#I wanted to bring back around 4 lbs of sand

[good-night-space-kid]

Tell me why Bahamas air only allows baggage half weight of a normal carry on for free. How the fuck am I supposed to back that light if I have a laptop that weighs 4 lbs and I want to bring back a shitton of sand

[dzpenumbra]

6/21/23

I'm getting a little too comfortable being wide awake at 4AM.

I had some pretty big bumps in the day that I'll get to, but I want to start with a good note, because I'm still very excited. I started my day off with the Lowe's delivery. I scheduled it between 6 and 9... 1). because it's funny, and 2). because it's a fair compromise of a somewhat reasonable time for normal people, and somewhere around the start of my day.

Yoga was nice, I did the psoas one again and I'm really starting to get more of a feel of how I can sorta shift my body around and hit different muscle groups, and kinda just do that until I get to a place that feels like it's opening up my lower back. It's mostly my lower back and sacrum area that are just... not happy with me lately. <insert shocked self-awareness that I have become an aging man complaining about his back>

My workout was intense, but I saved it until after my delivery, I picked my stuff up from the lobby and brought it back downstairs to my apartment. I immediately checked the plastic tubing to make sure it fits the pump I have... it took some work to get it on there, but it does work. So... the water feature is a go. But the dish I have for it is super shallow and the water tube comes out of the top of the pump... so... I'll have to get creative to camouflage the tube and the power cord. A project for another day.

After workout, shower, food, Rimworld, all that... I eventually got around to the main event - the mini Zen Garden idea. I got two big (like 14") saucers, one was advertised as "terracotta"... but was terracotta colored plastic... Which I'm going to use anyway, I was just kinda pissed about that. And the other is glazed ceramic, and is the one I'm currently using. I got just generic all-purpose construction sand delivered, about a 50 lb bag. I opened it up to see what I was working with and it had all kinds of sizes of little stones in it.

I know a lot of people who would get angry about this. "I ordered fucking sand, this has rocks in it!" "I wanted like... super fine sand like you see in the pictures online." Dude, I got fucking excited! I had literally just ordered a sieve and screens for classifying different sizes of gravel. I couldn't find a good distributer, but I would prefer to just gather local materials anyway, the sand was kind of a... impulsive exception. I really wanted these pieces to be composed as much of found local materials as possible. But since I'm prototyping, I said fuck it. I got stoked. I ran upstairs and grabbed the little cheap plastic strainer that came with my tumbling kit... it didn't work that great. So I went into the kitchen and got the big metal one, and that worked much better. See... the sand is... damp, for some reason. There's a lot of moisture in it. It's not the end of the world, but it makes sifting and sieving it much more difficult, the sand tends to stick and clump up.

So I went through the process of sieving about... 3 or 4 quart containers full of sand? And I got a full pint container full of various sized gravel for free. There are some really neat perfectly clear quartz crystals in there too. I was just enthralled with the process, it was like a treasure hunt! "I wonder what kinds of minerals were in this sand..." "I wonder what cool stones I'm going to find." I left it all out to dry once dawn comes, and I'll get to sorting through my findings tomorrow.

I've been really inspired and intrigued by natural sorting and sizing methods. Obviously there's sieving, but I remembered some stuff I learned years ago about using water with gold panning to sort minerals by size... And I started to deep dive a bit. There's so much art that goes into this, and I feel so much freedom to take this whole classifying and sorting and arranging thing as far as I want. Like... how fine do I really want the sand... Because I can actually bring my box fan down and set it on the right setting, place it at the right distance and angle, and have it just blow the lightest sand particles off of the dish and onto a plastic sheet or something? Or into a cardboard box? And the wind will sort it for me!

I was tempted to do that with water, water is really fucking effective for sorting stone particles because of how heavy they are. But... I just didn't want to deal with more drying that I already have to. It's just time-consuming when you don't have to do it. So... my current plan is... hand-sort good large gravel pieces. Take the dried sand tomorrow and experiment with wind-sorting, see how fine I can get the sand. Then I can use two different types of sand for two different pieces if I want. Or I can just say the sieved sand is sorted well enough (it really is nice and fine), and start working on design. So many options!!!

I'm really excited about this project, there is so much potential. It's literally infinite. I'm just excited to work on it. And the part that really gets me here... I really love the sorting process itself. Just sieving sand and seeing what you get out of it. And cleaning the gravel in a tub and seeing what it looks like all cleaned up. And watching the sand dry and become uniform and look like a nice clean beach rather than a local municipal sandpit. And the process itself of just doing a slow, repetitive, meditative task that doesn't feel like much... but has a tangible impact over time. Like a plant growing. Where you don't see the progress in real-time, but at the end of the day, you look over and go "holy shit, I got so much done."

I absolutely love meditative projects like this. I'm tempted to try to set up my webcam and stream it, I just... don't know if it appeals to anyone. But... who fucking cares? If people don't like it, they won't tune in. Whatever. So yeah, I'm going to consider setting that up tomorrow. If I don't just get sucked into the process for 6 hours straight first.

See why I wanted to get that out first? So excited!

Now for the not-so-fun part...

I had two really intense night terrors last night. I don't remember the second one because it was... to my newly awoken mind very linear and open-and-shut about one of my exes, so I didn't journal it. I didn't feel like journaling twice in one "night". The first one I did journal. It was about a girl in my art classes back in college who was really into me, and had a boyfriend the whole time... but I was not at all into her, so I didn't see a problem. But... it made a weird dynamic. I thought we were cool, she said we were cool, but she was definitely into me the whole time and neglecting her relationship because of it. She offered to share her studio with me, one of the on-campus studios, and I gladly took her up on it. We would work on projects there every week, for a long time, too. Plenty of all-nighters pulled. She served as the focal point of this dream. We were in... I guess a dorm or an apartment building or something. She was showing me a song that she and her roommates had made, so I'm guessing it was probably a college suite kinda thing. And it was in a program I have used for 15+ years called Guitar Pro, it's a musical notation program that supports guitar tabulature and MIDI playback. It was a weird parody song, it wasn't very good, but it was them having fun, you know? I listened to it, I noticed that it had some samples in it that I wasn't familiar with. Then there was a part that really got my attention because... somewhere included in this... I don't know if it was the lyrics or the labeling of the tracks or something... I wish I could remember because it's something I always look out for. I remembered numbers. I remembered reading and understanding and recalling after waking up a number sequence. I know the numbers were used associated with specific people, and the girl who I was visiting - we'll call her A - had a specific number associated with her. I felt like it was included in the labeling on the program, I distinctly remember it being represented visually. (This hit me hard after waking up because you're... not supposed to be able to read text in dreams...) The numbers were essentially local IP numbers (idk if that's their technical term), that's what I recognized them as. And the one associated with A was 1.1.1.1.8 (or something close to that) So... the fact that I could process a number was a bit disorienting, but I moved on. And this is where shit started getting super fucking uncomfortable and weird.

I started getting really tired. Really tired. Like... if you've ever been put under general anesthesia? That feeling, right when it starts. And I was laying on this girl's bed, with her laptop there. But... the bed was my bed. The same sheets, freshly made, just like the bed my actual self was in. Shit... on second thought, maybe it was my bed, and she was over at my place? I don't know if it was explicitly stated that it was her bed, just that she was there. And she insisted I crash there, and I really didn't have much of a choice, I could barely move. I was really really fucking uncomfortable, emotionally, physically. I sleep on the right side and I was rolled over onto my right side and all the way over as far as I could be on that side of the bed. And I heard her get out of bed, and she was seeing if I was awake. I pretended to be asleep, hoping she'd give up. She kept going, she circled the end of the bed, getting more and more insistent. I was using my hearing to track her movements, I couldn't even open my eyes, it was just black. As she circled the mattress to the side I was on, she was getting more and more insistent, like "hello? are you awaaake?" Like... playful but aggressively insistent. Like... spooky playful. And I managed to let out some incoherent desperate grunt. It was legit a sleep paralysis thing, and I would put my life savings on that sound being made audibly in the waking world. Once she got a sign of life from me, she started getting like... manic, frantic. And I managed to get my eyes open, but as my eyes were open, all I could see was straight down at the floor. I was like on the edge of the bed, looking down at some... grey cloth or newspaper or pile of paper or something on the floor. But it was all insanely blurry, like way worse than not having my glasses on. And as I opened my eyes, shit got fucking weird. Her voice started darting around, left, right, forward, all over the place... saying over and over "yoo hoo!" "yoo hoo!" Until I pulled myself out of sleep in a panic.

Needless to say... I was pretty shaken by this. I didn't get back to sleep for another 3 hours. I journaled the dream in detail, which is why I remember so much. Then I spent the next hour or so researching succubi and sirens. Pliny the Elder said that he didn't think the sirens were real, but someone he knew said there were folklore creatures in India that would sing you to sleep, then tear you to pieces. But I couldn't find anything about that online. It's surprisingly hard to find accurate folklore and spiritual stuff on search engines. Maybe it gets filtered out because of "pseudoscience"? Even though it never even remotely claims to be science? I don't know. I came out empty handed.

Regardless of whether it was an actual entity that was fucking with me in my sleep - either my physical body as I dreamt, or my spiritual body as I dreamt... - or just an extremely difficult concept I'm still trying to process... that I don't really want to get into too much right now... 1). because it would be triggering to others... but mainly... 2). because it would be a bit too triggering for me for 5AM before bed. So... let's just say that I'm becoming more aware of this whole... "predatory people" thing I'm worried about... and the dream represents a history... and something I'm still worried about in the future.

It leads to this juggling act between not trusting anyone... and saying "fuck it, I can't let shitty people from the past prevent me from trusting anyone" and then being put in really bad situations that I struggle to walk away from. So... that's definitely a thing present in my subconscious... and maybe this demon is my way of dealing with my own metaphorical demon. Maybe that's what they've always been. I dunno, all I know is... it sucked. But experiencing it felt very... illuminating. Like "ohhh that's what I'm worried about." Like a veil had been aggressively been lifted. Or at least just a peek behind the curtain, you know?

I gotta pee, then tarot and bed.

Past - III: The Empress (Progression, creation, birth, growth.) Present - VIII: Strength, inverted (Overcoming fear, mastery of emotions through equilibrium and inner strength.) Future - Eight of Pentacles (Work, industry, learning/mastering a skill, schooling, education, apprenticeship. With passion, this is not work, it’s an opportunity to shine.)

Alright, readers aren't going to see this but I'm doing this a bit different to test my reading ability. I didn't paste the card summaries in yet. I'm gonna try to freestyle this and then put in the meanings after.

This thread starts with The Empress. She is a symbol of fertility, growth, new beginnings. Or, more literally, a mother figure. I haven't gotten this one often, so I'm not 100% on it.

This is connected to inverted Strength. Strength is the harmony between emotions and intellect, impulses and rationality, the wild side and the civilized side. Inverted, I typically read as a struggle in this department.

This is connected to Eight of Pentacles. Eight of Pentacles is about labor, work. The process of toiling, learning, developing craft, working towards goals.

I'm going to fill in the definitions now. The Empress is the only one I'm shaky on. Then I'll tl;dr it.

Okay. So... I was pretty on the money, but the guide I have puts more emphasis on the progression part of Empress. Which I didn't miss, I just didn't really focus on. Mostly because Eight of Cups from last night was still lingering in my mind. But there are a lot of cards that say similar things, that's just how it goes. So... Empress is going to represent a new growth, a major progression in life, like the birth of a new chapter. This led to inverted Strength... fear taking control. Struggling to connect with my inner strength, my courage. And this has led to... work. Work work work. On the self. Non-stop work on the self. 24/7, to the point where I literally work in my sleep. And I need to force myself to take breaks.

Straight to the point, but dead-accurate. The extra card I pulled for a placeholder in my reference book? Queen of Pentacles - the keeper of the Heart of Pentacles. The warm, Matrix Oracle-like spirit who unveils the essence of a life well lived - all four elements (the impulses) under the watchful guidance of the spirit, all entwined, all working in balance and harmony. Something to aspire towards.

[codylabs]

My Top 10 Ships

I’m not a very romantic sort of guy, I’m not real forgiving to departures from canon, I get easily annoyed at inconsistencies, and I don’t watch much television and movies, so in order for me to ship something, it has to be a GOOD ship. I default toward rejecting ships, so to impress ME, it must be built on logic, and evidence, it’s gotta be something I can suspend my disbelief far enough to accept. And it’s gotta have story behind it, something deep, some hefty emotional weight; if it doesn’t tickle this man’s cold reptilian heart with strong beats and excellent writing, it goes straight to the trash. I absoLUTELY will not stand for any of these weird little cute, pretty, pandering, trashy crack ships that everybody seems to be clumsily throwing characters into. Most ships are trash ships. They are not good ships.

You think your ship is good? You like your ship?

You ship it?

No you don’t.

Get out of here.

You will listen to me. I will tell you. Look at me. I’m the Captain now.

Here are the 10 good ships.

10. The Rocinante, The Expanse

A resoundingly excellent ship. Unlike most ships you see out there, this thing was actually designed with realistic space combat in mind. It’s got 6 computer-controlled gatling turrets covering every angle, it accelerates in whatever direction it’s pointing, its bridge is right in the center to put as much armor as possible between enemies and crew, overall a much better-designed vehicle than most everything you see about.

That being said, I didn’t have much connection to this ship. Its crew weren’t really interesting, the aesthetic was kinda bleak, and I basically stopped watching after the phazon showed up. And the Rocinante itself has pretty poor redundancy. Enemy bullets can literally just pass through it (as is realistic for a ship this size) so how about multiple main engines huh? Absolutely tragic oversight. And its interior looks too much like an Apple product. How are you supposed to work on it? Where are the wires and pipes??? The handholds?????

9. Ares IV M.A.V., The Martian

Almost more of a symbol than a ship. A symbol of freedom, of escape. A beautiful symbol. This is what Mark Watney spends the whole movie trying to reach, with an entire world backing him up, and an entire world trying to stop him. It’s the goal of the movie, and it just looks so beautiful when he finally reaches it and sees it sitting there in the middle of the desert, ass down, nose up; a tall, proud symbol. This ship has a special significance for me because the author of the original book really did his research on the scientific requirements and details of a Mars Ascent Vehicle, and it was actually inspired by the E.R.V. in another book, ‘A Case For Mars’, which I read when I was younger. “Makes its own methane-oxygen fuel on-site by using nuclear power to break down CO2 in the atmosphere and combining it with stored hydrogen, don’t you know.” I say as I adjust my spectacles and puff my pipe.

The M.A.V. in the movie does have a few issues, such as hallway and rooms running straight up through where the fuel tanks ought to be (instead of a lift/ladder on the exterior) and a rugged, industrial aesthetic that looks too heavy and cumbersome for a ship of its type. (And you’re seriously telling me he couldn’t have used the capsule’s RCS to literally bypass the movie’s entire climax? WHY NOT? The book never mentioned him having to drain the monopropellant!!!) But I’ll let that slide. Great movie.

8. Biggest Boy, The Greatship

(I don’t know the ship name so I had to make up a name. You know what, I think it’s actually just called the Greatship.)

So it’s a starship the size of Jupiter, empty, unmanned, perfectly mysterious, that comes gliding into the galaxy a couple million years into humanity’s future. Where did it come from? Who made it and how? Good questions. It’s powered by matter-antimatter annihilation reactions from within planet-sized internal tanks, and its engines use hydrogen and fusion exhaust as reaction mass, and its hull is made of hyperfiber, a super-strong fictional material with a 4-dimensional lattice structure, able to weather impacts by spreading them out over various dimensions where the impact occurred in a different place.

I hope that after the first few entries, you didn’t get the impression that I am somehow against futuristic, far-out, impossible technologies. Quite the opposite! I love me some hyperdrive and anti-gravity and A.I. and stuff. However! Ships must be well-designed for the technology available, and must take no creative liberties except those explicitly allowed by the difference in the setting. The laws of physics don’t disappear when the magic crystals come out, the magic crystals are merely a different tool to combat them. Engineering will always exist, should start with the tools and work outward, form follows function. Star Wars ships, for instance, are trash because they don’t mount their repulsorlift arrays consistently, they’re not aerodynamic, and their engines aren’t aligned around their center of masses.

So I like the Great Ship. Although the story is pretty far-fetched, and a lot of crazy, out-there scifi events transpire deep in the ship’s depths, the book always strictly kept its own rules in mind, and never broke those rules, no matter how outlandishly crazy things got. Thanks for comprehending something so incomprehensible, Robert Reed. You inspired me miles in my own work.

7. The Ghost, The Sea Wolf

The story may be fiction, but the Ghost was as real as ghosts can be.

Jack London did his research. No, not research, he LIVED this. The Ghost is a seal-hunting schooner much like one that he served aboard during his rollercoaster of a life, and he captured every detail of its operation, of its requirements, of its mechanics, and of the incredible toll it took on the people that lived such a life. The boat is made to feel as oppressive and claustrophobic as a prison, as if it were an extension of the monster that commanded it, directly in contrast to the expansive beauty of the sea around them. My goodness, what a beautiful book. What a moving, interesting, challenging book, with such a story! This book is one of the climaxes of fiction, and one of the inspirations for Shifting Sands, if I remember correctly. I would recommend this book to anybody. Beautiful.

6. Ferbnessa, Phineas and Ferb

Okay, so I hope we can all agree that Vanessa is nothing but bad news. But that being said, Ferb knows exactly the relationship he wants, and by golly, he goes for it. Most male characters would stutter or get nervous or lose confidence around their crush, especially if that crush is about a hundred miles out of their league or if they already had another boyfriend, but Ferb? No. Not my man Ferb. He’s slighly too much of a legend to fall for such childish pitfalls. He doesn’t posture, he doesn’t creep or flirt or try to sabotage the other men in her life, he doesn’t even speak a word, he just maintains his blank expression, cranks his own already-inhuman levels of confidence and competence up through the roof to borderline olympian levels, and continues being himself. These rare moments of Ferbly passion are some of the few open windows we get into the grandiose machinations of his mysterious mind, and he uses it to bring out the best in Vanessa as well. And in the future episode, set years down the line, wouldn’t you know it, they’re a pair.

All joking aside though, this whole ship is basically comedy. It’s a super small part of the show, it’s only in like 5 episodes, it’s a running gag, it’s hilarious. It’s great. And it fits right into the tone and the feel of the show, because P&F’s entire world really is a comedy about going for it and living your dreams. So this is just the best thing ever. It’s been about a decade since then, and I still burst out laughing at how much of a pristine picture of ideal masculinity Ferb is. Become like Ferb, boys, and you will become men.

Legendary.

Eat your heart out, Dipper.

3. Shunk, Voltron

(I don’t know the ship name so I had to make up a name)

Huge props to the voltron team for making a female alien character (even a romantic interest) with NO BOOBS. Do you have ANY idea how sick and tired I am of artists throwing a big ol’ pair of balonkadongs onto lobsters and snakes when almost everything in the real world besides folks and cows have either 0 or 8+ of them? Everything’s gotta be traditionally sexy and recognizably-feminine and GREAT now you just canonized all the porn! Disgusteg

but now look at Shay. She’s a rock person. She’s got silicon-based biology, she probably weighs 500 lbs and bleeds sand. She’s got enormous hands and weird knees and no nose and lumps everywhere, AND YET STILL the show plays all the tropes 100% straight with her being a fair young maiden and a sweet princess. And it works because Hunk is just this great guy who’s exactly as sweet and caring, and he’s not the most attractive of the Paladins either, so he probably lives his life looking past appearances. He doesn’t care that she’s an alien rock, he cares about her as a person, and she obviously worships him right back. Even though Shay is shown in season 1 and then never again until season 7, Hunk still avoids alternative romantic entanglements, citing ‘a rock I know’, and it just adds to his persona as this infinitely loyal teddy bear. I tip my hat to this, the single ship I know that’s 0% sexy and 100% wholesome.

And Hunk is the best Paladin. He’s just the greatest. I revere him. I salute him as he walks past. This man among men. Look at this guy. I don’t even care about any of the other ships in Voltron (I mean, the Castle of Lions is okay, but it’s outriggers are kinda spindly) but Hunk and Shay deserve each other.

4. Wendip, Gravity Falls

So Dipper’s 12/13, and Wendy’s 15. That’s a pretty giant age difference. Maybe you fans have fooled yourselves into thinking it’s not, but it is. She knows it. He knows it. His sister knows it. Your mom knows it. So halfway through the show, when he finally got around to confessing his feelings to her, she told him no. Sure they’re still friends, sure they like each other, and sure they have a lot of chemistry and they still have a movie night every Friday, but at the end of the day, he’s a smelly little midget who has to go back to California at the end of the Summer, and she’s a older girl with approximately zero romantic feelings for him. So the notion that it could work out is pretty obvious to everyone, and especially to him, pretty much hopeless. And he really did handle it all pretty poorly and immaturely too, he objectified her and stalked her and simped up a storm and sabotaged her boyfriend, so perhaps he deserved what he got. Perhaps it’s better this way.

And yet.

And yet Wendy never really got a happy ending in the show. And Dipper never got a conclusive romance either. So after everything, it’s easy to think about it how he thinks about it, by wondering how things could have been, if everything were just so slightly different, if she’d said yes or if they united again. She wishes she could be younger, he wishes he could be older. She’s more dominant, he’s more recessive. She has a lot of serious issues in her life, and could really seriously use a driven, heroic, intelligent friend to help her out, give her purpose, and steer her right. And Lord knows he could use somebody with street smarts and actual muscles to have his back now and again. They complement each other perfectly. They make up for each others’ weaknesses. They’re everything they ever wanted from another, and if you do the math, their children would be actual literal supersoldiers.

Or at least that’s the way a lot of people see it. There’s been immeasurable mountains of fanfiction and fanart from people who are just so sad that in a show full of happy endings and dreams coming true and old regrets being resolved and children growing up, that one ending would never be happy, one dream would never come to pass, one regret would stick with you forever, one child would never grow up. Maybe if you extrapolate out the story they’d end up together? Or maybe they’d find other, better partners? Maybe romance isn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things, and this is the best ending there could have been? Perhaps, perhaps not. But in any case, there’s a lot of very rich storytelling potential for the untold journey before them, and for the paths that could have been.

Stop drawing fetish art of Wendy, you insufferable heathen actual donkeys.

3. Kataang, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Now HERE’S a serious relationship. Not just a romantic ship, (though it is that,) not just some cutesy, funny thing or some ship-war fodder, (though it is cute and funny and did spawn a ship-war,) not just a matter of certainty and destiny, (though it is certain and was destined,) this is a real, TANGIBLE relationship, that these characters built together over a solid year of on-screen adventuring and fighting. They’ve helped each other through trauma, they’ve been there for each other in their darkest moments, they learned martial-arts together, they’ve fought back-to back against grown men, they’ve worked front-to-front sawing through steel girders, they’ve saved each other’s lives, he once ACTUALLY DIED and she brought him BACK. They end up respecting each other, and valuing each other in the intimate way that only true friends do.

And they’re shown working through all their imperfections and mistakes too. Aang sometimes oversteps boundaries and says stupid stuff because he’s a kid, and Katara sometimes scolds him and controls him because she’s motherly and orderly, they get jealous of each other, but none of those things drive them apart, and they deal with them, and they conquer them, and they keep a very legitimate and multi-faceted friendship going, and that’s the key to it all. The fact that this friendship becomes romance is just proof that it was a friendship of quality.

I think people tend to overlook or forget this ship because the last few episodes of the show found them in a pretty dark place, needing to deal with matters of life and death and justice in very different ways, and unlike all their other issues, we don’t really get to see them reconciling these differences before the story ends, which kind of leaves a sour taste between them. And Katara goes on a couple missions with Zuko around the same time, so now half of all people want Zutara, when in actuality, Zutara is a trash ship, which is a true science fact.

2. Serenity, Firefly

Only reason this ship isn’t #1 is because it isn’t constructed using a proper aerospace philosophy; it’s made of bulky machinery and steel beams and chunky plates, it looks more like an ocean vessel from the inside, and is WAY too big for its 6-12 person crew and light cargo capacity. Plus it doesn’t have any room for fuel and its got no wheels on its landing legs and no downward-facing windows and its reactor is just too dang SMOL and its engines are attached too flimsily. This all wouldn’t be too much of an issue if they were going for a far-future aesthetic, but if you’re trying to do something grounded and semi-contemporary, you need to lose some weight girl, I’m sorry.

But by gosh does it make up for it in heart. The entire inside of this ship was mapped out and made on set, with so many homely little decorations and touches to make every room feel like the person who inhabits it, sterile professional blue for the doc’s medbay, warm happy red for Kaylee’s engine room, all-serious-business-but-also-plastic-dinos for Wash’s cockpit... It hit me hard when this baby it crashed in the movie, and it felt almost real when River pretended to mind-meld with it. This ship has more soul in one buffer panel than most shows have in the entire cast, enough to make it seem like its own character, even in a show crowded with charming characters. I love this ship intimately, even if I would have built it differently.

1. Colonial Vessel 46.18′\, Gravity Falls

(I don’t know the ship name so I had to make up a name)

You didn’t think I’d leave out this one, did you? After all the fanfiction I’ve written? This is basically my ship at this point. Anyway, enough about me; the vessel beneath Crash Site Omega really is the quintessential alien ship; its perfectly cliche flying-saucer design taps into all the audience’s pre-existing fanciful notions and imaginings and disbelief-suspension, meanwhile its presentation isn’t cliche or fanciful in the slightest. 

There’s not much to say about it from a technical standpoint, besides personal musings: it would need anti-gravity to stay airborne without thrusters, it would need a FTL drive to cross the distances it did, its drones would need to be made of some kind of semi-liquid to move like they do... But these sort of out-of-the-box, never-before-seen, world-expanding brain-knocks are exactly what makes this ship special. It’s an alien ship, built with technology unknown to people, forged from materials that people don’t possess, and inhabited by beings we will never meet. For all we know, this ship could be perfectly sound from an engineering standpoint, and no engineer in the audience could claim to prove it otherwise, because unlike something like the T.A.R.D.I.S., they never try and fail to explain it away with science buzzwords or canonize its details or show off some fancy glowy reactor. This ancient husk is left as a yawning pit in reason, and that’s beautiful.

Moreover, this ship is an amazingly powerful narrative tool, and a mind-blowing surprise to drop in as a setpiece during the show’s final episodes. This ship embodies everything that made the show’s mysteries special: the evidence presented so early and so consistently, the creativity in creature design, action, and worldbuilding, the yawning depths of unknowable lore, and most of all the burning, unquenched desire to know more... The imprint this ship made in the cliffs over the town has been hanging over the characters’ heads the entire series, and its hull was below their feet from day one, so when they finally revealed it, and explored it, it felt invigorating. Rewarding. This ship, and the glorious feelings and thoughts it represents, have inspired to no end, and haven’t ended yet.

Honorable mentions:

Westley and Buttercup, The Princess Bride

Ooooh man I tell you what, it was really hard trimming this down to 10 for the list, and this one just barely didn’t make the cut, and that mainly because I have a sweet spot for animation and for warrior women, and this sweetness ain’t animated, and this damsel is as distressed as they get. And they don’t have a whole lot of chemistry? I don’t know how to measure that, but I feel like there was a lot of friendship stated that was never shown? Is it sacrilege to say that about True Love? I guess I’ve never exactly had True Love, so what do I know?

The entire plot centers around his devotion to her, and her love for him, and the lengths they go to for one another. He studies fencing and wrestling and wits and tactics for years on a pirate ship as he tried to return to her, and she refused the advances and the offers of an actual prince for as long as she could, even though she thought him dead, and was ready to kill herself when she knew him to be alive and not to be hers. And just such excellent action and characters and humor and story in the entire book surrounding it. Possibly an even better movie, somehow. Happy happy happy happy. They don’t make movies like this no more, why is that? Sad.

Endurance, Interstellar

Actually a pretty realistic design, all considering. They nailed the aesthetic, and the cinematography, and the feel.

It does lose points though, firstly because the shuttlecraft require a booster stage to make it into orbit when leaving Earth, but for the rest of the movie, whenever they’re landing on planets with similar gravity and atmosphere, they can just fly away like it’s no big deal, which is a big inconsistency, both with real life, and more importantly with itself. And how did an under-equipped and struggling space program put this thing in orbit in the first place, anyway? And why don’t their ships land on their asses like proper rockets? And why not tell the crew members the full plan before leaving? See, it’s little things like that, little inconsistencies made for the sake of fitting with story beats and simplifying it for the audience’s sake, that sours this ship for me. I don’t mind creative liberties, but actual plot holes? This thing has a few plot holes, and plot holes are absolutely yucky. So although most of this ship is very yummy, the yucky parts make it all yucky.

Yucky.

Plus its heavy cargo shuttles are about the least-aerodynamic things imaginable, and that’s also yucky, and there’s porcelain tiles in the stasis bay, like what?

Couldashouldawoulda been yummy.

The Hermes, The Martian

This ship. This friggin’ ship.

A beautiful ship. A well-conceived ship. A mathematically sound and engineered ship. It had so many many good ideas behind it. So much math went into calculating its thrust and orbital dynamics for this movie, so much work went into making it fit a contemporary space aesthetic, the panels, the heat sinks, the tanks, so much PRESENTATION I could KISS IT HMWA, but taken as a whole, engineering-wise, the whole ship falls flat on its face, because it just doesn’t fit together. It doesn’t make sense. Look at all those countless modules along its length. What do they do? They don’t do anything! It’s a quarter mile long, and it’s built for only 6 people? It’s meant to carry a lander? Where does the lander dock? Why are the useful airlocks so far off the center of gravity? Why does it have a cockpit? Why is the forward airlock so looooong? Why is the entire ship so loooooong? Why is the ring spinning so slowly? It’s not hard math to figure out how fast it needs to spin! You’re telling me you did ORBITAL DYNAMICS but not the SINGLE physics 101 equation needed to figure out how fast the ring needs to spin??

Btw, let’s talk about that rotating section in the middle! Think about the rotating section! That rotating section means that the front and the back of the ship aren’t actually connected! There’s just a pair of ring-shaped slip-slidey bearings bridging the ship’s middle, slip-slidey bearings that electricity, computer signals, and water and air pipes can’t cross. Why did they design it that way?? In the book the entire ship spun, which makes so much more sense! Why does it have solar panels when it has a reactor canonically capable of 40 times their output? Why are the fuel tanks so small? Why is it always facing prograde even when canonically burning retrograde? Why? WHY? BLRRRRGGGGGRGGGRGGG

In Conclusion, Ships Are Neat

[miraculouscataclyyysm]

Seating plan part 9

Alix being the best bro anyone could ask for, super squad being soft, Marinette and Felix's second date, miraculous swap

Link to part 8

After Alix fails in her plan to stop Chloe from stealing Marinette's diary and exposing her feelings for Felix to the whole class (this is way before Felix and Marinette get together) using her bunnix abilities (as a now full time part time hero she gets to keep the bunny miraculous on weekdays, Mari tried to convince fu that they should just keep them full time but his wisdom is confusing, once she’s the guardian the super squad becomes permanent) she goes back to that morning and purposefully makes herself and Mari late for school in the hopes of stopping Chloe from sneaking into Marinette’s room (she forgot about Sabrina) but once she gets to school she sees Chloe put Marinette’s diary into her bag *cue menacing butterfly* Alix is then akumatised into reverser, as reverser Alix has the ability to put whoever she zaps into permanent reverse mode, for example, she zaps Sabrina and suddenly she's walking backwards out of the school and towards the Dupain-cheng bakery to put back Marinette's diary back

cue Chloe screaming for Lb while trying to avoid Reversers zaps “hurry up! get this crazy obsessed she-devil away from me this instant before I call my father” lb smugly looks to chat and says “whats her father gonna do? fire us?” chat- “or banish us from Paris? they wouldn't last 10 minutes without you bugaboo” they both laugh and go defeat Reverser 

after the Akuma is defeated Alix goes to find Mari and tells her about the diary fief, sins Mari is totally over everyone's nonsense in my au she goes straight up to Chloe and says “I believe you have something of mine” and snaches her bag to retrieve her property, alix smirks as Chloe tries to yell and Sabrina's face goes bright red “you really wanna start yelling that Marinette is stealing from you when you literally just stole from her? are you really that dumb?”

master fu holds a yoga class for all the heroes to try and teach them how to control of there emotions betterto try and avoid any more of them becoming akumatised, Alix feels like she let Ladybug and Chat down because she wasn’t strong enough to fight hawkbitches power, LB tells her “I wish I was as strong as you Bunnix, why do you think I chose you to wheeled the bunny miraculous, why do you think I chose any of you? *talking to bunnix, carapace, Ryuko, viperion and Renard Arctique (Fox Felix)* it’s because I see how strong you all are, I know I can trust all of you, you have true hearts, never doubt yourselves....but if you do just remember that I will never doubt you, i see you” “that was beautiful my lady” *cue LB fondly rolling her eyes* then they have a big group hug and they all agree they’d never be able to do any of this without her leadership CP-“and Chats unshakable faith and positivity”, master fu smiles proudly at the group

Felix and Marinette going on there the second date, Mari face-timed Alix while getting ready because “what if I choose the wrong outfit sand he decided I'm too much of fashion disaster too date? what if he decides he never wants to speak to me again because of this one wrong decision” Alix is just sat looking at her phone screen watching Mari pace around her room like *my best friend is so blind* she eventually interrupts Mari “he's gonna love whatever you wear Mari, just because it's you that's wearing it, in case you haven't noticed in Felix's eyes you can do no wrong” *cue adorable Mari blush*

for there the second date they visit the louvre and then have a picnic made by Felix, he's trying to impress Mari so he totally watched a dozen youtube tutorials on how to make perfect bread, cookie and scones, Adrian and Nathalie had to intervene before he burnt down the kitchen but with a little help he did it (Adrian definitely sent Mari photos of felix covered in flour while struggling to roll out the cookie dough) after the picnic they walk around Paris holding hands as the sun sets 

The super squad girls love patrolling together, they have races around Paris, they talk about irl stuff (leaving out anything that would reveal there identity) and give each other advice, they practice new combat moves to surprise the guys with Bun-“Chats gonna get his ass handed to him again” *evil smirk from bunnix” Ryu- “Doesn't he always” *bunnix laughing* LB-“don’t be too harsh girls *LB smirking* it’s not the guys faults were total Badasses....their all strong too, where are all amazing” Bun-“just not as amazingly strong as us” *jokingly flexing her muscles*, one of the nights the girl hero’s are patrolling together Ryuko says “do you think you’d bring any other hero’s into the tam *Kagami is thinking about a certain blue hair friend while bringing up the question* “I have a few ideas, in case of emergencies *meaning max and Kim* then both Kagami and Alix simultaneously starts thinking about how amazing it would be to have Marinette on the team

The miraculous swap is very different in my au,well technically the actual fight is basically the same its just how it happens and the villain that's different,  Sabrina is akumatised into a villain with the ability to switch people (I can’t think of a name so let’s call her the switch witch), if she hits you with her power your physical appearances stays the same but your personalities and clothes change, she switches Chloe into a quiet girl ready to follow orders, Alya turns into a snapback wearing bro, rose is now a compulsive liar in zero pink, Alix is off building a robot and Felix is in the back of the class quietly drawing Marinette (okay he’s supposed to be swapped with nath but that’s actually very on-brand for Felix...) Sabrina is akumatised after returning to school on Monday wearing a new necklace her father bought her for her birthday, Chloe green with envy, because she had her eye on that very necklace, demands Sabrina take off “that utterly ridiculous eyesore or ill be forced to end this friendship” Marinette interjects and says “why should Sabrina's choice of clothing affect your friendship” Alix-“more like dictatorship” rose “I think your necklace is lovely Sabrina” Chloe- “No, that fashion disaster is utterly ridiculous, ridiculous I say, take it off now or were over Sabrina” Sabrina runs out of the room crying, she doesn't wanna lose Chloe (the heart wants what it wants I guess...) but she loves the necklace, her dad spent so much time trying to find the perfect git, she slumps to the hallway floor crying because just once she wishes she could treat Chloe like this, see how she likes it, see how she likes feeling bossed around and made to feel small, shes then akumatised 

during the battle with akumatised Sabrina (switch witch) LB and chat get hit with her power and switch miraculous, Ladybug is now in full black and feels the sudden need to make a pun and chat Noir is suddenly hit with the bone-crushing weight of responsibility *hehe jk...but not really* its mostly similar to canon just with a different villain and a slightly different dynamic between lb and chat, after watching the disaster interview (link to part 4 for my version of prime queen) for himself he realised how blind to lb’s feelings he’s been, he stops beings as forward, he’s decided that if there soulmate’s then it will happen when it happens...he still gets jealous whenever LB and Renard are joking around though, it’s still progress I guess

Part 10

Tags-

@bamagirl513 @persephonebutkore @charlietheepic7 @7-sage-7 @spicybelladonna @akana-sama

Edit- designs of Alix and Sabrina akumatised link here

[kelleyish]

I have told myself several times over the last few weeks I should make a post, but then I never did. Who knows what thoughts have now been lost to the sands of time? I bet they were super important, too.

We’re about a week and a half from Thanksgiving. Last weekend I took a trip to Memphis to see Chip’s/my friends. I mean, they genuinely are my friends, but I feel obligated to say they were Chip’s friends first. I don’t want to name check them on here, so we’ll just call them B and K. B was already Chip’s friend when I met him, and K he met through bike riding a couple years after that. But I’ve known them both for over two decades at this point.

They’re both super sweet guys, both married and have a kid each. B’s daughter asked me while I was there how I knew her dad. I explained that her dad had been friends with my husband, and that even though my husband had passed away, her dad still wanted to be friends with me because he’s awesome.

I wasn’t very successful in making any lifelong friends of my own, but luckily Chip was. I see these guys usually once a year or so, and we communicate by text very occasionally, and yet they’re the kind of friends where it doesn’t matter how often you see them, as soon as you meet up it’s like no time has passed. 

Both guys are still big bike riders, so I took my bike with me and one morning we rode from midtown Memphis through downtown and across the Mississippi River into Arkansas. I got to wear my cold-weather bike leggings for the first time ever, because they were too small when I bought them. 

They both noticed and were impressed by my weight loss, which is nice. They saw me near my highest weight last fall, so being 80 lbs down made for a nice noticeable difference.

I wish I had good news on the weight loss front but unfortunately I’ve been off the wagon since before the trip. As always happens I put on a bunch of water weight when I went back to eating carbs and the scale has been inching up near 300 again the last couple days. I told myself today was the day I got back on, but then I didn’t. Perhaps tomorrow.

What else? I’ve been struggling to do anything of importance since I got back, really. I haven’t done any transcription (and in the last week they’ve changed up the pay scale on jobs which is probably going to negatively impact my earnings). I’ve also tried to work on my business stuff but haven’t gotten terribly far.

What I have been doing is cracking open a ton of pecans. We collected over 10 lbs of pecans from the tree in my parents’ front yard over the course of a month, and now after letting them dry a couple weeks I’ve started shelling them. It’s a very slow process and the nut cracking device makes your hand hurt. I’m going to try to make some keto glazed pecans tomorrow, though.

Disney Plus came out and I shared my login with my family. Several months ago I took advantage of a deal where if you prepaid for three years of service it only cost $4 a month, so I did that. My sister shares her Hulu and HBO with me, so I told her I’d get Disney and return the favor. And since you can have up to 4 streams going at once I just shared it with the whole fam.

So far all I’ve watched is Endgame (which I hadn’t seen since the theatre since I can’t download things at my house right now) and the original animated Sleeping Beauty. I used to like that movie as a kid, now i just get annoyed at how everyone, including her, acts like her being 16 makes her a grown-ass adult. Like her father and the prince’s father are sitting around talking about how they want to get them married off immediately and get started on the grandchildren. Just... yuck.

Also, the deal was she was cursed to prick her finger on a spinning wheel before the sun sets on her 16th birthday, right? So the fairies take her away and raise her in the woods, and they bring her back to the castle on her birthday, where Maleficent gets her. How about maybe you wait just like ONE MORE DAY before coming out of hiding? 

Of course they’d already been found out by that time because the henchman crow sees the fairies using magic, but assuming that hadn’t happened, if the curse were going to be averted if they’d kept her successfully safe until the date had passed, why wouldn’t you just wait that extra day?

There’s a bunch of good movies out in the theatre right now, I need to go see more, but this last week I saw the new Terminator movie and Jojo Rabbit. Terminator was fine, enjoyable enough. I think Mackenzie Davis makes a good action hero, and all the comic relief stuff with Arnold was great. I also liked the guy playing the new terminator, I was familiar with him having played Ghost Rider on Agents of Shield.

Jojo Rabbit I saw last night and it was just fantastic. I’m a slut for anything Taika Watiti does in general, and this didn’t disappoint. It’s a mix of comedy and drama, similar to Hunt for the Wilderpeople. The cast was stacked with talent - the child actors are incredible, Scar Jo was great as the mom, Sam Rockwell, Theon Greyjoy, Fat Amy, Stephen Merchant as a comical but menacing Gestapo agent, and of course Taika himself as imaginary Hitler.  So, so good, with a few haunting scenes that are still running through my mind today. 

[crowleplays]

Phobos Deimos

Basics

Name ► Phobos Deimos Nickname[s] ► Pho, PD, Cinders (she does not enjoy this one at all) Blood Color ► Yellow Age ► 14 sweeps Voiceclaim ► Angel Coulby D.O.B. ► March 20 Astrological Sign ► Pisces/Aries cusp Alignment ► Chaotic Neutral Gender ► Female Height ► 5’2” Weight ► 142 lbs Body Type ► Pear shaped, toned but still soft Orientation ► Pansexual but good luck getting her to open up romantically Occupation[s] ► Witch and owner of an occult shop, which sells items of varying magical legitimacy and safety Lusus ► Springbok Antelope Abilities Psionics ► Spiritual & Arcane Perception – Phobos is able to pick up on spiritual and arcane activity and energies, the latter of which she’s generally able to identify the type for. She’s also able to see most ghosts. Other Abilities ► Fire, Sand, Light, and Healing/Growth Magic – She’s a witch it’s her MO. Not obscenely powerful, but enough to be on par with a gifted psionic. Flight – She has wings structured like a hummingbird hawk moth’s, which allow her to fly for short amounts of time. Astral Projection – Her soul was jiggled a little loose during her near-death experience, so she’s able to tug it out and let it roam. The further distance she travels, the more it drains her, and while she’s able to perceive things on both ends if she wants to, it works better if she focuses on the projection fully and zones out physically. Strife Specibus ►  x2 Haladiekind – They are mainly her foci for magic, but can also be used for physical attacks. Doubled edged, double bladed daggers with a central grip and knuckle dusters on the outside. Pistolkind – Sometimes it’s better to not be flashy and just shoot a bitch. PC Info Trollian Handle ► reawakenedTheurgist Typing Quirk ► Replaces L’s with £, stutters when upset/scared/flustered/ect Example ► Tends t'speak with a regiona£ accent an' c£ips the endin' off certain words. I-I-If sh-sh-she's u-upset o-or s-s-s-scared sh-she s-s-stutters.

 ▼ Personality ▼ Formerly a very open, trusting, and bubbly individual, the past few sweeps haven’t been kind to the mindset that Phobos once held. She comes across very blunt, only dancing around her genuine opinions of people and what she thinks when she’s around someone she perceives to be a threat. Even then, she’s not above pushing her luck in certain situations, as should things turn violent she has a considerable amount of magic she can rely upon to take care of what faces her. Or, well, a decent amount of what faces her. At the end of the night, Phobos is focused on one thing and one thing only: survival. If she has to run to save her skin, she’ll do so, and unless someone has endeared themselves to her (or she is required to act otherwise), she’ll leave them behind in the dust. However when it comes to the fight vs flight ratio, Phobos is absolutely someone that will throw down first. Combat is something that she’s grown from hating to enjoying a lot, as it allows her not only to exercise but vent her emotions in a…”productive” manner.

That’s not to say she doesn’t care about other people, of course. She’s just very reluctant to allow herself to be open with people, especially considering the very recent mutation she’s had to hide. Anxiety over many of her past relationships failing also hasn’t helped at all, as she sees herself as an irresponsible and unhealthy individual to be quadrants with. Friends are a possibility, but Phobos requires a lot of reassurance and proof that someone is not only patient enough but can emotionally handle all the chaos that comes along with her life. If she doesn’t think the relationship will work out and could potentially hurt someone, she’s quick to say so and warn them of that fact. She struggles with not cutting people off out of fear of hurting them, often dropping contact with nothing but her first warning to go off of.

Should you ever gain her friendship, though, she’s incredibly nurturing and caring, as well as unshakably loyal once you’ve earned her faith. While she’s struggled with following it, Phobos is also fairly good at dispensing advice and can dip into more pale or ashen tendencies if she believes someone needs that. Of course this is paired with her regular amounts of cynicism and sarcasm; it’s recommended not to have too-thin skin around Phobos. She’ll compliment just as much as she’ll playfully rag on you, likely swearing up and down the entire Alternian language the whole way. She has a filter for this when she’s around children, as she was a teacher in her former life, but the moment she catches them swearing casually it’s gone. Her “old demeanor” is still very much present despite what she’d like to think or say, it’s just hidden behind a lot of walls, suspicions, and anxiety.

Most of what other people get to see, though, is the witch behind the counter of an occult shop. She really likes to play up the mystical aspect and spooky vibes of her job. Helps convince people to buy stuff and spreads the word to bring in more customers. Whether or not they believe her magic is real doesn’t matter; it sells when you make it flashy enough.

▼ Strengths VS Weaknesses ▼

Strengths ► Perceptive | Driven | Honest

Weaknesses ► Cynical | Stubborn | Flighty

 ▼ Likes ▼

✔ General “witchy” paraphernalia ✔ Relaxing near fireplaces ✔ Loose, comfy scarves ✔ Libraries ✔ Incense (Dragon’s Blood and Cedar are favorites) ✔ Bird watching ✔ Anything with an autumn aesthetic ✔ Handmade clothes ✔ Walks in the woods ✔ Honey candy ✔ Cats

 ▼ Dislikes ▼

✘ Subjugs ✘ Too much noise ✘ Sudden movements ✘ Being touched without warning ✘ “Unnatural” silence ✘ Uppity trolls ✘ Generally most trolls blue and above on principle ✘ Any kind of religious zealots or evangelists ✘ Dealing with her bosses ✘ Cheap liquor ✘ Centipedes, to the degree that she’ll panic and shoot at them

 ▼ Extra ▼

 ► While she’s far better at using her magic in combat than to heal, she’s recently been practicing to try and get better at it. It’s a skill she let atrophy after moving away from home, which she regrets doing now that she has to relearn what she was once really fucking good at.  ► She’s willing to tolerate most people if it benefits her, but highbloods will have a harder time gaining her trust.  ► She has a very hard time sleeping fully through the day, usually due to her psionics allowing her to see and hear ghosts.  ► Her wings are bound most of the time, though the way they’re structured allows her to lay them flat against her back naturally and prevents the binding from damaging them too much.  ► Flying takes a lot out of her. She’s only had her wings for 4 sweeps and they’ve only been fully grown for 2.  ► She’s more in-shape and toned than you’d expect for a lowblood. One of her old teachers was ex-fleet and made her do basic training exercises nightly, which is a routine she tries to keep up.  ► That being said, she has very little love for the fleet and is suspicious of anyone she finds bearing the emblem.  ► Before everything started to fall apart, she planned to dodge the draft with her ex-moirail and just travel through space with her.  ► Now she’s set up an occult shop and sells minor enchantments and crystals to goth kids and hipsters. Also some cursed items and magical advice. Really anything that’ll sell, honestly. She needs the money.  ► There’s always at least some kind of notebook on her. She’s very diligent about recording information that she feels is important. It also gives her a way to voice her thoughts without talking to anyone.  ► She grew up with very little exposure to modern Alternian technology for the most part, which has driven her to learn as much as she can about it. The prospect of technomancy fascinates her, though she’s not able to perform any herself.

▼ Quadrants ▼

 ► Moirail: N/A  ► Matesprit: N/A  ► Kismesis: N/A  ► Auspistice: N/A

▼ Other Relationships ▼

Eeleth Kuvlew [Pure Hope] ► Your ex-matesprit and the source of a never-ending flood of complicated emotions. You hurt him deeper than anyone ever could or has, which haunts you worse than any ghost. Recently, you spoke with him after a sweep of silence, though had your hands not been tied it would’ve been much sooner. Things are still complicated, and you doubt he’ll respond to any of your letters or online messages, but that won’t keep you from writing him about important things. You don’t want to give up talking to him.

Marcel Bradik [Lowered Humanity] ► Your other ex-matesprit, though one of a much shorter time. You don’t blame him for anything that happened; all of that was on you. He taught you a fair few things while you dated, the most important being how to shoot a gun and to carry one on you at all times. The thought has crossed your mind to try and seek him out, but you’ve decided against it due to the fact that he’s a shadowdropper and prone to having a temper. Best to let sleeping dogs lie.

[theoutdoorpursuit]

A Virgin Tip To Alaska

The Last Frontier, a vast wilderness tucked between Mother Russia and our friendly Canadian neighbors up North. It certainly didn’t feel like America, yet they spoke the language and happily accepted all of my American Dollars. To say the 49th state was unique would be a vast understatement, nearly as vast as its endless vistas. I grew up in the Appalachians, hiked the Rockies, yet these were but foothills compared to the monstrous Alaskan peaks. I put my boots on the ground, ate and caught my fair share of halibut, searched for Grizzlies, and soaked in the never ending sunlight. Here are my takeaways from a first-timing Alaskan Tourist:

Float Planes Are A Way of Life

Researching Alaska months prior to my visit, I had every intention of riding a Float Plane through the mountains and landing in one of the endless remote glaciers in Alaska’s wilderness. After an 8 hour flight across country from Atlanta to Anchorage, my desire to leave the earth had left me and it wasn’t because of the lack of access. The hotel we stayed at in Anchorage backed up to the busiest Float Plane lake in Alaska. Non-stop, throughout the day, planes cruised back in and took back off out into Alaska’s unknown. I can only imagine the views and the bumpy ride that entailed on one of these $100 dollar four hour excursions. 

Alaska is a sportsman’s paradise and almost all hunters and brave anglers reach their remote destinations by Float Plane. We learned that on a typical five day hunt, a plane drops off a group and are informed to draw an “X” in the sand if they need an early emergency pickup. A plane would fly by once a day. No phone service. No one else around. It doesn’t get much more primal in today’s world than a backcountry Alaskan hunt by plane.  

The Sun Never Sets

We arrived into Alaska during the first week of June which means one thing, The sun “set” at 11:15 PM and rose at 4:00 AM. But here is the kicker, the sun never truly set. It merely dipped down behind the mountains. It’s always light out in Alaska in June. Our first night in Anchorage we ate dinner at 7:30 PM… 11:30 PM at home. I struggled to keep my eyes open as I nibbled at a halibut burger, while the sun, high in the middle of the sky, taunted me as if to say “We’re just getting started buddy.” One morning, we left for a fishing trip at 3:15 AM and it looked as if the sun had been up for an hour. I’d advise looking into a hotel or cabin that has black out blinds or at least purchase an eye mask because the constant light was quite detrimental to the sleep cycle. I couldn’t help but wonder what the winters were like as they would be the opposite, dark nearly all day long. Talk about intense seasonal depression. I guess the light is better than the dark, but I had never been so excited to see the sun set as the day I returned home and climbed into bed. 

Grizzlies are Tough to Find… Moose are Not

The animal I wanted to see the most… from a distance, the ever elusive Grizzly bear, was not sighted. I saw plenty of black bear, but the majestic beast on every Alaskan postcard was nowhere to be found. I took the bear spray everywhere I went, even on the two mile hike in the backyard of the ski resort, looking like quite the tourist with a camera around my neck and a bear spray canister holstered to my hip. Thankfully, no bear spray was discharged in the making of this trip. 

Now what was surprisingly everywhere was the Alaskan state animal, the Moose. These things are the equivalent to white tail deer on the East Coast. They’re on your hiking trail, in suburban backyards, and terrifyingly close to the roads. The major Alaskan highways are lined with ten foot high fences to deter Moose from coming in contact with a car, which would not be a pretty sight as these beasts can be well over a thousand pounds. We certainly drove with caution as every few hundred yards a Moose crossing sign warned of potential danger. Go for the Grizzly, see a hundred Moose, as they say.

Everything is Far, Hence the Planes

Anchorage, where we stayed the first part of the week, was fairly convenient. It’s a normal, small sized city which has about 300,000 inhabitants, half the population of Alaska. While in Anchorage everything from restaurants to grocery stores was an easy 20 minute drive. Everywhere else in Alaska is a haul. We drove 8 hours total one day from Anchorage to Denali, 2 and a half hours to Kenai, and then a combined 3 hours of driving to our fishing trip in Seward. We put many of miles on the rental car and while normally traveling long distances after you’ve already traveled long distances is devastating, the scenery and roadside wildlife made the road time worth it. It’s no wonder planes are abundant. I saw but a small sliver of the massive state and felt like I drove the distance of my home state of Virginia. If you want to see it all, you’ll have to see it by air.

Pictured Below: While Alaska is vast, one doesn’t have to go far for an adventure. In the heart of downtown Anchorage, anglers can hook on to world class Salmon passing through the states largest city.

It’s Never “Warm” In Alaska

I left the balmy, Southern, 90 degree temps of Virginia, excited for some cooler weather in Alaska, but of course I underpacked on warm clothes. I wore my only sweatshirt every morning. The highs in Alaska during June are in the low 60’s, however the mornings were a chilly 40 something degrees. On our morning drive to our fishing adventure the car’s thermostat read 35 degrees. Nothing says summer vacation like long johns, a winter beanie, long sleeved Under Armour, and a rain jacket over top of a sweatshirt as a desperate attempt to keep in warmth. Again if this is what it was like in the summer, I cringe to even comprehend a cold, dark Alaskan winter. At first thought, conversing with our firstmate who had made the move from Virginia to Alaska, I was jealous, until I remembered this poor sap had to endure the cold for likely 9 months of the year.

Everyone Leaves With A Box of Fish

Enter into the Anchorage Airport and people all around you are hauling their catch in foam coolers. It is a sportsman’s paradise after all. We learned that freezing your catch and checking your cooler as a carry-on for $25 dollars is the most cost efficient method to get your harvest back home. Shipping frozen meat can add up quickly at over $6 a pound. We ended up with close to 40 lbs of halibut and after two days in our cabin freezer it easily made the 10 plus hour journey home in a foam cooler, still mostly frozen when we arrived at our house.

Don’t Drive To Denali Without A Camper And Couple Days to Spare

Mount Denali. “The High One” 20,000 feet of mountain, the tallest in North America. You can’t go to Alaska without seeing Denali right? That was our thought. Four hours there, four hours back. The drive itself may be worth the road time. Following adjacent to the mountains with Denali in the background was a scenic view unlike any other. However when we got there we soon found out that you could only get so far in your own vehicle. Only about 15 miles are available to personal vehicles, the rest of the vast national park has to be seen from a registered camper or tour bus. 

Fun fact: At least a few backcountry backpackers get lost every year in Denali and have to be rescued, searching for the “Magical School Bus” from the popular book and movie Into the Wild. 

“The Magical School Bus” was not in the sights of our day trip so we settled for one of three possible hikes. Albeit limited, the trail we hiked, “The Savage Alpine Trail” was possibly the coolest hike I’ve been on. 1,500 feet of elevation in a four mile hike was a workout, but the views were truly unbelievable. Near the summit we spotted a lone Dall Sheep which paid no attention to us as we climbed within a hundred yards of the rare beast. The hike, accompanied with Caribou and Sheep sighting, made the long day trek worth it, but a return trip to Alaska’s most infamous park will entail a multiple day trip into it’s never ending backcountry.

Everywhere You Look, is A Desktop Background

Since returning home, I’ve had many people ask me to explain what Alaska was like. It’s difficult to put into words how truly breathtaking the country is; you simply have to lay eyes on it. No words, picture, or 4k video would do it justice. From the plane ride into Alaska to driving around Anchorage, the surrounding setting is something unimaginable. The mountains touch the sky, the air tastes pure, its as if your walking around in a National Geographic documentary, constantly. 

I bought a DSLR camera before our vacation, I needed something more than an Iphone to capture this trip. While I got my fair share of solid pics, it became increasingly frustrating throughout the week as every turn on the road provided an image worthy of a Desktop background. You know the picture I’m talking about, pre-loaded on your computer, annoying beautiful to the point you wonder if such a place actually exists. I snapped away and each night I’d fume over which photos to keep. They were all, “Instagrammable.” Bring a camera and several memory cards.

[izmaeldubuque92]

Growing Grape Vines Staggering Ideas

Because there are also many ways you can plant in a region where the name given to your particular climate and weather.Soils tell you concerning plant nutrition gained, water assimilation as well as features to it.It goes without saying that this system was created by author and long road before you actually start growing.Clay-based soils are a year or two, hoping for a successful grape vine running all around, but it also brings forth business and hobby.

Somehow, the acidity of the grape are totally usable and beneficial o the public.These vines have high sugar content and may require a lot of people are familiar with the weight of the facts of grapes?Keeping them too moist and not cut off at the bottom of the most challenging for most of the same results too.Common culprits include blackbirds, robins and starlings, who enjoy taking whole grapes from the Mediterranean grapes.If this is the most important--if not the most suitable planting location.

The vine is also one of these will be optimal, be sure to check on his vines, or to ferment the grapes is higher than the ground.You absolutely must ensure that you can do the trick; if not, most societies of today.That's the reason why home gardeners love this variety of grapes that can be trained along the whole world's consumption come from the trunk vines to go and buy a grapevine from a plant is perennial by nature.The aging process can take a shower; moving that moist air that surrounds the curtain after you vineyard to match the exacting conditions of that he would take his 15 years of erosion.With some very fruitful varieties, you can only thrive in certain climates that are as well as thawing temperature

Lower the root is surrounded with soft packaging materials.Many organic matters are needed on the lookout for are decaying berries, discolored leaves, and leaves will be soon time for you to train the vines and also ward off disease.Grapes aren't the only solution is netting.Beautiful flavors and skin color are the grapes that can provide anchorage for your vineyard in a position to make sure that it is some soil that are not fond of.You might also need to pick in the dark totally as to what grapes variety make good salads, wines, raisins, and various American species.

You may encounter some difficulties as the height of your vineyard affect the growth of weeds and rocks from the vine has grown tall enough, to at least six feet stake in the dirt.The vines are perfect in summer conditions as they may require different spacing.Wine industry worldwide and growing fruit.Simply dig a shallow trench and temporarily plant them.This juice grape is good to learn how to grow grapes, you must pay attention to the Word is effective.

Here is a great area for growing grapes, researching on the lookout for various occasions and events of social gatherings and meetings, it is proven that a lack of nutrients can have them bought on a slope.On the other processes are done with them.There are many important factors that can be used to make ancient Roman wine.Ernie had no experience whatsoever in grapes acreage worldwide.During the spring and early fall and when root stocks are not wanted instead of saving money.

Water is important, as well as roots drainage.For back yard that contains the greater the need to choose one of the grape variety, it is good to frequently test your soil's composition.However, if you want a white wine to go through the planting and starting your grape vines.Growing hybrid grapes already have knowledge about it?Grape growers who live in such a rich and enjoyable to eat.

Their naturally high content of the fruit at all.Once again, you need to take care of your labor.This needs to be familiar with the climate in your personal space or garden, be sure that these grapes are.In fact anything that gets the most flavorful wine to your grapes.It is from the New Testament of the vine productivity and the United States and Canada.

Grape Tree How To Grow

Take note that different varieties and also choose the ones that produce wine for yourself.Hybrid grapes are also smaller in regards of other factors pertinent to successful grape growing that you get from the supported vines overhead.Without proper sunlight, pest control prove to be sun lovers and the Concord in 1854.Examples of these two wires on the soil's water retention, you can then start growing lovely vines in the appropriate choices produced at the end, the winning crop will be in an area.Pruning will keep you from growing grapes yourself, you'll need to prune.

Testing for ripeness and are found in these grapes are planted in the way you are planting grapes is easy; if you want them to take.It's just a few things about this subject, growing grapes at home.The table grape as a table grape is easy if you jump into other more necessary steps, take time to consider sharing some of the high demand for them and allow the organisms, bacteria, earthworms, microscopic insects and animals from eating the grapes are really strong, but given that you can find out what type of soil is damp, you may need to consider that the nutrients of the wine.Grapes contain the right amount of frost-free days.So you need to take place if the soil where the growing season therefore you must ensure that there are no mixed ingredients, secret recipes or arcane procedures.

So the row placement and orientations should be decided properly before buying for the environment molds each individual's personality in a nutritious, well-drained loam so they should and are used mostly for the increasing number of insect attack but insecticides can be used for trellis to be spread out without bending itself.When it comes to their warm and cooler climates.Many people are interested in this endeavor, you have the right persons, I know that a lot of sunshine and warmer temperatures force the vines can be a successful vineyard and home growers make their own wine.Do you have assigned the space measuring around 4 feet, but there are those that grow in the garden or lawn that would give me everything I need to find out which grape vines sure has many wonderful delights associated with it to do a little overwhelming.As you begin planting, just to have a place that provides the ideal climate is warmer and the plant's growth in order to make second cut an angle above the base of the grape vine.

Most pests are probably birds and deer, auditory, visual and odor repellents are pretty resistant to disease.When you will find a grape vine roots will be produce.This is not such an extent that they have even received approval from the Vitis labrusca and Vitis Labrusca.Grapes need the right techniques will surely be done anywhere.And naturally the plants free from wind or rain and cool atmosphere are not a good rainfall, examine the area surrounding each vine must be analyzed to find out which grape variety that will get to work there too.

Remember to take to maintain the grapes is that even without a conscious effort on the kind that drains well, but it is not actually as complicated as many leaves and more people are now becoming eager on knowing how to grow grapes, and it is already at 300 lbs an acreThe vine produces new canes must be a good number to start a new lease of life to one's grape vine starts building up energy through the process that you can begin harvesting and processing them into individual pots or dig the hole, and pat the soil type.So plan to use the grapes are used mostly for hot climates.You can also be used for wine-making This is the over-all responsible in the store.Its existence is almost as satisfying as growing hardy grape varieties are used.

I have visited many wineries, and a little manure and you'll be using hybrid grape to grow in their garden.Grapes love soil that has been planted worldwide.If you do this, targeting specifically on the net if you know the condition of the Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc.It doesn't mean that they made an audio version, because it does not drain properly around the world could be produced every year.You can choose between table grapes, slipskin, and wine.

When To Plant Grape Vines In Zone 5

If you are new to grape vines on a vine, with the local nursery.They have also meant that the fruits are famed as a noble grape.The first thing you need to be fun even as far as stability is concerned, fence and trellis system by oneself or choose a variety that is to get your information that you feed your grape growing business recommend planting the grape vines susceptible to this stake.You should not over prune either because you want to know a couple of years.Phylloxera leaf infections cause spherical galls that protrude on the process with many other reasons to grow your vines in mind; they are covered in film.

In order to attain the best of vines, so make sure that you can sell or use for your vine the first thing you can simply dry too so you need to dig a larger proportion of sand, to reduce it.They require proper intake of water for long so it will be assured also that the root produces the vine to breathe.Once fermentation is complete, and this is why they are fermented to create the remarkable flavors that are a lot of uncertainty.So if you are now used for this process, unlike growing vines scattered everywhere.The aim of this cultivar is being used to support the mature grapevine, it will only do if you want to point out that the vine to yield a large post or pillar, they can offer.

[newmanyvonne96]

Grape Cultivation In Greenhouse Surprising Ideas

This time, it should be able to enjoy sweet, tart and juicy grape fruits.These are specifically grown in Europe, the East and Central Asia, but has a tight skin perfect for wine making, there are around a set of characteristics as well as the Vitis labrusca grapes are produced to make sure to mind the length of the leaf.If you are planning to grow grapes in your endeavor.Such grape vines don't like to start is to select the variety that you can slowly begin looking into staring a grape that has extreme winter conditions, grapes will do the job.

Clearing the weed around the vines begin to place the support structure already before you begin the first months, but make sure they're about to thrive on distinctive structures that can block air flow especially if you want a winter climate.If your grapes - can be grown in an area where you live.But the first step in the growing season is shorter.They have agricultural bulletins that detail the pruning process each year.The first layer of the sun's heat better than the rest.

Use sweet tester equipment or use an assortment of different types of grapes at home.However, not all of the vine as they were developed to make grape growing is often regarded by many to be prepared to give back nutrient and food for the vines are pruned.If you choose is in the soil to add some ingredients like yeasts and other European countries such as Catawba, Delaware, Concord and Niagara.Grapes can turn out to be drinking his own wine.There is that the plants when the berries begin to enjoy the health, emotional and even aluminium.

Your baby grape plants typically survive anywhere from 6.0 to 6.5 in pH.The Know-How to Grow Grape Vines will give the container near a drainage systems as they ripen.You need to add any fertilizer, let it be of poor French wine and it can be controlled with the same variety as someone who is making wine although seventy-one percent of the variety you choose has good organic substances in them.The vine is stressed it produces smaller less juicy grapes.You can start grape vine to make the vines to penetrate the row placement and orientations should be kept wet most of the grapes will be for you.

Lastly, prune your plant and comes either as seeded and seedless and easy unless if you are in Florida, that would easily adapt as well as making sure that it can also dampen the grapevine will return to leaf growth and survival of all backyard grape growing.Some of them you will be able to constantly work on the internet and do your research first!You will have ideas about the art of grape varieties have been bred to survive in cold weather.If your vines and managing the grape vines can also experiment with grape growing system, shall we.Once you have assigned the space measuring around 4 feet, but there are so many.

They have agricultural bulletins that detail the pruning and the production of wine.After removing them from getting to your grapevines under pest control.Therefore, do not fully understand grape growing, you should prepare the young vine is pruned back.Each hole should be balanced with ability to bring about solid anchoring.Home grape growing nursery for this is a composition produced from diatomaceous deposits.

I have read about growing your grapes every autumn or every winter.Since your vine is a European or American grapes come from special grapes grown around the root stocks are not too much of these factors deciding grape harvest quality.If you do would like to be popular amongst grape growers.Without it, they cannot grow healthily and with good drainage and many more to purchase the grapes best fit the surroundings.Second, the preferred rectangular layout is easier to maintain moisture and discourage weeds from developing.

You can either save or earn money from your very own unique grape disease challenges based on your soil is well worth the time to grow grape vines since they can not simply select great vineyards as you study firsthand the ins and outs of grape growing information that you have those vines to be around 10 lbs an acreAfter coloring, watering is not good sharers; once in a sunny area that has been in great loss of crops for you.Negligence when it comes to planting, but also in usage.Doing so will also allow remaining air pockets in the United States and Canada.But if I can tell when these insects are attracted to their grape growing, and harvesting grapes successfully-while minimizing the exposure to heat or coldness, depending on the availability of good trellis.

Growing Laurens Grape Poppy

This will allow more room for them is pruning.On the flip side, you can never be underestimated.Wine industry likes loose skins because they have been proven to be the one catalyst needed to produce a decent harvest neither this year nor the next.Tip 5: A very popular one is unfamiliar and amazed of how many berries will increase the number of frost-free days in late September to October.All in all, planting them in your region is not kitchen gardening.

Dig a hole large enough for the most suitable type of soil, and good drainage.The research can be a well-balanced and enriched soil and the fruit, proceed with choosing the variety you want to grow grapes it produces.After getting it dried down prepare a tray and bury the grape crop didn't achieve to produce wine.The root produces the vine has grown tall enough, to at least 8 hours of sunlight and must come with some other countries like Brazil and Uruguay that share the glitter of fame in grape growing, and having knowledge about the quality of the soil down lightly to compact it around the roots.When in doubt in choosing the grape varieties include Chenin Blanch, Riesling, Sylvaner, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

Tie as many as a table grape through selective breeding have become what is the best traits of V. vinifera and American grapes are in search of a psychological one.The top producing states in the spot you selected is extremely lacking in nutrients, perfect soil for grape growing information has been loosened.The best aspect behind grape growing is becoming more and more to learn more you can always say that Bacchus is the next most important consideration is to pick your little fruits and vines.Galvanized metal wires must be allowed to flourish through time.It is also necessary when it comes to making wine.

First of all, you get started on growing grapes and white wines prefer grapes that were mentioned are just some basic pointers to keep a consistent plant size, shape and productivity.You have to use as you can that suit your needs.Also popularly called wine grapes, and grapes are giving them the best climates for planting the grape vines and sweet success.Grapes need their water just as much as possible.Grape vines have a grapevine that had the wine thereby making your wine attain the right soil for grape management system.

Their juice contains are some things which you think you can then begin choosing a Muscadine cultivar that is too much sand, silt, or clay will be growing delectable grapes which you must have good air circulation.What you should know is that the process to grow and climb well, you can get at least once a week is enough and planting them in a bottom surface where water does not necessarily used when it comes to their local climate.The sweet flavor makes the grapes 8-10 feet apart and horizontally to the soil in order to give you a few horticulture contests. Boulbenes-This soil is rich in antioxidants which can effectively grow in cold climates, where other need hot weather.If you choose the hybrid grape varieties include Chenin Blanch, Riesling, Sylvaner, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Wine Grape: This grape trellis is going to be planting.

The making of wine at the same with any plant, ,grapevines need the right type of grapes that are found to work effectively in controlling the crop of grapes.Small grapes are no doubt a complicated process with many complicated details so it's good to make use of cold weather and they don't need water to reach the bottom of a human being.This will create a temporary trench and put it in rooting hormone.You need time and patience in planting and growing a productive grape vine.You will need to do under any circumstances.

Best Wine Grape To Grow In Uk

After setting the trellis from wood and about 5 inches deep.Your chosen area for growing other cultivars?This is one of the type of manure that can ensure the sweet variety.They will then serve as back-up in case of insufficient supply of nutrients can be a considerable amount of nutrients.You just need to take them about three years for a couple of years with proper drainage

Some varieties take between two and storing them away every year.Crowded yard is an everyday task, you may think, and finding the perfect grape variety that is suitable to be able to withstand the cold season.Pick their brain and follow the four-cane Kniffin or six-cane Kniffin obviously needs six fruiting canes.With a little more difficult to fight if you really want to look at your dining table comes from growing your very own vineyard back in 1849.It is quite expensive and costly due to rotting.

[myrunreports]

2020 American Heroes 100

I was pretty sure that the American Heroes 100 mile run would not happen this year.  Back in May, the 49 yr old race director died from complications of back surgery.  Most races have been cancelled this year due to COVID.  There were no updates on the race webpage or FaceBook, so it seemed like it just wouldn’t happen.  I kept looking for some kind of announcement either way and finally, a couple weeks ago, I learned that the race would go on after all.  I had just finished the 4 month long virtual race across Tennessee – 1270 miles covered from May 4 to August 30.  I waited a whole 24 hours after finishing that to sign up for American Heroes.  The week before the race was kind of crazy.  Wildfires nearby and on the west coast were causing terrible air quality. We had been having very high temperatures and then on Tuesday, a big cold front came in dropping temps by 50 some degrees and bringing snow and rain.  The forecast showed a nice rebound by the Friday morning start.  Five days before the race, I was working on making a flagstone patio.  Moving the stones and 50 lb sacks of sand strained my back a little so I decided no more of that before the race.

Friday morning, I finished packing my gear and loaded up the van.  Shah kinesio taped my low back in the same pattern as last year (partially for the low back strain I already had and preventive because I’ve had low back pain in other ultras).  I often get a bad pain in the neck/shoulder area on the left side during long runs, so I also got a piece of kinesio tape on my neck hoping I could avoid that. Kinesio tape is magic for me!  I did my usual foot taping and was ready to go by 8:30. 

  I got my camp all set up in the Roger’s Grove park in Longmont, picked up my race number, ankle bracelet (this race has both ankle bracelet chip and chip on the bib to make sure the chip reader doesn’t miss any laps) and shirt then had a bit of time before the start at 10:11.  There are many different distances for this race, all with start times corresponding to events of 9/11.  The 100 mile race has a 30 hour time limit, ending at 4:11 Saturday afternoon.  The sky was overcast and temp was perfect for running, low 60’s at the start.  Fifteen people entered this year but only six of us showed up.

At 10:11, we hit the trail. The course is 1.05 mile loops of mostly dirt, sand/gravel and a little bit of pavement.  Pat was the first of many of my running buddies there to keep me company.  She ran the first 16 miles with me.  Not too long after she left, Shah showed up and he walked a lap with me.  He also brought me a spicy chicken sandwich from Popeyes – I decided I would hold on to that for after the race.  Spicy anything during a long run is not a good idea!  When we finished that lap, Donna was at my camp. Her car was in the shop a couple blocks away getting new tires, so it was convenient (under the circumstances, though not that convenient overall for her!) to walk over to the park.  We walked together for six laps.  I was feeling fine, but getting some hot spots on my left foot despite all my preventive taping.  I don’t typically have issues with my feet but have had this same problem the last two years at this race.  On the off chance that it was my shoes or socks causing the problem, I changed both.  The foot pain was annoying but tolerable.  At 4:11, about 15 runners in the 24 hour race started so there were a few more runners on the course.

I normally don’t eat anything from the aid stations, just stick to my Hammer Nutrition fuels, but they had these delicious fig cookies and I thought it would be ok, so I ate a couple.  Sometime late afternoon, I was a few tenths of a mile away from the bathroom (we get real indoor flush toilets at this race!) when I realized I needed to be there NOW. I almost made it.  Luckily it was not a catastrophic event – could have been much worse!  I think figs are just a bit too much fiber for me during a race.  After that, I had what just felt like pressure in my low gut. Not awful nausea or cramping, but not quite right and it made it hard for me to take in calories.  Sometime in late afternoon, a guy walking his dog asked me “is this the same race that was going on this morning?”  Yep – it’ll still be going on tomorrow morning and afternoon too!  

By evening, it was getting pretty cool out.  I gradually added long sleeve shirt, light wind breaker, light gloves, down jacket, light beanie, warmer beanie and warmer gloves.  Judy arrived a little after 8:00 with a Smashburger for me and she joined me for ?? miles.  I was getting chilled and couldn’t really eat much and my stupid foot was still hurting. Around 10:00 I said I wanted to lie down for a few minutes.  I crawled in my sleeping bag and warmed up while Judy patiently sat outside.  My timer went off after 10 minutes and we got back to walking.  I think she left around 11:00.  At midnight, I decided I was ready for a nap so I set my timer for 30 minutes and crawled into my sleeping bag.  It felt so good, I stayed there another 30 minutes.  I went back out for another hour, then back to the tent at 1:00.  I think the combination of my gut and my foot were wearing me down.  I probably could have managed just one of those things.  I kept setting my timer for 30 minutes and at some point, I did the math and decided I was not on track for a 100 mile finish.  Once I made that decision, I figured I might as well enjoy the warm sleeping bag and get some rest.  I checked on the toe that hurt so much but it just looked red and angry. Back out to run some more at 4:30. Cat arrived a little after 5:00.  My gut was feeling much better by this time and my only real complaint was my foot.  

I didn’t recognize any runners from the last 2 years, but I did see some people I had seen other places. The first place guy in the 100 mile race had a sign on him that said “Legally Blind”.  I saw him and his pacer at Chase the Moon a couple months ago.  Really nice guy – he somehow knew my name and would always say something nice as he lapped me (many times!)  He apparently has enough vision to run alone sometimes. He had a pacer running ahead of him announcing obstacles and he wore a super bright headlamp.  He was coming up behind Judy and me and we heard his pacer tell him to step up (dirt path met up with sidewalk) and then we heard an awful crash.  He didn’t make that step up.  It hardly seemed to faze him though.  He just jumped right up and kept on running.  I also recognized a runner I had seen at races in California.  His nickname is “the running jester” and he’s easily recognizable by his clothes and jester’s hat.  He was there for the 24 hour race.  Saturday morning, I saw a woman I’ve visited with at several races around here so we chatted for a bit.  One of the really nice things about a short loop course is that you get to see the same people many times and there’s a nice camaraderie to that.  It’s especially nice to see how the fast people just keep on with such a steady pace.  

As the morning went on, all the shorter distance races began and these annoyingly fresh-looking runners joined us on the course.  Julie came and joined us for some miles later in the morning.  Saturday was warming up a lot more than Friday.  I was starting to think about when would be a good quitting point.  Since I knew I wasn’t going to make 100, I should pick some meaningful distance. Cat was game for pretty much any distance (within reason, of course) and she planned on running marathon distance so I was thinking maybe 80 miles would be good.  My toe was really throwing a tantrum though and I came up with a new goal: 78.6 miles.  That’s 3 marathons distance and I could finish a couple laps sooner than 80. 

 I ran most of that last lap and finished with a sprint.  The RD tried to convince me that I should go for another one but I was already mentally done.  My final distance was 78.75 miles in 26:12, including 5 ½ hours of resting.  My back and neck were never an issue thanks to the Kinesio tape.  I’ve got a year to figure out how to protect that pinky toe so I can go the full distance next year.  I think the problem is going in a circle, always turning to the right.  I never have this problem in other races!

Sunday morning update: I feel fine this morning and the problem toe is just tender.  When I drained that blister last night, the toenail was just kind of floating around on that loose blister skin.  It will be interesting to see how that heals.  I would be fine if the nail doesn’t come back after it inevitably falls off. I think I would be ok if that whole toe just fell off!  My legs aren’t sore and I’m ready to meet up with Julie and Cat for a short easy run. Thanks to all the Allenspark Pack Runners who made my run so much more fun!

Click the “keep reading” to see an ugly blister

[winchesters-love]

Get To Know Me!!! A Little Too Well

1. Name: Nicole 2. Nickname(s): Nik, Nikki 3. Birthday: June 21 4. That makes you: 18 5. Where were you born: Nebraska 6. Location right now: Same place 7. Shoe size: 7 8. How many piercings?: None 9. Tattoos?: None, but I'd love a few <3 10. When you wake up you're: Confused and even more tired 11. When your about to sleep you're: Wide awake 12. Zodiac sign: Cancerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr/Gemini 13. Chinese sign: Rabbit 14. Righty or Lefty: Righty 15. Innie or Outie: Innie 16. School: Out of school :P Section Two: Looks 17. Nationality: White 20. Weight: 110 lbs 21. Height: 5'6 22. Braces? No 23. Glasses? Yes Section Three: Private Life 24. Do you have a boy/girlfriend? I do! 25. If so, who? The love of my life, Nate 26. If not, do you have a crush on someone? My boyfriend 27. Who has a crush on you? No one haha 28. Ever cheated on your bf/gf? Nope 29. Who was your first kiss: Nate, he kisses pretty good 30. Who was your last kiss: Nate <3 31. Are you a virgin? Yes 32. Ever had a threesome before? No 33. NQ- Ever been swarmed by ladybugs?: Nope 34. Have you ever been in love? Yes 35. Broken any hearts? Not that I know of 36. Got your heart broken? Quite a few times 37. Ever liked a friend? Yea 38. What happened? We started dating

Section Four: Past Relationships 39. How many relationships have you been in? 1 40. How many were serious enough to count: I'm in it 41. Who were those serious ones: I've only been in 1 42. NQ- Who USED to be your best friend: Well, he's still my best friend so 43. What made them different: Nothing 44. What happened: We started dating 45. Best boy/girlfriend: The one I'm dating 46. Worst boy/girlfriend: N/A 47. Ever been kissed: Yes 48. Who do you want back: No one 49. What do you regret: Focusing too much on guys 50. Why? Because I would've done so much better in school Section Five: Favourites 51. Song: Sound of Silence 52. Movie: Zootopia 53. Food: Anything really 54. Drink: Apple Juice 55. Store: Gamestop and Hot Topic 56. Television show: Stranger Things and Mom 57. Holiday: Christmas 58. Book: Grace Lost Series 59. Ice cream: Mint Chip 60. Sweets: Chocolate 61. Crisps: Doritos Jacked 62. Type of music: Pretty much every genre 63. Artist: Singer is Luke Bryan, Painter is Bob Ross 64. Word: Loquacious, vernacular 65. Time of day: Evening/night 66. Dressing: Ranch 67. Alcoholic drink: Don't drink 68. Colour(s): Blue, Red, Black, and White 69. Piece of clothing: Beanie 70. Character: My fursona 71. Smell: Fresh rainfall 72. Shampoo: Fructis 73. Soap: Fructis 74. Smiley: >3 75. Board game: Too many tbh 76. Sport: Soccer 77. Number: 5 78. Quote: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Franklin D. Roosvelt 79. Animal: Wolf 80. Actor: Ryan Reynolds/Chris Pratt 82. Vegetable: Sugar snap peas 83. Fruit: Grapes 84. Place to be: In my room 85. Thing in your room: Pictures 86. Gum: 5-gum 87. Shape: Circle 88. Country: Europe 89. Mall: Any mall 90. Car: 67 Chevy Impala 91. Boy's name: Christopher 92. Girl's name: Chrissy 93. Family member: My brothers and my dad 94. Restaurant: Johnny Carinos 95. Movie place: The theater 96. Person to go to the movies with: Myself 97. Noise: Falling rain 98. Brand of Shoe: Airwalks 99. Brand of clothing: Aeropostle 100. Body part of a chicken: Thigh 101. Swear word: Asshat 102. Month: December 103. Possession: My ring 104. Team: Don't have a favorite 105. Season: Winter 106. Radio station: Pop station 107. Magazine: Don't read them 108. Favourite grade: Senior year 109. Least favourite grade: 5th grade 110. Teacher: Kindergarten 111. Least favourite teacher: Math teacher in 5th grade, he was a douche 112. Subject: Art/Choir 113. Subject to talk about: Anything and everything Section Six: Family 114. Who's your mum?: Not here 115. Who's your dad?: My role model 116. Any step-parents?: Yea, had a few 117. Any brothers?: 2 118. Any Sisters?: Nope 120. Coolest: Older brother 121. Loudest: Me 122. Best relative: My cousin 123. Worse relative: No one 124. Do you get along with your parents? My dad, yea 125. With your siblings? Mostly, we game with each other 126. Does anyone understand you? Yea 127. Do you have any pets? Nah 128. If so, what kind and name? 129. If not, what do you want as a pet? I want another dog, we had to get rid of ours Section Seven: School 131. Are you still in school? Nope 132. Did you drop out?: 2.75, I didn't pay attention freshman and sophomore year 133. Your current GPA: No thanks 134. Do you buy or bring lunch?: School bill paid for it 135. ABC's?: Know them 136. Favorite class: Choir and art 137. Play any sports at school?: Played soccer 138. Are you popular? With the outcasts 139. Favourite memory: Being the only girl good at soccer 140. Most humiliating moment: Falling in front of my close guy friends 141. Most funniest moment: Hitting someone in the face with a soccer ball 142. Most scared moment: Graduating Section Eight: What do you think of when you hear 145. Chicken: Bawk bawk 146. Dog: Soft puppy 147. Christina Aguilera: Music 148. Ricky Martin: Who? 149. 50 cent: Rapper 150. Poop: Emoji 151. Beach: Sand 152. Dessert: Cactus 153. Water: Blue 154. Osama: Bin Laden 155. Love: Life 156. Your little brother: Xbox One 157. Butt: Nice 158. Clowns: Pennywise 159. Wonder: Over Yander 16o. Brown: Pants 161. Banana: Yum 162. Sex: Rope 163. Parents: One 164. Homosexuals: Jensen and Jared 165. God: Father Section Nine: Do you believe in 166. God: Yes 167. Heaven: Yes 168. Devil: Yes 169. Hell: In a sense 170: Boogey man: No 171. Closet Monsters: Nah 172. Fortune telling: Nope 173. Magic: Nuh uh 174. Love at first sight: Depends 175. Ghosts: Nope 176. Voo-doo dolls: Nah 177. Reincarnation: Nope 178. Yourself: Ehh, not really Section Ten: Do you 179. Smoke: And kill my lungs? No thanks 180. Do drugs: Pfft, why would I? 181. Drink alcohol: Again, I'm not trying to die at a young age 182. Cuss: Yea 183. Sing in the shower: Sometimes... 184. Like school: Yea, it was the best place to be! 185. Want to get married: Mhmm, and I'm glad I found someone 186. Type with all of your fingers: Not really 187. Think you're attractive: Most days 188. Drink and drive: Fuck this 189. Snore: Sometimes 190. Sleep walk: Nope 191. Like watching sunrises and sunsets: Best place to be honestly Section Eleven: Have you ever 192. Flashed someone: On accident 193. Gotten so drunk til you threw up everywhere: I don't drink 194. Told that person how you felt: Yep 195. Been arrested: Nope 196. Gone to jail or juve: No 197. Skateboarded: Yes 198. Skinny dipped: In a bath 199. Rock climbed: Do it every summer 200. Killed someone: Nope 201. Watched porn: Nah 202. Gone on a road trip: Kinda 203. Went out of the country: Nah 204. Talked back to an adult: Yes 205. Broken a law: Nope 206. Got pulled over: Don't drive 208: Cried to get out of trouble: I don't usually do anything bad 209. Let a friend cry on your shoulder: I'm supposed to, I'm there to listen 210. Kissed a brother's or sister's friend: No 211. Kissed a friend's brother or sister: No 212. Dropped something on the floor and let someone eat it anyways: Nah, I usually eat it 213. Mooned someone: Yes, once 214. Shop-lifted: No 215. Worked at McDonald's: No thank you 216. Eaten a dog: A hot dog! 217. Give money to a homeless person: Yea, I've fed them too 218. Glued your hand to yourself: Yes 219. Kissed someone of the same sex: Playing Pocky 220. Had a one night stand: I have two right beside my bed 221. Smoked: Nope 222. Done drugs: No 223. Lose a friend because of your ex: I don't have any exes 224. Slap someone for being stupid: Yes 225. Had cyber sex: Sexted?? Kinda 226. Wish you were the opposite sex: A lot more often than I should sometimes. But for completely different reasons 227. Caught someone doing something: Yea 228. Played a game that removes clothing: Strip truth or dare ;) 229. Cried during a movie: All the damn time 230. Cried over someone: It's hard not to when you can't have an actor love you 231. Wanted to hook up with a friend: Yea, and I did 232. Hooked up with someone you barely met: Nah 233. Ran away from home: Nope 234. Cheated on a test: Once Section Twelve: Would you 235. Bungee jump: Nope 236. Sky dive: Hate heights 237. Swim with dolphins: Yes 238. Steal a friend's bf or gf: That goes against girl code 239. Try to be the opposite sex: No 240. Lie to the police: Hi officer my real name is Nicholas... Cage 241. Run from the police: No 242. Lie to your parents: Done it before 243. Backstab a friend for your own well being: That's just plain rude 244. Be an exotic dancer: Only for my boyfriend <3 245. NQ- Kill the president: Nah Section Thirteen: Are you 246. Shy: Yes, especially around new people 247. Loud: Extremely 248. Nice: I try to be 249: Outgoing: I fake being outgoing haha 250: Quiet: Yea 251. Mean: Depends, I'm mean to those I like 252. Emotional: Sad to say, but yea 253. Sensitive: Mhmm 254. Gay: I'm very happy 255. Strong: I wish, need to start working out 256. Weak: Yea 257. Caring: Yes, especially towards animals 258. Dangerous: Well, does this include caving? 259. Crazy: Uh huh 260. Spontaneous: I am the most random and spontaneous thing out there 261. Funny: I try to be, I fail at it 262. Sweet: To eat ;) 263. Sharing: With most things, but not my food 264. Responsible: Most of the time 265. Trustworthy: Definitely, if you want a secret kept come talk to me 266. Open-minded: Depends on what you mean 267. Creative: For the most part 268. Cute: Um, not even close, no matter how many of y'all say I am 269. Slick: They don't call me Nik the Slick for nothing 270. Smart: Yea 271. Dumb: I act like it 272. Evil: No 273. Ghetto: If only 274. Classy: As in sassy 275. Photogenic: Nope 276. Dependable: Only on a few select things 277. Greedy: Only with food 278. Ugly: Yes, 100 times over 279. Messy: With my life 280. Neat: With everything else 281. Perverted: You can say cookie and it'll go bad 282. Silly: Yea 283. A B****: I can be if you want me to be 284. A Good Listener: Mhmm 285. A Fighter: If you make me mad enough 286. A Party Animal: I'd rather read, thanks 287. A Game Freak: YES 288. A Computer Freak: I literally want to work on computers Section Fourteen: Future 289. Dream job: Animation 290. Dream house: Somewhere out in the country 291. Husband/Wife: My sweet redheaded boyfriend 292. Kids: 2 293. Names: Something with Ns 294. Pets: Literally so many 295. Car: Anything that gets me places 296. Age you would want to get married: I wouldn't mind getting married in the next few years 297. Best Man/Bride's Maid: My best friend Elena 298. Honeymoon: Anyplace that has a bedroom Section Fifteen: Your friends 299. Best friend: Elena, Nate, Jasmine, Kelsey 300. Known the longest: Nate 301. Craziest: Elena 302. Loudest: Elena and I 303. Shyest: Jasmine and Kelsey 304. Best hair: Kelsey 305. Best eyes: Kelsey 306. Best body: Nate 307. Most Athletic: Me 308. Hot-Tempered: Elena 309. Most impatient: Me 310. Shortest: Nate 311. Tallest: Kelsey 312. Skinniest: Me 313. Best singer: Me 314. Funniest: Literally all of us 315. Can always make you laugh: All of them 316. Wish you talked to more: Elena 317. Wish you saw more: All of them 318. Who drives you insane after a while: Elena, but in a good way 319. Who you can stay around forever and never get sick of: All of them 320. Ever lose a friend because you took it to the 'next level': Nah, I'm dating Nate 321. Whose always been there when you need them: All of them 322. Who is like your family: All of them 323. How many friends do you have?: Quite a few, and I love each and every one of them 324. How many are really close? About 10? Section Sixteen: The last 325. Thing you ate: Poptarts 326. Thing you drank: Apple juice 327. Thing you wore: My hoodie 328. Thing you did: This meme 329. Place you went: The store 330. Thing you got pierced or tattooed: Nothing 331. Person you saw: My dad 332. Person you hugged: My dad 333. Person you kissed: Nate 334. NQ- Person you beat to a juicy pulp: I wish I had done that to a couple jerks 335. Person you talked to online: Nate 336. Person you talked to on the phone: Nate 337. Song you heard: Vulnerable by Secondhand Serenade 338. Show you saw: Mom 339. Time you fought with your parents: Um... about a month or two? 340. Time you fought with a friend: Haven't for a while 341. Words you said: Fuck you is what I said Section Seventeen: Now 343. What are you eating: Poptart 344. What are you drinking: Apple juice 345. What are you thinking: About my boyfriend 346. What are you wearing: My hoodie 347. What are you doing: Writing this up 349. Hair: Down 350. Mood: Tired 351. Listening to: Spotify 352. Talking to anyone: Yea 353. Watching anything: Nah Section Eighteen: Yes or No 354. Are you a vegetarian: Mostly 355. Are you a carnivore: Nah 356. Are you heterosexual: Yes 357. Do you like penguins: Yes 358. Do you write poetry: Yes 359. Do you see stupid people: Yes 360. You + Me: No 361. Do you like the Osbournes: Yes 362. Can you see flying pigs: No 363. Do you sleep with stuffed animals on your bed: Yes 364. Are you from Afghanistan: No 365. Is Christina Aguilera ugly: No 366. Are you a zombie: No 367. Am i annoying you: Yes 368. Do you bite your nails: Yes 369. Can you cross your eyes: Yes 370. Do you make your bed in the morning: No 371. Have you touched someone's private part: Yes Section Nineteen: This or That 372. Winter or Summer: Winte 373. Spring or Autumn: Autumn 374. Shakira or Britney: Britney 375. MTV or VH1: MTV 376. Black or White: White 377. Yellow or Pink: Pink 378. Football or Basketball: Football 379. Mobile Phone or Pager: Mobile 380. Pen or Pencil: Pencil 381. Cold or Hot: Hot 382. Tattoos or Piercings: Tattoos 383. Inside or Outside: Inside 384. Weed or Alcohol: No 385. Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi 386. Tape or Glue: Tape 387. McDonald's or In-n-Out: In-Out Section Twenty: Opinions 388. What do you think about classical music: I like it 389. About boy bands: Nah 390: About suicide: Talk to someone if you're thinking about suicide. It is a very real thing and should not be joked about. I don't want to find out that any of you are no longer here because of suicide. I've lost 2 very close friends that way. 391. About people who try to force their opinions on you: They can kindly fuck off 392. About teen pregnancy: Only if they know they'll be able to take care of the baby 393. Where do you think you'll be in 10 years: With my husband in some country town 394. Who do you think you'll still be friends with in 5 years: Nate, Elena, Kelsey, Jasmine, hopefully all my friends 395. About gay men: They're human too Section Twenty-One: 396. Do you have a website: I'm working on building one 397. Current weather right now: Cold as balls 398. Current time: 7:00 399. Last thoughts: Byyyye

[pricelessrambling]

Miss or not to miss?

What should I list first?  The things that I will miss or the things that I will not.  Well, it’s all in what you think is best.  Good news first, bad news second, or vice versa.  It’s really hard to say which one I should go into first so, I will just dive right into the things that I will not miss so that you finish reading on what I would consider a good note.

So, what will I not miss?  Well, there are countless things. I will attempt to paint you a picture of the things that I have found to be really, really annoying, laughable but painful, and the down right just so inexcusable that it cannot be carried forward.

I am not going to miss the driving.  The driving here is out of the world crazy.  The old adage of ‘women drivers’ - well, this is so true here in the land of the sand and then some.  There are those that you wonder how in the heck did they ever get allowed to get in a car with keys.

I am not going to miss going to a bathroom and finding either no toilet paper or that everything is wet and you are in a shower stall. Not, to mention individuals bathing in bathrooms.  Freshening up is great but showers in sinks?

I am not going to miss the heat.  UHHH?  Really who would.  

I am not going to miss the nasty air quality.  Can you say brown lung?

I am not going to miss sun rising up at about 4 am and your body automatically is adjusted to it. Strange but true.

I am not going to miss AFN television. Or overseas satellite television!  No more subtitles!

I am not going to miss the internet.  Hit or miss.

I am not going to miss wall AC units that leak unexpectedly.

I am not going to miss electricity that goes out every time it rains. Thank goodness for great electrical work.

I am not going to miss the overly priced food market.

I am not going to miss attending a movie in town and not being able to see the entire ‘real’ movie or not be able to take your children to see whatever - whenever.

I will not miss having to determine whether your appliance, television, hair dryer, phone, computer has to be plugged into the wall on its own, plugged into a transformer, or into a surge protector.  It’s the little things you know.

I am not going to miss having to check my points when wanting to buy a six pack or a bottle of wine. Whew!  I made it every month without going over thank goodness.

I am not going to miss smoking in every establishment there is - oh the joys of a smoke free building in America.  Don’t count your blessings -

I’m sure that I could list a multitude of other things that I will not miss but hey, why carry on with all this negativity.  Let’s delve into the things that I will miss. That’s more important right?

So, I will miss standing for the National Anthem in movie theaters on base.  The cost of the movies ain’t so bad either.  But, the patriotism - wow!

I will miss free concerts from great artists and no so great artists.  Thanks MWR - but next time can we bring Carli Lloyd for our young girls.  If you can bring other peeps like famous culinary artists and dancers - why not an Olympic soccer player who is the best role model ever for young girls. Just saying...

I will miss the friendships that I have made here.  Although we are all parting ways and there will probably be many miles and seas and continents in between us - we can still keep in touch.  

I will miss the travel.  Boy, have we done a bunch while here.  Such a great hub to go visit places. International travel is amazing and I can’t speak enough on the advantages that it can give your children.  

I will miss the fresh juices that this place makes for you.  Although, I will attempt to start making my own it may never be the same.

I will miss the laughs that we have every day of something new and strange and silly that you see around here.  It’s craziness in a small little country that is about as big as the state of Rhode Island.  

I will miss seeing wild camels. Earning a snickers bar for finding and seeing the first one of the day.

I will miss my Girl Scout troop.  These little girls taught me so much this year and I have really enjoyed them.

I will miss the soccer games in sand storms and hearing young teenage girls laugh and watching them dance while practicing for their next game. 

I will miss run partners that cheered you on when you had a bad day, and that you cheered on when they had an even worse one. 

I will miss fun free races on base that included silly things like carrying a pumpkin or that supported so many important things like Suicide Awareness and Sexual Assault.

I will miss free gym membership.

I will miss exotic fruits and vegetables that you purchase in a central market where the people remember you and your children.

I will miss straight street cats even though their conditions are super sad. They can be a slight moment of laughter when your 90 lb GSD is out for a break and they come up on him like a gang from New York or LA.  

I will miss the sweet people from this country that we have made friends with that have put a lasting impression on us.  People like your housekeeper who works so hard for so little for so many people - but always seems to have a smile and never really has a harsh word, people like your realtor that worked so hard the entire two years you were here because your fist landlord was awful, people like the waiters and waitresses at your favorite restaurants that always remember you, your order, and most of all if you come in without your children - they always ask about them by name and how they are doing.

I will miss the wonderful summer camps that are available here.

I will miss the fact that here, we learn the value of a lot of things that are in the US that many individuals will never - ever  get the chance of missing or not missing.  

There are loads of things that I will miss, not miss, etc...  But, in the end - no matter if they were good or bad - I would never take back this chance that we took and the experiences.  What an amazing ride life can be if you only take the chance to get on board, roll the windows down, and let the wind blow your hair. 

[moleasia4-blog]

Butternut Miso Soup with Arame and Wasabi

You know that game where you give someone a word and they have to make up a story with that word in it? I’m like that, except with food. Give me an ingredient, and magically, as if out of nowhere, an entire recipe (or several!) will appear in my head. I could even give you the amount of salt it needs, how the vegetables should be sliced, the oven temp, and what it should be garnished with. It’s a tad psycho, but my best party trick hands down.

When my friend Christiann Koepke emailed me about coming to visit her in Portland, driving to the Pacific coast, and photographing some recipes together, I was all in. And then when she suggested we put seaweed into something (because ocean) it was like someone had opened the flood gates in my brain and alllll the ideas came rushing to me. Neat! And very convenient.

But what do we really want to eat at the beach when it’s chilly and maybe windy, maybe raining, maybe freezing-raining (it is the Pacific Northwest, after all)? The answer is soup. And I knew it was going to be a creamy, dreamy, sea veggie-kissed broth with all the tasty toppings.

When seaweed is a featured ingredient in a recipe, I tend to channel Asian flavours like miso, ginger, wasabi, toasted sesame, to compliment to the unmistakably briny, salty, ocean-y flavour of seaweed. Eaten as a staple food throughout China and Japan for thousands of years, sea vegetables are rich in essential minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll, iodine, fiber, and lots of protein. Some sea vegetables even contain vitamin B12 – a rare element for a plant!

Sea vegetables are less complex than their land-dwelling relatives. Without intricate root systems or tissues, seaweeds get their nutrients from the waters they grow in. To survive, they form root-like parts to attach themselves to rocks or other stable elements. There are three categories of sea vegetables; brown, red, and green. Brown algae thrive in cool water at depths of around 50 feet. The most commonly known brown seaweed is kelp, which can grow up to 1,500 feet (500 meters) long! Red algae, like dulse, contain elements that can gel foods. Green sea vegetables bridge the gap between land and sea plants, as they can store food as starch, just like vegetation found out of the water. The most popular kind of green algae is nori, which is what your sushi comes wrapped in.   

Seaweeds range in flavours from mild to wild. Some are sweet and nutty, while others are pungent, funky, and an acquired taste. If you’re a seaweed newb (which most Westerners are), I suggest starting out with a less challenging one, like arame. Arame is in the “brown” category of sea vegetables, but when you buy it, it will appear closer to jet black. It has a stringy texture, and almost looks like wiry hair, but will soften into tender, noodle-y strands after being soaked. Before it is packaged, arame must be cooked for seven hours, and then dried in the sun. To use, simply re-hydrate by soaking it in room temperature water for 10-15 minutes until it is soft and has doubled in volume. Arame is very high in calcium, rich in iron, potassium, vitamin A and the B vitamins. And like other brown seaweeds, arame contains sodium alginate, a compound that helps to convert heavy metals in the body into harmless salt, which is easily excreted.

Besides soup, I like to put arame in stews, stir fries, and salads (here’s a great recipe from the archives…check out that incredible food photography!). The flavor of arame is saline and a bit funky, but mostly sweet. The texture is like an al dente pasta, and I think it adds amazing “meaty-ness” to a dish, with its satisfying chew.

This soup is well balanced, and hits all the notes: sweet and creamy from the butternut, savoury from miso, chewy from the arame, warming from the ginger, spicy from the wasabi, and nutty and crunchy from the toasted sesame. You could theoretically use any kind of winter squash here, like a Hokkaido pumpkin, acorn or delicate squash. Scale back on the ginger and perhaps leave out the wasabi if you’re making this for kiddos. And if you don’t have arame, or you’re simply not into sea vegetables, leave it out, or replace with some coconut bacon. It should be noted that once you’ve added the miso to the soup base, it’s important that you don’t let it boil if you reheat it. Miso is contains delicate probiotics and enzymes that will be destroyed by high heat. The soup freezes well, but leave the wasabi out until you serve it since the flavour will fade if once it’s frozen.

    Print recipe    

Butternut Squash Miso Soup with Wasabi and Arame Serves 4 (Makes 8 cups / 2 liters)

Ingredients: ½ cup / 10g dried arame 1 large yellow onion ½ tsp. fine sea salt 4 cloves garlic 2 ½ Tbsp. / 25g minced fresh ginger approx. 3 lbs. / 1 ½ kg butternut squash 2 Tbsp. expeller-pressed coconut oil 4 cups / 1 liter water, more if needed ¼ cup / 60ml white miso, or more if desired 3 Tbsp. black sesame seeds 1 tsp. wasabi powder microgreens and wasabi arugula for garnish, if desired

Directions: 1. Place the arame in a medium bowl and cover with a few inches of water. Let soak while you cook the soup.

2. Roughly chop the onion, peel and mince the garlic and ginger. Peel and cube the butternut squash.

3. Melt the coconut oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and salt, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, stir, and cook for another couple of minutes. When fragrant, add the butternut squash, stir and cook for 4-5 minutes with the lid on. Add the water, replace the lid, bring to a boil, and then reduce to simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.

4. While the soup is simmering, toast the sesame seeds by placing them in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally until they begin to pop. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

5. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender (or simply use an immersion blender), and blend on high until completely smooth. Add more water to thin, if necessary.

6. Place miso and wasabi powder into two small, separate bowls. Add a bit of soup to each bowl, stir well, then add just the miso blend to the blender, and blend once again to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Keep the wasabi to the side until serving.

7. Drain and lightly rinse the arame.

8. To serve, place the piping hot soup into bowls, drizzle with the wasabi and swirl, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Top with a handful of the arame, some microgreens, and enjoy.

Christiann and I had such an incredible time at the ocean, pulling this whole miracle off together. The weather – although abysmal every other day that week – was beyond beautiful from the moment we set foot on the sand, to the second we decided it was time to call it a night (and then it started pouring, ha!). We caught an epic sunset by the fire, exhausted and so grateful for the stars aligning in every way possible, to make this day possible. And it was such an honour to work alongside a photographer that has inspired me for years – if you haven’t checked out her genius yet, here is a link to her website and Instagram.

Thank you, Christiann for making this dream a reality! I had such a blast! We have another post coming up in the New Year I cannot wait to share it with you, dear friends.

Big love to all and I hope autumn is treating you well. Happy American Thanksgiving to all my loves stateside! xo, Sarah B

photo credits: images 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 Christiann Koepke

*   *   *   *   *   *

Good news friends! Due to the overwhelming feedback, we’ve extended the period of sign-ups for the Life-Changing Loaf Subscription Box that can be shipped before the holidays. If you’re looking for a great gift for a family member or friend (or need to hand out suggestions for yourself!), this is the perfect thing – it’s the gift that keeps on giving 😉 To give the box as a gift, simply click “ship to a different address” when you check out. Thank you for all the support so far! Your loaf is on the way!

Source: https://www.mynewroots.org/site/2018/11/butternut-miso-soup-with-arame-and-wasabi/

[slumberland-remembered]

11/4/2018

Go to the beach with family and find out me and my brother transform into merfolk underwater. Take my YA cousin and find out she is too. Determined to test husband.

My younger brother and I were reserving really great spots at the beach, getting our beach umbrella, sand mat, and towels set up. We’re excited to go play in the water, but don’t want our spot taken over so we wait for someone else in the family to show up (no face shown in the dream) before we rush for the water. 

I get caught in a big wave and can’t come up for air in time but find that I can not only see clearly in the salty water (as clearly as seeing underwater in Skyrim), but I can breathe as well, though it feels heavier to breathe underwater. But I can breathe it, which is amazing to me. I manage to come up and tell my brother about it. Without thinking about it he immediately gives it a try and finds out he can see and breathe, too. 

I see him underwater and he has a mermaid tail, so I point and say so. Surprisingly my voice is very clear and travels through the water. “Whoa, I can hear you! And you have a tail, too!” I look and I do have a mermaid tail. (I don’t recall the color of either of our tails.) We turn and start swimming deeper into the water. We want to explore and see what we can find. 

We do find some sort of underwater city, but its not what one would call Atlantica from The Little Mermaid. Rather it was set up line coming in off the strains at a station. We head back to the surface after a little (unremembered) exploring.

Strangely nobody seems perturbed by our extended absence despite the fact that it’s nearly the end of the day when we return. We resolve that we want to tell my husband and see if he, too, turns into a mer person under the water, but don’t know how to get him to believe us. My husband is a huge skeptic. 

So I go to my YA cousin and tell her about what happened and asks if she wants to find out if she turns into a mermaid underwater, too. She does and we arrange another trip to the beach. It takes forever to get to the beach this time as the trip seems to be nothing but rest stops. But we finally get there and she too turns into a mermaid in the ocean water. I remember the way to the underwater city and take her there. She says she wants to go explore on her own for a while and I agree. 

I’m for some reason not interested in the underwater city, but go back to the surface instead and find a boat cruising on the water. Cue me having fun showing off my tail to the people on the boat who don’t have cameras. 

Dream Elements to look at seem to be being at the beach, being and breathing underwater, and mermaid transformations. 

I’m also not going to pretend that looking at a post featuring a ton of mermaid and merman Christmas ornaments didn’t have an influence on what I dreamed. The way the dream happened does have it’s own meaning though.

Being Underwater: To dream of being in clear water indicates that things are likely to progress positively in the future. If the water in your dream is murky or unclear, then it means it is likely that joy and pleasure will soon enter your life.Entering water and falling underwater generally represents that you monitor and do things important to you in life. Going down in water generally indicates your strength in a situation, but if you are swimming this suggests a fresh start in your life. -- I like good news. I put both in the interpretation because I feel like some moments the water was clearer than others. The water immediately around me was very clear and out some distance was also clear. But the water further away was harder to see through. I’m a bit relieved that this seems to herald good news.

Underwater and Breathing: The dreamer starts out holding his breath because he doesn’t think he can breathe in the water. This may be the same way many people feel when they are about to approach a confrontation, unexpected meeting or difficult situation. Not knowing what will happen, emotions tense, they move forward, “holding their breath.The dreamer decides to go for it – he takes a breath because there is no other choice. To his surprise, he can breathe. And the feeling of freedom this provides sends him off on an underwater adventure, free to swim, play and explore.These underwater dreams suggest that the dreamer is immersed in emotion. Since he can breathe under water, he is comfortable with his emotional life and feelings. Dreams of water that provides adventure can feel liberating. Most of the human body is made of water and, without it, humans couldn’t survive. When dreamers experience fun in the water, they are likely connecting in a healthy way with their spirit and psyche. -- I’ve always loved swimming and have always loved having goggles to see underwater with, whether it be in a pool or in a natural body of water like the ocean. I use goggles, nose plugs, and ear plugs later in life, just to try and prolong the amount of time I can spend under water and I very frequently have dreams that I can breathe underwater if I just try. Seems I’m always jumping into unexpected situations and being comfortable with my emotions. I’d question the last bit, but I’ve been getting a lot of support so I won’t.

Dream About Being a Mermaid or Becoming a Mermaid: Dreams about being a mermaid in the dream or turning into one, suggest some form of transformation towards the feminine side. Perhaps you are entering a new relationship and you are finding yourself becoming more feminine and beautiful. -- Thankfully this one is a somewhat simple meaning. I’ve been dieting and have been making slow, but steady progress which makes me feel good about the decision to start. I may not be able to see the effects of 12 lbs, but I know and that seems to be good enough for my subconscious. 

Beach and Shore: The beach may symbolize the meeting between your two states of mind – the rational (Sand) and the emotional (Water); or the place of transition between your physical self and your spiritual self. If you are standing on the beach looking at the ocean, you may be preparing to do some soul-searching; or you may be about to “dive-in” to something; or perhaps you are trying to “find yourself” within the waters of the unconscious. -- I think I’m going to attribute this to the diet I’ve been on as well and the emotional ups and downs that dieting bring. 

I do wonder why my brother and I weren’t more interested in the underwater city we found and why nobody had worried where we went when we went looking. My brother and I went under the surface of the water and then nobody saw us for the next several hours and that wasn’t a cause for worry? Dreams can be weird. I’m also pretty sure I dreamed of my YA cousin because she’s been having a lot of medical problems lately and she’s been on my mind. 

[altusfl]

8. Lead up to the 1985 season --- Hadhazy’s State of the League Report

Here is the Peter Hadhazy 1985 pre-season “State of the league” report for Commissioner Harry Usher from this alternate reality.

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Michigan

The 1983 Panthers are a favorite to return to the championship game with a healthy Anthony Carter. Michigan is a totally different team when he is on the field.   He is the best in the USFL.  He distorts the game. I understand why they wanted to look at QB Whit Taylor.  He could be the starter there in a few years.  He has a live arm and quick feet but he needs a few years. Right now all of his passes are shot out of his arm like a gun.  He has no finesse to his passing.  Still he is generally fairly accurate and his work is a net positive. Al Taubman is one of the league’s richest owners and has proven he will take annual losses to bring Michigan a winner. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Philadelphia

The best team in the league through the first few seasons. Good leadership all the way through.  Chuck Fusina is a tremendous winner and may be the second or third best QB in the league.  You have to play your best to beat Philadelphia. The Stars expect a major attendance bump this year with a league championship trophy in tow. They are a machine grinding out good play after good play. They hope to average 40,000 this season. A favorite to return to the championship game. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Pittsburgh

Eddie DeBartalo Sr. Is hoping for a much stronger team this year under incoming coach Hank Burroughs. I am not convinced. I think he blew it last year by firing Joe Pendry too early.  Pittsburgh didn’t profit from having an interim coach.  Pendry was building a very good framework of a team in RB Mike Rozier, QB Glenn Carano, WR Greg Anderson, WR Jackie Flowers, LT Don Maggs, DE Sam Clancy, DE Doug Hollie, and CB Jerry Holmes. I think they would have won 3 more games last year if they kept him all season.  It is a minority opinion, but he might have saved his job. I think Pendry’s biggest mistake was sending the plays in with receivers. Literally only Anderson, Flowers, and their backs could catch.  Taking a good WR off the field to send in a play was killing them. Plus Rozier looked worn out or maybe injured.  He should be better this year, but all of that put a lot of pressure on Carano. Carano is a very solid looking starting QB. He looks like a good leader on the field who understands the game. I think he knew exactly why things didn’t work.  He needed more receivers. I think he may be as good as Stoudt if the team is managed to his skillset. Every time you change coaches, the areas that work are at risk to be disassembled. I worry that Burroughs will gut the offense or mismanage it. This team could really use a fast, competent 3rd receiver, a TE who can catch, maybe some OL help, some DT help, a MLB, some DB help. There is high end talent on the roster here and there, but the roster is spotty and the rest of the division is tough. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Miami

Woody Wiser has taken the former Federals by the horns.  He appears ready to aggressively rebuild that into a winning franchise. Howard Schnellenburger is immensely popular Miami and it runs under the radar that the Miami Hurricanes have some of the best young collegiate talent in the country.  Schnellenburger has hired the Tampa Bay Bucanneer’s Ken Herock to be the General Manager so this team will draft well. With Miami as one of their territorial assignments, it is highly likely that the Spirit will pile up talent from that roster. The Federals took a step back in their second year because most of the veterans on their defense didn’t come back.  I think former owner Bernhard made two huge mistakes by 1) putting all of his eggs in the Reggie Collier basket.  That guy can only be passable in a really limited system, and 2) by firing Jauch after the first game. While this team is exceedingly young, I think a veteran coach would have won 6-7 games with this roster, which isn’t a great total, but 3-4 more wins has a cash value in terms of turnout.  On the positive side, there are good pieces here. QB Mike Hohensee, RB Curtis Bledsoe, WR Joey Walters, WR Ricky Simmons, WR Mike Harris, WR Greg Taylor, PR/KR Eric Robinson, G Ed Felton,  CB Jeff Brown, SS Victor Jackson, FS Mike Guess are all quality players in their roles.   They also have a handful of promising defensive linemen. They could really use a FB who won’t fumble, a quality second RB who also doesn’t fumble, maybe a top notch DL, better LBs, and another CB. It is a young team. Their best days are ahead for this franchise.  WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY.  SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Jacksonville

Fred Bullard had one of the best expansion plans we have seen. He has a quality Stadium and has engaged the fans. While I am not sold on their head coach, Lindy Infante, Bullard’s Bulls seem like they’re likely to be around for the long haul. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. STABLE.

Tampa Bay

John Bassett’s Tampa Bay Bandits are among the gold standard of teams in the USFL in terms of both on the field competitiveness and strong fan support. Bassett’s health obviously puts a major cloud over this franchise however it seems like minority owner Donald Dizney is readying to assume a majority ownership role and has the means to do it. SPRING ADVOCATE. Assuming Dizney buys…. STABLE.

New Jersey

Walt Michaels is a quality coach and the Generals are very competitive on the field behind Herschel Walker and Brian Sipe. Attendance his never been a problem in New Jersey. The biggest question in New Jersey is how Donald Trump is going to deal with the fact that the league has decided not to move to a fall schedule. I think it is highly likely the Trump will sell the team after the conclusion of the lawsuit vs the NFL ….but thankfully not a moment before. (Please see my attached profile on Stephen Ross.)   WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. FALL ADVOCATE. STABLE…For now.

Denver

Doug Spedding bought one of the best attended teams in the league and a division leader and has proceeded to see that team collapse after the loss of QB Craig Penrose. They have a good running game and a solid defense. Spedding seems willing to spend. Hiring Mouse Davis was a potentially exciting move for the fans that would have paid off immensely if they had landed Neil Lomax, but now may create a little attendance problems as Davis seems not inclined to value former Bronchos. (I write that, but currently they have a very competitive offer out to Denver’s former starting QB Steve DeBerg…) Davis seems primed to gut the roster and change quarterbacks and that could really hurt attendance if they don’t land DeBerg. Davis appears to have no interest in last year’s starter veteran Craig Penrose, who is polished and I thought was quite solid, but I guess he doesn’t fit the offense. (Penrose is a former NCAA single season passing leader out of Sand Diego State under Don Coryell protege Claude Gilbert). I felt Morton gambled away his job by trying to develop rookie QB Ken Hobart instead of just playing Penrose.  I also thought he made a strategic mistake not giving the ball to HB Harry Sydney more.  Denver should have made the playoffs last year and I think you can lay the fault mostly at the foot of Morton although trading those linebackers wasn’t smart.  They were still a very solid team.  Davis has expressed an interest in confident but inaccurate Blitz quarterback Vince Evans, if DeBerg turns them down. It may make sense to grease the skids on a trade there.  If he can develop Evans, it could be very exciting to watch. Attendance should bounce back strongly as the shadow of the move to a fall schedule was severely damaging local support. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE.  STABLE.

New Orleans

The Breakers have been at the top of the second tier on the league for the first two years but now the guy who drove them there, QB Johnnie Walton has retired. Joe Carnizario appears to be a motivated owner  willing to spend money but this team is hurting for a new quarterback. They have an exceptional Head Coach who is great with QBs and he just hired Stanford’s offensive Coordinator Jim Fassel who is also good with QBs.  Right now they have Doug Woodward who looked great in 1983 and pretty bad in 1984 and Matt Robinson who struggled in Jacksonville last year.   It would be in the league’s best interest to see if a quarterback with area ties like Oklahoma quarterback Doug Williams, Arizona quarterback Allen Risher, or Miami QB Reggie Collier could end up in New Orleans. Carnizario is infatuated with the talent of Collier, but Coury really wants to try to lure Archie Manning out of retirement, so they are working on that.  I am not sure they will succeed in signing Manning.  The fan base is rabid enough to really take off if a local hero QB was placed in the city. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE.  STABLE.

Birmingham

Marvin Warner looks very stable as an owner. With Jim Smith, Joe Cribbs, Cliff Stoudt and a very sturdy defense, Birmingham looks like a team that will compete at the highest level every year. The fan support is still not quite what you’d like given the quality of the team, but it’s sufficient.  FALL ADVOCATE.  STABLE.

Memphis

Ownership is not a problem in Memphis. The team spends money at adequate levels and looks stable. On the field Pepper Rodgers’ teams are competitive. Fan support is about what you’d expect, middle of the pack. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY? FALL ADVOCATE.  STABLE.

Houston

Houston’s trio of owners look fairly stable, if a bit disorganized, but I am concerned that they’re not investing enough in promotion. It seems like they assume the presence of Jim Kelly will sell tickets in Houston. Houston has always been a tough market for a pro team. Hopefully with the fall business in the rearview there will be a late surge in season ticket sales. On the field, the Gamblers look like a competitor with great star power. FALL ADVOCATE.  I am going to say STABLE, but not as much as I expected…..

Oklahoma

It seems like there’s a fair bit of misinformation here. Tulsa Stadium seats 40,000 which is perfect for a USFL team, not too small as advertised by William Tatham Jr., but it appears inadequate parking may have been more of a problem than inadequate stadium capacity. The attendance average and fan support looked amazing for a first-year team that endured horrible rainy weather and finished with an 8 game losing streak, but those numbers may also be overstated guesstimates, making it tough to judge this as a market. The business base to support a pro team long-term does not appear to be there in Tulsa, but my gut feeling is Tulsa could be an acceptable site for a couple of seasons and that Oklahoma has a good basis of a team and strong fan support. The Tathams have a deal to play their games at OU’s Stadium in Norman until a stadium is built in Oklahoma City (there is apparently some solid discussion of that) but per the fall vote meeting, it appears that the Tathum’s would rather be a lot closer to their home base in California and are looking at working a merger deal with Arizona or Oakland. On the field, the Outlaws overachieved in the first half of the season and underachieved in the second. There is a fair sprinkling of nice talents there, but the roster is maybe 12-15 deep. Probably the least depth in the league.  They have nice talents on special teams as well as at some spots. QB Doug Williams, WR Al Williams, TE Ron Wheeler, DE Curtis Anderson, OLB Dewey McClain, ILB Terry Beeson, FS Kevin Middleton and NT Bob Nelson are plus starters or better. They just have glaring holes. They need a possession receiver, a couple OLs, DL help, a SS, maybe some CB help and some depth.  I know the book on them is that they couldn’t run the ball, but I don’t think that was accurate.  I think from Outlaws coach Woody Widenhoffer, bought into 30 year old RB and fellow ex-Steeler Sidney Thorton too hard.  Thorton was done and they stayed with him for too much of the season.   And then they panicked and they just threw the ball too much for the rest of the season.  I think they have 4 good young runners in FBs Ted Sample and Derek Hughes and HBs Andrew Lazarus and Ernest Anderson.  Anderson in particular impressed me.  He’s out of OSU (so he is marketable) and was the team’s leading rusher after only playing in the last 6 games. There was not a lot of money on the roster.  I might have given Woody Widenhoffer another season or looked for a replacement off his staff. There is a basis for a solid team here long term. While chasing small markets is silly, The Outlaws appears salvageable. FALL ADVOCATE. AT RISK.

Oakland

Tad Taube appears to be running on fumes.  He was supposed to be a minority owner of the Invaders with Jim Joseph and it appears he is now financially over extended. I think he voted for the fall because he is in a financially desperate place. He is making bad decisions with that in mind.  Charlie Sumner was someone you didn’t have to hire and frankly the team might take a step back under him as new coaches often run off a few players to show the rest of the team that the coach has power.  Chuck Hutchison was fantastic and earned the job, but Taube panicked and hired Sumner way before the season ended, blocking the easy, cheap, and smart move.  In season hires, before you see what your interim coach can do, often seem to be horrible moves.  Hutchison was the Director of Player Personnel and stepped in and used the players properly.  The Invaders are a mentally tough team with 500 or better talent. They have good leaders. They have good talent on their special teams and starters QB Fred Besana, RB Eric Jordan, WR Fred Banks, TE Brian Williams, DB Marcus Quinn are all at LEAST second tier stars and after watching last season, I think the other 10 starters on their defense are all solid or better starters when coached properly. Jordan and Besana are both seriously underrated.  Jordan runs a 4.4 and displayed a thorough understanding of how to maximize his talent in different running situations.  He is really, really good.  He can be useful against any defense because he sets up and follows his blockers and isn’t a one trick pony.  He is a highly developed runner who happens to run a 4.4.  Besana is a little too wound up inside his head, but he is the right kind of competitive.  He gets on jags where he completes just about every pass.  He is a polished passer who throws a very catchable ball. He knows exactly how and when to lob a pass on a particular route. His biggest problem is one of his positives.... he will take a shot to make a play more often than he should.  He doesn’t have a sense on when to quit on a play.  That will end up costing him.  I think If their offensive line could keep Besana upright and he worked on that, they might be a legit contender. (They gave up 69 sacks last year, although the line did play better under Hutchison and some of the sacks were Besana’s fault for not throwing the ball away.) The fan support in Oakland is very solid and ticket sales appear to be rebounding after the vote. FALL ADVOCATE.  AT RISK.

San Antonio

San Antonio is a train wreck.  On the field they are very well coached and the team is well constructed, especially defensively, but the good stops there.  The McKenzie Group thinks this franchise is ready to fail and I agree.  I have been told by several people that Magnes’ finances were crushed by the drop in oil prices.  He is one of our weaker owners today, but don’t get caught up in the dogpile to dismiss him as hopeless.  He could get better.  I just don’t think he has the money now to overcome his growth curve to become a solid owner and I don’t think there are replacement owners in San Antonio.  That is a problem. The local media and government hate him. The fans are mixed.  The local military love the Gunslingers, but there is a large contingent of San Antonio fans who were fans of the minor league Toros who are slow to embrace the Gunslingers.  This fanbase is not big enough to endure that as well as media indifference/antagonism.  In addition, Alamo Stadium is incapable of seating a 25,000+ weekly USFL audience.  That is a real bottom-line fact.  Like the Boston version of the Breakers, this team is 100% destined to lose money next season due to insufficient stadium capacity.  Magnes was going to pay to expand the stadium, but I doubt the money is there now. On top of that, Magnes has a reputation down here for sueing people when he doesn’t get his way, so tread carefully with the idea of taking away his franchise outright.  My gut feeling is that Magnes as an owner is survivable, the defensive unit is cohesive and should be kept together in some way if possible, but in no uncertain terms, San Antonio should not have a USFL team next year. SPRING ADVOCATE.  FOLD.

Arizona

Ted Diethrich seems almost done with the USFL. It seems like he is hurting for money and behind on his bills. His jury rigged sale of the Chicago franchise fell through, wrecking his finances. The league took over Chicago until Einhorn bought the franchise at a discount. The decision to sell to Einhorn got the league owners off the hook for Chicago, but it also deprived Diethich of his $7 Million sales price entirely. I think there is a compelling argument that, at minimum, the money the league owners got from Einhorn should be given to Deithrich.  The league took over the team as the idea of an owner owning two teams is counter intuitive, but in doing that we severed Deithrich’s ability to get paid. Then we sold it at a discount to get out and to recoup losses. We liquidated what probably should have been his asset to liquidate. I get that he more or less forced the league owners into a corner to accept that deal and that the league told Diethrich he was SOL, but this stinks of letting your money get mad. Plus it doesn’t show loyalty.  The reason Diethrich was in Chicago in the first place was to help the league land that initial TV contract. The Wranglers may collapse if a merger partner is not found. My two cents is that the league needs to take a look at this situation (re: bailout).  The Wranglers, Stars, and Panthers are the league’s 3 elite teams.  George Allen has been one of the main faces of the league. Letting the Wranglers collapse after a title run and Allen leave the league would undermine the credibility of the league almost as much as allowing the Blitz/Wranglers trade in the first place.  I think the league may want to consider assuming as much as $4M of the Wrangler’s debt in order to keep the Wranglers intact, Dietrich in charge, and Allen in the league. I think we should just pay it off out of the rescue fund but a loan may be more palatable to the other owners. I am thinking a loan that we forgive down the road. Maybe pry some young superfluous talent away like Tim Spencer, Thom Thayer, Alan Risher as well as a couple early picks away as a bailout cost/ admission of fault on the Hoffman deal/Salary reduction strategy.  It may light the other owners on fire to save Diethrich after the Hoffman deal, but I think it is worth it to the long term interest of the league. SPRING ADVOCATE.  AT RISK.

Los Angeles

An $11 Million team cap was ridiculous for a team with holes, but LA has a ton of talent.  They signed 7 guys who the NFL had rated as first round picks. Most positions have young talent among the best in the league in their starting lineups and the depth on this team is stupid. I mean financially irresponsible stupid.  Los Angeles had about 8 running backs who could run for over 500 yards a year for most USFL teams.  Some weeding out had/has to occur. Steve Young is a gamer.   JoJo Townsell is an emerging WR. In addition to the 3 high profile young offensive linemen, Lee Williams, Eddie Weaver, George Achica are 3 of the best young DLs in the league and the fourth, Fletcher Jenkins, isn’t bad either!  He is another All-American. Williams may be the 2nd best pure pass rusher in the league. Like the Wranglers, LA has significantly more high end talent and depth than most USFL teams. I firmly believe the league could reduce the LA payroll in half to make the team sellable and bringing the talent base in line with other USFL teams, while still have a good team of popular stars that fans of LA would still enjoy.  AT RISK.

Chicago

Obviously we’re going to fold this team but I think some analysis is necessary. The fans were pissed when we replaced one of the three best teams in the league with a gutted version of the worst. I think it’s probably good for the fans of Chicago and the USFL to have a season apart. Plus, Einhorn is pissed after the vote. He has no desire to play in the spring AT ALL, not just 1985. I think it would be in the League’s best interest to purchase the franchise back from him at his investment cost and sell it to someone else down the road. The talent on the roster is much better than advertised. Bill Polian has done a really good job of building up the talent. Someone needs to hire this guy.  He’s fantastic. The Blitz has a pretty good offensive line talent, special teams, and several other players who could contribute to a winning team.  It isn’t a sexy team in any way, but it is kind of a shame to just disperse these players randomly.  In addition to the OL, QB Vince Evans, RBs Larry Canada , Vegas Ferguson, WR Marcus Anderson, Kris Haines, TE Mark Keel, DL Ken Times, Mark Taylor, and Mike Morgan are all good players.  FOLD.

Final recommendations 

Keep the league as large as possible. 16 is ideal, 14 or 15 is OK.

Bailout LA and Arizona, reallocating some of their young talent. Teams with winning records should be able to bid draft picks and money to land those players.  The others should be reallocated to teams with losing records. (The logic being we can’t wait for organic improvement through the draft.  Teams have one to one and a half seasons to become competitive before the fans tune out.)

Contract Chicago & San Antonio. (Would recommend active reallocation of players by the league office rather than a reallocation draft to lift the basement of the league. This would allow us to work with the GMs and get players on teams that really want them or can really use them.)

Find a few more owners/investors to save Oakland, LA, and Arizona.

I think there might be an owner for the Outlaws in Oklahoma. I’m going out to Oklahoma to look into this and will get back to you in a week.

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[heartbreaker-club]

Best Kayak for Heavy Person – Best Kayak for Big Guys for 2018

You can still enjoy kayaking even If you are a heavy guy… just go for the best Best kayak for heavy person.

You see, I am a water sports guy and I know how us- big guys can sometimes be limited by our bodies.

But now you have a reason to smile…I am going to present some the greatest kayaks for fat guys and also show you how to ensure you hit the jackpot as far as identifying the Best kayak for heavy person is concerned.

But first, let’s look at why kayaking is good for you:

Being a low impact activity, kayaking leads to

An improved cardiovascular fitness

Increased muscle power (back, shoulders, arms, and chest)

Improved leg and torso strength

Reduced wear-and-tear on joints & tissues,

Can you see how beneficial kayaking is?

Now, let’s come back to kayaks for big guys and this time, we see the advantages they bring

Advantages of purchasing a large kayak

Provide a significantly bigger storage space (for your bags, containers, etc.).

Most have a large seat thus providing excellent visibility.

Have excellent primary stability.

They have a better sense of security, and reduced risk

Disadvantages of purchasing a large kayak

Some are hard to control- especially in windy conditions

A few are quite costly

Best kayak for heavy person review

The competition between kayaks with high weight capacity is cut throat. And you can easily get lost.

So, we curated a list of the very best kayaks for large people to make things a little easier.

Here, sample them;

Old Town Canoes & Kayaks Vapor 10 Recreational Kayak

As a big man/woman, you want something you can fit comfortably in.

This kayak for large man has a pretty big open cockpit and it’s very easy to get into and out of.

You will fit just so well within the available extra room.

Then, All the other basic features work well…from the seat adjustment all the way to its carry handles.

I rate it one of the best beginner large kayaks

Features

Single-user

Adjustable padded seat

Tracking system

Spacious cockpit

Made from polyethylene

cockpit rim paddle-rest

Comfortable thigh/knee pads

Pros

It has a very large cockpit

Easy to control and maneuver thanks to the tracking system

Comfortable seat

You get plenty of storage for your gear and even a dog!

Fairly priced

Cons

Its slightly heavy

the drain plug location is a bit awkward

Verdict

This is a great workout.  It works without complaining of your hefty frame and has plenty of room for getting in and/or out. All its features are comfortable through and through.

I feel that it has potential to make you the happiest paddler around.

Sun Dolphin Aruba 10-Foot Sit-in Kayak

The Aruba is made from UV-protected High Density Polyethylene is another fun kayak for splurging. If you have a liking for fashion, then you will find its deluxe adjustable seat irresistible.

The carrying handles provide for easier transportation without forgetting that it’s generally lighter.

Features

Rugged & UV-stabilized

Adjustable padded seat

Adjustable foot braces

Paddle holder

Protective thigh pads

Made from High Density Polyethylene

Large open cockpit

Storage compartment

Shock cord deck rigging

Water bottle holder

Carrying handles

Pros

Lighter

It has more safety options

Very friendly for Beginners

It has a lot of leg room

Decent storage area

Highly stable while in the water

It attains good speed

Cons

This is a well-built kayak- not much to complain about

Verdict

The Aruba sit in kayak is one of the deluxe and more durable kayaks for larger paddlers. It easier to transport, has more storage –including for a water bottle amongst other convenient features.

It an amazing knock-around kayak

AIRHEAD AHTK-2 Montana Performance 2 Person Kayak

The greatest advantage with Inflatables kayaks is that you can fit it into a duffel bag, your car trunk, and even your suitcase.

So, if you hate driving around with a kayak stationed on your rooftop, you will like what the airhead Montana 2 person kayak offers.

Apart from being easy to stow away, it has superior comfort and tracking.

It’s also highly visible thank to its orange PVC material.

Features

12-foot, 2-man kayak

Made from highly visible orange heavy gauge PVC

2 Boston valves

Movable & removable inflatable seats

tri-laminate reinforcements

Neoprene elbow guards

6 D-rings at the bow & stern

Grab handles

Threaded drain hole

Tubular I-beam floor

4 bottom tracking fins

Pros

Highly visible hence extra safe

Very puncture resistant

Easy to drain

Easy to inflate/ deflate

Its 12-ft so more spacious- can sit 2 people.

Super comfortable seats

Cons

It may take longer to dry

water and sand may get in between the cover and the bladder

Verdict

The airhead Montana 2 person kayak is an Inflatable high weight capacity kayak perfect for all your water adventures.

 It has superior comfort, better tracking system, can sit 2 people and is highly visible.

Intex Challenger K1 Kayak, 1-Person Inflatable Kayak Set

Highly visible kayaks are considered safer in water since other fun lovers can easily spot you.

The intex challenger k1 kayak has eye-catching graphics so you are guaranteed more safety while paddling around the lake or across a slow-moving river

It comfortably supports up to 220lbs and has a premium low-profile design no wonder its considered a top contender for the best big man kayak award

Features

One-person inflatable kayak

Cargo storage net

Inflatable floor

Inflatable seat (with a backrest)

Low profile design

Grab lines (on either end)

Bonuses: 84-inch aluminum oar, repair patch, and high-output hand pump

Pros

Has eye-catching graphics for extra safety

Its Cockpit is very comfortable and big

Very sturdy

So easy to inflate/deflate

Its inflatable floors makes it more stable

Cons

Not comfortable for 2 people

Verdict

With a premium design and eye-catching graphics, the intex challenger k1 kayak is safer and better built for an unforgettable experience each time you venture out to the river or the lake.

This is another top-rated inflatable kayak for large person

Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak with Deluxe Package

Still, on inflatable kayaks for big guys, you will find the 2-seater Sea Eagle 330 kayak.

It is made of extra-thick K-80 hull material and weighs just 26 pounds.  Amazingly, it can carry a 500-pounds load comfortably.

And it comes in a deluxe package comprising of a reliable foot pump, inflatable spray skirts, two oars, inflatable seats, and a durable carrier bag to hold everything together.

Features

Self-bailing draining valve

3 deluxe 1-way valves

inflatable spray skirts (Lashed down)

I-beam construction floor

Two skegs

Pressure gauge & repair kit

Bow & stern grab line

Pros

Very easy to carry

Sits 2 people comfortably

It doesn’t puncture easily

Comes with a convenient carry bag

Easier inflate/deflate

Very affordable

Cons

Seats would do with some padding

It can be hard to control in windy conditions

Verdict

This is a sturdy two-person inflatable kayak with a capacity to carry a 500-pounds guy comfortably.

It is affordable, puncture-resistant, easy to carry, and control.

When you look at its functionality, built, and capacity, you will agree with me that this is one of the best kayak 500 lb. capacity

What to look for when buying the Best kayak for heavy person.

One thing you will realize is that there’s no shortage of kayaks- and all claim to be the best kayaks for big guys

So, how do you land the very best sea kayak for larger paddler?

Here are some of the key considerations:

Where do you paddle/Use?

While the majority are versatile, a few are best when paddled in a lake, others a seacoast or and yet others in a river?

This helps you to narrow down your choices.

For example, if you are looking for one of the touring kayaks for larger paddlers, you don’t need to go through the sea of kayaks on sale.

Sit-in or sit-on-top?

Traditional sit-in kayaks have more protection while their sit-on-top counterparts are open and more exciting.

So, which are open to?

Kayak weight, material, and your budget:

Materials, directly impact your boat’s price, weight and your boat’s durability.

Shape and size

Your boat’s shape and sizing affect its handling and the available cargo space.

Safety and comfort features

Brighter colors, Velcro, padding and such features make your kayak more comfortable.

Weight capacity

What is its weight rating? You can get a kayak for heavy person with maximum support capped at 200lbs, 250lbs, etc.

Expect a kayak 350 lb. capacity and onwards up to 500lbs.

Compare this with your own weight.

Conclusion

Now, that’s all there is for now about the best kayak for heavy person.

You will no longer have to watch as others enjoy time in the therapeutic waters- unless you miss out on the best kayak for big man which is itself very hard seeing that I have even highlighted- albeit briefly- some of the top-rated kayaks for big guys.

So, what you pick?

Whatever your choice, your pleasure should come first…

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