#Functional Tea Industry

[foodsindustry]

Functional Tea Industry Statistics To Witness Robust Growth & Future Prospects

Functional teas are beverages which contain active compounds to boost health. Green and black teas manufactured contain phytonutrients giving plants their aroma, color, and flavor. Teas range from energy to bedtime blends giving customers a plethora of options to choose from. The global functional tea market report by Market Research Future (MRFR) covering price analysis, supply chain, and analysis of drivers and challenges for the period between 2022 to 2030 (forecast period).

Market Scope

The global functional tea industry is expected to perform exceptionally during the aforementioned period owing to the high consumption of beverages. Introduction of new flavors, new aromas, and ingredients from manufacturers can lead to a steady demand during the forecast period. The setup of new manufacturing bases into developed economies of China and India can bode well for the market. Awareness of the health benefits of these beverages can trigger the demand in the global functional tea market.

The growing health consciousness among consumers as well as the demand for teas with healthy ingredients can drive the global functional tea market. Herbs and other ingredients present in these beverages can boost immunity levels and help with digestion. For instance, hibiscus tea is flavonoid-rich and helps in improving digestion and keeping sugar levels in check.

Approval of these products by regulatory bodies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure their safe consumption can drive sales exponentially.

Competition Outlook

HerbatySzlachetne Sp. Z O.O., Godrej Tea, Organic India, Tata Tea Limited, Wuhan z-Micro Unite S&T Co., Ltd., Guangzhou LohasBiological Technology Co., Ltd, and The Mate Factor are major producers in the global functional tea market.

Segmentation

Functional tea market has been segmented based on type which includes fruit tea, herbal tea, longjing tea, flower tea and others. Herbal tea holds the major market share, and it is growing at moderate rate due to increasing demand of beverages with health benefits.

By form, it is segmented into broken tea, loose tea, instant tea powder and others. Instant tea powder is growing at higher rate compared to other forms of tea

The global functional tea market has been segmented based on function which includes heart health, weight loss, detox and others.

Functional tea market has been segmented based on packaging which includes can, bag, bottle, sachet and others.

Regional Analysis

The functional tea market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Rest-of-the-World (ROW).

APAC is expected to exhibit the highest growth rate during the forecast period due to preference of tea among the denizens and tradition of consuming the beverage during occasions. Vendors are expanding their footprint by partnering with online channels to ensure constant sales. Celebrity endorsements and Ads on social media that target customers by region and language are bound to attract consumer and influence their purchase decisions.

North America can witness huge demand due to the rising wave of health-consciousness and preference of natural ingredients. The trend of veganism can also play a huge role in influencing the market. Turmeric has made itself vital for consumption in the diet of American consumers due to its benefit of an adaptogen. The variation among the demographics from athletes to the elderly can beckon a huge need for functional teas.

The MEA region can contribute to market growth due to market players shifting to the region. Marketers have decided to project their products to reach customers by shifting to nutritive sweeteners. Consumption of such beverages among adults working in urban regions to students moving away from carbonated drinks can be a new opportunity for growth in the region.

NOTE: Our Team of Researchers are Studying Covid19 and its Impact on Various Industry Verticals and wherever required we will be considering Covid19 Footprints for Better Analysis of Market and Industries. Cordially get in Touch for More Details.

[prettylambgirl]

My rules for 2024:

Dieting and health: Any weight above 55kg is unacceptable and I will not be living like this anymore

1. The 1200 calories a day is the maximum amount you should ever ingest, aim for 1000 calories. Never restrict too much, however, you have to study and function well in university.

2. The only drinks you are allowed are black coffee, unsweetened tea and diet coke. A plain latte is only allowed on a date or when hanging out with your friends. This should never be done more than twice a week.

3. Take your multivitamins in order to function well and treat your muscular problems.

4. Stretching is to be done every morning, for at least 10 minutes. It is not much, but it helps. You should walk everywhere, however, never let anyone convince you to take the bus when the destination is at a less than 20 minutes of walking distance. Aim for at least 5000 steps a day.

5. Drink 2l of water a day. Being hydrated is especially important for your skin and body.

6. Eat strategically. Only eat before class, before studying, only when you need the energy food provides. Never waste that energy when it's not necessary.

7. Never order fast food again. Learn how to resist the urge to say yes when it's being proposed. Your roommate is skinny, you are not. She can have it, you cannot.

8. You can indulge in some unhealthy things that bring you joy. Your nicotine addiction is manageable - try to replace cigarettes with vape liquid, it is less pricey and makes your room smell better. Slowly decrease the nicotine concentration until you are ready to completely drop it. The occasional wine is accepted, but count the calories in it and don't overindulge. Never are you to be seen in public smoking or drunk, however. Always keep these flaws secret.

Studying: Medical school is hard and demanding, but it is possible to get through it.

1. Any mark under an 8 is deemed unacceptable and you should strive for the better.

2. You know yourself well. Stop trying to mimic the way other people study, use the method you know has worked for you since the beginning. You are smart and capable.

3. Stick to your schedule religiously. Study every single day except for Saturdays. Every subject is to be revised and valued equally.

4. Start studying for examinations one week before it takes place. Strive for the best marks. Complete projects as soon as they are announced.

5. Always take notes, answer questions and be attentive during class. The people who judge you for this are jealous of your intelligence. Never shut up ever again.

6. Volunteering is essential: it gives you bonus points for future Erasmus projects. Therefore, you should attend such events once a month. Do not prioritize it over your studies, however.

Hobbies: You must have a personality and be cultured, besides being smart. Never let anyone see you as boring.

1. Reading is your favorite activity - aim to read 20 pages a day. Read 40 pages in the weekends. Read fashion magazines as well, in order to stay inspired.

2. Writing - on the weekends, try to write something: an article, a poem, some prose, a blogpost, anything you like. Never let that passion fade away.

3. Limit TV shows to 40 minutes per day, watch a movie on the weekend.

4. Go out to see the opera, a museum or an art exposition every month.

5. Stay up to date with the news in the industries that matter to you!!

Personality and Social Life: Things are going great, but they can be improved.

1. Always keep your cool. Never are you to rage in public ever again. People respect you, don't mess this up. You must always wear a confident smile, never show your weak side in public.

2. Be friendly and helpful. Always say hi when walking past someone you know and engage in conversations with your colleagues. However, you are not to overshare with people you do not know well. Keep the conversations going about themselves, not yourself, unless asked about.

3. Help people out whenever you are directly asked for. However, do not overdo it. Put yourself first.

4. Do not talk ill about anyone unless it's with your close friends or significant other. This can be used against you anytime.

5. Never seem too available. Only hang out if your schedule allows you to. Never fall into the trap of "study gatherings" as you know well you function better individually.

6. Keep in touch with your close ones daily. Ask about their day, show them that you care.

7. Hangouts must be limited to twice a week. You must only hang out with your boyfriend once a week. It hurts, but it keeps you both focused on your work.

8. Don't PDA at university, please. This has to stop once and for all. Limit it to hand holding and sitting together at less important courses. Do not show people how needy you are.

9. People who lack certain morals and are not compatible with you from this point of view should not be part of your life. Their negative energy impacts you a lot. Only speak to them if directly approached.

10. Don't be late, it's unacceptable. You must be present 10 minutes before the start of an event.

11. Never are you to be seen in nightclubs or places that may damage your reputation. If it doesn't characterize you to be in that place, stay home. Do not fear missing out on anything, you already saw enough.

12. Use social media for only 30 minutes daily.

Looks: Being put together is the key to success. It teaches you discipline.

1. Skincare must be done twice a day, morning and night. Keep it simple but consistent, as your skin is not compatible to harsh chemicals. Apply perfume and body sprays.

2. Makeup should be kept to a minimum, unless it's a special occasion: eyeliner, mascara, eyebrow gel, lip liner and lip gloss is the perfect recipe.

3. Your hair must be lustrous and well kept. Wear it down most of the time. Do a cute hairstyle once a week.

4. You must always be dressed up for the occasion: always wear preppy academic outfits to university, something more playful and fun when you go out, your lounge wear and pajamas should still be cute. Even if nobody sees you, you still can see yourself.

5. Buy some new clothes every month. Change it up, do not seem repetitive with your outfits.

6. Your clothes must always smell good, be meticulously ironed and fresh.

7. Never are you to wear the same outfit again in a week. People notice and you must not seem lazy.

8. You have to take care of yourself every week: shave, paint your nails and toenails, exfoliate, apply a face mask, wash your hair.

9. Shower every other day instead of every day as your skin dries out. After every shower, use lotions for your body. You must always smell like a cake.

[fleuraliasave]

*OUTDATED NEW VERSION AVAILABLE HERE*

❤ Version 6.0 Fleuralia Save File ❤

Download link down below (please read entire post before installing)

This save file uses all EP’s, GP’s (not Journey to Batuu), SP’s and most of the kits (Country Kitchen, Blooming Rooms, Incheon Arrivals, Retro Fit, Industrial loft, Moonlight Chic, Little Campers, Pastel Pop, Everyday Clutter, Bathroom Clutter, Simtimates Collection, First Fits and Desert Luxe).

What’s new in this update?:

San Sequoia has been completely redone, added multiple new lots, updated other lots and provided make-overs for the households.

All households that are currently living in the different worlds have set sim characteristics and conversation topic prefrences.

Added new households.

Updated existing community lots with objects for infants like changing tables and toys (where it would make sense to have them, so not in night clubs and such). Added infants to some of the households.

Added splash pad items to some of the pool lots.

Changed up some of the older lots (example Boba Tea shop in Copperdale, ice cream shop in Brindleton Bay).

Current Status of Worlds:

Finished worlds: Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Newcrest, Magnolia Promenade, Windenburg, San Myshuno, Forgotten Hollow, Brindleton Bay, Del Sol Valley, StrangerVille, Glimmerbrook, Sulani, Britechester , Evergreen Harbor, Mt. Komorebi, Henford-on-Bagley, Tartosa, Moonwood Mill, Copperdale and San Sequoia (NEW!).

Finished vacation worlds: Granite Falls and Selvadorada.

Finihed other lots: Hospital, Science Lab and the Police Station.

To be updated: the Magic Realm, will either be included in a future update or on the gallery (OriginID: fleuralia)

What do you get with this save?:

For my save file all lots are either completely new builds (almost all) or renovations, ofcourse created by me. Exceptions: I have added the official builds for the releases of the Paranormal SP by Dr Ashley and the Dream Home Decorator GP by Deligracy to this save, since I thought they deserved a spot. These two are therefore not my own creations, credits are given in the description to Dr Ashley and Deligracy. Mt. Komorebi, Henford-on-Bagley, Tartosa, Moonwood Mill, Copperdale and San Sequoia lots are largely created by GameChangers. Most lots have gotten small updates, others are completely new builds by me.

All the townies had make-overs plus I added new families to spice it up a bit. Some of the townies are made by other creators, who are given credits in the description of the household. All the townies in the different worlds have a story, some include sentiments and adjusted relationships to the story.

Added plenty of community lots to give your Sims something to do (YAY!). Almost every world has one restaurant, but it also includes festivals that represent the four seasons (park lots) and a fully functional shopping street in Magnolia Promenade (toy store, bridal store and more).

I have added rental lots so you can go on vacation in more worlds. For example in Sulani, Willow Creek and Windenburg.

Other details:

As mentioned at the beginning, this save uses almost all packs (except Journey to Batuu and some kits). This means that if you download it without owning or installing most of the packs a lot of objects will disappear from the save, but if you are not bothered by this you can still download and play in it.  

I disabled the autonomous fame gain and neigborhood action plan voting/environmental changes, you enable them again in the pack settings menu.

I would love to add some households in this save created by all of you! Add your household under the hashtag #fleuraliatownies in The Sims 4 Gallery, you can add a storyline and world in the description but thats not obligatory. If I respond on your creation it means that I have incorporated it in the save for the next update.

Sadly every game update comes with a lot of bugs. I suggest before reporting problems in the save to me, to check on forums if its related to a general bug/glitch or to mods (if you use them).

Questions and supportive feedback are always welcome, you can reach me here via a comment on this post, an ask or through a DM 😁

How to make it work in your game:

Download the save file from the link below.

Drag it in your saves folder under: PC/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/saves.

Change the numbers if you already have a save with the same name.

It should now show up in your game as: Fleuralia Save Version 6.0.

DOWNLOAD (SFS) (outdated)

!!Don’t re-upload or claim as your own!!

Future updates will follow after each pack release (if it includes a world). The time the update will be uploaded after each release depends on how much I have to change and on my work schedule around that time.

Last but not least, enjoy and till next time! XX

Fleuralia

Feel free to support me ❤️: Ko-fi account

[hirayaaraw]

Still In This Holy Ground

Tags: Friends to lovers to exes to lovers; idol!Seungcheol x reader

Note: Seungcheol is the ex that makes you wonder if you will love and be loved again in the same way when you were with him.

Songs to listen:

Holy Ground - Taylor Swift BBC Live Lounge

Death by Thousand Cuts - Taylor Swift

His Car Isn't Yours - WENDY

They say that healing journey does not have a definite timeline. One day after you and Seungcheol broke up, the mug he used still on your dining table. You didn't know that would be the last coffee you will make for him. 

One week after the break up, you went home happily with your favorite chinese take out only to cry on the floor of your apartment. You realized that you will be spending all weekends alone. Seungcheol will not be joining you anymore to watch the latest episode of transit love. You took the chinese take out and gave it to the guard. You swear to never buying from that chinese restaurant even if they have the best orange chicken. 

One month after the break up, your friends are urging you to go out and have fun. You never showed them that you are suffering but they know you still cry yourself to sleep. You cry even more when you realize his smell on your pillowcase already faded. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit but you think you will never be used to waking up without his good morning message. 

"There are plenty of men out there."

You just nod and smile whenever they say it. Plenty of men but they are not Seungcheol. No one bring warmth just like him. He holds your hand when you look anxious or nervous. He never forgets to buy your favorite tea when you are running low and too busy to buy grocery. Despite being busy, he makes sure to meet you every weekend. If he comes to your apartment late and you are already sleeping, he will sleep besides you and waits for you to wake up before leaving.

 Dating Seungcheol is the best decision you made. Friends and family doubted your relationship due to his profession. Your younger sister's boyfriend is always present at family function. This was not an issue for you but relatives make rumors about his absence. How he might be ashamed of you or he might be dating someone industry and you are just a side piece. You will just smile at them and brush away the rumors. It is not because his schedule can't cater the family events. You just don't want him  to enter the chaos. It is already enough that he listens to your laments.

You met him during college. You sat in the front row while he sat near the door at the back. Seungcheol has a perfect attendance for the whole semester despite having music shows and practice. However, on the next semester their world tour started, he misses some class. When he attends the class, Seungcheol is obviously sleepy. 

You never interacted with him nor made a fuss about having an idol classmate. One day, Seungcheol approached you if he can copy your notes for the two lectures he missed. You didn't hesitate and gave your notebook so he can take picture of it. However, Seungcheol sheepishly asked if he can take it to library to photocopy. He rambled that he does not like his notes on his phone. Seungcheol claimed that he likes it hard copy. You just nodded at him and told him to give it back within the day. Seungcheol gave you his first of his thousands smile to you and returned your notebook later that day with a cup of coffee. 

"Thanks for the notes." He said handing your notebook and a cup of iced americano. "Coffee for you."

"Thanks for giving back my notebook." You said and gave him a small smile. You don't drink the coffee but you take it as courtesy. Something about his eyes and the way he smiles that make saying no to him hard. 

You thought that would be the first and last interaction but he added you on facebook. Since then Seungcheol will ask you about notes, announcements, or anything he missed when he is out and being an idol. Facebook messages turn into Seungcheol tagging along with you when you rot yourself in the library. One time, he answered his phone beside you and told someone that he is in library with a friend.

"Since when did we become a friend?" You raised your eyebrow that made him flustered. 

"Since when you lend your notes, Ma'am." He smiled and leaned on the table. 

"You just want my notes. I figured it out." You rolled your eyes to tease him.

"And the owner of the notes." Seungcheol said that made you hold your breath. You smiled and went back to reading your notes. If you did not look away, you are sure that you will be taken away by this man.

Facebook messaged became phonecalls. It started when you missed 3 school days in a row. You got admitted to a hospital for viral infection and bronchitis. A simple cough and sore throat became worse over the weekend. Your mom travelled to the city when you cried over the phone and took you to the hospital. 

It was on the 3rd day when your phone rang. You picked up your phone without looking on it. 

"Where are you? Are you okay?" You need to look at your phone just to make sure it is Seungcheol. His voice is full of worry. 

"Hey. I'm in the hospital. You can ask Christine for her note--"

"Which hospital?" He did not let you finish your sentence. His voice have a sense of urgency. You blurted out the name of the hospital. He said something you did not understand before saying bye.

30 minutes later someone is knocking in your hospital room then you are now introducing Seungcheol to your mom. He brought lecture notes and share to you then peeled oranges for you. Seungcheol visits you everyday until you were discharged. 

Whenever he is near, it feels hard for you to breathe. You thought this was an aftereffect of your hospitalization. But you realized that it only happens whenever Seungcheol is near. Everytime Seungcheol is around, he makes your heart beats faster. You thought this only happens in 90s romcom movies. You hate how Seungcheol is now a focal focus of your everyday life. You wait for his messages and anticipated his arrival at university. 

It is a futile move to hope for something so throughout college you love him silently. Everyday you remind yourself that you are just a college girl Seungcheol made friends with because he needs someone in university. You remind yourself that you are just a fraction of his grand life. This is how you broke your own heart for thw first time while Seungcheol is slowly trying to make you feel how his whole world is revolving around you.

You enjoyed every moment with him because you knew that once graduation came, it will be a goodbye. On the graduation day, you congratulated him. In return, he hugged you tight. You wanted to cry as you melt in his arms. 

"Thank you for letting me annoy you for the past 4 years." You laughed in his ears.

"No worries, Seungcheol. Anytime." You said before pulling away and saying bye. You started walking away but you stopped and turned around. Seungcheol still standing and watching you. It's now or never. Just like at the ending of a 90s romcom, you run back towards him. 

Everything is just a background noise and time slowed down for you and him. You have nothing to lose. Seungcheol is smiling widely at you. This is the first time you did not act guarded. When you are standing in front of him, you exhaled loudly.

"Choi Seungcheol" Seungcheol frowned and pouted. He told you before that he hates how people call him in his full name. You smiled at his reaction. "We might never meet again. I just need to let this out or I will be miserable for keeping this secret for the longest time.  So here goes nothing. I like you."

Seungcheol eyes widened when you said those words. You laughed at his reaction. You did not wait for his response and run away towards the parking lot where your parents are waiting for you.

Your dad started driving to the restaurant he reserved to celebrate your graduation when your phone rang. It was Seungcheol. You bit your lips and shake your head before answering his call. 

"Where are you? I'm at the parking lot. Your dad still drives a red hyundai, right?"

"We already left, Seungcheol." You heard him sigh. 

"You can't just say you like me and leave like that."

"I just did." You pointed out that made him sigh again. You can see him sulking. "I need to hang up. See you when I see you."

Which you know it will be hard.

"Which restaurant are you going?" You humor him by telling the name of the place. There is no way he will go to your graduation dinner. He has an appearance to a local radio show in the evening. He ended the call which made you frown. You keep your phone in your bag as you enter the restaurant. 

You were enjoying the dinner when a familiar face entered. To your horror, it was Seungcheol waving at you. You looked around the restaurant before standing and dragging him in the corner.

"Who says we will never meet again?" Seungcheol said grinning at you. He held your hand that made you look around and you pull your hand away. Afraid someone might see you and him.

"What are you doing?"

"I should have said this instead of keeping this for the longest time." He sighed looking at your hand then to you. "I am running late to my appointment but I need to tell you this. I like you. No. I love you for the longest time. I look forward going to classes because of you. You gave me another reason to push through."

You found yourself clutching to your necklace. You did not expect hearing those words from him. Love is a big word and he said it so naturally for you. You saw someone entered the restaurant and waved at Seungcheol. He needs to go.

Later that night, Seungcheol called you to talk about the two of you. Once his schedule is cleared, he visited you at your hometown. That's how you went from having him as your classmate, your friend, to your boyfriend.

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is hard. Breaking up is an easy way out. Adulting made the difference between your world and his world clearer. You have bills to pay. The eldest daughter who is slowly taking the breadwinner role as your parents heading to retirement. Pressuring you to do all things so your whole family climb the social ladder. You are in your mid 20s but your fire is already dying.

Seungcheol is nothing short of a great boyfriend. But life made it hard for you to love. You decided to take further studies for greater chances of promotion and taking side job. Seventeen started to pursue the western side of the world. You see him on the tv more than you see him in person.

It didn't take more time for you see him as stranger. It is like when you were back in your college days before he asks for your notes. He is back into being an idol you casually know. You can't see where the relationship is going anymore. You started feeling alone in life. To you, it is obvious where this is heading. 

They said never decide when you are tired, hungry, or sleep deprived because you are prone to make bad deicison. A bad day at work, a screaming session with you mom, and rescheduled date. You can only endure so much. Seungcheol found you crying on your sofa. He went immediately to you after the extended practice.

You are tired of everyone and everything. You are crumbling gradually. No one can fix you. The mess that you have and you made. Not even Seungcheol's hug can mend you. You held his hand tightly as you cry. You don't know how to tell this to him. This is harder than confessing your love for him.

"Cheol, I think...we should stop." You wipe your tears. Seungcheol nodded as if he is expecting this and trying to understand you.

"I've been a bad boyfriend these past few months." You shook your head in protest. You wanted to say something but all you can do is cry. He took you in his arms and let you rest on his chest. "I'm sorry for hurting you...for not being with you."

He calmed you down and tucked you to your bed. Seungcheol hummed a song while watching you fall asleep. You woke up the next day with his mug on your bed side table. No text or whatsoever. He is scared to hurt you further. And that is how 4 years of friendship and 3 years of relationship went down the drain. 

Three months after the break up, you unfriended him on facebook, unfollowed him on instagram, and put Seventeen and his name on muted words on twitter. But you still can't escape him. His face is on billboards and television program. It is like the universe telling you what you lost.

Your life got better. You were promoted. You made your parents happy but your heart? It never got better. You are just functioning and not living.

Fourth month without Seungcheol in your life, you started to put away his things and anything that reminds you of him. You smiled when you see a polaroid of him. You are still aching but you are thankful that a relationship with him happened. One of the best years of your life.

 

Fifth month after the break up, your lease contract ended. You decided to move out and search for an apartment nearer to your work. Just when you thought it did not hurt anymore, you cried while you are packing. It is like finally saying goodbye to the last piece that reminds you of him. This one bed room apartment witnessed all the sleepover, date nights, and lazy mornings. You will never dance in the middle of this tiny apartment with him. It's the end of an era.

Sixth month since you decided to end it with Seungcheol, you agreed to go on a blind date set up by your friend. John is a nice guy. He always reply. He shows up on time. But something felt amiss. You don't want to be unfair to him. On the third date, you decided to tell that you want him as friend and nothing more. That night you went to bed wondering if you will fall in love again the way you fell for Seungcheol. 

It was the end of the month. The rain is pouring hard. You run towards your new apartment drench in the rain. Ten steps away from your door when you saw someone at your front door. You thought you are a hallucinating.

"What the hell?" You said it a bit too loud. Seungcheol turned his head to you. You walked faster and unlocked your door to let him in.

"Your mom gave me your address." He said following you inside. Of course, your mom gave it to him. You went to your bathroom to get some towels for the both of you. 

"Are you here for your things?" You gave the towel to him then went to the kitchen to prepare coffee for him. You observe him from your periphery. He bulked up a bit. His wet black shirt is hugging his body. His hair a bit longer and black. It suits him. He took the break up better you thought. "I already pack it a month ago. I just need to find where I put the box."

Seungcheol is just looking at you. When you serve the coffee, you went to your room without looking at him. Meeting your worst enemy is better than seeing the ex you yearn for. You can't believe Seungcheol is in your new apartment. It is like your past and present colliding. The present that doesn't have him in it. You don't want to look affectes but when you found the box at the bottom of your cabinet. You smiled painfully. The last piece that reminds him of you. 

You went out of your room. Seungcheol is sitting at your kitchen counter. His back facing. You wanted to hug him but you know he is not yours anymore. You watch him drink the coffee you made. You are not sure if you still got the taste he wanted right. Few days ago, you bought coffee beans on your grocery run. When you are sorting the items, you laugh upon seeing the coffee beans because you only buy it because Seungcheol like coffee. 

You approach him and place the box at the kitchen counter. 

"Let me know if there is something missing. I will try to find it." You said. Still not looking at him. Afraid that you might fell apart. Months of healing and trying to forget him all went down the drain. You already know that you will be crying your sleep once he leave.

When you heard Seungcheol open the box, you steal glances of him. You saw how he carefully touch the fabric of his sweater you always wear. There is a small smile forming on his lips. His signature dimple is showing. 

"You got a nice apartment. It's great that you find a walking distance place near your work."  Seungcheol knew your struggle travelling to your work specially when you work over time. 

"The timing aligned. I was planning to renew the contract on my previous place but this apartment popped up on the listing." You looked straight at his eyes briefly. He nodded while listening to you. Seungcheol is still attentive as ever. It has been months since you have someone to listen to you and look at you like you are the only person in the room.

You smiled in an attempt to keep your tears at bay. You don't know how long he will be around. He doesn't have any reason to stay longer. In the end, you hurted both of you. But you needed that break up to breathe from everything. 

"Congratulations for the successful tour and new album." Despite putting every word on mute, unfollowing the boys, and unfriending him, news about them still reach you. Every news about them breaking a record makes your heart swell in pride. You used to pre-order every album release and stream their songs while working. You were Seungcheol's number 1 fan and believer. You were and will always be his fan. 

"Thank you." Seungcheol smiled to you. Your heart ached. The whole room is filled with unspoken words. "I heard from your mom you got promoted. Congratulations! I told you...you will get the promotion."

"Yeah...I guess you are right." You chuckled with your eyes getting visibly shining in tears. You got what you wanted but at what cost.  You bit your lips thinking that will stop the tears from falling. Seungcheol saw the first tear fell. "I'm sorry."

That's all you said and turned around but Seungcheol did what he wanted to do since the first time he saw you again. He pulled you into his arms where you belong.

"Last time I saw you, you were crying." Seungcheol said each words with a shaky voice. "And now you are still crying. Did I hurt you that much? I'm sorry."

You shook your head. Seungcheol caress your hair and you grip on his clothes like it is your lifeline. "Seungcheol, I am sorry. I hurted you. I got lost. I can't understand myself. I feel like drowning and the only way out I know is to break away from you."

"I understand." Seungcheol said that made you pull away and look at him. He wiped your tears.

"How can you be so kind? I hurted you. Be angry at me. I broke up with you in a snap."

"I can't." Seungcheol shook his head. Tears falling on his face. "I am angry at myself because I let you take everything and lose yourself. I  am angry that I made you feel alone in this relationship. I am angry that I made life get in between us."

"I don't want this anymore." You took his hand and rest your head on his chest. The fort you held on these past few months came crumbling down. "Six months. Six months of hell, Cheol. I don't want any of this. I don't want to go on this life without you."

"You have no idea how much I miss you and want you back. I just don't know if you still want me." 

"I still want you."

"Good to hear that because I am not here to get my things back." You raised your eyebrows while he smirk at you. "I'm here to take you back."

"You are such a sly man." 

You both laughed. Eyes still red because of crying but lips are smiling wide. Some say that sometimes people break up or part ways to find themselves and eventually find their way back to each other. An ample amount of time to heal and be better person for each other. Once you found each other again, never let go. Not everyone will be given a second chance.

[seventrio]

MİRHOME - SİLVER

Mirhome.nl is a reputable retailer of home goods that offers a wide range of products to meet the needs of every household. From kitchenware to home decor, Mirhome.nl provides customers with quality products at affordable prices. One of the main categories of products offered by Mirhome.nl is drinkware, which includes a variety of glasses, mugs, and cups for all types of beverages. The drinkware selection at Mirhome.nl is diverse, catering to a wide range of preferences and needs. Whether you are looking for elegant wine glasses, durable tumblers, or stylish coffee mugs, Mirhome.nl has got you covered. The website offers various brands and styles of drinkware, including Paşabahçe, which is renowned for its quality and style. Pasabahçe is a glass company that has been producing high-quality glassware since 1935. Their focus on quality and eco-friendliness has made them a trusted brand in the industry. One of the most notable brands offered by Mirhome.nl is Pasabahçe. This brand is known for its exceptional quality and style, making it a popular choice for those who value both form and function in their drinkware. Pasabahçe offers a wide range of drinkglazen products, including wine glasses, tumblers, and tea sets. Their tea sets, in particular, are a popular item on Mirhome.nl. With Pasabahçe's commitment to quality and style, customers can trust that they are investing in a product that will not only meet their needs but also exceed their expectations.

[rilakeila]

exchange of roses, teaser (jujutsu academy)

host club! jjk x fem!reader x ohshc

gojo satoru is the head of jujutsu academy's elite high school host club with his friends: geto suguru, nanami kento, itadori sukuna, shoko ieiri, haibara yu, and of course, their princess manager. what happens when they go up against another elite host club on an exchange event with different schools? let's find out!

a/n: haven't planned out if it's a series or collection of one shots, might do both; an au within an au would be fun. let me know if you have any ideas

international jujutsu technology and science academy is one of the world's largest elite private schools, having many campuses around the world. their founding campus is in tokyo, japan. their primary educational directions focuses on the development of technology and sciences. they cater from pre-k to high school (+ college prep). one of the most popular clubs is the high school's host club, where they get to entertain students with too much time on their hands

gojo satoru.

the founder of the said club is gojo satoru, head of the gojo clan who oversees gojo co, one of the oldest construction companies in the world. they focus on architecture specifically traditional japanese architecture. due to the modernizing of the world, they focused on implementing modern taste to the architecture to also maintain competitive in the industry. one of their main projects is upkeeping of the tokyo campus.

geto suguru.

the spokesman/vice president, geto suguru. he is part of the brains of the host club along with kento. the heir of the geto corporations that started their organization due to biochemistry long ago. earlier generations of his family had a massive breakthrough with their research which allowed them to catapult to the top. suguru is currently leading and overseeing the company's subgroup, uzumaki, which is helping the advancement of merging bioengineering within the company.

nanami kento.

the actual brains of the host club, nanami kento. he runs the numbers and makes sure that everything is running well with their princess manager. kento's family mainly function in the banking industry within the financial services but dabble in the investment industry. he still questions as to why he spends his free time (and exerting a lot of effort) with the host club.

itadori sukuna.

just a member/bodyguard of the host club (because he's a giant so he's intimidating), itadori sukuna. the last entering member (satoru was really just curious about sukuna and invited him with the group, ended up being wowed by his host skills). his family is a line of top chefs, selling cookware and cookbooks, and also runs the culinary department of jujutsu academy. (pretty popular probably because his little brother, yuuji, shows up every so often).

shoko ieiri.

here for the shits and giggles, shoko ieiri. her family consists of doctors and engineers which would lead into medical technology. she decided to go down the doctor route but will eventually need to replace her mother's position soon as she (her mother) would be retiring. ieiri joined the host club, just to accompany satoru and suguru, but has not minded the club activities since joining.

haibara yu.

here for the shits and giggles pt. 2, haibara yu (actually, kento asked him to take part of the host club with him). his family is one of the oldest toy manufacturers in japan, as well as branching out to confectioneryand theme parks (which have been successful endeavors). he also supplies all of the treats and tea imports for the host clubs, cutting down the expenses severely due to a large discount (but they do get new recipes sampled for free, just have to pay if they choose to keep it in their lineup)

(y/n) (l/n).

the dear princess manager of the host club. she works behind the scenes with the help of mostly kento but as well as suguru. her family is just old money rich, starting as medics way back during history. due to housing multiple patients and lost people, the business went from medical to hospitality. they moved around, dropping seeds down as they go. it eventually bloomed heavily, leaving a fortune. there's no rightful heir as her and her siblings must work together to figure it out (however, she seems to be the commander of it all)

[transboysokka]

Some neat facts about Taiwan I wish more people knew

First of all and most importantly, Taiwan is NOT a part of China! It never has been! It has its own government, currency, passports, etc. The only reason Taiwan doesn't officially "declare independence" is that China would probably blow it up if that happened

Taiwan has been occupied by Spain, the Netherlands, and most recently, Japan. After World War II, Taiwan was under martial law for a long time and some terrible things happened, but now Taiwan is the 14th freest country in the world, and the freest in Asia!

Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legalize gay marriage, and hosts the largest Pride celebration in Asia every October!

Bubble milk tea was invented in Taiwan!

Taiwan has A LOT of scooters and A LOT of convenience stores! It's not uncommon to see two 7-Elevens right across the street from each other. At a 7-Eleven in Taiwan, you can pick up and send packages, pay bills, top up your cell phone, buy a coffee, do laundry, buy concert tickets, print documents, and grocery shop!

ALL Austronesian peoples originally came from Taiwan. There are still over 16 distinct Indigenous tribes today (2.3% of the population), all with their own traditions.

The garbage and recycling trucks in Taiwan play music so you know they're coming. There are mostly two specific songs, one of them being Fur Elise. A lot of Americans who come to visit think it's ice cream trucks they are hearing, but nope, it's the garbage.

Most stray dogs, especially in the rural mountains, are partially Formosan Mountain Dog, an incredibly rare and beautiful species, and one of the most ancient species in the world!

Almost all of the chips making your iPhones, laptops, or cars function, were made in Taiwan! This makes the semiconductor industry a HUGE deal in Taiwan, and makes Taiwan a HUGE deal around the world

Taiwan is the most mountainous island in the world! 2/3 of Taiwan are covered in mountains, and there are 268 mountains that are taller than 3000 meters!

Taiwan has four official languages- Mandarin, "Taiwanese" (Minnan), Hakka, and the "aboriginal"/Indigenous languages. The most widely spoken language (in the North, at least) is Mandarin, by far. Some old people can still speak Japanese.

It's not 2023 in Taiwan; it's 112 (You'll see 2023 used more and more often though, but like my National Health Insurance has my birth year as 83)

[gabessquishytum]

Hob likes food okay, he thinks cooking is a act of love, so when he's tapped by HFGTV for his own food show, he knows he's going to do it his own way. His show is sort of Guy Fieri-ish -- Hob will happily eat your burger made of 5 cheeses; that corn dip that was a hit at your town's most recent potluck,,, if it's made with love and care... Hob will happily chow down. He gets to travel and speak (and cook) with normal people who love it as much as he does.

Dream is a Michelin Starred chef; with famous, but popular, restaurants with aggressive wait lists. Food is art and craft; and while he still loves cooking (not that he has time to eat any of it) he finds himself bored of his function.

Dream and Hob bump into each other at an industry event:

M (dripping with distainful disbelief): You're that chef that happily eats oreos dipped in marshmallow fluff, covered in chocolate and deep fried?!

H: 😍 I love your food! You watch my show?!?!!! Wanna go a a date with me, snobby Mc'beautiful man?!

Dream hates himself, a little, that he finds the heathen charming.

This is the cutest thing I've ever seen. I'm MELTING.

So maybe Dream is only in Hob’s part of town for the weekend, just for this event. So Hob persuades him - he'll take Dream for a tour around his favourite food spots. They'll have fun, eat, and maybe Dream will find his love for food again. Maybe they'll also do a little smoochin'. Dream rolls his eyes so hard they nearly fall out BUT he agrees.

It's late morning when they start out so Hob drags Dream for brunch at his favourite little hole in the wall cafe. They do a fusion breakfast menu with traditional British stuff plus breakfast foods from all different regions of India, and you can pick and choose whatever you want to eat. Hob knows all the staff and ends up dragging Dream into the kitchen to chat/try little mouthfuls of food. By the time they sit down to eat Dream has a tiny smile on his face (although he seriously objects to how much ketchup Hob is putting on his plate).

After brunch they walk around a bit and go get boba at Hob’s favourite place because he's scandalised that Dream has never tried it?! Hob also can't help but talk about how much he loves Dream’s food and how he'd eat at his restaurant every single day if he could. Dream can't believe that someone would care so much about his food, but he's very charmed. He even says he'll cook for Hob some time.

Next stop is to get freshly baked gingerbread from a tiny food truck. Hob spends the whole time trying to wheedle the secret recipe out of the owner while Dream is like "don't tell him, he obviously can't keep a secret to save his life." They're basically already an old married couple and they get the gingerbread for free.

At this point Dream needs to lie down because he hasn't eaten so much food in forever, so Hob offers to take him back to his flat and they can drink tea and just talk about food. Dream ends up falling asleep on Hob’s shoulder and when he wakes up, Hob has ordered pizza. Its cheesy and greasy and a little bit terrible, but there's something about it that reminds Dream why he became a chef in the first place.

They end up making out on the sofa for a few hours until Hob pulls away with this face like he just had the best idea. "We need to do a show together. Where we do what we did today and I seduce you with good, honest food."

And although Dream wrinkles up his nose like he hates the thought... he's the one calling up the studio in the morning and demanding to be allowed to pitch the show 😉

[solar-sunnyside-up]

"Casualties of violent resistance to violent oppression are ultimately the SOLE blame of the violent oppressor"

Hey, you know what's interesting? I've been following solarpunk blogs for years. And I never saw any solarpunk blog display any kind of apologism for violence until this past month. In the span of a few weeks, the entire eco community has completely changed its tone about violent strategies. Apparently, since everyone is hyped about violence this month, violence is on the table now.

The US government legally classifies pipeline disrupters as domestic terrorists. Now, with our newfound violent rhetoric, we can give the FBI even better reasons to call us domestic terrorists. Everyone has spent a month calling terrorism "decolonization." So now the media will have a field day portraying eco activists as terrorists any time we mention decolonization. This will make attempting to communicate with the public much more complicated and challenging. But oh well. What's done is done. Tiktok decided to associate terrorism with the decolonization movement and now we all have to live with the consequences.

Do you think the eco movement's new political attitude towards violence will help our cause or hurt it? I'm genuinely curious. By the way, oil companies are deeply integrated with the military industrial complex which requires fossil fuel for missiles. So I'll ask again. Do you think violence is a good strategy for resisting the fossil fuel empire? Should we be studying, glorifying, and emulating violent movements? Is that a form of battle that we could ever possibly win? Or is that just a way for us all to martyr ourselves?

Also, how do these violent resistance movements even get off the ground? Do they just conjure their weapons out of thin air? Or are those weapons smuggled across borders by Iran's proxy militias? Do you think Iran or some other country with proxy ambitions would smuggle weapons to eco defenders? I don't know if they would. I'm just curious how murderous violent resistance could ever possibly overlap with solarpunk.

Woah woah bestie feels like we've jumped the gun on the actual post here, you must be new to eco movements it's ok tho! Let's handle this one bit at a time 💕💕

^^^ This is the post this is referring to for context. Now let's get down to dissecting this below the cut bc YIKES this is a lot to discuss but here why dont join me for a spot of tea yeah?

Before I start to tackle this with as good faith as I can let's get some facts in order:

A) I'm from Canada, a country known by its citizens for not respecting protesters/activists. Hell, the first Premiere of Manatoba, Louis Riel was a classified Traitor and was hanged for fighting against the government for the rights of his people and we treat him as the hero he is now. In the mid 2000s a "rebellion" was lead to protect a reservation from the mounties and they stole a tank! While the news and gov ripped them apart give it 10 years and ppl cheer at the idea now. The fairy creek protests and the pipeline protests are more recent examples. They arrested and brutalized people doing nothing more then having breakfast on their own land while blocking construction. So like.... I don't have the illusion of a "peaceful" protest. Here (particularly my province) you go to a protest you simply dont expect to come home. We are functionally a monarchy, we don't have "freedom of speech" and the government was never instilled for our "freedom" or our benefit it was solely to divide up the land and to conquer.

B) this is super not new to Eco movements in particular. They've have "Eco terrorists" on record as early as the 1900s ranging from Treespiking during early logging, to throwing paint on fur wearers in the 1970s. Wiebo Arienes Ludwig is from my Province, arrested for sabotaging Oil wells and went to trial in 2000. This is definitely not a new concept to eco movements and as Solarpunk enters a more Praxis heavy punk scene instead of pure sci-fi this is likely going to be a branch of it there's no avoiding that.

"Choose peace rather than confrontation. Except in cases where we cannot get, where we cannot proceed, where we cannot move forward. Then, if the only alternative is violence, we will use violence."

This additiude comes from a reasonable place in fact here a quote from Nelson Mandela in Gaza, 1999 sums it up pretty well:

Particularly since typically they will blame a peaceful protest just as much as a "violent" one. I think "violence " is something that will happen no matter what we do. If we're as peaceful as possible, they'll still call us violent mobs just to have an excuse to crack some skulls. Even if they're just having breakfast, on their own land, they will arrest and beat them. It won't matter at a certain point bc they want to prove they can be in control.

Now don't get me wrong, I would honestly prefer to slowly adapt. To build as we take down, to show ppl the joy of this and they'll come on their own. But that only works if the goverment and the citizens are equal partners. And idk bout the states since im not from there, but here? It wouldn't matter how many citizens asked for us to go Green overnight the government would ignore that cry for the corpate money.

"People should not be scared of their governments, governments should be scared of their people" and sure this is because we out number them but they should be working for us because that's the point of a goverment in the first place.

Next is: Do I think this is a useful way to spend energy?

Yes! I do, giving something for people to do with their hands, with groups, makes ppl realize how powerful they are and how weak the system oppressing them is. Empowering ppl to do what they can where they can is always good! What ppl do with knowledge is up to them, and if they feel it's needed then generally needed.

Now to the point of weapons: no one has said anything about weapons that something like the oil companies or military would back?? All the weapons endorced by these movements are typically things like using spikes and putting them into trees, or like in France- the energy union cutting off power to the CEOs house (while giving free electricity to hospitals and poor communitis) until they reconsidered the penson plans. Or when they put BBQs on tram lines during a protest. These are weapons, but they are of the ppls trade, they are tools ppl already have not as you said "[weapons] smuggled in to eco defenders" no one is suggesting Guns? That simply won't solve things.

Organizing, communicating, and strategic planning is our best weapons.

I think that covers it, but I'm also doing this on mobile while sick so I might not have covered it all. Although i think my point is made! The final thing I'll say is, if you don't agree with these parts of the movement you don't have to participate or even look at them. Forge your own path! Others I'm sure will follow! My way will never be the only way and we are in charge of our own experiences online. This post original wasn't even tagged as solarpunk, it was under revolution so feel free to block that tag or me if you need to! Have a good day!!! /genuine

[blackaleycatt]

Random Wild Kratts Headcanons: Megan Thee Stallion Songs

Songs that I think the characters would like or songs that represent them because I love Megan.

Y'all better stream Hiss!

Martin: Ungrateful

Everyone knows that Martin is a nice man. Even the villains know it.

Sometimes it seems like he's a little too nice tho. Like the villains definitely take advantage of it.

Martin can be a nice person but when you mess with animals, his friends, or his brother he can become a different person.

I think the lyrics “Y'all actin' really ungrateful, I'm sparin' you hoes” represent this.

I feel like he could be a lot more violent towards the villains but chooses not to.

Basically, he is sparing the villains despite everything they have done to the team and the villains are “ungrateful” because they constantly act the same way.

Chris: Savage

His sassy attitude fits this song well.

It doesn't matter if it's a villain or his own brother. That lil sassy attitude is always gonna be there.

I feel like he would actually call himself a savage after listening to this song.

“Been that bitch, still that bitch”

And he literally is. Not only has Wild Kratts been around a long time, but Chris has been iconic since Kratt’s creatures and Zooboomafu have been around.

Koki: Plan B

This song is about Independence and having a high self-worth.

Koki definitely has all of that.

She's technically a minor character but she leaves a big impact on the team and the show in general.

Also, I feel like a lot of the time she’s the team's “Plan B” meaning when there's a problem that the boys or Aviva can't fix she has to step in.

Usually involving the miniaturizer because they never listen when she tells them to keep up with it.

She’s like the only other person on the team with a fully functioning brain cell.

Jimmy: Hot Girl Summer

This was THE summer song so you know Jimmy was listening to it.

Probably says “It's hot girl summer” every year to Aviva and Koki.

The chill vibe of the song matches his personality.

I can see him lounging in the sun bobbing his head to this song.

I don't really have a deep reason for why this song is for him, it’s just chill.

Aviva: Hiss

Hiss blew up because it was a diss track calling out basically everyone in the music industry.

I feel like this fits her attitude towards Zach specifically.

Like she seems like she wants to say “Fu*k you” to him so badly.

Based on the “Mystery of the Weird Looking Walrus” episode Aviva seems to be a very observant person and knows a lot of tea about people.

Like how does she know what Zach eats every day and how many toes he has on each foot 💀.

And she was able to guess his password easily on the first try.

Basically don’t piss her off or she will air out ALL of your business, like she did with Zach.

Also, I feel like she listens to Megan when she’s angry.

Donita: Megan's Piano

If feel like she's also a Megan stan.

This song is her anthem.

One thing about Donita is she is gonna let you know that she is NOT poor and she works hard for her money.

Like she’s the hardest-working villain besides Gourmand.

Donita is a self-made queen.

Girlboss.

She likes this song because it reminds her that she's better than everyone.

Every time Chris and Martin come around she mentions wanting to give them a makeover and drags them for their fashion choices.

Definitely says “Sorry, hoes hate me 'cause I'm the it girl”.

You can't spell Donita without “it” after all.

Gourmand: B.I.T.C.H

I don't think he would actually call someone a bitch (he's southern-raised, he has some manners) but the vibe of the song fits him.

I think he would like the lyrics “You know you can't control me, baby, you need a real one in ya life.”

Gourmand is kind of like Zach in the sense that he does what he wants whenever he wants.

Hence why you can't control him.

He’s not like Donita who would use animal substitutes in his profession (the fake spider silk) no matter how hard the Kratts try to convince him.

He does what he wants and you can't control him.

He's also very straightforward with his feelings.

If he doesn't like you he’ll let you know.

Zach: God's Favorite

Zach relates to the song based on the title alone.

He truly believes that he is favored and highly regarded.

Him being the “favorite” could be a general feeling or a reference to how he feels about Aviva and her inventions.

He doesn't see himself as equally matched to her or anyone. He sees himself as the ultimate person basically, even above the other villains.

Despite his incompetence, he is still rather skilled in some things and successful.

The lyric “Here's a toast, who you love the most?” is also him talking about himself since we all know who his favorite person is.

I feel like he would listen to this song to boost his confidence.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

The 1909 Canal Greenwich Condominium building is the former Tetley Tea Company Warehouse. (I wonder if it still smells of tea.) It's now divided into 8 condos in the Greenwich Village area of New York City and one unit is for sale. It has 2bds, 3ba, & is $4.4M + an absurd $2,556mo. HOA fee.

This is a 1st fl. unit, so these are the the big frosted windows we saw out front. I wonder if those security doors are functional.

Not only is this place gigantic, but it has 3 levels. What I like about it is that it's very old industrial chic. Look at the ceilings.

Look at the original factory floor. Gee, that's a lot of floor to clean.

Just look at the size of this place. It gets so cold in NYC in the winter (I live 20 min. away, so I know) how in the world can you even heat this place, let alone afford to?

I would suppose that if you didn't have all those bulbs on the ceiling, it would be very dark. I don't see many lamps, but lights must have to be on all day.

Look at how far back the dining room is. I would need a speaker system to call people to meals.

The kitchen is very cool. Love the exposed brick. The stainless steel appliances are very hi-end. I wonder if the island is even included, b/c it's on wheels.

There's a powder room and an original door. Look at the tiny sink- wash one hand at a time.

The primary bedroom & bath are in a loft and I'm disappointed that there are no walls, just curtains. A curtain separates the bedroom from a sitting area.

There's a nice exposed brick wall up here.

The bathroom has some high tub. Even the step is high.

The 2nd bedroom is in the basement. Not so sure I like that.

The en-suite bathroom. I wonder if there's a light in that shower, it looks a little dark.

It has an electric sauna. As much as I love industrial lofts, I would pass on this one. (Not that I could buy it, anyway.)

[sorenphelps]

Marauders x interior designs, reference boards and a long post below with explanations on the style selection and living conditions! (1.6K words)

Sirius

Interior design style: Industrial

Style rationale: cool, dark tones with a stylish mixture of rough materials: bricks, concrete, metals, and a great view. The ambiguity of the manmade hardware meeting all the natural light from the large windows; the grand spaces suitable of hosting a lot of people paired with an arrogant, unwelcoming (scary even) atmosphere. Overall powerful masculine energy with edgy, rebellious vibes. Effortlessly stylish, oozes confidence, creative and commands authority. Not everyone’s cup of tea, only a few can see the appeal and the endless possibilities of this multipurpose factory building, which is capable of way more than originally intended for.

Residence characteristics: Penthouse, 4 bedrooms, 4 other purpose rooms, 2.5 bathrooms, rooftop terrace. Renovated/repurposed old factory building in the city, with a pub/night club downstairs, and the middle part of the building leased as office area. Sirius is the only one who actually lives in the building, which he also owns. (Meaning no neighbours!) The building has a cargo lift, which Sirius uses to park his motorbike on the rooftop garage area. A separated part of the rooftop area is used by the pub/nightclub as a warehouse/storage, the other open-air part of it is used solely by Sirius, that he can access directly from his apartment too.

Remus

Interior design style: Eclectic (unintentional)

Style rationale: cramped with books and various interesting artifacts, second-hand mismatched furniture, light academia aesthetic, overall nerdy hipster energy. Warm earth tones, once vibrant but now faded colour palette. Budget and function over style attitude. Cozy and welcoming vibes (people pleaser much?). Plant enthusiasm.

Residence characteristics: tiny 1 bedroom apartment, 1 bathroom, small French balcony (used as a herb garden). Remus is on a very tight budget, when he managed to buy the flat, he only had a mattress, two makeshift bookshelves and a table with two chairs the previous tenant had left there. He saved up for years to get a nice and fully functioning modern kitchen, but other than that, the apartment is furnished with antiques he inherited from or was gifted by old relatives. He has way too many books, and he treasures everything he gets as a gift from others, however useless the item is. He is a moderately successful plant dad, because his neighbour's cat somehow always manages to destroy his little balcony garden. All but one of his neighbours are elderly citizens, who all find Remus a very polite and kind man – completely unaware that he is the one who loudly plays the guitar/cello and not the only other younger person in the building. Remus feels no obligation to dispel their misconceptions.

James

Interior design style: Eclectic (intentional)

Style rationale: Big personality, vibrant, bold colours. Proudly presents their identity and personal accomplishments. Extroverted, creative, chaotic, but fun energy. Warm and welcoming atmosphere with rustic wood elements paired with the collection of random objects. Overall very lively and artsy vibe. Can easily labelled as too much and pompous. It takes some time to see through the flashiness to discover the deep devotion to honoring (ethnic) heritage, familial ties and loved ones behind all the showcased extravaganzas.

Residence characteristics: Large family house in the suburbs, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 other purpose rooms, terrace, pool, 1 barn, 1 garage, 2 acres of land. James has never really moved out from Potter Manor, as he went to boarding school and inherited the property from his parents a little after graduation. He deeply loves his home and respects his heritage and memories a lot, but he is too much of a character to resist tailoring parts of the house and the interior to his taste. He has a collection of unconventional things (street signs, vinyls, tire rims, Liverpool sports memorabilia, cold war era propaganda posters, maps, festival tickets, foreign label beer cans, etc.), proudly presented alongside his sports trophies, medals, and musical awards. He thrives for the company of others, therefore the house could easily serve as an entertainment centre: he has the biggest of TVs, all gaming consoles, the widest variety of board games, a pool & foosball table, a pool in the garden alongside professional grill and cocktail bar equipment. He also has a fully functioning, soundproofed professional level studio in his basement with a lot of musical instruments and sound engineering & recording equipment. He has a treehouse and an old VW minivan repurposed as a summer guestroom in the garden. Sirius has his own dedicated bedroom, which is left untouched (just as the room of James’ parents).

Lily

Interior design style: Boho Chic

Style rationale: Girly, playful, kind. Plants, plants, plants everywhere, embracing the closeness to nature, fun textures, floral patterns, personally significant items. Non-conformist, free-spirited energy. Quirky, yet tasteful décor with an overall earth toned and pastel colour palette. Pretty and functional furniture, lot of pillows and soft blankets. Sweet and floral scents, calm, cultured and cozy vibes.

Residence characteristics: studio apartment in the city, 1.5 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, balcony. Lily’s flat is located in a fast-paced, busy and a little unpleasant part of the city, but it is near her workplace and has easy access to several public transport options. Her balcony is facing the inner yard of the building, which she managed to bloom up with conscious effort for years against all odds and resistance of obnoxious landlords. She is friendly towards all of her neighbours - even that weird loner guy in that dark basement apartment, who somehow always have the perfect anti-bug compounds at hand and seems to be very fond of Lily only. She has shared the flat with her sister until Petunia moved in with her fiancé, Vernon. Her bedroom was transformed into a study room. Lily has a soft spot for vintage furniture and interiors, but in certain areas she values function over style. She keeps her apartment tidy and organized. She is the most successful plant mom, who dreams about having her own garden.

Peter

Interior design style: Contemporary

Style rationale: Beige and gray color palette, designed to be average enough to appeal to the widest possible range of people. The go-to style of every home stager or AirBnB property owner. Clean, basic, convenient, a little boring even. Interior design lacks personality, the selection of the decor elements is usually driven by fitting the general aesthetic and looking luxurious and not by personal preference. Bland and plain vibes. Looks functional and comfortable and can easily hide structural or other problems with the apartment with clever selection and placement of often built-in furniture that the new owner won’t notice the issues until it’s too late.

Residence characteristics: newly built apartment, 1 bedroom with large walk-in wardrobe, 1 bathroom, dedicated underground parking space. Peter made a great deal with his apartment: he could buy the flat at the best and most early bird discount price after he was informed about the planned real estate construction project by overhearing a conversation regarding the status of obtaining the necessary building permits. He paid in advance the full amount determined in the planning phase of the project, and by the time the construction was finished, the apartment has tripled in value due to inflation rates skyrocketing. He moved into the turnkey property and hasn’t changed a thing ever since. The only pop of colour and testament of his real personality is his walk-in wardrobe and collection of quirky ties.

Snape

Interior design style: (Dark) Minimalist, partly gothic

Style rationale: dark, organized, focused. Basic shapes and textures, simple materials, little to no decoration to ensure lack of stimulation and distractions. Less is more attitude. Can be frustrating to others, but held in high regards by likeminded people. Monochrome, desaturated, mostly black colour palette. Unpleasant, unsettling, overwhelming, bleak, well-structured and functional.  Unparalleled practicality. A vibrant colour or boho item would look very out of place, and would eventually lose its brightness and liveliness because the minimalist environment will slowly oppress it with its own defining features. Unwelcoming, not interested in others (and a little depressing) vibe.

Residence characteristics: small 1 bedroom basement apartment, 1 bathroom, exclusive access to cellar area of the building. Snape is overly organized, values function over design. He finds the brutal simplicity of his interior soothing and calming, and prefers practicality over flashiness. He is comfortable in his gloomy flat, which is tailored to his needs only. No guests are expected ever. He utilizes the full cellar area of the building for his own purposes, (probably) rent free. No one knows exactly what he does there, but as he has a repelling enough aura around him, they rather don't bother him. He hates all his neighbours with burning passion, except that nice redhaired girl adamantly trying to make a pretty indoor garden in the building's yard. The only actual colour and decoration in his apartment is a peace lily in a bright green pot, that was gifted to him by Lily. He secretly likes the magnitude of gothic buildings and started to admire their aesthetic value as he spends a large amount of time in a gothic environment (dark academia vibes!) for his day job.

Regulus

Interior design style: Art Deco

Style rationale: expensive, luxurious, fancy. A more modern and trendier take on the traditional, 18th- and 19th-century European interior design style of Grimmauld Place.

Residence characteristics: large apartment in The City, 2 bedrooms, 4 other purpose rooms, 3 bathrooms, balcony. Regulus got the flat as a graduation present from his parents, neither the location or the interior design was his choice, but was happy to move there (the assumptions regarding his style preferences were spot on). However, he spends more time at his family home than his own, as he likes the company of their family's butler, Kreatcher too much.

Some links: more thoughts about Sirius and Remus' interior preference; lineart and coloured art of Sirius in his flat.

Bonus: basic floorplan of Sirius' flat I made in Paint. It's probably not scaled right, and I'm not sure if it's plausible in an architectural point of view, but I imagine it to be something like this:

If any of you is an actual architect or is more skilled in 3D rendition, I'd be forever grateful if you could pick up my design!😘

[fatehbaz]

Yes, it is critical to acknowledge the centrality of Britain to the world economy in order to understand how Chinese and Indian tea fitted into it. [...] Asian tea relied on forms of employment [...] such as independent family farms in China and indentured ‘coolies’ in India. [...] It would be very difficult to explain how and why Asian tea became driven by the modern dynamics of accumulation then, unless we connect China and India to the broader global division of labor, centered on the most cutting-edge industrial sectors in the north Atlantic. [...] But I also wish to reframe the idea of British capital as “protagonist,” because when we think about capital, agency is a weird thing. [...] Nothing about accumulation is inherently loyal to this or that region, though it has been concentrated in certain sites, such as nineteenth-century Britain or twentieth-century US, and it has been territorialized by nationalist institutions. Thus, although British firms drove the Asian tea trade at first, by the twentieth century Indian and Chinese nationalists alike protested British capital [...].

Most economic histories were focused on whether other countries could ever develop into nineteenth-century England. For labor historians, Mike Davis recently wrote, the “classical proletariat” was the working classes of the North Atlantic from 1838-1921. These modular assumptions jump out when you flip through the classics of Asian economic and labor history, almost always focused on some sort of textile industry (silk, cotton, jute) and in cities such as Shanghai, Osaka, Bombay, Calcutta. By contrast, I was really inspired by a field pioneered by South Asia scholars known as “global labor history” — especially the work of Jairus Banaji — which has been critical of the centrality of urban industry in economic history. Instead, these scholars reconsider labor in light of our current world of late capitalism, including transportation workers, agrarian families, servants, and unfree and coerced labor. These activities have enabled global capitalism to function smoothly for centuries but were overlooked because they did not share the spectacular novelty of the steam-powered factories of urban Europe, US, and Japan.

As far as how tea production worked: in simple terms, Chinese tea was a segmented trade and Indian tea was centralized in plantations known as ‘tea gardens.’ The Chinese trade relied on independent family farms, workshops in market towns, and porters ferrying tea to the coastal ports: Guangzhou (Canton) then later Fuzhou and Shanghai. By contrast, British officials and planters built Indian tea from scratch in Assam, which had not been nearly as commercialized as coastal China or Bengal. They first tried to replicate the ‘natural’ Chinese model of local agriculture and trade, but frustrated British planters ultimately decided to undertake all of the tasks themselves, from clearing the land to packaging the finished leaves. [...] Indian tea was championed as futuristic and mechanized. [...]

In India [...] the tea industry’s penal labor contract became one of the original cause célèbres of the nationalist movement in the 1880s. The plantations later became a site for strikes and hartals, the most famous occurring in the Chargola Valley in 1921. But even though tea workers chanted, “Gandhi Maharaj ki jai” at the time, Gandhi himself had allegedly visited Assam and declined to see the workers, meeting instead with British planters to assure them they were safe. While Indian nationalists had politicized indenture in Assam tea, their main complaint was the racialized split between British capital and Indian labor. Their remedy was not to liquidate the tea gardens but to diversify ownership over them. The cause of labor was subordinated to the nationalist struggle.

---

Words of Andrew B. Liu. As interviewed by Mark Frazier. Transcript published as “Andrew B. Liu - Tea War: A History of Capitalism in China and India.” Published online by India China Institute. 23 March 2020. [Some paragraph breaks and contractions added by me.]

[cosmicanger]

The Legend of Lotus Spring was the only game produced by Women Wise, a company dedicated to making games by and for women. It started as a project by a group of 3D artists who wanted to recreate the old Chinese imperial gardens, Yuan Ming Yuan, and in an effort to get more funding for their elaborate, labor-intensive project, they turned it into a game.

It’s a game that runs counter to what was happening in the industry when it was released in 2000 – a slow, romantic game with no puzzles, marketed for women. It’s a heartaching journey through love, loss, and remembrance.

The detail is exquisite. The game is charged with melancholy. And how it came together is an unlikely story about trying to make a new space in gaming.

The Legend of Lotus Spring (read on The Obscuritory):

The world can feel empty and at times devoid of purpose, fitting the fact that it was adapted from a model of the gardens which was lavishly created without a narrative or function in mind, but the scenes you walk through in The Legend of Lotus Spring are beautiful in their ordinariness. When you step aboard the vacant Marble Boat and find a dim sum picnic box, you can unpack it one layer at a time, clicking on each basket of tea cakes and dumplings. In another house, you light a stick of incense and watch it silently burn, or you can water a plant. The game is a series of these intimate moments with objects from an old life.

The focus of the Lotus Spring isn’t mastery, discovery, or victory. It’s a meditation on the fragility of life.

“Although there is pain in saying goodbye,” the narrator says, “there is acceptance and joy as well.” Coming to terms with his loss, the emperor writes one final epigram in his dream book: “The life in which we part forever is not for grieving.”

[macaron-alice]

Hiemelda and spring

As Hima has been living on Earth for two years now, from time to time she misses her home planet Zenith, and returns there to visit her family. So now, on one of the cold February days, looking at the snowstorm outside the window, Hima’s thoughts left the Earth far away, and Hima herself followed them. She really wanted a warm late spring, when the sun shines brightly, everything around comes to life and blossoms, but there is still coolness and freshness in the air, yet spring is not a hot summer, so this time of year inspires Hima very much. In the place where Hima's family lives, it is always winter (it is a bit different from winter on the Earth because inhabitants of Zenith have long learned to control the weather so there is never a snowstorm on Zenith).

[The Lavenderwine family are caretakers of one of the largest conservation gardens on the planet. The garden is covered with a huge dome and has sections. There are optimal temperatures in every section maintained for the animals and plants living in it.] There are some sections where seasons changes like on Earth, and there are those inside of which is eternal spring. So when some flowers bloomed, others immediately began to bloom. Hiemelda decided have some rest in this section.

Hima loves to collect flowers, but she does not pick them, but creates exact copies of them using her magic. Such copies retain all the properties of a flower - color, structure and smell; such a flower will never wither. Hima also likes to take beautiful photos of the park and drink wine. The Lavenderwine family not only ensures the functioning of the garden under the dome, but also produces lavender wine on an industrial scale. A separate section is allocated for lavender fields. Hima also likes walk there. The adult members of the family like to drink lavender wine. Hima has a small bottle of lavender wine with her, Hima also carries a set of tea cups and saucers and drinks wine from them like tea. Her brothers and sisters can join this “tea party”. Hima's bottle is magically connected to the wine storage, so that whenever it is empty, it is refilled. The people of Zenith, by the way, are not as susceptible to alcohol as regular people, so Hima’s condition will not change even if she drinks a lot of wine. And of course Hima eats sweets with wine. Surprisingly, Hima discovered her favorite sweet on Earth - French macaron. Now she has mastered their recipe perfectly and distributes macaron to everyone around her. Also thanks to Hima, almonds are now grown on Zenith, which is necessary to create almond flour - the main ingredient in macaron.

[girlreviews]

Review #184: She’s So Unusual, Cyndi Lauper

You’re receiving a fair warning right at the outset: there are going to be no less than two references to The Simpsons in this review – possibly more -- and I’m not even a little bit sorry about it.

I think that Cyndi Lauper is one of the very first female artists I ever knew the name of and recognized, and knew her record from start to finish. I don’t think it was this one. I believe it was a compilation CD called Twelve Deadly Cyns… And Then Some, that had a really striking image of her with bright yellow hair and a bright red hat. It had all of the major hits from this album, and the next few, as well as the most interesting remix of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun that was done by the guys from Redbone, and was very much my first introduction to the bassline from Come And Get Your Love. That shit worked.

Anyway, I wish that every three-year-old girl got to hear Cyndi Lauper like this because she’s fucking iconic. Powerhouse voice. Uninhibited. Artist. Creative genius. A girl’s girl and a woman’s woman. I’d love to get drunk with her and play a round of cards. I bet she’s been treated like a child while navigating this industry. I just feel it in my bones and guts. Because of the earnest, girlish, sincere, whimsical music she’s making, as well as her unapologetic cute and girly aesthetic and small frame. But she’s always demanded to be taken seriously. She’s the inspiration I’ve carried around as an experienced professional in my field: I can have a bubble tea pencil case with a smiley face on it, and cute stationary, and a notepad with a bird on it, and a cute haircut and fun outfits. It doesn’t mean I’m childish, or any less good at my job, and I will rip you a new asshole if you fucking cross me or any of my employees, cool? Do not be fooled by the enamel pins on my jacket. I could stab you with them if I wanted. I just don’t, that’s all.

My notes: Money Changes Everything, which it does, has a harmonica solo in it, and I think we all need to take a moment and bow down to the boldness of that. How many harmonica solos do we hear outside something like Bob Dylan? It’s pretty few and far between and it’s really fucking great in this song. Every single track on this album is deep, fun, and interesting. And some of them have harmonica solos! When I was a doofy little teen, I used to have a necklace with a tiny harmonica on it. It was ugly as could be, but it was pretty cool. I recently started looking into whether there were any cute, adult versions of it. There are. And I am once again inspired by Saint Cyndi to be cute, functional, and badass.

I’m going to save Girls Just Wanna Have Fun for last because I have so much to say about it. So next up will be Time After Time, which to be honest is every bit as iconic. Genuinely. It’s absolutely beautiful. Stunning. Moving. How does one write a song so incredibly poignant and dedicated to someone? Can anybody listen to this synth ballad and not just feel their heart plunge into it? Maybe they can. Maybe they’re a monster. Not a Simpsons reference, but to illustrate my point: even April Ludgate, known to be cold-hearted and dead inside, can’t resist the pull of this song.

She Bop is one of my favorites. I think I loved it when I was really tiny. It makes sense that I would have. I loved nonsense. I still love nonsense. It’s a lot of nonsense (Oop, she bop, she bop, she bop, he bop, we bop, I bop, you bop, they bop, be bop, a lu bop), but it’s positioned over some very serious-sounding synths and electric drums. That’s my exact shit and always has been. There’s a good chance Cyndi Lauper and this song are largely responsible for my entire persona, in hindsight. That’s fine with me. I think this song is about bad boys and having crushes on them (hey, hey they say I better get a chaperone, because I can’t stop messin’ with the danger zone). Cyndi Lauper has always been completely about her uninhibited noises. Woops, and breaths, and squeaks, and squawks. They’re amazing, and they add absolutely everything to the experience. Simpsons reference #1 coming up here. They made it the butt of the joke, but I loved it. Cyndi Laupi (yes, Laupi), singing the National Anthem at a baseball game, with all that breathy, squeaky, baritone nonsense. Absolutely fucking hilarious. Also the way in which I mostly learned the words to the National Anthem (you try knowing it when you grew up in Europe? I do not accept your judgment, and frankly I’m still pretty shaky on the words and I don’t care).

Every track on this album slaps, and you should listen to it, but it is one of those where you kind of have to focus on the singles/iconic tracks because they are iconic for a reason. So here we go. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. I want to say that this song is so happy and upbeat and means everything to every girl and woman that knows it, which, is like, all of them, ever, and if it isn’t, it should be. However. There’s also a sad undertone to it, or at least I have always felt one. It’s always just tugged at my heart a little bit. I actually have no idea whether that’s just me or whether that’s a universal experience. It’s like a gentle feminist wish. She’s singing about oppressive experiences — from parents, from partners, from society:

“Oh Mama dear, we’re not the fortunate ones”

“Oh Daddy dear, you know you’re still number one”

“Some boys take a beautiful girl, and hide her away from the rest of the world”

It genuinely hurts my feelings. I’m not sure a song has ever so captured the simplicity of experience. Just trying to exist. Just trying to walk in the sun. Just trying to go home and chill after work, and for some reason, it’s just hard to do. But, in singing it, she’s fulfilling the wish, because she’s having fucking fun. It’s fun. I don’t know man, that’s really cool. I love this song. But it’s way deeper than I imagine a lot of people have ever given her credit for. I imagine to a lot of people, it’s just a silly little party song. But it’s not. And if you want to fight with me about that, I’ll get my cute enamel pins ready. Here’s Homer Simpson singing it, which I have always found extremely endearing. Do you think it’s lost on him? Probably. That’s sort of what’s endearing about it.