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illfoandillfie · 4 years ago

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Kinktober Day 3: Bukkake

Kinktober Masterlist | Regular Masterlist

Pairing: Primarily Ben Hardy x Fem!Reader and Lucy Boynton x Fem!Reader + also Lucy Boynton x Rami Malek + Gwilym Lee + Joe Mazzello

Words: 4,881

Warnings: bukkake (obviously), oral sex (f receiving), 69ing, cumplay, vibrators, some overstimulation, degredation (being called a slut).

A/N: This is something of a sequel to The Dinner Party. As soon as I saw bukkake was an option for day 3 I knew I had to do something with the borhap boys and then I’m too much of a whore to leave out Lucy so here we are lmao.

The day after the dinner party was a mostly quiet one. Ben treated you to a massage which was very appreciated, and then spent the rest of the day showering you in affection, ignoring your protests that you should be thanking him since he’d helped you live one of your biggest fantasies. You spent a long while talking about it too, going over everything in more detail now that you were in a better headspace to think properly. You talked through the emotions the scene had brought up and how close it came to what you’d been imagining. Ben confided which parts he’d liked most and which parts had made him worried and how he’d come close to safe wording once, when Joe had been spanking you. But for the most part he’d enjoyed it as much as you had and you agreed that neither of you would be opposed to something similar happening again. Although you also agreed that if it was a one-off event that would be okay too.  

Everyone remained in London for some weeks though it was hard to organise a group hang out again. You did meet up with everyone individually – Rami and Lucy joined you when Ben bought tickets to the ballet, you met Joe for dinner and drinks, and played a round of golf with Gwil – but it was difficult to find a time you were all free again. And not for lack of trying. It just seemed as if half of you were always busy at any one time. Lucy kept pushing though, eager to see everyone again, and eventually the planets aligned. A meeting fell through here, a lunch was rescheduled there, and all of a sudden everyone was free. There was some back and forth in the group chat about where to meet but eventually it was decided that your place would serve best again. It felt as if everyone was being careful not to reference the last time they’d all come over. It had felt like that every time you’d seen any of them. The most anyone had said was that dinner had been nice and it was good to catch up. But neither you nor Ben were keen to be the ones that brought it up either. For one thing you didn’t want to seem as if you were fishing for compliments, but there was also the uncertainty about far they’d read into such a comment. But even with the slight awkwardness, neither of you had any complaints about hosting everyone again.  

There was a lot less to prepare this time around, just a small afternoon tea rather than a full dinner. Ben did a run to the store to pick up a few necessities like milk and bread and a bag of apples so you could whip up a simple teacake. You had a quick tidy-up but didn’t need to go to the same amount of effort you’d required to set up for the dinner party. You didn’t have to worry about moving the furniture around, or dressing provocatively, or digging out sex toys, or anything like that. And when everyone arrived you sat around the living room on whichever chairs were available with mugs of tea or coffee, chatting casually, and snacking on sandwiches and cake. Some wine and bottles of beer got opened but that was as raucous as the afternoon seemed likely to get. At least, until an hour or so in when there was a lull in the conversation.  

For a moment all the talk seemed to stop. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. The silence was perfectly tolerable if a little odd considering how many of you there were. You were just about to ask Gwil how the project he was working on was going when Lucy spoke up.  “So that dinner party was fun.” She said, her eyes flicking from you to Ben and back again.  There was a chorus of agreement from everyone else and you giggled, knowing they were all thinking about what it had felt like to fuck you. Ben slowly lowered his beer bottle without it having reached his lips fully and your heartbeat sped up, wondering if they’d have more to say.  “I just have one small regret about the night,”  “Oh?” You felt as if every cell in your body had frozen in anticipation, wondering what Lucy might have regrets about. Had she disliked something that had happened?  “Well,” Lucy took a sip of her wine as if to fortify herself a little, “I wish we’d made out more. We could have made a show of it for the boys.”  Your body had started to work again but at twice the speed, your stomach somersaulting at the suggestion. You tried to keep your voice level, “Y-yeah, that, um, that probably would have been fun.”  Ben’s head had whipped around to look at you and in your peripheral vision you saw Gwil and Rami exchange looks. The same thought was on everybody’s mind but they were waiting for you. Slowly you turned to look at Ben too, already able to see the excitement in his eyes, “What do you say Benny? You okay to watch Me and Luce?”  “Uh,” he cleared his throat and nodded, “Yeah I’d like that a lot.”  “Rami?” you asked, sure he’d already have talked it through with Lucy but wanting to give him a chance to voice any discomfort, “Do you mind if I kiss your girlfriend?”  He chuckled softly, “No, I don’t mind at all.”  “Okay,” you glanced again at Lucy who had eagerly watched the whole exchange, and then back to Ben who nodded at you and took charge of the situation.   “Right. Lads, help me move the furniture a bit so the girls have some room. Babe, go and get a couple of blankets or sheets or something so that we don’t end up with spunk in the carpet.”  You hopped up and hurried to the bedroom as everyone else began rearranging the furniture. Lucy followed you and, to your surprise, so did Ben. He grabbed the pillows from your bed, pulling their covers off so they could be replaced with fresh ones as you dug through the cupboard for some clean sheets.  “Right, what did you ladies have in mind?” he asked softly as you all busied yourselves.  “Well, I guess, maybe me and Lucy will make out-”  “More,” Lucy cut in, “Not just making out, I want to fuck you.”  You gulped, “Okay. Me and Lucy will fuck and you guys can all watch and jack off over us. How does that sound?”  Lucy nodded enthusiastically, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”  Ben’s eyes flicked between you but he nodded, “That's what I assumed. Just to be clear though, nothing else?” “What did you have in mind?” Lucy asked slyly, “I’d be up for blowing you guys too if you wanted.” Ben laughed, though his cheeks flushed pink, “I wasn’t suggesting anything. In fact, I was going to say it’s probably safer if we put a no touch rule in place. I mean if you want things to be more like last time, obviously I’d be into that and I know Y/N would be too.” You nodded agreement. “But this is very spur of the moment, and a lot of planning went into last time. I’d at least want to talk to Rami about offering any, well,” “Any of our holes?” You suggested, making Ben flush more. “Yes, that.” He said with a small laugh, “It’s probably better if it’s a look but don’t touch situation. Unless you had other ideas.” “No, that makes sense,” Lucy said, “I did talk with Rami about it already but the idea of me being shared around wasn’t brought up, it was just about everyone watching me and Y/N.” “Then I think it’s for the best if we stick with that.” “Yeah, whatever you guys are most comfortable with,” Lucy said, “As long as I still get to play with Y/N’s cunt.” Ben smiled at having such a statement addressed to him, but he could see your excitement at the idea and was happy to agree on your behalf.   “Right well, I’m going to go make sure Rami knows whats going on. Why don’t you two go and get these sheets spread out, make it comfy for yourselves, and then I’ll go over the rules so everyone hears them and we can get started.”  You pulled Ben into a quick kiss, “Thanks babe. Love you.”  “Go on, go set up.” He laughed, handing Lucy the newly covered pillows, “Who knew we had two sluts in the group.”

By the time you returned to the main room it looked quite different. The coffee table had been shifted aside, butting up against a wall out of the way. The couch, arm chair and a few spare seats from around the dining table had been rearranged too, creating something of a circle. Ben pulled Rami aside and you were momentarily distracted watching them chat, until Lucy threw a pillow at your head to get your attention. Laughing again, a little giddy with excitement, you helped her spread out the sheets, laying the pillows in the centre. She observed what you’d created with her hands on her hips.  “There, that should do. How you feel about toys? Got a double ended dildo we could use?”  “Ummm, nothing like that. Theres a regular dildo though and a vibrator. Plus y’know, cuffs and paddles and that.”  Lucy shook her head, “What about that one with the remote we used on you last time?”  “Yeah, I’ve still got that. What are you thinking?”  “I’m thinking the boys could control it. And maybe grab the other vibe too?”  You agreed and hurried back to the bedroom as Ben gathered everyone’s attention to explain the rules of the evening.   “So Lucy and Y/N have graciously offered to be tonight's entertainment but there’s to be no touching involved. You are allowed to talk to them, give them suggestions, make comments about them, call them derogatory names – the same sort of thing as last time. And, of course, you’re encouraged to enjoy yourselves fully and have a cheeky wank while watching them. As long as you keep your hands to yourself. Um, what else,” Ben paused as he watched you re-join Lucy in the middle of the circle, “There is lube, if you’d like to use it. And if you are going to cum, try to aim for the girls or at least the sheets and not our furniture or carpet. Of course you can also-”  You stopped listening as Lucy tugged you down to the floor, situating herself above you so she was straddling your waist. She grabbed your wrists as you reached out to touch her, pushing them over your head and pinning them against the floor as she leaned down to kiss you.  You couldn’t help but arch into her, Ben’s voice calling you a slut still ringing in your ears, as you tried to deepen the kiss. 

Ben had long stopped talking, all four of the guys completely focused on you and Lucy. You were vaguely aware of the sounds of them getting comfortable as Lucy let your wrists go. She sat up straighter and drew her dress over her head, revealing the matching bra and panties she wore.   “Came prepared?” you asked which just made her laugh. “Now you,” she said, shuffling back so she could strip you too. You hadn’t put in as much effort with your underwear, not having expected to show it off for anyone other than Ben, but someone still let out a long low whistle of appreciation. Lucy giggled as she resettled herself on your hips and leaned down to kiss you again, distracting you as her hand reached for the vibrator.  You jolted as she pressed it against your clothed clit, holding it there until you let out a soft hum of pleasure. And then, just as soon as it had started it stopped. Lucy sat up again and looked around at the entranced men, all of whom seemed to be a little dazed.  “Well c’mon boys. We wanna see your cocks.”  There was a sharp intake of breath and then you heard zips lowering as each of them complied with Lucy’s request.   She just grinned at you. 

You had enough time to glance around and see Ben in one chair, slowly stroking his semi-hard dick, before Lucy surprised you with the vibrator again. She held it against you, turning up the speed of the vibrations and using the tip to draw circles over your clit as you squirmed underneath her. Rocking forward Lucy let out her own soft hum of pleasure as she rubbed herself against the vibrator too. From somewhere above you came a soft groan from one of the boys, though it was hard to tell who exactly when Lucy was once again adjusting the speed of the toy. She turned it up a notch, the buzzing getting louder as the speed increased, and held it firmly in place. Her other hand rested against your thigh so her back was arched slightly as she rocked against the toy, both of you keening and moaning softly as it drew you towards the edge. You came first, mouth falling open as you shuddered with the orgasm, but Lucy kept the vibrator in place until she’d reached her peak too. She didn’t take much longer than you did but it was long enough to have you whining as the pleasure teetered on the edge of pain. You felt nearly breathless as she shut it off and put it aside.

Looking up at your captive audience, Lucy asked, “What would you fellers like to see me do to the slut next?” It was quiet for a bit. You waited, still trying to catch your breath, to see if anyone would comment on your fate. After a moment Joe spoke up, “I think you shouldn’t throw stones in glass houses Luce. You’re as much of a slut as Y/N.” Lucy laughed, “Fair point. So then what would you like to watch two sluts do?” Joe didn’t even pause, “I think you should 69.” “That does sound fun,” Lucy said, already reaching for your knickers, “Someone unclasp my bra for me?” You let her work your underpants down your legs, watching as Joe happily stood up to help Lucy with her bra. She shucked it off and stood to remove her panties which gave you time to rid yourself of your own bra, leaving you both naked. The next thing you knew as you settled back against the pillow, was Lucy lowering herself over your lips and the salty sweet tang on your tongue as you licked along her wet slit. She hummed in response, and rocked against you, cooing about how good you were and how you were going to make her cum again, encouraging you to delve deeper and taste more of her. “I said 69 Luce,” Came Joe’s voice and then she lowered her head to your pussy too, her breath warm as she lightly licked along your lips.

Knowing that there were so many eyes on you was definitely a turn on, especially when you could hear the boys. They made comments about you and Lucy, calling you good sluts for keeping them entertained, grunting about how hot it was to watch as they stroked themselves. And then there was the sound of their strokes too, hands on skin, occasionally assisted by the wet of lube or spit. You could hear their hisses and hitched breaths mixed in with Lucy’s own sounds as she spread your lips with her fingers and lapped up your juices. The only problem was that Lucy’s ministrations were too light. Her tongue and lips felt nice as she traced them along your slit and flicked against your clit, but you wished she’d be a little firmer or faster. To compensate, or maybe in an attempt to demonstrate what you wanted, you sucked harder, pressed your tongue more firmly to her cunt. Which just made her climax sooner. She moaned when she hit her release, still bent over you but breaking contact so you were left wishing she’d just keep going. She rode out her orgasm on your face and then sighed with satisfaction as she crawled off you. “Lucy,” you pouted, wiping your mouth, “I didn’t finish.” She clicked her tongue and mockingly pouted back as she knelt between your legs, “Boo hoo.” Her fingers lightly traced along your lower stomach, making you shiver, “You already came once, isn’t that enough.” “I’d prefer more.” She let her hand trail lower, down to your clit, “Hmm, my mistake.” And then all of a sudden she was pressing two of her fingers into you, making you gasp. With her free hand she spread your lips open, offering the others a clear view of her fingers disappearing into your hole, all the while teasing you for being so wet and so desperate for more. You moaned as she adjusted her pace, speeding up, fucking you hard and fast with her two digits, but it wasn’t enough to get you close to orgasm. “Please,” you whined after a little while, but Lucy only laughed, continuing to finger you in the same way for a few more strokes before suddenly pulling out.

Before you could so much as open your mouth to swear, Lucy was pushing something new into you. Your voice cracked with your moan as she turned the egg on, the vibrations hitting all the spots Lucy hadn’t hit before. You were aware of Lucy kneeling over you as you writhed on the floor, unable to escape the constant stimulation. But, as you drew closer to the edge, it became harder and harder to take in what was happening around you. You were vaguely aware of one of the boys groaning but otherwise you were completely oblivious to the rest of the group, entirely consumed by your cunt and the release you’d so craved washing over you. Even when Gwil stood up aimed his cock at you, rapidly jerking himself until his semen painted your stomach, you barely had any clue it was happening. No one had stopped the egg, no one had slowed it. You gasped Lucy’s name, trying to tell her it was becoming too much but she didn’t answer. It wasn’t her fault though. You were too distracted to notice that Joe had gripped Lucy’s hair and pulled her around to face him. As you clutched at the sheets and wailed to god, Joe was groaning through his own orgasm, one hand holding Lucy in place so that not a drop missed her face. You only became aware that Lucy no longer had the controls when Ben shoved her down and told her to suck on your tits. Whoever had taken the controller from her, or picked it up when she dropped it, was kind enough to slow the vibrations to a less consistent pattern but they didn’t turn it off. Instead you experienced brief moments of piece between the harsh seconds of high intensity vibrations. And on top of that your nipple was enveloped by the warm wet of Lucy’s mouth. Joe’s cum spread from her cheeks and lips to your skin as she mouthed and kissed at every inch of your breasts. It must have made for a nice show because before long Ben was splattering his seed over Lucy’s back as Rami sprayed cum over your neck and into your mouth as you opened it to scream through another orgasm.

When the egg did stop, you were panting for air. Lucy was on her knees again, facing away from you and giggling as she drew her fingers across her cheek and licked them clean, clearly putting on a show for the boys. “You guys really must like seeing us be so slutty,” she laughed and you saw Ben and Gwil nod in unison. Gwil was already hard again, slowly stroking himself once more though Ben clearly needed some more time to recover. Sitting up, you glanced around and saw Rami watching you as Joe examined the controls of the egg. An idea had already formed as to how to get some revenge upon Lucy and so you held your finger to your lips before either Rami or Joe could give you away. Joe winked and Rami broke into a smile as you reached out for the discarded vibrator and quietly shuffled towards Lucy, her back still marked with Ben’s cum. Of course, both Ben and Gwil spotted you creeping up but they held their silence, Gwil telling Lucy to open her legs a little wider as if it would help get him off again. She obliged, her focus entirely on his weeping cock as she absentmindedly touched her pussy. “I know I’m not allowed to touch you,” Gwil said, “but I think it would be alright if you helped me out, don’t you?” “I suppose that would be okay,” Lucy said, hesitating for half a second before drawing her wet hand away from herself and reaching up to grasp Gwil’s cock. It gave you the perfect opportunity to close the distance between you and to press the tip of the vibrator against her hole,quickly pushing it in as you turned it on. It didn’t come up against much resistance, wet as she was. “What the f-oh!” She gasped as you thrust the buzzing toy in and out of her, adjusting the angle until her legs tensed and she moaned. And then you held it there as she dropped her hand and tried to bat you away. You tutted in her ear and told her you were just repaying her for what she’d done to you, beginning to properly fuck her with the toy, keeping it angled to hit whatever spot you’d located that she clearly enjoyed. The sight of you pumping the vibrator into Lucy’s pussy as you reached around to palm at her breasts obviously worked for Ben, his cock getting stiffer before your eyes. You heard Joe and Rami move towards you as well, though you couldn’t see how eagerly they watched as Lucy cried out and came. You felt very pleased with yourself for about a second before the egg jolted to life inside you again and you matched Lucy’s cry with your own, your hand slipping from the end of the vibrator. It stayed inside Lucy for a little longer, her cunt clenching so hard that it kept the toy in place, but before long it had slipped from her, still buzzing where it lay on the sheets. Joe still held the controls for the egg and adjusted them constantly, making the egg buzz higher and lower and stop and start so that you were barely feeling it beyond brief bursts of pain tinged pleasure. “Fuck that was hot,” Gwil grunted, his thumb spreading precum over his tip and down his length, “Both of you sluts looks at me.” You dragged your eyes up to his cock, watching how his fist sped up as he got closer and closer and then finally came again, making sure to hit you and Lucy’s chests.

There was a cheer as you felt yourself be manhandled into facing Lucy. She winked at you and bent forward to lick the cum from your tits, keeping it on her tongue so that when she kissed you, you could taste it. It mingled with her saliva and yours, streaked over your lips as Lucy deepened the kiss, making sure her tongue met yours so she could share every drop. What sperm had newly been spread over Lucy’s chest soon smeared across yours as she pulled your in close, your nipples brushing as you got drunk on her kiss. You were still feeling buzzes from the egg inside you though you doubted Joe still had the controller since the pattern was no longer as random. However, Lucy had no toy shoved inside her cunt to keep her on edge. Instead she manoeuvred so that her pussy pressed against your thigh, leaving a wet trail where she dragged it over your skin. You automatically lay a hand on Lucy’s back to hold you steady, inadvertently spreading the cum that had been left over her. That did it for Ben who grunted as he dripped more cum over you and Lucy as you made out. “Go on Luce, pin the whore and grind your cunts together.” Rami suggested, clearly enjoying seeing his girlfriend on top of someone else. She didn’t need to be asked twice, gladly pressing you to the sheet again and climbing on top. All you could do was whine at the inconsistent vibrations within you, looking up as Lucy pressed her pussy against yours, their slick mixing as she gyrated her hips. And then you felt it. Lucy had reached for the still on vibrator that had fallen from her. She pressed it between you and at the same moment, whoever now held the controller for the egg vibrator turned it up so that you felt the buzzing from inside and out. You screamed at the combination of sensations, pinned under Lucy and unable to escape. Lucy was moaning too, getting off on you. And you felt a sticky kind of wetness as Rami’s orgasm landed on your mound. Lucy used her fingers to spread it across her pussy and then continued to grind against you, the white of his release adding to the creamy wetness that already existed from both your cunts. You were the next to cum, unable to hold off as the egg got louder and faster. And then Joe who didn’t seem too fussed about aiming for either of you. His cum spilt onto the sheets around you but neither of you noticed. You were too busy whining as you once again became overstimulated and Lucy was entirely distracted by her quest for a final orgasm. By the time she reached it you were nearly crying, but thankfully she shook with her well earned climax and then slipped from you to lay on the floor.

Ben had already zipped himself away and was quick to catch the vibrator and turn it off as whoever had the controls mercifully switched yours off as well. You hissed when you tried to move, the egg still rubbing the sensitive spot but Ben hushed you and gently removed it from your pulsing pussy. “Joe, Gwil. D’you guys want to get everyone some water?” He asked, though it wasn’t really a question. They agreed and you heard their footsteps disappear through the doorway. Once they’d gone, Rami helped Lucy up as Ben helped you, leaning in to kiss your forehead softly. “Are you both okay?” Rami asked, concern written in his features. Lucy said yes as you nodded and, satisfied, they assisted you towards the bathroom, letting you each lean against them as you walked slowly. Ben tried to insist on helping you clean up but you told him it was fine and shut the door so that you and Lucy could run some warm water and clear away the evidence of your debauchery. Lucy laughed, seeming less worn by the second, as you scrubbed her back clean with a flannel, “That was a lot of fun.” “Yeah it was. Really glad you suggested it.” “Good. I was a little worried you wouldn't go for it after last time.” “Are you kidding? Me and Ben were both kind of wondering if anyone would want to do something like that again. But we didn’t want to just ask for it in case it seemed like that was the only reason we’d want to hang out.” “Think it’s safe to say everyone would be on board if you ever suggested a dinner party again.” You laughed too, “Yeah, I think you’re right.

Rami knocked on the door as you were washing yourselves so he could return your clothes to you and by the time you were both redressed the living room was almost back to normal. The chairs were still rearranged but no one seemed too bothered by it. When the boys realised you and Lucy were coming back, a round of applause broke out. You laughed, a little embarrassed, but gave a bow as if you were completing a performance, Lucy joining in beside you. She made her way to the couch where Rami sat, curling up and laying her head in his lap as she finally relaxed. You found Ben, sure you weren’t going to have the same emotional reaction you’d had to the events of the dinner party but wanting to be near him just in case. He was in an arm chair so you climbed onto his lap, resting your head on his chest as he wrapped his arm around you. You felt tired and a little sore but very very satisfied and your heart was nearly bursting with how lucky you were to know such a wonderful group of people. Ben’s hand was warm and heavy where it rested on your side but you didn’t mind. It was comforting. As was the gentle rumble of his chest as he spoke, laughing with Joe about something as if there hadn’t been an interruption

Taglist: @labessieisallama @deakyclicks @jennyggggrrr @drowseoftaylor @hannafuckingsucks @i-cant-hangout-im-drumming @queenmylovely @ilovequeenmorethanyou @johndeaconshands @borhapbois @stardust-galaxies @cherries-n-rocknroll @rogersslave @scorpiogemini

#my writing #my fics #lucy boynton x reader #ben hardy x reader #rami malek x reader #gwilym lee x reader #joe mazzello x reader #lucy boynton smut #ben hardy smut #rami malek smut #gwilym lee smut #joe mazzello smut

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kinglarrykoopadx · 4 years ago

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Top 10 games i wanted to get

This is a personal list of games I want to get but I just can’t. Ranging from “maybe someday” to “get as fast as possible”. I’m gonna input some rules to my list to make it more fair. First off, I’m counting the games from the 8th to 9th console generation only, cause I ain’t wasting my money to buy an old console for like, what, one game? Second, no mobile games, because most of the time, they’re free even in the pre registration state. Yeah, there are some paid games but they’re pretty scarce. Speaking of pre registration, third, no pre orders, so I don’t have to regret wasting my money when I eventually get the damn game. That being said, pre orders of ports of games from older console generations will definitely count, so long as I’ve already played them or were interested by them.

10. Bug Fables

Bug Fables and I have a love-hate-ish relationship. On one hand, I wanna get it to see what of the old Paper Marios that got the fans to crazy town. On the other hand, some TTYD related salt lingers in me like how well butter sticks on bread. On the other other hand, I’m cursed with somehow finding more interesting games. Maybe one day I’ll get it, but for now, I’ll give it a pass thank you very much. But hey, I did say I’m considering buying it. Which no, it doesn’t mean I wannna see any “pLaY bUg fAbLeS” comments around, how many times must I tell you lot that shoving a game up my ass is less advertising, more making me resent the damn thing?

9. Crash 4 : It’s About Time

I’mma be honest. After watching some Caddicarus and AntDude, I’m willing to give the marsupial a chance. I did play the mobile game and it was fun but it’s a mobile game so it didn’t count. I am considering getting Crash 4, but I’m on the verge of rethinking if this was a good idea. From what I heard, this is a short ass game, and I’m not selling my soul to the completion devil to extend my game time. Bug Fables and Crash 4 are honestly, interchangable as fuck.

8. Crash Bandicoot : N Sane Trilogy + CTR Nitro Fueled

For N Sane Trilogy, it’s so I can know the context of Crash 4′s story and play through it. For Nitro Fueled, I’m getting it for funsies, I mean for fuck’s sake they added in the crates as racers, the only weird thing that can combat it is Piranha Plant in Smash. But the microtransactions make me rethink it, so maybe someday.

7. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX

Now we’re getting to the games where I have some interest in getting. Here we have the remake of Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue from the GBA/DS which I adored dearly. I was a fan of the Mystery Dungeon series by watching people play them, and playing some myself. I’ve played Gates To Infinity and never finished it (The farthest I could go was in the Holehills), I played Super but also with Gates To Infinity I never finished it (I think last I checked I made it to Entei) and now, I’m kinda planning to get it. Why is it this low? Key word “kinda”. Overtime, my interests for this game kinda fizzled out because it was a case of Bug Fables. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to try it, problem is that in time, my interest sparked into other games, which we’ll see later on.

6. Yo Kai Watch 3

In case you never got the memo, I’m a huge, HUGE fan of Yo kai Watch. If it weren’t for this franchise, I’d probably be more interested in something like studying and see gaming as irrelevant. The 1st game was kinda weak sauce, the 2nd game is the best in the franchise, and I really wanted to get the 3rd game. From what I’ve seen, it looked fun as hell. Problem is, the stupid virus made it hard to salvage a copy and even then, it’s a really rare 3DS game since the number of copies Level 5 made for this game are scarce as hell. Shame really, it was content packed and everything, but whatever.

5. Bugsnax

Bugsnax for those who never knew, is a game about snacks that are also bugs. After watching a couple playthroughs, I was willing to give it a try. And that’s where problems rise. The problem with Bugsnax is that it’s a PS5/PC exclusive (at the time of writing this top 10) and I’m not buying a PS5 for one damn game, and I normally don’t use my PC for gaming. Maybe one day when Young Horses port this cute game to the Switch I’ll give it a try, but for now, I’ll wait.

4. Mario Golf Super Rush

I know I said no pre orders, but this one’s an exception. I’m actually real hyped for this one, for starters, it’s not tennis for once, fucking woo, and the story mode made it look like it’s a pretty promising game, since people liked the story mode in the GBA games. Yeah, the visuals look lifeless, but do I give a crap? I’m just relieved Nintendo still knows that Mario sports games don’t just consist of tennis. And who knows, maybe the stars may align and we can get a new Mario Strikers or Mario Baseball with Nintendo purchasing Next Level Games and this game coming soon.

3. Bowser’s Fury

This game was one of the most anticipated Mario games for the switch simply because it was the banner for the future of 3D Mario. And from what I’ve seen, it’s pretty good. I mean, for starters, you team up with Bowser Jr so this game is already eyecatching from the start. The game has you collecting the 50 Cat Shines to awaken the Giga Bells and stop Fury Bowser which is a solid premise. Fury Bowser being the main highlight of the game because he’s the game’s blood moon. When he’s out, be ready to be pummeled big time. With rock music playing in the background. It didn’t make it to the top 2 of the “most wanted” games, but it is hella close.

2. Hollow Knight

After seeing people play it and listening to some of its musical scores, I’m willing to give this game a big fat chance. Hollow Knight is some Metroidvania game involving a lone soul in search of the source of ruin of the kingdom of Hallownest which is a solid as hell premise. On the way, you’ll meet some kind NPCs and traverse unknown lands and the DLC added to this game made it more than worth it. Lifeblood which has patches and a new boss namely Hive Knight, Grimm Troupe which from what I’ve heard included the most fun boss in Hollow Knight, Hidden Dreams which included the White Defender and Grey Prince Zote, and Godmaster, which is the game’s True Arena. Needless to say, I’m definitely gonna buy this game when I have the chance.

1. Miitopia Switch

As a fan of the 3DS game, I was hyped as hell when Miitopia was ported over to Switch, and I had every right to be hyped. Those Twitter users don’t know what the hell they’re missing out on. The combat is amazing, the characters are on point, hell, the demo had a lot of replay value. And when you make a freaking demo replayable as hell, that’s a sign of a kickass game. This is the game that can take my $50 with no hesitation. Nintendo, take my money, I’ve got a quest in need of reimagining.

#miitopia #hollow knight #yo kai watch #bugsnax #mario #nintendo #bug fables #pokemon #crash bandicoot #young horses #fuck thousand year door #toys for bob #level 5 #team cherry

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jackadeney · 5 years ago

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My Urban Utopia

Introduction

Creating a city under regular constraints comes with its own unique challenges. Whether it be the terrain, population size or accessibility, a utopian design must always be shackled to reality through some form or another. These constraints grow and fluctuate alongside each other, intertwined by the systems that equally constrain us as humans. We must ask therefore, when is the best time to attempt the design of an urban utopia? I would argue, at a time like this.

The planet is being crippled by a deadly pandemic, yet already we can see that the world has been given a rebirth. Businesses and social integrations begin to timidly poke their heads from quarantine, and it has become clear that they will never function in the same way again. The global economy is weak and international cooperation is even weaker. Why then would this be a good time to build a city?

Firstly, our values have changed. News has been flooded with how clear the waters are looking in the seas across continents. People will return to the beaches finally able to wade into the water and observe the fish swimming between their toes. New satellite images have emerged of our planet earth that have never been clearer. Meteorologists can look at the skies with unbelievable clarity, and those living in our new-age mega-cities are giddy on the high oxygen levels in the air. We now understand how important it is for us to cooperate across streets, neighbourhoods, towns, cities, countries and internationally. The World Health Organisation moves around the world like a guardian angel, whilst governments send and receive care packages, never surrendering the fight against a protectionist strategy. Most importantly of all however, a quality that stands well above all others mentioned, is that we understand how much we value each other. It has brought families closer together, and reformed communities that were once crumbling through lack of social cohesion. The virus has rebuilt the ties that really mater. Not the economic ties, but the social ties built of love and compassion.

Therefore, we find these values at the forefront of our minds when building our urban utopia. As we have been given these values as a result of the pandemic, it only seems fair to also have the associated economic constraints. The biggest one of which is that there is very little finance available for explorative urban development. As a result, the build must be as cost efficient as possible. One would hope that in making the build cost efficient we also make it sustainable, consequentially there is no reason to assume that this does not align with our intention of observing the environment in the project.

Inspiration and Design

There are two architects and two cities from which I take my inspiration, we will begin with the architects.

Rafael Viñoly, an architect that is very close to my heart, is the creator of NYUAD. He has designed buildings all around the world, each as innovative as the last. He works hard to infuse the green of nature with high rise buildings constituted of glass. He is not afraid to break the rules, and as a result develops features that have won him a number of awards, some for the most attractive buildings in the skyline, and some, regrettably, for the least attractive.

One of the pieces I appreciate most is the ‘possible’ building. Although it has not yet been built, it is an office space intended to be inhabited by Facebook’s HQ. It reaches far above all other buildings in midtown Manhattan, and features an almost jenga style stacking of floors. Most importantly we note the combination of plants and glass. With the sun bouncing off the glass, turning it a crystal blue, the colour makes for an amazing contrast with the natural green.

https://archinect.com/news/article/150139992/images-surface-of-facebook-s-potential-new-tower-in-manhattan-designed-by-rafael-vi-oly

Another aspect of his that I enjoy is the large open spaces. Below is the Sky Garden, featured in the Walkie Talkie building in London. The building actually won the Carbuncle Cup in 2015, a prize awarded to the worst building completed in the year before. Despite this slightly unkind award, the Sky Garden features a place of luxury, making the most of the London Skyline. Again, it features a lot of greenery, which makes the large space feel smaller and more intimate- all the while maintaining its class.

https://www.designmynight.com/london/bars/city-of-london/sky-garden-bars

I would utilise Viñoly’s skills in designing the downtown financial district. As his speciality is in high-rise buildings, it makes sense that he designs a large amount of the financial centre. Designing buildings from glass, yet making sure to provide a large emphasis on nature will keep the environment in the forefront of our minds as we look at it. Contemporary brutalist concrete structures for me is a sign that the natural part of our city has been forgotten, and so one of the main priorities is avoiding large concrete structures.

Frank Gehry is the Banksy of architecture. His abstract flowy designs stick out like a sore thumb in otherwise unexciting city landscapes. His work has premonitions of Constant and Picasso in distorting shapes to make buildings. There are many twists in his buildings that aim to disrupt the hard lines of walls and faces. It makes his buildings far less invasive to the spectator, and they feel fresh amongst the cookie cutter construction of suburban and urban regions.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battersea_Power_Station_copy.jpg

https://igsmag.com/press-releases/permasteelisa/permasteelisa-and-frank-gehry-set-to-transform-battersea-power-station-with-complex-facade/

Above is Battersea Power Station, a site in London that was decommissioned long ago. Below it is how Gehry attempts to redesign the area. He would be a great assistance in designing the more residential areas, those that are not driven by business and finance but rather leisure and pleasure. It is clear from the design that there is no project too big for Gehry’s imagination, and this assists one of my greatest objectives. Rather than build the city on a new site, taking land and space away from the previous inhabitants, I would aim to transform an old city. This again links back to the idea of environmental protection, recycling and rejuvenation. Gentrification is fundamental in a world where space is finite, and utilising the creative minds of Gehry and Viñoly allows you begin your city on any canvas, not only a blank one.

One of the first cities that provides me with inspiration is Singapore. It is a new city that can provide something for everybody. It is frequently rated as one of the best places to reside, and has also been very successful in pulling in business from some of the biggest multinational corporations. The tall buildings with flowy designs cup the marina, a feature of all modern cities. The downtown area spans the majority of the city, yet there is still space for a China town, India town and Korea town to function both independently in terms of cuisine but interactively in terms of community. Singapore welcomes gifts of culture from its neighbours and its inhabitants, meaning that all those that arrive to Singapore are not forced to leave their heritage behind. It boasts one of the best transit systems in the world, and some of the cleanest streets.

https://www.floornature.eu/singapore-the-skyline-of-the-garden-city-designed-to-be-the-city-of-the-future-9945/

Due to its amazing features, it is undoubtedly a city of luxury. The Marina Bay Sands looks over the whole city and is one of the most famous casinos in the world. The golf clubs, horse riding and Formula One are all legendary in Singapore. Predictably therefore, Singapore is one of the most expensive cities in the world to design (4thmost expensive in Asia). This therefore puts aspects of its design slightly out of reach.

It also faces a unique advantage over other contemporary cities. Singapore is both a country and a city. It therefore has the opportunity to control exactly who enters and leaves the area. For cities such as London, controlling who visits from abroad is one thing, yet there are also 59 million other British citizens that can come and go to London as they wish. The stress that this puts on the infrastructure is massive. With Singapore having complete control over this aspect of immigration, it has a large advantage over most others.

https://mapa-metro.com/en/Singapore/Singapore/Singapore-MRT-map.htm

Putting the luxuries of Singapore aside, there are some main qualities that we would like to take from its design. The transportation system is efficient, subtle, attractive and cheap. It spans the whole of the city, but most importantly, it is not invasive aesthetically. We could go for the other option, which would be to have the metro as an architectural feature of the city, such as in Dubai. However, I feel this is not the most efficient use of space, and often requires large concrete constructions for the tracks and supports. For that reason Singapore provides an excellent model for city connectivity.

Singapore airport is also the most amazing airport on the planet. It is a luxury, but it personifies everything that we aim to achieve within our urban utopia. It is called the Jewel, and has an indoor waterfall and train track. The tropical setting of trees and vines with the water feature inside the main hall is an aesthetic that forces nature to the forefront of your imagination. It has a calming and relaxing effect whilst also looking truly impressive. It is futuristic, and yet strangely familiar. Exactly how we wish the city to appear.

https://fortune.com/2020/01/07/the-case-for-designing-beautiful-airports-its-about-the-experience/

Having a strong airport also symbolises the importance of connectivity. Thousands of people will move through there every day and being sure to make this as easy and efficient as possible is of the utmost importance.

The second city that inspires our urban utopia is Sydney, Australia. Not only are the docks and beaches of Sydney beautiful, it has a very interesting suburban structure. Sydney has a diaspora split by suburb into different cultures and origins. It has challenges born through conflict between different suburbs (or boroughs), some of which lead to high levels of crime in certain areas. Despite this, the suburban structure has resulted in a diversity of community that we would like our city to represent. One of the main reasons for the increased crime rate is the lack of funding that goes into the areas. Some of the suburbs are simply deprived. It is also the case that the public transport infrastructure doesn’t reach all of the suburbs. We would make sure that each community is directly connected with the inner city and have as many connections as possible between suburbs. Even using the word borough has a tendency to separate the suburbs into certain regions. Although we want people of all different cultures to feel comfortable within their community, we aim to provide little reason to distinguish between different parts of the suburb.

Sydney makes good use of its natural resources with large parks and big open green spaces. Much of this is because the suburbs are slightly further away from the city centre than in other cities. Having the ability to provide distance between residences and work areas stops different regions of the city from suffocating each other. It also allows planners to put parks and marinas in the areas which would normally be built on for manufacturing or residences. By having the suburbs slightly further than usual from the city centre, yet connecting them extremely well using our underground infrastructure, we are able to have the space and continuity, whilst also lowering the level of suburban deprivation.

The constraints

How do we do this as cost efficiently as possible? Already I have chosen some architects that are extremely expensive, yet having the ability to transform old ‘brown-belt’ areas into new urban regions is likely to reduce costs through government subsidies. Having a large, attractive financial district is fundamental for any contemporary city design, and through our explanation I feel that it will draw in lots of trade from all over the world. Singapore has been extremely successful in doing this, with Dyson being one of many companies choosing to move their headquarters there within the past few years.

With the CoVid-19 era not in any rush to end, it would be difficult designing a city based on tourism. For that reason, the Formula One and Casinos of Singapore would not be a good path to follow. This is another reason why we look towards Sydney as a model. There are aspects of old and new within the city, and it functions amongst many of the income sectors. It has huge financial input from the financial district, domestic tourism (which will not be impeded for as long as international tourism) education, marine and financial services. People go to Sydney for so many reasons other than tourism. This is backed up by the fact that Sydney is the largest city in Australia without being the capital.

Another constraint that we have touched upon briefly, is how to develop a cultural identity within the city. It was something that puzzled Lispector about Brasilia, and continues to puzzle urban planners to this day. Our solution is ambitious- we take the international approach, and attempt to make the city a place for everybody. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are great examples of places that have managed to merge an ex-pat culture into their own culture. With the UAE being only 11% Emirati residents, it is fundamental that those that come to live in the country bring with them their own traditions. You would expect this to cause huge levels of cultural conflict within the different communities, yet Abu Dhabi shows that both powerful and rich communities can operate harmoniously with each other. The areas interlinked well by public transport will help set a scene of collaboration and cultural sharing. Reducing rivalry and instead planning on using state resources such as healthcare and education to fortify inter-region communication is one of the main objectives of the city design.

How should the city feel?

I don’t desire for the city to be romanticised by the likes of Lispector or Lefebvre. I want it to be safe and prosperous. The problem with a city such as Brasilia, creating ‘insomnia’ and breathing almost like a human, is that all of this means nothing if people cannot safely inhabit its streets. We want to limit the prejudice caused by women not feeling secure walking the roads in the evening, or people sleeping homeless on the streets due to not being able to afford housing. These will likely always be issues of any city, but prosperity and connectivity are two key ingredients into moving towards resolving them. By creating prosperity (and equal prosperity), it reduces the need for welfare and homelessness. It allows the quality of schools and healthcare to increase, whilst reducing the desperate resort to petty crime. Connectedness forms a sense of community and provides a sense of strength in numbers. Where petty crime is concerned, it has been proven that community watch schemes are surprisingly affective in reducing the number of thefts, muggings and burglaries. Having people looking out for each other is caused by a well-designed suburban area aimed at increasing the incentive to protect the community, whether through shared schooling, public spaces that residents can be proud of, or having high quality public transport affordable to everybody.

Yi Fu Tuan talks of making a space a place. And this leads to the question; how malleable do I wish the city to be? The obvious answer is that you want for people to be able to make the city their own, and therefore spaces should be left with ambiguous intent for people to use them as they wish. I enjoy this idea, yet I also understand from my studies that there is always one dominant party. Having a city full of different cultures sadly will invite conflict, as that to a certain extent is the ugly truth. We therefore have to design a city in attempt to limit the opportunity for conflict and rivalry through connecting infrastructure such as tram networks. As a result, providing communities with a public good to share and divide may not at first be a good idea. For that reason, the city will seem less malleable, and each community will be encouraged to culturally interact, but will not be forced to divide resources. There will be shared spaces such as parks, but the utmost precautions will have to be taken in order to ensure people’s safety within those areas. Singapore has been extremely successful in keeping communities of different cultures close to each other. Hosting different cultural events and inviting other communities to share the celebration seems to be a relatively successful means of forming amicable relationships.

How should the city sound?

Kendall, Harmon and Jacobs are some of the authors that have provided us with information on soundscapes of cities. They all have the varying opinions on how we are drawn to different sounds, whether consciously or not, but there is one fundamental aspect that they all agree on. The soundscapes of our modern cities are dramatically different to those of the past. I wish to revitalise some of the sounds of the past. Schafer, in his contributions to the World Soundscape Project noted that the sound of the Vancouver Cathedral travelled only one tenth of what it used to previously. Although I feel like it would be of great benefit to some to have the church bells ring far across the city, I also feel that in our modern day and age it is slightly inappropriate to force a certain religious symbolism upon the whole urban population. For that reason, I will focus on having the birdsongs as the first violin for my city symphony. It is closely associated with many people’s idea of a utopia, and it is offensive to very few, if not nobody. It also links closely to the idea of sustainability and interaction with the environment, which we wish to keep as a common thread throughout the city’s design.

In order to sustain an urban ecosystem suitable for songbirds, pollution and concrete mass must be kept to a minimum. As you can see from cities such as Shanghai and New York, there are rarely any birds besides pigeons as a direct consequence of the over-urbanisation. In Shanghai, it has been rumoured that they shoot the birds in order to prevent them from multiplying. Having songbirds is a great indicator that the city is healthy and environmentally friendly. Once the birds that we associate as pests, such as pigeons or ravens begin to dominate the soundscape, this is a sign that we are losing our way.

There should always be areas for people to move and play. This will generate human sound as well. With only the birdsong, as beautiful as it is, it does not provide a completely representative symphony. People should be welcomed to make noise with bars and restaurants encouraging people to sit outside, like a bustling Parisian rie.Having the marina and trees surrounding the already beautiful buildings should encourage this to happen.

To conclude

In summary, there are certain objectives that take priority in the construction of our urban utopia. Financial constraints can put a serious burden on the creative construction of cities, yet born from its challenges also come innovative solutions. Prioritising integration of the environment, connectivity and cultural collaboration makes for a more rounded and encompassing urban utopia. The aim is to make everybody feel happy and safe whilst also incorporating the lessons that we have learnt from the pandemic. The world has conceded that the CoVid-19 outbreak will change the way we live forever. As a result, it seems only fitting that we equally change the cities we live in.

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orbemnews · 4 years ago

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A Push to Move the Golf Course Atop a Native American ‘Stonehenge’ NEWARK, Ohio — The third hole here at the Moundbuilders Country Club is a tricky par 4: The green is protected by a six-foot-high mound that almost completely encircles the hole and requires a deft chip shot to clear if your approach shot goes awry. “It’s a blind shot,” said Randol Mitchell, the club’s head golf professional, after driving his ball a good chunk of the hole’s 435 yards. “You have to watch out for those mounds.” The topography of the course is built around the mounds, which were prescribed by the cosmology of the Native Americans who created them approximately 2,000 years ago as a way to measure the movement of the sun and the moon through the heavens. But now the club, which has leased the land for more than a century, is being asked to relocate so that the mounds can be properly embraced as an archaeological treasure, a move club members understand — they have preserved the mounds for generations — but one that they say will be difficult for them to undertake unless representatives of the state kick up the ante for the cost of creating a new golf venue. The $1.7 million amount the state’s representatives have proposed under eminent domain is up from an initial offer of $800,000. But the club wants $12 million. The dispute heads to the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday. The historical import of the site is clear. The U.S. Department of the Interior has already selected the land for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site, as part of a larger proposed bid to recognize some of the similar sites in Ohio, known as the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks. Many of the golfers say they embrace that importance, too, even if they have indelicately nicknamed one eight-foot mound “Big Chief.” The club has a scrapbook that tracks the history of the earthworks, known as the Octagon Earthworks, back to their creation. The clubhouse features a painting and photographs of the mounds. Golfers are barred from driving carts over them except on paved paths. Still, if one were to encounter a ball perched atop the ancient earthworks, there is no ban on whacking at it with a 3-iron. “On many golf courses, water, woods and sand create natural challenges,” David Kratoville, the president of the club’s board of trustees, said. “Here, it’s the mounds.” There were once hundreds of major earthworks built by people of the Hopewell culture, which refers to the moundbuilding groups of Native Americans who lived in North America from about 100 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. But their value wasn’t recognized until recent years, and many were destroyed. Created one basketful of earth at a time, using pointed sticks and clamshell hoes, the mounds at the golf course are part of the broader Newark Earthworks and widely embraced as an astronomical and geometric marvel. Once every 18.6 years, if you stand atop the course’s observatory mound and look up the line of parallel mounds toward the octagonal area, something spectacular happens. When the rising moon reaches its northernmost position, it hovers above the octagon’s exact center, within one-half of a degree. The alignments are no less sophisticated than the arranged stones at Stonehenge, experts say. Members of the Hopewell culture likely intended the earthworks, which can only be fully appreciated from above, to show their moon and sun gods that they understood their movements, said Ray Hively, a professor emeritus of astronomy and physics at Earlham College in Richmond, Ind. The effort might have been an attempt to connect with or communicate with the powers which appeared to control the larger universe, said Hively, who discovered these alignments with a philosophy professor, Robert Horn, in the 1980s. In 1892, Licking County and the City of Newark, about 40 miles east of Columbus, allowed the state to use the land as an encampment for the Ohio National Guard. But after the camp closed, they reclaimed it and leased it to the club in 1910. A noted golf architect, Thomas Bendelow, who designed America’s first 18-hole public golf course, Van Cortlandt Park, in the Bronx, laid out a course that by 1911 had turned the ancient moon markers into errant shot adversaries. “The ancient Moundbuilders unwittingly left behind the setting for as strange and sporty a golf course as ever felt the blow of a niblick,” an article about the course in the January 1930 issue of Golf Illustrated proclaimed. The course itself, with a slope rating of 119, is medium difficult, though no one would ever confuse it for Jack Nicklaus’s Muirfield Village Golf Club (slope 130), which sit 40 miles to the west. Mitchell said the mounds are a more formidable obstacle than they at first appear. “It’s hard to shoot what you normally shoot here,” he said. “Even though, on paper, it shouldn’t be that hard.” Efforts to fully recognize the significance of the mounds as more than unusual golf hazards date back roughly two decades to a period when a bid to build a new clubhouse, whose foundation would have dug into the mounds, was denied. At that point, a group led by local professors and Native Americans organized a protest campaign — and some residents began questioning whether the course should exist at all. Then, as now, the club’s unwillingness to make way for worldwide recognition of the site drew criticism. “We wouldn’t want a country club on the Acropolis,” John N. Low, a citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and the director of the Newark Earthworks Center, said in a recent interview. “We don’t want a country club on the Octagon.” Club members have long argued that the criticism is unfair, that the holdup is caused by an unwillingness to respect that the club has some history too, and that it could not continue to exist at the amounts being offered to give up its lease. “Everyone would love to portray us as rich fat cats,” Ralph Burpee, the club’s former general manager, told The New York Times in 2005. “Well, this is Newark, Ohio, which pretty much precludes rich fat cats.” Kratoville described the club’s roughly 300 current members as belonging to “a blue-collar country club.” “Our members are people like plumbers,” he said, “and they come out for a day and clean up sand traps and plant flowers.” The owner of the property today is the Ohio History Connection, a statewide nonprofit organization that contracts with the state to oversee more than 50 historic sites. The nonprofit has leased the property to the club since acquiring it in 1933 and hosts four open houses at the club each year, which before the pandemic included guided tours of the mounds. The property is also open to the public on Mondays or when the weather is unsuitable for golf. The rest of the year, visitors must view the mounds from an elevated platform near the parking area. The History Connection would like to convert the site into a public park and submit it for recognition as a World Heritage site, as a place of “outstanding value to humanity,” alongside others, like the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon. “We feel an obligation on behalf of Ohio taxpayers to responsibly protect and interpret the site’s historic value,” Burt Logan, the History Connection’s executive director and chief executive, said. “And we hope we’ll finally be able to do that soon.” But without full public access to the site, federal officials have said a World Heritage nomination would be impossible. The Moundbuilders’ lease runs through 2078. And though Kratoville said the club was willing to move, the History Connection and the club were millions of dollars apart. In 2018, the History Connection took the club to court in a bid to acquire the lease via eminent domain. Two lower courts have ruled in the History Connection’s favor, and now it is up to the Ohio Supreme Court to consider whether the nonprofit has the right to buy out the remainder of the lease. The History Connection, formerly known as the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, last used eminent domain about a century ago to acquire several acres of earthworks 100 miles south of the Octagon site. The country club is arguing that the History Connection did not negotiate in “good faith,” which is required before a taking under eminent domain, and that the public purpose being served — an expanded program of research, education services and preservation — could be accomplished without ending the lease of a major employer. Zachary J. Murry, an Ohio lawyer who specializes in eminent domain cases, said the court may be unwilling to take on the role of deciding which of the competing public purposes is better because policy determinations are typically made by other branches of government. But if the court did assume that role, one question would be, he said, whether operating as a public park and the prospect of becoming a world-recognized wonder was a sufficient rationale to warrant the taking now, when the recognition has not yet been granted. “This ‘conditional’ necessity seems problematic,” he said. If the club does move, Kratoville said he was unsure whether the Moundbuilders County Club would keep its name. But it would certainly not try to recreate the mounds, he said. “You can’t do that,” he said. “It would be a different course.” The Supreme Court is only tasked with deciding the eminent domain issue. If the History Connection is found to have the right to take over the lease, compensation would be hashed out at a later date in a lower court — an amount Murry said would ultimately likely fall somewhere between the two appraisals. Glenna Wallace, the first female chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, who considers the moundbuilders her ancestors, said the dispute goes beyond monetary value. World Heritage recognition for the earthworks — and full public access — would play a crucial role in reframing the way visitors think about Native Americans, she said. “The sophistication required to create this shows my ancestors weren’t savages,” she said. “This needs to be open to people every single day of the week, every single day of the year.” Source link Orbem News #American #atop #golf #move #native #Push #Stonehenge

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abeliangrouper-blog · 8 years ago

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current novel workings (to be built on during the 17 day challenge)

I once again begin my ritual. I start with my linen collared shirts I received for my 16th birthday. I carefully lay all three of them on the bed, folding the sleeves over the middle of each shirt. I then grab the bottom of the shirt and aligned the bottom of the shirt with the shoulders of the shirt. I press each fold to make sure each shirt won't wrinkle. After stacking those three shirts and placing them to the side, I organize the rest of my belongings. I didn't bring many things to boarding school with me, so I have developed a consistent methodology for packing my things. After the collared shirts, I bundle all my socks and underwear in a pouch, fold my terry brown wool suit, and organize each shoe with its counterpart next to my trunk. My t-shirts, sweaters, and shorts go in the trunk first, followed by my trainers, penny loafers, and hiking boots. Then goes the collared shirts, pouch of under garments, and lastly my suit. I then proceed to whirlwind around the room, grabbing miscellaneous belongings and shoving them in the trunk. A small bundle of old letters from my father, a pocket watch, and two battered copies of Plato's Symposium. Here is also where I act against entropy, and remove whatever junk I have accumulated over the past few months. I also throw in my uniforms for school and other less-than-noteworthy articles. I've been a student here -- or rather, I've been traveling from bunk to bunk -- for the past 10 years. My father sent me to Rhython Sut's Prepatory Academy as a way to get me out of his hair. Why he would want to get rid of his 7 year old child escapes me, to be honest. I haven't seen him since I left. He sent letters a few times, but those stopped after the first few years. It doesn't affect me much anymore; at this point I accept that I'm on my own. With the exception of Tom, no one has ever seemed to show true empathy with regards to well-being. After packing my trunk, I head down to the main dining hall for supper before most of everyone else leaves for Christmas break. A standard schedule consists of spending a semester at the Academy, and then going home either for summer, winter, or exam study breaks. If you choose -- or have no choice but -- to stay, then you are permitted to live on campus, but must switch to your assigned room for the following term at the start of the break. So, I've been packing my trunk and switching rooms at the start of every break for the better part of a decade. One Christmas break I did go to my Grandmother's house in Devon, but she died the following Spring, and so that was the first and last time I left campus during break. For dinner they serve steamed potatoes with chives and sour cream, beef brisket, and black bean soup. They also serve a weird smelling stew, but I decide against trying it. It's better not to get adventurous during meal time. The dining hall has 3 thin, long tables with benches on either side that run the whole length of the hall. On one end is the counter facing the tables where the food is served. Behind that is the kitchen, where the food is 'cooked.' If you asked me what I thought of the food, I would say either edible or challenging, depending on if they served mystery mash-up that day. Nonetheless, a hot meal is a hot meal. Not something worth complaining about. --- December 14, 1973 This castle is full of hijackers of actors and backpackers of job-dodging slackers who find the need to self-medicate. This castle is lonely empty and hollow that gives me a bed and food, but not a home. This castle scares me has cobwebs and darkness has bullies and cliques has punches and tears. This castle it suffocates with headmasters and principals with discipline and rules with curfews and homework. But to be fair -- it's something: unlike my father. --- Sterile. Campus over break is like a movie set of a house for a sitcom, equipped with all the items that a typical house would have: a kitchen chalk full of useless but standard household gadgets, children's crayon drawings hanging on an off-white refrigerator, a bowl of fruit untouched and unbruised. And three walls and a film crew making sure the set-up's projection of a home is perfect and untainted. Sterile. However, an empty grounds affords me flexibility. I don't wait in line for food. I don't need to worry about crowded locker rooms and showers. I don't like public locker rooms much. They've been a bother to me since I've been here at the Academy. Anyways, during breaks, I spend time mostly reading and exercising. I am halfway through _____ by ______, where a [explain the plot in a way that a teenage boy would understand and find value from it]. Last term in Mathematics we learned parts of a book that summarizes Euclid's "Elements," and in American Literature we read Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat." Albeit lonely, I prefer schoolwork over team sports. I run from time to time, but watching the other boys play rugby and field hockey gives me more anxiety than excitement, so a while ago I decided to stick to my studies, and to running. --- The teacher begins the lesson with her back to the students. She has straight auburn hair that neatly falls between her shoulders blades down to the middle of her back. "Today we will be learning about two things. Finding the root of a number, and showing which roots of numbers are rational." the professor says. A student raises his hand impatiently and with a skeptical tapping of his pencil on the desk. He says "Whether a number is rational doesn't seem important -- shouldn't we care solely about the application of numbers? Otherwise it seems useless."

The professor rests the chalk on the lip of the bottom of the board and slowly turns around.

"When I was in University, my older brother would work at a mechanic's shop working on engines. He'd got to class until the early evening, and then spend 3 to 4 hours a day working at this shop. He had always loved engines, and wanted to build them. As soon as he got there, he wanted to work the engines of the coolest sports cars: Mustangs, Jaguars, Corvettes -- this was an American car mechanic shop mind you -- but he didn't even look at a whole engine for almost a year." She lightly walks to the right, resting her hand on the corner of her desk. "His mentor at the shop made him spend every day first learning the layout of the shop, and then about the tools they had available. He'd every day learning about tools, practicing assembly and disassembly of small parts, and reading manuals. He felt more like he was in a classroom than working. He'd show up to work, read a manual for a power tool for an hour, and then perform simple tasks repeatedly until he felt comfortable." The student interjects "If he wanted to work on engines his mentor should've just let him do that." Delicately, "My point is that before you can touch an engine, you must first become acquainted with and develop skills with the tools you have at your disposal. Now let's begin with proving if a root of a number is irrational." I never really speak in class. In this instance I agreed with the professor; I care about learning the why before moving forward with doing things. That's part of what bothers me with my father. He never gave me anything that could even be mistaken for an explanation. I was sent away, and that's about all there is to it. --- There is a large iron fence that surrounds the whole premises; it's about twelve feet tall, with spikes that prevent people from climbing over. At the gate entrance, there is a large gravel pathway leading up to the main building. There are also two smaller paths at either side that shoot off to the left or right (and wrap around the premises just inside the fence). There are a few groundskeepers that live in the far left corner of the compound. They each have a small one-room cabin, equipped with a small furnace and stovetop, a sink, small bathroom, and a single bed all in the same room. Each unit also has a tiny attic with an oval window that faces the backside of the house -- away from the courtyard that lies in the middle of the units -- where the small gardens are. I sometimes walk over and sit on the bench. I like checking in on the growing fruit. As you walk up the main path, there are petunia beds on either side surrounded by oval-shaped hedges, which are neatly manicured. The grass is a sharp green and also cut very short -- it mildly resembles a golf course. The smells of freshly cut grass and insect pesticide abound without fail. There is also a small fountain on your left as you get close to the main door, which boasts a staple figure of the Academy: Rhython Sut. Sergeant Sut -- he served in the Royal Air Force in his youth -- created the Academy in the thirties after the prohibition in America. He procured a pile of cash smuggling rum through Cuba, a country south of the States, and got away scot-free -- although I doubt the same is true for those he worked with during that time. That's about all I know about Rhython and how the Academy came to be. The main building of the Academy itself is quite impressive. Tall, strong oak doors boast as the main entrance; wide concrete pillars guard both to the left and right. Three tall spires crouch perched atop the main building. They make me a bit dizzy look at them so I try not to. The building is a terracotta style brick and the walls are blanketed on the lower halves with ivory. Apart from the fact that I have had no say on where I get to grow up, I like the scenery that surrounds me. In the main building are the dining hall, the classrooms, the faculty offices, and other rooms that are 'forbidden' or 'out of bounds.' I don't bother myself with breaking into those rooms anymore, as most of the time it ends up with someone talking my ear off and a sequence of dutifully timed nods. To the left of the main building is the dormitory building, where both boys and girls sleep and study. This building is a long, thin and tall, with many windows. It's a bit newer than the main structure, as its predecessor was burned down about 20 years ago. No one was harmed, though. On the right side of the compound almost immediately after entering through the gates are the sports grounds. There are many fields organized neatly for rugby, field hockey, football, and cricket. Since the age groups for students at the Academy span from 6 to 18, there are different divisions of sports: ages 6-8, ages 9-11, ages 12-15, ages 16-18. Today is the first day of Christmas break. After moving my trunk to my new room 4L16 -- the fourth floor of the dormitory on the left side room number 15 -- I spent the morning walking around the Academy. ------------------ I'm absolutely terrified of stagnating. I spend a considerable portion of my mental energy considering whether I have been filling out the framework of expectations I have slowed constructed for myself, or if I have just been improving my ability to convince myself I'm doing as such -- all of this to maintain some kind of fragile self-perception. Am I legitimately growing as a person in my ability to think critically, cope with defeat, and communicate ideas, or I have I just found a detour to the same flavour of ignorance? I wish there were an easy way to evaluate myself. ---------------- “I just finished this book ______ the other day. Have you read it? _____ is quite intriguing. The language he uses seems to leave so much implicit. It's as though he has created a path of stepping stones across a big, dark lake, but has placed them as far apart as he could manage -- knowing precisely how far we can stretch to move forward. Oddly, one of the main characters reminds me in some ways of myself, and in other ways, of you. Isn't that interesting?” I nod and smile at him when he talks at me. It's too much trouble to do anything else, and I find this sentiment a bit frustrating. A novel’s upshot evokes a shared experience -- that's the whole point. He's not special -- _____ is just talented. Why do people always fucking make it about themselves? Evidently, I don't ask him this question. -------------------

NOTE: Some of these sections are just ideas I’ve partially jotted down; the ordering of these is definitely not polished by any means.

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nethanpaul · 6 years ago

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Benefits Of Playing Golf As An Adult

Golf might be a sport not widely loved, but it is a unique sport which requires a lot of demands and hence, manages to stand out of the crowd. The demands might be as quirky as it can get as the basic courses of golf requires the applicant to come dressed in clothes which would suit the high morale of the sport, i.e. collared shirt and nice yet pleasant clothes. However, the best part about the sport is that it provides some remarkable health benefits. The rules are simple and Health Benefits of Golf are extremely high, especially for the elderly people who are above 60 years of age.

This sport is extremely good for the well being of a person, as the average of the course makes a person walks for more than 5 miles. The sport is not limited to walking, as it has to be done carrying or pushing a bag while walking on a surface with has highs and lows of every kind. Getting involved in the game itself would be a workout for you and while doing so, you have the chance of burning as much as 2,000 calories.

On the contrary, the elders may choose to go for a cart but the swing of the golf is in itself an exercise of the full body to them. An exercise to the full body is being referred to as the Golf alignment stick and the swing hits the muscles of the arms, legs, and core. The results are going to be proportionately high if it is done regularly or even weekly.

Hence, it is a great option for elderly people without experiencing any kind of cramps, soreness or injuries. They may sign up for the sport and opt for a cart with the best driver for beginners.

Read More: https://ezinestack.com/benefits-of-playing-golf-as-an-adult/

#golf alignment sticks #most forgiving driver #best driver for beginners

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golfiya00 · 5 years ago

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How to Hit a Golf Ball With More Drive and Fewer Strokes

As you watch golf competitions on TV, you may get the feeling that this is one easy sport. Try it for yourself and for sure, once you are on the field with a club and the ball in front of you, you would find it hard to hit it right. Before you even try to find out how to hit a golf ball, you must first familiarize yourself with the whole scheme of this popular sport. You have to search about the rules, the equipments and try to see tips on how to gain control over the game once you are in it.

Consistency is very vital in all aspects of this sport. This is also the hardest factor to attain because even professionals sometimes miss out on things that they thought they are already good at. Here are some tips that you can follow in order to learn how to hit a golf ball.

You have to come prepared every time you go out and play. Make sure that you stretch out your muscles so that you can deliver accordingly and you can swing the clubs efficiently. You also have to practice a lot on how to hold all kinds of clubs. You can do this even while you are not on the field and even if you still do not have a ball in front of you. You need to master the swinging process in ways that it will appear relaxed even without forcing your muscles to come up with such move. You also have to be familiar where to use the various kinds of clubs that you will bring on the actual game.

After you have mastered your swinging abilities, you then need to focus your attention on how to hit a golf ball. Make sure that your body is properly aligned on the target line. A faulty alignment could lead to terrible shots and you have to do something about this quick so that this won't be the reason for a bad game. When you know the direction of your target, you can align your club along with your shoulders and hips to that area.

When you already are positioned accordingly, you have to switch your attention in delivering a good takeaway. To attain this, you need to relax your shoulders, arms and the hands that hold the club. In a single delivery, you then need to move your hands, shoulders and arms back to execute the task. This is the phase where you are starting to calculate on your mind the distance as well as the accuracy that you can bring in to the game.

The shots should be consistent and this can only be attained when you mastered doing better transition into the ball [ https://golfiya.com/ ]. The tempo of your swing throughout the game must not be altered hostility. As much as you can, you need to stick with the preferred face angle of the club. You wouldn't want your shots to go all over the place when you could have avoided such in the first place.

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yeskhanzadame11 · 6 years ago

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What Does Your Golf Bag Say About You

Golf style, like any other personal way of doing things, always contains some degree of subjectivity and endless variation. However, as someone who studies the game profusely and has a pretty good sense of style (at least I like to think so) and basic human/golf nature, I've come to certain conclusions about golfers and their equipment and style choices. After over ten years of playing golf competitively and recreationally with just about every variety of person I can imagine, I feel qualified to give a semi-authoritative view of what one's golf bag says about the golfer. There are exceptions to all of the "rules" I will put forth, but in general they are tried and true observations. Through a combination of equipment choice, its arrangement, skill level and attitude, I have divided golfers into five main categories.

The first category will be termed "the duffer". This golfer sort of gets a pass, because they play maybe three to five times a year and only out of some random invitation or obligation such as a business meeting or charity event. For example, this is someone who has a little golf experience but cares very little about the game, plays with the same set of clubs their whole life, and could really care less what score they shoot. Dead giveaways are: 1) Old clubs--these golf clubs may well be in good condition due to lack of use and they are often at least 8-10 years old, 2) A Shortage of Equipment--Not until the pro shop or first tee does the duffer realize they have no golf balls, no tees, no golf glove, or perhaps even a seven or eight iron, etc. They don't play enough to know or even care that they only have eight clubs in the bag, 3) Not wearing golf shoes--The duffer often employs running shoes or sometimes "cleats" from another sport such as baseball. Overall, the duffer (despite the obvious defeciencies) can be a joy to play with if you don't mind the continuous lost balls and occasional broken window. They don't care enough about their golf to get angry or frustrated and that's always refreshing.

The second character is "the hack". This golfer shares a lot in common with "the duffer" except in that they play golf more often. They might only get out there once a month or so, but they have a definite set of clubs, golf shoes, golf balls, etc. This poor character can't break 100 to save his life. He's got a slightly different swing every round and none of them ever come close to producing a great golf shot. The best shot the hack has ever hit wasn't because the shot itself was good, but because it happened to ricochet off just the right tree, roll twelve yards up the cart path and eventually come to rest three feet from the hole. Now that might be a bit of an exaggeration, because oddly enough a lot of hacks make hole in ones. However, I can assure you that none of them are purely struck shots that land past the hole and spin back in, etc. They are bonified clankers off the heal or toe that "dribble" into the flagstick at twenty miles an hour off a hybrid from one forty.

The third character is "the poser". This player is a pseudo-hack. Head to head versus a top level hack and the scores could look pretty similar. Or, "the poser" might actually be able to break ninety consistently. However, the one glaring characteristic of this player is that everything from their attitude, to their clothing, to their equipment, etc. (and even sometimes their handicap) screams want to-be scratch player... everything in their actual performance proves completely otherwise. The poser takes a hard swing at it and when they really catch one with the driver it can go two fifty. But, according to this player they never actually hit well because when they do it's three hundred plus. The poser has the latest driver with the latest shaft and despite never breaking eighty-five, plays to a four handicap golf bags . He tries to keep up with the young guns and ironically always has swing advice on tap for those severely whooping his tail. He wins the most annoying playing partner award every year.

The fourth category is the "good player". This golfer has developed a fundamentally sound swing over many years of toil and consistently breaks eighty. They have a solid short game and count all of their strokes, even the penalty shots. They may not have the absolute newest clubs, but what they do have is generally fit for their game: stiff to x-stiff shafts that are actually a necessity in their case, and muscle back or thin cavity back irons constructed more for feel and performance than forgiveness. This player respects the game and never gets too excited or too frustrated, well aware that golf can bite him or her in the rear at any moment.

The final category is the "pro". And, I don't mean teaching pro. I mean the player who is or was once able to break par consistently and for an extended period of time. It takes a lot of practice and ability to break par on a legitimate golf course. To do so repeatedly and on different golf courses and in competition shows another level of commitment and ability. The pro is pretty self explanatory. They play with equipment fitted for their game and often look very similar to a "good player". The difference is the intangibles. Over many years of practice and experience the pro has obtained exceptional course and mental management skills. They do not throw stokes away and often get up and down whenever they miss a green.

In conclusion, here is a list of bag characteristics indicating, for simplicity's sake, a good player versus a bad player (of course there are real life exceptions).

1) A club cleaning brush: Bad players have them, good players don't. 2) A towel attached to the bag by clip: Bad players have them, good players don't. 3) A medium-large, often all white towel hanging amongst the clubs to be used for cleaning: Good players have them, bad players don't. 4) Perfectly clean grooves: Good players have them, bad players don't. 5) Headcovers: If you don't have them for your woods, you are most likely a bad player. 6) Lead tape: Good players often use it, bad players don't. 7) Premium, premium golf bags: Good players always use them, most bad players don't. 8) Stock shafts: bad players have them. 9) Cabretta leather glove in good condition: good players have them. 10) A matching lob wedge and san wedge: good players have it, bad players don't. 11) A headcover on their putter: almost all good players have it. 12) Alignment aid sticks: many good players have them, most bad players don't. 13) A chance in heck at breaking eighty from the tips: good players have it, bad players don't.

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stocks100 · 6 years ago

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Brendan Steele's final PGA Tour round of 2018-'19 includes two-stroke rules penalty for using an alignment stick - Strange one indeed #golf #PGATour https://t.co/0eejKWceyC https://t.co/jNiJJfhuf6

Brendan Steele's final PGA Tour round of 2018-'19 includes two-stroke rules penalty for using an alignment stick - Strange one indeed #golf #PGATour https://t.co/0eejKWceyC pic.twitter.com/jNiJJfhuf6

— Chris Stockdale (@stockyinoz) August 3, 2019

from Twitter https://twitter.com/stockyinoz August 04, 2019 at 03:56AM via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Twitter

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sportstylist · 6 years ago

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via Golf Digest

#Golf Digest

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safestplace · 6 years ago

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She’d been late before. Several times, really. It was one of the side effects of her illness. Would side effect be the correct word for such a thing? She used to go months without a period – heavy exercising and low eating caused delays in her body that she’d never been able to explain.

But, that was a long time ago. That was another lifetime ago, another Eliza ago. That was sixteen and pinching the imaginary fat on her hip in her bedroom mirror, it was seventeen and using her lunch money on more plants for her bedroom, it was eighteen and begging out of the grad night trip to the waterpark. It was nineteen and screaming at Olive for having the audacity to think she needed help.

The Eliza now, the Eliza who was pacing back and forth in her bedroom looking at the cycle app on her phone was twenty-five with shaking hands and a knot in her stomach. Two months. Two months?

She couldn’t be getting bad again. She’d been so careful. She was so careful. Her doctor had her on a ridiculous diet of supplements and nutrition bars, she was practically bleeding out protein shakes at this point. She was only allowed to exercise twice a week, no more than thirty minutes. She ate three square meals. She was careful.

Her phone lit up with a phone call, tearing her away from her calendar that was void of any pink date markers, and suddenly the name THAYER was staring back at her, accompanied by a picture of him that she had taken when he wasn’t looking – the aftermaths of an exploded confetti egg in his hand, eyes squeezed shut, laughing with a huge smile on his face.

Enough. She could figure out what her body was doing to her this time later.

She had barely answered the call, not even with a greeting, before Thayer’s voice was filling her ear like honey.

“We need to do something this weekend that has nothing to do with family or dads or anything.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Sunday, Thornberry. Sunday is Father’s Day. And I can’t put you through another Bell Family Dinner Theater. One was bad enough. One was enough for a lifetime.”

She thought back to that night, six months prior. His parents had yelled at each other from across the table throughout the duration of the night, all waving arms and wagging fingers. Thayer’s brother, Casper, had decided Christmas was the perfect time to come out of the closet, and Thayer had been drunk enough to loudly declare, “I LOVE MY GAY BROTHER,” as he knocked a candle over onto the table, leaving a charred hole in the center of the table cloth (“that’s an heirloom!” his mother had cried out as Eliza sipped her wine and silently prayed for the floor to open up and swallow her).

“Right. Well. I’m sure we can think of something to take your minds off things,” she hummed back at him. “After all, I’m sure my dad would—”

“—if any of the next five words have the word golf in them I’m divorcing you.”

“You’d have to marry me first, dummy.”

“Ah, so now you’re trying to catch me on a technicality.”

“We’ll turn off our phones and stay in bed.”

“Now you’re speaking a language I’m fluid in,” Thayer breathed out. “They actually opened the trail back up at Manatee Point, so I was thinking—”

“—the last time we went hiking you said I’d have to carry you back.”

“Which you didn’t do, by the way. Pathetic.” She could hear the smile in his voice, and she still wasn’t used to the way something like that could make her toes curl. “But I’ve changed. I’m a new me. A me who is capable of climbing up a hill without crying about it. Almost positive. Besides, I think it might be good for Darwin to get some fresh air.”

Eliza bit back her smile, but only for a moment. “It’s a date.”

He hung up with the promise of being home within the hour, and Eliza sat down on the edge of her tub, looking at the calendar on her phone for another moment or two before her stomach was twisting all over again and she was dropping to her knees.

You know, to throw up.

Not to pray.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The problem with this being what could only be safely assumed as the obvious answer in all of it was that her doctors had told her that wasn’t possible. They had told her years ago, when she was still in the rehabilitation center, twenty and terrified, that it wasn’t going to be possible for her to bear children.

“Well,” the doctor had corrected herself after a beat, “I suppose we can’t just entirely rule out the possibility. But, it would be difficult. It would take a toll on your body, especially after the stress that your body has undergone over its formative years.”

Okay. So, not impossible. But, impossible. Right?

There were too many variables that would have to align perfectly for that to be a possibility. They would have had to not use protection, she would have had to have skipped the pill… You didn’t just get pregnant with a miracle baby. Especially when you could hardly get pregnant in the first place.

She just needed to go to the doctor for a check-up. She just needed to go for confirmation that nothing was happening. That everything was fine and she wasn’t dying. She needed some sort of concrete, marbled certification that she wasn’t getting bad again.

That was all.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

She called Olive on the way, she called Olive without even thinking about who she was calling in the first place. It was strange, really. She used to be her first call on everything. She used to be who she reached out to without hesitation, without a single doubt or question in her mind. Things had gotten muddier after Eliza’s treatment. She’d kept her distance for a long time, stayed away from everyone she’d once been close to out of fear of hurting them. She blamed herself for everything, hated herself for the way she’d treated the friends who she considered family.

Olive had taken the hint when maybe Eliza hadn’t really wanted her to. Olive had found Drew – Drew, with his charming smile and his strange sense of humor. He looked like the head of a fraternity but treated Olive like she was the single most marvelous thing on the planet. Which she was. God, she was.

“I wish I didn’t love him,” Olive had told her one night when she probably should have. She was high, they both were. They were laying in Teddy’s backyard, just the two of them. It was the first time they’d properly hung out in what felt like years. Teddy and her sister had wandered off to bed long ago, and then it was just the two of them.

“That’s not true.”

“Yes it is,” Olive argued. “I wish I didn’t love him. Because I love you. I love you and I hate this, and… and I love him, and I hate that, too.”

Eliza had swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She’d leaned in and kissed Olive, who tasted like smoke and buttercream frosting and coming home, and then she’d pulled away and told Olive to go home.

Somehow, after that night, it was easier to talk to Olive. It was easier to act like they were just friends, like maybe they’d just always been friends. When Thayer happened last year, Olive hated him. Eliza was pretty sure Olive still hated him. She’d probably always hate him, always resent him for kissing Eliza, for being the one who got her early morning teas and late night conspiracy theories.

And yet, she was who Eliza called.

“Eli, for the last time, if it’s not a Netflix marathon, it’s not a marathon I wanna be in.”

“I can’t be pregnant, right?”

“…you can’t be what?”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Eleven weeks, five days.

That was how old he was, or she was, or they were. Whoever they were, the little creature growing inside of her belly – half Eliza Lange, half Thayer Bell.

She’d cried. And then, for good measure, she’d cried some more. She asked the doctor if they were sure approximately six times. “It’s not possible,” she’d whispered. But it was, it was, it was. She had a little black and white photograph in her fingertips to prove just that.

When she got out of the clinic, Olive was pacing in front of Eliza’s Beetle. Teddy was with her – her own belly ready to pop at any moment, but her hands steadily resting against it, wedding band twinkling in the sunlight peeking through the clouds.

“Well?” Olive’s hand dropped from her lips, and it occurred to Eliza that she had been biting her nails – a nervous habit Eliza had only been trying to get her to drop since middle school.

Eliza’s breath went in and out shakily, she held the ultrasound out to them. “They’d said I couldn’t get pregnant.”

Teddy grabbed the photo, but Olive grabbed Eliza, arms closed around her like a vice. “You’re gonna be so good,” she whispered into the crevice of her neck, and Eliza could feel her hair starting to stick to her skin from Olive’s tears already. “You’re gonna be so fucking good.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Doolittle, you ready?” Thayer called out from the kitchen, and Eliza peeked from around the corner as he laced up his sneakers, bouncing from foot to foot. “You got this,” he spoke softly to himself, “you’re gonna make that cliff beg for mercy today.”

Christ, he was hopeless. She loved him so much she felt like she was going to throw up all over again.

She signed the card, tucking her photo into it and closing the envelope, making her way around the bend and into the kitchen. She met him with a kiss, and he hummed into her mouth, pressing her back against the counter. “See, we could just stay inside and do this, and nobody would have to die today. And by nobody I mean me.”

“Oh, shut up, you’re going to do great,” Eliza mused, pressing the envelope square against his chest as they pulled away. “Happy Father’s Day, dog-dad.”

God, could she even breathe right now? Was she breathing?

“Why thank you,” he said with a little bow, looking at the envelope in surprise. “Do they actually make dog-dad Father’s Day cards?”

“Please, I bought this at Target,” Eliza laughed and hoped to God that it was enough to cover up how much her voice was shaking. This had been a horrible and terrible and stupid idea. “They sell everything there.”

TO THE BEST DOG-DAD EVER… the front of the card read.

She watched as he opened it. Somehow, his eyes registered on the words before they registered on everything else.

…AND THE BEST DAD EVER.

And there it was, tucked into the card. All newly twelve weeks of a miniature Thayer Bell staring back at him.

“I…”

The tears were springing to his eyes, and he didn’t look away from the card. But then he did, and his ocean blue eyes were glossy, twinkling madly. “Are you serious? Is this serious?” His voice was soft, trembling, and he was sitting the card on the counter and swooping Eliza into his arms all in one breath. “This is real?”

“Happy Father’s Day,” she whispered into his ear, and Thayer was lifting her off the ground, spinning her around their kitchen once and twice and again again again. “This is real.”

#eliza x thayer #~

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nailtravels · 6 years ago

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Welcome back to Clayfest Tour 19 and the quick turnaround to the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park with the inaugural Suwannee Rising Music Festival. Rise up! Spring is the time to be in North Florida and we’ll be here for all of them from Brainquility to Spring Reunion, Suwannee Rising to Tipper. This heralds back to an earlier spring and the Bedouin trade outpost that smelled vaguely of burnt pig bone. You can still smell it, if you try. Festival season begins right here while the rest of country still shakes off their winter cobwebs. Suwannee Rising bought out many of the Bear Creek and Wanee faithful and their distinct vibes could be felt as early as the pre-pre-party. Both of those festivals had reputations for mad love, insane ragery and professional camping prowess. This line-up covered several different genres of fantastic music with greats like Moe and Oteil Burbridge joining with Lettuce, Dumpstafunk and many more to offer up a weekend of music and fun with great friends, old and new. Welcome to the inaugural Suwannee Rising: Call of the Buttscratchers.

Come home to Hobo Kamp.

Lucienda Rosalita and Baitbucket headed south out of Roanoke on their way back to the Live Oak forest. Bluegrass spilled out of the Pioneer as they cruised along the rolling hills of southern Virginia. They were in Clay’s van, which Darth Khaleesi had recently gifted them. It replaced the Adventure Wagon which, only days earlier had been left for scrap on the side of I-75 at Paine’s Prairie, just south of Gainesville. On his way to go tuna fishing in Louisiana, Corporal Turner reported that she was no longer sitting on the side of the interstate. Now they cruised along the same road, in the same vehicle that had carried the original Shawsvegas Mafia to this park that he loved so many times. Now his ashes sat on the dashboard right next to the Alabama cap. You cannot make this stuff up.

Darth Walthall and Moonshine Gary, Suwannee Rising 2019

The week in Roanoke had been full of tears, moonshine and music. From dancing cowgirls to vomit on the Appalachian Trail, it had been a blur of smoky bars and acoustic guitars. Not Baitbucket’s Larrivee of course. The rumors that it was waterproof proved to be unfounded after it spent the night in the pouring rain of Live Oak. He’s why we can’t have nice Canadian guitars. In Virginia, the blueberry moonshine and Knob Creek flowed like a river and the music began each day even before the sleep boogers had been cleared.

Virginia is for thugs.

They arrived at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park Tuesday afternoon and pulled down the Hippy Trail toward the Hobo Kamp. Sarah and Sarah had been reserving the space since Suwannee Spring Reunion and the line of hanging clothes completed the Hobo Kamp theme. Sarah had dug a trench to hide the contraband electricity, which would be used to power the stolen Christmas lights and the towering death clown. Baitbucket still wasn’t sure if we was going to buy a ticket, work the festival or simply not care. He was widely regarded as a kamp body and spent most of his time around the fire contributing to its gibberish. It wasn’t until Wednesday even that the call came through inviting them to cover the festival for the website. Perfect timing. The “small-dog” metaphor could now be passed over for one with a bigger, more sparkly footprint. After all, this is our park and last checked, when we’re here, we’re supposed to go pretty big. Once again, they were legit and would have the VIP passes needed to efficiently maneuver the folds of the festival. Game on.

For this festival, the entire Suwannee Rising Kamp Happiness Hobo Kamp was run completely by girl power. There was such a wealth of strong, beautiful women that the entire facility appeared virtually overrun. With surprise visits by Kamp Happiness founders, Spacebug and Darth Walthall, newcomers like Holly, Margo, Roxanne and Jessica added much-needed spice and networking foundations were put in place with Jodie and the thugish brutes known as the Buttscratchers.

How is one supposed to properly network with new neighbors? Welcome to your field. Welcome to our fire. The best way to introduce yourself to neighboring campers is with a gift. Sparkly rice crispy treats or ham and egg sandwiches are just a couple of ideas, but gifts of any kind are a fine way to get the wheels greased between neighbors. Otherwise, encroachment issues may arise and in a forest of 800 acres, that’s a bad look. Make sure safeguards are in place so as to avoid unfortunate lapses in communication. It’s fun when two small fires becomes one big one.

Run, don’t walk. It’s the attack of the Buttscratchers. This Wanee procession has been raging just south of the lake for years. Listen for their haunting call as you wander by the sweet spot, next to the sound board, on your way to the rail. Their bar serves everything on tortillas and it’s always the last stop of the night. Jodie could be found chumming the road with glow sticks and then setting up her gear for some wook fishing. Serious anglers, the slot for wooks (phisha wookinus) in April throughout Suwannee County is five to seven feet. Aggregate bag limit is three per person. Be sure to harvest responsibly and help protect our remaining wook rookeries.

A Day in the Life of a Buttscratcher

8:12 am: The light fog hung over the tents throughout the forest as only the earliest birds began to stir. Special Ed was already up brewing the coffee and preparing for the first acoustic jam of the day; He’d begun to smell like a Polaroid plant and it was agreed he should take a page out of Waffle’s book and consider an old fashioned trucker’s shower.

10:10 am: As the second wave of late-night revelers began to roll out, Margo ran down her battery for the second time during the breakfast jam. It’s a rule, Floozies fans should just camp together. Is it too early to get greasy and low-down? I think not grasshopper. Visit her spot, Cool Beans Coffee next time you’re in Marietta, Georgia.

Suwannee Rising 2019: photo by Sarah Fortier

12:12 pm The Kamp Happiness courtesy vehicles remained in operation for most of the festival. Sarah’s golf cart served to transport team members as well as locate groundscores and firewood. The second courtesy bike disappeared sometime during the festival. Last seen, it was with Chandler, who had been already sucking contraband electricity from Sarah’s contraband electricity. Who steals from the bike thieves and where are all the courtesy vehicles ending up? Sounds like some kind of mystery to be sure.

Thank you Sarah Fortier for this gallery of serious whimsy. Look for her work when nailtravels heads to Floyd, Virginia for the culmination of Clayfest Tour 19. The world is yours. Also thanks for helping to reserve the Hobo Kamp for the rest of the flotilla.

Easy E, Suwannee Rising 2019: photo by Rose McGuire

Chandler, Suwannee Rising 2019: photo by Roxanne Epstein

5:34 pm: Baitbucket had removed his governor and the moonshine began puddling in the bottom of his feet. It was far too late to change anything. The good work had been done and there was only time to sit back and wait for the white lightning to fill the cavities of his head hole and make a mess of things. By the time he threw himself from the moving golf cart, his vision had begun to get all “wiggly”. His head slammed into a tree stump but his face had been spared by his new groundscored sunglasses. The last time anyone saw him his face was covered in drool and his shirt was getting ripped off in strips of torn, colored cloth. As he offered an umbrella apology to everyone the next day, he chalked up the entire nasty incident to the effects of sustained and intense grieving.

This next gallery is from our sister and professional ukulele picker Arielle D’Ornellas. For a musician she’s one heliconia of a photographer. These shots will explain why she stands head and shoulders above the rest. Visit her social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram and be sure to catch her band as they play at Orange Blossom Jamboree later this month.

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Thanks to Suwannee Rising for including our team in the inaugural fun. The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park is the perfect place to unwind with music and friends. We look forward to many more years working together in the park to make it a special venue for everyone to enjoy. Thanks to Roxanne Epstein for helping with photography and mimosas.

Thank you Shane Turner for having a mind to catch a soapfish with a net. You will be missed.

Keep up with nailtravels as we slug through the summer of lost rednecks and Clayfest 19. Get ready for Tipper&Friends, Suwannee River Jam and Backwoods Music Festival in Ozark, Arkansas. Don’t ever look back.

The Inaugural Suwannee Rising: Call of the Buttscratchers Welcome back to Clayfest Tour 19 and the quick turnaround to the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park with the inaugural Suwannee Rising Music Festival.

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