... 2959. Is eight days a week enough to show you care? What. 2960. Have you told your parents you love them today? It’s only been today for fifty-seven minutes. It’s after midnight, and they’re asleep. 2961. What is the difference between a number two pencil and any other kind of pencil? Others are dull or something? 2962. Have you ever cross-dressed? No. 2963. Are we living in a world without end? I don’t think so. 2964. What do you think of that couple that was just on the news who kidnapped a 16 year old girl for a week and forced her to be their sex slave? That is absolutely sick and horrible to say the very least. That poor girl. :( 2965. Wanna watch a movie about a cheerleading competition? So, Bring it On? I’ve watched that and movies like it. 2966. Are you singing in the rain? Nope. 2967. Should the sopranos actors have been allowed to march in the St Patrick's Day parade? I know nothing about that. 2968. Is oral sex. anal sex or regular sex more intimate? Sex is pretty intimate, I would say. 2969. Is it time to switch to Decaf? Neverrrrrr. 2970. Why is it that the truth hurts? Because sometimes it’s not something we want to hear or accept. Or It can be something negative and, well, hurtful. 2971. How do you feel about: ticketmaster? It’s a good site to get tickets? I don’t really feel any kind of way about it otherwise. I haven’t used it much.

scalpers? Sketchy. 2972. What are you guilty of? Eating too much junk food. 2973. Have you ever done any of the following in order to catch a buzz or get high? sniffed glue: No.

sniffed magic markers: No.

ate paste: No.

drank Nyquil, Robitussen or any other Over-the-counter drug: I’ve only had those for their intended use with the right dosage.

'huffed' (inhaled or sniffed) any kind of fabric softner, cooking spray or other household product: No.

whip-its: Nope. 2974. What gives you inner stregnth? I don’t know. I’m lacking that. 2975. ::eyes you suspiciously::Where have all the COOKIES gone? I ate ‘em all. 2976. What is a good gift for someone you don't like so that it SEEMS to be nice but really 'gets' them somehow? I wouldn’t do that. 2977. If you don't like the service at a restraunt would you skip the tip? They might get less of one, but I wouldn’t skip out on it. Unless it was THAT bad.

Why or why not? Because. 2978. Apples or peaches or pumpkin pie? None of those. 2979. What Race/nationality was Jesus? That’s debated a lot. 2980. What was one evening you'll never forget? Hm I don’t know. 2981. Name 13 ways to look at a blackbird: 2982. Trick or Treat? Treat, please. 2983. If you had money to burn, what 'toy' would you spend your money on (think monopoly game with real money, luxory boat, a train layout that takes up a house, etc.)? Hmm... 2984. Are you having trouble with aol 8.0? I haven’t used AOL in a long, long, long time.

Or if you don't have aol...have you ever been to a podiatrist? Well that’s a jump. No, I haven’t been to a podiatrist. 2985. If you could write your own ten commandments, what would they be? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2986. When people lose weight, where does it go? It burns off. 2987. Your mate/partner/wife or husband/longterm boy or girlfriend/etc. has SOMEHOW gotten his or her FAVORITE celebrity's attention. Your sweetie has always thought this celeb was so sexy and now the celeb kinda fancies your sweety as well(although the celeb is not interested enough to stick around for more than one night). Your sweetie wants to have a one night stand with the celeb. Knowing that this is your sweeties one and only chance to bang (or even hang out with) a celebrity (ESPECIALLY their FAVORITE celebrity) you would say: No. I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t be okay with me having sex with Alexander Skarsgard. Just because it’s a celebrity, they’re still people. Another person. Who isn’t me. That they’re having sex with. That’s cheating, my friend. 2988. Have you ever seen an Ed Wood film? I don’t know.

if yes, what one(s) and what did you think? I’m not familiar with that.

If no, aren't you curious to see a movie by the person known as the worst director of all time? Wow. 2989. What kind of bread do you like to eat (white, rye, potatoe, grain, whole wheat, etc)? Wheat bread. 2990. Are you emotionaly articulate? I pretty much suck at expressing myself emotionally. Or at all. 2991. Does everything happen for a reason? Yes. 2992. Do you take a piece of those you have loved and carry it around forever? Yes, absolutely.

If yes, than aren't they still with you even when you are gone? Yes. They will always have a spot in my heart. 2993. Is it true that the child is worth ten of the parent? I don’t know what that means. 2994. Can you think of a door that has closed in your life? Yes.

Can you think of a window that has opened? Yes. 2995. What does this mean to you: 'Necessity is the mother of invention'? If there is is a demand or need for something, that helps lead to the invention of it?

Do you believe that necessity is also the mother of: courage? I don’t know.

survival skills? Well, those are necessary.

independence? Uhhh. 2996. What helps you to get over a Major heartache? I’m not the one to ask about that. I don’t handle it well. 2997. Can you depend completely upon yourself? I don’t feel like I can.

have you ever tried? In some ways, maybe? I don’t know. 2998. How can you tell the difference between the end of one part of your life and the beautiful beginning of the next part? Maybe sometimes you can’t. 2999. Have you ever read an stories by Kate Chopin? No. If not, I suggest that you do. Maybe. 3000. Do you often make the best discoveries when you really weren't looking for anything (or anyone)? Sometimes.

#personal #text #survey #surveys #5000 question survey

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allmymisters · 6 years ago

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For the Love of Notes

I know you have Science class in here and I hope it’s ok to write you, but I think you’re really cute. Mr. Carr is in a good mood today, I think he might have had a date with Mrs. Cart this weekend. Ha ha! Hope to see you in the hallway again. I also just realized we went to pre-school together and I have a picture of you. If you write me back just leave it here for me.

Bye.

I remember writing a note to Alan Cormen in 7th grade. I left the note for him in my science lab drawer because I knew he sat at the same table. He wasn’t interested. Most the boys I had crushes on back then weren’t interested. When I moved to Richmond, I had the biggest crush of my life that lasted from eight grade through high school. I also wrote him a note commenting on his beauty and skateboarding skills. That also was a failed attempt at written confessions of love.

From 8th grade until the end of high school, notes were the highlights of my day. I never knew when I was going to get one or who it would be from. My girlfriends mostly exchanged with me all day and it was easy to scribe the bubble letters of yore while in Ms. Pilkington’s English class. I would occasionally get notes from my guy friends as well, usually with Misfits, Metallica, Iron Maiden, or skateboarding graffiti adorning them. I cannot forget the actual folding of the notes, you had to do the one with the “tab” that you would pull out to open it and people actually wrote the word “PULL” on it. Sometimes they would get elaborate and show up as triangles or origami. Notes would get passed in the hallway between periods, they were in my locker when I changed books, and sometimes you’d find them mysteriously in your notebook. I remember Freshmen year, sitting in Mr. Wilt’s World Studies class and exchanging notes with Meredith Snellings consisting only of lyrics from The Smiths, and I remember the notes I’d get from my friend Sara who had beautiful penmanship and always wrote incredibly concise and intellectual letters on music or a guy or the punk rock show we went to the past weekend. It was also where you penned your scandalous gossip:

What were Lindsey and MaryBeth doing at the show?! Those girls are such harlots trying to get with the guys in our scene. Oh and did you know that Nicki Owen is pregnant! I guess she won’t be on the cheerleading squad for much longer. I saw her crying in the bathroom. See you at lunch!

Yes we used the word “harlots” because it sounded better than “slut”. We also had NOTEbooks which were passed around between a group of friends. Each period a different girl would write and then pass it on the next. The first time a boy said he loved me was on a note, claiming I was the raddest girl at school. Swoon. Then he wrote me a letter two weeks later breaking up with me and then I wrote a letter to him telling him to fuck off. Notes were such a huge part of how we communicated back then and it was exciting if you got a note handed to you. Notes were the way to confess untold secrets, to profess love, and to tell your best friend she was being an asshole at lunch trying to be too cool. You’d discuss the new CD you bought over the weekend, write poetry, or plan out secret parties. It would come on loose leaf, colored or sometimes sketch book paper, but always with doodles or lots of hearts and signed with a LYLAS (Love ya like a sis) or Later Sk8ter or a See Ya . It was special because you knew they were taking time out of their day to put pen to paper.

So now, we have email, text, and video chatting, and to be honest when email came out I treated it with as much enthusiasm as I did getting notes. In the beginning, I’d light up with joy looking at my inbox. The emails I receive currently consist of telling me what to do, what to buy, how to buy it, what bills to pay, when to go to things, where to get the best deal, and so forth. I haven’t received a proper personal email in almost…6 years. Sure, I’ve received “Likes”, Emojis, texts pages long, but none of that written communication excites me, it’s just become commonplace and sometimes the only time you receive anything worth reading is to tell you that you’re being a certain way. It’s become a place where people can abbreviate feelings and sentiments, a text can have some pretty involved meaning, but something about it lingering there and the urge to have to answer it right away takes away from the significance, to me. Not even through Facebook Messenger do I receive a lot of correspondence. It’s all very direct and with serious need. It’s the place you contact people you don’t have email addresses for. I still find it oddly strange to announce the death and births and marriages online. There’s something impersonal about it, it lacks the tangibility of the sentiments. And yes, Facebook has replaced the folded papers of youth, but what are people actually saying on your wall? “HBD”? “I saw that!” “I was at that show!” Pruned and lackluster remarks.

When I lived in New York, each restaurant I dined in had postcards. I loved that. I used to sit and eat and actually write out a postcard to people and send it on the way home. I think we all still feel something when we get home and there is a card or a letter for us in the mail. The feel of it alone to tear open an envelope handwritten and addressed to you. When I was internet dating, I made it part of my criteria for them to have to correspond with me in some pen to parchment form. Seems odd to some, but I found it entertaining, the notes I’d get or the photo of notes I’d get if they were remote. The ones who actually carried it out were the ones I gave my time to, you can only get so many horrid dick pics in a day. I’d get post it notes:

Here lies my favorite thing to eat at lunch. Doesn’t it look delicious?

Then there was an arrow drawn to the sandwich.

I’d leave notes like this on my way out of Mister’s apartment and he told me he loved waking up to them, but he would rather wake up to me instead, (insert gagging here). Sweet right?

Thank you so much for the wonderful evening. Coffee is ready and I hope to see you later.

My ex husband and I were legendary for the notes he would leave each other, especially like when he would leave early for a tour:

I’m going to miss you so much baby. Have a great day! I love you!

or when I used to come by his apartment when we were dating and he wasn’t there:

Hi! I came by to say hello and see if you wanted to get something to eat. I listened to that Miles Davis CD you leant me and it was good! I’ll be around later if you want to hang.

to after 5 years of marriage, me leaving these types of notes:

Can you please take out the fucking trash and put the dishes away!

I think the art of letter writing has gone out with the art of conversation. I’m a sentimental fool, I have letters from decades ago that I keep in a box because one day I had hoped to share it with my kids and grandkids as a kind of historical recollection of the person I was or written proof of words of love that were volleyed back and forth between misters. To me, there is still something magical about receiving a letter. It’s the same feeling you get when you open a book, you know?

I decided that this year I would get back into letter writing or at least postcard writing. I was in Stella’s for lunch the other day and they had one in the checkbook, so I wrote a note to a friend of mine in Richmond. Seems silly, but I know when he got it he was thrilled.

Hi there! I’m sitting at Stella’s and was thinking about that place we used to go to in New York when you came to visit. OMG, I miss that place. This red wine I’m drinking right now is freakin’ delicious. How are you? We haven’t seen each other in ages, we should hang sometime soon. I hope all is well and I just wanted to send a hello and how are you. Tell Jamie hello for me!

Ciao, J

Who knows, maybe it will be reciprocated and I will come home to something other than what I owe someone or 20% off at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Mr. Spectacular started collecting nice pens and inks when we stopped seeing each other, I will bet anything he’s never written one love letter with them. Sometimes it’s nice looking at the pen strokes and not having the immediate urge to reply back, but when you do, it will take time and effort. We have gone back to collecting records, making cassette tapes, and going to barber shops, so why not delve into the lost art of writing. You remember that thing you do with a pen, right? If you want to really mess with someone, write one in cursive and send it to a millenial. They will think it’s some coded instruction. But, seriously, how much would you make someone’s day by simply sending a postcard. Have fun!

#notes #letters #love #trinkets

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heliosfinance · 8 years ago

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15 Free Hobbies That Require No Money But Are Fun!

I'm a huge proponent of earning more to achieve your financial goals. But, at the same time, I don't dismiss the need to save money or be conscious of your spending.

However, for many people (myself included), it can be hard to balance having fun with saving money. Too many people think "a good time" requires dropping $50-$100 for dinner and drinks, or going to a movie in the theatre for $35 with popcorn and a soda.

That's just not the case - there are plenty of free hobbies that you can do. Yes free. As in cost $0. And they are fun, entertaining, can occupy your time for hours at a time, and you'll enjoy it.

Remember, having fun doesn't have to cost money - it just requires a little time and creativity.

Here's our list of free hobbies (that actually require no money) and are fun:

Quick Navigation

1. Writing

2. Hiking/Walking

3. Reading

4. Exercise/Fitness

5. Learn A Foreign Language

6. Volunteering

7. Singing

8. Juggling

9. Origami

10. Drawing

11. Solving Puzzles And Crosswords

12. Astronomy

13. Rock Collecting

14. Meditation

15. Take Advantage Of Your Community Treasures

1. Writing

Writing...putting pen to paper...or even typing on the computer screen. Writing is a great activity that anyone can do for free.

It might not sound enjoyable, but it can be - when you realize there are so many different forms of writing and ways to do it. You could write a story, you could write a poem, you could write a journal, you could write a letter. You could write reviews of every place you visit.

Just like with any creative medium, there are pretty much limitless ways to get started writing. So that, in itself, could be overwhelming.

So how do you get started? Well, it depends on you! Here are some suggestions:

Offline: Get started with a notepad and pen and start writing. Get your thoughts on paper until you get comfortable writing. No matter the subject, just write. Some experts advise trying to write a page a day just to build the habit and get started.

Online: Look at starting a free blog on Medium. Or, start writing detailed reviews on sites like Yelp. The goal here is to just share your thoughts in a written form.

2. Hiking/Walking

Want to kill time, do something enjoyable, and maybe get or stay fit? Well, get outside and start walking or hiking. This is completely free, and there are limitless places you can go.

To start, just open your front door and start walking around your neighborhood. Once you get a comfort level up for time and distance, consider a local park or trail.

Don't know any good trails or places to hike? Check out the website AllTrails, where you can search for local trails sorted by all types of metrics (walking, hiking, kid friendly, pet friendly, etc.).

If you want to add an extra spin to hiking, look into geocaching. Geocaching is essentially an outdoor treasure hunt. People place caches around different trails and points of interest, and other people go find them while hiking. It can be pretty fun and make hiking rewarding.

It's free, you just need to know where to find the geocaches. Look at sites like Geocaching and various cell phone apps for locations.

3. Reading

I've talked about reading before, but too many people don't realize that reading can be a free activity. Seriously. If you haven't considered reading for a free hobby, now is your chance.

There are two options for great free reading.

1. Go To The Library. Your library has almost every book imaginable and you can get a library card and read them for free. You could also just sit in the library and read. Basically, you have no excuse for not reading with your local library.

2. Read Online. Maybe reading a book isn't your think (it's not mine). But I read voraciously - news articles, blogs, journals, and more - just online. There is no bigger free source of literature and reading than the Internet. Just open your web browser and start reading.

Don't know where to start? Try Wikipedia. On their Main Page each day, they have multiple interesting articles that can be a great jump start to your reading hobby. Oh, and if you don't have Internet, go back to your library - most (if not all) have computers you can use for free.

4. Exercise/Fitness

Exercising and physical fitness is another hobby that too many people believe requires spending a ton of money. It doesn't help that financial pundits (including myself) consistently talk about over-priced gym memberships that go unused.

But, in practice, exercise and physical fitness can be completely free. In fact, I personally think working out without a gym is the way to go for most beginners (the gym can be overwhelming).

There are various ways to exercise without going to the gym, and it all falls into a bucket called bodyweight fitness. These include exercises like running, pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and more. You can find tons of great ideas and workouts on sites like Reddit's Bodyweight Fitness subreddit.

All this takes is time, dedication, and practice, and you can see yourself getting into great shape without paying crazy gym membership fees.

5. Learn A Foreign Language

Another fun hobby can be learning another language. It used to be expensive to learn languages - you'd need to take a class or pay a tutor to help you. However, today, it's free and you can make a lot of progress by yourself if you put in the effort.

How is this possible? With different online tools you can essentially get tutoring to learn a foreign language. A few of the more popular options for learning a language include:

Duolingo - This free online tool gamifies learning a foreign language. And it's free. And it's fun. You can try it out yourself here: http://ift.tt/2mCt7vL

Memrise - Memrise is another tool that seeks to make learning a foreign language fun, and it's also free. Try it out for yourself here: http://ift.tt/1JoSN5T

The important thing to remember is that learning a foreign language can be both a free hobby that's fun, and a useful way to empower your future.

6. Volunteering

What to have a hobby that also contributes and gives back? Volunteering is the way to go. So many organizations are looking for great help - there are nearly limitless ways that you can spend your time giving back.

It's important to remember that volunteering can be both structured and unstructured. You can volunteer and be part of an organization, or you can simply dedicate some time yourself to give back.

For example, you could volunteer at your church or local food bank. Or, you could simply spend several hours a week picking up trash at your local park.

Here are some great tools to get started:

VolunteerMatch: This tool allows you to find causes that are looking for volunteers

United Way: United Way is a nationwide organization that partners with local charities to give back. They can connect you with local organizations look for help.

Beach Clean Up In A Box: Can't make it to a beach clean up? Organize your own with this helpful tool to get all the supplies you need in a box.

7. Singing

Singing can be another great hobby that doesn't cost you anything but your time (and voice). The fun part about singing is that you can be as casual or formal as you want with it.

For example, you could sing at home, in your car, or in the shower. That's causal. Or, you can take it up a notch and sing in a choir or group. Want to sing with friends? Go to karaoke a few times a week and practice.

The one thing that holds a lot of people back from singing is just fear of being judged. But honestly, the more you practice and prepare, the more you can conquer your fear.

8. Juggling

This is a fun one that you can do almost anywhere, as long as you have something to toss into the air. Juggling is hard. I can't juggle more than two things at once (if you even call that juggling).

Because it's challenging, it can be a great free hobby. The more you practice, the more you can juggle. And trust me, people will be impressed.

I don't know if you've seen this viral video, but here's a great example of juggling:

9. Origami

Origami is the art of folding paper. And it can be really impressive with practice. All you need to become an origami master is paper, and time.

The great thing about this hobby is that it's free to learn and practice - you just need paper. And there are tons of free videos and resources that can show you exactly what to do.

If you're looking to get started with origami, check out the Origami Instructions website and start folding today. Plus, origami can make awesome gifts for friends and family (a free bonus)!

10. Drawing

Drawing is another paper-based hobby that is totally free. All you need is something to write with - pencil, pen, crayon, chalk, anything! Beyond that, it's just your imagination.

Now, you might equate drawing to beautiful works of art - but nobody starts there. To get started, just put pen to paper and see what happens.

The great thing about drawing is that you can literally draw anything. You could go for realistic, or maybe you want to draw something of a fantasy world. You could go for people, or landscapes. Heck, maybe you want to draw a treasure map.

The bottom line is that drawing is free, fun, and you can do it pretty much anywhere!

11. Solving Puzzles And Crosswords

Do you like puzzles? Are you into math or words? Did you get a newspaper subscription only to do the games page? Well, doing puzzles and crosswords is a fantastic FREE hobby. Yes free - you don't have to pay for a newspaper anymore to do your puzzles.

You can do pretty much any puzzle for free online. Here's our list of free puzzles and crosswords.

Daily Sudoku - http://ift.tt/HVWoZY

Washington Post Daily Crossword - http://ift.tt/1b3Qpz5

USA Today Daily Crossword - http://ift.tt/2mCdi8C

LA Times Daily Crossword - http://ift.tt/2mCuA5l

Boatload Puzzles Crossword - http://ift.tt/2mCs92P

12. Astronomy

Looking at the stars, finding planets, checking out constellations, watching shooting stars! Looking upward is a lot of fun, and it's free. The hard part is getting started and knowing what to look for.

The great thing about the Internet is that there are a lot of free tools and programs that can help you find constellations, planets, and more.

One of my favorite tools for free astronomy is an iPhone app called SkyView. This app uses your GPS and orientation to show you exactly what starts and constellations you're looking at.

If you don't have an iPhone, there are also free online star charts you can use from the Online Planetarium. Or search on YouTube - there are hundreds of videos out there showing you what to look for.

13. Rock Collecting

Nature has a ton of beauty, and for those with a collector spirit, rock collecting can be a fun, free hobby. The hard part about collecting in general is that it can be expensive. Want to collect coins? Expensive. Want to collect art? Really expensive. But collecting rocks is free - a free hobby provided by nature.

There is no set way to collect rocks. You can collect rocks you find beautiful. You can collect types of rocks. You can simply try to identify rocks and turn it into an educating experience.

Here's a great guide to getting started rock collecting.

14. Meditation

Meditation has been a huge buzz word in business the last few years. Many tech titans practice meditation or some form of mindfulness each day.

Meditation can be a great free hobby that not only helps to clear your mind and focus, but can really be an enjoyable experience simply for fun. The idea that you focus, relax, and free yourself internally can have a lot of positive ramifications throughout your life.

Plus, if you meditate in fun locations (such as a park, or the beach), it can really become a great overall experience.

Don't know where to start? Our friend Leo at Zen Habits created a great tutorial on meditation for beginners.

15. Take Advantage Of Your Community Treasures

Finally, take advantage of your community's treasures. Every community is different, but this could be parks, trails, museums, art galleries, zoos, and more.

While not all of these are free, many are. And in some locations (like most major cities), museums and art galleries typically have a "free admission day" at least once a month.

Going to these treasures is a great way to learn, enrich yourself, spend time, and more. And it doesn't have to cost money to do it.

Conclusion

Hopefully you found something on this list that interests you. There are countless free hobbies. If your hobby wasn't mentioned in the list, share it in the comments below so that others can enjoy what you're passionate about.

The post 15 Free Hobbies That Require No Money But Are Fun! appeared first on The College Investor.

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