#I just think Mountain is a problem solver and a caregiver and also not to secretly a puppy

[arcaneacolyte]

I think Mountain likes to make Epsom salt concoctions for all of his packmates, and especially ones with chronic pain.

He likes to mix and test and create on a good day, splicing flowers and plants together and seeing what effects he can create. He just loves botany and what he can get his element to give him, so it makes sense that making bath salts would be so fun for him.

Working out formulas for everyone's specific needs is so enjoyable too; be it migraines, anxiety, aches and pains, relaxation. He just thrives in the throws of *creation* and also problem solving. The fact that it will end up helping his packmates is a huge bonus too. The sparkling eyes and bright smiles he gets from them when he pulls the perfectly packaged salts from behind his back--with self made paper bags and labels to boot, Mountain doesn't do handmade gifts by halves--makes the long hours it takes to get the recipe just right for their needs worth it.

He always asks for a report back on how this batch works, and if there's anything he can do to improve it. The other Ghouls don't tell him, but he gets so cute like this, genuinely eager to provide but also improve. Really the mixes are all perfect already, but the wide forest green eyes and not-so-subtly wagging tail behind the giant is enough for them to tell a little fib and come up with something arbitrary, but will make Mountain double his efforts.

He loves his pack, he loves his element, and he dives straight back to work so that the next batch is all ready to just as soon as this one runs out.

[allisonhickscom-blog]

Online Talk Card Extra Credit

Encounter #1- Smoky Mountains

For Spring Break this year I visited the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee with some friends in a cabin we rented from airbnb.com. On this trip, I was the only woman out of five people. I went with my two male coworkers, Torey and Grant, and their friend from high school, Joe and Joe’s college roommate, Chris. I had not met Chris or Joe before this trip.

My primary goals of this encounter was to be easy going and understandable throughout the trip.

My secondary goals were to become a part of the group with the guys I went with on this trip and to become better friends with Chris and Joe. I wanted to feel very included and welcomed.

I used high liking and lower formality, with the boys but not too informal where I was overstepping my boundaries with people I had just met. I went with a low power style to ensure that there weren’t any conflicts while on the trip.

I used a friend card and a comedian card to make jokes at dinner and throughout our time in the cabin. I also played the friend card when I took the pull-out couch bed instead of one of the bedrooms since I was the only girl and it made sense to have the smallest bed. The boys reciprocated my talk cards by playing friend cards back and also being very understanding with me to also avoid any possibility of conflict on the trip.

One Friday morning Torey played a friend card by taking me to the grocery store to get myself groceries for dinner since me being Catholic prevented me from eating meat that Friday since the trip was during lent. Another time was when after we went out to dinner, Joe proposed we go to the outlet mall I had been interested in going to when we passed it.

I believe that both me and the boys had the goals of being included and respected for the duration of this trip. We played friend cards to avoid conflicts and problem solver cards to make sure there were no issues whether it was food, sleeping arrangements, or planned activities for the week. Overall there were relational goals on this trip to become better friends with one another which I believe we achieved.

Encounter #2- Siesta Key

Last summer I traveled to Siesta Key, Florida with my mom, brother, and grandparents, to stay in my great aunt and uncle’s condo right off the beach. We had timed to go on this trip because my cousin was graduating high school and her and her family do not live too far from Siesta Key.

During this trip I had to play the card of a student as I was taking summer classes online and had to have formality in those interactions. I also played a family member card when being there and being respectful to my family members I was staying with at the condo.

I used high liking and low formality and low power while playing my family member card and my family reciprocated this by playing a very similar family member card with close to the same amount of liking and formality but more power coming from my grandparents since they had dictated the itinerary of our trip.

When arriving at my cousin’s graduation party in Parrish, Florida, a short drive from the condo, we played similar cards to what we had been playing the rest of the trip. This was a very family based trip in which we all showed respect to one another and the goal was achievement to make it to Florida, go to my cousin’s graduation party, ensure my summer class work was done and to ultimately have a good time and pleasant vacation.

I displayed higher formality in my family talk cards with my grandparents and my great aunt and uncle because we were staying in my great aunt and uncle’s condo and I wanted to be respectful. Both my great aunt and uncle and my grandparents paid for many of my meals on the trip as well and I wanted to be respectful and grateful for that when they played their caregiving cards in doing this.

Encounter #3- Tallahassee

Last winter break I visited my boyfriend’s parents who live in Tallahassee, Florida. The flight was a birthday gift they had gotten me and I met up with my boyfriend, his twin brother, and their parents shortly after Christmas. I flew down and immediately played a family member card as I was treated as if I was another one of their children.

I showed high liking and higher formality than I usually show with my own family to ensure I was being respectful and grateful for their generosity. I also played with low power to not appear ungrateful or rude because they were my hosts.

Throughout the trip I was surprised by my boyfriend’s parents when they played a parent card with lower formality to give me tickets to Harry Potter World at Universal Studios as a Christmas gift because I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I reciprocated this with being very grateful and thankful for their gift.

The goal of this trip from me and my boyfriend’s family was very relational because we do not get to see each other much and this was a chance for us all to become closer. I think that we were able to accomplish these goals throughout our time together and we had a great time. My secondary goal was to be appreciate and welcomed in their home for the duration of my stay.