#I have a ton of fun reading about plant science for poetry

[laneaconite]

Dandelions

On tiny hands and knees I would clamber through the grass, Sent questing for a bounty of coins to carry. Their blossoms open at daybreak to make Golden offerings to the bees Who bumble amongst them, Pollen clinging to their knees.

I’d pick them a handful at a time, Gracelessly, bringing grasses and insects interlopers. Momma said let them grow. Let them grow, but rip them out Before they can go to seed, sending Fragile floating messengers to billow Gently through the air.

My hands were sticky, tips of my Fingers stained bright orange-yellow. Time passed over me like bath water: The day was hot, until it wasn’t, Bright, until it wasn’t. One glowing green moment separated from the next, And dusk called the sun to bed. Any hidden blossom closed for its protection, nycinastically.

At last I made my offering at the doorstep, Two big bright orange buckets—full to the brim— No, overflowing. The dandelions wept white ichor into my hands, A defense mechanism, Fruitless against a zealous child. At the doorstep, she glared in misunderstanding, She said, I picked too many, I picked Too many.

An argument is irresistible even to my swindler, but The door pulled closed with a slam. And I wondered how to have rollicked Correctly, how to have picked the Right number, some sweet spot between Two and three thousand, a perfect tithe. How else could I deserve that recompense? How to be a good child? How to fill that niche? I stared at nothing but my eyes Swam with ants, spiders, and bees.

-Lane Aconite, April 15th, 2023

[writing-fool]

mlqc | let’s hit rewind

What kind of videos would the MLQC guys make if they were YouTubers? I think this is a youtube!au, but to be fair, Kiro probably has a YouTube channel in canon. See it as you will? I won’t really talk about their life outside of YT/internet so you can decide for yourself whether this is an AU or not, and whether they’re a full-time YouTuber or not.

As always, enjoy, and requests are open!

Love,

R.

Warning(s): none

Victor

Victor probably has a cooking channel

scratch that. he absolutely starts as one of those Aesthetic™ cooking channels like Cooking tree, HANSE, Sweet The MI or Nino’s Home.

his channel is called Souvenir because he’s not THAT original you can’t expect everything from a man, people. 

he starts off doing these voiceless cooking videos, but after a voice and face reveal at 2 million followers where he cooks something for his followers as a thanks...well, who wouldn’t want more of that sultry voice and glorious face

currently has about 4 million subscribers

Victor’s channel is kind of comparable to Junskitchen, a rather relaxed, casual atmosphere combined with exquisite, refined cuisine

if he feels like it, he does a voice-over, otherwise he just puts calm jazz, blues or r&b over his cooking

HAS done an ASMR special. low-key dislikes the video because he has to whisper voice-overs but people LOVE it

likes making all kinds of foods, but his channel features quite a lot of sweet foods and desserts because a certain dummy has a sweet tooth

a pretty popular feature during quarantine is Cooking w/ Sou, essentially a live stream where Sou (aka Victor) cooks a whole three-course meal while talking to and instructing his followers

his subscribers notice that he doesn’t really need editing to look clean during cooking because his technique is IMMACULATE

by the end, he’s made a themed dinner for two...which always raises a question mark

is Sou single? does he have a roommate? a girlfriend? a kid? WHAT?

after getting your explicit permission, Victor addresses the situation in one of his recent Q&As

“Why do I always make dinner for two? I have a fiancée, she edits my videos in her spare time. She works as a producer. *you wave your hand over the lens* Dummy.” he breezes over it like it’s no big deal even though he’s a tad nervous about exposing something personal like this

his fans blow up the internet, baffled but not entirely surprised that someone like Sou isn’t a bachelor

of course, some leave hate under the video honestly, people who do this to celebs who start dating are HORRIBLE

most subscribers are super supportive of your relationship and thank you for the editing that makes Souvenir such a well put-together channel...also did he seriously call his fiancée a dummy? such a tsundere!

sometimes, you’ll (well, your hands...we’re keeping a bit of privacy here) even be in the end shot of videos, munching away at the carefully plated food

one day, Sou will be making a video titled Wedding Cake.

Lucien

Lucien’s channel LucidLight is a tad bit all over the place

he’s a man of many talents, and his channel reflects just that

i’m not saying it’s a disorganized channel, because the theme is very much there - the uniform theme in Luci’s content is a cozy background, a cup of tea and a soothing thumbnail

i mean that content-wise, his subscribers don’t really know what they’re going to get next...he has a slightly similar style to the YouTuber simon plant 

his content varies from interesting science theories to poetry reading sessions to ASMR to painting/sketching to cooking and much, much more

he has an heavenly soothing, smooth voice. it’s his trademark since Lucien doesn’t show his face on camera. ever. 

doesn’t have a TON of subs, because his channel is a bit of a niche thing, but I’d say he has 1,2 million subscribers and 400k followers on his added ‘business’ Instagram

he holds a lot of live streams on Instagram/YouTube (i know Moments exists in the game, but that’s more like a Facebook or Twitter kind of app...) and is always shown with just his torso and neck in frame. the lives usually include some poetry reading and generally just having a nice, relaxing chat with his followers. they can last up to 5 hours at once, and YOU know it’s because he doesn’t need sleep like a normal human being, but his fans are still asking questions about his timezone

his subscribers are strangely fascinated by his mysterious, gentle nature and also incredibly obsessed with his large, elegant hands

his ASMR videos are often roleplays of Librarian Lucien or Professor Lucien explaining to people why their rest is important

other times, they include soft affirmations, positive whispers, finger fluttering, hair touching and maybe kissing sounds...

Lucien paints a lot too, although he works primarily with ink and pencil sketches. you’ll find a watercolour or oil painting somewhere, but they’re not his most prominent media

his art videos are usually silent, although he might say something once in a while. there’s always some type of solo instrumental music playing in the background.

he does educational videos about biology and universe theories, but will also have reading sessions about scientific books

not intentionally secretive about your relationship, but he’s not one to mention it either

the first time you appeared on screen was when he was doing another live stream. he’s in his office talking about a play, when you come padding in to bid him goodnight.

“Yes, indeed. Laura’s glass menagerie, as the play suggests, is a symbol of fragility. Laura herself is very frail, but her favourite—”

“Good night, darling.” your soft voice rings through the room. viewers see Lucien’s torso turning a little bit, a hand on his shoulder and a curtain hair appearing from the top of the screen. his hand moves, presumably to cup the person’s cheek, before a soft kiss is heard through the mic. “Sleep tight, my love,” he murmurs.

“Ah. Laura’s favourite glass figurine is the unicorn, which...”

people are in uproar, but Lucien is a strong-willed man who refuses to explicitly announce the nature of his relationship.

his subscribers stop asking after a while, because it really isn’t any of their business, and they now know Lucien’s a taken man

you kind of appear on live streams accidentally a couple more times, but nothing’s really changed about Lucien’s content

the only thing he WILL say, and this is purely to give you credit, is “Ah. The background instrumentals in my art videos are played live. Yes, my lover’s very talented.”

you guys are the mysterious, talented, soft-voiced power couple of YouTube

Gavin

Gavin’s channel probably starts as a joint channel with you, something like Rachel and Jun

it’s relatively obvious from the start that Gavin from Birds&Cops is in a relationship, since you guys have a vlogging-style channel

your channel is filled with gym vlogs, travel vlogs to other countries and a lot of self-defence and sport at home videos. 

you guys also post a lot of funny vlogs talking about your day, going on fun dates, of course food vlogs in restaurants, all that stuff...

you often sit down and talk about your life, and maybe you’ll even do a mukbang during it for someone so fit, Gavin does eat a lot of food. 

Gavin’s channel didn’t blow up right away, because vlogging channels aren’t exactly unique, and he looks like the typical ‘straight boy with a girlfriend’

but he started gaining followers after people noticed how cute and blushy he acts, and how incredibly respectful and caring he is towards you

one of the most popular videos is Boyfriend Does My Makeup and it’s adorable. Gavin’s handling your face with so much care, and comments like “I know what this is, I’ve watched you do it many times.” or “Babe, does it hurt? Should I be more gentle? I’m sorry...my hands are rough.” make everyone SWOON

toxic masculinity left the chat. Gavin loves taking care of you in any way, whether it’s getting pads, chocolate and hot packs during your period or braiding your hair

in those yoga/celebrity fitness routine challenges, subs get to see Gavin in a tight singlet and sweatpants/shorts, and it’s HOLY

you’re very much aware of the attention Gavin receives from female fans, and how lucky you are to have found such a sweet partner

Gavin will usually see this type of comment while scrolling and will turn to you and go “Babe, you know I’m the lucky one here, right?”

anyways, a feature that you do to show fans the extent of Gavin’s sweet personality is Pranking My Boyfriend, where you set up the camera for a harmless prank like pretending to have a nightmare (similar to channels like Farina Jo)

that particular video was so fun to shoot, because it ended up with Gavin softly singing a lullaby to calm you down in his arms

“Baby, wake up. I’m here, you’re safe.” Gavin knows how to deal with panicking people, but he hates this prank afterwards because ‘he didn’t like seeing you in pain’

fans squealed. Birds&Cops gained like 50k subs through that video. the channel’s currently at 999k subscribers

overall, it’s just a really lovely, family-friendly channel

Kiro

Kiro knows his way around the web, alright?

not even just as Key, but he’s had a YouTube channel since the age of 15

his channel, CtrlAltChips is a hit with many people of many, many ages

he streams gaming sessions on Twitch and posts them on his YouTube channel afterwards

other content includes (primarily) covers & original songs, simple talking videos, thrifting & fashion videos, mukbangs and candid dance videos in a studio

think of chloe moriondo, doddleoddle, Victor the Drum Destroyer and Cat Strat

alternatively, for the ARMYs here, think of Jeon Jungkook as a YouTuber

Kiro has about 18 million subscribers, which is A LOT, but he’s been on YouTube for 7 years and he’s made a name for himself as a super likeable and bubbly guy with an angelic voice and killer moves

you’d think he’s just a cute boy when he sings acoustic covers, but his dance moves suggest that he’s not THAT cute

also how does he stay so fit with all those snack mukbangs?

he has a segment named In Our Kloset where he talks about social issues (because our boy uses his platform for good) around the world while customizing (not just pins. we’re talking patches, sewing, painting, embroidery) thrifted clothing to his liking. at the end he holds a little fashion show with his new outfits

after a while, you’ll see many of his outfits in giveaways or on sale for charity. Kiro tries to give back to his fans as much as he can, and how better than by sharing a piece of his unique clothing with them?

a great singer and performer. has held actual concerts before and has an actual music career (author-nim leaves it up to you readers to decide whether this is his idol career or some other musical project)

keeps his private life PRIVATE. he knows how the internet works, and he knows there’s no way he can keep your relationship a secret forever, but he’s not about to expose it to the world because of that reason

keeps tabs on information or rumours regarding you and makes them vanish

he’s simultaneously the most open and the most secretive out of the four boys. his fans know his favourite colour, what type of underwear he wears (trunks. Kiro wears trunks.), his birthday,...

but they know nothing about his past, his location, his close social circle or his family (teeechnically he’s an orphan but ig we’re talking about his mentor here. the blood of the covenant blah blah blah...y’know?). Kiro protects his loved ones fiercely

for someone who’s kept so secret, you’re actually really involved in Kiro’s virtual persona. you’re usually behind the camera during his In Our Kloset videos and are in charge of extra research regarding topics so he doesn’t spread any misinformation 

you also give pointers during filming (of course, these bits are edited out) because Kiro tends to trail off and get distracted when sewing

another way you’re involved is setting up the food during mukbangs. you have a great sense of aesthetics, so all of his videos in general will go through you.

while you like being low-key in Kiro’s life, you don’t want him to feel like he has to protect you from all the hate. 

he doesn’t particularly love keeping you a secret either, and it makes him feel guilty because he doesn’t want you to think he’s ashamed of you. he could never be.

you guys give it a good chat over how you’re going to announce it, and he just ends up making a video titled Miss Chips where the two of you sit down and talk to the camera

“Hello my little chips! Uhm, as you can see, there’s someone sitting next to me today. Maybe you already guessed from the title, but this is...my girlfriend, Miss Chips,” cue the cute jazz hands in your direction, “We’ve been dating for a long, loooong time, right, Miss Chips?”

“I just wanted to share this with you guys, since it felt wrong to keep such an important person in my life private. I hope you’re all kind to her, because I love her dearly, even to the point of giving up my snacks...so it’s serious.”

it really is that serious, hm?

Hope you enjoyed reading! 

[drboxleitner]

xWordgirl ships analysis

I love analyzing ships especially of my favorite heroic alien daughter, so i made a mini masterpost of my thoughts on each popular ship for becky, within reason of course. these are all speculation on them maturing into adulthood looking for love. this is all personal opinion!

long post because i don’t know how to write succinctly im sorry :’)

Tobecky

the ship that needs no introduction:

 both characters need to mature before any kind of healthy romance can develop. there is friction both externally (with their villain hero conflict) and internally (both of them suffer from being prideful, condescending, and emotionally constipated), of which them being together as they are now, they both bring out the worst of those parts in one another. whether tobey goes on the straight and narrow or becky decides to fall to the darkside, or perhaps an interesting mix of the two, they both need more common ground to build a foundation on before a healthy relationship can grow. however, this doesn;t mean a seed romance cant grow where it’s planted (to say nothing of the emotional health of the two) as both lust and yearning of young dumb lovers can temporarily close any gap. however, unless they work out their moral and emotional and identity differences and, it will be a hot flash in the pan with disastrous consequences, considering the amount of firepower both parties possess.

Pros: popular ship, cute heroXvillain plots, possible redemption/descent arcs available, kissmesis, cutesy competitiveness, juicy juicy drama, relatively balanced in terms of power (becky as wordgirl, tobey and his army of robots), can weild insane amounts of gusto as a powercouple if they actually worked together

cons: unstable relationship, breakup would be very rough and destructive if gone awry, toxic competitiveness, PR problems for either one

Vibecky

The sweetest sapphic couple:

you want handholding?? love poetry?? maximum fluff potential???? yo i got the ship for you. a lot about these two is conveniently already handed to us because theyre already best friends and we get to see how they function together under a variety of circumstances. for the most part, the two of them would be very openly loving. they have an opposites attract kind of relationship, the classic feeling/thinking, art/science vibes, which is cute for the most part, but can run into trouble when it comes to communication. as we’ve seen before a couple times, most notably in the series finale, the two struggle with confronting one another and reaching an understanding when things aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. both seem to be more likely to lie to keep the peace than bring up a problem, which means things can go very crooked down the line after the honeymoon phase. we have seen that violet has a great memory and while not openly, does hold grudges. we have seen becky struggle to shuffle her priorities and keep her word (hah) and have a hard time bringing up the hard truth. (theres not really a good place to bring it up but i find it very interesting that the hero is the more emotional one than the artist and the artist is colder than the hero) they need to work together to make a completely mode of communication to get through the hard times as well as the good, and if they can, they can together make the most unabashedly happiest couple on earth

pros: fluff, opposites attract, consent communication and cuddles, forgiving, with their powers combined can make the greatest art known to humankind, happy to see the other succeed, gift giving galore

cons: problems can build up fast under the surface, misunderstandings, grudges and lies, major power imbalance

Scoobecky

call me biased but this one is my personal favorite...:

...not because its good for them, per se, but because the dynamics are so darn interesting. while tobecky is full of classic tropes and vibecky is sweet and simple, scoobecky is a very particular kind of relationship we 1) rarely see explored as a formal, official relationship 2) have a tooon of canon interaction material to work off of, actually. this is one of those weird ones where you have to make assumptions about the current situation, eg. assume scoops and violet broke up, assume this is post-Invasion of the Bunny Lovers (IOTBL) episode, etc etc. we’ve seen them as close friends and how even like that they can kinda struggle to meet the mark and make understanding compromises (which unlike like vibecky, who does effortlessly). from what we’ve seen in post-IOTBL, they dont really have a groundwork of respect for one another they once had in wordgirl’s anonymity, but it seems to work out regardless because most of the time they get along best in times of trial and high stress (eg, zombie apocalypse, curiosity machine, rose invading on the order of things, etc). if they ended up as a couple, my best guess it was a couple out of emotional damage or desperation, a kind of functionality couple that would have a hard time handling fluff but could work together and find love during the apocalypse. they would be together for temporary comfort and security in a dangerous world, exchanging clever quips and several moments of emotional highs that will drag both of their butts through the mess they both got themselves into by agreeing to date. the highs are addictive, but functioning well as a team or friends doesn’t exactly translate to being a healthy relationship. theyre both quite petty people, and even the smallest disagreement will cast wrinkles in the cloth because both of them are on completely different life trajectories. however, i believe given good circumstances, they could in theory make it work but man is it going to take a hell of a lot of work and help. or maybe a second zombie apocalypse.

pros: exclusive interviews, mutual pining turning into a relationship trope, 

cons: major power imbalance, petty, hard to function in fair weather, not supportive

Polyamory

it works because all three of them are simultaneously the third wheel. they play off one another very well

pros: you can have your cake and eat it too, have all the juicy fluff and angst of all the relationships outlined above

cons: i dunno, agreeing on the same restaurant for dinner

Other

I don’t know! I know a lot of other people have thought a lot harder about the other ships available, i just thought it fun to lay out my thoughts on the most obvious ships. if you have a (non-creepy) ship you feel strongly about and thought a ton about feel free to lmk i love reading about really deeply thought out character interactions

these are just my very subjective thoughts on it and considering the only canonically dating relationship among the eligible kids we’ve seen is violet and tobey, and even then thats not too explored in depth, its all speculation and analysis. id love to hear ur thoughts if you saw something different in these characters. of course, im writing all this with the assumption they are maturing into adulthood and some time has passed, the dynamic may be totally different if they were little kids in puppy love in fifth grade, i dont know! its just fun to think about all the ways u can spin these characters

[surveysonfleek]

746.

5000 Question Survey Pt. 47

4501. Who do you feel on shaky grounds with? anyone who’s acting suspicious or uneasy. 4502. How would you rate Stephen King as a writer? i’ve never read any of his books tbh. 4503. What movie are you looking forward to? ocean’s eight! 4504. Hulk Hogan with or without the bandana? i can’t even imagine him without one. 4505. Do you more often tell people what you feel or what you think? both, i think they work hand in hand.

4506. Have you been to see an opera? no, i wouldn’t mind seeing it though. 4507. What do you wish that you knew with more certainty? what the future will bring. or at least what direction it’ll take. 4508. Does your heart break and break and live by breaking? no. 4509. Can you tell the difference between what you think and what you feel or do you often get them confused? nope. 4510. Do you feel like there are a lot of referances in this survey that you are not getting? yeah, it’s lame. a lot of grammatical errors too. 4511. You are shopping in the Mad Mall for things to add to your room. Of the following list, what 5 things will you buy? lollipops, lace up boots, bondage gear, bubblegum machine, a miniature orange grove, house plants, Bob Geldof, duct tape, Buzzcocks, poet shirts, Marc Almond, Al Gore, acrylic paints, Snoopy's dog house, an original andy warhol painting, zippers, orange and pink matching curtains and bed spread, flash, oj simpson, a slurpee maker, some flutes, electric chairs, feather pillows, post it notes, the terminator wax statue, fight club the movie, fight club the book an original andy warhol painting, snoopy’s dog house, feather pillows, slurpee machine and house plants. 4512. Of the following things, which would you most like to have more of? drink, dreams, bed, drugs, lust, lies, hate, love, fear, fun, pain, flesh, stars, smiles, fame, sex bed, love, love, smiles, sex. 4513. Your preference. David Bowie or Marc Bolan? bowie. 4514. Who'd win in a fight, Morrissey or Robert Smith? idk either of them enough to choose. 4515. Earth girls are: what are earth girls? 4516. One of your friends tells you they are going to train to become a cop. your reaction? i’d be supportive and congratulate them. 4517. Would you ever consider working for the government? i would, they get really good benefits here. 4518. What are the best and wort television channels? i hardly watch tv. 4519. If you had a magicle pencil and everything you drew became real what would you draw? money!! 4520. Your boots were made for: walking. 4521. What movie would you like to see a mystery science theater episode about (even if it isn't a sci fi movie, just one that needs making fun of)? idk... 4522. What's the buzz? nothing. 4523. The last person you would want to be stranded on a desert island with is: someone i hate. 4524. Your partner takes an aeroplane trip. the plane disappears and is never found. How long do you wait for them to return before you begin looking for a new partner? i couldn’t put a time limit on it. i might not even move on, who knows. 4525. Soma animals that mate for life can literally die of grief if their mate is captured or dies. How many humans would do that do you think? it’s definitely possible for other humans to do this. 4526. What would you like to touch? the biggest diamond in the world. 4527. Does anything you own glow in the dark? nail polish. 4528. Would you rather ride a dragon or a unicorn? dragon. 4529. Do things just always go right for you? hell no. 4530. What's the best nick toon? hey arnold. 4531. Can you make a balloon animal? nope :( 4532. Would you undress at a nude beach? no. 4533. Wherever there's a secret recipe, there is someone who wants to steal it. True or false? i guess that’s the allure of calling it a secret recipe. 4534. What is today but yesterday's tommorrow? the present. 4535. Are you more like spongebob who does nothing right but still everything good happens to or like squidworth who tries to do things right and ends up having nothing good happen to him? squidworth. 4536. How many glasses of water do you drink each day? aiming for the usual 8. 4537. What is the difference between intelectualism and pretentiosness? being pretentious obviously just means you think you’re better/smarter than the people you’re with. 4538. What do you like in a poem, accessability, crypticness or somethin in between? i hate poems. 4539. What do you think of William Blake? Is his writing difficult to understand? never read his stuff. 4540. Has learning to spell become obsolete? not at all. but in this survey, yes omg... 4541. Who do you find yourself in constant conflict with? Why the conflict? me. 4542. What is the difference between literature and hallmark cards? everything lol. 4543. How many contemporary poets can you name? none. 4544. What subjects do you refuse to talk about? Why are you hiding from them? i’m open to talking about anything as long as it’s with the right people. 4545. Are you every parent's wet dream? ew, no. 4546. Everyone starts in the garden of Eden but no one can stay there. Why not? idk. 4547. Would you want to join a club that would have you as a member? sure. 4548. Greatest black and white film: i haven’t watched many in my time tbh. 4549: Greatest film three hours or longer: titanic, duhhhh. 4550. No means.. no. 4551. When you are exposed to the artwork (poetry, painting etc) of a friend, family member or aquantance how likly are you to criticize it? if i know them well i’d give them constructive criticism. i don’t think i’d bash the work of someone i didn’t know. 4552. Do you mentally reject people? Before speaking to them? some days i just check out i guess. 4553. Are we already living out 1984? no. 4554. Sing, now!  What did you sing? Can you sing? Are you the next american idol? no, no, i’m not american. 4555. Do you like the feeling of a ball point pen being used to draw pictures on your palm? no lol. 4556. Have you ever been airbrushed? no. 4557. Are you an alitist? What are you elitist about? lol let’s not go there. 4558. Are you arrogant? About what? i’m arrogant towards arrogant people, does that count?  4558. Use the two following words in a sentance: ghandi, ford no. 4559. Are you trecherous? no. 4560. Nam the ten bands you are the biggest fan of: Name the ten bands who are your biggest fans: no. 4561. Are you jolly? not really. 4562. What does the world stop for? nothing. anything could happen and in some places it’ll just be business as usual. 4563. Would you like to reapolster your furniture in camoflauge? no thanks. 4564. Would you rather have your own personal live in massuse or a new car? personal live in masseuse that also cooks haha. 4565. What were you born holding? nothing. 4566. Big nose, is it ugly or does it give the face character? depends if it works with the other features of the face. 4567. Name three things you would NOT do, even for one million dollars (tax free): 1 kill a human, 2 eat a human. 3 kill someone’s pet 4568. Who has rejected you? Who have you rejected? certain jobs. 4569. Natural body odor or perfumes and colognes? perfumes and colognes! 4570. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? ss. 4571. Who frolics in the autumn mist in a land called honalee? lol. 4572. Is anything nastier as a snack than fruit roll ups? shit i guess. 4573. When you hear someone make a joke about something will you later make the same joke to someone else as if you had just thought it up? my boyfriend always does this lol. i hardly ever do it, i’m pretty forgetful. What if someone just says something intelligent, would you use what they said later as if you had made it up? no, if i repeat this i’ll always the credit the person that told me. 4574. What's on your pajamas? plain colours. 4575. Are people nicer in new york or california? i’m guessing california. 4576. Ever think about moving to Alaska to live as a hermit? i’d love to do it temporarily. 4577. You are interested in a potential mate who is already attatched. Do you encourage him or her to leave their current catch or try to find someone all alone? no way. i’d never try and break up a couple. 4578. Do you play in the snow? haven’t done so in about ten years. 4579. Do you save a snowball in your freezer to hit someone with in the summer time? no lol. ouch. 4580. What bible storiy would you like to see acted out by animated veggetables? What vegetable would play jesus? idk. 4581. Will you be ready for the next alien attack? the next? has there already been one? 4582. You can't make this easy can you? nope. 4583. What is a small thing that people let slide but that actually has dire consequenses? cheating. 4584. Are you the open window maniac? no? 4585. Have you ever been a hall monitor?  What exactly do hall monitors do anyway? nope, never had one in my school either. 4586. Would you rather wear an army uniform or a cow costume for halloween? cow lol. 4587. When was the last timeyou played tag, musical chairs, hide and seek etc? as a kid. 4588. Can you leap frog? i haven’t tried in years. maybe! 4589. What was the lost strong and clear emotion yo felt? idk... 4590. Are you more of a disco ball, a candle or a robot? candle. 4591. Could any good come out of a nuclear holocaust? i’m not the right person to ask. 4592. Are you an angel in disguise? no, i wish. 4593. Could you have fun with ajelly fish? for 12 hours? no thanks. 4594. Who throws the wildest parties? it used to be this one guy i know. and then we all grew up. 4595. Do you own an I <3 NY shirt? yes. 4596. If you could make a channel that played only one show all day what show would it be? the office. or the simpsons. anything with a ton of episodes and is funny. 4597. Are you a rockstar only no one knows it yet? no. 4598. have you ever been stung by anything? What? nope. 4599. Who's autograph have you gotten in the last year? no one. i feel like selfies with celebrities are more popular now than autographs. 4600. Are you enjoying this? no.

[mila-regan]

Selection OC Practice Challenge #2

A/N: I wanted to add something that might cause a little more drama for Mila. Hope you enjoy!

‘’Congratulations, sweetheart.’’ Is the first thing my father says as I pick up the phone. ‘’I am sorry I can’t be there with your departure tomorrow.’’ He apologizes. He was in Clermont for a science conference, it was impossible to see me before tomorrow. At times like this I hate it that he has to travel for his job. ‘’It doesn’t matter.’’ I tell him, but deep down it does. He is never there with events that are important to me. He missed my first day of school or when I graduated high school. I wonder if he even would be there on my wedding day. ‘’I will be watching in the hotel when you arrive in Angeles. Don’t worry.’’ Dad assures me, but what I will do is the complete opposite.

I always worry. 

'’Can I talk with your mother for a second?’’ ‘’She’s not here. Mom and Kian had an appointment with the doctor.’’ You should’ve remembered that. This is about your son. A light flashes in the corner of my eye. It comes from a little lamp next to the door that leads to the hallway. It is a signal for Kian to let him know that someone is ringing the doorbell, since he can’t hear. ‘’Dad I have to go, someone is at the door.’’ ‘’Okay, good luck tomorrow. I love you.’’ ‘’Love you too.’’ I mutter back, but my father has hang up before he could’ve heard it.

I don’t want to keep the person behind the door waiting any longer and get to the door. I open it and see my father’s science assistant, Ethan, standing there. His blonde hair is covered in snow and he smiles shy at me. ‘’Hey come in. I wasn’t expecting you.’’ I say surprised, although Ethan could drop by whenever he wanted to. He is my father’s student, but basically family. He is almost always at our home. Ethan isn’t much older than me, but a lot smarter. He’s a true genius, someone who only thinks in science and formulas.

‘’Its freezing.’’ He says once we’re inside. He shakes the snow out of his hair a little clumsy and I smile at him. ‘’How are you?’’ Ethan asks polite. ‘’A whole lot more nervous than I was a couple days ago.’’ I admit and walk towards the kitchen to get us some warm drinks. I grab two mugs as Ethan follows me into the kitchen. ‘’I almost forgot.’’ From behind his back he shows me a beautiful bouquet of flowers, dusting the snow from them. ‘’For you.’’ He says and I smile delighted, taking the flowers from his hand. ‘’Thank you so much. They’re gorgeous.’’ I smell the beautiful pink flowers. In a cupboard under the sink I search for a vase. Mom has tons of flowers and plants all over the house. She must have a couple of vases left. Ethan once explained to me how to cut flowers, but I’m grateful as he takes over. 

 ‘’How did you know I loved peonies?’’ I ask and jump onto the counter top with a warm mug of chocolate milk. His mug sitting beside me. ‘’Kian told me the other day. He also said you think roses are boring.’’ He replies and focuses on cutting the flowers. I’m happy to know that they talk so effortless with each other now. When Ethan first came around here, I taught him Sign Language. His big hands can’t always make the precise signs and his grammar is a little bit off. But he tries, and I can’t thank him enough for that. ‘’Where is Kian?’’ ‘’Mom took him to the doctor. A checkup on his ears.’’ Ethan nods and finishes the flowers. He places them in the bright red vase I filled with water. 

‘’You don’t look nervous. You look rather calm.’’ He comments and I shake my head. ‘’For real? I could explode from the nerves any second.’’ ‘’Why?’’ he questions. ‘’Well, leaving my family behind without my income. Competing with 34 other girls for a stranger’s heart. I’m bursting with it.’’ I let out a little laugh, but Ethan takes this serious. ‘’You’ll do great. I know you will. You’re Mila.’’ ‘’Everyone talks about me as if I’m a special kind. I’m just me.’’ His eyes look sad when I say that. ‘’That is the point. You are you and there is no one more amazing and kind than you. That is why you will win his heart.’’ There is it again. The sadness in his voice and eyes. Like he doesn’t want me to leave. He is even telling me how amazing I am. If it wasn’t Ethan I would’ve picked it up as flirting. Ethan is way too shy for that. ‘’Thank you.’’ I say with a little smile and touch his shoulder with my hand. He startles from the sudden touch and pulls away. 

‘’Uhm.. I have to go. Your father has asked me to prepare a presentation. Good luck tomorrow.’’ ‘’Will you come to the farewell ceremony?’’ I ask hopeful. If my father isn’t there I would like to have him to say goodbye. ‘’I-I don’t know yet. ’’Ethan answers hesitant. ‘’Oh, okay.’’ Ethan gets up and gives me a quick kiss on my cheek before heading out. I don’t even get to say goodbye or I hear the door slamming shut. I let out a sigh. Why was he so urgent to leave? Because of what he had said? I look over to the vase with flowers and I notice the envelope lying beside it. He must’ve forgotten it. I pick it up and read the words written on the backside. 

 Mila, please open in the palace. In private. Not in the car, not on the plane. 

The next morning the nerves have multiplied. I’m thankful that Kian keeps holding my hand while we drive to our town square. Mom is talking about all our friends and acquaintances who might be here but I can’t get Ethan and his envelope out of my mind. The square is packed with people who scream my name once I get out of the car. Kian sees them but doesn’t hear them cheer or talk. It is something I would want to share with him, but I know being here with me is good enough for him. The air in Bankston is cold and that is why my ceremony is short. Before I know, it’s time to say goodbye to mom and Kian. 

‘’Have a little fun while you’re there, okay? Make some friends and try to write us. Kian would love that.’’ Mom kisses my forehead and gives me one more hug. ‘’Thank you mom.’’ She cups my cheeks and smiles at me. Kian is next and wraps his arms around my waist in a warm long hug. As I look at him, tears are staining his cheeks. ‘’Hey, hey. Don’t cry.’’ I sign to him and he nods brave taking a deep breath. ‘’I will write you and send photos from the palace with the letters. And I will tell you everything that has happened that day.’’ I pause to let Kian process the information. ‘’You’ll see me every week on television, I promise.’’ ‘’Promise.’’ He signs back and I smile embracing my little brother. ‘’Lady Mila, I’m afraid you have to go.’’ My aide calls behind me. I didn’t notice I was crying till Kian wipes my tears away. ‘’I love you.’’ I sign. ‘’Love you more.’’ As he signs those last words mom has to pull him away. I wave one last time to my mom and Kian and head off in a white car. 

The drive to the airport is short and it gives me enough time to calm down. I’ve been on this airport before. Six times to be exact. All trips to different parts of Illea but not longer than a day or two. Will my family be alright? Will I be alright? Will I make a chance? My encounter with Ethan last night is the closest I’d ever come to flirting in my entire life. I’m not a heartbreaker or someone boy would fight over. I know I have my own potential, but all these girls will too. I want to make a good impression on Haiden. Share my opinion with him, talk to him, and see what is behind the Prince on television. I want to hear him.

When I get out of the car another stops right behind me. Because of Ethan I recognize the flower in her hair and with that her province and name. Sophia Ravens, Yukon and like me a Three. ‘’Hi.’’ I say when she walks closer to me. ‘’Hey you’re Mila right?’’ ‘’Yes and you’re Sophia, I recognized the flower in your hair’’. She touches the flower in her hair as if she has forgotten it was still there. ‘’Oh really? Are you doing something with flowers?’’ ‘’No, I just love them.’’ I make up and Sophia nods her head interested. We walk inside the airport chatting about our farewell and families. She comes off as kind to me. We get escorted to the large plane just for us. Two other girls I know as Cressida Ledger and Aliya Tyson are already sitting there. Sophia and I introduce ourselves to Aliya since the Cressida has no interest in talking to us. After the last girl, Aubrey Graham has made it into the plane and starts mumbling some poetry lines, we take off. 

On our seven hour flight the other girls try to teach me poker, but I lose every time. At least we can laugh about it. Sophia and I talk about our books and she recommends me some of her favorites. ‘’I can’t wait to see the palace library.’’ Sophia eyes lighten up when I mention that. ‘’We should go there after our makeovers.’’ ‘’We’ll see.’’ I assure her with a wink and she smiles. For the last three hours I try to catch up with some sleep. Sophia wakes me up with the announcement we are in Angeles. 

‘’A selected has been killed.’’ Aliya whispers to me as we leave the plane. ‘’Are you serious?’’ I ask her shocked and Aliya nods her head in a sad manner. ‘’You were sleeping when they told us. I didn’t want to wake you with bad news.’’ I blink my eyes a couple of times, processing the news in my head. ‘’H-how?’’ I manage to say. ‘’Azalea Archer was shot at her farewell ceremony. She had bad luck. We all could’ve been the target.’’ Aliya says as we walk to our car. ‘’We are all targets now.’’ I whisper back and take a deep sigh. It is true. Are we safe in the palace? I hope so. 

The palace is as beautiful as it has been shown on television. All the girls, including me, are swept into what they call the Women Room. I sit down and immediately get a robe on. ‘’Your hair, darling. Would you prefer it a little shorter?’’ A short woman asks. I tilt my head slightly to the side, looking at my dark hair in the mirror. ‘’It will make me look older, wouldn’t it?’’ ‘’Yes, and a lot more ladylike.’’ She answers and I like the thought of that. ‘’Let’s do it. Only if you let it hang over my shoulders.’’ I warn her and the woman laughs turning the mirror around. ‘’Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you sweetheart.’’ 

The first time I see myself is an hour later. In a mirror my maid, Dana holds up for me. My hair is inches shorter and compliments my face. The stylist has done an amazing job. My dress is a beautiful shade of dark blue. When I notice my backpack sitting on my bed I am helped out of my fairytale. Ethan’s letter. My other maids, Karlie and Saniya leave my room as Dana insist to stay here. I let her. I’ve come to the conclusion that arguing with Dana is not an option. 

Dear Mila, 

When you read this you must be sitting in your new assigned room in the palace. I hope you had a good flight and you have met some girls that are kind. I hope you’re not lonely while you stay there. You must be questioning why I gave you this letter. The reason behind it is because there is something I haven’t told you, the last time we saw each other. A couple days before you got to hear you were selected, I have been asked to do research in Dominica. I didn’t know how to tell you. Or how to tell your parents. This is a great opportunity for me. I can’t let this go. After you’re sent off, I will take a plane to Dominica and stay there for three months. This is hard for me, to leave your family while you’re away as well. It is for the best. I fell in love with a beautiful, gracious girl who will never love me and is now in the home of her potential husband. I can’t make you love me. Not with him in your sight. There will be no television in Dominica, so I won’t be able to see you. I won’t be jealous. Because I will when I see you with him. 

I care about you Mila, I do. 

Ethan. 

‘’Miss?’’ Dana asks and I shake my head, a tear rolling down my cheek and it falls on the paper. How dares he? After I asked him with my whole heart to look after my family. He could’ve told me. Hell! He could’ve told my parents. All these years they have been more of a family to him than his own parents have. No matter how great the proposal might have been... ‘’Please throw this away.’’ I say to Dana and tear the paper into tiny pieces handing them to my maid. ‘’No wait, burn it.’’ Dana nods calm and turns to the fireplace. Ethan’s letter disappears in the yellow and orange flames and turns black into ashes. I don't feel sorry. Ethan has let me down, on a moment I needed him there for my family. I don't want to think about him anymore. 

The Selection and Haiden have to be my first priority from now on. 

[crypticchanglings]

from london [03.10.19]

i'm currently obsessed with these youtubers: 

j lou - hong konger who posts videos in cantonese/english 

it's fantastic since i'm currently learning cantonese/improving my mandarin and she's so hilarious 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/uc530gkg2oj26figqzayqqow

slice n rice - hilarious (and musically talented!) interracial couple with content different from most vloggers i've seen 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/ucormlwayqudm-ieq49audna

---

i've also been obsessing over some poc artists lately:

jess x snow - been following their account since high school and the quality of animation/murals/music/poetry/everything is so so good

https://www.instagram.com/jessxsnow/

hannah che - i really want to be more plant-based for carbon neutrality and sustainability, and she's super inspirational. she posts a ton of chinese recipes made vegan including adorable vegan mooncakes for 中秋節!!

https://www.instagram.com/hannah__chia/

---

also, it's so hard to consistently write travel logs, so i have immense respect for friends who do keep up regular updates. london is fun (classes start tomorrow wish me luck rippp) and there's so many cool clubs/pubs/bars everywhere. the people here are so friendly and i'm unfortunately a ridiculous lightweight (i'm usually done after half a glass of wine lol) and have to sleep more hours than i've been giving myself. there's also an obsession with halloumi, which i discovered in the heathrow airport on my first day in the city.

i've been sort of keeping up a travel log on instagram, but even that's starting to feel disingenuous and like i need to be constantly posting content. i want to find some happy medium that's not too difficult to keep up to date and that doesn't make me feel like i'm trying too hard to please someone. i'm also thinking of making an ig that's more of an artistic portfolio/journal of some sort anyway. 

---

i visited cork the week before school started and it made me realize just how much of eastern us/nyc culture comes from early irish immigrants. from food staples (corn and peas and potatoes) to pub culture to irish monuments and cathedrals i didn't really notice before to surnames (williams, allen, brown, campbell, etc.) - basically most of the things i used to just associate with being "american". it was mind blowing to see plants i thought only grew inside flower pots out in the wild, rock formations that aren't faked and inside malls, pubs that have genuinely been around for hundreds of years. talk about cultural appropriation. 

i love seeing the different species of birds - the ravens in western cork, the javan mynah in singapore, the nyc pigeon. they all act about the same way you'd expect birds to act, but come from such different backgrounds. 

i also met a model turned dominatrix and a recreational dominatrix at a fantastic pub while drowning in half a pint of beer (literally rip). they had somehow not known this about each other, only previously being work friends, so i'm glad i've now united them on a different front. we talked for a long while about open relationships and what makes people click. 

---

i started pole dancing, and it's really fun! hopefully by the time i return to mit i'll be good enough to practice some routines on the pika pole. it's a shame that boston doesn't have a vibrant pole culture - every london uni has a pole fitness club, there's tons of pole meetups around the city, and so many pole performances and competitions year round. plus there's something addicting about sore arms.

while london isn't super expensive, there's a lot of things that i took for granted at mit that aren't at imperial. laundry is a whopping £3-4, the gym costs £30 for membership, most clubs aren't free (£5-10 for membership), the doors in my hall lock automatically (??), the mail delivery service is a bit of a pain since they're manually recorded, timetables for classes aren't automatically available online nor are classes rated in any way, there are no frats or house parties so students go clubbing instead (and clubs cost £8-15 for big parties), and since parties aren't subsidized, drinks cost £££ too. 

it's kind of hilarious that i'm specifically studying engineering in a place so ripe with poetry, theater, art, film, exhibitions, sculpture, etc. imperial has free lunchtime concerts and art galleries throughout the school, but humanities classes cost £200 a piece. 

also, the assassins guild, caving club, hiking club, and hackerspaces remind me of mit. the other mit exchange student told me they seemed less in-your-face than at mit. i suppose ec/tetazoo is fairly in-your-face about caving/climbing and ec/putz with building stuff so that's a reasonable comparison to make. 

i've always had a contrarian bent against things i saw were mainstream. unfortunately, mainstream was always defined by the people closest to me, so that meant wanting to not be in cs at mit and instead to be part of a smaller major. somehow, the distance has taken away this discomfort and i feel better about my interests. also, i've been able to discover an interest for exploring/climbing outside of the mob mentality, which is refreshing. 

---

i got my first internship offer for the summer (!!), so summer interviews don't feel as stressful. i am still lowkey stressed about iap, since i don't have anything lined up yet rip so winter interviewing must still go on. i feel myself getting a lot better at technical and non-technical interviews, though, so hmu if you have any questions about tech interviewing. 

---

travel plans

amsterdam: 10/4-6

oxford: 10/12

wales (with the caving club!): 10/25-27

edinburgh: 10/15-17

istanbul: 10/22-24

iceland: 10/5-8

athens: 10/8-10

marrakesh: 10/13-16

i so so recommend rome2rio, skyscanner, hostelsworld/booking.com, and student universe for finding dirt cheap flights. all of these flights were about $100 or less (mostly less) although being geographically near so many vastly different cultures is convenient. 

i also now understand douglas adams' obsession with towels - one of the most useful things ever (and prevents you from having to wipe your naked body with old clothes or a bed sheet after being too cheap/forgetting to rent a towel).

---

i've been writing for hackaday since the summer and while most of my writing has been fulfilling assignments, it's humbling to read the readers' comments. i think i've always taken the maker community for granted and i haven't realized the work that people put in to ensure that open source has the integrity that it has today. 

there's constantly talk about whether something feels like an advertisement. i've always been in support of ads on social media and sponsorship since it helps all parties, but i have felt like intentions are faked when there are too many sponsors at a hackathon - or when it feels like sweet talking the sponsors are more important than making a great experience for users. 

i'm not sure if anyone's taking the class by the poetic justice group at the media lab, but i worked with them on the green book project this summer and it completely changed the way i look at race inside and outside of america. i also know there's some complicated feelings about malcolm gladwell, but i appreciate the nuance he uses when discussing the sandra bland case in his latest book - i think it puts to perspective the systemic reasons for police brutality, rather than focusing on individual reasons (which is the reason why juries decide the way they do and why attorneys are able to win cases in favor of police officers in the court. see radiolab mr. graham and the reasonable man for more info.) 

i'm really grateful for garnette - my writing professor last term - for introducing me to gladwell's masterclass. he really understands how to craft writing to be accessible to people and has a really great approach towards being a writer - having a regular low-stress/low-hours job to pay the bills and writing on the side (until you can make a living as a writer or just perpetually writing on the side). ted chiang (author of the book inspiring arrival) did the same thing - studied computer science in college, became a technical writer to free up time and finances to write, eventually freelanced and is now quite good at his craft, so he's also a minor idol career-wise. 

---

that's all for now. just wanted to do a quick update, hope you're all doing well! remember that work isn't the most important thing in the world - drink water, eat vegetables (they feel really good), don't eat too much sugar, take a break, and get sleep! 

[brownboybooks]

I’m a native New Yorker and visited Times Square quite often. As a kid, I remember how much I would gaze and look around at all there was to see. The billboards, the lights, the colors, the fast-moving taxis and of course – all the people! I was fascinated! I don’t live in NY now but when I visit I am still fascinated (though sometimes I’m more annoyed – however, that’s a blog for another time).

When I learned I was pregnant with my first child (a son) for some reason Times Square came to mind. At first, I thought I was feeling nostalgic about not being able to give birth nor raise my son in Brooklyn (and around my family) since my husband and I lived in a different state. I chalked it up to us not being able to take our son to frequent Times Square visits like my mom did for me as a child.

But that wasn’t it.

It wasn’t until we were setting up our nursery that I connected the symbolism of my Times Square vision.  Kids – especially babies – like to gaze. They are curious. They are intrigued by colors. Stimulation is good for them (of course don’t over stimulate)!

My Answer = BOOKS! LOTS OF BOOKS!

I admit it. I wasn’t the most creative when it came to designing my nursery. There are many parents that go all out. You know what I’m talking about too – high-end wallpaper, funky paint designs, bed fashions by Pottery Barn Kids, etc. etc. Search the keyword phrase “nursery ideas” on Pinterest and you’ll be amazed.

For me, I was pregnant, tired and not that creative. My husband tried to paint the room uniquely but it still was missing something. That’s when I said eff this – “I’m going to Times Square this room.” My midwestern husband looked at me as if I was crazy. I can’t blame him because he probably thought I wanted NYC posters all around the room.   Nope, check out how I used 4 steps and created a room for my son that symbolized my NYC Times Square Concept.

Liven Your Child’s Room with BOOKS in 4 Easy Steps

1. Seek out and build a library of diverse books

This is definitely not a novel idea. I would bet that most moms want to encourage the love of reading to their child(ren). What better way to do this than to start building your child’s library early. In the past 5 years, I haven’t been a baby shower where the parents-to-be or the shower host didn’t request the addition of a book to a shower gift.  So I know moms are on it!

One of our bookcases

When building your library embrace a variety of books. When I started my son’s library I was eager for all types of books. I received/found/bought books on animals, shapes, colors, city life, farming, planets, monsters (ie Elmo and friends), history, etc. I had soft books, hardcover books, pop-up books, touch books – you name it. I had books with characters of diverse races but especially purchased those books where my son might see a reflection of himself.

Here are two tips about making reading an adventure I read from a  Packet of Preschool hand-out sheet. 

Read different types of books: fairy tales, ABC, counting, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, big books, small books, rhyming, songs

Read about different things: family, friends, feelings, school, holidays, sports, dance, food, birthdays, forest animals, polar animals, zoo animals, ocean animals, pets, dinosaurs, insects, construction, vehicles, plants, farms, science, seasons, weather, or various habitats.

I’ll talk more about how to build your child’s library collection in an upcoming blog.

2. Not all books are equal – be selective

We all have read a bad book. There are some bad children’s books as well. Before you read a book to your child and/or add it to their library – read it to yourself first. I understand that this might be hard to do if you’re picking out books at a bookstore or grabbing a few from a library. However, if you have time to skim (especially for picture books) or read the back of the book (for early chapter/early teen books) – do it! If you don’t have time while in a store or library then be sure to read it before introducing it to your child.

I received the very popular and classic Babar book as a gift. I made the mistake of reading it for the first time while reading it to my son. There is a scene in the book where the elephant’s mom gets shot. It was totally unexpected for me and I surely didn’t want to read about an animal getting hunted and shot to my 1-year old! I do not have anything against people who hunt but it wasn’t a book that I needed to add to my son’s library. I didn’t care if it’s a classic book or not.

I say all this to say- pick books that you will enjoy reading to your child and books YOU think will be exciting for your child (my son wanted to know why Babar’s mother was shot and that took some excitement away from that reading moment- at least for me it did).

3. Incorporate your child’s books into the decor of the room

  My starter book wall

With not a lot of books to start with, my husband and I took a quick trip to Ikea and purchased a couple of wall shelves. I couldn’t find the exact shelf we bought but here’s something similar that The Land of Nod sells (I love this store by the way).

The picture you see to the left is from my son’s nursery room 5 years ago. I wasn’t that creative and didn’t start with a ton of books. We’ve since moved about 4 times (blame it on my husband’s career in sports) and now I’ve gotten much better creatively. It’s just that now my sons (ages 5 and 3) want Ninja Turtles and Super Heros on their wall. Instead, we now have a few bookcases (I included a picture of one in tip #1 above) spread across their bedroom and playroom filled with a ton of books that we read frequently. Check out the link to a  book storage caddy I purchased from Land of Nod.

Back to the point- there’s a ton of ways to decorate your child’s room by incorporating books. Here are a few images I grabbed from Pinterest to give you a few ideas.

  4. Read with excitement, dammit!

Who says just the physical things can liven your child’s room? Your presence and the way you read books matter! When I read to my boys I get all into the book. I try to use a different voice for each character, I pretend I’m crying or laughing when the book calls for it, I change facial expressions to show the characters’ emotions, and I simply try to have fun with it.

The Packet of Preschool hand-out sheet I referenced above had two additional tips about making reading an adventure.

Read in fun ways: with a flashlight, in different voices, on the computer, act it out, by singing the words, in a whisper, to a stuffed animal, to a pet, or with props/puppets

Read in fun places: outside, inside, in the car, in the bathtub, in bed, on the couch, under the covers, under a tree, at the library, in a tent, or in a park

Check out the videos below for more details on how you too can read with expression.If you have any additional creative suggestions, feel free to share in the comments below.

Happy (and FUN) reading to your child tonight!

  Times Square, Books, and Your Child’s Room I'm a native New Yorker and visited Times Square quite often. As a kid, I remember how much I would gaze and look around at all there was to see.