#DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO RESEARCH MISSING PERSONS CASES IN NATIONAL FORESTS???

[quaranmine]

Missing 411 guy?

David Paulides, the guy who is the creator of "Missing 411" which is basically a conspiracy about suspicious clusters of people going missing in National Parks in the United States. He is also the bane of my existence for the past year as someone who is researching a story about someone who goes missing in a National Forest.

To start with, if you've ever been even on the fringes of "irl spooky stuff" videos on YouTube, you might have encountered this. There are a lot of youtubers and podcasters who cover this guy's content without understanding What and Who they are giving platform to. Sometimes, people don't even mention him but will relate the cases that he covers in his books or use the same conspiracy points as him. I would not be suprised if you watched a Buzzfeed Unsolved/Watcher video (which are fine btw) and then got recommended something related to Missing 411 in the sidebar since it's a similar genre. It's super popular to the point where its outgrown its creator. I can't stress enough that many of you have probably encountered this content, at least in passing, without knowing what it was.

So to recap, Missing 411 documents cases of real-life people who have disappeared or been found dead in national parks, national forests, etc and claims that these cases are unusual and mysterious. It frequently talks about missing person "clusters" and things like that. There is often an overt, if not outrightly stated, implication that something supernatural, crpytid, or UFO/alien related was involved. For starters, David Paulides has written a ton of books trying to prove the existence of bigfoot. Now, I have no issues with people believing in bigfoot, or cryptids, or aliens, but I do have an issue with people co-opting real life tragedies and twisting information to push this as conspiracy. I simply do not think it is helpful or respectful to talk about missing and dead people (and children!) like this. Also, with the high prices of his books ($100-200) he just reeks of grifter to me.

To me, Missing 411 "criteria" is a stretch at best. You will see cases "mysteriously" connected because both of these people wore red when they went missing. Both these people's bodies were found near water (as if many National Park do not have water features.) Both these people's bodies were found near granite rocks (like, the most common rock type in mountains lol.) All these cases involve the weather turning bad! (um, yeah, that's a big reason why people get in trouble?) He frequently claims that bodies being undressed is highly unusual, without ever acknowledging paradoxical undressing. Or he claims laughably weak connections between people like "these two women who went missing in different years are connected because they both had three letter names that started with A." I haven't personally listened to this talk but there is a data scientist mentioned in his Wikipedia page who examined the case data and found nothing out of the ordinary in them. If you don't want to watch a video (I don't either right now) then he also wrote this article. From a different person, this article from a podcast is also good.

David Paulides does not present Missing 411 cases with accuracy. He has been known to cherry-pick data and purposefully omit data to make them seem more unusual. Many cases he covers are either already solved, or have extensive information available. He does not retract information or admit when he is wrong. Even if he does present a particular case accurately, he has such a bad track record with reliable research that he cannot be trusted as a source. There used to be someone on reddit who would deconstruct cases he covered. In this post they found several instances of cases of Paulides missing sources and coming to incorrect conclusions.

Note there's a few differences in the sources I just linked. The data scientist and podcast skeptic both said they found the data to be accurate, while the redditors have found evidence to the contrary. The data scientist also says he found Paulides' presentation of information respectful, but I personally find all of this highly disrespectful. But despite these differences I think we can all agree....the claims of Missing 411 are pretty ridiculous.

Also, let's talk about David Paulides himself. Before becoming a writer, he was a cop in California. He was a cop who was fired for corruption (well that's hard to do), because he was caught soliciting donations for a fake charity he set up. That's straight from his Wikipedia page. He continues to use his past as a "dectective" to attempt to make his claims sound more reliable. There was also a redditor who pulled up some other career highlights from when he was a cop in the 80s, by looking at court transcripts and news articles. His job used to be entrap gay men by pretending to be gay, getting them to invite him home with them, and then arresting then. He and his unit were also accused of police brutality many times in the 80s, with Paulides testifying in defense of his unit. And he has not changed btw, he's a Qanon stolen election covid denier type of nut right now on his YouTube channel (according to reddit. I am not watching this man's videos.) So yeah, I think his character speaks for itself.

Anyway, I'm tired of hearing about this guy and seeing 411 related content pop up around YouTube, Reddit, Tiktok, etc. Pay attention if you watch things related to "creepy and unexplained real life disappearnaces." I do not think he is a good person, I do not think he can be trusted, and I do not think that his work actually benefits the families of the missing persons in question. These are real people. He turns them into spectacles to push ~unusual~ circumstances and paranormal activity.

[zukalations]

PRxPRince Roundtable talk (March 2019 Kageki)

IMPORTANT: This will be the last original translation post on the Zukalations tumblr account. After this, it will transition into posting weekly link collections to content from the new website.

Please bookmark zukalations.com to access the new content! It will officially launch on January 1, 2021.

This talk for the production of Towaki Sea’s first Bow Hall lead show, PRxPRince, was published in the March 2019 issue of Kageki, and features Towaki Sea, Jun Hana, and director Machida Nanoka.

PRxPRince Roundtable talk (March 2019 issue of Kageki)

Participants: Machida Nanoka (Director), Towaki Sea, Jun Hana

Machida: This is Towaki-san’s first lead show, and also my own first production...I feel a huge amount of pressure.

Towaki: No way!

Machida: More than anything else, Hitoko-chan (Towaki) is so beautiful, so I thought it would be good to make a show with a pretty boy in it. That might be an easy pick (laughs), but since it’s your first lead, I thought that rather than a dark and twisted character, a virtuous prince might be better. Although once you go a little bit deeper, he’s actually a rather odd person… (laughs)

Towaki: For sure (laughs).

Machida: In the end, it’s a coming-of-age story as he becomes a cool prince, so I feel like that’s just perfect for you. Also, personally, when I think about going through a month of rehearsals, I feel like a cheerful story is better (laughs).

Towaki, Jun: (laugh)

Machida: The main concept is that the prince of the tiny nation of Pecchieno is trying his best to overcome the nation’s financial struggles, as well as trying to find a bride. Hitoko-chan’s character, Prince Victor, is a scientific researcher, so he’s a very intelligent person. The hostile neighboring country, Grandi, has a very advanced culture, with increasing amounts of industrial waste and air pollution. On the other hand, Pecchieno is covered with forests, and it is a country that values nature and preserves its old buildings as they are. The prince is concerned about the waste and everything caused by Grandi, so he is conducting research hoping to find something he can do about it.

Towaki: So does that mean there’s a villain around?

Machida: Indeed there is. A woman is the villain.

Towaki, Jun: Oh~!!

Machida: There are three princes, and they all have their own love stories. Hitoko-chan and the heroine played by Jun-chan are totally in love from the start of the story. I want you to be a super sappy couple, I think (laughs).

Towaki, Jun: Oh! (laughs)

Machida: Although everyone appearing in the show is very earnest, I hope that we can use that for the comedy and make the audience giggle. However, I think that in certain ways comedy can be more difficult than tragedy.

Towaki: That’s true.

Machida: I hope that all of us, me included, can keep learning and enjoy ourselves during this rehearsal.

Towaki, Jun: Yes!

Towaki: When I first heard I would be performing a lead role, I was so happy, but when I saw the title had ‘Prince’ in it, I was a little unsure… I’m not that kind of character at all.

Jun: What!? But it’s perfect!

Towaki: No, no! I thought ‘can I really do that?’ And then I heard it would be a happily-ever-after comedy...that was a shock.

Machida: And now I’m thinking again that I ended up picking something really challenging (laughs).

Towaki: But I’m happy to have a lighthearted show for my first lead, and I think that will make it easier for everyone to work hard together and keep looking ahead.

Machida: Victor is a multi-faceted person, and there are a lot of aspects that will depend on Hitoko-chan’s performance. How cool you can make the scenes where he’s cool; whether you can have the charisma that makes girls swoon (laughs). There are some scenes where you’re aggressively pursuing the heroine, you see.

Jun: Whoa~.

Machida: I want the audience to think “That’s totally me!” when they see you, Jun-chan.

Towaki, Jun: Yes…!

Machida: I want the audience to enjoy everything about you, like the parts where you’re a really cool otokoyaku who can make people unthinkingly go “Squee!”, and also really cute parts, so that’s my plan.

Towaki: It seems like you’ve set a high hurdle! I’ll do my best.

Machida: Jun’s character, Elle, is one of the researchers in the prince’s laboratory, and I wanted to make her the picture of a geeky ‘science girl’. She’s like one flower blooming in the midst of a lot of men, and while all the boys are wild about her, she doesn’t pay attention to them, that kind of thing. She’s totally devoted to the prince and her research.

Towaki: (to Jun) What a great girl!

Jun: (laughs)

Machida: She’s also a very strong-willed person.

Jun: While I was startled when I first heard about this show, it’s with Machida-sensei, who was an assistant director for my debut performance, Die Fledermaus.

Machida: Oh, that’s right.

Jun: I was first paired up with Hitoko-san (Towaki) 2 years ago in the tango scene from New Wave!, so I feel really comfortable with her, you could say… I want to support her properly! The role of a researcher is so different from anything about me, though.

Machida: I’m also from a literary field, so I talked to scientist friends of mine while I was writing. There’s a song for all the chemical element symbols, actually (laughs).

Towaki, Jun: Wow~!

Jun: In junior performances I’ve had mature roles, and in the main cast for Phantom I put my all into playing a child, so this is my first time playing such a ‘life-size’, cheerful character. I’m going to keep learning and doing my best!

Towaki: This is the first time I’ve seen Miss Jun Hana being so serious. It’s an honor to meet you (laughs).

Jun: (laughs)

Towaki: Kano (Jun) and I have done more things together offstage. If I had to describe her...she’s not like this!

Jun: (bursts out laughing)

Towaki: Starting now she’s going to start getting more and more undone (laughs). On stage she’s so mature, but she’s actually a little monster.

Jun: You say I’m a monster… (laughs)

Machida: A monster!? (laughs)

Towaki: But I think her smile is wonderful.

Jun: (blushes and laughs) Hitoko-san is really kind, and also thinks about artistic things from so many different angles, so I’m really happy to be able to be with her in this. This is my first time doing so much acting together with her.

Towaki: That’s right. I’m looking forward to it.

Jun: Yes! The poster photoshoot was so fun.

Towaki: We were laughing too much, so it was really hard to get a normal looking smile.

Machida: Mitsue-sensei (Wakao Risa) also got very into the spirit of things. I hope this ends up being a cute show that really suits you both. The music for this show is written by Yoshizaki Kenji, and the choreography is by Wakao Risa and Uejima Yukio.

Towaki: I worked with Choreographer Uejima before when I was in Footloose, and it was such cool choreo!

Machida: I’m really looking forward to it, too. The music for the finale is by Hasegawa Masahiro.

Towaki: So it has a finale!

Jun: I’m so happy!

Machida: I wanted to totally change the atmosphere from the play, and since you are both very skilled at dancing, I wanted to have you get a chance to dance properly.

Towaki, Jun: Wow~!

Towaki: Um, this prince, does he have maids and things?

Machida: He doesn’t. He’s really poor (laughs).

Towaki: So he can’t hire anybody~! (laughs) But he has a family, right?

Machida: Of course. Oh, there’s his old nurse. Do you want a maid? (laughs)

Towaki: No, but since it’s a comedy one of the really big parts of that is creating the atmosphere with the rest of the cast, so I’m just looking forward to those acting scenes with everyone around me.

Machida: There’s your fellow researchers, of course.

Towaki: That sounds so fun! There are so many wonderful senior actresses and reliable junior actresses in this production, so I hope it will be a really fun and cheerful situation in the rehearsal room. While I have the lead role, I don’t want to get too absorbed in that, and keep working on the show through joys and struggles.

Jun: I’m also looking forward to the show even more now that I’ve had the chance to hear more about it today. I’m going to work on training my own skills and do my best so that I can work with Director Machida, Hitoko-san, and everyone else to create this show!

Machida: In any case, this is my first time creating a show…

Towaki, Jun: (applause)

Machida: Thank you so much. Although I’m a clueless young novice, I at least want to make a show that lets Hitoko-chan shine and the audience enjoy themselves. As it’s a comedy, the effect of the lines can change depending on how you say it, so let’s all work on figuring things out until we know the best way of saying things. Let’s all do our best!

Towaki, Jun: Yes!

[caitlynlynch]

If you don’t know anyone who’s vanished, it’s hard to comprehend how it feels. As it happens, I do; several years ago, the husband of a close friend (who was suffering from mid-stage dementia) walked out of their house in a quiet suburban street and vanished. I took part in days of searching parks and forestry within walking distance of their home - the entrance to a national park was less than a kilometre away. No trace of him has ever been found. (His name is Michael Newbon. You can look him up, if you’re interested).

The questions never end. Neither do the searches. My friend will never have answers; she passed on from cancer three years ago never knowing what had happened to the love of her life.

Perhaps the worst pain of all is that of a parent whose child vanishes, and that’s at the core of this book; the story of Randy Gray, whose son Jacob Gray disappeared in Olympic National Park. Randy committed himself entirely to the search for Jacob, and the author accompanied Randy on several trips following leads from all sorts of sources; Bigfoot researchers, tips from psychics, Randy’s own surmises on what his son might have wanted to do with his life and where those wishes might have taken Jacob.

While working on Jacob and Randy’s story, the author’s awareness of just how many people vanish in the wilderness was raised, and a number of other cases are mentioned in this book, some resolved, many not. Some were the victims of serial killers, many fell foul of Mother Nature and succumbed to hypothermia or injuries, others vanished in circumstances which honestly seem inexplicable. Some survived in the face of overwhelming odds to tell their own stories.

In the US, there is definitely a problem of competing bureaucracies and authorities not equipped for SAR efforts being the ones to call the shots. There is clearly a need for a centralised database of persons missing in National Parks and Forests, and an overarching authority with a defined policy which goes into action immediately someone is reported missing, because if there is one thing very clear in this book it is that when overwhelming and properly organised resources are committed early, that’s when the missing are most likely to be found.

Billman takes something of a deviation in the middle of the book with Sasquatch researchers and psychics entering the narrative, but I can tell you from experience, if you are desperate for answers, even the most unlikely of straws are sometimes grasped at. The Sasquatch researchers at least didn’t seem to be in this seeking to make any money or grab at fame, providing resources, time and effort without thought of reward. I do not think as kindly of the psychics, and agree with a quote from the book “To my knowledge, psychics have never solved a missing persons case.” I think they’re ghouls praying to get lucky… if they did chance to correctly predict a location they’d be on the national news milking it for every penny they could.

Jacob’s story ends, as so many of the missing do, with a tragedy, but I was left with the impression of a life that mattered. Young as he was, he inspired enormous efforts on his behalf, not least from his father who obviously loved him very deeply. I’m aware that there are family members and friends of Jacob who are upset about his portrayal in this book, but to me he comes across as a young man with a great zest for life and an inspiring wonder and love for the world around him. His family were portrayed as loving people who were deeply distraught by his disappearance, and they obviously devoted enormous amounts of time and effort to searching for him. I’m glad they were able to get closure and I hope that they are able to take from this book what I think the author intended from it; a determination to demand that the authorities do better by those who go missing in the world’s vast wildernesses.

The Cold Vanish is available now.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.

[lukatheselkie]

HMC - “I’ve missed you. But it seems like you’re not happy to see me.”

@hetaliamondaychallenge

Pairing: England x OC (Wisp)

Warnings: Non-consensual touching/nipping

Some info about the OC I used here! He’s a fae; more specifically, half Ghillie Dhu and half Pixie. I did extensive research and I am being as respectful as I can every time I write him. He’s lived in a birch forest his entire life, though he was discovered by the nations when he was very young. They took him into their care since he’s an orphan, and even though he lives in a birch forest in Scotland now, they still visit and sometimes take him home for a visit. His home is in the forest though. This mentions bows; Lichtenstein gifts him bows, and he absolutely loves them. Some of the others have taken up this habit, so he has an arrangement of bows. Most of the time there’s more bow than hair to be seen. If anyone wants to learn more about him, here’s a link to his form! My profile pic is one of my favourite PiCrews of him.

    Wisp lifts his head up when the sounds of the forest around him get quieter. It’s a subtle difference, but it’s there. He had been splashing in the creek near where he sleeps at night, waiting for his bows to be cleaned. The sudden change in atmosphere warrants his attention though, so he grabs his bows out of the water and places them on a nearby rock. He sniffs the air, and frowns at the unfamiliar scent. Who could be visiting him? He clips the bows back into his hair, not wanting to go anywhere without them, and makes his way through the trees silently.

    Wisp lifts his head up when the sounds of the forest around him get quieter. It’s a subtle difference, but it’s there. He had been splashing in the creek near where he sleeps at night, waiting for his bows to be cleaned. The sudden change in atmosphere warrants his attention though, so he grabs his bows out of the water and places them on a nearby rock. He sniffs the air, and frowns at the unfamiliar scent. Who could be visiting him? He clips the bows back into his hair, not wanting to go anywhere without them, and makes his way through the trees silently.

    When he gets to the edge of the forest he camouflages himself, just in case. Usually an unfamiliar scent means fae hunter, but not always. It’s dusk, so it’s unlikely the person is a child. But if they are, he has to get to them before anything else does. A bit of water falls into his eyes, and he wipes frantically at it. He should have shaken off his bows! It’s too late now; doing so would surely draw attention. He sniffs at the air again, and follows the scent a few meters to his right. He sighs in relief when he sees Arthur, but it’s short-lived. He un-camouflages himself and stamps over to him, albeit still within the tree line. “Arthur!”

    “Wisp!” A smile lights up his face. It’s been a long time since he’s seen that smile, but it doesn’t make him any less upset. Arthur pauses when he sees the frown on the fae’s face. “I’ve missed you. But it seems like you’re not happy to see me.” Wisp bristles angrily.

    “One-twenty! One-twenty days! No Arthur! Been gone! One-twenty days!” Arthur sighs heavily. “Wisp angry! Been long!” He looks around for something to throw at Arthur, but doesn't find anything that won’t hurt him. Another drop of water falls into his eye, reminding him of the bows. He yanks off the orange one Arthur brought him last time they saw each other, and throws it at him. “Why!? Why long!?” Arthur sighs again, picking up the wet bow and turning it over in his hands a few times.

    “I absolutely deserved that. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy. I know that’s not an excuse, but it’s what happened. I brought you a gift.” Wisp doesn’t stop frowning. He doesn’t even perk up at the mention of a gift. “What’s wrong?” Arthur steps closer. “Are you that upset? I’m sorry. I’ll try to visit every month, if that will make you happy.” He furrows his brows. “A month is thirty days, more or less. Who taught you how to count, anyway?”

    “Natalia.” He answers immediately.

    “Ah. Has she been by a lot?”

    “Every seven day. That week, she says.” Arthur nods.

    “Yes, that is a week. Do you know how long I was gone, then?” Wisp scrunches up his nose in concentration.

    “Four month.” Arthur nods. Wisp smiles brightly, and hops around excitedly. “Got right! Got right!” He giggles happily. “Got right, Arthur!” He turns to him, and freezes when he catches his scent again.

    “There’s something else wrong. You don’t ever frown. What’s wrong?”

    “Smell different.” Arthur visibly relaxes.

    “Is that all? Thank goodness. I thought it was something serious.”

    “Is serious! Why smell different!?” Arthur holds up the hand without the bow in it.

    “Alright, alright. It’s either my coat or my cologne. Christmas passed while I was gone and-”

    “Chris… mas?” Arthur stares at him for a long moment.

    “I forgot you don’t know what that is. It’s easy to take things for granted, I suppose. To put it short, it’s a celebration of friends and family. We get each other gifts and spend time together.” Wisp brings his hand up to the bows in his hair.

    “Christmas all time for Wisp.” He smiles fondly at the memories of receiving the bows, and spending time with the people that had given them to him after. Normally, he makes something for them as a thank you.

    “You could say that. But it’s on a certain day.” Wisp frowns deeply. “The sentiment is still there though!” Arthur rushes to say, not wanting to see him sad. “Speaking of sentiment, will you open your gift now?” He tugs a small present out of his coat pocket. “It has wrapping on it. You’ll have to tear it off first. Gently.” He knows how the fae is. Unless told to be gentle, he’s not. That could damage the gift, especially with his long nails.

    “Still angry smell different.” Arthur laughs quietly.

    “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Did I scare you?” He nods, sulking. “My apologies. But you know it now, right? I’ll try not to return with the smell, but if I do you don’t have to worry again.” Wisp bows his head and kicks at the ground.

    “...Like smell.” Arthur has to hold back his grin. He holds out the gift and his bow. He takes them, sticks the bow back in his hair, and pokes at the wrapping paper on the gift.

    “My hands are freezing from the water on your bow. How do you handle it? Do you need some blankets?”

    “No. Wisp fine! Warm. Not sure why.”

    “You might be able to regulate your temperature. I’ll ask Gwen when I see her next.” Wisp perks up at the mention of the doctor.

    “Gwen! Wanna see Gwen!” He wiggles excitedly.

    “I’ll tell her, I promise.” Wisp nods, and focuses on the gift in his hand again. He tugs at the wrapping paper, and holds each piece out to Arthur when he pulls them off. He tilts his head when he sees something shiny in the air pocket. “It’s a necklace. I made sure it’s long enough to pull on and off, so if it gets snagged on something it won’t hurt you. It’s strong, too, so it shouldn’t break. But if it does, I can have it repaired. I-I hope you like it.” He feels his cheeks heat up in embarrassment, and turns away. Wisp grabs the shiny chain and pulls it over his head, looking down at it happily. It’s off-white, and there’s something hanging on it. He grabs the hanging thing, and brings it up to his nose to look at. It’s a shiny birch leaf, attached to the chain by something the same colour as the necklace.

    “Pretty! Thank!” He runs out of the forest, knocking into Arthur. They tumble onto the ground, Wisp nipping at his cheeks and ears. “Thank! Thank thank thank!”

    “Alright, alright! You don’t have to say it so much!” He laughs breathlessly. “I’m glad you like it.” He turns his head in an attempt to hide his deepening blush, but it gives Wisp better access to his ear. He grunts quietly when he bites down hard enough he knows it’s going to leave a bruise. “Wisp, please. You’re too excited again.” The fae scrambles off Arthur, stumbling over his apology.

    “S… Ap… So so… Apollo…” Arthur pulls him into a hug so he’ll stop. Wisp cuddles into him with a sigh of content. “Sorry,” he mumbles out, closing his eyes. “Thank for gift. Necklace. Very pretty. Love.” Arthur kisses his temple, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. He should just tell Wisp he loves him. But he has no idea if the man knows what romantic love is. He should start there.     “I’m glad you like it. I have a serious question for you though.” He tilts his head to show he’s listening. “Do you know what romantic love is?” He nods.

    “Natalia taught.”

    “You two are close. Why did she teach you?”

    “So Wisp could find someone!” He seems proud of his words. “Someone pretty. Kind. Sweet. Loving. Someone that let Wisp be Wisp. Not upset. Someone that can take Wisp hyperness! Not get tired it. Someone…” He frowns deeply. “No word! No word!!!” Arthur pins his arms to his side.

    “Calm down. Please. I know you get aggravated when you can’t find a word for something, but please don’t. Not today. Not here. If we were in your forest, maybe, but not outside.” Wisp takes a few deep breaths.

    “Arthur right. Dangerous outside forest. Dangerous not house.” He nuzzles him, then licks his cheek.

    “I do wish you would at least warn me before you do that. I know you’re struggling with the concept of consent, but you can at least warn us. Please.”

    “Wisp try! Sorry.” He hangs his head. Arthur watches him for a long moment.

    “Don’t look so sad. Just keep it in mind for next time.” Wisp nods frantically.

    “Will!” He looks up and smiles at Arthur.

    “Your hair is an absolute mess.” He smoothes out the damp strands, shaking his head. “Were you washing your bows? I’m sorry I interrupted.”

    “Fine!” He giggles. “Nice see!” Arthur’s heart thumps at his cute expression.

    “Have you found the person you think Natalia was talking about?” Wisp shakes his head slowly.

    “Maybe… Don’t know…” He scrunches up his nose and brows.

    “If you have someone in mind, do you mind telling me who?” Instead of saying something, Wisp just points at him. “Me?” He nods sheepishly. Arthur can’t help but smile. “I had you in mind too.” Wisp lets out a happy puff of air through his nose.

    “Yay!” He giggles, and hops up to bounce around excitedly. “Love Arthur! Arthur love back!” He bounds around the Brit, who’s still on the ground. “Oh! Can date!?”

    “How do you know that word?”

    “Natalia show movie! Many! Know kiss too. Can kiss?” Arthur bows his head to hide his blush. Wisp crawls into his lap to look at his face, worrying that he may have upset him.

    “Yes, we can kiss,” he practically whispers. Wisp hums happily, and presses his lips to Arthur’s. The kiss is sloppy, and a bit too smiley, but it’s absolutely perfect to him.

[southeastasianists]

Everybody loves a ghost story. Really, everybody. All cultures have some variety of ghost story, by that name or another. But some are more pervasive and deeply ingrained than others. It isn’t really possible to identify the most ghost-heavy culture on the planet—there’s no clear metric for how one would judge such a thing. But few ghost cultures are as powerful and varied as the ones found in Malaysia. The modern English and North American conceptions of ghosts—from the ones under bed sheets to Victorian-garbed, translucent shades to the poltergeist that makes things go bump in the night—feel downright embarrassing in their limits when compared to the great world of Malay hantu.

Hantu is the general term for all ghosts, spirits, and otherworldly beings in Malaysia and among the Malay people of maritime Southeast Asia and its diaspora. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of them, ranging from natural spirits (representations of individual rivers, trees, and lakes) to vampire-type ghosts to leprechaun-like tricksters. Some are good, some are bad, some are to be avoided, and some are like partners to the living. And they coexist with wide range of religions observed by the very diverse people of Malaysia.

With a strategic location straddling the South China Sea, the land of the Malays has been a fluid and multinational place for thousands of years. Malaysia, known by that name or not, has been a vital trading post for huge empires: China, India, the Arabs, the Netherlands, Portugal, England. The indigenous people of Malaysia, called the Orang Asal, practice what the state (and researchers) tend to classify as a type of animism, with various natural objects held as sacred.

And all of those empires left their religions—and their more spiritualist aspects—behind, too. Today Islam is the most-practiced faith in country, but there are substantial numbers of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and others. (There were Jews for a long time, too; today, not so much. And ethnic Malays enjoy advantages that starkly stratify society there.) Malay ghost culture is, therefore, a hybrid of spirits, spooks, and haunters from around the globe.

“It certainly has a very big place in the culture,” says Cheryl Nicholas, an ethnographer at Penn State Berks who was born and raised in Malaysia and who has made Malay ghost culture a central part of her research. “Whether or not that continues in the more modern era, I don't know. I still feel the presence whenever I go back.” These ghost stories that imbue the culture of Malaysia seek, as many supernatural or religious stories do, to explain the mysteries of life and help lead a person to a more successful, longer, or more profitable one. Ghosts or spirits vary throughout the country and the culture, but there are some particularly popular individual types or broader categories

One of the most popular types is a sort of vampire-ghost. The pontianak is one that emerges upon the death of a woman during pregnancy or childbirth. She has the shape, usually, of a demonic woman capable of flight, who targets the blood of young children. (Alternatively, the pontianak may prey on men; these stories vary by region and teller.)

There are, in fact, a wide variety of ghosts floating around the concepts of birth and young children. There’s the hantu tetek, a ghost with pendulous breasts who likes to kidnap children just to play with them for awhile. She is used to explain why sometimes a child is found, unharmed, in a weird place, like deep in a bush or up a tree.

My favorite is the toyol, which is usually described as looking like a naked baby, though sometimes as more of a gremlin-baby. The toyol is very different from Western ghosts in a specific way: You can buy one.

Typically one purchases a toyol from a bomoh, or medium. It wouldn’t quite be described as a purchase, since you’d be paying the bomoh for connecting you with a toyol and the spirit itself would be free. Toyol are childlike: mischievous, a little clumsy, a little needy, easily distracted. But they are known as excellent thieves. You can have your toyol go out and steal for you, though Nicholas says it’s sometimes believed that a toyol will only steal up to the dollar amount you paid for it.

“The people in the village use that to explain petty theft,” she says. It also explains why you might see some shiny toys or marbles in front of rural Malaysian houses: countermeasures to distract a thieving toyol and give it something to play with. Nicholas says the best place to find a toyol isn’t in Malaysia, but rather near Mecca, Saudia Arabia. Muslim pilgrims have to discard all the bad influences in their lives for the Hajj, and though toyols aren’t exactly evil, they’re not what one would consider a force for good. In any case, you’ll find toyols near Mecca in the same way you’ll find stained Ikea furniture on move-out day at a college dorm.

The idea of owning a ghost of your own splits particularly hard with the Western conception of spirits as either barely aware of the modern world, or preoccupied with scaring people, or in search of eternal rest. Some Malay ghosts are more like partners to living humans, working side by side as protection—or to do one’s dirty work. Take the hantu polong, a sort of attack ghost used to inflict harm. It must be fed with blood from one’s fingers.

Nicholas’s work cataloging the wonders of Malay ghost culture has turned up dozens of species. There are some that cause specific health issues: The hantu buta causes blindness, hantu cika causes colic, hantu kembung is behind stomach aches. Some are more innocuous: Hantu apu is a party ghost, and so is hantu jamuan, though if it is not invited, it will wreck the festivities. Note to self: Remember to invite the hantu jamuan.

Another interesting aspect of many of these ghosts is the interaction, acknowledgement, or maintenance they require. Hantu lembong is a spirit of swollen growths on trees. Nicholas related a story she had been told about a man who had to formally apologize to this ghost after peeing on one of its trees while on a hike in the forest. If you disturb the soil, you might want to make an offering to hantu jembalang, a spirit of the earth. There are gigantic ghosts who get bigger the closer you get to them, ghosts with the head of a dog, ghosts that break traps to set animals free, ghosts of the moon and the sun and the sea. There are powerful elemental ghosts who should under no circumstances be messed with, and ghosts who throw stones at people for kicks.

“Ghosts are always a plausible explanation for Malaysians,” says Nicholas. A prominent urban bomoh even made international news following the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. He eventually claimed the plane was being hidden somewhere in Southeast Asia by the orang bunian, sort of like invisible supernatural elves.

The robust ghost culture only occasionally runs afoul of modern globalist culture of the industrialized nation. “There is a very distinctive negotiation between the public and the private” regarding ghosts in Malaysia, says Nicholas. When she traveled around the country seeking ghost stories, many people would repeatedly explain, and demand that she understand, that they are good Muslims before acknowledging and revealing all their great ghost stories. But ghosts are simply too entrenched in Malay culture to go away. There are tremendously popular ghost movies released all the time. A Malaysian rapper recently offered a reward for the name of the bomoh responsible for a curse put on him. Bomohs are sometimes used to find missing people.

In Malaysia, it seems, you’re never too far from a ghost. It’s not inherently good or bad, it’s just in the air.

[cooltrainererika]

Alt-talia: It’s Starting to Feel Like Christmas

Hello, hello everyone! Joy to the world!

For some reason I thought this event began today, not yesterday, until pretty recently… but fortunately, while it’s a day late, I got to write this! I did plan on others, but I’m releasing this now so I can get it out just in case, especially since the two others could also fit on another day. This is mainly for 12/16: Presents, but it can also fit under Decorations and Traditions, so three in a row! Woot!

This time, I want to write more about characters I may have missed during Hetaween, since my character pool ended up narrower than intended. ...And saying that, I’m writing about two characters I’ve written twice in that event! Yay!

I debated whether to write about this topic in general or about it specific this year, but chose the latter. I hope I’ll get to release a more in-depth fic about it in general some other time. So yeah, I’m using some really fresh material again this time.

Oh yeah, BTW, most of my fics take place in my “Alt-talia” semi-AU where I aim to capture history and culture more faithfully and most importantly overhaul the many characters who make no sense drastically. This will especially be noticeable for England. So yeah, you have been warned. Though maybe he’s a bit OOC here compared to how I usually write him? Also, it should be noted that I use country names when talking about the characters as countries, and with human names when referring to them as individuals; while in Alt-talia the difference can be more hazy than canon, I mean more talking purely about their personal interactions and the like. 

Also, this is not intended to be shipping! 

This was supposed to be like a few lines with no real arc, but whelp. At least I still kept it short. Also there’s a deleted scene I didn’t know how to end as a bonus at the end. 

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(Oh, and those who read my fics; please comment or reblog? I work hard on these, and they would be highly appreciated.)

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It’s Christmastime Again, Lukas Haraldsen

Every year since 1947, Norway had a tradition of sending special Jul presents to a certain nation very dear to him. 

His Norwegian Spruce trees were prized by all; he regularly got bidders from all over Europe, and had witnessed many a fight over them get ugly. But the best of the best were only reserved for a certain United Kingdom; and the best among these, the Queen of the Forest, nurtured by the songs, voices, and arms of some of the world’s best, most loving foresters, for England. Specifically his capital, London.

After all, nothing could make up for the debt he had for him. In the dark days of Nazi occupation, London for him was hope; it was where England protected his royal family as they awaited the Nazis’ demise, from where the radio blared and urged him to fight on, where the skies have become a proving ground to show that the Nazis could be vanquished. 

He knew this year had been a mess for his friend, and his recent election, the second one that year, had done nothing to mitigate it; and while even Norway knew only he himself and his uncharacteristically impulsive decision really was to blame for his current situation, hopefully, this would improve his mood for the uncertain road ahead. 

Norway was a quiet, unassuming man, but he took his presents seriously. And he also took Jul seriously. 

And this year was no different. While he sent many trees every year to different cities in the kingdom, including to some of Scotland’s, the most important was of course the one sent to the City of Hope itself. 

And now, in the heart of Trafalgar Square, wearing a traditional sweater which may as well have been a T-shirt compared to the attire of the Londoners passing by as they started their day, whistling En stjerne skinner i natt and Vårres Jul to himself. 

“Mmm… Ah, Arthur!”

He waved and smiled gently as the man in question, dressed very much warmly in a thick duffel coat and wool knit scarf, came into view. 

“Ahem. I’m here too.”

Today beside him was one Peter Bates, or Sealand as he preferred to be called, adorably bundled up in a woolen coat, mittens, knit hat, and light blue scarf, now crossing his arms. 

“Right, right. Sorry.”

“Ello, Norway. Don’t mind him, he said he wanted to see the tree again and ‘His Highness’ Prince Bates told me to take him with me. Bloody cold here today, isn’t it?”

He was shivering a bit, his nose a noticeable red and his breath a white mist. 

“Nothing I’m not used to. I’ve been waiting for you here. I chose one which is much older and taller than usual. See for yourself.”

Norway moved aside so that his gift would be in full view of his friend. It was a product of the forests on the banks of Trollvann lake, raised with love as any tree worthy of Trafalgar Square would be, almost twice as tall and two or three decades older than the first tree to have had the honor to have the honor of being offered on this annual occasion. 

England stared at the tree. 

Silence. 

“Wow, it’s huge!”

Peter was the first one to speak, his eyes sparkling. 

“England? ...England?”

Norway asked, watching his blank expression. 

“Well… I know that I am causing quite a bit of annoyance, but if I remember correctly, you weren’t in the EU, right?”

Norway was now perplexed. 

England looked to him with a with an expression that could only be said to be both a gentle smile and disappointment at the same time. 

“It seems like it needs a drink, does it not? It looks a bit dry and quite thin.”

Norway thought he felt his heart sunk a little. 

Peter sharply elbowed England in the side, making him gag. 

“Sealand, please don’t.”

“It’s a present, you jerk! ...Don’t listen to Scrooge over here, she’s beautiful.”

“Well you do live on a metal platform in the ocean…”

He jabbed him again.

Norway’s face went a bit red. 

“She’s much older and taller than the usual ones. It won’t look just like a smaller one you would have in your living room.”

“Sorry. I’m just saying it looks a bit sparse, is all.”

Norway lifted up one of many boxes of lights. 

“Mmm… Well, will you be too busy to help?”

“Yes, am afraid. More negotiations and all. So I am presuming it will be lit in the cucumber style as per usua- ach!”

Peter this time kicked him in the knee, making the older nation’s legs buckle a bit. 

“I’ll help, Mister.”

The boy said. 

“No, no, you don’t have to.”

————

Norway had to admit; maybe he had gone too much for size this time around. But Peter insisted that it not looking completely picture perfect was what made it look real instead of “Plastic tat”. 

And, as usual, put up the lights his own way, pure white streaks from top to bottom, “cucumber style” as England called it. 

And despite his complaints, on the night of lighting two days later, as the streams of light lit up in the heart of London in the crisp air and Norway listened to Peter cheer loudly with the crowd, the mayor of Oslo give her speech, and children caroling, amongst a sea of Londoners peppered with tourists, England stood beside him. 

“Well, it indeed finally feels like Christmas now.”

Norway looked to his friend, whose eyes were on the star, towering almost 25 meters above. 

“Well… maybe it is not quite up to your usual quality. But stability has been hard to come by nowadays; this tree being here every year, that I can rely on.”

Norway merely gave a quiet “Mmmm.” in response. 

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So that’s that. If anyone desires an explanation, I’ll provide it in a reblog or something, but I’d rather my stories inspire further research.

Also, “Lukas Haraldsen” is the name I’m using for Norway now, since a lot of Norwegians don’t seem to like “Bondivik”. “Haraldsen” because the founding king of the country is said to be King Harald Fairhair, and as Alt-talia nations can choose their surnames I thought it would be fitting if the surname Norway chose was “Son of Harald”. This name isn’t final though. Especially “Lukas”; does baptism change names again? Also Sealand has been renamed to “Peter Bates” instead of Kirkland; I don’t know why Hima chose that surname, since Sealand’s whole shtick is that he wants to be seen as an independent country. Why would he have the same surname? “Bates” is the surname of his owners, BTW, if that wasn’t clear. 

Again, this wasn’t really supposed to be a complete story with a neat conclusion, and not as heartwarming as intended. Kind of a similar case to Keep Calm actually, which also just happened to involve England. It was an opportunity to show England being a d*ck because, believe me, Alt-England can be an absolute d*ck when he wants to be. But despite the fact that he’s one of the characters whose d*ckery I actually kind of enjoy writing in a Love to Hate way, I haven’t had the chance to do that so far in these events... and I guess I got halfway there? I guess just ending it on England passive-aggressively insulting the tree was just a bit too meanspirited for me. 

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Deleted scene

<F%CKYE4H: Wow, it’s like ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ in real life! What, are you gonna break out the aluminum trees now?>

<StillInInferno: Mate, at least you have a real tree, because down here it’s not only hot as hell but if I had any Christmas trees to begin with, they’ve already fucking burned to shit.>

<MooseOfMaple: Dad… With the hassle you’ve been causing everyone you might not have the right to complain about someone showing kindness and holiday spirit to you.>

Arthur huffed as his children ribbed him in the family chat that night. 

<RuleBritannia: Don’t preach to your father, we went over this.>

<F%CKYE4H: Still, giving, not receiving, y’know.>

<MooseOfMaple: Dad, please… As someone who knows spruce trees very well, I do question Norway’s decision, but still. The world doesn’t revolve around you anymore.>

<RuleBritannia: I do not think that. Please stop accusing me of it.>

<BlacKoru: Yeah. It revolves around America. Make of that what you will.>

<F%CKYE4H: Kiwi! I can see that!>

[thismightbeaterribleidea]

FAQ

Hello! So, during a global pandemic and at the beginning of what will probably be a long and severe recession, at the age of 40 and with basically no knowledge of how automobiles work, I’m going to live in a van.

This might be a terrible idea. Hence, I’m calling my blog This Might Be A Terrible Idea.

If you’re reading this, I imagine it’s because you know me, so I’ll skip the introduction. I like a good FAQ, so let’s start there.

FAQ

Where are you going? Short answer: I don’t know!

Long answer: I’ll probably primarily split my time between Colorado/northern New Mexico, Maryland/Pennsylvania, and Florida. I want to stay as low-budget as I can and also avoid crowds during the pandemic. So whenever possible, I’ll opt for free, dispersed sites in national forests, state forests, BLM (which I now read as Black Lives Matter but here it’s the less-important acronym, Bureau of Land Management), state game lands, etc. I’ll pop into a developed campground every now and then to refill the water tanks, empty the portable toilet, and take a shower.

What kind of van do you have? In late June, I bought a 2007 Ford E250 with a high roof. In its first life, it was actually an Embassy Suites hotel shuttle, so when I got it, it had SO MANY SEATS. After it retired from the hotel biz, it went to a guy who owned a brewery and used the van for ski trips. Then he eventually traded it to a friend’s college-aged son in exchange for lawn-mowing work. This young man was actually going to make it into a camper too but didn’t have time, so he sold it to me.

I got the van for a very low price ($2000) because it’s really high mileage — almost 300,000. It also has a few issues: the dashboard, power windows, and radio only work sometimes. The doors are creaky and don’t like to close. There are splatters of paint (?) on the inside of the driver’s door. The air conditioning wasn’t working. And the interior is pretty beat up.

With help from my brother who actually knows about cars, I recharged the air conditioning. A new, functional instrument cluster is on the way. And the type of engine in this van (5.4L V8) supposedly has a reputation for being extremely durable. If I get a couple of good years out of this vehicle, I’ll be happy.

How are you going to afford this? A few years ago, I paid $4200 for an acre of land in the San Luis Valley, a few hours from Denver. I hoped to eventually put a little camper on it and make a very low-budget part-time home. But a few months after I bought the land, the county changed its rules to prohibit living in campers or mobile homes for more than a couple of weeks at a time. So the camper idea went out the window, and in June, I sold that land for $5000. This was my funding to buy the van and associated stuff. I’m going to try to keep the initial total cost of the van (vehicle, repairs, materials for the interior, solar installation) to about $6000.

I’m incredibly fortunate to be in a position where I don’t have to choose between my job and a weird nomadic lifestyle. About a year ago, I went full-time freelance as an editor and writer. So I’m self-employed and I work from home. I don’t even need the internet that much — aside from checking email, file downloads/uploads, and occasional googling for research and editing questions, I can be mostly offline. Also incredibly fortunate: the pandemic hasn’t affected my work, at least not so far.

I’ll have new and unexpected expenses: food will be more expensive, I’ll have to pay for campgrounds sometimes, the van will need gas and repairs and oil and new tires, and then I’ll want to make livability improvements (like insulation). But I hope that I’ll be able to cover all of that while still living within my means.

Aren’t you selling your condo? Why don’t you get a newer/lower mileage/already converted van? Yes, I am (fingers crossed that the sale goes through) selling my condo in Denver. But I also have no savings, no retirement fund, no emergency fund. And the recession is just getting started… the whole future seems pretty uncertain. I’d feel better if I kept as much of the condo money in the bank as possible, even if that means having a crappier van.

Don’t you worry about safety? Absolutely. I’m a worrying person. I worry a lot! But if I responded to those worries by not going anywhere alone, staying in only developed campgrounds, etc., then I’d have missed out on some of the best experiences in my life, and I’d never go much of anywhere at all.

To stay safe in a van, I’ll use the same approach I use for solo car camping. If a place feels sketchy, I go somewhere else. To avoid trouble from bears, I try not to get food on the ground, do food prep and brush teeth away from the vehicle, and keep the car doors locked when I’m away and at night. To avoid trouble from bros, I try to stay out of sight. I pick spots and set up my campsite so that people passing by mostly just see the vehicle and not me or my single chair or small tent. I have bear spray, which stays in arm’s reach when I’m out hiking and at night, and I have a sharp knife, which is always pretty accessible too.

In fact, safety is why I chose a van over a truck with a camper, which actually would have been preferable. If a truck ever had recurring or expensive mechanical problems, I could just get a new truck and put the camper on it — but with a van, I’ll either have to do the expensive repairs or get a new van and re-do the whole interior. And if I wanted to stay in one place for a while, I could take the camper off and just drive the truck around, saving on gas and wear and tear. But with a truck camper, if I were ever inside the camper and felt unsafe, I’d have to *go outside* and then get into the truck cab in order to leave. With a van, if things start feeling sketchy, I can just hop in the driver’s seat and go.

(Side note: It’s upsetting and frustrating to me that these safety concerns and choices are so linked to gender. Of course men also need to think about safety when they’re out camping alone, but I’m pretty sure I’ve had to think about it at least 200% as much as my equivalent 40-year-old non-threatening-looking out-of-shape single dude.)

If we’re talking about safety from non-sentient threats — bad weather, injuries, mechanical breakdowns, etc. — then I…

a) try not to get into situations that I can’t get out of — whether it’s a too-rugged road, a too-steep trail, or a spot that is likely to turn into a mud pit if it rains. I also think about whether I could walk to get help if I needed to. b) have some basic safety and first aid stuff. Tape, gauze, and a mylar blanket for me; jumper cables and a portable air compressor for the car. c) have a Triple A membership in case I need a tow.

The van came with a handy fire extinguisher strapped to the driver’s seat. To reduce the possibility of being unable to call for help if I get stuck somewhere, I eventually plan to get a cell phone signal booster.

The fire extinguisher or even my bear spray won’t keep me safe from COVID-19. But like I mentioned, I’m trying to stay as far away from crowds as possible. To cut down on contact when resupplying, I’ve got storage for 10 gallons of water (I’m actually going to expand this to 15) and plan to carry enough food for a month. Unless there’s a mechanical problem or breakdown (definitely my biggest concern), I should be able to drive coast to coast while remaining in a relatively firm bubble. The riskiest thing I’ll *have* to do is refuel at gas pumps, but I can pick gas stations that seem less crowded, refuel in smaller towns rather than busy highway rest areas, and go at quieter times of day.

Does your van have air conditioning? Nope! Well, it has the standard vehicle AC, but that only works while the van is running, and most of the time I’ll be parked. There are AC units that can go on top of campers and vans, but they use a ton of power: either you have to be plugged in to shore power at a campground, use a gas-powered generator, or have a million solar panels and batteries. I’m going to get a good roof vent and fan installed, plus maybe put some smaller battery-powered fans in the windows, so that will hopefully keep me from getting heatstroke in the summer.

Does it have running water? Nope! Right now, I have a portable foot-pump sink and a self-contained portable toilet. I plan to eventually build a nicer/bigger sink. I’m also going to order a collapsible tub so I can do sponge baths or use a solar shower (a black vinyl bag that heats up in the sun and has a hose attached). Swimming in freshwater lakes will need to become a bigger part of my life. I’ll probably be a little stinky at times, but people should be social distancing anyway, so if anyone can smell me, they’re way too close.

Does it have electricity? It will! I’m planning to have one large solar panel and a lithium battery installed. (For those who are curious, it’s a 315 watt solar panel with a 100 AH battery.) This will power the roof fan, my laptop, my phone, some plug-in lights, and eventually also built-in lights, the cell phone signal booster, and maybe a small fridge or cooler. The solar power system is going to outlast the van and will be easily switchable to my next vehicle.

Wait. “Maybe” a fridge? What are you going to eat? Ummm… I’ll figure it out? I eat like a scavenging raccoon, so I’m not too picky. I bought a bunch of freeze-dried legume-based soup and stew mixes from Harmony House, some high-protein shake mix from Huel, and I plan to stock rice, quinoa, peanut butter, oatmeal, hard cheese, packaged salmon and tuna, and dried fruit. If I’m driving, I’ll probably also keep an eye out for farm stands and grab some produce that will keep unrefrigerated for a few days. During the pandemic, I’ve been using support for local businesses as a way of justifying takeout or delivery once or twice a week, so I’ll probably keep doing that when I pass through developed areas.

Can you poop in your van? Does it smell? Yes to the first! I haven’t, um, tested it out yet. But after road trip in my sedan in May, when I had to go into a scary (no one wearing masks or social distancing) gas station in Colorado Springs, bathroom and hand-washing facilities for the van became a priority. Right now the portable toilet is just sort of hanging out in the open, but I’m going to build a plywood box to contain it. I did pee in it a bunch during my inaugural camping trip, and I’m happy to report that the chemicals I added to the tank made it not smell gross while also not producing an overwhelming chemical smell.

How will you get the internet? Unlimited data plan FTW! I recently figured out that I can use my phone as a mobile hotspot and connect to it with my laptop. It’s not fast, but it’ll do what I need it to. And I should be able to have connectivity even in more remote areas after I get a signal booster.

Won’t you get tired of living in a tiny space? Maybe. I do have some good practice, though. In the last decade, I’ve gone from living in a 700-square-foot condo (Denver) to a 400-ish-square-foot studio apartment (New Jersey; grad school) to my childhood room in my parents’ house (Maryland; post-grad-school student loan debt). Each time, I’ve gotten rid of stuff, even things it’s painful to get rid of: old books, childhood knickknacks, cassette tapes, drawings, horse show ribbons I remember winning, cutlery and glassware I got as housewarming gifts.

I also tend to feel really at home in my car. I’ve napped in my car, drafted novels in my car, had long and meaningful conversations in my car, had existential crises in my car, eaten hundreds of meals in my car. Car = house makes sense to me. And I hope to be staying in places where I have access to big and engaging outdoor spaces.

What will you do after you live in a van for a while? I have no idea. There are definitely things that I want to do — write fiction, build my career, be more involved with community/communities, get healthier, be a better human — but all of those things are geographically nonspecific. And everything both personally and nationally feels so up in the air. I could end up living in a van for a year, or five, or ten. I might eventually buy a house or a boat or a farm, or settle down somewhere (I don’t know where) in a more permanent way. But I’m not making plans for any of that, and I’m not making plans for an “after.”

I think that’s it for the FAQ! If you have any questions, let me know and I will address them in a later LFAQ (Less Frequently Asked Questions).

Also, please bear with me because I don’t really know how Tumblr works. If you want to start reading, start FROM THE BOTTOM.

[a-forlorn-soul]

Prompt #18: The Consultation

Prompt: Devil’s Advocate

Character: Akihide Shibata and Emrys Bennett

Time: Current

He shifted nervously in his seat as he looked around the Gridanian Adventurer’s Guild. For some reason he never quite felt comfortable being anywhere in the Black Shroud. It probably had something to do with how snobbish all the residents were. Already he had seen more than a handful of the local Elezen and Hyurs eyeing him distastefully. The only reason he was putting up with it was because this was the only place he was told the expert he was meeting with would willingly meet.

It was nearly half a bell, and enough time for him to consider thinking this wasn’t going to happen, before an middle aged blonde Hyur took a seat across from him. The man carefully set his cane aside and the ruby carbuncle at his feet moved to take the remaining free chair. As he settled himself in the Hyur’s mint green eyes locked on Akihide with an appraising look in them from behind his glasses.

“So you are the one looking for a way to remove a spirit,” the man stated in an even tone, “And by the fact that you are ignoring what most sources say about it means either you are the subject or someone you care about.”

Akihide was about to comment on the bluntness without introductions when he saw the archon tattoo on the man’s neck. He then shifted his gaze from the man, to the carbuncle, and then down to the man’s attire. Even by Sharlayan standards the Hyur was well dressed. A fresh forest green jacket, a button up white shirt, a black tie with the Sharlayan emblem, and black gloves covering his hands.

“The missing archon…”

“Ah good, I was right to assume introductions would not be needed,” the man mused with a faint hint of a smile on his face.

“When my contact said he would get me in touch with an expert, I didn’t think he meant an Archon of Lithovivimancy and Aetheric Wards,” Akihide replied, “Not that I am ungrateful or anything. Just surprised.”

“I surmised as much, especially considering what you used to do. But your family was one of the nicer ones to know back home, so I took a risk,” Emrys explained before leaning back in his chair, “So,  what made you desperate enough to chase me down?”

During all of this a waitress brought over a plate of cinnamon rolls to place right in front of the ruby carbuncle, who proceeded to slam himself face first into them. Then she placed two wine glasses down, one in front of each of them only to shuffle off back into the crowd.

“Well… to make a long story short, I was forced to be a part of an experiment. Kami only knows whether it went right or wrong, all I know is that there is something else taking up space and wanting more,” Aki stated in a low tone, pausing only to take a quick sip, “A geomancer had placed a seal on it, but it was just a temporary fix. Unfortunately a permanent one has yet to present itself and the seal is wearing off. I’ve looked everywhere, but all the sources can do is suggest me killing myself as the only solution.”

Emrys was quiet for a moment after Aki had been rather blunt about the whole situation. His eyes practically boring into the Raen’s soul at this point. “Now, I want to be very clear. I do not mean this personally, or maliciously in any way. Twelve know I am not a nice person, but I understand the situation,” the Hyur prefaced, “That said, have you considered that the reason the only solution is to kill the host is because there is no other way? And that the only way to protect those close to the host is by ending it?”

This question forced Aki to look down at the table in silence for several moments. He had to admit that Emrys had a point. Logically speaking, that was a reasonable assessment. Yet, he couldn’t help but refuse to accept that.

“I know what you are trying to say, Master Bennett. It may very well be that the only recourse I have is to end my own life,” he admitted, his voice oddly soft, “However, as a scholar and Sharlayan I refuse to accept that it is the only way. Our nation was built on finding new ways to do things.”

“Good.”

“What?” Aki suddenly blurted out as he was instantly confused.

Emrys laughed softly. It was clear he wasn’t quite used to it, but the man was a bit lighter than he had expected. To make it odder the carbuncle let out a laugh of its own, albeit one that caused a bit of crumb spraying.

“You’ve passed my test. The types of magics I’ve delved into, the knowledge I have amassed, is not for the faint of heart. Many of them are untested purely because they are so dangerous and seek to defy reality itself. Obviously I wouldn’t waste my time if you’d take the easy way out to moment someone suggested it might be hopeless,” explained Emrys, who was now leaning forward with his elbows resting on the table, “Now then, let me get a good look at what we’re working with here.”

The scholar was quick to pull out a grimoire and then flip through it a few times. He hummed mostly to himself as his carbuncle just idly went about gorging himself on sweets. In fact the waitress even came by with a second tray of cinnamon rolls for the glutinous summon. Eventually Emrys came to a spot in his tome and stopped. One hand was placed on the grimoire while the other was raised towards Aki. The ink on the page started to glow as arcane geometries etched themselves into the air.

“Interesting…” Emrys mumbled under his breath, “That is different, and- Oh. Perhaps…”

Akihide tried his best to sit still during all of this, not knowing much about what the man was doing. All he knew is that the words being used offered at least a small amount of promise. After what seemed like forever the geometries faded from the air and Emrys’s hand fell back down to the table.

“You weren’t kidding about the situation,” he remarked, “I am rather impressed with the seal that the geomancer used. It’s intricate and strong, though there is some room for improvement.”

“So you can make it stronger?”

“Don’t get too far ahead, I didn’t say that,” Emrys was quick to counter, “No seal I could make would ever be able to do what that one is doing any better than it is right now. The problem comes down to a conflict of aether. The reason why killing the host is usually the only option is because when two different aetheric entities inhabit the same body one will always dominate the other. There’s just no other way around it. Even if they try to coexist one will always be stronger, and in time it will eat away at the other. In cases like Voidsent, and in your case, the stronger is the unwanted entity. Sealing the unwanted entity is a way to buy time, but as you are aware it doesn’t solve the problem. Your body’s aether will continue to try and right the wrong, and eventually force a conflict.”

“Then what should I do?”

“The way I see it is that you have three options. The first is the most obvious, and not the answer you want to hear. If all else fails, you must take your life. If that thing remains in its current state and takes control, it will kill everything you hold dear,” the tone Emrys was using was not one to take lightly, nor did it get better as he went on, “Option two is to create a vessel and attempt to relocate the spirit into it. This is difficult, and usually can only be done if the spirit is amicable to the idea. I can supply you with the geometries needed, as well as the materials and methods.”

None of this was sounding good for Akihide, as it seemed only option one was viable at this time. “What is option three?”

“Option three is vague. Over time in my research I’ve delved into many things. Obviously the study of Voidsent was there, since they are used in Lithovivimancy by Sharlayans and not to mention the fact that they are bloody fucking everywhere. I swear, a plague of vilekin is easier to stamp out than voidsent,” Emrys paused to let out a heavy sigh, “During this, however, I have come across rumors. Now keep in mind I have not confirmed any of this, but from what I’ve read and has been alluded to is that there was potentially a group in Northern Ilsabard that managed to control voidsent within themselves. I’m not saying it will work for you, but if this did actually happen there is a chance.”

“Wait… so a method to force the spirit to submit?”

“Possibly. It’s really hard to say, nothing concrete has ever really been recorded about it. All there is on the subject are myths and legends. Not even back in Sharlayan is much known about this group. Just where they are from and that they have something to do with Garleans.”

A heavy and almost defeated sigh escaped Akihide at this point. So he had one option that was never going to work, an option he was trying to avoid, and a rumor. Sure, the rumor was something he had stumbled across too but that meant nothing. He had hoped to find something a bit more concrete on the matter.

“Hey, I know it sounds bleak but there is hope yet,” Emrys tried to reassure him, “Research and discovery is like following a bread crumb trail. It might be hard to spot, and you may get lost along the way a few times, but so long as you stick with it you will reach your destination. Just keep at it kid, if you do you will find that your perseverance will be rewarded.”

[ronaldmrashid]

The Wide Implications Of The College Admissions Bribery Scandal

Thanks to the fantastic work by the Department Of Justice and the FBI we have learned the average bribe it takes to buy your kid’s way into an elite private university is between $250,000 – $400,000. Although, some bribe amounts went as high as $6 million.

The 10-month-long investigation, code-named “Operation Varsity Blues,” uncovered large bribes nationwide across various stages of the college admissions process. So far, two SAT and ACT exam administrators, one exam proctor, a college administrator and 33 parents, including actors William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were arrested.

The private universities spanned across the nation, including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, USC and Wake Forest. A couple of public schools such as UCLA and the University of Texas were also involved in the scam.

In one alleged incident, the Yale women’s soccer coach received $400,000 to accept one student on her team, even though the applicant did not play soccer.

In another alleged incident, Lori Loughlin, aka “Aunt Becky” on Full House, allegedly paid $500,000 in bribes and fabricated photos depicting her daughters as competitive crew rowers in order to get them accepted into USC.

In another alleged incident, the Stanford University sailing coach agreed to also accept $500,000 in bribes in order for two students to gain admissions.

What’s up with crew by the way? It’s not a money-making sport for the university. Perhaps crew is a sport where a potential admit can be more easily manipulated into looking like a high caliber athlete through photoshop and other means.

Bribe-willing parents take note!

College Bribes And A Rigged System

According to Andrew Lelling, the US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, the ringleader of the scam is William Singer, owner of a college counseling service called Key Worldwide Foundation, who accepted bribes totaling $25 million from parents between 2011 and 2018.

Singer’s counseling service is alleged to have been in reality just a money bribing business which enabled wealthy parents to buy their kid’s admission into an elite private university. Singer even set up his own fake charity where parents could “donate” the money and then write the donation off on their taxes.

“The parents are a catalog of wealth and privilege,” Lelling said. “They include, for example, the CEOs of private and public companies, successful securities and real estate investors, two well-known actresses, a famous fashion designer and the co-chairman of a global law firm.”

Implications Of The College Admissions Bribery Scandal

As the parent to a two-year-old currently “stuck” in extremely competitive San Francisco, I find the details from this investigation extremely fascinating. In fact, 14 of the 33 parents indicted hail from the SF Bay Area.

Over the years, I’ve written many posts regarding the private school system as I try to work out what’s best for our son.

After all, I come from a middle-class family and went to public high school, public college, and public graduate school. A public school education has worked out fine for me, but I want to make sure I’m not missing the benefits of going the private school route.

Here are some past posts to review:

Would You Accept $1,000,000 To Go To Public School Over Private School?

What If You Go To Harvard And End Up A Nobody

Private School Or Public School? Depends On Your Level Of Fear And Guilt

If you read the posts, you might come away thinking I’m waging a jihad against the private school system. In actuality, I’m just trying to get my head around paying such enormous amounts of tuition for an asset that is declining in value.

After all, this is Financial Samurai, a personal finance site that focuses on optimizing our finances and living our best lives possible.

I love the topic of education, and this latest college admissions scandal is worth reflecting on since every parent cares for their child’s future and we all care about competing in a fair society.

Here are 15 implications from Operation Varsity Blues.

1) Private school reputation takes a hit. Private schools are already under fire due to a number of reasons: 1) outrageous tuition, 2) student body is much wealthier than the overall US demographic, 3) rumors and now facts of buying your way in, 4) affirmative action, and more. The Varsity Blues investigation simply buttresses the point that this stuff goes on at private schools. It’s the same way we know shady recruiting tactics occur in D1 college sports.

2) Public school reputation grows. Notice how the vast majority of admission bribery cases occurred at private universities. Some argue this is because there are many more prestigious private universities than public ones. However, there are still plenty of prestigious public institutions like Berkeley, UVA, UCLA (named in scandal), UCSD, Michigan, Wisconsin, UNC Chapel Hill, Purdue, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, George Tech, US Military Academy, and William & Mary where it appears somehow much harder to buy your way in. The less public schools are implicated, by default the stronger their reputations grow.

3) Affirmative action for the wealthy gets harder to deploy. We learned from the Asian-American lawsuit against Harvard that donor legacy kids have a 10X greater chance of getting into Harvard than a nondonor, nonlegacy kid. The reason why affirmative action for the wealthy is far more egregious than affirmative action based on race is that wealthy people, no matter their race, already receive the best education, the best tutoring, the most stable home environments, and the most amount of access money can buy.

4) All universities take a hit overall in reputation and importance. Although it takes a tremendous amount of capital to bribe your kid’s way into these elite schools, a college education is fast becoming unnecessary. We can now learn everything for free online. It is also much quicker to do research and learn thanks to the internet. Yet, colleges continue to raise their tuition 2X-3X the rate of inflation each year. Meanwhile, it still requires the student 4.-4.5 years on average to get a diploma. Talk about an antiquated system the elite is desperately trying to perpetuate.

Don’t you think there’s something wrong with this chart?

5) The angst for all parents is real, but should decrease. Even if you are a famous, rich, white person like William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman or Lori Loughlin, you are not immune to the anxiety and stress of trying to get your kids the best educational environment possible. The famous, rich, white person is competing against even more famous, rich, white people. This constant comparison will never stop until we make it stop. People of color and the poor should find some solace in the fact that people with all the privilege in the world are still stressing out about their kids’ future. People playing by the rules should feel better that something is being done about this rigged system.

6) Smart, hardworking students get unfairly sullied. Unless the FBI discovers the majority of students at elite universities have parents who buy their way in, it is likely that most students got in through merit. Unfortunately, this college admissions scandal will unfairly paint all elite college students and graduates, especially wealthy ones, with a suspicious eye. It’s the same way affirmative action may discredit an underrepresented minority’s achievements. We must remember that the vast majority of graduates of such schools are highly intelligent, good people.

7) Elite private university graduates will start questioning their accomplishments. Singer’s consulting firm made sure the kids had no idea they didn’t get into their respective universities by cheating. The FBI wiretaps highlighted such discussions. As a result, there will be plenty of students and graduates of these bribe-accepting schools who will wonder whether they got in due to their accomplishments. As self-doubt creeps in, self-esteem may drop, especially for graduates who end up working at a regular job.

Fake charity Singer set up so his clients could write off their bribes

8) Big city living is becoming less attractive. Notice how most of the schools implicated in this latest bribery scandal are located in large coastal cities such as Boston, Washington D.C., the San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles. Big cities attract the most educated, type-A go-getters because big cities have employers who pay the most amount of money. The desire for money and prestige will eventually make you miserable because everybody is frantically competing to one-up the other.

9) Smaller city living is becoming more attractive. When we look back on our lives, we don’t wish we spent more time in the office trying to make more money and getting some meaningless title. What we wish we had more of was the freedom to spend time with family and friends and doing meaningful work. I foresee the continued growth and attraction of smaller cities as more people “opt out” of the grind. The FIRE movement has arisen partly because people are tired of all the corporate work BS and would rather be free.

10) Private business owner’s increase their purpose. The end goal for getting the best college education possible is to get the best job possible after graduation. Therefore, you’ll always be at the mercy of someone else’s decision if you do not own your own business. If you own your own private business, you can rig the system in your favor by hiring your know-nothing 22-year-old kid as VP of Operations and pay him or her a huge salary if you want. Unless you are a C-level executive at a public company, it is very hard to get your kid a top job or even an internship at your firm.

11) If you are a poor Asian American, you probably face the toughest hurdle. Given there is clear affirmative action for the wealthy through “donations” and straight up bribes, while race-based affirmative action does not include Asian Americans, poor or middle-class Asian Americans will have the greatest difficulty of getting into an elite private university. This is one of the reasons why you see so many mom and pop stores owned by Asians across the country. They know nobody is coming to help them, so they must count on themselves.

12) Poor students will see a rise in reputation. On the flip side, if you happen to be a poor Asian American or a poor student from any race who graduated from an elite private university, your stock should go up given more people realize what you’ve had to go through to get in.

13) A greater percentage of parents will donate to schools. The irony about this bribery scandal is that parents will simply go through legal bribery means by donating quid-pro-quo directly to their desired schools. The 33 parents caught so far were simply bad at cheating. They should have just contacted the admissions office at XYZ private school and discussed a plan to donate directly to a new building, courtyard, or scholarship. The donations will likely be more anonymous.

14) There will be a rise in stealth wealth. Given the college bribery scandal has reignited hatred for the rich, the rich will flaunt their wealth less. Luxury car sales might go down as BMWs are traded in for Hondas. Rich parents will tell their rich kids to stop showing off their wealth over social media. There may even be a surge in luxury home inventory as the rich decide to move out of expensive neighborhoods. Stealth wealth has always been a good idea. As we surpass our 10th year in a bull market, practicing stealth wealth is more important than ever before.

15) The middle class may become wealthier and happier. As college becomes less important in finding a job, there will be fewer people spending four years and borrowing tens of thousands in student loans. With more time and less financial baggage, more people will be able to aggressively save to buy a house, start a family, and save for retirement. With more financial security and more time, society as a whole becomes much happier.

Let The College Admissions Bribery Scandal Pump You Up

Instead of getting bummed out about how all these image-conscious and misguided wealthy people buy their kid’s way into elite universities, get happy!

Not only do you not have to spend $250,000 – $400,000 on average per kid on bribes, you also don’t have to pay $50,000+ a year in tuition alone for 4-5 years! The bribes plus the full cost of attending a private university for four or five years could run you over $1 million.

Life is already hard enough as it is. We don’t need people who have all the means in the world pull further ahead from the rest of us who abide by the rules or who went to public schools.

Let us all thank Andrew Lelling, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts; Joe Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Field Office; and the entire team for unrooting this scandal.

I trust this is just the beginning of much more to come!

Related: How To Stop Worrying About Your Child’s Future Again In This Brutally Competitive World

Readers, what are your thoughts on the college admissions bribery scandal? Why didn’t these parents just donate directly to the school instead? Why isn’t there more backlash against affirmative action for the wealthy? What are some other implications about the bribery scandal I have not mentioned?

The post The Wide Implications Of The College Admissions Bribery Scandal appeared first on Financial Samurai.

from https://www.financialsamurai.com/the-wide-implications-of-the-college-admissions-bribery-scandal/

[weerentheworld]

Q & A

Favorite parts?

Food, bamboo forest, the stumbled-upon lantern festival in Hiroshima, cat cafe, yukata dress up, onsen, fushimi inari, giant carp flags, food! Seriously- the food in Japan is AMAZING! Not only are things super fresh and clean- but the standard of quality if so hight that it’s hard to find a bad meal. Plus I got lucky more than once and just happened to find some really good dishes.

Least favorite part?

Contiki logistics & Sickness. While getting sick is never fun, most of the issues I ran into seemed to be a result of going with Contiki. I did feel that the division of time was not communicated well in Tokyo especially in regards to the fish market- which was frustrating as it didn't seem to be the same as the online itinerary. And not being able to start our free day in Tokyo until 10/11 was very limiting in terms of what I could visit on that day. It was also frustrating that this Contiki had us signing up for excursions so far in advance (apparently this was usual for Japan but not for Contiki). I would have liked have had the option to bow out of the final meal, as I was getting a bit tired of the group by then, but I’d already paid for it… I also was not personally fond of the bar foods- too greasy.

How was it traveling with Contiki?

Above drawbacks aside, overall Contiki’s japan unlimited is a really good tour! The local guide while very nice was a bit hard to understand, but that's the luck of the draw. Some of the add-on experiences (dressing up in a Kimono) were really awesome, but some of the dinners had food that were of a quality that would have been great anywhere else, but was a little disappointing for japan.  If I could do it again I'd skip the sake factory tour- SUPER boring. Also all the hotels on this tour are super nice (especially the one in Takayama & Hakone), but if you aren't okay with the majority of your money going to accommodations, you may want to look at other tour companies.  It was different from other Contikis in that: you spend more time on trains than a bus, roommates are assigned and set for the entire trip, and there's little to no chance to do laundry. Ultimately I had an outstanding time, but the country was what MADE this trip, not traveling with contiki.

Why did you travel with Contiki? (as opposed to other tour companies or going solo?)

I knew I wanted to travel with a company because:

It means having someone else to handle the logistics of getting from A to B (I felt like I could handle this, especially in a country like japan where the transport is streamlined, but I just don’t like having to do so that much…)

I like having the historical/cultural context provided by group tours. 

Since this was my first time visiting I knew I wanted to be able to see and do as much as possible, and I feel like group tours are really good at giving someone a sort of sample platter of visiting.

As far as choosing which tour company:

First thing I did was look at which tours were a) at least roughly in my budget, and b) when to the main places I felt like I HAD to see when visiting. The second thing I looked at was dates, and as it happened, Contiki was the only company that had tour dates which allowed me to maximise my vation time; ie add another four days at the end of the tour, as opposed to having to fly straight back. That made the decision pretty easy.

Dates aside though, I did consider a number of travel companies for this trip, and in the process of doing so I found a really great breakdown of some of the major tour companies by globotreks:

There’s also an article by Nomadic Mat which examines Contiki

Or check out my sister’s blog! She’s been to japan twice at the time of writing, once with EF, and once with her BF (sans a group). 

If I get to re-visit I think I would like to do so solo, or at least independent of a tour (though there are some day-tours that look really fun!).

Hotels/Hostels stayed at:

On tour: 

Tokyo- Hotel Grand Palace Tokyo

Hakone- Hakone Yunohana Onsen Hotel (Ryokan)

Takayama- Takayama Green Hotel (My favorite! Check out the onsen here!)

http://www.takayama-gh.com.e.sk.hp.transer.com/spa/index.html

Hiroshima- Hotel New Hiroden (The cheapest hotel on the tour, still 3 stars)

Kyoto- New Miyako Hotel

Wakayama- Henjoko in Wakayama

Osaka- Hotel Monterey Grasmere

Solo:

Kyoto- Mosaic Hostel Kyoto.

Very nice capsule-style hostel. Good location, but if you’re booking the women-only dorm be aware that unlike the large group dorm the luggage area is inside the room.

Osaka- Guesthouse U-En

The hostel itself was nice, but I was a little disappointed by the location on two fronts. A) It was a just far enough from the main sights to be annoying, B) but I booked this hostel KNOWING it was away from the sites because reviews said it was quieter- only to find out it was on a bar-street. It still wasn’t too loud, but there was still a fair amount of street noise at 1am, and the window for my bed was RIGHT next to a street-light.

Things I wish I’d packed

Travel tissues x 2 - I actually had a pack of these, I just used them up early into the trip...

Any just in case medicines you prefer/are likely to need- for example, I have sinus issue a lot, so I need to just start bringing packs of sudafed. I don’t always need it, but if I do, and don’t have it the cost and time it takes to try and find the local equivalent is a pain. (Maybe for you it’s an allergy medication, or a headache medication that you wouldn’t want to be caught without). That said- when packing always check to see if the medication you’re bringing to a country is legal there. If you’re not sure/if it doesn’t say it is illegal, most customs likely won’t care if it’s only a small just-in-case dosage, i.e. don’t bring more that you need and/or are willing to throw away.

A small thing of disinfectant/Neosporin

About 1.5 less the amount of clothing I packed.

Thing I packed I was glad I had

A carry-on sized collapsible duffle is one of the best things ever, especially for a location where you know you’re going to shop!

App-shout out

Kyoto rail app- as mentioned I had a really hard time finding a good map of the rail system in Kyoto. This one did a great job- absolutely worth the $5.

Regional highlights:

Tokyo- Cat cafes (while not necessarily better in Tokyo, due to the size and nature of the city this was where I found the most of them), Meiji Jingu Shrine, Nakamise street

Hakone - Onsen, Ryokan, Mt. Fuji (though not necessarily the Fuji visitor center), Matsumoto castle

Takayma- Onsen, Hida No Sato, old town area, Hida milk.

Hiroshima- Miyajima Island

Kyoto- Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Philosophy Path, Daigo-ji (Or really any other out of the way shrine/temple), Yukata dress-up

Osaka- Dotonbori, Melon bread (with ice cream)

Arashiyama- Bamboo forest, Yukata dress-up, overall area

Nara- Todaiji temple, Kasuga tausha shrine, deer

Coolest thing I found and couldn’t get a pic of:

It’s a tie between that one really awesome Geish shot I missed, and an interesting quirk of the hotel bathrooms; the mirrors had had something done to them where one spot didn’t fog over, staying clear even during the steamiest showers. Trying to get a pic just made my camera fog up.

Things I wanted to do (but missed), or would like to do next time:

Tokyo disneysea!

Spa world, Osaka, a really neat onsen complex that’s themed with onsen from around the world.  

Hokkaido prefecture (famous for lavender, ice cream, and snow festivals)

Gihbli museum &/or clock

Nikko national park

Visit a kit-kat shop so I can find/see as many of the different flavors as possible

Visit a Tea shop (I so forgot to do this!)

Gotokuji (the Cat shrine)

Dress up in a Meiji-era Hakama outfit

A Food Market- such as Nishiki market, or Kuromon Market.

Visit an aspect of culture museum, ex: swords or bonsai

Tokyo sky tree shopping (didn’t have much chance to check out the various shops- including a whole food hall!)

The Hokone open air museum (I’m not sure how good this is, but I’ve seen pictures that make me curious)

Ginkaku-ji (the silver pavilion)

Japan’s Cat island

Walk along the Nakasendo trail (or another long trail/hike)

A japanese style garden, I saw a few but they were all attached to temples, and not specifically something I could walk through, or had much time to visit.

Attend a Tea ceremony

Visit Minoo Park, Osaka

Ride the Wakayama Electric Railway’s cat train, and see it’s station master.

Visit Hitachi Seaside Park and see the flowers

Check out Mori style clothing

See the buildings of historic shirakawago

Eat all the Ice cream flavors

Visit on of the smaller Islands, or one of the areas with more of an ‘island’ culture- ex okinawa

Take time to really check out a food hall or depachika.

Eat at a Dessert buffet

Attend a (summer(?)) festival as manga/anime taught me to think of it- where there’s a bunch of people and different stalls set up at night, and most people are wearing yukata, prefrably with fireworks.

Experiance the little things that make each season so disctinct in Japan, Ex: the diffrent flowers, and foods.

...and there’s probably plenty more I don’t know about!

Where’d I learn stuff?

As mentioned I kinda ended up writing my own mini guidebook for this trip. While I’m not suggesting it’s sane enough for everyone do so, here are the two most useful sites I used should you be interested in doing research of your own:

http://www.japan-guide.com/

http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/japan

Additional notes

It’s probably not a surprise that living (or at least visiting a location) overseas for an extended period of time is on my bucket-list. Japan is very much near to top of potential locations for such an endeavor. While it’s not a cheap country, it was less expensive that I feared (even with my shopping habit!), and there’s so much to see that I very much feel like I could easily spend a year exploring the country! Moreover, Japan’s reverent approach to the different seasons makes me feel like visiting in the summer would not be the same as visiting in the fall, adding an additional layer of experience to the location.

Hopefully I’ll have the chance to re-visit and confirm this idea for myself!