#I don’t eat a lot of fresh produce anyways

[rebeccathenaturalist]

What Are Mosquitoes Good For?

Originally posted at my blog at https://rebeccalexa.com/what-are-mosquitoes-good-for/

Now that the weather has cooled down over much of the United States, insects have died back or gone into hibernation for the winter. So you may be tempted to be glad that the mosquitoes have disappeared for the time being. Maybe you even wish they wouldn’t come back next year! After all, they’re just mosquitoes, which annoy us and spread diseases, right? What are mosquitoes good for, anyway?

Much to the surprise of a lot of people, they actually have some pretty important ecological functions, and your local ecosystem would likely suffer if the mosquitoes were all exterminated. So today, I am going to be a mosquito apologist.

What Are Mosquitoes Good For? Food!

You may have seen hundreds or even thousands of mosquito larvae swimming in a pond or other fresh water. Perhaps you thought every single one of them came to find you after they became adults! They certainly are prolific; some species can lay as many as 300 eggs at once.

But this isn’t just because they want to have more young to annoy you, generation after generation. Rather, it’s because a lot of mosquitoes end up eaten before they even get a chance to reproduce. As eggs and larvae, they’re food for fish, amphibians, and aquatic insects and other arthropods. Once they take to the wing, birds and bats become major predators, as do adult dragonflies and other winged insects, plus spiders that catch them in their webs. While a single bat might not actually eat 1000 mosquitoes in a night, all those various predators do take a significant chunk out of the mosquito population.

Platanthera obtusata is just one of many orchids that rely on mosquitoes for pollination.

What Are Mosquitoes Good For? Pollination!

Believe it or not, most mosquitoes aren’t out for your blood! The majority of mosquito species are entirely vegetarian; it’s only a few in which the females seek out blood to help produce eggs. Most mosquitoes drink nectar or plant sap, and in the pursuit of the former they play a vital role in pollinating the flowers they visit. Goldenrod and orchids are just two examples of groups of plants pollinated by mosquitoes. And while mosquitoes might drive Alaskans buggy, they are vital for pollination during the short Arctic summer.

What Are Mosquitoes Good For? Keeping Things in Check!

Mosquito larvae spend anywhere from a few days to a few weeks in the water where they hatched. They feed on a variety of bacteria, algae, and other microorganisms. Because they have a lot of growing to do, and need to prepare for their final molt to adult form, they have to eat a lot! That means they help keep their prey species’ populations in check. An overgrowth of algae, for example, can reduce the amount of sunlight that submerged plants have access to, and as the algae dies it increases the amount of nitrogen in the water. By constantly grazing on algae, mosquito larvae are helping to prevent these sorts of ecological imbalances.

What If We Made Mosquitoes Go Extinct?

So what are mosquitoes good for? Quite a lot, apparently! However, there’s no denying some species have also caused us a lot of grief. There have been calls to exterminate all mosquitoes, or at least every species that could ostensibly cause us problems through disease transmission. And to be sure, I don’t want to see people dying of malaria or West Nile virus, especially as these diseases often hit disadvantaged populations harder, with fewer resources for treatment. But it’s something where we need to weigh the consequences carefully.

What would happen if there were suddenly no more mosquitoes? Sure, the animals that prey on them could potentially find other sorts of food, but there would be an upset in the food web as the predators put more pressure on remaining prey species, which could lead to some of those species become locally endangered or even extirpated. Or the predators might drop in number as they failed to find enough food. Either way, getting rid of all the mosquitoes would have a negative impact on the food web.

Finally, and possibly most importantly–we may not fully understand the ecological roles mosquitoes have. As I wrote recently, ecosystems are incredibly complex networks of relationships among thousands of species, and for centuries we have been eradicating entire species without any thought as to what long-term effects their loss might have on their native ecosystems.

However, that brings up another point: the fact that there are invasive mosquitoes. Invasive species wreak havoc on ecosystems they’re introduced to, and it just so happens that one of the most notorious disease-spreading mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti, is invasive across much of the tropics, as well as subtropical and temperate areas worldwide. Spread through the slave trade, this mosquito is a prime vector for yellow fever, dengue fever, Zika, and several other pathogenic diseases affecting humans. Its cousin, Aedes albopictus, is also a disease vector and is more cold-hardy, meaning it could spread even further.

What’s the answer? Well, historically people just drained wetlands, much to the devastation of the native ecosystems there. More recently, the widespread and indiscriminate use of pesticides like DDT also knocked back mosquito populations (at least temporarily), but also killed off many other animals both directly and indirectly, to include nearly wiping out multiple raptor species due to eggshell thinning. Moreover, mosquitoes have developed resistance to pesticides, making them a less useful tool overall.

More recent innovations to control specific invasive mosquitoes hold some promise. A. aegypti, for example, has been genetically modified in labs to create a strain known as OX513A. Not only do the offspring die before they can reproduce, even if a OX513A breeds with a wild mosquito, but the offspring also apparently lack resistance to some pesticides. Biological control using Wolbachia bacteria inhibits A. aegypti‘s reproduction, and also makes them unable to carry certain diseases such as Zika and dengue fever.

So it would appear that the fight to control invasive species also has the bonus effect of stopping the mosquitoes most likely to give the rest a bad name.

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

[red-dye40]

Please, I beg, a director's commentary on Ancaux or Sexual Trauma Clipshow. Also, P.S, thank you for being the first to plunge into the untapped territory of Phlegm.

PHLEGM MENTION!!!!!!!!!!! ok i can do a little for both :) for you

first is chapter 5 of ancaux which i weirdly have a lot to say about

This apartment has become a hole. No sunlight, no air, no food besides a surplus bag of stale circus peanuts.

when i was little there was this extremely old grocery store in my town, like truly it was 1999 and everything looked like it hadn’t been changed or cleaned since the early 60s, and the most vivid memory i have is this lazy susan of candies near the cash registers and exactly at eye level with me were bags of dusty stale circus peanuts. like the weird orange marshmallow candies?? i remember feeling so. upset by them. and thinking like. this is something a person with no hope left would eat.

i always go back to those circus peanuts when i’m writing a person at their wit’s end.

“Alrighty then…” The employee peers a little deeper into her cart. “Heh. Must be some project you’re working on.” “Home renovations.” “We got a beautiful collection of wall finishes in the paint department if you’re interested.” “I’m not.”

i rewrote this interaction soooooo many times, i had so many different plans for it. originally i had devi ask the guy something like “i’m going camping do you have anything that could kill a bipedal feral dog in one hit” and he would be like “oooh let me consult our expert!” and would lead her to nny. i thought it was too gimmicky and fanservice-y, and it also kept backing me into a corner where i wouldn’t know where to go from there.

something about me is i write little clues in everything bc i love dramaturgy and i love making sure stories are watertight. i put the little mention of the paint department in hopes that maybe readers would be able to connect it to the previous chapter (the little itty bitty one where nny is painting) and figure out ahead of the reveal that nny works at the hardware store??? i truly don’t know if it was obvious from jump or no one even thought about it, bc at this point i didn’t have a tumblr yet and was only posting to ao3 and instagram and had NOOOOOOOO reader interaction. so! who knows. but you can keep that knowledge in your pocket for future chapters, that i’m always dropping lil hints :)

Devi stands in uncomfortable silence while the register sings a little waiting tune. She looks up, into the eye of the camera mounted above the register’s display, and watches herself in the monitor while a message below it flashes RECORDING IN PROGRESS.

one of my first days living in the city i went to a home depot and bought a bunch of sharp things bc i was working on a cosplay and needed to carve a bunch of foam, and i got ID’d for all of it and i was so so fresh to the city and so young and probably very high and just felt mortified, like i just stared at myself in the monitor being like “you’re not cut out for this world” HAHAHAHAHAH anyway. that stuck with me.

The two of them stand at the same height, almost elbow to elbow, wearing distant familiarity and abject horror as they stare into each other’s pixelated faces. Devi watches him in the display as she reaches into her pocket, produces her wallet, pulls out her ID, hands it to him with a shaking hand. He punches in her birthdate without having to look.

somethin else i love is vagueness n ambiguity in writing. i haaaaate when writers spoon feed things to their audience bc it implies TO ME that they don’t trust them or think that they’re smart enough to connect the dots. it really offends me!!!! i made sure i didn’t ever explicitly state that devi is interacting with nny because in a traumatic moment like that it’s hard for my brain to even really put words or a name to it, if that makes sense?? i wanted to try and evoke that feeling of like, you know what’s happening and it’s so bad you can’t even really say it.

Her heart is beating fast against her ribcage, but maybe out of exhilaration more than panic or paranoia. She saw him. He was smaller, more human-like than her brain had crafted him into over the years.

you ever have an absolute mortal enemy, like an ex or a bully in school, and then you get a glimpse of them years later, after you spent so much time molding them into like an evil dastardly goblin in your brain, and they’re just like. a person?? with other shit going on, just like you? and it kind of feels like. huh. okay. and you can suddenly move on??? a special kind of spooky.

and now here’s a lil from stixxx :)

Penetration is penetration, Johnny. What difference does a few inches above or below the belt make, in the grand scheme of things? “That’s a gross oversimplification.”

i remember so vividly getting this little bit of dialogue in my head during work and writing it in my notes app to remember it. it sat at the bottom of the doc for MONTHS (i started writing stixxx back in june 2023 and it was in a much different place) and when i finally was able to place it into the fic proper it felt :) so good

The girl’s been splayed out on her back, propped up on a cinder block that places her a foot off the ground. Her arms are pulled over her head, both wrists zip tied to their own blocks. The same for her legs. With her wavering strength it seems hard for her to keep steady; she shakes visibly on camera.

this whole setup is based on a jthm strip i wrote when i was 13 after /i/ was watching robot wars while eating a chick-o-stick (i was addicted to chick-o-sticks for a while. and charleston chews.)

Her eyes pop open. Purple, syrupy vomit bursts from under her gag and through her nose and fills her throat, stopping up her windpipe.

fun fact about me! i was once severely emetophobic! scariest thing in the world to me! i think the reason i write about vom so much is because 1) it used to evoke such fear in me and i know it does for a lot of people 2) it’s such an insane pretty involuntary thing we do as creatures??? and i think it is one of most vulnerable states to be in tbh. i still think it is icky and i would prefer to never interface with it in person ever but! endlessly fascinating to write about ????

He meanders down the hall. Opening doors. Closing doors. Dining room. Linen closet. Foyer. Staircase leading to the ceiling—how original.

staircase leading to the ceiling is a reference to this little lady at the winchester house

i know lots of ppl make connections between 777 and house of leaves, but i always assumed the influence was very much attributed to the winchester house since jv grew up in san jose (n because jthm predates hol!) those wacky stairs are my favorite part of the whole house. the first time i saw them i felt unease that stuck with me forever :)

Since when do we have a ball pit? My little film screening was only to illustrate just how much you’ve suppressed through the years. But at some point you have to jump in, Nny. Swim through the proverbial multicolored plastic balls of your memory. Fish out all the band-aids and… and missing socks and… little parachuting army men. Johnny stares into the gaping maw of the in-ground ball pit that’s apparently in his house now. “That one got away from you a little bit.” Metaphors ain’t really my thing.

when i wrote this i was like “i am so funny” and i read it now and am still like “i am so funny”

i love to write rev meat. he’s so fascinating to me. i love that he was introduced and barely explained right before jthm wrapped up. so much mystery. what a freak.

thank you for ur interest :) i love to talk

[chweverni]

Mate (pt.2) - the get together.

pairing; joshua hong x reader

synopsis; jeon yeon-du had to ruin your dress and maybe your mindset with what she said at the party, how are you dealing with all this?

word count; 858 words

author's note; pt.2 is out!! i think i'll add two more parts and we'll be done with this fic :)) comment for me to notify you <3 read part one here.

pt. 3 -> what are we?

-

you were now sitting on the ground, by the mini lake in the park. the street lights illuminated the deep, dark and still water. you picked up a flat stone, and attempted to skip rocks on the water, but well, it sank instead.

It's just a crush anyway. you thought to yourself. just give it some time, and all this will be better. you got this y/n!

‘New text from joshie!”, your phone vibrated. you hesitated to open the text, but you opened it anyway because it wasn’t his fault.

—

joshie 🐣: did you leave? (1)

you didn’t even stay for dinner (2)

i’m sad now (3)

can we call? (4)

wanna know if something happened (5)

—

you sighed, as you saw your phone ring again. you picked it up.

“hello? y/n! are you okay?,”

your eyes watered a bit, and maybe yeon-du was right. joshua was and would always be a good friend but never more than that.

you inhaled deep, mustering up the courage to even produce a few words.

“yeah, I just needed some fresh air. Uhm, did the party end already?”, you asked, resorting to your habit of pulling on the grass out of nervousness.

“mm-hmm, I called it off. someone spilled a lot of soda near the fridge, and a few even threw up. I’m never holding a party, ever again! birthday dinners are way better,” joshua said; you could almost imagine the cute pout on his face while saying all this. you chuckled lightly.

“my mom always held birthday dinners instead of parties as a child. i guess that’s why I wanted to leave early. sorry joshie,” you replied, sniffing as your nose became stuffed due to your failed attempt at crying by the lake.

“where are you? should I come over?”

you checked the time – 20:05 hours.

well, it is a bit late right now. you texted him your location and went to the entrance of the park, wiping you wet face for the one last time.

joshua came walking a few minutes later. he’s changed into some comfortable clothes. he waved as soon as he saw your face and his pace increased.

“Y/f/n Y/n, what’s that on your dress?! did you fall? i don’t think period blood can creep up your chest!”, joshua spoke, with pure concern in his eyes.

you smiled, “It’s nothing, really. someone bumped into me and spilled all of this.”

“doesn’t it stick to your body though? and it’s freezing cold out here! we ought to get you some fresh clothes to wear. come on, let’s go!”, joshua rambled as he grabbed your wrist.

your heart skipped a beat.

—

“are you sure this fits?”, you asked.

“It’s the best I can do!”, joshua shouted through the bathroom door. he offered you a white tee and his pajamas to wear. you stepped out after removing your pretty ruined make-up off of your face.

“where’d you keep my clothes?”, you asked as you sat on the edge of the bed.

“I’ll wash it and give it back. and no, this one’s on me. my parents warned me about throwing a party,” joshua spoke, with that awfully kind smile he always wore on his stupidly adorable face.

his room was well organized. It had a few posters of some rock bands he liked, a shelf full of physics books, frames of certificates he earned in various competitions — a golden child, indeed. you were in awe.

joshua cleared his throat to avert your gaze towards him.

“wanna reheat the food and eat it while watching a movie?”, he suggested. you agreed.

—

joshua asked you to choose a movie, while he reheated the food. you ended up re-watching the 20th century girl and oh boy, the scene was to look at. both dorks, shoved spoonful of rice up their mouths, as you sobbed as the ending was purely unfair!

duddenly, joshua’s phone vibrated. he scooted closer to you on the couch and checked the notification.

—

Yeon-du : why’d you invite that nerd to your party anyway? (1)

—

you felt awkward at what you saw and joshua quickly discarded his phone. he put down his bowl of fried rice as he stared at you in silence. you held back your tears and he read that pretty well.

“you remind me of me in middle school, you know?”, joshua added out of the blue.

it was now your turn to stare at joshua, but in pure confusion.

“I was basically a plaything for people to poke fun at in middle school. but then I went through this sweet glow up,” he batted his eyelashes which made you snort,” and suddenly, at high school, everyone sees me as their hallway crush!”

he held your hand.

“you were probably the first person I met her who despised me just ‘cause I solved a sudoku puzzle. Thank you,” he shot his infectious smile at you.

“y/n, would you promise me one thing?”, joshua asked.

“depends on what you’re asking for,” you replied, looking at him.

“promise me you’ll never, ever be sad around me; as long as we’re beside each other, we’ll be happy. all right?”

-

thanks for reading, come back for pt.3, okay? ;)

all creds to @chweverni on tumblr <3

[fiercefauna]

So basically I geek out over this plant for about an hour. If you too have Moon Vally madness feel free to read on, if not enjoy the picture.

Moon Vally Pilea was brought to us by The Color Out of Space, no actually it’s South America, Columbia at least, maybe more places in and around. It’s fog loving, slow growing, probably lives at the base of trees in very dark wet woodlands. Most of the information I can find on it deals with its care and not with its history, save for the European dude who discovered it. It produces two kinds of flowers - a branched, white structure and a slightly more impressive pink berry-like structure- seen here, the latter only if it’s large and in very good condition. The berries may shoot out microscopic spores in little puffs of smoke during the morning hours in response to being misted. It’s possible the pink flowers 🌸 are bi-sex or female, while white is “male.” No other plant I’ve owned has two flower types like this. The white appear to be easier for the plant to make, and smaller plants may produce them.

Note that this looks quite sickly from any other angle, you have to get its good side, lol. If you have a large jar or glass vase with a lid this can keep easily and indefinitely with minimal care, with a layer of soil but for it to really shine you need to give it some room. Either with a bigger enclosure or in the open air - some humidity is a must but most people don’t live in deserts - fresh cuttings should be sheltered to trap moisture around the plant - put them in a big jar or cover with clear plastic, they won’t suffocate like us mortals, lol. When the plant has roots sticking out all over and is making new leaves start to uncover it, but keep an eye on it. Light required is minimal, if it starts to look pale move it further from the window. Grows in regular or cactus soil, fertilize occasionally if reusing soil. It likes a lot of water but don’t flood it like a rush. Well drained constantly damp.

I’m often told it’s bad for animals - I doubt this because it’s not really considered that dangerous to people, (inedible rather than poisonous) but generally I keep it away from animals anyway because it takes for ever to grow like a succulent and unsightly damage sticks around, lol. Small animals that are carnivorous like frogs and terrestrial salamanders are often kept alongside this plant within terrariums. My Green water dragon has damaged this plant by crawling over it but has never tried to eat it.

Whoa! Thanks for reading all that. You must love this plant too. It takes patience but rewards a little effort, very forgiving, it may get ugly if neglected but comes back with a little resetting and attention.

[heymeowmao]

2023.02.22 - https://weibo.com/l/wblive/p/show/1022:2321324872053189902344

Are you surprised~

LYN: Eh? Why isn’t my computer showing that I am currently streaming? Is there something wrong with it? I can’t see you all typing at all... I can’t see you typing. What’s happening?? Oh well, I guess we start over. Oh- huh? It’s fine now, all of a sudden. LYN: What do you think? I’m asking you, friends, what do you think? I said I was going to start streaming regularly- did I lie?? Did I create a pie in the sky? Was I only spouting nonsense? I said I was going to stream regularly- is this regular enough? I just want to ask- do you submit it? Do you?

LYN: I just finished streaming yesterday and I’ve come again today. It just means that I’ve really got nothing better to do. I have no work so I’m relying on streaming now. Gotta keep it exciting. C: I haven’t even finished yesterday’s. LYN: Don’t rush. Watch this stream today. It’s nice and hot. First eat something hot and fresh. All the leftovers can be warmed up again later.

C: My colleague is wondering how your skin is so pale and nice. LYN: Well, I have some collaborations with skincare products. I have a working relationship with L’Oreal- you can look it up. Secondly, when I stream I have the beauty filters on. LYN: When I got back today I was wondering whether I should stream or not today. We weren’t intending on wrapping up so early, but unexpectedly we did. But then I was wondering, if I streamed two times in a row, would I be too much? I mean, what artist does that? I don’t think anyone in this industry right now has. But then I was thinking- it’s precisely BECAUSE no one else is doing it that I SHOULD be. If everyone’s doing the same thing then I don’t think I stand out. Especially since I have a very average face and don’t stand out in this industry anyway. The only good thing about me is that if you’re my fan you’ll be well fed. Not only well fed, but stuffed. Until you’re sick of it (me). LYN: If I put on yesterday’s blazer, this will be a continuing drama. In filming terms this is continuity. If I wear that blazer again it’ll be like I never stopped streaming. Like a stage play. We performed all morning, took a break for lunch, and are back at it in the afternoon. There are things like that.

C: Ning-ge, you’re reheating the pies. LYN: What did I do? I haven’t seen anything, since I’ve been more focused on the filming during the day I haven’t been surfing the internet. Are there rumors that I’m in another drama? What project is saying that I’m included, this time? Are people in the comments cursing me out again? There aren’t any, right? C: There are a lot. LYN: A lot of people cursing at me?? There’s no need to... But it’s fine. LYN: Is it called “Ya She”? Look at my expression. “Ya She” is... ?_?. I haven’t heard of that script coming in as of yet. But I think I’ve heard of it before, and I did see the people cursing me out. But- you’re too early. I haven’t received any news about it. You can curse at me later. We’ll see if there’s a chance to work together.

LYN: I also saw- a comment that said, “LYN is in this project too? He’s not here to “tiǎn bǐng” is he?” Those of you who don’t frequent this circle don’t know- “tiǎn bǐng” is the “tiǎn” for 舔 (lick) and “bǐng” is 饼 (cookie/pastry). To put it in simpler terms, it what you say to describe this situation: You really want to participate in this project, but the production hasn’t included you. So what do you do? You let your fans go spread the rumors that you’re in it so that the producers will take notice of you. So that there’s the POSSIBILITY that they will ask you to act for them in this role. That’s what "tiǎn bǐng” is. LYN: Here’s the thing. First of all, I’m an independent artist. I don’t have any company and I’m my own boss. Of course, I do have staff. Basically, if we even wanted to “tiǎn bǐng” I would first have to tell me staff, “Let’s try it out! This pastry looks good, let’s see what type of filling is inside.” I’ll would need to give them this order, before anything starts happening. The problem is that I only knew about this project after I saw about it online. I can swear to you that I was not intending to “lick” this project at all. I don’t really know about it, but I’m sure it’s a great project. Still, I’m not trying to be a part of it and I haven’t heard or received any news about it. - /clarifies which character for “tian” it is, for the fans who aren’t getting it./

C: Will you be on Back to Field? LYN: I haven’t received any invitation. LYN: But I’m thinking on joining a project called “Mao-Xue Woof” (毛雪汪). It’s a very good variety show. I’m currently filming with Li Xueqin, so she told me if I had time I should go be on her show. I agreed, because now we’re officially working together on a drama and we’ve gotten to know each other through it. I can go play. I haven’t seen an invitation for Back to Field, but Mao-Xue Woof has invited me. C: Is it fun shooting with LXQ? LYN: Um... If I stall like this will you overthink? It’s not that- I just haven’t had very many scenes with her yet. She counts as the female lead’s people. Think about it- I’m a marquis, so wouldn’t it be weird if I kept getting someone else’s servant to come talk to me? Well, she isn’t a servant- I guess she would count as a best friend type of entity? But if I’m supposed to go through emotional scenes with the female lead, but instead I chitchat with her servant? That’s weird. We have relatively little scenes together in the drama.

LYN: When I see scripts now, I’ve come to realize- men nowadays aren’t like men from before. There aren’t characters like Wei Xiaobao or Zhang Wuji- the type where many girls like the male lead. Now it’s the opposite. Nowadays it’s the female lead character that everyone likes and the male lead only loves one person his whole life. That’s the feeling I’m getting. It’s flipped. // I don’t know if you’ve also gotten that feeling when watching dramas lately? So sometimes when I’m shooting the drama I feel a little unbalanced. C: There’s also a girl who likes you in your drama. LYN: Yes, there’s one. C: You have a cousin. LYN: Yes, I do have a female cousin in the drama. You’ll know when you watch it.

LYN: There are people who keep asking in the comments if I am going to this or that variety show. Um, first off- Ning-ge isn’t that popular. You’ve overestimated me. I’m not that popular, so not that many people have come to look for me. Do you really think I have the resources for that? I would forget it if you were a stranger who thinks I have resources, but to think that as my fan?? Does the world OWE me? It doesn’t.

C: Will you go to any music festivals? LYN: In the previous years I did receive invitations to music festivals but I didn’t go. Because I don’t think I’m suited for them. I think music festivals are more appropriate for original songs (self-written) or for a band to get really hyped up and experience the atmosphere. But I’m not a singer-songwriter, so I don’t think it would be very meaningful if I went and just sang songs off my album. That’s what I feel. I can’t really create the right mood. If I go, do you want me to sing “Vow to You”? I don’t think I would be able to take myself seriously if I went to a music festival to sing OSTs, either.  LYN: I also have my own concert. I’m planning on it, at least. So I haven’t accepted any invitation to a music festival. I was just thinking of saving everything for my concert.  C: It’s not like you can’t (just sing OSTs). LYN: I CAN, but there’s no need.

C: Ning-ge, when you go to Mao-Xue Woof, will you bring Daimi? LYN: Why should I? Did you really think I would indulge my company’s artist? When I go to a variety show, you want me to bring my artist along? There’s no need to bring her. But there’s also no saying when I will actually go to be on the show. I guess we’ll figure it out after the drama has finished.

C: Do you have any plans on writing original songs? LYN: I did write some, before. But it didn’t sound good. I think I should just leave it up to the professionals. I don’t have the talent for it, and I don’t want to force it. Some things you need talent for. Of course, you can also put in your hard work and effort into it, but I think I would improve better if I focused my efforts elsewhere. There are limits to people’s experiences- you can’t do everything. For example, if I started to write songs then this would be the end of my streams. I think if I had the time it would be better spent streaming or shooting dramas. I don’t have the talent for songwriting, so why waste my time, you know?

--

C: Ning-ge, do you have any plans on becoming a producer or director? LYN: /laugh/ You want the Modern Brothers Studio to become high and mighty? No- I don’t dare. I don’t have what it takes. I only JUST started off as an actor and now you want me to be a director?? No way. I think I can LEARN; I have been learning a little about it by association when shooting for dramas, and I think it’s a good thing to know and understand. But actually BEING a director would be a waste. Directing is something you need to learn how to do. LYN: I have thought about it, though- making my own drama. When the day comes when I can really attempt it, I’ll invest 200k. I’ll shoot a whole drama. All shot using my mobile phone. It’ll be a 40 episode legendary epic. C: Ning-ge, I’ll invest 100K. // Ning-ge, I’ll invest 100. Could you let me go be a background actor? LYN: Oh- You all have dreams of becoming an actor, too? Let’s say my project was worth 200k- you want to come to me with 100 and be a background actor? You can! Let’s get that set. You should set aside 100 first. C: I’ll give 200. LYN: Alright, now it’s to the highest bidder. Whoever offers the most wins the privilege of being the background actor. X’D C: Ning-ge, I’ll invest 400K. I want the right to speak. LYN: You’ll invest 400k for the right to speak? First off, I already said- this project only needs 200k. So you’re going for the best investment, is that it? Secondly, what “right to speak” are you talking about? I mean- what does it have to do with me? Do I need to provide anything? Or is it just... profit? - /talking abt product placement XD/ C: Ning-ge, I’ll give 1M. I want to be the female lead. LYN: /laughs but doesn’t comment/ Everyone wants to be an actor. You can do it. Jiayou, but why don’t you try with another drama crew? We do things by the book, here.

LYN: My stream, friends- for a lot of you may just be passing by: I said I was going to invest 200K in a drama. You can just listen for entertainment. Please don’t take it seriously. A lot of you probably don’t know me very well. Everything I just said... you can consider a joke. Please don’t take me seriously. If you do, then you’re too naive. My stream is just like this. I spew nonsense and chat with my fans. Don’t take it seriously.

C: Ning-ge, I’ll invest 50M. I want your WeChat ID. LYN: Look at this, friends. /claps/ The Modern Brothers’ stream is so high class that we can make 50M deals with just a few exchanges of words. What resources do I need? I can make a 50M in my STREAM, how terrifying is that? C: I’ll give 1B for you to make a movie. LYN: Alright, now we’re in “over-exaggerating without fear of consequences” stage. Go ahead and give it all you’ve got. C: I’ll give 1B for your WeChat. // I’ll give 10B. LYN: You’re still going? 10B, even??! 10B for my WeChat ID??? How about this, send me 50 first. Let’s check if it’s valid or not. I want to eat KFC (??), send me 50 first. Then we’ll talk about the 10B negotiation. C: I’ll give you 100B. Give me your studio. LYN: Do you want to be my boss? My studio’s already worth 100B?? LYN: Alright, already. The passersby who have come in to watch are probably very confused. They’re wondering, “What are he and his fans playing at?” What game is this? It’s a little terrifying, now.

--

- /tells people not to spam in the comments/ LYN: I can feel your passion and excitement, but it brings a bad viewing experience for everyone else. I can see it all, but I cannot answer everyone’s comments. Alright? Try not to spam. There are some friends watching who are getting carsick. Others have trypophobia and if they see a bunch of words on their screen they’re gonna throw up on their phones. They’ll get nauseous, so please don’t spam. But I see all your comments and I know that you are all my fans. It’s normal. There’s nothing to be happy about.

LYN: You know how I said earlier that I wanted you to send me 50 because I wanted to eat KFC? Do you think tomorrow there will be headlines cursing me out? “LYN openly asks fans for 50RMB during his stream.” Do you think it’s a possibility? LYN: I know I joke around in my stream, but everything I say can very easily become hate material.  -  C: Ning-ge, what’s your bgm? (Uchiagehanabi (打上花火)) LYN: Can you not see it? It says right here. The title is up here and the lyrics are down here. You can see, right? - C: The headline will read, “LYN can’t stop snacking and wants 50RMB from his fans to eat KFC.” LYN: Honestly though, I like McDonald’s more. - - /makes the song info bar HUGE/ LYN: Can you see it now? I’ll put it right across my eyes- I’m positive you’ll be able to see it, now.

LYN: You all know I was an attendant before- I've sold clothes, worked in a restaurant, hotel, and hotpot shop as a waiter. Ever since I entered society and started working, I understood the concept of “service”. The way of thinking that was ingrained from me then, was to respect every customer. The customer is king. “Customer Service” has been ingrained in my head since then. So, the people who are able to be in my stream and watch me today at the very least don’t look down on me or find me very annoying. They think highly enough of me that they are able to be watching my stream right now. To me, all of you are God. /gets distracted and starts singing 他在乎/ Oh, sorry. Anyway, customer service. If you can’t see the title clearly, then I’ll make it bigger so you can see. If you think I’m annoying, then I’ll leave. If you think I’m ugly, then I will disappear from the streaming room- you can just look at the background. I can do everything, we care about the customer experience, here.  C: Ning-ge, in your heart are we only just customers? LYN: /claps/ Look at this. Someone’s got material to hold against me. Artists really have to watch what they say. I told you that everyone here is a customer, and that customer is king. Now you’re using that against me, saying, “Are we only just customers to you?” Now you’ve got your feelings hurt and are sad about it. It’s too easy to hold someone’s words against them. I understand why a lot of other artists don’t like to stream or say too much. It’s because the more we say, the more you can find fault.

C: Didn’t you always say we were “family”? Even if we aren’t “family”, we’re at least “friends”. So it turns out that in your heart you only consider us as “customers”. LYN: Have you ever heard of the expression “宾至如归” (a home away from home)? That is, I want everyone who comes to my stream to feel like they’re coming home. But you can think about it- who normally goes to your house? It’ll either be your relatives or your friends. So if we say it another way, it means that you’re my relatives. You’re coming to my house, so in my heart I consider you as... my aunts. The men in the stream are my uncles. We have that type of relationship. You’re not my “guests/customers”.  LYN: Also- even with husband and wife, have you heard the expression “相敬如宾” (to treat each other as honored guest/mutual respect between husband and wife)? Ai~ Look at me, with the idioms. :) It’s not like you’re going to go home and ask your husband, “Do believe in 相敬如宾?” and your husband says, “Yeah?” What, you’re going to get mad and say, “So you treat me like a GUEST??” Wouldn’t that be strange? XD LYN: I just used that idiom to describe the situation. I already said that I treat you as aunt and uncle. [t/n: he makes this clarification bc fans were getting excited and calling him their husband, probably. XD] LYN: I knew I shouldn’t have spoken too much. I’m going to stop streaming now, friends. Bye bye. I’m going to stop streaming and just continue to “tiǎn bǐng.” I’ll use a secondary account to “tiǎn bǐng” on weibo.

--

LYN: Switching topics! 

C: I’m your cousin. LYN: You’re my cousin?? Are you Zheng Chuyu (The Prisoner of Beauty)?

C: Ning-ge, how do I get thinner? LYN: Um.. that’s an answer that also evades me. I was in wardrobe earlier today and one of the makeup artists said, “Ning-ge, your jawline disappeared today.” I said, “No way. How could it be like this? Where did it go??” They said, “Yeah, it’s gone. Here, let me add some shading.” These past few days I’ve been... eating well and sleeping well, let’s say. LYN: I’m a lot more at ease shooting this drama. The previous one was a bit exhausting. But for this drama I can get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Six hours, at the least. It’s not the drama crew’s fault, though. It’s because I also stay up at night. I stream and do other things that interrupt my sleep. But for this drama I am able to get six+ hours of sleep, and sometimes I don’t wake up until I head out to work in the afternoon. I wake up with a pig head (sleep swollen). My eyes are so swollen I can’t even open them. How much do you think I slept?? So this drama has allowed me to rest well and my complexion has also gotten better. We have three meals a day in the RV- breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’m almost living like a normal person, now. Something feels wrong about it, so starting today I’ll start with losing weight again. LYN: I told Zu’er, “Don’t worry. I’ll start losing weight so I don’t let you down. So I’ll be worthy of you, since we’re working together. I can’t be irresponsible with my character or my face, because that’s not fair to you. I’ll do my best to look more handsome.” I hope everyone can watch our drama. C: Don’t lose weight, just work out. LYN: When I have time I do work out. But, like today- I wrapped up early and could have gone to work out but I came to stream instead. I think there’s a give and take. If I had gone to work out, I wouldn’t be streaming for you now. My fans would miss me too much (so I came here instead). It’s that simple. LYN: Friends, I’ll promise you now- I’ll show you my abs at the end of 2023. 

-- (drama related, mostly)

LYN: I don’t have anything planned for today, so if there’s anything you want to ask me about this industry, you can ask about my work. Of course, if it relates to inside information or a particular drama, I won’t tell you. But if there’s anything you’re curious about regarding filming I can share. I can share what I have seen, learned, or came to understand in the process of becoming an actor. Because I started off as a very ordinary person- just singing on the streets- and the reason I am here today is because I am checking it out for every person who has a dream. I might be fulfilling their dreams for them. I can share with you fun things or things you’re curious about.

C: How can you say the lines clearly? LYN: What do you mean? If your Standard Mandarin is good enough then you will say them clearly. So I guess, practice your Standard Mandarin. You’ll know how to pronounce every word.

C: How are bathing scenes shot? LYN: How are they filmed... bathing scenes... Um. First off, it’s up to the director and what they want to express. For example, if they want to use the male actor’s physique to draw in female viewers, then they’ll shoot it very handsomely. Just like when you watch dramas- like in Korean dramas, I think they have quite a lot more shower scenes. Korean actors have very nice builds. When they get home it’s like this: they get in the shower with their head down, and they turn on the water. The water will flow down the length of their hair- if it’s a little long in front like mine. Then there’ll be a camera angle wherein the actor suddenly lifts his head and pushes his hair back. He shows off his jawline and the bridge of his nose, including the Adam’s apple and the chest muscles. They’re usually filmed like that. And THEN you need to see the water running across the abs. After that, I don’t think there’s any more. But they’re all usually shot like this /describes it again/. See? I said it and you all have the image, which means they’re almost all shot in this way. C: You really know the details. LYN: I don’t. I mean- you’ve all watched it too, so you know. But who in real life showers like that? Who pushes their hair back and holds their head up- that’s just asking for a nose full of water! Are you still breathing?? It’s going to choke you. Us normal people just turn on the water, wet our hair, grab shampoo and start scrubbing. Then it gets in your eyes- and it’s not pretty. But dramas are all like that. C: What about in a guzhuang? LYN: For a guzhuang you just say goodbye to the shower-head and it’s pretty much the same. Either that or they’re bathing in a river. But my earlier assessment still applies! Maybe the male lead can’t take it anymore, thinks he’s very dirty, and goes to find a waterfall to wash under. Stand under a waterfall, and then the rest is still the same- lower your head so the water rushes over you and then they lift their head. XD How fast does water from a fall go, though- that’s an extreme face full of water. But the water running over the abs is the same. But crews very go out to shoot by a waterfall or river- the water’s a bit cold. Normally they’re in the wooden tub and they fill it with hot water. Guzhuang dramas, though, usually... they usually... never mind I won’t say. I haven’t shot one before, so I have no experience with it, thanks. I can’t share because I haven’t done one yet.

C: What about ice cube scenes? [t/n: ?? what is that.] LYN: ... Why do I feel like I shouldn’t say? It’s like I’m revealing too many secrets. Uh... this one I won’t talk about either. I haven’t shot any scenes like this, so I don’t know.

C: How often are the outfits washed? LYN: The wardrobe? Someone already asked this, the last time. They’re pretty much washed every day. The inner robes are washed everyday, but it’s hard to say for the outer robes. If you wash them too much then the texture of the cloth will change. But the inner layers are washed pretty much every day. Especially when filming in the summer, those layers are going to be soaked through with sweat. If you don’t wash them, they’ll smell the next day. 

C: How are ice cube scenes shot? With post- special effects? LYN: You don’t need special effects for that, ice cubes are sold in every market. The crew also has an ice machine. We don’t need special effects.

C: What’s inside the starting press conference red envelopes? LYN: Most of the times its money, but depending on each crew the amount is different. It’s not as if it is a requirement to give or that anyone expects to receive the red envelope. It’s just customary, in the hopes that all goes well. It’s not like they’re giving you new year’s allowance- that’s not what it’s for. So, there are crews that give less and some more. Sometimes 10 to 20, or 50 to 100. It depends on the crew. Sometimes it’s a lottery ticket- it’s a chance to win 5M. I met a crew once that gave out lottery tickets in the red envelope. I remember there was a staff member, whose job it was to just help out anywhere they could, whether that meant moving objects or cleaning up, things like that. I remember they received one of the red envelopes and they ended up winning 200k or so. That was in one of my old crews. They won the lottery and then didn’t show up the next day; they gave up the profession of helping out around the drama set. They took the money and started up their own business instead. C: They were quite lucky! LYN: Yeah.

C: Can you drink the blood syrup? LYN: There are actually two different types of blood syrup. One is the kind that is splashed on your clothes and floor, and the other is for the actors to drink. Like when you’re filming a scene that requires you to spit blood- that’s the type actors can drink. If there are big massacre scenes, there’s the blood that’s on the floor and everywhere, that that kind is prepared by the props dept. That’s just coloring, and they can pour it everywhere. It’s colorant mixed with like... detergent. They had poured some on me before and then later I got some water on it and it started bubbling. Why do they use detergent? Because blood is a little sticky, right? Just think of the detergent you use at home to wash your dishes, isn’t it viscous? So they just add coloring to it. // When you pour it on the floor it looks a little sticky and it’s red. It was on my clothes and then water got on it, and started making bubbles. Every time I moved made bubbles and started piling up. It was from that moment that I learned that it was detergent.  C: Washes your clothes while you’re at it. LYN: Ah, that’s right. C: Is there different blood for different kinds of wounds? LYN: No, it’s all the same stuff. C: Will you be okay if you drink it? LYN: If you drink that kind, probably not. Drinking dish soap isn’t the greatest. The type that the actors drink for spitting blood or when there’s just a trickle- /chokes/ “This.. has poison!”- when you’re bleeding from the mouth, that kind is made with corn syrup and edible colorants. I’ve drunk it before. Sometimes when you’re filming and let’s say for this scene you’re kicked. You’re kicked in the chest and fall to the floor. The moment you hit the floor- /spits/- you spit blood. I was shooting for one such scene and I hit the floor and spit- but then I still had half a mouthful. I couldn’t get it all out in one action. This thing is very random- there’s no way to get it all out completely, like when we’re spitting saliva. You want to make it look realistic, too. So you want to start from the chest and make it look like it was forced out of you with a breath. You can’t just spit it out like you’re actually just spitting regularly- you all know how I mean. So I still had half a mouthful but my partner already started their lines and I had to reply! It’s not like I could spit blood AGAIN. I needed to say my line, “Go! Don’t worry about me!” but I still had half a mouthful, so what could I do? I swallowed it. /acts it out/ I swallowed that half-mouthful and then... of course, I didn’t die. [t/n: meaning he, the actor, didn’t die for having swallowed the fake blood] I’m just saying that I’ve tried it before, and I can tell you it’s straight corn syrup. C: What does it taste like? LYN: Like normal corn syrup. It’s just sweet. If I’m not wrong, it should be just corn syrup. C: You’ll burp bubbles. LYN: No! I didn’t drink the detergent. C: It must cost a lot. LYN: The cost... should be okay. One bottle can make a whole bunch.

LYN: Now you’re starting to ask the professional questions. If I don’t answer this one properly you’ll have something to use against me. This question tests an actor’s professionalism. C: Ning-ge, have you written a character biography? LYN: Let me explain, since a lot of you might not know what that means. This is a more professional question and if you can’t answer correctly, you can easily be ridiculed. Let me think about how to answer this. It’s like this- the drama I’m currently shooting for is called Zhe Yao, and it was originally based on a novel. So all the ins-and-outs of the character are already given to you in the novel itself. When you take on a role there are things to consider. For example, if the character is thirty years old, you have to think about all the experiences that lead up to this date. How/in what environment did they grow up? How were they taught? What setbacks did they face? All the experiences that shape the personality of the character. Just like with BCF- why did he become someone who strove so much for power? You have to think about WHY he became someone like that. What did he experience in the previous 30 years of his life? LYN: So sometimes actors will write a little biography of the character. When this person was one years old, their parents passed away. Or, they were orphaned from birth. They are miserable and their parents passed away when they were born. When they were two they got adopted by the neighbors. They quietly lived under the care of neighbors until they were five, at which point their adopted parents suddenly also passed away. So now this character has become afraid of losing the people close to them, and feel like they are always being abandoned. It’s like this- you start to analyze from every age interval. You can use your own imagination, but in the end you have to create something that also fits with the character’s current condition. You have to think of why the character is the way they are. LYN: Some people don’t like to interact with others. Why? There’s always going to be a reason. It could be family, personality, or because of some past experience. Some women don’t believe in love anymore. It could be because they were hurt by love when they were younger. As an actor you have to think about what the character you are trying to portray has experienced, that has shaped them the way they are. You think about every decision and why they made the choices they did. That’s the logic behind it.

C: This person is a dead person. LYN: Em. Not necessarily. [t/n: ? I think the point of that comment was to ask what happens if you’re playing a character who is already dead when the narrative starts? idk.]

C: Why do keyboard warriors like to yell at other people? LYN: If one day I play a keyboard warrior, I will share the reason why I would go online just to randomly provoke or ridicule other people, or make up things to stir discontent. Again, you have to think. What did they experience when they were young? Of course, I’m not trying to condemn anyone. You just have to think about the reasoning behind it. LYN: If I were one, for example. Why would I become a keyboard warrior? It’s possible that it’s because I grew up in an environment where people didn’t care for/pay attention to me. Under the guise of anonymity I can leave comments where hundreds of others can reply. The more people reply, the happier I will be because in real life I have no one to talk to. No one wants to drink with me or chat or treat me to a meal. It’s only online where someone will pay attention to me. Even if they’re cursing at me I would still be happy because their attention is on me. LYN: In real life, these types of people lack attention. No one pays attention to them, and no one cares for them. Actually they are quite tragic. If they had someone to talk to, hang out with, and eat meals with they wouldn’t have the TIME to leave comments online. First of all, they’re just looking for a sense of existence. Secondly, perhaps their life just isn’t the greatest. There’s a saying- how should I put it... Like, if you’ve grown in up in a good environment and the things you’ve met with were always good things, then your outlook on life will be just as optimistic and you’d want to share that with others. It depends on if you were taught to be kind and do good things, or maybe if you’ve gained so much that you aren’t lacking for want of anything. When someone becomes well-off, usually they will give back. If you had poor beginnings and then came into wealth, most of those people do good things. They would want to become upright and repay the kindness to others. But if you want to act as a keyboard warrior, you have to think of what they’ve been through. LYN: When you’re living a happy life then all that you see is in a good light. If you’re living poorly and aren’t satisfied with your life then all you want is to retaliate, and a way to do that is to express yourself online and thus become a keyboard warrior. There’s a reason behind the hatred.

C: What about acting as a pervert? LYN: I feel like you’re testing me. I’m a little afraid to answer. Acting as a pervert... how would I do that? I’m just sharing with you, but it has nothing to do with my acting skills- I don’t have that. It’s just a shallow understanding on my part, since I’m not a professional actor. I’m just telling you how I would interpret it; just my way of thinking. A pervert... C: Are there any techniques to acting as a villian? LYN: I don’t dare to say I have any “techniques”, nor do I dare to share. Don’t ask me how to act. I’m just trying to share about things you’re interested in, but I can’t share with you acting tips. I don’t have any acting tips! How did this topic get so deep? Who am I to dare say anything?? I don’t dare to answer. Let’s switch topics.

C: Is it hard to remember your lines? LYN: It’s quite difficult, just like how you would study your textbooks. When you are able to figure out your own methods of memorization, then of course it gets a little easier. There’s nothing to it. The way I do it is I will look through all my dialogue first- to see if there are any words I don’t recognize, because some of the phrases are less used in daily life. And then to remember the lines... I don’t. Rather, I remember the meaning (context). For example, in this scene I’ve come to find someone- I need to know why I’m looking for them, and what is my goal after finding them? Let’s say I’m looking for someone to borrow money from them. All of my lines will center around “borrowing money”. But there are many different ways to borrow money: threatening, forceful, unwilling/regretful. Or you can start soft then use harder tactics if they deny you. You have to know what your goal is, and how you’re going to reach it. All of your lines will center around that goal. But as for what method to use, the script pretty much already tells you. If you memorize the meaning of the scene first it will be easier to remember the lines. 

C: Are the clothes heavy? LYN: They’re quite heavy. There are all the long-sleeved robes and outer coats... those are.. okay. But armor is truly heavy. Some crews want the texture it gives, when using real metal plates. They’re not purely iron though, some crews will use alloys which are a little lighter but still give that same feel. Once you wear armor you will feel like it is pressing you down and you have to make an effort to lift yourself. After a day of that you’re going to feel very tired. You’ll feel a little out of breath because of the weight. It’s quite heavy. 

C: After you’ve been on wires for so many times, would you dare to bungee jump? LYN: No. Being on wires is for work. But outside of work there’s no need to... make things difficult for myself. Bungee jumping does not bring me happiness. I already said, if there’s any amusement activity that- in one wrong moment- can cause me to pass away, I don’t find them fun. C: When you’re on wires will your armpits hurt? LYN: Will you ARMPITS hurt? What a thrilling question. When you’re on wires there’s... (a harness)- anyone who has bungee jumped before would know, actually. It’s pretty similar. There are two lines strung from the sides (in front). Normally when I am doing fight scenes I prefer to have one in the front and one in the back. It depends on where the focus is. Why is the wire in the front? So you can take on the force of it. It’s pressing very hard. I remember the first time i was on wires, when I got home and took off my clothes I thought I’d been whipped. There were all sorts of criss-crossing lines. It didn’t hurt, but it was shocking to see. “I’ve been whipped!”

C: What do you do if you keep drooling when speaking? LYN: My first choice would be to go to the hospital. I’m here talking about fun/interesting things that happen during drama shooting and you want to ask me, “What do I do if I keep drooling while speaking?”?? I don’t know, I’m not a doctor. Do you think I am Doctor Liu? The first thing you can do is go to the hospital and ask a doctor. The second thing is, if you don’t want to go, just speak with your head tilted upwards. Speak like this. /demonstrates/ That way your saliva will flow down your throat and you won’t spit it out. If you do this it’ll save you the expense of going to see the doctor.

C: Do you still cry when on wires? LYN: I don’t anymore. Unless there’s a great wind blowing into my eyes. When the wind’s blowing into your eyes, no one can see. If you’re relatively high up, the wind will be bigger. It’s just like flying a kite. When you’re standing on the ground you can’t tell how windy it is, but once you let it high into the sky then you can tell. If the wind is blowing and you still have to stare at the ground, then you’ll shed a few tears.

C: Are wires pulled using human strength? LYN: Most of the time, yes. It’s safer for there to be humans controlling it. I mean, even if it were a machine, it’s still a person controlling it, isn’t it? Most of the times it’s pulled by people. For example, there are three to four staff who pull me. They control the height and how quickly you come down, and other safety things. 

C: Da-ge, your face is too white, isn’t it? LYN: I’m using the whitening filter. It’s a special effect. Don’t worry, I’m a living person. It’s also because the lights are a bit bright.

C: What happens if you’re too heavy and they can’t lift you? LYN: I don’t think there’s a “too heavy”? There are actors who are on the heavier side, though. So if three people can’t pull you then they use four. If four can’t lift then they’ll use five. If five can’t then six. They’ll be able to pull you eventually.

C: Are the immortal pills they use in dramas malt balls? LYN: Not necessarily. Sometimes they’re coated peanuts. It depends on the props dept exactly what is used.

LYN: .. Did the video freeze? // It’s frozen, isn’t it? This! What should I do with this... This computer really should be changed. Well, I’ll use the restroom, friends. Wait for me. Let me play a video for you.  -- break #1

-- (life-related)

LYN: Someone typed into the comments, multiple times, “I don’t want to go to school.” They really did it very many times, which goes to show they REALLY don’t want to go to school. But I want to ask you, if you don’t want to go to school, then what DO you want to do? Be a poop (manure) scooper? You should go to school. If your family has the means to send you to school in the first place then you should count your blessings. A lot of people WANT to go to school but they can’t afford to. Here you are, not wanting to go. You were born into fortune but just don’t realize it. I’ve been there, so I know. Let me share. You should definitely go to school.  C: I’ll let the sheep. LYN: ... We returned to this topic again. [t/n: we had this convo in a previous stream before.] You wouldn’t be able to keep track of the sheep, remember? Then you told me you’d only let one. What are you going to do, if not go to school- scoop manure? There aren’t even places that will let you do that, anymore. It’s all automated now, there’s no need for manual labor.

C: I don’t want to go to work. LYN: If you don’t want to go to work, then I can’t stop you. If you like freedom and "poetry and distant lands”, then you can rest. In any case, you’ll know when you’re hungry. You’ve already graduated and started work, which means you’re an adult. When you’re an adult you have to be the one responsible for every decision you make. If you don’t want to work, then don’t. You’ll know when you’re hungry. When you can’t afford a meal or make a living for yourself then know that was your own decision. Just accept the results. Whenever you’ve complained to me about not wanting to work, I have never advised you otherwise. It has nothing to do with me. If you don’t want to work then don’t.  C: I want to make my way in the jianghu. LYN: You know, actually- when you watch it in the movies and dramas entering the jianghu and making a name for yourself seems really easy to do. You don’t have to do anything but make yourself look cool. Since when was anything that wonderful? You’ll find that a lot of dramas don’t really discuss currency in depth. It’s as if this person, being a skilled fighter, doesn’t have to do anything but still manages to get food on the table. All their clothes are cool and look nice. Plus they have a treasured sword. How is it possible?? If you really want to live like that back then, then what resources are you relying on? The first possible option would be a “hu biao”- to say it simpler, you’d be a delivery person. The martial artists of the past would be the delivery/takeout people of today. The only difference could be that the world was messier back then; it’d be a little more peaceful now. LYN: Another option would be to open a kwoon and start teaching disciples. You can collect tuition money from the students. It’s just like how people go to school to learn how to play piano and then open up a music studio and teach students in turn. Martial artists are the same, aren’t they? Become an instructor of some sort. It’s all the same work- even if you enter the jianghu it won’t be an easy life. The equivalent now would be a fitness instructor. /laughs/ No, that’s exaggerating, there ARE martial arts instructors now. Both types exist and honestly both are equally difficult. For both you have to go out and promote it yourself. It’s like how a lot of gyms make up a stall and pick someone who has nice muscles to show off, right? To gather in the membership. Back then it was the same- if you want people to join your kwoon you’d go out and show them what you’ve got. LYN: We’re all workers. If you don’t want to work, then don’t. You can figure it out for yourself later. // You should (work). If what you’re doing now is not something that you like to do- if there is a dream or a goal that you want to achieve, that’s fine. But we have to face reality. You have to make sure that you have the means to feed yourself first. You’re an adult, so you have to be able to feed yourself. If you don’t have a means to get food AND are working towards some dream, then that’s not being responsible, I think. It’s not responsible to yourself or towards your dream.

LYN: It’s like this- let me share. It’s been my dream to be a celebrity ever since I was little. But my family didn’t have the means to send me to an arts school or a specialized school. We really didn’t have the means. That just meant that I had to enter society a little earlier than most, to find a job. But that doesn’t mean that I forgot my dream of wanting to be a celebrity or a singer. I never forgot it. So, like I’ve told you before, I did all sorts of jobs. I was a waiter- and I truly enjoyed it. Of course, you have to love what you do. But I still had a dream of being a singer. So I did one thing while slowly making my way towards the other and that’s why you are able to see me today. At that time, I was singing in the bar at night and selling clothes in a shop during the day. I worked two jobs. I’m not here trying to make you pity me, I’m just sharing- because I’m better for it now. I’m doing fine right now, so I don’t have any need to make you pity me for my past. I just want to share, to let you know that if you want to do something you have to make sure you have stable footing first before you can take any steps forward.

C: Ning-ge, you are my dream. LYN: Are we competing now? I’m currently male lead in ZY and you want to come take my spot, is that it? I was sharing with you and all of a sudden you got competitive?  LYN: Just kidding, I know what you meant. You mean you want ME, right? It’s not that easy. I won’t stop you from trying, though. I think that it’s a great thing for people to have dreams. I’m not trying to encourage you to start actually pursuing me, but you can use me as your dream. You know that this dream is unachievable, but at least you can find someone who looks like me. Or someone similar in height? Or someone who has similar talents? This dream is probably unachievable but you can still stop halfway towards it, and at least you would be better off than you are now. LYN: Someone asked this before, “How do I get you (LYN)?” and I replied to them before- I’m unattainable. I think you need to... lower your standards a little. [t/n: last time the answer was “go to sleep. you can have me in your dreams.”] LYN: Wait, weren’t we talking about my work? Didn’t you want to know about fun/interesting things about shooting a drama?

C: If you want to be in the entertainment industry you have to have the looks for it. LYN: I didn’t used to believe that. I didn’t think that you HAD to have looks. I thought looks were an advantage, but not something you necessarily had to have. In the recent year I discovered that.. you DO have to have it. Because in the past half-year I’ve been cursed at all over for being ugly- my goodness. It used to be that people said I didn’t have talent and only made it because of my looks. Now all of a sudden I’m ugly. So that means the reason why I made it to where I am IS because of my talents, right?

C: What do you think of the meals provided by the drama crew? LYN: They’re nice. Some lunches are tasty and some are just average. But it’s hard to cater to everyone’s tastes, right? You might think something tastes good that someone else does not and vice versa. There’s not much to talk about, here.

C: Ning-ge, how do you adapt to the period of time after you’ve left school? LYN: How do you adapt? Now that you mention it, I do have some thoughts about it. Because the first thing I did out of school was work in a restaurant preparing the wood-ear fungus. I went to a culinary school, you all know, right? After you learn the next thing you do is start work. My school was pretty responsible, and arranged work for you. They had me working in the kitchen of a restaurant and the first time I went the chef had given me a big bucket of wood-ear and had me prepare them. I was crying as I did so. Everyone else had gone home but they told me I could go after I had finished, and I was just thinking to myself that by the time I finished it would be four in the morning. XD I cried as I prepared the fungus and when I went home I told my family, “I don’t want to work, I want to go to school!” LYN: At that time I thought that school really was too wonderful, because when you’re in school you can be carefree. Two days after I officially entered society, I wanted to go back to school. I didn’t want to prepare wood-ear fungus anymore. You know, a lot of people don’t want to go to school? But I told my family I that I did. They asked me what I would learn if I went back to school, because I had just spent two years learning how to be a cook and if not a cook, then what could I be? Why would I need to go back to school? And I told them, “No! I want to go to college. I want to be a college student!” X’D They told be I was being ridiculous because I wasn’t a good student to begin with, and that’s why I went to culinary school in the first place. What was I doing earlier, spending two years in culinary school, if I wanted to go to college?? After I calmed down even I found myself ridiculous. LYN: Honestly all of that was me trying to find a way to escape society, because it IS hard to adapt after leaving school. We don’t have any experience. We just go from a really simple environment and enter society, where you now have to face all sorts of things you never had to before. It’s hard to adapt and many people choose to escape it, like me. I really wanted to escape but in the end I couldn’t. In the end I still entered society, but I changed a restaurant to work at- one that didn’t require me to prepare wood-ear fungus. I was washing vegetables instead. LYN: There’s nothing you can do. You have to face it one day, and there’s no period for adaptation. Many people feel out of place, suddenly going from school to a work environment. This doesn’t last any longer than three months. After that, you’ll get used to it. So, time will blur the transition. All you have to do is persevere.

C: Ning-ge, didn’t you learn how to be a cook? So why were you preparing the wood-ear? LYN: Yes, I did learn how to be a cook, but work is all the same. It’s like how you would learn a major in college, and when you graduate and find work in that field, you’re still going to start at the bottom because you don’t have any work experience. It’s all the same- you start with the basics and work your way up. Sometimes when you’ve reached a certain point in a company and feel it has nothing more to provide you, you would move to another company and do it all again. Just to reach the point you want to be. It’s all the same process. LYN: You’ll adapt quickly, really.

C: How do you face unfairness? LYN: I don’t know how you mean. You have to be more specific about what is unfair. The world... isn’t fair.

--

C: Ning-ge, what preparations do you make before crying scenes? LYN: I said before, just slap yourself. XD You’ll cry in an instant because you’ll feel wronged. LYN: No, I don’t really prepare. If I know that I’ll have a scene that day that holds heavy emotions and needs me to be down- sad or broken- then from the start I won’t let myself be very happy that day. I’ll keep myself in low spirits. If you’re happy and excited and then they tell you that in the next scene you’ll lose the person you love the most there’s no way to bring yourself down. Other people can do it, of course, but I can’t. I just maintain low spirits from the start.

C: So Ning-ge, when you see wood-ear will you cry? LYN: No. Ever since I graduated and they made me prepare the LARGEST bucket of wood-ear fungus and I cried because of it, I have never eaten wood-ear fungus again. Why? Because I believe in the saying, “If I don’t buy it, it can’t anyone.” As long as I don’t eat it, there will be one less person in the back of the kitchen like me preparing it. I don’t want anyone else to be harmed the way that I was by it. I cried while preparing it, so from then on I’ve never eaten it. C: All the wood-ear I’ve seen were already prepared. LYN: Yes, in the markets they will sell them pre-prepared but the type they sell to the restaurants is more... (unprocessed). Because in restaurants there are people like me, preparing it. So, restaurants can then pay a cheaper price for the unprocessed ones; and processed ones are more expensive. Just like buying peanuts- if you buy them with shells they’ll be cheaper than the un-shelled nuts themselves. It’s the same logic.

C: Ning-ge, I want to eat the wood-ear you prepared yourself. LYN: You’ll never have that chance in this lifetime.

--

C: Ning-ge, when will you change a hair color? LYN: I can do it now, I have them at the side. Friends, what color do you like? I’ll go dye it immediately. I can change it. I have them right here.

C: Ning-ge, I have some advice! Next time you have a crying scene then prepare a bucket of wood-ear fungus. I’m sure you’ll be able to cry in no time. LYN: /claps/ You’re too quick-thinking. You must be the same as me. I think that the method this friend has thought of is a very good idea. It’s also a method to acting, called “transfer of emotions”. I can look at the wood-ear and think of the time in the restaurant when I felt hurt and saddened, lost and helpless, and apply it suitably to the crying scene at hand. That’s a great idea.

LYN: Let me look for the wigs, to see what color I have... I think I only have three.  C: Green. LYN: I don’t have that.  LYN: I only have these two (silver/grey & pink). I don’t know where the other ones went. C: Wear the pink one. LYN: I did the last time and thought I looked a lot like Li Dan. I saw the pics you all were posting, and thought I did look like Dan-zhong. // Let’s forget about it, then. I’ll stick with this one for today and later I’ll go online and pick some other colors. Green and blue, or something. Next time!

LYN: My stream is just like this. I come to chat and say some nonsense for entertainment. Overall, I just hope I can give my fans some company. This counts as a sort of very small special benefits for those who like me. It doesn’t count as a total “benefit” though, because I think it’s something I should be doing. 

C: Are actors’ hair and makeup coordinators fixed? LYN: They’re not, because you don’t really know who is in charge of the hair and makeup for a drama until you get there. Every time you start a new collaboration you could be working with a new coordinator. But artists- those who have brand collaborations or stage performances- have their own personal hair and makeup artists. Everyone knows who mine are: Xiao Ke and Xiao Qi, and they accompany me through daily appearances. For the drama, you will see whoever they assign you to. LYN: But then again, there are a lot of artists who bring their own hair/makeup into the drama crew, if it is someone they are more used to. It’s just that the makeup they apply will then have to adhere to the drama’s requests. They’ll tell you what style to draw the eyebrows or... how to affix the fake eyelashes and how thick, where to draw the eyeliner- each drama has its own scope or style for the character that you have to stick with. LYN: I’ve seen many actors bring their own hair and makeup artists- it’s a very normal thing. The drama might even be happier for it, because if actors bring their own makeup artists there’s that much expense that the production can save. You brought your own technicians, so you can pay them yourself, too. Though there could be “bigger” actors that the production has to pay the expenses for, but I don’t really know the details.

C: Can you play on your phone while they do your hair and makeup? LYN: It depends on the individual. You can play on your phone or watch tv or a movie. There’s nothing that says you have to sit there like a zombie, with your eyes wide open. It’s not as complicated as you think, because we don’t have special effect makeup. There’s no pasting on a fake face, or nose, or head piece. It’s just normal makeup and you can play on your phone or drink water, or ask to use the restroom in between.

C: Can you eat while they’re doing your makeup? LYN: I think that generally people don’t eat while getting their makeup done. You can stick a few pieces of pre-prepared fruit into your mouth and have a few bites, sure. But you can’t constantly be moving or how else are they supposed to do your makeup?? You can eat a few slices of orange in the interim while they’re putting on your foundation, but you can’t be shoveling food into your mouth. If you’re eating a hotpot while someone is trying to do your makeup, then that’s a little dismaying, right? That’s no good. C: I’m eating oranges right now. LYN: /laughs/

--

C: /lots of people have tests coming up and are asking for LYN’s blessings/ LYN: I’m sure that those who watch my stream are all those who possess a unique vision. I think the fact that you like me proves that you have a unique sense of taste and because of that, I’m sure you can all accomplish great things. // I hope you all can succeed. Anyone who has a dream is amazing, right?

C: Do you have to rehearse for fight scenes? LYN: Of course! We might be acting as highly skilled fighters but it’s not as if we really know how to fight. Most of the time in dramas there are scenes that are fixed. So sometimes you will find videos online uploaded by the stunt coordinators, where they show how the whole scene plays out from start to finish and all of the cameras and moves are all arranged but instead of actors it is the stunt choreographers. You might have scene those videos online. For some dramas these scenes are all arranged so that when it is finally filmed for the drama it will look amazing. The choreographers will release a demo for the actors, telling us how the scene will be shot. You’re assigned your moves and you practice them with the coordinators so that when it is finally time to shoot the scene everything goes smoothly. There are a number of scenes that fall into this category. LYN: But there are also a number of “smaller” fight scenes, which requires “technique” and step by step movement. For those types of scenes, usually you will be taught on scene. You’ll practice the movements with the coordinators first and once you learn the movements, then the spacing and flow is arranged. That’s how those scenes come together.

C: Are you really slapped? LYN: Some are real and some are fake. If the camera angle is far away and at most you can tell that it is two people, then you don’t need to slap for real. Unless of course, based on the actor’s experience, they can tell you, “For this scene, you must slap me.” That’s doable. Sometimes the opposing actor will say, “No- I need to slap you in order to get into the right mood.” That’s acceptable also. It’s depends on your own willingness. That’s the actor’s choice. For close-ups most of the time it’s a real slap. Honestly... getting slapped isn’t a big deal. You can get slapped one-three times and it’s really nothing. It’s just a part of the job. I often get slapped while filming. Of course, I have also slapped other people.

C: What if you can’t bring yourself to do it? LYN: I don’t know. I can always bring myself to do it, in any case. Also, the actors that I’ve met have all also brought themselves to do it. I don’t know what the ones who can’t do it do.

C: One slap for 2000RMB. LYN: There’s no such charge.

C: Can you be hit with a shovel? LYN: ... You’re asking if, instead of using a hand to slap, would it be alright to take a shovel and hit someone with that?? ... Do you have homicidal tendencies? You know that this is illegal in normal society, so what makes you think it’s okay when filming?? You won’t be able to escape the law either way, I’m telling you now. You must be perverse!

C: Ning-ge, then what about being it with a beer bottle or flower vase? LYN: Do you even need to ask? Don’t be too unreasonable. Why don’t you just ask. “Ning-ge, when people jump from the top floor of a building in a drama, do they really die?” Why don’t you ask something like that? How could it be possible that we use a real vase to hit people with?? That scene would run through actors like crazy, in that case. LYN: Bottles and such that look real are actually fabricated. They’re mostly made from sugar and are very fragile. When you’re hit it the head with it.. I can’t say you won’t feel anything. You’ll definitely feel something, but it won’t be enough to actually injure you. They’re mostly made with sugar, but they do have a requisite thickness. LYN: By your logic, if there’s a scene in a drama where someone pulls out a gun and shoots you dead with it... are you really shot? There’s no way. It’s all part of the filming process C: When I was little I thought they really died. LYN: That... would make this industry exhaust it’s supply of actors very quickly.

C: Is it edible? LYN: Are you asking about the sugar they use to make the props? You try not to eat it, if possible. It’s not like we’re poor to the point that we don’t have money to afford a lollipop, right? If you wanted to eat sugar that badly then buy some candy! Why do you need to eat the sugar the props are made of?? Try not to eat it. I don’t know if it’s edible, and I haven’t tried it. I advise you not to be curious enough to try it for yourself, either. There’s really no need.

C: If the scene doesn’t come out well then you’re just constantly being hit? LYN: Yeah, if the scene didn’t come out well. There are a lot of unexpected situations that come up on set. Like, if the focus was off or if the prop didn’t hit the right spot. We’ll usually prepare a lot of props in case something goes wrong and we can just continue to do another take. It happens.

C: Is the acupuncture real? LYN: Uhm.. yeah. What else can you do? But, let’s just say in this drama I am a doctor and the opposite actor is a patient, and for this scene I will apply acupuncture. What do you think happens? Do you think they’d really let me, LYN, stick the needle in? I might kill someone that way. So they will find an ACTUAL acupuncturist to apply the needles. // It’s real, they just use a “hand replacement”. It’s a method you see often- just a hand, applying the needle.

C: When a house catches fire, is it real? LYN: It’s hard to say. If the scene requires the house to really be burnt down, then they’ll burn it if it was something that the production created, anyway. If they created it for the sole purpose of being burnt down, then they really burn it. Sometimes they create houses to be blown up- and those are really blown apart, too. If the room suddenly becomes alight, then they add something to start a real fire. It’s real fire, but it depends on the degree of what you want to show. For example if the candle fell over and set the table on fire- that’ll probably be real.  C: Most of it is special effects isn’t it? LYN: It depends on what’s needed for the scene.

C: How is an earthquake filmed? LYN: I think this depends on the situation. If you’re on the street and there’s a sudden earthquake, then that depends on how the actors act. It depends on the actor and the camera’s coordination. 

C: Is the alcohol in dramas real? LYN: It’s mostly all fake alcohol. Who’s going to really let you drink on set?? Usually it’s just water. There are some actors who really do drink, though. I’ve met an actor who drank for real, before. The props department prepared water, but they said it wasn’t good enough and had their assistant bring in the bai jiu. They really drank. Other people can do it but I can’t, because after I drink my whole face and neck will be flushed. I wouldn't be able to continue acting afterwards. My tolerance is really low- I wouldn’t be able to keep my eyes open. I can’t drink for real but there are some actors out there who can, who enjoy the real feeling of it. But there’s really no need, for me.

C: What about beer? LYN: I don’t know because I’ve only been in one modern drama and all the others have been guzhuang. There’s no beer in guzhuang dramas, is there? Imagine, I go into an inn and I tell the waiter, “Waiter! Bring me two bottles of beer!” I don’t think that would work. C: The waiter’s confused. LYN: They’d be like, “Customer, you must be... crazy?”

C: There are actors that have fallen off of ladders to their death. Did they really fall and die? *[t/n: what type of question??] LYN: It’s acting. Crews are still going to do their best to ensure the safety of their actors.

C: Ning-ge, are you going to shoot a time-travel drama? LYN: I really... no, it’s nothing.

C: How to they shoot drunken accidents? LYN: You mean drunkenly off the side of a building, things like that? They’ll usually build a fake roof and have green=screen at the bottom. That’s most of it. A large majority is also shot on wires. It depends on the production’s choice. Wires would be more realistic, but green-screen can also give you the effect you want. It’s up to the director and actor’s can only respect that choice.

--

C: What’s falling in snow scenes? LYN: I’ve seen two types. The first is bubbles- like the foaming you use to make houses. They’ll take the foam and break it up and blow it into the air. The other is a special effect- it’s also bubbles, but from soap. They’ll make it very thick so that it can fall. That’s the two I’ve seen.

C: Is the herbal tonic you drink in dramas cola? LYN: From what I’ve seen it’s not cola, because cola is carbonated. Usually it’s tea or a sour plum drink. You can use just about any drink. I’ve seen actors who use coffee. It’s all fine as long as the color is about right. C: If you shake the soda, doesn’t the carbonation go away? LYN: If you shake the bubbles out, then what’s the point of drinking it? You drink cola for the carbonation! If you use it just to stir the bubbles out then you could have just used something else, not the cola.

C: Will you wear waterproof clothing for rain scenes? LYN: I don’t know about for modern dramas, but for guzhuang dramas they’ll put a layer of plastic wrap and it’s mostly to keep warm. Because for rain scenes, it’s not like we can do one take and then leave. The scene is split up into many different camera angles and you need to be rained on throughout the whole process. When one person finishes, you still have to do the same with the other actors in the scene. For example, if the scene has five actors in it you’ll do at least five takes, maybe more. If you’re constantly being rained on, especially in the winter, no matter how professional you are you still have to take care of yourself. You don’t want to get sick. At the very beginning when I first started acting, we used plastic wrap. In the drama crews I met later on, they became more creative and of course, I learned to protect myself better. We started using diving gear. I don’t know if there are any friends here who like diving? Of course, the crews didn’t always provide it, so I prepared it for myself. I bought a suit and cut the neckline, so I could wear it under my clothes. That way, even if I got wet at least I could maintain warmth. That’s something you can do to protect yourself. C: This is the first time I’ve hearing of this. LYN: It’s just something you need to buy for work, is all. It’s like how if you’re working in a company, you’re going to buy some notebooks. For acting too, there are some things you need.

C: Ning-ge, are the corpses real corpses? LYN: Stop messing around.

C: When they throw water on you, is it warm water or cold water? LYN: It depends on what’s needed for the scene. If it’s summer and they throw cold water on you, at least you’ll feel a little refreshed. Right? If it’s really hot and someone needs to throw water on you for the scene I don’t think you’d care very much, because you’re already very hot. If the weather is already 30C then the water won’t be very cold anyway. But if it’s a scene in winter, it’s not like they can throw hot water at you. They’ll use normal (room temp) water and add just a little hot water to it to lessen the shock. It’s still going to be cool water though, otherwise the warm water will just make steam. They’ll add a little hot water so it’s not as freezing cold, but they’ll still throw it at you all the same.

C: Are you really washing up in bathing scenes? LYN: Yeah, what else are you going to do? You just can’t use any soap/shower gel. As to how exactly you was is up to the director. If they want you to wash up in a swimming pool, you’re still going to do it. It depends on the situation and what the director wants. LYN: ... Of course, you’re wearing clothes- I mean pants.

C: How do they shoot underwater scenes? LYN: Well, to start it’s not like we go out to find an aquifer or river to actually shoot the scene in. There’s a tent/warehouse specifically for shooting underwater scenes. The water is relatively clear- it’s pretty much like a very large swimming pool and the depth is about 3-5M. Regular swimming pools are around 2-3M deep, right? But for water scenes the tank is about 3-5M deep and they use an underwater camera to shoot the scene. It’s for safety and to make sure filming goes smoothly. There’s really no need to go out to shoot in a river and risk potentially being washed away by a current. It’s a giant pool- you’ve seen the behind the scenes, right? So you all already know that it’s shot in a giant pool. 

C: If you die in the drama, will they give you a red envelope? LYN: Yes. If you are scheduled to die in the drama, then the crew will give you a red envelope. They give you one on the opening day, and they give you one on your last day on set. It really doesn’t matter how much is inside, though. Usually it’s only 10-20RMB. Other scenes for example, if they require you to lie in a coffin- even if you’re just hiding inside it- the drama will also give you a red envelope. Because these scenes are inauspicious. 

C: /asks him if there are any tricks to crying scenes/ LYN: I can’t tell you about any specifics or about acting as a profession. I can only share with you fun things I’ve seen or how things are filmed. I can’t discuss acting with you, so stop trying to trap me. I can’t discuss this in depth because no matter what I say someone will find fault with it. Let’s not talk about anything that each individual does/interprets differently. There’s no right answer. Everyone has their own understanding, methods, and feelings. You can’t ask about anything too interpretive, because I can’t say. Anything I say will be wrong, and I don’t have any right to talk about it because I don’t have any acting skills. I can’t share anything in regard to performance with you, only fun things or things you’re curious about in the process.

C: Is it uncomfortable to wear the wig? LYN: Yes. Look- I’m off of work and I’m still wearing a wig. Oh, wait. If I’m wearing one when I’m not at work then that means I DON’T find it very uncomfortable. I guess I started to love wearing wigs. I love it so much I put another one on when I’m not at work. XD

C: What happens if you have snot during a crying scene? LYN: There’s nothing I can do about it. I had a scene in my previous drama where I was crying miserably and I made myself so emotional I was just crying. After the scene... I watched the playback, right? I was thinking, “Wow, I cried so realistically” because I really was into it- I FELT it. But I watched the playback and I had some snot that was this long. We couldn’t use the shot. It was too gross. It was supposed to be a very heartbreaking and sad scene, but as soon as the audience sees that snot they’re... going to lose the plot. Even if the actor was feeling it, the audience would lose it. LYN: There’s no tricks to it, I just lost myself in the emotion and cried. I was thinking it would be such a great shot and then I saw the playback and laughed at myself. I didn’t get the feeling that this person was feeling great sadness, but rather that this person was... a fool. C: Then why didn’t the director cut the scene? LYN: It was at the point that I was so into it that the director didn’t have the heart to cut me and interrupt my real emotions. It’s as if suddenly interrupting would hurt you. Just like if you’re sleepwalking and someone suddenly wakes you- you’re likely to get violent. The director saw that I was into it and didn’t have the heart to interrupt, but they knew that scene would be unusable. That snot was just too disgusting. I think I even felt that I had snot and tried to wipe it away. After I wiped it, it was stuck on my hand. LYN: /sobers/ The image I’m giving you is rather disgusting, but that’s just because I’m using a humorous way to tell you this story.

C: On your first time acting, was there a time when the director wasn’t satisfied with your performance? LYN: Of course there was. But the directors I’ve met with up until now have all been pretty nice. Of course, there have been ones that yelled at me. But I think that the setbacks will let you make better improvements. I know I’m not a professional, so only after multiple times of trial and error and under constant guidance was I able to grow. If they were to praise me, saying “You really have talent!”  on my first day of acting I would have been spoiled. If I had met a director who called me a “born actor” I would be wasted. The directors are sincere in their teachings, so there are setbacks. There are always going to be times where you’re not acting up to their standards. It’s very normal.  LYN: I’m not saying this to gloat, but I think that I am someone who is strong at learning and adapting. I’m not saying that I’m skilled, professionally. But if there’s something the director is not satisfied with and they tell me how they want it, I might not be able to accomplish what they want in one or two takes but by the third take I will have gotten as close to what they want as I can deliver. I was like this when I first started acting; I was thinking it all through and learning to adapt. When you think things through, that’s when you start improving. After you think it through so many times, you start to feel/know how you should change.

C: Sing a song, I’m about to fall asleep. LYN: I don’t feel like singing tonight, I sang a lot recently. If you’re sleepy, you can go to sleep though. Alright?

C: How is an arrow through the heart accomplished? LYN: There are two ways. One of them is with props. On one side it’s a square block and you stick the tail end of an arrow to it and on the other is a block with the arrow head. There’s a string on the block, a little like a sling. One goes across this (front) way and the other goes across the back. Then you have an arrow through the heart. The other way is to stick the end in the front and use special effects to create the arrow head in the back. You can get the same effect either way. LYN: There’s no way they’re actually going to stab the actor through. I’ve never heard of an actor doing that. And when the actor does not agree to be stabbed through, no one has ever come back with, “You’re being unprofessional. Since you CHOSE to be an actor, you SHOULD be stabbed through for real.”

C: What about a bullet? LYN: Do you need to ask? There are already a lot of different behind the scenes that show you how this is done. You can go find those videos yourself.

C: How are vomiting scenes accomplished? LYN: Vomit? I’ve seen two different methods. The first is eight treasure porridge. You just keep it in your mouth while you act and then just... spit it out. The second is with cookies. The prop director will give you cookies to chew on and then you drink a little water... and now you know what the result will be, right? Usually it’s those two things. LYN: Don’t you dare spam “I don’t want to eat eight treasure porridge” into the comments anymore. It’s as if my whole stream today will influence the sales of eight treasure porridge. There’s no need for that. If you want to eat it, you can do so.

C: If you shoot “summer” scenes in winter will you catch a cold? LYN: It depends on the actor’s health. Is catching a cold something you can predict?? But there are a lot of dramas that are shot in the winter, and sometimes the actor’s clothing is on the lighter side. They just have to stick through it. That’s just part of the job and you have to respect it. If you can’t even stand to wear thin clothing in the winter then what will you do with yourself?? LYN: This is a normal thing (��summer” scenes in winter). But whether you catch a cold or not is up to your own body. LYN: It’s just like asking me, “If you wear armor in the summer will you get heatstroke?” It depends. It depends on what the actor is able to handle. Whether you get heatstroke or not is random but you still have to wear the armor.

C: What happens if you’re so cold you start shivering? LYN: There’s really no controlling that. Some scenes you’re so cold you start shivering but you can’t be shaking for the scene, so what do you do? You do your best to even your breathing. Sometimes it’s not something you can control, because it’s your instinct. I shot a scene once where I was talking to someone else, but it was really cold that day. I kept shaking. You can try to control your breathing. When you’re shivering you’ll breath unsteadily, but if you control it a little it will LESSEN the shaking, but it’s still mostly out of your control. You’ll definitely need some hot packs.

C: When female actors grab each others’ hair, are they really pulling? LYN: I don’t know because I am not a female actor. You can go ask one of them, I haven’t experienced it before. I really don’t know the answer to this. Honestly, of all the dramas I’ve done so far only one of them really counts as more modern. The rest are guzhuang and if two women are going to fight, they’re not going to be pulling each others’ hair. They’re more likely to be using blades, spears, swords, etc.

C: Ning-ge, what’s your monthly salary? LYN: .. You must be insane. What an impolite question. Who just comes up to you and asks you about your salary like that? I’m not sitting here to be your blind date. What are you asking me how much I make for?? I’m not the guy your Aunty Wang is introducing you to, so why are you asking me about my monthly salary? What’s it to you??

--

C: Ning-ge, how did you grow so tall? LYN: I was well nourished. It’s probably just genetics. Also, I’ve said before- if you’re here in my stream today I will share with you some tips on how to become tall. My old fans all know this. It’s... just stretching your legs. If you want your child to have long legs then you need to make them stretch. Like with dancing, you train the muscles and make the ligaments flexible. Because its a bone and then your ligaments and muscles, right? So if you train your ligaments to be flexible, it will not restrict the bone growth and then you will have long legs.  LYN: When I was little I went to learn martial arts and I learned to be really flexible, right about the time I hit puberty. I became flexible and then I grew really tall. Really! At least, that’s what I think happened.  C: Does it still work for 20+ year olds? LYN: Perfect timing. Haven’t you ever heard, you can still grow taller even at 20. You can do it. Jiayou. C: Do adults still have time? LYN: I don’t know if you have time, because what I’m saying has no scientific backing. It’s just something I am sharing my own opinion of. C: Why didn’t you say anything earlier?!? LYN: Right, you’re already 45 this year, aren’t you? XD I told you 25 years too late. There’s nothing we can do about it now.

C: You can try to prove it (scientifically). LYN: You can! It’s true, but you don’t believe me. I’m 1.89m tall and my legs are long but I don’t have very big feet- only size 43. Which means that overall, I don’t have big bones. I’m 1.89m tall but my shoe size is only 43 (US 8.5)- you think about that. I really think it works. So, for anyone in my stream right now who are thinking about having children later on. Even if you don’t let them learn how to dance, have them stretch when they’re growing. They’ll grow tall. LYN: The other reason, of course, might be because my ancestors are from Shandong. Even though I’m from Liaoning, my ancestors are from Shandong- so I probably have the genetics from there.

C: Ning-ge, my shoe size is 35. LYN: Why are you telling me that? You don’t need to tell me your shoe size, because it’s not as if I will be buying you shoes. No need to share that type of information with me. No need to share your clothing size, either.

C: Ning-ge, I’m also from Shandong. How shameful. LYN: What do you mean?? Am I a shame to people from Shandong, or?? My ancestors are from there.

C: Ning-ge, when you use public transportation, do you not need to use the support handles? LYN: Not using the support handles...? Do you think I rest my head on the top of the bar??? Or do you mean I use my mouth to bite the handle, and that way I free my hands?? I don't understand what picture you’re trying to create here. What do you mean, do I not use support handles when using public transport? LYN: Maybe I’d just be hanging with my teeth. Just to look cool, I would stick both my hands into my pockets and just use my teeth to bite onto the handle. Is that what you mean? There’s no need and I don’t think my teeth could handle it. C: Ning-ge, it’s not that they want you to use your teeth to support you. It’s that when you’re on the bus, your feet are on the floor and your head hits the roof. LYN: Oh, so you’re talking about support from top and bottom. Just like a toothpick stuffed into a box, is that what you mean? Feet on the floor and head to the roof- so if I step on slightly on the tips of my toes I would make myself successfully stuck there? Ehm.. public transport is usually about 2.2m tall, right? I’m only 1.89m tall- there’s still some 20-30 centimeters between me and the roof. What sort of minivan are you riding around in? If it’s a minivan, there’s a possibility I can get stuck there, though. LYN: It’s because ever since I was small, my family always told me to be a man that can “support the sky and split the earth”, so even when I’m on the bus I have to do that??

C: Ning-ge, I’m a new fan. LYN: Hello, nice to meet you. If you come to know me through my stream, you’ll think I’m crazy. But the truth is that there are times when I’m pretty cool. Don’t think what you see of me in my stream is who I am in my entirety. I saw a comment the other day, and it was saying how my personality in my stream clashes too much with the roles I play in dramas and, as an actor, shouldn’t I appear less frequently in front of the public? Let me tell you, you can rest assured. Because first of all, I’m not speaking like this in the drama so there’s no threat of not being able to engross yourself in the story. If you don’t believe me then you can watch my previous dramas- I’m two different people entirely.

C: Ning-ge, to what extent do you have to stretch your legs to (for them to grow longer)? LYN: I’m not telling you that you should stretch every day for 5-10 minutes, as a part of your routine. You just need to be able to get it to a certain flexibility- so that you can do the splits, at least.

C: Today is my first time seeing your livestream. I was never able to catch it before. LYN: That’s nice, isn’t it? The reason why most people don’t catch it is because they’re not subscribed. So if you’re still not subscribed to my weibo, please do so. I am Modern Brothers Liu Yuning. When I have time I will come to stream for you. They’re quite a common occurrence, because I just had one yesterday. And I’m here again today. It just goes to show you how competitive this (acting) industry is- I don’t have any work to do. Now I have to rely on streaming to support myself.

C: Are you going to continue tomorrow as well? LYN: Um.. I don’t think so. Even with today’s wrap time I was thinking of taking a rest but.. I wanted to give you a surprise. Because it’s been a long time since you last experienced two years of streaming. (two consecutive, past 12a streams) I came to stream again today, but there might not be a next time. LYN: When I have time I’ll probably go spend it voice acting, because TXJ is in a bit of a rush. Today’s wrap time was a bit inconvenient for voice acting, so I didn’t go today. 

C: Ning-ge, will you shoot a vlog? LYN: I’m in a crew right now, I don’t really have time to shoot a vlog. There were so many things I wanted to do, like a diary, unboxing, or testing videos. I wanted to shoot some fun vlogs and become a regular blogger. Once I was thinking of buying a bunch of pearl oysters, and then filming a video of me opening them. After I get al the pearls out I could make myself a necklace and then wear it on a show. XD I thought about making this type of video/vlog for you. Sometimes the oysters have one or two, or none. But I searched online and I heard that the oysters stink. If you open oysters for one video, you won’t be able to enter your house for a week. So then I decided to forget it. C: Ning-ge, I sell pearls. I’ll gift you some. LYN: There’s no need. I can work and save up money to buy them for myself. LYN: One time I went onto some platform and there were streams there that would oysters. There were different types- some of them would open them for you. For example, you order some amount and they would open them on stream- those kinds. I was thinking that since I go to programs or shows and I always accessorize with a necklace or something, I could buy some nice oysters and use the pearls from them to make my own that I could wear. The ones I buy to wear on the shows aren’t cheap either, so I was thinking if I could see these oysters being opened on stream right for me, it would be interesting and there could even be a surprise- like a very expensive pearl or something. I didn’t know then. So I bought a few- and they were expensive- and when they were all open the quality was about the same. Later I came to understand that even though they say this or that oyster might not have pearls in it- they’re all cultured. Each oyster is definitely going to have something in in, because they’re x-rayed. Sellers all know how many are inside and what shape they are. It’s not blind at all. I was naive, back then. Later with the pearls they kept trying to trick me, saying they’d make it into a necklace for me for 350RMB. I said, “No need. Just mail them to me” and after I got them I was told I couldn’t wear them. They were of too low quality. Usually pearls will reflect the light, right? They have that luster- but these would just look like I was wearing plastic around my neck. That’s no good. In the end I never wore them, in case someone would say I’m wearing fake goods and it would affect my market value. LYN: I can’t say I was tricked; I can only say I didn’t like the product very much after purchasing it. This thing couldn’t be returned, anyway. It was in the terms & conditions, so... there was nothing I could do about it. - /discussing the.. size? of the pearl? idk./

-- Happy New Year --

C: Ning-ge, I’ll write a script especially for you so you can come act. LYN: I you have that ability, then hurry up. So that I too, can feel what it means to have real resources. People always SAY I have resources, but no one has actually given me any. I don’t mind that they say it, I just want to it be true. That way it’d at least feel fair.  LYN: Write fast. I’m waiting for you.

C: Raffle off the (pearl) necklace. LYN: It has nothing to do with you. Why should I? I need to keep that necklace at home, so I can remind myself not to be tricked again. Every time I see it I understand that you can’t buy everything you see on the internet.

! Daimi Time !  - /he’s calling her, but she won’t come. XD/ LYN: You’re not even famous yet and you’re slacking off??

- /the glasses fall off/ LYN: If you won’t wear them, I will. LYN: I sent her to get washed today, but we didn’t trim her fur because I don’t want her to be cold.

LYN: She’s very calm right now, but if I say her “other name” she’ll get really happy. Watch. - /repeats “How about a sausage?” x25/ LYN: Let me go grab one. Since I keep saying it, I can’t leave her disappointed.

LYN: ? Why is it lagging? What’s wrong with my computer?? The sound isn’t frozen though, right? // Oh. It’s fixed.

-/teases her with the sausage snack/ LYN: She’s really good, in that if I don’t give it to her she won’t try to take it or anything. - /tries to give it to her, unwrapped/

LYN: This has a wrapper, but you don’t have to worry. She knows how to remove it. - /gives it to her/ /asks for it back & she gives it ;w;/ /gives it to her and lets her go/ C: So amazing? LYN: Yeah! Later when she’s done eating it I’ll grab the wrapper to show you. She’s had this ability since she was little- she can remove the wrappers herself!

LYN: She’s so good, she doesn’t have any bad habits. She doesn’t bite my slippers or year my house apart. She’s not food-aggressive either. But recently she’s developed a bad habit- she likes to bark. Is there’s someone walking by the door she will bark. But she doesn’t bite or tear things apart. She has a good personality.

C: Has she been trained? LYN: Other than where she can go potty, no. At the most I taught her to “sit”. For “shake” it’s the makeup artists who taught her how to do it. If I’m remembering right it was while I was shooting for ALZ. They taught her how to “shake” because they quite liked her. She went to the makeup studio every morning and they would give her snacks. She didn’t learn anything other than that, though.

LYN: She’s very obedient. Sometimes raising a dog depends on how well-matched it is with an owner. I think she’s very good- it’s rare to meet a dog with such a nice personality. She doesn’t make a fuss or make me worry. She’s very good and very ditzy (呆). That’s why her name is “Daimi”.

C: How old is she? LYN: I think I bought her when I was shooting for The Long Ballad. She’s almost three.

--

C: How long are you streaming until? I’m sleepy. LYN: It’s about time for me, too. I was able to chat for a while, so I’m happy.  LYN: I know a lot of the time people ask me, “When you are going to stop? I’m sleepy.” It’s like this- I haven’t abducted you and am forcing you to watch. It’s just a sort of company. If you’re busy or you’re sleepy then I advise you to go about your business. You can sleep. LYN: ~ But next up I’m going to tell you a very special piece of information. If you’re not here for it you’ll never hear it again.~ LYN: But if you’re sleepy, you can go! LYN: ~ But this thing is really just too mysterious! You’ll never believe something like this can happen in this world. ~ LYN: Go to sleep, though. Bye bye.

LYN: Why do I like streaming? It’s because many people are lonely. You might not have very many friends in real life, but you consider me as your friend. So when they see that I have come to stream and keep them company they will feel at ease. When I end the stream they might feel empty. I just want to stream a little more, because my fans all “需要人陪” (Need Some Company).  -- 需要人陪 (tries valiantly but the key is too high) LYN: I can’t. But you get the meaning. LYN: Anyway, when I have time I will come to stream. During my last drama I really didn’t have the time to come, so I’ve been feeling a bit guilty about it. You all are always online, silently protecting me and monitoring news about me on weibo. I think I streamed too little, so this time I will try to come more often.

-/Daimi came back/ LYN: You’re done eating? So fast...

C: Show us ka-ka. LYN: I only have this one now (the kazoobie). // I’ll play you a song on the sax. Let me find some accompaniment. I haven’t shown off this talent in too long. -- 贝加尔湖畔 (Baikal Lake) LYN: It doesn’t suit the song. Let me find something else... It’s late at night so we need a quiet and elegant song. -- 这世界那么多人 (Empty World) LYN: This doesn’t seem to have worked either. Alright- we’ll end the ka-ka segment here. It’s about time.

C: Show us the wrapper. LYN: /laughs/ You really want to see it? Okay, hold on, let me get it.  LYN: Friends, it’s time to witness something amazing. /shows the wrapper/ She bites it first so the wrapper bursts and then slowly eats it. C: It’s so neat? LYN: So what, are you suspecting that /I/ ate it? I can’t, because this is... dog food. It’s made especially for pets. I’m not going to eat it, you can rest assured. C: I thought you said it was good? LYN: You can look it up online. I haven’t eaten it myself so I don’t know, but she eats it so deliciously I’m guessing it tastes good. C: She eats it so elegantly. LYN: There are others, of course, who wouldn’t. I had a yoga mat at home before, because I was working out. But I’m not doing that now so it’s become a place for her to eat. There’s all sorts of food particles on it. She eats on top of it.

LYN: Alright, it’s about time for me to remove my makeup and wash my face. I thank you all for your company and support. If you haven’t yet subscribed to my weibo, please do so. I hope you had a wonderful, relaxing, and happy night. It was great to have you and I hope you’re happy every day. Let’s meet in the next stream. Good night!

[princessmadafu]

Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

Actually it's his estimated 190th birthday on 4th Dec but I thought I'd post this early as some light relief since we're all suffering from the nasty virus that is Long Markle:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/02/worlds-oldest-recorded-tortoise-prepares-for-190th-birthday-party

While staying up late for Dave Thorpe's StrictlySpoiler (big fan of Strictly though I don't vote as it's not my country!), I spent my time looking up what life was like in 1832. Facts and figures from Cutler's History of English Agriculture, various historical websites and money-conversion places; any calculation errors are mine, as they say.

Historical Money Note: four farthings to one penny (d); twelve pennies to one shilling (s); twenty shillings to one pound (l).

In 1832, the average rural labourer would have earned between 10 and 15s a week, depending on his skills. If he had a working wife, she'd have earned about half that, and if he was lucky he'd have a working-age child or two who might contribute another 10s a week between them, so we're looking at an average rural family (say two adults, plus four or five children) with an income of approx 25 to 30s.

That's £1.50 a week in modern sterling.

What would your £1.50 a week have bought you?

Well your weekly rent would have been about 2s. You'd spend 6s a week on bread, and another 6s for your weekly milk, cheese, butter and tea. You'd be growing your own vegetables and potatoes, and you'd probably spend about 2s 6d a week on a pound or two of bacon or sausage or offal. You wouldn't be eating steak or pork chops - they were just for rich people. You'd only be eating fish if you caught it yourself (on the sly when the landowner wasn't around) or if you lived by the coast with access to a friendly fisherman to sell you herrings and shellfish. Remember that transport was still basic in 1832, so people who lived inland wouldn't have access to fresh sea produce.

If you were daring, you could supplement your meat rations by snaring rabbits or pigeons, or otherwise poaching game, though you risked a severe fine or gaol if you were caught. If you were lucky you'd have a few hens to lay eggs for you (initial outlay: price of laying hens, about 1s each), or you'd have to buy eggs at about 8-10d per dozen.

You'd probably have ale at about one or two farthings a pint. A lot of workers would spend their evenings at the local tavern because candles and firewood or coal would have cost you 2s a week - beer was cheaper, and your children were probably all huddled up warm and cosy together in one bed anyway, so why bother heating the home?

Don't forget that you'd have to save a few pennies a week towards clothes, boots and tools; oh and soap and household stuff. And as you also earned less in winter (farming being seasonal) you'd benefit from having a careful wife who'd squirrel away your spare summer money for the hard months, and not mind being beaten up for not giving you any more beer money. A very careful wife might even save enough to buy a piglet (very expensive, probably around 10s) to fatten up on kitchen scraps, or maybe something special for Christmas dinner.

You wouldn't be able to afford a doctor if you were ill, by the way, so she'd have to have an emergency 6d or so for the apothecary. And then there's long-term injury or illness to think about, and old age, and the ever-present threat of poverty and the workhouse. Not that you'd live that long anyway, as the average life expectancy of an English farm labourer in 1832 was about 40.

Easy to complain about today's inflation, but we still have it better than 1832.

And, no spoilers but I'm sad for the person who was voted off Strictly tonight, I was hoping they'd get rid of the other one who I find a bit annoying.

[thessalian]

Thess vs Shortages

So very briefly before I attempt sleep: the UK is currently having a fresh fruit and veg shortage, and the government is blaming weather and “transport problems” in Europe and Africa (apparently we’re not allowed to talk about Brexit in all this, even though Europe doesn’t seem to be suffering this level of shortage) and trying to flag up the benefits of seasonal eating. We’re supposed to cherish turnips, apparently.

The thing no one seems to get about ‘seasonal eating’ is this: THIS IS FEBRUARY.

Yes, in the days before we became a global economy, we would eat seasonally. The thing we did then that we do not do now is preserve all the fruit and veg so that we’d have enough variety to last us through the winter. We don’t do that anymore. We also don’t grow pineapples etc in greenhouses anymore, like we did in the Victorian era. Also, seasonal eating and “supporting our British farmers” is one thing, but unfortunately it doesn’t work because that shit gets expensive. We don’t do a lot of cash crops here, and we’re doing fewer all the time, because some things just aren’t selling. This means that the only farmers who do very much that’s not ... like, sugar beets or oats for oat milk are the small independent farmers, who are fighting inflation like the rest of us and have to price things according to how much more it’s costing to produce. With the way the economy’s been stacked, cash crops are the only way that the average person isn’t priced right the hell out of eating fresh fruit and veg at all. So most of us can’t “support our British farmers” because inflation’s got so bad.

So now we’re basically having fresh fruit and veg rationed the way toilet paper and hand sanitiser was during the worst of the pandemic, and this is expected to last for 2-4 weeks. This just keeps getting worse and I don’t know where it stops. I mean, hell, what are restaurants going to do? Most of them already took a heavy hit during the lockdowns; four weeks of produce shortages is going to break them.

People keep saying that the UK’s one of the richest countries in the world. However, that’s a) lying with statistics, and b) not going to be even close to true for much longer. I am so tired of these monsters in government that just keep expecting us to grin and bear it through everything they keep throwing at us to enrich themselves at our expense. I’m tired of looking at the news and having some weird mash-up of panic attack and abject despair, wondering what the hell I’m going to do now and having no answer. This isn’t something I can necessarily fix with more money anyway - not this time. Even small independent farmers aren’t going to have a lot of interest to sell in February, and even if they did, I’d have to go find a farmer’s market to get anything, and I am disabled.

I have no options here. I couldn’t live without the support I’m getting from my parentals in any country, and don’t have the funds to move anyway. The only issue is, I don’t know if I can live here even with support. I’m tired of feeling like this ... but there’s nothing to do but try not to think about it too hard and carry on as best I can. But fuck, it’s hard.

Also, I am not going to cherish turnips. I don’t even like turnips.

[le-trash-prince]

I just started reading The Witch King (I’m only on ch 3 so no spoilers please), and since tea is a special interest, my attention was immediately drawn to the passage below, and I wanna talk about it a little bit because the way tea is prepared says a lot about a culture

He followed the passageway between the sleeping rooms to their section’s eating area. It was a wide circular space, with coal-filled braziers for pots of millet porridge, and smaller kettles of hot water for goat milk tea. Kai sat down on a mat and by the time he got his boots on, Adeni arrived and plopped down beside him.

Now, this is mainly speculation on my part since I’ve only just begun reading and have a limited set of context clues at this point, but I find it fun to guess.

What the inclusion of goat milk tea immediately says to me is that the Saredi (or at least Kai’s clan) don’t grow much of their own fresh produce. Considering the country is listed as a grassland area on the map, they’re mentioned as being nomadic, and they have goat and horse herds, I feel like this is a safe bet.

You typically see dairy added to tea when it’s made at a very strong concentration, like Indian chai, or Tibetan butter tea, or Mongolian suutei tsai. Sometimes that high concentration is just a flavor preference, but a lot of times it’s done to extract as much nutrient content from the tea as possible. The dairy not only balances the bitter flavor, but it also adds important fat, protein, and calories, making the drink a critical part of the diet in areas with limited nutrients.

I think if it were just a few drops of goat milk being added, it wouldn’t be referred to as “goat milk tea,” so I’m assuming it’s a lot of milk being added—my guess is a 1:1 ratio of milk to water. To me this also says the tea is not locally grown (again, nutrient-poor area), since it’s more common to see tea made with just hot water in tea-growing regions (at least historically, before ice machines and boba lol), where it’s more readily available and people aren’t concerned with getting as much as they can out of the leaves.

I think it’s also safe to say that they trade for tea in livestock, and I would bet it’s horses rather than goats that they trade with, a la the Tea-Horse road.

Of course, it’s possible that there are ppl who do grow tea in the Witchland mountains, esp since there’s only one mountain range on the map. So it depends on whether that’s because this is simply the only significant border-affecting mountain range or if there just aren’t any other mountain-y areas anywhere else. Again I haven’t gotten that far yet, so I’m just leaving room for personal error here. But I would be surprised if tea farms are mentioned anywhere in the book let alone in a place referred to as Witchlands. That’s just my hunch

Anyways I’m going to assume that because this book is only so long, it’s not going to include detailed information on niche topics, so the mention of goat milk tea is, in my opinion, a really efficient means of world building.

[bunposting]

hi bunposting, new zealand rabbjt anon here- unfortunately i have suffered a loss recently. the doe that i’ve raised and loved for the last three years died suddenly a few days ago without any reason as to why. logically i know that as prey animals, rabbits don’t show illness until they’re basically on deaths doorstep, but it’s been a hard time anyway. she was a wonderful mother, very sweet and full of personality, and with some really great genetics that led to me making sale at a couple livestock shows with her kits. i’m missing her a lot but trying to focus on my other two rabbits.

which leads me to adding my own experience onto your other post:

first things first, you are totally right that the huge amount of hay/veggies is ridiculous. both to balance with their feed and to buy that much fresh produce

my rabbits get hay if i remember it. so like once a week at most. i’ll give them a bit more if i notice there’s a lot of hair in their poop to help get their guts moving a bit more, but that’s really it. hay is expensive as all get out and since they’re fed a complete diet it’s not necessary as a daily requirement, just a treat. and i never give them hay when their babies are out of the nest box. i’m raising them for meat and hay is filling with few calories, aka the kits will gorge themselves on hay all the time and not gain any weight

i do give them fruit and veggie treats pretty regularly, but i never go out of my way to get produce especially for them. it’s always leftovers from the kitchen. bananas that have gone soft, lettuce heads, strawberry tops, watermelon rinds, whatever. they enjoy a treat, and we have less food waste, so win win! they’re our little compost bins!

but the main thing is that despite what aras/hrs wants everyone to believe, rabbits can totally have a lifelong diet of pellets and only pellets with no problems. the veggies aren’t requirements, just fun treats to add on top of an already compete diet. i’ve always fed my rabbits this way, and i’ve never had a single GI issue

(some may say ‘well what about your recent death’ and while i can’t 100% rule out a GI issue and will likely never know the true reason for her death, that just seems like the least likely option for her personal situation)

Hey Anon! Sorry for taking so long to reply, it's been a busy week.

First of all I'm so sorry about your loss. It's so heartbreaking to lose any animal you love, let alone one you raised. It's obviously a bit too late now, but I'd be on high alert for any other sudden deaths in your rabbitry, especially if you're somewhere where RVHD2 is active. If there are more that die suddenly and unexpectedly, I'd recommend talking to a veterinarian about next steps including how to get the remains tested for the disease. Rabbits sometimes do die without much warning for other reasons (heart attack, heat stroke, undetected cancer, etc.), but you definitely have to be careful now that RVHD2 has spread to places it hasn't historically been able to spread much to.

Everything else you said totally tracks though. Feeding kitchen scraps to your rabbits can be an awesome way to reduce food waste, but (as I'm sure you know) it's super important to do some research first and make sure that the scraps you have are safe for your rabbits to eat/what quantity of those scraps are safe for your rabbits to eat.

[sarah-dipitous]

Hellsite Nostalgia Tour 2023 Day 163

Heartache/A Good Man Goes to War

“Heartache”

Plot Description: Sam and Dean investigate a string of unusual murders in which the victims were all recipients of organs from the same donor

Would I Survive the First Five Minutes??: well, hmm. I wouldn’t be out running alone late at night…..or at all. So, maybe??

I don’t know what it is but this feels like a much older episode

You’re allowed to produce shop, Dean. It’s good for you. Don’t get mad at Sam for wanting fresh, organic apples

This officer HATES Dean lol

I wanna be mad at Dean every time he makes remarks about Sam’s year off, but I’d be the same way

Oh thank god Sam was recording that guy’s babbling. Ah, damn.

How…did Sam just get access to that dude’s medical records??

How did I know they’d reverse the expectation for that next murder. Good for her

I can’t believe we’re back on the Sam wants out of the family business conversation AGAIN

I shouldn’t be…so…at her smearing blood on her face and taking a bite of a human heart

Do we know for sure that Eleanor is his mom though?? Oh. OH. OHHH. The football player drove off the road to end his deal with the Mayan maize god.

And she wasn’t his mom!!! Betsy from the letters IS Eleanor

I can’t tell if she…….DEAN. Anyway. Eleanor and Brick’s story is beautiful and sad and horrifying all at once

I would let her rip out my heart and eat it in front of me

It’s literally so weird that they forgot Sam was there, too. All three focused so much on Dean, and all Sam had to do was bash one of them over the head with a beer bottle?

Oh. Sam’s gonna try to leave again…

“A Good Man Goes to War”

Plot Description: it’s the battle of Demon’s Run, and River Song has something to tell the Doctor

The way Amy and Rory constantly get torn away from each other…

AND the way they keep trying to make us think Amy’s in love with the Doctor ALL THE FUCKING TIME

It’s exhausting

I’m sure these like…space station grunt workers will tie into the grander scheme at some point but I can’t bring myself to care about them…yet…?

Is this the Silurian woman who becomes a…not companion, but frequent ally of the Doctor? (The way my brain went through V names and tried to convince me her name was Vriska as if I’ve even read homestuck) it IS her because that’s Jenny. Jenny, right?? Yes.

Oh to be fighting with laser guns but dressed like you’re in Pride and Prejudice. That’s such a good way to stage a scene

Why DO they even attempt to keep River locked up? Or is it mostly self-imposed out of some sense of penance

Knowing what we eventually find out about River and hearing her tell Rory that it’s her birthday 😭

Ohhhh…the space station grunts are the underlings to the people who kidnapped Amy.

They really made the headless monks Sith Nazgûl huh?

I do like the interspecies lesbians

It’s interesting to think about this episode in contrast to The Pandorica Opens (if that was the first of the Pandorica episodes). We have a lot of the same elements, but now the Doctor has gathered a group of different alien species to do the attacking. It’s kind of no wonder the one grunt talks of him as a dark legend

The pirate crew??????? Hell yeah!

One, the Colonel Run Away speech is powerful but two, you being angry isn’t new, Doc. You can pretend you’re a silly little muppet man all you want but….no

Oh I like that bit of dialogue too “the anger of a good man is not a problem. good men have too many rules” “good men don’t need rules. Today is not the day to find out why I have so many”

Noooooo, after that really touching reunion I’D FORGOTTEN THAT THEY REPLACED MELODY TOO. THAT’S NOT THEIR REAL BABY

I can’t believe he’s putting a time limit on Amy and the Doctor hugging…..

That would be so unbelievably traumatizing. If your newborn child liquified in your arms.

No matter what it is that River says here, no matter how right she is, part of the reason she couldn’t come here til now was because she shouldn’t cross her own time stream

[spiremire]

6 months in Interior Alaska

In August I moved 3500 miles north from Los Angeles-ish to Interior Alaska for a PhD program. This was the most nerve wracking thing I’ve ever done and also one of the most exciting. When I talk to friends and family about having moved up here, it’s pretty clear they’re picturing me living in a cabin in the woods, fending off bears and somehow a university fits in there, somewhere. Like Alaskan Bush People, with a random college campus thrown in.

Sometimes, they’ve got the right idea. But never for the reasons they think. There’s lots of stuff that’s hard to get up here. That means everything purchased in the state of Alaska comes with a hidden shipping cost built into the market price of the item. When you’re paying nearly twice as much for fresh meat and produce in the stores than the folks living in the lower 48, it’s no question why so many locals turn to hunting and foraging to stock their pantries. Yes, even the ‘city folk’. (I live in the largest urban center in Interior Alaska, but there’s only like 33,000 people living in the city limits. I think that’s what most people would qualify as a small town.)

In terms of hunting and foraging, I wouldn’t even know where to start. No one is ever willing to share where their berry spots or mushroom spots are, and I can’t eat fish and have no interest in getting a hunting license for something bigger. I don’t even have hunting experience to make something larger feasible.

Regardless of price, there’s still some things that I just can’t get up here. Furniture stores like Ikea and Wayfair make no selfsame effort to get their products up here, not even for exorbitant shipping costs. (Usually you have to pay exorbitant shipping costs to a third party package forwarding service, or something similar, instead.) There’s a Target in Anchorage, but Anchorage is 7 hours away on a good (not icy) day. I’ve been making do with Wal-Mart, but it’s not the same and I’m not thrilled about it. Amazon usually charges extra for shipping, because I never buy anything on Amazon I can get in a store, and that usually ends up being weird, bulky items because I am perpetually unlucky.

Speaking of big grocery chains, we only have 4. We have Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, Safeway, and Costco. These are all the biggest single stores I’ve ever seen in my life and have enough departments they’re almost individual mini-malls. Except the Costco. Costco is the same everywhere. I think I’ve already mentioned being afraid to go into the Wal-Mart and that I just use online order pick-up instead? Yeah. Yikes.

A related aside: Over spring break, which was a couple weeks ago now, we had a few researchers from Portugal visit us so they could get samples at a few of the thermokarst lakes nearby, and they had a pretty miserable mishap with their luggage where all their clothes got lost in Frankfurt, Germany (their first connection), but all their sampling materials arrived just fine. So we ended up taking them to Wal-Mart to get them a few basics, and they’d never been in a Wal-Mart. They also found it entirely overwhelming and I feel vindicated. Anyway.

The familiar-national-chain pickings are slim, whether I’m looking for groceries, fast-food, or another specialty store. This isn’t to say that everything I need isn’t available. Because it is. If you can’t get it for closer-to-lower-48 prices at a national chain store, you can definitely get it from some local supplier. Only problem is, the local suppliers can charge whatever they want, because there’s no competition. Is that good for them? Yes! Absolutely. I love small businesses, and I love that this area allows them to thrive. Is it good for me? Hell no. I don’t make enough as a student to justify going out to eat more than once a month, or once every two months if I’m going to a sit-down restaurant, where the cheapest plate is somewhere between $20-25. Which is rough.

But I don’t only have complaints! There’s so many things I love about here, so far, and in the big picture, I feel like my complaints don’t even begin to outweigh the benefits. I’ve gotten a million opportunities I’d never have gotten anywhere else to do cool stuff. I got to go ice climbing, touch three million year old dirt at the bottom of a permafrost tunnel, see so many excellent showings of aurora borealis, dodge moose and bears and caribou with my car, feel -45F, or experience a full 24 hours of darkness.

I’m having a blast, but sometimes the little things make me feel more like I’m living in the woods. (Don’t get me started on the dry cabin situation up here.)

A lot of it can be mitigated by simply going to these places while I’m visiting my family in the lower 48, but I only see them once a year because I’m so busy and flights are so expensive.

[mercadona007]

Try weighing yourself weekly it can help keeping better track. Also I find that if I consume more carbs + protein vs fats I don’t get hungry as fast but for some people it’s the other way around. Also kicking up the movement way way up helps too, drinking lots of water and stuff also smaller portions are good too, smaller plates helps! Don’t get discouraged, I’ve been there my whole life I’m still sorting it too so I feel you

I’ve tried everything from trying to point my disordered eating towards anorexia instead of whatever the fuck I’m doing to clean eating to restricting to not caring. I just really really really hate the way my body looks. It’s so discouraging. I try to be positive. I really do. But my shape, especially when people take photos of me or I see my reflection standing next to my friends is so triggering to me. It’s always felt this way. I really do move my body. I move it less now during the day because I have an office job right now, but I walk or cycle to work everyday plus go to the gym 3 times a week quite regularly. I love to cook and from what I’ve heard others say, I’m not too bad of a cook, meaning I cook quite balanced meals, using fresh produce always. I don’t have soft drinks unless hungover. I binge drink on the weekends but don’t during the week. I take my supplements. I drink 2 liters of water a day. I wish I could not focus on all of this for a change.

Also - I don’t have a scale, so I can’t weigh myself. I think it would make me suicidal anyways. What do you mean with “you’ve been there your whole life”? At 90 kgs? Or struggling with weight? Either way, I can sense you feel my struggle as deeply as I do. I hope for us both that we heal from all of this mess. Thank you for your message. I truly love posting things and getting feedback from all of you 🤍🤍🤍

[the-technicolor-whiscash]

u reblogged something that would suggest ur anti-vegan. If that’s the case (I could be wrong), its always beyond me to see someone from an oppressed group, who claims to understand oppression, advocate for the oppression of another group

Ahskshsk wow. Yeah I’m not gonna lie I’m anti-vegan if they’re like you busting into peoples inboxes trying to tell them how to think. It’s a diet. That’s what it is. It’s not some kind of moral imperative.

First of all, not everyone can be vegan. There are some people who, healthwise, have to eat meat because they can’t get the same necessary nutrients from plant products. And there’s plenty of people who cannot take on the financial burden that veganism requires.

Second of all, it’s no more ethical than someone eating meat. In fact, I’d argue that eating locally-produced meats or meat harvested by oneself is more ethical than veganism, because you know where and who it came from and no humans had to experience child labor for your quinoa or agave. And there are ethical butchers who slaughter animals in ways that the animal will not even know death is coming - this is particularly true of Kosher or Halal butchers. Though I have no doubt if you’re sending me this message, you’re probably bought into the antisemitic and islamaphobic rumors that PETA spreads.

Obviously there’s value in knowing where your food comes from. Getting your meat from a local butcher instead of from a factory farm is better both for the animals and for the environment, because it doesn’t have to travel as long of a distance. Buying local in-season produce is also better for the environment, and you get to support local farming which is always important.

You picked probably the worst person to try and argue with about this because I am never going to be on your side. Hell, I support indigenous whaling (even as a huge fan of whales) because I know that getting fresh meat on reservations, particularly in the arctic circle, is prohibitively expensive. I’m also cool with pretty much any other subsistence hunting esp cause with a lack of natural predators, deer populations left unchecked can do damage to the ecosystem.

I am always going to put people first. You say I claim to understand oppression. I assume that’s a jab at the fact I’m trans and bi which, really cool to do that by the way, definitely nothing could be seen as having negative connotations there. I don’t claim to understand oppression beyond that which I’ve experienced myself, but what I do have is a respect for the people who are oppressed. Though I as a white person will never truly understand the oppression indigenous groups face having never had to go through it myself, I can give them respect and support. I respect and support indigenous people who participate in subsistence whaling, because I’m aware of the fact it’s a cultural practice that has been oppressed by white colonizers. Human rights should always always always be put before animal rights. I’ve literally written papers about the negative effects of white vegans on indigenous peoples because I have a minor in anthropology and have made it a point to learn about and respect indigenous groups because of the impact white colonizers (and yes, even other anthropologists - I know it’s a field with a bad history) have had on them. I should note, I don’t claim to speak for these indigenous groups, because I as a white person obviously cannot. If any of you are indigenous and I’ve said something incorrect or offensive, please let me know and I will correct it.

Anyway sorry this got long but yeah. Yeah, I’m always gonna be on the side of people on this one. Eat meat or don’t, I don’t care, but don’t treat it like it’s a moral failing of people to choose to consume animal products. I have a lot more opinions on the matter I could say but I’m gonna stop now because if you’re sending this into my inbox, I doubt you’ve read this long.

[acquavergine]

So what do you like to cook? How did you begin cooking? How did you learn?

I like to cook really simple food with fresh ingredients.. (I don't buy anything with conservatives or colorants obviously...) I wouldn't call it Italian food per se... I am much more interested in the Mediterranean ingredients themselves than any specific type of cooking.. although I do like the structure of the Italian meal: antipasto(they say you should never start eating on an empty stomach), primo, secondo, contorno, nuts and fruit.. really long and drawn out, jovial conversation ideally. I never force people to eat big portions (I believe forcing people to overeat is abusive, although I know it can stem from food insecurity)... I like to put the dishes in the center so the eater can choose how much they want on their own plate. 

Weekday cooking around here splits the long meal into two... lunch: primo & salad... dinner: secondo & contorni... and that makes sense and seems nice to me although I am not an expert on nutrition... I personally prefer to have pasta for lunch as opposed to dinner, not everyday of course, other kinds of primi: polenta, risotto, farro salad, pesto-y orzo, hearty minestra, etc... 

I describe the food I make like this: inspired by typical daily dishes, but lighter, always keeping vegetable dishes meatless (there is a tendency to add animal fats to everything here..) all my cooking is produce forward anyway. If I am preparing a full meal, I put equal importance on primo/secondo/contorni (sides): portion sizes I guess I mean... for example: not too much pasta, a smallish piece of meat or fish and a lot of vegetables! Plus I like to wait kind of a while between courses... I like to rearrange familiar flavor combinations and also do experiments.. (when Matteo eats something I prepared we play this game where he guesses all the ingredients/spices/which region the olive oil is from/etc..)

Anchovy (garum/fish sauce), fennel (bulb, seeds, dried yellow flowers), and lemon (fresh and preserved in salt) are my favorite flavors. I also love coffee and chocolate. The significant importance of "broth" is always on my mind. I save all kinds of scraps in the freezer to make special broths depending on the dish or my mood or the weather. I collect salt because I think its type/size is also of significant importance. The iconic pancake is something I treasure... not just the American kind we know and love in the modern world (with maple syrup which I also treasure)... but also the way it seems each culture has their own version of a "pancake", at least something cooked on a hot flat surface, sweet or savory it doesn't matter, even the kind I read about in the ancient Roman cookbooks... with warm honey or covered in poppy seeds or used to soak up sauce... the point is I think pancakes are a brilliant idea that comes from the deep collective consciousness. I rotate through a few key "Rachel" recipes, and if you know me then you know what they are because I really prepare them often: pancakes are one of them... some particular soups... "fake parmigiano" (almonds/cashews/miso/salt blended)... polenta with a poached egg... whole roasted fish... pasta arrabbiata... arugula pesto... tortilla di patata... meatballs... wilted garlic-y bitter greens... broccoli pasta. zucchini pasta. braised radicchio...  sweet and sour bell peppers... slow cooked potatoes and fennel (sometimes blended)... fennel/orange/black olive salad... cabbage/celery/apple/lemon/almond salad... red cabbage and red onion risotto... breaded and roasted thickly sliced white onions... my famous chocolate and olive oil cake... ginger bread... wine and black pepper biscuits...  etc. I am always searching for satisfaction/balance of the taste buds (mine and others) and I love when I feel it. I remember everyone's dietary restrictions, even people I barely know. It means a lot to me to share off the same plate with someone.   

I guess the first real memory I have of cooking myself is breading zucchini (flour, egg, breadcrumbs) and frying it to eat with sour cream... maybe I was 8 or 9. I have a lot of food memories from my childhood. My nonna (who immigrated to the states when she was 12) always cooked big Sunday meals and I would watch her. And my great grandma on the other side kind of reminded me of Julia Child and I remember she always had a bowl of freshly whipped cream in the fridge that we would eat with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top.  I also watched a lot of Food Network shows when I was young, Nigella Lawson & Ina Garten. Once I lived on my own, I started cooking with my friends, but I never imagined I would work in the restaurant industry. There were some particular friends along the way who left a mark on my cooking journey, by giving me a nice sharp knife (I always used the standard "nonna knife" before then), or showing me techniques and foods and restaurants I had never heard of. Then I guess in SF is where I started working in professional kitchens... the first job I could find when I moved there in 2010 was as an office manager for this tiny, fancy cake shop. It was just the owner and me. She was super hesitant to hire me with no experience running a small business and also with a timid voice, but she saw herself in me and thought it was important that our paths crossed. She's one of those who had done a lot of acid/meditating in the 70s and can see time and space in a different way (we're still good friends and write each other long emails about once a year, she's now retired to Hawaii)... Anyway, I'll never forget one day she was making a taco-shaped cake (this was way before the cakes-shaped-like-other-things movement was trendy!) and she was struggling making enough white chocolate that look like shredded cheese, she was squeezing little piece by little piece between her fingers making each shred individually. The person was coming to pick-up and she was on the verge of a panic attack, so I asked if I could help (she didn't like help with her cakes)... and I found an actual cheese grater and simply graded the block of chocolate so we had enough "chocolate cheese" in a matter of minutes. The next morning she told me to put an ad on craigslist for a new office manager and I thought she was firing me but really she was "moving me to the kitchen" and that's how my baking days started.

  After my time in San Fran came to a dramatic end (because of someone who lived on the edge of Lake Merritt actually now that I think of it...) I started working at a bread bakery in Providence. And that was my dream job, and I would still be working there now if it hadn’t gone up in flames (figuratively). Shortly after that, I somehow convinced the chef/owner of Loïe Fuller's to let me cook on the line but only on the busiest nights of the week because I wanted to learn quickly and with him..(he was reading a book about Alice Waters at the time and I came to him with the idea to do a dinner on tuesday nights going off the menu and using up all the food that would otherwise be thrown away... and after a while we did do it, and we mixed it with live music and called it Incidental Tuesdays and it was a hit) anyway, I did learn a lot: about cooking (the chef had learned to cook under someone who headed the kitchen on a marine ship, so my training was not “culinary” but more so “pirate”) and the way restaurants are run (inventory/finances/dynamics/events/etc). That job was really beautiful and I made some important friendships, but it also came to an abrupt end about a year later when that same person flicked lamb's blood on my chef whites as a joke and I walked out on the spot. The next morning (which would be my last shift) he brought me a mason jar full of weed, a fancy nitro-iced coffee, and a hundred dollar bill (that he owed me for screen printing t-shirts) but I quit nonetheless... and started planning a trip to Italy. But now I'm rambling... 

Since then, I have worked in some beautiful restaurants and catering projects in Nyc, London, Italy and Western Mass.. I have also done some special pop-ups and secret dinner club events. I could write about cooking a lot more... but I want to answer some of your other questions now.

[greenghost143]

i think one of the reasons it has been so hard this time around is because i’m so extremely depressed that i feel the Need to smoke weed at the end of everyday and then i’m like Damn i am really fucking hungry! and somehow so easily eat a days worth of food in one meal. which is weird because it honestly doesn’t look like a lot of food? but i guess some of the things i have at home are relatively high calorie. it’s so expensive to buy fresh produce all the time. i don’t make a lot of money and am pretty much always saving up to visit my husband in another country so it’s easier to just have pasta saved up and dried mashed potatoes and frozen plant based meats. i love beans though i could eat more beans i think that’s probably better than those other things. plus we’re out of pasta anyway! Need to buy more tofu. tofu and beans feel safe. and tomatoes. haven’t been to the store in a long time..

[iwokeuplikethisxx]

new identity <3

id say my life has officially taken a turn, and it goes further than just a mindset shift. I’m not taking those for granted because they were important, but I am tryna say i’m finally seeing movement and motion. And i think that calls for me really identifying the pillars of who I’m going to be for my benefit during this stage of my life. this is gonna be all in the moment, what I’m feeling type shit. cus im really feeling in the energy i need to be in right now so this just feels right.

im feeling very big celeb girl energy. i don’t particularly want or need to be famous. but it’s the energy. its about knowing your worth, VIP energy, having a presence. It’s never hesitating to buy something, it’s nonchalance, it’s audacity. It’s independence, working hard, dreaming big. it’s oversized sunglasses and coffees.

on that note, I’m not feeling the whole being famous thing anymore. I want to be a content creator, but that’s definitely different. the things I wanted from being famous are completely in my reach without having to put myself through something I don’t align with and without the risk of doing things I don’t want to do. I’m still going to be hot and rich and travelling the world and hanging out with other sexy people, but I’m leading a more down to earth approach to things and that’s the energy i want to be attracting from other people and things. I always assumed that fame was my only way into constantly flying around and having fun and being appreciated and making money and being free and essentially living the life. but i see now that all those things are in my path anyway. I was never going to go without them. why would I not have them, by default? It’s all about being clear on what it is you want to attract into your life. life is everything all at once. You have to decide what you don’t want so that you can focus on what you do want. It acts as a filter. You don’t have to do or be anyone you don’t want to be to get what you feel it is you want. I’m very big on the belief that if you want something, it’s because a future version of you already has it. and every day that becomes more true to me because i realise how things fall into place for me.

because of this, I really do trust the process now, and I have faith in my journey and always being exactly i’m supposed to be. my intuition is strong. so lately, i’ve cared more about who I AM during this journey rather than the journey itself. My personality and persona and character matter a lot to me because no matter what, I’ll always have me. I wanna do myself justice and have the most fun in being me. I really see the value in this sort of thing now because your character is a luxury.

i want luxury to be a daily thing for me. i dont define luxury as hermes bags and whatnot. i think luxury is an energy, as everything is. to me, luxury is genuinely feeling gratitude. it’s feeling strong and unshakeable in your presence. luxury is taking walks in the early morning and watching the sunrise. it’s the way you walk. It’s privacy. it’s having an aura that warns people you don’t tolerate disrespect. it’s a sort of relaxed, focused energy that someone has. it’s being in your element. it’s sipping on water. it’s reading before bed and eating fresh produce. it’s not so much smug as it is well slept. it’s body lotion and really really good music. I think the incorporation of spirituality into daily life and being grounded in the present attracts this luxurious energy into everything around you. my definition of luxury isn’t materialism. it’s the freedom to be anything and choosing to be the best for yourself.

i’ve been thinking a lot about moments in daily life i’m excited to experience, whether it’s in the near future or next year or a few years time. I wanna jot these down because i think it’s a really special feeling to me to recognise the beauty of these moments. they mean a lot to me and i find a lot of peace in them even though they’re very simple.

the summer breakfast run

someday this summer, it’ll be a particularly hot morning. I’ll be at my dad’s house and everyone will be asleep because it’s too early to be responsible for anything. but I’ll be awake and the sun will be all mine. I’ll get to feel it get warmer and warmer before everyone else wakes up. And i’ll be observing the town as if it’s all mine for a moment. Ill be half asleep but waking myself up gradually while enjoying the morning sun and the chirping of the birds. there’s something about a town that’s still asleep. I’m on my way to buy a fresh breakfast from lidl bakery and i get a pain au chocolat.

to be continued