#[A fragment of my past - Harriet]

[sweetellafontaine]

((Polaris)) 💗 Someday | Harriet [18 Aug 2019] ((Do not reply))

She was beginning to feel the weight of summer. Summer meant no classes, it meant working at the magic laundry and working on the household. The Fontaine mansion wasn’t built for one person to do all the work, yet that was exactly how the household was arranged. And all of it was put on Ella Fontaine, who, if her father had not remarried, would be the master of the mansion.

After her shift at the magical laundry, she barely could stand on her feet. Blisters prevented her from moving quickly, and she barely could bite back her tears.

“Someday, I will find my happiness.” She whispered to herself in a weak attempt to cheer herself up, she found herself sitting down on the pavement removing a shoe to see the damage on her feet. It was worse than she imagined. And she sighed. “When will kindness repay me, mother?” She whispered to herself, surprised to see a butterfly landing before her. She decided to dry her tears and put back her shoes but got started to see she no longer was alone.

“Oh, I apologize.” She kindly smiled before offering the other a bow.

Like a bear emerging from hibernation, Harriet stumbles out of some hole in the wall basement apartment. She recoils against the sun, pulling her sunglasses tighter against her face as she starts in the direction of home. 

Too preoccupied with thoughts of Advil and her bed, she doesn’t notice the moping wad on the sidewalk until the girl speaks. “Don’t worry about it,” she says, hurrying past her only to pause two steps later. Wrinkling her nose, mouth agape, she twists around on the spot. “Hey, what day is it?”

She was used to being unnoticed at home, but outside people tended to give her as much as a hello. Yet, she wouldn’t allow her heart to feel heavy and smiled. “It is Tuesday, Miss.” She smiled politely. “Do you need to be somewhere? I can give you directions if you need to?”

“Fuck yes,” she says, throwing her head back and fist-pumping with both arms. That had been one hell of a bender, and for a second, she questioned her sense of time. It’s not Wednesday. She isn’t working later, thank God. Of course, Mads probably would have switched shifts with her. “No, thanks, just having a bit of trouble transitioning back to sober. Nothing matters and everything makes sense when you’re high, you know? Or not…you’re giving off a strong ‘somebody just killed your puppy’ vibe.”

The woman in front of her showed her quite some interesting expressions, it made Ella feel a bit curious about the other. “Oh, if you are experiencing some headaches I can advise you to drink water and eat. If you get hydrated chances are likely that your headache will worsen over the day, and that’s no good.” She smiled. She was not the type to take any sort of drugs, if anything her high came from doing good to others. “I just had a lot of pain in my feet, that is all. But thank you for your concern.” She offered the woman a kindhearted smile. “Oh, I do not wish to take too much of your time, you did seem to be in a hurry after all. I do wish you a wonderful day.”

Now that the blonde mentions eating, she could use a proper, ‘something other than pizza’ meal. There’s also her gut telling her this girl could use a friend today. And Harriet is always eager to make new friends. She looks around, lips pursed and sees a restaurant across the street. Her bed, excited as she is to collapse into it, can wait for a little longer. With a smile, she raises her brows at the girl. “Are you hungry?”

“I’m a little bit, yes.” She smiled. “Are you inviting?” She cocked her head, smiling from ear to ear. “I could use a bite, I probably won’t get much to eat at home, considering I’m already late. Perhaps I’m lucky and my stepsisters aren’t home and dragged my stepmother along.” She pondered for a moment. The next words were nothing but a faint whisper. “Either way I’m getting punished, so I might just get something nice to eat.”

With that, she put her shoe back on. “Let’s go, I’ll pay.”

-end

[saigonharrington]

when worlds collide // Harry Potter fic

Harry Potter x teen wolf crossover

fem!harry, platonic (or is it🥴???) love between fem!harry and scott & stiles

summary: the trio was friends for years, since early childhood, but was it always perfect? Not only boys, but also Harriet was having a secret. What is going to happen now, when the truth has been told?

Harry is Harriet now btw ;)

word count: 2,4K

Words in italics are either narrator’s words or fragments from deathly hallows

requested by @aIaka2109

tagging some people who might be interested: @nerdyblogger06 @laheysdork @blessednereid

//

— — — — — —

The friendships that we create in our childhood are special. Even if they didn’t last long, they made us the way we are now. However, the ones that survived the hard times are something else. That impact is bigger, stronger, just different, but in a good way.

Being friends with Scott and Stiles for sure was magnificent. When Harriett joined that duo, making it a trio, they definitely weren’t the coolest people at school.

Some considered them quirky, nerdy, and awkward, but it didn’t really matter. They were having the best time, successfully ignoring the chatters.

Sadly, that friendship was challenging. After years of adventures, Harriett had been accepted to Hogwarts. The boys had no clue about the wizarding world, being forced to believe that she had just simply moved abroad.

It broke their hearts, but somehow they managed to spend at least half of the summer together. Harriet found it hard not to tell them everything because going to Hogwarts would be an amazing experience, but she had to follow the rules. Her parents said that it could have horrific consequences, and they just couldn’t risk everything.

Something had changed when Scott joined the supernatural world as well. He felt bad that only Stiles knew about it, but how could he tell Harriett?

He loved her, maybe a little more than a friend normally would, but he could not take the chance and lose Harriet. Imagining it was painful, and it being a reality could literally tear him apart.

But today?

Today was the big day for both sides. Stiles and Scott were only miles away from the Dursley’s house, revising the words from the speech that they prepared. They weren’t sure if they were ready to open up, but it was high time to do it. They cannot keep this secret for long.

The boys were just around the corner when Scott had stopped and tried to focus on his hearing abilities.

“I think something’s happening outside the Dursley’s house. Stay here, I’ll try to take a look and check what the conversation is about”

“No dude, I’ll go with you” Stiles replied eagerly, but Scott only shook his head and peeked, hiding behind the walls of the building.

“I see Dudley, and his parents...but Harriet isn’t there. It looks like they’re moving out. Oh, never mind.” Scott took another quick peek around the corner, “I noticed Harriet, but clearly she’s not going with them. There are two more people, looking rather weird.” He gave a description, leaving Stiles curious.

“But what are they talking about? Something might be wrong. I know they aren’t fond of Harriet’s existence, but would they leave her for no reason?” Stiles asked, as Scott tried to focus one more time.

“The man is named Dedalus, I also hear Dudley saying goodbye to Harriet.”

“So it’s true! They’re leaving her!” Stiles started to panic, pacing around in order to calm himself.

“They will see us if you won’t stay still. Let me continue doing my job.” Scott stated, his tone flat.

“And?” Stiles asked after a few minutes, feeling a little more relaxed.

“Okay, something is definitely wrong. These two people sound like they are not humans at all. They don’t understand how to drive a car.”

“Do you think they’re like you? But you can drive a car… maybe they’re like Malia? Hidden in the woods for years, not knowing what is going on in the world…”

“I mean we can’t reject that option. They might not be werewolves, but even I don’t know every creature from the bestiary. We have to ask Harriet.”

“But when? Are we going to wait until they all disappear? It might take a while.” Stiles started asking a lot of unnecessary questions, but Scott wasn’t listening to him.

“They’ve just left” Scott replied, getting ready to step out of their hiding spot.

“No! Wait a minute. If we go now, she might figure out that we were eavesdropping.” Stiles chimed in.

“Fine. But it shouldn’t matter, since, you know, we want to tell the truth. She will feel obligated to explain it to us as well.”

Harriet was now ready to close the door and sit in the almost empty house alone. She didn’t know if she should feel sad, that everything is changing so fast and is out of control, or happy, because she got rid of the Dursley’s and can taste the freedom that she waited for so long.

She heard the weird sound of someone creeping, immediately feeling in danger.

Harriet held her wand in her hand, just in case the use of Expelliarmus might be needed.

“What are you guys doing?! I was ready to punch you!” She yelled, hiding her wand quickly, hoping that they didn’t see it.

“Thanks for your kind welcome, Harriet.” Stiles replied sarcastically.

“We aren’t here to harm you, darling.” Scott added. “There’s just something that we want to talk about. Can we come in?”

Harriet nodded, and the three found themselves in the kitchen, where Scott had found himself a bottle of water.

“Could you explain why the Dursleys left?” Stiles asked directly, not being able to keep it in.

“Oh, I was hoping you wouldn’t notice. It’s a… long story” She tried to avoid this topic, but not today.

The boys were ready to tell everything, and she had to be even with them.

“They were talking about magic. There were two people that didn’t know how to use a car. I don’t think that they were kidding.” Stiles blurted out of nowhere, making Scott split the water of his mouth.

“What we mean is… we heard something while getting there. I know it sounds weird, but honestly, everything is not normal. Please say that you can explain it to us. It won’t frighten us. In fact, we have something not-so-typical to tell you as well.” He said after punching Stiles in the arm because he planned to handle it differently.

“I… don’t know how to start. Even if you won’t be frightened, please just promise me you won’t get mad. I had to keep this a secret.” She started the monologue, making all of them to sit on the floor, so no one could hit his head while fainting.

Telling everything from the start wasn’t the easiest. She had to explain all the weird, unsaid things from their childhood, moving on to the moment when she got to Hogwarts. The stories from the school were definitely her favorite ones because after all these years she was able to share her experience with her friends.

“Woah, after hours of explaining you guys look... not as surprised as I thought you would be. But this is it. What’s your story? Hope I didn’t make you speechless…” Harriet muttered.

“Actually, I think you will feel relieved when you hear our secret. We didn’t get mad at you, so please do the same.” Scott made eye contact with his friend, making sure that he’s okay with Scott taking the lead in explaining. “Stiles, you can add something if I miss it”.

There it was, a historical moment, where two sides of the friendship got to know the secrets of the other. To be honest, they were shocked, all three of them. But considering their problems from the past, they found it easy to understand why some things weren’t said earlier. All they had to do now was try to keep up and spend some time together because they hadn't talked in months.

Harriet connected the dots immediately. Scott was a werewolf, like Lupin. There was not a chance that they knew each other, but she still imagined the meeting of these two, wondering if they would be talking about her.

Unfortunately, Scott said that he doesn’t know Remus.

“ So what are we going to do now? Now that you know that Scott is a werewolf, and you know that Harriet’s a witch. Shall we watch a movie? Too much information today.” said Stiles, trying to find a TV. “Don’t tell me that these stupid Dursleys have taken the television too.”

“They did. They left me only my bed. But never mind, because this evening I’m gonna be somewhere else. Shit, I haven’t told you about this, have I?”

Boys confirmed that they didn’t hear a word about this, so Harriet tried to tell them as much as she could, but it was harder than she thought. Maybe because she did not know what the plan was, or because she was stressed about this.

For sure it could be dangerous, not only for her but for her other friends as well. And now that Scott and Stiles came here, she felt responsible for their safety too.

Telling them about Voldemort was the most exciting part. They never really thought about Harriet’s bravery, but hearing all the stories in detail made them proud of their friend.

Harriet proved that no one should mess with her, and honestly, it impressed Scott. He had a crush on her for quite a while, and now, knowing that she takes part in the supernatural world, he didn’t feel so guilty about it.

He hid his feelings so far because he was worried that she might hate him and reject his feelings. Not anymore. He had a lot of respect for her, for her persistence and valor.

Was it bad that he wanted to kiss her right now? He tried to focus on something else, but hearing her heartbeat as he moved closer to her was making him crazy. If he couldn’t kiss her, he would want to read her mind. So he decided to shoot his shot today.

“Guys, I don’t want to worry you, but Ron has just informed me that they’re coming here in a few minutes. Please hide in this closet.” Harriet’s tone carried a hint of worry, “I don’t want more problems. We’ll talk soon, okay? And try not to leave immediately after us. You-know-who’s sympathizers might be everywhere and I don’t want you get hurt. Understood?” She asked, watching as Stiles was trying to get comfortable in the not-so-big closet.

“Harriet, can I say something?” Scott started, taking her hand and receiving approval. “I...I feel something towards you. I know it’s not the best time, but please remember that I admire you and I want to be more than friends. I understand if you don’t feel the same way, but please, take care of yourself. We will be alright, and hopefully, so will you…” Harriet interrupted his monologue, giving him a kiss, to make him shut his mouth.

“We’ll get back to this conversation soon, I promise. Now, please hide. They’re coming.”

Harriet tried to look casual, as if she was doing something normal and waiting for the visitors, but instead, she looked overwhelmed and disorganized. It took a while until she calmed herself down, and understood everything from Moody’s plan.

“Any questions?” Moody asked after the explanation.

“Er — yes,” said Harriet. “Maybe they won’t know which of the twelve secure houses I’m heading for at first, but won’t it be sort of obvious once—” Harriet performed a quick headcount, “fourteen of us fly off toward Tonks’s parents’?”

“Ah,” said Moody, “I forgot to mention the key point. Fourteen of us won’t be flying to Tonks’s parents’. There will be seven Harriet Potters moving through the skies tonight, each of them with a companion, each pair heading for a different safe house.”

From inside his cloak Moody now withdrew a flask of what looked like mud.

There was no need for him to say another word; Harriet understood the rest of the plan immediately.

“No!” she said loudly, her voice ringing through the kitchen. “No way!”

“I told him you wouldn’t take it well,” said Hermione with a hint of complacency.

“If you think I’m going to let six people risk their lives —!”

“— because it’s the first time for all of us,” said Ron.

“This is different, pretending to be me —”

“Well, none of us really fancy it, mate,” said George earnestly. “Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as specky, scrawny gits forever.”

Harriet did not smile at George’s playful joke.

“You can’t do it if I don’t cooperate, you need me to give you some hair.”

“Well, that’s that plan scuppered,” said George.

“Obviously there’s no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate.”

“Yeah, thirteen of us against one girl who’s not allowed to use magic; we’ve got no chance,” Fred chortled.

“Funny,” said Harriet, “really amusing.”

“If it has to come to force, then it will,” growled Moody, his magical eye now quivering a little in its socket as he glared at Harry.

“Everyone here’s of age, Potter, and they’re all prepared to take the risk.”

Mundungus shrugged and grimaced; the magical eye swerved sideways to glare at him out of the side of Moody’s head.

“Let’s have no more arguments. Time’s wearing on. I want a few of your hairs, now.” Moody ordered.

“But this is mad, there’s no need —”

Scott and Stiles were patiently waiting behind the door, trying to hear everything correctly. When they heard that there were going to be six more Harriets, they found it hard to sit still.

Stiles, being the curious one, had peeked through the small hole, because he couldn’t believe what was happening.

And he saw exactly what the people were talking about. Seven Harriets and some other adults, who were probably going to guard each one of the Potters. That was insane, and the fact that they couldn’t come closer made him and Scott a little angry.

As everyone was leaving, one of the Potters secretively winked at them, trying not to look weird by winking to a presumably empty closet.

Fortunately, only the boys saw it, others in the room weren’t paying attention, as they were trying to get ready for the adventure. That simple gesture had shown the boys that Harriet remembered them, and that she is hoping to talk to them soon.

But was there a chance for that to happen?

Scott wanted to believe that they were going to chat as soon as possible, but knowing that both of them had lots of supernatural issues around, it wasn’t going to be easy.

//

I’m sorry to inform you that this is the last fic to be published by me for now, I’m taking a break to study, I still might be active here from time to time, but I’ll come back to writing in June

I hope that you people, the 173 of you will still be there, love you guys

[roodllle]

Year in Review - Animal Crossing New Horizons

I started writing this review/criticism in May of 2020 but decided to update it as the year went along and post it on the anniversary of NH’s release. I would like to preface that this is mostly going to be full of questions of criticisms, I love this game. I have not been able to put it down since I got it on March 20th. My first AC game was NL and then I played HHD. I was ecstatic when they announced NH at E3 2019 and kept trying to find other games to fit in my AC shaped hole in my heart but I wasn’t able to fill it till this game came out. I feel like the pace of the game is great with how you build up to unlocking terraforming and 5 stars, and I feel like the updates are well timed especially with how crazy 2020 was for everybody. That being said there were some things that irked me. 

Some of the points I will bring up came from other people/commenters I have seen on here, Discord, Reddit, and Twitter that I also agree with. Some other points are from Youtubers such as ShayMay and ChuyPlays. And others are from me. 

With that out of the way, let’s get on with the review. Warning, I guess, don’t expect this to be an essay, this is just a patchwork quilt made up of thoughts.

Terraforming

I wish cliffs/tiers had a smaller level? Like how we’re able to make stepping stones for our rivers if we don’t want to put a bridge down/use our vaulting pole. I just wish there was a cliff alternative. 

Another cliff alternative would be if we could put bridges between cliffs. I think we’ve all been there where we see this picture 

          thought ‘we can do that!!” then realized it was photoshopped

When we go into terraforming, I wish a grid showed up on our island. It would make it much easier to avoid hitting the wrong square when I’m trying to change a river. 

Having us be able to “close” a waterfall from a lower level but not create a new on at the same spot. 

Also the fact we can add a 4th tier but can’t put anything on it is just strange to me. I know we have to have a limit to how high we can go, but at least let me put nature stuff, such as trees/flowers/bushes, on top of it instead of just a flat piece of land. 

Houses

Why no ceiling items? Find it odd they added a bunch of stuff in HHD and didn’t add that to the new mainline game

There’s no reason I can think of to why we can’t access our storage when we’re crafting inside our house. 

Buildings

Dodo Airlines

The Dodo Islands right now are very boring and barely use them. I have enough money and materials to not go farming and save up all my NMTs for when I go villager hunting, which has also become a rarity. I think it would be a good idea to make some islands seasoned themed. Have them be all rare, but have an island where it’s fall and has maple leaves falling, a cherry blossom one, one with snowflakes. I wouldn’t recommend they make Holiday themed ones, but having seasonal ones would be nice.

When I mess up a dodo code or accidentally hit ‘make a bridge’ instead of incline, etc. why do I have to restart the ENTIRE conversation instead of the characters just being “oh? did you mean “x” or “would you like to retype it?” like is it that hard??  

Resident Services

As much as I love Isabelle this game has made me very indifferent towards her. I think they gave her a role that didn’t need to exist. They could have either let us roam around without any warnings to who was roaming around our island, in the campsite, or any weather updates. Just have us rely on our villagers, the TV, and our eyeballs. OR they could have given us a social media like app and/or a weather app. Instead, they gave us Isabelle that only announces something once a month.

Nook’s Cranny

This might just be me but can they add a little DIY area in the store? Maybe just make to where you can only customize things?? This is more out of convenience than an actual problem  

Speaking of customization, since you can make medicine but also buy can we do the same for the custom kits and bait. Like make it where we can buy bait and also make our own custom kits? I just think it’s weird that they give us either/or for medicine but not for the other 2 that I honestly use way more than medicine.

Why do the Able Sisters get to have all of the colors of an item in their shop but Nook’s Cranny can’t? And why can’t we just be able to customize all items that have multiple looks/colors? Example, why can’t I just be able to change the wood type for the antique set instead of having to buy each one? I get that the furniture catalog is already small, but that’s not my fault. They’ve decided to not add past furniture sets into NH. 

Able Sisters

Let us multi select clothes instead of it just being how much we can wear. idc if it’ll just put those clothes in our personal storage and then we’ll have to run home and put it in that storage, I just hate having to walk back in and out every time I want a dress in multi colors. ALSO tell us if we already bought it, like a little storage icon or something

Why can’t we hang any article of clothing on the back wall, why do we have to either make it or have the OG qr designer come to our island? 

Why can’t we have the transparent option when designing clothes? I think it would make many designer’s lives easier instead of having to make 8 versions of the same outfit.

NPCs

I have played this game almost every day since it came out, minus 2 days. I have also been able to make friends on discord that help with trading/cataloging/etc. I have all of Saharah’s, Kicks’, Label’s, and Redd’s items. I have all of the fish/bug models I want and have no desire to “catch them all”. I haven’t talked to Wisp in months because I have most of the items and his idea of “expensive” is 10k bells. The only NPC I actively look forward to is Celeste because even though I now have all of her DIYs, she still gives out star fragments, regular large or horoscope, when I talk to her. 

What I’m wondering is if they’re planning on doing anything else with these characters. Before I speak further I’m going to weed out characters that I am actually fine with. CJ and Flick will always be there if I want a bug/fish model, I understand that Saharah/Kicks/Redd have a ton of stuff to get and w/o the help of my discord friends, I probably wouldn’t have gotten everything till late 2021. 

So that leaves Label and Wisp. I understand Wisp is there for beginners, but now that I’m at a point where I am a bell millionaire and have most of the Nook’s items cataloged, there is no reason for me to talk to him. I wish Nintendo had put in a system where depending on the person who Wisp is talking to, it determines how much money you have in your bank account/looks at your catalog, Wisp’s item’s worth goes up.

As for Label...I never saw her as viable. I also thought the tickets were dumb and you don’t even have to talk to her to have her items show up in the shop the next day. I think it would be great if when you bought all of her items, she decided to join the Able’s sisters in their shop like in NL and then have Gracie show up in her place for the weekly NPC. 

Where is Blanca? Or Brewster? Or Shrunk, Katrina, Gracie, or Kapp’n and his family? I understand we will probably never see characters like Harriet or Pete because they have been replaced by a new system, but what is the excuse for these other characters? I’m hoping they show up in year 2 of NH but...we’ll see.

Villagers

I think having your first villagers living in basic homes is a good idea but one that quickly gets annoying. I found Sherb while villager hunting for the 1st time and have had him ever since, but his house is stuck at basic lazy setup. Instead of me going back and forth on whether or not i should trust somebody enough to hold Sherb, get somebody else out, then get him to move back to my island, You can have it to where you let them leave, then just wait till he comes to the campsite to visit and reinvite him. You get his actual house and he still remembers you. This could also go for you accidentally letting somebody go or letting somebody go then regretting it. Also it’d be fun to see some old villagers again.

I was curious and looked back on past games to see how many new villagers were released each game and NH has been the least amount. NL released 112 new villagers in total while NH has released 8. I’m hoping they might release more down the line but, hella disappointing imo. Along with the Sanrio update and adding those characters to the game, I am more hopeful that they’ll be adding new characters!

Having an “event” of sorts where you visit a villager’s house and they’re looking inside their closet. They look at you in surprise when you walk in and sheepishly explain that they were going through their clothes/items. They then decide to ask you for help since they can’t decide what to get rid of/what to keep and think you have a good eye for that sort of thing. Basically, a way to get rid of any clothes/items your villager somehow received bc I guess Isabelle scolding them isn’t enough.

A big problem I feel like everybody has is the villager dialogue. Yes they added sub personality types for each personality but they are not perfectly cut in half, ex. are the Sisterly types where there are 4 B types and 20 A types, like?? How I have “fixed” this problem is by having one of each personality type on my island so I always have different conversations with my villagers, but I understand not a lot of people do that. Some people just want normal/peppy types on their island bc they’re cute as hell, I get it. I know it would be...difficult to come up with unique dialogue for all 399 villagers, including Sanrio, but....you could at least for the “gimmicky” villagers. Some examples of these villagers are Ribbot and Sprocket, Lucky and Ankha, the super hero squad, and Kabuki. 

Quality Life stuff

Why cant we sit AND wish on stars? And I don’t mean the sit emote; why can’t I sit on a bench and wish on stars?

It sucks when I’m about to hit my rocks or just do a lot of dig work and then my shovel breaks in the middle of it. To show the tool is about to break, cracks should start to form on the handle and get deeper/longer as you keep using it, starting when you have 5 uses left. You can also add an auditory element by making the tool sound like its struggling when you are using it. Net/Shovel/Axe/Fishing Pole can have cracks show up on the handle, Slingshot can have crack show up at the bottom of the 2 spokes while having 1 at the top of the handle. And the watering can have cracks at the base of the can.

If our inventory is full when I dig up a flower, why can’t I replace it with another flower to bury? And if I can dig up an item at an diagonal item, I should be able to bury it again at the same angle.

Other

Having more...liveliness?? on the island, idk how else to say it. Example is whenever you travel by plane there's a chemtrail in the sky afterwards, maybe just seeing other planes go by throughout the day. Maybe you can get a hint Redd or Gulliver will be visiting you tomorrow if you see their boats beyond the horizon, Redd’s just crusin’ and the Gulls’ boats looking messed up. On a week where you don't have a new camper, maybe have an old villager visit. That leads me too

I wish villager’s doors could count as “exterior decorating” and we can just put any ornamental on there instead having to hope that your villager will put the wreath on their own door. 

Conclusion

If you read this whole thing holy shit, thanks!! Go treat yourself on my part lol If you disagreed with me or whatever feel free to chat with me about it! 

[izcana]

Tommy and the Newt Pt. 5

A rapid switch of perspectives – you should be able to guess whose it is by " Name thought" cues.

***

Minho was tired of Newt's whining. Sure, the boy (Thomas, was it?) was cute, but he was making a big deal out of nothing. Minho was usually very sensitive to his best friend's situation, but his behaviour was just pushing it and overly dramatic.

"Newt, please, just –––"

"I'm going to dinner, have Ava deliver dinner to Thomas."

Minho faked heartbreak. "No 'please'? You wound me!"

Newt rolled his eyes. Sometimes Minho thought that if it wasn't for him, Newt would be acting like a complete animal, with no human emotion except for hopelessness and savagery. There was no saying – if Newt didn't get his klunk together, he would actually become a beast instead of simply looking like one. In Minho's opinion, Thomas seemed the type to care not for looks and only for the person themself, and could be a potential future princess. Or prince. Or whatever.

"Deal with it, bugger."

"But seriously, Newt," Gally interjected. "I think you should invite Thomas to dine with you."

Newt groaned. "Not you too, Gally! He literally told Teresa he hates me!"

"That's probably since you locked his father in a cell and forced him to stay for eternity in exchange for his father's freedom. Give it some rest, Newt. How would you feel if –––" Newt cut him off at "how would you feel".

"Gally, stop giving me the empathy klunk," Newt muttered. "You! Giving me empathy klunk!" It was well known that Newt and Gally used to be enemies. Yes, Gally couldn't attempt anything since Newt was the prince and shucking with him would mean punishment, but he had his ways of getting back at Newt and vice versa. After the spell, there was no denying that Gally...was starting to care. Sure, some suspected that it was mostly having to do with the fact that without Newt, Gally would be stuck as an antique clock forever.

So, Minho took matters into his own hands. "Newt, he might actually like you if you just meet him!"

Newt buckled under the pressure. "Fine."

******

Newt was slouched at the head of the table, his fists on the sides and a mess in general. "Where is he! He –––"

"Newton," Ava said sharply. "You're not going to meet the poor boy with this attitude. My son will be free of this curse, and if he's one step closer when you cooperate with the boy... Be a gentleman!"

Newt groaned. "How do I do that?"

It was Minho's turn to groan inside his head. What happened to the etiquette lessons the late queen had forced him to take? "Back straight, head up, get Gally to fix your hair, anything?" Gally; Chuck, Ava's son who's a teacup; Jeff, who's a dinner plate; Harriet, who's a Piano; and Sonya, who's a feather duster all nodded vigorously. "Woo him!" Minho added. "He has to like you, remember?"

"How am I supposed to woo him?" Newt grumbled.

"Give him compliments!" Sonya yelled from the other side of the room.

"Kiss his hands," Ava gave her input. "Make him blush."

"Ugh!" Newt threw his hands (or rather, paws) up into the air. "Okay..." Newt did his best to put on a smile, but in Minho's opinion, it looked more like Newt was trying to eat him.

"A genuine smile?" Evidently, Ava thought the same. "And practice your compliments!"

Newt sighed. Minho thought it was rather dumb; he should stop being so grumpy and give the boy a chance. Maybe, just maybe, if he did, then the boy will like him. Perhaps they could get his happily ever after...

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Against his wishes, he was dolled up for Thomas to oblige, dressed in all his regalia. Or, at least, that's what Minho and Gally told him. He knew he looked a fright, courtesy of the mirror near the end of the hall, but he didn't say anything. Newt didn't think this was the most pragmatic of all situations (since he could dine alone, still), but since he didn't think witches were real either, he's not really in a position to refute their claims.

"Will you stop fussing with the sleeves?" Ava yelled, her patience obviously reaching a limit. If there was anything Newt knew, it was to not infuriate Ava. Even back when Ava was a tutor and a servant (that was, before the curse), Newt was always intimidated by her when she told him to do his advanced sums. Besides, she had his parents wrapped around her pinky; Newt couldn't really do anything to complain...

"Fine, fine," Newt grumbled. "Gally, can you just...go already?"

Gally scurried away quickly, but not before throwing one final "you can do this!" look over his shoulder.

I can't, Newt thought. I can't and I'm letting all of you down. This curse is all because of me. What would Mother and Father think of me?

******

"Where is he!" Newt roared at Gally, who cowered. "Why isn't he here?" He paced around the dining room, ignoring the nervous looks the younger ones sent each other and ignoring Gally's pitiful stammerings, not allowing him a moment of speech.

"Newt!" Ava reprimanded sternly. "Let him speak if you are asking a question!"

"He said he wouldn't come!" Gally screamed quickly, snuffing the room into silence. "He said he wasn't hungry!"

"Come on," Newt muttered darkly to Gally. "He'd better be hungry when I get there..."

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Gally followed on his (now short) legs, and he could see Minho and the others (who could move) were behind. Gally thought this was the worst way to approach things, and if he could, he would've been sweating already. Newt was definitely going to make Thomas afraid of staying here.

Originally, Gally was so sure that the boy would come to no harm in this castle, but now, he's not so certain. This is a battle for Newt's sanity, and no one knew who would win; the beast or the man. Or maybe it was the beast of the man – no one could be sure. Gally just wished things could be back to "normal", if he knew even what that was, anymore.

No, there hadn't been a "normal" for a long time, ever since the late King and Queen. The villages have slipped from the regency's grasp, Newt inherited the throne at the age of 16, and then everything went chaos. Whether that had to do with Newt's past ego or the instability of the kingdom, he didn't know (as much as he boasted, he was still just a servant), but everything went to chaos and the kingdom was in ruins. They had heard from the north and the far south that the towns themselves were okay; they could sustain themselves for a long time beyond.

It was frankly amazing that the villagers had managed to plough their own way through this mess, but then again, the kingdom was doomed anyway. Gally truly believed that Newt could find his true love, but with the way he'd been treating Thomas, it wasn't very possible.

"Why weren't you down to dinner!" Newt roared furiously at the door after raising his fist to pound on the wood fiercely. Minho, having caught up with Gally and Newt, winced. Sonya followed shortly behind, shaking her head dismissively at Newt – similar to Ava's reaction.

There were a jolt and a panicked shriek that followed a thud. "I'm not hungry!" Thomas yelled back at Newt, his voice sounding shaky.

"Newt!" Ava hissed. "You're scaring him!" Thomas wasn't the only one Newt was scaring, Gally noted. Chuck was huddled in his mama (as much as he could as a teacup) and Ava looked mutinous. "You have to be polite! Suave! This is certainly not your idea of a compliment, is it?" Ava scared him, and he was sure Newt was the same. No wonder why Ava had everyone under her pinky – she was proud like a queen.

Newt cleared his throat drily. "Could you come to dinner with me?"

"Ahem," Minho coughed. "We say 'please' in this house..."

"Please," Newt gritted out through his teeth, his voice distorted.

Thomas seemed to have caught that and their chatters, supposedly, since he released a snort of indignation. "I'm not hungry!"

"YOU WILL COME OUT NOW OR I'LL BREAK THIS DOOR DOWN!" Newt bellowed, his voice echoing in the hallways. Everyone winced again.

"Go ahead! It's not my door!" Thomas screamed back shrilly, his voice cracking into loud sniffles and a sob. "It's not like I have a choice, do I?" He added bitterly.

Gally figured it was time to do his portion. "Newt, that boy lost his father and liberty in one day! You should give him some decision."

"I don't think this is the way to win his affections," Sonya added. Her tone implied that she would rather be filling her nails (if she still had them, that is) rather than listening to Newt fail miserably. Equivalent to Sonya, Gally would rather be doing the identical, if not only he had not the slightest clue how to properly file his nails (and there was always the usual "we don't have nails anymore" klunk...great).

Newt sighed. This wasn't going well, obviously (not that Gally expected for it to go well). "Are you going to come out and eat with me, then?" Gally, Minho, Sonya, Chuck, and Ava all eyed each other disbelievingly. Was Newt serious? Did he actually think Thomas would come when he threatened to knock down his door 30 seconds ago?

"No!" Thomas' tone was as disbelieving as their expression exchanges. "Are you kidding me?"

"IF HE DOESN'T EAT WITH ME, HE DOESN'T EAT AT ALL!" Newt howled. The astounded looks of the servants mirrored each other – was Newt seriously doing this?

The tumultuous rackets of the boy sobbing wetly fragmented Gally's anticipations into bits. So far, this wasn't working very well. They needed a miracle.

***

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X

[kgoldtemporarygallery]

Ξύπνησα με ένα μαρμάρινο κεφάλι στα χέρια

09/08/2019 – 08/09/2019 Οίκημα Βασιλείας Ταφύλια Αγία Παρασκευή, Λέσβος

Εγκαίνια: Παρασκευή 9 Αυγούστου, 20:00 Καθημερινά 11:00 –13:00 και 19:00 –23:00 Ελεύθερη είσοδος

Η K-Gold Temporary Gallery παρουσιάζει την ομαδική έκθεση “Ξύπνησα με ένα μαρμάρινο κεφάλι στα χέρια” σε επιμέλεια του Νικόλα Βαμβουκλή, καταλαμβάνοντας ένα νεοκλασικό κτίριο στο χωριό της Αγίας Παρασκευής Λέσβου.

Επιχειρώντας να σκιαγραφήσει τη σύγχρονη πολυπλοκότητα, η έκθεση διερευνά την έννοια του wunderkammer. Η άδεια κατοικία ως μια ανοιχτή βιτρίνα γίνεται το σκηνικό για τη παρουσίαση διαφόρων μεθόδων χαρτογράφησης, συλλογής και αρχειοθέτησης στην καλλιτεχνική πρακτική.

Ο τίτλος της έκτης καλοκαιρινής έκθεσης αναφέρεται στο ποίημα του Γιώργου Σεφέρη, που ως σύγχρονη Οδύσσεια διακρίνει τη συνέχεια μεταξύ παρελθόντος και παρόντος και πώς αυτή επιγράφεται τόσο ως προσωπική εμπειρία όσο και ως πολιτισμική μνήμη.

Το έντονο συλλεκτικό παρελθόν της Λέσβου ενημερώνει το ευρύτερο πλαίσιο της έκθεσης, από τα προϊστορικά ευρήματα του Απολιθωμένου Δάσους, την αρχαιολογία και τη λαϊκή παράδοση μέχρι τη περίφημη συλλογή του Tériade και του πρώτου Μουσείου Μοντέρνας Τέχνης στην Ελλάδα που ίδρυσε στο νησί.

Οι συμμετέχοντες καλλιτέχνες συνθέτουν ένα σύγχρονο δωμάτιο θαυμάτων (cabinet of curiosities). Τα έργα τους αντικατοπτρίζουν θραυσματικά τη σημερινή κοινωνία, θέτοντας ερωτήματα για τη διατήρησή και το ρόλο τους. Παράλληλα τονίζουν τη θεραπευτική αξία της τέχνης σε έναν υλικά κορεσμένο κόσμο και καταδεικνύουν πώς τα αντικείμενα που συγκεντρώνουμε – απτά και ψηφιακά –γίνονται τεκμήρια της ταυτότητάς μας ως εν δυνάμει συλλέκτες.

Με οδηγό τα αντικείμενα αυτά, οι επισκέπτες καλούνται να δημιουργήσουν τα δικά τους νοητικά μονοπάτια μεταξύ μύθου και πραγματικότητας, αντιμετωπίζοντας τους προσωπικούς τους περιορισμούς και προκλήσεις.

Συμμετέχοντες καλλιτέχνες: Joan Jonas, Ηλίας Παπαηλιάκης, Virginia Russolo, Bas Jan Ader, Guendalina Cerruti, Χρήστος Δεληδήμος, Anna Franceschini, Louis De Belle, Jonathas de Andrade, Ørjan Amundsen, Ευγενία Βερελή, Petter Solberg, Άδωνης Αρχοντίδης, Sarah Cockings και Harriet Fleuriot.

Την έκθεση συνοδεύουν παράλληλες εκδηλώσεις με πρόγραμμα χορού, δημιουργικά εργαστήρια για παιδιά, ξεναγήσεις, προβολές καθώς και ένας δίγλωσσος κατάλογος. Τέλος, θα παρουσιαστεί το νέο journal της K-Gold Temporary Gallery με τίτλο “The Wild Ones”, όπου συμμετέχουν οι φωτογράφοι Polly Brown, Diego Saldiva, Martin Sekera, Elena Subach, Daniel Everett και Christian Michael Filardo.

Παράλληλες Εκδηλώσεις

Πρόγραμμα Χορού

Παρασκευή 9 Αυγούστου, 20:30

There's a moose growing out of my back

Χορογραφία: Julie Rasmussen

Ερμηνεία: Julie Rasmussen, Maren Fidje Bjørnseth, Hilde Ingeborg Sandvold  

JunkDance

Χορογραφία: Ξένια Κογχυλάκη

Ερμηνεία: Νεφέλη Καδινοπούλου Αστερίου, Βενετσιάνα Καλαμπαλίκη, Ευθύμιος Μοσχόπουλος

Εκπαιδευτικό Πρόγραμμα

Σάββατο 10 και Κυριακή 11 Αυγούστου, 11:00 – 13:00

Δημιουργικά εργαστήρια για παιδιά με την εκπαιδευτικό Κατερίνα Ζάγκλη

Ξενάγηση στην έκθεση

Τετάρτη 14 Αυγούστου, 20:00 με τον επιμελητή Νικόλα Βαμβουκλή

Πρόγραμμα Προβολών

Καθημερινά στην αυλή του οικήματος, 21:00 – 23:00

Υπό την αιγίδα της Γενικής Γραμματείας Νέας Γενιάς του Υπουργείου Παιδείας, Έρευνας και Θρησκευμάτων.

Με την υποστήριξη του Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού, των Πολιτιστικών Υπηρεσιών του Υπουργείου Παιδείας και Πολιτισμού Κύπρου, του ΝΠΔΔ Πολιτισμού, Αθλητισμού και Τουρισμού του Δήμου Λέσβου και της Περιφέρειας Βορείου Αιγαίου

Δημιουργικοί Συνεργάτες: Cultiva Ekspress, FLUKS Centre for Young Art, University of Agder

Χορηγός: Όμιλος ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΕΤΡΕΛΑΙΑ

Χορηγός Εγκαινίων: Ούζο Πλωμαρίου Ισιδώρου Αρβανίτου

Χορηγοί Επικοινωνίας: ΕΡΤ Αιγαίου, CultureNow, Πολιτικά, ΣΤΟ ΝΗΣΙ  

Ι woke with a marble head in my hands

09/08/2019 –08/09/2019 Residence of Vasilia Tafylia Agia Paraskevi, Lesvos

Opening: Friday 9 August, 20:00 Daily 11:00 –13:00 and 19:00 –23:00 Free entrance

K-Gold Temporary Gallery presents the group exhibition “I woke with a marble head in my hands” curated by Nicolas Vamvouklis, in a neoclassical residence at the village of Agia Paraskevi in Lesvos.

This exhibition explores the notion of the wunderkammer in an attempt to outline the complexities of our times. The empty house as an open showcase becomes a stage for presenting various methods of mapping, collecting, and archiving in artistic practices.

The title of the sixth summer show refers to the poem by George Seferis, which, as a contemporary Odyssey, points out the continuity between past and present, and how it is inscribed in both personal experience and cultural memory.

Lesvos has a significant history of collecting that ranges from prehistoric findings of the Petrified Forest, archaeology, and folk culture to the unique collection of Tériade who opened on the island the first Modern Art Museum in Greece.

The participating artists compose a contemporary cabinet of curiosities. Their artworks reflect on fragments of today's society, raising questions about their role and preservation. They highlight the therapeutic value of art in a materially saturated world and point out what do these objects – physical and digital – reveal about our identity as collectors.

Visitors are invited to follow these objects and connect the traces between myth and reality by facing their own personal limits and challenges.

Participating artists: Joan Jonas, Ilias Papailiakis, Virginia Russolo, Bas Jan Ader, Guendalina Cerruti, Christos Delidimos, Anna Franceschini, Louis De Belle, Jonathas de Andrade, Ørjan Amundsen, Eugenia Vereli, Petter Solberg, Adonis Archontides, Sarah Cockings and Harriet Fleuriot

The exhibition is accompanied with parallel events: dance performances, workshops for children, guided tours, screenings, and a bilingual catalog. K-Gold Temporary Gallery finally presents its photography journal “The Wild Ones” featuring Polly Brown, Diego Saldiva, Martin Sekera, Elena Subach, Daniel Everett and Christian Michael Filardo.

Parallel Events

Dance performances

Friday 9 August, 20:30

There's a moose growing out of my back

Choreography: Julie Rasmussen

Performers: Julie Rasmussen, Maren Fidje Bjørnseth, Hilde Ingeborg Sandvold 

 JunkDance

Choreography: Xenia Koghilaki

Performers: Nefeli Kadinopoulou Asteriou, Venetsiana Kalabaliki, Efthimios Moschopoulos

Educational Programme

Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 August, 11:00 – 13:00

Workshops for children with art educator Katerina Zagli

Guided tour

Wednesday 14 August, 20:00

With the curator Nicolas Vamvouklis

Screening Programme

Daily, 21:00 – 23:00

At the residence’s yard

Under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Youth of the Greek Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs.

With the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Cultural Services of the Cypriot Ministry of Education and Culture, the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism of the Municipality of Lesvos, and the North Aegean Prefecture

Creative Collaborators: Cultiva Ekspress, FLUKS Centre for Young Art, University of Agder

Sponsor: Hellenic Petroleum Group

Opening Sponsor: Ouzo of Plomari Isidoros Arvanitis

Media Sponsors ERT Aegean, CultureNow, Politika, Sto Nisi

Photo: 

Daniel Everett, Preservation II, 2015, Courtesy the artist

Bas Jan Ader, Primary time, 1974. Copyright the Estate of Bas Jan Ader / Mary Sue Ader Andersen, 2019 / The Artist’s Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy of Meliksetian | Briggs, Los Angeles.

Jonathas de Andrade, O Peixe, 2016, Courtesy Galeria Vermelho

Xenia Koghilaki, JunkDance, 2019, Courtesy the artist

[plounce]

compilation post of whichever bbc america employee who wrote the captain’s blogs being an ally and a hero via treating janto as more than just a sex joke, being genuinely warm and funny, and mentioning ianto super fondly in nearly every single entry (especially s2) because jack is in love with him despite what everyone else would have you believe. but i, a gay, know, and so does bbc america social media staffer circa 2007-2008.

some may call this “fringe canon.” i call it “some of the only specks of canon that respect the show’s canon gay relationship as the loving and affectionate relationship that it is.”

text pulled from ianto’s desktop, which is a fun read despite the defunct photobucket embeds - i only included captain’s blog stuff, but there’s a couple more janto tidbits in there. none as nice as these, though. under a cut because it is Long.

season 1

(one really cool thing the writer did for early season one is have jack note unexplained energy surges in the lower levels of the hub - handy foreshadowing for cyberwoman)

1x03 (ghost machine - alien tech leads to murder mystery):

Other issues: According to Ianto, Splott is pronounced "Sploe". I think Ianto may have been lying.

Upcoming issues: Energy surges in the lower areas of the hub still unexplained; there have been several more in the past week. Ianto volunteered to investigate, but has not discovered an explanation yet.

1x04 (cyberwoman - the episode where ianto’s secrets are revealed and we all have a Bad Time):

Other Staff issues: Ianto Jones temporarily suspended from active duty, to return at my discretion. His love for Lisa clouded his judgment, and he made some serious mistakes - but I have to wonder if I would have done the same thing in his situation. Ianto's personal needs and emotional state have been overlooked; I should not have missed something like this. During his suspension, I will try to spend more time with him. Hopefully we can establish a closer working relationship.

1x05 (small worlds - the one where the “fairies” abduct the little girl and jack has to let them, which makes everyone else very mad at him):

Staff: Ianto Jones' first week back after his suspension four weeks ago. I have tried to put him at ease, and have briefed the team to be as sympathetic as possible. Obviously there is a level of resentment remaining, but they are trying.

Other Staff issues: After what happened with Jasmine, nobody is talking to me (except Ianto). They'll come around. Everyone comes around.

1x06 (countrycide - the one with the cannibals and we all have a Bad Time):

Staff: Brought Ianto Jones along to get him out of the Hub, out of the city, get some relaxing time in the country with the team. May not have been the best decision I made this year.

1x07 (greeks bearing gifts - mindreading and predatory lesbian, the episode):

Other Staff issues: Ianto is still suffering, but putting on a brave face. Will try talking to him over dinner, outside the Hub, see if there's anything more I can do for him.

1x08 (they keep killing suzie - the episode that ends with ianto hitting on jack with a stopwatch):

Other Staff issues: Ianto and I stayed back to go over the case files and reorganize the safe. Internal security cameras were temporarily shut down to run diagnostic tests, so there was no monitoring of the Hub for approximately four hours - but there were no security breaches to report. Everything went very smoothly.

Upcoming issues: Need to requisition a new stopwatch. Old one damaged while moving a desk.

1x09 (random shoes - outsider pov, the episode):

Staff: Things seem to be calming down with everyone. Ianto is coping well; I'm pleased with his progress.

1x11 (combat - owen has manpain and fights weevils. whatever):

Other Staff issues: Ianto surprisingly proficient at the good cop/bad cop routine. Although obviously, he's the good cop. He's too cute to be the bad cop.

1x12 (captain jack harkness - jack and tosh are stuck back in time during the cardiff blitz and owen and ianto fight about what to do about it):

Other Staff issues: Ianto tried to stop Owen opening the Rift, and actually shot him in the shoulder. Everyone except Owen is finding this very amusing.

season 2

2x01 (kiss kiss bang bang - jack returns from his doctor who appearance, deals with his terrible ex spike from buffy, and asks ianto out on a proper date):

Other Staff issues: Gwen is now engaged. I'm happy for her, but I'm concerned about what it might mean - can she stay here, still keeping everything from Rhys? I worry that we're going to lose her. And I worry about Ianto. I think he took it harder than anyone when I ran off. It's going to take me a while to make things up to him. He is a decent, good man, and I'm lucky I met him.

2x02 (sleeper agent - the episode with sleeper agents):

Other security issues: Gwen taken hostage again. I’m beginning to think she’s jinxed. And why am I never taken hostage? I could be a good hostage. I never get any of that Stockholm Syndrome action. And according to Ianto, my bad cop routine needs some work.

Other Staff issues: I’m in trouble with Ianto for duct-taping a CB aerial to the SUV. Apparently the tape made the wing mirror “disconcertingly sticky”. Still, nothing a bit of warm, soapy water can’t fix.

2x03 (a man out of time - tosh’s cryo-boyfriend they unfreeze once every year. also, jack and ianto Have A Talk and then make out):

Other Staff issues: Ianto and I made some progress, talked things through. What happened with Tommy got to us all. I know it got to Gerald and Harriet, too, back then, considering what they went through to try and make up for it – but that’s another story for another day.

2x04 (meat - the episode with the whale and rhys finding out. some of the team gets taken hostage and ianto tazes a bad guy in the head and growls out “pray they survive.” or something and it’s VERY GOOD TELEVISION):

Staff: Ianto turned into a fighting, kicking, stun-gun machine, it was very exciting. I must get put in danger more often.

2x05 (adam - an alien infiltrates their memories and inserts himself into the team, and his plot is foiled by ianto reading his diary and finding inconsistencies because he’s Very Clever):

Other security issues: The only thing out of place was Ianto’s diary, which I found in my office. Naturally, I gave it back to him immediately after reading through it. Several interesting factual errors in there - and I thought he would know how to convert inches to centimetres. You think you know someone...

2x06 (reset - martha visits and owen ‘dies’):

Security: Must speak to Ianto about using names from ‘’Sex and the City’’ on fake IDs. Last week he sent me into an alien smuggling operation as ‘’Mr Big’’, without telling me. Wish I knew how he kept a straight face. I’d give him a stern talking-to, but I think he enjoys that too much.

(right after this is a very solemn paragraph about owen dying lmfao)

2x07 (dead man walking - jack resurrects owen and owen has manpain about it):

Other Staff issues: In big trouble with Ianto for risking everything to go and get the second glove. I should have told him before I went, but he’d probably have cuffed me to the chair to stop me. And I’ve fallen for that one way too many times.

2x08 (a day in the death - owen continues to have manpain):

Other Staff issues: Now that we have all tried, it is clear that only Ianto knows how to operate that damn coffee maker. I suspect it contains alien technology.

2x09 (something borrowed - gwen gets married, but not before playing host to shapeshifting pregnancy alien):

Security: ... Female Nostrovite proved to be extremely resilient to bullets, so I had to get my massive weapon out and take care of business. Ianto is still quietly chuckling about that now, days later. Gwen’s mother taken hostage. Must run in the family.

2x10 (from out of the rain - the terribly written ianto-’centric’ episode about circus film reel ghosts):

Alien activity: ... We only managed to save one of them, but that’s better than nothing. Sometimes in this job, one is enough. I can still see the faces of the people we lost - they weren’t part of this, they were just living their lives, until they were taken. Ianto took it badly, this one really got to him.

Staff: Have convinced Ianto to take me to a normal cinema, to see an actual movie. He’s also curious to know if I still have my old circus outfit. If I can find it, I think a private show is in order.

2x11 (adrift - gwen pursues a mystery about the people the rift takes and then puts back traumatized, even though jack resists. ianto is the one who gives her the info she needs. she also walks in on them naked in the greenhouse. wild):

Staff: Gwen would never have found the facility if Ianto hadn’t helped her. He was wrong to do that. But, of course, he was actually right in the end. There’s no way Gwen would have let it go. I should have trusted her with the information, but I knew what it would do to her. Sometimes, the only way to realise that you shouldn’t look behind that door is to actually go and look. Gwen learned that. Nikki learned that. We all did.

Other Staff issues: Seeing Gwen experience it for the first time took me right back to when I first heard that terrible scream. After Gwen had gone home, I just held on to Ianto for a couple of hours, as tightly as I could.

2x12 (fragments - a bomb explodes and everyone gets a flashback to how they joined torchwood 3 as jack and gwen rescue them from the rubble):

Staff: Everyone came out of the explosion pretty beaten up, but no major damage. We got lucky. And so did John. Because if he’d killed anyone - if he had hurt Ianto - I would have slowly ripped him limb from limb.

Other Staff issues: Although I have to say, Ianto does look good all messed up and dirty.

2x13 (exit wounds - jack’s brother comes back and blows up half of cardiff and kills owen and tosh):

Other Staff issues: The one glimmer of hope in all this? I still have Ianto and Gwen. Whatever the future throws at us, whatever madness the Rift vomits out next, whatever we have to face - Torchwood will be ready.

Capt. Jack Harkness.

Ianto, I know you’re reading this over my shoulder, pretending to fix that damn shelf. So get over here and take me out somewhere.

[learnthisphrase]

Best books of 2012

☆ BEST OF THE BEST ☆

I can't decide between three books this year... So I'm just going to go for it and say my absolute favourite has to be a tie between them.

☆ Alys, Always by Harriet Lane: I absolutely devoured this first novel about a lonely woman who latches on to a high-profile literary family after she witnesses the death of their matriarch in a car accident. Fast-paced, beguiling, and subtly sinister - an excellent debut from an author I am keen to follow in future.

☆ Signs of Life by Anna Raverat: This is one woman's account of an affair she had some years ago, which destroyed her life - but it's so, so much more than that. Wonderfully written, uniquely structured and a slow-burning delight.

☆ Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam: I was absolutely wowed by this dark, intense and unsettling debut about a man kidnapping an eleven-year-old girl. It takes the reader on a difficult journey, but has a stunning narrative style - vague, seductive, disturbing, utterly compelling.

☆ FAVOURITES ☆

☆ When Nights Were Cold by Susanna Jones: One of those unreliable-narrator stories I love so much: a tense historical tale about a group of female students with ambitions to become Antarctic explorers. I read all the author's books this year, but this was by far the best. Beautifully put together, complex, atmospheric and consistently intriguing.

☆ Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil: This lyrical and often very surreal novel (loosely) follows a group of opium addicts in 1970s Bombay. It won't appeal to everyone, but I absolutely loved the dreamlike atmosphere created by the non-linear, rambling narrative.

☆ Communion Town by Sam Thompson: As the subtitle says, this is 'a city in ten chapters': a series of interconnected short stories all set in the same unnamed city. With elements of fantasy and inexplicably strange details, I found this absolutely fascinating and the variety of narratives thrilling.

☆ Invisible by Paul Auster: Completely dazzling, compulsively readable, and effortless, this is my favourite book by Auster so far - a dark coming-of-age tale with the tone and pace of a thriller. This is what fiction should be, and I wish I could find more brilliant novels like this!

☆ Don't Look Now and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier: I loved this collection of dark, twisted short stories: the titular tale is a classic, but most of the others are of equal quality and power, and almost all feature a spellbinding, revelatory twist. Sinister and fascinating. I also read two other anthologies of du Maurier's stories - The Birds and The Breaking Point - which are also recommended.

☆ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ☆

☆ Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: You've probably already heard about this - a huge buzz has been building around it all year and it's been mentioned in practically every 'best of 2012' list I've read. Dark, twisted and full of unpredictable revelations, it's a great mystery told by two thoroughly untrustworthy narrators. I was fascinated (mostly in a negative way) by the characters and there was so much tension I don't know how I managed to resist reading ahead.

☆ Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell: A book I'd been meaning to read for a while (years, actually!), this was unsurprisingly uneven (it's a patchwork of different narratives set in different places and times, varying from the distant past to the far future) but truly brilliant in places. It was also, I think, the only book I read in 2012 that made me cry.

☆ Hawthorn & Child by Keith Ridgway: An odd, fragmented collection of what might be called short stories, or chapters of the same story told from very different perspectives. Brilliantly written and immensely intriguing, albeit a little frustrating at times - and far too short!

☆ The Girl on the Stairs by Louise Welsh: A wonderfully creepy and suspenseful thriller about a pregnant woman who, alone in an unfamiliar country, becomes convinced her neighbour is abusing his daughter. Tense, compulsive and very clever.

☆ The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton: If you're a fan of the author, this is - in my opinion anyway! - her best yet. It's a typically rich family tale with several different narrative threads set in different time periods. It's completely addictive and chock-full of brilliant twists. An absolutely fantastic guilty pleasure.

☆ Waterline by Ross Raisin: Harrowing and emotionally exhausting, Raisin's second novel is about a man wracked by grief who descends into alcoholism and poverty after the death of his wife. It's brilliant, devastating and compelling - I read it in one sitting - but a very difficult read.

☆ The Last Weekend by Blake Morrison: Disturbing and insidious, this is a classic unreliable-narrator tale. I found it unpleasant in places - the narrator is horrible - but at the same time, it was very difficult to tear myself away.

☆ Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt: An unashamedly emotional tale about love, friendship and fitting in, framed within the story of a misfit teenager whose beloved uncle is dying of AIDS. I thought this might be overtly sentimental, but it was actually very touching and I loved the characters.

☆ HONOURABLE MENTIONS ☆

Although I didn't think they were perfect, I enjoyed the following books enough that I don't want to let this post happen without giving them a mention: The Bellwether Revivals by Benjamin Wood, What They Do in the Dark by Amanda Coe, The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall, The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng, Purgatory by Tomás Eloy Martínez, Broken Harbour by Tana French, and The Possessions of Doctor Forrest by Richard T. Kelly.

[allenmendezsr]

V3 Plant-based Fitness

New Post has been published on https://autotraffixpro.app/allenmendezsr/v3-plant-based-fitness/

V3 Plant-based Fitness

 Buy Now ��  

This isn’t your typical nutrition program.

V3 Bodybuilding is a plant-based fitness system that provides an ideal mix of science and practical advice on how to eat based on your fitness goals.

We infuse the entire thing with mind-body awareness.

We examined every fragment of science and research we could find, tested it on top athletes and bodybuilders, and distilled our findings into one system that contains everything you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

This program is for semi-vegetarians, part-time vegetarians, vegetarians, vegans, or undecided.

Special offer Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

I’m Chris Willitts, the creator of V3.

When I was first introduced to the idea of avoiding meat, I had concerns:

How would I get enough protein?

Would I get enough nutrients?

Could I make strength gains?

What about all those carbs?

Could I stick with it long-term?

I’m happy to announce that my plant-eating experiment was a huge success!

I have endless energy, I’m stronger, and I have more lean muscle mass than I ever did as a carnivore.

With V3, you learn how to source protein properly, avoid vitamin deficiencies, and balance your macronutrients.

You’ll get tips like this:

We often hear about the “rice + beans = a complete protein” adage, but rice is a poor protein source, so simply adding beans is not a particularly brilliant decision if you care about protein.

A far more effective way is to eat slightly more beans, and a more significant synergy would be to combine beans and Brazil nuts.

This is just a taste, we will show you a plant-based protein gold mine!

“It’s tough to find a system thorough enough covering vegetarian bodybuilding, but the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is an ideal mix of science and practical advice.

“It’s sure to drive success.”

—Tosca Reno, New York Times bestselling author of “Your Best Body Now” and the “Eat-Clean Diet®” series

What Makes V3 Unique

First and foremost, V3 is a synthesis of advice from the top plant-based fitness experts in the industry, versus one man’s opinion/expertise.

One of the biggest advantages of the program is amazingly simple.

Virtually the entire diet is centered on whole foods, most of which are anti-inflammatory. We don’t need supplements or chemicals to build beautiful, healthy bodies. This is counterintuitive in conventional bodybuilding culture.

V3 isn’t a rigid program, we provide flexibility if you’re not sure what camp of plant-based you fall in (e.g. semi-vegetarian, part-time vegetarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, etc.).

Most dietary programs talk about the health benefits of eating plants, but they don’t provide a smooth process on how to phase out meat in a comfortable transition.

Get the guidance and tools to transition to a semi-vegetarian, vegetarian, or vegan diet without losing muscle.

Also, V3 will help you find the “sweet spot” of frequency and intensity of training that stimulates maximum strength gains and muscle growth. We use more of mind-body approach to amplify the results, V3 includes specialized strength skills (e.g. breathing, flexibility, and meditation) that fortify all displays of strength.

A customized form of mindfulness and breathing practices are integrated, so you can slow down and be fully aware of what your body is telling you. You learn how to allow your body’s ancient wisdom to guide you toward elevated health.

V3 puts an emphasis on vibrant health and the mind-body connection.

Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

“Love the section about being mindful of your macros! I preach this to my patients every day, especially the ones ‘doing everything right’ but ‘just can’t lose any weight.’

“They typically don’t have a good understanding of their dietary & nutritional requirements nor do they take an accurate account of their caloric intake & macronutrient ratios.

“V3 provides that guidance. Overall, this is a very impressive program! Great content, very informative – excellent work!!!”

—Dr. Harriet Davis, IFBB Bikini Professional

Our approach to nutrition is simple, we eat actual food.

First, let me say that this is a “vegetarian bodybuilding” program, but it spans the needs of the part-time vegetarian athlete, vegan bodybuilder, and everything in between.

It’s a mess out there, isn’t it?

With fad diets, hard-to-follow nutrition information, and conflicting scientific studies, the fitness world can be a confusing place. I’ve studied every molecule of science and research I could find, tested it all, and distilled my results into one system that contains everything you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

V3 focuses on getting your nutrition from food, rather than supplements. This also saves you money!

A highly nutritious, plant-based diet will improve nearly every health marker measurable.

It has the power to drastically improve recovery and increase energy so that you can work harder for longer. With proper training, this is what will get you the health and body you’ve always wanted.

“I used to waste hours online trying to figure all this out myself, testing different approaches, and worrying the whole time that I would lose hard-earned muscle in the process. But this one tip you gave – I think it was on page nine of the ‘Success Guide’ – showed me what I was doing wrong…and how to fix it fast.” —Jake Robertson.

Plants aren’t ingredients to food; they are food. And they’re nature’s medicine.

Benjamin Franklin once said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and I agree. Having a preemptive approach to your healthcare is smart. After all, isn’t it better to not get sick in the first place?

Here are a few misconceptions I want to offer some truths about:

Vegetarianism is not another diet fad. It’s been around for thousands of years.

Protein is easy to get if you learn what to eat.

Plant-based nutrition is more diverse and fulfilling than eating salads all day.

You don’t have to eat meat to build muscle or get in shape.

With a plant-based diet, you will recover faster and have more energy.

Vegetarianism is the future.

“I believe that vegetarian bodybuilding will grow astronomically, because the fitness industry is moving more toward a natural look versus a performance-enhanced physique, which to most comes off as unattainable.” —Torre Washington, Four-Time Vegan Bodybuilding Champion

Our approach to training is simple, we become more aware of our body.

Most bodybuilding programs don’t promote plant-based nutrition, but virtually no other bodybuilding system emphasizes the importance of mindfulness. V3 does.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is simply a state of mind, not owned by any form of spirituality or religious dogma. A truly secular tool, it can also deepen your personal spiritual path.

Mindfulness is intentionally observing human experience from a place of calm objectivity, anchored in the present moment.

You don’t need to believe anything about the deep mysteries of the Universe, quantum physics, or religion to become interested in your conscious mind and to experience the benefits of mindfulness practices.

Below is an illustration of how your bioenergy amplifies the longer you meditate.

Why is this important?

Because bioenergy can be a profound healing mechanism when channeled properly. This means faster recovery from the gym and better overall quality of health.

Through the vehicle of mindfulness practices, you build your mental strength. Any professional bodybuilder, powerlifter, or athlete can tell you how important mind-muscle connection is at their level of performance.

I show you how to harness this cultivated mental focus and integrate it into your training program. You also learn how to slow down and be mindful of the subtle cues your mind and body provides, leading to more intuitive health decisions.

You walk away with a meditation practice geared specifically toward healing the body within the first week.

This simple practice will also provide a sense of relief from the stresses of the daily grind.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Over the past ten years, over 2,000 studies have been done working with meditation. It is recommended by virtually every domain of health professional throughout the world.

Benefits of meditating over time (1+ years) include:

Gaining a younger physiology (biological markers of aging are five to 12 years younger)

Notable improvements in brain functioning, hearing and seeing

Lower levels of cancer and heart disease

Accelerated stages of psychological development (you become wiser, faster)

Meditation is the only technique that has been scientifically validated to accelerate this kind of vertical growth.

Features:

Why whole food, plant-based diets are superior for fitness

Nutritional deficiencies and how to avoid them

Macronutrients and proper ratios

Remaining satisfied on a plant-based diet

How to handle judgment and social situations (without being insulted or preachy)

Best sources of plant-based protein, and how much protein you need AND:

Four powerful, untapped strength skills fortifying all displays of strength

Workout journal sheets to help track your progress

Bodyweight workout routine

Why bodybuilders should practice meditation (mindful bodybuilding)

Healing meditation that amplifies your bio-energy field

Calming and energizing breathing practices

V3 will show you how to lose fat and build muscle from a plant-based diet.

You can sift through countless contradictory articles on the Web and try to piece everything together yourself, but you may be put off by all the conflicting information. The time it takes to arrive at some real truth is equivalent to pursuing a college degree.

Allow V3 to take that burden off your shoulders and do the “heavy lifting” for you so that you can spend your valuable time in the kitchen and gym!

“I appreciate how you are helping other plant-based inspired individuals achieve better health. I love what you are doing.

“V3 is the perfect blueprint for those wanting to step into our world and build a lean muscular physique. Great job, Chris, you nailed it.”

—Garren Rimondi, Cancer Survivor

Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

Don’t want to give up meat entirely?

No worries, everyone here is welcome!

Whatever your personal values and goals are, V3 gets it.

I’m plant-based, but I started out as a semi-vegetarian before arriving at my current diet. We all start somewhere, and everyone has their journey. In any case, you can still benefit from the meal plans, protein-packed recipes, and supplement guidance.

This program caters to anyone who is simply interested in eating more plants and less meat.

Three Meal Plan Variations

Our meal plans are rock solid!

Because this is a self-guided and self-tailored program, we offer meal plan templates for you to start with as a foundation, but we don’t customize them for you (this helps keep your cost down). Also, the meal plans can be adapted for anyone and are not limited to bodybuilders only.

Here are the three variations:

Transition (if you’re transitioning to vegetarianism)

Vegetarian (if you’re currently vegetarian)

Vegan (if you’re currently vegan)

Again, please note that this program is self-guided and doesn’t include one-on-one coaching (this helps us make it more affordable).

Want to lean out and maintain muscle mass? No problem.

Want to bulk up and not gain a bunch of fat? No problem.

Our program is structured to keep you focused on achieving your goals. V3 provides well-researched and actionable advice. The meal plans also offer the flexibility for you to get creative and experiment in the kitchen with your individual food preferences.

“The nutrition part was very in-depth, yet easy to understand.

“V3 reminded me how useful journaling is … I can’t believe I’ve never done this in all of the years I’ve been bodybuilding!”

—Samantha Shorkey, First Vegan WNBF Bikini Pro

Trusted by Real People Worldwide

Recreational exercisers, hardcore gym rats, bikini competitors, CrossFit folks, yoga practitioners, casual bodybuilders, and elite athletes all support the V3 way of life.

Success awaits you:

“Very helpful in providing a stable platform of where to start and how to progress. I’ve tried for years to gain some weight as a vegetarian. I finally found something that showed me how to gain 18 pounds of muscle in three months!” —Nick Monet

“Well done! The content is easily understood by the newbie, yet obviously founded in solid research. I’m so glad ‘tapping’ [was mentioned] in the Mindfulness Guide. I discovered it last summer and feel that it’s a perfect complement to any meditation practice. Also, [the] quinoa recipes have become my go-tos for work breakfasts and lunches!” —Catherine Doobay

“What I liked was that [the] information has research behind it, confirming my faith in plants. The meal plans were practical and easy to prepare. The training advice was surprisingly good, much better than I expected.” —Jason Tooley

“It feels so good to shop for new clothes thanks to my weight loss and toned physique. More importantly, I feel more connected to who I am, my soul, my purpose, and my aspirations. I’m especially happy about the abundance of energy I have to get through my workouts and day.” —Fannilla Aguinaldo

“I’m feeling super-healthy and strong! Thank you for removing the confusion around what to eat. Enjoying the alleviated joint soreness, wow! I definitely have more energy and focus, which has increased my confidence in all areas of life.” —Laura Simmons

Common Questions About V3

Who is the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System for?

It’s for people who:

Are semi-vegetarians, vegetarian, vegans, or undecided.

Want the best advice for balancing macros and getting enough protein.

Are excited to improve themselves, get stronger, and look better!

Want to do it on their own, with a little help from us.

Want a simple approach to all of this.

Do I get one-on-one support?

Q: It seems most of the information provided with these programs is available online for free. What am I paying for, and what is the value here? Will there be an actual person to help and support my fitness/health needs via email?

As mentioned above, to make this affordable to more people, the V3 system is self-guided and doesn’t include one-on-one coaching (email or otherwise).

Technically, information about any topic is available for free online, and so this is an important observation. These are the times we live in today. We did all the heavy lifting for you, and the average person researching online doesn’t have access to the resources we have.

The value of any informational program is that we pay for credible expertise and the time and energy it takes to assimilate and organize quality information in a way that is easily digestible. With V3 specifically, we consulted the top plant-based fitness experts in the industry to create something we know that works.

This unique advantage is the value.

Is this an ebook?

No, it is NOT an ebook.

The V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a membership-based online resource (some of the worksheets are downloadable PDFs).

Unlike a static volume of books, V3 is a living, breathing system that evolves.

As it grows and we roll out new and improved meal plans, protein-packed recipes, and training worksheets, you will instantly get access to any new additions.

Do you give me a meal plan?

Yes and no. Because everyone’s fitness goals are different, we offer templates/examples and teach you how to customize it to your personal needs. This method has shown to be more precise and effective.

We also provide access to a macro calculator and colorful illustrations (e.g. pie charts) that show you exactly how to adjust your macros so you can successfully achieve your fitness goals.

How will this help me?

You can build a great body by eating plants! This program will prove it to you.

V3 takes the guesswork out of plant-based fitness and shows you what to eat to achieve maximum results.

It provides five easy steps to get started and keeps things simple so you can stay on the path without getting lost. You will learn how to build lean muscle and lose stubborn belly fat, and you will feel amazing.

Members consistently report having less pain in their joints, deeper sleep, and an abundance of energy.

How much does this cost?

Imagine the smile on your face as your family and friends witness your transformation.

You can’t put a price on improved confidence, health, and energy in your life. But let’s try anyway: perhaps it’s worth $2K, $5K, or even $10K+?

(working with folks like me directly to learn how to do all this costs about $2K per year)

You can get the entire V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System — the best plant-based nutrition and lifestyle information science has to offer — for only $97.

The information in the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is something I want everyone to have access to because it’s so powerful and different. I honestly believe it will change the lives of thousands of people.

That’s why I’m going to make a special offer to the people who are ready to take massive action now. At VegetarianBodybuilding.com, we like to reward people who stop talking and start doing.

My special offer: Order the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System right here, right now and you’ll get our exclusive lifetime membership for just $48.50.

That means this entire system will cost less than a pair of workout shoes!

It’s time to get the information you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

Are you ready to learn what really works?

Make changes to your body by learning what “good nutrition” really means for you.

Discover the only information you need to lose fat, gain muscle, and improve your health – backed by science and research with real people, not by fads.

Get instant access to the complete system and hit the ground running.

Get our exclusive lifetime membership for a one-time fee.

Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Vegetarian Bodybuilding System was last modified: January 13th, 2020 by Chris Willitts

[lawful-evil-novelist]

What Comes with Night

I tried to write Walter, I can’t write Walter, I tried though and that’s what counts.

Jonathan pushed his hair back from his face and listened quietly to Dorothy chattering away with their midnight guest.  He didn’t want to step around the doorway and tell the masked man he had to go away, not when Dorothy was having so much fun playing hostess.

Jonathan sank slowly to the ground and waited for a growling reply, all short sentence fragments, all playing along with Dorothy and her gleeful joy at this new guest.

With her screaming every word of it, she was going to wake up her brother.

“Daddy?” Pluto toddled out of his room, rubbing his eyes, “Why is Dorothy yelling?”

The adjacent room went silent and Pluto climbed up into Jonathan’s lap.

“I woke up Pluto!” Dorothy screamed, running into the hallway about to head for Jonathan’s room before sighting her father holding Pluto, who had promptly fallen right back to sleep in his arms.  Dorothy gave a sheepish little wave.

“Hi Daddy,” she smiled, “we have a guest.  Said his name was...Raw Shark?  I wanna know who names themselves something that dumb.”

Jonathan stood and turned the corner, shooting the masked man a glare.

“Dorothy go back to bed,” he ordered, “you’re up way past your bedtime.”

“Okay,” Dorothy nodded and trudged back to her room, then leaned back around to wave at the masked man, “bye Raw Shark, I still think you have a dumb name, but you didn’t end the world, so you’re cool I guess.”

The masked man nodded slowly and waited for Dorothy’s door to close before talking.

“Will that one wake up?” he asked.

“He absolutely will if you start talking,” Jonathan snapped, “and I have some choice fucking words for you Walter.”

“I’ll get Pluto back to bed,” Diana interrupted, lifting Pluto from Jonathan’s arms, “and be gentle Jon, he didn’t hurt her.”

“He hurt the window,” Jonathan gestured to the broken living room window.  Diana didn’t say anything and walked away.  Jonathan sighed and turned back to the masked man.

“Really?” he raised his eyebrows, “I’ve been clean for two years.  I understand Joker, I understand Bane and Harvey, I might even give you the slightest leeway with Zach, but my kids?”

“I don’t trust reformation,” the man commented.

“And I don’t trust people who eat eggs raw but here we are,” Jonathan retorted, “Look, I don’t care, that you’re checking on my kids to make sure they’re safe, I don’t care, but you cannot do that when there are rogue kids who aren’t safe, and that lack of safety isn’t the fault of a parent.  Have you seen what James and Harriet Machin do to Lonnie’s older two?  Or do you not care because they’re not in Lonnie’s hands and therefore must be safe.”

“They’re better off with their grandparents,” the man argued.

“James Machin beats them black and blue and you think they’re better off?” Jonathan shouted, “What fucking bizarre world do you live in where a child being beaten is better than a child in the hands of a father that might have a seedy past.  You’re actually going to hold the actions of an abused teenager against him for the rest of his life?”

“He killed people.”

“So have you.”

“You don’t get to pull that on me you know what they did.”

Jonathan scoffed, “Yeah, funny how you know what Strange did and he doesn’t get the same scrutiny any of us get.”

The man went dead silent, then replied.

“That was uncalled for.”

“Was it?”

“And rude.”

“I’m sorry are we both in the same room with a broken window because you can’t use a door?”

The room went silent, and Jonathan continued, “She’s not going to be like that forever, and I don’t want you getting attached.”

“I won’t.”

“Walter, you get attached, even if you’re trying really hard not to, you get attached.”

“Why does that concern you?”

“Because eventually, one day, Dorothy will put two and two together and realize that her childhood tea party guest only ever stopped by to make sure her father wasn’t mistreating her. Do you honestly think that she’ll always be happy to see you?  Always be six?  She’s going to grow up Walter.  They all are.”

The man didn’t reply.

“And whether you like it or not,” Jonathan continued, “not all of them will look back on you fondly, or appreciate what you’re willing to do for them.”

The man grunted and walked towards the window.

“Will you use the fucking door Walter?”

The man grunted again and ambled to the door.

“Think about what I said Walter, think about whether or not this is worth what you know will happen.”

No reply, the door simply slammed shut.

“You’re stressed,” Diana observed, creeping out of Pluto’s room and closing the door until it was open just a crack.

“Does it really show that badly?” Jonathan sighed.

“You’re prone to worry,” Diana granted, leaning on Jonathan, “I believe Zeus mentioned that you were, correct?”

Jonathan nodded, “He did, offhandedly.  What am I gonna do about him?”

“Walter?  Preferably nothing,” Diana tugged Jonathan’s sleeve and he slowly followed her back to their bedroom, “he’s not for you to worry about Jon.”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t worry.”

“You’re worried that he won’t be able to handle the kids growing up,” Diana guessed.

“He won’t, I know he won’t. I’m more worried about his response.”

“I’ll talk to Dan about it tomorrow.”

“And I’ll talk to Vic, if he’s awake and not trying to sustain himself on Quil.”

“What?”

“He mixed Dayquil and Nyquil to just form something he calls Quil.  I call it the worst drug trip that’s perfectly legal.”

Diana snorted, “Sounds like Vic.”

“Sounds like me in my Scarecrow days.”

“Because you’re the pinnacle of good health now.”

“Oh I know I’m not, but I don’t drink like I used to.”

Diana leaned over and kissed Jonathan’s cheek, “Don’t wear yourself out worrying about others. There are far more vital things to keep you awake at night.”

“Like you?” Jonathan teased. Diana gave Jonathan another light kiss and shifted to lie back down.

“Go back to bed Jon.”

Jon waited for Diana to fall back asleep before burying his head in his hands and heaving a deep sigh.

What was he going to do?

[justforbooks]

Our lives are a mess. Reading “The Blazing World” I’m reminded of a performance by the brilliant artist Bobby Baker I once attended. She delivered a monologue about her life that included a scattering of memories, disappointments, happy highlights and concerns about contemporary issues. With each subject she added dry ingredients into a pot collecting them all until it overflowed. She poured it over herself till her clothes, hair and face were completely soiled and a floury cloud floated around her head. She stared around at the audience solemnly proclaiming: “What a mess!” The sight was comical, but through the manner in which she delivered the monologue it was understood that her whole being had tragically unravelled. In a similar way, the life of this novel’s central character Harriet Burden (or Harry as many intimates call her) is a mess. The narrative reflects her state of mind as it is a loose collection of fragments: personal notebooks, statements from family, friends and an art critic as well as gallery show reviews. It is an assemblage which is incomplete, meandering and circuitous. But in its fragmentation it becomes a truer portrait of a person than any straightforward narrative could hope to represent. This account is a more meaningful reflection of the many facets of personality and the multi-layered ways in which a person can be viewed.

Harriet is an artist in her sixties living in New York City who is frustrated with the way female artists don’t get taken as seriously as men. She devises a grand artistic project to expose this prejudice and take revenge by exposing the art world’s sexist nature. Three living male artists are selected by her to present original shows as their own work when really Harriet is the true artist. Only after the third show does she reveal her grand prank through an indirect route by writing an article for an obscure art publication under the pseudonym of a fictional critic. With so much subterfuge going on, people naturally question whether Harriet has made all this up or if she’s created one of the most ingenious artworks of our time. The book begins with a preface from someone attempting to answer this riddle by compiling the various accounts about the late Harriet Burden into a somewhat chronological order. This may all sound exhaustingly convoluted, but it’s actually quite straightforward to follow the story once you get the gist. At it’s heart, “The Blazing World” is really about the more profound question of personality.

It’s as if “The Golden Notebook” were written by Susan Sontag, but of course the writing is totally unique and purely the innovation of Siri Hustvedt. It’s a brilliant assemblage of knowledge full of clever word play, innovative narrative technique, psychological insights and dramatic twists. It’s sparked by a feeling of real anger: about our complacency to accept things as they are when there has been so much hard intellectual work dedicated to progress. It’s a passion which burns on every page. Harriet is a voracious reader and thinker. Therefore, her notebooks are layered with a heady amount of references to great works by psychologists, artists, philosophers, writers, scientists and theologians. I love it when I finish a novel with a long list of books and authors that I want to look up and learn even more from. This novel has given me a list longer than most. But this isn’t a showy intellectual feat by Hustvedt. This knowledge is layered into her central character’s reasoning because it relates to the ontological issues which stir her heart and cause her to create such an elaborate complex deceitful artistic project.

Going even further, accounts from both Harriet’s friends and enemies offer counter arguments to the statements Harriet makes. For instance, the primary question at the centre of this novel asks if art by women is taken less seriously. On one side a psychoanalyst named Rachel said: “With almost no exceptions, art by men is far more expensive than art by women. Dollars tell the story.” Harriet echoes this thought when she says: “Money talks. It tells you about what is valued, what matters. It sure as hell isn’t women.” However, an art critic named Oscar states: “To suggest, even for an instant, that there might be more men than women in art because men are better artists is to risk being tortured by the thought police.” Whereas a bi-racial artist named Phineas muses upon the superficiality of the art in general world concluding that: “It was all names and money, money and names, more money and more names.” Later on Harriet suggests that the question of gender isn’t even her central preoccupation: “it’s more than sex. It’s an experiment, a whole story I am making.” Points of view jostle against each other until a multi-layered portrait of this and other questions are presented and the reader must come to their own conclusions.

The accounts which struck me the most in this novel are Harriet’s own recorded in her various notebooks. One of her preoccupations is her fight against time, against being marginalized forever as a footnote rather than having made a grand statement about life. She states: “I am writing this because I don’t trust time.” Her tireless efforts to create and communicate show how desperately serious she is about the issues she raises. Having spent her life living somewhat quietly as a wife and mother she has reached middle age and is now keenly aware that if she doesn’t make her statement soon time will defeat her. With great precision she observes that: “Time creeps. Time alters. Gravity insists.” The razor-sharp language used cuts right to the heart of what she means and is merciless in its exactitude. Through short dramatic fragments of memory she recollects scenes from her past: her father who didn’t want her, the discovery of her husband’s infidelity, the cruelty of schoolmates who misunderstood her and finally the pernicious betrayal which threatens to dismantle her grand artistic project.

There is plenty of humour to be found in this novel as well. The comedy is of a highly intellectual sort – plays on words and jokes that need a footnote about a French cultural theorist to fully understand them. But there is also humour of a more bawdy nature cutting down the ridiculous importance men place on their manhood “He worries over semen flow, a bit low, the flow, compared to days gone by. You’d think he had walked around with a volcano down there for years, conceited man” and a satirical humour that slices apart Harriet’s perceived enemies in a merciless way. Harriet pokes fun at the art world and its parade of ego-driven denizens, but somewhat sadly she finds little to laugh about in how seriously she takes herself. For it is perhaps the most important characteristic of Harriet’s personality that she takes the world so seriously and expects everyone else to as well despite her partner Bruno trying to tell her differently: “Harry’s magic kingdom, where citizens lounged about reading philosophy and science and arguing about perception? It’s a crude world, old girl, I used to tell her.” Because no one seeks to understand the world with as much intellectual vigour and passion as she does, she desires to take revenge upon the people who don’t take her or the world so seriously. The fact that she does this through an artistic prank so elaborate it can only be comprehended after her death is a tragic joke itself. What she really desires is recognition, not revenge. She daydreams that after her death someone will come upon her work and “nodding wisely, my imaginary critic will stare for a long time and then utter, here is something, something good.” The creation of any art is an act of faith that the artist's vision will be recognized and understood and influence the culture its a part of.

Siri Hustvedt is a supremely talented writer and this novel might be her great masterpiece. Feminism and experimental forms of narrative have always had a strong presence in her novels like “The Blindfold” and “The Enchantment of Lily Dahl” while in “What I Loved” she created a novel about the NYC art world and the breakdown of a family. “The Blazing World” seems to synthesize all her primary concerns and turns them into an astonishing story. The truth lies not in any one account in this collection of fragments, but in between the pages and how we construct an idea of Harriet/”Harry.” This is what novels artfully do for us when they are written as brilliantly as this book: give us an incomplete picture of the world to fill in with our own understanding of it. But in the end it's not the artist herself who really matters but the art she leaves behind. As Harriet notes: “I am myself a myth about myself. Who I am has nothing to do with it.” At a certain point personality dissolves and the integrity of the art work's ideas are what determine whether it will stand throughout time. It's my hope that this novel will survive to be read for centuries.

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[biofunmy]

A Nile Journey Into the Past

Huddled on a chaise on the upper deck of the Orient, the dahabiya that I had chosen for a cruise down the Nile, I sipped hibiscus tea to ward off the chill. Late in February, it was just 52 degrees in Aswan, where I had boarded the sailboat, but the scenery slipping past was everything the guidebooks had promised: tall sandbanks, curved palms and the mutable, gray-green river, the spine of Egypt and the throughline in its history.

I’d been obsessed with Egypt since childhood, but it took a cadre of female adventurers to get me there. Reading “Women Travelers on the Nile,” a 2016 anthology edited by Deborah Manley, I’d found kindred spirits in the women who chronicled their expeditions to Egypt in the 19th century, and spurred on by them, I’d planned my trip.

Beside my chair were collections of letters and memoirs written by intrepid female journalists, intellectuals and novelists, all British or European. Relentlessly entertaining, the women’s stories reflected the Egyptomania that flourished after Napoleon invaded North Africa in 1798. The country had become a focal point for artists, architects and newly minted photographers — and a fresh challenge for affluent adventurers.

Their dispatches captured Egypt’s exotica — vessels “laden with elephant’s teeth, ostrich feathers, gold dust and parrots,” in the words of Wolfradine von Minutoli, whose travelogue was published in 1826. And they shared the thrill of discovery: Harriet Martineau, a groundbreaking British journalist, feminist and social theorist, described the pyramids edging into view from the bow of a boat. “I felt I had never seen anything so new as those clear and vivid masses, with their sharp blue shadows,” she wrote in her 1848 memoir, “Eastern Life, Present and Past.” The moment never left her. “I cannot think of it without emotion,” she wrote.

Their lyricism was tempered by adventure: In “A Thousand Miles Up the Nile,” Amelia Edwards, one of the century’s most accomplished journalists, described a startling discovery near Abu Simbel: After a friend noticed an odd cleft in the ground, she and her fellow travelers conscripted their crew to help tunnel into the sand. “Heedless of possible sunstroke, unconscious of fatigue,” she wrote, the party toiled “as for bare life.” With the help of more than 100 laborers, supplied by the local sheikh, they eventually descended into a chapel ornamented with dazzling friezes and bas reliefs.

Though some later took the Victorians to task for exoticizing the East, these travelers were a daring lot: They faced down heat, dust, floods and (occasionally) mutinous crews to commune with Egypt’s past. Liberated from domestic life, they could go to ground as men did.

Wolfradine von Minutoli wrote of camping out under the stars by the pyramids. Florence Nightingale, then 29 and struggling to gain independence from her parents, recalled crawling into tombs illuminated by smoking torches. Nightingale, among others, was struck by the otherworldliness of it all. Moved by the fragmented splendor of Karnak, the sacred complex in Luxor, she wrote to her family, “You feel like spirits revisiting your former world, strange and fallen to ruins.”

Taken with their sense of adventure, I wanted to know whether the Nile journey had retained its mystique. Would I feel the presence of these women along the way? And could modern Egypt rival the country that they encountered?

As in the Victorian era, there would be unknowns: Political upheavals and terrorist activity are realities in Egypt. The country’s tourist industry reached a nadir after the 2015 attack on a flight from the seaside resort of Sharm el Sheikh; more than 200 people perished.

Violence has continued to flare: In December, a bomb destroyed a tour bus near the pyramids in Giza, killing four people. A second bus bombing in May injured at least 14.

But risk, I decided, is relative. The State Department’s advisory places Egypt at Level 2 out of 4 (“exercise caution”), along with China, Italy and France. And though still fragile, the country’s travel industry (which recorded 11 million visitors last year, up from 5.4 million in 2017) is rebounding.

Aboard the Orient

Dozens of double-masted dahabiyas and river cruisers now ply the Nile, but I was drawn to the low-key Orient — a charming wooden sailboat, it has a capacity of 10 people but I was joined by only four. Instead of a cinema and floor shows, we had backgammon and intermittent Wi-Fi. (The cost of the three-day cruise, including my single supplement, was $964.) On the upper deck, I could lounge on oversize cushions and watch storks skim the river. In the salon, a low sofa and carved armchairs were perfect for dipping into vintage National Geographics.

My cabin was compact, with twin brass beds and floral wallpaper. The river was close; I could have pulled aside the screens and trailed my fingers through the current. (Not that I did; early travelers praised the “sweetness” of Nile water, but trash bobs on its shores and bilharzia, a parasitic disease that attacks the kidneys, liver and digestive system, is a risk.)

Before 1870, when the entrepreneur Thomas Cook introduced steamers (and declassé package tours), a cruise on the world’s longest river was a marathon. Journeys lasted two or three months and typically extended from Cairo to Nubia and back.

Just getting on the river was a trial: After renting a vessel, travelers were obliged to have it submerged to kill vermin. The boats were then painted, decorated and stocked with enough goods to see a pharaoh through eternity.

Published in 1847, the “Hand-book for Travellers in Egypt” advised passengers to bring iron bedsteads, carpets, rat-traps, washing tubs, guns and staples such as tea and “English cheese.” Pianos were popular additions; so were chickens, turkeys, sheep and mules. M.L.M. Carey, a correspondent in “Women Travelers on the Nile,” recommended packing “a few common dresses for the river,” along with veils, gloves and umbrellas to guard against the sun.

With my fellow passengers, I spent the first afternoon at a temple near the town of Kom Ombo. The structure rose in the Ptolemaic period and was in ruins for millenniums. Mamdouh Yousif, our guide, talked us through it all. A native of Luxor, he used a laser pointer to pick out significant details and served up far more history than I could absorb.

Celebrated for its majestic setting above a river bend, the temple was nearly empty. Reggae music drifted from a cafe and shrieks rose from a neighborhood playground.

Dedicated to Horus, the falcon god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, Kom Ombo has a separate entrance, court and sanctuary for each deity. Inside are two hypostyle halls, in which massive columns support the roof. Each hall was paved with stunning reliefs: Here was a Ptolemaic king receiving a sword; there, a second being crowned. A mutable figure who was both aggressor and protector, Sobek was worshipped, in part, to appease the crocodiles that swarmed the Nile. Next to the temple, 40 mummified specimens — from hulking monsters to teacup versions — are enshrined in a dim museum, along with their croc-shaped coffins.

Defaced by early Coptic Christians, damaged by earthquakes and even mined for building materials, Kom Ombo was in disrepair until 1893, when it was cleared by the French archaeologist Jean-Jacques de Morgan. Now, it’s inundated in the late afternoon, when cruise-boat crowds arrive. As we were leaving, folks in shorts and sunhats just kept coming, fanning out until the complex became a multilingual hive.

Back on the Orient, my cabin grew chilly and I wished, briefly, that I had made the journey in the scorching summer. An early supper improved my mood, as did the winter sun setting behind silvery-gray clouds. Since I’d brought a flashlight, I was only mildly annoyed when we learned that our generator would stop at 10 p.m. The darkness was nearly complete, but silence never set in: Creaks, thumps and splashes resounded through the night.

In the morning, we headed north to the sandstone quarry and cult center of Gebel Silsila. With their rock faces still scored with tool marks, the cliffs have an odd immediacy — as if armies of stonecutters could reappear at any moment.

The compelling part of the site is a hive of rock-cut chapels and shrines. Dedicated to Nile gods and commissioned by wealthy citizens, they are set above a shore lined with bulrushes. Eroded but evocative, some retain images of patrons and traces of paintings.

In Edfu, an ode to power in stone

After lunch, we traveled downriver to Edfu, to Egypt’s best-preserved temple. Tourism has made its mark in the agricultural town: Cruise boats line the quay, and the drivers of the horse-drawn carriages known as calèches stampede all comers. Begun in 237 B.C. and dedicated to Horus, the temple was partially obscured by silt when Harriet Martineau visited in 1846. “Mud hovels are stuck all over the roofs,” she wrote, and “the temple chambers can be reached only by going down a hole like the entrance to a coal-cellar, and crawling about like crocodiles.” She could see sculptures in the inner chambers, but “having to carry lights, under the penalty of one’s own extinction in the noisome air and darkness much complicate the difficulty,” she wrote.

Excavated in 1859 by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette, the temple is an ode to power: A 118-foot pylon leads to a courtyard where worshippers once heaped offerings, and a statue of Horus guards hypostyle halls whose yellow sandstone columns look richly gilded.

Feeling infinitesimal, I focused on details: a carving of a royal bee, an image of the goddess Hathor, a painting of the sky goddess Nut.

Mr. Yousif kept us moving through the shadowy chambers — highlighting one enclosure where priests’ robes were kept and another that housed sacred texts. Later I thought of something Martineau had written: “Egypt is not the country to go to for the recreation of travel,” she said. “One’s powers of observation sink under the perpetual exercise of thought.” Even a casual voyager, she wrote, “comes back an antique, a citizen of the world of six thousand years ago.”

Our dinner that night was festive: When someone asked for music, our purser, Mostafa Elbeary, returned with the entire crew. Retrieving drums from an inlaid cabinet, they launched into 20 exuberant minutes of song.

The night quickly deteriorated, however. Gripped by an intestinal upheaval, I bumped my way back and forth to the bathroom. In the morning, I was too ill to visit more tombs and temples. The chef sent me soupy rice, and Mr. Elbeary kept me supplied with Coke.

Watching the river in bed, I realized what was missing: While 19th-century voyagers rode camels into the desert and ventured into villagers’ homes, we had seen little of local life. Before the cruise, I had sampled the chaos in Egypt’s capital. With a guide from the agency Real Egypt, I spent an afternoon exploring the neighborhood known as Islamic Cairo. Heading down a street lined with spice stalls and perfume shops, we had passed Japanese children with sparkly backpacks, Arab women chatting into cellphones tucked into their hijabs and old men arguing in cafes. We stopped to watch Egyptian girls draping themselves in rented Scheherazade costumes; after snapping selfies, they happily vamped for me.

A trip to Giza was nearly as diverting. Though I didn’t find the monuments inspiring — the Pyramids looked like stage flats against the searing-blue sky — others did. I was standing by the Sphinx when I overheard a man angling his phone toward its ravaged face. “You see me?” he asked, ducking in front of the camera. “That’s the Sphinx. It’s one of the most famous monuments in the world.”

Roman emperors and Egyptian gods

The next day I roused myself for our final outing. We had docked at the town of Esna, and from my window I watched an ATV driven by a boy who looked to be about 7 just miss a herd of goats.

The others were waiting, so I followed Mr. Yousif through the streets at warp speed. Built during the reign of Ptolemy V and dedicated to a river god, Esna’s temple was conscripted by the Romans and then abandoned. Only its portico had been excavated when Nightingale visited. In a letter to her family, she said, ”I never saw anything so Stygian.”

Now partly reclaimed, the temple is 30 feet below street level. Beyond the portico is a hypostyle hall whose columns are inscribed with sacred texts and hymns. Still traced with color, they blossom into floral capitals. On the walls are images of Roman emperors presenting offerings to Egyptian gods.

On our way back to the boat, Mr. Yousif led us through narrow streets where children were racing about. Two little girls, one in a bedraggled party dress, followed us, whispering. A succession of boys darted into our paths to say, “Welcome, hello, hello.” From a closet-size barber stall, three men called out; a merchant in another stall held up his tortoiseshell cat.

Exploring Luxor’s riches

After a celebratory breakfast the next day — crepes, strawberry juice, Turkish coffee — our cruise ended. A driver from the dahabiya company was waiting to take us to Luxor, about an hour away.

Though it was little more than an expanse of fields dotted with mud huts, in the early 19th century, dahabiyas made lengthy stops in Luxor. Near the town is one of the world’s largest sacred monuments and across the Nile is the Valley of the Kings.

In the afternoon, I set out for Karnak. Founded chiefly by Amenhotep III and originally dedicated to Amon-Re, the complex was modified and enlarged by rulers, including Ramses II.

In the 19th century, its pylons, halls and courts were still mired in detritus: Nightingale was unsettled by the temple’s “dim unearthly colonnades” when she visited on New Year’s Eve in 1849. “No one could trust themselves with their imagination alone there,” she wrote. With enormous shadows looming, said Nightingale, “you feel as terror stricken to be there as if you had awakened the angel of the Last Day.”

Though it’s now besieged by tourists, the complex is still haunting. An avenue of ram-headed sphinxes leads to an imposing first pylon; beyond is a hypostyle hall where 138 pillars soar into empty space.

Wandering without a guide, I lingered over details: the play of light on a broken column; the base of a shattered statue that had left its feet behind. On the way to the necropolis across the river, I thought about the desecration described by Victorian travelers. Jewelry, cartouches and body parts were all on the market, and Amelia Edwards, author of “1,000 Miles Up the Nile,” was among those who were offered a mummy.

After casually expressing an interest in an ancient papyrus, wrote Edwards, she and a companion had been “beguiled into one den after another” and “shown all the stolen goods in Thebes.” Inevitably, they found themselves underground with a crumbling object in “gaudy cerements.” (She rejected it.)

Sheltered by limestone cliffs and set off by a limitless sky, the Valley of the Kings has been brought to order: Vendors now sell their wares in a visitors’ center, and tourists can hop an electric train to the burial grounds.

One of the most spectacular tombs in the royal warren belonged to Seti I; it was known to Victorians as “Belzoni’s tomb.” The entrance was breached in 1817 by the Italian adventurer Giovanni Belzoni who removed the sarcophagus of Seti I and sold it to a collector. In 1846, Martineau visited the chamber that had held the sarcophagus and reported, “We enjoyed seeing the whole lighted up by a fire of straw.” With its brilliant paintings set off by the flames, she said, “it was like nothing on the earth.”

It still is: The deepest and longest tomb in the necropolis, the resting place of Seti I is adorned with astonishing reliefs. Scenes from texts, including the Book of the Dead, lead from one spectacular enclave to another. On the day I visited, the crowds were elsewhere and the silence was profound.

The pharaoh who eluded the Victorians, of course, was Tutankhamun. Cloaked in obscurity for 3,000 years, his tomb was unsealed by Howard Carter at a time when the valley was believed to hold no surprises. In January, conservators completed nine years of restoration that revived the intimate enclosure.

Though most of Tutankhamun’s treasures are in the Egyptian Museum, his outer sarcophagus is still in the burial chamber. Stripped of its bandages, his corpse, blanketed in linen, now lies in a glass box — a desiccated figure blanketed in linen. Only his blackened head and feet are exposed, but he looks exquisitely vulnerable.

Surrounding the remains of the boy king are murals depicting him as a divinity; he enters the afterlife in the company of Anubis and Osiris and Nut. Set against a gold background, the images temper the pathos of his remains.

In the end, the tomb lost for so long is a reminder that in Egypt, the past continues to evolve. Perspectives can shift; voices can change. And something astonishing may be just around the corner.

Michelle Green has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books and other publications. She is the author of “The Dream at the End of the World: Paul Bowles and the Literary Renegades in Tangier.”

Sahred From Source link Travel

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[hatingwithfears]

Top 50 Albums of 2018: 50-31

I’m changing things up from how I usually compile my year end album lists, by writing reviews for every album, and then putting them in ranking based entirely off whatever score I gave it. Some of these articles are pulled from early reviews, ratings might have changed. (Because of Tumbr having a word count, here’s the first batch of albums, there will be a second batch, and a third just for my favorite album of 2018)

50. JONNY GREENWOOD- YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE

Another score from Radiohead guitarist comes only a year after Phantom Thread (a near perfect soundtrack that I didn’t include on last year’s list because I didn’t see the film until this year). While the film itself is one of the greatest works this year, thanks to Lynne Ramsay’s direction, the soundtrack does bang away at the same notes that other soundtracks have done, and also contains a few electronic moments that sound like light Radiohead. Greenwood’s work is tense, but it never goes over the edge into too dramatic, while also not being dramatic enough.

Rating: 8.0

49. RYLEY WALKER- THE LILLYWHITE SESSIONS

After already putting out one damn good album earlier this year with Deafman Glance. But this is Dave Matthews Band covers album. It’s their 2002 record Busted Stuff, an album where the original unreleased sessions are more famous than the album itself in fan circles. DMB isn’t treated as joke by Walker and the interpretations are at once respectful and innovative.

SOLID DAD ROCK

Rating: 8.0

48. CHRIS CORSANO & BILL ORCUTT- BRACE UP!

Disruptive, chaotic, off kilter playing that fires through 35 minutes and rarely lets up, this jazzy improvisational album from guitarist Bill Oructt and drummer Chris Corsano. The two have played live before, but Brace Up is their first album together. A few songs are taken from live shows, but most of what was laid out for the album was recorded over two days. Despite all the chaos that this album brings, the players are spot on, and show to be an equal match for each other’s talents.

Rating: 8.1

47. DAVID BYRNE- AMERICAN UTOPIA

It’s an adventurous album that’s still old-hat. Byrne sounds old, almost tired of all the shit, and that makes much of American Utopia the kind of album only someone of the age of Byrne could accomplish. The music is constantly upbeat, the lyrics themselves are downright weird at times. Usually, artists who last this long get stale and boring, Byrne clearly has no interest in slowing down and contemplating, the worry is still there. Some moments are too clean and polished (“Everybody’s Coming to My House”), or sound somewhat unfinished, not exactly rushed, but the production seems off from time to time (“Dog’s Mind” has some funny lyrics, although the music sounds poorly produced at times).

Rating: 8.1

46. ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE IMPOSTERS- LOOK NOW

Costello’s output has been brief over the past ten years, so a new album is really worth it, and Costello brings forth a collection of sixties inspired pop tracks that have some wildly, twistingly, intricate lyrical play that we’ve come to expect from Costello. Adding back Burt Bacharach for a few numbers, and Carole King on another works nicely too.

Rating: 8.1

45. THOU- MAGUS

On their fifth LP (the band has put out numerous split EP’s and LP’s with other groups over the years (it’s also their first for Sacred Bones)), Thou concoct an album that might be their best work yet. Heavy, sludge doom riffs, and the screaming vocals are here and stronger than ever. By letting many of these songs go on for as long as ten minutes, Thou show how far their brand of metal can go.

Rating: 8.2

44. JOHANN JOHANNSSON- MANDY

The soundtrack to Peter Cosmatos’s Nicolas Cage starring acid trip revenge film, Mandy, is the final work from Johann Johannsson. While it was put together after his death, much of the score was near completion. While a soundtrack, much of Mandy is a metal album at heart. Thanks to the metal aesthetic of the film, and guest work by Sunn o))) member Stephen O’Malley, Mandy is heavy and unforgiving when it needs to be, while also having some more shimmering, ambient moments too.

Rating: 8.2

43. JEFF TWEEDY- WARM

To coincide with his new autobiography (I haven’t read it yet), Warm is the first proper solo record from Wilco songwriter Jeff Tweedy. It’s a nuanced collection that has some really dark moments, sometimes darker than some Wilco stuff. Tweedy’s songs are, well, warm sounding, it’s a welcoming album that doesn’t clutter the landscape with too many ideas.

Rating: 8.2

42. TIRZAH- DEVOTION

This R&B artist’s debut album is filled with romance and heartbreak that’s become staples of popular song, some specifically with today’s soul music. These sentiments ring true thanks to Tirzah’s delivery, and equally to musical collaborator, Mica Levi (who’s film scores for Under The Skin and Jackie are some of the best in the genre). Levi’s work here takes some odd turns for pop music, there’s so much going on from one track to the next. Tirzah’s voice isn’t exactly centered throughout, or even clean. But it’s always done with clarity.

Rating: 8.2

41. JEFF ROSENSTOCK- POST-

Released at the very start of 2018, Jeff Rosenstock’s POST- is a funny emo pop rock album that brings up some very urgent anxieties about living in America, the seven minute “USA” has Rosenstock singing about being “tired and bored” and chanting “FU USA” in the same track. Anger runs through most of POST- but one of the stand out tracks is the ballad “9/10”.

Rating: 8.2

40. BOYGENIUS- BOYGENIUS

This EP shows up early on this list only because the damn thing is too short. This “supergroup” of Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers and Julian Baker was made as a response to the critics and others confusing them for each other. It’s a short six track effort that plays to all their strengths, but is quiet enough to not be taken too seriously.

Rating: 8.3

39. JANELLE MONAE- DIRTY COMPUTER

The sheer fact that Prince approved of what he heard from this album is enough.

Adding in Brian Wilson and Stevie Wonder, Thudercat and Pharrell to the mix. It’s an astounding simple album on the surface, but the stunning part comes from pointed the lyrics are about race, sexuality and the female body. While Monae’s other albums have been a little too pinned down by the concept, Dirty Computer doesn’t seem as constrained.

Rating: 8.3

38. SONS OF KEMET- YOUR QUEEN IS A REPTILE

This London quartet’s album serves as a sort of history, looking back at African music, bop, Latin jazz. With song titles that mention important black women throughout history (Harriet Tubman, Angela Davis), Your Queen is a Reptile could have ended up being too serious. Instead, the band’s massive sound (thanks to tuba, and deep drums) mixed with the really danceable sound makes for the most entertaining jazz record this year.

Rating: 8.3

37. ROBYN- HONEY

Robyn has always found a way for her pop music to stand apart from whatever else might be happening in pop, and Honey is a singular album that moves in a more natural way than most pop music right now. The eight year gap between albums (2010’s Body Talk was great too) is an oddity in today’s pop music, and the added weight of eight years of silence between albums should have been consuming, instead the album’s lightness is directly apparent, even on the break up opener, “Missing U”. None of the songs here end up crowded, even the (obvious) throwback track, “Beach2k20”.

Rating: 8.4

36. PUCE MARY- THE DROUGHT

On her new album Frederikke Hoffmeier continues the onslaught of unsettling noise music with The Drought, an album that’s somehow clearer than her previous album, but more haunting in the process. It’s a bleak, apocalyptic album that has some clarity in the vocals, but it’s a very daunting listen at times, like on the heavy repetition of “Fragments of A Lily” or the thick, gross atmosphere of “Red Desert”.

Rating: 8.4

35. MICHAEL BEHARIE & TEDDY RANKIN PARKER- A HEART FROM YOUR SHADOW

Sirens. Droning cello. High pitched ringing. Bells. Electronic buzzing. Choir samples. Repetitive samples and beats. Gross guitar samples. Thick, dark atmosphere.

(This album is a wild one that doesn’t have any direct theme, but the noise experiments and variety of the project are quite astounding to hear).

Rating: 8.4

34. KIDS SEE GHOSTS- KIDS SEE GHOSTS

A psychedelic kaleidoscope of a hip-hop album. Kanye West’s year has been tumultuous, confusing and downright angering. As a fan of Kanye’s music, there still has to be a degree of responsibly that Kanye should feel accountable for. In a way, Kids See Ghosts works a look at an artistic Kanye who allows others to come in, and let himself step off the spotlight just enough (this works on the damn good (but not great) Pusha T Kanye produced work earlier this year too). Kid Cudi is usually a garbled mess, but he’s fully utilized here.

Rating: 8.5

33. CLOWN CORE- TOILET

This 13 minute album mixes grindcore, elevator jazz, and techno. Plus, it’s all played by two dudes in clown suits. Plus, it was all recorded inside a port-a-potty. Plus, one member uses his penis to play keyboard on one song (even if it’s just one note). For being such a short album, it’s damn impressive the amount of skill and variety that went into what could have been a joke.

Rating: 8.5

32. PINEGROVE- SKYLIGHT

A shockingly quiet album that breezes by almost too quickly. Pingrove’s newest continues the emo-country sound that the band emulates. Over ten tracks the album never gets really loud, and some moments are almost too quiet, yet it works. The emotional impact of the album is oddly optimistic at times. That optimism feels rose tinted on some tracks (“Skylight”), and sincere (“Light On”).

Rating: 8.5

31. ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER- AGE OF

A year after composing the soundtrack for Good Time (a very tense, original score), Oneohtrix Point Never’s newest album uses the harpsichord in some disordered ways, and by respecting the instrument and advancing it at the same time, tossing in R&B (really), and his usual high frequency beats. Age Of is a more collaborative effort, with ANOHNI, James Blake and Prurient showing up. While there’s some sort of grander concept behind Age Of, the music here shows OPN going in a more comfortable direction without loosing his sharpness.

Rating: 8.6

[atakportal]

Vegetarian Bodybuilding System • Vegetarian Bodybuilding

New Post has been published on https://click.atak.co/vegetarian-bodybuilding-system-vegetarian-bodybuilding/

Vegetarian Bodybuilding System • Vegetarian Bodybuilding

Product Name: Vegetarian Bodybuilding System • Vegetarian Bodybuilding

Click here to get Vegetarian Bodybuilding System • Vegetarian Bodybuilding at discounted price while it’s still available…

All orders are protected by SSL encryption – the highest industry standard for online security from trusted vendors. Vegetarian Bodybuilding System • Vegetarian Bodybuilding is backed with a 60 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee. If within the first 60 days of receipt you are not satisfied with Wake Up Lean™, you can request a refund by sending an email to the address given inside the product and we will immediately refund your entire purchase price, with no questions asked.

Description:

V3 Bodybuilding is a plant-based fitness system that provides an ideal mix of science and practical advice on how to eat based on your fitness goals.

We infuse the entire thing with mind-body awareness.

We examined every fragment of science and research we could find, tested it on top athletes and bodybuilders, and distilled our findings into one system that contains everything you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

This program is for semi-vegetarians, part-time vegetarians, vegetarians, vegans, or undecided.

When I was first introduced to the idea of avoiding meat, I had concerns:

I’m happy to announce that my plant-eating experiment was a huge success!

I have endless energy, I’m stronger, and I have more lean muscle mass than I ever did as a carnivore.

With V3, you learn how to source protein properly, avoid vitamin deficiencies, and balance your macronutrients.

You’ll get tips like this:

We often hear about the “rice + beans = a complete protein” adage, but rice is a poor protein source, so simply adding beans is not a particularly brilliant decision if you care about protein.

A far more effective way is to eat slightly more beans, and a more significant synergy would be to combine beans and Brazil nuts.

This is just a taste, we will show you a plant-based protein gold mine!

“It’s tough to find a system thorough enough covering vegetarian bodybuilding, but the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is an ideal mix of science and practical advice.

“It’s sure to drive success.”

—Tosca Reno, New York Times bestselling author of “Your Best Body Now” and the “Eat-Clean Diet®” series

First and foremost, V3 is a synthesis of advice from the top plant-based fitness experts in the industry, versus one man’s opinion/expertise.

One of the biggest advantages of the program is amazingly simple.

Virtually the entire diet is centered on whole foods, most of which are anti-inflammatory. We don’t need supplements or chemicals to build beautiful, healthy bodies. This is counterintuitive in conventional bodybuilding culture.

V3 isn’t a rigid program, we provide flexibility if you’re not sure what camp of plant-based you fall in (e.g. semi-vegetarian, part-time vegetarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, etc.).

Most dietary programs talk about the health benefits of eating plants, but they don’t provide a smooth process on how to phase out meat in a comfortable transition.

Get the guidance and tools to transition to a semi-vegetarian, vegetarian, or vegan diet without losing muscle.

Also, V3 will help you find the “sweet spot” of frequency and intensity of training that stimulates maximum strength gains and muscle growth. We use more of mind-body approach to amplify the results, V3 includes specialized strength skills (e.g. breathing, flexibility, and meditation) that fortify all displays of strength.

A customized form of mindfulness and breathing practices are integrated, so you can slow down and be fully aware of what your body is telling you. You learn how to allow your body’s ancient wisdom to guide you toward elevated health.

“Love the section about being mindful of your macros! I preach this to my patients every day, especially the ones ‘doing everything right’ but ‘just can’t lose any weight.’

“They typically don’t have a good understanding of their dietary & nutritional requirements nor do they take an accurate account of their caloric intake & macronutrient ratios.

“V3 provides that guidance. Overall, this is a very impressive program! Great content, very informative – excellent work!!!”

—Dr. Harriet Davis, IFBB Bikini Professional

First, let me say that this is a “vegetarian bodybuilding” program, but it spans the needs of the part-time vegetarian athlete, vegan bodybuilder, and everything in between.

It’s a mess out there, isn’t it?

With fad diets, hard-to-follow nutrition information, and conflicting scientific studies, the fitness world can be a confusing place. I’ve studied every molecule of science and research I could find, tested it all, and distilled my results into one system that contains everything you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

V3 focuses on getting your nutrition from food, rather than supplements. This also saves you money!

A highly nutritious, plant-based diet will improve nearly every health marker measurable.

It has the power to drastically improve recovery and increase energy so that you can work harder for longer. With proper training, this is what will get you the health and body you’ve always wanted.

“I used to waste hours online trying to figure all this out myself, testing different approaches, and worrying the whole time that I would lose hard-earned muscle in the process. But this one tip you gave – I think it was on page nine of the ‘Success Guide’ – showed me what I was doing wrong…and how to fix it fast.” —Jake Robertson.

Benjamin Franklin once said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and I agree. Having a preemptive approach to your healthcare is smart. After all, isn’t it better to not get sick in the first place?

Here are a few misconceptions I want to offer some truths about:

“I believe that vegetarian bodybuilding will grow astronomically, because the fitness industry is moving more toward a natural look versus a performance-enhanced physique, which to most comes off as unattainable.” —Torre Washington, Four-Time Vegan Bodybuilding Champion

Most bodybuilding programs don’t promote plant-based nutrition, but virtually no other bodybuilding system emphasizes the importance of mindfulness. V3 does.

Mindfulness is simply a state of mind, not owned by any form of spirituality or religious dogma. A truly secular tool, it can also deepen your personal spiritual path.

Mindfulness is intentionally observing human experience from a place of calm objectivity, anchored in the present moment.

You don’t need to believe anything about the deep mysteries of the Universe, quantum physics, or religion to become interested in your conscious mind and to experience the benefits of mindfulness practices.

Below is an illustration of how your bioenergy amplifies the longer you meditate.

Because bioenergy can be a profound healing mechanism when channeled properly. This means faster recovery from the gym and better overall quality of health.

Through the vehicle of mindfulness practices, you build your mental strength. Any professional bodybuilder, powerlifter, or athlete can tell you how important mind-muscle connection is at their level of performance.

I show you how to harness this cultivated mental focus and integrate it into your training program. You also learn how to slow down and be mindful of the subtle cues your mind and body provides, leading to more intuitive health decisions.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Over the past ten years, over 2,000 studies have been done working with meditation. It is recommended by virtually every domain of health professional throughout the world.

Benefits of meditating over time (1+ years) include:

Meditation is the only technique that has been scientifically validated to accelerate this kind of vertical growth.

You can sift through countless contradictory articles on the Web and try to piece everything together yourself, but you may be put off by all the conflicting information. The time it takes to arrive at some real truth is equivalent to pursuing a college degree.

Allow V3 to take that burden off your shoulders and do the “heavy lifting” for you so that you can spend your valuable time in the kitchen and gym!

“I appreciate how you are helping other plant-based inspired individuals achieve better health. I love what you are doing.

“V3 is the perfect blueprint for those wanting to step into our world and build a lean muscular physique. Great job, Chris, you nailed it.”

—Garren Rimondi, Cancer Survivor

No worries, everyone here is welcome!

Whatever your personal values and goals are, V3 gets it.

I’m plant-based, but I started out as a semi-vegetarian before arriving at my current diet. We all start somewhere, and everyone has their journey. In any case, you can still benefit from the meal plans, protein-packed recipes, and supplement guidance.

This program caters to anyone who is simply interested in eating more plants and less meat.

Our meal plans are rock solid!

Because this is a self-guided and self-tailored program, we offer meal plan templates for you to start with as a foundation, but we don’t customize them for you (this helps keep your cost down). Also, the meal plans can be adapted for anyone and are not limited to bodybuilders only.

Here are the three variations:

Again, please note that this program is self-guided and doesn’t include one-on-one coaching (this helps us make it more affordable).

Want to lean out and maintain muscle mass? No problem.

Want to bulk up and not gain a bunch of fat? No problem.

Our program is structured to keep you focused on achieving your goals. V3 provides well-researched and actionable advice. The meal plans also offer the flexibility for you to get creative and experiment in the kitchen with your individual food preferences.

“The nutrition part was very in-depth, yet easy to understand.

“A lot of good info about insulin.”

“V3 reminded me how useful journaling is … I can’t believe I’ve never done this in all of the years I’ve been bodybuilding!”

—Samantha Shorkey, First Vegan WNBF Bikini Pro

Recreational exercisers, hardcore gym rats, bikini competitors, CrossFit folks, yoga practitioners, casual bodybuilders, and elite athletes all support the V3 way of life.

“Very helpful in providing a stable platform of where to start and how to progress. I’ve tried for years to gain some weight as a vegetarian. I finally found something that showed me how to gain 18 pounds of muscle in three months!” —Nick Monet

“Well done! The content is easily understood by the newbie, yet obviously founded in solid research. I’m so glad ‘tapping’ [was mentioned] in the Mindfulness Guide. I discovered it last summer and feel that it’s a perfect complement to any meditation practice. Also, [the] quinoa recipes have become my go-tos for work breakfasts and lunches!” —Catherine Doobay

“What I liked was that [the] information has research behind it, confirming my faith in plants. The meal plans were practical and easy to prepare. The training advice was surprisingly good, much better than I expected.” —Jason Tooley

“It feels so good to shop for new clothes thanks to my weight loss and toned physique. More importantly, I feel more connected to who I am, my soul, my purpose, and my aspirations. I’m especially happy about the abundance of energy I have to get through my workouts and day.” —Fannilla Aguinaldo

“I’m feeling super-healthy and strong! Thank you for removing the confusion around what to eat. Enjoying the alleviated joint soreness, wow! I definitely have more energy and focus, which has increased my confidence in all areas of life.” —Laura Simmons

Q: It seems most of the information provided with these programs is available online for free. What am I paying for, and what is the value here? Will there be an actual person to help and support my fitness/health needs via email?

As mentioned above, to make this affordable to more people, the V3 system is self-guided and doesn’t include one-on-one coaching (email or otherwise).

Technically, information about any topic is available for free online, and so this is an important observation. These are the times we live in today. We did all the heavy lifting for you, and the average person researching online doesn’t have access to the resources we have.

The value of any informational program is that we pay for credible expertise and the time and energy it takes to assimilate and organize quality information in a way that is easily digestible. With V3 specifically, we consulted the top plant-based fitness experts in the industry to create something we know that works.

This unique advantage is the value.

No, it is NOT an ebook.

The V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a membership-based online resource (some of the worksheets are downloadable PDFs).

Unlike a static volume of books, V3 is a living, breathing system that evolves.

As it grows and we roll out new and improved meal plans, protein-packed recipes, and training worksheets, you will instantly get access to any new additions.

Yes and no. Because everyone’s fitness goals are different, we offer templates/examples and teach you how to customize it to your personal needs. This method has shown to be more precise and effective.

We also provide access to a macro calculator and colorful illustrations (e.g. pie charts) that show you exactly how to adjust your macros so you can successfully achieve your fitness goals.

You can build a great body by eating plants! This program will prove it to you.

V3 takes the guesswork out of plant-based fitness and shows you what to eat to achieve maximum results.

It provides five easy steps to get started and keeps things simple so you can stay on the path without getting lost. You will learn how to build lean muscle and lose stubborn belly fat, and you will feel amazing.

Members consistently report having less pain in their joints, deeper sleep, and an abundance of energy.

Imagine the smile on your face as your family and friends witness your transformation.

The information in the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is something I want everyone to have access to because it’s so powerful and different. I honestly believe it will change the lives of thousands of people.

That’s why I’m going to make a special offer to the people who are ready to take massive action now. At VegetarianBodybuilding.com, we like to reward people who stop talking and start doing.

Are you ready to learn what really works?

ClickBank is the retailer of products on this site. CLICKBANK® is a registered trademark of Click Sales Inc., a Delaware corporation located at 1444 S. Entertainment Ave., Suite 410 Boise, ID 83709, USA and used by permission. ClickBank’s role as retailer does not constitute an endorsement, approval or review of these products or any claim, statement or opinion used in promotion of these products.

Click here to get Vegetarian Bodybuilding System • Vegetarian Bodybuilding at discounted price while it’s still available…

All orders are protected by SSL encryption – the highest industry standard for online security from trusted vendors. Vegetarian Bodybuilding System • Vegetarian Bodybuilding is backed with a 60 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee. If within the first 60 days of receipt you are not satisfied with Wake Up Lean™, you can request a refund by sending an email to the address given inside the product and we will immediately refund your entire purchase price, with no questions asked.

[cowgirlluminary-blog]

John Scagliarini

To the Town of Plymouth board of Selectman.

I am coming to you with a story. One I will shorten in this email to grab your attention, hopefully. I am coming to you as a direct descendant of the Harlow family. I am also coming to you as the granddaughter of Harriet Harlow Smith Pond, the wife of Myron Smith who was the original and long time owner of the town’s beloved Smiths. I am coming to you as a woman that has played on your Long Beach as a child and clammed on Browns Bank;  a teenager who combed for sea-glass and as an adult, ran and walked and asked the shores to be my guidance. I truly know every inch of the sands on Plymouth Beach. My husband asked me to marry him right there on the shores of Long Beach. I mourned the death of my grandmother and mother, who's ashes remain as guardian to your Plymouth Harbor. This will eventually be my very own resting place.

Today, as promised, I will shorten my story. I am writing you in regards to a home that exists on Plymouth’s Long Beach. A home that now belongs to a man, whom I plan to tell you, touched my heart in the most unusual way. A man whom has lived out there for the past 20 years and treated the entire beach as his own and nurtured even its trees and foliage.

On a cold day in December 2016, days before Christmas, I was running out to the point on Long Beach; something I have done more than a thousand times in my life. I spend my runs without my earphones and relish in the emptiness and the sounds of the ocean. I feel as though my mother and grandmother can hear my thoughts and words sometimes spoken out loud. I was halfway out and saw smoke rising from a familiar chimney. A chimney of a house that as a child I spent days and nights and years. This home is the home of my mothers very good friend, Al Fugazzi, who was a local fireman for the town, I remembered. I have not seen him since I was young, but still I pass and remember fondly my time spent in this exact location. I always smile and wonder what became of him and wonder if even he still lives there.

I reach the point of long beach and stare off to the lighthouse and as if the souls of my mother and grandmother are listening, the wind picks up answering my prayers, speaking to me. The sand takes flight and depicts clouds circling the very point where the water runs in all directions. I laugh out loud and even record what seems to me to be a moment where once again I am reunited with my loved ones.

I return to my journey back, heading towards the main parking lot of the beach, as the tide is still too high, I must take the road which once again runs in front of my childhood monument. I have just run past the house when suddenly an enormous dog comes barreling down the road and after me. I stop immediately because of his size and not wanting to create chase. I calmly hold out my hands and the dog is friendly and engaging and I know that I am not easily going to be able to walk away. I see a man hastily walking towards me, clearly the owner of the dog and I’m again surprised, as he is approaching from the spoken of house. I watch him walk up and we partake in small talk about the dog. He is very kind and easy to speak with. I couldn’t help wonder if this was actually my mothers friend Al, from yesteryear. I ask as I am ready to move on, what his name is? he tells me and it is not after all the man my mother was friends with; but I feel obligated to tell him that as I child I had spent time in his home. I even add casually that my mother had made a stained glass window that was once his bay facing window. He smiled a smile that stretched from ear to ear. With excitement almost, he asked me if I would wait for him for a moment, he wanted to get something from the house. As he disappeared down the driveway and into the house, I stood there with the dog in the inclement weather thinking what a bizarre meeting this was. It started to rain, I wondered what he was getting and what story he was about to tell me and how I had anything to do with it.

He appeared moments later with nothing but his grin. He asked me if I had a moment he would very much like to tell me a story. I obliged and he started and told me that indeed he had bought the house from Al Fugazi, 20 years back. There was indeed a stained glass window that was in the bay window and to be honest, he remembers that he was not in love with it. Although he appreciated the artwork he felt the colors were too dark and he felt as though it obstructed his view of the bay. But he didn’t replace it; money, time, complication, whatever the case, the window had remained. He had been in the house for years when one day he was out in the front of the house and a truck slowed down. The driver engaged him and asked if there was a stained glass window in the house? The man said he remembers ranting a bit, similarly saying that he appreciated the art, but really wasn’t fond of the window. The driver then admitted bashfully that he was the husband of the woman that made the window. The man felt terrible and awkward and felt really as though he had stuck his foot in his mouth. He lamented as the truck pulled away. Later that very same evening. A calm evening with no wind and a harbor of glass, a large explosion rocked the house around 2am. He ran down to find that the window had indeed imploded. The practical excuse was that as the house shifted it put extra added weight on the window, but he could not get the feeling out of his head that that very day he had criticized the maker and he felt as though she was having her vengeance. If he didn’t like or appreciate the window, well then he didn’t have her permission to have it any longer. He felt so badly about the whole circumstance and couldn’t shake the coincidence of it all. He called a close friend who did lead work and asked him to come look at the window to see if it was at all salvageable. Unfortunately it was not and he regretfully gathered all the pieces and discarded them. Then years went by, he said. He finally got around to replacing some furniture out in the sunroom and when he moved a chest in the corner of the room, he found this piece of glass. The man took his hand out of his pocket and held out the piece to show me. I indeed recognized the colors and my mothers perfect solder lines.  It was a broken piece from the very bottom. That was not the amazing part. The amazing part was that it was the piece that my mother had etched her name into the art. Not any other random piece of a 500 piece stained glass window that once broken could have well been one of ten thousand pieces. It was the one piece that she had etched her signature on. The needle in the haystack. Tears streamed down my face as this perfect stranger handed me a piece of my long gone mother. I couldn’t stop myself from bear hugging him. In my 39 years of life I have never received a better Christmas present. He went on to tell me that after he found it, he had placed it on the window sill and there it stayed. He didn’t know why he had kept it all these years, but always figured that it was meant to be. And now, in this moment he held it out to me because he said it had found it’s way back home..

It is hard to explain the emotion this small piece of broken glass had on me. My mother has been gone for 11 years. I have quite a few of her stained glass pieces, but here this little fragment on a wet, cold, windy day finding it’s way into my possession was an overwhelming experience. I was so overwhelmed that I wasn’t sure if I should take the glass. Maybe her signature, this little piece of her heart should stay with the house. Maybe it truly is it’s home. The man insisted that I take it, although I hesitated, he continued that he may lose the house this year 2017 and he doesn’t know what he will do with all his things. Because I am not one to walk through life believing in chance, I probed deeper. He told me the long and the short of it. The house is being taken back from him as his lease has run out and the town wants the property back to build a parking lot. He was forthcoming about his struggles, but resoundingly broken that he will have to walk away from his home. Because this man gave me such a gift I feel eternally grateful to him. This is a man whose made a life out on Plymouth beach and raised his family of dogs out on Plymouth beach. A man that has taken care of the trees and the plants on Plymouth Beach. This is a man who does not deserve to be kicked out of his home to make room for a parking lot.

One of the things I have continued to admire about Plymouth beach is that it serves a large population and yet you can still find yourself out there alone with your footprints because of it strict laws, enforcing difficult stickers to obtain, and few parking areas before and past the crossroad. The dunes have remained beautiful and the birds nest because of Plymouth’s belief that this should remain mostly in it’s raw state. This is extremely rare to find these days. Wouldn't building a parking lot do exactly the opposite of what the town has so carefully preserved?

My mind spun, could I raise the money to fix up the house? Would that be enough to convince the powers that be? What can I do? It’s hard to raise money to fix a house that will be taken from you on a year to year basis. Although admittedly he has had tax trouble he has been in the black for quite some time now, so why can’t we try and help this man? I feel very strongly that although it was a blessing to receive this gift from this man, I must try to return this favor. After all, I have been running this beach forever and now 11 years since my mother passed, so why did this coincidental meeting happen now?

Please tell me what I can do? How can I represent a vote? How can I petition for this man? Without stepping on toes and playing some political game, how can we really accept taking a house from a man to create a parking lot that will allow more people out onto plymouth beach and steal away the integrity that the town and it’s people so believe in?

This story is almost 3 pages, I’m a writer; This could be 20. It could be a very well written nonfiction short story. If we are living in a world where there is current emphasis on looking in and at our neighbors and helping those around us, how can we abandon this man who has no where to go come this spring? No one is giving him back the money he bought the house for. How is he supposed to live? There must be a way. I beg you to hear my voice and consider this story when deciding this man’s future. I have not reached out to social media. I have not caused a stink. I have not reached out to local media outlets. I am vocal only to you and it will stay that way if there can be a resolution to this. I so hope and pray that this is the case. And I suppose the wind beneath my wings is my mother and the story that brought me here to you today.

This man’s name is John Scagliarini His physical address is 354 Ryder Way, Plymouth, MA 02360 Mailing address is ScagTree, 130-10 Camelot Drive, Plymouth, MA 02360

I reach out with a sincere heart and would very much appreciate your thoughts and guidance.

Yours, Shakari Harlow D’Annibale

[allenmendezsr]

V3 Plant-based Fitness

New Post has been published on https://autotraffixpro.app/allenmendezsr/v3-plant-based-fitness/

V3 Plant-based Fitness

 Buy Now    

This isn’t your typical nutrition program.

V3 Bodybuilding is a plant-based fitness system that provides an ideal mix of science and practical advice on how to eat based on your fitness goals.

We infuse the entire thing with mind-body awareness.

We examined every fragment of science and research we could find, tested it on top athletes and bodybuilders, and distilled our findings into one system that contains everything you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

This program is for semi-vegetarians, part-time vegetarians, vegetarians, vegans, or undecided.

Special offer Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

I’m Chris Willitts, the creator of V3.

When I was first introduced to the idea of avoiding meat, I had concerns:

How would I get enough protein?

Would I get enough nutrients?

Could I make strength gains?

What about all those carbs?

Could I stick with it long-term?

I’m happy to announce that my plant-eating experiment was a huge success!

I have endless energy, I’m stronger, and I have more lean muscle mass than I ever did as a carnivore.

With V3, you learn how to source protein properly, avoid vitamin deficiencies, and balance your macronutrients.

You’ll get tips like this:

We often hear about the “rice + beans = a complete protein” adage, but rice is a poor protein source, so simply adding beans is not a particularly brilliant decision if you care about protein.

A far more effective way is to eat slightly more beans, and a more significant synergy would be to combine beans and Brazil nuts.

This is just a taste, we will show you a plant-based protein gold mine!

“It’s tough to find a system thorough enough covering vegetarian bodybuilding, but the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is an ideal mix of science and practical advice.

“It’s sure to drive success.”

—Tosca Reno, New York Times bestselling author of “Your Best Body Now” and the “Eat-Clean Diet®” series

What Makes V3 Unique

First and foremost, V3 is a synthesis of advice from the top plant-based fitness experts in the industry, versus one man’s opinion/expertise.

One of the biggest advantages of the program is amazingly simple.

Virtually the entire diet is centered on whole foods, most of which are anti-inflammatory. We don’t need supplements or chemicals to build beautiful, healthy bodies. This is counterintuitive in conventional bodybuilding culture.

V3 isn’t a rigid program, we provide flexibility if you’re not sure what camp of plant-based you fall in (e.g. semi-vegetarian, part-time vegetarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, etc.).

Most dietary programs talk about the health benefits of eating plants, but they don’t provide a smooth process on how to phase out meat in a comfortable transition.

Get the guidance and tools to transition to a semi-vegetarian, vegetarian, or vegan diet without losing muscle.

Also, V3 will help you find the “sweet spot” of frequency and intensity of training that stimulates maximum strength gains and muscle growth. We use more of mind-body approach to amplify the results, V3 includes specialized strength skills (e.g. breathing, flexibility, and meditation) that fortify all displays of strength.

A customized form of mindfulness and breathing practices are integrated, so you can slow down and be fully aware of what your body is telling you. You learn how to allow your body’s ancient wisdom to guide you toward elevated health.

V3 puts an emphasis on vibrant health and the mind-body connection.

Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

“Love the section about being mindful of your macros! I preach this to my patients every day, especially the ones ‘doing everything right’ but ‘just can’t lose any weight.’

“They typically don’t have a good understanding of their dietary & nutritional requirements nor do they take an accurate account of their caloric intake & macronutrient ratios.

“V3 provides that guidance. Overall, this is a very impressive program! Great content, very informative – excellent work!!!”

—Dr. Harriet Davis, IFBB Bikini Professional

Our approach to nutrition is simple, we eat actual food.

First, let me say that this is a “vegetarian bodybuilding” program, but it spans the needs of the part-time vegetarian athlete, vegan bodybuilder, and everything in between.

It’s a mess out there, isn’t it?

With fad diets, hard-to-follow nutrition information, and conflicting scientific studies, the fitness world can be a confusing place. I’ve studied every molecule of science and research I could find, tested it all, and distilled my results into one system that contains everything you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

V3 focuses on getting your nutrition from food, rather than supplements. This also saves you money!

A highly nutritious, plant-based diet will improve nearly every health marker measurable.

It has the power to drastically improve recovery and increase energy so that you can work harder for longer. With proper training, this is what will get you the health and body you’ve always wanted.

“I used to waste hours online trying to figure all this out myself, testing different approaches, and worrying the whole time that I would lose hard-earned muscle in the process. But this one tip you gave – I think it was on page nine of the ‘Success Guide’ – showed me what I was doing wrong…and how to fix it fast.” —Jake Robertson.

Plants aren’t ingredients to food; they are food. And they’re nature’s medicine.

Benjamin Franklin once said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and I agree. Having a preemptive approach to your healthcare is smart. After all, isn’t it better to not get sick in the first place?

Here are a few misconceptions I want to offer some truths about:

Vegetarianism is not another diet fad. It’s been around for thousands of years.

Protein is easy to get if you learn what to eat.

Plant-based nutrition is more diverse and fulfilling than eating salads all day.

You don’t have to eat meat to build muscle or get in shape.

With a plant-based diet, you will recover faster and have more energy.

Vegetarianism is the future.

“I believe that vegetarian bodybuilding will grow astronomically, because the fitness industry is moving more toward a natural look versus a performance-enhanced physique, which to most comes off as unattainable.” —Torre Washington, Four-Time Vegan Bodybuilding Champion

Our approach to training is simple, we become more aware of our body.

Most bodybuilding programs don’t promote plant-based nutrition, but virtually no other bodybuilding system emphasizes the importance of mindfulness. V3 does.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is simply a state of mind, not owned by any form of spirituality or religious dogma. A truly secular tool, it can also deepen your personal spiritual path.

Mindfulness is intentionally observing human experience from a place of calm objectivity, anchored in the present moment.

You don’t need to believe anything about the deep mysteries of the Universe, quantum physics, or religion to become interested in your conscious mind and to experience the benefits of mindfulness practices.

Below is an illustration of how your bioenergy amplifies the longer you meditate.

Why is this important?

Because bioenergy can be a profound healing mechanism when channeled properly. This means faster recovery from the gym and better overall quality of health.

Through the vehicle of mindfulness practices, you build your mental strength. Any professional bodybuilder, powerlifter, or athlete can tell you how important mind-muscle connection is at their level of performance.

I show you how to harness this cultivated mental focus and integrate it into your training program. You also learn how to slow down and be mindful of the subtle cues your mind and body provides, leading to more intuitive health decisions.

You walk away with a meditation practice geared specifically toward healing the body within the first week.

This simple practice will also provide a sense of relief from the stresses of the daily grind.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Over the past ten years, over 2,000 studies have been done working with meditation. It is recommended by virtually every domain of health professional throughout the world.

Benefits of meditating over time (1+ years) include:

Gaining a younger physiology (biological markers of aging are five to 12 years younger)

Notable improvements in brain functioning, hearing and seeing

Lower levels of cancer and heart disease

Accelerated stages of psychological development (you become wiser, faster)

Meditation is the only technique that has been scientifically validated to accelerate this kind of vertical growth.

Features:

Why whole food, plant-based diets are superior for fitness

Nutritional deficiencies and how to avoid them

Macronutrients and proper ratios

Remaining satisfied on a plant-based diet

How to handle judgment and social situations (without being insulted or preachy)

Best sources of plant-based protein, and how much protein you need AND:

Four powerful, untapped strength skills fortifying all displays of strength

Workout journal sheets to help track your progress

Bodyweight workout routine

Why bodybuilders should practice meditation (mindful bodybuilding)

Healing meditation that amplifies your bio-energy field

Calming and energizing breathing practices

V3 will show you how to lose fat and build muscle from a plant-based diet.

You can sift through countless contradictory articles on the Web and try to piece everything together yourself, but you may be put off by all the conflicting information. The time it takes to arrive at some real truth is equivalent to pursuing a college degree.

Allow V3 to take that burden off your shoulders and do the “heavy lifting” for you so that you can spend your valuable time in the kitchen and gym!

“I appreciate how you are helping other plant-based inspired individuals achieve better health. I love what you are doing.

“V3 is the perfect blueprint for those wanting to step into our world and build a lean muscular physique. Great job, Chris, you nailed it.”

—Garren Rimondi, Cancer Survivor

Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

Don’t want to give up meat entirely?

No worries, everyone here is welcome!

Whatever your personal values and goals are, V3 gets it.

I’m plant-based, but I started out as a semi-vegetarian before arriving at my current diet. We all start somewhere, and everyone has their journey. In any case, you can still benefit from the meal plans, protein-packed recipes, and supplement guidance.

This program caters to anyone who is simply interested in eating more plants and less meat.

Three Meal Plan Variations

Our meal plans are rock solid!

Because this is a self-guided and self-tailored program, we offer meal plan templates for you to start with as a foundation, but we don’t customize them for you (this helps keep your cost down). Also, the meal plans can be adapted for anyone and are not limited to bodybuilders only.

Here are the three variations:

Transition (if you’re transitioning to vegetarianism)

Vegetarian (if you’re currently vegetarian)

Vegan (if you’re currently vegan)

Again, please note that this program is self-guided and doesn’t include one-on-one coaching (this helps us make it more affordable).

Want to lean out and maintain muscle mass? No problem.

Want to bulk up and not gain a bunch of fat? No problem.

Our program is structured to keep you focused on achieving your goals. V3 provides well-researched and actionable advice. The meal plans also offer the flexibility for you to get creative and experiment in the kitchen with your individual food preferences.

“The nutrition part was very in-depth, yet easy to understand.

“V3 reminded me how useful journaling is … I can’t believe I’ve never done this in all of the years I’ve been bodybuilding!”

—Samantha Shorkey, First Vegan WNBF Bikini Pro

Trusted by Real People Worldwide

Recreational exercisers, hardcore gym rats, bikini competitors, CrossFit folks, yoga practitioners, casual bodybuilders, and elite athletes all support the V3 way of life.

Success awaits you:

“Very helpful in providing a stable platform of where to start and how to progress. I’ve tried for years to gain some weight as a vegetarian. I finally found something that showed me how to gain 18 pounds of muscle in three months!” —Nick Monet

“Well done! The content is easily understood by the newbie, yet obviously founded in solid research. I’m so glad ‘tapping’ [was mentioned] in the Mindfulness Guide. I discovered it last summer and feel that it’s a perfect complement to any meditation practice. Also, [the] quinoa recipes have become my go-tos for work breakfasts and lunches!” —Catherine Doobay

“What I liked was that [the] information has research behind it, confirming my faith in plants. The meal plans were practical and easy to prepare. The training advice was surprisingly good, much better than I expected.” —Jason Tooley

“It feels so good to shop for new clothes thanks to my weight loss and toned physique. More importantly, I feel more connected to who I am, my soul, my purpose, and my aspirations. I’m especially happy about the abundance of energy I have to get through my workouts and day.” —Fannilla Aguinaldo

“I’m feeling super-healthy and strong! Thank you for removing the confusion around what to eat. Enjoying the alleviated joint soreness, wow! I definitely have more energy and focus, which has increased my confidence in all areas of life.” —Laura Simmons

Common Questions About V3

Who is the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System for?

It’s for people who:

Are semi-vegetarians, vegetarian, vegans, or undecided.

Want the best advice for balancing macros and getting enough protein.

Are excited to improve themselves, get stronger, and look better!

Want to do it on their own, with a little help from us.

Want a simple approach to all of this.

Do I get one-on-one support?

Q: It seems most of the information provided with these programs is available online for free. What am I paying for, and what is the value here? Will there be an actual person to help and support my fitness/health needs via email?

As mentioned above, to make this affordable to more people, the V3 system is self-guided and doesn’t include one-on-one coaching (email or otherwise).

Technically, information about any topic is available for free online, and so this is an important observation. These are the times we live in today. We did all the heavy lifting for you, and the average person researching online doesn’t have access to the resources we have.

The value of any informational program is that we pay for credible expertise and the time and energy it takes to assimilate and organize quality information in a way that is easily digestible. With V3 specifically, we consulted the top plant-based fitness experts in the industry to create something we know that works.

This unique advantage is the value.

Is this an ebook?

No, it is NOT an ebook.

The V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a membership-based online resource (some of the worksheets are downloadable PDFs).

Unlike a static volume of books, V3 is a living, breathing system that evolves.

As it grows and we roll out new and improved meal plans, protein-packed recipes, and training worksheets, you will instantly get access to any new additions.

Do you give me a meal plan?

Yes and no. Because everyone’s fitness goals are different, we offer templates/examples and teach you how to customize it to your personal needs. This method has shown to be more precise and effective.

We also provide access to a macro calculator and colorful illustrations (e.g. pie charts) that show you exactly how to adjust your macros so you can successfully achieve your fitness goals.

How will this help me?

You can build a great body by eating plants! This program will prove it to you.

V3 takes the guesswork out of plant-based fitness and shows you what to eat to achieve maximum results.

It provides five easy steps to get started and keeps things simple so you can stay on the path without getting lost. You will learn how to build lean muscle and lose stubborn belly fat, and you will feel amazing.

Members consistently report having less pain in their joints, deeper sleep, and an abundance of energy.

How much does this cost?

Imagine the smile on your face as your family and friends witness your transformation.

You can’t put a price on improved confidence, health, and energy in your life. But let’s try anyway: perhaps it’s worth $2K, $5K, or even $10K+?

(working with folks like me directly to learn how to do all this costs about $2K per year)

You can get the entire V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System — the best plant-based nutrition and lifestyle information science has to offer — for only $97.

The information in the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is something I want everyone to have access to because it’s so powerful and different. I honestly believe it will change the lives of thousands of people.

That’s why I’m going to make a special offer to the people who are ready to take massive action now. At VegetarianBodybuilding.com, we like to reward people who stop talking and start doing.

My special offer: Order the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System right here, right now and you’ll get our exclusive lifetime membership for just $48.50.

That means this entire system will cost less than a pair of workout shoes!

It’s time to get the information you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

Are you ready to learn what really works?

Make changes to your body by learning what “good nutrition” really means for you.

Discover the only information you need to lose fat, gain muscle, and improve your health – backed by science and research with real people, not by fads.

Get instant access to the complete system and hit the ground running.

Get our exclusive lifetime membership for a one-time fee.

Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

ClickBank is the retailer of products on this site. CLICKBANK® is a registered trademark of Click Sales Inc., a Delaware corporation located at 1444 S. Entertainment Ave., Suite 410 Boise, ID 83709, USA and used by permission. ClickBank’s role as retailer does not constitute an endorsement, approval or review of these products or any claim, statement or opinion used in promotion of these products.

Vegetarian Bodybuilding System was last modified: January 13th, 2020 by Chris Willitts

[allenmendezsr]

V3 Plant-based Fitness

New Post has been published on https://autotraffixpro.app/allenmendezsr/v3-plant-based-fitness/

V3 Plant-based Fitness

 Buy Now    

This isn’t your typical nutrition program.

V3 Bodybuilding is a plant-based fitness system that provides an ideal mix of science and practical advice on how to eat based on your fitness goals.

We infuse the entire thing with mind-body awareness.

We examined every fragment of science and research we could find, tested it on top athletes and bodybuilders, and distilled our findings into one system that contains everything you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

This program is for semi-vegetarians, part-time vegetarians, vegetarians, vegans, or undecided.

Special offer Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

I’m Chris Willitts, the creator of V3.

When I was first introduced to the idea of avoiding meat, I had concerns:

How would I get enough protein?

Would I get enough nutrients?

Could I make strength gains?

What about all those carbs?

Could I stick with it long-term?

I’m happy to announce that my plant-eating experiment was a huge success!

I have endless energy, I’m stronger, and I have more lean muscle mass than I ever did as a carnivore.

With V3, you learn how to source protein properly, avoid vitamin deficiencies, and balance your macronutrients.

You’ll get tips like this:

We often hear about the “rice + beans = a complete protein” adage, but rice is a poor protein source, so simply adding beans is not a particularly brilliant decision if you care about protein.

A far more effective way is to eat slightly more beans, and a more significant synergy would be to combine beans and Brazil nuts.

This is just a taste, we will show you a plant-based protein gold mine!

“It’s tough to find a system thorough enough covering vegetarian bodybuilding, but the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is an ideal mix of science and practical advice.

“It’s sure to drive success.”

—Tosca Reno, New York Times bestselling author of “Your Best Body Now” and the “Eat-Clean Diet®” series

What Makes V3 Unique

First and foremost, V3 is a synthesis of advice from the top plant-based fitness experts in the industry, versus one man’s opinion/expertise.

One of the biggest advantages of the program is amazingly simple.

Virtually the entire diet is centered on whole foods, most of which are anti-inflammatory. We don’t need supplements or chemicals to build beautiful, healthy bodies. This is counterintuitive in conventional bodybuilding culture.

V3 isn’t a rigid program, we provide flexibility if you’re not sure what camp of plant-based you fall in (e.g. semi-vegetarian, part-time vegetarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, etc.).

Most dietary programs talk about the health benefits of eating plants, but they don’t provide a smooth process on how to phase out meat in a comfortable transition.

Get the guidance and tools to transition to a semi-vegetarian, vegetarian, or vegan diet without losing muscle.

Also, V3 will help you find the “sweet spot” of frequency and intensity of training that stimulates maximum strength gains and muscle growth. We use more of mind-body approach to amplify the results, V3 includes specialized strength skills (e.g. breathing, flexibility, and meditation) that fortify all displays of strength.

A customized form of mindfulness and breathing practices are integrated, so you can slow down and be fully aware of what your body is telling you. You learn how to allow your body’s ancient wisdom to guide you toward elevated health.

V3 puts an emphasis on vibrant health and the mind-body connection.

Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

“Love the section about being mindful of your macros! I preach this to my patients every day, especially the ones ‘doing everything right’ but ‘just can’t lose any weight.’

“They typically don’t have a good understanding of their dietary & nutritional requirements nor do they take an accurate account of their caloric intake & macronutrient ratios.

“V3 provides that guidance. Overall, this is a very impressive program! Great content, very informative – excellent work!!!”

—Dr. Harriet Davis, IFBB Bikini Professional

Our approach to nutrition is simple, we eat actual food.

First, let me say that this is a “vegetarian bodybuilding” program, but it spans the needs of the part-time vegetarian athlete, vegan bodybuilder, and everything in between.

It’s a mess out there, isn’t it?

With fad diets, hard-to-follow nutrition information, and conflicting scientific studies, the fitness world can be a confusing place. I’ve studied every molecule of science and research I could find, tested it all, and distilled my results into one system that contains everything you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

V3 focuses on getting your nutrition from food, rather than supplements. This also saves you money!

A highly nutritious, plant-based diet will improve nearly every health marker measurable.

It has the power to drastically improve recovery and increase energy so that you can work harder for longer. With proper training, this is what will get you the health and body you’ve always wanted.

“I used to waste hours online trying to figure all this out myself, testing different approaches, and worrying the whole time that I would lose hard-earned muscle in the process. But this one tip you gave – I think it was on page nine of the ‘Success Guide’ – showed me what I was doing wrong…and how to fix it fast.” —Jake Robertson.

Plants aren’t ingredients to food; they are food. And they’re nature’s medicine.

Benjamin Franklin once said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and I agree. Having a preemptive approach to your healthcare is smart. After all, isn’t it better to not get sick in the first place?

Here are a few misconceptions I want to offer some truths about:

Vegetarianism is not another diet fad. It’s been around for thousands of years.

Protein is easy to get if you learn what to eat.

Plant-based nutrition is more diverse and fulfilling than eating salads all day.

You don’t have to eat meat to build muscle or get in shape.

With a plant-based diet, you will recover faster and have more energy.

Vegetarianism is the future.

“I believe that vegetarian bodybuilding will grow astronomically, because the fitness industry is moving more toward a natural look versus a performance-enhanced physique, which to most comes off as unattainable.” —Torre Washington, Four-Time Vegan Bodybuilding Champion

Our approach to training is simple, we become more aware of our body.

Most bodybuilding programs don’t promote plant-based nutrition, but virtually no other bodybuilding system emphasizes the importance of mindfulness. V3 does.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is simply a state of mind, not owned by any form of spirituality or religious dogma. A truly secular tool, it can also deepen your personal spiritual path.

Mindfulness is intentionally observing human experience from a place of calm objectivity, anchored in the present moment.

You don’t need to believe anything about the deep mysteries of the Universe, quantum physics, or religion to become interested in your conscious mind and to experience the benefits of mindfulness practices.

Below is an illustration of how your bioenergy amplifies the longer you meditate.

Why is this important?

Because bioenergy can be a profound healing mechanism when channeled properly. This means faster recovery from the gym and better overall quality of health.

Through the vehicle of mindfulness practices, you build your mental strength. Any professional bodybuilder, powerlifter, or athlete can tell you how important mind-muscle connection is at their level of performance.

I show you how to harness this cultivated mental focus and integrate it into your training program. You also learn how to slow down and be mindful of the subtle cues your mind and body provides, leading to more intuitive health decisions.

You walk away with a meditation practice geared specifically toward healing the body within the first week.

This simple practice will also provide a sense of relief from the stresses of the daily grind.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Over the past ten years, over 2,000 studies have been done working with meditation. It is recommended by virtually every domain of health professional throughout the world.

Benefits of meditating over time (1+ years) include:

Gaining a younger physiology (biological markers of aging are five to 12 years younger)

Notable improvements in brain functioning, hearing and seeing

Lower levels of cancer and heart disease

Accelerated stages of psychological development (you become wiser, faster)

Meditation is the only technique that has been scientifically validated to accelerate this kind of vertical growth.

Features:

Why whole food, plant-based diets are superior for fitness

Nutritional deficiencies and how to avoid them

Macronutrients and proper ratios

Remaining satisfied on a plant-based diet

How to handle judgment and social situations (without being insulted or preachy)

Best sources of plant-based protein, and how much protein you need AND:

Four powerful, untapped strength skills fortifying all displays of strength

Workout journal sheets to help track your progress

Bodyweight workout routine

Why bodybuilders should practice meditation (mindful bodybuilding)

Healing meditation that amplifies your bio-energy field

Calming and energizing breathing practices

V3 will show you how to lose fat and build muscle from a plant-based diet.

You can sift through countless contradictory articles on the Web and try to piece everything together yourself, but you may be put off by all the conflicting information. The time it takes to arrive at some real truth is equivalent to pursuing a college degree.

Allow V3 to take that burden off your shoulders and do the “heavy lifting” for you so that you can spend your valuable time in the kitchen and gym!

“I appreciate how you are helping other plant-based inspired individuals achieve better health. I love what you are doing.

“V3 is the perfect blueprint for those wanting to step into our world and build a lean muscular physique. Great job, Chris, you nailed it.”

—Garren Rimondi, Cancer Survivor

Buy now and save 50%. (Pay $48.50 instead of $97.)

Don’t want to give up meat entirely?

No worries, everyone here is welcome!

Whatever your personal values and goals are, V3 gets it.

I’m plant-based, but I started out as a semi-vegetarian before arriving at my current diet. We all start somewhere, and everyone has their journey. In any case, you can still benefit from the meal plans, protein-packed recipes, and supplement guidance.

This program caters to anyone who is simply interested in eating more plants and less meat.

Three Meal Plan Variations

Our meal plans are rock solid!

Because this is a self-guided and self-tailored program, we offer meal plan templates for you to start with as a foundation, but we don’t customize them for you (this helps keep your cost down). Also, the meal plans can be adapted for anyone and are not limited to bodybuilders only.

Here are the three variations:

Transition (if you’re transitioning to vegetarianism)

Vegetarian (if you’re currently vegetarian)

Vegan (if you’re currently vegan)

Again, please note that this program is self-guided and doesn’t include one-on-one coaching (this helps us make it more affordable).

Want to lean out and maintain muscle mass? No problem.

Want to bulk up and not gain a bunch of fat? No problem.

Our program is structured to keep you focused on achieving your goals. V3 provides well-researched and actionable advice. The meal plans also offer the flexibility for you to get creative and experiment in the kitchen with your individual food preferences.

“The nutrition part was very in-depth, yet easy to understand.

“V3 reminded me how useful journaling is … I can’t believe I’ve never done this in all of the years I’ve been bodybuilding!”

—Samantha Shorkey, First Vegan WNBF Bikini Pro

Trusted by Real People Worldwide

Recreational exercisers, hardcore gym rats, bikini competitors, CrossFit folks, yoga practitioners, casual bodybuilders, and elite athletes all support the V3 way of life.

Success awaits you:

“Very helpful in providing a stable platform of where to start and how to progress. I’ve tried for years to gain some weight as a vegetarian. I finally found something that showed me how to gain 18 pounds of muscle in three months!” —Nick Monet

“Well done! The content is easily understood by the newbie, yet obviously founded in solid research. I’m so glad ‘tapping’ [was mentioned] in the Mindfulness Guide. I discovered it last summer and feel that it’s a perfect complement to any meditation practice. Also, [the] quinoa recipes have become my go-tos for work breakfasts and lunches!” —Catherine Doobay

“What I liked was that [the] information has research behind it, confirming my faith in plants. The meal plans were practical and easy to prepare. The training advice was surprisingly good, much better than I expected.” —Jason Tooley

“It feels so good to shop for new clothes thanks to my weight loss and toned physique. More importantly, I feel more connected to who I am, my soul, my purpose, and my aspirations. I’m especially happy about the abundance of energy I have to get through my workouts and day.” —Fannilla Aguinaldo

“I’m feeling super-healthy and strong! Thank you for removing the confusion around what to eat. Enjoying the alleviated joint soreness, wow! I definitely have more energy and focus, which has increased my confidence in all areas of life.” —Laura Simmons

Common Questions About V3

Who is the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System for?

It’s for people who:

Are semi-vegetarians, vegetarian, vegans, or undecided.

Want the best advice for balancing macros and getting enough protein.

Are excited to improve themselves, get stronger, and look better!

Want to do it on their own, with a little help from us.

Want a simple approach to all of this.

Do I get one-on-one support?

Q: It seems most of the information provided with these programs is available online for free. What am I paying for, and what is the value here? Will there be an actual person to help and support my fitness/health needs via email?

As mentioned above, to make this affordable to more people, the V3 system is self-guided and doesn’t include one-on-one coaching (email or otherwise).

Technically, information about any topic is available for free online, and so this is an important observation. These are the times we live in today. We did all the heavy lifting for you, and the average person researching online doesn’t have access to the resources we have.

The value of any informational program is that we pay for credible expertise and the time and energy it takes to assimilate and organize quality information in a way that is easily digestible. With V3 specifically, we consulted the top plant-based fitness experts in the industry to create something we know that works.

This unique advantage is the value.

Is this an ebook?

No, it is NOT an ebook.

The V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is a membership-based online resource (some of the worksheets are downloadable PDFs).

Unlike a static volume of books, V3 is a living, breathing system that evolves.

As it grows and we roll out new and improved meal plans, protein-packed recipes, and training worksheets, you will instantly get access to any new additions.

Do you give me a meal plan?

Yes and no. Because everyone’s fitness goals are different, we offer templates/examples and teach you how to customize it to your personal needs. This method has shown to be more precise and effective.

We also provide access to a macro calculator and colorful illustrations (e.g. pie charts) that show you exactly how to adjust your macros so you can successfully achieve your fitness goals.

How will this help me?

You can build a great body by eating plants! This program will prove it to you.

V3 takes the guesswork out of plant-based fitness and shows you what to eat to achieve maximum results.

It provides five easy steps to get started and keeps things simple so you can stay on the path without getting lost. You will learn how to build lean muscle and lose stubborn belly fat, and you will feel amazing.

Members consistently report having less pain in their joints, deeper sleep, and an abundance of energy.

How much does this cost?

Imagine the smile on your face as your family and friends witness your transformation.

You can’t put a price on improved confidence, health, and energy in your life. But let’s try anyway: perhaps it’s worth $2K, $5K, or even $10K+?

(working with folks like me directly to learn how to do all this costs about $2K per year)

You can get the entire V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System — the best plant-based nutrition and lifestyle information science has to offer — for only $97.

The information in the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System is something I want everyone to have access to because it’s so powerful and different. I honestly believe it will change the lives of thousands of people.

That’s why I’m going to make a special offer to the people who are ready to take massive action now. At VegetarianBodybuilding.com, we like to reward people who stop talking and start doing.

My special offer: Order the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System right here, right now and you’ll get our exclusive lifetime membership for just $48.50.

That means this entire system will cost less than a pair of workout shoes!

It’s time to get the information you need to take control of your own health and fitness.

Are you ready to learn what really works?

Make changes to your body by learning what “good nutrition” really means for you.

Discover the only information you need to lose fat, gain muscle, and improve your health – backed by science and research with real people, not by fads.

Get instant access to the complete system and hit the ground running.

Get our exclusive lifetime membership for a one-time fee.

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This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Vegetarian Bodybuilding System was last modified: January 13th, 2020 by Chris Willitts